Next Episode Can't Come Fast Enough - Tumblr Posts

There's parallels between Matakara and Shindo that I think may be foreshadowing Matakara becoming antagonistic to Arajin down the line:

They both started out weak and victims to stronger people and grew to idolize people who inspired them to become stronger (Arajin and Mitsukuni for Matakara, Kenichiro for Shindo). They both value strength but that's where the similarities start differing: Matakara pursues an ideal that being strong comes with integrity. To Shindo, it's about control. Controlling the people around him and doing whatever it takes to get what you want, morals and code of honor are for suckers. Being a "strong man" is using whatever you have your disposal to gain it and if you do that, you've proven something, it doesn't really matter "how".

It's interesting how Mahoro sees right away the core of Shindo's character: he's hollow. He doesn't really stand for anything, doesn't have principles and his mindset earned the disapproval of the person he admired and strove to be like at one point. That's where his motivations stem from: Shindo is petty af and behind the drive he has to prove his way is the "right" way, he doesn't have much substance. I've heard people say some of his viciousness might be from his attachment to Ichiya but 1. It's debatable how much influence a Honki person has when they merge we still don't know too much about how the connection works and 2. We don't actually know much about Ichiya's personality, we just know Senya has a rivalry with him and something went down between them

With all that being said, I'm certain Ichiya is going to attach himself to Matakara and somehow it will result in Matakara similarly becoming antagonistic to Arajin and struggling to maintain his ideals or maybe he ends up becoming too extreme with them under Ichiya (and maybe his brother's?) influence?

And serious I am so fucking curious about how Mitsukuni is going to be involved with the plot. Why did he got to juvie? How strong is he? Does he know anything about Honki people? How I he going to react to Arajin being back and becoming so strong? (I'm assuming they at least knew of each other previously since Matakara and Arajin were childhood friends) What sort of person is he? Did he change being locked up? My brain is buzzing I can't stress how excited I am for what feels like Act 2 of this awesome show.

Ah, young love.

Also, are we not going to talk about how Matakara was flashbacking and literally says "after Ara-chan left me" like bro went through a divorce when he was ten and proceeded to spend the next five years trying to get over it by bulking up and joining a gang wtf? 😭

Arajin: man maybe i do kinda want him...

Matakara: i NEED to kill him so that the voices stop.