Why I Like Ogiue, Part 1

I think perhaps it is time I talk more specifically about Ogiue. I mean, I’ve talked about Ogiue in the past before (in case you haven’t noticed), but now is the time to begin discussing the topic of WHY I like Ogiue. I’m referring to this as Part 1 because it’s inevitable that I’ll have more posts on this topic. For Part 1, I am going to focus on my emotional response to Ogiue’s character.

I have always described Ogiue to people as possessing True Moe. Now, I know moe is hard to define, as is truth, but Ogiue is a character I care for deeply because I feel a connection to her plight, her interests, and her progress from self-hating fujoshi to fujoshi girlfriend. She speaks to anyone who has ever been concerned that their otaku nature excludes them from any sort of conceivable romantic relationship, and that includes me. We all have doubts as human beings, but Ogiue’s doubts are very similar to my doubts and to see her overcome them eventually, it’s inspiring, it’s life-affirming, and really, if it were possible, I would give her a hug whenever she needed one. She is someone to whom I can relate, but she is someone else entirely. She’s also a fictional character, but even though she’s not real, her concerns are realistic, and they affect me in such a way that she’s always somewhere either in the front or the back of my mind.

Ogiue is in my opinion the most beautiful and attractive character ever, and the reason why her presence hits me so hard with respect to sex appeal is that, while a lot of her physical and personality traits are things I’ve always liked, such as tomboyishness and having the hottest eyes ever, Ogiue also possesses many traits which I never realized I liked until I read Genshiken. Her harshness, her softness, the way she wraps her doubt in a facade of hate, her problems taking criticism, her tendency to let her imagination run away with her her spurts of creative energy, and yes, even her body type all make her incredibly attractive, but it’s not because of those traits that Ogiue is beautiful.

No, those traits are beautiful because Ogiue possesses them.

One chooses not to acknowledge the mistakes of one’s adulthood

Argh

So I decided to buy the Region 2 DVD 1, with box, poster, and drama CD.

That’s $53 for 2 episodes, and over $300 for the entire series.

And a season 3 is inevitable.

This might be what you call a bad idea.

Ogiue, Complex Emotions, Sexiness, such is Genshiken 2 Episode 11

Episode 11 of our illustrious second season of Genshiken covers one of the best Ogiue-themed chapters of the manga, Ogiue selling her doujinshi at Comifes. Watching her relationship with Sasahara further develop is such a joy, even though I’ve seen it all before.

With the introduction of Ogiue’s junior high “friends” though, they’ve set the stage for a Genshiken 3 or at least a handful of OVAs. They absolutely cannot let this plot thread dangle.

Ogiue’s “friends'” names, by the way, are Nakajima and Shigeta. Nakajima is voiced by Endo Aya and Shigeta is voiced by Iguchi Yuuka. Also, with how close those two are, I wonder if Nakajima and Shigeta are, shall we say, pitching for the other team.

Also, Shiro recently made a post about the joy that is a certain tomboyish Gundam SEED character with wet hair (who is also one of my favorite characters), and also the excellence of anime girls with wet hair in general. Good timing, for Genshiken 2 11 also brings this.

Yeah.

I’m done.

A quick summary of my favorite characters

Figures on Desk

Ogiue in the heat of passion

Surely she reverts back to Tohoku-ben.

Mousou Shoujo Getting Too Expensive Kei

First off, importing manga in Japanese is really starting to lose its price advantage over buying translated manga. At this point, I’d really only be doing it to keep my Japanese up.

Mousou Shoujo Otaku Kei. Volume 1. It’s basically one of many in a sea of otaku-themed narratives following the success of Densha Otoko, so let’s see how it stacks up.

It’s the tale of a fujoshi, the boy who likes her, and the guy she wants to pair said boy with. The story focuses mainly on the aforementiond fujoshi, Asai Rumi, and it’s basically a harmless high school romance comedy with a few racy scenes because it’s running in an otaku-oriented magazine.

Asai is no Ogiue, but then really, who is? It’d basically be unfair of me to compare the sheer depth of Ogiue through 6 volumes of manga versus just this one for Asai, so I’ll just say that Asai is a delightful fujoshi character and that it has its funny moments, though perhaps her fujocity is overblown.

Yes, I am coining the term “fujocity.”

Also the term “Asai Fujosault.”

IN AMERICA

Genshiken 2 10 came and went, and then came back around, and holy crap is it a crazy episode.

I’ve made it a point not to do episode reviews in the normal sense, but I think I need to discuss this one a little more. Genshiken 2 Episode 10 spoilers, obviously.

First thing’s first: Ogiue was incredibly, incredibly cute. And hot. As always. But moreso. Her blushing in this episode is a sight to behold.

Now then.

Angela’s English still sounds a bit awkward, but not in the way you’d normally expect a Japanese person’s English to be awkward. Kaida (her voice actor) does a really good job, but I suspect they didn’t have much of an English voice director to help them through it. Another odd thing is that I always considered Angela to be the one Genshiken character where the doujinshi based on her could most conceivably happen to her character, and it looks like Studio ARMS agrees with me, because wow is she flirtatious.

Sue is incredible too but in a completely different way. I think she’s going to garner a lot of fans after this.

And if those two weren’t enough, we actually get a THIRD character introduction! Hailing from Shiiou University’s Manken, it’s the one with no name, who Naruco Hanaharu calls “Cat-Mouth Girl.” And she finally has a name!

Say hello to ASADA, otherwise known as “Nyaako.” Her name is mentioned in the ending credits, if you’re wondering where I got it from.

I know some people who will be quite pleased with this episode.

And next episode has Ogiue in a public bath.

Mmm.

Bastards

I got to the New York Anime Festival at around 5pm, and went to see if there was any Ogiue doujin in the dealer’s room.

Apparently it all sold out in the morning.

You bastards.

Susanna Hopkins: Cute because of her gender?

Speaks loudly and randomly in a foreign language. Has no sense of personal space. Difficult to predict and kind of disturbing at times.

Now, am I describing Sue, or am I describing Kuchiki?

I mean, I like Sue (and Angela as well), but I have to wonder how much she gets away with in the eyes of us Genshiken fans on account of her being female.

Also, yes, I am looking forward to upcoming episodes. Ogiue and Sue are an incredible comedy duo.

BONUS GAME: Picture the conversations Kuchiki and Sue would have while on a date.

DEFEATED