Quote Source: https://x.com/D_Kumii/status/1854661822919373257

I recently found this post lurking around Twitter from a recent interview Tatsuki Fujimoto did with Unitas Magazine. I’m drawn to it because people with mental health problems/issues are sometimes told that they should be loved for all of their flaws.

While unconditional love is a given, boundaries are so important. When you tell someone that they don’t have to change (or just be “themselves”), it opens up a can of worms. Said people with issues can start to become overbearing with all kinds of drama due to personality issues that probably never were addressed. It is very difficult to know when to say no to that drama while still being compassionate towards the person going through pain.

Now that the Look Back movie is out everywhere via streaming, I looked back, no pun intended, at the manga to revisit how Fujino goes through the motions that make life hard at times. I still tear up when Fujino sees how Kyomoto viewed her when they first met via a small comic strip she finds at the latter’s place. She does have a difficult personality with charm, but I feel the story was definitely better in talking about how art impacts everyone. And more importantly, how art can really change your personality bit by bit.

I sometimes feel that I’m “difficult” and “emotional.” I’ll admit that I’m a bit too much at times (why do you think I blog about mental health?). And then there are people who admire me for being reflective, considerate, thoughtful, emotionally honest and brave. I also now tell people that at least I’m not falling into toxic masculine ideals of how to be a man.

But I do realize there’s always things I will need to change because not everyone can handle someone like me or certain circumstances demand it so. I think Fujimoto was the same. I want more people to realize this because I don’t want anyone to look back in powerless fashion and criticize themselves for not seeing the winds of change that pass them by.

It’s okay if you have bad parts and you struggle to change them, but I believe that you can go higher than you think. We all can in some ways. Then we can actually look back with smiles and joy.