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don-brother-husbands · 7 years

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“Also I could go into depth of how Urobuchi Gen is not the best LGBT ally.” ...What do you mean?

Wow okay so I just noticed this. So let’s do the thing.

Spoilers for Kamen Rider Gaim and Madoka Magica as those is the series Urobuchi Gen wrote.

Disclaimer: Yes I know both series. I am not saying that either one of them is bad. But in relation to their treatment of LGBT, mostly just Gay/Bi characters because there are no, to my knowledge, out trans characters, character being very bad.

Let’s start off with the first 100% canon gay character in Gaim. Our favorite Kamen Rider Bravo, Oren Pierre Alfonzo.

Do I like Oren? Yes. He is the strongest character in Gaim had none of this ever happened. He is an incredibly well written character when it comes to his coming in and saving the day towards the end of the end of the series. Originally being introduced for mostly comic relief before he became a major player. But here is the thing. He was just comic relief. He was a flamboyant predatory gay man. His attraction towards Takatora wasn’t portrayed as a genuine one and his near obsession with him wasn’t healthy. Did things turn around? Pretty much. But how often is using the stereotype of flamboyant gay men just used to beat down on the group? Pretty often.

Now lets go into subtext couples and over all similarities.

We’ll start out with the “I somehow turned into the things we were originally meant to fight” theme that Urobuchi likes to use.

Here we are talking about Ryoji Hase and Sayaka Miki.

Really Ryoji’s situation is a little better than Sayaka’s. So we’ll talk about him first.

Ryoji’s transformation into an Inves was meant to show what happens when you eat the Helheim fruit. He was promptly killed off after he turned into a monster and more or less just a reminder of pain. But he is brought up several times after his death and a big motivation for for Hideyasu Jonouchi. I know. It is a popular ship. Did Hideyasu kill Ryoji? No. Did it cause him to be depressed? Yes. His boyfriend died.

Now for Sayaka’s story. After she realizes her wish caused her crush to fall into the arms of another person. She fell into despair and turned into a witch. The fact she jumped head first into every battle also didn’t help. Madoka and Kyoko Sakura tried to find a way to bring her back to her senses before Kyoko decided to sacrifice herself kill the Witch!Sayaka, Oktaviavon Seckendorff. Now I can hear you saying that “But if they loved each other. Then it shouldn’t be that bad.” The bury the gays trope and specifically two young women dead.

Again their relationship is never discussed in depth and I don’t believe that they were announced as a canon couple. But if anything. The promotional art always pairs them up together and any interaction between the two is highlighted.

If we want to talk a little more on Gaim. We could discuss Ryoma for a second.

Ryoma is obviously a gay-coded villain. I don’t know if that is a popular opinion. But I believe it is certainly there. Ryoma certain didn’t help in the Helheim attack as he designed the lockseeds and the drivers to test everything out. Also he has no remorse over what happened when the world begins to end, no really conscience on that one.

Now. For the main event. Madoka Kaname and Homura Akemi.

The anime series and first two movies.

The entire plot from the start and through the multiple timelines is Homura slowly losing her innocence and having to start her life over and over again to save Madoka from becoming a magical girl, witch, or dying. In the end, her struggles were for nothing as Madoka made a wish and destroyed the concept of magical girls and witches. We got that Homura was alone without Madoka in the world that she, Madoka, created. At least that is what we saw back then.

With the addition of the third movie, Rebellion, we see that Homura is back with the other girls again. This time they fight off nightmares instead of witches and there doesn’t seem to be a large threat of dying.But towards the end of the movie we find out Homura intends, and does, destroy the small paradise to save Madoka from suffering alone. she would sacrifice everything she had just to be with Madoka again.

Even after reuniting with Madoka and helping to destroy the suffering of magical girls. She pulls Madoka from godhood and becomes a self proclaimed demon that is out to destroy the system that caused Madoka to suffer. She destroyed the old Madoka and begins a new with her, but has become crazed and devoted to her. She pushes away Madoka’s old teammates and friends and turns them into enemies.

Homura “loves” Madoka so much that she betrays the law of cycles and destroys worlds for her sake. Not a healthy relationship if you ask me.

But those are just the examples that I know off the top of my head. I have not watched Urobuchi’s other work, Pycho-Pass and I’m not well versed in the Fate/ series. But these are just examples on why Urobuchi Gen’s works don’t portray healthy, meaningful, and positive LGBT characters.

But if you want to talk about how he isn’t a feminist. That is a whole other discussion. ( I have tried to find the post that prompted me to dislike Urobuchi’s writing but I cannot find it at the moment. But here are some points on PMMM. A big chunk of this is how female characters are often put through a large amount of suffering for little to no reward for their effort and many times see it thrown back in their faces as them being the villain.)

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