While I must disagree on the point that Agon doesn't recognize Ikkyu because he literally says this, plus when recommending players for the Japanese All Star team, Agon ONLY said Ikkyu's name. I legit think they have a very friendly relationship as seen from that one panel of them talking in the gym, Ikkyu being the only one besides Unsui who isn't scared of Agon, how Agon always complimented him and never put him down etc. even when Ikkyu noticeably screwed up or failed. but now is not the time for me to harp on my love of agokyu
But despite the series obviously telling us Agon joined the Naga's to crush Kurita and by proxy, Hiruma... the last few chapters FINALLY give us a little bit of insight on Agon's view of Unsui so I legitimately think that probably another reason Agon got into American Football at all... is because he was inspired by Unsui. (As well as obviously his obsession with crushing other people and showing off lol, that definitely appealed to him)
Agon could literally do anything, any sport, no sport... he has any and all talent, but he went with American Football. Coincidence? I doubt it, nor do I think he did it to outshine Unsui either, or only to screw over Kurita and Hiruma. He's one of the few characters in the series who don't really care about American Football as a sport, have the desire to necessarily be the best player in their specialty, join the pros, or do it for the companionship... so what's his reasoning for joining? I think he was drawn to it because of all Unsui's efforts, became interested, watched his older brother and unconsciously wanted to be involved regardless of the fact he tries so hard to draw a line between them.
That being said, even though he's never shown it throughout the whole series yet.... when he finally talks about Unsui, his perspective is still obviously Agonish with an asshole tone but it shows how much he does care and believe in him.
"If Unsui had a personality like that, it would have been way easier for him too."
To what? Well... to succeed; that's the implication here, to climb to the top. To play and fight, to be on this team of all stars or at least come close since he never even tried, didn't even tryout because he knew he wouldn't make the cut. Unsui would never be on Agon's level but to be closer to it, since Unsui himself has admitted to dedicating his life to highlighting the talent of his brother, basically giving up trying to be any more than what he is. Agon is saying that if Unsui had that sort of personality, to be a fool who dedicates himself to the sport he loves regardless of everyone else around him or what they thought about it, that he could be in the world of top players or at least have lived out his days with no regrets having tried his best. It would have been easier for Unsui to be on the team as opposed to Habashira, because Agon believes in Unsui more.
Agon recognizes that Unsui has resigned himself to following in Agon's footsteps... and he doesn't like that. He thinks it's bullshit. He doesn't want that sort of life for his brother; to never try to make it to the top, to just give up and live life in defeat.
It's "disgraceful" to embarrass yourself like this, to fight as hard as you can, keep going even when everyone makes fun of you and you don't have the talent or skill. That's how Unsui learned to cope with it and the pain of never measuring up, how he always stood back even though he loved American Football so much. He gave up, accepted his fate as a man not gifted like his brother was.
Agon WANTS Unsui to keep trying, to see him struggle and fight, to conquer his insecurity... to not let his pride or rational stand in his way: to do what he loves and to break through his own glass ceiling and reach higher than anyone ever expected.
Agon KNOWS that Unsui has given up, and maybe... some part of him feels guilty for that. And it's funny that Agon clearly has insecurities of his own, and that for all the insecurity Unsui feels with being compared to an unparalleled genius like his brother.... why is it Agon is the one who tries so hard to look different than his twin? To differentiate himself? Why is he the one always covering up his eyes or growing out his hair, trying to seem different? Is it really only because Unsui is that worthless, he doesn't want to be compared to him? I don't think so. He's just as desperate to escape the image of not being his own person, just in a different way.
"Are you really satisfied with that?" Hiruma spells it out for us, the message Agon is trying to get across to his brother. That Takami, despite his bum legs, even managed to play in this game and do something amazing for the team, to push them forward regardless of his skills in comparison to the other quarterbacks. Agon does believe in Unsui, he never thought he was totally hopeless, he never wanted him to give up.
The series offered Agon growth, even if it doesn't seem that obvious to people since he still goes around calling everyone trash and hyperfixating on people with talent, by the end of the series he learns to recognize more than that which started with his loss to Deimon. How he started training every day because he actually needed to in order to keep up, that his brain slowly started processing the fact that there's more to the world than pure talent: that hard work and dedication do make a difference. Like what Hiruma said, it's useless to fixate on talent you don't have, you just have to fight with what you do have... for your whole life. After everything that happened in the series, he now understands his twin brother more than he ever did before and does believe in him.
Unsui was pivotal to that growth, making Agon frustrated that all these other players came to fight, even the whole secondary team, but his brother didn't. Agon doesn't want that fate for him, not when he's seen the value in what Unsui offered and what sort of player he could become. How Agon always calls Hiruma trash but still lost to him, just because he put in the effort to increase his running speed by .1. How Agon eventually recognized Kurita who protected him against Mr. Don even after all that he had put him through.
I think this was the first step to their relationship healing into something better, just that little bit of understanding.
I LOVE THE KONGO TWINS AND THEIR CHARACTER ARCS...
amandla
gracieabrams
prguitarman
areudirty
discoholicmusic
jimmyeatworldofficial
blakekathryn
