chryso0

[chryso0]

I have read the current chapter today and by reading it feels like Asami knows there relationship won't last much longer! Like he says in one line " for even one minute,one second longer I want to be at Akihito's side"!

I don't know it just giving me the feeling Asami is giving up or something, like there is not that " I won't let go ever" vibe anymore that he gave before! I mean in vol 14 chapter 1 when Asami was explaining about the all organisation stuff to Aki, Asami gave him the option of breaking up. I know this was right as he cared about him but if he was just going to say this to Aki than what was the point of doing everything he have done for Aki by just giving Aki such an option!

I just don't know what to say anymore but Asami is really becoming weak hearted. He literally gave his life up few chap back for Aki and I'm getting the feeling he doesn't wanna fight against the organisation. I know he might not win that easily but doesn't seem like he is trying! (My opinion)

I dont think I got that same interpretation of this scene as you did. To me this chapter re-confrimed how desperate both of them are to continue fighting for this relationship, and how Asami has been trying to protect there peace. But I do somewhat see what you saw. So lets talk about this most recent chapter.

I want to point out that Asami never mentioned anything about breaking up. He said it will be dangerous from here on out, but also emphasised that he didn’t want to lose Akihito either. But still left it up for Aki to decided how to proceed. And this chapter was all about how he was re-confirming that he never wants to leave Akihito’s side and he will do anything to protect there peace. Which to me IS Asami fighting for them to stay together.

This chapter felt like some rare insight on how Asami is feeling about how things have panned out since they “ran away”. To be honest I am a little happy to see some realism from him because I have been a bit confused about why Asami went along with Akihito’s lets-make-a-run-for-it thing — since it seemed he always believed it would never work out. Though I had chopped it up to exactly what he expresses in this chapter, that he wants to spend as much time (“even by one minute, or one secound longer”) as he can with Akihito before things come crashing down…

Sensei has been hinting to this reality this whole time. Early on, we saw Asami have some doubts about this when they were in Italy and Akihito initially asked to run away. Asami made some comments saying “this is the kind of person Akihito is” — implying some naivete on Akihito’s part. Because Akihito doesn’t truly understand how the underworld functions, and he is of course, ever an optimistic.

To me its sorta nice to see that things aren’t really as rose-colored as it seems when we are in Akihito’s POV, that there are things happening in the back ground without Akihito’s knowledge. Asami is well aware of the fact he’s being hunted and is on high alert. He is even going so far as to making moves, making contacts, doing deals with shady people (UM can someone say BUDGET Fei Long guy???😂) on the side to ensure there safety.

As kinda a side note, we have also seen how Akihito feels this kind of parrellel anxiety over their future. there is def some parrellels being made - with the earlier scene of Akihito holding Asami in his sleep vowing to protect Asami this time, to this episodes scene of Asami holding a sleeping Akihito vowing to also protect their peace and to stay by his side.

It’s giving this vibe in a way that they actually still have a long way to go with their relationship… Despite the fact they’ve confessed and finally said the long awaited L-word. There is STILL this lack of communication with each other. Which end up landing them into trouble — they both have the same goals but instead of working together to solve them. They try to fix it themselves— key point here —- behind the others back! It ends up not solving anything!!

Akihito going off on his own, to confront Gaspard on Asami’s behalf is equally as bad as Asami not being completely honest with Akihito about how dangerous and risky their current sitution is. And i dont really apprieciate him keeping Aki in the dark — just to keep up this “vacation” illusion.

I understand tho what you mean that he does not seem to be making moves to have a head on fight against his father, and is just waiting to be found. but it is still early and i generally think its invitable that there will be clashes. It’s still early in this arch! But i do think him running is as much as he can do right now — and afterall its what Akihito chose to do. He even admits that this is nothing more then a “vacation”, meaning he knows its not going to last. But I dont see it as him seeing that as “the end” I see it more that he knows the “storm” is approaching and he wants to be ready for it. To me that is two very different things.

My interpretation of this chapter was Asami re-confiming everything we have already suspected. That he knows he’s gone a bit soft. That he is weak to Akihito’s influence. That he wants to stay together and he will do anything to keep it that way. That while he is enjoying there time, he also knows that its short lived and they will have to face reality eventually.

And of course, that he has great timing! And he will rain wrath upon you if you take his Akihito!! 😂 (but we sorta already knew that)

[chryso0]

What will happen to Aki in the next chapter? Will Asami come to the rescue...?

I am not gonna lie — I am always wrong when i try to guess what will happen next 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ But it is still fun to speculate….

Mostly I am looking forward to a bit of action! The last episode has a nice amount of it, but yeah I do wanna see Asami being a bad ass.. And not just him magically appearing either I want the whole spy inflitation scene too!

My guess is former bully/ the fisherman who’s not so bad, is probably the one that came to Asami towards the end of last episode. We see Asami at the bar being suddenly interputed, so i am thinking fisherman dude goes to Asami and comes clean about Akihito going off on his own.

Really what i dont want to see is anything happening to Akihito 😣😣 this cliche has alreayd been done to many times…. its already enough that he got striped and tied up — Asami better get there in time to save him before anything else happens to him or 😤😤😤 i am gonna be disappointed 🙂‍↕️

Still its kinda fun to have some old fashion action - I also wanna see Asami and Akihito teaming up and beating people up together.

[chryso0]

Yes i think iv heard that too. It’s also considered a much smaller holiday — like we in the west be celebrating christmas the whole month of december vs in japan its like okay one day — chop chop clean up the christmas decorations in favor of new years!! I think ur right in saying its less of a family holiday and more of a couples excuse to have date night. Christmas cake is apparently a big thing there 😂

a proposal date 🤭 your on to something! hopefully soon! Personally i am like first things fitst — Akihito HAS to start calling Asami by his frist name! Thats what I am manifesting!

There is no side stories about Valentine Day even though we have side stories like about every famous day{like Christmas, new year and more}! Why didn't Yamane Sensei didn't make a story of Valentine Day?Even though it would be hilarious between them!!

What do u think story would look like if there was one!? Cause personally I think it would be funny!!(⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦)

If I recall the christmas extra, is hardly christmas themed — we just get aki in a santa costume before they get whisked away to meet Sensei’s other characters. As for the new years one, I almost forgot about this one and was about to be like which one is that?? But of course, its an early one where Aki gets drunk with his friends 🤭 It was pretty subtle with the holiday theme thou, that i nearly forgot it was suppose to be new years!

They’ve also done Akihito’s birthday and Asami’s birthday. So you are partially right in saying that other holidays have been featured in Finder — So why not Valentines day which given its a romance series, it would make sense!

Well the reason why, is maybe because Valentine's Day in Japan is celebrated a bit differently than it is in the West. Valentine's Day celebrations, in the West, are usually initiated by men — Men asking women to be their Valentine, or men asking for dates, or going out to dinner (in a mainstream heterosexual context). But in Japan, it's reversed — the women initiate the gift-giving on Valentine's Day. Chocolate is a big thing in Japan’s Valentine's Day and there is even an expectation to receive homemade chocolates. There is also a tradition of sending “confessions” to the men in their lives whom they like. There’s a second day a month later called “White Day” where it's expected that the men who received chocolate from women on Valentine's Day do their own set of gift-giving — sometimes called “reply day”. Where they give their answer to said confession.

Having said all that — how would this set up work for non traditional couple like two men? Not even mentioning the fact that these two men spend about half the series pretending they didn’t like each other and vehmently denying their feeligns 🤭🫣 You’ll certainly not be hearing any confessions out of these two!! (you have to wait over two decades to hear that!!) I just feel like valentines day is a bit too corny, for our two manly men who constantly try to one up each other in terms of manly-ness. Y’know what i mean — it would not work out. I personally think Aki would throw a FIT if he was expected to make chocolate and give it to Asami — because that would make him the “girl” in the relationship and he would 100% hate that! And just because he’s the one that normally cooks for them! No no I think he would have HATED that — in fact in the past and in the earlier days of there relationship i am SURE he skipped town to avoid any potential expectations. Furthermore Asami doesn’t even like chocolate! Not even worth the embarrassment at that point 🤭

However, as of more recent history, the two have been more lovey dovey then ever before — So i can see Sensei doing a valentines day thing in this new era of finder.

If Sensei had done one in the old days, I think too it would have been hilarious. You’d probably have Aki over thinking everything, as he often did! Blushing furiously while determining where or not he should make Asami chocolate or not! He’d probably want to do it like this — shove a box of dark chocolate thats not very sweet in Asami’s lap and then RUN in the opposite direction claiming he has work to do! Something like that… There is another well known BL I read, called “The World’s Greatest first Love”, where there’s a Valentines day scene that I love and I could see something similar happening in Finder. The Uke puts pieces of chocolate into the curry they are about to eat, its a common cooking trick to add chocolate to curry for flavoring (something I even do when I am making japanese curry at home). It was just a subtle nod to the valentines day chocolate gift giving, and gave the uke a valid excuse he could use to downplay his actions, and to avoid outright confessing. But obviously the seme absolutely saw through it and loved it — and considered it the same as if he’d given him chocolate as a gift.

In this new era of finder however, I almost feel like it would be more fitting if Asami was the one giving Akihito chocolate — he’s the one that LOVES sweets and would eat it! Though we did already see him giving Akihito’s chocolate covered churro’s…. so i suppose we can’t have a repeat of that 🤭🤭

[chryso0]

New images from Sensei’s Bluesky from the upcoming chapter coming out next week.

I am guess its a title page, given it seems to not be relevant to anything that happened last episode

[chryso0]

What did Asami fall in love with Aki? I think the time when Asami and Aki fall in love with each other will be similar, but I think it's Asami who fell in love at first sight!

I love how you said, they fell in love with each at a similar time. I’v always felt that their feeling ran on a more parrallel track than I think most people would think.

And what I mean by that is they were both *seperately* going through their own uncertainities and insecurities about the relationship, at almost the same time. Having very parrellel experiences with those uncertainities, (aka similar but different experiences) and they also arrive at the same conculsions at around the same time too. There feelings grow for each other, they open up to each other, and show vulnerabilty at around the same time.

For me, I’ve always been on the side of Asami fell first (and Aki fell harder 🤭) But I think saying love at first sight, is maybe not it. I would stipulate that I think his version of falling in love at first sight is very different. Since he would heavily deny his feelings running so deep. His version is more —claiming owner ship…..This ones mine…kind of a thing 🤭 It feel sorta different, because i think it was entirely selfish, and one sided. It was “I do what I want and I want this!”

But at the same time, i ultimately feel that even doing something like that was out of character for him. Do you think Asami is the type to act impolisivly and do something on a whim! Make a connection with someone who wasn’t worth his time or effort. I would say — No! We can sit here all we like and talk about how Aki is the bestest boy (he is) but it doesn’t change the facts that he was and still has zero value for Asami. They were even on opposing sides when they met. So the very act of desiring him, claiming him, saying by episode two “Your mine now!” — meant Akihito very much DID have value. Because as we all know Aki may have zero value, but he is priceless in so many other ways. And in some ways Asami was acutely aware of that from the very beginning.

That is why I think the line of love at first sight is so blurred to me. Because I truly believe the fact that Asami even desired something for himself, something that was so out side of his job goals and his usual power hungry ways, was incredibly out of character for him. Everyone else, expect for himself, immediately took notice to that and jump to the conculsion that Aki must be someone special to him — thus the various and numerous problems they run into on account of that. Which then promptly forces both of them to double down, and come to terms with their own feelings.

I’ve said this in a previous post but I’ll recap the point in a similar vein, In the beginning, Asami was always going above and beyond his own sense of normalcy for Akihito’s sake. But Akihito never saw it that way, because what he was doing was something that he shouldn’t recieve a gold star for, it was the bare minimum or even less then that! But to Asami they were things that he’d never do for anyone else, an effort he wouldn’t show for anyone else, an emotional attachment he wouldn’t show towards anyone else. When I read early finder now, I get this sense of Asami trying to prove that he is better/more then what Akihito’s expectations of him are. But it still always falls flat. As if he secretly cared about what Akihito thought of him, which is entirely antithetical to who he is as a person.

To me thats all already proof enough of an emotional attachment that went beyond anything he’d ever experienced with anyone else.

[chryso0]

There is no side stories about Valentine Day even though we have side stories like about every famous day{like Christmas, new year and more}! Why didn't Yamane Sensei didn't make a story of Valentine Day?Even though it would be hilarious between them!!

What do u think story would look like if there was one!? Cause personally I think it would be funny!!(⁠≧⁠▽⁠≦)

If I recall the christmas extra, is hardly christmas themed — we just get aki in a santa costume before they get whisked away to meet Sensei’s other characters. As for the new years one, I almost forgot about this one and was about to be like which one is that?? But of course, its an early one where Aki gets drunk with his friends 🤭 It was pretty subtle with the holiday theme thou, that i nearly forgot it was suppose to be new years!

They’ve also done Akihito’s birthday and Asami’s birthday. So you are partially right in saying that other holidays have been featured in Finder — So why not Valentines day which given its a romance series, it would make sense!

Well the reason why, is maybe because Valentine's Day in Japan is celebrated a bit differently than it is in the West. Valentine's Day celebrations, in the West, are usually initiated by men — Men asking women to be their Valentine, or men asking for dates, or going out to dinner (in a mainstream heterosexual context). But in Japan, it's reversed — the women initiate the gift-giving on Valentine's Day. Chocolate is a big thing in Japan’s Valentine's Day and there is even an expectation to receive homemade chocolates. There is also a tradition of sending “confessions” to the men in their lives whom they like. There’s a second day a month later called “White Day” where it's expected that the men who received chocolate from women on Valentine's Day do their own set of gift-giving — sometimes called “reply day”. Where they give their answer to said confession.

Having said all that — how would this set up work for non traditional couple like two men? Not even mentioning the fact that these two men spend about half the series pretending they didn’t like each other and vehmently denying their feeligns 🤭🫣 You’ll certainly not be hearing any confessions out of these two!! (you have to wait over two decades to hear that!!) I just feel like valentines day is a bit too corny, for our two manly men who constantly try to one up each other in terms of manly-ness. Y’know what i mean — it would not work out. I personally think Aki would throw a FIT if he was expected to make chocolate and give it to Asami — because that would make him the “girl” in the relationship and he would 100% hate that! And just because he’s the one that normally cooks for them! No no I think he would have HATED that — in fact in the past and in the earlier days of there relationship i am SURE he skipped town to avoid any potential expectations. Furthermore Asami doesn’t even like chocolate! Not even worth the embarrassment at that point 🤭

However, as of more recent history, the two have been more lovey dovey then ever before — So i can see Sensei doing a valentines day thing in this new era of finder.

If Sensei had done one in the old days, I think too it would have been hilarious. You’d probably have Aki over thinking everything, as he often did! Blushing furiously while determining where or not he should make Asami chocolate or not! He’d probably want to do it like this — shove a box of dark chocolate thats not very sweet in Asami’s lap and then RUN in the opposite direction claiming he has work to do! Something like that… There is another well known BL I read, called “The World’s Greatest first Love”, where there’s a Valentines day scene that I love and I could see something similar happening in Finder. The Uke puts pieces of chocolate into the curry they are about to eat, its a common cooking trick to add chocolate to curry for flavoring (something I even do when I am making japanese curry at home). It was just a subtle nod to the valentines day chocolate gift giving, and gave the uke a valid excuse he could use to downplay his actions, and to avoid outright confessing. But obviously the seme absolutely saw through it and loved it — and considered it the same as if he’d given him chocolate as a gift.

In this new era of finder however, I almost feel like it would be more fitting if Asami was the one giving Akihito chocolate — he’s the one that LOVES sweets and would eat it! Though we did already see him giving Akihito’s chocolate covered churro’s…. so i suppose we can’t have a repeat of that 🤭🤭

[chryso0]

Talking about suits 😂

Akihito wore suit in one of the oldest chapter when he sneak to one of asami club he was soo cute even asami couldn't control himself

I love it when he was siting in asami lab and asami fix his tie

One of the first time asami start to act gently toward aki

Yes! it was the suit he wore to Takato’s wedding 🤭 and acting as wedding photographer! Asami had him so pegged - knew exactly that he’d be feeling incredibly uncomfortable/out of place there and hidding in the corner with the cheapest drink 🤭 Its funny that even back then he already knew Akihito’s temperment so well 😌 it makes you think that he is more observant that people might give him credit.

I want to see Akihito in suits more often!! 🙂‍↕️

😂😂 oh you thought that was Asami “acting gently” — as i recall he was being rather condesending saying Akihito looked like a kid and that the suit didnt suit him 😅 so while i can’t say i think he was acting gently, i do think it was a early exhange between them where he was trying to be funny and cracking jokes — compared to his usual seriousness. It’s an early banter exchange that I do think softens Asami in some ways — showing he has a sense of humor! Even if its sometimes a little bit of a dig towards Akihito.

[chryso0]

Recently, I got into a whole conversation about the different translations — fan-made vs. official sublime version and how some nuances are lost in translations. I’ve had a few conversations about some translation things with a Friend on Discord who is Japanese, so I thought I’d go through our past conversations over the course of many years, to teach all of you what she taught me about Finder:

Excuse some of these messy points, I hope they make sense! You can always ask for further explanations.

— Ryuuichi - is actually the correct spelling and kanji for Ryuichi and how you write his name in Japanese not Ryuichi — Ryuu is a totally different kanji then Ryu. In the official english and in most translations, its westernified to Ryuichi. Apperently this is somewhat common to do so, and is used to just help with pronouncation, basically its just westernized and its not nessesarily wrong. But it freaked me out when I learned this because you would think someones name wouldn’t be WRONG!

— I think i showed this before, but there is a scene from the official where Aki uses the line “House Husband” refering to the fact he is doing all this cleaning. But that was most likely a joke by translators, and the real line Akihito says “This is not the time to be content as a housekeeper”

— We’ve talked about about Hilton fight scene—In the offical and in the fan translation Asami uses the word “toy” a lot, refering to Akihito. But in actually he is using the word “Lover”. Which i feel is a super important distinction! Later on before the oral scene, Asami uses it again saying “this is what lovers do” . This is kinda important because its the first time Asami actual refers to them as lovers - and what interesting is the next volume is basically all about how Fei Long is trying to coinvince Akihito they aren’t lovers and that Asami is just toying with him. So its seems particularly wrong that they would use the word “Toy” because the point is already being made that they ARE confirmed lovers and that Fei Longs tactics aren’t working because Akihito has already heard Asami say they are lovers. (tho it was done in a kinda condescending way…)

-The famous line of “You have no value” is more like “Your not worth that much”

-Yuri during the scene in naked truth, when Akihito is being bullied by Mikhail in front of the group of Russians - say something thats basically along the lines of “if you continue pushing him further, it will be problematic” noting that he is seeing that Akihito is breaking under the pressure (this is same scene where aki is basically thinking internally that he’d rather die)

—Other nuisance lost, Fei speaks more polietely, because Japanese is not his primary laungauge. Tao too.

— The way Asami talks is very aggressive - he’s not very polite, I suppose. I dont necessarily understand this fully, but the example given was his use of pronouns. that even as a High School student in No Souen, he is not showing proper etiquette when using certain pronouns or when addressing people. I believe it has to do with that he basically calls everyone a certain pronoun no matter there status is — even if its techincally suppose to be below him. His speech is described as a “steamroller” 🤭 Very on brand and so fits with his personality.

— Apparently this is used a lot of the times Asami is saying yes or sure in the english translations, he is not actually saying that. He is actually just making a sound that is an acknowledgement - but the translator is making it into a word because theres no english equivalent to that japanese word which is a mouth sound. (if that makes sense - there are words in Japanese that convey a sound) So for example an english it might be something like a “hum of approval”- he’s just making that sound. This also sorta fits him, as he is not a talkative person. I found this to be an important distinction, it makes more sense if he isn’t really saying anything at all, or even if its just a humming a confirmation. I dont know how to explain it, because it is such a subtle difference but. I find the idea of him making a little sound to be cuter in some instances, and expressing more personality in certain moments, then a simple yes or okay does.

[chryso0]

Matarai was obviously hostile to Aki at first, but not now! Is there a reason why Matarai opened up to Aki?

Matarai is such an underrated side character. He’s often the butt of the joke, but I sorta wish Sensei would utilize him a bit more.

Is it weird that i sometimes think that in some other alternative universe where AxA never met, maybe akihito would end up with Matarai…

The banter between Akihito and Matarai is always hilarious and actually reminds me a lot of how Asami and Akihito are like. the two also very competitive against each other, there kinda budding rivalry is sorta similar to the way AxA are like. Mitarai is also this other morally questionable person, and i feel his existance within the series was meant to highlight how different Akihito is compared to others within the same field. Akihito always happens to be around morale grey people that he ends up not hating and sorta needs in one way or another.

Not that I ship them and obviously Asami is 100% the better option. But just that Matarai and Akihito share a lot more in common, compared to Asami and Akihito. More similar backgrounds, same career pursuits, Mitarai wears a nose ring so he is also giving “delinquient” in the same way Akihito is, there married to the job mentality. They both nosy as hell! They both are bratty 🤭

In anycase, Matarai was hostile to Akihito at first, purely as rivals within the photography industry. They are both freelancers, which essential means they are both literally competing for the same slot—aka the same job! Essential being a freelancer means you are hired on a case to case bases, for individual jobs. Which is already sorta slim pickings, but having to compete those same jobs with someone else its can’t be easy. And we obviously know the unstable lifestyle Akihito has — so imagine Matarai who doesn’t have an Asami and a cozy penthouse to return to 🤭🤭 So really i can understand why Matarai was pretty harsh in there first meeting, he is competing with Akihito for his paycheck! Remember too that the time they had met was after the Naked Truth arch. I think its highly possible that Akihito worked at the Daily Headline as a more regular freelancer for them before the events of the Naked Truth arch, but when he was kidnapped and dissappeared for an unknown amount of time — The Magazine still needed a photographer during that time. So Matarai might have come in during that time and started to become their regular photographer — when Akihito suddenly comes back and expects to return as usual as their regular photographer. So how might you feel if you just started to get a baseline for a new job — and suddenly your employer is like oh well we’re giving the job to our old hire! The old hire that as far as you know walked out on the job and was uncommunicative! (i believe Akihito’s employer, or maybe it was Matarai once said something like Akihito had gone missing because he was deep playing a video game, which was not the case at all, but what they believed) I think you would have cause to be a little annoyed and have no reason to want to be friendly.

I dont particularly think there was any one reason why Matarai suddenly warmed up to Akihito. It seems to have happened over time. They probs worked together on various cases off screen, its mentioned how they often split there fees or give each other tips occassionally. They even did stake outs together. There was that one episode, where Akihito sees Asami with Sudo and becomes very moody thinking Asami is cheating. He ends up venting to Matarai about his love life, and they go out for drinks together. It seems Akihito sorta thinks he’s a little annoying or at least a little weird. But they do seem to have a budding friendship. Matarai I feel has been taking the spot of best friend over Akihito’s other friends like Kou and Takato. Akihito even called him while he was in hiding at the monestary to get more information —but we still havent seen Akihito updating Kou and Takato about whats going on!!

[chryso0]

Kuroda may have felt jealous of Aki, but he didn't seem to hate Aki. Don't you think he's come to like him quite a bit?

i definitely agree! He does not strike me as a bad person. His feelings were only out of overprotective-ness that he has for Asami.

I also think he was knowingly acted a bit illogical — a bit emotionaly in there first/early interactions. As i said in other post about Kuroda, Its not as if he really actively wants to take Akihito place. I think his jealousy and resenment he feels over his own problems (aka things that haunt him from the past and are maybe unresolved trauma he has with Asami) are completely misplaced on Akihito. Akihito is just a coinvenient target for him, at least in the begining. I think he knows its illogical to hold anything against Akihito.

As they interact with each other, its funny how we do see him change. When he spys on Akihito later on in the Pray in Abyss arch, we see him thinking — Oh he’s smart. He is garnishing some respect for him.

Obviously we can’t forget that when he realizes Aki was taken, he obviously interferes to help him. While the manga does make it out, as if he is only interfering because he knows Asami will get involved if Akihito is missing and he rather that not happen. I think its also fair to say that at that point Kuroda also doesn’t want anything to happen to Akihito either. He obviously gets the information he needs to be able to storm the warehouse where Sudoh is keeping Akihito, and when there is the shot out — he appears right in front of Akihito (rather quickly i might add) to try to get him to safety and even takes a bullet for him. So yes i do think its safe to assume Kuroda has warmed up fully to Akihito 🤭

[chryso0]

its so hard, when u have charatcers like Asami who are known to be especially choosy with their words and subtle in their wording — so when the translations just can’t convey that its like u can’t help but wonder what subtext u are missing! and trust me we are MISSING a lot! With how often i talk to a japanese friend on discord about certain lines, she is horrified this is the translation we get!

Its not necessarily the translators fault, Japanese is not easy to translate word for word, because some words or expressions in Japanese are not easily expressed in english. Its sometimes really just there job to take expressions really litterally.

Thats why i like to read both — because i feel like u get closest to what nusiances are maybe being missed on both sides of it. and yknow more finder is always the answer 🤭🤭

Really i would love to be able to learn Japanese, but alas my language skills have always been abysmal

Do you remember what Asami said to Aki in his birthday episode in an unsuitable suit? Did he tell Aki that he had a good figure? I don't remember what he said It was a small point, but I liked it

I loved this episode, one i never talk about! But I should! Its so sweet 🤭🥹

I loved hearing/seeing Asami talk about suits! I loved it because I don't know how to put this in a PC way, but it was very — gay man of him, yknow what I mean. Like suddenly becoming the fashion police right there in his closet, and boosting up his boyfriend while talking about fashion and clothing! It's kinda a side of him that we don't see. Maybe because he is always acting very masculine and crime bossy. That it feels odd to see him have this special interest in something like clothing/suiting — compared to say his other very masculine hobbies, including guns, shooting, and being a badass, yknow what I mean? It's odd, but at the same time, his suiting is so famous that it's kinda like — it totally fits! It doesn’t feel out of character for him to have opinions and have an interest in suiting/tailoring/ and men's fashion. Later on he was damn fashionable in his little cravat! (SERVING LOOKS ALWAYS)

Here is the official English translation of the scene. He is only talking about fashion in a very subtle way, but I think u can also infer how he is talking about his own experience with clothing and clothing being more than about just fitting, how it's an expression of your own strengths, etc, etc— i think you can get the jist.

The reason I show you this is because, well, I don't know how accurate the English translation is. I’ve had many conversations about how the English official translation isn't the best, and how it sometimes takes liberties. I’ve read the official and fan translations so many times that my memoried of events and what people say tends to be a blend of the two. Sometimes I find the official translations to be better, and I understand something differently, while other times I will outright think that the fan translation is better and gets to the point better

(excuse this tangent- but I need to express my BEEF with official translations) I have so many examples of this…just to name one off the top of my head, that angers my soul is this — The iconic line in the Naked Truth arch “Dont toss my heart around any more than this” is translated in the official as “Don’t put me through that again, understood?” It just isn't the same!! It doesn’t hit as hard as the fan translation! Iv been told it's the laziest translation ever, because yes, it is somewhat expressing a similar thing — but it's just not conveying the emotion and the rawness that the moment needs!

In anycase, here is that same scene from the fan translation (sorry for my busted screenshot), which has what you, anon, recalled with Asami saying Akihito has a good figure.

Again we can see how some of the ideas are the same… but in other ways not. I personally don’t mind either translations, obviously i can’t speak to which one is more correct then they other — having no language abilities to speak of 😵‍💫 BUT its is kinda fun to look at both of them and get different meaning from them.

“You have a good figure” is turned in the official as “you have a good foundation”. I honestly like both of them. He does have a good figure and he does have good foundations for being attractive in a suit, and I can imagine Asami saying both things. I also enjoy asami’s use of the word “off the rack” — it’s hinting to this talk of fashion!

I like too that the fan translations seems to hint more, then in the official, that Asami is somehow well aware of the fact, Akihito was getting bullied by that friend of Ai’s, (seen earlier in the chapter) and that he knows that Akihito is trying to one up this guy by dressing to impress. Which makes the following page make a lot more sense with Akihito being embarrassed and saying “I am not trying to show anyone up!”. Whilst in the offical, Asami is a bit more subtle and only a little bit alluding to knowing something by saying only “silence your critics”

[chryso0]

Do you remember what Asami said to Aki in his birthday episode in an unsuitable suit? Did he tell Aki that he had a good figure? I don't remember what he said It was a small point, but I liked it

I loved this episode, one i never talk about! But I should! Its so sweet 🤭🥹

I loved hearing/seeing Asami talk about suits! I loved it because I don't know how to put this in a PC way, but it was very — gay man of him, yknow what I mean. Like suddenly becoming the fashion police right there in his closet, and boosting up his boyfriend while talking about fashion and clothing! It's kinda a side of him that we don't see. Maybe because he is always acting very masculine and crime bossy. That it feels odd to see him have this special interest in something like clothing/suiting — compared to say his other very masculine hobbies, including guns, shooting, and being a badass, yknow what I mean? It's odd, but at the same time, his suiting is so famous that it's kinda like — it totally fits! It doesn’t feel out of character for him to have opinions and have an interest in suiting/tailoring/ and men's fashion. Later on he was damn fashionable in his little cravat! (SERVING LOOKS ALWAYS)

Here is the official English translation of the scene. He is only talking about fashion in a very subtle way, but I think u can also infer how he is talking about his own experience with clothing and clothing being more than about just fitting, how it's an expression of your own strengths, etc, etc— i think you can get the jist.

The reason I show you this is because, well, I don't know how accurate the English translation is. I’ve had many conversations about how the English official translation isn't the best, and how it sometimes takes liberties. I’ve read the official and fan translations so many times that my memoried of events and what people say tends to be a blend of the two. Sometimes I find the official translations to be better, and I understand something differently, while other times I will outright think that the fan translation is better and gets to the point better

(excuse this tangent- but I need to express my BEEF with official translations) I have so many examples of this…just to name one off the top of my head, that angers my soul is this — The iconic line in the Naked Truth arch “Dont toss my heart around any more than this” is translated in the official as “Don’t put me through that again, understood?” It just isn't the same!! It doesn’t hit as hard as the fan translation! Iv been told it's the laziest translation ever, because yes, it is somewhat expressing a similar thing — but it's just not conveying the emotion and the rawness that the moment needs!

In anycase, here is that same scene from the fan translation (sorry for my busted screenshot), which has what you, anon, recalled with Asami saying Akihito has a good figure.

Again we can see how some of the ideas are the same… but in other ways not. I personally don’t mind either translations, obviously i can’t speak to which one is more correct then they other — having no language abilities to speak of 😵‍💫 BUT its is kinda fun to look at both of them and get different meaning from them.

“You have a good figure” is turned in the official as “you have a good foundation”. I honestly like both of them. He does have a good figure and he does have good foundations for being attractive in a suit, and I can imagine Asami saying both things. I also enjoy asami’s use of the word “off the rack” — it’s hinting to this talk of fashion!

I like too that the fan translations seems to hint more, then in the official, that Asami is somehow well aware of the fact, Akihito was getting bullied by that friend of Ai’s, (seen earlier in the chapter) and that he knows that Akihito is trying to one up this guy by dressing to impress. Which makes the following page make a lot more sense with Akihito being embarrassed and saying “I am not trying to show anyone up!”. Whilst in the offical, Asami is a bit more subtle and only a little bit alluding to knowing something by saying only “silence your critics”

[chryso0]

Little moment I love from Finder. Bali Trip edition:

When Aki gets a spa treatment, he was so pleased with himself, he couldn’t wait to share with Asami. Meanwhile Asami could not careless, and was making fun of him saying only women go to the spa.

But as soon as he hears, Akihito saying he’s as smooth as a baby’s bottom!! Look at him— closing his newspaper like 🙏 “I am interested now come here!” 🤭😂

I loved to when Akihito was being bratty later and was like “ooh I charged the spa treatment to your hotel tab😈” I know he thought he was being bratty in that moment, but we all know is Asami WISHES Akihito would spend his money. Asami internally was probably like “Yes 🙌 please do! 👏 Thats why we’re here in the first place 🥹 good job!👏

[chryso0]

There's something confusing, but when did Aki first go to Asami's house?

This had me doubting my first guess!

I personally always thought it was episode two, vol 1. Right after Akihito was kidnapped by Fei Long, and they do it in the bathroom! But thinking about it now, I was sweating because I don’t think it’s ever fully stated that it was his condo! And Asami could have taken him to a hotel after that and the bathroom was a random hotel bathroom — because Aki doesn’t get a whole tour of the apartment until much later when he sneaks into the apartment to steal his cameras back after naked truth.

But I can confirming for a fact that it was Asami’s bathroom and Asami did take him back to the condo that time. Sensei did a little drawing of the floor plan of the apartment, and she drew little hearts where they’d had sex so far in the storyline and the bathroom was one of them! She mentions that “punishment” in a little side note 🤭 (can I just say sensei is so funny- I laugh every time i see the “Places they’ve had sex (lol)” )

[chryso0]

I feel like I hear a lot of people say things about how Asami really blundered and misread the Sudo situation, and how thats proof that he is not actually good at reading people. And i find that to be so unfair, because I do think he is decent at it. Yes reading Akihito is hard for him, but i also can’t blame him for that either because Akihito doesn’t know left from right either so it’s the blind following the blind.

I know the Sudo situation was 100% his own making. But I also can’t blame him for those mistakes either, because it’s not unreasonable for him to misjudge how jealous and insane Sudo would become. I think it’s important to contextualize everything that Sudo did as — the fall out/ the domino effect of the naked truth arch. How Asami making his relationship with Akihito public (at least in the underworld) , standing with him/rescuing him had this kinda domino effect on everything else. I would argue that Sudo only did those things and made a deal with chernobog, because he’d heard about what lengths Asami was going for other people and since he wanted to be that person too and get Asami’s attention, he went out of his comfort zone and made this deal that i think he otherwise wouldn’t have done. We hear Sudo questioning Akihito about what “really” happened in Hong Kong, when he takes Akihito to that warehouse. He can’t believe that Asami would do that kind of thing for somebody, least of all for someone like Akihito. With that we can kinda see where this jealousy probably started sprouting.

I also just wanna add that I think there are some subtle hints, that allude to the fact that Asami potentially seduced Sudo into becoming a loyal subordinate in the first place. It wouldn’t be the first time Asami manipulated someone into submission (the cop in Hong Kong & Fei Long being two examples) At the very least I think he used his charms into making Sudo into a “useful tool” (Asami’s own words) So can we imagine how Asami showing attention to someone else publicly, rescuing in them in a daring hostage deal — sorta shattered Sudo’s image of Asami. Made him begin to question everything. Make him wonder why it isn’t him, or why he’s treated differently, when he supposedly does so much for Asami’s sake.

I don’t think Asami could have foreseen how other people would react to his rescue of Akihito. Because obviously it needed to happen. And its interesting how Asami himself completely downplayed the significance of that, and what it must mean about his own feelings for Akihito (aka that he was mad whipped), but everyone else around him understood immediately. Even Fei Long taunting him and being like look at you going so far for the person you care about! It was very obvious to everyone else except him. So thats why I dont think he understood the significance of what that might mean for someone like Sudo, who wasn’t even involved and who heard about it second hand. (Oddly enough its his own denying of his feelings and downplaying of what happened in Hong Kong that I think is the true one at fault here for these mistakes)

I also think its important to add that on top of that — he also had no idea how Akihito himself was going out and interacting with Sudo first hand — and totally pushing Sudo’s buttons all the more! Like sorry but Akihito was totally kicking that hornets nest over and over again, as our nosy photographer does! But Asami didn’t even know that was happening until it was probably already too late, and Sudo went full crazy.

Do you think Asmai is good at reading people ?

Yes and no. I think that Asami is good at sensing an inner reaction or tension in people. He is a good manipulator after all.

And he would not have been in the position he is if he could not gauge when to trust or mistrust people. Or know how to push their buttons. He deals with powerful people all the time and few of them are really trustworthy. He operates an illegal business under everyones eyes. Just think about the back rooms at club sion. Rumors about him float around but it never leads to serious legal action. So ge must be able to control people with right amount of bribery, intimidation and allure.

Seemingly in contrast to that, he has a bunch of communication issues in his personal relationships. And while that could be seen as a failure to read people or at least certain emotions of people I don't think that it is that simple either.

For example, the big misunderstandings about Akihito's behavior towards him, like his assumptions that Akihito might cheat on him, are still rooted in him sensing something off without knowing how to exactly place it.

I always thing about their Bali vacation after the naked truth arc. It ends with Asami giving Akihito a camera, knowing that Akihito "needs it right now". And Akihito's bright smile confirms that Asami is spot on. Not even Akihito knew it. Asami is also very worried and aware about Akihito's trauma. And his refusal to aknowledge it. He does not want to rush their return despite Akihito's annoyed pleads. He lets him cave up in his room after a flashback and brings him his favorite food. He is very sensitive with his approach, never shows any real annoyance with Akihito's behavior and adjusting to the pace of his healing process.

Later, during the Sudo story, when Akihito is missing for several days, Asami is pissed when Akihito finally shows up. But before that he allows him to come back by his own choice. He could have dragged him back way earlier. And still, even when he forces Akihito to look at him, when he violently throws him on the bed and has sex with him as if Akihito is a hooker, he is still allowing Akihito to not talk about what is going on in his mind. Despite his immense frustration about the situation.

So it is not Akihito is doubting their relationship while Asami thinks everything is fine. He also, imo, never acts as if he reaaaally believes Akihito is cheating on him. I think deep down he senses that Akihito would not do that. Despite his threats there is no disgust in his face or words. No mentions of betrayal. Instead we see worry in his face when he asks "why wont you look at me". I always wondered if Asami thought that Akihito had been sexually assaulted rather than actively cheated on him. I cannot for the love of god imagine Asami being so tame with Akihito if he really thought that Akihito slept around behind his back. I cannot believe that Akihito would get less of an aggresive gaze than what we had seen during the beginning of Naked Truth, when Akihito told Asami that he ratted him out. Remember that face of Asami?

I think that all in all, Asami's gut feeling about people is still pretty good. He might have fallen for Fei Longs spiked tea and trank it, but he was still right with his gut feeling that Fei did not want to harm or reaaaaally backstab him. Fei spiked his drink to bring him to a safe place against his will.

So that is how I see it. I don't think that Asami has been fundamentally wrong about anyone so far.

Hope that clears things up!

[chryso0]

Recently got back into drawing and I was really happy with how this came out. It’s for Akihito’s Birthday Event we did on the Discord “Club Sion” and the prompt was for Arabian Nights

[chryso0]

From Sensei’s twitter for Aki’s birthday

The birthday boy looking soo cute ☺️