Spoiler An analysis of Misumi Makoto (Tsuki ga Michibiku Isekai Douchuu) [Spoiler is minimal]

It is quite a while that I read that particular novel, so I might remember wrong.
For me he lacks the clinical symptoms of depression. Yes he lacks ambition (which is a common symptom not only for depression) but he shows almost none of the symptoms that follow with a depression (taken from the American Mental Health Institute):

• Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
• Fatigue and decreased energy
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness
• Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism
• Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
• Irritability, restlessness
• Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
• Overeating or appetite loss
• Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment
• Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings
• Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts

He barely has any symptoms of that. Lack of motivation is also a symptom for inferiority complex.

 

If everyone is "beautiful", then they all become average

 

If I remember correctly, they are beautiful for earth standard, his followers didn't consider the normal people beautiful.

 

Ah, that's right, I didn't remember that thank you for the reminder then

 

These are ones which I can pick just from memory.

 

To the first point: I remember him enjoying his archery training and a chapter were he desperately tries to have sex with prostitutes but his followers constantly stop him (should be around chapter 80 or so, only read till around 100) so I count this as a no.
For restlessness I had more the impression that he just wanted to explore the new world he is now living in. Yes he has feelings of emptiness and problems making decisions but these are not symptoms exclusive for depression and they also fall into an inferiority complex.
Usually the key parts to identify a patient with depression for therapists are inability to sleep well, weight change, thoughts of suicide, loss of energy, no motivation and the inability to feel joy. For a quick test each individual symptom gets points how often they appear or how severe they are and a single symptom can not score enough points to be classified as having a clinical depression.

Sorry for personal reasons depression is an important topic for me, so I might be a bit touchy on that subject.

 

I do recognize symptoms of depression myself, and it is an important topic. Different people view the symptoms differently.
The topic hits close to me, but I'm not adverse to arguing anything out.

Earlier chapters his interest in prostitutes didn't seem to be particularly about caring in my eyes, but I guess we just have different views.

You say he wants to explore the world, but I didn't really see Makoto actively care about exploring in the beginning. It just sort of happened after he got connected to Tomoe.

 

I thought he enjoyed exploring but it is a year ago or so that I last read this series, so my memories might not be the most reliable here.

You are right there are many ways to see a depression or to see the symptoms. But for me, Makoto neither has any resembles to my own depressive phases or to any person with depression that I know, so I am a bit biased against him having a depression.

 

One of my biggest reasons to think this, was Makoto is continuously showing apathy to things.

 

It seems I really have to reread the series if I want to discuss on this level.

 

Well, it could be that I am misreading signs which Makoto's shows. But the series is good enough to deserve this sort of analysis and discussion. No matter what, I find Makoto's character well written.

 

I come back to you after I have reread the series. Don't know how far I will read. Will take a day or two.

 

Alright, I'll be interested in your opinions afterwards.
Have fun, I guess?

 

I have now reread the series till chapter 50 or so, the chapters were a lot longer than I remembered them.

In the beginning of the story, Makoto acts depressed, considering what happened to him it seems normal and he even mentions several time, that he tries not to feel depressed.
At least for me, I see a big difference between feeling depressed (feeling down, low or even sad) and having a (clinical) depression (the inability to feel joy or even anything at all). But other people might see this differently.

Is he actually apathic? Around chapter 20 or so, he mentions that he needs a goal and decide to look for the traces of his parents in this world. Later he wants to start a medicine company (to help people), but there is no longer a word a bout his parents. Either his goals changed or he wants to build up a network first.

He is quite aware of the feelings of his followers. So far he complained two time how they try to have sex with him. The first time he notes, that he simply doesn't feel any sexual attraction to them presumably because he knows their real forms. The second time he says, that they are to close and like family for him, to have sex with them. And the one other girl who so far showed a little bit of interest in him, remembers him of his past.

But he really doesn't not have a lot of willpower and desires. I found that there are two ways to see that. First as a side effect of his archery and dispersion of consciousness, I mean that must make some changes in the host. The second is that he reaches a form of temporary enlightenment through his archery. I would see enlightenment as the highest form of self-actualizations in Malsow's hierarchy of needs. He completely fulfilled his highest need and the rest are no longer really important to him, so he seems week willed and without desire to others.
The result of both cases is someone with a week presence in reality (the one elf girl mentions something similar), which is already hinted at in his past several times (nobody remembers him being there). His lack of self and will would also explain why his followers, despite them being the ruled party in their pact, can seemingly control him so much.

Rereading the series, I realized how well written it actually is.
I also found that the theme of mirror or reflections is suspiciously common in the story.
Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto is born from a mirror (at least in one story, thank Wikipedia for that) and blesses Makoto.
Makoto himself is basically a reflection of the bug goddess. While she is a goddess of creation, with the attribute of light and has created the species but not the world itself, Makoto's original main attribute is darkness, has actually created a world but is incapable of creating sentient life. While she is petty, vain , devious and shallow, Makoto on the other hand is very direct, has almost no desires and doesn't seem to judge people based on their beauty. Their appearance is also opposite to each other. Beautiful female versus a ugly?/ordinary male.
Shen the dragon of illusions, is now ruled by illusions (television and especially historical dramas, a reflection of history in it self) herself. On of the reviews of the series, mentions that Mio starts to love cooking. A being formerly ruled by endless hunger, now presents food for others. Both of his followers are quite a twisted reflection of there former self, it might not be a negative transformation but still.
Edit: On the title picture of the nu page, Makoto is also present only in the reflection of the sword.


I think for now I will continue reading it.

 

Thank you for your opinions!
Reading your opinions, it makes sense. If he were to undertake the DAS test, he would likely score normal (around 6-10, I think). So, he's not depressed, just has some symptoms of it.

But that was one of my peeves - people thought it was a poorly written story. I wanted to prompt discussion, because I saw elements which made it quite well written.

 

After rereading the story I can completely understand that.

 

@Dhanaq
Are you up to chapter 179? What's your opinion on Makoto's attitude here? Is there a reflection happening here?

 

He finally snapped. It is is like when you keep ignoring taking out the trash but sooner or later you snapped because you could no longer ignore the smell.

 

I got the same idea, his inferiority complex had already developed even b4 he was sent to another world, I think that his feelings of being inferior (not treated as human) are causing him some stress in another world which is close to your theory of depression.

 

You see that good I see~