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Thiiisss is a followup essay to this one about Yamamoto! Because while that essay pretty much hits most of Yama's points, it does not touch the latest arc, where there has been A TON of development...revealed... for Yamamoto. I say "revealed" because Yamamoto isn't changing, but he is growing, and we're seeing a lot more sides of him for certain that had only been hinted at before.
The Yamamoto 10 years in the future
Okay, I'll say it straight up. WE'LL WIN. We'll fix this future to be peaceful and/or stable, and then we'll go back in the past and be able to live out our own path in the future. GOKU WON'T DIE IN OUR TIMELINE, AND TRUNKS' FUTURE WILL STILL SUCK BUT AT LEAST THERE WILL BE HOPE BECAUSE TRUNKS WILL KILL THE ANDROIDS. So clearly, Yamamoto won't turn out exactly like the Yamamoto in the horrible future, where Tsuna and his father are killed! That's the WHOLE THEME OF THE ARC. But of all the castmembers, the person who's the most stable in any situation is Yamamoto, so seeing him the same after all that carnage is amazing for defining his character because it's a perfect "what if." It is also very cool to note a few things about the older Yamamoto which I think will remain consistent, no matter what happens to our Yamamoto in the future. 'Cause Yamamoto is Yamamoto, which is...his...theme.
* He's still dumb. In our happier future, this will be hilarious. In THIS future, it really only came up once, when he initially saw younger!Tsuna and Gokudera - "You seem smaller somehow?" What's important THERE is, instead of naming realistic explanations for them being younger (like hired kid actors), he suggests magic or illusions first. IN OTHER WORDS, he's past accepting magic and illusions as real. GO YAMA GO I AM PROUD OF YOU
* He's effected. He's smiling, he can laugh, he's supportive, he's kind; all those traits that define him as the equilibrium "rain" are established as solid in crisis. But he knows what's going on, and he's never emotionally "immune" - In this future, he's very much a tragic figure. I love the first chapters of the Future Arc because they're done so efficiently; we don't need to see much of Gokudera to know exactly how he's doing, but in order to understand Yamamoto he needed more time. We get to see him efficient and zen and smiling, but the longer we see him, the more tired he looks. It isn't until he's confronted (when our!Gokudera punches him) that he apologizes for allowing Tsuna's death, tying him into future!Gokudera's very first scene where he apologized to Tsuna over and over again. Gokudera's always been the character that's easier to understand, so when they're paralleled, in one panel Yamamoto is brought to that level of sympathy and seems just as broken. He does not smile when Gokudera and Tsuna are not in the room, and cages up his body (folds his arms and slouches) - as soon as Tsuna and Gokudera enter the room, he brightens up. There's even SFX for it.
* Speaking of, "caging up" is something this Yamamoto does a lot, which Amano shows with panel crops; when Gokudera punches him, and when Reborn tells the others Yamamoto's dad was killed (something Yamamoto didn't volunteer on his own), we don't see Yamamoto's whole face. Just his mouth tightening up or his eye looking away. How much he "shows" like this carries over to our!Yamamoto already, but I'll hit that later.
* He's a fucking badass. He knows exactly how the magic system works, he's an expert and even the critical Lal regards him as an asset. He is not using the back of his sword in this world, which to me means "when push comes to shove," the icing being his darkly grinning comment of "Ch', not deep enough" on a swing. His rapist faces are WAY MORE RAPEY and despite what he says, you can infer a lot from his tone/expression; when he talks about destroying the Vongola rings, you can clearly see a huge, bitter "what if" all over his face.
* He still likes baseball. Bestest hobby ever.
* He's still retardedly touchy.
* He still eyerakes people even if said person is underage s-sigh. The business of illegal
I COULD GO ON about that Yamamoto, but I'll keep it as it pertains to my Yamamoto. The future!Yamamoto I played in camp was not this one. (Though I'll totally play him sometime, since I l-love the tragic!Yamamoto.) I basically took a cue from Amano herself! Lambo explains that there are multiple futures and possibly multiple worlds built by the different decisions you make. This is like... a canon green light to just go wild and have fun with the bazooka as Reborn fandom's been doing forever anyway. 8D It's just super convenient that I happen to have canon for what he looks like WHICH IS SMOKIN', and I'll never have to retcon my predictions because that Yamamoto totally exists somewhere! HO HO HO! I wasn't pulling things out of my ass though; this arc is amazing for insinuating what the future might bring. Rather fitting seeing as it, you know, takes place in the future.
Which brings me to!
Our Yamamoto in the Future Arc
Yamamoto is getting way more attention than he's ever gotten before, and by "attention" I mean he's being written in a light that makes the reader finally notice him. It's solidifying A LOT of what's already established if you'd been paying attention (I LOVE BEING RIGHT), and it's absorbing Yamamoto further into the mafia game. In the Daily Life arc, it was all smoke and mirrors! In the Kokuyou arc, he was introduced to the violence being very real. In the Rings arc, he was introduced to this on a higher level lolo, introduced to being a swordsman and taking it seriously, and introduced to Squalo. In the Future Arc, well... all kinds of things.
Being Upset
Or, "Yamamoto gets upset?" SHOCKING DEVELOPMENT. The secret answer is yes, but he's awesome at it. Like the tranquil rain, he keeps his equilibrium bla bla. God I love shounen personality cheat guides! Sure, even Yamamoto, the biggest bright side this side of the mafia, gets pissed when his friends are hurt or when people are blatant jackasses - we knew that. But now, in the future arc, we've seen how he deals with issues.
I mentioned earlier that future!Yamamoto caged up and dodged issues a lot. Yamamoto does it too! In the same face-partially-obscured, not-saying-anything way. And while it happened once or twice in the rings arc (in regards to Squalo being maybe dead 8(, even though it's not "shown" as on his mind he brings it up without prompt more than once), it happens more clearly in regards to dead Tsunas and Dads, and Gokudera being a bitch.
When Yamamoto's upset, he doesn't hide it, but he's able to resolve things in a way that Moves On Quickly in a Positive Way. Which also means he doesn't bring things up while they're upsetting him - he has to be caught in the act for that. With Yamamoto, we usually see a panel of him being quietly upset, but then the scene changes. Or he'll talk about something else. Or someone else will talk about something else, and he'll hitchhike onto it. By the next time he gets some limelight, he's already focused elsewhere in a productive direction! I think this is a pretty effective way to imply how Yamamoto handles his issues on a more internal level. Compared to Gokudera, where we clearly see every phase of something that's bothering him from start to letting it build to resolution - we know Gokudera's probably not going to resolve something offscreen because we see his thoughts and resolutions - Yamamoto's completely different. For his own fears and concerns, if he can handle it himself, he'll do just that. And he does it so smoothly that others can't help but feel like he's honestly resolved, maybe wasn't bothered seriously to begin with, and that he's a Strong Figure. Which, well, HE IS. The new thing here is, we're learning he could have been bothered seriously to begin with. Yamamoto isn't dishonest when it comes to his feelings; he blurts what he's feeling and thinking, often! He will, however, take the Easier Path, and he'll do this before he'll take the tougher one that requires he actually talks something out.
EXAMPLES. Right after Yamamoto's had everything explained to him about the future, he drapes on Tsuna all smiles. Tsuna is concerned and says something like "Yamamoto, about your dad. . ." and Yamamoto doesn't answer that. When he does reply, part of his face is hidden - and instead of telling Tsuna about his feelings regarding his dad, he tells him the conclusion he's come to. That it's a good thing they're all there because now they can make their own future and make sure everything turns out okay. ...So! Clearly, his dad being dead bothers him enough to dodge a flat-out question regarding it, but he's already got the direction he's headed in. HE'S COOL. 8( That alone wouldn't have been enough for me to think it's a habit to dodge his issues, or that he's harboring anything. But later, after Gokudera's huge emotional admittance of irrationality and fear on his part after the Gamma fight, Reborn mentions Yamamoto told him "the same" - that he was scared and acting out of character. It's done so quickly that you can miss it, but that one line is incredibly important because it says Yamamoto confided feelings of fear and doubt to Reborn, offscreen. lolo.
Speaking of Gamma, the way Yamamoto handles his fight with Gokudera is ALSO very telling of a "dodge it, take the easy road, let's work it out for the better" mindset - and doing it on purpose, not because he's oblivious. Gokudera gets angrier and angrier at him, and Yamamoto gets knocked off-beat by what he says each time it gets meaner, to the point where he doesn't have comebacks ("... You must really hate me, huh."/"Just looking at you's enough to piss me off"/"...Gokudera...") but each time he tries to move it on in a way that makes it More Okay ("Then, we'll each do our own thing?"/"That back there was kind of a combi-play, wasn't it?"). You could even think it wasn't quite dragging him down... until Gokudera pushes it just one inch too far and he cracks and we see him angrier than we've ever seen him before. And what does he do then? He folds and lets Gokudera have his way. He stews quietly by a tree, and he has to watch Gokudera get badly hurt before he flat-out snaps and knocks Gokudera's tooth out and bitches him out so thoroughly that Gokudera is left reeling and topped.
SO, Yamamoto has things that upset and scare him. He handles them very well. It takes a lot to get him to confront them in any out-loud way while he's upset! ...Which is a good time to move onto this one.
Relationship with Gokudera
Hahaha sob. I dodged this one last time, 'cause it was simple from Yama's point of view! Yamamoto likes Gokudera a lot, loves competing with him, loves working with him and considers him his friend. He checks him out sometimes. He's extremely comfortable with him, not in the same way he's comfortable with Tsuna (He trusts Tsuna with everything!1) but on a level that isn't quite shared with Tsuna either (they both want to protect and support Tsuna). Yamamoto likes Gokudera the same way he likes other people, where their "flaws" are as much a reason to like them as their "good traits." If anything, the fact that Gokudera is a crazy bastard to everybody but Tsuna, whom he enthusiastically loves!1, makes Yamamoto like him EXTRA VERY MUCH, especially because he himself cares about Tsuna so much. I've said before that Yamamoto likes people in the same way "the reader" would like them; he likes Gokudera very much the same way a reader might like Gokudera. Crazy angry punk who turns fluffy and adorable for Tsuna? HILARIOUS. Wants to compete with him? He won't lose~
That said, while he likes Gokudera as his angry, exclusively loyal self, he did take some things for granted. Like the idea that Gokudera doesn't really hate him. He made this decision back when they met, when Gokudera told him "good job, you protected the Tenth, I guess I can accept you" (WHICH WAS HILARIOUS), and he hangs out with him, walks to school with him, takes care of him when Bianchi shows up, holds him back from attacking people, teases him ("I'm not missing his match."/"you're such a worrywart |D"/"YOU'RE THE ONE THAT'S TOO CAREFREE") and is generally In His Vicinity Often, Because Boy Do They They Show Up Together A Lot. They fight! Gokudera's pretty much the only person Yamamoto has arguments with. But they're over quickly, quicker if Tsuna interrupts them, and they're back to Square One again. He also has EARNED LIBERTIES like draping/holding-back rights, and by earned I mean broke Gokudera's spirit to always try to push him off because it's useless ohoho. But Yamamoto does consider this progress! He's not trying to make progress, which is really the key thing - he likes Gokudera the way he is, and he likes their relationship so "needing progress" doesn't register. |D But he does like it when progress happens.
So, Gamma happens, and Gokudera aims his weapon at Yamamoto and tells him to fuck off. Yamamoto is shocked, upset, and pissed off. Not only was this hating him, this was not trusting him, regarding him as nothing, and doing something stupid and dangerous all at once. He lets him have his way at first, but when Gokudera starts losing, he steps in and lets him know just how angry he is by sending him flying. And he doesn't just tell Gokudera he needs to trust him - oh no! Not only does he know Gokudera's general past, he hits him right in the unworthy-right-hand-man, you're-just-hurting-Tsuna-this-way. He could not have hit harder, and the fact that he's proven capable of tearing Gokudera up like that is amazing. He has clearly been paying attention, to the point where even while completely pissed off, he knows Gokudera well enough to nail him, and he's not afraid to do it if he has to.
Of course, when Gokudera snaps out of it and works with him, he's totally relieved; when they finally work together to land a strike on Gamma, and Gokudera says something retarded and neutral and back-to-normal to him, Yamamoto bursts out laughing and gives him the brightest smile ever. He's SO HAPPY lolo there's no grudge AT ALL. And when Gamma proceeds to RAPE THEM and torture Gokudera, Yamamoto's p-pretty desperate to save him, and attacks Gamma even though he's unable to turn his sword on (which is, in itself, the sort of desperate/futile shounen behavior I assumed Yamamoto was capable of now, but he's never done it before - again, this is just more reaffirmation of how Yamamoto just isn't thinking of preserving his body for sports anymore, at all, as far as the mafia is concerned. Priority!). The next time he wakes up, he's all bandaged up on an IV in the base, with Reborn there. That's when he tells Reborn how scared he's been, and says "many, many good things (about Gokudera) that he said not to tell Gokudera."
lolol thanks for telling him that much Reborn 8(
So. THEY'VE GONE THROUGH A SERIOUS THROWDOWN. How does this change their relationship? Well... small, awkward things. As far as Yamamoto's concerned, they're at least back to normal. Maybe a little closer to understanding each other. He knows he's probably viewed in a somewhat different light now, because lol he ripped into Gokudera in a way that Gokudera (OR ANYBODY) did not think possible. He doesn't think about this much though, and I think he's content with his "take the easy road and hope for the best"; they're back to being cheerfully simultaneously gay for Tsuna. Yamamoto's just glad they're friends again, and still just treats him as someone he likes very much and considers his retarded angry friend. At this point, I will go ahead and say that Yamamoto has a thing for Gokudera. From that offhanded comment of Reborn's, to the "If you only open your heart to Tsuna..." to having been checking him out for quite some time now ET CETERA, yah. I'M PUTTIN' IT OUT THERE, IT'S ON THE TABLE. That's on the side of being his friend, and being trusted. Getting through a fight like that is kinda a big step for them, I think, in their... awkward steps towards becoming Tsuna's ambiguously single bitches-for-life.
Recently in camp, Gokudera told him one of his favorite foods, which happens to be from his childhood and he hasn't had any since he left home, and he's basically letting Yamamoto make it for him. It's a pretty simple thing! But it makes Yamamoto very happy!1 C-cause he feels like he's a being a friend, and can do a good friend thing for him. He... doesn't take it for granted anymore that they're friends, after their fight. He really does think they are, and he's almost possessive of this fact in his own Yamamoto-way, because he really likes being friends. 8(
UHM. I THINK THAT'S EVERYTHING AS OF NOW. Knocked his tooth out, kinda awkward, but hey we're friends!1 CONFLICT MAKES THINGS STRONGER.
Reborn, Supernatural things, and Secrets
Speaking of people Yamamoto trusts, the person who gets THE MOST of Yamamoto's feelings and secrets isn't Tsuna, or Gokudera, but Reborn. Tsuna he always wants to be strong for, and Gokudera is somewhat the same issue - but the ONE TIME Yamamoto's ever admitted fear and weakness, it was offscreen, and it was to Reborn.
YAMA'S ALWAYS LOVED REBORN A LOT. At first he thought the whole thing was just the kid's idea. COPS AND ROBBERS. And he loooves kids so he just thought Reborn was the most awesome kid ever. He carries him on his shoulder all the time \o/ and does whatever crazy idea he says and has hella fun doing it. HE LOEV REBORN. And in the future arc, while Hibari beats the snot out of Tsuna and Bianchi triggers all of Gokudera's emo buttons, Yamamoto is personally trained by Reborn. Sweet deal, especially for Yamamoto - the matchup is pretty much perfect for him. Good thing too, because he broke A LOT of barriers because of it.
LIKE:
- He now has total awareness (and capability) of supernatural things, and is perfectly okay with it. This happened seamlessly; just like he accepted the violence being real in an instant two arcs ago, he's accepted having GLOWEY BLUE AURA POWERS. And just like he's said out loud himself that he knows he can kill someone, he's experienced - and said out loud - that Reborn, a very tiny two year old, can completely kick his ass. His magical, blue-glowing, swallow-powered, soaked rain guardian ass. I would have bought that he thought the glowing and shinies were special effects, but the fact that he's PERFECTLY FINE with Reborn being able to smoke him when he's doing his best and he has a whole discussion with him about it, and asks him how he could have trained for it... yeah. He gets it.
- He confides in Reborn, so he doesn't quite view him as "just a child" anymore - like, HE DOES, but even just from how hardcore he's always been, and the figure he's been in his life at this point, I think the fact that Yamamoto went ahead and confided in him shows that... even if he thinks he's a kid, he's not just a kid to Yamamoto. He's the kid. He's special and Yama's past understanding that. \o/
- HE NOW KNOWS THE MOST ANTICIPATED SECRET IN THE WHOLE MANGA. SOB. sOOOOBbb. Reborn confided his secret in him. HE'S PRETTY GOOD AT KEEPING SECRETS - it was ambiguous that he was even told yet until Lal Mirch gave him away. GOD THIS WHOLE THING IS HILARIOUS e-even Colonello didn't ever tell Ryohei, soobbb Yama is the most favoritest ever.
- When Gokudera and Tsuna ask him about knowing Reborn's secret and they're interrupted by an alarm, Yamamoto moves onto the subject of the alarm quickly and easily, and Gokudera has to catch him to say "hey, we're not done yet." And Yamamoto even acknowledges that yah, he was trying to get out of it, by conceding and explaining he couldn't talk about it. His first solution, though, was to dodge it. Yamamoto SUCKS AT LYING, but he's good at secrets. He's taking his promise to Reborn seriously.
- Aviy did, however, bring up the possibility that Yamamoto might think Reborn's secret involves Reborn's "older brother" who appeared for a while and then disappeared again. I. I can't discount this.
It's still a game 8D
YAMAMOTOOOOOOO hahaha sooob I love him and all his limited capacity. Yes, it is still a game. Even Reborn is sort of perturbed. But like I said in the last essay, it doesn't matter! Mafia game is hardcore and scary and something to knock your friend's tooth out over, and involves glowey powers and making water with your sword and controlling a magical swallow that comes out of a box and pain and torture and death. These are all VERY REAL THINGS. They're just. Part of a game. Soooob. |D THAT'S ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID ON THAT REALLY I love Yamamoto. He's always taken games more seriously than his life anyway.
Swordsmanship and Squalo's homo mafia influence
Future arc revealed that Yamamoto stupidly likes Squalo. And by stupidly I mean "SQUALO!!1 :D :DD :DDDD" There is no reason for Yamamoto to loev Squalo so much other than the fact that he is Yamamoto. BOY DOES HE EVER. And he does not mind being nearly half-blinded and killed horribly by him in the least! Which puts Squalo in the RIVAL category.
WHEN LAST WE CHECKED ON OUR POKEMON, he'd evolved from Baseball Nut type to Baseball Nut-Swordsman type. I said in my first essay that I think Amano is deliberately setting him up to switch, from primarily baseball nut to primarily swordsman. The future arc has in no way changed my mind and in fact makes me ALMOST POSITIVE Yamamoto's lifestyle is going to switch primaries willingly. They even gave an example scenario; Reborn explains that the future!Yamamoto was training for the major leagues (EXACTLY where Yama would be headed if he stuck with baseball), right around when Squalo went for the title of Best Swordsman Ever Mwahahah. Squalo decided this was bullshit and started sending him love letters with DVDs in them of all of his Secret Battles, showing Yamamoto his AWESOME SWORD BATTLES for bragging rights and for luring him back to swordsmanship. And, uh, seeing as how future!Yamamoto is currently a badass swordsman who uses Squalo's moves, IT EVENTUALLY WORKED.
Now, our Yamamoto didn't even get to the point where Squalo had to lure him back in. The big leagues are just a thought for him. Reborn shows him the DVDs, he's sucked in instantly with this HUGE SHOUNEN WOOSH, and Reborn goes just as planned and leaves him to be in his World Only Swordsmen Can Enter.
1. GAAAAAY
2. Squalo might have just nipped our!Yamamoto's baseball career in the bud. Yamamoto LOVES BASEBALL, he'd be thrilled to go pro, b-but I dunno, considering the moral of the story was "thus Yamamoto was steered away from baseball for a life of swordy mafia rivalry," I think Yamamoto's young impressionable mind just got pre-emptively molded.
We shall see what happens! Tsuna says time and again, "Yamamoto's set on baseball; don't involve him in this crazy world!" And there's always been that window open, that "Maybe Yamamoto really wouldn't give up a baseball career to be a hitman" or "Maybe Yamamoto will always just think of the mafia as a side-thing." But from saying out loud that he puts his friends (Tsuna, thus the Vongola) before baseball, to taking swordsmanship seriously against the Varia, to this which deliberately attacks the possibility of a future baseball career, the One Thing Yamamoto'd be presumably giving up if he were in the mob... unless something craaaazy happens, I think we're supposed to be getting the impression that Yama's set for the business of illegal.
Still a cute, thoughtful, honest, normal nice teenage boy
This is possibly the most important part of this whole thing tho I don't think much needs to be said. Yamamoto isn't really deepening as a character - he's pretty much always been like this, or at least had the potential to be like this. Now that he's in these situations, he's showing us what he's made of. Which is ... retarded happy!1, sushi, swords, optimism, stealth rape, moar retarded happy!1, insight, and raiiin attributes. He wears his heart on his sleeve! He just doesn't wear his stress on his sleeve, nor does he harbor it in a gestating way, and if he does that he has a very high probability of exploding. Yamamoto is Yamamoto.
The Vongola Family
And now the WHOLE REASON I wrote this essay. I mentioned in a poll about plans for families and children that Yamamoto has started to think of "the future" as, "with Tsuna and everyone." This is actually a pretty big thing to say, for a fifteen year old who never thought too far ahead before - hell, for a fifteen year old who tried to kill himself at thirteen because he couldn't play baseball. He doesn't think about the future, he thinks about what he'll have for lunch tomorrow! He thinks about how he'll train hard and he'll hang out with his friends! He didn't get to know Tsuna because of the mafia, like Gokudera did - he got to know him because he wanted to be friends. The mafia just came with that.
But with the Future Arc, well, it's kind of hard not to wonder about the future a little when it's what you're fighting for. According to this future, he's living in a big secret base with Tsuna, Gokudera, all his mafia friends. Maybe he still plays baseball, and sure he was even training for the major leagues, but Squalo pulled him back into the world of phallic imager-- wait, phallic imagery either way, the world of STABBING. Some things went wrong, and he wants to fix those things, badly. But the parts where they all live together in a secret base and Tsuna's awesome and Yamamoto supports him? The part where in ten years he could still be by Tsuna's side, and could have an endless, crazy rivalry of the sword with Squalo while he's at it? The parts where they all eat dinner together every day, and act retarded and bond and get through their mafia adventures together?
Yamamoto likes those parts. He likes the idea of living with Tsuna and everybody forevar. It seems more fun and real to him and more something he can actually say he wants, than any "get a job, get a girl and start a family someday" typical scenario in the far-off future that he just doesn't really think about as something he wants or is aiming for. He's told Tsuna once or twice that he'll "always" be there, and Yamamoto doesn't really think about saying schmoopy things like that beyond TTLY MEANING THEM, but the thought that he really could hold to that... kinda makes him warm and fuzzy inside. Tsuna and the mafia game's the best thing that's happened to him since baseball. So when given the scenario of still playing it in ten years, living with everyone? STILL PLAYING BASEBALL I LIEK BASEBALL 8(, but having Squalo as a rival, someone he can always improve against?
That, he likes. That sounds like fun! And when he's a mobster he's going to look back on how he was scouted and realize with a laugh he never had a chance, haha. |D And if Tsuna doesn't become an amazing badass mafia boss with mafia women and the most loyalest right hand men ever, I will CRY.
...THIS IS SO LONG. I HOPE IT SAID EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN ON MY MIND.
The Yamamoto 10 years in the future
Okay, I'll say it straight up. WE'LL WIN. We'll fix this future to be peaceful and/or stable, and then we'll go back in the past and be able to live out our own path in the future. GOKU WON'T DIE IN OUR TIMELINE, AND TRUNKS' FUTURE WILL STILL SUCK BUT AT LEAST THERE WILL BE HOPE BECAUSE TRUNKS WILL KILL THE ANDROIDS. So clearly, Yamamoto won't turn out exactly like the Yamamoto in the horrible future, where Tsuna and his father are killed! That's the WHOLE THEME OF THE ARC. But of all the castmembers, the person who's the most stable in any situation is Yamamoto, so seeing him the same after all that carnage is amazing for defining his character because it's a perfect "what if." It is also very cool to note a few things about the older Yamamoto which I think will remain consistent, no matter what happens to our Yamamoto in the future. 'Cause Yamamoto is Yamamoto, which is...his...theme.
* He's still dumb. In our happier future, this will be hilarious. In THIS future, it really only came up once, when he initially saw younger!Tsuna and Gokudera - "You seem smaller somehow?" What's important THERE is, instead of naming realistic explanations for them being younger (like hired kid actors), he suggests magic or illusions first. IN OTHER WORDS, he's past accepting magic and illusions as real. GO YAMA GO I AM PROUD OF YOU
* He's effected. He's smiling, he can laugh, he's supportive, he's kind; all those traits that define him as the equilibrium "rain" are established as solid in crisis. But he knows what's going on, and he's never emotionally "immune" - In this future, he's very much a tragic figure. I love the first chapters of the Future Arc because they're done so efficiently; we don't need to see much of Gokudera to know exactly how he's doing, but in order to understand Yamamoto he needed more time. We get to see him efficient and zen and smiling, but the longer we see him, the more tired he looks. It isn't until he's confronted (when our!Gokudera punches him) that he apologizes for allowing Tsuna's death, tying him into future!Gokudera's very first scene where he apologized to Tsuna over and over again. Gokudera's always been the character that's easier to understand, so when they're paralleled, in one panel Yamamoto is brought to that level of sympathy and seems just as broken. He does not smile when Gokudera and Tsuna are not in the room, and cages up his body (folds his arms and slouches) - as soon as Tsuna and Gokudera enter the room, he brightens up. There's even SFX for it.
* Speaking of, "caging up" is something this Yamamoto does a lot, which Amano shows with panel crops; when Gokudera punches him, and when Reborn tells the others Yamamoto's dad was killed (something Yamamoto didn't volunteer on his own), we don't see Yamamoto's whole face. Just his mouth tightening up or his eye looking away. How much he "shows" like this carries over to our!Yamamoto already, but I'll hit that later.
* He's a fucking badass. He knows exactly how the magic system works, he's an expert and even the critical Lal regards him as an asset. He is not using the back of his sword in this world, which to me means "when push comes to shove," the icing being his darkly grinning comment of "Ch', not deep enough" on a swing. His rapist faces are WAY MORE RAPEY and despite what he says, you can infer a lot from his tone/expression; when he talks about destroying the Vongola rings, you can clearly see a huge, bitter "what if" all over his face.
* He still likes baseball. Bestest hobby ever.
* He's still retardedly touchy.
* He still eyerakes people even if said person is underage s-sigh. The business of illegal
I COULD GO ON about that Yamamoto, but I'll keep it as it pertains to my Yamamoto. The future!Yamamoto I played in camp was not this one. (Though I'll totally play him sometime, since I l-love the tragic!Yamamoto.) I basically took a cue from Amano herself! Lambo explains that there are multiple futures and possibly multiple worlds built by the different decisions you make. This is like... a canon green light to just go wild and have fun with the bazooka as Reborn fandom's been doing forever anyway. 8D It's just super convenient that I happen to have canon for what he looks like WHICH IS SMOKIN', and I'll never have to retcon my predictions because that Yamamoto totally exists somewhere! HO HO HO! I wasn't pulling things out of my ass though; this arc is amazing for insinuating what the future might bring. Rather fitting seeing as it, you know, takes place in the future.
Which brings me to!
Our Yamamoto in the Future Arc
Yamamoto is getting way more attention than he's ever gotten before, and by "attention" I mean he's being written in a light that makes the reader finally notice him. It's solidifying A LOT of what's already established if you'd been paying attention (I LOVE BEING RIGHT), and it's absorbing Yamamoto further into the mafia game. In the Daily Life arc, it was all smoke and mirrors! In the Kokuyou arc, he was introduced to the violence being very real. In the Rings arc, he was introduced to this on a higher level lolo, introduced to being a swordsman and taking it seriously, and introduced to Squalo. In the Future Arc, well... all kinds of things.
Being Upset
Or, "Yamamoto gets upset?" SHOCKING DEVELOPMENT. The secret answer is yes, but he's awesome at it. Like the tranquil rain, he keeps his equilibrium bla bla. God I love shounen personality cheat guides! Sure, even Yamamoto, the biggest bright side this side of the mafia, gets pissed when his friends are hurt or when people are blatant jackasses - we knew that. But now, in the future arc, we've seen how he deals with issues.
I mentioned earlier that future!Yamamoto caged up and dodged issues a lot. Yamamoto does it too! In the same face-partially-obscured, not-saying-anything way. And while it happened once or twice in the rings arc (in regards to Squalo being maybe dead 8(, even though it's not "shown" as on his mind he brings it up without prompt more than once), it happens more clearly in regards to dead Tsunas and Dads, and Gokudera being a bitch.
When Yamamoto's upset, he doesn't hide it, but he's able to resolve things in a way that Moves On Quickly in a Positive Way. Which also means he doesn't bring things up while they're upsetting him - he has to be caught in the act for that. With Yamamoto, we usually see a panel of him being quietly upset, but then the scene changes. Or he'll talk about something else. Or someone else will talk about something else, and he'll hitchhike onto it. By the next time he gets some limelight, he's already focused elsewhere in a productive direction! I think this is a pretty effective way to imply how Yamamoto handles his issues on a more internal level. Compared to Gokudera, where we clearly see every phase of something that's bothering him from start to letting it build to resolution - we know Gokudera's probably not going to resolve something offscreen because we see his thoughts and resolutions - Yamamoto's completely different. For his own fears and concerns, if he can handle it himself, he'll do just that. And he does it so smoothly that others can't help but feel like he's honestly resolved, maybe wasn't bothered seriously to begin with, and that he's a Strong Figure. Which, well, HE IS. The new thing here is, we're learning he could have been bothered seriously to begin with. Yamamoto isn't dishonest when it comes to his feelings; he blurts what he's feeling and thinking, often! He will, however, take the Easier Path, and he'll do this before he'll take the tougher one that requires he actually talks something out.
EXAMPLES. Right after Yamamoto's had everything explained to him about the future, he drapes on Tsuna all smiles. Tsuna is concerned and says something like "Yamamoto, about your dad. . ." and Yamamoto doesn't answer that. When he does reply, part of his face is hidden - and instead of telling Tsuna about his feelings regarding his dad, he tells him the conclusion he's come to. That it's a good thing they're all there because now they can make their own future and make sure everything turns out okay. ...So! Clearly, his dad being dead bothers him enough to dodge a flat-out question regarding it, but he's already got the direction he's headed in. HE'S COOL. 8( That alone wouldn't have been enough for me to think it's a habit to dodge his issues, or that he's harboring anything. But later, after Gokudera's huge emotional admittance of irrationality and fear on his part after the Gamma fight, Reborn mentions Yamamoto told him "the same" - that he was scared and acting out of character. It's done so quickly that you can miss it, but that one line is incredibly important because it says Yamamoto confided feelings of fear and doubt to Reborn, offscreen. lolo.
Speaking of Gamma, the way Yamamoto handles his fight with Gokudera is ALSO very telling of a "dodge it, take the easy road, let's work it out for the better" mindset - and doing it on purpose, not because he's oblivious. Gokudera gets angrier and angrier at him, and Yamamoto gets knocked off-beat by what he says each time it gets meaner, to the point where he doesn't have comebacks ("... You must really hate me, huh."/"Just looking at you's enough to piss me off"/"...Gokudera...") but each time he tries to move it on in a way that makes it More Okay ("Then, we'll each do our own thing?"/"That back there was kind of a combi-play, wasn't it?"). You could even think it wasn't quite dragging him down... until Gokudera pushes it just one inch too far and he cracks and we see him angrier than we've ever seen him before. And what does he do then? He folds and lets Gokudera have his way. He stews quietly by a tree, and he has to watch Gokudera get badly hurt before he flat-out snaps and knocks Gokudera's tooth out and bitches him out so thoroughly that Gokudera is left reeling and topped.
SO, Yamamoto has things that upset and scare him. He handles them very well. It takes a lot to get him to confront them in any out-loud way while he's upset! ...Which is a good time to move onto this one.
Relationship with Gokudera
Hahaha sob. I dodged this one last time, 'cause it was simple from Yama's point of view! Yamamoto likes Gokudera a lot, loves competing with him, loves working with him and considers him his friend. He checks him out sometimes. He's extremely comfortable with him, not in the same way he's comfortable with Tsuna (He trusts Tsuna with everything!1) but on a level that isn't quite shared with Tsuna either (they both want to protect and support Tsuna). Yamamoto likes Gokudera the same way he likes other people, where their "flaws" are as much a reason to like them as their "good traits." If anything, the fact that Gokudera is a crazy bastard to everybody but Tsuna, whom he enthusiastically loves!1, makes Yamamoto like him EXTRA VERY MUCH, especially because he himself cares about Tsuna so much. I've said before that Yamamoto likes people in the same way "the reader" would like them; he likes Gokudera very much the same way a reader might like Gokudera. Crazy angry punk who turns fluffy and adorable for Tsuna? HILARIOUS. Wants to compete with him? He won't lose~
That said, while he likes Gokudera as his angry, exclusively loyal self, he did take some things for granted. Like the idea that Gokudera doesn't really hate him. He made this decision back when they met, when Gokudera told him "good job, you protected the Tenth, I guess I can accept you" (WHICH WAS HILARIOUS), and he hangs out with him, walks to school with him, takes care of him when Bianchi shows up, holds him back from attacking people, teases him ("I'm not missing his match."/"you're such a worrywart |D"/"YOU'RE THE ONE THAT'S TOO CAREFREE") and is generally In His Vicinity Often, Because Boy Do They They Show Up Together A Lot. They fight! Gokudera's pretty much the only person Yamamoto has arguments with. But they're over quickly, quicker if Tsuna interrupts them, and they're back to Square One again. He also has EARNED LIBERTIES like draping/holding-back rights, and by earned I mean broke Gokudera's spirit to always try to push him off because it's useless ohoho. But Yamamoto does consider this progress! He's not trying to make progress, which is really the key thing - he likes Gokudera the way he is, and he likes their relationship so "needing progress" doesn't register. |D But he does like it when progress happens.
So, Gamma happens, and Gokudera aims his weapon at Yamamoto and tells him to fuck off. Yamamoto is shocked, upset, and pissed off. Not only was this hating him, this was not trusting him, regarding him as nothing, and doing something stupid and dangerous all at once. He lets him have his way at first, but when Gokudera starts losing, he steps in and lets him know just how angry he is by sending him flying. And he doesn't just tell Gokudera he needs to trust him - oh no! Not only does he know Gokudera's general past, he hits him right in the unworthy-right-hand-man, you're-just-hurting-Tsuna-this-way. He could not have hit harder, and the fact that he's proven capable of tearing Gokudera up like that is amazing. He has clearly been paying attention, to the point where even while completely pissed off, he knows Gokudera well enough to nail him, and he's not afraid to do it if he has to.
Of course, when Gokudera snaps out of it and works with him, he's totally relieved; when they finally work together to land a strike on Gamma, and Gokudera says something retarded and neutral and back-to-normal to him, Yamamoto bursts out laughing and gives him the brightest smile ever. He's SO HAPPY lolo there's no grudge AT ALL. And when Gamma proceeds to RAPE THEM and torture Gokudera, Yamamoto's p-pretty desperate to save him, and attacks Gamma even though he's unable to turn his sword on (which is, in itself, the sort of desperate/futile shounen behavior I assumed Yamamoto was capable of now, but he's never done it before - again, this is just more reaffirmation of how Yamamoto just isn't thinking of preserving his body for sports anymore, at all, as far as the mafia is concerned. Priority!). The next time he wakes up, he's all bandaged up on an IV in the base, with Reborn there. That's when he tells Reborn how scared he's been, and says "many, many good things (about Gokudera) that he said not to tell Gokudera."
lolol thanks for telling him that much Reborn 8(
So. THEY'VE GONE THROUGH A SERIOUS THROWDOWN. How does this change their relationship? Well... small, awkward things. As far as Yamamoto's concerned, they're at least back to normal. Maybe a little closer to understanding each other. He knows he's probably viewed in a somewhat different light now, because lol he ripped into Gokudera in a way that Gokudera (OR ANYBODY) did not think possible. He doesn't think about this much though, and I think he's content with his "take the easy road and hope for the best"; they're back to being cheerfully simultaneously gay for Tsuna. Yamamoto's just glad they're friends again, and still just treats him as someone he likes very much and considers his retarded angry friend. At this point, I will go ahead and say that Yamamoto has a thing for Gokudera. From that offhanded comment of Reborn's, to the "If you only open your heart to Tsuna..." to having been checking him out for quite some time now ET CETERA, yah. I'M PUTTIN' IT OUT THERE, IT'S ON THE TABLE. That's on the side of being his friend, and being trusted. Getting through a fight like that is kinda a big step for them, I think, in their... awkward steps towards becoming Tsuna's ambiguously single bitches-for-life.
Recently in camp, Gokudera told him one of his favorite foods, which happens to be from his childhood and he hasn't had any since he left home, and he's basically letting Yamamoto make it for him. It's a pretty simple thing! But it makes Yamamoto very happy!1 C-cause he feels like he's a being a friend, and can do a good friend thing for him. He... doesn't take it for granted anymore that they're friends, after their fight. He really does think they are, and he's almost possessive of this fact in his own Yamamoto-way, because he really likes being friends. 8(
UHM. I THINK THAT'S EVERYTHING AS OF NOW. Knocked his tooth out, kinda awkward, but hey we're friends!1 CONFLICT MAKES THINGS STRONGER.
Reborn, Supernatural things, and Secrets
Speaking of people Yamamoto trusts, the person who gets THE MOST of Yamamoto's feelings and secrets isn't Tsuna, or Gokudera, but Reborn. Tsuna he always wants to be strong for, and Gokudera is somewhat the same issue - but the ONE TIME Yamamoto's ever admitted fear and weakness, it was offscreen, and it was to Reborn.
YAMA'S ALWAYS LOVED REBORN A LOT. At first he thought the whole thing was just the kid's idea. COPS AND ROBBERS. And he loooves kids so he just thought Reborn was the most awesome kid ever. He carries him on his shoulder all the time \o/ and does whatever crazy idea he says and has hella fun doing it. HE LOEV REBORN. And in the future arc, while Hibari beats the snot out of Tsuna and Bianchi triggers all of Gokudera's emo buttons, Yamamoto is personally trained by Reborn. Sweet deal, especially for Yamamoto - the matchup is pretty much perfect for him. Good thing too, because he broke A LOT of barriers because of it.
LIKE:
- He now has total awareness (and capability) of supernatural things, and is perfectly okay with it. This happened seamlessly; just like he accepted the violence being real in an instant two arcs ago, he's accepted having GLOWEY BLUE AURA POWERS. And just like he's said out loud himself that he knows he can kill someone, he's experienced - and said out loud - that Reborn, a very tiny two year old, can completely kick his ass. His magical, blue-glowing, swallow-powered, soaked rain guardian ass. I would have bought that he thought the glowing and shinies were special effects, but the fact that he's PERFECTLY FINE with Reborn being able to smoke him when he's doing his best and he has a whole discussion with him about it, and asks him how he could have trained for it... yeah. He gets it.
- He confides in Reborn, so he doesn't quite view him as "just a child" anymore - like, HE DOES, but even just from how hardcore he's always been, and the figure he's been in his life at this point, I think the fact that Yamamoto went ahead and confided in him shows that... even if he thinks he's a kid, he's not just a kid to Yamamoto. He's the kid. He's special and Yama's past understanding that. \o/
- HE NOW KNOWS THE MOST ANTICIPATED SECRET IN THE WHOLE MANGA. SOB. sOOOOBbb. Reborn confided his secret in him. HE'S PRETTY GOOD AT KEEPING SECRETS - it was ambiguous that he was even told yet until Lal Mirch gave him away. GOD THIS WHOLE THING IS HILARIOUS e-even Colonello didn't ever tell Ryohei, soobbb Yama is the most favoritest ever.
- When Gokudera and Tsuna ask him about knowing Reborn's secret and they're interrupted by an alarm, Yamamoto moves onto the subject of the alarm quickly and easily, and Gokudera has to catch him to say "hey, we're not done yet." And Yamamoto even acknowledges that yah, he was trying to get out of it, by conceding and explaining he couldn't talk about it. His first solution, though, was to dodge it. Yamamoto SUCKS AT LYING, but he's good at secrets. He's taking his promise to Reborn seriously.
- Aviy did, however, bring up the possibility that Yamamoto might think Reborn's secret involves Reborn's "older brother" who appeared for a while and then disappeared again. I. I can't discount this.
It's still a game 8D
YAMAMOTOOOOOOO hahaha sooob I love him and all his limited capacity. Yes, it is still a game. Even Reborn is sort of perturbed. But like I said in the last essay, it doesn't matter! Mafia game is hardcore and scary and something to knock your friend's tooth out over, and involves glowey powers and making water with your sword and controlling a magical swallow that comes out of a box and pain and torture and death. These are all VERY REAL THINGS. They're just. Part of a game. Soooob. |D THAT'S ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID ON THAT REALLY I love Yamamoto. He's always taken games more seriously than his life anyway.
Swordsmanship and Squalo's homo mafia influence
Future arc revealed that Yamamoto stupidly likes Squalo. And by stupidly I mean "SQUALO!!1 :D :DD :DDDD" There is no reason for Yamamoto to loev Squalo so much other than the fact that he is Yamamoto. BOY DOES HE EVER. And he does not mind being nearly half-blinded and killed horribly by him in the least! Which puts Squalo in the RIVAL category.
WHEN LAST WE CHECKED ON OUR POKEMON, he'd evolved from Baseball Nut type to Baseball Nut-Swordsman type. I said in my first essay that I think Amano is deliberately setting him up to switch, from primarily baseball nut to primarily swordsman. The future arc has in no way changed my mind and in fact makes me ALMOST POSITIVE Yamamoto's lifestyle is going to switch primaries willingly. They even gave an example scenario; Reborn explains that the future!Yamamoto was training for the major leagues (EXACTLY where Yama would be headed if he stuck with baseball), right around when Squalo went for the title of Best Swordsman Ever Mwahahah. Squalo decided this was bullshit and started sending him love letters with DVDs in them of all of his Secret Battles, showing Yamamoto his AWESOME SWORD BATTLES for bragging rights and for luring him back to swordsmanship. And, uh, seeing as how future!Yamamoto is currently a badass swordsman who uses Squalo's moves, IT EVENTUALLY WORKED.
Now, our Yamamoto didn't even get to the point where Squalo had to lure him back in. The big leagues are just a thought for him. Reborn shows him the DVDs, he's sucked in instantly with this HUGE SHOUNEN WOOSH, and Reborn goes just as planned and leaves him to be in his World Only Swordsmen Can Enter.
1. GAAAAAY
2. Squalo might have just nipped our!Yamamoto's baseball career in the bud. Yamamoto LOVES BASEBALL, he'd be thrilled to go pro, b-but I dunno, considering the moral of the story was "thus Yamamoto was steered away from baseball for a life of swordy mafia rivalry," I think Yamamoto's young impressionable mind just got pre-emptively molded.
We shall see what happens! Tsuna says time and again, "Yamamoto's set on baseball; don't involve him in this crazy world!" And there's always been that window open, that "Maybe Yamamoto really wouldn't give up a baseball career to be a hitman" or "Maybe Yamamoto will always just think of the mafia as a side-thing." But from saying out loud that he puts his friends (Tsuna, thus the Vongola) before baseball, to taking swordsmanship seriously against the Varia, to this which deliberately attacks the possibility of a future baseball career, the One Thing Yamamoto'd be presumably giving up if he were in the mob... unless something craaaazy happens, I think we're supposed to be getting the impression that Yama's set for the business of illegal.
Still a cute, thoughtful, honest, normal nice teenage boy
This is possibly the most important part of this whole thing tho I don't think much needs to be said. Yamamoto isn't really deepening as a character - he's pretty much always been like this, or at least had the potential to be like this. Now that he's in these situations, he's showing us what he's made of. Which is ... retarded happy!1, sushi, swords, optimism, stealth rape, moar retarded happy!1, insight, and raiiin attributes. He wears his heart on his sleeve! He just doesn't wear his stress on his sleeve, nor does he harbor it in a gestating way, and if he does that he has a very high probability of exploding. Yamamoto is Yamamoto.
The Vongola Family
And now the WHOLE REASON I wrote this essay. I mentioned in a poll about plans for families and children that Yamamoto has started to think of "the future" as, "with Tsuna and everyone." This is actually a pretty big thing to say, for a fifteen year old who never thought too far ahead before - hell, for a fifteen year old who tried to kill himself at thirteen because he couldn't play baseball. He doesn't think about the future, he thinks about what he'll have for lunch tomorrow! He thinks about how he'll train hard and he'll hang out with his friends! He didn't get to know Tsuna because of the mafia, like Gokudera did - he got to know him because he wanted to be friends. The mafia just came with that.
But with the Future Arc, well, it's kind of hard not to wonder about the future a little when it's what you're fighting for. According to this future, he's living in a big secret base with Tsuna, Gokudera, all his mafia friends. Maybe he still plays baseball, and sure he was even training for the major leagues, but Squalo pulled him back into the world of phallic imager-- wait, phallic imagery either way, the world of STABBING. Some things went wrong, and he wants to fix those things, badly. But the parts where they all live together in a secret base and Tsuna's awesome and Yamamoto supports him? The part where in ten years he could still be by Tsuna's side, and could have an endless, crazy rivalry of the sword with Squalo while he's at it? The parts where they all eat dinner together every day, and act retarded and bond and get through their mafia adventures together?
Yamamoto likes those parts. He likes the idea of living with Tsuna and everybody forevar. It seems more fun and real to him and more something he can actually say he wants, than any "get a job, get a girl and start a family someday" typical scenario in the far-off future that he just doesn't really think about as something he wants or is aiming for. He's told Tsuna once or twice that he'll "always" be there, and Yamamoto doesn't really think about saying schmoopy things like that beyond TTLY MEANING THEM, but the thought that he really could hold to that... kinda makes him warm and fuzzy inside. Tsuna and the mafia game's the best thing that's happened to him since baseball. So when given the scenario of still playing it in ten years, living with everyone? STILL PLAYING BASEBALL I LIEK BASEBALL 8(, but having Squalo as a rival, someone he can always improve against?
That, he likes. That sounds like fun! And when he's a mobster he's going to look back on how he was scouted and realize with a laugh he never had a chance, haha. |D And if Tsuna doesn't become an amazing badass mafia boss with mafia women and the most loyalest right hand men ever, I will CRY.
...THIS IS SO LONG. I HOPE IT SAID EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN ON MY MIND.
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God for one thing, he may still think the whole future issue is just a fantasy scenario, but he may also be kinda semi-suspending his disbelief. HE HASN'T REALLY TALKED ABOUT IT. I think it doesn't matter, since his dad and Tsuna being dead as a possibility isn't cool anyway :(
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Productive homework breakssss
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It's like a huge weight has been lifted off of me. Your view of Yamamoto is EXACTLY what I see him to be and A WHOLE LOT MORE. Yeah, sure, he's cheerful and happier than every character in the whole damn series but that doesn't make him the least serious one. He's such an interesting boy if you take the time to think about the reasons behind his words and actions, and I thank you so much for taking the time to write it all down. I love his relationship with Reborn, too. ;__;
You really said it. Yamamoto is Yamamoto. ♥
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