Barakamon – 03
Naru no Kyojin
Welcome back, everyone. Let’s take a look at this week’s episode of Island Healing and Fujoshi Baiting…
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Life’s pursuits
I like how his work is the show’s mission statements
I don’t know who wins the the Most Expressive Face department…Naru or Tama. Both carry such pride and determination. But then, both of these girls also get let down fairly hard in some ways. With Naru she quickly discovers that she isn’t the queen of the alphabet walk, and is not quite as mandom as she very much wants to think. As for Tama….I can only ask my post readers out there, but is this the typical yaoi gateway? It seems rather hopeless for her now, doesn’t it. She’s seeing it everywhere…
“WHO YOU CALLIN’ OLD!”
One of the things I’m still loving about the show is how it balances out the moods. It would be one thing if the atmosphere were full of, “oh these plain simple folks know best how to live”. I for one, am glad it isn’t that thing. It would be rather one dimensional, and downright insulting. Instead we get a brief glimpse, to go along with other rather sardonic moments the series has given us so far, in that even these folk don’t necessarily get along all that much. Just that moment of pissy business between the two old women gave the atmosphere a nice charge. It feels much more full of life now. When you add in the nuances with both Yasuba and Panch mochi-fu it get’s a little more color. I could swear, Yasuba was almost looking down on Sensei, and Panchi even has ulterior motive for being so competitive. And she makes a nice looking soup.
I like how you can see Naru hanging out here…just what a kid would do…
Which is a great place for inspiration, not just in artistic pursuits, but in the pursuit of just enjoying life as it comes. Had I but known, when I moved in to my new place a year or so back, I would have done some mochi throwing. Yeah, I didn’t build the condo, but it’s close, yeah? Besides, pelting family and friends with bags of sharing rice cakes sounds fun. Unless you face some stiff competition in the form of some hardened mochi throwing veterans. Let those last four words soak in for a spell. Wasn’t it nice to have Naru pull Sensei from his funk, only to have him be so fish out of water. He had no choice but to think of his failure. His most recent being that he came in second in a Calligraphy competition in which he had invested his typical amount of sleepless hard work, but in addition his typical amount of anxiety.
Rescue attempt? Always send in the LOLi
More Pen and Ink
So how has this relaxing show held up for you so far. On my Saturday’s I work some tough hours during my day job, and it’s nice to have something like this to look forward to. It is my feeling that they are hitting the source material incredibly well. The story needs to have a balance, and some of the more sarcastic, sardonic moments of humor are being carried over into the anime very well. Oh, and if they follow that manga even more, I think we should be expecting a Yuki Kaji character next week.. So what did you folks think?
About skylion
All around nerd that enjoys just about any anime genre. I love history, politics, public policy, the sciences, literature, arts...pretty much anything can make me geeky...except sports. Follow me @theskylion
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
That dog was awesome.
Caption 😐 “Got muscle milk?”
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
This isn’t the new bananastrawberrycranberryblueberry-flavored chocolate milk ;.;
So, whoever had the idea of starting this episode as it did knows pretty well how to steal laughs from the viewers from second 1. God, that was so effective I died laughing throught the opening theme. But seriously, Naru was just too ugly with that serious face.
POWUH: 900-999 with 915 comments
I’m not sure… I think spammy is hungry.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
The amount of spam caught in queue is monstrous. I recommend posting your comment again.
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 386 comments
What an episode this was haha, I sorta reminded me a little of Nichijou or a little gintama-ish haha. Tama totally stole the episode for me, her first yaoi manga experience I laughed when she throw it all upset, but later looks at it again, I dunno why i found that very funny. And when she seen Sensei and Hirosh holding each other according to her Yaoi goggle.
Haha this was a fun episode, and I’m really enjoying this slice of life of a series, Tama made this episode for me that much better and gave me a good laugh. As for the rest,Its nice to see Sensei trying to fit in even though Nura is sorta pushing him to break out of his “hardworking self” and show him what hes missing out on. Naru didn’t get much screen time which isnt a bad thing and we got to see more of the other characters, we did get to also meet Yasuba and Panch, haha those titles, its almost what you’d expect from this show hehe.
Welp Im really enjoying what this show offers, Yes it’s a great show to unwind to and have a few laughs, Thanks again Skylion for another post! Shall I sign ya up for the next episode? /tease.
Captain contest
Milk Builds strong facial muscles too.
POWUH: iLurker with 7 comments
I loved Tama’s reaction and paranoia. While the other people elsewhere may be focused on Naru, I like the interaction with Handa and other characters more. Then again, I never really expect much out of kid characters because the kids are supposed to be cute.
Caption
Milk makes you GAR.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Yes. Much like they have to balance out the characterizations, they need to spend more time on how they can differ in the interactions. I think I said this last post, but I’ll repeat: They have a $500 “character budget” of attention. Naru cost about 200 of that, how you gonna doll the rest out? Less Naru…
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 29 comments
I’m theorizing that each piece of successful calligraphy Handa writes is going to symbolize a stage in his growth and possibly towards the end that’ll culminate in his final form – one that might attain him recognition our perhaps by then he’ll be Zen enough to be beyond such things.
I wasn’t sure about our fujoshi part, I thought that was a bit more like pandering than daily life with island folk but it still drew a few chuckles. Who would’ve thought mochi-throwing could teach you life lessons? To quote Space Dandy ‘Everything has a lesson baby’ as long as you’re down to earth enough to notice ; )
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Yes, I’m finding that it’s fun to see the growth of the art traced like a line from episode to episode, gives it much more than typical SoL random stuffs.
I thought Tama’s fujoshi bit was quite in line with the line I mentioned above. It’s just that she and Handa come at it with different angles, and different apprehensions. High art, low art, that sort of thing.
The lesson: Get the mochi, sort the other stuff out later. Oh, and don’t go fishing with kids.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
All hail the Metateam Fujoshis!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
But only after you hail TEAm LOLi!
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Nope.jpg
All Hail Yaoi Goggles!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Nope.jpg LOLi GOGGLEs
POWUH: Meta Team and Ringleader Extraordinaire~ with 6433 comments
Oh Tama, you dear girl! I know your plight because I went through it myself… I think every fangirl would laugh her head off after watching this episode because it does hold TRUE DEPICTION!
On Naru and OD side, things are shaping up nicely and I do love all the side-characters. Everyone has so much life, even the old’uns. It’s literally become my feel-good, laugh-time watch of the season.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Again, and I repeate myself, they’ve done a great job fleshing out the island making it a much more real place. Better than straight up scenery porn.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Forgot to comment on this week’s episode, but another sweet episode, with a nice lesson for our sensei. I just love the character discussions between characters, and how they learn from each other. The two school girls are funny, the fujoshi girl was hilarious.
However, of course, the winner will always be Naru, who’s just this precious little thing! 😀
I love her!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Naru rather does demand attention, and she has a way of getting it one way or another. But for right now, I’m liking the groove they got with the other islanders…