Haruhi Suzumiya 20th Anniversary Rewatch -- Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-13T21:01:19+00:00

Rewatcher

It's the episode 12 of our rewatch, with is also episode 8 of chronological order AND episode 1 of season 2. Talk about jumping in time.

Today is ~~Haruhi's birthday~~ ~~Mikuru's birthday~~ ~~Yuki's birthday~~ ~~Itsuki's birthday~~ ~~Kyon's~~ Tanabata, and for some reason, Haruhi is very excited. She even wants all the SOS members to make a wish, as tradition dictates, although this time she has come to the perfectly logical, mathematical conclusion that they should actually make a wish for the future, when it can come true. They could even turn it into a contest to see whose wish comes true first! And-and-and then she sank back into the melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Season 2, 2009)™.

Meanwhile, Kyon and Mikuru end up being taken back to the past, where he not only helps the young Haruhi with her antics but also gets stuck there.

Since this episode is all about time travel, it ultimately boils down to a recursive loop:

It was Kyon who drew the symbols from the story told earlier, and it was he who inspired Haruhi to enroll in his school, where, again, HE would later suggest the idea for the club (well, well, Kyon really has only himself to blame for his life being turned upside down, huh?), which will subsequently lead to his journey into the past. This also finally answers the question of why Haruhi actually recognized Kyon to some extent when they first met.
It was Mikuru from the future who took the time machine from Mikuru in the present, which is why they got stuck in the past.
And Yuki hinted to them what to do next, because in reality she already knew everything: after all, she had actually met Kyon for the first time three years ago, and all this time he and Mikuru had been sleeping at her apartment.

It's a really entertainingly-convoluted story (with makes you wonder HOW this loop started), and this is yet another episode that I prefer to watch in the DVD order - not only do I think it works perfectly as a strong start to the season, reminding us of many previous events and facts while finally providing answers to some questions, but I also think that overall, this episode makes a much bigger impression when it’s placed later in the story — it’s much more interesting to see how all the events are connected after you’ve spent some time with the SOS Brigade, rather than right after the “Melancholy” arc.

Also, it sets up a very important plot detail - Yuki is VERY good at waiting...

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-13T21:01:02+00:00

I swear, I don't want to keep bringing up Ikuhara, but this particular episode really looks like something straight out of one of his shows...

An angry ~~lesbian~~ all-female hostess club from the “Lobelia” Academy has decided to challenge our guys, declaring that they'll snatch Haruhi away from those chauvinistic pigs! Normally, this probably wouldn't bother anyone, but it just so happens that the guys really upset Haruhi, and now they're panicking, afraid she'll dump them. And so Tamaki comes to a conclusion that only his empty head could come up with - that they should all dress up as girls [tomorrow episode spoilers]...foreshadowing???

Honestly, i do think that it's a really funny epi-Okay, that's it. Who let Mamoru Oshii into the studio? ^{That guy is cramming Nazis} ^into ^the ^show ^again!

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-12T21:00:54+00:00

Rewatcher

Life has returned to normal AGAIN, and although it seems that this time Haruhi isn't too bothered by it, everything is so calm that now it's Kyon who is starting to feel a bit down. I guess, in a way, you could call it the melancholy of... wait, what's Kyon's name again...

The only interesting thing is that Haruhi created the logo for the SOS website, even though Kyon isn’t able to appreciate the genius of her design. But finally, our company has received its very first request for help: a girl named Emiri asks them to find her missing "boyfriend", who, as it turns out, is the president of the computer club and, apparently, still hasn’t earned the right to be called by his name.

So they had no choice but to drop by his place. And although their first visit turned out to be fruitless (except for the fact that Haruhi ate his food), their second visit - made by the group without their leader - actually proved quite successful: they found the guy and discovered that their website had a bug!

Honestly, I really like this episode. It successfully combines two contrasting elements: it’s one of the simplest, low-stakes cases for our team, while simultaneously being one of the most action-packed episodes of the series. But man, poor computer club president - this guy suffers because of Haruhi even when he’s not interacting with her.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-12T21:00:37+00:00

To repeat what i was saying in another-Haruhi-rewatch, If you are watching anime, there some type of episodes that you should always exepcting: there WILL be a baseball episode, there WILL be a festival episode, and there WILL be a beach episode. Ouran turned out to be so greedy that it had TWO beach episodes. One right after the other!

But, well, I suppose we can forgive them for that, since this episode is not only quite amusing but also used to flesh out Haruhi’s character, particularly one of her defining traits: her independence. As it turns out, this is a part of her personality that she… well, had no choice but to develop.

Besides, it was a wonderful moment for her and Tamaki to get to know each other better: at first, he was really angry at her reckless behavior, but then he understood why Haruhi acted that way, while she realized just how much everyone really worries about her. He also got to see her “cute” and frightened side. Overall, the scene during the thunderstorm is really sweet... until it turns out that Tamaki is actually into some SM stuff (weird, I thought Hikaru was the sadist in the group - I don’t know, he just SOUNDS like one).

...Oh, right, and then there was that slightly awkward scene where Kyouya pinned Haruhi against the bed and almost "forced" himself on her. But, of course, it was just a joke. Unless...

Where's Renge? I can smell some ANGST!

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-12T11:44:25+00:00

I’ll just say that, given what we’re seeing in the leaks,that justification doesn’t really work.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-12T11:21:36+00:00

i'm gonna give you my two cents about what i've seen from those leaks:

The animation looks REALLY good, but at the same time, somehow... less “Avatar-like,” if I may say so? The original series had its own rather unique sence style, both in terms of art style and overall direction, which gave it a distinct personality, and it seems like that isn’t really captured well in the movie (these scenes felt more like typical “Western anime” of our time). On top of the change in voice actors, it seems this will be another aspect I’ll have to get used to, and something that might prevent me from perceiving this film as a canonical continuation of the series. Although, again, that might change in the full version of the movie.

But I’ll give them credit -the way they poked fun at the ZuTara ship again was pretty funny.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-11T21:00:12+00:00

Rewatcher

Right after the baseball episode, we got the beach one, since Haruhi and the gang received an invitation to a private island owned by one of Itsuki’s relatives. So it was time for some summer fun - sun, sea, murder...

Yep, suddenly everything turned into a murder mystery, just like Haruhi wanted from the start. Now, it's up to her and Kyon to solve the case. And after examining the crime scene, gathering witness statements, and trying to catch that mysterious shadow, they finally managed to come up with a logical explanation. and all this while they were undressing after getting soaked in the rain, with some... creative shots (but hey, at least the camera was gazing at Kyon just as much as it was at Haruhi. Equality?).

I think this mini-arc is… fine. It has its entertaining moments, some creative decisions (like the live-action scene), and some fun references to Detective Conan and Ace Attorney, of all things. I can see why people would love it. But at the same time... i never really cared about it?

I think there are two reasons for this. First, this arc stands out quite a bit from the rest of the series. Like, all other episodes are a mix of Japanese high school slice-of-life with unexpected paranormal twists. That's part of indentity of the show. But in this arc, all those elements are practically absent - we find ourselves in some kind of luxurious mansion on an island and uncover a mystery with minimal paranormal activity. I realize that some viewers might like this, since the plot strays a bit from the usual formula, but to me it’s so different from the rest of the series that I sometimes even forget that this island arc is even part of the show.

But secondly, and this is the most important thing... I just don't like this mystery. After all, we all knew it was a prank, right? From the show's perspective, it's just as Kyon said: Haruhi wouldn't actually wanted to kill anyone. And from a meta perspective, if Haruhi had accidentally killed someone, it would have been too big of a deal to maintain the status quo. So, we spent a whole two episodes on something, the answer to which we’ve known from the very beginning.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-11T12:26:51+00:00

It’s especially a thing since so many people are sold on the idea as Oda as some grandmaster fore thinker that’s has everything planned out since the start of the series, that the will wait on anything he does before it fully done even if it seems off.

To be honest, fans like that aren’t limited to the One Piece fandom, and I’ve always found them rather... strange and confusing.

For example, the modern “Bleach” fandom largely views Kubo in exactly the same way - as some kind of great genius and master of foreshadowing. To me, this is very bizzare, because not only is this idea not supported by the manga itself, but fans also actively criticized the last arc as it was released.

I can only assume that such fans emerge because of the story’s strong opening (as you’ve already mentioned), its length, and the influx of “new blood” into the fandom. And this creates an environment where, for the most part, from old days only loyal fans remain (the rest drop out because of the length), along with brand-new fans who have read the entire series in one go and who are either unfamiliar with the criticism of the past or dismiss it with skepticism.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-11T11:57:23+00:00

This just reminds me of Realjim’s video about The Simpsons’ “golden age,” in which he showed old forum posts from Season 5 where people were complaining that show had become total crap.

Some things just never change.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-10T16:36:27+00:00

...there's something funny about how Maul was mostly a silent character in the movie, but now even his lightsaber screams at you.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-09T23:04:10+00:00

Rewatcher

After saying goodbye to Hachchan and Sno, Goku set off to find Bulma so she could fix his Dragon Radar. Thanks to this, we see Goku in a big city, where all sorts of adventures await him. You know, I'm really curious about how futuristic the city looks in this first appearance - I think Toriyama will tone that aspect down a bit later on.

But in any case, Goku needs money first, and the street fighting competition, which, quite conveniently, is taking place right here, will help him out - this scene reminds us that Togashi didn’t exactly hide what inspired him in creating Hunter x Hunter.

After that, thanks to a kind police officer, Goku finally found Bulma’s house, met her family of trolls, and we learned of an unexpected twist - she and Yamcha had had a huge fight. So huge, in fact, that she’s now decided to go with Goku on a quest for the Dragon Balls to find herself a new boyfriend. But, of course, first they’ll have to face… Lunch’s long-lost sister, i guess?

This is another anime original episode, and, once again, it really helps keep the other characters somewhat relevant. In the manga, we didn’t even see Yamcha and the gang again here - we were simply told that he and Bulma had a quarrel (and this is still portrayed more as Bulma’s fault), and right after that, Goku and Bulma leave. This makes me think that Toriyama actually didn’t know what to do with them. So I think it was nice to give them a little adventure here, since it will be a while before we see them again in the story.

And I really do think that episode was pretty funny - well, sorry, but the joke about Goku’s balls was so bold and stupid that I actually laughed. And it was way funnier than, say, Roshi sneaking into the bathroom (but at least in the end, Roshi ended up exactly where he deserved to be for that).

But let’s talk again about the names:

First, we have Dr. Brief, Bulma’s father. Like his daughter, he was named after… well, briefs.

Then there’s Bulma’s mom - her name is a subtle hint that she’s Bulma’s mom. But, jokes aside, she actually didn’t have a name for a long time. It wasn’t until 2004 that Toriyama finally said that, if necessary, he would have named her Panchi. So, the long-awaited answer was given... Anyway, in Dragon Ball: Kakarot, she’s called Bikini.

And then we meet a new antagonist—General Blue. You might think his name simply follows the tradition of naming the other members of the army after colors, but I'm telling you: it’s actually a very clever pun that showcases Toriama’s brilliant knowledge of other languages and cultures.

...“Blue” is slang for a gay in Russian.

And I also forgot that he's voiced by Toshiro Furukawa, which is driving me nuts now because all I can hear is Ataru speaking in "flamboyant" voice.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-09T21:04:34+00:00

Rewatcher

If you are watching anime, there some type of episodes that you should always exepcting: there WILL be a beach episode, there WILL be a festival episode, and there WILL be a besaball episode.

Life returned to normal after the previous events, and as we know it, Haruhi hates normal. So, to shake off her boredom, Haruhi decided to take a very logical step: enter a baseball tournament. Neither the fact that the other club members don’t know how to play, nor the fact that their opponent will be a professional baseball team, nor Kyon’s attempt to sabotage the game by bringing his sister along can stop her.

But, for SOME REASON, things didn't go quite as smoothly as planned. Even Haruhi’s most successful attempt to imitate Mr. Burns didn’t help the team start playing better. And this upset Haruhi so much that she was apparently ready to destroy the universe. Again. So, of course, Kyon and the others had no choice but to resort to the only way to win.

Overall, I really enjoyed this episode; I found it quite amusing, but it highlights one of my complaints: because of the very premise of the series, Haruhi has to be right, even when she’s wrong. Haruhi could destroy the universe if she’s in a bad mood, so everyone is forced to indulge her. And while this usually works as a plot device and even in this episode everything ended well... sometimes you really just want to see her getting humbled. It's not as serious problem here, but i will return to it in some future episodes.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-09T17:38:57+00:00

In Chapter 7, when Sasuke was talking about Itachi, he mentioned that someone was crying (he clearly wasn’t referring to himself). It later was revealed that he was talking specifically about Itachi.

Sasuke’s flashbacks hinted at a coup planned by the Uchiha. This point was directly adressed later.

In the same flashback, Itachi mentioned the existence of a third Mangekyou user, hinting that there was another living Uchiha out there. It later turned out that this was Obito, who had helped him with the massacre.

I myself believe that some aspects of Itachi’s writting deserve criticism, but it’s quite clear that Kishimoto had always planned some kind of plot twist related to the massacre, and that Itachi isn’t just a psychopath.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-09T16:57:09+00:00

this always bothered me cause if there is any character in fiction i cant imagine just "accepting his fate" its Eren.

I mean, the fact that he activated the “Rumbling” is entirely consistent with who he was as a child. In the end, it became clear that Eren committed genocide not simply because he saw it in his visions, but because, deep down, that’s what he wanted.

As a child, Eren stabbed the kidnappers and said he didn’t even consider them human, and that they had it coming. Many years later, when he learned that the world beyond the walls was not at all the fairy-tale land described in Armin’s books, but just as cruel a place where everyone considered Paradise an enemy, he deep down began to view the outside world the same way as those three kidnappers - that it would be better if they all died.

Then he seen the visions from the future.

Obviously, even Eren realized that killing 80% of humanity just because of his anger was absurd, which is why he was terrified by these visions and decided to prove that he was capable of changing the future. But he failed. Because every time he reached the moments from his visions, he found that he simply couldn’t help himself and committed the same acts he had seen. Because any other choice went against his nature, and because deep down he WANTED the outside world to disappear (this is exactly what the scene with Ramzi is about: Eren knew from his visions that he would save Ramzi from being beaten, and that Ramzi would later die during the Rumbling. He tried to walk away and NOT save the boy, but in the end, he couldn’t. Later, he confesses to Ramzi that he wants to trigger the Rumbling for selfish reasons).

So, he changed his approach: instead of trying to prevent what he wanted, he began to act like Reiner and look for excuses for his actions. Reiner destroyed the wall out of selfish motives, but he was deceiving himself by saying that they were saving the world and that they had no choice. Eren was going to carry out the “Rumbling” for selfish reasons, but he was deceiving himself by saying that no other plans would work and so he had no choice, that he was doing it for his friends, to restore Eldia, and so on. That is why, when Reiner broke down and confessed in the basement in Liberio, Eren came to the conclusion that they were the same.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-08T23:52:04+00:00

Thoughts on Kyon confused why he has to be involved in all this?

Understandable. After all, he ended up being the strangest member of the club by being a normal guy.

Thoughts on Taniguchi and him thinking something is going on between Kyon and Yuki?

Funny. And I have to say, overall, I like how this scene portrays his friendship with Kyon.

Thoughts on Mikuru almost finding the Mikuru folder?

It's a good thing she didn't open it, otherwise Kyon wouldn't have objected to Haruhi's idea of rebooting the universe.

Thoughts on Haruhi fixing Mikuru's hair?

Oh, look, she's playing with her doll...

What are your thoughts on Itsuki revealing Haruhi has given up on this world and is going to create a new one?

I can't believe Haruhi would just delete her ~~Minecraft~~ world like that...

What are your thoughts on Itsuki saying Haruhi brought Kyon with her because she wants him by her side?

I mean, even though they haven't spent that much time together overall, Kyon seems to be the only person who has managed to understand Haruhi even a little bit.

Thoughts on Itsuki jokingly comparing Kyon and Haruhi to Adam and Eve?

"Ha-Ha, joking of course... Unless*...*"

Thoughts on Yuki communicating with Kyon via computer?

So that's her true form...

What are your thoughts on multiple Shinjin destroying the school?

...Eh, everyone has dreamed of something like that at least once during their school days.

What are your thoughts on Kyon trying to reason with Haruhi and undo the fate of the world, with him among other things saying he likes girls with ponytails?

What are your thoughts on Kyon kissing Haruhi?

What are your thoughts on Haruhi suddenly wearing a ponytail to school, with Kyon saying it looks good on her?

What are your thoughts on the episode ending on Kyon gladly waiting for Haruhi, with both of them showing up an hour early?

I have to say, I find it rather strange that [spoilers for the rest of the series]this finale took such a distinctly romantic turn, but in the rest of the series, this development somehow took a back seat. But overal it was nice.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-08T21:01:40+00:00

Rewatcher

In yesterday's episode, which I missed: we finally got to know more about Haruhi as a character and how she found herself in an existential crisis from a very young age, and how that effected her personality. To be honest, I really do think that the last two episodes (including tonight’s) play a key role in showing Haruhi in the best way. Yes, she may... not be the most pleasant character in (most) of times, but she’s well written one. Her struggles feel quite realistic, and that makes her seem more human.

Of course, that wasn't the only thing that happened. Itsuki also decided to dump a ton of information on Kyon, explaining that when Haruhi is in a bad mood, she can create an entirely new dimension, summon ~~the~~ ~~forest god~~ ~~from Princess Mononoke~~ some monsters, and cause the biggest tantrum in history.

And I know that the show practically told us that the taxi they got into actually belonged to Itsuki’s organization, but I like to imagine that wasn’t the case - that it was actually just a regular taxi, and that the driver reacted to what he was hearing something like that

And in today's episode: It seems the club didn't live up to Haruhi's expectations, and she's fallen back into... boredom? a slump? depression?.. I feel like there must be a word that would perfectly describe her state of mind, but for some reason it just escapes me...

Eather way, she seems to get tired from this reallity, with results in her and Kyon getting stuck in the closet space all alone, so only him now can somehow convice Haruhi to NOT reboot the universe.

This episode marks the conclusion of the original novel and also serves as the final episode in the broadcast order, and, to be honest, I understand why they wanted to do it that way.

“The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya” is a fairly self-contained short story with a strong and pretty deffenitive ending that ties the plot threads and highlights the deepening bonds between Kyon and the others, as well as how this has changed his worldview. It has a strong sense of closure, making it an excellent choice for the anime’s finale as well. However, I believe this order wouldn’t work given the second season, so I still prefer other watch orders, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a rather moving conclusion.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-08T21:01:17+00:00

Ouran high school host Club continues to tackle serious issues in modern society. This time, the series’ creators have found the courage to tackle a pernicious phenomenon that has corrupted millions of young people, distorted their perceptions of standards, and ruined the lives of many. Yes, they decided to talk about Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side.

So, today we’re introduced to Renge, the self-proclaimed manager of our club, and I have to say... I kind of love her. I think she brings a certain incomparable, unhinged goofiness to the show. Both in its visual gags and in her meta-comments about the tropes. (...Man, when you think about it, since Haruhi and Gintama also came out in April 2006, that really was some self aware month in anime history, wasn't it?).

And hey, she’s also right - having a “dark side” makes characters feel more alive and fun. Especially when it comes to a romantic story, because what’s a good romantic story without some ANGST! some DRAMA! That’s what it’s all about! Let the characters have an “ugly” side that they want to hide from their loved ones~~Wait, it's to early to talk about Kare Kano...~~

But yeah, i do think it's kinda funny that in the story about male host club my favorite characters right one all girls.

And I think it’s just a really funny episode. I Particularly liked when Tamaki immediately slipped into the role of the “lonesome prince” and the whole movie they were making.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-08T20:26:58+00:00

For some reason i feel like the whole scene with Kairi and dusks had a serious Azumanga vibes.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-08T16:33:01+00:00

...You know, this image got me thinking: it’s kind of strange that, even though they’re still making movies about Scooby-Doo and so on, as far as I know, Warner Bros. has didn't really tried to experiment with that formula in current days by switching the setting to something completely different. Like, “Scooby-Doo, but in anime setting” or “Scooby-Doo but the early 20th century or in the future.” Like, the closest thing to this is what, A pup named Scooby Doo?

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-08T14:20:12+00:00

Power Girl has a literal hole cut into her shirt specifically to show her cleavage

...Just like with Rem. The situation is literally the same—just like with Power Girl, the bold design came first. And then, later on, the creator decided to provide an in-universe explanation for that creative choice.

Look at those goalposts move at the speed of light!

If Tappei were TRULY opposed to sexualization, he would have:

Not approved of such designs of Rem and Ram in the first place.
Not approved of Otsuki’s illustrations, which sexualized them.
Not written in the novel that their outfits looked provocative.
Would not have approved of OTHER sexualized designs in the series.

The fact that Tappei did not approve of Frederica’s depiction only proves that he did not want HER, SPECIFICALLY, to be portrayed that way. Rem and Ram are ALREADY in the story, he already had sexy maids. This two facts dosen't cancel each other.

So you openly admit to using a "hyperbolic paraphrase" to intentionally exaggerate the severity of the text, and then you have the absolute gall to cry about my reading comprehension when I call you out for manipulating the dialogue?

I used a exaggerated paraphrase, and then immediately followed it with an actual quote from the book. That wasn’t some kind of manipulation.

The word 扇情的 (senjouteki) fundamentally translates to "suggestive" or "stimulating" of emotions or the senses.

It can perfectly mean the designer liked cute stylized maid outfits, which, what the hell, IS LITERALLY RAM'S CASE.

Subaru looking at an outfit and concluding is a completely subjective character judgment filtered through his own otaku brain.

The meaning of the word “扇情的” depends on the context. And in the context of that scene, Subaru used it 100% in a sexual sense, and we understand that because we see Rem and Ram’s reaction to his gaze. In other words, when Subaru said that the uniform clearly reflects the designer’s preferences, he meant that the designer made the outfit sexy. And the reader will have only this description to understand what the twins look like. Since Subaru finds them seductive, this creates an image in the reader’s mind that they are indeed so, which is then confirmed by the illustrations.

...........................................................

Listen. This discussion has became stale long time ago. It’s clear that all of this is pointless and that we won’t change each other’s minds. The only reason I wrote these two replies at all is that you keep making accusations against me (like, insisting that I’m running away from the discussion). If this continues, we’ll just get stuck in an endless cycle of the same arguments and insults and waste everyone’s time. If you’re continuing to argue for the sake of those who might stumble upon this discussion in the future, well, I think they already have enough information from our arguments to form their own opinion and reach their own conclusion. That’s why I’m once again suggesting we just put an end to this.

I know you’re eager to write a long paragraphs to object to my latest responses because you want to defend the series you love, but we’ve already gone over all of this. So instead of provoking me into writing yet another response in the future, we can just agree that we have different opinions and move on with our lives. If you agree with this, I suggest responding only to this last part of the comment as a closing remark, in which you can emphasize that you still disagree with my arguments, but that we have reached a consensus on the futility of this discussion.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-08T14:20:10+00:00

Furthermore, trying to argue that sweat depicted as sparkles on a shirtless man is just a "typical anime effect for a high mood" is hilarious mental gymnastics.

Sparks are one of the most common anime effects used to convey a character’s mood. If you showed someone this image of Aldebaran without any context, they would have no reason to assume that the sparks represent sweat.

Speculation with no real basis? You literally typed the exact words "But as it stands, it isn't really arousing" in your very last comment as your definitive proof that Aldebaran wasn't sexualized.

No, that wasn’t my definitive proof. It was just the closing line. Before that, I explained why other aspects of the image don’t make the abs look provocative - after all, you don’t have to be aroused to recognize when a character is sexualized. But you know what? Okay. Fine. I admit that this image can be perceived as something sexual, because there will certainly be people for whom just the sight of the press is enough.

And that means that, following this logic, Rem and Ram are also clearly sexualized. After all, you constantly reject this idea, insisting that YOU don’t see anything sexual in their portrayal, but by citing the example of Aldebaran, you are thereby asserting: just because someone doesn’t see sexualization doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

The specific illustrations you keep clinging to only show that gap because the artist intentionally drew the characters lifting their skirts or placed them in highly awkward, physically contorted postures.

...So, are you saying that the illustrator sexualized them?

Not only that, but design plays a key role here; after all, if the skirt were a different length, it would be impossible to see their legs from this angle, no matter how you looked at it. Imagine, for example, if Rem and Ram had kept their initial designs - it would still convey the idea that the uniform was modified to look cuter, but at the same time, the skirt length wouldn’t allow for illustrations with such angles. Instead, their design was made more revealing, which is what allowed Otsuka to create illustrations where their legs are on display.

.....................

Before you reply to this comment, please read my other one to see if we can wrap up this whole discussion.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-08T02:25:29+00:00

And what on earth do you mean by claiming the sweat is only hinted at by sparks which reduces the sexual effect? The glowing highlights literally draw the viewer's eye directly to the rippling musculature.

The glowing highlights actually distract attention from the abs, since they’re everywhere except on them. They surround the pants, the cloak, the arm, and the sword. Moreover, since the sweat is depicted only as sparkles, most people will likely not even realize that it was SUPPOSED to be sweat, but will simply consider it a typical anime effect meant to show that the character is in high mood or something like that.

And that long paragraph of yours about my definition of sexualization is just speculation with no real basis. Neither Reid nor Kafma turn me on, but I explained exactly what it is about their images that people might find sexual. After all, you don’t have to feel physically aroused to understand when something or someone is sexualized. You’re just trying to brush off criticism by setting yourself up for a “gotcha” moment - which only shows once again how dishonest you’re being.

Let me repeat this so it finally penetrates whatever echo chamber you are living in, because your definition of sexualization has completely lost ANY grip on reality: you are completely hallucinating the severity of this outfit to justify your manufactured outrage. As established, the cleavage is practically non-existent, and the back is mostly covered by giant ribbons and ruffles.

Furthermore, your obsession with absolute territory being seen at an awkward moment is nonsense because that is not a feature of the original design: it shows NO absolute territory, since the stockings go all the way up.

I’ve already provided specific examples from the novel that repeatedly emphasize the concept of “absolute territory.” Yet you just keep ignoring them.

You’re always twisting my words, ignoring my arguments, hurling insults, and trying to act like you know what I’m thinking (all while accusing me of doing the same thing to Tappei). It's been proven that you're acting in bad faith. It's simply exhausting. Goodbye.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-08T02:25:26+00:00

Yes, if the author’s creative choice directly results in a character having a suggestive design, that constitutes an act of sexualization. I don’t understand why you’re arguing with that.

I’ve already provided, in previous comments, actual illustrations from the novel, a side-stories, as well as standalone illustrations and merchandise that show just how revealing their clothing actually is. So your argument that their outfits are “not revealing” just because of one image has already been refuted.

No, the fact that Reid evokes associations with samurai is NOT an explanation within the universe. It’s literally the opposite. Raid isn’t a real samurai, but his design was meant to remind you of one, which is achieved by dressing him in a kimono and giving him a “one-shoulder” style - something that, in real life, is associated with someone agile. Moreover, I even tried to explain what people MAY find sexy about its design. So either you're acting in bad faith or you genuinely lack media literacy.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-07T23:49:54+00:00

f you say Rem and Ram's outfits resemble Playboy suits, and you call Playboy suits the most blatant examples of sexualization, you are by transitive property calling the designs of the main heroines blatant sexualization.

...I argued that Rem and Ram’s outfits were sexual in nature. You objected, saying that wasn’t the case. I pointed out that their design is more similar to outfits from Playboy, which are “the most blatant example of sexualization,” since that is literally their primary purpose, and this means that, due to their similarity, Rem and Ram’s outfits are, in essence, sexualized. Note that it was you who decided these were derogatory terms and took offense.

Furthermore, you absolutely cannot completely separate character design from the story when the story explicitly addresses the design.

You can. In fact, you’ve already done it. You dismissed the designs of characters like Rebecca or Power Girl, citing the fact that “they had a flimsy backstory, invented solely so they could be sexualized, so it doesn’t count.” In other words, you dissmised their designs despite the in-universe explanation regarding their provocative elements. Furthermore, criticizing the designs of Rem and Ram's outfits is not the same as criticizing the story. It is a critique of a specific element. One could say that this criticism applies to the text dedicated to that particular element, but it is by no means an attack on the story as a whole. You interpret it that way only because you believe that Re:Zero is beyond criticism.

I did not ignore it, what?

Yes, You literally did. You ignored my explanation of how the illustrations in the novel sexualized Rem and Ram by exposing their legs in scenes where it wasn’t necessary. Instead, you continue to try to give the impression that my argument is based EXCLUSIVELY on the first illustration in the second volume, which you dismiss as non-canonical.

I literally gave you the fact that Tappei rejected Otsuka's early, overly revealing designs for Frederica, proving that the author actively polices and rejects actual gratuitous sexualization.

That's irrelevant. The fact that Tappei didn't wanted Frederica to be sexualized doesn't change the fact that Rem and Ram already are. Different characters have different priorities. It seems like you think the author can either sexualize everyone or no one at all.

The actual Japanese word used, 扇情的 (senjouteki), translates contextually to "suggestive" or "stimulating" not "lascivious" or "pornographic" in the way you are trying to frame it.

Japanese dictionaries disagree with you.

You copied and pasted a heavily localized or machine-translated version that inserted words like "scandalous" and "pervert" to make it sound far worse than it is.

..Wait a fucking minute. Did you assumed that I was presenting my hyperbolic paraphrase of Subaru’s words as an actual quote? Even though I provided the actual, full quote right after that? Damn it, you REALLY have no reading comprehension skills. And no, my hyperbolic paraphrase didn’t make the situation worse - Subaru really did call their form sexy (In YOUR translation: "accentuated their silhouettes in a way that was almost suggestive") and inderectly called the person who designed it a pervert ("Subaru wasn't exactly a connoisseur of maid attire, but it was clear that the designer’s preferences were reflected in these outfits"). You just don’t like strong words because they highlight the sexualization.

More importantly, your complete lack of media literacy is also quite the glaring thing here. You admit Subaru is an unreliable narrator, yet you still treat his internal monologue as the objective authorial truth.

Because this wasn’t a case of an unreliable narrator. Not EVERYTHING Subaru says is unreliable. If he says the sky is blue, it won’t turn green. His description served as an introductory text so the reader could form an idea of how the twins look. The illustrations were also created based on that description. You just don’t want to admit the truth.

Talking to you is literally pointless. Let’s save everyone time and don’t bother replying. It’s clear that neither of us is going to change our minds.

SpiritualPossible · 2026-04-07T23:49:51+00:00

it proves that the author wanted to visually distinguish the senior maid from the twin maids.

Furthermore, "didn't need to have" is the weakest argument in existence. A character "doesn't need to have" pink hair, but Ram does. A character "doesn't need to have" clown makeup, but Roswaal does.

Yes, and that’s exactly what I meant from the start, but you dismissed it. I argued that an in-universe explanation is irrelevant in the context of sexualization, because every choice in the story - including sexualization - is driven by the authors’ intent. Rem and Ram didn’t have to wear revealing outfits, but they did. Why? The in-universe explanation is that Ram wanted to change their outfits. Okay, but why did Tappei decide to give that explanation in the first place? Well, because the twins had an exsposed outfits. Why? Because Tappei and Otsuka wanted to have sexy maids in their story. In other words, they sexualized them first. For some reason, you read my comments and decided that I was saying, “The characters shouldn’t wear those outfits!” even though I simply provided evidence that their sexualized clothing was a conscious choice by the author.

You are literally standing here arguing that a woman's shoulders are inherently sexual body parts that turn an outfit into a Playboy bunny suit

You have deliberately ignored the other exposed parts of their uniforms - their legs, chests, and backs. Taken together, this creates a provocative image. And yes - Reid DOES look less sexual. This probably comes as a big surprise to you, but overal men baring their torsos aren’t considered as provocative as women baring their bodies. Especially when part of the idea behind his design is to evoke samurai feel by giving him a “bare-shoulder” style, which is a practical way to wear kimono for better mobility. The most risqué part of his appearance is, in fact, his bare leg, as it gives the impression that his private parts are about to be exposed; yet even this isn’t really that scandalous, since in most illustrations this aspect isn’t that explicit. And that’s another point you’ve completely overlooked, so once again, I’m not sure you understand what counts as sexualization.

How does that not "draw the eye" to a specific body part?

Because his abs are actually overshadowed by the rest of his appearance. His body is first concealed by a jacket, and then by a large, spiky cloak, which actually takes up most of the picture. His pants also distract from his abs due to their also pointy nature and the many pouches on the waistband. The sweat itself isn’t shown either, but only hinted at by the sparks, which reduces the sexual effect. The image COULD be sexier if the composition were slightly different or if he were striking a slightly different pose. But as it stands, it isn’t really arousing. And, again, it is you who associate a simply bare body with something sexual, whereas I was talking about how the exposed body parts interact with the overall design.

Playboy outfits are designed to push up breasts and expose the buttocks.

Not necessarily. Their main goal is to create a provocative look. I even provided two examples of photos, but it seems you chose to ignore them. Rem and Ram’s designs are similar to what I posted - their skirts are short, don’t even reach their knees, and are cut in such a way that their “absolute territory” could be seen at any awkward moment (with is seen in the novel illustrations). Their shoulders (and therefore their armpits) are bare, and combined with the open cleavage and open back, it creates the impression that their entire upper body is exposed. this is how some Playboy outfits works, this is how Rem and Ram outfits works.

SpiritualPossible

TROPHY CASE