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So who, in the long run, wins Hotaru’s heart? Her abusive boyfriend or her childhood friend who has been awfully hot and cold.
The Stray Cat: Hotaru, Fujiwara, Yuma
Do you know why Hotaru and Fujiwara remain together, despite his abuse of her? Consistency. That and the fact that she knows, if she holds up the end of her deal with him, he’ll be there. He may not be perfect, he may not always be loving, but he’ll call her, hang out, and give her a bit of love’s methadone.
With Yuma? Well, she has to hope she is in the mood. Otherwise, she’ll be talked to as if she is a rapist. Which, don’t get me wrong, I don’t condone how Hotaru acted early on in the season. Especially since her own version of sending mixed signals certainly didn’t help matters. However, after a certain point, she did back off. Something which drove Yuma crazy with jealousy.
And Hotaru probably realizes that only when she begins to seek independence does Yuma remember that she doesn’t belong to her. Only when she, Hotaru, tries to break this cycle does she feel reminded that she is wanted, never mind loved. Which is a problem. Making it so, even when Yuma tries to be convincing, it is laughable. Especially since it seems the idea of them being lesbians, really having a go at it, is comical to multiple people. To the point, Hotaru seemingly has no desire to really step out there unless Yuma is willing to commit to it fully.
Hang On To Your Love: Takeda, Yuma, Hotaru, Fujiwara
As much as it may hurt Takeda to hear Yuma speak about someone else, someone she actually is pursuing, he is a good guy. So, despite Yuma losing hope, Takeda encourages her to keep trying. Leading to, eventually, the light bulb coming on in Yuma’s head. She realizes, all this time, Hotaru wasn’t just experimenting with her or messing with her, she liked her. She was trying to convince, in her own twisted way, for Yuma to return her feelings.
But, there remains the issue of Hotaru not liking uncertainty. She can’t deal with whims which come and go like lust. Though she has largely presented herself open sexually, it seems she can’t keep that up anymore. Hence why she keeps getting beaten. She can’t just give her body and all she gets is the claim she has someone. So little is becoming not enough but, at the same time, it is all she has. She doesn’t want to give that up just so, when things get awkward or hard, Yuma dumps her. That disappointment, devastation, she just can’t handle.
So, to try to ease her fears, maybe convince Hotaru she is in it for the long haul, as shown by their friendship, Yuma kisses Hotaru publicly. She kisses her in the middle of a sidewalk and confesses her feelings. Making it seem, at least for that moment, Hotaru is convinced. However, the episode ends after that moment so we don’t really know if the two go the distance.
Highlights
Theories Kind of Get Confirmed
While the ending doesn’t go as deep as I have done sporadically, I do feel like I might have been going in the right direction. If only because the fear of disappointment, liking consistency, and maybe even some fears of coming out, seem to be factors in why Hotaru was hot and cold toward Yuma. Now, as for Hotaru’s home life and psychological issues, that isn’t confirmed but the show is only 9 minutes.
I do hope this has an OVA which is 30 to maybe clear some things up though.
Criticism
The Happy Ending Came So Easily and Didn’t Necessarily Handle the Fujiwara Factor
Prattle mentioned on a since-deleted post:
Modern romance anime have a tendency to fall apart in their final stretches – either all their potential will evaporate immediately through an on the nose resolution or they’ll squander what gifts they have through drama-circles and too-conservative scripting.
Netsuzou Trap, unfortunately, does this. As noted in the highlights, there isn’t any real breakdown or further understanding of Hotaru given to the viewer. With Yuma, it is clear that between jealousy and perhaps Hotaru turning her out a bit, that is how she came to be how we know her. With Hotaru though, I can’t firmly say she is queer and using Fujiwara as a beard, maybe pansexual, just into Yuma because she is a fairly consisted person in her life, or what.
Much less, we never get to really understand why she pursued Yuma the way she did. Was it because that is how, traditionally, she was pursued so she wanted to pursue a girl that way? Could it be that this started out as a lust thing but became more? Perhaps the theory that she wanted to snatch away all of Yuma’s firsts. Be it kiss, sexual experience, etc, and that is why she acted that way? We don’t find out.
Then there is the final factor which, with this show being 9 minutes, becomes a bit infuriating: Fujiwara. Clearly, in the world of Netsuzou Trap, there is homophobia in some form and it is a weapon Fujiwara has no problems wielding. Also, arguably it is a factor in both Yuma and Hotaru’s interactions. Hence why Hotaru only did what she did when she thought no one could see them. Also, that could be the reason why Hotaru figured they’d never work out as girlfriends since, maybe in their life, there hasn’t been a representation of happy lesbians.
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