Tribute to Shafted Secondary Characters!
For all of you who feel sorry for shafted secondary characters... Tribute to the Shafted Secondary Characters
I’ve often wondered why, in manga and all its many incarnations, there must always be two guys after the heroine. Sometimes I end up rooting for both of them, but since polygamy isn’t accepted in Japan or America, one poor sod always gets left behind.
In the case of Hana Yori Dango, this Two Lovers phenomenon happens with Tsukasa as well as Tsukushi. With Tsukasa, it is all the more interesting, since he is a jerk, and all the women he meets fall in love with him on merit of his looks. Exhibit A, Umi, since I think Shigeru saw more of his personality. However, I think, in the live action at least, that he is the least attractive of F4. Jun, you rock, but that’s how the cookie crumbles.
So with that thought, hats off to Rui and Shigeru. Both of them ended up stepping down so that Tsukasa and Tsukushi could be together, and both of them were apparently seriously in love.
Shigeru ended up being a pawn in Madame Kaede’s plans, and managed to thwart everyone to save herself as well as the main characters. One could even argue that she saved the world, since we all know the ripple effect when Tsukasa isn’t happy, ie Tsukushi isn’t with him. Now, Shigeru definitely pulled some nasty tricks, but she loved Tsukasa and was also probably used to getting her own way, so she can be forgiven a little bit. I started out disliking her immensely (“She hit Tsukasa?! Only Tsukushi is allowed to do that!!”), but by the end of the series, she had grown on me because she became a bigger person. Let’s all hope that in the unseen part of the fictional universe of Hana Yori Dango, she finds some tough guy to love and knock around.
And then there’s Rui. Ah Rui, the quintessential pining lover. I couldn’t imagine him any other way. Surely he will end up in some isolated cottage in Romania or Switzerland mournfully playing a reed flute (since he gave his violin away) and writing poetry that will be discovered only posthumously. His indecisiveness never puts him in good stead, since he has apparently lost Shizuka as well as Tsukushi. If he hadn’t gone after Shizuka that first time, no telling WHAT would have happened. Rui was always the fall guy. Always the first to help Tsukushi, no matter what, he’s always the one to witness Tsukushi and Tsukasa almost breaking up, only to be thwarted over and over. And he’s Tsukasa’s best friend, so he’s going to have to watch them together for the rest of his life. Best man at the wedding, godfather to the children, the whole nine yards. I can imagine it now- “Uncle Rui, why do you always look at Mama like your heart is ripping in two?”
I feel like Shigeru will find someone else, but Rui may well be irreparably scarred. And then he does that cynically half-hearted heart-in-his-eyes smile- ah Rui, my heart cries. I can’t take it! Don't get me wrong, for me its Tsukushi and Tsukasa together all the way, but still, for the love of God, story writers- create someone for Rui to love! Spoilers!
I’ve often wondered why, in manga and all its many incarnations, there must always be two guys after the heroine. Sometimes I end up rooting for both of them, but since polygamy isn’t accepted in Japan or America, one poor sod always gets left behind.
In the case of Hana Yori Dango, this Two Lovers phenomenon happens with Tsukasa as well as Tsukushi. With Tsukasa, it is all the more interesting, since he is a jerk, and all the women he meets fall in love with him on merit of his looks. Exhibit A, Umi, since I think Shigeru saw more of his personality. However, I think, in the live action at least, that he is the least attractive of F4. Jun, you rock, but that’s how the cookie crumbles.
So with that thought, hats off to Rui and Shigeru. Both of them ended up stepping down so that Tsukasa and Tsukushi could be together, and both of them were apparently seriously in love.
Shigeru ended up being a pawn in Madame Kaede’s plans, and managed to thwart everyone to save herself as well as the main characters. One could even argue that she saved the world, since we all know the ripple effect when Tsukasa isn’t happy, ie Tsukushi isn’t with him. Now, Shigeru definitely pulled some nasty tricks, but she loved Tsukasa and was also probably used to getting her own way, so she can be forgiven a little bit. I started out disliking her immensely (“She hit Tsukasa?! Only Tsukushi is allowed to do that!!”), but by the end of the series, she had grown on me because she became a bigger person. Let’s all hope that in the unseen part of the fictional universe of Hana Yori Dango, she finds some tough guy to love and knock around.
And then there’s Rui. Ah Rui, the quintessential pining lover. I couldn’t imagine him any other way. Surely he will end up in some isolated cottage in Romania or Switzerland mournfully playing a reed flute (since he gave his violin away) and writing poetry that will be discovered only posthumously. His indecisiveness never puts him in good stead, since he has apparently lost Shizuka as well as Tsukushi. If he hadn’t gone after Shizuka that first time, no telling WHAT would have happened. Rui was always the fall guy. Always the first to help Tsukushi, no matter what, he’s always the one to witness Tsukushi and Tsukasa almost breaking up, only to be thwarted over and over. And he’s Tsukasa’s best friend, so he’s going to have to watch them together for the rest of his life. Best man at the wedding, godfather to the children, the whole nine yards. I can imagine it now- “Uncle Rui, why do you always look at Mama like your heart is ripping in two?”
I feel like Shigeru will find someone else, but Rui may well be irreparably scarred. And then he does that cynically half-hearted heart-in-his-eyes smile- ah Rui, my heart cries. I can’t take it! Don't get me wrong, for me its Tsukushi and Tsukasa together all the way, but still, for the love of God, story writers- create someone for Rui to love! Spoilers!