Okay there’s a lot about Mikio asking Mizu to show him all of herself and then rejecting her but like. “Unsheathe it. Show me your blade.” This from Mizu, who fully believes the whole “the sword is the soul of the samurai” thing, basically asking the same of Mikio. Show me your blade; show me your soul; show me who you are. And she even throws him her sword, because she is truly giving him all of herself in this scene, and she wants the same of him. Honesty. Openness. Truth. And ultimately he does show her who he is, and it fucks them, because who he is is a man who cannot handle her as she really is. Unsheathing their blades ruins them, because it uncovers the truth: they were never compatible, not as who they really are. It was always a lie, a performance; a pretty dream that cannot withstand the light of day
I feel like Mizu and Ringo’s dynamic across the show really personifies the way that Mizu really craves connection but her revenge quest has left her absolutely no room for it “I’m on the path of revenge and there’s no room on it for love or friendship or weakness” and all. Like at the start she is actively trying really hard to distance herself from others, but she’s human, and little as she may like it bc of how she’s been hurt in the past, people need other people. And while Ringo demonstrates practically why she needs the support of friends and community in the way he patches her up and makes her food and helps her out again and again, more than that, he becomes her friend, a companion. And like it or not, she needs that. And that’s exactly how she reconnects to him in episode seven, by telling him “there are some things I cannot do alone”, by asking for his help, help that she did truly value, even if she didn’t want it when they first met, and did everything she could to get rid of him, they’ve grown close and she’s glad for his friendship. She wants to be his friend again. Just, the way the development of their dynamic is partly about her acceptance of her need for others in her life, which is leant into in episode six with the way that when she reaches her epiphany at the end, and says “Okay. I’ll teach you” her action is letting go of killing Fowler (for now) and saving Taigen. Because when she embraces her friendship with Ringo, she accepts her need for him too. And they go further with this in episode seven, when she includes the items of people who’ve touched her life, such as Ringo’s bell, but also items tied to Taigen, Akemi, and the man who raised her, her own Swordfather. And while it’s frightening, to connect to people like this again after being so badly hurt, it’s what she needs, to be whole again. Her friendship with Ringo teaches her that
We all already know Mizu and Akemi are narrative foils. But you know what? Lemme just say it, here's what I think:
Taigen and Mikio are foils.
Not necessarily to each other as individuals in the way that Mizu and Akemi juxtapose each other, but mostly in the contrast between their relationships with Mizu.
I've covered specific parallels between Taigen and Mikio in other posts I wrote; but as the number of parallels I'm noticing between them keeps piling up, I'm compelled to just compile them all in one post. So! This is, thus, the post in question.
First of all, let's look at their similarities.
1. Their status in society is the same. They are both samurai who lost their honour and have dreams of reclaiming it.
2. They are also both diligent as they strive to achieve this goal, they both care deeply about their work, but here as they begin to contrast, as the work in question and way they go about their goals is different:
For Mikio, his work is in taming and rearing horses; in order to prove himself, he must tame Kai—a willful and strong horse—and present it to his lord.
For Taigen, his work is in sword fighting and martial arts; in order to prove himself, he must kill Mizu—a willful and strong swordsman—and present her dead body to his lord.
In the parallel above, not only are Taigen and Mikio contrasting each other, but Mizu and Kai are placed in comparison as well. And of course, Kai is Mizu's horse, and represents her. Which is why, when later, Mikio sells Kai off, it represents the way he is tossing Mizu (and their relationship) aside.
From there, the rest of the details of their character begin to contrast and juxtapose each other more clearly. So let's look at those differences, shall we?
Their backstory:
Mikio was a great samurai who was banished.
A somebody to a nobody.
Taigen was a fisherman’s son who rose to the top.
A nobody to a somebody.
2. The first time we meet them on-screen:
Mikio is an adult. An older man. Mizu's superior in age. He is Mizu's to-be husband. A love interest.
Taigen is a child. A young boy. Mizu's peer in age. He is Mizu's bully. An antagonist.
3. Their maturity and growth:
Mikio is mature, but stuck in his ways.
Taigen is immature, but capable of changing and learning.
4. Their overall attitude:
Mikio is generally relaxed, easy-going and unfussy.
Taigen is uptight, irritable and severe.
5. How they talk to and conduct themselves around Mizu:
Mikio is aloof, soft-spoken, and serious.
Taigen is obnoxious, brash, and sarcastic.
Mikio is quiet, speaking only when spoken to, even when Mizu turns to smile at him and shows openness to be near him.
Taigen is loud, talking while others are silent, even when Mizu turns from him and shows no interest in conversing with him.
Mikio doesn't show much of who he is to Mizu throughout their marriage, despite their growing affection.
Taigen openly shares his traumas and life story to Mizu during their brief alliance, despite their mutual antagonism.
6. Their external vs internal selves:
Mikio is calm, gentle, and considerate on the outside.
Taigen is hot-headed, rude, and selfish on the outside.
Mikio is cowardly and deceitful on the inside.
Taigen is brave and loyal to a fault on the inside.
Mikio tells Mizu that he wants to know and see all of her.
But he scorns and betrays her, the woman he loves.
Taigen tells Mizu that he wants to duel and kill him.
But he endures torture to not betray him, the man he hates.
9. Their hair, a symbol of their honour:
Mikio's topknot is untied by Mizu during their spar.
This humiliation occurs in private, the two of them alone in a rural location where no one can see them.
Taigen's topknot is cut off by Mizu during their duel.
This humiliation occurs in public, the two of them being watched by many others in the Shindo Dojo.
10. Their power dynamic with Mizu:
Mikio believes he is Mizu's mentor.
He teaches her to throw knives, how to ride and care for horses, and about the tactical benefits of using a naginata.
Taigen believes he is Mizu's equal.
He views Mizu as a samurai like himself who received all the same teachings he did, and who possesses the same values.
11. Their perceptions of Mizu:
Mikio sees Mizu's feminine side first.
He sees her as sweet and gentle, but also clumsy and incompetent.
Taigen sees Mizu's masculine side first.
He sees her as terrifying and deadly, but also strong and skilled.
12. The way they approach sparring with Mizu:
Mikio only spars with Mizu once. As the fight progresses and she is beating him, he tries to put a stop to it. When she teases/provokes him, he starts taking the fight personally and seriously, finding no enjoyment in it.
Taigen spars and brawls with Mizu all the time. No matter how many times Mizu beats him, he doesn't back down. When Mizu challenges him with a chopstick, he is eager to compete with her and gladly rises up to the challenge.
Mikio and Mizu's one and only spar is a friendly match; Mizu is smiling and having fun while he grows increasingly frustrated.
Taigen and Mizu's last-seen spar is a playful wrestling match; both him and Mizu are having fun and laughing.
Mikio cannot deal with Mizu being better than him, so he scorns her and walks off, avoiding her thereafter.
When Taigen cannot deal with Mizu being better than him, he follows her to observe her moves and continues training in hopes to eventually beat her.
After being bested by Mizu once, Mikio leaves her and sells the horse he'd previously gifted to her.
After many times losing to Mizu and fighting alongside her, Taigen commends her and admits she is better than him.
13. When Mizu pins them down in a friendly spar:
Mikio sees Mizu's whole face objectively.
Taigen stares at Mizu's mouth and eyes.
Mikio gets angry when she kisses him, throwing her off of him and snapping at her, calling her a monster.
Taigen gets aroused, apologising, so she pulls herself off of him.
14. Mizu's blue meteorite sword is a reflection of her soul. She believes most are undeserving to face it, let alone hold it. And on that note:
Mikio is the first person (chronologically) that Mizu fights against using her sword.
Taigen is the first person (we see on-screen) that Mizu fights against with her sword.
Mikio is the first person (chronologically) to ever hold her sword, as she passes it to him, letting him wield it.
Taigen is the first person (we see on-screen) to ever hold her sword, as she passes out, and he picks it up and carries it for her.
15. Then, last but not least, in Fowler's fortress, when she is drugged and in pain, she hears Ringo's voice in the dungeon. She then follows it to an open cell:
Mizu first sees Mikio as a hallucination, the sight of him haunting her and causing her to lose her grip on reality. Her eyes glow a surreal blue to represent this.
Her Mama appears then and says Mizu's name accusingly.
Mizu then sees Taigen, but he is real, the sight of him a relief and grounding her back to reality. Her eyes return to their normal blue colour to represent this.
Taigen looks at Mizu weakly and says her name softly.
Then, later, when facing Fowler, her revenge awaiting her, she instead chooses to follow her conscience (represented by Ringo's voice in her mind), putting aside her vengeance for a time, in order to save Taigen.
So that's basically all the ones I've noticed so far, but even then, I feel there's already so much that forms a contrast between these two.
What makes it especially incredible about these juxtapositions is that Mikio was Mizu's husband, the man she had fallen in love with, the one person she had ever been intimate with, the man who made her begin to accept herself, to put down her desire for vengeance and instead live a life of peace and happiness.
So for Taigen to have so many parallels with him... Do you see what I'm saying here!
Not to mention that Mizu clearly already has some burgeoning attraction to him, as indicated by how she thinks of him when asked about her desires. And Taigen clearly has shown interest as well (see: him getting a boner after their spar, him holding her hand and telling her, "We're not done yet.").
And on the topic of speculating future possibilities of this relationship, this post by @stromblessed has pointed out yet another parallel between Taigen and Mikio:
Mizu promises Taigen to meet him for their duel in autumn.
Mizu fell in love with Mikio and duelled him during autumn.
With all that said, I do believe Mizu and Taigen's relationship is definitely hurtling towards something. But whether they will actually end up together in a sustainable relationship and have a happily ever after? Well, that is a whole other story; we'll just have to wait and see.
mizu's origin story in ep5 can have multiple interpretations
mama and mikio betrayed her - this is the one that the writers are pushing, and it's honestly already great. mizu's turmoil is grounded in internal chaos and her immediate connections. her onryo is fueled by self hatred and the reality of the world that she will never be accepted, not even by the only two people closest to her that know her as her full self. she has no paths left here. her only path is violent revenge and self annhilation.
mama betrayed her and mikio is innocent - this one fuels her onryo via external influences. mama's only M.O. is her opium addiction, which was introduced by the white men that poisoned the country with their opium imports. it shows that even here, in the countryside, away from everything and everyone that would hate her as a half breed, bridled next to her first love whose relationship is only just beginning, even here she cannot escape the white man's influence. her onryo is fueled by hatred of the white men that ruined her life so thoroughly and completely, even when all odds were in her favor.
mikio betrayed her and mama is innocent - this one fuels her onryo via self hatred. mikio, her first true love and guardian of her trust, tosses her aside and means to kill her after seeing the last facet of her identity as a warrior. here, she has failed so astronomically as a woman that it brings her life to ruin, shattering her heart into pieces and leaving nothing left of her. she hates herself, hates that she was born this way, and embarks on a grandiose suicide mission to end the white men that created her, but the underlying motive is simply self destruction (but make it fashion)
bonus interpretation:
mama and mikio are both innocent, but both are useless in her time of need - maybe a passing messenger saw her and took the opportunity to turn her in for a quick buck. the experience is traumatic, but no one is helping her. mikio runs because he is a coward, mama can only think of herself because she is narcissistic and can't spare any empathy. they are both squabble among themselves but no one is raising a hand to hold her, love her, care for her in the way she needs to be cared for. her onryo is fueled by nihilism and silent betrayal. what's the point of living when this is as good as it gets? why play into the charade of society when there is simply nothing left for her? might as well exercise her artistic capability to its highest form of expression (fighting, killing, exacting revenge) and call it here.
every interpretation is sad, there's no respite anywhere for our mizu send post
Okay you know something I utterly adore about Mizu’s characterisation is the fierce, sharp, very barbed sense of humour she has, which is just wonderfully enjoyable to watch, the way she’s all like “the problem with shindo-ryu is . . . it’s trash” and “I look your way, and don’t even see you” (Mizu you will never not be iconic) and while I could listen to her flay her enemies with that sharp tongue all day, it’s very interesting to me that it’s not just something she’s just doing for intimidation or something; not something she’s affecting just to sell her male role, no, it’s literally just a part of her, part of her default state, it’s simply part of her sense of humour. Like, we see her scale herself back and tone herself down to try and fit into her role of wife, and it’s particularly interesting that it comes back in full force when her husband tells her he wants to see her as she is. “Did you also lose your backbone when you lost your title?” she ribs him, and she’s grinning, and her eyes are lit with joy and fierce laughter and her humour has that razor sharp edge to it again and she clearly feels so much more like herself because this, this sharp, fierce, sometimes deadpan sense of humour is part of who she is
mizu’s quiet private moment of anguish after she kills kinuyo……and then having her go from that to ruthless unfeeling killer who singlehandedly takes down an entire army in the span of a single episode. the way that little glimpse of emotion is forcibly taken away from her. all the hatred and betrayal she’s been subject to her entire life whittling away at her bit by bit until she hardly feels human anymore. and then when she finally Does feel something, feels remorse and pain at the reality of what she’s been forced to do and become…….the hate and betrayal swoops right back in and strips that humanity away again. i feel like i’m going insane…mizu isn’t a monster the rest of the world made her this way!!!! waaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!
I go insane every time I remember OF COURSE master eiji always knew mizu's secret. eiji who knows mizu's sword by the ring of its blade, eiji who notices mizu is binding just from the sound of their breath, how could he not notice how the years pass and mizu's voice never drops? eiji who knows a practiced warrior by the feel of his hand, how many times could he have touched mizu, his wrist, his shoulder, softness of his cheek and not noticed that this is not how boys grow up? it's not that it's a secret he doesn't want to hear, because he's always known. it's just that he doesn't need mizu to be anything to him other than exactly what he is. mizu never owed any part of themselves to eiji.
Thinking about the crazy love triangle situation in Blue Eye Samurai and debating heavily with myself on how I'd like to see it conclude. And yeah this discussion can be thought of purely as shipping, headcanons, and fandom fun. But when analysing the show and engaging with it in a more in-depth, almost-literary level, it's impossible to dismiss who Mizu's potential love interests are and how different endgame romances would affect her character arc and the overall story and themes.
So in this post I'd like to look at the love triangle a bit more closely, and speculate on where the story will take this.
DISCLAIMER: It is my personal interpretation of the text that Mizu is non-binary—I use this as an umbrella term denoting any gender that does not adhere to the binary restrictions, norms, and expectations of what it means to be either a man or woman in a particular society; it's not just an androgynous "third gender" that exclusively uses they/them pronouns. Thus, while I personally believe Mizu is not strictly a cis woman, she does still identify with womanhood, despite definitely feeling a level of detachment from it due to living as a man for so long. With that being said, I will be using she/her pronouns for Mizu in this post, but please note that this is purely personal preference. Everyone is free to interpret the text the way they like. That's the fun of fiction. Now, without further ado, let's proceed.
Okay so, thinking about the pairings on a purely surface level, and even before i got into the show, I was pinning my hopes on some lesbianism going on between Mizu and Akemi, and the show does hint at this; in Ep1, during their first encounter in Kyoto, there is the famous slow-mo shot of their eyes meeting, Mizu's lips slightly parted as she is unable to tear her gaze away from Akemi, while sweet string music plays in the background. This is clear romantic framing, and a marker of attraction. If Mizu was a cishet man, there would be no question that this is a potential love interest.
But then, in the same episode, we meet Taigen, who is introduced to us firstly from hearing Akemi's father describe him as "a fierce and undefeated young samurai", the "best swordsman in the best school" and "a fisherman's son from Kohama [...] whose rise reminds [him] of [his] own."
In the next scene, we meet him in person as Akemi's fiance, and he seems sweet enough. He even gives her sweets! In exchange, Akemi gives him gold, and he feels a bit ashamed that he doesn't have anything better to offer her. But Akemi accepts him and his gift wholeheartedly and flirts with him a little, which makes him smile kinda shyly.
When Akemi confirms their engagement, Taigen is in disbelief because he has no status or noble background, but Akemi reassures him.
So from these first few scenes, we're introduced to Taigen as an honourable and strong samurai, but also as a man who is sweet and gentle with the woman he is about to marry, as well as aware of his own inferiority when compared to Akemi's high station.
Our view of him then changes as his true self is revealed: he is an arrogant and smug bastard among his peers, but more importantly, he is the terrible bully from Mizu's childhood.
And it is this side of Taigen--pompous jerk and unrepentant xenophobic bully--that we continue to see as the show goes on, and it's safe to say that this is his real self, sans any pretense of humility and modesty. Around anyone who isn't an outright superior in terms of class and power (ie. Akemi's father, the shogun), Taigen never hesitates to assert his own authority and "greatness."
But as the show goes on, he gets caught by Heiji Shindo's men, and then tortured. And that's when we see, okay, turns out he's not that bad. He's honourable; "honour" is not just meaningless and superficial pedantry for him, but an internalised, guiding principle.
He was a cruel asshat throughout Mizu's childhood, but in a prejudiced and xenophobic society, he was just playing by the rules. As a child, he knew he was at the bottom of society, but when met with someone even lower ranked than him (Mizu), he can project all those prejudices and insecurities onto someone else. This way of thinking--"if you can't beat 'em, join em"--is what allowed him to climb up the ranks despite being some dirt poor kid from an abusive household*.
*Well, that combined with his cismale privilege of course, because this would not be an option for a woman in similar circumstances.
Thus, his upholding of honour also exemplifies how Taigen embodies the ideals and rules of his society. His insistence on duelling Mizu is another more blatant example of this. He doesn't want revenge like Mizu does. He wants to be accepted by society, within the bounds that society has placed, and that means that his only two options following his defeat at the Shindo dojo were to either chase Mizu down and get his damn duel, or kill himself for his humiliating defeat.
Now! Moving on from Taigen, let's go back to the other end of this little love triangle: Akemi.
Mizu and Akemi only properly meet in Ep4. During their first meeting, when Akemi tries to poison Mizu in Madame Kaji's brothel, she compliments Mizu's eyes, calling them "beautiful."
This seems to genuinely take mizu off-guard for a second before she coolly plays along. We know that Mizu recognises Akemi from the get-go, and thus sees through Akemi's ploy from a mile away. It's also safe to assume she'd expected false flattery, because Mizu understands full well that this tactic is how women get what they want: by using their 'feminine wiles' and playing up their naivety and innocence. But even so, it's interesting that Mizu actually seems surprised by Akemi's compliment.
Then, after Mizu subtly taunts Akemi by lying about Taigen's death, she and Akemi have a bit of a scuffle, and then we get to Mizu saying this:
"Women in our world don't have a single good option. Except you, like some magical forest creature. You could have anything you want, but then you beg to eat trash."
(no screenshot because it's quite a long line but you get it)
Here we see Mizu's opinions on the marginalisation of (mostly poor and under-privileged) women stated outright, and underlying her words is also resentment. Because even though she and Akemi have shared experiences of female oppression, Mizu, unlike Akemi, was also poor, from a rural village, and is a racial minority. Mizu is triply oppressed, while Akemi only faces one primary form of oppression, and to someone as embittered by the world as Mizu is, to see Akemi "beg to eat trash" is a slap in the face, practically tone-deaf to the other injustices around her--injustices which Akemi has not shown much, or any, acknowledgement for at this point.
Then, after this scene, Mizu kills Kinuyo, and this unsettles her to a degree we've never seen from her before. She is visibly distraught, and the entire sequence hammers the theme of this episode (and arguably, a large portion of the show) into our heads: women in this world suffer. And even though Mizu is well aware of this fact, to commit this act is so visceral that is shakes her to her core, and it's what ultimately leads to the ambush of the Thousand Fangs.
But before the ambush, Mizu and Akemi talk a little again, and during this time Akemi taunts Mizu some more.
Right now, Mizu is exhausted to the point where (I believe) she even downs some sake, despite not usually drinking. Thus, worn down, she cuts Akemi's ropes and tells her, "Just go." Akemi recovers from her initial fear of Mizu's blade and taunts her some more, accurately seeing through Mizu's facade of coldness, recognising the raw anger there, and says this:
"I thought you had to be something special. Your face isn't even so scary. You're just... angry."
At this, Mizu is amused and compares Akemi to Taigen ("I see why he likes you. You're just like Taigen when we were children. A fucking brat.")
The reveal that Mizu and Taigen knew each other in childhood surprises Akemi, but before either of them can say more, everything goes to shit.
That's when we get to Ep5. This episode focuses primarily on Mizu, the central piece of this love triangle, and does the most out of all the episodes to shed some light on her character and goals, fleshing her out to be more than just the vengeful, highly proficient samurai we've seen thus far (symbolised by The Ronin), but also a person who is capable of love, domesticity and gentleness (symbolised by The Bride). But in the end, Mizu rejects both these ideals, instead becoming an Onryo, who is neither guided by pride/honour, nor love.
By 'reincarnating' into an Onryo, Mizu is able to win the day and save the women in the brothel. However, as she has now fully embraced her status as an Onryo, and is exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally, she lets the Tokunobu clansmen take Akemi away while Akemi's screams echo in her ear.
Mizu says this choice is for Akemi's own good, that Akemi's better off; because Mizu is jaded and weary, and cannot afford the luxury of idealism, and thus must always be strictly practical and realistic. So of course that's why, in her view, yes, Akemi should not be wasting her time in a brothel where women are exploited and abused, nor should Akemi be so naive to think that her marriage with Taigen is even still possible. However, regardless of Mizu's views, it is not for her to decide, because though Akemi is privileged in some sense, she is still trapped and voiceless, and deserves the right to choose her own destiny.
But as it happens, in the end, though Akemi did not choose who she gets to marry, she DOES get to choose her next move when Edo burns down.
"I want to be great."
This one line is the key to her entire arc, which is only just beginning. We see she quickly has acquired the affection and good graces of the shogun's son after their wedding night and consummation, and with Madame Kaji and the girls now serving her, Akemi will only grow to become a prominent political player.
NOW, only after analysing the characters as they are within this season, only can we speculate how their arcs will continue as the show progresses.
First and foremost, I will reassert the popular opinion that Mizu and Akemi are foils. The climax (pun intended) of Ep7 illustrates this as it parallels the turning points in both Mizu's and Akemi's arcs:
Mizu melts the steel of all her loves and shames, the people she's collected: the broken blade wielded by both Chiaki and Taigen, Akemi's knife, Ringo's bell, Master Eiji's tongs - this symbolises her beginning to accept herself, and in doing so, also accepting the help of others;
Akemi consummates her marriage with Takayoshi Itoh, gains his affection, and cements her position as a woman in the shogun's palace - this symbolises her taking charge of her situation, no longer playing the damsel, but using her position to her advantage, empowering both herself and the underprivileged women around her.
These are thus two directly contrasting, diverging journeys:
Mizu's arc moves inward (yin). It is an internal path of self-love and self-discovery, focused on finding peace and tranquility inside herself, and this involves allowing herself to let others into her life, opening herself up to friendship and empathy once more.
Akemi's arc moves outward (yang), it is an external path of growth, transforming from a naive, caged princess to a powerful woman and a force to be reckoned with.
Akemi is always dressed in red, even her eyes are a bit of a reddish-brown rather than brown-black like most other characters, and in her penultimate scene she stands against a backdrop of flames. She is fire: quick-tempered, passionate, full of energy. Red is powerful, authoritative, and in eastern cultures, it is associated with prosperity.
Mizu is blue: her eyes, her sword, her clothes. She is also named after water; it's where she goes to recover, reflect and meditate. Water is fluid like a brook weaving around a stone in its path, always changing and adapting, it is graceful, it is beautiful and ruthless, tranquil yet swift.
Thus, in the future, I expect we will see plenty of political manoeuvring and intrigue in Akemi's plotline, where she fully embraces control of her life, and begins to take action to help others as well, realising that her own oppression is just one piece in a much larger picture. Her main conflict is with society.
In direct contrast, Mizu's main conflict is with herself. She must realise that her desire for vengeance is a projection of her own deep-rooted self-hatred. Her arc must move towards unpacking her feelings and trauma so she can be at peace with herself and allow space for love in her heart. Because as we saw in Ep5, Mizu had come extremely close to achieving peace and joy, as she had not only loved Mikio, but also had briefly believed that Mikio had loved her (and accepted her for who she is) as well.
Thus, assuming the story is not planned as a tragedy, Mizu will likely end up getting her vengeance, but it will not satisfy her, because it is not what she needs. What she needs is to let go of the Onryo within her and to reconcile both The Ronin and The Bride within herself, as she is both a fighter and a lover, but not a monster.
(Edit: I recommend checking out this post by @stylographic-blue-rhapsody for a much clearer analysis about Mizu'a symbolism as Ronin, Bride and Onryo!)
And now that we've mostly covered each of the characters individually, we can finally get to the main point of this post: the love triangle.
--
Let's talk about Option A: Akemi.
As I covered extensively earlier, Mizu and Akemi are foils, a yin-yang pair. But while they play off each other very well in a thematic sense, I personally believe that a serious romance between them will be more complicated if they become endgame. This is because Akemi's natural resolution is to embrace a position of power and influence, where she has both freedom and control over herself and to make much-needed changes in a prejudiced society. Meanwhile, Mizu's natural resolution is the opposite; her happy ending would to find a peaceful life where she is safe and free from prying eyes, and able to be her true self.
Thus, it would make very little sense for Akemi to forfeit power and run away with Mizu and start a humble life together. Akemi wants to be great, and that is absolutely what she deserves. On the other end of the spectrum, it would also make little sense for Mizu to dedicate her life in service of Akemi, such as acting as a bodyguard or something similar, because a life in a palace full of court intrigue and conspiracies is far from what Mizu needs to be happy.
With that being said, if Mizu/Akemi is endgame, and assuming their overarching character arcs do not shift directions, their love story would likely be either tragic, doomed, or bittersweet. I do absolutely love this type of story because personally I'm a sucker for catharsis, so it would be very interesting if the writers do decide to take this route.
Also, as a note, please do not take this as me dunking on this pairing. This is just my personal opinion and analysis and I completely understand if you disagree!
--
Then, of course, we have Option B: Taigen.
Between Akemi and Mizu, Taigen is a bit of a free-floater here, because Season 1 leaves off at a point where his arc is very ambiguous as to where it's headed. While Akemi climbs for greatness and Mizu goes on a journey across the ocean to (presumably) discover more about her heritage, we have little clues about where Taigen is headed. And if I'm being honest, I'm sure he has no idea either! He still hasn't reclaimed his honour, so he would be unable to rejoin the Shindo Dojo; he's been rejected by Akemi; and while he showed loyalty to the shogun, the shogun is now dead, and all the shogun's men who had witnessed his "humiliating" death were left to die by Lady Itoh, who is now pulling the strings within the palace.
Therefore, Taigen has very few options here.
And when considering his role in the story is as Mizu's begrudging ally, his arc will undoubtedly be focused on unlearning his xenophobia and misogyny, the latter of which we have not seen yet, but is surely present. Now, whether he will do this in Mizu's presence or absence will be unknown until we see Season 2. Following the Season 1 finale, he might return to Kohama and wait for Mizu there as he learns humility and remorse over his past cruelty; or maybe he will follow Mizu to London, and the two of them will continue to butt heads until he finally admits to himself that he cares for Mizu more than he would like to admit. There is no room for doubt that his growing feelings for Mizu are more-than-platonic, because we all saw him get turned on by sparring with her in Ep7 lol. Thus, regardless of the exact choice he makes, I am sure that his overall arc will be focused on redeeming his character.
Now, when it comes go redeeming him, I know there are many who simply don't want him redeemed because he was such a jerk to Mizu, and while yes I agree he was awful, I do believe there is also nuance to his character.
Previously I've discussed in great detail the colour and elemental symbolism with Mizu and Akemi, but have yet to touch on how they relate to Taigen. So, let's talk about that for a second.
While Akemi is red and Mizu is blue, Taigen is green.
Green is a complementary colour to Akemi's red. Complementary colours are directly opposite each other in the colour wheel; when mixed, they neutralise each other, but when put side-by-side, they form a pleasing and impactful contrast that boosts the brightness and prominence of both colours. This mirrors Taigen and Akemi's relationship. They are an "ideal" pair because they complement each other very well, and bring out each other's most prominent traits. Mizu's comment about their similar "brattiness" comes to mind here.
Green is also an analogous colour with Mizu's blue. These colours are sitting right next to each other on the colour wheel; their natural similarity makes it easy for them to form a cohesive overall appearance, but using both in equal amounts will make a design overwhelming and too busy. Thus, the best way to use analogous colours is to make one the dominant colour, while the other will serve as an accent. I feel this also speaks to the dynamic in Taigen and Mizu's relationship. They came from the space place, both from nothing; they're both strong fighters who love the sport, and work well together when fighting side-by-side; however, they butt heads too easily, mirroring how analogous colours can be too overwhelming when used in equal amounts. Thus, to work together in harmony, one has to be the dominant colour, while the other serves as the accent. In this case, the dominant force would be Mizu, as she is the protagonist of the story, while the accent would be Taigen.
By fulfilling this role as an "accent" to Mizu, Taigen's character would easily be slotted in as a the love interest. This is in contrast with a Mizu/Akemi relationship, whereby Akemi is Mizu's foil before she is Mizu's love interest. This is because, by being a love interest, a character usually takes a backseat in the story, serving the plot and the themes by playing a purely supportive role, and this is not possible in Akemi's case because her character exists to parallel and contrast Mizu (red and blue), and not to support her.
It is possible to serve as a supporting love interest in Taigen's case however. And this is because he, unlike the other characters, does not currently have a definitive place within the story. He initially served the plot as an antagonistic force, but now as he is slowly unlearning his prejudices and becoming a better person, he can no longer serve the story by acting purely as a rival.
Instead, he will serve the story by literally supporting Mizu. And this relates to Taigen being earth, which is steady, firm and reliable, unwavering in loyalty and principles, hardworking and rooted in stability, which is seen in Taigen's staunch and inflexible obedience to the traditions and rules of society. These traits are what make him a perfect samurai, but not a good man. However, unlike most people in their world, Taigen is still capable of change and redemption, which is why Mizu says that he has the potential to be great. Not great by way of power or glory, but great in character. Already, he is honourable to a fault, and does not betray Mizu even after she technically robbed him of everything he was striving towards. And when he was shot by an arrow in the chasm, he did not hesitate a second to tell Mizu to use him as a human shield and save herself.
The trigger for his redemption is Mizu. If she had never beat him in that duel, Taigen would live on to become a man like Akemi's father. Cruel, power-hungry, controlling, conservative. But through Mizu, Taigen's sharp edges are ground down, much like water that wears down the stones in a river.
Where Mizu and Akemi's possible love story would be a clash of wills, full of passion and even heartbreak, a possible love story between Mizu and Taigen would be the wearing down of souls. Mizu would make Taigen a better person, and in turn Taigen would dedicate his full respect and support to Mizu as his equal, thus getting her to slowly open up and love herself. Already, Taigen has grown enough to admit (begrudgingly, and in his own Taigen way) that Mizu is better than him; though, clearly, he still has a long way to go, as he still calls Mizu a demon shortly after that.
But basically, Taigen is a very simple man (his main goal now is "to be happy"), and Mizu has great depths that he cannot yet fathom. For this love story to work, it has to begin with Taigen changing for the better. If he succeeds in that, and is able to accept Mizu for all her complexities, I believe that they will make a formidable pair. And though he'd likely still throw a jab or snarky remark at Mizu every now and then, I think he'd come tl wholeheartedly admire Mizu as a brilliant swordsman and a kind soul. Thus, should things work out and this be endgame, Taigen would be able to provide Mizu with what Mikio could not: an idyllic life that is not built on a lie, but mutual trust, respect, admiration, and equality.
Or hey, maybe they could both make their own dojo together! I don't know.
(Edit: This post by @rinandsketches does a great job at delving into Taigen's character and a potential Mizu/Taigen relationship if you'd like to read more about this angle!)
--
Now, as I move on from Taigen, there are a couple more options on how to resolve this love triangle and that includes Option C: Ringo.
In this option, Mizu does not have an endgame romance with either Akemi or Taigen. In this route, she finds peace and love through friendship, solidarity, and a found family between herself, Ringo and Master Eiji—a bunch of outcasts in society who make a strong trifecta of sword-makers.
Also, as an aside while I'm talking about Ringo, I'd like to point out that I believe his element is air and his colour is a neutral grey; he is talkative, easy-going, wise, curious, light on his feet (stealthy) and free-spirited, which are all traits linked to air, and traits that complement Mizu nicely, as he is capable of getting Mizu to open up and trust others again, while Mizu helps him reach his true potential for greatness.
--
And finally, there's Option D: Polyamory.
This is basically an "all of the above" option, in which everyone wins and it's a super duper happy ending. It would also be awesome to get some polyamorous representation, and seeing the dynamic between Akemi/Mizu/Taigen play out would be very entertaining and refreshing. So, you never know, this just might be the true endgame!
--
AAAAND with that, I close my extremely long analysis of what is essentially Mizu's love life. Whatever the final outcome of this love triangle though, I just hope it will be well-written and satisfying to all the characters' respective arcs. (Also I just want Mizu to be HAPPY goddamn it because she deserves the world and her coochie eaten out)
Now, I highly doubt anyone will read any of this (especially not until the end!) but that's fine. I just have so many thoughts and feelings about this show and I just needed to get this out of my system lol! But if by some miracle you did read this far, I wholeheartedly welcome any sharing of thoughts and ideas because man am I obsessed with this show! But of course, if we have an opposing opinions, please be respectful when letting me know; I am very open to friendly discussions.
Though not related to the love triangle, I'd like to add some stuff to this because I've noticed some other things I thought were interesting and related to the colour theory analysis portion of this post.
First off, I'd like to point off how this shot below really hammers home Akemi as red and the element of fire: something powerful. Meanwhile Taigen is green, but rather than simply being earth as something stable and stubborn, he is associated with the verdure of trees, representing growth and freshness. It very prominently displays the diverging paths they are taking. Akemi wants greatness, and Taigen wants happiness.
Furthermore, Akemi, like I mentioned, is constantly in red throughout the show, but when she's on the run pretending to be a regular girl, she's dressed in pink, symbolising femininity, playfulness, timidness, and innocence.
And on her wedding day, she is dressed in yellow and gold, symbolising prestige, optimism, and wealth, but can also be associated with fear, as yellow is used as a warning sign for danger.
Moving onto a little more about Taigen's colour analysis, let's talk about his childhood self. We do not see Akemi as a child, but we do see Mizu as one, and she is still in blue, keeping her association with that colour consistent.
On the other hand, Taigen, who we also see as a child, is not in the same dominant colour (green) which he is dressed in as an adult. Instead, as a child, Taigen is dressed in orange, a colour commonly associated with energy and youth. Orange can possibly also be tied to the element of earth (because of its closeness to brown), but also to fire (because of its closeness to red).
As an adult, we only ever associate orange with his scarf. Orange, due to being so bold and bright, can sometimes symbolise flamboyance and extravagance.
Taigen is also associated with orange when surrounded by his peers in the Shindo Dojo, who are all dressed in monochrome orange robes. Orange in Buddhism symbolises illumination and perfection.
Orange is also the colour Mizu's glasses. So later when she wears Taigen's scarf, it adds another accent of orange, that when combined with her glasses, looks good on her, because blue and orange are complementary colours, as they sit directly opposite each other on the colour wheel.
As a colour itself, orange is usually most associated with positive feelings as it is a bright warm colour. Examples of common associations with orange are excitement, boldness, and joy, or something spontaneous, creative and dynamic. In Asian cultures is also associated with gold, the sun, as well as feelings of love and happiness.
Now let's look at other characters' colours, just for fun, and to see how far the show character designers and writers are taking their colour symbolism:
Just like Ringo, Master Eiji and Seki are light grey. Grey is a neutral colour, easy to miss, thus unassertive and symbolising a compromise. It also symbolises the elderly and old age, as well as wisdom. However it's interesting that Seki's design also features a prominent black robe on top.
A character who is fully dressed in black is Heiji Shindo. Black is often associated with death, darkness, and mourning, but also with wealth, elegance and power.
Fowler is mainly in red, but his clothes turn increasingly to the colour black. Red is, again, as mentioned in my above post, associated with power, prosperity, passion, but what I didn't mention is that it also symbolises sexuality, anger, and danger.
Other characters dressed in red and black are the Itoh clan. Lady Itoh in particular is dressed almost entirely in black.
Madame Kaji is also in dark red, with accents of pastel green underneath, which becomes more prominent as she starts caring for and working for Akemi, perhaps hinting at the soft side she holds for her girls. In the past, with Kinuyo, she wore a much lighter sort of olive-ish brown colour (pictured below on the right most).
Akemi's father, Daichi Tokunobu, is often dressed in purple. It symbolises royalty and luxury, as well as mystery, perhaps hinting at his deception later. Master Chiba, the nobleman working with the shogun, is also dressed in purple.
Mikio is in light greyish brown, but his cloak is blue. (Some have also speculated it is the same cloak Mizu wears in the present). Brown is often associated with humbleness and convention, as well as feelings of warmth and security, something organic, because it resembles soil and earth.
Mama while Mizu was a child is dressed in red, possibly symbolising her authoritative parental role in Mizu's childhood. Meanwhile, Mama while on the farm was dressed in green, which is also a colour that symbolises greed and envy.
And yeah, I think that covers just about all the prominent side characters, and it does seem like the symbolisms all match up! Not very surprising considering this is also an animated show that is very well written, so it's a given that a lot of thought would have gone in to the way colour is used.
Was watching a video on the portrayal of stuttering in Blue Eye Samurai and how the only time Takayoshi's stutter is mocked outright is by Fowler, but there's a subtextual mockery in the dinner scene where his mother lies to his wife right in front of him because he can't speak to correct her. I took that line of questioning and I ran with it and I realized that's part of what makes Fowler such a despicable and effective villain for the narrative: the monstrosity he symbolizes is everywhere, he's just the one that does it openly.
He kills his own children? Ringo's father tried the same as a child, leaving his son in the forest for being disabled, and Mizu's guardian left her to die. He rapes women? Akemi's father tells her that either she will marry and bear sons for the man of his choosing, or he'll sell her to him anyway. He hurts women for sexual pleasure? "If you killed every man I've met who couldn't come til someone bled, you'd wear your blade to a stump". Hell, he even lampshades the whole thing when he makes fun of the delegates for being polite while plotting the death of thousands in a violent coup.
The reason Abijah works so well isn't that he's uniquely awful. It's that nearly everything he does has a more "socially acceptable" counterpart in the narrative. He's a horrible person, but he's a horrible person who doesn't hide it under pseudo-logic and pretty words, and so he exposes the monstrosity of everyone else.
I love how the first time we meet Ringo he doesn't seem to know what he wants, he just says he wants to be great and that's treated as him being somewhat lost. Then you go through the series and everyone gets a twist on what they want. Mizu wants revenge but she actually wants acceptance, Taigen realizing he doesn't want to be great just happy, and Akemi running from her marriage to the Shogun's son only to turn down a golden opportunity at the end because she realized she wants to be great.
Ringo is the only character who truly knows what he wants. Everyone else ends up sabotaging themselves in one way or another, because they got so caught up in their plans they forgot what it was all for.
One of the big things I see in Mizu's life is never being afforded the ability to be a woman, or the luxury of having people hop off her back about her looks. Like in any way. Of course we have the whole she has to hide to stay alive thing, where she's forced into being a boy, but also just the constant jab at her looks too, like even her own mom is basiclly like "well this new husband is an outcast so you being ugly isn't an issue" or mikio seeing her and the first thing coming out of his face being "ur not as Hideous as I expected." Like "eh, could be worse ig" 💀💀💀
It makes me wonder if the two are intertwined in a way, and like do her looks take away from her womanhood to some people in the story? Like she's super comfortable being a woman from what we can see, mostly in ep 5 and in ep 7 where she's told to invite the whole of herself and she includes her womanhood in that by stripping herself of her masculine garments and showing the woman underneath it all. So like she wants to be a woman, but the constant jabs at her appearance makes me wonder if people ever looked at her and saw her as "not woman enough". As far as the people who knew she was a woman at least.
The pending duel. Mizu and Taigen's relationship change in one sentence.
I have read tons of comments saying that Mizu and Taigen's relationship is not healthy because he used to bully her as a kid. Of course this is an important point and the beginning of everything, but a lot of things happen and the development of the relationship is very well done. I found it masterfully written because it changes a lot in only one episode (ep.3) and it doesn't feel forced. Of course, this is only my opinion. Everything is quite subtle and related to the thing that now binds both of them: their pending duel.
First, the duel is something very real. Taigen has lost Akemi due to the first encounter with Mizu and honor is something very important for someone in his position. So the only thing he has in mind here is what happened in the Shindo Dojo (more than the relationship with Akemi, I think, because it was something also related to honor).
But he's not a bad person after all. Or honor doesn't work this way. He plays fair and doesn't take advantage of the situation when Mizu is on the ground. Well, I think that challenging Mizu after defeating the Four Fangs is too much, but it seems that he can't wait...
Insert flashback here. It seems that when Taigen was a kid bullied Mizu in front of the other kids, but he felt bad and left her food when nobody else saw it. This doesn't change the bad behaviour, but explains the character a bit more. It's a pity this part didn't make it to the final cut.
Funny moment here when Mizu isn't wearing the upper part of the kimono and Taigen gives a shit about the chest binding. Honor is all. No questions. I admire his focusing capacity.
Second mention of the duel in the episode. Here is still something real. After what Taigen has seen in the cliff, he might think that his opponent is someone very skilled, which makes the duel idea more amusing, considering that this is a real challenge (he considers himself very skilled). He starts to admire her.
The duel is mentioned AGAIN but here the tone starts to change a little bit. Taigen thinks that the tea offering is an ambush. Mizu doesn't care, she wants to go anyway and without hesitation. And Taigen uses the duel as an excuse to tell her to stop. If common sense doesn't work on her, maybe pride? But he doesn't know how stubborn she is. Oh, dear.
Due to the admiration, which grows in each action of the episode, he starts trying to be friendly as well. It's funny how he deals with both contrary feelings at the same time, trying to bond and asking for killing her.
After all, he's hurt. Mizu is still suffering from the wounds and can defeat him with a stick. She's really good (the best!). And Taigen gets on his nerves and starts to play in a nasty way, being the bad kid that used to bully her, when the technical skills don't work. This reminds her of the motivations of her revenge and beats him again, letting the rage out. It all ends with Mizu bleeding, not only physically but also on a deeper level, which is very hurtful. The game is not a game anymore, and Taigen sees the wounds and has an opportunity to understand her situation once more.
She is angry here, not only with Taigen but also with herself. She's touch starved and well, we know that she finds some kind of pleasure fighting and proving herself stronger than men. Feelings are irrational and, sometimes, uncomfortable to admit. Here we are.
The duel mentions are so repetitive that it starts to be a joke. Obviously, Taigen is being protective here but he doesn't want to admit it mainly for two reasons: he won't express his feelings (admiration) as it makes him weak and inferior, and also because Mizu doesn't seem to be someone that accepts help so easily.
Duel again. Taigen is freaking out and Mizu is sooo calm that he can't know what she's planning and he's afraid. The only excuse he has to keep her by his side is to bring the subject up. He doesn't understand her motivations and he probably thinks that she's really talented to waste her life in such a kamikaze way.
Special mention to the fact that Taigen is the only one thinking about the exit here, which is nice.
Bonding moment (forced, but still).
Bonding moment second round. Here FINALLY they are more confident to stop using the duel as a metaphor of their growing friendship/acknowledgement.
Really, the joke starts to be repetitive at that point. Right, Mizu?
BUUUUT they can't go together for multiple reasons:
Mizu's quest is only hers and she doesn't want to involve anyone else due to the dangers it generates (she tries to dismiss Ringo but fails).
Mizu's path is clear (objective=satisfaction). What's Taigen's path? He seems lost during the conversation with Ringo.
She can't expose herself to be seen as herself, as a woman, again.
No feelings please :S
Does she see that he has changed over the years? Yes. Has she forgiven him for who he was as a kid? Probably not yet. Too painful.
Mizu is practical. One thing is to acknowledge his skills and the other one having to deal with all of the issues in the list. This can be seen with the two things she leaves to him: the broken blade to thank him and the new date, meaning that she has to leave now but she wants to see him in the future.
What will happen this day????
In only one episode we see the evolution of the relationship through a sentence "you owe me a duel" and how it is used. Beautiful, isn't it? Small details provide a lot of information. And not all is black or white, there's still conflict, which makes the story feasible. At least it works for me, but it's only my point of view.
This doesn't have anything to do with Mizu's sexuality or gender. Disguised as a man, I'm sure she has been involved in plenty of situations that have made her wonder about her preferences. But this is another story.
guys cmon. be ffr please. akemi did Not love taigen. the only reason why she was desperate to search for him to the point of putting herself in danger is because she didn't want to get married to an abusive man (which she believed at the time that takayoshi was). when seki tried to dissuade her from running off, her reason was not "but i love taigen and wanna be with him 🥺" it was because she refused to be controlled and have her autonomy taken from her; she literally says "i won't be locked away in edo married to a stranger." and when seki still tries to argue that getting married to the heir of the shogun would be better than getting caught by brigands, she then says "that kind of man"—referring to takayoshi—"treats women like animals. they say he's a tyrant." and when seki chuckles and says "what man isn't?" her response is "you." she doesn't even talk about taigen. she is using him as much as he was using her. they both see—or, well, saw—each other as means to an end. for taigen he saw that marrying into the tokunobu clan would elevate his status and wealth. for akemi she wanted the right to choose who she married, and she wanted that person to be someone kind. that's it! neither of them loved each other. but since they were courting of course they acted sweet to each other, and they do still care for one another, especially due to their romantic history. but let's be real! akemi is a boss bitch who dropped taigen and forgot all about his ass as soon as she saw takayoshi was a nice guy. because duh? not only is takayoshi a better lover (it's implied their lovemaking lasted a long time) but he's also kinder towards her and presents her with an opportunity to claim power and freedom, which she would not have if she had married taigen, as she would have still been stuck under her father's thumb. so literally why should she settle for taigen's stupid ass! she may be a little naive at times but she's still incredibly intelligent. she would not do something stupid for the sake of "love." you know who would though? taigen.
You guys were not kidding about the absolute insanity going on between Mizu and Taigen and Akemi. Like never in a million years would I have guessed they were gonna be just this unhinged about it. Like, the way that Akemi uses all her wiles to get her father to agree to let her marry Taigen, who is not a noble but is an undefeated samurai, and Mizu just totally ruins that, almost incidentally, and then Taigen fucks himself over extra hard when he’s already lost to Mizu bc he decides it’s a good idea to call him a dog to his retreating back. Taigen and Akemi having sex to a description of duelling and killing Mizu was pretty insane also. That’s a set up for a massive complex between those three of I’ve ever seen one. And then Taigen leaves Akemi to go get his revenge - wait sorry, his rematch with Mizu, but because he’s got a honour complex just killing Mizu isn’t what he’s here for he needs him back to full strength but Mizu just so happens to be a walking disaster who is constantly injured and constantly courting death so he has to delay it almost indefinitely cue the whole “no one’s allowed to kill you but me” shenanigans and the insane degree of loyalty Taigen shows to that even under torture. And Mizu does actually agree to a date (joke intended) to a fight to the literal death but only after revenge. Then Akemi tracks Mizu down, recognising him not just by the blue eyes but by the fact she has snagged Taigan’s scarf and is actually wearing it. Akemi “no one says no to me” compliments Mizu on her eyes to get close to try and lower his guard while Mizu knows exactly who Akemi is and is extra on guard and also fucks with her about it “anyway he’s dead now” Mizu you can be a real bastard you know that (and I love it). And the way that as Akemi attempts to kill him the others at the brothel hear the crashes and immediately go “oh she’s good” because they assume they’re fucking?? Like oh my god. Mizu pinning Akemi to the ground, like she did with her husband and does again with Taigen?? The way that last time Mizu playfully sparred with and pinned a man to the ground she got called a monster but Taigen gets turned on by it??? And immediately tries to play it off as missing Akemi?? But he also calls her a demon over Mizu’s decision to let the guards take Akemi and the way that Taigen sets off to the city long before Mizu but because he’s honourable and a loyal samurai he focuses on saving the whole royal family, so Mizu is the one who actually reaches Akemi first, to try and right the fuck up and protect and get Akemi her freedom and honour his word to Ringo and during all this Mizu describes Taigen to Akemi as “not a good man, but he could be a great one” in a big long speech where she also says “he thinks he loves you very much.” Like I’m sorry Mizu come back here, what is that phrasing you are making me insane here. These three are insaner than insane and I just love watching them but like. something like how you watch a shipwreck
More theories/thoughts on Blue Eye Samurai/Taigen/Mizu because that is all my brain can hold right now, Also ~SPOILERS~
I wonder if in the final scene we see between Taigen and Mizu, they are each having a completely different conversation.
Perhaps when Taigen says "It's your fight, it's my fight", he means "It's my fight because we are friends/potential lovers/idk anymore but you're important to me" but Mizu reads it as "It's my fight because I need to make sure you don't die, so I can kill you."
When Taigen says "We're not finished" he means "Our story isn't finished, because now you are a part of my life and I am having a hard timing imagining it without you, but I'm not finished figuring out *what* this is exactly". But Mizu reads it as "You still have to duel me."
This is maybe why Mizu sounds sad/exasperated when she says "I know". Because (a) it's another thing for her to deal with and (b) a reminder that her desire for him doesn't hold weight, and that he she can't get rid of him, but also can't have him in the way she truly wants. And, (3) she knows she would beat him and kill him, but she doesn't WANT to. She wants him alive, and in her life.
So, on the low, they want the same thing. But the communication is way off.
