Demi-chan wa Kataritai – 04
Machi is shocked – SHOCKED! – at Hikari’s boldness
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So the best social messages of the season are coming from the show featuring cute extra-human girls. It’s definitely the right way to go. |
Feeling the Pressure
Hikari is not one to let people hurt her friends… or anyone else
As we ended last week, Yuki was overhearing the gossipy girls in the bathroom trashing her for not being more friendly and for appearing arrogant. I kind of wonder if she went to Tetsuo’s room on purpose to seek his help, or just ended up there, but either way, he encounters her in the hallway waiting for him. And Yuki’s first conversation with him underscores her discomfort with being a Yuki-onna. While Hikari and Macchi are both rather blithe with their demi nature and seemingly comfortable with themselves, it’s certainly not a stretch to realize that they are somewhat rare, not just among demi girls, but among the whole population of high school girls.
Machi wins for reactions this week
But after talking with Sakie (which we’ll get to later), Tetsuo comes up with the idea that their small community of demis (and their demi-con teacher) can be good support for each other. This might be a little obvious, especially given that Macchi and Hikari are already pretty good friends, but it’s also good to have the teachers express the focused idea that they should feel more open about talking about their issues. I think that it’s also something that helps Sakie, as she is probably as isolated from all of those around her as anyone, which is part of why she’s so gung-ho to help out (we’ll get to the other part later). It really is a good idea, having someone with that outside perspective helping the girls to see that even though they are different kind of demis, the fact that they are demis is something that connects them. The other thing that connects them is that they all have a bit of a crush on Tetsuo. While the level of it ranges from Macchi’s “He’s so dreamy” kind to Sakie’s “He’s just the kind of guy I want” to Hikari’s “This is fun and I don’t want to be left out” crush, they, like everyone else, want to feel safe and reassured and connected with other people.
Yuki works up the courage for a hug
Standing Up For Your Beliefs
“I’m doing this for me, you can decide what you want to do afterward”
I like how they handled jerk girl’s reaction: too embarrassed to even look at Hikari
But the major message this week was Hikari’s reaction to the other girls talking in the bathroom about Yuki and other people. While the catalyst is their gossip causing Yuki to cry, Hikari’s speech isn’t about Yuki, or any other girls. It’s a general statement of policy, an ideal to live up to. Hikari doesn’t want to be the kind of person who talks about other people behind their back, for reasons that I think will become clearer later in the show (and if they are going to and you know it because you’ve read ahead, don’t even mention it in the comments. Seriously, enough with the “They’ll get to that later” and “You’ll be surprised at…” stuff). She really lays into the two girls who happen to be in front of her, and it shows a lot of fortitude that she is willing to do that. And even better, she’s completely honest and reflective about why she’s doing it: For her own satisfaction. Because that’s the person she wants to be. I loved everything about her speech, from her frankness to her resisting of the deflection about Yuki to her apology for being too blunt. To the reaction she had when she finally got home and just needed some silent comfort from Himari.
Someone just wants some comforting. Also the cross choker is kinda
funny given what Hikari said about that fashion going out in middle school
So Close!
Another person who has been doing some self-reflection is Sakie, who finally has the opportunity to talk to Tetsuo after having realized that his initial overtures to her were misunderstood by her, and after having seen his good side advocating for Machi and helping Hikari. Of course, she kinda goes overboard whenever she talks to Tetsuo, letting her attraction to him get the better of her, but I don’t know if it’s all about her crush on Tetsuo that leads her to act like that. I am starting to think that because she has to repress herself so much throughout the day, when she looses the reigns a little bit they can easily get away from her. We definitely saw her relax a lot with Machi the other day, and in this episode she really stakes out that position between the much more mature Tetsuo and the less mature high school girls. But she makes a good point, and it’s one that everyone, demi or not, would do well to remember: We evaluate others based on our own disposition. It is hard enough to see other people’s natures and motivations, but it is impossible when you filter everything through your own pre-conceived notions. Sakie has always had to rebuff people approaching her for the wrong reasons, so when someone approaches her, she assumes that it’s for the wrong reason. It takes a step back, a clearing of filters, to be able to see what’s really there. Sometimes what you then see is different from what you initially thought, even if sometimes it’s not.
Younger Sister Concerns
He was so close to acceptance, and Hikari blows it
One more topic (because man, do they get through a lot of things in an episode of this show), and that’s Himari’s suspicion of Tetsuo. This rides on the same chassis as what I just talked about: Himari doesn’t trust Tetsuo because she’s so focused on protecting her sister. Not only is she worried that he’s a demi-con, but that he has less than Hikari’s best interests in mind. So the opportunity to talk to him is actually something that sort of starts helping her believe that maybe he’s not just suspicious, especially after she bluntly asks him if Hikari’s vampire nature is the only thing that he’s interested in. His answer, that her normal girl aspects make her like a vampire, because it’s not what you’re born as that make you a particular type of person, it’s what you do with the things you are born with. This speech helps lower her hackles, to the point where she’d like her parents to hear what he said. There’s a whole lot of freight in that sentence of hers that may get unpacked later in the series, but for now she’s distracted by Hikari saying that Tetsuo hugged her. So much for trust.
Sakie Reaction Shots
(I Could Do This All Day)
So much to write about! It is frankly amazing that they can go so far afield in one episode of the show and still have it all tie together so well. We really didn’t get to any of Yuki’s issues this week, just that she’s concerned and uncomfortable with her demi self, but I think we’ll get to that next week. I’m still holding out hope for the time when Sakie can calmly tell Tetsuo what she really thinks about him, because I think it would take that kind of serious, on-point talk to get to a point where he could allow himself to be attracted to her because she wants him to be attracted to her, rather than him feeling like the only reason he is is because she’s a succubus, and that would make him a bad person. I want that to happen so much (just… don’t! No. This means you!).
About Highway
Proving that you don't have to be young to love anime, I enjoy all genres and styles of shows. If it's not hurting anyone else, you should never be ashamed of what you like!
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
It’s nice to see that Hikari has a side to her other than free spirit. She actually can be serious and she’s a really decent person.
The demi support group is an excellent idea. Due to their natures they do have issues that only another demi could relate to. And story wise it gives a reason for Tetsuo to constantly be interacting with the girls.
Poor Sakie, she can’t even get a hug. I’m sure she’s desperate to be able to have physical contact with another person, much like Rogue in X-Men. I really hope by the end of the series she and Tetsuo have become a couple.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Because she’s got that external conscience in Himari, I’m sure that Hikari couldn’t get too far off the straight and narrow. I do wonder if she had problems with that in her past, tho.
I would think that having other friends outside the demi group would be good for the girls as well, but it’s nice to have a group that’s predisposed to understand issues you have.
Yeah, Sakie really needs to learn how to approach Tetsuo. Although I wonder if that would be a problem since they are both teachers in the same school (some places have rules against that). It would really be a nice storyline, I think, if they were able to get Sakie to a point where she could get through to Tetsuo how she feels about him.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
The manga is still ongoing so it’s very doubtful you’ll get what you’re hoping for between Sakie and Tetsuo. Presently, there are only 26 chapters available at least for the English translation (the most recent chapter was released just yesterday) and that’s not enough to get much covered. The 4 available episodes so far have already adapted 11 of those 26 chapters with the upcoming episode beginning to cover the 12th one.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
When I said don’t talk about it, that also means don’t talk about it not happening.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
And there was no confirmation nor denial on the subject. Meaning it’s all in the air.
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Animes don’t always slavishly follow the source material, especially if there isn’t enough of it for a full season or if a second season seems unlikely. I realize Tetsuo and Sakie becoming a couple probably isn’t going to happen. I was just stating what I’d like to see and what’s wrong with that?
POWUH: Meta Resident with 1692 comments
Spammy.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Pretty much this…Also, Hikari is going to need more hugs. I’m thinking of some, at least temporary, outs between the sisters- just a feelin’
POWUH: Novice (36-50) with 46 comments
The relationships between the girls and Tetsuo (or Ironman, as he’s affectionately dubbed by the manga community) is one of the best things about the manga. And I’m glad to see it translated so well into anime form.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
He’s the dude, and the dude abides.