Shounen ai potential in LoGH? (was Re: answer)
Serenade (wish4wings@yahoo.com)
Tue, 27 Jul 1999 10:58:18 -0700 (PDT)
--- Z107M wrote:
> I'm sorry, this lurker just wanted to add her
> comment on this shounen ai potential of LoGH.
> Although I admit that it is there, tanaka-sensei
> never had any such intentions.
Another lurker wants to add her two cents to the
debate as well. :) I believe that Reinhard and
Kircheis are *not* romantically involved, nor were
they ever intended to be. However, the way they
*act* certainly suggests they are.
(minor dialogue spoilers for up to episode 26)
>From what I've read of previous posts on the list
and in the archive, it seems like a lot of other
people have noticed the intensity of their
relationship, and wondered. It's hard to sit through
an episode and ignore the way Kircheis will stare
at Reinhard with his eyes full of unspoken emotion,
or the numerous times Reinhard forcefully asserts
his devotion to his friend.
Reinhard tells Oberstein that "Admiral Kircheis is
the same as myself", and treats him with greater
favour than the rest of the admirals. He frets over
his absence during one of the battles (was it Amlitzer
or Doria?) and greets him warmly upon his return.
(Reinhard actually runs down from the dais to clasp
Kircheis' hand when he appears.)
Even Ansbach calls Kircheis "the brat's other half",
and Reuentahl recognises that Reinhard regards
Kircheis as "special" (episode 26).
In the novels (going by Mark Ma's translation, at
http://www.OCF.Berkeley.EDU/~mac/chapter6.txt, as
I can't read Japanese), Reinhard is described as
frequently playing lightly with Kircheis' hair when
no one else is around (a familiar, if not intimate,
act) and comparing it to "a fire that is burning
beautifully" (a comment I don't imagine many guys
would make to their male friends).
I think Hank mentioned that the Gaiden opening is
suggestive of shounen ai. I've found that the Season
4 opening is even more interesting.
(spoilers ahead for Season 4 opening titles - but
fairly safe to read if you've seen all of Season 1
at least)
The lyrics open with:
"Sometimes it gets so hard without you,
It seems to me,
the whole world's away..."
... while showing scenes of a young Reinhard and
a young Kircheis standing next to one another.
And later, they are shown as adults:
"And think of you,
oh, you holding me tight
Now feel your warmth revive..."
... as Reinhard reaches out towards the vanishing
form of Kircheis.
> Therefore, I accept that his characters are not of
> that nature and simply have very intimate
> relationships without the least hint of sexual
> tension between the males because of the greatness
> of their personalities.
Intimate relationship? Definitely.
Sexual relationship? I'd say canonically not.
Sexual tension? Ah, well, you be the judge.
I hope this rambling analysis hasn't bored or
offended too many people. There's a lot more I'm
happy to discuss, but I think I'll shut up for
now. :)
- Serenade
_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
