'1 Pound no Fukuin' episode 2 comments
Again, bullet point comments.
- Kame continues the trend of making hilariously funny faces! I would list my favorites, but there are too many.
- In the beginning after he comes up with his plan to make Sister Angela go on a date with him (if he wins his next match, then his 'reward' will be a date with her - it's funny how he decides this all by himself and he doesn't think to ask her if she even wants to go on a date with him - confident much?), he runs back to the training facility and I swear this moment kills me every time I watch it: he runs in, yelling his head off, and like the crazed idiot that we all know Kousaku is, he grabs the pillar and spins around it madly twice before dashing upstairs to find the chairman. Oh, Kousaku ! You big...adorkable...idiot.
- Another favorite moment: the group is all working out and when a break is called, Kousaku keeps skipping his rope straight through the break and then starts calling out, "Sister, sister, sister, sister! Angela, Angela, Angela, Angela!" First, Kame looks so beautiful when he's skipping rope - his motions are so fluid and graceful - and Kousaku is just precious in his intensity and the way Sister Angela inspires him onwward.
- This episode helped me warm up to Sister Angela a bit more (although not, unfortunately, to Meisa) - it's clear she's rather unworldly and lacking in experience. She was raised in the convent and she doesn't really seem to know anything about life outside of it. It seems like she's never imagined any other life for herself than the one she has. Realistically this is fairly dangerous for someone in a vulnerable position as I think she is. It's unclear whether becoming a nun was a true vocation for her or if it was something she fell into as a natural progression of her childhood in the convent. [I know this is a comedy and I shouldn't take anything seriously, but honestly, this could not happen in any convent set up in a modern city today - there are a lot of checks in place to make sure that a prospective nun knows what she is sacrificing; Sister Angela seems to have no idea that she isn't like other so-called 'normal' women. Obviously this is Fake!Japanese!Catholicism.]
- I'm afraid my desire to box Yamada's ears is increasing with each ep. The scene where he waves the food under Kousaku 's nose makes my fingers itch.
- Kousaku eating all those dumplings! ♥ Satomi furiously chasing after him on her bicycle is so funny - she makes wonderful scary faces. The image of her cycling toward the nuns who are running toward her is even more hilarious!
- Sister Angela really doesn't seem to know what to say in response to Kousaku 's proposition of the cruise-boat date, which underlines for me her inexperience. She genuinely doesn't seem to understand Kousaku 's determination.
- Asami Reina is so pretty in this episode! And so different from the OLs I've seen her play. I'm not so sure I could be enthusiastic about my husband boxing the way she seems to be - the risk of head injuries alone would give me nightmares.
- I love how Satomi is steadfastly unrepentant at the convent when the nuns want her to apologize for Kousaku violating the sanctity of their no-men-allowed domain.
- Lessons Sister Angela Learns About Men:
- men are selfish.
- men need to be bossed around to be strong on their own.
- men need encouragement.
- I DO like how Sister Angela is impressed by Kousaku 's work ethic...and how she is irresistibly drawn into saving him from himself. ;) Throwing the ball at him to distract him from food was funny.
- When Sister Angela slaps Kousaku , I really liked what she said because it is really the question any women would ask in her situation: "what do you know about me?" It's too bad that Kousaku doesn't seem to get it - that she's asking a truly fundamental question. He doesn't know anything about her and hasn't even tried to get to know her. This is perhaps his greatest mistake with her. I am beginning to wonder what kind of prior dating experience Kousaku has to be so spectacularly clueless about a woman.
- When Kousaku is moping later and complaining about the strangeness of Sister Angela not being allowed to go on dates, I love how Ueda pulls him up short: "but isn't it the same for us?" He makes an excellent point that stops Kousaku , but I'm not sure the point really sinks in. Everyone makes sacrifices in their lives for the things they want or the things they believe in. Sister Angela has sacrificed dating, marriage and children to dedicate herself to her faith while Kousaku sacrifices eating to his heart's content (not to mention sleep and relaxation) in order to train to be the best boxer he can be.
- The only time the illusion of Kame-as-Kousaku cracks for me is in the scene where Katsumi tells Kousaku that winning a boxing match isn't going to get the girl - Kousaku says "I have no choice but to win." That moment felt so serious to me - all of Kousaku 's light-hearted manic stupidity was gone and there was something too fierce and driven. ;)
- Perhaps the only moment I don't like Kousaku is when he crushes Kurusu's hand at the weigh-in. :( Don't be so mean, Kousaku - I hate bullies, and he only does it because Kurusu is fearful of the match so he knows he can intimidate him.
- I love Asami's scarf!
- Again, I have to give props to Kame for making me believe him as a boxer - he carries himself with such confidence and he performs the final boxing sequence with a fabulous fierceness. It's wonderful! I really believe in his fearlessness - realistically one would imagine that a 'pretty boy' like Kame would be too terrified of being hit in the face, right? In this role, Kame makes me forget that he's an idol.
- I really love Kousaku in the final scene when it...almost...seems like he's come to an acceptance of Sister Angela's rejection. Only this is Kousaku we're talking about so he latches onto even the slightest of hopes like a drowning man.