#Ugetsu's Emergence

[mikajihiko]

Ugetsu's emergence: manga and booklet comparison summary!!

Sensei really took her time on this chapter- the message is extremely clear now we love to see 😋 I know not everyone has access to the first version of Ugetsu's emergence as it was a special for Given Movie dvd only; Ive received my vol 8 today so I'll share some major changes!

On manga the comic has a more darker vibe. Initially I thought it was the printing cause the paper is a different type from the movie booklet, but that wasnt it! The lines are much sharper, bold, and various items have been colored (ie. stove top) and rendered (ie. clothes)

The element of smoke/water and cigarettes are also more apparent with sensei adding and replacing objects; how he's essentially drowning himself in it

Other objects added would be a suitcase indicating he has arrived/ is in another country. The unkept suitcase could also indicate that he's flighty with his residence, which corresponds with how he canonically is jumping from hotel to hotel while in new york

And additional panels! Sensei adding an extra panel as well as redrawing the panel below it. It now features Ugetsu's eyes brightly redrawn (top) as he wakes up after dreaming of Akihiko

Another addition is a panel of him taking notice of a new notification on his phone, bending down to see who the message was from

A redraw (top) of this panel which now shows a small smile forming on his lip rather than the pensive look from the movie booklet (bottom)

An additional panel of him afterwards, now fully smiling

Lastly, a redraw (right) of this panel, much more detailed than the one from the movie booklet (left)

Thats all that Ive noticed at first glance! I'll share again if ever I notice something👁 Please buy the manga if you have the means to! The difference between cheri and manga releases is that the panels are more polished in the manga, things change and 🥳 VOL 7 ENG ON JAN 10, THANK YOU FOR READING!! Share your thoughts in the comments or by reblogging~ I love seeing everyones thoughts 🫶🏼!!

#Given #Given Manga #Ugetsu's Emergence #Ugetsu Murata #Given Volume 8 #BUY THE MANGA #comparison check #Given Manga Spoilers #Mikarambles

[oasisdew]

"The panel by panel contrast between Akihiko's emergence and Ugetsu's emergence." ~ A thread

(Well Akihiko's emergence has only 6 pages and Ugetsu's one has 17 pages so obviously the contrasts are sometimes 1 panel against 3 but thematically an obvious mirroring is going on)

1) Okay, so we start both chapters with 'cocoon' metaphors. But the way this cocoon has been thought of can not be more different.

Now everyone is free to think what these contrasts mean their own way. And I have my own interpretations of them as well ofc.

But in this post I'll just point things out with minimal opinions from myself.

For Akihiko this cocoon represents a stillness and being lulled into a sense of comfort, being disconnected from the world around.

For those who'll notice there's this thing that actually points out how unreliable a narrator Akihiko can be without him noticing or just because he wants to see things in positive light and thus states only half truths in his own mind too. That is, when he states, "We had music." we as the audience are somehow bound to think he is talking about the same music? A shared one?

But Kizu showed us subtly that nope, never did they 'share' music. They 'had' music, but they always listened to different ones.

In contrast to how Akihiko thinks of this cocoon though, how Ugetsu thinks of it is so different!

Whereas for Aki he himself was but a passive part of that cocoon, for Ugetsu that's very clearly not true.

He doesn't think of the cocoon with the same fondness.

It's grotesque.

And contrary to its outward stillness, its body is being remade with incredible force.

So whereas for Akihiko the stillness and disconnect from the world of the cocoon state were more important, for Ugetsu, the important part is what that state gave birth to.

2) After this cocoon metaphor we instantly jump to how they think of each other now.

In Akihiko's mind he thinks they both hurt each other AND we see him letting go of Ugetsu's hand. Effectively ending that chapter of his life. And right after he starts to think about music. And by association Haruki.

Contrary to that in Ugetsu's mind right after the cocoon metaphor we see an intimate moment of them being played out.

3) After past we go to the future that they are envisioning?

After thinking fondly of the past and letting go of it, thinking of ways to connect with music or as I like to interpret it, to find his self love again, Akihiko's mind goes to Haruki instantly. Him being able to love music again is obviously being connected to Haru here

And we get this Haruki from his viewpoint. AFTER HE IS WOKEN UP, THE FIRST THING HE SEES IS HARUKI. IN A VERY DOMESTIC SETTING.

And we get this Haruki from his viewpoint. AFTER HE IS WOKEN UP, THE FIRST THING HE SEES IS HARUKI. IN A VERY DOMESTIC SETTING.

In contrast we see Ugetsu dreaming of Akihiko on stage. And then waking up (to realize it was just him dreaming of Aki? And NOT in a domestic or loving setting either, his dream Akihiko is a bright successful one.)

4) This theme continues for the next parts of both emergence.

Akihiko thinking of Haruki, the hurt he had caused him and ways to somehow make Haruki feel better.

He is planning for what he wants to do next and that future planning of him totally revolves around Haruki.

In contrast, Ugetsu's thoughts are still revolving around the cocoon that he thinks has given birth to something else.

This part is very cryptically written and I'd really like to understand what actually "before we...remade, at...time too, beneath those fingers always" implies.

5) Anyway, after that we come to the last part of it.

Akihiko here is truly the representation of where Akihiko was at that time. Alone, on the street, without any friends or family, crouching on the ground crying, he has only one destination in mind, somehow to reach Haruki.

And there's the famous “it's okay” there, representing the hope.

In contrast we see Ugetsu seated in the lap of luxury in his NYC apartment.

Like, Kizu made sure to show us just how high up Ugetsu is in contrast with Akihiko who is arguably in the lowest point of his life in emergence.

Both panels show Mafuyu's iconic "It'll be okay" too.

But how that is presented is also so different!

In Akihiko's emergence, that "It'll be okay!" is in the background. Akihiko has internalized it. It has become his mantra.

In Ugetsu's emergence, it's put in a quotation mark. And also that's something Ugetsu is saying aloud!

6) Now we have come to the last part of both emergence.

Akihiko with a very definitive goal.

He'll keep his promise, he'll come back to Haruki.

And Ugetsu probably an as much definitive one, with how smug he sounds.

But vague to us.

"Sure, watch me!" or, "Just wait and see!"

#given #Akihiko #kaji akihiko #ugetsu murata #given manga #emergence #Thematic exploration #my given threads

[samuell2]

Life of Oharu (It’s hard being hot)

Every guy you meet is either a total dirtbag, a criminal, or a dead man. Your parents sell you off at any chance they get. It’s rough being a lady in the Tokugawa era.

Oharu begins her life as a court lady who is exiled from Kyoto after being caught with a vassal of low status. I wasn’t that surprised at Oharu’s punishment, but it really shocked me when they straight up beheaded the vassal. I guess they were pretty serious about this stuff back in the day.

Next we follow the servants of a local lord on their search for a concubine. The lord’s demands are obviously absurd (8 inch feet??) and so its pretty comical to watch the servants frantically searching a huge row of women for the features requested (When one woman tells the older servant she’s 25, he replies “Oh, you’re just the leftovers!” LMAO) Like in Ugetsu, Mizoguchi uses comedy to enhance the social commentary of the film by putting us in the shoes of these men, to whom women are at best breeding stock, and at worst a punchline.

Oharu is selected as the concubine, but incurs the jealousy of the lord’s wife, who is already insecure as a result of some illness related balding. I think it’s kind of ironic that her hair condition would have been such a bad thing in an era where the highest men’s fashion is to push your hairline back to the age of dinosaurs, but that’s besides the point. Oharu exposes the wife with the help of a cat (for some reason it feels weird to see a cat in the 1600s) but is dismissed anyway, and goes back home to become a courtesan.

There she meets a counterfeiter, and is fired when some of her pride as a court lady emerges and she refuses to scrounge on the floor for his (fake) money. This counterfeiter is a total caricature of greed, another part of the film’s social commentary.

Oharu finally meets a nice man, then he gets stabbed like 5 minutes later. Womp womp. It’s rough out here ladies.

Taken in by another family, she is eventually visited by her a servant of her former lord collecting debt. It’s another hilarious moment when he declares to Oharu “I won’t be seduced by a whore like you!” and then changes his mind when he sees her naked, wiping his forehead like a cartoon character.

The story comes full circle to the temple, and we see Oharu finally taken in by her son, who is now a lord. But of course things never go right for Oharu, and she ends up repenting for the rest of her days.

Oharu’s is let down by everyone and everything in her life. She is let down by the rigid rules of the imperial court, and she is let down by her parents when they sell her. She is let down by the lord whom she serves as concubine, and she is let down by the man who promises to buy her from servitude. She is let down by the nun who promises to take her in, and by the priest who offers to buy her as a prostitute. Finally, she is let down by her own son.

Patriarchal systems are able to survive because they present themselves as a sort of exchange, wherein a woman submits to to men in exchange for their protection and monetary support. This film shatters the illusion of that bargain, and exposes the degree to which men, even in a period in which their conduct was supposedly honorable, used women for very specific purposes and discarded them almost immediately.

Good movie though. Oharu deserved better :(

[dionaeafl]

Ugetsu Mizoguchi Kenji Neil McInnis JPN3391

Kenji Mizoguchi's 1953 masterpiece, Ugetsu, weaves a haunting tapestry of war, greed, and love amidst the turbulence of 16th century Japan. Drawing inspiration from two tales penned by Ueda Akinari, the film seamlessly blends the stark realities of wartime hardship with ethereal encounters with the supernatural. Through the lives of two impoverished potters, Genjuro and Tobei, and their wives, Miyagi and Ohama, Ugetsu delves into the human capacity for both immense sacrifice and devastating ambition.

The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of the brutal Sengoku period, where war casts a long shadow across the lives of ordinary people. Genjuro and Tobei, driven by dreams of escaping their dire poverty, readily succumb to opportunities that promise prosperity. Genjuro, lured by the enchanting apparition of Lady Wakasa, embarks on a perilous journey, his artistic dreams morphing into an insatiable desire for wealth. Meanwhile, Tobei abandons his pottery craft, seeking glory and status by joining the ruthless warlord's ranks.

Mizoguchi's camera lingers on the devastating consequences of their choices. War's brutality unfolds in harrowing scenes: villages pillaged, families torn apart, and innocent lives shattered. Genjuro's obsession with Lady Wakasa, revealed as a vengeful spirit, leads him down a path of self-destruction, his artistic talent exploited for her own malicious ends. Tobei, blinded by ambition, commits atrocities in the name of his newfound power, losing his humanity in the process.

Throughout the film, the unwavering strength and resilience of the women stand in stark contrast to the men's fallibility. Miyagi and Ohama, left to fend for themselves in the face of war and abandonment, embody the true meaning of sacrifice and devotion. Their quiet determination to protect their families and preserve their dignity forms the emotional core of the film.

Mizoguchi's masterful use of visuals heightens the film's emotional impact. Long, eloquent tracking shots evoke a sense of unease and vulnerability, mirroring the characters' precarious situation. The film's stark yet breathtaking beauty, evident in the landscapes and the delicate brushstrokes of Genjuro's ceramics, underscores the tragedy unfolding within its frame.

Ugetsu's true power lies in its exploration of universal themes. The narrative transcends its historical setting, reminding us of the destructive nature of greed, the allure of illusion, and the enduring power of love and compassion. It delves into the complexities of human nature, showcasing our capacity for both immense good and devastating folly.

While the film ends on a note of melancholic resignation, there's a glimmer of hope. As Miyagi and Ohama find solace in each other, their unwavering connection serves as a testament to the human spirit's ability to endure even in the face of profound loss. Ugetsu thus emerges as a poignant reflection on the human condition, leaving us with a lasting impression of the beauty and fragility of life amidst the chaos of war and the temptations of personal ambition.

#japanese film

[christinaklassenjpt3391]

2/7 Blog

I liked the film “Ugetsu” directed by Kenji Mizoguchi and appreciated the surreal aspects that we haven’t really seen in the films so far. One common feature among many of the films we’ve watched recently is the examination of human nature. “Ugetsu” follows this theme and develops a narrative of human desire, ambition, and the consequences of unchecked obsession. At its core, "Ugetsu" is a tale of two couples whose destinies intertwine during the chaos of war. Genjuro, a potter driven by dreams of wealth and status, and Tobei, a lowly farmer yearning for samurai glory, embark on dangerous journeys fueled by their ambitions. Mizoguchi juxtaposes their earthly pursuits and human desire with the ethereal presence of the supernatural, blurring the lines between reality and illusion. Central to the film's narrative is the exploration of human recklessness and the fleeting nature of material desires. Genjuro's relentless pursuit of wealth leads him to forsake his family and moral compass, only to realize the ephemeral nature of his ambitions in the face of tragedy. Similarly, Tobei's quest for samurai status blinds him to the love and sacrifices of his devoted wife, Ohama, whose unwavering loyalty serves as a reminder of the enduring power of human connection. One scene I thought demonstrated humanity’s greed for material wealth emerges in a scene where Genjuro states: “Money is everything. Without it, life is hard and hope dies.” This statement encapsulates the pervasive influence of money, portraying it as not merely a means to an end, but the very essence of existence itself. As his financial struggles intensify, so does his temperament, building up to outbursts of frustration aimed at his family. These moments reveal the corrosive nature of greed, overshadowing Genjuro's inherent kindness and generosity he usually displays towards his family. His fixation on money erodes the familial bonds that should be cherished, emphasizing the detrimental impact of material desires on human relationships. Besides the focus on human nature, the film introduces supernatural aspects through characters like Lady Wakasa and her servant. I believe they contribute to the film’s exploration of the fleeting nature of existence and address themes of guilt, redemption and the cyclic nature of human suffering. The characters' encounters with ghosts and spirits force them to confront the consequences of their actions and reckon with their past deeds. In doing so, Mizoguchi invites viewers to reflect on the moral complexities of human existence and the enduring power of guilt and remorse. Tying it all together, I think the film exemplifies the qualities of human nature and how humans can be motivated by many things like greed, guilt, power, etc. By weaving together elements of the supernatural with themes of guilt, redemption, and the fleeting nature of existence, Mizoguchi creates a film that confronts viewers with the timeless truths of human nature and the enduring power of the supernatural imagination.

The image below is from the scene I mentioned that demonstrates human desire for material wealth.

[magicpotatoobsession]

GIVEN | Every EASTER EGG in Fuyu no Hanashi ~orchestra version~ that had me in tears

Thanks to everyone who read my previous post The GENIUS OF FUYU NO HANASHI is in the melody itself. BUT OMG HOLY HECK this orchestral version is

MUSICALLY PAINTING Mafuyu's whole journey of grief, love and healing! 😭❤️‍🩹🙏

Allow me to walk you through what is happening symbolically in the music that is painting Mafuyu’s growth!

[I timestamped and linked everything in purple for your convenience I recommend reading this post and listening to all my links for optimal appreciation experience]

-----

Mafuyu, now several years into his professional music career with Given the band, has finally made it onto the big stage. He emerges from behind the curtains into the spotlight in a gorgeously fitted suit. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Then we see Ugetsu sitting in first violin and concertmaster position because this version starts off with a MAGNIFICENT VIOLIN SOLO 😭😍😩

Symbolically, it represents Ugetsu is right there performing with Mafuyu!!

Akihiko is there as well sitting beside Ugetsu in first desk!*

*as you read on, you'll see why I know that Akihiko is there.

This version is super interesting because it utilises a musical-theatre style of orchestration, similar to the orchestration from Rodgers and Hammerstein's musicals i.e. Sound of Music, The King and I, Cinderella (I've added Youtube links so you can reference the style of music I'm talking about). Every instrument of the orchestra has their own little moment to shine. This symbolises the wonderful people in Mafuyu's life that's supporting him on his journey of healing.

The harmonic progression is more spicy, full of colour and less "sad" than the original version but still based on the Cycle of 5ths to represent eternal love, symbolising that Yuki will always have a place in Mafuyu's heart.

Then Mafuyu starts singing, it's beautiful and so soulful, the style is reminiscent of those old black and white romance films! Compared to the original, Mafuyu's voice is much more refined here!

he has amazing control of the tone of his chest voice

there is no harshness at all but still full of emotion

Mafuyu also has amazing consistent vibrato

he knows exactly when to pull back or add more gusto

So @deep-fried-brain-cells is absolutely right in her post that Shogo Yano intentionally made his voice sound like an amateur singer in the original version and here is him unleashing his full talent as a singer! What a fucking champ!

I love this version so much because it really conveys that Mafuyu now as a professional is looking back on

Yuki like a cherished memory, grateful to have had Yuki as his first love.

He's also looking back on his journey and recognises how far he has come as a person and as a musician. Here, he is much more confident at expressing himself. (GAHHH I'm so proud of him!!!)

WHAT'S MORE FASCINATING IS THAT orchestration written in the musical-theatre style usually hides

🐣MUSICAL EASTER EGGS🐣

everywhere that can symbolically reference a lot of things like character themes, motifs that represent certain emotions etc.

BY RECOGNISING THESE, 2 THINGS DAWNED ON ME:

1. Ugetsu and Akihiko are musically supporting Mafuyu throughout this entire performance!!!

Ugestu and Akihiko know exactly how Mafuyu is feeling throughout the performance! They understand the pain and relief that comes with letting go of someone you love and moving on. So they are musically conversing with Mafuyu to reassure him and relate to him!!!

2. Fuyu no Hanashi ~Orchestra vers.~ references EVERY SINGLE GIVEN SONG EVER RELEASED

Other than Uragawa no Sonzai which was released at the same time as this version, it features both the Given anime OP (Kizuato) and ED song (Marutsuke) , Given movie theme song (Bokura dake no shudaika) and the TWO EXTRA SONGS (Stagekara kiminisagagu and Hetakuso) on the Gift Album released last year!!! 🤯 🤯 🤯

🕰Have a listen to these timestamps!!!🕰

(Apologies, the emojis don't completely match the instruments but it's just to help anyone without much musical training to recognise the sounds more easily!)

0:00 🎻🎻Ugetsu (violin) starts the piece followed by Akihiko and the rest of the strings play the Fuyu no Hanashi melody. They start this performance because they can relate to Mafuyu's feeling of loss of a loved one.

0:10 🎻the strings also reference Bokura dake no Shudaika from the Given movie, it's that tune from the strings that comes between the lines "We can't go back anymore." and "I am here, hey look at me." This is Mafuyu accepting that the past is the past.

1:16 -🎺the french horn reference Marutsuke as Mafuyu is singing "all of you have lost its tomorrow". It is speaking on behalf of Mafuyu, saying "I wonder I wonder, I'm ensuring all the answers while searching for it" The word Marutsuke means - circling the correct answer. Mafuyu here is saying that we are all just trying our best to figure out life as we are living it.

1:44 -🎷is a clarinet referencing Stagekara kiminisasagu as Mafuyu is singing "You'll always be beside me". It is speaking on behalf of Mafuyu, saying "I dedicate this to you from the stage" I think the you references both Yuki and Uenoyama.

2:21 - 🎺the french horn references Marutsuke again as Mafuyu is singing "what kind of tomorrow should I look for?". It is speaking on behalf of Mafuyu, saying "I wonder I wonder, I'm ensuring all the answers with no answers/with hope" Mafuyu is saying that sometimes life just can't provide the answers but we must try and live with positivity not knowing all the answers. Trying our best in life together with our loved ones is all we need to do.

2:34 - 🎻when Mafuyu shouts "AHHHH" Ugetsu (violin) really be showing us his full capability as an internationally renowned violinist through this ridiculously hard violin solo! He references Fuyu no Hanashi the melody again, talking to Mafuyu through music by stating,"I understand what you're going through. I've also been there."

2:50 - 🎻🎻Akihiko joins in with Ugetsu, playing this AGONISINGLY BEAUTIFUL violin duet* that sends me straight to heaven.

*the violin duet is the thing that confirmed it for me that Akihiko is also there on stage playing alongside Ugetsu!

3:02 - Akihiko and Ugetsu (strings) reference Yoru Ga Akeru! They are literally saying to Mafuyu "It's okay. You will be okay." and "Dawn’s about to break."

3:02 - 🎻Also if you listen really carefully, the lower strings reference Kizuato and specifically the melody of the line, "Whatever you left behind became all of me."

3:08 - 🎺The trumpet references the opening/ending guitar riff in Hetakuso!!! It is speaking on behalf of Mafuyu, saying "It doesn't matter if we can't express ourselves well. Let me hear your voice because that's all I need to keep living" Mafuyu here is talking about Mafuyama and how even though sometimes miscommunication happens, trying your best to communicate is all that matters.

3:40 - 🎻as Mafuyu sings the line"that's the whole story," Akihiko and Ugetsu (strings) are playing the EXACT MELODY that Mafuyu's singing, as if once again relating to him "We share the same story of finally able to move on and find healthy love." For Ugetsu, he found self-love where he is finally starting to practise self-care and for Akihiko, he found Haruki!

4:22 - 🎺As Mafuyu sings the last word of the song, "Together", the french horns reference Kizuato and specifically the melody of the line, "Whatever you left behind became all of me." But here holds a👏positive connotation👏!!! The supporting chord is in C major (happy and hopeful) so this line actually takes on another meaning of Yuki leaving behind his guitar now makes Mafuyu feel grateful because he found a love and purpose of expressing himself and helping others express themselves through music. Through music, Yuki and Mafuyu will always be together!

4:28 - 🎺Brass (trumpets and trombones) once again reference the same strings melody in Bokura dake no Shudaika stating that "our treasured memories will become a theme song that is ours." MafuYuki's theme song is Fuyu no Hanashi! BUT THIS VERSION is Mafuyama's theme song which captures all the pain, gratefulness and love in their relationship!

4:34 - 🎻🎻the song then finishes with Ugetsu and Akihiko HOLDING onto a beautiful high note on their violins before the rest of the orchestra comes in with a satisfying grand chord. This is Ugetsu and Akihiko musically saying "It's so important to HOLD onto hope that it's ok, everything will be ok."

😭🤯😩❤️😭🤯😩❤️😭🤯😩❤️

🐣SOME ARE HARDER TO CATCH BUT TRUST ME IF YOU KEEP REPEATING THEM, I'M SURE YOU CAN PICK THEM UP! THESE ARE ALL THE ONES I FOUND SO FAR! IF YOU FIND ANY OTHERS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!🐣

INCREDIBLE RIGHT?!!! Ok, what you're about to read below is what made me bawl uncontrollably for an hour straight. 😭😭😭

🎵Quick Music Theory Lesson with Magic Potato 🎵

All the links are youtube videos explain these concepts in more detail if you're curious to learn more.

🔑 A HOME KEY is like the identity or soul of a piece of music. Generally speaking, 1 key can be in 2 different forms, major or minor. E.g. the key of C can form as C major or C minor. Major keys usually sound HAPPY and Minor keys sound SAD.*

🔑❤️🔑 RELATIVE KEYS are 2 keys that share the same key signature and notes. In other words, they share the same identity and soul.**

🏁 CADENCE refers to how a piece or section of music RESOLVES. In order for a piece of music to portray certain moods and emotions, music can RESOLVE in different cadences to achieve said mood or emotion. If you want to achieve sense of satisfaction or peace, you want your music to RESOLVE to the HOME KEY🔑. Whatever chord progressions you use must go back to -> Chord I, the HOME KEY so that the music can regain its true identity.***

I hope I explained everything well! I'LL BE REFERRING TO ALL THESE POINTS LATER ON! The *Asterisks* mark what point I'm referring to!

---

*Ok so, the original version is in the HOME KEY🔑 of F major (Chord I)

***It finishes in Bb (chord IV) so musically speaking,

The original Fuyu no Hanashi song is NOT properly resolved.🥲

This is what we call an INTERRUPTED CADENCE 🏁 in music. It didn't resolve back to the HOME KEY🔑 of F major. This symbolically represents that even though it was cathartic for Mafuyu and he wanted to move on, he couldn't get over Yuki completely after singing in the first-live.

***In Fuyu no Hanashi ~orchestra ver.~, it’s in the HOME KEY🔑 of Eb major and its ending finally resolves 🏁 to Chord I, HOME KEY! Satisfaction and peace is achieved in the music because it has regained its true identity. 😌

Ok, what’s crazy is that

*Eb major is the home key🔑 that musically represents Mafuyama!

Please bear with me! In order to understand how amazing all this is, we have to rewind a bit and talk about the Given OST/background music. The wonderful Given OST Composer, Michiru (she’s so underrated omg)

*purposefully crafted Mafuyu's instrumental theme, "MAFUYU'S DREAM"(Mafuyu no Yume) in the KEY🔑 of C#.

Mafuyu is musically represented by the KEY🔑 of C# in the Given Anime and Movie!

MAFUYU'S DREAM comes on as the very 1st track in Episode 1 where Mafuyu is holding tightly onto Yuki's guitar, looking dissociated and numb on his way to school.

*It's in the KEY🔑 of C# minor (sad) and symbolically represents Mafuyu stuck in grief.

Mafuyu is represented by PIANO🎹 if he's not singing and it's a purely instrumental track. This is because Centimillimental plays the piano and sings and Centimillimental embodies Mafuyu, I explain this in my blog on Uragawa no Honzai.

The Given ED song Marutsuke in the first episode is just a pure PIANO 🎹 track! And then the moment Mafuyu sings, we get the Marusuke version that we all know and love. This confirmed for me that Mafuyu is represented by the PIANO 🎹 in the Given OST!

Marutsuke is in the KEY🔑 of C# major, it sounds more hopeful and shows that Mafuyu is slowly healing!

Then Michiru,

*purposefully crafted Uenoyama's theme, "SUNNY PLACE" (Yo Atari no Yoi Basho) in the HOME KEY🔑 E!

What’s so incredible about these 2 keys is that

**C# and E are RELATIVE KEYS 🔑❤️🔑

They share the same key signature and notes, meaning that Mafuyu and Uenoyama are actually SOULMATES! 🤯🤯🤯

Seriously! Please listen and compare the 2 tracks! You'll hear how Mafuyu and Ue's theme share the same soul and aura! 🤯🤯🤯

SUNNY PLACE comes on as the very 2nd track we hear in the Anime and it plays the moment Uenoyama meets Mafuyu in Ep 1.

It's mostly featuring GUITAR 🎸which is Ue's main instrument!

Pay close attention to how at timestamp 0:05, the PIANO🎹comes in to show Mafuyu and Uenoyama’s first encounter with each other!

*Now this track is completely grounded in HOME KEY🔑of E major (joyful) to show just how warm and open Ue is. It also hints to us that

Ue is the one that's going to melt Mafuyu's frozen heart.

---

Now as you can see, all the background OST music featured in Given anime and movie MUSICALLY PAINTS Ue defrosting Mafuyu!

❄️ WINTER snow has been melted by C# minor 🔑❤️🔑

☀️ SUMMER E major 🔑❤️🔑

However, Fuyu no Hanashi ~Orchestra ver.~ is in the HOME KEY🔑 of Eb major and that actually represents Mafuyama!

Our singer Mafuyu overcame his parental and romantic trauma and discovered his love and self-expression of music with the help of Ue

Our composer Uenoyama learnt how to communicate, empathise and be patient with Mafuyu and Mafuyu helped him recognise and be comfortable with his sexuality !!!

This musically illustrates that they both put in the work and grew as individuals to unite as 🔑ONE🔑 power couple!

Mafu C# minor -> Eb major 🔑

Yama E major -> Eb major 🔑

I’m actually speechless … isn’t this SO INSANE???!! 😍😍😍

I'm not done yet BAHAHA there is one last thing!

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🏁 How this ~orchestral ver.~ of Fuyu no Hanashi resolves 🏁

***Most music if they really want a "perfect" sense of satisfaction, they go for the Perfect Cadence of resolving Chord V -> Chord I.

But in this version of Fuyu no Hanashi, it resolves

Chord VI (Cb major) -> Chord VII (C#/Db major) -> Chord I (same as Chord VIII in Eb major)

by RISING UP to the HOME KEY🔑 of Eb major!

Symbolically it represents that Mafuyu and Ue learnt that they don’t need to be perfect people or have a perfect relationship

They are both just grateful that they are trying their best, help RAISE each other’s self esteem and make each other grow as individuals

These chords parallel Yoru Ga Akeru's ending chords, musically painting, "Dawn’s about to break." 🌅🌅🌅

In conclusion, Fuyu no Hanashi ~orchestra version~ RESOLVES in the HOME key of Eb because they both feel at HOME with each other thanks to Ue raising Mafuyu's self-esteem and his strong RESOLVE to fight for a future with both Mafuyu and music in it. Hint Mix_14/Ch 44

It tells us that

MAFUYU WILL ALWAYS CARRY YUKI WITH HIM BUT IS NO LONGER AFRAID OF LIVING TO HIS FULLEST BECAUSE HE HAS UE BY HIS SIDE.

Me: *Sobs uncontrollably for the foreseeable future*

Apologies for those who found the theory confusing, I tried to explain it as simply as I could! But all in all, I wanted to write this meta because when us composers/songwriters create music, every decision contributes to what mood and emotions the piece gives off! So essentially everything you feel about the Given songs and music were intentionally crafted by Centimilli, Michiru and Erika, right down to the rests in between the notes! THESE EMOTIONS WERE INTENTIONALLY CONSTRUCTED BY THEM and together with incredible performers, their combined efforts are the reasons why Given songs and music are addicting or make us teary listening to them on our car drive home ❤️☺️🙏

______

______

BONUS CONTENT: This orchestral version of Fuyu no Hanashi shares the same HOME KEY🔑 Eb major as 1) Bokura dake no Shudaika, 2) Stagekara kiminisasagu, 3) Yoru Ga Akeru, 4) Hetakuso, 5) Kizuato and the new OVA single 6) Uragawa no Sonzai!!! Mafuyu is now

1) sharing his pain and love through this theme song for Yuki and Uenoyama - Bokura dake no Shudaika

2) dedicating this song from the stage to Yuki and Ue - Stagekara kiminisasagu

3) embracing the inevitable coming of dawn and moving onto a new love with Ue - Yoru Ga Akeru

4) facing the next winter without fear because he's with Ue - Hetakuso

5) being grateful to Yuki leaving behind his music and guitar. Music started out as a curse became Mafuyu's joy and purpose in life. "Whatever you left behind became my everything." - Kizuato

6) appreciating the love between him and Ue and how they make up for what each other lack. Uragawa no Sonzai

Also I'm pretty sure Centimillimental's favourite key is Eb 😆. A few of his other songs are also in that key. I have left my favourite ~orchestra version~ of Bokura dake no Shudaika down below so we can sob until we are completely dehydrated YAYYYYY . Unfortunately there is no full version, Centimillimental released this snippet for Tiktok T_T

I WANT TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE: Erika Fukazawa is the arranger of this orchestra version! Usually, it is the arranger who comes up with where to best place all the musical easter eggs....She must have worked really closely with Centimillimental but ultimately, she's the mastermind who figured out how spread the musical symbolism across a 50-piece ensemble that is an orchestra! Her other outstanding works include composing for the hit film, Kimi no Nawa Your Name!! 🤯🤯🤯 NO WONDER THIS VERSION OF FUYU NO HANASHI HAD ME CRYING FOR HOURS!!!

FYI Atsushi is Centimillimental's actual name. I can't seem to find the orchestra that played this!!! It's 100% a live orchestra, there is no denying that! If anyone knows, please tell me! Also if anyone finds out the names of the violinists who performed those solos, please share because I'd like bow down to them!

I hope that you found all these musical easter eggs as mindblowing as I did! Thanks for reading! 💕

---

Masterlist of my Given Metas

If you like what you read, all I post is basically Given analysis content! Give my blog a follow to be notified of new posts! #metapotato

#metapotato #given #given anime #mafuyu sato #given manga #mafuyu x ritsuka #given ova #yuki x mafuyu #given meta #mafuyu satou #yuki yoshida #murata ugetsu #ugetsu given #ugetsu murata #kaji akihiko #akihiko kaji #mafuyama #mafuyu #mafuyu given #centimillimental #mafuyuki #Spotify #fuyu no hanashi #orchestral version #winter story #orchestra #Youtube #song analysis #SoundCloud #michiru

[x0401x]

Given Movie Staff Comments

Creator, Kizu Natsuki

——Could you tell us your impressions from when the movie adaptation was green-lit?

I was surprised. I majored in cinema when I was a student, so it is deeply moving for me to have my own work being adapted into a movie, and in any case, it is a great honor.

——Please leave a message for the fans who will watch it.

I feel very grateful for the fact that “Given the Movie” will be presented to the public amidst the current situation, and that there are people who are thinking, “I want to watch it!” and will be coming all the way to the theatres. This is absurdly fortunate, and I am happy about it, thank you very much.

Director, Yamaguchi Hikaru

——Could you tell us your impressions and enthusiasm toward the movie adaptation?

We had been discussing making a movie ever since the project for animating “Given” came about, so when I saw the finished announcement for after the last TV episode, I felt that “the time has finally come, huh...”. The spotlight was on the high school gang in the TV series, but the story of the adult group has also been progressing all this time together with theirs, so the sensation is that everything that has been cultivated until now will be quietly put together.

——Were there any production differences between the anime and the movie?

For the TV series, we made eleven episodes of about twenty minutes each, which covered two and a half of the first volumes, so our biggest obstacle this time was whether or not we would manage to properly compress almost the same amount of material from the latter half of the original work into a predetermined length of sixty minutes. Also, the drama will unfold on a screen much bigger than a TV’s, so we were already fumbling around for how to display the visual parts of it in a way that is appropriate for a film. The sound quality is also completely different from TV, so we would like people to experience live concert music at the movie theatres.

——Please leave a message for the fans who will watch it.

We apologize for the awfully long wait. We have made this movie in hopes that both the people who have come from reading the original work and the people who are following it from the TV anime will enjoy it, and so that it will gently turn into a support for their hearts. This time, too, the soundtrack is full of truly wonderful pieces. Please look forward to it.

Screenplay writer, Ayana Yuniko

——Could you tell us your impressions and enthusiasm toward the movie adaptation?

It is a movie where the relationship between Haruki, Akihiko and Ugetsu is depicted colorfully. Mafuyu and Ritsuka have taken one step after another and established a communication, but these are “adults” that do not talk about their true feelings to their significant other. This story is a continuation of the TV series, but we attempted a different approach for it. There are also scenes that we can only depict because this is a movie.

——Were there any production differences between the anime and the movie?

We dug deep in the TV series, while the movie was a matter of condensing the script. It did not change that we depicted everything sensibly, so as not to spoil the air of Kizu-sensei’s manga, but in regards to the predetermined length, the amount of episodes to handle was big, so it was quite difficult. We progressed while earning confirmation from everyone involved, starting with Kizu-sensei.

——Please leave a message for the fans who will watch it.

Everyone will be able to watch “Given the Movie” in the same season as its story is set. We are grateful that we will be able to release it so quickly, while many forms of entertainment, such as the Given stageplay, were either canceled or postponed. Music and romance. By all means, do watch the season of these men who cannot let go, cannot come to clean decisions, are at loss and find themselves troubled.

Music composer, Michiru

——Could you tell us your impressions and enthusiasm toward the movie adaptation?

I am very happy that I will get to see the Given quartet on a theatre screen.

——Following the anime, you are in charge of the soundtrack, but what kind of music pieces do you want to deliver in the movie?

I hoped I would be able to deliver compositions that could support their conflicts and everyday lives, as well as colorfully hype up the story, and that is how I have produced them.

——Please leave a message for the fans who will watch it.

“Given the Movie” was postponed once after the state of emergency declaration, but we will finally be able to watch it in the theatres. By all means, come enjoy it in the theatres, including the surround sound that can only be used in cinemas.

Theme song composer, Centimillimental

——Could you tell us your impressions and enthusiasm toward the movie adaptation?

I felt that the theme of the TV series was a triangle with “someone who is here” and “someone who is gone”, but this movie is about a triangle between “people who are here”. I hope I can make people’s noses runny with my music, intersecting these painful and realistic feelings.

——Following the anime, you are in charge of the soundtrack, but what kind of music pieces do you want to deliver in the movie?

I also cherished it the previous time, but I would be happiest if it becomes a soundtrack that, instead of letting the story end with the individuals who appear in it being lumped as so-called “anime characters”, could make them, the staff, the actors, the people who will watch it and all the people who are involved with the series relatable and empathizable amongst each other as purely equal, interpretting the characters as human beings who love somebody, become happy, feel sad and get hurt like we do.

——Please leave a message for the fans who will watch it.

With no option against the global threat brought by the sudden coronavirus, the release of this movie was pushed way behind the schedule. I believe that, even after we finish watching the movie and come out of the venue, there are definitely many such kinds of darkness that will surge forward amidst our long lives. There might be nights when we will not be able to sleep due to the axiety of it. But in times like these, by using the message passed through the Given movie as a keyword, we should surely be able to overcome it. It is all right. “Even if you can’t sleep, dawn will break.”

#given #givendaily #fyeahgiven #dailygiven #satou mafuyu #uenoyama ritsuka #nakayama haruki #kaji akihiko #murata ugetsu #kizu natsuki #gusari #movie #given movie #my translation #staff comment #yamaguchi hikaru #michiru #centimillimental #ayana yuniko #anime #oh my god was that a quote from the movie's theme song #should they really be giving so many details holy crap

[notthatiwilleverwriteit]

When the front door swung open and Ugetsu found himself face to face with a short-haired blonde not-Mafuyu, two thoughts immediately entered his head. First, despite Mafuyu’s directions and the note on the door, he must have accidentally come to the wrong place.

The second thought – swiftly following its forerunner – was a cold shower of recognition that froze him in place and dropped the bottom of his stomach.

“Oh”, a soft sound escaped him before he could trap it inside.

It seemed the blonde man had arrived at the same discovery as him. Gaping at him slightly and his amber eye wide as saucers, he stood in the doorway.

Ugetsu wanted to flee. As soon as possible, by any means necessary. An earthquake. A meteor. A secret trapdoor under his feet.

No, he thought, I can’t look back. If I look back, I’m lost.

“Uhh…,” the blonde man said, emerging from his stupor fist, “ahh, you must be – ”

“Yes, hi,” Ugetsu interrupted him. “I’m here to drop off Mafuyu’s present.”

He held out a white rustling paper bag with I ❤️ NY printed on the side. The man glanced at it but wouldn’t reach for it.

“He told me to come here.”

Mafuyu invited Ugetsu to his birthday party. Only he failed to mention the part about a party. Ugetsu found out just in time when a familiar-looking blonde man opened the front door. Social awkwardness and chaos ensue.

Takes place after the Ugetsu extra booklet that was released with the Blueray of the movie.

Ugetsu blinked at the note taped on the front door looming in front of him. A party? Mafuyu hadn’t mentioned anything about a party when he had asked Ugetsu to come over.

Stiffly, he stood in the unfamiliar staircase and listened for any party-related noises from the apartment. But his only answer was the background humming of the hallway. Hesitant, he toyed with the idea of texting Mafuyu some excuse. He could always give his birthday present some other time.

Before he let the temptation get too big, he pressed the doorbell and a sharp buzz rang in the apartment. He had made a promise, after all.

Perhaps, with any luck, he had arrived before the party.

When the front door swung open and Ugetsu found himself face to face with a short-haired blonde not-Mafuyu, two thoughts immediately entered his head. First, despite Mafuyu’s directions and the note on the door, he must have accidentally come to the wrong place.

The second thought – swiftly following its forerunner – was a cold shower of recognition that froze him in place and dropped the bottom of his stomach.

“Oh”, a soft sound escaped him before he could trap it inside.

It seemed the blonde man had arrived at the same discovery as him. Gaping at him slightly and his amber eye wide as saucers, he stood in the doorway.

Ugetsu wanted to flee. As soon as possible, by any means necessary. An earthquake. A meteor. A secret trapdoor under his feet.

No, he thought, I can’t look back. If I look back, I’m lost.

“Uhh…,” the blonde man said, emerging from his stupor fist, “ahh, you must be – ”

“Yes, hi,” Ugetsu interrupted him. “I’m here to drop off Mafuyu’s present.”

He held out a white rustling paper bag with I ❤️ NY printed on the side. The man glanced at it but wouldn’t reach for it.

“He told me to come here.”

Don’t look back. This was his trial by fire. He had taken a fourteen-thousand-mile trip to another continent to not look back.

“Haruki,” a familiar deep voice carried from behind the blonde man, “who is it? If it’s the neighbors, I already told them to – “

Akihiko’s face appeared over the man’s shoulder. Under other circumstances, Ugetsu would have laughed at how his eyes widened and mouth slacked open. Under circumstances that didn’t involve Akihiko’s arm casually around someone else’s waist.

Haruki.

So, that was his name. A soft name for a soft face.

“Anyway,” Ugetsu said, feeling how his words cut the thick air, “here.”

Again, he nudged the paper bag towards his audience, now doubled in volume and social discomfort.

“It’s for Mafuyu. I have to get going, my ride is waiting downstairs.”

There was no ride other than his own car, but no one needed to know that.  

Akihiko looked at the gift bag dangling in Ugetsu’s outstretched hand like it was a foreign object from outer space. Ugetsu wanted to exclaim at the stupid look on his face.

Please, just someone take this damn thing and let me go.

Forces of nature. Astronomic events. Mr. Secret Trapdoor Handler.

If he had to stand here for much longer, he would look back. That night. The hand leaving his. The invisible vines strangling him and blurrying his vision.

“It’s alright.”

Ugetsu looked up at the blonde man’s – Haruki’s – gentle voice, just now realizing his gaze had slid to stare at the linoleum floor. Haruki gave him a small smile and pushed Akihiko’s arm off around his waist.

“You should join us. I’m sure Mafu-chan has been waiting for you.”

“It’s fine, really. My ride…”

The smile softened when it reached the amber eyes. There was something about it that unexpectedly loosened the squeeze around Ugetsu’s chest a little.

“At least have some cake and drinks. There’s plenty.”

Ugetsu glanced at Akihiko. All he received was s shrug of shoulders.

“Then,” he said, squeezing the handle of the gift bag, “I guess, for a moment.”

The heavy front door clanked shut behind his back, sealing him in comfortable homely warmth. Distant chatter carried from the apartment. The entryway had been nearly overtaken by a messy assortment of shoes. Most of them looked like something high schoolers would wear. Stiffly, Ugetsu toed off his pair and tried to leave them somewhat neatly on the edge of the chaos.

“Sorry, we’re out of slippers,” Haruki said with an apologetic smile. “And it’s a bit messy everywhere with the kids around.”

“No, it’s – “

Ugetsu loathed the hesitance in his voice. He cleared his throat and straightened up.

“It’s fine. I don’t mind.”

Akihiko snorted.

“You could say that again. Really, you should see this guy’s place.”

His jibe was rewarded with a frown from Haruki.

“Come on now,” he said and shooed Akihiko along the hallway, “you were supposed to help the kids with the karaoke machine.”

Ugetsu stifled a cringe.

“You better keep the microphone away from Akihiko. I doubt his vocals have improved since high school.”

The annoyed glare Akihiko threw at him restored some of the lost confidence in Ugetsu. He still got it.

The apartment looked like a color bomb had gone off. Bundles of bright balloons floated from the ceiling. Strips of colorful streamers dangled off the furniture. Hanging over the window was a big pastel banner that screamed HAPPY BIRTHDAY at Ugetsu’s face.

“Mafu-chan,” Haruki said, “there was someone looking for you at the door.”

The buzz of the conversation died down, and a crowd of curious gazes was glued to him. Mafuyu’s eyes widened.

“Ugetsu-san,” he said, his whole being visibly brightening, “you could make it.”

Ugetsu found himself smiling.

“Yes, despite your vague directions. You almost missed your present and souvenirs from the Big Apple.”

He handed the gift bag for the umpteenth time. He could almost see the small stars glittering around Mafuyu’s face when he cradled it in his arms.

“Thank you, Ugetsu-san.”

Compared to his entrance at the door, his debut in the living room was mercifully less stress-inducing. A small herd of teenagers was sitting on the sofa and crowding around the coffee table.

Ugetsu relaxed his shoulders and let a cloak of practiced calm settle over himself. One-on-one audiences were one thing but crowds he could handle.

“Uh, well, then,” Haruki said, looking around the room. “You need a seat! It’s a bit crowded, but – ”

Suddenly the concentration of people stirred into an awkward shuffle. The couch was cleared vacant except for one boy with dark hair that curled slightly at the tips. Silently he dragged himself to the corner of the sofa, leaving the opposite end for Ugetsu to reign over.

The rest of the kids settled on the floor in a half-circle. One of them – a boy with a poor dye-job that reminded Ugetsu of pudding – kept shamelessly staring at him.

“What would you like to drink?” Haruki chimed. “We have sodas and coffee. And tea. And water too, of course. And – though I’m not sure if it’s really…I think we have some beer, too, if you prefer something more…”

“Coffee is fine,” Ugetsu cut in, taking pity on him. “Preferably with Jim Beam, but I’m fine with black too if you’re fresh out of bourbon.”

Visibly relieved with a task at hand, Haruki gave a nervous-sounding little laugh and headed to the kitchen. Ugetsu wondered if he was silently regretting inviting him in already.

“I’ll get the cake,” Akihiko said and followed suit. “Might as well cut it now that everyone is here.”

And so Ugetsu was left in the midst of teenagers. Mafuyu seemed to have floated off somewhere in his thoughts and was absentmindedly tracing the I ❤️ NY slogan on the paper bag. Next to him was another dark-haired boy. He kept casting quick glares between Ugetsu and the surface of the coffee table. Ugetsu noticed he had strikingly blue eyes.

“So,” Pudding Head broke the silence, “who are you?”

Amused, Ugetsu arched his eyebrows at the tone that seemed to pay no heed to the fact that Ugetsu was older than him. He liked the kid already.

“I’m a friend of Mafuyu’s.”

The kid tilted his head in appraising.

“He’s never mentioned you, though.”

Ugetsu smiled.

“Oh? I was about to say the same about you.”

Mafuyu stirred back to the present and looked up from his gift.

“Ugetsu-san is a violinist,” he said as if that explained what was needed.

Pudding Head’s eyes widened.

“Violin? Like Beethoven and stuff?”

“Yes,” Ugetsu said, a bit coldly, “and stuff.”

“Are you any good?” Pudding Head asked.

Before Ugetsu could deliver a well-edged reply, Mafuyu beat him to it.

“Ugetsu-san just won a big competition in Russia. What was the – ” he trailed off, and the dreamy look returned to his eyes.

“Tchaikovsky,” Ugetsu filled in, glancing at Pudding Head for good measure, “and stuff.”

The kid leaned forward. His lively eyes were now gauging him with new intensity. Even Baby Blues had decided he was more interesting than the coffee table. Broodylocks seemed the only one not phased but was listening on silently.

“We’re on a band together,” Pudding Head went on and nodded at Broodylocks next to Ugetsu. “Me and Shizu-chan – ah, Shizusumi.”

Ugetsu glanced at the brooding boy. Yes, he definitely looked like a Shizu-chan.

“Uenoyama is helping out, too. A little. For a while.”

Baby Blues nodded solemnly. Ugetsu suddenly realized he remembered him from the live shows. So, this was the genius kid that Akihiko had sometimes talked about. Besides Mafuyu, of course, he added silently in his head.

“So,” Ugetsu asked, “are you any good?”

It seemed the question pleased Pudding Head. Gearing up to boast, he folded his arms and grinned confidently.

“We won a big competition, too, just recently. And we have a music video coming. And a big gig.”

The confident grin sharpened into a more challenging one as the kid tilted his head back and ever so slightly looked down on Ugetsu.

“You should come and see us.”

“We got an offer from a record company, too,” Uenoayama said, frowning at Pudding Head before going back to glaring at the coffee table. “But we’re still thinking about it.”

Pudding Head huffed and rolled his eyes.

“You better not keep them waiting for too long, you know. You’re not that special.”

The other boy stiffened visibly. He whipped his glare on full force at Pudding Head who – to his credit, Ugetsu had to admit – didn’t even flinch.

“I don’t remember asking for your opinion!”

Pudding Head’s grin turned almost predatory.

“That’s not how I remember it. Oh, Hiiragi what should I do?” he said, mockingly exaggerating a troubled tone and gestures. “Hiiragi, how do you know? Hiiragi, I’m so confused! Hiiragi, how are you so good at this?”

“I never you said you were good!”

Ugetsu made a mental note of Pudding Head’s name, Hiiragi, and tuned out the bickering. It sounded like it was merely just starting. His gaze roamed the apartment.

The wooden paneling and floorboards made him feel like he was enclosed in a homely nest. A chestnut, he thought absently. This is what a nest made out of chestnut would be like. The overall atmosphere was very – he searched for a suitable word – approachable. The room breathed. Nurtured. Everything seemed cared for, and they radiated that same energy back.

It certainly fit someone called Haruki.

So, this is where Akihiko had stayed back then, Ugetsu thought, quite not able to keep a note of bitterness at bay. No wonder.

No, don’t look back. You will get lost.

“Haruki, does this need more oomph?”

Akihiko’s voice caught Ugetsu’s ear from the kitchen. Instinctively, his gaze followed.

Don’t look. If I look –

The two of them were standing side by side at the counter. Akihiko was holding out a spoonful of dip. A bit taken aback, Haruki tasted carefully before nodding his approval. Akihiko grinned and swiped at the corner of Haruki’s mouth with his thumb.

– lost, I will get…lost.

Unable to take his eyes off, Ugetsu watched Akihiko’s arm find its way around Haruki’s waist again. Blushing, Haruki brushed a strand of blond hair behind his ear. He was saying something Ugetsu couldn’t make out.

“Ugetsu-san?”

Mafuyu’s voice snapped him back. The bickering around the coffee table had quieted, and everyone was looking at him. Mafuyu studied him closely.

“Hmm? What?”

“I asked if you found the record store you talked about in New York?”

“Ahh, that, yes.”

“Who buys records anymore?” Hiiragi said. “Just download an app.”

“If I ever want to fill my head with bubblegum instead of music with soul, I’ll be sure to ask for your app recommendations.”

Hiiragi bristled.

“What?!”

“Oi, let’s cut the cake!” Akihiko called from the kitchen.

Hiiragi threw Ugetsu a death glare, but Shizusumi led him away by the shoulders.

The kids crowded the dining table that was groaning with all kinds of snacks and treats. Chips and dips, gummy bears, sour candies, small sausage rolls, soda bottles. In the middle of it all, laid a square cake like a great whipped cream island topped with diced fruit.

Wisely Haruki and Akihiko took over the distribution of cake. Ugetsu heard Mafuyu say he preferred a corner piece because it had the most whipped cream.

After that, things started to get exceedingly out of control.

Ugetsu caught Akihiko’s wicked grin which turned out to be the one and only warning. But by then, it was already too late. With a shift swipe, Mafuyu’s precious corner piece came down in his face with a faint smack.

The whole room fell silent. Haruki froze in a horrified grimace. Uenoyama’s blue eyes widened comically. Hiiragi looked both surprised and impressed. The only one who once again didn’t seem phased was Shizusumi who was calmly forking down his own piece of the cake in the background.  

“Happy birthday, kid,” Akihiko said.

He clapped Mafuyu’s shoulder briskly, and a small piece of cake dropped off on Mafuyu’s hoodie. Ugetsu pursed his lips to keep from laughing. Eerily silent, Mafuyu scooped off some of the whipped cream covering his eyes.  

Akihiko’s grin faltered a little.

“Oi, Mafuyu, you want a napkin or – “

Splat.

Akihiko froze mid-sentence when Mafuyu mushed a handful of cream over his face. Ugetsu nearly chewed through his tongue to hold back his snort of laughter. Mafuyu didn’t seem to think such niceties were needed. He threw his head back in open-mouthed, whipped cream laughter that rang bright and sweet in the room.

Gradually, Akihiko’s whipped cream mask begun to quiver. Carefully he blinked. His tongue darted out to swipe at the fluffy smears.

“Good aim,” he said, a grin in his voice.

Haruki finally stirred from his wide-eyed horror and sprung to action. He snatched a roll of paper towels and started to hand out thick tufts.

“Honestly,” he said, frowning but not really sounding angry, “do that in someone else’s kitchen, both of you. Here, Mafu-chan, let me help you, you’ve got some in your – Akihiko, stop eating it off your face, use a napkin!”

Carefully, Haruki wiped Mafuyu’s face, holding him still by the chin to keep from making the mess any worse. Akihiko was scrubbing his face with a handful of napkins. Hiiragi and Uenoyama seemed to be edging to an argument again. In the background, Shizusumi was quietly carving himself a second chunk of the cake.

Ugetsu watched the chaos unfold from the sofa, wondering if this would be an appropriate gap for him to go on his way.

“You like the corner piece, too, right?”

A shadow was suddenly looming over him.

Akihiko stood there holding two cups of coffee and balancing plates loaded with cake on top of them. Gingerly he landed the dishes on the coffee table and sat next to Ugetsu. He caught a waft of the familiar aftershave.

Don’t look back. If I look back, I’m lost.

He cradled the steaming mug in both hands. Wafts of the strong aroma tickled his nose. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Akihiko fiddling with his cup, his fingers tapping lightly against the ceramic.

“Thanks for coming,” Akihiko broke the silence first. “Mafuyu kept checking his phone the whole night. I had a feeling it was you.”

Ugetsu hummed down at the dark surface of his coffee. He was glad he had come, too. Truth be told, he had missed Mafuyu.

Rain and snow were never far removed from each other. Offsprings of two different seasons. It took water to understand another water.

“Someone needs to tell him that highway isn’t a direction.”

Akihiko chuckled and rested his coffee mug on his knee. A familiar habit Ugetsu recognized.

But he shouldn’t look back. He needed to stop tempting the path he had set for himself.

“So, how was it? New York.”

“Dirty, expensive, and rude.”

“Your kinda place, then.”

“Exactly.”

At the dining table, Hiiragi was explaining something while conducting his animated speech with a fork. Mafuyu still had smears of whipped cream in his hair. Haruki was carving him a new piece of cake from the corner.

“So,” Ugetsu said, “he seems nice. The gentle and pure type.”

The topic made his heart pound in his chest. What was he doing? He didn’t want to talk about this, about him. He wasn’t supposed to be looking back.

Akihiko’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed a mouthful of coffee. The mug came to rest on his knee again. His thumb smoothed the arch of the handle.

“He is.”

“Do you love him?”

The question was out before Ugetsu could shove it back down his throat, and he silently cursed at himself. But Akihiko didn’t flinch at his frankness. For a while, he just quietly looked at Haruki fuss in the middle of the kids.

“I do,” he finally replied.

Ugetsu glanced at him. He noticed there was a smudge of cream under his chin that had gone unnoticed.

“Good.”

The coffee was strong and scalding when he took a careful sip. Just the way he liked it.

“What about you?

“Hm? Oh, I don’t think Haru-chan and I are there yet. We just met.”

Akihiko rolled his eyes.

“You know what I mean.”

“I’m too busy for love,” Ugetsu said with a dramatic sigh. “I barely have room in my calendar for an occasional beau.”

Akihiko frowned at him, mid-sip.

“What happened to Mr. Viola?”

Ugetsu had broken things off with the violist before the competition in Russia. The guy hadn’t been exactly surprised or even argued for staying together. He supposed not returning any calls or messages for two weeks put a wet blanket on romance.

“He said that my Tchaikovsky sounded pitchy. There’s no way I would let the guy in my bed on the back of something like that.”

“Naturally.”

Akihiko kept fiddling with his mug, his eyes cast on the coffee table. Ugetsu realized he was a furniture-glarer, too. Like Baby Blues.

“Just,” he said to the table, “don’t go off some deep end on your own. Or something. I know how you can get.”

For a moment, Ugetsu was taken aback. He hadn’t expected this.

“Me?” he said, mustering up a lilt. “I have competitions to win. I’ve also been wondering about remodeling the basement. Or maybe even get a new place. Or a houseplant, I haven’t decided which one yet.”

When wouldn’t raise to the tease, Ugetsu let the jest fade. He knew he was full of it, too. With a sigh, he looked down at his coffee, realizing he seemed to be of the same cloth as the furniture-glarers. He wondered if mug-starers were a rare species.

“Don’t worry, I’ll catch up to you on the being happy department. Just you see.”

Akihiko’s look softened, and the corner of his mouth curved into a small smile. It reminded Ugetsu of a certain autumn park years ago. Similar but not quite the same.

“Good.”

Uncharacteristically not finding anything witty for a comeback, Ugetsu fumbled for the plate of cake. His fork sunk into the soft pastry as he tore off a piece, covered almost entirely in thick whipped cream. Moist sweetness burst on his palette. Small surprises of fruit and berries popped off on his tongue.

“I saw your competition a while back. Fourth place?”

“Shut up. I was just a bit rusty.”

“A bit? It sounded more like you had suddenly forgotten your middle finger existed.”

With irked vigor, Akihiko stabbed his slice of cake.

“Your trap could stop existing sometimes.”

“But it did remind me of your Brahms,” Ugetsu went on, pondering. “From high school. It sounded like you had actually thought it through.”

“Gee, thanks,” Akihiko grunted around his mouthful of cake, “nice to hear it didn’t sound like I was just swinging it.”

“But the solo was shaky at best. If you don’t do something about that bowing, then you better get comfortable at the fourth place.”

Just as Akihiko was about to let Ugetsu know, in no uncertain terms, where he could shove his bow, the kids started drifting back from the kitchen. They sprinkled around the coffee table with various snack-souvenirs. Shizusumi reclaimed his old spot at the deep corner end of the sofa.

Haruki cast an unreadable glance at Ugetsu and Akihiko sitting next to each other but went quickly back to hosting.

“Why don’t we open your presents next, Mafu-chan?”

A small stack of various gifts appeared in front of Mafuyu on the coffee table.

“Ours first!” Hiiragi declared and shoved a medium-sized rectangle gift at Mafuyu. “It’s from Shizu-chan and me.”

Shizusumi stirred in the corner.

“Happy birthday,” he said.

Ugetsu realized this was the first time he heard him talk.

They had gotten Mafuyu a pair of new headphones. Ugetsu recognized the brand; it was the latest, top-of-the-line model. He had been eyeing them not long ago, too.

Mafuyu frowned.

“I thought you said you were going to buy these for yourself?”

“You need them more,” Hiiragi said with a shrug. “It’s time you upgrade already.”

Mafuyu traced the plastic window of the package.

“Hmm.”

“What? You don’t like them?”

“No, it’s not that…I was just wondering if they sold these in blue.”

“I told you,” Shizusumi said.

“What’s wrong with orange?!” Hiiragi roared.

“We went through all the stores down the station. Blues were out of stock everywhere.”

Mafuyu blinked at them before flashing one of his soft Mafuyu-smiles.

“Actually,” he said, “I think I like the orange better. Thank you, Hiiragi, Shizu-chan.”

“Mine next,” Uenoyama cut in and lifted the biggest gift out of the pile.

Judging by the shape, it looked like a book. Only it was the size of a pillowcase and seemed to weigh a small housecat. Mafuyu tore the wrapping and peeled out a colorful, shining book cover. The Greatest Guitarists of All Time. CD-edition. A selection of notes with instructions included.

Mafuyu blinked at the heavy tome, his eyes shining.

“Uenoyama-kun,” he breathed out. “This…”

Abashed, Uenoayma frowned and glared at his old faithful, the coffee table.

“So you won’t have to keep borrowing mine,” he said. “Not that I mind, but you really should have your own.”

The brand-new binding creaked when Mafuyu lifted the thick cover and leafed through the shining pages with colorful pictures. Hungrily, his eyes scanned the instructional illustrations and bars of notes.

“Ohh,” Haruki said, peeking at the book. “I think this is the new improved edition. The previous one didn’t have the CDs. Be careful taking it home in the cold, Mafu-chan, so they won’t crack.”

There were three gifts left on the table. Ugetsu’s paper bag, a small soft-looking pastel package, and a blank white envelope. Haruki picked the neatly wrapped pastel present and offered it to Mafuyu.

“Mine isn’t as impressive,” he said, “but I hope you’ll like it.”

Gently, Mafuyu undid the strings that dug into the softness. A pair of colorful mittens emerged. For the most part, they were yellow but had stripes of orange, red, and blue laced in. On the back, there was a knitted white snowflake.

“You’re always bare-handed,” Haruki said. “It made me cold just looking at you.”

Mafuyu pulled the mittens on and admired them, wiggling his fingers inside.

“Thank you, Haruki-san. I’ll be sure to keep these away from Tama.”

The corner of Haruki’s mouth twitched, and he glanced at the mittens worriedly.

“Uh, yes, I’d appreciate that. Happy birthday.”

“I didn’t know you could knit.”

Ugetsu nearly flinched at Akihiko’s voice suddenly rumbling next to him.

Haruki shifted and kneaded the back of his neck, embarrassed.

“Well, my grandma taught me and my sister. She always said that if you can do something yourself, you should.”

Akihiko leaned in to take a better look at the mittens that Mafuyu was helpfully showing off.

“You should knit something for me, too. I could use new gloves. And socks.”

“I want mine black,” Uenoyama piped in. “Or dark blue.”

“I’m not your knitting machine!” Haruki said. “Don’t just start placing orders.”

“Who’s this from?” Mafuyu said and clumsily picked the blank envelope.

“It’s mine,” Akihiko said.

“Such beautiful wrapping job,” Ugetsu snickered.

“It’s the thought that counts. And you’re one to talk with your paper bags.”

“It’s a gift bag. Not to mention a cultural reference.”

“It’s a printed logo on paper.”

“It’s one of a kind. Not everyone has a bag like that.”

“So, you’re telling me that’s not one of biggest New York cliches you could buy?”

“Just see which one will get chucked to the trash after this.”

“We recycle. That envelope is going to save the world. Your bag was probably made in some sweatshop in a jungle.”

“I won’t apologize for having a sense of style, unlike – “

“Ah!” Mafuyu exclaimed. “Now, I can buy the new pedal!”

Ugetsu’s eyes widened at what Mafuyu was holding up in his mittens. A gift card to a music shop. No, the music shop. He recognized the logo of the store.

In their first winter of going out, a couple of their classmates had cut the strings of Ugetsu’s violin. It had been the peak of torment after someone had seen them kissing in the music room. He still remembered how it had felt like a piece of himself had been violated.

The next Saturday, Akihiko had taken him to buy new strings to that store. After that, it had become Ugetsu’s go-to shop.

“I didn’t really know what to get you,” Akihiko said with a shrug. “So, I figured you could pick something for yourself.”

“Thank you, Kaji-san. Now, I can get the pedal that I wanted.”

Akihiko smiled and nodded.

“Good. Happy birthday.”

“Then,” Ugetsu said, “mine next.”

Curious, Mafuyu rummaged through the gift bag. He pulled out a white T-shirt with I ❤️ NY printed on the front and – he blinked at what had dropped on the coffee table – another gift card to the same music store.

“I’ll see your gift card,” Ugetsu said, glancing at Akihiko in triumph, “and raise you a piece of New York.”

“You mean you matched soulless cash and topped it with some tacky tourist crap?”

“Come on, now,” Haruki said with a tentative smile, “it’s not a competition.”

“But if it was…,” Ugetsu trailed off, taking a sip of his coffee.

“You know – “ Akihiko started, whipping to glare at him.

“Well, then!” Haruki said, the level of merry and volume of his voice increasing. “Mafu-chan, should you try the shirt?”

Mafuyu began to wiggle the shirt over his hoodie. With some help from Haruki, his tousled hair eventually emerged through the neckline. Smiling softly, Mafuyu smoothed the front of the shirt with his colorful mittens.

“Thank you, Ugetsu-san. It’s a perfect fit.”

“It’s culture, so make sure not to wash with the pinks,” Ugetsu said, his heart suddenly vibrating with warm and fuzzy. “Happy birthday.”

Akihiko cleared his throat and set his coffee mug on the table.

“Time to break out the entertainment. I wanted to get something memorable, but Haruki rejected all my good ideas, so – “

“Half of them were illegal ideas!” Haruki exclaimed. “The rest were just…morally questionable.”

“So, we’re stuck with Karaoke Revolution.”

That didn’t seem to disappoint a roomful of musically gifted kids with a strong competitive streak. Except for Broody Locks, of course, though he did hoist himself to the edge of the sofa. Hiiragi was quick to demand the first go which drew some resistance from the others.

Haruki began to pick up the remains of the gift wrappings and scrunch them un in a tight ball.

“Did you get the console hooked up?” he asked.

The console whirled as it swallowed up the game disk. The animated logo of ‘Karaoke Revolution’ flashed across the television screen.

“Yeah, no problem. You’re talking to someone who has taken care of everything even remotely electric you can find in a household for years.”

“Karaoke?” Ugetsu said, eyeing the console suspiciously. “That’s a bold choice in an apartment.”

“It’s fine,” Akihiko said, “I took care of the neighbors.”

“Would you stop saying it like that,” Haruki groaned.

“Well, I did. And by the looks they gave me, I doubt they will complain.”

Haruki looked like wanted to cover his face with both hands and weep.

“I knew I shouldn’t have sent out the guy with blonde hair and piercings.”

“No, Haruki-san,” Mafuyu said, holding the mic. As the birthday boy, he had rightfully reserved the first place for himself. “For threatening jobs, I think Kaji-san is exactly the one you send.”

“I didn’t say anything about threatening!”

“I didn’t threaten anyone,” Akihiko defended himself, flicking the buttons of the console controller, “I just informed them. Mafuyu, what genre do you want?”

“I need a smoke,” Haruki whimpered, rubbing his forehead in suffering. “Maybe holler out an apology or something if I see the neighbors...”

“Why does Mafuyu get to choose the genre, too?!” Hiiragi said. “He’s going to pick something impossible. I just know it!”

Deadpan, Mafuyu looked at him.

“Surely, you – of all people – can handle any genre. Right?”

“Sorry,” Akihiko said, “birthday rules. Mafuyu gets to pick.”

“Just nothing too loud, okay?” Haruki reminded over his shoulder before stepping out to the balcony.

“I think this is my cue to take my leave, too,” Ugetsu said and stood up.

His legs had gotten stiff from sitting. Blood rushed to his head from the sudden change in altitude.

“Really?” Mafuyu said, looking disappointed like a puppy who was left home. “Already?”

“Sorry, my limit goes at karaoke.”

“Do you need that ride?” Akihiko said. “My bike’s here, I could drive you.”

It had been a while since the last time Ugetsu had sat on Akihiko’s bike. He still remembered the weight of the machine between his legs. The exhilaration of pressing against Akihiko’s broad back as they leaned into the corners. But that seat behind him wasn’t his place anymore.

“It’s fine, I’ll manage. I will have a smoke before I leave, though.”

Akihiko didn’t comment, but Ugetsu could feel his eyes on him as he zigzagged through the crowd of kids. He found a pair of familiar dark green crocks next to the door to the balcony. They were still the ugliest things he had ever laid his eyes on.  

The balcony door creaked when Ugetsu pushed it open. Immediately, cold February air rushed in to greet him.

Haruki turned to glance over his shoulder. When he saw Ugetsu coming out, his eyes widened and he started coughing.

“Got any of those to spare?”

Ugetsu nodded at the blue pack of cigarettes.

“Uh, sure,” Haruki wheezed.  

The film of crinkling wrapping was still a bit warm from Haruki’s hands when Ugetsu dug out a cigarette. There was a dark red lighter stuffed in as well. Its flame trembled in the cold air but hung on to its short-lived life honorably.

Ugetsu drew a deep breath, just now realizing how he had been craving for a smoke ever since ringing the doorbell.

“I never really took to the taste of Mevius,” he said, giving the package back. “Seven Stars is my brand.”

“Ah, I see, well,” Haruki said, conjuring up a light tone.

The metal railing was icy cold when Ugetsu leaned on it. He huddled up in his too-thin shirt, trying to wrap himself tighter. A mixture of vapor and smoke swirled out between his parted lips. Haruki cast him a side-eyed glance but didn’t say anything.

Ugetsu wondered what would happen if he just let the silence linger.

“It’s a nice view. You can see the whole sky.”

As if to confirm his words, Haruki looked up. The late-night February sky was dark but illuminated by the sea of artificial lights from the city below.

“Oh. Yes, it’s nice especially in the mornings.”

Ugetsu rolled the cigarette between his fingers. His thumb followed the round edge of the filter tip.

“My place is a basement. You can’t really see much of the outside from there.”

He drew another drag of smoke, let it sit deep in his lungs for a while before letting it escape.

“But I think I prefer it that way.”

Haruki’s shoes scraped against the cement floor as he shifted.

“Uh, well, to each their own, I guess.”

The first beats of Karaoke Revolution carried faintly from the inside. Ugetsu could hear Mafuyu’s vocals. He didn’t recognize the song, but just listening to Mafuyu’s voice helped him relax a little.

It’s okay. Right, Mafuyu? If I look back, it will be okay?

“He seems happy with you. Akihiko.”

Haruki visibly flinched. Like whiplash, he looked at him. Ugetsu noticed his cheeks were a bit rosy – from the cold or the fluster, he couldn’t tell.

“I – uh – ,” he stammered for words, “I don’t…really know if…I mean…”

“I don’t mind talking about him,” Ugetsu dragged on the cigarette and glanced Haruki, “do you?”

For a while, Haruki’s mouth opened and closed but nothing came out. His eyes darted nervously around, and he tucked his hair behind his ear. Ugetsu wondered if he had a nervous habit of doing that. It was kind of cute.

“Well, I suppose it’s – if you want to, then, I don’t…really mind, I guess.”

“Are you sure? It’s your balcony.”

Ugetsu waited. He wanted to give Haruki a chance to take it back and leave.

Going once, he counted in his head.

Going twice.

But to his surprised, Haruki stayed. His gaze settled on the scenery of rooftops in front of them. His hands were fiddling with the pack of cigarettes.

“No, it’s okay.”

Ugetsu blew out the smoke.

Sold to the cute blonde with gentle eyes.  

And so, looking down at the February night stretching over the city – so different yet similar to his view from the hotel room in New York – Ugetsu finally looked back.

“I came to watch him perform that one time after he moved out – when he placed fourth,” he began. “I guess I had to see it for myself. When you guys had your live show, I kind of had a feeling, but…”

Ugetsu swallowed and took a steadying breath. The cool winter air brushed against his cheeks soothingly.

It’s okay.

“I wasn’t completely sure until listening to his violin performance. That’s his sound that I’ve always known the best. But that’s when I fully saw it. He was playing like he used to. Well, not really – he had let himself get rusty. But at the core, it was the same sound.”

He remembered sitting in the packed concert hall. Not knowing what he would hear. Not knowing what he wanted to hear. On one hand, defiance sat heavily on his chest. On the other hand, hope made his skin prickle with nerves.

But in a few strokes of the bow, Akihiko’s violin had opened a channel like a wormhole in Ugetsu’s mind. He was back in the music room. Skipping classes together. The smell of the dusty music sheets. The warmth of the heater against his back. Akihiko practicing with him.

Fighting the burn of tears, Ugetsu had closed his eyes and let the relief wash over him. The Brahms Akihiko had chosen had been his private piece of absolution. It was all still there, still safe in Akihiko; his love for music.

It was the least lonely Ugetsu had felt since Akihiko had moved out.

“That’s when I fully realized,” he said in a low voice, almost more to himself, “he had gotten his music back.”

His heart pounding heavy, Ugetsu lifted the cigarette to his lips. He noticed his hand was trembling a little, and he doubted it was entirely from the cold.

“Have you always played in a band?”

Perplexed at the sudden change of topic, Haruki’s hands ceased their nervous twiddling.

“Yes, I played in my girlfrie – um, with a different group before Given.”

“Do you think you could ever give up music? For good?”

Haruki frowned.

“I…I have never really thought about that. But no, I don’t think I could ever give up music completely.”

Ugetsu smiled a little.

“Good. I hope you never have to. It’s the worst feeling. Worse than death.”

He almost laughed at the way Haruki’s eyebrows shut up.

“Well, maybe not that dramatic,” he admitted. “But something close to that.”

He looked at the dark, vast sky opening above them.

“To me, my music is freedom. I’m not very good at expressing myself, I guess. But music is…transcending. It doesn’t need pesky things like words.”

Now, it was Haruki’s turn to look like he wanted to smile. His eyes softened.

“I know someone else who once said something similar. But I think – from where I’m standing – you’re both doing just fine.”

Ugetsu wet his dry, chapped lips. Immediately, the cold night air attacked the moisture.

“Maybe. Usually, the things I want to say – what I know are true inside me – come out warped and wrong. I hurt Aki a lot like that. Me and my mouth.”

From behind them, Mafuyu’s singing switched to Akihiko’s deep vocals. It had been a while since Ugetsu had heard him sing. Sometimes he had used to hum under his breath to the radio while cooking. He didn’t have perfect pitch, but he easily went with the flow and could summon up an amazing level of poise.

Ugetsu smiled around the stub of his cigarette. Akihiko had always been like that. Walking down a packed hallway in a girl’s uniform and execute the perfect kabedon on the loudest homophobe in the school took poise if anything.

“But that’s beside the point,” he continued. “What I’m trying to say is that Akihiko did that. Gave up his music. And I could feel it was because of me. I would have had to be blind to not see that.”

Haruki went back to remaining quiet, but his hands didn’t return to their restless dance. Ugetsu was relieved. He was getting to the hard part, and Haruki calming down gave him an odd sense of comfort.

“I think,” he went on quietly, Akihiko’s singing in the background, “when two people love each other, they also…change each other. Almost like molding. With us, too. Akihiko changed me, and I changed him in return. And I think some of those shapes we put in each other will never leave.”

They had fallen in love in the music room, but they had gotten to know each other in the basement. On the outside, the basement had looked still and quiet. But inside, there had been one of nature’s most curious transformations underway. Two individual souls rippling against each other, overlapping and exploring.

It was a beautiful and wonderful chemical reaction but also violent and gruesome. To fit together, the souls needed to be molded – bits of them were destroyed, and not all of those pieces were rebuilt.

“But the longer we stayed together,” Ugetsu mused, “there more I realized that I was changing in ways I didn’t want to. I was getting so wrapped up in Akihiko that I wasn’t really thinking about my music anymore. I was chasing him instead. That’s when I got…scared.”

In truth, it had been a far more complicated feeling, but he supposed ‘scared’ was at the root of it. Losing focus on his music had crept up to him in secret and undetected. He had become restless and irritable. An uneasiness had vibrated somewhere deep inside him.

Then it had dawned on him where his relationship with Akihiko was taking him. And where he was taking Akihiko, in return.

His first instinct had been to retreat. Cut himself free. Both of them.

But then he had lingered. The edge of his resolve had dulled until he was merely listlessly hacking at what kept them together.

It wasn’t fair. He loved Akihiko.

Why did he have to choose? Was this the price of loving someone? Could he ever pay it for anyone?

Please, don’t ask this of me, he had wanted to plead. Anything else but this. Not his music.

Ugetsu let out a humorless chuckle.

“The irony was, though, while I was struggling to keep my music, I could see Akihiko giving up his. He was giving me a part of himself that I never wanted him to give up. I never asked for it. But I saw it leaking out of him like there was a hole in him somewhere. And I realized that not only had I put that hole in there, but I was the hole.”

Pressure built behind his eyes, but he blinked it away. He took a shaky drag on his cigarette but found it almost burnt to the filter. The heat of the smolder had crept up to burn his fingers. A bit lost, he blinked at the stub.  

“There,” Haruki said and pointed at a pickle jar at his feet.

The loose lid came off easily. Ugetsu savored the metallic clank against the glass rim. The sound was somehow hollow and full at the same time.

“Could I,” he said and nodded at the cigarettes again, “bother you for one more?”

Hurriedly, Haruki fumbled the pack for him. The red lighter spat a couple of times, but Ugetsu’s hands were too unsteady to get the small flickering flame to lick the end of his cigarette. After his third failure, a pair of cool, warm hands took the lighter from him.

“Here,” Haruki said.

Ugetsu drew on the filter, and the flame took.

“Thanks,” he said, letting out puffs of smoke.

“Ugetsu-san – “

“Just Ugetsu is fine.”

“Then, Ugetsu,” Haruki continued, “can I ask…why are you telling me all this?”

He looked at Ugetsu straight on. Not challenging or rejecting, but with the same sincerity as when he had invited Ugetsu to join the party. To think that Akihiko had been around this person for so long, having this shoulder to lean on. He wondered if Akihiko had ever looked at him and thought if only Ugetsu was more like Haruki.

If only it had been him back then and not Ugetsu.

The thought choked him, but he pushed it behind him. For another time.

“Why? I’m giving you a manual, of course. From the previous owner. Akihiko is delicate.”

“Delicate? He doesn’t…look very delicate to me.”

“Ahh, don’t let the piercings and fierce glare fool you. They’re all part of it.”

A small flock of blinking lights slid across the dark sky. An airplane. Ugetsu wondered absently how much tickets to Europe would cost. Rome. Prague. No, maybe Paris. Maybe he could talk his manager into letting him take another intercontinental trip under some violin-related pretense.

“But I guess,” Ugetsu said, “I also thought you looked like the type who would listen to me. Despite everything.”

Yes, maybe Paris. He could drink too much expresso. Sit on a patio, judging people passing by. Get lost in the narrow early evening alleys. Let some French man sweet-talk him thinking Ugetsu didn’t understand what he was saying.

“I’m not sure if, uh,” Haruki said, “if I fully understand the situation. And maybe it’s not my place anyway. But…”

Haruki craned his neck to look at the sky. Ugetsu wondered could he make out the blinking plane, too. Did he ever just want to buy a one-way ticket and not look back?

“But I think I understood at least a little bit. So, I’m glad you told me.”

Suddenly, their wavering, rippling tunes brushed against each other and then met at the same note. Resonation ran through Ugetsu, amplifying and overwhelming. Unexpectedly, the two seeming opposites – spring and rain – had connected and found each other in a cold midwinter night.

Well, I’ll be damned, Ugetsu thought, gripping the railing a bit tighter.

They both flinched when the balcony door creaked open and Mafuyu’s head popped out.

“Haruki-san, it’s your turn to sing.”

“What!?” Haruki exclaimed, swirling around.

“Kaji-san said that co-hosts should do a duet.”

Groaning, Haruki stubbed out his cigarette. The jar lid clanked again, full but hollow. Ugetsu took a deep drag of his cigarette, riding the small burst of endorphins coursing through him.

“Oi, I told you – “

The door cut him off before they could hear more about the reasons as to why there was no way this duet was going to happen.

Mafuyu’s slippers scraped against the pavement when he shuffled over to Ugetsu’s side. He noticed the mittens were finally off. Ironically, he would have probably needed them right now.

“Oh, a plane,” Mafuyu said.

“Did Akihiko send you?”

“Hmm, well, you were gone for a long time. What were you talking about?”

“Nothing. Weather and politics.”

The last puffs of smoke swirled out of Ugetsu’s nostrils when he bent down to put out his cigarette as well. He wondered if he should buy a jar of pickles, too, and save it for an ashtray.

“Is everything…alright?”

“No, I can’t feel my toes anymore. Let’s go back in.”

But Mafuyu wouldn’t budge.

“Ugetsu-san.”

Mafuyu’s tone was stubborn but caring, so Ugetsu stifled his sigh. Expectantly, he waited but the kid seemed to be struggling to find the words. As endearing as the crease of Mafuyu’s brow was, Ugetsu’s feet were freezing in the airy crocs.

“Look,” he said, “I know what you’re probably thinking. Something like maybe you shouldn’t have invited me, right?”

The way the frown deepened told Ugetsu he had hit the nail in the head.

“I was just…I mean…Ngh…”

Ugetsu studied him.

Really, this kid.

“It’s pretty simple, actually. Did you want me here?”

“Yes!” Mafuyu said immediately, with no hesitation. “I really wanted to celebrate with you, but…”

“Then I wanted to be here, too. Everything else is irrelevant.”

Winter breeze fluttered a puff of snowflakes in the balcony and tousled Mafuyu bangs. His frown melted when he smiled at Ugetsu warmly.

“Then, thank you for coming, Ugetsu-san.”

“Good. Now, come on, I want to take these hideous things off my feet already.”

It seemed the status of Akihiko’s mission to convince Haruki of the health benefits of a duet was to-be-continued. Ugetsu was glad he was getting out of the way before he would find himself sitting through that.

Akihiko nodded his goodbyes at him. Haruki seemed to be buried up to his waist in the fridge, trying to make room for all the snacks. Mafuyu in tow, Ugetsu made his way down the hallway. Like a puppy, the kid watched him dress.

“Why don’t you come over sometime next week, and I’ll show you what records I got from New York.”

“Hm.”

“You can pick some if you want to. You should grow your record collection instead just of CDs.”

“Hm.”

“Thank Haru-chan for the cake and coffee for me.”

“Hm.”

“Annoy Akihiko. It’s your right as the birthday boy.”

“Hm.”

“Then, I’m off.”

“Bye-bye.”

Mafuyu was left waving after him in the hallway as the front clanked shut. Ugetsu found himself looking at the notebook page again. A grin played on his lips, he dug a pen out of his breast pocket on a whim.

He was halfway across the parking lot when his phone vibrated. Mentally groaning, he decided to ignore the troublesome thing – he had had enough social interaction for one night. But then he dug it out. Maybe he had forgotten something. It was easier to come back from downstairs than from across the city.

He halted. It was from Akihiko.

Another single-word message.

“Okaeri.”

Perhaps looking back won’t get him lost. Maybe if I look back, Ugetsu thought as he left Akihiko on seen, it will help me find my path instead.

The End.

#Given #murata ugetsu #sato mafuyu #kaji akihiko #nakayama haruki #Akiharu #akiugetsu #ugemafu #ugeharu #ntiwewi #happy birthday mafu-chan!

[morievna]

Late thought on mix_7

Hello,

I’ve decided to write about mix_7 finally^^ I know, it is rather late considering that new chapter is in few days xD Maybe because Mafuyu’s doubts were exactly like I expected them to be, so I felt less excited overall except for the last scene with Shizu.

But still I enjoyed this chapter a lot, I liked how balanced it was – rather heavy conversation with bits of humor and cuteness. Like seriously

I found it great and heartwarming how much both Mafuyu and Hiiragi changed through story. How they were much more passive at the beginning, but now both of them take more action. Mafuyu who kept most things to himself, now is able to express his thoughts and worries to others. On the other side, Hiiragi is not longer just observer, but takes active role and helps Mafuyama a lot even though he worries about outcome ^^

I am glad that Shizu had finally snapped and said his thoughts aloud too. I still think the same as I wrote some time ago – I don’t think that Hiiragi had feelings for Yuki, imo it is more about that he wanted to be like Yuki. Especially, that he looks rather taken aback when Shizu told this. But I guess we will find out next chapter for sure. Though i don’t mind being wrong – Hiiragi is very shipable character and I like his bickering with Uenoyama a lot too xD

But even if Hiiragi confess his feelings for Shizu, I don’t think the latter will take them seriously and believe him. Honestly, I expect to have some drama in next chapter. I mean Shizu has too much negative attitude right now – the way he is sure that Hiiragi loved Yuki and how he thinks lowly of himself – I think he will assume that Hiiragi is lying or taking pity on him. Even the cover for mix_8 has a bit of foreboding vibe too.

Just speculating but I think Shizuragi will have a bit of quarrel and misunderstanding, and then it will be solved similarly to Mafuyuama during first live performance.

I mean –  there are actually a lot parallels between these arc

Mafuyuama sleeping place is back

Uenoyama being lost in work (he wasn’t that much invested for CAC song)

Mafuyu’s conflicted feelings on music were hinted back then too

Uenoyama learning about Mafuyuki from third party

It is great that he learnt that finally even though not directly from Mafuyu. It is always bit annoying when readers knows more than characters themselves and we are just waiting when they will finally find out^^ I curious what Uenoyama will do and whether he will address it with Mafuyu – I mean Yuki is always a bit like elephant in the room, which is understandable since it was so traumatic situation but still kinda want them to talk about it. Imo it would be the best if Uenoyama ask Mafuyu to write lyric with him for Yuki song – which would nicely bridge gap between them.

Back to parallels – there are again ginkgo leaves which symbolized love and duality:

Akihiko acted also supporting to both Mafuyu and Ritsuka back then too. I like that side of him.

And speaking of Akihiko… well, this chapter and his previous side-story kinda gave me a bit odd impression, which I wasn’t able to discern why at first. As much as I am happy that he changed himself for better, but his current happy-go-lucky attitude seems to be too extreme change for me? I am not sure how to exactly put it into words – like he is overcompensating or something. It feels like moving from one extreme to other and not being completely solved issue.

It sounds nice, but it is not like main problem was lack of motivation or being lazy, but the fact that he wanted to play as good or better as Ugetsu while he felt that he couldn’t. Instead of making peace with that the current attitude looks more like trying to ignore that and forgot the past. I was a bit surprised to be honest that during his conversation Ugetsu wasn’t mentioned or referenced – after all Mafuyu is afraid of dedication himself to music and Ugetsu well it epitome of that.

I am a bit unsure whether it feels unsolved because it is buildup for later development (like Akihiko having some self-doubts and some reunion with Ugetsu on violin contest) or not. It is a bit hard to say for now. Because what is interesting to me that even though Ugetsu wasn’t directly mentioned and there was still some Akigetsu crumbs you know ^^

reference to Eve of emergence:

When realtor asked Akihiko about basement:

“it was fine I lived with my loml” 

the mug look really the same, and the fact that other thing is glass kinda underlines that is only one.

So it looks like Akihiko is trying to forget/ignore the past but it is still there. Imo the fact that his new apartment is haunted seems like fitting metaphor for him as well. But since story is now Hiiragi focused, so we will probably have to wait whether I am right or not. But still I am excited for Shizuragi next chapter^^

Thanks for reading and stay healthy <3

#given #given manga #kizu natsuki #mix_7 #uenoyama ritsuka #satou mafuyu #kashima hiiragi #yagi shizusumi #kaji akihiko

[mikajihiko]

PASH 2019 A Summary of Natsuki Kizu’s GIVEN Interview 1- How was Given born, what works made you want to draw? I wanted to draw a manga which had another key point other than love. I think the main purpose of BL is "romance" but I wanted something other than that. There are a lot of reasons why I chose music. I simply like music and a friend of mine used to be in a band- I wondered if using music to express emotions in BL had a good compatibility.

2- What are the origins, like the character settings of the 4 main characters.  It was originally planned to be completed in one volume, similar to many BL works. Initially, the plan was to end with the first live performance. As for the other characters, I cant express well with their origins- only Mafuyu was a decisive decision.

3-  Which character was the easiest and hardest to move In contrast, I have a hard time handling Mafuyu since he has a lot of elements that I don't have. Hiragi was the easiest to write as his elements are simple.

4- Tell us a behind-the-scene information that will only be revealed here Haruki has only one ex-boyfriend.

5- Who is going to be the uke and seme among Ritsuka & Mafuyu, or Haruki & Akihiko; and how is it going to pan out The theme for both is "emergence". I'm not picky when it comes to who's uke and seme as I prioritize the plot regardless of what I think.

6- What scene or line left the strongest impression on you "Just a little bit" on page 124 volume 2. This series started because I wanted to convey this, and so I was deeply moved when I was finally able to say it.

7- How familiar are you with music? Do you have any musical instruments youre familiar with, or experience in bands? I'm an amateur when it comes to music. I have no band experience, I just love music. I did a lot of lessons but I didn't keep up, I did like listening.

8- What genre of music did you have in mind for Given, and did you use any artists for reference I was asked this when making the anime and it really bothered me because I haven’t decided at all. This is because of "Imeson culture" or image song. It is where the subject is similar but the songs are different to each person. Musical preference also play a role so theres almost no right answer- I think its better to not limit the reader. Regarding "what kind of music is playing", it's left to the reader as much as possible. Ive been careful to leave a space in between as I draw.

9- How did you become a professional writer, and what or who are those that influenced your style? In university, I was in the video (movie) field. Even though I didn't end up in the video field, I think I was strongly influenced by the video-like expression method.

10- What BL works have greatly influenced you, or that you would recommend It's not BL, it's "Banana Fish". My father likes it, and it's almost the only manga I've had at home. It’s one of my original experiences with manga.

11- In production, what do you pay attention to the most I pay attention to the right amount of realism. Since BL stories itself are in insane fantasy, I thought that the foundation that supports it should be somewhat realistic. So, in order to keep the band setting, I studied music and conducted interviews. Also, Given has a mix of true stories from myself and friends, however, it would be a waste of fiction if it was true to reality.

I recommend buying the magazine, its really big! It features Akihiko and Ugetsu on the cover along with a large poster and ticket holder. Check it out here!

#Given #Given Anime #Given Manga #Natsuki Kizu #Pash 2019 interview #Pash 2019 Given #PASH Given #Merch_GU #GivenUpdates

[oasisdew]

CONTEXTUALISING 'EMERGENCE' (VOL 8)

This chapter, the whole theme of Ugetsu's dream/nightmare was 'emergence', but not his own emergence. It's been Akihiko's emergence from Ugetsu's POV.

The chapter starts off with Ugetsu's dream. Or subconscious. And he dreams of him and Akihiko having sex, and the thought associated with it is, the legs of the larva coming apart.

Legs are the symbol of mobility, they help us move. So without the legs the larva is unable to move. And him maintaining sexual relationship with Akihiko was the reason Akihiko was unable to move on from their relationship. Sex being used to shame and guilt and confuse people to stay in toxic relationship is a very realistic depiction.

And then he dreams of Akihiko being bright on stage playing violin. And the thought associated with it is that, the larva has eventually gained beautiful wings.

Yes its legs were crushed when it was inside the chrysalis but it didn't stay there or wait for the legs to grow again, it grew WINGS instead, and from being unable to move, it now is flying beautifully. It's the 'emergence'. And as the picture suggests, it's solely Akihiko's emergence. Not Ugetsu's.

Then he wakes up with a jolt, and makes a pained face.

till now it's been his subconscious showing him what he thinks or fears/anticipates the future would be like, from now on it's his conscious thought. And his conscious thought includes himself as having wings as he knows Akihiko has subconsciously.

But again, it's him trying to project & include himself, but ultimately he goes back to thinking of Akihiko alone again.

And what he thinks about Akihiko is, Before the chrysalis, before the basement happened, even when Ugetsu hugged him for the first time, under his own fingers, Aki's wings had always been there.

It seemed like the wings were crushed, but they weren't actually, because they are a part of who Akihiko is.

#given manga #given manga spoilers #emergence #meta #given #my given threads #Akihiko Kaji #kaji akihiko #akihiko

[markcira]

Ugetsu: Hungry Ghosts

Hungry Ghosts - or Pretas - is a concept closely tied to Buddhism. It means “departed or dead one.” Hungry Ghosts are unfortunate in being reborn into existence with a ceaseless hunger. Ugetsu is a tremendous moral story of two hungry ghosts: Genjuro, a man who stops at nothing to work on his love of pottery and Tobei, a farmer who seeks the valour of a Samurai.

Mizoguchi offers us these two antithetical characters that diverge along their paths. One is so obsessed by his work and art, that he sacrifices everything dear to him to ensure its creation and sale. The other is so obsessed with the recognition and pride that comes with being a Samurai, but isn’t willing to sacrifice anything to achieve the accolades that come with it.

When war breaks out in their village, they find themselves and their loved ones at risk. Genjuro and Tobei take their families away to safety. The thought of traveling to the closest city to sell their goods emerges from the exile. It’s seemingly their only attempt at salvaging any success from the unfortunate circumstances. So it’s somewhat easy to understand why Genjuro would leave his family at shore in order to seek more for them.

But that’s where the sympathy for Genjuro ends. There’s an unrelenting descent into success and the seduction of the material world that renders Genjuro’s world more and more dreamlike with each passing scene. No other film has slowly walked down the staircase from reality into illusion quite so subtlety and with such horror.

Many filmmakers these days jump from someone sleeping and then into a dream or a music cue hits and suddenly the characters are somewhere fantastical. But with Mizoguchi, the transformation from reality to the unknown is so graceful and soothing, you nearly can’t tell where one begins and the other ends. And that’s the point.

The power of the odyssey into the dream in Ugetsu is where its true strength lies. It’s easy to tell the story of the dream, but to delicately lead the viewer into that place without them even knowing that they’ve departed is something short of a miracle.

When Genjuro arrives to the city, he sells beautiful bowls to the nobility of Japan, but they’re empty. There’s nothing to fill them with. Tobei uses money to don the wardrobe of a skilled Samurai, but behind the stories of his heroicism, there’s a liturgy of banal and lifeless philosophies about what makes a true hero. 

These characters slowly starve so much for the truth and spiritual nourishment that they abandon everything in their hunger for something outside of their souls.

What good is a bowl without the food of the soul to fill it with? Or worse, what good is a bowl of food without people to share it with? What good is the the shell of a Samurai without the fighting strength and willpower within it? Ugetsu tests these realms of the material world in a way very few stories do. 

It makes sense that this came towards the end of Mizoguchi’s career. It plays like a warning of many things, but I think mostly of losing sight of what you’re working towards and the sacrifices you make along the way.

The gentle spirit of Mizoguchi seems to whisper, “Be gracious for the food you have or you will always be hungry.” Tobei ends up falling from his pride into the depths of shame just as Genjuro inevitably welcomes the company of those whom he has become: phantoms in need of possessing someone or something.

Very few films take on this spiritual importance and even fewer are this haunting.

#mizoguchi #ugetsu #scorsese #criterion #tiff #bell #lightbox

[christinaklassenjpt3391]

2/9 Blog

As we saw in Ugetsu, in his films, Kenji Mizoguchi explores the suffering and oppression of women in a rigid patriarchal society. In "Ugetsu," women emerge as the lone voices of reason amidst the greed and ambition of the male protagonists. Despite their wisdom and moral clarity, they ultimately bear the brunt of the consequences for the men's actions. Miyaki, Genjuro's wife, symbolizes the enduring confinement of women to prescribed roles even in death, as she continues to sew his clothes as a ghost. Mizoguchi's portrayal highlights the nature of patriarchal norms, where women are pushed into submissive positions regardless of their agency or autonomy. In “The Life of Oharu”, Mizoguchi delves deeper into the female experience by centering the narrative around a female protagonist, Oharu. From her initial fall from nobility to her subsequent descent into poverty and degradation, Mizoguchi paints a picture of the barriers and limitations imposed upon women by rigid social hierarchies. Women are not only confined by the constraints imposed by men but are also frequently exploited for their own agendas. Oharu, for instance, finds herself caught in the manipulative schemes of her father, who sells her off to settle his debts. Additionally, she becomes a pawn in the ambitions of Lord Matsudaira, who uses her to fulfill his desire for a son. Oharu's plight exemplifies the pervasive exploitation and subjugation of women in a society dominated by male authority. One interesting aspect of Mizoguchi's portrayal is the universality of women's victimization under patriarchy, regardless of their social class. Oharu's journey—from nobility to a feudal lord's concubine, to a courtesan, and finally to a beggar—highlights the pervasive nature of male dominance and its impact on women's lives. At every turn, Oharu is confronted with adversity and exploitation, underscoring the inherent vulnerability of women within patriarchal systems. Central to the narrative is Oharu's quest for agency and self-determination in a world determined to confine her within narrow roles and expectations. Her relentless pursuit of autonomy, despite the countless obstacles in her path, serves as retaliation against the forces of oppression and conformity. Through Oharu's resilience and quiet defiance, Mizoguchi highlights the enduring power of the human spirit to rise above adversity and determine one's own destiny. Finally, I enjoyed seeing Mizoguchi’s long shots as we saw in Ugetsu. I think they allow the viewers to take in the details and immerse themselves in the scene. Also, the use of long takes allows the film to explore themes of isolation, vulnerability, and confinement within the context of patriarchal societies. By framing characters within the confines of the frame for extended periods, Mizoguchi highlights the physical and emotional constraints imposed upon them by societal norms and expectations.

[whatfilmwasthat]

50′s

The Security Committee expands the suspicious list to include directors, actors, and writers including even Charles Chaplin. Filmmaker Akira Kurosawa projects Japanese cinema worldwide with the films "Rashomon" and "Seven Samurai", there also stands out Kenji Mizoguchi ("Ugetsu Monogatari") and Yasujiro Ozu ("Tokyo Monogatari"). At the end of the 1950s, the Nouvelle Vague movement emerged in France, in which Claude Chabrol, Jean-Luc Godard, and François Truffaut stood out. Marilyn Monroe stands out as an actress and female sex symbol in the works of Billy Wilder in "The Seven Year Itch", from 1955 and "Some Like it Hot", from 1959. India's cinema was produced on a large scale, but in 1955 for the first time it gained international recognition with the film "Pather Panchali".Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman gains international prominence as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time with the masterpieces "Det Sjunde Inseglet" and "Smultronstället", both from the year 1957. Alfred Hitchcock releases "Vertigo", considered one of the greatest successes in cinema.

[morievna]

Hello,

I got pay raise ^__^ of course, first thing I did was pre-ordering Given movie with extras xD Just wanted to let you that I will post scans of manga booklet here^^

Release date is 3 February – when last time I ordered from cdjapan, delivery took 4 days, but it was before pandemic and I am not sure when i will get it.

Honestly, I am so excited even more for the booklet than movie^^ Though we got recently some art with smiling Ugetsu, still there is a bit of sadness underneath his smiles, so I expect the manga to be bittersweet just like Strawberry Swing. At the same time I am bit hopeful since it is called “eve of emergence” just like Akihiko’s extra chapter – imo it will have some steps of character development and in the long run towards happy ending for Ugetsu. But we will see how it will play out^^

[morievna]

Strangler Fig and Given - Ritsuka

I hope that everybody who is reading it is okay. It is rather anxious what is happening now... Personally I am fine – I am healthy and lucky enough to work remotely from home. And marathoning Twoset violin vids xD

I have realized recently that I rarely wrote about Ritsuka outside chapter analysis. I like him, but his character arc after volume 2 is kind of stuck and sometimes he is only there as Mafuyu’s boyfriend. Hopefully, it is just slow build-up since current arc provided some opportunities to explore his character further. Actually now I am interested when it all will go and whether story will take some a bit dark turn. Well, Gusari likes drama so who knows ^^

What got me thinking more about him is that when I reread Strangler fig some time ago, I noticed something interesting:

This part from Ritsuka POV  (chapter 23) reminded me of Seiji POV from Strangler Fig:

Even though it is worded differently, it is rather similar way of thinking about who needs more somebody in relationship. As though characters Seiji and Ritsuka are very different, both stories are about struggling with repressed feelings and relationships entwined with dependency, jealousy and possessiveness.

But before going deeper, there is another interesting thing – how perfectly fits symbolism of titular strangler fig with all of it.

Strangler fig was named for their pattern of growth upon host trees, which often results in the host’s death. Beginning life as a sticky seed left on a high tree branch by an animal, the young strangler lives on the tree’s surface. As it grows, long roots develop and descend eventually reaching the ground and entering the soil. Several roots usually do this, and they become grafted together, enclosing their host’s trunk in a strangling latticework, ultimately creating a nearly complete sheath around the trunk.

Although a strangler fig often smothers and outcompetes its host, there is some evidence that trees encased in strangler figs are more likely to survive tropical cyclones, suggesting that the relationship can be somewhat mutualistic.

[source]

Note here that whether we are thinking about the positive or negative, the idea is to use the symbolism for self-introspection and personal growth, so even if we are looking at the negative aspects, it helps to approach this symbolism with the intention of achieving transcendence. Intuitively, it is not difficult to see that dependency and possessiveness emerges as a theme in the strangling fig story. Are we forming a dependency on a person that is ‘strangling’ him or her? Are we using a person as a clutch for personal gain? Are we possessive in our personal relationships?

[source]

I found it pretty fascinating – thanks Kizu Natsuki for opportunity to learn some random tree facts xD

Okay, I am going to compare Ritsuka and Seiji - there will be some spoilers for Strangler Fig, but more just about character than plot. At the end there will be some speculation where I think story may go.

At starting point both of their relationship with respective love interest are quite similar – they both see themselves are protector of his beloved one. Seiji regarded Akira as crybaby and Ritsuka thought of Mafuyu as adopted stray dog. That’s why both of them was acting as they are more dependable one, who has to look after another. Of course I don’t mean it as something bad, I think just some people feel better when they are in charge actively and taking care of others as having some control of situation and not being helpless.

As story progresses relationships changes as well – in SF it is more direct like the quote I attached at the begining, where Seiji realized that relationship is not so simple and he needs Akira more than he thought previously. In Given it is shown more gradually with Ritsuka realizing Mafuyu’s influence on his music and what it really means. Over time Ritsuka is no longer teaching Mafuyu, but realized that his own music changed and that he have feelings for him – we see him struggling accepting sexual orientation. But after advice and support of others he is able to confess his feelings before live performance, which ultimately leads to him and Mafuyu getting together.

The same struggle has Seiji – as he tried to suppress his feelings while dating multiple girls at the same time. It was also related with family expectation – being heir to rich family, which owns big company and he was strained by it. We see much later in the story how much his father’s acceptance of his sexuality puts him at peace and allowed him to move forward.

But before that happened – there was a domino effect that led to tension and later separation between him and Akira. The factors were as mentioned earlier –  trying to suppress his love as well as  jealousy and possessiveness over Akira. Besides, he was unsure what Akira was thinking and feeling of him and that’s why later seeing Akira’s jealousy made big impression on him.  

In Given there are similar motives as well, jealousy is often brought up in Ritsuka’s arc as he is struggling with his feelings for Mafuyu. So let’s take closer look.

In chapter 18 there was Ritsuka’s outbreak about his jealousy of spending so much time with Akihiko. I found it interesting especially that he looks up to Akihiko a lot – whatever is it wanting to be muscular like him or looking for advice. All of it looks to me as he is insecure and afraid that Mafuyu will chose somebody better than him (in his mind).

It maybe is a stretch, but it is interesting how he commented to not wanting to be feminine while Akihiko appears to be more hmm traditionally masculine at first glance. But I am not sure that Gusari intended Given as gender commentary, so I won’t look deeper into this since it is a bit tricky topic. But still you can see that Ritsuka has a set of expectation about what he wants himself to be.

His insecurities showed back again in chapter 23 – he still is unsure what Mafuyu thinks of him and what wants out of their relationship. All makes him more trying to control and suppress his desires. In addition, he is afraid that he will hurt Mafuyu. Just like in Strangler Fig – Seiji is pretty much fearful too that his feelings will consume and destroy Akira. Both of them are quite unsure how to express their love and affection and fear that it will turn badly.

When Mafuyu mentioned that there was similar clock in Yuki’s home, Ritsuka’s reaction is quite telling too. It is interesting that he perceived it as some sort of test. To me it feels like he want to be worthy of replacing Yuki in Mafuyu’s life – like wanting to not be worse than him and setting expectation which he thinks that has to fulfill. It is interesting how much jealousy and insecurity are combined together.

In addition, this theme reappears in mix_3

It is quite peculiar how much is not believing that Yuki was that good in music – as it was easier for him if it was otherwise. It lines up with text on cover of this chapter – Ritsuka wanting to forget that Yuki possesed many of Mafuyu’s firsts. Again, insecurity.

As mentioned earlier – seeing Akira being jealous gave Seiji clue about he is thinking about him. I think it is possible that we see something like that in Given too.

Way back in chapter 5 there was jealous Mafuyu, but back then he couldn’t talk about his feelings. Although a lot changed since then, but still he has some problems with that (which is totally understandable) and his character development is not over after all. I think it would be good to see him exploring and expressing more negative emotions since it is important to acknowledge them too. So I think it will be something another situation with in the future and he will express and handle it better. Personally I think it would be interesting if it would be similar to mentioned case with Ritsuka and Akihiko – feeling jealous over person he looks up to like for instance Ugetsu.

On the side note, I will be surprised if there is none of interaction between Ugetsu and Ritsuka in the future. Or rather it would be wasted potential. To be honest I considered it a bit weird that Ritsuka was called a prodigy around volume 3. I would say he always appeared to be quite skilled and very hard-working since he was young, but being prodigy is sort of different thing. It would make more sense to me if it was done on purpose that he and Ugetsu would foil each other at some point and have some sort of dynamic like Oikawa and Kageyama from Hq. Besides, it would be interesting to see Ritsuka questioning his own talent and reasons to play music.

So where it all leads? *ominous voice*

Okay, so I will run wild with speculation.

As I mentioned several times before I think that Mafuyu will sing Yuki’s song and perform together with Ritsuka and Hiiragi and Shizu. My main reason behind is that it would be good closure for the story, tying past and future together into something new. But I am afraid that lots of drama will lead to that.

I think that current situation will escalate – Ritsuka will be more and more engaged in playing with Hiiragi’s band instead of Given. As a way to prove himself to be not worse than Yuki he will keep working hard and focusing more on music than anything else. Which of course will bring Mafuyu anxiety since it will remind of his past and will make him worry that it will repeat.

I think there will be some argument between Ritsuka and Mafuyu and it will too overlap with some Akihiko-Haruki drama (since Akihiko is trying to balance violin and drums I am expecting some collision like violin contest and Given performance happening in the same time. And you know these instruments have double meaning xD), which all of it will cause that they will disband or simply stop playing together for a while depending how much angst Gusari wants.

I think that Yayoi will try to make up for her mistake and nudge Ritsuka into talking with Mafuyu. Then they will finally talk about his past with Yuki (I mean it has to happen at some point) and make it up. Then I think there will be proposition for Mafuyu to play with them and sing Yuki’s song.

After all music is foundation for Given, but still main theme is love story. So I believe it is not about small band becoming successful, but rather showing Mafuyu’s journey – how he healed from past trauma and regained back love (Ritsuka) and community (Hiiragi and Shizu) as well as reconcile at spiritual level with Yuki by playing his song. This is how end of his arc would felt satisfactory to me, but we will see what Gusari is planning. Of course, I don’t expect to be right about everything, it is more that these are themes I expect to appear in story.

As always thanks for reading.

#given #given manga #given meta #ritsuka uenoyama #uenoyama ritsuka #mafuyu sato #sato mafuyu #uenoyama x mafuyu #mafuyama #kizu natsuki #strangler fig #given spoilers