Shin Soukoku appreciation post
Screencap hell ahead (w/a few gifs) cuz why not? This ep was sooooo geeeeewwwwwd~ x)
Honestly, all the Shin Soukoku moments were great but if I had to cherry pick...
I see two pretty boys on a runaway tram?
It shouldn’t amaze me that Acchan can lift Akkun by the scruff of the neck and throw him into the air with ease (along w/enough force that he actually stays in the air for several seconds) ...
Y’know, for all their bickering, they’re better at taking cues from one another than people who don’t share a mutual hatred between them.
Lamenting a little that this will never be as funny as the original. :(
But at least we still got it.
Akutagawa worrying about Atsushi feels odd in a...tingly sort of way.
I reread this part last night and this didn’t happen in the manga (mind you, I speed read through it so maybe I’m remembering it wrong).
And the worrying continues~
Sometimes I wonder how this story would’ve gone if they were twins separated at birth.
This is why this episode/these chapters are titled “Echo”, isn’t it?
Again, have you ever loathed someone SO. FREAKIN’. MUCH. that it reaches a point where you’re able to understand them and their thought process without needing to convey it through words?
All while maintaining the steady trade of vicious insults...
...and turning double battling into an art form?
That’s soukoku for ya. *sips tea*
You slay me, Aku. You slay me, alright.
I just love how Sushi-kun looks so offended by the notion that you can hear ten different indignant remarks from him all it once.
“WTFSRSLY?!”/“How dare-!”/“I will not!”/“You bastard, I’m gonna shove that ascot down your throat!”/“Say that again, emo ass!”/etc.
And then he gets a boulder to the face.
Poor Atsushi. He can never catch a break. (^ ^;)
...hehehe, I really can’t get used to Akutagawa showing concern over Atsushi.
This isn’t meant to be a speculative post but I would just like to comment that the more these two fail in their attempts to kill each other, the more their drawn-out fight (+ Dazai’s interference) pushes them to learn more about the other, whether they like it or not.
At the beginning, Atsushi can only see Akutagawa as nothing more than a mindless, killing machine (to be fair, he’s not wrong, Aku IS still a ruthless murderer) while Akutagawa utterly despises Atsushi for gaining Dazai’s favor despite being such a cowardly “weakling”.
But then Akutagawa discovers the misery of Atsushi’s past, how much the mere memory of his abuser tortures him even now and how Atsushi is trying to free himself from that pain. Akutagawa had a shit childhood, too, so he can relate with Atsushi that much, at least.
Then there’s Atsushi, who for all his disdain at Akutagawa’s bloodlust, can clearly tell Akutagawa is desperately craving for approval from Dazai, turning it into his raison d’être. Which is not quite unlike his own desire to simply have a right to live in the world.
In that respect, they’re more similar than they think they are and what’s more, little by little, they’ve already started to realize it.
Akutagawa even sorta alludes to their similarity with this line of his.
They’re both still searching for that one thing that will make them “whole”.
They’re both still struggling to come to terms with themselves in their own ways.
With them coming to a comprehension of one another, then naturally and inevitably, there will be some sort of acknowledgement of each other as well.
They’re still arch-nemeses but they’re not simply “just enemies” anymore.
From a certain angle, you can even call them “rivals”, I guess.
Of course, hardly a friendly or even a traditional rivalry but when both sides openly admit to others that “This mofo I hate won’t lose to the likes of you! Piss him off at your own peril!” (a notable first for Akutagawa in regards to Atsushi, I think?)
While loudly proclaiming “TOGETHER, WE’RE UNBEATABLE!!” before proceeding to give you the smackdown of your life.
...well, I don’t know if there’s another word to describe it so until I learn that there is, I’ll just keep calling it just that.
On another note, ACCHAN~!! YOU LOOK SO COOOOOL~!!!!
ALSJFSLKAJFLSDJFLKSJAFLKSJDFLKAS
TIGER BABY’S GOT NAILS!!!!!! xDD
Somewhere, many miles away sitting in a cafe waiting to spring that oh-so-pleasant surprise on Fyodor, Dazai sheds a proud tear over his idiotic sons pupils.
dRaMaTiC kAnJi InTeNsIfIeS
Shin Soukoku Combi literally produced a RAINBOW tornado of destruction!
If that isn’t BONES way of showing their support for Pride Month, then they’re lying!
I thought it was a nice touch that Atsushi’s reply to Dazai’s inquiry on what it felt like to team up with Akutagawa was more weary and contemplative than it was in the manga.
I mean, Atsushi whining about how awful it was is totally adorable in its own right.
But this is one of the few “serious tone” changes that BONES made that I can approve of.
Plus, it’s the final episode and I believe this scene was meant to be solemn anyway (with Atsushi thinking about his next goal and Dazai reminiscing over Odasaku). So yea, it’s definitely more fitting this way.
Mmkay, I meant this as a joke, but I’m also fully convinced that this is only way Akutagawa knows how to ask people out and you can’t tell me otherwise!
Finally, the fact that both Atsushi and Akutagawa have come to the conclusion that they can only move forward after confronting each other in a battle of epic proportions (or as I’d like to interpret it, the salvation they’re looking for is tied to their ever conflicting but shared connection aka IT’S DESTINY) ...
...is something that I need to see more of to wrap my head around.
I mean, I believe it! I really do! But some things need to be shown in order for me to get it. I’m slow
...I think I can say this with a good amount of certainty, though.
Neither one is actually going to die. Sorry, Aku. xD;
Anyways, they say “in six months” but the manga doesn’t seem in hurry to get there so by the time it happens, it’ll probably be another six years for it to get animated if it will even be animated and URGH!!
Y’know what?! I’m only going to be mad if the entire series ends with Atsushi and Akutagawa just charging at each other and nothing more. That the outcome of their fight will be left ambiguous.
Please don’t do that to me, Asagiri-sensei~! I promise to be patient and good so please give us the Shin Soukoku ending we deserve! *sobs* TwT
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