@pscentral​ Event 31: Faceless ↳ Loustat + Hands (part 1)

I don't get it ngl . Why would the author give every single side character some set of chapters exploring everything about their past & fleshing out everything about them & giving them centric arcs with the conflict revolving around them while Sakura" the protagonist"barely get one chapter focus on him alone/ the conflict of every arc doesn't revolve around him . Very disappointing treatment for Sakura from the author!

I would personally argue that every arc is a Sakura-centric arc, even when the conflict revolves around another character on the surface! We see Sakura almost every single chapter, and he definitely gets the most amount of panel/screen-time than any other character. I believe each arc is built around a lesson or push he needs to grow into his fullest potential as a character (this honestly might be an analysis I do at some point on my wbk blog- what important is being imparted to Sakura towards his personal growth in each arc). Each arc is him growing into a person he can be proud of, learning how to be a protector and leader of Furin and the town, and have ingrained internally that he is just as deserving of love and should be valued as much as everything and everyone else in Makochi.

We don't necessarily need to know the specific details of why he is a part of Furin because we already know that part! He's spent his whole life being rejected and treated like he is incapable of doing any good. He's always had to do things on his own and was never able to make positive connections with those around him. But the characters around him? We are told these things about Sakura pretty quickly and everything else is just filling in the gaps. However- Why does Sugishita practically worship Umemiya? Why is a pretty boy like Kiryuu a 'delinquent'/fighter? We don't know these things, nor does Sakura. A part of Sakura's personal journey in becoming a good leader or even just his personal journey in learning how make connections IS to learn about the people he is protecting/the people who are putting their support behind him. Getting to know these people's backstories IS a part of Sakura's personal growth as a character.

Every little thing we learn about Sakura's past does build up though! Maybe we don't get it all at once, but we may continue to get it throughout the rest of the series, however long it goes. We cover more than one manga chapter in a singular episode of the anime, if side characters gets one episode about their backstory that's really not that unheard of! Though I do admit that the slow and gradual reveal of small details from the main character's backstory is unconventional to most animes, there are so many other series where huge things about the main character's backstory is reveal WAY into the story (Luffy from One Piece especially comes to mind immediately, but Noragami and Clannad are other series where huge details about the main character's backstory are revealed as the story progresses).

It definitely is a preference of storytelling, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that Sakura's character is neglected by the narrative. So much of every arc has something that Sakura needs to learn, or involves a change in perspective he needs to develop further to push beyond the mindset and deeply-rooted beliefs of his (lack of) self worth that he's been left with from his past.

RIVER CARTWRIGHT ● Slow Horses S02E05

the fall guy + letterboxd reviews

Weird and wonderful compilation of strange bird noises.

SLOW HORSES - 4x03 PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS

PAUL MESCAL

Photographed by Jack Davison for AnOther Magazine (Spring/Summer 2024)

Another version of my edits

Okay.... I spent the full afternoon + full night doing this. It's 6:30 AM now . Drawing is like a drug. I should sleep.

– Tamino, You Don't Own Me