Already the theme 'isolation' is brought up in the story! What I feel when I reread is, there are lots of scattered clues in the novel all along, which will surely aid us in analyzing. It's very interesting!
Hmm, that's an interesting idea. I've uttered an idea to Sinnesspiel about Seishin being as selfish as Toshio, and that his 'devotion' to Toshio actually also has to do with his selfishness. (you perhaps have seen my reply to Sinnesspiel about this 8D If you want, we can also discuss that particular reply! I perhaps need to be Devil's Advocate'd.) Seishin feels the need to be Toshio's breaks, like he wants to shape Toshio into an ideal being somehow? Perhaps we can see it that way. Seishin is very idealistic, and he perhaps has a tendency to preach on others, if he's let to do so. Consciously or subconsciously. He also has a martyr complex, with his own set of values. I think he'll someday want to share his values with others, trying to make the world see them. Idealistic people can also be perfectionist, and if he has his way he'll perhaps want to mold others/the world the way he wants to, like you said. Toshio is the one closest to him, so I think it's to be expected that he gets even more desperate with him. It also came to my mind that in that infamous chapter (ehem) Seishin perhaps also talked about himself. That he also actually craves control, but couldn't do so. I somehow think that also frustrates himself, because he has something he 'wants', but doesn't really have the power to create the chances. Or he perhaps underestimates himself. His tendency to overthink things is a hindrance among others.
I also feel that he scolds Toshio because he thinks Toshio isn't supposed to do that, which has less to do with actually caring about people but has more to do with how a perfect leader should be. Which is all theory. In the theory, as a good human being (and a leader) you're supposed to be blah blah blah, like that. Seishin is somewhat an ethical moralist after all. He's Sotoba's future leader, and he's perhaps received kind of hard training for that since he was small. In Seishin's head, there are set of values not his own which was planted inside him by the villagers and his family. So when Toshio acts out of his way, I think it's logical if he's angered. Because that's not how a good leader should be. If there's one thing about a good leader, that is, placing others' need before your own. This is perhaps not what Seishin actually wants, himself, but he's also a person who naturally does what's expected of him, and that he perhaps feels even more pressured than Toshio. (both men feel incredibly pressured actually though) In a way, I think Seishin is more vulnerable because he's easily swept by his surroundings, more so than Toshio.
About the moral horizon scene: I'm still quite unclear, (definitely need to rewatch the anime or perhaps try to read that part in the novel myself) but aside from it having to do with Seishin's moral values being put into display, I also feel like he has come to somewhat side with the Shiki. He's sympathized with the Shiki and he wants the village to die out, so part of him opposes Toshio. I'm a bit hesitating to say this since I'm not yet at that stage where I can leisurely read Shiki, which makes me perhaps incorrect: but as far as I'm aware, the Moral Horizon scene in the novel is much different from how it is in the anime/manga. There seem to be lots of conversations, compared to how Seishin only staying silent in the anime/manga before he turns his back to Toshio completely. In the novel, it seems like Seishin tries to reason with Toshio. I think he's somewhat torn about that even, compared to the surer (and kinda more hateful) impression I got from the anime/manga. And it's Toshio who dismisses Seishin in the novel, saying something like 'I don't need that shit now, you better go back'. This definitely feels even more anticlimactic to me. And my impression is that Toshio perhaps doesn't think that much about this conversation -- he thinks they're fighting, but it's not a world-ending moment. While for Seishin it's rather world-ending, and has 30x the impact on him. That's my temporary judgment, I really need to try inspecting that part...
Seishin's inner strength and control is something I really envy. Though I somehow think this also has to do with his detachment issues. Because he's detached, he's able to control himself, though that's certainly not all there is to it (certainly kudos to his own strength too) that's what I feel. His detachment helps. If I were to be in his position I'd have likely gone mad sooner. I have few ideas on how he's come to be so detached: (to the point it alarms me, again) I've stated often that Seishin feels like a ghost, like he doesn't really exist in the present world, in Sotoba -- but he actually exists more in his own head. In another imaginary world, perhaps even. Seishin is also a person who's very imaginative and creative, like, he'd glance at the Kirishiki's cars in the dead of night and immediately comes up with weird ideas. I think this way he has a tendency to create lots of idealized stuffs in his head, which perhaps includes Toshio. I think he's this kind of person who's prone at daydreaming. His mind can be a rather exciting place, indeed, but it also has its downsides -- he's prone to deep introspection and overthinking, which will eventually eats away at him. I don't know, but I figure this must be so exhausting and confusing to the point he slowly teaches himself not to care, to numb himself. And this explodes when he's mad, because at that time he's kinda overloaded.
When Seishin kills Ohkawa, I also think that he's perhaps terrified that when he wakes up in the forest from being severely wounded, he suddenly feels very different. Inhuman. He perhaps has expected to die, but instead he doesn't feel like a human anymore. He perhaps has rough ideas at that moment about what he's up to, and any sane person will feel terrified. Any newborn Shiki and Jinrou needs the older ones to guide them and teach them things after all. (man, now that I think about it, poor Sunako) That perhaps contributes to the great lengths he goes to for rescuing Sunako. Among other things definitely, like his exhaustion and all. His attachment to Sunako, Tatsumi's orders. Him feeling threatened. (Sunako being threatened in a way makes him feel threatened. It's kinda ironic that Ohkawa dies in Seishin's hands only several hours after he killed his mother). So his indifference (his subconscious will to not make himself overthink things and just do anything on impulse/what he wants) is what ultimately gives birth to his sudden assertiveness, I'd say.
(re: PS -- ayy thank you! Glad you thought so, because I think I can be rather insensitive about things sometimes! 8D)
8D
Hmm, that's an interesting idea. I've uttered an idea to Sinnesspiel about Seishin being as selfish as Toshio, and that his 'devotion' to Toshio actually also has to do with his selfishness. (you perhaps have seen my reply to Sinnesspiel about this 8D If you want, we can also discuss that particular reply! I perhaps need to be Devil's Advocate'd.) Seishin feels the need to be Toshio's breaks, like he wants to shape Toshio into an ideal being somehow? Perhaps we can see it that way. Seishin is very idealistic, and he perhaps has a tendency to preach on others, if he's let to do so. Consciously or subconsciously. He also has a martyr complex, with his own set of values. I think he'll someday want to share his values with others, trying to make the world see them. Idealistic people can also be perfectionist, and if he has his way he'll perhaps want to mold others/the world the way he wants to, like you said. Toshio is the one closest to him, so I think it's to be expected that he gets even more desperate with him. It also came to my mind that in that infamous chapter (ehem) Seishin perhaps also talked about himself. That he also actually craves control, but couldn't do so. I somehow think that also frustrates himself, because he has something he 'wants', but doesn't really have the power to create the chances. Or he perhaps underestimates himself. His tendency to overthink things is a hindrance among others.
I also feel that he scolds Toshio because he thinks Toshio isn't supposed to do that, which has less to do with actually caring about people but has more to do with how a perfect leader should be. Which is all theory. In the theory, as a good human being (and a leader) you're supposed to be blah blah blah, like that. Seishin is somewhat an ethical moralist after all. He's Sotoba's future leader, and he's perhaps received kind of hard training for that since he was small. In Seishin's head, there are set of values not his own which was planted inside him by the villagers and his family. So when Toshio acts out of his way, I think it's logical if he's angered. Because that's not how a good leader should be. If there's one thing about a good leader, that is, placing others' need before your own. This is perhaps not what Seishin actually wants, himself, but he's also a person who naturally does what's expected of him, and that he perhaps feels even more pressured than Toshio. (both men feel incredibly pressured actually though) In a way, I think Seishin is more vulnerable because he's easily swept by his surroundings, more so than Toshio.
About the moral horizon scene: I'm still quite unclear, (definitely need to rewatch the anime or perhaps try to read that part in the novel myself) but aside from it having to do with Seishin's moral values being put into display, I also feel like he has come to somewhat side with the Shiki. He's sympathized with the Shiki and he wants the village to die out, so part of him opposes Toshio. I'm a bit hesitating to say this since I'm not yet at that stage where I can leisurely read Shiki, which makes me perhaps incorrect: but as far as I'm aware, the Moral Horizon scene in the novel is much different from how it is in the anime/manga. There seem to be lots of conversations, compared to how Seishin only staying silent in the anime/manga before he turns his back to Toshio completely. In the novel, it seems like Seishin tries to reason with Toshio. I think he's somewhat torn about that even, compared to the surer (and kinda more hateful) impression I got from the anime/manga. And it's Toshio who dismisses Seishin in the novel, saying something like 'I don't need that shit now, you better go back'. This definitely feels even more anticlimactic to me. And my impression is that Toshio perhaps doesn't think that much about this conversation -- he thinks they're fighting, but it's not a world-ending moment. While for Seishin it's rather world-ending, and has 30x the impact on him. That's my temporary judgment, I really need to try inspecting that part...
Seishin's inner strength and control is something I really envy. Though I somehow think this also has to do with his detachment issues. Because he's detached, he's able to control himself, though that's certainly not all there is to it (certainly kudos to his own strength too) that's what I feel. His detachment helps. If I were to be in his position I'd have likely gone mad sooner. I have few ideas on how he's come to be so detached: (to the point it alarms me, again) I've stated often that Seishin feels like a ghost, like he doesn't really exist in the present world, in Sotoba -- but he actually exists more in his own head. In another imaginary world, perhaps even. Seishin is also a person who's very imaginative and creative, like, he'd glance at the Kirishiki's cars in the dead of night and immediately comes up with weird ideas. I think this way he has a tendency to create lots of idealized stuffs in his head, which perhaps includes Toshio. I think he's this kind of person who's prone at daydreaming. His mind can be a rather exciting place, indeed, but it also has its downsides -- he's prone to deep introspection and overthinking, which will eventually eats away at him. I don't know, but I figure this must be so exhausting and confusing to the point he slowly teaches himself not to care, to numb himself. And this explodes when he's mad, because at that time he's kinda overloaded.
When Seishin kills Ohkawa, I also think that he's perhaps terrified that when he wakes up in the forest from being severely wounded, he suddenly feels very different. Inhuman. He perhaps has expected to die, but instead he doesn't feel like a human anymore. He perhaps has rough ideas at that moment about what he's up to, and any sane person will feel terrified. Any newborn Shiki and Jinrou needs the older ones to guide them and teach them things after all. (man, now that I think about it, poor Sunako) That perhaps contributes to the great lengths he goes to for rescuing Sunako. Among other things definitely, like his exhaustion and all. His attachment to Sunako, Tatsumi's orders. Him feeling threatened. (Sunako being threatened in a way makes him feel threatened. It's kinda ironic that Ohkawa dies in Seishin's hands only several hours after he killed his mother). So his indifference (his subconscious will to not make himself overthink things and just do anything on impulse/what he wants) is what ultimately gives birth to his sudden assertiveness, I'd say.
(re: PS -- ayy thank you! Glad you thought so, because I think I can be rather insensitive about things sometimes! 8D)