SK8 The Infinity Should Respect Their Skateboard builders
Ok, I’ve got a lot of issue’s with how the culture works in ‘S’, but for right now I’ve got a bone to pick on how ‘S’ disrespects Reki and skateboard makers. It’s a crime and I need to talk about it.
(Disclaimer: I haven’t finished the show yet, so if I’ve missed something, I apologize in advance. Also there may be some spoilers ahead, you’ve been warned.)
First and foremost, I don’t get why ‘S’ doesn’t respect skateboard makers.
There’s a lot of cool boards in the show: Adam’s horn(y) board, Cherry’s i-board, Langa’s snowboard-on-wheels, etc. I personally think it’s a waste and a crime that the ‘S’ community - and Sk8 in general - barely glances at the endless possibilities that can come from creative board making (especially in a show that makes a point of talking about the endless possibilities and freedoms of skateboarding) and doesn’t even TOUCH on how important board makers HAVE to be to their lifestyle.
You’d think in a culture where the people live and breath by the board, they’d be elevating the artisans who make that life possible to the realm of kings, or, at the very least, respected members of the community. I’ve never seen any of the skaters offer any kind of respect to those people, and honestly it irritates me to no end. And the wasted potential for creativity there!
Can you imagine how awesome it would be to have the skater’s treat having a cutting edge board the same way most other hobbyists treat their collection? The sheer diversity of boards that could exist? Why is Cherry not selling i-boards? Why aren’t people clamoring for Reki to make them a swivel board? Why is no-one trying to get an advantage with an awesome unique board when their whole club is based on competition??? It makes no sense!
You could argue that their purists, but if that was the case they’d be giving Cherry and Langa smack for their boards, and since they don’t, I truly can’t see a reason. Therefor, if for no other reason than to get a cool board, the ‘S’ community should be treating their board builders with HUGE respect, or at the very least, acknowledge their existence and contributions.
And for those who want to @ me saying that the real skater community doesn’t work that way, I want to remind people that this is an anime. Were dealing in fantastical fantasies here, and it’s a wasted element that could have added to the story. Especially since Reki, a main character, himself is a board maker and it could have added a new element to his role in the community.
Which brings me to Reki, and the sheer DISRESPECT they’re giving my boi.
Yes, I will admit, he’s not a genius skater, and I honestly am grateful that Sk8 allowed a main character to be painfully normal for once, and really dig into the feeling of being the average guy surrounded by geniuses. But! While he’s not the best skater ever, he is a talented and skilled skateboard maker, which I personally think puts him on par with the rest of the group.
The only other board maker acknowledged in the show is Cherry, who created an awesome board, hands down, but even he stuck to the basic (three?) shapes that create an average skateboard.
Reki, on the other hand, created a whole new hybrid that melded together snowboarding and skateboarding, essentially allowing Langa to create a whole new style of skateboarding. Yes, Langa is the skater here, but my point is the possibility wouldn’t even EXIST without Reki’s creativity and I’m SALTY about it.
I’m upset that not one single person there, besides maybe Langa, even acknowledges how big a break through that must be for the skating community, and instead treats him like Langa’s sidekick. Reki opened a whole new world of skating possibilities, and he’s not given a shred of credit for it.
It’s an absolute disrespect to Reki, and further to all other board makers - both unique inventors and otherwise - and I would be throwing hands at the shitheads if I could.