Kendappa-ou and Kurogane thoughts

[katharos]

My opinion of Kendappa-ou sinks dramatically in the last few chapters of RG Veda, although I can still wibble over her and Souma's death. But the revelation of her motivations makes my teeth grind.

Her obsession with mere strength, stregth defined by how much more powerful you are than the next person and her idea that strength justifies you, justifies your position as a ruler. That strength is your highest value as a person. And if you place the highest worth on strength than strength becomes, inevitably, the end rather than the means to achieve something.

But it does make me wonder about Clamp's choice of her as the ruler of Kurogane's Japan; that very same obsession with strength is Kurogane's big weakness. Maybe Tomoyo had another reason for sending him off an a trek around the worlds; maybe her big sister and Emperor was a really bad influence on him. And I really can't see that philosophy as a good one for a ruler to hold...

Comments

[laurus-nobilis.livejournal.com]

*blinks*

I love you and the connections you nake so much, you know. ♥ This really makes a lot of sense. I wonder how much did Kurogane learn from Kendappa. Who trains all those ninjas? Do they try to live up to the Emperor's ideals, and Tomoyo doesn't like that? Hmmm, so much to ponder...

[laurus-nobilis.livejournal.com]

*make. That sentence looks sooo weird. :/

[katharos-8.livejournal.com]

One word: meiosis. &hearts! back

I can see Kendappa seeking Kurogane out to vet this unstable boy that's near her sister; and I can see her passing on her philosophy to Kurogane, and it would be just what Kurogane needed at that time in his life, to the extent that he internalised it so completely that he's never quite been able to get rid of it.

Also, eeee, Japan politics make me happy! And I'm wondering if yet another reason Tomyo sent Kurogane away at this particular time was that she's ready to take a stand against Kendappa and she wanted to get him out of the crossfire. After all, she went against her when she was a toddler when Kendappa would have mercy-killed Kurogane; Tomoyo definitely disapproves of the widespread killing, and I can imagine her beginning to exert her influence to change things. Although that does leave the question of Souma...

[rainmage.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that's an interesting theory, and I never made the Kendappa-Kurogane connection. I think you might be giving too much credit to Tomoyo, though, as Kurogane doesn't strike me as someone who cared about or spent too much time with the mikado. But really, it might be a national attitude or sorts, the strength thing, powered by Amaterasu-dono's obsession with strength.

In other order of ideas, I wonder if Tomoyo is such a Sue she has heard from Kurogane about his mother's death and knows perfectly who the culpit is. And that's why he sent him off to travel to dimensions when he was strong enough, so he could find out the truth.

[katharos-8.livejournal.com]

I could see Kurogane picking up that attitude during his early days around them; it would be something he needed to believe, that fit in with what his Father had taught him but was more suited to the harshness and unfairness of his life now; If I become strong, nothing else will matter. If I'm strong, I can do anything.

She probably doesn't know exatly who the culprit is, but she may suspect that it's someone from another dimension. She has the same powers as Kurogane's mother afterall, and she's heard Kurogane's description of what happened, so she may have been able to figure out the means. Which would suggest a 'who.'

[destiny43304.livejournal.com]

Hello!^^ I'm from anime_downloads, the one who promised to upload Saiunkoku. I still don't understand what you'd like to say because my english is not very good. :/
Do you want the original Japanese version, the Chinese subtitled version or the English subtitled version? I just have the second one. Please tell me if it is suitable for you or not. Thanks! :D

[destiny43304.livejournal.com]

besides... I can also help you to find the English subtitled versions but I'm not sure whether I can find them. Just a helping hand, anyway ;]