I actually don't really read novels lol. Even if it's in language I know, I usually don't have the patience to read through one, not to mention I'm super easily distracted and often needs more time to understand what a paragraph actually means. Light novels are still pretty thick in my opinion, but I'm strangely more willing to read if I don't get to see how thick they are, like online writings or even fics. Even for Shiki, my favorite work, I still struggle to read through parts which don't include my favorite characters in it. Mangas are better, but I still lack the patience to read through the details at times. But I've downloaded raw version of Shiki manga and it's indeed easier to learn Japanese from it (I do it by comparing it to the English scanlation).
The manga and anime used to be my favorite, because they were the ones I could get. Now that I'm able to read the novel, that status is quickly thrown out a window... I sometimes feel like an ungrateful brat for this, but usually I'm just meh. But I still admire some qualities of the manga and anime; I love the black-and-white drawing style of the manga and the anime OSTs. But regarding changes, the anime and manga just took it toooo far for my liking.
The impression I get is though, Toshio probably doesn't even realize that Seishin is having issues. He's able to sense that there are strange things within Seishin, but it's just that. For example, the suicide attempt: it's been 10+ years but Seishin is still fine and he hasn't repeated the attempt, so perhaps Toshio thinks Seishin's over that. He doesn't know that it's still in Seishin's mind... because Seishin is so private about it. He guards his own issues so strongly that it doesn't even show on the outside, so people think he's fine. Of course as you said, there's perhaps also the matter of Toshio kinda dismissing Seishin's issues/problems because that's what he'd do to himself. (If his marriage is any indicator. Imagine Seishin being in his position; it'll be all over his mind, where he contemplates about the meaning of his marriage, its effects on his person, perhaps also to his kids if he had any, and perhaps possible solutions even, etc etc) I think it's in his personality, but I don't think it truly applies to his going to Seishin because I think he doesn't really realize that Seishin's having issues. He perhaps gets that Seishin has something in his mind, but he doesn't get how deep of an issue it is to Seishin. I think Toshio goes to Seishin not because he wants to drag him out of his mind, but more for his own self and for Sotoba (because Seishin is one of the village leaders). Not to say that he's a bad person for this, but it's because aside from him not knowing, he also doesn't approach things like Seishin does so he doesn't know how to approach Seishin even if he does know about his issues, like you said.
Ah yessss I'm all for Toshio/Seishin relationship. One thing that kinda pisses me about the anime/manga is they aren't shown to be as intimate as how they're in the novel lol.
Re: 8D
The manga and anime used to be my favorite, because they were the ones I could get. Now that I'm able to read the novel, that status is quickly thrown out a window... I sometimes feel like an ungrateful brat for this, but usually I'm just meh. But I still admire some qualities of the manga and anime; I love the black-and-white drawing style of the manga and the anime OSTs. But regarding changes, the anime and manga just took it toooo far for my liking.
The impression I get is though, Toshio probably doesn't even realize that Seishin is having issues. He's able to sense that there are strange things within Seishin, but it's just that. For example, the suicide attempt: it's been 10+ years but Seishin is still fine and he hasn't repeated the attempt, so perhaps Toshio thinks Seishin's over that. He doesn't know that it's still in Seishin's mind... because Seishin is so private about it. He guards his own issues so strongly that it doesn't even show on the outside, so people think he's fine. Of course as you said, there's perhaps also the matter of Toshio kinda dismissing Seishin's issues/problems because that's what he'd do to himself. (If his marriage is any indicator. Imagine Seishin being in his position; it'll be all over his mind, where he contemplates about the meaning of his marriage, its effects on his person, perhaps also to his kids if he had any, and perhaps possible solutions even, etc etc) I think it's in his personality, but I don't think it truly applies to his going to Seishin because I think he doesn't really realize that Seishin's having issues. He perhaps gets that Seishin has something in his mind, but he doesn't get how deep of an issue it is to Seishin. I think Toshio goes to Seishin not because he wants to drag him out of his mind, but more for his own self and for Sotoba (because Seishin is one of the village leaders). Not to say that he's a bad person for this, but it's because aside from him not knowing, he also doesn't approach things like Seishin does so he doesn't know how to approach Seishin even if he does know about his issues, like you said.
Ah yessss I'm all for Toshio/Seishin relationship. One thing that kinda pisses me about the anime/manga is they aren't shown to be as intimate as how they're in the novel lol.