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At about 19:48 of the 1st episode of 5-toubun no Hanayome ∬, after Uesugi found out the culprit, he put the test paper on Ichika's head.

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Is it socially acceptable to put something over/on other's head in Japan?

I think this might show a sense of superiority in most cultures. At least in where I live (not Japan), it's generally badly offensive to do this except the case of (grand)parents patting their children. As this post says:

Any touching in Japan is very rare among adults, bordering on creepy and/or extremely rude, but teenagers often do it to show their affection, especially friends who are the same gender. If you're both adults I think it's creepy for him to touch your head and you should probably avoid him, but if you're teenagers it's likely to be a sign that he likes you and/or considers you to be a close friend.

Since Uesugi didn't intend to show his love nor feel closed to the quints, there is no good reason for him to do so.

Is this supposed to be a hint that Uesugi is socially inept?

Michael
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  • you're spoiling that ichika is the culprit? :| P.S. Uesugi is not in this scene. This is a scene between Fuutarou and Ichika. – BCLC Aug 20 '22 at 12:06
  • @BCLC He who haven't watched this episode would exit, once he sees the description '1st episode of 5-toubun no Hanayome ∬'. – Michael Aug 20 '22 at 12:11
  • Lol but they'd see the image right away? Why don't you at least say in the title it's about S02E01? – BCLC Aug 20 '22 at 12:18
  • @BCLC The line in the picture is gloomed. Readers would know what's happening unless they look at it carefully. – Michael Aug 20 '22 at 12:20

1 Answers1

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Re

it's badly offensive to do this except the case of (grand)parents patting their children

This is exactly what Fuutarou is doing. Fuutarou is being like a 'parent' here in that Fuutarou is the kateikyoushi after all.

It's playful. They're already pretty close friends at this point in the series. It's like calling 1 of your close friends 'airhead' or something.

Edit 1:

This might be a different story if Fuutarou did this may be in, say, S01E06 or something during their overnight tutorial. Even if they were being playful with Fuutarou (eg checking if Fuutarou's heart is racing), I don't think Fuutarou would feel close enough to them to be playful. But if ever Fuutarou were similarly playful, I don't think it would be socially inept.

Edit 2:

Wait actually Fuutarou does do something similar in S01E06.

(The ff spoils only s1. But I'm marking as spoiler to preserve the spoilerous nature of the identity of the 'culprit' in S02E01.)

Fuutarou pats Ichika on the head. Of course here it's rewardingly instead of punishingly like in S02E01.

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But notice Fuutarou is still in like a 'parent' role here as Ichika's kateikyoushi even while acknowledging Ichika as the onee-san of the quints besides being the literal 1st born.

cf S01E01

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where Ichika is the like 'parent' when Ichika and Fuutarou 1st meet re how Ichika introduces hself as 'Ichika onee-san'.

BCLC
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    Fuutarou patted Ichika's head because earlier Ichika told him to pat other's head if he/she had achieved something. Ichika asked him and he said so. – Michael Aug 23 '22 at 14:46