Samurai Deeper Kyo Vol 23-24
Oct. 30th, 2007 05:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meganbmoore i fall a bit behind in my manga reading and tons of things happen...
You know, if Tokyopop upped the releases just a bit, we could have the whole thing out over here in about a year...
I've seen a fair bit of talk about Kyo letting Yuya go off with Akari in this volume. Like Bontenmaru(and, I'm sure, most other readers) I would have expected Kyo to keep Yuya with him, instead of sending her off with someone else. Tthough, really, who else could he send her off with? Hotaru would forget about her in 2 minutes, Akira would probably try to run off with her, and Bon and Benitora are idiots. Lovable idiots, but idiots. Sasuke's a kid and I'm not sure I'd trust her wit Okuni, narrowing it down to Kyo and Akari, and people have a nasty habit of targetting her when she's with Kyo. It seems odd though, initially, that he'd let her go off with Akari, who not only barely knows her, but has been stressed as being less of a combatant than the others. But then, throughout volume 23, it becomes so clear why.
Despite her attitude, Akari is completely devoted to her friends. Yuya is obviously, to some degree "Kyo's" which places her within Akari's protective (if often mentally damaging) sphere. While we don't yet realize how hard core Akari can be and how far she'll go to protect people, Kyo does know, and knows that Yuya will be as safe with Akari as she will with anyone else.
But then there's Akari's side of things. Akari is someone who's obviously desperately in need of love and friendship, and just unconditional energy and enthusiasm, and as was pointed out here, Yuya may not be much of a fighter at this level, but she has more than enough enthusiasm to compensate. Not only that, but the girl is pure heart. Lets face it, the reason almost everyone in the book is fond of her(and sometimes far more than that) in one way or another is because, despite her temper, she's pure heart and unconditionally kind and caring. While Kyo, Bon, Hotaru and Akira care very much for Akari, they aren't the kind to show that kind of affection, which is something that Akari very, very much needs...with Yuya, there's no need for "usefulness" or "entertainment" just unconditional kindness as long as you don't stand between her and money and aren't dissing Kyo. And hey, as soon as you stop with that, she goes straight to being the nicest person in the world to you. I could go on, but you get the point.
All that said, now that we've seen more of her, i adore Akari. She's the only character of her type who I actually forget really is a man. Even Nuriko(who I love) of Fushigi Yugi, a character I've repeatedly seen referred to as "transcending gender" is, to me, always still a man dressing as a woman. With Akari, I'd forget if they didn't remind me that she's biologically a male so often. But that's not why I love her(because really, aside from Akari and Nuriko, I'm not overly fond ofthe character type.) Despite her manipulations and blackmail and attitude, Akari is actually an extremely sweet person, one with a heart that seems to be almost as big as Yuya's, but that is far, far more careful with her heart because she's been hurt so much. She never seems to quite believe that yes, she really does have friends and has love, and that she won't lose them. Also? She's the only think I've ever seen make Kyo seem flustered or discomfitted. (And is it just me, or did she seem to be on the verge of changing teams for a moment there?)
But moving on from Akari, all I have to say about that whole mess with Sasuke is that I just want to scoop up the little guy and squeeze the stuffing out of him. Seriously, how much angst and trauma can you pile on one kid anyway? Also, he reminded me almost freakishly of Kyo when he developed his red eyes...not just the eyes, but his moves and even attitude were rather reminiscent of Kyo.
Akira and Benitora's reactions to the girls they thought of was also surprisingly cute. While Akira's crush on Yuya is fairly obvious to any reader, it's amusing that Akira himself is very clueless about it. It's also nice to have confirmation that, even if he doesn't realize it, Tora is over Yuya. When he first showed up, he played and almost rabidly crushed on Yuya, something we knew would NEVER be reciprocated, we've also seen that fade and Tora's feelings turn to the simpler love you feel for a dear friend. While we've seen it happen, and seen Mahiro fall for him, we haven't really had confirmation that Tora sees Mahiro as more than a friend until now, or that he's over his crush enough to not still be carrying a torch. While I don't really ship Mahiro/Benitora, I am extremely firm in my belief that Mahiro should get whatever will make her happy and what will make her happiest is Benitora and hey, it's a lot better than what history has planned for him, anyway.
And the revelation of Shatora's identity? If I hadn't read vol 29 multiple times(I can't help it...despite certain things that happen[only bearable by knowing she doesn't die] parts of that are amazingly near and dear to my heart, as my going psychotic over it when I first read it shows) I suspect I would have been completely floored.
Finally? I love Yun Yun despite his creepy tongue, but can't really care much for Tokito. Something about her annoys me.
Despite her attitude, Akari is completely devoted to her friends. Yuya is obviously, to some degree "Kyo's" which places her within Akari's protective (if often mentally damaging) sphere. While we don't yet realize how hard core Akari can be and how far she'll go to protect people, Kyo does know, and knows that Yuya will be as safe with Akari as she will with anyone else.
But then there's Akari's side of things. Akari is someone who's obviously desperately in need of love and friendship, and just unconditional energy and enthusiasm, and as was pointed out here, Yuya may not be much of a fighter at this level, but she has more than enough enthusiasm to compensate. Not only that, but the girl is pure heart. Lets face it, the reason almost everyone in the book is fond of her(and sometimes far more than that) in one way or another is because, despite her temper, she's pure heart and unconditionally kind and caring. While Kyo, Bon, Hotaru and Akira care very much for Akari, they aren't the kind to show that kind of affection, which is something that Akari very, very much needs...with Yuya, there's no need for "usefulness" or "entertainment" just unconditional kindness as long as you don't stand between her and money and aren't dissing Kyo. And hey, as soon as you stop with that, she goes straight to being the nicest person in the world to you. I could go on, but you get the point.
All that said, now that we've seen more of her, i adore Akari. She's the only character of her type who I actually forget really is a man. Even Nuriko(who I love) of Fushigi Yugi, a character I've repeatedly seen referred to as "transcending gender" is, to me, always still a man dressing as a woman. With Akari, I'd forget if they didn't remind me that she's biologically a male so often. But that's not why I love her(because really, aside from Akari and Nuriko, I'm not overly fond ofthe character type.) Despite her manipulations and blackmail and attitude, Akari is actually an extremely sweet person, one with a heart that seems to be almost as big as Yuya's, but that is far, far more careful with her heart because she's been hurt so much. She never seems to quite believe that yes, she really does have friends and has love, and that she won't lose them. Also? She's the only think I've ever seen make Kyo seem flustered or discomfitted. (And is it just me, or did she seem to be on the verge of changing teams for a moment there?)
But moving on from Akari, all I have to say about that whole mess with Sasuke is that I just want to scoop up the little guy and squeeze the stuffing out of him. Seriously, how much angst and trauma can you pile on one kid anyway? Also, he reminded me almost freakishly of Kyo when he developed his red eyes...not just the eyes, but his moves and even attitude were rather reminiscent of Kyo.
Akira and Benitora's reactions to the girls they thought of was also surprisingly cute. While Akira's crush on Yuya is fairly obvious to any reader, it's amusing that Akira himself is very clueless about it. It's also nice to have confirmation that, even if he doesn't realize it, Tora is over Yuya. When he first showed up, he played and almost rabidly crushed on Yuya, something we knew would NEVER be reciprocated, we've also seen that fade and Tora's feelings turn to the simpler love you feel for a dear friend. While we've seen it happen, and seen Mahiro fall for him, we haven't really had confirmation that Tora sees Mahiro as more than a friend until now, or that he's over his crush enough to not still be carrying a torch. While I don't really ship Mahiro/Benitora, I am extremely firm in my belief that Mahiro should get whatever will make her happy and what will make her happiest is Benitora and hey, it's a lot better than what history has planned for him, anyway.
And the revelation of Shatora's identity? If I hadn't read vol 29 multiple times(I can't help it...despite certain things that happen[only bearable by knowing she doesn't die] parts of that are amazingly near and dear to my heart, as my going psychotic over it when I first read it shows) I suspect I would have been completely floored.
Finally? I love Yun Yun despite his creepy tongue, but can't really care much for Tokito. Something about her annoys me.
You know, if Tokyopop upped the releases just a bit, we could have the whole thing out over here in about a year...
no subject
Date: 2007-10-31 11:04 pm (UTC)Well, as I've said, these volumes (and esp. 24), made me very, very happy!
Isn't it good that Sasuke has had time with Yukimura, to make him emotionally stronger and to give him more friends so that he can come through this? And OMG, poor Kotaro! His death scene - with him managing to hold up him thumb for Sasuke at the end ... man, I was all teary-eyed.
Yes, Akari was feeling a little crushy on Yuya for a second there ... but remember she's never had a close friend except for Kyo, so she only has one context for strong positive emotions. I sometimes stop and make myself remember that Akari is really a guy, just to see if the scenes still work, and they do. Kamijyo is being very, very sensible about what a gay friend told me: people are just people. Write or play gay characters that way, and the rest is just window dressing.
How did you like Hotaru's empty-headedness beating two of the three illusion attacks? He is so funny ... !
And I love Yuan, even though he will continue to do things that make it difficult (much worse than his tongue ... ). And yes, Tokito is one big squick.
You know, even if they brought out one book per month, it would take more than a year ... it goes to vol. 38!
no subject
Date: 2007-10-31 11:19 pm (UTC)Parts of that whole scene were just really cheesy and almost bordered on emo...and yet...I was all sniffly and "nnnnoooooooooo" over it...
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Yes. And lets face it...Kyo, Hotaru, and Bontenmaru are more the "Huh? Yeah, I like you just fine...now patch me up so I can go kill more people" kind of guys(Akira was younger and probably not as bad, but having Akari as a mother/sister figure seems to have traumatized him for life) Yuya's probably the first person to actually be openly sweet and gushy with her.
""
I've encountered Akari's character type quite a bit before, but before the approach has always been "a man who dreses like a woman"...with Akari, it seems to be more "a woman who has guy parts"
Hotaru's emptyheadedness was amazingly funny. Tokito is...I get the feeling I'm supposed to find her at least somewhat sinister and threatening, but to me, she mostly just feels like a talker who's too big for her britches. Honestly, if I wasn't spoiled for her later on, I'd probably just forget all about her when she wasn't around.