What are we watching: Land of the Lustrous
What’s it about: In the mysterious future, crystalline organisms called Gems inhabit a world that has been destroyed by six meteors. Each Gem is assigned a role in order to fight against the Lunarians, a species who attacks them in order to shatter their bodies and use them as decorations.
Phosphophyllite, also known as Phos, is a young and fragile Gem who dreams of helping their friends in the war effort. Instead, they are told to compile an encyclopedia because of their delicate condition. After begrudgingly embarking on this task, Phos meets Cinnabar, an intelligent gem who has been relegated to patrolling the isolated island at night because of the corrosive poison their body creates. After seeing how unhappy Cinnabar is, Phos decides to find a role that both of the rejected Gems can enjoy. Houseki no Kuni follows Phos’ efforts to be useful and protect their fellow Gems.
Studio: Orange
Director: Kyougoku, Takahiko
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIYgPnSvnCE
Where can I watch it: https://twist.moe/a/houseki-no-kuni-tv/1 , https://nyaa.si/view/991627 , https://cytu.be/r/chapochat (At select times)
I wouldn't say resentment. She loves Bort very very much. She destroys her body in her desire to live up to her role as a diamond, her belief that as a diamond she should be performing as well as Bort performs, she is self-destructive in her desire to live up to her role as well as Bort can. Bort on the other hand, being the most perfectly constructed for fighting, just wants to keep her from taking part, Bort feels an overwhelming sense of responsibility in the role that she takes within this society, so much so that it makes her quite harsh with others, probably not helped by her personality.
The way Diamond talks about Bort, she tends to feel inferior because of how easy she cleaves. A 10 who breaks is hardly a 10 at all. She did mutter about how if only Bort was here, if I'm not mistaken. This sets up a tension between them that will come to a head later.
I'm not sure it's resentment towards Bort for her own ability though. That's her self esteem, her desire to try and be this image of a diamond she has in her head that she should be achieving. Her mental trouble is akin to dysmorphia, a person who would endlessly weightloss or throw up in pursuit of what they think they should be. Her resentment towards Bort, if any, is more like a resentment for Bort not allowing her to support her.
The dysmorphia read is a good one and one I've not considered myself [Edit: after my second watch I was far more comfortable with my nonbinaryness :thonk:]. At episode 2 it is too early to be sure the nature of White Diamond's tension with their relationship with Bort. Bort does care a lot, and is extremely overprotective of both Diamond and the other gems for their keen ability to fight the Lunarians.
I really dont want to color anyone's views on the episode discussions anymore than I have because I've seen the anime and read the manga up to the last translated chapters.
You know more than me then! I'm anime-only. I'll move onto the source materials when it's clear we won't get more anime but we know for a fact that more of this is coming so I've held off.
Hopefully, HOPEFULLY , 2022 will bring a S2. in the meantime strap yourself in,
spoiler
it gets heavy
Ohhh I know. I've seen it a dozen times, I don't think you can get to article-length levels of comments like the one above without a good couple of rewatches.
I am filled with the overwhelming desire to share more. I honestly really am fighting.
<3 thank you for not doing so!