Koyomimonogatari – 09

Sweet Sugar Rush

No, you’re not seeing things. It’s true I’ve not covered the show since the FI; for which I’m very thankful for the ton of hits that it received, despite the lack of comments. But, this is a Shinobu-centric episode, and I can’t pass up the opportunity to indulge, even it’s only an isolated post.

The Tale of the Little Donut

Perhaps the real star of the show…

Well much like my kinpatsu loli kyuuketsuki cannot resist allure of sweet sweet fried dough rings topped with colorful sugary frosting, I surely cannot resist her. Now this one had a ton of cuteness; like a skein of rich chocolate running through a pastry. But that doesn’t mean it was made of empty calories. Just like smell familiar can trigger our memories, so too can taste, and with just a few bites this one takes us a few steps back, reminding us of the the various ways that love has shaped Araragi’s life, influencing some of his decisions.

The set up was rather simple, as Hitagi brings her home-made donuts over to Araragi’s house in an effort to support his studies. That is perhaps the one touch that I found the most impressive. We only get the two brief looks at Hitagi, but it’s still a very firm presence, there is no question that it is felt. I cannot shake the idea that she practically wrote the whole episode, so to speak. There has to be a lot of different foods that Araragi likes to snack on, but donuts are specific aren’t they? Is she reaching across her kitchen and into Araragi’s shadow?

The LOLi and I are suspicious.

Once Shinobu has the scent she stays on the trail, not missing a beat. While she gives off no outward sign of it, she is restrained in some respects. But once she knows the origins, the how and the why of the donuts, she leaps at a chance to tease and even to educate in her own mischievous way. She knows she can’t eat all the home-made goodies, but she just can’t resist using them in her little game, earning at least one of the tasty treats in the bargain.

I really enjoyed how she turned this whole affair, donuts, past, and present, into a game of hide and seek; with her sense of pride along for the ride. At this point of our story, the events of Shinobu Mail have yet to come, but the defeats of Nadeko Medusa are very much on her mind. That was crush and a love that soured (which this show’s previous episode covered very well), and also I guess Shinobu’s feeling a little bit jealous in her own right? That’s the combination of feelings I get that she is trying to turn around. That no matter what happens, even if she has to metaphorically club him over the head or play tricks to teach him a lesson, Araragi is still the person she will die with, and in fact loves. Now, Shinobu can’t come out and say all this, but her playful nature cannot help but show it, even if she has to take the most oblique of angles to get there.

…of course the warm leggings are so her fault…

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Now as we know the boy is a huge fool and cannot seem to get the punchline without help. She may be half a world away, but Tsubasa is always close. As she has traveled the world, I’m sure she got the perspective she needed, so much so that she enjoys her conversations with him, bitter-sweet as they may be to her heart. Show ▼

In the end this was quite literally a very loving chain. From Hitagi’s kitchen, to Araragi’s studying, to Shinobu’s playful mechanization, to Tsubasa fond tidings. It’s tough in the Oddity’s world, and you need moments like this to make sense of it all, and feel that even with some defeats you haven’t lost what is valuable. The big donut and the little donut, like nesting dolls…

…along with a bit of a comfy cuddle.

Buy The BD Year End Edit…

I think you can spot the changes….