This has been banging around in my head for a few days now...

[wordinista]

And, believe me, it's not gonna be pretty.


I'm disappointed.  There, I said it.  I've never hidden the fact that I dislike the Shigure/Akito pairing for a multitude of reasons, and after seeing the raw scans of the chapter, I'm just... I'm disappointed, and not a little icked-out.  But I had to ruminate on my disappointment to organize my thoughts properly.  So I'm breaking this down into three categories.

The Pairing Itself:

everstar3 said it best in her post.  There are a lot of issues in the power differentials inherent in the Shigure/Akito pairing, and it was one thing when they were both evil and dark and the relationship itself was intriguing solely because of the sheer fucked-upness of it all.  I didn't like the pairing then, but at least I could understand it.  Shigure slept with Ren to punish Akito, and got himself banished from the Honke as a result.  You could see the manipulation going on, and, for me, at least, that made the relationship (for lack of a better word) believable. It also fell more in line with Shigure's constant insistence that he was the "dirtiest," the "worst", the "most cursed" of them all (but more on that later). 

I mean, first and foremost, he's ten years her senior.  Unless I'm wrong in my math (not entirely improbable), he'd been banging her since she was seventeen (at least).  Think about that just for a moment.  Just think about it.  Don't romanticize it.  Don't let the squeeble factor step in the way.  Just think about it.  Maybe this is a culture thing, and my Westernness is showing itself, but that?  Is fucked up.  And, you know, when it was a dark and twisted relationship, I believed in it -- as a fucked-up relationship.  Because Akito was a selfish, vengeful, violent, spoiled bitch.  And, frankly, she deserved to be manipulated six ways from Sunday.

But this?  What is this?  I mean, I'll accept that the absence of the curse will have a huge affect on the Juunishi.  I accept that.  What I do not accept is that "I love her so much I want to crush her underfoot" suddenly becomes gentle smiles and sweetness and light and cuddles and smooches and did I mention he's ten years her senior?  A pairing that worked (insofar as it "worked" at all) during the curse, in my opinion, does not work in the absence of the curse.  You've got an entirely different set of circumstances going on, and I simply do not buy the magical happily-ever-after feel that, to be completely honest here, has my teeth rotting. 

And I will slap the first person who says "but that's shoujo, Bunneh."  Because while it is shoujo-y, Furuba has always been... I don't know, just a little different from your average shoujo.  It went pretty damned dark there for a while, and I'm of the opinion that that's part of the problem.  I can't help but get the feeling that Takaya-sensei felt like she went a little too far with the darkness, and jerked the reins a bit too far to the other direction to get things back "on track," as it were.  But that's just speculation, and if that IS what happened, then, hey, it's the manga-ka's prerogative, really.  But I don't have to like it.

Shigure:

I think what bothers me most about this, aside from the squicky power differentials, is that Shigure's always been my favorite character.  And he's been my favorite character because he's a bastard.  He's a tricksy, sneaky, manipulative son-of-a-bitch -- and he's always been completely unapologetic about it.  Which, you know, if you're going to be a manipulative son-of-a-bitch, you might as well be unapologetic about it.  Don't hold back.

So now you've got this character who has always been so totally interesting, because you never knew what he was really thinking, or what his true motives were.  He's complicated.  And I loved that.  He was a brainy, complicated, dark, selfish, manipulative pervert.  He was interesting.  See the icon?  There's a REASON Shigure's listed as one of the seven deadly SINS.

And now he's... what.  A fluffy hero?  No.  No, no, no, no, no.  Do not strip him of every characteristic that made him such a favorite in the first place.  I mean, for me, the metaphor/analogy is obvious:  the Dog's been neutered.

Akito:

WTF, guys.  I mean, seriously: W.T.F. 

I have mixed feelings about the Akito redemption arc in general.  I mean, I can see it, but I have problems with it.  I don't even know if I can articulate why I'm not so keen on the Akito-redemption.  I keep thinking back to Lydia from Pride and Prejudice.  Austen didn't shy away from basically damning her.  Lydia fucked up, was a spoiled little bitch, and got to live with her consequences.  (Granted, you could argue that Lydia was too stupid to realize she was being punished, but I think she figured it out PDQ after marrying Wickham.)  But Lydia was never redeemed.  And, really, she COULD have been, but it would have been inherently less satisfying, I think.  And the same idea goes for Akito.  Redeeming her feels like the soft way out, considering what she's done.  She partially blinded Hatori, pushed Rin out a window (and locked her away in the Cat's cell), and put Kisa in the hospital for a week.  And let's not even get into the level of abuse bestowed on Yuki and Kyou.

And this is all magically forgiven with an "I'm sorry"?  What?  No.  No no no no no.  NO.  I mean, I'm all for apology and forgiveness, but there should be some semblance of ... proportion between an apology and the transgressions that necessitated the apology in the first place. 

Yes, I know -- the Juunishi couldn't blame Akito, it wasn't her fault, blah, blah, blah.  Which brings me to another huge problem I have:  The absolution of responsibility.  It is positively killing me that every lousy, evil, selfish, violent thing Akito did in the past is just... poof.  Gone.  Everyone's OKAY WITH IT.  Sorry, but all the apologies in the world won't bring back Hatori's sight or take away that lovely scar Rin sports on her shoulder blade.  And that's something that's always bothered me in Furuba: the whole, "It's not her fault, it's the curse" excuse.  I hate it.  I hate it.  Take some fucking responsibility for your actions!  I mean, I don't know -- if Akito's going to be redeemed, I want to see her work more for it.  I want to see her earn it, not just magically receive it through the healing power of St. Tohru.

Really, this is the only canon pairing I take issue with.  I like Rin/Haru, I even like Machi/Yuki, for much of the same reasons everstar3 does (though I think it was developed a little late, and not thoroughly enough, but whatever -- that's what fanfiction's for... if anyone wrote a Yuki/Machi story that didn't suck, I suppose).  I have such immense love for Kyou/Tohru and Hatori/Mayu (squeeble!) in particular.  (Though I do wonder a bit at Takaya's apparent obsession with pairing EVERYONE OFF -- and I have a few problems with that, as well.  My issues with the redemption arc aside, doesn't Akito deserve an opportunity to figure out who Akito is, if she's not the god anymore? Similarly, if Shigure's NOT the manipulative Dog anymore, doesn't he get to figure out his new role in an uncursed world?)

So, there we go.  I'm dissatisfied, obviously, but I'm begging you -- please don't take this as an invitation or encouragement to extoll to me the virtues of the Shigure/Akito pairing, just because you think I'm too beknighted to see it/understand it/ appreciate it.  My dislike runs deep, folks.  And no one on my f-list possesses the healing power of St. Tohru, so I expect I'll continue being cranky about it. ;)

Comments

[rya-kelley.livejournal.com]

I don't know anything about Furuba, so I guess I have nothing to contribute here. So, why comment? I duuno. I just want to participate.

[mscongeniality.livejournal.com]

I'm not going to counter your points or debate you because I have an intense dislike of discussions based on belief. (Hence why I don't argue politics or religion.) However, you might want to check out Shadow's translation which is considerably less 'hearts and flowers' than you seem to have been assuming.

[haro.livejournal.com]

Totally not caught up with Furuba, but I can tell the way things are ending is something I'd not be comfortable with. I've noticed a surplus of large age differences in shoujo manga, and they've always been a turn off for me. However, the added 'fuckedness' of this one would make it more so. I also agree that redemption should not come easy for her.

...And on the surplus of pairings near the end. o.o

[vitani]

Though I do wonder a bit at Takaya's apparent obsession with pairing EVERYONE OFF -- and I have a few problems with that, as well.

WAS SOMETHING I NOTICED. ARE PEOPLE NOT ALLOWED TO BE SINGLE ANYMORE GEEZ THEY CAN BE NEAT CHARACTERS ON THEIR OWN

[ankoku-jin.livejournal.com]

Boo, I'm eight years older than my boyfriend you know. ;P (But then, 17+27 *is* somewhat more squick factor than 20+28... I suppose it's all in the age of the younger participant.) ^~

I haven't been following Furuba, but the "pairing everyone off" thing is endemic to shoujo. I don't even notice it anymore, unless they try to shove some really incompatible characters together for the sake of tying off loose ends. ~_~ But it really does sound like the mangaka is rushing toward an OMG SHOUJO HAPPY ENDING!!1! 9_9 That's also something I've noticed in several long-running manga, and I have to wonder if it's because the mangaka is getting bored, or if it's pressure from the publisher to wrap it up, get it all to fit in one tankouban, etc.

I always hate it when they build up a long-running sense of hate toward a character, and then magically redeem them (or just eliminate them), with no penance and no satisfaction for the audience. It's even worse when they suddenly alter a character so drastically that they are no longer recognizable, just a shoujo pod-person in a recognizable body. *sigh* It's just bad writing, I suppose, and bad writing (as we know) is everywhere.

[everstar3.livejournal.com]

*holds up a lighter*

[monique-27.livejournal.com]

Hello! Well, I've never commented you before, so, first, I want to say "hi" and "I loved this post". Now, I want to say:

Shigure is so hot, it disgusts me. *>.<*

Now, I agree with this entire post on a multitude of levels. I must say that I am disappointed, but, then again, I've been disapointed in Takaya-sensei for _years_. And I'll tell you why. *ahem* I introduce to you, what I have ever so affectionately named, "The Geat Takaya Cop-Out" : The Resolution of Kyou/Tooru/Yuki.

I am a _huge_ Kyou/Tooru fan. I do not now, nor have I ever, denied such a fact. I am also, however, a Yuki/Tooru fan, despite no longer having canon support. I'm all about Tooru and the Sexy Souma's. And, I knew, one day, it all had to be resolved. But, really, that was just so...so..._weak_. So _bad_. A Mother-Figure!? For cripes' sake, can anyone say "Rushing Shit with a side of Cop-Out and an undiscovered Oedipus Complex, please?"

*le sigh* But, anyway, I digress.

I wouldn't mind Shigure/Akito if only there was...more to it. It all happened too fast. Akito's unquestioned redemption, Shigure's Shoulder Fairy escaping his Shoulder Devil's entrapments and possessing his brain, everyone's suddenly so happily in love, and no one seems to remember all the Shit they went through to get there. The dynamics of the characters, their interactions, and their relationships is what first entranced me about Fruits Basket. It was _different_. It was funny, but dark; hopeful, but painful too. It was the Yin and Yang of differently-styled-shoujo. Then, well, where'd it all go?

I agree that "I simply do not buy the magical happily-ever-after feel" and [[I can't help but get the feeling that Takaya-sensei felt like she went a little too far with the darkness, and jerked the reins a bit too far to the other direction to get things back "on track," as it were.]] Really, there was so much there. The potential for where she could have gone is limitless. I'm not saying "the whole story sucks", not at all. I just feel certain issues and characters had other ways of being portrayed and handled, and the "dark feel" could have been eased out of instead of wrenched out of.

I also agree with the entire section about Shigure. I love him. Can't deny it even if I wanted to. He's awesome, on levels. He's not perfect, and I never wanted him to be. But I wanted more from him, and from Akito. Why is he suddenly all sunshine and shoujo bubbles? And Akito? Jeez. -> [[Take some fucking responsibility for your actions! ... if Akito's going to be redeemed, I want to see her work more for it. I want to see her earn it ... ]]

Anyway, I also agree with the fact that the characters have a huge transition and adaptation time ahead of them. All their lives they have lived with these curses...they _all_ have to get used to the curse not being there at all. I mean, no matter how you look at it, on one level or another, the curse was a crutch. It stopped them from doing certain things, living and thinking certain ways, etc. They couldn't interact with complete freedom. Now, that's all changed. And they have to not only accept that, but they have to move on from it as well. How will this change their lives? Their personalities? Their relationships? Do they really want to stay as they have been? Don't they all have wants, desires, and fantasies they might be able to pursue?

All I know is, such a change is usually a catalyst for even bigger change...which I have yet to see. So far it's all too easy, too clean and simple. I'm hoping there's more to the story because, while I can enjoy it for what it is, and take it at face value, if I delve into the characters and situations, which is what Furuba has always demanded I do, I come out sorely disappointed.

Vale!

~ Monique ~