nightcord is about mental health but also what heavily affects it - the upbringing. you have 2 characters at complete diffrent ends of the spectrum - kanade who was unconditionally loved by her parents, who supported her interests and loved her no matter what; and mafuyu, who has a parent who doesnt give a shit about her interests or what she likes, only about what they want for her.

you really see an effect of that - kanade heavily echoes the love her parents gave her. she loves and loves and by god does she love. she emits so much love and care to the poeple close to her, especially mafuyu, that the only way i can describe this is motherly. not in the sense that kanade babies mafuyu but that she unconditionally loves her no matter what. even at mafuyu's lowest points she was there for her. no matter what mafuyu said or did she was always there to say "mafuyu im here for you. mafuyu i care about you. mafuyu ill help you find yourself no matter what.".

And seeing what kanade grew up with its heartbreaking for her to find out how mafuyu's parents really are. before speaking to mafuyu's mother she was determined that maybe she has to just tell her what mafuyu's she'll change her mind. maybe if she tells the truth she'll change her mind. maybe, maybe, maybe. when she finally speaks to her and finds out how mafumom really is its heartbreaking for her to fully realize what mafuyu was going through. its terrible to see that kanade got a taste of the trauma that mafuyu experienced. it really shakes her world view - not that she's innocent but that parents, compared to hers, can be so terrible and unloving. it boggles her mind that parents who are supposed to unconditionally love and support their child, be there for them no matter what, can be this terrible.

its immensely interesting to see these 2 perspectives clash and what kind of effect kanade and mafuyu have om eachother with these diffrent pasts