i think can see the tranfem reading of neihara in this context- how they morph their gender identities/outward expressions based on different social situations and expectations- etc, being a young girl when talking to itou while being vulnerable feelings wise and stuff, but being a man as to hold more power socially and structurally. i also agree with the commenters who said this could be a reading of bpd, or honestly anything you want to.
but i think i resonate with the bpd/mental illness reading of neihara more- to me, their origin story (being physically abused and manipulated by a man obsessed with movies and eventually killing him, then being obsessed with creating a movie/being an 'actor' of their own in real life) mirrors a traumatized perspective/mindview of a victim, particularly one who has experienced repeated severe trauma (in this case physical beatings and emotional manipulation) but then uses what they have 'learnt' or gathered from their own logic to articulate their abuse which permanently changes their behaviour, mindset, ways of dealing with life and trauma and stressors, etc- similar to c-ptsd or personality disorders. but realizing later on they were wrong- in the form of unhealthy coping mechanisms or flawed thinking (acting and making up stories, molding into different roles that fit certain scenarios to produce specific results), then realizing how mentally taxing and damaging it was. but even so, it doesnt seem like neihara is trying to change or stop morphing/lying, again, similar to actual victims who often realize but don't act to improve.
furthermore, the whole attempted rape scene at the start i think could be symbolic of how victims of trauma usualyl become the abusers (cycle of abuse) or internalize/normalize the abusive behaviours that have happened to them- making them feel like a monster, different, disgusting, etc. which could also be why neihara is so attached to itou- usually mentally ill/traumatzied individuals often connect much more to others who they can relate to or assign ideas to people in their head, with the whole attaching/latching onto an individual/projecting like neihara was doing.
the whole ideas of monsters being intrinsic/hidden in this society, whether they're born or created or monsters because they act different, kill, or other things, who is in the right, how similar humans and monsters are and who is in the wrong, is also symbolic to the discussions around trauma/morality to me.
last edited at Apr 3, 2026 11:01AM
