ikoku Meiro no Croiseé episode 5

 To start, I finally have the ability to take my own pictures and install them so the pics will be neater BUT this blog's pic set-up doesn't allow it to be done cleanly so I'll just continue the pic at top and bottom with pics in-between, but my own :) 

This episode as usual involves both Yune and Claude learning about eachother's culture and general affection for each other. Yune Still has separation anxiety, not wanting to be away from Claude, which good ol' Oscar explains as the Japanese tendency of working in a group dynamic. Still, Claude feels uncomfortable with Yune constantly chopp'n at the bit for direction and company. In order to get Yune out of his hair he sends Yune to clean the lamps which comes as a delight to the hard worker that she is. While working Yune meets and greets a customer who thinks Yune is too friendly for her own good, and the customer then retreats much to the dismay of Yune.  Claude then gives her a talking to. Basically he explains that in Paris people don't trust people they don't know especially when the put on a smile. Yune is conflicted with this because it contradicts her own ideals, that one should always be kind and put trust in the customer first.

After some consideration, and re-evaluation on her approach to life in Paris she meets that little boy whose been popping up in episodes here and there. She disregards Claude's advice instead warmly welcoming the little boy who in the very next second is hauling a*s away with a stolen candle holder in hand.

Yune instinctively gives chase though with her pampered upbringing, she never had a chance of catching a young thief who steals to survive. Even so she pursues deep into the labyrinths of the shopping center soon losing the thief and her way. Standing lost Yune wants to go home as person after person, even a little girl, snubs Yune as she asks for directions.

Then she meets a juggler who tries to cheer her up and a crowd then gathers. She realises, though surrounded by many, she is really alone and no one will help her. Claude's advice doesn't help Yune who is still adjusting to life in Paris. Then Alan, Claude's neighboring businessman and friend, tries to help Yune get home after hearing she is lost. But Alan approaches with a smile and grabs Yune by the hand when Yune tears away remembering Claude's advice. Alan is surprised and simply stands there thinking he was being helpful.

It isn't until Yune is caught by Claude, who was desperately looking for her too, that she calms down as he embraces her quite romantically may I add ;)

The cute little thing, that Yune is, even blushes a little being hugged by her 'man' lol. Claude and her then walk back hand in hand and Claude explains that he was worried more about Yune than the stolen merchandise, and elaborates on the people one can trust and when its acceptable to both accept their smile and give one back too.

Yune then meets Alan again and is embarassed at her behavior and Alan simply laughs and wonders if he really looks THAT scary. Alan offers his hand as a sign of friendship which Yune takes in her own and shakes to signify the friendship has been mutually accepted.


Yune looks at Claude thinking she never wants to leave his side as Claude tells her to remember the sign in front of his shop to show that it is her home to return to.

Oscar comes home later that night saying he couldn't leave on the trip he was going on worrying about Yune, which Claude says Oscar was simply refused by a mistress. Oscar fixes a lamp that was busted much to the happiness of Yune and Oscar also gives her flowers asking Yune to look after Claude.

Quite a happy end, and again everybody learns a little something but not before the all wise sage Oscar can set them straight. Sadly no Alice....BUT NEXT WEEK THERE WILL BE! And we'll have to see what happens with the little boy...

-Relic P.S. We'll see how this new post style is... I feel I wrote less in exchange for pics which that process in and of its self is quite strenuous.... Yet enjoyable. Maybe next time I'll write a chunk or arc and then squeeze the photos I take after in there that relate with the chunk and then at the end put in extra shots so I don't feel the pain I took to do it was for nought :0 Plus I'll start showing pics for the preview of next week :) and have a little next week preview spot. Also in the future expect MAJOR plot occurences, forshadowing, or just what I thought cool and interesting, over-views of ALL the anime's I'm watching or ones something happened in. I might do this every once in awhile since I want to blog more shows but between football practice, college preparation, job, and basically life, like friends and romance, can't humanly do or at least efficiently like I feel I have been on Ikoku, Kami-sama and Nichijou my three real favorites of different genre. So that way I can give snippets on Usagi, Yuru, Blood, Baka and most other shows that I really enjoy. I wish I could do pics different but...I'm currently only going to be able to do the way I will next episode of what ever. I'm trying my best and will keep this up for a long time I think, since I enjoy it even if no one reads it :) and maybe one day I'll achieve an illustrious blog with some, thank-God RELIABLE help. P.S.S. just watched Shiki, what a show! still emotionally and morally distraught from it. Heres to making progress one anime blog at a time.

Ikoku Meiro no Croiseé-over view

Alrighty! So this episode(since I'm playing catch up) just gonna do a wrap up of the developments in the show thus far. To begin we receive some insight on the discrepancy between the cultures of J-pan and Paris. Japan was less industrial and more in touch with nature utilizing natural hot springs and such. Now Yune was used to bathing once a day in Japan but in Paris its more like once a week.  Otherwise its seen as a waste of water and is frowned upon by the community(go figure). NOW I'm not sure if in Japan only the aristocratic bathed everyday and then for the po' man it was once a week like in Europe unless wealthy. I wonder because Yune was rich sounding from the way Oscar described it. I imagine there was more bathing in Japan but...I don't know and I won't mis-lead you AND I also won't look up cultural standards through out history so find out for your self :P Anywho all this in regards to the fact Yune went to take a bath in the quiet of the night. Holy crap is she small...so delicate and cute! small enough to fit in a pan! Anyway Claude wakes up in the middle of the night to discover Yune much like in the picture at the top. Water spills and all that and we then see the next day with Oscar(all knowing as he is) enlighten the two on the cultural difference between Paris and Japan.

The whole bath thing sets up the premise of the show. Or is at least the harbinger of story and character development. We meet the young Alice Blanche, yes, of the nefarious Blanche family. Well nefarious from my man Claude's point of view. Alice, obsessed with anything, as the show coins it, orient, sets off to hunt down Yune. Claude wants to take Yune to the bath as a favor but not before they are discovered by Alice. Claude not liking the Blanches runs off with Yune to the bath. Alice continuously encounters them while on their way to which Claude tells Yune not to associate with Alice. Yune feeling bad since Alice has taken interest in her agrees to a tea invitation. Alice then tries to persuade Yune to stay with her with promises of a warm bath everyday, dresses, pampered life style AND her mother's(Yune's that is) kimono back, that Claude sold inadvertently not knowing it was a keep sake. Yune refuses and wants nothing more than to fulfill an agreement that her and Claude made.

The agreement

Particularly the part where Claude wants to get her kimono back. Plus earlier in the episode Yune ate cheese with soy sauce and Claude didn't like it, long story short Yune wants Claude to accept and like her culture so she promises to cook a japanese dish using soy sauce. So wanting to get home and explaing to Alice her life with the Claudels isn't so bad since they show affection for her, Yune rejects Alices invites, though Alice is just as stubborn. Then Claude after leaving with out Yune is seen back at home thinking Yune would be better off with Alice but Oscar(all knowing as he is) says thats up to Yune and HE knows Yune will come back(being as all knowing as he is). Claude is then surprised to see Yune home with Alice, making for a bitter-sweet reunion. The dinner is cooked, enjoyed and Yune will at least 'hang out' with Alice. Very heart warming after Claude wondered if she would even come back. On an end note I don't know if love will bloom or a stronger brother-sister relationship, either'd be fine but I'll take a love development :)

-Relic P.S. hope their business stays above the financial hell fire and that this is good enough to bridge the gap in my reviews!

Ikoku meiro no croisée#2

With the passing of the week... Another Ikoku! I thought this episode one of the most adorable episodes of any anime anywhere. Yune is,like always, an absolute doll! If it's not her trying to adapt to French lifestyle by eating anything or her trying to please Claude, she always manages to do it in a very cute fashion. I feel much the way Claude does regarding how when people watch me I can't focus. Claude is probably just thinking about this little Japanese girl 'chunking' him and then when he's aware of what's going on again he has finished working his scrap metal lol! She is very endearing in her want to acknowledge all aspects of French life style.

This uncomfortable feeling Claude gets from being watched leads to Yune getting shooed away like a pigeon and then claudes ultimate traveling to the marché or something like that. So on his way out the door Claude invites Yune to the what I imagine to be town square kinda thing.they meet many new and strange things here like goats trotting along and different kinds of foods that are 'exotic' from Yune's perspective as Claude tells her what each thing is. We then learn what has come of Yune's best kimono from her mother. That it has been sold to the *thunder* *lightning* *scary music* BLANCHE FAMILY!!!! Now this early in the game I can't say for sure but I imagine this will turn into a major plot arc. This Blanche family is said to be unpleasant(Well Claude would think so because he's a business competitor)(biased) and they own the department store...ominous I know. I suppose it's the equivalence of walmart in the 1800's, slowly shutting down the mom and pop department stores and specialty stores. This is a direct threat to Claude because he owns the scrap metal place and they are probably losing business to them not to mention they now have the kimono, I smell what the rock is cooking....and it smells like trouble and conflict, but for now it is still light hearted and this obstacle only looms on the inevitable horizon of destiny (poetic I know!) this led to Claude finding Oscar doing what I can only imagine was what I would call picking up chicks, albeit this Oscar, Santa looking fellow, is like 50-60 years of age and this chick is like what 20's-30's?! A cougar...kinda is what that Oscar fellow has become in my mind but that aside they later meet at home, Yune, Claude and Oscar. We learn that the girl ditched him! Hahaha and then a cat meows and walks away! I think that meant he just lost the 'PUSSY'...cat, pun(if it was one) intended. Well they then learn more about Japanese customs and this formula plays on the rest of the show.Yune doesn't do the proper French thing.Oscar laughs like the cougar or cradle robber that he is. Oscar delegates and tells Claude why Yune is Nutz. Claude says "you don't have to force yourself!" Yune says "I'm not forcing myself, I want too!" Yune glitters her fantastically glimmering eyes. Claude looks at her like a big brother figure, flattered, annoyed , and amused all at once. Then I blush, giggle and say "awwwwh". This goes on till the end. All in all.....I love the show! Good episode,can't wait till next week!
-sorry if I don't just crank out blogs and such.I am go'n it alone doing one a day at the end of the day.I am busy like everyone and a good hour long and a few blog at night is all I think I got in me for now,take into account I have gone through the stress and struggles of everyday life like everyone else in the world,watch an anime to unwind and do a blog which I love but is exhausting! Lately I'm especially out of it since football practice is back in full force with gear on, it's tearing me apart and this is about all I can manage. Thank you In advance,Relic,the nerdy jock ;)

Ikoku Meiro no Croisée-#1

Ok!for my first anime blog coverage I will review as the episodes come out subbed,ikoku meiro no croisée. This show is basically,from what I've seen so far that is,a slice of life and maybe romance anime.Then again like the School Days anime at the end it could flip on a dime :) but somehow I doubt this.I believe there is a manga out but I haven't bothered reading it and don't really read manga.Starting off I was sure I would like this since I'm more into slow paced slice of anime.While others might find it boring I'm thrilled to watch it every week!

So this Japanese girl,Yune,goes to,in the later half of the 19th century,to Paris with a French traveller to work as a poster girl in their iron works shop.she meets(after walking in her horse hoof shoes) the young owner of the shop,Claude,a blond haired French man, with a bit of a temper,not being so glad to have the assistance of Yune.Oscar the traveller who brought Yune along with other Japanese goods looks after her for the most part.Clearly Yune isn't exactly accustomed to life in France and stands out so much to the point a passer-by misconstrues her with a Japanese doll.Claude shows he might have a heart and says she isn't a doll and sends the man on his way while Oscar realizes Claude isn't the best salesman,turning a customer away who seemed interested without a purchase. Claude wants little to do with Yune as she leans around the shop doing odd jobs.Claude talks to Yune about his shop and it's legacy of being passed down through the years and earning it's keep with good quality work.Claude then goes on to tell Yume about the butterfly he's working on and how it was his fathers last created work.Claude then reasons Yune can't understand is just nodding though she seemed quite interested to me.this foreshadows the heirloom being broken when Yune's long sleeves drag the butterfly off the table, breaking the butterfly and the wonderful looking glass.Claude isn't as angry as I thought he would be,and simply says Yune,like her long sleeves,don't belong in France.Later after fixing the butterfly,Claude and Yune make amends and Yune gives Claude a very ornate looking kimono which he sells and we later learn is an expensive family heirloom in Yune's family.When Claude feels bad and confronts Yune,we learn she can speak French when she stops him from buying it,the kimono,back as it would disgrace the store giving bad publicity.The two make a vow to buy back the kimono one day and not get rid of things they cherish a symbol of their booming friendship maybe?!after which Yune blushes and Oscar hides outside the door nodding to himself like a badass sage.Very good first episode can't wait for more!-Relic