How would you rate this character overall?
10
11.9%
7
9
16.9%
10
8
13.6%
8
7
22.0%
13
6
10.2%
6
5
1.7%
1
4
1.7%
1
3
1.7%
1
2
0.0%
0
1
0.0%
0
I don't know this character
20.3%
12
59 votes
Spotlight Character: Sagara "Urzu 7" Sousuke (Full Metal Panic) MAL Character Information Page: Sagara Sousuke MAL Favorite Character: #18 (with 666 favorites) For the next week I would like to have everyone familure with Sousuke discuss what they think makes him an exceptional character. What attributes make him stand out in the ocean of interesting characters that exist in the realms of anime and manga. Unlike the other two subjects I will not force this conversation to fall into any set structure. Characters that are nominated typically get here because they are adept at breaking the existing character molds and defying definition. Because of this freedom I encourage everyone to do their very best to stay on topic and keep any and all debate civil. Have fun and I look forward to seeing what everyone has to say about this character. RESULTS OF THE "YOU DECIDE POLL" Sagara Sousuke was NOT inducted into the club Character list: 40 Yes - 64.52% 22 No - 36.48% 15 I don't know this character - 19.48% of the total number polled |
santetjanAug 21, 2010 6:13 AM
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| To be honest, I didn't think much of Sagara Sousuke as a character for most of the first half of FMP, mainly because of his noncommital and taciturn nature. Then I watched "The wind that blows at home" (episodes 15 - 17), and my opinion of him changed a hell of a lot. After watching those three episodes, I realised something important about Sagara Sousuke's character, or rather, how the shows creators wanted to portray him. My suspicions about this were confirmed when I watched The Second Raid, in which his character undergoes quite a bit of development. Sagara Sousuke from a certain type of trauma most commonly found in victims of serious child abuse. I'll explain. Sousuke has difficulty coping with the "normal" world, and his safety net is routine. His placement in a military organisation is a far cry from his upbringing as a guerilla fighter, however it is necessary for him as without a strict, and dare I say, militaristic routine, he probably would have gone mad. Remember, his character has killed, watched his friends die, seen his home destroyed, witnessed firsthand the effects of mental and physical torture (the woman from the first episode springs to mind). Any normal, reasonable person would find it difficult to cope with these situations as an adult (especially without desensitisation training), so imagine the effect this has on a child. Because of the things he has seen and done, his sudden entry into the "normal" world comes as a shock to him. His fall back position is to do his job. You've probably noticed that Sousuke doesn't talk much, unless it's about AS's, and that he never relaxes in the company of strangers. This is actually normal behaviour for victims of abuse, as in most cases they do become reticent, and find it difficult to deal with other people. My main gripe about FMP was the fact that the comedy kept getting in the way, and because of it, many people overlooked certain parts of Sousuke's character which were apparent in the first FMP series. His hatred of Gauron is explained in "The wind that blows at home", and it gives a new aspect to his character - he isn't unflappable, and he most certainly isn't made of stone. I just wish they kept Gauron dead, rather than adding him into TSR (I swear that guy comes back from the dead more times than Mumm-Ra). I enjoyed the way he was portrayed in Fumoffu, even though this is almost all comedy. Fumoffu, more than the other two series, underscored the fact that Sousuke doesn't look at the world the way everyone else does. His view of the world is based on logic and routine - his two primary defences. It makes for some good comedy, but there is a serious undertone there as well. Even while the humour abounds, Sousuke still can't join in. He is constantly holding back for fear of getting close to anyone (and thus, feeling the pain of losing them), so wanting to be with Kaname is another big shock to his system, especially when he realises that his concern for Kaname's safety has little or nothing to do with orders. Remeber, when he is "forcibly" separated from her in TSR, he goes off the rails. I sat and watched all of FMP, Fumoffu, TSR and the OVA recently, and I was surprised at how complex Sousuke's character actually is. There's a lot more to him than a strange military fanboy. I found Sousuke to be a very lonely, fragile person. Yes he is a soldier and a great AS pilot, and many people equate this to being a strong person. It's not. Sousuke is weak and flawed in many ways. His fight with Gauron at the end of FMP highlighted his weakness, especially as Gauron was able to goad him incessantly. I have to admit, by the time I finished TSR again, I found myself sympathising with Sousuke more and more. No one, not even Tessa, can imagine the kind of hell he grew up in. The only person who has any idea is Kalinin, and if you notice, Kalinin is always on the lookuout for Sousuke. This is because he's well aware of how fragile and vulnerable Sousuke is. SO, Sagara Sousuke gets my vote, as his character is a lot more complex than many people believe. P.S. I hope this makes sense as tis 6am here, and I haven't slept yet... I'm off to bed. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz |
ArchaeonApr 4, 2008 10:20 PM
| What a day! What a lovely Day! |
| I have actually not finished FMP: TSR, but I liked the guy from what I saw. Interesting background, interesting way of dealing with people, and his voice actor definitely helps to fit his personality. Unfortunately, I don't have a detailed opinion on him, but I know I would vote "yes" for Sousuke. 8/10 |
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| Sousuke is likeable enough in original FMP (which I watched 5 years ago...so my opinion may change if I were to rewatch it today). But aside from the "I'm not an otaku; I'm a specialist!" type comedic bits I don't really have a strong an impression of him from that series, which is also partly a product of time. Still, gets a good solid 7. Fumoffu I didn't find funny and I dropped after 4 episodes, so yeah... Did complete TSR, and thought Sousuke did NOT make a good transition to being a more drama-oriented character (actually none of them did, but this isn't the point of this thread). TSR Sousuke gets a 6. |
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| I haven't watched FMP for a good year and a half, but I certainly enjoyed Sagara for what he was. He was of course pretty much the same character throughout the whole series, but he did warm up to the other characters a bit toward the end. I enjoyed how he and Chidori interacted, but their relationship never really grew out of "awkward". Throughout the series it was essentially more of the same, and while that isn't necessarily a bad thing, he didn't really develop a lot. Sure he did do some deep thinking toward the end of TSR (I think), but he wasn't as complete of a character as I would have liked. His personality is an easy one to write jokes off of, and I think that is why for the most part he stays the way he is throughout much of the series. If his character changed too much, then the formula would be broken. While not a bad thing in principle, I believe it would have drastically changed the direction of the story. The story basically comes full circle on itself over and over again, because of the same characters interacting with each other over and over again in the same way. I loved FMP, and it was because of the interactions of the characters and slight comedy. Without Sagara, the story couldn't be what it was and he played his part well. Sagura does what he has to in order to make the show good. Overall I'd give him an eight. |
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| Personally I find him to be a great and solid character. Not only is he done by one of the greatest Japanese and English VAs but also he's a very likable character. I enjoy the whole army nut personality, which I find so appealing and also his antics and one liners are just hilarious. Sadly even though there's a lot of depth to him, he's lacking in development and there was also that episode near the end of TSR that was his lowest point. If I take everything into account I would give him an eight but personally I'll give him a - 10 ^_^ |
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| I find him great not just for the reasons mentioned above, but he has potential to be an even greater character as we've seen from TSR. |
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| I've only watched FMP, not TSR or fumoffu, but from what i've seen Sagara just doesn't really stand out to me as a very impressive character. Yes, he is likeable, since he is funny and he's a good looking anime character. But aside from that I didn't really get a lot of character traits or personality from him. He seemed sort of bland. So i gave him a 6/10. |
katsupApr 6, 2008 10:40 AM
| :::DISCLAIMER::: Full Metal Panic: First off I'd like to express just how unfortunate it is that nearly everyone here (myself included) had to be introduced to Sousuke through Gonzo's lackluster first season of the FMP anime. Because while they were able to make it very entertaining, they glossed over a lot of subtle character traits in the pursuit of more comedy, the occasional fan service, and in effort to make the good guys and bad guys appear to be more clear cut with less shades of gray. When they did this it made it extremely difficult for any of the viewers to follow the slow but constant growth of Sousuke's character. Ultimately, for those of you who feel that Sousuke is a static unchanging character, you can thank Gonzo for that. Fumoffu: For anyone who watched Fumoffu expecting to see anything other than pure comedy you'll be sadly disappointed. That series follows a number of the short stories written by the author to be nothing much more than a comedic break where he could just have fun playing with his characters in a relatively static environment. There is zero character growth and there was never any effort made to do so in the first place. The Second Raid: Kyo Ani did an excellent job adapting this sequel anime season even though they, like Gonzo, were guilty of taking a few liberties with the story. However, overall I believe they were able to nail Sousake's true character better that I had ever hoped for. The Sousake you observe in TSR is undergoing a constant evolution and is also subjected to a few wild throws which send him on a very violent psychological and emotional roller coaster. This is a reflection the REAL Sousake. The Novels: After reading the most of the novels (which the first season uses novels 1-3 and TSR uses 4-5) it becomes very clear that Sousuke is an extremely complex, realistically human, ever evolving character (albeit the evolution is slow and subtle). Out of all the characters I have watched in anime and or read about in manga, his characters depth and complexity is unparalleled by anyone other than perhaps Guts from the Berserk manga. For anyone who enjoyed watching FMP and wants to get their hands on some of these novels to see just what it is I have been talking about please send me a Private Message and I will send you link to where you can download some of the fan translated novels. They are only about 200 pages each and are a very quick and highly entertaining read. :::END DISCLAIMER::: I will come back sometime later and write up my actual full review of Sousuke detailing what I feel makes him such an incredible character and hopefully convincing some of you to view him in a new light so that he might get the recognition he deserves. |
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| Pretty much what Archaeon said. I would add my own personal experience of Sousuke is that his character is set up perfectly for the comedy in Fumoffu, but as an action character I didn't think much of him until he went off the rails in the Second Raid. |
| I just wanted to add something to what I said previously. When you look at "The wind that blows at home" arc, you get a sense of the kind of turmoil that Sousuke eventually goes through in TSR. Think about it. By the end of the arc he's alone again, and it hits him hard. At that point the only person who has a hope of getting through to him is Kaname, and he knows deep down inside that he needs her. I think one of the reasons I liked TSR so much was because of that story arc. It's the only part of the first series that actually left a lasting impression on me, mainly because the three episodes in the arc become increasingly emotionally charged, and are a perfect lead up to the events in TSR. I think 8Gauge hit the nail on the head. If you want to see what Sousuke's character is really like then you need to watch TSR. Quite a lot of his behaviour in the first FMP series actually makes sense after watching TSR (at least, it did for me anyway), and basing a judgement on the first series and/or Fumoffu, while valid, would not give you a true depiction of the complexities of this fascinating character. |
ArchaeonApr 5, 2008 8:07 PM
| What a day! What a lovely Day! |
| Hmmm... Sosuke is certainly an entertaining character as has been shown in all of the FMP series, but he has always felt somewhat flat to me; more likely to provide the setup for some comic relief than anything else. For both the original FMP and Fumofuu, he developed very minimally as a character. Second Raid however brings about a much more pronounced personality. They removed much of his narrow-mindedness and actually gave him the ability to think and he did indeed spend a lot of time reflecting throughout the series. Although I really like the Sosuke/Chidori combo that was a redundant theme throughout all three series, I don't think Sosuke represents anything particularly significant as a character; at the same time, he is certainly not a poor character either. Some of the inconsistencies between animation studios certainly did not help his cause, so I'll have to give him a 7/10 |
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| Hmm, it's been quite awhile since I've seen any of the FMP titles so I can't say anything specific about Sousuke's character. But I do remember seeing a change in him between the original FMP and TSR. 7/10 overall. I wish I could remember more about his character in order to contribute to this thread D: |
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| Ah, Sergeant Sagara... so many places to start ^_^ I still remember my first impression of him, using condoms to hold liters of water. That right there tells you all you need to know about him. He was bred for military warfare, but he should never be allowed to leave the service. To say Sagara is unique is an understatement. In all the anime I've watched, there is no one quite like him. And yet, even though he eats, sleeps, and breathes combat life, he is essentially human, and through Kaname, that humanity grows. Some things that make Sagara incredibly interesting and likeable are that you can't insult the man. Seriously, not only is he clueless to sexual innuendo, but if you tell him you wanna fight, he'll give a sound "very well" and kick your ass. Even though he anticipates Kaname's paper fan, he never changes expression or disposition. He's a stoic to the very end... or is he? Personally, I think Sagara's shining moment was the end of TSR. If you haven't seen TSR and you're judging Sagara, I don't think you have the right personally. TSR spoilers It's Sagara's humanity in full bloom. His complete evolution from military-phile (a status that isn't without warrant. If I grew up in guerilla warfare, I'd imagine it's possible I'd become that kind of person) to functional human being. He's an amazing character, someone so fleshed out in his strengths, weaknesses and insecurities that he could be a real person, but also incredibly unique in his past experiences and current circumstances.. I have no choice but to give him a 10. |
| My first novel, Kardia has been published! Click here to read! |
| I really hope that Sousuke Sagara makes it into this club's character section but I'm somewhat surprised by the number of people in this club that don't know him. Full Metal Panic! one of those must what anime to all anime fans but I guess a lot of people are turned off by the fact that it's a mecha anime. I gotta say that my best Sousuke moment was in Fumoffu? when he was beating up the guys in the run down dojo. ^_^ |
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| I have to say, my favorite Sousuke moment is when the head of that martial arts club (can't remember his name though), challenges Sousuke in class, and then goes through the whole Goku power up shenanigans. Meanwhile, Sousuke has been calmly rummaging through his bag, pulls out a gun and shoots him. Okay, it's classic comedy, but it's just so well done :D |
| What a day! What a lovely Day! |
| Well I technically know him since I've seen Fumoffu!, but considering that's all I know of him ....I voted that I don't know him lol. |
BlackMagic said: Well I technically know him since I've seen Fumoffu!, but considering that's all I know of him ....I voted that I don't know him lol. You have a point there... Fomuffu? doesn't tell us anything about his past, his capabilities and the things his been through. At the most you just learn his general mannerisms from that series, which isn't enough. ^_^ |
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Splitter said: Personally, I think Sagara's shining moment was the end of TSR. If you haven't seen TSR and you're judging Sagara, I don't think you have the right personally. TSR spoilers It's Sagara's humanity in full bloom. His complete evolution from military-phile (a status that isn't without warrant. If I grew up in guerilla warfare, I'd imagine it's possible I'd become that kind of person) to functional human being. I guess this goes to show that one man's shining moment is another's facepalm inducing cheese. Emotional scenes out of nowhere were totally unconvincing to me, so I couldn't rate FMP: TSR well. |
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kasumisama said: Splitter said: Personally, I think Sagara's shining moment was the end of TSR. If you haven't seen TSR and you're judging Sagara, I don't think you have the right personally. TSR spoilers It's Sagara's humanity in full bloom. His complete evolution from military-phile (a status that isn't without warrant. If I grew up in guerilla warfare, I'd imagine it's possible I'd become that kind of person) to functional human being. I guess this goes to show that one man's shining moment is another's facepalm inducing cheese. Emotional scenes out of nowhere were totally unconvincing to me, so I couldn't rate FMP: TSR well. Most scenes of this nature are cheesy, kasumisama, but given Sagara's character and history (hates Gauron, doesn't entirely understand his relationship with Kaname, but knows she's important to him), I thought his reaction was appropriate and warranted. |
| My first novel, Kardia has been published! Click here to read! |
kasumisama said: Splitter said: Personally, I think Sagara's shining moment was the end of TSR. If you haven't seen TSR and you're judging Sagara, I don't think you have the right personally. TSR spoilers It's Sagara's humanity in full bloom. His complete evolution from military-phile (a status that isn't without warrant. If I grew up in guerilla warfare, I'd imagine it's possible I'd become that kind of person) to functional human being. I guess this goes to show that one man's shining moment is another's facepalm inducing cheese. Emotional scenes out of nowhere were totally unconvincing to me, so I couldn't rate FMP: TSR well. What do you mean by emotional scenes out of nowhere? I am confused as to what you saw as unexplained or unjustified emotional cheese? |
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| Sousuke is definitely an interesting character. However, what makes him stand out from the other characters is his naivety in real-life manners and his military reasoning that puts him into hilarious situations. He's a rather tough character when you consider his childhood and how he grew up in combat, but it does explain his serious attitude and lack of a normal lifestyle. |
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| I didn't see or read enough to feel that I could really give this a full vote, but I think I would stand where I decided given time. I did like his character overall, but I don't really think it is up to par for the club, although I may be completely off on this. |
8GaugeBrett said: kasumisama said: Splitter said: Personally, I think Sagara's shining moment was the end of TSR. If you haven't seen TSR and you're judging Sagara, I don't think you have the right personally. TSR spoilers It's Sagara's humanity in full bloom. His complete evolution from military-phile (a status that isn't without warrant. If I grew up in guerilla warfare, I'd imagine it's possible I'd become that kind of person) to functional human being. I guess this goes to show that one man's shining moment is another's facepalm inducing cheese. Emotional scenes out of nowhere were totally unconvincing to me, so I couldn't rate FMP: TSR well. What do you mean by emotional scenes out of nowhere? I am confused as to what you saw as unexplained or unjustified emotional cheese? I'm assuming kasumisama is referring to TSR being considerably more drama and emotionally oriented than its predecessors. In which case, I strongly have to disagree with you, at least in the case of FMP:TSR. Although some anime rely on melodrama almost as a crutch, TSR does a good job namely because of a considerable increase in character the development, that was blatantly missing from fumoffu. Not that fumoffu was bad, I just don't consider fumoffu to be a necessity in the FMP canon. In any case, I can understand your views on this entirely. I do remember anime that have an almost overbearing amount of dramatic sequences that overly tries to provoke an emotional response within the viewer. Sometimes it doesn't work of course, but in the case of TSR, I think an increase in emotional tension was a necessity to flesh out Souske's character more from being a taciturn soldier, into more of a relateable human being. Souske seems to deviate from the stereotypical male lead which is already and indication that his character is more than your typical harem male lead. In my opinion, the ability for a viewer to relate with the hamartia and strength of an anime character truly make a character "great." In which case, Souske fit's the bill perfectly. |
| Sousuke... where, oh where, to start? I guess it would be appropriate to start at the very beginning with a History Lesson of the events that happen prior to the main FMP story. According to a document seen in the first season of the FMP anime Sousuke was born 7/7/1984, however this has not been confirmed and is still considered debatable. He is of Japanese decent, but has no clear nationality and his parents identities are unknown and they are assumed to be deceased. At the age of three Sousuke was the soul survivor of a crashed Japanese airliner and was rescued by Andrei Kalinin who, at the time, was the leader of a Soviet Spetnaz team. After being rescued Sousuke was put into the Soviet state child care system and later was placed in the KGB training program designed to create child soldiers. At approximately 8 years of age he was trained as an assassin and was sent to Afghanistan to assassinate General Majhid. He failed his mission and was instead adopted by the very man he was sent to kill who renamed him "Kashim". From then on he was trained in guerrilla warfare and fought as an insurgent against the invading Soviet forces. Early on in the war Sousuke was captured by Kalinin's forces and they were reunited for the first time. Soon after, Kalinin decided to desert the Soviet army and take Sousuke under his wing. He put Sousuke though specialized Spetnaz training from which Sousuke learned Japanese as well as some Russian. At approximately age 10 Sousuke began using captured and rebuilt Soviet AS's like the Rk-89,91, and 92 models to continue fighting against the ever growing Soviet presence in Afganistan. He quickly became proficient at piloting these weapon systems, but the Soviet forces eventually overwhelmed and crushed the last of the Afghani resistance forcing Sousuke to escape the country with Kalinin. Shortly after arriving in Cambodia Sousuke and Kalinin were once again seperated and for the next 5 years Sousuke lived on as a mercenary fighting in regional conflicts and most notably the "Fifth Middle East War". He built a solid reputation as a soldier during this period, gained a group of friends, and was eventually scouted by Melissa Mao to become a Mithril Operative. He is made part of the SRT and is trained to operate the M9 Gernsback as the team's pointman. End History Lesson I'll be back in a few hours when I've finished writing my actual character review and break down. LoL. |
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| @aarons016 You mentioned that Sousuke needed to talk more, or relay his feelings passively. My question to you is how would that be achieved when you take his personal history into account? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I mentioned in my earlier post that Sousuke suffers from a type of trauma. 8Gauges history lesson, plus what is already evident in the series, is proof of that. As a child he was thrown into a situation that none of us can imagine - having to kill, having to maintain control of his emotions, having to watch the people he knew or cared about get killed, having to survive using his training and his wits, and most of all, never really being sure who was his friend and who was his enemy. Now imagine you had that kind of upbringing. Would you be able to relate to people easily? Or talk? Or relay your emotions passively? I wouldn't bet on it. Sousuke's fall back position is his training simply because it's kept him alive when all else has failed. Yes, he is human, but that doesn't mean that he's going to behave the way you want him to behave. Sousuke's personality changes are revealed not in his actions, but in his reactions, and this is prominently shown in The Wind That Blows at Home, and throughout TSR. His reaction to losing Kaname in TSR is proof of that, as the normally taciturn Sousuke goes off the rails and abandons his duty - I'd say that was definite proof of a major personality change, especially for someone who has lived by his training for so long. It's not simply "a glimpse of those latent thoughts and feelings" as aarons016 puts it, but a major shift in how he views the world and himself. If this isn't the case, then I hope someone can explain why a character who has survived for so long because of his faith in his training would suddenly give up everything he knows? Or maybe you can answer why someone who has obeyed orders for so long would suddenly stop listening? I think one of the main problems with TSR is simply the fact that everyone who watched FMP and Fumoffu expected Sousuke to continue in his semi serious/semi comedic manner. When they got drama, action and character development, they automatically closed their minds to everything that was going on because the character that they were so used to had evolved, and they weren't ready for it. One of the other problems is simply that many people, when critiquing a character, never ask themselves "Given the characters history, personality, actions, reactions, surroundings, and acquaintances, how would I react in that situation?". Of those that do ask that question, only the minority will be objective about the answer. One final point. A lot of people I've spoken to about FMP, Fumoffu and TSR have mentioned that they wanted Sousuke to open up to Kaname. Imagine the kind of things Sousuke has seen and done. Would he really want to tell the person he cares about the most all of that, and risk her being afraid of him, or pitying him, or hating him? If any of us were in that position, I doubt we'd do any different (this is what I mean by putting yourself in the characters shoes). The more realistic a character is, the more able you are to imagine a given scenario in relation to yourself. In the more serious episodes (and indeed, in many of the comedy moments as well), Sousuke's character is very realistic in his behaviour, actions, and reactions. |
ArchaeonApr 10, 2008 8:43 PM
| What a day! What a lovely Day! |
| While I can't really give any detailed opinions on Sousuke's character since I've only seen Fumoffu, I think I might comment on the nature of character development. I think there are two types of character development: one is what most of you probably think of; the character in the series develops and grows over time. The other is that the viewer develops which causes pseudo character development since you view all his previous actions in a different light. It is possible to have both types of character development operating simultanously as well. I would say Guts from Berserk is a good example of this. His character (in the present) develops in the traditional sense, but our perception of his character develops as well after the flashback fills in the background. It seems to me like Sousuke's character may be developed more through the second method I mentioned. If that's the case, then I don't know if it's very fair to judge him with a standard only meant for the traditional method. |
| Post Forward - Most of what I will write is not based purely on opinion or frivolous speculation, but in reference to actual internal character monolog that you are only aware of after reading the Novels. Since we are discussing a character and not the anime or manga specifically, I believe that it is fair to use the original source to shed light on elements that were overlooked in the secondary adaptations. Season one breakdown: Ok, lets get down to the character analysis. Sousuke, as you can tell from his history, is a character that comes from a world that is almost impossible for most of us to even imagine, let alone understand. Instead of box cars and legos, he played with AK's and live grenades. Instead of being read bed time stories, he was read field training manuals. Instead of loving parents he had drill sergeants and combat instructors. He was taught how to do nothing except to eat, sleep, and breathe war. I think it would be fair to say that he knew more about death at age 10 then most people know about life at age 20. The only things he was given to support him though the hell that was his childhood were order and routine. Order and routine are what honed his instincts and kept him alive in the most deadly environments. They are what kept him sane as he lost comrade after comrade, some of whom he claims died in his very arms. They are what made him into the perfect weapon, an unflinching machine, with "the eyes of a God damn Saint." But all of it, the order, the routine, the training, and especially his instincts... all of it becomes useless the minute he is placed in a normal social environment and he is completely and utterly powerless. This is why Sousuke is so absolutely hilarious to watch during the first season of FMP and Fumoffu. It is also why most viewers completely miss the slow, but monumental growth of his character throughout the first season of the anime. I partially blame Gonzo for their heavy handed handling of the source material which they milked dry of its high octane action, but ultimately failed to provide much else. Still they did manage to do a few things right in regards to characterization that helped to display the real Sousuke underneath the generalizations we've come to associate with his character. In the first season during his fight with Gauron in episode 7 Sousuke says something most peculiar and it has been forever been etched into my memory as some of the most awkward lines ever uttered by a protagonist. Chidori, trying to draw out more fighting spirit from Sousuke, cries out to him and asks him to imagine what will happen to her if he loses this fight. Kaname: "If you lose, they will rip off all my clothes, play around with my body, and kill me... You'd hate that right?" Sousuke: "Yeah..." Kaname: "Does that make you angry?" Sousuke: "I guess..." Most people would look over this and probably not think much of it. But honestly, who would ever respond so indifferently and unemotionally to mental imagery like that? The protagonist isn't supposed to sheepishly say "I guess" to something like that, he's supposed to declare with a loud and bold voice, "Hell yeah I'd be pissed!". However since he doesn't respond in such a manner, I think this comes to say a LOT about Sousuke's psychological state. Certainly he has seen many terribly gruesome things already in his life and by now he is surely desensitized to things like the ones she asks him to imagine, but for some reason this time it's different and for reasons unbeknownst to him he becomes upset. I believe his choice of words reflects this internal confusion and proves that he is beginning to change. Then immediately afterward Sousuke does something which gives my speculation some real tangible evidence. For a few moments he actually manages to ignore his instincts and internal programming when he chooses to follow Chidori's advice in the middle of the battle. He closes his eyes in front of his advancing enemy, he throws out the science and logic that tells him it's impossible, and he entrusts his life to someone who he's barely known for a month and is tantamount to a stranger. Of course it all pays off in the end, but this is something that really supports my claims. Then in the next arc we get to see something that makes his character become even more believably human. During the hostage exchange situation at the school Sousuke ignores both emotion and procedural protocol when he calmly and coolly selects the release order based on the which would provide the highest chance of everyone's survival. Even though disobeying the the standard protocols is out of the ordinary of Sousuke, I still feel that his behavior here demonstrates that he has lapsed back into the old habit of basing his strategies solely on his own instinct and real-time situational logic. In the final arc of the first anime season we see the results of this back and forth of this internal struggle begin to bloom. For the first time, we watch Sousuke fail to activate the LD in combat against Venom. This failure nearly gets both himself and Mellisa killed and also sows the seeds of self doubt in Sousuke's metal psyche. For the first time, he begins to see the Arbalest as a detestable and faulty weapon that has been unwillingly thrust upon him. It's here that we first catch a glimpse of the the tight wrappings of order, routine, logic, and instinct beginning to loosen and reveal his character's fragile inner core. He falls into a deep depression and when Kaname attempts to console him he just snaps and berates her. In the end he still manages to make things right and save the day, but the underlying problems go resolved and fester until they finally erupt in the second raid. (On a side note... You may have noticed that I have completely skipped over the "Wind Blows at Home" arc in my character analysis. I have two reasons for this: 1) because so many others here have already talked passionately about it and 2) Because it is actually an anime original arc. I find the fact that Gonzo does it's best work revealing Sousuke's original nature in what technically amount to 3 filler episodes incredibly ironic. None-the-less I am still grateful that they made them because otherwise, just about everyone here would have written Sousuke off as nothing more than a flat one dimensional character based on his overall poor representation in the first season.) Season two (TSR) breakdown: As I have stated before, it is in TSR that we for the first time get a chance to Sousuke's character evolution brought to the forefront. KyoAni handles everything in that regard masterfully. Hell, they even made appropriate and free flowing filler for the series that was able to accentuate Sousuke's growth. The Nanking underwater tunnel episodes were more than just entertaining fillers, they were created to reiterate Sousuke's inability to properly operate the Arbalest and his growing hatred of the machine. But enough about the filler, lets get into the meat of the story. Episode 6 is probably the single most important episode in all of the FMP anime to date. Sousuke voluntarily subjects himself to a social test by allowing Kaname and Kyoko to take him to a hair salon. His very comedic failure of this test is not what is important, but what is important is the fact that for the first time he has willingly put himself in an extremely uncomfortable and (at least in his eyes) potentially deadly situation without first receiving orders to do so. Then immediately afterwards he continues this display of irrational behavior when, for probably the first time in his life, he finds himself completely relaxed while defenseless in the care of another person. He even momentarily succumbs to fatigue and is able to fall asleep right in front of her. He doesn't fully understand why, but it becomes clear that he has become dependent on Chidori for his internal stability. This is why his character undergoes a complete and violent meltdown when his mission to guard her is aborted. But what is most confusing and what Sousuke can't figure out is why he has become like this. Never before has he been so affected by something that amount to nothing more than a mission objective. His character then proceeds to completely unravel. He is made to feel guilty after being berated by Tessa for questioning his reassignment. His pride is crushed when he is utterly defeated by Clouseau in an AS battle to protect the honor of his fallen commander. His conversation with AL makes him feel as if even the very machine responsible for his current situation is now mocking him. The final straw is laid on by Melissa after the car accident in Hong Kong and he finally breaks. Sousuke is frustrated, confused, and feels lost in his own mind. He contemplates abandoning his life completely and traveling to the nearest waring region that might purchase his skills as a mercenary. He finds comfort in the idea of engaging in mindless continuous combat and the thought that he could very well die at any given moment just to become another statistic on the battlefield. At least then he wouldn't have to worry think about her or anyone else who he had allowed to get to close to him. But he was not able to do that just yet which is why he wonders aimlessly for hours, tries drinking alcohol for the first time, and even walks strait into a trap he knows could very well end his life. In fact, it isn't until the last few moments before he empties an entire clip into Gauron's mangled form that Sousuke completes his regression into who he used to be 5 years ago. The vicious animal that Gauron had adored had completely returned. In the novels, after learning of Kaname's death, he literally says that he doesn't give a damn if Mao, Weber, and everyone ends up dead. Then when Kaname shows up a few moments later he appears to make a complete 180 degree turn is is almost immediately back to "normal". However, this would be an inaccurate description of how he has changed. Sousuke at this point has derailed from his previous life and created his own path using his own free will. In the final scenes where he talks down to his superiors he shows us that he will no longer be an idle lapdog following orders. He will continue to complete his assigned objectives not because of he is told to do so, but because it is his CHOICE to do so. He makes it clear that from now on he is the sole master of his own destiny and he will crush anyone and anything that tries to get in his way. Afterword To me at least, all of this proves just how deep and highly evolved the character of Sousuke Sagara is and also demonstrates how much further he can progress. Which if you read the continuing novels you will certainly get to see. As of the latest novel I've read, Burning One Man Force, Sousuke has evolved into a completely new character and his growth is truly amazing. He has actually been able to rid himself of his fragilities, while at the same time expanding upon his humanity. He no longer demonstrates uncertainty in any of his actions. He is so assertive at times he actually comes off as a bit aggressive. And now he exudes the aura of someone who could gain the total control of any situation that he might be thrown into. So anyhow... In conclusion, I hope that maybe I've been able to shine a little light on this amazing and unfortunately under appreciated character. If by writing this I have managed to sway even a single vote in the coming polls to yes, then I will consider my work here a success. I also hope that this may lead fans to read the novel series who have not already made an effort to do so. Sagara Sousuke He is neither says much, nor demands your admiration, but he certainly deserves it. |
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