Peacemaker Kurogane (oh, and manly men)

[dangermousie]

This article, lamenting the lack of manly men in modern movies, is rather fun.

Watched 3 eps of Peacemaker Kurogane, a 24 ep anime, and Husband and I both like it a lot. Need PK icons now. I find all the characters (except one) really cool and fascinating, and the Shinsengumi themselves (as an organization) the most interesting at all.

Plot: Tetsu, a 15 year old in 19th century Japan, in order to avenge his parents, manages to inveigle his way into joining the Shinsengumi, a famous and deadly samurai group on the side of the Shoganate during the conflict surrounding the Meiji Restoration. Who are the Shinsengumi in more detail? Here is a wikipedia article on them.

I adore Souji, one of the Shinsengumi captains who is delicate (almost girlish) but blithely homicidal in combat and seems to have no illusions and no problems with what he does. My favorite so far is Hijikata Toshizou, the Vice-Captain who is contained, deadly, and non-nonsense. Also gorgeous (and amusingly, he is the basis for the character of Aoshi in Rurouni Kenshin, who is my biggest crush in that show as well. I am nothing if not consistent). The rest are really interesting too. And gorgeous. And I love the animation style.

Who is the one character who I want throttled? The main character, Tetsu.


In real world, he'd be murdered by now, the conceited, thoughtless, ridiculous brat. He might be 15 but he acts 10. Heck, if he WAS 10, I'd be much better able to deal with his monumental, willful stupidity. When he almost ruins a spying operation because he wants to show off? I want to kill him. When he tries to reach morality to Souji (who only got embroiled in a fight to save his stupid little behind), I want to decapitate him slowly. "Oooooh, how can you kill your opponent!" Moron, you've joined the Shinsengumi, not the gardening club. What the FRELL do you expect? And they told you 17 times beforehand about how it is and why you shouldn't join and if you disregarded it, it's your own fault. It's like someone joining the cops, after being given lectures and brochures about it and then complaining that you have to wear uniforms, and arrest people sometimes.

He is being given way too much slack. I really want someone to talk to him about the reality of this world and the situation. Instead he just gets into everybody's way and I am astonished that they all seem to put up with him. Why? He is of no use and is a hindrance. If I were his brother, I'd have drowned him. But even that annoyance with Tetsu doesn't ruin the show for me, because all the other characters are fascinatingly cool and complex and mature and that (while throwing Tetsu's idiotic inadequacy into sharper relief) makes the show soooo good and worth watching.



Hijikata:



l-r Souji, Hijikata, and Tetsu:



Souji:



Love this pic:



Stills from credits:









I got some of these from This cool PK webcite

Comments

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

Alas, manly men are a dead breed when it comes to the movies. It's a funny thing that all this time people have thought women want caring sensitive men as their fantasy, and while that might be nice in real life, sometimes it's just nice to have an option of watching someone who just oozes masculinity. It's a shallow attraction, I'll admit, but hey, every woman wants to mix it up a little in the man buffet. My personal manly man is Tom Jane, who is one of the few men who harkens back to the classic era a little.

The thing with Tetsu is you're not really supposed to condone of his behavior. Hijikata is right in refusing to let him participate. Tetsu would get himself killed in a heartbeat and Hijikata knows that. He only lets Tetsu get anywhere near them because it's a favor to Souji. Tetsu does get his in later episodes to the point where he has a break down. He *thinks* he's ready to be a fighter, but he's not and everyone but him knows that to begin with.

The thing with Souji is that Hijikata seems to have more guilt over what his protegee is than Souji ever does, and even then Hijikata's guilt has to do with the demands that the life puts on Souji's delicate health, not so much that Souji is hacking and slashing.

That last picture is of Susumu and his sister (or it could be him in drag, it's hard to tell). As I said before I love that storyline if only for it's screwed upness. I also love how the character of Susumu is done, since he acts so mature and tough, until you come to the crashing realization at the end that he's still just a teenager and how he acts at the end is proof of that.

The "bad" guy is also fascinating. Yoshida's motivations are just so obscure and he really is an intimidating force.

One character that they don't spend much time on in the anime that I love is Saito. He's just such a random guy to be a killer since he's so laid back and quiet. He's also a psychic who prays for the spirits of the dead, which makes his involvement in the Shinsengumi just *weird*.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Tetsu does get his in later episodes to the point where he has a break down. He *thinks* he's ready to be a fighter, but he's not and everyone but him knows that to begin with.


Yay! Good.

I just find it weird that they all put up with him. He's a spoiled brat and fine, his brother loves him. But the rest? I am confused why they tolerate him, though I guess as a favor to Souji would explain it. And Souji is just amused by the kid's single-mindedness, I guess.

I think what bugs me is Tetsu doesn't seem to realize what a nuisance he is. Also, anime is full of 15 year olds that act and look too old for their age, but he acts and looks too young. No way can I buy him as 15.

Also, I think I am kinda going insane, but are there slashy vibes between Souji and Hijikata? Because, I don't usually see slash but...

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

There's also the fact that Tatsu is working for the Shinsengumi, so I suppose it makes sense that they'd have to look after his little brother too. Tetsu does start pulling his weight a little and does manage to keep Susumu from killing himself, so he does have his uses later on. PM also likes to point out that these are for the most part, kids fighting in these huge battles. Souji and Susumu are both teenagers, Hijikata is actually only in his late twenties, Suzu is the same age as Tetsu, Tatsu is a teenager. And that's how it was then. You grew up fast and hard.

And Hijikata and Souji? I'm not into slash at all, but even I'm going to say here and now that they're the OTP of this bad boy. Okay, maybe Tetsu and Saya are actually the OTP, but Hijikata and Souji are vying for the prize.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I'm not into slash at all, but even I'm going to say here and now that they're the OTP of this bad boy.

Glad I wasn't hallucinating. Actually, even Husband, who is remarkably slash-blind, was making comments :)

Tatsu is working for the Shinsengumi, so I suppose it makes sense that they'd have to look after his little brother too.

True. I rather like Tatsu who seems hassled and good-natured. And stressed, as anyone saddled with Tetsu would be.

I am still a bit puzzled as to why Tetsu acts so young actually. He appears 10 years younger then the rest of the characters and I don't min Hijikata.

Also, icon!!!!

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, there's a whole indulgent husband vibe from Hijikata when it comes to Souji and he's a complete pushover when it comes to him. They're very Brokeback-gumi. I also get the impression that Hijikata is pretty well versed with the women too, so, you know, whatever.

Tatsu actually becomes pretty cool later on and proves to have quite a backbone when he needs to when it comes to Tetsu. I'm not sure exactly why Tetsu's character design is so chibi. It happens quite a bit that older character will be drawn younger. Ed from Fullmetal Alchemist has a running joke about how short he is, Toushiro from Bleach is really an immortal, but his body type is that of a young kid (which is hilarious since he's often a lot more mature than the other adult looking characters around him), the mage Clef from Rayearth is another chibi who's actually quite old. I'm not sure there's really any purpose other than to set him out against the other characters.

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

They're very Brokeback-gumi.

Bwaaaaaaaaa! *dies*

I also get the impression that Hijikata is pretty well versed with the women too, so, you know, whatever.

Best of both worlds :)

I'm not sure exactly why Tetsu's character design is so chibi

And of course his behavior is also rather immature which I guess would make sense as I guess Tatsu would take good care of him and protect him. I really am curious as to what Kenshin would have made of him...

[crumpeteer.livejournal.com]

And to end, this picture I love.

http://www.kamidake.com/peacemaker/images/scan/cal_toshilg.jpg

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Eeeeee. Hot!

[ex-beautyof.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting that article *g*

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It was a fun article. I like the cheek-boned cute guys of the present, but it would be nice if there was more of a mix.

[ex-beautyof.livejournal.com]

Definitely :) More Clark Gable please :P

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Icon! *swoon*

I like mine more alpha than they currently are.

[ex-beautyof.livejournal.com]

ditto ;)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, Robert Donat. So good and so overlooked.

[ex-beautyof.livejournal.com]

Yeah what a fine actor he was :)

[sinclair-furie.livejournal.com]

Don't watch anime (a good thing, probably, the last thing I need is another obsession) but that picture with the swords is quite cool.
And that article is too amusing. But I'm going to cheer for the departure of manly men. Who wants manly men when you can have pretty cheekbones?

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I like my men manly. Cheekbones are good but it's like dessert. Wouldn't want to have just cake all day.

As to anime, just discovered it...