[ooc: essay time]
After reading this by Aviy, I decided to burn half an hour at work writing. I am not very organized. orz.
Soubi and a kinda essay about relationships (outside of his rapist teacher, sadistic god, and shouta-con catboy)
Soubi is such an interesting character and the idea of having a relationship for this sad, very screwed up character of mine has pinged me in the kokoro a few times. However, no matter how much I wish Soubi could come to love and depend on someone other than his master(s), it just...isn't gonna happen. At least not in the happy normal way. Let's analyze, no?
To understand Soubi, you first have to look over the LOVELESS world's caste system of Fighters and Sacrifice. Fighters and Sacrifice, though paired in a way where they operate together most efficiently, are capable of being alone, even if they don't wish to. We can see from Soubi's early battles and his habit of trying to protect Ritsuka, he battles often on Auto, likewise with Nisei fighting solo against Soubi. Fighters themselves seem more insecure than Sacrifices, more yearning to be able to serve/fight for/belong with the Sacrifice that bears their name. Fighters also train at an earlier age than their Sacrifices usually, as we can see from Vol 7. Breathless's Fighter explains that "we wait and wait for that person". For these pairs though, being alone is an almost painful thing, like having a part of you missing, and from various examples in the manga you can tell that most Sacrifices and Fighters will try their best to stay together. They also have a tendency to touch or be in some kind of physical contact, reaffirming their bond and in turn, strengthening their Fighter's ability to operate. Ritsu is one example of a Sacrifice that's lost his Fighter, and as we can see, he is not exactly in the best mental shape. My personal guess is that Soubi's mother was Ritsu's Fighter, a reason for Ritsu to be so driven and obsessive about creating Soubi into the ultimate Fighter.
So what does being the perfect Fighter mean? Natsuo and others throughout the series state Soubi's Fighting ability to be legendary and that he was viewed as the Perfect Fighter, in a highly competitive arena. Natsuo explains to Ritsuka that if the master does not know how to decide and give orders, it is the dog that suffers. Soubi is the type that desires orders in order to operate. It seems likely that no matter the physical or mental state Soubi is in, he will respond to whatever order his Sacrifice gives him. We can see this example from Vol. 8 when he breaks the windows to allow Seimei to escape. "Seimei's word is the absolute law". Soubi will obey and respond to his master's above all. This means the current level of command is: Seimei>Ritsuka>(to a degree)Ritsu
Soubi's personal perspective of himself is more of a thing or object, a personal possession of his Sacrifice than a real person. Ritsu taught Soubi to throw away his own "self" in exchange for the command and possession of a Sacrifice. His selflessness, whether in battle or in his personal life, is a large factor in what makes Soubi so powerful. Without any real self-preservation, his belief and ability to "power-up" himself through spells because of the command of his Sacrfice, Soubi will do anything for his Sacrifice without hesitation, including taking his own life. The main problems in the series come when Soubi must suddenly choose between two masters, the one that treats him as he believes he should be treated and the one that wants to make him into his own person.
Soubi's personal life:
Kio and Soubi: Soubi has no real friends, no one other than Kio who will really be there for him. And even in the case of Kio, when Soubi is asked "do you have any friends?" in an interview, he adds on to his positive response, "..for the time being." Soubi does not believe that he is allowed to/able to/should have close friends, much less a real relationship. After all, being in a relationship means that in some sense, you belong to the other person right? Soubi doesn't see himself as owning himself and thus, can not be allowed to give himself away in a relationship. For example, in some ways I see him turning down Kio's advances because of one or more of the following reasons: 1) Kio has a wife if he has a sexual relationship with Kio, Kio will be even more aggressive against Seimei and Soubi's way of thinking, 2) he does not want to be tied down in such a serious relationship that he would either have to break his friendship to leave, or risk hurting Kio 3) does not want the "self-righteous" type of pity that Kio would give him, 4) is not sexually attracted to Kio, 5) has a connection with Kio that he already treasures (see Vol. 9 when he explains to Ritsuka that he's already made up his mind that if Kio is in trouble, he would rescue him).
This doesn't mean that Soubi hasn't had sexual type relationships before, especially with girls. When Kio flaunts that he is "probably Sou-chan's only friend", Soubi responds with "there's girls" and Kio yells "that doesn't count!". My guess is that because Soubi can be...snarky but polite for the most part, his mysterious artist side has probably attracted female interests before. Soubi usually will turn down these advances, but if they happen, they would be one night stands after and before which Soubi will flatly inform them he has and never was interested in a real relationship. Dumb girls will think they can change him and the cycle continues. To support my personal view that Soubi is not a pedophile, he stated to Ritsuka that "(School children) You are not my type" "I'm not turned on by children". He also tells Kio that he is not a pervert. (rly D:)
Finally, we are at the main point: would Soubi ever be able to have a personal relationship? In my opinion, the only way that Soubi would ever have a relationship would be if the other person realized that on some level, this relationship does not exist. There are no ties, no obligations past that moment, because objects can not be allowed to form bonds. Physically and even mentally, the two could be intimate, but no matter what, his Sacrifice will always be his number one and only true dedication in life. Marriage is not a possibility for Soubi, unless it was to provide Ritsuka with a stable home (one possibility of his pairing with Shinomine-sensei), and even then, it would be for convenience and never out of love. So does this mean there's no hope for Soubi? Well, maybe...after all, he himself states that "(love and marriage) are different things, aren't they?"
A significant other for Soubi can only exist with a person that is in some sense, as self-less as Soubi is, (honestly, who can love a Soubi D:) because they would have to realize that they are always second. Normal love is something that he knows he is not allowed to have or give and for him, the only "love" that he is allowed to have, is attachment. The two would have to never question what or where they are, because the RELATIONSHIP DOES NOT EXIST, nor can they ever expect long-term, or any dedication at all from either party. In an interview, Soubi said that if the one he was with cheated on him, he would just break up "because it is more trouble than it's worth." For Soubi though, this is enough.
"(people can be happy in love)...for a moment's time."
Basically in order to have a true relationship with Soubi, you must:
-not think of it as a relationship
-not expect him to choose you over his Sacrifice
-not allow the relationship to change your interactions with him
-realize he may leave you at the drop of a hat, if circumstances deem necessary
-NOT BE AFFECTED THAT HE WILL ALWAYS CHOOSE HIS SACRIFICE OVER YOU (this means no demanding time, or intimacy, or actions out of jealousy. in fact, if you even hint at being jealous, he'll probably drop you like a load of bricks : / )
-p-probably have some killer scars or tattoos or something that pings his fetish for physical markings that tell stories...because that's how he'll be interested in youuuuuur body? XD
But wait! You get stuff! (okay, not rly)
You also will:
-not be expected to stay with him
-not expected to love him
-in some ways, bully/top him in serious times (see Kio when he tells Soubi to shut up in serious situations)
-good sex
-okay, good sex
All in all, after TL;DR, Soubi can only date someone who doesn't mind being a permanent second, possibly being dropped like a load of bricks if commanded to, and who doesn't care about being loved back and knows that Soubi will never be able to reciprocate mentally or emotionally except with really hot sex and IS TOTALLY OKAY WITH IT AND WILL NOT EMO.
Remember, this is just the tired ramblings of a mun and these are purely speculative and how I view the way I play Soubi. I'd love to get feedback and and your views. Questions? Comments? Anyone?
Soubi and a kinda essay about relationships (outside of his rapist teacher, sadistic god, and shouta-con catboy)
Soubi is such an interesting character and the idea of having a relationship for this sad, very screwed up character of mine has pinged me in the kokoro a few times. However, no matter how much I wish Soubi could come to love and depend on someone other than his master(s), it just...isn't gonna happen. At least not in the happy normal way. Let's analyze, no?
To understand Soubi, you first have to look over the LOVELESS world's caste system of Fighters and Sacrifice. Fighters and Sacrifice, though paired in a way where they operate together most efficiently, are capable of being alone, even if they don't wish to. We can see from Soubi's early battles and his habit of trying to protect Ritsuka, he battles often on Auto, likewise with Nisei fighting solo against Soubi. Fighters themselves seem more insecure than Sacrifices, more yearning to be able to serve/fight for/belong with the Sacrifice that bears their name. Fighters also train at an earlier age than their Sacrifices usually, as we can see from Vol 7. Breathless's Fighter explains that "we wait and wait for that person". For these pairs though, being alone is an almost painful thing, like having a part of you missing, and from various examples in the manga you can tell that most Sacrifices and Fighters will try their best to stay together. They also have a tendency to touch or be in some kind of physical contact, reaffirming their bond and in turn, strengthening their Fighter's ability to operate. Ritsu is one example of a Sacrifice that's lost his Fighter, and as we can see, he is not exactly in the best mental shape. My personal guess is that Soubi's mother was Ritsu's Fighter, a reason for Ritsu to be so driven and obsessive about creating Soubi into the ultimate Fighter.
So what does being the perfect Fighter mean? Natsuo and others throughout the series state Soubi's Fighting ability to be legendary and that he was viewed as the Perfect Fighter, in a highly competitive arena. Natsuo explains to Ritsuka that if the master does not know how to decide and give orders, it is the dog that suffers. Soubi is the type that desires orders in order to operate. It seems likely that no matter the physical or mental state Soubi is in, he will respond to whatever order his Sacrifice gives him. We can see this example from Vol. 8 when he breaks the windows to allow Seimei to escape. "Seimei's word is the absolute law". Soubi will obey and respond to his master's above all. This means the current level of command is: Seimei>Ritsuka>(to a degree)Ritsu
Soubi's personal perspective of himself is more of a thing or object, a personal possession of his Sacrifice than a real person. Ritsu taught Soubi to throw away his own "self" in exchange for the command and possession of a Sacrifice. His selflessness, whether in battle or in his personal life, is a large factor in what makes Soubi so powerful. Without any real self-preservation, his belief and ability to "power-up" himself through spells because of the command of his Sacrfice, Soubi will do anything for his Sacrifice without hesitation, including taking his own life. The main problems in the series come when Soubi must suddenly choose between two masters, the one that treats him as he believes he should be treated and the one that wants to make him into his own person.
Soubi's personal life:
Kio and Soubi: Soubi has no real friends, no one other than Kio who will really be there for him. And even in the case of Kio, when Soubi is asked "do you have any friends?" in an interview, he adds on to his positive response, "..for the time being." Soubi does not believe that he is allowed to/able to/should have close friends, much less a real relationship. After all, being in a relationship means that in some sense, you belong to the other person right? Soubi doesn't see himself as owning himself and thus, can not be allowed to give himself away in a relationship. For example, in some ways I see him turning down Kio's advances because of one or more of the following reasons: 1) Kio has a wife if he has a sexual relationship with Kio, Kio will be even more aggressive against Seimei and Soubi's way of thinking, 2) he does not want to be tied down in such a serious relationship that he would either have to break his friendship to leave, or risk hurting Kio 3) does not want the "self-righteous" type of pity that Kio would give him, 4) is not sexually attracted to Kio, 5) has a connection with Kio that he already treasures (see Vol. 9 when he explains to Ritsuka that he's already made up his mind that if Kio is in trouble, he would rescue him).
This doesn't mean that Soubi hasn't had sexual type relationships before, especially with girls. When Kio flaunts that he is "probably Sou-chan's only friend", Soubi responds with "there's girls" and Kio yells "that doesn't count!". My guess is that because Soubi can be...snarky but polite for the most part, his mysterious artist side has probably attracted female interests before. Soubi usually will turn down these advances, but if they happen, they would be one night stands after and before which Soubi will flatly inform them he has and never was interested in a real relationship. Dumb girls will think they can change him and the cycle continues. To support my personal view that Soubi is not a pedophile, he stated to Ritsuka that "(School children) You are not my type" "I'm not turned on by children". He also tells Kio that he is not a pervert. (rly D:)
Finally, we are at the main point: would Soubi ever be able to have a personal relationship? In my opinion, the only way that Soubi would ever have a relationship would be if the other person realized that on some level, this relationship does not exist. There are no ties, no obligations past that moment, because objects can not be allowed to form bonds. Physically and even mentally, the two could be intimate, but no matter what, his Sacrifice will always be his number one and only true dedication in life. Marriage is not a possibility for Soubi, unless it was to provide Ritsuka with a stable home (one possibility of his pairing with Shinomine-sensei), and even then, it would be for convenience and never out of love. So does this mean there's no hope for Soubi? Well, maybe...after all, he himself states that "(love and marriage) are different things, aren't they?"
A significant other for Soubi can only exist with a person that is in some sense, as self-less as Soubi is, (honestly, who can love a Soubi D:) because they would have to realize that they are always second. Normal love is something that he knows he is not allowed to have or give and for him, the only "love" that he is allowed to have, is attachment. The two would have to never question what or where they are, because the RELATIONSHIP DOES NOT EXIST, nor can they ever expect long-term, or any dedication at all from either party. In an interview, Soubi said that if the one he was with cheated on him, he would just break up "because it is more trouble than it's worth." For Soubi though, this is enough.
"(people can be happy in love)...for a moment's time."
Basically in order to have a true relationship with Soubi, you must:
-not think of it as a relationship
-not expect him to choose you over his Sacrifice
-not allow the relationship to change your interactions with him
-realize he may leave you at the drop of a hat, if circumstances deem necessary
-NOT BE AFFECTED THAT HE WILL ALWAYS CHOOSE HIS SACRIFICE OVER YOU (this means no demanding time, or intimacy, or actions out of jealousy. in fact, if you even hint at being jealous, he'll probably drop you like a load of bricks : / )
-p-probably have some killer scars or tattoos or something that pings his fetish for physical markings that tell stories...because that's how he'll be interested in youuuuuur body? XD
But wait! You get stuff! (okay, not rly)
You also will:
-not be expected to stay with him
-not expected to love him
-in some ways, bully/top him in serious times (see Kio when he tells Soubi to shut up in serious situations)
-good sex
-okay, good sex
All in all, after TL;DR, Soubi can only date someone who doesn't mind being a permanent second, possibly being dropped like a load of bricks if commanded to, and who doesn't care about being loved back and knows that Soubi will never be able to reciprocate mentally or emotionally except with really hot sex and IS TOTALLY OKAY WITH IT AND WILL NOT EMO.
Remember, this is just the tired ramblings of a mun and these are purely speculative and how I view the way I play Soubi. I'd love to get feedback and and your views. Questions? Comments? Anyone?