[relentlessflame]

Originally Posted by Mentar

Well, it's nice that you're also feeling like that :P ... I do feel strongly vindicated though, tbh.

I too felt strongly vindicated, which emphasizes that I think we're both just coming at it from different angles and having different ways of explaining the same thing that aren't easy to convey.

Originally Posted by Mentar

But his preference was crystal clear. He wanted the Inner. And he relaxed in genuine relief after her three-hit combo not because he is M, but because, as he put it, "The Ayatsuji I fell in love with still exists". This is who he REALLY wanted. Not "Balance".

Maybe it would help if I drew the contrast I'm making in a more straightforward way to explain what I mean by balance:

Tsukasa's Facade: "Virtuous" Outward Behaviour, Dishonest/Unpure Inner Motivation
Tsukasa's Inner Self (as shown previously): "Destructive" Outward Behaviour, Honest/Pure Inner Motivation

My version of "Balance": Both "Virtuous" and "Destructive" Behaviour as needed, Honest/Pure Inner Motivation


In other words, just because she's being her true self doesn't mean she can't still be a good person, so long as she's genuine, and that's what her little story at the end was supposed to show -- that although she had buried her good intentions under her facade, the kindness is genuine too and not just part of the facade. Junichi loved her inner self because she was being honest with her feelings and with him. He'd definitely rather have that (and whatever other behaviour that comes with it) than someone who's just for show with no fire or spark (no soul?).

I hope that makes a bit more sense... or maybe it's more confusing... I don't know. All I know is that I don't think we're really disagreeing, we just have different ways of looking at it. I'm trying to say that Tsukasa being honest with herself didn't mean that she had to be a prideful social misfit and a rebel that didn't get along with anyone (as she had been portrayed previously). She can be honest with herself and be genuinely kind. But absolutely: the main point is honesty.

Originally Posted by Mentar

That the end result was positive doesn't necessarily mean that the path taken towards it was the right one, though. [...] This was less a matter of pride though, but of sincerity. The hypocritical-insincere approach yielded the desired result. But I'm still reluctant to call it the "right" way to do it.

I don't disagree there at all; I don't particularly like that the "make up and play nice" strategy worked out. I was hoping it would fail, but... it does prove that he was right that it was "a" way of making the festival work.

(To be clear, I personally would have tried other avenues; her crocodile tears were pretty humiliating and her "relationship" with those girls... man those girls were so shallow... They definitely don't get any sympathy from me, in case that was what you thought I was implying.)

Originally Posted by Mentar

The "might" makes it easy for me to agree in the end, thanks. IMHO everyone wears a Facade in a way, it's called tact and politeness. And yes, sometimes it might be necessary/useful to bite back a justified tonguelashing for the Greater Good. As long as it's understood that it's the exception rather than the rule, which is "be yourself, especially to your loved ones".

I don't particular like this "moral of the story", but yeah: I think that is what it's trying to say. I too would have preferred more of the latter without the former caveat, but hey... like I said perhaps this is more realistic.



NOTE: I'm going to move the polls to another thread; they don't belong here.