Yuri Kuma Arashi – 11
Oh look, it’s spring time in Canada
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(Seriously, it’s still snowing here!) Here we are: the penultimate episode of Yurikuma. It’s been a wild yet bumpy ride so far. I can’t say I like Yurikuma as much as I liked Penguindrum, but it certainly has been an entertaining show. Oops, I’m talking like it’s already the end. Skylion and I will give you some more final judgements when the show is actually over! |
If last week was all about Lulu, then this week was all about Ginko. She mostly confirms everything that Lulu already told us, but it’s nice to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth so we know for sure that it’s true. What stood out to me the most was seeing how Ginko’s love for Kureha is actually quite an impressive thing. I’ve been a little confused about whether or not she’d be a good match for Kureha since she wavers from being kind to completely overrun by desires. But the flashbacks made me feel like Ginko really does love Kureha in the best way possible, it’s just difficult for her to express it properly.
Love can be clumsy. Despite her mistakes, Ginko has gone through a lot of pain just to get Kureha to notice her. She dragged her for miles in the snow, lived with her as a child, and even sacrificed Kureha’s memories of her in order to be a human. This is totally different from how Ginko appeared in the beginning of the series – a ravenous bear trying to do nothing more than eat Kureha.
Twinsies~
This is what it means for love to be worth fighting for. Ginko’s goals have always been changing, but they all seemed to be for the end goal of getting her promise kiss with Kureha. That flashback of Ginko waiting for the door to open for years just shows how unwavering she’s been in her intentions. Furthermore, she’s able to resist the temptation of lust shown by Yurizono. I’m not sure what the point of all that was to bring Yurizono back as a really weird metaphor for lust and then get rid of her immediately after. It didn’t add much to the story other than more lesbian doujin fantasy fuel. I JUST think the lust thing didn’t require an actual person floating around and going “ohhhhh we’re so hornyyyy”. Red eyes would be enough! Let Ginko tell us how she feels herself! Anyways, it was a relief to see Ginko leave Yurizono behind on the stairs – further cementing her resolve to get Kureha back.
I admire Ginko’s total devotion to Kureha, but that strength is also her weakness. She was so intent on getting her promise kiss that she accidentally got Sumika killed…and now her singular focus has also caused the death of Lulu. It’s good to know what you want in life, but it’s not good to become blind to everything else in your quest to obtain it. That is Ginko’s weakness because it hurts both other people (LULU NO) and herself (hence why she’s sick/burned/etc. through most of the series). Even good deeds can deeply hurt others. That is why Ginko’s pure wish to be a human and be loved by Kureha has turned into such a twisted story. In fact, most of the bears want things that aren’t really so bad. They just want to be loved. There’s nothing wrong with that – it’s just the ways they seek to achieve their goals that aren’t so hot. So maybe asking if your love is the true thing is meaningless. Maybe it’s about what you would do for true love that matters.
“I’d like a big mac and fries, gao.” “…I think you’re in the wrong place.”
Speaking of true love…I think Lulu’s love is the most powerful of all the characters in the entire show. Y’all know how much I love Lulu. How could I not fall in love with a girl as selfless as her? She literally sacrifices her life to save Ginko and everything she’s done up until now has been for her happiness. Even in death, she shows no signs of bitterness towards Ginko for ignoring her. In fact, she seems almost happy to die in her arms. I think this is because Lulu has already had her story told, and she’s content with that. She already learned her lesson from watching her brother die, whereas Ginko is only going through her trials and tribulations now. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Lulu gets a happy ending but perhaps Ginko can obtain one in her place.
I feel like we’re still missing out on a lot, but perhaps that’s because the scope of the story has remained firmly focused on Ginko, Lulu and Kureha instead of branching out more into this crazy world of invisible storms and severance walls. 12 episodes probably isn’t enough to do much world-building, but I do wish we had more episodes like the one describing Lulu’s past life and how things worked on the bear side of the wall. It’s too late for that now, so I’ll take what I can get with the finale. There’s only one episode left and I’m sure it will have at least one KUMA SHOCK to make things interesting.
Ginko, this is a serious scene! WHERE ARE YOU PUTTING YOUR LEFT HAND?!
About Overcooled
A neuroscience graduate, black belt, and all-around nerd. You'll either find me in my lab or curled up in my rilakkuma kigurumi watching anime.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Life Cool.
Mai poor kumas. All doomed to tragedy. T_T
It is interesting to noted that the kumas and the humans operated on the same principles of exclusion. Ginko ostracized for her love for a human and Kureha ostracized for her love for a bear. It sounds Romeo and Juliet but with more bearishness. Or like interfaith love. Ah… what an odd thing is love. But LOVE will break down all bearriers!
In the mean time, it is still amazing that I have avoided making Care Bear plush yuri… so far. Dunno how long that will last.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Being kuma is suffering…
They both have a lot of biases towards each other. It’s also interesting that the bears even exclude Ginko just for being wounded and unable to keep up with them. And that’s not even related to loving a human. So really, both sides aren’t all that different in how they operate.
Haha a care bear x yurikuma crossover definitely makes sense!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
It wouldn’t be a tragedy without one favorite character dying. Gao Gao…And speaking of Romeo and Juliet @Di Gi, we haven’t had a Mercutio style death cursing both houses, Human and Bear. But, I would say that Ginko is very much fortune’s fool.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
Oh Lulu…Goodnight, sweet prince! …Wait, wrong play.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
All shows this week are either on their penultimate or final episodes. Since next time Yuri Kuma’s curtain call, I’m guessing the last post will be a Tag Teamed one?
Ginko sure has been going above and beyond in order to get together with Kureha. Among all that she’s suffered to take a step forward, allowing Kureha to have memories of her erased was probably the most crippling.
If I had to guess, it was a test to see how much temptation Ginko can endure and if she has the willpower to resist. A way of determining whether it’s love or just base desire. The effect Yurizono had on with the red eyes was a nice touch. Showing Ginko firmly under her influence.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
This so far has bearly any sexx0rz. I expect hawt yuri sexx0rz next week.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Yep, it will be a Tag Team affair when next we meet.
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
I think they could have shown Ginko overcoming her lust in a way other than bringing Yurizono back for such a brief stint. I guess I can’t complain since it means more of Aoi Yuuki’s wonderful voice acting.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
And you’ll be getting more of it next season. Which show that will be, I’m not telling!!
POWUH: Meta Team and The Mad Scientist with 5525 comments
We’re totally not in the process of researching next season’s shows for a spring preview…*coughs* stay posted, guys *coughs*
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Oh, that is such a dead giveaway.