Yuri Kuma Arashi Episode 9 Discussion

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This episode had so many hints at the whole "world perception" idea(the whole door of friends thing).

The door of friends bit reminds me of:

Also MANY hints at the idea of the Court of Severance being the main villains(as well as confirmation to them being the male otaku viewers that "enforce" what is sexy and what is cool in yuri, etc).

And the end is yet again a damn cliffhanger X_X

AhenshihaelMar 9, 2015 12:19 PM

Mar 9, 2015 12:08 PM

#5

babymilo91

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So basically Ginko witnessed Sumika being eaten but didn't do anything. That cliffhanger again.

Mar 9, 2015 12:48 PM

#6

Smudy

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babymilo91 said:
So basically Ginko witnessed Sumika being eaten but didn't do anything. That cliffhanger again.

Spot-on calling, it was quite obvious that this was the grave sin.

This episode mindfucked me though, i could not keep up with what happened in this.

Mar 9, 2015 12:51 PM

#7

juventus95

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Ginko really let Sumika die. But she admitted her crime and already paid for it because Kureha shot her.

Love-hate relationship in the end.

Mar 9, 2015 12:59 PM

#8

Yurilandia

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Mar 9, 2015 1:30 PM

#9

removed-user

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Ginko really let Sumika die.

Yurrika finally died .

Mar 9, 2015 2:08 PM

#10

Tokoya

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Serves the principal right, I don't feel bad for her at all because the bitch got what she deserved

The theory about Ginko having the power to have prevented Sumika's death was obviously true and it was questions interesting to see. I get why she's guilty but it's not really her fault

Which then brings me to Kureha....I'm sorry, but her actions as of late makes no sense whatsoever. If you knew that Ginko didn't actually kill her, why the hell would you shoot her anyway -_- Yeah she could have stopped it from happening but does the punishment truly fit the crime? She didn't actually kill her lol

Anyway, this episode was intense and I really enjoyed it....Those yuri scenes were way too hot for me to handle this time tho xD

Mar 9, 2015 2:32 PM

#11

Haruchu87

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Oct 2014

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That was a really intensive episode with some nice and hot yuri scenes. I liked it *w*

Yuriika got what she deserved. I don´t feel sorry for her. But damn, again it ended with a big cliffhanger DX

Holy Madoka! The Yuri is strong here!

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Mar 9, 2015 2:49 PM

#12

AvatarJinzo

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Aug 2013

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In my opinion this episode was by far the most weirdest and best episode of this anime. The most weird part was the stripping part because I didn't think they would made it intense like that, I thought it would become like a softcore yuri like Mnemosyne(Rin: Daughter of Mnemosyne). But I'm actually glad that Yurika finally got what she deserves that hot bitch deserves to died. I'm glad I didn't drop this anime because I wanted to see what happens to Kureha in the end.

AvatarJinzoMar 9, 2015 2:59 PM

Mar 9, 2015 2:52 PM

#13

billybob300c

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1. Dam, I fan-girled so much this episode; quite anticlimactic the way yuriika was killed by the students

2. Yurizono should've been kept alive. She adds so much psychological impact like madoka magica

9/10

Mar 9, 2015 3:23 PM

#14

Mormegil

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Great episode. Kureha's mother isn't actually alive, right? That was just Yuriika seeing things at the end?

And another cliffhanger!

Mar 9, 2015 3:53 PM

#15

Sejin

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Yuriikaaaaaaa! T_T I mean, I know she's not a "good" person/character, but episode 8 made me feel for her so much that I couldn't help but feel really sad and sorry for her when she was killed, despite everything she did.

Overall, this was a really intense episode!

billybob300c said:
1. Dam, I fan-girled so much this episode; quite anticlimactic the way yuriika was killed by the students

2. Yurizono should've been kept alive. She adds so much psychological impact like madoka magica

1) Yeah, same here!

2) Even dead she still had a lot of psychological impact. I'm really intrigued to see what happens with Ginko.

I wonder if the Door of Friends that was shown is supposed to be the other side of it. Like, if it's saying, "This is what all that star/promise kiss/"real" love stuff gets you. It's cold, empty, and dead, just like this desolate wintry aftermath of war."

I also had another thought about the whole "breaking the mirror" thing from the Reia's storybook, which sorta depends on whether or not you take the content of the storybook at face value. If you have to break the mirror to have love, is that saying that you can't give and get love with someone who is supposedly very different from you without abandoning or destroying yourself as you are now? Like, the forest girl and the moon girl are in their separate worlds. If you take "world" to figuratively mean the circle/group/system you're currently inside of, the story is saying that you have to break out of that world to be able to love someone so different from you. In one sense, that's a positive message about opening yourself up to things outside of what you currently know.

But in another sense, it's essentially saying that the moon girl can't love the forest girl while she's still a moon girl. The moon girl has to become a forest girl to love another forest girl, and vice versa for the forest girl. Speaking in terms of the actual characters, that's saying that Kureha (a human) can't love Ginko (a bear) unless she also becomes a bear. It perpetuates the divide between human and bear. It's like saying that I couldn't love someone very different from me unless I become like that person. I can't love them and stay as I am now. Looking at it that way, it's a pretty damaging thing to perpetuate.

It's stuff like this that makes me really love these kinds of metaphorical/abstract/symbolic stories: there's not just one right answer. Both things I mentioned above could be correct. And there are probably other interpretations that people have come up with and will come up with in the future that also make sense. Best of all, they're not mutually exclusive. They can coexist perfectly fine.

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Mar 9, 2015 4:33 PM

#16

mwsmws22

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Mar 9, 2015 4:42 PM

#17

TheVulpix

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Sejin said:
But in another sense, it's essentially saying that the moon girl can't love the forest girl while she's still a moon girl. The moon girl has to become a forest girl to love another forest girl, and vice versa for the forest girl. Speaking in terms of the actual characters, that's saying that Kureha (a human) can't love Ginko (a bear) unless she also becomes a bear.

I've had my own theory in my head for weeks now--and it just happens to entail exactly what you've described here. Good call.

Sejin said:
It perpetuates the divide between human and bear. It's like saying that I couldn't love someone very different from me unless I become like that person. I can't love them and stay as I am now. Looking at it that way, it's a pretty damaging thing to perpetuate.

Not necessarily--not if the identity society labels you with from infancy is the wrong identity. Becoming something different may not be damaging, but instead, liberating.

Mar 9, 2015 4:54 PM

#18

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CookingPriest said:
Also MANY hints at the idea of the Court of Severance being the main villains(as well as confirmation to them being the male otaku viewers that "enforce" what is sexy and what is cool in yuri, etc).

The court is not evil, the court is merely watching (as this episode showed). Judgement is in the hands of Kumaria-sama (ku-maria i.e. maria sama), they are only bearing (pun intended) witness.

This show made my predictions from the second or third episode flesh: this is about the conflict between love and lust, not Yurism itself. I don't know how much clearer they needed to be on this. Yurizono is lust, Ginko was the one that was trapped between love and lust: her sin was not just letting Sumika die, but (did anyone else catch the second crime?).

The court on this judged Ginko completely correctly, they also had Yurika pegged correctly, which raises the huge question.

Who narked on Yurika? Who leaked the "Invisible Storm" the pictures, why did Kureha attend that session, who did they "vote off the island" (if anyone), and more importantly, why were they guarding Kureha at the end so that they could shoot the bear attacking her?

I think the answer is pretty clear who the final boss is (and no, it isn't the court). Three more episode, the final judgement is fast approaching. Is redemption possible? Is salvation possible. What will the verdict be????

Mar 9, 2015 4:55 PM

#19

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mwsmws22 said:

"Court of Severance" is litterally embodiment of severance?

They can exist only as long as people "sever" themselve from each other.

Mar 9, 2015 5:07 PM

#20

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CookingPriest said:
"Court of Severance" is litterally embodiment of severance?

They can exist only as long as people "sever" themselve from each other.

In part, however the opposite is also true: if the court did not exist, then the severance would be permanent. Don't forget it was the human's who built the walls, the court provides a means through it.

Mar 9, 2015 5:19 PM

#21

juventus95

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Takuan_Soho said:

The court is not evil, the court is merely watching (as this episode showed). Judgement is in the hands of Kumaria-sama (ku-maria i.e. maria sama), they are only bearing (pun intended) witness.

I wonder if it's sensible to give the court a free pass. Ginko is judged for her inability to save Sumika. But the court is free from judgement, although they use the same approach: watching, observing, and doing nothing?

More questions raised in this episode. Who slept with Kaoru and then kill her? Was it Yurika? Mitsuko only mentioned about Yurika's involvement in getting her and Ginko killed.

Mar 9, 2015 5:21 PM

#22

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juventus95 said:

Takuan_Soho said:

The court is not evil, the court is merely watching (as this episode showed). Judgement is in the hands of Kumaria-sama (ku-maria i.e. maria sama), they are only bearing (pun intended) witness.

I wonder if it's sensible to give the court a free pass. Ginko is judged for her inability to save Sumika. But the court is free from judgement, although they use the same approach: watching, observing, and doing nothing?

More questions raised in this episode. Who slept with Kaoru and then kill her? Was it Yurika? Mitsuko only mentioned about Yurika's involvement in getting her and Ginko killed.

^This.

Court is hypocrisy.
Not to mentin this week they stalked someone's sexual intercourse which adds to the whole "malegaze viewer representation" idea.

If not for court, none of what Yurika did after eating Reia would be possible.

IDK so far a lot of shit that happened only reinforces my tehory of "kureha's inner world perception" thing, with her conflict and hypocrisy splitting the perceived world, ala Utena.

Mar 9, 2015 5:56 PM

#23

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juventus95 said:
I wonder if it's sensible to give the court a free pass. Ginko is judged for her inability to save Sumika.

No, that wasn't what Ginko was judged on. She was judged on her wanting Sumika to get eaten in order for her to possess Kureha. So in short, while she was claiming that her love was "pure", she failed this important test. But as I said above, this is only ONE of her crimes, she is guilty of another, and in some ways even more serious crime (it was mentioned this episode and is I believe the key to the ending).

juventus95 said:
But the court is free from judgement, although they use the same approach: watching, observing, and doing nothing?

Courts do not do things, what all courts do is to pass judgement based on the law. The court provides a means for bears to cross the wall of separation and the bears are judged on their following the agreement they made with the court to have the right to cross through the wall.

juventus95 said:
More questions raised in this episode. Who slept with Kaoru and then kill her? Was it Yurika? Mitsuko only mentioned about Yurika's involvement in getting her and Ginko killed.

Ah, I have a theory on that, I believe it's the same person who let the invisible storm know that a bear (if not Yurika) was after Kureha. It's the only person who makes any sense.

I hate to reveal it because if I am right it will be one hell of a Kuma shock, but since I am talking about it I should put my marker down.

Now I could be wrong, but it does all fit.

Mar 9, 2015 6:00 PM

#24

SakurasouBusters

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That was a really intense and just a great episode.... but Damn it! another cliffhanger

Mar 9, 2015 6:33 PM

#25

cowfeenmoosic

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Why am I surprised she shot Ginko?

Still alive? Uhhh...

Lol wtf. So Ginko gave in to her desire then.

That was sexy haha.

Woah, woah, WOAH.

That was oddly sad. Wonder what's gonna happen with Lulu too.

Mar 9, 2015 6:47 PM

#26

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Takuan_Soho said:
Ah, I have a theory on that, I believe it's the same person who let the invisible storm know that a bear (if not Yurika) was after Kureha. It's the only person who makes any sense.

I hate to reveal it because if I am right it will be one hell of a Kuma shock, but since I am talking about it I should put my marker down.

Now I could be wrong, but it does all fit.

surfboard_Mar 9, 2015 7:02 PM

Mar 9, 2015 6:49 PM

#27

juventus95

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Takuan_Soho said:

juventus95 said:
I wonder if it's sensible to give the court a free pass. Ginko is judged for her inability to save Sumika.

No, that wasn't what Ginko was judged on. She was judged on her wanting Sumika to get eaten in order for her to possess Kureha. So in short, while she was claiming that her love was "pure", she failed this important test. But as I said above, this is only ONE of her crimes, she is guilty of another, and in some ways even more serious crime (it was mentioned this episode and is I believe the key to the ending).

I think what I'm looking for is viewers' judgement. Why do we let one go free, at the same time, hold the other one responsible? What separates the court and Ginko? From your explanation, the court is the one passing judgment, therefore they hold no responsibilities even though they know girls are getting killed by Mitsuko, Yurika, etc. From what I remember, Ginko did not claim her love was pure. She only claimed that she would not give up on love. Ginko made it clear that she only cared about Kureha. She was not associated with Sumika, so similar to the court, she was not responsible for what happened to Sumika.

Ginko has other crimes, but for now I'm looking at her most recent one.

Mar 9, 2015 6:58 PM

#28

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juventus95 said:
I think what I'm looking for is viewers' judgement. Why do we let one go free, at the same time, hold the other one responsible? What separates the court and Ginko? From your explanation, the court is the one passing judgment, therefore they hold no responsibilities even though they know girls are getting killed by Mitsuko, Yurika, etc. From what I remember, Ginko did not claim her love was pure. She only claimed that she would not give up on love. Ginko made it clear that she only cared about Kureha. She was not associated with Sumika, so similar to the court, she was not responsible for what happened to Sumika.

Ginko has other crimes, but for now I'm looking at her most recent one.

Ginko either told Mitsuko about Sumika's location or simply saw the whole situation and let it be (I haven't watched this episode yet), so it pretty much makes her an accomplice.

Mar 9, 2015 7:00 PM

#29

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^^ hey Surfboard could you spoil what you wrote, I don't want to ruin the surprise in the rare case that I happen to be right.

Mar 9, 2015 7:07 PM

#30

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juventus95 said:
Ginko did not claim her love was pure. She only claimed that she would not give up on love. Ginko made it clear that she only cared about Kureha.

You are correct, she would not give up on love, but would allowing your rival to get killed, causing pain and suffering to your "beloved" not be "giving up on love?"

And Ginko's second crime (revealed today) is the exact same thing, she has given up on love because of her lust for Kureha (this is not to say that she had to return the love, but she should have at least been direct about it).

Mar 9, 2015 7:17 PM

#31

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Takuan_Soho said:
^^ hey Surfboard could you spoil what you wrote, I don't want to ruin the surprise in the rare case that I happen to be right.

Mar 9, 2015 7:47 PM

#32

okanagan

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I love Lulu's sleeping bag.

Mar 9, 2015 9:03 PM

#33

Jonesy974

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Well damn that was intense and interesting.

So ghost Yurizono was getting it on with Ginko. Yurizono had no problem going full nude.

Kureha got all her clothes ripped off.

FINALLY we got some intense yuri fanservice.

Kind of wish Yurizono said desire like Lulu did....Deeziiyahh!

So Kureha's classmates actually saved her? Actually kind of surprising.

Yuriika dies in her office, hallucinating and thinking Kureha is Reia. Kureha then finds the rest of the picture book that "wasn't finished" inside one of the boxes.

While Kureha is learning the truth, Ginko is on her way to eat her.

Where did Lulu go?

Mar 9, 2015 9:18 PM

#34

Sejin

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Pleakley said:

Sejin said:
It perpetuates the divide between human and bear. It's like saying that I couldn't love someone very different from me unless I become like that person. I can't love them and stay as I am now. Looking at it that way, it's a pretty damaging thing to perpetuate.

Not necessarily--not if the identity society labels you with from infancy is the wrong identity. Becoming something different may not be damaging, but instead, liberating.

Oh, yeah, definitely! I probably should have specified that I meant it in the general sense of society limiting people arbitrarily due to ingrained beliefs and/or worldviews.

okanagan said:
I love Lulu's sleeping bag.

Yeah, those sleeping bags are adorable!

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Mar 9, 2015 9:32 PM

#35

Rebelhero

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A lot happened this episode. But i feel like it was WAY too slow. also ,wtf happened at the other side of the door of friendship?

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Mar 10, 2015 12:52 AM

#36

Yangbojian

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Bear who got gunshot see already-dead people? Ginko see Yurizono, and Yuriika see Kureha's mother...
So who will be the new principal?

...and what will the Yurizono-Ginko thing do?

Mar 10, 2015 5:24 AM

#37

Pabilsag

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Mitsuko did DIE and is a "ghost" now? Seems strange to me. What if it was only Ginko's perception and a not-dead-Mitsuko will be revealed later on?

Kureha being saved from her classmates was really unexpected.

Also, THIS picture (sorry for size):

... Konomi gathering chestnuts? A masterpiece. xD

PabilsagMar 10, 2015 5:27 AM

Mar 10, 2015 11:30 AM

#38

ichii_1

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Why is this so good? gao gao :'(

That shot to the heart was sick.

Tokoya said:
Serves the principal right, I don't feel bad for her at all because the bitch got what she deserved

She is also a victim of the messed up bear x human taboo.
R.I.P. sensei :(

I loved that bed Ginko was sleeping in XD

ichii_1Mar 10, 2015 11:34 AM

Mar 10, 2015 12:31 PM

#39

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ichii_1 said:

She is also a victim of the messed up bear x human taboo.
R.I.P. sensei :(

^yep.

Yurika was shaped and driven to what she has become by the world she existed in and the court that judges and hands down judgements. An existence without balance and with only extremes.

AhenshihaelMar 10, 2015 1:19 PM

Mar 10, 2015 1:38 PM

#40

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CookingPriest said:
]Yurika was shaped and driven to what she has become by the world she existed in and the court that judges and hands down judgements. An existence without balance and with only extremes.

Despite the actual facts in the anime, the only thing that doesn't feel right is the actual authority of the court. I think its more psychological fear than actual strength. What are they going to do if a bear actually go edgy or break their promises? I think they couldn't care less but enjoy.

Mar 10, 2015 3:05 PM

#41

Keten

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Sep 2013

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Damn, what a fantastic episode... though the ending was... anti-climactic.

So the reason Ginko didn't defend herself and why Kureha was so egged to shoot her was because... Ginko didn't stop Sumika from being eaten... Damn, not going to lie, that was pretty clever and interesting. Her jealousy made her not get involved which in a way also goes into the themes of bullying and homophobia. They see these horrible things going on but do nothing to stop it. She might as well have killed Sumika.

So the show kind of just spells it out for us at this point. The invisible storm are people who are scared of people who are different, thus they label them as evil for not following social norms. Thus the homophobia and being surprised when Kureha helped Sumika find her hairpin.

I rather liked the scene where Ginko was face to face with the "ghost" of Mitsuko, who represented desire. After being shot, Ginko's overwhelming desire to still be with Kureha is paralleled by Yuriika's desire as well. Now Ginko just wants to eat her to be one with her. I liked the symbolism of becoming one with desire as well though it didn't REALLY need nudity but that's just the shows style I guess. Confronting her own crimes though and changing from them is pretty cool though I always felt Ginko was a bit bland so the "development" isn't quite so noticeable.

Finally.. the showdown... Yuriika shows up, pins Kureha down, "strips her naked"(I assume this is supposed to represent helplessness) aaaanddd... she gets shot by Kureha's classmates... I dunno... I feel like Ginko coming back and attacking Yuriika would have had more impact and I thought that was what they were building up to. Anyway, Yuriika's death didn't really give me the feels or anything but it was nice anyway.

Loved this episode.

Mar 10, 2015 3:24 PM

#42

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surfboard_ said:
Despite the actual facts in the anime, the only thing that doesn't feel right is the actual authority of the court. I think its more psychological fear than actual strength. What are they going to do if a bear actually go edgy or break their promises? I think they couldn't care less but enjoy.

Though if you think about it, every time the court has made a judgment, someone, either a bear or a human, has died, so this would suggest that they have some power.

Actually I think we have seen what the court could do. Ginko told Lulu she was a criminal bear, this meant that she had already been to the real world to find Kureha and allowed Sumika to die. So this suggests that that the court banished her back to the world of bears, however they allowed Sumika to return because this was now Lulu's wish (that Sumika's wish could become true). Sumika found a loophole.

Now I know that this screws with the continuity in that we saw the two sleeping next to each other when Sumika was killed, however the continuity of this show has been out of whack from the beginning (for instance Kureha forgetting Ginko even though Ginko should have still been there), so obviously someone is messing with the time stream.

My guess is that it is the court. They have the power to change the perception of time to allow a bear the chance to achieve its dream. So Ginko went and let Sumika get killed (or if you get my theory above, we know differently :-), she was banished as a criminal bear, Lulu gives her a second chance, but Ginko couldn't stop Sumika's death this time (since she already allowed it), but now Lulu was there when it happened again, and the price that Ginko paid was committing her second crime for which she is being punished.

Edit: Ah just had the thought, its not time perception that the court can change. The central mystery behind Kureha explains what they can really do.

Takuan_SohoMar 10, 2015 3:40 PM

Mar 10, 2015 3:41 PM

#43

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surfboard_ said:

CookingPriest said:
]Yurika was shaped and driven to what she has become by the world she existed in and the court that judges and hands down judgements. An existence without balance and with only extremes.

Despite the actual facts in the anime, the only thing that doesn't feel right is the actual authority of the court. I think its more psychological fear than actual strength. What are they going to do if a bear actually go edgy or break their promises? I think they couldn't care less but enjoy.

It seems they expect them to.

Othrwise yeah - Severance is just in characters minds. They feed off their character states and manipulate them accordingly.

Even Yurika breaking the rules felt like "just as planned" in this episode.

ITs as if they are controlling the story, judging what is deemed sexy or cool, thus representing the power the "audience" has over the character lives.

I would not be surprised if we will see some Princess Tutu level of shit with them.

AhenshihaelMar 10, 2015 4:24 PM

Mar 10, 2015 6:50 PM

#44

Sejin

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I just read Gabriella Ekens's write-up for this episode on Anime News Network, and she talks about some really interesting stuff regarding the state of queer feminism in Japan, which really makes more thorough sense out of the Invisible Storm in Yurikuma, as well as a bit about another possible reason why homosexuality isn't mentioned or named specifically in the show.

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Mar 10, 2015 7:26 PM

#45

okanagan

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@Sejin: Thank you for sharing that!

Gabriella Ekens mentions that 1998 book.

Here is Elise Fylling's East Asian Studies Master's Thesis from 2012 which cites it.
Titled: "Her Story: Lesbians in Japan and South Korea"
All 106 pages are available as a pdf file for everybody to download:
https://www.duo.uio.no/bitstream/handle/10852/24407/Fylling.pdf

Mar 10, 2015 9:23 PM

#46

-Trippwire-

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KUMA DAUKU

Life Sexy on the coin-operated binoculars was hilarious.

-Trippwire-Mar 10, 2015 9:28 PM

Mar 10, 2015 11:40 PM

#47