#( yuugi is just like... SO suspicious. )

[winkle-pickers]

Character bingo: ANZU ANZU ANZU 😎

ANZU ANZU MY DARLING MY BELOVED JOCK BALLERINA WHO PROBABLY KILLED A GUY IN S0 I will put this on the record for all to see, when I checked "Literally I would kiss them" on all the other character boxes I meant "I would tenderly smooch their forehead and hand them some werthers candy" but with Anzu literally I would kiss her <3

Damn I wish I didn't have to check the "everyone else is wrong about them" and "fandom is so mean" boxes about Anzu because people really have come around on her quite a bit since the Dark Days of Early YGO Fandom, but I still see enough rancid ass takes about my sweet baby angel on Al Gore's Green Internet that it shocks me. I think the most shocking thing is that a not insignificant amount of her behaviour maps 1 to 1 with Kaiba (roasting people with snappy quips, solving problems with violence, putting oneself in grave danger to see one's ghost pharaoh crush, etc etc) and yet Kaiba gets to be the Fandom Meow Meow and Anzu still. STILL!!!! Gets the 'bitch' label slapped on!! You're all WRONG!!! KAIBA IS THE BITCH. IT'S KAIBA.

ALSO P.S. IF YOU COUNT THEM, JOUNOUCHI & ATEM GIVE MORE FRIENDSHIP SPEECHES THAN ANZU DOES. BY FAR. IT'S JUST THE NUMBERS. Anzu is an amazing friend and we love that about her, but she is out there beating up the guy who made fun of you behind the lockers and then offering you a half crushed granola bar out of her purse for comfort and you take it because you just watched her beat someone up and you're not arguing with her. Jounouchi is the friend making earnest sappy declarations of eternal friendship and probably crying at the end while you awkwardly pat his back. Atem is the friend making earnest sappy friendship speeches that veer off into extremely questionable metaphors and uh oh now he's talking about something that sounds suspiciously like organized crime in the name of friendship, but it's okay, go off king. Honda is the friend making sure you wear a jacket and giving you a non-crushed granola bar out of his bag plus a Gatorade too because he thinks you look a bit dehydrated. Get Yuugi's entourage straight y'all!!!

(Also I desperately want Anzu and Kaiba to be friends and roast people together, but also in the friendship Kaiba gets roasted most of all, and he kind of respects it so he keeps hanging out with her.)

[scumcoin]

Pondering and Rambling About Isekai A Little Bittttt.....

Rewatching VS Knights of Lamune & 40 Fire. (mouthful of a title, henceforth 40 Fire)

For the unfamiliar, the Lamune series is SD mecha anime series, comparable to Mashin Eiyuu Wataru and Madou King Granzort. in both TV anime the hero is some bozo kid who gets sucked into a video game (in 40 Fire's case, a CD-ROM game that was inserted into a console that suspiciously resembles a playstation) only to be gilded with the title of the great hero Lamuness: in this case, our new protagonist Lamunedo is christened Lamuness the Third. It's pretty much text that Lamunedo is the son of the previous hero... I honestly don't wanna think about it too hard so I won't but his parents look like Milk, the last show's heroine and love interest, and the original protagonist.

It really be like that.

Given I've already watched this show (albeit over a decade ago and never in Japanese, and I suspect heavily censored as well), I probably won't be doing a lot of posts on it, but I recently rewatched a chunk of the original and I've been thinking about both shows approach to isekai and hell, the approach many other isekai shows take. Shows like this, Fushigi Yuugi, Those Who Hunt Elves, et cetera. There... wasn't much "I died and now I'm permanently in another world"... was there? But I'm not really thinking about those shows because I have seen neither, we're talking about Lamuness, a series aimed at kids. There's a lot to unpack about modern isekai's penchant for escapism in a Japan that's settled into its post-Bubble Era woes, but I'm not qualified to talk about something so culturally heavy nor is it super related. But I do wanna touch on the "method" of being spirited away into another world, and the story structure.

Like I said, it's anything but permanent. There's no truck, no sudden heart attack from overwork. Come, Lamuness, time to save the world. There's no time to waste. Get in the fucking TV. The method is an incredibly accessible one, arguably: getting sold a shady CD-ROM for like a dollar and getting whisked away when it boots.

The premise of this series is very goal-based, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that even if the person in these kinds of older isekai in general comes to love the world and decides to stay, there is always the goal of "get back home". Lamunedo has the hefty weight of defeating the demon god's henchmen before they revive him, and when it all ends he gets to go home (sorry for spoiling an anime that's like 25 years old at this point, but that's how most of these ended). In contrast to newer isekai shows where the story begins with the protagonist's life ending, cementing that this is their new life and that they have no real grand goal... unless the goal is to not die. You have to live your new life, effectively an escape from the old life lived previously. The protagonists often skew older in their original lives, office workers over the age of 20 or NEETs who have wasted their lives and what have you. The issue with a lot of newer isekai media is not that they're paint by the numbers, but that because there isn't much of an immediate goal in most, many cannot deliver on the breadth of the premise or many would consider a gimmick. They drown in trying to tick boxes of "you should know the genre the protagonist is stuck in if you've picked up this book/manga/anime, so I'm not gonna think too hard about it either". It's not a diss or anything, but if your protagonist is just going to live and adapt to a new world and you make it the entire premise then you better have thought of the world building at least a little, or give it an actual plot structure to follow that isn't just you going through a buffet table and piling on more cute girls/boys/etc onto the protagonist's plate. They overwhelm with technicalities like video game stats (STOP!!!!!!! STOP PUTTING STATS IN YOUR SHIT I'M GOING TO KILL MYSELF AND YOUR NAME WILL BE IN MY NOTE) and are indulgent in a lot of the wrong ways that may alienate those who do not consume the inspiration of the isekai much.

The best isekai that don't get immediately lambasted by the audience are isekai that dive right into the story without treating the outsider protagonist like someone standing behind the fourth wall at all times, and the rest of the world actually matters. Drawing attention to the fact that other characters are NPCs is tiring and makes me think I'm not supposed to care about them. It creates a vacuum where the only real person in the story is the protagonist and it's difficult to feel for a protagonist when everyone else is treated like an object. Both a literal object to interact with in a video game sense and in many cases a sexual object. Most good isekai will have you forget that the setting is based on something previously assumed to be fictional. It's not enough for the protagonist to be invested in the world, by the way. That's why shit like Shield Hero sucks ass even when you ignore the slavery shit (why would you though?!). I find that I prefer when it seems like the protagonist is in the story just like everyone else, rather than someone who consistently pushes against it. Of course there are many different ways to do it. This is a topic that's way too deep for me, and contrary to what my tone may convey I think that the genre is painted with an unfair brush so a lot of good shows slip through the cracks.

Or to be honest... the fact of the matter is that people are biased and judge stuff harshly just because they're a genre that's in vogue right now. Go figure. <-guy who hasn't even watched that many newer isekai shows

I'll make myself clear here: both old and new isekai are escapist fantasy and I dislike it when people try to paint escapism as a pathetic thing that only the NEW bad isekai shows employ. What's more escapist than being sucked into a video game and being told you're the hero that will save the world? You, a normal kid. What I find refreshing about the Lamuness series that I think newer light novels could learn from. There isn't any "I'll use my experience from the old world". Because Lamunedo is a child, and hero can never be an adult.

So that's a modern isekai shorthand immediately eliminated. (Note that I haven't once called anything a cliche in this post, I don't have that kind of scorn for the genre. I think it'd be good for actual critics to remove this buzzword from their vocabulary unless they truly face off against something that is an actual ripoff, because people have now taken the word cliche and turned it into an entirely negative thing, same with the word trope. But I digress.)

The entire point of the series is to be an escapist fantasy for little kids who love RPGs, but you'll never once see a stat block nor will you hear much of bosses in the video game sense. Sure, maybe the tyke will wonder about home every now and then but after this point you're set off into the story with the express goal of saving the world. There's nothing deep to think about. Traversing through different "space"s and RPG village-like places is a given, and it seems like they're made up as you go unless they're on a map explicitly (they are supposedly, but they still feel made up). You won't hear much about what Lamunedo thinks besides the fact that his (and Da Cider's) BIG COOL MECHA has his blood pumping.

This is what I mean by goal driven: it ironically feels much more like a video game without constantly bringing attention to the fact that it's supposed to be a video game. A big greater goal punctuated by smaller goals and pitstops is how a lot of JRPGs progress. Perhaps it's prescient to compare a lot of newer isekais to an open world game: you're doing... something, there are story important cutscenes, but you meander around until you hit them and often you are sidetracked. It works when you're the one doing it, but when an isekai story is overwhelmed by the lack of nothing it is accomplishing that's when the audience disengages and starts wondering why the protagonist is a fucking idiot, and why they won't do something that actually matters. Have you ever watched someone dick around in Skyrim? Unless you really like Skyrim in my opinion it's not very fun to watch.

I find that this is why villainess isekai is so popular. Many employ the otome genre, which are much more linear in comparison. Sure, you make choices that lead you off to other routes and affect what ending you get, but everyone who plays Norn9 for example is playing the same Norn9 that the next person plays. Even with linear RPGs, you could be underleveled, you could favor certain characters, your experience can still be somewhat varied. Therefore, in a villainess scenario where the base is an otome game, there is an enforcement of an in-game clock where events will happen regardless of how much you dawdle. In fact, slacking tends to be punished. I'm aware that there are similar premises that don't employ a villainess or are based on other genres that are associated with women like management sims and mobile games, but in general they tend to emphasize proactiveness (also I'm speaking very broadly). Even the characters are treated with care. Sure, the heroine may casually spoil their supposed fate and metagame with previous knowledge, but they feel like actual characters.

In any case, as I've stated several times I carry no ire towards the genre. You'll catch me dead before I watch crap like Mushoku Tensei and Shield Hero but there's plenty of isekai manga and anime that I've either enjoyed or am looking forward to enjoying, past or present. But rewatching the Lamuness series got me thinking a lot about it. I wasn't even intending on writing most of what I wrote and I'll be honest when I say I don't consider myself a writer: I'm not the most eloquent and I struggle to express how I feel but by god do I express.

[lady-of-the-spirit]

Small fandoms you'd most want to see crossed over?

Crossing over all the Fushigi Yuugi fandoms is cheating because they're all in the same world, just different eras... but I would still like to see it. I want to see all the main girls meeting and getting along (because they would!), and how everyone else would interact. It would be awesome.

I've definitely said this one before but The Wicked + The Divine taking place in the world of Good Omens would be hilarious. Heaven and Hell are both yelling at Aziraphale and Crowley to go and influence the pantheon to good or bad and it'll decide the outcome of humanity and the couple are just chilling because they've realized after 6000 years that these young people don't need interference, they're going to cause mayhem no matter what happens. They both known Ananke and know something suspicious is going on but at this point they've kinda lost interest.

Fushigi Yuugi crossover with Arata the Legend. Whether as how they are in the series or in real time. Miaka and Arata would get along because they're both so damn nice and commiserate over being sucked into a random world, told to save the world, and becoming enemies with their former best friends. Tasuki and Kannagi hate each other. In real time, Miaka would be in her 30s by the time Arata takes place and I think she'd be a cool auntie figure to either of the Aratas.

The Wicked + The Divine crossed with Arata would be funny because they both share the plot point of "twelve young(ish) people given godly powers and are also kinda shitty" and I think there would be a lot of fighting.

provide enrichment in my enclosure

[sage-nebula]

Listen. All I'm saying is—

Cardcaptor Shizuka AU.

Everything in YGO canon remains the same except Shizuka, age 13, finds the book of Clow Cards in her grandma's old library and manages to open it. Cards scatter everywhere in a huge gust of wind, and a golden lion currently taking the form of a little plush toy awakens.

Only Shizuka can't really see him very well, because this is before she has her surgery. (And before her surgery is even on the table, really.)

Like, okay, she can kind of see him. She can see that there is a blurry mass of yellow floating in her face, and since her hearing is fine, she knows that thick Osakan accent is coming from the blurry yellow mass. But that's about it.

"If ya can't see, what were you doin' in a library?" the yellow mass, who has introduced himself as Keroberos, demands.

"Some of Grandma's books are in braille. I was looking for one of those," Shizuka says, although that's not really true. Something was calling to her in the library, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Something wanted her to open that book.

"Well, I never thought the Cardcaptor would be blind," Keroberos—and really Shizuka thinks she might call him Kero-san for short—says. "But where there's a will, there's a way. Congratulations, kid—you're the new Cardcaptor!"

Of course, Shizuka has no idea what that means, but she soon finds out.

See, at first Shizuka protests because she doesn't have magical powers. Kero-san ("It's Keroberos!") is mistaken. When he points out that she couldn't have opened the book without magic, she reminds him that she's legally blind and will eventually lose her sight completely.

"Don't worry, I'll direct you. Just consider me your seeing-eye Clow guardian," Kero-san says.

And direct her he does, because when the Clow Cards start causing trouble around Hanafuda City—well, someone has to deal with them, and Shizuka is the only magical girl around. It's far from easy, but with Kero-san acting as her eyes and her staff in hand, Shizuka manages to capture The Windy, The Watery, The Mirror, The Jump, The Fly, The Shadow, and The Shield before her brother calls.

Because that's the thing with this AU: it overlaps with Battle City.

Thankfully, there are no Card crises while Shizuka has her surgery or during her recovery. The biggest challenges are the lengths of time that Kero-san has to pretend to be a plush toy, something that gets exponentially worse for him when Honda and Otogi pick Shizuka up from the hospital and take her to meet with the rest of the group.

The idea here is . . . Kero would absolutely recognize the Millennium magic as magic, and as powerful and tbh evil magic at that, much different than what Shizuka can do and more than she can tackle at the moment with her limited cards. There are times when I think Shizuka would still be tempted to try to do something, anything, but ultimately she would keep her magic secret and vow to get the rest of the Cards and learn more magic so the next time something like this happens, she CAN help.

That said, people who can sense her magic even if they can't quite pinpoint it are: Atem, Yuugi, Bakura, Ring Spirit, Malik, Isis

People who are suspicious af about Kero are: Jounouchi

People who think Jounouchi is being stupid by being suspicious of a plush toy are: Honda, Otogi, Anzu

People who secretly think Kero is cute and wish they had a plush toy of their own are: Mokuba

Anyway, when Battle City is over, the reason Shizuka doesn't join the rest for the Millennium World arc is because she had to return to Cardcapting (and also middle school). She does get the rest of the Cards and becomes their master. I don't know where Yue fits into this, but I imagine he must be someone also in Hanafuda.

A couple other things:

— I don't know how possible this is because I've never used one, but I like to imagine Shizuka would use a braille writer to put her name on the cards in kantenji (a.k.a. braille kanji), especially since her first handful of cards were before her surgery. Like I don't know if you could stick cards into a braille writer, but also this is a story about magic cards so let's go with it.

— I do think Shizuka does eventually tell at least Jounouchi about her magic. Or like I think she'd show him, perhaps with a card like The Glow. He mighr freak a bit at first because he hates occult stuff, but this isn't any more occult than Atem, a literal actual ghost, was so he'd be fine after a second, especially since The Glow is really pretty. Plus his baby sis is a superhero!! How cool is that??

— Kero and Jounouchi have a lot of personality traits in common, so tbh I think they'd get along even if they occasionally butt heads. More importantly though, Kero would remind Shizuka of her brother which means he would be a good guardian for her.

Anyway, I just think Shizuka deserved more than whar canon gave her, that she's every bit as brave and strong as her big brother (even if in a quieter way) and that she deserved more time to shine, so. Cardcaptor Shizuka was definitely happening behind the scenes and no one can convince me otherwise.

[ridiasfangirlings]

You remember Fushigi Yuugi? Lol imagine Fushimi as the one who gets pulled in the book and is the Seiryuu no Miko to Munakata's Seiryuu. But then Yata is also pulled in as the Suzaku no Miko to Mikoto's Suzaku. And such. :)

Imagine in this version of the AU maybe Suzaku and Seiryu can manifest before being summoned but they need the priestess to be present to like awaken their power fully, so Munakata and Mikoto are just hanging around waiting for their priestess to arrive (Munakata would be extra pleased when he meets his, Fushimi-kun is everything he hoped for). Though I’m thinking fiddle with the order here a little, imagine both Fushimi and Yata get pulled into the book and they immediately meet Kusanagi, who’s a warrior of Suzaku, along with Mikoto. They recognize Yata immediately as the Suzaku no Miko, Yata is all amazed to find out that he might be like a hero who summons Mikoto’s full power and can help bring about peace in the kingdom of Shizume. Fushimi however is suspicious of this whole thing, Mikoto and all this talk of priestesses and searching for legendary warriors, like what do these people really want with Misaki. While they’re returning to Mikoto’s ‘home base’ of Homra palace they end up getting attacked by bad guys and say Fushimi gets separated from Yata. The way things play out Yata ends up thinking that Fushimi was sent back home but really he gets roughed up by the bad guys and kidnapped.

Fushimi is eventually saved by Munakata and one of his warriors, Awashima. Munakata recognizes Fushimi as his priestess and he’s all ready to welcome Fushimi into the fold and go searching for the rest. Fushimi is initially worried about Misaki, thinking something must have happened to Yata that he would leave Fushimi in the hands of people who tried to hurt him, but then Munakata (trying to be helpful) shows him that Yata is still alive and happily traveling with Mikoto. Of course this makes Fushimi think that Yata abandoned him in favor of Mikoto and he decides to go along with Munakata in order to get back at Misaki and keep Mikoto from ever awakening his power. Seiryu and Suzaku have always been at odds so it’s a race to see who can find their warriors first and awaken their respective gods.

At some point they clash and imagine Yata so confused when Fushimi calls him an enemy and does the whole betrayal bit, Yata doesn’t understand why Fushimi is opposing him and thinks that Munakata must have done something to toy with Saruhiko’s head. Fushimi says Munakata didn’t do anything, Fushimi just realized what an idiot Yata was and that he’s tired of playing friends. Yata’s heartbroken but now he’s determined to summon Mikoto properly and use one of his wishes to get Fushimi to come back to him. Meanwhile Fushimi claims to have no wishes, only wanting to summon Munakata before Yata can complete his mission (and maybe unknown to them another god, Hisui/Genbu has also awakened and his priestess Sukuna is trying to beat the both of them in order to take over all of Shizume and they might have to reconcile and work together to stop him).

[atopearth]

Nightshade Part 1 - Ishikawa Goemon Route

I'm superrrr excited to play Nightshade! I've always been so curious about it so yayyy! Enju looks so cool and cute too. Toriumi Kousuke voices Chojiro? Okay, I love him already, and it seems like he's a big brother figure too, I love those🥲🥲 I have a soft spot for overprotective bodyguard types like Gekkamaru too though, he's so loyal! Maybe to the point of it being detrimental to the both of them though, since when Enju trains, he protects her lol, and he doesn't go out on a lot of missions because he wants to protect her. I guess the good thing about it is that this is of his own free will. I guess it's interesting that Enju is the symbol of peace between the Iga clan (that was mostly decimated by Oda Nobunaga) and the Koga clan (who was the Iga's rivals and ended up taking in the remnants of the Iga clan) due to being the daughter of the Koga clan master and the late Iga clan master's sister. Ohh Chojiro is Momochi Tanba's (late Iga clan master) son! I wonder how he feels.. Wow, Kando (Enju's father) looks so fierce and cool. I guess Gekkamaru protecting Enju isn't completelyyyy his free will, considering it was what Enju's deceased mother asked of him and he's kept his promise to this day. Awww Chojiro recommended Enju to come along for the mission! Exciting! I can't imagine having to go on a mission for 8 years, I wonder if Enju and them will even recognise Kuroyuki. I can't believe Kuroyuki was sent on the mission when he was 8 years old! That's just crazy.. Aww Kasumi is so cuteee, her crying at everyone leaving on a mission was so sweet. Lmao at Chojiro telling Enju and them that the mission will always come before their lives and Gekkamaru completely dismisses it later by saying it doesn't matter to him since Enju will always be his top priority.

Kuroyuki definitely seems like he has a lot of baggage with him, but I guess that's to be expected when he was dumped on a mission at such a young age, and if he's coming back alone, that means for all these years, he must have been really lonely. He never got the support of others like Enju and them did. For some reason, I really like Kyara's voice, I should check the VAs. Okay, omg no wonder why lol, I loveee Hayami Saori~ WHOA, I'm in for a ride, Tsuda Kenjiro voices Hanzo? I'm looking forward to that. Oh nooo, Midorikawa Hikaru voices Goemon?? I don't like Goemon's looks, but I guess I'll love his voice regardless😂 Right now, he kinda reminds me of Tamahome from Fushigi Yuugi lol. Even though Enju's naive, I really did like how she took back the girl's money bag from the thief and gave it back to her naturally. I'm kinda interested in "Goro" (Goemon), he looks sleazy (lol) but he seems to be quite mature? Oh, their mission is to find the next place Goemon will rob? I know Goemon is a "good" person because he only robs officials who are corrupt and don't treat the citizens properly, but that's about all I know haha. I guess it's understandable why Ishida Mitsunari needs to capture him if Tokugawa Ieyasu and other council guys are coming, it would be pretty embarrassing and shameful to not be able to catch a single notorious thief, and it doesn't help that Toyotomi Hideyoshi is getting older and the council elders have considerable influence. Btw, lmao at Kyara trying to cook with her weapon😂

Wow, Ieyasu is beautiful~ I love his looks🥺 I didn't realise that guy was Hattori Hanzo until I heard his voice a bit more though hahaha. Anyway, yeah, Enju throwing a shuriken to save Ieyasu (when he used himself as bait) was definitely reckless and silly as a shinobi, but I can't really dislike her for it, because she's not someone who can just ignore that. Considering that Hanzo is the strongest/top Iga ninja, and is tasked with protecting Ieyasu, is he a part of Koga now or is he independent? Honestly, I always took Kuroyuki as a flighty guy so when he stood up for Enju (when Hanzo called her a burden if they were to take her along to kill the guys after Ieyasu) against Hanzo, I was a bit touched. Ieyasu is really kind to think about the shinobi who died protecting him from the assassin, it is pretty saddening tbh. Enju catching Goemon was pretty cool, I think he really let his guard down and didn't want to hurt her though. I knew Hideyoshi was going to die and Enju would be accused as the killer, but it's kinda sad since Hideyoshi seemed genuinely happy and impressed with her. Anyway, considering how important Hideyoshi is, I'm surprised they even let him be alone with Enju with no guards at all?? Or any ninjas to protect him or anything?? I like the idea of Goemon "stealing" her away, so she's not escaping and causing more trouble for the Koga clan, but I wonder what will happen to the clan... I mean, Ishida's missions were what kept the clan going so... Anyway, I forgot that Goemon was an Iga ninja, that's certainly interesting, and he left before the Iga clan was basically destroyed so hm~

Aww Enju and Goemon traveling together, pretending to be husband and wife and holding hands is so cute~ I love how Goemon speaks his mind and tells her she's cute, because Enju is definitely super cuteee. Lmaoo when the innkeeper thought they were siblings. How heartbreaking to hear that Enju's father disowned her... It's probably what he needed to do to protect the rest of Koga, but yeah that would hurt. At least Gekkamaru is adhering to what he said before and is ready to discard everything to protect Enju. I agree with Goemon and his choice to leave the village though. I mean, it's respectable and crazy how dedicated and loyal shinobi are to their mission and to their villages, but shinobi literally live for all that and nothing else. It's admirable, but it's also such a saddening way to live? Especially since so many of them die so frequently for their missions. I'm personally glad Gekkamaru is doing this for Enju. I guess in a sense this journey is a blessing in disguise (as long as no one dies) because it will help Enju think about how she wants to live. She's always been stuck in her village "protected" by everyone just because she's the symbol of peace, so rather than appreciating her for who she is, people only look at her as a symbol that needs to exist, yet Enju feels like she needs to "repay" them for treating her so kindly when they basically imprison her in the village and bind her to it in a sense to make themselves feel better. Not saying they're not nice people but the whole ninja village thing isn't really great when it comes to anything about freedom and choice, so it's nice for Enju to now see things with a different perspective. It was cute how they both said to each other they would be a good wife/husband. As for Mokichi, I was suspicious when he insisted on going to the festival alone with Enju, but I do feel bad for her. I know Enju is very careless, too naive and kind for her own good, but I honestly wish to see her continue to see the world in a nice way because it's saddening otherwise I guess. I'm surprised Gekkamaru didn't follow them at all though, like it's still dangerous!!

I was wondering what Kuroyuki was doing this whole time considering he's just like his brother Gekkamaru in terms of how much he wants to protect Enju, but it seems like he was trying to look for her too! Oh.. Goemon wasn't even born into Iga, he was sold there and used as disposable pawns when needed and trained harshly to the point that if he couldn't take it, they would just dump him. Honestly, Goemon hasn't really made my heart flutter much haha, but when he got angry and asked Enju whether she wanted to live or die (when she thought maybe she should stop running so she wouldn't trouble the others anymore), and then when he told her that he would stay beside her until the end, I couldn't help but feel touched. He's not optimistic enough to think that they will definitely survive, but he's not willing to give up, and is willing to do whatever he can to stay alive alongside her and I think that's sweet. Goemon patting her head as she enjoyed the soothing view of cherry blossoms was nice. Enju has really gone through a lot these days so I'm glad Goemon is always trying to help her relax a bit. Whaaat?! Goemon was the Fuma leader?? Oh...Goemon escaped from Iga when he was 8 and somehow or another ended up at Fuma.. I guess Goemon hates killing because of the amount of people he's killed before, and knowing how "easy" it can be with the ninjutsu he learnt as the Fuma leader... It's nice how comfortable they've gotten with each other that they can even sleep side by side together now lol.

I honestly don't really trust Mitsunari, and really don't know if this "goodbye" with her friends will really be for the good. I mean, even on the off chance Mitsunari has good intentions, other people in the castle don't. Anyway, I really liked how forward Enju was in wanting Goemon to stroke her head, and he even kissed her on the forehead~ Goemon is a flirt but he's always so polite and careful with Enju, it's kinda cute. Honestly, the last bit with Goemon pretending to kill Chojiro and them etc was pretty... meh? Like, it was obvious what was going to happen, especially with the gold and him giving it to people lol. I guess something nice and interesting was that Enju will continue to hide from the public eye since she's supposed to be dead, so she'll be traveling with Goemon from now on. Kinda cute how Goemon is more open with his affections. The bad ending was quite nice, I liked how it was Enju who gave up on living because of everything that happened, and because of that, Goemon ended up using the ninjutsu he hated so much to kill the Elders for causing all this to happen, and forcing an innocent girl to lose the will to live and basically sacrifice herself.

Overall, while I do like Goemon's personality, I find his route very lacklustre. I think the biggest problem with Goemon's route is that it's very focused on Enju and her escape from the Elders and how Goemon helps her with that, supports her and that's how they end up bonding by both encouraging her and understanding the desire to live for oneself rather than romance. There were cute moments that I enjoyed between the two, but I don't feel like I learnt much about Goemon as a thief or even as the Fuma leader. They talk about his past and why he hates it all, but it doesn't expand on it which can be okay, but the story doesn't expand on the current him as Goemon either. All we ever learn about him is the superficial stuff like he's a good thief with a crappy past, and that he's a flirt lol. I just feel like since it was his route, I wanted to learn more about him, because other than his desire to live without being tied down to stuff like villages and stuff, and hoping that people like Enju wouldn't have to sacrifice their lives for stuff like that, I'm not sure anything much happened. Like, I wanted to see more of the ramifications of how it was for a shinobi clan to lose their master, how Goemon's "betrayal" towards the Fuma went etc. So yeah, kinda disappointing. The bonus scenarios and stuff were nice though, especially when they chatted about little Chojiro back in the day being cute hahaha.

[ygospamproduction]

So, a thought I’ve been sitting on for... fifteen years? Seventeen years? I think? Anyways, there’s this episode of House M.D., Role Models, that focused on a black senator who got sick while running for president. (I know what you’re thinking, but this was 2003. So while it was likely about him, it was pre-election, which in retrospect is kind of awesome actually.) But anyways, the senator presents himself as a very stand-up guy, while Dr. House, being Dr. House, assumes he’s a liar and that his health is being messed up by something he’s not telling them. And at one point, this exchange happens:

House: You need to stop lying to me. Senator: It must be miserable, always assuming the worst in people. House: Oh, cut the crap, you’re dying. Senator: You’re clever, you’re witty, and you are a coward! You’re scared of taking chances. House: I take chances all the time, it’s one of my worst qualities. Senator: On people? House: Wanting to believe the best about people doesn’t make it true. Senator: Being afraid to believe it doesn’t make it false. House: Well, that’s very moving. It’s a shame I don’t vote. Senator: This is who I am. I believe in people. I’m not hiply cynical and I don’t make easy, snide remarks. I would rather think that people are good and be disappointed once and again.

And that exchange? It stuck with me. I don’t remember if it was during my first watch or a rerun, this came out just around the time Yu-Gi-Oh! entered my life after all, but I still remember that really, really early on, this exchange clicked with me as, ‘Oh! Yuugi!’

Why? Because this is so Yuugi to me, particularly with the main villains. And I’ve been seeing a lot lately about Yuugi’s willingness to trust said villains, put in both positive and negative lights, but there seems to be an underlying idea all around that he unconditionally trusts, while I would counter that no, he consciously trusts. 

Because yes, there are examples that Yuugi can be gullible in some ways, but maybe it was just this quote being in my head that made me notice it, but I realized when I read the manga that in almost every instance I can think of where someone approaches him with a smile and bad intentions, his reaction is actually  “👀 ...” followed by acceptance or belief. And partly, yeah, it’s because he’s really quick to adopt friends (Jounouchi??? Honda???) but I still think it’s good to underline that this is the opposite of someone pulling the wool over his eyes. He knows that Jounouchi and Honda bullied him, that Kaiba stole his card, that the whole Death-T set up had red flags, that Namu was suspicious, that The Ring Spirit hurt him as much as helped him. And all signs point to he was bullied growing up, so you think he doesn’t have an impulse to be wary of peers? But, he also knows that he burns the reality he wants by choosing doubt over belief. 

So he believes. Because he would rather deal with a Trojan Horse than live with the regret of pushing away someone who actually meant well and could have been a friend. And, for all his confidence issues, this is one thing I think Yuugi would stand by unequivocally if questioned on it. As the quote said, “This is who I am… I would rather think that people are good and be disappointed once and again.”

Which makes him a wonderful person, but also a horrible Among Us player. King of Games he might be, but son will not stand by a sus.

[clarste]

I can't seem to get a grasp on the personalities of the newhus (stage 4-7 that is). Basically they're all well-spoken and polite, but speech-wise don't really stand out from each other. Have you got any pointers on what makes them tick?

Yachie is super polite, so polite that they even mention it in her profile. However, that politeness hides the fact that she’s extremely manipulative. Her power is that “you can’t imagine going against her” and the way this happens in-game is that protagonist seem to want to trust her even though she isn’t necessarily trustworthy. So she’s polite because she knows that no one will ever refuse her. She has a Darwinian philosophy of “survival of the fittest” and believes that all people, both human spirits and animal spirits, are just resources to fight over.

Mayumi is strangely laid-back for a solider, because until now there has nothing has ever been able to threaten her at all. She’s like the kind of guard who thinks her duty is to escort lost children, rather than actually having to confront an intruder. Supposedly she has no soul or desires, but she does seem to have emotions of some sort, at least.

Keiki is pretty nice and polite and doesn’t want to fight if she doesn’t have to. She spends most of her dialog trying to convince you not to fight her, by appealing to her nature as a protector of humanity. I’m sure she honestly believes that you were being tricked (and maybe you were). But when push comes to shove, she’s perfectly fine with destroying your flesh. Clay is more beautiful anyway, right? Also she seems to be just a little snarky with Yachie in one of the endings.

Saki is like Yuugi, basically. She’s super casual (but not rude), and also super pumped to be fighting you, and also your best friend after the fight is over, because battle buddies are the best kinds of friends. She’s the type that would order her own minion to help her enemy, just because it’s more fun that way.  Not that she isn’t shrewd in her own way: she’s extremely suspicious of Toutetsu’s motives for working with Yachie, but she seems like the type who wishes she didn’t have to be suspicious. Apparently she’s also well respected by her gang, ie: they don’t just follow her out of fear.

That’s my read on them anyway.

[writelovetomeempress]

Drabble Challenge: 1 - 150. I'd love to see what you can do with #12: "I'm pregnant." With whatever ship/fandom you are comfortable with.

Hahahaha! you think I have other fandoms. That’s great. xD I was actually debating on doing a different pairing, but then this idea got me and... I kind of want to make it a legit fic. Like... I’m in love with the idea. I hope you like it too! @life-0r-death

“I’m pregnant.”

Yuugi sat at the kitchen table watching Atem make him breakfast for their anniversary. It smelled so good. “Are you done yet?”

“Patience is a virtue, Aibou.”

“No it isn’t. Whoever told you that was lying to you.”

Atem laughed and reached out to the counter for a plate. “After what we’ve been through, I’d say you’re probably right.”

Yuugi’s smile faltered and he sighed. “That’s true.”

Atem turned and flashed him a reassuring grin. “Don’t do that. We’re not thinking about it today. I’m sorry I brought it up.”

“It’s okay. You didn’t bring anything up.” 

He carried two plates of food over to the table and set them down, kissing Yuugi’s forehead before sat down next to him. “So I had some ideas of things to do today. Have any requests?”

“Oh! Did you see the zoo has a new baby elephant?” His excitement dissipated in the next breath and he groaned, “I’m sorry. See I’m not any better?”

Atem chuckled and kissed him again. “I did see that and we can go to the zoo if you would like. After the things I have planned.”

“We can’t take too long. They’re not open all day.”

They ate breakfast while Atem explained all the things he had planned for the day to keep their minds of things and Yuugi was really excited. He could use a day away from all of it. After they finished dishes, they got ready to leave and walked to the front door only to have it open up before Yuugi could touch the handle. “Tea?!”

“Hey!” She beamed and walked in ignoring their stunned expressions. “Oh wow it smells great in here! Got any left?”

“Uh… yeah…” Yuugi looked to Atem who shrugged his shoulders and shut the door. “I’ll get it for you Tea.”

She sat down at the table and danced in the seat, taking a loud sniff again. “Wow that’s going to be the best!”

Yuugi giggled and walked over to the fridge, grabbing all the left over things Atem made them. While he got a plate ready for her, he could hear the confusion and frustration in Atem’s voice. “You do remember we have plans today.”

“Of course I do. I set most of them up.”

“Alright… So why are you here?”

“Can’t I wish my two best friends in the whole world a happy anniversary while eating all their food?”

“No, that’s Joey and I’m a little surprised he’s not with you.”

Tea laughed. “Yeah, I told him not to come over.”

“…Why?”

Tea didn’t answer him. Instead, she sniffed the air again and groaned, “Hurry up. I’m so hungry!”

Yuugi laughed at her, taking the heated up plate of pancakes, bacon, and some fruit over to her. “I thought you were sick.”

“I was. I’m all better now.” She said, taking the plate from him and dancing in her chair. “Atem you make the best pancakes.”

“You haven’t even tried it.”

“Don’t need to.” Then she cut a piece of the pancake off and put it in her mouth. “Sooo goood.”

Atem looked up at Yuugi and he giggled at how frustrated he was. He sat down next to him and they watched Tea demolish the plate and lift it up. “Can I have some more?”

“We’re already running late, Tea.” Atem tried but Tea just stood up and walked over to the fridge with her plate and loaded it back up. “Why don’t you lock up after you’re finished?”

“Oh no you don’t. You’re staying right there.”

“What’s going on?”

She beamed as she walked back over to the table. She was acting so suspicious Yuugi had to admit he was getting a little frustrated, watching her sit down and dance in the seat again. “I’m pregnant.”

Yuugi stared at her. His jaw had to be on the floor. “W-what?”

She winked, picking up a strip of bacon and pointing it at him. “I told you; third times a charm. You don’t have to worry anymore, Yuugi. I just came back from the doctor and everything’s great.”

Yuugi couldn’t find his voice, but Atem apparently had. “Why didn’t you tell us you were going?”

“I wasn’t going for that. I went to my doctor because I thought I had the stomach flu. NOPE!” She giggled and cut off another piece of pancake. “Turns out your baby’s really picky about smells.”

Yuugi just kept staring at her. He couldn’t believe it. The last two years, all the appointments, the lawyers, the doctors, all their savings, all the guilt from Tea going through the treatments even though she’d said over and over again that she wanted to do this for them, all the dashed hopes, the tears and the arguing… They were finally going to be parents. This was happening! 

Tea stopped eating and stared back at him. “Oh… don’t cry.” She got up and rounded the table wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. “I’m sorry I didn’t take you with me. I had no idea.”

“It’s not you Tea. Thank you. I’m so glad you came over.”  He sniffled and hugged her back as tight as he could. “I’m just…”

“Relieved,” Atem said and he felt his arms around him too, “and really excited.”

“Right?!” She laughed. “I’m really excited too. Are you going to make me breakfast every day?”

Atem laughed. “Whatever you want, Tea.”

“And you don’t need to thank me. I wanted to do this for you guys. Now I get to brag that you both love me most. Joey’s going to be super jealous. It’s 100% worth it.”

Yuugi laughed through a sob and hugged them both. This was the best day of his life and he couldn’t wait until the day that topped it.

[evilisk]

Advice for GW Reloaded Part 4: Tips & Tricks For (Some) Enemies

For the flying shrine maiden with many, many enemies

I’m not going to go into every single enemy type; there’s too many of them as the game includes Touhou 6 - 15 with spinoffs and written works characters too, and also I didn’t 100% the game so I don’t intimately know all of the higher leveled types of enemies, but I will mention some enemies that are either very dangerous, or have very useful ways of being countered.

I strongly recommend checking the in-game encyclopedia if you need a proper guide on all the enemy types. This will only go into the enemy types I fought on my way to doing a regular clear of the game.

(There are actually more than 9 pages of enemies, but I found the timing of this trophy to be an amazing coincidence)

Dangerous Enemy Types

Yukari: She steals items from your gaps (and does one other thing that I can’t quite remember). The way she can mess with your inventory is what makes her so dangerous. A natural counter to this is to have that Seal that all Gap items have (it prevents Yukari from snatching your stuff) though if you don’t have such a counter, you can always reclaim your items after killing her.

Shou: Similar to Yukari, she messes with your loadout by snatching Seals from your equipment. This behaviour also has a natural counter, but I can’t quite remember what equipment has the Seal you need. Similar to Yukari, you can always reclaim your Seal after killing her (unlike the stolen item, however, you need to reapply the Seal to get its effects back).

Yuuka: She remains mostly neutral to you, but if you ever step on a patch of flowers or accidentally attack her (even if it’s you’re partner using a spellcard) she will be aggro’d towards you. Yuuka is also immune to danmaku in the same way that Meiling is. My rule of thumb is to draw the fighting away from Yuuka (so she doesn’t get hit by a stray Spellcard from your partner).

Giant Tenshi: If you don’t know what makes this enemy so dangerous, it’s that unlike regular versions of Tenshi who need to be in the same room to target you with their Earthquake special, Giant Tenshi’s can hit you from anywhere. Yes, even if they’re not in the same room as you, you’re a target to them. 

The only natural counter to this is having the Float status effect which is... not very practical (unless you have the Tojiko DLC). The only other options I can think of are using Wall Breaker and burning a Room Clear Spellcard, or using Swift Medicine and playing it smart.

Flandre: This is an enemy type I don’t entirely understand, but all you need to know is that of the five times I encountered one of these, I died three of those five times. I can’t remember what dungeon to expect these in (I know it’s a later dungeon) but just be ready for to burn some resources when you see one. 

Utsuho / Tojiko / Eirin: I said this in a previous post, but these enemies can become very dangerous if they do a lot of accidental ally killing in big rooms (like during Pandemonium or when you Wall Break). I always recommend taking them out first or “kill stealing” them so they don’t become huge threats.

Invisible Enemies (Nitori, generic Kappa, Koishi): These enemies are the worst. These types run around while invisible and so long as they’re cloaked, you can’t tell where they are, even if they start attacking you (you need to manually figure out where they are). While Nitori-types are easy to find (due to their telegraphed missile attacks), it’s harder for the regular Kappa and Koishi. My advice is to cheat and take a screenshot (or use the PS4 share function) to figure out where they are; having a run fail because of these suckers is lame.

Also, here’s a heads up: one of the mandatory Bunnyland dungeons totally has invisible Kappa on the final floor. I strongly recommend saving up a Room Clear Spellcard or two just for them. 

Kyouko and Patchy In Shops: These two are the most dangerous to run into in a floor with a shop. Kyouko will sweep items at you and, depending on the item, you may accidentally activate or use the item despite not meaning to; and Patchouli can destroy items with her explosion if she dies in a shop. In these cases, there’s a 90% chance you’re going to be treated as if you “stole” the item and if you don’t have the money to pay for them, you’re in for a lot of hurt. Basically, if you know these enemies are lurking about on a floor, avoid shops at all costs.

Enemies and Unusual Interactions

Regular Versions of Characters: It’s worth noting that in a few sections of the game, you actually get to fight the ‘original’ versions of each character (e.g. in the Ichirin fight, you fight against the real Myouren Crew and not copies of them). It’s good to know that these originals don’t seem to be affected by the likes of Talismans, so in those rare encounters (like in the Utsuho recruitment quest or Futo and the Seven Trials) it’s best to ignore most Talismans.

Minoriko / Marisa / Yuyuko* : These characters cannot use their special ability on your partner, so I recommend always having them take care of those enemies (*this specifically applies to her "Steal Food” effect)

Hatate: Similar to Minoriko and Marisa, Hatate’s “Thoughtography” effect only works if she’s targeting you. So if you need to identify that item, make sure you’re fighting Hatate so she photographs you.

Yuyuko / Seiga: Both of these enemy types have a much lower aggro range compared to other enemies. They can be ignored sometimes, though other times it’s best to deal with them when it’s more advantageous for you

Yoshika: She can be instant killed if you throw any sort of Red Bean Cake at her. She’s not threatening, but if you have a Fake Red Bean Cake, you now know what it’s for.

Iku: She seems to have a high dodge rate if you use normal attacks on her, but not a high dodge rate for danmaku attacks, so always shoot first here.

Reisen: Your bullet attacks don’t seem to be affected by Reisen’s Confuse / Hallucinate effects, so also shoot these enemies. 

Byakuren: She’s a nightmare if she ever gets off her Superhuman effect so take them out any way you can. If she does manage to buff herself, you can use a Misfortune Talisman to forcibly remove the effect.

Miko: The lower leveled types are pretty useful. While they *will* throw useless talismans into your Gaps, they're not a bad resource at all (you can Dismantle them or recycle them into other Talismans with the Fusion function). Otherwise this type isn’t that dangerous (beware the Tojiko’s they summon though)

Strange Behaviour? If you ever see an enemy acting uncharacteristically (e.g. a Meiling running in Tunnels, a Tewi that doesn’t have high defense etc.) there’s a chance it’s actually a Nue type enemy in disguise. This doesn’t seem like much, but trust me, you can get into really weird situations like ”huh, I’ve skipped a lot of turns, but this Hatate *still* hasn’t photographed me, I wonder why”. If you see one Nue, always be suspicious of other enemies on that floor

Shopkeepers: You don’t want to mess with shopkeepers but certain enemy types are prone to accidentally aggro’ing shopkeepers if they’re around. Yuugi, for example, can grab you, and throw you at a shopkeeper (and this behaviour will aggro the Shopkeeper towards Yuugi rather than you). Don’t be afraid to manipulate the AI into attacking shopkeepers (an easy use I can think of is hiding behind a Shopkeeper against a Tojiko or Eirin type of enemy.

= = =

This is pretty much the end of my sorta-but-not-really guide to Genso Wanderer. Here’s hoping that Lotus Labyrinth gets localized ASAP!

[kaibacorpintern]

what else happened at the housewarming party when everyone was drunk

it obviously starts with a few rounds of drinking games - king’s cup, irish poker, flip cup, beer pong. mario party. smash. when you die, you have to drink. kaiba pinned a kuriboh card to the center of his dart board.

duke has the best taste in music so his phone is connected to the sound system

atem’s all like “my people invented beer. i will drink you under the table” and kaiba’s all like “i have been attending insufferable business parties since i was 10. i dont even need a chaser. watch” as he does his first shot of cognac. they both lose.

they also both lose their goddamn minds over beer pong. joey intervenes and suggests they team up to beat him. again: they lose.

yuugi and téa swap outfits, just for fun. they both look great

the gang invited malik, malik brings isis and rishid along. isis, feeling great after a pair of whiskey sours mokuba whipped up for her, very seriously takes atem’s palm and reads it with a stony expression. “your destiny is to be a gullible fool.” she walks away snorting with laughter while atem is like… UH?

atem gets like this, obviously. joey, who at this point has decided to remain sober, intervenes yet again, and puts him in time-out by picking up and dropping him into the pool

joey and mai are beer pong champions

either malik or bakura brought weed. neither of them are confessing. joey makes them take it OUTSIDE. do NOT get skunk smell all over kaiba’s brand-new house or kaiba will never host another party and he’ll never get to shit in his fancy bathroom again

tristan has been carrying a pool cue around like a sword all night and randomly knighting people for small favors like changing the song

yuugi rescues the kuriboh card off the dart board and cries because there’s a hole in it and it hURTS

someone (duke?) makes a crack about kaiba’s outfits with all the belts. he gets mad and confiscates duke’s belt. everyone else just gives him their belts as tribute. on some level, he’s confused and suspicious of these freely offered gifts, but rolls with it. he does not say no to belts

before the night even started kaiba was like “okay mokuba you can have a few drinks but i’ll cut you off if i think you’ve had too much” and yet, here he is, very baffled with an armful of belts, while mokuba coolly and responsibly nurses his one drink of the night: a vodka cranberry

[ygospamproduction]

Just Random Things I Love About Yuugi

- The way he is just a walking contradiction- Soft but strong, smart but a horrid student, pure yet perverted, kind but callous, reserved yet emotionally open, mature but childish, suspicious yet trusting- Just a classic little Gemini.

- The way he doesn’t boast or taunt his enemy, but That Little Smirk when he draws a trump card, like Gandora.

- The way he just does not hold grudges. He’ll call you a bastard in his head if you bother his friends and take you out if you endanger them- But you’re not an immediate threat? Suddenly your well-being is his biggest priority and he would not just accept, but enthusiastically welcome you if you so much as smiled his way.

- The way he is just so naturally adorable, waving at cats, offering awkward smiles, just being so generally enthused about everything.

- The way he tries so hard not to burden others with his feelings, and genuinely curbs his own hurt by throwing himself into helping them with their own needs.

- The way he doesn’t allow his hurt or loneliness or grief to stifle him. Even in his younger days, it never blemished his good nature, and as a man it’s just been the fire that makes him stronger.

- “Yup!”

[ygospamproduction]

Puzzleshipping also! 1, 6, 12, 14, 17, 19, 29 because us puzzleshippers live off tears and 30 because I'm not heartless.

Whooo, awesome! Happy to oblige! (But uh, please forgive any shortness/incoherency this round- I have a fever and a head cold right now.)

1.) Who is the most affectionate?

Yuugi’s the cuddly one, but Atem is the one more prone to romantic gestures- Holding hands, caresses, lingering looks, etc, so Yuugi’s the one who gets up close and personal with the pharaoh, while he’s the one who loves on his partner. :)

6.) What is their favorite feature of their partner’s?

They both love the other’s eyes a LOT. Atem especially likes how direct Yuugi is with his gaze. For someone so reserved, Yuugi never shies away from looking directly at someone when he’s standing his ground, or speaking from the heart- I bet that has a lot to do with Atem’s view that Yuugi is brave. Yuugi, on the other hand, likes just how honest Atem’s eyes are. Whether he’s angry, baffled, or being tender, it shows. Atem tends to have generally very subtle expressions, but his eyes always give him away, and Yuugi probably depends on that insight.

As to differing foci, though- Atem on Yuugi. I have the odd idea that he would think Yuugi’s ears and feet are cute, and be quite fond of that stray bang that’s always in his face. That might just be my personal biased talking, but there it is. In a more canon-grounded opinion, I also imagine Atem likes Yuugi’s mouth. Namely because of his smiles, but also just the general expressiveness of it- Like with Atem and his eyes, Yuugi’s mouth can say a lot about his thoughts, and not just ones he vocalizes. He twists it a bit when he’s uncertain or suspicious. It hangs just slightly open when he’s concentrating, or surprised by something. He pinches it shut when he’s determined or holding back words- And grits his teeth when he’s struggling. (-is it weird I’m drawing these references from canon?) Anyway, Yuugi expresses himself a lot via his mouth, and I think Atem would think of that as an essential part of his person- And thus special.

And then of course there’s the romantic aspects. xD

As to what Yuugi likes about Atem- HANDS. There’s a surprising amount of character to how Atem uses his hands- And I don’t just mean when he’s pointing or giving a thumbs up. How he holds cards, and just generally moves and holds them- He seems surprisingly graceful and dexterous, and a lot of the confidence he expresses? I think it comes out via his hands as much as his eyes and smirks. And Yuugi clearly admires that confidence- And to mix these answers up with my own fanfic, half the reason Yuugi’s AE counterpart likes watching Atem make jewelry is he is awed at what Atem can do with those fingers.

Also, those biceps… Are we going to say Yuugi DOESN’T notice or like them?? Honestly.

12.) Who initiates kisses?

I would say Yuugi, mostly. That might seem contrary to my ‘most affectionate’ answer, but I think Atem would be more prone to ‘indirect’ affections, holding hands or caressing or so on while talking with him, more coaxing affection than pressing it. Yuugi is more direct- If he wants some love, or senses that Atem is seeking it, he’ll just dive right in.

14.) Who kisses the hardest?

To follow up the last answer, Yuugi is the one who tends to initiate, so he is the one who usually ‘makes a move’- And the impulsiveness or anxiety that can come with that can make him rough or clumsy, though Atem doesn’t mind. BUT, it should be said that Atem tends to be firmer with his kisses, due to both the emotion that might be behind that move, and an eventual awareness that Yuugi prefers it. Meanwhile, Atem melts at pretty much anything, so Yuugi doesn’t have to try too hard. 

17.) Who says I love you first?

Atem. That MIGHT vary depending on the circumstances, but I will forever read their “I want to be with you forever” scene (in the manga) as a definite sign that a) Atem will initiate serious conversations without hesitation, and b) Yuugi will avoid them if he thinks he won’t like what he’ll hear, or fears what the other will say. He only opens up emotionally like that when the other does first, or out of necessity. So, naturally, Atem would be the one to verbalize his feelings first- And Yuugi would be the one to vehemently reciprocate.

19.) Who tells their family/friends about their relationship first?

Probably Yuugi. Atem would likely worry more about the consequences for Yuugi, if he said something. Yuugi would have no such reservations.

But, it should be said that both would probably be slow to say anything frankly, since they can both be pretty private about things like that- Chances are their behavior would say it for them, and they would just acknowledge it when people around them call them out.

29.) one headcanon about this OTP that breaks your heart

This is more opinion than headcanon, but how about the fact that many seem to think that Atem HAS to move on to the afterlife, and if either he or Yuugi expresses a desire to stay, it is a) out of character, or b) ignores their character growth and means they really are co-dependent on one another.

I disagree.

The real and only reason I feel Atem HAS to leave is he has no body of his own. That’s it. He just can’t live his life/stop living Yuugi’s while lingering in his body, and Atem knows it. And in the very act of accepting the need to help him leave, and succeeding, Yuugi has proven he is strong enough to stand alone- But that shouldn’t mean he has to PROVE his strength by BEING alone. And I never saw ANY proof in canon that either felt ANYTHING but resignation and somber acceptance for their parting. Atem was fighting to stay well into the ceremonial duel, and it clearly tore Yuugi apart to knowingly thwart that desire.

So yes- It’s bad enough that Atem had to leave… But it’s way worse to be told it’s ‘against the story/characters’ to want any other ending for them.

So I guess my “headcanon” here is just that neither actually wanted Atem to go- They just accepted that lot because they had to. And that claim DOESN’T depreciate their characters or their story.

30.) one headcanon about this OTP that mends it

Well, canon helps a lot, honestly- The early parts, that is. But as to a headcanon… Let’s go with a recent one-

That image from Takahashi showing Kaiba and Yuugi playing YUUGI’S game (IN SPACE) some years after DSoD confirms that Kaiba was not dead, and he comes back after seeing Atem.

I can only imagine the possibilities this opens up.

I’m not saying exactly that I want to imagine Yuugi going into the ‘afterlife’ to visit, too – at this point, they basically can’t be together in the canon storyline while Yuugi lives, and it would be so bittersweet and they had such a lovely last moment in DSoD as it is – but it is nice to think about what they might get to indirectly say via Kaiba. Kaiba might not be up to being a direct messenger boy (pfft, can you imagine?) but it is cool to just think about all three being aware that Kaiba has seen Atem and Yuugi, and that link alone might help Yuugi continue to feel connected to Atem, and not so cut off and left hanging as he clearly felt at the beginning of DSoD. Now his link to Atem is more like his link to Anzu, after she goes to New York- They’re apart, may not see each other for a long time, but they’re ‘still out there’ and they are in each other’s thoughts, and gdi- Now I just want to sing that darn American Tail song.

SomeWHEEEEERE out THEEEERE, IF LOVE CAN SEE US THROOOOOOO-

Actually, I think I made this joke before.