Some thoughts on Misa’s presumed victim status and the strange absolution of all her crimes for no apparent reason
One thing that’s always bothering me is how people often seem to completely absolve Misa from her actions - or rather, how people seem to completely forget about her crimes most of the time. There is a very healthy distinct awareness that Light is a fucked up person who has done some fucked up shit, but is still lovable as a character. So why is the same view hardly ever extended to Misa?
Huge disclaimer that this isn’t trying to defend Light or any other character I may mention - whether or not Misa has done shitty shit has no bearing on shitty shit other characters do. There isn’t a limited amount of shit to go around - one character being bad will never make another better. Moral relativism is a bullshit excuse for apologism. Another huge disclaimer that this is by no means an imperative to stop liking Misa. I don’t believe in ‘you can’t like that character, they’re problematic’ - but I do believe in ‘you can love this character including all their problematic sides instead of glossing over them’. Misa’s a very interesting character and I wholeheartedly encourage exploring this to the fullest. This is a post focused on her negative characteristics, but they are by no means her only characteristics. I don’t hate Misa and all of her fans should continue liking her to their heart’s content.
ANYWAY. Seriously, what the fuck is up with this attitude of all that’s wrong with Misa being caused by Light willingly and intentionally? What is up with the idea that Misa on her own is this innocent little girl who would have nothing but healthy and wonderful social relations and do nothing bad? I smell a heavy gender bias in the regard of ‘cute girls can’t do wrong’ here - because looking at canon, it is glaringly obvious Misa is not as pure as inexplicably made out to be by some of her fans.
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