#sarazamai spoilers

[entamewitchlulu]

On Reo and Mabu: Potential Motivations

I HAVE MANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE LAST SARAZANMAI EPISODE!!!! But specifically I want to talk about Reo and Mabu.  We’ve barely gotten anything out of them in the anime canon so far, and yet, there is SO MUCH to analyze, and seeing as they are my Faves from this show, I need to talk.

Obviously!  This whole post will contain Sarazanmai spoilers.  Please blacklist “sarazanmai spoilers” if you would not wish to see these posts in the future!

So what do we know about Reo and Mabu, the two mysterious policemen in the Asakusa Police Box?  Not much. 

We know that they’re police officers stationed in a box together.  We know that they appear to be responsible for a string of murders targeting, well, sexual perverts, and then turning them into kappa zombies.  We also know that they do a sick ass dance every episode, and that they appear to be associated with “otters.” -- as well as the fact that they appear to have some kind of boss demanding “desire energy.”

we also know that all of the official art, AND the manga spinoff, ships the HELL out of them, which i would argue is very important but we’ll see

But their motivations? That’s a mystery.  Is it just a job for them?  I would hazard a guess that it is not.

By the end of this post, I will have presented my evidence that Mabu is in some form of danger, whether illness, organ failure, some other type of dying, or something else entirely, and that Reo is trying to sacrifice everything to save him.

First: let’s look at the OP.  There’s some really, really great shots, and from my experience with Ikuhara’s work, every OP is a Huge Spoiler once you know what you’re looking for.

There’s a bit with our main trio, displayed with the person who, later, turns out to be their “most important person.”  Kauzki is displayed with Haruka, Enta with Kazuki, and Toi with Chikai.  This makes sense -- what is more surprising is when our antagonists show up in the exact same pose...

What we’ve learned about our main trio so far is that they have the desire to connect with their “most important person” -- to the point where they are sacrificing their own lives for that other person.  Kazuki is ruining himself by pretending to be Sara in order to keep up the illusion of connection to his younger brother, Enta is so lost in his gay crush that his hallucinations get him into trouble and he wants to give everything he has to Kazuki, and Toi is literally waterboarding people and growing weed to be accepted as tough enough for his older brother so that they can stay together.

And we see Reo here in the exact same pose as the trio, with Mabu centered as his “most important person.” This pretty obviously indicates that Reo is probably sacrificing a lot, or at least something, for Mabu’s sake, in the same way the trio is each sacrificing something for someone else.

Let’s roll back for a moment and think to their most iconic sequence: the Desire Extraction Dance.

Specifically, this:

What is in that heart??  Clearly, something non-organic.  I initially misremembered it as clockwork gears, though it appears to be a little more advanced than that.  Either way, there is something up with that heart.  And then Reo PULLS IT OUT????

it’s obviously their most iconic scene, but I don’t think it’s just for aesthetic.  Because now we’re moving onto the meat of this discussion: the post credits scene of episode 5.

This is where we get some of the clearest indication of what’s going on.  Pleased with their success from their latest zombie, this exchange occurs: 

Lifeline?  Maintenance?  That sounds a lot like a heart that has mechanical apparatus.

Before this, Mabu also remarks on the fact that they are now “allowed” to leave their post since this kappa zombie succeeded, implying that....they have to do maintenance on the heart using the kappazombie somehow.

And as Mabu walks out, Reo quips:

Chasing pleasure.  Chasing desire.  The kappa zombies are literally desire personified, dragged out of a person so violently that it kills them.  My conclusion from this?  Mabu is going out to where they’ve put the kappazombie, where they’ve put desire personified, and is going to use that energy for “maintenance.”  Especially because Reo here is joking that “maybe you just like it, cause it feels good.  Right?”

To which Mabu says...

Mabu isn’t going out to collect the desire energy because he wants it, or because he enjoys the feeling of desire.  At first glance this seems to be simply because he’s the straight-laced one, the one who’s all about the job, all about the duty.  Personal feelings have no place in this job -- he doesn’t want the desires for himself, he’s just doing it because it’s part of the job.

But that doesn’t necessarily fit with Reo’s outburst after this comment.

For someone who’s been portrayed as the laid-back, smug character up until now, this reaction is...surprising.  He looks more than just upset, he actually looks hurt.  Now why would Reo respond like that? 

Add this outburst to the OP’s implication that Mabu is Reo’s most important person, and the answer to that question is simple: Reo is in love with Mabu, or at the very least, is working for his sake.  And Mabu doesn’t...or perhaps is incapable of understanding.

Mabu has a mechanical heart, one that requires maintenance through the process of stealing desires from others.  This, to me, implies that Mabu is incapable of producing his own desires.  His heart is damaged.  It needs other people’s desires to function.  He’s not just straight-laced, he’s physically incapable of desiring.

He’s physically incapable of connecting.

And this is Reo’s problem.  He cares about Mabu to a devastating degree, the way that Kazuki cares for Haruka, Toi cares for Chikai, and Enta cares for Kazuki.  But Mabu is incapable of recognizing this, and even if he could, incapable of reciprocating in any way.  He has no idea what Reo is sacrificing for him.

And what is Reo sacrificing for him?  I don’t know yet.  I don’t have enough information.  I personally get the vibe of some kind of “deal with the devil” somewhere in here, some reason for why Mabu has a damaged heart that is incapable of feeling any kind of desire, and some reason why Reo is working so hard.

But the details I have no idea yet.  I’m suspecting we may learn more next episode...and perhaps I’m completely off base here!!

But if the promotional material is any guess...I’d say I’m pretty close.  At the very least, Reo is in love with Mabu -- and somewhere in there, in that damaged heart that can’t feel love or friendship or connection of any kind, Mabu loves Reo back.

[dyslexic-shirmp]

Me after dish 10: 

[houkagokappa]

Sarazanmai episode 10 thoughts and impressions

The episode opens with Mabu’s view of Reo as he’s holding him in his arms while he’s dying, which we saw in the after credits scene in dish 6. Thanks Sarazanmai for starting so lightly. 

Mabu wakes up at the otter hospital and an otter greets him. I like how the kawauso phrase is used. It means river otter, but taken apart the word is a combination of river and lie. The way the otter says it highlights the uso part, meaning lie, so sometimes when the otter appears and says it, it’s like it’s commenting on how what we’re seeing and hearing isn’t the truth. I’m including this thought here, but it’s better applied elsewhere/throughout the whole series.

The fact that Mabu was always the person he used to be is killing me. They both love each other so much! (I wrote “loved” but for some reason spell check wanted me to change it to “love”. You’re right spell check, they LOVE each other).

We’re only two minutes into the episode and Enta’s lifespan is looking short. I don’t like that one bit...

Turns out that the weird cylinder Kazuki was holding onto in the PV was Keppi. He got jellyfied, although I always thought it looked more like a cheese. Just my preference lol.

I’m not sure if I should feel shock or immediate acceptance by the reveal that Reo and Mabu are kappa as well. This matches with the idea I had of Sarazanmai from long ago, sometime last fall, when thought that ReoMabu and the boys would be on the same side, but aiming for the same thing for their separate personal goals and thus have some conflict (similar to how several characters all had good reasons to get the diary in Penguindrum and were fighting over it). I gave up on that idea and never fully believed they would be otters, but I didn’t think they’d be kappa! I really like this development. I never wanted them to be otters so I’m very pleased that they aren't. This raises some interesting questions in regards to the manga. Is it a sequel to the anime after all? Is that the happy ending they’ll eventually get?

We get confirmation that they were indeed working for Keppi. I believed so after dish 6, but then I wavered when they were so chummy with the otters in the following episodes. It’s weird to see Keppi, Kazuki and Enta be so ...okay in Reo’s presence after what he did to Enta. I love Reo, but I would be a lot more visibly scared of him if I’d be there. I also find it a bit odd how Reo brings them along, although they do have the last plate that he needs so that explains it. He might also be pleasing Keppi.

The “elevator” scene screams ikuhara to me. Reo also says his “that’s hilarious” line from the Tsunagaru PV, which I’ve been waiting to hear in the anime!

“No one hesitates to give up their connections for the sake of their desires” :/

The next scene hurts a lot. It’s painful to watch. The only good thing about it is the promise of a song...

I have to add that while I think Sarazanmai looks amazing, the animation for Reo and Mabu could be a bit better. It looks a bit off and wonky and rough most of the time, at least when we aren’t getting close ups of them. Those are usually beautiful. 

I like how Keppi is yet another Ikuhara character who got turned into two beings. 

I don’t like that the otter enters Enta through his nostril. ...I’m also not sure if it’s better than entering someone through their butt or not.

So the otter shape shifted into Kazuki! It’s sweet that Enta’s able to break the trance because of how strongly he feels about his connection to Kazuki. I also wonder if what he’s saying is supposed to mean that he has no interest in a relationship with Kazuki. I know that Sarazanmai or Ikuhara doesn't shy away from gay relationships, but a lot of anime do this thing where they have gay characters be okay just staying by their love interests side, and I’m not a huge fan of it, although that’s literally me haha.

Kazuki tries to sacrifice himself for Enta, but he’s not having it. GOOD. 

I love how Reo shows up at the right time to collect all the dishes. The scene where Mabu falls down and looks at Reo breaks my heart. No music and it’s prolonged, like torture. But ah, how good!

We get the eyecatch and I can’t believe we’re halfway through the episode. So much has happened, but it doesn’t feel like that much time passed yet. The item for this episode is ningyou-yaki. Mabu’s obsession and Reo’s treat.

Mabu’s judgement falls on desire so he gets turned into a zombie. 

Shoutout to the pose Reo makes, ass out for Keppi to turn him into a kappa. I enjoyed that and the yelling. “Sing that song!” has me so hyped. Oh how I've missed Sarazanmai no Uta!!

I’ve seen fanart of Reo as a kappa and it looked just like he actually does! I’m quite amazed by this. 

I love that Mabu’s backing his singing. It’s both cool and sad how they’re singing together, but as a kappa and a zombie, so they’re not really a pair. This scene makes me so emotional. I can feel myself crumple up, my heart is hurting and I’m forgetting to breathe. Watching Sarazanmai is a health hazard. 

Mabu’s desire is revealed to be staying by Reo’s side. In order to do that he had to give up his connection to him. He has always been the same old Mabu. Can you believe how much he must’ve hurt not being able to say anything to Reo, while Reo’s been rejecting him? Classic misunderstanding, Reo comes in at the wrong time, hears and sees the wrong thing. At least this wasn’t an instance where an explanation would’ve helped. It would’ve literally killed Mabu.

I can’t believe that we get to witness otter-Reo climb into bed to fool around with Mabu. I like that we’re getting both words of love and acts of lust for them, even if the circumstances aren’t optimal to say the least. It’s just nice to see their relationship, or what was/could’ve been their relationship confirmed like this. 

Mabu turned into a kappa as well! I really like these kappa, how small and kinda clumsy they are. Especially the sound effects of them dropping down. 

Reo’s whole world has been turned around and Mabu’s focused on their mission lol. Then the two of them connect through sarazanmai. “Reo to Mabu Futari wa Sarazanmai”, Reo and Mabu together they [connect through] Sarazanmai. Now we understand the title of their spin-off manga!

The leak gives us flashbacks that we’ve seen before. Reo sees and misinterprets the scene at the hospital, Reo doesn’t accept the new Mabu, and talks about Mabu betraying him.

Mabu is finally able to tell Reo that he loves him. My heart... MABU’S HEART! It blows up and Keppi assimilates Mabu’s desire. Now they get a new silver plate to replace the one Enta broke, so that’s good, but the world is looking bleak for Reo. 

There are some interesting things to be said about the rings, but it’s 3AM and I don’t have the capacity to go through them right now. 

I like the very amphibian/reptilian traits they’ve given Keppi. He falls on his back and has trouble turning around!

Reo goes crazy, and then the inevitable happens. Mabu was erased from this world so he’s starting to forget about him. This is just heartbreaking to watch!

There’s a gunshot sound and Reo falls down. I was almost expecting him to take his own life in his desperation, but it’s Tooi who shoots him. 

Fun fact about character names and romaji. Back when the Reo to Mabu manga was first announced I had to basically flip a coin and decide whether I should use Reo or Leo to refer to my favourite character. I picked Leo, because I thought it was more reasonable and likely to be used. If you go through my blog archives you can find some post where I use it, most notably the synopses I wrote for the chapters as they came out. I changed my mind sometime during the fall when few people and no official sources were referring to him as Leo. That was a good call on my end. However I have do a little cheer now when the レオ ring says Leo. Ha! That’s what I used to use for him!

While I was okay with switching to Reo to accomodate to the rest of the fandom, I’m still pushing hard for everyone to start using Tooi. Leo/Reo was a choice, but Tooi is just a fact.

Anyway back to the episode, Keppi says that ReoMabu can finally get some sleep, so that indicates that they’ll be back. Hopefully. Otherwise a lot of people will be mighty upset. 

I had no idea the sara accessories were actual plates. Does that mean that Sara’s could be a wish granting one that will come in handy? 

The last scene is so incredibly intense. For some reason I never really considered that Tooi could actually come and try to take the plates from Kazuki and Enta in order to save his brother. Well, in the end he didn’t do that and was very understanding of the situation which I gotta give him props for. 

The ED changed again, now that which used to be 3 and got turned into 2 is down to 1. (Shadow and seagull)

The after credits scene starts and Enta’s back! Thank the Great Kappa. Poor Tooi though. Dark Keppi is pretty terrifying. 

This has been a rough night. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but damn if I haven’t been through a lot to get there. 

Only one episode left and then my life will be over.

I seriously don’t know what I’ll do after that. Cry?

Cry and rewatch everything again.