lebronc

The problem with Akechi as a character is we really need to see HIS pov and HIS actual feelings not filtered through the mc because there's a lot we don't know. Atlus is too cowardly to revisit him and actually flesh him out and while this may be fun for fandom: headcanon anything, you can make him whatever, it makes him feel like less of a character and more like bait. There's no real artistic vision behind him, only trying to bait fujoshi as much as possible while making sure they don't get a full story because the dudes who hate him are the true target audience.

this is an absolutely baffling take i'm not even sure where to begin.

what makes akechi such an interesting character are his masks and the way he interacts with the hero. without those aspects of him...there'd be so much less to analyze? what makes akechi so much fun for me to think about is the fact we never get a direct pov from him and so we have to try to understand him through indirect means.

but i just straight up disagree that you can make him "be anything" or that there's no core truth to him. there absolutely is. people being too stupid to figure it out doesn't make that not true. you do have to do more work to get to the core of him, but if you pay attention, it's absolutely there. atlus isn't even subtle about it. people are just too dumb to notice it even when the game is hitting them over the head with it. (just...rewatch the fucking engine room people...i'm begging...)

this strange perspective on media of "we need to see the pov of a character directly to understand them" is so fucking sad to me. "i need the writer to spoon feed me every character motivation and perspective" is such a depressing take. some of the best characters in media are ones we never see a direct pov from. that's what makes them so fascinating and interesting to think about? i cannot fathom someone who would prefer boring straightforward exposition over this it's just so alien to me.

the thing about media analysis is that it is ultimately a subjective conversation between the writer and the audience. you are allowed to create your own meaning from the work--in fact, you have no choice but to do that. a character interpretation being subjective is not a strike against the writer. that's just how media analysis works. you need to be able to back up your reading with data, but to act like you can't come to any conclusions unless the media sits you down and exposits to your face exactly what is going on at all time is utterly preposterous. you absolutely can come to conclusions about akechi through the indirect interactions joker has with him. i just...i'm so baffled by this it's such a strange way to view media.

"the dudes who hate him are the true audience"???? tell me how the fuck you came to that conclusion lmao. have you played royal? have you played the game that hits you over the head with every single added rank "please love our boy he's tragic and misunderstood and we love him so much joker loves him so much" is made for the dudes who hate him??? the final choice of the game relies on the idea that you love akechi so much you will sacrifice every ideal and sense of justice you have cultivated up to that point in order to save him. but akechi was made for the haters. okay. sure. fine. whatever. we can just have any opinion now.