Akagami no Shirayukihime Analysis

LOOK AT OBI GIVING ZEN A WAY OUT

the very first time I read this at first I thought Obi was doing this solely for himself

then I thought he was doing it solely for Zen

now I’m not so sure

I’m always torn by how Obi thinks. is he doing this for Zen? is he doing this for himself? is it a mix of the two? why exactly is he pushing Zen like this, I don’t know

one of Obi’s traits that I enjoy and simultaneously dislike about him is that he is such a mystery

I think in this particular scene (I think) is he is trying to push Zen. he is trying to see how far Zen will go for Shirayuki. but WHY is he pushing Zen? why does he care so much about this. really, we have no way of knowing. he is a very complex character and Akizuki Sorata sensei hasn’t really given us much to work with for him

Obi is a mystery

a badass fighting machine who’s scared of puppies

LOOK AT OBI GIVING ZEN A WAY OUT

the very first time I read this at first I thought Obi was doing this solely for himself

then I thought he was doing it solely for Zen

now I’m not so sure

I’m always torn by how Obi thinks. is he doing this for Zen? is he doing this for himself? is it a mix of the two? why exactly is he pushing Zen like this, I don’t know

one of Obi’s traits that I enjoy and simultaneously dislike about him is that he is such a mystery

I think in this particular scene (I think) is he is trying to push Zen. he is trying to see how far Zen will go for Shirayuki. but WHY is he pushing Zen? why does he care so much about this. really, we have no way of knowing. he is a very complex character and Akizuki Sorata sensei hasn’t really given us much to work with for him

Obi is a mystery

a badass fighting machine who’s scared of puppies

I am completely sure that Obi is really doing this for only one person. Shirayuki. But besides for that, I don’t think Obi is actually doing this “for” anyone. Obi isn’t acting with the full intention of benefitting someone.

Everyone knows that Zen won’t be able to go with her. But he wants to so badly. Zen also doesn’t know who he can trust to accompany Shirayuki, which is why he left the matter for Mitsuhide to decide. Obi knows that he’s an obvious choice. Also, Obi trusts fewer people with Shirayuki than even Zen does! He also knows how Shirayuki thinks (her intelligence and her recklessness).

At the same time he sees Zen wasting his time practicing the sword out of determination and anxiety. So he proposes a challenge to show Zen that his concerns are being taken seriously. The fight helped to put Zen’s mind at ease. He was able to prove his desire to accompany Shirayuki (however little good that would have helped him) and it helped him to realize that Obi was the obvious choice. But given Obi’s sudden use of martial arts in a sword fight and his surprise at Zen’s forfeit, it doesn’t seem like he was trying to really prove anything.

I completely agree with the later part though, about how Obi helped Zen come to a decision. And I am intrigued by the notion that he’s doing this for Shirayuki.

I think at that moment when Zen’s sword gets flung out of his hand he realizes that in that moment he wouldn’t be able to take Obi in hand to hand combat given Obi’s skill level. So it was Zen’s obvious choice to forfeit the match right there.

In a way (a very obscure way) I think Obi was maybe trying to make a point by pointing out that even though Zen is skilled with a sword, he isn’t skilled in everything. Obi IS a mystery because we don’t know his past and we don’t know what he is capable of. We do get a glimpse here though (and later on when they’re fighting the Sea Talons).

I do believe Obi has been getting frustrated throughout the chapter with the lack of information that he has gotten about the people who are interested in Shirayuki. Which would make sense as to why he suddenly challenges Zen the way he does, out of frustration. I do believe there is more to it than just that though.

People don’t always have complex reasons for their particular actions, sometimes actions are just that, actions. However people are complex so there is always some reason as to why they do even seemingly meaningless things, which is what I want to discover (about Obi in particular). And I believe Sorata sensei is a good enough author to not put in something like this with no meaning.