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GIVEN | 5 things I adore about Take-chan

There is no denying that I love my Given babies. But there is also no denying that I am godforsakenly

IN LOVE WITH TAKE-CHAN! 😍😍😍

Let's talk why Yatake Koji is literally husband, best man material, and the healthiest bean on the planet! As well as...actual evidence pointing towards how Take-chan potentially liked Haruki at some point! 😮

(anime/manga spoilers ahead!)

1. He is reliable as fuck

In the Given anime, Take-chan was hinted as the event organiser of the first-live as he asked the Seasons to play at the venue that Mafuyu worked at. So when Haruki was having a freak-out and asked Take if he could cover for them, he said,

This, my friends, is what we call, TAKING ACCOUNTABILITY.

Whenever there is a new band member, trust me when I say that it takes a while to adjust, even for professional musicians! Music is all about reading non-verbal cues and it's really hard to be in sync straight away with each another! Also, at this point in time in the story, we gotta remember Mafuyu had literally been learning music for like 3 months and probably only agreed to properly join the band for 2 out of the 3. Take-chan knew the risk of asking the Seasons (which we in the music industry would define as emerging artists) to play yet he still wanted to give them a platform to perform. WHAT A FREAKING CHAMP. And he delivered! He got the crowd going and gave them 2-3 extra songs so that Mafuyama could gather themselves! Bless that boi <3

In the Given Manga, it's not as clear that Take was related to the organisation of the event or even to Mafuyu's workplace, but he still said to Haruki,

"But if you need it, I'll cover your ass".

You seriously can't get more reliable than that.

2. He is an acts-of-service man

Take-chan should really bill Given for the shit does for them! Like this is lowkey a joke but not a joke 'cause dudeeeeee the amount of stuff that Take-chan did for Given for free is absolutely ridiculous! Let me just quickly run some numbers for you.

Staying up and editing a video from a live show?! Bruh, easily $800 - 1000 US minimum industry standard, even more if it's multi-angle with special effects and colour corrections etc. Video-editing is also his major, he's gotten his undergrad degree and if he's already working for a company, he would be charging industry standard.

Also he was performing in the live AND filming for the live?! My man, when do you catch a break?!

Next person who laughs should owe you at least 5000 yen, Take-chan! A professional photoshoot in a studio with lighting set-up and backdrop should at least be worth $1500 - $2000 US min. Oh my goodness, then Take-chan actually said

"Do they suck, do you not like them?"

My angel, you are a professional doing them SUCH A HUGE FAVOUR, Given should take you out to dinner 5 times over!

So that's a total of almost $3000 US worth of marketing promo material that he just did for FREE!

Ok ok ok I know that not everything is about money and that Kizu did mention that Take-chan "does make music videos for bands he's chummy with" in his character profile but I just wanted to point out that without Take-chan, Given wouldn't have the amazing video that got them the crazy amount of online votes which probably wouldn't have gotten them such great results in the first two rounds of CAC, and subsequently the opportunities and approaches from record labels.

Take-chan's support and reliability kickstarted Given popularity and will be crucial to the success of all their careers!

He was even the first one to follow Given's Twitter! I think this also shows that Take-chan's main love language is probably ACTS OF SERVICE, which is very cute! But he also practices all the other forms of love languages as well, my goodness Take-chan if you were real I would not hesitate and ask you out immediately. <3

3. Has his own opinions but doesn't internalise other people's problems

In one of the comedy panels at the end of Chapter 13, we find out that Take-chan's never been a fan of Akihiko but this little side story is really interesting.

I was chatting to @edragoon and @raine-kai way back in Sept 2021 about this panel and they said that the word that Take-chan used to describe Akihiko here is really interesting. It's not hate, it's also not dislike, as @edragoon puts it,

"that sort of feeling that you have for a person that you know isn't a bad person, but your vibes just don't check."

This is because from Take-chan's perspective, the way that Akihiko and Take-chan treated Haruki back then were completely different.

Take-chan was all ACTS OF SERVICE

Akihiko was all "TAKE TAKE TAKE from Haruki" (sorry I had to make that pun LOLL)

So of course our angel Take-chan was completely unimpressed with how Akihiko was taking advantage of Haruki, especially knowing that Haruki wasn't getting enough sleep already as it was!!! 😩

---

Western vs. Japanese "Personal Dislike"

The three of us ended up discussing something that was quite fascinating that I think more people ought to know!

In Western culture, when we dislike someone and we say it's personal, it can be seen as a big deal and can be akin to a form of hatred where one may feel like they have the strong urge to "avenge" or "revenge" something.

But in Japanese culture, not so much. Take-chan's dislike of Akihiko is personal, but it's more like "my dislike is my business. And I personally wouldn't hang out with Akihiko one on one or work with him. " So it's not as much of a big deal where he wanted to fight Akihiko but rather he wouldn't be at the mix if it wasn't for Haruki.

Do you see what I am saying? So Take is saying that his personal feelings towards Akihiko is his own so it shouldn't concern Haruki because Haruki is a grown man and can take care of himself. As much as he dislikes what Akihiko is doing to Haruki, Take-chan is NOT INTERNALISING Haruki's issues and trusts that Haruki can take care of himself. and Haruki appreciates him so much for it!*

*I'll discuss this in detail later.

(edragoon and raine-kai please feel free to add further or make corrections, you guys probably have a much better grasp on this than I do 🙏)

-> Also, Take-chan is perceptive AF, that very bottom line is a HUGE HINT that he had a feeling that Akihiko was using his good looks to use himself as a male prostitute to get money from women. (Take-chan and his big brain energy let me tell you).

4. He respects other people's boundaries

When I was younger, I was often consumed by media which portrayed love as "we gotta sacrifice this and solve our loved ones' problems for them".

Over the years, I realised how wrong that mindset is because adulthood is learning that you can't solve everyone's problems for them.

Take-chan is the definition of a healthy bean because he is so good at asking Haruki for what he needs as well as respecting Haruki's personal boundaries.

Firstly, In Chapter 18 after Haruki's illusion of Akihiko got shattered and he was really shaken, Take-chan immediately asks,

Take-chan KNOWS that Haruki's low self-esteem means that he is always directing his attention onto everyone else so he makes sure that as a good friend, he CHECKED IN on Haruki to make sure he's ok.

But he is so amazing because he didn't push it when Haruki didn't want to share the details. He RESPECTED Haruki's privacy and instead, makes a suggestion,

"Why not play support for another band as a breather?"

I love that! Rather than forcing Haruki to tell him and potentially making him uncomfortable, he took a different approach of making suggestions.

Same thing here, when Haruki came over to Take-chan's place after THAT INCIDENT,

1. Take-chan asked Haruki what happened 2 times.

2. But he noticed that Haruki was not listening. He respected that Haruki was not in the mindset to talk about it and didn't push him and just offered what Haruki needed.

Let's recap Take-chan's internal monologue.

They just sat in silence. Take-chan took care of Haruki in the best way he knew how. ACT OF SERVICE. Haruki was not in the space to share so he respected that and cared for his friend in other ways

offered him tea

gave him a haircut

GIFTS - brought him green peppers from the countryside

QUALITY TIME - checked up on Haruki

5. Take-chan has secure attachment style

Take-chan upon finding out about Akihiko staying over momentarily couldn't hide his true opinion of the guy, and he accidentally slipped lollllll. But then he PATIENTLY LISTENED to Haruki explaining himself as to why he decided to take Akihiko in.

3. Take-chan then said this,

SO FREAKING HEALTHY!

Take-chan is displaying important qualities in a healthy individual who has secure attachment style:

lost his cool for a second but able to regulate emotions and feelings and regain his calm

*showing TRUST in Haruki knowing that he knows best how to take care of his own situation.

*able to hold space and allow Haruki to open himself to him when he's ready

*And Haruki appreciates the heck out of Take-chan for it! You don't have to do everything or solve everything for the people you love. This is something that all the Given characters should learn from Take-chan! Everyone else feels overwhelming emotions and internalises their loved one's problems. Take-chan is so freaking healthy because he loves Haruki knowing that Haruki is just trying to figure shit out.

Trusting them and being there for them is LOVE.

Can I just marry Take-chan already? ❤️

------

Ok I have a theory....

Take-chan potentially romantically liked Haruki at some point

A lot of people think that Take-chan is straight and I dunno,

I always got a bi/pan-vibe from him.

I was so glad when I saw in one of @a-voice-of-my-own posts that he thought the same! After some digging for this meta, I actually have some proof as to why I feel that way.

A) The Hair Token

Take-chan and Haruki met in college because they share the same undergrad film major. In his character profile, Kizu writes

"Film editing - mixing both his interest and the chance to make money"

From this, it is clear to me that he is a man with ambition, dreams and goals, he doesn't care if he doesn't fit the status quo, he would rather retake his exam and do what he actually wants in life than conform to societal norms.

This is the cover of Chapter 13 and a picture of Haruki and Take-chan from 2 years ago. Take's hair didn't seem long enough to be tied into a man-bun back then....

From what we find out in Chapter 20, Take-chan cuts his own hair and now he can tie it into a man-bun.

Remember in Given, the growing of long hair symbolises hope for love to be reciprocated. (scroll to "Tokens in Given")

So the fact that Take-chan grew his hair a little but maintains it himself at a man-bun length could mean that he has always liked Haruki however

kept his feelings in check rather than let it get out of control because he understands his sense of self worth.

Yes he liked Haruki but he's not gonna chase after someone who didn't feel the same. All the stuff he does for Given the band isn't actually for Haruki but because Take genuinely likes Given's music. He has such a great sense of self that he's not the type to chase Haruki like that. If he does do something nice for Haruki, it's because he genuinely cares for him and loves him, he doesn't need any sort of reciprocation. He does it because it aligns with his values and purpose in life WHICH I JUST ABSOLUTELY ADORE BECAUSE IT'S SO HEALTHY. 😩🙏❤️

Take-chan let me be your wife please! ❤️

B) The Mario Joke

Ok I think maybe it wasn't just me that found it a bit ~fruity~ when Haruki was major blushing as Take-chan gave him the USB of the live-video that he stayed up all night editing lol. But it seems like a lot of people still thinks that Take is straight, which is fine. That could just be healthy masculinity. I accept that interpretation.

But ok ok ok hear me out. Scroll up to the Chapter 13 side panel where Take-chan, Haruki and Akihiko are at the date-mix!

Take-chan flirted with the girls using the Mario joke!

Scroll up again and go back to the Chapter 22 panel that I posted!

In chapter 22, Take-chan, consciously or subconsciously, flirted with Haruki by using the Mario joke!

AND AKIHIKO HEARD EVERYTHING!!! Remember Akihiko was there at the date mix too so he knew that Take's go-to flirt line is the Mario joke! 🤯🤯🤯

That's why in that same chapter, Akihiko began to open up to Haruki that things are almost over between him and Ugetsu!!! Akihiko wanted to heal Haruki's broken heart and reignite any remnants of hope that Haruki had left in him!

Also, back when Akihiko said to Haruki in Chapter 17,

"You're more popular than you think you are,"

I 100% believe that Akihiko, being also the incredibly perceptive bean that he is, was referring to Take-chan liking Haruki. 😎Bruh, trust me.

------

Take-chan's journey of moving on

Ok let's just get one thing straight. Take-chan may have had feelings for Haruki but he was never holding out hope for Haruki to like him back. He just wanted to care for Haruki and he continued to live HIS LIFE and follow HIS PASSION.

However Chapter 22 is a pivotal turning point for him. Of course he personally didn't like witnessing Akihiko staying with Haruki but when he realised that Haruki finally stopped running away from his problems, he supported that and he realised that

Akihiko staying with Haruki was good for Haruki's personal growth.

That's why he said,

"If Haruki's ok with it, Take-chan is ok with it."

MY GAWD someone give that man a cookie I love him so much. Take-chan's love comes in the form of understanding and trusting that Haruki knows what is best for himself and that if Haruki does need anything from Take, Take will be there for him. Guys this is true love, true healthy love. We may never full confirm if Take's love was platonic or something more but this is true love right here.

-----

Then comes CAC live where Yoru Ga Akeru had such a positive impact and changed EVERYONE - Haruki, Akihiko, Ugetsu, and that's also where

❤️ Take-chan and Yayoi met ❤️

Take-chan and Yayoi are literally so well suited and healthy for each other because Yayoi is also someone who has a great sense of self-worth. Let me know if you want me to do a meta on them, they are so interesting as a couple!

---

I also really love this Given Movie extras panel:

LMAO Take-chan has the exact same reaction as Uecchi which is HILARIOUS HAHAH but now Akihiko is a changed man and finally we see Haruki being treated how Haruki should be treated. Also notice the differences between Chapter 13 extras panel and here?

PAST Akihiko crashed at Haruki's house whenever and ate Haruki's food, basically taking advantage of Haruki. Yes Akihiko was fighting his own demons but he was not treating Haruki very nicely. Two things can be true at the same time.

PRESENT boyfriend Akihiko keeps in touch with Haruki round the clock because Haruki is Akihiko's home, buys Haruki coffee, never late to rehearsals and practises hard at music .... wait

Akihiko becomes a man with his own ambitions and goals .....a man like Take-chan!

I wonder if Akihiko not only got inspired by Mafuyu's song but also by Take-chan??!! He secretly looked up to Take-chan and after hearing that convo between Haruki and Take-chan in Chapter 22, he's like holy crap I need to start pulling my shit together or I am seriously gonna lose Haruki forever. This is quite a plausible "take"! 😛

In Conclusion,

my love for Take-chan could be that I am literally Yayoi as I also have an adorkable little brother so I can't help but see Uenoyama and all the other characters in Given as my babies. However, there is no denying that Yatake Koji is such a wonderful guy and should be someone we all look up to for inspiration on how to form healthy bonds and secure attachments with other people!

😍WE LOVE YOU TAKE-CHAN!😍

--- Masterlist of my Given Metas

If you like what you read, all I post is basically Given analysis content! Give my blog a follow to be notified of future posts! #metapotato

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