A Shrine Dedicated to My Loves

The thing I love most about Soshiro's response in this scene is how he immediately, and without hesitation, took Kafka seriously.

Kafka - the 1% output power, comic relief guy who wasn't even an official officer yet - said he wanted to become Mina's vice-captain and Soshiro never once underestimated him. He never laughed or told him he couldn't do it. He took his word at face value and accepted him as a proper threat to his position at Mina's side.

And why wouldn't he? He's watched Kafka study and train his ass off for the most minuscule of progress and never once consider giving up, despite how far ahead in strength the others on his team had already become. Of all people, Soshiro knows what it's like to naturally lack in strength, to work his hardest without catching up to the person he's chasing after. He knows what it's like to have people tell him to give up, to view him as an objective failure, so he wouldn't dare pass that kind of judgement on Kafka. He knows what hard work can accomplish because he's been through the trenches himself.

(In some ways, he's still going through it despite his high rank. He's always showing off, always going out of his way to showcase his strength to others. To me, he reads as someone who will always feel the need to prove himself, even when no one asks him to.)

And I think it's a true testament to his character that he not only took Kafka seriously, but then went so far as to nurture Kafka's abilities. Help him grow. Ensure that he could become someone with the capabilities to fight at Mina's side.

YESSSSSS

Credits to @UQUOOZZ on Twitter

— passing the baton to her is my job.