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Perishthethought · 2006-04-10, 12:19

Takayuki is a tremendously nice guy throughout the series - too nice for his own good, too nice for the girl's good, too nice to be a good lover (in the sense of providing commitment). Unfortunately, the women in this anime flock to him like a bee to honey. Rightly or wrongly, such as in the case of Mitsuki, they interpret this as romantic overtures, when in actuality, it is merely Takayuki wanting to see everybody happy. Upon this realisation, it destroys Mitsuki, particularly in the scene where she is beside the recovering Takayuki, where she recounts the tales of his niceities to her - such as fetching her stuff at school. At that moment, she realises that such behaviour is a Takayuki standard and not really an indication of any attraction (even though he DOES like Mitsuki, this is not evidence enough for her of his love because he does this with everybody). Where Takayuki falls down is that he not overtly, or consciously, nasty to anyone. He goes to great efforts to make sure people do not end up hurt or feeling betrayed (in the short term, at least). He simply cannot bear to see Haruka upset - particularly when she's lying ill in a hospital bed and wanting to do 'the spell'. Not only that, but 'the spell' seems to assist in recovering her short term memory, as it enables her to recount something important in her life from the previous day's experience (although whether that would happen naturally anyway over time is probably true).

He can't tell her he doesn't love her, and in fact, he also cannot face the prospect of her being upset - Haruka overreacts to an almost unhealthy degree when she doesn't get contact from Takayuki. "I thought I was hated" is a soundbite we hear EVERY time she does not hear from him for a couple of days or Takayuki tries to stay away. Even when he tells her he 'doesn't know' whether or not he likes her, she does not want to talk to him in case she finds out she "is hated". It is this level of emotional manipulation that forces Takayuki, who cannot bear to see people upset, and his obligation to Mitsuki (making sure he takes care of her because she's Mitsuki's 'special friend'), to tell Haruka he loves her. It is here where we first realise how extraordinarily kind he is - this isn't kindness on a scale the everyday person on the street is familiar with - this is kindness to the extent of really being made to put up with the worst kind of obligation to stop people being hurt. Not a lot of people are THAT kind. It is in this respect that he continues to maintain the facade in front of Haruka. The fact that he falls for her charms, despite their awkward courtship and lack of ANYTHING in common, is more to do with their compatability as a couple, a (percieved) compatibility which Taka has with virtually any woman who shows an interest, rather than any sense of obligation on Taka's part. The problem with Taka is that he doesn't really care what he wants over anybody else - he's utterly without want when they may contradict somebody else's. His needs and wants are dictated by other people. This, in part, causes him to be the perfect vehicle for some women to be romantically involved with. He's kind enough to be romantic, he's good looking enough (i.e. he's not grotesque) and he also won't contradict the woman who he's involved with's wishes for the future (even though he may demonstrate some heel dragging in the first place). A lot of women don't like jellyfish like Takayuki, being attracted to a certain amount of drive or intelligence. However, the major female players in this anime seem to thoroughly enjoy it, as well as a lot of the bit players demonstrate some form of attraction to him in some way or another - Daikujji, for example, enjoys his authority (being a spoilt little rich girl and probably never having had any) and the interplay between the two is somewhat affectionate and good-natured. This does not constitute romance, but is a demonstration of what somebody as distinct from Takayuki could find appealing in him.

In fact, a question that fails to get asked, and the one you raise, is that what exactly DO Mitsuki and Haruka see in Takayuki? Why SHOULD Takayuki be the object of their affection? Well, Haruka is quite obviously obsessed with him. She knows virtually all about him before they have exchanged even a word outside of pleasantaries. What Haruka sees in Taka is presumably more than simply the nice guy who helped her out by giving her the book she was struggling for, the only guy who gave her a hand. Having become infatuated with Takayuki, she wants to please him to the extent that he is capable of pleasing her. Cooking him his favourite food, that sort of thing. In return, Takayuki is again overly kind, doing things he previously had no interest in, such as going to University and getting Haruka a book she's had her eye on. The crucial difference between Haruka -3 years and Haruka +3 years is that she recognises that Takayuki bends over backwards for her - particularly in the context of him visiting her daily despite a huge amount of time passing. She expects these things of him while they're together originally - after waking up from the coma, she knows she has to give him something back. Only, she can't move her legs. She knows that to hold on to Taka, especially with Mitsuki on the scene, she thinks she's going to have to provide him with something other than dependency or obligation. Hence her frustration at being unable to give him something back, and knowing that Mitsuki HAD done a lot for him in the meantime. However, it is precisely this obligation that sends Taka to Mitsuki. It is Taka's causing of Mitsuki's pain, his (unintentional) hurting of her, that he wants to heal. It is not because of what Mitsuki did for him while he was depressed (although he is grateful for it and recognises it). What Taka is doing is not out of gratitude, instead it is out of wanting to repair damage he knows he has inflicted. This is especially sad from the view of a Haruka supporter (of which I am not) because she's beginning to overcome her infatuation of him and is recognising she really DOES love him - take for example the scene where she confesses to Mitsuki that her time in the hospital has made her realise just how much he means to her - she now 'really, really likes him'. In being only able to talk to each other, their compatibility shines through.

What does Mitsuki see in Taka? Well, she is, like Haruka, attracted to his kindness. She says as much. She also likes the level of security he provides her with - that despite throwing everything away, she still has Taka. When it looks like her emotional bedrock Taka might end up with Haruka, she can't handle it and goes seriously off the rails, abusing alchohol and sleeping with a stranger/Shinji (albeit at the suggestion of her co-worker). Mistuki shares the characteristic with Haruka of being unable to deal with rejection well - they both react to being unloved or unwanted with extemes of emotion. Haruka just simply can't handle it and shuts herself off from it - Mitsuki actively goes out and tries to take her mind off it with something else. Although both are not really workable responses, Haruka's method at least affords her some level of dignity. The common perception is that Mitsuki is somehow more 'needy' or emotionally unstable than Haruka - the only thing that differs between the two is how they handle (percieved) rejection from the one they love. Takayuki, interestingly, doesn't have to, in the course of the series, deal with rejection face-to-face. None of the women want to leave him (apart from Haruka giving him the gift of goodbye, although that was out of love, not a lack of it). When one of the women DOES leave him, through the hell of an accident, Taka is rendered utterly devoid of purpose or the ability to go on in life. He becomes completely decrepid and almost like an invalid, such is the extent to which he cannot cope with having the object of his (now established) affections leave him. He has to have somebody else to care for and be kind to, to get his life back on track. Enter Mitsuki!

Now, back to the gratitude thing. I do not think Taka 'owes' Mitsuki anything other than a thank you for her helping him out of his depression (and lets not forget, she did this more out of her desire for him than a genuinely selfless desire to see him healthy and moving on in life). It's just like somebody buying me a car out of the blue and I having to be indebted to them to an equivalent amount just because they did something for me of their own free will. I would be grateful, and would want to pay them back in some way, being kind, but that does not mean that they somehow OWN me to the extent that I must. This is exactly the same as when Daikujji orders masses of food. She wants Taka to pay her back because for her, the treat makes up for his time off. Only, there was nothing Taka could do while off, he did NOT ask for them to do all the extra work, it was unavoidable, and presumably because Daikujji has no idea of the real value of money, being wealthy, the expense far outweighs the percieved 'crime', which was leaving them to do extra work. This also proves Taka is somewhat able to say no to people, and not be a doormat, because he turns them flat down and thinks the debt he is being forced to pay is just completely inappropriate. Plus, of course, he can always squeeze her face until she gives up.

He goes to Mitsuki out of feeling somewhat responsible for the emotional trainwreck she has become. It is the very LEAST he can do, in this case, to go and make her feel better. This is why he prioritises Mitsuki OVER Haruka because she 'needs' him more than he does. Taka doesn't think Haruka needs him anymore... He still loves her, and she does him, but he isn't 'needed' to the extent he thinks he is with Mitsuki. And despite her telling him that she doesn't need him, he pulls off the reconciliation by claiming he needs her because he loves her. This is enough to get her back so the healing can begin. There's no doubt he loves her, HOWEVER, he loves her to the same extent he loves Haruka. And knowing how much he does out of a sense of obligation, his kindness, and his inability to handle people being upset when he can influence it otherwise, it is difficult to see whether this can be called anything approaching the traditional definition of love. But hey... if they're happy, why not?

2006-04-10, 12:19	Link #61
Perishthethought Member Join Date: Mar 2006	Takayuki is a tremendously nice guy throughout the series - too nice for his own good, too nice for the girl's good, too nice to be a good lover (in the sense of providing commitment). Unfortunately, the women in this anime flock to him like a bee to honey. Rightly or wrongly, such as in the case of Mitsuki, they interpret this as romantic overtures, when in actuality, it is merely Takayuki wanting to see everybody happy. Upon this realisation, it destroys Mitsuki, particularly in the scene where she is beside the recovering Takayuki, where she recounts the tales of his niceities to her - such as fetching her stuff at school. At that moment, she realises that such behaviour is a Takayuki standard and not really an indication of any attraction (even though he DOES like Mitsuki, this is not evidence enough for her of his love because he does this with everybody). Where Takayuki falls down is that he not overtly, or consciously, nasty to anyone. He goes to great efforts to make sure people do not end up hurt or feeling betrayed (in the short term, at least). He simply cannot bear to see Haruka upset - particularly when she's lying ill in a hospital bed and wanting to do 'the spell'. Not only that, but 'the spell' seems to assist in recovering her short term memory, as it enables her to recount something important in her life from the previous day's experience (although whether that would happen naturally anyway over time is probably true). He can't tell her he doesn't love her, and in fact, he also cannot face the prospect of her being upset - Haruka overreacts to an almost unhealthy degree when she doesn't get contact from Takayuki. "I thought I was hated" is a soundbite we hear EVERY time she does not hear from him for a couple of days or Takayuki tries to stay away. Even when he tells her he 'doesn't know' whether or not he likes her, she does not want to talk to him in case she finds out she "is hated". It is this level of emotional manipulation that forces Takayuki, who cannot bear to see people upset, and his obligation to Mitsuki (making sure he takes care of her because she's Mitsuki's 'special friend'), to tell Haruka he loves her. It is here where we first realise how extraordinarily kind he is - this isn't kindness on a scale the everyday person on the street is familiar with - this is kindness to the extent of really being made to put up with the worst kind of obligation to stop people being hurt. Not a lot of people are THAT kind. It is in this respect that he continues to maintain the facade in front of Haruka. The fact that he falls for her charms, despite their awkward courtship and lack of ANYTHING in common, is more to do with their compatability as a couple, a (percieved) compatibility which Taka has with virtually any woman who shows an interest, rather than any sense of obligation on Taka's part. The problem with Taka is that he doesn't really care what he wants over anybody else - he's utterly without want when they may contradict somebody else's. His needs and wants are dictated by other people. This, in part, causes him to be the perfect vehicle for some women to be romantically involved with. He's kind enough to be romantic, he's good looking enough (i.e. he's not grotesque) and he also won't contradict the woman who he's involved with's wishes for the future (even though he may demonstrate some heel dragging in the first place). A lot of women don't like jellyfish like Takayuki, being attracted to a certain amount of drive or intelligence. However, the major female players in this anime seem to thoroughly enjoy it, as well as a lot of the bit players demonstrate some form of attraction to him in some way or another - Daikujji, for example, enjoys his authority (being a spoilt little rich girl and probably never having had any) and the interplay between the two is somewhat affectionate and good-natured. This does not constitute romance, but is a demonstration of what somebody as distinct from Takayuki could find appealing in him. In fact, a question that fails to get asked, and the one you raise, is that what exactly DO Mitsuki and Haruka see in Takayuki? Why SHOULD Takayuki be the object of their affection? Well, Haruka is quite obviously obsessed with him. She knows virtually all about him before they have exchanged even a word outside of pleasantaries. What Haruka sees in Taka is presumably more than simply the nice guy who helped her out by giving her the book she was struggling for, the only guy who gave her a hand. Having become infatuated with Takayuki, she wants to please him to the extent that he is capable of pleasing her. Cooking him his favourite food, that sort of thing. In return, Takayuki is again overly kind, doing things he previously had no interest in, such as going to University and getting Haruka a book she's had her eye on. The crucial difference between Haruka -3 years and Haruka +3 years is that she recognises that Takayuki bends over backwards for her - particularly in the context of him visiting her daily despite a huge amount of time passing. She expects these things of him while they're together originally - after waking up from the coma, she knows she has to give him something back. Only, she can't move her legs. She knows that to hold on to Taka, especially with Mitsuki on the scene, she thinks she's going to have to provide him with something other than dependency or obligation. Hence her frustration at being unable to give him something back, and knowing that Mitsuki HAD done a lot for him in the meantime. However, it is precisely this obligation that sends Taka to Mitsuki. It is Taka's causing of Mitsuki's pain, his (unintentional) hurting of her, that he wants to heal. It is not because of what Mitsuki did for him while he was depressed (although he is grateful for it and recognises it). What Taka is doing is not out of gratitude, instead it is out of wanting to repair damage he knows he has inflicted. This is especially sad from the view of a Haruka supporter (of which I am not) because she's beginning to overcome her infatuation of him and is recognising she really DOES love him - take for example the scene where she confesses to Mitsuki that her time in the hospital has made her realise just how much he means to her - she now 'really, really likes him'. In being only able to talk to each other, their compatibility shines through. What does Mitsuki see in Taka? Well, she is, like Haruka, attracted to his kindness. She says as much. She also likes the level of security he provides her with - that despite throwing everything away, she still has Taka. When it looks like her emotional bedrock Taka might end up with Haruka, she can't handle it and goes seriously off the rails, abusing alchohol and sleeping with a stranger/Shinji (albeit at the suggestion of her co-worker). Mistuki shares the characteristic with Haruka of being unable to deal with rejection well - they both react to being unloved or unwanted with extemes of emotion. Haruka just simply can't handle it and shuts herself off from it - Mitsuki actively goes out and tries to take her mind off it with something else. Although both are not really workable responses, Haruka's method at least affords her some level of dignity. The common perception is that Mitsuki is somehow more 'needy' or emotionally unstable than Haruka - the only thing that differs between the two is how they handle (percieved) rejection from the one they love. Takayuki, interestingly, doesn't have to, in the course of the series, deal with rejection face-to-face. None of the women want to leave him (apart from Haruka giving him the gift of goodbye, although that was out of love, not a lack of it). When one of the women DOES leave him, through the hell of an accident, Taka is rendered utterly devoid of purpose or the ability to go on in life. He becomes completely decrepid and almost like an invalid, such is the extent to which he cannot cope with having the object of his (now established) affections leave him. He has to have somebody else to care for and be kind to, to get his life back on track. Enter Mitsuki! Now, back to the gratitude thing. I do not think Taka 'owes' Mitsuki anything other than a thank you for her helping him out of his depression (and lets not forget, she did this more out of her desire for him than a genuinely selfless desire to see him healthy and moving on in life). It's just like somebody buying me a car out of the blue and I having to be indebted to them to an equivalent amount just because they did something for me of their own free will. I would be grateful, and would want to pay them back in some way, being kind, but that does not mean that they somehow OWN me to the extent that I must. This is exactly the same as when Daikujji orders masses of food. She wants Taka to pay her back because for her, the treat makes up for his time off. Only, there was nothing Taka could do while off, he did NOT ask for them to do all the extra work, it was unavoidable, and presumably because Daikujji has no idea of the real value of money, being wealthy, the expense far outweighs the percieved 'crime', which was leaving them to do extra work. This also proves Taka is somewhat able to say no to people, and not be a doormat, because he turns them flat down and thinks the debt he is being forced to pay is just completely inappropriate. Plus, of course, he can always squeeze her face until she gives up. He goes to Mitsuki out of feeling somewhat responsible for the emotional trainwreck she has become. It is the very LEAST he can do, in this case, to go and make her feel better. This is why he prioritises Mitsuki OVER Haruka because she 'needs' him more than he does. Taka doesn't think Haruka needs him anymore... He still loves her, and she does him, but he isn't 'needed' to the extent he thinks he is with Mitsuki. And despite her telling him that she doesn't need him, he pulls off the reconciliation by claiming he needs her because he loves her. This is enough to get her back so the healing can begin. There's no doubt he loves her, HOWEVER, he loves her to the same extent he loves Haruka. And knowing how much he does out of a sense of obligation, his kindness, and his inability to handle people being upset when he can influence it otherwise, it is difficult to see whether this can be called anything approaching the traditional definition of love. But hey... if they're happy, why not?