The Urticaria of Miyamae Kanako
Between Kabitzin's current tagline 'Tentacles Are Hypoallergenic' and rewatching Mariya pecking Kanako on the cheek (BGM was lovely, no?), I've been thinking about the issue of Kanako's hives. Initially I leaned towards the psychosomatic (rather than psychological) explanation but then dismissed it as overthinking a dumb plot device, like some of the commenters over at Sea Slugs! But I've arrived at the view that pinning down the cause could majorly influence how the series concludes.
If it's purely physiological, like would's theory regarding skin pH, or an allergy to something specifically male then only anti-histamines will ever allow Kanako to BE FRIENDLY with Mariya. (Sorry, my lit review is thin: there's no mention of it at Subculture; I can't even find a post on the first ep over at THAT.) But if it's psychological or psychosomatic then, like Kabitzin, I'm puzzled as to why Kanako broke out in hives after that First Kiss. A simple explanation could be that Kanako's Yuri Powers had already subconsciously seen through Mariya's disguise.
I haven't read the manga. And this *is* anime. So it's still a bit of a stretch as to whether Kanako will end up being paired up with anyone; we could just get a generic harem or everyone is BFF ending. But given that Mariya was the First 'Girl' Kanako saw (clause via Evirus) and the First Kiss to boot, I'd put my money on Mariya. But getting over the hives could be the Final Boss. Or the a Sign of possible plot resolution. Somewhat like how Kanako's nose forgot to bleed in Ep 6.
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March 12th, 2009 - 10:29
There is no first episode post on THAT – so nobody there can answer the question about the hives. I suspect the reason she broke out in hives was because there was something about Mariya which seemed wrong (perhaps phermones; he’s still biologically male, and he was close enough that she could detect them even if he was wearing some perfume), and that’s why she triggered. What interests ME is more that in the past few episodes she hasn’t broken out in hives at all, not with Mariya – look at episode nine where he leans in close, grabs her arm, and whispers in her ear… but no hives appear on her wrist, face, or anywhere else, whereas before she would break out in hives if he even touched her through a blanket.
Or, in the manga, she seems to break out when another man grabs her. Not Mariya, though.
March 12th, 2009 - 14:47
Which is ironic because she didn’t like guys because they bullied her. And Mariya… bullies Kanako constantly.
March 12th, 2009 - 15:34
@ Haesslich
Ah, I thought I missed that entry. Yes, it is interesting to see how Kanako has gradually become acclimatized to contact with Mariya. I’m just waiting for an episode down the line when she suddenly realizes that the hives aren’t appearing… but only wrt Mariya.
@ Kabitzin
But isn’t Mariya’s bullying somewhat… affectionate in a twisted sort of way? Seems to me that he acts nasty to people that he cares about – towards like Shizu and Ayari.
March 13th, 2009 - 13:43
I’ve always thought from the get-go that the hives thing is just a plot device. Likely there was some traumatic event in Kanako’s past that made her avoid boys and made her get hives (as unscientific as it is, it’s just anime!). The fact that she got hives at the first meeting, probably means nothing and will never be revisited as it was a plot device to introduce her to Mariya’s secret.
Considering this is anime and this particular anime is directed at males, I would be surprised if the anime didn’t end with some ‘resolution’ of Kanako’s avoidance of males, rather than have her just actually be gay after all. Whether or not that resolution involves Mariya will likely involve some sort of great revelation. Like perhaps it was in Mariya’s grandfather’s will that he marry the daughter of his favorite teacher or whatever, because I don’t see any reason why Mariya would ever like Kanako.
March 19th, 2009 - 04:19
Lucky you, people. It must be very funny series, but I can’t laugh. In fact, I couldn’t watch more then 2 episodes before my hatred for Mariya took the best of me. It’s impossible to watch the series when all you want to do after each episode is to personally kill one of the main characters in the most painful and long way ever invented.
However, if it resolves with (at least a little) punishment for that evil crossdresser, I might give another chance. So, please, if possible, spoil me on the end of anime when it comes.
March 12th, 2009 - 22:49
Part of it seems to be that Kanako has become a bit of a masochist; that’s why she made the comment about training dogs to Yuzuru after the slap in episode 9 and seemed happy after being told to transform the pain into pleasure. Part of that also seems to derive from the way Mariya seems to have softened slightly towards Kanako, as you don’t see him going out of his way to degrade her… especially as Kanako does it all herself. It no longer appears to be about him monitoring Kanako; and more about keeping her from becoming a molester.o
March 16th, 2009 - 18:51
While I agree that the anime’s orientation is towards a male audience but Kanako seems to really really like girls. Even if she does stop breaking out in hives WRT Mariya in particular or guys in general, I think she’d still be very much into girls, making her bisexual at most and definitely not flipping to hetero.
Yeah, this is anime and given the abruptness of how cliffhangers were diffused, I agree that there’s every possibility of some deus ex machina revelation that’s dropped on everyone – assuming if there’s going to any resolution. Ahaha~♥
Mariya may not like Kanako but I do feel his not inconsiderable vanity is flattered by the way she obviously has the hots for his beauty. Which may also be why he gets extra pissed off that she is able to lust after her other schoolmates as much.
March 17th, 2009 - 11:13
She seems to try too hard to convince herself she likes ONLY girls, however – especially when she justifies her hate for men by saying they’re smelly and dirty and all that. And of course, then you drag in someone like Mariya who is a man but isn’t smelly and dirty, which puts her over the edge as she keeps going for him before remembering he’s a guy… and worse yet, she’s stopped hiving up around him, which suggests that not all guys trigger the reaction. Between this, and the way she hived up during the whole ‘I’ve got yaoi books in my bag’ incident, it seems very much to be a mostly psychosomatic issue.
Hell, she herself says she’d get along great with whoever was giving Kiri and Sachi those items, as she respects his taste in girls even if she can’t forgive him for being a guy…