(no subject)
A long rambling rant about a tv show you have never seen and will never see called Zettai Kareshi (Absolute Boyfriend). Don't bother to read it, really. Just wanted to get my thoughts down.
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I downloaded and just finished watching a J drama tv show called Zettai Kareshi (Absolute Boyfriend) which is the for-female version of the classic robot lover theme in Japanese pop culture (I site Chobits as another example). The show is based on a manga that looks very very different from the show. I just want to go on a rant for a minute.
The main female character Riiko starts out with a problem -- she's too wishy washy. She doesn't have enough confidence to go after her dream of being a professional patissiere. The two main male character love interests are the robot, Naito, and her human boss, Soushi. The actor who plays Naito blew me away. His character is easily the most interesting, because even though he starts out as a robot programmed to be Riiko's perfect boyfriend, he ends up developing a will of his own. An ego and superego, within the software of his programming. The way the actor portrays the gradual development of a human psyche is absolutely believable despite all the unbelievability of the premise. It was because of this marvellous performance that I got completely sucked into the show, and was devastated by the ending in which Naito's ego overloads his main chip and basically kills him, just as Riiko had begun to return his love and chose him over Soushi. This kind of storyline, the tragedy of two lovers who are young and have only just discovered what love is, is for some reason Kryptonite for me. It was the same with the Golden Compass ending -- I was bawling like my chest was splitting apart. Suffice it to say, I really loved this story.
Then, some IDIOT decided that it hadn't made enough money and chose to write a movie-length epilogue story. The writing was only just saved by the phenomenal acting by Naito's actor. Otherwise it made me want to punch something, and here's why.
The whole arc of the story is supposed to show not only Naito's growth but also Riiko. In the 11 episodes of the series, she goes from a confident-less girl to a woman able to make a choice for herself. She ended up choosing Naito over going to Paris to become a professional pattisiere. But since Naito ends up dying anyway, that choice becomes mute.
So, in this ridiculous epilogue, Riiko comes back from Paris engaged to Soushi, and supposedly having grown at least a little in her time abroad. But it's a lie. She's regressed.
Naito is re-awakened by new technology and meets her again, so now Riiko has to choose, again, between her now-fiance Soushi and Naito. Except the decision gets taken out of her hands by Naito himself, who decides to kill himself so she won't have to choose. Apparently, he thinks he can't make her happy because A) He can't have children and B) He can't grow old. And I'm like COME ON PEOPLE. There is such a thing as adoption!!! Also, if you're so self-conscious about growing old as Naito remains 20 forever, go into the robot factory and get his face changed!! GEEZ. LOGIC IS NOT SO HARD HERE. Instead of Riiko choosing one or the other, it becomes "Naito died -- so now I'll be with Soushi instead." So it's the death of a thinking, feeling being or the disappointed love of a human. And Riiko doesn't even have to make THAT choice -- the man does!
I guess that this story is hitting me particularly hard during this period of my life because I can't help asking myself why I should have a family at all. This is a personal decision of my own and it just pisses me off when somebody just assumes that people can only be happy if they make a baby and have a 'normal human life.' There are other ways of living a life!!
It really frustrates me sometimes.
Rant over.
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I downloaded and just finished watching a J drama tv show called Zettai Kareshi (Absolute Boyfriend) which is the for-female version of the classic robot lover theme in Japanese pop culture (I site Chobits as another example). The show is based on a manga that looks very very different from the show. I just want to go on a rant for a minute.
The main female character Riiko starts out with a problem -- she's too wishy washy. She doesn't have enough confidence to go after her dream of being a professional patissiere. The two main male character love interests are the robot, Naito, and her human boss, Soushi. The actor who plays Naito blew me away. His character is easily the most interesting, because even though he starts out as a robot programmed to be Riiko's perfect boyfriend, he ends up developing a will of his own. An ego and superego, within the software of his programming. The way the actor portrays the gradual development of a human psyche is absolutely believable despite all the unbelievability of the premise. It was because of this marvellous performance that I got completely sucked into the show, and was devastated by the ending in which Naito's ego overloads his main chip and basically kills him, just as Riiko had begun to return his love and chose him over Soushi. This kind of storyline, the tragedy of two lovers who are young and have only just discovered what love is, is for some reason Kryptonite for me. It was the same with the Golden Compass ending -- I was bawling like my chest was splitting apart. Suffice it to say, I really loved this story.
Then, some IDIOT decided that it hadn't made enough money and chose to write a movie-length epilogue story. The writing was only just saved by the phenomenal acting by Naito's actor. Otherwise it made me want to punch something, and here's why.
The whole arc of the story is supposed to show not only Naito's growth but also Riiko. In the 11 episodes of the series, she goes from a confident-less girl to a woman able to make a choice for herself. She ended up choosing Naito over going to Paris to become a professional pattisiere. But since Naito ends up dying anyway, that choice becomes mute.
So, in this ridiculous epilogue, Riiko comes back from Paris engaged to Soushi, and supposedly having grown at least a little in her time abroad. But it's a lie. She's regressed.
Naito is re-awakened by new technology and meets her again, so now Riiko has to choose, again, between her now-fiance Soushi and Naito. Except the decision gets taken out of her hands by Naito himself, who decides to kill himself so she won't have to choose. Apparently, he thinks he can't make her happy because A) He can't have children and B) He can't grow old. And I'm like COME ON PEOPLE. There is such a thing as adoption!!! Also, if you're so self-conscious about growing old as Naito remains 20 forever, go into the robot factory and get his face changed!! GEEZ. LOGIC IS NOT SO HARD HERE. Instead of Riiko choosing one or the other, it becomes "Naito died -- so now I'll be with Soushi instead." So it's the death of a thinking, feeling being or the disappointed love of a human. And Riiko doesn't even have to make THAT choice -- the man does!
I guess that this story is hitting me particularly hard during this period of my life because I can't help asking myself why I should have a family at all. This is a personal decision of my own and it just pisses me off when somebody just assumes that people can only be happy if they make a baby and have a 'normal human life.' There are other ways of living a life!!
It really frustrates me sometimes.
Rant over.
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