Posted by Episode 06
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「Call my name」
Romantic rivals; you either hate them or applaud the author on their decent incorporation as plot devices.
First off, I want to apologize to all my readers for being late with this post. A lot of things have been happening in my life recently, some very upsetting and others just urgent. Nevertheless, this is the one time this season that should be a problem, and I will strive for better posts (and better timing) to make it up to all my wonderful readers.
Second, I’m glad Pierrot had the sense to put Luna’s episode in 6th place rather than 2nd, where it was in the manga.
I don’t particularly care for Luna, that’s true, but it isn’t because I have something against her personally. Rather, I’ve had it up to Hylia with romantic rivals in anime and manga, at least this kind. There’s always that one character who is jealous (usually an osananajimi) and wants to get in between the couple. Jealousy is understandable; it is also easy to see how much an unrequited love can hurt. But as they say in Japan, those who get in between the love of others shall be kicked by a horse.
I’m not defending my OTP here when I say I can’t stand this stuff; it’s not about who I want to see together. What upsets me is the fact that romantic rivals are usually depicted as aggressive and disrespectful toward the feelings of the other party. Let’s step out of the unrequited love shoes for a sec and put ourselves in Nike or Livi’s place (or any other couple together by their own love and will); how annoying and messed up is it to have someone tell you your love is not valid and try to break you up? It’s true that this is a different historical period we’re seeing, but the arranged marriage here has become one for love, and everyone has accepted it but Luna (and the assassins but we’ll talk about those some other time). I know I’m not the only one who feels less than friendly toward characters like this, and I’m glad Pierrot realized it was jeopardizing their viewership to leave it in the sequence it was. Still, I’m not unhappy in seeing the episode remain, for a few reasons.
One is that I’m a stickler for staying true to the original when it comes to adaptations, pure and simple. I like knowing that things don’t change too much. But more importantly, it would have been a huge shame to skip out on Nike and Livi’s chemistry. I know some people still think the age difference is icky (some people say it’s because Nike looks older than 15, but some girls develop young and mature faster than boys. I was my height and fully developed at fifteen; you can’t tell me apart from my high school ID and my university one), but if you’re like me and find it perfectly acceptable, then it’s hard not to be head over heels for these two. They’re interesting, they’re strong, and they really care about one another. They may be young but they’re working things out to the best of their ability, and they want to be there to support each other and become real partners in love and in life. Which is hard no matter what your age, and even more so when you feel unfit to be with your beloved.
Episode 07
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「Wild waltz」
Funny how the romantic rival bothers me less here, and it’s definitely not because it’s a male one.
Part of this is because there’s a bigger problem in general this episode (hint: it’s the abusive child-husband), though that doesn’t mean Bard doesn’t have his moments of “face-palm-oh-goddess-why-are-these-almost-rape-scenes-still-a-thing.” What I like about Bard is that he’s actually more plot oriented than a tool for forcing forward Nike and Livi’s relationship. He’s not after Nike for real, though that doesn’t really excuse his behavior, but rather his interest is in Livius. Rather than Uncle, Bard feels more like Livi’s older brother, constantly teasing and messing with the little one while keeping his real feelings quiet. Nike picks up on that, and though Bard does throw her for a loop, it’s because she isn’t used to the attention and because she knows how much it upsets her fiancee.
That of course is what makes Livi’s rage all the more contemptible, even though it’s understandable. He’s only twelve years old and marrying a girl three years older; a girl who is as fickle as the wind and rain she commands and much more developed than he. He hates that her love for him sometimes borders on motherly, and he’s insecure with the thought that she could leave him. Nevertheless, his actions show just how immature he still is, and it hurts Nike, physically and emotionally, when he treats her this way. He refuses to believe she would never betray him and threatens her; sometimes getting to know something new about a loved one is a chilling experience.
Still, I have to contain my giddiness about the fact that a heroine like Nike still exists in this day and age. Shoujo heroines are not what they used to be, and most of the things she gets through are things other heroines fail at miserably. When I think about the fact that there are girls being put in cages in certain other series and expected to stay there because the guy “loves” her, I thank the stars there are still characters willing to break the heck out of some iron bars. And Nike is more than just spunky and free-spirited. She’s intelligent and she understands people more than most. She understood at once that Bard never really loved her, that his words were empty and she wasted no time calling him out on his bs. Hopefully she can make Livi understand how much she cares, and how much he’s hurt her.
Preview
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I love Nike as a character, but I think the writers undercut her a bit in episode 7 to get the drama to a certain point, which really annoyed me. I couldn’t have imagined her allowing Bard to carry her as far as the bedroom without putting up a hell of a fight. Especially since he dragged her away from Livi, whom she had been about to follow outside. She seemed unusually sedate, and the whole thing came across as a little forced in order to reach a certain plot point.
On another note, glad to see you’re okay Kairi! =3 I hope your RL troubles won’t be so troubling in the future.
Yandere livi rofl
Very nice review of episode 07 Kairi. I originally had walls and WALLS of text regarding this episode but you covered everything pretty well. Bard is obviously being set up to be a good guy. He was testing Nike in order to make sure he was right for Livi.
However that does not excuse his rather foolish and off putting forwardness in this episode. It should just be common sense that you don’t take things THAT far with a Kings wife especially one who is a wife to a person like Livi. Everyone saw him carrying her off so it makes me wonder if he really didn’t think his little game would backfire. Livi had a right to be pissed especially with Bard. Afterall when you see your wife in a dark bedroom alone with another man what are you supposed to think? His threats did take things to far but i have a feeling he only said those things to keep Nike from ever betraying him again. Even if she was given time to explain things Livi was way to upset to possibly understand the situation.
Regarding Nike did anyone else feel like she was being way to submissive this episode? She was just basically letting Bard have his way with her and never even attempted to set him straight until the bedroom scene. I know Nike didn’t see him as a threat but we also know that she has way to much self respect to just let a guy like that mess with her for so long. It seems like a bit of character inconsistency to me for the sake of plot. She is still a victim because Bard is the one who caused the situation but i feel like she should have really told him off sooner and could have stopped him from taking things where he did.
I definitely agree. The strong independent woman that she was when she took care of those thieves and assassins was sorely missed. Where the heck did all of her spunk go? I also felt she could have stopped things before they even began but i have a feeling she allowed it be able to understand Bard a little better. She wouldn’t have come to the conclusion that he’s there for Livi if she had stopped it early. But maaaaaaan i was shaking my head the entire episode. Once when Bard picked Nike her up and another when she was being carried into the room and she just said ” isn’t this far enough? set me down already.” and then just starts questioning him without even trying to get down.
That aside, the only person i feel bad for in this episode is Livi. His over protective nature as well as his immaturity is wreaking havoc on his state of mind right now. Yes, Livi went a little too far and yes i feel sort of bad for Nike… However, Bard had it coming and i know damn well that Nike could have handled the situation better. Plus when Bard puts his legs down on the ground from the bed before he says “She has nothing to do with this!” I facepalmed. Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb. You’re with the King’s wife on a bed, the sheets are ruffled, her dress was coming off, and THAT’s what you say to the King? Sigh.
You have some work to do Nike. Snap your hubby out of his S trance. Next episode is going to be gooooood.
I basically agree with this.
The level of crazy that Livi showed was terrible, but at the same time the whole plot there was pretty forced. Nike not only has magic, but has been established to be able to handle herself in a fight, yet she allows some random guy who she knows her husband/fiance HATES to carry her through the castle to a dark bedroom without complaint?
It was just poorly done.
… holy carp I completely forgot you didn’t even blog episode 6! Really!??
At any rate, the funny here never ceases to make me laugh. I am still convinced that the pacing is the worst thing about this show, but fortunately it’s not ruining my enjoyment.
What was up with Livi’s mood whiplash at that last scene?!? Does he just act according to how the plot demands it!?
It’s more like the plot is centred on Livi’s mood, but yeah, that was shocking.
Brutal reminder that marriage into a prestigious family is usually a bad thing… everyone’s out to get you, ranging from up-in-your face to those who can crush you without lifting a finger.
Or I could just be too traumatised from romantic dramas… those things contain more inhumane backstabbing than a historical documentary on politics.
Haven’t seen episode 7 yet, but I have read the manga chapter and I agree that for the sake of plot convenience Nike seemed a little OOC. It’s typical shoujo trope for this to happen, much like the love rival in episode 6. But from the looks of it Nike won’t let Livi make a threat like that without some sort of counter response.
rivals in love aside…
OMG Livi trap version! so cute!!!
Livius makes a very convincing Livinia.
Abusive child-husband made me pretty uncomfortable. Has he gone too far that he can’t come back from it? Making violent threats and threats of imprisonment is not very uhm, charming. His uncle certainly pushed it too far w/o consent of the King, but this episode made me view the show a lot differently.
Not my favorite arc in the manga. I hope we get to Nike’s family arc soon!
As much as people don’t like Livius’s actions at the end of the episode, I believe that he did what is expected of him. He is still growing up from a child into an adult, and was thrown into the position of king at such an age as well. Can’t say I would expect a child to do no less when something important to him is being taken from him.
What I do not like about this little arc is the execution. Yes, we are going to see Livi learn a lesson and have Livi and Nike’s relationship develop, but it comes at the cost of inconsistencies. Nike’s character is thrown to the wayside for the sake of plot, and Bard just feels like a plot device. Clearly, they want people to realize that he left his position as prime minister to protect Livi from being assassinated, and that he wants to test if Nike is good enough to be with Livi, but the way they did it just seemed…well…contrived. I know it’s a common shoujo trope, but that doesn’t really mean you have to sacrifice consistency in the process.
Basically they make Nike’s character suffer from inconsistency, and show Bard to be an ass-hat, only to probably make him out to be Livi’s “loving uncle” in the next episode. Can’t wait for this arc to be done.