KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE ‒ Episodes 9-11
Taken together, these three episodes put the squeeze on Kuroe and Minami's relationship, in ways that are both typical of the genre and exclusive to Kaiju Girl Caramelise's particular brand of weirdness. The result is a mixed bag. Some of these misunderstandings and missed connections feel like too-familiar contrivances, while other moments flow more fluidly into the series' monster-sized metaphor for gender, adolescence, and romance.
A good example is the introduction of Kuroe's atomic breath, which reveals itself only after she continues bottling up the words she wishes to say to Minami. This gap in communication is a sign of trouble for any relationship, but it's an understandable pratfall for two teens with little experience in this space. I know I sucked at saying what was on my mind to my first girlfriend, and I also know how those unspoken thoughts can fester into a far more severe problem. Hence, I love the visual of this anxiety literally boiling over inside of Kuroe, to the point where it manifests physiologically into an energy blast. That's what it feels like! There's the pain of holding it in, the relief of letting it out, and the smoldering remains such words can leave behind.
The show also introduces new side characters for Kuroe and Minami to interact with while they spend this time apart, and these characters contrast each other in interesting ways. On Kuroe's side, her true nature is sussed out by Daichi, a 5th grader who looks like a teen due to an unspecified manifestation of Jack disease. Here, I like how Kuroe's initial terror turns to sympathy and friendship once she learns about Daichi's true nature. A strange guy her age who knows her secret can use that information to his advantage. A misfit little kid is somebody she can relate to.
And naturally, the series draws parallels between Kuroe's and Daichi's “conditions.” Daichi's peers perceive him as an “other” they can exploit for their own purposes (in this case, nude mags), and it pressures Daichi into going along so he can feel like a part of them. This is the same fear of rejection that caused Kuroe to draw inward, and Kuroe recognizes that. In fact, the two of them must see and accept each other authentically. Kuroe says that it feels “relaxing” being around Daichi, in contrast to Minami, whom she still hides her kaiju parts from. This is analogous to how I've felt hanging out with other queer people, and particularly other trans people since coming out. There's an implicit lack of pretense—no expectations that any of us need to explain ourselves—that is both freeing and nourishing. It's very sweet to see Kuroe finally experience some of that.
While Kuroe bonds with a boy her junior, Daichi forms more tenuous connections with two older women. This, I believe, is the narrative's way of confronting his naivete. However endearing that aspect of him may be, it also confounds his attempts to understand Kuroe and her emotional baggage. Touko, the TV producer, takes advantage of Minami's naivete and easily pressures him into being her cash cow. He believes he has good reasons for doing so, but in reality, he lacks the courage to push back. Being too nice has its drawbacks. Seina, the actress, pushes his buttons as well, yet she does not do so to manipulate him. This week, she actually gives him salient advice about escaping Touko's claws and thinking more intently about Kuroe's feelings. Kuroe needed to find her comfort zone with Daichi; Minami needed pressure outside of his comfort zone from Touko and Seina.
The counterpoint is that, together, Kuroe and Minami both screw up big time throughout these episodes, with each of them jumping to conclusions after seeing the other in an easily explainable compromising position. This makes sense as a manifestation of the kaiju-sized elephant in the room, which only continues to drive a wedge while it remains unaddressed. However, it also feels like a cheap source of drama that just prolongs the dance the story has to do to keep Harugon's true nature secret. I had hoped we would not spend the entire season with Minami in the dark, because forcing the two of them to confront and talk about it would be more interesting. If we're looking at their relationship through the trans theming, then it's pretty realistic to expect some frank conversations about expectations, anxieties, and other factors. Of course, such conversations can and should be had in any intimate relationship, and I'm curious to see how Kaiju Girl Caramelise will handle them. However, it doesn't look like we'll have much time to do so this season, if we'll have any time at all.
I am not too enthused about Akae's presence in the story either. Generally speaking, I'm not that interested in Kuroe's origins. Some girls turn into kaiju. That's normal to me. Rinko's motivations, on the other hand, have become very mercurial. The kaiju-obsessed scientist is a well-worn archetype, but I'm not sure if the show is saying anything coherent about how that intersects with Rinko as a mother, because that's the only other mode we've seen her in. It definitely paints her earlier controlling behavior in a more negative light. I wonder if Rinko sees Akae as a “better” kaiju, improving on Kuroe's “deficiencies.” Akae can fly, for example, while Kuroe's wings look vestigial and undeveloped. She is neither a normal girl nor a normal kaiju. She is a freak among freaks, and that is a big trans mood.
In this week's episode, Akae's attack and subsequent fight with Kuroe take up the bulk of the runtime, and while I respect the series for playing up the tropes and images of the monster movie genre, it lacks the compelling themes of the internal and interpersonal dramas. The anime's production values do not serve these action scenes either, which look passable but unremarkable. The big fight scene picks up once the comedy comes into focus, with the audibly frightened and visibly crying Kuroe whipping Akae around by the tail like Bowser in Super Mario 64. She's a big dork, not a badass heroine, and that's exactly what I want to see. I also want to see Minami finally link those two brain cells and realize that Kuroe is Harugon. We are quickly running out of plausible deniability. But it does not look like that will happen before Akae puts Kuroe through another round of pummeling.
Despite my complaints, Kaiju Girl Caramelise remains a fun time with a cute cast of lovable idiots. The core concept is good enough to sustain a bout of spinning its wheels. However, next week's season finale has a lot of work to do if it wants to end on an appropriately transformative note, with Kuroe and Minami poised to take the next step in their relationship.
Episode 9 Rating:
Episode 10 Rating:
Episode 11 Rating:
KAIJU GIRL CARAMELISE is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
Sylvia is on Bluesky for all of your posting needs. She is a girl who likes kaiju. You can also catch her chatting about trash and treasure alike on This Week in Anime.
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