The world that Shadow Kanji 'creates' to deal with his issue is the Steamy Bathhouse. Subtle, the symbolism isn't always (even Yukiko's Castle, while it took three posts, was still pretty simple), but it also works to explain what the characters are going through, as well as what they haven't faced yet as far as fears and insecurities.
In the case of Kanji, it's played a bit for laughs about his issues with his sexuality and how he's perceived by everyone. Like Yukiko, he's seen as something and his hidden side instantly goes for broke on what it is - Yukiko as the 'damsal/princess' in distress to be 'rescued', and Kanji as the VERY stereotypical homosexual. This also comes through in that the Midnight Channel seems to have warped from simply a place where one sees a blurry image of someone, to something where the Shadows are running TV shows.
Media Influence: Yukiko's Castle (Dating) and Kanji's Bathhouse ('Exclusives')
Both Yukiko and Kanji are the first to really show this off, and as Yosuke said when he first saw the Shadow's 'broadcast', it looked like a tacky show. Specifically, it looks like a low-rent version of "The Bachelorette" or something similar, in which one woman or man is being pursued by a variety of others to become their 'true love'. Yukiko's desire to have someone 'rescue' her creates a show in which she'll find someone worthy of her love.
Kanji's insecurities and confusion about who he does like (I'm guessing that the small, slender guy isn't the first that Kanji was confused about, just the first who actually talked to him) presents itself as an 'exclusive' in which his Shadow goes into a Bathhouse. The nature of the exclusive seems to be to find someone who will join in his 'scandalous' behavior, and who will help him understand gender roles. After all, for a tough guy, he enjoys sewing and creating things that are considered 'girly', and he's questioning his orientation. In this case, his Shadow takes on the role of a 'reporter' who's lines are more from a porno than from an 'exclusive' (so, more late-night 'Skinomax'). What both of them say also shows their repressed feelings and urges, as well as how the media or other ideas have skewed things. Yukiko's Shadow is quick to say she's going to 'score' a 'hot stud' and even admits to be 'stacked' and wearing lacy underwear - she's going to entice a man to 'rescue' her however she can, and inside the Castle, the 'stud' is now a 'prince', going from someone who's simply handsome and sexually pleasing to a more idealized version.
Kanji's Shadow, in contrast, talks about finding someone to explore the "gender barrier" and seek a "subliminal love" as he goes to enter the Bathhouse. While Shadow Kanji does show some of what he really wants (to be accepted despite his interest in 'girly' things), he goes about in a way that is, like many of the other Shadows, to the extreme of what he really feels and believes. He goes into the Bathhouse seeking 'love', but in a more carnal way than Kanji himself might be looking for at the time.
Men Only - Shadow Kanji's Own Misconceptions
As you go through the Bathhouse and later run into Shadow Kanji and his minions, a few things come up - Shadow Kanji is only interested in men, and the voices you hear (implied to be memories or Kanji's inner thoughts) revolve around what is 'manly' and what men do. As I stated before, while Kanji very obviously identifies as male, the fact that he enjoys 'feminine' activities is what ultimately causes some of his issues and his Shadow's misreadings of their own feelings.
Kanji, though a tough guy on the outside and able to fight off whoever he'd like, is overall still worried about what people think of him and this greatly effects his outlook on himself. He's been teased for liking to do 'girly' things (sew, paint, etc) but he's also talked about behind his back by men and women alike. However, Shadow Kanji went with the darker emotions towards women and how they treated him and went to the other extreme - that means he only likes guys and must find a man who accepts him.
Underneath the stereotyping and attacking, Shadow Kanji mostly is looking for someone to accept him no matter what he likes or dislikes, but the Shadow that comes out of Kanji's confusion over liking guys and girls, let alone his social awkwardness that leads to him picking fights or yelling at people, results in the Shadow saying he only likes guys. This means he only wants the guys to accept him, and spends most of the upper levels attempting to flirt with the Protagonist.
Bath houses and public bathing have a VERY LONG HISTORY. Basically any and all bath houses from the ancient world were used in multiple ways, especially for relaxing. Think expensive spa or health club. However, for as long as there have been the types of bath houses where you just went to relax, there has been sex in those bath houses. Wikipedia cites records as far back at the 6th Century BCE, and with various attempts to close bath houses and other areas known for men getting together.
In general, many of the bath houses filled the role of an area for someone to go and have sex with another man - some men might be closeted or not identify as gay or bisexual for a variety of reasons - and for said encounter to be private and anonymous. Bathhouses also served as meeting places and safe havens for homosexual men (and, in some cases, women) during times when homosexuality was not as widely accepted, or are still safe places in countries where homosexuality is not widely accepted. Overall, bath houses tend to be members-only and, thus, exclusive and with a wide variety of rules.
The two main monsters you go up against is one called the Daring Gigas - a larger version of some of the muscular monsters you face off against, who spends most of his time doing wrestler's poses and who's hairstyle reminds me of Hulk Hogan. Like the Knight before him, Gigas is there to show what the Shadow believes the original version wants. In this case, and in the cases of the later Tough Guy and Nice Guy minions who helps the Shadow when it transforms, Shadow Kanji shows that he likes muscular but effeminate men (so, the bara stereotype plays in here a lot) that he believes will accept him for who he is - someone who is similar to him in the sense of being strong and muscular but also who enjoys feminine-coded things. The main thing that Shadow Kanji seems to want, despite his carnal portrayal of it, is companionship and someone who sees him as himself and doesn't judge him for what he likes and his hobbies.
Many of the monsters in the places remain the same, with a few, such as the Officers, added in to possibly relate to the theme. The Knights I only saw in Yukiko's Castle, thus far, and the Officers stay mostly within the Bathhouse thus far. Considering that Dojima knows Kanji through 'work', the officers could also represent what Kanji feels about the police force or those who continually bust him, as well as representing the history that law enforcement has with gay bathhouses (which is to say, a bad one). No matter how awesome some of the officers are, there is always going to be the ones that got into it just for the power, and who will abuse everyone they can.
The bathhouse in general is very straightforward, I think the main conflict in this case is just Kanji's true feelings and his acceptance of them. While Yukiko does deny her 'show' looking like Kanji's, and Yosuke ponders if people are watching the Midnight Channel, resulting in a new question - has the formatting changed because more people are looking at the Midnight Channel, and enjoyed Yukiko's 'Search for Her Prince Charming'? The first two, who had few people watching, seemed to not have any show whatsoever, despite one being a TV Reporter. If the killer did send them in with the intention to kill them, why has the Midnight Channel changed from simply showing the victim in pain or being attacked to now drawing it out?
The Bathhouse is 11 levels, as opposed to Yukiko's ten, and the focus is all on Kanji and his attempt to figure himself out, not to mention accept himself and realize what his true nature is, not to mention find people who will accept him, despite all they saw.
Next Up: Shadow Kanji Analysis
In the case of Kanji, it's played a bit for laughs about his issues with his sexuality and how he's perceived by everyone. Like Yukiko, he's seen as something and his hidden side instantly goes for broke on what it is - Yukiko as the 'damsal/princess' in distress to be 'rescued', and Kanji as the VERY stereotypical homosexual. This also comes through in that the Midnight Channel seems to have warped from simply a place where one sees a blurry image of someone, to something where the Shadows are running TV shows.
Media Influence: Yukiko's Castle (Dating) and Kanji's Bathhouse ('Exclusives')
Both Yukiko and Kanji are the first to really show this off, and as Yosuke said when he first saw the Shadow's 'broadcast', it looked like a tacky show. Specifically, it looks like a low-rent version of "The Bachelorette" or something similar, in which one woman or man is being pursued by a variety of others to become their 'true love'. Yukiko's desire to have someone 'rescue' her creates a show in which she'll find someone worthy of her love.
Kanji's insecurities and confusion about who he does like (I'm guessing that the small, slender guy isn't the first that Kanji was confused about, just the first who actually talked to him) presents itself as an 'exclusive' in which his Shadow goes into a Bathhouse. The nature of the exclusive seems to be to find someone who will join in his 'scandalous' behavior, and who will help him understand gender roles. After all, for a tough guy, he enjoys sewing and creating things that are considered 'girly', and he's questioning his orientation. In this case, his Shadow takes on the role of a 'reporter' who's lines are more from a porno than from an 'exclusive' (so, more late-night 'Skinomax'). What both of them say also shows their repressed feelings and urges, as well as how the media or other ideas have skewed things. Yukiko's Shadow is quick to say she's going to 'score' a 'hot stud' and even admits to be 'stacked' and wearing lacy underwear - she's going to entice a man to 'rescue' her however she can, and inside the Castle, the 'stud' is now a 'prince', going from someone who's simply handsome and sexually pleasing to a more idealized version.
Kanji's Shadow, in contrast, talks about finding someone to explore the "gender barrier" and seek a "subliminal love" as he goes to enter the Bathhouse. While Shadow Kanji does show some of what he really wants (to be accepted despite his interest in 'girly' things), he goes about in a way that is, like many of the other Shadows, to the extreme of what he really feels and believes. He goes into the Bathhouse seeking 'love', but in a more carnal way than Kanji himself might be looking for at the time.
Men Only - Shadow Kanji's Own Misconceptions
As you go through the Bathhouse and later run into Shadow Kanji and his minions, a few things come up - Shadow Kanji is only interested in men, and the voices you hear (implied to be memories or Kanji's inner thoughts) revolve around what is 'manly' and what men do. As I stated before, while Kanji very obviously identifies as male, the fact that he enjoys 'feminine' activities is what ultimately causes some of his issues and his Shadow's misreadings of their own feelings.
Kanji, though a tough guy on the outside and able to fight off whoever he'd like, is overall still worried about what people think of him and this greatly effects his outlook on himself. He's been teased for liking to do 'girly' things (sew, paint, etc) but he's also talked about behind his back by men and women alike. However, Shadow Kanji went with the darker emotions towards women and how they treated him and went to the other extreme - that means he only likes guys and must find a man who accepts him.
Underneath the stereotyping and attacking, Shadow Kanji mostly is looking for someone to accept him no matter what he likes or dislikes, but the Shadow that comes out of Kanji's confusion over liking guys and girls, let alone his social awkwardness that leads to him picking fights or yelling at people, results in the Shadow saying he only likes guys. This means he only wants the guys to accept him, and spends most of the upper levels attempting to flirt with the Protagonist.
Steamy Bathhouse Analysis
In general, many of the bath houses filled the role of an area for someone to go and have sex with another man - some men might be closeted or not identify as gay or bisexual for a variety of reasons - and for said encounter to be private and anonymous. Bathhouses also served as meeting places and safe havens for homosexual men (and, in some cases, women) during times when homosexuality was not as widely accepted, or are still safe places in countries where homosexuality is not widely accepted. Overall, bath houses tend to be members-only and, thus, exclusive and with a wide variety of rules.
The two main monsters you go up against is one called the Daring Gigas - a larger version of some of the muscular monsters you face off against, who spends most of his time doing wrestler's poses and who's hairstyle reminds me of Hulk Hogan. Like the Knight before him, Gigas is there to show what the Shadow believes the original version wants. In this case, and in the cases of the later Tough Guy and Nice Guy minions who helps the Shadow when it transforms, Shadow Kanji shows that he likes muscular but effeminate men (so, the bara stereotype plays in here a lot) that he believes will accept him for who he is - someone who is similar to him in the sense of being strong and muscular but also who enjoys feminine-coded things. The main thing that Shadow Kanji seems to want, despite his carnal portrayal of it, is companionship and someone who sees him as himself and doesn't judge him for what he likes and his hobbies.
Many of the monsters in the places remain the same, with a few, such as the Officers, added in to possibly relate to the theme. The Knights I only saw in Yukiko's Castle, thus far, and the Officers stay mostly within the Bathhouse thus far. Considering that Dojima knows Kanji through 'work', the officers could also represent what Kanji feels about the police force or those who continually bust him, as well as representing the history that law enforcement has with gay bathhouses (which is to say, a bad one). No matter how awesome some of the officers are, there is always going to be the ones that got into it just for the power, and who will abuse everyone they can.
The bathhouse in general is very straightforward, I think the main conflict in this case is just Kanji's true feelings and his acceptance of them. While Yukiko does deny her 'show' looking like Kanji's, and Yosuke ponders if people are watching the Midnight Channel, resulting in a new question - has the formatting changed because more people are looking at the Midnight Channel, and enjoyed Yukiko's 'Search for Her Prince Charming'? The first two, who had few people watching, seemed to not have any show whatsoever, despite one being a TV Reporter. If the killer did send them in with the intention to kill them, why has the Midnight Channel changed from simply showing the victim in pain or being attacked to now drawing it out?
The Bathhouse is 11 levels, as opposed to Yukiko's ten, and the focus is all on Kanji and his attempt to figure himself out, not to mention accept himself and realize what his true nature is, not to mention find people who will accept him, despite all they saw.
Next Up: Shadow Kanji Analysis
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