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.Welcome.
...to Video, the TAFL.org approved fanlisting for Fujii Wataru, the protagonist and one half of the nearly star-crossed couple from the manga and Boys Love novel series, Sono Yubi Dake ga Shitteiru (or Only the Ring Finger Knows as it's known in English). As one of our favorite manga ever, Amet and I felt the need to proclaim our love in the purest, most visible way -- with a fanlisting of course.
But what is a fanlisting? According to TAFL.org, a fanlisting is "a place for all fans of a particular topic to come together and build the biggest listing of people from all around the world who are fans of that subject." The object is to create a wider sense of community by enabling like-minded fans to express their love for a particular subject though there can be only one approved fanlisting for a particular series/character/etc.
It sort of reminds me of the tag line of a series of action-fantasy movies I'm acquainted with.
.Information.
So who is this Fujii Wataru we keep going on about? Well, if you've read this far, you already know he's one of the main characters for Sobe Yube Dake Shitteiru. When we first meet Wataru, he's an underclassman at Ryokuyo high school, left with the unenviable task of trying to console his best friend over losing a crush. Wataru is your typical high schooler, a well-meaning boy who tries to be there for his friends and admires the object of many a young girl's crush at Ryokuyo, Kazuki Yuichi. Kazuki, known around school as a genteel, kind upperclassman seems to take an instant and uncharacteristic dislike to Wataru much to the younger boy's chagrin and this less than warm reception is made more complicated by the fact they apparently share something in common -- the rings they both wear.
And what's the significance of the rings exactly?
At Wataru's high school, matching rings are an important status symbol. You can give them either to a best friend or a significant other. For a best friend, each person wears a ring on their right middle finger but for a couple, the rings are worn on the left ring finger. For mysterious reasons, the ring Wataru's had for ages matches exactly upperclassman Kazuki Yuichi's, making Wataru a target for the threats and pleas of the female population of the school, all of whom want to have matching rings with the popular Kazuki.
So that's the story, huh? Boy meets boy, boy finds out other boy has matching rings, and they kiss, they schmooze, it's all happily ever after, right?
Um, not quite. There wouldn't be much of a story if it ended that quickly. The road to true love is a lot bumpier for poor Wataru, particularly as Kazuki offers him no help and seems intent on confusing him more than helping him understand what's going on between them. Kazuki's hot-cold approach coupled with the pressure being put upon them both by the student body and Wataru's own issues with Kazuki makes the outcome less than certain though I think Takako puts it best at the end...
"The big boys, they were smooching."
.Name.
What's the deal with the Video motif, you might be thinking?
Yes, naming a fanlisting Video sounds somehow less than poetic, but bear with us for a moment while we explain. Video is actually the name of a song (arguably the best song) off Aimee Mann's concept album, The Forgotten Arm, and it's particularly apt for Wataru's angsty dilemma in the manga version of OtRFK because it captures the essence of that moment in which you realize that whether you like it or not, you can't stop thinking about that special someone and how they affect your life. It's a particularly poignant insight put that simple, poetical way that only Aimee Mann can. (And you thought we hadn't thought about it. XP)
.Rules.
1. Have some love for Wataru, otherwise why are you joining? (Though your website if you have one does not need to reflect that to be listed.)
2. Please fill out the form below entirely. We ask these questions for a reason, and we're not about to do anything strange with your email beyond informing you that you've been added to the members list. And please remember to list your country when filling out the form. If you don't have a web site, just put 'none' or 'na' in the box.
3. If you do list a web site, please take one of the codes below and link back to this fanlisting somewhere on the site. We will be checking on this, as we're required to.
.Join.