My two cents on Sk8 the Infinity
For as much as I tried to tell myself that there was no way they were going to make Sk8 the Infinity into a BL anime, I could never repress all my hopes completely.
Be it my eternal optimism, the fact that the world is a-changing, or maybe the numerous times we were led to believe this was something more than a friendship. Who is to say.
I am sure is a little bit of all these things, but some might have more weight than others when it comes to queer coding characters and queerbaiting.
Because there is a difference, a line that separates the spontaneous shipping that could happen to any character in any story, and purposefully implying time and time again that a relationship can be something more without ever committing to taking a stand for what you are hinting at. And unfortunately, this is where Sk8 the infinity lands.
The show could have been the story of two best friends, it was completely possible to write the characters as two platonic best friends, it was POSSIBLE to do it. And yet, halfway through the show, they made the decision to stray from that storyline and make a filler episode where they all took a trip together, where the first hints of something more were given.
Specifically, with these scenes.
Which could have been a classic case of the creators of the anime giving out a little bit of fanservice, as one does in the filler episodes here and there. I would have forgiven it, because it was not part of the main storyline, and it was cute and it could have still meant nothing.
Two bros, chilling in a hot tub, but they are not five feet apart because they are not scared of showing affection to one another without implying a romantic relationship.
Unfortunately, after a couple more episodes, the fanservice was completely abandoned for what can only be described as a heavily implied coming out scene. I wouldn't really know how to interpret the exchange that is represented in this scene otherwise.
Small hints here and there, a lot of unfinished sentences that could mean- but actually we may never know since they were left incomplete, smiles and blushing and declarations of ever mine ever yours ever ours. But, platonically, of course.
Just like Beethoven intended it.
And the cherry on top of the cake: a reference to one of the most iconic gay kiss scene in anime.
And if I sound mean and bitter, well, maybe it’s because I am. But maybe not, you know? I can heavily imply it without fully committing to giving a judgment to how I feel.
I can imply that they have been cowards and they were weak, gaining everything there was to gain from the hints and the fanservice of a hypothetical queer relationship, but never fully committing to the ugly and scary and more dangerous parts of it. I can. But as long as I don’t say it, we may never know what I actually think of them.
Do I think they don’t deserve the amazing and loving fandom they found themselves cultivating? Possibly. Does it make my blood boil that they used a YOI reference when they are not worthy of ever comparing themselves to such a piece of fiction, that did so much for the LGBT+ community, by people that risked everything in the process of doing so? Could be, who knows.
I loved Sk8 the Infinity, and it makes me so mad that I have to criticize its creators. I really wanted to celebrate it. I really wanted for it to be one of the few staples of normalised queer romances in anime.
And now I feel robbed. Disappointed, but unfortunately not that surprised.
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