20 replies to this topic

[Mizura]

"Can you explain the reasons behind your emotions? There are many humans who do not discriminate against Halfs. There are also many who advocate justice, and a significant number of them are stronger than her. You can find dim-witted, uncalculating humans like her anywhere. And of course, the world is teeming with those who have better looks. Now, is there still a reason you are attracted to her?
True, there are many who say love does not require an explanation. They say "I love you, because you are you." ... useless fancy words.
No love exists without explanation."
-Taraka

At first glance, it certainly does appear that Yuta's feelings for Leez came out of nowhere, and that there has never been any "proper" development to them as a result. I, for one, certainly don't like forced romance that is there just for the sake of plot.

Yet I believe the situation is more complex than that:

• Yuta himself probably deeply wishes to believe that he can fall in love.
• And Yuta's actual sentiments for Leez are a complex mix of feelings: a crush derived from the original mistaken hunger, a growing sense of protectiveness, a wish to alleviate her loneliness, more serious and intimate bonding, and a strange mix of hunger and outright lust. It isn't clear if the lust is result of his hunger, or if it's part of the 'normal' 3rd stage of development, but they do seem to be connected.

Although the surface interactions remained similar, these deeper feelings only appeared over time. At the time of the Water Channels, Yuta wasn't even That angry when Taraka smashed Leez into a mountain. Certainly, Taraka is his mother, yet this still contrasts with the cold rage he expressed when Sagara hurt Leez in Kalibloom. Back then he could still choose to return with his mother, but now he can no longer decide whether to side with his brother. And this is because his feelings for her strengthened over time.

As Taraka herself put it: "The longer you stay with her, the more it will hurt... my poor little son."

(I had most of this typed out and/or planned before the latest chapters, but although the latest chapters confirmed many of my theories, I will avoid spoiling them until the scanlations come out)

I. The monster who longs for ideals

"You must realize that the emotions you feel for others do not belong in such pitiful categories as friendship or love. Because... I have not permitted you to feel anything of the like."
"Amusing, really. That a creature not permitted to love even his own mother dares to speak of love for another."
- Taraka

Before I go on, I'd like to note that Yuta is a Sura, and if I'm correct, Sura seem to be much more straightforward in their feelings than humans (not necessarily pure, just straightforward). We know for a fact that 3rd stage Sura are much more impulsive than human teenagers, and the side novel explained that Nastika males are highly protective of their mate, enough to beat their own children (whom they comparatively care much less about) to accidental death. We also see Halfs everywhere, and let's just say that I really doubt that humans were the ones to first romantically approach and attempt to seduce those Sura (not when they risked being killed before they succeeded).

It makes "biological" sense if you think about it. There are many reasons for humans to hesitate before courting a partner: opportunity cost (if it turns out to be a bad choice, the human has limited lifespan to find another), economic considerations (can the partner provide?), fear of violence etc. These are not issues to Sura: they are immortal, so they can separate and find another mate at any time. They are not bound to human economy, and raising a much weaker child is not a big issue (especially if they don't care about said child's survival). Violence? They can regenerate, and with humans at least, they don't need to worry about such things. Sura only face missed opportunities, so they are most likely free of the instinctual inhibitions that hold back humans. I say this because Yuta couldn't court Leez openly for many reasons, but rarely did he ever try to suppress his own feelings.

Back to Yuta, let's have a recap of his past:

• Yuta was created by Kali, and... well, that alone is bad news. Though Taraka is a "fake", she did inherit Kali's memories concerning Yuta, so Taraka's thoughts on Yuta may be true: that he's a creature made to feel neither friendship nor love, not even love for his mother. When Kali finally left, she smiled at him before, even knowing that he'd suffer. What could his mother be thinking as she abandoned him to a cruel existence?
• After Kali created Taraka and left, Garuda himself took this as a sign that he could leave as well. As he abandoned his son, his parting words to the now departed Kali were "You have my gratitude for the only consideration you have ever shown me," as though insisting that he was glad to be rid of his son.
• Yuta was then raised by Taraka for a time. During this time, he somehow managed to make "friends", only to apparently kill them himself, forget the fact, then blame it all on Taraka. And every time Taraka learned of the truth, she'd no longer hold any love for him, and ask to be killed by him.
• Unable to stand this lifestyle, he somehow escaped to the Garuda clan. Yet Garuda "barely acknowledged his existence", and Vinata "only loved her own children", and from the flashbacks with Maruna, it seemed the rest of the clan did not accept Yuta either. Still, Yuta was accepted by Maruna then Kalavinka, and Maruna encouraged him to be guided by "light." They were the very first who truly accepted him, and did not seek to abandon him.
• When Garuda's children were separated, Yuta was then raised by Shuri. We know that the Yaksha clan objected to his presence at first and wanted him killed, but Shuri told him that she believed in him. Evidently, she taught him many things, including self-control, not eating humans, only eating Sura who attack him first, and perhaps other idealistic thoughts such as 'love without reason' (Taraka seems to indirectly attribute such things to Shuri).
• Unfortunately for Yuta, Shuri left during the Cataclysm. This prompted him to seek a path to the Sura realm to be reunited with his siblings. Was he completely alone during these 15 years, or close to? Probably.

In short, Yuta was born as a creature who was supposedly denied feelings of friendship and love. He was created by Kali, perhaps to be the ultimate eating machine, one to be feared and hated by all, or even to serve a more sinister purpose.

And yet, Yuta desperately wanted to believe otherwise.

• He wanted to believe that he could make friends: "I want to have friends! I want to be ordinary for once!" Back when he was with Taraka, he probably killed and ate his very own "friends", but then, unable to face the trauma, he erased his memories and blamed everything on Taraka. And now he's made new friends, human ones, as though transcending the boundaries of race.
• He wanted to believe in bonds of blood. "It can't be. The ones I love are special to me, different than anything else."
• He wanted to believe that he's of the Garuda clan, not of the Chaos clan, and even now, he tries to reject his Chaos nature by following Shuri's teachings (conveniently ignoring that "baiting Sura into attacking him first" are not really in the spirit of her teachings).
• He even wanted to believe that he could be a filial son who could protect his mother.
• And he wants to believe that he can fall in love, a pure love that doesn't even need reasons. "Why can't I just like her regardless of the reason? If I choose not to see her as food, it won't matter."

You might have noticed by the way, that I haven't mentioned the differences in species. Maruna, for example, considers humans to be an inferior race. Yet Yuta was raised to consider all species as food, so conversely, now that he has self-control, he still views them all more or less as equals. Humans, Garuda, they're all still food to him. It's like asking him to make the distinction between cows, chickens and pigs. Yet, Yuta, who craves for bonds, has no choice but to find them among these species and try to fit in. What matters to him are the character of the person and their bonds and feelings to him, not the race itself.

In any case, to Yuta, the feelings that others take for granted define the very core of his identity. Is he able to feel, like other people can? Or is his mother right, and he's nothing but a killing machine, a monster? Look at how sad he was when those birds he befriended at first flew away in fear once they saw his true nature. And so, after several hundred years of existence, for the first time, he feels an emotion that perhaps, could be love.

II. The gradual development of feelings

"You were attracted to her, and unable to understand why, you deluded yourself into thinking it was the 'love' everyone talks about.'
-Taraka

I suspect Taraka was correct. Yuta's feelings for Leez were actually hunger, not love (initially at least). As I've noted however, Yuta wanted to believe that he could fall in love. Despite having lived for over 300 years, he had never experienced love. Worse, being what he is, he had no guarantees that he was even capable of experiencing such feelings. He could only listen to others describe this feeling and feel left out. So when he came across Leez and, for the first time, felt what he thought was love, was it any wonder that he wanted to cherish these feelings, even if he couldn't stay with her long? Initially, Yuta's feelings were probably more about himself than about Leez. By the time of the Water channels, these feelings probably weren't so strong yet:

• Yuta was actually prepared to leave her and return to the Sura realm with Taraka.
• Yuta wasn't That angry when Taraka chucked Leez into a cliff. Yes, Taraka is his mother, but still, compared to his fury against Sagara...

So, what has changed since? Plenty, actually.

Pre-Taraka
Until the encounter with Taraka, Yuta's interactions with Leez were mostly light-hearted. As I said, Yuta probably wanted to cherish his first feelings of love, so he was prepared to put up with a cucumber or two to maintain the situation. Not only that, Yuta probably just came out of a 15-years period of solitude, and was prepared to cherish any friend he could make (Leez, Asha, Ran). And significantly, his interactions were reciprocated. The very first thing Leez did was (attempt to) save him, after all. Since then she took time to think of a name for him, and has been extremely friendly and accepting of Yuta since. Because of this, she was certainly not too bad a choice for a first love. By the way, Yuta saw Leez naked early on, but quickly shielded his eyes.
Result: Crush at first sight (mistaken appetite) then gradual development of actual feelings as they interacted.

Water channels
On the surface, little changed after the group left the Water Channels, but in fact several significant events happened.

• Leez went after Yuta to save him! This is not the first time that she tries to protect him, but this time Leez risked her life against a much stronger opponent for Yuta's sake. I'm not sure if anybody else ever tried to protect Yuta so desperately. For Yuta, who grew up being hated or feared by most, it certainly must not have left him indifferent.
• Yuta also learned of Leez' true strength (thus probably learning about her true nature), then learned from Taraka that Leez would lead a life of pain and solitude, hunted by countless Sura, only to end up attacked by Yuta himself (though this last part is crucially avoidable). When they met up again outside the Water Channels, Leez added "I keep losing everyone... I thought I was going to lose you too" (though it's unclear whether he realized how much she's lost here or earlier). How could Yuta confidently leave Leez alone after this? He decided once again to help her get the Sword of Re, probably so that she can defend herself. Though, it isn't clear whether by this point, Yuta realized who Leez really is. Maybe, maybe not.
• Despite Taraka's warnings, Yuta -chose- to stay with Leez. This isn't trivial. This means that Leez has become "the girl he chose over his mother", and not just "the girl he has a crush on."
• When Yuta finally returned to Leez' side outside of the Water Channels, Leez desperately went to hug him (even losing a shoe in the process). Yuta restrained himself against hugging back, but again, seeing how much Leez cares about him, he couldn't have been indifferent.
• Note the slightly growing lust by the way. Yuta openly stared at Leez in her underwear while in Sura form. >_>

Result: increased feelings of protectiveness, due to realizing that Leez will become alone and end up as a target of constant Sura attacks. Increase in "deeper" feelings, as Leez risked her life for him then showed how worried she was for him. He could also no longer pass his feelings off as something light-hearted, because he chose her over his mother. Even so, the words of his mother, that he was feeling nothing but hunger, probably weighed heavily on him. Slight increase in lust. >_>

Kalibloom (pre-Temple of Chaos)
Oh boy. A lot of things happened in Kalibloom.

• First, Riche sent the Hide of Bondage against the group, and it probably went after Leez. At this point Yuta is feeling highly protective of her, so this extra threat likely didn't help.
• When Asha brought him back, Leez again showed how concerned she was for him. After that, she also confided her feelings of loneliness to him, maybe for the first time. This prompted Yuta to promise to stay by her side for as long as she wanted to. I don't think this was a trivial promise. What's more, Asha mentioned the possibility of she and Leez fighting. This must have made Yuta realized that even Asha may leave Leez one day.
• When Yuta and Leez went to visit the Sura exhibition, Yuta also realized that Leez hated Garuda sura. At this point he must have realized that Leez is being targeted by a Garuda Sura, and although the fact depressed him greatly, it should also have increased his feelings of protectiveness towards her.
• When the two reached the Temple of Earth, Yuta felt Claude to be a suspicious person, as though Leez weren't facing enough threats.
• The next day, back in the city, Asha also confided in Yuta, and Yuta may or may not have learned more about Leez' true situation.
• And then Claude used a death spell on Leez. Because of this, Yuta learned that Leez is destined to die in her early twenties.
• Note, by the way, that Yuta openly gawked for a while when Leez showed up in her bra. At one point, Ran also noted that he sneaked into her room through the window. *cough*

Result: Why Leez? Why is everyone targeting her? Why is she the one who had to lose everything, and why must her life be so short and so harsh? To Yuta, who has been growing closer and closer to Leez through their many interactions, this must have been extremely alarming and distressing. Note the possibly slight increase in lust (not including right before they get to the Temple of Chaos).

Kalibloom - Temple of Chaos

• As the group approached the Temple of Chaos, notice how Yuta initially avoided the now adult Leez. But when Leez hugged him, then asked him if he needed distance, he actively denied needing the distance. Ran starts to be worried, and tells Asha that he's starting to act like a dirty old man. I think it's safe to assume that the feelings of lust increased somewhat. :S
• Leez also noted that during their stay, Yuta just sat near her and watched her without doing anything. Protectiveness or just plain gawking? D:
• Sagara shows up. Until now, Yuta has been very protective of Leez because of all the threats she's been facing or will face in the future. She will supposedly be targeted by countless Sura, and now one of those very Sura shows up and wants to kill her. The first time I read it, I was surprised by the sheer fury he displayed, but looking back at the build-up, is it any wonder that he wished a death as painful as possible to those who would harm her by now?
• But then, poor Yuta finally gets the confirmation that his brother was the one who attacked Leez' village. At this point, he collapses due to having to make a choice for the next stage of growth.
• When Leez comes back and he wakes up, he can barely control himself from biting her. His until now suppressed appetite suddenly flares up (I also suspect that there's actual lust behind this appetite).

Result: Perhaps it's due to seeing Leez' adult form, perhaps it's due to letting a big prey go, or perhaps it was just the right time for him to start growing into 3rd stage. In any case, Yuta's feelings of lust are becoming near-uncontrollable. Sagara also chose this time to attack Leez, and with all the small threats piling up and the more morbid future looming, Yuta was completely furious against Leez' enemies... until he realizes his brother is among them.
 

III. Interactions

By now it must seem like the relation between Yuta and Leez is mostly one-sided mistaken hunger plus an unhealthy amount of outside drama. It isn't though. If Yuta had developed a crush on someone else, someone who was mostly indifferent to him, it may not have progressed beyond that.

However, the one he was attracted to was Leez. And Leez, in turn, absolutely showered him with affection:

• She was very welcoming from the start, and since then still interacts with him all the time (despite him being a mute).
• She spent a lot of time and effort to find a suitable name for him.
• She always offers him food. Although most of the time, this brings him food poisoning, he nonetheless knows that she is genuinely showing her affection.
• She also showers him with praise for little things, like finishing his food, or passing the tests for the Sword of Re. Since Yuta does have the mentality of a child still, this must have been pleasant at least.
• She is willing to risk everything to protect him. She protected him the first time they met, she went looking for him in the Water Channels, then when Taraka took him away, she didn't hesitate to face the much stronger Taraka to try to save him.
• She doesn't hide at all how much she cares about him. When he met up with her again outside the Water Channels, she rushed towards him so fast that she tripped and lost a shoe, then proceeded to hug him (and never did get her shoe back). And when Asha took him back from Riche, she was so excited that she tripped down the stairs and bled from the forehead, only to ignore the injury completely to rush to him.
• She has even started confiding in him. Most of the time, she just turns to him for the little complaints about Asha and such, but outside the Water Channels, she told him "I'm so glad you're safe. I keep losing everyone... I thought I was going to lose you too," then after Asha brought him back from Riche, she told him "My dad, my mom, the people from my village... and Ran-oppa, and you... everyone's leaving me behind." Faced with this, Yuta can't help but want to alleviate her solitude.
• She also walks around him half-undressed to fully-undressed, and doesn't hesitate to touch or hug him. She's practically throwing herself at him. Yuta is a hormonal teen in the making, that can't be good for his heart. >_>;;

In all these centuries, has Yuta ever been overwhelmed with so much affection? Certainly, Taraka, Maruna, Kalavinka and Shuri all cared for him, but did they ever display such unrestrained feelings around him? The girl he developed a crush on, is practically reciprocating his feelings, if only with overwhelming friendship.

Leez can act that way because she doesn't realize that he's a Sura, and because she doesn't realize who he truly is on top of that (one of Chaos blood). On the other hand, unlike Maruna and Kalavinka, Leez isn't related to him in any way. She thinks that he's a Half, so they aren't even completely of the same race. Yet Leez appreciates Yuta the way he is (or at least, the way she thinks he is). How could Yuta not want this to be true love?

Yuta himself, amusingly, encourages these advances by conforming himself to her image of an ideal man:

• He has a hard time turning down any food she offers. Having realized that she hates people who are picky and who waste food, he forces down the occasional vegetable then throws up in a corner.
• He has also realized that she likes weaker males whom she can protect, and reacted accordingly by making sure he scored below her during the Test of the Sword. Note that this shows that he has a pretty good grasp of Leez' personality and preferences, several centuries of experience indeed. >_>;;
• Not all of these attempts work, however. Poor Yuta looked so hopeful when Leez was looking at the Garuda exhibit in the themed gallery, only to realize that she hated them the most. During the climb up to the Temple of Earth, he also wanted to warm her with his wings, only to realize that it wouldn't be a good idea. Aww.

And yet, despite the ups and downs, I think Yuta was genuinely happy, traveling in that group alongside the girl he likes.

Conclusion

Yuta probably didn't feel real 'love' for Leez at first. Yet for the first time after several hundred years of existence, Yuta thought he did feel 'love.' Whether it was true or not, and even if it couldn't last, Yuta wanted to believe in it and cherish it while he could.

Yet as the journey went on, Yuta developed a number of strong feelings for Leez: protectiveness, as he learned of the many dangers she faces. The wish to alleviate her solitude, as she confided in him. Deeper feelings as the two interacted. And, much to his own horror, hunger and lust as his next stage approached. Finally, as he realized his brother's involvement, guilt was added to his feelings. During all this time, Leez showered Yuta with affection and desire to protect him. In turn, these strong feelings that Yuta developed for her were certainly not a lie.

But is this love? ... to be honest, I don't know. And I don't think Yuta knows for sure either. The words of Taraka still weigh heavily on his mind.

"The longer you stay with her, the more it will hurt... my poor little son."
- How true. Initially, Yuta didn't have any good reasons to like Leez, but those reasons, he obtained them as he traveled with her and interacted with her. He can't be sure that it isn't just hunger. But if there is one thing that is certain, it is that Yuta desperately wants to believe that this Is love.

For more about Leez' feelings for Yuta, see post #18 below.

Edited by Mizura, 05 February 2014 - 02:02 AM.

[Soloko]

Mizura, it's amazing how devoted you are to "Kubera". I'm so happy that there are people like you. This was a good read at just the right time.

I agree that Yuta's feelings have developed over time. And also, I want to believe that he can love. If not yet, then in the future for sure.

[taaudoloran]

Great assessment! I think you might have a better grasp of it than the author does. hehe...

 

That said, I would like to point out that when they were in the Sura Gallery in the temple, Leez also said that she hated the Garuda Clan, but the "red and white one most of all. I will kill him with my own hands." I think at this point Yuta realized that Leez and Maruna (his brother) might be heading for a fight. Maruna's trancendental where he can destroy villages has been discribed as his "unique" power. It is something Yuta would likely recognize instantly of his brother. Then to hear Leez's declaration to kill him, kinda scared him I think.

[Mizura]

Hahah, I wouldn't say that I'd have a better grasp than the author does...

 

Yes, Yuta already found out in the Sura gallery that his brother might be involved. That said, back then he could still convince himself credibly that it could have been someone else, enough to not trigger the sudden inner conflicts he felt when it was confirmed for sure.

 

Mizura, it's amazing how devoted you are to "Kubera".

It's just so fuuuuun. Anyway, I'm glad I came across a series like Kubera, where the author really does plan everything out. I've been burned by other series where I've over-analyzed them, only to realize that the author's writing skills were nowhere that great. Currygom does the opposite though. Everything she writes is the "tip of the iceberg." Behind every word, every interaction, there's the weight of a whole lot more going on. Take Yuta and Leez. On the surface it just seems like puppy love, but there's so much more boiling underneath.

[battradio]

Hahah, I wouldn't say that I'd have a better grasp than the author does...

 

Yes, Yuta already found out in the Sura gallery that his brother might be involved. That said, back then he could still convince himself credibly that it could have been someone else, enough to not trigger the sudden inner conflicts he felt when it was confirmed for sure.

 

 

 

It's just so fuuuuun. Anyway, I'm glad I came across a series like Kubera, where the author really does plan everything out. I've been burned by other series where I've over-analyzed them, only to realize that the author's writing skills were nowhere that great. Currygom does the opposite though. Everything she writes is the "tip of the iceberg." Behind every word, every interaction, there's the weight of a whole lot more going on. Take Yuta and Leez. On the surface it just seems like puppy love, but there's so much more boiling underneath.

Mizura you sound like your in love with the whole concept of the  Kubera universe .If you were into cosplay i don't know if you would be Leez or Asha or take turns at each .

 

 

 

Mizura is how the hillbillies  pronounce Missouri  way down in the Ozark hill's  of southern Missouri .

Edited by battradio, 15 January 2014 - 07:22 AM.

[Mizura]

lol, it's true that I'm a huge fan, but there are hoards of people of different fandoms spending a lot of their time on fanarts, fancomics, fanfiction, AMVs and cosplays (in fact, I've actually never done a cosplay in my life, and have no plans to anytime soon xD ). I mean, just look at the My Little Pony fans, they even make their own MLP music D: . I also heard there were Harry Potter fans at one point with a project to rewrite the whole series into a Harry x Hermione version? (not sure how far they ever got with that o,o )

For some reason, rather than all those, I like to discuss and analyze. I'm not even quite sure why. I suspect I had an overdose of maths and physics in college, and have since turned to apply those analyzing skills to more "easy" topics. >_>

[salvatore]

Mizura , that was truly magnificent ,   

 

• He has also realized that she likes weaker males whom she can protect, and reacted accordingly by making sure he scored below her during the Test of the Sword. 

hahahahahaha ,that made my day,   , i don't know how i miss that but i am gonna read kubera again.

[Sogno-]

I suspect I had an overdose of maths and physics in college, and have since turned to apply those analyzing skills to more "easy" topics. >_>

 

"easy" topics she says  i can't even follow 3/4ths of this story haha. I think you are just very smart as well as devoted.  

[Life N Discovery]

Hahah, I wouldn't say that I'd have a better grasp than the author does...

 

Yes, Yuta already found out in the Sura gallery that his brother might be involved. That said, back then he could still convince himself credibly that it could have been someone else, enough to not trigger the sudden inner conflicts he felt when it was confirmed for sure.

 

 

 

It's just so fuuuuun. Anyway, I'm glad I came across a series like Kubera, where the author really does plan everything out. I've been burned by other series where I've over-analyzed them, only to realize that the author's writing skills were nowhere that great. Currygom does the opposite though. Everything she writes is the "tip of the iceberg." Behind every word, every interaction, there's the weight of a whole lot more going on. Take Yuta and Leez. On the surface it just seems like puppy love, but there's so much more boiling underneath.

I like the essay I'll have to reread a few times to actually make a comment but I do agree with being burned by over analyzing like I was in love with Naruto now its so predictable its not even funny and Bleach to me doesn't really even have a plot. Stuff like ToG, Kubera, and Claymore you can analyze all you want and still get nothing or be ways off with your theory and because of that you can share and develop even better theories just hoping to hit on one. anyways I'm done with my little rant but this was a cool essay really gives you a look into the complex relationship between Yuta and Leez. Its funny that we still call them by those names even now that we know there real names Kubera and Jatayu.

[divija]

In one of the chapters, Claud tells Yuta- "don't you want to save Leez" to convince him to come out from his hiding place...Yuta decides to go and thinks to himself like this -" Leez, please don't die" and continues- " Atleast don't DIE IN THE HANDS OF OTHERS". This was in the recent frozen tears chapter. I thought Yuta is looking at her as his food..That really scared me!

[Random-Webtoon-Fan]

I wanted to .... you, didn't realize it would make me so closer to mother's clan.



So, now we have to wait until what verb was in that dots on the latest raw.

[Goobera]

"I wanted to..... do all that XXX adult stuff ....to you, didn't realize it would make me so much closer to mother's clan" xD ...hmm, looking at Kali's and Taraka's outfits... the Chaos Clan may not only be the one randomly eating anything, they probably also do other random radical things o_o

Edited by Goobera, 20 January 2014 - 06:33 PM.

[divija]

I think its Ran's brother who comes into the battle..

Well, I have a doubt..Is he married?

I want that guy and Asha to get along well..(even Asha should get some romance, what do you say?  )

[Mizura]

"I wanted to..... do all that XXX adult stuff ....to you, didn't realize it would make me so much closer to mother's clan" xD ...hmm, looking at Kali's and Taraka's outfits... the Chaos Clan may not only be the one randomly eating anything, they probably also do other random radical things o_o

Clearly they're also into bondage. o,o

Edited by Mizura, 26 January 2014 - 02:27 PM.

[NaginiFay]

lol, it's true that I'm a huge fan, but there are hoards of people of different fandoms spending a lot of their time on fanarts, fancomics, fanfiction, AMVs and cosplays (in fact, I've actually never done a cosplay in my life, and have no plans to anytime soon xD ). I mean, just look at the My Little Pony fans, they even make their own MLP music D: . I also heard there were Harry Potter fans at one point with a project to rewrite the whole series into a Harry x Hermione version? (not sure how far they ever got with that o,o )

 

They got distracted by the imaginary SnapeXLily ship sailing by.

[Mizura]

^lol, seriously? xD

Discussions in another thread reminded me of one thing: Yuta is without equal peers in this world. This makes him a fundamentally lonely existence. He has been raised by Taraka to consider everything as belonging to one of the following categories:
- Food that's too strong to eat
- Food he can eat
- Food that's perhaps too puny to eat
- Not edible
The Taraka clan itself is nothing but a somewhat inferior species used to serve him, and even Taraka is just a puppet to this purpose.

But whether instinctively or intellectually, Yuta seeks equal bonds of family, friendship and love. For this reason, he has no choice but to find such connections among the species he considers food. You might have noticed that Yuta doesn't discriminate against Halfs, humans or even animals. That's because instinctively, he simply doesn't really see a difference.

What I'm saying is, Yuta was close to Maruna because of their bonds as siblings, not because Maruna is of the "noble Garuda race". Maruna may think of his race as superior to humans, but for Yuta, it's like making the distinction between cows, chickens and pigs. Instinctively, they're all livestock. The ones who have more value to him as living beings are the ones with stronger bonds with him, race itself is an irrelevant factor.

That's why, when he had to choose between Maruna and Leez, the fact that Leez is an "inferior human species" never came to mind. What matters solely is the strength of the bonds he has with Maruna and Leez, and how these two in turn feel about him.

As I've said in my essay, to Yuta, his feelings are an existential issue. Leez is a girl who was always unconditionally kind to him and even risked her life against stronger creatures in order to try and protect him. Yuta wants to believe that he's a righteous being who can protect her in return, not some vile monster who simply wants to eat her, and certainly not a scumbag who'll sit back and let someone else, even his brother, kill her right in front of his eyes. He doesn't want to hurt his brother either, he just wants both to be safe.

To those who still don't understand such feelings, here's a faulty analogy. You have a pet dog who's always loved you unconditionally and who even risked its life to protect you. Your brother hates it and wants to kill it. If you let him do it, wouldn't you feel like a scumbag? Now add to that the fact that to Yuta, the differences in species is irrelevant. (I'm only using the pet analogy because there are no real equivalents in this case, really o,o)

Actually, let me add some of this into the essay.

Edited by Mizura, 26 January 2014 - 09:46 AM.

[Mizura]

I've also been thinking of this from Leez' point of view. Some could argue that Leez is friendly to everyone, but I do think that Leez has special feelings for Yuta. Of course, she doesn't love him romantically: he's just a little kid! But to Leez, Yuta is a very special friend.

Leez' profile states that she doesn't have any criteria for looks, but she has criteria for coolness. Yuta certainly fulfills several of these:
- From her point of view, this young (?) child risked his life to save a Half. Later on, in the Water Channels, he never once complained about the cold and such.
- He isn't picky with food (or so it appears), and even finishes his food quickly and cleanly (it's cool from Leez' POV...)
- He's even kind and polite. She thought that he didn't want to order more food out of consideration for Asha who's paying.

That is from the first impression alone, so no doubt, Leez immediately came to like him (non-romantically). Her first impression of Ran was nowhere as stellar. xD Also, to her delight, kind Yuta became her second friend and companion after grumpy mean ol' Asha. That is plenty of cause for celebration. >_>;;

Leez' profile also states that her ideal man is someone weaker than her, because she wants to be the protector, not the protected. Yuta has apparently realized this, and purposely made himself look weak. x'D Leez probably feels this way because she grew up raised by a strong mother whom she looked up to, plus her father was also very strong, so she probably dreams of becoming a strong protector herself. However, since losing her village and running away, the need to redeem herself through protecting someone dear was probably magnified several times over, and Yuta fit this role neatly too.

Their interactions while on the road likely only served to strengthen her impression of him. Yuta became the person she automatically turns to for communication and comfort (even the occasional hug o,o). There is good food to be shared? Leez turns to Yuta. Something interesting is going on? Leez turns to Yuta. Asha is being mean? Leez turns to Yuta. And finally, when she found out that her father had died, she turned to Him to confide her sadness. Yuta not only listened to her, but also promised to stay by her side. To Leez, who is trying so desperately to befriend Asha, but who always seems to be failing, Yuta is a great source of comfort and a very dear friend. Asha is someone whom Leez often doesn't understand, like when Asha refused to help Yuta when he was taken away by Taraka then by the Hide of Bondage. From her point of view though, Yuta risked his life to lure away the monstrous Taraka away from them. To Leez, Yuta is truly a very good person.

If there is any doubt that Leez thinks dearly of Yuta, notice that at the end of Season 1, Leez even didn't see the curry mushrooms when she saw that Yuta is safe (this is Leez we're talking about). Certainly, after losing everything dear to her, Leez was ready to latch onto any bonds she could form. But because Yuta was the way he is, he became that much more precious to her.

Edited by Mizura, 26 January 2014 - 03:21 PM.

[sagefox601]

"Of course, she doesn't love him romantically: he's just a little kid! "

*he was

 

Thank you so much for posting this! As someone who only reads Kubera 10 - 20 chapters at a time, remembering everything about their relationship can be tough. Having this recap and analysis really made these last couple chapters more meaningful.

[MangaFan]

1 Question- did u include information from the recent untranslated chapters? I want to make sure before I read this

[Mizura]

^ No I didn't. The content focuses mostly on already-translated chapters. The conversation posts afterwards do have some spoilers though.