the apothecary diaries does such a great job of portraying how traumatizing it can be to be a victim of pedophilia and grooming, instead of romanticizing it like a lot of anime series do. it is disturbing, it makes audience uncomfortable and disgusted — which is how we mustfeel about pedophilia. you’re not supposed to feel comfortable because it’s ‘normalized’ or 'just fiction’;you’re supposed to feel disgusted.
the creator didn’t make anshi 'fall in love’ with the previous emperor or develop a stockholm syndrome — instead, she took her revenge in the same way he hurt her and other girls, which he deserved. her anger, hatred and disgust towards him are rightly justified and realistic for a victim of pedophilia.
the older palace lady (who might or might not be a ghost) told the girls abt her story as a victim of the previous emperor at the ghost story gathering:
whether or not she was a ghost, she wanted her story to be heard, of how much the victims suffered at the hands of the previous emperor. they were imprisoned for the rest of their lives in the same place that ruined their lives. telling her story might be the only way for her to find peace within herself.
an abuser may die but the trauma he leaves on his victims will last forever. it does not go away.
it’s even presented as a horror story because there’s nothing more terrifying than SA.
(i may have missed a few points but im keeping this brief. thank you for reading my essay!)
I’m going to *remembers suicide is often not a desire for death itself but rather an attempt to radically change one’s life because the current state of being has become unbearable but the person can’t think of any way to change it other than death* kill myself
God I love “We’re enemies, but we’ve been enemies for a long time, which is sort of like being friends.” Great trope.
Especially when it comes with a side of “this OTHER enemy isn’t being your enemy in the right way. I will help you defeat them, so that I can go back to being your primary enemy, your correct enemy.”
