#sick dead mom at a young age and abandoned by an absent father and taking care of sick after her diagnosis

[thegunslingerletmedrop]

[papers4me]

What are you thoughts of Ogata's last chapter & death... Do you think it is an example of bad writing... seems that's what most fans think...

Hi anon! I loved Ogata's last chapter! there are things I didn't like in the last few chapters ( Tsukushima & Ushiyama), but Ogata's the winner when it comes to awesome character-writing!

What I like most abt Ogata is that his writing & characterization is so consistent since the beginning!! If you search Golden Kamuy tag in my tumblr, you'll find my writings/thoughts abt Ogata way before this last chapter comes & you'll see that what Ogata dealt with this chapter was in plain sight all along! I'm so happy that I read him correctly!!! Noda can deliver unexpected turns but so far it has been consistent with his character's core issues & character traits. Really nothing abt Ogata was surprising to me, except how well it was presented.

Ogata is not a hero nor a vicious villain, he is simply the same as all GK characters, a person in a journey to deal with his own issues. GK isn't abt gold hunt, nor forward political Ainu/Japan issues. It's a story abt characters embarking on self-focused journeys where they are the focus of their own mini tale. All of them, including the convicts at the beginning. Nikaiado was the focus on his own story, Nihei & others too. No one is 100% manipulated, powerless or a victim.

Each of the characters at least once in their journey had a choice to either let go, better themselves, rise above their own sins, repent, reflect, make a U-turn, or choose a happier path. ALL OF THEM. That's why GK is one of the best stories, cuz we watch 5678656 characters deal with things differently & either win or lose. Ogata is one of these characters & he went thro the same themes.

-The theme of " you can choose your path" regardless of your tragic surroundings:

Ogata is one of the most tragic characters. born to a mentally sick mother ( or perhaps she was healthy all a long, but developed toxic attachment issues to her partner) & a selfish, self-serving & conceited father. While he might have been loved when he was born, he found no love as he grew past his toddler years. An absent minded mother & an physically absent father. Extreme emotional neglect can cause serious issues in children. What Ogata went thro is sad & tragic. In his young mind, he believed that if he killed his mom, his dad would come rushing to her funeral, hence proving that love did exist in his family. But none of that happened. Children are capable of harmful thoughts & actions due to trauma & lack of proper mental judgement due to their age. Picture this: a child forming the thought & action of killing his mom with poison!! only to not achieve anything except more loss. He then sets to see this father, & further hurt him by killing the innocent brother, only to gain nothing as inn his last moments, the father still refuses Ogata as a son & shows no remorse & no love. Tragic background, but it was riddled with choices. In every step of the way. Ogata could have chosen to not pursue the father, he could choose to not kill Yuusaku, He could've also chosen to find another path to heal. There were redemption stops in his journey that he chose not to take in, Why? Cuz Ogata has decided that he is a victim!!! He decided that he is NOT loved by anybody. that he MUST prove to dead father who abandoned him that he was worthy of love, nurture & respect all along~~ If he could become the leader of the 7th division, he could prove that! to whom? a dead man. Tragic life can force a certain path on us, but inflecting harm on others is a choice we make in moments of weakness & darkness. There was happiness in Ogata's path. A brother who actively & genuinely sought his love & companionship, but Ogata was blind to that, cuz he has judged himself to be a victim on a journey to prove others wrong, a ben broken twisted man that can prove everybody is similar to him. Tragic story, bit uh! so well- written! ( also many characters share this theme but I'll only focus on Ogata now)

-The theme of " guilt & the human compassion":

Since Ogata has decided that he is a broken, bent, twisted victim, he refused to engage in guilt. He loved his mother & sought desperately to gain her love but fail. Killing her wasnt easy choice. While he didnt cry, he convinced himself that it was her fault for being pathetic or that he is simply twisted. He joined the army, where logically if you kill the enemy, you are a hero! it is expected of you & you are encouraged to do it. Further proving that all humans are twisted & bent. He met Usami, a guy with the most healthy & loving family in GK who saw no guilt in killing innocent child & thrived in war. Further proving to Ogata that he is the norm. Tsurumi a leader who celebrated death & rejoiced in battlefields, His fater sacrificed an entire division to win one battle for his own glory & honour, all the broken men in war, solidified this thought. Then he met Yuusaku, a guy who found no joy in war & who is desperately trying to cheat his way in an official manner into not killing anyone of his enemies by being a flag bearer. He doesn't even carry a sword. A guy who refuses to kill unarmed army prisoners. A guy who told him, "it isnt normal not not feel guit" Suddenly Ogata's entire identity is put into questioning & his perspective of life is shaken, but still Ogata chose to find validation from Usami that they are right, he chose to imitate Tsurumi's twisted mindset. Killing Yuusaku meant that Ogata has a tool to torture his father & also silence the voice of compassion.

GK is not a story abt superstitions, wandering spirits nor fantasy. It's based on reality. Yuusakue's ghost is not real & is only a fragment of Ogata's tired, sad consciousness. Ogata is a normal human being. He can feel guilt like all of us. But chose to silence e this feeling & chose to continue to believe that he is twisted & bent. Thast's why the ending is perfect. Ogata died knowing that he is normal, loved but chose wrong.

-The theme "letting go of the Past":

So many GK characters are chained to their past, Trurumi, Ogata, Sugimoto, Tsukushima & many more. Most of them refuse to let go, others cant find the proper copying mechanism to deal with their past sins & mistakes, Some accept that their present life is punishment if such sins & chose to remain still, Some want to punish the words as well for all the pain of the past. Most see no future. No... All of them see NO future. That's why, those who'll be able to let go of the nostalgic happy past & accept the sins of the recent past, will SEE a future. Ogata saw a future where he sat in his dad's position, but it was a future based on forcibly holding into the toxic past, built upon many wrong choices.

-The theme "Reaping what you saw":

I love this theme!! GK is unique in doing this theme properly. Most stories the most fan fave or the protag get away with things simply cuz fans dedicate stories. They're the customers afterall. I didnt necessarily wish for Ogata's death nor anyone's death. But You gotta pay the price of you sins towards others. Ogata paid it so thoroughly & in a really shocking writing style! truly interesting from a writing perspective. Now my eyes are on Tsukushima, will Noda treat him the same way? make him pay the price? Similar to Ogata, Tsukushima refuses to let go of the past & insist to continue a toxic path. They both have someone who cared for them trying to stop them. How will Noda deal with him worries me especially that few chapters are left, so perhaps the volume will have better & full exploration of Tsukusima's journey? I duno.

There are may themes & many things to say abt Ogata's arc! but one word is enough: Complete & very thorough!

Well done, Noda!