Crystal, I agree with you wholeheartedly. But I also think we should wait until we see the actual translation before judging TOO harshly!
I mean, people were making it sound like Yuna was COMPLETELY irritated and cold to him, but in the translated scenes we've been given so far, she always either affectionate, coy, too busy,
or , sadly, reasonably distant after not seeing someone for two years, I think. I consider it... sort of like, if they had been in an online relationship for the past two years, to give a contemporary example! xD You could be the two closest people
in the world, but if you haven't spent time with someone physically for two entire years, there are still some emotional and physical boundaries that you need to cross. There is still an initial period of awkwardness and getting to know each other, EVEN THOUGH you may actually know each other on a very deep and personal level, do you know what I mean??? I think it's sort of realistic that they need to get "used to each other", as Yuna says in one scene. The fact is, they haven't seen one another for two years, and while, no, I don't think Yuna has emotionally matured extremely beyond him, because as you said, he matured A LOT in X, too... she has still been progressing for two years, and we don't know where/what he was for the past two years, if he was conscious or not. I can see there being some difficulty in them adjusting,
at the beginning. But, it sounds like this book takes place BEFORE Last Mission. Therefore, all the happy moments they have in Last Mission? Unaffected by this book.
So, clearly, she has gotten over her hang ups! It sounds to me like the book is addressing the, as you said, popular theme in fanfic and general opinion, of Yuna having trouble adjusting to Tidus, BUT, with his death (crappy as a plot device as it is) or whatever, it seems that she comes to realize how much she loves him and blah blah blah. I'm guessing this is the message, from that mysterious voice reminding her to remember how much she loved him, and her having to "wish" (call, like in the audio drama, perhaps?
?) him back... Anyway, they just need time to work out the initial kinks.
Speaking of kinks... I also am skeptical of the "boat sex". Again, remember he was accused being a total horndog in that "ecchi" bikini scene, but all he said was
one playful comment? It was kinda blown way out of proportion, surely you jest.
Also, doesn't that bikini scene take place AFTER the boat? So, if they did have sex, canon-ly, on the boat... isn't that kind of weird? Like, why would he ask for her forgiveness for thinking dirty stuff if they've already had sex? LMAO. Like, that ship has sailed, so to speak. uNLESS... the sex they had was romantic, not dirty. In which case, it's all good, right?
I agree that they wouldn't rush, and their first time would be 'pure' and all that, but... at the same time, who says it wasn't???
Not to mention, the translator only said it's implied, didn't he? By them picking up clothes off the floor, the next morning or whatever? Did I read that right? If that's the
only implication, that doesn't necessarily mean much. Tidus DOES were a lot of unnecessary garments that I'm sure are uncomfortable to sleep in, surely you jest.
I don't know... I'm just saying, I'd wait to see the full translation before getting ourselves too worked up!
A lot of the things that got me really riled up and angry at first, turned out to be far less horrible than they were presented by summation at first. ^^;