Read on Twitter
just want to say that i'm in love with how asagiri uses clothing and colors to indicate characters' (changing) loyalties and states of mind :
of course the most obvious example i can give here is dazai
the transition from his dark era getup of oversized black coat + black suit to the laid-back tan coat + beige pants we know symbolizes his shift not only in loyalties, but toward a more “good”-facing way of life
the transition from his dark era getup of oversized black coat + black suit to the laid-back tan coat + beige pants we know symbolizes his shift not only in loyalties, but toward a more “good”-facing way of life
you could even say that dazai's redesign was made to emulate oda, whose choice to wear a beige coat from the start―instead of the typical full black attire characteristic of the mafia―only visually strengthens his identity as the ‘mafia who doesn't kill’
same way of thinking could be applied to beast akutagawa
his redesign to a light-colored coat (while keeping some black elements underneath) indicates his loyalties to the ada who found him in this timeline, although fragments of the unresolved darkness of his past still linger
his redesign to a light-colored coat (while keeping some black elements underneath) indicates his loyalties to the ada who found him in this timeline, although fragments of the unresolved darkness of his past still linger
in contrast: atsushi's beast redesign puts him in all black, leaving the only light-colored parts of his ensemble to the collar and the white (tiger) fur lining his collar
everything about his former self has been overthrown, aside from only the beast within him that remains
everything about his former self has been overthrown, aside from only the beast within him that remains
going back to canon―
here we see how the attires of most of the main players in the port mafia have black as their main identifying feature
(also add: akutagawa, higuchi)
here we see how the attires of most of the main players in the port mafia have black as their main identifying feature
(also add: akutagawa, higuchi)
the exceptions here are:
• kajii with the lab coat aesthetic, whose tunnel vision loyalty to scientific pursuit most likely trumps his loyalty to the mafia;
• kajii with the lab coat aesthetic, whose tunnel vision loyalty to scientific pursuit most likely trumps his loyalty to the mafia;
• kouyou in her elegant pink kimono, who's shown more than one time that she has no problem going against the mafia if it's for the sake of kyouka― with whom she matches in her choice of traditional japanese clothing, if i might add;
• Q / kyuusaku in their colorful getup with the cute accessories (
), who's honestly less a member of the mafia and more a dangerous ability user being held in confinement by the mafia;
), who's honestly less a member of the mafia and more a dangerous ability user being held in confinement by the mafia;
• and the last notable exception, tachihara, whose design stands out among his black lizard companions with the white shirt and the cropped green jacket
―yes, green jacket just coincidentally the same color as the uniform of the hunting dogs, where his true loyalties lie
―yes, green jacket just coincidentally the same color as the uniform of the hunting dogs, where his true loyalties lie
and then we come to them:
obviously, the white and black of atsushi and akutagawa's designs are meant to parallel and contrast each other in the same way their wearers do
obviously, the white and black of atsushi and akutagawa's designs are meant to parallel and contrast each other in the same way their wearers do
you could say they're a yin and yang not only fundamentally, but also visually; if you'd like to go more literal, notice the way aku's cravat standing out as the only white piece in his fully black-cloaked ensemble might visually represent the yang in the middle of the yin +
however, what makes akutagawa different from the other mafia members cloaked in black... is he's not always necessarily so
there are moments when we do see him w/o the coat― like that time atsushi left him in a coma, injured body requiring to be wrapped in bandages of white +
there are moments when we do see him w/o the coat― like that time atsushi left him in a coma, injured body requiring to be wrapped in bandages of white +
+ and the two other times when he lends the coat to atsushi, when they needed to combine their abilities to survive
+ rashoumon is the core of akutagawa's power; the black coat is the immediate physical manifestation of it
hence, these scenes of him without his coat all represent layers of his vulnerability: physical vulnerability, in the time of the coma, and emotional, in all the rest
hence, these scenes of him without his coat all represent layers of his vulnerability: physical vulnerability, in the time of the coma, and emotional, in all the rest
+ aku lending his coat represents emotional vulnerability & not a physical one, for as demonstrated when he manifested his ability from his shirt for the first time―he's fully capable of harnessing the power of rashoumon, even without the coat we once thought inseparable from it
+ the coat is simply what it is: a symbol of his origins, of his life in the mafia, of the man who once gave it to him from his own back
+ akutagawa manifesting rashoumon strictly only from the black coat is a personal choice, one based from his stubborn attachment to using his ability―and living his life―strictly only in the way dazai taught him, the way that (he thinks) might get dazai to someday acknowledge him
+ this is what black means to akutagawa's character―what the black of his coat that dominates his design, more than his affiliation with the mafia, is meant to stand for
+ therefore, these moments when he entrusts his coat to atsushi―
it's these that represent akutagawa letting another person share in his burden, of him shedding (temporarily) the metaphorical fetters keeping him tethered to the life of violence & submission dazai had left him in
it's these that represent akutagawa letting another person share in his burden, of him shedding (temporarily) the metaphorical fetters keeping him tethered to the life of violence & submission dazai had left him in
+ atsushi in black symbolizes his acceptance of this burden... symbolizes akutagawa stepping back and allowing someone else to wield his destruction on his behalf, when for the longest time, destruction has been a word that he has only ever associated with himself
+ while aku in white represents a vulnerability that comes w laying himself bare & defenseless to the what-ifs:
if the coat hadn't been a part of me from the start, would things have been different?
if, like the coat, i'm able to exist w/o what burdens me, would i be accepted?
if the coat hadn't been a part of me from the start, would things have been different?
if, like the coat, i'm able to exist w/o what burdens me, would i be accepted?
+ finally, consider:
the first time we see akutagawa manifest rashoumon w/o his black coat, first time he uses his ability outside of the physical manifestation of dazai's influence―he does it... to save another person
although it cost him his life... this was his step forward
the first time we see akutagawa manifest rashoumon w/o his black coat, first time he uses his ability outside of the physical manifestation of dazai's influence―he does it... to save another person
although it cost him his life... this was his step forward
i'll end the thread with this:
akutagawa, while in his final moments―a soft smile on his face, an acceptance that he's giving his life so his (once) most hated enemy can escape with his―wouldn't you agree it's only fitting... that at this moment, he was pure white?
akutagawa, while in his final moments―a soft smile on his face, an acceptance that he's giving his life so his (once) most hated enemy can escape with his―wouldn't you agree it's only fitting... that at this moment, he was pure white?
