Hanasaku Iroha - Character Discussion - Miyagishi Tooru

[.x.crii.x.]

X3 You wouldn't happen to mean THIS VIDEO:

Spoiler for Major Toradora spoiler:

Skip forward 2:45. xDD

I love how he says I love you. And pfft, I wonder how a flustered Tooru would look.

And now I'm realizing the similiraties of Ryuji and Tooru. xDD

Both sport blue, same VA, love interest are both short girl with brown curly hair. Pfft.

And yes! It would be best to avoid a direct confession otherwise it´d land in the whole Ko situation all over again.

BTW, I wanna know if Tooru lives by himself or if he lives with his family. :/

[hanashi]

That's the one! Thanks! I'm way too lazy to dig out my external hard drives. I need to get an AirPort. I miss having disposable income...

Hmm, good question. He's 23, but that doesn't always matter with Japanese families. In one of my host families, the grandmother, parents, their daughters, the oldest daughter's husband and 2 kids all lived in the same house. But Tokyo is way more expensive than other areas. He's always at work, though... I bet he has his own place with a roommate.

[.x.crii.x.]

xD A roomate? xDD Well, as long as its a guy, I don't mind. And I wonder since when Tooru became Ren-sans assistant. Did he go to college? Is it necessary to go to college to become a chef in japan? o.O

[hanashi]

haha. I don't think a Japanese guy would have a female roommate.

I'm betting that he didn't go to college. Because of the different school year, Japanese kids are usually 22+ when they graduate college and he seems like he's fairly far along in his apprenticeship. My host brother was interested in being a pastry chef so he was in a culinary school but he said that most people who are interested in traditional Japanese cooking (definitely the case for sushi-making!) find a chef to apprentice under. These can be pretty long apprenticeships (10+ years) so that's my reasoning. Kissuiso is a small operation and Ren seems to allow more hands-on work than a typical master but Tooru's pretty good and he's skilled with a knife (Getting permission to use a chef's knife in your apprenticeship is supposed to be a big deal). I think he's been an apprentice for a while.

[.x.crii.x.]

So Tooru-baby didn't go to college? O: Normally I would find it kind of...how should I say it...umm...not very appealing? Not because of the meantility that people who don't study are "dumb"! Of course I don´t think like that. But because of the current economic status all around the world. I hope I'm not coming off as shallow.

But I suppose being a chef pays well and if he has talent he can make things work. I just wish we would get more development on Tooru already. He´s too much of a mystery. I hope they devote an entire episode to him sooner or later.

EDIT: But oh maaaaaan. How much more perfect can Tooru be??? He has a steady job, can cook, has a motorcycle, is adorable, dependable, and just woah. I would totally get married with him. xDD No seriously. I wouldn't mind one bit marrying at the age of 19 if I was marrying him. xD Actually, my dad's already telling me to get married, that I shouldn't worry and marry a guy if I want. That he´ll continue paying for my education even if I'm married. And I'm like: Daaad! I'm still in college!

xD But if a RL Tooru came along, I would say yes at the speed of light.

[hanashi]

Haha, some people are saying that college isn't a good return on investment because of the current economic climate. I'd probably think differently if I had a ton of student loans and didn't have a job. But yeah, what works in anime doesn't work in real life. I probably wouldn't date someone without a college degree, mostly because I've been in school for so long that it's such a big part of my identity. And I work at a university so I don't actually meet a lot of people who don't have degrees or aren't in the process of getting them.

Ugh, I want a Tooru episode in the worst way. Can we have something? Anything? Everyone else has had significant screen time. Well, I don't care about Ren or mame-ji. I want to know how he decided he wanted to be a chef! And his dating history.

[.x.crii.x.]

I doubt Tooru has much of a dating history. I mean, look at him in episode 10. A total elementary schooler when it comes to love.

Well, I really shouldn´t be talking myself since I fail in the romance department myself. xD;;

But maybe he did have a gf or two. But he kind of seems like the person who was never really interested in romance.

Oh P.A! Throw us a Tooru bone already!

[hanashi]

I suspect he's left a string of broken-hearted girls behind. When he was younger, he probably complained occasionally about not being able get a date and his friends all went . He seems really dense, ya know? And he's really focused on cooking. I remember how he looked/sound in episode 4 when Ren called Tooru in to show his new dish. His face brightened and he practically bounced inside. I thought it was adorable.

They have to give us a Tooru ep sometime. I'll even settle for a general kitchen ep at this point. Maybe as Tooru and Ohana get to know each other better, PA will sneak in some Tooru tidbits?

(And now, off to bed with me!)

[.x.crii.x.]

Or even better, what if he was this total badass fellow in high school. He was a troublemaker but never hooked up with women cuz that side of him was still innocent. Or what if he was in love with that one kind teacher? And..and...-gets slapped repeatedly by okami-

I'm sorry, I've read too many mangas. =.=

But still, I want to know what drove him to become a chef. He seems like a pretty ambicious person so why didn't he go into something more along the lines of an "upfront career"?

Am I making sense? D:

[hanashi]

LOL. I don't think he was a troublemaker; he can be hot-tempered but he's pretty polite to adults.

I think committing to a ten year apprenticeships is pretty ambitious. I couldn't even commit to a major. I changed mine four times before I decided on East Asian Studies. I think he is ambitious, but he's decided that he wants to be a chef. It's not the same career that it is in the US. You work your way up. There aren't the sort of culinary diploma mills that you get here.

College in Japan is a little different. Students decide on the type of career they're interested in pursuing in high school, which is why Kou was scolding Ohana in episode 1. (That's another reason why I think Tooru has been an apprentice for a while. ) So if you were interested in being a doctor, you would take your exams and apply to start your studies at the undergraduate level instead of applying after you have a BA/BS. That's why you always see kids busting their butts for exams in anime. And the higher the rank of the college that you can get into, the better your chances of success are in your career. There's a reason why the last umpteen Prime Ministers have been Keio or Tokyo U grads.

[Roger Rambo]

Originally Posted by .x.crii.x.

But still, I want to know what drove him to become a chef. He seems like a pretty ambicious person so why didn't he go into something more along the lines of an "upfront career"?

Am I making sense? D:

Well if you REALLY like cooking, and have a chance to do it, why not do it?

[hanashi]

Okay, Tooru. Where was all this tact and perceptiveness earlier in the series?! This makes me wonder how he doesn't know about Minchi's crush. I guess she was apprentice-zoned pretty hardcore.

Also, I love Tooru even more now. There were a lot of little things about Tooru in this episode. He forced Ohana to go looking for Kouichi, even though he has a crush on her, because he wanted her to feel better.

Also, I think it's hilarious that Satsuki's teasing him. Haha, she asked him to drink with her too. And they have similar tastes in music. I want them to become BFFs, for serious.

[.x.crii.x.]

Nice move Tooru! He knows that winning the mother of the girl you like over is essential! *w*b

He´s seriously starting to gain the spot where he seems the most suitable guy for Ohana. Being able to take good care of her.

[hanashi]

I felt really bad for Minchi in this episode. But when Satsuki was flirting with Tooru, she did have a really hilarious comment. I've never heard the word she used before but I think she was saying that "some people like older [women], some people like the same looks [as in family]."

And then Satsuki sirred things up by asking about Kou-chan when she noticed Minchi was depresed. I'm pretty sure she knew all the relationship dynamics in that car.

In all seriousness, I think I will be really sad if Tooru and Ohana don't end up together with Satsuki as a m-i-l. I like the relationship dynamics between them and I like how Tooru calls out both of them on their BS. Someone as direct as Tooru works really well there.

[.x.crii.x.]

^ Exactly. xDD Tooru=husbando,son-in-law material

xD And yeah, I think Minko is starting to come to a resolution now. I mean, she was ready to ask Tooru about his feelings.

And I loved it when she wanted to ask Tooru: "Does it really bother you that much that Ohana is with another man right now?"

xDD One could tell that Tooru was pretty bothered. o3o Specially we he tried to keep himself busy so that he couldn't think about Ohana being with Ko.

And wow, didn't Tooru and Satsuki hit if off really well? xD Tooru, I think you've won the mother over. :P

[ThereminVox]

Originally Posted by hanashi

Okay, Tooru. Where was all this tact and perceptiveness earlier in the series?! This makes me wonder how he doesn't know about Minchi's crush. I guess she was apprentice-zoned pretty hardcore.

Part of me wonders if we'll find out later that Tooru deliberately "apprentice-zoned" Minchi precisely because he's her teacher, and considers it improper to do anything that might encourage her interest in him, given the power structure of their professional relationship. It may not be anything wrong with Minchi herself at all, but if that's the case, he needs to find a way to let her know that. As it stands, I think his disinterest in her romantically is really hurting her feelings.

[Lessing-love]

Originally Posted by ThereminVox

Part of me wonders if we'll find out later that Tooru deliberately "apprentice-zoned" Minchi precisely because he's her teacher, and considers it improper to do anything that might encourage her interest in him, given the power structure of their professional relationship. It may not be anything wrong with Minchi herself at all, but if that's the case, he needs to find a way to let her know that. As it stands, I think his disinterest in her romantically is really hurting her feelings.

So? Unrequited love happens all the time in real life. Hurt feelings happen. It's not like he ever gave her any mixed signals.

[hanashi]

Originally Posted by ThereminVox

Part of me wonders if we'll find out later that Tooru deliberately "apprentice-zoned" Minchi precisely because he's her teacher, and considers it improper to do anything that might encourage her interest in him, given the power structure of their professional relationship. It may not be anything wrong with Minchi herself at all, but if that's the case, he needs to find a way to let her know that. As it stands, I think his disinterest in her romantically is really hurting her feelings.

I don't think he deliberately zoned her. I wondered that but then in ep 4 we saw him grab Minko's hands (getting pretty close to her) and help her with the skewers with zero self-conciousness. You don't do that with someone when you know they have a crush on you, especially when you're in a position of power over them. I work with undergrads who aren't that much younger than I am and I'm always very conscious of propriety. At the end of the day, I can argue that I'm not interested, etc, but I'm aware that the students' perceptions also matter. And I don't see that awareness in Tooru. For whatever reason, I think he just doesn't see her as a girl. So I guess she's actually been imouto-zoned. In the PG-rated sense!

[Lessing-love]

Honestly? I don't see Tohru being mature enough to process Minko's interest in him, and deliberately apprentice zone her. He really doesn't see her as a girl. And he really doesn't act his age when it comes to Ohana, or girls period. In my eyes, he's an honorary high school boy-no, honorary middle school boy. HE FREAKING BINGE EATS WHEN HE'S ROMANTICALLY DEPRESSED.

(don't get me wrong-like this character, but let's not kid ourselves about any of the younger cast members' maturity.)

[Sugarless Ocean]

Tooru's a lot more mature in this episode than all the other ones... Although he's torturing Minchi. (Is he trying to make her dyslexic? xD)

I'm hoping for a moment where Satsuki teases Tooru about his feelings for Ohana. And a moment where Ohana realizes that Tooru has been referring to her as "Ohana" rather than "you"

Also, the preview for the next epi seems to infer that Tooru discovers something about Satsuki. "You're really light." Her weight? xD Or her attitude as a parent? Either way, Tooru's bonding with his possible future mother-in-law xD lol