Rich Man Poor Woman: Character Analysis Thus Far Part I: Asahina Kosuke
5 episodes in, and I cannot believe what this show has done to me. It is making me write character analyses. Me. Lazyarsed, can never be bothered me. But I think I really need to do this or I will never get it off my chest. I'm going to start with Asahina Kosuke, and work my way through the rest of them.
Asahina Kosuke (The Partner): Contrary to what I've read here and there, I don't think it was the computer dude's fault that Asahina switched over to the dark side. His was just the last straw.
Everyone knows Hyuga's a genius, but let's face it, public sentiment is that PR guys are supposedly a dime a dozen, so even though that's not his only function in a company, nevermind the fact that he also happens to be really good, no one cared about him. Everyone treated Asahina like an assistant instead of a founder. What they don't realise is that even if he did nothing, to simply invest in and support what was simply a skilled otaku, wet behind the ears, with next to no knowledge of how to start up or run a business itself is a big deal, especially if you're already a good life. All these facts add up, adding to Asahina's own complex: he views himself as some sort of second-rate monster. He wants to be acknowledged as equally as Hyuga is, but at the same time he views himself as second-grade to Hyuga, firstly because he thinks he's hypocritical, being nice to people on their face and not actually meaning it, even though it's something most of us do at one time or another in our lives, just some more than others. This is in direct opposition to Hyuga, who says whatever is on his mind, bluntly, and oftentimes, rudely. Secondly, he views himself as inferior to Hyuga because Hyuga is more smarter and charismatic. All this, compounded by the little things like Natsui's faith in his being a decent (look at the word used: not nice, decent.) person when he himself feels like something evil... I don't blame him for snapping at all, to be honest.
Add to that two important things: yes, we are only five episodes in to the show, but (a) Asahina, Hyuga and the company have been around for much much longer, and these repressed feelings have been festering inside Asahina for a long time and them bursting out and making him the antagonist is partly what makes the show the show and (2) This is a JDrama, which means we don't get episodes of rumination and wangst.. we get minutes of it instead. This makes me happy on two levels: (1)We get more time for the important things (read: NatsuixHyuga time) instead of darkness and moping and (2) It showcases the talent of the actor. If you can make you audience feel what you were going through and what complicated thoughts and feelings were swirling inside your head in the short screen time you have.. I think you've accomplished your goal.
So no, Asahina going over to the dark side was not what annoyed me. What annoyed me was his plan: Hyuga IS the company. Let's see it this way: Hyuga once said that his company was so successful because its products were virtual, which meant that you had an unlimited supply of them, which meant that there were no problems to the supply-and-demands part of the market. However, this is false. Hyuga is the product that the company sells. His ideas, his charisma. If you kick him out, there is no product, and the company is worthless. Sure, they may have a new thinktanks later on, but not immediately, not when they company is floundering from the loss of Hyuga. At the moment, Hyuga is the brain, heart and soul of the company. The employees have their drive because of him, his vision, his immense drive, and his cut-throat thinking and high standards when it comes to work. When you know that the person can walk the walk he's talking about, even if he's not as cuddly towards you, you'll still go through a lot of shit for him. In light of this then, cutting Hyuga from the company is equal to bringing your company to a standstill. Which means no money for the company, hence no profit for the company, so what the hell does it matter if you have 30% of the shares or 300? Either way, you're still just sinking your money. Such stupidity, then, seems very out of character for the normally smart Asahina. I would have much much much rather preferred if he had come up with something smarter. I mean, if you're going to the dark side, you might as well go the whole hog.
Asahina Kosuke (The Partner): Contrary to what I've read here and there, I don't think it was the computer dude's fault that Asahina switched over to the dark side. His was just the last straw.
Everyone knows Hyuga's a genius, but let's face it, public sentiment is that PR guys are supposedly a dime a dozen, so even though that's not his only function in a company, nevermind the fact that he also happens to be really good, no one cared about him. Everyone treated Asahina like an assistant instead of a founder. What they don't realise is that even if he did nothing, to simply invest in and support what was simply a skilled otaku, wet behind the ears, with next to no knowledge of how to start up or run a business itself is a big deal, especially if you're already a good life. All these facts add up, adding to Asahina's own complex: he views himself as some sort of second-rate monster. He wants to be acknowledged as equally as Hyuga is, but at the same time he views himself as second-grade to Hyuga, firstly because he thinks he's hypocritical, being nice to people on their face and not actually meaning it, even though it's something most of us do at one time or another in our lives, just some more than others. This is in direct opposition to Hyuga, who says whatever is on his mind, bluntly, and oftentimes, rudely. Secondly, he views himself as inferior to Hyuga because Hyuga is more smarter and charismatic. All this, compounded by the little things like Natsui's faith in his being a decent (look at the word used: not nice, decent.) person when he himself feels like something evil... I don't blame him for snapping at all, to be honest.
Add to that two important things: yes, we are only five episodes in to the show, but (a) Asahina, Hyuga and the company have been around for much much longer, and these repressed feelings have been festering inside Asahina for a long time and them bursting out and making him the antagonist is partly what makes the show the show and (2) This is a JDrama, which means we don't get episodes of rumination and wangst.. we get minutes of it instead. This makes me happy on two levels: (1)We get more time for the important things (read: NatsuixHyuga time) instead of darkness and moping and (2) It showcases the talent of the actor. If you can make you audience feel what you were going through and what complicated thoughts and feelings were swirling inside your head in the short screen time you have.. I think you've accomplished your goal.
So no, Asahina going over to the dark side was not what annoyed me. What annoyed me was his plan: Hyuga IS the company. Let's see it this way: Hyuga once said that his company was so successful because its products were virtual, which meant that you had an unlimited supply of them, which meant that there were no problems to the supply-and-demands part of the market. However, this is false. Hyuga is the product that the company sells. His ideas, his charisma. If you kick him out, there is no product, and the company is worthless. Sure, they may have a new thinktanks later on, but not immediately, not when they company is floundering from the loss of Hyuga. At the moment, Hyuga is the brain, heart and soul of the company. The employees have their drive because of him, his vision, his immense drive, and his cut-throat thinking and high standards when it comes to work. When you know that the person can walk the walk he's talking about, even if he's not as cuddly towards you, you'll still go through a lot of shit for him. In light of this then, cutting Hyuga from the company is equal to bringing your company to a standstill. Which means no money for the company, hence no profit for the company, so what the hell does it matter if you have 30% of the shares or 300? Either way, you're still just sinking your money. Such stupidity, then, seems very out of character for the normally smart Asahina. I would have much much much rather preferred if he had come up with something smarter. I mean, if you're going to the dark side, you might as well go the whole hog.