Pink cakes are manly - and he will total you if you disagree (Otomen episode 1 in caps)

[dangermousie]

I have just watched episode 1 of Otomen and it is every bit as adorable as the manga it's based on. It's funny but it's also lovely and with heart (something I find lacking in such jdrama adaptations as Hana Kimi) and not so far removed from reality that I lose interest (like Mei-chan No Shitsuji). Basically, one ep in, it's rather a delight and the casting is very manga-spot on.

In case you somehow missed my earlier summary, here is what Otomen is about: Asuka (Okada Masaki) was a boy who always liked girly things - baking, sewing, cute stuffed animals, the works. However, once his father left the family in order to become a woman (literally), in order to make his mother happy Asuka has managed to supress all these unmanly tastes - he's become quite macho - he is a national kendo champion and will easily take you apart in a fight. He has a fanclub of swooning girls, school bullies flee at the sight of him, and underclassmen want to emulate him. One problem - he is still a 'girlyman' at heart. And then he meets Ryo (Kaho), a girl who is an utter tomboy, and it is love at first sight for Asuka. So, do opposites attract? And even if so, how would Ryo deal with finding out that the cool guy everyone is in awe of is actually a guy who loves girly things - an otomen.



Little Asuka's life wasn't so bad, until his Dad decided that he would like to leave the family to become a woman:



Understandably, Asuka's mother didn't take it too well:





She begged Asuka not to be like his father and to become a real man, so little Asuka put away his fluffy stuffed toys:



And so a few years later, here he is, national kendo champion and captain of his school's kendo team:



Verrrrrry macho, at least as far as anyone so freaking gorgeous can be :)



He's got a team of tough guys under his control:



A swooning fanclub:



A pissed-off nemesis:



And amazing fighting skills:



See the guy on the left? His name is Juta and he will be important later:



Asuka wins yet again:



To the joy of his proud mother who knows at least her kid ain't baking cakes:





On the way home from the match, he sees school delinquents bully a junior, but before he can interfere, a girl he does not know (she is Ryo, as we will later learn) interferes instead.









Asuka to the rescue - the gang was quite ready to beat on Ryo but seeing Asuka they back way the hell off.





Like the perfect shoujo bishonen gentleman, Asuka walks Ryo to the station:



It starts raining and she lends him an umbrella:















Yes, he is in love:



Little opening credits sequence:



The next morning, the school has a new transfer student. Surprise surprise!





Meanwhile, the guy who was bullied earlier on has decided that nobody would pick on him if he only were tough like his new idol Asuka. So he follows Asuka around and discources on Asuka's manly awesomeness to Ryo and yes, this guy, Juta (remember him?). Juta is a flirt and someone with a surprising interest in all things Asuka.









Then there is this part where Asuka sees a little boy who is made by his Mom to throw away a teddybear as unmanly, something that rather resonates:





So Asuka does what every manly man should do: take the teddybear home to sew cute clothes for it and to 'unite' it with another bear:





As Juta spies on him. Aren't there laws against that sort of thing in Japan?



The next day, due to a bunch of funny things, Asuka thinks Juta the playboy is off to seduce Ryo but he is wrong - he finds the two of them cooking, a perfect set-up by Juta (Ryo has no idea) to bring Asuka's girly side to the front.





Just as well, as Ryo's attempts at baking are a nuclear disaster:





Asuka can't stand for it and his baking-pinkloving-sewing inner self comes out and he does the cake for her:







I'd hire him!



As Juta (who pretended to leave so as not to constrain Asuka) watches. Seriously, he should invest in some cammo, maybe?



Remember the bears? AWWWWW. (((Asuka))) The little kid is back to look for his thrown away teddybear and is all despondent it's gone until he discovers:









Yes, it's still Juta. Someone needs to put bells on him:



Meanwhile the bullying thugs decided to destroy the dojo as they are pretty pissed about being thwarted in their fun of beating on weaklings:



It brings forth Ryo:



And Asuka, of course:



Not sure what Thug Leader says, but it cannot be pleasant:







So Asuka orders the idolizer guy to lock the door from outside to make sure nobody comes in.







And as the four hairstyle challenged other thugs watch:









Asuka and Thug Leader go at it:







One problem, bad guys are playing dirty and catch Asuka unawares:



Could all be lost?



"Ahahahaaaaa" gloats the thug:



That is, he would gloat if he still had his teeth. Because this is Ryo:



Ryo effortlessly taking down all the thugs, by herself:







OTP!!!! They could beat people into submission together and then Asuka would bake them cookies to make them feel better.







Pretty pretty credits: