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63 of 64 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent in Every way!, June 7, 2002
Keitaro Urashima is trying to get into Tokyo University, the most prestigious college in Japan, because of a childhood promise. Unfortunately, he doesn't quite have the smarts, so he's failed twice and is studying to take it a third time (and doing horribly). His parents are sick of it, so they kick him out of the house. He goes to seek refuge at his grandmother's hotel, but he doesn't know it has been converted into an all-girl's dorm. So, through a series of misunderstandings and unfortunate events, he becomes manager to a group of girls who hate him, overwork him, and think he's a pervert.
"Love Hina" was originally intended to be filler for a weekly shounen manga anthology, meant only to run until they could find something better to use up the space. Somehow, it managed to run long enough to take up 14 full graphic novels and was popular enough to spawn a twenty-four episode TV show, an OAV series, and a music video. The reason it did so is obvious: "Love Hina" succeeds in so many ways.
The premise is a familiar one: a hapless college student (or ronin...or high school student...) somehow stumbles into a situation in which he is surrounded by a bunch of gorgeous girls. More shounen series than I can count have the same basic plotline. Some, like "Hanaukyo Maid Tai" are thinly disguised excuses for fan service. Others, such as the "Tenchi" saga, "Oh My Goddess!" or "Saber Marionette" have genuine heart and sincerity. Love Hina, fortunately, falls into the latter category. While fan service abounds, there are many more reasons to read besides that. Keitaro is a genuinely goodhearted person, as are the residents of the Hinata.
Speaking of which, that's another thing done right in the series. Each character has their flaws and strengths, and is all-around endearing. Keitaro is a nice but chronically unlucky protagonist. He means well, but he just does so many things by accident that he's labeled a pervert. Those labels are justified, but completely inaccurate. Of course, the residents of the dorm are all fun and interesting. There's Naru Narusegawa, the pretty but slightly dorky girl with a violent streak; Mitsune Konno, a tricky, voluptuous and rather lazy woman whose nickname "Kitsune" comes from more than her fox face; Shinobu Maehara, a sweet, somewhat shy junior high schooler with excellent housekeeping skills; Motoko Aoyama, a boy-hating high school kendo master; and Suu Kaolla, a strange, foreign child genius with an endless arsenal of strange inventions. Like everything else about the series, each starts as a stock character, an anime staple. If you look at them and think about it, chances are you will be able to think of at least two other similar characters. However, each is developed so that they become truly endearing and seem like someone you might know in real life. Naru actually reminds me of myself. I found myself rooting for each in their personal struggles and I sympathized strongly with them.
Of course, characters aren't the only thing that makes this series work. From beginning to end, it is laugh out loud hilarious. Keitaro's misinterpretation of certain actions on the part of the girls (especially Kitsune) and chronic bad luck land him and the others in several comedic situations. But of course, comedy isn't the only thing. As I have said before, there is a great deal of character development, plus plenty of emotional moments that should keep shoujo fans happy as well (or at least this one). The story is mostly episodic in nature and you can jump around without much trouble. Nevertheless, there is a story and when read in order, each episode lends itself to further your understanding of the story and its characters.
All in all, "Love Hina" is an excellent series for something for most. Being shounen, it caters to fanboys with fan service, ecchi humor, and cute girls. But for everyone else, there is an interesting plot, fun characters, lovely art, and a story you can truly invest yourself in.
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by Ken Akamatsu
by Ken Akamatsu
by Ken Akamatsu
by Ken Akamatsu
by Ken Akamatsu
