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.
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