Let’s touch upon Toudou Gin’s love life, shall we?
Updated as of episode 11
This post focuses mostly on the scattered hints, which imply that Gin held more than platonic feelings for Takako, lurking in the background of episodes 9 and 11. Interestingly enough, these clues largely have to do with or at least include Gin’s ambiguous relationship with Shirase, Takako’s daughter.
The aforementioned signs largely consist of flashbacks which show the audience how Gin interacted with both Takako and Shirase. Many of these flashbacks painted Gin as a distant parent who struggles to understand and communicate with their own kid. Well, biologically Shirase is not Gin’s child, but Shirase’s actual mother was purposefully leaving the two together so they could bond.
Seeing the two stiffly converse with and glance at each other could remind one of how Okazaki Tomoya initially interacts with his child, Ushio.
The most striking flashback, however, occurs right after some of the expedition team members discuss the type of person that Gin admits to being attracted to. Following the group’s vague understanding of and confusion over how Gin’s type is “like a cloud,” the scene immediately transitions to a flashback during which Gin says that clouds are amazing (because they’re always present despite being out of reach) while she, Takako, and Shirase lie in the grass and watch the clouds go by.
On a side note, the trio could definitely pass as two parents and their kid idyllically passing the time together as a family.
One could possibly interpret Gin’s cryptic words to be directed towards Takako, who had gotten pregnant with Shirase at some point and might not have returned Gin’s (possible) affections. However, Gin’s true feelings as a whole are left ambiguous.
Later on, Gin sobs while remembering when and how she heard Takako’s last words while Takako was all alone during a fierce blizzard. A male expedition member was about to approach her in order to confess his feelings at said moment, but upon realizing that Gin was crying he backs off.
Perhaps he was giving her common courtesy by leaving her alone while she was vulnerable. Or perhaps he sensed that the stoic expedition leader was still mourning the loss of someone she had loved very much.
Again, nothing is truly spelled out.
In episode 11, however, Shirase is dubbed the child of Gin and Takako by an expedition team member. In other words, Shirase, according to the aforementioned woman, had and was raised by two mothers.
This sort of image bears a passing similarity to the relationship between Nanoha and Fate since the two women adopt and raise a young girl together. They are, in fact, Vivio’s two mothers. The relationship between Nanoha and Fate are quite blatant despite the lack of on-screen kisses; can the same not apply to Takako and Gin?
Well, possibly not. I imagine some skeptics will claim that the expedition member was saying that Gin was like a mother to Shirase since the two spent a considerable amount of time together. However, that in turn raises another interesting question: why was Gin visiting Takako (and Shirase) so frequently?
At any rate, the ambiguousness of the situation between Gin and Takako will obviously depend on personal interpretation. Some will say it is not explicit and thus doesn’t count. Others will say that Gin is clearly a lesbian. Your mileage, of course, may vary.
What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts!
The Lily Garden 
nice attention to details! I’m sold 😀
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Woo! Glad to see you’re a believer, too!
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I don’t know…. To me, it didn’t feel like Shirase had two moms.
Since I watched weekly, I don’t remember, but after Takako died, did Gin had much contact with Shirase?
I wished I hadn’t deleted the first eps so I could check. Please, someone tell me if they did had a lot of contact.
While I did think Gin had feelings for Takako, to me, it felt much more one sided.
And if their relationship was out in the open to the crew (thanks to that comment about the daughter of Gin and Takako), how come that guy (I call him Kirito due to his voice actor) was thinking of confessing his feelings for Gin? If he had no idea, at least that kitchen lady could’ve hinted him or something.
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People cope with grief in differing ways. Gin and Shirase both ended up not contacting the other following Takako’s death, which makes sense since the audience later finds out that both had strong feelings regarding Takako and the other. Gin was scared that Shirase would never forgive her and and Shirase wasn’t sure how to feel about the entire situation and needed to go to Antarctica to figure out her own feelings.
So no, it seems like they kept each other at arm’s length despite Takako’s earnest attempts to push them together while she was alive.
Perhaps the others didn’t feel like they should or could speak for Gin. So if the guy ever did confess he would hear it straight from Gin and not from an uninvoled third party. But hypothicals are hypothicals.
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“Gin was scared that Shirase would never forgive her”
Even though people grief in many different ways, wouldn’t a mother tried to do something other then grow out of touch due to guilt?
And, considering Gin her second mom, wouldn’t Shirase dish out some anger or act colder to someone who abandoned her in her moment of need?
If you consider the theory, Shirase lost two moms at once.
I wished the anime had given more to this theory, but it feels more wishful thinking. It’s way different than Nanoha, Fate and Vivio. And also Kobayashi, Tohru and Kana.
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I couldn’t agree more with your thoughts. The last few episodes had given me strong vibes that Takako and Gin were more than simply best friends, but co-parents as well. We could only speculate as of episode 10, but after 11, I’d say there is no doubt. There will still be skeptics, but there is nothing that will ever make me see it as otherwise. Thank you for such a great analysis.
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Mmm I agree that it really seems like they were more than just friends. Some people may still be incredulous, but I would say it’s right there for all to see.
Glad to hear you enjoyed the post.
Thank you!
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It’s lovely to have a friend who you can depend on even after disappearing.
This is among many instances of subtle message regarding friendship. Each pair will have it different to the others but for Takkako and Gin, I’d say it’s one of those types where you only need to nod once and everything will happen with the flow.
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Mmmm great points. They really depended on each other and it was great to see.
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