#Dorothy-chan

[lilyginnyblackv2]

Buddy Daddies - Episode 7 - Thought Post - Side Kazuki

Not me literally just making a post before the episode aired wondering when Carol and Dorothy would appear and then:

They appeared! Looking cute af too. <3

Okay, so I think the way I’m going to approach this is that I’m going to talk about Kazuki first in this post, then do a post on Rei, and finally a post on more miscellaneous things in this episode.  

Today happens to be a rainy day by me, so the mood and atmosphere was just right for this episode. I think they did a good job of handling the more heavy emotional stuff without losing the humor or charm, since it was still there, just a bit more muted. This is similar in a way to how they approached Episode 3, so it works well and still feels like the series, which is good. Buddy Daddies has handled tonal shifts well.

Between previous episodes and this episode doing a good job not only highlighting how Kazuki has been doing all the heavy lifting in regards to household chores and Miri, by having the anniversary of his wife (and child’s, I would assume) death, and then the presence of Karin in the city - all of it comes together to overwhelm him. 

So we see him going back to old habits that he used to cope with his past trauma. What appreciate here though, is that the series doesn’t present Carol, Dorothy, or the other sex workers, nor the adult entertainment business itself, in a bad light. They don’t look down on them. The reasons why Kazuki going back to these habits is shown to be bad and ultimately lead to him getting thrown in the garbage is because he is using them for the wrong reasons. He is using them to keep his real feelings at arms lengths, locked away, so he can “forget” about them and run. 

All of things he does in this episode such as drink and engage in adult entertainment, are all fine when someone does them for a bit of fun every now and again. But when they are used for a coping method, that’s when they get bad. I appreciate how they handled that.

I’m going to get into the more heavy-hitting spoiler stuff now, so I’m going to put the rest under a Read More.

I also LOVED how they had Karin talk to Kazuki. There were some cliché things here and there, like the rain stopping and the sun coming out, but the way Karin talked to Kazuki about her sister and his way of dealing with her death was really beautiful and something we don’t see enough of in fiction.

She tells him, “So the thought that you only remember her looking sad...It doesn’t seem right.” She does go on to say some more conventional things like, “She would want you to be happy and live a happy life,” essentially. But I really like the line above.

To me, that’s like a gentle call out on how the death of women are often used to fuel the pain of men in fiction. Buddy Daddies is doing that here too, but they are kind of calling Kazuki out on it. Kyutaro tries to call him out too, but he approaches from a “you - Kazuki” perspective ( “YOU” need to move on already), while Karin approaches it from Yuzuko’s perspective. She is saying, “By only remembering my sister in this one way that allows you to keep running away and not face your emotions and move on, you are dishonoring her and erasing a part of her and who she was. It, in a way, gives some agency back to her dead sister.

Now, like I mentioned, Karin does make say something more conventional to him as well: 

She says, “Why not live your own life, too? That’d make her way more happy than anything else you could do.” This is something that is said often, but I do think it is something that needs repeating, because we still have people getting bent out of shape at the thought of a fictional character going on a date again after he lost his wife (this is specifically about Pixar’s UP and the new animated short that is going to be coming out about him going on a date again...a lot of people on Twitter got angry at the thought of him moving on).

Of course, even here Buddy Daddies does something a bit different from the usual. Usually the “moving on” after losing a spouse results in the MC getting a new love interest. But here, Kazuki didn’t just lose his wife, but also the child she was carrying. He lost his family, so when we Karin says the above or when Dorothy asks this:

“You didn’t get a proper sweetheart, did you?” The answer is, of course, yes. He did. In the form of Miri and Rei. He got a family. And in the paperbag you can see he has lots of fruit and snacks that are more common for kids to like. Lots of “sweet” things in his bag. Indicating, in Dorothy’s eyes, a significant other (likely a woman), since there’s a lack of foods that are more “manly.” Of course, this is all coming from rather stereotypical perspective, but that is how it is appearing to an outsider.

Later in Kazuki’s conversation with Karin he admits this that he is scared of changing, of forgetting what happened to her, and this:

“Of being fulfilled by something else.” That sentiment may seem out-of-character at first. After all, Kazuki is the one that kind of dived headfirst into taking in and caring for Miri, but he is still shown keeping Miri and Rei at a distance. He’ll do what he needs to do for Miri, but you could see that a mask was still up. Rei has a wall around his feelings, while Kazuki has a mask (like a clown, or comedian, you know, sorry - I just needed to add that there).

Of course, after this conversation, like I mentioned before, the sun comes out and Kazuki is ready to go back home. When he gets home he sees a mess, but that bit of the episode I’m going to leave for Rei’s post. Instead, I want to talk about this line that Kazuki says after Rei hands him the French toast he made:

“I’m gonna teach you suckers what good French toast is!” I think this is important probably even more so than him moving the photo of himself and his late wife out from the draw and out onto the desk, because it shows that Kazuki is:

1. Is no longer going to be keeping his distance from Rei and Miri by being the caregiver. I feel he likely took up that role (and wanted to care for Rei when he saw the awful state he lived in) because it was another coping method for dealing with the loss of his family. 

2. He is no longer going to make so that Rei and Miri can be so dependent on them. If you don’t provide someone with the understanding and skills on how to do something, then they won’t. If he teaches them, then they can learn, get better and more comfortable, and then be able to do these things on their own.

Both Kazuki and Rei are at fault here in a way. They don’t have either character say an apology, but rather show how they won’t let this kind of situation happen again. And I hope the writers stick with this and that we will actually see Rei continuing to help out more around the house (Miri too)!

[monsterously-high]

Dolls & Doll-adjacent Things I’ve Been Obsessed with This Month 💖 (plus links!)

1. Antu Dreamlike Teaparty Centaur BJD’s

I’ve thought about these constantly since they were revealed. They’re just so SWEET 🥹. I have a couple coming in this week, I really hope I get the purple one!

https://www.kikagoods.com/products/antu-dreamlike-tea-party-action-figure-bjd-blind-box-pre-order-in-2023-q1?variant=43787307057386

2. Ddung Clown Doll

Ddung is a Korean doll line I just learned about! They seem to fall between collector and playline— the bodies are study & the outfits are very detailed and well-constructed. This clown is EVERYTHING

3. Licca Chan Bunny Outfit

Okay so this is an outfit FOR a doll and not a doll itself, but oh my god look at Licca’s fluffy bunny outfit!! UGH!! Basic Licca dolls can be relatively affordable. Plus, the clothing sets usually fit rainbow high 👀

4. Dorothy Forest Spirit

These are figures more than dolls, but I just adore these little deer ladies!! I have the one with the green raindrop dress, and I bring her around everywhere to keep me company. Their sitting position makes them so easy to display!

5. Teennar Campus Blindbox BJDs

They’re fruit themed, they’re fashionable, and they’re SO baby!! There’s also going to be a series of figurines and a set of Sakura-themed recolors for this line!

[lilyginnyblackv2]

The one that throws the purse is Carol! She’s the brown haired one, while Dorothy is the one with the two-toned hair:

What’s so great about this is, as others have mentioned in the comments, Carol is actually throwing her purse at Rei. And that fits with Carol’s characterization in Episode 7. When Dorothy asks if Kazuki has a “proper sweetheart,” in the above image, she looks happy for him (and later wishes him good luck, or something along those lines), but Carol is shown looking jealous at the thought of Kazuki having a “proper sweetheart.” 

This indicates, to me anyway, that Carol is probably a bit younger than Dorothy (her larger eyes seem to imply that as well), which means she may not be as experienced as Dorothy when it comes to separating personal feelings for a customer from her job.

But, if Carol is throwing her purse at Rei in the OP, then that also likely means that she views Rei as Kazuki’s “proper sweetheart,” and is jealous of him. 💀 

I only just noticed that one of the Fairy Lips ladies (Carol or Dorothy, just don't know which is which) hurls her purse at Kazuki on the title card of Buddy Daddies:

There's the wind up:

Aaaaand there's the pitch:

She has a pretty good arm too, it lands practically off screen (I marked it with a hand drawn arrow):

[prism-stone-planet]

Pretty All Friends “Kiratto Parajuku Pop Party” online merch lottery runs from January 27 to March 12.

[tosart]

shocking lilim exposé

[prismstonearchives]

オールフレンズドレシドロシーコーデ - All Friends Dressi Dorothy Coord

[belalugosi1882]

Bela Lugosi and Dorothy Revier in The Black Camel 1931

[boymagicalgirl]

Photos taken seconds before disaster (for Seravy at least)

[silkcoeur]

Somehow

You visit me in a dream after passing,             after I’ve been awaiting you for weeks, because Chinese belief teaches us our             loved ones will appear when we’re asleep. It’s real when I enter the hotel restaurant             in the middle of nowhere town I live in, as the Midwest architecture transforms             into Kowloon at evening time. We eat bird’s nest soup, and I remember the time             my father ordered me this four-hundred- year-old delicacy at Hong Kong airport.             Out comes the Peking duck, and I ask you: “Why did it take you so long?” You answer:             “I arrived once you were strong and ready.” 

Dorothy Chan

[wolflover10]

Finally realized the new Dressing Pafe coords from Idol Land Pripara are just recolored Kiratto Prichan Flower Pareo coords. It’s frustrating it took me this long to notice. In fact these coords appeared in ep 72 of Prichan.

[basedkikuenjoyer]

I like how we pass time as the gang rolls in. One Piece has not done a whole lot at night but we do use it for some cool scenes in Alabasta. I still think my favorite Zoro moment is Whiskey Peak. The friction between Merrychristmas & Bon-Chan is pretty fun. The former being the second to clue us readers in that he speaks very “girly.” It’s...complicated. What makes everything easier is Bon spelling out that in a world of men and women, being both and neither makes him the best. Just, comes in hot with that and I love the bold decision.

All in all, this is where I feel like we’re seeing the film reference come through the most. People drifting in and bouncing off of each other. A lightly surreal vibe to it all. 

[lilyginnyblackv2]

Where Kazuki and Rei Live in Fukuoka City

Over on Twitter, a Japanese fan noted that the park Kazuki and Rei are walking through at the end of Episode 9 is Seiryu Park in Nakasu, Fukuoka:

Here is Seiryu Park:

Here you can see that statue:

Since they are walking back from Miri’s daycare that means they live in the general area. Nakasu Ward is the red-light district of Fukuoka City. Now, in Episode 7, we saw Kazuki heading back to their place with a paper bag filled with groceries, and then he ran into Carol and Dorothy:

Since he was walking back from the store, it indicates (to me) that Rei’s apartment is likely located in Nakasu then. And that makes sense. They are hitmen, so living in the red-light district fits. We also know that Kyutaro’s café is in walking distance from their place, so it is likely located in Nakasu too, which also makes sense, since there are lots of shops and restaurants in that area.

But, this also makes Kazuki’s surprise at the amount of daycares and preschools in the nearby area also make a lot more sense:

He likely didn’t think that there would be any located next to or nearby where they live, since it is the red-light district, but there are a lot. I’m going to take a guess that that is because Nakasu Ward is next to Hakata Ward, which is where stuff like:

The government buildings,

Fukuoka Airport,

and Hakata Port are all located.

So Aozora and the other daycares are likely all located in that nearby (neighboring really) ward. That would be fitting and the most logical assumption to make.

I remember I mentioned how I thought that the first daycare that they went to in Episode 4 looked like a refurbished government building of some kind, so that guess probably wasn’t too far off, lol.

But yeah, it seems that Kazuki and Rei reside in Nakasu, the red-light district of Fukuoka City, which is really interesting. It puts a lot of things into perspective. Like this woman that Miri saw in Episode 5:

She is likely an adult entertainer of some kind (similar to Carol and Dorothy). Her outfit (lowcut tops that show cleavage aren’t common in Japan outside of the entertainment industry - adult or otherwise, it is more common for women to show off their legs more) and heavy makeup also imply this, so it would make sense that she would be in this area of the city.

Kazuki fear of some creeps getting Miri or her getting in harms way is an expected parental fear when a child goes missing, but even more so when the area they go missing in is essentially the red-light district.

Of course, I could be wrong on this. They could be locate in Hakata Ward. I’m not familiar enough with Fukuoka City to say any of the above with 100% certainty, but it would fit with their jobs and other narrative things we’ve seen. I’ll also be keeping an eye out for any further clues that can confirm (or deny) this more concretely in future episodes!

Also, if anyone has anything else to add to this post, please feel free to do so! :D

(I’ll link to the sources of the two Seiryu Park images in the comments below.)

[froppy-butterflyfan2000]

For the sake of this man - One More Encounter & Spilled Informations: Take place after the summer camp in Volume 1 of the Cappyverse Main Storyline, The Neighbours. Around March Break. Hannibal Demerest confronts someone who dares to be a part of his former student’s future, after the shit have been pull in the camp.

Warning: Please be advise, you are reading this story that contain spoilers of Neighbour. You can ignore this and wait for Volume 1 of the Cappyverse main storyline, The Neighbors to come. There are major spoilers contained in the story. Or just read it and keep this informations to yourself and not share with others. You have been warned.

Ethan Corduroy, Dorothy Barnes, Sandra Possible (mentioned), and Travis Mystery belong to @ej-cappy-universe

Naseem Chan and Sienna Grey (mentioned) belong to @cooltmoney95

Yokai 2 (mentioned) belongs to @dangerpack

Jo Cortland Barrison/Vice (mentioned) belongs to @aprilbrowines

Hannibal Zomboni and Niko Corduroy belong to me (@froppy-butterflyfan2000)

[missedstations]

"Somehow" - Dorothy Chan

for Norman You visit me in a dream after passing,             after I’ve been awaiting you for weeks, because Chinese belief teaches us our             loved ones will appear when we’re asleep. It’s real when I enter the hotel restaurant             in the middle of nowhere town I live in, as the Midwest architecture transforms             into Kowloon at evening time. We eat bird’s nest soup, and I remember the time             my father ordered me this four-hundred- year-old delicacy at Hong Kong airport.             Out comes the Peking duck, and I ask you: “Why did it take you so long?” You answer:             “I arrived once you were strong and ready.” 

[prism-stone-planet]

Art, merch and drinks for the summer themed Pretty All Friends Graffart cafe collab.

[ukdamo]

Somehow

Dorothy Chan

For Norman

You visit me in a dream after passing,             after I’ve been awaiting you for weeks, because Chinese belief teaches us our             loved ones will appear when we’re asleep. It’s real when I enter the hotel restaurant             in the middle of nowhere town I live in, as the Midwest architecture transforms             into Kowloon at evening time. We eat bird’s nest soup, and I remember the time             my father ordered me this four-hundred- year-old delicacy at Hong Kong airport.             Out comes the Peking duck, and I ask you: “Why did it take you so long?” You answer:             “I arrived once you were strong and ready.”