Peach Girl Extavaganza
Mar. 28th, 2006 01:16 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dangermousieKairi, Kairi, Kairi, Kairi!
I have a new anime boyfriend. Actually, with the possible exception of Tamahome, this is my first anime boyfriend, because much as I love, drool, and adore a number of anime men, they are usually way too dysfunctional or angst-ridden or poor or what not to deal with in real life (Vash? Favorite anime character ever. But I don’t think I am strong enough to deal with all those issues and idealism and everything else).
Now Kairi, OTOH, is funny and charming and a really good friend. Heck, forget boyfriend, I’d actually love to have him for a friend. He is like a straight Nuriko. So yes.
In case you can’t tell, I am breezing through Peach Girl. Halfway through actually. It’s like candy: empty of good calories and yet you can’t just have one. I keep watching until my eyes kinda shut on their own. It’s not the best thing EVAH, but it’s girly and fun and funny and sweet. Its biggest problem is the pace. It’s the anti-Marmalade Boy, in that the pace is breakneck and it speeds too much to register sometimes (it seems to be slowing down a bit which is yay). When you get scenes that slow down, like the swim meet, or Kairi and Momo’s day shopping, it’s like catching a breath.
The biggest problem with the breakneck pace is that scenes that should be lingered on, aren’t. Like when Momo believes herself raped, it’s not really dealt with much as it moves on to the next thing (and of course she wasn’t) and when I contrast how this was dealt with in Fushigi Yuugi, it’s night and day. But then PG’s strength is in every day, age appropriate teen interactions, the petty cruelties and the fun victories of school. Luckily, it doesn’t venture often into the larger, soppier melodrama, like Momo’s ‘rape’ or Sae’s brief dating of a model. I’ve decided models should stay away far from shoujo anime. Whenever they get involved, nothing good happens and realism (any there was) just dies. Case in point: Hana Yori Dango, and now this (also, it really is too much of a stretch that a male model will go for Sae. And even if I buy that, that he’d be whipped enough to sleep with someone else when Sae asks). But luckily, there isn’t much of that at all.
I like Momo. She reminds me a bit of Tsukushi (from HYD) in that she is an unconventional, strong girl who stands up for herself, and who initially tries to conceal her true self (athletic and active), in this case in order to appeal to her dream guy Touji, but finally decides to be herself and to stand up for herself etc (and it turns out that this is what Touji liked in the first place anyway). And she won’t let herself be bullied. She is not as strong as Tsukushi (she doesn’t need to be, this school is nicer), but she is also more emotionally honest. My liking for her went up quite a few notches when she told Kairi that she is grateful for his protecting her, but she thinks he might still have feelings for her and she doesn’t want to use him, as she doesn’t know if she can love him because she still has feelings for Touji. People who are straightforward are very appealing. Of course, she is entirely too noble and forgiving, but then so is Touji. They are both the good, noble sorts. And also entirely too gullible. Which is why you need Kairi there to keep the plot moving. He has a good heart, but is hardly gullible or noble. I find the scene where he hires someone to scare Sae very indicative. When Touji and Momo ask him whether he is sure that the guy (it’s a set-up where Sae auditions for a porn movie, long story) will just frighten Sae, Kairi’s reaction? “I think so, but who knows?” And then of course Touji and Momo hare off to rescue Sae. Now, considering that at that point, Kairi believes that Sae organized Momo to be raped, and not only is Kairi in love with Momo, he is also really good friends with her (arguably her best friend) and is very protective of her, I am afraid I am on his side of the fence here with the not caring.
Sae, the antagonist, is OTOH someone I loathe. She is rather a sociopath, isn’t she? I think the most telling scene is in the Nurse’s office, when the Nurse asks about incriminating photos Sae has of Momo (which she has been using to blackmail Touji) and Sae completely and convincingly denies knowing anything about that, and then as she sees it’s useless she starts crying and saying Nurse should hear her side of the story, and then when Nurse tells her to stop her fake crying, she turns on a dime and says ‘do you have any proof?’ utterly calmly and coldly. Creepy. I think Sae is hollow inside really, and this is why she goes to such an extent after everything Momo has, including Touji. For Sae, it’s not because she loves Touji, or not even to hurt Momo. It’s because she sees Momo is happy while she isn’t, so in her mind, if she has what Momo has (from hairclips to boyfriend), she will be happy too. Of course, it doesn’t work like that, and I love that Kairi points it out to her.
Kairi is the one character who is impervious to her sociopathic talents and I wonder why. I am getting an indication that Kairi’s elder brother (who we have yet to meet) is a male Sae. Everyone (even the girl he dumped) raves about how wonderful Kairi’s brother is, just as everyone thinks Sae is wonderful, but Kairi really can’t stand the guy, and Kairi is a pretty reasonable person. And then there is an indication that the girl Kairi was dating a while back (his first girlfriend?) dumped him for his brother (no wonder that when Momo asks him why he likes her (Momo) so much, he replies ‘your faithfulness’) and since gf is wearing a cross bro gives his conquests, it was a reciprocal thing. Which is a horrible thing to do to your younger brother. So I guess Kairi has been in Momo’s position for so long with his own Sae, he can recognize the signs.
OK, finally, on to Kairi. I love the boy. He obviously has angst and issues: in one of his rare unguarded moments of seriousness, when Momo asks him why he swam out so far into the sea the first time they met (years before the story starts and before they knew each other, she was a lifeguard at the beach who rescued him), he tells her it’s because he thought if he swam out far enough, he’d drown. And then of course he laughs and tells her he is pulling her leg, but it’s clearly the truth (only barely related, but I love that swim queen is going out with a hydrophobe. Not only is he afraid of water, he is a very bad swimmer, which starts the whole above conversation btw). And Momo realizes how little she knows about him because they always talk about her, just as she realized much much earlier that his constant joking and light-hearted manner is to keep people at bay (I’d imagine his non-dating, or just flirting is tied to that as well). And Nurse (who is the one who used to date Kairi’s brother) mentions to Momo that Kairi used to be quite the problem child in junior high, as he’d run away from home repeatedly, and refused to go to school. So, the boy clearly has stuff. BUT. And this is what I love, he is not dealing with it by being broody and angsty and unsociable. He is being fun and cheerful and cool. So much better.
And I am totally rooting for Kairi/Momo over Touji/Momo, which is probably cheating since I know who she ends up with (I love that she ends up with the comic relief). Because he makes Momo laugh and because she is a lot more herself with him than with Touji. Probably because she didn’t realize she liked Kairi early on, and just saw him as a friend, she felt more open. And also, because they are such good friends. I married my best friend, so I am biased in favor of that sort of thing, but I love the fact that for such a long time before they dated, Kairi and Momo are just really, really, really excellent friends, and he protects her and takes care of her, and cheers her up and teases her. Their personalities are rather similar, as well. And also Kairi would be a lot of fun to be around.
But the ultimate thing is, I think, how he is so supportive of her in a very understated fashion. When she is being ostracized by the school because of Sae’s lies, he comes by after swim practice every day ‘because of cute girls in swim suits’ which Momo realizes is a lie, and that he comes to check up on her to see if she’s OK, and he tells her he is on her side. He just holds her (twice!) and lets her cry about Touji on his shoulder. And I love the prettiness of the image when he asks if he can just hold her and does and that is right when he is setting up Sae’s grand downfall which he knows will bring back Touji and Momo together (and when Momo finds out that it’s his planning that made it all possible and wants to thank him, he typically brushes it off with ‘I thought you’d be impressed and want to smooch me.’) Basically, he really is a sweetheart.
And yet at the same time, he is busy asking girls out to have a nice full calendar of play bunnies for the summer (and I love that Momo is jealous of that and doesn’t know why, and she realizes her heart beats so fast when Kairi holds her. There are hints even early on that Kairi and Momo are more compatible than Momo and Touji).
But my favorite scene of Momo and Kairi, and when I realized I’d really love for them to get together is after Momo’s being dumped by Touji. She is home with a fever which by now went down but she is so miserable she doesn’t want to go anywhere, and she is just lying in bed and crying and then Kairi shows up and he drags her out of the house in her pjs despite her protest and takes her to the part, and gets her mad at him and tells her she looks better mad than when she cries and then listens to her sobbing about Touji and when she says that Sae is cuter than she is, he drags her to a mall and has her try on a very pretty dress (that he picks) and says ‘trying it on is free’ and then drags her out of the store and when she says “I need to take it off” he tells her he already paid for it, because his brother gave him some $$$. And then he buys her a necklace and boots and has her have a manicure and they get a haircut in the same place. And, leaving aside everything else, this is what friends do (I remember break ups of my own or of my friends). And she is smiling and he tells her that is even better than being mad. And he keeps pointing out all the guys on the street who are checking her out. But the thing that I loved the most about this, wasn’t any of this, but was the scene that followed it, when she told him that she had no money now, but she wanted to pay him back when she got $$$ on New Year’s. And he told her these were presents and she said she’d like to pay him back anyway. And he accepted, if it would make her feel better. I love the fact that he is OK with her paying for stuff if that is what she wants and it’s not ‘my machoness over your independence.’
And of course, they become good friends and he always hangs around because he is such an effective Sae shield (it must drive Sae nuts, because Momo is happy and she can’t take Kairi away). And there is kissing when he finds her by the cherry tree. And the conversation when she tells him about her remaining feelings for Touji (see above). And he tells her it’s fine with him, he just likes to be around her. And the fact that he gets her to plant a peach seed (Momo means peach) to cheer her up and then gets a fake cutting to put on that spot and when Momo busts him (not only is two weeks way too early, it’s not peach blossoms in the first place) he just laughs. And then he tells her that the real peach is right here and is all flirty (‘peach blossom means ‘I am your slave.’’ Unlikely) and there is kissing. And then they date. Eeeeeeee! And she stays up more than one night knitting him a cell phone case. Cute!
In real life, Touji might be more my type, but in PG, just love Kairi. The interesting thing is, PG is really good at making a proper love triangle. Because I like both of Momo’s significant others. Kairi is my favorite character, true, but I really like Touji, who is not just drop dead gorgeous, but is serious and kind and in love with Momo. His biggest faults are being overprotective and not super-bright, but whatever, that’s not that bad. And the biggest reason I like T/M is because Momo loves him so, but they really are adorable together. And I feel horrible for him when he has to break up with Momo, who he really loves, in order (as he thinks) to protect her because otherwise Sae will publish the incriminating photos. And he has to be mean to her and it’s killing him. BUT. I am also very impatient with him over that, because he should have told Momo about the situation and they could have come up with a plan. Or at least she should have been free to make her own mind. Or he should have asked Kairi for help, who is a lot brighter and mentally flexible. And Kairi has shown repeatedly he cares for Momo and will protect her and will get her Touji is that’s what she wants. In many ways he dug his own bed. But I still feel bad for him. The scene where he looks out the window and sees her huddled in the snow and just fists his hands in the curtains and bows his head? Owwwww. Actually, I am all for cloning of Momo so both Kairi and Touji could have one.
My favorite shot so far. Kairi asking Momo if he can hold her (and obviously recieving permission):
My, my, Kairi, but how many teeth you have!
Kairi and Momo do NOT have a meet cute :P
But it's soon remedied (why is there such an obsession with first kisses anyway. Every show except Escaflowne has the heroine end up with the guy she kissed first):
Touji and Momo. I am such a fickle undecided girl. They look so cute together:
OK, as a remedy to my confused shipping, here is more of Kairi and Momo smooches:
And more:
Yesssss! Momo smacks Sae:
Sae playing the victim:
Poor Touji, stuck with Sae:
I have a new anime boyfriend. Actually, with the possible exception of Tamahome, this is my first anime boyfriend, because much as I love, drool, and adore a number of anime men, they are usually way too dysfunctional or angst-ridden or poor or what not to deal with in real life (Vash? Favorite anime character ever. But I don’t think I am strong enough to deal with all those issues and idealism and everything else).
Now Kairi, OTOH, is funny and charming and a really good friend. Heck, forget boyfriend, I’d actually love to have him for a friend. He is like a straight Nuriko. So yes.
In case you can’t tell, I am breezing through Peach Girl. Halfway through actually. It’s like candy: empty of good calories and yet you can’t just have one. I keep watching until my eyes kinda shut on their own. It’s not the best thing EVAH, but it’s girly and fun and funny and sweet. Its biggest problem is the pace. It’s the anti-Marmalade Boy, in that the pace is breakneck and it speeds too much to register sometimes (it seems to be slowing down a bit which is yay). When you get scenes that slow down, like the swim meet, or Kairi and Momo’s day shopping, it’s like catching a breath.
The biggest problem with the breakneck pace is that scenes that should be lingered on, aren’t. Like when Momo believes herself raped, it’s not really dealt with much as it moves on to the next thing (and of course she wasn’t) and when I contrast how this was dealt with in Fushigi Yuugi, it’s night and day. But then PG’s strength is in every day, age appropriate teen interactions, the petty cruelties and the fun victories of school. Luckily, it doesn’t venture often into the larger, soppier melodrama, like Momo’s ‘rape’ or Sae’s brief dating of a model. I’ve decided models should stay away far from shoujo anime. Whenever they get involved, nothing good happens and realism (any there was) just dies. Case in point: Hana Yori Dango, and now this (also, it really is too much of a stretch that a male model will go for Sae. And even if I buy that, that he’d be whipped enough to sleep with someone else when Sae asks). But luckily, there isn’t much of that at all.
I like Momo. She reminds me a bit of Tsukushi (from HYD) in that she is an unconventional, strong girl who stands up for herself, and who initially tries to conceal her true self (athletic and active), in this case in order to appeal to her dream guy Touji, but finally decides to be herself and to stand up for herself etc (and it turns out that this is what Touji liked in the first place anyway). And she won’t let herself be bullied. She is not as strong as Tsukushi (she doesn’t need to be, this school is nicer), but she is also more emotionally honest. My liking for her went up quite a few notches when she told Kairi that she is grateful for his protecting her, but she thinks he might still have feelings for her and she doesn’t want to use him, as she doesn’t know if she can love him because she still has feelings for Touji. People who are straightforward are very appealing. Of course, she is entirely too noble and forgiving, but then so is Touji. They are both the good, noble sorts. And also entirely too gullible. Which is why you need Kairi there to keep the plot moving. He has a good heart, but is hardly gullible or noble. I find the scene where he hires someone to scare Sae very indicative. When Touji and Momo ask him whether he is sure that the guy (it’s a set-up where Sae auditions for a porn movie, long story) will just frighten Sae, Kairi’s reaction? “I think so, but who knows?” And then of course Touji and Momo hare off to rescue Sae. Now, considering that at that point, Kairi believes that Sae organized Momo to be raped, and not only is Kairi in love with Momo, he is also really good friends with her (arguably her best friend) and is very protective of her, I am afraid I am on his side of the fence here with the not caring.
Sae, the antagonist, is OTOH someone I loathe. She is rather a sociopath, isn’t she? I think the most telling scene is in the Nurse’s office, when the Nurse asks about incriminating photos Sae has of Momo (which she has been using to blackmail Touji) and Sae completely and convincingly denies knowing anything about that, and then as she sees it’s useless she starts crying and saying Nurse should hear her side of the story, and then when Nurse tells her to stop her fake crying, she turns on a dime and says ‘do you have any proof?’ utterly calmly and coldly. Creepy. I think Sae is hollow inside really, and this is why she goes to such an extent after everything Momo has, including Touji. For Sae, it’s not because she loves Touji, or not even to hurt Momo. It’s because she sees Momo is happy while she isn’t, so in her mind, if she has what Momo has (from hairclips to boyfriend), she will be happy too. Of course, it doesn’t work like that, and I love that Kairi points it out to her.
Kairi is the one character who is impervious to her sociopathic talents and I wonder why. I am getting an indication that Kairi’s elder brother (who we have yet to meet) is a male Sae. Everyone (even the girl he dumped) raves about how wonderful Kairi’s brother is, just as everyone thinks Sae is wonderful, but Kairi really can’t stand the guy, and Kairi is a pretty reasonable person. And then there is an indication that the girl Kairi was dating a while back (his first girlfriend?) dumped him for his brother (no wonder that when Momo asks him why he likes her (Momo) so much, he replies ‘your faithfulness’) and since gf is wearing a cross bro gives his conquests, it was a reciprocal thing. Which is a horrible thing to do to your younger brother. So I guess Kairi has been in Momo’s position for so long with his own Sae, he can recognize the signs.
OK, finally, on to Kairi. I love the boy. He obviously has angst and issues: in one of his rare unguarded moments of seriousness, when Momo asks him why he swam out so far into the sea the first time they met (years before the story starts and before they knew each other, she was a lifeguard at the beach who rescued him), he tells her it’s because he thought if he swam out far enough, he’d drown. And then of course he laughs and tells her he is pulling her leg, but it’s clearly the truth (only barely related, but I love that swim queen is going out with a hydrophobe. Not only is he afraid of water, he is a very bad swimmer, which starts the whole above conversation btw). And Momo realizes how little she knows about him because they always talk about her, just as she realized much much earlier that his constant joking and light-hearted manner is to keep people at bay (I’d imagine his non-dating, or just flirting is tied to that as well). And Nurse (who is the one who used to date Kairi’s brother) mentions to Momo that Kairi used to be quite the problem child in junior high, as he’d run away from home repeatedly, and refused to go to school. So, the boy clearly has stuff. BUT. And this is what I love, he is not dealing with it by being broody and angsty and unsociable. He is being fun and cheerful and cool. So much better.
And I am totally rooting for Kairi/Momo over Touji/Momo, which is probably cheating since I know who she ends up with (I love that she ends up with the comic relief). Because he makes Momo laugh and because she is a lot more herself with him than with Touji. Probably because she didn’t realize she liked Kairi early on, and just saw him as a friend, she felt more open. And also, because they are such good friends. I married my best friend, so I am biased in favor of that sort of thing, but I love the fact that for such a long time before they dated, Kairi and Momo are just really, really, really excellent friends, and he protects her and takes care of her, and cheers her up and teases her. Their personalities are rather similar, as well. And also Kairi would be a lot of fun to be around.
But the ultimate thing is, I think, how he is so supportive of her in a very understated fashion. When she is being ostracized by the school because of Sae’s lies, he comes by after swim practice every day ‘because of cute girls in swim suits’ which Momo realizes is a lie, and that he comes to check up on her to see if she’s OK, and he tells her he is on her side. He just holds her (twice!) and lets her cry about Touji on his shoulder. And I love the prettiness of the image when he asks if he can just hold her and does and that is right when he is setting up Sae’s grand downfall which he knows will bring back Touji and Momo together (and when Momo finds out that it’s his planning that made it all possible and wants to thank him, he typically brushes it off with ‘I thought you’d be impressed and want to smooch me.’) Basically, he really is a sweetheart.
And yet at the same time, he is busy asking girls out to have a nice full calendar of play bunnies for the summer (and I love that Momo is jealous of that and doesn’t know why, and she realizes her heart beats so fast when Kairi holds her. There are hints even early on that Kairi and Momo are more compatible than Momo and Touji).
But my favorite scene of Momo and Kairi, and when I realized I’d really love for them to get together is after Momo’s being dumped by Touji. She is home with a fever which by now went down but she is so miserable she doesn’t want to go anywhere, and she is just lying in bed and crying and then Kairi shows up and he drags her out of the house in her pjs despite her protest and takes her to the part, and gets her mad at him and tells her she looks better mad than when she cries and then listens to her sobbing about Touji and when she says that Sae is cuter than she is, he drags her to a mall and has her try on a very pretty dress (that he picks) and says ‘trying it on is free’ and then drags her out of the store and when she says “I need to take it off” he tells her he already paid for it, because his brother gave him some $$$. And then he buys her a necklace and boots and has her have a manicure and they get a haircut in the same place. And, leaving aside everything else, this is what friends do (I remember break ups of my own or of my friends). And she is smiling and he tells her that is even better than being mad. And he keeps pointing out all the guys on the street who are checking her out. But the thing that I loved the most about this, wasn’t any of this, but was the scene that followed it, when she told him that she had no money now, but she wanted to pay him back when she got $$$ on New Year’s. And he told her these were presents and she said she’d like to pay him back anyway. And he accepted, if it would make her feel better. I love the fact that he is OK with her paying for stuff if that is what she wants and it’s not ‘my machoness over your independence.’
And of course, they become good friends and he always hangs around because he is such an effective Sae shield (it must drive Sae nuts, because Momo is happy and she can’t take Kairi away). And there is kissing when he finds her by the cherry tree. And the conversation when she tells him about her remaining feelings for Touji (see above). And he tells her it’s fine with him, he just likes to be around her. And the fact that he gets her to plant a peach seed (Momo means peach) to cheer her up and then gets a fake cutting to put on that spot and when Momo busts him (not only is two weeks way too early, it’s not peach blossoms in the first place) he just laughs. And then he tells her that the real peach is right here and is all flirty (‘peach blossom means ‘I am your slave.’’ Unlikely) and there is kissing. And then they date. Eeeeeeee! And she stays up more than one night knitting him a cell phone case. Cute!
In real life, Touji might be more my type, but in PG, just love Kairi. The interesting thing is, PG is really good at making a proper love triangle. Because I like both of Momo’s significant others. Kairi is my favorite character, true, but I really like Touji, who is not just drop dead gorgeous, but is serious and kind and in love with Momo. His biggest faults are being overprotective and not super-bright, but whatever, that’s not that bad. And the biggest reason I like T/M is because Momo loves him so, but they really are adorable together. And I feel horrible for him when he has to break up with Momo, who he really loves, in order (as he thinks) to protect her because otherwise Sae will publish the incriminating photos. And he has to be mean to her and it’s killing him. BUT. I am also very impatient with him over that, because he should have told Momo about the situation and they could have come up with a plan. Or at least she should have been free to make her own mind. Or he should have asked Kairi for help, who is a lot brighter and mentally flexible. And Kairi has shown repeatedly he cares for Momo and will protect her and will get her Touji is that’s what she wants. In many ways he dug his own bed. But I still feel bad for him. The scene where he looks out the window and sees her huddled in the snow and just fists his hands in the curtains and bows his head? Owwwww. Actually, I am all for cloning of Momo so both Kairi and Touji could have one.
My favorite shot so far. Kairi asking Momo if he can hold her (and obviously recieving permission):
My, my, Kairi, but how many teeth you have!
Kairi and Momo do NOT have a meet cute :P
But it's soon remedied (why is there such an obsession with first kisses anyway. Every show except Escaflowne has the heroine end up with the guy she kissed first):
Touji and Momo. I am such a fickle undecided girl. They look so cute together:
OK, as a remedy to my confused shipping, here is more of Kairi and Momo smooches:
And more:
Yesssss! Momo smacks Sae:
Sae playing the victim:
Poor Touji, stuck with Sae:
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no subject
Date: 2006-03-28 06:37 pm (UTC)I just got my PG in the mail yesterday. Hopefully I'll get a chance to sit down with it soon.
I love that anime love triangles make sense. Take romantic comedy movies and you can ALWAYS tell which guy the girl will end up with. It doesn't matter if the other guy is cute, there will be something undesirable about him, be it the movie just doesn't spend enough time on him or he does something shady. Anime doesn't do that (partially because they've got a longer time span to work with). Take Miaka for instance, Hotohori is just as good or better than Tamahome is and Miaka could just as easily chosen him, but she meshes better with Tamahome. There's never anything wrong with Hotohori and he never does anything to prove that Miaka "chose the right guy", it's just she didn't love him. Hotohori isn't bland and boring either and is just as vibrant and fiesty as Tamahome. Both guys are on equal playing field, it's just Miaka loves one and is friends with the other, like real life.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-28 06:51 pm (UTC)True, but he is more classically handsome (whatever that means) IMO. Actually, going purely by looks, that model Goro is the cutest (makes sense) but ugh. No way.
Hopefully I'll get a chance to sit down with it soon.
You should because I want to read your thoughts. What do you mean it's not all about me? :P
Take romantic comedy movies and you can ALWAYS tell which guy the girl will end up with. It doesn't matter if the other guy is cute, there will be something undesirable about him, be it the movie just doesn't spend enough time on him or he does something shady. Anime doesn't do that (partially because they've got a longer time span to work with).
That's the thing I love so much. I hate the fact that in so many books or movies, it turns out one of the two men (or women) is secretly planning the overthrow of the Universe, or doesn't fold his laundry or whatever. Because in real life, it's never as easy (or believable) as 'one of them is an Evil Overlord and the other a Hero. Hmmm, who should I pick?'
Here (and in a whole bunch of other anime), the choice is hard because both choices could make good partners. A lot of it is determined by who you meet and fall in love with first or other circumstances, as well. Could Miaka have loved Hotohori if she met him first? Quite likely. Would Momo have been happy with Touji and quickly forgotten any incipient feelings for Kairi if Sae didn't come between the love birds and thus caused Momo to date Kairi and discover she is more compatible with him? Of course. And I love that. It's so much more well rounded this way.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-28 07:07 pm (UTC)I might hold off on Trinity Blood and watch PG first instead.
In real life it isn't as easy as all the romance novels like to make it look (which is why I resent romance so much of the time). It's not always chosing between hero and jerk. A lot of it has to do with circumstances and where you are in life who you get along better with. I've got plenty of guy friends who are sweet, wonderful guys, but I'd never DATE them. Just because someone isn't evil doesn't mean that they're right for you.
I also like the fact that anime generally tends to favor friendship moving into romance rather than something with sparkles and butterflies and "love at first sight". Vash/Meryl works because first and foremost, they're good friends who look out for each other. Inuyasha and Kagome bicker and argue and pick on each other like siblings, but that develops into something deeper.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-28 07:14 pm (UTC)I like the design of Kairi's eyes. They're brighter and more lively than usual.
To compensate for big ears? I kid, I kid. I really do find Kairi quite attractive.
friendship moving into romance rather than something with sparkles and butterflies and "love at first sight".
I think it's just a better foundation for a relationship in general. It's not just whether he makes your stomach flip, but whether it's someone you are compatible with and could tolerate. I've also noticed the high amount of friendship-to-love stuff, and am quite surprised (and pleased).
I am also pleased with my guessing powers, because I found character bios for PG and it does turn out that Kairi's brother is a male Sae. That certainly explains a lot. That's got to be pretty bad though, because you can ditch a classmate, but it's rather hard to disconnect from a brother you live with. Ugh.
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Date: 2006-03-28 07:24 pm (UTC)The other thing shojo can generally nail square on the head is life in highschool. Things that at no other time in your life would you consider a big deal suddenly become earth shattering. Guys don't know what they want and no one has enough experience to figure out how to deal well with interpersonal relationships. People hurt other people's feelings without meaning to and there is no other time in your life when peers on a whole are crueler. Lots of stress and drama.
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Date: 2006-03-28 07:30 pm (UTC)It's funny for me to watch something like PG because (as I was telling Husband), I find the behaviors characters exhinit very frustrating, but also realistic. I remember myself at 16, and I would probably have behaved this way. But I am not 16 any more, so I just want to shake some wisdom into their heads. Which is probably why I like Kairi because he appears a lot more together and mature than most of them.
Lots of stress and drama.
Their pain is our entertainment! :P
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Date: 2006-03-28 07:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-28 06:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-03-28 06:47 pm (UTC)In the manga I flipped through, they call 'Kairi' Kiley. I have no idea which one is correct, but I was going with the subs on the anime ;)
I feel quite bad for Touji because he is a very decent guy who truly does care for Momo. Frustrating :)