Review: DAKAICHI – I’m being harassed by the sexiest man of the year (Episode 2)

DAKAICHI – I’m being harassed by the sexiest man of the year | (抱男1位に脅されています (Dakaretai Otoko 1-i ni Odosarete Imasu)
Episode 2: Is He Sick of Me Already? | あいつ、もう俺に飽きやがったのか？

It’s an unfortunate truth that not every 18+ erotic yaoi manga gets adapted into a BL anime. Sometimes, it’s for a reason. Sometimes, that reason is seeing this stuff acted and animated gets really weird, really quick.

So with that, it’s time for Dakaichi Episode 2.

Right, we’re doing this.

After successfully banging his idol, Junta is insatiable. He follows Takato around on set like a dog in dire need of a hobby, and then coerces him into coming home with him every night for more sex. Of course, Takato actually does like having sex with Junta, but he makes a big show of being annoyed by Junta’s relentless sexual harassment. (Because, to be clear, it is sexual harassment. Not clutching any pearls, but it really is right there in the series’ title.)

The on-set production crew laughs off the fact that Junta is constantly making Takato uncomfortable by practically molesting him between scenes. Takato’s own manager is  amused that Takato is being dragged away ostensibly against his will every night. Ha, ha (?). But remember, Takato is actually consenting to this, though as Junta innocently explains, sometimes consent happens after he’s had his way with him.

But one day, Junta inexplicably starts to ignore Takato. He won’t talk with him on set, he sneaks away after work, and he certainly isn’t giving Takato the D. Takato is right to be concerned by this sudden change in attitude, because in my opinion, there’s a 95% chance that this means Junta just found out he has chlamydia and he’s afraid to tell Takato because he’s a little bitch.

Takato gets more and more pissed off at his taciturn fuck-buddy until he finally snaps. He corners Junta, and in a staggering 180, starts to force Junta to have sex despite Junta’s protests. My, have the tables turned. Just as Junta starts to give in, he sneezes, and the game is revealed: it’s not chlamydia, but it is the common cold. He kept his distance to avoid passing it on to Takato.

Wow, compelling. This episode would’ve been a solid 20% better if it really had been chlamydia.

Anyway, Takato makes Junta special tea with honey, but, as you were probably just about to guess, they use the honey for sexual purposes instead. I get the feeling honey sex was pretty erotic in this series’ explicit manga counterpart. However, the anime modestly  crops out almost what you’d expect. I say almost, because it remarkably censors less than you would expect. Well, it’s not like they thought they were fooling anyone. There’s only so much you can pretend to censor when you need dialogue scenes that involve a naked  Takato dripping with roughly 2000 calories’ worth of freaking honey, writhing and moaning on a coffee table.

A BRIEF ASSESSMENT

I’ll be honest, I enjoyed episode 1. I am a battle-scarred veteran when it comes to the depravities of yaoi. I can take quite a lot.

But what I really can’t stand is being bored by inexplicably childish drama. To some extent, it’s a matter of mundane plots just not being for me. I acknowledge this. Some people may have found Episode 2’s drama hilarious. I did not. I have no idea why Junta wouldn’t tell Takato he had a cold. Did he disengage because he thought Takato didn’t like spending time with him anyway, so what did it matter? If that’s the case, why does he keep pursuing Junta, anyway? Should I find it sexy? Well…

WHICH GETS TO THE BIGGEST PROBLEM HERE:

Junta is so fucking annoying. I’m not talking about the problematic issues of consent; Junta is aggravating outside of that. I hate his overwhelming stalker-ish obsession with Takato that precludes any other defining character traits. I hate how he’s animated with angel wings to slop kawaii goop over his creepiness. I don’t even like his fish-eyed face. In the absence of any intriguing facet of personality, and without even the courtesy to be more aesthetically pleasing, I am filled with dread every time he pops up on screen. Which is, alas, a lot of the time.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND…

I still like Takato.

He’s got some solid characterization: he’s competitive, vicious, and hides his hot temper behind a cool facade. But more importantly, he’s actually funny, and it’s also weirdly adorable that he tears up during sex. Takato is amusing and likeable as an MC, and anyway, I’m compelled to root for mature ukes, because you’re never too old to be swept off your feet by the sensual, albeit somewhat problematic power of Boy’s Love.

At any rate, it’s good that Takato works well, because besides Junta, there are literally no other established characters in the cast yet.

FINAL THOUGHTS: #1 HUGGABLE ANIME IS SLIPPING TO AN EMBARRASSING #2

The fact that this show is, at its heart, a goofy comedy relaxes the awkwardness of the scenario. In an anime like this, everything is hyperbolic. What we see is exaggerated and over-the-top, so you can’t take the core plot too seriously. That’s important to remember. But hyperbole necessitates humor, and episode 2 just wasn’t as funny as episode 1, and if I’m not laughing, the clearance rack quality of the show becomes more apparent. Dakaichi has got to up its comedic game if it’s actually invested in pulling this off.

WHERE TO WATCH IT (LEGALLY): Crunchyroll

Previous: Episode 1