If Voice ep05 doesn't come out soon, I think I might literally start clawing at the walls. :/
So, in my sickly times, I wanted some lighter shows to watch instead of having to, like, read words on the screen, so I went with Fringe, thinking, well. I always meant to pick it back up again, despite that episode 1x05 (where I left off) was kind of a bomb, I wanted to see if it got better.
And boy did it! I mean, sure, it's still a fluffy TV show that's very silly at times, but it found its groove again and I'm actually honestly enjoying the mytharc stuff, I want to know where all of this is going (apparently JJ Abrams and company wrote from the series finale backwards, so they know where this is all going?) and I'm actually enjoying the way things are slowly connecting and the recurring hints we get.
But mostly I'm enjoying that, damn, Olivia Dunham actually is a truly kickass character. She gets to be hardcore when she needs to be and yet doesn't come off as being a ballbuster or trying too hard. She just is what she is and carries the show surprisingly well.
I mean, I'm still in this for Joshua Jackson's character because I'm weak to his type and they're hitting me super hard with the father - son dynamic that I'm so weak to. (Seriously, I almost went looking for Fringe fic just because I wanted to play with that some more, except I know fandom would never do it as well as the show has been doing it.) And I'm surprisingly non-committal on the Peter/Olivia stuff that they're obviously building up. I don't actively ship it, but I don't hate it, either. I'm truly content to see where things go.
It's kind of refreshing actually! as;dflkjaslkjaslkj I need 1x15 now plz, though. orz
Anyway. Usual blah, blah, blah, and then on to Kamen Rider Kabuto ep 44, with SPOILERS for the episode listed at the very least (and very likely all the way to the end, especially since this is the final stretch), I don't plan these things in advance, we'll see from there.
Kamen Rider Kabuto episode 44: So, picking up where episode 43 left off, Hiyori says she's not coming back to this world, Dark Tendou is all see~? and then sneaks behind her to fire off a shot at Tendou, who's knocked out of the way by Kagami. Interesting that, as Kagami throws them both off to the side, despite all that's happening around Tendou with Hiyori there, he still shouts Kagami's name to make sure he's okay before turning back to Hiyori and Dark Tendou. Hyper Kabuto leaves Tendou, who falls to his knees and slowly realizes what the pieces of paper blowing towards him are, the tattered pieces of her drawing. Later that night--and just how long did they stay out there, if Kagami's slumped against the railing and Tendou's leaning against it to look out over the water and it's clearly not afternoon or early evening anymore, it's full on night??--Tendou broods and Kagami now has the piece of Hiyori's drawing in his hand.
It's an interesting turn to take, the way Tendou reacts here and the way Kagami is drawn into this. Tendou's openly showing grief (even if Kagami's not looking directly at him, he's talking and Tendou hears him) while Kagami wonders if Hiyori really plans to stay with that mimic, while Tendou says, if she's really happier that way... it's painful, but there's nothing he can do about it. It's a lot of progress for Tendou, he's sharing this moment with someone else, opening up and not keeping it all bottled up inside. It's also way less crazypants than he was before and that's total emotional continuity right there--previous episode has Kagami reminding Tendou that there are other people who love him, too, and re-gronding him and so he's not so crazypants here. I also actually really love that Kagami looks up at him for a moment, not really sure what to say, and just lets Tendou be. Because that's what he needed right then.
Not much later, Renge runs up and says that she saw the solar eclipse and Tendou gets excited that there is an exit to the edge of time/space... except... if Hiyori doesn't want to come back, then it's pointless. And, again, it's Kagami who looks at her drawings and says that he thinks that's not true somehow, while we see Dark Tendou curling up against Hiyori's side and saying thank you for earlier, that he'll be by her side forever. She looks over and smiles softly at him and you kind of do get the impression that she doesn't hate Dark Tendou or anything, that she feels for him, too. He really is an interesting mix of Tendou and Native, obviously Tendou's personality imprinted incredibly strongly on him, if he's hyper-focused on Hiyori like this, yet there's obviously a lot of differences, too.
(Though, it is interesting that he's focused only on Hiyori, but not on the other people in Tendou's life. The lack of interest in Kagami is easy enough to figure out, since we can assume that Dark Tendou copied Tendou awhile ago, but what about Juka? Tendou has been around Juka even longer.)
Anyway, this episode is still doing the 24 thing with the split screens, while the Worm try to get close to Area Z, but only briefly, and the Worm are pretty much kicking ZECT's ass. The Hoppers watch for awhile, but Yaguruma decides to leave and Kageyama is like, but aren't you going to defeat that Worm? Yaguruma says he envies Kageyama, he still has the cinders of heroism left, kicking him down when Kageyama says, but in the past you used to.... And, aww, poor little bitch, I actually feel even more for him this time around.
Next, Renge's reporting to Tendou about how the Worms are advancing on Area Z which is where the Masked Rider System is, which would be really bad for them. So, Tendou's going to have to go, pulling up the garage door to see Kagami standing there and he says he's going, too. (And also looking really hot, jesus, Kagami. *___*) Tendou actually seems surprised to see him there, like he didn't sense Kagami at all, but says, "You, return to the hospital." and it's surprisingly... you know, not bitchy. But Kagami points out that Tendou can't beat that Worm by himself, which makes Tendou look at him with a serious expression.
More split screens, more Zectroopers getting their asses handed to them, and they're down to the final defense line. They retreat, but Misaki isn't fast enough to avoid Nogi Reiji dropping down in front of her, saying at least she's worthy of being food, a prospect among the worthless humans. Well, you have to give him that he had taste at least. Tsurugi, of course, has sensed that she's in danger and shown up at just the right time, holding her and then crouching over her to shield her from the blows, giving it everything he has. And I love this scene. Love it. Because he calls her Misaki. Because he said she was right, that he can't beat this Worm. But he can protect her! Because he holds on long enough for Tendou and Kagami to show up! Because it's such an amazing moment of growth for Tsurugi and because I love the hell out of Misaki/Tsurugi. Enough to kind of want to cry at this scene, because I know what's coming.
Even the awesome of Tendou and Kagami riding up side by side isn't enough to distract me from the heartache of watching Tsurugi and Misaki fall in love like this. But it is still awesome and I love the side by side pose while they watch Tsurugi apologize to Misaki for not seeing her feelings clearly before and watching Zectroopers pull up with a stretcher to get him medical attention. They watch him being taken away, obviously not entirely unmoved, Kagami saying, jeez, that Tsurugi, putting up such a brave front... Tendou echoing "A brave front..." and Kagami realizing that that's it, that's what Hiyori was doing, too. He pulls out the tattered pieces of the drawings, which Tendou looks at in surprise and a muted sort of disbelief/hope, while Kagami explains that Hiyori wants to return, if she didn't, she wouldn't have drawn such a warm picture. And, seriously, it's not just that Kagami is drawn into the scenes where Tendou has realizations about Hiyori, it's that Kagami is having them and telling them to Tendou, in a way that's really a lot like family. He really is sort of like Big Brother #2 to Hiyori sometimes and Tendou seems to not just accept this, but to actually rely on it. (Like with this scene, but also when he depends on Kagami to be the one to rescue her and take care of her if he doesn't come back alive.)
I love that, for a few moments, when Tendou realizes Kagami's right, that he's not even trying to be cool anymore. Kagami says, hurry up and bring her back, and he's like, "Okay. *nodding*" and it's kind of adorable. But first they have a Worm to defeat and Kagami's like, yeah, but how do we do that? Tendou looks... honestly, it's kind of an earnest look (or at least the Tendou version of it) that he gives Kagami and says, "Earlier you said... if it's us, we can defeat him, right?"
DOT DOT DOT, KABUTO. HOW AM I NOT SUPPOSED TO TAKE THAT AS TOTALLY GAY?
BECAUSE IT IS.
IT'S EPIC OTP GAY, JESUS.
Kagami's like, y-yeah, but that was just to raise your spirits. >__> But Tendou is like, "That's right. If Kabuto and Gatack attack simultaneously... then he can't copy the attack." Kagami is totally adorable as he's like, YEAH THAT'S WHAT I MEANT TO SAY. >__> and Tendou just smiles at him. Like, not even a smirk or a bitchy smile, it's just a happy one. Then, because that wasn't OTP enough, they both square off side by side and transform at the same time. They even go into Ex-Mode at the same time and turn around to leave at the same time, the only difference being the Hyper Zecter that Kabuto uses. Renge calls and says that there's another solar eclipse, so Tendou realizes that it's the Hyper Zecter that creates a tear in time/space somewhere.
Kagami says, Tendou. You go get Hiyori, I'll handle this until you get back and then the two of them will defeat this Worm together. And THEN THE FISTBUMP. Kagami holds his arm up for it and Tendou pauses for a moment like he's smiling to himself and says, all right, then returns the fistbump and AUUUGGGHHH, I don't care if it makes me a retarded OTP fangirl, I love that moment with all my heart.
So, Tendou leaves and I remember thinking, the first time I watched this, "How the hell is he going to find the exit to time/space? Just drive around Tokyo until he happens to run across it?" but I almost sort of forgot this time because I know what he's going to do. At the same time, Gatack takes on the Worm and Tendou rides through Tokyo and Kageyama comes to help Gatack with TheBee and it's almost kind of sweet how he pauses for a moment to look at the Zecter in his hand before transforming. Poor baby really does just want to mean something.
Kabuto also goes into Ex-Mode with the bike and AHAHAHAHA LOL STILL FUNNY, especially when he just TAKES OFF INTO THE AIR TO FLY TOWARDS THE SUN. Gatack and TheBee are fighting against Cassisworm, doing a Rider Sting and Rider Cutting mostly at the same time, but that still doesn't work because he just reflects the attacks back, one with each hand.
At the edge of time/space, Tendou is waiting for Dark Tendou and Hiyori to come up the hill and he's got his cool back now. Dark Tendou isn't very pleased to see him, but is still playful while Hiyori's surprised. At Area Z, TheBee abandons Kageyama (and I swear it does a little "Fuck you, nyah, nyah." gesture before it zips off again) while Yaguruma watches, the Zecter approaching Yaguruma for a moment, obviously offering, but Yaguruma just nods it off, like, get out of here. The Zecter actually does sort of hang around Yaguruma for a moment, like it really seemed to want him back. I swear those little things have personalities.
Kageyamga clings to Yaguruma's ankles, saying that he came to save him, right? That Yaguruma will avenge him, right? Which is not all that unlike the scene from the previous episode where Tendou was clinging to Kagami's ankles and he was saved. But they're not Kagami and Tendou, they're not on the path to the heavens or on the side of good, so Yaguruma instead grabs ahold of the wrist with the brace on it, hard enough to really hurt.
Dark Tendou says to Tendou, man, you're persistant, didn't Hiyori already tell you she wants to stay here instead? He's not walking the path of heaven, instead he's going to live as Hiyori's big brother, Kusakabe Souji, and live to always protect her. Also note that this reinfornces the whole thing where Tendou Souji is distanced from the people he's protecting, rather than actually being in their lives, like Kusakabe Souji would have been. "Can you do that?" Dark Tendou asks petulantly and it's actually a good point. Tendou has always been at a distance, always watched over them from afar, not actually living as Hiyori's older brother, but as her protector. She didn't really need that, she needed family. Which Tendou had to learn how to do and these last couple of episodes have been about getting him to see that again.
"I... cannot always be by Hiyori's side," Tendou says. And that's true. In order to actually be a normal person in her life, he can't constantly be by her side, Kagami showed him that just by being Kagami and not always being there, but being important, you'll never convince me that it wasn't Kagami who showed Tendou that. Especially not when they just had a scene where Kagami tells him to go and that they'll finish this together when Tendou's done.
"See! He would rather protect the world than Hiyori!" Dark Tendou throws back at him, which Tendou says he'll do, he'll protect the world, the world where Hiyori can return to. But she's a Worm, she says, she shouldn't be in that world. "You just happened to be born a Worm. That's all," Tendou says, trying to get her to understand.
(Actually, according to chat logs, my response to that scene? "...well, mostly I thought, 'Yeah, he can't always be by her side, that would make epic makeouts and Saturday nights with Kagami kind of awkward.'")
But Worms are humanities enemies, right? Which isn't right at all, he doesn't fight them just because they're Worm. They wrong humans, they trample over their hopes and dreams, he only defeats those Worms. Also, the battle of Gatack versus Cassisworm plays while Tendou's voiceover continues and that's kind of gay, Kabuto. Cassisworm taunts him with how badly he's doing and what shape he's in and isn't Kabuto going to come and help you~? Kagami yells at him to shut up and says, "Like you'd understand the bond between us!"
............................wh-what. ._____. I remember that from the first time around, too. It's still not any less gay.
I also wibble at the scene where Hiyori asks if it's okay for her to live and Tendou, the one who had his family taken away by Worms and who stole everything from him, says that he's glad she was born. They never really say it, but Tendou's the only one who can say that, because he was the one that lost everything when her parents mimicked the Kusakabes, they were the ones that stole the Kusakabes' lives. So, for Kusakabe Souji to say that he was glad she was born, that's what she needed to hear. ;__;<3 Same for the scene where she slowly, slowly steps foward, then starts running towards his outstretched hand and Dark Tendou tries to reach out for her, but she's already gone, and wah. My heart. ;__; Or the tears in his eyes when he cries her name or the way he sinks to his knees, alone and abandoned and stripped of everything again.
Back in the world, Hiyori says it's okay for him to go, to protect it. Her world. He leaves her with his jacket around her shoulders, while the fight with Cassisworm keeps going. Gatack is still standing, but obviously worn down, and things aren't looking good, they might have to destroy Area Z. And, wow, that is a whole shitload of Worms in the background of that fight. Tadokoro-san is about to detonate the whole place, Nogi Reiji saying this is boring, this is the god of battle, as Gatack is hit with another attack.
Kabuto chooses that moment for a flashy entrace, of course, Kagami asking what about Hiyori? Tendou says he was able to save her, thanks to you, meaning both because Kagami held off Nogi Reiji, but also because Kagami put the pieces together for him. And it's hard to put into words why this isn't just about Kagami being a useful sidekick, but that he's truly on the same level as Tendou know, that this would not be possible to have achieved without him. It wasn't just that he got lucky in the right moment or that he provided one special extra thing that sparked off the turning point in the battle. Kagami is doing half of the heavy fighting in these battles, he's the one who time and again provides something that Tendou can't and vice versa. Neither could do it alone, they were both needed.
"If we work together, we won't lose to anyone," Tendou says and that's really it right there. Tendou's not just bolstering Kagami's spirits, he needs Kagami for this. To sort of parallel this, Yaguruma shows up and, even though he was harsh to Kageyama, he says, are you the one that laughed at my partner? And, god, they are such a retarded, fucked up OTP. So, all three of them level a Rider Kick to the face and I kind of love this with an unholy glee yet again. I even love the way it's shot--Kick Hopper jumps up immediately to fly through the air, while Gatack and Kabuto stand side by side to line up their Rider Kicks as well and it's just. It's verging on "They're standing next to each other, OTP!!11" but it's more than that. They deliberately mirror the poses, they deliberately mirror the colors, they talk about how they work together, so it's totally that they're showing the connection between them, even with these little things.
So they do a three-way Rider Kick, Tendou summons the sword and levels a Maximum Hyper Cyclone at the Worm, blowing the lot of them away. And, okay, I know it kind of goes against all that they just struggled with, like, why didn't Tendou just START with that attack and save them all the trouble? But then they wouldn't have their proper themes and this is part of what you accept with toku, I suspect. XD
Also, the show happily distracts me with how Kagami's about to fall over in this fight, he finally lets Gatack go and nearly keels over while Tendou just totally RUNS over to him to help him. And just slings one of Kagami's arms over his shoulders, saying he owes Kagami one, and Kagami's like, well, you can cook for me next time then, and Tendou smiles and as;ldfkjas;lkj I remember watching this the first time through and exploding with OTP love.
It's pretty much the same the second time through, too.
Because not only is it full of awesome little touches--Kagami wanting Tendou to cook for him because Tendou's so good at it, it's so incredibly cute and makes great fodder for fic--but because this is how partners treat each other, this is how guys who love each other treat each other, this is something actually real for Tendou. Yaguruma's look as he turns away, that almost kind of longing look at them, only confirms it, even moreso when Kageyama comes running up, desparate for him again, and... these four people. There are so many differences, you can't really even draw straight parallels between any two specific ones anymore like you could at the beginning of the series, because none of them are exactly like any of the others, but the two obvious couples are still... like night and day, yet the series quietly deliberately contrasts them against each other, uses them to show what's going on with the other. That Kagami and Tendou have something real and Yaguruma sees it, he has something as well, but it's not the same.
Kagami can trust Tendou to leave and come back again, because they're that strong. Yaguruma can't trust Kageyama to go anywhere, because he runs back to TheBee and "betrays" him.
The episode winds it up with Hiyori still waiting for Tendou to return, who finally approaches her, except it's the wrong Tendou (who looks seriously, seriously hot with the thin long-sleeved shirt and the tight jeans and the giant belt that only emphasizes the long, lean lines of his body and as;ldfkjas yes plz) and he transforms to attack her, knocking her unconscious and standing over her body, saying he'll destroy this world. Multiple Nogi Reijis approach him while Tendou slowly drags a stumbling Kagami along a dusty road as the sun sets in front of them.
I-- I may have a lot of inappropriate love for this scene as well. *__*
AND NEXT EPISODE. THE SCENE IN THE WOODS. WITH THE HOPPERS. I HAVE BEEN WAITING. Because the first time I saw that scene, I laughed so hard I had to pause it just to laugh out loud for about two straight minutes because it was the funniest fucking thing I'd ever seen. Also, the date between Tsurugi and Misaki. *SOBS*
The epilogue tag is cute with Misaki totally liking Tsurugi and Kagami being all AS:DKLJASLKJ BUT HE'S A WORM because he can't tell her that and just generally being a total spaz. <3
And, of course, more Arashi stuff. Spoilers for anything listed under the cut:
→ Zoom in - Believe PV preview [2009.02.16]
→ VS ARASHI #40 [2009.01.24] subbed
→ Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen [2005.12.08] - Aiba at Malabon Zoo subbed
→ Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen [2005.12.22] - X-Mas Special - Aiba in the Philippines subbed
→ Arashi no Shukudai #117 [2009.01.12] subbed
♥ - Zoom in - Believe PV preview [2009.02.16] - So the preview for Believe is out and, as several people have remarked, it's got a very truth-like feel to it. I'm sort of torn about that, because I don't want them to try to copy their past success in order to capitalize on that one, I'd rather they do something new and different, but. At the same time, it's only a brief preview and hard to judge from just that and, w-well.
truth was one of my favorite PVs pretty much ever and I loved the performances for it so much and to get something in that same vein? With a song that's really growing on me a lot? I-- I cannot bring myself to complain about this. *__*
♥ - VS ARASHI #40 [2009.01.24] subbed - So, the guests this time are another manzai comedy duo and, yeah, I still don't get the appeal of manzai comedy and I suspect I just never will, that it'll be forever one of those cultural divide things. But the guests are at least enthusiastic and amusing to watch right off the bat, doing their schtick but also clearly just having fun with the whole thing. Plus, man, the extra context notes in the sub are seriously A+ here. And, hell, even if I don't really "get" manzai, Arashi watching them from the sidelines was super cute enough to justify that whole bit. XD
The guests are cute at Cliff Climb in their super fail because they don't keep a move on and don't get enough grips to the climber and it was just fun to watch. But the real delight came when it was Arashi's turn and Aiba was the climber while Ohno was the supporter, Aiba fiddling with his gloves and seeming uneasy about them. Itou-san asks him about it and Nino TOTALLY HELPFUL says, more than your gloves, shouldn't you be uneasy about your pants? pointing out that they're loose and the band of his underwear is showing.
I--
I-- I don't know who I love more. Aiba for failing at pants yet again (Aiba clearly does not like pants, they are his mortal enemies and get in the way of his happy times with other people, of course) or Nino for pointing this out on national television.
And as;dlfkjasl;kj I love the rest of Arashi for giving him shit about it, too! It would be the worst thing ever if you exposed yourself at noon on a Saturday!, Sho says! You're 26 years old already, get it together! Jun says! salkdfja;lskdjalksj I love them all.
I am actually pretty impressed with Aiba, he was moving across the Cliff Climb and never really stopped in one place for too long. He was even jumping from rung to rung at points, only getting one extra grip from Ohno to help pull him up. He should have gotten a second one, but they missed, so what does Aiba do?
Just pulls himself up the side of the wall anyway. as;ldfjialsk;jals;kj that was kind of hot.
I-- I know it's just a wall climb and it's not that high and there are indentations in the wall that you can use and Aiba's fairly sporty already, b-but. It was kind of awesome, when he just hauled himself right up the side of the wall and slams his hand down on the button at the top.
.....sh-shut, I'm weak to Aiba, okay. :|
Then! Rolling Coin Tower! And Ohno has a voluntary suggestion. And as;dlkfja;lskj I love that Arashi seem kind of genuinely surprised, like, eh? What? Ohno spoke without anyone prompting him? With a suggestion? What is this curious and interesting new development? a;sldkfja;slkj the looks on their faces!
And Sho! Jun has pointed out that this is a bad idea and Ohno's like, oh, you shouldn't do that then (starting with the 3-pointers) but Sho! Sho says he'll do it anyway! You can totally tell Sho is Arashi's mommy by the way he totally humors Arashi's papa there and Nino is the bratty kid by saying, well, okay, I guess I'll be the one scoring the points then and a;sldkfja;slkjd Ohno's DOT DOT DOT face. And Nino pointing at him HEY ARE YOU TALKING TODAY OR NOT?
a;sdklfja;slkj it's one of those things where. You can't really describe why it's so funny, but this is what makes Arashi so great for me, because they all have this really great comedic timing that works with each other. It's all in the little touches of their expressions or their tone of voice or just the way they look at each other. God, I love them.
Rolling Coin Tower was fun (and I got sucked in like always) and I loved Sho's whining the whole way through it and Nino's little stoic face! And then they move on to Falling Pipe Catch and-- o-okay.
I know that it's not really a big thing. I know that.
And yet every time Jun scolds Aiba and tells him to not fail at this, because he failed at the choice on the SP, I sort of go, "....Jun is the most adorably bitchy girlfriend ever. ♥." in my fangirl heart.
And I know that it's not a big thing, except it seems to always be Aiba that Jun does this to. Sure, the others join in a lot, but it seems like. I dunno, Jun does it a lot lately, like he is SO FULL OF LOVE for the idiot that he just CANNOT HELP HIMSELF.
And then after that, it's Jun's turn to catch and he is smiling at the guest and a;sdlkfja;lskjal;skj the guest is AAHHH SO SCARY while Arashi is like YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE IF YOU LET HIM PSYCH YOU OUT! and a;sdilfjalskj Jun scaring the crap out of people just by smiling at them never gets old.
Seriously, he just crouches next to the railing and keeps smiling at the guest, who is clearly unnerved by this and a;sdlkfjaslkj LOL FOREVER. Especially when Sho's like, "Um, just now... you really were nervous, weren't you?" and fa;lskjdf;lakjs yes, he was.
AND THEN.
as;dflkjas;lkdja;lksjd;lakjfdslakjs
Okay, so.
They're talking about the guest's strategy--which is basically to hide after making his choice, so that Jun won't be able to see his expression--and Jun's made his prediction (guest chose 1 and 3, Jun predicted 2 and 3) and is wondering if it's okay to abandon one or maybe two pipes. He's scooting around and kinda playing with it and then Sho says, wow, so he's considered the possibility that the pipes will just pass right through. And Aiba says, I don't want to see such a Matsumoto-kun.
So what does Jun do?
Aside from positioning himself so that he's immediately under 1 and 3, which is what the guest chose, and facing 2.
He takes this super seriously now.
Sho is watching this and kind of cracking up a little bit, saying, "He's serious." and a;sdklfja;lskjakljs
S-so. Basically, Aiba gives Jun crap about abandoning a pipe and Jun immediately starts taking this super serious.
TOTALLY STRAIGHT. SERIOUSLY.
And then catches 200 in his right hand and 10 in his left hand, ending the game early and as;dlkfjaslkj seriously Jun is the best at this game. That... that whole thing was kind of super awesome and kinda gay. :D :D :D :D
The wrap up is fun, too. The guest is like OMFG I WAS KNOCKED OUT BY THE OVERWHELMING FORCE COMING FROM MATSUMOTO-KUN. a;sldkfjalsk;djalksj YES. THAT NEVER GETS OLD, TOO. GUESTS BEING FREAKED OUT BY JUN. I love that both of them were like jesus christ omfg at him, Kasuga-san even being like OMG I WASN'T EVEN BEING LOOKED AT DIRECTLY BY HIM, BUT STANDING NEXT TO YOU, I WAS STILL KNOCKED OUT OF BREATH and ads;flkjaslkj I'm kind of crying at him now.
So, overall, the episode was much like any other VS ARASHI episode, in that I totally had fun, I laughed or grinned my way through pretty much the entire thing and it's totally recommended for watching.
♥ - Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen [2005.12.08] - Aiba at Malabon Zoo subbed - I've sort of been lagging on the TSD clips because I generally prefer the other Arashi shows, but... w-well. As I mentioned, I'm weak to Aiba. And this one starts off totally adorable and fun and Aiba in a tuxedo! It's hard to go wrong with that. \:D/
So, they send him to the Phillipines! And it's totally worth watching for Aiba feeding the crocodiles who JUMP UP WHEN YOU DANGLE THEIR FOOD ABOVE THE CAGE, HOLY SHIT. I WOULD NOT WANT AIBA'S JOB AT ALL.
Then they feed tigers and it's more adorableness and then the Phillipines zookeeper tells Aiba to wait in a certain area and they bring a surprise animal to meet him (which is clearly a snake) and a;sdlkfjaslkj as soon as Aiba sees it, he bolts and that was seriously, seriously fun. <3
♥ - Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen [2005.12.22] - X-Mas Special - Aiba in the Philippines subbed - The second part of this TSD special, directly following the first one above, of course. And it's a snake as expected and just. as;ldkfjaslkj the conversation half in English, half in Japanese and Aiba's like NO FUCKING WAY when the zookeeper tries to get him to come over and of course he's playing it up for the camera and all, but. There's some real NO FUCKING WAY in there, too, and asd;lkfjas;ldkja;lskj Aiba.
Just totally smacks the cameraman for obviously laughing at the whole thing and then SHOVES THE CAMERA GUY OVER AS A SUBSTITUTE. Never let it be said that Aiba isn't just as much of a bastard as the rest of his band!
He eventually goes over, of course, since it wouldn't be entertaining if he didn't and they ask him to shampoo the snake (which, he astutely points out, HAS NO HAIR WTF SHAMPOO IT?) and it's a little interesting to watch, the way you're only supposed to go one way with the snake. And, okay, I totally lolled at the "heavy"/"hebi" thing. XDDD
But.
But.
Not nearly as hard as I laughed when.
a;lskedfjal;ksjdl;akjsjlk
When.
Th-they're looking at the orangutan father (of the younger one that Aiba gave a shampoo to) and it's got all this baggy flesh around its face that looks really weird but is apparently very soft to the touch. And Aiba's poking at the side of its face and the dad orangutan makes a laughing sort of sound, so Aiba keeps touching it, getting to the one underneath its chin.
And Aiba--
asd;flkjas;ldkja;lksjdfa;lksdjf;lakjsdflkajs
Aiba Masaki.
He says, "Ah! Ah! It's nice to touch here! *keeps poking* It looks like-- like-- it's like this."
And then HE POINTS TO HIMSELF. BELOW THE BELTLINE.
"Just now, it somehow felt like this one." WHILE POINTING AT HIS OWN PAIR AND I DIED.
DIED.
I-- I can't even-- There are just--
There's no words to--
Just--
Oh, god bless you Aiba for just. For not even hesitating to say that ON A NATIONALLY BROADCAST CHILDREN'S SHOW.
I cried with laughter, honest to god.
Just. That's Aiba Masaki for you.
The rest of it is very cute, b-but. It's that one moment that you really want to watch for asd;lfkjaslkj god. Just when I think I can't love Aiba any more than I do. This was awesome, oh my god.
♥ - Arashi no Shukudai #117 [2009.01.12] subbed - You know, I can't remember if I've watched this one subbed or not yet. I know I watched the raw and I think two different groups subbed this one, but... w-well. This group had the 1280x720 version subbed, too! I-- I'm weak. *__*
And, of course, it starts out with Jun picking on Aiba's choice in clothes, saying he's wearing a grandma shirt and of course Aiba defends himself by saying that, well, his nipples were standing out.
Yes.
Of course that's how it goes.
Anyway, this is totally an episode that's worth watching more than once because it has a) Jun in really gay and/or pretty clothes and b) Nino/Jun terrorizing the guest! \:D/ And it is still just as funny as ever, watching them corner the poor guest and totally taking advantage of his fright to keep stomping and it's like.
You can really see their tru, tru luv in this game, their love is pure and unholy and totally based on being evil fuckers together who have no sense of mercy at all.
Just.
My love.
They have it forever.
The subbed version is a lot more fun for the yearly goals, especially since they mention last year's goals and Sho's small goal was to not stutter for the year, so when he announces this year's big goal, Nino is a helpful friend and points out that he just stuttered. I love him forever.
I also love that last year Jun's small goal was based on animals and you kind of get the impression that sometimes Jun daydreams about marrying Aiba and the two of them raising a houseful of designer puppies and expensive fish and giant mauling tigers. ....or you do if you're the kind of fangirl I am, anyway. orz
Anyway, so they move on to Sho's small goal. Which is to return Ohno's DVD from eight years ago. Which leads the rest of the band to going WTF did you just watch it once and throw it somewhere or do you watch it over and over? And Sho's like "...." while Nino points out, well, his room IS totally a sty, so he probably just threw it somewhere. His room is totally like a garage.
asd;lfkjas;lkdja;lksjlkj this is also how Nino expresses affection for his BFF.
And then! Then Sho proves that he knows what we want and tells the story about how, one time he went home, and all his clothes were thrown out into the hallway because his parents were like OMFG YOU'RE TWENTY-SIX ALREADY CLEAN YOUR ROOM and I still crack up every time.
THEN IT IS AIBA'S TURN.
His big goal is to get Ailand's batting average up! His small goal is to START WEARING PYJAMAS PROPERLY.
I'd kind of forgotten that was coming and so I was hit by it all over again and just. a;lsdkfja;lskj crying, crying. Of course Aiba has trouble wearing clothes, they are his natural enemy! Beds are for naked time, not wearing clothes! But he must learn to fit in with society (or else certain bandmates will probably bitch forever), so he needs to learn to wear pyjamas properly.
The other games are pretty much the same with subs (though, it's always fun to know exactly what they're saying and still really worth the rewatch) and I still lol at Jun catching a football while in that super gay filmy jacket-type thing because, oh, sweetie. You're still so very, very gay and no amount of catching footballs can ever make that outfit straight.
I do love the explanation for Jun's throw during the heaven/hell game, though. He's like, there's no way I'm going to make it, so it's better to just throw it. *throws randomly* And, honestly, I'm only surprised he didn't take the chance to nail Nino in the face with it or something.
So, of course Nino wins because Nino's good at stuff like that and Aiba is a very good friend by saying, okay! Since you won I'll give you lots of praise! *FACE SQUISHIE* while Nino has to stand there and take it. And seriously the look on Nino's face.
Then back to the 2009 goals and it's Jun's turn. Jun, whose big goal GO SEE ANIMALS IN AFRICA. :D :D :D And I love Jun's way of putting it. "It might be weird, but it's partly because of Aiba-kun. I knew he went to Africa at the end of last year and there's this really small... lion, right? It's a tiger? At first, like this, Aiba was reading a book... lion, right? It was like this and scratched a little [Jun scratches at Aiba a little] and he only said, 'It hurts!' and it went quiet. And then two years after he went, it was eating raw meat and it was this big. I saw that and thought it was so interesting!"
So, basically.
Jun's big goal.
Is based on Aiba and OMG BIG CATS CLAWING PEOPLE AND EATING RAW MEAT SO COOL.
That's never going to get old. Especially since he seems to be getting progressively worse at keeping a lid on his big gay crush on Aiba. :|b
Anyway, the "who's the best main male actor?" game is pretty fabulous just for showing Nino's "Eh?" reaction again, but also for the one that Aiba gets. He chooses the "ehehe" reaction and his scenario? REACTION TO BEING INVISIBLE AND PEEKING INTO A GIRL'S ROOM.
And the rest of those jerks (I think it was Ogura-san who said it?) are like, "That suits you! :D" and Nino helpfully points out, well, you became Mirrorman, right? :D And a;sdlkfjals;kdjlkj I love that they all clearly know that Aiba is the hornball perv of the group and are never going to let him forget it.
Ohno's 2009 goals are just as awesome as ever. Both of them are fish he wants to catch and as;dlkfja;lskjlkjas Sho over to the side is just dying at this and a;sdklfjalskj FANDOM. Why are you still denying me the Ohno/Sho pornos?
So, overall, there wasn't that much that was surprising, but it was still a fabulous episode to rewatch and I totally recommend it, too.
And boy did it! I mean, sure, it's still a fluffy TV show that's very silly at times, but it found its groove again and I'm actually honestly enjoying the mytharc stuff, I want to know where all of this is going (apparently JJ Abrams and company wrote from the series finale backwards, so they know where this is all going?) and I'm actually enjoying the way things are slowly connecting and the recurring hints we get.
But mostly I'm enjoying that, damn, Olivia Dunham actually is a truly kickass character. She gets to be hardcore when she needs to be and yet doesn't come off as being a ballbuster or trying too hard. She just is what she is and carries the show surprisingly well.
I mean, I'm still in this for Joshua Jackson's character because I'm weak to his type and they're hitting me super hard with the father - son dynamic that I'm so weak to. (Seriously, I almost went looking for Fringe fic just because I wanted to play with that some more, except I know fandom would never do it as well as the show has been doing it.) And I'm surprisingly non-committal on the Peter/Olivia stuff that they're obviously building up. I don't actively ship it, but I don't hate it, either. I'm truly content to see where things go.
It's kind of refreshing actually! as;dflkjaslkjaslkj I need 1x15 now plz, though. orz
Anyway. Usual blah, blah, blah, and then on to Kamen Rider Kabuto ep 44, with SPOILERS for the episode listed at the very least (and very likely all the way to the end, especially since this is the final stretch), I don't plan these things in advance, we'll see from there.
Kamen Rider Kabuto episode 44: So, picking up where episode 43 left off, Hiyori says she's not coming back to this world, Dark Tendou is all see~? and then sneaks behind her to fire off a shot at Tendou, who's knocked out of the way by Kagami. Interesting that, as Kagami throws them both off to the side, despite all that's happening around Tendou with Hiyori there, he still shouts Kagami's name to make sure he's okay before turning back to Hiyori and Dark Tendou. Hyper Kabuto leaves Tendou, who falls to his knees and slowly realizes what the pieces of paper blowing towards him are, the tattered pieces of her drawing. Later that night--and just how long did they stay out there, if Kagami's slumped against the railing and Tendou's leaning against it to look out over the water and it's clearly not afternoon or early evening anymore, it's full on night??--Tendou broods and Kagami now has the piece of Hiyori's drawing in his hand.
It's an interesting turn to take, the way Tendou reacts here and the way Kagami is drawn into this. Tendou's openly showing grief (even if Kagami's not looking directly at him, he's talking and Tendou hears him) while Kagami wonders if Hiyori really plans to stay with that mimic, while Tendou says, if she's really happier that way... it's painful, but there's nothing he can do about it. It's a lot of progress for Tendou, he's sharing this moment with someone else, opening up and not keeping it all bottled up inside. It's also way less crazypants than he was before and that's total emotional continuity right there--previous episode has Kagami reminding Tendou that there are other people who love him, too, and re-gronding him and so he's not so crazypants here. I also actually really love that Kagami looks up at him for a moment, not really sure what to say, and just lets Tendou be. Because that's what he needed right then.
Not much later, Renge runs up and says that she saw the solar eclipse and Tendou gets excited that there is an exit to the edge of time/space... except... if Hiyori doesn't want to come back, then it's pointless. And, again, it's Kagami who looks at her drawings and says that he thinks that's not true somehow, while we see Dark Tendou curling up against Hiyori's side and saying thank you for earlier, that he'll be by her side forever. She looks over and smiles softly at him and you kind of do get the impression that she doesn't hate Dark Tendou or anything, that she feels for him, too. He really is an interesting mix of Tendou and Native, obviously Tendou's personality imprinted incredibly strongly on him, if he's hyper-focused on Hiyori like this, yet there's obviously a lot of differences, too.
(Though, it is interesting that he's focused only on Hiyori, but not on the other people in Tendou's life. The lack of interest in Kagami is easy enough to figure out, since we can assume that Dark Tendou copied Tendou awhile ago, but what about Juka? Tendou has been around Juka even longer.)
Anyway, this episode is still doing the 24 thing with the split screens, while the Worm try to get close to Area Z, but only briefly, and the Worm are pretty much kicking ZECT's ass. The Hoppers watch for awhile, but Yaguruma decides to leave and Kageyama is like, but aren't you going to defeat that Worm? Yaguruma says he envies Kageyama, he still has the cinders of heroism left, kicking him down when Kageyama says, but in the past you used to.... And, aww, poor little bitch, I actually feel even more for him this time around.
Next, Renge's reporting to Tendou about how the Worms are advancing on Area Z which is where the Masked Rider System is, which would be really bad for them. So, Tendou's going to have to go, pulling up the garage door to see Kagami standing there and he says he's going, too. (And also looking really hot, jesus, Kagami. *___*) Tendou actually seems surprised to see him there, like he didn't sense Kagami at all, but says, "You, return to the hospital." and it's surprisingly... you know, not bitchy. But Kagami points out that Tendou can't beat that Worm by himself, which makes Tendou look at him with a serious expression.
More split screens, more Zectroopers getting their asses handed to them, and they're down to the final defense line. They retreat, but Misaki isn't fast enough to avoid Nogi Reiji dropping down in front of her, saying at least she's worthy of being food, a prospect among the worthless humans. Well, you have to give him that he had taste at least. Tsurugi, of course, has sensed that she's in danger and shown up at just the right time, holding her and then crouching over her to shield her from the blows, giving it everything he has. And I love this scene. Love it. Because he calls her Misaki. Because he said she was right, that he can't beat this Worm. But he can protect her! Because he holds on long enough for Tendou and Kagami to show up! Because it's such an amazing moment of growth for Tsurugi and because I love the hell out of Misaki/Tsurugi. Enough to kind of want to cry at this scene, because I know what's coming.
Even the awesome of Tendou and Kagami riding up side by side isn't enough to distract me from the heartache of watching Tsurugi and Misaki fall in love like this. But it is still awesome and I love the side by side pose while they watch Tsurugi apologize to Misaki for not seeing her feelings clearly before and watching Zectroopers pull up with a stretcher to get him medical attention. They watch him being taken away, obviously not entirely unmoved, Kagami saying, jeez, that Tsurugi, putting up such a brave front... Tendou echoing "A brave front..." and Kagami realizing that that's it, that's what Hiyori was doing, too. He pulls out the tattered pieces of the drawings, which Tendou looks at in surprise and a muted sort of disbelief/hope, while Kagami explains that Hiyori wants to return, if she didn't, she wouldn't have drawn such a warm picture. And, seriously, it's not just that Kagami is drawn into the scenes where Tendou has realizations about Hiyori, it's that Kagami is having them and telling them to Tendou, in a way that's really a lot like family. He really is sort of like Big Brother #2 to Hiyori sometimes and Tendou seems to not just accept this, but to actually rely on it. (Like with this scene, but also when he depends on Kagami to be the one to rescue her and take care of her if he doesn't come back alive.)
I love that, for a few moments, when Tendou realizes Kagami's right, that he's not even trying to be cool anymore. Kagami says, hurry up and bring her back, and he's like, "Okay. *nodding*" and it's kind of adorable. But first they have a Worm to defeat and Kagami's like, yeah, but how do we do that? Tendou looks... honestly, it's kind of an earnest look (or at least the Tendou version of it) that he gives Kagami and says, "Earlier you said... if it's us, we can defeat him, right?"
DOT DOT DOT, KABUTO. HOW AM I NOT SUPPOSED TO TAKE THAT AS TOTALLY GAY?
BECAUSE IT IS.
IT'S EPIC OTP GAY, JESUS.
Kagami's like, y-yeah, but that was just to raise your spirits. >__> But Tendou is like, "That's right. If Kabuto and Gatack attack simultaneously... then he can't copy the attack." Kagami is totally adorable as he's like, YEAH THAT'S WHAT I MEANT TO SAY. >__> and Tendou just smiles at him. Like, not even a smirk or a bitchy smile, it's just a happy one. Then, because that wasn't OTP enough, they both square off side by side and transform at the same time. They even go into Ex-Mode at the same time and turn around to leave at the same time, the only difference being the Hyper Zecter that Kabuto uses. Renge calls and says that there's another solar eclipse, so Tendou realizes that it's the Hyper Zecter that creates a tear in time/space somewhere.
Kagami says, Tendou. You go get Hiyori, I'll handle this until you get back and then the two of them will defeat this Worm together. And THEN THE FISTBUMP. Kagami holds his arm up for it and Tendou pauses for a moment like he's smiling to himself and says, all right, then returns the fistbump and AUUUGGGHHH, I don't care if it makes me a retarded OTP fangirl, I love that moment with all my heart.
So, Tendou leaves and I remember thinking, the first time I watched this, "How the hell is he going to find the exit to time/space? Just drive around Tokyo until he happens to run across it?" but I almost sort of forgot this time because I know what he's going to do. At the same time, Gatack takes on the Worm and Tendou rides through Tokyo and Kageyama comes to help Gatack with TheBee and it's almost kind of sweet how he pauses for a moment to look at the Zecter in his hand before transforming. Poor baby really does just want to mean something.
Kabuto also goes into Ex-Mode with the bike and AHAHAHAHA LOL STILL FUNNY, especially when he just TAKES OFF INTO THE AIR TO FLY TOWARDS THE SUN. Gatack and TheBee are fighting against Cassisworm, doing a Rider Sting and Rider Cutting mostly at the same time, but that still doesn't work because he just reflects the attacks back, one with each hand.
At the edge of time/space, Tendou is waiting for Dark Tendou and Hiyori to come up the hill and he's got his cool back now. Dark Tendou isn't very pleased to see him, but is still playful while Hiyori's surprised. At Area Z, TheBee abandons Kageyama (and I swear it does a little "Fuck you, nyah, nyah." gesture before it zips off again) while Yaguruma watches, the Zecter approaching Yaguruma for a moment, obviously offering, but Yaguruma just nods it off, like, get out of here. The Zecter actually does sort of hang around Yaguruma for a moment, like it really seemed to want him back. I swear those little things have personalities.
Kageyamga clings to Yaguruma's ankles, saying that he came to save him, right? That Yaguruma will avenge him, right? Which is not all that unlike the scene from the previous episode where Tendou was clinging to Kagami's ankles and he was saved. But they're not Kagami and Tendou, they're not on the path to the heavens or on the side of good, so Yaguruma instead grabs ahold of the wrist with the brace on it, hard enough to really hurt.
Dark Tendou says to Tendou, man, you're persistant, didn't Hiyori already tell you she wants to stay here instead? He's not walking the path of heaven, instead he's going to live as Hiyori's big brother, Kusakabe Souji, and live to always protect her. Also note that this reinfornces the whole thing where Tendou Souji is distanced from the people he's protecting, rather than actually being in their lives, like Kusakabe Souji would have been. "Can you do that?" Dark Tendou asks petulantly and it's actually a good point. Tendou has always been at a distance, always watched over them from afar, not actually living as Hiyori's older brother, but as her protector. She didn't really need that, she needed family. Which Tendou had to learn how to do and these last couple of episodes have been about getting him to see that again.
"I... cannot always be by Hiyori's side," Tendou says. And that's true. In order to actually be a normal person in her life, he can't constantly be by her side, Kagami showed him that just by being Kagami and not always being there, but being important, you'll never convince me that it wasn't Kagami who showed Tendou that. Especially not when they just had a scene where Kagami tells him to go and that they'll finish this together when Tendou's done.
"See! He would rather protect the world than Hiyori!" Dark Tendou throws back at him, which Tendou says he'll do, he'll protect the world, the world where Hiyori can return to. But she's a Worm, she says, she shouldn't be in that world. "You just happened to be born a Worm. That's all," Tendou says, trying to get her to understand.
(Actually, according to chat logs, my response to that scene? "...well, mostly I thought, 'Yeah, he can't always be by her side, that would make epic makeouts and Saturday nights with Kagami kind of awkward.'")
But Worms are humanities enemies, right? Which isn't right at all, he doesn't fight them just because they're Worm. They wrong humans, they trample over their hopes and dreams, he only defeats those Worms. Also, the battle of Gatack versus Cassisworm plays while Tendou's voiceover continues and that's kind of gay, Kabuto. Cassisworm taunts him with how badly he's doing and what shape he's in and isn't Kabuto going to come and help you~? Kagami yells at him to shut up and says, "Like you'd understand the bond between us!"
............................wh-what. ._____. I remember that from the first time around, too. It's still not any less gay.
I also wibble at the scene where Hiyori asks if it's okay for her to live and Tendou, the one who had his family taken away by Worms and who stole everything from him, says that he's glad she was born. They never really say it, but Tendou's the only one who can say that, because he was the one that lost everything when her parents mimicked the Kusakabes, they were the ones that stole the Kusakabes' lives. So, for Kusakabe Souji to say that he was glad she was born, that's what she needed to hear. ;__;<3 Same for the scene where she slowly, slowly steps foward, then starts running towards his outstretched hand and Dark Tendou tries to reach out for her, but she's already gone, and wah. My heart. ;__; Or the tears in his eyes when he cries her name or the way he sinks to his knees, alone and abandoned and stripped of everything again.
Back in the world, Hiyori says it's okay for him to go, to protect it. Her world. He leaves her with his jacket around her shoulders, while the fight with Cassisworm keeps going. Gatack is still standing, but obviously worn down, and things aren't looking good, they might have to destroy Area Z. And, wow, that is a whole shitload of Worms in the background of that fight. Tadokoro-san is about to detonate the whole place, Nogi Reiji saying this is boring, this is the god of battle, as Gatack is hit with another attack.
Kabuto chooses that moment for a flashy entrace, of course, Kagami asking what about Hiyori? Tendou says he was able to save her, thanks to you, meaning both because Kagami held off Nogi Reiji, but also because Kagami put the pieces together for him. And it's hard to put into words why this isn't just about Kagami being a useful sidekick, but that he's truly on the same level as Tendou know, that this would not be possible to have achieved without him. It wasn't just that he got lucky in the right moment or that he provided one special extra thing that sparked off the turning point in the battle. Kagami is doing half of the heavy fighting in these battles, he's the one who time and again provides something that Tendou can't and vice versa. Neither could do it alone, they were both needed.
"If we work together, we won't lose to anyone," Tendou says and that's really it right there. Tendou's not just bolstering Kagami's spirits, he needs Kagami for this. To sort of parallel this, Yaguruma shows up and, even though he was harsh to Kageyama, he says, are you the one that laughed at my partner? And, god, they are such a retarded, fucked up OTP. So, all three of them level a Rider Kick to the face and I kind of love this with an unholy glee yet again. I even love the way it's shot--Kick Hopper jumps up immediately to fly through the air, while Gatack and Kabuto stand side by side to line up their Rider Kicks as well and it's just. It's verging on "They're standing next to each other, OTP!!11" but it's more than that. They deliberately mirror the poses, they deliberately mirror the colors, they talk about how they work together, so it's totally that they're showing the connection between them, even with these little things.
So they do a three-way Rider Kick, Tendou summons the sword and levels a Maximum Hyper Cyclone at the Worm, blowing the lot of them away. And, okay, I know it kind of goes against all that they just struggled with, like, why didn't Tendou just START with that attack and save them all the trouble? But then they wouldn't have their proper themes and this is part of what you accept with toku, I suspect. XD
Also, the show happily distracts me with how Kagami's about to fall over in this fight, he finally lets Gatack go and nearly keels over while Tendou just totally RUNS over to him to help him. And just slings one of Kagami's arms over his shoulders, saying he owes Kagami one, and Kagami's like, well, you can cook for me next time then, and Tendou smiles and as;ldfkjas;lkj I remember watching this the first time through and exploding with OTP love.
It's pretty much the same the second time through, too.
Because not only is it full of awesome little touches--Kagami wanting Tendou to cook for him because Tendou's so good at it, it's so incredibly cute and makes great fodder for fic--but because this is how partners treat each other, this is how guys who love each other treat each other, this is something actually real for Tendou. Yaguruma's look as he turns away, that almost kind of longing look at them, only confirms it, even moreso when Kageyama comes running up, desparate for him again, and... these four people. There are so many differences, you can't really even draw straight parallels between any two specific ones anymore like you could at the beginning of the series, because none of them are exactly like any of the others, but the two obvious couples are still... like night and day, yet the series quietly deliberately contrasts them against each other, uses them to show what's going on with the other. That Kagami and Tendou have something real and Yaguruma sees it, he has something as well, but it's not the same.
Kagami can trust Tendou to leave and come back again, because they're that strong. Yaguruma can't trust Kageyama to go anywhere, because he runs back to TheBee and "betrays" him.
The episode winds it up with Hiyori still waiting for Tendou to return, who finally approaches her, except it's the wrong Tendou (who looks seriously, seriously hot with the thin long-sleeved shirt and the tight jeans and the giant belt that only emphasizes the long, lean lines of his body and as;ldfkjas yes plz) and he transforms to attack her, knocking her unconscious and standing over her body, saying he'll destroy this world. Multiple Nogi Reijis approach him while Tendou slowly drags a stumbling Kagami along a dusty road as the sun sets in front of them.
I-- I may have a lot of inappropriate love for this scene as well. *__*
AND NEXT EPISODE. THE SCENE IN THE WOODS. WITH THE HOPPERS. I HAVE BEEN WAITING. Because the first time I saw that scene, I laughed so hard I had to pause it just to laugh out loud for about two straight minutes because it was the funniest fucking thing I'd ever seen. Also, the date between Tsurugi and Misaki. *SOBS*
The epilogue tag is cute with Misaki totally liking Tsurugi and Kagami being all AS:DKLJASLKJ BUT HE'S A WORM because he can't tell her that and just generally being a total spaz. <3
And, of course, more Arashi stuff. Spoilers for anything listed under the cut:
→ Zoom in - Believe PV preview [2009.02.16]
→ VS ARASHI #40 [2009.01.24] subbed
→ Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen [2005.12.08] - Aiba at Malabon Zoo subbed
→ Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen [2005.12.22] - X-Mas Special - Aiba in the Philippines subbed
→ Arashi no Shukudai #117 [2009.01.12] subbed
♥ - Zoom in - Believe PV preview [2009.02.16] - So the preview for Believe is out and, as several people have remarked, it's got a very truth-like feel to it. I'm sort of torn about that, because I don't want them to try to copy their past success in order to capitalize on that one, I'd rather they do something new and different, but. At the same time, it's only a brief preview and hard to judge from just that and, w-well.
truth was one of my favorite PVs pretty much ever and I loved the performances for it so much and to get something in that same vein? With a song that's really growing on me a lot? I-- I cannot bring myself to complain about this. *__*
♥ - VS ARASHI #40 [2009.01.24] subbed - So, the guests this time are another manzai comedy duo and, yeah, I still don't get the appeal of manzai comedy and I suspect I just never will, that it'll be forever one of those cultural divide things. But the guests are at least enthusiastic and amusing to watch right off the bat, doing their schtick but also clearly just having fun with the whole thing. Plus, man, the extra context notes in the sub are seriously A+ here. And, hell, even if I don't really "get" manzai, Arashi watching them from the sidelines was super cute enough to justify that whole bit. XD
The guests are cute at Cliff Climb in their super fail because they don't keep a move on and don't get enough grips to the climber and it was just fun to watch. But the real delight came when it was Arashi's turn and Aiba was the climber while Ohno was the supporter, Aiba fiddling with his gloves and seeming uneasy about them. Itou-san asks him about it and Nino TOTALLY HELPFUL says, more than your gloves, shouldn't you be uneasy about your pants? pointing out that they're loose and the band of his underwear is showing.
I--
I-- I don't know who I love more. Aiba for failing at pants yet again (Aiba clearly does not like pants, they are his mortal enemies and get in the way of his happy times with other people, of course) or Nino for pointing this out on national television.
And as;dlfkjasl;kj I love the rest of Arashi for giving him shit about it, too! It would be the worst thing ever if you exposed yourself at noon on a Saturday!, Sho says! You're 26 years old already, get it together! Jun says! salkdfja;lskdjalksj I love them all.
I am actually pretty impressed with Aiba, he was moving across the Cliff Climb and never really stopped in one place for too long. He was even jumping from rung to rung at points, only getting one extra grip from Ohno to help pull him up. He should have gotten a second one, but they missed, so what does Aiba do?
Just pulls himself up the side of the wall anyway. as;ldfjialsk;jals;kj that was kind of hot.
I-- I know it's just a wall climb and it's not that high and there are indentations in the wall that you can use and Aiba's fairly sporty already, b-but. It was kind of awesome, when he just hauled himself right up the side of the wall and slams his hand down on the button at the top.
.....sh-shut, I'm weak to Aiba, okay. :|
Then! Rolling Coin Tower! And Ohno has a voluntary suggestion. And as;dlkfja;lskj I love that Arashi seem kind of genuinely surprised, like, eh? What? Ohno spoke without anyone prompting him? With a suggestion? What is this curious and interesting new development? a;sldkfja;slkj the looks on their faces!
And Sho! Jun has pointed out that this is a bad idea and Ohno's like, oh, you shouldn't do that then (starting with the 3-pointers) but Sho! Sho says he'll do it anyway! You can totally tell Sho is Arashi's mommy by the way he totally humors Arashi's papa there and Nino is the bratty kid by saying, well, okay, I guess I'll be the one scoring the points then and a;sldkfja;slkjd Ohno's DOT DOT DOT face. And Nino pointing at him HEY ARE YOU TALKING TODAY OR NOT?
a;sdklfja;slkj it's one of those things where. You can't really describe why it's so funny, but this is what makes Arashi so great for me, because they all have this really great comedic timing that works with each other. It's all in the little touches of their expressions or their tone of voice or just the way they look at each other. God, I love them.
Rolling Coin Tower was fun (and I got sucked in like always) and I loved Sho's whining the whole way through it and Nino's little stoic face! And then they move on to Falling Pipe Catch and-- o-okay.
I know that it's not really a big thing. I know that.
And yet every time Jun scolds Aiba and tells him to not fail at this, because he failed at the choice on the SP, I sort of go, "....Jun is the most adorably bitchy girlfriend ever. ♥." in my fangirl heart.
And I know that it's not a big thing, except it seems to always be Aiba that Jun does this to. Sure, the others join in a lot, but it seems like. I dunno, Jun does it a lot lately, like he is SO FULL OF LOVE for the idiot that he just CANNOT HELP HIMSELF.
And then after that, it's Jun's turn to catch and he is smiling at the guest and a;sdlkfja;lskjal;skj the guest is AAHHH SO SCARY while Arashi is like YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE IF YOU LET HIM PSYCH YOU OUT! and a;sdilfjalskj Jun scaring the crap out of people just by smiling at them never gets old.
Seriously, he just crouches next to the railing and keeps smiling at the guest, who is clearly unnerved by this and a;sdlkfjaslkj LOL FOREVER. Especially when Sho's like, "Um, just now... you really were nervous, weren't you?" and fa;lskjdf;lakjs yes, he was.
AND THEN.
as;dflkjas;lkdja;lksjd;lakjfdslakjs
Okay, so.
They're talking about the guest's strategy--which is basically to hide after making his choice, so that Jun won't be able to see his expression--and Jun's made his prediction (guest chose 1 and 3, Jun predicted 2 and 3) and is wondering if it's okay to abandon one or maybe two pipes. He's scooting around and kinda playing with it and then Sho says, wow, so he's considered the possibility that the pipes will just pass right through. And Aiba says, I don't want to see such a Matsumoto-kun.
So what does Jun do?
Aside from positioning himself so that he's immediately under 1 and 3, which is what the guest chose, and facing 2.
He takes this super seriously now.
Sho is watching this and kind of cracking up a little bit, saying, "He's serious." and a;sdklfja;lskjakljs
S-so. Basically, Aiba gives Jun crap about abandoning a pipe and Jun immediately starts taking this super serious.
TOTALLY STRAIGHT. SERIOUSLY.
And then catches 200 in his right hand and 10 in his left hand, ending the game early and as;dlkfjaslkj seriously Jun is the best at this game. That... that whole thing was kind of super awesome and kinda gay. :D :D :D :D
The wrap up is fun, too. The guest is like OMFG I WAS KNOCKED OUT BY THE OVERWHELMING FORCE COMING FROM MATSUMOTO-KUN. a;sldkfjalsk;djalksj YES. THAT NEVER GETS OLD, TOO. GUESTS BEING FREAKED OUT BY JUN. I love that both of them were like jesus christ omfg at him, Kasuga-san even being like OMG I WASN'T EVEN BEING LOOKED AT DIRECTLY BY HIM, BUT STANDING NEXT TO YOU, I WAS STILL KNOCKED OUT OF BREATH and ads;flkjaslkj I'm kind of crying at him now.
So, overall, the episode was much like any other VS ARASHI episode, in that I totally had fun, I laughed or grinned my way through pretty much the entire thing and it's totally recommended for watching.
♥ - Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen [2005.12.08] - Aiba at Malabon Zoo subbed - I've sort of been lagging on the TSD clips because I generally prefer the other Arashi shows, but... w-well. As I mentioned, I'm weak to Aiba. And this one starts off totally adorable and fun and Aiba in a tuxedo! It's hard to go wrong with that. \:D/
So, they send him to the Phillipines! And it's totally worth watching for Aiba feeding the crocodiles who JUMP UP WHEN YOU DANGLE THEIR FOOD ABOVE THE CAGE, HOLY SHIT. I WOULD NOT WANT AIBA'S JOB AT ALL.
Then they feed tigers and it's more adorableness and then the Phillipines zookeeper tells Aiba to wait in a certain area and they bring a surprise animal to meet him (which is clearly a snake) and a;sdlkfjaslkj as soon as Aiba sees it, he bolts and that was seriously, seriously fun. <3
♥ - Tensai! Shimura Doubutsuen [2005.12.22] - X-Mas Special - Aiba in the Philippines subbed - The second part of this TSD special, directly following the first one above, of course. And it's a snake as expected and just. as;ldkfjaslkj the conversation half in English, half in Japanese and Aiba's like NO FUCKING WAY when the zookeeper tries to get him to come over and of course he's playing it up for the camera and all, but. There's some real NO FUCKING WAY in there, too, and asd;lkfjas;ldkja;lskj Aiba.
Just totally smacks the cameraman for obviously laughing at the whole thing and then SHOVES THE CAMERA GUY OVER AS A SUBSTITUTE. Never let it be said that Aiba isn't just as much of a bastard as the rest of his band!
He eventually goes over, of course, since it wouldn't be entertaining if he didn't and they ask him to shampoo the snake (which, he astutely points out, HAS NO HAIR WTF SHAMPOO IT?) and it's a little interesting to watch, the way you're only supposed to go one way with the snake. And, okay, I totally lolled at the "heavy"/"hebi" thing. XDDD
But.
But.
Not nearly as hard as I laughed when.
a;lskedfjal;ksjdl;akjsjlk
When.
Th-they're looking at the orangutan father (of the younger one that Aiba gave a shampoo to) and it's got all this baggy flesh around its face that looks really weird but is apparently very soft to the touch. And Aiba's poking at the side of its face and the dad orangutan makes a laughing sort of sound, so Aiba keeps touching it, getting to the one underneath its chin.
And Aiba--
asd;flkjas;ldkja;lksjdfa;lksdjf;lakjsdflkajs
Aiba Masaki.
He says, "Ah! Ah! It's nice to touch here! *keeps poking* It looks like-- like-- it's like this."
And then HE POINTS TO HIMSELF. BELOW THE BELTLINE.
"Just now, it somehow felt like this one." WHILE POINTING AT HIS OWN PAIR AND I DIED.
DIED.
I-- I can't even-- There are just--
There's no words to--
Just--
Oh, god bless you Aiba for just. For not even hesitating to say that ON A NATIONALLY BROADCAST CHILDREN'S SHOW.
I cried with laughter, honest to god.
Just. That's Aiba Masaki for you.
The rest of it is very cute, b-but. It's that one moment that you really want to watch for asd;lfkjaslkj god. Just when I think I can't love Aiba any more than I do. This was awesome, oh my god.
♥ - Arashi no Shukudai #117 [2009.01.12] subbed - You know, I can't remember if I've watched this one subbed or not yet. I know I watched the raw and I think two different groups subbed this one, but... w-well. This group had the 1280x720 version subbed, too! I-- I'm weak. *__*
And, of course, it starts out with Jun picking on Aiba's choice in clothes, saying he's wearing a grandma shirt and of course Aiba defends himself by saying that, well, his nipples were standing out.
Yes.
Of course that's how it goes.
Anyway, this is totally an episode that's worth watching more than once because it has a) Jun in really gay and/or pretty clothes and b) Nino/Jun terrorizing the guest! \:D/ And it is still just as funny as ever, watching them corner the poor guest and totally taking advantage of his fright to keep stomping and it's like.
You can really see their tru, tru luv in this game, their love is pure and unholy and totally based on being evil fuckers together who have no sense of mercy at all.
Just.
My love.
They have it forever.
The subbed version is a lot more fun for the yearly goals, especially since they mention last year's goals and Sho's small goal was to not stutter for the year, so when he announces this year's big goal, Nino is a helpful friend and points out that he just stuttered. I love him forever.
I also love that last year Jun's small goal was based on animals and you kind of get the impression that sometimes Jun daydreams about marrying Aiba and the two of them raising a houseful of designer puppies and expensive fish and giant mauling tigers. ....or you do if you're the kind of fangirl I am, anyway. orz
Anyway, so they move on to Sho's small goal. Which is to return Ohno's DVD from eight years ago. Which leads the rest of the band to going WTF did you just watch it once and throw it somewhere or do you watch it over and over? And Sho's like "...." while Nino points out, well, his room IS totally a sty, so he probably just threw it somewhere. His room is totally like a garage.
asd;lfkjas;lkdja;lksjlkj this is also how Nino expresses affection for his BFF.
And then! Then Sho proves that he knows what we want and tells the story about how, one time he went home, and all his clothes were thrown out into the hallway because his parents were like OMFG YOU'RE TWENTY-SIX ALREADY CLEAN YOUR ROOM and I still crack up every time.
THEN IT IS AIBA'S TURN.
His big goal is to get Ailand's batting average up! His small goal is to START WEARING PYJAMAS PROPERLY.
I'd kind of forgotten that was coming and so I was hit by it all over again and just. a;lsdkfja;lskj crying, crying. Of course Aiba has trouble wearing clothes, they are his natural enemy! Beds are for naked time, not wearing clothes! But he must learn to fit in with society (or else certain bandmates will probably bitch forever), so he needs to learn to wear pyjamas properly.
The other games are pretty much the same with subs (though, it's always fun to know exactly what they're saying and still really worth the rewatch) and I still lol at Jun catching a football while in that super gay filmy jacket-type thing because, oh, sweetie. You're still so very, very gay and no amount of catching footballs can ever make that outfit straight.
I do love the explanation for Jun's throw during the heaven/hell game, though. He's like, there's no way I'm going to make it, so it's better to just throw it. *throws randomly* And, honestly, I'm only surprised he didn't take the chance to nail Nino in the face with it or something.
So, of course Nino wins because Nino's good at stuff like that and Aiba is a very good friend by saying, okay! Since you won I'll give you lots of praise! *FACE SQUISHIE* while Nino has to stand there and take it. And seriously the look on Nino's face.
Then back to the 2009 goals and it's Jun's turn. Jun, whose big goal GO SEE ANIMALS IN AFRICA. :D :D :D And I love Jun's way of putting it. "It might be weird, but it's partly because of Aiba-kun. I knew he went to Africa at the end of last year and there's this really small... lion, right? It's a tiger? At first, like this, Aiba was reading a book... lion, right? It was like this and scratched a little [Jun scratches at Aiba a little] and he only said, 'It hurts!' and it went quiet. And then two years after he went, it was eating raw meat and it was this big. I saw that and thought it was so interesting!"
So, basically.
Jun's big goal.
Is based on Aiba and OMG BIG CATS CLAWING PEOPLE AND EATING RAW MEAT SO COOL.
That's never going to get old. Especially since he seems to be getting progressively worse at keeping a lid on his big gay crush on Aiba. :|b
Anyway, the "who's the best main male actor?" game is pretty fabulous just for showing Nino's "Eh?" reaction again, but also for the one that Aiba gets. He chooses the "ehehe" reaction and his scenario? REACTION TO BEING INVISIBLE AND PEEKING INTO A GIRL'S ROOM.
And the rest of those jerks (I think it was Ogura-san who said it?) are like, "That suits you! :D" and Nino helpfully points out, well, you became Mirrorman, right? :D And a;sdlkfjals;kdjlkj I love that they all clearly know that Aiba is the hornball perv of the group and are never going to let him forget it.
Ohno's 2009 goals are just as awesome as ever. Both of them are fish he wants to catch and as;dlkfja;lskjlkjas Sho over to the side is just dying at this and a;sdklfjalskj FANDOM. Why are you still denying me the Ohno/Sho pornos?
So, overall, there wasn't that much that was surprising, but it was still a fabulous episode to rewatch and I totally recommend it, too.