Hello there, Split Screen readers! June is busting out all over, and so is the drama on Coffee Prince and My Hero Academia. Everyone’s parents have issues on Coffee Prince, and My Hero Academia is ready for a literal food fight. Keep reading for all this and more!
And don’t forget that Class 1-A says that Black Lives Matter. I’m sure Emma will have resources in the closer too, but consider supporting your local mutual aid groups.
(New to Split Screen? Catch up on all the action here!)
Coffee Prince Eighth Cup (from minute 31)
M: The star of this episode was Grandma.
E: I love his Grandma. I am not hyped for her inevitable death.
M: Maybe she’ll make a miraculous recovery, you don’t know!
E: It’s true, it could be like Ji-hoo’s granddad from Boys Over Flowers.
M: He did eventually die though.
E: Yeah, but like, off-screen.
M: In the epilogue, you’re right.
E: I’d be okay with her peacefully passing away off screen. I just don’t think that’s how Coffee Prince is gonna play it.
M: This wealthy dying old woman is really tolerant of the irritating poor pretty boy, huh?
E: I mean, she puts up with her own grandson pretty well, and at least Eun-chan is a motivated young man.
M: No one can resist Eun-chan’s charms.
E: She is very cheerful and always very determined to get along.
Look at this cool grandma
M: The scene where they all had shaved ice, bing soo I guess, was quite cute. Much of the rest of the episode was decidedly not cute, so it was a welcome respite.
E: While they’re bonding with grandma, Min-yup and Ha-rim have somehow managed to ring Sun-ki into helping with their plan of scaring Eun-sae enough to fall in love with Min-yup. It does not go well.
M: Was that the original plan, or was it just to steal her phone and see what she’s been up to? It didn’t seem like beating up Ha-rim and Sun-ki was part of the original idea, but maybe Min-yup just went Hulk when he saw Eun-sae’s scraped knee.
E: I don’t think they were supposed to take her phone, but they panicked when she took their picture and started to call the police. I think they were just supposed to mildly bother her and then Min-yup was supposed to swoop in.
M: What a mess. I mean, it worked, but what a terrible plan.
E: Sun-ki is also blackmailing Eun-chan into cleaning Mr. Hong’s place. So, that’s gonna go well, I can imagine.
M: As you said, it might be life-saving.
E: Pretty convinced Ha-rim will die in there if nothing is done.
M: I wish every episode contained a little vignette of life at Mr. Hong’s.
E: Imagine social distancing in Mr. Hong’s apartment.
M: It’s too late, there are droplets everywhere.
They are basically already dead here though
E: Speaking of Mr. Hong, what is going on with the weird adults’ love triangle?
M: It’s so disconnected from everything else.
E: I mean, I appreciate that Eun-chan’s mom has a life outside of her children. It’s nice that she’s an actual person. But what’s going on?
M: Remember how she used to have a spending problem? What happened to that? What happened to their debt?
E: I think Eun-chan made enough to pay back the diamond ring problem from the fake dates at the beginning. And her mom was touching all the cherries a few episodes ago. So, she’s shopping.
M: Was the diamond ring from…I want to call him the poet guy, but Mr. Hong also wrote a poem this time, so that’s not specific enough.
E: No, she had like borrowed it from a friend or something. I don’t think Poet Guy would have charged her if she lost it.
M: That makes more sense. You know what doesn’t make sense? Han-sung.
E: He doesn’t even know that DK is back, which is sort of what I thought was going to trigger that moment. But no, it just sort of happens.
M: And he has Eun-chan listed in his phone as “Kiddo.” Ick.
E: I think we already knew that.
M: But now they’ve kissed!
E: What, you don’t use “kiddo” as a pet name with Clickbait Boyfriend?
M: Let’s try it right now.
*brief intermission*
Please hold
E: Test results?
M: He was surprisingly calm about it. We’ve degenerated into communicating mostly through nonsense syllables and Progressive insurance jingles, so anything goes.
E: But Han-sung does continue to be the least well-defined character.
M: When they revealed that he loves music because he was a neglected as a kid…as if that was some huge revelation?
E: To be fair, it wasn’t at all framed like a huge revelation. There was no dramatic music or deep facial expression. He just sort of mentions it off-hand. So I don’t think the writing was expecting you to be deeply affected by that, unlike some other scenes from this half-episode.
M: You mean unlike the scene where Han-gyul dropped the truth bomb on his dad that he knows he’s a bastard son?
E: Yeah, exactly that scene.
M: And that all he wants to do is go to New York and design Legos?
E: I love that for him. I love that he wants to make toys.
M: As tragic parental backstories go, Han-gyul’s is so much more fun.
E: It’s not even that out-there either? Both his and Han-sung’s parental hang-ups are relatively believable. There are no manipulative post-coma videos, for example.
M: That was so much in Boys Over Flowers. Nope, just good old fashioned loving grandmas and mothers that are more real than your real mother here. Who seems to be dead, by the way.
E: Not knocking manipulative post-coma videos, by the way.
M: It’s an effective strategy.
E: But yeah, his real mother is definitely dead if his father holds memorials for her.
M: What a weird thing to do if she wasn’t dead, just cancelled.
“Listen, Han-gyul, she trashed My Hero Academia, I couldn’t let that stand.”
E: I also liked the touch that his dad doesn’t know that he can’t handle hard alcohol. Like, bringing back that extremely specific personality trait to hammer home that he and his dad don’t know each other very well. It’s good. Would have been better, if it was like, he served him a plate of cucumbers or something.
M: Like a cucumber margarita.
E: Yeah!
M: Let’s talk about the worst plan of the episode.
E: We already knew Han-gyul was not in the right headspace because he started taking those extremely sketchy meds from the awful psychiatrist in the first half of this episode. But his plan to bury his gay feelings is sure…creative.
M: “Ah yes, you are seducing me. But I am not gay. So let’s be blood brothers and get matching piercings.”
E: Getting matching piercings, by the way? Definitely not gay.
M: It depends on the ear, stereotypically.
E: I think even if you did it on the wrong ear, matching anything is a little…raised eyebrows.
M: 
E: Those guys are just being responsible now.
M: Yes, how very prescient.
E: But yeah, this whole brother thing is going to be extremely uncomfortable for at least an episode.
M: When is he going to find out? Min-yup is already running around telling everyone he would never smooch Eun-chan. It’s only a matter of time.
E: I mean, he has to find out eventually. Probably. At this point though, I’m worried that Eun-chan could just tell him and he’d be like “funny joke, bro.”
M: At least we know that scene would have some weird, trance underscoring.
E: Well, that’s sort of Romance Tracker but….Romance Tracker? What’s gonna happen with Han-sung and Yoo-joo now?
M: I sure hope she leaves him for Donkey Kong, who by all accounts is a better match.
E: We’ll have to learn more about Donkey Kong first. Where’s Diddy? Huh?
M: I don’t even know where to begin.
E: If he’s hiding his secret child named Diddy, then I think Yoo-joo still deserves better. Twist, that’s the child Sun-ki is looking for. When will Sun-ki find his child?
M: 
E: No.
M: Tag them.
E: Donkey Kong. Diddy as the secret child. I guess Yoo-joo is the girl. And the old man Kong is Mr. Hong.
M: Good picks.
E: You can tell I’m deep in Donkey Kong lore by how I know all their names.
M: Mr. Kong and Mr. Hong have a similar ring to them.
E: Well, judging from the next on, there will at least be some cute shenanigans from Han-gyul and Eun-chan as they aggressively call each other bro, I’m guessing.
M: There’s going to be so much passive-aggressive, sexually-charged bro-ing. It’s going to be a real treat.
E: I’m excited and terrified.
My Hero Academia S4E8: “Suneater of the Big Three”
M: Am I allowed to talk about what I think was a major strategic misstep?
E: Man, if only Todoroki was here with his ice blasts!
M: No no no, that would freeze the octopus. You don’t want frozen seafood, that’s idiotic.
E: If only Todoroki was here with his fire blasts!
M: That might be okay.
E: Just more takoyaki.
M: I don’t understand how this group of like twenty pro heroes thought “yeah, we won’t all just real quick work together to take out these now octopus-encased villains! Let’s leave the child with crippling anxiety to fight them all himself instead! I’m Aizawa, and I approve this message.”
E: My issue is actually the opposite? I think everything would have flowed better if they just moved pretty much as soon as Amajiki said “leave it to me!” Like have one confirmation question from Fat Gum, when he says “I’m good,” then get going.
M: I agree that would have worked better. They stood around talking about how they needed to keep going and not get slowed down by the riff-raff for longer than it would have taken to knock them out.
E: I mean, the ticket here is that Overhaul is a moving target and they need to get going to catch up. So I understand why piling on could be a time consuming and an unnecessary risk if someone ended up getting hurt. But you gotta…just go guys. Just go.
M: It was freaky how they ran through a literal giant intestine at first. Or how Mimic was making the wall do the worm. I guess that’s an alternative explanation.
E: I like that better than thinking of them like being in his body as an extension of the walls. I don’t like that thought.
M: You know what I don’t like? Mirio’s hair costume.
E: Hey, he’s not nude anymore. Stepping up.
peek a boo
M: I know he has a finite amount of hair. But please, give him some super strength Rogaine, and make him a school uniform that doesn’t lead to so much flashing.
E: They’re probably stockpiling it up. Although, at this point, why bother. He’s gonna graduate soon.
M: How many kids at UA have compromising photos of him?
E: When you’re naked so much, are they compromising anymore?
M: You know, fair enough.
E: I do like the touch that his hair is long in the flashbacks. He was probably storing it up for the costume.
M: Let’s talk about the fight. Suneater literally ate rocks to win, is that right?
E: Technically, he ate crystal. Are crystals rocks?
M: Unless you’re telling me it’s rock candy crystals that this guy generates, it’s the same conclusion.
E: Yeah, he ate one of the crystals that broke off. So apparently he can use parts of Quirks to use those Quirks. Which is handy.
M: Must be genetic.
E: He must have to have a very odd diet based on what’s most useful to him in a fight. Seems to be mostly seafood.
These weapons are not sprouting from his tentacles, but imagine if they were
M: Noodles would be fun.
E: I don’t know if you would make the noodles though? Or if it would be like wheat. Because he doesn’t grow takoyaki, he grows octopus parts.
M: What about the oil in takoyaki? Could he manifest that?
E: Again, wouldn’t that be plants?
M: Yeah, but you don’t see him shooting sesame seeds everywhere.
E: We did see him growing plants out of his hand.
M: It would be dope if he ate some onion rings and then could make all his enemies cry.
E: Would have the side effect of probably also making himself cry, but yeah.
M: I love how every class has its pair of boys with an unhealthy relationship from elementary school.
E: This is a very different relationship though.
M: I’m not saying they’re the same, I’m just saying the dynamic here is weird and kinda bad.
E: Why? It certainly seems to have been a little unhealthy, but that was in the flashback. And it was more Suneater putting Mirio on a pedestal.
M: Yeah, but he’s still doing that a decade later. He’s never come out of his shell, because he’s never had to since Mirio has always been there.
E: I think you’re reading into things a little far here. I mean, he goes and does his work study in Osaka with Fat Gum, way away from Mirio. And he handles himself here. So to me it seems like Mirio is still an inspiration, but not quite as godlike as he used to be.
M: His hero name is still Suneater, literally referencing eating Mirio. So, that’s a little weird. Maybe it’s not as bad as Eraser Head, but…
Clearly neither of these kids realized that Suneater mostly sounds like an innuendo, somebody tell them
E: Listen the moral of the story is don’t let your friends pick your hero name. They will pick something bad.
M: Loved that Clickbait Boyfriend got a cameo this episode.
E: If he keeps eating like that, he will be cast out of society. Into the dumpster.
M: I knew this pandemic was punishment for something.
E: As throwaway as they are, I do appreciate the absolute pride these villains take in being trash. I just think it’s a little motivational, that’s all.
M: That’s Mr. Trash to you!
E: It’s also somewhat of a nice small subversion in the fight that Suneater uses the fact that they’re friends against them. Which is typically a more villainous type of move. Because villains don’t have friends.
M: Your friends are my power.
E: Damn, I can’t wait for the Kingdom Hearts boss that throws that line out there, that’s powerful.
M: “Hearts are all connected, trace the connections, connect to the darkness.”
E: Anything else from this episode?
M: I thought the secret door had a gigantic panel. A huge purple button with a vase on top.
E: It was a little better than that.
M: I look forward to more [Yakuza Yelling] next time.
[yakuza yells]
M: I think Coffee Prince was more caffeinated, if only because Suneater didn’t appear to machine gun coffee beans.
E: What would be the best food to machine gun, do you think?
M: I mean, he can eat anything. So bullets, clearly.
E: Again, I don’t think they would come out like bullets though. It would be unprocessed metal.
M: Good enough.
E: Season 4 episode 9 is called “Red Riot”
M: We already watched this one.
E: He’s not gutsy this time.
M: Ruh roh.
E: Nor is anyone telling him “Let’s Go”
M: I have no idea where this is going because there are still five yakuza super bullets or whatever they’re called.
E: Your math is correct. Eight minus three is five.
M: What is this, Cementoss’s class?
E: Prediction one, Cementoss stands in their way. They must solve an algebra problem. Kirishima is doomed.
M: 
E: I can’t make the predictions, come on, do your job.
M: Prediction two: This time, they’ll leave Kirishima behind on his own to fight all five of the remaining yakuza lords. The children are here as a sacrifice, nothing more.
E: 
M: Prediction three: Mirio is going to get himself captured. Ewww, like he’ll be partially phased through something and then get shot with a quirk-blocking dart. Best case scenario, he’s inside somewhere he can’t get out. Worst case, he loses a limb.
E: 
IIIII
M: I didn’t mean his head would be halfway through! He’ll lose a foot or something.
E: It’s for dramatic effect.
M: Prediction four: we’re going to see Keyblade’s power this time, which will probably be that he can unlock any puzzle. He can always figure out the solution. Something dumb.
E: 
M: Prediction five: the way they smuggle Eri out will be inside Fat Gum. Poor girl. Ha, remember when they negged Aizawa by saying you’re worse than a toddler! A second-rate baby! When she’s his secret daughter!
E: 
–
Hey there everyone! Thanks for watching along with us! We’re watching the MHA dub on Funimation and Coffee Prince on Tubi if you want to catch up now.
And, hey, if you ever find yourself wanting to read My Hero Academia (or Boys Over Flowers for that matter), maybe consider ditching Amazon and finding yourself a local black-owned bookstore or comic shop. That’s my current project at least- not reading MHA but ditching Amazon for local businesses where I can. Either way, don’t let yourself stop working.
Next time! The next kid on the chopping block is Kirishima, although it’s more of an accident this time. Also, Eun-chan and Han-gyul do bro things. God help us all.