Introduction:

For those who missed the announcement for this collaboration, Arthifis and I are working together this season to have periodic chats about two Anime. Over at Arthifis’ place we’ll be covering Goblin Slayer and you should definitely check out that post once you are done here because we had a lot of fun discussing that first Episode as well. In about four weeks we’ll be back with an update on how we feel both series are going so hopefully you’ll join us again later in the season. For now, join us as we meander through our thoughts on episode 1 of Dakaichi (or Dakaretai Otoko 1-ni Odosarete Imasu), the events, the characters, their necks, and the music.

Conversation:

Hey Arthifis! It is great to have you on my blog today to discuss Dakaichi – I’m being harassed by the sexiest man of the year (to only be referred to as Dakaichi from now on).

Hello Karandi! Thanks for having! I’m so freaking excited to start this conversation going! I just have to say that I’m surprised with this one And, finally, just only one word to refer to the Anime show ahah uff!

So, I have to ask because you went in without knowing much about this one, what are your thoughts? You mentioned being surprised. Surprised good or another WTF kind of moment?

This time it was a good surprise ahah I went into Dakaishi with the idea that I enter any kind of Shounen-Ai anime. That it would be all kind of tropes, that someone would just be basically raped and transformed into gay person, that there would be distinctively a top and a bottom (talking about relationship top and bottom, not sexual) and all those tropes that we all already know. The only one being out was the age gap, because they clearly look adults xD.

Yes, I think I’d be out of this one if they were meant to be high schoolers. While I’m not naive enough to believe high school students don’t engage in actual sexual relationships, I really wouldn’t be comfortable watching that so the age of the characters is actually something  I really appreciate.

Yeah… I know what you mean. I’m ok with love stories with high schoolers. However, I know that this one is going to be very sex heavy, so I think I wouldn’t be very comfortable watching.

The fun thing about this episode though is that more or less until the middle of the episode I was still on the dark about some of the tropes. Then I saw “the getting drunk” scene and I though, ok this is going to follow the same tropes, and then it got a pleasant turn and… I don’t know what to think anymore ahah.

What about you, do you think this is following the visual novel / manga (can’t remember which one right now) good?

I read the manga online a long time ago and while I was excited for an adaptation because I really like Takato’s character, specific details escape me. One thing they definitely changed though is the getting drunk scene because the manga took that a lot further and dove into the no-consent trope we see in so many of these types of stories.

I think the anime made a really smart decision by having Junta show a tiny bit more restraint and that gave us the fairly pleasant moment at the end of the episode where he actually asked permission. Okay, I had a really great time at the end of the episode and really loved that scene.

Thank god the Anime changed that scene then!!! It would just kill the show for the season for me…. You did? Why is that?

I just really liked the way they framed the scene with Junta down on his knee looking up at Takato… Okay, I’m hopeless and I fell head over heels in love with this couple and I want them to be together forever. I take it that the scene didn’t have the same impact on you?

Oh, no! It DID! Probably should have added a smile in the last phrase ahah I was just curious to know what were your reasons! I’m a sucker for romance, you know? What other way could be for me to be binge watching season 12 of Grey’s Anatomy if not for that? Ahahah.

However, we are already talking about the end before even speaking about the beginning xD So, let me just pull as back for a bit if you are ok with it xP.

That’s probably a good idea. Though like with most romances we get our pretty standard character introductions and initial interactions and as you said it isn’t until that mid-point with the drinking scene where things really kick off. However, I would love to know your thoughts on the OP?

Yes, maybe that’s true… And probably these are just the most bland and cliche characters from Shounen-Ai. However, since I don’t get to watch many shounen-ai/Yaoi anime shows I really liked these characters xD.

*browses anime-planet to remember the name of the guys* – DONE!

Ok, let me start with Takato. In the beginning we get this hyper mega self righteous and obnoxious character which seems to think is the best in everything. But, contrary to most Yaoi shows I’ve seen (and dropped right away) it does not take much time until we are shown that he was able to get there through hard work since an early age. Yes, he is cocky and thinks he’s the best, but, at the same time we can clearly see that he does have some small indications that he also suffers from lack of confidence. Which from there creates, from the bat, a complex character who thinks that he is in the top of the world, but, at the same time, needs his levels of popularity to actually feel confidence… Am I making sense to you? xD.

Yes, that makes perfect sense (and just so you know, when you called Takato bland earlier I nearly declared war then and there). I really love his character because he’s got this front that just oozes control and confidence all wrapped around this mass of raging insecurity. The very fact that he needs the affirmation of keeping the ‘most huggable man’ title is hilarious when you consider all of his other achievements and yet it means so much to him. He’s really interesting and I love his internal monologues during the first episode where he’s trying to figure out what Junta is actually after because he assumes that everyone spends as much time over thinking things as he does and he assumes Junta has some kind of angle.

That said, I’m not so fond of Junta. I just see him as very much someone to play opposite Takato. What about you?

Hmmm… That’s actual a nice point you said there! Yes, it’s true… Junta is just the opposite of Takato and it can be seen as the easy way to go for a romance. But, you know what, from my irl experience, I really think that opposites attract! You just need to spend a day with my boyfriend and I to see that. And, to be honest, for me it’s not a really bad thing. It just means those 2 people complete each other.

So (And remember I don’t know nothing about what is going to happen), I think Junta will still need some time further to shine. From what I’ve seen from this episode, I feel that Junta will be the person that will Takato to grow and become a happier person. Maybe it will fall out more bland because the story seems to be told in Takato’s perspective, but I just fell in love with Junto… I mean, after there was a permission involved, of course xD.

But, well… To be honest, I’m more into the Tatako side while my boyfriend is more into the Junta side… So, of course I would love Junta ahah.

For me, I like Takato because he is someone who thinks things through and where they are going. He isn’t always a nice person and assumes other people are equally as self-interested. But he is a thinker and a planner. I really appreciate that character trait. Junta, as Takato points out, is someone who reacts to the situation and the scene and just plays on his feelings. That drives me crazy being around people like that because I can’t predict where something is going. So, I think my personal bias is getting in the way of any appreciation of Junta. Though he did look adorable asking for permission.

That and I noticed you dodged my question about the OP earlier.

Ups sorry, not so much dodged, but more got carried away ahah Well, I can definitely understand that… And know that you put it in that words… I think I’m probably Junta and Takato is my boyfriend xD Although, I overthink a lot nevertheless and he is a more happy person than me xP But, well we are not characters of a Shounen-ai, so of course we are going a little bit more complex ahah.

That said, since this OTP feels a bit like home and my relationship I would say that I loved it of course xD.

Ok… Nevermind… I read that wrong, you are asking me about the opening LOLOL Hmm… Give me a sec to check (I always pass those on because of spoilers and I forgot to watch it >.

I’m going to be honest, I hope you don’t start a war *gulp* I really liked the music, but the visuals just seemed generic to me xD What about you?

I don’t think I remember the visuals all that much (oh yeah, the guys were crossing the street at one point). I wasn’t paying that much attention, mostly because I had a major ASMR response to the start of the song in general. It just sent tingles up and down my spine and got me really hyped for the episode. However, that will probably wear thin after the first few times listening to it so I’m not entirely sure how I’ll feel about it after the whisper power wears off.

Then again, the ED just made me smile. It was just so boppy and silly and the dancing were all just there.

Yeah, I completely agree with you! I liked both musics, and that is saying a lot because I normally don’t like op and ed songs that much (I know, kill me now xD).

On another note, I would like to ask you if you think they went too far with this episode when it comes to story. I mean, of course you already know what is going to happen, but still…

I know this is something that we are seeing more and more. With so many Anime shows coming out nowadays you need to grab people attention from episode 1. However, I feel that it would be better for the Anime (looking into an all episodes kind of thing) for them to postpone the first sex scene a little bit. We can also see this in Bloom Into You. I think I would prefer a little more back and forward between the characters, have some time to start loving them and THEN have the confession thing. This way, I just can’t help it that the rest of the show will be a game of dog and cat and turning on and off relationship, which for 12/13 episodes may stop being interesting to watch. What do you think?

Normally I’d fully agree. I’m not that big on needing to show the sex for a relationship to be a relationship in a story anyway and I’m more concerned with how the characters interact than how far they get in terms of getting physical. However, going in to something like this, it kind of is the kind of story where it doesn’t get going until these characters have entered this kind of physical relationship. And, no spoilers, but you’ve got a seasoned actor and an up and coming star engaging in a same-sex relationship when one suffers from massive insecurity and the other feels he has something to prove. I’m sure they’ll find ample conflicts to keep us entertained for at least the next 12 episodes (or let’s at least hope so).

Still, it is an interesting point that more and more anime seem to be diving into more physical aspects of relationships earlier in seasons (Citrus was another example that came immediately to mind). I mean, I get we’re all a little tired of the impossible blushy couple that don’t even hold hands until episode 26 or later but I’m not sure every romance needs to dive in full speed ahead either.

In this case I was talking about in a more general way, not only sex related Anime. At least for now Bloom Into You does not seem to go portray sex scenes… But, we never know xD

However, I think you are right! I think that it will take some time until they find some kind of balance. I do know that the Romance type of Anime I loved the most had the characters to enter into a romance more or less in the middle of the season and then continuing the story from there

But, yes, please… Between episode 26 to episode 1, I prefer the later. I don’t really have the patience for the back and forward and miscommunication formula nowadays xD

But, well, that topic can be a good theme for another post since it would take a lot to write about xD

Any other thoughts on the episode before we bring this to a close?

YES! I’m sorry, but I have to bring those necks! I mean, I know this is personal opinion, but why the hell did they thought doing neck shadows like that a good way to go!!! I mean, the animation overall is good, but those necks… Damn those necks really take a lot of it! What do you think about that particular aspect?

They are really hideous. My personal theory is that they are designed to stop too many fans falling love with the otherwise fairly attractive main characters. I have no other theory as to why they would do that. It is bad. Just bad.

Going to be honest, it will take some time for me to be able to accept them and not think about it while watching the series… It’s a bummer though! But, well, that’s the last thing I wanted to talk about xD.

Well, I had a great time discussing the episode. This is not my normal kind of anime because we don’t get this kind of anime released on a mainstream service all that often so I usually don’t get to see these until well after they have been released, so I’m actually really glad to be reviewing it with someone because it is helping me to think through my thoughts on the episode. I hope you enjoy episode two. I’m just going to give you one word – honey.

Me too! It was a lot of fun! I also don’t really discuss this type of Anime shows. Just because I would always be bias due to the tropes presented in the most of them, and for that, I already have one rant about it on my blog and one rant is more than enough xD.

It also brings a completely different light discussing it with you. As you said, it helps me to think through what I thought about the Anime, but also see things that I hadn’t seen for myself which is awesome!

Thank you! I’m really intrigued to see how they are going to come up after this episode so I’m probably going to watch it today XD I need to see if I catch up with all the episodes that have been coming out this week lolol.

Can’t wait to get back together with you in the near future to continue discussing the evolution of the show eheh

I’m really looking forward to it. Thanks.

Conclusion:

Thanks for joining us and if you would like to add to the conversation be sure to leave us a comment below and if you haven’t yet, be sure to go and check out the Goblin Slayer post over on Arthifis’ blog.

---

Thanks for reading.

Karandi James

Consider supporting the blog by:

Or use one of my affiliate product links: