This has to be phrased very gently, and I'm not confident I'm going to succeed.
The most important aspect of RGU, to me, as a story that centers on grooming specifically, is that it does not shy away from the fact that its victims can "enjoy" many individual moments of the process. The entire point of grooming is to make the victim okay with what is happening, to convince them that this is what they want too. When grooming is successful, they do, even if their feelings change later with more awareness. It's normal to be curious about and enjoy eroticism as a young person, but abusers will take advantage of that. They will try to convince you that your desires are the same as their desires.
Its so important because this aspect is weaponized against victims by those who should be helping them as well as the groomer themself. It's why Anthy is a "witch" according to the world. Utena tells Anthy that for a moment she felt betrayed by her, as if they were rival women competing for the same man. Akio tells Utena she's just as bad as him because she didn't reject his advances. Akio tells Utena that this is what Anthy *wants.*
Countless young people have been successfuly labeled as "obsessive" or "sex-crazed" and forced to take the blame while their abusers live freely. Countless young people have been convinced that is who they are because they didn't hate every single moment spent with their abuser.
It means a lot to me that RGU acknowledges this aspect. How the narrative doesnt hold victims to some absurd standard of spiritual purity for them to be deserving of sympathy.
dededos
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dailybridgerton
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