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iwasreadyfortheapocalypsein1999 · 2 years ago

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Ohh thank you for answering my ask!! 🥰

I'm glad you too noted the prominent sensuality of Kamui artworks! 🤝

You raised some very good points, and I totally see the fanservice issue.

Ok, Kamui dressed in bdsm gear with Fuuma as his Dom is hot and hotness sells.

But in a series as symbolic as this one, with images carefully constructed and full of symbolic details, I don't think (maybe I hope) it can be so easy.

In general, I find that Clamp tend to show canon particulars of their characters in their artworks, as if to explain them better, to explore them. And so Subaru and Seishirou being linked by the red string of destiny, Subaru being the hanged man, Yuzuriha being a sweetheart with cute pets, and so on.

Kamui is an exception: in artworks he's often seductive, sexy, assertive of his hotness. In various cases he seems to enjoy sensual contact with Fuuma.

This is completely at odd with Kamui's actual portrayal in the manga. Moreover, if Kamui was sexually active and an enthusiastic enjoyer of carnal pleasures, the story would have been deeply different. Kamui would have either acted on his love for Kotori and Fuuma or would have fucked others thinking of them, maybe, but the biggest change would have been his fights with DoE!Fuuma. A more sexually liberated Kamui would have recognized the carnal nature of their fights and either succumbed to DoE's desire (oh) or tried to seduce DoE in order to distract him.

And don't let me start with Kamui actually acting like a minx with his harem. Subaru would have been so not prepared for this. Keiichi would have died happy. DoE!Fuuma would have either been forced to do something or suffer his twin star having lots of fun without him.

In a minor note, Karen and Kamui would have lots more in common to discuss. (Btw, I find Karen an amazing character and woman, but I think that the portrayal of her sex work, in a country as conservative as Japan, is maybe one of the more dated things of X)

So yes, very intrigued and perplexed by the insistent portrayal of sexually emancipated Kamui on official artworks. I choose / want to hope that they're actual text and serve a purpose.

Hi!! I love your meta about X! I would like to ask your opinion, if you feel so inclined: Kamui is drawn in official artworks in a very seductive, sensual, erotic way. He is often more naked than Fuuma, clad in tight leather clothes and such. But Kamui in the actual story is not a sensual character: he seems to not have particular erotic desires. He loves Kotori, he loves Fuuma, he feels very close to Subaru, but he doesn't seem to live erotic longings. And in anyway, he does not try to seduce anyone (not even Fuuma). He is beautiful, but he does not wear seductive clothes or such.

So, why this difference? Why is Kamui in artwork so sensual and carnal?

My guesses is

1- Kamui is a temptation, more specifically Fuuma | other Kamui's temptation .

2- to win, Kamui has to connect with his earthy side, including his sex drive.

But I'm not sure. What do you think about this?

Thanks! I wish I had more time for writing metas but alas, irl work to be done + writing fics takes a lot of time.

About Kamui...well, most obvious answer would lay actually outside of narrative and in marketing strategies actually: fanservice.

Or perhaps not even that but simply the fact clamp loves to portray certain characters in more sexual light and Kamui happens to be one of them. But again, out of all male tbx characters he's the mostly sexualized one, especially in rather 'feminine' light, so to speak (as opposed to, Yuuto for example who has bold arts too, but is taking far more dominant masculine roles). Subaru is sometimes seen in bondage-like scenarios in offical arts, but again, it's nothing compared to seductiveness on Kamui's arts.

You're right about Kamui not being 'the temptress' in manga, I wouldn't say he's trying to provoke anyone. There's a matter of how he's drawn during his battles with Fuuma but again, I'm nor sure how much to brush that off on fanservice. Issue is that X is in hiatus, thus we can't know if there's additional reason for sexual undertones - aka if matter of sexual attraction (be it one sided or not) would be ever addressed.

In terms of 1) I have two options:

- Kamui was either sexually attracted to old Fuuma and cannot differentiate between him and doe!Fuuma thus doe!Fuuma is fulfilling his 'wishes'

- or old Fuuma had repressed sexual desires towards Kamui and doe!Fuuma is acting upon them with all inhibitions gone.

If we go by hypothesis doe!Fuuma was, initially, created as extension of Kamui, then both theories could withstand - old Fuuma and Kamui yearned for one another and doe!Fuuma is manifestation of that unfulfilled craving.

As for 2) I think it comes back to Kamui's subconsciousness and how he lacks awareness of what he truly wants. Bat wings are usually symbolism of darkness and 'flying in the dark', so to speak. Bats are creatures that use echolocation, they don't have sight thus rely on something innate - if we translate that onto Kamui it'd mean he'd have to get in touch with his subconsciousness and intuition, to simply get in touch with himself. It doesn't necessarily have to be in terms of sexuality, just whatever he needed to realize in last volume

Sexuality is often seen as something innate and earthly - primordial to human beings. Thence sexuality might not be necessary something Kamui needs to get in touch with, just serves as manifestation/example of unconcious wishes. At the end of the day, I really doubt last 2.5 vols of X would dwell deep on exploration of Kamui's sexuality, so my guess is that we'll always be in the dark what clamp truly meant there.

I mean, at one hand fanservice is answer laid on silver plate. But on other they could have drawn every male character in such provocative aspect but did not - thus I guess there were additional reasons why they viewed Kamui in such sensual manner

#kamui shirou #fuuma monou #fuukam

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