Behold, the face of progress!
Inari is here to stay a bit longer, it seems, and fully focussed on getting her claws around the Nunnery and anyone else who may dare to stand in her way. Lies, photography, bribes and bickering, there is no technique that she isn’t willing to try in order to get what she wants. However, as with most slimy and repellant creatures, a bag of salt can go a long way…
Summary-in-a-sentence:
Inari tries to hurry along the acquisition of the Nunnery bearing a bag of macaroons but leaves the Nunz wearing a bag of salt, while Kuranosuke comforts Tsukimi as she pines over Shu and his apparent sexy-time with the macaroon bearer; meanwhile Inari puts phase two of project Blackmail Shu into action, while General Kuranosuke prepares the troops to acquire the Nunnery for themselves.
Crusader
We must hunt down Chieco's Mom...
So after watching with the SCCSAV I am starting to get the sense that Inari is getting a worse reputation than she actually deserves. I do not think land development is inherently evil as nothing in the area seems the least bit historically significant and while Inari is playing a bunch of schmucks for suckers I get the sense that these suckers are generally less than stout hearted men who are weak willed enough to come under Inari’s wiles. As such I am not imparting some misguided innocence tag to her targets, but write them off as suckers and dumb-asses who deserve what is coming for being sub standard. Moreover it is Kuranosuke who is leading the charge to save their Nunnery instead of the Nunz themselves, part of me wants the Nunz to lose this fight simply because they need to be forced in to action and defeat will hopefully be sobering. The Nunz fundamentally have to want victory themselves and not rely on Kuranosuke to win it for them.
Also Chieco’s mom seems to think that the price Inari is offering is good enough so I have some doubts as to Inari actually cheating people outright but rather getting the holdouts to sell. It’s past the halfway point and the Bamaba and Mayaya seems to have no hope for actually changing, there is still hope for Jiji, Chieco, and Tsukimi but in the end none seem to be eager for a big fight and were it not for Kuranosuke Inari would have claimed their building as conquered territory by now. I have a hard time making Inari out to be anything more than a ruthless landshark who at least works hard and is more than a dumb witless blonde seductress. The Nunz make fore a less than acceptable underdog given their lack of enthusiasm to save their home and general lack of manners. Again they are adults it is high time they acted accordingly, it’s a study in contrasts and many of Inari’s work ethic has much to be admired compared to the despicable hikkomori existence that the Nunz lead. I find the claim that Inari is doing more harm than the Nunz to be utter bullshit urban development is not necessarily evil as Inari is paying for the land. Moreover how just or morally superior is it for the Nunz to live off their parents and not do much meaningful work?
With regards to Shu I think that Inari has severely over estimated Shu. She was correct that Shu’s party bosses were about to turn her land development plans into political football, but sadly her usual tactics are coming off as disproportionate although I am of the opinion that arguments against excessive force are for wimps and cowards. If it is victory Inari seeks it is well that she strives relentlessly for it instead of the pathetic attempts by the Nunz. I was sickened by Chieco’s excessive attachment to her fake family, she’s a hoarder plain and simple she is unwilling to part with some her work for the sake of all. I find her attitude contemptible and wish her most ill, Mayaya later has the gall to demand Kuranosuke put up his property for sale for their sake instead of contributing. So far the overwhelming majority of the Nunz are being parasitic only Mejiro-sensei has made a tangible contribution but the rest of the Nunz are found severely wanting. Due to this egregious selfishness and the Nunz idiot insistence on living off of charity I kind of do want to see Inari put them all to task.
If the Nunz cannot survive without their nunnery, they only have themselves to blame for they contribute nothing to its defense. I would feel little pity if they were broken and defeated at this point they fear to expend blood, sweat, and tears for keeping their abode if that remains the case they do no deserve it. Just as I feel that a people who refuse to defend their country deserve to be wiped out of national existence. Poor Shu looks like he is not winning the war against Inari and it will be interesting to see how Shu will handle the situation, right now Inari has all the cards. I am not sure what Shu can do now, he could try and play the honorable card and insist on taking responsibility while distancing himself from further involvement with the land development issue. Or he could dare Inari’s threats and see which of them is the stronger. I wonder if this is the first time Inari has had some one deny that she had sexual relations with them, fact is they didn’t but it must be a slight to Inari that Shu is seemingly impervious to her feminine charm.
I also find it shocking to think that Inari is being cast by some as the all knowing villain that deliberately seeks to sabotage Tsukimi. Even if Inari had passed Tsukimi by I doubt Inari noticed Tsukimi or even knew that Shu and Tsukimi were growing fond of each other. I am also severely disappointed in Tsukimi for having such little faith in Shu over a generic pair of glasses that Inari had in her possession. It is a sign of how lacking Tsukimi is with regards to a spine, I hope she grows one and soon otherwise knowing Shu, he might end up in Inari’s thrall. Kuranosuke is moving closer but Tsukimi seems to be clueless to her Fairy Trap Mother’s affections.
All in all Inari is developing as a better antagonist than anticipated while the Nunz are pathetic as ever as protagonists. I don’t want Kuranosuke to be the one to deliver victory for the Nunz I want the Nunz to earn it themselves.
Seems easy enough to buy them off...all you need is junk food.
Beware of Inari bearing sweets...
Late at night when all the world is sleeping, Tsukimi stays up thinking of Shu...
Seems Team Koibuchi is scoring big against Inari, as for the Team Nunz...
I curse these kids and all their kin for the crime of hating on Yuri may they be forever lonely in this life and the next!
The Nunz are as lacking in funds as they are lacking in sense...
Well Inari knocked you out too didn't she...
If only Inari knew the terrible truth about Kurako...
Seems some one is hostile to cosmetic surgery...
BREAKING THE LAW BREAKING THE LAW!
FOR A SHINY NEW HOTEL!
IF that be her family she's better off killing herself...
KimiKura moves fast, but alas...
SEXUAL RELATIONS!
Yes Inari, Shu doesn't find you that attractive...
These new DROIDs are scary...
Well at least we know Inari shaves...
I can see where Shu gets his mojo from...
Hana on why Haters Should’na Hate…
Inari hatin’ on ‘Kurako’.
Okay, my first reaction was that this epi feel super short. Thankfully, this was not a sign of early age-related memory loss on my part, having had this feeling echoed by other members of the SCCSAV, with whom I was viewing it for the second time. Incidentally, this was the first time I simul-watched something with fellow anibloggers and, as well as how much fun it was to speak to some of them for the first time and to kyaa/ daww/ bwahaha! over the same stuff during the viewing, it was also interesting noting that most out of the 10 or so who were there for most of the watch were ShuKimi shippers. Personally, I’ve not taken a side yet, but I find Shu such an adorable character, that I was quite frustrated at how little screentime I felt he had in this epi.
Shu hatin’ on himself.
Granted, we knew this was coming from the preview, and it was also fitting that this epi should see Kuranosuke finally try and act on the feelings he has been developing for Tsukimi since epi 4. However, in contrast to Kuranosuke’s wall-punching and small-children-scaring, Shu’s comparative lack of any reaction at all in this epi during the little screentime that he did have made me even more eager to see him get over his awkwardness and MAN UP. Perhaps I’m being unfair, given his near-rape in the last epi and his previous childhood torauma, but I think the lad doth protest too little. Then again, I’m hopeful that he’ll do more than raise his eyebrows given where things left off between him and Inari in the café while viewing a certain excellently taken photograph.
Tsukimi hatin’ on the false princess.
And speaking of Inari, and as Crusader-senpai has said, she clearly wastes not time in trying to secure the Nunnery for her plans. Clearly, methods such as using date-rape drugs and blackmail are despicable and I’m certainly no fan of hers, but her complete obliviousness to a certain ship is not exactly her fault, and thus I can’t really hate on her for invading Tsukimi’s room when she was looking for Shu’s glasses given that she needed to return these to him. Does this mean I blame Tsukimi for her far from polite reaction to said invasion? Hell no! The little tyke is clearly reeling from having her hand held in another’s hand in a very romantic way one night, to having to stomach the possibility of the owner of said hand sleeping with another woman on the same night. Played, is a word that might come to her mind. No wonder she’s so hurt and confused that she doesn’t react at all when Kuranosuke puts his arm around her, or when the two little brats call them lesbians/ dykes [Crunchy/ Umee subs respectively, yes I’m sad enough to have compared both this week] in the public park.
The ‘Nosuke hatin on the yuri haters.
In fact, she doesn’t even react at Kuranosuke’s near kiss of course! [as a certain pro-ShuKimi blogging comrade gleefully noted at the time, before adding, ‘Take that KimiKura shippers!’, LOL.] Then again, she did have her eyes closed at the time…
In short: this epi was way too short and I want more Shu/ Kura/ Tsukimi screentime! MOAR! Especially because, bloody hell, there’s only a handful of epis left! Or, in not as short: I can’t really hate on Inari cos – shock horror – she just ain’t that evil, or knowingly anti-ShuKimi; I can’t hate on Shu cos the poor bloke thinks that (a)he’s randomly slept with a random lady and (b)can’t even remember any of it and (c)it’s impossible to hate him anyway cos he’s so freaking adorable; I can’t hate on Tsukimi cos I defy anyone to do anything but angst away in this epi if you were in her shoes and were getting mixed signals from your very own deliciously touchy-feely Jellyfish Prince; and I can’t hate on Kuranosuke cos he’s the fairy trapmother and is doing a darnsight more than anyone else and for no real benefit for himself.
The smirk that speaks a thousand words… also, what is with this guy and storage spaces?!
24 Comments
I have to agree about Inari as well. I don’t thinks she’s GREAT, or anything, but I don’t really despise her either, mostly because she is such a goofy villain, even with her more despicable/underhanded tactics. Definitely agree about the hate toward her for “trying to break up Shuu and Tsukimi”. She doesn’t even know about their relationship; she just wants the building.
Most of my frustration is definitely with the Nuns. Kuranosuke is a pretty benevolent guy if he’s going so far to help them out, but jeez, they have to do SOMETHING. I mean, I can sympathize with being a total social dork, but only to a point; there comes a time where you gotta do what you gotta do. Maybe they’ll end up like Satou from Welcome to the NHK by the end. Kuragehime doesn’t seem like that kind of series, though, to say the least. :p
Even with her underhanded tactics they aren’t cast in a way that makes her out to be the greatest evil there ever was. Part of it is that she is using the wrong tactics on Shu who isn’t like other men… also she isn’t going ALL THE WAY. Inari isn’t great but it would be stupid to make her out to be some great evil instead of what she really is, a sleazy land grabber.
Kuranosuke is overly benevolent, but as for the Nunz changing for the better some might be saved Mayaya and Bamba though are headed for DOOM.
“I can see where Shu gets his mojo from…” lol… greatest screen cap!
Like father like son….
The thing I’m most surprised about is how little Tsukimi has changed throughout the series. One would think that her constant-er exposure to those of the “other” world would at least slightly change how she behaves. When Kuranosuke said “What? You should be used to this by now” I was thinking the same thing. While I can’t expect the other nuns to change because they remain more closed off, I hoped that by now Tsukimi would be a little better.
Bah, hopefully we’ll start seeing some real development from Tsukimi and the rest of the Nunz next episode.
Tsukimi is only now feeling the first pangs of love I just hope she gets off her ass and act on her feelings before it is too late, if nothing else she will need a spine to face Inari in the war for Shu.
Given that we are past the half way mark I have my doubts that the Nunz will be doing much changing at all even if they do change will be uneven. To ape Deng Xiaoping “Some will get a life first.”
It’s still sad to see Tsukimi so ready to get Kuranosuke out of her life.
The thing I’m most surprised about is how little Tsukimi has changed throughout the series
Well, she has been happier with her makeovers of late and didn’t freak out when Kuranosuke comforted her in the park… then again she totally did when she saw him half naked in her room… perhaps it’s a case of 2 steps forward, 1 step back.
Shu + Tsukimi = best nerd couple EVER!
I laughed so hard when Kuranosuke elbowed Inari. XD
I thought the ep was rather slow. There wasn’t much charector development aside from Kuranosuke (is there a shortened nickname for him?) and well…now that Inari’s picture fetish was revealed to Shu, it appears the plot will thicken next episode. Although I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Tsukimi. She does seem a bit naive to assume that Shu and Inari were a pair but again, she’s only 18. Especially a girl with such low self esteem, I would think she’s used to seeing the gorgeous and *cough* refined female with such an esteemed man.
I’m glad to see that her female instincts kicked in when Inari walked into her sacred chamber of jellyfish creations. “GET OUT!” seriously… what stranger just waltzes into someone’s room without permission?
Who waltzes into her room repeatedly, not only without her permission, but against her oft-stated pleas to not come back? Kuranosuke, that’s who. The only reason Tsukimi doesn’t protest much anymore is because he simply ignores her entreaties. He’s worn her down.
Hooray for attrition!
Haha you’re right! Kuranosuke is notorious for doing that. I was looking for something like a thief but he fits the bill too!
I also think Tsukimi’s weld up feelings over whats-her-face stealing Shu could have attributed to her teenage angst/lashing against Inari.
To be fair Inari did try to suck up and got out of there, as Upscaled said Kuranosuke does that a lot heck every time my family had guests over my room was open for inspection.
Tsukimi has some serious self-esteem issues just looking at Inari intimidated her and seeing Inari under Shu’s umbrella made her assume the worst. Hopefully Tsukimi will grow enough spine to challenge Inari but right now Inari has already seemingly wrecked Tsukimi’s love life without even knowing it. One has to wonder why Tsukimi thinks that no one else would have eyes for Shu, since he is high profile and rich…
I laughed so hard when Kuranosuke elbowed Inari. XD
AGREED.
you know if anything i missed the uncle this episode I both love and am frightened by his character. He have a very intresting relationship with kuranosuke. For a while i thought the uncle was gonna rape him. The uncle seem care about kurako much more than the rest of the family, its kind like hes looking out for him and plays along to amuse kurako and piss off his brother. The rest of the family seem to have an uneasyiness to dislike of kuranosuke. Although its understandable, since he is a bastard son, cross dresses, is a product of Shu trauma, and a constant reminder of the affair that there father had with kurako mom. I mean he was abandoned by his mom, and he has such a blooming relationship with his dad… That and im loving their driver he’s all sorts of win.
So far their family seems to be made of misfits in recent years, that and Uncle Fake Aso is just an in-law and has no real stake in the “shame” that Kuranosuke brings.
you know if anything i missed the uncle this episode [...] That and im loving their driver he’s all sorts of win
Yay! And clearly two men who appreciate a fashionable trap when they see one.
Hey… Crusader should really stop watching this show if he’s hating on it THAT much. His reviews are more and more like angry rants by some crazy religious fundie. You know, the sort that bash gays and stuff? “It’s wrong to be like that! It’s bad for them! Make them stop!” That’s Crusader’s style. Really, what’s his problem? The Nuns are adults. Their parents are adults. The Nuns are living the way they like to live. The parents can do whatever they want with their money. If some people feel like giving allowances to their 30-something daughters, that’s their own damn business! It’s not like they need permission from Crusader to do so, sheesh.
I can’t believe that he went so far as to defend Inari on the grounds that she has a job and the Nuns don’t. Who the hell cares? The Nuns live their quiet, isolated little lives without bothering anyone. Inari uses date rape drugs to molest people, take pictures of them naked and then blackmail them. The Nuns are harmless loners and basically nice people. Inari is scum, a rotten human being no matter how you look at it. Really, it’s not that difficult to understand.
Kuranosuke may or may not be the OTP for Tsukimi, but there’s no doubt that he is the BIG HERO of this story. Why? Because he’s doing what a hero do: help and protect the nice people who live humble lives and never hurt anyone from the evil assholes who want to screw them for money and power. There you go: that’s the definition of a hero for you. On the other hand, Crusader’s taking the side of the villains… the mind, it boggles.
wait did you call the nunz nice people?!?!?! some of the nunz are nice others are just bad people, as for my Inari, i shall admit that she uses less favoriable tactics, but she is a contributing member of society. And her pictures of Shu and her only forshadow their eventual pairing. For Inari shall not let her prey escape her!!!
also with THAT mojo that Shu got from his dad he need an Inari or else he wont even get to second base. 
Excuse me but how am I being a fundamentalist that bashes gays by saying that the Nunz need to grow up?
I love this show to pieces but I do not have to like the Nunz and be on the bandwagon for vilifying Inari as some Gihren Zabi. Inari is a ruthless land grabber, she suckers in horny men into selling land, she suckered Shu so that there would be no election issues regarding her project. How moral was it for Shu to help his dad try and make political football out of a land deal to get that approval rating up? How moral is it for a husband to chase the first pretty woman he sees when he’s already married? In short if you want to play the morality game how moral is it for the Nunz to be an anchor on society after their folks are dead and they need welfare money, money that could have gone to some one who actually needed it it, or for some kid’s education? No one is living a moral life these days. You think the children and women who make your mass produced clothing are unionized and pull 40 grand a year on a 40 hour work week? You think that produce picker who helped get food on your table is doing the same? Don’t bring up morality when talking about some anti-social hikkomori that are destined to suck up tax money from more worthy causes once their mom and dad die.
Of course the Nunz are hurting someone, their parents who have to expend more blood, sweat, and tears so that their ungrateful daughters can slight them all the way from Tokyo and spend most of that money on luxury items. I would be less damning if the Nunz were actively seeking work or trying to help support their parents who are in old age and will soon be off the labor force or should they toil until they are 80 something so that their daughters can live the good life and not work even one single day? How is THAT fair how is THAT just? I have a freaking hikkomori anchor in my family hell he’s just like the Nunz ungrateful parasitic and treats the only person who was willing to take in his sorry ass like shit. Don’t you dare lecture me about how just a life the nunz are leading when you are not the one making tribute payments to a hikkomori anchor at a time when everyone else is trying to get by during these hard times. They are charity cases that have no merit they are not badly off because they are victims of circumstances that are out of their control, they chose to live like this, they insist on living like this. even if they are 30 they are little more than children. Being an adult means you have have to be mature, the Nunz aren’t hell they still insult Kuranosuke and demand that he make sacrifices for their sake. Being an adult means making ends meet and taking care of your parents who are growing old and will one day be unable to work. Being and adult means making sacrifices. So far we have not seen that from the Nunz.
I am not saying Inari is the heroine, but she is not some wicked witch that knowingly sabotaged Shu-Kimi for the express purpose of making Tsukimi cry. Kuranosuke is a hero but the ones he hopes to rescue are ungrateful louts that want him to do everything while they loaf about with their obsessions.
Exactly what is it that you want me to say anyway? That the Nunz are so KAWAII DESU? That being a Hikkomori is a just occupation? That Bamba and Mayaya are fine examples of what women should aspire to be? That it is okay for Bamba to habitually insult Kuranosuke despite all that he has done for them? That Mayaya is leading a just life by buying expensive merchandise made in some sweatshop in the PRC with her parent’s money? That it is okay for the Nunz to sit on their asses while Kuranosuke busts his balls to try and save their home?
As for blackmailing heck I don’t see you railing about how Kuranosuke was going to play the same hand Inari did to get his dad to pony up some money. Inari is blackmailing to get people to sell, she isn’t stealing or committing black theft. Also it still takes a sucker to take Inari up, a sleazy man that is willing to cheat on his wife kind of sucker. Shu seems to be part of a preemptive strike, she drugged him and took compromising photos, but let’s be clear she did not rape him, so let’s not act as if she did that and is actively trying to wreck Tsukimi’s life.
I do not agree that the dog in a manger has the final right to the manger even though he may have lain there for a very long time. I do not admit that right. I do not admit for instance, that a great wrong is being done to the the Nunz. I do not admit that a wrong is being done to these people by the fact that a stronger woman, a more dedicated woman, a more worldly wise woman is about to close a land deal by meeting Chieco’s mom’s asking price for the building. In that case Inari played it fair, regardless of what dark deeds she did to secure parts of the area. Even if you rail against Inari and espouse how the Nunz are living a good and just life your a liar if you say Inari is aiming to get that building through foul means. In regards to the Nunnery Inari is making a legal purchase with the rightful owner, the Nunz don’t own it they never did and now refuse to raise a penny in defense of their home.
I like this show and I’ll do what a bloody well what I please on this team blog as I have for years. I will be honest even if being honest means heaping on the disdain that the Nunz have not undergone character development and meaningful change after more that half the series has passed. We only have 4 episodes left, for either a Kimi-Kura or Shu-Kimi victory, THAT is why I watch. Pouring the haterade on the Nunz is simply a side effect of them not pulling their own weight at 30 and over, for being rude to the Hero Kuranosuke, and for being charity cases that have stopped being funny and are now simply sad.
@Kik: Hey… Crusader should really stop watching this show if he’s hating on it THAT much. Er, clearly (without even having to read his reply) he’s not. Nuff read.
@ectho: also with THAT mojo that Shu got from his dad he needs an Inari – Dude! I wouldn’t wish an Inari on my worst enemy. Nuff said.
Personally I feel that the nuns will manage, yes they are acting quite lazy now, and the don’t seem to actually care about what happens to their place, but I have the gut feeling that something is bound to happen that will make them stand in their feet, I can’t say any more since is just a hunch.
Now what I do care about is Shu, is quite frustrating to know so little about him, we more or less.
So I also want them (Shu and Tsukimi) to have more courage and fight for they love since they make such a sweet couple.
Now what I do care about is Shu, is quite frustrating to know so little about him
AGREED.
in the end, Shu became the bait and the victim in the episode.
The, the nunz will go then and sell their old junkies(stuffs).
I think, it’s going to the right track.