#mito mitsukuni

[spacevixenmusic]

Source: Space Pirate Mito [1999]

[jewlwpet]

(Space Pirate Mito S1 spoilers)

Basically, the villain of Space Pirate Mito S1 grew up believing he and Mito would rule the galaxy together after one of them inherited the throne, but he was disinherited, imprisoned, and consigned to being legally considered a minor forever because of transphobia*, leading him to become a dictator to get revenge on the royal family.

*Or something like that--it's a metaphor--members of his species choose (or are assigned? it's unclear) their sex as they come of age, but he refused, saying he was already a man and didn't need a ritual to confirm it.

Mito was totally innocent in all of this, but he targets her and her son out of resentment, as he associates her with everything that was denied to him: power, privilege, and love.

Still, Mito forgives him once he's completely defeated and no longer a threat. The narrative definitely doesn't vilify him for being trans.

But as all this is going on, Aoi is "turned female" and nobody ever questions that this means Aoi has to be a girl if Aoi's body doesn't change back. I get that it's a plot device, but it's strange that the writers seem to respect Ranban's identity while treating the issue as moot in Aoi's case.

That said, as I've talked about in previous posts, it's not explicitly clear how Aoi feels about this: there are numerous indications that Aoi does want to go back, but if you want to believe that Aoi actually wishes to remain a girl, you can. If nothing else, the S2 OP certainly supports it, as the very first line is "I'm a happy but shy girl."

[spacevixenmusic]

Source: Space Pirate Mito [1999]

[spacevixenmusic]

Source: Space Pirate Mito [1999]

[spacevixenmusic]

Source: Space Pirate Mito [1999]

[spacevixenmusic]

Source: Space Pirate Mito [1999]

[spacevixenmusic]

Source: Space Pirate Mito [1999]

[spacevixenmusic]

Source: Space Pirate Mito [1999]