#and kyoka turning her head to atsu because she feels most safe with him and she's most strongly connected to him alone than anyone else her

[dancing-dawn]

Seeing this artwork just makes my brain run wild. I agree with absolutely everything @thedarkdisgrace and if I may add my 2 cents:

My first immediate thought was about the string wrapped multiple times around Dazai's arm and its connection to Akutagawa symbolizing how much power Dazai holds over him and that being a perfect representation of their hierarchy. A gentle effortless tug of his wrist is enough to bring Akutagawa like a dog to him. But Aku holds close to zero meaning or power over Dazai, he can't win in this tug of war and he can't bring him closer by his own will.

Another similar read on the ribbon around Atsushi's throat is how Akutagawa and Kyoka are equally tied to him and the simple act of them pulling away from him, literally and metaphorically, would result in his death. It's fascinating how much this works in the literal sense, too, because Atsushi is most scared of being alone. His ties to people are what keep him alive, yet they're also his biggest weakness, leaving him powerless to the world if left alone (as being made very painfully obvious by the recent developments, good foreshadowing good good).

Atsushi's blind and foolishly naive trust in all the people in his live is both his meaning for life and will be his eventual demise.

His drive and reason to keep living is saving people. He saved Kyoka even when everyone else deemed it impossible. He believes he's able to save Aku too, hence the 6-month promise. He trusted both of them to change, to stop killing, and kept supporting them all the way through. And that alone is enough to give him meaning. If they were to cut their ties with him, he might as well be dead.

And we may also notice Atsushi is the only one who doesn't have thread around his hand, in a sense portraying him as not willing to have power over the others, he's simply letting himself be lead by their hands, being pulled left and right wherever they go because what is he without them.

And coming back to my first point, it's interesting Aku may still be pulled by Dazai's hand, but the string is not on his neck. Dazai is not able to destroy him anymore. Aku's infamous obsession with Dazai's approval may have been what gave meaning to his life, but the lack of it isn't enough to kill him.

Sooo in short my takeaway: lot string around hand = big power/influence; string around neck = vulnerability (which now that I write it down in simple terms seems too obvious lol apologies for the word vomit, it was so much fun to write tho!)

Thread from my twitter about this official art because it’s one of my favorite official anime art. This is actually part 1 because alot of people wanted a soukoku specific/Dazai focused part. So will post that here as well.

Starting off:

They’re gorgeous here but what I really love is the detail of the red thread of fate. More specifically how & where the thread is wrapped for skk & sskk + Kyoka. I’ll start with skk.

When it comes to Soukoku, my loves, Dazai has the thread wrapped around his neck. Chuuya has one end & it’s wrapped around his wrist (the one with the scar that proves he’s human btw), that seems to symbolize he's holding Dazai's life in his hands, at least partially. That's no surprise we all know they're inexplicably linked and fated etc.

Chuuya is always there to save Dazai & Asagiri said he’s the only one who truly understands Dazai. But it's super interesting the other half of Dazai's string that’s wrapped around his neck is first wrapped around his own wrist, before continuing to Aku. This essentially saying Dazai holds his own life in his hands.

Which obviously seems super accurate since we know his is biggest enemy is often his own mind & the hole inside his chest that he has a hard time filling. It’s where his suicidal tendencies come from. But essentially, it seems like Dazai's life is held only by Chuuya & then himself and I love that detail.

This is in contrast to Atsushi, Akutagawa, & Kyoka. The thread is wrapped around Atsushi's throat & Aku & Kyoka both have it around their wrists. Essentially symbolizing *both* Aku & Kyoka have Atsushi’s life in their hands. This seems to showcase both of their importances in Atsushi’s life.

Also other than dead apple, given recent events with Kyoka saving Atsushi in the beginning of the DOA arc & Akutagawa's sacrifice for him later, that red thread being held by them continues making sense.

Also Aku's sacrifice was massive for his development & I hope it is our universes Aku at the end of episode 11 so we can continue exploring that development for himself & his relationship with Atsushi.

The red thread itself is typically to symbolizes those who are destined to be together, regardless of place or time. Which naturally makes sense for soukoku & their “two bodies one soul” situation lol It’s interesting that Atsushi has both Aku & Kyoka linked to him in this sense.

That’s just my take on the art & why it’s one of my favorites.