Nemureru Mori, Episode 7

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Nakamura Toru ♂
Rape-Huggee: Nakayama Miho ♀


The Context

 

The two of them are engaged to be married within a few months, and they start hitting troubled times when she gets flashbacks of her childhood. She is having thoughts that she killed her entire family as an 11-year-old and wants to call off the wedding incase she is a cold-blooded killer. Yes, the storyline is as convoluted and ultimately silly as it sounds. Being the man, he takes matters into his own hands and strides over for an uninvited hug. 

The Result

She doesn't return any pressure, but I guess the rape-hug was successful as the wedding goes ahead as planned. But [spoiler alert] it turns out, obviously, that he was in fact the killer all along! Oh the plot twists!

The Depiction

The filmography is quite typical for an interior rape-hug - namely a long shot as the rape-huggee strides/runs to the victim, and then an extended shot of their expressions. Here, the attack is from behind, and then they rock like a pirate-ship as he whispers really weird things into his ear.

Awkwardometor ☆
Domestic rape-hugs are often difficult to judge, especially true in this scene. His intentions are seemingly pure in trying to assuage her fears, but her expression and the fact that he suddenly comes in from the rear makes it all decidedly less romantic.
I have a theory that most rape-hugs in Japanese doramas between people that are already a couple is a desperate attempt to make up for a total lack of chemistry. Whenever these two are on-screen together, they seem to be controlled by dyslectic puppeteers. They never share a smile, or a look, never have any physical contact, and they are always sad. Sure, this is supposed to be a dark/mysterious dorama, but I feel that people should still act like people. Perhaps this is deliberate to forshadow that he is actually the murderer of her entire family, but more likely is that they are both poor actors. (Having seen both in other doramas, I vote for the latter.)

Video
Sometimes the animate GIF doesn't allow you to fully appreciate the speed of approach and the impact upon contact. Also, the fansubs show some of the excellent dialogue that do not make the rape-hug any less odd.   

Nisennen no Koi, Episode 5

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Kaneshiro Takeshi ♂
Rape-Huggee: Nakayama Miho ♀


 

The Context

This is the 2nd rape-hug betwixt these two characters, the first coming in the 2nd episode during an undercover assassination attempt by the main character. She was very confused by this first rape-hug, but by the 5th episode she has realised that he is a spy so she probably has been able to explain away that event. 

The next rape hug comes when he has been injured, and because he can't go to the hospital she harbours him at her house and nurses him to health. Then while she is rebandaging him, he makes another lunge towards her. 

Note: Although Kaneshiro is Japanese, his character is from a made-up former Russian-like country, so this is an interracial rape-hug. Progress!

The Result

By now, she has already committed treason for this man. Basically this dorama is about the lengths a woman will go to prove to herself that she isn't a whore. And it wasn't even her fault - she was rape-hugged for christ's sake.

The Depiction

This is a very rare rape-hug in the the actual contact is not shown. Usually, Japanese doramas like to focus on the point of impact and the split-second reactions. Here, the camera actually cuts away to the bandage falling to the ground. Presumably she is so taken aback that she has dropped the bandage, and we watch it unfurl like a roll of toilet paper thrown over the house of the old lady who gives out apples for Trick or Treat.

Also rare is the lying-down position - a technically difficult rape-hug postion.

Awkwardometor ☆☆☆

Similar to the previous rape-hug, I find it amazing how supremely awkward Kaneshiro's character is. He's a goddamn spy with ice in his blood. He has girls fawning over him, and he's a cold blooded killer who in the first scene of the dorama snaps his own brother's neck. You never see James Bond rape-hugging anyone. It would be more awkward if the actual impact was shown, and that she has basically committed herself to him has to be factored in.

Video
This may be one of the more disappointing videos of a rape-hug, but do have a watch if you enjoy watching a roll of gauze fall to the floor.

Nisennen no Koi (Love 2000), Episode 2

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Kaneshiro Takeshi ♂
Rape-Huggee: Nakayama Miho ♀

The Context
There is somewhat complex situation behind this rape-hug'n kiss. He is an international assassin who has taken a common citizen on a date to the opera as a cover as he will attempt to assassinate his father. He is about to pull out his gun and blast the crap out of his dad when the girl gets in the way. She doesn't notice that he was about to spray the building full of bullets, but some undercover bodyguards do and they start walking towards him. That's when the above animated GIF begins, as he presumes that noone would expect an international spy to also be good at seducing women... right? I can't think of any international spy who is good at bonding with the other sex... And of course, the ploy works because Japanese people are so embarrassed by public displays of affection. "He might be a spy who is about to kill the person we are protecting," they think "But on the other hand I don't want to embarrass myself."

The Result
It's very complicated. On the one hand, he is using her only as cover for his assassin duties, but gradually falls in love with her. But on the other hand, she simply sees this as an extremely mixed message. I mean, the mixed messages start after just a few seconds when he downgrades from a rape-kiss to a rape-hug.

The Depiction
This is an extremely tense dorama -  and this is probably the highest point in the entire series. You're waiting for some gunshots, bloodsplatter, all that good stuff. And then Boom! It's an incredibly awkward rape-hug which he only employs when he realises he is a terrible kisser. It's like when somebody trips up and they try to turn it into a dance-move. We also have two great close-ups of his shifty-eyes, and her deer-in-the-headlights face as she gets violated and appears to look around for help. If only there were a policeman nearby...





Awkwardometor ☆☆☆☆
There is a moral dillemma here, as to whether a rape-hug is worse or lesss bad if it is done for ulterior motives such as not being shot in the back of the head by armed bodyguards. This ultimate depends on whether you think if the victim actually wants it but doesn't yet know it. However, the evidence for awkwardness is far too strong here. First, his premeditated action and the shifty eyes. And the fact that he freaks out when he kisses her so goes in for the hug instead [while there are many examples of rape-hug'n kisses, it's rare for a rape-kiss to turn into a rap-hug]. I think this is compounded by the fact that Kaneshiro is portrayed in this dorama - as in every role he takes - as an extremely suave man, and he totally flubs this moment.

Then, her scared reaction  is not exactly comforting (probably part of the reason he 2nd guessed his kiss). Finally, combine this with the fact that they are in an extremely public place, the opera - which is not exactly known as a teenage make-out location - in front of people who would otherwise point guns on them and you have a terribly awkward rape-hug. I give this four star-shaped thumbs up!


Video
I think her expression speaks for us all.