[This wasn't meant to be so lengthy, but it accidentally turned into a whole Rakua/Fleedrich Character Analysis, oops]
Even if it's not plainly stated, the idea that Fleedrich seems to feel more like himself as a human than as a chicken is so angsty//
He was in denial for so long about it all, but then it hit him that the frustration he felt was over wanting to be loved ... It was never strictly about overthrowing cats and dogs for a crave of power, never about being served by humans, but about being loved by them.
It was about having what humans have, to be seen and accepted by them.
'For who he is', yeah, but who is he truly, on the inside?
Rewatching the episodes, you can just see how happy he was in his time as a human.
And, in hindsight, I do not think it was all just an act for his plans.
It was definitely the lie he kept telling himself up until the end, out of spite and unable to accept the real truth yet, because he was coping hard with the way his kind was perceived especially in his own future ...
But he was also genuinely enjoying all that attention thrown at him, because he was so starved for love and recognition and had probably been his entire life.
When he wasn't actively manipulating people, he just looked all happy and goofy and vibing.
Things like the students choosing him as Class President, I think really made him feel good with himself, and not out of crave for power, but out of hunger for love and praise.
Even the time he spent with Shinkurou, I think a part of him really enjoyed it on a personal level, just being treated as worthy and seeing Shinkurou being excited to spend time with him.
Especially now that we know how he looks when he's genuinely happy and flattered (from how he acts in the Onsen), I can totally see these reactions being mostly honest from his part, albeit even for just a few seconds before he gets back to rationalize it as part of his plan:
Rakua: "Really? You want me instead of yourselves? If that's what you wish, my birdies ..."
The blush he makes as his very first reaction just feels genuinely like he got high on attention.
And the way he asks them if they want him instead of themselves, it just rings different after we learn that the source of his anger and despair was feeling jealousy over cats and dogs, and most importantly, underappreciated by humans.
He was sooo testing the waters on how far he could go here, and indulging in this 'omg I have them wrapped around my finger!' hype.
Also, according to Shinkurou, he literally spent 3 whole minutes telling everyone goodbye before leaving on his first day of school ... In hindsight it's so freaking cute and I can't believe a part of him wasn't doing this out of honest excitement for feeling appreciated FOR ONCE instead of just for mere calculations.
And later on, he's shown surrounded by students again and while he seems a bit more scheming around them in the following episode, I just cannot help but see his happiness here as genuine:
Aaand, this brings me to his relationship with Shinkurou, which I believe actually affected him deeper than he would've admitted.
First of all, it's very important to note that, unlike with the others, Rakua did not brainwash Shinkurou into liking him. And I think this is a very important point, in hindsight, also for what happens at the end of EP9 - but we'll get there in a minute or two.
Shinkurou: "This morning, too, is Haikara!"Rakua: "Yes, I want to shout my love out loud!"
-
Rakua: "About our date yesterday ... Oh my, we truly got carried away at the candy shop."
He was literally imitating Shinkurou's mannerisms when they slid the door open lol He's so goofy when he's not being manipulative <33
And despite he had set it all up with a very specific goal, I don't think that blush was fake. He literally blushed the same way he did at the end of EP12, and he seemed to genuinely have a good time with Shinkurou at the candy shop (I think that memory might've been real, not Sutoreito's imagination since it's not gay like the others pffft) ...
Even if his time at the Dorm wasn't exactly the best, I think deep down he appreciated those things too, because they gave him a taste of daily life, of what it means to be appreciated but from a position of equality, neither beneath (like Fleedrich) nor above (like Nuru) like how things are in the future.
Interestingly, at the beginning of EP9 he says something that seems to somewhat describe the resolution of EP12, and it is phrased as an encouragement towards Shinkurou:
Rakua: "If that [Haikara] is the path you believe in, then you should spread your wings and fly in that sky. I'd like to celebrate your way of living so freely."
Shinkurou: "Raku-san, you say such haikara things!"
He looks like he was truly enjoying Shinkurou's praises there///
And yeah, what Rakua says will fundamentally reflect in how Haikara ends: putting aside their misunderstanding, Sutoreito and Shinkurou decide to join forces in the name of haikara (which is a word Sutoreito had told Shikurou first, and used it to describe the exciting future ahead of them), and voice their right and freedom to work towards a different future where the role of humans won't be replaced by anyone else.
The concept of choice is very dear to Rakua/Fleedrich, so I wouldn't struggle to believe that Shinkurou's attitude at life really fascinated him in how it implies free will - something he feels is lacking in his Future, because he deems cats and dogs as manipulative assholes who just had better weapons to brainwash humans with, and as a bird he thought he lacked the freedom to choose where or what he truly wanted to be, due to society's stigma and prejudice towards his kind.
... This leads us to the end of EP9, that honestly sounded a bit cryptic and weird to me initially, but I think it makes MUCH more sense now if we look at these episodes from the POV of Rakua/Fleedrich's journey to self-discovery, realizing what he truly wants and how he truly feels on the inside.
Rakua: "They're so silly. 'It's better to choose than to be chosen', that's something only those used to being chosen would say."
I think he was telling this more to himself than to anyone else.
His entire view on the situation was starting to slowly, subtly change in the depths of his heart, but he was far from being able to admit it to himself.
He was observing the Haikara Boys fighting over who among them Rakua "chose" and liked best.
And even if he had actively aimed to brainwash them in order to obtain this result, I think a part of him still felt flattered at witnessing them fighting over him, even neglecting the Monster of the Week in the process.
And so, he needed to reassure himself that they had just fallen for a trick, that they are so spoiled as human beings that they will easily eat the bait of a blatant lie that could only sound worthy in the ears of those who are so used to the truth it no longer excites them.
All that attention the Haikara Boys were fighting over was worthless, it shouldn't really flatter Rakua, because it came from mere brainwashing and they would've never felt such a way otherwise.
... However, Shinkurou wasn't brainwashed by Rakua.
And so, this dialogue makes more sense now.
Shinkurou: "Is it really that important to be chosen by Raku-san? So much so that it cancels out what you chose?"
Akuta: "You hypocrite! You only say that because he chose you!"
Shinkurou: "You're wrong, I was the one who chose! Isn't that the same for you, Ushio, Akura, Sou-san, Naru-san? [...] But there is no number one or two. For me, you are all stars that shine equally bright!"
If Shinkurou was the one who chose, then Rakua was chosen.
And then, he completely reverses Rakua/Fleedrich's whole belief, by pointing out that the other Haikara Boys, at the end of the day, chose to be swayed by Rakua the same way he did. So they shouldn't fight over him, because it was never about who Rakua picks as a favorite, but about whether they like Rakua or not.
This must've resonated with Rakua/Fleedrich, deep down.
Because Shinkurou fundamentally, albeit indirectly, showed Rakua that he doesn't have to brainwash people to get them to like him, some people can and will choose him for who he is without having to resort to such severe mind tricks.
In fact, we have Shinkurou and Samon who were never affected by Rakua's manipulation, and they decided on their own whether they liked Rakua or not.
For obvious reasons, we couldn't see to which extent Shinkurou's speech affected Fleedrich, but it surely did, because he would then proceed to distance himself from the Haikara Boys entirely until the revelation of EP11.
Probably as a self-defense mechanism, because he wasn't ready yet to face the truths about himself and what he actually longs for.
Nonetheless, at the end of EP9, post-battle, we see him hearing the Haikara Boys talk about how they miss him and wonder where he went, to which Rakua sounds melancholic, looks almost conflicted about his feelings for a moment.
He needs to tell himself that they are just boring boys, and that this is all for his plan.
As if a part of him, deep down, was starting to doubt it.
Ushio: "By the way, where has Rakua- senpai gone? I haven't seen him."
Akuta: "I wanted to apologize for having been mean to him earlier at the club!"
Narushi: "Our Acchan has such a splendid heart!"-
Rakua: "Ha ... They're so boring. But this is part of the plan, too. The fight between the Conquest Club and the Earth Defense Club, more tight-knit than ever, will become even more intense ... This has always been my goal, from the start. Everything, all to accomplish my greatest ambition ..."
His dialogue with Tasuku in EP10 is also quite interesting if we keep in mind how Rakua/Fleedrich's character turns out to be in the finale.
I think, here and there, in this dialogue more than ever, Rakua is projecting his own struggle on him.
Tasuku: "You! That was your doing, wasn't it!?"
Rakua: "I have no idea what you're talking about ... But I can feel how shaky my little birdie is."
Tasuku: "And whose fault do you think it is!?"
Rakua: "Of all those who don't choose you, isn't it?"
Tasuku: "..."
Rakua: "You're a great student, you have the best grades in your Year. It's the result of all the dedication that burns in your veins ... And yet, you are forced to serve humans who are inferior to you. I can only imagine how humiliating it feels."
Tasuku [looking away]: "... Stop that."
Rakua:"If I were them, I would choose you."
Rakua [gets closer]: "This is your wish, right? Deep within ..."
Tasuku: "But no one ever prefers me. I can put as much effort as possible, and yet ..."
Rakua: "I prefer choosing over being chosen. You, on the other hand, prefer being chosen. I'm sure we'd be a great match!~"
Tasuku: "Did I ... Did I want to be chosen?"
Rakua [holds his hand and drags him down on the ground with him, getting on top of him]
Tasuku: "What- What are you doing!?"
Rakua [placing his ear against Tasuku's chest]: "Shh ... Be quiet. I'm listening to your heartbeat. It is beating like crazy, it's so happy to have been chosen. You're adorable, my little birdie.~"
Tasuku [looking away]: "It's your fault, you must've done someth-"
Rakua: "It's Rakua. Call me Rakua, not 'you'. Tasuku is the one I've chosen."
With Tasuku, Rakua's argument shifts a little.
Unlike what he told others, he does not tell him that it is better to choose than to be chosen - quite the contrary, because he is projecting on him: he identifies himself as the one who "likes choosing" and Tasuku as the one who "prefers to be chosen" (but we know this is a lie, because as the finale and also the end of EP9 show, Fleedrich actually believes that being chosen matters the most, and it is this belief that gave birth to the frustration that made him do all of this).
This throws Tasuku off and messes with his own memories, because it wasn't Tasuku's struggle as much as it is Fleedrich's.
He tells Tasuku that, despite being so good, he's forced to serve humans who are clearly inferior to him, and this must be humiliating.
I think, here, he's projecting in how he does feel himself worthy of recognition and love, but is unable to get it in his Future due to his mere classification as a bird and he's forced to stand at the lowest place in society while cats and dogs brainwashed humans to shower only them with love and attention.
He was probably never even given a chance to prove himself worthy, regardless of any actual quality he might've had (and damn, he fundamentally built a time machine and set up an entire plan, surely he's very intelligent even for future animals' standard), just because he's a chicken so why would anyone bother?
And, similarly, what's so remarkable about Tasuku's accomplishments, when there are other people (Sutoreito and Samon) who will always shine brighter than him in the eyes of others?
If Rakua was those students, he'd choose Tasuku.
Had he been a human, he'd have seen through the manipulative nature of cats and dogs and wouldn't have fallen for it, and maybe someone might've listened to his input (=chosen him) and the future would've been different, but he's just a bird so that was out of question.
I think, very subtly within his heart, Fleedrich was starting to realize that he was growing more comfortable with himself as Rakua than he had ever felt as Fleedrich.
I find it pretty peculiar how he remarks and asks Tasuku to call him Rakua, not just 'you', even if we know it's a fake name.
Sure, it could just be part of the flirtatious manipulation, but I find it an interesting detail for someone who'll end up having the kind of character growth he has.
... Tasuku also ends up wishing to overthrow the Student Council and establish a new one that isn't 'taken hostage' by Sutoreito and Samon's heritage and social recognition.
This, too, mirrors how Fleedrich's goal was to overthrow the government of cats and dogs because he deems them unworthy of the recognition they have among humans.
In this game of projection, where Tasuku is Fleedrich and Sutoreito and Samon represent the cats and dogs, Rakua's role is in fact the one humanity has in how his ideal future works.
When, later, Samon manages to clear up Tasuku's mind, reminding him of how that childhood memory actually went down, we see Rakua getting frustrated and acting impulsively for the very first time.
I think, in hindsight, he transformed him into a monster on a whim because that instantly busted his projection and he took it very personal.
It only took the cats and dogs (Samon) an act of genuine love and concern, for Tasuku to instantly ditch Rakua, therefore breaking the projection and instantly reminding Fleedrich that no matter how hard he tries, no matter what he feels, his kind will never be chosen by humanity, and Rakua will always be dragged down by Fleedrich.
When Tasuku gets turned back from his Monster Self, through the sole power of love and respect, it visibly surprises Rakua, but his expression isn't the 'how did they do that!?' kind of offended, villainous shock, it actually seems more ... Heartfelt? Like something there made a little voice in his mind say something, as if a little part of him realized that maybe he has lost sight of what he truly is envious of, or refuses to aknowledge the real truth about what he longs for, because it's still something too big and radical for his mind to deal with.
I think he felt a little envious of what they had, as humans, which isn't a matter of either serving or being served, but mutual respect and love on equal grounds, despite the different social class they come from.
This concept seems to have gone completely lost in Fleedrich's future, where cats and dogs sit at the top of society, birds sit at the bottom, and humans might love and serve cats and dogs but they do so from a place of slavery - even if they decided to give up on their freedom, it doesn't change the fact that the love they give to cats and dogs is a duty based on hierarchy, not entirely genuine.
In his future, everything is about dominance, either serving or being served, so it's not that surprising that this is how he rationalized his own wishes and how he tried to operate from EP8.
Because that's all he's ever known, in the world he grew up in.
(... Okay this is getting really too long and out of hand, sorry-)
I consider EP12 as fundamentally just the moment where, after the climax of the story, Fleedrich is simply no longer able to keep inside what he has learned along the way and tried to ignore.
I think in EP11 there's something very indicative of how comfortable Fleedrich had grown in his disguise as Rakua.
He had forgotten to switch back to his chicken form, and only realizes his mistake when Shinkurou - of all people, Shinkurou, the one who first started to shake Fleedrich's beliefs and sense of self - asks him who he truly is upon hearing him crowing.
He admits he genuinely forgot, which shows how he is no longer perceiving Rakua as just a disguise. He also apologizes for not having revealed his real identity and appearance sooner, which, honestly, sounds so weird to me?
I know this is also just his way of talking, but he fundamentally apologized for having taken so long to reveal that he's not a real human. And it's kinda weird because why would he feel sorry about that if it was all according to plans, if he truly gave zero damns about humans aside from wanting to be served by them (as a bird)?
Perhaps because a part of him, maybe, wasn't that eager to literally drop the mask?
Maybe because a part of him had enjoyed the acting so much, it wished it was reality, but he just couldn't admit that to himself, not when he literally warped time and space in order to accomplish his original plans and he's then just a few steps away.
And throughout the climax, in EP12, I think it really spoke to him how the Boys said that they aren't really fighting on the side of cats and dogs, they do not even give a damn about this entire point in Fleedrich's agenda, all they care about as humans is having their own future which they can look forward to and be excited for, one where they can choose for themselves and avoid getting replaced.
This way of thinking seems to have surprised Fleedrich, and, that he actually longed for freedom deep down, is in line with what he had praised Shinkurou for back in EP9. It's just that his way of intending freedom was previously chained by the constriction of binary choices hierarchy forces on you (someone must lead, it's just a matter of choosing who, not whether this should happen or not ... Right?).
Upon being hit with the Ray of Love and Friendship™️, he comes to the realization that he just wanted to be appreciated by humans but, along this, I think there's another thing he realizes, although it stays only implied.
Fleedrich: "The stupid one has always only been me. I just wanted to be chosen, like cats and dogs ... That was my only wish ..."
Kan: "The future awaits you! I, too, will try my best to be chosen as a rodent, and not as a dog!"
Nuru: "... As for me, I only wish for a life where humans treat me gently. I wish for you birds to find your calling, too."
Fleedrich: "You guys ..."
Upon hearing Fleedrich's confession, Kan tells him that the future awaits them, and that he, too, will try to be appreciated as a rodent (what he truly is) and not as a dog (what others, including himself, had believed Kan to be up until that point).
And Nuru hopes for birds to find their own calling, hinting that Fleedrich's shouldn't necessarily align perfectly to either his, dogs' or Kan's, it can and should be his very own.
... Which leads to the question: what is it that Fleedrich truly is, on the inside?
I think the answer is found in how he decides to stick to the past, as a human, because he realizes that what he was craving was what he got in his time as Rakua. Even design-wise, Fleedrich seems a little more anthropomorphic than the other future animals (or aliens?) shown, and not just because he's bipedal.
At the end, I believe he realized that on the inside, deep within, he has always been Rakua more than he has ever been Fleedrich. So, when confronted with Kan's invitation to strive to be appreciated for who he truly is, I think he ended up admitting to himself that who he truly is is the person his time at Binan allowed him to blossom into, not the bird who always felt uncomfortable with himself and wrongly rationalized this complex emotion as jealousy towards other animals.
He wants to be a human appreciated by other humans on equal grounds, to have what the guys at Binan High have, because he realized that's when he truly felt like himself and happy.
The theme of finding happiness is underlined later, once again, by Nuru. Right after showing Rakua being happy in the Onsen, and Kan asking if this is really alright, Nuru comments that people, birds and cats all have their unique way of reaching happiness ... Which reinforces the idea that Fleedrich has always been Rakua on the inside and it is only by finally admitting that to himself and letting it all out that he can find true happiness and peace of mind.
Rakua: "Did you really say that poultry is amazing? Thank you, Shinkurou!"
And so, now that it has dawned upon him that he doesn't have to drag around the weight of Fleedrich (that clearly makes him suffer) if he doesn't want to, he can even accept the idea that his friends eat chicken (and he's implied to have eaten it too in the onsen since no other food option is shown) and even feel flattered by it, because he no longer identifies as strongly with birdkind as he does with humankind.
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