Honey and Clover (TV)

The opening sequence (from eps 1 - 13) is inspired by an artwork called "Food" by Czech animator Jan Svankmajer. The opening sequence is one in a number of works that its award-winning director has been accused of 'stealing from existing artists'.

In ep 7, the drunken argument between Shuu-chan and professor Tokudaiji is a classic über-geek "Battleship v. Battleship" debate. The “George V” was admiral Tovey’s flagship, and the first of a five-ship battleship class (44,460 tons, 10x14” guns). The “Yamato” was the largest dreadnought battleship ever built (72,809 tons, 9 × 18.4” guns). In case you’re wondering… “Yamato” takes this one, and then loses to “Iowa”… no question!!

While only 24 episodes were aired on TV, this series is actually 26 episodes long. The last two episodes will be released with the last DVD in April 2006.

The last 2 episodes of Honey and Clover are unrelated to the main plot and do not continue the story. The first special episode, released on H&C Region 2 DVD Vol. 5 as Chapter L, covers the story of Lohmeyer/Romaiya-sempai aka Ham-Guy, who appeared early in the manga, but was not featured in the main anime. The second special episode, Chapter F, which will be released on DVD Vol. 7, features Fujiwara Design, the company where Takumi Mayama formerly works at.

In Chapters 12 and 13 of the anime, we get to see Morita's room for the first (and last) time. Oddly, his room looks like the command and operations room from Galaxy Express 999 series.

In Chapter 18, there is a parody on Star Wars and Titanic. In the scene after the OP theme where Morita talks his "speech", he mentions "Peter Lucas" and the movie he did special effects for was "Space Titanic". And the phrase Morita says as he is being dragged away "I'll be bbbackkk!!!" comes from Terminator.

The names of the Presidents of Fujiwara Design are Mario and Luigi, the same names of two of Nintendo's mascots.

The second opening sequence, from episode 14 onward, also features an homage to (or imitation of) the work of an earlier animator. Specifically, some of the swirling abstract shapes in the background, preceding the appearance of the main title logo, are lifted directly from "Studie Nr. 7," a piece of experimental animation crafted in 1931 by the German artist Oskar Fischinger.

At the very end of eps. 24 there is a four-leaf clover next to the wheel of Takemoto's bike

In ep 24 at 6:04 Takemoto's dad is seen on a train flying away towards the night sky. This is a reference to Galaxy Express 999 in a show where a 10 year old boy Tetsuro wants to get a mechanical body. He travels on the galaxy express which is a train that flys in the sky/ through space.

The ending of the first opening feature a "Shrimp Finger Glove" popping out of an ice cooler. Which is a direct reference to a similar glove used in the 1988 movie "Beetlejuice".

In episode 1 at about 20:00, Morita asks Hagumi to hold a large leaf and then calls her a “koropukkuru” when she complies. Koropukkuru (コロポックル) are a dwarf race found in Ainu folklore and their name in Ainu language literally means “person under the butterbur plant”.

In episode 26 (Chapter F), the clothes Miwako gives to Fujiwara to wear at the date party, are a copy of Lupin the 3rd's outfit.