#Death Note and Bungou Stray Dogs being my absolute all time favorite Manga/Anime

[kunikidas-lost-glasses]

Looking back into the Death Note fandom in 2022 after not really looking into it since 2017/2018 where I was completley fixated is so fucking wild because so much changed.

Not everyone is basically worshipping L like the most used to do back then and a lot people now love Misa Misa even tho everyone hated her back then, people are literally defending her ( Yeah I felt sorry for her at the end but it was her very own fault and a lot have to accept this), people realized that everyone in the series is morally grey and L isn't pure, L doesn't get babied as much as back then anymore for which I am thankful and suddenly there is a poly ship between Mello, Matt and Near which kind of soothed the small fight between the fans who ship Matt/Mello and those who ship Near/Mello.

[iloverichardpapen]

Sometimes l can't believe how much I love anime and rn I'm so glad I gave it a try bc it really does make me happy

~ Now that I've watched a few, I made a list of how I'd recommend new watchers :)))

[ the ones with 💜 are personal favorites]

------------------------> here we go :p

(These are mostly 12 - 13 episodes)

>> If you want something 10/10 that's not too long and can get you into it, some options are:

The promised neverland 💜💜💜

( this one's really clever and moving and has awesome characters, I love it sm)

Erased

( will keep u on the edge)

yuri on ice💜 💜

(light hearted, really gay ice skaters, you'll laugh and cry)

blue period 💜

(art students on distress!! complex characters )

spy x family

(u wouldn't expect something so wholesome to have spys and assassins on it)

>> if you'd like to start with a short romance anime (which is one of the best genres for anime in my opinion):

[all of these deserve a 💜💜💜 tbh]

Bunny girl senpai

( cute couple but also involves many teen struggles through awesome concepts, trust me)

your lie in April

( classical musicians with a twist of depression! also they are children <\3 )

given

(teen- and - young adult-gay - angst - and- fluff!! They're also musicians but it's mostly the rock edition)

orange

(teenage friend group battling depression <\3 includes something like time traveling)

>>>if you'd like to watch a movie instead definetly watch

note: these are all romance/drama movies

A silent voice💜💜💜

( teen angst about bullying and diversity. Big focus on mental health. Heartbreaking beautiful masterpiece that will make you rethink your whole life)

your name💜💜

(cinematic jewel, includes amazing supernatural concepts, a glimpse of Japanese culture and it's also beautifully animated)

weathering with you💜

( has a really really great story + beautifully animated)

whisper of the heart💜

( this one's ghibli, which means lots of aesthetic scenes, and sweet characters with great development)

From up on Poppy hill 💜

( also ghibli but add suspense )

bubbles

( really cool movie get some tissues tho, amazing animation)

----------->

Now some that aren't that short (mostly animes with 24-25 episodes don't worry)

>> Guaranteed masterpieces, haven't met a single being that disagrees:

Attack on Titan💜💜💜💜💜💜

(drama, action, romance, suspense, sociopolitical critique in a fictional world, it's got it all... this one has waaay more episodes than 25 but it's a must watch for everyone LITERALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT HERE

Banana fish 💜💜💜

(be ready to cry a lot, includes wide range of violence, drugs, crime, mental health issues and amazing characters. also a must watch imo)

Death Note

(personally don't see it as a HUGE masterpiece, but def a must watch I think. truly complex characters, keeps u on edge)

>> On these you'll fall in love with the characters and the unique plots :)

jujutsu kaisen 💜

(really cool characters, original power system. it's fun and exciting for now💀 let's just say when Manga is animated it won't be that fun anymore)

bungou stray dogs💜

(lots of dark humor, cool power system, characters are based on real literature authors and you'll become obsessed with them)

Tokyo revengers💜

(intense street fighters, gangs, betrayal, romance, mental health, time travel. HOT characters. the drama here is amazing)

Demon slayer

( filled with honest and heroic characters, messed up World, great animation)

>> If you'd like romance at its absolute finest

Fruits basket 💜💜💜

( takes a couple of episodes to unravel the actual story, but u just wait and you'll have one of the best drama with beautifully written and complex characters that carry a lot of trauma with them)

Kaguya-Sama 💜

(fun, clever and entertaining, these guys are the most competitive rivals)

toradora

( friends to lovers! won't say which friends tho 🤫 really emotional)

Darling in the Franxx

(science fiction romance anime, explores the innate traits of how human relationships and sexuality work + beautiful love story) -> (this one can be controversial: imo it's a very good representation sci-fi and anyone that can't help but emphasize on "its faults" should really read any sci-fi book from classic literature, just try to appreciate it as a whole concept rather than reducing it to romance) 💜

[shadows-in-the-light-of-day]

I was tagged by @irinyaclockworker, who wants to drag me directly to hell, it appears. :D 

Rules: Name ten favorite characters from ten different things (books, tv, film, etc.) then tag ten people. 

1. Master of the Court (The Evillious Chronicles)

Technicallyyyyy it’s not cheating if you list a character with multiple incarnations, right? :D I have a soft spot for Irina in general, probably due to my dear little sister Irinya’s influence, but Court is absolutely a fave because, well...okay, listen, I too think Gallerian is A Dad, and if I were a kid who it’s likely has never really, ah, had a decent guardian or mentor figure before, and has just been shown a lottttt of parental affection for the first time (I mean, she had Lemy back in Sloth Arc, but that’s babie son affection, not parent affection), I’d probably try to emulate that “father” and start sending souls off to hell too. Also, Master of the Court is objectively a bop. 

2. Matsuda Touta (Death Note)

Aw, my first ever fandom fave. Tbh, I probably got a few of my personality quirks from Matsuda. I’d imagine Death Note being the first media I got into after I formed had a lot to do with that. Anyway, there’s a lotttt of dislike for this kid in fandom, on account of him being kinda a dumbass and a very, very clumsy detective. However, he’s a genuine sweetheart, and probably one of the most realistic characters in a show full of geniuses. He questions the morality of both his own side and the side he’s fighting against, and his badass moment in the finale was simultaneously heartwrenching and really, really fulfilling. He’s not perfect by any means, but I’ll defend this silly guy to hell and back. 

3. Alluka Zoldyck (Hunter x Hunter)

Okay, so I haven’t actually gotten to the part of HXH where Alluka shows up yet... But from the few clips I’ve seen of her, I’ve already decided that I will be adopting this child and protecting her from the majority of her biological family at all costs. I mean, look at that little face! She’s just babie... (Additionally, trans rights!!) 

4. Kunikida Doppo (Bungou Stray Dogs)

Ah yes, Kunikida. Everyone I interact with irl asks me “what exactly do you like about him?! he’s annoying!!” To which I say “yes, perhaps, but he’s interesting”. I mean, he’s somehow both the ultimate idealist and the ultimate pragmatist (you can imagine the problems this causes him), who schedules his life down to the second and really, really sucks at showing his friends he cares. So okay, he’s really annoying. But he’s also very loyal, and genuinely tries to make the world better, albeit rather clumsily. Plus, I want his ability. Please give me the power to manifest stuff out of notebook pages, universe. I am begging here. 

5. Ozaki Toshio (Shiki)

While looking for a decent picture of him, I was reminded both of how weird Shiki hairstyles are and of how few screenshots from the show exist. But uh...well, Ozaki is...something, like most of the characters in Shiki. I mean, it really sucks when a sudden summer epidemic turns out to be symptomatic of a vampire invasion, especially when you’re the village doctor in charge of solving this mess. Ozaki’s an extreme pragmatist with good intentions...which, coming straight from Kunikida to him, I’m realizing is a character type that interests me. Guy really needs to quit chainsmoking, though, or he’ll die of lung cancer before the vampires can get to him. 

6. Hazel (Watership Down) 

(I promise I’m not a furry, just a literature nerd.) Despite the fact that I actually...don’t really like the classic movie adaption of Watership Down, I really, really adore Hazel in the novel and every single adaption. (Having spent a good while in the kids’ TV show fandom, I can appreciate the strengths of just about every version.) He isn’t particularly smart or strong, but he’s good at solving conflicts within the group, and some of his plans are, in my opinion, fairly brilliant. Plus, I find it heartwarming how much he cares about his friends’ well-being, as well as trying to solve issues with cunning and a minimum amount of bloodshed. 

7. Sohma Yuki (Fruits Basket)

Today on anime boys I would die for - Yuki! To be fair, I adore basically everyone in Furuba, with a few notable exceptions (*cough*Shigure*cough*), but Yuki will always have a special place in my heart. His arc in the manga focuses a lot on recovering from trauma and putting the past behind you, and while I don’t necessarily agree with his eventual conclusion that forgiving his abusers is the right thing to do, I like that he learns to be kinder and more open with the people around him, and that he genuinely appears to be moving on and healing by the end of the series. (Also, I am sooooo happy with the 2019 reboot anime; it’s doing an excellent job with the story so far, and I can’t wait to see what they’ll do in the future!)

8. Nikki (Love Nikki) 

(This is the part where I started having trouble thinking of characters.) Next up - a dress up game protagonist?! Yeah, okay, so I would absolutely die for most of the Love Nikki squad at this point, but the titular character is a particular favorite. A story that started with her miraculously ending up in a world where everything is solved with dress up competitions has somehow escalated into an actual, all out war, and she’s handling it with surprising courage and determination. Nikki is an absolute sweetheart, and I’m sure she has what it takes to save the world! Anyway this has been a moment with Kiril and now I will be taking a break to cry about this game. 

9. Vincent Nightray (Pandora Hearts)

So now that Fruits Basket is getting a remake, can I pleaseeeee have Pandora Hearts get the same treatment?! Anyway, it was between Vince and Break for this one, but I went with Vince ‘cause, well...that’s a relatable mood, buddy. Vince’s goal is to basically erase himself from existence, and in a manga that imo has a LOT of commentary about mental illness and suicide, I appreciate the existence of a character who...doesn’t immediately feel better once someone tells him destroying himself wouldn’t change anything, but does manage to live a somewhat fulfilling life after the ‘conclusion’ of the main story. ...Okay, I also think he’s really cute, but anyway. That’s that. 

10. Travis Bohannon (The Serpent King)

Aaaaand no image for this one, ‘cause he’s from a fairly obscure and new novel! Being a nerd from Tennessee, I am absolutely the biggest fan of Jeff Zentner’s books in at least the Eastern region, and possibly the world. :D I love all his books, but The Serpent King is especially near and dear to my heart, and I regularly bawl over Travis. He’s what you’d call a gentle giant, I guess; tall, incredibly shy, and obsessed with fantasy novels, his main escape from his absolutely shitty life. The stories he loves eventually give him the courage to take steps to get away from his parents and live his dreams, and I just think that’s a really wonderful and relatable thing. Also Jeff Zentner owes me money for the absolute DEVASTATION of the conclusion of Travis’ character arc. That is all. 

And that’s it! I, uh, don’t really like tagging people, but I’ll tag @levinenoel, @super-lisa and @meadowlarkx, who probably won’t hate me for it and are free to abstain from this meme! :D

[smol-and-smad]

Soukoku Rant

So I just needed to get this out there.  This won’t have any references (although I will try to direct to where I saw a thing) so sorry, but I just need to blab about this thought in my head. THIS TURNED OUT TO BE SO LONG SO HERE’S A CUT.

A big part of the BSD fandom is Soukoku.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Soukoku (Nakahara Chuuya and Dazai Osamu).  I don’t ship them but I love them, and especially love them separately (Chuuya is my favorite, and he’s still taller than me). ANYWAY something that always comes up is Soukoku’s relationship and I think the fandom in general is pretty spot on about how their dynamic is complicated and complex.  It is stated in the both the manga and anime by the characters themselves and in the manga character sheets that they hate each other.  Like to the point that Chuuya’s only dislike is Dazai. Not even Atsushi and Akutagawa have each other listed as dislikes (granted that’s pretty obvious and is a main story arc with Shin Soukoku, but I digress).  And they do apparently hate each other.  However, we all saw in both the manga and the anime how, when Dazai was smacked by Lovecraft and actually pretty hurt, Chuuya was concerned.  And in the opening art of Chapter 31 (Double Black/Soukoku)  of the manga little Chuuya and Dazai looking at each other as they walk away.  This all leads (pretty obviously) that their dynamic is more complex than just ‘they hate each other’. 

What I’ve been thinking about is this - there are two ways their relationship has played out. But there is something to keep in mind here before I ramble more: 1. the main ‘pairing’ of the story isn’t Soukoku (at least the main story of Bungou Stray Dogs); that belongs to Shin Soukoku. Atsushi IS the listed main protagonist and the manga has this goal in mind.  BSD is about Shin Soukoku not Soukoku. 2. We are getting an original movie that the poster featured Soukoku; so there might be hope for more Soukoku past but I don’t know anything and all my info has to be translated because I’m lame and don’t speak Japanese. So all this could be for naught. But do keep in mind, the movie is a Bones production and I have no idea how much say Asagiri is having (could be writing the whole thing, again I don’t speak Japanese and I have no idea). 

Now, the two ways Soukoku relationship could play out.  Let’s start with the optimistic one first. They were probably raised somewhat together in the Mafia and were friends once upon a time. They were partners after all, and while one could make an argument for putting them together for the compatibility of their strengths alone it was probably a little more than just that.  But they are SUPER compatible.  Chuuya is strong, and not just because his ability is fucking gravity manipulation; he is the lead martial artist of the Mafia.  Dazai is ‘the demonic prodigy’ and while he does have some hand-to-hand combat training and is good with it his real strength is his strategic mind.  They are very much a brains and brawn combo.  Not saying Chuuya isn’t smart, he is; Dazai is just smarter.  And this is where the hatred probably started.  They are listed as being the same age (both 22 in present day BSD) yet Dazai is the one known as the Demonic Prodigy, the one with the title of ‘Youngest Mafia Executive’.  Not Chuuya. We don’t know when Chuuya became an Executive (or at least I don’t) but we can assume it was after Dazai became one. And we know Dazai used to give Chuuya shit all the time when they were partners - Chuuya says Dazai used to spite him and insult him during Episode 10 (and the correlating manga chapter) when they were partners all the time.  Do we think Dazai is above rubbing something like that in Chuuya’s face? Chuuya is big on loyalty and the Mafia hierarchy, and Dazai being an Executive and Chuuya not would cause some problems for Chuuya with being his partner.  But is Dazai about being petty? Absolutely not.  Especially ESPECIALLY Mafia-Dazai. And Dazai toward Chuuya in general; he admits he was captured and came to Mafia headquarters ‘mostly for Atsushi’ with the rest of his reason being to spite and goad Chuuya.  EVEN AFTER FOUR YEARS OF NOT SEEING EACH OTHER DAZAI IS STILL A LITTLE SHIT TO CHUUYA. So let’s think about this; Chuuya as we know is an extremely hard worker, loyal to a fault to the Mafia, and cares deeply (as shown when he is looking at the deaths from Q’s curse).  Dazai (especially Mafia-Dazai and yes we must separate them) cares little for others, loves to prank his partners, and while he works hard everything is easy for him because he is so smart.  The hatred could have started, at least on Chuuya’s side, from a sense of jealousy and that’s WHY anytime Dazai is brought up and praised he still gets upset (that wine scene with Kouyou, Mori, and Chuuya post Shin Soukoku fighting Fitzgerald). And another thing - Chuuya is dependent on Dazai for Corruption. Completely dependent and at Dazai’s whim.  Soukoku is powerful and became Soukoku because of Corruption (as stated in the manga); Corruption being CHUUYA’S ability yet Chuuya’s life is in Dazai’s bandaged hands. And yet, Dazai seems to get the most praise.  Now why does Dazai hate Chuuya? (We know he does, it’s stated and he is much less reactionary toward Chuuya than the other way around). Not sure, Dazai is always hard to read.  But I would theorize that they were friends at one point, probably partners for a long time, and it was jealousy and conflicting personalities that made them drift apart.  But it’s hard to let go of in-grained habits, like caring for your partner and knowing their habits and attacks; remember it was 4 years from when Dazai left the Mafia and they still remember their old maneuvers.  And caring for the one person that could save your life if you have to use your suicidal yet super strong true ability. Looking at you, handsome ginger. 

Now for the more pessimistic reason they hate each other - because Asagiri wanted a parallel to Shin Soukoku. That’s it. Because the author wanted a parallel.  And this only works as the parallel to Shin Soukoku because Dazai is officially part of the Agency and Chuuya is a Mafia Executive.  It would make sense for there to be an original Soukoku if the end-game is Shin Soukoku with Atsushi and Akutagawa.  It makes Shin Soukoku more believable and gives them room to grow and makes them front and center if and when they become more powerful than Soukoku.  Now yes, Chuuya and Dazai were dubbed Soukoku back when they were in the Mafia together, but WE DON’T SEE THAT which is what is important.  We don’t see Soukoku originally, we see Soukoku as Asagiri (this is an intentional fallacy but imma do it anyway) intended for us to see them - as one member from the Agency and one member from the Mafia working together. Giving us an original Soukoku with a backstory that makes it believable makes the idea of Shin Soukoku more appealing and more believable especially since Akutagawa spends SO MUCH TIME trying to kill Atsushi. Them working together without a previous basis of reliability, of an example of ‘oh hey two people from opposite sides who hate each other working together can work cool’ would be hard to sell.  Now this isn’t the first time things have been twisted to suit the narrative in BSD.  Very first episode, very first chapter - when we find out Atsushi is the tiger and we see Dazai’s No Longer Human nullification for the first time, for some reason Atsushi’s arm doesn’t return to normal.  Which, by all accounts and all instances we see of No Longer Human later, it should have.  So why this first time does Atsushi’s arm remain a tiger paw? Dramatic effect. So Atsushi can find out in a slightly humorous manner he is the tiger and he is a gifted individual.  Dazai says “My nullification ability is absolute” in Double Black when fighting Lovecraft.  If it’s absolute, as we have seen it to be, this first interaction of No Longer Human on Atsushi makes no sense - except as a twist made by the author for the narrative.  And the narrative is Atsushi, as the main protagonist, joining the Armed Detective Agency and later becoming part of Shin Soukoku. Side/Last note, Soukoku isn’t the only Mafia/Agency duo OH NO we find out Mori and Fukuzawa were an unofficial Soukoku back in the day.  Chapter 50 we discover THIS LITTLE TIDBIT and it was hinted they had interacted before during the Guild Arc. 

All in all? It is probably some combination of the two.  There is probably a back story to Chuuya and Dazai’s hatred of each other we are not privy to. But this is a chance it is not detailed because it isn’t necessary for the main story.  Now, if the movie does prequel to our BSD universe and gives us the truth of Soukoku? I’m down. 

The purpose of this? I’ve been thinking about this every god-damned day for like a week and I needed to get it out. Sorry for the ramble.