Five Dangerous Months At The Hinata Inn is a Love Hina fan series by Spaztique and animated in create.swf. It retells the first three books of Love Hina with few changes to the actual plot, but with several twists on the original material: all of the Fanservice has been removed, most of its Slapstick violence is played for drama or dark comedy, and every subplot that's introduced later is introduced right at the beginning. Adding to this, Spaztique does not use the Love Hina soundtrack, but opts to make his own music. He also wrote the series without watching the original anime nor reading the manga, meaning the whole thing was recreated from memory.
The story thus far: Hyper-obsessive Rōnin Keitaro Urashima has spent the last three years of his life abusing his health to get into Tokyo University to fulfill a fifteen-year-old Childhood Marriage Promise, which has essentially torn his family apart. When he's finally kicked out, he sets off to his grandma's inn, the Hinata Inn Hot Springs Resort, to gain control so he can both have a place to study for Tokyo U's entrance exam and fulfill his promise with his sister to run the inn together.
Unfortunately, the series has remained in Development Hell thanks to Ao Usagi Tribute Show and Diamond in the Rough (Touhou). However, Spaztique does plan to release the scripts and eventually continue the series once he finishes Ao Usagi Tribute Show.
Watch the first episode here.Read the scripts here.
This fan animation provides examples of:
- Ac CENT Uponthe Wrong Syl LA Ble: As a side effect of avoiding the anime, some of the name enunciations for Episode 1.1 are off. Let's just assume it's Translation Convention and ignore it for now.
- Adaptational Angst Upgrade: Particularly the opening of Episode 1.1.
- Adaptation Expansion: Keitaro's home life now plays a part in the story.
- Age Lift: Kanako was originally 3-5 years younger than Keitaro, but here she is now closer to Keitaro's age. There are plans for this down the line...
- All There in the Manual: For Episode 1.1, we don't really get to know the rest of the cast yet, nor their names (unless you overhear them).
- Alternate Continuity: Some changes include...
- Keitaro and Kanako are still close, though Keitaro has largely ignored her for his promise. In Episode 2.1, Keitaro actually visits the sweet shop their parents own and where she works.
- Keitaro had always known that he'd inherit the Hinata Inn one day, and that he'd run it with his sister.
- Naru is fully aware of Keitaro when he first arrives at the inn, since she remembers him from her cram school.
- Characterization is slightly different: Naru is more of an Insufferable Genius than a Tsundere, Keitaro is more of a hyper-obsessed Determinator than a naive optimist. Keitaro is also less of a pacifist.
- It's made very explicit that Mutsumi is the girl from Keitaro's memories.
- Keitaro learns about Seta by the end of the story and the role he played in Naru's promise.
- Naru actually admits to liking Keitaro before their big fight when they failed the entrance exam.
- Kitsune eventually hints that she might be Keitaro's promise girl.
- Animesque: An attempted aversion.
- Arc Welding: In the first episode alone, Kanako's subplot and Motoko's subplot, introduced at random in the original, are now tied into the main plot, and according to The Stinger, Naru actually recognizes Keitaro from prep school, where it seemed more like a surprise in the original.
- Big Ball of Violence: When everyone ties up Keitaro in Episode 1.1.
- Brick Joke: The travel pamphlets Naru mentions can be found behind Motoko.
- Broad Strokes: The original LH was written by the seat of Akumatsu's pants. This was written with the entire series in mind (in addition to some of the retoolings).
- Chewing the Scenery: When Naru yells, she *yells*.
- Childhood Marriage Promise: Deconstructed. It's turned Keitaro into a living trainwreck.
- Cloudcuckoolander: Su, more so than the original.
- Darker and Edgier: Keitaro's situation is played for Dark Comedy (if not stark seriousness) rather than straight comedy.
- Decon-Recon Switch: Of Love Hina. Remove all of the Fanservice and lighthearted elements of the original series, and although it becomes darker, it still maintains the same screwball sense of humor and heart from the original.
- The first episode alone butchers the idea of Keitaro trying to hold onto his promise, showing just how disturbed Keitaro would have to become to hold onto his promise for so long. Subsequent episode scripts explore how virtually every choice Keitaro ever made, from staying at the inn to having Naru as a study partner, was all simply so he could keep his promise. Subsequent scripts of the final episodes show it turned out for the best: he got to meet the girl from his memories and got a firsthand lesson in why he needed to take care of those around him.
- Naru's hotheadedness actually scares the other residents, along with most of her classmates, and later Naru reveals Keitaro is her only friend. Though, this still doesn't stop everyone from realizing that's simply just how she acts.
- As with many Love Hina fanfics of this nature, Keitaro eventually gets sick of living at the inn after all his abuse and decides to leave nearing the end. However, in the finale, the residents apologize and admit that for as much crap as they go through, they still need him and kind of like him, and Keitaro decides to return.
- Despair Event Horizon: By the time he story starts, Keitaro is so hopeless that death is a fine alternative to meeting his promise girl.
- Development Hell: Courtesy of Ao Usagi.
- Downer Beginning: Lampshaded by the title of Episode 1.1. Keitaro loses his promise girl, becomes a nervous wreck studying for Tokyo U's entrance exam, his family is crumbling apart, and he's been kicked out of the house. And that's not even the start of what's to come.
- Driven to Suicide: Keitaro. At the beginning, he's overworking himself to the point of death. In the end, realizing he can't get the inn back or find a place to stay, he contemplates drowning himself.
- Dull Eyes of Unhappiness: Keitaro has these for beginning of Episode 1.1.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Kanako doesn't show up until 4/5ths of the way through the original series, and her existance is Retconned into the story. Here, Keitaro's promise to run the inn with her becomes a major plot point.
- Either/Or Title: The Title or TROPE NAME.
- Establishing Character Moment: The big chase scene from 1.1 is one giant one for the entire cast.
- Fanime: Made in a virtual doll program designed for Touhou Project characters.
- Fanservice: Averted. The goal is to recreate Love Hina with zero fanservice.
- Foreshadowing: All over the place in Episode 1.1: Kanako's hatred of Keitaro's promise girl, Keitaro's dad mentioning Kanako working in the family shop, Keitaro mentioning his grandma promised him the inn, the travel pamphlets in the lobby, Naru's first words towards Keitaro, the secret passages, Motoko's list of positives about Keitaro, and The Stinger revealing Naru has a Liddo-Kun the squirrel doll AND she knows Keitaro is lying.
- Freeze-Frame Bonus: Keitaro has a Liddo-kun the Squirrel doll. Various Walfasers inhabit the train station.
- From Bad to Worse: Just when Keitaro's life can't spiral down any more, he reaches the inn, and it turns out he just accidentally invaded an all-girl leasing apartment.
- Funny Background Event: Keep your eye on Su. She is this incarnate.
- Happy Flashback: To Keitaro and his promise girl, although in grainy vision, distorted sound, and horrendously depressing music.
- Hikikomori: Keitaro is borderline one by the story's opening.
- Hope Spot: Keitaro thinks the worst is over once he gets to the inn. Needless to say, it got worse.
- Is It Something You Eat?: Su and Tokyo U again, only with a new twist on an old classic.
- Jump Scare: In Episode 1.1, Naru's tirade against Keitaro starts with one.
- Large Ham: Naru when she's angry.
- Larynx Dissonance: There's only one male actor and eight female characters.
- Let's See YOU Do Better!: Spaztique admits to averting this trope. He is not trying to top the original: just make a different version of the original. Besides, it'll be hard to in a virtual doll program designed for Touhou characters.
- Limited Animation: Done entirely in a paper doll program designed for Touhou characters.
- Long List: Keitaro's list of things he's not good at.Keitaro: I'm not that stupid! I mean I'm only in the 49th percentile and my only bad subject is math... and English... and social studies, and biology, history, chemistry, physics, fine arts, physical education, anything pertaining to music, sports, speech, grammar, psychology, economics, anatomy, astronomy, geology...
(Beat)
Keitaro: ...I SUCK AT EVERYTHING!!! - MacGuffin: The inn has become this for Keitaro and Kanako.
- Mood Whiplash: BIG TIME. Opens with a somber, disjointed view of Keitaro's history, then turns to slapstick at the inn.
- Motor Mouth: Much of the cast to keep the episode condensed to the length it is.
- Naked First Impression: Averted, due to the limitations of create.swf, but also to tighten the episode.
- Race Lift: Thanks to create.swf's limitations, Su is no longer tan. To make up for this, she switches accents every other line.
- Reactive Continuous Scream: In Episode 1.1, Keitaro and Naru's first encounter ends with this... that, and a table to the face.
- Reality Subtext: When Keitaro says, "Oh, what have I gotten myself into?," that was also Spaztique when he realized he had to continue the series after that point.
- Retool: The original series had a comedy/drama mix of 80/20. This series will have a mix of 50/50. Also, the original was written in chronological order with no mind to future events. [[Forshadowing Everything here is built to foreshadow what's to come.]]
- Scenery Porn: By Walfas standards, at least. Many of the sets were custom made, either by Spaztique or by KimikoMuffin.
- Self-Imposed Challenge: A non-video game example: Remake Love Hina without the fanservice, without viewing the source material, without using the soundtrack, while only using original music, one voice actor, and a simplistic virtual doll program for animation.
- Shout-Out: Since it was made in a program designed for Touhou Project characters, there are plenty to spot.
- Translation Convention: Kind of a given, but this whole thing takes place in Japan, all voiced by a guy from Texas.
- Troperiffic: The first episode alone has ALL of these tropes.
- Troubled Fetal Position: Keitaro is in this in a flashback shot in Episode 1.1, given create.swf's limitations.
- Unreadable Disclaimer: The notice on the inn's sign.
- Virtual Paper Doll: Everything was animated in Walfas's Create.swf, or "Create A Touhou Project Character".
- What the Hell Is That Accent?: Su never sticks to one accent.
- When All You Have Is a Hammer…: Made entirely with a virtual doll program designed for Touhou characters.
- Word of God: Spaztique will answer ANY question.
- X-Ray Sparks: When Keitaro is electrocuted by Su's makeshift electric fence.
- Accidental Pervert: Although Keitaro has only a few moments like these with Naru, Naru knows what's going on for the most part.
- Adaptation Personality Change: Most of the cast.
- Keitaro in particular has gone from a clumsy-but-loveable idiot to a nervous wreck, willing to go through any length and use anyone to fulfill his promise. This becomes the central plot of the story, when Keitaro realizes his fervor to fulfill his promise has ruined all of the lives around him.
- Naru is less a Tsundere and more an Insufferable Genius. Her annoyance with Keitaro is less not trusting him and more worrying his bad luck could accidentally cause her to fail her exams. Naru even briefly freaks out when it seems all Keitaro ever used her for was to get into Tokyo U, calling him out for his behavior and then admitting she liked him.
- Kanako, as of the beginning of the series, seems to be the cast's Only Sane Woman. She only snaps after being continuously ignored by her brother and seeing the residents of the inn break down his morale.
- Kitsune prides herself on being the only one at the inn who knows how to live a little, as evident in the climax, where she calls out Motoko, Naru, and Keitaro for thinking life is all about studying when Shinobu and Su are missing.
- Mutsumi seems to only be faking her ditziness, and she gets more sober/sound-minded moments than her canon incarnation.
- An Aesop: Never make a promise without knowing the consequences.
- Aside Glance: After Naru jokes about Motoko's backstory, Keitaro remarks it sounds like something out of an anime. They then both look at the camera.
- The Atoner: Keitaro in Episode 3 and beyond, after causing Naru to fail her entrance exam, along with hurting the residents of the inn and lying to his sister.
- Big "NO!": A Running Gag with Shinobu.
- Bittersweet Ending: The title of the final episode. Keitaro and Naru fail to get into Tokyo University, and Keitaro is forced to leave Mutsumi, the girl he had been searching over fifteen years for, to fix his trail of broken promises. However, the residents of the Hinata Inn accept him back, Keitaro and Kanako finally get the inn, and Keitaro and Naru make up.
- Boring Failure Hero: Averted. Keitaro actually gets to keep his victories this time.
- Butt-Monkey: Keitaro, Naru, and Shinobu.
- Compressed Adaptation: To keep the series short, the following have been removed: all scenes involving fanservice, all scenes with Shirai and Haitani, three major chapters, and most of the scenes at cram school.
- Continuity Cameo: Shirai, Haitani, and Kentaro each get a line in Episode 1.4, despite all being written out of the series.
- Deadpan Snarker: Kanako as the series progresses: especially in Episodes 2.1 and 2.2.
- Double Meaning: Virtually all of Mutsumi's dialogue, which all takes on whole new meanings if you've read the original manga.
- Friendless Background: Explicit with Keitaro and Naru, especially in Episode 2.4. Implicit with everyone else.
- The Insomniac: Keitaro never seems to sleep. The only few times he does sleep, he needs to be knocked out.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: In Episode 3.2 and 3.3, Mutsumi seems more than happy to let Keitaro be with Naru, and even encourages Naru to give Keitaro a chance.
- Insufferable Genius: Naru. Rather than being a Tsundere, Naru simply thinks she's better than everyone else.
- Maybe Ever After: In the end, although Keitaro and Naru are far from being a couple, they vow to have a real relationship instead of using eachother for their promises.
- Mythology Gag: Numerous...
- In Episode 2.1, Su mentions the time Keitaro let her stay over.
- In Episode 2.2, we see Keitaro buying a watch for Naru, which is the same watch Keitaro loses at the beginning of Book 4.
- "Not So Different" Remark: Keitaro and Naru. Made explicit in Episode 3.1, when after Naru criticizes Keitaro for being obsessed with his promise and only using others as a means to an end, Keitaro calls her out right back and asks, "How are you any different?" Later in the episode, Naru admits that maybe he's right.
- Overly Long Gag: In Episode 1.5, Motoko pouring soy sauce on her rice for roughly ten seconds.
- Running Gag: A few...
- Somebody getting thrown out of a window of the inn.
- Shinobu screaming NOOOOOOOO!!!
- Su often doing comical things in the background.
- "They say (phrase)." "Who's 'they'?"
- Sad-Times Montage: The ending of Episode 3.1, where it shows all of the people that Keitaro's promise has hurt.
- Sadistic Choice: In the finale, Keitaro must choose between running away from the inn and everyone's he's hurt so he can be with Mutsumi, who appears to be his promise girl and leaving Mutsumi behind so he can go home and fix everything he broke on the way to seeing her again. He chooses to return home and fix everything.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: After all of his abuse from the residents of the Hinata Inn and failing to get into Tokyo University again, Keitaro decides to run away and never come back. So does Naru.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Keitaro and Naru deliver one to eachother in episode 3.1 after failing the entrance exam, both accusing eachother of only caring about their promises and using everyone to fulfill those promises.
- Theme Music Power-Up: Burnout, Keitaro and Naru's studying theme.
- Title Drop: When Keitaro and Naru agree to being study partners, Naru toasts to five months at the Hinata Inn, while Keitaro says five dangerous months at the Hinata Inn. Su pops out and screams, "TITLE DROP!," scaring them both off the roof.
- Took a Level in Kindness: 5DM Naru is much, much nicer to Keitaro this time around.
- Tsundere: Naru, naturally, but now she's more deredere.
- Was It All a Lie?: When Keitaro finds out Naru was not his promise girl and Naru finds out the only reason Keitaro did anything was to see his promise girl again, both ponder why they ever became friends in the first place, then get into a huge fight. Luckily, it takes the help of Mutsumi for them to eventually admit they mutually still like eachother.
- Wham Episode: Episode 3.1 is titled this, and for a good reason: Keitaro reveals he wants to leave the Hinata Inn one he gets his test results, then he finds out that he failed, then he finds out Naru failed, then Naru and Keitaro blame eachother for failing and get into a huge fight, then Shinobu and Su run away to find Naru and Keitaro, then Kitsune and Motoko have to chase after them, and finally, when Keitaro hears Naru crying in her sleep, he realizes his promise really did ruin not just his life, but everyone else's.
- Worf Had the Flu: In Episode 1.5, Keitaro survives his fight with Motoko because she got a cold from overexerting herself.