I know you donāt like Yuuka and you have a right to not like her, though I do think reading her character like a āgirlbossā puts too much of a western lens on a very Japanese story. Yuuka is from modern Japan and is the oldest daughter in a traditional family. She also has a life plan set out for her as dictated by Japanese societal standards (standards which have gotten worse irl due to US red pill and maga content making its way over there. A Japanese reader would pick up on the implications immediately) and sheās actively going against these expectations. Sheās fighting the hand sheās been dealt too (not to the same extent as Ruggie of course, but Iād say that Leona isnāt meeting that mark either).
What I can agree with is that I donāt like the ālifeās fairā statement from Yuuka because it goes against her character arc too. To say that life is fair implies defeat- that thereās nothing you can change about the life set for you. Yuuka literally had one of those anime trope ācutting long hair to signify changeā scenes in the manga. Like girly is ALSO fighting to change her world?? Iām not sure if they couldnāt figure out a snappier way of saying āwhen youāre knocked down you regroup and keep fightingā or what. Book 2 in game seems to have that sentiment handled so idk why itās fumbled in the manga.
I respect your opinion, but I'll try to explain my point further.
I don't think we're actually that far apart! I think what I was more trying to say is that, on paper, Yuuka is a poor foil to Leona. It's not so much about looking at the story through a Western lens or denying that she's had struggles.
Also, my āseems like "girlbossā comment was more abt how the manga presents her, I was criticizing the execution of her characterization, not saying that's who she literally is.
The manga never really shows her struggles in a way that supports the weight of her speech. We're told about them, BUT the narrative doesn't spend enough time developing them before asking the audience to accept her as the person delivering the story's central message. That's mostly why it doesn't land for me.
IMO a foil only works if the audience understands both characters well enough for the contrast to feel earned. With Yuuka, a lot of that characterization feels underdeveloped compared to Leona's. So when she's positioned as the one delivering the big old thematic conclusion, it feels like the manga is asking me to accept an argument that it hasn't fully built up first.
I also think there's a difference between having struggles and the story earning for a character to lecture another character about them. It's npt so much about what Yuuka has been through. But, the narrative hasn't done enough to convince me she's the right person to one up Leona, esp with weak ass message like that.
"Life is Fair" clashes with Yuuka's own arc too, like you pointed out! If the intended message WAS "when life knocks you down, regroup and keep fighting," then I think that's woulda been a much stronger theme, and one that actually fits both characters. But that was NOT how it was present.
And to be fair, I completely understand the Japanese cultural context, especially as it relates to being a woman.
Though, my focus tends to be on how the story executes its themes and character writing on the page. Even with that cultural lens in mind, I still don't think the Yuuka earns this particular moment?
I can absolutely respect that maybe a Japanese reader may pick up on the cultural implications that I don't and relate to Yuuka. Idk if you are Japanese yourself but yeah if you relate to her, that's fine!
But even with that context, I still will stand on her being underdeveloped because the story simply doesn't earn her moment.
It is confusing, especially with the overall themes of Savanaclaw, the repeat Leonaās āLifeās not fairā in Diadem, "Life its fair BUT WE STILL GO ON.ā VS Yuukaās flimsyyyyĀ āLife IS Fair?"
For me, it further exaggerates the inconsistency in effort with projects featuring Leona.
