#i have mixed feelings on kantaro

[shrewmingledotcom]

the spring team is so interesting like its literally kantaro and all of his internal enemies and their friends. its kantaro vs the world at this point like you have the person he bashed on his alt, the more menacing version of himself who can kick his ass and the younger brother of his ex-teammate who he has mixed feelings on and like their closest friends are there too?? like reo has hokusai and anyone who fw with reo is gonna get beaten up by him and then you have shiki. just one disrespectful word towards shiki and he's the number 1 public enemy of the state. like the only person he has shogo and the idea of him hiding behind shogo for everything he says is so funny and pitiful i love it when this rainbow man suffers 👍👍👍

[chibivesicle]

Your posts and way of thinking are perfect as alway. Thank you so much for all. Ok, now the q. Do you think that something really bad is coming?

Hello there!

Thanks for the question.  I’m glad you enjoy my meta analyses.  I don’t think they are perfect, but I do try to look at the big picture and apply life experiences to the comic.  To answer your question, yes!  I think something really bad is going to happen.  There have been several moments so far in the manga where things have really impacted the events.

Kiroranke finding Asirpa and telling her that Nopperabou is her father Wilk was the most important event in the manga for 89 chapters.  This drove the events from chapter 48 here:

To this scene in 137:

Kiro finding Asirpa was likely a part of the plan for the cat alliance.  Ogata moved to infiltrate Hijikata’s group while Kiro made sure Asirpa and Sugimoto would begin to move towards Abashiri as well. 

Most of the cast were not in large groups for most of the manga.  The major groups at the start were:

i.) Asirpa, Sugimoto, Shiraishi and Kiro.

ii.) Hijikata, Ushiyama, Nagakura, Ienaga, [Ogata]

iii.) Tanigaki, Inkarmat and Cikapasi

iv.) Tsurumi and the 27th; Tsukishima, Nikaido, Koito

At Yubari when the 27th burns down Edogai’s place, Hijikata forces a switch making their groups have to meet up again by swapping Shiraishi and Kiro with Ogata.  This serves Ogata and Kiro well and Hijikata.  This does not serve Sugimoto and Asirpa well.  The groups swap again when Shiraishi gets captured in Asahikawa.  Ogata sticks with Sugimoto and Shiraishi since he facilitated their escape while Kiro actually ditches Hijikata’s group so he could stop pestering him about Wilk.

Kiro tracks the group down at the beach when Inkarmat, Cikapasi and Tanigaki meet up with them in the swamp.  I think Kiro was trying to get back in place with them and avoiding Hijikata. 

Hijikata then tracks them to Lake Toro and his group rejoins them when they encounter Toni Anji.  This results in the massive group that then gathers to break into Abashiri.  Abashiri then showed that this giant group that shared the real citatap is a group in name only with everyone having their own priorities.

This scene is so important leading up to Abashiri.  It alludes to the divisions that already exist in the group.  The tankoban is corrected that Hijikata was told about Ogata’s background from Tanigaki and Kiro.  Smooth Kiro, you direct the attention away from yourself and onto Ogata while working with him.

This is interesting as during the last supper scene, Sugimoto tries to point out to Hijikata that Ogata is untrustworthy but here it is the reverse.  Hijikata questions his motives and Sugimoto gives him the evil eye as he summarizes that this information means he wants to become like his father.  What is most important is that he is the only person who asks if everyone “trusts” everyone else with different goals.

This scene here lulls everyone into a sense they are more of a team than they ever were or will be.

Hijikata used Sugimoto and Shiraishi as a distraction to grab Asirpa, Kiro made sure that Ogata would shoot Wilk forcing Asirpa to head to Karafuto for answers, Inkarmat sold everyone out to the 27th etc. . .

So, when shit hits the fan at Abashiri, the group actually returns more to smaller groups with shared motives (on the surface).

Hijikata stays in Hokkaido and works with Ushiyama, Nagakura, Kadokura and Kirawus.  Where is Kantaro?  Where is the little gangster baby? (I say this b/c he’s like 19 making him one of the youngest cast members)

Asirpa, Shiraishi, Kiro and Ogata go to Karafuto, the most united of the groups during most of the Karafuto arc chapter 138 - 203 (since they are still in Karafuto, I’ll call it a new arc when they actually get back to Hokkaido).  Asirpa wants to learn about Wilk as driven by Ogata shooting Wilk for Kiro.  Kiro stood to gain the code and so did Ogata.  But as a team they worked incredibly well, Ogata learned abut Wilk along with Asirpa and Sofia and Tsurumi [indirectly - I wonder if Ogata knows Tsurumi was Hasegawa].

Sugimoto-Tsukishima group appears united on the surface but as they clearly demonstrated they were anything but.  Tanigaki was out for revenge for Inkarmat first and to rescue Asirpa second.  Tsukishima was there b/c Tsurmi ordered him to along with Koito on his father’s orders.  Sugimoto was there b/c he sold out to Tsurumi to return Asirpa and for revenge against Ogata and Kiro.  The entire time they suffer from their poor communication skills and leadership issues. 

At first, I wanted to say the Karafuto arc came to an end with Ogata was shot and Kiro died.  Now, I feel differently about this - I think it is still ongoing  b/c their group appears even more broken and disjointed.  Ogata escaped and it really makes sense if his main trusted person was Kiro and I really wonder if he’s in search of Sofia.  There was no resolution in tension when Ogata was shot and Kiro died.  The tension between everyone remains or has become worse - Shiraishi and Sugimoto, Koito and Tsukishima.

Sugimoto boldly declared he won’t go along with Tsurumi to Asirpa but how?  Tsukishima and Koito are both there and Tanigaki appears to be greatly at ease back under Tsurumi’s command. 

Ogata has planted the seeds of doubt in Koito’s mind about Tsukishima and Tsurumi.  Warrant officer Kikuta was introduced right after Kiro’s death and was shown to be one of the kidnappers meaning he played a larger role in Tsurumi’s plans in the past. 

Drastic events always break the groups apart in GK.  Wilk as the ”goal” in 48 wrapped up in 137, 89 chapters later.  138 to 203 is 65 chapters.  We are due for a return to action on Hokkaido, say Hijikata’s group or Tsurumi and the 27th.  These events will likely get around another 20 chapters plus the group potentially making it back to Hokkaido. 

I see the next big event either happening before they can get to Hokkaido or some of the group breaks off before or around arrival.  With Koito’s questioning and Asirpa’s questioning, they seem to be the most likely to end up separated. 

We see Koito’s distance shown here when Sofia is broken out of Akou prison.

But it would be alluding to this here in 200.  Three men all working for Tsurumi and then Koito who is still there but likely not paying heed to Kikuta, Tsukishima and Ogata.

Tsukishima, Tanigaki and Sugimoto are working for Tsurumi just like before, to rescue a kidnapped individual, this time though the kidnappers were only kidnappers in the eyes of Sugimoto, maybe Tsukishima, Tanigaki likely and then Koito had to follow orders.

The big bad thing is them returning from Karafuto to Hokkaido.  Once they step foot back on Hokkaido, Tsurumi will want Tsukishima to hand over Asirpa.  The question is if Tsurumi will force Sugimoto to be stuck in the deal.  Shiraishi can’t do anything.  Tanigaki is more worried about Inkarmat who is already in Tsurumi’s hands.  Tanigaki can’t fight back.  Sugimoto won’t be able to fight back.  Kikuta and Ariko may be back with Tsurumi to add into the mix.  With Koito’s kidnapping revealed, Tsurumi must have multiple back up plans/trump cards to play against Sugimoto.

Hijikata has all of those photos which he will be taking to the press - that will also cause huge issues to happen.  Who will tell him about Kiro’s death?  Will he use Kiro’s death as a way to fan the flames of conflict -  Ainu-Tatar Russian partisan killed by Japanese army in Russia?  That is a total shit storm.  Japanese Army then brings back the “natural” Ainu leader to put under the “care” of the 27th.

If Koito begins to doubt Tsurumi, I think the only way Asirpa slips through his graps is if Koito facilitates it but Sugimoto will lose her again b/c of his current mindset.  I also think Koito will want to seek out Ogata.  Those two are due for a conversation.  I think Sugimoto’s stubbornness will result in him being lost from Asirpa again.  Just a hunch.  Plus, Asirpa has to go ask Ogata to save Sugimoto at some point in the future.

Sorry for the long winded answer, but yes, I think something will likely happen around chapter 230.