Episode 5 – SANDA – Anime News Network

Oh my God, this is the man. That’s why I love Itagaki Paru! The fifth episode Sanda Combining some of the craziest crap I’ve ever seen with a deeply affecting exploration of identity and sexuality makes for a huge impact. Even if it takes a while to pick up, I implore anyone who likes battle stories to watch this anime now and be yourself in a world that looks down on you and tries to control you.

To support one point, this episode first introduces SandaHeretofore unmentioned fiancée, Kazao Niko. Although it was strange for a fourteen-year-old to have a fiancée, apparently it was SandaIt is set for the near future as a measure to combat declining birth rates. This story detail also further establishes the play’s exploration of adults and society controlling children, stripping them of agency, and conforming them to “productive” molds. Presence of fully functional child bride and groom Sanda It’s both super gross and brilliantly illustrates the series’ themes with little subtext.

Nico is also happy because she is a real little leprechaun of chaos. While this character archetype has become more common in media lately, the women caught up in it are still often designed to appeal to a presumed male audience and therefore feel rather one-dimensional. However, Nico is actually quite rude, has no regard for social etiquette, and can be described as a bully Sanda In all her interactions with him. Of course, this attention from the girl stirs up deeper feelings within the fourteen-year-old boy, and he begins to have difficulty transforming into Santa Claus, because Santa Claus is not supposed to fall in love with anyone.

This creates a very interesting dynamic between the two Sanda As well as his main enemy from the previous episode, Santa hunter Saburo Yagita, who is now working as an undercover teacher at the school; but there’s no way to prove it Sanda It’s Santa Claus.

The focus on Winter Village, though, takes this episode from good to great. Although she is the most “mature” and adult member of the main cast, this episode shows that she is very unsure of both her sexuality and her sexual identity. Although her height and thinness are her most obvious features, they give her a deep-rooted sense of body dysmorphia, and her affection for Ono is the result of those insecurities disappearing when she’s with little girls.

Ono then appears again and confronts Fuyumura with a knife. Now, having gone through rapid puberty after first falling asleep (apparently, the kids in this show are unable to sleep due to taking drugs designed to prolong childhood), Ono now looks more like a young woman than a child, and she is terrified of becoming an adult and threatens to kill herself and Fuyumura so that the two can be together forever and remain the same. We also see Ono’s wet dream, and she and Fuyumura have a very tender and heartfelt first sexual encounter, and while I could poke holes in this scene by pointing out that I don’t think a child in this universe would know what a wet dream is, this moment is so perfectly executed in terms of acting and feel that I can’t bring myself to criticize it.

Abby Trotterplays ono in english dubbing It also brings a lot to the third act. In addition to slightly tweaking her performance of the pre- and post-pubescent versions of her character to accommodate the changes in a child’s voice as they enter puberty, she also imbues Ono with a deep vulnerability in the dream sequence that really elevates the moment.

Especially in this day and age, where people are more focused than ever on how and in what ways children mature, I’m really impressed. Sanda Such a thorough exploration of these deeply personal thoughts. In addition to feeling increasingly filled with real people, Sanda manages to perfectly capture all the fear, anxiety and confusion that young people go through when discovering their sexuality in a beautiful way. I didn’t expect to see so much of my own experience of being a sexually aware person on a show about a kid who can transform into Santa Claus, but I’m glad these moments are here.

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As a devout Catholic and a fan of hunks, Lucas DeRuyter was born to comment Sanda and similar works. You can get into the holiday spirit with him blue sky account and read his naughty and nice lists by visiting his account folder. When he’s not spreading holiday cheer, you can find him contributing to ANN’s Anime of the Week column.

Sanda Currently live broadcast
Amazon Prime.