Finished Peacemaker: Wow
Mar. 8th, 2006 12:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dangermousieStaying up late late late late, finished Peacemaker Kurogane. I just couldn't go to bed and near the end, I'd curse every time the closing credits came up because it meant the interruption of the story, even if only for a minute, and you should have seen me whimpering at the TV and repeating 'don't kill Souji, don't kill Souji' or gasping or making other inarticulate sounds.
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crumpeteer, I am completely in your debt, because I only got this because you recced, and with the exception of Trigun (and possibly FY), this is now my favorite anime. And it’s certainly the most beautiful one I’ve ever seen. It’s gorgeous. I need some PK icons.
I was actually quite sad when it was over. I could have watched this indefinitely, but this was perhaps a good place to stop as this world was going to crumble soon enough. It’s sort of like having a story about the Whites in the Russian Civil War. Ending in 1919 would probably be for the best ;)
Oh, and so beautiful. The shot of Susumu finding Ayu’s body in the rain, with blood being diluted by the water and running in little rivulets? It’s almost unbearably sad, as Ayu is like a den mother and is also Susumu’s sister, but artistically? Wow.
Actually, that whole storyline with Ayu’s discovery and death was amazing. Her being tortured to death was pretty hard to watch (though thankfully they didn’t show much of that). But what really got me was the reaction of everyone to her death. I love the scene where the funeral service is going on and Toshi comes in, and his face is set and closed-off as always, but Souji, who is so attuned to him looks at him with concern and then you see that Toshi’s hands are fists at his sides, and they are shaking. And then he gets up and speaks out a number of orders and plans of attack and the commander replies “is that all you can say?” and Toshi walks out and Souji follows. And Toshi just keeps discoursing on plans of action and Souji keeps following him, going “Hijikata-san” and finally Toshi just stops walking and talking. And Souji tells him “it’s not your fault.” Guuuuuh, I love my OTP, and how attuned they are and where everyone sees a mask, Souji knows that Toshi feels this immense guilt as it was he who sent Ayu on her mission.
And then there is Susumu, who is of course worried, trying to shut out emotion and deny his feelings (just as Ayu has taught him. She herself, we find out, told him ‘I am not your Big Sister” etc) and Tetsu being horrified and un-understanding about it and yelling at Susumu that Ayu’s last words to him (Tetsu) were “take care of my kid brother” because Susumu, who is after all, still heartbreakingly young, is clearly bitter because he thinks Ayu paid more attention/lavished more love on Tetsu while shutting out her brother. And Susumu just lying prone in the rain, trying so hard to be withdrawn. And running to find her body and then just sitting there in a heap, and taking off his coat and covering her. All in the rain. And then sitting on the roof, all by himself, withdrawn into himself, and I realized that he doesn’t know how to grieve! Because his emotions had to be so controlled (as drilled into him by Ayu herself), that he simply is frozen and doesn’t know how to let go. And then Tetsu climbing up to find him, and Tetsu’s own straightforwardness of grief (and how realistic is that Tetsu is crying because he didn’t finish the last meal Ayu cooked for everyone because people go through what they could have done when they lose someone and seize on the littlest, most trivial things), and Susumu finally breaking through his barriers and grabbing Tetsu’s hand and squeezing it, up to pain, as he cries.
And the scene where Susumu dressed as his sister, in his sister’s bloody kimono and tried to kill the man who ordered Ayu’s death, and instead just beat him to a pulp, not able to kill him (and the brilliant thing that until that moment you don’t know whether he is capable of murder or not, it can go either way) is brilliant, and beautiful (somehow, the way they draw him, even though he is dressed as a woman and looks like a beautiful woman at that, you can tell he is a man), and disturbing. Not that it helped the guy much, considering Toshi (who is not the happiest of people on the best days but is now coping with his grief for Ayu in his own way) is in charge of torturing him to get info. And, as shockingly as Susumu’s action, once he got the info, he just cuts him down, doesn’t kill him.
I love Tetsu, with a child’s directness and artlessness, offering to teach Susumu all the fun things he doesn’t know. I think, in a way, among all of the characters, Tetsu is the only one who knows what it’s like to have a real childhood (this is a favor Susumu aptly repays when Tetsu reverts back into a whimpering mess as a result of going back to the trauma of the day when his parents were killed in front of his eyes). Though he is still a casualty of war: how brilliant that Tetsu didn't age these two years because of trauma: this explains everything: his childishness (he acts younger than 15), his older brother’s psychotic over-protectiveness. But by killing Yoshida at the end, and by facing his own demons of helplessness and his trauma head on, he is able to move past it.
I love my OTP. Tetsu and Saya are puppy cute (spontaneous fluffy things are created when they are together), but Toshi/Souji is a whole other matter. Love, love, love. Though of course, in the long run they are so doomed, what with Souji’s TB (and the historical defeat and all that fun). The little, almost throw-away scene with Souji having one of his coughing fits and thinking "two years. How much do I have?" is heart-breaking. It's such a rare display of vulnerability and what lies beneath his careless attitude and wow. And then of course Souji fighting Yoshida and doing very well, but suddenly having one of his coughing fits, and this time he coughs up blood which is really bad (I think being out in all that rain didn’t do him any good), and being distracted as you see him stare at it, horrified and frozen is…And I love that Tetsu does end up fighting, and even killing but it’s not for blood lust, not to avenge, but to protect Souji (and then he ends up sobbing, sobbing, sobbing in Souji’s arms, back to being a frightened child).
But, to get back to the OTP. I love beyond the telling of it the scene of Toshi, coming to the battle after the flares and you can tell he is straining at the bit and freaking out, no matter how still he is. And the commander knows what he is thinking and tells Toshi "he is over there" (and I love how they just know who Toshi will be freaking out about) and Toshi hurries to the room and then he hears coughing and runs. And then he finds Souji there, held up by two of the other Shinsengumi, and covered in blood, and freaks even more and drops on his knees and just grabs him and holds him, as the two Shinsengumi are “VC you shouldn’t, he might have some broken ribs.” The first time I watched it, I thought he was freaking out because of worries over Souji being wounded, but as I rewatched I realized that was a really small part of it. You see his eyes go to the blood on Souji’s face and collar and I realized that what has gotten him so panicked is the thought that all this blood is what Souji has been coughing up! During this whole scene he just doesn't take his eyes off Souji and Souji looks up at him and tells him that none of the blood is his own, that he hasn’t been coughing any (and Toshi does believe him and relaxes a bit, though we as the audience know that it’s untrue and he did cough up blood (though obviously not the scads of it on his clothing) after all). And then Toshi gives Souji the medicine (which, significantly, he always carries with him). And you know what I find really amazing, now that I think about it. Toshi knows Souji has TB (he is probably the only one who does). And yet, the two times we saw him give Souji medicine, he always finishes what’s left in the cup, himself, from the same cup, right after Souji has drunk it. That’s just…impressive. And crazy, fool-hardy, romantic, whatever. I wouldn’t drink from a TBer’s cup for anything.
I do love the scene where Tetsu comes in after the battle, and Toshi praises him in his very understated way but it's still amazing and cool and you can tell that while he first took on Tetsu for Souji's sake, he now cares for him in his own right. And Tetsu has to pinch himself, heeeee.
And the show could have ended on ep 23, but I am glad they had another one, a coda, to show a little bit of the aftermath.
I love Toshi in Souji's room as Souji is recovering and he actually lets the guys go off for the festival. Heeeee. I love Toshi telling Souji "you don't have to be so amiable all the time, even when you are sick and strain yourself" and Souji is all "I like it" and I am thinking he has to be friendly enough for two :P Here I must add that it's impossible not to love Souji, and he ended up being my favorite, and I can see why everyone, Toshi included, cares for him so. Somehow, maybe because he took the sword up so young, he has managed to separate the fighting part of himself from the rest and it hasn’t seeped through and he still has that innocence and goodness about him. I also love the end, with Toshi, Souji and Commander sitting on roof drinking sake, and watching fireworks, and *gasp* relaxing.
And Tetsu promises Saya not to ever kill (at which I go: yeah, right. Didn’t work for Kenshin or Vash and they are way better at it than you are).
But the parallels between Suzu and Yoshida and the Shinsengumi continue, and I ended up feeling rather sad when Yoshida died (I think it’s great they made it realistic: Tetsu could only kill him because he was 4/5 dead already). The scenes of Suzu telling Yoshida he is his home and he doesn’t want to be left alone again, as Yoshida sends him to the Choshu for help and tells him “then you’ll have to hurry” and smiling at him are heartbreaking. And then Suzu banging on the Choshu gates, begging for help as they remain closed and you can see his heartbreak, his disbelief, his horror as he realizes he’s failed and there is nothing he can do and he is basically leaving his heart and soul at those gates and his helplessness is choking him. Whatever Yoshida’s issues and problems, he was clearly good and loving to his page: he even wasn’t mad at him when Suzu stopped him from killing Tetsu. Which is rather ironic since it’s Tetsu who ended up killing Suzu’s master, proving (to Suzu) that no good deed goes unpunished, as saving Tetsu ultimately resulted in Yoshida’s death. And then Suzu finds Yoshida’s body and goes “your hand is gone. And your head” and finds the head and puts it back and straightens out the hair and goes “it’s better now.” And the last shots we see of him is him wandering around with Yoshida's head. And the cat (symbol of that sorcerer who creates war) is there. Now he will want revenge. And he is as justified as Tetsu was and the circle is never ending and the Civil Wars harm all.
So, the ending is upbeat but with gathering shadows, there is Suzu who is now out for revenge, Souji’s coughing up blood, and the Shinsengumi themselves will lose in a few years.
Also, a question. Akesato (Yamanami’s geisha): is she the blond ninja? It would seem to be the case, as Yamanami is holding a blonde woman in the credits, and she is ‘sick’ after the ninja has been wounded. I do love it when he tells her (when she says she has no one) that she has him.
crumpeteer, I am completely in your debt, because I only got this because you recced, and with the exception of Trigun (and possibly FY), this is now my favorite anime. And it’s certainly the most beautiful one I’ve ever seen. It’s gorgeous. I need some PK icons.I was actually quite sad when it was over. I could have watched this indefinitely, but this was perhaps a good place to stop as this world was going to crumble soon enough. It’s sort of like having a story about the Whites in the Russian Civil War. Ending in 1919 would probably be for the best ;)
Oh, and so beautiful. The shot of Susumu finding Ayu’s body in the rain, with blood being diluted by the water and running in little rivulets? It’s almost unbearably sad, as Ayu is like a den mother and is also Susumu’s sister, but artistically? Wow.
Actually, that whole storyline with Ayu’s discovery and death was amazing. Her being tortured to death was pretty hard to watch (though thankfully they didn’t show much of that). But what really got me was the reaction of everyone to her death. I love the scene where the funeral service is going on and Toshi comes in, and his face is set and closed-off as always, but Souji, who is so attuned to him looks at him with concern and then you see that Toshi’s hands are fists at his sides, and they are shaking. And then he gets up and speaks out a number of orders and plans of attack and the commander replies “is that all you can say?” and Toshi walks out and Souji follows. And Toshi just keeps discoursing on plans of action and Souji keeps following him, going “Hijikata-san” and finally Toshi just stops walking and talking. And Souji tells him “it’s not your fault.” Guuuuuh, I love my OTP, and how attuned they are and where everyone sees a mask, Souji knows that Toshi feels this immense guilt as it was he who sent Ayu on her mission.
And then there is Susumu, who is of course worried, trying to shut out emotion and deny his feelings (just as Ayu has taught him. She herself, we find out, told him ‘I am not your Big Sister” etc) and Tetsu being horrified and un-understanding about it and yelling at Susumu that Ayu’s last words to him (Tetsu) were “take care of my kid brother” because Susumu, who is after all, still heartbreakingly young, is clearly bitter because he thinks Ayu paid more attention/lavished more love on Tetsu while shutting out her brother. And Susumu just lying prone in the rain, trying so hard to be withdrawn. And running to find her body and then just sitting there in a heap, and taking off his coat and covering her. All in the rain. And then sitting on the roof, all by himself, withdrawn into himself, and I realized that he doesn’t know how to grieve! Because his emotions had to be so controlled (as drilled into him by Ayu herself), that he simply is frozen and doesn’t know how to let go. And then Tetsu climbing up to find him, and Tetsu’s own straightforwardness of grief (and how realistic is that Tetsu is crying because he didn’t finish the last meal Ayu cooked for everyone because people go through what they could have done when they lose someone and seize on the littlest, most trivial things), and Susumu finally breaking through his barriers and grabbing Tetsu’s hand and squeezing it, up to pain, as he cries.
And the scene where Susumu dressed as his sister, in his sister’s bloody kimono and tried to kill the man who ordered Ayu’s death, and instead just beat him to a pulp, not able to kill him (and the brilliant thing that until that moment you don’t know whether he is capable of murder or not, it can go either way) is brilliant, and beautiful (somehow, the way they draw him, even though he is dressed as a woman and looks like a beautiful woman at that, you can tell he is a man), and disturbing. Not that it helped the guy much, considering Toshi (who is not the happiest of people on the best days but is now coping with his grief for Ayu in his own way) is in charge of torturing him to get info. And, as shockingly as Susumu’s action, once he got the info, he just cuts him down, doesn’t kill him.
I love Tetsu, with a child’s directness and artlessness, offering to teach Susumu all the fun things he doesn’t know. I think, in a way, among all of the characters, Tetsu is the only one who knows what it’s like to have a real childhood (this is a favor Susumu aptly repays when Tetsu reverts back into a whimpering mess as a result of going back to the trauma of the day when his parents were killed in front of his eyes). Though he is still a casualty of war: how brilliant that Tetsu didn't age these two years because of trauma: this explains everything: his childishness (he acts younger than 15), his older brother’s psychotic over-protectiveness. But by killing Yoshida at the end, and by facing his own demons of helplessness and his trauma head on, he is able to move past it.
I love my OTP. Tetsu and Saya are puppy cute (spontaneous fluffy things are created when they are together), but Toshi/Souji is a whole other matter. Love, love, love. Though of course, in the long run they are so doomed, what with Souji’s TB (and the historical defeat and all that fun). The little, almost throw-away scene with Souji having one of his coughing fits and thinking "two years. How much do I have?" is heart-breaking. It's such a rare display of vulnerability and what lies beneath his careless attitude and wow. And then of course Souji fighting Yoshida and doing very well, but suddenly having one of his coughing fits, and this time he coughs up blood which is really bad (I think being out in all that rain didn’t do him any good), and being distracted as you see him stare at it, horrified and frozen is…And I love that Tetsu does end up fighting, and even killing but it’s not for blood lust, not to avenge, but to protect Souji (and then he ends up sobbing, sobbing, sobbing in Souji’s arms, back to being a frightened child).
But, to get back to the OTP. I love beyond the telling of it the scene of Toshi, coming to the battle after the flares and you can tell he is straining at the bit and freaking out, no matter how still he is. And the commander knows what he is thinking and tells Toshi "he is over there" (and I love how they just know who Toshi will be freaking out about) and Toshi hurries to the room and then he hears coughing and runs. And then he finds Souji there, held up by two of the other Shinsengumi, and covered in blood, and freaks even more and drops on his knees and just grabs him and holds him, as the two Shinsengumi are “VC you shouldn’t, he might have some broken ribs.” The first time I watched it, I thought he was freaking out because of worries over Souji being wounded, but as I rewatched I realized that was a really small part of it. You see his eyes go to the blood on Souji’s face and collar and I realized that what has gotten him so panicked is the thought that all this blood is what Souji has been coughing up! During this whole scene he just doesn't take his eyes off Souji and Souji looks up at him and tells him that none of the blood is his own, that he hasn’t been coughing any (and Toshi does believe him and relaxes a bit, though we as the audience know that it’s untrue and he did cough up blood (though obviously not the scads of it on his clothing) after all). And then Toshi gives Souji the medicine (which, significantly, he always carries with him). And you know what I find really amazing, now that I think about it. Toshi knows Souji has TB (he is probably the only one who does). And yet, the two times we saw him give Souji medicine, he always finishes what’s left in the cup, himself, from the same cup, right after Souji has drunk it. That’s just…impressive. And crazy, fool-hardy, romantic, whatever. I wouldn’t drink from a TBer’s cup for anything.
I do love the scene where Tetsu comes in after the battle, and Toshi praises him in his very understated way but it's still amazing and cool and you can tell that while he first took on Tetsu for Souji's sake, he now cares for him in his own right. And Tetsu has to pinch himself, heeeee.
And the show could have ended on ep 23, but I am glad they had another one, a coda, to show a little bit of the aftermath.
I love Toshi in Souji's room as Souji is recovering and he actually lets the guys go off for the festival. Heeeee. I love Toshi telling Souji "you don't have to be so amiable all the time, even when you are sick and strain yourself" and Souji is all "I like it" and I am thinking he has to be friendly enough for two :P Here I must add that it's impossible not to love Souji, and he ended up being my favorite, and I can see why everyone, Toshi included, cares for him so. Somehow, maybe because he took the sword up so young, he has managed to separate the fighting part of himself from the rest and it hasn’t seeped through and he still has that innocence and goodness about him. I also love the end, with Toshi, Souji and Commander sitting on roof drinking sake, and watching fireworks, and *gasp* relaxing.
And Tetsu promises Saya not to ever kill (at which I go: yeah, right. Didn’t work for Kenshin or Vash and they are way better at it than you are).
But the parallels between Suzu and Yoshida and the Shinsengumi continue, and I ended up feeling rather sad when Yoshida died (I think it’s great they made it realistic: Tetsu could only kill him because he was 4/5 dead already). The scenes of Suzu telling Yoshida he is his home and he doesn’t want to be left alone again, as Yoshida sends him to the Choshu for help and tells him “then you’ll have to hurry” and smiling at him are heartbreaking. And then Suzu banging on the Choshu gates, begging for help as they remain closed and you can see his heartbreak, his disbelief, his horror as he realizes he’s failed and there is nothing he can do and he is basically leaving his heart and soul at those gates and his helplessness is choking him. Whatever Yoshida’s issues and problems, he was clearly good and loving to his page: he even wasn’t mad at him when Suzu stopped him from killing Tetsu. Which is rather ironic since it’s Tetsu who ended up killing Suzu’s master, proving (to Suzu) that no good deed goes unpunished, as saving Tetsu ultimately resulted in Yoshida’s death. And then Suzu finds Yoshida’s body and goes “your hand is gone. And your head” and finds the head and puts it back and straightens out the hair and goes “it’s better now.” And the last shots we see of him is him wandering around with Yoshida's head. And the cat (symbol of that sorcerer who creates war) is there. Now he will want revenge. And he is as justified as Tetsu was and the circle is never ending and the Civil Wars harm all.
So, the ending is upbeat but with gathering shadows, there is Suzu who is now out for revenge, Souji’s coughing up blood, and the Shinsengumi themselves will lose in a few years.
Also, a question. Akesato (Yamanami’s geisha): is she the blond ninja? It would seem to be the case, as Yamanami is holding a blonde woman in the credits, and she is ‘sick’ after the ninja has been wounded. I do love it when he tells her (when she says she has no one) that she has him.
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no subject
Date: 2006-03-08 07:33 pm (UTC)I love Susumu, mainly because the character acted so human when Ayumu died. He's so tough and cold that you forget that he's little more than a child too. I honestly thought he was going to kill the guy, but was glad he didn't, simply because I knew he, out of all of them, at least still had his humanity. His breakdown on the roof was hard to watch, but so real. It was someone mourning and then Susumu being able to understand Tetsu's trauma and force the issue was beautiful. Ayu shuts Susumu out to protect him, but that didn't really make anything any easier. I also like the fact that they don't shirk away from the understanding that Hijikata sending Ayu out meant that they both knew what she was going to have to do to go under cover. She whores herself out and that really is how it would have been done.
Souji and Hijikata are love. They're more Brokeback than Brokeback. So glad that they leave the series before Souji dies, because you know Hijikata would just be tragic to watch after that. Souji is the only one he ever shows emotion over and about the only one who keeps him human.
I love the characterizations in PMK. They're extremely complex. Hijikata, a coldblooded killer, but who still has humanity. Souji, a sweet natured guy who will kill you as soon as look at you if you cross him. Susumu, the tough ninja who really is just a little boy. Yoshida, the bad guy who you actually mourn for and realize wasn't really bad. They're just all so very human. And war is ugly business. The only ones of the bunch who make it out alive are Sanosuke and Saito (Saito by switching sides when he feels all is lost). Hijikata goes down fighting (how very Hijikata) and Souji coughs himself to death, proving that sometimes life is just as tragic as war.
The manga goes into more detail, and yes, Akesato is the ninja. That plays a major part of the manga, as does the fact that Yoshida actually saved Suzu from an extremely abusive situation, and while he is extremely ruthless, still obviously cares about his page. Saito is also a bigger character.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-08 07:56 pm (UTC)*googles Trinity Blood* It sounds really good.
Akesato is the ninja. That plays a major part of the manga, as does the fact that Yoshida actually saved Suzu from an extremely abusive situation, and while he is extremely ruthless, still obviously cares about his page.
Thanks. I really must check out the manga then. I do wonder what Akesato thinks/feels about Yamanami then, seeing that he is the VC of the guys she was fighting against.
And finding out that Yoshida rescued Suzu from an abusive situation actually adds a whole layer to the 'why Suzu' is so devoted situation. I thought he did so because he had no one left (and it's clear even in the anime that Yoshida cares for Suzu), but this adds a whole other thing...
So glad that they leave the series before Souji dies, because you know Hijikata would just be tragic to watch after that. Souji is the only one he ever shows emotion over and about the only one who keeps him human.
Oh yes. I am so happy that the last image is of them enjoying the fireworks, whether on the roof, or on the streets. Just to think about the ending is...I won't. And yes, Hijikata would be unbearable to watch after Souji's death. Seeing how much he was falling apart when he merely thought Souji was coughing blood, when Souji does die he'd just shut down completely. Souji is the one person who broke through his emotional walls and so losing the only person he cares about would be just horrific.
Souji, a sweet natured guy who will kill you as soon as look at you if you cross him
And I like how they manage to maintain that duality. When he fights in that final battle in the show, he is amazing and he shows no hesitation or remorse, just grace and skill. Despite his delicate appearance and his niceness, he is a killer, and he is good at it, and he never loses any sleep over it. I am just amazed that he managed to separate it from the rest of himself: it's a very child-like purity. In some ways, I don't think he had a chance to grow up.
Hijikata, a coldblooded killer, but who still has humanity
And I do like that he remains very reserved throughout but it's clear he has emotions, just has a very tight rein on them, except the mask slips a bit where Souji is concerned.
I love Susumu, mainly because the character acted so human when Ayumu died.
Oh yes. Before that, I liked the character well enough, but wasn't too invested in him. But after the Ayumu arc, my heart just broke for him, because you are right, he is just a boy, trying to cope with a world that is much too harsh, and that he is nowhere near emotionally hardened enough to deal with. And Ayu's attempts at distancing, while well meant, didn't stop his love, they only screwed him up further, because he still feels, he is just unable to express it.
Hijikata sending Ayu out meant that they both knew what she was going to have to do to go under cover. She whores herself out and that really is how it would have been done.
The 'morning after' scene was just painful, as she is one naked woman in a sea of those samurai (and the fact that one of them let her sleep with him and only turned her in after is horrible). I was horrified they were going to show gang rape. I still don't know if there was one or not. I think they just whipped her to death. The scene where Susumu recites her injuries is horrifying. You just know it's because he's had this catalogue inescapably in his mind.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-08 08:20 pm (UTC)The 'morning after' scene was just painful, as she is one naked woman in a sea of those samurai
And the very fact that Hijikata sends her out there knowing that there was a good possibility of that happening makes me hate him a little, even if he didn't force her. It's just another facet of his character that he feels every loss so personally, but is still so cold blooded.
Despite his delicate appearance and his niceness, he is a killer, and he is good at it, and he never loses any sleep over it.
I think it's the fact that there are no apologies on his part about what he is that is so striking. Most of the characters show a duality of somekind (I love the part where Saito and Souji go at it, both in fight mode and even though they're being sort of playful you're afraid someone might just end up dead). This is just a screwed up bunch of guys.
he is just a boy, trying to cope with a world that is much too harsh, and that he is nowhere near emotionally hardened enough to deal with.
I think the very fact that he considers suicide proves that. He thinks he's doing the right thing for his "honor" and whatnot, and that's understandable because of the code being so harsh, but he just doesn't *get* it. It's like he's following the letter of the law rather than the spirit. I felt bad for that poor kid.
The scene where Susumu recites her injuries is horrifying. You just know it's because he's had this catalogue inescapably in his mind.
And so very believable. He can't forget it. Compound that with the fact that he had been angry at her before she left and his guilt strickenness is understandable. And suddenly he's not a ninja anymore, just a grief stricken brother. I like that afterwards Susumu does start softening around the edges. He's the one who makes the rather sweet comment that he thinks Tetsu's grown some at the end. He's not a bad guy after he breaks down. I like to think he made it out happy since he's one of the fictional characters of the thing.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-08 08:33 pm (UTC)I think that is why he is so cold-blooded and tries not to get emotionally involved. Because if he does, if he lets his feelings rule him (or even if he allows himself to feel), he won't be able to do what must be done, and he'll be crippled by guilt. Because as a commander he has to make decisions that will result in death of his friends, he has to send people out on missions in which they must be killed.
In a way, Yamanami (who is undoubtedly a nicer person) is an abject lesson to him. Yamanami's emotions, his guilt, made him incapable of fighting, of continuing his role.
But of course, none of this makes Hijikata happy, as he still feels guilt and responsibility. There is a reason why he is not a happy person. I think in a way, Souji is actually necessary to him, as a counterbalance to all of this, someone who makes him unwind.
I love the part where Saito and Souji go at it, both in fight mode and even though they're being sort of playful you're afraid someone might just end up dead
Oh yes. Or the scene where Saito spars with Tetsu but he temporarily forgets to hold back his blows and Tetsu ends up out cold and you know if it was a real weapon, he'd be dead.
It's like he's following the letter of the law rather than the spirit. I felt bad for that poor kid.
I really do hope he gets out of this alive and happy. In many ways, he is rather naive, despite his life (and I think his suicide attempt does show it. He has a child's vision of black and white).
I like that afterwards Susumu does start softening around the edges. He's the one who makes the rather sweet comment that he thinks Tetsu's grown some at the end.
Oh, I love that too. I think he begins to be more himself (whoever this 'himself' is) and not just someone following someone else's ideas of what he should do or be (his sister Ayu's conception of a spy, the Shinsengumi's conception of a warrior). And that frees him, I think, and also enables him to win over the blonde ninja, too. He's matured.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-08 08:56 pm (UTC)I know he's not a big part of the anime, but I love the duality of Saito too. He's a quiet, lazy eyed psychic who prays for the souls of those killed, yet is an ice cold killer himself. His fighting personality might be even more intimidating than Souji's simply because Saito's isn't that different from him being normal. Yet initially, Saito is one of the few not bothered by Tetsu at all and who doesn't really patronize him.
And with Susumu, you understand why Tetsu grates on him so much at the beginning. Tetsu is the exact opposite of Susumu in nearly every way. Everything's so serious and work oriented with Susumu, it's understandable that Tetsu nearly screwing everything to hell in the first couple of episodes would disturb Susumu so much. It's nice to see him lighten up in the end.
if it was a real weapon, he'd be dead.
And I like that Tetsu never becomes a boy wonder with a sword. He never magically gets so weird ability that makes him just as good as everyone else. Yeah, he's alright, but just about everyone in the Shinsengumi has him whupped by a mile.
no subject
Date: 2006-03-08 09:46 pm (UTC)I like that Tetsu never becomes a boy wonder with a sword. He never magically gets so weird ability that makes him just as good as everyone else
That was quite welcome and realistic. As to Saito, he is in RK as well which is throwing me for a loop...
no subject
Date: 2006-03-08 10:20 pm (UTC)And is ridiculously different in personality, though there is an underlying tie in that they're both survivalists with a touch of irony to them and the manga makes it pretty clear that Saito is probably the most intelligent of the Shinsengumi and probably the most willing to switch sides (which he does, which is why he and Sano can't ever get along in RK).