#156: reflection

[wysteriaisapenguin]

Behold, new refs for the Trio of T(h)omfoolery!

[fractal-voidling]

MAG156 - #0090401 │ Reflection

Martin

Martin, no

I hate you, Peter Lukas

[optimisticrunawaygalaxy]

(throws up a little as i sob violently) sure

[wandering-pirate]

Mouthwashing Crew Headcanon

Game Night: Hot Seat

Summary: What if the chef (you) hosted the Hot Seat game with the crew?

Pairings: Tulpar Crew x Reader

Day 156

One slow-ass day aboard the Tulpar, someone (probably you, possibly not) decided to shake things up. Enter: “The Hot Seat.”

Daisuke’s brilliant chaos brain kicks in: “Alright, everyone’s asses to the lounge!”

And by everyone, he means EVERYONE. Even poor Swansea, who, you can tell, was plotting your murder silently after his naptime was unashamedly snatched from him

Anyway! You explain the rules, yada-yada:

Take turns sitting in “The Seat” (a janky old pilot chair Jimmy swears is still operational—it’s not. It’s begging for retirement or a dignified death).

Everyone gets to throw questions at the victim-- I mean, participant.

Answer honestly or take a shot of Daisuke’s “mystery juice” (an ungodly concoction of random spices and liquid in the kitchen he found while he was cleaning - punishment by Swansea). He claims it's edible but aside from the glowing toxic green color, something's moving in the juice. Even Anya’s armed with antibiotics, just in case

Round 1: The Captain

Curly starts the game with the intention to stay honest and transparent, the way a captain should (hiswordsnotmine.) He takes a seat with the click of his cowboy boots, "I’ve got nothing to hide. Ask away!"

Question 1: "What’s the dumbest decision you’ve made as our captain?"

Curly's grin falters a bit before answering, "Okay, fine. There was this one time I insisted on manually navigating the Tulpar to impress someone... in my defense, those maps were outdated! And the the che-- I mean that someone was impressed… I think?"

Maybe it was the lighting, but you swear his forehead's starting to get shiny

Question 2: "What’s the real reason you became a captain?"

Caught off guard, Curly clears his throat, his composure slipping. "To lead. To inspire."

Jimmy raises an eyebrow. "C’mon, that’s the PR answer!"

"And… maybe I thought the uniform looked cool. Okay? Next question!"

Yeah no, his forehead was really reflecting light

Final Question: "Have you ever used your rank to get out of trouble?"

Curly’s face turns redder than a warning light, but he still holds his ground. "I… may have politely reminded a customs officer of my rank when they tried to confiscate my coffee stash. It wasn’t a bribe or anything!"

Curly is visibly flustered but still holding onto his Captain pride. "You’re all insufferable," he mutters, FINALLY wiping his sweaty forehead (it was dripping large drops atp). But when no one’s looking, you catch the smile tugging at his lips

Round 2: The Nurse

Anya walks in like she’s ready for surgery. Clipboard in hand, questions already prepped because no one’s catching her off guard

Question 1: "What’s the dumbest injury you’ve treated on this crew?"

Without missing a beat: “Someone tried to impress their crush, slipped on a banana peel, and sprained their wrist and their ego. I won't name names, they know who they are...”

Everyone looks at Jimmy

Question 2: "What’s the most non-standard thing in your med kit?"

“Glitter band-aids.”

"What!? But I never saw one of 'em on anyone."

"That's cause I secretly covered yours with normal bandaids, Swans."

Last Question: "Anya, what’s your guilty pleasure when you’re not in nurse mode? Something you’d never admit..."

In Anya's boyscout-ready clipboard of questions, that's one question that short-circuited her brain

"Uh, what do you mean by... guilty pleasure? I mean, I... definitely... DEFINITELY don’t spend my free time watching those... really bad reality shows, you know, like 90 Day Fiancé or The Kardashians... that’s just... so not me...heh..."

She pauses, realizing she’s digging herself deeper.

"And I definitely don’t have a secret stash of junk food next to me when I do... uh, when I watch those shows... because that would be... unhealthy... right?"

Her clipboard went straight at her face when you all snickered. The flustered nurse was something you weren't prepared to take in, but hey, you weren't complaining ;)

"It’s just for stress relief, okay?! It’s... it's not a habit or anything!"

Round 3: The Co-pilot

Jimmy struts up: attach all cocky gestures a man with an empire-rise-tall ego would do “Bring it. I’m unshakeable.”

First Question: "Do you have feelings for Y/N?"

Without missing a beat, Jimmy reaches for the juice… but instead of a shot, he downs the ENTIRE GLASS

Five minutes later: “I can feel it. IT’S REARRANGING MY PERSONALITY! That FUCKING JUICE is a CRIME to HUMANITY."

Ten minutes later: Trying his best to smile smugly despite the involuntary and random tremors that's hitting him every 5 seconds

Every time you look at him, he avoids eye contact

“It’s the juice, not me.”

Question 2: "If you had to kick someone off the crew, who’s it gonna be?"

“Oh, easy. Daisuke.”

Daisuke protests loudly, but Jimmy shrugs. “That juice deserves jail time.”

Jimmy spends the rest of the game poorly walking at a fine line between bravado and damage control, especially when anyone mentions you or the juice

Round 4: The Mechanic

Swansea reluctantly takes the seat, grumbling about how this whole game is a waste of time

"Just get this over with."

Question 1: "What do you think of Y/N’s cooking?"

He grunts. “Edible. Most of the time.”

“THAT’S THE NICEST THING YOU’VE EVER SAID ABOUT ME!”

“Y'right.”

Question 2: "Why do you always act like you don’t care?"

He scowls. "Because I don’t. Next question." But as the game goes on, his shoulders visibly relaxed, even had him smile when Daisuke roasted the co-pilot

When you teased him for enjoying the game, he went back at that grumpy (he thought it was intimidating, it wasn't) crossed-arms pose

"It's not the game. Yer all just idiots. Just like watching dogs catchin' their tails"

"Yeah and the Nile is a river."

Last Question: "Any sentimental moments with the crew?"

He clears his throat. "Sentimental, huh? Don’t think I’m the type to get all teary-eyed over people... but I’ll tell you, the day that Cap here, couldn’t even fix a damn lightbulb without asking me for help, well, that was... something. Made me feel like I still had some purpose 'round here."

He pauses for a second, almost looking like he was about to say more but after seeing all your expecting faces, the man just grunts and shakes his head

"That’s all yer gettin’ outta me. Don’t go thinkin’ I’m some softie."

All your mouths were collecting flies. That's the most emotional you could make Swansea be

Round 5: The Intern

Daisuke practically cartwheels to the chair... big mistake

Question 1: "Most immature thing you’ve done?"

“Immature? Me? NEVER.”

*Silence, t'was so silent that you could actually hear crickets despite free-floating in space*

“Okay, FINE. I might’ve accidentally stepped on the boss's face one night when I was aboutta pee. BUT I DIDN’T MEAN TO!”

"Oh, that explains the fishy smell. My bad Swans, thought it was your hair."

"Look who's talkin', as if I'm the one bathin' once a month."

Yeah, Jimmy's ego couldn't have been more trampled at this point

Question 2: "Most childish crew member?"

Rubs his hand like he's planning a complicated bank heist

"Easy... Jimmy. Why? Well, let me think… maybe it’s because the guy DRANK a juice just to dodge A QUESTION, might I add, that wasn’t even that BAD."

Daisuke crossed his arms and pouts like a disappointed girlfriend

"AND instead of owning up like a MAN, he KICKS ME outta the crew just for the heavenly potion I MADE. Yeah, Real mature, Jimmy."

Last Question: "Whose advice would you take: Swansea or Y/N?"

"Okay, this is seriously like one of those Resident Evil game choices, y’know? Like, who do you pick? Swansea’s all grumpy wisdom, and he’s got the whole... ‘I’ve seen it all’ vibe. I mean, boss is like the living manual for everything that can go wrong."

He glances over at you and grinned wider

"But then there’s Y/N, who’s always level-headed and knows when to just... chill and have fun. And your advice, like, it always has a twist of realness to it, right? You’re like... I don’t know, the sage with a spoon!... Or a butcher knife?"

Daisuke looks up at both of you, his expression is pure puppy-like distress.

"See? This is hard... I mean life and death situation hard."

"Well, the kid’s in trouble now. What’re you gonna do, Daisuke? Take the safe advice, or follow the one with sugar-coated truth?" Swansea bumps your side

"Ha! Mine's got pure truth and a sugary sweet with it, that's different, Swans."

Last Round: The Chef

Finally, you get forced into the seat (more like physically dragged by the men while screaming bloody murder) and everyone goes HARD on you

"What’s the weirdest thing you’ve fed us without telling us?"

"Weird is subjective, right? So if I thought the ingredient was normal, meh, does it still count as weird? Asking for a chef ;)"

"Are you the one who broke the coffee machine?"

"I mean, define ‘broke.’ If we’re being technical, it still turns on. It just, you know, sprays coffee sideways. That’s not broken, just... quirky."

"Do you actually like Curly's speeches, or are you just polite?"

You grinned

"Ah, well, they’re definitely… memorable. You know, it’s impressive how cap can make freighter maintenance sound like a call to arms. Like, one sec you’re zoning out, then next, you’re ready to fight a full Jedi council… for better fuel efficiency."

Who's the worst cook in all the Tulpar?

"Daisuke. Had the rare talent to almost burn the kitchen down, no, the whole Tulpar from just... boiling water. WATER!"

You succesfully dodged them all until you broke when Swansea narrows his eyes and growls:

"What happened to my tools last week?"

Visibly sweating but desperately clawing on the the little control you have left

"Swansea, listen… Those tools have been through a lot. They’ve seen things. I’ve seen things. The point is, they’ve served their purpose bravely. Now, about that wrench…"

At this point, You crumbled under Swansea’s intense dad stare and admit to using the wrench as a garlic crusher

The lounge area was filled with everyone laughing and whooping, and your reign of dodging questions comes to a dramatic (and pathetically hilarious end) after receiving a 20 push-up punishment from Swansea

a/n: second sem's been throwing me around like a ragdoll and it's been like two weeks... but yknow what, lemme make it a challenge. send some headcanon ideas cause all i can do is write at this point, not think :,)

[giant1v1poketourny]

After a slight delay, here's the stats for round 1:

Of the 512 matches, 67 (13%) of them were upsets, meaning the mon with the lower seed won. The biggest upset (lowest seed to win) was shieldon (864) winning against tarountula (161). The most against the grain (biggest ratio in an upset) was pikipek (656) beating flamigo (369) at 74.2%-25.8% The biggest ratio overall was bulbasaur (2) vs smoochum (1023) at 97.2%-2.8% For the smallest ratio, there were two exact ties at 50.0%-50.0%, tinkatuff (407) vs slowking (618), and toxel (475) vs kingambit (550). Of the two, the one with the thinnest margin in the tiebreaker was slowking vs. tinkatuff at 54.4%-45.6%

Now let’s look at how various categories of pokémon did.

By generation: Gen I (150): 71 (47.33%) wins vs. 79 (52.67%) losses Gen II (100): 64 (64%) wins vs. 36 (36%) losses Gen III (135): 69 (51.11%) wins vs. 66 (48.89%) losses Gen IV (107): 55 (51.4%) wins vs. 52 (48.6%) losses Gen V (156): 72 (46.15%) wins vs. 84 (53.85%) losses Gen VI (72): 44 (61.11%) wins vs. 28 (38.89%) losses Gen VII (88): 45 (51.14%) wins vs. 43 (48.86%) losses Gen VIII (96): 41 (42.71%) wins vs. 55 (57.29%) losses Gen IX (120): 51 (42.5%) wins vs. 69 (57.5%) losses

Every generation has a roughly even split of wins and losses, with maybe a slight bias towards gens II and VI (though the latter may just be due to a small sample size), but not towards I or IV like you'd expect.

By type: Normal (131): 66 (50..38%) wins vs. 65 (49.62%) losses Fighting (73): 25 (34.25%) wins vs. 48 (65.75%) losses Flying (109): 58 (53.21%) wins vs. 51 (46.79%) losses Poison (82): 38 (46.34%) wins vs. 44 (53.66%) losses Ground (75): 33 (44%) wins vs. 42 (56%) losses Rock (74): 30 (40.54%) wins vs. 44 (59.46%) losses Bug (92): 32 (36.96%) wins vs. 58 (63.04%) losses Ghost (65): 52 (80%) wins vs. 13 (20%) losses Steel (65): 19 (29.23%) wins vs. 46 (70.77%) losses Fire (81): 52 (64.2%) wins vs. 29 (35.8%) losses Water (154): 70 (45.45%) wins vs. 84 (54.55%) losses Grass (127): 74 (58.27%) wins vs. 53 (41.73%) losses Electric (69): 39 (56.52%) wins vs. 30 (43.48%) losses Psychic (102): 51 (50%) wins vs. 51 (50%) losses Ice (48): 16 (33.33%) wins vs. 32 (66.67%) losses Dragon (70): 46 (65.71%) wins vs. 24 (34.29%) losses Dark (69): 38 (55.07%) wins vs. 31 (44.93%) losses Fairy (64): 39 (60.94%) wins vs. 25 (39.06%) losses

Not too surprising on this site, the strongest bias is towards the ghost type. Notably, there also appear to be slight biases towards fire, dragon, and fairy, and against fighting, bug, steel, and ice. Most of these also aren't too surprising, but fighting is an interesting one.

By egg group: Monster (80): 54 (67.5%) wins vs. 26 (32.5%) losses Water1 (114): 56 (49.12%) wins vs. 58 (50.88%) losses Bug (91): 36 (39.12%) wins vs. 55 (60.44%) losses Flying (73): 38 (52.05%) wins vs. 35 (47.95%) losses Field (277): 159 (57.4%) wins vs. 118 (42.6%) losses Fairy (66): 39 (59.09%) wins vs. 27 (40.91%) losses Grass (89): 49 (55.06%) wins vs. 40 (44.94%) losses Human-Like (70): 25 (35.71%) wins vs. 45 (64.29%) losses Water 3 (37): 12 (32.43%) wins vs. 25 (67.57%) losses Mineral (84): 31 (36.9%) wins vs. 53 (63.1%) losses Amorphous (63): 45 (71.43%) wins vs. 18 (28.57%) losses Water 2 (34): 15 (44.12%) wins vs. 19 (55.88%) losses Ditto (1): 1 (100%) wins vs. 0 (0%) losses Dragon (72): 49 (68.0.6%) wins vs. 23 (31.94%) losses No Eggs Discovered (151): 74 (49.01%) wins vs. 77 (50.99%) losses

More or less reflects the types, with the most notable exceptions (besides the ditto egg group which is definitely too small of a sample size) being the biases for amorphous and against water 3 (invertebrates). Also notable is a mostly even split among the field egg group, which is a point against the "mammal bias" some have claimed. There's just a lot of them.

By body shape: Head (51): 23 (45.1%) wins vs. 28 (54.9%) losses Head and Base (41): 21 (51.22%) wins vs. 20 (48.78%) losses Serpentine (40): 25 (62.5%) wins vs. 15 (37.5%) losses Head and Legs (28): 11 (39.29%) wins vs. 17 (60.71%) losses Quadruped (199): 132 (66.33%) wins vs. 67 (33.67%) losses Multiped or Tentacled (24): 11 (45.83%) wins vs. 13 (54.17%) losses Insectoid (46): 20 (43.48%) wins vs. 26 (56.52%) losses Head and Arms (48): 17 (35.42%) wins vs. 31 (64.58%) losses 2 Wings (87): 51 (58.62%) wins vs. 36 (41.38%) losses 4+ Wings (22): 12 (54.55%) wins vs. 10 (45.45%) losses Fins (47): 21 (44.68%) wins vs. 26 (55.32%) losses Biped (156): 50 (32.05%) wins vs. 106 (67.95%) losses Biped with Tail (215): 112 (52.09%) wins vs. 103 (47.91%) losses Multiple Bodies (20): 6 (30%) wins vs. 14 (70%) losses

And here's a point towards the mammal bias, with quadrupeds having the strongest bias in favor, with the next strongest being towards serpentine bodies. There's also that bias against tailless bipeds, which is consistent with the biases against the fighting type and the human-like egg group.

By color: Red (98): 44 (44.9%) wins vs. 54 (55.1%) losses Blue (173): 97 (56.07%) wins vs. 76 (43.93%) losses Yellow (87): 56 (64.37%) wins vs. 31 (35.63%) losses Green (128): 67 (52.34%) wins vs. 61 (47.66%) losses Black (52): 31 (59.62%) wins vs. 21 (40.38%) losses Brown (147): 66 (44.9%) wins vs. 81 (55.1%) losses Purple (89): 44 (49.44%) wins vs. 45 (50.56%) losses Gray (103): 32 (31.07%) wins vs. 71 (68.93%) losses White (89): 48 (53.93%) wins vs. 41 (46.07%) losses Pink (59): 28 (47.46%) wins vs. 31 (52.54%) losses

Unsurprisingly, no clear patterns here. There are slight biases towards yellow and against gray, but that could mean anything.

[windvexer]

do you happen to know any good sources of tarot card meanings quizzes like for studying them? i feel like at this point i might have to try making one myself ;~; or maybe try making physical note flash cards or something

when i go to write the meanings down i never get far and i do want to continue that way but also a good quiz could be so helpful too, i think ;;

I've never heard of something like this, does anyone on the dash know of something?

But I can speak from a couple different angles, the first of which is that it's unnecessary to memorize tarot card readings, and I personally do not believe it is a reasonable undertaking.

The problem here is that if you want to memorize tarot cards, the first question is "for what deck"? Because the meanings of tarot decks aren't interchangeable. So we all know that RWS isn't interchangeable with Thoth for example, but even RWS clones aren't strictly interchangeable with each other.

The value of having different decks isn't just that the art is pretty. The meaning of a single card (say, 3/Cups) changes from deck to deck to deck. Different decks read differently, and a part of this is that the cards carry their own nuances or even completely different meanings.

Even professional readers reference notes and guidebooks during readings. The point of a reader is not to memorize cards, otherwise readers could be completely replaceable by random tarot card generator programs that bring up a paragraph definition of each card.

That all being said! If you want to pursue this for your own purposes, I would recommend focusing not on 156 card meanings (remember, a reversed card can carry a unique meaning of its own), but rather a study of the structures within tarot.

22 major arcana - the meanings of these may be easier to remember if you familiarize yourself with the 'Fool's Journey,' a modern (IIRC) telling of the major arcana as the fool's journey through 21 subsequent cards.

divided arcana - lay out your major arcana cards in a row 0 - 10, and then below them 11 - 21 so that the fool sits on top of justice and the wheel of fortune sits on top of the world. These two halves of the major arcana are said to reflect each other - the hanged man and the magician both fruit from the same vine. Contemplate this comparison to build the structure of the deck within your mind.

stacked pips - lay out all the pips ace through ten in rows, so that all the aces are in columns, all the twos are in columns, and so on. Every row and column is a current - all the sixes have something in common with each other, and all the wands have something in common with each other. Compare and contrast the number values and suites with each other.

[xenosagaepisodeone]

you observe a femboy making his first amazon basics skater skirt purchase. he is excited, dreamy and dizzied by the endless possibilities unlocked by the $156 paycheck from his very first summer job at subway. the sheen of the 95% polyester 5% spandex in the listing photo fails to impress you however, seasoned shopper that you are. you know the garment is a mesh of frayed threading and low-quality fiber that is bound to be worn on solitary occasions (and even then). regardless, the shapes articulated once he dons the skirt fulfill its intended purpose. his waist is cinched and hips accentuated. the skirt billows vibrantly like the bells and whistles of a new bike. it is not the integrity of the garment that manifests the femboy's true form, but the power of his belief. of his pursuit of playful cuteness. of the weightlessness that comes with feeling young and pretty. his untrained eye for fashion is but a reflection of the untuned cultural imagination of 'the femboy', where shape and performance take precedence over the quality (texture, if you will) of the dynamic experience of being. in the future the boy will come to desire more from his persona than replies beneath his selfies, but for now, he innocently basks in an experience so cliche it is nearly kitsch. amazon 'basics' indeed.

[annabelle--cane]

I keep forgetting to talk about this week's case because [gestures at episode] but, like a lot of other cases so far, it really feels like it is pulling directly from a few tma statements

mag 150 cul-de-sac: lonely statement about a man who gets divorced and loses all his social connections and eventually gets lost in an endless, monotonous, empty suburbia

mag 187 checking out: spiral statement where a lost woman in a hotel (bit of a liminal space, in a way) who keeps trying to find her son and leave and every time she gets directions from a friendly looking female staff member she just gets more lost

mag 156 reflection: pseudo extinction/flesh statement about a guy who explores an abandoned fairground and accidentally goes through a mirror-portal in a fun house and finds himself in an alternate version of that fairground populated by strange thin starving people who all try to eat him when they notice he's there, and he can only escape by throwing himself bodily through a different fun house mirror, injuring himself badly

[the-cryptid-fox-who-eats-rocks]

Martin is so perfect

Listening to Mag 156(reflection)

And "Emptyness or Maggots" is literally the entire Plotline so far.

Would also be a great name for a trash metal band

[sugar-grigri]

Hello! With the discussion of Yoshida with your recent analysis, what's your perspective on Yoshida offering Denji the choice before: of being chainsaw man or having his family and how much of that was Yoshida enforcing his own ideas of what's good for denji vs his efforts to help denji in the limited scope of his position? I feel like this could have been talked about before on the blog but with added context from csm 156 interested in how this develops too

Denji is Yoshida's reflection that he refuses to see

The answer might be easy if I aligned myself with my own position, the one I established in my analysis 156, which attempts to theorize that Yoshida is on Denji's side

But you know I know I haven't convinced everyone with my blindness around Yoshida's hidden goodness. So I'm going to answer your question, but from the opposite position: let's explain Yoshida's reactions, whether as a non-ally of Denji or as an enemy. I know this may confuse you because you'd like me to analyze chapter 133 in relation to what I analyzed about chapter 156. But even if I assumed the opposite, I would have come to the same conclusion.

I love Yoshida, and even though I seem to have left him out of my analyses, I've always reflected on every one of his interventions. And something strikes me, Yoshida often seems to be talking to himself, even deluding himself almost as if to hold on.

In chapters 120/121, Yoshida invites Asa. Now fans (like me!!!) are fantasizing about rivals, a fake love triangle and a date. But in reality, it all falls depressingly flat.

But this chapter remains interesting for two reasons: two people share their experience of solitude as the only way to avoid disappointment and be happy. However, Asa projects herself into a possible love with Yoshida.

It's like reciting something to convince yourself but secretly wishing for the opposite…

But what's interesting is that we take the position of thinking that everything Yoshida said was linear.

Let's review. Yoshida knows that Asa was leering, that she looked depressed, and since he's watching Denji, he must have known about the date, hence the warning that comes later. So why get involved? As Asa's Nayuta-altered memory made him the executioner, why make her pain worse?

Because Yoshida must have had a childish reaction. It's as if, for once, he hadn't quite accepted his role as a spectator of events. I think Yoshida must have seen himself in Asa in some way. In chapter 121, Asa is all silence and Yoshida is for once almost in monologue. It was as if everything he said would convince him a little more out loud. Whether it was his theory of happiness up to........ "stay away from Denji". That point. Part of the points that concern him as much as they concern Asa.

I think and I'm convinced that even by not interpreting Yoshida as an ally, he became more sensitive and involved with Denji's plight and didn't always know how to place an emotional wall between them. Because Denji catches him off guard, makes Yoshida's smiling mask fall off. And this is something I've never verbalized before, but it's a pillar in my interpretation:

Being with Denji pushes you to be yourself.

Because Denji refuses the social game, doesn't tend to judge as teenagers of this age usually would, and has extremely sincere reactions that are so unpredictable that they don't allow for calculated responses, responses that form the shell of other characters like Asa and Yoshida.

What Asa liked about Denji, above all, was that he was able to give her confidence and make her proud when everyone else was putting her down. You don't like fish, so what? Eat starfish. Because yes, even if it was boring, I saw you, I listened to you and you made an impact on me. Because you're not insignificant.

Denji has that effect on Yoshida. Very symbolically, during their new interaction in part 2, the protagonist doesn't remember Yoshida. Of course, it's quite funny, because it can be interpreted in all sorts of ways, like the fact that Denji is so uninterested in guys that he forgets them so easily. But it's symbolic for Yoshida's character. He's so fake and so in control that Denji doesn't perceive anything in him.

And it's when he becomes more and more desperate as a result of these reactions, and when his mask gradually breaks, that Denji finally remembers his name. Because Yoshida acts less like a public hunter and more like himself, like Yoshida.

I think in chapter 133, it's really a way of trying to wake Denji up and help him. But then again, it helps to weaken Yoshida's mask. When Yoshida repeats that Denji has only two choices, that of his family or Chainsaw Man, Denji repeats that he has two. From Yoshida's point of view, this is fundamental.

The system offers only one choice, only one possible path. But Denji opposes both. In a chapter about protest, we also talk about his position towards the system. Oppose it, protest as if in the background, claim the symbol of Chainsaw Man or oppose it, see it as a societal evil, a danger of undermining the system. For I repeat, Yoshida has decided to believe in the system when Denji distrusts it.

So Yoshida gets angry, belittling Denji as if he can't see the absurdity of this dilemma imposed on a boy who has been given a choice. Who was only told there were only two choices when there were three. Rehearsing allows Yoshida to convince himself, but we see that this controlled mask has completely disappeared, giving way to anger and a kind of panic. Because Yoshida's ideals are unravelling.

Denji is a reflection.

Reflecting the cruelty of the mafia that Katana doesn't want to admit, the dream of going to school that Reze is trying to forget, allowing the trust that Asa thought impossible and the reflection of Yoshida: a teenager, who will trace a third path to the two that will be reserved for him.

If Chainsaw Man allows you to project what you want, have or be in him, hence the pandemic of CSM wannabe. Denji, hidden behind it, is doing something far more unbearable: showing us who we are.

Aki's vengeance gives way to a desire to be surrounded by loved ones, loved ones he may not be able to protect. Thinking only of oneself shows Power, through her sacrifice for Denji, that she is capable of love even if it goes against her survival.

So chapter 156 takes on a softer version. I repeat: why did you wake Denji up just to tell him he'd lost?

That Yoshida had warned him? Once again, through a strategy of self-conviction and self-protection, what Yoshida is doing is reminding us that complete alienation from the system is better than individual affirmation (which is what Denji is punished for, having repeated that he is Chainsaw Man). This identical public hunter's costume is the symbol of this submission. Yoshida is no longer even a fake high-school student. He's just a public hunter.

But I find this chapter takes on an air of funeral and goodbye. Yoshida's costume, taking on that of someone in mourning in a symbolic way.

Because saying goodbye to Denji.

It means saying goodbye to yourself.

So I ask you, Anon, and you, the reader, does Yoshida really want to continue refusing to see his reflection ?

[colin-becher-death-countdown]

Is Colin Becher Still Dead To Me:

Yes.

Colin Becher Has Been Dead To Me For:

156 days (reflecting on his death.)

[ggukalaxy]

still deep in my "angels before man" brainrot and after reading @nicosraf's tweet about fan-favourite lines and dislking like 75% of his own writing, i can't not share my own favourites with rafa himself and also everyone else so get ready for a long fucking post

(side note: i haven't reread abm yet, so there could potentially be new highlights once i do reread it)

short explanation of what the position of the sticky notes mean:

• on the side of the page means this particular line or paragraph (19 marked)

• at the top on the inside means this page (4 marked)

• at the top on the outside means the entire scene starting from here (15 marked)

also, sometimes i didn't highlight a specific line or paragraph if it's within a page or scene i already marked (because i was running out of sticky notes lol)

let's get to it in chronological order!

1) page 25 to 30:

lucifer's first time flying with baal and his first time bleeding

2) page 49 and 50:

lucifer's first time watching michael fight

3) page 68 to 70:

gabriel telling lucifer about how god created him

4) this paragraph on page 86:

"so far away in the crowd was michael, with that proud grin of his and one hand in the air, but he called out to the youngest angel still. 'lucifer! lucifer!' even with all their distance, their gazes met and locked. an intake of breath, then the exuberant shout: 'lucifer—the lord has never made as fine an angel as you!'"

5) page 105 and 106:

michael and lucifer finally actually meeting

6) this paragraph on page 106:

"michael seemed to hesitate, before he turned to lucifer, and they were facing each other, seeing one another, for the first time since that day years ago when lucifer had led all of heaven in worship. up close, finally — lucifer felt all of himself melt like precious metal into a cast. 'you know my name,' michael said, and his voice had a mellow reverb to it. 'that's a shame. i wanted to introduce myself.' lucifer opened his mouth, but michael was grinning; it revealed little dips in his cheeks. 'i am michael, archangel of god, angel of strength.'"

(i was giggling and kicking my feet at this point, i love this moment so much i could scream)

7) page 107 to 113:

michael's and lucifer's first conversation with one another, right after that wonderful introduction above <3

8) michael saying this to lucifer on page 121 and 122:

"'that was a gallery? for art? i suppose it's no surprise that's where i found you then.'"

9) page 127 to 131:

god telling a story about a pure dove that dirties itself while lucifer is thinking about michael

10) michael saying this to lucifer on page 135:

"'(...) but i canceled it. i canceled all the plans i had for this.'"

11) michael to lucifer on page 147:

"'when i asked of you, angels said to me that your beauty was so great, one could take a glance, but never stare. (...) i learned that their words were true. when we wrestle, when we spend time together — the pain you give me is indescribable.'"

12) this paragraph on page 151:

"he discovered himself wanting to be afraid, feeling that he should be, knowing he should taste distress like his first visit to the bathhouse, but lucifer could still hear michael's words from when they had bathed. he thought of thorns, remembered those in his hands so long ago. the prince's eyes were shut; lucifer thought of tracing the bridge of his nose, his mouth, with his index, to see if he would prick him."

13) page 152:

lucifer and michael on earth, touching each other on their last day there

14) this paragraph on page 156:

"(...) but his hands went to lucifer's warm cheeks and, in a quick swoop, he planted his lips against lucifer's forehead; then he did it again, and again, pressing one kiss after another until he had done perhaps more than a dozen."

15) page 168 to 171:

lucifer and michael in lucifer's room, in front of his mirror

(lucifer's questions about why some things are the way they are... michael almost worshipping lucifer in front of their reflection... all the touches between them... oh i'm about to go feral—)

16) michael to lucifer on page 169:

"'for you, i wouldn't mind a little pain'"

17) page 177:

lucifer falling asleep in michael's bed without michael even being home

18) this paragraph on page 180:

"this, this here could be worship. "this—" lucifer pressed an innocent kiss to the prince's sweet, divine mouth. this could be religion."

19) page 181 to 183:

the interlude

(do i even have to say more? do i really have to go into detail about just how beautiful it is, and how every line sounds like poetry? i want to carve every word, every letter, into my skin, so deep that it reaches my bones, and stays with me long after i lose my flesh and soul)

20) these lines on page 201:

"the prince was grinning, waving him over, then offering open arms. when they embraced, it was tight, one of lucifer's hands going to michael's curls of hair and clutching it like an object once lost returned now to be cherished again; and the prince put his face up against the warmth of lucifer's neck and breathed low, hot."

21) page 210 to 216:

michael begging lucifer to stay with him, and then uriel showing up and just the entire conversation between him and michael, and him and lucifer

22) this paragraph on page 210:

"'simply my beloved.' michael smiled back, grand but sleepy, before he swung up to sit again. he shuffled closer to lucifer and chuckled warm, perhaps at the confusion on the other's irises and brows and mouth. 'my beloved lucifer.'"

23) michael to lucifer on page 211:

"'i think i'd like you to be the first thing i see when i wake.'"

24) page 250 to 253:

lucifer and michael touching each other, feeling each other

(i'm so weak for moments like these oh my god i could read a thousand pages just about every time these two even breathed in each other's direction)

25) this line on page 251:

"'i feel drunk,' michael murmured against him, then shuddered. 'your mouth— when you were created, your lips must have been laced with liquor.'"

26) these lines on page 253:

""we were over the flowers, and you touched me, remade me. (...) i want to be yours, your angel. angel of love, angel of michael.""

27) page 278 to 281:

lucifer cutting himself open

28) page 302 to 308:

lucifer trying to have sex with michael, and michael refusing

29) michael to lucifer on page 302:

"'don't make me say such embarrassing, affectionate things, beloved lucifer. but, let me say that — before i saw you on the street, dancing and singing, i was never very joyous. i was content with serving father, i felt i had no room to complain, but then you arrived. and being around you, i had so much joy i became irrational, and now — now, it's all spilling out. you make my heart swell and rise, like smoke."

30) michael to lucifer on page 303:

"'and suddenly i'm questioning everything, asking myself if this is really paradise, or if you are paradise.'"

31) lucifer to michael on page 304:

"'haven't you ever wondered why father is so strict about our subservience? it's because disobedience is creation. create with me, michael, and let's call it sin.'"

32) page 327:

lucifer finally losing his shit

33) page 328 to 330:

lucifer's speech about god being cruel and how angels are also good and deserve better

(just realized i didn't highlight this scene when i first read it and i'm honestly questioning myself right now because that whole speech and everything lucifer says is so fucking real)

34) page 340 to 344:

the moment michael disagrees with lucifer about the end of heaven and the end of god

35) michael to lucifer on page 344:

"'you're everything to me, the stars and the moons, the heat and the cold, the earth and the seeds, the waters and the flowers, but you are not god.'"

(also apparently didn't highlight this one and now i'm one hundred percent sure i ran out of sticky notes in that moment and told myself i'd do it later and ended up forgetting about it because this line absolutely broke me)

36) this paragraph on page 361:

"but the sword never made contact; a golden chain shot out from somewhere, grappled his entire body, flung him downwards. and lucifer, frozen, kicking, screaming — he saw michael suddenly above him (...). lucifer felt the tears land upon his own cheeks, as if they were his own."

(cut me open. let me bleed to death. break my ribs and crush my heart inbetween your fingers. it would hurt less than michael crying while hurting lucifer.)

37) page 362 to 367:

michael destroying lucifer on god's orders, cutting off his wings, and lucifer being damned

38) michael to lucifer on page 364:

"'apologize, i'm begging you, lucifer, stop, i can't do this— i don't want to lose you—'"

(just reading this again made me dry sob)

39) the last paragraph on page 367:

"the angels wept at their punishment — michael, between them all, his tears morphing into crystals, slicing down his cheeks and making him bleed."

40) page 369:

the little bits about the fallen angels finding lucifer on earth and how he loves them

so uhh yeah it's definitely safe to say that abm is literally my new favourite book now and i've been thinking about it every single day since i finished it a bit over a month ago and i find pieces of lucifer and of michael in every song i hear or every other story i read and i'll never get over them or over how good this book and the writing style is

@nicosraf seriously thank you so much for writing it and sharing it with the world, i will treasure it till the day i die

[zabala0z]

I am nearing the end of TMA S4 and I am terrified. Hello there! Welcome back to “rando screams over TMA S4” I’m your host and we have uh 7 episodes to talk about!

MAG 150: Cul-de-sac

Nothing I hate more than the suburbs. I remember I theorized before listening that this was The Lonely but throughout it, I was thinking The Spiral was also involved. Then that gave me a thought I should’ve had way earlier: can statements have multiple entities involved?? Like would there really be a downside (for the entities)? I mean you get your fear. It’s just a team effort y’know?

Also yay Melanie! Fight against the power (please don’t die I’m begging you). Although I am still suspicious about her therapist

MAG 151: Big Picture

OH MY GOD OH MY GOD ITS SIMON FAIRCHILD. I was reeling during this guys. I don’t know why all The Vast avatars are so…nice??? Well that’s not the right word. Carefree I suppose? (Also what bet was Simon talking about. Dude.) Im also still very curious about the dynamics between the patrons/avatars. The way they all sabotage each others rituals. The different rivalries. It’s so fun.

MAG 152: A Gravediggers Envy

Man this dude loves dirt. Interesting how he refers to the entity by the actual title without ever being told. Intuition I guess. It was interesting to hear Helen again whose laugh is sounding more and more like Michael’s. Anyways the tunnels are going to be very important later on, aren’t they?

MAG 153: Love Bombing

God I hate cults. Also that clear residue has appeared many other times in The Corruption related statements (MAG 36, MAG 55). Potential connection.

TREVOR AND JULIA 🫶🫶🫶 you guys eat but also like stfu. The way they bounce off each other reminds of Breekon and Hope. Love Daisy but I am worried now. She also growled like an animal. Not figuratively like it actually sounded like a wolf or something

MAG 154: Bloody Mary

God damn it Eric. God. First, no one can ever have a nice life here hug? Second, little Michael mention by Eric (and Emma. Who is Emma? Will she be important?) third, you have to GOUGE out your eyes to quit? What the hell?

Martin and Jon’s talk. God that was basically a declaration of love. I’m going insane. Martin low key psychoanalyzed Jon and it was heart wrenching

MAG 155: Cost of Living

Basira, like I disagree with her on a lot, but man she is so interesting. Also screaming about how she won’t leave because of Daisy oh my god please. Onto the statement; yeah this was a pretty cool avatar. Like, the absolute delusion was the funniest thing ever like god damn.

But MELANIE. Oh my god. I’m like hella impressed by her will power, I guess I wasn’t the one who is trapped in a job and traumatized, but still. I’m worried. Please don’t die girlie, I’ve already lost multiple of my favorite characters

MAG 156: Reflection

I need to know more on Adelard Dekker like I need to know his full backstory. I love how Martin talks to the tape recorders like they’re a pet or something? Does The Eye notice? Or care? Anyways, with every statement, The Extinction rises on my ranking on “how scared would I be if I encountered this TMA entity”

I’m scared for Martin. I don’t know what device it is, maybe a book? I don’t know but

“How does that make you feel?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all”

What if I just *rips out hair and rolls around on the ground* I CANT. MARTIN PLEASE. YOURE MY FAVORITE GUY :(

Okay. Okay. That’s all the episodes.

I have 4 episodes left in season four. I am very worried. I’m going to pray for Martins safety. My next post will be the season four finale so watch out for that!! I really hope everyone will be okay but I know deep down that they won’t. That’s not how this works

[optimisticrunawaygalaxy]

As much as i want to beat Peter to death with a large chunk of dry, old moldy bread he IS funny

[aihoshiino]

chapter 156 thoughts

Chapters Since The 143 Kiss Happened And Went Entirely Unacknowledged And Unaddressed Count: 13

Aqua Hoshigan Status: N/A

I'm gonna be real with you gamers I don't have a lot to say about this one LOL. Typically these Mem chapters come at the top or bottom of volumes as transitions between phases of the story so getting one slap bang in the middle of what will be volume 16 is a little jarring, as are the contents of it. Despite making up 1/3rd of the current B-Komachi, Mem is pretty underutilized across the whole manga so while it's nice to see her be given a proper arc capstone chapter all to herself, it feels underbaked. I almost suspect that the beats of this chapter may have been intended to serve as the bones of a Mem mini-arc at some point but with only so much time to spare before the manga ends it was crammed into this one chapter. Without any room to breathe, none of its beats hit.

Mem and Frill being friendly enough for solo hangouts is cute, though! One of the things I did like about the Movie Arc was the way it mushed the wider supporting cast together into a more closely knit social circle and I like seeing that reflected in moments like this. It helps add to the sense of them being people living their own lives who have things to do outside of dealing with Hoshino Family Drama.

The story swinging back to deal the elephant in the room that is Mem's real age is also potentially juicy but - say it with me, folks! - lacks the build up it needs to really be worth taking seriously. Prior to this, Mem's age has mostly been played for laughs when it has come up with no real indication that it's something the manga wants us to take seriously. In that way, the slightly blase framing of it here does better suit as a resolution than suddenly taking it deadly serious was but it does just end up feeling like something Akasaka added to the manga not because he felt it was an important part of the story but because it was next on his checklist of things to tie off before the manga ends.

This can really be felt in the way this chapter really fails to dig into why Mem even had to lie in the first place - there's the off-handed acknowledgement of Mem wanting to be an idol and her age potentially being a barrier in that regard but it doesn't actually dig into this premise of Mem's age being a problem. In a series whose proclivity for infodumping about the ills of the entertainment industry is practically a fandom joke at this point, it feels uncharacteristically restrained for it to not take this opportunity to talk about how this attitude is born from fetishizing, commodifying attitudes about youth and supposed 'purity' and the ageism and misogyny many adult women in the entertainment industry all over the globe have to deal with.

In general, OnK has been pretty toothless the last few arcs when it comes to the cast having to actually navigate the industry's toxicity. The way Ruby's struggles with idolhood are held up as comparable to Ai's is one major symptom of this that I'll probably go into at some other point, but we also see this in characters like Kaburagi and Shima-D too - despite being objectively pretty scummy individuals in terms of both their behaviour within the industry and their interpersonal relationships, the note the manga seems to have ended on for both of them is a sort of 'aw shucks he didn't mean none of it' wishy-washiness where it's unwilling to hold them accountable.

This toothlessness adds to making everyone's immediately acceptance of Mem's lie ring so deeply hollow. No scandal, no negativity, no nothing. An utterly frictionless resolution that feels as though it added nothing to the plot point it was tying off. Again, it would feel weird for this to become a big dramatic beat when the story has so consistently treated it like a joke but this half-baked conclusion leaves me feeling lukewarm at best.

To not end this on a sour note, I will say I really like the note this ends on of Mem deciding to shoot for university and I like Ruby finally giving Mem even a shred of props for the backbreaking amount of work she put into B-Komachi's growth. Appreciate Mem more, you little gremlin!!!

Speaking of Mem's JD dreams though, I've heard some speculation so far that Mem shooting for university is an indication that she's also going to be leaving B-Komachi but… eh, I disagree. Mem talks about how much the group means to her and her revealing the lie here feels like a step to try and protect her place in B-Komachi and ensure she can keep performing with them.

Break next week to no one's surprise… did y'all know the volume 15 release in Japan says volume 16 isn't dropping until December? Wild.

[automatonwithautonomy]

Based on his description, I would have called it a rave... but when I said so, he looked at me like he didn't know what I was talking about. - [Adelard Dekker], The Magnus Archives Season Four, Episode 156 'Reflection'.

Sounds like a good way to get injured to me, but apparently I use the word 'rave' wrong, so what do I know? - [Adelard Dekker], The Magnus Archives Season Four, Episode 156 'Reflection'.

he's just a bitchy!! old!!! man!!!! shakes his head and mutters about the youth today ass guy!!!!! because he can. because he has survived long enough to be a grumpy elder!!