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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
Posts: 11306
PostPosted: Sat May 27, 2017 9:51 pm Reply with quote
This episode always made me crazy because teeth and cavities don't work that way. I did not get the impression that he ever saw a dentist throughout this ordeal.

I missed your usual recap of the previous episode. Those are always funny. Smile
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Akane the Catgirl



Joined: 09 Oct 2013
Posts: 1091
Location: LA, Baby!
PostPosted: Sat May 27, 2017 10:16 pm Reply with quote
Gina Szanboti wrote:
This episode always made me crazy because teeth and cavities don't work that way. I did not get the impression that he ever saw a dentist throughout this ordeal.

I missed your usual recap of the previous episode. Those are always funny. Smile


Thank you Gina! Fun fact I learned; the Japanese have a certain scorn for dentists similar to what Americans have for lawyers. In this case, though, I wouldn't be surprised if Mori dragged him to the dentist's chair.

Another fun fact about me that I didn't get to share- I'm pretty sure I have mutant teeth. I have never had cavities throughout my life, and that's in spite of my love for sugar and my...er...inconsistent dental hygiene habits. (In general, I am terrible at taking care of myself in any way whatsoever). I've only had three dental surgeries in my life so far. The first was an operation to remove an extra tooth, the second was a deep clean session that I needed to be knocked out for, and the third was another deep clean session split into two that I had relatively recently. The same, however, does not apply to my gums, which was what led me to the third surgery.
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louis6578



Joined: 31 Jul 2013
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PostPosted: Sat May 27, 2017 11:45 pm Reply with quote
That dentist fact might explain why Speed Grapher had such a scary dentist character.
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Akane the Catgirl



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PostPosted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 5:07 pm Reply with quote
Akane Recaps Ouran Episode Thirteen- In Which A Recap Occurs

Last time on The Young, the Rich, and the Air-Headed:

The Ouran Host Club is a place where young ladies are free to indulge in their sexual desires without shame. Whether it be a prince charming they seek or a shadow king, the club caters to many fetishes. Two hosts- Mitsukuni "Honey" Haninozuka and Takashi "Mori" Morinozuka- fill the "moe couplet" fetish perfectly. Recently, there was some conflict between the two of them, as Honey got a toothache from eating sugar all the time. Mori enstated a ban on candy, making Honey more and more miserable by the day. Eventually, the boy lolita blew up at his bodyguard, not knowing that the latter was doing this as punishment for not reminding the former to brush his teeth. All was forgiven, and the homoeroticism between Honey and Mori was indeed capitalized on.

"Haruhi in Wonderland" is an interesting entry in the series in that it's basically the dreaded recap episode. Nobody likes those; they exist so the animators can buy some time, but they're also super boring. However, I find this episode intriguing because of how it was executed. It might not be the best episode, but I feel it's worth talking about, especially because it's not entirely useless. Let's dive right in.

***

The episode begins with an unusual-looking Haruhi and her father walking up to Ouran's gates. See, her hair has not only grown out, but her appearance is exactly the same as it was in middle school. She's even wearing her old uniform. Anyway, we cut to Haruhi waiting inside the headmaster's office, overhearing him and her father discussing her good grades and bright future. Eventually, Dad Fujioka allows Haruhi to go explore the campus.

Haruhi does indeed go wandering about Ouran's grounds. Up to now, the atmosphere and mood have been very heavy, especially considering which music has been used. If one hadn't seen the preview from the last episode and was watching this one for the first time, they'd expect this to be a flashback to when Haruhi was first accepted into Ouran. Then Usa-chan shows up. No, not Honey WITH Usa-chan. Usa-chan appears all by himself, and he's alive.



[What the HELL is that!?]

Haruhi- now taking the role of Alice- follows the pink stuffed bunny into the host club's room, where Usa-chan has dropped the infamous banana peel. Renge's powerful motor is activated, forming the rabbit hole that Usa-chan goes down. Our heroine, true to the tale, follows him, trips on the banana peel, and falls down. Thus, yet another Alice in Wonderland anime retelling begins.

We cut to Haruhi falling for hours before she lands butt first on the renaissance vase from the first episode. She asks a Shiro Takaoji mouse for help in removing the vase, but he instead eats a banana that shrinks him down. (What the hell?) Shiro runs into a door for Haruhi to fit through, then goes off with Usa-chan. Fortunately, Haruhi is smart enough to eat a banana herself to remove the vase and move on to the next level.

As our heroine makes her way through this strange wonderland, she passes by the "female" sign also from the first episode. However, she fails to notice the neon lights warning her of that f**king banana peel, which she slips on and falls into a pool of tears. When she climbs out, Haruhi encounters Kyoya- or rather, the caterpillar- who explains that this pool was made up of all the tears she's ever cried: "You've cried quite a bit, huh? You must have, to fill a pool this size. See, this water is an accumulation of all the tears you've shed in life. It's rather impressive, actually. Looks as though you've been through more than your fair share of hardships."

Kyoya then recommends that Haruhi get out of the pool as fast as she can. As it turns out, straw feminists such as the Zuka club in their alligator submarines await feisty heroines. Kyoya, blowing on his bubble pipe, mentions that there is a way for Haruhi to grow back to her old size, but it's not cheap. After some banter, it turns out that the mushroom Kyoya's been sitting on makes you older or younger depending on which side you ate from, as demonstrated by the Nekozawa siblings.



Haruhi decides to follow a wandering baby Nekozawa, only to find herself facing more familiar and yet not familiar characters. Renge is the Duchess, Hikaru and Kaoru share the role of the Cheshire Cat (although only Hikaru is here), and Ayanokoji from the first episode is the Cook. Another poignant quote comes from Haruhi on baby Nekozawa being safe in Renge's arms. "I'm just glad he found his way home. It's the best thing for him. Being with your mother is always the best thing." After that, Renge departs on her motor, leaving baby Nekozawa with Haruhi. Hikaru comments, however, that the baby is really a doll, as offscreen, Nekozawa has been replaced with a Belzeneff curse doll and Hikaru gone.

So Haruhi leaves, only to run into the twins being, well, themselves. She asks them for help on finding her way back home, but all she gets is that she must have an audience with "the queen". Haruhi continues on her quest (passing by Kanako Kasugazaki as the Dodo), finding herself at a rather mad tea party. It's guests are Tamaki as the Mad Hatter, Honey as the March Hare, and Mori as the Dormouse. What hilarious situation shall come out of this?



[I have an excellent idea! Let's take a break!]

Tamaki, Honey, and Mori insist that there's no room at the tea party, just like in the classic story. Haruhi decides not to protest, only for the boys to insist they were just kidding. Reluctantly, Haruhi sits down and the boys remark on her long hair and feminine clothing. She in turn references the previous episode by warning Honey not to eat too much cake or he'll get cavities. Tamaki then proposes a riddle on what the difference between lean and fancy tuna is, which is apparently none.

The clocks chime three o'clock, which according to the boys is the only time in this wonderland. After hearing Haruhi's story about her being with her dad to enroll her in Ouran, Tamaki proposes another riddle over what he and Dad Fujioka have in common because of her. He further asks what she plans to do after she officially enrolls, to which she says she's going to study. Unsatisfied, Tamaki asks what for. Haruhi explains she's got a specific career in mind, which is why she's at Ouran of all schools. Tamaki then advises Haruhi on making sure to have a good life, as what good are dreams if all she does is work?

Suddenly, a trumpet sounds! Tamaki and Honey explain respectively that the queen is holding court and that the duchess Renge is to be executed. Haruhi immediately runs off in impassioned anger to the trial, run by King Ranka and the queen. The trial in question is over Renge leaving her child to go to the royal music festival, to which Haruhi argues that Renge was doing what was needed.

However, things quickly go pear shaped when it's revealed that the vase from earlier was destroyed, and Haruhi is the culprit! She insists that's not the case, until she flashes back to that very first episode. Suddenly, the hosts come to the rescue, and as an entire army of female clients are revealed to have been watching, the dream and reality begin to blur together. Only now does Haruhi realize that she was speaking to not only her father, but her deceased mother as well. The dream ends as Haruhi and her mom embrace.



[Dawww...]

Haruhi wakes up back in the real world after shedding a single tear. Indeed, her hair is short once more and she's wearing boy's clothes. However, it turns out that Haruhi hasn't quite escaped Wonderland, as that's the host club's theme of the day. "You guys have way too much fun- you know that, right?" says Haruhi. "I have to admit it, though. Around here, I can hardly even tell when I'm awake!"

***

I admit it, I actually like this episode! I've heard this isn't one of the most popular installments of the series, especially because there's really no reason for it to exist. Even elements like Haruhi's connection with her mother could have been saved for a more relevant episode. Maybe it's my love of Alice in Wonderland that's talking, but I found this little venture charming. Overall, I'm not really the right person to judge this episode, but I happily admit my bias this time.

COUNTS:

Funny Aneurysm Moment: 19 (unchanged)

NEXT TIME:

Code Geass!

***

Hey, hey! We've officially reached the halfway point of Ouran, which means it's time to vote for a new series! Now, I've found myself getting burnt out on twenty-six episode shows, so I thought I'd go with something a bit shorter to recap. Here are your three options:

* FLCL (six episodes)
* Noragami Season One (twelve episodes)
* Haibane Renmei (thirteen episodes)

Remember to leave a comment on this episode and your vote for the next series. I'll see you soon with the winner on my next Ouran recap!
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Gina Szanboti



Joined: 03 Aug 2008
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 8:18 pm Reply with quote
I don't think I'd call this a recap, even a creatively done one. It's just another Alice homage, in a long line. But it's fun, however you classify it. My only real problem with it was being sad that Kirimi will apparently grow up to be a typical shallow fangirl.

Is there a significance to it always being 3:00, other than snacktime?

I love Noragami most, but FLCL probably has more for you to deconstruct. Haibane is good too. So whichever you're most interested in writing about is fine with me.
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louis6578



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PostPosted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 8:49 pm Reply with quote
Gina Szanboti wrote:
I love Noragami most, but FLCL probably has more for you to deconstruct. Haibane is good too. So whichever you're most interested in writing about is fine with me.


I'd argue that Haibanei should get the vote here. FLCL is definitely the most interesting one to hear about, but most big named reviewers have talked about it already. We never hear much on Haibanei Renmei.
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Zin5ki



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PostPosted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 2:53 pm Reply with quote
Haibane and FLCL would both offer plentiful opportunities for analysis, but I expect the shorter show's penchant for hijinks and absurdity would dovetail most neatly with your personal review style.
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Errinundra
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 03, 2017 7:19 pm Reply with quote
Haibane Renmei please. Contrary to Zin5ki, I'd like to see your serious side on display.
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nobahn
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 04, 2017 1:41 pm Reply with quote
If you do decide to review FLCL (the MS Word download is here) then I believe that that you will find the paper that I linked to to be interesting.

FWIW, I slightly prefer Haibane Renmei over FLCL.
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Akane the Catgirl



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PostPosted: Sat Jun 10, 2017 8:09 pm Reply with quote
Akane Recaps Code Geass Episode Five: Strange Woman Breaks Into House

Last time on Code Madness:

Jeremiah: Did you kill Clovis?
Suzaku: For the thirty-seventh time, NO!
Jeremiah: Wrong answer. Wait, you kept count?
At School...
Nunnally: Is Suzaku going to be okay, -nun?
Lelouch: Don't be silly, Nunners. Suzaku's gonna be fine.
Nunnally: I'm cute -nun.
Lelouch: Go the f**k to sleep, Nunnally.
The next day, at Tokyo Tower.
Kallen: God I hate white people sometimes.
Lost Items Booth Lady: Did you lose this communication device?
Kallen: Um...sure?
Zero: Meet me on the train. And take your friends with you.
Elsewhere...
Jeremiah: My, Dietard, you did a fine job with Clovis's memorial service.
Dietard: I did indeed, Margrave. Now about Kururugi's public execution...
Viletta: But what about the terrorists?
Jeremiah: I'll take care of them. My patriotism will squash them like mosquitoes or something like that.
On the train!
Zero: So, Kallen, what do you see?
Kallen: Gentrification.
Zero: And on the other side?
Kallen: My house. Oh, wait, my house was destroyed during the invasion.
Zero: That's right. Meet me at the front.
At the front.
Zero: Yo.
Kallen: Oh, I was expecting someone more...not mysterious.
Zero: You get what you get. Now who wants to enact justice?
Prison!
Lloyd: I've got good news and bad news, Kururugi! Which one do you want first?
Suzaku: Well-
Lloyd: Your friends Lelouch and Nunnally are safe! However, you're going to be executed.
Suzaku: ...okay. Not like I mattered or something.
That night...
Dietard: Oh my god. This is screwed up.
Suzaku: It'll take a miracle to get out of this.
Zero: Did someone ask for a miracle?
Everyone: *spits takes*
Jeremiah: WHAT THE F**K.
Zero: Careful everyone. There's poison gas in this here truck. You might wanna not destroy it. Now turn over Suzaku and you can all go home.
Jeremiah: But he killed Clovis! I have to avenge his death! For the crown!
Zero: But I did it. He didn't kill anyone. At least not anyone I know of. Did you kill anyone Suzaku?
Suzaku: Umm...
Jeremiah: Well I'm not giving anyone over to you.
Zero: Orange.
Jeremiah: ...what?
Zero: You heard what I said. Now, I order you to hand him over.
Jeremiah: Okay.
Zero: Release the poison gas! To refuge!
At refuge.
Zero: I was just kidding about the poison gas, though. But I did kill Clovis. Wanna join my side?
Suzaku: Uh...no.
Zero: No? Why not!? We have cookies!
Suzaku: Because I'm not an a**hole, Zero.
At School...
Nunnally: I'm glad everything's okay, -nun.
Mysterious Woman: Hey, I'm a friend of your brother. Can I live here?

In “The Princess and the Witch”, we get to meet a few more characters. The princess is Suzaku’s love interest, and the witch is that mysterious woman who crashed into Lelouch’s place and refuses to leave. How do they fare? Let’s see.

***

The episode starts off not with a recap, but with warfare in the desert. It’s the Britannians versus some Middle East country (...I’m too depressed to make a joke about that), when she appears. In her fancy Knightmare, the general blows up the enemy’s base, securing victory for Britannia. Who is she?



Her name is Cornelia li Britannia, and she’s voiced by Mary...Elizabeth...McGlynn…



After Cornelia finishes conquering Qurac, she decides to go take a trip to Japan. After all, if someone’s going to take out Zero, it might as well be her. But it’s not just suppressing the rebels that she’s going to do while on vacation! After all, Zero killed her half-brother Clovis, and based on her internal monologue, it affected Cornelia a lot. Yeah, Lulu, killing someone does that.

Meanwhile, back at Ashford, Lelouch is returning home from a long day of terrorism when he encounters an unusual sight. See, that mysterious woman who was killed right in front of him is sitting at his dining room table, and not only that, is acting like any normal person. Further, Nunnally is being pretty casual about it too. As the two fold origami, the uselessness introduces the green-haired lady as C.C. (prononuced See-Two).



C.C. herself is voiced by Kate Higgins. Already, I’m starting to enjoy her not-giving-a-f**k-itude. It gives her a unique characterization you don’t really see in anime these days. She’s not quite Kallen, but I’m beginning to see why she’s so popular.

Nunnally is under the impression that C.C. is a friend of Lulu’s, then asks if she and her brother are more than that (careful, Nunners- you’ll give the shippers ammo). C.C. not-so-subtly reminds Lelouch of the contract they made, and as Nunnally wonders if the other two are old enough to marry, Lelouch breaks a teacup as a distraction. He makes the excuse that the mysterious woman spilled tea on herself, then the two rush to the bathroom. Now, if any of you noticed a mysterious marking on C.C.’s forehead, good for you! This will be important later. I think.

Lelouch tries to ask C.C. about who she is- or rather, why she’s not dead. She instead asks him if he likes his fancy new superpower, to which he says he’s grateful. After all, being able to mind control people makes it quicker for him to topple his home country he hates so much. C.C. then explains that she’s being chased by a military faction, then tucks herself into Lulu’s bed, making it clear she is not going to leave. Sadly for Lelouch, she refuses to exposit about her backstory any further.

We then cut to Lloyd and Cecile. As we learn, Zero’s rescue of Suzaku has resulted in more uprisings from the Japanese resistance- seven so far. Oh, and Jeremiah’s been demoted thanks to “orange”, which will no doubt lead to good things. Also, Tohdoh (remember him?) is still waiting for the opportunity to strike, with or without Zero.

Anyway, let’s focus on the “orange” part of that last paragraph. Time has passed, and C.C. asks what “orange” means while munching on some pizza. That will also be a common theme. It’s widely known by now that the Code Geass showrunners made a deal with Pizza Hut to promote their products. As far as I know, Sunrise had little faith in the series, so might as well recoup costs through product placement, right?



[Mmm...pizza.]

Where were we? Oh yes. Lelouch explains “orange” doesn’t mean anything. He just said that to make it look like he and Jeremiah had a connection with each other. C.C. remarks that Zero is practically a celebrity, and that his appearance is making the world go through an upheaval of sorts. Lelouch doesn’t really care, though, as long as he gets his REVENGE!

We cut to Suzaku getting an official “get out of jail free” card thanks to Zero. He wonders why he isn’t rotting in prison, when suddenly, meet cute! A pretty pink-haired girl seemingly falls from the sky (ah, yes, as seen in Ye Old Anime Romance Cliches “cute girls falling out of the sky doth make a good meeting). She apologizes for getting in his way, then lies about being chased by bad guys. Notably, the camera pans to a bedsheet ladder sticking out from a bedroom window.



This is Euphemia, voiced by Michelle Ruff. She’s fine, but I feel she could have been more interesting as a character. We find out later that she’s on the Pro-Japan side, but it’s never quite explored. What do I think they should have done with Euphie, you ask?

Let’s talk about Attack on Titan.

In the second season, there’s an episode titled “Historia” that I f**king love. In the flashback portion of the episode, we see two of the characters, Krista and Ymir, being left behind in the snow because the former was trying to rescue one of their wounded comrades. Ymir realizes that Krista is trying to die heroically, then calls her out on her goody two shoes selfishness. And...she’s right. Krista was indeed trying to be seen as a morally pure figure, and that’s what I think the writers should have done with Euphemia. I think it would have been great if it turned out Euphemia had a selfish side, as it not only would have made her more human, but would have also forged a better connection to Suzaku’s character.

We further see Lelouch’s paranoia gambit playing out, as members of the military suspect that Jeremiah and Zero are related. Viletta, meanwhile, recognizes that something is off. As Jeremiah claimed not to remember the events, just like the soldiers of Shinjuku, the cogs in her head begin to turn. Of course, she remembers Lelouch and realizes something.

Elsewhere, Suzaku and Euphemia walk around. She introduces herself by the nickname “Euphie”, then reveals she recognizes her companion as son of Japan’s last prime minister, Genbu Kururugi. As Suzaku states that he knew all along she lied, suddenly, cat! Yes, Euphie has made friends with a cute kitty, though the cat himself is not fond of Suzaku much. Yes, this cat becomes a character, and we’ll get to him soon enough.

We briefly cut to Lloyd and Cecile on their way to pick up Suzaku, when they spot him and Euphie walking around town. The pink-head has taken the kitty with them so she could bandage his wounded paw. Suzaku jokes about how when it comes to him and cats “the attraction isn’t mutual”. Once more, Suzaku attempts to confront Euphie on her lie, only for her to ignore his concerns and head right into a dating montage, which ends with Euphie requesting a visit to Shinjuku.

Back at Ashford, Kallen asks Lelouch for the caller ID of Zero, which we all remember from the third episode. Lelouch explains it was a school phone, when suddenly, he spots C.C. being casual as sh*t because of course she is. Quickly, he turns Kallen’s face away, making it look, well, awkward if you have a crush on him like Shirley does. “What are doing?” asks Kallen. “What indeed.” says Lulu.

Sometime later, Lelouch reprimands C.C. for wandering around campus, which she brushes off. After all, it’s not look she’s going to leave school grounds, so it’s okay. Lelouch tells her she doesn’t belong here, to which she says she doesn’t belong anywhere before noticing a female student marking a wall. Apparently, Lelouch ordered her to make a plus-shaped mark on that wall every day to test his Geass, and it appears it’s been a while since that order was given. Of course, C.C. is still uncaring as ever, assuring Lulu that she won’t do anything to jeapordize their relationship.



[Because Pizza Badger don’t give a sh*t.]

In Shinjuku, Suzaku and Euphemia stop by a makeshift memorial for the victims of the massacre. It’s...actually rather somber. Suddenly, a fight breaks out between two racist Ashford students and some Japanese resistance members, which Suzaku goes to stop. Once they recognize him, a resistance members berates him for being an Honorary Britannian and leave. The two racist jerks also yell at Suzaku, only for Euphemia to b*tchslap one of them. (Also, Jeremiah heads to Shinjuku and Viletta searches for answers…)

Meanwhile at Ashford, Lelouch outlines all the rules and limits that he’s learned about Geass, which I shall not go into here because this has been going on long enough. C.C. comments on how much he’s learned, because when your enemy controls a third of the world, you have to be careful. The young woman says that Britannia may be too big to topple with just Geass. “Is it good to be strong?” asks Lelouch.

“Is it bad to be weak?” asks Suzaku. Both boys, in a shared dialogue, remark on how during the Britannian invasion, the world seemed to be a broken place. Both intend to stop the cycle and make the world a better place. Lelouch hopes to accomplish this by, of course, destroying Britannia. Suzaku, however, wants to make his father’s death have meaning.

Suddenly, Euphie and Suzaku hear an explosion coming from a fight to the death between Jeremiah and the other military members. Lloyd and Cecile come in to get them out, but Suzaku insists on staying, if only to test out the Lancelot. Unsurprisingly to us but not to Jeremiah, Suzaku steps in with his big fancy robot to stop the battle because infighting is stupid and all that. However, it appears only someone of royal blood can make this all end. Guess who’s the most awkward/fitting choice to step in?



[No duh.]

Yes, Euphemia is indeed a princess (although not having made her official debut). Everybody immediately keels back because how can you say no to royalty in this universe? As Suzaku runs to Euphemia’s aid, she asks him to let her join his world peace quest, which he does. We then cut to later that night, where Euphemia greets her older sister, none other than Cornelia. Hearing that a party has been arranged, she instead reveals that it’s Not-F**king-Around-Time and demands the capture of Zero.

The next day, Lelouch is greeted by an unpleasant surprise. Suzaku is transferring into Ashford Academy. And he’s joining his class. End episode.

***

Cornelia. She’s awesome. C.C. She’s awesome. Euphemia. She’s...not quite awesome but still a bit cute. Overall, this was a good episode, although it feels kind of busy. You could have easily ended the episode on Euphemia’s reveal as a princess and saved Suzaku’s transfer for the next, but for what it is, it could have been worse.

What's Nunnally Doing?

Still nothing. She's not even in much of the episode.

Next Time:

Ouran, as well as the winner of our poll...
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nobahn
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 11, 2017 3:52 pm Reply with quote
Akane the Catgirl wrote:

Time has passed, and C.C. asks what “orange” means while munching on some pizza. That will also be a common theme. It’s widely known by now that the Code Geass showrunners made a deal with Pizza Hut to promote their products. As far as I know, Sunrise had little faith in the series, so might as well recoup costs through product placement, right?

[Mmm...pizza.]
Surely you have seen the below..... Laughing
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Akane the Catgirl



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PostPosted: Sun Jun 18, 2017 11:17 am Reply with quote
An Akane Analyzes Editorial- Is Code Geass Nationalist Propaganda?

Hello, and welcome to an Akane Analyzes editorial. You all are aware that I am currently recapping Code Geass, a tv series that I unironically love despite certain speedbumps and an inferior second season. However, there seems to be an idea that this story promotes the idea of Japan being a superior nation. Not that this is especially new to anime...



[One day, Irregular. One day...]

But let's really stop to think. Is Code Geass nationalist propaganda?

If I had to be perfectly honest...not intentionally.



Let me explain. First off, I can see why somebody would come to this conclusion. After all, the core premise of this series is about Japanese people being surpressed by a foreign western nation, the latter presented in an almost cartoonishly evil manner and the former being shown as nothing but sympathetic. I do acknowledge this.

However...I think that's giving Code Geass too much credit. If it was trying to demonize the Britannian/American side, it did a half-*ssed job because many Britannians are presented in a too sympathetic manner. Cecile (Lloyd's assistant) is just an ordinary woman and a good bunch of the Ashford students are nothing but normal civilians. As Lelouch states in the fourth episode, it's not the citizens the resistance should be targeting, but the evil government and the people working for it.

In fact, that's what this series is to me. Code Geass is a silly but fun "empire vs. rebels" story made popular by franchises such as Star Wars. The rebels are Japanese because that's who the primary audience is made up of, and the empire is western Europe because...it's the least likely to cause controversy? To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure the complete reason why the antagonists are white.

Now, I might revisit this subject once I reach the second season. My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I do believe there are moments later on that can be counted as nationalist propaganda. But until then, my answer to this question is "not on purpose" or "not at first". Take care, everyone.
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Jose Cruz



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PostPosted: Mon Jun 19, 2017 9:05 pm Reply with quote
Historially the only countries that "opressed" Japan, that is, represented any external threat to Japan, were European/Western countries. They even occupied Japan for a few years after WW2 and I think it's the only time in history that Japan was occupied by a foreign country. So westerners look like to be the natural "foreign threat" material for a Japanese audience.
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Akane the Catgirl



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PostPosted: Sat Jun 24, 2017 4:25 pm Reply with quote
Akane Recaps Ouran Episode Fourteen- In Which What Was Funny Is Just Sad

Last time on The Young, The Rich, and the Air-Headed:

Haruhi Fujioka- a middle-class fish in an upper-class pond- had a strange dream. Everyone was there, whether it be one-shot characters or her dearest friends and family. Oddly enough, the dream itself resembled that of a famous tale about a little girl in a strange land. However, in the end, Haruhi was briefly able to see her deceased mother again, if even for a short while.

Wow...in hindsight "Covering the Famous Host Club" is just depressing. Yeah, the episode itself has a lot of good jokes, but once you go on to complete the series, it's just...sad. Especially because the entire premise of this episode stops being funny once you reach a certain character's backstory. What am I talking about? Let's dive right in.

***

Funny Aneurysm Moment: 24

Yes, I awarded this entire episode FIVE POINTS. That is how sad this is in hindsight.

The episode begins with the members of the school newspaper scheming. Why? They haven't been able to sell papers recently, having to resort to headlines you'd see on the Daily Enquirer just to make a quick buck. Scratch that; only two newspapers were sold, and none of them were to members outside of the school newspaper.



[Sadly, this was only the beginning for the death of the newsprint.]

Time is ticking for the school paper, because if they don't make a profit with their next paper, they're kaput. That's not saying there's no market for them, because the Ouran Host Club has been making oodles of cash on magazines featuring their members. (Like the old saying goes, "sex sells"). The president (voiced by Christopher Bevins) looks on from the club room outside, remarking that it's the host club that has true power.

Speaking of, today is Medieval Japan Day at the club! Tamaki is charmingly engaging in forbidden rendezvous play, the twins are...well, what you expect, Kyoya is being a sexy opportunist, and Honey and Mori are gay. So...par for the course. Meanwhile, Haruhi is enjoying the May scenery when suddenly, a ball! Tamaki overreacts and tries to shield Haruhi, then scolds Hikaru and Kaoru for almost killing his crush. I am not kidding.

Elsewhere, the newspaper club decides to ask the hosts for help in secret. Or rather, the president decides to do so against his underling's wishes. Suddenly, a starlight kick delivered by Tamaki breaks the school newspaper's window. And hits the president right in the head.



[Start panicking.]

We cut to Tamaki apologizing for the broken window and skull. The president assures him that it's okay, then proposes doing a cover story. Of course, as the Hitachiins helpfully explain to an ignorant Haruhi, the newspaper itself belongs more in your average grocery checkout line rather than legitimate news. The president then attempts to appeal to Tamaki's emotional side with a sob story, only for Kyoya to step in before any damage could be done.

The president, of course, is not quick to give up so easily. He continues to put up a dramatic act, which only works on Tamaki because of his lack of common sense. Nobody else wants to put up with either the school newspaper's obvious bullsh*t or Tamaki's insistence on putting up with the school newspaper's obvious bullsh*t. Not even referring to the TMZ wannabes as a family or his position as president can get the host club on Tamaki's side.

We cut back to the host club's quarters, where Tamaki is busy sulking in a cute manner. He hasn't even changed out of his Heian costume, still insisting that "a club is like a family. Their family's about to be broken up." Haruhi decides to give in, stating that it's futile to resist Tamaki's puppy-dog look.



[And who can blame them?]

Of course they all give in, though not without a few rules set by Kyoya. The hosts will submit the outline, there will be no interviews, and the client's identities are to be kept anonymous. Everyone in both the host club and the school newspaper are okay with this, as revealed when Kyoya goes to deliver a first aid kit as an apology for injuring the president. A moment of tension arises, however, when Kyoya and the president talk about their family businesses (medicine and publishing, respectively). More specifically, the president was passed over in favor of his younger brother for inheritance of the company.

As we'll soon find out, Kyoya also has a few issues with his father and siblings. I don't want to get too deep into it, but this moment probably struck a nerve with the shadow king. Perhaps the president reminded Kyoya too much of his past self.

As Kyoya leaves, the president admits he wanted to curry favor with Kyoya personally. In fact, the only member of the host club he has a problem with is Tamaki. This is because the president just wanted to be popular, and seeing how that's gone, you can put the pieces together. Point is, the president wants to ruin Tamaki's life out of envy, and he's determined to find something to ruin his reputation.

Later, we cut to Tamaki and the hosts playing a round of "Daruma Doll Fell Over", which is kind of like Red Light Green Light except more occult because Japan. No amount of words can describe the silly poses the other hosts make. The school newspaper themselves cannot believe how much of a dork Tamaki is, as he gushes over the commoner's game and the future cover featuring his beloved Haruhi. Still, the president refuses to call it quits!

The first thing to do to uncover Tamaki's dark side is to go to Haruhi and get the scoop on the club president. Sadly, for the school newspaper's president, Haruhi explains that what you see is what you get in regards with my hasubando. Later, as a rousing game of kick-the-can comes to fruition, Tamaki takes Haruhi into the rose garden to hide, as the latter realizes she doesn't really know much about the former's family. And then they get lost.



[...daw, nobody can stay mad at that face!]

Haruhi admits she never thought she'd play her childhood games again, to which Tamaki asks if she had fun. She says yes, then Tamaki admits that he never played these games, having been too busy caring for his ill mother to make friends his age. Um...I'm going to go sit in the corner and think about things. Yeah, just gonna think and not sigh to myself in a sad manner.

Meanwhile, the school newspaper president is more determined than ever to write a scandalous article on Tamaki Suoh, in spite of the fact he has nothing on him. To his surprise, however, Hikaru and Kaoru are waiting for him in the school newspaper's clubroom. Not only that, but everyone else is there, and they're not going to let the school newspaper harm their friend. Not their boss or their president- their best friend and the reason they even have a host club. The one who invited each and every one of them to join his club (and yes, there will be future episodes explaining the circumstances behind them).

The president swears revenge on the whole club, but Kyoya has the upper hand. See, he hid a disk inside the first aid kit he gave to the president, and it recorded everything that happened since then. Still, because they are all gentleman, the president's father won't lose his job at his publishing company. They won't stoop to his levels.

We then cut to the hosts finding Haruhi and Tamaki. As we cut between shots of roses and their corresponding hosts (e.g. blue and orange for the twins and white for Tamaki), we learn that the school newspaper is going to be on their best behavior. However, an even bigger bombshell goes off as Haruhi asks Kyoya what the deal with the Suoh family is. Turns out the Suohs deal with corporate financing and real estate, but more importantly, they manage Ouran Academy, and Tamaki's dad is the chairman. End episode.

***

This is easily top five material, combining a perfect mix of humor, heartwarming moments, and plot stuff. There's plenty of foreshadowing, character building, along with this serie's trademark hot boys. Overall, this is one of my personal favorites, as well as the beginning of this show's trek into darker material.

COUNTS:

Funny Aneurysm Moment: 24

NEXT TIME:

Ouran and Code Geass

***

The people have spoken! The next show to be recapped after Ouran is...



[Just as you cannot remember the world that you used to be in, there is nobody in this world who can remember you.]
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Akane the Catgirl



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PostPosted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 4:53 pm Reply with quote
Akane Recaps Ouran Episode Fifteen: In Which the Hosts Intrude on Haruhi's Summer Job

Last time on The Young, the Rich, and the Air-Headed:

Tamaki Suoh is Ouran Host Club's president and king. Charming, handsome, kind, and a bit goofy, he's by far one of the most popular boys in school. However, the school newspaper's president is jealous and seeks to defame the host club! His attempts to repeatedly sabotage Tamaki's reputation, such as emotionally manipulating him into getting dirt, asking loaded questions to Haruhi, and straight up lying don't work. Of course, Kyoya is far more clever than both the host club and school newspaper combined, and so he's able to put a kibosh on the TMZ wannabe's plans. Of course, the president may have a point about Tamaki having a dark side...

"The Refreshing Battle of Karuizawa!" is a cute episode that follows to hosts going on vacation with Haruhi. It's funny, it's heartwarming, but there's also some development on Hikaru and Kaoru's behalf that continues on into the next episode. Let's get started.

***

The episode begins at the Hitachiin household, where Hikaru and Kaoru wake up to hear their cellphone going off. It's none other than Tamaki panicking over Haruhi's wherabouts, as it appears she's vanished from the face of the earth. In fact, Tamaki has contacted everyone else in the host club. Apparently, nobody at the Fujioka household is answering his desperate phone calls.



[Bonus points for having portraits of all his friends.]

As Tamaki plans to rescue Haruhi and her father from slavery, Kyoya informs him that she is in Karuizawa. More specifically, Haruhi got a summer job working at a bed and breakfast owned by a friend of her father's. Back at the Hitachiins', Hikaru and Kaoru greet their twin maids with a sexual innuendo of some sort. That innuendo being an elephant over Hikaru's crotch.

Um...is this a Japanese thing? Using elephants as a sexual metaphor for dong? Look, I've been studying Japanese language and culture, but I don't get this! Is there something I'm missing?



[Do I have to censor this!?]

Moving on. Hikaru and Kaoru mope that they can't see Haruhi, with the former wondering what they're going to do now. Why, they're going to go to Karuizawa with the rest of the club, of course! This displeases Haruhi, who was hoping to have some peace and quiet for once in her life. It doesn't help that Tamaki literally flies in with a helicopter to "rescue" his beloved.

The owner (Isao "Misuzu" Sonoda, played by Sonny Strait) is delighted to see the boys staying at his humble bed and breakfast. According to Kyoya, Misuzu and Ranka are close friends and former coworkers, and Haruhi's here on an internship while her father's working. Haruhi herself can only think "kill me" at Kyoya's stalker-level knowledge of her personal life. Misuzu, in contrast, is just happy his friend's daughter can spend the summer helping him out.

We cut to teatime, where the hosts can't believe Haruhi denied their invitations to travel destinations such as Bali and Switzerland or even one of Kyoya's family's resorts. As she states she doesn't even have a passport, Tamaki mopes over the club's "betrayal". He's even more dismayed to learn that Haruhi DOES have a cellphone, lended to her by the twins of all people. And they're in each other's top five.



[Pictured: Haruhi's response]

Haruhi asks the boys why they couldn't just leave her the f**k alone to do her job in peace. Kyoya, true to his devious nature, proceeds to blackmail by explaining how it's against school rules to get a job without the school's permission. (Truth in television: in fact, a good chunk of Japanese high schools don't allow their students to get jobs). The host club is not about to leave Karuizawa and certainly not Pension Misuzu. Thus begins Haruhi's summer vacation nightmare. Hey, at least she's not Rintarou Okabe; he had to repeat HIS summer vacation of death!

As Tamaki fantasizes about charming a working Haruhi, a shocking revelation occurs! See, there's only one room left at Pension Misuzu, and all the hosts want it. If any of the boys want that room, they're going to have to work their butts off and win Misuzu's favor. So the contest begins, much to Haruhi's consternation.

It all starts with Tamaki and Honey losing points (the former for complaining and Honey for brown-nosing). The twins' chances seem to be good, and Mori's talent at fixing things raises his prospects. Misuzu isn't above it all, however, as the Ouran boys and their incredible hotness is sure to bring in customers from all over the country. Let's just say this reminds Haruhi too much of Renge.

Our heroine notices that Kyoya is the only one sitting out of the contest for the vacant room. He has no interest in sleeping alone, and besides, he and all the other hosts have cottages in the area. Really, Kyoya's far more intrigued by who's going to win, as he proceeds to analyze each hosts' chances. Honey is guaranteed a loss, Tamaki won't be able to keep his mouth shut, Hikaru and Kaoru have good prospects, and while Mori is quite the darkhouse, when Honey goes, so does he. So that leaves Hikaru and Kaoru.

Speak of the devils, the Hitachiins then butt into the conversation. Neither mind sharing a bed, and even then, they can always bring in another one. Haruhi admires their brotherly bond, and we get a few more hints about the brother's past selves. Before anything can come of that, though, Kyoya slyly reminds them that the game isn't over yet.

Meanwhile...



[...I need to go take a shower.]

Anyway, Tamaki has utterly failed to repair the fence. Seeing Hikaru and Kaoru's natural ability to please the lady guests only makes him more angry. If he's going to win this contest, he has to tap into his own talents, and with some advice from Kyoya, he does so. Sure enough, his piano playing manages to attract more customers, and based on Misuzu's reaction, the vacant room is in his hands.

Outside, Haruhi encounters Kaoru on his own. He's not sure he and Hikaru are going to win, now that Kyoya has helped Tamaki out. Suddenly, a vase falls from an upper story window, causing Kaoru to shield Haruhi from the impact. However, he receives a cut from a shard, which Hikaru frets over.

Apparently incest is a game breaker, because Misuzu immediately declares the Hitachiins to be the winners, much to Tamaki's chagrin. And judging by the twin's reaction, they totally planted that vase there. However, not all is as it seems to be, as that night, Hikaru is still shaken by Kaoru's injury. Or...is he?

The next morning, Kaoru wakes up on the floor, having been kicked out of bed by Hikaru. The two head down to breakfast, making implausibly fancy orders while Tamaki gives them lecture over their rudeness. After all, the king's been busy learning about the local customs, and that's not even getting into his plans to set up a training camp for his fellow hosts. But before anything else can happen, a delivery of fruit arrives...along with one of Haruhi's middle school friends. Who happens to be a boy.

***

This was a charming episode. It takes the lessons learned from the beach episode while still making this it's own unique thing. This is also when the show starts to focus on the hosts and their lives, and personally, I think the second half is when Ouran really starts to shine. Let's just say the next episode is going to be good.

COUNTS:

Funny Aneurysm Moment: 24 (unchanged)

NEXT TIME:

Code Geass returns!
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