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I've considered this for a few others in series that either got an anime (We Never Learn) or still haven't (Robot x Laserbeam), but recently with Platinum End wrapping up, I couldn't help but recall at least a few other instances I could think of.
The problem remains of stereotyping based on presumptions that don't strictly apply to all autistic people universally, but there does appear to be overlaps in terms of Gaku's personality and such that could lead one to at least consider it a possibility.
It's hard to say if this does indicate ASD, since there's likely comorbidity of these traits and this is an adult easily in his 20s versus the other characters being about 17 or so. And with Rizu Ogata, there's a whole other issue of female diagnosis being more difficult clinically.
The repetitive motions aspect is only one of probably 3-5 clinical requirements, though I forget how many are necessary, since initially I probably overlapped with ADHD (and may still fall under that diagnosis with the DSM V, if I could manage something with a clinical psychologist and make time).
And that point brings up Robo (Robato is his given name, his mother is Irish, so there's something there, I believe) in Robot x Laserbeam, gained an exceptional, if not superhuman, golf swing because he was so particular in repeating the motions so he can get as precise as possible with a singular goal he had when first starting just to occupy his time while waiting for his father during jobs.
I don't have specific notes for any of these (really should've kept them, though there may be posts on Twitter I've made in regards to that which could be close) and Rizu's is the trickiest in that she has marked difficulties with social interaction, but that's where the problem of diagnosis can come in because of how clinical standards seem different for females, even though the basic ideas are supposed to be applicable to boys and girls, males and females in regards to such things. She has particular interests (games one that was actually encouraged by her late grandmother, who actually seemed to recognize her granddaughter was different and needed to be pushed, though it didn't entirely work) and is fairly smart, able to do calculations (not unlike Gaku with his mathematical talents)
The problem remains of stereotyping based on presumptions that don't strictly apply to all autistic people universally, but there does appear to be overlaps in terms of Gaku's personality and such that could lead one to at least consider it a possibility.
- He has a strong sense of empathy, even if he also avoids people, not wanting to displease them by doing something socially inappropriate or such. But he qualifies this further by not really wanting relationships with people if he can help it, behaving in a way that is super efficient so he doesn't have to talk to people unless absolutely necessary
- That sense of solitude is expressed by Gaku as well, that he prefers to be alone with his research or building things (though we don't see him build stuff that I recall)
- Conversely, he also doesn't like to be displeased (almost word for word the translations for the Japanese dub), which does suggest elements of regularity that he wants in life.
- Exceptional memory capacity in regards to numbers: he recalled the exact amount of time he spent with a character from his adolescence many years later and in that flashback, we saw he knows Pi to dozens of decimal places
- He does appear to stim on occasion, though it's somewhat limited in expression, a rapid shaking of a leg (something I personally do)
- Narrowed interest is harder to determine, since he's a Noble Laureate in both literature and physics, even though I'm not sure we know much about his studies in either, it's spoken of
It's hard to say if this does indicate ASD, since there's likely comorbidity of these traits and this is an adult easily in his 20s versus the other characters being about 17 or so. And with Rizu Ogata, there's a whole other issue of female diagnosis being more difficult clinically.
The repetitive motions aspect is only one of probably 3-5 clinical requirements, though I forget how many are necessary, since initially I probably overlapped with ADHD (and may still fall under that diagnosis with the DSM V, if I could manage something with a clinical psychologist and make time).
And that point brings up Robo (Robato is his given name, his mother is Irish, so there's something there, I believe) in Robot x Laserbeam, gained an exceptional, if not superhuman, golf swing because he was so particular in repeating the motions so he can get as precise as possible with a singular goal he had when first starting just to occupy his time while waiting for his father during jobs.
I don't have specific notes for any of these (really should've kept them, though there may be posts on Twitter I've made in regards to that which could be close) and Rizu's is the trickiest in that she has marked difficulties with social interaction, but that's where the problem of diagnosis can come in because of how clinical standards seem different for females, even though the basic ideas are supposed to be applicable to boys and girls, males and females in regards to such things. She has particular interests (games one that was actually encouraged by her late grandmother, who actually seemed to recognize her granddaughter was different and needed to be pushed, though it didn't entirely work) and is fairly smart, able to do calculations (not unlike Gaku with his mathematical talents)
