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「恋の科学」 (Koi no kagaku)
“The Science of Love”
And so the relationship shenanigans are set. It may have been a mostly transitory week for KtU, but we certainly were not lacking in buildup. Some key pieces of development were highlighted, future shifts hinted towards, and a new character appears who is guaranteed to factor in later somehow. Plus penis jokes, which become even more hilarious when you imagine our destined duo doing the dirty for the first time. I swear this show never disappoints.
As fully expected for a while now, Ririna is gradually falling in love Neji all the while refusing (or being unable) to see it. She’s firmly embarrassed whenever both state sanctioned lovers wind up in contact for example (infatuation), yet continues pushing for Neji to realize his true love (denial). I can largely see this situation continuing so long as Ririna never actually sees Misaki and Neji lock lips. Right now the girl can happily play matchmaker from a distance, papering over her budding emotions with thoughts of doing good for the husband to be. Once Ririna sees the results in person though—as we caught a glimpse of last time—that’s when the fireworks will earnestly start. Our little anatomy lover has no idea the torrent of feelings coming her way, and that camping trip is a perfect opportunity to release them.
Misaki too is starting to come into her own, although for entirely different reasons. We know she’s firmly in love with Neji for example, but is likely looking for an out from those emotions. Big reason is that government visit, I seriously doubt Misaki is telling the truth regarding it. I bet she did get her match and is keeping it quiet either to keep Neji content (i.e. avoiding the depression) and/or limit the potential fallout. The latter seems a stretch considering Neji doesn’t really act out, but depending on Misaki’s match, it’s a serious possibility. There’s enough to suggest Yuusuke could be her match for example, and if Misaki knows about Yuusuke’s sexual inclinations—let alone his love for Neji—that alone would serve as some serious gristle for the drama mill. It’s not guaranteed mind you, but Yuusuke and Misaki do know one another well at minimum and have some reason to reciprocally dislike each other. It could be due to Yuusuke’s romantic interests, or something else entirely. No idea what the secret is, but we shouldn’t have long to wait before finding out. Not when potential backstory is being teased hard.
With our lovers slowly defining themselves and the possibility of some steamy camping shenanigans upon us, it’s definitely not long before KtU reaches a break point. Ririna has some feelings to acknowledge, Misaki is overdue for some promiscuous tongue tying, and by hell Neji needs to learn how to tap two at a time. Well, at least one to start. We’re all set for this battle of the hearts, now all KtU has to do is pull the drama trigger. Let the fun and games begin.
Preview
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End Card
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So it’s beginning to look like this hugely complex matchmaking system can’t even work out that someone is gay. Or more disturbingly, it can work out that someone is gay but has been programmed not to care. You know, for the good of the nation and all.
A same-sex union runs counter to the objective of increasing the birth rate.
Which is why I said it was “for the good of the nation”.
Why even bother with the whole system if the only end goal is increasing the birth rate? Why simply not artificially inseminate each girl once she turns 18, in a similar fashion to the way livestock animals are ‘propagated’ on megafarms? Saves the state the money on match-making!
At this point the need for keeping any appearances is grotesque.
I think the primary objective here (overtly at least) is happiness. If the pair is happy, they’re more likely to stay together, and longevity increases the likelihood of having children. Even for Japan forcing people together strictly to counteract declining birthrates (i.e. the “good of the nation”) would likely not go over well. Thus all the emphasis on personal satisfaction (to encourage enrollment) while highlighting birthrate (to limit matchmaking to traditional marriage).
As I mentioned above, there’s probably some form of release valve for gays, whether it be a blind eye to extramarital affairs or something else.
@Pancakes
This ‘personal happiness’ is nothing but a facade and a marketing strategy. (I’m strangely reminded of the Psycho Pass VN, which has ‘Mandatory Happiness’ in its title…) Nobody will convince me that teenagers straight out of high school are mentally capable of stable relationships and NOT making their families dysfunctional. It’s a brain development issue, there’s no going past that.
If only the show had enough courage to drop its sugar coating for a second, then maybe we would get to see the nastier consequences of the scheme: domestic violence, venting your suppressed feeling in unsightly forms (I don’t know, killing hamsters, proliferation of fetishes, married NEET life) etc.
Oh I definitely agree with you Sherris, it’s entirely a strategy for acceptance, but it doesn’t take away from the fact people want that happiness. Everyone wants a love life and someone who desires them, this makes it incredibly easy to get people involved if you can reliably (i.e. >50% of the time) deliver on that.
I’d be curious too seeing how many failed pairings there are, and how many are strained from poor matchmaking. As you mention teens are emotionally chaotic at best, so there must be some problems, especially if one doesn’t initially like their match. Not sure we will see any of this though, too realistic lol.
Almost certainly there is counseling as part of this whole program. I imagine that health and human services people are making regular visits especially to ‘problematic’ couples. While there will almost certainly be people that slip through the cracks, I don’t think this is the purpose of this story. It’d be nice to see this world from a different angle, but it’s not something we are likely to get.
Think of it like a novel set during world war II and focuses on a single soldier and the fall out of how he adjusts to pre and post war worlds. There is obviously a lot of interesting information that could be given on the subject of the causes of the war and how it effected the nations involved, but it’s really not the goal, it’s supposed to be a more focused tale on the individual and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that as long as you have your expectations in check.
@Pancakes
Yeah, too realistic for anime >^<. This is the problem I have with many anime shows: the premise is dark and the setting has some dystopian elements, but the series may never truly capitalise on them, instead focusing on bizarre personal drama and/or mindless action and/or mundane stuff we've seen many times before etc. I could understand if it's a comedy show, where you can go wild with nonsensical ideas and get a free pass from the viewers. For instance, in Nanbaka the prison is an outlandish hybrid between a theme park and a care home – basically it's so dumb, you don't expect any logic in it. But if a show or a manga expects you to treat it seriously, then you'd better deliver by focusing on what the premise entails. Otherwise your story runs the risk of being perceived as fake and forced drama.
I’m not sure it can actually determine homosexuality. The system is largely genetic based, and current research is still conflicted on a genetic basis of homosexuality—it’s not a simple phenomenon to break down. If the system can predict homosexuality though, a good guess is that it tries matching opposite sex homosexual individuals together and subsequently turns a blind eye to any extramarital affairs. Both partners never have children, but they are free to find their pleasure as seen fit, staying true (at least outwardly to everyone else) to the whole idea of “happy, long lasting” relationships.
Why wait until she is 18, and why inseminate a girl artificially when there are in many cases lots of boys who’d be happy to do it entirely naturally and for no extra cost?
The whole point is that the system is constructed so as to appear compatible with 21st century concepts of human rights.
Because girls don’t like strange grunting men on top of them?
Artificial insemination is a medical and scientific procedure. It’s well regulated and cleanliness is a priority.
Copulation isn’t those things.
Now, everything is getting all tied up together. Something’s definitely going to happen at the camp.
I’m seriously expecting some form of public make-out session which ends with two very disappointed love competitors. The only question is who 😛
declining birth rate? legalize polygamy…voila you got starvation!
*from a certain south east-asia country
I must admit the “slip over a magazine” thing to be on top of another is new for me lol
Okay, maybe it’s just me but with the explanations I feel inclined to like the Yukari system, considering I have no love life when I’m 16 lol
Pretty sure most would, until they’re actually matched 😛
At 16 I probably would have thought the same thing, but as an ‘old man’ of 31 with a wife and 2 kids, it’d have been awful if I couldn’t have married for love when I was 23 🙂
Since most wouldn’t have known of love and relationships at 16 (in Japan) then this might save many. Although in many countries the people would have voted the government off this law lol
Why twice in the first episode and in this one does it seem like Misaki is not there…when they kiss in both episodes it appears like Misaki doesn’t exist