Me when I'm at the misunderstanding the plot competition, but another mangago reader shows up.
The main thesis, the point of their entire relationship, is stated multiple times in different chapters. They're both mortified at the idea of not knowing how those around them feel. Kakine manages this with an easygoing fake personality and Keidai can find out through hypnosis. Kakine idolizes Keidai for his refusal to make himself appealing to others, not knowing he's got a cheat. If you understand this basic idea that the story is revolving around, then the ending makes perfect sense.
Kakine IS upset. He's upset, that Keidai thought that his desire to know people was the problem, when they both feel that way. The climax of the story is Keidai understanding that he can just talk to Kakine. Kakine getting upset at his anatomy being violated would make no thematical sense and it'd be strange character wise also. The author reminds the reader multiple times, that this is Keidai intruding on something he shouldn't have access to, not Kakine being forced to do something he doesn't want.
If the hypnosis is a metaphor for something irl, then it'd be closer to stalking than assault. This manga is about the feeling of "I just wish I knew what he's thinking" and how this feeling is torturing both of the characters. If Kakine was upset at being forced into being sexual in the climax, it would totally change the meaning. Keidai would no longer be the "I just wish I knew what he's thinking" character, but the "I just wish he'd do what I want him to do" character, which goes against everything else. Like every other panel is Keidai basically screaming "I want to know him!" on the inside.
And noooooo. I'm not defending Keidai. Mainly because going into a psychological manga and expecting the protagonists to be good people Is duuuuuumb. If you want kind people doing reasonable things to each other, there are entire lists for that. But also, I think the Keidai I described here isn't a good person, he's still a stalker with no morals. But!! He's thematically consistent. I'm not typing this all out so I can jerk off with a guilt free heart or something, I'm not catholic, I just feel like these themes aren't hard to miss, they're repeated multiple times across the chapters, so we should engage with the story fully. This isn't a reality tv show, this is a written story that has something to say or at least something to ask.
Me when I'm at the misunderstanding the plot competition, but another mangago reader shows up.
The main thesis, the point of their entire relationship, is stated multiple times in different chapters. They're both mortified at the idea of not knowing how those around them feel. Kakine manages this with an easygoing fake personality and Keidai can find out through hypnosis. Kakine idolizes Keidai for his refusal to make himself appealing to others, not knowing he's got a cheat. If you understand this basic idea that the story is revolving around, then the ending makes perfect sense.
Kakine IS upset. He's upset, that Keidai thought that his desire to know people was the problem, when they both feel that way. The climax of the story is Keidai understanding that he can just talk to Kakine. Kakine getting upset at his anatomy being violated would make no thematical sense and it'd be strange character wise also. The author reminds the reader multiple times, that this is Keidai intruding on something he shouldn't have access to, not Kakine being forced to do something he doesn't want.
If the hypnosis is a metaphor for something irl, then it'd be closer to stalking than assault. This manga is about the feeling of "I just wish I knew what he's thinking" and how this feeling is torturing both of the characters. If Kakine was upset at being forced into being sexual in the climax, it would totally change the meaning. Keidai would no longer be the "I just wish I knew what he's thinking" character, but the "I just wish he'd do what I want him to do" character, which goes against everything else. Like every other panel is Keidai basically screaming "I want to know him!" on the inside.
And noooooo. I'm not defending Keidai. Mainly because going into a psychological manga and expecting the protagonists to be good people Is duuuuuumb. If you want kind people doing reasonable things to each other, there are entire lists for that. But also, I think the Keidai I described here isn't a good person, he's still a stalker with no morals.
But!! He's thematically consistent.
I'm not typing this all out so I can jerk off with a guilt free heart or something, I'm not catholic, I just feel like these themes aren't hard to miss, they're repeated multiple times across the chapters, so we should engage with the story fully. This isn't a reality tv show, this is a written story that has something to say or at least something to ask.