Thoughts on Takayuki's workplace

[Syk0tic]

I just finished KGNE a few days ago, and all I can say is wow. Never has an anime haunted me and hit me emotionally so much like this one. I watched all 14 eps in one sitting, and even now, KGNE is constantly on my mind. I really enjoyed the series (enjoyed actually seems like the wrong word to use for this anime), and right after watching, I went straight to these forums and read what people have to say. There is one thing though, that no one seems to have brought up, though it could either be just overly obvious, or just me overanalyzing things: the diner that Takayuki works at.

Now we all know that Takayuki's life is messed up, so there's no need for me to bring up any details of the story. The diner is one place, the ONLY place, where Takayuki can forget and put aside the harsh realities of his life. He actually seems to enjoy working to get away from it all. The only other times we see him truly happy and carefree is in the first few episodes. His co-workers, namely the two comedic waitresses, are fun and good people, and his manager is a genuinely kind and caring person who even helps him get promoted. Working gives him a chance to goof off a little, and we see that he is almost always smiling and enjoying himself while in the diner. Once he leaves, however, his cheerful demeanor is lost, and he seems tired and old. His workplace is a kind of safehaven for Takayuki, where he can put on a figurative mask and live as if his life were problemfree.

[DukeGaladrien]

That is some pretty good insight on the matter. Personally I never even gave his workplace a second thought, besides whether he would take the corporate job or not.

Now on to my rambling thoughts...

It seems that the actions of the two waitresses and their constant need for management forces Takayuki to concentrate on keeping them in-line instead of brooding over his normal gloomy topics. It's not all that surprising really. There are many cases that when someone suffers some personal tragedy they "bury themselves in work" to aviod having to deal with something they aren't ready to face.

Takayuki was using his work to hide from the harsh realities he didn't want to face, as he didn't have to make life-altering decisions there. Of course that changed when he was offered a job with corporate, and all of a sudden he becomes his usual indecisive self.

The series definately uses the workplace to lighten the atmosphere up and keep us all from going insane and sinking into long-term mental depression from watching the show.

[DarkCntry]

Basically, as you said, the diner job was his escape from 'life'. You noticed a completely different Takayuki while he was working there, and in the game it's even more profound in nature. The fact that in the game you have the opportunity to be with Ayu and Mayu is the reason it's more visible...

Basically looking at the diner scenes it's a glimpse as to how Takayuki would've been if nothing had happened adversely in his life and that he'd never been with Haruka in the first place. It's also used as a way to relieve the serious tone of the series as a whole, otherwise we'd all be blubbering fools for the rest of our lives because we'd all go insane from watching a single episode :P

[Takemi_Ikazuchi]

Takayuki used a lot of people to soothe his own pain, even Haruka who was supposed to be the victim of the story.

[arias]

Right; I'm not sure how Takayuki's workplace works in the game, but in the anime it's actually a "tone-lightener". It gives you a sense of normality and humor, and fun. It's what you call "filler".. The development within the restaurant is not integral to the love triangle, but it is very much integral to the whole series. Else, it would be far too depressing.

[Ambience Blue]

And without it, we'd never have Mayu-Mayu!!

Mayu: Ayu... It's a kiss....
Ayu: kiss?!?!
Mayu: Kiss...
Ayu: Kiss!?!?
Mayu: Kisss..... Uh, oh...

[kujoe]

Takayuki's workplace does feel like way for lightening the tone of the story. Without those scenes, the viewer would be hard-pressed to find some breathing space throughout the entire series.

On the other hand, some people didn't like them at all. When I was showing this series to my cousins, they simply hated every restaurant scene that concerned the waitresses--as if they abruptly ruined the atmosphere for them, or they simply prolonged their agony.

[chuckert]

Originally Posted by Syk0tic

Now we all know that Takayuki's life is messed up, so there's no need for me to bring up any details of the story. The diner is one place, the ONLY place, where Takayuki can forget and put aside the harsh realities of his life. He actually seems to enjoy working to get away from it all. The only other times we see him truly happy and carefree is in the first few episodes. His co-workers, namely the two comedic waitresses, are fun and good people, and his manager is a genuinely kind and caring person who even helps him get promoted. Working gives him a chance to goof off a little, and we see that he is almost always smiling and enjoying himself while in the diner. Once he leaves, however, his cheerful demeanor is lost, and he seems tired and old. His workplace is a kind of safehaven for Takayuki, where he can put on a figurative mask and live as if his life were problemfree.

I liked the atmosphere of the diner. It made the series more enjoyable for me personally. And I agree that Takayuki's work was like a sanctuary for him from all the emotional stress he's dealt with throughout the series. I've used this method before myself, dealing with stress in your personal life but using work as a form of escapism and not worrying or thinking about your problems. It's a good thing actually, keeps you from going insane I think.