Woah, easy there tiger. You are going completely overdrive again with all this speculations (Akihito's parents divorced, Asami's parents dead). The simple fact is: We don't know. We have no way of knowing. And unless sensei drops us some cold, hard intel on the matter, we won't ever know. End of. Chillax. Live a little. You know, you often sound as if Viewfinder is all you think about 24/7.
Anoni Grrl was upfront about saying this comment was pure speculation on her part. Live and let live, k?
Just as an aside: on my phone, my mom is listed by name and not as "mom". I did at one time consider scanning the same photo* Akihito has for Asami on his phone and listing her as "Asami Ryuichi" because I thought it be amusing to see that show up when she calls my phone.
Who knows, maybe I still will (屮｀∀´)屮
*[see: http://www.mangago.zone/read-manga/you_re_my_loveprize_in_viewfinder/mh/v07/c045/ ]
I think that all the mysterious things involving both characters are plot devices. Probably the author intends to develop the story little by little in her own way. I, sometimes, have the idea that Asami has to do with the secret services and maybe, at some point of his life, had to change his identity...I know, mine is just a mere speculation. :)
You say that as if it were a bad thing.
It's just speculation. You know, some people have fantasy football teams, and some like to talk about politics or celebrities. I like stories--and right now this is one of the stories I like to talk about.
That would be pretty funny. :)
What makes you think Aki's dad wasn't involved with his life until he was a teen? In that BeBoy investigation where Aki's at the nursery school, he talks to one of the kids about his dad and how he was scary when he got mad. So his dad was around when Aki was a little kid. As far as New Year's goes, we know Aki's dad is a world traveler, so maybe Aki's parents were out of the country.
The thing is, this is all speculation. What we do know is that the few times Aki has thought of his parents, it's fairly affectionate. Doesn't mean anything is broken or bad in their relationship, just that he's a young, independent guy establishing his own life and not in constant contact with his parents.
Of course it is all speculation. That's the point--it's a "what if". You know, imaging things for fun and discussion.
As for why I think Aki's dad was not much involved before he was a teen, it may be a translation issue. To me, when someone says Aki's dad got involved when Aki started getting into trouble as a teen, it implies his dad wasn't much involved before that. Also, people can get divorced any time, some maybe Aki remembers that his dad was scary when his dad was angry because it happened before a divorce.
It's equally valid to speculate that the family has a great relationship, but work at demanding jobs at far off locations, as you say. There is also certainly a wide spectrum of possibilities between "broken" and "close" and most families move a little between being more towards one side of that or more towards the other.
I notice no one has been upset (yet) that I hypothetically killed off Asami's parents before we got to see Mrs. Asami show up and demand Asami put out his cigarettes and stop drinking so much. (By "Mrs. Asami", I mean his mom, not Aki). Don't you want to argue they could be very close and demanding grandchildren?
I've entertained both of these speculations at times. My latest one is that Asami was raised someplace other than Japan, which is why his past can't be traced.
Also, Sensei has said there is no record of "Asami Ryuichi" ever leaving the country, so he has legal documents (a passport, at least) under another name.
Okay, it's just the way you worded that part in particular: "So, if Aki's parents were divorced, it would explain why his dad didn't get involved until Aki got into trouble as a teen" it sounds like the divorce is the speculation for the fact that the dad isn't involved. It wasn't clear that the dad not being involved was also speculation.
My feeling is that this story is so tight, there is little room for aspects that don't directly influence the plot and that is the main reason we get so little info on Aki's parents. The fact that we get any mention of Aki's parents at all says a lot, as is the fact that we get zero mention of any of Asami's family connections. I believe this is sensei's way of making use of the space she has to further differentiate the disparate lifestyles of her two lovers.
That sounds really interesting. Thanks! :)
Very interesting. I really like that. Now I have to wonder where he might have grown up...
I agree with you about Sensei making choices about what is most relevant to the story. I believe that even if Sensei didn't limit herself, some editor would make suggestions. I am not criticizing the story, merely playing around with it.
I interpret the family references (and lack thereof) differently than you do, but yours is one valid way to see it. There is certainly no reason why you shouldn't make that inference. I see Aki's friends and social life as a major difference in their lifestyles, but I can't quite credit a few reference to family that same as I do people I actually see in the story. I just can't get past Aki's family not noticing that Aki disappeared for over a month without a word to anyone. There is not calling *every* day, and then there is not calling anyone for over a month, and your boss and friends not knowing where you are. The later seems like a problem to me. But it's cool if that doesn't bother you.
I think we may not get backstory on Asami because that adds to his mystery. Personally I like all those details, but some fans like not knowing. It's part of Asami's allure.
I was basing my interpretation of Aki's dad just becoming involved after Aki had problems as a teen on the way something in an interview was worded after it was translated into English. I can never find these interviews when I want to link to them, but it wasn't really part of the story anyway. I also know that there may be connotations in the translation that may not be there in the original. I will admit that part of the phrasing was based on my interpretation and not anything in the story itself. I should have qualified it by saying "why it seems to me that..." I tend to multitask when I post here, so I don't self-edit well.
OT (derailing my own thread): Does anyone know why I seem to remember Aki's grandmother had a cat? Was that in an interview?
Probably something yaoi-cliché... like England. And he attended a certain boarding school in an unknown location in Scotlan--
*cough*
I mean, I wonder too.
I remember reading about Aki's grandma having a dog, LOL. Was this trivia in some obscure extra or did I read this in a fanfic? XD
Head cannoned.
I think you are correct. Yamane Ayano has a cat, and I have a cat, so maybe I've been changing the dog to a cat.
But we are sure Souh raises puppies, right?
"Yer a wizard, Ryuichi..." Hyuk hyuk!
YA has like three or four cats :)
Suoh and puppies? YES. Something fluffy and squishy and disgustingly adorable...I see him raising a litter of chow chow's. XD Or would Asami find it offensive since it's a Chinese breed?
Going on pure speculation (because we have nothing else to go on), why do you think we do not see anything about Asami's parents and only hear about Aki's parents in passing?
I wonder if it's possible Aki's parents are divorced. A long time ago, someone in a discussion on another yaoi (I forget who to credit and I forget the manga) explained to me that in Japan, when custody is awarded after a divorce the child usually loses the other parent. It's not like in the US where they usually have visitation schedules and there is a push for joint decision making about things such as education and healthcare. So, if Aki's parents were divorced, it would explain why his dad didn't get involved until Aki got into trouble as a teen, and maybe why Aki lists his mother by her first name in his phone instead of by the Japanese equivalent of "Mom". Of course, they do not have to be divorced, but it would explain why there is no united family present in Aki's day to day life, and why no one expects Aki to come home for the holidays.
Speaking of holidays, it seemed to me like Asami was completely alone on New Year's. I assume Kirishima and Souh have the day off to visit loved ones. Asami takes the time to sleep in. It doesn't look like he had plans until Aki started calling him. Do you think Asami's parents could be dead? Or did they abandon him (or vice verse)? Even an alpha male seme should visit his mother at least once a year, right? Of course, Asami didn't visit Kuroda either, which might blow my theory about them being brothers or half brothers, but if they have different mothers, Kuroda could be visiting his mom. Can you imagine parents showing up in Asami's life and having opinions as to what Asami does? Or do you think he is probably and orphan?