This review on Hatena ☆ Illusion Contains spoilers. If you have not seen the chapters, we recommend you do it and then return to read the review.
Hatena ☆ Illusion – Final Chapter
Cornered by Michelle and her group, Dina and Makoto end up in serious trouble after Makoto lost his Artifact during the previous confrontation. Without many options and being threatened, Makoto devises a plan to try to save Dina at least. But the plan fails. However, before they are both executed by Michelle’s henchmen, Hatena comes to the rescue. Using increased Muff-kun power and with Gaugau’s help, he manages to defeat Michelle and her group. Before this escapes she is knocked out by Ema.
At the mansion, they send the Artifacts Morrigan had entrusted to them to retrieve, with the goal of having Maeve released. But he did not return to the mansion. After a while, another letter arrives from the village, in which they are once again ordered to retrieve another Artifact. So Hatena and Makoto venture to get it. Although the work seemed to be complete, they fall into a trap, in which Hatena ends up immobilized and without the possibility of using Artifacts.
The one who set them up was Morrigan, using other Artifacts to torture her granddaughter. But reinforcements arrive for the thief teacher and her partner, including Maeve. With his presence and the words of Hatena, Morrigan ends up withdrawing from the place. Ending with a reunion of Maeve with her daughters.
The plot of the story
This final arc of the animated adaptation I must confess was my favorite of it. Since it not only had several dramatic touches in between, it also showed development in most of the main characters. And, of course, he brought with him a true antagonist to the series, Michelle Li. In addition to the appearance of Morrigan as the true final boss.
From the beginning of the anime, and as the episodes progressed, the plot began to interest me more and more. Due to the great possibility of paths that history could follow for the Artifacts, their uses, their powers and their prices. Showing more curious artifacts over time. But never showing its full potential. Something we could see in Hatena ☆ Illusion – Final chapter with the arrival of Hatena and Muff-kun to save the day. Exposing better control and power of this Artifact carried by Kana.
A power that left me eager to see even more potential of this and many other Artifacts, such as Gaugau.
The advance of the main plot I did not get to feel forced or incoherent at any time. In the same way that I did not feel that it had a very fast or very slow development. However, I think it could have been much better. This is why it was adapted, because, although the main story focused on the theft (recovery) of the Artifacts, that plot that was more linked to small moments ended up being adapted in a strange way, with animation being the main culprit for seeing it. So.
The development of the characters
In Hatena ☆ Illusion the protagonists were Kana and Makoto. So I expected more development from them than from other characters. And I must confess that they met my expectations, at least to some extent. Although they did have a better development than the others, it is not as if in general the secondary characters showed a wide development in their character throughout the mission of the anime.
Kana went from being somewhat arrogant and with a mindset that seemed to me to be from someone who did not want (or believed they did not need) help to achieve their goals. Being at the beginning one of the characters that I liked the least for his personality. But gradually he began to show more confidence in others, which I think ended up helping him to release more power from Muff-kun. In the end, this change in his mentality kept him even in situations where he had previously surely been guided by his emotions and instincts. As it was when you spoke to Morrigan in Hatena ☆ Illusion – Final chapter.
Makoto for his part showed from the beginning a kind personality, but also very indecisive. Little by little he managed to show more “maturity” his character in terms of his mentality. Making more rational and irrational decisions depending on the situation. Even with those full of dangers. Of course this he did not do all the time, since there was more than one occasion when his emotions did not allow him to think clearly, returning once more to an indecisive point of his personality, solving it with his instincts mainly.
The secondary characters, although they had a bit of development several of them, really it was very light this. Yumemi from the beginning showed to be more mentally mature than her sister, but with the advance of time, she did not keep improving her mentality as cautious as she had been doing, but began to show more reactions than a child of that age should have . Something I think was perfect for the character.
While Ema already had the foundation to be a great character in history. All because of what had happened in his past. The development of this character I could see more in the arc that involved her more specifically. Taking a difficult stance for her as long as Hatena and Yumemi could see a bit of the dangers of belonging to the Hoshisato family.
Lastly, and as an honorable mention, he knew that Mariah wanted her sister’s love and appreciation. Even if getting it ended up making her an enemy of the family. In the end he managed to do it and showing a tsundere side, which I am grateful to have seen.
Hello again old friend
Finally, after a few months (which could have been more) it was issued Hatena ☆ Illusion – Final chapter. Remember that in the issuance of previous chapter, it was announced that this final episode would be postponed, with no apparent date for its premiere. That was in late March, so perhaps the pandemic hitting China was partly to blame. After all, you have to remember that, Children’s Playground Enterteinment, the studio responsible for the animation of Hatena ☆ Illusion, It has its branch in China, which is obviously had collaboration with the adaptation of this anime.
But honestly, I don’t think that was the main reason why they decided to postpone Hatena ☆ Illusion – Final chapter. After all, the quality of animation that the series showed in most of its episodes was pretty poor. Once again, this could have been the result of what was happening in that country. However, the change so evident in the animation from the first episode to the second made me believe that they were leaving the task at the last minute before turning in. In short, the animation was a total failure. Despite the support they received from the study feel.
The only two episodes that showed acceptable and / or good quality were the first chapter and this ending. In which there is an improvement in quality, but it still does not seem to be at the height of what they showed at the beginning of the adaptation.
Hatena ☆ Illusion’s final opinion
With the indefinite postponement of this last chapter, I assumed that they would take advantage to improve the animation, and so it was. However, a band-aid will not help the arm grow back. Hatena ☆ Illusion ended up showing a very bad adaptation, which I do not see salvation for the work they did. The study could hang on that the quality of animation ended like this as a consequence of what was happening in China, and I can understand it. But, that’s not the only problem for this anime. Well, there are parts to the adaptation that leave a lot to be desired. Yes, they are certainly linked with animation, but not exactly with quality.
The most notorious moments were undoubtedly the fanservice scenes. Those that, rather than being censored, seemed to have no intention of displaying them. Key scenes in a genre anime Ecchi as it should have been Hatena ☆ Illusion.
In addition, there were also other moments that seemed to be planned to be adapted in a way, but they ended up changing them and did not notice that they were coordinated with what was happening in that scene. From this I realized Hatena ☆ Illusion – Final chapter, when Hatena is being threatened while Michelle is aimed directly at her head, the next time she appears on the scene, now Hatena is also being teased. Something that could be a simple mistake, but it is one more mistake that adds to the adaptation.
The final grade I give to the adaptation of Hatena ☆ Illusion is 5/10. Maintaining its positive points for the plot of the story that always seemed interesting to me, the excellent work of the sound section and the acceptable development of the characters in general. While its negative points are noted with the poor quality of animation, the “excessive censorship” (to the point of appearing they did not want to animate the scene) and the strange path of the script that was affected by this.
The only way I see they can rescue Hatena ☆ Illusion is to adapt it once more from the beginning. And this time you’re in charge of your animation for a studio with a good focus on Ecchias it would be Xebec. Adapting another work in which he will participate Yabuki-sensei.
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