Anime
Because I Heard People are Hating on Junjou Romantica
With an explosive display of stars and blossoms, Junjou Romantica(純情ロマンチカ) rallies forth its troupe of blushing bishies onscreen to —-you guessed it—- the solid beat of yet another perky anime intro. And once the (star)dust and petals have settled, and the fanfares have finally echoed out, most viewers would think that there really isn’t anything else in store beyond the inane razzle-dazzle of JR’s premise: cute guys on cute guys doing things cute guys don’t normally do on prime time TV. But I’d like to think them wrong, and so please allow me, in my first post, to explain myself—-albeit, a scandalous post at that
Frequent viewers would be familiar with JR’s manner of introducing every episode with a tenet in life(however trite), written in a pink and fancy script, with flowers all around as garnish. And so us brave few patrons read and reflect for a moment on this bit of wisdom(and for us JLPT takers, try to improve our vocabulary, too) drawn from an age when what was true and good, really was true and really was good. Subtly, Junjou Romantica reveals for a moment its true theme: idealism.
Please refer to nearest fortune cookie as citation
It’s a sort of tug-o-war dynamic that flutters about in each episode, between the viewers sense of how the gears of love should turn in real life and how most writers would have it written. And in the first season, there were plenty of moments where the main character, Misaki, catches himself indulging on these same lackadaisical fantasies. But who can blame him, we all want a happy ending, and that’s what Junjou offers. Instead of your usual romantic tragedy where the leads have proven time and again their love, and yet the fickle finger of fate never cooperates(I’m looking at you “Boys Be”), Junjou offers a place where we get to see things work out in the end, and usually in the most dramatic ways possible.
Abrupt reality check
And while we watch the naivete unfold, Shungiku Nakamura leaves us a constant reminder of her awareness of the fantasy she so freely indulges in. Just in case you’ve forgotten, the show is all about guys meeting/going-out/having coffee/holding hands/kissing/having smex/kissing some more/hugging and just about everything else short of upsetting the censors. And how ever we’d like to call ourselves urbane and unprejudiced, we all know that stinging truth that these kind of situations are not the type we normally encounter IRL . I believe this is the reason the author chose to play male characters against male characters, to underline, highlight and drive the point that these are all whimsical tales of fantasy.
It’s a strange point to make, too. And I only realized it when I tried imagining the series with male and female couples instead. In that sort of scenario, the edge is definitely lost. For one thing, most of the emotional moments are purposefully more powerful when a guy tears up instead of a girl. These memorable moments of weakness Junjou offers prime the scenes with raw, uninhibited, emotions that accentuate the sweet aftertaste afterward. And from the reviews of Shungiku Nakamura’s other 2 works( Hybrid Child, Tsuki wa Yamiyo ni Kakuru ga Gotoku ), I think it is with this that she explores, portrays and ultimately triumphs in when fleshing out her characters in the subtle plots of love and loss she weaves.
You must watch, in spite of risking burning your eyes, for these tearjerker scenes
I think it’s easy to take this show for granted and I do admit there’s something wrong with it if most people who’ve watched it think it’s simply 30 minutes worth of fluff. Then again, who’s to say the audience haven’t got their own faults? Gender-bender allergies? Righteous indignation for bed scenes? Or could it simply be a general skepticism of happiness?
I can’t help but wonder if most of us just got jaded, that when they watch something so special, so wonderful unfold so perfectly, we immediately think it’s not real enough. What made us so cynical, that before our romantic couple lives happily ever after, they have to, no, they must, suffer, struggle and succumb to the whims of fate—-at least 12 to 23 episodes worth of tragedy after tragedy.
I guess it helps marketing(hell! XX episodes of keeping you at the edge of your seat worked for Dragonball), and there is such a thing as a dramatic build up. But sometimes, when you encounter something innocent and sweet, like love, it might not hurt to forego the grain of salt, and simply enjoy the ride—-trail of flowers and starshine notwithstanding.
This is didinskee, btw. A 23 yr. old Software Engineer that grew up on Gainax, Hello Pandas and Hardy Boys. Usagijen’s a good friend and cubiclemate of mine and she thinks I’ve got something to say on this topic. Here’s hoping I did her confidence some measure of justice.
Doozo Yorushiku Onegaishimasu!
Popularity: 9% [?]
filed under: Discussion
Comments are disallowed for this post.
Subscribe to our blog!
Shameless Plugs
The Rotating Blogroll
You’ve captured a lot of things I’ve been meaning to throw back at junjou haters. I have to say, this is one of those rare series, may it be shoujo, shounen-ai or yaoi, that is just so honest and simple that you can’t help but relate to. You don’t have to be a yaoi-lover to appreciate this.
I do understand though why people view this series with cynicism, after all, the standard shoujo formula a lot of us is familiar with includes a lot of hardships (and frustrations on the part of the viewers) before we get to the so-called happy ending.
Junjou romantica may lack the exaggerated complexities of a lot of overrated shoujo couples, but the charm of this series essentially lies on that. It’s sweet, it’s simple and it’s all fluffy ^^
I love your writing. It’s so fluid, and you know how to spell.
I like JR’s idealism in that it doesn’t go toward extremities. Some Korean dramas are so dramatic they become sour and unpleasant to watch. Other romance shows are so cheese and sugary they make people diabetic. While I don’t like JR as much as I like Shungiku Nakamura’s other works like Hybrid Child, I think it gives the same sweet-essence that can provide the intended audience what they are looking for.
I hope you keep writing about this.
People who hate on something usually don’t have reasonable explanations. I like the push, sadly I probably won’t find time for this.
cute guys on cute guys doing things cute guys don’t normally do on prime time TV
I guess the nearest spectacle I’ve sat down and watched was HanaKimi live-action, which was very light on the boy-boy undertones. I think it’s often cute and humorous, because I know it’s not my thing, but respect individuality, and its hard to deny something that is truly humorous (so I enjoy it). The reason I bring this up is because it is likely that serious and emotive moments would likely be the same in my eyes; so no matter the context, its hard to deny something if it’s true.
Keep up the good work
Hope your perspective changes some minds.
Really I think the people who are hating on JR are missing out on a sweet show.
Maybe for some they just can’t look past the fact that is boy X boy which is a shame.
I’m not a huge fan of the genre myself, but I do like romance and if its done well with a same sex pairing then its done well and I’ll watch it. I don’t care if its not your usual girl x boy and
I agree that perhaps that is why this show can be a bit more dramatic, because it isn’t that usual pairing.
Don’t hate people, LOVE!
Go Dean, you tell ‘em (including me, the cynical fool =P)! I never understood why I was drawn to BL series before, and I guess you’ve explained it quite well. Cynicism, and the fear of embracing BL due to ’silly’ reasons made me close-minded about it, but I guess I’ll finally be reconciled with the BL fangirl in me after this… oh noes!
I’m up in the air about Junjou Romantica. I’ve always avoided Yaoi in the past, but when I read a blog describing JR as one of the best Shojo of all time I had to watch it. Of course, after scanning it, I discovered it was something else entirely . . . Nevertheless, I continued to watch because I hoped the main couple would develop out of the typical knowing man (loving victimizer)/unknowing boy (willing victim) relationship. Surprisingly, it was the subsidiary relationships that did it for me. Both the relationships in Egoist and Terrorist seem a bit more equal and allow the leads time to develop their connection. Even though Terrorist includes a 17-year-old-boy, I find myself less squemish about his interaction with his 35-year-old senpai, than with the main story. I won’t lie, I think the sex is hot, but I feel that JR is a straight up pro-NAMBLA rape narrative (evidenced by the opening scene), which tries to undo the sexual violence with amorous rhetoric. However, JT and JE do a better job of combining taboo topics of sex & young boy love.
..because it is yaoi. I guess.
@eipu: I agree! though I have to concede, I am a yaoi-lover so there must be a bias there, somewhere
But definitely, JR is a lot better(read: respectable) than most of the smut I’ve been mucking through for quite a while now. This is definitely not your ordinary fan-service, teens-and-their-hormones oriented kind of comic. I hope people learn to see beyond the gender issues of this show and realize that.
@jayers: LOL, I still think I still have much to write though, ’til I earn your compliments, but thank you all the same! But I see your point. You’ve gotta love how uncomplicated yet effective this show plays the plots out.
I regret that I’ve only read about Hybrid Child. I hope to someday have that pleasure(read: point me to the torrent, quick!)
@Ryan A: Yup, Hana-Kimi used the guy-on-guy theme to comedic effect expertly. Here though, the intentions are different. And the lessons of love, if they are true, should be as likely to be found here, as well as in any other medium.
@Sakura: I think it’s exactly because it isn’t the usual pairing that JR owes its heady flavor. I do hope the novelty doesn’t fade, though.
@usagijen: Thanks for the invite, jenny ^_^ And I truly believe you’re not as biased as you think you are. Self-awareness kinda contradicts the whole blindness symptom of most prejudices
@An: I do appreciate the Terrorist and Egoist plots, too. But, I think the main relationship in Romantica hasn’t matured enough either–seeing as Misaki still has yet to admit his feelings. I believe there’s still much delectable drama to be enjoyed in the main plot–if we wait a little longer.
@Kairu: If you’re right, the world is still a very much full of metathesiophobic –and borrowing from usagijen’s vocabs– curmudgeons.
Damn, you’re making me want to take this show seriously… but, seriously, good post, and you have some pretty solid points here. Guess I’ll have to look at JR in a new light…