Ambiguous: Who does Sagara like?

Yui · Post by **Yui** » Sat Mar 08, 2003 7:09 pm

OK I'm an anime noob and not all that into anime in general but I did like FMP (finished watching it yesterday starting from last Thanksgiving rofl) and Cowboy Bebop. Those are my favs... anyway, don't know if this has been talked about, if so then pls direct me to the link of the thread. If not, I would like to be quelled of my curiosity. (:

Who does Sagara like?

I think FMP really plays with your mind a little. There's no great distinction between who he's partial to cuz well....he's a quiet guy. From his past actions, you can argue that he likes Tessa or Chidori. Of course, Chidori's the "main character" so he has to end up liking her (how predictable), right? But maybe there's a twist somewhere and he'll end up w/ Tessa. woot! (ya Tessa > Chidori IMO) I like Mao, too, though and wouldn't mind them hooking up either but she might be too old for him. :p

But if FMP ends up to the one of those cliches, then Chidori will be w/ Sagara, Kurtz (like him too) will end up with Mao or some chick he meets later on, and Tessa might die or lose her memory cuz of "communication."
I thought she was dead in the end when she crashed into the wall and her nose was bleeding. Whew, good thing she's not. She's uber.

Enough ranting,
-Yui

Jae · Post by **Jae** » Sat Mar 08, 2003 8:01 pm

Welcome

Love triangles are pretty common in anime (and love squares and circles and every sort of polygon you can imagine

)
Even macho anime can sometimes seem like a sappy soap opera <g>

Anyhow, a spoiler warning for the romantic angle of the series.!!!

But, in FMP, it really isn't that ambigious,and it really comes down to Sousuke's ethics. Unlike some other shows where the center chara has a couple of viable (and usually willing options), there's really only one that he could choose, if he wanted to.

It's true that he's not a very demonstrative guy, he's much more subtle than the other chars. But still seems that at the end of the series, who his choice would be, if he were to make it, is clear.
(now, acutally making that choice and doing something about it is a whole different story!

)

Sadly for Tessa (and her fans), she's never really presented as a viable option for him. Clearly she has strong feelings for him, but just as clearly he's pretty uncomfortable with it. So you can look at the series from the POV of the girls, and see a triangle, but from his POV there isn't.

Hehe, we've got quite a number of Tessa fans who are okay with that- as they would prefer to have her to themselves

Bernie · Post by **Bernie** » Sat Mar 08, 2003 9:10 pm

Jae wrote:Hehe, we've got quite a number of Tessa fans who are okay with that- as they would prefer to have her to themselves

Works for me! Heheh...

But I agree with everything Jae said. Sagara really has very little choices. One of my favorite episodes was when Tessa-chan found her way to Sagara's apartment. It really did examplify how uncomfortable Sagara was with Tessa-chan acting so informal around him. But hey, Tessa-chan always has me as an option.

Oh, and welcome!

HELLFIRE · Post by **HELLFIRE** » Sat Mar 08, 2003 9:13 pm

Ahhh... anime unrequited loves, how many are there, let me count...
ahhh, this could take some time, I'll be back in twenty years. While
I'm at it, can anyone loan me a Cray to keep track of the count

Sagara certianly has a tender side when it comes to Tessa, but yeah,
he has a REAL hard time dropping the stiff upper lip in anything other
than business occasions. Tessa asking him to relax and join her as
a friend than superior officer, and his reaction to it after (Ep 9) were
a crackup; well I won't forget his reaction when Chidori met Tessa
the first time at the end *ROTFLOL*
And Sagara has a tender side with Chidori as well. *Spoiler* the last
ep, he admits being with her, he feels he can do anything. But him
expressing it 'normally' -- as Chidori keeps complaining, well...
Ep 18, where she thinks the islands invite is a date, and her finding
out it's business-pleasure, he's getting there I think

Jae · Post by **Jae** » Sat Mar 08, 2003 9:19 pm

Oh, I forgot to add...
that there are a couple of threads here about what happens in the story after the point the series ended at.

Worth taking a look at- we have no way of knowing if any of it will ever be animated or not so Im not sure if you could be spoiling yourself for a future series if you do read em.

(ie, season 2 doesn't look like it will have any real developments in it, least, judging the stuff that's been said about it)

Yui · Post by **Yui** » Sat Mar 08, 2003 11:39 pm

why does it all have to be so cliche! *lowers her head and trudges off*

oh well, shouldn't feel too bad about it... it is an anime after all. :p *keeps reminding herself that it's not real but but....*
EDIT: forgot! Thanks for the welcoming. (=

Jae · Post by **Jae** » Sat Mar 08, 2003 11:52 pm

Well, FMP is a cliche anime

Ouch..let me clarify...it's sort of a pardoy anime.
So, ...there are alot of cliches in it (esp anime cliches), but the cliches aren't used the same way...or...the usual way....they aren't used 'straight'.

1. They try really hard to make those cliches work in a realistic world...
Creating real reasons why Sousuke might make his decisions, reasons that would apply irl. So instead of things 'just being the way they are' without any sort of reason...isn't the way things are in FMP.

2. They also manage to shake up some of the cliches too- Like Tessa. She's presented as a soft, quiet, polite girl...but she's not just those things.
She plays out somewhat more like a rl person than most cliche-type characters do

So, even though the show has lot of cliches- it's intentional

I'm really not sure how Tessa could fare romantically, considering her position. Kinda have to feel bad for her- stuck commanding a sub...how could she ever meet someone she would have a chance with?
She's missing high school.... she'd make a good high school student.
Think of all the male students who would fall over themselves for her

(as much as I like Sousuke, I have to think he's not the best she could get. IMO he's too....much of a ..brute? for her....)

Katyusha · Post by **Katyusha** » Sun Mar 09, 2003 2:51 am

Aisu wrote:But hey, Tessa-chan always has me as an option.

*glares at him and pulls out a loaded M-60*

Rephrase that please..... j/k

Well, everyone has pretty much answered what I was gonna say, so I'll just welcome you in then.

SagaraSousuke · Post by **SagaraSousuke** » Sun Mar 09, 2003 7:41 am

*glares at him and pulls out a loaded M-60*

Rephrase that please..... j/k

Ah yes... Tessa worshippers. How many are they?? I seem to have lost count.. oooh.. makes me think we should create a dating game wherein one lucky guy would win a date with Tessa for a day.

Love triangles are pretty common in anime (and love squares and circles and every sort of polygon you can imagine )

*nods* Though I believe FMP isn't a romance centered anime so.. no. No relationships really. It's mainly fan speculation y'know. Besides, Sagara would take a loooooong time before he can actually have 'relationships' drilled in his military-induced mind

Katyusha · Post by **Katyusha** » Sun Mar 09, 2003 1:35 pm

SagaraSousuke wrote: Ah yes... Tessa worshippers. How many are they?? I seem to have lost count.. oooh.. makes me think we should create a dating game wherein one lucky guy would win a date with Tessa for a day.

We wish.

HELLFIRE · Post by **HELLFIRE** » Sun Mar 09, 2003 4:44 pm

@Yui Welcomes

About Tessa and Sagara, and thinking back to the safe-house
scene, where she notes if they were to walk around on each other's
arms, they'd be taken for a normal teenage couple...

...well, she could fingle a resignation/honorable discharge, sign
them both up for HS with Chidori -- not necessarily out of malice
to Chidori, though watching her think it was that would be funny --
and yeah, watch the entire male population trip over themselves
trying to get her attention. Souske doing the 'I'm protecting you'
routine may cool their heels some

And IMHO, it's cliche, but it's alot more tolerable compared to the
cliches played out in Hollywierd tv/movies

Katyusha · Post by **Katyusha** » Mon Mar 10, 2003 9:12 am

Well, there was a part when Tessa spends her vacation in Chidori's school, and tries to hog up Sagara. I wish they would animate that one of these days.

Gauss_chan · Post by **Gauss_chan** » Mon Mar 10, 2003 10:58 am

Ah yes... Tessa worshippers. How many are they?? I seem to have lost count.. oooh.. makes me think we should create a dating game wherein one lucky guy would win a date with Tessa for a day.

I would like to participate in this game too.

sorakirei · Post by **sorakirei** » Mon Mar 10, 2003 2:25 pm

FMP was a much better cliche anime than Nadesico.

**SPOILERS**

Nadesico: I really wanted Akito to be with Megumi. They were a much better match. Yurika is cute, but so annoying and puppy like. Akito ends up with Yurika for no real good reasons. The only vague reason is that they were kids together, but even then Yurika had a one sided love with Akito. Argh, it's so stupid. They should never be together.

FMP: As the cliche goes Sagara would end up with Chidori, but in this anime it makes sense and is not a stupid cliche. Sagara has his reasons. Yes he's quiet about them, but that's the kind of guy he is. It's obvious that he's uncomfortable around Tessa. Not only is she a superior officer, but I think he think she's weak. Remember the end of episode 10 when he wants Tessa to run to shelter first instead of Chidori? I also think Tessa is more of a little sister to him. Anyway... Sagara opens up to Chidori. She's probably the only person strong enough to crack thru his military persona to the softy that he really is inside.

HELLFIRE · Post by **HELLFIRE** » Mon Mar 10, 2003 4:26 pm

Katyusha wrote:Well, there was a part when Tessa spends her vacation in Chidori's school, and tries to hog up Sagara. I wish they would animate that one of these days.

Do tell more about what happened here, Katyusha *hehe*
I don't think I'll be able to get to the novels/manga anytime
soon, so alittle spoiler, please