Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: Kumamiko - Girl meets Bear
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JaggedAuthor
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Episode 9 is probably my favorite so far. Usui was hilarious in his capacity as director, nearly every supporting character had a few memorable moments, and (perhaps most surprisingly) Yoshio was actually able to keep his hands to himself. Also, the final version of the commercial - the one with all the edits - wasn't quite as terrible as I anticipated.
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maximilianjenus
Posts: 2867 |
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it does not seem to be a dialisis bag, but serum; well at least that makes the episode less disgusting to watch.
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maximilianjenus
Posts: 2867 |
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The question most likely refers to the fact of machi accepting the punihsment even though she won the quiz (which I agree, was a pretty dumb joke, far worse than the molestation joke), |
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Tenchi
 Posts: 4471 Location: Ottawa... now I'm an ex-Anglo Montrealer. |
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I was hoping the idol in the question in the title of the episode would be Machiko Tokuyama from last week's episode, since that's who people watching television saw actually saw promoting herself as being the idol of Kumade village.
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DuskyPredator
 Posts: 15495 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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With the quiz I think the joke was that Yoshio was not actually being serious, with the mention of the bad weather I think that it was the case that he was bored at work and called up over Skype because he could. He half created a quiz by just grabbing random things around with all intents that he was just giving her the phone, but Machi thought that the quiz was more thought out and that it had to have a trick answer. she could clearly tell what it was, #3, but thought Yoshio had some meaning to the random things he grabbed, the joke being her thinking it was anything more than Yoshio goofing around. The segment ended with Machi thinking of herself as cool and mature while childishly showing off to young children, and the second half ended with Machi seeing full grown adults also being very immature.
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11406 |
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Considering that every interaction she has with Yoshio has a trick or hidden agenda behind it, I can't really blame her for thinking it was a trick question.
What I didn't get was how she got it right. Her guess was the food thing, and when asked, "Is that your final answer?" she turned purple and then I heard "Hai," the subtitles said, "Um..." but neither of those is "no" or "three," so as far as I know she never changed her answer. However jokes/puns employing the myriad names used for the same number tend to go over my head, so I dunno... I don't have a cell phone - what can you do with them without a signal besides listen to your ringtone and use the display as a flashlight? Does it even tell time without a signal to sync with? Seems like these kids' parents are either very well off or very indulgent or both to spend that much money on something they can't use. |
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DuskyPredator
Posts: 15495 Location: Brisbane, Australia |
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More than just using the display, my phone at least can act as a flashlight using a light on the back next to the camera. Phones can act as calculators, keep notes, take pictures, maybe a radio, I guess many with browses can use Wi-Fi instead since they seem to have that. I would think you could have some that would not rely on a signal for a clock, which they could act as an alarm. But also it is not too bad idea for kids to get used to such technology. |
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JaggedAuthor
Posts: 981 |
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At this point, it's become impossible for me to like Yoshio. His relationship with Machi is controlling and abusive, and him forcefully undressing her this week effectively diminished any hope I still held out for the character. I'm also unclear on how him seeing Machi as a daughter is supposed to make his behavior any less monstrous. (Also, they're what, eight years apart? "Daughter" seems a bit of a stretch.) Everyone's general indifference to this is pretty disturbing, too. I mean, Hibiki has seen this creep commit serial assault and still wants to be in a relationship with him.
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11406 |
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Wiki sez 11 years between them (25/14). Not that that makes things any better. Also that Hibiki is 24. I thought she was in high school, and Yoshio was late 20s, early 30s, so at least that's not so ick as I was thinking.
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JaggedAuthor
Posts: 981 |
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The fact that he never seems to suffer any consequences for his actions is another pet peeve of mine. I think the only time Natsu sort of stepped in was when Yoshio was using "fairness" as an excuse to see Machi naked. I can laugh at deviant characters in other anime because they usually see some degree of comeuppance, but Yoshio just keeps on molesting without any measure of intervention on the victim's behalf. Part of this probably stems from the author not wanting the audience to view him in an antagonistic light. We're supposed to see him as an affable, naive buffoon, and since his intentions in manhandling Machi *probably* aren't sexual, we're expected to laugh off all his grabbiness. Even with this show's deuteragonist being a talking bear, Yoshio's actions and Machi's reactions are too realistic for this schtick to be legitimately funny. (Sorry to go off on a rant. I just really freaking hate this guy.)
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Hiroki not Takuya
 Posts: 2529 |
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@JaggedAuthor, please don't be sorry. Yoshio is looking more like a perv-rapist every episode and it makes me uncomfortable every time his "exchanges" with Machi and his co-worker happen. It seems out of place for the story and it is hard to understand how those relate to the overall "quirky likable small-town" atmosphere the show tries otherwise to create. It is almost beyond annoying that Natsu just uncomfortably "looks the other way" or tries to rationalize the behavior. I was rooting for "Hiiko" at least this time to give him a good beating but then she pulls up short too when distracted by the prospect of being a manager. And then she lets Machi be dressed up and shown off at whatever that "photo shoot" and stage performance were supposed to be for. If I thought the story was trying to foster a more sinister interpretation, I'd suppose Hibiki acts as she does because Yoshio attempted rape on her sometime when they were younger. I don't hate Yoshio yet but this whole "thing" is starting to detract from my overall enjoyment of this show, which I consider one of my favorites.
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Tenchi
Posts: 4471 Location: Ottawa... now I'm an ex-Anglo Montrealer. |
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I'm thinking more and more that Kaori's "Sexual Harassment!/Don't touch me!" outburst in the first episode was less an overreaction to Yoshio's preamble to the un-sanitized version of the bear and the maiden folktale and more foreshadowing as to Yoshio's true nature.
Speaking of foreshadowing, I like how episode 9 (which I just watched yesterday) was the pay-off for the weird commercial-like cold open for episode 5. I had interpreted that scene as being a callback to Machi and Hibiki's trip to the Shimomura (bland name version of Shimamura) clothing store in the previous episode, but the way it was presented with the retro-1980s instrumental pop music (which reminded me a lot of the kind of light rock featured in Kimagure Orange Road) seemed like a "Big-Lipped Alligator Moment", a term for a scene that seems out of place in the context of the series, at the time. In light of episode 9, we now know that Usui (the old man) was already seeing the world through a commercial director's lens in his own mind. |
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belvadeer
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I can admit Yoshio went too far in Episode 10; forcing Machi's clothes off was a violation of personal boundaries. At least ask first man!
The argument between both villages seemed really petty though. I'm not saying it didn't fit, but it kind of came out of nowhere to suddenly have a rival mountain village spring up like that. |
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Tenchi
Posts: 4471 Location: Ottawa... now I'm an ex-Anglo Montrealer. |
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^ I suppose that even tiny and remote Japanese mountain villages have their own "Springfield vs. Shelbyville" rivalries.
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JaggedAuthor
Posts: 981 |
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Remember when some kids from Tamura stole Kumade's famous lemon tree, prompting Machi, Shota and Kaori to infiltrate the village and get it back? Classic. (The "illegal dumping of tires" line immediately made me think of Springfield.) |
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