tempestuously (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
tempestuously) wrote2006-02-08 04:30 pm
tempestuously) wrote2006-02-08 04:30 pm
Loveless = Gay Love Story?
Went to harass Walden about Loveless early since I'm jealous of all those who already have it in their grubbly paws. No luck again. I picked up HikaGo instead; I missed it during my last manga spree last Friday. Really I only got it because I drove the poor employee to his wit's end with my whinings about why they never got manga early enough, why Black Cat wasn't listed in the main registry, why they didn't have Loveless right now and why I always have to order out for my gay-boi pron. But it's ok. He knows I'm one of his best customers so we have an amusing relationship. Also ran into goth anime fanboys. They were an interesting pair. Of course, they knew of Loveless. Why do so many goth fanboys know about Loveless? Am I missing something here? They called it their second favorite gay love story. I didn't even have to ask which was their favorite.
This statement irked me because I dislike viewing Soubi/Ritsuka as that kind of couple, not that I hold anything against those who do. Slash can originate anywhere. And I won't argue whether they love each other because I believe they do. I'd just rather that love be more of a hybrid between family and friendship, something strong but not so physical, as certain young fangirls squeal about it being. I do not want to think about Loveless as a gay love story since gay love story implies that's all it is: a gay love story. Yes, that is all Gravitation is. A gay love story. As much as I adore the characters, I have no problem saying the writing is weak and the gay love is all that holds it together. In crazy Murakami's latest chapters, that's slipping more and more, and I sob. But Loveless is not focused so much on the gay love as the connection, the bond between the Fighter and the Sacrifice. Almost master and servant, if you will. It's all about finding your other, your yan. Nowhere is romantic love a requirement, although I have no doubts that Fighter/Sacrifice pairs do share some type of love for each other. They complete each other. Again, it is the relationships that move the story. Soubi/Ritsuka, Seimei/Ritsuka, Seimei/Soubi, Ritsu/Soubi and so on. Is it love? Probably. Is it the shonen ai all the Gravitation newbies are proclaiming it to be? That's more iffy. But is Loveless a gay love story? I'm going to say no.
One thing's for sure, LOVELESS IS NOT GRAVITATION! It should not be compared to or put in the same genre as Gravitation. I won't lie. I got into Loveless, thinking this was the case. When I perceived this as being true, I was immediately turned off because it was too simple, too cliched. But when I realized there was so much more to this story than the illusion of a warped romance, that's when my true interest kicked in. I watch/read Loveless for the sometimes twisted dynamics of the character relationships and to see how the innocent Ritsuka fairs amongst his more corrupted counterparts. As I've said above, I don't mind if others view the relationship between characters as shonen ai. I, myself, enjoy viewing the Zero boys as such, with the Zero girls picking up the shoujo ai elements. But labeling Loveless as purely a gay love story strips it of the intricate aspects that make it so intriguing. For you fanboys who are looking for the yaoi to make you seem cool and open-minded, please be directing yourself to Fake or Love Mode. To me, Loveless is shoujo and in my mind, that's how it will stay.
Also note, you can have a gay love story within a larger piece. See Tokyo Babylon, Card Captor Sakura, Utena and other series I'm too lazy to remember. So for you Soubi/Ritsuka shippers, you can have your cake and eat it too.
They will be releasing the novel of "Only the Ring Finger Knows" in March. I guess the petition did some good after all. I hope to have my community up and running by then.
I also want God Child.
This statement irked me because I dislike viewing Soubi/Ritsuka as that kind of couple, not that I hold anything against those who do. Slash can originate anywhere. And I won't argue whether they love each other because I believe they do. I'd just rather that love be more of a hybrid between family and friendship, something strong but not so physical, as certain young fangirls squeal about it being. I do not want to think about Loveless as a gay love story since gay love story implies that's all it is: a gay love story. Yes, that is all Gravitation is. A gay love story. As much as I adore the characters, I have no problem saying the writing is weak and the gay love is all that holds it together. In crazy Murakami's latest chapters, that's slipping more and more, and I sob. But Loveless is not focused so much on the gay love as the connection, the bond between the Fighter and the Sacrifice. Almost master and servant, if you will. It's all about finding your other, your yan. Nowhere is romantic love a requirement, although I have no doubts that Fighter/Sacrifice pairs do share some type of love for each other. They complete each other. Again, it is the relationships that move the story. Soubi/Ritsuka, Seimei/Ritsuka, Seimei/Soubi, Ritsu/Soubi and so on. Is it love? Probably. Is it the shonen ai all the Gravitation newbies are proclaiming it to be? That's more iffy. But is Loveless a gay love story? I'm going to say no.
One thing's for sure, LOVELESS IS NOT GRAVITATION! It should not be compared to or put in the same genre as Gravitation. I won't lie. I got into Loveless, thinking this was the case. When I perceived this as being true, I was immediately turned off because it was too simple, too cliched. But when I realized there was so much more to this story than the illusion of a warped romance, that's when my true interest kicked in. I watch/read Loveless for the sometimes twisted dynamics of the character relationships and to see how the innocent Ritsuka fairs amongst his more corrupted counterparts. As I've said above, I don't mind if others view the relationship between characters as shonen ai. I, myself, enjoy viewing the Zero boys as such, with the Zero girls picking up the shoujo ai elements. But labeling Loveless as purely a gay love story strips it of the intricate aspects that make it so intriguing. For you fanboys who are looking for the yaoi to make you seem cool and open-minded, please be directing yourself to Fake or Love Mode. To me, Loveless is shoujo and in my mind, that's how it will stay.
Also note, you can have a gay love story within a larger piece. See Tokyo Babylon, Card Captor Sakura, Utena and other series I'm too lazy to remember. So for you Soubi/Ritsuka shippers, you can have your cake and eat it too.
They will be releasing the novel of "Only the Ring Finger Knows" in March. I guess the petition did some good after all. I hope to have my community up and running by then.
I also want God Child.