As a society, not only do we really dislike nuance, but sometimes it seems like we absolutely loathe it. In many people’s minds, nuance equates to an excuse or acceptance of deviant behavior. And so, nuance must be avoided. In Gushing Over Magical Girls episode 6, we encounter an interesting question—one in which nuance is more important than appearance. So ask yourself, is everything that can be done sexually really sexual?
As Tres Magia lick their wounds after another humiliating defeat. Their frustrations finally boil over, causing them to argue over their lackluster performance in battle. Shows that, at the very least, she is capable of resolving conflicts between groups. Haruka intervenes and stops her teammates from getting into a fight by being overly motherly. And after the bad feelings subside, she dedicates herself to inspiring them before the next fight. All friend groups have someone like this. There are always people who care about others, but have you ever wondered what harm it does to them?
Playing House
At the beginning of the episode, we saw how Haruka was sympathetic towards children. Her kind nature even forces her to befriend Korisu, who is alone at the playground. When she sees Korisu alone in the park, she comforts her by playing with her, an act of kindness for which Korisu seems extremely grateful. As the day was about to end, Haruka said it was late and she needed to go. She stops when she realizes that Korisu, who should be worried about time, doesn’t seem to care about it, suggesting that her home life may not be better. So, to comfort her, Haruka gave Koisur her bee fairy charm and told her that one day they would play again.
On the way home, Haruka’s spider feels a tingling sensation, and she rushes back to the park where she used to go to confront the now transformed Korisu. Magia Magneta may be kind but certainly not smart. And almost as soon as she appeared, she was trapped in Nero Alice’s abilities. With that, we return to the original question, “Is everything that can be used sexually actually sexual?” Well, let’s dive into the world of paraphilic infantilism, or as others call it, autism.
What are you asking? Well, prepare to regret that question. Autonepiophilia is a fetish (both sexual and non-sexual) in which adults derive pleasure or pleasure from role-playing back to a childlike state. This may include a teenager or adult pretending to be a baby or teenager. Like most other nymphomanias, there is no exact reason why they develop in humans. However, it is important to point out that this fetish begins quite early in life. Most males develop it by age 11, while females usually develop it by age 13. It is also important that this is a fetish that is not commonly motivated by sexual pleasure. Most people who practice this method do so because it makes them vulnerable, dependent, and cared for instead of being the caregiver.
When Magia Magenta wakes up in the world of Nero Alice, she realizes that she is now what we in the industry call a “tax-writer for short.” While in another part of town, Kaoruko is recovering. Haruka’s warm nature. Haruka is enjoying her newfound time as a child. That is until she realized she needed to take a leak. But she quickly accepts that and loses herself due to her lack of personal responsibility (which we’ll get to later). But as she drifted away, she remembered that she was not a baby; she is a magical girl! We’re seeing how Magia Sulfur joins the party, but that can wait for another day.
When she becomes herself again, she realizes that Nero Alice is changing her dirty diaper and is looking at her dead in the foo foo. But how serious is this “bad” action? Both legally and ethically, intentions (nuances) matter—they are the distinguishing factor between manslaughter and murder. Is Nero Alice doing something sexual? No, she’s just a kid playing house. She’s just trying to fill a void. It is the viewer who is imposing their emotions on the scene.
Becoming a Caregiver costs money
As Nero Alice retreated, Magia Magenta realized that the child before her was happy—nothing more, nothing less. So she pushed past Nero Alice making eye contact with her pocket rocket docking station and went with the flow. When the feeling of wanting to release water in the bladder resounds again. She decides that people only live once, so you might as well relax. She mentioned feeling embarrassed, but her reaction suggested otherwise. When Nero Alice’s abilities fade away, Haruka is left pantsless and dirty in a children’s park. Which, looking back, sounds terrible. But it was pretty much just a normal day of spring break.
To conclude my review of Gushing Over Magical Girls episode 6, one thing that is never really mentioned when our society addresses caregivers and public figures is the exhaustion associated with it. Being kind and exemplary puts a lot of stress on individuals. With Tres Magia being highly respected and Haruka being a nice girl in real life, it created the perfect conditions for her to get lost in the responsibility-free world that Nero Alice had built.
Screenshot via HiDive
© Akihiro Ononaka/Takeshobo/Overflowing Magical Girls Production Committee