An: THIS BLOODLINE ENDS WITH ME

First years

yes yes yes you get it! I also think Ichiya has some sort of mind control thing going on. I think that's why the NG boys are like that. Or maybe it's not a specific power, but that's Akutaro's wish?

Also, I feel like a lot of the anons you're getting are not fully understanding Arajin's character or purpose in the narrative. More fundamentally, I think they're misunderstanding shame as a motivator. Like saying, "if he's so ashamed of himself he should be trying to get stronger" is such a misrepresentation of how shame works. You don't run towards the problem and try to overcome it you run away from it. To overcome something you have to reject that shame and believe in yourself in spite if it. You have to let go of shame to even be able to look at the problem head on. Arajin wouldn't want to get stronger (the desire that led to his trauma in the first place, by the way) because he doesn't believe that he can, and he's too ashamed to try.

I also have the theory that Arajin won't be forced to change until something happens to Matakara, like whatever is being teased in the intro.

Yeah. I’m kind of had a headcanon that Ichiya has some sort of magical ability that makes Akutaro keeps the rest of the grunts in line.

Also yes to Arajin cuz that’s what I’m feeling his character development is going to revolve around and what has been teased in the OP.

y'know what this is good enough to escape the tags zabu being the flying carpet (flying carpet -> zabuton -> zabu) correlates to how while he isn't enough to save the day on his own, his ultimate strength comes from being the 'vehicle' who pushes arajin to save matakara and escape his darkest hour through he continuously badgers arajin into checking on matakara throughout the series, all culminating in him getting komao to drag him to the kenichiro fight (which is what ultimately convinces arajin to take back senya) but also he's the carpet bc lmao look he's on the floor

they’re posing like they’re from one direction

Well, first I wanted to say that I love your analyzes and thank you for always answering our questions. You know, I wanted to know when Arajin's redemption will be, let's go to episode 9 and with no redemption I see a comment on Instagram saying that it wouldn't be bad if at the end of the anime Matakara and Arajin are no longer friends I would love it because I want Matakara recognize that your best friend is zabu. what do you think?

Thanks! No problem it's fun :)

I don't think Arajin needs a redemption arc to be honest, it would be too predictable anyway and there are only 4 or 5 episodes left. Yeah he's annoying and all but he didn't do much, at least to the point that he needs redemption cause for me it's for characters who are truly horrible at the beginning, like he's not a bully, but Arajin is just dumb, in his own Shojo anime and fails to function as a normal human being (I still think he was too insensitive and crossed the lines in ep 8 but that's besides the point). Sure, his attitude affects others but he's not a horrible person, selfish yes, pathetic yes, not horrible. We know he has a good heart and pretends not to care. Matakara believes it too. He only wears a mask and that is why a lot of people still like him.

I made a post a while ago about how Arajin and Matakara were the same, but Matakara was written better and I still stand by it. There's a connection between the two, an obvious parallel. Matakara has this idealized version of Arajin like Arajin as one for Mahoro and they act the same in some ways. The difference is that Matakara actually grew up with Arajin, he didn't invent what he saw in his friend. They made a promise when they were younger and Arajin gave him a friendship stone. He was actually kind and caring, Matakara didn't imagine that, he lived it, so it makes sense that he thinks Arajin is still like that years later. His vision of him is not coming out of nowhere. He got attached to this Arajin who was truly himself, but he didn't see him grow. That's the disconnection.

From the moment Arajin ghosted Matakara and went on with his life, their bond was broken, only Matakara didn't realize it at first because Arajin was part of his dream of becoming Honkibito and one of the people who gave him strength. He thought the reason Arajin didn't talk to him anymore was because he wasn't strong enough. Arajin doesn't think he's strong enough as well, he wants validation (from Mahoro) and he flees from his fear of being weak. When Matakara lost his belief, he lost his identity too and that made him terrified. I think he knew from the beginning that something seemed off with Arajin, but he didn't want to believe it because that would mean he's alone and his beliefs and dream would be gone. Who will he be without it? So I don't think that Mata is completely fooled by Arajin but mostly he's scared because if his role model is not who he thought he was, he has no hope left. Matakara needed this realization to let go of Arajin.

What I mean by all of this is that the same thing is going to happen to Arajin. It's not necessarily redemption he needs but the same realization Matakara had in episode 8. He needs to break out of the spell and accept the true Mahoro so he can let go of her too.

Both characters are going to come face to face with the truth, with reality, and either they're going to bond again over this or they're going to be their own person without each other and find peace. But I think with this parallelism, they also seem to be made for each other like they're one piece of each other if that makes sense? The universe (aka Utsumi) wants them together (as friends or allies, enemies, whatever defines them.)

They're not going to change completely, especially Arajin, but I can see them accepting who they are in the end. Their perspectives on each other are going to change, their views, their beliefs, but not their true identity. In the 1001 nights tale, and notably in the Disney movie "Aladdin", Jasmine and Aladdin hide their true identities. Aladdin pretends to be a prince to get Jasmine's attention and marry her. She met him before but doesn't recognize him. It's only at the end that Ali Ababwa disappears, his mask is gone and his true self is revealed to her. Meanwhile, she hides that she's a princess and dresses as a "commoner" so she can see the world. Shit keeps happening to them when they're not true to themselves just like Aladdin and Jasmine.

So yeah, I guess just like those characters they're going to be free from themselves and it's going to free Senya and Ichiya as well because they're trapped in their bodies. Senya thinks that he needs to merge with Arajin to see Ichiya again but the only way I think is for them to be themselves without Arajin and Matakara. It's interesting that the moment they are both linked to Senya and Ichiya was a moment where they were running away from fear, the genies came when they were hopeless, so I think there's this idea that they can't be themselves if the genies are still possessing them and using them. But if they overcome their fears, they will get their bodies back, more exactly their mind and heart 👀.

Moreover, in the original Aladdin story, "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp" which apparently takes place in China 👀, Aladdin is not perceived as a pure-hearted hero. He wants the princess but he's not interested in her personality or her feelings, so just like Arajin he's a flawed hero who gets what he wishes for...

So no, I don't expect a redemption for Arajin, especially with the tone of the show. Not because he's bad and he'll stay bad, but mostly because he's not the villain of the story, just a reflection of humanity. His character was intended to be like that and to be his true self he needs to let go of his fear, that's the only thing i can see for him. The real question is will his wish come true? He's supposed to get what he wants, get the girl. If it doesn't happen then something else waits for him and I really want to see what the resolution will be. I don't think that in the end Arajin and Matakara no longer being friends will be the answer, it's more than that. Although I imagined there is going to be a reconnection whether they're back being friends or not.

You know what? Maybe we were fooled as viewers. Matakara is actually Aladdin but with Jasmine's personality and Arajin is his Jasmine with Aladdin's personality. But because of their names we thought it was the other way around. Like one of his closest friends is literally Zabu= Abu. It's different than the original story but their dynamic is kinda the same. Idk, I can see it. They're interchangeable. But yeah, Aladdin gets what he wants, so all is going to end well for Arajin, but we have yet to see what will be Matakara's wish...

Bucchigiri Episode Titles

Unless you're familiar with Japanese music I don't think you'd realize this so I thought I'd make a post about it.

All of the episode titles are references to the titles of songs. They mixed the names of love songs with Chinese food names.

Ep 1: 「合体！？恋するフォーチュンバンバンジー！」 Merge!? Fall in Love with Fortune Bang Bang Chicken!

Song: AKB48 - Koisuru Fortune Cookie Fall in love with a Fortune Cookie

Ep 2: 「君を乗せたい！チューチュー・チンジャオローストレイン！」 Wanna Take You On! The Chu Chu Chinese Pepper Steak Train!

Song: Exile - Choo Choo TRAIN

Ep 3: 「なぐり愛！世界に一つだけのウズラ」 Love at Fist Fight! The One and Only Quail in the World (The first part of the title is a play on words with 殴り合い(fist fight) but they replaced the second kanji with the kanji for love.)

Song: SMAP - Sekai ni hitotsu dake no hana The one and only flower in the world

Ep 4: ストップ戦争(ウォー)！～時には食せよゴーヤチャンプルー～」 Stop the war! ~Sometimes You Gotta Eat Goya Chanpuru~

Song: H Jungle with t - WOW WAR TONIGHT ～時には起こせよムーヴメント〜 WOW WAR TONIGHT ~Sometimes You Gotta Start a Movement~

Ep 5: 「戦慄！エビチリは雪のように！」 Frightening! Chili Shrimps Falling Down Like Snowflakes!

Song: Hamada Shougo - 悲しみは雪のように Sadness is like Snow (Looking at the lyrics of this song, it's actually saying sadness is accumulating like snow but sure... good enough)

Ep 6: 「友情マシマシ！ニラレバリューション２１！」 Much Much Friendship! "Nira-Reba"-lution 21! (I don't even know why they didn't even try to translate the food this time. It's garlic-chive liver stir fry. It says "garlic-chive liver-lution".)

Song: Morning Musume - Renai Revolution 21 Love Revolution 21

accidental K.O.

out of context episode 8 spoiler

(some) of my thoughts, rambles, and theories- bucchigiri?! ep 6

oh boy... that was a lot. an end to the gang war arc, and soon, the start to a new one. i want to start off by saying the animation was awesome this episode. all the action, emotional moments and small bits of comedy hit where they needed to.

i think it's interesting that it's not just that mahoro absolutely ROASTED akutaro, she also inspired arajin to kick his ass. NOT JUST because he has a crush on her, but because she refused to run, which is what arajin has been doing- it's a wake-up call for him to get some of his shit together.

it's also made blatantly clear that arajin does care about matakara.(the first person he sees when he gains consciousness is him getting fucking beat) hopefully next ep we get to see how their relationship develops from here. obviously they're not quite there yet, and i still think they're going to have a fight at some point- the next conflict focusing on matakara, and arajin showing us how much he's grown.

also, now that akutaro has been defeated, i wonder how ichiya will merge with matakara? how will matakara's conflict, brother, and ichiya and senya's past together play into this? will it be at the expense of matakara himself?

i also don't think this is the end of arajin's development, it's just the start. he'll always be a cringefail loser, but i think what ppl need to realize is that's okay. (his battle cry is still that he wants to lose his virginity, but that's not all there is to him! he beats up akutaro regardless.) he can be a loser and have development. he's not just one or the other, just like the rest of the characters in the show. they can be silly, beat people to a pulp AND have their own emotional moments. the show so far allows all of it, i think that's what makes it so great.

i can't wait to see where the show goes next!!

( ´; _ ;`)ง 💦💦