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venxomi · 27 days ago

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Understanding Yugi Tsukasa - A Perspective - Analysis

This analysis is a character dissection of Tsukasa, making an attempt to cut through the surface and dig into his true feelings.

Do you love me? Or... Do you hate me, but hide it?

Early years

It is important to emphasize on the fact that 3-4 year olds cannot grasp a lot of things. They don't have a sense of empathy developed, They can't grasp the importance of life and death, and they have a very black and white view on things- They're not capable of seeing nuance at such a young age. All of these things normally develop later throughout a person's childhood.

So, for such a young Tsukasa, things are naturally simple in regards to love- You can only love or only hate someone. He loves Amane, really, more than himself, so he openly shows it.

From even before he first found the pit god and even after, Tsukasa always brought him all sorts of gifts and toys he thought Amane might like. After all, if it makes him happy, then he's happy too.

Because of the pit god, Tsukasa learnt something. For a price, he could get anything he wanted. He could make Amane happy. In other words, in exchange for a sacrifice, he could bring happiness.

Amane's health worsens, and he is told that he is no longer able to play with him, not until he gets better. A white lie, really. After all, the one who told him was none other than his mother, who knew for a fact that he wouldn't ever get better. That it wouldn't be long before Tsukasa would actually never be able to play with Amane again.

But Tsukasa already learnt that's not true, because there's a 'God' under their house that can make Amane happy. This leads us to the following scene.

Amane rejects Tsukasa's attempt at showing him the 'God' that can bring this happiness in the most direct way possible, as a result of discontent and pain piling up on another toddler's mental.

In other words, envy had manifested in a 3 year old Amane, who was slowly dying.

But, referencing my first paragraph, toddlers naturally have a very elementary way of perceiving things. Therefore, this is what Tsukasa understood- "Amane hates me, as I have what he does not." as follows, he made the following decision: "The price that comes for Amane's health will be paid by me. This way, Amane will live and I will disappear, bringing him the happiness he desired."

He couldn't have possibly understood that it's not, in fact, what Amane had truly wanted. Trying to grant another happiness at a sacrifice that they did not want to make. On their fourth birthday, he asked Amane if he loved him, to which he said yes, but... It was far too late. The price already had to be paid.

Tsukasa reflects Hanako's mindset in the Severance. That ultimately, all the pain will go away and love will quickly turn into hate as the wish granted will bring the happiness they deserve. That despite the sacrifices, they'll be okay, because they will hate them. They will slowly forget about all of it, be happy and accomplish everything they wanted to.

The Red House

However, Tsukasa hadn't been able to grow up normally and gain the traits I have mentioned in the first paragraph. He had offered himself up to the pit god and not only was he stuck there, but he had been a witness to the soul-wasted kannagis in its belly and to multiple people losing their lives in exchange for a wish. In short, Tsukasa had been groomed by the pit god from an essential age for toddlers to develop empathy and the ability to grasp nuance, ripping all of it away from him without realizing and making him grow into a boy who gives no importance to life and death.

When he had met Kou and Nene, people who cherish Amane, he was happy. He was originally given hope that he had achieved the happiness Tsukasa sacrificed himself for, that it wasn't for naught. Unfortunately, he was quickly proven the opposite.

Kou's words pushed onto Tsukasa one thing: That Amane, in fact, does hate him. Dumbing everything down to a toddler's level of understanding, you only kill people you hate, right? But that wasn't enough. Tsukasa gave Amane the opportunity to chase his dreams, to grow up, to run, to do the things he couldn't have possibly done without him. Tsukasa gave up on his own future to give Amane one, but Amane chose to forsake it. If Amane chose to do what he wanted and stepped all over Tsukasa's sacrifice, then he should so whatever he wanted as well, shouldn't he?

For him, Amane became his biggest mystery. You hated me, so you should've been happy with my sacrifice, but you decided to ruin everything yourself instead. Why?

Life & Death, Love & Hate

Tsukasa is unable to actually understand Amane. Kou's statement practically shattered his trust in Amane, so no matter how many times Amane would act caring towards Tsukasa, he would consider that he just hides the fact that he actually hates him. He thinks Amane is weird for not liking it when he's not around.

For Tsukasa, Amane is extremely confusing because he can't grasp nuance and thinks he can only be loved or only be hated. He knew for a fact Amane would kill him, in other words, hate him, yet he would always keep him around. Tsukasa hated this, he hated that he was, in his eyes, not only being lied to, but also that people would lie to themselves- Proven in the Mitsuba arc, when he was psychologically tormenting Hanako.

He likes it when people decide to stop holding back- In other words, he likes it when people act upon their true feelings and desires. Acts that should naturally bring them happiness. From Tsukasa's perspective, when Amane killed him, he was finally being true to himself. That, like he thought, Amane hated him, and simply held back from acting on his hatred.

However, Tsukasa never doubted his own love for Amane, and he affirms it multiple times, but this love is ironically laced with resentment and frustration. There are two relevant reasons as to why Tsukasa continuously emotionally abuses Hanako:

Tsukasa is unable to understand Hanako, even in their death, and that frustrates him. Why does Hanako constantly contradict himself? Why is it that despite being his brother, he can't read him at all? Why is it that everytime he thinks he finally grasped his thought process, he gets his expectations completely betrayed? Why can he so easily exploit his weaknesses, which shouldn't have been there in the first place? Why was he left 50 years trapped inside Amane's Boundary as his Yorishiro, when he was the object of his hatred? Is it because he felt guilty? Then, why did he never respond to his calls, no matter how hard he tried? Why? The longer he questions Amane, the longer he feels less in control, and that frustrates him even more, so tormenting him not only vents that frustration, but also has him regain control and solidify his belief that his view on Amane is accurate, that it's true that he hates him, that he must hate him.

2. Resentment towards Amane taking his own life. Tsukasa doesn't care about the murder itself, but he does care about the circumstances that led to it. Chapter 91 proves this. This part relies more on interpretation, so I will relay my own. The implications chapter 91 provides suggest that Tsukasa might've been killed while attempting to stop Amane from killing himself.

As you know, Amane was suicidal, and according to Tsuchigomori's memories from the 4PM Bookstacks arc, he had already decided on his own death. That he would forgive everything that was done to him, and that he wouldn't go anywhere.

Now, what information does chapter 91 provide in this context?

For Tsukasa, who considers that people should stay true to themselves to reach happiness, who sacrificed his entire self for Amane's own, just how did his decision to give up affect him? Consider that Kou only said that Amane would die after he killed him, not how he would do so.

With tears in his eyes he holds back behind a laugh, he ironizes Hanako for wanting Nene to live despite her intention to give up, all the while Amane is the one who gave up and killed himself, even changing his own future to do so, in the first place- An act which in itself is a massive disrespect to Tsukasa who sacrificed himself specifically because he wanted Amane to live and find happiness.

It's very possible that in the past, the roles were reversed and is one of the reasons why Tsukasa is upset with Hanako, and perhaps without acknowledging it, resents him for it.

Happiness is built upon sacrifice, isn't it? But it cannot be achieved without exposing your true self.

As previously mentioned, Tsukasa is a firm believer that happiness comes at a price and that it's only attainable by acting on your true desires, exposing your true self, and he's not the only one, really.

He considers that a world that breaks if everyone acts upon their true desires is a world that's better off broken, contrasting Hanako as the leader of the Seven Mysteries, who consistently steps on his own wishes and feelings in order to maintain it.

It's a theme that reoccurs in the series multiple times- Hanako wanting to save Nene, Tsukasa later granting Kunishige and Mitsuba's wishes, Nene being content with the lack of her own happiness if it meant Amane had found his own in the new timeline- Actions taken by characters who have not understood that true happiness cannot possibly be built upon another's sacrifice.

Despite that, Tsukasa wants his beliefs to be affirmed, that there is no room for regret once you have exposed your true desire, because there is no such thing as no sacrifices, right? That would defeat the point of everything he has ever worked for, after all. It would go against what he had witnessed and had been taught since he was three years old.

In spite of Tsukasa's own mindset however, no one succeeded and people only got hurt. On every occurence, the happiness granted via sacrifice in any form was only a superficial one, void of consideration of everyone's feelings, despite everything.

Such as how the village ultimately fell apart even after sacrificing dozens of young girls in exchange for peace, such as how Hanako didn't take into account Nene, Akane and Teru's feelings regarding the Severance, such as how Nene kept trying to convince herself that in the new timeline, because Amane got to grow up, that would mean he had found happiness, so did Tsukasa never consider that Amane could've never found happiness without him, that Amane would go to any lengths to save him, that Amane actually loved him...

Tsukasa is not aware of this, or maybe he doesn't want to be. That is why he fully accepted his fate, to be destroyed once more as his brother's Yorishiro. His cruel words, his faith that if Nene wouldn't be able to destroy him, Hanako would once again.

Tsukasa's views are ones that are meant to be challenged, that just like Hanako's, though different, are both hopelessly realistic. I think his ideals will be the most difficult to deconstruct as they were instilled in him from such a young age, but I think that fits his character in the narrative perfectly as one of the main antagonists.

All the same, while he talks of people not holding back and being true to themselves, it's incredibly hypocritical- After all, doesn't he constantly hide his own feelings and frustrations behind plastered smiles and manipulation, out of fear that he would lose his ever-fleeting sense of control? Honestly, I would talk more about Tsukasa's need for control over others caused by lack of control over his own life, but I feel like that's for another thread.

In conclusion, it's a huge tangle of misunderstandings around him and Amane, and I fear that by the time Tsukasa finally realizes that Amane actually loves him more than anything, it'll be far too late. Not like it's not already too late as they're both dead, but... Even later than that, when Tsukasa will unavoidably have to be destroyed.

#tbhk #jshk #yugi tsukasa #tsukasa yugi #tbhk spoilers #jshk spoilers #amane yugi #yugi amane #yashiro nene #nene yashiro #nanamine sakura #sakura nanamine #yugi twins #hanako kun #jibaku shounen hanako kun #toilet bound hanako kun #hanako

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venxomi · 1 month ago

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TBHK Chapter 126 Analysis - The cost of a reckless wish

The Hourglass

The chapter begins with Nene flipping the Hourglass, but it not activating for a simple reason- According to last chapter, you need to make a wish first. The Hourglass simply didn't take effect because Nene hadn't made one.

So when the cat jumped in and saved her, explaining to Kako that it had only intervened because it relates to wanting to help- or save others. It was the wish of the one the cat had been before, and now it was Nene's. Because of the cat, the Hourglass now knew what Nene desired and, as a result, activated.

In essence, the Hourglass needed to know what the user wanted. Otherwise, how could it send Nene on endless loops, and, just like the other victims, have her soul waste away?

Along with information from the previous chapter, we have further confirmation that this Hourglass is nothing but an entity that, just like the pit god, wants to consume. In this chapter, it's shown directly- Nene is turned into sand as she is kept within the hourglass. It speaks to her.

"I am- We are- The Flow. Power. Time. Sand."

The Hourglass essentially boasts its capabilities; That it's a constant. That it's powerful. That it's limitless. And that's not the only thing. "I am- We are-" suggests that it's made up of a collective consciousness.

"Welcome! You have come to join us!"; It's not even trying to hide its goal, is it? To amass one more consciousness, one more soul within it, as it's made up of its users' corroded souls.

Did you know? Sand forms when rocks break down from weathering and eroding over thousands and even millions of years. But the Hourglass' process is faster than just waiting such an absurd amount of time. The moment Nene flipped the hourglass, the process had already begun. Along with the sand, Nene passes through it. Again and again. Again and again. Until her soul, slowly but surely, erodes into fine sand.

To put it in extremely simple terms, Kako was right. It's not an item that is actually capable of helping you reach your desired outcome. It dangles it in front of you like a carrot on a stick. That is all. It proves to you that it is capable of leading you to your desired result, but it doesn't allow you to reach it. No matter what you do, no matter how hard you think or how many times you try in desperation, you are unable to grasp the bait, the flicker of hope, in front of you.

One who sought riches would be killed by bandits. One who sought to gain someone's love ended herself and that someone. One who sought fame was killed by envy. One who wished to bring back people for the sake of someone else had that someone else disappear from existence. And one who simply wished to save her friends... Had them killed by her own hand.

But it's all right. For as long her soul is still in one piece, she can keep trying. Again and again and again... Wrapping her in its hands, pushing her down and continuing the slow process of corrosion. A fake "Good luck", an ironic one, fully aware of the end result.

Dehumanization

If you are familiar with my analysis of chapter 121, this is basically an expansion of it.

In it I talked about Amane's dehumanization process, how he is a victim of the Red House, a trapped soul who is unable to disobey, and also about having to kill his own family, his own little brother he loved so much, and then being forced into killing countless other people for the pit god which desensitized him completely.

Nene is directly put into Amane's shoes, where she fell victim to the Red House and was forced into its servitude. Unlike Kou in the past, who had been exorcised before he could harm the people he loved, Nene wasn't so lucky. She had to kill the friends she desperately attempted several times to save.

In this scene, Amane is projecting onto Nene, as she is in the same position as he once was. Holding onto her to prevent her from falling in a twisted way of providing comfort, possibly.

His assertion "See? I knew you could do it." suggested that a possessed Nene hesitated killing her loved ones, and maybe that struck a cord within him. That he had hesitated to kill his own family aswell, but he had no choice. That, just like him, she could do it. To further prove him right, that there's no meaning to life, death or anything else in this cursed house.

At that moment, The Red House had initiated a new feeder, freshly dehumanized. A kindred spirit.

Nene's sanity is frayed and she fell into despair. Her figure doesn't appear in the hourglass anymore as she flips the hourglass in a panic.

A new glimmer of hope (?)

Nene is now at her wits' end. She didn't even understand what had happened, only that she killed everyone. She can't figure out why. As a result, as she guessed, she would've repeated the same mistake.

However, a new hope emerges after she had been plunged into despair; The Clock Keeper of the Present. Will this hope be genuine and not just a carrot on a stick that Nene prepared to sacrifice everything for in vain?

Akane subtly reflecting in Nene's eyes reflect her desire to grasp on any sliver of hope she can find.

Thoughts and Predictions

Going a bit on an unserious remark, as a Re:Zero fan I absolutely loved this chapter. Subaru (who, if you don't know about the series, travels back to a point in time when he dies. He dies and suffers in various attempts to save the people he loves... A hell lot. He is unable to speak of this ability to others, so he suffers in silence.) has gained one more kindred spirit. I even illustrated this quick doodle of Nene and Subaru!

Back on topic, on the rare case that this is the worst she'll be through, it will permanently mentally scar her. Perhaps she might be able to put on a facade and pretend everything's fine, but no one is ever fine after being part of such horrors, having your friends die several times because of your failed attempts, and ultimately having them die by your very own hands. And if she's unable to speak about her experiences as this chapter suggested where she couldn't mention being from the future, then it's really over. I'm of the personal opinion that Iro will break Nene in order to further develop her character. Hit the bar as low as you possibly can, for your character to rise higher than ever before- That kind of technique. Every passing chapter seems to solidify this. Nene's flaws are tripping her up and making her horribly fail. She resolved to save everyone and fought by herself, but she was far too reckless in her desperation. Made a reckless decision of coming into contact with an entity that was properly explained as dangerous, had a hasty wish, and couldn't even figure out what actually needed to be changed after several attempts. She could only further fall into despair and break. I can't really put it into words properly as of now, but I can grasp what Iro wants to do with her character. Slowly, but surely, Iro has been working for this all along. Nene can no longer be ignorant of the world's cruelty. If she wants to understand and save everyone from it, she has to experience it for herself. Whether she gives up or stands back up as a result, it's a choice only she can make, isn't it?

As for Akane, as far as I can predict with the current information, there's 2 possibilities: 1. The Akane we see at the end is Akane of the 'original' timeline. The Clock Keepers' Boundary seems to be unaffected by changes in time (as it still exists despite the 7 Mysteries not existing in the new timeline), so if Akane stayed in there, then a Paradox could've been created where multiple "Akane Aoi" exist at the same time. 2. As the Clock Keeper of the Present, Akane is aware of all the attempts Nene made with the Hourglass, and as a result came to search for her after he died by her hands, aware of what just transpired. Both seem valid enough to me, so I'm honestly just curious. Can't wait until next chapter.

The cat's lines and interactions in chapter 126 further solidifies to me that it's related to Amane who had attempted to go back in time in 1968.

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