When last we left our weird duo, Pun was pretending to be a cat and Yoh worried Pun was a murderer. In these next two eps, Pun pursues an ABSOLUTELY oblivious Yoh.
Seven episodes in and Yoh is still wondering if Pun is a vampire
Yoh prefers Pun’s potentially deadly company over a ghost, so he bundles up for the night and flees the next morning.
Yoh’s endlessly patient sister wants to know why he’s home. Yoh lists the reasons he thinks Pun is a vampire. She thinks Pun is hitting on Yoh. They’re both kinda right.
Yoh has his neck wrapped for the next restaurant promotion recording. Pun shows up very dramatically in an inflated costume that makes him look like an alien is kidnapping him. Aww, Pun wants to be an alien for Yoh. The costume doesn’t quite work because he’s being abducted BY an alien. Still. It’s sweet.
Yoh’s sister pushes the two to talk. It doesn’t go great. Yoh won’t admit he’s scared and Pun is focused on being an alien. Yoh finally asks where Pun was last night, but Pun’s answers are confusing. Yoh grabs his sister to run, abandoning Shin and Kamsai. Everyone is confused.
Pun though, is a Nice Vampire
Nice enough to go to the police and make a confession because that’s what Yoh wants. Aww. Also, he’s still in the alien outfit. It’s great.
Pun confesses that… he was the one to knock on Yoh’s door! He wanted to have a sleepover. Yoh is annoyed at being pranked and wants to know why he didn’t answer the door earlier.
Pun was inside, determined not to see Yoh for at least 10 minutes because he was hurt by what Yoh said earlier. Then he threw a tantrum. And now he throws one in front of the cop. He sobs about being unloved, lonely, and hungry.
Yoh apologizes to the cop. The cop is not interested in any of this nonsense.
Scratch that, he’s the Bestest Sweetest Vampire Ever
Pun didn’t go out to suck blood last night. He didn’t even have a straw. Oh Pun. He’s proud of himself for confessing to the cop and oblivious to Yoh’s suspicions.
Pun doesn’t even want Yoh’s apologies for what he said about not being interested in vampires. He believes that Yoh has a right to his feelings. But he’ll be an alien so that Yoh likes him.
Yoh’s sister is happy with this progress. Then later she feels like a ghost when the guys barely pay attention to her. I miss our ghosts.
Order restored, Pun takes an ice bath, moisturizes, and has his cat help pick an umbrella for his date.
Vampires, vampires, vampires, everywhere!
But a mysterious woman shows up at Pun’s door! Darn it. Her name is Janja. She’s a classmate of Yoh’s. She’s known Pun for hundreds of years. She’s going to get in the way.
Back at their home, Yoh and his sister stargaze. Yoh admits he does think Pun is a vampire, though it’s hard to believe. And he hasn’t been as interested in aliens lately. He doesn’t go out to the countryside to look for them anymore. His sister says they need to change his room decorations. When he’s looking at the sky he’s looking for vampires.
Yoh sees Pun’s face in the stars. It’s. Amazing.
Not only Yoh’s sister, but everyone ships him with Pun
Including his Dad, who wants Pun to come over again. He does! And they send the dad out to get Pork Blood soup. Being a parent is thankless.
After Yoh teaches his dad the Pork Blood Soup dance he helps Pun wash dishes while Kamsai and the sister watch. They think it’s the perfect combo of Evil Vampire and Alien Prince.
But they both worry about what we all worry about, Janja!
So now of course Yoh asks Pun about… Somchai?
Sure, why not?
But this leads to another confusing conversation, like when Yoh thought Pun was a murderer. These conversations are extra tricky because of the subtitles. Even at the best of times, important nuances can be lost in translation. I don’t think these subs are the best of times. I wish I could understand Thai and catch whatever wordplay is going on.
But anyway, the gist is that Yoh wants to know, NOW, if Somchai is a vampire and if vampires drink blood and kill people. He explains about the Thai vampire that is trending. Pun thinks that must be him. Oh Pun.
Pun is coming on strong to Yoh. Yoh thinks he’s kidding. These two are hopeless.
Yoh is embracing his interest in vampires at least
So he and Pun stay up late doing… research? I’m not sure what this research is about. I’m not sure Pun is still spending the night to protect Yoh either. I did mention that I wasn’t expecting a strong plot from this show, right? But Yoh’s obsession has definitely switched from aliens to vampires.
He fills a notebook with info on protection from vampires to share. Which Pun thinks is so sweet. He’s also so excited that Yoh is interested in vampires now. He’s happy to let Yoh splash him with holy water as part of an experiment. It doesn’t burn him. Just smells. And leads to Yoh washing him off in the shower. Does this count as a BL sponge bath?
Pun is worried Yoh got tricked into buying fake holy water and has ideas for getting the real thing. Yoh is worried Pun is hurt. They’re adorkable.
Afterward, Yoh blow-dries Pun’s hair, which is also totally a BL trope. (I also love that we still see the cross-burn in his chest.)
Pun’s past keeps getting in the way
First Janja crashes a sleepover in Yoh’s backyard. She shows up to tell Pun “don’t forget what we talked about.”
Meanwhile, the restaurant is struggling again. A now-blond Shin lures people to the roof for a lame aerobics dance and then pushes them to eat there. A more serious Pun wants Kamsai’s help courting Yoh. He doesn’t want to waste time since human lives are so short.
Kamsai thinks Shin will be more helpful. Shin thinks Pun wants him as a boyfriend.
And when Pun goes home, Somchai and Janja wait for him in his room.
This show is slowly going nowhere and I still love it
A very popular American sitcom was once called a “show about nothing” and there is a similar, “about nothing” sitcom feel to this story. Somchai and Janja are here to add conflict, but the show focuses on random ridiculous moments between an underpowered vampire and a man obsessed with aliens. As they try to run a Pork Blood Soup restaurant.
(The pacing was pretty similar for I Will Knock You, so it doesn’t surprise me.)
Also, is there an infatuated/oblivious trope like there is a grumpy/sunshine trope? Pun is so over-the-top in love. He’ll sacrifice his body to assist Yoh with his research. Meanwhile, Yoh has no idea what is happening. Despite multiple people telling him what is happening. Including his dad.
I think I’ve seen this before. I think I stupidly like it.
Based on the overall tone of the show and Pun’s attitude, it’s possible that Somchai and Janja won’t be murderers. But I will be disappointed if there isn’t a good reason for Pun’s attitude towards Somchai. I’m curious how this will unravel.
But really I’m here for the colorful umbrellas.