First Impressions / Kuragehime

「真夜中のチェリーボーイ」 (Mayonaka no Cherībōi)
“Midnight Cherry Boy”

After revealing her intentions to blackmail, Shoko Inari certainly wastes no time in delaying what she wants, and quickly uses the photographs to force Shuu for a meetup with his father. I’m not too keen on what Inari’s game plan is, but so far she just wants to introduce herself to Keiichirou. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Kuranosuke and Tsukimi also take place in the scene, causing an affliction that affects Tsukimi for the rest of the episode. If I were to give a metaphor, I’d say Tsukimi seeing Inari would be like one of you walking in on your parents trying to make a baby. Yes, I just reminded you that your parents had sex before. How’s that for making you feel like Tsukimi?

Meanwhile, Keiichirou isn’t too worried about Inari, and rather than fumbling around her reason for being there, he’s only curious whether or not they had made it to home base. The question sends waves of shock to everyone except Hanamori, and reveals the big secret that they’ve hit a home run. Of course, we know it’s all lies, and apparently Kuranosuke as well, leading him to reveal that Shuu couldn’t possibly pull it off being that he is still a virgin. At first, I was a bit confused as to why Inari would care if he’s a virgin, but she later declares that she’s some sort of “virgin-killer” in her hometown, so maybe she’s just frustrated that a 30 year old one isn’t desperate enough to want to have sex with her or even have an attraction to her. Given her egotistical views on her own beauty, and the fact that none of her clients seemed to have an issue with taking their clothes off for her before, Shuu becomes the unique one, probably frustrating her.

Now this is all going to be speculation, but he just may frustrate her enough that she gets obsessed with making him fall in love with her, at which point she finds herself falling in love with him instead. If that becomes true, then their relationship would be remarkably similar to TsukimixKuranosuke, seeing as that both “beauties” have found normal people that don’t instantly love them for their looks. While poetic, when you put it that way, the relationships become a lot less innovative and fresh, which is something very hard to do these days. Kuragehime is probably well praised in the fact that while the core mechanics are old, what’s written over it is a lot more original, especially with how the multiple storylines play off each other.

Anyway, out of frustration, Inari pulls out her blackmail photo, and naively convinces Tsukimi what the truth of the matter was. Tsukimi runs off, takes defense under her covers (I used to do this), and remembers how her mother used to comfort her when she came home from school (those damn kids, jellyfish aren’t gross). However, sleep couldn’t help her this time as Inari even invades her dreams, and so she seeks answers elsewhere, leading to alcohol, which gave me a good laugh. On the other hand, Kuranosuke thinks of Lina, and a certain time when she was talking about wedding dresses. Lina’s stern view that only brides should wear wedding dresses had me thinking that maybe she feels some guilt or shame on what she had done. Perhaps she has wishes that she had married normally, and then had a child, enabling her to wear such a dress and experience purer happiness. Lina’s character has barely been developed since she was introduced, so I can’t say for sure what she actually feels about the whole situation, and it may stay that way if they end the series based on the manga. Kuranosuke then brushes away the thought and soon discovers an inspiration for a jellyfish dress, which I’ve been excited to see since last episode (but only saw one), and heads off to Tsukimi’s. Much like how Kuranosuke wanted to share his own personal connection with his mother last episode, Tsukimi unknowingly does the same, sleeping drunk in the comfort that her mother is carrying her off to bed when it is actually Kuranosuke. I think that subtly screamed, “elope already!”

Honestly, as far as I’m concerned, Tsukimi is nowhere near ready for any kind of serious relationship, and will require far more development with her character before going anywhere. But hey, that’s why the manga is still running isn’t it? Which brings the now glaring problem of “just not enough” for all the characters and story the series has set up so far. With only two episodes left, it should be interesting to see how they’re going to end this. For me, I’d rather they just leave it open for later seasons, even if it never happens. Besides, if they were going for an original, they probably would’ve diverged several episodes ago, but fingers crossed!

And wow, Shuu’s father took “womanizing” as a compliment, and didn’t mind the idea that it “passed on” to his son. Kuranosuke, hurry up and tell him off please.

 

Preview

20 Comments

  5. ““beauties” have found normal people that don’t instantly love them for their looks.”

    Basically a josei cliche number…ONE ? As well as every woman’s dream, to be a slut for a while, and then find true happiness with someone exceptionally pure (and rich). God, this series is so ordinary…

    karry
    Reply

    1. Your analysis might work if the main characters were Inari & Shuu. But here, they are the supporting characters. The main character (Tsukimi) is not a slut, the main beauty (Kuranosuke) is a male crossdresser, and Tsukimi is exceptionally pure but definitely not rich.

      Upscaled
      Reply

  8. lol at this I dont even…

    Hang in there Tsukimi, you just need to realize that Shuu is not the one for you. Get THE HINT already!! There’s just 2 episode left and I feel that its not enough to give us with a satisfying ending. Also I agree with you, they should leave it open for a second season!!

    Nhelraios
    Reply

  10. Tsukimi wwwwhhyyy do you like Shu when he doesn’t like you for the real you. /cry As well, Kuranousuke x Tsukimi GO GO GO. On another note, the jellyfish art was so pretty when we got a close up look and the dresses that Kura was imagining. I can’t wait to see how the jellyfish dress will look. :3

    Ness
    Reply

  15. I posted this elsewhere but I’ll repeat it here. There’s hope for a second season yet!

    Kouji Yamamoto, Noitamina producer, wrote on Twitter, back on Nov. 5, that Kuragehime received a rating of 3.7%.

    http://twitter.com/koji8782/status/592744737144832

    That’s much better than what Noitamina was getting over the summer. So here’s hoping! I’ve read the manga now (raw) up to the end of volume 6 and the story, the characters, everything else is hilarious, touching, exciting, glorious, and 100% LOVE. I really want to see it all animated, in colour, with motion and music.

    Upscaled
    Reply

  16. Finally some of you guys spoke up about Shuu not deserving Tsukimi. Nobody deserves someone if they cant even recognize because of the way you dress. I was getting irritated when everybody kept bragging on Shuu should get with Tsukimi. Give me a break. I don’t feel sorry for him because he is still a virgin due to a scene that he can never forget. From the beginning I never saw them as a couple. I like Kuronosuke a lot better. He is funny and always there when you need a shoulder to cry on. My only issue with him is that, he keeps his feelings bottled in, but than again, he might have his own reasons for doing that. But anyway, this series is too slow paced. The outcome that we all are looking for my not even happen because of some of these unnecessary episodes. Oh well, lets just hope that they have a season 2

    yahiko03
    Reply

    1. she just never ran into a virgin, and one with morals to boot, before – considering state of society, not surprising…
      but certainly worst blackmail ever meets worst detective ever for massive lulz 😛

      ewok40k
      Reply

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