Tales of Axile

You can think it as a hug or a kiss but for me, there’s something sweet there…so it’s a kiss (or both).  

And…

Based on a part in the official novel~

Just Sorey being upset not being able to show off his beautiful partner (ʘ‿ʘ )

Honestly I really wish Mikleo can be seen sometimes. idk i just feel a tinge of loneliness, especially if someone so close to me is basically invisible to the world. Even though we see each other at the same level but yet so different.

okay, so on my 10th rewatch of the series, i started to see a lot (and i mean a lot) of parallels between the two main characters of yuri on ice who share the same name. both of them really are the stars of this show. both yuuri and yurio share many of the same themes, and i don’t just mean similarities in their short programs. i can’t believe these details escaped me the first time around. i feel dumb. anyway, without further ado, let’s start the list: (i will add more as i go along)

1. They’re both running out of time.

2. They admire skaters who are inconsistent, but who have some attention-grabbing element.

3. They apparently space out in the middle of skating their routines.

they played the same music during these scenes too! coincidence? i think the fuck not.

4. They both think violence is the way to encourage people with lots of potential.

5. They both go out of their way to support those people.

6. Not to mention, they experienced their first real friendship/relationship this season.

even the positioning is the same! seriously! how could the storyboarding and the animation get any more detailed? how?!?!?!

tl;dr: this show truly is about both yuri’s.

Something different that occurred this episode was that, in episode 10, we have Victor as the narrator, instead of Yuuri. He introduces himself the way Yuuri introduced himself in the first few episodes, which solidifies the perspective of the narrator for the corresponding episode. Some important things to note is that he speaks in past tense just like Yuuri does when he narrates, and breaks the fourth wall with the line

「さて、話は戻って、、、」

(sate, hanashi wa modotte…)

“Now then, back to the story…”

Both of these facts heavily imply that Victor is recalling and retelling his and Yuuri’s story of how they met to someone, whether it be us, the audience, or a niece or nephew in the future. Whenever we get a narration line from either Yuuri or Victor in any of the episodes, it’s said in a very wistful and playful tone, which is further evidence pointing towards how they’re remembering the beginning of their love story, as both wistful and playful tones can both be related back to nostalgia.

What does that mean?

I hear you ask. Well it means that long, long after the plot of Yuri!!! On Ice ends, Victor and Yuuri are still happily together. It means that both Yuuri and Victor are willing to accept the other with all their faults, and that they’ve worked hard to build something stable and long-lasting together.

You know what else is just great from this episode? The fact that we can see that Victor is improving the way in which he supports Yuuri.

Back during the China Tournament, we witnessed the game changing parking lot scene, where Yuuri cried his eyes out, and, pushed to the brink, where he shouted at Victor the following

「僕が勝つって僕より信じてよ。黙ってていいから、離れずにそばにいてよ！」

(boku ga katsutte boku yori shinjite yo. Damattete ii kara, hanarezu ni soba ni ite yo)

“Have more faith in me, believe that I will win. It’s okay to not say anything, so just stay by my side!”

What Yuuri asks of Victor during the carpark scene is actually subtly reflected in episode 10, when they’re both walking through the Christmas stalls. During this scene, Victor’s narration goes

「ゆうりが答えを探してる時、黙ってても目がキラキラと輝いてる。　－－－　話しかけずにそっとようそうによう。」

(yuuri ga kotae wo sagashiteru toki, damattetemo me ga kirakira to kagayaiteru. — hanashikakezuni sotto yousou niyou)

“When Yuuri searches for an answer, even without talking, his eyes sparkle and glitter. — I’ll just quietly stay near without talking.”

No questions asked, Victor just accepts that Yuuri is looking for something, in other words, he’s believing in him, and quietly accompanies him throughout his search, while appreciating how his eyes light up. The use of the verb 「黙る」(damaru) “to shut up” in both of these dialogues further relates the two scenes. He’s learning how to support Yuuri because of the advice Yuuri gave him previously, and is proving to us that he is getting better at it.

Interestingly enough, Victor’s thoughts here actually mirror the lyrics to the ending song somewhat, especially the lyrics

「輝きながら君が教えてくれた」

(kagayakinagara kimi ga oshietekureta)

“You shine radiantly as you taught me/showed me (the way)”

Which, in this context, would have the “shine radiantly” describe Yuuri’s eyes as they shine and glitter, and the ‘teaching’ section refer to how Yuuri’s outburst in the carpark actually helped Victor in his Yuuri coaching endeavours, how Yuuri taught him how to support him passively. (I actually did a whole general analysis of the ending song here, so go check it out if you like procrastinating and crying over anime ending songs)

Okay. Let’s talk about the head pokes.

The first time this happened, we saw Viktor completely out of breath while Yuuri was still hanging in there, ready to keep going. Yuuri demonstrated here that his stamina is better than Viktor’s.

This was one of the first glimpses Yuuri had of his idol being flawed and demonstrating a weakness. He sees that Viktor is real and human instead of something out of reach and untouchable.

So that’s what Yuuri does. He touches Viktor. *poke poke* It’s like him saying, “Viktor Nikiforov is real. He’s standing right here in front of me, and … he’s just a person like me.”

It’s not meant as an insult. It’s the two of them on their way to seeing each other as equals.

I want to point this out as well. Viktor covers his own head after Yuuri pokes him because it makes him feel insecure. We’ll come back to this in a moment.

Let’s jump ahead to Episode 7 (click here).

数年後のユリオが勇利にエロスを披露する話【ユリ勇】 by   にま

GLADLY

Because like, for one thing, the fact that Mikleo can tell right off the bat that something is off with Sorey? I mean, that’s crazy. I had no idea ANYTHING was wrong, and Mikleo figured out that it was blindness in his eye (i was so confused when I triggered that skit, for the record, i had NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING)

Secondly, idk if this is true because I’m not good at keeping track of this kinda stuff, but APPARENTLY after Mikleo figures it out, he changes what side of Sorey he stands on in battle and things? What kind of level of devotion and concern and desire to protect, I just… I can’t with them.

Thirdly, “It’s not like you and I need to hold back on what we say” “Yeah, we aren’t like that” I WAS SO CONFUSED WHEN I FIRST GOT THIS SKIT LEMME TELL YA. Like the admission that they’re supposed to be telling each other everything and just the phrasing of it? I was sitting there like “that’s it. they’re together. they’re together and they both know it” and even today I go back and forth on whether or not I think they’re together during the game or not, but in that moment, they were so married.

FOURTHLY, Mikleo being so sad that Sorey won’t tell him what’s wrong? Yeah, that kills me. Because ALL MIKLEO IS EVER TRYING TO DO IS MAKE THINGS EASIER FOR SOREY, that’s why he stands on his blind side, and is paying enough attention to even notice things like that, and here’s Sorey who is going to keep it from him at his own expense, aka the exact opposite of what Mikleo is trying to get him to do??? It’s honestly a bit like the Sub Lord pact, Mikleo JUST WANTS TO HELP and SOREY WON’T LET HIM and no wonder he’s so sad, he probably thought they were OVER that!

FIFTHLY the fact that instead of having the argument, Mikleo says “you mean goodnight” like AGAIN WHAT KIND OF MARRIED COUPLE LINE IS THAT. THEY’RE MARRIED.

aaand sixthly just. how sad sorey is. when mikleo says that. like. he’s just trying to not make mikleo worry about him. that’s all he wanted. and now his boyfriend’s, like, not even mad at him, just. sad. that’s not what he intended to happen. he just wanted to make mikleo feel better.

i thought i was done but also seventhly, the fact that, like mikleo’s other blatant insecurities about their relationship, this is never really discussed? Like the others find out Sorey’s blind in one eye, Mikleo reveals he knew all along, they break the Squire pact with Alisha, and it’s never brought up again, except that it KINDA IS, because that’s part of the reason mikleo was so determined to get Rose in the group, was that her resonance was stronger than Alisha’s so they could have a human in the party without Sorey suffering for it. 

AND I CAN’T EXPLAIN BUT LIKE…. you know how the official materials are always like “they don’t need words between the two of them” and stuff? well it’s things like that where i’m thinking MAYBE THEY SHOULD USE WORDS, but since they don’t i’m forced to conclude that sorey DOES have some idea of how much mikleo is pushing himself and why he’s doing that. and that he DOES know how much mikleo wants sorey to let mikleo share the burden. just like mikleo knew about his eye without them ever needing to discuss it.

Also, worth noting that this is referenced again in the final night scene. It means that Sorey was aware of Mikleo’s unspoken support to him, and that he “asks” for his support again this time.

“Flawlessly nailed it.” 

That ridiculously failed jump was too much for me. I couldn’t stop laughing. Mikleo, protect your boo.

BONUS:

Sormik in Official Materials: Sorey has no interest in women Sorey thinks Mikleo is beautiful …No, really, Sorey thinks Mikleo is beautiful Sorey is in love and Mikleo wants Zaveid to mind his own business Mikleo’s in-game titles Final Animated Cutscene: Eternal Dream Mikleo sleeping on Sorey’s lap The suggestive description of the water armatus Promo Image for ToZX Cafe

Translations of Official Materials: Tales of 20th Anniversary (by @marimopic) Interview with the scriptwriter of Tales of Zestiria (by @kiraleshoot) Alternate Translation of Skit (by @cherrim)