Seiya could have easily broken free from Yuko's grasp with his current physical abilities. But he had to act like a child, and the scene of him in danger had clearly affected Yuko, reminding her of the day her sister was attacked. Yuko was only in her early twenties and had lost all her support that day. She now had to pay for her sister's hospital bills and take care of a five-year-old child. To others, Yuko might seem strong, but Seiya knew she often cried in secret. Despite her efforts to be strong, she was just a young woman who hadn't even graduated from college. The pressure she was under was immense, and it was a lot for her to handle.
Seiya sensed Yuko's vulnerability and didn't struggle anymore. He stayed in her arms, enjoying the comfortable seat on her thighs and the soft "chest pillow," and watched the rest of the movie. This was probably one of the perks of being a child.
"Young So-ya's performance was amazing. Let's watch it again!"
"I wonder where the crew found that actor. That kid is a genius."
"The young So-ya was a perfect match for the anime character, but the adult So-ya was so disappointing."
"I know, right? The young So-ya's performance made me excited for the rest of the movie, but the adult So-ya was a disappointment. He had no fighting spirit, and his kendo skills were a joke."
When Seiya and Yuko left the theater, they heard many people talking about the movie. Overall, Seiya's performance had made the movie better, but it had also affected it in a negative way.
Most anime adaptations are romance films, even though action-packed films are more popular. The reason is simple: action films are fun, but they are hard to adapt. The intense fight scenes can be done with special effects if there's enough money, but the actors' movements and skills are hard to find. The male leads in action anime are usually young and handsome, but it's hard to find actors like that in real life. Action actors need years of training, and the young, handsome actors can't pull it off. The older, more experienced actors don't look like young, handsome male leads. This is a vicious cycle that makes action anime adaptations hard to make.
The movie "From Now On, I'll Protect You" had some fighting scenes, but they weren't the main focus. But since Seiya's performance as "young So-ya" was so good, people felt a huge sense of disappointment when they saw the adult So-ya. It's okay to start with a weak character and make them stronger, but it's not okay to do the opposite. When you get people excited and then give them a disappointing ending, they get upset.
In the movie, the adult male lead was supposed to be a strong character, but he was just a pretty face with no fighting skills. He was supposed to be stronger than his younger self, but he seemed weaker. So, the audience was not happy about it.
It had been a few days since the movie's premiere, but people were still talking about it because of Seiya's incredible performance. People who had watched the movie would say, "Young So-ya is amazing!" and those who hadn't would become curious and watch it. They would then come out of the theater saying the same thing. The internet was buzzing with talk about "young So-ya." In just a few days, he became an online sensation.
But while "young So-ya" was a big hit, the movie's ratings dropped. Many people were unhappy with the movie, saying the adult So-ya was terrible compared to the young So-ya. They were also upset that the director didn't give more screen time to the young couple. They said that the two kids were much better actors than the adults.
Every character and crew member in the movie was being criticized, but Kana Arima was one of the few who was praised. She was Seiya's on-screen love interest, and people are more forgiving toward children. Her acting was great for a six-year-old. The adult male and female leads, on the other hand, had terrible acting.
Yuko was proud of all the compliments Seiya was getting online. But Seiya wasn't happy about it. He was a newcomer who had just joined the industry, and he had already ruined the first movie he was in. Would anyone hire him after this?