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quaint_twilight
quaint_twilight
28 August 2007 @ 11:34 pm
Mirage Quickie #9  
I think I'm going to take a break from reading the Karin arc and concentrate on translations. I've just finished the part where Kotarou fights Kaizaki (the beginning of Vol 17) and just feel terrible for Kotarou. I need to read something less angst-filled for now... Maybe continue with Divine Red...

I don't know why Kotarou isn't that popular in the MoB fandom as opposed to someone like Chiaki or even Kousaka. Or is it because the first commandment of MOB states that Thou Shalt Not Part the Holy Couple... So anyone who could come between the couple is um... ignored...? I'm not saying that we should all start shipping Kotarou/Takaya but he really deserves more appreciation.

Doesn't anyone feel pity for him? (I guess this wouldn't make sense to anyone who hasn't read the novels, so here I am to impose my opinion on all of you - Ha!Ha!Ha!~~ *laughs like Nobunaga*) Someone who was initially so stoic and viewed affection as a weakness, eventually grew to love and want to protect someone so badly, except that Kotarou ultimately realizes he can never be Takaya's 'Naoe' when he meets Kaizaki, the real Naoe. It's quite ironic that Kotarou's feelings became somewhat Naoe-like, ie. mad and obsessed which goes to show that Kagetora can really drive anyone crazy with his pheromones but anyway... In the same way that Kagetora forced himself to believe that 'Naoe' was still with him, Kotarou gradually felt very strongly that he was the 'Naoe' capable of giving Takaya comfort.

When the news of 'Naoe's betrayal' got out, Kotarou grew even more desperate in finding Takaya, to let him know that Kotarou's 'Naoe' never betrayed him. The gamut of emotions that ran through him before he fought with Toyohisa (who was trying to stop him from going to Takaya's aid) just made me feel sorry for him. He wanted to see Takaya's calmed expression from knowing that Naoe was with him, he wanted to hear the way Takaya called him 'Naoe' so tenderly, he wanted the affection that Takaya showed him. And when Kotarou is almost defeated by Toyohisa and his henchmen (Kotarou loses an arm here) he cries out 'How can I die in this place!' in grief, because he has yet to save Takaya.

Then he meets Kaizaki. Of all people, Kotarou is the one who immediately recognizes Kaizaki as Naoe. And his reaction goes from shock (that Naoe was still 'alive') to painful envy, because obviously the real Naoe beats Kotarou at being 'Naoe'. He becomes bitter, and decides to attack Naoe where it hurts the most, that he was the one who was with Kagetora these past two years and had supported and satisfied him. Even though Kotarou hates himself for saying this, he can't help it because it is the only thing that gives him some sense of superiority over Naoe. Thereafter he tells Naoe that he (Naoe) is no longer 'Naoe' because the real Naoe would never betray Kagetora. The real Naoe would never choose Kenshin over Kagetora. And because Naoe has chosen Kenshin (apparently), Naoe is no longer the real deal. And here there's so much anger in Kotarou's tone. He wants to get rid of the 'fake Naoe', because Naoe no longer deserves Takaya after having chosen Kenshin over Kagetora, which caused the latter so much pain.

Sigh. Kotarou kills Kaizaki, although it wasn't a fair fight since Kousaka intervened. And then Motoharu finishes off Kotarou. Even in the last moments of Kotarou's life he was only thinking of going to Kagetora's side.

That Motoharu! I mean what is he, trying to do Naoe a favor by killing Kotarou?!! Grr... I'm still upset! X_X

I was thinking about how Kagetora doesn't really reflect over what Kotarou has done for him for the past two years - yeah, he was cold initially but Kotarou still protected him and did try very hard to understand his relationship with Naoe. Then I realized that it'd be rather difficult for Kagetora to feel anything towards Kotarou because Kagetora had seen him as 'Naoe' and nothing else. The last time Kagetora saw Kotarou as Kotarou was in Vol 11 where he was extremely pissed at him for delivering them to the Mouri (IIRC). Sigh. (ETA: Oh wait, it was actually Vol 12, when they fought with Kousaka)

I wonder if Kotarou ever comes back later on, or is he too heartbroken to do so since Kagetora has been reunited with Naoe...

Poor Kotarou-chan needs more love people.

scan courtesy of [livejournal.com profile] bloody_x
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[identity profile] kuroraka.livejournal.com on August 28th, 2007 06:58 pm (UTC)
Doesn't anyone feel pity for him? Someone who was initially so stoic and viewed affection as a weakness, eventually grew to love and want to protect someone so badly, except that Kotarou ultimately realizes he can never be Takaya's 'Naoe' when he meets Kaizaki, the real Naoe

I'm with you all the way, sister! Well, i liked Kotarou from the first time i saw him in the anime because i've got a bit of a ninja fetish...^^;, but i really started to love him when i read summaries of this arc. He's such a tragic character!*sigh*

It's sad that there's so little sympathy for him in the fandom, but that's the fate of most characters who dare to 'come between' the OTP. Makes me wonder if he's equally unpopular in the Japanese fandom? Judging from the lack of dj it almsot appears that way...
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[identity profile] quaint-twilight.livejournal.com on August 29th, 2007 05:01 am (UTC)
I actually didn't think much of Kotarou until the Karin arc guess I'm not too fond of ninjas ^.^; where I started to adore him. Sigh.

I know Kotarou is pretty much ignored in the Chinese fandom, although I've seen some sympathy. And some fans dislike him as well -_-
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[identity profile] sabriel75.livejournal.com on August 29th, 2007 01:09 am (UTC)
No problem with a little sympathy for him here either. He's sexy as all get out, and love that he's devoted eventually.

But I think he lacks the charisma that the others do because he's just trying to pull a Naoe in the beginning and even if the facade eventually fades away, he's still nothing more than a creation for Kagetora's comfort.

The true essence of a character really speaks out in the way they are written. And while I agree he's sexy when he's bad, this side of him just doesn't really click on my "care for you" meter. Not that I don't agree he's a tragic loss, but overall in terms of how Kagetora felt for him, he started out just doing a duty and well died doing it too. I can't feel the love there like I feel when I read Naoe's sorrow over Kagetora.
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[identity profile] quaint-twilight.livejournal.com on August 29th, 2007 05:19 am (UTC)
Well I don't really feel that he's just there as a substitute for Naoe. The thing about Kotarou (initially) is that he's completely devoid of any emotions. In a sense, this makes him the perfect ninja but almost un-human. Until Kagetora rattles him.

What's tragic about Kotarou is that when he has become more of a human being he feels nothing but pain over his situation with Takaya. And it hurts badly because he's never felt this kind of sorrow before and he doesn't even entirely understand his own feelings or why he feels this way.
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[identity profile] labingi.livejournal.com on August 29th, 2007 07:00 am (UTC)
Kotarou definitely deserves sympathy.

Maybe he makes people uncomfortable because he's a bit too close to being "us" in all those moments when we care for someone who doesn't really care back (or not as much). It's a nice escape to jump into the lives of Kagetora and Naoe because, all their pain not withstanding, they were clearly "meant for each other." But Kotarou is that perfectly decent guy who, nonethless, doesn't really have anyone bcause everyone is already taken by someone who matters more to them. And that's a very sad and very common place to be in. But perhaps it's too close to mundane real life to be cathartic?
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[identity profile] quaint-twilight.livejournal.com on August 29th, 2007 08:32 am (UTC)
Hmm, that could be a possible reason. Kotarou's pain definitely doesn't compare to Naoe's or Kagetora's but I'm sad that not many fans sympathize with him.
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[identity profile] kagetora666.livejournal.com on August 29th, 2007 08:01 am (UTC)
I actually feel sorry for Kotaro. I knew him so cold in the anime and lo and behold, he has human feelings in the novel. So I can understand what he was feeling toward Kagetora.
I read somewhere that Kotaro had actually kissed Takaya. Is it true?
I wonder if how was their (Naoe's and Kotaro's) fight unfair...
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[identity profile] quaint-twilight.livejournal.com on August 29th, 2007 08:39 am (UTC)
Yes, Kotarou did kiss Takaya ;)

Kousaka did something to disrupt Naoe's synchronization with Kaizaki so he couldn't move his body, allowing Kotarou to slice through his abdomen.
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[identity profile] kagetora666.livejournal.com on August 29th, 2007 08:54 am (UTC)
Thank you so much :) And can you tell me how was it exactly? :) I mean the kiss.
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[identity profile] quaint-twilight.livejournal.com on August 29th, 2007 04:22 pm (UTC)
Well, Kotarou does kiss Takaya's neck in Vol 13 although I'll hardly call that a kiss since Kotarou has lost his composure and Takaya was struggling. There's one more in Vol 15, when Kotarou hugs Takaya and then kisses him when the latter looks up at him. Takaya does kiss him back then. Kotarou is stunned, but to Takaya, the kiss is a cold one and he says something that actually hurt Kotarou. (can't really blame Takaya though...)
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[identity profile] kagetora666.livejournal.com on August 29th, 2007 05:10 pm (UTC)
Thank you very much indeed.
I feel sorry for Naoe as well right now. If this was about the time when Naoe was known as dead, then I sympathize with Takaya. And he thought that Kotarou was Naoe in fact, so.... We can't blame him, you're right. Nobody said a word about that later?
By the way, I really apriciate Kotaro for took care of Takaya and he felt responsible for him. I can't find out why isn't he loved at all.
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[identity profile] ann-arien.livejournal.com on March 6th, 2008 02:28 pm (UTC)
Chah! Curse Kagtora and his Tiger Eyes/pheromones/whatever! He gets the best men of this story and messes them up beyond repair...

I'm new to this LJ and have picked up reading your translations prompted by a review of yours, in which you pointed out the way the MoB anime series gave us a skewered version of the main characters. I've been wanting to read some translations for a very long time and thank Eru, I've found them here in excellent quality. *hugs you for that* The review I mentioned spoke about how Naoe was portrayed significantly less evil in the anime/OVAs, while Kagetora came out every inch the bastard he regularly is. I told myself: "Okay, I'll read some of the novels and maybe I'll dislike him less..."

Heh, now, after learning that Kotarou got dragged into the madness like this.... grrrrrr! *hates Kagetora with a passion* Kagetora is royally screwed up himself and deserves much sympathy, of course he does... but damn, it's like he destroys everyone who attempts to care for him.

I've appreciated Kotarou since his first apearance in the anime series. (prolly because I too have a sleek, gorgeous ninja fetish! ^_^) As the story progressed I grew fond if this character even while in the throes of mad Naoe fangirl-ism. Even thought along the lines of: "Hey, Naoe.., there's a man worth going after!" *insert naughty thoughts here* So I was very happy to find Kotarou again in the novels and on the Uesugi side, no less. But gah! Bakatora had to step in and ruin this charcter too.../angry rant.

Overall, reading your fantastic translations, I find myself more in love with Naoe, less sympathetic toward Kagetora (though poor Takaya is heartbreaking, sometimes), happy that Kotarou makes a significant appearance and royally pissed that he falls in the clutches of Kagetora obsession too.
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[identity profile] quaint-twilight.livejournal.com on March 7th, 2008 12:18 am (UTC)
it's like he destroys everyone who attempts to care for him.

Destroy? How? The passionate Naoe that everybody loves now wouldn't have existed if not for the way Kagetora evoked his feelings out of his cold shell, Naoe grew into a better and more sensitive person; Kotarou became less of a robot and much more human after spending time with Kagetora; unless you consider Kagetora's ability to draw out emotions in others destructive...
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