tlovm absolutely nails the characterization of all the ladies of vox machina.
keyleth’s almost whimsical nature being undercut by her crippling anxiety. the moments where she’s free of that anxiety, moments where she doesn’t doubt herself because she needs to save her family. vex’s untrusting nature being challenged by this group of absolute idiots, her unconditional love and trust in her brother, how much she cares when she allows herself to trust people (take the mask off, darling). pike’s internal conflict over the correct way to be a holy person, learning to destroy that perception and allow herself to be both a cleric and a member of the aforementioned group of idiots.
I love how Kota wonders if Naoya is having trouble sleeping, assumes he isn’t and then we get to see that yes, yes he is. Because the real problem that Kota has isn’t the bad luck. It’s the way he assumes everyone about everyone around him and the way he acts and the way he hides himself behind his own assumptions about the people around him. Kota hides behind this fake version of himself that he’s put together and he refuses to show anyone the real him and he doesn’t even understand that about himself.
And the more he tries to hide, the more he panics each time any of his real emotions rears up and shoves past his defenses. Kota doesn’t know how to be himself anymore and he’s convinced that being himself is the part that brings bad luck.
I love all the little growth that he goes through each episode,the way that falling for Naoya is changing him and the way he sees himself and the way he fears himself so much…
I think the best part is that no matter how nervous Kota gets he just keeps on clinging to the penguin that Noaya got him. He might not be sure about his scent, he might be worried about catching feelings for him, but he isn’t letting go of that penguin. He loves that penguin just as much as Naoya thought he would.
And, every so often, he’s actually just the sweetest boy and lets himself be.
Kota, the tsundere disguised as a sunshine who’s really neither of the above but won’t let himself be anything else because he’s so scared of being himself that he can’t bring himself to allow it at all.
