I suppose it's better though if you read slow but take time paragraph by paragraph to get the full meaning of the work plus your interpretation of it, rather than going through books super fast without getting anything out of them. The best books are the ones you can read over and over and get more out of them each time. The key to novels is perseverance! Even if it's long, if you keep up a good pace, you'll get there in the end, plus you'll get that satisfaction of having finished it. My favorite type of book is either a long, long work like Shiki, or a long series of shorter works. This isn't a recommendation because I'm not sure why I like this work anyway, but I...I am a big fan of Warriors, or Warrior Cats. They're like light novels.........in English! I've read them since I was in elementary school, and, uh, I'm still going strong. It's about cats, but it's very dark and deals with a lot of real life issues such as diversity and acceptance; it has a lot of gray and gray morality. Kieli, a light novel series by Yukako Kabei is also good. It has 9 books, and all of them have an official translation, but of course I read them in English. I'm trying to learn Japanese too, but I never have a lot of time to so my knowledge is limited to basic vocab and grammar. I'm hoping to eventually (like a decade down the line >_<) be on your level, or, dare I hope, Sinnesspiel's.

Yeah, I feel like I can't fully appreciate the anime now...I started rewatching it, and within a few minutes I felt like yelling at my TV, "what the hell is this, there is like 500 pages worth of material BEFORE the first episode. And where's the episode where Atsushi trespasses by the Kirishiki house? (because I would have REALLY loved to see that. Imagine if they included the scene in the anime, along with the OST music---it would be glorious!!)" I scoured the internet hoping for a novel translation that would give me a deeper appreciation of the anime...yeah, be careful what you wish for.

I wonder what would happen if Seishin and Ozaki did switch places. Setting aside nature vs. nurture (because I'm sure nature really formed their personalities more than nurture), but I think it makes sense that Seishin would turn out how he did, and how Ozaki would too, because of their backgrounds. Both of their positions are very demanding, but the most demanding are their families. I think it's easier for Ozaki to be sassy and outgoing precisely because his parents were so overbearing; he has a fighting spirit, so since their family is very verbal, Ozaki would very often have arguments, but he would form his own opinions about practicing medicine. I think Seishin cannot do the same because his parents are more vague about what they want out of him; whereas Takae is all "you have to do this, this, and this", I imagine that Seishin's parents want him to "be a spiritual leader, and kind and understanding all around". You can't argue with that, so Seishin is more subdued. Ozaki's parents seem more specific, so he can think, "I don't have to do it quite like that", or "I can have the same effect if I do this differently", so he is overall a good doctor, but on his own terms. Strict parents are so much easier to rebel against. Seishin's parents are demanding too, yet gentle so that one can really feel that they want the best for their son---for that, one would feel guilty NOT trying to be a good priest, because there's no satisfaction in disappointing well-meaning parents. I think that's why although they both have very demanding positions, Seishin is more resigned to his role, while Ozaki takes liberties with it. I bet if Seishin was in Ozaki's place, he wouldn't have taken a wife at all. He's rebellious in his own way.

To be more specific about Ozaki understanding Seishin, I think he can accurately deduce the problems, but he can't relate or respond the way Seishin needs him to, so that's where he falls through. Actually, that got me thinking, when Seishin slit his wrist, it was probably Ozaki that patched it up. I think Ozaki's the type of guy that would think that what would work for him works for others too---he may be afraid that talking about it would make Seishin feel even worse, and Ozaki's the type that makes a problem go away by taking action or taking his mind off of it instead of contemplating it like Seishin. I'm kind of like this in that respect because I like to kind of ignore past events by doing something else, and when I think back on it, the problem seems more trivial. Obviously, said problem isn't as serious as self-harm, but thinking about problems in the heat of the moment disrupts your ability to think rationally so it is logical to cool off first. I think part of why Seishin was so taken to Sunako was because she didn't shy away from sensitive topics, even actively brought them up. To someone who is used to thinking them over by himself, having someone to talk to provides a new way of looking at it and is good therapy.

I wish there were more Waka moments too. Still, after starting to rewatch, I like how they subtly made it apparent that Ozaki and Seishin are good friends, such as the ease with which they work together gathering information, as though they've had a lot of practice as a team. Seishin seems more relaxed around Ozaki, and Ozaki also speaks more conversationally, putting aside his usual bedside manner.