Mikakunin de Shinkoukei – 04
Some sisterly bonding.
Things aren’t all romcom as Mikakunin introduces some intrigue surrounding Hakuya and the Mitsumine family. What exactly are the Mitsumines hiding?
Devices
Kobeni needs more cowbell.
To start off, the show executes the ever-ubiquitous anime fever. Second only to (or sometimes synonymous with) the anime cold, the anime fever strikes unsuspecting characters without warning, leaving the poor victims bedridden and in need of intimate care. Normally I don’t hold such ailments in high esteem due to their usual inexplicable or incredulous nature. Mikakunin is able to pull it off without being too contrived though, so I must praise the show for making such an unsavory plot device at least palatable. So basically from this event, we learn that Kobeni has always had a weak constitution. I’m a little miffed a detail that’s obviously going to be so important was conveniently left unmentioned until this point. You’d think they’d at least inform the fiancé and his family about the serious and recurring health condition that the bride-to-be suffers from. And it’s not even something particularly sensitive, so there’s no good reason to withhold such information from potential future family, especially when the deal is supposedly sealed by word of late family head. In the end, the introduction of this point just comes across as a bit too telegraphed considering we’ve never seen so much as the slightest hint at Kobeni’s condition until its revelation now.
Strange Things
So what is this “warm and fluffy” thing?
The other big “revelation” of sorts in this episode is the heavy hinting that there’s more to the Mitsumine family than meets the eye. Technically, we’ve already seen subtle suggestions at this from the very beginning when Mashiro was somehow able to transfer into Kobeni’s high school despite clearly being far too young (and she’s obviously not a genius so it’s not her intellect letting her skip grades). But this episode really lays it on with several peculiarities. First there’s Hakuya’s unbelievable speed. The show could have brushed that off as comedic exaggeration, but considering the characters kept hounding the issue this doesn’t look to be just some quirk. Then there’s Kobeni likening his emotional expressions to those of a dog. How she figures anything from his poker face is beyond me, but that’s probably supposed to show that she’s grown close enough to the guy to know him better than his own sister. Finally, there’s Kobeni’s dream in which she vaguely recalls the events of the fateful day when she fell off the cliff. In this dream, she’s injured and lying beside something “warm and fluffy” after taking the tumble. Now, it isn’t too difficult to put these pieces together and make a wild speculation that perhaps Hakuya (and in extension the Mitsumine family) isn’t exactly human.
Extras
I realize claiming that the Mitsumine family might not be human is a pretty crazy thing objectively. But from what’s been shown in this episode, the only conclusion I can reach (or at least the conclusion I believe the show wants us to believe) is that Hakuya is a werewolf or something along those lines. For a show that we expected to be a simple romcom, that comes out of left field. I admit, Mikakunin has made several references and allusions to such supernatural topics as aliens and cryptids in the past, but allow me to reiterate that I am very surprised that it’s taken the first few steps in this direction. It just didn’t seem like that kind of show. That said, it’s still not impossible to attempt to rationalize the suspicious elements. Maybe Hakuya is just very athletic and thus runs incredibly fast. Maybe that “warm and fluffy” something was just Hakuya’s coat that he left with Kobeni when he went to seek aid. But honestly, these potential explanations are just as unlikely as the very things they attempt to rationalize in my eyes.
What exactly is Hakuya?
About Sumairii
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
It’s probably werewolves, but I’m not ruling out aliens or even tanuki. It actually seems weird that Mashiro isn’t exactly sure what she is.
This episode really did what I wanted the show to do: develop Kobeni and Hakuya. Even if it was kind of slow, there was conversation between them, there was understanding between them, and there was bonding. It also did what I wanted with Mashiro: make her more into a person, rather than a trope. It was nice of her to take care of Kobeni, and I think it helped the both of them get more comfortable.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Yesssss! I believe its also Werewolves! They kept hinting towards Hakuya acting like a dog through the entire episode and of course there is that huge mystery surrounding their family? It seems no one know about them.
Mashiro is such a good character less hyper this week and more caring <3
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Something supernatural is afoot! This requires further investigation!*prepares to follow series*
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
hahah yeah we need more episodes to determine if it really will have supernatural themes! They could be leading us along to make us believe its supernatural stuff…
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
If you haven’t been following it, then welcome aboard. This show’s really moved up a lot on my list this season, from one that was kind of an “oh, this is another show?” to one of my anticipated shows on Thursday (so many shows on Thursday!).
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
That’s troublesome. People still have school/work on that day. It hinders concentration.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
They hid the “Supernatural” tag of this show from us like Strike the Blood did hiding the “Harem” tag. What games are these studios playing?
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I’m not saying it’s aliens…
…but it’s aliens…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Interesting. Werewolves, here? That’s a rare occurrence among anime species given their limited spotlight and it gives sense to the English title “Engaged to the Unidentified”. If it’s case here, it’s weird because this show has no supernatural tag but it would make sense why those like Hakuya and Mashiro grew up in the mountains and why Mashiro referred to herself and her family as half assed beings. Besides, there’s no way for anyone to come up with a logical explanation concerning Hakuya’s unbelievable speed. Anyone who tries would instantly be seen as a liar. Most have an obvious guess what would happen if the masses ever found out something like that.
Kobeni: “What the heck is that? Imprinting?”. Arrgh, that just brought back a very unpleasant memory!!
Benio is the latest entry in a long line of girls whose cooking skills leave much to be desired. Right there beside Kore wa Zombie’s Seraphim and Sekai Seifuku: Bouryaku no Zvezda’s Itsuka. She also doubles as a romcom detector. Nice feature. 😀
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 109 comments
incoming everyone the 10 aniversary of precure happiness charge will air today where the girls will fight the monsters by dancing
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
They’re hinting rather heavily that the Mitsumine family are werewolves. Aliens seems very unlikely since Mashiro is terrified of aliens. Unless the Mitsumines are an alien life form that happens to resemble werewolves and are for some reason hiding from other aliens. Of course, all this supernatural mystery hinted at could just be a massive trolling of us.
This episode did something I really wanted the series to do–develop the relationship between Kobeni and Hakuya while toning down the antics of Mashiro and Benio.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Space Werewolves? Now that’s just crazy. 😉 And what would their reason be for being there? Also an alien being afraid of another alien is kind of redundant.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Tooth and Claw, an episode of Doctor Who.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
There are plenty of aliens who act afraid of other aliens, either because they don’t want to be found (on Earth against the rules – Ano Natsu/Onegai Teacher) or they just don’t like other aliens.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
The other aliens could be hunting them for some reason. As for hiding on Earth, because it’s considered a backwater, primitive planet well off the beaten path.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Why is Earth always a backwater in stories? Maybe Earth could be a thriving creative civilization that’s right in the middle of everything that we don’t know about, and starships are whizzing past our solar system all the time but just not stopping because we don’t have the infrastructure yet. And the reason we haven’t discovered interstellar travel is because we’re so creative that we didn’t get bored enough to need to develop space travel.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
To civilizations with interstellar travel, any world without it would probably be a backwater. And you have to admit we don’t have it.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
And such civilizations might judge others purely on technical achievements and not artistic ones.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
I can only guess that the dude is a shape-shifter. Maybe the males are the ones who can shapeshift here…
BUT FINALLY. HE’S IN OVER HALF OF THE EPISODE