Talk:Ken Kaneki/@comment-26248049-20151109134237/@comment-10733658-20151109211342

First and foremost, Devorantem, please dial down the condescending tone. You're starting to inch towards being very rude towards others, and it isn't appropriate to insult the intelligence of others or suggest they don't understand the story or believe in unicorns.

That said, I do think you're thinking in terms of complete absolutes and failing to look at the larger picture. Ishida's writing has a great tendency towards shades of grey, and nothing being simple in the long run. Therefore, I think it is more likely and reasonable that over time, Arima has come to feel some genuine affection towards Sasaki. I don't believe this softens the ugly and twisted nature of the relationship between them, nor does it mean that Arima would suddenly betray the CCG or spare Sasaki if called to eliminate him.

But as I've already discussed, there is sufficient thematic material to suggest a far more complex relationship at play. Arima just manipulating Sasaki, without any ounce of something more complicated developing over time, doesn't feel like something Ishida would do.

Consider that Ishida has referenced Carl Jung's work previously, in particular the following quote:

"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed."

You'll forgive me if I don't recall the exact chapter the quote appeared in, but the point remains that this is a theme Ishida has introduced to the series. In particular, it is one of many themes connected to Kaneki and his relationships with others.

Another thing to consider is the Literary References Ishida has connected to Arima. These are Kafka's "A Crossbreed" and "Chirin no Suzu". Both short stories involve a complicated relationship, and suggest tragedy as an eventual outcome.

With all these details, I find it extremely unlikely that Arima's side of things has remained as simple as it began. I don't think anyone is claiming that Arima's motivations were altruistic, or that he had any kindness or love for Sasaki in the beginning. What I and others have expressed is thinking that it is likely that Arima has not been completely unaffected by the years spent watching over Sasaki.

The themes Ishida has introduced in the series support such a conclusion.