5th ED storyboard
Lonely in a crowd
Lonely without him.
I know not everyone can tolerate 4chan's abrasive sense of humor. But if you're weird like me, you might see the appeal. lol
Anyways, that storyboard thingy was from an old thread in 4chan. Don't know where anon got it, so can't trace the original source, but apparently, this confirms that the boy holding Kokoro in the 5th ED is Mitsuru. (His name is written beside the sketch)
From the same post, if I remember correctly, it was mentioned that the theme of the 5th ED deals with loneliness.
I know, fans speculated about the ED, some said it raises death flags(Mitsuru will die) the consummation of MitsuKoko's relationship, Kokoro's pregnant and didn't know what to do. I can't recall the others.
It could mean many things, but to me, it's just showing the loneliness and longing one feels when their loved one isn't near. I mean sure, it could show that Kokoro has been abandoned, or worried about an unplanned pregnancy, but I think the hugging pic was included to show that Mitsuru hasn't left her, he had his arm around her as if to comfort, reassure her. He's just not present, possibly gone someplace away in the next shot, and she's lonely and misses him terribly.
So even in the ED, where it's always been the girls, only Kokoro was shown to be in a relationship. Yeah, there's the shot of Ichigo pulling someone's hand, but that's ambiguous, it could be nothing more than her tugging a friend's hand. Don't even know if that's Goro or Hiro. >.< But anyways, yes, when it comes to MitsuKoko, there's always clarity.
Perhaps you're already aware that MitsuKoko has been accused to be the writers/studio pet. >_< I can see where they're coming from. From MitsuKoko's character art in the first OP, to their code numbers. Nothing about their relationship was ambiguous, to the sex scene, to her safe childbirth, to Mitsuru as a doting father, to them still wearing their rings, and even the announcement of a fourth child. Yes, it's like the writers have gone out of their way to portray their ending as happy as possible. They got the best ending, and nothing is going to change my mind on that! lol
But are they really the studio's pet? I mean, surely they know that it's Zero Two who will rake in the moolah, so why shouldn't she be the pet?
I'm biased so can't really say lol. But I like to think that MitsuKoko has been given the same screentime as the other side characters. However, their story was the most organic, it's not complicated by unnecessary drama like a love triangle or miscommunication. From the very start, MitsuKoko has been open with one another, they always talk, whether it's just Kokoro asking Mitsuru is he's alright, if there's anything she can do for him, in episode 5, to Mitsuru opening up about Hiro's broken promise. Yes, people who didn't take the time to know his character will only see 'oh he's gay for Hiro', but those who would take some time to see Mitsuru for who he really is, will see that this confession, even crying in front of Kokoro showed how much he has come to trust her. For someone as proud and let's say 'arrogant' as he was initially portrayed, to tell her the things that had hurt him the most was possibly the most vulnerable and human Mitsuru has ever been and I'm glad it was Kokoro he chose to open to. ;)
I mentioned the love triangle, as in Ichigoro's case, and miscommunication for Hir02. Sure, it's not exciting and as frustrating as the other two relationships are, but anyone who has gone through relationships in life will know that any unnecessary drama can be the death toll of the relationship. It's not easy as it is to stay in a relationship, and to compound it with drama? Yeah...
Miscommunication is the number one killer. If the two people involved can't see eye to eye...yes, the relationship is heading to separation. Of course, I'm just speaking from experience. hehe.
So the only 'drama' involved in MitsuKoko is the memory wipe. Yes, some people hated this, didn't see the point of it other than just stirring up drama. But to me, it was necessary, because APE can't just turn a blind eye, they have to discipline them. However some complaints aren't actually because of the memory wipe, but because they think it's too 'soft' lol yes, as in, they want MitsuKoko to die. Bloodthirsty heathens! Seriously tho, they were in the middle of war, you'd think APE will want all able body to fight for them, right? So memory wipe it is then.
See, this has always been a contrast point for me, between Mitsukoko and Hir02. Mitsuru and Kokoro, despite not remembering their past, chose to recommit to each other. Again, some may argue it's for the baby's sake, but as previously pointed out, Mitsuru has been showing concern over Kokoro before they knew about the pregnancy. As he had been in the earlier episodes, MItsuru had been watching her closely. The pregnancy gave him the opening he needed to approach Kokoro. I'd like to think that despite their memory loss, the emotions are still there. Some has speculated that emotions aren't stored in the brain, but in the organs. There's a film about this even, about a woman who had a heart transplant and started to feel the donor's emotions for the same man. But yeah...I digress!
In contrast, Zero Two would have killed Hiro if he didn't remember her. Why was she so obsessed with the darling of her past? Because after the terrible torture and abuse, Hiro was the only one who saw her as 'normal' not a 'monster', the first one to give her first sensual pleasure - I meant her enjoyment of the candy! lol And the only one who risked his own skin and got hurt for her sake. Of course, she'd be extremely loyal to this boy.
But, let's say Hiro is not the original darling. Does this mean Zero Two would have killed him, consumed him like her previous partners? Yeah, that's what I think so. How does the current Hiro compare to her original darling? So...did Zero Two stick with Hiro because he's the darling of her past, or because of genuine feelings? Your guess is as good as mine.
I hate the fact that MitsuKoko lost their memory of how they grew closer, all their milestones, but as Mitsuru said, they can start over again. Isn't it just beautiful that he'd repeat the same words Kokoro told him in the greenhouse? Mitsuru was at a loss where to go after losing his 'drive' to carve a niche for himself. He's like Kokoro, he didn't want to just live and die as a pilot, he wanted more.
It makes me laugh when people say that Hiro was the first one to tell them that there's more to life than piloting (after the group's breakdown) MitsuKoko has been doing it long before that speech, Kokoro with her baby book, and Mitsuru with his um, 'grudge'. hahaha.
And no, Hiro didn't tell Mitsuru what to feel for Kokoro. He merely 'labeled' it. No one falls in love because someone told them to. But if you wish to see differently, be my guest. hah!
Regarding Hir02. People will want my head for this, but I have to say it. I think theirs is the most forced. Forced by Jian.
Zero Two has been portrayed as a free spirit. She's wild, exciting and untameable. This was her original draw to me. I liked her spunky attitude, her fearless disregard for rules, her rebellion lol I liked her character very much, she's fun...crazy and maybe a psychopath. But that's who Zero Two is or was.
But they have to force Jian on her. Make her dependent on another. Just how does one make a free, independent spirit rely so much on another that being without will mean 'death'? I mean, that's what Jian was portrayed right? They need each other so badly, they'll die without the other. This extreme codependency doesn't sit right with me, so that's why I couldn't embrace Hir02.
So what did we get? A bland version of Zero Two. This is the 02 that people complain about, episode 16-24. You'll often see people recommending to watch the series only up to 15 and ignore the rest. Hah! because the dearly beloved dino waifu isn't the waifu we used to know. She's been tamed.
But seriously, what can the writers do? If you want to make the relationship work, you'll have to adjust a lot of things, you can't decide just for yourself anymore, you have to think for two now. And that's why we lost the spunky, femme fatale 02. And don't get me started on just how many times they had been separated and reunited over and over again, as if their previous reconciliation meant nothing!
People want them to have babies? Lordy, these two can't even survive without the other, how can they possibly have enough emotional stability to care for their child? It takes a lot out of a parent, emotional, physical, mental and yes financial too lol When you force Jian
on two characters, how can they possibly have enough love for another person other than their partner? They're not two, separate complete beings, but two halves who need each other to be made whole. Romantic? Maybe, but lordy, this is how it will translate in real life - needy and clingy. Now some people may find nothing wrong with this, but I'm not one of them. Ugh.
So we see the last page of the picture book. Hir02 as Jian, MitsuKoko as the two green birds flying close to each other. And the others? Notice how far apart they are? Ichigoro (blue birds) were even on two separate pages. Ugh. Seriously! If we're talking of symbolism here, I'd say that Hir02 represents extreme codependency, Mitsukoko as partners, and the others? They still haven't made up their minds yet. lol >_< Yes, if it's not obvious yet, I didn't like they forced Jian on Zero Two!
People say that Zero Two's character was wasted. I agree. But they'll probably disagree with me when I say that it was the relationship that ruined it. Personally, I think she would have kept her interesting character if she was like Merida, or Elsa, even Moana...girls where a relationship would detract rather than add to their story so it wasn't forced on them. But yes, this is just my opinion. ;)
I'd continue next time, didn't realize I've been rambling for nearly two hours. lol