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!

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.

Love Shuffle, Episode 10 (number 1 of 2)

We continue Rape-hugMas with yet another spectacular performance by our favorite repeat offender.

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Tamaki "Heavyweight Rape-hug Champion of the world" Hiroshi ♂
Rape-Huggee: Kanjiya Shihori ♀

The Context

These two characters have a history of rapehuggery, outlined in a previous post about the first episode. And after separating and "shuffling lovers" for the middle eight episodes, Tamaki decides after all that she is the only person he wants to rape-hug. He's such a romantic.

The Result

This is the resolution for their relationship, which is that she is the lucky lady to have been selected by this fine gentlman. See that's the thing I hate about Tamaki Hiroshi - every character he plays is a successful man who is incredibly popular with women, but he posesses zero charm and always has to resort to rape-hug to seal the deal. This just doesn't quite fit with the personality of someone who is supposed to be successful and popular with women and he keeps trying to force the issue - in several different ways.

The Depiction

Often Christmas rape-hugs come in the Fall broadcasting season, making the finale close to actual Christmas (which, remember, in Japan is not a time spent with family, but is the most romantic time of the year for couples who go and watch Christmas illuminations.) However, Love Shuffle was in the Winter season making this a March airing, and not specifically during Christmas. Still, someone has forgotten to take down the illuminations, giving the viewers something interesting to look at while two bland characters share a miserable happiest moment of their lives. 

Awkwardometor ☆☆

This is relatively low on the awkwardometor scale - as she is sobbing and some may think that all she needs is a hug. Also, Hiroshi does not precede this rape-hug with a menacing glare or threatening words as he usually does. However, as we have discussed, there is a precedent here and we of the Rape-hug Community watch must stay vigilant when serial rape-huggists are about. If you make yourself a reputation, you're going to have to live with it.

Video
There's nothing much else to see here people. Move along.

Bonus Repeat: Watashi ga Ren'ai Dekinai Riyuu, Episode 10

Let's continue the festive season of Rape-hugMas with a revision of a dorama that surprisingly only had one rape-hug - Christmas themed one. In fact, in the Christmas spirit the awkwardometor has been turned down from four stars to a two-star rating. The original posting can be seen here.

The Actors
 

Rape-Huggist Tanaka Kei ♂
Rape-Huggee: Karina ♀



The Context

This dorama gave Rape-hug Community Watchmen like me a serious case of blue-balls, having to wait until the end of the finale for the first appearance of rape-huggery. The relationship between the two characters is so obviously going to work out in the end despite the fact that neither of them are ever seen smiling in the same scene. So you're just waiting out the other relationships that each of them inevitably have until the moment that one of them announces that they are going to America and the other has until the day before they leave - after a significant event - to decide if they want to join them as if it's some kind of reality TV show. So finally in the final episode when you see them standing 3 metres apart against a backdrop of Christmas Illuminations, he takes the inevitable step.


The Result

I guess this is the result that everybody expected and wanted, but notice how neither of them seems at all happy during the rape-hug. It's as if he is saying "fuck it, I will never be able to get a better wife than this so I may as well...". Call me a romantic, but I believe that it should take at least 6 months after getting married to be this miserable.

The name of the drama translates to "The reason I can't find love", and this is probably the most appropriate title for any Dorama I've ever seen.

The Depiction

The entire dorama series led up to this moment, as both characters work at an event lighting company. This final storyline is that they are co-producing the lighting for a big Christmas party, after which he will pack up and leave straight for the airport.  
Visually, the background is far more interesting than either of the characters or anything they say and do. Other than the sparkles, there a three-metre gap that is shown via a wide-shot, as he strides to embrace the emotionally-lifeless victim. ("Emotionally lifeless" is also a good general description of Karina's acting).

Revised Awkwardometor ☆☆

Although it's a night scene in a park, is a relatively admissable rape-hug. Besides, the park is well-lit and she knows exactly what was going to happen. Both of the characters aren't so much awkward, but just bad at life. It's supposed to be some great happy moment for both of them yet somehow it's one of the most depressing things I have ever seen. The reason the initial rating was a 4-star was the typical Japanese TV closed-mouth kiss which is in fact not a rape-kiss. It's hardly noticable, but Karina actually tilts her head a couple of degrees upwards before impact which in Japan is legally admissable as consent. Sure it kind of looks like she is simply bracing for impact of a blind-man but the law is the law.


Video
Much like the entire series, there's honestly not much more to the video than can be seen in the GIF, unless you like looking at sparkly Christmas lights and hearing crappy J-pop.

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.

Yume no California, Episode 6

The Actors

Rape-Huggist: Nomura Hironobu ♂
Rape-Huggee: Kuninaka Ryoko ♀


The Context
They both work at the same company, although she is a temp-worker who tries her hardest not to look like she hates her job. The two spark up a non-romantic relationship until he eventually asks her out. This event occurs after the date when she runs away when she reveals that she has been divorced. I'm not quite sure what the motivation was for the rape-hug, but I suspect the guy didn't know what else to do in that awkward moment - may as well make it as awkward as possible, right? And when the rape-hug wasn't bad enough, he tries to turn it into a kiss.
 

The Result

What did the five fingers say to the face? Glorious. Although really she should have slapped him before the hug. You know, you really have to be firm with Japanese people who are interested in you - men and women - because they just aren't used to hearing the word 'no'.

The Depiction

This is a classic night scene in a park, and the camera cuts back and forth with close-ups of their expressionless faces. I find it quite odd that a couple of low-angle shots are shown for no apparent dramatic or symbolic effect. I think even the director felt awkward when in the editing room so he just slapped all the shots together.

Awkwardometor ☆☆☆☆

While I definitely applaud the use of open-palm violence to combat rape-hug, the slap didn't actually result from - or punish the hug itself. But the reason for the awkwardness is the guy's complete inability to read the situation. First of all, usually when a woman is literally running away from you and you do run after her, chances are that she wants a little bit of distance. Then his words preceding his rape-hug are hardly the most romantic: "[knowing you're divorced] only makes me more interested in you". And then somehow after embracing a motionless human being, he thinks that trying to kiss it is a good idea. It's a tough watch, like seeing a skateboarder approach a set of stairs knowing you're watching a programme called "Stupid People Getting Hit in the Nuts".

Video
To truly appreciate just how long a short scene can be, take a look at the video. Also, note how when the guy leans in for the kiss, the intrumental version of California Dreaming jumps in. I don't quite know how this song was relevant to this dorama (apart from a flimsy conversation that worked it into the storyline), but I like the harmonica wailing out the tune as she runs away.  

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.