Lately i've been thinking about shipping, more deeply than we have in the past. Not like, in a moralizing way, i wouldn't do that to you. It's more along the lines of "why do i like this?" or (sometimes just as importantly) "why don't i like this?" Well, i don't really pretend to understand other people's tastes, but i guess i can take a stab at "why do people glom onto this so hard?" alongside those, too. With that in mind, don't take this as any definitive theory of fandom or anything, especially since most of my thoughts are centered around Bandori and Umamusume. (Both generally and in this blog post.) This is the first part of:

Shipping: An Analytical Ramble

PolyJAMD is probably the ship i've fallen off with the most, and kind of the central fixture of my thread that inspired this piece. It's not like i'd hold it against anyone for shipping it, i don't think i'm better than you for anything fictional, and it can definitely be cute. Hell, i've written PokkeDantsu before. It was my first Umamusume fic. But that gets at my problem with PokkeDantsu as a ship. i wrote that fic out of a desire to see Pokke reciprocate even a little. Dantsu is so fucking pretty and awesome and i was yelling at my screen for Pokke to notice her already. No matter how much i wish she did, it doesn't turn out that way, and on repeated viewings it really became clear. Dantsu's not given the same dynamic with the others that they have with each other. She's the odd one out, the only one of JAMD not to win a leg of the Triple Crown. More importantly—we never see Pokke pursue her the way she does Tachyon, doesn't really even seem to pay her much mind aside from the Derby when she's basically forced to. As a polyship, JAMD would be even worse; Dantsu's one terrified, confused interaction with Tachyon gives me nothing to work with in terms of a relationship and her one conversation with Cafe, while probably containing the most meaningful connection anyone makes to Dantsu, doesn't really have much going for it. And their other interaction was literally in the background of Pokke and Tachy's second conversation. I'm already not a fan of "pairing the spares" when there are more interesting dynamics no one's considering. Given the IRL Dantsu Flame's retirement, being unwanted as a stud and neglected unto his passing, i'm even less willing to accept anything less than careful consideration for the Umamusume counterpart. I've gone back and forth on how I feel the movie represents her, with that in mind, and i think i've coped enough to say it did well. In Dantsu's case especially, paying attention to her in the background and in the quiet moments is really the only way to see her. It really sells the idea of Pokke's determination to beat Tachyon for all it is, her tunnel vision extending to the film itself. Much more importantly it rewards the viewer for looking out for Dantsu, no matter how "minimal" her presence may appear to be. Her spirit burns as brightly as Pokke's. She's caring and incredibly strong. As an underdog and as herself, she's incredibly easy to root for if one has the love to see it. And i don't know. Maybe Dantsu is a good enough sport to not let her feelings about Pokke's aloofness show, but i have a hard time believing she wouldn't feel any type of way about it. Like i've said above, as much of her charm is in her sensitivity, her earnestness, as in her affability. In other words, if it did weigh on her like it weighs on me watching, no one else would ever know. To me, that's just a uniquely horrifying position to be in: trying to be good enough to keep being around someone you really, really like; i believe she deserves better, to be seen and loved for who she is. It's almost too perfect, then, that her One True Pairing lies with a girl who gives it all while rejecting attention. Believe runs as if excelling where no one can see will net her some reward greater than fame… and maybe for her, there is. At least it is true, that her repeated effort is completely selfless. i JUST. i don't think it gets any better than this. two people with completely opposite personalities and ideals being confused by each other and loving each other for it. "I don't understand you but I want to learn everything about you and maybe still be confused. We can laugh about it together." Dantsu learning what kind of person she's not from someone she loves for who she is is a thousand times more interesting than her being paired with the rest of the cast because she's there.