Usagi Drop 8 – 10
And the manly meeting of the Usagi Drop fanboys club commences~
~I was hoping to keep a good, on-track record for Usagi Drop, but as you can see, that didn’t last. Recently I’ve started college, and it’s taking some time to get used to my new schedule, night classes, and riding on the public bus for the first time (which is actually getting a bit fun). That coupled with homework and a reality show I need to catch because I’m so obsessed with it, poor Usagi Drop has been neglected these past weeks. But, I’m back and it’s time to get this re-cap started!
In a little change in perspective, episode 8 features more of Masako and her mangaka work as she works on a manuscript despite her exhausted state. Her friend/assistant takes her out for a bit of rest at a restaurant, where he tries talking her out working on another project. She gets overly upset however and rushes out of the restaurant.
On Daikichi and Rin’s end, the two go to visit Grandfather’s grave one day, but see that it’s already been cleaned with an ink bottle used as a mini vase to hold a single bluebell flower. Rin suddenly mentions that Masako had one…and with that, Daikichi goes off to see if he can find her. He manages to spot her with her friend and follows them until he makes a noise to capture her attention. Daikichi tells her straight-forwardly that Rin is here with him and asks if she’d possibly want to take a peek at her while they go about their business at Grandfather’s grave. As Daikichi returns to Rin, Masako is seen in the bushes, eyeing her daughter.
After the grave visiting, Rin asks to go to Grandfather’s house, but since Daikichi’s uncle now owns it, they can only go in the yard. Once they step inside however, the entire yard has been covered with pebbles so that even Grandfather’s bellflowers are now gone. Rin, a bit devastated at first, realizes they have his favorite flowers at home and keeps on smiling. Later that evening, Daikichi brings out a birthday cake and celebrate Rin turning seven years old.
Onto episode 9, the focus heads a little bit on Kouki, who comes over every morning to go to school together with Rin. During a drawing activity, Kouki gets in trouble for not drawing, and then not bringing his drawing board. Once he finally sits down to draw, two other boys take his hat and run around with it. Rin, who’s been eyeing them the whole time, gets irritated and runs over to him. She tells him firmly to sit down, draw, and not let the other boys get him in trouble. Kouki simply says okay, and does what she says, surprising everyone.
Later, Daikichi goes to pick up Rin, who’s one of the last at the daycare along with Kouki. They decide to take him along with them home during a bad storm. Kouki’s mother, Yukari, comes to their house later on and helps with dinner, where the four eat together. Yukari decides it time for them to leave once Kouki starts nodding off. Before heading out into the drizzle of rain coming down, Daikichi brings an umbrella over them to keep them dry until they get into the taxi~
In the latest episode, Daikichi visits Rin’s school for their cultural festival, where he meets other dads and finds out about Rin’s exceptional drawing skills she may have gotten from her mangaka mother. He finds Yukari later on and the four walk home together. However, Rin starts acting strange, and Yukari notices her face looking flushed. Upon feeling her forehead, she tells Daikichi she has a fever, which does indeed get higher as the evening progresses.
The next morning, Yukari and Kouki show up and he tells her about Rin’s condition. It’s then she pulls him away to give him some strong advice, that as the adult, he needs to keep calm and tell her it’s going to be all right. Once she leaves, Daikichi is left alone to try his best to take care of Rin until Yukari and Kouki appear again in the evening. She makes special rice gruel for Rin that she says helps you get better faster. Sure enough, when Daikichi wakes up in the morning, Rin is up, her face back to its normal color. At daycare the next evening, Daikichi asks Kouki to his mother thank you for helping them out. Kouki, however, asks if he can go home with them since his mother is sick with a cold~!
End thoughts: First off all, if you hadn’t known, PUFFY made a voice-guest appearance on episode 9 as the daycare ladies! Not too surprised since their song is used as the opening, but it’s still pretty interesting.
Anyone remember Puffy Ami Yumi? I still do.
Anyways, these past three episodes were great. I was beginning to feel abit of a slump with Usagi Drop, but they quickly made it interesting again in episode 8 with Masako finally seeing Rin (and on her birthday, no less!). We really got to see her mentality as to why she pushes herself so hard with her work. Masako says it’s because she’s scared about getting dropped, but you also see hints that there’s something deeper there. And it’s the fact that she gave up her own child to get herself to where she is now (hence her, “I’m alone for the sake of my work”). If she doesn’t get dropped, then giving up Rin wouldn’t have felt so wrong. And it took me three times of watching this episode to realize that she’s possibly trying to forget that feeling of regret, that feeling of maybe she shouldn’t have done what she’d done. After that episode, I have a feeling we won’t see Masako again, especially now that the series is close to its end.
As for episode 9, I couldn’t stop giggling while watching it, hurr. I absolutely ADORE Kouki so having an episode focused on him was just what I wanted, and I’m not surprised it’s become one of my favorite episodes. It felt very playful and fun, not extremely sweet or cute, which I must admit I’m getting a little tired of. Ugh, I just love Kouki’s and Rin’s friendship. Rin is definitely the boss, being mature and setting Kouki straight when he gets a bit troublesome and wild (boys will be boys, eh?). That scene of them during their drawing activity was golden. I just adore those opposite pairings~
Episode 10 broke my heart though, seeing Rin so sick. The episode felt kind of somber, which had me very distraught throughout since I’m so used to its usual light tone. I was definitely waiting on edge till Rin got better. Kouki’s mother, Yukari (I finally found her name out!) was incredible~ I loved how calm she was and how much she helped Daikichi, who showed another one of his weakness of being a new parent. She seemed so lovely this entire episode. I’m just sad that now she’s sick in bed -sob- As to well they’ll continue this sick faze, we’ll just have to wait until next week then~.
About Hoshi
A tired, over-dramatic 20 year old college student who likes manga and cheesy Korean boy bands. Prone to succumb to laziness and refuse to work for hours on end.
POWUH: 800-899 and Flying Sage with 856 comments
I hope they continue next episode with Yukari being sick. I like her character a lot. She is quiet, but very believable as a person. I don’t know if Daikichi has a shot with her or not, but bringing her some soup while she’s sick couldn’t hurt.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Hope you’re settling in at college~ =w=
I’m so crushed that there’s only one more episode left of this amazing show. Why does it have to end at 11 episodes? D:
I thought the drama over the cold was a littttle too dramatic. I watched it with my mom and she was like “uhh, I definitely didn’t do that when you were sick.” XD I know they have jobs where taking time off work can be risky, but still…CALM DOWN. GEEZ. Kids need to get sick and build up their immunities!
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1557 comments
Only one more episode?!? Noooooooooooooooo!!!!!
｡･ﾟ(ノД`)ﾟ・。
I thought there was something different with the daycare ladies, but I couldn’t put my finger on it… interesting they did a cameo.
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
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POWUH: 1100-1199 and Meta's Evil rice-flour Product with 1137 comments
NO NO NO NO DONT END!
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