One of my favorite things about Tankeo (and most CoDZ ships) that I haven’t seen anyone explore in-depth is culture clash. It’s obvious that Dempsey and Takeo both view the world super differently because of how they were brought up. Them trying to articulate their core beliefs to each other must be difficult and they likely don’t agree with the philosophies of the other’s culture. Baseline humanity, love by familiarity overtime, and simple chemistry make up for what they lack in worldview similarities but it still makes for some decent angst and it’s just really interesting imo.
If you want examples of conversations/scenarios of Western vs. Imperial Japan(ese Army) culture I URGE you to watch (or rewatch) Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983). It’s a queer war drama that takes place during WWII in a Japanese POW camp. It’s free on Tubi and it is very good. While I wouldn’t say any single relationship from it encompasses how Tankeo chemistry is (mainly because of the power dynamics), a lot of inspiration could still be taken from how each of the main characters go about interacting with each other.
Ignoring ships altogether, taking the time to fully understand the cultures that each of Ultimis/Primis Crew members come from makes writing about them or analyzing them so much more enriching. I’m trying to do better on this account, I feel like I need to learn more before I write or draw anything ambitious.
