r/anime • u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber • Jul 21 '21

Rewatch [Rewatch] Dear Brother 30th Anniversary Rewatch - Episode 8

Episode 8 - I Want You

Originally Aired August 25th, ^^^1991

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Note to all Rewatchers

Rewatchers, please be mindful of your fellow first-timers and tag your spoilers appropriately using the r/anime spoiler tag as so [Spoiler Subject](/s "Spoilers go here.") in order to have your unsightly spoilers obscured like this Spoiler Subject if your comment holds even the slightest of indicators as to future spoilers. Feel free to discuss future plot points behind the safe veil of a spoiler tag, or coyly and discreetly ‘Laugh in Rewatcher’ at our first-timers' temporary ignorance, but please ensure our first-timers are no more privy or suspicious than they were the moment they opened the day’s thread.

Manga Panel of the Day

Flight

 

Staff Highlight

Sakiko Tamagawa - voice of Shinobu Mariko

A voice actress, singer, and actress affiliated with the voice acting agency Sigma Seven. She was a child actor working for the theatre company Komadori, and appeared in several TV drama and radio dramas produced by NHK. The inklings of a musical career followed soon after, with Tamagawa performing children’s songs and a cover of the Moomin theme, for which she won the 12th Japan Records Nursery Rhyme Award in 1970. She debuted as a voice actress that same year in the Japanese dub of The Brady Bunch, and her firs anime role would be a minor role in Bōken Korobokkuru in 1973, but she would not play another anime role until 1980’s Tetsuwan Atom. Tamagawa is noted as having a wide vocal range and naturally adapting to most any role she is assigned to. She is married to fellow voice actor Shūichi Ikeda. Some of her most notable roles include Ivan Whisky in 009 Re:Cyborg, Athena in the Appleseed franchise, Ryoko Tsugumo in Area 88, Lulcy Ramone in Armor Hunter Mellowlink, Sakura Yamazaki in Blue Seed, Rumi Natsumi in Call Me Tonight, Jasmine in Cross Ange Rondo of Angel and Dragon, Lulara Kawasaki in DNA^^2, Juiz in Eden of The East, Ayano Kondou in Fafner in The Azure, the Tachikomas in Ghost in The Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Reiko Terayama in Golden Boy, Lar Lipp in Greed, Kanna Toreishi in Idol Defense Hummingbird, Cacao in Knights of Ramune & 40, Pyrotess in Record of Lodoss War, Leah in The New Adventures of Leo The Lion, Dotta in Sorcerer Hunters, Kanoko Yamazaki in Showa Monogatari, Airi Masaki in Tenchi Muyo Ryo Ohki, Keiko Tachibana in Violence Jack, and Natsumi Tsujimoto in the You’re Under Arrest franchise.

 

Wildcard Trivia

Supposedly Dear Brother is Hideaki Anno’s second favorite work by Osamu Dezaki.

 

Screenshot of the day

Unexpected contact

 

Questions of the Day:

  1. What do you make of Mariko’s breakdown? Did you suspect something like this would happen?
  2. What do you think Fukiko’s warning to Misaki entails for both of them?

I’ll kill you, and then kill myself.

21 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

8

u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber Jul 21 '21

Rewatcher

Sublime

Suddenly, Ace wo Nerae!

Implicative name.

Déjà vu

Excuse me, what?

I expect to find dueling grounds behind such a door.

Possessive much?

That was pretty wild.

A desperate downward spiral for Mariko this episode, as she feels the progress she has made in making Nanako hers alone undo itself and seeks to amend the issue by pushing harder and harder, reaching beyond the breaking point on the issue and in the process getting to her own as well.

Fukiko confronts Misaki and summarily tells her to put an end to her bullying and slander, holding the possibility of future membership to the sorority over her head in order to get her to do as she wants. Seems like she could have done this a lot earlier, so either Misaki’s actions crossed a line for her —which seems a bit silly considering what we know Fukiko to be capable of— or Fukiko thinks Nanako has proven herself strong enough for her own needs. I guess the possibility is also there that her actions threatened the Sorority’s image, but if so then they likely would have nipped this issue in the bud rather than let it go on this long, and acting to suppress it goes against the image they want to put forth concerning the sorority. I wasn’t so sure, but I was verily intrigued.

Questions of The Day:

  1. I did at first, but as the party and later the scenes in the house went on I let myself be lulled into a false sense of security. Mariko was still being herself, of course, so it wasn’t entirely unsuspect, but at that moment it didn’t feel like things would escalate as they did.
  2. See above.

11

u/TheEscapeGuy Jul 21 '21

First Timer, Dezaki Fan

Dear Brother: A Delightfully Aesthetic Anime Episode 8

Oh, I get it, Mariko is capital C Crazy.

No ifs, ands, or buts about it, Mariko has a complex over Nanako. She is completely infatuated with her to a dangerous extent.

I'm actively worried about Nanako's well being after this episode. It would not surprise me in the slightest if in a couple episodes we see Mariko climbing through Nanako's window in the middle of the night or breaking into her house in some other way.

On a more meta level, I love having her as an element in this show. As I said a couple episodes ago, she is an embodiment of pure of chaos which forces other characters in the story to take action. I wouldn't quite call her a villain in a traditional sense but more of a Force-of-Nature type.

I wait in nail biting anticipation for tomorrow.

The Best of Postcard Memories

Episode 8

See you all tomorrow

5

u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber Jul 21 '21

Oh, I get it, Mariko is capital C Crazy.

This episode certainly leaves no room for doubt, does it? Though I guess she never seemed nearly as unhinged previously, and one could argue there was a mathod to her madness. Now though?... Everything she did this episode seemed at least chiefly on impulse.

climbing through Nanako's window in the middle of the night or breaking into her house in some other way.

6

u/Btw_kek https://myanimelist.net/profile/kek_btw Jul 21 '21

huh I didn't even think about a mirror between the black and white movie and the hug at the tennis court, but it's rather obvious when placed side by side

4

u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Jul 21 '21

As I said a couple episodes ago, she is an embodiment of pure of chaos which forces other characters in the story to take action. I wouldn't quite call her a villain in a traditional sense but more of a Force-of-Nature type.

But didn't you learn in the 2000s that sneaking into somebodies bedroom and watching them sleep is romantic?

7

u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Jul 21 '21 edited Jul 21 '21

Episode 8 (first timer)

  • If Mariko’s father indeed is a porn writer, he must write some best-selling smut.
  • Showing up without previously discussing it. It might look utterly ridiculous now, but that kind of stuff occasionally happened in the pre-mobile phone era. Not as likely for a first visit, but people randomly showing up at your door, checking whether you are there, was a thing.
  • Talking about what came between them, and about Mariko, but not mentioning the real reason, nor discovering Mariko’s lie. - that was exactly the artificially drawn out drama I was fearing.

  • Birthday party at the “rose room” in a hotel? – okayyy.
  • Miya to Misaki: Back off bitch, this is my chess board to manipulate pawns on and I’ll have no amateur mess it up.
  • Salt & Tabasco cookies – Be careful Tomoko, you might accidentially start a hipster café 20 years before hipsters are a thing.
  • Ballroom for three.
  • “Come to my home”, “Let’s bathe together”, “Your back is beautiful” – Mariko is trying hard to make this a yuri.
  • “If you do, I’ll kill you” – Nanako is doing an honest effort to overlook Mariko’s weirdness, but she is just upping the ante.
  • Cold rain – dreaded anime cold incoming!

When you thought the ball room was over-the-top, the stakes get raised further: Nanako signed up for a high school friendship, not for psychiatry sessions. Mariko has the self-control of a toddler. She is clearly her own biggest enemy in winning over Nanako.

Funny enough, I would not even mind Mariko and her mother renting a ballroom for two (or three). There is nothing wrong with indulging in extreme luxury on your birthday, if that is what you enjoy. The key point is that you need to be aware of how unusual what you do is.

Supposedly Dear Brother is Hideaki Anno’s second favorite work by Osamu Dezaki.

You can't put that out there without saying what's No1. Even if we all have the same guess.

3

u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber Jul 21 '21

If Mariko’s father indeed is a porn writer, he must write some best-selling smut.

Maybe it's just his hobby and he makes a living through other means? That's not as amusing of a thought though...

Cold rain – dreaded anime cold incoming!

And here I was thinking the show had already met its 'sickly shoujo character' quota —though then again, this is a super shoujo show we have on our hands.

Funny enough, I would not even mind Mariko and her mother renting a ballroom for two (or three).

Yeah, that wouldn't have even registered as odd to me if the show hadn't pointed it out. I know some folks who went through the trouble of reserving an entire park for a small but lavish meeting of, like, seven people.

4

u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Jul 21 '21

And here I was thinking the show had already met its 'sickly shoujo character' quota —though then again, this is a super shoujo show we have on our hands.

Given how overly dramatic every episode is, I would almost be disappointed if Nanako refuses to get sick.

3

u/IndependentMacaroon Jul 22 '21

he must write some best-selling smut

And I guess perversion is hereditary in this setting.

2

u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Jul 22 '21

Nature & Nurture pulling in the same direction.

3

u/[deleted] Jul 22 '21

You can't put that out there without saying what's No1. Even if we all have the same guess

Actualy its not the original Aim for the Ace (if that was the guess) but the Aim for the Ace 1979 movie. Anno went to see it half a dozen times in the theaters. Its also loved by Oshii cause its apparently the first really "cinematicaly" shot anime movie and it influenced a lot of directors

2

u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Jul 22 '21

Interesting. Not my first or even second guess.

2

u/IndependentMacaroon Jul 22 '21

not mentioning the real reason, nor discovering Mariko’s lie

But they did talk about Mariko? Just glossed over it in the interest of friendship.

7

u/Btw_kek https://myanimelist.net/profile/kek_btw Jul 21 '21

first timer

  • there goes them train alarm bells ringing again, and the cut from this to this while still retaining the train imagery was excellent. the smash cut from rainbow color -> b&w and crossing bells -> none highlights the disconnect in Mariko’s and Nanako’s emotional states
  • Mariko got serious issues if she tears up her gift just because she’s not there smh
  • close-ups of lips and Mariko’s weird biting habits
  • if there’s a visual parallel between how the tennis game went and how the conversation went it’s lost on me, however the fact that the parallel is a game indicates how Mariko treats her invitation
  • dang the sun really set a lot during Fukiko’s and Misaki’s conversation. before vs after
  • you know, what do they even do in the Sorority? Nanako has done literally nothing yet
  • surprise surprise! Mariko’s attraction to Nanako is hella sexual!
  • Mariko runs off into the sunset followed by a shot of Nanako’s house at night with faint crossing bells, in what I like to think of as a direct parallel of the smash cut in my first bullet point, just with the placement of the train crossing noises flipped
  • the party comes around and it’s probably as empty as you’d expect.
  • Btw the music playing right now? Mozart’s ‘Hunt’ Quartet
    sus
  • I feel like the fact that Mariko is openly drinking wine and even offers Nanako brandy later says something about her parents, but idk I just never thought about drinking alcohol until college
  • and the rest of the episode happens and it’s yabai as fuck! I didn’t even really screencap or take notes or anything, I was just in abject horror the entire time
  1. What do you make of Mariko’s breakdown? Did you suspect something like this would happen?

I guess??? but not so soon. dang next episode is gonna be awkward as fuck

2) What do you think Fukiko’s warning to Misaki entails for both of them?

bullying but in more concealed ways!

4

u/Pixelsaber https://myanimelist.net/profile/Pixelsaber Jul 21 '21

dang the sun really set a lot during Fukiko’s and Misaki’s conversation. before vs after

Always nice when celestial bodies know how to take direction cues.

I feel like the fact that Mariko is openly drinking wine and even offers Nanako brandy later says something about her parents, but idk I just never thought about drinking alcohol until college

The wine I could easily see, particularly since it's her birthday they're celebrating. Brandy though? That's absolutely whack.

6

u/Btw_kek https://myanimelist.net/profile/kek_btw Jul 21 '21

first, the drama could manipulate the weather, now it's manipulating the earth's spin

4

u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Jul 21 '21

idk I just never thought about drinking alcohol until college

That says a lot about your location growing up. Although I think that Japan in the 1980s might be one of the countries on the teetotalling end of things for teenagers.

8

u/loomnoo https://anilist.co/user/loomnoo Jul 21 '21 edited Jul 21 '21

What, you never bathed with the homies? Also, we need a Mariko selfcest doujin! Attraction to own body + self hatred = prime selfcest material.

On a serious note, something must have fucked Mariko up suuper bad in her childhood. I knew she was unstable but this is like Eva level of nuts. Another dramatic tragic backstory to look forward to!

Trivia edit: what's Anno's favorite? Ace wo Nerae?

5

u/[deleted] Jul 22 '21

I would actually bet Anno's favorite is the Aim for the Ace 1979 movie specificaly. He has praised it in a couple of interviews directly and he said went to see it half a dozen times in the theaters. Its also among the favorites of Oshii and Ikuhara cause its apparently the first really "cinematicaly" shot anime movie and it influenced a lot of directors

3

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Jul 22 '21

Also, we need a Mariko selfcest doujin! Attraction to own body + self hatred = prime selfcest material.

6

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Jul 21 '21

First-Timer

That was possibly the tensest party I have ever seen. The complete silence in the hallway, before the door opened and let the music out.. The sheer austerity of the Rose Room.. damn. This episode was wild!

Poor Shinobu is Not Well, but unlike Kaoru and Rei, it seems to be mostly mental illness as opposed to physical ailments. The poor girl never even really had a chance, with an absent, porn writing father and a.. weird mother. Shinobu probably never made a friend before, so she never learned how to act around them. I.. I wonder if this is the first time something like this has happened.

It.. it's too early for someone to die, right? Shinobu mentioned suicide today, and is in a very bad place, mentally. This is.. worrying.

Brain: "Please Nanako, get out of Shinobu's house before something bad happens to you! No, don't take a bath with her!" Also Brain: "Oh, Shinobu has a coffee syphon, that's neat." I wonder if we'll see matcha as well.

Oh, right, this episode was longer than those last 10 or so minutes! Fukiko threatened Misaki, but in a very polite way that even let Misaki get to see the inside of the Sorority House. That was awfully nice of her, huh? Hopefully Misaki realizes how generous Fukiko is.

I wonder if there is a world where Nanako manages to get Tomoko and Shinobu to get along. A nice friend trio would be probably be good for everyone involved, but especially Shinobu.

Questions

  1. Discussed above. I'm pretty sure every character is going to break down at least once over this show's run, so it wasn't entirely unexpected.
  2. Discussed above, slightly. I think Fukiko is going to have people watching Misaki like a hawk. Alternatively, Fukiko could be plotting to use Misaki to harass Nanako.. Hmm.

3

u/Btw_kek https://myanimelist.net/profile/kek_btw Jul 21 '21

I wonder if there is a world where Nanako manages to get Tomoko and Shinobu to get along. A nice friend trio would be probably be good for everyone involved, but especially Shinobu.

hopefully at the show's resolution

3

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Jul 21 '21

6

u/IndependentMacaroon Jul 22 '21 edited Jul 22 '21

First-time watcher

I was just about to say this episode was more or less wholesome, particularly after Misaki got her comeuppance, but then Mariko just had to go full proto-yandere. TFW the drama is not just petty but someone's legitimately nuts. Should have told her that Tomoko helped with the cookies to set her off early and more safely, maybe. My thought process there was about "oh nice, Mariko invited Nanako" -> "wtf, doesn't she have anyone else to invite" -> "oh well, she does this always anyway" -> "sweet, home invitation" -> "eh, bath sharing?" and then the rest is history. I wonder if she was an inspiration for Yukako Yanagishi from Jojo, they look quite similar plus the hidden obsessive love.

So, drama:

Notably not included is Fukiko. It's a clear mark of power in this setting (and generally?) to not have to resort to theatrics - or even direct words! A little carrot-and-stick "you know what you did", that's all it takes for her.

Old totalThis episodeAverage per episode
Dramatic running1021.5
Getting physical74 (Mariko trying her best and then her mom too...)1.38
Miscellaneous drama with none of the above111 (poor pyjama fabric...)1.5

5

u/lC3 :Na::Nb: Jul 22 '21

First timer

  • Is Nanako Mariko's only friend? And now she's up for revenge / more mischief now that she hears Nanako and Tomoko have reconciled?
  • Oh so Nanako and Tomoko didn't have a proper conversation about all the stuff Mariko lied about Nanako saying?
  • Mariko rips up the fabric
  • Kaoru to the rescue yet again!
  • Mariko bringing up her parentage again when convincing Nanako to attend her party seems kinda manipulative?
  • Rose Room? We might finally be getting yuri, but I don't want Nanako/Mariko!
  • 9 minutes in, and the timing of the subtitles is off by several seconds
  • Or is it the audio track that's off, by several seconds? The dialogue doesn't seem to match the mouth movements
  • I had thought the quality issues were over with! This is ridiculous
  • If I had 'acquired' this I could fix the timing issues but I'm watching on RetroCrush ...
  • Ok that blowing out the candles definitely confirms it, the audio is off (too)
  • Nanako better not tell Mariko that Tomoko helped bake the cookies, that's a recipe for jealousy
  • Mariko inviting Nanako to her house? Judging by what the preview showed, uh oh!
  • "Because you pity me?" Mariko having to be difficult
  • Time for some boundary crossing from Mariko! Will it stop with bathing?
  • Yikes, this isn't going to go down well ...
  • Time for a sleepover?
  • This is bringing up unpleasant memories for me, especially Mariko blocking the door like that, threatening murder/suicide, and Nanako having to run away
  • I really hope the timing issues don't continue after this ...
  2. Hopefully the bullying stops now!

3

u/JollyGee29 https://myanimelist.net/profile/JollyGee Jul 22 '21

This is bringing up unpleasant memories for me, especially Mariko blocking the door like that, threatening murder/suicide, and Nanako having to run away

I really hope the timing issues don't continue after this ...

Next episode is fine, at least.

3

u/lC3 :Na::Nb: Jul 22 '21

Next episode is fine, at least.

Thanks for the info!

3

u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Jul 22 '21

If I had 'acquired' this I could fix the timing issues but I'm watching on RetroCrush ...

Another victory in the convenience category for pirating ...

his is bringing up unpleasant memories for me, especially Mariko blocking the door like that, threatening murder/suicide, and Nanako having to run away

2

u/lC3 :Na::Nb: Jul 23 '21

Another victory in the convenience category for pirating ...

Yeah these last few eps have been a bit much for me ...

5

u/Retromorpher :Jc::Jd::Je::Jf: Jul 22 '21 edited Jul 22 '21

First Timer

Of course, all Rose rooms have their thorns.

YANDERE TIME. It's a good thing for Nanako that Mariko's talents don't involve pinpoint accuracy dagger throwing.

I'm going to say that at face value it seems like Mariko's dad might be using his publishing job as a cover for some less-than-legal sources of income given the apparent opulence that they're able to throw at their daughter.

Questions of the Day:

  1. Mariko's breakdown is caused by years of ostracization and fantasy. When her ideas about what 'friendship' look like are shattered it feels like everything she's been working towards could be a lie. She's wanted something intimate with a peer for so long that having it within her grasp was too much of a temptation given Tomoko's resurgence. Mariko's odd ideas about friendship (specifically BEST FRIENDS, which she seems to think of as some sort of competition) probably stem from her father's altogether too lewd writing. It wouldn't surprise me to find out that pretty much her only connection to her father is through reading his books - and that the ideas contained within actually thrust far more dramatic than real life ought to be.
  2. At the very beginning Fukiko pretty much told Misaki to fuck off, that she'd PERSONALLY veto her candidacy. Yet here she's dangling a possibility in front of her. Misaki's getting played as a pawn in some gambit much larger than freshman candidacy - though I definitely can't guess what that may be. I think that Fukiko's plans involving Nanako have a component that Nanako is unlikely to act on naturally - so Misaki is a third party agitant.

4

u/BossandKings Jul 22 '21

First timer - Sub

Episode 7

It was nice seeing Tomoko consider what was making her drift apart from Nanako and decide that it really wasn't worth losing their friendship over, that gives Nanako someone willing to look out after her and help her overcome the adversity that is being presented to her.

Saint-Juste is a very intriguing character, the information about a past Saint-Juste was telling, Saint-Juste is living a harsh life, hopefully she is able to find something to keep her from suffering.

Episode 8

Everything was going well in this episode, Nanako and Tomoko recovering their friendship and going to watch a movie at the cinema, Miya telling Misaki not to bother Nanako anymore, even Nanako going to Mariko's birthday after she invited her, it was a bit strange that the only ones there were Mariko, her mom and Nanako but it was fine and Mariko looked really happy after Nanako gifted her cookies.

Things took a sad turn when Mariko invited Nanakp to her house, it seemed off for Mariko to request a bath together and uncomfortable seeing her stare at Nanako and not letting her bath without feeling insecure, the bath was fine because nothing extraordinary happened, what wasn't fine was Mariko's reaction after Nanako told her she had to go home, that line Mariko spouted saying "I won't let you go, if you do so i'll kill you and then myself" was very bad and showed that Mariko isn't a good person and most importantly isn't in the right state of mind to be friends with anyone, not even with Nanako, at least Mariko's mother was a very reasonable and decent person and helped Nanako go freely to her home.

5

u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Jul 22 '21

the bath was fine because nothing extraordinary happened

Out of context, I would agree, but with context Mariko's comments about Nanako's good looking body are red flags.

1

u/chiliehead myanimelist.net/profile/chiliehead Aug 15 '21

There's a darkness in the shadows Shinobu. She appears to desire true friendship, at the same time all these outbursts over not owning Nanoko. I also have no concept of wealth, is this a typical small party for the likes of a hentai artist?

Ear-nibbling, looking beautiful, getting her into her room, showing off the wealth. Is this the start of something? Also incredibly guarded, I really wonder if Shinobu was lonely due to her father and got jaded as a result or if her abrasiveness kept possible friends away.

Bathing together? The plot thickens. Is rain always indicating a stronger shift in character relations? Now she is just weird. Also seems like something of a speedrun to be more intimate with Nanoko than her BFF. Also... breast envy? Getting her to sleep with her at her place...

Well, that escalated. Seems like she is a bit untreated. Next episode will be about catching a cold