I don’t think there’s any doubt that stress makes us emotionally vulnerable. And the current situation in the world is incredibly stressful, with no aspect of our daily lives unaffected. We’re clearly living through one of those “before and after” moments, where nothing is ever going to be quite the same again. And each of us has valid reason to feel insecure about our own well-being and that of our loved ones. I’ve been on-edge for days as things have exploded at dizzying speed, and this isn’t the sort of news that one can simply block out and pretend isn’t happening. That would be unsafe, for starters.
So it’s no surprise that this episode of Runway de Waratte packed quite an emotional punch. Still, I do think it goes deeper than that. The themes at work here are pretty universal, even for those (like me) for whom high fashion means buying from Uniqlo instead of GU. Entertainment can be great escapism at times like these, but emotional release is a healthy sort of escape too. It’s nice to feel strongly about something other than the terrifying torrent of news that’s pounding on our door without a moment’s pause.
Ikuto is an interesting test case of a character. Is it really possible for someone to succeed while being incredibly kind and self-effacing? Much less in the world of high fashion, where even an utter neophyte like me knows that ruthlessness and ego run rampant? The truth is I have no idea, but I certainly want it to be true, in fiction at least if not real life. I share the frustration that the people in Ikuto’s life do – I want him to be more selfish, to be more of a self-promoter. But I also want it to be possible for him to win without changing who he is.
What I don’t know about fashion could fill the pages of a rather long book. Kaoru’s is the first show that matters, and her style to me seems very aggressive and edgy. Leather kimonos? It’s certainly not something that appeals to me personally but I can see the dramatic impact (as does the audience). Toh’s grandmother does note that her style seems perhaps a bit too influenced by Yanigada-san, but audience reaction is obviously a valid part of the judging here. And there, she fares well.
When Ikuto’s turn comes – and the fact that it comes so early doesn’t bode well for his chances of literally “winning” the competition – it’s clear that this is a show that’s 100% him. Blue lights to honor one sister, music another. A final outfit modeled on the first one he ever made for his mother. I can’t possibly divorce my feelings for the characters from my reaction to the clothes, especially since I know nothing about the latter. But I really did like Ikuto’s outfits – they were playful and welcoming, the sort of thing you could imagine almost anyone of either gender looking good in. And that, surely, is exactly the goal.
Ikuto’s trip around the world – symbolically capped with the universal mom outfit – is clearly a hit with both the judges and the audience. It’s certainly a hit with his mother, who breaks her one cardinal rule and cries in front of her children. Well – if there was ever a time, this was it. Maybe I’m naive, but I think that what’s emerging from Ikuto’s aesthetic can really work in fashion design – it’s clearly built on empathy. He designs with the wearer in mind, be they a family member, a model, or someone he’s not yet met. The challenge for him will be the latter of course, because commercial production means he’s going to have to focus on the paying public and what they need and want.
With Toh and Kokoro still to come, I think it’s a pretty safe bet that Ikuto isn’t going to claim the top prize. Narratively speaking he can most easily be said to “win” without literally winning, because just being there – and getting exposure – is a win for him. And in order for Chiyuki to walk away from this a success, Kokoro pretty much has to make a major splash. But in narrative terms Ikuto has pretty much already triumphed – he’s stamped his identity on this story such that it totally reflects who he is as a person. And that’s one of the reasons why I love it so much I suppose – especially in trying times like these.
leongsh
March 14, 2020 at 1:06 pmIkuto’s concept is good and presented well. However, the designs are rather plain. As we can’t really see sufficiently the detail of the cut and fitting of the clothes, we get verbal confirmations that the cut and fitting are well done. He’s not going to win this competition. Not with Ayano Toh being in the competition. The only thing to watch out for is whether Kokoro is better placed than him or not. In service of the narrative, I do think that Kokoro will be higher placed than Ikuto. It’s all because of Chiyuki choosing to model for Kokoro instead of Ikuto. It is shaping up for Chiyuki to be Ikuto’s muse. Without her, he can do good work but to stand out, he probably needs her.
Red
March 14, 2020 at 1:19 pmWell said, Enzo, this episode makes you want to root for the gentle and kind Ikuto even though it’s not very plausible in reality. In fact, I was expecting some sort of sabotage but thank goodness, there’s no really petty characters so far even though fashion can be a cutthroat world.
Question for the manga readers, is there some background on how Ikuto met and/or choose his models for this arc? just yes or no can suffice
I don’t know if it’s spoiler territory, if so no need to answer
Guardian Enzo
March 14, 2020 at 1:26 pmI think they already mentioned the school arranged them, didn’t they?
I was surprised there were no men, given the theme of the designs. Is that against the rules or something?
leongsh
March 14, 2020 at 2:09 pmIf I recall correctly in earlier episodes, the fashion design competition section Ikuto is competing in is women’s fashion.
Guardian Enzo
March 14, 2020 at 4:39 pmThanks, that would certainly explain it.
Red
March 14, 2020 at 2:35 pmOkay thanks, I might have just missed some details in the earlier episodes.
BlueBlue
March 14, 2020 at 5:41 pmI allow myself responding a bit:
– No, there are no details about the models in the manga even though I should precise something that people could have missed, the model who’s shown very often talking with Ikuto, is the girl who’s put “under the guidance” of Chiyuki in episode 6.
– While it is mentionned for the FIRST round that Ikuto is in the women section, I do not remember that it applied to the festival too
– By the way, just a precision as the anime skipped that part, there are 18 competitors, Ikuto being 9th (so Kaoru 8th), while Kokoro 11th. Also, they have to be evaluated on their BEST dress.
Anyway. Indeed, for me who’s living in Italy, I admit that watching anime in this period is quite tough (even though I am far far far from being Italian), especially such an emotional episode (emotional arc, I should say…).
I was pleasantly surprised that they show Kaoru as I thought they would have skipped her. Of course, there are more details about her in the manga, and more detailed comments from the jury overall, but that is already something satisfying. Same goes for the Chiyuki/Ikuto interaction, especially how Ikuto is interpreting her challenge.
Well, we are reaching the challenging parts for the author as anyone will have his opinion about if it is nice, plain, bad, ugly, etc. but that is the outcomes of art, and even more design art (how many marital disputes because of tie/shoe/vase color? lol). However, the messages of that arc are elsewhere and I can guarantee that this episode is just the beginning…
Guardian Enzo
March 14, 2020 at 6:20 pmHang in there. It’s tough everywhere, but Italy especially. If anime can provide a small escape, there’s certainly nothing wrong with that.