Jan 8, 2025
THE PARALLELS
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THE PARALLELS
Hello! Have you ever noticed the parallels between Kenta saving Benkei in Episode 9 and Ginga saving Kenta in Episode 1?
Hello!
More than a parallel, it's (for me) the highlight of Kenta's evolution between the episode 1 and 9.
He and Benkei (who are mirrors in the first episodes) are characterized by an impressive growth in the first arc of Beyblade Metal Fusion.
About Ginga saving Kenta (episode 1)
This scene has for purpose to introduce the hero of the show. Kenta is a normal kid, with a passion for Beyblade, a couple of friends and big dreams. He's easy to identify with for viewers, or at least to watch fondly (contrary to Ginga, at this point, who keeps his distances with the other characters as well as the audience).
Kenta is attacked by the Face Hunters on his way home. He's forced to accept their challenge, knowing he'll lose, and is afraid the whole time (which is normal, one little kid cornered and mocked by a bunch of teenagers is bound to be afraid).
Kenta is good at Beyblade, since he won a tournament (as small as it is), but not strong enough to defend himself.
Ginga is a whole different category as a blader. He defeats easily Benkei and five Face Hunters, who are said to terrify the whole city. Him saving Kenta is followed by a victory even more impressive: the one against 100 Face Hunters.
About Kenta saving Benkei (episode 9)
Kenta does swoop in to save Benkei, as Ginga did for him. It not only highlights the fact Kenta evolved quickly in a short amount of time, but it also puts forward his courage (that showed for the first time to defend Ginga from Hikaru) and his forgiveness. Not so long ago, Benkei was the one bullying him like this and yet he does not hesitate to come to his help.
His entrance shows he's one step closer to his goal: becoming a blader like Ginga.
Closer... but not here yet. And he's aware of his limitations. It shows when he moves Bull away from Leone's path instead of trying to attack Leone directly. He knows he's no match for Kyouya.
For a matter of fact, Kenta and Benkei lose. This defeat, however, doesn't point out their weakness, but Kyouya's progress as a blader after working with Daidouji and overcoming the Wolf Canyon.
But thanks to Kenta's intervention, Bull isn't destroyed by Leone. Then, thanks to Benkei, Bull and Sagittario aren't crushed by Kyouya. Their teamwork and support allow them to avoid the worst for a blader: losing their beys.
When I did the post about the meido and Kyouya traversing Hell, I noticed that Kyouya’s words in the VO, after the Wolf Canyon, are darker.
(The quotes are a translation of the Japanese version of Episode 9 - Beyblade Metal Fusion)
Kyouya: It was hell.
Benkei: Hell.
Kyouya: I can still hear it. The wind blowing from the valley. The bloodthirsty growls of the wolves. I took a look at Hell on Earth you couldn’t even imagine!
Benkei: Hell on Earth...
First, he doesn’t talk about a “terrible” or “horrifying place”, but of hell. And the wolves are described as “bloodthirtsty.”
Kyouya: To live or to die... To kill or to be killed... In the end, you can only depend on your own strenght.
In the English and French translations, Kyouya only talks about battles. He says “Win or lose, defeat or be defeated...” But, while he crossed the Wolf Canyon, he was truly confronted to death for the first time of his life. That’s one of the reason he breaks down the way he did: he never felt so much fear in his life. He tells and retells it after his return.
Kyouya: I'll completely destroy you, so you won't even be able to hold a bey again, and carve that into your body and soul.
The “carve that into your body and soul” surprised me.
Kyouya: In the end, you can only depend on your own strenght.
Benkei: So the Face Hunters aren't needed anymore?
Kyouya: That's right. They gather together like weaklings. I found a way to live in hell alone, so I don't need any company!
And Kyouya doesn’t talk about “friends”, but “company”. Which is more coherent since the Face Hunters are his lackeys (sometime his fan-club, sometimes his security details). But they are not Kyouya’s equals and his relationship to them is absolutely hierarchical. Besides, Benkei and the other Face Hunters refer to him as Kyouya-san (Mr. Kyouya or sir).
Kyouya: Go back and tell this to Hagane Ginga : “Tategami Kyouya had come back from Hell just to defeat you!”
In the original version, Kyouya doesn’t just say he comes back and wants to challenge Ginga. He wants Ginga to know what he went through to battle him (and, in the end, defeat him).
Kyouya: It was hell.
Benkei: Hell?
Kyouya: I can still hear it. The wind blowing from the valley. The bloodthirsty growls of the wolves. I took a look at Hell on Earth you couldn’t even imagine !
Benkei: Hell on Earth...
Kyouya: To live or to die... To kill or to be killed... In the end, you can only depend on your own strenght.
- Beyblade Metal Fusion, episode 9 (japanese dub)
Kyouya: Go back and tell this to Hagane Ginga: “Tategami Kyouya had come back from Hell just to defeat you!”
- Beyblade Metal Fusion, episode 9 (japanese dub)
(I quoted the japanese dub, because I read something in a book and it made me think about Kyouya’s first crossing of the Wolf Canyon. I wanted to check if I was thinking too much into this or if I could be a little right)
The meido is the first step to reach underworld/paradise in Buddhism. It’s for the souls who had a nuanced life, who did nothing extraordinarily good or evil. It is described as a place of non-stop howling wind and harassing animals (normally, birds). It has cliffs so high one would be able to reach their top only with huge efforts, determination and overcoming moments of discouragement. But they have to climb these cliffs if they want to reach the next step, usually the hereafter (though it was the contrary for Kyouya : he had to climb them to come back to life).
The cliffs are a symbol of the soul’s sins.
So, Kyouya in the Wolf Canyon was literally Kyouya crossing Hell... and he didn’t escape it safe and sound.
Kyouya: character’s development in two quotes (part 5)
Beyblade Metal Fusion
“It was terrible. (...) Even now I can still hear it, the sound of the wind blowing up from the bottom of the valley, the growls of those worthless hungry wolves. You can't even imagine this. The most horrifying place on earth. But I saw it, I lived it!”
- to Benkei, episode 9
“What does someone like you understand about me?”
- to Ginga, episode 10
Beyblade Metal Masters
“This is nothing compared to the special training I went through in order to battle Ginga.”
- to Damian, episode 100
Kyouya learned a valuable and too rare abillity: putting things into perspectives.
He grew up so much since the beginning of the first season, when he was just a bored and spoiled brat, who thinks he was the centre of the universe and that his trials (like losing against Ginga and jumping voluntarily into the Wolf Canyon) were the worst things that could happen in the whole world. Then he saw that some people have real problems (*cough* Ginga *cough*).
(part 1 / part 2 / part 3 / part 4 / part 5)
Why Benkei, Kenta et Ginga forgave Kyouya after the Wolf Canyon?
Because he wasn't in his usual state. They all saw it, and even Leone agreed.
The wind is said to be able to drive people crazy... Researches are done and, scientifically, it's accepted that wind can increase irritability, aggressivness and behavioral disorders. And Kyouya, who's intuitive, kind of understand it, even if he was gone too far to be able to come to his senses alone.
Benkei: This is a fierce clash but I'm used to it. This is who we are, this is what we do. Leone's attacks are always intense but for some reasons today- today something seems a lot different.
Kyouya: It was terrible. (...) Even now I can still hear it, the sound of the wind blowing up from the bottom of the valley, the growls and those worthless hungry wolves...
Kyouya was already angry when he jumped into the canyon (against Ginga for defeating him, against the Face Hunter for making him meet Ginga). Into the canyon, he was scared, because he was surrounded by hungry wolves and nearly died countless times, running on adrenaline, which could only make his state worse. And he was alone. That was one of the thing that shaked him the most about the Wolf Canyon : he was utterly alone, like he never felt before. He never stopped to repeat it during the two episodes where he made his return.
Kyouya: The only thing you can rely on in the end is your own strength.
Benkei: Is that why you think you no longer need the Face Hunters or me?
Kyouya: Yes. I'm stronger now. I don't need others to protect me. In that terrible place, I learned how to live on my own. I don't need things like friends.
(notice how the Face Hunters worked more like some security detail, or a fan-club, than a real gang).
Kyouya came back to Bey-City, decided to beat Ginga, a goal he hung on throughout his alliance with the Dark Nebula (which certainly lasted more than one month). He decided to get rid off the Face Hunters, because he "managed" to survive the Wolf Canyon alone. His anger increased (something he didn't need, really) when he learnt about Benkei's "betrayal" for Ginga, the one he wanted so much to beat.
Then, the 10th episode was all about Ginga trying (and finally succeeding) to make Kyouya comes to his senses.
Kyouya: I fought and I survived on my own when I was alone in that rock valley. I sharpen my fangs in order to destroy you.
Ginga: You weren't alone.
Kyouya: What's that?
Ginga: Remember the blader's spirit that you took with you but left back in the wilderness.
Kyouya: character’s development in two quotes (part 1)
Episode 9 (Metal Fusion)
“It was terrible. (...) Even now I can still hear it, the sound of the wind blowing up into the valley, the growls and these worthless wolves... You can't even imagine this. The most horrifying place on earth but I saw it, I lived it!”
Episode 100 (Metal Masters)
“This is the power of the wild. There is no one to help you out here in the wild. The only thing you can rely on is your own power. You win or you lose, that's the only law of nature. The only way to survive is to become stronger and you have to do it on your own, alone.”
(part 1 / part 2 / part 3 / part 4 / part 5)