something i haven't seen a whole lot of discussion about re: koisenu futari is how important it is that takahashi is for the most part closeted.
i and others have talked before about how refreshing it is to have a narrative about aro adults, and one that goes beyond the point of self-discovery to ask what comes next. but a big part of that for me is takahashi being closeted!
we get the impression that he has known and accepted he is aroace for quite a while, and that it isn't something he shares publicly or has really talked about extensively with anyone irl until sakuko comes along. he has his anonymous blog, but mostly lives in his own little world and keeps to himself, to avoid unwanted attention and keep from being hurt. he walks that fine line between being confident and secure in your identity and still feeling that deep-rooted sense of insecurity and shame that leads you to make yourself smaller. he knows who he is and has accepted it about himself, but he doesn't actually know what he wants in life or how to go out and get it because he is already convinced he cannot have it.
i'm far younger, but that really resonated with me as someone who is secure and proud in my identity and will talk extensively about it here but has always struggled with being in the closet and how to... well, build my own castle.
i think a lot about sakuko's coming out scene with her family, and takahashi's non-existent relationship with his own. he only really had his grandmother, and he never told her before she died. familial disappointment—real or perceived—is something that can haunt you, even years after your family is no longer a part of your life. it's such that takahashi doesn't even seem surprised when sakuko's family initially reacts poorly, he just reacts with this sort of resigned disappointment, like this is just how families always are and it's a sad truth about the world. which makes the way he ultimately begins to crumble at the end of the series, at the same time that sakuko begins to repair things with her sister and father at the very least when the baby is born, all the more heartbreaking.
at this point i'm just rambling about his arc again, but the point is so many queer stories are coming out stories and it's so special to me that we have this too. takahashi's arc mostly bubbles in the background since the series primarily focuses on sakuko's journey, but when it comes to a head and ultimately a resolution, it's a triumph. no, takahashi isn't suddenly like out and proud. he's still his same old self, and he was already confident in being aroace and didn't need validation. but he's come to realize that yes, there are people in this world who will try in earnest to understand you (kazu), that families can reconcile, that family can also be something you choose, that being aro does not have to be gloomy, that you deserve to decide your own happiness. you don't have to hide from what other people will say. they learn this together, from each other. as someone who was closeted for years and still struggles with it, that's what i needed to be told, that sometimes things really are ok and you can figure it out as you go.
takahashi means a lot to me. this show means a lot to me.
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