cw: discussion of gender identity, homophobia, transphobia
Oh nuh-uh, this isn’t a weird question at all, Nico’s gender is still something I’m not too sure about. I wanna preface this by saying that I’m cis so please don’t be afraid to call me out if anything I say is upsetting or offensive, and feel free to add to this with more informed thoughts. I use ‘they/them’ pronouns when referring to Nico and I take them to be non-binary.
Based on a couple of things, it’s been my understanding that Nico primarily identifies as male – just as an example, they specifically tell Yomo they’re a man rather than a woman (credit to @randomthoughtpatterns for this translation):
Itori also claims that they’re “only a man in the face” which would suggest to me that Nico might be a trans man* (this would be a really problematic thing to say imo but I’m not Japanese and I’m conscious that social/cultural differences affect how these things are received, and each translation is obviously coloured by the experiences and understanding of the translator):
Homophobic slurs have been used in reference to them several times (by Itori here, by Ayato, by Seidou… also by Yamori I think?) and they’ve always suggested Nico is mlm. They never seem to challenge this.
That said, they were featured in the @tgcalendar2016 for ‘Okama Day’, which I’ve also seen translated as Transgender Day:
As far as I know, ‘okama’ is a pretty broad umbrella term which includes people with various sexual and gender identities; people who are gay or bi, people who are trans, people who are gender non-conforming, cross dressers, even cis men who behave in ways which are traditionally coded as feminine. I think it’s often used as a derogatory slur (this seems to be how Yomo uses the term in the omake) but people in the LGBTQ community reclaim it, similarly to the word ‘queer’. Please correct me if I’m wrong!
Ishida also includes Nico in the calendar’s female character series:
Aaaaand, Furuta refers to them as ‘nee-san’ (big sister) which, again, Nico seems totally fine with:
So, yeah, I think it’s pretty normal to be confused and I’m not surprised to see that people have different interpretations. I think non-binary.
* I checked the TG Wiki and it lists Nico’s sex as male but there wasn’t a source linked. This is usually listed in the character profiles that come with each volume, and I’m pretty sure Nico’s is in volume 7, but I couldn’t find it to double check, sorry!
Concerning the wiki, we looked to Japanese LGBT sources and one of our Admin’s familiarity with the Japanese language.
In Japan, people in general still consider Drag Queens, Gay men, and Transwomen to be the same thing. The terms are used interchangeably, particularly when it relates to fictional stuff. So there is a lot of confusion when it comes to translating these things for Western audiences.
Nico is an excellent example of this blurring of different categories, based on the typical language and ideas assigned to the LGBT community by the average Japanese person.
Okama Day is a good example of how most of Japanese society if out of sync with the different types of LGBT people. It was decided without any sort of consultation of the LGBT community, mashing together all the different types in a fairly offensive manner. There have been efforts to change this, because it is considered insulting to the LGBT community.
Feminine terms such as “Neesan” are commonly used in the Gay community, and do not indicate someone identifies as a woman. Both Drag performers and flamboyant gay men use it to refer to each other, while Transwomen may shy away from these terms associated with gay men.
I would hesitate to call Japan “behind” the Western world in terms of LGBT issues, because it is a different culture with its own history and pre-Colonial ideals. It doesn’t quite match up neatly to Western LGBT politics, and makes it really hard to translate across cultures and languages.
Nico’s portrayal is pretty standard for a flamboyant gay man in Japanese media. This includes using feminine terms, and being called an “Okama” by others. It’s a stereotype, one that persists in Japanese media and causes a lot of confusion for us Westerners that know the difference between gay dudes and transwomen.
“Okama are men; they may or may not crossdress, they may or may not use make-up, they use stylized female speech and female gestures, but they don’t identify as women. I mean, going back to Tokyo Ghoul, you can call Nico “girl”, just as some gay men call each other “girl”, but if you seriously call him a woman or transgender, you’d be insulting him and perpetuating harmful stereotypes.”
Well, I think I went a little overboard with this @midnight-in-town but this is my Kuro OTP so XD
Who is more likely to catch a cold? Neither really but Claudia once fell ill with pneumonia a week before Valentine’s Day and Undertaker thought it’d be the most romantic thing in the world to “pop in” while she was half-comatose:
“Why the bloody hell are you here?” Claudia half-croaked, propped up by pillows and covered by waves of heavy comforters.
The mortician grinned. “Well lovey, don’t you look uncomfortable. Skin like wax, eyes like blue stars.”
She wrinkled her nose. “The second part toed the line between flattery and poetry. The first was downright insulting.” She coughed. “After all, wax? What woman wants to be compared to wax?”
“What would you have me compare you to?” He scuttled over to her bedside, hands hidden by long black sleeves and a wide, taunting grin on his lips.
Yet his eyes, still half-obscured by the long silver hair, fell away just enough for Claudia to catch a glimpse of amused lime green.
She scoffed (mentally, of course. It was rather an ordeal to scoff when one’s throat was choked up and she had no intention of listening to Undertaker’s “frog got your tongue” jokes) and made a grab at one of his drooping black sleeves. “So long as your here you might as well make yourself useful.” She sniffed, giving a futile tug. “I’m cold.”
“What a coincidence,” he crowed cheerily, “I’m feeling a bit chilly myself, Countess.”
“No you’re not.” She patted the space next to her. “Sit down.”
“You’ll stab me with one of your sabres.”
“Does it look like I’m holding any sabres at the moment?”
“Move your duvet and we’ll see—“
“I’m lying here with pneumonia and you want to see if I’m naked?”
“Just exercising my due diligence, love.” He replied loftily before lunging forward, face suddenly inches from hers. “Even in this light,” he chuckled, “you’re still lady fairest.”
Claudia blinked, skin pale and clammy while a reluctant flutter of her heartbeat
echoed through the still room.
“Well,” she sniffed, “that’s a lovely sentiment but not particularly helpful. I’m still freezing, so either fetch me a blanket or share your body heat.”
Who hogs the blankets? Claudia. The Undertaker stays awake, memorizing the planes and contours of Claudia’s face. It’s one of the few moments in his life where he feels completely and absolutely serene.
Who kills all the flowers? Neither—Undertaker knows every flower field in England while Claudia jumped on the conservation bandwagon early on. Her favorite flowers are pink peonies, irises, and indigo hued anemones.
Who eats all the candy before Halloween? Surprisingly, Claudia. She has a wicked sweet tooth and has a terrible fondness for chocolate covered toffee. In fact, it got the point where Undertaker took to hiding the candy in various places in his workshop. (“I must save lovey, I should do this more often! You’ve never looked less dignified then when you were climbing over urns and ladders in a desperate attempt to locate a bit of toffee.” He laughed gleefully as Claudia shot him a glare, a bit of milk chocolate still smudged on her lower lip.)
Who takes the longest showers? Undertaker. Whenever Claudia forces him to take a bath (or shower) he stays in there for as long as Claudia’s patience will allow. (He knows that she’ll get irritated when he doesn’t come out in twenty minutes and will most likely barge into the bathroom herself, demanding he stop dawdling and get dressed already. —> He really likes watching her cheeks flush the prettiest shade of pink when she realizes he’s still naked.)
Who goes to bed at 5am but wakes up at 8am? Claudia. Being a woman of considerable power and responsibility in a patriarchal society left no room for error. Claudia (always a perfectionist) made sure her work was absolutely pristine before presenting it to her majesty or fellow business associates. It’s one of the things Undertaker loves about her: Claudia’s iron-willed resolve and infinite capability to get what she wants.
Who makes sure the other has a healthy breakfast? Undertaker. While his diet may consist of biscuits, cake, and peppermint humbugs, he always leaves scraps of paper lying around Phantomhive Manor reminding Claudia to “eat some of those funny look legumes—I’ve heard they’re good for your hair.”
What pets do they have? One of Undertaker’s customers was so impressed by his handiwork that he gifted him with a pet alligator. Undertaker took it home to Claudia and they named it Percy. It lived in the Phantomhive lily pond for 29 years.
Wedding
Who proposes? Due to Claudia’s status as the Queen’s Watchdog, successor of the Phantomhive name, and countess of the Phantomhive domain, she was expected to marry a man of equal or superior status. Thus, any relation with a no-name Undertaker was expressly forbidden but that didn’t stop him from proposing. (“Come love, what say you? Shall we live in sin for a little while now?” He smiled, holding out one slim, pale hand.) —> This was also how Undertaker got his diamond fleur-de-lis ring. It was a gift from Claudia, who told him: “This is typically the ring that belongs to the Phantomhive countess but since you already have me, I suppose it’s only fitting that you possess the matching jewelry as well.”
Who actually enjoyed the planning? No planning involved!
Would their wedding be small or grand? It was a very small, very intimate, very illegal affair held in the dead of night, under a moonless sky, in Claudia Phantomhive’s white rose garden. She was dressed in a simple gown of ivory chiffon and he was in his usual robes. (“The vows I make to you will not be heard by anyone except us two,” the Undertaker murmured quietly, “but these will also be the truest words I have ever spoken. Do you know how much I adore you, sweetling?” He brushed away a lock of her cobalt blue hair, hands caressing her porcelain jaw. “Just us,” he smiled, voice heavy with the weight of emotion, “and our child.”)
Which guest was happiest to see them get married? Tanaka. He was the only witness present and while he does not trust the Undertaker, while he is not particularly fond of the Undertaker, he knows one thing: that this strange silver-haired mortician loves Claudia Phantomhive more than the air he breathes, more than the answers he seeks, and more than the world itself.
Children
How many children would they have? Two, a boy and a girl 😉
Would they adopt or have them naturally? Naturally—with Undertaker positively giddy at the prospect of becoming a father, watching their child grow, and knowing that he would finally, at long last, have a family. (“Undertaker, dearest—you have to stop trying to monitor the baby’s movements. There are still four months to go.” Claudia rolled her eyes, lips curved in a gentle, indulgent smile so rarely seen on the face of the Queen’s Watchdog. —> To which the Undertaker replied: “Love, I think he’s responding to me in code. See, I’ve charted his kick frequency and I think this means he’s excited to meet me. Can you imagine?” He asked, voice light and playful and filled with a tremulous awe Claudia had never before heard. “Do you think,” he began softly, “he might love me?”)
Who is the strictest parent? Claudia, definitely. She has high expectations for her children but is a firm, fair mother and mentor. —> While her words might be a bit brusque and her demands heavy, Claudia means well and only wants what’s best for her son and daughter.
Are their children in homeschool or public school? Both Vincent and Frances were educated at home by private tutors and governesses. Once Vincent turned 13 he attended Weston while Frances was sent to finishing school in Switzerland.
Who is the favorite parent? For societal, political, and practical reasons, Vincent and Frances are unaware that their father is the Undertaker. They do, however, see him around Phantomhive Manor quite frequently—discussing cases, decoding letters, or simply conversing the way lovers do. One of Vincent’s clearest memories is the 1862 winter ball held by the Duke of Westminster. And Vincent, in an effort to avoid the next dance, had gone off to explore the duke’s castle. It was here that he passed by a darkened corridor, lit only by flickering candles, to see his mother waltzing with the Undertaker, a brilliant smile on her lips.
Who checks on the kids in the middle of the night? Undertaker. It’s the only time he can formally check on his and Claudia’s children.
Who decorated the nursery? Claudia—with input from the Undertaker. They decided on a classic theme of sapphire velvet walls imprinted with a pattern of the fleur-de-lis. The floors would be made of rosewood, the furniture gilded, and a large crystal chandelier in the shape of a swan. (“Goodness, they’ll be spoiled little ones won’t they?” The Undertaker grinned. “Spoiled and loved and rather wonderful, wouldn’t you say?”)
I have been waiting for the Gokushufudou manga my entire life. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted. A dangerous dude who probably did a lot of bad stuff drops everything from his previous life and turns over a new leaf to become a house husband who supports and admires and loves his wife??????? Who goes all the fuck out for her??? Amazing. Incredible. I love it. Please give me more.
midnight-in-town 