げんしけん 2 Episode 09

SPOILER Summary: Sasahara is looking for a job as a manga editor and not having much luck. Meanwhile, Saki is working on establishing her own clothing shop and between working on that and Kousaka looking for a job with a game company, she’s not seen him recently. As a result, she has a dream on the train that he tells her he prefers 2-D over the real thing. She heads over to the Genshiken room where Sasahara, Madarame, and Ohno are, where they discuss job hunting and Saki’s shop establishment.

Ogiue arrives and confronts Ohno about some materials she gave to Ogiue for Ogiue’s doujinshi. Since the materials (yaoi stuff) are of older, bald, bearded men that Ohno digs, Ogiue can’t use it no matter how much Ohno tries to convince her. Since Ogiue will need helpers at the ComiFes, Saki suggests Sasahara, assuming he has time with him still job hunting. Their reaction to the suggestion suggests to Saki that the two like each other, so she asks Ohno about it outside the room. Ohno is not convinced that there is anything between Saki and Sasahara, but both of them have a different view of the image that Ogiue showed them of Sasahara and Madarame.

Saki inquires of Ohno about her relationship, specifically if Tanaka plays ero games. Ohno is sure Tanaka does play them and of course Kousaka plays them. Their conversation is interrupted by Kuchiki, who’s acting all excited. Back in the room, Kuchiki tries to convince everyone to go to a summer “training camp” with him. There’s some general negativity about this plan of Kuchiki’s, and things like the upcoming ComiFes and job hunting are cited as possible reasons not to go, though Saki says that maybe everyone could go if the job thing is resolved (implying Sasahara’s). Kousaka arrives to announce he has a job, but when Saki discovers it is at an ero game company, it is as if the life is gone from her. Since he has to start right away, she decides they are going to a hotel to have at least 10-rounds of quality time together.

Sasahara returns to the job hunting and is interviewed by another company. After he tells them of his involvement in the creation of a doujinshi, the interviewers want to know his opinion of copyrights, specifically in regards to doujinshi. After all, a publisher recently took a doujinshi mangaka to court and if Sasahara works in the publishing field, he’ll be on the side that opposes doujinshi. Sasahara is caught flat-footed and has no answer, meaning no job. He retreats to his room where he proceeds to play an ero game. However, his thoughts stray to Ogiue.

Thoughts: I guess Keiko was officially flushed from the anime story since Kuchiki took her spot in trying to get everyone to take a summer trip. Not that Keiko was anything special and not that she contributed to the manga, but its just less believable for everyone to decide to go (assuming the anime writers follow the manga in that regard).

Regarding Sasahara’s job hunt, it is interesting how the anime brings up the whole doujinshi vs. copyright holders issue. In America, I doubt many beyond the hardcore fans are even aware of this issue in Japan.