Took the day off from work today, I was in no shape to deal with the public. Part of me thinks I should have gone in, after all, I do do need the money. But random teary episodes are embarrassing, not to mention ineffectual sales techniques. SO I was looking for distractions today… Mostly it was food. Thank God I’ve gotten into the habit of not drinking, I’d be totally shitfaced right now… and being drunk by yourself is just pathetic. No, I turn to food instead. Today it was mass quantities. Made pancakes this morning, and I made a huge portion of tortolleni with chicken and yellow peppers in a pesto sauce… Lots of snacks, till all hours of the night. The typical stress induced pig out…
I also rented some movies. Well, to be more precise, some TV shows. The anime place had a series that I was introduced to by a friend in Gloucester. It’s called Ranma 1/2. Basically, it revolves around a 16 year old martial artist that is engaged against his will to a female martial artist who claims not to like boys. Here’s the twist. Whenever Ranma gets doused with cold water, he turns into a she. Hot water turns her back into him. Bang! Instant gender switch! Hilarity ensues… It’s a silly show, just over the adolescent humor threshold, but it was what I needed.
It had a few surprises in store for this Gaijun. First of all was the showing of perky, 16 year old breasts, and not infrequently I might add… The mammary evidence was used quite a bit to show that he had indeed become a she. There is also the inevitable bath scenes too. All very innocent stuff, but nothing that you’d ever see in America. The Japanese seemingly have a much healthier view of breasts.
There is also some not so subtle homo eroticism as a recurrent theme. Ranma’s fiance (who is just as unhappy as he is with the situation) is much closer and intimate when Ranma is a girl. On the other hand, the school fencing champion has fallen for Ranma’s feminine side completely. Ranma has dreams of Kumo (the fencing champion) asking Ranma out while Ranma is still a guy. That would really mess with anyone’s head. Once again, not the typical stuff you’d see from an American animated show… Still, it was fun, and laughing is the best distraction of all.
Isaac