Endless World humanizes someone utterly evil, by portraying a child rapist as a developed, complex figure in the minds of everyone involved and in the context of the story, and a very broken and sick individual that refuses to understand himself, as opposed to a one-dimensional Card-Carrying Villain.
In that way, it is similar to a far more graphic take on Lolita or M. That depth of characterization and exploration of some of the darkest psychological themes possible is both why it remains here (when similar content presented without such a context would be removed), and also why it's likely not the best work to seek out if you're looking for light, fluffy, sweet yaoi romance. The combination of the graphic imagery, the complexity and Black and Grey Morality and Unreliable Narrator all combine to create an atmosphere of angst, and both straight-up horror and Fridge Horror.
Why did I say horror? There aren't monsters here aside from the hallucination scenes. There are no demons, except inner demons. And there's nothing supernatural, no Eldritch Abomination, no vampires or werewolves. There are only human beings, living their lives as they justify them to themselves, and that is more terrifying than anything in traditional horror. That someone could justify losing control of their life and their substance use and finally even justify being a rapist and pedophile, that someone could think that maybe he loved the person who attacked him and that's why he's attracted to the person he finds out is his friend. For the Evulz, Humans Are Bastards, and Humans Are the Real Monsters all the way. (Though the Ikki/Ryuu relationship actually does provide a small bit of solace - as fucked up as it is, it's consensual between adults, and they love each other despite being connected in a disturbing way)
(Read this several months ago by this point. Still remember it. Don't want to. Not a fragile flower - I'm an old hand at yaoi and slash, and I've seen pretty much everything from the sweetest love stories to the darkest angst. And this has stuck with me, and not in a good way, but in the "I wish I hadn't read that" way. Beware.)
A sick, sad story that will haunt you long after reading
Endless World humanizes someone utterly evil, by portraying a child rapist as a developed, complex figure in the minds of everyone involved and in the context of the story, and a very broken and sick individual that refuses to understand himself, as opposed to a one-dimensional Card-Carrying Villain.
In that way, it is similar to a far more graphic take on Lolita or M. That depth of characterization and exploration of some of the darkest psychological themes possible is both why it remains here (when similar content presented without such a context would be removed), and also why it's likely not the best work to seek out if you're looking for light, fluffy, sweet yaoi romance. The combination of the graphic imagery, the complexity and Black and Grey Morality and Unreliable Narrator all combine to create an atmosphere of angst, and both straight-up horror and Fridge Horror.
Why did I say horror? There aren't monsters here aside from the hallucination scenes. There are no demons, except inner demons. And there's nothing supernatural, no Eldritch Abomination, no vampires or werewolves. There are only human beings, living their lives as they justify them to themselves, and that is more terrifying than anything in traditional horror. That someone could justify losing control of their life and their substance use and finally even justify being a rapist and pedophile, that someone could think that maybe he loved the person who attacked him and that's why he's attracted to the person he finds out is his friend. For the Evulz, Humans Are Bastards, and Humans Are the Real Monsters all the way. (Though the Ikki/Ryuu relationship actually does provide a small bit of solace - as fucked up as it is, it's consensual between adults, and they love each other despite being connected in a disturbing way)
Give me the Eldritch Abomination any day.
(Read this several months ago by this point. Still remember it. Don't want to. Not a fragile flower - I'm an old hand at yaoi and slash, and I've seen pretty much everything from the sweetest love stories to the darkest angst. And this has stuck with me, and not in a good way, but in the "I wish I hadn't read that" way. Beware.)