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both of them are reacting to the same film, but from different positions of deprivation

control, even her pleasure in being loved does not amount to reciprocity. denji on the other hand confuses his need for maternal affection and security with sexual desire. the intimacy he discovers in makima is a peculiar blending of the maternal and the sexual

to visit his mother, only to get a few minutes with her before they’re parted once more. the scene is extremely impactful when you consider what both makima and denji lack. makima longs for genuine human connection, yet her relationships with others are fundamentally shaped by

makima and denji arguably share the most intricately developed dynamic in the manga and i find it interesting that it culminates in the theatre scene, where both of them cry at ballad of a soldier (incredible, extremely sad though). it’s a film about a young soldier who journeys