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Yuriika's "father" was obviously a man because of what he said. Preserving purity? Tainted things have no value? That just sounds like regular Japan, especially otaku, especially especially idol otaku. I was surprised there was nothing about this in the review.
spoiler[Or what if she's just a woman named Kare?]
Anyways, it may be weird, but I didn't find it problematic, and I didn't quite understand why the reviewer did.
I wasn't surprised by the visible lack of Kureha's father either.
We already knew men obviously existed besides just being "symbolic" (see the post with the gentlebear above, and people just existing in general). I don't see why not getting an explicit "Her father left" right now makes it a problem. We may get to see more about him later on, and even if we don't, I don't think we need to. We can easily infer what happened: Reia fell in love with a man, had a child, he disappeared; it doesn't really matter if he died or left. Exploring the implications of Reia actually being straight might be interesting and we could get more commentary on the themes, but that's almost entirely a different story.

Also, what could possibly be this "new incredibly untainted existence" Yuriika's "father" mentioned? spoiler[What if it's Reia? ....although, he should be dead.]

Great review/analysis, Gabriella! I found the part about why the man who takes Yuriika in and raises her looks the way he does, and why the characters that are men are men particularly interesting. I hadn't thought of the Takarazuka influence, and your thoughts on that in general make a lot of sense.

I did want to point out that Yuriika says that she knew that the love she felt for Reia was different than the love that Reia felt for her. I can immediately think of two ways (and I'm sure there are others) to interpret that, which are that Yuriika's and Reia's loves are different because one is lesbian (and thus is romantically and sexually attracted to other women) and the other is not, and/or that they're different because Yuriika's love is romantic and/or sexual and Reia's is not (Reia is shown repeatedly to be very warm and open, very saint-like actually, so that could be why she befriends Yuriika, rather than a romantic or sexual interest or otherwise more personal reason; it could also be the Class S thing).

I'd been trying to figure out why there are so few men, and why the men we are shown are those particular men, and this episode threw me for a loop with how it portrayed the man who found Yuriika. I finally came up with something, though, seeing as I'm in way over my head with shows like this to begin with, I'm not terribly certain of my analysis, but here goes nothing:

In general, like Gabriella pointed out, even when there are no men shown, there is a certain male "presence" to the show (e.g., things like the characters' sexuality and behavior are judged by male standards and such, or some of the visual designs). This is a show about women dealing with women's issues, so that could explain why there are no men on the human side of the wall. But then, why are there male bears shown on the bear side? Why are the Judgmen male? Why is there this male "presence"? And in this episode, now, why is there a man on the human side of the wall? And why is he dressed the way he is?

In a general sense, like many others have said, I think it has to do with the patriarchy. More to the point, the world has been dominated by men for centuries. It's so pervasive that you literally can't completely separate yourself from it, even if you're a woman in a community that consists solely of women and are focusing your attention on women's issues. It's a paradigm that's been so widespread for so long that it influences the thoughts and mental framework of people who couldn't care less for it. In a general sense, this could explain the male "presence" the show has. Also, all of our characters who see or interact with men seem to buy into the status quo, or are at least influenced by it (Ginko, Lulu, and Yuriika; note that Kureha has had absolutely nothing to do with any boy or man throughout the entire show so far, and she seems to be the only one who outright rejects at least some of the general societal views that surround her).

As for the characters, because their issues are women's issues that don't necessarily deal with specific men, men aren't shown the vast majority of the time, on either side of the wall. The only men who are shown are those men who are important in some way to the character in question and who stick out in the character's mind because of their relevance to the male-dominated paradigm. Thus, the Judgmen are shown (and as men) because even in their stated attempts to be fair, their mental framework is influenced by the male-dominated paradigm. And they're important to the characters because they're the ones who approve things related to the divide between humans and bears and because the characters have accepted that going through them is the way to go.

In Lulu's case, it's her father (despite looking rather feminine, he's referred to in ep. 4 as "ousama", which means "king") and brother, who fit nicely in line with typical roles of men. And they're important to her because they're her family.

In Ginko's case, it's the dad bear she sees through the window of the house after the other bears go inside to eat dinner with their families. He's a male bear because Ginko buys into the paradigm, which influences her to think that a family should be a mom, dad, and child(ren). And this family (or family in general) is important to her because it's something she desperately wants, yet can't find.

Also, I think it's noteworthy that both Lulu's and Ginko's backstories are narrated by Life Sexy (a man, and also one of the Judgmen--and maybe their leader), yet Yuriika narrates her own backstory.

In Yuriika's case, it's the man who finds and raises her. He teaches her views and values that come from the male-dominated paradigm, which is his paradigm, that she internalizes as she grows up. He's important to her because even though he eventually tried to leave her, he's the one who initially found her and raised her. He's portrayed physically as a woman because in the present he's not as important to Yuriika as he was in the past.

All three of these characters' backstories are told in past tense, but only Lulu and Ginko have in some way carried their initial feelings and motivations with them to the present day, and haven't given up on love. Yuriika gave up on love. And her most influential experiences since killing the man who raised her led her to fixate on things unrelated to him. He faded in importance in her mind (which, again, is influenced by the male-dominated paradigm) and, upon realizing Reia would never return her love in the way she wanted, she didn't return to the views the man taught her with purpose, but rather with resignation and in a defeated manner.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I really don't think this is airtight or anything. The Yuriika stuff especially feels a bit flimsy. Also, a really big hole is Kureha's dad. On the one hand, you could say that he's not shown because he's not important to Yuriika in the slightest. She likely despises his very existence. If the way we're being shown things in her backstory is at least somewhat based on her perspective, it makes sense that he wouldn't be shown.

On the other hand, though, you could use that to argue the other way. It would also make sense that, because Yuriika is influenced by the male-dominated paradigm, and Kureha's dad is a dad (a typical patriarchal role), even though she likely hates him, he'd be very noteworthy to her because he's the one that Reia wanted to share her love with, so he would most certainly stick out in Yuriika's mind.

Going back the other direction, though, you could also say that, because Yuriika's the one narrating her own backstory, she might be trying to block him out of her mind and memory because of what he symbolizes to her.

Like I said, I'm not terribly sure of myself with this analysis, it's just what I've come up with while trying to figure out why there are so few men, why the men we are shown are those particular men (I would assume there's a good reason for it since it stands out so much because there are almost no men in the show and because it's Ikuhara), and why the man shown in ep. 8 looks like a woman.

EDIT: Selipse's post just reminded me of this thing I found while looking up possible meanings of the symbols way back in ep. 1. The themes mentioned fit in really well with the characters' backstories (Kureha, Ginko, and Yuriika are all orphans) and various things that have happened in Yurikuma so far. It would also make some sense out of the French phrases used here and there.

^
My initial thought was that Reia was straight and thus her love for Yuriika was strictly platonic. However, it could be that Yuriika means Reia didn't view Yuriika as the sole person she was able to love. Yuriika sees true love as both conditional and unilateral; you can only love one person, and that love can be extinguished by another's presence. Reia's love for Yuriika and her love for Kureha were mutually exclusive, at least in Yuriika's mind.

My mind isn't totally made up on where Reia's sexual/romantic attractions are. There are obvious parallels with Ginko/Lulu and sexual metaphors were present in this latest episode, so I want to say Reia was pressured into a relationship with a man once she matured.

I remember seeing The Bear long ago. Thank you for reminding me! Having not seen it recently, I can't say much about the themes, but glossing over the Wikipedia page I can see a few that would fit.

On a completely unrelated note: Ikuhara sure loves his box motifs.

@RestLessone: Agh! I completely forgot about the box innuendo this episode. >.< Also, your thoughts on the difference between Yuriika's love and Reia's love make a lot of sense.

I've never seen The Bear, but after ep. 1 I was looking up all sorts of things about flower, diamond, and bear symbolism and references to try to figure out what they might mean in the show itself, and what references to outside material might say about the content in the show, and it's one of the things I found.

I also found a ton about diamond symbolism, some of it based in Christianity, which might be very interesting now that the references to it in the show aren't just speculative anymore. I really need to go back and look at that stuff.

I've seen very few heavily metaphorical or symbolic shows or movies, and have tried to analyze even fewer, so watching Yurikuma week by week and trying to engage in discussions as I piece stuff together on my own and then read what's written by people who are much better at it than I am has been an incredibly interesting, informative, and enlightening learning experience.

Yeah, I thought the box was a really great analogy/metaphor to use because it's so efficient. You can use it for multiple themes or ideas in the show, and you can construct it all so it's layered pretty heavily, which is something I've heard Ikuhara likes to do.

This is directed at anyone, not just RestLessone: I just remembered coming across a TL note for one of the fansubs for this show back after ep. 4 aired that mentioned that "Mirun" is how the Japanese say "Milne" (as in A.A. Milne, the author of Winnie the Pooh). I have no idea what that could mean in the context of the show, and I'd be very curious if anyone who's much better at this stuff, and much more familiar with Ikuhara and his work, than I am would take a stab at it.

Oh, that's such a great find about Mirun! I checked it out and, besides Mirun's name being in hiragana, it's true. My immediate thought is that much like Pooh, Mirun was constantly on the search for honey, albeit for entirely different reasons. The books are aimed squarely at young children and Pooh himself is a very benign, childish, innocent presence. It's probably even more layered than that, though.

I agree with the points made by Gabriela on the purity aspect, but tying that to westernization only seems a bit to broad of a concept, not to mention a bit to simplyfing of the process of intercutural comunication. There's no such thing as a "pure" culture, all are made by fragments of previously existing, or parallely existing cultures, but at the same time there's no such thing as a culture adapting a concept from another without a common point (I'm making a real simplification of what I know about intercultural comunication, so don't take this at face value)

For example, the integration of christianity in Latin America only found its footing when the natives turned their own deities into avartas of the new gods (The cult to Virgin of Guadalupe is actually an adaptaion of the goddess Tonantzin: "Our Mother" into a Marian figure). I think that Shinto philosophy also had a similar figure on Amateratsu (also a mother). So I have to research a bit more about the similarities between pre-western contact Japan philosophy and western ideals in order to really have a clear idea of the specific type of "purity" (a central concep on the Shinto-Buddist tradition) Ikuhara is talking about.

SejinPK wrote:

note that Kureha has had absolutely nothing to do with any boy or man throughout the entire show so far, and she seems to be the only one who outright rejects at least some of the general societal views that surround her.

Well, none of the humans has had anything to do with any boy or man.

By itself, the absence of any reference to Kureha's father - the absence of any suggestion that she even necessarily has one - doesn't seem problematic to me at all. As you observed, until this episode human men effectively didn't exist - or at least had no physical presence.

What jars is the introduction Yuriika's "him," an apparently human man. Though maybe it's significant that we don't see him interact with any human woman, but only with Yuriika, who is a bear.

Alternately, maybe it's significant that he and Reia are the only adult (older than eighteen) human beings we've ever seen (right? or am I forgetting something?), and/or that he apparently owned the school. Maybe, by killing him Yuriika, eliminated the male part of the human world (and took over its role?). (Which would leave the question: Why did the embodiment of adult human maleness wear high heels?) Or maybe not, since the show doesn't seem to attach that much importance to him.

Of course, the show's not over, so there may be important parts of the story that we don't yet have.

Or, of course, "he" might not be an adult. There's no definite indication one way or the other.

Also possibly significant: "He" effectively doesn't have a name.

@RestLessone: Oh! That makes a lot of sense! Thanks!

NothingIfNot wrote:

Well, none of the humans has had anything to do with any boy or man.

Well, I feel really dumb haha. You make a lot of good points.

One other thing I thought of, but am not sure how it would fit in with much else in the show at this point (there could be a link to the other religious stuff we've seen so far, but I can't think of what that link could be), is the possibility that the absence of Kureha's dad is supposed to be a Virgin Mary/Jesus thing. As I mentioned before, Reia seems very saint-like. And as the protagonist, Kureha would be a go-to choice for a character who'd make a decisive change in her world that could "save" the humans and bears. But, that would equate her father with God. Also, we don't know what Reia's own feelings and motivations are, so, for me at least, it still seems pretty speculative as to whether or not she was forced into an arranged marriage (or was otherwise pressured more generally by society into marrying a man), or if she willingly did it because that's what she wanted for herself. The answer to this could throw a big wrench in that.

Hmm...I've come across some theories that, in large part, the way things are presented is indicative of a divide in Kureha's mind between the bear world and the human world as a result of something in her past (likely her mom's death). Looking at it from that framework, equating Kureha's dad with God would provide another layer of meaning to the male "presence" in the show.

I really hope we get backstory for Kureha, and maybe even for Reia. I mean, we've gotten a lot of flashbacks, and she's remembered some stuff from her past, but it's not quite the same as what we've gotten for Lulu, Ginko, and Yuriika. What I'd really like to see is her finding out about her mom's death and the aftermath of that.

I really thought we saw which bear killed Sumika already, so I can only guess that Ginko did something else to Sumika, probably out of jealousy. I really am looking forward to seeing what it was and whether Kureha has her aim back in order, since she has had several stints where she couldn't hit the broad side of a barn...

I do wish they hadn't used the sound cut cheat! What a cliffhanger.

This one of the very best series of the year, no doubt. I am loving it.

zensunni wrote:

I really thought we saw which bear killed Sumika already, so I can only guess that Ginko did something else to Sumika, probably out of jealousy. I really am looking forward to seeing what it was and whether Kureha has her aim back in order, since she has had several stints where she couldn't hit the broad side of a barn...

I dunno which subs you saw, but the way the FUNi subs are worded makes it sound like something happened between Ginko and Sumika ("Ginko was Sumika's--"). I've seen people who know Japanese saying that a more accurate translation would be "Ginko (verb) Sumika". It doesn't really bother me because the line is a little trickier to translate into English since it's cut off, although I suppose they could have done something like "Ginko..." and cut it off there. You leave out the "Sumika" that's in the Japanese dialogue (which is probably more jarring for English subtitles than it would be in a dub because you still hear "Sumika" in the Japanese spoken dialogue), but you keep the intent. And we'd still know that Ginko did something to Sumika because it's in the previous line.

I wonder how they'll handle that in the dub.

I'm surprised I've seen virtually no commentary on the fact that Kare's seiyuu is Noto Mamiko, who also played Yuri Tokikago in Penguimdrum. While Ms. Mamiko is a prolific voice actress, I can't help but think that there is interesting intertextual comparison between Yuri and Yuriika (think that is fair to say without spoilers). Having Yuri (who is a member of a Takaruza-style troupe, though in femme roles) as Yuriika's father screams "not a coincidence" to me.

Quote:

The criticism gets really specific to Christian dogma in this episode, when Yuriika says that it's better for her students to die young and pure than grow up and risk corruption.

I've been a Christian for around 30 years, and have never, ever heard anyone teach that it's better to die young under any circumstances -- least of all for the purpose of remaining "pure."

Trying to achieve purity through one's own efforts in avoiding sin misses the entire point of Christianity, since "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Hear, believe, repent, confess your faith, and be baptized. Then all of your sins -- past, present, and future -- are forgiven, making you as pure as a newborn, no matter what you may have done before. But purity is not something we achieve or earn; it's something given to us.

Quote:

You're better off dead than having sex for pleasure,

Genesis 18:12 (When elderly Sarah hears that she'll have a son): "Sarah laughed within herself, saying, 'After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?'"

Song of Solomon 1:2-4 "Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth; For your love is better than wine. Your oils have a pleasing fragrance. Your name is oil poured forth, Therefore the virgins love you. Take me away with you. Let us hurry. The king has brought me into his chambers. Friends We will be glad and rejoice in you. We will praise your love more than wine! Beloved They are right to love you."

1 Corinthians 7:3-5: "Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency."

Quote:

or remaining unmarried, or childless, etc

1 Corinthians 7:34-35: "The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world--how she may please her husband." (The same thing is said of Christian men just a few verses prior.)

1 Corinthians 7:38: "So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better."

vanfanel wrote:

Quote:

The criticism gets really specific to Christian dogma in this episode, when Yuriika says that it's better for her students to die young and pure than grow up and risk corruption.

I've been a Christian for around 30 years, and have never, ever heard anyone teach that it's better to die young under any circumstances -- least of all for the purpose of remaining "pure."

Trying to achieve purity through one's own efforts in avoiding sin misses the entire point of Christianity, since "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Hear, believe, repent, confess your faith, and be baptized. Then all of your sins -- past, present, and future -- are forgiven, making you as pure as a newborn, no matter what you may have done before. But purity is not something we achieve or earn; it's something given to us.

It's important (for both you and Gabbomatic) to differentiate the tenents of Christianity from the actual positions advocated by Christian leaders and the church. Catholics (let's not have any "No True Scotsman" please) very much state deed is tied to the fate of your immortal soul, and most Protestant sects still believe true belief in Jesus and desire for forgiveness is not authentic if the person persists in being ungodly (which for most includes participating in same-sex intimacy.)

While Christians have very rarely gone the "kill them before they sin!" route, most sects believe the rules to enter Heaven do not apply for those too young to have make such decisions or there is an alternative like Limbo. Sometimes the loss of innocent life is framed as letting the child return to God and that they were saved from being exposed to the wickedness of the world.

For women the period of significant church influence on Europe was not exactly a liberated time. To be an independent woman you needed to be a widow who was competent at her late husband's trade: your role in society was to either be your father's property, your husband's property, or take monastic vows. To be barren was seen as a sign of unrighteousness, failing to meet your obligations as a wife (even if it might be hubby shooting blanks.) While sexual satisfaction wasn't nearly as frowned upon as we like to think (common belief in the Middle Ages was that females had to orgasm to conceive, a "fact" that had some horrible ramifications when accusations of rape happened) to be a sexually agreesive woman was seen as sinful (though it wasn't much better for men.) Any non-procreative sexual act was onanism and was sinful by nature. And to this day things like belief in a woman's place being the home or that gay marriage is wrong are framed as "Christian values" by their advocates.

How much of this is religion influencing society and how much is the society of the time seeking religious justification for their social structure? It is really hard to say and is probably a little of both. However if you can't see how people (especially non-Westerners) interpret these positions as Christian you are ignorant of how much of religious exposure people have is in the form of sexual repression, particularly of the nontraditional sort.

I found the criticism of Christianity to be quite vapid. Saying that Christianity has a problem with liberated women is hardly mind-blowing, and as vanfanel points out, if you don't already believe it, the show has nothing worthwhile to say. It doesn't actually engage it in any meaningful way, which makes it just an outsider's assertion which you can accept if you already agree, or reject if you don't.

Contrast this with Maria the Virgin Witch, a show whose criticism of Christianity actually engages with it, and could actually get a viewer thinking, rather than just nodding along when prompted.

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