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.

 

Guilty, Episode 9

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Tamaki Hiroshi ♂
Rape-Huggee: Kanno Miho ♀



The Context
This is a repeat rape-hug between these two characters, who were spotted rape-hugging in episode 4. (Note that Tamaki Hiroshi is the patron saint of J-Dorama Rape-Hugs for the most frequent and the most disturbing rape-hugs in all of Japanese Dorama-hood.) While the first rape-hug was when he professed his love for her, and there was a kind-of relationship between them, nothing really happened, except for that she - a psycho serial killer - kills a few more people, and he - a detective - fails to stop any of the killings. In this rape-hug, I guess he is reaffirming his love for her, in his own special way. This time, he finally finds out beyond reasonable doubt that she is going around passively murdering people, but instead of arresting her, he tries to tear down her apartment which is full of pictures of people she has and is still planning to kill.




The Result
Again, the result is negligible - they are kind of together, but then again they never get together. What I mean by this is, the drama ends with her killing herself by drinking poison, and he discovers her and defiles her dead body by French rape-kissing her corpse, thereby allowing them to be dead together.







Man I hate any dorama with Tamaki Hiroshi in it.

The Depiction
This rape-hug begins with quite a lengthy fight-scene, him trying to destroy the room, her getting in his way, and him thinking that is the best possible opportunity to make his move. I mean, they've been dating for several episodes now, and as far as I can tell he's still on first base. 

During his freak-out he grabs her by the shoulders, which is usually what a man does when a woman is freaking out. Then he says that he loves her in his over-dramatic manner with his violently contorting face, she starts crying (an acceptable reaction), and then he closes the deal. Then he continues the torture by whispering things in her ear.




Yes - the translation actually uses the words "I've caught you". How come no-one has ever picked up on the rape-hug epidemic in Japanese TV?


Awkwardometor ☆☆☆☆☆
This easily gains the full five stars for awkwardness. Any time that there is a fight-scene where the woman is not a martial artist or somehow incredibly good at fighting because it is one of those stupid comedy dramas for teenage girls, then things have gone horribly, horribly wrong. There is also the long pause beforehand, the "I've caught you" line, and the creepy whispering in her ear. Sure, you could give any rape-hug by Tamaki a five-star just on reputation, but he keeps outdoing himself.

Video
Watch the incredibly disturbing fight-scene turn into the above rape-hug. 
 

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!

 

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.

Buzzer Beat, Episode 7

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Mizobata Junpei ♂
Rape-Huggee: Kanjiya Shihori ♀


The Context
He is a professional basketball player on the verge of being cut from the team, and she is a college student studying to be a flautist. The end up moving in together - making it clear that they are just friends - to save money. Then suddenly, he starts feeling hug-rapey. and she feels the creep of evil about to happen. She gets up and flees, however she is a woman, and he is a professional sportsman so he quickly grabs her.


The Result
They end up together. I mean, you knew this would happen all along, but I was just hoping that the rape-hug would be the deal-breaker rather than when friendship blooms into love.


The Depiction

 
The opening act of this scene begins with them talking on the floor. This is when his conversation gets creepy, he says that he likes her, and she says "What is this? It's a strange situation", as she gets up and tries to flee. Like a greyhound at the track, as soon as the prey moves he also gets excited, chases her and grabs her from behind, wrapping his arms over her arms and holding her firmly around the stomach. 

"Wow."

That is the word she utters. "Wow". My thoughts exactly. Only, whereas my "wow" is more to do with the fact a man is chasing a woman to rape-hug her, hers is "wow, I just made a boyfriend."

They stand there motionless as he whispers in her ear his case for them being together. I have to give him credit for this, as if he is unsuccessful, instead of having a girlfriend he would be kicked out of his house, and have a criminal record and a restraining order. That's one hell of a risk. 





Awkwardometor ☆☆☆☆☆
I'm giving this the full level of awkwardness. For one, it is from behind and there is the typical blank look of fear on her face. Also taken into consideration is the extremely awkward conversation (also, thanks to the fan-subber for the stilted English translation that adds to this) and there is the quotable "wow" to keep this rape-hug extremely fresh in your mind. I guarantee you that this will not be easy to unremember. But then, any time a man is literally chasing a fleeing woman to rape-hug her you're probably looking at a 5-star on the awkwardometor.

Video
"Enjoy" the gut-wrenchingly awkward conversation and the pathetic attempt to flee. Also pay attention to the placement of his hands - they almost brush the underboob - and in his attempt to minimise surface-area contact he clasps his own fist on her midsection which makes it look like he is giving her the heimlich. 

 

Love Shuffle, Episode 4

The Actors
Rape-Huggist: Matsuda Shota ♂
Rape-Huggee: Yoshitaka Yuriko ♀

The Context
He is a playboy and she is a severely depressed suicidal teenager. In fact, although the concept of this dorama is about four people switching parters, she is actually a therapy patient of one of the characters. Also, she is a teenager. In this scene she tried committing suicide by jumping off a bridge. You see this in Japanese dramas quite often and it makes no sense to me. How is jumping off a bridge - which isn't even that high - into a body of water an effective way to kill youself? Maybe you'll be lucky and land on a barge. The "jumping off a bridge" method of suicide in Japanese doramas is only behind "Walking out into the sea" method in terms of stupidity.

The Result
It is unclear whether the intent of this rape-hug was to say "I want you to be my posession", or "please stop trying to kill yourself". Either way, this storyline doesn't really seem to go anywhere.

The Depiction



There are several classic elements to this rape-hug, primarily the completely limp female body as she accepts whatever the male decides to do to her. The moment of impact is all shown in a wide-shot against the sunset backdrop across the water as a lone clarinet plays a solo. What makes this rape-hug unique is that before he pulls her towards him, he puts a condescending hand on her shoulder, bows down to look her in the eye and speaks to her as if she is a child - which she is!!!. 

 
Awkwardometor ☆☆☆☆
The age difference makes this rape-hug extremely disturbing to me, as well as the fact the is a severly suicidal teenage girl. I know there is a conception out there that feeling loved is the cure for everything, but do you really think a suicidal teenage girl will be able to process being rape-hugged by a man at least 10 years older than her? Also, the condescending nature of the arm on the shoulder and perfect limpicity of her body makes for a scene that is hard to watch.

Video
Watch the incredible acting by Yoshitaka Yuriko as she channels her inner jellyfish and makes it look like she has no bones. 

 

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."