The Water Damage
After watching "High☆Speed! Free - Starting Days" for the second time last night, on a whim, and practically crying through the last thirty minutes or so, I realize that I have to sit back and sort through the frayed edges of my heart to figure out why this particular series is getting to me every time.
I really didn't know what to expect when this movie was announced, with new characters coming from the second novel and with previously main characters not so prominent. But I found that I could relate with these four boys regardless of the fact that they're at the doorstep of adolesence in this story.
Makoto - realizing that with the start of junior high he will eventually change, but part way through realizes that he's desperately trying to change. But Haruka makes him see that he's okay as he is.
Haruka - held back by a beautiful past and not wanting to do anything to mar it, resulting in the lack of motivation in this story. But understanding as well he's been lonely all this time and that whatever he does from here on does not have to overwrite his past experiences, it'll just exist as another memory that he can look back fondly on.
Asahi - intimidated - if that's even the proper word to use - by a seemingly perfect Haruka, he finds himself no longer able to do something that he used to do so naturally. Scared, but still determined to go forward. He needed to face his own short comings to be able to move on.
Ikuya - has been living his life feeling alone and angry since his brother decided to put some distance between them - for his own good. But he learns that he doesn't have to be alone, that he doesn't have to walk behind everyone, but along side them.
Makoto's situation resonates with me the strongest, especially recently. With each year I think that this time it'll be different, I'll be different, and the next thing I realize I'm pushing against myself, at a deadlock, not moving anywhere, but more exhausted than when I started all because of a need to change. The result is that I get nowhere or fall five steps back.
There is also the theme of loneliness.
Ikuya's and Haruka's. And that got to me as well.
Lastly, there is the ongoing theme of bonds.
The one between Makoto and Haruka
The one between Ikuya and Natsuya
The budding one between Asahi and Ikuya
and though it got only a short amount of screen time, the bond between Sousuke and Rin - I truly believe Sousuke got the short end of the stick in this entire series but I digress.
As well as the bond between Haruka and Rin.
Bonds - for better or worst - allow us to grow.
Sometimes they push us to become stronger
Sometimes they help us to become better people.
Sometimes they make us face ourselves, our faults and our mistakes.
And I - I don't have a bond with anyone that even comes close to these. So in a sense this movie is a reflection of - aside for my desire, and failure to change - my own relentless loneliness.
I really didn't know what to expect when this movie was announced, with new characters coming from the second novel and with previously main characters not so prominent. But I found that I could relate with these four boys regardless of the fact that they're at the doorstep of adolesence in this story.
Makoto - realizing that with the start of junior high he will eventually change, but part way through realizes that he's desperately trying to change. But Haruka makes him see that he's okay as he is.
Haruka - held back by a beautiful past and not wanting to do anything to mar it, resulting in the lack of motivation in this story. But understanding as well he's been lonely all this time and that whatever he does from here on does not have to overwrite his past experiences, it'll just exist as another memory that he can look back fondly on.
Asahi - intimidated - if that's even the proper word to use - by a seemingly perfect Haruka, he finds himself no longer able to do something that he used to do so naturally. Scared, but still determined to go forward. He needed to face his own short comings to be able to move on.
Ikuya - has been living his life feeling alone and angry since his brother decided to put some distance between them - for his own good. But he learns that he doesn't have to be alone, that he doesn't have to walk behind everyone, but along side them.
Makoto's situation resonates with me the strongest, especially recently. With each year I think that this time it'll be different, I'll be different, and the next thing I realize I'm pushing against myself, at a deadlock, not moving anywhere, but more exhausted than when I started all because of a need to change. The result is that I get nowhere or fall five steps back.
There is also the theme of loneliness.
Ikuya's and Haruka's. And that got to me as well.
Lastly, there is the ongoing theme of bonds.
The one between Makoto and Haruka
The one between Ikuya and Natsuya
The budding one between Asahi and Ikuya
and though it got only a short amount of screen time, the bond between Sousuke and Rin - I truly believe Sousuke got the short end of the stick in this entire series but I digress.
As well as the bond between Haruka and Rin.
Bonds - for better or worst - allow us to grow.
Sometimes they push us to become stronger
Sometimes they help us to become better people.
Sometimes they make us face ourselves, our faults and our mistakes.
And I - I don't have a bond with anyone that even comes close to these. So in a sense this movie is a reflection of - aside for my desire, and failure to change - my own relentless loneliness.