[Spoilers] Mirai Nikki (The Future Diary) Rewatch Discussion - Episode 21

  • Using the media against 11th for leverage? With godhood on the line, who cares about the media?
  • Yuno is just cutting down security guards like they're nothing. And she doesn't even get any help from her future diary.
  • Redundant security measures proving their worth. Unless it's against Yuno. No amount of security will save you there.
  • Shoot the damn phone Minene, works the same as shooting Yuki.
  • For fucks' sake Yuki. She's your crazy girlfriend, get used to being kinky with her already.
  • Damn ceiling black holes. Hope insurance covers it.

This is the episode that really makes me wish Minene had been a more thoroughly developed character throughout the series. She is more emotionally compromised than we've ever seen her before, and not surprisingly this is when we learn a lot about her. We get plenty of hints at what could have been a more complex character arc but instead played out as a terrorist being confused by ghostly girls.

It appears that this whole time Minene had been living with an internal struggle between the badass lone wolf terrorist she made herself into and the scared little girl who misses her parents and hopes someone would help her. That none of these nuances about her character shine through earlier in the series is truly a shame. (Aside from that one moment when she sees herself as a girl in the mirror, but that's so vague it barely adds much to her character). That internal conflict was also at the core of her hesitation when holding Yuki at gunpoint: she could see in him the child she once had been, which led her to simultaneously empathize with and despise him. She understands how he feels and is sorry for part of her did and still does feel the same way, but she also despises him the same manner she despises her own sorrows, considering them a weakness. Her previous advice on letting the past go acquires a different meaning once we understand she's probably spent her whole life trying to do just that.

I honestly believe the series as a whole could have been much better if Minene had been given a more prominent role and better development earlier on. Her different world views and initially pragmatic attitude could have made her a good foil for Yuki, and it would have been interesting to watch as they both move in different directions, Minene getting more in touch with her fears and starting to care for others whereas Yuki becomes more pragmatic and determined to do what it takes to win.

Earlier development for Minene would also have better established her relationship with Nishijima. Based on this episode, I believe what caused her to like him was that he connected to the part of her that wanted to be saved. When they first meet, despite capturing her Nishijima also attempts to save her from Third (she's the one that actually takes Third down, however). It seems that Minene had long convinced herself that she is entirely alone and has to do everything by herself, so when Nishijima comes and - against her will, nonetheless - helps her, that could stir within her a hope for connecting with someone that she had long considered dead. That's just one possibility, there's a wealth of character nuance that could have been created for Minene, had the story given her the chance.

Oh right, there were also other characters in this episode. My bad.

I wonder what made Yuki break down before Minene and spill his guts to her. They never exactly had much of a close relationship yet he felt the need to let her know what he was feeling. Maybe he is grateful to her for when she helped him enjoy the day with his father.

/r/anime Thread