“Y’know, people who don’t have any problems are the biggest problem for me.”
It’s been more than a week since Kuchu Buranko ended. And while each and everyone of us tried to make up for anything from the holidays, the show ended like that. Just like that. As if mocking us to be mental while being sentimental. Well, if that’s the case, I’ll take it as a reason to write a post about it.
While I can fully admit that Trapeze was a show that tickled my alter-egos, the insanity it tried to delve into and the mentality it applied to its episodes seemed a bit off the mark. Sure, there were things as prominent as time re-skips (episode 10), narcissism (episode 9), loss of control (episode 2), and the enigma of an enigma (Irabu Ichiro), but think: Was there really any connection between the symptom, the doctor, the patient, the vitamin shot, the cure, and more importantly, the viewer?
No.
So we move on to the probable reason I thought: It was a show about psychology and mentality aimed at the fan of modern visual culture, the otaku. Why? Because otaku are people who have the most screwed cases of psychology and mentality combined? Because otaku care only of figures and anime and manga and games? Because otaku are oblivious of their surroundings as long as they get their dose of moe? Because otaku make doujin material, blog, claim attention whoring and be mighty proud of it afterward? Because otaku generally play deaf, mute and blind thinking they won’t grow up by being in denial? See that, then watch, rewatch, and REWATCH episodes 1, 3, 5, 6, 10, and 11 of Trapeze. If you did not, or cannot, relate to ANYTHING on any of the episodes, you’re a healthy otaku/fan/”otaku”/blogger/weeaboo/whateverintheworldthisfandompersonis… and you’re pretty much screwed.
Now, now, don’t think the show is mocking you now. It isn’t. It’s just telling you to look at yourself. While I was watching the show, I did, and the starting sentence of this post struck me HARD. Am I really one of those people who don’t have a problem? And if so, am I the biggest problem, if not for Irabu Ichiro, if not for others, then maybe for myself? While true that people who don’t have any have the potential to have one, the sentence itself gave the mentality that not having problem IS a problem, because it’s actually being unaware that you can have one.
But oh, how about the happy-go-lucky doc? He’s got three personas, he’s got injection fetish, he’s got hallucinogenic vitamin shots that manifests your problems as animal heads while serving as the gateway for him to invade and screw your mind, and he’s got badass nurse to dish out unwanted amounts of sex appeal. “Ignorance is bliss”? “Don’t sweat with the details”? “We’re not the ones who are the stars of the show, you are”? Relation? Plot? Symptom? Cure? Awww, you must be mistaken! There isn’t any of that, is there?!
ぐふふふふふふふふふ～
So yeah, Kuchu Buranko was successful in screwing with our minds, and it got away (almost) scot-free. Second season? Sure! Let’s see how far this paradoxical insanity can get.
Further Reading
One-Trick Simplicity:
I Finished Trapeze – Continuing World
Great, But Not Really That Great:
So I Guess Trapeze Is Over – Moe Sucks
And lastly, my good friend animekritik who watched it with me all the way:
Trapeze Ends – Kritik Der Animationskraft
i guess i’m safe with irabu, coz i would never say i don’t have any problems. and i do want a vitamin shot from the nurse in pink (did you cut her off in the last pic?!!)
it was a nice show, and i’d actually be very curious to go and read the novels its based on. except they seem to be slim paperbacks on the pricey side. hmmm.
No, I didn’t cut Mayumi from the picture. That’s legit screencap right there. As for Irabu, well, he’s up when you can handle it. Heck, if the person really exists, I’d like to meet him in person!
The novels should be up on bundles, though. Is there any luck on that?