i actually think that this concept art is really interesting when you consider what it means for herlock’s character and his relationship with yuujin. the truth is that we know next to nothing about how those six years they spent together went, but this illustration kind of tells us everything that we really need to know: by combining this and what we see in their relationship now, kazuya nuri has told us everything about them through just a simple drawing.
this is most likely towards the earlier stages of their partnership, so herlock is probably only around 18-20. obviously he is visually very different from the herlock in tgaa—his “casual” appearance is much less put-together, his hair is longer, and his posture is much more relaxed—but what immediately catches your eye is herlock’s expression! you could interpret it as him being lost in thought or him looking a little pissed off, but we would NEVER see today’s herlock making an expression even resembling that: his deductions are meant to appear effortless, after all, and he never really expresses his true feelings. he has his serious moments, but he would never appear that intense.
and i just. i think it is so, so sweet. that yuujin’s friendship was able to change herlock so much. when you look at him in this illustration you can immediately understand who he is: a moody, young adult man (glorified teenager) who doesn’t really understand who he is yet, doesn’t know how to open up to other people, doesn’t know what to do with himself. and yuujin’s kindness is what changes him fundamentally: his friendship, his support. as much as he cares about susato and ryuunosuke, he MEANS it when he says that yuujin is his only true friend. because as much as they mean to him, they haven’t seen him at his worst. they haven’t helped him grow into himself. they didn’t give him the most important person in his life.
at the end of the day herlock isn’t perfect. FAR from it; he’s a fucking mess. but yuujin’s influence helped him. saved him, in a way, and because of that, he’s happy. even though he struggles with rent constantly, though he still keeps his heart locked up tight, he is happy and he has a daughter and that’s what matters. and nuri conveys all of this through just one picture to accompany the story :)
