Posted by OP Sequence
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OP: 「少女はあの空を渡る」 (Shoujo wa Ano Sora wo Wataru) by 福本莉子 (Fukumoto Riko)
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「ドラゴンの名前はまそたんにします」 (Doragon no Namae wa Masotan ni Shimasu)
“I’ll Name the Dragon Masotan”
One should never judge a book by its cover, but if we were to judge Hisone to Masotan only on appearances it’d be easy to conclude that it was a children’s show. The simple character designs, the pastel colours and the slow yet uplifting OP song definitely gives the impression of one, at any rate. Can you imagine Miyazaki making something like this? My Neighbour Masotan? Stranger things have happened. But upon actually watching the show, it appears that HisoMaso is insistent on being as inappropriate for children as possible without actually crossing the unseen line. I’m not just talking about the workplace full of creeps, or the weird fetish-fuel costumes, or a preview laced with innuendo. There is a certain irreverence towards children’s cartoons underlying HisoMaso, which seems to come out stronger as we go.
Take this episode that’s mainly about befriending Kaizaki Nao (Kurosawa Tomoyo). Normally we may guess her to be the jerk-with-a-heart-of-gold, who is outwardly unapproachable but actually wants wants to help the protagonist but has trouble expressing herself. That’s such a common archetype these days that Hisone simply assumes the best of her Nao-san without question. But Nao actually parodies the archetype by being a jerk through and through, the Asuka to Hisone’s Shinji, a thoroughly terrible person redeemed somewhat only by her inner maiden and her love for Mama. The parodies go on from there. The usually sweet relationship between the girl and the overgrown animal is instead perhaps nightmarish and definitely gross (unless that’s your thing. I won’t judge). Hisone herself demonstrates some of the dense positivity required of protagonists in her position, but it contrasts squarely with her bitterly cynical monologues. She has the advantage of being selective genre savvy, though; she recognises that the mysterious old women are usually sources of wisdom, and indeed last episode the yoghurt lady did provide advice and comfort. But in what must be a deliberate sendup of the whole trope, this week the yoghurt meant absolutely nothing.
Unless it did. Now I’ve gotten paranoid.
I am reminded somewhat of Sora no Woto, which was a military-themed anime that looked cute but was actually underscored by a rather dark premise. Maybe HasoMiso will be like that too; the cast is quirky, the base has an ‘anything goes’ attitude, but maybe sometime down the line it will be revealed that dragon-jets are actually very serious business. I mean, it even makes use of a French song, so if it wasn’t trying remind me of Sora no Woto it’s doing a poor job of it. It’s not a poor association to have, at any rate. I can’t bring myself to care for the whole ‘the next miko’ thing at the moment, but I do welcome the possibility of more depth in the future. Once the entire cast is assembled I’m sure HisoMaso will show us where it wants to go. I just hope it doesn’t do a full 180 turn. The quirk can be good, the satire can be good, and even serious business can be good. The trick is to find the right balance so the show keeps its charm.
Full-length images: 35.
ED Sequence
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ED: 「Le temps de la rentrée〜恋の家路（新学期)～」 (Le temps de la rentrée ~Koi no Shingakki~) by 久野美咲, 黒沢ともよ (Kuno Misaki, Kurosawa Tomoyo)
Preview
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The show is still hitting the funny bones this week, just not as much.
Annnnd then you hit the Evagelion notes…(as well as being oddly NOT occupied with this ancient name plate of Maso-tan’s)
btw @Passerby:
You’ve referenced the wrong pic.
ps. The previews were masterfully pieced together. I actually thought Maso-tan can talk coming to this week’s episode
Fixed!
(I usually pass over details that are obviously meant to be explained later. I have a short attention span)
Err…
I find some of the scenes sexist.
I don’t know about sexist, but there is certainly the kind of vaguely misogynistic harassment that I understood to be representative of a workplace like that. Representation is not necessarily endorsement, though, even before we factor in how tongue-in-cheek each representation may be.
Tbh, here’s hoping the show will actually do something with some of the minor cast’s very obvious sexist attitude rather than being casually sexist just because.
Hear hear!
This is where I hope Mari Okada’s writing role keeps that in check.
They need to find some way to install restraints in Masotan’s stomach, so Hisone can strap in. Otherwise she’s just going to keep being thrown around by all those high-G maneuvers and end up accidentally bumping the controls again.
There’s probably a trick to it. Though I don’t imagine riding around in a dragon’s stomach is ever a practical matter.
https://randomc.net/image/Hisone%20to%20Masotan/Hisone%20to%20Masotan%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2027.jpg
Now this is how you ride a dragon! XD cant believe they pulled this perfectly than Franxx does lol.
Am already in love with this series. <3 so much to enjoy and i had a great time laughing all the way, esp the ED song. Still, poor Kakiyasu-san getting scold by her sexist superiors. Its not easy working in all male dominated industry. Really reminded me when i went to the helicopter hangar filled with male pilots and engineers everywhere, everyone was cursing like a sailor yelling at each other (i know it was very loud out there so they had no choice).
Its cute and gets prop for being unique…but a little too weird for me. I will keep reading your reviews to see if I should sit through the entire.