if i sent analysis asks about why I dislike yanag/ta and why y/naich/ is my NOTP would that be unwated or annoying? I'm not interested in hating on peoples' ships, but I just genuinely cannot think that ichimatsu feels anything but resentment for the guy, imo. Primarily this is because i see the ship as bullyxvictim tbh.
Feel free to delete this and just post something like "anon who asked about y/naich/ analysis, please keep that to yourself" and put a 🐈⬛️ for extra clarity
Honestly I find this kind of interesting to talk about. No hate to you of course, you’re allowed to dislike and like what you like. I’m just gonna use this an excuse to ramble.
It’s funny because when I first watched the movie, I didn’t think of Yanagita and Ichimatsu as a paring at all. I’ll get into my thoughts of Yanagita in a moment- but with them as a paring? It never had enough weight or served a deeper purpose outside of Ichimatsu for me to consider it.
I’m not a hard core shipping person, but I do like Yanaichi fan art and fan fics. I think the way some people portray Yanagita can be wholesome and interesting. Turning him into their own character sometimes. Especially with comparing Ichimatsu’s adult relationship with his teenage one. Whether it’s an unrequited love, or as a rekindled romance.
So that’s my thoughts on the ship. People tend to make Yanagita his own character from the movie since he doesn’t have much personality in the movie. It’s a good way to give Ichimatsu some development or romantic interest if you want that for him. It’s okay to like it, and it’s okay to dislike it.
(The rest of this is more character analysis territory, read as you please.)
As for Yanagita as a character, I don’t think I could call him a bully.
I can see why that’s a conclusion people would come to. Yanagita isn’t a very attentive friend. Calling him a good friend is definitely difficult.
The shit he talked behind the sextuplets backs was definitely uncalled for. It’s hurtful, and it’s mean. Calling them annoying when they’re all together. Especially for what was happening at the time. For Ichimatsu I can definitely see how that’s not just an insult to them, but their personhood.
He doesn’t say it to their face, it was heard none the less. None of their classmates really treated the sextuplets like individuals.
They’re a joke, a bit to be commented on and shown to friends for a good laugh. Yanagita is one of the people in the audience that are tired of the bit. He thinks it’s annoying and unfunny. Like it’s something the sextuplets do on purpose.
And yeah. He’s a dick for that. Treating the sextuplets like a bit instead of actual individual people really sucks.
Still, I struggle to call him a bad person.
The biggest whistle would be the worry he and the rest of the friend group feel for Ichimatsu and his brothers.
When the group of friends are all hanging out, it’s usually Yanagita that brings Ichimatsu back into the conversation. Yanagita greets Ichimatsu first, and they even share regular physical contact.
When Yanagita hands Ichimatsu a weird ass shirt that isn’t Ichimatsu’s style- he doesn’t smirk, or giggle. It just seems like he lacks an understanding and awareness of Ichimatsu’s comfort.
Which, arguably, feels like Yanagita’s biggest flaw.
Don’t get me wrong, Ichimatsu is also responsible for his own discomfort. Ichimatsu could’ve spoken up, or refused anything he didn’t want to do.
But as his friend, Yanagita didn’t seem like he was really being all that attentive either. Yanagita suggested a shirt that wasn’t Ichimatsu’s style. He fails to notice that Ichimatsu doesn’t really fit in with everyone. And in the karaoke booth, he’s among the rest of them that can’t tell the ichimatsu they’re talking to isn’t him.
Yanagita thinks he knows Ichimatsu. But Ichimatsu doesn’t want to be known as who he is, because who he really is- isn’t a likable person.
Yanagita is a chill dude. He’s still friendly with his friends after high school, and doesn’t have any loud or stand out traits. To me, he’s a cruiser. He doesn’t think too hard about things, he’s just there for the good time. Not the long time.
In the future, I’d like to do an 18ichimatsu analysis. But for right now, here’s the TL;DR:
Ichimatsu was a kid who wanted the approval and companionship of his peers. So what does he do? People please, and stomp down his own comfort to fit in and be liked. Even he never really fits in. Ichimatsu isn’t loved for who he is. Ichimatsu isn’t truly close with anyone. The person they know, isn’t really Ichimatsu.
But to Ichimatsu, at least he has friends.
Yanagita most likely saw Ichimatsu the way he saw his other friends. While they do seem closer than the rest- Ichimatsu didn’t really fit in like everyone else.
