Tiger and Dragon, Episode 6

The Actors

Rape-Huggists: Nagase Tomoya et al ♂
Rape-Huggee: Nameless extras ♀


The Context

The boys are on a night out in the town, and are looking to get some femular attention. Being Japan, there is always a snack bar/cabaret nearby where annoying girls are always ready to provide inane conversation, overpriced drinks and perhaps a handjob for the right price. So they are in the bar when Nagase's character gets an important phonecall. Being the leader of the group, everyone is waiting on him, and when he hangs up, all hell breaks loose.

The Result

This is the only gang rape-hug I have ever seen in a Japanese (or any other) dorama, and I hope it is the last. It significantly does not result in anything (a lawsuit comes to mind), as the scene immediately cuts to the advertisements. I somehow doubt that Coca Cola would be pleased with being the first thing people see after a violent group rape-hug.

The Depiction

It begins with Tomoya hanging up his phone, standing on the sofa and throwing off his blazer as he yells his battle cry to the men "Sorry to keep you waiting [for group rape-huggery]". Then the camera pans out as the men attack in formation around the six waitresses, form a human chain and start thrusting their pelvises towards the centre in a sychronised fashion. Note how all the women are cowering in fear. 

The entire sequence is very animalistic and reminds one of the age-old battle in nature of fish and dolphins. The females here are the fish, who when threatened form a bait ball as a last ditch defensive measure as individuals are more likely to be attacked than groups. However, the dolphin has evolved hunting techniques to exploit this behaviour by circling the prey so they form a tighter ball making for easy pickings. 

Note that the entire sequence is filmed in one shot. I just hope that this means they needed only one attempt at this scene.

Awkwardometor ☆☆☆☆☆


Tiger and Dragon has previously been feaured twice before on J-Dorama Rape-hugs, and both times they were actually used in a fashion that had some geniune humour to it. It is a very difficult line to tread, and in this case they failed horribly. This above scene is so horrific that I will never forget where I was when I saw it first. Overall Tiger and Dragon is a very good dorama, and this was very-much out of character. It was not, however, out of character with Nagase Tomoya who seems to be quite comfortable with rape-huggery. Every dorama I have seen with him in it he offends, which leads me to think that perhaps it is stated somewhere in his contract.


Video

Watch the carnage of the scene, the battle cries, and the cutaway to the commercials. Still feel like having a refreshing Coca Cola? 

Hana Yori Dango Season II, Episode 1

The Actors


Rape-Huggist: Ikuta Toma ♂
Rape-Huggee: Inoue Mao ♀


The Context
It is the start of the 2nd Season of this very successful dorama. She has gone up a school year and her boyfriend has gone overseas. So the problem is, how do you introduce some conflict into the dorama? That's right: a rape-hug!
Junpei is a new character who is actually a world-famous male model, but at school nobody recognises him because he wears glasses. How is this possible, you ask? Well, this is a dorama intended for silly teenage girls, is why. They have a couple of random meetings and it seems like they could become good friends, or perhaps more. However, afraid of her current relationship, she says it would be better if they don't be friends anymore. He starts crying, she says "well, we can still be friends...", and then he is so overjoyed that he rape-hugs her and doesn't even hear her saying "Stop it."

The Result
The rape-hug is cut short when she spots a friend eavesdropping on them, and she is the one who appears to feel guilty. What are we living in the Middle East now, where rape-hug victims are the ones to blame?

Spoiler Alert: It turns out that Junpei was actually a mortal enemy of her boyfriend and was planning all along to take revenge on him by stealing his girl, or kidnapping him, or something that only a teenage girl could suspend their belief enough for.

The Depiction








This scene is usual for it's spare use of cuts. It consists mainly of a long-shot containing horrifically terrible overacting, and it progresses to a mid-shot where he grabs her by her jacket sleeves as she is trying to escape, and the rape-hug occurs in the same scene. I can only hope that they needed only one take, and judging by the quality of acting, I think that was the case. There is also a crappy piano tune playing which stops suddenly when a door is heard opening. During the struggle, there is another cut to close in and show us her facial expression as she realises she has been caught in the act. Her face is quite similar to an O-face.


Awkwardometor ☆☆☆☆
This is a high-degree of awkwardness, based partly on her terribly overacted facial expressions. In the screen-grab we see her pouting like a fish, and then her face turns into an inappropriate expression of carnal desire as she realises she has been caught in the act. Perhaps that's what gets her off. 
Also, you can't avoid the fact that she is screaming for him to stop - which he doesn't until another male disturbs them.
 
But the most awkward part to me is when the music screeches to a stop. The hotel-lobby-like piano music continues along to provide a nice background during the rape-hug and screeches to a halt only when someone else interrupts it. It isn't the physical assualt, but the fact that someone else saw it. Think about that. 



Video
Enjoy the terrible acting which extends across language barriers,  and pay particular attention to the moment that the music stops.

 

 

Manhattan Love Story, Episode 2

The Actors
Rape-Huggist: Bruiser Brody ♂
Rape-Huggee: Sakai Wakana ♀

The Context
This dorama centres around several characters involved in the TV industry, and in this scene some characters are watching Sakai's character - who is a TV presenteress - give some kind of report on live TV. They are casually watching and commenting on the events on TV while she is screaming "help" and trying to escape a giant Professional Wrestler who is shouting things like "I'm going to eat you".

Note: This is Bruiser Brody's only appearance in the entire dorama. So there truly is no context to speak of. 

The Result
There are no consequences of this action, presumably because everybody thinks that both the professional wrestler and the TV presenter are faking it. In fact, the man watching TV is commenting on how cute she is as she is literally being assaulted on live TV.

On the one hand, I would like to think that this is a meta-commentary on Japanese television and the inequal gender relationships that make such shocking abuse seem so normal in Japanese society, but on the other hand, this is so disturbing - and there are many other rape-hugs in this dorama that I no longer think it is likely. It's a shame because Manhattan Love Story does a good job of pointing out the sillyness of Japanese TV on many occasions. However, this is probably intended simply as some comic relief, because you know how hilarious a giant foreign man pillaging an innocent Japanese lady is.


The Depiction
 

Everything about this rape-hug is so completely overboard. Come on, he is running towards her from behind while screaming how he is "going to get her".

Awkwardometor ☆☆☆☆☆
This is easily a 5-star quality rape-hug. There is the attack from the rear - but not because she isn't expecting it -- but precisely because she is and she is so terrified and is screaming for help. Also, the fact that he is an enormous professional wrestler who also happens to be white - it's probably the most terrifying prospect for any Japanese woman. 

Video
To truly appreciate the wrongness of this scene, watch it in real-time and see how non-chalant the men watching the TV are. Also observe the terrible acting of the Pro-wrestler - he makes the Japanese dorama actors look amazing.