Love Hina Christmas Movie

ラブひなクリスマススペシャル～サイレント・イヴ～

7.30(37K votes)

Ranked #3084Popularity #3214

episodes

Type

TV Special

Status

Finished Airing

Aired

Dec 25, 2000

Studios:Xebec

ComedyRomance

Synopsis

As another round of preliminary tests approach for Keitaro, so does Christmas. And as the first Christmas of the millenium, there is a rumor that if one confesses his love on this special eve it will come true. Keitaro has decided what he needs to do on this Christmas eve, but being a retaker can he afford taking attention away from the tests on the same day... The Winter has begun in Hinata. X-mas is coming up. There are rumors about this special christmas eve: If someone is going to confess his love on this christmas eve, any wish will come true. Keitaro decides to confess his love to Naru. But he isn't the only one confessing on this christmas eve... (Source: ANN)

60,506 Members

Worth Watching? — Global Verdict

6.8/10

Average Review Score

50%

Recommend It

Reviews Worldwide

International Reviews

ColdBeans

Recommended

STORY 8/10 The Christmas special is by far better than any of the Love Hina television episodes. It concentrates more on the characters and their interactions with one another, rather than overdone slapstick comedy, though that also finds its way into the release. It can easily be said that this one release has more emotion in it than all of the episodes combined, making it a very worthwhile view for Love Hina fans everywhere. Within its one hour run time, it manages to focus on Naru and Keitaro, while still exploring the feelings and thoughts of the other characters. Interestingly, while it has, by far, themost emotion of all the episodes, as well as a plot line that is stronger than the entire series combined, it also has the most fanservice shots. These shots occur often and plentifully, from breast shots, prolonged implied nudity, to panty shots. While sometimes they seem too forced and overdone, they don't detract from the release, whose main focus remains the story and the strong emotions felt by the characters. ANIMATION 7/10 The animation in the special is just as choppy on occasion as the television series, but with all of the action occurring on the screen, it's not too noticeable. The art, also, is nothing extraordinary, but serves its purpose well. The characters and backgrounds are clear and largely uncluttered, which allows it to be free of any unnecessary line distractions. Another aspect of the art that has always been commendable is the successful way that facial emotions are shown in all of the characters. Coupled with the emotional scenes that appear near the end, this enhances the effect of the feelings that the director tries to portray. There is one particularly disturbing aspect of the art, though, and that is the way snow is drawn. Most of the times, it's shown as just balls of white fuzz drifting from the sky, which is nice, but on occasion, the camera will attempt to show zoomed-in snowflakes. These appear as large popcorn-esque chunks of white material, which can invoke a rather puzzled feeling from viewers who aren't used to seeing balls of styrofoam rain from the sky. MUSIC 8/10 Another characteristic especially pleasant about the Christmas special was the music. The soundtrack ranged from catchy JPop tunes to slow melodic instrumentals that fit the spirits of the scenes perfectly. The only complaint is that sometimes the cheerful holiday music in the background combined with the background noises clutters the dialogue tracks more than they have to. Given the fact that some of the scenes take place in the middle of Tokyo around Christmas time, this is understandable, but on occasion, it can be slightly distracting. Nevertheless, the JPop is sure to win some fans over, as they are infectious and perfect for Christmas karaoke parties. CHARACTER 9/10 The characters are excellent, especially Narusegawa Naru. Characters like her are very difficult to pull off believably. It's too easy to want to make these girls too perfect (Belldandy in the Oh My Goddess OAVs) or too over-the-top (Ryouko AND Aeka in Tenchi Muyo). Naru is not so perfect that female viewers might feel alienated or intimidated by her - you know girls like her, you've probably gone to school with girls like her, you may even be related to her. She's sort of an EveryWoman. And so you end up rooting for her to hook up with Keitarou just as much as you root for Keitarou to hook up with her, because she in her own way is just as much of a loser as Keitarou. And if you don't see them as the Destined Couple of the Series, well, you just haven't seen enough anime. ENJOYMENT 8/10 The Love Hina Christmas special is infinitely better than any of the Love Hina television episodes, and Bandai definitely does this release justice. Love Hina is a very intriguing series. It mixes drama, romance, and slapstick comedy in a pleasing combination. The music is incredibly cute, and also has some gorgeous slow pieces that create a very dramatic effect. If you like romantic shows, or just shoujo anime, then you should definitely see Love Hina Christmas Special. If ever you have the chance to watch Love Hina, do yourself a favor; sit down, relax in the hot springs of Hinata Sou, and experience the magic of Toudai.

Community Discussion

kevinswnd

Recommended

I must say, Love Hina Chirstmas Special: Silent Eve is an enjoyment to watch! Still as same as Love Hina, but let me tell you, you won't be disappointed by watching this special. Story: 7/10 The special concentrates more on the relationship between Naru and Keitaro. It is still as same as Love Hina's "stupidity", but slightly the story is better than the TV series although the special is given a short period of time. Animation: 7/10 Same as the TV series, the animation is executed pretty good since it's 2000! Also the artwork is good, too, although it's not that special. But overall, the animation and the artworkare executed well. Sound: 8/10 Nothing's special with the music and song, but also nothing's wrong with them, too. The seiyuu are doing a well-done job. They really define their characters. Character: 9/10 The characters are fun to watch, to be honest. While the anime is about a loser guy who is loved by several girls, they execute the characters brilliantly. They are memorable for me, not boring, and unique for a romantic-comedy harem anime. Enjoyment: 9/10 I didn't feel the 46 minutes while i was watching the special! I was really, really stunned by the special, since I didn't have high expectations from it. Trust me, if you enjoy Love Hina, you'll enjoy this special as well. Overall:8/10 Overall, the special is a very good special episode. Rarely have special episodes done better than their TV series. Thank you for reading, and this is my first review, and why am I making my first review for this special? I got really happy just after I watched this. Don't know how but my heart told me. Again, thank you for reading~

7 found helpfulMar 6, 2013

Ruisumaru

Mixed Feelings

I’M REALLY GLAD THAT ANIME ADAPTATIONS THESE DAYS ARE LARGELY FAITHFUL TO THEIR MANGA. I was so excited about this special, but unfortunately, it was disappointing. I knew the TV series deviated from the original harem manga, but I hoped for something different here since this is a standalone Christmas story. Instead, it feels just like the TV series. If you only know the Love Hina anime, this might be a dream come true thanks to its animation quality, cozy moments, and glimpses of character development. But as someone who fell in love with the manga (even after struggling through a boring first volume), I can’t helpfeeling let down. What’s funny, yet sad, is that Ken Akamatsu himself drew a mini Christmas arc (chapters 48-52) that would have made an amazing OVA. That part of the story includes genuine character development, justified drama, a major revelation, and even a few kisses... all wrapped in the melancholic glow of Christmas tree lights. Volume 6, which features this story, was published in February 2000, while the anime special didn’t air until December that same year. I don't get why they preferred an original story over adapting something canon. In conclusion: -Love Hina anime fans: Merry Christmas! -Love Hina manga enthusiasts: Let’s ask Santa for a remake next year!

2 found helpfulDec 25, 2024