You know, maybe the teacher isn’t as bad as I thought. She may have gone psycho but she’s still trying to help him, the mum on the other hand is trying to take him down with her
Interesting details and perspectives all around here.
For instance, Gen has been hoarding cigarettes that he has Reiji buy for him, what it's revealed that his mother is the one that smokes them, which is the same trait his father was depicted doing very early in the series. The only other character that has been shown consistently smoking is Esemori. Perhaps it's where she's picked it up from?
She's also wearing the same dress she had from High School, which indicates that Gen's father had feelings for her since then or knew her since then, (which she outright states) which would imply that it was probably a love triangle situation where she picked Esemori over Gen's dad, which only ended badly.
I think my point about Reiji being the only person she has to live for and the fact she's in denial about him wanting to commit suicide out of his own choosing indicates to me that she's looking for any excuse to make sure Reiji is still around and with her in the town. It's clear she's sacrificed a lot for him and that she's the only son she feels is capable of anything.
Gen's feelings for Reiji and the fact he's known his mom as his father's mistress also adds some complexity, given he's known them both for a very long time and probably associates Reiji with happier memories before his father started sleeping with Reiji's mom, and, if it IS an affair and Gen's dad is married to someone else, the probable abuse Gen faced by his dad as to make sure he wouldn't tell anyone, which makes sense given we know Gen's dad is a man who is quick to anger and to use force.
@Sables
That's some really subtle symbolism, and I like it. I think part of it also is that he probably lives where the walls are really thin and because it's implied Reiji's mom has been doing this with her dad for so long, he probably experienced it from when he was very young, underlying some potential trauma he has around women, which is probably what helped him to realize his attraction to men.
Note also what he said, that isn't just "his" fault, but that "we drove him" to do it, meaning that Reiji's mom is aware of Gen's bullying of Reiji and probably passively facilitated it happening.
I don't think he's murdered anyone, I think she's referring to her last husband "going after" Reiji after they split apart, and which is where Gen's father intervened and ran him out of town. The only part I think that COULD refer to that is the Excavator we see, but I do know if that's direct conformation of much. Though my theory is that
it's said the Lover's Abyss is titled after actual events, so one possibility is that Esemori was cheating on Reiji's mom and tried to commit suicide with her mistresses, and it was Gen's father who buried the body. Alternatively, when Esemori and Reiji's mother split, he could have come back with another woman to get his sons away from her, and she killed her in rage, which the older brother saw (hence his fucked up mental state), and Gen's father buried the body so that she wouldn't get caught. I think those are the two more likely aspects if we presume he buried a corpse of some kind, though this is mostly speculative so take it with a grain of salt.
I told you when Gen found out about Miss Shiba, it was going to raze hell.
Damn. That last panel of Gen in the closet really made me reevaluate his character. He's not a hero. Now I hope we see more of him and perhaps Reiji hinself can see Gen for who he really is.