Topic Title: The Uzuki family
| |  "The Uzuki family"
, Tue 26 Jun 05:57 AM : |
Reply Edited |
This has bothered me for some time... every since I posted the modification to my first Xenofic, actually.
No one really likes to write about the Uzukis as a family. Have you ever noticed that? Most fans seem to love the idea of pairing Shitan with Ramsus, Sigurd, or (gods-forbid) Krelian, but if ever he's with a female, it's with a new-made reflection of the given author that Is Not Yui. (In other words, self-insertion. Which, by the way, is a really awesome Star Ocean 2 fanfic in the RPGamer archive. Hilarious.)
But lately, as I've been surfing Japanese fan art pages, I've seen a lot of art of those three (or in some cases, just Shitan and Yui... *ahem*) together, and it reminded me that Shitan is actually married to someone. ^.^ Poor Yui. That's how obscure she is.
When you look back on the game, the Yui you see is very quiet, tolerant... a housewife. She disappears after you meet her for only the second time in the game, and never makes another appearance. I personally assume that disappearance is part budget-cut, and part Yui wanting to get the hell out of Shevat while she still could - probably with her grandfather. ^.^ But many, many fangirls take this as a sign to pretend she doesn't exist.
But Shitan, I think, loves his wife very much... and I think she's more of a firebrand than a meek housewife. ^.^ She kicked his arse all over Shevat when they first met, after all... I really don't understand why people don't give her more credit. I've been guilty of writing her off... but the more I look at it, the more interesting of a character she is.
I wonder if she was used as leverege against Shitan when he was still working with Cain and Krelian... ^.^ Ah well, just idle thoughts and curiosity. Dear Shitan used to be my favorite character after all... Krelian and Miang kicked him out, bu I still like him, and his family, as a whole. (It's great to control all three of them in Xenowaves. Err...)
Yeah, so... rant ended. ^.^ Any thoughts?
Ja mata.
Amber Michelle
Insane Master Summoner
Art by Midori Tachibana and Amori.
[this message was edited by Myaru on Tue 26 Jun 05:59 AM]
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| |  "Re(1):The Uzuki family"
, Sun 1 Jul 06:48 PM | Message #592
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I also wondered why almost every one fan pic I saw around depicts Citan in a homosexual/transexual way. IMHO his character is definitely of a strong-willed and well-desciplined MAN. Is that being a spy of Solaris mkae so many people hate him? (he's my favorite character in XG, both in battle statistics and plot-wise).
And about Yui, the first time I saw her, I thought she's a "science widow" kind of wife, and a bit indifferent to her husband. Heck, I almost pondered the possibility that she got a thing for Fei, since it seems she has more interest in Fei than her husband. But then of course later game development eliminates this possibility.
I also wondered how can she beat the crap out of Citan. If she's a warrior of Shevat, does she got a Gear?
Now the female character I care most in the game is actually Alice, such a tragic characters, and her mysterious smile... so sad... :(
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Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.
- John Milton Paradise Lost
Hail to Cthulhu Incarnate! Dark One Reborn! Master of the Throne of the Deep! Lord of Shayol Ghul! Essence of Yin!
Devil's in His Hell. All's too bad with the world.
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 ZeldaRicdeau
A Link to the Uzuki |
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| "Re(1):The Uzuki family" , Wed 27 Jun 02:05 PM | Message #542
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yay!
A topic I can drool over.
I guess everyone here knows by now who MY favorite character is *coughcitancough*. But I wouldn't love him near as much as I do if it weren't for Yui. When I found out (I beleieve years ago when I first found GA :) ) that she had kicked Citan's butt in a swordfight--knowing how handy HE was with a sword--my fangirlish love was quadrupled.
Why?
Because I have great respect for a man that can love a woman enough to put his ego behind him. There are VERY few men in this world who can do THAT, at least from what I have been privy to.
DS, TC, Myaru, I agree with all of you. Citan loved his family more than life. If he didn't he wouldn't have risked everything that he did for them. I can't imagine that he found running for his life and sidestepping probing questions to be particularly fun. In fact, he always seems happiest in the begining of the game when he is with his family on the mountian top. Quote of the day "Perhaps it would be better to live . . . as a Son of Man." He wanted to be with them and forget his duty more then anything, I think. But he also knew that forgetting his ties to the Emperor and the Solarian government would be deadly to both him and his family. For one thing, Fei WAS a legitimate danger, and for another, even though the Emperor had changed for the better, I still doubt that he would have taken desertion lightly.
On another note, I always thought that his relationship to Fei was probably highly volatile underneath. Fei seemed to be both a son to Citan and a good target for much of his frustration. After all, it was Fei who made him have to leave Shevat and later Lahan.
Actually, Myaru, I have found A LOT of those Japanesse fanarts, too. I posted a topic on it a while back (Xenogears Japanesse revival, or something like that) because Iw as curious as to what might have happened (Perfect Works maybe?) in Japan to spark such a new interest in Xenogears all of the sudden. Almost all Japaneease fanpages up to then paired Citan with either one of the ex-elements, Fei or Emperor Cain ( W E I R D ), and seemed to either forget Yui altogether or make her out to be a twit who wasn't bright enough to see that her husband really wanted to screw men. Now, most of those sights have stopped updating and some have dissapeared completely. However, there does seem to be a whole new ring of fan pages focused SPECIFICALLY on Citan and Yui and Midori.
WHY NOW?
And in terms of MY feeling's for Yui, herself? Well, just look at my avatar :)
BTW Myaru, the first fanfic I EVER read was Shadows Falling. To this day it is still one of my favorites. :)
"And there was Silence in the House of Judgement" -- Oscar Wilde
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| | | "Re(2):The Uzuki family" , Thu 28 Jun 03:52 AM | Message #553
Replied to #542 |
Now I'm really sad about that rewrite that I posted so long ago... ^.^ Back when I started getting antsy about copyrights, I seperated Igraine and Yui, but I've since reposted my old version because I like it better. Igraine was never meant to be a self-insert, and in fact... was never meant to be with Shitan to begin with. But, you know how the muse works...
But like I said, Yui doesn't get much credit. When I first played Xenogears, I didn't think she was stupid or anything of the like, but I didn't think she was all that important at all. I could see that she and Shitan were in love, but at first I really didn't grasp the depth of their relationship, because it's so subtle.
They're... alike. I think they're one of those cases where they don't have identical interests (Shitan loves mechanics and science, while I think Yui focuses on more artistic endeavors), but they share so much in common that their differences end up filling in the gaps in the other's repetoire, rather than clashing. Yui can cook; I get the feeling Shitan's cooking could destroy an entire army. ^.^ Shitan is more technical, while Yui is more... worldly, I guess. (Not the right word, quite... but I can't think of the one I want to use.)
These are just little examples, but it's the little things that make relationships work. And if their relationship can survive the end of the world and everything in between... ^.^ You know, Shitan is a real talker... Yui must be a good listener. It reminds me of my cats, actually - when you have more than one cat, they tend to split things; one takes all of the attention, while one takes all of the solitude. It looks like it's just a normal dominant/submissive type thing, but I think cats have a way of sharing their experiences that most people don't understand. And that's kind of how I imagine these two - Shitan probably does most of the talking, but I think their viewpoints ae so similar that there's really no need for both of them to spout off. She lets him do all of the talking, but she does half of the thinking behind it. They "share" if you get what I'm saying... ^^
This is kind of like what my relationship is like - but I can't think of a very good way to explain it. ^^ The cat thing is as close as I can get. ^_^;
Ja mata.
Amber Michelle
Insane Master Summoner
Art by Midori Tachibana and Amori.
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| | | "Re(4):The Uzuki family" , Thu 28 Jun 11:28 PM | Message #558
Replied to #557 |
Ahhh, in that case... ^.^
Shadows Falling (version 1)
That /should/ be the one I'm talking about - it is on my hard drive, at least. ^.^ If you want a real rewrite though, I might finish the entire thing in a few years... ^.~
Ja mata.
Amber Michelle
Insane Master Summoner
Art by Midori Tachibana and Amori.
Posts: 499
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| |  Rune Grey
Embodiment of Logic and Reason |
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| "Re(2):The Uzuki family" , Wed 27 Jun 06:48 PM | Message #546
Replied to #542 |
Well, when you start looking at self inserts and yaoi fans, you have to realize that 'logic' goes out the window... in fact, one of the main reasons I don't like most fics involving Citan are for one main reason... the man is horribly out of character. ^_^;;
Many people seem to forget that Citan is almost 30 years old... these seems to be a Kenshin effect going on there, where people simply don't belive it. The problem is that this belief bleeds over into fan fiction and such... I've more often seen Citan portrayed as a teenager who really has no idea about women or relationships, that sort of thing... thus the reason why the evil Yui managed to steal him away, and why he needs to be rescued by whatever character the author has dreamed up...
That is, if Yui hasn't disappeared...
I honestly love the Uzuki family... its something different than you often times see in most RPGs. You actually have an important character who is older, experienced, and not emotionally damaged like everyone else is. Its different than what you see in other games, where if a character is older than 18 they often have some dark horrible secret to their past that torments them, or do little to contribute directly to the party, as they are 'over the hill' and not up to fighting to save the world. Citan is nice because he can be a hero, and yet tries to maintain a normal life...
Its just sad he keeps getting crammed into these OOC cliches by obsessed fangirls and yaoi lovers. ^_^;;;
Zelda: I think that the main thing that has inspired this revival of Xenogears in Japan has been the announcement of Xenosaga being a prequel to Xenogears. Even though its not going to be a direct prequel, even at best, that is probably enough to get people excited about the original game again. Not that I'm going to complain... its nice seeing our favorite game getting more attention. ^_^
Blur: The fight between Citan and Yui is covered in his timeline in Perfect Works... Citan was leading a raid on Shevat, and Yui confronted him him beat the pants off of him... but instead of finishing him off, she took him in and nursed him back to health, and they fell in love at that point.
~Perpetual Thorn of Logic and Reason
"Cast off that which constrains your body and mind. Its time to think for yourself - and if you do a worthy opponent stands ready before you..."
~Hiko Seijuro - Rurouni Kenshin
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| | "Re(1):The Uzuki family" , Tue 26 Jun 12:37 PM | Message #539
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You know, I actually thought that to Citan, his family was the most important thing. I know it doesn't seem like it with him wandering about the globe with a rag-tag team of teenagers, but when he talks to Yui, or about Yui and Midori, he shows genuine care for them.
Also, with the tragic loss of his family so many years before, I'm sure he cherishes his new family that much more. I always considered Yui to be Citan's equal, as well as someone who understood Citan deeply. Which is why she knew she had to take care of Midori and make sure the family was safe, though I'm pretty sure she desperately wanted to be by her husband's side (in fact, I'd argue that she didn't originally intend to bring the sword to Citan, but to use it herself along side him, though there's too little dialog to suggest it... it never said why she had the sword on her at that moment).
However, it is clear that Yui and Citan have a very deep bond... they're conversations are almost wordless, riddled with "I know, you don't have to explain" type sentences.
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| | | "Re(2):The Uzuki family" , Wed 27 Jun 10:54 PM | Message #548
Replied to #539 |
I think my first post here on Lea Monde had to do with this... why Shitan would never be a villain.
The man is powerful, charismatic, dedicated and driven... but not by ambition or greed or even a quest to further his empire. No: Shitan wants to protect his wife and daughter. I believe this is his foremost motivation (besides good old-fashioned scientific curiosity).
Despite all the things he has done, or perhaps because of them, Shitan is a man with a lot of love to give. Rune: I've seen it too, the portrayal of Shitan as almost a Kenshin-esque character, falling all over himself in a woman's presence until someone (not Yui) comes along and whips him into shape.
This is not the case.
Water is, perhaps, the strongest and most adaptable of the elements. No matter what the conditions or circumstances, water maintains its essence (an ice cube is just as much water as steam is) and strength. It is no wonder that Shitan was the Water Element. He may seem placid most of the time, but there is passionate intensity in him, especially when it comes to his family.
Which brings me to Yui. I have to admit, I was curious about her from the start. The more I learned, the more I liked her. She is every bit as strong and dedicated as Shitan, and yet I don't recall them clashing since their first meeting. Something tells me they're the kind of couple that talks things out without yelling and screaming... a beautiful thing as rare as a man setting aside his ego in the name of love.
Urk. I've rambled long enough. Just my two G, as per usual.
Ja ne.
~Rekhodiah~
aka Cougar_chan
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and very courageous." - Joshua 1:7
"I am mischevious... it is in my nature. Forgive me."
"My fist is the divine breath..."
"This world is made of LOVE & PEACE!!"
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Rune Grey
Embodiment of Logic and Reason |
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| "Re(1):The Uzuki family" , Tue 26 Jun 06:04 AM | Message #530
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Heh... you know, that reminds me of a rant or short fic that I saw a while ago... I think it was Azusa who posted it. But what most of these obsessed fangirls seem to forget is that Yui is also a master swordswoman - good enough that she defeated Citan when he lead one of Solaris' invasions of Shevat, after all. ^^
Now that would be something to see... I think that with everything Yui has probably had to go through to be with Citan (I was writing a fic about that once, but it didn't really get that far. Maybe I'll finish it someday ^^) that if anyone, former Elements included, tried to make a move on him... well, Citan isn't the only one with a sharp sword. ^.^
Yes yes, we are thinking about the 'Yui hacks the fangirls apart' fic. ^_^
So I agree with Amber... give the poor woman a little more credit. I don't think that Citan was ever interseted in any other men... and if he was, he lost interest when he met Yui. ^_^
Although one wonder exactly how you came across some of these pictures of just Citan and Yui that would elicit that type of cough, mmm dear? ^_^
~Perpetual Thorn of Logic and Reason
"Cast off that which constrains your body and mind. Its time to think for yourself - and if you do a worthy opponent stands ready before you..."
~Hiko Seijuro - Rurouni Kenshin
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| | | "Re(3):The Uzuki family" , Mon 2 Jul 10:08 PM | Message #596
Replied to #532 |
Great Pictures!
"luv ya!"
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| | |  "Re(4):The Uzuki family"
, Wed 4 Jul 10:44 PM | Message #606
Replied to #541 |
This is really a great site. I'm glad that I've found it. A Xenogears freak such as myself could get lost here for a long time.
A dream... I was dreaming a dream... Or perhaps it was a memory. From a distant past...
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| | | "Re(4):The Uzuki family" , Wed 27 Jun 07:26 PM | Message #547
Replied to #541 |
sweet pics.
Shinde Kudasai
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| | | "Re(5):The Uzuki family" , Fri 13 Jul 09:54 PM | Message #617
Replied to #547 |
I still find it strange that Yui beated the crap out of Citan. That must mean Yui is an exceptionally super strong warrior...
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Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.
- John Milton Paradise Lost
"If one must throw away the sinful part of oneself to enter Heaven then it is actually asking me to throw away my heart."
- Mudou Sara Angel Sanctuary
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