Hello! I was gonna make an follow up video explaining some new thoughts and things I didn't address for Mahiru's case but since "I love you" is so close to coming out- I figured I'd just make a comment explaining! Firstly, some changes to my orginal theory - while I still think the boyfriend was cheating, I don't think Mahiru was the "mistress" this time. What I mean by that, is that it's likely Mahiru lived in the same house as the boyfriend. You can see that between the birdcage and the home in day 16, they both have the same geometric carpets. Also in the very beginning when it shows Mahiru in her pajamas, her room has yellow pillows and in day 16 there's yellow pillows on the couch too. It seems likely to me that they moved in together at some point due to how mahiru's own aesthetic tastes are in the living room at day 16. -I think Mahiru may have been more aware of the cheating This is mostly due to the fact all the milgram cases are connected to social issues and are meant to be morally grey but anyways- certain lines in tihwtilwy can point to Mahiru trying to get her boyfriend to stop going to other women. For example, "Giving you love till the point it drags you, I still get worried please forgive me" is more like "trying to tie you down but you hate it, I'm still worried please forgive me" in the Japanese version. Mahiru "tying" her boyfriend down may be her attempting to stop the cheating by becoming more stricter with him, like for example her saying stuff like "I don't want you hanging out with women I don't know". while it's possessive behavior, it's not unwarranted if she knows he has a tendency to sleep with other women. There's also lines like "when I test you, when we do the breakup ritual" it could imply mahiru is saying stuff like "If you don't stop seeing her, I'm gonna break up with you". Also in day 15 she litterally asks the nobody gets in the way of their relationship. This ties into the next thing which is > the boyfriend probably fell out of love with mahiru and fell in love with another women, which is why he killed himself in the end. Since Mahiru has been devoted so far even while knowing he cheats would probably still stay him even if he didn't love her, but if he leaves then the women he truly loved wouldn't want to get back with him. In that moment of emotional devastation of having no one he loved to go back too, he probably killed himself. Just felt I needed to explain why I thought he would kill himself more. Also obviously his reputation would be ruinined if the other women decided to speak publicly about it. Also if the women he was having an affair with worked at his job, if she exposed him it could've costed him his job. Okay onto addressing stuff I haven't covered in this music video -Mahiru's voice drama In her voice drama, mahiru states her murder wasn't out of jealousy or a grudge; she was just being herself. If mahiru kept trying to push an relationship where she knew the other person was cheating, then wouldn't that murder be considered "just being herself". She kept true to her ideals of love, and it ended in death and emotional harm to herself. I think Mahiru staying with people even if they're bad for her because of her belief of true love may be another moral dillema. Like while the murder itself wasn't exactly in Mahiru's control and the cheater kinda brought it upon himself, Mahiru is still exhibiting toxic traits that will hurt herself. - the s2 teaser trailer In the teaser trailer you can hear Mahiru scream, "don't say "I love you" if you don't mean it... the word love...don't use it". This is the first time we hear Mahiru actually pissed at its presumably at her boyfriend in this context. Even after being brought nearly to death by Kotoko, mahiru still affirms she loves everyone in milgram. So like, what did her boyfriend do to piss her off that bad? Well, probably cheating. She dislikes Mikoto just for having the vibes of a cheater, imagine how'd she feel if someone actually was a cheater. Alright that's all I have to say! Just a few days until "I love you" comes out aaaaa!
@@pinky0329 I think you're referring to me talking about my point about mahiru saying "don't say I love you if you don't mean it" I'm specifically referring to the season 2 teaser trailer movie where we can hear her screaming at somebody, all the other prisoners sound like they're talking to someone else too (probably glimpses of their pasts)
pretty interesting theory in my opinion, and i think it adds more to her story than just being too obsessive. it would explain why the boyfriend felt the need to kill himself (he lost the girl he actually loved) instead of just leaving mahiru (if she was being too obsessive in the relationship) or calling the police (if she was stalking him).
Thank you for your input:> alot of the milgram characters tend to have more nuance with their cases or try to make statements about society (like Yuno touching on the topic of abortion and Japan's view of abortion, or Shidou and view of what it means to be brain dead in japan). I thought alot of the theories of Mahiru were a bit too black and white for my tastes, and cheating in japan is a big societal issue
Hey I’d like to bring up a a different conclusion. While yes the bf can be so emotional that he departs himself, I don’t see that really being something a cheater who knows the risk of being caught doing… but we do have a character here with a drastic and desperate mindset who’s stuck on love being the end all, be all… My thought is maybe Mahiru ended herself. We know from Shidou’s lines that her wounds are self-inflicted, and she mentions that she doesn’t think life is living without love. Es voted her guilty presumably because of her love. But I also think this might be a valid theory because of the MILGRAM light novel. While it’s not about this group of prisoners, it’s about another one of the experiments with another Jackalope and another Es. I only read the unofficial English summary/translation but still [spoilers]every prisoner’s story was intertwined and all of them were dead[spoiler done] I’d also like to bring up the voting pairs as a point to favor my theory. We know that each pairing is meant to discuss two views on a specific topic, like Fuuta and Muu with bullying and Yuno and Haruka with parental figures having “unwanted” children. Since Shidou’s crime is confirmed that he was using his position as a doctor to prematurely end other’s lives for some reasons, maybe Mahiru’s might be the topic of prematurely ending one’s own life?
My theory is, she is obsessed with her crush who turns into her boyfriend. Her love from is overwhelming and I don’t see her trapped in a cage but him. Since the feathers most likely represent the boyfriend. When a bird is in stress their feathers shed, which this can represent the boyfriend being very stressed due to her being obsessed. When the last feather falls she looks terrified, because the last feather shows that he died. He most likely committed suicide, as we can see she didn’t really know how her love was hurtful and he probably felt so trapped and stressed that he committed suicide.
I'd like to say about your point of "I don't her trapped in a cage but him" there's alot of literature that heavily intertwines birdcages and women, and a birdcage being shown in a scene with a married women is meant to show she's "trapped" in her relationship. Also alot of fashion magazines show of their models as birds in cages (showing them as diserable or luxurious in their golden cages) or just use birdcage motifs (like chanel's birdcage earrings and bag, and also Mahiru wears those birdcage earrings in her birthday art). And one of the creators of milgram said they studied up on alot of magazines in order to createa mahiru and her music video So I personally think it's more likely Mahiru is meant to be the one in the cage, or they're both in the cage. Though it's entirely possible your idea is true if we interpret mahiru as the "cat" that snuck into the birdcage, esp the little "grabby cat" hand motion she does (she seems to do that hand pose when she wants to restrain herself from indulging in whatever, like when she waiting for yuno to say it's okay to do her hair). Plus her smile is of a cat's then. So she'd basically the cat that caught the canary (well, bluebird)
I don't think her boyfriend is cheating in this part 0:42 since she wearing a slipper obviously i can only see sneakers (mahiru) and brown shoes ( boyfriend) she also being invited to come to his house additionally her boyfriend is not alcoholic makes me think he's innocent. I have theory that her boyfriend have depression for some reason it's makes me think that's the reason, he's feels super distant and awkward even mahiru describe him not being bright. I don't think mahiru is being denial in their relationship since at S2 teaser as you mentioned in your comment she noticed his feelings not being genuine. l think there some kind of reason why blue feathers are falling out or mahiru being in the cage and other details that have deep symbolism about it. For example, mahiru jumping on a blue feathers have deep meaning about it. Her music video is really full meaning of imagery to be honest. I really doubt about the misconception of timeline on day 2 and 15 0:16. Day 2( I used Google lens) On mornings when something seems like it's about to start, turn it on with a cafe latte. I came to a coffee stand that I saw in a magazine. I kind of yearn for a “go-to place”. Maybe it's because I just arrived in Tokyo, so everything is new and fun. There's nothing more I can say as long as I have a premonition of love. I think around April (Spring) she arrived in Tokyo and Start being a college students it's seems. But In day 15 She celebrate hanami spring festival wearing a yukata (I researched it😅) So it's doesn't make sense she only wearing yukata in new year. I guess it's canon being almost 2 weeks since her music video didn't lie about it. Obviously, it's a part of plot story that music video being generated their mental image. She even defend herself she didn't lie about anything in voice acting trial 2. It's also first relationship she ever had So i don't think she really obsessed with his boyfriend since we didn't see his face at first trial until second trial where she feel guilty about being toxic. As yuno said the audience being assuming about her life story being pity on is similar to what we did to mahiru. To be honest, Our judgement is quite unfair that's why we really need to doubts ourselves sometimes.
Observation: I also notice her music video is kind of weird like the way of shifting between her mind space (in the birdcage) and the story (journal). In day 12, as you observe it's feels kind of creepy and mentioning about not remembering I think there's a opportunity maybe they fought or something happens in that day. Because the way of how dark tone the style and disorganized as you observe in video. In day 14, The camo bag and camo jacket of a boyfriend is very specific if may symbolize he's carry heavy burden and feeling disoriented that he's able to hide in her girlfriend. But the way her boyfriend feels reluctant about going on cinema what if he's hiding something in that day about wanting to undone. It's feels kind a tragic if I'm right that's her boyfriend is depressed and Mahiru know nothing about it even though she seen many sign about it in her context.
My theory was that she kidnapped her boyfriend and left him locked in her home. That would explain why her place looks like a cage and why so many feathers are on her place (the feathers are a symbolism to her boyfriend's sanity). But I really liked your theory and it really makes sense. The only thing that makes me kinda not so fan of this theory is that, in Undercover, it shows Mahiru actively killing Es by asphyxia. Except for Shidou, Mahiru and Amane, everyone else who were actively killing Es by making some physical contact with him had their crime portrayed in their video clips. Haruka was shown killing someone with a stone; Mu has tons of scenes killing her friend XD Mikoto shows the moment he kills a guy under the metro railway; Kotoko shows the aftermath of her fight with the guy who were kidnapping girls; Except for Shidou (Who was actively punching Es), Mahiru and Amane (Probably they didn't show bc she is a child), all of the names above who were shown threatening Es physically had their crimes shown to us in their respectives video clips. Even the characters who didn't killed someone directly had the moment of their crimes being kinda shown in the clips: Yuno pops up her balloon; Futa discovering about the suicide of the girl at the end of his clip; Kazui's wife on their balcony; So I still believe she actually killed him directly by asphyxiating him.
Counter point! Blood is on Es's neck, if Mahiru was choking them then why would there be blood splatter on Es's neck and on the ground. I think the scene is Mahiru attempting to stop an suicide attempt (in which the bf stabbed his own neck) by putting pressure on the wound
I think it's an indirect kill tbh... The cage is more of a symbol of her relationship with her boyfriend. They both feel trapped inside the relationship. Also, I don't think Mahiru is choking Es. I think she is instead clinging onto him even in his last moments.
A lot of your points makes sense but did you listen to Mahiru’s voice drama ? I open to believe in your theory but that single voice drama just don’t fit and contradict your theory ? Like if I remember correctly Es talk about the probability to be link to a logical and current societal situation but Mahiru deny it saying she was just being herself. Maybe you’re right but you didn’t explain that point so that ick me a little… but nice theory overall!
I cam explain! I'm actually working on a vid going in depth about that but basically- Mahiru claims she knows she's a murderer but didn't kill out of jealousy or a grudge, rather it happened due to her being herself. When asked to elaborate, mahiru changes the topic. It's very possible Mahiru didn't process the events in full about what really went down, she was just making dinner for her boyfriend- woke up probably to fighting and then a few days later he was dead. I'd argue that her just making dinner could be considered her being herself. Plus it's always possible Mahiru is playing up her positive nature in her vd. In the teaser movie for milgram season 2, we head Mahiru scream "don't say you love me when you don't mean it (inaudble) don't use the word love" this is probably directed at her boyfriend, so it's very possible she was very upset at the cheating but since his death she choices to idolize him and mask her dissatisfaction with toxic positivity and "that's just love!"
![MILGRAM / Mahiru - Love is mine [The First Trial Voice Drama | English Subs]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/MdB7_L_jT4g/mqdefault.jpg)
![MILGRAM / Mahiru - Love is mine [The First Trial Voice Drama | English Subs]](/img/tr.png)
Hello! I was gonna make an follow up video explaining some new thoughts and things I didn't address for Mahiru's case but since "I love you" is so close to coming out- I figured I'd just make a comment explaining!
Firstly, some changes to my orginal theory
- while I still think the boyfriend was cheating, I don't think Mahiru was the "mistress" this time.
What I mean by that, is that it's likely Mahiru lived in the same house as the boyfriend. You can see that between the birdcage and the home in day 16, they both have the same geometric carpets. Also in the very beginning when it shows Mahiru in her pajamas, her room has yellow pillows and in day 16 there's yellow pillows on the couch too. It seems likely to me that they moved in together at some point due to how mahiru's own aesthetic tastes are in the living room at day 16.
-I think Mahiru may have been more aware of the cheating
This is mostly due to the fact all the milgram cases are connected to social issues and are meant to be morally grey but anyways- certain lines in tihwtilwy can point to Mahiru trying to get her boyfriend to stop going to other women.
For example, "Giving you love till the point it drags you, I still get worried please forgive me" is more like "trying to tie you down but you hate it, I'm still worried please forgive me" in the Japanese version. Mahiru "tying" her boyfriend down may be her attempting to stop the cheating by becoming more stricter with him, like for example her saying stuff like "I don't want you hanging out with women I don't know". while it's possessive behavior, it's not unwarranted if she knows he has a tendency to sleep with other women. There's also lines like "when I test you, when we do the breakup ritual" it could imply mahiru is saying stuff like "If you don't stop seeing her, I'm gonna break up with you". Also in day 15 she litterally asks the nobody gets in the way of their relationship. This ties into the next thing which is
> the boyfriend probably fell out of love with mahiru and fell in love with another women, which is why he killed himself in the end.
Since Mahiru has been devoted so far even while knowing he cheats would probably still stay him even if he didn't love her, but if he leaves then the women he truly loved wouldn't want to get back with him. In that moment of emotional devastation of having no one he loved to go back too, he probably killed himself.
Just felt I needed to explain why I thought he would kill himself more. Also obviously his reputation would be ruinined if the other women decided to speak publicly about it. Also if the women he was having an affair with worked at his job, if she exposed him it could've costed him his job.
Okay onto addressing stuff I haven't covered in this music video
-Mahiru's voice drama
In her voice drama, mahiru states her murder wasn't out of jealousy or a grudge; she was just being herself. If mahiru kept trying to push an relationship where she knew the other person was cheating, then wouldn't that murder be considered "just being herself". She kept true to her ideals of love, and it ended in death and emotional harm to herself. I think Mahiru staying with people even if they're bad for her because of her belief of true love may be another moral dillema. Like while the murder itself wasn't exactly in Mahiru's control and the cheater kinda brought it upon himself, Mahiru is still exhibiting toxic traits that will hurt herself.
- the s2 teaser trailer
In the teaser trailer you can hear Mahiru scream, "don't say "I love you" if you don't mean it... the word love...don't use it". This is the first time we hear Mahiru actually pissed at its presumably at her boyfriend in this context. Even after being brought nearly to death by Kotoko, mahiru still affirms she loves everyone in milgram. So like, what did her boyfriend do to piss her off that bad? Well, probably cheating. She dislikes Mikoto just for having the vibes of a cheater, imagine how'd she feel if someone actually was a cheater.
Alright that's all I have to say! Just a few days until "I love you" comes out aaaaa!
mahiru ssid love you doesnt matter because she got voted guilty and jackalope said she lost her reason to live which is love
@@pinky0329 I think you're referring to me talking about my point about mahiru saying "don't say I love you if you don't mean it" I'm specifically referring to the season 2 teaser trailer movie where we can hear her screaming at somebody, all the other prisoners sound like they're talking to someone else too (probably glimpses of their pasts)
pretty interesting theory in my opinion, and i think it adds more to her story than just being too obsessive. it would explain why the boyfriend felt the need to kill himself (he lost the girl he actually loved) instead of just leaving mahiru (if she was being too obsessive in the relationship) or calling the police (if she was stalking him).
Thank you for your input:> alot of the milgram characters tend to have more nuance with their cases or try to make statements about society (like Yuno touching on the topic of abortion and Japan's view of abortion, or Shidou and view of what it means to be brain dead in japan). I thought alot of the theories of Mahiru were a bit too black and white for my tastes, and cheating in japan is a big societal issue
Hey I’d like to bring up a a different conclusion. While yes the bf can be so emotional that he departs himself, I don’t see that really being something a cheater who knows the risk of being caught doing… but we do have a character here with a drastic and desperate mindset who’s stuck on love being the end all, be all…
My thought is maybe Mahiru ended herself. We know from Shidou’s lines that her wounds are self-inflicted, and she mentions that she doesn’t think life is living without love. Es voted her guilty presumably because of her love. But I also think this might be a valid theory because of the MILGRAM light novel. While it’s not about this group of prisoners, it’s about another one of the experiments with another Jackalope and another Es.
I only read the unofficial English summary/translation but still [spoilers]every prisoner’s story was intertwined and all of them were dead[spoiler done]
I’d also like to bring up the voting pairs as a point to favor my theory. We know that each pairing is meant to discuss two views on a specific topic, like Fuuta and Muu with bullying and Yuno and Haruka with parental figures having “unwanted” children. Since Shidou’s crime is confirmed that he was using his position as a doctor to prematurely end other’s lives for some reasons, maybe Mahiru’s might be the topic of prematurely ending one’s own life?
My theory is, she is obsessed with her crush who turns into her boyfriend. Her love from is overwhelming and I don’t see her trapped in a cage but him. Since the feathers most likely represent the boyfriend. When a bird is in stress their feathers shed, which this can represent the boyfriend being very stressed due to her being obsessed. When the last feather falls she looks terrified, because the last feather shows that he died. He most likely committed suicide, as we can see she didn’t really know how her love was hurtful and he probably felt so trapped and stressed that he committed suicide.
I'd like to say about your point of "I don't her trapped in a cage but him" there's alot of literature that heavily intertwines birdcages and women, and a birdcage being shown in a scene with a married women is meant to show she's "trapped" in her relationship. Also alot of fashion magazines show of their models as birds in cages (showing them as diserable or luxurious in their golden cages) or just use birdcage motifs (like chanel's birdcage earrings and bag, and also Mahiru wears those birdcage earrings in her birthday art). And one of the creators of milgram said they studied up on alot of magazines in order to createa mahiru and her music video
So I personally think it's more likely Mahiru is meant to be the one in the cage, or they're both in the cage.
Though it's entirely possible your idea is true if we interpret mahiru as the "cat" that snuck into the birdcage, esp the little "grabby cat" hand motion she does (she seems to do that hand pose when she wants to restrain herself from indulging in whatever, like when she waiting for yuno to say it's okay to do her hair). Plus her smile is of a cat's then. So she'd basically the cat that caught the canary (well, bluebird)
wait this actually makes so much sense!!!
also yes mappi inno sweep!!!!1
I don't think her boyfriend is cheating in this part 0:42 since she wearing a slipper obviously i can only see sneakers (mahiru) and brown shoes ( boyfriend) she also being invited to come to his house additionally her boyfriend is not alcoholic makes me think he's innocent. I have theory that her boyfriend have depression for some reason it's makes me think that's the reason, he's feels super distant and awkward even mahiru describe him not being bright. I don't think mahiru is being denial in their relationship since at S2 teaser as you mentioned in your comment she noticed his feelings not being genuine. l think there some kind of reason why blue feathers are falling out or mahiru being in the cage and other details that have deep symbolism about it. For example, mahiru jumping on a blue feathers have deep meaning about it. Her music video is really full meaning of imagery to be honest.
I really doubt about the misconception of timeline on day 2 and 15 0:16.
Day 2( I used Google lens)
On mornings when something seems like it's about to start, turn it on with a cafe latte.
I came to a coffee stand that I saw in a magazine. I kind of yearn for a “go-to place”. Maybe it's because I just arrived in Tokyo, so everything is new and fun. There's nothing more I can say as long as I have a premonition of love.
I think around April (Spring) she arrived in Tokyo and Start being a college students it's seems. But In day 15 She celebrate hanami spring festival wearing a yukata (I researched it😅) So it's doesn't make sense she only wearing yukata in new year. I guess it's canon being almost 2 weeks since her music video didn't lie about it. Obviously, it's a part of plot story that music video being generated their mental image. She even defend herself she didn't lie about anything in voice acting trial 2. It's also first relationship she ever had So i don't think she really obsessed with his boyfriend since we didn't see his face at first trial until second trial where she feel guilty about being toxic. As yuno said the audience being assuming about her life story being pity on is similar to what we did to mahiru. To be honest, Our judgement is quite unfair that's why we really need to doubts ourselves sometimes.
Observation:
I also notice her music video is kind of weird like the way of shifting between her mind space (in the birdcage) and the story (journal). In day 12, as you observe it's feels kind of creepy and mentioning about not remembering I think there's a opportunity maybe they fought or something happens in that day. Because the way of how dark tone the style and disorganized as you observe in video. In day 14, The camo bag and camo jacket of a boyfriend is very specific if may symbolize he's carry heavy burden and feeling disoriented that he's able to hide in her girlfriend. But the way her boyfriend feels reluctant about going on cinema what if he's hiding something in that day about wanting to undone. It's feels kind a tragic if I'm right that's her boyfriend is depressed and Mahiru know nothing about it even though she seen many sign about it in her context.
My theory was that she kidnapped her boyfriend and left him locked in her home. That would explain why her place looks like a cage and why so many feathers are on her place (the feathers are a symbolism to her boyfriend's sanity). But I really liked your theory and it really makes sense.
The only thing that makes me kinda not so fan of this theory is that, in Undercover, it shows Mahiru actively killing Es by asphyxia. Except for Shidou, Mahiru and Amane, everyone else who were actively killing Es by making some physical contact with him had their crime portrayed in their video clips.
Haruka was shown killing someone with a stone;
Mu has tons of scenes killing her friend XD
Mikoto shows the moment he kills a guy under the metro railway;
Kotoko shows the aftermath of her fight with the guy who were kidnapping girls;
Except for Shidou (Who was actively punching Es), Mahiru and Amane (Probably they didn't show bc she is a child), all of the names above who were shown threatening Es physically had their crimes shown to us in their respectives video clips. Even the characters who didn't killed someone directly had the moment of their crimes being kinda shown in the clips:
Yuno pops up her balloon;
Futa discovering about the suicide of the girl at the end of his clip;
Kazui's wife on their balcony;
So I still believe she actually killed him directly by asphyxiating him.
Counter point! Blood is on Es's neck, if Mahiru was choking them then why would there be blood splatter on Es's neck and on the ground. I think the scene is Mahiru attempting to stop an suicide attempt (in which the bf stabbed his own neck) by putting pressure on the wound
I think it's an indirect kill tbh... The cage is more of a symbol of her relationship with her boyfriend. They both feel trapped inside the relationship.
Also, I don't think Mahiru is choking Es. I think she is instead clinging onto him even in his last moments.
she's literally me...
Yall gotta look at the desc ngl
A lot of your points makes sense but did you listen to Mahiru’s voice drama ? I open to believe in your theory but that single voice drama just don’t fit and contradict your theory ? Like if I remember correctly Es talk about the probability to be link to a logical and current societal situation but Mahiru deny it saying she was just being herself. Maybe you’re right but you didn’t explain that point so that ick me a little… but nice theory overall!
I cam explain! I'm actually working on a vid going in depth about that but basically-
Mahiru claims she knows she's a murderer but didn't kill out of jealousy or a grudge, rather it happened due to her being herself. When asked to elaborate, mahiru changes the topic. It's very possible Mahiru didn't process the events in full about what really went down, she was just making dinner for her boyfriend- woke up probably to fighting and then a few days later he was dead.
I'd argue that her just making dinner could be considered her being herself.
Plus it's always possible Mahiru is playing up her positive nature in her vd. In the teaser movie for milgram season 2, we head Mahiru scream "don't say you love me when you don't mean it (inaudble) don't use the word love" this is probably directed at her boyfriend, so it's very possible she was very upset at the cheating but since his death she choices to idolize him and mask her dissatisfaction with toxic positivity and "that's just love!"
Just like me ,,,
so why she is a criminal?
In milgram it isn't about if they're "criminals" by law, they just have to be involved in someone's death