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Originally Posted by Triple_R
Well, it's just that Iori has one identity crisis after another in Kokoro Connect, and at some point the authenticity of them becomes questionable. I mean, it seems to me like the old Iori keeps reasserting herself after each identity crisis.
Does there come a point when you've been wearing a certain mask for so long that this mask now is you? I think that's a a question that Iori's character implicitly raises, and I find it to be an interesting question.
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I would rather say that Iori's identity crisis has always been there since the first arc. These aren't multiple episodes of identity crises, but a rather just one all-encompassing identity crisis. All the previous arcs merely scratched up on this issues but never directly addressed it.
I agree that this is a case where a mask becomes no different from a person's true identity. But then, when a person is so accustomed to viewing herself through the eyes of another, it becomes difficult to distinguish one's "real self" from an "adopted self". The case with Iori is that her "real self" was actually not much different from the persona she took on. She was simply too pessimistic to see beyond her worst traits.
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Originally Posted by Triple_R
It had a touch of "Don't worry, fans, your 'normal' Iori is back! Just like you and Iori's friends wanted!" to me. And maybe that's fine, but if so, I think it could have been executed a bit better.
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It definitely could have been executed better. Iori's supposedly "real" personality resembles her old personality too much. I would have liked it if that internal change of hers reflected onto her usual behavior.
But still, despite my feelings, I'm still convinced that this new Iori is an entirely different character from the one from the previous arcs. In the past arcs, understanding her character was like staring through stained glass. It was impossible. Her cheerful attitude was nothing more than a facade, masking her hidden insecurities. But now, we know that she's acting as she wants to, and that, I believe, makes all the difference in the world.