Kamisama Mou Sukoshi dake, Episode 5

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Nakama Yukie ♀
Rape-Huggee: Kaneshiro Takeshi ♂


The Context

 

He is a famous songwriter and she is his top popstar. She was friends with his deceased wife and he has since gone into a deep writer's block. Nakama Yukie's character has fallen in love with him and is jealous when he starts banging a 17-year old girl with AIDS. Yeah, it's a pretty heavy dorama in the "Dying girl" genre, but it's a shame that statutory rape aspect is mostly overlooked - probably because he has great hair.It's so wavy!

So as a last desperate attempt to steal him while he is freaking out and tearing up some paper with failed lyrics on it, Nakama makes a running rape-hug.

 

The Result
Sadly, on so many levels, he choses to keep banging the 17-year-old AIDS girl.

 

The Depiction

 

We are treated to some really dramatic action-pack closeups. First he tears up the paper and his face, and then we see her rage face as she runs towards him like Braveheart in the final battle. Just before contact we get a long shot, just as she almost slips over on the paper scattered over the floor. I'm convinced that this wasn't intentional, but this dorama was from the late 90's when it was probably too much effort (or too costly) to re-shoot a scene. I love Yukie Nakama as much as any heterosexual, but honestly, she isn't a great actress. Or at least, she is always cast as a hardass and good at everything when she quite clearly isn't. She is much convincing as in Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake as a shallow pop-star and I truly love the fact that in this scene she stuggles with a primary form of human locomotion.

Look at Nakama with her legs akimbo, rescuing her balance with the rape-hug.

Awkwardometor ☆☆

For some reason I don't find this scene very awkward, despite the whole statutory decision and the AIDS girls thing. Maybe it's the lack of balance that brought in some unintentional comedy, or maybe it's the fact that the victim is a guy. Or it could be that being rape-hugged by Yukie Nakama - probably the sexiest woman in Japan for a solid decade - doesn't seem like such a bad deal. What I'm saying is, for so many reasons, he made the wrong decision, this should have been a regular hug and the drama could have ended right here.



Video

Nemureru Mori, Episode 9

 

We continue Rape-hugMas by going back to the classics. Here we present the pre Japanese Dorama Golden Era Nemureru Mori (Sleeping Forest). It's like watching crappy Peanuts Specials every year. You don't really enjoy it, but surely someone at some point enjoyed it, right? Right? Otherwise why would it still be on TV? Do programmers really not give a crap for the last few weeks of the year? Or am I just a Grinch? Do I maybe just need a hug? Anyway, on to the rape-hugs!

 

 

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Honjo Manami ♀
Rape-Huggee: Kimura Takuya ♂


The Context

They are an ex-couple that is going through a rough patch because he loves another woman and doesn't really like her. She is kind the crazy ex who desperately wants him to love her, so at this point she decides to go all-in, literally throwing herself at Kimura.

The Result
His hat falls off. Also, soon afterwards she is murdered. 

 

The Depiction

Relevant to this scene is that Kimura's character works as a genius event-lighting expert (and all of his events seem to include solely With or Without You by U2), which gives the spectacular backdrop for this rape-hug. She visits him on set, they have a heartfelt chat from an uncomfortably long distance, and as he walks away we see him getting tackled. It's just uncalled for. We don't even see her approach. It reminds me a little of this commercial:
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/tbSpAsJSZPc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Other special touches to this rape-hug are the slow-motion whiplash of Kimura, the shot of his stylish lighting-director hat falling to the well-lit cobblestone ground, and the closeup of her hands in what appears to be a heimlich maneuver.

Awkwardometor ☆☆☆☆
This is one of the creepiest female-on-male rape-hugs in recent memory. There is not only the nighttime rear suprise-attack, but also the creepy things she says as she hangs on.
"If I do this... You will become warm. And I won't be cold."
If that was whispered by a man wearing another human being's face, it would still be in character.

Video
Enjoy the force of impact in real time. It's something you just can't prepare yourself for. You know it's coming, but then BANG! Every time.

Hotaru no Hikari, Episode 8

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Ayase Haruka ♀
Rape-Huggee: Kato Kazuki ♂

The Context

These two have been dating for a few episodes and have carefully followed the J-dorama relationship curve. 

• They are awkward together
• He 'proclaims his love'
• They hold hands and go to the amusement park
• He kisses her while she imitates a mannequin

Then he jumps the gun and asks her to move in with him. She eventually agrees and the rape-hug scene comes when they are looking for an apartment. By "they are looking for an apartment" I mean "he decides the apartment and announces it to her because she doesn't have an opinion". She was extremely worried about the fact that she likes to wear jerseys at home, and when he tells her that despite her love for wearing jerseys he still wants to move in with her - she strikes with that rape-hug.

The Result

They do move in together, but because their relationship is so perfect and so polite you know it will never work out. I guess it should be a hint when the only real emotion that is shown is expressed by rape-hug, you're in trouble.

The Depiction

The room is sparse and the light streams in through the apartment window. She drops her head and runs three pathetic steps toward the light/her boyfriend, and dips her head, nestling it in his armpit upon impact. 

It's quite disturbing too that A) she has to make a run-up to hug him and B) that he totem-poles himself. I mean, he just said something very sweet to her so he should be expecting a hug. Also, he is facing her and she sucks at running. He could at least raise his hands to stop his girlfriend from being a rape-huggist.

Awkwardometor ☆☆
I don't know which of the two is more awkward. On the one hand, she is completely justified in hugging him but turns it into something weird, but on the other hand he asked her to move in with him yet he doesn't have the balls to reciprocate a measly hug.


Video
Rape-hugs really are a litmus test for bad acting. Firstly, any actor with an ounce of dignity would steer clear of them - or at least find that rare context where it works. Here in this tiny 8 second clip is all you need to know about the acting performances in this series. [Note: Ayase Haruka won awards for this role. Awards! How?]

First Love, Episode 1

The Actors

Rape-Huggist:  Fukuda Kyoko ♀
Rape-Huggee: Watanabe Atsuro ♂


The Context

As you can see in the above GIF, she is in school uniform and he is not. The reason he isn't in school uniform is because he is the teacher. 

This scene is a flashback from several years earlier which moves the entire dorama. She is a quiet student who falls in love with her teacher and this is the moment that she makes her move. They are in a secluded part of school presumably at lunchtime (I presume that it is exam season because the gymnasium is deserted).

The Result

He reciprocates the rape-hug and kisses her back, which would be awesome if he wasn't her teacher. Another student witnesses the event and because he is such a popular teacher she attempts to commit suicide which forces the teacher to "take responsibility" and hand in his letter of resignation and disappear out of her life without saying goodbye.

For those scoring at home, there are several extremely Japanese things about the above paragraph:

1. A relationship between a student and teacher - a disturbingly popular theme in J-doramas.
2. Someone attempting to commit suicide
3. Someone else claiming responsibility simply by leaving their job
4. Someone breaking off a relationship simply by leaving
            - this is heightened by a 'running alongside the train' scene, which is completely ridiculous in a country where a train leaves every 8 minutes.
5. The rape-hug

The dorama continues on several years later when he reappears in her life as the fiancee of her sister.

The Depiction

The rape-hug is definitely in the 'Praying Mantis Style' where the aggressor remains very still until she lunges.  This is where it gets weird. He - and remember - he is a teacher who should immediately bat off any advances from students, instead embraces that awkard moment. He gives a face as if he just creamed his breifs, moves his hand creepily onto her bra-strap-area, puts his hands stiffly on her shoulders like a boxing trainer between the 11th and 12th rounds and leans in for a pathetic closed-mouth kiss. I mean, if you're going to break the law and lose you job, you may as well make it worth your while.

Awkwardometor ☆☆☆☆

This is a strange situation where the fact that both parties are willing participants it does not mitigate the awkwardness of the situation. The dorama tries to present this event (shown in flashback form in most episodes) as a blossoming of first love, when in reality it is about the childish female crush-turned-obsession and a morally weak man. That, and the very long-drawn out scene makes this an easy 4-star rape-hug.

It's such a shame, but Fukuda Kyoko is seemily always cast as someone with extremely unhealthy or depraved sexual attractions. Here she macks onto her teacher, in Strawberry on the Shortcake she falls in love with her step-brother, in Kamisama Mou Sukoshi Dake she is a fan of a 40-year-old music producer and sleeps with him despite being 17 (and having AIDS and getting pregnant), and in Friends she commits the biggest relationship sin a Japanese person could do: fall in love with a Korean.
[I kid. Actually, Friends is probably the best romance Japanese Dorama I have seen - possibly because it is half made by Korean directors/actors/etc.]

Video
As the entire scene was too long for the one GIF, you may want to see the scene in all it's entirety including the reciprocal kiss - you know, in the interest of journalistic integrity.

Ikebukuro West Park Gate, Episode 1

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Kato Ai ♀
Rape-Huggee: Nagase Tomoya ♂

The Context

This is that all-too-familiar situation where you have your eye on someone but their best friend is throwing themself at you. In this situation, he likes her best friend who is much prettier (at least in the world of J-doramas) and has just called his cellphone. Feeling that her opportunity is slipping Kato Ai grabs away his phone and makes a close-range hug-attack followed by a sloppy kiss.

The Result

As seen in the GIF, he momentarily engages her before throwing her off in a manner similar to when your older brother tosses his dirty laundry on your face.However, later on in the series they do end up together.

Also - and this is definitely a spoiler although I stupidly wasn't aware at the time - her best friend ends up being killed later on in this episode. Yeah, that's the difference between men and women. When two guys like the same girl one will step down honorably, but when two girls like the same man it's a fight to the death.

The Depiction

The moment of impact is only shown for an instant as the shot quickly changes to her attempt to kiss him. Both of their faces are highlighted although there is absolutely no expression in either of their face - primarily because Japanese people still haven't learnt about the open-mouth kiss. A nice touch is when he throws her off, it is shown from a low angle to make him look brooding and tough. Yeah, he doesn't take any crap from anyone even if that crap is a girl hopelessly and completely throwing herself at him.

Awkwardometor ☆☆
A large part of the awkwardness of a rape-hug is the reaction of the victim, and this guy is simply too tough to care. And in fact, their relationship over the next few episodes is relatively normal as they search for the murderer, and they do begin dating. So, I guess her strategy worked?


Video
Watch the above scene followed by him scolding her for her misbehaviour, and for all her talk of sex and giving him presents. I'm starting to think that this character isn't a very realistic portrayal of a male human being, or perhaps due to seeing so many rape-hugs I have lost all faith in humanity.
 

Haikei, Chichiue-sama, Episode 9

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Morikami Chie ♀
Rape-Huggee: Ninomiya Kazunari ♂


The Context

 

They are coworkers at a Japanese style restaurant. He is a junior chef and she is a waitress who is at least 15 years his senior and has a child. After a round of post-work heavy drinking, she is completely drunk and he is left to take her home. He finally gets her home, drags her inside and tries to put her to bed. Now, this is a classic rookie mistake - or perhaps a reality only seen on television. Once you get someone home who is that drunk, you'd probably take them into the bathroom first, or dump them ontop of the bed and try to feed them a glass of water. You don't pull up the sheets. Because, I guess that was her cue to rape-hug'n kiss him. But really this is basically the depiction of attempted rape - and he says so in a voiceover as he leaves the apartment.

The Result

He feels very dirty about it, but there is no mention of the event between them when they show up at work the next day, and the event is soon forgotten about.

The Depiction

As mentioned above, there is such a fine-line here between rape-hug and legitimate rape. The ordeal is papered-over quickly enough, but could you imagine how disturbing this would be if the gender roles were reversed?

Awkwardometor ☆
This is - no doubt - an extremely awkward scene. Although not explicitly mentioned, he seems to be a 22-year old virgin who is completely smitten with another girl, so although douchebag males would probably joke that they would love for this to happen to then, to him this was not a welcome surprise. But the portrayal of rape-hug in Haikei Chichiuesama is surprisingly self-aware for a Japanese dorama, and that is all we strive for at JDRH. 



Video
From the GIF, it may be difficult to ascertain who is attacking who especially since he is the one who lifts up the bedsheets, but the video clears leaves any trace of doubt behind.

Mitsu no Aji, Episode 4 (no1)

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Kanno Miho ♀
Rape-Huggee: ARATA ♂


The Context

This is the 2nd rape-hug between these two characters in this dorama. In the first, she was feeling insecure about her relationship with her fiancee and she grabbed him from behind while was busy in the kitchen. It was only slightly odd, mainly because this was her way of saying "let's get married".


Two episodes later, he realises that he has just married a psychotically jealous bitch and is already making preparations to leave her. That's when she commits one of the most disgusting rape-hugs you will ever witness as a last ditch attempt to keep her man from leaving.


The Result
This relationship did not end well.


The Depiction

The rape-hug begins with a spousal fight and as he fights her off and turns to leave, she tackles him to the ground and clings on for dear life. The next 60 seconds (or about 1.3% of the entire episode) shows the two of them writhing around on the floor. She is crying. She tries to make out with him. He is crying. She places her hands around his throat, but you aren't scared for his life because he is twice her size (and a bad actor). It's also notable that he is obviously considering whether he leave right now, or that he takes this opportunity for some breakup sex. I mean, that is the only reason that a female-on male rape-hug could continue on for so long. And yes, she obviously would put out to keep him, and sure, she's pretty smoking hot.


But all that writhing... That's what stays burned into my memory. It reminds me of a game the kids sometimes play at sleepover parties called "wormies". It's when everyone zips up their sleeping bag completely and act out an orgy.


Also the acting is terrible, which is normal.


Awkwardometor ☆☆☆☆☆
We did it! Finally a female-on-male rape-hug with a 100% awkward rating! This is a major success for the gender inquality in Japan. And add on the increased difficulty of the fact that the two characters are married. Now that is super-awkard. Congratulations!

Also note that Kanno Miho is putting together one hell of a rape-hug resume as both a victim and ... "victor"?


Video
See how long you can watch this clip without turning away. This is the rape-hug equivalent of 2 Girls One Cup.

Great Teacher Onizuka, Episode 1

The Actors
Rape-Huggist: Kirari ♀
Rape-Huggee: Sorimachi Takashi ♂


The Context
He is the new teacher of a very naughty class, and this is the first attempt by the students to get him fired. In this first plot he finds one of his female students crying at his doorstep saying that she doesn't want to go home. He lets her in, and she quickly undresses and makes her advances.
As soon as she hugs him, two classmates jump out of the closet flashing their cameras.

 
The Result
The boys think that they have photographic proof with which they can get the teacher fired, or blackmail him. It sort of works, but not really. She quickly gets up and puts her school uniform back on looking really proud of herself, which I find a little odd. Because sure, she may have succeeded in her little plan, but she also just showed her tits to three men. No shame or modesty at all?

Note: From the angle of where the photo is taken, because he his sitting down cross-legged, and she can only be seen from behind as she hugs his stomach, it would seem that the photo would A) look like she is giving him a BJ, and B) that her face wouldn't appear in the photo, so it wouldn't really be an incriminating photo at all. Well, I guess if a photo of a teacher appearing to get a BJ was floating around school that would cause some problems, but still, that wasn't the plan.


The Depiction





As noted above, this a relatively rare seated rape-hug, which often results in the point of contact being a little bit too close to the crotch. It also shows only his facial reaction, which is of confusion (presumably her's is an expression of vindictive teenage whore-ism).
It also differs because the event lasts for only a few moments. See, that's one of the most bothersome elements of Japanese rape-hugs - they last forever, or at least far longer than human nature would dictate. Even if they can't say the word "no" because they are Japanese, presumablyquite often they would still struggle immediately. 

 
Awkwardometor N/A
This is obviously supposed to be an awkward moment for Sorimachi's character, but as a rape-hug this is how they should be portrayed: as a bad thing! It's not an expression of uncontrollable desire, or of claiming another human being as your own personal posession. Here the act of rape-hug is evil and malicious. I doubt that this is an indictment of rape-hugs as a cultural Japanese phenomenom, but it does show them for what they often are - unsolicited and unwanted hugs.

This is perhaps not a reason why GTO is probably the greatest Japanese Dorama that will ever be made, but I don't think it is a coincidence.


Video
Watch the entire sequence of schoolgirl in her underwear lunge at her teacher, and then two guys jump out of the closet with their cameras out. Also bewonder how casually she gets up and puts her clothes back on, because this is the rare rape-hug where the rape-huggist should be the one feeling dirty afterwards.  

 

Tiger and Dragon, Episode 4

The Actors
Rape-Huggist: Ito Misaki ♀
Rape-Huggee: Odaka Junichi ♂


The Context
The above GIF says about everything that needs to be said. He's simply not confident enough to make a move on the girl he likes to the point where he avoids her, and then the girl he likescomes out of nowhere to attack him from behind. You can see the instant where his face changes from "Loser" to "Mojo"

↓

Oh how quickly a male temperament can change with femular attention. 

An extra bit of context can be provided by the previous episode where she rape-hugs another guy simply because she tought it was cute he was a virgin. We may have our first female serial rape-huggist (with different victims) on J-Dorama Rape-hugs.


The Result
They end up together, although it becomes a running joke that they don't consumate despite the fact she is a notoriously loose woman. It's funny how rape-hugs can actually be funny when it's perpetrated by a female.

The Depiction
Here we see a sponateous from-behind attack. Also note how she tries to be too cute by burrowing her face into his shoulder-blade, even though he can't see it. This also hides her face, allowing us to focus on the pinnacle of this portrayal - his change of expression. Usually rape-hug expressions go like this:
1) Shock
2) Staying still
3) Acceptance

(*Note: this is pretty much the same reaction you would expect by someone being mauled by a grizzly bear during mating season)

However, the portrayal of rape-hug in Tiger And Dragon is perfectly executed and perfectly acted-out. This is one of the reasons that Tiger And Dragon is one of the few Japanese Doramas that is genuinely funny from beginning to end. 







Awkwardometor ☆
This is a very unawkward rape-hug because of his expression that almost says "Oh yeah, I planned this all along." even though he obviously didn't.

Video
See, you can joke about rape-hugs!

 

Mitsu no Aji, episode 2

 The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Kanno Miho ♀
Rape-Huggee: ARATA ♂



The Context
The onscreen couple are in one of those weird TV relationships that will clearly never work out. He doesn't really appear to love her but still wants to get married, and she only wants to get married when another girl starts looking at her man. This rape-hug comes at that point. It's one of those "claiming your posession hugs". It's like after having a fancy dinner with your friends and the host brings out a box of fancy chocolates, so you quickly lick the caramel ones so you aren't left with the crappy fruit-flavoured ones.


The Result
As you can see in the above GIF, after a moment he puts down the book he is holding and turns around for a legitimate hug. Also, they end up getting married. Also, they end up breaking up again, which only goes to show you that a rape-hug is never a good foundation for a relationship. It is interesting though, as most rape-hugs come near the end of a dorama series - or at least the 'successful rape-hugs' end with a happy-ever-after scene. It would be interesting to take a look back after, say 10 years, to see what the long-term success-rate of those relationships are.


The Depiction
 
 He is minding his own business with his book while she stands there staring at him like a serial killer. [Note: in this dorama, Kanno is prortrayed basically as a serial killer.] She sneezes, as in the previous scene she got wet and in the world of dramas the rule is that if you stand in the rain, at the start of the next scene you will have a cold. He makes an inane comment, and her face changes to an expression we like to call "hug-rapey". 
Once she has her prey in her arms she makes a demand "Hug me tightly", and he slowly puts down the book not to startle her, turns around and makes a consensual hug.




Awkwardometor ☆
This rape-hug gets the lowest rating possible primarily because they are in a committed long-term relationship. Now, I'm not saying that I condone spousal rape-huggery, but it is very difficult to argue in the courts. Also, the context of this scene comes after they return from saving a little boy's life, so it's almost okay that she is so vulnerable. I would still prefer it if she advanced from the front. Finally, this is quite a rape-huggy dorama, and awkwardness is amped up. Stay tuned!




Video
Watch the scene in real time, paying close attention to how incredibly sad the whole atmosphere is. Remember kids: "Rape-hugs destroy lives."

Good Luck, Episode 10

The Actors


Rape-Huggist: Yoon Soo Ha ♀
Rape-Huggee: Kimura Takuya ♂


The Context
This is basically a repeat of the first rape-hug in this series in Episode 1. Basically what happens is, Kimura is a a successful pilot and whenever he comes home to his apartment, his crazy Korean neighbour ambushes him and acts as if they are a couple. I have no idea why this is included in the dorama. As I said, it's probably a misguided attempt at humour that marginalises women and foreigners.
In this 2nd rape-hug (that sandwiches the series with rape-huggery), Kimura is arraving home with his little brother - which is why he says "She's lying" at the point of no return. 



The Result
The result is basically only to make women and/or Koreans look like crazy people.

The Depiction
The depiction is rather standard, and Kimura 'takes it like a man.', acting more worried about what his little brother might think rather than the fact he is being violated. He even plays along with her delusion by answering to the fake name she has given him.

Awkwardometor ☆
This rape-hug is not very awkward by this point. It is nothing we haven't seen before, we know that Kimura has saved his genitals for another female in this series, and again, girls rape-hugging guys is always less awkward. Maybe I'm being sexist, but in reality, if a guy really felt violated he could probably lay out the offender with a single punch to the mouth. This is especially true in Japanese doramas where every female actress looks about as strong as a wet noodle with osteoporisis.



Video

See this crazy Korean lady fulfil the dreams of most Japanese women under 40 (and some men) by hugging Kimura Takuya, set to the annoying (undoubtedly) royalty-free music that suggests that this is supposed to be a humorous scene.

Tokyo Dogs, Episode 10

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Matsunaga Yuki ♀
Rape-Huggee: Oguri Shun ♂

The Context

This was the final scene of the entire series, and as soon as the scene began I was obviously concerned that they would ruin a perfectly acceptable dorama. And then this happens. It was epic. I wish every single rape-hug attempt would end up like this. It's what the rape-huggist deserves - yes - even if they are a woman. There is a little-known condition tied to the saying "Never hit a woman" which is "unless she attacks you first." In fact, I find it much funnier that he not only flips the girl, but he then stomps on her face.

The Result

Over the entire series, the girl had been throwing herself at Oguri Shun. Sure, it might be because he is one of the most loved boy idols among girls despite his kind-of weird-looking upper lip, but it's mostly because his character is a detective who is an overachiever at his age - a real catch. I love the fact that he didn't cave to her advances - running at full speed.

The Depiction

Initially the depiction complies to many rape-hug standards:

1. It begins with her looking longinlgy before making her advance
2. The long-shot of the space between them closing
3. The pre-rape-hug shots of both of their faces
4. It takes place at the end of the dorama at an airport

 And then, out of nowhere - BOOM! Face stomped, you stupid rape-huggist. Maybe this is signalling the start of self-awareness of rape-hugs by Japanese dorama directors.

Awkwardometor N/A

Not awkward at all - this is just pure awesome. 

Video
Enjoy the unnecessary - yet very necessary violence in real-time.

Buzzer Beat, Episode 5

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Yamashita Tomohisa ♂& Kitagawa Keiko ♀
Rape-Huggee: Yamashita Tomohisa ♂& Kitagawa Keiko ♀





 

  










The Context
He is a star basketball player who has gone on a pre-season camp. While away, she realises that she likes him and travels across Japan to surprise him. When she arrives, he is alone in the gym crying about being cheated on, which obviously gives her 2nd thoughts. But as she is about to leave he regains his manly status by rape-hugging her, only to realise that it is extremely awkward. Then, he lets go and as he is about to leave, she retaliates and rape-hugs him back.

The Result
This rape-hug comes halfway through the series, and it kicks off their official relationship. In this sense it can be seen as a successful sequence of rape-hugs. It shouldn't be, but it can.


The Depiction
The rape-hug scene is in an empty gymnasium and on both rape-hugs it clearly shows the shocked expressions on both of their faces. These are notable not only for the near-immediate retaliationm but also for the high degree of difficulty of the rare kneeling rape-hug. Upon the impact of the first rape-hug the soundtrack falls dramatically silent, as if someone is just fainting. And on the 2nd one we also see the double-shot - the knockout punch, as the annoying end theme song starts to signal that everything is okay and we don't need to call the police.

Awkwardometor ☆☆☆
This sequence in Japanese Drama history really illustrates the lack of romantic awareness in the genre. It would have been incredibly easy to make this a genuine romantic moment simply by having her return the hug the first time. Why wouldn't she happily return the hug - after all, wasn't she the one that travelled all the way across the nation to express her love? So instead of one great hug to consecrate this inevitable relationship, we have two incredibly awkward rape-hugs. Secondly, why wouldn't he return her hug after just rape-hugging her? Admittedly he does slightly return the hug but not to the level to erase the awkwardness. Perhaps there are couples who are genuinely this awkward, but wow. 




Video
Watch the entire sequence, along with the impressively bad soundtrack.

Yume no California, Episode 7

The Actors
Rape-Huggist: Shibasaki Kou ♀
Rape-Huggee: Domoto Tsuyoshi ♂



The Context
In this dorama, Domoto is the classic "dick in a glass case" / eternally in the friend-zone. She is an old classmate and who happens to be a model (and way out of his league). She is dating another man who she doesn't really like, so when they have an argument, she immediately arranges to meet the friend-zoned friend. Spurred by her weakness, she pulls a hideous face and takes a huge run-up for the dramatic rape-hug.


The Result
This rape-hug results in him being totally confused and her feeling guilty because in Japan inter-gender friendships cannot allow any physical contact - inluding accidental hand-brushes when opening a door. It would have been an inconsequential event, however, this was also overseen by a mutual friend who instead of being shocked at a violent rapey-hug, assumed that the two were having freaky monkey sex at any opportunity and was too embarrassed to mention it.

The Depiction
The cinematography pulls out all the cliche stops for this rape-hug including Shibasaki's hideous face of torment as she makes the decision to rape-hug, then a sweeping long-shot as she makes violent contact and he stands his ground like a loyal (and dead) British soldier in the Boer War. Then, upon contact we hear the beginning of the dorama's theme song 'California Dreaming' to indicate the magnitude of this shocking overseen event, and see the very different emotions on both their faces.

Contrast the Ali-like speed of her hands, with his daytime gargoyle defenselessness against her. 

Awkwardometor ☆☆☆
This is extremely awkward for a female-instigated rape-hug due to several factors. The facial expressions lend some credibility to my suspicions that Shibasaki is kind of crazy. He is playing a character who seems to be a virgin - or at least acts like one - and has absolutely no idea what to do. He's basically in a prison of rape-hug. Add onto that, the setting of a park at night (prime raping real-estate) and that they are overseen by a mutual friend. It would have been a four-star awkward rape-hug if this wasn't so obviously a device to extend this dorama a few episodes-worth of superflous forced dorama airtime.

Video
Enjoy the rape-hug in real time, along with the annoying introduction to California Dreaming.  

Tiger And Dragon, Episode 3

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Ito Misaki ♀
Rape-Huggee: Arakawa Yoshiyoshi ♂

The Context
Misaki's character is that she is a ditz, and he is one of the students living in the house who are studying the art of 'rakugo' (Japanese sit-down comedy). They are not involved - in fact she is dating the son of the master, and has slept twice with a different student. Anyway, at this point in the dorama it comes to light that he is a virgin. He then says how his only love is the theatre, which is her cue to say "Aww, how cute" and rape hug the virgin from behind.


The Result
Negligible. There is never any romantic or aggressive intent between the two characters, and her reaction is almost dehumanising him into a teddy-bear-like figure, as in "virgins still exist?"

The Depiction
The depiction is actually quite shocking, combining some of the most sinister rape-hug elements in quick succession: she runs out from behind the bookshelf on the left to rape-hug him from behind mid-sentence while six people simply look on and do nothing. This is a prime example of the bystander effect.




Awkwardometor ☆
Having once been a virgin myself, I know how incredibly awkward situation this must be for the male victim. The last thing his confidence needs right after exposing to everyone that he is a virgin is an attractive female fe-man-handling him out of any emotion other than lust, especially in a roomful of people he knows. However, the overall awkwardness of this rape-hug rates low because:

• Rape-hugs are nearly always less awkward when the female is the perp.
• There is obviously no malice intended by this action.
• Tiger and Dragon is a genuinely funny comedy, largely because it creates these awkward moments.

So basically what I have just said is that this rape-hug is less awkward because it is awkward. This makes sense when you remember that the awkwardometor is a gague of the awkwardness the viewer, not the characters. So basically, I might be implicity condoning rape-hugs - or willing to turn a blind eye - if the intent is only to embarrass male virgins.


Video
"How cute! Lets violate it!"

 

Good Luck, Episode 1

The Actors
Rape-Huggist: Yoon Soo Ha ♀
Rape-Huggee: Kimura Takuya ♂

The Context
Kimura is a pilot who is single, and is therefore extremely eligible among women (pretty much exactly how it is in real life). Most of the females in the dorama are stewardesses who constantly praise him and try to act cute in front of him. However, his neighbour has a different plan of attack - literally. As soon as he comes home, she ambushes him and pretends he is someone else that she is dating.
Note: this is a rape-hug that crosses national borders, showing that Koreans are also partial to the aggressive suffocating behaviour of rape-huggery. Either that, or she's taking symbolic national revenge for the years between about, say, 1905 and 1945.  

The Result
The rape-huggist is obviously mentally unstable, and Kimura spends the entire dorama avoiding her. The entire storyline involving this neighbour is completely irrelevant to the dorama, and appears to be there only for comedic effect for all those who enjoy watching unsolicited physical contact. 


The Depiction
As soon as he inserts the key in the lock of his house, the sequence begins. We see the neighbour's door open, running footsteps, and she attacks Kimura. For comparison's sake, let's pretend that she was holding an axe and it quickly becomes a completely different dorama. Kimura is pushed back by the force of impact, and left swaying as she talks nonsense.

Awkwardometor ☆☆
The fact that the storyline of the dorama concerning the neighbour has completely nothing to do with the rest of the dorama makes it less awkward. Yes, she is basically a stranger, a foreigner, and a lunatic, and the hug includes a run-up and nonsense talking. However, in the greater scheme it is relatively less awkward than it might seem largely due to the fact the attacker is female - usually the smaller of the sexes in the human species.

Video
Watch the crazy Korean lady come flying from her room like an evil flying monkey, in real time.