Archive of Our Own ^beta

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Oh my. Tanaka can be such a pain sometimes. Points to Okuyama for keeping his cool and not taking the bait for the most part. Having Tanaka, basically an ignorant amateur, hover over him and question his competence in his area of expertise - time and again - must have been at least a little aggravating. In retrospect, it’s funny how Tanaka complains about finding him a difficult person to get along with, like… Are you sure it’s Okuyama’s attitude that’s the problem? Are you really really sure?

For that matter, when the others join the team, he doesn’t hit it off with them right away. He can be civil with them but mostly keeps to himself.

_{He listens to what others have to say, but he himself doesn’t contribute to the discussion.}

_{Again, he doesn’t exchange a single word with them. He does try to earn extra points with Satou though by finishing his sentence for him and then proceeds to kinda smile at him, stop being so cute. Not the first time and not the last he quotes him word for word, proving he always listens intently.}

_{Staying on the sidelines, once more. Probably lost in thought, imagining everyone who wronged him meeting an untimely end soon, and who can blame him?}

To be fair though, they didn’t exactly leave the best first impression on him, considering their first interactions consisted of pointing out his faults.

It’s no wonder, in the beginning, he feels inadequate and inferior next to them - Okuyama with his intelligence, knowledge and computer skills, Takahashi being a natural at shooting, Gen who got a steady head on his shoulders. How is he supposed to compare? At this point he’s still lacking in self-esteem, so he immaturely lashes out in the only way he knows how - by trying to put others down.

As a result, it takes him a while to warm up to them. But he grows as a person, gains more confidence acting as a second in command and eventually lets his barriers down around others.

_{Feeling comfortable enough to partake in friendly teasing.}

I wonder why he lied to them. Was he still on a fence? Was he afraid they’re going to try talking him out of it? How long did they wait for him before accepting he isn’t coming?

I think that’s why Takahashi’s shown being pissed at him later. It’s not so much Tanaka’s decision about staying behind, as the lack of trust on his part in not sharing it. After everything they went through together, surely he owed them that much, they’d earned it.

Tanaka and his tendency to just hover in the background, always doing his best to look intimidating.

That exchange with the Yakuza is particularly striking… Everyone’s making themselves useful. Satou’s in charge of the transaction and handling small talk, Gen and Takahashi are carrying the goods, Okuyama’s sharing his expertise, while Tanaka’s just standing idly on the side.

Earlier that day, probably:

Tanaka: And I will play the role of your bodyguard, Satou-san.

Satou: Uh, I appreciate the thought, but that won’t be necessary. Nekozawa-san-

Tanaka: Good, it’s settled then.

Satou: …

Poor guy is still feeling pretty inadequate and insecure at this point in time, so he’s overcompensating in different ways.

He sounds so content and accomplished during this scene, outright joyful, you could say. Just brimming with pride at his own achievements until now, there’s no more hesitation or self-doubt to be found in his voice. 

Such a short scene, it’s easy to overlook, but it manages to successfully capture the not so subtle changes Tanaka’s character went throughout the show without being too obtrusive about it.

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This idea surely did not occur to him on the fly. He strikes me as a person who’d always have a contingency plan prepared behind the scenes, just in case, knowing there may come a time to cut his losses and get out of dodge. Even if it’d be just a last-resort option. For how long did he contemplate this course of action then?

I think it’s safe to assume that at least since this pivotal conversation. In retrospect, this probably wasn’t just a case of Okuyama apprehensively voicing his doubts out loud. By this point he must have already had a pretty good idea where all of this was leading. It was more a way of gauging Satou’s reaction by bringing up a touchy subject, basically seeking a confirmation of what he already suspects. There’s no end in sight and Satou will only continue to up the ante, he can infer that much between the lines.

Back when Okuyama joined Satou’s squad in this crusade, I don’t believe he did it with an assumption they’re actually going to succeed down the line. He’s someone grounded in reality enough to realize what a near impossible task they’re taking on. Sure, it’d be a nice bonus if despite the odds they managed to secure Ajin rights but was it imperative for him? Absolutely not. He wasn’t motivated by some higher purpose, he merely saw an opportunity, means to challenge and evaluate himself in these unconventional ways. A chance to escape the mundane life for a while and do something fulfilling.

Incidentally, it was probably a deliberate move on the show’s part to never make us privy to Okuyama’s thoughts and feelings about the matter of their end goal, during these moments in particular. Meanwhile, every other member of the team appears to be an open book, leaving no ambiguity as to how they feel about the cause. It’s at odds with how anime always makes a point to show us Okuyama’s reactions to their activities; how excited he is, in his own understated way, about his own achievements and contributions. There’s no doubt he finds the challenges themselves thrilling.

In a way, he’s similar to Satou, but this is where their differences become crucial. It was a fun game to participate in but that’s all it is ultimately. Like every game, it has to come to an end eventually, whether they clean the last stage and reach a satisfactory conclusion or not. After it’s over, it’s back to ordinary life, to him it’s just common sense. At the end of a day, left with no other choice, Okuyama’s going to act out of self-preservation, a trait which Satou seems to lack.

Which brings us back to…

How reasonable was it really to seek out Kei Nagai of all people? If even Tanaka managed to figure it out, surely Okuyama who had an accurate understanding of Satou’s personality, must have been aware of him not being the kind who’d go out of his way to seek retribution. Was the actual goal to make a favorable deal with the government?

If he anticipated being captured sooner or later (when you think about it, all additional members they incorporated into their squad, while useful, also posed a threat in the long run; loose ends that could potentially end up leading authorities to them) it made sense to make the first move and approach someone who could make it possible.

He had about as much fun as Satou with this whole operation, but he’s so low-key about it he just gets past everyone’s radar.

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We used to look at Izumi with a very sympathetic eye and cut her a lot of slack until now, operating under the assumption she was put in such precarious position, not having much of a choice, understandably putting herself first.

But as the story revealed recently, that wasn’t exactly a case, it would appear she wasn’t working under much of a threat at all, and she was perfectly aware of it. The latest developments imply, that this entire time, she was actually an opportunist and a willing accomplice in the persecution of Ajins.

At the very beginnings Izumi was shown to us as being visibly shaken and bothered by things she had to do or be a part of, yet over the course of the story, she became successfully desensitized and emotionally impervious to the plea of others. She went through a lot of growth (whether positive or negative is debatable and up to one’s standards I suppose) and she’s finally letting herself fully embrace it.

Is this why she decided to help Tanaka, a fellow ‘monster’, out and why she’s feeling so strongly motivated about it? Because flawed people liked them also have a place in this world and she sees herself in him. Is there some residual guilt left in there?

For all that mutual taunting before, we just found out how similar they actually are. Both caught themselves guilty of rationalizing their actions away, conveniently shifting blame on others, etc. Izumi’s done with that, she’s owning up to everything, parting with Tosaki not just amicably, but on seemingly good terms. Because she acknowledges to herself, they were mutually using each other, she wasn’t just a tool (are we to assume then Tanaka/Satou are a similar case?). Ultimately everyone’s out for themselves and she accepts it.

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Satou’s IBM - differences between two mediums

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I’ve been thinking of all the parallels and callbacks to the beginning featured in the last few episodes of Ajin anime, and while most of them didn’t have a deeper meaning behind them beyond inspiring a feeling of nostalgia and giving the viewers an impression the story came a full circle in the end, there’s one that particularly drew my attention, and I’d like to consider from a character’s angle.

Namely, Tanaka’s insistence and curiosity regarding the actual intentions behind his rescue.

A considerable amount of time has passed since he’s been freed from that accursed laboratory after a decade of suffering through living hell, a period during which he’s been already disillusioned about humans and ajins alike, has already realized and made peace with his savior’s true motivations behind this grand cause he’s been strung along on first, then embraced as his own and yet — after and despite everything — he’s still being plagued by the question: why?

It’s so important to him for there to be a reason.

What I believe this moment emphasizes is that this entire time Tanaka has been seeking a way of coming to terms with what’s happened to him. Once you strip the righteous rage, the vindication, the need for retribution or some form of justice there’s nothing left but a gaping hole, a huge mass of pain with no avenue to channel it into or rationalize away. When you think about it, it’s no wonder Tanaka would find solace in trying to ascribe to his suffering some higher purpose. A meaning.

Incidentally, he’s offered just that on a silver platter. When he’s found, one can only imagine Tanaka’s extreme state of mind — feeling lost and directionless, on a precipice of despair — and in that pivotal moment, Satou offers him exactly what he needs. A drive, a noble idea of fighting for ajin rights he can easily latch onto. With an added bonus of exacting justice on all corrupted individuals who wronged him, or in one way or another contributed to his worst nightmare.

After everything he’s lost, 10 years of his life wasted and the psychological damage that can’t be undone, he needs to believe for his own sanity’s sake it wasn’t all for nothing. At first, it must seem to him like an abstract concept, notice how for the longest time he was unsure of himself, uncertain of his own place in the group — having trouble fitting in due to his inferiority complex, only capable of following the lead, evident in his own lacking skillset matching his spirit, in spite of his best intentions.

But the time passes, and as their squad gradually becomes a force to be reckoned with, their efforts producing results, they gather more allies. How much comfort and validation must have it brought to Tanaka to be able to share his plight with fellow ajins?

To other rookie members, Tanaka must have been seen as this martyr figure of this great movement, an inspiration to act and unite them together, a symbol and a constant reminder what they’re fighting for and what’s at stake here, perhaps even idolized judging by the way they immediately adhere to him. 

It’s pretty telling how in the anime he’s a figurative cog holding this whole machine together (unlike in the manga where him not being on board is ultimately shown as inconsequential for the rest of the squad — once it has become apparent Tanaka’s plans no longer align with the values of the team, they have no trouble with the idea of letting the unstable element depart towards the humans he made a point he now prioritizes over them) — he’s there to show the others the potential risks and rewards of their movement, to relieve everyone’s worries when Satou’s actions are being put into question, actively functioning as a link between the man at the helm and the remaining of the squad (Satou himself recognizes Tanaka’s importance, clearly, as he only reveals his true intentions to him when he wants to deliberately disband the group and I’m pretty certain Tanaka choosing to not abandon the sinking ship must have come at a surprise even to him).

But just as they all look up to him and ask of him to bear this responsibility, in return he’s being offered an invaluable chance to connect to likeminded and sympathetic individuals. He gains a sense of purpose and togetherness, this obligation toward them serving to ground him and allowing him to grow as a person. It must feel like he’s finally found a place for himself where he belongs, in this antagonistic world, being able to experience camaraderie with fellow ajins in the way he never did in the manga.

Being provided with this sense of importance, acknowledgment and a safety net  — the opposite of what humans had to offer, once this was all over, it makes sense Tanaka wouldn’t seek out human company ever again, even if under some circumstances it’d seem a sensible thing to do. He’s gained self-esteem and a sense of worth, not wishing to fit back in among human society, unlike his manga counterpart, still at odds with his own identity. 

With the threat of all their combined efforts amounting to nothing, he sees his comrades to safety, his duty toward them seemingly over, however he refuses to depart together with them. How difficult, in Tanaka’s situation must it be to accept the fact him becoming an Ajin was all a matter of chance and the universe never had any greater plan for him, the goal of securing Ajin rights nothing more than a distraction?

I theorize at this point he’s no longer questioning and asking for any higher purpose or meaning behind their actions, now stripped of all pretenses, he’s more interested in Satou’s personal reasons behind helping Tanaka (finding a companion who would willingly participate in his crazy antics, a second player, as hinted by Satou’s backstory with Kemper being his initial choice). 

Instead of lashing out at the world, in a way he fully embraces who he is, finding pride in his identity and gains a sense of freedom from it. No longer held by any moral qualms, he selfishly remains by this man’s side, invested in this tie, feeling needed and valued exactly for who he is - an ajin.