A funny thing about this anime season – it has a light novel anime that seems much more like a manga adaptation (Sabikui Bisco). And it has a manga anime that plays more like a LN adaptation in Sono Bique Doll wa Koi wo Suru. I’ve been feeling that inkling growing for a while, but I’m quite certain of it now. To be more precise, it reminds me in some ways of Oreimo. Now that’s obviously not a compliment, but before it became clear just how demented that series was, it actually impressed in many ways. And the resemblance for me is not so much in terms of content (thank God) but narrative style. Something about this show just puts me in mind of that one.
Since that’s how I perceive the series, it’s hardly surprising that it often seems to be at war with itself. The disparate sides of Bisque Doll’s personality don’t coexist peacefully – they’re in direct opposition to each other. For me it seems to be a very accomplished example of a sort of show I normally dislike, which explains why it’s proving so difficult for me to get a handle on it. Sometimes you get episodes which lean one way or the other but more common (as with this one) you get the whole package in the same week.
Let me add, I think Marin looks better with her natural eye color. Much. That said, it’s funny that the contacts was the one thing she freaked out about after basically flashing Wakana at her door. I struggle to believe anyone could be as oblivious to the impact their physicality has as Marin seems to be. I remind myself they’re 15, but generally (not always) kids that age are if anything hyper-aware of sexual tension in the air and incredibly self-conscious. Especially considering she’s already decided she’s in love with Gojou-kun (I’d say infatuation is more accurate at this stage but at 15, I don’t think the distinction matters much) I think it’s a stretch that she can be so un-self conscious around him.
The occasion for this visit is for Wakana to pick up the DVDs for “Flower Princess Blaze“, which he wants to watch for reference before he does Marin and Sajuna’s outfits (Marin has bribed her way into a group cosplay by offering to split studio fees). It’s “only 126 episodes” as Marin-chan hilariously notes, and she invites Wakana to stay and watch at her place. He’s incredibly nervous (Gojou is clueless but in different ways than Marin is) but it’s not like he’s going to say no. Still no indication that either Sajuna or Marin are paying him for his labor, incidentally.
As usual, it’s in the more innocent moments where Bisque Doll works the best. “Flower Princess Blaze” continues to be lovingly reproduced, and Marin’s internal monologues about Wakana are consistently amusing. Her cooking experiment is partly disastrous but the series avoids a cliche for once by not having her chahan (which started life as omurice) turn out to be toxic waste. These two have nice on-screen chemistry – I wouldn’t necessarily call it romantic or even sexual, really (he’s still too much a doormat for that to really work) but they click as a comedy team.
I continue to be less taken with the Sajuna stuff, and introducing her younger sister Shinju doesn’t offer much help. The older one is tiny, the younger one is huge – yeah, hilarious. This whole angle is the tropiest part of Sono Bisque Doll so far and since that’s the series’ Achilles heel in my book, too much of it isn’t a good thing. That said it does offer an excuse to get geeky about cosplay, which is undeniably one of the series’ raison d’être. Maybe these two will grow on me, but for now I’d sooner see Bique Doll indulge the better angels of its nature, and that was the middle part of this episode more than either end of it.
Polly
February 20, 2022 at 5:47 pmI’d figured from Sajuna and Wakana’s short exchange about “funds” that she at least was paying for both his labour and the materials .
Also, I’m fully aboard the Marin/Wakana train.
Guardian Enzo
February 20, 2022 at 6:05 pmMaterials, yes. No mention of labor.
Jarl Strudel
February 20, 2022 at 11:05 pmThe original japanese is “Zairyouhi dake demo saki ni watasu wa” – which more literally translates to “I’ll give you just the material costs first”. So there is indication that she will be paying more than that, which I would presume would be the cost of labor/technical fees (I can’t think of anything elseit would be).
Polly
February 21, 2022 at 12:23 amSo there’s a translation error? Huh.
Polly
February 21, 2022 at 12:33 amDouble-checked. There might not be.
The word “material” can be interpreted in a number of ways. The subs specified the cost of the fabric. I initially thought you meant though you mean “material” as “relevant/important”.
Sorry- jumped to conclusions.
Polly
February 21, 2022 at 12:50 am*I initially thought you meant you meant “important/significant” when you said “material”.
Sorry again.
Alhazred23
February 21, 2022 at 12:43 amHmm… Her phrasing makes it clear that she is aware that one would normally pay for more than just materials, but I am not sure it is safe to assume from just that line that she plans to pay for his labor as well. It could also be taken in the sense of, “I won’t (can’t) pay you for your time, but at least I’m paying in advance,” though making that sentiment clear would also require more words.
L0ken
February 21, 2022 at 3:23 amShe come to order specifically order a cosplay,of course she will pay for labor.Why is it even a question?
Guardian Enzo
February 21, 2022 at 8:54 amBecause she found out he was doing it for Marin for free and maybe decided she could take advantage for herself?
Rasu
February 21, 2022 at 2:30 amIndeed, it was more in the line that for the time being he was going to choose and pay for Juju’s material (while trying to search for economic yet suitable fabric), then if she liked the final result maybe he’ll tell her the totals (it’s as if he’s offering a high quality sample for now and giving the option to pay for it as a product if it suits the taste of his customer). His grandpa should tell him to at least ask for part the amount of the order. Anyway, not only is he working for free and paying for everything for the tome being, he even said he’ll pay for the photoshoot studio, he’ll invest on a professional chamera (he’s not paying for photograph courses but asking for conseils as a favor, still that knowledge has an economical value in itself) and that he has also been the one doing Marin’s make up, I know he’s having fun and is happy about having friends for the first time and all, but that’s a lot of money man! He’s just casually paying (and doing) everything in his ignorance of this world and the experienced people don’t say a word but rather benefit tons of that. It’s still unfair. He has much to learn, else the Hina dolls business won’t be able to survive whe he’s at the front of it, nevertless in an era and generation that is looking down in anything past-related (or culture-related). Maybe the last line is out of place, but he has to be aware that he going to become a salesman todo, he should gain not lose money.
sonicsenryaku
February 21, 2022 at 6:07 amBut Marin IS aware of the impact her physicality has on Wakana; she’s just not self-conscious about her body the way she is about her appearance, which falls in line with her personality type. We can see later on in the ep how Marin notes not having a bra on and then brushes it off by saying, “Eh, I don’t think Gojou noticed though,” implying that she thought about Wakana and considered the impact her revealing state might have had on him. I think there’s this misconception going on in certain small circles that Marin is portrayed as unrealistically oblivious about her sexiness (some arguing it’s part of the “wish fulfillment” element going on); but no, she’s very much aware of her sexual presence and the effect it has on Wakana, especially ever since the whole measuring date; that’s why she probably puts on the sweater (For physical comfort too of course). There are women who care waaaay more about whether they go out in public with curly or straight hair than the amount of cleavage or midriff they’re showing, trust me. It’s the same kind of situation here and very believable for the kind of character established for Marin as she seems more concerned about being seen without make-up on or her contacts; that’s where her insecurities lie
Anyway, you mentioning Sono Bisque putting you in the mindset of Oreimo got a huge laugh out of me; mostly because I remembered your (any everyone else’s) pain when the show jumped the shark during its airing. But the other reason being that I personally would never compare the “disparate nature” of Sono Bisque to that Oreimo (their narrative styles are quite different I would argue). The funny thing is, early on during Oreimo’s airing, I essentially called the ending. I could never predict how high of a cliff it ended up jumping off of, but I did predict the nature of it (despite hoping things would turn out different for a certain glasses-wearing girl). I just had a hard time being sold on what was supposed to be the emotional center of Kirino and Kyousuke’s relationship and that the show’s focus was going to be primarily on repairing that dynamic and nothing more. Once we knew the kind of Eroge Kirino played and the way Kyousuke would look at her sometimes, it was a wrap; there was no having your cake and eating it too because those two ideas themselves were too disparate to exist wholesomely in the same context the show was trying to convince its audience they could, at least before it gave up and revealed what it was the whole time. Then again, who knows if Oreimo jumping the shark was due to editor meddling or was always planned from the beginning. My point here is that the conceit of Oreimo was never truly clear to begin with, so putting faith that it knew how to handle its tropes and characters artfully was a bit of a hail mary pass; a point that is made much more obvious in hindsight
Anyway, I don’t see Sono Bisque as having that quality problem although I understand exactly why you feel the way you do. From your perspective, the show presents itself as having a somewhat interesting introspection into the dynamic of introvert and extrovert while also showing respect for the conviction it takes to pursue one’s passion despite what others think. One the other hand, the series tends to meander in basic anime tropes that can detract from the more thoughtful experience the show seems to want to operate on. As a result, you’re left wondering whether this a thoughtful show that just tends to have missteps, or is it a tropey, juvenile, run-of-the-mill romcom just disguising itself as an emotionally thoughtful show. From that sense, I can see why you’d make the Oreimo comparison. In a time were anime media was starting to take a notable “interest” on the topic of incestual relationships, Oreimo was the IP that people weren’t too sure whether it was going to be a thoughtful subversion of the bro/sis con incest trope and use its other tropes in smart ways or if it was a juvenile series disguising itself as a thoughtful subversion. I knew what camp I was on back then, but the rest is history. Sono Bisque at its core, is just a wholesome romcom of two individuals who greatly benefit from being around each other and the audience being able to relish in the positive experience they have in each others’ lives connecting through their passions in these vignettes of life. The way the show can convey relatable moments of affection, with chill, no bullshit, unpretentious matter-of-factness from both the leads make the identity of the show (and why so many people like the series in the first place). There’s nothing complicated about it. The introvert and extrovert introspection is the subtext of the series; and while it colors the more outward elements of the show, it operates covertly in the background as most subtext does. Because of this, the show maintains a confident identity, even when the series missteps into boringly trope-ish shenanigans; the tropes detract from the quality, but they don’t betray the show’s conceit enough to dismantle it the way Oreimo did. Whenever Oreimo dipped, it dipped Haaaaard, and the identity of the show became muddied until it was revealed for the mess it was; a mess I sort of enjoyed watching unravel if I’m being honest (I’m never one to pass up a good time).
Anyway, I don’t want to spiel any longer; I just find the Oreimo comparison hilarious cuz maaaaaan, Oreimo is a low bar. Of all shows you could compare your ambivalent feelings on Sono Bisque to….Oreimo???? I get it; it’ probably the show that probably best got across your point. That’s a show that arguably started off as a 5/10 before devolving into a 2/10 trainwreck.
Guardian Enzo
February 21, 2022 at 8:58 amI certainly disagree that it’s the lowest bar I could choose to compare, and I would rank it higher than 5/10 – before it became a 0/10. I wasn’t trying to make a point – I was making an honest comparison based on my reaction to the series.
As to the Marin/awareness issue, it’s funny because I would cite the exact same evidence you do as supporting the exact opposite interpretation.
sonicsenryaku
February 21, 2022 at 2:18 pm0/10 huh? Zero value. I think at the time I gave Oreimo a 1/10 before deciding that maybe I’d give it an extra point simply for how laughably bad and spectacularly it screwed the pooch. Without that jovial outlook, it’s definitely a 1/10 for me. Anyway, I didn’t say Oreimo was the lowest bar to choose, only that it was a really low bar to compare Sono Bisque to, which I find surprising
On the whole Marin thing, I had a feeling you’d say that, and I guess my response would be…….why though, huuuuuuhhh? lol. If we’re on the subject of awareness, the fact that Marin is thinking about it means she’s aware of the effect; that’s what awareness is: to consciously think about and confirm the existence of one’s thoughts. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think you’re going off the interpretation that Marin not noticing Wakana freaking out about her naughty bits being out and about as her being oblivious about her physical impact on him (and my evidence being confirmation of that). If that’s the case, I think the semantics of the question here is what’s causing the dual interpretation using the same piece of evidence. So what exactly is the question here? Are we asking if Marin is oblivious to how exposing herself to Wakana makes him feel? Or are we questioning her obliviousness to his reactions? If it’s the former question, my line of evidence supports that without a doubt, Marin has a good enough understanding of how much her sex appeal affects Wakana. Episode 3 also wipes all that doubt away as seen by Marin making the conscious decision to tease him with a view of her upper thigh. If it’s the latter question, I could see how you would think my line of evidence supports your reasoning; the logic of your interpretation is sound (and one paper, it does seemingly support your point); but ultimately, it doesn’t check out here because there’s context behind Marin not noticing Wakana’s reaction in this episode, hence why she we even get a scene of her later thinking about it through dialogue, i.e. my line of evidence. Marin not noticing Wakana’s reaction happens in the middle of her being too busy flipping out about her own insecurities to worry about how he’s feeling after basically seeing her nip-print through her top. Then right after that scene, she wears the sweater to cover up. Why would that be written in if she’s being presented as oblivious of her physical impact on Wakana? It’s summer time for crying out loud, it ain’t so cold that she needs to wear a sweater. It’s her house too; if she wanted to be comfortable, she could have done her make-up and just stayed in her nightgown, no? I have a few female friends that will chill in their semi-skimpy nightgown when a guest they’re comfortable with is around because they’d rather be comfortable in their own home. For an ecchi series, wouldn’t it have made more sense to lean into the fanservice some more by just having her sitting next to Wakana in her nightgown while he tries extremely hard to notice how sexy she is? I don’t know man, makes ya think what the more accurate interpretation of this whole thing is hmmmmmmm?
You know; thanks to this conversation, now I have this slight morbid impulse to go rewatch the last eps of Oreimo again; thanks Enzo; Ya jerk
Guardian Enzo
February 21, 2022 at 2:45 pm“Oh well, I’m sure Gojou didn’t notice I wasn’t wearing a bra.”
Sometimes Occam’s Razor applies, you know? I think your interpretation requires a lot more contortions than mine.
sonicsenryaku
February 21, 2022 at 4:11 pmGet outta my head dude!! I almost called you trying to use the Occam Razor card on me, and to that I will say: 1. there’s a reason why Occam’s razor doesn’t always apply, as too often it makes us commit type 2 errors in reasoning; and if you know anything about statistical analysis and hypothesis testing, you know ya definitely don’t want to commit type 2 errors in your reasoning. Ya gotta know when a situation requires a bit more scrutiny versus when it doesn’t. 2. I already addressed the implication you’re trying to mine out of that statement (Does no one fully read my unnecessarily large walls of typo-ridden texts??? lol hahaha; I’m kidding by the way).
I get it; you’re saying that the fact that she didn’t notice Wakana’s obliviousness proves your point. But all that line indicates is that she didn’t notice Wakana spazing out in the moment; not that she’s unaware of the effects of her sex appeal on him whenever she’s revealing “too much;” she’s not too self-conscious about exposing her body, but she is conscious about how much heavy exposure of her skin riles Wakana up. Marin saying, “Oh well, I’m sure Gojou didn’t notice I wasn’t wearing a bra.” means that she missed out on his reaction; it doesn’t mean that she isn’t aware of what the reaction WOULD HAVE entailed HAD she noticed that he noticed; that’s the awareness. Do you get what I’m trying to say? That doesn’t require any contortions; it just requires understanding the context and implications of her words based on what the text gives you. Did she not miss out on his reaction after losing herself in her own overreaction about her contacts? Did she not go put on a sweater afterwards?
Just as a silly example: if I’m talking to someone within close proximity, and let’s say I haven’t brushed my teeth. If they had a reaction to my breath stanking like ass and I didn’t notice that reaction, later on I might say, “I didn’t brush my teeth this morning before talking to people. Oh well, I’m sure nobody noticed.” Does me saying that imply that I don’t understand the impact not brushing my teeth can have on my breath and how others would react to it, or does it simply imply that I just didn’t notice anyone noticing my breath stanking? Obviously the fact that I’m bringing up my not brushing my teeth while talking to people, implies that I’m aware that had they smelled my breath, I know they would have thought it stunk. This is the same concept I’m trying to get you to understand with the whole Marin thing and that piece of dialogue. Either way, I guess we’ll let future episodes nip this debate (see what i did there) in the bud
Marty
February 21, 2022 at 2:11 pmMy concern with this series is that once it finds its comfort zone, it will settle for maintaining the status quo and keep any true developments at a glacial pace. I understand Gojo’s hesitation (his self-esteem must be near the mantle low, more on that in a bit), but Marin’s is what perplexes me. I understand becoming flustered the first few times, anyone can be caught off guard by a realization of attraction at such age, but Marin’s character has been presented as waaayyyy too outgoing and earnest for her to have butterflies on her stomach indefinitely. Without genuine progress in their relationship, (and no, a blushing Marin and stumbling Gojo ISN’T genuine development in my book) I feel like the formula will become pretty stale.
My concern with Gojo’s payment and why I think it will never be addressed. I think an essential part of Gojo’s character is developing and strengthening his sense of self-worth, and part of that is recognizing the value of his skills (talents to be honest, the guy is a genius costume craftsman). THAT’S why I think his payment should be a serious focus in the series (not just a passing comment). Gojo should recognize that material alone shouldn’t be the only thing financially compensated, because it is through HIS labor that the fabric can become a work of art.
Think about it, the boy has already sacrificed countless hours for a SINGLE costume for Marin to wear, not to mention he’s essentially putting a hiatus on his Hina dolls, and now he’s gonna add ANOTHER customer to the mix? Either Gojo should be making BANK or his self-esteem should be somewhere near the mantle if it’s that low.
The reason why I don’t think this will be addressed is because I feel it is written in a way very similar to Demon Slayer. I feel like both authors know what their respective audience wants and delivers it to them, regardless of the larger narrative. If the fans want the tropes, give it to them (loli and all). If they want saccharine moments between Gojo and Marin without the weight of narrative or character development, so be it. Just like Demon Slayer doesn’t sweat the details, I don’t think Sono Bisque Doll does either, and I think the narrative chooses to focus on Marin’s infatuation and Gojo’s flustered responses rather than the logistics of paying for his labor.
Also, as a last note in this comment, it really doesn’t make sense to me that Marin isn’t aware of the impact her body has on Gojo after all the teasing from Ep. 2.
sonicsenryaku
February 21, 2022 at 3:17 pmFair point, but to present an equally opposing and poignant one, being outgoing and earnest doesn’t make someone afraid of rejection; being outgoing and earnest doesn’t mean one has to confess their feelings by a certain small period of time; being outgoing an earnest doesn’t mean you don’t pace yourself to eventually getting to the confession; being outgoing and earnest doesn’t mean you approach everything in life that way; seems to be a misconception people tend to make about the presentation of extroverts. There are plenty of reasons why an extrovert or outgoing person would keep something like this to themselves despite having shown confidence in other areas. Perhaps Marin might be okay with the status quo and not want to push anything because being able to hang with Wakana this way is bliss for her; reveling in the pure delight of her love is enough. Perhaps noticing that the other person might not be ready for the status quo to change yet might deter the greatest of extroverts from making a move; not because they willingly want to suppress their emotions, but maybe they’d rather wait until it seemed as if they were ready. Maybe Marin’s a paragon of self-confidence in most areas except love; now that would be super cliche I know, trust me; but Marin’s self-confidence doesn’t have to extend to aspects of love; she is 15 after all. It’s not like extroverts or super outgoing people are ready to confess their feelings to whomever at the drop of hat. The more realistic thing about extroverts is that in situations like this, they’re more likely to drop overt signs and hope that the target of their affection picks up on it as opposed to introverts who would kinda just be their introverted selves and just hope for the best. Such is the way of human psychology. Either way, what would make continue to make their relationship interesting isn’t how fast Marin confesses to Wakana, but rather, how these two grow as people through whatever narrative roadbumps they may face in the future; that’s the testament of whether a narrative of this nature will justify its existence and feel substantial as a story worth telling
As for Wakana’s growth, I’m not worried about that either. I think last week you were under the impression Wakana’s Hina doll profession wouldn’t be addressed throughout the series and yet this episode provided evidence that it more than likely be used as a continuous measure of his growing self-confidence. Here’s hoping we see other ways Wakana investing in all this cosplay stuff develops others around him to because that’s very important as well. That’s something I’m eager to see if this show will tackle
As for whether the series will address the whole payment thing; well if i know anything about the rules of storytelling, then I’m will to bet you that they will address it again.
Cocopuffcereal
March 1, 2022 at 6:53 amDefinitely agreeing with you on the disparate sides of the show. I honestly wish it wasn’t like that – it reminds me of Mieruko as well but turned up to 11. If I had a daughter like Marin, I’d feel so protective and really want to sit her down and have a talk on just being careful around others.
Guardian Enzo
March 1, 2022 at 7:54 amYou mean as opposed to moving away and letting her live by herself?