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Opinion on human versions of senketsu?

Probably a bit complicated!

I’ve written a few posts that get a bit into it. (The numbers in parentheses note that the essay was included on that page in my compiled meta book and the * is a warning for mentions/discussions of rape and sexual assault.)

Buff Human Senketsu (52)

A Misinterpreted Platonic Relationship, “Big Buff” Senketsu, Further

Author’s Notes/Commentary for my fic “nonsense”

How Could Anyone Not Ship Ryuko and Senketsu?*, 8 Reasons Folks Can’t Get Down with Pairing a Girl and Her Sailor Uniform Together: Masterpost of Rebuttals to Common Criticisms Against Ryuketsu*

Basically, though, I don’t see anything inherently wrong with the idea of a human version of Senketsu. So much of Senketsu’s story is about growth and transformation, and I’ve always liked the idea—and find it so much more fitting narratively—for Senketsu to “grow out of sailor uniforms” with Ryuko. The whole show is centered around Ryuko and Senketsu’s shared growth together, after all!

And while one way Senketsu could “grow out of sailor uniforms” is to simply gain the ability to transform into any outfit he would like to be, I think it also works just as well for Senketsu to have a humanoid form. He is partly human, so why not? (Especially when it might be argued that he wants to be human based off of this Drama CD bit?)

Buuut human!Senketsu can also rub me a bit the wrong way, too. So often it seems human versions of Senketsu exist purely to make him viable as a romantic partner (for humans). And that’s just a bit uncool to me!

As I wrote in Author’s Notes/Commentary for my fic “nonsense”:

While I have no inherent problem with human!Senketsus, the fact that practically every romantic depiction of him alters his form sends a message, loud and clear: in order to be a “suitable” romantic partner, Senketsu must undergo a drastic change. He cannot be as he is.

Of course, it’s not like this is a ridiculous concept. Pairing a human and clothing together is bizarre as fuck and yeah, not something you can really take seriously. There’s nothing traditionally ~aesthetically pleasing~ about this kind of match-up, so it’s no wonder that the idea of Ryuko/Senketsu is considered as baseless and wrong as Ginny/Sorting Hat.

But, honestly? Kill la Kill is a series about naked people saving the world from clothing aliens. I hardly think the idea of two people hooking up when they don’t happen to look alike is the weirdest thing here—and I think it has a Good Message.

Mind you, Kill la Kill is an anime and attracts audiences in their teens (even if it’s technically made for the seinen (older male) demographic). How nice is it for teens to see that hey, you don’t have to look “traditionally” hot to be deserving of romantic love?

And as I expanded upon in How Could Anyone Not Ship Ryuko and Senketsu?*:

…in our world? There are people who are not traditionally attractive. There are people who can’t do—for a variety of reasons—the things couples are “supposed” to do: kissing, cuddling, etc.

Is it fair to say that, because a person cannot express their love in the “accepted” romantic way, they are undeserving of romantic love at all?

I certainly don’t think so! And, though it is an outlandish fantasy situation, when I look at Ryuko and Senketsu, I see potential for that kind of message. Folks get so hung up on appearances, but you know what? Love isn’t all about looking hot together or making out!

Basically, human!Senketsu is perfectly okay in my book! But when there’s the implication that Senketsu must be human in order to have a romantic relationship (with Ryuko or anyone else)… that doesn’t sit well with me. (And as discussed in other posts above, it sits even less well with me when Senketsu’s personality changes along with his looks and he becomes aggressive and overbearing with the humanoid appearance; a “male” character in a female/male relationship doesn’t have to act that way in order to make a good romantic partner!)

As for common fan designs of human!Senketsu, I know there’s some discontent with the big, buff, and muscly designs, but as I wrote in Buff Human Senketsu (52) (and expanded upon in the other posts linked above):

I enjoy seeing all kinds of designs for [Senketsu] and how he might look as a human, and think it’s really neat to see how others imagine him. But can I just say that there’s something really charming about someone who is such a cinnamon roll being huge and intimidating? It’s an intense contrast, it defies expectations, and it rather fits with Senketsu’s character in that he is seen as this horrible, monstrous thing while in reality he’s immensely caring, protective, and loving. Really, the whole “big and buff” sort of design says to me that appearances aren’t everything, and that’s… kinda crucial to Senketsu’s story. He’s not just an outfit, he’s not a monster, and he’s really… not what you would expect by looking at him. (Or hearing him.)

So, that’s probably the gist of my human!Senketsu feelings!

And it’s still hella long…

#Anonymous #replies #kill la kill #senketsu #human!senketsu #i've actually been working on a fic that really touches into a lot of this #for like 3 years lol ^^;#someday...#ramblings #analysis #meta