Responses
ohh my god when you mentioned madoka magica
Damn. While I agree with this, I also think it's because Dan-I realized that Yeo is loyal to a fault, that she dismisses any sort of opportunity just to be beside Dan-I. So the existential horror would apply to both of them with the added fear that Dan-I is dragging Yeo with her
That’s not jealousy — that’s ontological (existential) threat.
Dan-I’s “jealousy” is such an oversimplification and a misdiagnosis. It reminds me more of: - Shadow syndrome: She’s not jealous of Yeo. She’s haunted by the self she becomes next to her. - Identity erosion: Her role, her presence, her meaning — all consumed by this “parasitic friendship.” For Dan-I, being near Yeo isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s identity-deforming. - Emotional claustrophobia: The kind where you’re not allowed to leave, not allowed to speak it, and not allowed to even feel wronged without sounding petty.
Her parents — and others — label this as “just jealousy” because it’s neater. Easier. But what Dan-I’s going through is the existential horror of being overwritten while still alive. So stepping away from Yeo isn’t some basic tantrum. It’s evasion. Escape. Self-preservation. Dan-I doesn’t hate Yeo. She fears her. Not for what Yeo does — but for what Yeo makes her feel like: a mere shadow.
Dan-I is the Madoka of side characters. Just as Madoka Magica deconstructs the magical girl genre, Inso’s Law deconstructs the role of the “side character.”