Hello folks, and welcome back to Wrong Every Time. Today I am delighted to be returning to the operatic and perpetually thrilling Dear Brother, as Nanako continues her trials at the magnificent Seiran Academy. After half a dozen episodes of increasing torment and isolation, our last visit at last provided a measure of relief for Nanako, with her best friend Tomoko finally returning to her side. In spite of the machinations of the delightfully devious Shinobu, some friendships are beyond even her ability to foul things up, and a last gasp of cruelty from Misaki proved just the thing to restore Tomoko to her side.
Along with that reconciliation, Nanako has been further bolstering her position through her connections with Saint-Juste and Kaoru, the latter of whom seems to have accepted Nanako as a personal project. Such alliances will surely become necessary soon, as there are greater threats at Seiran than the petty attacks of Nanako’s fellow freshmen. It’s a rare show that gets me so caught up in the tempestuous wanderings of episodic drama, but Ryoko Ikeda’s combination of inventive individual setpieces and looming intrigues more than qualifies, to say nothing of Dezaki’s dazzling adaptation. Let’s see what trials await as we return to Seiran Academy!
Episode 8
The second image of this OP, after that initial pan down of a faceless maiden, possesses such a distinctive sense of texture. It looks like we’re actually examining a lace curtain inlaid with pearls, as opposed to a painted cell – there’s a sense of physical depth in the composition, like light is reflecting off distinct grooves in the texture of the surface. Digital production has unfortunately robbed us of the unique tactile quality of much earlier anime
It feels like a natural human instinct to see more merit or intimacy in something that was constructed or executed by hand, rather than through a machine executing a facsimile of physical efforts. Physical paintings, physical props, physical stunt work, all possess a human signature that speaks to the effort and individuality of the creator, an effect that bleeds directly through into our appreciation of that labor
“Mama, is this a little too childish?” We at last receive a glimpse of Shinobu at home, where she is characteristically fretting about her performance of maturity. I wonder how much her mother knows about her daughter’s more nefarious tendencies
Shinobu is of course planning to make matching pajamas with Nanako. I anticipate a bloody pajama battlefield in our future
It seems her mother is politely indifferent to Shinobu’s school trials, as she actually has to be reminded who Nanako is
Shinobu attempts to infringe on Nanako’s sanctuary on Sunday, but is informed she is out seeing a movie with Tomoko
“She is out seeing a movie with her friend. Her friend’s name is Tomoko.” I like how this particular phrasing echoes Shinobu’s all-or-nothing mentality. Nanako is essentially framed as having room for exactly one friend, meaning Tomoko’s win is Shinobu’s loss
Excellent use of the blaring train signal as Shinobu trudges away, her shock and the implicit threat of violence emphasized through the red lights, alarms, and the imposing rush of the train itself
This emphasis on the train makes for a natural segue to the movie theater, where Nanako and Tomoko are watching lovers kiss beside another departing train
The two are now comfortable enough again for Tomoko to even tease Nanako about her popularity, and about Shinobu in particular’s manic adoration
“She… sometimes she scares me a little” cutting directly to Shinobu ripping up their Friendship Pajama Fabric. Shinobu is so much
“I Want You.” An episode title that implies not just desire, but possession, particularly in the context of the preceding scenes
With their friendship repaired, that imposing Seiran tower is lit up in welcoming morning light
As the two laugh and revel in their repaired friendship, Shinobu stalks them from under a nearby tree, her hair billowing menacingly in the breeze. I adore this maniac
Shinobu actually confronts Tomoko on the stairs, but fortunately Kaoru is there to break it up
Shinobu puts on a bright smile for Nanako, but the sense of menace is maintained through the composition fading to black on the top left and bottom right edges. This choice evokes the sense of a predator lurking in the darkness, as well as making it seem like Shinobu is narrowing her eyes to glare at Nanako in spite of her outward appearance
Encroaching darkness implying a lurking threat continues to characterize the ensuing compositions, as Shinobu leads Nanako to the tennis courts in order to invite her to her birthday party. Here, their verbal sparring and the threat of violence is echoed by cuts to the tennis players, close shots emphasizing the heavy collision of balls against rackets
The violence of the juxtaposition reaches a crescendo as Nanako agrees, the tennis ball actually breaking through the fence as Shinobu embraces her
And then we’ve also got Misaki plotting god knows what mischief. This academy is a minefield
Her friends egg her on to come up with new schemes. That’s often how these things escalate – one person alone might second-guess their actions, and others might be too afraid of consequences to actually realize their cruelest ambitions, but once you’ve formed a pack based on mutual resentments, it becomes easy for momentum and a fear of being excluded to facilitate outrageous acts of social cruelty
Misaki is instructed to visit the Sorority headquarters. Aw shit, things are finally catching up with her. Miya-sama’s gonna boil her alive
Miya-sama floats the idea of new freshmen being chosen for the Sorority, only to emphasize that Misaki herself will receive no such chance, at least so long as she continues on her current destructive path. The overbearing ticking of the grandfather clock echoes Miya-sama’s words, implying that Misaki’s time is running out
Also nice use of the window lighting here, essentially framing Miya-sama as an angel bathed in sunlight, offering either salvation or judgment
Shinobu covers Nanako’s eyes by the gate after school, and Nanako guesses it’s actually Tomoko. Unable to bear this emotional defeat, Shinobu bites her goddamn ear
Nanako tells her parents about the birthday party, but cannot relate that she is also afraid for her life
Nanako bakes cookies with Tomoko to bring to the party. Even this attempt at reaffirming Shinobu’s place in her life is somewhat backfiring, instead affirming her easy, natural bond with Tomoko
“Whatever could be coming?” Nanako wonders as she arrives at the hotel. Among its many admirable qualities, Dear Brother is so full of juicy hooks and dangling threats that it’s perpetually prompting that question, drawing the audience forward with the promise of more ear-biting or nail-dropping or what have you
Darkness and the blood red carpeting dominate the compositions as Nanako is led to the Rose Room
Like Shinobu herself, her birthday party is both intimidating and deeply sad. They’ve rented a band and are surrounded by waiters, but the only guests are Shinobu, Nanako, and Shinobu’s mother
Love that for some reason, they’ve placed a potted plant right in front of Nanako’s space at the table, She has to peer around it to encourage Shinobu to blow out her candles
“You’re the only one I invited.” Shinobu’s confession is accompanied by consistent symbols of her nature – half of her face is lost in shadow, the other framed behind her wine glass, implying both a lurking threat and entrapment
“You cooked these yourself, didn’t you?” Oh my god Nanako, do not mention that Tomoko helped you. Shinobu will eat you alive
With Nanako trapped in the car on the ride home, already feeling sorry for Shinobu, it takes almost no convincing for Shinobu to invite her home
“I wonder, could I stop by and bring you some pies?” “Because you pity me?” Shinobu’s manner flips in an instant, the moment Nanako steps over some invisible line. She is intensely insecure about her circumstances, but refuses to ever let that show until the precise moment her temper is ignited. A very difficult sort of person to be around, the sort who parades their greatest weakness as a performance of strength
Then Shinobu invites her to a goddamn bath. In spite of her selfishness and maliciousness, Shinobu’s desperation to approximate a normal friendship, and overall lack of understanding regarding what that entails, still makes her oddly endearing
Shinobu then begs her to stay overnight, going so far as to physically block her exit
“I’m serious, I’ll kill you and then myself.” Just your usual best friend banter
Shinobu must be physically restrained by her mother as Nanako flees into the rain
And Done
Well that was certainly a Shinobu-style birthday party! Alienating, embarrassing, and frightening in equal measure, rising from bizarrely formal beginnings to terrifying conclusions. Given Shinobu’s violent nature and manic need for approval, it was really only a matter of time before she well and truly scared Nanako off, and I’m frankly just thankful that Nanako’s politeness and sympathy allowed things to go on this long, and crescendo in such a wild outburst of possessive desire. They say a school is nothing without its students, and Shinobu is clearly proving herself a winning exemplar of Seiran Academy’s unique brand of madness. I look forward to her haunting the corners of Nanako’s life for many episodes to come!
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