I think that it has more to do with the drawing style that makes people (including me O,O) a little uncomfortable. We know, intellectually, that Ayase is almost 20 here, but his visual affect is that of a young boy, reminding us, uncomfortably, of shotacon. I mean, in the recent drawings he is almost tall enough to reach the top button on Kanous suit with his mouth, that and the rather extreme dominance and jealousy Kanou displays just exacerbates the issue. The fact that both characters have difficulty expressing themselves emotionally heightens this feeling. ╮(￣▽￣)╭
I agree and I have felt those same sensations myself. However, I also realize that it is an illusion and I must reorient my mind to recognize the facts as they are written in the manga. To simply ignore that which is provided by the mangaka in favor of a personal delusion does a disservice to the effort the mangaka made to create an incredible story. No?
Oh, for sure. One person replied to my personal unease with a great solution: perhaps Ayase has a growth disorder. And as for Kanou, most of us are aware of the tropes used, some just prefer to be outraged anyway, while others see it the same way the view the dynamic in Finder (so very similar, except Akihito is taller and somewhat less defenceless)
Wow, that is a great solution. Very unique and interesting. You're quite right. The dynamic between Asami and Akihito in Finder is very similar. After rereading this, I was compelled to reread Hoshi no Yataka. My BDSM switch had been flipped! LOL
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I love Finder, and yes, I do see how the characters relate to each other.
... How can anyone who has ACTUALLY READ this manga, page by page and beginning to end, call Kanou a monster?! First, though Ayase looks like he is 10, the first page and first scene of the manga has him being auctioned and the auctioneer discribes him as being AT LEAST 18. Which, in that type of auction, it benefits the auction house to UNDERESTIMATE the product's age. So, if the auctioneer claims he is 18, he is likely older. On to Kanou's behaviour: His initial intention is not to hold Ayase against his will and keep him tied to him with money. That action comes from Kanou's fear that if he does not have some kind of tangible tie to Ayase, Ayase will leave and never return. Remember, Kanou is a yakuza, born and bred. He knows that "normal" people don't follow the same rules that yakuza do because he makes his money off of that very fact every day. Ayase is "normal" and like all the other "normal" people Kanou loans money to, without threats, they will take advantage and run from their responsibilities. Kanou is not aware that Ayase has a deeper sense of honour than most and his trust that Ayase won't "run off" on him is slim. The entire manga is the story of how they grow into their feelings for each other. Which is really why I can't grasp how anyone can call Kanou a monster. Unless they have poor English comprehension skills, poor reading comprehension skills or simply flip through and ignore the dialogue and exposition and just look at the sex scenes. These are the only excuses one can give. Kanou is portrayed consistently through the entire manga as doing everything humanly possible for the sake and care of Ayase. Kanou genuinely loves Ayase. He lacks the tools to express that love like a "normal" person, but as a yakuza, he expresses his love beautifully. Emotions like love, loss, fear and happiness are shared by every human. How they expressed, however, can be vastly different. Projecting one's ideas of how emotions "should be" expressed onto another is arrogant and narcissistic. This manga is a form of erotica. So, if it doesn't "flip your personal switch" that is one thing, but to claim that Kanou doesn't love Ayase would be a bold faced lie.