Sorry I disliked by accident
Thanks for the analysis!
I do agree that this manga is perfect in every way: natural pace, realistic characters, interesting messages conveyed by the author in this coming-of-age story. I wish I could find this kind of manga more often!
To answer your point 7, I actually think that the author has already given us some clues about Yuuji's feelings and state of mind. Yamato is easier to understand because he is an open character, but Yuiji is kind of discrete and aloof so it makes sense to me that the reader knows less about him.
I tried to write down these clues in this section some time ago, so I copied-pasted what I wrote here for you:
It's pretty clear how much Yuuji means to Yamato. The reverse is less obvious and I thought I will share my thoughts on this to see if you guys agree or if I am just projecting some of my own characteristics onto Yuuji's character ^^
I think we have to consider that Yuuji is - basically - an apathetic and distant character. I mean, he is friendly with others and he is considerate, but he is secretive. He never talks about himself and his feelings. Even when he broke up with his girlfriend, his best friend (and childhood friend) just knew he would not open up to him and tricked Yamato into coming to listen to Yuuji's worries. It worked, because Yamato is special. I think Yuuji especially admires his sincerity, because Yuuji is not able to talk openly about his secret thoughts and feelings without shame or embarrassment like Yamato does. They are very different when it comes to things like this.
Considering Yuuji's relationship with his ex-girlfriend too, it seems that he acted like a gentleman but that there were no passion or deep feelings involved. When there should have been, in Yuuji's mind. I am convinced that Yuuji felt very inadequate about this. He was probably distressed he was not feeling the feelings he was supposed to (especially as it meant hurting a girl's feelings by not returning them), and worried about his own capacity to love someone, anyone. I think Yuuji has never fallen in love. He could even be aromantic, it would actually make sense to me. But not being able to fall in love, in Yuuji's mind, that could mean a risk of spending his life alone. I mean, he had friends to fool around with, a girlfriend he didn't love, a chill mother and a dog, but nobody he felt really close to. At least before Yamato. And Yuuji was initially drawn to Yamato because, like him, he was feeling inadequate about his feelings.
It seems to me that Yuuji was simply very lonely before he met Yamato. What Yamato needs most is to accept his own sexuality and to learn to love himself. What Yuuji needs most... is someone who needs him. And if this is true, they are both giving each other what they need. Yamato is always thinking that Yuuji is amazing. It's because when Yamato is getting nowhere with his worries and gets stuck in his pessimism, Yuuji is able to say the right thing, always there for him and reliable. Yamato must be feeling dependent, and worried he is always taking without ever giving. But I'm pretty sure they both haven't realised yet that Yamato may actually be returning just what Yuuji needs. It is not a one-way relationship.
I don't know about romantic feelings, but Yuuji seems to have deep affection for Yamato, and love - because they are many kinds of love. One sign of it was how he got angry at Doi (or whatshisname) and struck him. He was prioritising Yamato's problematics (not being outed) over his own (not being expelled). They have grown close, so close that when Yamato's secret was in danger, Yuuji felt fear rather than worry, as if it was his own secret. But Yuuji didn't strike Doi for Yamato. He did it selfishly, because of the frustration. I think he felt hurt because Doi was hurting someone he cares deeply for.
To answer your latter points:
For the reasons I have listed above, I think that Yamato means a lot to Yuiji. Especially as Yamato makes Yuuji feel needed. Yuiji is down-to-earth, he should know that Yamato might fall in love with him. Yet he has never put any distance between them. Still, given the fact that Yuiji is very awkward with the feeling of love (or even a stranger of it), he might have never considered that probability.
The story can go in a lot of directions from here, so here are my predictions / wishes (?) :
- Yamato will be in denial about his feelings for as long as he can. I think he will be terrified of ruining his friendship with Yuiji.
- He will not confess (or maybe he will, out of desperation), but Yuiji will learn of it anyway, maybe because he is quite observant or because of a third character.
- OF COURSE Yuiji will not want to break ties with Yamato. He would want them to face any difficulties together. He would want their friendship to overcome any hurdle. So I think that he will try to behave as usual once the surprise wear off.
- However Yamato may want to put distance between them, to get his feelings under control. And also maybe because he cares about appearances, how things will look like for his friends and the people around him (especially after almost being outed to everyone in school).
- Here there is potential for conflict between them because I am sure that Yuiji doesn't give a damn about how things look like whereas Yamato would prefer them pretending not to be friends than damaging Yuiji's reputation. I can really see Yuiji getting really mad if Yamato suggests something like this. Especially as Yuiji puts value in his friendships, trust, and honesty but not in appearances.
- Yamato may agree to go out with his kouhai. If it is the case, Yuiji will learn of it. He will probably think that he does not really understand Yamato and feel strangely lonely (?).
- At some point Yuiji will probably realise that he cares deeply about Yamato. I am not necessarily speaking of a romantic love, a "like in his own way" feeling seems also possible to me.
- Even it Yuiji decides to accept Yamato's feelings and his own, Yamato will probably feel very conflicted. Given the fact that Yamato has trouble accepting his own sexuality I don't see him willing in any way to "turn Yuiji gay". Yamato is still quite insecure...
- So I see quite a few hurdles to overcome before a happy ending!
Well, these guesses are a bit random, I just wrote them because they seem consistent what I have seen so far of the characters' personality - and because it is fun to make scenarios in my mind (first sign of loneliness?). I am pretty sure that in any cases our boys are going to suffer from conflicted feelings! But I am also sure their friends and families are going to be amazingly supportive. So I look forward to seeing how the story unfolds!
Let's keep reading and enjoying these amazing characters! =)
Wow if it doesnt go this route then I dont know where it could. Are you the author in disguise?? I mean it s seems so possible like I cant see it not go that way!
But somehow it seems kinda cliché ? Not in a bad way I would be satisfied if it does take this route but it looks like a lot of Shonen Ai trope no? The i dont want to turn you gay, I will suppress my feelings for you since you are my Most treasured herero friend, I will go out with someone else I dont like and confessed to me to forget about my feelings then you will realize You love me and then I will not know what to do because I am with someone gay like me it s confortable but I feel stuck. And then in the end I will choose you because you are the only one for me. ╮(￣▽￣)╭ Yep I definitely read other story Like that before , but with Koimonogatari I feel like even if cliché it will be far better!
you know cliché exist for a reason too XD yeah those themes often happen in manga but in this case I feel it's more because it's actually really real. Not speaking about gay or straight, but from my own experience, hiding your feelings because of friendship or staying in a relationship because it's confortable are both things that happen very often and I've seen it many times. I've never seen people feeling guilty about "turning" someone gay but again, in france we're less prejudiced. But I can definitely see it happens in country where your sexuality is equal to fear, especially a country like japan where it's a cultural thing to avoid conflict at all cost and there's nothing worst than to be different from the others.
I agree with everything you said (▰˘◡˘▰)
Will it be ? Or should we prepare our hearts for ......??
I love koimonogatari. It's my #1.
So since you know I love it very much I feel like I should be sharing more of my reading experience on this and list many reasons why it stands out, easily in that 1% of genuinely attempted works in shounen- ai genre.
(all personal opinions of course)
1. Yuiji and Yamato are well written characters free of cliches. You just love them cause they feel like the people you can meet in your own everyday life, going to school, having fun. They do normal things and care about other people around them.
2. Even the supporting characters behave nuanced and their actions are tangible unlike most mangas where characters are cardboard cutouts, n don't seem believable at all. Most of the time these one- dimensional characters are apathetic & exist in their own world with zero rational interaction with the outside world or they don't have one. Well in koimonogatari it's not so. People are behaving like normal people would do so and it's a breath of fresh air.
2. Thank God for letting girls capable of having normal friendship with a gay boy, it's only fair that assholes exist in both genders. And it's only not right portraying them as evil if they crush on your gay boy.
3. If you really notice, this is more of a coming of age story of a boy discovering his sexuality, and not primarily focused about two boys falling love. Of course love is a component that is unavoidable, but it's not the heart of this manhwa. The core is about Yamato being different, his friendship, his struggles, flaws, failures and finding love.
4. Personally I will defend and disagree with anyone saying that Yamato and Yuiju can't be in a romantic relationship.
Their dynamics are undeniably iridiscent and share a powerful connection which is irrefutable. It's clear that Yamato's is realising that his feelings for yuiji are evolving slowly but surely. Infact there are more reasons to fall for him than reasons for not to. Both of them have good supportive friends around them yet has it not been shown how they are they way they are only with each other and not with anyone else (if it made sense)
5. There are many subtle moments in the manga where they can't comprehend the connection they feel. They expose their most delicate and vulnerable side comfortably with each other, which is beautiful. Now I don't mean it's has always been romantic but the potential is sparkling everywhere. Yuiji, being always there, always understanding his pain, his conflicts, always saying the right things, always making him at ease, Yuiji being a boy, being right next to him, is it impossible for Yamato to fall in love with him, if he did ?
6. So where will the story will go ? I don't know.
I've seen people say that they wish author did something more realistic, to which I politely disagree that whether or not tagura tohru wants to make them a romantic duo or friends is totally up to the imagination of the author. I beg to differ saying that both are just possible outcomes in a realistic sense but would depend on how naturally everything unfolds without being forced.
If you're a true koi fan you will feel that inkling fear that the latter may infact happen. Since it's pacing in a realistic way it's also making the ending unpredictable.
7. And here's the main reason why I fear we may not see Yamato and Yuiji ending as a romantic duo - YUIJI! We know nothing about Yuiji so far, there is no reliable narrative from him anywhere in the manga to say he himself would be in such a relationship,( or any romantic relationship), or that he has such feelings for Yamato.
8. As much as Yuiji loves Yamato unconditionally be ready to expect that he may not reciprocate Yamato's feelings. Yes heartbreaker ! For me and Yamato. It's only understandable if the author choose this route but as I said if Yamato is going to fall in love with Yuiji it's going to be a hard fall also meaning it might become harder for them to remain friends. All these outcomes are probable (not unrealistic).
9. Another way is that Yamato may counteract quickly and stop his feelings from going any further.
Whatever the author decides I'm looking forward to it. If they do end up together it's great, again it would all depend on the way of story telling. If they don't I'll be okay with it but still heartbroken cause they would make one hell of a power couple.
Thanks for being patient and reading through.