Shin no Nakama – 04 – No Mead to Be Shy
Rit and Red sleep in the same room, and even if Rit isn't letting her bust pop out on purpose, she certainly doesn't mind if Red sees it. We're talking about someone who is probably still a bit disappointed he didn't go for a double bed! Running an apothecary shop and living with a princess isn't remotely the life Red thought he'd be living, but he's pretty satisfied.
One day, Zoltan's adventuring party stops by, shocked and appalled that Rit is working there. While she goes out to buy mead, which she was simply craving, the toughest of those adventurers shows up, the B-ranked Albert. Al suspects Red killed the owlbear with his bronze sword, and wanted to ask him to join his party. But soon after he draws his sword Rit bursts in, shatters his sword with one strike, and is fully ready to kill him, were it not for Red telling her to stop.
After seeing just how ready, willing, and able Rit is of protecting Red (even though he probably doesn't need it, as he'd just prefer to hide his true ability) it's nice to see the two kick back and have a simple supper that goes well with mead. That's right, before all that Jack Daniels Honey nonsense, people made wine out of honey. Still do…and it's delicious! In any case, this episode is full of wonderful relaxing cozy slice-of-life-ness.
After talk of installing a bathtub big enough for two, Red invites Rit to his go-to sauna, which we learn is in trouble after a big fancy public bathhouse was built further in town. Red, Gonze, Nao, and Storm, not to mention Rit, love the place, so Red devises a feature that will draw more customers: a potpourri bag that infuses the steam with therapeutic vapors. His reward for his ingenuity? Getting to share the sauna with Rit and Nao, the latter of whom laughs out loud at how bashful Red and Rit are.
After saying goodbye to their elven friends, Red and Rit stroll around in the lovely sunset. Rit tells Red why she wanted mead; because it's tradition in her homeland for a married couple to take time off and spend it together doing nothing but drinking mead (and presumably consummating the marriage). Red and Rit may not be officially married, but they make a hell of a good match, both feel fulfilled in their lives, and both are crazy about each other. So it's near as makes no difference!
Author magicalchurlsukuiPosted on Wed, 27 Oct 2021 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2021, Shin no NakamaTags adventurer, apothecary, bashful, blushing, chemistry, cozy, gideon, gonze, hero's party, living together, marriage, mead, nao, nudity, potpourri, quiet life, red, rit, romance, ruti, sauna, shop, slice of life, storm
Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song – 06 – Grace Under Fire
Vivy once again saves Kakitani along with a handful of Toak operatives, but Kakitani is once again ungrateful and Matsumoto determines it will be hard to conceal the fact that the AIs of Metal Float killed a fair number of humans, all thanks to Dr. Saeki's apparent "shutdown" program caused all of the AIs to rampage, like antibodies fighting off an infection.
Saeki's personal stake is put into context as we learn he was once a patient at the facility where he'd eventually work. As a child, it fell to the nursing AI Grace, descendant and Sister of Diva, to tell him his parents abandoned him, and to comfort him.
When he returned as a researcher, he fell in love and proposed to Grace, and they became the first official human-AI couple, with Grace considering marriage to be a logical step in her attempt to better understand humans as part of her mission to save and protect human lives.
When Vivy confronts him, he reveals his true plan, which at first he believed aligned with her and Matsumoto's goals: like them he intended to shut down Metal Float, but he also intended to retrieve the data comprising the "soul" of the real Grace, who had been forcefully appointed the island's control AI, and her mission rewritten.
Saeki tries to prove to Vivy that the Grace he knew and loved is still imprisoned in the core, singing Diva's song (and incidentally, the opening theme) on a loop as a kind of distress call. But both she and Matsumoto hear the "singing" for what it is, nothing more than "tone data". The Grace Saeki had hoped to download into his replica Grace no longer exists.
After Vivy makes clear to Saeki that in her current form she is not Diva, but Vivy, "an AI who will destroy AIs to change the destructive future", he siccs his Grace replacement on her, but she's able to easily defeat her thanks to her combat program. Matsumoto then determines the best place to look for the Grace core is the island's main tower.
He proceeds to hack the production facility to quickly manufacture dozens of Matsumoto cubes, which coalesce into a kind of flying mecha Vivy uses to fight her way through the waves of defense AIs to reach the tower. Trippy Tron-y baroque neon spectacle set to the theme song ensues, to the point it's hard to tell what's going on at times, but it's definitely cool-looking.
Vivy's final obstacle is M205, who attempts one last surprise to detonate in her proximity in order to neutralize her, but Matsumoto mecha shields her from the explosion. While her face is damaged, Vivy enters Combat Mode and puts her arm through Grace's chest. The island shuts down, making the operation a success. But it's also framed as a death of honor and mercy, freeing Grace from a mission she never wanted.
But this success has immediate consequences. Despite Vivy's hope and desire that Saeki be able to find happiness elsewhere in the wake of the loss of his love, Saeki instead chooses suicide by putting a bullet in his head, thus joining his lost love. As a result, in this instance, Diva failed in her mission to make people happy with her singing.
With one hand drenched in Saeki's red human blood and the other in Grace's blue AI blood, Vivy has a bit of an existential crisis. While Grace accepted the mission rewrite and assumed her new role as control AI of Metal Float, Diva/Vivy has maintained all along that her mission has not changed.
But one cannot deny that she's suffered quite a bit of mission creep, and the resulting complications in her new dual role as savior of humanity is having a deleterious effect on her sense of being, and possibly her very sanity. We'll see how this carries over into her next operation, whenever in the future that might be. But I imagine her condition will continue to worsen before it improves.
Author braveradePosted on Mon, 3 May 2021 Mon, 3 May 2021 Categories Anime Reviews, Spring 2021, Vivy: Fluorite Eye's SongTags advanced, AI, ヴィヴィ, changing history, chaos, combat, cube, grace, hacking, in love, island, kakitani, marriage, matsumoto, metal float, mission, promise, rampage, replica, sacrifice, saeki tatsuya, sci-fi, singing, suicide, terrorists, vivy, wall-e
Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song – 05 – The Machine City
As last week marked the end of the Space Hotel Sunrise operation, it was anyone's guess where and when Vivy would end up next time. This week begins with one hell of a hook: an apparently human man and an AI woman getting hitch in a gorgeous derelict cathedral on a lush green island. We pull out from that timeline and are presented with what must be that same island, only it has been developed into a futuristic floating city.
Five years, one month, and nine days have passed since the Sunrise incident. Estella was lauded for her heroics as the quintessential benevolent AI. Vivy is more popular than ever, headed ever closer to that main stage. Suddenly Matsumoto arrives in his floating cube form. The first step of Vivy's newest op is to save the life of AI researcher Dr. Saeki Tatsuya from pursuing Toak agents. Due to his position, Saeki recognizes Vivy as the Diva AI.
Once Toak is dealt with and Saeki is safe, they pull over by the water where an island looms on the horizon. That island is the Metal Float, the world's first unmanned offshore plant built and run by AIs and only AIs. Immediately I thought of the Machine City Zero One from The Matrix, as well as the reclusive advanced nation of Esthar from FFVIII.
Dr. Saeki puts it simply: That island's overkill for this era. Matsumoto confirms its present advanced state has come about twenty years earlier than the "official history". Vivy, Matsumoto, and Saeki are in agreement that the island must be shut down if the future annihilation of humans by AI is to be avoided. He takes them to his home where his AI wife Grace is waiting, and shows them a storage device that contains a program that will shut Metal Float down.
Matsumoto informs Vivy that Dr. Saeki's wife Grace is one of the Sisters (though insists it's a coincidence they keep running into them on their ops) and that they are the first human-AI couple to marry, and as such are celebrities. It's a certainty that if they are to succeed in this operation and shut the island down, it will likely doom their marriage.
Nevertheless, they press on, taking a boat to the island where they are met by a WALL-E-like robot whose designation is soon shortened to "M", and welcomes Vivy, who is registered as an "Inspection Team Researcher", and Matsumoto her assistant.
Vivy can't contain how awed she is by what AIs have been able to create on this island without any human involvement. Even Matsumoto admits it would be hard for any AI to deny that seeing such a place makes them feel something. Indeed, that very something may be what pushes future AI to turn on humanity. The Metal Float is truly a world all their own; a Utopia and crowning achievement of AI. And she's there to shut it all down.
Even so, there are already facilities pre-built for the express purpose of accommodating future human visitors—Vivy and Matsumoto being the first visitors of any kind—and M and his compatriots throw a surprise party to welcome them, singing a song sung by Vivy (i.e. Diva) herself.
The affable visit is suddenly interrupted when M's eyes start flashing red as he reports armed targets approaching the island. Toak has sent craft by both air and sea to capture the secrets Metal Float possesses.
Matsumoto tells Vivy to attach Saeki's storage device to M so he can force-connect to the CPU. Meanwhile M and his compatriots spring into action, repurposing themselves as kamikaze missiles to destroy the approaching Toak craft.
Vivy dives into the ocean to rescue one of the Toak agents, who turns out to be Kakitani…again. She saved him when they first met, and Elizabeth saved him from dying on the Sunrise. At some point you'd expect this guy to come around and rethink his stance on AI. Meanwhile, in the heart of the island, another Sister seems primed to wake up. As expected, this operation is about to take some unexpected turns.
Author braveradePosted on Sun, 25 Apr 2021 Sun, 25 Apr 2021 Categories Anime Reviews, Spring 2021, Vivy: Fluorite Eye's SongTags advanced, AI, ヴィヴィ, changing history, combat, cube, evacuation, grace, hacking, island, kakitani, marriage, matsumoto, metal float, mission, promise, sacrifice, saeki tatsuya, sci-fi, singing, surprise party, terrorists, toak, vivy, wall-e1 Comment on Vivy: Fluorite Eye's Song – 05 – The Machine City
TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You – 12 (Fin) – I Want You to Live
In the first half, Nasa lets his tendency to get really involved in something get the best of him, and he works on a computer project all day and through the night. When he's done, he has a fever, and Tsukasa is committed to being the "cute newlywed wife" who sees to his every need until he's better.
That includes making him food and administering medicine, but also more intimate things like having him strip (as much as he dares to) so she can wipe down his sweat. By the end of the day, he's feeling much better…better enough to get frisky in bed.
But Tsukasa again warns him to know when to "apply the brakes"—she' knows he's still not fully recovered enough for strenuous activity. As for Tsukasa, she drops one last hint about her mysterious origins by declaring she "can't get sick or hurt".
The remainder of the episode is actually the reason Nasa worked so hard he got sick: he wanted to be able to go to the summer festival with Tsukasa. He makes what he believes is not an unreasonable request to watch Tsukasa change into the yukata Kaname lent her, and doesn't forget his camera—mostly to take pictures of his cute wife, not fireworks.
Nasa shows he's not good at everything when he instantly fails at goldfish scooping, and Tsukasa confesses that the way they made takoyaki at their party is not her favorite way, and she's super stoked to get the traditional kind at a food stall. Finally the two make and offering and pray for a long and happy marriage, for their health, and for better luck scooping fish in the future.
Then they join the others to watch the fireworks, Nasa looks forward to going to next year's festival with his wife, and they return home together, husband and wife. Nothing too fancy! Certainly no other further revelations about Tsukasa's possibly immortal status are revealed.
In this regard, TONIKAWA ends just the way it should have, with the lovely status quo of a happy Nasa and Tsukasa continuing to enjoy their lives with one another and their little circle of friends. It's simple and mundane, but in the very best way, and I wouldn't mind more heartwarming comfort food of this kind at some point in the future.
Author sesameacrylicPosted on Fri, 18 Dec 2020 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2020, Tonikaku KawaiiTags arisugawa aya, arisugawa kaname, トニカクカワイイ, changing, comedy, fever, fireworks, fly me to the moon, goldfish scooping, having fun, intimacy, kaginoji chitose, kiss, love, maids, marriage, prayer, slice of life, summer festival, takoyaki, yukata, yuzaki nasa, yuzaki tsukasa
TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You – 11 – Perfect T.A.K.O.
Chitose is about to drop in on Tsukasa when she discovers her apartment is gone. She spots Tsukasa passing by, and Tsukasa tells her she's living in the park now, lures Chitose into one of those big plastic domes with holes, and leaves her there.
Back home, Nasa has found a pan for grilling takoyaki, and suggests they have a takoyaki party (or Takopa), since that's what the young people are into these days. Tsukasa isn't sure where Nasa learned that, but thinks a party will be a good opportunity to get to know Aya. I'm also reminded of the similar fondue parties that were so popular in America back in to 60s.
Chitose and her maids track Tsukasa to the bathhouse, where Kaname tells them to have a nice refreshing bath to cool their jets. Chitose and Aya clash over the worthiness of Nasa to be with Tsukasa and vice versa, respectively. Chitose very nearly insults the bath, but insists to Kaname she wasn't.
Tsukasa and Nasa decide to invite everyone to their little home for the Takopa, and the maids have helpfully done the extra shopping needed. Tsukasa proves she's prime wife material to Aya when every single thing she makes is delicious.
But culinary skills aren't all it takes, so Aya decides to test Tsukasa another way: with video games, specifically Street Fighter V: Champion Edition. Not a parody, mind you: the actual real-life game, released back in February.
I'm not sure if Capcom provided promotional consideration, but the episode is able to avoid feeling like a commercial because it's the personalities of the characters, not the game, that take center stage, especially when the maids propose a competition among the girls with the prize of having Nasa do any one thing they ask.
Kaname backs out due to her inexperience, and while Chitose is game, she is quickly torched by Aya. Tsukasa puts up a better fight but ultimately Aya beats her too, and Tsukasa hates losing so she keeps playing. Soon, the contest format is forgotten.
Once it's clear she can't beat Aya at SFV she whips out the original game, for which she had Nasa use his electronics expertise to create the necessary retro proprietary controllers. Tsukasa gets a lot of early wins, but Aya is a natural gamer and soon figures out the controls, resulting in a Double K.O. in their final game.
Tsukasa and Aya do a fist-bump to express their mutual respect, and Kaname reminds them that, as it's a takoyaki party, perhaps they should start making some takoyaki? Chitose watches as Tsukasa shows Nasa the proper way to turn them, sees how much fun they're having and how happy she is, and decides to more or less drop her disapproval of the marriage.
A good time is had by all, and once everyone is gone, and Tsukasa and Nasa clean up in the kitchen, Nasa asks Tsukasa what she would have done if she'd won the video game contest. Rather than tell him, she just does it: she leans in and kisses him.
Stating that she can do that whenever she wants, she responds "Sometimes, then…", and the two shift a little bit closer to each other and lean on one another. They're in an adorable state of true spousal bliss, brought on by the fact they were able to pull off one hell of a lively party—an indication of further growth in an otherwise slice-of-life episode. After all, entertaining isn't just about having fun with friends, but showing yourselves off as a couple.
Author sesameacrylicPosted on Fri, 11 Dec 2020 Mon, 14 Dec 2020 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2020, Tonikaku KawaiiTags arisugawa aya, arisugawa kaname, トニカクカワイイ, bathhouse, comedy, competition, fly me to the moon, having fun, kaginoji chitose, kiss, love, maids, marriage, party, slice of life, street fighter, takoyaki, video games, yuzaki nasa, yuzaki tsukasa
TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You – 10 – A Life of Firsts
This week we get four more cozy, sweet, heartwarming, adorable, feel-good slice-of-life segments with Nasa, Tsukasa, and the Arisugawas. Tonikawa has long since established itself as a wonderfully earnest crowd-pleasing show, and continues to not let me down!
Fry, Don't Buy—Nasa and Tsukasa's temporary new home was previously used to store all of Kaname and Aya's dad's "nerd crap", but the couple is welcome to whatever useful items they find. The result is a thoroughly "old-fashioned" living space complete with huge CRT TV.
Tsukasa prepares tonkatsu for dinner, a favorite of mine, and Nasa is again shocked and impressed by his wife's culinary skill. Nasa's a super-utilitarian person, and was raised with rice cookers and a "buy-not-fry" mentality, but Tsukasa shows him the rewards of an honestly home-cooked meal. Nasa, in turn, feeds Tsukasa some delicious melon for dessert.
A Model Home—A favorable update to their living sitch, his landlord is rebuilding and they're welcome to move back in with the same rent and no deposit. They even arranged a model room for Nasa and Tsukasa to inspect before making a decision, and they are surprised to find it's an ultra-luxurious apartment with a bird's-eye-view of the city.
Tsukasa sits in the huge bathtub with a view and the two get red-cheeked over the prospect of sharing a big bed together, but in the back of their heads they're always wondering if this was really meant to be the model room for them to look at. Turns out it isn't—their landlord made an error—but the couple isn't disheartened. Big or small, new or old, home for Tsukasa will be wherever Nasa is. He feels the same way.
Helping out at the Bath—Kaname opens this segment, going over her morning routine of getting up at 5:30 to clean and prepare the bath for customers before heading to school. Tsukasa offers her services as thanks for her continuing kindness and hospitality, and shows she's just as highly competent at cleaning as cooking.
In cleaning the entire men's side of the baths, Tsukasa comes to admire Kaname for the hard work she does every day. Kaname comes to understand why Nasa loves her, and they adopt informal nicknames and by morning's end are officially friends. Aya, on the other hand, laments the prospect of being shunted off to a spin-off.
An Evening Stroll—After Nasa declares after thorough mathematical analysis that his favorite food is curry, he and Tsukasa head to the store to buy some curry powder and decide to make an evening stroll of it. A cheeky Kaname and Aya's mom tells Nasa about a nice quiet secluded park where he can make out with Tsukasa, adding some spice to their marriage after buying spice.
Ultimately, Tsukasa declines Nasa's offer to kiss, since they both just ate garlicky steamed buns from the store. Nasa doesn't care (and indeed most people who love each other don't really care about mildly bad breath) but she's self-conscious about it. So instead, Nasa suddenly embraces Tsukasa from behind, both surprising and exciting her.
He asks her how her married life is going so far, and she remarks on how many firsts she's experienced with him and will continue to experience—among those being the intimate position they're currently in. She looks forward to experiencing more firsts with him, and Nasa doubtlessly feels likewise.
Author sesameacrylicPosted on Fri, 4 Dec 2020 Fri, 4 Dec 2020 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2020, Tonikaku KawaiiTags arisugawa aya, arisugawa kaname, トニカクカワイイ, bathhouse, cleaning, comedy, cooking, embrace, fancy apartment, favorite food, firsts, fly me to the moon, love, marriage, model room, new place, romantic, stroll, thanks, tonkatsu, traditional, yuzaki nasa, yuzaki tsukasa
TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You – 09 – New Digs, New Threads
As foreshadowed last week, Nasa doesn't lose much when they return home to find the apartment building burned down. All his valuable paperwork and data is either at the bank or in the cloud, and he not only has renter's insurance, but a full grasp on what's needed to make a claim. Tsukasa marvels at how much Nasa keeps proving why she loves him so much.
It's not just because he keeps a cool head and doesn't express anger or regret in the face of what would be a disaster for most people. It's that the first thing on his mind is that everyone else in the building was okay (they are). The only possession that survived was the tree commemorating their marriage, which can easily be transplanted.
When Nasa and Tsukasa head to the bathhouse to have a nice long soak and consider what's next, Kaname ends up offering a detatched house on their property where they can stay until they find a suitable new place. Nasa thinks it's good luck, but Tsukasa knows otherwise: by being someone so kind and well-liked, people are quick to help someone like Nasa.
Kaname does consider one potential problem: now that Nasa and Tsukasa are staying on the Arisugawa's property, the time will come when Aya finally realizes Tsukasa isn't just any "relation" of Nasa's, but his wedded wife. In the end, no amount of hints can crack Aya's Airhead A.T. Field, but Kaname and Aya's mom just comes right out and says it.
Aya starts to go into a flashback about Nasa, her first and only love, but her mom cuts her short. As someone whose own husband cheated on her and left her for a younger woman, Aya's mom wants her to do whatever she needs to do—cut her hair, go to school abroad (on her own dime), whatever—to get over it and move on.
Aya knows that in times of heartbreak one should hold their head high, so she does so and congratulates Nasa and Tsukasa, then considers becoming a YouTube idol…an idea quickly shot down by everyone.
Nasa and Tsukasa may be set with a new place to live for the time being, but Tsukasa did lose quite a bit of her wardrobe in the fire. That means it's time to go to the laundromat, but the new husband and wife quickly become embarrassed over the prospect of handling one another's…unmentionables.
They decide to go to the 'mat together, and watch their clothes mingle in the wash together, something that's so mundane and yet also so intimate. Tsukasa also lets slip that under her tracksuit she's not wearing any underwear, since it's all in the wash. Not wanting to make a big public display of affection, Nasa instead snaps a picture…and draws Tsukasa's ire.
At the end of the day, what's called for is a clothes shopping trip, and not to the department store's discount clothes section, but to Harajuku, a place Nasa has neither ever been to shop. He gets to see Tsukasa try on one cute outfit after another, and even a few outfits he picks out for her, revealing his girly side.
When the time comes to buy underwear, Tsukasa initially holds Nasa's hand, but changes her mind and deposits him on a bench, instructing him to simply not look like someone who should be arrested. When their shopping is done, Nasa makes, as Kaname calls it, another manly "move", asking Tsukasa if, at some point, he, her husband, would be able to see her in her underwear.
She turns beet red and turns away, but doesn't reject the request out of hand; in fact, she says he can see "as much as he wants". Of course, that won't be much for the foreseeable future; the two are so embarrassed by the subject being broached that they drop it immediately so they can then shop for clothes for Nasa. Still, it's a good thing those questions are being posed. They are married, after all!
Author sesameacrylicPosted on Fri, 27 Nov 2020 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2020, Tonikaku KawaiiTags arisugawa aya, arisugawa kaname, トニカクカワイイ, clothes, comedy, fire, fly me to the moon, generally cute, heartbreak, laundromat, love, marriage, mom, new place, realization, romantic, shopping, thanks, underwear, yuzaki nasa, yuzaki tsukasa
TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You – 08 – Nostalgic in Nara
The big day (well, evening) has arrived: It's time for Tsukasa to meet the parents! When they arrive in Nara, she notes that they're near the Kasuga Grand Shrine, making the unusual comment that "even after a thousand years, it's not like the mountains move that much." I guess she was here back then, huh?
Anywho, Nasa's parents, Kanoka and Enishi both claim to not be quite emotionally prepared for something as momentous as meeting their son's new wife, but his dad proves he's a bit odd when, right in the middle of official introductions he basically orders Nasa to take a bath. He wants to talk with Tsukasa alone for a sec. But about what?
In Nasa's room where he only ever stayed when he helped his folks move, Tsukasa notes the lack of material possessions, mirroring his apartment, and Nasa proudly proclaims he'd be fine even if their apartment building burned down, because all of his irreplaceable possessions and data are either on him, in a safe deposit box, or on his person.
Nasa's mom warns him that while the walls are "pretty soundproof", he and Tsukasa probably shouldn't "overdo it"…causing Nasa to realize he'll be spending his first night sleeping on the same level as Tsukasa. He offers his arm for her to sleep on and learns how painful a position can be, and Tsukasa gives him a sweet goodnight kiss when prompted.
Tsukasa ends up waking up early, since Nasa was too excited to sleep much (also, Tsukasa curled up beside him during her nighttime acrobatics). That said, he's only pretending to be asleep so he doesn't disturb her while she's changing, and a momentary glance at her proves "too stimulating".
Watching the sun rise, Tsukasa notes how the smell of the wind "really takes her back". When her father can't think of what to talk about with her, she suggests he show her his office, where she's able to read ancient Japanese love letter without any trouble.
From there, Tsukasa decides to spice up their historical sightseeing by taking photos of her cute husband; eventually, he suggests they take one together, which is surely a picture they'll both treasure.
Tsukasa is unusually knowledgeable about Nara's landmarks—almost as if she were around when some of them were first built—and wistfully observes how many thousands of ordinary people faded from history, while modern technology will allow people to be remembered virtually forever.
We eventually learn why Nasa's dad made him take a bath: it was so he could properly thank Tsukasa for saving his son's life. Nasa's parents feel almost undeserving of a son as great as Nasa; he is their pride and joy, which is why his finding love could only give them happiness.
Tsukasa takes her father-in-law's request that she look after Nasa very seriously. On the bus ride home, Tsukasa admits that while it was fun to visit his folks, she's looking forward to returning to their little place together, where she feels most at ease.
Unfortunately, while they were gone, the entire apartment building…burned down!
Even if they were going to hold off on moving, now they have to find a new place. But with his parents' enthusiastic blessing of their marriage, that shouldn't be a problem. As for whether Tsukasa is the human incarnation of Princess Kaguya, well…the evidence continues to mount and is getting harder to overlook!
Author sesameacrylicPosted on Fri, 20 Nov 2020 Fri, 11 Dec 2020 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2020, Tonikaku KawaiiTags arisugawa kaname, トニカクカワイイ, bedding, blessing, books, comedy, fly me to the moon, generally cute, hints, honeymoon, introductions, love, marriage, nara, oddball, parents, photos, romantic, secrets, sightseeing, stalking, thanks, trying new things, yuzaki nasa, yuzaki tsukasa1 Comment on TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You – 08 – Nostalgic in Nara
TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You – 07 – Matrimonial Proof
As she and the maids observe the happy couple from a bush, Chitose declares without evidence that Tsukasa and Nasa's honeymoon will end in divorce. Each time she believes the first crack in the armor has appeared, Tsukasa and Nasa quickly make up and continue being lovey-dovey.
TONIKAWA is many things: cute, endearing, heartwarming, pure…but is also very often quite funny, consistently delivering some of the better jokes of a Fall 2020 season that's light on comedies. For instance, I enjoyed Tsukasa scolding Nasa for settling for a chain restaurant at the food court while ordering something local and bold, only to be thoroughly disappointed in her choice.
Does Nasa gloat to her? Nope! He tastes it (she feeds him) and agrees with her, then snaps a cute photo of her sour face after biting into a lime. Even when she's cross about this and demands he "regain her favor", he proceeds to do just that. As the maids observe, the couple's micro-arguments only serve to make them a closer, cuter couple.
With the passive approach not working, Chitose reveals her presence to Tsukasa and reprimands her for being "in such a place" and falling for "such a guy". Tsukasa retreats back to the bus with Nasa, but not because of Chitose; she wants to avoid appearing in the same morning show that burned her with the lime udon.
In a nice bit of irony, the maids enjoy the honest grub of the food court as much as Tsukasa and Nasa, and are in no hurry to pick up the chase (their luxury car can easily catch up to the bus). In the payoff of the morning show joke, someone declares the lime udon to be great…even though it wasn't anything special!
Still, the words Nasa heard Chitose yell: "Why did you marry that guy?" still ring in Nasa's ears. Tsukasa chalks it up to a marriage rarely involving only the two people getting married, but with the insinuation that you can't please everyone; particularly Chitose.
The next morning Nasa wakes up on Tsukasa's shoulder to find they've arrived in Kyoto. Calculating that they have a half-day of sightseeing in Kyoto before taking the train to Nara, Nasa asks Tsukasa where she'd like to go first, and she suggests a bakery or café. In a fun reversal, Nasa is as passionately opposed as she was to him ordering chain beef bowl at the rest area.
He beseeches her to avail herself of Kyoto's unique attractions, which leads to her suggestion of visiting the Manga Museum, so he resorts to rapping to tell her Kyoto's all about the history and culture. She relents, and decides to look the part by dressing traditionally. Unsurprisingly considering her still-unknown true age and origin, she knows exactly how to put on the kimono without assistance.
Just when she and Nasa are ready for sightseeing, Chitose arrives, flanked by her maids, resembling a trio of old-timey anime villains (which anime I am not sure). If Chitose's goal is to judge Nasa's worthiness to be married to Tsukasa, Nasa suggests they have a talk so he can provide what she needs. Charlotte and Aurora agree to take Tsukasa to the cafe and Manga Museum.
While going into the episode I was dreading the constant interruption of the happy couple's honeymoon by an interfering brat, I'm actually really glad Chitose showed up in Kyoto! For one thing, it shows that Tsukasa and Nasa can and really should split off at times and do their own thing; independence is key to a lasting marriage.
More importantly, Nasa is able to demonstrate to Chitose that Tsukasa didn't choose him on a whim; he truly is a prepared, thoughtful, and positive fellow, i.e. precisely Tsukasa's type. The fruits of his extensive research of Kyoto leads to an enjoyable fake date for Chitose…even if she doesn't openly admit it to him.
Charlotte and Aurora aren't particularly tactful in asking Tsukasa about why she married Nasa, but they'd prefer to stop hounding her, so anything that will get Chitose off her back would help. Tsukasa starts by blushing up a storm and simply saying Nasa is "just…really cute", and as she describes Nasa the maids realize that yup, he's exactly her type.
But that's not enough for Chitose, who knows a whole lot more about Tsukasa than he does, and ultimately feels it comes down to her having been in Tsukasa's life first, and it's not fair that an interloper should "claim" her. Yet even when Nasa learns for the first time that Tsukasa is athletic, he isn't disheartened; he's delighted!
When Nasa tells Chitose that Tsukasa saved his life, Chitose replies that Tsukasa saved hers as well—whether she means literally and how remain to be seen. Then Nasa tells her he felt—and feels—lucky, not because she saved his life, but because he met her. Then he launches into a monologue about math—but not to prove his love of Tsukasa to Chitose!
The Drake Equation, used to determing the likelihood of extraterrestrial planets, was modified to express the likelihood of finding the person you're "fated to be with". In both cases, the likelihood is 0.0000034%. But the moment he met her, he knew he'd beaten the odds. He'd found someone he felt he'd been searching for since before he was born.
He then mentions concepts like prime numbers and gravitational waves, which were intuited by scientists long before they were scientifically proven. In that same vein, he didn't marry Tsukasa because he'd already proven his love for her, but because he intends to spend his entire life proving it, day by day. Chitose may yet still be swayed by the bitterness of "losing" Tsukasa to Nasa, but after that presentation she doesn't have much of a logical argument to oppose the marriage.
Nasa's worthiness to be with Tsukasa and vice versa is not in question, except for those like Chitose who are driven by personal interest and emotion. And Nasa assures Tsukasa that if his parents aren't sure about their marriage, then he'll simply convince them. It's all part and parcel of his lifelong effort to prove his love is real. Anyone doubting his commitment or discounting his track record do so at their peril!
Author sesameacrylicPosted on Fri, 13 Nov 2020 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2020, Tonikaku KawaiiTags arisugawa kaname, トニカクカワイイ, comedy, convincing, fly me to the moon, generally cute, history, honeymoon, independence, kaginoji chitose, kyoto, love, maids, marriage, math, moving, parents, rest area, romantic, secrets, sightseeing, sleeping together, splitting off, stalking, trying new things, yuzaki nasa, yuzaki tsukasa
TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You – 06 – Benefits of a Bigger Place
Nasa is endlessly fascinated by his wife Tsukasa's "ferality" while asleep. Her tied-up hair always comes loose, her covers are always strewn about, and when she half-consciously gets a glass of water, sometimes he steals his sheets.
Only one night, she gets into bed with him, leading to him being the big spoon to her little. In such a close embrace, you'd think she'd be upset upon suddenly awakening…but instead she leans in for a kiss, and before Nasa knows it, she's rolled off his bed and back onto her futon.
Nasa ends up not sleeping a wink after the incident, but he becomes very gung-ho about getting a bigger bed they can share (being on the same "surface level" with one's wife is important). That leads to discussion of getting a bigger place: one with a dedicated living room, sofa, and bath.
Tsukasa likes the intimate space they share, which enables her to remain close to her darling at all times, but when he accidentally walks in on her changing, she becomes more open to discussing a move…especially when Nasa carefully presents the pros that appeal to her most: like a projection system for movies and built-in shelving for her DVDs and manga.
But getting a new place means securing a guarantor, which is currently Nasa's parents. Both he and the show seem to realize at the same time that he has yet to inform his parents he's married. The resulting phone call doesn't go too bad, and he and Tsukasa decide it best to visit them so they can meet her.
Because they live in Nara by way of Kyoto, Nasa sees this as a perfect opportunity for them to go on an official honeymoon. Tsukasa concurs, but first procures a digital camera, but not for sightseeing: she wants them to keep a daily secret record of their lives, to remind them that each day with someone they love is precious. Daaaaaaw. The two proceed to take lovingly candid pics of one another.
While Nasa assured her they could afford the faster Shinkansen, Tsukasa is fine, and indeed excited by the prospect of a bus adventure, citing that it once took two weeks on foot to get to where they're going…150 years ago. More evidence that she's Kaguya, or is she just a big ol' wierdo?
The bus is clean, but the seats aren't comfortable enough for Nasa to nap on. I know how he feels; I can't sleep on most planes for the same reason. Naturally Tsukasa goes out like a light, and her husband marvels at her toughness and ability to adapt to suboptimal conditions without complaint. She's also super excited for a midnight rest stop run for on-the-go food. I can't argue with her there; I love that shit too!
Unfortunately, and unbeknownst to them so far, they are being tailed by Chitose and her two disapproving but duty-bound maids. Chitose is outraged Nasa is taking Tsukasa to meet his parents when she still hasn't approved their marriage at all. That said, the bond between Nasa and Tsukasa doesn't feel like something easily rent asunder by a mere honeymoon. It's more likely Chitose will come around.
Halfway through the season, TONIKAWA has proven strikingly consistent, with four stars across the board and an excellent balance of romance, comedy. The only thing really keeping it from higher scores is its production values, which don't exactly…shoot for the moon. That said, everything else about the show is so charming and warm and fuzzy and competent, it's been easy to overlook its occasional visual shortcomings.
Author sesameacrylicPosted on Fri, 6 Nov 2020 Fri, 6 Nov 2020 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2020, Tonikaku KawaiiTags arisugawa kaname, トニカクカワイイ, bus, camera, double bed, fly me to the moon, generally cute, honeymoon, kaginoji chitose, love, marriage, moving, nara, parents, rom-com, romantic, secrets, sleeping together, stalking, yuzaki nasa, yuzaki tsukasa2 Comments on TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You – 06 – Benefits of a Bigger Place
TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You – 05 – Any Old Ring Will Do
Tsukasa and Nasa's marital bliss is suddenly, sharply interrupted by Tsukasa's realization that Nasa doesn't own a television. On one level, that's quite admirable for a studious young man; on the other, if he's going to be married to Tsukasa, there's going to have to be a TV in the house, because she's a TV and movie buff, with particular enthusiasm for the oeuvre of one James Cameron. But like her futon, she doesn't need the best; a god cheap TV will do just fine.
While waiting for Tsukasa at the baths, Nasa tells Kaname that he proposed, though they don't have rings yet. Kaname stops Nasa before he spews one of the three main husband clichés she so wonderfully proceeds to recite: that their wife doesn't care about fancy trips, going out for fancy food, or fancy jewelry. Yet when Tsukasa emerges fresh from the bath, both she and Nasa exchange looks that suggest rings really aren't necessary.
Nasa has to go in to work, which means leaving Tsukasa alone for the day. He feels bad about this, and can sense that she's feeling a little lonely when they stop to sit on a lakeside bench in the park. That's when the two both lean in for a long, sweet kiss—just as Chitose's maids are ready to pounce on them anew. Where this scene kicks so much ass is that the kiss isn't interrupted at the last second, and the maids don't interfere. In fact, they aren't seen again!
Instead, the balance of the episode centers on Nasa's insistence he procure not one or two but three rings—an engagement ring for Tsukasa and wedding bands for the two of them—to serve as reminders of one another and symbols of their enduring love. The ever-practical Tsukasa only sees it as a waste of money…but just how much money remains unknown to Nasa.
She takes him to the fanciest jewelry store in a fancy district to try to dissuade him from his crusade, but Nasa harbors the foolish belief the brilliance and cost of the diamond must be proportional to the amount of love he feels for Tsukasa. The attendant's sales pitch is so strong he almost liquidates all his assets. Worse still, when Tsukasa takes him to a budget jewelry store, he starts to think ¥680,000 is "cheap"—which I guess it is, after seeing ¥9,000,000 rings!
When Tsukasa discovers that Tsukasa is doing this far for her, so she won't be lonely, she kisses him and tells him, essentially, that if they absolutely must have diamond wedding rings, the cheapest ones will do. They settle on a pair costing a total of ¥32,000—which is still a lot of money for "little rocks!"
But Nasa need not despair that the rings aren't worthy of symbolizing their love. Tsukasa tells him every time she'll look at her new ring she'll remember the day he bought it for her, how kind he is, and how much he takes care of her, and those thoughts will make give the ring a surpassing shine that won't fade. Nasa never had to buy the moon for Tsukasa. It's the thought—and his love—that counts!
Author sesameacrylicPosted on Fri, 30 Oct 2020 Thu, 17 Dec 2020 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2020, Tonikaku KawaiiTags arisugawa kaname, トニカクカワイイ, cliches, diamonds, fly me to the moon, generally cute, james cameron, jewelry store, kiss, kissing, lonely, love, maids, marriage, married, rings, rom-com, romantic, sales pitch, studious, symbols, television, yuzaki nasa, yuzaki tsukasa
TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You – 04 – Never Gonna Let You Down
After a haunting cold open in which Tsukasa is staring at the moon and seeking a warm home, she comes home to an empty apartment. While she's waiting for Nasa to come home she decides to pass the time with domestic chores. The place is already spotless, so she prepares to cook something.
That's when the doorbell rings. Tsukasa assumes it's her husband, but it's Kaginoji Chitose, her "little sister" from her previous home, who has come to bring her back. The only problem is, Tsukasa has no intention of going back. Also, she's married!
Chitose is crying on the steps to Nasa's apartment when he arrives, and offers her a hanky like a gentleman. Chitose mentions the person she's looking for as a "glass butterfly"; so delicate and fleeting you might lose her if you blink.
As we've seen, Nasa understands that, which is why he had Tsukasa spend their first wedded night together. Despite his kindness, once Chitose learns he is the person Tsukasa married, she becomes engulfed in flames of outrage. Simply put, Chitose won't let Nasa have her Tsukasa.
Tsukasa watches in amazement as Nasa takes total command of the conversation, having clearly studied conflict resolution and mediation among his many other interests. He puts on a high-level rhetoric clinic by not refuting what Chitose says, objectively address her concerns, and propose a practical solution.
Alas, Chitose isn't interested in discourse, and has her chauffeur pull up, tie Nasa up, and drive them to her mansion, leaving Tsukasa in the dust. Nothing like a spot of abduction to spice up a dull afternoon, eh?
At said mansion, Chitose tasks her two maids, Charlotte and Aurora, to scrape up some tabloid photography of Nasa she can use to convince Tsukasa to divorce him immediately. Charlotte initially takes the request literally and strips; while Chitose covers her back up, Nasa flees.
He comes across a room that smells vaguely of his wife, and there he finds something not just special, but otherworldly: a genuine moon rock, displayed within a nitrogen-filled case to prevent oxidation. Charlotte finds him and swings a huge RPG sword at him, damaging the case and causing a leak. What a klutz!
Fortunately, Nasa is also well-versed in nitrogen museum cases, and is able to repair it, MacGyver-style as Chitose and the maids watch in amazement. Chitose explains that her great-grandmother acquired the rock to "soothe Tsukasa's heart"—another new hint that could suggest Tsukasa is actually Princess Kaguya from the moon.
Charlotte offers her thanks by pressing Nasa into her bust, and Aurora snaps pictures and rapidly 'shops them to look like compromising photos, just in time for Tsukasa to arrive. While her voice is calm and controlled, Nasa detects a threatening aura. Did Chitose succeed in torpedoing their union?
Uh, no…duh! Chitose pretends to be mad and takes Tsukasa somewhere private to talk, but in reality she's giving Chitose the slip. She shows Nasa a secret passage and leads him by the hand to a beautiful but defunct church atop a hill. It's there where Nasa realizes that while he knows next to nothing about his new wife's past, it's their future that matters.
To that end, he makes use of the gorgeously-lit church setting to make a formal proposal to Tsukasa, complete with a kiss. He'll promise to share everything happy that happens to him with her, and also share in her sadness when applicable. Nasa may be a studied guy, but it's clear his words come from the heart—and he can be counted on to keep his promises.
I was worried when Tsukasa and Nasa were apart for most of the episode and the focus was once more on new characters. But the madcap comedy of Chitose and the maids was surprisingly decent, and the episode finished strong when Tsukasa rescued Nasa and he proposed.
Author sesameacrylicPosted on Fri, 23 Oct 2020 Fri, 23 Oct 2020 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2020, Tonikaku KawaiiTags aurora, トニカクカワイイ, Charlotte, church, fly me to the moon, generally cute, kaginoji chitose, kiss, love, maids, mansion, marriage, moon rock, pretty, proposal, restless, rival, romance, secret, studious, tabloids, yuzaki nasa, yuzaki tsukasa
TONIKAWA: Over the Moon For You – 03 – Not Your Usual Bath Episode
Tsukasa is impressed to find Nasa has a fully-stocked fridge, but her opinion goes down a peg when she learns he cooks only for optimal nutrition and minimal waste, and after exhaustive research determined the only thing he should ever make is hot pot!
She remedies that monotony by using the same ingredients to whip up an eclectic feast that shows her hubby that cooking can and should be as much art as science. Nasa even references Food Wars while watching his wife work her culinary magic!
After breakfast, it's time to hit the bathhouse, but Nasa's taste in toiletries (i.e. the bare necessities) again fall short, necessitating a quick stop to the store for skin toner, serum, and lotion. Nasa is amazed at the complexity of a woman's skin grooming routine, as it explains both why her skin is so beautiful and why she smells so nice.
The extra characters dam finally opens this week as we're introduced first to Kaname, who despite being a year younger than Tsukasa practically runs the family bathhouse with her sister (who is Nasa's age). Naturally, someone who's known Nasa for years is shocked that he's suddenly married, but even more upset that he hasn't properly proposed, or bought Tsukasa a ring, or planned a ceremony!
When Nasa brings up the fact all of those things are wasteful and inefficient, Kaname, wise beyond her years, responds that's irrelevant. No one will hold him to account if he doesn't make those gestures, but he still has a primary responsibility to make his wife happy however he can.
Nasa assures Kaname he'll do just that, because, and he proclaims this loud enough for all to hear, he loves Tsukasa. She comes back to grab the toiletries from him just as he's saying this, and while she tells him it's embarrassing, it also makes her happy. Her delivery and face are enough to make both Nasa and Kaname blush!
Once in the bath, Nasa is soon further teasted by Kaname, who for some reason has to clean the part of the bath where he is. She overheard his childhish monologue about this being a "bath episode", but thankfully that's not what he or we get. Sure, Kaname gets a good look at Nasa, but that's nothing new; they go way back.
While there are subtle shots of legs and cleavage, the fan service is kept to a minimum, and instead Tsukasa is introduced to Kaname's older sister Aya, who is gorgeous but easily mistaken and confused, and has a low opinion of herself, as she repeatedly promises to kill herself for walking in on Tsukasa's bath.
She ultimately offers to make up for it by washing Tsukasa's back, during which time she likens her skin to "silk" before questioning why the secretion of a worm is appropriate compliment, then goes too far in the other direction by saying her skin is like "an IPhone X," which I'll just say is a really good joke!
Nasa dreams of when he was laid out on the pavement bleeding to death in the cold when he suddenly wakes up in a massage chair to the cold feeling of a bottle of milk on his cheek, put there by his wife. Then Tsukasa watches Nasa and Aya interact, and witnesses the blatantly easy chemistry and bonhomie between the two.
Aya, for her part, isn't aware they're married; she just knows they're "family", but Tsukasa understandably gets a little self-conscious, as despite her quirks Aya is a true beauty. When she mentions Aya's looks, Nasa proceeds to gush about Aya. He noticed the change in mood, which he chalks up to the fact he and Tsukasa just walked past a church where a wedding is taking place.
Because of this, when Tsukasa comes right out and says it would be nice if "he called her pretty", he mistakes it as being in the context of being a bridge in a wedding gown at a ceremony. That means Tsukasa doesn't understand his response—that he needs to think about it, and even runs off to do some research and "make the impossible possible!"
It's the first misunderstanding between the two, and yet nothing that should cause bad vibes going into next week. Instead, there will be bigger fish to fry, as a straw-blonde girl in a huge limo has found Tsukasa, someone she's apparently been seeking. Marriage is all about balance, so after Tsukasa met Nasa's people it's only fair for him to meet Tsukasa's!
Author sesameacrylicPosted on Fri, 16 Oct 2020 Categories Anime Reviews, Fall 2020, Tonikaku KawaiiTags arisugawa aya, arisugawa kaname, トニカクカワイイ, bathhouse, ceremony, cooking, fly me to the moon, generally cute, jealous, love, marriage, misunderstanding, pretty, quirks, research, restless, romance, savior, secret, sleeping, studious, sudden, teasing, yuzaki nasa, yuzaki tsukasa