#Spence does Essays (Given Edition)
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Mafuyu and Ugetsu: Friendly Foils
Within Given, an unexpected - yet sweet - friendship forms between Mafuyu Sato and Ugetsu Murata. While their friendship may have been unconventional at first, the duo manage to bring out the best in each other, while also highlighting some of the worst - at least in terms of their relationships as well as their reactions to love and heartbreak. After all, it is with each other that they are able to find someone who resonates with their pain and heartbreak, and it is because of each other that they are able to realize how they need to move forward. Within the broken shards of each other, Mafuyu and Ugetsu manage to find themselves, and repair what they thought was broken, all while being the perfect foils.
The friendship between Mafuyu and Ugetsu both makes perfect sense, and also no sense at all. These reasons are all what lead to them being such beautiful foils. From their personalities, their talent with music, issues when it comes to communication, and how they handle their respective relationships - which may not sound true, but when looking at it through the lens of them being foils, can be seen. Also, shoutout to the author of Given for making the foils friends instead of enemies or something, thank you Natsuki Kizu, you beautiful soul.
One of the most common ways to identify foils is through their personalities. Foils will often have similar - if not the same - personalities as each other but with opposite emphasis, as the protagonist's traits will be made good based on the foils’. In a few ways, Mafuyu and Ugetsu have mirroring personalities. They are both awkward, antisocial, and blunt to list a few. One of the big ways they differ is that Ugetsu seems to mask some of these traits, often appearing a lot more socially adjusted than Mafuyu has ever had to be. That does not change the existence of these traits though. Ugetsu outright admits that he has no friends to Mafuyu, he doesn’t seem to really interact with many people - the main ones being Akihiko, Mafuyu, random hook-ups, and whoever he’s performing with. Not too much evidence of there being an otherwise thriving social life for him. Ugetsu being blunt is also pretty evident, even if it’s not the nicest. He’s always honest about music though, as well as what he thinks of people and situations. None of these traits are portrayed in the most kind way though. Rather his antisocial personality can be seen as part of what led to his toxic relationship with Akihiko. His bluntness is outright rude quite often, which pushes people away, and really, that does seem to be his plan to some degree, but it’s still a negative way to give out this trait.
In comparison, Mafuyu has all of these traits but seems to be shown in a better light - as though they’re part of his charm more than why he’s problematic. Mafuyu is antisocial. In the past he appeared to have three friends (Yuki, Hiiragi, and Shizusumi), and now he seems to have upgraded to a grand total of six (Uenoyama, Hiiragi, Shizusumi, Akihiko, Haruki, and Ugetsu). Yes, Mafuyu does appear to be more social at the ending at their graduation, as well as in the 10 year mix, but for the majority of the manga he isn’t someone who socialises too much. In terms of being awkward, Mafuyu is bad at connection. He doesn’t always manage to say what he means to and he can be a little stiff in terms of interaction. Finally, Mafuyu can also be blunt - when he does speak, he speaks his mind. He is nervous enough that it overloads anything but the need to get the words out, making him blunt. Again, all of these are traits that the duo share, the difference is simply how they appear with the character. Mafuyu is shown in the light that he should be, especially with his history, as a teenager who doesn’t know how to properly connect because of past trauma. In comparison, Ugetsu is shown to use these traits as a defence and a weapon, which isn’t too bad, but it also makes him quite negative as the reader isn’t given as much information as to why Ugetsu is this way.
Another similarity between them is their talent for music. Both Ugetsu and Mafuyu are often regarded as prodigies with their music. Ugetsu is a famous violinist, regarded for his high level playing in spite of his young age. Mafuyu is part of the up and coming band Given, being their lyricist and singer, as well as playing rhythm guitar. Between Akihiko’s perspective as well as Ugetsu’s own perspective and career, it’s easy to tell that Ugetsu is indeed an amazing musician. According to Akihiko, Ugetsu is the first prodigy that he had ever met. This conclusion was reached after the two of them had competed against each other and Ugetsu took first place - which he had been doing in competitions across not only Japan, but also other countries. This skill only grew with time, as Ugetsu is now a concert violinist who is known around the world for his beautiful performances. Thus, Ugetsu earns and maintains his being a prodigy with his violin, allowing for the budding talent of Mafuyu to reflect this role.
Meanwhile Mafuyu only just started learning guitar and doesn’t exactly shine with it, there is no denying that his true potential flares when he is singing - and within his lyrics. In spite of only recently starting to do music, Mafuyu shows an immense inclination towards singing, songwriting, and is able to come up with melodies - as it is him who was known to hum the melody for Fuyu No Hanashi before Uenoyama fully fleshed it out. At that, it’s no recent thing, as in the ‘To the Sea’ short, Mafuyu asks Yuki what he’s humming, to which Yuki replies that it was the song that Mafuyu himself would constantly hum. From this, it could be seen as Mafuyu having a talent for music for a while now, and when he joined Given, he was finally given a place and chance to grow as a musician. It is with his growth that Mafuyu is called a prodigy, even earning the nickname ���the kid with the song” by his fellow prodigy, Ugetsu. To make this less of them being parallels and getting more into foil territory, one could see how their being prodigies affects those around them. Mafuyu being an amazing lyricist and singer is definitely a positive thing. Once he joins Given and becomes their singer, the band is able to move further with their music instead of being just an instrumental band. That’s not to say being an instrumental band is bad, it never is in any genre of music, but having a singer is something that the other members clearly end up appreciating, and Mafuyu is seen as an amazing addition who furthers the bands talent. On the other hand, Ugetsu’s prodigal talent isn’t always given the same light - especially not with Akihiko’s story. Ugetsu’s prodigy status is part of why Akihiko lost his drive for violin, he thought he would never live up to the other’s talent. Even the phrasing when it came to describing Ugetsu’s winning streak was “From abroad, a genius has arrived - securing consecutive wins, as if to tear apart and destroy the dreams of this talented junior” (Given volume 4). This quote completely shows not only Ugetsu how immensely talented he was at that age, but also how Akihiko thought of him as someone who could just crush the dreams of any other aspiring violinists. The prodigy status that Ugetsu has undoubtedly earned is portrayed in a negative light to destroy soloists, unlike how Mafuyu’s is more of a guiding light for the band.
The next way that the two are definitely foils is their relationships - specifically their romantic relationships. Both Mafuyu and Ugetsu are people who struggle to communicate and find themselves tangled up in their pasts when it comes to relationships. With Ugetsu, this means that he doesn’t know how to properly communicate an ending to him and Akihiko, in spite of knowing that they’re terrible for each other, which goes hand in hand with his holding onto the past by staying with Akihiko out of not wanting to be alone. For Mafuyu, this is very much the same, he is unable to communicate properly with Uenoyama at times, which in part comes from his previous relationship with Yuki. The main difference here comes with the fact that Uenoyama and Mafuyu are able to work through this and learn, whereas Ugetsu and Akihiko had absolutely no hope of fixing their problems. For Ugetsu and Akihiko, their relationship is just purely toxic on both ends. The two know that they’re awful for each other - with Ugetsu keeping Akihiko physically close, but not emotionally connecting, and Akihiko constantly staying, refusing to leave when Ugetsu pushes - but neither want to let go of the first person who they connected to. With Ugetsu and Akihiko, their communication is awful because they don’t actually want to talk about their issues, as that means they would have to acknowledge that they’re terrible together. Ugetsu is afraid of being alone, afraid of having the one consistent person within his life leave because he would be happier elsewhere. Basically, Ugetsu and Akihiko had a push (Ugetsu) and pull (Akihiko) relationship where they were too focused on their past connection to want to communicate how they were hurting each other, which is what resulted in their breakup. The two were not a sustainable relationship, whereas Uenoyama and Mafuyu face similar issues, but still come out on top.
Mafuyu and Uenoyama are both teens who heavily struggle to communicate with each other, it’s an issue that leads to them both feeling insecure and even abandoned at times within their relationship. On Mafuyu’s end, the inability to communicate can be seen as being rooted in his past with Yuki - who grew up with him and could usually understand him even without too much verbal communication. It is after Yuki’s death though that Mafuyu retreats into himself, and struggles with connecting to other people, until he meets Uenoyama, who manages to connect to him through music. The two struggle from the beginning with their communication, but that’s fine, they’re still teenagers and they manage to work through it - sometimes alone, sometimes with the push of other people. Really, it doesn’t matter how the two work through their issues, what matters is that fact that Uenoyama and Mafuyu do want to communicate and figure out how to move forward, if they didn’t want to fix things, then they likely wouldn’t have communicated even when pushed to do so, or else the outcome of their talks wouldn’t have been that they are continuing to date. Mafuyu and Uenoyama positively contrast Ugetsu and Akihiko thanks to them being more willing to communicate and acknowledge the issues that are coming up in their relationship. The way that their relationships turn out by the end of the manga is a great show of Ugetsu and Mafuyu being foils, with Ugetsu’s ending and Mafuyu’s finding a way to continue. Luckily, this part being a foil doesn’t mean that Ugetsu is left unhappy after the ending of him and Akihiko, like he is still allowed to be happy, which may slightly lessen him being a foil as typically a foil doesn’t get the happiest ending, but both Ugetsu and Mafuyu get to be happy, even if it’s thanks to their relationship statuses being opposites.
The final way that they are foils is within how music and relationships work for the two of them. After all, Ugetsu and Akihiko failed because of music - namely Akihiko’s self doubt and loss of passion for violin being paired with Ugetsu’s pride and inability to value a romantic relationship over his career as a concert violinist. Meanwhile, Mafuyu and Uenoyama were only able to succeed because they have music, they communicate within music and through music, pushing and pulling each other as they manage to say what they need to either through or because of music. This point is really an accumulation of the prodigy point as well as the relationship point, but it’s still very interesting and deserves its own spotlight. Music is the direct breaking point for Ugetsu’s relationship, while being what keeps Mafuyu’s relationship perfectly together. So, just to preface the Ugetsu and Akihiko section of this point - Ugetsu is not at fault for choosing his career over romance, there isn’t a problem with someone valuing and pursuing a career and fame over a romantic relationship. That isn’t the issue on Ugetsu’s end, rather the issue is that it causes him to be a toxic partner, as he and Akihiko were focused and wanting different things within their relationship. Music drives Akihiko and Ugetsu apart though, due to the fact that Akihiko seemed to want more that Ugetsu could give because of his pursuing a career as a violinist that travels internationally. Again, that really pairs with their push and pull dynamic, but the next part is how music affected them both within their relationship. Akihiko ended up losing his passion for violin when he was around Ugetsu, doubting his own skill because of how amazing the other was. This also gets paired with Ugetsu being a prideful character, this is a man who has been praised and not only knows, but owns how good he is. The pride contrasted with the self doubt made Ugetsu and Akihiko awful for each other as well, as Ugetsu would make comments that tried to tell Akihiko that he should have more confidence in his music, however they always came off wrong, sounding harsh - which only beat down Akihiko more. Music drove Ugetsu and Akihiko apart due to their own flaws and how those flaws would affect the other - oftentimes with Ugetsu as the offender between the two. Another note, this isn’t to say Ugetsu is the only one at fault, Akihiko knew that he and Ugetsu were bad for each other and he saw that they wanted different things in life but wouldn’t walk away, in spite of knowing it would be better for him. Their relationship was built on Akihiko’s admiration and self doubt paired with Ugetsu’s want for love and praise, with all of those emotions and wants surrounding music. Not only is music what made them toxic, but Akihiko and Ugetsu ended their relationship for the final time after Akihiko realised he loved music still and Ugetsu came to another one of Given’s concerts where he could see Akihiko and Haruki interacting, seeing how much Akihiko cared for Haruki. Their relationship starts with a violin competition and ends with a concert - not an orchestra (that would make a very different feeling), but a concert and I honestly cannot think of anything more beautiful than that. But the important thing in terms of foils here is how while music drives apart Akihiko and Ugetsu, it is what connects and completes Uenoyama and Mafuyu.
To put it frankly, there would be no story without music as the string that weaves together Mafuyu and Uenoyama. The two would never have met or at least not have actually connected if it weren’t for Mafuyu asking Uenoyama to teach him how to play the guitar. That day on the stairwell is the reason that the story exists, as Mafuyu reaches out and Uenoyama - albeit reluctantly - meets him in the middle, as he fixes and later agrees to teach the other guitar. This connection through music doesn’t only appear at the beginning, it stays a running theme throughout the series. Mafuyu is best at communicating when he is able to sing what he feels, Uenoyama can always understand what Mafuyu is saying when he sings. This is seen as going both ways even, as at the end of the series, Uenoyama manages to connect with Mafuyu even more after he plays with SYH. The two not only connect, but also find completion within music and each other. Mafuyu finds a passion for music, which he was said or at least implied to have not liked due to it coming between him and Yuki, as well as finding a voice and a way to heal. Uenoyama’s passion reignites when he plays for and with Mafuyu, lessening his burnt out gifted kid position in the band, he also discovers his sexuality thanks to Mafuyu, which wouldn’t have happened had they not played together in Given. It is within music that Mafuyu and Uenoyama are best at communicating with each other, they connect, and they complete each other as they realise that they want to play together, want to make a life with each other and music. Again, this is just such a beautiful way to make music and it impacts a foil between Mafuyu and Ugetsu, they are so different as music brings together and tears apart their relationships.
Overall, Ugetsu and Mafuyu manage to be wonderfully crafted foils. They have so many parallels but they’re portrayed in such conflicting ways, it’s amazing to see and think about the thought that went into them. Yet, the two are portrayed as great friends as well, with Mafuyu being a confidant for Ugetsu, who does his best to support him in turn. They also praise each others music - Mafuyu being one of the people who congratulates Ugetsu when he sees he’s doing well (also being the only person who Ugetsu immediately replies to), while Ugetsu full on encourages Mafuyu to stick with music, knowing how good the younger is. The two started out a little more accidental and awkward as a duo, but they do indeed get along swimmingly, and it’s just really refreshing to see the two together. They aren’t people who connect easily, they aren’t amazing at communication, and they hurt people they love as much as they try not to. But it doesn’t make them bad people, as seen throughout the whole manga with Mafuyu, and understood with Ugetsu as his story unfolds. They’re foils, showing off the worst traits, but also bringing out some of the better once paired with each other. Loyal and steadfast, Mafuyu and Ugetsu manage to show the beauty of friendly foils.
#Spence does Essays (Given Edition)#given#essay#mafuyu sato#ugetsu murata#uenoyama ritsuka#kaji akihiko#analysis#given manga#given anime#Mafuyu and Ugetsu are foils#and I love them for it#longest one yet y'all (over 3000 words)
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Love, Codependency, and the Accidental Toxicity of Mafuyu and Yuki
While Given is centred around Mafuyu and Uenoyama’s relationship, the lasting impacts of Mafuyu’s romance with Yuki are undeniable. The relationship between Yuki and Mafuyu was one from childhood that grew and evolved with them, eventually landing them in a romantic relationship. While some think that the two were made for each, one character being Hiiragi, a childhood friend who watched the duo evolve, however there can be another viewpoint to this. The other implication when reading Given can be the idea of codependency between Yuki and Mafuyu.
Codependency is defined as “excessive emotional or psychological reliance on a partner, typically one who requires support on account of an illness or addiction” by the Oxford Dictionary, as “a psychological condition or a relationship in which a person manifesting low self-esteem and a strong desire for approval has an unhealthy attachment to another person and places the needs of that person before his or her own” by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, and finally as “a relationship is when each person involved is mentally, emotionally, physically, and/or spiritually reliant on the other” by the VeryWell Mind website. While all varying, these definitions all seem to agree that codependency is an unhealthy/excessive psychological reliance on another person, often with negative reasons and consequences. Going forward with this definition created from the previous definitions, it could be seen that Mafuyu and Yuki were codependent on each other, rather than just a one sided codependency, like some people experience.
One of the first hints to Yuki and Mafuyu being codependent comes from their constant being together. From the moment that they meet up until they go to different high schools, Mafuyu and Yuki are known to always be together. Even if the two weren’t directly interacting, they are consistently within each other's radius, easily within sight of each other. When appropriate, the duo would also be touching, leaning on each other, or holding each other, really whatever touch could happen in the moment. While the constant togetherness and touch may not seem too serious, it is important to remember that codependency is reliance on another person. Their consistency and wanting to be together constantly is possibly a subtle but real sign of codependency.
The next sign is their general relationship with each other. The two were childhood friends to lovers, a trope that can be built on drama and love triangles, but in this case seemed to be a natural progression between the two characters. Yuki found Mafuyu when they were young children, likely around the age of 5, give or take a year. As the two grew up, they also grew together, becoming intertwined together, becoming inseparable. The duo were almost always together, and with that they also grew to have ‘complimentary’ personalities, as Mafuyu was a quiet and small presence while Yuki was a loud and massive personality. The duo seemed to mold themselves to fit into each other, creating a reliance for the other to be what they were not. One such way this would create a reliance is them needing each other to bounce off of. This is meant as in Mafuyu needing Yuki to speak for him and bring a sense of loudness, of life and excitement for him, while Yuki needed Mafuyu to provide a quiet and reliable space for him, someone to listen and be consistent. Not only do the two seem to have become what the other needed, but another part is their communication. The partners seem to have developed communication that didn’t always require speaking, at least when they were younger. The two seemed to be able to understand each other, understand what the other needed, and it made them even more suited for each other. Every factor of how the two were weaved together throughout their life contributed to the codependence that the two appear to share. It was the evolution from children to young teens together in such similar and at times lonely situations that caused them to grow so close, and likely so reliant on each other for a certain stability and love that they both needed, showcasing the psychological effects of codependency.
Another point towards their relationship being unhealthily dependent is Hiiragi’s view of their relationship. In some ways, Hiiragi seems to view the two as a perfect love story, perfect harmony, due to how they seem to compliment and grow with each other. In some ways, Hiiragi appears to consider Yuki and Mafuyu as perfect for each other. It was Hiiragi who, in the manga, called Yuki a “dominating and moody” person, while claiming Mafuyu to be “submissive and reserved” in terms of personality. It was observed by Hiiragi that Yuki seemed wholly and purely in love with Mafuyu. Through the chapters where Hiiragi narrates his own view on the two, there is a rose-tinted glasses look at the duo. Every character holds a bias when it comes to memories of Yuki as well as his relationship with Mafuyu, with mayhaps Shizusumi being the least biased of the old group. It is because of this bias though that Hiiragi’s view feels like he considers the two to be true love and harmony in romance, he idolised Yuki, and always cared for Mafuyu, making it difficult to point out any flaws in their relationship because of this care. It also seems that Hiiragi, likely accidentally, can be used to point out how close they were, and how reliant they were. Hiiragi stated that “Yuki needed Mafuyu, and Mafuyu needed Yuki” within episode 8 of the anime. The use of the word needed specifically is what matters so much. To claim that they needed each other, Hiiragi was admitting that it wasn’t as simple as them wanting to be together, it wasn’t as much of a choice or a want, but rather the word need has a more definitive feeling, they had to be together, never straying far or else they would suffer - which ended up being true. The truth of Hiiragi saying they needed each other was realised when Mafuyu went to a different high school and Yuki got a job, distancing them. And everything comes together during their fight, which Hiiragi and Shizusumi were witnesses to. This fight is another time where one can spot Hiiragi’s rose-tinted view of Mafuyu and Yuki’s relationship, as Hiiragi claims that the fight was a small, dumb fight, one that every couple experiences. The reason this is seen as optimistic at best is because it is clear to readers and watchers that the fight was big, it was yelling and it was mean - cemented by Mafuyu’s final sentence in the argument. Everything that Hiiragi says about Yuki and Mafuyu’s relationship feels like he was observing with rose-tinted glasses, keeping optimistic about it even as it became worse towards the end. The clear bias may mean this section shouldn’t exist, but it can also be seen as someone witnessing a codependent relationship and thinking all is perfect, when they are watching an active trainwreck. Hiiragi thinking about how the two were an opposites attract relationship, saying they needed each other, and downplaying their fight, all feels like him trying to make sense of what appeared to be his definition of a perfect relationship, and it was as if he himself could not see the codependency that someone reading or watching the series could see through him.
The fourth reason one can see them as codependent is Mafuyu's social life outside of Yuki. While yes, he also had Hiiragi and Shizusumi, it appears like he didn’t have anyone else, and even the other two were not as close to him as Yuki was. That statement isn’t meant to diminish Hiiragi, Shizusumi, and Mafuyu’s friendship, rather it is meant to lift the relationship between Yuki and Mafuyu as being on an entirely different level. It’s easily seen that Mafuyu does mainly socialise with Yuki and the other two, but more Yuki than anyone else. It feels like the two were together first, before anyone else could join, creating their little bubble of just Mafuyu and Yuki. Where this truly becomes a concern however is when one looks at Mafuyu’s social life outside of Yuki. As previously stated, at times it seems like Mafuyu felt a certain disconnect at times to Hiiragi and Shizusumi, and this suspicion is furthered by his complete shut down after Yuki’s death. While not everyone will be able to reach out and talk to others while going through grief, perhaps part of their cut off was not only Mafuyu’s depression but also him worrying that he was not close enough to the other two to be able to reach out. Ignoring that speculation, one can take into account the character page of Mafuyu, which states that he was never a part of any clubs or teams, meaning he never really branched out socially. While not much is explored about Mafuyu’s life before Uenoyama outside of what is with Yuki, this feels intentional to show that there wasn’t a lot for him outside of the other boy. The flashbacks seen in Mafuyu’s point of view are consistently with Yuki - their first meeting, their school days, dates, their fight, and finally, Yuki’s death. Nothing else seemed to truly exist, it was as if Mafuyu could ignore all others for Yuki, as he was his world. The lack of a social life can definitely be seen as a sense of reliance on Yuki, solidifying the idea of him being codependent on the other.
The second to last point within Strawberry Swing, specifically the fourth part being a supposed dream sequence that honestly feels like an actual connection to Yuki in the afterlife that Mafuyu has. This dream is where the two actually seem to say goodbye to each other, a certain feeling of peace and melancholy flowing from this section of the manga. Within part four of Strawberry Swing, Yuki and Mafuyu talk on a swing set, with Yuki telling Mafuyu that the redhead has to go, and Mafuyu then leaving. After this, Yuki states that there is a gaping hole within Mafuyu left behind from Yuki’s suicide, and while it may get smaller with time, it shall never be fully repaired, and Yuki would always reside in that hole, listening to Mafuyu as he sings. Overall, this section of the story is a beautiful look into Yuki’s mind on Mafuyu’s healing, and totally feels more like a spiritual encounter than just a dream thanks to the point of view appearing to be Yuki’s, and the outside look at Mafuyu and his grief. Its beauty is only enhanced by the tragedy that speaks within this section though, as it seems to admit that Mafuyu will never fully be able to move on from Yuki or heal from his death. That being said, grief is of course an extremely long process, and it isn’t a linear path to moving on or somehow getting rid of grief, that is simply not how it works. It is not the grief itself that is interesting in this section, but rather the way that Yuki swears to always be in Mafuyu’s heart. Even in death, Yuki will forever stay with Mafuyu, even if he isn’t alive or physically there. Not necessarily a sign of the two being codependent, but definitely an interesting aspect of the manga to consider when it comes to their relationship.
The final point is a line brought up in the Strawberry Swing story within Given. This line is said by Yuki’s mother, Saeko, who states that “Mafuyu… I selfishly believed… that you were that child’s anchor”. She believed that Mafuyu was Yuki’s anchor to the world, that he was the one who kept the other boy alive and stable, tethered to the world. There is also a line where she mentions how Yuki was “like his father”, who is either outright dead or at least implied to be dead, and this line also basically tells the audience it was suicide, and a mental disorder was likely passed down to Yuki from his father. It is made clear in Strawberry Swing that Saeko believed that Mafuyu would be able to keep Yuki alive and well, which isn’t something two children/teenagers should have to do for each other, which she even admits to, saying she was selfish in believing Mafuyu was his anchor and that it was wrong of her to think. This part screams of a mother who watched her son become extremely psychologically reliant on another boy, and only after his death is able to reflect and see how unhealthy it was for both of them. After all, the role of the anchor is extremely dangerous for both parties, as it puts so much pressure on the anchor to keep a good and stable presence, while it leaves the other person with one person who truly connects them to the world, rather than them feeling as though they have a full support system. These roles become even worse in the case of Mafuyu and Yuki, who are two teenage boys in love with mental health issues. They were not stable enough to be in the roles of anchor and tethered person, even if they wanted to be that for each other. So, while terrible for them, the anchor comment definitely implies that Yuki was extremely reliant on Mafuyu to keep him tethered to the world, keep him living, which is a sign of codependency.
In the end, there are codependent tendencies that seem to exist in Mafuyu and Yuki’s relationship. The two boys appeared to rely on each other mentally and socially, which can qualify people for a codependent relationship. While peers, especially Hiiragi, appeared to see them as two perfect halves of a whole, idolising the weaved together nature of Mafuyu and Yuki, it can easily be seen as a rose-tinted view to the duo’s relationship and end up revealing more negative than expected. The additional view of an adult, specifically Yuki’ mother, Saeko, seeing Mafuyu as an anchor for Yuki only enhances the idea of an imperfect and overly reliant relationship. Although it is painful to admit, there is little doubt that one can pick up on hints and read Yuki and Mafuyu as an accidentally toxic codependent relationship.
#Spence does Essays (Given Edition)#given#mafuyu sato#yuki yoshida#essay#analysis#I have so many thoughts#and their relationship is so good to analyze#oopsie daisies this is over 2000 words long <3#posting this today because it’s a companion to the other one i posted today#screw having a posting schedule i’m mentally ill and like to ramble#and discuss#love hearing others thoughts#but yeah these bitches were not healthy or perfect <3#you can pry this dynamic from my cold dead hands#but yeah welcome to the codependent Mafuyu/Yuki discussion
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The Cracked Mirror: Mafuyu’s Contrasting Romances
When reading or watching the series Given, Mafuyu Sato’s two romances are impossible to not compare and contrast. The series itself notes how similar his relationship with Uenoyama is to his relationship with Yuki, as Given is largely meant to show how Mafuyu is able to move on after the loss of his first friend and love. The issue comes when the two relationships are seen as the same, completely mirroring each other, when they’re more akin to a cracked mirror, similar, but not the same. It is the differences in Uenoyama and Mafuyu’s relationship that allows for the two to be happy in the end, unlike the tragic ending to Yuki and Mafuyu’s relationship.
The series of Given revolved around the budding romantic relationship between Mafuyu and Uenoyama, and the ups and the downs of falling in love after a traumatic loss. It can be said that Mafuyu’s healing starts the moment that he and Uenoyama find each other on the staircase by the gym, from the moment that Uenoyama fixes his broken guitar, or rather, his heart. As the series progresses, the two grew closer together, catching feelings for one another that went beyond platonic. Nerves in every step, the two do enter a relationship, only for history to start to repeat itself for Mafuyu, as the two grow distant.
The differences between the relationships truly shine through when Uenoyama and Mafuyu enter their relationship, as well as when they start to grow apart. One of the biggest contrasts in Given is the progression of the relationship between Mafuyu and Uenoyama, especially how awkward they are. Rather than clicking together seamlessly, the two often struggled to be on the same wavelength when not playing music. It is only after they perform for the first time, able to understand and realize his own feelings, that Uenoyama is able to make a move on Mafuyu, who returns the feelings, but doesn’t know how to process after his performance. They stay in a state of awkward romance until the day they go to the beach, where Mafuyu himself is able to admit his feelings for the other boy. Even after they get together, the two have a clumsy relationship, they feel like a new and uncertain couple in most of their scenes - or at least, Uenoyama does. The newness of the relationship, their inability to be two perfect halves at first, also leads to one of their biggest flaws: communication. It is a severe difficulty to communicate that leads to the disconnect between the duo, that leads to the major conflicts of Uenoyama feeling like not enough, and Mafuyu feeling like history is repeating itself when Uenoyama joins SYH as a substitute. It is an inability to communicate that leads to the sense of abandonment within Mafuyu.
However, it is the newness of the relationship that also allows Ugetsu to help Mafuyu to communicate. Ugetsu is able to push Mafuyu to communicate by literally forcing him into the concert, allowing him to see and realize his love for music and for Uenoyama, making him see that he has to tell his partner how he feels. While terribly clumsy, their issues with communication are still overcome due to either one of them speaking up or else with the help of someone else telling them how to. Mafuyu and Uenoyama are a flawed relationship, they are both characters who struggle with things such as expressing and identifying their emotions, with communication, and with feeling like they are enough at times. But they have strengths too, they overcome issues together, learning and adjusting to one another, growing into what each other needs and can understand.
Even though he only appears in memories, Yuki is a prominent character throughout Given. The times readers are able to see Mafuyu and Yuki together, it is clear that there are key differences to Yuki and Mafuyu’s relationship. The two met at a young age, growing together throughout their years, becoming a couple who were rarely apart from each other until they went to separate schools and struggled to find time together. They were inseparable throughout most of their life, sticking together, being known as a duo by basically everyone that met them. Their relationship was seen as naturally progressing from childhood friends to lovers, observed by Hiiragi, who seemed to admire their seamless dynamic and flow.
Issues for Mafuyu and Yuki started early, even if it didn’t seem that way. Because the two grew up close, Mafuyu and Yuki seemed to become two halves of a whole in every way. In personality, Yuki was considered a dominating and moody presence, compared to Mafuyu, who was called submissive and reserved. Opposites who complimented each other, allowing each other to grow into their diverting personalities. None of this mattered to each other, as they were already bonded together, and it appeared like they were able to read each other, no matter how the other appeared to feel outwardly. However, their ability to read each other ended up becoming Mafuyu and Yuki’s biggest weakness, as it led to them being unable to truly communicate with each other. When they grew apart, Mafuyu was unable to figure out how to tell Yuki that he missed him, that he wanted to join him, not be on the outside watching him. This tension is what led to Mafuyu snapping, and it all goes back to an inability to communicate that Yuki and Mafuyu were unable to overcome.
It also leads to the other major contrast between the two relationships, the way that Mafuyu couldn’t seem to exist outside of Yuki. Where Mafuyu was able to build himself to be more than just Uenoyama and the band by befriending Uenoyama’s other friends and joining in with basketball during lunches, managing to befriend Ugetsu, as well as rebuilding his relationship with Hiiragi and Shizusumi to be even stronger, this didn’t seem to be the same way with Yuki. Rather, the two were more like one entity at times, due to their inseparability. They were consistent together, they were happy together, but it also appeared that to be happy, they had to be together - at least, until Yuki found music. It is stated within the manga that Mafuyu hadn’t joined any clubs or teams in middle or high school, and his friend group - Yuki, Hiiragi, and Shizusumi, all went to a different high school, making Mafuyu isolated majority of his time, until he was able to see the others. In contrast, Yuki did find music, he was able to hang out with their childhood friends, and he was much more social, so he didn’t appear to struggle socially as much as Mafuyu did. This caused a divide, even with Yuki and Mafuyu’s previously strong relationship. It is the moment they are unable to be together that the cracks of their relationship show, their codependent tendencies aren’t substantial. Their relationship is built on them being together constantly, so when they can no longer be with one another, they break down, they are flawed.
While the relationships appear to mirror each other, there are clear differences, clear cracks in this view. Uenoyama and Mafuyu are able to work together, overcoming their flaws, even if they need others' help and advice to do so. The reflected relationship of Yuki and Mafuyu were unable to overcome the same flaws, unable to learn how to communicate, how to be people outside of one another. Mafuyu’s romantic relationships are two of the best to compare and contrast to one another, thanks to their similarities and differences. Both relationships have depths to explore and reflect on, creating two beautiful and, at times, heartbreaking romances. So, as the stories unravelled, and Mafuyu healed and grew as a character, the mirroring relations were cracked, showing how while Yuki and Mafuyu were a beautiful tragedy, Mafuyu and Uenoyama are a joyous union.
#Spence does Essays (Given Edition)#given#essays#analysis#mafuyu sato#uenoyama ritsuka#yuki yoshida#essays are fun#especially when they aren't formal#given anime#given manga#character analysis#no wait#relationship analysis#that's more accurate#(we can get deeper into Mafuyu and Yuki's relationship another time <3)
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say what you want about Mafuyu’s “la-la-la”s - they remain one of the most important parts of the series
(i get it’s a joke typically but also they’re just so important)
(like it’s a little awkward - but it should be? he has no real experience singing and yet he was able to do a little tune!)
(also it’s so important because of emotional levels for Mafuyu - he was also secure with Yuki that he could do them unconsciously, he wanted to be comfortable with Uenoyama so he sings with him, and then he wants to release his pain so he sings to the audience!)
(they’re also about reciprocated love - and how it feels for him. with Yuki, he loved Mafuyu so much that he started to write a song for him. with Yuki, they also show that Yuki wanted to do things for Mafuyu without realizing he should do things with Mafuyu (a common theme in their relationship). for Uenoyama - they show how he wants to continue with Mafuyu, never leaving him out, making them a more intertwined duo!)
(anyways i know the la-la-la thing is a joke but it also just riles me up. might write a full piece on this at some point) (the significance of the la-la-la’s, not the joke. kind of like my guitar essay)
#given#mafuyu sato#i’ll fight y’all#(joking)#yuki yoshida#uenoyama ritsuka#analysis#but mini (for me)#Spence does Essays (Given Edition)
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The Audacity: Hiiragi and Mafuyu and the Boyfriends
Hiiragi Kashima is a very fun character within Given. One of the interesting aspects to his character are his duelling relationships with Yuki and Uenoyama. Within these two relationships, Hiiragi shows extremely differing views of the two others. With Yuki, there is idolisation - literal stage imagery used for him, especially around his relationship with Mafuyu. For Uenoyama, Hiiragi appears to see them as more equal, which is shown in how much attitude is constantly given. Through both of these relationships, Hiiragi’s relationship with Mafuyu can also be seen growing - from a distant childhood friend to a close sibling figure.
Yuki, in Hiiragi’s eyes, was near perfection. This boy was a bright light, the main actor on the stage of life. Both Hiiragi and Mafuyu appeared to have followed Yuki throughout their childhoods as though he was polaris in the night sky. A lot of the imagery used in Hiiragi’s view where Yuki (and subsequently, Mafuyu) appear on stage. It gives off a sense of idolisation of Yuki, the idea that he was up there like a star while Hiiragi was just watching in the audience. It gives a sense of superiority, a sense of ‘hey look - he’s already made it’ when Hiiragi thinks about Yuki. This also causes basically everything that could be seen as a flaw of Yuki’s to be brushed off. Both of these issues also blinded Hiiragi, as he was unable to see how Shizusumi had only really been attached to him, and how Mafuyu was completely drifting and felt abandoned. By being so wrapped up in Yuki, Hiiragi also still kind of glazes over how serious the issues ran between Yuki and Mafuyu, too deep in his idolisation to see that the two were struggling, to see what led to their fight. Hiiragi put Yuki up onto a dangerously high pedestal and will likely never take him off of it. Hiiragi still believes that Yuki was the one made for centre stage even after his death. To Hiiragi, Yuki was the star of the show and himself and the others were more of side characters - though Mafuyu had a slightly higher role due to their romance.
In this, there is also so much commentary about Yuki and Mafuyu’s relationship in Hiiragi’s eyes - as well as commentary about how he generally views romance. Hiiragi viewed Yuki and Mafuyu in different ways - he still does. Yuki was the one the spotlight followed, and Mafuyu almost appeared to be his shadow. Hiiragi thought that they were made for each other, and knew that whatever they needed they found in each other. It would be super romantic, if not for the harm that it caused them. What Hiiragi fails to acknowledge, and still refuses to accept, is that Mafuyu and Yuki had problems. The stage that he put Yuki on was big enough for two, and Mafuyu was the chosen second who held Yuki’s affections. In the scenes of Mafuyu and Yuki on stage, Hiiragi portrays them dancing. He shows them smiling and laughing, purely in love and wrapped up in each other. He forgets that it takes two to tango and communication to practise. He fails to see that Mafuyu is falling behind as Yuki speeds up, disrupting their steady dance. His high view of Yuki led him to an enchanted view of Yuki and Mafuyu, it made him irrational in his thoughts of them. He glazes over their argument, thinking of it as a dumb little argument - which it clearly wasn’t. He doesn’t realise that the duo were codependent on each other. Hiiragi is blind.
This all leads to how Hiiragi romanticised the two and in them found his idea of a perfect relationship, two people who appeared to be everything the other needed, everything the other wasn’t. Hiiragi very much seems to think that opposites are what make the best couples. He admires how Yuki and Mafuyu seemed to complete each other. It could be thought and argued that this even affects Hiiragi’s own relationship - as he and Shizusumi follow the same model as Yuki and Mafuyu - with the childhood friends to lovers buildup as well as the opposite personalities. But by viewing Yuki and Mafuyu so highly, by romanticising them, Hiiragi wouldn’t comment on them though. He could never utter a word that wasn’t praise about their dynamic. He saw them as perfect, and how could someone say something negative about soulmates? Hiiragi certainly couldn’t. It doesn’t help that Yuki and Mafuyu would have developed so naturally in his eyes, he would’ve been there to observe every step of the relationship, and by seeing them as made for each other, he would never have dared to comment on them.
What breaks this perfection-personified view of Yuki and Mafuyu, is Uenoyama. Hiiragi and Uenoyama start off rough, and even when they solidly become friends, their bickering is neverending. The issue that comes with Uenoyama, to Hiiragi at least, is that he almost definitely thinks of him as a replacement for Yuki. While Mafuyu almost appears to see that, he acknowledges fundamental differences from the beginning, like the communication, the roughness, the fact that they aren’t codependent. Mafuyu sees pieces of Yuki in Uenoyama, but he always knows that they are different. Hiiragi doesn’t quite do the same, rather he sees a talented guitarist with a bold personality and kind of assumes that this is a replacement. Within this, Hiiragi becomes more hostile - he doesn’t outright dislike Uenoyama necessarily, but both his comments and their bickering is almost tense at first, too antagonistic to be called just friendly. However, Uenoyama does prove himself to be more than a Yuki stand-in, because he is much more than that. However, it’s thanks to the beginning of their relationship, of seeing Uenoyama in the shadow of the bright Yuki, does set up a more in tune relationship. Unlike with Yuki, Hiiragi doesn’t have Uenoyama on any sort of pedestal. Rather, they’re equals in Hiiragi’s eyes, he can freely bicker and insult Uenoyama because he isn’t the star of the show - at least not to Hiiragi. So, their foundation is that Hiiragi is off-put, thinking Uenoyama’s some imposter version of Yuki, then he actually gets to know him, likes him and realises that he isn’t just Yuki 2.0, and then proceeds to bicker with him endlessly because that’s how Hiiragi shows his love apparently.
This relationship with Uenoyama is also what sets up such a difference in how Hiiragi views Uenoyama and Mafuyu. Rather than seeing them as perfect, Hiiragi can see (and therefore point out) every single issue there is. He doesn’t see the feelings blossom between Mafuyu and Uenoyama, he isn’t there to watch their development, only the clunkiness of their new romance. This gives him a lot more ammo to use to make fun of Uenoyama in his and Mafuyu’s relationship. Hiiragi also appears to be closer with Mafuyu now compared to when he was dating Yuki, which likely helps him have a little more confidence in his commenting on their relationship as well. Not the most polite thing to criticise the relationship of someone you aren’t close with, but Hiiragi and Mafuyu consider each other as younger siblings, so at that point relationships are fair game. Overall, it’s the equal grounds with Uenoyama as well as his closer relationship with Mafuyu that makes Hiiragi more open when it comes to his reactions to them. He no longer has an idolic view that keeps his mouth shut, rather he calls what he sees between the two of them, especially the flaws because of how he loves to tease and bicker with the duo.
There is also the possibility of Hiiragi trying to be more open about Mafuyu’s relationships because of how the last one ended. It’s possible that Hiiragi’s guilt over simply watching as Mafuyu and Yuki fell apart has also influenced his outspoken nature. Hiiragi wants forgiveness - that’s the sentiment that follows him within the chapter where he and Mafuyu talk. He wants to be forgiven by Mafuyu for not stepping in when he and Yuki fought, Hiiragi wants to be forgiven for being a bystander and not realising what was going on. This is what drives him the day of their talk in the rain, he wants to get closer to Mafuyu and earn that forgiveness - earn the right to be in his life once again. Then, upon seeing Mafuyu enter a new relationship, Hiiragi may speak up because he wants to establish that he will see and acknowledge flaws. After having Yuki ripped away from them, Hiiragi may strive to see the flaws so that he won’t be a bystander should an issue arise, rather he would be able to help out. While his teasing may appear to just have the purpose of annoying Uenoyama and Mafuyu, Hiiragi wasn’t able to do this to Yuki and Mafuyu, just like he wasn’t able to step in. Now, he may feel like should anything happen, he can step in.
Of course, Hiiragi likely wouldn’t feel able to freely speak, if it weren't for his relationship with Mafuyu also improving. While yes, Hiiragi and Mafuyu were childhood friends, they had a Yuki sized chasm between them. To Hiiragi, Yuki was a star to chase after, and the only person who could ever be at his side was Mafuyu. For Mafuyu, Yuki was everything, with Yuki around he was happy, never concerned about branching out. So, while Hiiragi and Mafuyu were childhood friends, that doesn’t mean they were actually close - in fact, Hiiragi calls them childhood friends, but doesn’t actually seem to think they were very close. Rather, Mafuyu’s teasing and Hiiragi’s loudness, matched with their favouritism for Yuki, appears to have driven them slightly apart. This is potentially why Mafuyu was able to slip away after Yuki’s death - after all, he disappeared after the funeral until the day they ran into each other on the street. With them being distant in spite of their friendship, Mafuyu would’ve been able to slip under Hiiragi’s and Shizusumi’s radar easily. In a way, that’s potentially part of why Hiiragi would want forgiveness from Mafuyu - not just for being only a bystander, but also for letting Mafuyu slip away from him. Hiiragi’s drive to reconnect with Mafuyu is what leads them to a better, closer relationship. It opens up them being able to tease each other but also rely on each other, as well as their “little brother” and “little sister” comments. Before their reconnection, it feels doubtful that Hiiragi and Mafuyu would’ve ever been able to say the things they do - like Mafuyu asking when Hiiragi was going to get with Shizusmi, or Hiiragi joking about Mafuyu having to steal Uenoyama back. It shows progress, from distant childhood friends to a really sweet sibling relationship between them, even though it developed in a dark time. Yuki may have unintentionally prevented Hiiragi and Mafuyu from bonding, not because of his actions, but how they viewed Yuki in their lives - and each other’s lives in relation to Yuki. Hiiragi being able to be his true dramatic diva self doesn’t just come from how he views Uenoyama, but also the upgraded bond he now shares with Mafuyu. The two no longer hesitate or have an awkward gap between them, but are now much closer and are able to act as such.
Overall, Hiiragi’s character - actions, words, and thoughts - towards Yuki, Uenoyama, Mafuyu and the relationships within are diverse and interesting to inspect. There’s a dark edge within Hiiragi’s interactions, all caused by the history he shares with Yuki and Mafuyu, yet it all leads to a lighter relationship - and even a closer one between Mafuyu and Hiiragi. Like all relationships in Given, Hiiragi’s relationships with the trio are very complex and real. His idolisation, his hostility turned to friendship, his distance to brotherhood - all of these are dynamics that make sense for Hiiragi and the others they formed with given how they form. Hiiragi, just like all teenagers, is just doing his best to get through life and make (or keep) connections where he can. He isn’t perfect - as very much seen with him and Uenoyama - but he tries his best, especially after the trauma of Yuki’s death.
#given#hiiragi kashima#yuki yoshida#uenoyama ritsuka#mafuyu sato#spence does essays (given edition)#essay#analysis#given manga#character analysis#relationship analysis#hiiragi my beloved#what goes on in his brain?#sometimes I think nothing#other times I know better
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A Bleeding Red Gibson, Mafuyu’s Heart
The iconic red Gibson guitar, bought and played first by Yuki, but later given to Mafuyu, has always been a clear metaphor. It’s meant to represent the heart of Mafuyu, seen and understood clearly from the very beginning of the series, from the moment he is seen holding the guitar and snapping the strings. The beautiful guitar is the bleeding heart of Mafuyu Sato, it has its ups and downs, and its story is just as important as the boy himself.
The guitar and its symbolism start with the strings. Through the strings of the Gibson, one can read Mafuyu’s emotional and mental state. At the beginning, when the first string is snapped, Mafuyu finds Yuki’s dead body. In this moment, there is nothing good about his emotional and mental state, there is something within him that has snapped. The string stays broken as Mafuyu stays disconnected and emotionally numb, he cannot process his emotions, cannot process his grief. It is once he meets Uenoyama, once the other repairs the strings and tunes the guitar, that Mafuyu is able to start his journey of healing. It is the replacing of the strings that show healing is starting in his heart, and the tuning by Uenoyama shows who will help him in this journey, shows that he is not alone - no matter what he may feel. The same is true later on as well, when another string snaps right before Given’s first performance together. With emotions high and tensions between Mafuyu and Uenoyama, the string snaps with Mafuyu’s fear and worry. This time, the replacement happens sooner, Mafuyu and Uenoyama are able to patch things up between them, leading to an easier repair to Mafuyu’s heartstrings than the first snap. These snaps as well as the repairs of the strings to the guitar easily match and reflect Mafuyu’s emotional state.
Another way that Mafuyu’s heart is represented through the red Gibson is the possession of the guitar. The first owner of the guitar is Yuki Yoshida, Mafuyu’s late boyfriend. This symbolises how Yuki was the clear holder of Mafuyu’s heart, how the two truly did fully encompass each other. With Yuki being the owner of the guitar, Mafuyu’s heart does not belong to him, and his state of being relies heavily on Yuki's treatment. It is only after Yuki commits suicide that Mafuyu receives his heart, no longer heavily tangled into Yuki, instead having to keep it himself and figure out what to do with it. In Mafuyu’s possession of the guitar, he is lost, still disconnected from the world. He does not know how to treat the Gibson, he does not know how to treat himself. As Mafuyu learns to accept who he is without Yuki, he also learns more about how to play guitar. When Yuki possessed the guitar, Mafuyu was one with him, but once he was given the guitar, Mafuyu learned how to live and love, all on his own terms. The Gibson is able to show how he needed to learn to be his own heart and his own person once more.
Finally, there is the playing of the guitar. When Yuki plays the guitar, Mafuyu is wrapped up in him. The playing goes very hand in hand with the possession of the guitar, with the difference being that the playing represents communication rather than who his heart belongs to. With Yuki being the one who plays the guitar, Mafuyu’s communication skills are limited. He is unable to speak up, to talk to people, to tell Yuki how he feels. Yuki playing it represents how they could read each other, but it became limited as they grew apart, and Mafuyu felt unable to reach Yuki, forcing them to rely on how they can read each other rather than actually talking with one another. When the red Gibson is possessed by Mafuyu, but remains unplayed, it shows how the boy is lost and still unable to communicate with others around him. At that time, he has no idea what he is doing with himself, and he doesn’t talk to others. But Uenoyama fixing and then tuning the guitar, strumming a chord, once more opens up an opportunity for Mafuyu. He takes the chance and asks the other for lessons. When Uenoyama finally agrees, and Mafuyu starts to learn how to play, he is also able to learn how to communicate once again. Of course, both learning guitar and learning how to communicate are difficult, something shown with how rough Mafuyu is at both of them throughout the series. While there are times when he is successful, like when performing, there are also times when he struggles, such as when Uenoyama becomes a substitute for SYH, and he stops both playing and communicating with those around him. Overall, the playing of the red guitar is able to subtly show how Mafuyu struggles to communicate with others.
In the end, the symbolic red Gibson is able to encompass different parts of Mafuyu’s character seamlessly. It shows his emotional state, who his heart belongs to, as well as how well he can communicate in different ways, keeping them separate and together at the same time, as they are all different elements of the same character. From the moments he holds the guitar with a string snapping, to him ending up on stages while playing the guitar, it is clear that the heart of Mafuyu Sato is symbolised through the beautiful red Gibson.
#Spence does Essays (Given Edition)#given#mafuyu sato#yuki yoshida#uenoyama ritsuka#essay#analysis#I dunno how to tag#do people even like essays here?#I just like to ramble and discuss really
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