I don’t hate Momoi because she’s more sexually assertive than others. I just hate the fact that she constantly ridicules Riko for her boob size whenever they meet. Even if it’s a joke, it’s a shallow one since it’s just exploiting insecurities. Plus the joke got old pretty fast.
THIS
Oh thank fuck I’m not the only one who thinks this way. If she treats all girls like Riko, it’s more feminist to dislike her than to like her. It is not fucking okay to reduce people to a physical attribute. Her need to lord her physical superiority over Riko is unacceptable on so many levels I just cannot stand having her on my screen at all. Every single time she shows up in the anime or manga when Riko is also present, I just cringe and cringe because I know sooner or later she will say something that will make me absolutely murderous.
In fact, can we talk about this fucking scene. CAN WE TALK ABOUT IT.
She says this to Riko after Riko – 1) smacks the guys who are ogling Momoi’s drenched white shirt; 2) takes her in and lends her a towel and a t-shirt so she can dry up; 3) allows her to come in so that they can talk after that, to let her voice the worries or problems that are obviously shown on her face.
Riko does all of that generously with a kind smile, and voluntarily too.
The way Momoi reacts to all of this is to tell Riko that Riko is not so bad even though she is a size B. The exact subs are: “You may be a B, but you’re right. [about Riko knowing why Aomine shouldn’t play]”
Riko is a top class coach. Of course she is thoroughly well-versed in the sport she coaches. Is it surprising for her to know this kind of things? No. Why is her intelligence or her rightness or her ability as a coach even linked to her chest size AT ALL?!
Momoi consistently puts down Riko or insults her publicly – she makes a habit of saying these things to Riko when large groups of boys are present, and given that Momoi herself is a teenage girl experiencing a crush, there is no way she is unaware of what sort of effect this kind of thing can have on other people’s confidence or self-esteem. There are too many things about Momoi that show too clearly that she is meant to possess shrewdness and intelligence, and also awareness of teenage issues and fears and worries. Let me say it again – this person selects the times when the entire male basketball team is present to bring up the fact of Riko’s smaller chest size.
So because Riko has a smaller chest, Riko is a lesser human being? This is what Momoi’s words always mean. There is no two ways to cut it. Riko is a highly competent and dedicated coach – she is excellent at what she does and immensely respected by her players. The entirety of what Riko is capable of is mind-blowing, and don’t even try to tell me that Momoi doesn’t know it. Momoi is touted as being the manager who knows everything, so much so that she’s virtually prescient – her information-gathering and research skills are as legendary as the GoM, so:
Even knowing what Riko has done and can do, the only thing about Riko that matters to Momoi is Riko’s chest size.
Everything about Riko’s talent, skill, hard work, emotional devotion/loyalty/kindness towards her players are things that Riko cultivated herself. These are things that Riko can control, these are things that Riko herself has accomplished, and Riko is always seen to push herself to the max for the team.
If, in spite of all that, the only thing you can see or the only thing you think is noteworthy about Riko is her breast size – something that she has no control over – then I really do hate you because you are so problematic.
I understand that this is a character, and therefore her construct is a problem of the creator and the writing. Nonetheless I am absolutely repelled by this character.
