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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Announcements
Hello, everyone. Two things! 1) You may have noticed a lack of frequent updating. This is because I have been very busy (and also in some pain due to carpal tunnel). Worry not, dear readers. My recap of the third episode of Ouran will be up tomorrow. 2) You might have been wondering what I'll recap next after Sword Art Online Season One. It will not be SAO II, though I will do it if enough people have requested it. I've had something else in mind. In honor of its tenth anniversary, I will be recapping... Code Geass. 
[Cover your butts.] See you soon, everybody! |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Akane Recaps Ouran Episode Three- In Which Half-Naked Men Frolick About
Last Time on The Young, the Rich, and the Air-Headed: Haruhi Fujioka attends a school for incredibly rich kids while working at said school's host club. She must disguise herself as a boy so that she can work off her debt without any trouble. Most recently, the hosts helped out an insecure young client who couldn't pick a host and stick with him. This was because she was trying to get the attention of her love interest by proverbially sleeping with a whole bunch of guys. Between Tamaki trying to get Haruhi to dress like a girl out of jealousy over her attractiveness and general hijinks, the club made a plan to get the two lovebirds together. In the end, everything worked out, except for when Haruhi and said insecure client accidentally smooched on the lips, much to club president Tamaki Suoh's dismay. Today's episode- "Beware the Physical Exam!"- is a bit more beefcake-filled compared to the other episodes. Here, we see more goofy antics and a bit of foreshadowing on the Main Theme of Ouran, that being the importance of your family. It has everything: laughs, heartwarming moments, and of course, fanservice. Let's check out the view on today's installment! *** The episode begins with the hosts holding a party in honor of the cherry blossoms blooming, and thus, the beginning of spring and the new school year. Between Tamaki's natural charm, the twin's flirting- Funny Aneurysm Moment: 3 Trust me, the joke stops being funny halfway through- and Kyouya's cunning hotness, the party seems to be going off without a hitch. Meanwhile, Haruhi, Mori, and two female patrons watch Honey try and fail to pull off the tea ceremony (for as you know, the tea ceremony is Serious Business in Japan), with the girls drinking the nearly non-existent tea anyway to cheer the boy Lolita up. As the party goes on, Tamaki attempts to make small talk with the male-kimono-clad Haruhi, much to her annoyance due to his naivety. Before Tamaki can make his move, Hikaru and Kaoru butt in and change the topic to which electives Haruhi's going to take. The resident hasubando then realizes something very important; since the twins are in the same grade as Haruhi, they get to spend more time with her than he does. Kyouya only makes matters worse when he reveals that not only does he know that already, but Tamaki's time per day with his crush amounts to a measly one or two hours. Tamaki demands that Haruhi stop spending time with Hikaru and Kaoru (or "those shady twins" as he calls them), then once more insists she drop the male facade. The twins helpfully exposit that that won't be necessary, because physical exams are coming up in two days. Alright, so quick Japanese culture lesson! Most schools in Japan have physical examinations at the beginning of every school year, consisting of measuring the students height and weight. And now you know. And knowing makes you more knowledgable of cultural context. At this, Haruhi immediately imagines the boys shirtless (is somebody a closet pervert?). She also realizes that the entire school is going to know about what's under her clothes, much to the boys' distress. We then cut to Tamaki's Mind Theater, wherein he fantasizes about being together with Pretty Pretty Princess Haruhi. As soon as Hikaru comments on how Tamaki is creeping him out over his joy, the Host Club King bounces back about his "clever" strategy. If you'll excuse me for a second, I'm going to go daw over how adorable my hasubando is. *ahem* 
So then we get this memorable exchange: Tamaki: This anime is obviously a romantic school comedy! Haruhi and I are the main characters, so that means we are love interests! Hikaru and Kaoru: Yeah, then what are we? Tamaki: You boys...are the homosexual supporting cast. Tamaki then proceeds to take a stick and draw a line between him and the other hosts. Tamaki: So please make sure that you don't step across this line. Hikaru and Kaoru: You've got to be kidding. Immediately, the boys point out that if the school gets word of Haruhi's lady parts, she can't be a host anymore. It's mentioned that Haruhi would look really cute in girl clothes, and that back in middle school, she'd be confessed to every month. Tamaki, now realizing how dumb his first plan was in hindsight, declares to Haruhi's face that he'll help keep the secret that only was a secret due to his own airheadedness. Yeah, you might have noticed that Haruhi doesn't seem to care very much about what gender she represents, which is quite refreshing to see in media. However, she believes that the reason the boys want her to keep passing herself off as a boy is because of her job. Funny Aneurysm Moment: 4 Haruhi's obliviousness to love is going to come up as a plot point soon enough. Summer vacation to be exact. Anyway, Tamaki is peeved that Haruhi doesn't give a rat's *ss about whether or not the world knows about her physical sex. When he asks if she hates the host club, she tells him "um...yeah, I do", which leads him to his corner of woe. Mori then remembers that there's one guaranteed way to get Haruhi to do what the club wants- fancy tuna. Needless to say, it works. The day of the physical exams come, and we cut to Haruhi and the twins heading over to where said exams will be taking place. Haruhi wonders what physical exams are like at Ouran, to which Hikaru and Kaoru reassure her that it's like any other school. Of course, their idea of a normal exam is being greeted by an army of doctors and nurses ready to take their measurements. As Haruhi is led away by one nurse to get examined, she and quite a few other students notice that Honey and Mori are dressed in the fakest looking doctor costumes in the history of disguises. 
[Lemme guess; the glasses make them seem legit, right, my love?] Haruhi catches on to how overly encouraging the medical staff is to the students. Kyouya explains that the doctors are handpicked by the headmaster to appease the students, as keeping the pupils happy is a huge priority when they come from influential clans. "These damn rich people..." thinks Haruhi to herself. Suddenly, a shaggy looking man (voiced by Chuck Huber) brushes against Kyouya and apologizes before running off. It's our (sort of) Client of the Week, everyone! After that, Hikaru and Kaoru step up to get their chests measured. The twins gleefully strip off their shirts to the delight of their female audience, to which Haruhi thinks "what's WRONG with the girls at this school?". As Hikaru and Kaoru feel each other up for the ladies- Funny Aneurysm Moment: 5 Honey and Mori take the opportunity to hide Haruhi somewhere far from the eyes of the host club customers. Tamaki catches her in his arms and decides to play the role of Knight in Shining Armor by disguising himself as his Lady Love. Of course, nobody buys it for a millisecond. The twins can't help but crack up over their president's glamour failure, revealing that it was THEIR idea to have him impersonate Haruhi as vengeance for being called the homosexual supporting cast. Tamaki, of course, is p*ssed as hell, and when he apologizes to Haruhi, she herself is p*ssed that he ever fell for it. (First-time viewers may notice a repeating visual of a flying kite- this represents Haruhi and Tamaki's relationship, as when the former is embarrassed or angry at the latter, the kite goes down) Luckily, Kyouya managed to secure Haruhi a private room, courteousy of his family being a hospital mogul. Not mentioning this earlier was all a part of the vengeance plan too. "...I'm sorry. I just don't think I'm supporting cast, homosexual or otherwise." I should mention right now that J. Michael Tatum, who I mentioned earlier played Kyouya, is openly gay. Can you say "hilarious coincidence"? I knew you could. As Haruhi leaves for her examination, one of the girls claims that a doctor sexually assaulted her. Kyouya remembers the encounter with the strange man from earlier when the boys overhear that said man is heading right to where Haruhi is. Cut to our heroine undressing when the man runs smack into her and insists she keep quiet. The hosts then come to the rescue in a comical sendup of popular sentai shows. ...And then it turns out it was all a big misunderstanding. 
[...ooooooooh.] See, the man's name is Dr. Yabu, which considering that it means Dr. Quack, we'll just call him that. (Put your hands down, Archie Sonic fans.) Dr. Quack's wife and daughter were so fed up with his failure at money managing that they packed their bags and left. The reason Dr. Quack is here in the first place is because he wants to reconcile with his daughter, and he wanted to see her at school. Instead, he was mistaken for a pervert and that was how he got in this whole mess to begin with. As Tamaki takes sympathy with the poor man, Kyouya informs him that he was supposed to go to Ouren Public School instead of Ouran Academy. So...oopsies. Funny Aneurysm Moment: 6 Why is that? Well, in a past Akane Analyzes post, I talked about the power of family, both by blood and by choice. Here, we start to see hints of the main theme with the story of Dr. Quack and his daughter. We're never going to see whether or not he'll find forgiveness, but it's not important. What's important is that he chose to repair his broken bond in the first place. Tamaki helpfully leads Dr. Quack in the right direction, and the club watches him take off. Kaoru comments that even if Dr. Quack finds his daughter, there's no guarantee she'll take him back. Tamaki replies that, well, that's something the doctor will have to find out for himself. At this, Haruhi's Kite of Love soars, fueling the shipping flames for millions of fans across the globe. The episode ends with her reconciling with the boys, followed by an implied accidental grope from Tamaki himself. *** Well, that was a doozy! This is one of the funniest episodes in the series, albeit some moments are a bit hard to watch in hindsight. It had great direction, great timing, and great character moments! Still, let's watch the Funny Aneurysm Moment count, because it's going to get bigger as time goes on. See you soon! Next Time: Something, I promise! Don't know when, don't know what, but I'll get something out! |
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louis6578
 Posts: 1861 |
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I dunno about SAO 2. I really want you to do the Death Gun arc because of its numerous problems, despite some people claiming it to be the point where the show "gets good again." It's nowhere near as bad as the Fairy Dance arc, but I still think it's crap. The arc after that is just sorta... decent. It's certainly the best arc in SAO's current anime history, but that's like saying that Future Diary episodes 10 through 12 aren't offensive in any way. It's alright on its own, but when you factor in that you had to go through that uninspired crap to reach this somewhat good story, it really drags down the enjoyment factor.
But you're doing Code Geass next? One episode at a time? I can only remember watching that as a marathon. I don't remember if individual episodes leave much to comment on. |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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An Akane Analyzes Halloween Special- A Few Creepy Moments in Anime
Happy (almost) Halloween, everyone! This is Akane the Catgirl, ready to celebrate this spooky time of year in America for the first time in three years! Speaking of spooky, damn, there are some pretty f**ked up moments in anime. We all have those scenes that leave us on the edge of our seat, and here are a few of mine. Maybe you don't particularly agree with my choices, and that's fine. That just means we have different ideas on what gives us the chills. Here we go! Warning: This post contains generally disturbing content. Not to be read by the faint-hearted. Also spoilers. In no particular order: My Poor Husband's Falling Down- Black Butler 
This here is Queen Victoria. She's been brainwashed by a psychotic angel. Not only that, she's kind of insane. All she wanted to be was with her dead husband, and now she is. Literally. Towards the end of the first season, we get an unsettling scene where Queenie sings a cheerful ditty to the tune of "London Bridge" whilst her dearly departed lover's rotting flesh falls apart. Can you say "NOPE"? Berserk Mode- Neon Genesis Evangelion 
This thing is f**king horrifying! End of story! From the way it's animated to the tortured screams it makes, I was watching in sheer terror. Not only that, but that used to be a person! Except now it's acting like an animal! It ate the monster of the week like a freaking beast! All shall fear the Almighty Mother indeed. Smells Nice- Noragami 
Needless to say, the idea of losing your sense of self is universally scary. In the fifth episode of this series, Yukine meets the ghost of a girl who died in a hit and run. When she realizes she's dead and will never see her mother again, she turns into the mindless hellbeast you see above and worse. Yukine is then forced to kill what used to be the little girl, and later almost suffers the same fate. No wonder he wanted to be normal at first. Kariya Matou Snaps- Fate zero 
The man pictured above was willing to do anything for his beloved Aoi Tohsaka. Even though she was married and had two little girls, he continued to pine for her. Toward the end of the show, Kariya was set up as the murderer of Aoi's husband Tokiomi. In her anger, she accused him of being incapable of love. This leads to him being driven to despair over her seemingly not loving him anymore, and as a result, strangles her to a near death. Worse still is that she survives this, though given her mental state afterward, you almost wish she hadn't. Sayaka's Torture Session- Madoka Magica 
From the guy who brought you the above comes this delightful scene. Sayaka Miki just found out that the cute weasel-like mascot Kyubey violated her body when she made her contract with him. So what does Kyubey do? He intimately touches her soul gem and deliberately forces this middle school girl to feel unimaginable pain all so he could make a point. You know the one thing both this and the previous scene have in common? They're both filmed like rape scenes. Need another reason to despise the bunnycat? Here you go. Pigs- Spirited Away 
Make it go away. Please, make it stop. It reminds me way too much of THAT SCENE from Disney's Pinocchio. (And if any of you gets the idea of posting pictures of THAT SCENE here, I will kindly ask you never to comment here again.) I don't want to look at this anymore. NOPE. NOOOOOOOOOPE. Kaneki's Temptation- Tokyo Ghoul 
Finally, let's talk about a balls-to-the-wall horror anime. Poor Ken Kaneki never wanted to be a monster. But then he was almost killed by his date, then is implanted with her organs. Sometime afterwards, the now half-ghoul Kaneki is taking a stroll with his friend Hide and their senpai Nishiki. The latter then attempts to kill Hide, and Kaneki is forced to fight him off. Suddenly, he finds himself overwhelmed by his childhood friend's carnage and almost eats him himself. Thank God Touka came in time to stop him. (Note: If you're wondering why I didn't put the torture scene here, it's because I found it more heartwrenching then disturbing.) Well, that's enough spooks for one season. Have a cute animal. 
[Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw.] What other anime moments give you a fright? Keep in mind that I haven't seen every anime under the sun, so I'd like to see what you guys find utterly horrific! Happy Halloween, everybody! I'll see you as soon as I possibly can. Next time, I tackle the infamous Episode Seventeen of Sword Art Online. Trust me, I have a lot to talk about. Take care! |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11354 |
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Hmmm, the finger/nail chopping scenes in Higurashi and Monster. The former was more explicit, but the latter was worse, in a Hitchcockian sort of "let 'em imagine it" way.
The way Alucard deals with Rip Van Winkle in Hellsing Ultimate. Not like she wasn't asking for it, but her terror is palpable (especially in the dub) and you feel it right along with her. Megumi under the bed in Shiki. 
Well, that whole series creeped me out, especially the eyes. Most of Ghost Hound was pretty creepy, but a good part of that was due to the sound design. And eyes that looked like the eyespots on moth wings. 13-48-47%5D.JPG)
If you can't tell, eyes creep me out a lot. 
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louis6578
Posts: 1861 |
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My personal most disturbing scenes are ANY fingernail torture scenes (especially the ones from Higurashi and Monster), Jeri's nightmare in Digimon Tamers (you all know what I'm talking about... or are you gonna just keep running away?), the introduction scene of the Dentist from Speed Grapher (Ugh...), and a LOT of the later part of Shiki, ESPECIALLY the second OVA (for the love of god, don't watch it before you go to sleep).
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Zin5ki
 Posts: 6680 Location: London, UK |
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Despite enduring the bloodier moments of Elfen Lied, I should report being more notably unnerved by the "haunted school" episode of Mahoromatic of all unlikely things. It is fair to say I am easily frightened.
Over the years, I have always been perplexed that the others were less shocked by The End of Evangelion than I was, this perhaps being an indication of my sensitivities. Never have I felt so drained by the sheer unpleasantness of a film's plot than I was in viewing such a work. While what transpires in the series is of greater thematic and introspective substance, there is little doubt in my mind as to which component of the franchise stands out as the most unsettling. To this day I have seen it only once. Nevertheless it remains the only film I greatly respect despite its horrific nature. |
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Beltane70
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I'm a bit disappointed that there isn't anything in anime that really creeps me out to really contribute to this topic! Sure, there are things that are horrific in anime that I can list, but none of them actually scare me. Instead I usually find such things fascinating more than anything else.
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Akane Recaps Sword Butt Online Episode Seventeen- No. Just No.
Last time on SAO: Kirito: Hey, Agil, I found your e-mail. What's going on with my waifu? Agil: She's stuck in this game called Alfheim Online. Kirito: This again? Tell me where I can play this "Alfheim Online". Agil: You can get a new console, but the game plays on NerveGear too. Kirito: Hmm...put on the Death Machine or go out and spend money? Well, going to the store would take time and planning. Death Machine it is! Back home! Suguha: Dammit, Suguha, you had your chance right there and you blew it! Oh well. Muffin time! Kirito: Hi, Sugu. Suguha: OH SH*T! *GAG* Kirito, I'm choking to death~! Kirito: You're poking your breath? Suguha takes a drink of milk. All better! Suguha: Never mind. Kirito: Anyway, thanks for your help last night. I'm gonna be busy for a while. Suguha: Playing video games as usual? Kirito: Um...no. Why do you ask? Suguha: No particular reason. Upstairs! Kirito: Link start! AI: Hello. Please insert your name here. Kirito: I'm Kirito, semi-professional hero! AI: ...Really now. Are you sure you don't want a different name? Kirito: Nope. AI: Fine. Have it your way, idiot. Kirito: I'M A SPRIGGAN! WEEEEEEEEE- oh f**k I'm lost. Better get Yui out. Yui: Hello, Human Father. Where is Human Mother? Kirito: She's been kidnapped by a pedophile. Yui: Oh my. It appears your stats are unchanged. Just delete your items. Kirito: WHAT!? Yui: Just do it. Kirito: There, I deleted them. Let's fly! Meanwhile... Leafa: Adventure! Bandits: Ambush! Recon: OHMYGOD LEAFA HELP! Leafa: Well, looks like I'm cornered. Bandits: Give us your sh*t! Kirito: Not if I have anything to say about it! Leafa: Dammit. Had a nice Halloween, everyone? I did. Last Sunday me and my family went to California Adventure at Disneyland. Then yesterday, I sat down to watch The Goonies for the first time. I liked it. I did not, however, like this episode. In fact, I think "Imprisoned Queen" is EVEN WORSE than the previous episode. Today, I address not one, but TWO elephants in the room. Let's dive in, shall we? *** The episode picks up right where we last left off. Kirito is Da Big Hero and fights off the bandits that cornered Leafa last episode. After defeating almost all of them with one bravely fleeing, Kirito has some banter with Leafa. He lampshades the fantasy of him being the knight in shining armor and we see a brief reappearance of Cocky Kirito. GOD I HATE COCKY KIRITO. I HATE HIM I HATE HIM I HATE HIM. *ahem* Anyway, Leafa then ponders loudly why Kirito is not in Spriggan territory. She bursts into hysterics when he tells her that he got lost. The two of them (and Yui, who Leafa believes is a Personal Pixie) introduce themselves. Believe me, I shall have words on this later on. Leafa offers to buy Kirito a drink, and she explains a little bit about how the game works. The two of them are going to a neutral village, but when Kirito asks why they can't go to a closer Sylph village, Leafa explains that he can't fight back Sylphs in their territory. Um...shouldn't Kirito have studied the game first? For someone who's defining characterization is "video games", he sure doesn't know anything about ALO. We then see Kirito getting yet another flight lesson, this time from Leafa. I will admit that this sequence is actually really hilarious, albeit not for the reasons the show wants me to laugh. I just like seeing Kirito suffering. That is how many little f**ks I give about him. Can I just talk about Jonathan Joestar instead? 
[Much better.] OHMYGOD I LOVE JONATHAN JOESTAR. I mean, I've only watched the first two episodes of Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, but I immensely prefer the first Jojo over Kirito. He's not only strong but he's also kind and intelligent! You should see the second episode where Jojo tricks Dio into admitting that he's poisoning Dad Joestar and then when he goes to the city to find a cure for Dad Joestar's illness Jojo goes out of his way to keep Dio from harming Dad Joestar and... ...Wait, what do you mean I can't talk about Jonathan Joestar? *sigh* Fine. I have a duty to my readers, after all. Harrumph. We cut to our heroes flying to their next destination, which is not the neutral village but Leafa's Sylph territory. There's more Stu nonsense over how well Kirito adapts to flying, especially at the high speeds Leafa goes at. To make up for it, Kirito crash lands and I laugh at his pain. YES, SUFFER, YOU TWIT! Our heroes are quickly joined by the respawned Recon. He is immediately suspicious of Kirito, since this game's entire premise revolves around a literal race war. Leafa reassures her friend that no, Kirito isn't a spy for the Spriggans because he's too damn stupid. Hey, I'll give her credit for recognizing his inherent idiocy. We then cut to Kirito and Leafa at a bar, where the former asks the latter if Recon is her boyfriend. Given Leafa's reaction, I think it's obvious she'd like that to happen. (And given what's coming up, I wish she'd actively pursue him.) The two continue to chat about the world tree, and Leafa mentions that whichever fairy race reaches the top first gets to fly around for as long as they want. Okay, so I highly doubt it's going to be the focus, but I really wish this arc would focus more on the race war than on Wub. Speaking of Wub, Kirito tells Leafa he must get to the tower immediately, but for once wisely choses not to be specific because Dan Backslide is watching. He prepares to go off on his own, but Leafa insists he not do so because that would be dumb. She offers to meet with him the next afternoon and advises him to find a room and log out there before she herself does so. And THEN we get the shot that p*ssed off nearly everybody watching this show. 
Oh boy. Time to address the Elephant in the Room. Okay, before we start, let's talk a little bit about the Imouto genre! I know we're gonna have a lot of fun! As an outsider to Imouto, but knowing people who aren't, I can say the big problem with it is that it's based on a Morton's Fork. This means that no matter what you do, someone is going to get angry. Part of it is because said Morton's Fork is based on a big fat cop-out: She's not REALLY his little sister, so it's okay if they get together! Why do I say this? Because as far as I know, there is NO POINT WHATSOEVER for there to be a romance sideplot between Kirito and Suguha. NONE. It was just thrown in there so that A) the story can show off Kirito being good with the wimmins and B) the otaku dollar gets spent in mass amounts. And here's how the fans who stuck with this show reacted! 
[What-the-close-up-mouth-w***e-f**k?] God did people hate this. They really didn't like this little "twist" at all. This was when the show really started to head too far down pander promenade and alienate the viewers who stayed with the show. Well, I've got some news for you folks. The show isn't actually doing anything different! It's All The Same To Me: 6 I give this three points because three words: Sachi; Silica; and Lisbeth. All of them were pointless love interests whose main function was to show that Kirito was a chick magnet. The only thing that's different was that this time, the pointless love interest was HIS SISTER. Not even the most insane of the fandom were willing to accept this. Anyhoo, Suguha thinks over what she just told Kirito. She turns red and immediately freaks out, then comments about how weird her new friend is. Okay, so here's another problem I'm having so far; the entire story is built on plot contrivances. Suguha JUST HAPPENS to not recognize Kirito, even though his appearance in the game JUST HAPPENS to look uncannily similar to his appearance in real life and the fact that nearly everyone knows about her brother's online identity. Kirito JUST HAPPENS to land in neutral territory where he can meet Suguha/Leafa in the first place. The main villain JUST HAPPENS to be both Asuna's fiancee AND the guy responsible for everything bad in ALO. The only reason anything happens is because everyone has a negative IQ. Alright, I'm done ranting for now. We cut back to ALO, where Kirito is just about to log out. Yui briefly transforms back into her human-looking self, and the two briefly talk about how awesome it will be to reunite with Asuna. Speaking of, we immediately go to the world tree, where Asuna is in a birdcage. She is...doing nothing. ...Why yes, that is the OTHER elephant in the room. I'm saving it until we're done with the episode. Dan Backslide makes his way in and is Evil. He Evilly explains his Evil Plan to his scantily-clad distressed damsel. He Evilly touches Asuna and Evilly attempts to disrobe her because Evil. And Asuna does...nothing. She just sits there and uselessly snarks and doesn't bother to try and fight him off because that would be awesome and we can't have that. Dan Backslide claims that he'd never molest her (HA), then assures Asuna that she'll get that Stockholm Syndrome eventually. Hey, this reminds me of Jafar and Princess Jasmine in Aladdin, except that one was written better. Anyhoo, our villain Evilly explains his Evil Plan to brainwash people because Science and Money and (you guessed it) Evil. The episode ends with Dan Backslide leaving Asuna in the birdcage, and her crying for Her Man to save her. *** UUUUUGH. I hate this episode. I hate the stupidity. I hate the twist. But more importantly, I hate what they did to Asuna. This show started out with this actually kick*ss character who did things and was compassionate. Here? They've reduced her to a useless TROPHY. She doesn't bother to fight back or try to sneak a message out or anything like that! Asuna just sits there and uselessly talks back and cries for Kirito to rescue her. DORA STANDPIPE IS OFFICIALLY A MORE PROACTIVE HEROINE THAN ASUNA YUUKI. GOD. I have the feeling this is only going to get worse as time goes on. NEXT TIME: Still busy because real life is difficult. I'll see you as soon as possible. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11354 |
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On top of all that, his name didn't ring any bells? Making nicknames from the first part of last name and last part of first name is apparently not uncommon in Japan, so you'd think she'd at least comment on the uncanny coincidence. Even Sinon groaned when she found out his real name. |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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A Brief Update (and more)
So, I believe we all had our time to process some...shocking news. I know I have. I also know that many of you are scared out of your wits or angry or disheartened. Believe me, I understand your feelings. But now is not the time to curl into a ball and give up. If any of you want to vent about what's going on in the US right now, I'm here. (I would prefer it if you PMed me, rather than clog up this thread, though.) Now let's have a good laugh. The Ouran Host Club Episode Four recap is coming soon. 
[Don't forget. Always, somewhere, someone is fighting for you. As long as you remember them, you are not alone.] |
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louis6578
Posts: 1861 |
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I actually had to think for a second before remembering this was from Madoka. |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Akane Recaps Ouran Episode Four- In Which An Inmate Takes Over The Asylum
Last time on The Young, the Rich, and the Air-Headed: Our heroine, Haruhi Fujioka, is the newest member of the Ouran Host Club, where beautiful boys entertain the female student body. Recently, the school had their annual measuring day. Tamaki initially wanted Haruhi to start presenting herself as a woman due to his own jealousy over how pretty she was as a dude. However, when he learns that Haruhi is even hotter as a lady, he and the boys decide to protect her non-secret. After wacky hijinks ensue, we meet our Client of the Week, Doctor Quack. He is initially believed to be some pervert due to a misunderstanding, but all he wants is to make up with his wife and daughter. But not to worry- the Ouran Host Club is there to save the day! "Attack of the Lady Manager", in hindsight, is one of the darkest episodes of the series. Sure, it may not seem like much; after all, it is about a deluded otaku who attempts to make the show Darker and Edgier in the name of blind obsession. However, as we go along, we'll see the inherent sadness that lies within. What are we waiting for? Let's see what's up. *** The episode begins with what looks like the origin of a deranged stalker. In a dark and quiet room, we see posters, figures, and merchandise of a single dark-haired bespectacled character. No, it's not Kyouya, but the resemblance is a plot point, as we shall see. Our Client of the Week has been wrapped up playing a dating sim, having all but declared that the character (Miyabi) is her hasubando. 
This is Renge Houshakuji, voiced by Monica Rial. Let me get this out of the way before we continue. Renge is very much the comedic obsessive otaku archetype, and how much you like her depends on how well you can take a joke. Most of my fellow nerds can agree on one thing; WE DO NOT LIKE BEING MOCKED. However, in Renge's case, it feels affectionate. I certainly prefer this potrayal than the Otaku Sue we've been seeing in recent years. At breakfast overlooking the Eiffel Tower, Renge's father tells her about his business trip to Japan. He hands her a photo of Kyouya, and it's idolatry at first sight. Renge declares she's going to marry her fictional boyfriend's real life doppelganger, then literally takes the next flight to Japan, much to her father's dismay. Hmm...what to say, what to say. Elsa, do you have anything to add? 
Thank you. We immediately cut to host club hours, where it's Kimono Day! Tamaki is having the steamiest Q&A session in the history of forever, Hikaru and Kaoru ramp up the Brotherly Love- Funny Aneurysm Moment: 7 Already getting started, huh?- and even Kyouya manages to ooze charm while simultaneously charging Haruhi for her kimono-rental. "He's like some heartless tax-collector" she thinks, her face giving off how done she is with her fellow hosts. She does admit, however, that Kyoya's money smarts are the one thing that's keeping the club afloat. After a display of Honey and Mori being incredibly gay, Haruhi wonders just how easily the former could cry. The answer comes with an accidental bump against one of the twins, revealing a bottle of fake tears. When she points out that's cheating, Hikaru and Kaoru brush it off and distract her with fancy Japanese candy, even though she doesn't exactly like sugar. Tamaki- dear, sweet Tamaki- is moved when he hears that Haruhi's going to use the candy as an offering to her mother's grave. She accuses him of using crocodile tears, but he insists they are all too real. Before his flirting can have any real effect, the hosts notice our Client of the Week watching. Like a hawk. The twins and Tamaki move in for the kill, but Renge isn't putting up with their charm. She's here for that sweet Ootori bod, dammit, and she's not going to be distracted! Renge continues, accusing Tamaki of being a hollow imitation of a true prince Okay, so while she's obviously incorrect about his personality being fake- Funny Aneurysm Moment: 8 - she's also not entirely wrong to accuse him of not being all sunshine and rainbows, as we'll see later on in the series. 
[You...might wanna get that looked at, dearest.] Renge explains to the hosts that Kyouya is her self-proclaimed fiancee, and she's going to be attending classes at Ouran from now on because obsessed stalker. It's quickly revealed that she's loving a shadow, as her descriptions of Kyouya seem to be more accurate to the very fictional Miyabi from Not!Tokidoki Memorial Girls Side. Most of the hosts then realize just how big a mess they're in for with Renge's antics, except for Kyouya, who knows exactly what's going on. Our Client of the Week immediately declares herself to be the new manager of the Ouran Host Club. Being the daughter of a very important Ootori family client, Kyouya decides to indulge in her fantasies for now. At the next day's meeting, Tamaki decides to look on the positive side, since this could be the chance for Haruhi to have a lady friend. Suddenly, what a coinky-dink, Renge arrives with fresh-baked cookies! But only for Kyouya. Everyone else can burn in hell. Haruhi decides to sample one of the cookies, and in spite of her not liking sweets, she finds them good. The twins proceed to flirt with her through the cookies, much to her confusion and Tamaki's rage. Suddenly, Renge has an idea. An awful idea. Renge gets a wonderful, awful idea. The host club, she accuses, is too soft. It needs to be darker! It needs to be edgier! All the boys need to have tragic backstories (except for Kyouya, who is perfect), especially Tamaki, who needs to be reinvented as the lonely prince! Funny Aneurysm Moment: 9 You have no idea, Renge. Even Tamaki admits the title is perfect. After commercial break, we cut to scenes from a movie that Renge is directing. The twins play melodramatic basketball players/ pseudo-incestuous lovers- Funny Aneurysm Moment: 10 - Tamaki plays the ~dark and tortured~ school idol, - Funny Aneurysm Moment: 11 and Honey and Mori play a thug and his minion who bully Haruhi. Funny Aneurysm Moment: 13 Okay, JESUS CHRIST. I think I made myself sad. Anyone else need a break? Have some cupcakes. 
Eventually, Honey can't take it anymore, and he tearfully apologizes to Haruhi (even though it was just a script). Not even the host club members know how they got from changing their characters to making a movie about them. Oh, and yaoi joke from Hikaru and Kaoru. Tamaki, however, seems to be enjoying playing a ~dark and tortured~ role. Haruhi comments on how natural his acting was- Funny Aneurysm Moment: 14 GODDAMMIT. Tamaki likes exploring his darker side, but Haruhi states that she thought he was fine the way he is. He blushes (BWAAAAAAAA), but before there can be anymore ship tease, Haruhi is called away by Madame Director Renge. Turns out she got some random guys to cameo in her movie to play Evil Japanese Mafia Dudes. However, they themselves refuse to put up with her antics and outright THROW Renge into some props! Okay, I get that she might be a bit of a flighty fanatic, but she isn't Kirito-stupid! Come on! Haruhi takes the blow for Renge, then calls her out for her shallowness: "That guy was right, Renge. You can't do that. If you judge people by their appearance, you're stereotyping them and you'll never see the person inside." Tamaki rushes over to the commotion, but as soon as he sees Haruhi in pain, he misunderstands and thinks the two random guys hurt her. Our heroine is quick to explain the situation, giving the two random guys enough time to escape. Tamaki expresses concern (dawwww), but Haruhi insists that the only pain she got was her contact slipping out during the altercation. Renge attempts to exploit this heartwarming moment, but Kyouya steps in and destroys the lens of the camera filming it. Renge doesn't understand; the Kyouya she knew wouldn't reprimand her so harshly! Tamaki states that that isn't the real Kyouya, and that's when she realizes how much of an idiot she's been. As Renge cries in remorse, Haruhi reassures her that actually talking to people is more fun than assuming things. The scene ends with thoughtful words from Renge's game: "Long time no see, Renge. Why are you so down? Come on. Please smile for me. Today's going to be a beautiful day. After all, today you've learned a very important lesson that will help you live happily ever after, and I'm so glad that you finally understand. I think you're ready to move on to the next level, Renge." Several days later, things seem to be back to normal. The clients of the Ouran Host Club geek out over Renge's movie, which was a huge financial success. Renge shows up one last time, having moved on from Kyouya...and fallen head over heels for HARUHI. The episode ends with "him" being dragged on a date, much to Tamaki's dismay. *** Well...that was a doozy. This episode was funny, heartwarming, and had a positive message for the fans watching at home. Still, after later revelations, it is a bit hard to watch all this knowing what's ahead. It's among one of the best episodes, in my humble opinion. As for Renge, I like how the show handles her. She may be most definitively in the wrong, but she's never portrayed as a bad person for her nerdiness. She just doesn't know better, and she does learn from her experiences. Counts: Funny Aneurysm Moment: 13 NEXT TIME: Very very busy! But I'm trying. I really am. |
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Akane the Catgirl
Posts: 1091 Location: LA, Baby! |
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Special Announcements from Akane the Catgirl
Happy holidays, everybody! I understand this year has been...less than ideal. In fact, I think the events of 2016 may have been the reason why I haven't put out as much work as I wanted. Before December 31, I want to finish up my recap of the first season of SAO, and that means I'm going to be focusing on finishing that in lieu of literally everything else. Why? Well... I'm going to let you- yes, YOU- pick the next Akane Analyzes topic. Here are your three options: * When did SAO Jump the Shark? * Why Kirito Doesn't Work as an Effective Protagonist * SAO's Heroine Problem Let me know which of the above you want me to cover. I'll announce the winner at the end of my final recap of SAO Season One! If you'll excuse me, I'll be rewatching the first two episodes of Yuri on Ice over and over again. (I can't wait to get that premium subscription for Hannukah!) |
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louis6578
Posts: 1861 |
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^
As for your first possible option, I have a video with a few interesting opinions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ9NlThB3SY |
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