Honey and Clover best anime of 2005?

Honey and Clover

Well this is the anime I am currently into and I cannot just stop gushing about how great this anime is. I have so far seen the first 13 episodes and all I can say is wow. Alot of people have been comparing this anime to Fruits Basket, as it has a great blend of humor and heart wrenching drama. This anime is about the intertwining lives of five students attending a local art college, what ensues it hilarity and drama. Comparing this to Fruits Basket (which is my all time favorite anime) Honey and Clover is just as good. Where Fruits Basket fails in realism, Honey and Clover succeeds. Tha's not to say that the things that Tohru said in Furuba were not true, but I find Honey and Clover the situations are so realistic that you can really relate to them. For example a character named Yamada(pictured in the 9th square above) is hopelessly in love with a fellow student named Mayama(pictured in the 10th square). Mayama in turn is in love with an older woman who is is pining away for her dead husband. The sad part of it all is that Yamada doesn't understand why she loves Mayama, and knowing he won't return her feelings, she doesn't understand why see just cannot turn her feelings off. In episode 13 she tries dressing up real pretty and tries to look more mature and sexy hoping Mayama will notice. Mayama just comments how nice she looks as he usually does and Yamada cries realizing nothing will change his heart. She even says why does she keep dreaming without ever tiring of it, saying that she should of ended her love for Mayama but she could not break her feelings. I feel this hits pretty close to home because how many times have we had an unrequited love? How many times have we tried to pretty ourselves up looking for some kind of acknowledgement? How many times have we pined away for someone? How many times have we tried to break are feelings for that person? Episode 13 made my cry a great deal because I could empathize with Yamada, her heartbreak and her sadness. Another character named Hagu (pictured in the 5th box) suffers from isolation and loneliness amoungst her peers due to her genius and eccentricity. Hagu uses her guardian/sensei as her shield often not leaving his side, but slowly she learns to open with with a few select others. Hagu's situation also hits it on the mark as far as how many times have we wished to be accepted and wanted, brought me back to high school watching Hagu? Although Fruits Basket made me sad in some parts, it never made feel that I could relate to any the characters the way I can in Honey and Clover. All I can say that this is a thoroughly enjoyable anime and one that should not be missed.