Genshiken Nidaime, Chapter 79: All We Have is Now

Have you been paying attention to the new generation of Genshiken?  Well, you should be.  Even if you don’t particularly like the new cast, if you enjoyed the former, now is the time to catch up.

Why?

Because perhaps the climax of the entire series is about to occur – chapter 79 ends with a cliffhanger (SPOILER), as Saki and Madarame are left alone in the Genshiken clubroom, and the possibility of a confession is in the air.

Practice?

I can’t believe it’s taken Madarame so long.  Scratch that – actually, maybe it would be in-character if Madarame just put off his confession forever.

Many of us have a like tendency to put things off.  Why do today what I can do later?  For some, this tardiness might be about being lazy.  But for actions that might bring pain, embarrassment, and discomfort, my guess is that among anime fans, many delay action because of fear.

Madarame may well be in that boat.  He’s been in love with Saki for years now, but is unable to tell her.  I’m sure that he’s been telling himself excuses – the most valid of which is that Saki is with Kousaka.  But in chapter 79, that last bridge seems to be burned, as Saki makes clear she is willing to hear Madarame out and Kousaka, himself, tells Madarame and he needs to stay and speak with her, as if he’s willing to let her go if that’s what she wants (which would be quite in-character of him).

And this may be Madarame’s final chance with Saki.

These Little Moments

I’ve been on a Genshiken high lately.  I’ve been enjoying the adventures of the new club members (and old) in Genshiken Naidame.  I’ve also been revisiting the anime series regularly.

Screencap from Unmei Kaihen

Each episode of Genshiken ends with a shot in the clubroom during the closing credits.  The member’s actions are a little different each time.  Episode six has Kasukabe and Sasahara playing Puyo Pop.  That specific ending, along with the lyrics to the closing song, “Biidama” by Saori Atsumi, are very nostalgic for me.  They remind me of doing the same with friends when I was a teenager playing Street Fighter 2 at the house of my pastor’s son.

We took no detours or shortcuts
And we weren’t afraid of what tomorrow would bring
As we kept walking down Inogashira Street late at night
Only vivid dreams extended deep into the shadows

I love these small moments between friends. 

Am I My Sempai’s Keeper? Hato and Madarame in Genshiken Nidaime

The other day, I got an itching to pop in my DVD set of Genshiken to feel the camaraderie of one of the great casts of anime characters.  As I watched, I was reminded of Genshiken Nidaime, which I was “meh” about and hadn’t kept track of.  Still, infected by the Genshiken bug, I went back to it and caught up very quickly, becoming absorbed in the story and feeling an affection for the new generation of characters, who I had cared little about before.

This image of Hato may be confusing if you haven’t been keeping up with the manga…

The last few chapters have been very Hato-heavy, as we learn more and more about his personality (explored further in the most recent chapter, for which I’m eagerly awaiting translation and resisting the temptation to read all about at Ogiue Maniax).  In particular, I’m really enjoying exploration of the bond Hato has with Madarame and the empathy he feels toward him.

Hato knows about Madarame’s feelings toward Kasukabe (they eventually have to get together, right?) and is obsessed with the painful longing that he imagines Madarame must feel.  He wants Madarame to be happy, but what can he do about it?

While we in reality live in a world where we value friendship and often see our friends as family, there’s often a curious detachment when it comes to getting involved with others’ personal lives.  While we certainly don’t want to step over boundaries, I’m often amazed how we might feel bad about others suffering, but still leave a situation as is with the idea that the person in need has to deal with his or her own problems.  True, oftentimes, there’s a good reason to let things be – tough love, boundaries, and the feelings of others involved among them.  But sometimes, we’re using these ideas as an excuse.

Week in Review (Sep 18 – 24)

• More Genshiken Manga on the Way
  News:  The popular manga about otaku, Genshiken, will be continued as Genshiken II in Japan in Kondasha’s Monthly Afternoon magazine.  The sequel manga will feature Ogiue, now the Genshiken president, as the main character of the college club.  New characters will join in, including a cross-dressing boy named Hato.

  Views:  Genshiken introduced some of the most memorable characters in recent anime/manga history, but seemed to finish fairly conclusively.  That said, I’m a fan of sequels, and am hoping to see an extension of characters I’ve grown to love.  Ogiue has become a fan favorite as she struggled with personal demons in a cute sort of way. More than that, she is a character whose actions and thoughts reveal profound truths about the human condition.  We’ll certainly discuss her on this blog in the future.

  Source:  ANN

• Court Uses Beserk Manga to Strike Down Obsenity Laws in Oregon
  News: The Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals struck down two proposed laws meant to prevent minors from accessing “obscene” materials.  Considered overly restrictive, the court used Beserk as an example of a work that contained content which wasn’t considered obscene, but would have been restricted through the laws.
  
  Views:  Censorship is always a touchy issue, made even more troublesome by the fact that the second law struck down was meant to protect minors from pedophiles.  Laws or not, protecting minors starts as a social issue.  It is at home that parents have the opportunity to instill values meant to protect their children.  On another note, Judy Blume was also mentioned in the decision: has any celebrated childrens’ author been on as many banned/restricted book lists as her?  Makes me wanna to read some Superfudge.

  Sources:  Mangablog and ANN

• Combating Online Infringement and Counterfeits Act Bill Introduced in Senate
  News:  Veteran Senator from Vermont, Patrick Leahy, introduced a bill on Monday that would give the U.S. Attorney General considerable power in bringing down sites that infringe on copyright laws, even if the creators of the site are overseas.

  Views:  As we all remember from our Schoolhouse Rock lesson (video below), this bill still has a while to go before becoming a law.  That said, this law would be a major development.  No manga site wants to have to deal with the federal government.  Perhaps this is a marked beginning to a change for viewing habits of manga fans, and that might be a good thing.

  Source: ANN

How A Bill Becomes a Law