It's definitely better to see them both desperate for survival, than to see them give up and be killed. The will to live is a force to be reckoned with, isn't it? It's horrifying to see what lengths they're willing to go, but it's also beautiful and powerful in a way.
I like the aspect of 'everyone loses, everyone goes downwards' in Shiki. Shiki's main theme is death, and I think at the end of Shiki a part of every character dies. It's fitting. Come to think of it, I've seen someone said how Seishin represents death, and Toshio life. It's based on their job; Toshio a doctor and Seishin a priest whose job includes guiding the death in afterlife. With the way his old self dies at the end of Shiki, it fits. I think there are also other aspects like his suicide attempt (which I think killed a part of him), and also his dampening his real self along the years, which is like killing his own self. His wish for Sotoba's death. Like a figure of death, Seishin is followed by curses (because of him, the Shiki moved to Sotoba. Because of him, his mother dies. There's also his novel Shiki). In Japanese, the word for noun curse is 'noroi'. I think: 'that definitely sounds like Muroi!'.
Our two men probably also think of their surnames as a curse.
Shippers may cheer because life and death are interlinked, but then it's no wonder that Seishin was the one picked as a protagonist, if we see it that way. It's also kind of no wonder that they clash, but given the nature of life and death, they'll probably encounter again in the future, new topics and themes ensue. (thank God that Ono-sensei made an open ending for Shiki) I think it also symbolizes their similarities even when they appear very different. Probably there are more similarities inside, too.
The last two chapters are also so powerful that I have to take a breather. It's also amusing that 'that conversation' of Toshio and Seishin's takes place when they're tired, sweaty and dirty. (An important conversation like that!) I just LOL'd a bit because in the anime and manga Seishin looks regal in his priest attire, compared to the novel. Also, if Seishin flees from Toshio when he's been revealed, Sunako also pretty much does the same thing when Seishin reveals her. Sunako is ten times more graceful about it though.
8D
I like the aspect of 'everyone loses, everyone goes downwards' in Shiki. Shiki's main theme is death, and I think at the end of Shiki a part of every character dies. It's fitting. Come to think of it, I've seen someone said how Seishin represents death, and Toshio life. It's based on their job; Toshio a doctor and Seishin a priest whose job includes guiding the death in afterlife. With the way his old self dies at the end of Shiki, it fits. I think there are also other aspects like his suicide attempt (which I think killed a part of him), and also his dampening his real self along the years, which is like killing his own self. His wish for Sotoba's death. Like a figure of death, Seishin is followed by curses (because of him, the Shiki moved to Sotoba. Because of him, his mother dies. There's also his novel Shiki). In Japanese, the word for noun curse is 'noroi'. I think: 'that definitely sounds like Muroi!'.
Our two men probably also think of their surnames as a curse.
Shippers may cheer because life and death are interlinked, but then it's no wonder that Seishin was the one picked as a protagonist, if we see it that way. It's also kind of no wonder that they clash, but given the nature of life and death, they'll probably encounter again in the future, new topics and themes ensue. (thank God that Ono-sensei made an open ending for Shiki) I think it also symbolizes their similarities even when they appear very different. Probably there are more similarities inside, too.
The last two chapters are also so powerful that I have to take a breather. It's also amusing that 'that conversation' of Toshio and Seishin's takes place when they're tired, sweaty and dirty. (An important conversation like that!) I just LOL'd a bit because in the anime and manga Seishin looks regal in his priest attire, compared to the novel. Also, if Seishin flees from Toshio when he's been revealed, Sunako also pretty much does the same thing when Seishin reveals her. Sunako is ten times more graceful about it though.