Tsuki No Koibito - ep 2
May. 19th, 2010 11:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dangermousieWith ep 2 of Moon Lovers, it's official this is my favorite currently airing drama. It's so dark and twisted and delicious.
A few thoughts:
1. Ep 2 cements my rabidly shipping Rensuke and Xiu Mei. Mind you, I am not deluded enough to think they will have any happily ever after or are even capable of it. Theirs is not a healthy relationship in the least (I don't think Rensuke is capable of a genuine relationship with anyone, to start with). But the dirty!bad!hot!wrongness of it all just pings my buttons the way nothing had in a while. They are using each other and manipulating each other but they are also experiencing a genuine and irresistable sexual attraction to each other (in every scene of theirs, they look as if all they want is to rip off each other's clothes and just do it on the floor). It's such a twisted Cinderella tale, you know - a poor Chinese factory worker and a sophisticated and rich Japanese businessman. Only Cinderella is plotting revenge and Prince Charming pimps her out. My ideal scenario for Rensuke and Xiu Mei is for them to continue their twistedness and have a lot of manipulative make-outs and really hot hate-sex and then at the end Rensuke should be left broken. I don't really care what happens after that.
2. Kimura is so very amazing as Rensuke. I am not a total Kimura fangirl (I have never even felt like checking out Change or Mr Brain and I was bored by him (and the dramas as a whole) in Long Vacation and Love Generation). But when he is on (Pride, Karei-naru Ichizoku, Sora Kara, this), there is nobody to compare with him. If you think about it, Rensuke is a repulsive, repulsive human being - we have yet to see him do a single unselfish or decent or good thing. A single one! When his best action is feeling out of his skin uncomfortable watching a client paw Xiu Mei after he himself brought her there expressly to be pawed, we are not talking Mother Teresa. (Side note - yet another reason I am mad for Rensuke/Xiu Mei. It is only with her that his utter self-control cracks a little and he becomes somewhat human - when he breaks that cigarette watching her being pawed, for someone as controlled as Rensuke that is a huge huge thing). So yes, Rensuke could be an unbearable character to watch but in Kimura's hands he becomes, even if no less repellent, also fascinating - you just must watch more and find out what makes him tick. And there is even a hint of some potential for hope, some tiny glimmer of salvation and soul maybe. (Kimura is good at making unforgivable characters and making you hope for them. At least Rensuke isn't killing people for kicks the way his character in Sora Kara did, but even in Sora Kara you can't help but hope for him).
3. Maemi. She is a cool character but I continue to be rather indifferent to her. I think it's a combo of acting/character - I often have that problem with jdrama heroines (what they like in acting and character is often stuff that leaves me cold). What I am curious about however is that it's clear she harbors some sort of romantic feelings for Rensuke but I do not see why. The model girl is brainless so her continuing to be fixated on Rensuke even after he treats her like dirt does not surprise me - I don't think she's capable of reading a character at all. And Xiu Mei did not know what kind of man he was - she believed appearances - that he was a hard but just businessman concerned for his workers. Once she finds out the truth, she is not moony-eyed but full of vengeance (even if she still is sexually attracted to him - but you cannot control hormones). But Maemi? Maemi has known him for years - I can't see how she can continue to fancy him seeing the kind of man he is. Why???
4. It's pretty clear by now that Shota's character is out for some sort of revenge on Rensuke. I hope he gets it. I want Rensuke brought down grovelling in the gutter. I don't care who does it (though my preference is Xiu Mei) but it must be done!
And now, without much further ado, caps and more thoughts from ep 2
Rensuke reads this speech at the opening about how much he is going to care for factory workers. Hah!
But Xiu Mei does not know him yet, she believes him.
Poor deluded workers. Being used for a PR campaign.
This look on Shota's face watching Rensuke lie and lie and lie gave me the first inkling that all is not as it seems with Shota - please please please bring Rensuke down.
He has an interesting conversation with model. He rather tries to warn her about Rensuke (when he talks about sex and how he's better than Rensuke at it because he cares about his partner and Rensuke only cares about himself, I think it's a very odd but general warning about Rensuke in every aspect - we have yet to see Rensuke care for a single human being in any way).
Rensuke goes to pick up Xiu Mei who is wearing a totally horrifying outfit (Maemi's 'bettering' it made it even worse IMO).
But it doesn't matter. Look at the way he looks at her - as if he wants to devour her whole.
So he takes her clothes shopping a la Pretty Girl. I love this cliche so much!
Oh, how I love this moment. They are in some fancy store and he's eating complimentary dessert:
And then she comes out in her outfit. OMGOMGOMG. Seriously, the way he looks at her is hot enough to melt glass. I believe he swallowed his tongue. The sexual chemistry between them is insane.
A little more sexing.
They are very physically aware of each other (side note - how much do I love a jdrama that acknowledges people are sexual beings).
When they walk back to his car, she is literally turning heads of everyone on the street. She is too good for you, Rensuke!
She is all 'I don't like everyone staring' and he tells her it's because she's beautiful.
And then he takes her, in her ridiculously expensive and glamorous clothes, to this hole-in-the-wall dumpling eatery. I really wondered about that. Because for his goal, he didn't need to - he needed to get her an appropriate sexy outfit and then take her to that prospective client. And nobody would be crazy enough to believe that feeding her $10 plate of dumplings would butter her up enough to submit to pawing if she wouldn't otherwise. I really think it's because he does enjoy being with her so much and also maybe, even, in some obscure way, a sort of advance apology (well, not apology, I am not sure Rensuke is capable of sincere apologies, but some sort of an attempt. Especially since this place is so not in accordance with Rensuke's image).
Yup, even at the eatery everyone is staring.
And I do mean, everyone.
Rensuke, could you be developing *gasp* feelings of some sort?
She thanks him for being good to the workers. Talk about irony.
Eventually they make it to a fancy hotel and walk in and there is Rensuke's prospective client (who is married with kids btw, ugh).
And Shota pulls Xiu Mei to sit next to the client.
Thsi whole scene was my favorite scene in the episode. Because Xiu Mei is angry (she is no dummy, she understood right away) and she is baiting Rensuke to see if he snaps if she is nice to the client and Rensuke is sitting there all outwardly calm and presumably happy it's going according to plan but you can see he is really losing it badly, watching this, despite his control. And Shota is drinking it in, storing it for future use. So twisted.
Oh yes, she is no idiot. She finally gets him.
I love how he's trying his best to control himself but he can't quite manage and I love that Shota is noticing because this is highly unusual and a huge deal. Oh yes, enjoy Rensuke, enjoy listening to client ask her to go to his bedroom. A very nasty part of me wanted Xiu Mei to start making out with the guy right there so Rensuke would have to watch.
I love how she sweetly pours wine for the client while watching Rensuke's reaction the whole time.
And then she stalks out and he stalks out after her and Shota notices something.
Yup, he broke his cigarette.
He runs after her, half to bring her back and half because - well, because they are messed up and attracted and he's feeling human and she basically tells him she is not a whore and to fuck off.
He's still not entirely in control in the morning.
She plans to go back to Shanghai but finds out from her friend that Rensuke has quietly been laying workers off. Everything has been a lie.
She has decided to pay him back - she will do anything to get his heart and then to wreck it.
So she goes to see Rensuke and asks to meet in the evening.
When they meet, she asks him if he still wants her (as he said he did). He nods. She tells him she won't be a plaything, to be tossed away when he gets bored.
And then she kisses him!
And walks off.
He runs after her and this time he kisses her. It's hot and forceful and dysfunctional and so very wrong and I cannot get enough.
And then his eyes open, in the middle of this really really long kiss and you realize that madly attracted as he is to her, he is still calculating possibilities too. Bring it on - two manipulators, trying to outgame each other, while being madly attracted at the same time.
For what it's worth, my money is on Xiu Mei.
A few thoughts:
1. Ep 2 cements my rabidly shipping Rensuke and Xiu Mei. Mind you, I am not deluded enough to think they will have any happily ever after or are even capable of it. Theirs is not a healthy relationship in the least (I don't think Rensuke is capable of a genuine relationship with anyone, to start with). But the dirty!bad!hot!wrongness of it all just pings my buttons the way nothing had in a while. They are using each other and manipulating each other but they are also experiencing a genuine and irresistable sexual attraction to each other (in every scene of theirs, they look as if all they want is to rip off each other's clothes and just do it on the floor). It's such a twisted Cinderella tale, you know - a poor Chinese factory worker and a sophisticated and rich Japanese businessman. Only Cinderella is plotting revenge and Prince Charming pimps her out. My ideal scenario for Rensuke and Xiu Mei is for them to continue their twistedness and have a lot of manipulative make-outs and really hot hate-sex and then at the end Rensuke should be left broken. I don't really care what happens after that.
2. Kimura is so very amazing as Rensuke. I am not a total Kimura fangirl (I have never even felt like checking out Change or Mr Brain and I was bored by him (and the dramas as a whole) in Long Vacation and Love Generation). But when he is on (Pride, Karei-naru Ichizoku, Sora Kara, this), there is nobody to compare with him. If you think about it, Rensuke is a repulsive, repulsive human being - we have yet to see him do a single unselfish or decent or good thing. A single one! When his best action is feeling out of his skin uncomfortable watching a client paw Xiu Mei after he himself brought her there expressly to be pawed, we are not talking Mother Teresa. (Side note - yet another reason I am mad for Rensuke/Xiu Mei. It is only with her that his utter self-control cracks a little and he becomes somewhat human - when he breaks that cigarette watching her being pawed, for someone as controlled as Rensuke that is a huge huge thing). So yes, Rensuke could be an unbearable character to watch but in Kimura's hands he becomes, even if no less repellent, also fascinating - you just must watch more and find out what makes him tick. And there is even a hint of some potential for hope, some tiny glimmer of salvation and soul maybe. (Kimura is good at making unforgivable characters and making you hope for them. At least Rensuke isn't killing people for kicks the way his character in Sora Kara did, but even in Sora Kara you can't help but hope for him).
3. Maemi. She is a cool character but I continue to be rather indifferent to her. I think it's a combo of acting/character - I often have that problem with jdrama heroines (what they like in acting and character is often stuff that leaves me cold). What I am curious about however is that it's clear she harbors some sort of romantic feelings for Rensuke but I do not see why. The model girl is brainless so her continuing to be fixated on Rensuke even after he treats her like dirt does not surprise me - I don't think she's capable of reading a character at all. And Xiu Mei did not know what kind of man he was - she believed appearances - that he was a hard but just businessman concerned for his workers. Once she finds out the truth, she is not moony-eyed but full of vengeance (even if she still is sexually attracted to him - but you cannot control hormones). But Maemi? Maemi has known him for years - I can't see how she can continue to fancy him seeing the kind of man he is. Why???
4. It's pretty clear by now that Shota's character is out for some sort of revenge on Rensuke. I hope he gets it. I want Rensuke brought down grovelling in the gutter. I don't care who does it (though my preference is Xiu Mei) but it must be done!
And now, without much further ado, caps and more thoughts from ep 2
Rensuke reads this speech at the opening about how much he is going to care for factory workers. Hah!
But Xiu Mei does not know him yet, she believes him.
Poor deluded workers. Being used for a PR campaign.
This look on Shota's face watching Rensuke lie and lie and lie gave me the first inkling that all is not as it seems with Shota - please please please bring Rensuke down.
He has an interesting conversation with model. He rather tries to warn her about Rensuke (when he talks about sex and how he's better than Rensuke at it because he cares about his partner and Rensuke only cares about himself, I think it's a very odd but general warning about Rensuke in every aspect - we have yet to see Rensuke care for a single human being in any way).
Rensuke goes to pick up Xiu Mei who is wearing a totally horrifying outfit (Maemi's 'bettering' it made it even worse IMO).
But it doesn't matter. Look at the way he looks at her - as if he wants to devour her whole.
So he takes her clothes shopping a la Pretty Girl. I love this cliche so much!
Oh, how I love this moment. They are in some fancy store and he's eating complimentary dessert:
And then she comes out in her outfit. OMGOMGOMG. Seriously, the way he looks at her is hot enough to melt glass. I believe he swallowed his tongue. The sexual chemistry between them is insane.
A little more sexing.
They are very physically aware of each other (side note - how much do I love a jdrama that acknowledges people are sexual beings).
When they walk back to his car, she is literally turning heads of everyone on the street. She is too good for you, Rensuke!
She is all 'I don't like everyone staring' and he tells her it's because she's beautiful.
And then he takes her, in her ridiculously expensive and glamorous clothes, to this hole-in-the-wall dumpling eatery. I really wondered about that. Because for his goal, he didn't need to - he needed to get her an appropriate sexy outfit and then take her to that prospective client. And nobody would be crazy enough to believe that feeding her $10 plate of dumplings would butter her up enough to submit to pawing if she wouldn't otherwise. I really think it's because he does enjoy being with her so much and also maybe, even, in some obscure way, a sort of advance apology (well, not apology, I am not sure Rensuke is capable of sincere apologies, but some sort of an attempt. Especially since this place is so not in accordance with Rensuke's image).
Yup, even at the eatery everyone is staring.
And I do mean, everyone.
Rensuke, could you be developing *gasp* feelings of some sort?
She thanks him for being good to the workers. Talk about irony.
Eventually they make it to a fancy hotel and walk in and there is Rensuke's prospective client (who is married with kids btw, ugh).
And Shota pulls Xiu Mei to sit next to the client.
Thsi whole scene was my favorite scene in the episode. Because Xiu Mei is angry (she is no dummy, she understood right away) and she is baiting Rensuke to see if he snaps if she is nice to the client and Rensuke is sitting there all outwardly calm and presumably happy it's going according to plan but you can see he is really losing it badly, watching this, despite his control. And Shota is drinking it in, storing it for future use. So twisted.
Oh yes, she is no idiot. She finally gets him.
I love how he's trying his best to control himself but he can't quite manage and I love that Shota is noticing because this is highly unusual and a huge deal. Oh yes, enjoy Rensuke, enjoy listening to client ask her to go to his bedroom. A very nasty part of me wanted Xiu Mei to start making out with the guy right there so Rensuke would have to watch.
I love how she sweetly pours wine for the client while watching Rensuke's reaction the whole time.
And then she stalks out and he stalks out after her and Shota notices something.
Yup, he broke his cigarette.
He runs after her, half to bring her back and half because - well, because they are messed up and attracted and he's feeling human and she basically tells him she is not a whore and to fuck off.
He's still not entirely in control in the morning.
She plans to go back to Shanghai but finds out from her friend that Rensuke has quietly been laying workers off. Everything has been a lie.
She has decided to pay him back - she will do anything to get his heart and then to wreck it.
So she goes to see Rensuke and asks to meet in the evening.
When they meet, she asks him if he still wants her (as he said he did). He nods. She tells him she won't be a plaything, to be tossed away when he gets bored.
And then she kisses him!
And walks off.
He runs after her and this time he kisses her. It's hot and forceful and dysfunctional and so very wrong and I cannot get enough.
And then his eyes open, in the middle of this really really long kiss and you realize that madly attracted as he is to her, he is still calculating possibilities too. Bring it on - two manipulators, trying to outgame each other, while being madly attracted at the same time.
For what it's worth, my money is on Xiu Mei.
