Sub-plot: The "Instant-Super-Strength Sex-Change Potion

Rhea-sama · Sub-plot: The "Instant-Super-Strength Sex-Change Potion

So the question everyone asks... Why does Watari want to make one?

Is he a pervert? Did he just watch too much Ranma 1/2? Is he just a freak? Is he a transsexual? XD

I don't know if I see Watari as being.. genuinely interested in permanently changing his gender. I like to think of him a little bit of a Romantic, wanting to experience everything at least once.. and as he does say the vasty difference between men and women is a huge abyss. And we all know scientists hate having to leave anything unknown x3

(I see Watari a little bit like a Modern-day Dr. Faustus, seems strangely accurate somehow.)

Though one that I've been toying with lately in my head.. has less to do with gender and all to do with.. perhaps a darker side of Watari.

He is a little.. immoral when it comes to his experiments, and I think he hates, even resents being wrong, to the point of not being able to see when he is. (*files that away for a wonderful hamartia/tragic flaw later on*)

So my theory as of late is this: Watari is idealistic, in that he believes science(/alchemy) can do anything, and he won't take no for an answer. His desire to create a potion to change one's gender stems from some kind of arrogance and total need to prove his mastery over the universe and mother nature. Furthermore, he's always craved that sort of absolute power over reality itself. (Or alternatively to prove himself an equal to people like Tatsumi and Tsuzuki--though he's not weak in my view..)

.....Or am I just reading too much into this and is it some sort of silly, gag thrown in by Matsushita to break up the angst now and then? XDDD

Or did he just get the recipie.. "Six years" ago. ("If I give up now six years of research will be..." vol. 6) and now just.. won't give up until it's finished? As a matter of principle?

("Actually I found it and it just looked interesting" also vol 6 I think XD)

Jani_chan

XD I <3 you, Rhea. Unfortunatly I can't really say much to this, as I'm not all that good at reading into Watari. He's a mystery. But you've brought up many good points that I'd like to discuss...once my head isn't in shambles anymore^^;;

lol Go Rhea^^

pyro_o

Waifu. Love you to bits and pieces until Watari sews you back up again. 8D

I think he found it somewhere in a very, very, very old book and tried to recreate it- in the obviously failed experiments you see in the books. But that could be just me. =X

HOWEVER

The Sex Change Potion is a great tactic into breaking up angst, yes.

8DD

Rhea-sama · My leg is asleep

XDD

Thanku waifu.

pyro_o

*nod*

anytime, dearest. XD

Veleda

I don't think Watari is transsexual, though I've often toyed with writing him that way. He seems very light hearted about his sex-change formula, which he proably wouldn't be if he needed it to make him feel whole.

I think Watari wants to do discover everything, and do the strangest things he can think of. Plus, he wants to keep himself entertained.

admin

I think the fact he chose a sex changing potion would mean that there's some interest in gender specifically somewhere since he seems so interested in the female sex. The fact that women seem so puzzling to men probably makes him wanna crack us even more or something, they always say it in anime and manga, men and women, so different, puzzling, yada yada yada.

He's determination is defintely coming from a scientific point, that is, he probably does wanna beat nature, that there's an arrogant desire to prove something, it's a very scientist thing isn't it.

Third point, so that's, gender interest, unethical-ness, aaaand oh yeah personality.

We know it, it doesn't matter the depth of issues, people or emotions involved, Watari loves a challlenge, sometimes I think he see's life as one big challenge to beat, overcome and crack. In the devils trill, he seemed more interested in cracking that code than Hijiri's suffering, more interested in how amazing Sagatanus turned out to be then the fact he was blowing them away, it's just he's personality, it's not that I think he doesn't care, it's just where he's interests lie and he's lightheartedness.

So the challenge itself must be so appealing. Because, that's just so Watari.

Thats my three done.

Again I'm just throwing idea's around, catch whatever you want.

I'm curious to other peoples opiniuons though.

Rhea-sama

Oh~! I bet I know what another part of it is, I'd sort of forgotten this half-lurking thought, but Coco's post made me remember.

It's probably also has to do with the fact that there's only so much uncharted territory left, and this is one of those things left in the black and gray. (Though there are plenty of other things to discover too, but one thing at a time ^^)

pyro_o

I guess that it's safe to say the sex-changing potion has become a running joke in the entire series. Even in volume four, when they ask where Watari isn't there for New Year's, they say "It's that experiment" or sth like that. *does not have the book with her right now*

However. I suppose that it's one of the mysterious qualities that set the men from ladies apart. I think sth happened to him. XD

Romantically. XDD

Rhea-sama

Yes they do. And maybe it was because Watari couldn't understand some lady, he decided he would do what it took so he could--Watari is not known for doing things by halves after all XD

pyro_o

YEAAH. SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

XDDDDD

admin

pyro_o

*curtsies* thank you, dearest. XDD

laustic

I've just assumed that Watari was trying to create a sex changing potion out of scientific curiousoity but who knows, maybe there is something deeper to his need for this experiment to work. We don't know his back story so really, we can come up with just about any theory we want.

pyro_o

which is exactly why we have this thread! XD

still. it's a nice thing to think about- young Watari in love.. and BOOM. something happens, and he wants to make a sex change potion to figure out the workings of the female mind.

yep. XD

Rhea-sama

Actually, I can see it the other way around.. Watari being all studious and nerdy and unconsciously attractive... and.. this girl! She keeps hanging around him and like.. when she talks to him she just.. doesn't say anything. She just talks about nothing! What the heck?! *confuzzled Watari*

admin

Rhea-sama

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had a sudden idea while RPing with Jani and P-chan..

I think it would be kind of heartbreakingly cute but sad if Watari wanted a sex-change potion to see what a daughter of his might look like.

pyro_o

then.. how'd it matter? how could a dead person have a kid? Oo;

Rhea-sama

Later in the Nagare-Arc Watari and Tatsumi are talking about children and Tatsumi asked him if he would want a boy or girl. While they agreed it didn't matter either way and that children should be celebrated no matter the gender, Watari did admit that he would have liked to have a daughter.

Paurie

And this puts a cute image of Watari christmas shopping in a toy store go through my mind. XD

admin

I think the daughter thing could just be another indication of Watari's baffling interest in the opposite sex. But I have to admit, that would be cute if it was to replace the sense of loss brought about by the disapperence of a female family member, or the desire for a female family member like a little daughter or niece.

pyro_o

well yeah. but how's a dead person gonna have a KID, though? or is the child half-shinigami, or a variation of that? or does Watari just clone a girl? I dunno. Oo;

Rhea-sama

No, no, no, I think you're missing the point JiHye--it's because he ((presumably)) can't have a daughter is why he'd want to do something like that--to see what she might have looked like perhaps. You know.. like playing pretend, only fleshing it out and making it real. Like Coco said, some kind of replacement for something lost.

Or maybe his mom/parents were crazy and really wanted a girl and made him wear dresses when he was little XD

pyro_o

ohhh. *nods*

8D;

Paurie

Watari.... daughter... *thinks of Rikku from FFX* X3

Rhea-sama

Sub-plot: The "Instant-Super-Strength Sex-Change Potion

My leg is asleep