Minami-ke episode 10: "Boy x Girl"

[日本語/Japanese]




Episode summary:
Chiaki’s friends bring up the Minami sisters’ names and how they are related to the seasons. When they mention another person who seemingly fills the missing gap, Touma, Chiaki decides to investigate. Upon seeing Touma, Chiaki first mistakes her for a guy. This becomes even more troublesome, as Touma is in the middle of an argument with a boy. When the boy refuses to lay his hands on Touma because she is a girl, she declares that she is a boy from now on. Chiaki prepares to leave after having seen enough, but she is suddenly knocked down by the boy that Touma pushed away. Chiaki gets an apology from Touma, but the two only start arguing more when Touma expresses that Chiaki is not that ladylike either. When Touma asks when Chiaki’s birthday is, Chiaki refuses to answer because of their relation to seasons. Chiaki is the fall, and Touma is the winter. Chiaki ends the argument by declaring herself the older sister, making her friends believe that Touma really has become Chiaki’s little brother. When Chiaki notices Touma’s appearance after school, she has Makoto preform a check for her.

While in class later, Makoto reveals to one of his friends that he has been learning how to cook. He goes on to show one of his techniques for preparing eggs, but is interrupted by the girls praising Chiaki. Makoto wonders why Chiaki is acting like she is good at cooking, so she states that it is because she is good at cooking. Makoto is weakened when Chiaki describes how she is always helping Haruka, but he turns to declare that Chiaki does not understand an egg’s soul. Makoto states that he truly understands because he is one with them, but when he invites Chiaki, he only gets a punch in the face.

When Haruka and Kana arrive home later, they find Chiaki with Touma in an awkward situation. They discover that Chiaki has brought Touma over as her little brother, but that she is actually a girl. Touma’s introduction is interrupted by Mako-chan’s entrance, but Touma recognizes him from somewhere. Makoto pulls Touma behind the curtains in panic, and explains to her why he needs to be a girl. He also brings up Touma’s need to be a boy, and makes her agree to keep this secret. When Touma returns to the table, she again starts declaring that she is a boy. Kana has her come over, and she lifts up her shirt to check this. She reveals that Touma is certainly a girl, if only more so than Chiaki. When Mako-chan continues to insist that she is a boy, Kana threatens to show him Touma’s chest too.

Later, Makoto declares to Kana and Touma that he will finally reveal to Haruka and Chiaki that he is a boy. When Kana describes her relation to Makoto, she and Touma notice that their names are like “mom” and “dad”. Makoto prepares to confess when Haruka and Chiaki return home, but Chiaki accidentally bites herself. A long silence is caused when Haruka starts applying lip balm to Chiaki’s lips, but Kana hurries Makoto. Makoto is once again interrupted by Haruka applying lip balm to his lips, but he finally declares that he is actually a boy. Haruka and Chiaki are not fazed at all, however, as they go to prepare dinner. Touma discovers that they only believe that Mako-chan is an ally of her own situation, so she suggests to Makoto that he may never return to being a boy.

Makoto finally gets all the details of his failure from Touka at school, so he decides to confess to Chiaki alone. When he fails the first time because of his direct approach, Touma tells him to do it more properly. Makoto returns to confess to Chiaki on his knees, but this only makes Chiaki kick him in the face. Later at the Minami household, Makoto still troubles about his confession. He prepares to transform as usual, but Haruka and Chiaki return at that moment. The two quickly get under the kotatsu because of the cold weather outside, causing trouble for Makoto who is hiding underneath. Kana begins kicking Makoto for fun, making Chiaki and Haruka wonder what she is doing. After watching a Ninomiya-kun special, Kana decides to have Touma preform her own magic. As Makoto is by her side for savior, Touma begins putting Makoto’s clothes underneath the kotatsu. Mako-chan amazingly appears afterwards, but Haruka and Chiaki are only slightly surprised.

Impressions:
I'm not sure if Touma is their sibling/cousin apart from having the same family name and in the same year. (Though I don't know the real age difference between Touma and Chiaki). Also, when I first saw Touma (from behind), I would easily mistake her as a crossdresser, since she looks and behaves very much like a guy but wearing the female school uniform. Makoto crossdress again as Mako-chan. Touma, Kana, and one of his classmates are now the only ones who knows Mako-chan's true identity. Seeing that "Minami-ke: Okawari" is due to start in the Winter 2008 season (just next month), I wouldn't be surprised (though sad) if this is one of the last few episodes of this version.



Sorry for not writing for the past few months. Was busy with school stuff and coming up with stuff for this (and the japanese language version) blog. I decided to try review some of the anime I watched recently and see how it turns out. Now that the December/Winter/Christmas break comming closer, I have more time to do things. Also, if you have noticed, I have managed to change the allignment and remove the [center] tags from the title. Also made major changes to 2 of my friendster profiles. At the current rate, the 1st and 2nd profiles may reach the limit (2999 people the last I heard).