Kuragehime 09: Jellyfish vs Shark

Seems everyone’s balls are dropping except Shu’s…

Summary-in-a-sentence:

KimiKura commence brainstorming dress ideas while Inari commences storming Casa Koibuchi, shortly after which Tsukimi sees DAT PHOTO, gets depressed and gets drunk.

Hana on retail therapy:

I want one too.

I loved the Declaration of Dressmaking at the end of last week’s epi and thus found KimiKura’s brainstorming sessions and Kuranosuke’s further design ideas incredibly satisfying to watch unfold in this epi. Whether or not we get any romance between these two, at the very least I’m sure that they’d make a great business partnership that would perfectly showcase both their skillsets and talents. I seriously cannot wait to see those dresses!

Unfortunately, of course, Inari is just as eager to sink her claws further into the Koibuchis, managing to secure a meeting with Shu’s daddy and show DAT PHOTO to anyone and everyone available to appreciate her fine photography skills. Including Tsukimi. Her reaction was to the sight of her noble but nekkid Jellyfish Prince with his tentacles wrapped around another woman in bed was suitably one of devastation, as we once again re-lived the highs and lows she has hitherto experienced in the presence of Shu.

Shu-Shuuu!!!

Apart from reminding us how hot/ adorable Shu is, the sequence, unfortunately, seemed to highlight the growing divide between the potential virgin couple. Especially due to Inari’s hateful words to Shu over yet another coffee or whateveritisthattheyweredrinking later stating that he secretly wants more sexytime with her after all. I think, at this point, I almost wanted to join Tsukimi in her underwater happy place, except that it wouldn’t of course solve anything.

It was also frustrating because it appears that, just as Tsukimi was preparing (or should that be ‘being forced’?!) to take one step forward and do her bit for the Amazu and thus for her own independence and sanity, it seems that she has to take another two steps back. In fact, rather than just ‘running away’ from her worries, she seems to want to regress into her childhood again. And with a mummy and homemade food like that, who can blame her? Speaking of mummy figures, Kuranosuke’s role at the end of the epi can thus, of course, be seen in two ways: carrying her princess-style because he’s her prince and is going to eventually sweep her off her feet and live happily every after with her; or, he’s going to go into the friend/ family/ surrogate mummy zone.

Either way, I hope Tsukimi is able to follow her fairy trapmother’s advice and can snap out of the drunken funk that she’s fallen into in this epi. Not an easy task, mind you, especially for one as naïve, inexperienced and sheltered as Tsukimi, but here’s hoping that certain almost-soon-to-be-realised jellyfish-flavoured visions will spur her on to make the first of many fabulous jellyfish inspired clothing that any self respecting trap in his right fashion senses will be biting at the bit to buy.

Some things never change, eh. Or, perhaps, with a little help from a friend, they soon will…

Crusader: Inari Invades Chengdu, the Nunz are more useless than Wu

Shu’s dad seems happy that Shu finally shed his virginity even with one such as Inari, going so far as to say that she is the kind of woman that would be the one to drag Shu away from virginity. Inari is shocked that Shu’s awkwardness is due to him being a virgin but now that she knows that makes her all the more dangerous. Whether or not the Koibuchi gambit of packing Shu abroad is going to work I have no idea, Shu is at the point where he might actually resist being told where to go and no doubt Inari has yet to run out of tricks.

It was disappointing to see Tsukimi get totally wrecked again, thankfully she has Kuranosuke though time is growing short and with only two eps to go Shu and Kuranosuke will have to act boldly and decisively to get best end though Shu needs to do so regardless unless he wants to be Cummings to Inari’s Liang Qi… I liked how Inari was shut down from time to time but she remains all powerful and unassailable by Tsukimi or Kuranosuke. Even if the Koibuchi elders are aware of Inari she is no fool and Shu can’t seem to make a good stand against her. It seems that Shu just can’t handle her, the poor polite sop, if only he had disdain for Inari like he does with the ghouls of Amazu this would not be a problem. Alas Inari is hikkomorri disgusting and Shu is under the mistaken impression that he might actually had drunk sex with Inari. If nothing else it seems the jellyfish dress will at least see prototyping even if hope has abandoned the Nunz and left Tsukimi cowering under her sheets.

It is a tragedy that Tsukimi was wrecked so easily, I was hoping that at least it would not be a total rout and another retreat into the jellyfish seas that have also been invaded by Inari. I am sorely disappointed that after all this time Tsukimi is no closer to being able to match Inari. If this continues Shu-Kimi will fall to Inari-Wei.

Truly if it Kuranosuke can't make it look good no one can...

In this case Shu I would not blame you for breaking up via text message...

NOOOOOOOOOO! Inari is playing the damsel...

It's what everyone thinks but damn it well played you bastard...

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Do not come between a man and his car...

Who was touched for the very first time...

I see someone has been re-watching Sailor Moos SuperS...

BURSTING MACHINE GUN PUNCH!

Damn Tsukimi is cowering and being afraid... worse she just let Inari pull a Norris on her...

No, no, NOOOOOOO! Damn it now Inari is Tsukimi's personal nightmare. UGH.

Inari the dark shoujo heroine...

Seems Shu is without his Zhuge Liang...

Shu seems to be ruled by A Dou and not Liu Bei...

Oh no soon Inari will be Diao Chan to Shu's Lu Bu... this will not end well.

Your feelings have not betrayed you but your shock WILL!

He's afraid? He's too kind? Not enough of a bastard?

But he never did, he never will... Run Shu this northern expedition against Wei has failed. FLY YOU FOOL!

Like you have never met one...

DO NOT WANT.

While Shu-kimi is losing ground to Inari-Wei the Kimi-Kura Bakufu is progressing rapidly...

Her mom maybe gone but her Fairy Trap Mother will always be there.