User blog comment:Genista882/Mitsuru and Kokoro/@comment-26567684-20190504235406/@comment-26567684-20190505152915

Firstly, it’s true that Kokoro seemingly had accepted that she may have to deal with her pregnancy alone because she and Mitsuru had no memories of their previous relationship and thus were total strangers. She didn’t expect him to take on the responsibility of being a father for a child whose arrival came as a total shock, andshe made it clear so many times that she had no intention of asking him to take responsibility on the grounds of their memory loss.

However, her holding her stomach, in my opinion, reflects her indecision on abortion or giving birth. Plus, she never spoke of a decision and the fact that she didn’t go to the battle in space is because she still hadn’t made a decision. When she was talking to a catatonic 02 and she rubbed her stomach, I think that was because she was mourning her not being a parasite because of the pregnancy. She looked so gloomy and depressed from the moment she learned she was pregnant to when she and Mitsuru reconciled. Also, in the thunderstorm scene, she broke down to Mitsuru and admitted she believed she had no purpose in life if she couldn’t be a parasite, which to me shows she struggled to feel a bond with the baby and the baby wasn’t enough of a reason to live for her at that time.

With their lack food supply, medicine, and living in fear that VIRM could attack any moment, it’s understandable why abortion may have been a consideration. But Mitsuru, who had lacked a reason to live and felt tremendously guilty for seeing Kokoro in pain, found himself growing attached to the unborn baby and his feelings for Kokoro only intensified due to his desire to protect her and see her through the pregnancy. Despite Kokoro absolving him of the responsibility of the baby, Mitsuru refused to leave her and wanted to be there for her no matter what, and reaffirmed his commitment to their relationship as proof of how important she is to him.