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#okay final side note realsies: wtf was kish doing just. throwing the jellies at Zakuro
moonshroooms · 2 years
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Mint and Zakuro getting the interactions they DESERVE
Finally got a chance to watch episodes like 4-6 and now I’m gonna blab my random thoughts this’ll probably be all over the place xoxoxoxo
I freakin LOVE the changes they made to Zakuro’s joining! In the original Mint came off as like, REALLY clingy and overfamiliar with Zakuro kinda. Which like, when you’re a tween/teen meeting your idol in the middle of an intergalactic war or w/e, I don’t blame her, but I definitely love how they updated things.
YES Mint still initially tries to be like “whoa wHAT naw u gotta join! You’re the best you gotta!” because like, of course, obviously! But after Zakuro just absolutely dunks on her, she seems to rethink things, and she backs off. Of COURSE she still *wants* Zakuro on their team, but she sees that’s not what Zakuro wants and tells her that she only needs to keep being herself. I LOVED that!
In the original Mint just like, starts sobbing and throws herself at Zakuro and like, if I was Zakuro I’d’ve shoved her tf off me too XD This Mint, while still initially starstruck, very clearly backs off to treat Zakuro less like her idol and more like a real person with her own wishes - wishes that might not line up with Mint’s.
And Zakuro seems to resonate with that! Not only does it seem like it bothers her that Mint seemed to just change her mind all of a sudden, but she even asks Ichigo why she joined the Mews. Now she’s letting herself think of the possibility, and I feel it’s because Mint quickly stopped pushing, as well as told the rest of the girls to not push either. Zakuro seems like a bit of a stubborn kind of person. If a bunch of people start pushing at her to do something all of a sudden (especially if they don’t seem to be giving an option to say “no”) she’s gonna start digging her heels in. Hell I’D start digging my heels in.
And what I love most I think is that Mint is the one in the spotlight for recruiting Zakuro, rather than Ichigo like in the original, and it seems like this time Mint was the one that inspired Zakuro. We see Mint pine after Zakuro all throughout the old anime and strive to be like her, even lose confidence in herself at least once and it takes Zakuro beating the shit outta her to snap her back into it. But this new Mint seems to be filled with a lot more, idk, conviction? Yes of course she’s crushed that Zakuro denies joining (and also insults Mint lmao) but after she lets herself process those emotions (and be comforted by and open up to the rest of the Mews), she stands up straight, grits her teeth, and strengthens her resolve. And that resolve stabs Zakuro right in the dokidokigaygayhomosexualgay heart because that’s the kind of determination she’s looking for in herself
And in the battle she tells Zakuro how inspiring she and everyone else find her and how it’s given her strength. She tells Zakuro that she can walk her own path, just continue to be who she is, because who she is inspires so many people. Mint and the Mews will do what they have to do and Zakuro will do what she has to do
And it looks like something about that really clicked for Zakuro. I wonder if she’s super used to people telling her she has to do better, be better, or be someone different, fill the role she’s meant to fill. Being an idol probably means having to present as constantly perfect and always getting better, it might be a not-miniscule chunk of why she’s so hard on herself. Why she insists she has to do things alone. So someone telling her both that she’s inspiring and to walk her own path probably drew her in in a way she doesn’t even know yet.
And a another notes that didn’t fit anywhere in the middle of all that above ranting: I love how the girls all cheered up Mint for the sleepover. Ichigo displayed some great emotional intelligence in cheering Mint up. Both Ichigo and Mint can be short tempered and they really seem to be leaning into that for the reboot (their bickering has been so much fun so far). I loved that Ichigo took note of Mint getting riled up over the way her brother was babying her (also I love that Mint and her brother actually have a positive relationship for this one!) and purposely stoked that flame to bring her out of her funk. (Though looking back just now, that whole thing was in the manga already! Though I’ve read the manga, I’m much more partial to the anime, simply cuz it was my first exposure to TMM, so my memory for the series is defenitely a LOT stronger for the anime lol)
Basically what I’m trying to say is, for TMMN it seems like Zakuro and Mint are mutually inspiring to each other. Mint may have been looking up to Zakuro long before they met, but she definitely left a big impression on Zakuro as well. I hope we’ll be able to see a lot more of their dynamic going forward. And I hope we’ll see more of Zakuro going forward! She was definitely the Mew I felt we got to know the least in the original, I’ll be stoked if they flesh more of her out going forward!
(Side note, Pudding was absolutely about to send Mint to the hospital if she hadn’t dodged in time and I VIBE with that energy this is why she’s my favorite XD)
I loved that we got to see Mint really let down her walls this episode. Not only did she tell the girls about her family in general, but told them about her own wants for the future as well. In the manga it looks like she got embarassed when the Mews told her they wanted to cheer her up and shuffled off, but here she opened up and I love that. I love that she elaborates exactly why she looks up to Zakuro, and it ties into her own feelings about herself as well. That’s awesome!
Idk, I’m just enjoying the series so much, and all the extra little insights were getting for all the characters! I’m gonna flip my SHIT when Pie and Tart show up, then we’ll really have the whole band back together!
If anyone reads this and wants to bounce off, or bring up something they noticed or liked, feel free! I’d love to hear what others are thinking too ^w^
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