Split Screen: Last One’s a Rotten Egg!

Thanks for tuning in to Split Screen! Intro blogger Madelyn here. In last week’s edition, Boys, Flowers, and Heroes alike discovered the joys and perils (okay, mostly perils) of sports! This week, the games continue, as Jun-pyo and Ji-hoo face off in a NASCAR showdown, and Deku and the 1-A crew find themselves in the shows of NCAA athletes: exploited for a school’s financial gain! It’s a race to the finish, or at least to the middle, on this week’s Split Screen; let’s get started!

(New to Split Screen? Now’s a great time to jump in! You can check out the archive here.)

Boys Over Flowers Episode 7 (from minute 35)

M: I was expecting, in both episodes actually, that we were going to get a little further than we did.

E: I thought it would be swimming next episode. I actually thought more of the time was gonna taken up by Ji-hoo’s fear of cars and the drag race in general.

M: It’s incredible that his life-long trauma was cured by a cute sweater, a smile, and some porridge. No udon, even!

E: Yeah, and they even said like “he finally drove!” If this was his first time driving, I don’t buy that he won. I don’t buy that he won even if it wasn’t. Yet somehow…

M: Maybe he played some of Jun-pyo’s driving simulator? So he could learn the skills in a safe environment? That behavior is too healthy for this show.

E: Having now watched this whole episode, F2 seems to be solidly on Jun-pyo’s side, but I really thought one of them was going to sabotage his car. So, Jun-pyo would be out of commission, and that’s how Ji-hoo was going to win.

M: I couldn’t believe that. We’re way too early in the series for someone’s life to be in danger, especially in a sporting match.

E: I mean, I thought they were going to make it so he couldn’t start the car.

M: Oh, that makes more sense. It did seem that way when Woo-bin and Yi-jung went to talk to the racers in their respective locker rooms. They both conspicuously said “be careful,” which I thought pointed to shenanigans, that were not actually afoot.

E: Yes, the only shenanigans were Ji-hoo’s continuous descent into being a terrible friend.

M: In all respects. So far, he hasn’t been super horrible to Jan-di. The kiss was stupid and put her in a bad position, and he should have given the lost bracelet back right away. But he’s mostly treated her like a human being. This episode, he treated her like a prop.

E: Yes! The forehead kiss like…you who has lived through a car crash, why would you rattle your friend right before he got into a high speed car race with you? Wouldn’t him crashing be something that should rattle you up?

M: I know! It’s not like he did something that was likely to make Jun-pyo drive more slowly or carefully so he could beat him. He was betting on hothead Jun-pyo crashing his car in a romantic rage.

E: He even had that evil look when Jun-pyo spun out practicing. Like a rubbing his hands together and cackling kind of look.

M: Another comment on that scene: there is no way that Jun-pyo was able to see Jan-di and Ji-hoo as he was driving. That’s physically impossible.

E: Definitely not when he was that far away, moving that fast. They’d have been blurs at best.

M: Maybe he’s got a quirk.

E: Crossover when?

M: Boys Over Flowers would be a good anime, just saying.

E: Well, it is based on a manga.

M: I just think Ji-hoo would be a better anime villain. His hair would be better.

E: He pretty much is an anime villain already, even in live action.

M: Exactly! Anyway, there was no reason he couldn’t given Jan-di more notice about his plan than literally two seconds. Like, what was she going to do? Say “no, this is wrong, we’re not kissy friends?”

E: I mean, to be fair, I think he thought of the plan in the moment? He was like “ah, what happened last time I kissed his crush? Hm, he punched me. Seems good!”

M: But what was the evil look for? Wasn’t that him coming up with his murderous plan?

E: No, I think he was just happy Jun-pyo was upset. I don’t know. Maybe it was just a bad expression. Maybe it was bad acting.

M: If it was Yi-jung, we would have known exactly what he was thinking. Stellar silent acting there. 

E: Can we talk about Yi-jung? Yi-jung is such a gold star.

M: Yi-jung is the Platonic ideal of BFF.

E: I was really surprised with the direction they took the swimming competition, with Yi-jung volunteering to swim in place of Jun-pyo. I really thought- and maybe he’ll still have to- Jun-pyo would have to deal with that fear.

M: He definitely will eventually. Jan-di is a swimmer, so it’s Chekhov’s speedo. It was a really nice moment to have Yi-jung, who we’ve spent the whole series establishing is a good, cool dude, say he wasn’t going tolerate JI-hoo’s betrayal.

E: It really does say something strong about the friendship that, as soon as swimming came up, Yi-jung volunteered to fill in wheras with the driving, they were just like “ah well, rip Ji-hoo.”

M: I’m excited to see how the swimming turns out! I’m not totally sure of the outcome! It has already set up some great banter between Yi-jung and Ga Eul. That was delightful.

E: “Isn’t it more embarrassing to lose after working hard to beat a girl?” Amen.

M: And then he just puts her in her place. “The door is over there.”  Still, my tentative prediction is that he’s definitely going to blow it on purpose. That’s why he volunteered in the first place.

E: That’s a strong prediction.

M: Hear me out: Yi-jung is on Jun-pyo’s side, but he knows that Jun-pyo will completely embarrass himself if he tries to compete. Because there’s no way he would have conceded without a fight, right? He’s the Pride half of this romance, remember. But, Yi-jung also knows that Jun-pyo is going to regret this revenge crusade eventually. So, if Yi-jung throws the match, Jun-pyo keeps his dignity, but Ji-hoo doesn’t get kicked out. The only flaw in the plan being that irritating younger sibling (sorry, sis) Woo-bin has to be like, “me too, me too!”

E: Poor Woo-bin. When will he get to be a person?

M: We’ve also introduced the problematic outcome of a tie for this third round. Now that I think of it, that’s definitely what’s going to happen.

E: Is it a relay or two matches?

M: Unclear.

E: Or will Ga-eul run over Yi-jung with a bike? Or what was the other thing? Poison him with porridge?

M: Yeah. I loved, by the way, that we got confirmation that bow-tie man is interested in men.

E: I don’t know if it was confirmation or just the kind of teasing someone does when their friend has a “man-crush.”

M: Yeah, he wears star shaped bow-ties. I don’t how you quasi-offensively code a character as gay more strongly than that. 

E: I take back my Yi-jung/Ga-eul ship, We’re giving manager man to him and Jan-di to her, that works. I’m down with that.

M: No no no, Yi-jung deserves the world. Woo-bin, he’s a porridge guy. He could get into the healing powers of porridge.

E: Manager guy was very passionate about porridge. It’s good he’s running a restaurant that serves porridge. He’s living his dream

M: Who wanted porridge in Persona 5?

E: I think Yusuke wanted porridge. And you could be like “eff you Yusuke, you’re poor and I want udon.”

M: Right, and just out of curiosity, is there some association between porridge and…you know?

E: ??????????????

M: Like, is porridge a feminine thing in Asia?

E: I don’t know. Bears eat it.

M: Asking the big questions here. Wow. Bears? Got it.

E: Goldilocks.

M: Yeah, bears are other things in other communities.

E: I know!

M: Okay, so let’s change the subject. There was a huge revelation from Jan-di’s family in the final moments of the episode.

E: Yes, it turns out her brother is her father, since he raised her. Raised her poorly.

M: No! You can’t say that! I was just wondering if Jan-di’s paternity was going to be questioned.

E: Not laundry dad!

M: He would still consider her his daughter, even if she is the product of an affair.

E: What a thing to say in front of your children though.

M: He’s clearly still hurt about it. Everyone on this show could use some therapy.

E: And only some of them can afford it. Ba dum ching

M: It does raise the possibility of strange people being related to each other. We could squash this Ji-hoo thing real quick if they were related.

E: Please no. I don’t want the Veronica Mars “you’re my sister!!! thing”

M: I couldn’t remember where else I had seen this before, but yeah, there it is.

E: I mean, in the end, they did not turn out to be related. Thankfully.

M:  Wow, spoilers for an ongoing series. They’re bringing it back again, did you know?

E: Yes, I did know. I am cautiously excited.

M: Okay, speaking of inappropriate relationships: the Romance Tracker!

E: Well, on the Next Time, Jan-di and Ji-hoo go on a date. And that’s terrible. I’m super not looking forward to that.

M: But will she tell Jun-pyo she likes him? And satisfy that cliff-hanger? Will we even find out what she said?

E: Probably not. Probably not to both those things.

M: Ugh, lame. There’s no way she ends up with Ji-hoo, right?

E: I really really really really hope not.

M: But there’s no way, right? I’m in the bargaining phase of grief here.

E: Please, I’ll give you Woo-bin!

M: If it took Yi-jung dying in a tragic accident to keep Jan-di from ending up with Ji-hoo, would you script that?

E: Could we stage a dramatic “he’s not actually dead!” in Season 2?

M: Is that your prediction?

E: Sure. We’ll see if I’m correct in about a year.

M: I’m still team Jun-pyo for the romance tracker. Cannot believe that I’m saying this given that, he basically sexually assaulted Jan-di just a few episodes ago.

E: Yeah. Like a couple of times. Now he’s just hugging her. Progress!!!!

M: I hope he actually apologizes. In contrast to the terrible apologies we keep getting from Ji-hoo.

E: I feel like we’ll get some apologies from him. Possibly still terrible apologies, but more heartfelt.

M: Wrapping this up, my non-romantic prediction, separate from the twelve I’ve already made in this blog, is that Woo-bin has a talent for laundry and dry cleaning, and he’s eventually going to meet the fam and get really into that. I feel like he’d get along with Jan-di’s dad.

E: Yes. All the yes. I want him to be a mentor figure for Kang-san.

M: I’d watch that show. Honestly, Kang-san could be his mentor.

E: I take it back, that’s better.

My Hero Academia S2E2: Roaring Sports Festival

M: I sound like a broken record, but not that much happened, at least relative to my expectations.

E: Fair enough. I mean I think they needed to get through all this set-up, bring the focus in on important characters coming up, and get it kicked off. And they did all that.

M: I get that,  I just feel like we didn’t need the montage of everybody training in the first third. It’s fun animation, it’s reminder of the powers, I understand. I just would have rather advanced one obstacle further in the course.

E: Yeah. I think they’re trying to give you stronger impressions of all the other students. Since they’ll be, like, doing stuff this season.

M: A few more of them did stick with me, if only because their powers suck.

E: Tape Man and Tail Man, you don’t like them?

M: You mean Mysterious Appendage Man?

E: It’s just a big tail.

M: It’s too thick to be a tail.

E: Oh no. Mineta’s getting to you. Or me.

M: I said nothing inappropriate. That’s on you.

E: Damn it. The Lenny faces are contagious.

M: This is skipping ahead, but I loved that we got to see a useful application of Mineta’s powers, and then he just completely failed.

E: Yes, it was actually pretty smart! Using the stickiness of his balls and the way they don’t stick to him to speed up his movement and avoid the ice on the ground. That shot of him bearing down on an incredulous Todoroki is great. Good application of Mineta!

M: I felt like he was pretty understated this episode. They didn’t even have him comment on the R-Rated MC. By the way, some hypocritical body-shaming going on there.

E:Yeah. Fair enough.

M: Like, Axel, (E: STOP) I’m sorry I just don’t know his real name!

E: It’s Kirishima

M: Whatever. Do we know it’s him and not Kirishima’s nobody?

E: YES. JEEZ. GOD.

M: I’m sorry, we just watched 358/2 so it’s even worse this time. Anyway, the character who bears no resemblance to any other Japanese pop culture character, he goes around shirtless as his costume all the time, and nobody says that he’s showing off the goods too much.

E: I mean, I think the major problem is her “dominatrix” persona at a minors’ sports festival

M: I dunno, Momo disrobes pretty much constantly, and even when she’s robed, her outfit is a lot “worse” than Midnight’s. But still, who gave her this gig?

E: I guess the Principal?

M: Principal Dogface needs to pull it together. Momo with another insightful comment: where do they get the money for this?

E: I honestly don’t know. I don’t think they charge tuition so…or I don’t know that actually. I imagine they don’t charge the heroes tuition at least unless Uraraka has a scholarship? I don’t know.

M: Is UA a public school? Do they have to pay materials fees for their hero electives?

E: I know in Japan that you have to apply to your high school no matter what. So I have no idea if it’s public or private.

M: There are a bunch of NYC public high schools you have to apply to as well. This is how I make my money until Boys Over Flowers gives me a sponsorship. In this world, I would be a hero tutor. All-Might could have charged Deku through the nose.

E: I have a localization note today. Let’s get into my corner. Get comfy cozy. So, Madelyn do you think phrases “all I have to do is beat them” and “all you have to do is rise to the top” are equivalent?

M: One seems a little more passive than the other?

E: I think the “I” versus “you” is important too. One’s speaking to a person, the other’s just making a statement. Like one’s more of a “worry about yourself” advice and the other’s just being a jerk. Right? I don’t know, it bothered me.

M: Sure, that seems right to me. There’s a lot of jerkish behavior at UA though.

E: As I watch more it, and maybe this is influenced by where I am in the anime right now or maybe it’s a matter of voice actor preference, but… I feel like the dub doesn’t quite shift the ways the characters talk over time. Like they have the way the characters’ talk and they don’t change it even as the characters change.

M: Those slight tonal shifts are so hard.

E: That’s one of Bakugo’s lines, by the way in case you don’t remember. I feel like most of my localization corners are gonna be about Bakugo. But they made a point this episode at the pledge for Deku to say “he seems different, he would have laughed before.” But then, they don’t carry that difference over to other areas. Maybe it’s just me. It’s not like it’s bad, just missed opportunities.

M: Let’s not forget perhaps the biggest missed opportunity of the series to date. It’s a sports event. Why not have someone sing the national anthem?

E: I really wish that’s where they’d gone with it. Like Bakugo is up there, planning to make his pledge. And Midnight is like: “okay, strike up the band!”

M: That’s how it works: the athletes come on the field, and then the anthem is performed. Bakugo was called to the mic. What was I supposed to think?

E: Would that have counted as something happening?

M: Yes!

E: Uh, other things that happened. Todoroki and Deku are competing to be the one true negger.

M: He did a good job, but it’s easier to neg Deku. He practically begs for it. Try picking on someone a little higher ranked.

E: You know, Deku actually handled it quite well for it basically coming out of nowhere.

M: That did show character growth. There was not a tear to be seen.

E: I probably would have cried. I probably would have cried in that situation.

M: No, it’s just incredibly ridiculous. Hilarious, really. This fifteen year old just came up to you and was like, “I don’t care you have a teacher friend, I’m better!”

E: Here’s a question I’m going to start asking this every episode from now on. What other character does Todoroki remind you of?

M: Can you give me a little more of a hint than that?

E: Also animated.

M: Charmander.

E: Yes, that’s it. You got it right. No. I’ll ask again next time. We also met Purple-Haired Dude from general studies.

M: Poor general studies. They’re like, the BAs to my theatre BFA in college. No shade, just under-appreciated.

E: Honestly though? Poor Business students. What are they doing there?

M: Nah, don’t hate on the business students. These heroes don’t know how to manage the important but less flashy side of their careers. Producer types are important!

E: They are, but I don’t want them in my obstacle course.

M: They should be grateful. They could be shark head man in the stands. At least they’re hero adjacent.

E: Tell them that when Todoroki has crushed them with a robot. And finally, there’s also a Class 1-B!

M: AKA the Extras.

E: Yeah. I mean, technically the classes aren’t done by rank. Like 4 students admitted by recommendations, 2 of them in each class. But also, they’re Bs.

M: Well, I for one am excited to see how Todoroki royally screws it up in about three episodes when they’ve made it through about a kilometer of the 4k course.

E: It moves faster than that, don’t worry.

M: Who do you think is the winner of Lawsuit Watch this week?

E: Depends how many people were under that robot.

M: I don’t think there was anything in Boys Over Flowers that was suit-worthy!

E: Yeah, there was pretty much nothing. Except for the time Jun-pyo kicked that dude in the shin.

M: Meanwhile, all of the parents of the UA kids have a class-action lawsuit for the pain and suffering they endured watching this on TV.

E: Poor Mrs. Deku.

M: Mama Deku.

E: She’s recording it in HD!!!

M: I’m ready to make some predictions!

E: It’s called “In Their Own Quirky Ways”

M: That’s an unacceptable pun.

E: You’re not allowed to say that.

M: I think I’m more qualified than most to say that.

E: Well, give me some quirky predictions

M: Okay one: the heroes start to embrace their birthright of making dumb puns when they overcome villains and/or obstacles.

E: You know, something I’ve noticed from the dub clips I’ve seen, they’re much punnier in the dub. I mean, maybe they just don’t translate in the sub, but so many puns.

M: Puns are super hard to translate, so I’m not surprised. Now give me my emoji.

E:

M: Another prediction: Probably someone we have never heard of will win the race. Honestly, invisible girl has probably already won.

E: She could probably just circle back around.

M: Just take off her clothes and take a few steps back.

E:

M: Final prediction for the day: Aizawa gets really into the commentary, against all odds.

E: Oh, something you should keep in mind throughout all of this is that they’re on a loudspeaker.

M: Yeah, like a sports game!

E: Anyway, emoji.

–

Hello, it’s Emma here! As always, thanks for following along with us on these shows, we’re really enjoying it. If you want to watch the episodes, we’re doing My Hero Academia dubbed from Hulu and Boys Over Flowers on Netflix!

Next time, we get some epic swimming action on Boys Over Flowers and also Jan-di goes on a date with Ji-hoo so he doesn’t drown or anything, what a shame. And on My Hero Academia, the obstacle course continues as Todoroki continues to freeze out the competition. Heh heh, get it? Freeze out…okay I’ll leave.

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