Beauty in Disorder: An Ode to Sex Hair (on Listless Ink)

Today I have a guest entry on Listless Ink, fresh and hot for your reading pleasure.  As you can guess, it’s about a subject very dear to my heart.

Big thanks to Yi for playing host!  She’s a lovely human being and a brilliant blogger–  I’m particularly a fan of her posts on BDSM and typography.  Be sure to check her out, if you haven’t already.

 

Jingle-Jangle and the Duckie Ending: Two Mini-Entries on Hanasaku Iroha

This is the moment when most people probably decide to skip the OP.

And right here's when I thought I should give it another chance.

Nano.RIPE’s Post-Punk Touch

In my mind, indie rock in Japan has two really great currents: One is the atmospheric post-rock material produced by Mono and Spangle Call Lilli Line.  The other is post-punk revival acts that focus on poppy, pleasant melodies, like Advantage Lucy and Swinging Popsicle.

Listening to nano.RIPE, I can hear some influence from slightly harder bands like Asian Kung-Fu Generation and Judy and Mary, but the opening to Hanasaku Iroha still definitely has that post-punk touch.  I think people are just turned off by the start–  Once you get past those unpolished vocals, it’s a surprisingly nuanced tune.  I quite like it, so give it a chance.

Minko’s Tears Will Be Delicious

Have you ever seen the film Pretty in Pink?  It’s the quintessential 80’s teen film: Molly Ringwald plays a poor girl who gets asked out by one of the popular kids, leading to tons of melodrama and a finale to the tune of “If You Leave”…  You get the picture.  But there’s an interesting story about one of the other characters, a geeky kid named Duckie.  He’s the girl’s best friend, kiddingly(-but-totally-not-kidding-at-all) in love with her, and she was originally supposed to fall for him by the end of the film.

Test audiences hated it.  Hence the film we know, where Duckie gives her up so she can be with the rich boy, and he ends up with some random other girl at the prom as compensation.

On the bright side, imagine all the wonderful NTR doujinshi we'll get.

Poor Ko.  Becoming friends with the girl you love and hoping one day she’ll reciprocate–  Don’t you know that’s suicide?  There’s research that says women are more pragmatic and mindful of friendship when it comes to love, yes, but those are adults.  Ohana is a teenage girl.  For that matter, you are a teenage boy.  And Tohru is all man, baby.

Do I think Ohana will end up with Tohru in the end?  Maybe.  I see the growing romantic tension between them, and I admit I do kind of hope for it, as my title no doubt suggests.  But either way, I’m not holding my breath for the Duckie Ending.  Welcome to the world, Ko.

 

Song for Ohana (Sonnets for Screenshots #2: Hanasaku Iroha)

(Note: Gone wandering again.  Seoul-searching.    I’ll be back next week.  – 2DT)

Your legs go on forever in my mind,
Though shrouded coyly ‘neath such fabrics plain.
With aid from camera angles can we find
This beauty master sculptors couldn’t feign.

I find it must be purposeful so far;
Each episode that I have seen to date
Sneaks on those legs with subtlety on par
Wi’the yuri vibes twixt Nanoha and Fate.

“The ABCs of Blooming” rings quite true–
You bloom, Ohana, at heart more than you know.
Although, my dear, we’ve a suspicious view
Of other ways you’re blooming in this show.

The blogosphere expected “art,” alas!
Yet art it is; behold that fine round

And beautiful face.  What?