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Blue Lock Recent Chapter(298) Spoilers

Honestly kind of happy Nagi didn't make the cut off because consequences, but also... HOLY SHIT NAGI DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT OFF!

It makes complete sense, Nagi's never been able to grow without a massive set back and Blue Lock is about growing when you see the wall (if that makes sense?). I've seen a lot of people complain about how we keep checking in on Nagi, but I feel like this makes it make sense. It's a pivotal moment in the story, so it couldn't be relegated to a light novel.

I don't think this is the last we'll see of Nagi. Obviously the ranking only applied to playing for the U-20 team, and Nagi's very clearly won Manshine's approval. Granted he kind of flopped at the end there, but like I said Nagi's best growth comes after a huge set back.

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While I would normally have a hard time picking between Rev and Wind Breaker, Wind Breaker's second season starts April 3rd. So go watch it so you can watch the new season while it airs!

But I'm gonna cheat and also recommend Tokyo Rev, because while people like to compare the two, they're very different series. Tokyo Rev is more "here for the plot and the fights" Wind Breaker is more "here for the characters and the occasional fight".

*cracks knuckles* Let's Anime Poll

I have 11 and a half hours left of this stretch of Fairy Tail which is doable in a day (Grell says, ambitiously, and with no Saturday plans and possibly an oncoming cold?), so: poll.

If you're new here: I like watching anime, but I don't like decisions.

Propaganda* (*yapping) below the poll. You're allowed to reblog to preach in the tags, for reach, or third reason. You do not have to know me, follow me, like me or like/know/have watched any of these shows to vote.

Propaganda:

One Piece - Look, I'm gonna go into Enies Lobby. I know *some* things, but not everything, so I may need new material. Early on in the anime, he's an annoying fruit. In the live action, he's my emotional support fag*. Post-Enies? Who's to say? (Me. Later. Post-Enies.) This poll option covers Seasons 9 and 10 (ep 264-381 / Enies Lobby and Thriller Bark) of One Piece.

*Grell is queer; deal with it

Ron Kamonohashi's Forbidden Deductions / Ron Kamonohashi: Deranged Detective - Two titles. Crunchyroll uses the first one. Whatever. This was pitched to me by Romy Hyuga on TikTok with the phrase "Walmart Dazai" and that is all I need to hear. No English dub though, which is very sad.

Tokyo Revengers - You may be thinking to yourself: "Grell, Link Click just fucked your shit up. Do you really wanna watch another time travel anime?" ... (I tried to finish this one in, like, a funny way, y'all. I got nothing. Yeah. Sure. I do.)

One Punch Man - Just one.

Aggretsuko - You think I would tell lies???? That I would go on the internet and tell lies????

Bitch, this is my best friend.

Wind Breaker - Fight club for teenagers with cool hair.

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The worst part about watching Daiya with my mother @smurfishlysmall (yes, I'm calling you out, eat it), is that she keeps calling Higasa "long Tanba"! I mean, she's not wrong but now I can't unsee it!

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Finally got around to part three of Lantern Rite;

Even though I knew Hu Tao wouldn't die, i nearly cried. It's a shame it wasn't voiced but if it had been I think i would have bawled.

Genshin's been very insistent on reminding us that Traveler is not part of Teyvat, and very centered on death. I can't wait to see where it goes... I swear to god if they kill one of the twins Hoyo will be paying for my tissues.

Edited to say, I just realized this is also the second time Death has been cheated...

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Which Dr. Stone fits "would you fall in love with me again", the best?

I'm leaning towards Ruri and Chrome post Americas arc, but also I feel like Taiju and Yuzuriha or XenoStan could also work.

Side note, I'm always worried I'm mixing Yzuriha's name up with Yuzuha from Tokyo Rev. Because both shows have a Taiju but Tokyo Rev's Yuzuha is Taiju's sister.

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Tagging spoilers for s4 ep3 even though it's nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers

I just want to say, having Stan speak English in today's episode was perfect. Though, I am kind of sad now because there's no way the American's will speak English the entire time (if the do I will be wildly impressed at that creative choice). But I've been hyped for the Americas arc since I read the manga and seeing it animated is so much fun, I can't wait for literally everything else to come.

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I feel like the new short animation "Memories of This Life" can be taken in 2 ways.

1. The most likely, it's the life of Capitano. The reaching death hands (signified by how they look like Ronova with their red outlines) are the curse and after the curse took hold Capitano was born. "This life" refers to the life of Capitano, not Thrain.

2. Less likely but more angsty, he can't remember his life beyond Capitano. Maybe it's erosion or maybe it's simply been too long (I think there's a difference, basically amnesia vs I can't remember what I did last week), but Thrain's life is a blur and he can only remember the day the curse took hold because it's so traumatizing. "This life" refers to both Thrain and Capitano.

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Genshin 5.3 spoilers and mentions of suicide

So, I saw a post the other day and it was talking a bit about Mavuika's character. And i'm going off memory so I might be wrong, but one of the big points was about how her character didn't go beyond doing things for her people and how even when she was about to die and Citlali asked what she wanted she just said she would do what she needed for her people.

Which, I get makes her very shallow and compared to what the Captain does next it feels skin deep. But, since I finished playing I've interpreted it as Mavuika being suicidal.

Like, she can't just kill herself. Then everything she's done would be in vain. But it is a big part of her story that she misses her sister, she misses her time. So sure, she has friends now, but her and Capitano are very much in the same boat. Neither of them belong, they "died" 500 years ago and this death is the only chance they have. For Capitano it's the only way for him to die and for Mavuika it's the only way she can die with purpose. To make her sacrifices worth while.

I took her lack of response to Citlali to mean, "This is what I want. I want to die."

Since she didn't die, she'll keep living for her people. But I never saw her insistence on doing things for her people as altruistic. It was duty, and then it was an excuse.

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Got so used to calling Childe Ajax, because fanfics and it just sounds more natural, that I called him that while talking to my dad and confused him.

My dad does play Genshin, but he did not know Childe's real name, and I think that's funny.

Me: Ajax and Yelan are kind of the only non-support hydros.

Dad: Who?

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The Natlan Archon quest makes me want to shove my head through a wall and scream. This is a positive statement.

I have no idea where to start, it was a wild ride in the best way. There was so much lore and it kept throwing twist and turns until the very end.

Spoilers under the cut for 5.3!

I don't think we've seen the end of Capitano. He's not dead, and his body is still on ochkanatlan (assuming it doesn't get moved), so like... he can? And I don't think bringing him back would undermine his sacrifice. The angels are supposed to function in humanity's interest, if it is in their best interest to bring back Capitano they have to. The Lord of the Night explicitly said she had to do what was best for humanity regardless of what the ruler of death wanted.

Also, I think there's rumors for him being playable and I doubt they're going to start making dead people playable now? But also it was just a rumor, i don't think anything got confirmed and it may have even been disproven.

As for the Harbinger I think will be sent to obtain the Gnosis, I feel like Fontain was teasing Sandrone with that one world quest.

Anyways, back to Capitano. Thrain. They just dropped that like it was nothing, but i digress, we better talk to Dain about him. I want to know Dain's thoughts on all of it. How Thrain found "death" and flipped the gods off as his last act, how he carried those souls, that there are others out there aiming for the same goal.

On a different note, all of those cutscenes were amazing and I hope to god they add in the missing voicelines. Like, I nearly had chills, and i think if we didn't have weird gaps when (especially) Traveler wasn't talking I think i would have actually shivered. All in all I think 5.3 and Fontain's final act are tied for best finales. I can't really put it into words.

Extra notes, loved Traveler leaving the crown. Took me a minute to realize when we activated the pillars it was their messages to us and then Paimon's nearly made me cry. Paimon and Travelers hug, Paimon not letting go and then wanting to be stronger so they didn't have to separate again. I like that Capitano is still on the throne, it's like being able to see Mikhail in Star Rail.

Please talk to me about Genshin lore and 5.3 I want to scream.

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blue lock objectively is insane and probably bad. but the thing about blue lock is that once you watch it youre like holy shit this is peak. its a disease.

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The final Sae vs Rin show down was epic, and I'm so glad they didn't CG it. I liked being able to see the low quality in-between frames, and the undersaturated/washed out look was a nice contrast from the rest of the game. Plus the change in aspect ratio was a cool choice.

Honestly, everything from Rin's awakening to Isagi's final goal was so cool it was easily my favorite parts of the season.

I can't wait for next season, but I do hope they treat the animators better and give us a better quality animation throughout the show. I loved the art style, but most of the gameplay was done with CG, and I've mentioned before I find the switch jarring. And when it wasn’t CG, it was mostly stills while the camera panned and the character monolgued, which I will admit distracted me enough at first that I didn't notice. But eventually, it became fairly obvious.

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I feel like maybe they'd be a CCG team, or at least planning to be one, and then Sae goes missing and becomes a half ghoul like Kaneki? Like, as the Tokyo Ghoul AU replacement of Spain.

Isagi strikes me as a ghoul who teaches Rin that not all ghouls are monsters and that most only want to live a normal life. Bachira is definitely a ghoul.

It'd be fun if Reo was a human and ran like, a black market human meat harvesting operation (as ethically as possible, like stealing/bribing bodies from morgues). It starts with him trying to support Nagi and kinda of becomes like Anteku in Tokyo Ghoul.

Barou kind of reminds me of Nishki, so I'm gonna say he's a ghoul.

Hiori definitely becomes an investigator based on pressure from his parents, I'm torn between Karasu being a ghoul or a fellow investigator. Pros for ghoul, he and Hiori have been friends for a long time and Hiori doesn't see ghouls as monsters because of it. Pros for human, Karasu just doesn't see the logic in all ghouls being monsters. He and Otoya come to the conclusion that ghouls aren't all monsters just because it doesn't make sense otherwise.

Ego's definitely a human who wants ghouls and humans to co-exsist, and the neo egoist masters are all ghouls.

Anri deserves to be a ghoul who has infiltrated the CCG and kills influential people she finds deserving.

has there already been a Tokyo Ghoul AU for Blue Lock because I've been thinking about it. Who'd be in the CCG and who'd be the ghouls.... let's discuss......

I was imagining the Itoshi brothers as competing investigators of the CCG 🤔🤔 the best ghoul hunter of all time and the prodigy who seeks to best him or something like that. What are our thoughts

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Sometimes creativity is weirdly informative, this is one of those times.

More Genshin characters as ways animals court and mate

The follow up to this that no one asked for.

Welcome to another round of (hopefully) the weirdest biology lessons you'll ever receive. Essentially a shitpost, someone should take away my writing privileges. There could be better suited animals out there, I just chose from the ones I knew.

Characters included; Baizhu, Ganyu, Dainsleif, Xiangling, Wriothesley, Cyno, Wanderer/Scaramouche

Tags: nsfw in the way a national geographic documentary is, there are no graphic details but proceed at your own discretion

Baizhu - Lumbricus terrestris (Common earthworm)

Spending most of his time tending to others, Baizhu doesn't have a lot of energy to spare when it comes to copulation. This combined with his illness makes for a difficult situation. To successfully bed this doctor, make sure to first become a trusted individual, and spend time in the pharmacy with him. Once the opportunity arises at the end of a day, ensure he is amicable to the idea, and bring him to a comfortable spot (preferably a bed) to avoid later joint pain. Benefits from having someone else do the hard work - please let him be a pillow princess. Lumbricus terrestris, and most other earthworms, have pretty chill mating habits. When they reproduce sexually (because they can also self-fertilise) it is done by two individuals laying against each other and forming a slime tube as well as gripping onto each other using the tubercula pubertatis <- this is a little thickening in the saddle (the band on earthworms that look different than the rest of their body). The worms then calmly exchange sperm before dislodging and sliding back into their respective burrows.

Ganyu - Capra spp. (Goats)

Sweet, docile Ganyu absolutely adores it when she gets to cuddle up to you, especially if your arms are wrapped securely around her. At first, you find her tendency to bury her head into your armpit a bit odd, but it's pretty endearing to be honest. Xianyun clearly makes sure her daughter is dressed to impress, and although Ganyu flusters easily; especially when you grin happily upon seeing her, you have no doubt she enjoys the compliments. Each sweet word is rewarded with a little kiss to your forehead (why her smile always looks a little sad when she pulls away is something you'll have to ask about, maybe she's still insecure around you?) Oh I promise you dear reader, this particular behavior is not a sign of insecurity. Goats are self-anointing animals, meaning they make sure to smell. For goats, this behavior includes males urinating on their forelegs and his own face, which combined with a secretion from glands located at the base of his horns, ensures a seductive scent. Some females have been observed to completely refuse mating with a buck who's had those glands removed.

Dainsleif - Antechinus spp. (Marsupial mice)

Oh you unfortunate soul who fell for Dainsleif. Ella, I dedicate this to you. Dainsleif yearns. And he lingers. His love is vast as an ocean and just as deadly- he knows (thinks) it will drown you both the moment he lowers his guard. For this reason, you're kept at arms length for a while, unsure if he wants you gone or not. It's impossible to tell with his tendency to appear for a moment and be gone the next. Every time you think yourself free and healed, he appears again to drive the blade further into both your hearts. When he finally caves, in a moment of weakness, the love he shares is passionate, the ferocity of a starved beast, keeping you awake throughout the night, crying out his name in pleasure. When you awake next, there's nothing but a scribbled apology next to you. Dainsleif doesn't return after that, but you swear he still lingers in your periphery. Marsupial mice have uhh interesting mating habits. Males are ready to breed a few weeks before breeding seasons start and females enter ovulation. Mating is intense but has a narrow window of opportunity. The males funnel so much energy into maximising reproductive capabilities, using up all energy storage, that a vast majority of males die off after mating. The level of free corticosteroids increase in the males during mating, which suppresses the immune system significantly.

Xiangling - Blattella germanica (German cockroach)

It probably comes as no surprise that Xiangling likes to surprise you with treats and meals. She takes great pride in making sure you're provided for and makes certain there's never a dull moment for your tastebuds. Maybe it's a little overwhelming at first, but don't worry, she'll learn your preferences for flavour combinations quickly. But more than anything, Xiangling loves being in the kitchen with you and seeing you add your own personal touch. Sure, she has a penchant for running all over the place, but there's no place like home. Blattella germanica males produce a sugary substance that they secrete from their back, offering it to females to keep them still long enough for copulation. This penchant for glucose led producers of pest controls to include it as bait, but as nature tends to, this has prompted a rise of glucose-aversion and a shift towards the sugary substance produced containing more complex sugars. Experimental little chefs.

Wriothesley - Acinonyx jubatus (Cheetah)

Regrettably, Wriothesley doesn't have as much time to see you as he'd prefer, seeing as he spends most of his time in the fortress. As such, he can be somewhat of a passionate and at times eager lover when he gets his hands on you. He takes pride in his physique and thoroughly enjoys when you're visiting and goes down to watch him train. Better yet if you see him win a match. Once he has you alone, he wastes no time getting close, his voice low and sultry as he asks about all that has transpired since he saw you last. His hands roam along your body as you try to answer, knowing full well nothing you say makes sense, heart swelling at the look in his eyes. It's fine, he'll ask again later when you're both relaxing with a cup of tea. Cheetahs are actually very straight-forward when it comes to reproduction. Males living in coalitions will sometimes fight for the right to mate. Females use a combination of vocal signals and urination to attract a partner, the male might also use urination to indicate his location. Once the pair meet, the male produces a series of sounds called the 'stutter-bark' which triggers female hormonal cascades and induces ovulation so the female is in prime condition for mating. Wriothesley could make a lot of people ovulate with his voice alone let's be honest.

Cyno - Erinaceus spp. (hedgehogs)

We all know that the General Mahamatra can be a bit.. annoying at times. And if he's actively trying to win you over? You best believe he's giving it his absolute best shot when he isn't out on the job, inviting you along wherever he goes to relax. To the great amusement (and embarrassment) of his friends, a choice strategy is to make you laugh... It's pretty cute, if a little pathetic at times. He makes genius invocation tcg decks for you to use against him, 100% has matching cards made of you both - you get his and he keeps yours. You can roll your eyes at his shenanigans as you please, he's persistent in his pursuit as long as you haven't outright rejected him. Erinaceus males will approach the sow and begin walking in circles around it, the female might occasionally hiss or swat at the male, sometimes even curling in on herself, but most of the time is just for show. The circling can continue for longer than an hour during which the male is huffing and trying to asses and approach.

Wanderer - Apis mellifera worker (European honey bee)

Not particularly romantically inclined, Wanderer could go the entirety of your life without declaring any affection, but you'll undoubtedly know that he favors you over others. He learns and remembers, and to be known is to be loved. Whenever you express a desire or wish, if it's within his power to grant, you may soon find yourself living out that dream. Deep down, Wanderer treasures every little moment of you being 'a nuisance', and you both know it. After all, he could leave at any moment if he wished to. Once he considers you kin, he'd do anything to keep you alive and content. Within eusocial insects such as honey bees, the worker can be fertile but will, in a healthy hive, most often refrain from producing offspring. This is done to instead focus on caring for the rest of the hive. The strategy is known as 'kin selection' and is based on workers being more closely related to each other, than they would be to potential offspring. As such, the individual's reproductive success is, in terms of % genetic material preserved between generations, better left to the queen.

Scaramouche - Apis mellifera drone

Sorry. He's so out of touch with his emotions that I don't think he'd last having to acknowledge being in love, much less indulge in 'human pleasures'. After mating with the queen, a drone's penis explodes while still in the queen (blocking off others from mating) and the drone dies shortly after. There's something poetic to be said about drones only having half the amount of chromosomes compared to a worker, but I'm no Scara analyser.

I also recommend checking out my comprehensive mating study of Dottore, it's exactly as weird as it sounds.

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Sunday's voiceline when added to a team with Robin is, "(soft laugh) How long as it been since we've performed together... I've missed this."

I love them their reunion is going to make me cry.

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Do you think mom and dad Itoshi watched the U20 game from the U20 section, because they haven't been able to catch their eldest's games live in so long? Or did they watch it from the Blue Lock section, to support their youngest in his world debut? What if they couldn't pick, so they stayed home and watched the live stream?

They seem supportive of both their boys playing soccer but... what if they didn't watch at all?

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I feel like Sae is just a talented learner, or whatever Isagi's word is for the non-geniuses. Finally got around to ep33, and rewatching the Itoshi brothers' past with all the new categories Isagi has come up with got me thinking.

We're TOLD Sae is a genius, but we were also told Kaiser is a genius. We never see a natural talent like we do with geniuses like Rin and Nagi (that moving without thinking moment). Like Kaiser we only see him after he's been forced to take on the air of a genius to survive. Before that you could say he's a lot like Kira, he works hard and so in the world of Japanese soccer he's a genius. He's probably naturally talented, but not to a genius level.

So during his confrontation with Rin he realizes that he's been holding Rin back.

Anyways, half explained thoughts but you get the jist. Also, I'm probably not the first person to say this.