Jaku-Chara Tomozaki-kun 2nd Stage – 09 – Process and Outcome

Bless you, Mizusawa, for promptly and firmly calling Tomozaki out on his “masochistic crap”, i.e. his tendency to believe no one would ever choose him. He claims not to care whether or not Mizusawa continues his self-deprecating ways, but when he does it, he upsets people who like him … like Mimimi. Tomozaki can even recall times when Mimimi said basically the same thing Mizusawa is here: he should cut that crap out.

Hearing this harsh assessment of his unconscious defense mechanism, Tomozaki accepts that Mimimi likes him, and therefore he is worthy of being liked. It’s a big step that our boy Ichikawa in Dangers has also taken, and an important step to entering into a romance.

Hinami is glad Tomozaki has chosen two girls to pursue in Mimimi and Fuuka, and gives him what he deems to be difficult mini-goals because she knows he can pull them off if he tries. She also concedes that as his philosophy of balancing process and outcome (i.e. means and ends) has made him the top player as nanashi, he’s free to try the same method IRL.

Then Mimimi and Tomozaki meet for the first time since her confession-in-all-but-name, and they’re awkward and extremely sus, both to Hinami and Mizusawa. The latter told Tomozaki there was a possibility he could carry on with Mimimi like nothing was said, but that’s not looking so likely right now.

Mimimi really put herself out there, and if we’re honest, the ball is in Tomozaki’s court. He gets some leeway because he’s new to this romance stuff, but at some point he owes her an answer to the feelings she honestly and bravely expressed to him that afternoon.

Fuuka may be far less “aggressive” as Mimimi, but like jazz, it’s all about the things she’s not saying or doing, or the things she feels she has to qualify. Tomozaki gets the ball rolling on talking about what dating means to her, and it’s not surprising she gets her guidance from her favorite author.

A story about two people who are the only ones for one another, for whom no one else will do: it’s what she believes dating to be, and she probably sees Tomozaki that way, but like him is too scared to let herself believe she’s worthy of that scenario.

When Tomozaki and Mimimi meet again at lunch, it’s awkward again. Mimimi tries to tell him to forget about what she said in the interests of going “back to the way things were,” but she stops short of that, saying she’d rather he didn’t forget.

When they’re joined by Mizusawa and Hinami, those two are almost egging them on by talking about the rumors swirling about the two of them being a couple, while Tama is her usual lovably blunt self, giving Mimimi a couple of confused looks and declaring she’s being “weird.”

Maybe she is being weird, and maybe Tomozaki is being weird right back. But this initial discomfort and awkwardness is a crucial obstacle to overcome. As I said, Mimimi has been pretty clear to Tomozaki about how she feels, and he owes her some kind of response.

This new dynamic is so compelling, I have to admit I was a little disappointed that so much of the latter quarter of the episode was given over to Tomozaki narrating the gist of Fuuka’s story. That said, I like how there are many parallels: If the dragon is Fuuka’s story, delicate and precious, then she’s Kris, who tends to the dragon, while the princess Alusia is Mimimi and Tomozaki is Libra.

Fuuka is having the same problem as Tomozaki with whom to choose as Libra’s romantic partner, not wanting to ruin the nice vibes she’s created with the three of them. However, in adapting her short story for the stage, a bit of the magic that made the characters feel real was lost in an effort to make the parts easier to play.

Tomozaki recommends that Fuuka bring back the short story versions of the characters. It will be harder to perform them, but they’ll be that much more interesting both to the performers and the audience. Fuuka accepts his advice, accepting the higher difficulty is the key to unlocking the best version of her story.

At the same time, Tomozaki needs to do some serious thinking about what dating someone means to him, and ultimately who he’s going to choose. He’s perfectly justified in finding it hard to do so, as Mimimi and Fuuka are both incredibly kind and lovely girls. Rejecting either of them would be tough, even for a higher-tier character.

Shokugeki no Souma 2 – 08

When we learned the ingredient for the Autumn Elections final would be something as pure and elemental Pacific Saury (AKA sanma), I had a feeling the show would go all out in explaining the multitudes the seemingly simply fish contains.

Sure enough, when Todoroki accompanies Souma to the bustling pre-dawn fish market (a setting begging for an anime dedicated to it), the two spout off the usual tricks for picking the best fish—which turn out to be woefully inadequate compared to Souma’s opponents.

Ryo is also at the market. Ryo has always been at the market. He’s gone every morning for ten years, continually sharpening his instincts for picking the best fish by sight and feel. Hayama regularly attends, but needs neither hands nor eyes—he can pick the best fish by smell.

Alice is there to explain the differing curves in rigor index and muscle breaking strength, but Ryo, like Hayama, doesn’t care about any of that; he just knows when the fish is best. Sure enough, an impromptu sashimi mini-duel proves Souma’s fish-picking ability is worryingly deficient, when compared to the harsh competition.

In a rare display for Souma, he kinda freezes at the task before him: he has neither the natural instincts nor the time necessary to acquire them; on this matter, Ryo and Hayama simply have him beat. But as is so often the case with Souma, when he doesn’t like what’s being said, he changes the conversation (to paraphrase Don Draper).

Forget getting the the market first and picking the ideal fish; the other two will do it better. Instead, he’ll AGE the fish. He amasses a team of experts who just happen to be his friends/dormmates: Sakaki, Ibusaki, and Nikumi, a veritable dream team of food-aging consultants who are happy to lend their expertise.

Souma experiments with salt, smoke, temperature, humidity, and time to make up for his deficiency in fish selection and create the ideal blend of mouthfeel and umami. Due to sanma’s general simplicity, there’s nowhere for one’s weaknesses to hide; but at the same time, one cannot win this final without bringing out the fish’s complexity, like one unlocks a door.

Souma is close…very close. But Todoroko confirms his suspicion he’s still not quite there. With the final almost upon him, he comes up with one last idea that he doesn’t let anyone else (or us) in on. I like how the episode shows Ryo and Hayama’s doubt and unease when they see Souma isn’t there. They know he hasn’t thrown in the towel, so what is he up to?

That little scene of the two thinking is crucial, because it shows that Souma isn’t simply up against two elite heavyweights, but two other human beings with their own insecurities and uncertainties. They’re very very good, but they’re not invincible; no one is.

The day of the long-awaited final is marked by the introduction of a new third judge to accompany Dojima and Senzaemon…and it’s Alice’s mom from Denmark! She is every bit her daughter’s mother, even teasing Erina with Alice. And the initial sight of her as some kind of norse goddess being totally undone by her woeful command of Japanese created a big laugh.

This was a great build-up to the final, and increased by regard for samna immensely. Too bad my roommate can’t deal with all the bones!