![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Tenipuri episodes 25-26
Note: Unlike previous write-ups, there are significant spoilers for future episodes here. Previous: memories or tagged. Anime canon only.
This is the one. The Match. It's all about Tezuka and Ryoma. And Oishi. But mostly Tezuka and Ryoma. Please help me figure it out.
25 & 26. The Strongest Man in Seigaku
What's with all the train imagery? I suppose it could signify a journey, thus change. Which is what the episode is all about.
The normal credit images are replaced with flashbacks to interactions between Tezuka and Ryoma. (Also Arai!)
More flashbacks to start out the episode -- Tezuka puts Ryoma in the ranking matches, Tezuka watches Ryoma play in the ranking matches and denies being interested in Ryoma, Ryoma plays Kaidoh while Tezuka looks on, then six minutes later, we get into the real episode.
Tezuka denies to Ryuzaki that he wants a duel with Ryoma and tells her the real reason, which we do not hear at this point. While Tezuka is being so serious about playing Ryoma, Nanjiroh is totally goofing off and annoying Ryoma. But when Ryoma leaves, Nanjiroh muses that Ryoma has to defeat him soon or he'll be past it. (At 12 years old! Must. Suspend. Disbelief.)
They both want the same thing for Ryoma, but Nanjiroh knows he can't help Ryoma find that right now. Ryoma won't listen to him. I think Ryoma can hardly see Nanjiroh as a person. He's just a wall that Ryoma wants to climb over. They are so adversarial. And it doesn't help that Nanjiroh is such an ass.
(Oh, Fuji and Kaidoh are playing a practice match! I wish we could have seen more of that.)
When Oishi comments to Tezuka that they seem good to go for the tournament, Tezuka comes back with his ultra-serious "we can't be too careful" line and Oishi seems really taken aback by it. From which I deduce that this behaviour is serious even for Tezuka. Certainly, Oishi is suspicious.
Tezuka takes Ryoma off the court for their talk. Ryoma looks startled at the command.
There's a flashback to the conversation with Ryuzaki. We find out that Tezuka's reason is that Tezuka thinks that Ryoma's tennis is just a copy of his father's and that if he doesn't break out of that, he'll be stuck. He needs to find his own tennis.
Ryuzaki thinks that Tezuka is being reckless, risking his arm when the tournament is just around the corner. No, Tezuka says, that's why it's important for Echizen.
Tezuka thinks he can do this without hurting his arm, but that's far from certain. And he seems to find Ryoma's development more important.
In the conversation with Tezuka, we can already hear the voice Ryoma uses with him, that he doesn't use with anyone else. It's softer, not challenging. (Though he is a little cheeky to Tezuka on occasion.)
Ryoma is thunderstruck by Tezuka's order for him to play. He stands there, clutching the ball Tezuka threw to him, and stares after Tezuka.
Why does Tezuka give Ryoma the ball? Is it just a visual aid for the conversation? Does he want to give Ryoma something? It's a nice link between them and a focus for Ryoma in the days before the match.
Oishi's participation in this episode is really important. He's the only one who can tell Tezuka off. And he tries to. There are competing loyalties here. If Tezuka injures himself, how will he and Oishi take the team to Nationals, like they promised back in first year? Oishi has a right to complain of Tezuka, both for the team's sake and for his own.
But Tezuka doesn't want to hear it. He shuts Oishi down. "It's fine."
Ryuzaki impresses Ryoma with the seriousness of the match and the level of Tezuka's skill. But I think Ryoma already got that.
Usually a big match will make Ryoma smile as he enjoys the anticipation. He doesn't smile over this one, not until he's actually playing. Instead, he's distracted and restless, playing with the tennis ball. His family remarks on his odd behaviour. He takes a bath and keeps playing with the tennis ball, hearing Tezuka's voice in his head.
I don't think he knows what to expect. He's seen Tezuka play a bit, at tournaments and at practice. And he doesn't know why Tezuka wants to play. Does he think Tezuka feels he has to prove himself against Ryoma? Ryoma must get lots of people wanting to challenge him.
Tezuka is out staring at the court they'll play on. I wonder what he's thinking about the match. Does he think he'll enjoy it? Or is that even relevant to him right now? It must be, since the message he's trying to give Ryoma is that you have to play tennis for its own sake.
And that was the lesson of Yamato-buchou. Yamato wasn't that good at tennis, but he loved it very, very much.
Now, now Tezuka is at the doctor's, getting the final word. If the doctor had said he wasn't healed, would he have cancelled the match with Ryoma? I don't think so. And it would have broken Oishi's heart.
Tezuka smiles when he hears he's okay. It's a nice moment with him and Oishi. But the doctor tells him not to play any long matches and not to hit any drop shots.
Tezuka still won't listen to Oishi and Oishi is getting more and more upset.
[ Full disclosure: I ship Tezuka/Oishi in manga canon, parallel to how I ship Tezuka/Ryoma in anime canon. More on that another time. ]
Inoue goes to talk to Nanjiroh and recaps the fact that Ryoma needs to break out of his copy tennis. But he brings up an interesting point, that during the match with Shinji, where Ryoma was playing injured, he made a shot that was entirely his own. It seems like Ryoma has to suffer to grow, but I guess that's universal.
Nanjiroh says there's more Ryoma has to do, that just breaking out of imitation isn't enough to defeat Nanjiroh.
And then the match begins. In passing, Tezuka is in lavender and purple.
They both look serious and determined. Ryoma is not cowed. He even tries a bit of light conversation, but Tezuka is having none of it. And Ryoma buckles down.
They play, Oishi watches and he's so worried for Tezuka, his bag falls to the ground. That's his entire focus right now. Tezuka and his arm.
Tezuka asks Ryoma if he can beat Tezuka. Ryoma says he'll do it if Tezuka tells him to. He still doesn't quite know what he's got himself into. But he's enjoying it, at least so far. I think he thinks he can win.
Oishi notes that Tezuka is going all out. Tezuka asks Ryoma why he plays tennis and Ryoma says it's because he has someone he wants to defeat. This is the key. He needs to shift his focus off of Nanjiroh and play tennis for its own sake. Of course, really what happens is Ryoma's focus switches to Tezuka.
Ryoma loses his cap, which seems symbolic of his loss. And Tezuka hits the zero-shiki, while Oishi looks on horrified. It seems to fire up Ryoma though, as he smiles happily.
We don't see the end of the game. We do see Nanjiroh ask if Ryoma was on a date and Ryoma says, "Something like that." Ryoma is quiet. He lies on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
There's a flashback to the game where Ryoma tells Tezuka he won't lose like this. Tezuka keeps trying to bring out Ryoma's tennis and in doing so, develops a golden glow.
Tezuka and Oishi take the train. Oishi tells Tezuka off for playing so hard, but Tezuka says, "My joints are nothing." (While I'm typing this, I'm tearing up over Oishi. I feel so badly for him here.)
It's all about Ryoma. Ryoma is more important than Tezuka's arm, more important than his promise to Oishi. Though if Ryoma's potential is released, then that will help them get to Nationals. But that's not what Oishi wants, I don't think.
Oishi is also concerned for Ryoma; his injury has just healed. And what about the psychological effect of losing?
But Tezuka says it would be meaningless not to go all out. The match was necessary. "This is the only thing I can do for him." And he zones out while Oishi talks to him. Obviously, this was an intense experience for him.
Flashback to the end of the match. We don't even find out the score. Tezuka tells Ryoma to become Seigaku's pillar of support. Just as Yamato-buchou told him.
The next day, Tezuka goes back to the doctor for a checkup. The doctor tells him off for using his drop shot. Tezuka says it was necessary. Talent has to be explored. Afterwards, he stands on a rooftop and we see a plane go by. "It was necessary to start Echizen's tennis, even if the cost is great." He clutches his elbow. He's still standing there when the sun sets.
Ryoma is lost in thought. He goes home, skipping practice, and plays with Nanjiroh. Ryoma gets the golden glow and finally gets a shot past Nanjiroh. They are both happy.
Inui can only think of one reason why Ryoma is absent two days in a row, but he doesn't say what it is. Has he figured out what happened?
The ED plays over images of Tezuka and Ryoma, then switches to the usual images. I think it's an extended version of the song.
Oh my god, what an episode. This was the first time I really felt the implications for Oishi.
What does Ryoma think of all this? He doesn't know about Tezuka's arm, obviously, but why does he think Tezuka is doing this? Does he know it's to help him?
I think he must. He ends up just respecting Tezuka even more. And he, well, I'm not sure he feels the weight of Tezuka's decree just yet, but it's tapping at his skull anyhow.
And he learns the lesson. He starts to break through. I wish Tezuka could have seen it.
Oh, Tezuka, Tezuka. Why? Why do you go to such lengths? This seems beyond what a captain owes his teammates or what a senpai owes his kohai. Is it that he truly sees the potential in Ryoma, knows that it is so much greater than his own, and feels he can't let it go to waste?
Is it that there's something inside of him that makes him a martyr? For that matter, why does he destroy himself in the match against Atobe? I suppose I shouldn't really speculate on that too much until I get there, in this go-round. But I think that along with wanting to win for his team, wanting to win for his dream with Oishi, wanting to show Ryoma his determination, along with all that, I think that on a subconscious level, Tezuka wanted out.
When we see him in Germany, he's so relaxed. He laughs. There's no pressure, except to get well. He gets a break from being buchou. And it seems to do him a lot of good. Everybody expects so much of Tezuka. It must be nice to get away from that.
But back to Ryoma. Why? We've seen Tezuka help other people. He was necessarily harsh with Momo when Momo was favouring his leg after his sprain had healed. He engineered things so his coach in Germany would regain her confidence. But those things are not on this level.
Maybe it's just fate. Maybe he knows he's destined to be the one to find Ryoma, to set him on his path. John the Baptist, Qui-Gon Jinn. Okay, that's a bit much, but still. I think of Hughes telling Roy that he'll make sure to have a lower rank than Roy, so he can support him from below.
I wonder this doesn't crush Tezuka. It seems impossible for anybody to be this altruistic for someone not their own flesh and blood. And at this age? Tezuka is the One but then he finds out that he's not the One after all, it's Ryoma. Ryoma will surpass him. Tezuka doesn't try to fight that. He encourages it.
"This is the only thing I can do for him." It sounds like he wishes he could do more.
And so they are bound together, for all eternity.
This is the one. The Match. It's all about Tezuka and Ryoma. And Oishi. But mostly Tezuka and Ryoma. Please help me figure it out.
25 & 26. The Strongest Man in Seigaku
What's with all the train imagery? I suppose it could signify a journey, thus change. Which is what the episode is all about.
The normal credit images are replaced with flashbacks to interactions between Tezuka and Ryoma. (Also Arai!)
More flashbacks to start out the episode -- Tezuka puts Ryoma in the ranking matches, Tezuka watches Ryoma play in the ranking matches and denies being interested in Ryoma, Ryoma plays Kaidoh while Tezuka looks on, then six minutes later, we get into the real episode.
Tezuka denies to Ryuzaki that he wants a duel with Ryoma and tells her the real reason, which we do not hear at this point. While Tezuka is being so serious about playing Ryoma, Nanjiroh is totally goofing off and annoying Ryoma. But when Ryoma leaves, Nanjiroh muses that Ryoma has to defeat him soon or he'll be past it. (At 12 years old! Must. Suspend. Disbelief.)
They both want the same thing for Ryoma, but Nanjiroh knows he can't help Ryoma find that right now. Ryoma won't listen to him. I think Ryoma can hardly see Nanjiroh as a person. He's just a wall that Ryoma wants to climb over. They are so adversarial. And it doesn't help that Nanjiroh is such an ass.
(Oh, Fuji and Kaidoh are playing a practice match! I wish we could have seen more of that.)
When Oishi comments to Tezuka that they seem good to go for the tournament, Tezuka comes back with his ultra-serious "we can't be too careful" line and Oishi seems really taken aback by it. From which I deduce that this behaviour is serious even for Tezuka. Certainly, Oishi is suspicious.
Tezuka takes Ryoma off the court for their talk. Ryoma looks startled at the command.
There's a flashback to the conversation with Ryuzaki. We find out that Tezuka's reason is that Tezuka thinks that Ryoma's tennis is just a copy of his father's and that if he doesn't break out of that, he'll be stuck. He needs to find his own tennis.
Ryuzaki thinks that Tezuka is being reckless, risking his arm when the tournament is just around the corner. No, Tezuka says, that's why it's important for Echizen.
Tezuka thinks he can do this without hurting his arm, but that's far from certain. And he seems to find Ryoma's development more important.
In the conversation with Tezuka, we can already hear the voice Ryoma uses with him, that he doesn't use with anyone else. It's softer, not challenging. (Though he is a little cheeky to Tezuka on occasion.)
Ryoma is thunderstruck by Tezuka's order for him to play. He stands there, clutching the ball Tezuka threw to him, and stares after Tezuka.
Why does Tezuka give Ryoma the ball? Is it just a visual aid for the conversation? Does he want to give Ryoma something? It's a nice link between them and a focus for Ryoma in the days before the match.
Oishi's participation in this episode is really important. He's the only one who can tell Tezuka off. And he tries to. There are competing loyalties here. If Tezuka injures himself, how will he and Oishi take the team to Nationals, like they promised back in first year? Oishi has a right to complain of Tezuka, both for the team's sake and for his own.
But Tezuka doesn't want to hear it. He shuts Oishi down. "It's fine."
Ryuzaki impresses Ryoma with the seriousness of the match and the level of Tezuka's skill. But I think Ryoma already got that.
Usually a big match will make Ryoma smile as he enjoys the anticipation. He doesn't smile over this one, not until he's actually playing. Instead, he's distracted and restless, playing with the tennis ball. His family remarks on his odd behaviour. He takes a bath and keeps playing with the tennis ball, hearing Tezuka's voice in his head.
I don't think he knows what to expect. He's seen Tezuka play a bit, at tournaments and at practice. And he doesn't know why Tezuka wants to play. Does he think Tezuka feels he has to prove himself against Ryoma? Ryoma must get lots of people wanting to challenge him.
Tezuka is out staring at the court they'll play on. I wonder what he's thinking about the match. Does he think he'll enjoy it? Or is that even relevant to him right now? It must be, since the message he's trying to give Ryoma is that you have to play tennis for its own sake.
And that was the lesson of Yamato-buchou. Yamato wasn't that good at tennis, but he loved it very, very much.
Now, now Tezuka is at the doctor's, getting the final word. If the doctor had said he wasn't healed, would he have cancelled the match with Ryoma? I don't think so. And it would have broken Oishi's heart.
Tezuka smiles when he hears he's okay. It's a nice moment with him and Oishi. But the doctor tells him not to play any long matches and not to hit any drop shots.
Tezuka still won't listen to Oishi and Oishi is getting more and more upset.
[ Full disclosure: I ship Tezuka/Oishi in manga canon, parallel to how I ship Tezuka/Ryoma in anime canon. More on that another time. ]
Inoue goes to talk to Nanjiroh and recaps the fact that Ryoma needs to break out of his copy tennis. But he brings up an interesting point, that during the match with Shinji, where Ryoma was playing injured, he made a shot that was entirely his own. It seems like Ryoma has to suffer to grow, but I guess that's universal.
Nanjiroh says there's more Ryoma has to do, that just breaking out of imitation isn't enough to defeat Nanjiroh.
And then the match begins. In passing, Tezuka is in lavender and purple.
They both look serious and determined. Ryoma is not cowed. He even tries a bit of light conversation, but Tezuka is having none of it. And Ryoma buckles down.
They play, Oishi watches and he's so worried for Tezuka, his bag falls to the ground. That's his entire focus right now. Tezuka and his arm.
Tezuka asks Ryoma if he can beat Tezuka. Ryoma says he'll do it if Tezuka tells him to. He still doesn't quite know what he's got himself into. But he's enjoying it, at least so far. I think he thinks he can win.
Oishi notes that Tezuka is going all out. Tezuka asks Ryoma why he plays tennis and Ryoma says it's because he has someone he wants to defeat. This is the key. He needs to shift his focus off of Nanjiroh and play tennis for its own sake. Of course, really what happens is Ryoma's focus switches to Tezuka.
Ryoma loses his cap, which seems symbolic of his loss. And Tezuka hits the zero-shiki, while Oishi looks on horrified. It seems to fire up Ryoma though, as he smiles happily.
We don't see the end of the game. We do see Nanjiroh ask if Ryoma was on a date and Ryoma says, "Something like that." Ryoma is quiet. He lies on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
There's a flashback to the game where Ryoma tells Tezuka he won't lose like this. Tezuka keeps trying to bring out Ryoma's tennis and in doing so, develops a golden glow.
Tezuka and Oishi take the train. Oishi tells Tezuka off for playing so hard, but Tezuka says, "My joints are nothing." (While I'm typing this, I'm tearing up over Oishi. I feel so badly for him here.)
It's all about Ryoma. Ryoma is more important than Tezuka's arm, more important than his promise to Oishi. Though if Ryoma's potential is released, then that will help them get to Nationals. But that's not what Oishi wants, I don't think.
Oishi is also concerned for Ryoma; his injury has just healed. And what about the psychological effect of losing?
But Tezuka says it would be meaningless not to go all out. The match was necessary. "This is the only thing I can do for him." And he zones out while Oishi talks to him. Obviously, this was an intense experience for him.
Flashback to the end of the match. We don't even find out the score. Tezuka tells Ryoma to become Seigaku's pillar of support. Just as Yamato-buchou told him.
The next day, Tezuka goes back to the doctor for a checkup. The doctor tells him off for using his drop shot. Tezuka says it was necessary. Talent has to be explored. Afterwards, he stands on a rooftop and we see a plane go by. "It was necessary to start Echizen's tennis, even if the cost is great." He clutches his elbow. He's still standing there when the sun sets.
Ryoma is lost in thought. He goes home, skipping practice, and plays with Nanjiroh. Ryoma gets the golden glow and finally gets a shot past Nanjiroh. They are both happy.
Inui can only think of one reason why Ryoma is absent two days in a row, but he doesn't say what it is. Has he figured out what happened?
The ED plays over images of Tezuka and Ryoma, then switches to the usual images. I think it's an extended version of the song.
Oh my god, what an episode. This was the first time I really felt the implications for Oishi.
What does Ryoma think of all this? He doesn't know about Tezuka's arm, obviously, but why does he think Tezuka is doing this? Does he know it's to help him?
I think he must. He ends up just respecting Tezuka even more. And he, well, I'm not sure he feels the weight of Tezuka's decree just yet, but it's tapping at his skull anyhow.
And he learns the lesson. He starts to break through. I wish Tezuka could have seen it.
Oh, Tezuka, Tezuka. Why? Why do you go to such lengths? This seems beyond what a captain owes his teammates or what a senpai owes his kohai. Is it that he truly sees the potential in Ryoma, knows that it is so much greater than his own, and feels he can't let it go to waste?
Is it that there's something inside of him that makes him a martyr? For that matter, why does he destroy himself in the match against Atobe? I suppose I shouldn't really speculate on that too much until I get there, in this go-round. But I think that along with wanting to win for his team, wanting to win for his dream with Oishi, wanting to show Ryoma his determination, along with all that, I think that on a subconscious level, Tezuka wanted out.
When we see him in Germany, he's so relaxed. He laughs. There's no pressure, except to get well. He gets a break from being buchou. And it seems to do him a lot of good. Everybody expects so much of Tezuka. It must be nice to get away from that.
But back to Ryoma. Why? We've seen Tezuka help other people. He was necessarily harsh with Momo when Momo was favouring his leg after his sprain had healed. He engineered things so his coach in Germany would regain her confidence. But those things are not on this level.
Maybe it's just fate. Maybe he knows he's destined to be the one to find Ryoma, to set him on his path. John the Baptist, Qui-Gon Jinn. Okay, that's a bit much, but still. I think of Hughes telling Roy that he'll make sure to have a lower rank than Roy, so he can support him from below.
I wonder this doesn't crush Tezuka. It seems impossible for anybody to be this altruistic for someone not their own flesh and blood. And at this age? Tezuka is the One but then he finds out that he's not the One after all, it's Ryoma. Ryoma will surpass him. Tezuka doesn't try to fight that. He encourages it.
"This is the only thing I can do for him." It sounds like he wishes he could do more.
And so they are bound together, for all eternity.
no subject
Oishi breaks my heart. Often. So much. I think Kachirou will be just like him, and he'll also break my heart (and sometimes i toy with the idea of writing that, while Horio and tomako have an abusive relationship in the background).
Sometimes, on top of his interest in Ryoma, I think that Tezuka also feels guilty for leaving the group that comes after this year with next to nothing. His vice-captain is a senior, almost all the regulars are seniors, there's going to be very little continuity in the club at the competition level. And I think that Tezuka is smart enough to realize that he made that choice very cognizantly when he decided they were going to Nationals, even if it wasn't the best thing for the Club as a whole.
Maybe there are members of the tennis club, Arai in particular, who don't exactly thank him for that. I wish we got to see more of last year, and things that happened during a year that runs more normally.
So perhaps that is why he tries so hard to reach down into the freshman class, because he is trying to leave just a little continuity. But also, i think you're right about the effect Yamato had on him, and does want to have that effect on Ryoma. It's a combination of things.
no subject
Ooh. I totally agree, and this is an excellent observation--Kachirou will make a kickass captain someday.
no subject
Interesting thought! I think, though, that most of the clubs are in the same situation -- two or three second-years and the rest third years. (Except for Fudomine who is going to completely dominate next year.) It's all merit-based -- the best players get the positions.
I guess we don't know too much about what kind of training the non-regulars get, but we do see them working hard. We know from flashbacky things that Yamato made sure to train up the first and second years; maybe the same thing is happening now. And I wonder if there are some fall tournaments that they'll be able to get some real match experience in.
Oishi breaks my heart. Often. So much. I think Kachirou will be just like him, and he'll also break my heart (and sometimes i toy with the idea of writing that, while Horio and tomako have an abusive relationship in the background).
Oishi makes me sigh. He's so *good*. And nice. And has pretty eyes. I think you're right about Kachiro. (And yes! Horio/Tomoka is love!)
no subject
Next step: that construction includes challenges. It really seems to me as though the best players are never alive unless and until they have a challenge on the court. The possibility of losing; the possibility of evolving.
Last step: Ryouma is the ultimate challenge, if he can just get his act together. I think that, perhaps, this is the point where Tezuka starts to see Ryouma as the avatar of tennis itself. Of the game itself. Of the reason why all of them play.
By those terms, the idea that Ryouma might surpass him is more of an inducement than a threat. And it does, perhaps, explain why Tezuka is willing to risk so much in pushing Ryouma to get it together.
no subject
Ryouma is the ultimate challenge, if he can just get his act together. I think that, perhaps, this is the point where Tezuka starts to see Ryouma as the avatar of tennis itself. Of the game itself. Of the reason why all of them play.
Yes, that makes a lot of sense. So it's worth it to bring that to life, even if it costs Tezuka everything.
You are smart.
no subject
First thing that made me drop what I was doing and squee is the acknowledgment of the Breathy Buchou Voice!
In the conversation with Tezuka, we can already hear the voice Ryoma uses with him, that he doesn't use with anyone else. It's softer, not challenging. (Though he is a little cheeky to Tezuka on occasion.)
Absolutely. I think one thing that's underlined in this episode in a number of ways is that Tezuka is special to Ryoma; and while Tezuka is special to *everybody,* he is special to Ryoma, even before they have played, in a different way. Ryoma's tendency to idolize Tezuka is clear, I think--but I don't even think it's idol *worship* so much as the first real, instinctive respect Ryoma has ever had for any other player he knows. I'm not sure Ryoma even knows what to do with it until he plays Tezuka.
Also: tennis ball in bathtub. This was the first time I ever realised that it was the same tennis ball! No wonder everyone goes crazy with the imagery there. Proof for the few who need it that Ryoma has Tezuka in the palm of his hand. :))
Your discussion about Tezuka's willingness to play Ryoma despite his injury triggered something I never thought about before, which is that Ryoma's repeated, horrified/awed/amazed/omglove "Buchou..." in the atobe-tez matchup probably also involved the sudden, full realisation of what tezuka had risked in order to play him earlier. Because I don't honestly think anyone besides Oishi ever knew the lengths to which Tezuka was capable of pushing himself until the Atobe-Tez match, and I think there's definitely a moment where Ryoma looks back and thinks, "oh my god, this is what he was risking, really risking, to play me that day under the overpass." Which i think just makes it that much more compelling to watch that initial encounter, because you know that Ryoma is just starting to realize so much, not only about himself, but about Tezuka and the connection between them.
I don't think that you watch "Lost," but I do, and although the main character on that show is my *least* favorite character, last night I was watching the first 2 eps of the second season, and it dawned on me that said character, the doctor Jack Sheppard, actually reminds me a lot of Tezuka, in terms of how he functions as the leader of the group, his relationship to the other characters, and in terms of his self-perception and particularly his guilt complex. Your comments in this post shored up that comparison for me in a number of ways. I intend to elaborate on it more later, but I just wanted to throw it out there in case you knew the show, and in case other Lost-watchers recognized the similarities I'm talking about.
no subject
Yes, exactly. I wonder how things would have been different for Ryoma if Nanjiroh had commanded more respect from him. (But then, it wasn't until Akira met Hikaru that he got fired up either. Hmm. I think, in this genre, your rival or goal or counterpart has to be from your own generation.) And Tezuka respects Ryoma. He plays seriously against him, after we see Nanjiroh acting like a fool.
Which i think just makes it that much more compelling to watch that initial encounter, because you know that Ryoma is just starting to realize so much, not only about himself, but about Tezuka and the connection between them.
That's just perfect for his age. He's blooming into this different world, and probably getting some inkling that other people *matter*. He doesn't seem the type to make connections easily. Everyone else reaches out to him, he doesn't turn to them first. And the knowledge that one of the people who did so much for him was Tezuka -- it must humble him a little. You know, as much as Ryoma could be humbled, anyhow. *g*
I don't watch Lost, but I'll be interested to see what other people have to say about the comparison.
no subject
I think, in this genre, your rival or goal or counterpart has to be from your own generation.
This is actually one of the things I've been thinking about while I'm watching, the relationship between Nanjiroh, Ryoma and Tezuka, and why Tezuka is set up as a good and healthy goal for Ryoma to aim at, while Nanjiroh is not. At the moment, I'm thinking two things, actually. One about how the Nanjiroh Ryoma's really playing, the one everyone sees when they look at him isn't Nanjiroh now, it's Nanjiroh 15-20 years ago. Ryoma will never beat him the way he wants - or the way Nanjiroh wants to be beaten - because he's not playing the right person.
The other thing is that Tezuka and Ryoma can aim for each other. Ryoma will never be someone Nanjiroh needs to push him higher, and so he can never be his rival or counterpart. It's not symbiotic, the way great rivalries often come across, the way other people make you better as you make them better.
And, I suppose, that could be one of the reasons Tezuka wants to make Ryoma great, as I think someone else said. Because making Ryoma better will make him better too, not just the team.
Hnuh. I'm not actually sure that made sense outside my head, but there you go.
no subject
This post has reminded me of exactly why the translation of that line has rather annoyed me for some time now -- I don't have the episode on hand so I can't quote the exact Japanese, but Nanjirou's not talking about Ryouma when he says "he'll be past it." Rather, he's talking about himself -- something along the lines of Hurry up and beat me soon before I turn into an old man.
Lovely review, BTW -- TezuRyo's my TeniPuri OTP, and these posts are reminding me of why I fell in love with them in the first place. :)
no subject
I'm glad you're enjoying the write-ups -- it's a lot of fun thinking through the eps this way. If you have any good TezuRyo theories, please share. :)
no subject
I see the Tezuka-Ryoma relationship as steeped deep in the Japanese male sempai/kohei roles. Or rather... it's that relationship to its furthest and most perfect extreme. It's not beyond what the *perfect* tennis sempai owes. Of course, everyone on the team thinks Tezuka is the bestest captain ever, but only with Ryoma can he fulfill his sempai potential.
The "improving the team for later years" and "can't stand to see tennis potential wasted" also play a big part as well, but I just see Tezuka as being the epitome of a certain stereotype/trope. He's so going to be a saleryman when he grows up, and read the paper at the table, and tell his kids "don't let your guard down." He will have some non-offensive hobby and, despite never practicing, will be able to whup most people at tennis should the dramatic need arise.
no subject
Yes, good point. So, if Tezuka is the ideal senpai, how does Ryoma do in living up to the ideal kohai? A work in progress, I think. *g* But getting there.
I just see Tezuka as being the epitome of a certain stereotype/trope
There's a lot to that. The character I've always felt he most resembled was Aragorn, perfect warrior, perfect leader, character development all over and done with by the time the book starts.
But I want Tezuka to be more human, because a paragon is not interesting. So I'm looking for that in him, wherever I can find it.
no subject
It wouldn't take an uber-sempai if he was easy. (just like in romance novels it takes a Real Man to deal with the feisty heroine)
His slight snark and that over-familarity that's just slightly over the line are what make it A Job For Tezuka. :D But he does basically repect him, does what he says, and makes the improvments and breakthroughs as desired.
no subject
Yes! Yes! When he's not in the school uniform, he's nearly always wearing a purple shirt. I would say always except that I haven't watched the eps for months and can't be certain. He wears as much purple as Mizuki!
no subject
no subject
When we see him in Germany, he's so relaxed. He laughs. There's no pressure, except to get well. He gets a break from being buchou. And it seems to do him a lot of good. Everybody expects so much of Tezuka. It must be nice to get away from that.
Wow. This thought had never occurred to me. It fits so well though.
Note that, when Tezuka goes to Germany, he leaves his regulars' jacket behind; basically leaves all the buchou stuff in Japan. I wouldn't have thought this significant -- after all, he's not a regular when he goes to Germany, and Momo left his jacket in the clubhouse when he lost in the ranking matches -- but Snoy has informed me that, in the latest OVA, Ryoma is walking onto the court in New York still wearing his regulars' jacket.
So for Ryoma, Seigaku is his formative experience and the thing he'll carry with him, literally on his back, when he leaves. But for Tezuka? I don't know, I just don't know. Does he just not need exterior symbols of important experiences? Or is being the captain at Seigaku a pressure that he's glad to leave behind, literally in the Seigaku locker room? Hrm.