「水明り Eau et lumières」 (Mizu Akari)
“Water and Lights”

I didn’t like cheese when I was younger, but dipping it in soy sauce like sushi wouldn’t have made it any more appetizing to me. I don’t know how Yune was able to stomach it. Someone should really introduce her to melted cheese, which seems to be one of the easiest way to acquire a taste for it. Or better yet, she should just stay away from cheese altogether, since I’m a firm believer that Asian diets work well because fatty foods like cheese aren’t a part of them.

Four episodes in and we finally get a healthy dose of everything Alice Blanche. I absolutely love what she adds to the show with her Orient fanaticism, making her the Ryuuguu Rena that we’ve been waiting for. Not only does she say she wants to take Yune home, she tried to do so this very episode and even used Yune’s kimono to try and persuade the poor girl to stay. Alice clearly isn’t a bad person though — really spoiled and a bit selfish, but by no means bad. If Yune did decide to work for her, she probably would’ve had the most lavish lifestyle, which includes the daily baths she’s been doing without. Moreover, she would’ve been privy to a ridiculous amount of favoritism and become Alice’s best friend before long. Knowing that, I really wanted to see Claude’s feelings of inadequacy and uneasiness over the idea that Yune would leave Enseignes du Roy for a much better life in Paris.

Claude was so focused on materialistic value and didn’t give Yune the benefit of the doubt, so I loved his reaction when she showed him what Japanese loyalty and promises are all about. Oscar had no doubt that she would return, but Claude looked like he had already resigned to the idea that Yune would never come back. Granted, his surprise wasn’t as moving as I anticipated, nor was Yune’s hour-long prostration begging Alice to let her return home so that she could cook sukiyaki for Claude and Oscar, but both were still really touching moments to see. The same goes for Alice and Yune’s new-found friendship, and Yune’s decision to not take back her mother’s kimono for free so that Claude could fulfill his promise to her to get it back. Things may have ended off with Alice still plotting to make Yune hers, but she’s completely harmless as far as I’m concerned.

The next episode looks like it’ll feature the homeless boy who’s shown up in several episodes already. It should lead to some more scolding from Claude, which as unusual as it may sound, is something I like to see now and then. Like the bath scene here, whenever he gets upset about something Yune did, it tends to lead to some emotion-filled scenes while placing an emphasis on the cultural differences. It’s all part of a cute learning process for the both of them.

 

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55 Comments

      1. Where I live, we get weird not-cheese like cheese, so when we were in Frankfurt this year, my brother had a terrifically similar reaction to Yune’s when he first sampled some lol

        Pandorakun
      2. Indian food has alot of cheese. Guess it’s because the Cow is a religious symbol thus milk and other milk related products is considered blessed or something. Indian food = cottage cheese in spinach. cheese roti prata…
        But there are different types of cheese. So it all depends on personal taste

        deafvader
    1. If it’s some kind of McDonald’s cheese in the burger, I’m fine with it. But if it’s some kind of big roll of cheese, I feel they’re to smelly and almost unbearable to eat.

      But for some weird reason, I don’t find Durian stinky at all while most of the world say otherwise.

      Serapita
    2. I have tried many dishes from various cultures including intestines, dogs, frogs, fugu and cheese. Then there’s all the synthetic supplements I’ve taken when I work out. Powerbars tasted like sawdust in the beginning. But the one thing I have not been able to get past my mind is natto.

      Gambler
    1. ?? does not mean anything in french !
      are you trying to say “omelette au fromage” ?
      “du” = “from” you don’t make omelette with cheese but with eggs (and add what you want, if it’s mushrooms it will be “omelette aux champignons”)
      sorry, I could not resist…

      clubescar
  1. Tsun-dude…

    I wasn’t crazy about Alice, as she seems very conventional to me compared to the rest of the characters and frankly, I don’t really need conflict or “plot” with this show. But I have faith in Hinata and in Ao Yuuki, so hopefully she’ll end up being a positive.

    I just adore Yune and Claude though. Even if they aren’t a “couple” (yet) they’re the best pairing this side of Natsume and Nyanko-sensei…

  2. It always amazes me how westerners find soy sauce stinky but I guess Claude is slowing warming up to it. How can anyone not like Sukiyaki?
    Wonder if Yune brought some natto along with her too? ;D

    Seishun Otoko
    1. I’ve never known anyone who thought soy sauce was stinky, but then I’ve never seen anyone go and smell it either… Sukiyaki is my Favorite Japanese dish. It’s sweet and salty, and becomes super yummy as the beef and veggies all season the broth… Mmm! I agree, how can anyone not like it!?

      My question was how would she get mirin or make the dashi needed for it… (I guess she could substitute the mirin, but dashi is essential!)

      AngelMercury
    1. She must be from a rich family or some noble family. Since she has a garden in her own house (big garden with miniature mountains, according to Oscar in ep.3) and her house has water well in it, which only Aristocrats can have.

      Serapita
    1. There’s romance in the manga between Camille and Claude?! must go read manga… (Its the funniest thing because my inner romantic was thinking throughout the past two episodes ‘wouldn’t they be cute together’)

  3. Being lactose intolerant, I would have no problem with the “no dairy” diet of ancient Japanese culture. In this pre-WWI France it would be very hard for me, I would have to go on a restricted diet, as anything more than a few ounces of sharp cheddar is disconcerting. I’m glad the storytellers are not playing up the NEGATIVE aspects of a dairy-free diet.

  4. I’m thinking, since Yune is rich and all and she’s not a maid. Could it be that she’s Claude’s future wife? Which Oscar arranged in Japan with Yune’s family; only that Yune and Claude doesn’t know.

    0927123
  5. I called it last ep! The “blackmail-bribe”. Voluntary Kidnapping. Lol
    @divine you didn’t have to take the screen shot of Yune pre-bathing. Kinda off puts me, since i dont watch this show for that stuff. And I don’t consider kneel bow for an hour to beg someone to let you home as harmless. kneelbow is an act of respect.
    Yune caused alot more trouble at Claude’s home and has not even kneel bow to that extend.

    Alice, bad bad

    deafvader
  6. >since I’m a firm believer that Asian diets work well because fatty foods >like cheese aren’t a part of them.

    The Japanese eat lots, lots, lots of fatty food nowadays (very fatty meat, fatty karaage, fatty tempura). More than in Europe imho. It is sometimes hard to find food that is not deep fried x_x

    minikui
  7. Yune must be from a rich family. I can see that from her clothing; they’re all made of silk.

    Bath houses for commoner in Japan were popular in big cities around the time. Rich houses had bathrooms, but even they preferred to go to bath houses, sometimes. They’re open from morning, but only rich people or old retired people enjoyed morning bath. Other people used water or luke warm water, left from one night before, if they wanted to take bath in the morning.

    Farmers and non-rich people used to take bath in large wooden basin in their gardens (summer time) or in their house (winter time).

    My dad used to live in a large old farmer’s house when he was a kid and remembers how owls hooted from the roof, when he’s taking bath alone XD

    Hana

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