(Or, why Sensui and Itsuki are my all-time m/m OTP)
Okay, you may be wondering, “Why is this guy so goddamn obsessed with Sensui and Itsuki? I mean, come on, there are prettier, more ‘compatible’ yaoi couples in the world. He’s just copping out because it’s canon.”
This is where you are wrong, my friend. I like Sensui and Itsuki’s relationship or a multitude of reasons…keep in mind that, like everything else I’ve written for the ‘Musings’ section, that this is my opinion of them, and you don’t necessarily have to agree with it. (But…please dissent politely, or else I will have to kill you and dispose of the body. >3)
1.) They showcase the power of television. Come on…you have to love the way they first met. It’s not heavy-handed nor does it have the feeling of corny “their love was so foreordained!” that a lot of boys-love plots tend to showcase. It’s just…well, normal for the setting of YYH. But sweet and slightly messed up.
2.) They are intellectual [at least between Itsuki and Minoru-persona] and physical equals, something you will not find in, oh, I don’t know, Gravitation. I’m not too terribly fond of the seme/uke concept, and finding a m/m pairing that is truly equal in anime is a rare treat. (I do think that Togashi-sensei’s being a man has something to do with it.) They have an interesting dominance struggle though, as they appear to play mind games with one another, as if they were trying to one-up the other one in the insanity department.
3.)
The symbolism! Yes, as you all know, I am a huuuge religious studies dork, and whereas some couples get
paired up just because they look good together, I believe Sensui
and Itsuki were designed the way they were so that
they each had some aspects of a representation of the Buddha. (i.e., Sensui’s bindi, the way Itsuki sits zazen [in meditation]
in the rather lotus-shaped boat) So, in other words, their appearance complements
one another so that the [average Japanese] viewer gets both their relationship
and the idea of the nature of the arc/the Seven (apocalyptic cult). Also, their
personalities and the way they feed off of each other may suggest that the only
truly enlightened person (in the Zen Buddhist tradition) is one who is absolutely
insane, so that their mind is freed from the confines of mundane logic. (
4.) This is the number one reason why I am a Sensui/Itsuki fan. They. Are. Dysfunctional. No matter how many times Sensui cheats to lure in new members to the Seven (oh, come on, he flirts with anyone with psychic abilities and/or strong reiki and a functioning penis), no matter how many times Kazuya-persona uses Itsuki as a punching bag (note the change in posture when Kazuya appears…he knows more about his violence than he lets on), Itsuki always stands by him. To a point where it would frighten most…erm… ‘sane’ people. That’s not to say that Itsuki’s a yes-man; he has his own motives for why he does what he does (he loves Sensui and figures it would be selfish of him to modify his lover’s behavior to suit his needs or the norms of human society). This is not a happy-flowers-and-bunnies type of relationship, although I know of a few people who would like it to be because two men are involved. ~__~;; So, at the end of the day, when all of the yaoi on the Internet that I see is highly sappy and unrealistic, I turn back to Sensui/Itsuki. They’re a welcome change, and a reminder that no relationship is perfect, no matter how much you love someone.
Phew…That’s it. If you have any other
reasons for S/I, e-mail me here: [email protected]