Hanasaku Iroha
Mom,
I'm not actually your child.
Your friend, an ailing jazz singer,
had a child with an American soldier who arrived at port.
First of all, I don't have female friends.
Secondly, that's not something a child confesses to their mother.
Was worth a shot.
Little miss Ohana, do you know how babies are made?
I prefer the stork theory over the cabbage patch theory.
Same here.
Digging up babies from a cabbage patch sounds quite deranged.
Crap, a deadline reminder call!
Quick! Get it!
Me?
Just do it!
But my hands are wet!
Hello, Matsumae residence.
Oh, hi.
It's your boyfriend.
What?
Sorry, honey!
I've been so busy!
The editors are being so mean to me!
Are you coming over tonight?
What? If we need to talk, let's do it over a drink.
There will be dinner.
Episode 1: It's Spring, I'm 16, and I'm Still a Bud
Made by Ohana.
Ko, I've got a question.
Yeah?
How do you eat the corn kernels in canned soup?
They always get stuck to the bottom.
You look so ridiculous right now.
Can'h geh 'em ouh...!
Why don't you just pour some water in the can?
You weirdo!
That would ruin the taste!
The corn's as good as gone.
Well, you could dump the water into another cup,
and just eat the corn with chopsticks.
Here I thought your plan was lazy and crude,
but it's actually quite patient and elaborate.
Hush.
Ko's so patient! Ko's so patient!
Have you chosen your junior year electives yet?
Nope.
What career will you pursue after graduation?
Don't wanna decide yet.
You really play everything by ear, don't you.
Keep that up, and you'll ruin yourself.
"Ruin myself," huh? I like it.
Sounds dramatic.
Excuse me?
What boring scenery.
A mere fraction of sky is visible;
the rest blocked by tall buildings.
A transient escape on a packed train,
as the sunset dyes the city vermillion.
Hey, that sounds pretty cool.
But it isn't.
I may not act like it, but I'm actually pretty pragmatic.
I don't live with the greatest role model.
Yeah, your mom is quite the woman.
So, even if I don't decide on what to do right away,
I think I'll end up finding a stable job,
getting married around age 26,
then buying a plot at the cemetery in block 3 once I get old.
My dad told me gravestones there can be pretty pricey.
If you can afford one, you should be fine—
You lose! Later!
Hey!
Got any plans for spring break?
Nope!
Never mind!
I do like this time of day, though.
Lights flicker on, one by one,
illuminating my path.
I hope they also light the way to my future.
And I hope that, at the end of that path,
I'll have changed for the better.
I'm home.
What the heck?!
Great! You're finally home!
What's going on?
Listen.
He's fallen into debt.
So you're doing a moonlight flit?!
Well you see, he gave them our address!
Yeah, sorry about that.
And when are you running away?
Tonight.
Strike while the iron's hot!
Though there's nothing hot about this.
Oh, shut up!
This is all your fault, you know!
It's like I'm living in a soap opera.
I feel a nosebleed coming!
That sensitive nose of yours.
But maybe this is a chance for me to reinvent myself.
So, are we fleeing north or south?
Huh?
Why?
Well, if we're going somewhere cold,
I'll need to buy some more warm clothes.
But if we're going somewhere warm, then maybe I should get a sundress?
What kind of parent runs away with their kid?
What kind of parent runs away without their kid?
Here.
Kissuisou
You're free to go!
Okay!
Hey!
Are you serious?!
Yeah. I'm going to my grandma's by myself.
I'll be going to school there, too.
I...
O-Ohana!
Don't look so pessimistic!
What kind of face is that?
Huh?
Since Grandma and Mom are on bad terms,
I don't know a single thing about her.
But doesn't living in a hot spring inn sound dramatic?
Though, personally, I think a moonlight flit would've been more fun.
Ko?
I'm the kind of guy who reaches the corn by flooding it with water.
Yeah, that was pretty original.
I do things in a roundabout way.
So as your best friend, I figured someday you'd...
Guess not.
I can see now that I was wrong.
I thought if we were always together, you'd figure out how I feel about you.
Sorry, Ko, could you be a bit clearer—
I'll say it now: I like you!
What?
I've always liked you, Ohana Matsumae!
Huh?
What?
I... I...
W-Wait, you like me? What does that—
Just go.
What?
Get out of here!
Hang on, Ko—
He left before I did.
The scenery outside reflects the feelings in my heart.
I never expected anything from Mom in the first place,
and I've always wanted to be someone else.
But after seeing a different side of Ko...
He didn't come to see me off.
Care for a piece of candy?
Yes, thank you!
I've always wanted to meet an elderly woman who gives out candy!
Really, now?
This is so yummy!
Wow!
I've never seen such a vast ocean before!
That so?
With the way I was feeling,
I was actually content being in the tunnel.
But now that we're out, I can't help feeling excited!
Wow!
Kissuisou
Amazing!
What a grand stage!
It's like I'm in a movie!
Weeds...
You don't belong here.
You're ruining the image of my fairy-tale perfect hot spring inn.
Yes, it really was a fairy tale.
A pretty girl reached out her hand to me and...
Die.
...told me to die!
Sorry, you surprised me.
Could you repeat that?
Die.
Stop that, Minchi!
You can't go around wishing death on a complete stranger!
U-Umm...
I-I apologize.
Those are actually wild rocamboles Minchi's been growing.
Rocamboles?
Minchi?
They're edible.
Rocampoes? Minchi?
Rocamboles!
Mi-Minchi!
You must be Ohana.
Are you my grandmother?
Catch.
Another elderly lady who hands out candy?
Here.
Huh?
Hanasaku Iroha
Listen up.
As of today, you are an employee of this establishment.
An employee?
Not your granddaughter?
You're the daughter of the girl I disowned.
You're worth cats and dogs to me.
You'll earn your keep.
Oh! Are you training me to become the next manager—
Nwah, I'm having you take care of random chores.
Nwah?
You can do whatever you want after you graduate high school.
You will be paid for your work here.
At the same time...
At the same time?
Any blunders will be docked from your wages.
Be grateful I'm feeding you
and putting a roof over your head, in this day and age.
I wanted a grandmother who hands out candy...
Oh, you'll be here soon?
Yeah?
Okay.
Huh?
Hello?
Sis?!
Oh, you must be Ohana!
Wow, nice to meet—
Would you mind getting off me?
Oh, oops, my apologies.
The more I look at you, the more I see the resemblance.
Those evil eyes always scheming ways to screw me over.
Those sharp canines always looking to leave bite marks in me.
Um, are you my mom's brother?
Yeah. I may use you to work off my long-standing grudge.
Nah, just teasin'!
Hey, so you're Ohana?
Y-Yeah.
I have a million questions for you!
What's Satsuki like?
I've heard she's quite the call girl.
Does she walk around the house naked, too?
Umm...
Oh! I'm Tomoe, the head waitress.
Your superior, I suppose.
I'll teach you anything you want to know,
but you'll need to share info in return.
O-Okay.
That's a nice car.
She's apparently a management consultant.
Our Enishi just can't say no to her.
The sloppy coward.
Is Satsuki like that, too?
Sloppy from the waist down, I mean.
Well...
That's beanman.
He's in charge of building maintenance.
Is he nicknamed that because he's small?
No, he shares his last name, Denroku, with a company that sells beans.
That's Tohru, the assistant chef.
And the one back there's the head cook, Mr. Ren.
He has a crew cut?!
They looked busy, so I'll introduce you later.
Who am I forgetting?
Oh, you're sixteen, right?
Yeah.
In that case...
Okay, I'll be right there.
Great timing, girls!
The girl who told me to die.
Oh, you've already met?
No, not exactly.
Hi.
Well then, that saves time!
Their names are Minko and Nako.
Since you're all the same age,
do you mind giving her a quick tour?
Thanks in advance!
H-Hi.
Thanks, Nako.
Huh?
She obviously doesn't like me.
I was sort of expecting an, "of course she does!"
Even if it was a lie.
Th-That's the high school.
Minchi and I go there.
Huh? Where?
Oh, so you two work here part-time?
I do. Minchi lives here, though.
Oh yeah, there was a school uniform hanging in my room!
Maybe we're roommates!
I'm not sure.
Ah, that uniform was really cute.
Yeah?
The colors were certainly unique.
You think so?
Should we head back?
Well, this isn't exactly what I'd imagined.
Then again, I wasn't even sure what to expect.
You dimwit!
Why'd you peel the skin so thick?!
I'm sorry.
Ever considered what the farmers who grew these went through?
I'm sorry.
And what about your poor grandmother,
who make dishes out of the skins?
My grandmother doesn't live with me...
Just use your imagination, idiot!
I'm sorry.
Excuse me?
Oh, are you the manager's granddaughter?
I think you're being too hard on her.
Yelling at someone doesn't help them improve, you know.
What?! Y—
Mind your own business!
It's fine.
Do a little more working, and a little less talking.
I'm sorry.
Hey, do you mind letting us do our thing?
We have our own rules here.
Man, am I beat!
My life's taken a turn for the weird.
But I guess I've got nowhere else to go.
I wonder if she's still working.
Ko!
From: Satsuki Good luck, Ohana!
Good luck?
You make it sound so easy.
It's a bit awkward for me to contact Ko.
The drama I'd been longing for so badly...
...turned out to be kind of lonely and moldy.
M-My back.
No way.
She went to sleep after I did,
and got up earlier than me.
There's no way someone can sleep well on such a moldy bed.
There... we go.
Okay.
New here?
Yeah, I am.
Pleased to make your acquaintance.
What on earth?!
Honey!
My deepest apologies.
Please, it's all right. You don't need to bow.
Right?
Right! It was just a falling futon.
Ohana!
I-I'm really sorry. I didn't notice—
"My sincerest apologies!"
M-My sincerest apolo–gies!
No one was hurt.
Please don't worry about it.
If you'll excuse us.
Um...
Come with me.
Tomoe, summon Minko as well.
Y-Yes, ma'am!
Minko's futon was really squashed,
so I wanted to hang it outside for her.
At the front of the inn, where our customers enter?
Y-Yes.
There wasn't much light in the back,
and I wanted to hang it out in the sun.
At an inn, customers always come first.
You come last.
No.
Even after that.
What? Why?
I agree that customers are important,
but I also think it's important to reward people who work hard.
Excuse us.
Come here, Minko.
Yes, ma'am.
This girl inconvenienced a customer while trying to hang your futon.
Aren't you old enough to take care of yourself?
I'm sorry.
G-Grandma!
Do not call me that.
Madam Manager, I'm the one at fault here!
You're being unreasonable!
How would it look if I slapped a customer like this?
Far worse than "unreasonable," of course.
And you did just that.
Life here revolves around our customers.
This is a basic principle. If you can't accept that, you shouldn't be here.
I understand.
But then...
Hit me, too.
I hate that someone who works so hard was slapped,
and customers were inconvenienced,
all because of me!
Th-Thank you very much!
I-I'm really sorry!
It was my fault.
I honestly don't care.
I just can't believe her!
She must be going senile.
I can't believe you.
Do you understand what it means to work here?
Or the concept of "work," itself?
Well, I didn't come here to work...
And—
You know what,
just die.
And we're back to that...
Look at her, toiling away.
Oh, hello?
Enishi here.
I didn't come here to work.
But...
I've never been more upset in my life.