“I’m not the one you were meant to find.” –CMV/AMV Saturday (05/26/18)

Homophobia sucks. I find this AMV by Jas Nikiforov uses “Rewrite the Stars” from “The Greatest Showman” highly illustratively in this regard. I can’t say what the creator intended, but after watching the video below, please follow up with my commentary if you’re interested in my own take on the AMV.

While the reasoning behind Yuuri’s reluctance to accept Victor’s feelings could be attributed to multiple internal factors, I feel the line, “So who can stop me if I decide that you’re my destiny?” implies that it isn’t Yuuri’s own mind (anxiety, feelings of worthlessness, etc.) that is pulling them apart, but others—outsiders. Why would a Russian and a Japanese man feel like they couldn’t be together? Consider that question from your own perspective, and then consider how much more perilous it might be to come out as a gay man (a famous one that is often in the public eye, at that) in Russia, where law prohibits promoting a homosexual agenda to minors. Think about what that means for Victor if Yuuri accepts his feelings and advances.

Victor is ready to throw everything out the window, so to speak, and risk everything if it means being with Yuuri, and Yuuri can’t abide the idea because he thinks he is being realistic and protecting the older man. Victor wants to give Yuuri the world (“The world could be ours tonight.”), but—not so differently than the original intent of the song—Yuuri, though he loves Victor dearly, feels that “there are doors that [they] can’t walk through.” He entreats, “I know you’re wondering why because we’re able to be just you and me within these walls [of the skating rink/Hatsetsu/etc.], but when we go outside [into the world] you’re gonna wake up and see that it was hopeless after all.”

If it doesn’t break your heart to hear Yuuri proposing to Victor that “I’m not the one you were meant to find,” and “It’s not up to you, it’s not up to me, when everyone tells us what we get to be,” then I don’t know what to tell you, my anime compatriots.

Because it broke mine. </3