The Problematic of the Unproblematic

I know I’ve said this before, but I really love this show. I can see myself doing a full marathon this coming winter, watching while wrapped up in a blanket and eating hot muffins or scones trying to replicate the warmth and joy that I’ve found in this series. Also, as I've said to Panda, I am thankful to this show for giving Hidetoshi Nishijima a role where he is allowed to smile. We probably won't see this for another two years. I am extraordinarily thankful to kinounaniresource for not only her wonderful subs, but absolutely topnotch commentary and unfailingly thoughtful and kind responses to her readers. Please look her up on Tumblr if you want to watch the show, get news about show, or read translations of interviews and articles related to show. There has been some controversy about sites using her subs and her judgment about other subs, but I've ignored all of that.

I am feeling sad because we are at the penultimate episode. There is some talk about doing a sequel, but I don’t want any cast changes unless it’s an emergency ( for example the emergency cast change for Shiro's dad), so I don’t know how I would feel if they do it and only bring back half the cast. Once again we have a very poignant episode concentrating on the effect parents can and do have on their children through adulthood. We saw Kenji’s estranged relationship with his dad in the last episode. In this one, we go back to Shiro and his relationship with his parents, specifically what he perceives they want from him and an opportunity to rethink what he believes to be true.

If the last episode had us seeing how the wedding he attended made Shiro look at his relationship with Kenji in a different way, this week we get more background about Kenji and why he feels so insecure in his relationship with Shiro. We are approaching the end of this series, but it is so popular in Japan that people are talking about another season. There is plenty of material since the manga is so popular and started being published in 2007. I was trying to think of what picture from show to use in this opening, and I thought this bag really symbolizes the struggles and different perspectives that out favorite couple has to address.

I apologize for being a week behind, but like Shiro in this episode, I had to go to a wedding. Actually, I had to be in a wedding, which if you have ever been a bridesmaid, you know is a LOT of work. It was a whole weekend of labor—even before the wedding because I had to take out the breast pads in the bridesmaid dress because it made me look like I had four breasts, and I made cookies ahead of time as part of me convincing the bride that it wouldn’t be a good idea for us all to bake cupcakes together as a wedding day activity. So here I am a week behind in the recap, and forcing myself to do so before watching the new episode. Weddings (and funerals) really make you take stock of your life. This one has Shiro's wedding experience causing us and him to think about his relationship with Kenji in a different way.

I was excited to watch this episode because everyone has been saying how this was their favorite episode so far. However, I did not expect to be as moved as I was.  Kinounaniresource posted a link in her blog to an article about the show and its popularity in Japan based on the cooking in it. https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Life/Japan-s-latest-celebrity-chef-is-a-gay-lawyer-in-hit-TV-drama I’m not surprised. I’ve made all sorts of food in response to watching this show! Remember that I will add a link to recipe for dishes if I find them.

This episode gave us a bunch of fluff, which I think we all deserved after suffering through an episode of awkward Shiro. We don’t get a resolution of any repercussions at work (I’m sure that we will), but we do get to compare/contrast Shiro and Kenji’s relationship with Kohinata and Wataru and some role reversals which causes revelations for both the couple and viewers.

Sorry about the delay in recapping. It is true that I was very busy this weekend with all day events at work; however, episode 6 is exactly the kind of drama episode about which I hate writing. I know some people find embarrassing situations hilarious, so many people are going to probably list this as their favorite episode. I, on the other hand, get no pleasure out of embarrassing situations for essentially good people. And this episode is a cringefest. I found no pleasure rewatching to do this recap, so I’m going to make this one as short as I can manage (as you know I’m no good at summarizing). But this recap will be a little different. I won’t recap in order of the episode’s storytelling like usual, but I’ll recap each cringeworthy situation. Oh Shiro, what are you thinking?

As always thanks to kinounaniresource on tumblr for subbing this drama. It’s like a gift of the perfect blanket. She’s also subbed ep 6 and loves the show, so I’m pretty sure the subbing will continue to the end. She has Masters in Japanese studies, so she is not only fluent in Japanese, but she also gives other cultural information that is so important to really understanding the show like the New Year's traditions that are central to episode 5. She also has translated reviews of the show (good) and provides other information that you'd get from being able to read articles about the show. According to her, the show is doing really well in Japan, good enough to garner talks of a sequel. The only problem with that would be trying to fit anything around Hidetoshi Nishijima’s schedule. But why wouldn’t he be in high demand? He can pull off every single genre!

I would like to thank kinounaniresource for subbing this drama. It really is a boon to have someone do quality subs for a Japanese show, especially because subs are so few and inconsistent. Remember how there were no subs last week, and I thought I’d be able to catch up? Well our fantastic subber actually subbed two shows this week, so it looks like I will remain a week behind. Sorry to people who want recaps at the same time as episodes get subbed.

Bad news : There isn’t a new show subbed this week, but I’m not complaining because the subber promised to come back to subbing next week. I’m just thankful for subs in general for a Japanese drama, and then I found out that the subber’s first language is Finnish! Makes me feel like a slacker. Good news : This means that by doing the recap of episode 3 this week, I will be completely caught up since I’ve been a week behind. I will actually be able to do recapping while a drama still airs, which I know is more popular with people. This also means that I will probably eat less this weekend. This show makes me cook a lot more than I would usually now that I live alone; I even made sure I had the ingredients to make lasagna this weekend because the previews to the next ep show Shiro making lasagna.😋

Episode 2 It’s hot in July, and the fan is already on as Shiro packs up for work. Kenji walks in yawning and complaining about the heat, apologizing for sleeping late and thanking Shiro for making him an omelette.  Shiro warns him to either eat it or put it in fridge because of the heat, but Kenji is more interested in looking at today’s horoscopes. He smiles because Shiro’s horoscope today foreshadows a meeting with love. Shiro rolls his eyes indulgently, telling Kenji that he (Kenji)'s too old to believe in such things, but Kenji pouts. There is no age limit to love! Shiro smiles at him as he leaves. These two just give me the feels.

Trotwood: I’ve decided to work myself back into recapping by doing something small. I have been planning to recap Crisis with Hidetoshi Nishijima and Oguri Shun for awhile now, but I no longer have access to downloadable versions of the show with eng subs, and the project will take much more energy and emotion than I have now with the end of semester stress. I still want to do it, but it's going to have to wait until summer when my students are gone. Kinou Nani Tabeta also stars Hidetoshi Nishijima but is a warm, calm show (at least so far) and even though I don’t know how many episodes it will be (it’s based on the manga of the same name so . . .), each episode is only around 30 minutes, so it's much more manageable than most shows. It also is making me feel good--soothing even with angst. I mean look at our main couple at end of ep 1. Eating ice cream on the sofa at the end of a long day is exactly what I need at this time of year.