(L) Mysterious Girlfriend X (Nazo no Kanojo X) [anime]

[judasmartel]

Oh, thank you. GODDAMMIT INTERNETZ, WHY THE HELL AM I FORGETTING ABOUT YOU?!

Say, who do you want to voice Aika Hayakawa and Momoka Imai?

EDIT: At long last, we get to hear Noka in the next episode!

[Last Sinner]

Urabe doing things her way and not the norm has made this far more interesting than any other romance series I've watched in a long while. The subtle way service is being used is also enticing. Those character designs reminiscent of the 90s styles also give an edge I like. The quirky in-episode music, detailed backgrounds and the sheen of the hair of characters are also notable positives. I know a lot of people like the OP but I prefer the ED a bit more - nice instrumentation on it.

[KLGChaos]

Originally Posted by thundrakkon

Yes, possible, but uncomfortable. The glasses usually end up hitting each other. You usually want to take off at least one of the glasses or wear contacts.


@FredFriendly
Mikoto really did not do anything behind Akira's back. She told him about it, and she handled it in her own way. The other issue is that Mikoto is not Akira's property, so technically, she has the right to do whatever she wants. It is up to Akira to accept it or not. She was not sneaking around. She was upfront about it. If Akira does not like it, then he can go find someone else.

Yeah, it could suck for the guy, but everyone is their own person and make their own choices, including Akira.

If I was Tsubaki, I would have dropped her in an instant... or at least gotten mad over it. Sorry, but as Mysterious as she might be, the fact that she had to test the drool bond when she was someone else's girlfriend was wrong, no matter if she said it or not. This was one part of the manga that I never enjoyed. It made me feel that Urabe didn't actually have any feelings for Tsubaki, but was sticking with him just because the drool said so and she would have tossed him away as soon as someone new came along.

She may not be his property, but she IS is his girlfriend and there's somethings that are just wrong. Sure, Tsubaki would have to accept whatever came, but it doesn't mean it doesn't have to bother him. He's not some emotionless robot. Though I will admit, he IS lame (I always thought so in the manga, as well).

[psycho bolt]

Heh, if relationship issues in real life were simply solved by sticking your drool in their mouth

[FredFriendly]

Originally Posted by totoum

I havn't read the manga,what I said is just what I think and maybe I'll eat crow but odds are that I would like the show less,same if she does this again with another boy.
This matter might seem trivial but I think how I view it greatly reflects how I view the show as a whole.

Spoiler for answers:

A lot of questions asked but I feel the key point in our disagreement is this one:



I don't think she was considering another man,you seem to have two outcomes in mind:
a)her drool doesn't him,there's no bond between them
b)her drool affects him , there's a bond between them

However I don't think b) is possible (I'll go more into detail about that later) rather I think the other option is c)

c)her drool affects him,there's no bond between them,her drool just affects everyone the same way so it's not an indicator of a bond existing.In which case there isn't a particular bond with Tsubaki in the first place.

So to me she wasn't considering another guy,just checking if she really had a bond with Tsubaki to begin with. She just waited the next day because she couldn't do the test right away.

I don't like comparing the drool exchange as something like kissing or sex.
Those are the manifestation of a bond,not the bond itself (well in a "serious" relationship anyway )
However in Tsubaki and Urabe's case drool sharing isn't just a manifestation of a bond but the bond itself,when they share drool they share feelings or even thoughts,that's what makes it special.
This kind of special bond isn't something you'd share with just anyone,that's why I said I thought b) wasn't a possibility,you can't have this sort of special bond with more than a boyfriend/girlfriend.

I recognize that is an idealized view of romance but that's how I interpret the show.

Spoiler for response:

Yup, you're right that I hadn't even considered option c), but probably for the same reason that Tsubaki spent a sleepless night fretting over losing his girlfriend: Urabe made it perfectly clear to him that 1) sharing her drool was the bond that made them 2) boyfriend and girlfriend and 3) she knew that her first sexual experience would be with Tsubaki.

So, regardless of whether or not it could be considered cheating, whether or not it adversely affected Tsubaki in any way, my problem with her actions is that she clearly stated 1), 2), and 3), and exhibited no doubts, whatsoever, of the veracity of those statements, so she should have had no need to test her own drool theory on another guy since she already had a boyfriend with whom she shared this special bond. Not only Tsubaki, but she certainly had me convinced that their bond was unique and very special to her. She even went so far as to say, when Tsubaki was trying his best to confess to her, "You don't need to do it today. I'll wait for you to make your approach, I'll be waiting whenever you're ready."

Originally Posted by thundrakkon

@FredFriendly
Mikoto really did not do anything behind Akira's back. She told him about it, and she handled it in her own way. The other issue is that Mikoto is not Akira's property, so technically, she has the right to do whatever she wants. It is up to Akira to accept it or not. She was not sneaking around. She was upfront about it. If Akira does not like it, then he can go find someone else.

Yeah, it could suck for the guy, but everyone is their own person and make their own choices, including Akira.

I don't disagree with any of your statements, but, it's like I said, it seems to be a matter of personal preference. Some people don't mind if their boyfriend or girlfriend, or indeed husband or wife has intimate relations with someone else. It's true that I could hop on a jet to Las Vegas and spend a weekend in the company of (legal) prostitutes while, unbeknownst to her, my wife is taking care of the kids back home. Just because I can, doesn't mean I should. This "I can do whatever I want and if you don't like it too bad" attitude, which shows a lack of concern and respect for the other person, is why many relationships fail in anime, as well as in real life.

Originally Posted by Last Sinner

Urabe doing things her way and not the norm has made this far more interesting than any other romance series I've watched in a long while...

I certainly agree with this sentiment, even though I don't applaud all of her actions.

Originally Posted by KLGChaos

If I was Tsubaki, I would have dropped her in an instant... or at least gotten mad over it. Sorry, but as Mysterious as she might be, the fact that she had to test the drool bond when she was someone else's girlfriend was wrong, no matter if she said it or not. This was one part of the manga that I never enjoyed. It made me feel that Urabe didn't actually have any feelings for Tsubaki, but was sticking with him just because the drool said so and she would have tossed him away as soon as someone new came along.

This is pretty much how I felt, too, when reading about this incident in the manga. After Urabe had to pretty much beat it into Tsubaki's head that her drool was their bond, that, yes, she was his girlfriend, and that she knew that he would be her first sex partner, she goes off to test her drool on another guy?! What? Why should she have to do that? This whole incident left a bad tasted in my mouth!

Originally Posted by KLGChaos

She may not be his property, but she IS is his girlfriend and there's somethings that are just wrong. Sure, Tsubaki would have to accept whatever came, but it doesn't mean it doesn't have to bother him. He's not some emotionless robot. Though I will admit, he IS lame (I always thought so in the manga, as well).

Nonetheless, he certainly seems to be a lot more emotional that Urabe. I really could empathize with him while he was having his distressful, sleepless night waiting to find out if Urabe would choose Ogata over him. As lame as he may be, he is also a complete innocent to the ways of romantic relationships. Well, not so much any more now that he has had to endure the suffering that comes from worrying about losing his first girlfriend.

As to dropping her, it's hard to imagine him doing that so soon after actually getting his first girlfriend, especially without having had any previous experience in the ways of love. Maybe the second or third time she did it (if she indeed stuck with him after drool-testing other guys), then perhaps he might man up enough to give her the boot.

As to getting mad at her, I don't really see that happening at all. For one, he seems genuinely terrified of her when she goes on one of her scissors rampages. But mostly, he seems to be just a nice guy, the kind that has a very long fuse, who would not raise his voice in anger unless some extra-ordinary circumstance came into play. Maybe if he caught Urabe having her first sexual experience with someone else while he, himself, was still supposedly her boyfriend, just maybe then he might pop a fuse.

It's pretty easy to say, "I woulda got mad at her if she did that to me, and told her to take a hike" through the hindsight of years of relationships, but Tsubaki just does not have any experience upon which he can rely.

[thundrakkon]

Originally Posted by KLGChaos

If I was Tsubaki, I would have dropped her in an instant... or at least gotten mad over it. Sorry, but as Mysterious as she might be, the fact that she had to test the drool bond when she was someone else's girlfriend was wrong, no matter if she said it or not. This was one part of the manga that I never enjoyed. It made me feel that Urabe didn't actually have any feelings for Tsubaki, but was sticking with him just because the drool said so and she would have tossed him away as soon as someone new came along.

She may not be his property, but she IS is his girlfriend and there's somethings that are just wrong. Sure, Tsubaki would have to accept whatever came, but it doesn't mean it doesn't have to bother him. He's not some emotionless robot. Though I will admit, he IS lame (I always thought so in the manga, as well).

Akira has every right to drop her if he wanted to. If he felt that what she did was wrong, then he should do something about it. Every girl is different, and how each one treats their relationship is different. The fact that Mikoto is so out there, it is hard to figure out what is truly on her mind, so it is even more difficult to judge her.

If Akira believed what Mikoto did was wrong, then he should break up with her. The fact that he did nothing is more a reflection upon him than her.

Originally Posted by FredFriendly

I don't disagree with any of your statements, but, it's like I said, it seems to be a matter of personal preference. Some people don't mind if their boyfriend or girlfriend, or indeed husband or wife has intimate relations with someone else. It's true that I could hop on a jet to Las Vegas and spend a weekend in the company of (legal) prostitutes while, unbeknownst to her, my wife is taking care of the kids back home. Just because I can, doesn't mean I should. This "I can do whatever I want and if you don't like it too bad" attitude, which shows a lack of concern and respect for the other person, is why many relationships fail in anime, as well as in real life.

A girlfriend is different from marriage, and the commitment levels are different. Frankly, it is all a matter of trust. If you trust the other person enough, then what they do will not matter. It is insecurity and untrust that causes the problem. Akira did not trust Mikoto, hence he became worried. Granted, it is his first girlfriend, and he is very young. However, it all comes back to him. If he does not like it, confront her with it. If he is not satisfied with the response, then move on and find someone else. They are not married with children.

Of course, if it was me, if my significant other does not show concern or respect for me, then I will not be with her. Relationships fail for many reasons. However, you cannot force a person to be concerned when they are not concerned. You cannot change a person to suit your ideals, so if you don't like them or what they do, then you should move on.

[MeoTwister5]

First off, Urabe is <3

I always thought in the manga that when his sister made comments like those, it's because she thought he was masturbating. Really.

Lastly, Urabe is <3

[Malkuth]

I was wondering, is the mangaka female, and has she lived outside Japan?

[totoum]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

All of the drool stuff is purely physical

I honestly don't think it's purely physical,if a couple would tell me that they're able to share dreams,thoughts and state of mind my first reaction would be to think they're "soulmates" not just a couple that has a purely physical relationship,that is also why I think that saying the drool sharing is just a metaphor for sex or even kissing is tempting but in the end not a correct statement. Though I don't deny part of it is physical,Tsubaki is addicted to Urabe's drool afterall.

Originally Posted by Malkuth

I was wondering, is the mangaka female, and has she lived outside Japan?

I thought at first the mangaka was female but it seems it's a he,no idea if he's lived outside japan.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by MeoTwister5

First off, Urabe is <3

I always thought in the manga that when his sister made comments like those, it's because she thought he was masturbating. Really.

She did, as far as I can tell. She just happened to be wrong.

[Flower]

The mangaka is a male and lives in Japan afaik ... he is also extraordinarily well read in little known religious texts, which he loves to intertwine with detailed and vague anime/manga/film otaku references in some of his earlier manga to an overwhelming degree like few other mangaka I have read. The "dream world" Urabe and Tsubaki first "meet" in (where they dance together) is a very accurate representation to my mind of his inner creative world - such a hodge podge and mish-mash of so many things.....

Anyhoo - ep 3 was another brilliantly done adaptation of the manga source. Wow. In some ways the anime adaptations outspit the manga.

Erm ... no pun intended, mind you. *cough cough*

[sa547]

Originally Posted by Flower

Anyhoo - ep 3 was another brilliantly done adaptation of the manga source. Wow. In some ways the anime adaptations outspit the manga.

Good God... I'm blown away again.

I mean, I've nearly lost my lower jaw, laughed my ass off, got my pants tightened, found myself on the edge of the seat, and cheering!

I've never been entertained at that level, so... This has to be one of the best romcoms that never fails to elicit surprises from me!

[ponyo]

Originally Posted by Malkuth

Indeed Urabe used the most common way to confirm her feelings... cheating

That was the cutest NTR spin-off I know of

That would make this more interesting but how is it actually cheating?

To Tsubaki and Urabe their drool sharing is not an act of intimacy.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Originally Posted by ponyo

That would make this more interesting but how is it actually cheating? To Tsubaki and Urabe their drool sharing is not an act of intimacy.

No? To me, it would be. Sharing your "precious bodily fluids"? Pretty intimate, I'd say. Not as elegant a way of doing it as a kiss, but neither of these characters is very elegant, lol. And it was the drool-sharing that led to their relationship, so it is a pretty important act for them.

The fact that Urabe was so weird as to actually cheat in this way -- a fairly subtle way, I admit -- should make me dislike her, but it doesn't. Quite the opposite. She is so real and straightforward, in her bizarre way. She's an even better character in the anime than she was in the manga. Mainly thanks to her seiyuu, Yoshitani Ayako.

[Fenrir_valindri]

to repost what I posted in RC:

To be honest, I think a lot of people are making the mistake of equating Urabe testing the drool bond as the same thing as cheating. Urabe doesn’t see it as a qualification to be her boyfriend, but as something to test whether she would even get along with them. She didn’t start going out with Tsubaki until he confessed, but she still shared her drool with him before then. Later episodes will probably make these things clearer as we go.

Also, Urabe herself, despite her attitude, is rather inexperienced in this relationship as well. I am quite sure the only reason she “tested” the bond is because she was curious as to what would happen in her experiment with a “normal” vs Tsubaki. Hence her reaction “I knew it” when Tsubaki got the nosebleed. Heck, she already knows Tsubaki will be her “first time,” so it isn’t like she was doubting their bond.

[Arya]

I can't say that Urabe was cheating, surely I agree with Kaoru Chujo on the drool sharing being quite an intimate action. If I had to follow the indirect kiss rule, if drinking from the same bottle implies an indirect kiss, sharing the drool at least implies an indirect French kiss, at least

Anyways, I got the point. But it was just disrespectful, from a normal point of view.

[AmeNoJaku]

Originally Posted by Arya

I can't say that Urabe was cheating, surely I agree with Kaoru Chujo on the drool sharing being quite an intimate action. If I had to follow the indirect kiss rule, if drinking from the same bottle implies an indirect kiss, sharing the drool at least implies an indirect French kiss, at least

Anyways, I got the point. But it was just disrespectful, from a normal point of view.

That's the way I see it too, especially considering the age of the characters and the context in which the events took place.

By the way, does anyone know how to say "indirect kiss" in japanese, I have never noticed it

[FredFriendly]

Originally Posted by ponyo

That would make this more interesting but how is it actually cheating?

To Tsubaki and Urabe their drool sharing is not an act of intimacy.

I'll skip the cheating argument since I've already beaten that horse to death, but surely, intentionally trying to get someone sexually aroused is an act of intimacy. And this is exactly what Urabe did by being at school all day without panties on (which she admits she did to get herself in the right mood) and then giving a guy her drool to see if it aroused him to the extent that he would have a nose bleed. Call it what you like, but this is what she did. She already knew the affect it would have on Tsubaki as, indeed, it did later on in the episode. She wanted to know if it would have the same affect on Ogata, and to think that sex was not part of the equation is just silly. Unfortunately, we didn't get to know what Urabe was thinking as she was giving Ogata her drool. She could certainly have been thinking "dirty thoughts" about Ogata to add that extra excitement to the test. More likely than not, the last thing on her mind, at that moment, was definitely her relationship with Tsubaki.

I don't think that it's too far of a stretch to imagine that, if she was not already technically Tsubaki's girlfriend, that she would have done the stripped-naked test on Ogata, as well. Which also makes me wonder if Tsubaki was not, in fact, the first guy she had performed that test on. She certainly seemed to know where she was going to go and what she was going to do when she led Tsubaki off to that abandoned building.

I suppose the "commando" drool test she tried with Ogata was Urabe's "this ain't cheating" version. But if she had taken Ogata to that abandoned building and given him the full stripped-down version of the test, would that have been intimate? Would it have been cheating? How should Tsubaki have felt after he found out about that?

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

No? To me, it would be. Sharing your "precious bodily fluids"? Pretty intimate, I'd say. Not as elegant a way of doing it as a kiss, but neither of these characters is very elegant, lol. And it was the drool-sharing that led to their relationship, so it is a pretty important act for them.

The fact that Urabe was so weird as to actually cheat in this way -- a fairly subtle way, I admit -- should make me dislike her, but it doesn't. Quite the opposite. She is so real and straightforward, in her bizarre way. She's an even better character in the anime than she was in the manga. Mainly thanks to her seiyuu, Yoshitani Ayako.

I have to agree with most of this, though I don't think it was really subtle at all. Different, of course, but still rather blantant. And, yes, her seiyuu is doing a wonderful job.

On the other hand, I wonder if Urabe actually likes Tsubaki as a person. Yes, we know she thinks that he will be her first sex partner, but that is not necessarily a romantic ideal. Yes, she wanted him to confess to her in a unique way, but that could easily been her simply her own ego wanting a confession to match her own uniqueness, and not a desire for a romantic confession. But, she won't hold hands with him. She won't let him hold her. She won't kiss him. Is she just a girlfriend in name only, and simply waiting until she's ready to have sex for the first time?

Originally Posted by Fenrir_valindri

to repost what I posted in RC:
Urabe doesn’t see it as a qualification to be her boyfriend, but as something to test whether she would even get along with them.

If, at the time of Ogata's confession Urabe had stuck her drool laden finger in his mouth then, yes, I'd agree with you. But to wait until the next day so she could get sexually worked up by being pantless all day is another thing. That's definitely not simply a test to see if they are soul mates.

Originally Posted by Arya

I can't say that Urabe was cheating, surely I agree with Kaoru Chujo on the drool sharing being quite an intimate action. If I had to follow the indirect kiss rule, if drinking from the same bottle implies an indirect kiss, sharing the drool at least implies an indirect French kiss, at least

Anyways, I got the point. But it was just disrespectful, from a normal point of view.

Now that's one that I didn't think of: an indirect French kiss. I like it.

[ponyo]

^I was forgetting about her being without pants.

But even so, Tsubaki isnt bothered when he hears what Urabe did.

So there is no reason to think that the rules of their relationship were broken.

[Sackett]

Pretty common though for girls to thinks it's okay (as long as it's not physical) to "try out" another boy to test if their feelings are solid or not.