Haikara-san: Here Comes Miss Modern Part 2

A rushing stream, split by a stone, ultimately flows together again.

Keio 3 (1867)

Meiji 15 (1882)

It was a time of great passion, when people's hearts were filled with tenderness.

Ha vuavvu/cra Meiji 34 (1901) It was a time of great passion, when people's hearts were filled with tenderness.

It was a time of great passion, when people's hearts were filled with tenderness.

The Meiji and Taisho period bustled with the spirit of a new age and the glamor of western culture.

After the restoration of the Meiji Emperor,

people flowed into the imperial capital of Tokyo from all corners of the world.

Taisho 3 (1914) Every flower bloomed in every color you can imagine. It was spring in its full essence.

Ministry of the Arnly Every flower bloomed in every color you can imagine. It was spring in its full essence.

Ministry of the Taisho 4 (1915) Anny Every flower bloomed in every color you can imagine. It was spring in its full essence.

Benio Hanamura, a blooming youth of seventeen.

Hclikclrcl-Scln: Here Comes Miss Modern (Part One] Benio Hanamura, a blooming youth of seventeen.

Haikara-San: Here Comes Miss Modern (Pari- One]

Sakura, sakura.

There are sakura blooming all around.

Taisho 7 (1918)

Taisho 7 (1918)

Taisho 7 (1918)

The shimmering Koishikawa river.

I wear a fluttering ribbon, a maroon hakama, and booties.

As you can plainly see, I am a stylish schoolgirl.

Zigg;

ficmdemr; Class, today's instruction will be how to sew a lined kimono.

Class, today's instruction will be how to sew a lined kimono.

Before we begin, I will collect the summer kimono you were assigned to make last week.

l forgot.

What's the matter, Miss Hanamura?

Um. I completely forgot about it.

You completely forgot last week and the week before that.

And the week before that, too.

You shall stand in the hall for four missed assignments!

Ladies, the Atomu Women's Academy is a finishing school for future brides.

We teach all the refinements decent women need, from proper etiquette to domestic skills...

...to find good husbands and become exemplary mothers of Japan.

One Du ti]: Became w Quad 'Wife. ...to find good husbands and become exemplary mothers of Japan.

One Du 1517: Became n 900d 'Wife. Teacher, I also forgot my homework.

Teacher, I also forgot my homework.

Miss Kitakoji! We would expect that of Hanamura, but you, Tamaki our most talented student...

That's right. And ma'am?

Each of us is a person in our own right, and as women we will choose our own husbands.

In the first edition of Bluestocking magazine, Madam Hiratsuka says...

"ln the beginning, woman was the sun."

"Now, she is the moon."

"We must become a new woman."

We shall not be chosen by our husbands. We are the ones to choose.

Such disrespect! You too, out in the hall! And stay after school to clean up!

Ta ma ki. You, too?

Yes. I'll be out here with you.

That teacher... What is she talking about being "mothers of Japan"?

I will never accept an arranged marriage to a man I've never even met.

Don't you think the same, Benin?

Yes, yes! It's complete nonsense.

Like in poems of Byron, Goethe, and Heine.

Well spurn our parents' arranged marriage and become doctors or government officials.

We'll blossom with a romantic love bright as a shining star.

We'll be progressive in every way, the Miss Moderns of the Taisho period.

Wasn't Tamaki seeing a man from the Imperial Academy?

Before that, she was with an artist.

She's so bold, especially since we're not even allowed to sit next to a boy after age seven.

Isn't it great? I want to fall in love like Tamaki.

But you guys are totally different.

How are we so different?

It's pretty obvious if you ask me.

For one, your chest is small.

That may be so, but I have my ideals too!

Of course that's true, Tamaki and I are different,

but the weather's so nice. I just have to...

Nana, I'm home!

I'm going next door for bit.

Miss Benio! You know your father said he has something important to talk to you about.

It'll just be half an hour!

Sun Man Tues We'd Thurs Fri 5nd: A"? ril It'll just be half an hour!

Sun Man Tues Wed Thurs Fri 5M3 A71ril

Benio!

That'll be all for today, everyone. We'll continue tomorrow.

Sorry to bother your kabuki class.

I thought it would be the best day to play with this!

A kite?!

Hold it up high! I'm going to run. Here I go!

I knew it would be a great day to fly a kite.

If I pull mare, I'll break the string.

Luckily, no one's around to see.

Hey, Benio!

It should be around here somewhere...

Ranmaru, I can almost reach it.

Don't come over here! Don't look up! Go over there!

Got it! Ranmaru, I'll drop it down to you.

Are you hurt?

Thank you very mu...

Hey! You rude brute!

My hand slipped!

What quick reactions...

Oops, it wasn't my butt.

Thank you very much for helping me.

B-But if you hadn't yelled out,

I would have never fallen from the tree.

My hand only slipped when I thought that you were looking up my...

I was surely at fault. I apologize. Please forgive me, Miss Modern.

By the way, do the Hanamuras live near here? The army major.

Ah, ljuin. Did Benio bring you here?

The daughter you are so proud of truly is as you describe,

beautiful and graceful like her mother who passed away.

That's the boy who lives next door, Ranmaru.

Boy?! So Benin is...

So sorry, but that would be me.

Benio, could you bring some tea?

ljuin, please come in.

Why do I have to...? Well, okay. I'll show you that I can be ladylike too.

Now, where was the tea box?

That's hijiki seaweed. The tea is over here.

Ah! That's too much, Miss Benio.

The water is boiling over!!

Ow, ow, ow! I burnt myself!

She's not usually so clumsy.

Seeing you might have made her a little nervous.

Benio, what are you learning at school?

Please excuse me.

How about some tea?

Thank you.

Did you serve them those rice cakes? This morning they had mold growing on them.

Benio, come here!

ljuin is a very special guest.

Will you please be careful not to make a bad impression?

Today's an important day that will change your future.

A? ri l Today's an important day that will change your future.

Go show him the garden... and be ladylike!

What's that? You're acting so strange today, Father.

Let's see...

What a handsome face.

Second Lieutenant, you'll catch a cold.

It's just like a soldier to loll around in a place like this.

I'll give you a good fight.

Gotcha!

Hey! Gotcha!

A sneak attack is a bit cowardly, don't you think?

Soldiers must always be prepared, anytime, anywhere.

I wasn't even trying that hard.

I see. Well then, let's see what you've got.

Don't go easy on me because I'm a girl.

Here I come!

What's going on?!

Do something, Master!

He's tough.

But I'll get him!

What are you doing, Benio? Stop it now! That man...

Got him!

Second Lieutenant ljuin is your future husband!

Benin...

The Hanamura family has served as hatamoto of the Tokugawa Shogunate,

and the ljuin family has a long line of court nobles.

Many years ago it was well known that your grandfather and the ljuin's grandmother were in love.

But times were against them. The eve of the restoration.

They sided with the new government, we were anti-imperialist.

The young lovers were tragically torn apart.

When they parted, they made a vow.

Someday, when peace comes, when people are no longer divided, when class makes no difference...

...our two families will join together and become one.

'L-f-nnwmu rm Lineage u in Lineage ...our two families will join together and become one.

As luck would have it, the next generation of both families were all boys.

So, the vow has passed down to you.

So, that Second Lieutenant and I...

My marriage was decided the moment I was born...

I refuse!

That vow is no longer valid.

And why in the world him?

His mother is German.

But he's lived only in Japan.

He was raised to be a soldier by Count ljuin, who was once a samurai of the Satsuma Domain.

In my eyes, he's the perfect example of a Japanese man.

I know you're going to like him.

But I want to choose my own husband! I will never be tied down by old customs!

Benio! Your father commands it!

After everything is settled, you'll be sent to their house to learn your new chores.

So prepare yourself. Do as I say!

That's too... ouch...!

I never found the right time to tell her.

It's my fault she's become such a tomboy.

She's inherited your strong spirit.

Let's watch over her together.

I'm home. Tenmaru, Chimaru!

Welcome home.

Kisaragi, where's Grandmother?

She's in the gazebo in the inner courtyard.

Many more letters came today for you, sir.

Thank you. Please put them in my room.

Yes, sir.

I'm home.

Shinobu. Welcome home.

How did it go? How was Hanamura's daughter?

Benio is quite different than I expected, but she's a very spirited young lady.

Tenacious about everything she does.

Rather than a woman, she's more like her own person. She's very intriguing.

Then, would it please you to marry her? That young lady, Miss Benio?

Yes. If it would please you, Grandmother.

Thank you, Shinobu.

You shall be fulfilling a long-held family vow.

Finally, our two families will become one.

Hello, Shinobu.