#BUTCH FALIN REAL

[asteroidtroglodyte]

I appreciate that Falin really isn’t Butch or Femme: That girl’s just Autistic. When she’s. You know. Human. Like people have different expectations of girls so it expresses itself differently but. Like.

Flat affect; no eye contact; just as into monsters as Laios; high-empathy across species lines; fuck, in her first real appearance in the anime, she used her literal heart as a focus for putting a ghost to rest. That is some thinking-sideways shit. Hardly surprising that she’d be less “conservative” than Marcille. Probably doesn’t even notice the social rules she’s breaking. Following her own logics.

[nychthemeron-rants]

Butch Chilchuck AU Pt2

(Pt. 1)

As I mentioned in my previous post, the only real difference in this AU is that Chilchuck is a butch woman who uses he/him pronouns instead of a man.

No one in the main party knew he was a woman because he couldn’t be bothered to correct their assumptions about his gender when he’s busy trying to be treated as an adult.

He revealed that he was a woman after the bicorn when Marcille accuses him of keeping more secrets. “Its not a secret but I guess I should clarify that I'm a woman since I don't think any of you have caught on yet.” type thing. Cue everyone's shock, especially Marcille.

Since there's been at least one woman in the party who's been uncomfortable with Chilchuck bathing with other women (because they think he’s a man), and he's doesn't give enough of a shit to argue, he’s been bathing with the men instead (because again, he simply doesn’t give a shit)

Senshi thought he was trans (though I'm not sure he knows about trans people as like an actual identity, he just saw him bathing with the men and being treated as male and ran with it. Thats Chil's business after all.)

Laios just thought half-foots had internal “equipment” until it was needed. Wanted to ask about it but even he has the social grace to not question co-workers about that.

Shuro fully suspected Chilchuck was a woman but was too awkward to say anything

Namari knew almost immediately and has been the only one in the party to fully understand whats up with Chilchuck because she was respectful and understanding. (Plus they're drinking buddies)

Falin thought he was a man but also didn't really give a shit when he tried bathing with the other women. It was the marriage seeker who threw a fit before Marcille.

Post reveal, Marcille is just pissed he didn't say anything so she didn't have to go through this adventure up until Izutsumi joined the party feeling like the only woman.

Laios asks if he needs to change anything about how he treats him in the same vein as asking if he should call him Sir when he revealed his age

Senshi is just trying to process how wrong he was about literally all of his assumptions about Chil, as he is a middle aged woman and not a little boy. Feels embarrassed about his misunderstandings, no judgement towards Chil.

Marcille has questions post reveal. She gives me the vibe of a sheltered cis woman who has never questioned what makes her a woman, so when she’s presented with a woman who is more comfortable with mostly masculine presentation, uses “male” pronouns, and has even voluntarily removed his breasts as a woman, she is confused. She initially struggles to understand how a woman can be so against femininity and still be a woman. Chil, while reluctant to answer questions about his personal life, explains that he isn’t against femininity but simply feels more comfortable presenting more masculinely. And that he simply can’t be fucking asked to correct people when they guess wrong. He also ends up helping Marcille understand that gender isn’t expression and connect to her womanhood in a new way that isn’t necessarily linked to her femininity.

Laios does ask why he had facial/ body hair as a tall man and dwarf. Chil gets annoyed about him basically asking about his medical history but answers that he has PCOS and is also menopausal.

This causes Senshi to get annoyed that he didn’t mention this earlier as those conditions can lead to different nutritional needs (I.E. PCOS diet to manage symptoms or extra calcium and vitamins after menopause.)

Senshi and Laios start getting weird around Chil, no longer worrying about him being a kid, and are instead trying to be respectful of the fact he’s a woman (such as being less touchy, trying to give him privacy when changing as if they hadn’t bathed together before, etc.) Chil gets annoyed because while he appreciates the lack of touchiness and the added privacy, he’s pissed that they’re acting different after discovering he’s a woman and overthinking how they interact with him. They also start fucking up his pronouns because they’re ingrained in “women = she/her” mindset and feel like they need to “correct” themselves.

Izutsumi doesn't care and fails to see how Chilchuck being a woman instead of a man changes anything. Chil really really appreciates this.

Chil has to sit them down and explain that LITERALLY NOTHING has changed. They get better after this. (Senshi decides to go ahead with making sure he adjusts Chil’s meals to his needs.)

Post canon, Chil and his family goes to a dinner at the castle, and he shows up in a dress because A.) he wanted to match his wife and B.) kinda wanted to fuck with his friends. He succeeded as everyone was very taken aback by the sight of Chilchuck in a dress and “actually dressed as a woman for once” (a comment that annoys Chil because he is always dressed like a woman because he is always a woman who is dressed.)

[chuckeroo777]

Dungeon Meshi Volume 6 Part 2

Continuing chapter 38! As always, spoilers ahoy!

I like how he compliments the picture of Falin. He hasn't even seen the Cerberus yet.

So, before I read Dungeon Meshi, I remember seeing lots of stuff on twitter and tumblr about it, but none of it really stuck in my memory. One thing did. The Chimera. This was the one big thing I was spoiled on. A cool-ass chimera that the elf was gay for. It may have been what finally got me to check it out. Good food? Cool monsters? Lesbians? Sounds good to me. And it was good!

But it took me an embarrassingly long time to realize who the chimera was. I didn't remember the chimera's name, so Falin didn't ring any bells. I should have caught on when Falin was resurrected with dragon flesh, but no. It literally took Thistle saying "Hey Dragon" for me to realize what the chimera was.

The only other spoiler of note was Izutsumi, who, as I mentioned, appeared in chapter 0. She totally blindsided me. I didn't suspect Asebi for a second. Kabru I am not.

Such a good group shot with lots of little characterization. Chilchuck and Mickbell arguing, Kuro fixing his armor, Holm mourning his Undine, Marcille isolated from the rest, Tade taking a nap. Good stuff.

Ah, trauma. Wait a sec. There. In the lower right corner. Did Kabru glimpse the demon itself?

Eh, close enough.

Honestly, I think this might be the one big plothole I've noticed. When Falin teleported them to the surface, they only had what they were holding. Like, they kept the essentials like Marcille's staff and book, and Chilchuck's picking tools, but their backpacks were left behind, right? Yet, once they are in front of the dungeon again, they have packs? Where did they get those? Weren't they broke?

This bit of foreshadowing was a lot more effective in the anime. How am I supposed to remember what everyone's gloves looked like?

Also, I just noticed that Marcille's hood goes on before we see her face in this chapter. So if you're just going off this chapter, you can't get a good read on her current hairstyle. Clever.

Let's go over the fakes character by character. The Laios fakes are kinda obvious, because even though Laios is good friends with all three of his companions, they have trouble understanding him. Thankfully, Laios has the thickest skin, so it doesn't really bother him too much. I also find it funny that Marcille's turns him into a lumbering hulk who epitomizes the differences from Falin, yet Senshi's is just butch Falin. Pretty sure I remember Senshi mentioning in his journal that Falin and Laios are basically the same person.

The Marcilles are a bit better. Senshi's is obviously a elven stereotype, but the other three are all quite close. Curiously, unlike most of the clones, Laio's Marcille emphasizes her good traits, her determination and loyalty to Falin, while most of the other clones emphasize negative or false traits.

Honestly, if not for the scarf, it probably would have been difficult to tell Laio's version from the real one. He's the only one who has a proper grasp on his maturity.

Senshi is easily the hardest to pick out. Senshi has yet to share his deeper secrets, and he is a pretty straightforward guy.

I like how the Chilchuck Marcille is the one to propose the method that outs herself.

An important image.

What the heck guys? My entire job is getting things open.

Hmm... looking it over, it doesn't look to be consistent, but I almost thought for a sec that the fake Marcille has pointier ears. I dunno. Maybe it's just the calmer demeanor, but Marcille A does seem more elf-like than Marcille B. Then again, I'm not sure if Laios ever met an elf before Marcille, so he wouldn't have a baseline.

It's actually soba, if anyone cares.

See, what you want to do here is have all the Senshis take their helmets off. Laio's would be the only one with eyebrows.

And hey! When he later runs into a monster disguised as Marcille, he sees through it almost immediately!

Chilchuck is correct.

Marcille has one line she won't cross. With a long list of stipulations that will make her cross. Like starvation. Or ignorance. Or eating her girlfriend.

The proper term is Black Mage, and that just means I'm good at fireball.

The heck were the gnomes using this for?

The real moral of the story. Marcille is infallible, so you should listen to her.

I think the funniest (and saddest) part of Izutsumi's story is that she has it all wrong. She isn't a person possessed by a cat, she's a cat possessed by a person. She's been conditioned all her life to think the cat part of her is unnatural, when in reality it's her true self. Try to separate the halves, and you'd end up with a braindead tall-man and a very disappointed kitty.

It took two read-throughs, the anime, and two more read-throughs, but I finally can remember how to pronounce/spell your name.

It's kinda sad that as far as I can remember, this one line is the only bit of characterization we get for the Touden mom.

I remember finding this panel odd on my second read. The chimera didn't look right. Turns out this nerd continuously updated it throughout the adventure. Anyway, want to see another of my creatures?

All the best monsters have grenade launchers on their tail.

Oh my god. Even as a child she's still wearing that dang choker 24/7. Her mother also has one. I wonder if it has any significance?

And no lesson was learned by anyone ever.

We'll finish up chapter 42 and the misc monster tales next post!

[lesbianmichelmishina]

dunmeshi gender hcs

laios & falin: cis+. they were raised in a very gendered society, and didn't really question that for themselves until after both being turned into monsters. they both decide they're gnc and only perform gender in a way that makes them happy. falin ends up soft butch, and everyone agrees that his majesty looks good in a dress.

marcille: trans girl. was able to communicate her real gender when she was VERY young due to weird half-elf development. elves are pretty chill about gender, so her mum accepted her immediately. her dad was a bit more surprised but he went with it because he wanted his baby to be happy.

kabru: trans guy. "kabru" is a gender-neutral name so he kept it. had a very easy transition. milsiril was like "oh you want to be a boy? okay sweetie, i'll make you an appointment with the gender wizard". bc again, elves and gender.

izutsumi: in the modern day she'd probably be the sort of enby who says "my gender is cat". but as it is, she just doesn't care enough to question anything. she/her pronouns, cool, whatever.

kiki & kaka: swapped genders. bc i think that's funny. it confused the hell out of their parents.

mithrun: completely lacks any desire to go along with social norms, including gendered ones. not an issue around elves, but in other cultures... "why is your captain wearing a skirt?" "he's comfy."

lycion: "hey, while you're performing forbidden magic on me to turn me into a beastman, can you remove my tits real fast?" "oh yeah sure"

[butchdykekondraki]

god falin is just like me for real (soft butch) (dyke) (food enjoyer) (fat) (paler than a fucking vampire) (would eat someone in a heartbeat if she was allowed to)

[catgirlcadaver]

ppl headcannoning(?) Falin as like fat or butch or whatever is cute and all but also funny as fuck bc if that was for real marcille would probably just kill herself

[toudens]

Butch falin is so real to me… it gives me strength

[lunawlw]

fat & hairy (or feathery i suppose) intersex butch lesbian falin is just a real experience to me and i should draw her one day so people too can see the vision . . . or i should cosplay idk

[piduai]

what do you consider good representation?

off the top of my head i think toph from avatar, i think the way she's written is simply lovely. toph is disabled, and her disability is a big part of her, but it doesn't define her - she's strong, stubborn, self-confident, brash, wise, empathetic because she's like that as a person, but she's also defensive, makes a point about being self-reliant and uses humor as self-defense because she grew up in an environment that treated her as helpless and defective for being blind. she eventually learns that it's ok to rely on the people who love you and it's ok to have blind (heh) spots, being disabled doesn't make her lesser, but it does create unique struggles and circumstances for her - and it's ok.

i think haruka and michiru from sailor moon. butch lesbians are common in real life, arguably they're the ones who get the most homophobia from the lesbian pool, but are extremely rare in media - even if there's a lesbian couple, they're both hyperfeminine in order to not alienate the audience. haruka is a gift. i love how they're written, i love that they're dedicated to each other but are not isolated, and there's no homophobic stereotypes and violence thrown around. the other girls accept them as they are.

i think dungeon meshi in general, visually speaking - sure, it's due to having fantasy races, but the choices kui makes are uncommon in manga. female characters are given different body types and quirks, human and human-like characters are given dark skin arbitrary, laios and falin are very, very easy to read as autistic and i think it's intentional.

again this is off the top of my head, i'm sure there's more but i never seek media as a form of validation so whether it has this or not is not a factor to me. also, as much as i enjoy a mean villain i'm not a fan of seeing them as a part of a marginalized group, especially when they're gay, i think it's actually regressive and harmful in the long run.