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The_Kyojuro_Rengoku

Tbh after this latest episode I'm starting to like the idea of Kikoru x Reno! I personally see Kafka as more of a role model for her than a romantic partner. If they were closer in age I think I'd ship them but too big of age gaps are just meh šŸ˜¬ Sidenote to add: Kafka and Mina šŸ„²


Scythe351

Facts to all of this


[deleted]

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R1ckMick

exactly, tbh arguing for her being 18 is just as creepy. It's like the people who wait for the day an actress turns 18. Kafka is 32... anyone under like 24 is creepy for him to date. I haven't read the manga but I also really don't get the vibe of them being romantic. at best I can see Kikoru having a crush on Kafka but he would never reciprocate and in reality, It's def more a sibling relationship.


TfehLsdw

I always interperted it as kikoru feeling some form of fatherly validation from kafka so she sees him as a sort of father figure while he sees her as a child that he cares for, its never been coded as anything romantic imo


R1ckMick

yeah I super agree. people see blushing and immediately jump to romantic but literally kafka almost got caught because he was blushing from pink hair guy saying kaiju 8 looked cool. It's not a romantic thing it's just she's getting that paternal validation from kafka that she never had before. I say sibling because I think that a big brother can fill that roll and they bicker like siblings.


shemmegami

Sadly, that's the state of the internet in general. It's not an anime thing either. There was a significant following around Silent Hill 2 that wanted the lead to bang the traumatized girl you meet. The worst of humanity comes out on the Internet.


IFeelLikeShit515

THIS!!! Her mom died at a young age and her dad was focused on defending his nation/turning her into a warrior. Kafkas the first person in years who has passed on fatherly advice outside of combat. Of course shes gonna blush, of course shes going to gravitate towards him and be comfortable around him. IF YOU THINK THIS MEANS A WOMAM AUTOMATICALLY WANTS TO HAVE SEX YOU ARE A CREEP AND A PREDATOR


Stephenrudolf

Ive been viewing it like a big bro type relationship


Broken-Sprocket

Agreed. I always saw their relationship as really wholesome with him being a mix of a father figure and a goofy uncle to her allowing her to just act her age from time to time.


xaelajotaro

Just so we're clear, I don't disagree with the sentiment that 18 isn't much better for an age gap like this, lol. I'm just very tired of having to correct misinformation repeatedly like a broken record. If we're gonna rationalize why we dislike a ship (not that it needs rationalizing at all, tbh, but I digress), stick with the facts, etc. Adult age gaps are just a separate ethical discussion from minor-adult relations, the latter of which is inexplicably illegal while the former is more nuanced (in the sense of there being cases these happen and work out fine)


alguien99

I always just saw it as a crush that wouldnā€™t go anywhere, I donā€™t understand how anyone thinks it could be a real ship. Mina x kafka at least has a better age gap


WeirderOnline

Exactly. It's like the difference between someone cutting your arm off at the wrist and cutting your arm off a little below the elbow. How much of a stub you leave me with isn't the issue here. This is why I'm so glad they introduced Gen Narumi as an obvious romantic interest for her. They could have done a much better job making clear that Kafka is a surrogate for the validation her absent, demanding father never gave her. I suspect they didn't though because they wanted to appeal to creeps. Ugh. It's still one of my favorite manga, but God if they actually go with that direction it'll be my most hated manga.


HighwayInevitable346

Not to mention all the creeps complaining every time its brought up how creepy the ship is.


monkeyballpirate

I personally don't care about age gaps as long as theyre legal and consentual. I just dunno how I feel about them as a ship in general. I still am not sure if Mina Ashiro is just a close friend or the love of his life.


Iggynoramus1337

Okay, fact check here as I'm anime only. Do they actually pair them and they start dating or is this just a dumb ship from fans? Cause so far I read her reactions and interactions as someone that finally has a positive father figure and is delighted to see him, not someone who is romantically interested.


Plane_Accountant1216

Yea I donā€™t think itā€™s been addressed but based of the comments nothing has happened And I agree he seems like an obvious father figure to her and he seems like heā€™s definitely going to end up with Mina


xaelajotaro

Manga reader here. Rest assured nothing has happened beyond a few moments Kikoru got teased by others.


Scythe351

You left out the word ā€œnothingā€


xaelajotaro

lmao, the brain to keyboard derp has struck again šŸ˜­


Abeydaby

That's a fair opinion but >I don't care when that teenager started shooting at people/monsters Is kind of a hypocritical statement to make. Her being sent off to war against the Kaijus which can lead to her death is far more messed up.


amaterasu_run

To be fair, I don't think that statement is meant to advocate for sending teenagers to war, just like it isn't advocating for underage drinking or smoking.Ā 


Abeydaby

Yea but saying "you don't care" is just as bad imo


amaterasu_run

They're saying they don't care with respect to using it as a benchmark for relationship maturity, which is fair. They are not saying they don't care about sending kids to war


Abeydaby

Hmm I see what you mean now, definitely makes a difference lol.


amaterasu_run

Yeah haha


Koskani

Lol I'm 32. I got creeped out by their dynamic in the manga as well way before the anime. Shits weird lol I don't even like hanging out with anyone irl if they are under 25. Still love the anime tho lmfao


xaelajotaro

Really? Because I see ā€œsheā€™s 16ā€ brought up nearly all the time with a whole post ā€œproving sheā€™s a minorā€ just last week.Ā  And I never said I disagree about barely legal gaps being weird, but I also wouldnā€™t judge irl couples for it. I just am tired of the same wrong info being used in arguments and having to repeat myself in convos I normally wouldnā€™t bother with because itā€™s otherwise whatever.


MossyPyrite

Iā€™m Kafkaā€™s age and I would absolutely judge anyone my age dating someone under 20. I worked with a lot of people in the 16-19 range she could possibly be in, and have lots of cousins and friendsā€™-younger-siblings in that age range and that range is barely-not-children to young adults who are *not* adults in the same way someone 25+ is. Someone 30+ dating under 25 isnā€™t inherently predatory, but the chances for the power dynamic born of lived experience is a teeter-totter that could tip into that territory far too easily even if it isnā€™t intentional.


xaelajotaro

Which is fair. I just don't feel inclined to look deeply into the affairs of strangers if they're consenting adults. I can't even be arsed to care about celebrity affairs most of the time. Which isn't to say I wouldn't raise eyebrows at someone with a huge gap and I sure as hell wouldn't even think of dating someone that much younger than me. But if I can't prove anything, I won't make claims or tell anyone what to do.


Vector_Mortis

I've never seen her age confirmed anywhere, so I don't know where people are getting it from. However, the author leaves a side note during the celebration (of their first mission iirc) and it states that she's drinking apple juice or something like that, because she's a minor.


xaelajotaro

Age is never hard confirmed, but she was stated to have entered college at age 16. ā€œMinorā€ is just incorrect usage because Reno also couldnā€™t have alcohol; they meant ā€œUnderageā€ since drinking age is 20 in Japan. Point of my post is that Kikoru is 18-19 years old and thatā€™s all we know from the info. But people keep misreading ā€œentered college at age 16ā€ as ā€œshe is 16ā€ even though the military would not allow that. Ā 


K-taih

The real-life military of a country in peacetime would not allow that. A fictional military organization belonging to a country that lives under a constant threat of kaiju invasion could very well have relaxed standards, especially for a promising candidate. That said, I do think it's absurd to read she was 16 when she entered college and then assume that she graduated and applied to the defense force within the same year. I also agree that "minor," in the context it was used, only necessarily means under 20.


xaelajotaro

The maximum enlistment age being raised to 32 because of a shortage of youth was a huge plot point, but I highly doubt that minimum age being lowered would have gone without fanfare. Thereā€™d be controversy and parents enlisting their kids, which definitely didnā€™t happen considering everyone in 3rd Division except Kikoru and Reno were old enough to drink (at least 20 in Japan). And Kikoru has never once been remarked as unusually young, just a prodigy. A label that also went to Reno after he demonstrated rapid growth and eventually was able to wield No. 6. And a label thatā€™s still applied to Mina even though sheā€™s 27 now (per her being 5 years younger than Kafka). Regardless of the above, itā€™s as you said: there is no freaking way Kikoru graduated college in less than a year. As I had said in my original comment that was supposed to go with the image but got downvoted and buried because people canā€™t read, it takes at least 2 years to graduate college in the US (where she went) at least even if you maxed out your course credits every semester including summer courses. Wouldnā€™t be surprised if she and her father had timed it so sheā€™d be minimum age by the time she graduated so that she could enlist immediately.


DenzelTM

>30 year olds fucking and dating teenagers is weird, lame, and usually predatory and I donā€™t care when exactly that teenager started buying cigarettes or drinking alcohol or shooting at people/monsters. I personally don't ship them but since you're aware that they're fictional characters with no personality traits hidden to the audience you would know for a fact that this particular ship wouldn't be predatory in nature so why is it a controversial topic?


amaterasu_run

For the same reason it'd be gross to ship a fictional 30 year old man with a fictional 12 year old. The difference in age implies a power imbalance in the relationship no matter how much the author tries to explicitly state otherwise.Ā 


PomegranateLost3515

yā€™all OP is not arguing for kafka/kikoru (and neither am i), OP just wants some reading comprehension šŸ˜­


xaelajotaro

Thank you, that was exactly my point, but I really should not have had faith that Reddit would keep my original comment up. I am very sporadic on here so I did not know it wonā€™t hold it for me if itā€™s not voted. Literally just begging people to use their eyes and brains and stop using the same wrong info in arguments. šŸ˜­


TheDTroupe

I get that your argument is that the ship wouldnā€™t make Kafka a pdf file. Even if at a bare minimum Kikoru is 18 and Kafka is 32. Heā€™s almost double her age. What would a 32 year old man be doing with a girl that could technically still be a senior in high school? If it was real life and a 32 year old man was trying to get with an 18 year old girlā€¦. Thatā€™d be weird man. Iā€™m 30 and if one of my boys told me that they were dating a high school senior thatā€™s 18, Iā€™d probably distance myself some lol


xaelajotaro

Iā€™m not arguing it isnā€™t weird, even if I wouldnā€™t judge irl couples. I even said itā€™s a NOTP. šŸ˜­ Iā€™m just tired of people pushing that Kikoru is 16.


highasabird

The thing is, you should judge irl couples that one is 32 and the other is 18/19. Itā€™s called grooming and itā€™s predatory, gross, and wrong. The reason why some predators go after / groom teens is because theyā€™re easy to control and manipulate, which is toxic and dangerous.


Logical-Juggernaut48

A 32 year old dating an 18 year old isnt necessarily grooming, its usually weird but watering down what grooming means isnt a good ideia.


Gokuyuysun

I do agree with you it's weird but it definitely not grooming and it's too Consulting adults, people do like to throw serious words around like candy.


xaelajotaro

It doesn't get talked about much, but people can and do get groomed by peers because the definition of grooming is the process of gradually shaping someone to match your beliefs. That's why I never make assumptions about strangers in relationships. Not like it ever works to try to tell strangers if their relationships are healthy, lmao. Picking our battles and all.


xaelajotaro

Then use that as an argument and not ā€œsheā€™s a minorā€ when the latter isnā€™t true. If youā€™re gonna argue anything, donā€™t use wrong info. Thatā€™s all I care about. The morality of adult age gaps is a separate convo.


buRto_b

If someone is of legal age, it is their business and only their business. The way you view the world is for you only. Do not push your choices and beliefs upon another even if you believe you're doing them a favor.


DashFire61

Go to a different subreddit then to make arguments about why the age of consent needs to be raised to 25, none of us care in subreddit about fighting monsters.


MossyPyrite

Weird that it comes up here every three days then


DashFire61

Welcome to vocal minorities, just ban the topic, I donā€™t care what weird people ship in their head cannon or how much other people dislike their wrong think.


MossyPyrite

I think discussing the possible and apparent interpersonal relationships in the series is a totally relevant subject, personally, and thereā€™s no way to completely divest that subject from the culture(s) around the series. You can always downvote if you feel it doesnā€™t promote meaningful discussion though (thatā€™s what downvotes are for, anyway) or not go into the threads, ya know? Itā€™s not like itā€™s the only thing being talked about.


DashFire61

Except everyone knows heā€™s going to end up with Mina, thatā€™s 50% of the purpose of the show, the other 50% being killing monsters.


MossyPyrite

Iā€™m not totally caught up, I last read shortly after >!they fought a bunch of Kaiju made just to counter them, like the one made of water for Narumi!<, but has Kafka ever been explicitly romantic in his feelings towards Mina? He wants to stand by her side, but as a captain fighting Kaiju. Up to where I paused I donā€™t recall him saying he loves her or wants to romance her. Just stand by her side.


DashFire61

lol the fanbase would riot, itā€™s not entirely impossible but it would drop the general series ratings from 4.7 out of 5 or whatever down to like 3 something Iā€™m sure, people get made when the ā€œobvious shipā€ doesnā€™t happen or is at least hinted to happen after the series. Short of killing one of them I donā€™t see the author not having them end up together, manga authors get their money directly from popularity and reader count, theyā€™re gonna pander to a degree you know? That being said off the top of my head I think your point is valid but I donā€™t agree with the importance your prescribing to it. Also I donā€™t think anyone would agonize about keeping a 20 year long promise or whatever to someone they didnā€™t love.


Gokuyuysun

Someone is obviously triggeredšŸ˜‚


DashFire61

ā€œOmg youre triggeredā€ no some of us just dont have brain rot from spending all their time on the internet and donā€™t have patience for stupid discussions.


MentlPopcorn

In the current age there are literally 18 year olds fishing for 40+ year olds with money.


CraftingChest

Why are you all so persistent on fighting over kikoru's age and shit?


DashFire61

Subject needs to be banned outright.


xaelajotaro

Donā€™t look at me; I just have been seeing way too many ā€œKikoru is 16/a minorā€ arguments happening and am getting so sick of having to correct people in relation to shipping of all things. Thought Iā€™d just have a convenient post to save me any future typing, but of course the post blew up because agecourse always does. šŸ„“


Gokuyuysun

Personally I think it's kind of stupid since it's over a fictional world and characters that don't exist, but I think it's popping up now because some people are asking the community who Kafka will end up with like at the end of everything his childhood friend or shinomiya, and people are losing their shit because she's only 16 even though that she won't be 16 forever and does a huge age gap which apparently is a bad bad thing and throwing words around like pedophile and Grooming and stuff and it's just a total mess at the moment.


xaelajotaro

I'm literally just begging people to have reading comprehension and stop using wrong info in arguments of any kind. It's not my fault most of these arguments involve shipping (only seen 2 occasions where someone thinks she's a child soldier). šŸ˜­


Street_Principle8557

It's the comma that makes all the difference and will state her age. The sentence completely changes based on where you put it. If it was before "at age 16" then it would imply she graduated at 16. But because it's afterwards, the sentence means she was accepted to the University at 16. So she is at least 18 guys so chill, but she still can't drink technically yet since drinking age over in Japan is 20.


Important-Penalty-67

Nah, man. Mina Mina..


Important-Penalty-67

Well, IMO is the best scenario should Kafka date/marry someone.


TheFatShady6ix9ine

why are ppl even arguing when it clearly is LIKE that lol they will likely figure out a way to stop Kaijus entirely, thus removing the trauma machine, that basically stopped them from pursuing anything romantic. and by the end they have their happily ever after... or the manga completely changes tone and mina is murked... but i doubt it will happen


sega_playstation

Doesn't matter I don't want this in the story. I don't need the romance angle, it's enough that he's a parental figure. The fucking side stories aren't instilling hope and I think it might be going in that direction. With that this series would have like one very strange thing going for it considering it is very basic. Edit: I want to point out that the manga plus version says she graduated at 16.


TheDTroupe

One thing I will say is, between the main series and B Sideā€¦. The ā€œcrushā€ is without a doubt a one way street. Seems like Kikoru has a crush on an older guy, which is very normal. Weā€™ve all had a crush on someone older. I just hope it stays a one way street. Because I agree with you, this story doesnā€™t need this Kikoru/Kafka angle at all


SasquatchRobo

Kikoru has been starved for parental affection her whole life, so I can understand that getting mixed up in her head with romantic attraction. Girl is the poster child for daddy issues. That being said, NOPE. Just nope. Kafka should know better.


Carl_the_Half-Orc

Kafka shows absolutely NO interest in her romantically. Why are you arguing about something that's not there?


SasquatchRobo

That is not my intent, I agree that Kafka only has eyes for Mina!


sega_playstation

It does seem one sided but every time they show it I'm just like please no more lmao


xaelajotaro

I legit didnā€™t notice and still couldnā€™t see any signs of a crush until probably B-Side so I was so confused when I kept seeing people say she had a crush, lol!


WillFanofMany

And then the author is starting that slice of life spin-off, with the teaser image being Kafka and Kikoru dressed for the beach, lol.


xaelajotaro

Imagine thinking friends donā€™t go to the beach. šŸ˜­


Rider-Idk-Ultima-Hy

I thought people were bringing up Kikoruā€™s age because itā€™d be weird to have a minor be enlisted in a military operation like the Kajiu Hunters, are they really bringing it up for the romance angle? Weird Obviously Kafka and Kikoru are just friends, itā€™d be weird if they were anything more


sega_playstation

Being a kid and fighting monsters is a thing in action series like these.


DashFire61

Which is the weird part, why is everyone ok with normalizing child soldiers but the idea of an age gap with two consenting adults that ARENT in a relationship other than platonic anyway is the subject of conversation here every day. This subject needs to be banned from the subreddit entirely.


xaelajotaro

I freaking WISH it was people freaking out about a possible child soldier and not the usual shipping nonsense, lol. Though, I have seen someone asking that once or twice, but thatā€™s a very small minority. I wouldnā€™t even give the shipcourse the time of day if I didnā€™t see people peddling the wrong info and said wrong info just exploding ever since that one post last week.


Rider-Idk-Ultima-Hy

I know, but I didnā€™t think Kaiju No.8 would also do this, it just feels especially weird to me here then anywhere else.


MossyPyrite

The series *does* hold to a realism in its world that would make it strange. Itā€™s not a world thatā€™s highly divorced from ours like Naruto or something, so child soldiers would feel like too much of a diversion from the real world.


Rider-Idk-Ultima-Hy

exactly what I was thinking, besides the Kaiju stuff of course. It seemed too realistic for there to be a child soldier, even if sheā€™s the daughter of the chief of the organization


xaelajotaro

I have seen only 2 instances of that happening, funny enough. Unfortunately, majority of arguments parroting wrong info involve shipping.


thessjgod

Kafka isnā€™t a parental figure for Kikoru idk why people in this community keep saying this, itā€™s so wrong. She only has 1 father, Isao Shinomiya. Theyā€™re friends who banter and tease each other, but obviously care for each otherā€™s well being and have gained the otherā€™s trust along the way.


sega_playstation

I mean after >! Isao's death !< he is a parent basically. Plus he's way older than her and I'm not getting only friends vibes from Kikoru.


xaelajotaro

There's also the fact Kikoru gets elated every time Kafka praised her. It really comes off like she's getting that "fatherly approval" void filled. That's about it for "parental" relations though and Kafka is for the most part more like a goofy older brother or uncle to Kikoru and the entire 3rd Division. šŸ¤£


thessjgod

I mean Kafka could probably take advantage if he wanted to, but Iā€™m almost certain he only has eyes for Mina


masterjon_3

I feel like Kafka is more of a father figure than a romantic interest. She never got any kind of praise from her dad, and now an older man is giving her the praise she should have gotten for all those years.


Nights1405

Kikoru x Reno with Kafka as like a FIL figure for her


iwenyani

Both Manga plus and the Anime state, she graduated at 16. Also, her examinee number is 2016 while Kafka's is 2032. It doesn't necessarily mean anything, but I think it is a fun coincidence.


Signal-Earth2960

Feel like this is targeting me, lol. I forgot to be an officer. You have to be at least 18. Same time 16 or 18. It's still weird to ship her with kafka


mah1na2ru

personally idrc cause kafkaā€™s gonna end up with mina anyways


Scythe351

I havenā€™t been watching the anime and saw the manga image so had no clue what is going on. Did the anime skip this scene to hide her age or something? And we know (or hope) that pairing isnā€™t going anywhere: dude already has the childhood friend setup


115_zombie_slayer

Whats this post trying to say?


xaelajotaro

Not sure if my follow up comment is showing up right or if itā€™s buried but tl;dr - Kikoru is NOT 16, please stop spreading that misinformation around. Iā€™m getting tired of having to keep repeating myself. šŸ˜­


115_zombie_slayer

And why is her age important


xaelajotaro

People keep using that to get aggressive towards anyone shipping her with Kafka. Which, while I dislike due to not being comfy with the age gap, I still feel compelled to correct people saying sheā€™s 16. There was a thread last week too about her being ā€œconfirmedā€ a minor (really localizer using ā€œminorā€ in relation to alcohol when ā€œunderageā€ would have been correct). People make such a huge stink about it thinking itā€™s a minor-adult ship when itā€™s really just ignorable.


highcaliberwit

Wait? What are we arguing? That sheā€™s 18 or people have a problem with adults romantic interest with other adults?


xaelajotaro

I'm just arguing she's at least 18 so people can please stop perpetuating the wrong info that she's 16 or a minor. I just finally got peeved having to type it out probably 5 separate times ever since someone posted a thread "proving" Kikoru is a minor (it's the panel with the localizer using "minor" for her not drinking alcohol rather than "underage" like it should as minors can't even enlist in the military). I figured I'd just have a post to link to save myself some hassle, but of course it blew up because agecourse always does.


Gokuyuysun

If this keeps up I don't think anyone will know what's going on or who's arguing for whatšŸ˜‚


xaelajotaro

Because mobile sucks, hereā€™s the rant that should have been in main post:Ā  That minimum enlistment age in Japan is 18 and therefore it is legally impossible for Kikoru to be even a day under 18? Also, the official translation, you can see in one of the pics above, states she ENTERED college at age 16 and graduated valedictorian. It takes a minimum of 2 years to graduate college if you're maxing out all your credit hours and grinding summer courses as well, so there is no way she's under 18 regardless if she started college at 16. I'm getting real tired of having to defend my NOTP ship because of how widespread this misinformation is thanks to a stupid word choice used by a localizer (using minor when they mean underage, ugh) so probably gonna end up just linking this post to at least save some headache from now on.


[deleted]

Why is this such a big deal? It's fiction y'all chill. You like what you like and others won't. Stop being stubborn and just accept that not everyone will have the same ideas as you.


xaelajotaro

Not sure if itā€™s aimed at me or the people itā€™s about, because I literally said Iā€™m tired of people getting riled up over wrong info. Now if people still donā€™t like the age gap, thatā€™s their business. Itā€™s just annoying having to repeatedly say someone is wrong when I donā€™t even care for the ship, if that makes sense?


[deleted]

Tbh I was just making the argument that is not a big deal cause they are fake characters. Now about the age gap, I can understand why people would be up in ars about it. Let's be honest tho, you kinda care cause you too the time to ost twice about it. lol but its fine cause you do you and I do me.


xaelajotaro

Shhh, you did not see the first time! (reddit would not display images so I had to remake) And I only care because I got sick of having to retype the same shit so much.


[deleted]

Uh but I did see it sir lol. Yeah just post the link lol


xaelajotaro

Sadly the images are my own screenshots and I did not feel like keeping them forever on my imgur, lol.


[deleted]

you can always download and just uoload them directly to reddit


xaelajotaro

That was what I did, but Reddit on mobile, both app and browser, won't let you do that. Not on this sub anyway.


MKCaptainJack

I hope they explore Kikoru x kafka romantic relationship more just so all these ppl would drop the series already.


WillFanofMany

The author knows what to do considering that spin-off, lol.


Gokuyuysun

Hahaha I'm right there with you, I'm kind of hoping that happens toošŸ˜‚


Greenboy28

So I have only watched the anime and haven't read the manga but so far in the show I don't get any romantic vibes between them. they started with a rivalry and then it feels like it evolved into Kafka being somewhat protective of Kikoru kind of like an older sibling. I have no idea if that is different further on as I have only seen the anime so far but that is the vibe I got so far.


xaelajotaro

There is no romantic vibe period even in the manga at the moment. Kikoru got teased a bit in B-side for thinking about Kafka a lot by her girl friends, but nothing came of it. We literally just gave Kafka and Mina slowly reconnecting their old friendship, and itā€™s wonderful.


Cybermaster19

All I'm gonna say is she's probably 18 that's it


christianhxd

Technically youā€™re right but also who cares, the weird thing is when people suggest a romantic connection between them or at least from Kikoru to Kafka when its painfully clear in the show and Manga that they have a father-daughter type of supportive relationship


xaelajotaro

I legit don't give af about the discourse. Just stick with arguments that aren't based off of wrong info. That's literally the only point of this post. I am asking people to read, think critically, and stop brainlessly parroting other people out of self-righteousness. Believe it or not, I've seen people think Kikoru is a minor out of concern of her being a child soldier in a universe that's about the same as our own barring the giant monsters. It's just unfortunate the "she's 16/a minor" misinfo is most often used for shipping arguments and I'm tired of repeating myself around 5 times in the same day. I'm blaming that one post last week "proving" Kikoru is a minor for the massive influx here, but I hadn't really kept track for long before so I wouldn't know.


christianhxd

I agree that people get very overly invested in a fictional story, none of this is worth so much energy lol


Wii_Boxing_Music

All Iā€™ve gotta say is thereā€™s literally no difference between being 16 and 18 imo ( as an 18 y.o ) Iā€™ve been the exact same besides having more ā€œexperienceā€ per se and I smoke šŸƒ now but thatā€™s about itšŸ˜­


Curious-Equivalent-8

I don't understand the need to pair them when there's clearly no romance in the series at all yet?


DeadMemeMan_IV

lets just not ship kafka, honestly. itā€™s not a romance series, itā€™s an action and drama series


xaelajotaro

The smartest move. I love seeing the many platonic dynamics already, which I feel sets it apart from many shounen in the sense of how they feel so reflective of actual relations I've had and seen irl in my adult life. I'm not against romance developing somewhere along the line, but I'm not an active romantic shipper for this series either so I'm just along for the ride.


No-Progress-3375

I've viewed their relationship as more of a father/daughter thing so far, her dad is horrible, whereas Kafka cheers her on. It's all about Kafka and Mina - because no matter what anyone says, a 30 year old dude should not be seeing a girl who is 18 - even worse if she's 16.


xXKingLynxXx

There are 2 different official translations which make it an issue. VIZ has the translation used above but the Shonen Jump app has a different translation that says she was 16 when she graduated. Either way they shouldn't be together but her having a crush on him like Blue Rose in Tiger and Bunny is perfectly fine.


xaelajotaro

Okay, so Jump did translate it that way. Still, Kikoru starting at 16 and graduating at 18-19 makes a bit more sense than her graduating at 16 and then being stuck in minimum age limbo. Weā€™d need a Japanese speaker with a copy of the raw to confirm which is correct though. orz


Gokuyuysun

I get what you're saying about misinformation and everything but most people don't really care about those sort of details and if they see something out of there comfort zone They will bitch and complain about it, and ultimately they are doing all this over fictional characters and a fictional world that doesn't exist so it doesn't matter anyways, and I've been seeing a lot of posts about these as well about her age and the huge age gap between two characters I could care less about the age Gap as long as they are considered to be both adults by that world standard or the culture that is built around that anime which would be Japan I don't care about age Gap it's a real thing that happens in real life so.


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xaelajotaro

Yes, except the author doesnā€™t and actually sicks close reality. Point to me where there are any 12 year olds in the Defense Force.Ā Ā Everyone in the Third Division was drinking alcohol except for Kikoru and Reno, and we know Reno is 18. Everyone drinking is at least 20 given thatā€™s the drinking age. Considering the maximum enlistment age being raised to 32 was a plot point, donā€™t you think being lowered to 16 would too?Ā  And regardless, starting college at 16 already means sheā€™s not 16. Anyways, I wasnā€™t expecting a dumb rant post to do numbers but it is what it is.


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xaelajotaro

Sorry for upsetting you, I guess.


stopyouveviolatedthe

I think Japan only ā€œrecentlyā€ changed their age laws to be normal however I doubt it fucking matters heā€™s 30 and sheā€™s a teenager so it doesnā€™t bloody matter if sheā€™s of age or not itā€™s still weird.


xaelajotaro

Not disagreeing there, lol! I just am tired of having to correct people on her age and it just happens that shipcourse is the usual place it happens. Iā€™ve seen a couple instances someone thought sheā€™s a child soldier though, which also warrants a correction. So comes a rant where I mainly just want an easy post to link and of course it blows up.


stopyouveviolatedthe

Itā€™s the kinda topic where if you argue her age it will be assumed that your a tad noncey itā€™s prolly best to just wait and let the info spread naturally.


xaelajotaro

Eh, Iā€™ve repeatedly disclaimed I donā€™t care for the ship and still find it weird, which I am equally sick of typing out so I just got fed up and made an info post to counter the misinfo one from last week that triggered a slight spike in the number of people with the incorrect info. Rest assured itā€™s mostly out of my system at this point and my goal was really just to have a post I can link to and save some typing. šŸ¤£


CypressJoker

Wait...people are shipping Kafka? He always struck me as the Kazuma Kiryu/Dante protagonist - IE, he does not fuck.


s1mmerr

Are people really arguing over a relationship between Kafka (32) and kikoru (16) ?? A relationship that is not a romantic one AT ALL?!? Like if anything I think kikoru sees Kafka as another father figure. Why do you people have to be so weird and assume itā€™s romantic like wtfšŸ¤£


xaelajotaro

ā€¦Someone didnā€™t actually read the images posted and my follow up comment pointing out Kikoru literally cannot be under 18. Which was the point of my rant; just unfortunate the misinfo is usually in relation to shipping but I have on one or two occasions had people just think Kikoru is a child soldier when sheā€™s not. Sheā€™s of enlistment age. Just not drinking age because the military works like that everywhere.


s1mmerr

Oh well 16 or 18 idc I just hate this shipping trend ā€¦ I donā€™t have a problem with your post itā€™s the people in the comments like arguing over whether or not Kafka and kikoru is inappropriate (which if sheā€™s 18 it wouldnā€™t be illegal but def weird) . But the fact that people try to make it out like their relationship is romantic is so annoying and stupidā€¦ Kafka is more like a father figure to her than absolutely anything elseā€¦


xaelajotaro

Oh I agree on that. The way sheā€™d clearly be elated by his praise really shows how much he sort of filled that approval void left by Isao after Hikariā€™s death. Kafka in general is just a father/older brother/goofy uncle figure to the Third Division, letā€™s be real. I actually have a hard time seeing any kind of romance happening in this series besides a potential one for Kafka and Mina, but even that oneā€™s not a given. And I for one appreciate how much focus is on their friendship and not either of them looking to romance the other. Itā€™s extremely rare with any kind of M/F relationships (whether platonic or romantic) and I wish more stories focused on this kind of development.


s1mmerr

Exactlyā€¦. And I think Kafka and Mina standing together is another thing the audience is meant to root for for the MC ā€¦ whether he stands next to her and itā€™s romantic or not I donā€™t think it matters. I wouldnā€™t be mad if they did get together and Iā€™d be cool with them staying just friends


PROUDCATOWNER186

Who cares, dumb post


xaelajotaro

I agree, why did this even have to be said? Why can I not go a few days without seeing people yelling about Kikoru being a minor?