[The Chaos Entity]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Agentjx

Which "straight relationship" would Sakura need to be involved in? Her parents are already married, and all of her siblings are busy trying to save the world alongside her.

I think he?s trying to argue that Aguilera and Tamaki have been set up since day one, and that Sakura is interfering in the development of that straight relationship?despite the fact that Tamaki?s devotion has always been incredibly one-sided, whereas the rivalry and feelings between Aguilera and Sakura has always been mutual. IE, he, and many others it seems, assumed that Tamaki and Aguilera was intended to be this ?long form straight romance, with Aguilera falling for him at the end? (which, you know, fair, that is a pretty common trope), and are unwilling to acknowledge even the possibility that Tamaki was always intended to be on the outside, because Sakura and Aguilera were intended to have a lesbian relationship from the beginning.

As for Tamaki?s feelings and whether they matter?they don?t matter as much as Sakura?s, no. Not because he?s a man and Sakura?s a woman, but because Sakura is one of our main characters and Tamaki?isn?t. I get that people are upset about that - I certainly do think his character has a lot more potential than he?s being written with?but the same can be said of Gentoku or Kazumi from Build, both of whom devolved into gag characters for a lot of the show.

There?s also the fact, of course, that Tamaki could develop importance that is unrelated to Aguilera, and he could learn to get over her, and become more self-motivated?but then the shippers will argue that Sakura and Aguilera?s stories don?t have to be intertwined either (even though theirs are mutually, whereas Tamaki?s is decidedly one-sided, and always has been). I don?t want to pin this on homophobia and be done with it, because ship wars do be like that, but I?m still disheartened that, in 2022, there aren?t more people excited by what this means in the grand scheme of things. There have been dozens of straight relationships in Kamen Rider, but this is the very first one that even might be canonically gay. There have been several in the past where the narrative is romantic, where the story stops short of saying anything either way, where, if one party was a woman, it?d be considered ?basically canon? - but, because they?re both men, the prospect that it was meant to be read any other way than just ?bros saving the world? is laughed at, and derided.
Nevertheless, I?ve always kind of expected them to take this step?I just thought it would be between two men, and probably two auxiliary riders that they can just ignore in marketing if it proves super unpopular. I certainly never expected it to be between one of our original central antagonists and the third rider, and certainly not between two women. As I?ve said before, as a lesbian, it makes me indescribably happy that, even if nothing concrete happens in the show - even if this level of chemistry between Sakura and Aguilera is maintained, without them saying anything explicit, or without Aguilera doing a 180 on her feelings for Tamaki?they still made that instagram post saying ?love is love? and ?happy pride?. The intent for you to be able read the two of them as lesbians is there, and I?m sure there is at least one little girl watching Kamen Rider in Japan who sees Aguilera and Sakura and realises who she is, and that it?s okay.