Dream Again, Episode 6

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Sorimachi Takashi ♂
Rape-Huggee: Kato Ai ♀

The Context

This is a very convoluted script, and by 'convoluted' I am combining the words "Confusing", "Vomit" and "diluted". A famous baseball player starts sucking and retires, and the drama starts just when he rediscovers his fire for baseball and decides to mount a comeback. This upsets his girlfriend and somehow leads him to throwing his engagement ring into a river. Then he literally gets struck by lightning and dies, only there was some kind of clerical error so he comes back to earth inside another man's body. I don't know how Sorimachi - who is the god of Japanese doramas - got sucked into this piece of crap conference-meeting power-script. In one short span of the dorama his daughter who has a non-specified terminal illness collapses, recovers, runs away, there is a shitty little scene of trying to find her, and then she tries to commit suicide by walking into the ocean while he holds her back and slaps the sense back into her. I'm not trying to give a recap of this dorama, but if they manage to put all those clichés into one small section of the plot, you can bet your life they'll find space to include a rape-hug somewhere. 

The Depiction

Usually I place the video clip at the end, but in this case I think it is worthwhile to take a look now, just to see how many clichés are forced into this one scene like a fat man's haggis. So, she doesn't know that this man is actually her reincarnated ex-fiancé, but they find themselves talking while overlooking the view from a bridge at night. Then, the ominous soft piano music starts to play as the camera slowly zooms in on his face to show that he is completely tuning out whatever she is saying. Then he makes a lunge to grab her wrist, and in slow motion pulls her towards him.

Then, once the action is complete, the theme song by Kobukuro kicks in. This artist is used for many themesongs in doramas and although I don't have any evidence, I would think that his voice is the voice of rape-hugs. I'm saying if rape-hugs had it's own nation, Kobukuro would be singing the anthem before every sports event that Rapehuggistan is in.

 

The Result

This rape-hug is used as the cliff-hanger between episodes 6 and 7, and the seventh episode ends with her brekaing free of the rape-hug and briskly walking away. So, the result was not looking good - and he knows it. In fact, one of the next scenes is of Soramachi talking to his guardian angel. Did I mention that he has a guardian angel and that this script is a total piece of shit? 

Watch the following clip (with fansubs) where Sorimachi asks his guardian angel (he is the one who is glowing blue. Duh.) as to whether he should apologize. The angel replies:

"As an adult you might need to say a word of apology. You suddenly hugged her after all."

There you have it: an angel - a divine messenger of god (or whoever it is that gives a shit about the Japanese) - is on the fence about the legitmacy of rape-hugs. 

Meanwhile, the poor victim in this matter is showing signs of severe trauma. While sitting at her desk her phone starts ringing. When she sees that it's him she has a flashback of the rape-hug - which she admittedly did almost accept - but her fiancé had only recently been struck dead by lightning. Give her some time to mourn, dammit! Then she does a double face-palm. Where's her guardian angel when she needs one?

Remember, rape-hugs are not a victimless crime.

Awkwardometor ☆☆☆☆☆



I'm giving this a full five-star rating.I don't care that he is actually her spouse-to-be, and that she almost accepted the advances. It's at night on a secluded footbridge, and he literally grabs her wrist. Seriously, when do you ever grab someone's wrist? The answer is when you are trying to lead someone somewhere against their own will - like a naughty child to the corner of the room. That is not a good way to woo. And throw in the fact that she is mentally fragile after her fiancé suddenly dieing only a few months earlier, and the trauma she showed afterwards.  

The follow-up converstation with the guardian angel is almost on the right track about showing remorce, but eventually belittles the gravity of the act. That conversation was backed by a peppy comedic tune, whereas the facepalm scene was something out of a pyschological thriller. 













What are we doing here people?

IS, episode 4

 

 

The Actors

Rape-Huggist:  Inoue Masahiro♂
Rape-Huggee: Fukada Saki♀♂


The Context

This is the 2nd rape-hug between these two characters (where she is actually an intersexual), the first being the episode before where he creepily rape-hugged her/him from behind while watching videos at his house. He/she ran away from him, so you can't really get any more definitive rejection than that. Right? Well, no, he didn't learn from his mistake. This time, at the very end of this next episode they are playing soccer together and for no real reason she falls over. She's supposed to be a very good soccer player, so I don't know how she could simply topple over like that. It's a stretch. Then he offers his hand to help her up. He 'accidentally' pulls too hard, and it magically turns into a rape-hug.

 

The Result

 

She tries struggling, at which point he doubles up and wraps her up tighter. She submits. Then they start sort-of dating from the next episode. Also, it wouldn't be a crappy dorama if there wasn't somebody who accidentally sees the rape-hug. So, as they stand there in the middle of the field embracing, there is one of those horror movie angles when someone watching from behind the trees. Who could it be? Then she has a voiceover where she says how confused she is and end credits roll along with the compulsory shitty J-pop song.

The Depiction

 

We get a visual feast of creepiness here. Slow motion high angle as he helps her up, low angle as she gets flung up, a close-up of his face as he realises he has a chance to steal a hug, a close-up of her as she realises and starts struggling, and then a close-up of his hands going from the small of her back to the back of her head, her finally sort-of putting her hands around his back, and an over-acted surprised close-up of his face. Everything about this gives me douche-chills. Teenage boys are so fucking stupid.  

Awkwardometor ☆☆☆☆☆


Being a teenager is rough. There is so much awkwardness as it is, but this, this is just too much. His expressions border on psychotic, and the whole premise of initiating the hug is so opportunistic and forced. And then there is part where he quells her struggling by gripping tighter. Add to that the previous episode's rape-hug and the aftermath and we have a quality 5-star rape-hug (and I'm not even taking into the account that she's an intersexual). I know some creeps out there are saying "but she actually liked him but couldn't bring herself to open up to him because of insecurity about her gender", but if that were a real reason then the whole world would become a rape-hug free-for-all, and that's a world that I don't want to live in.


Video

Enjoy the well-produced scene with equally terrible acting. Pay close attention to the way she falls over. Also, take note of the orchestral music that tries to suggest that this is a romantic moment, and then finally the "serial killer" angle from behind the trees.

Last Christmas, Episode 11

Apologies for the belated finale of Rape-hugMas. Incidentally, this year there happened to be another busy holiday that got in the way. But I think you will agree that the wait will have been worth it - this is a true Christmas classic Rape-hug that everyone (i.e. noone) will enjoy. 

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Tamaki Hiroshi ♂
Rape-Huggee: Katase Ritsuko ♀


The Context

This is a repeat rape-hug between these same two characters, and this time Tamaki is far more assertive. That's the thing with rape-hugs: it's like cocaine in that you push the limits of humanity further each time. Although these characters are not the leading pair, their romantic storyline - if it can be called that (it can't) - is a running thread and it will now be finally resolved. 

The Result

She docilely accepts the advance, people watching swoon at the romantic gesture (?) and most importantly the dorama ends and I never have to pretend to care about these two again.

The Depiction

The event takes place in a lobby in front of a giant white Christmas tree, in plain sight of many people. She is actually prepared to finally break up with him, but that is bullshit, I mean, who breaks up with someone in front of a giant albino Christmas tree? So she turns to walk away when he tells her to stop. Yes, he "tells" her to stop, barking the command, but really, she is a smart woman who knows his rape-hugging history and is playing Jedi mind tricks on him. 

Plucked up with confidence, Tamaki starts trutting around saying incredibly douchebaggy things like:

"I hate women like you"

"You are bothering me" and

"There are women everywhere"

Then he is so overcome with blind rape-hug rage that he cuts himself off mid-sentence and lunges at her, like he is some sick fuck who gets off on scaring women.

Then, in an insult to all women's taste in men, all of the females in the vicinity pout and swoon in despair when they see Hiroshi finally commit himself to a single woman and suddenly be taken off the marketplace. Do Japanese women actually think he is a good catch? What am I missing? It's scenes like this that make me despair at the state of humanity.

Awkwardometor ☆☆☆☆
The elements for a five-star rape-hug are in place, with the repeat offender Tamaki Hiroshi doing some of his best work so far on J-Dorama Rape-hugs. There is threatening pre-offence speech, the jumping-spider-like attack and the wide-open space with so many people looking on and thinking that this is not only okay, but desireable. However, as mentioned above, she obviously wanted this to happen (if not orchestrate the whole event). She basically covered herself with lamb's blood and walked into the lion enclosure at the zoo. Still, that far from nullifies the legitimacy or awkwardness of this atrocious scene. We believe here that eliminating rape-hugs from doramas includes more than just name-and-shaming tactics, but education and empowerment of possible victims. Namely, we all need to spread the word that "not no does not mean yes". And that is my only thing on my Rape-hugMas wishlist this year.




Video
Watch the entire sequence with his douchebaggy false confident walk and innane and repulsive speech. Hiroshi is the worst.

Have a happy and safe 2013 everyone!

Last Christmas, Episode 3 (no.1 of 2)

'Tis the Christmas season, so for the entire month will be Christmas-themed rape hugs! We start Rape-hugMas month with the obvious dorama.

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Tamaki "Captain Rape-hug" Hiroshi ♂
Rape-Huggee: Katase Ritsuko ♀


The Context

The two involvees are dating, but since this is a family dorama their relationship is purely for narrative purposes only. However, Tamaki is a piece of shit who doesn't know how to treat a female. Also, the character he plays is a piece of shit who doesn't know how to treat a female, so the other characters are telling him to finally make a move on the girl he is basically already dating.

The Result

With several people looking on, Tamaki, in his usual creepy and aggressive rape-hug manner, cuts off her conversation with a surprise frontal attack. Everyone on the dancefloor notices this 'hot steamy action' and stops, because apparently this is a junior dance filled with awkward 13-year olds who are otherwise too shy to talk to the opposite gender.

These two eventually sort-of start dating, going long distance and breaking up and all that, but just know that this is only the third episode of the series and Tamaki has plenty more rape-huggery in him. Even more amazing is that he isn't even a lead actor in this dorama - where does he get all this energy for rape-hugging?

The Depiction

Most of the action is shot in profile to highlight the distance between the couple that has suddenly been eliminated. I quite enjoy how the aftermath shows the people on the dancefloor suddenly stop dancing. The only thing that shot was missing was the sound of a broken record.

Awkwardometor ☆☆☆
She is obviously very feeling the awk, replying to his so-called gesture by saying "Everyone is looking at us...", which if you know how to translate Female into Male would mean "stop it". But subtlely don't work on a serial rape-huggist like Tamaki who assures her by saying: "I don't care."

However, on the awkward scale I can't in good conscience rate this higher than a three simply because he was peer-pressured into doing it.
 
Video
Watch the sequence play out from the time a female colleage eggs him on until the awkward aftermath and the DJ trying to capitolise on this 'romantic moment' by finding a slow song.

Manhatta Love Story, Episode 3 - Double Header!

The Actors
Rape-Huggist: Funakoshi Eiichiro ♂
Rape-Huggee: (prob.) Morimoto Yuko ♀

The Context

As can be gleaned from the above GIF, this is a meta-rape-hug as this is a small scene on TV within the dorama. So within the vacuum of the meta-dorama there is no context. But again, the one small snippet they show of a fake dorama just so happens to be of a rape-hug. In this, the male character is actually playing himself in this dorama as a famous actor, on the other side of the TV screen in the father of the female victim.

The Result

Predictably, the father watching his daughter get ravaged on TV gets angry tries to break it up, which only makes his daughter get angry at him for butting into her career.

The Depiction

This is a rear-attack, and a prolongued attack from the technically difficult kneeling position. It is made especially creepy by the end part where he sniffs her hair. 

Some may argue that this scene errs more on the rape-side than the hug side, but since this is a dorama for all the family, it stands as is. 

Awkwardometor ☆☆☆☆
I don't know about other people, but watching this makes me very uncomfortable. Actually, I do know about other people who are Japanese - they're immune to seeing things like this. That's why I believe that rape-hugs are a gateway rape. In this scene the female even tells him to stop as he keeps rubbing and grabbing at her as if it's turning him on even more. I understand that this scene is supposed to add humour watching the father go insane, but wouldn't it be funnier if, instead of her being sexually assaulted, if his daughter was being a total slut? Just a thought. 

Video
Watch the reaction of the father as he realises what he seeing on TV, and another character trying to tell him to calm down as it's only acting. On the one hand, his reaction is the correct on, but the overall message from the dorama is defintely not.

 

 No.2

The Actors
Rape-Huggist: Matsuo Suzuki ♂
Rape-Huggee: Morishita Aiko ♀

The Context

This is an extremely complex dorama in the pretty much every character at some point falls in love with another character (and by extension, rape-hugs). This particular trist is of one such doomed relationship where they have an argument outside the cafe. Then she says "What do you want?" and apparently the correct answer is a rape-hug.

The Result

Still in just the third episode it's a doomed relationship, but it leads to some extra drama as another character oversees them. It's not quite explained why he is creepily spying on them from behind a telephone pole, but they're got 42 minutes to fill every episode dammit!

The Depiction 

There's not much to say here, as the focus isn't really on the rape-hug, but rather on the fact it is being spied-on. The are no cuts and no real reactions shown as the camera zooms out on the lifeless hug to the profile of a downtrodden character standing alone in the dark.

Awkwardometor ☆☆

This is a rather bland depiction of rape-huggery, and feels almost like A) he only did it to make her shut up, and B) she was actually inviting it. Yes, that is what all rape-huggists say, but in this case she is being cute-angry, stands in close range and coyly starts rearranging her shawl within arm's reach. This is not condoning his actions, but rather condemning hers for accepting it without reciprocating. Alternatively, if she didn't want it, she could have shrugged him off. We need answers!

Video
Here's a video of one of the most boring rape-hugs you will ever see.

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.

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.

 

 

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.  

 

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.

Mukodono 2003, Episode 2

 The Actors
Rape-Huggist: Nagase Tomoya ♂
Rape-Huggee: Hoshino Mari ♀







The Context
This rape-hug actually has no context. By which I mean, it is almost a meta-rape-hug. Mukodono 2003 is a dorama about an actor who tries to live a normal personal life, and on occasion we see him on TV or billboards, or in this case - acting a single scene from a dorama he is in. And sure enough, the one scene they chose to represent is of an isolated rape-hug. I love that the directors and writers decided to run with this. Stick with what you know, right?


The Result
Nothing resulted from this, apart from a queasy feeling in my stomach. You see, this would have been a perfect opportunity to comment on the status of the rape-hug in Japanese TV. Several of the other episodes in this dorama make really stinging observations on the ridiculousness of celebrity status and on Japanese media. Sure, it is mostly a stupid dorama, but a few times I was thinking "can they do this?" And then they just let this rape-hug slide by.

The Depiction



The filmography is perfectly stereotypical for this dorama inside a dorama scene. Sweeping shots and closeups of their faces. The actual impact isn't shown, however, opting instead for a series of quick cuts (similar to an overproduced music video during a difficult dance move that the lead singer can't actually do). And this includes the upper-arm grab. You see this occasionally in Japan - not even just on TV. Seriously, I have seen couples walk down the street with the male almost dragging his girl down the street by her forearm as if she was a child who just drew on the walls with crayon. I wouldn't think women would like this kind of treatment. But then, what do I know about women?
I also appreciate the closeup of her face where it looks like she has died inside. See, shouldn't it be a hint that no rape-hugee is ever visibly happy during the rape-hug?


Awkwardometor ☆☆☆
It's difficult to rate this one, however, the awkwardness is in the fact that everybody treats it so normal. I sometimes feel like a schitzo who sees horrible murders all over the place but noone else seems to notice. Am I going crazy? Does noone else see this? Rape-hugs are driving me towards insanity. 


Video
Watch the entire over-preoduced scene, and after the scene ends observe the pan-out which shows all the people working on the dorama sitting around - not one of whom seems plussed.

 

Nodame Cantablie, Episode 11

 The Actors
Rape-Huggist: Tamaki Hiroshi ♂
Rape-Huggee: Ueno Jiri ♀







*Remember the name Tamaki Hiroshi. By my own anecdotal evidence, he is by far the rape-huggiest J-actor around. Every dorama I've seen of his, he commits rape-hug, and often this includes some of the most violent and inappropriate ones. This certainly is a great introduction to his body of work. 

The Context
They are both music students, and she has been chasing him like a pack of rabid dogs after a terrified 6-year old carrying a bag of dead kittens. She even rape-kissed him earlier on, but he couldn't take a hint - all the way until this - the last episode. Like many final episodes of Japanese doramas, the girl gives up on the guy and goes to her hometown. In this case, it is in Kyushu - the very bottom island of Japan. While she is there, he realises that he likes her and takes the bullet-train, local train and taxi all the way from Tokyo. This is a very long trip and prohibitively expensive so it cannot possibly be spontaneous. Then, from the taxi he gets a phonecall from her, and the taxi passes her walking alongside the river. He gets out of the taxi without her knowledge and just watches from afar. If he were wearing a rubber mask, this would have changed the context completely. Then, he begins a confident stride and rape-hugs the crapp out of her.

The Result
She is shocked, and he doesn't help the situation by making thinly veiled threats ("If you reject me again..."). After about 90 seconds, she touches his arm to make the rape-hug legal. Then he is introduced to the family, and you'd think everything is fine between them. But no, they never really get together - at least not until the 2nd special episode.

However, the biggest apparent result of this rape-hug is thousands of girls wetting themselves at this special moment. Seriously, there are message boards talking about how "suteki" and romantic this moment was. All I have to say is: Really women? Really? Really? And that is why I began this website.

The Depiction



We have a dramatic sunset backdrop, and a series of sweeping shots. Also, the point of impact is so violent that it reminds me of this nature video. But visually this rape-hug is most notable for the range of facial expressions. You can clearly see his expression when he decides he's going for it. Then his face truly gets scary.  Tamaki at his rape-huggy finest.
As great as his face is, I can't get enough of her sheer state of shell-shock. I mean, she has been rape-hugged in the behind from a guy who has literally travelled half the length of Japan to commit this act.
Then, after they stand there for a long time, a boat goes by with her father on it.



Awkwardometor ☆☆☆☆☆
This rape-hug gains the full 5-stars for awkwardness. In fact, it was this very rape-hug that sowed the seed for J-Dorama Rape-Hugs. For the full awkwardness and sheer-dragged-out-ness, do check out the video below. 


Video

Bonus: 

Like many dorama's Nodame Cantabile is a remake of a manga and anime. Either way, here is a cartoon version of the same incident. Some may say that this dorama was merely being true to the original, but that doesn't make it any less rape-huggy. Yes, it is very faithful. Faithfully hug-rapey.

Discuss: Is a rape-hug better or worse when it is in animated form?

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.  

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.

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!"