R-15 11: And now for something completely insensitive

Who knew that Fukune-chan had such great legs?

Or that despite the fact that she’s going through severe emotional trauma, that she’s never been depicted as anything other than ‘cute’, and that I should be thinking of ways to comfort her (assuming she was real) – I can still be thinking of her in impure ways?

No, that’s not really the insensitive bit. The real insensitive stuff is yet to come.

I’m not really enthusiastic about this review, because 1) this episode contained way more drama than I had expected for a fanservice anime, which gives my usual irrelevant fanservice commentary nothing to work with, and 2) because my frank honest opinion would expose me as one heck of a cynical bastard.

Okay, I’m just going to be upfront. I think Fukune-chan is grossly overreacting, and emotional/psychological trauma aside, there are worse things that could have happened to her.

Her whole emotional declaration that she hates music? After I recovered from the endorphin rush and replayed that scene, I felt such intense annoyance. So what if she screws one performance up?

Because really, in the real world, if you’re blessed with a talent and the circumstances to profit handsomely off said talent, no matter how much you hate said talent, and no matter how many times you might have embarrassed yourself beforehand, you’d still endure it for the cash.

We’re not talking about the Genius Dowsers or the Genius Diggers here, who could probably be substituted by portable sonar and a couple excavators, respectively. Those guys, I’d completely understand if they lost it like Fukune-chan did.

But Fukune-chan has the whole concert hall filled with respectable-looking folk – and by respectable I mean rich. People rich enough to wear obnoxious things like top hats in this day and age. Chances are, even despite the screwup, she would still be attracting packed venues at future recitals. She could probably perform once a year and still buy a customized A380 when she hits 20.

Okay, so I am looking from the perspective of the unemployed virtual bankrupt that is myself, and not through the eyes of a 15 year-old girl who hasn’t yet realized the importance of financial assets in life.

I must say that her dad is one hell of an arsewipe.

I am all for making kids go through performances and public speaking and all that stuff when they’re young, because you can break the fear of such things when they’re young and immune to that adult disease known as self-consciousness.

But telling your kid that she exists only to play the clarinet? If she wasn’t insecure then, she definitely is now.

I do realize that my train of thought is extremely fragmented. Because her dad’s nonsense is obviously the root of the problem here, and it probably messed with Fukune-chan’s psyche for years.

Because now that I’ve gone off on that rant, I can look at Fukune-chan and feel sorry for her like I usually would once again. I guess I just needed to vent and Fukune-chan’s circumstances were ideal for that purpose.

Here’s hoping she gets a really nice happy ending in the final episode.

Other musings:

I’m still undecided on where I stand on Utae’s pursuit of happiness.

On one hand, she’s a really nice girl, and if she decides that Taketo will be the one to make her happy, I can’t possibly say it’s wrong. On the other hand – although it’s no fault of her own – thinking of making a move on Taketo while Fukune-chan was missing was really underhanded.

Although she did catch herself there. Respect +1.

I do wonder what Cheerleader Genius Girl’s (I can’t be arsed to check her name) words might mean to Utae though. Perhaps Utae will ‘be honest to herself’ and realize that she doesn’t really love Taketo all that much and it was all just emotional baggage that he happened to involve himself in and she will finally be able to move on.

Raikaaaaaa. I don’t know whether I ought to be frustrated with you or not.

Yes, it’s great that you want to be the non-interfering neutral observer and all, but bros before carthartic-photographic-masterpieces-that-reveal-the-human-condition, after all.

On an unrelated note, I’m starting to find her sexy again.

And because R-15 is still technically a fanservice anime, here are the obligatory fanservice screencaps and stitches. Assuming you can still be aroused after all that drama.

Seriously though? Drama and fanservice just don’t mix.

Unless you’re into NTR. I ain’t judging.