This is an excellent (creepy) point...but I'd actually like to see the stats on adult men, too. Because I'm thinking they don't do a hell of a lot better than the adult women. Somewhat better! ...But not a lot.
The men often have agency (not always--Sakura's dad), but they're forever sacrificing love for one reason or another. To save the loved one, to save the world, whatever whatever. If anyone dares defy that formula (Sorata), it all goes to shit.
Rock bottom has to be Fuuma's dad, whose beloved wife never loved him, and then she died. And then he died, but that's X for you.
Sometimes men can have love if they give up their agency in exchange (Touya). And then of course there's the Subaru & Seishirou model. *headdesk*
Clow had agency and a love life, but seemingly spent all of his time trying to kill himself off.
RG Veda and Legal Drug both have adult male couples, but in RG Veda's case...I mean, that's not going to end well, is it? Alone together forever, from what I remember. Eurgh.
Man of Many Faces has just the father, who may have agency, but seemingly has two wives but no love life WHICH IS SO WEIRD. Adult!Akira (in X) might have a love life, but there's no proof.
In Clover, Kazuhiko's life sucks. His lover gets shot, then he starts to become fond of Suu (though seemingly not romantically?), AND THEN SHE DIES TOO. And then he's all alone in the world with Gingetsu (who has a bomb in his head) and Ran (who is caged in a house and will likely die in a couple of years). It was probably best to be Oruha in that series, honestly.
There are a few disturbing adult men/little girl relationships (Suki Dakara Suki, Cardcaptor Sakura), but the little girl always has the agency. Little girls pwn adult men in CLAMPLand.
In fanon, Fai and Kurogane have each other, but in canon they're single, living a reasonably pointless existence trailing around after a teenage boy...WHO WILL ALSO NEVER FIND LOVE. Or actually, he found her and ditched her for baroque reasons I can't now remember.
So men can have power, but they can't have love. Or they can have love in exchange for power. Or they can have power and love, but then they must die, or at least be forever miserable. With the notable exception of Legal Drug. Unlike the women, the men usually SURVIVE, at least...but God forbid they should be happy.
I'm probably forgetting a lot, because it's been a while since my CLAMP kick, but still...maybe CLAMP has a serious problem with the concept of adulthood, full stop. Growing up, lasting relationships, all of that. CLAMP is down on it.
Maybe life has been all downhill for them since adolescence. Eek.
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The men often have agency (not always--Sakura's dad), but they're forever sacrificing love for one reason or another. To save the loved one, to save the world, whatever whatever. If anyone dares defy that formula (Sorata), it all goes to shit.
Rock bottom has to be Fuuma's dad, whose beloved wife never loved him, and then she died. And then he died, but that's X for you.
Sometimes men can have love if they give up their agency in exchange (Touya). And then of course there's the Subaru & Seishirou model. *headdesk*
Clow had agency and a love life, but seemingly spent all of his time trying to kill himself off.
RG Veda and Legal Drug both have adult male couples, but in RG Veda's case...I mean, that's not going to end well, is it? Alone together forever, from what I remember. Eurgh.
Man of Many Faces has just the father, who may have agency, but seemingly has two wives but no love life WHICH IS SO WEIRD. Adult!Akira (in X) might have a love life, but there's no proof.
In Clover, Kazuhiko's life sucks. His lover gets shot, then he starts to become fond of Suu (though seemingly not romantically?), AND THEN SHE DIES TOO. And then he's all alone in the world with Gingetsu (who has a bomb in his head) and Ran (who is caged in a house and will likely die in a couple of years). It was probably best to be Oruha in that series, honestly.
There are a few disturbing adult men/little girl relationships (Suki Dakara Suki, Cardcaptor Sakura), but the little girl always has the agency. Little girls pwn adult men in CLAMPLand.
In fanon, Fai and Kurogane have each other, but in canon they're single, living a reasonably pointless existence trailing around after a teenage boy...WHO WILL ALSO NEVER FIND LOVE. Or actually, he found her and ditched her for baroque reasons I can't now remember.
So men can have power, but they can't have love. Or they can have love in exchange for power. Or they can have power and love, but then they must die, or at least be forever miserable. With the notable exception of Legal Drug. Unlike the women, the men usually SURVIVE, at least...but God forbid they should be happy.
I'm probably forgetting a lot, because it's been a while since my CLAMP kick, but still...maybe CLAMP has a serious problem with the concept of adulthood, full stop. Growing up, lasting relationships, all of that. CLAMP is down on it.
Maybe life has been all downhill for them since adolescence. Eek.