The Yakuza play a vital role in Saezuru, but we feel like a lot of readers (ourselves included!) struggle to keep track of the various characters, factions, and plot threads.
Yoneda-sensei has created a fantastic story, and we really want to help fans understand the details of the rich world she's woven.
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GIVEN | The EXTRAORDINARY link between Akigetsu & Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D
Given is ✨symbolism-city✨. So naturally I became curious as to WHY, out of the millions of existing violin pieces, Ugetsu was playing Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major in the Given Movie/Chapter 16?
BRUH, after a deep dive, I. AM. LEFT. SPEECHLESS.
🎻Quick music history lesson with Magic Potato! 🎻
So, around the time that Violin Concerto No. 2 was written in 1878, some major ~🚨DRAMA 🚨~ was happening in the life of Tchaikovsky (known as Tchaiko to Ugetsu hehe). Allow me to spill the tea 💁🏻♀💁🏻♀💁🏻♀:
Tchaiko just fled from disastrous marriage to ex-wife, Antonina Miliukova. Tchaiko was a depressed AF boi and had a terrible home life.
Tchaiko, became romantically involved with his composition pupil and upcoming violinist Iosif Kotek. Under historical records, this is a period where Tchaiko was still coming to terms with his homosexuality post-marriage disaster where Kotek provided him with emotional support. Tchaiko was previously infatuated with Sergey Kireyev, also a younger student prior to his marriage, but here, Tchaiko fell in love deeply for the first time because Tchaiko was emotionally supported by Kotek during his most vulnerable moments.
During this period, they played lots of violin and piano pieces together and it was wonderful. Budding first love and infatuation.
Violin Concerto in D was composed during that period. This piece was composed during FIRST LOVE (VERY IMPORTANT KEEP IN MIND)
Tchaiko WANTED TO dedicate this piece to Kotek but Tchaiko wanted to conceal his homosexuality and maintain his reputation so he ultimately DIDN'T. Tchaiko, giving mixed signals, couldn't fully commit to the relationship
Kotek then declined to give the first performance of this work saying that it would damage his new budding career. Kotek couldn't fully commit to Tchaiko's music
Tchaiko, salty and broken by all this, broke up with Kotek.
Bruh, here is the mind-blowing part.
Tchaiko's life when he wrote this concerto completely parallels Ugetsu's life! 🤯🤯🤯
Tchaiko was a depressed AF boi and had a terrible home life.
Ugetsu also depressed AF boi and had a terrible, neglectful home life.
Tchaiko fell in love deeply for the first time because Tchaiko felt emotionally supported and understood for the first time by someone.
Ugetsu met Akihiko, fell in love for the first time when no one saw Ugetsu for the person that he is other than Akihiko.
Tchaiko is older than Kotek.
Ugetsu is older than Aikihiko!
Budding first love and infatuation for Ugetsu was wonderful, he was sooooo in love.
Tchaiko, giving mixed signals, couldn't fully commit to the relationship.
Ugetsu, being a classic anxious-avoidant, gave mixed signals and couldn't fully commit to the relationship
Kotek couldn't fully commit to Tchaiko's music
Akihiko couldn't emotionally commit to Ugetsu's music from a place of joy
Tchaiko broke up with Kotek.
Ugetsu, realising the toxicity, broke up with Akihiko.
HOW MINDBLOWING IS THIS! 🤯🤯🤯
BUT
THE NEXT PART IS WHERE I DECLARE MYSELF DECEASED.
The musical structure of the piece completely parallels both Ugetsu and Akihiko's emotions in the Akigetsu relationship 🤯🤯🤯
Violin Concerto in D was composed during a period where Tchaiko fell in love for the first time.
The movements of the concerto completely reflects both Akigetsu's emotional journey.
Violin Concerto in D major has three movements:
Allegro moderato (D major)
Canzonetta: Andante (G minor)
Finale: Allegro vivacissimo (D major)
So in the Given Movie, Ugetsu performed the First movement Allegro moderato (D major)
The video above is Ugetsu's performance in the Given movie, I've left it here for you for reference hehe but the Given movie only uses the 1st and last minute of the movement. I've left my favourite performance through a link here, PLEASE go and listen to the full first movement.
Guess what, the structure musically paints Akigestu's love at first sight:
Orchestral opening that builds up to an AGONISINGLY STUNNING violin solo -
Ugetsu was just doing what he always did, which is to play music in his 'lonely genius bubble' and then love comes suddenly knocking at his door.
Akihiko literally says, "Falling in love with someone is something much more violent, like having your flesh ripped apart."
Fun note: this orchestral opening is then never referred to in the rest of the concerto again because this orchestral opening represents first love.
AGONISINGLY STUNNING violin solo leads into a beautiful and I mean absolutely BEAUTIFUL MAIN THEME on the violin, the orchestra is fully supporting the violin
Ugetsu felt seen for the first time. Akihiko became his first friend then lover.
Akihiko discovers the sensitivity of Ugetsu and he is absolutely completely enamoured by Ugetsu and completely tends to Ugetsu.
The mood gradually intensifies and builds up to a majestic climax, with the MAIN THEME being played by the full orchestra, FOLLOWING the violin
Ugetsu is having so much fun and can finally be himself but also is slowly becomes spoiled by Akihiko.
Akihiko, overwhelmed by first love, can't help but prioritise the needs of Ugetsu, subconsciously making himself suffer
I AM GOBSMACKED! 🤯🤯🤯
Allegro Moderato is the most famous movement of this Violin Concerto, so I can totally see the reason behind the directorial choice of using the first movement for the Given Movie because more people would recognise the piece. Also it flows nicely into Akihiko's flashback on how he recalls his experience with first love.
BUT....
in the Given Manga, Ugetsu actually performed the 2nd Movement Canzonetta: Andante (G minor)
Interesting fact, because Tchaiko himself is not a violinist, when he was writing this piece, he actually quite often sought Kotek's help on writing the hard violin solo parts. (yep, just like you can write lyrics when you're not a good singer, you can write pieces for instruments that you can't play as long as you understand how the instrument works)
Tchaiko wrote to his brother on the day he completed the new slow movement,
"It goes without saying that I would have been able to do nothing without him (Kotek) "
Doesn't Tchaiko here sound exactly like Ugetsu? They both love their partners so much but are unable to fully emotionally commit (this is so freaking sad). Also look at them, look at young Tchaiko and Ugetsu!
DUUUUUUUDE, KIZU, THE RESEMBLANCE IS UNCANNY! 🤯🤯🤯
I've left one of my favourite performances of the second movement by Janine Jansen, but seriously search up Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D on YT and reread all the Akigetsu Given chapters with that as your background music! Highly would recommend!
Now the musical structure of this movement reflects exactly how AKIGETSU FEEL in the PRESENT 🤯🤯🤯
Orchestra begins like a chorale in the style of a religious or funeral procession
Ugetsu is in the depths of depression stuck in this toxic cycle of push and pull
Akihiko is in the depths of depression stuck in this toxic cycle push and pull
Then the violin begins on a simple melody that is "sweet yet melancholy" in G minor (sorrowful tone)
Ugetsu knowing how toxic everything is, broke them up but is unable to fully let go
Akihiko is literally still so hurt from the breakup not really understanding why Ugetsu broke up with him
Momentarily the Violin melody goes into Eb Major (sounds a little more happy)
Ugetsu momentary escapes by sleeping with other people
Akihiko momentary escapes by sleeping with other people, momentary escapes when he plays with the Given band
or it could be interpreted as Akigetsu momentarily makes up every now and then and has a few days of bliss before
The Violin melody returns to G minor (back to sorrowful)
the toxicity of Akigetsu's "situationship" catches up to Akihiko and Ugetsu and the whole cycle starts again.
MY JAW HAS DROPPED THROUGH THE FLOOR HOLY SHIT! 🤯🤯🤯
Now remember, Ugetsu knows EXACTLY how Akihiko is feeling. But Akihiko doesn't know how Ugetsu is feeling because Ugetsu never told Akihiko why he broke up with him and that the reason why he keeps sleeping with other people is so that Akihiko will eventually leave him. Akihiko doesn't know any of that.
However, both Ugetsu and Akihiko are professional musicians so they are really perceptive when it comes to music. While Ugetsu sucks at communicating his actual needs through words,
Ugetsu is his most honest self when he is playing his violin.
In this panel in Chapter 16, Akihiko was watching Ugetsu perform. While he seemed expressionless, but BOI WAS HE SUFFERING.
Akihiko WAS not only feeling his own AGONY but HE COULD HEAR UGETSU'S PAIN in his VIOLIN PERFORMANCE!
(Which then TOTALLY explains this flashback panel in Chapter 20/Given Movie!)
Akihiko is so perplexed by Ugetsu's mixed signals! Why is Ugetsu being SO FUCKING HURTFUL to him by sleeping with other people yet Ugetsu is showing so much pain in his violin performance? Why does Ugetsu keep indulging in Akihiko? But then why does Ugetsu keep throwing him away? AKIHIKO MUST HAVE BEEN SO HURT AND CONFUSED SITTING THERE WATCHING UGETSU'S PERFORMANCE.
Also, the freaking ~😵💫IRONY 😩~ is Canzonetta, which is the name and also style of the 2nd movement, is supposed to be very light and fun but here, Tchaiko twisted the form to make it sound SOMBRE and PAINFUL, like someone's in the depths of despair. Interesting to mention that it's in 3/4, which is a time metre often used for classical dance e.g. Waltz.
And this PERFECTLY CAPTURES the CONFUSING and PARADOXICAL nature of Akigetsu's toxic, never-ending DANCE! 🤯🤯🤯
So in that very concert Hall, Akihiko was feeling a PEAK SENSE OF ABANDONMENT and CONFUSION at the ~✋hands🤚~ of Ugetsu while listening to him play the second movement of a Concerto about the overwhelming yet painful experience of being in love with someone whose actions and emotions keep contradicting each other.
Once you realise the context behind everything, it makes this following scene JUST THAT MUCH MORE AGONISING AND PAINFUL TO WATCH 😭😭😭
Akihiko once again, in the depths of his own hurt, couldn't help but desire Ugetsu but also comfort Ugetsu right after witnessing him in so much pain on stage.
Ugetsu once again, in the depths of his own hurt, couldn't help but succumb to Akihiko's desire and comfort.
BONUS FACT: normally there are breaks between concerto movements but Tchaiko's Violin Concerto in D's 2nd movement leads straight into the 3rd movement seamlessly! The 2nd movement flowing into the 3rd movement completely parallels how Haruki healed Akihiko from the depths of despair and the triumphant ending of the whole work represents AkiHaru's current wholesome and healthy relationship. It also represents Ugetsu now truly on the path of healing bettering himself to become more independent in Chapter 39.5 in NY. *magicpotatoobsession is now deceased have a great day 😵*
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Masterlist of my Given Metas
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yousharknotpass
origamiaround
2087
dailybridgerton
vaporwave
izzy806
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