Nagato Yuki-chan no Shoushitsu – 12
Civil Secret Crisis of Infinite House of Yuki Convergence Flashpoint Identity Wars?
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Over the past two episodes I’ve been making the best attempt to make a distinction between characteristics of our main character. For her “old” personality, in context to this show, I’ve called that one “Yuki-chan”. For her “new” personality, I’ve been calling her Nagato-san, and have even bridged this personality to her previous incarnation in the Harihu franchise. But now, it’s harder to call her one thing or another. I could say, Nagato-chan, but that’s missing the point, isn’t it? |
Yuki in the Library with a Book
The bibliophile did it! Nah, we’re not on the closed room mystery any longer. In fact, we seem to be rather unhinged from any real genre convention at the moment. But what we do have in a young woman in search of identity. And this has been a fine example of that from start to finish.
The underlying fear that Yuki holds is that her identity, and thus, a great deal of her self worth, is under attack from her former self. Attack is probably to strong a word, but there is defiantly a feeling of unease that her old memories will resurface, causing her new self to “disappear”. This would be fine unto itself, but there is the growing sense of unease she has about her feelings towards Kyon, as she is right now. She recognizes that these are not “hers” but her former self’s unresolved feelings. How closely those feelings are to one another is something she is coming to grips with.
But there is no doubt that books are her real love
Crossroads
The resurfacing memories are coming from her dreams. In that situation she feels that she has limited to no defenses against them, and takes to, rather ironically, old habits of staying up late. This time her tools are books, and not video games, but the song remains the same. After all, who is to say that video games weren’t her way of warding off how she felt about her unfocused feelings for Kyon early on?
In a great many respects, this is not so much the previous Nagato Yuki-chan from the earlier franchise, as I’ve discussed. This is not the new character we grew accustomed to in ten episodes either, but that version is definitely in there. This is a newer viewpoint. One that takes on the old memories as they come, trying to calculate them into a great whole, and one that refuses to “see” things as her old self; symbolically keeping her previous, yet fixed, pair of glasses both at hand, and at arms length. She’s the one that can finally thank Kyon for his earlier help, her old version failing at that task. But she really isn’t keeping that a secret from Kyon now, is she? Arm’s length…
On one hand she reaches for what’s new, whole worlds at her grasp….
…and on the other, she will always reach for those two stars, bringing them closer to each other…
A few more points…
Ryouko Asakura, Not only a member of the ship club, but the president as well
…finally free from the bag…
Final Thoughts
Over the past two episodes we’ve come quite a long way into the process of “integrating” the two personalities. Now I am sure there are folks that prefer one over the other, just as I’m sure there are more that are curious to see how far this process goes. But in all that, it’s about accepting Yuki for who she is. As I said at the beginning, I used a naming structured to talk about the two parts running. But here, and next time, I think we’ll see that that isn’t the point. Yuki is working these issues out as only she can. It’s a great boon to her that she has the well of kindness and patience that is a Kyon. So let’s see how that pays off when we return….
“Kyon? Denwa…”
About skylion
All around nerd that enjoys just about any anime genre. I love history, politics, public policy, the sciences, literature, arts...pretty much anything can make me geeky...except sports. Follow me @theskylion
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
It’s hard to come up with more to say about this show. I am loving the feel, and the thoughtfulness that they’ve put into Nagato’s thoughts about Yuki. I think it’s also wonderful how Ryouko and Kyon have reacted to Nagato’s personality situation, treating her as a friend, but keeping away from comparisons. It’s something that I’m sure would be difficult to do.
But I also think it’s great how BOTH Yuki-chan and Nagato-san are falling for Kyon. The romantic in me feels like it’s a great embodiment of the idea that there’s someone out there who’s perfect for you. And it’s also an exploration of the idea that who we are is the sum total of our memories. Even if Nagato-san doesn’t really think that Yuki’s memories are ‘hers’, she still reacts to them, she still has access to them. And as superficially different as the two girls would seem to be, personality-wise, I think there’s not really that much space between the two of them.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
I have to admit that I am a bit more of a realist in that perfection is a process, not a goal. So in so far as someone being perfect for you, that too is a process, and it’s a boon to find someone else that both favours and relishes the process. That street runs both ways, and no matter how perfect, look both ways before crossing…
Kyon did work through a comparison, and they, him and Ryouko, still both remark on the book v. vidya thing. But, they handled that well in that it was a one off deal. Lesson learned, let’s move on…
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Were we to get into a philosophical debate about it, then I would think it necessary that someone who is ‘perfect’ for someone else would not be a steady state, but would be someone whose drive to change and adapt mirrors one’s own. The realist position in me also acknowledges that you don’t actually need to find the perfect person, just one of the people who is above the threshold for compatibility.
As far as the comparing Nagato and Yuki, I was more talking about how even as they acknowledge the differences between the two personalities, they refrain from value judgments, and especially from using it as a lever to try to change Nagato. I’m hoping that what we actually get is a person who is a mixture of Nagato and Yuki, one who can appreciate the girlish feelings and uncertanties but who isn’t held hostage by them.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
I like your prognosis for Nagato Yuki’s character. Having read the manga, all I can say is….