(L) Tsuritama

[Kirarakim]

Originally Posted by FredFriendly

Frankly, I doubt it's the first time he's slapped her like that. It looks more like it's his normal response when he doesn't like her attitude. Particularly since he's shown absolutely no remorse. Like Sakura said, Natsuki really is a jerk.

Huh? There is absolutely no indication of this at all. If anything the series has shown that Natsuki and Sakura have a very loving relationship.

Sakura has been upset for a long time but not because of how Natsuki treated her but because of how he was behaving around her father. Sakura could see Natsuki was always upset around their father and this made her upset because she wanted everyone to be happy. Sakura felt like she was in the middle between Natsuki and their dad.

The slap added to Sakura being upset (and justifiably so) but her reason for being so upset really had nothing to do with the slap and was something much deeper. She could see two people she loved were not getting along and she wanted very much for everyone to be happy, but Natsuki ruined this.

Anyways I am absolutely sure the slap was a one time/heat of the moment thing. That doesn't make it right, but Natsuki is not abusive towards Sakura.

I gotta agree with this, particularly the long-term effect it will have on their relationship, even if she forgive him, which I hope they don't just gloss over.

I actually disagree it's going to have a long-term effect on their relationship. I am sure Sakura will forgive Natsuki for that. But really the main issue is not the slap as I said above it's the fact that Natsuki can't see how his behavior towards his dad is also affecting his little sister.

I think that is actually the main issue here and that is what Natsuki has to deal with that his attitude towards his father is also really hurting her.

I think the slap will be easy for Sakura to forgive actually but Natsuki does have to change his attitude entirely and try to get along with his father not just for his sake but for his sister as well. Because in the end I feel emotional scars are harder to heal than physical ones.

[Ashaman]

Originally Posted by FredFriendly

Not beat him unconscious; one punch would've laid him out. No double standard, whatsoever. Parent disciplining a violent, male, teenage son. Even if I was his friend and had been there, I probably would've whacked him one. If he's willing to treat someone younger and weaker than himself in such a fashion (girl or boy), he should be prepared to be treated in the same manner by someone older and stronger.

If I were Natsuki's father, he certainly wouldn't have been able to simply walk away from the situation. At least not until he regained consciousness.

You blatently said you would have knocked him out. In the same breath you condemn Natsuki's behaviour, you condone the father doing the exact same thing to him. That's the double standard. Does Natsuki deserve to be punished? I think so. Punishing him with violence? That sends the signal that violence is an acceptable response, which undercuts what he's being punished for - violence to Sakura who was yelling at him for something that wasn't his falut.

You really consider that "mouthing off?" What did she not understand? It was his fault. He was being an angry jerk. He wasn't smiling. He chooses not to get along with his dad. Would you think it okay for him to slap her like that if she wasn't "mouthing off?"

Natsuki is unhappy. Plain and simply, he doesn't like the situation with his father. He isn't choosing to be unhappy and angry, he just is. Weather its his mothers death, his dad dating or the situation with his families shop, or all of the above, he hasn't come to terms with it like Sakura apparently has. His and Sakura's feelings in these matters have diverged. Its not like he can suddenly be happy. And then when his emotions finally explode, Sakura blames him for her dropping something due to a freak accident; its his fault she didn't give him the braclets because he was discontent with dad dating and the furture of the family business (that he plans to inherit) being discussed without him. In the end, she's the one that dropped it.

He's unhappy. He's angry. With good reason. And then his little sister starts yelling at him.

So yeah, she was being inconsiderate, and mouthing off. Why am I calling her inconsiderate - because its his birthday and she's not considering his feelings.

She didn't deserve to be slapped, no. Like I said, I can't condone what he did. But I can certainly understand it.

[Guardian Enzo]

It's also pretty silly to say Natsuki "slapped her with all his might". It was nowhere close to full force - he shouldn't have done it, but if he had used all his might he'd have knocked her down, at the very least.

Trust me, he'll apologize next week.

[FredFriendly]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

It's also pretty silly to say Natsuki "slapped her with all his might". It was nowhere close to full force - he shouldn't have done it, but if he had used all his might he'd have knocked her down, at the very least.

Trust me, he'll apologize next week.

It's interesting how so many people are defending Natsuki's actions.

I take it you also have some kind of omniscient fore-knowledge that us mere mortals are not privy to.

[kuromitsu]

Originally Posted by FredFriendly

It's interesting how so many people are defending Natsuki's actions.

No-one is defending Natsuki's actions, but this is being made into a bigger thing that it actually is. Natsuki was a jerk to slap her, but it's not like he hit her with all his might, or beat her senseless, and I think we know enough about their relationship to know that he loves her and has not been secretly abusing her for years. In a family stuff like this happens every now and then, and it's not necessarily the end of the world.

Originally Posted by FredFriendly

I take it you also have some kind of omniscient fore-knowledge that us mere mortals are not privy to.

Actually, there's the preview of the next episode. It doesn't have any big spoilers but you can draw some conclusions from it.

Btw, I just noticed that Noitamina Radio has an interview with Hirano Fumi who plays Kate - and it turns out she used to play Lum in Urusei yatsura! Obviously, they have some fun with this. ^^;; (She has such a nice voice...)

*listening to the radio* ...is everyone working on this show a fish expert? XD;;; Also, Furukawa Toshio, special fishing consultant, lol XD

[YayPepsi]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

It's also pretty silly to say Natsuki "slapped her with all his might". It was nowhere close to full force - he shouldn't have done it, but if he had used all his might he'd have knocked her down, at the very least.

Trust me, he'll apologize next week.

This. Natsuki must not be very strong if that was with all his might.

It's not good that he slapped her and he shouldn't have done it, but I can understand why he snapped. Punching him wouldn't have solved anything and would have only made the situation worse.

[MUAHAHAHAHAHA]

Originally Posted by FredFriendly

Not beat him unconscious; one punch would've laid him out. No double standard, whatsoever. Parent disciplining a violent, male, teenage son. Even if I was his friend and had been there, I probably would've whacked him one. If he's willing to treat someone younger and weaker than himself in such a fashion (girl or boy), he should be prepared to be treated in the same manner by someone older and stronger.

Anyway, I come from an era when boys were taught that hitting girls was simply wrong. I guess it's just different these days when people feel Natsuki angrily slapping Sakura is acceptable and justifiable behaviour.

Frankly, I doubt it's the first time he's slapped her like that. It looks more like it's his normal response when he doesn't like her attitude. Particularly since he's shown absolutely no remorse. Like Sakura said, Natsuki really is a jerk.


You really consider that "mouthing off?" What did she not understand? It was his fault. He was being an angry jerk. He wasn't smiling. He chooses not to get along with his dad. Would you think it okay for him to slap her like that if she wasn't "mouthing off?" And how would it be "more acceptable" if they're related? Personally, I don't think it would have been acceptable if she wasn't related, either. I would think it would be equally unacceptable behaviour.

While I disagree with Natsuki's action, I must say that the fault partly lies with Sakura too. I think you need to understand that it is not Natsuki's habit to do that to his sister whenever in your words, "doesn't like her attitude". If he really is a jerk who does that to Sakura each time he disagrees with her attitude, Sakura would not have been shown to be fond of Natsuki. You must have seen it yourself, the relationship between the two. They share a close sibling bond that is not easily broken by a single slap.

I empathize with both Natsuki and Sakura, because I have an older brother, and I was once slapped by him too during my younger days. It is important for me to note here that he and I were both at fault. I was really angry that he scolded me for coming home late, and got a wee bit carried away by calling him names and insulting him. In a moment of anger, he slapped me. In short, I shouldn't have provoke him, and he should have controlled his emotions better. In Natsuki and Sakura's case, both are at fault. I am not going to side with either one of them. Natsuki is very sensitive about his mother, and Sakura choose to talk about it in a wrong place, wrong time, and wrong attitude. She almost falls into the sea, and Natsuki is just about to recover from the shock when Sakura quite suddenly turns on him, accusing him of being a jerk and slapping a harsh reminder that their mum is dead. I am going to assume that she and Natsuki have never had a sincere and heart-to-heart conversation about their mother given her sudden outburst of emotion. She accuses him before everyone else, and how do you expect a sensitive teenager like him to react? When Sakura first says that their mum is dead, Natsuki to his credit tries to placate her by telling her that he will make a new one. But no, Sakura almost completely shuts down and becomes very emotional. She even pushes him away. Natsuki must have been taken by surprise. His momentary anger and surprise culminates in the slap.

Speaking from my own experience, sibling fight can get really nasty, but it's precisely because siblings share a blood bond that fights tend to get emotional and passionate to a certain extent. I was angry with my brother for days and refused to concede, but in the end, he came to me and just held me and said sorry. And all is forgotten. So yeah, no doubt Sakura is angry with Natsuki, but it won't remain that way for long. She will also no doubt remember the slap, but in a fondly manner of one that remembers their sibling fights as one of the many events that serves to strengthen their bond.

[kuromitsu]

Uuum I can't find the post but somewhere early in the thread someone wanted to know more about Oosaka Ryouta who plays Yuki? Well I just noticed that he was a guest in Noitamina Radio and listened to the recording.

He's really 25 years old, and he always wanted to be a seiyuu. He looks up to Ishida Akira (in fact Ishida's performance as Rid Hershel inspired Oosaka to be a seiyuu), and loves Ishida's cool, hero-type characters. He used to fish when he was younger, but he caught like... two fish... in 3 years. XD;; so unlike Yuki he doesn't have a lot of talent for fishing.

And he has a great "hero" voice! (It sounds a bit like Fukuyama Jun. and a bit like Ishida Akira, though not as much as Kaji Yuuki who could probably pass for Ishida if he tried.) I really hope we'll hear him in such a role in the future. He's cute and funny, and pretty confident and stuff, so he's good material for becoming a "personality" seiyuu.

[Guardian Enzo]

25,huh? Based on appearances and timbre I would have guessed a fair bit younger.

[FredFriendly]

Originally Posted by Ashaman

You blatently said you would have knocked him out. In the same breath you condemn Natsuki's behaviour, you condone the father doing the exact same thing to him. That's the double standard.

Who gives a crap about double standards. If that was my young daughter, and some teenage boy (my own son or otherwise) slapped her like that in front of me, I certainly would not stand idly by and let the jerk just storm off without at least confronting him in some fashion. Like my original post regarding this matter, I am still wondering is "this a Japanese cultural thing, or just this show specifically."

Originally Posted by MUAHAHAHAHAHA

While I disagree with Natsuki's action, I must say that the fault partly lies with Sakura too.

Yay! Let's blame the female victim of familial physical abuse!

This type of reasoning reminds me of guys who think that Girl A is partially at fault for being raped by Boy B because she provoked him to do it by wearing revealing clothing and/or was acting in an sexually alluring manner.

Originally Posted by MUAHAHAHAHAHA

She will also no doubt remember the slap, but in a fondly manner of one that remembers their sibling fights as one of the many events that serves to strengthen their bond.

Fondly? Really? Whacked in the face by her 17-year old brother and she's going to remember that fondly?

I give up on this discussion. Persuing it any further seems to be pointless.

[MUAHAHAHAHAHA]

Originally Posted by FredFriendly

I give up on this discussion. Persuing it any further seems to be pointless.

I agree. Pursuing this discussion is pointless, because you absolutely refuse to consider other views, and when that happens, discussion will go nowhere.

I will just say for the last time, as others have said, that I do not condone what Natsuki has done, but I understand.

[blewin]

finally caught up. Looks like we're about to finally get deeper into the mystery of Enoshima. The fishing crew doing that weird dance is just creepy.

and Yuri got into a fight with Natsuki. well, with Sakura going missing, I'm sure they'll make up soon. And we can pretty much guess that the search for Sakura would lead to the bigger plot that we've yet to see.

[gianna]

Always those last few minutes!
Have to dive straight in and have everything come apart and together now

[MUAHAHAHAHAHA]

Natsuki's new haircut! Haha, definitely needs time to get used to it. All the sudden, he looks more mature? He looks quite similar to Mikado from Durarara.

Mikado


Natsuki


On a more serious note, it's battle time next week. Also glad that Akira is officially one of the four now? Yup.

[SeijiSensei]

This episode illustrates how having a sparse overall plot lets Nakamura and company depict family and friendship events in such a touching way. The main plot advanced quite a lot actually, entirely through a brief conversation between Akira and Haru and Coco. That leaves lots of time for little intimate moments like the boys fishing once again at the end.

A DUCK combat unit, huh? Wonder if any of the combatants will have cute familiars like Tapioca? Maybe only the officers do. None of Akira's crew has a duck. A sign of power and authority perhaps?

Spoiler for Sakura and Natsuki:

Didn't take them long to put the events on the boat behind them. The conversation in his/her/their (?) room was lovely with Natsuki letting Sakura move him along on the subject of Mari-san and their agreeing to talk about their mother together. At the end of the scene i was left thinking this might have been the first really open conversation the two of them have had about their mother's death.

Spoiler for Natsuki and his dad:

Well, it was a start.

[YayPepsi]

Nooooo!!

Spoiler:

Natsuki...why did they have to cut your hair?! WHY?! ;__;

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by SeijiSensei

This episode illustrates how having a sparse overall plot lets Nakamura and company depict family and friendship events in such a touching way. The main plot advanced quite a lot actually, entirely through a brief conversation between Akira and Haru and Coco. That leaves lots of time for little intimate moments like the boys fishing once again at the end.

This is something quite far removed from what “slice-of-life” has come to mean in anime – lots of things happen, and the characters are always in motion, moving from one conflict to another. But Nakamura-san has magically found a way to do that while capturing the idyll of a wasted summer with those we love. It’s the best of both worlds, really.

Spoiler for 8:

Warning: Incoming sadness. I get the feeling that both Keito and Haru are getting ready to say goodbye in their own way. With a typhoon coming - sucking up psychotropic seawater and spitting it out all over the place - things are going to get crazy, and quickly. Tsuritama has built up such a strong foundation of good feeling that I'm sure it'll survive that storm, but the landscape is going to look a lot different.

I still feel Yuki has an undisclosed connection to Haru's dragon. And why did his parents disappear - and to where? Notice there are no pictures of either of them, only of Yuki and Keito.

[Vash1306]

I lol'd.

[ars89]

Glad Sakura was alright and made up with Natsuki. Looks like Natsuki has changed and is opening up with his dad. Lol Akira has been kicked out of Duck. Well now he's withe the other 3 now. Lol at them cutting Natsuki's hair. No Keito's death flag has been re-raised. Wonder if Haru will leave before capturing the dragon, considering the Duck combat unit has landed.

[kuromitsu]

Whoa, Natsuki! He looks like a different person... ^^;;

Ah well, finally we know why Yuki is living with Kate, his parents are dead. Poor kid. I'm a bit worried about his conversation with Kate - she's been dodging death flags throughout the show, I really don't want her to die in the last minute. :/ Btw I wonder why she's so attuned to Haru. She wasn't even surprised when he told her he was an alien, she let him live in her house just like that, she seems to always know what's going on with him... It may be just her Grandma Instincts, though.

And we finally have the plot. I have a feeling the dragon may not be as bad as it seems, though - Coco said their kind use water to communicate and it's just an accident that it has this mind-control effect on humans. Maybe he just wants to communicate, and is not aware of the side effects it has on humans. Or just wants to have fun, or something like that. I mean, he's able to mind control everyone in the world to do his bidding, so why is he making people do a silly dance? ^^;;

I really loved the character moments - the Usami family in various setups, Natsuki and Yuki, Yuki and Kate, Haru and Kate, Akira and Haru & Coco, etc., and of course the four friends fishing together. They were all little gems, and they came together to form something really... shiny and pretty.

The voice acting was pretty damn good in this episode, too - especially considering that according to Hirano Fumi they can't see what's going on during recording. (Either the audio is pre-recorded or they simply don't have a screen in the studio, I can't remember and don't have time to check.)

Also, whitebait ice cream. NO.