GtTHM's Naoko/space lady subtext ("Does Naoko Shindo is gay?")

[Zarm]

It's not 'not okay'- it just comes off as eye-rollingly contrived at times; heterosexual friendship just doesn't seem to be able to exist in a post-2010 world without something sexual being read into it (just ask Sam Gamgee or Captain America), even in situations where the culture, personality of the character in question, situation, or even established canonical heterosexuality leave no room for any such interpretation beyond the ungrounded wish for there to be something there that clearly isn't. There's a difference between exploring what's there, and fabricating something that isn't there because 21st century culture suggests that it ought to be prevalent. And to some, it is annoying when the culture feels the need to read sex into every relationship; sometimes, a friendship is just a friendship, and a kind word, smile, or gesture, can be made without any sexual intent- just to be kind. But any such thing goes onto celuloid, and- heterosexual, homosexual, or anything else- and somewhere, it's going to get instantly read as sexual desire. It gets tiresome.

[Godzillian]

There's character analysis and then there's trying to make characters gay for no reason.

"There's movie analysis and there's trying to make a movie about a giant rubber dinosaur about nuclear terror."

False equivalency

[TheSecondComing]

It's not 'not okay'- it just comes off as eye-rollingly contrived at times; heterosexual friendship just doesn't seem to be able to exist in a post-2010 world without something sexual being read into it (just ask Sam Gamgee or Captain America), even in situations where the culture, personality of the character in question, situation, or even established canonical heterosexuality leave no room for any such interpretation beyond the ungrounded wish for there to be something there that clearly isn't. There's a difference between exploring what's there, and fabricating something that isn't there because 21st century culture suggests that it ought to be prevalent. And to some, it is annoying when the culture feels the need to read sex into every relationship; sometimes, a friendship is just a friendship, and a kind word, smile, or gesture, can be made without any sexual intent- just to be kind. But any such thing goes onto celuloid, and- heterosexual, homosexual, or anything else- and somewhere, it's going to get instantly read as sexual desire. It gets tiresome.

*Orson Welles clapping gif*

Naoko's preferences aren't an important detail to the story of GTTHM, and thus rather valueless to know. It's kind of like asking if any of our Godzilla characters are bankrupt, or homeowners, or high school dropouts. Could be, but does it really matter?

[tbeasley]

Not coincidentally played by the same actress. I feel Hoshi doesn't get her due, perhaps because she never played the femme fatale role in a sci-fi film or got the sexy roles, unlike Mie Hama (Key of Keys, You Only Live Twice, King Kong Escapes), Akiko Wakabayshi (Key of Keys, You Only Live Twice, Dogora, GtTHM) and Kumi Mizuno (Matango, IoAM, EHoD) , unlike her contemporaries. She is definitely the liveliest of the bunch in Ghidorah.

Yeah Mizuno seems to be the favorite but I've always liked Hoshi.

Yosuke Natsuki is another of the series' underrated actors.

[Bigdog]

It's not 'not okay'- it just comes off as eye-rollingly contrived at times; heterosexual friendship just doesn't seem to be able to exist in a post-2010 world without something sexual being read into it (just ask Sam Gamgee or Captain America), even in situations where the culture, personality of the character in question, situation, or even established canonical heterosexuality leave no room for any such interpretation beyond the ungrounded wish for there to be something there that clearly isn't. There's a difference between exploring what's there, and fabricating something that isn't there because 21st century culture suggests that it ought to be prevalent. And to some, it is annoying when the culture feels the need to read sex into every relationship; sometimes, a friendship is just a friendship, and a kind word, smile, or gesture, can be made without any sexual intent- just to be kind. But any such thing goes onto celuloid, and- heterosexual, homosexual, or anything else- and somewhere, it's going to get instantly read as sexual desire. It gets tiresome.

Look, we're talking about the internet.

The very place that shipped Katara from Avatar the Last Airbender with literally every human being on the TV show. Possibly even Momo. Or the place where all characters are gay, bisexual, nonbinrary or whatever else despite clear evidence to the contrary.

I find it highly annoying that friendships always have to be some sexual thing. If character's with another guy, they're gay. If they're a woman with another woman, they're lesbian. a heterosexual relationship completely aromantic? It must be sexual.

[edgaguirus]

And some people just have a nice, friendly personality. I knew a guy who was free with hugs, gave compliments when not expected, and was very pleasant. He liked everyone, but was straight. Naoko seems like a pretty nice person, though some of her kindness seems to have been to secure the princess as her story. Naoko was just a nice, and ambitious, person.

[Rodan]

I doubt entirely this was the intended reading, but I really want it to be.

Naoko is the Nick Carraway of Godzilla movies.

Seeing as TK on the whole tends to be more than a little bit more reactionary (to put it charitably, politically diverse), I didn't bother posting about it here since I figured the response would probably be muted if it wasn't outright negative, but I'm bored and procrastinating so fuck it, here it is.

What do when want to have a good Godzilla discussion, but think message boards are a much better format than Tumblr?

[HeatUpTheDeathRay]

I doubt entirely this was the intended reading, but I really want it to be.

Naoko is the Nick Carraway of Godzilla movies.

As someone whose online handle in the days of flourishing gay dating websites was "Nick Carraway," you are now my favorite person on this board. Don't you feel lucky?

[omgitsgodzilla]

Love the Nick Carraway analogy. Especially fitting since the Gatsby analogue in this case is prominently shown in one scene staring intently out a window at a light...

[Rodan]

As someone whose online handle in the days of flourishing gay dating websites was "Nick Carraway," you are now my favorite person on this board. Don't you feel lucky?

That's 1) A great name for a gay dating website. 2) A great litmus test.