Thursday, February 3, 2011
I Heart Wakana Matsumoto! (Fujoshi Kanojo/My Geeky Girlfriend (2009))
Since its the Valentine's month, although its not really my thing to watch romantic movies (especially by myself, tch..) but in the spirit of the love season, I'll be featuring movies/anime of romance genre, the entire month, which I've watched and, well.., enjoyed. Usually I only watch romance movies by accident or when odds are inevitable, (why am I so adamant at this?) but I do sometimes watch them by choice only when critics' ratings show it's definitely worth my time OR, when the lead actress is a marvelous wonder of beauty, the latter which is the case I didn't think twice picking up this movie.
Like Suwa Hinata (played by Shunsuke Daito), our lucky guy, I was bedazzled as Shirosaki Yoriko (played by the stunningly beautiful Wakana Matsumoto) introduced herself, and for Hinata, it was love at first sight. Oh, and I must say, for a new actress, I can't help but commend her superb acting skills. Really perfect for the role.
Fujoshi Kanojo (My Geeky Girlfriend in its International English title) is a live-action adaptation of the light novel series of the same name written by Pentabu (the author's pen name I guess) that tells the story of a guy's struggles as he takes on his relationship with a Fujoshi. To keep it short, a Fujoshi is a female otaku and in this context, mostly their main interest is BL or Boys' love - a certain genre in anime and manga culture that deals with male-to-male relationships. Relatively queer, in my humble and honest opinion. LOL. Therein lies the problem. Hinata, our main character who works part-time in a photo studio, has to face the consequences and responsibilities that comes with having Yoriko, his boss and fujoshi girlfriend. Well, it doesn't matter if you ask me, as long as its Wakana Matsumoto. :)
Hinata confesses his feelings for Yoriko. Yoriko accepted his feelings though but gave him a heads-up (which Hinata sholdn't have taken so lightly). Yoriko confessed that she was an otaku. And not just an ordinary otaku. A hardcore Fujoshi. Without even letting her finish explaining, lovestruck Hinata (who had no idea what a fujoshi is) outright told her it doesn't matter.
Then comes Sebsy's (Yoriko's pet name for Hinata which is taken from the butler character in the anime Kuroshitsuji) tour of his "Ojou-sama's" peculiar fujoshi world.
Instead of the usual "maid café" Yoriko brought Hinata on a date in a fujoshi favorite getaway - a butler café and introduced her to her similar fujoshi friends - a manga artist and BL specialist, Kasumi, and a Miku, professional cosplayer nicknamed "Milk". Due to his submissiveness to Yoriko's weird fujoshi impulses he was compared to Sebastian the butler from the anime Kuroshitsuji, thus his nickname, Sebsy.
The unwilling yet subservient Hinata accompanied his BL-crazed girlfriend to a manga store and met unusual stares from customers who saw him on the Shoujo and BL section of the store with a girl who cant get a hold of herself after seeing new issues.
Looks like Yoriko's having a ball watching something. While in class, (Hinata is still a university student) Hinata received a call from Yoriko telling him she's at his house. Not surprising. But what surprised him was the strange sounds on Yoriko's end. Turns out she was playing an "eroge" and even defended that it wasn't an eroge she's playing but a world-famous, top-notch eroge. And to top it off, she ordered it online using Hinata's account since she says using hers was quite embarrassing.
Of course, Yoriko gets jealous at times with people Hinata hangs out with most of the time especially with guys and most especially with his guy bestfriend Koji, and was even having fantasies of them making out. LOL
But the best part is (for me at least) she loves to cosplay too. Here's Wakana Matsumoto as the famous vocaloid character, Hatsune Miku. I second Hinata's comment: "Moe!"
There are a lot of other references to other famous anime in this movie. (which I believe helps it cater to the otaku audience) In this one, Hinata compared Koji to Char Aznable from the grandfather anime series of the Gundam franchise, Mobile Suit Gundam. Then again, Yoriko's crazy thoughts kick in as she fantasized Koji as Char and herself as Artesia or Sayla, Char's long lost younger sister in the said anime. Looks really good on her I must say.
Like most otaku, Yoriko also prefers the world in 2-D rather than real life and even encouraged Hinata to do the same. Hinata then replied that if he fals in love with 2-D characters then he'd forget about her. This depresses Yoriko but Hinata assured her that he'll show her that real life can always be better.
Initially, Hinata had a hard time keeping his gaga girlfriend in check. But eventually, and in the name of love, he grew quite used to Yoriko's "lifework". Reading BL manga, being her personal "Sebastian" and even picking up her ways of creating "queer" stories in his mind while watching other guys having conversations. But of course, at one point in a relationship, there comes the time where a couples' bond of love is truly tested. Unexpectedly, Yoriko's ultimate dream of working in London has come into fruition. Now she is caught between a rock and a hard place as she decides whether to stay with Hinata and forego London or break up with him and pursue her dream. So is Hinata, thinking whether to be selfish and follow his heart's wishes or let go of their relationship for Yoriko's sake.
Yoriko and Hinata had an argument over dinner when after a lot of stalling, interruptions and second thoughts she broke the news to him that she was given an opportunity to work in London. Why must breaking news always come in during dinner?
Even though it was a really simple story, I was quite touched especially on the dramatic parts where the two had to decide in whether to continue with their relationship or not (the part in my opinion where the movie shined the most). But I could simply say, I was satisfied at the very least. I had a good laugh and c'mon, it's Wakana Matsumoto. :)
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3 comments:
cute ^_^
come on let's watch Tangled :) i want to watch it hehe
ain't she? :)
I'd really love to watch tangled with you but right now I can't. >< because.. odds are inevitable. LOL
and I've already seen it. ;P awesome. not just your ordinary animated fantasy-romance flick, trust me. :)
ohh.. you've already watched it.. i need to see that movie :) i just watched Love and other drugs last Saturday.. you might want to watch it LOL
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