#HARUKA HAS NEW SHOES

[monochromatiica]

just woke up how we doing milgram fans

[good-beans]

Concept that just popped into my head: Milgram characters doing "get ready with me" videos

Aw, this was so fun!! I always love your hc style of normal au/everyone's chilling, and tried to go the same route -- it was so cute to think about :D

Haruka: Puts on his outfit for the day and explains everything in great detail. He has lots of comfortable items and fun colors. At the very end he speaks off-camera and you realize Muu was standing there cheering him on the whole time. He gets a lot of encouraging comments, and Muu and Fuuta keep an eye on the account to delete any nasty ones that may come in.

Yuno: Shows her outfit, makeup, nails, and bag she’s taking with her. She tries out a variety of styles (not just sticking to the more feminine looks we see in canon). She gives a bit of a tutorial and tips as well as showing things off. Has a main account for her daytime outfits, and a more private one for her nighttime looks. Mahiru is the only one aware of the latter account.

Fuuta: Layers. Lots of layers. There will be three sweatshirts laid out in front of him and you wonder which he’s going to choose before realizing he’s putting them all on. He focuses most on his sneakers and sportswear. He plays loud music over the videos, not knowing what to say. Has gotten into comment-section arguments over those yellow socks.

Muu: Also does a full look at her appearance: nails, accessories, etc. She mentions where you can buy everything, and it’s unclear whether she was sponsored by these brands or is just excited to talk about them. (Whether they’re actually together or not,) she’ll have Haruka on as a guest a lot to show off couple’s outfit ideas. She definitely has the biggest following, and loves recommending Haruka and the others’ accounts.  

Shidou: He doesn’t really know what he’s doing, but his account is getting tons of views so the others keep encouraging him to make videos. He’s just glad to be connecting with the other prisoners as they show him how to do it. He dresses in a mix of the sleek patterned shirts and dad fits, and both types of videos are equally popular. 

Mahiru: None of the serious-faced flirts or little pouty faces – it’s all smiles for her. Every video is basically a full tutorial – she has captions and a voiceover giving commentary on everything. She has the next biggest following, and interacts constantly. She loves getting questions “what should I wear on an x type date?” “How do I dress to impress x type of person?” because she always comes up with the perfect outfit to help. 

Kazui: A bit confused as well, though he does know a lot about style. His interro question makes it seem like he wanted kids – I think he’d really get into the account as one of those “Dad How Do I” types. He talks about matching things, clothes upkeep, shaving/hairstyling. 

Amane: Also wouldn’t have made the videos without prompting from the others, but enjoys it a lot. She usually talks about practical things instead of “vain” fashion: she’s excited to show off a new raincoat, sturdy shoes, useful pockets, etc. Over time, she leans into outfits that are more cute and colorful, gaining confidence in them. 

Mikoto: He started the account as something for one of his design classes, and got really into it. He likes to challenge himself with unique styles and clothing articles, making pretty much anything work. He keeps everything professional in case an employer/coworker sees, but isn’t afraid to add some flirting and flaunting in there. If he’s open about his plurality, he’ll have some special videos, “choosing an outfit for John today!”

Kotoko: Like Amane, she’s more excited about practical outfits. She’ll show off clothes that have good flexibility, places to store and conceal objects, and heavy duty materials. She’ll rate jackets, boots, and other “military-grade” things for what has worked best for her. She’s very attentive to the accounts that follow her – she does full background checks to make sure her info is being used for justice, not more crime. Mahiru convinces her to do a special where she puts all her piercings in and talks about why she chose them/what they mean.

Es: Experiments with a lot of new styles, trying to figure out what they like. They also just play music in the back, not having much to say about each outfit. They'd rather focus on their series of dressing-up-Jackalope videos, much to his dismay...

[good-beanswrites]

"Prisoner @waivyjellyfish ! Milgramblrgram has judged you guilty for your crimes! It is time to meet your judgement. As the wardens' fang, I take that responsibility upon myself!" (Muahaha -- Es angst for you 👊)

Es clutched at their head. Their fingers tore through their hair. It was the middle of the night, so they resisted the urge to shout. They didn’t want to draw any attention to themself. If they remained completely silent, though, they wouldn’t need to refrain from crying.

And so they cried.

You see, there is only one sensation worse than waking up from an awful dream: waking up from a very, very, good one. 

Es had grown accustomed to the nightmares that Milgram produced. In these dreams, Es might take the place of the prisoners. Their stomach would twist with horror at the blood on their hands. Other times, they found themselves in the victim’s shoes. They’d wake in a cold sweat, feeling hands closing around their throat, or weapons swung at their temple. 

But they weren’t prepared for a dream of absolute peace. They were happy. They were laughing. There were people nearby, smiling. It was all emotion and no detail – not a single face, place, or voice, was clear – but they knew for sure what the dream had consisted of.

Es was with their family. 

They choked out another sob. 

For the longest time, they wondered if they even had a past to remember. But that was all foolishness – Milgram was in the business of judging humans, not creating them out of thin air. They’d tried asking Jackalope, once. He turned out just as cryptic as some of the prisoners in their interrogations. Another time, they had considered using the prison’s mysterious machine on themself. There was no way to operate it alone, though. And when it came down to it, they were always alone.

They curled themself tight, dragging the bedsheets with them. Usually when they wondered about their past, mere curiosity washed over them. Now, they were flooded with an entirely new type of longing. It filled their chest. No, that wasn't it. Rather, the feeling left a wide hole through them.

If they did have a family, had Es been stolen away? Could there be someone else out there right now, crying in the middle of the night, just as hard as Es was crying for them? The thought was not comforting.

Or, like Es, had they forgotten all traces of their connection? That possibility also did more harm than good.

Es tried to reassure themself – if this family hadn’t come looking for them, maybe it meant they weren't wanted in the first place. Maybe Es had been willingly turned over to Milgram, their parents glad to be rid of them.

That thought didn't help at all.

Something clattered out in the corridor. That must have been what woke them. They rose from bed, ready to raise hell. How dare one of the prisoners rip them from such a dream. Es could never return. The offender would pay for this. 

It took only a moment to put on their uniform and wipe the tears from their cheeks. They swung the door open to find Haruka stumbling down the hall. 

“Prisoner number one, what the –” they grabbed his arm. Only then did they notice the dazed look in his eyes. His body flinched, waking from what must have been sleepwalking.

“Ah! W-warden!” He blinked, his mind still stuck somewhere else. “I’m s-sorry! What, ah… I was dreaming... She was – she was right here…”

Es took a measured breath. They steeled their expression. There would be no unleashing hell tonight. They had lost sight of their role. They had gotten distracted with childish emotions and silly dreams. They were Milgram’s warden, not some kid like Haruka who wandered around the prison late at night looking for his mama. 

Es adjusted the hat over their hair. It was good, they told themself, that they couldn't remember a thing from the dream. They didn't need any of those people. They were perfectly fine on their own. Such a distraction would not happen again.

“Let’s get you back to bed.”

“But, my p-parents, they were–”

“They’re not here. Nobody is. Back to your cell, prisoner.”

[meowkusunoki]

Yuno Kashiki's Lover - An Analysis

I apologize for any typos or wonky wording; English is not my first language.

Yuno has stated in Trial 2 that she never had feelings for the people she was going on dates with. However, that contradicts with Umbilical, because these–

–are not the words of someone who's just in it for the fun or for the money. So, I'd like to propose something else: Yuno, before becoming a rental girlfriend, had a partner whom she genuinely loved, and that person is the one who she (nearly) had a child with.

TW: abortion and pregnancy talk

PART 1: Yuno's Personality (+ Haruka Connection)

Yuno is a very cynical person, and has stated that she hates "cold"– this can also be seen in Umbilical (Just me alone, the warmth starts to fade / Let's reload the warmth) (Just me alone, it really is lonely / Let's reload the warmth) and Tear Drop (The fading warmth makes me anxious again / Tear drops succumb and fall)

Despite this, she has stated in her second voice drama that her family life is stable, and often mentions playing with her brothers in MINIGRAM.

Something worth taking note is that she also states she found compensated dating to be something she felt was "necessary"– likely to stave off the "cold".

But if such traits didn't come from her home life, where did they come from? I believe it was from disillusionment in a relationship.

I'd also like to present a new theme to connect her and Haruka: abandonment.

PART 2: Umbilical

2.1: The Towers

During the MV, there can be seen towers composed of a spiralling stairway: at first, there is one. Then, a second one is introduced. Those two come together to form one, and so there is only one left. That tower crumbles. In the end, we can see that there are more towers in the background.

They represent Yuno and her lovers.

Up until the end of the first chorus, there is only one tower: Yuno's. She is then seen staring at a second, more distant tower. This is her partner.

On the second chorus, they are together. Yuno can be seen on hers, but the other is empty; we can, however, see someone's shoes left on it. They seem to be men's shoes, so not Yuno's.

It's as if someone is supposed to be there, but they've left, or Yuno now refuses to acknowledge them.

In this scene, they both come together; this is either when the pregnancy happens, or when Yuno tells them about it (I messed up, I found out)

Also, the shoes are now gone, meaning they have left her completely.

In the third chorus, we see Yuno's tower again, alone.

Fourth chorus, the tower crumbles; this represents Yuno's old self "breaking". She, however, grabs onto the balloon (which we will discuss later) and saves herself.

(Alternatively, the tower that crumbles could also represent her child and its death.)

At the very end, she stares off at new towers in the background. This is when she started to be a rental girlfriend; she is looking at her possible suitors.

PART 2.1: The Balloon

I've heard the theory that it represents her body, and while I think that is possible, I'd like to present something new: it represents her feelings/her mind.

In the beginning, it's empty: she hasn't caught feelings. As the song progresses, it becomes full of other balloons, one even shaped like a heart: those are her newfound feelings.

Eventually, the pressure becomes too much, and her mind "bursts"; this happens right before her tower crumbles and right after the pregnancy.

When she falls, she grabs onto a now-empty balloon, which represents a mind that's free of feelings. She is saving herself from death by grabbing onto numbnees, by rejecting the feelings that got her here in the first place.

Something else that's interesting: during the "fu fu" part, she is hiding her face behind an empty balloon; hiding behind a stoic face.

PART 3: Tear Drop

I don't have much to say about Tear Drop, since I agree with most of the fandom about it. I'd like to mention, though, that Yuno is very adamant about not being a "naive little girl", and following this theory, it makes sense.

She had to build herself back up from the ground and, judging by the multiple Yunos in the MV, it looks like she did it by herself. To reduce her to someone pitiful would be insulting, after she went through so much trouble to lock her old self away.

Still, in a brief moment of vulnerability, she shows that once the cold starts to seep in, she's still hurting.

[oboetemasuka]

I tweaked the guys' outfits in the anniversary art.

[Image ID: (Left) The guys with tweaked outfits. Mikoto has an asymmetrical expression, with his right eye a little more tense. His right shoe is tied looser. Kazui has a bowtie and a waistcoat under his suit jacket. Shidou has a turtleneck sweater under his suit jacket. Fuuta has his collar loose and his tie untied. Haruka has his shoelaces loose. (Right) The guys wearing the girls' outfits. Haruka is wearing Amane's outfit. Fuuta is wearing Muu's school uniform. Shidou is wearing Mahiru's dress and blazer. Mikoto is wearing Yuno's uniform. Kazui is wearing Kotoko's suit. /end ID]

Close-ups, perhaps? Under the cut.

Outfit tweaks

New outfits

[cookie-on-the-floor]

MMJ Heely Headcannons:

Minori is amazing with them, and is the only one that can do complicated dances in them. She first saw emu with them and decided to do a challenge stream. she likes to race with emu and edit idol dances to be doable with the shoes.

Haruka is average, but she adapts well to them. she doesn't really wear hers after the stream, but she still likes them. she does manage to look the "cool" wearing them, not slipping much even though she can't do anything fancy.

Shizuku is not allowed near heelys after managing to nearly get a concussion and break a camera during the heelys stream, and shiho has banned them from the house.

Airi is almost as good as minori, and has better tricks and mobility due to sometimes having wheeled shoes on variety shows. she often wears them after the stream to be able to do new types of turns and to show off her tricks.

[meowunmeow]

Undead Unluck Chapter 195 Spoilers!!

Aww because she's not part of the Union she's pursuing her own dreams instead of continuing the family tradition of making weapons :))

Haruka looks so cute (she looks a bit like Ochaco from MHA lol) in the second panel I really like how Tozuka-sensei gives us glimpses of Top and Haruka's relationship during the 16-year timeskip

Haruka is still timid in this loop yes but she's still courageous. I like to think it's because courage is not the absence of fear but facing something despite of it

Unbreakable and Unstoppable piggyback has returned YAYYYY (*cocks gun* how hand over Koala Fuuko)

It being an eclipse because Sun isn't the only one playing the game but also Moon!! Because they're both the ones who endanger humanity!!! Holy shit

"The Greatest Life" istg if it's Andy and Anfuu is getting separated again I'm gonna recreate Gun Fuuko with Tozuka-sensei (all jokes love you Sensei)

OOOOHHH NAME REVEALS

Death, Change, Luck, Justice and War. That's 2 new confirmations. The assumptions are still Soul and Time/Past/Fade

So the knight might be Justice, after all.

Also Beast looks so vicious here UU is never escaping the multi genre allegations

THE HIDE TURNING INTO ARMOUR OMGGG

The detail of Top holding onto Haruka's helmet

I honestly thought he was gonna kick Beast from under his jaw because his shoe is Unbreakable but this is equally good

As once established by Billy's Unfair, a cheap copy could never replicate the soul of the original. Obviously Haruka's is gonna win but it's really nice callback

Love this chapter but please free my wife (idc about you Andy she's mine) from Beast's hand 🙏🙏 He doesn't deserve to touch her

Looking forward to the next chapter!!

[givemeanaccountalready]

Points of Origin & Paths to Take (Part 1)

1

Milgram sure does love its pairs, and boy do I have some thoughts on the matter. Namely, what I think connects each pair of prisoners and predictions for their third trial videos (and Kotoko’s second trial song since Mikoto’s second video just dropped).

I am not the first person to say this and I won’t be the last, but I think I figured out how the prisoners are paired: it’s under the broadest definition of their underlying motives. And unsurprisingly, their motives seem to guide the path they take at Milgram. I was worried that Mikoto’s “Double” would throw me for a loop, but it’s confirming my feelings instead.

All of the motives seem to be driven by the absence of something in the prisoners’ lives that led up to them committing their respective murders. This is how I think the motives are paired:

Haruka and Yuno: the absence of love

Fuuta and Muu: the absence of connection

Shidou and Mahiru: the absence of knowledge

Kazui and Amane: the absence of authenticity

Mikoto and Kotoko: the absence of accountability

These definitions are a bit broad but I will explain in each section. For each pair, the motives start out along a central idea, and then branch out in different directions that foil each other in some way.

Haruka & Yuno: the Absence of Love

"If you forgive this sin, you're as good as an accomplice / I'm alone and lonely, please give me love"

"I feel emptiness inside me, we agreed to seek each other out / I wish I could do something about it, FUTURE!"

-"Undercover"

(I feel like I said a lot about Haruka already when I did my 'Haruka is Peter Pan but not the Disney one' comparison a while back.)

Haruka is the easier of the two to pin down for this motive. The line played over Haruka's introduction in "Undercover" says it outright. It is also clear during the first trial that he wants to someone to love and take care of him even though he sees himself as bad or useless. Haruka craves affection, and in turn, validation. Despite Es striking him, Haruka can’t stop smiling because Es has focused their attention on him and swore that they wouldn’t be scared off by what Haruka did. That they are going to focus on him until the very end. I think this is probably when Haruka decided that Es would serve as his new mother figure. Es has promised not to leave him; unlike his mother, who did leave him behind when Haruka became undesirable.

During the second interrogation, Haruka admits that he killed his victim to get his mother’s attention back to him, thinking that she’d love him again like she used to. Before this, Es had pointed out that there still are two trials left to go and asked why Haruka is acting like he has been fully absolved. Haruka is rather volatile during this part of the interrogation, and accuses Es of bullying him. He then goes on to revoke Es’s status as his mother and gives the title to Muu. Es, like most people in their shoes would be, is confused and asks what the fuck is Haruka going on about. Unbeknownst to Es, his promise to Haruka and his forgiveness from the first trial solidified them as Haruka’s new mother figure, and Haruka is now taking condemnation for what he did as Es behaving as his mother did. He is not doing this betrayal shit a second time. Muu and him became close during the inter-trial period, and since she still likes him even though he still perceives himself as a useless, good-for-nothing, she now gets the mother title. Now, I don't like Muu but for her sake, I really hope this doesn’t come back to bite her in the ass. Prisoners cannot fight while Es is awake, but Muu loses that protection once the second trial is finished and Es falls asleep again. I doubt she'd cut ties with him if he doesn't succeed in killing himself to avenge her Guilty verdict, but I could see her accidentally making a throwaway comment that could trigger his volatile side.

Yuno is a tad harder to pin down because heaven forbid our girlboss say it outright like Haruka, but I do think the absence of love in her life led to her choices both before and during Milgram. I don’t think she was abused or intentionally neglected like Haruka was (he is at least the latter), but I do think she was trying to find herself by becoming a sex worker. Let me explain, I don’t think Yuno loathes herself and did sex work to fill a void of some sort. I think she wanted to explore different facets of herself, enjoys sex and dating, and decided to make a little money off her unorthodox journey of self discovery. Yuno does not care what other people think, and she seems to be trying to find the version of herself that she likes best.

“Teardrop” emphasizes her not caring about external validation. Yuno does not shy away from what she did before coming away to Milgram and is angry when the audience tries to take her autonomy from her by saying she had no choice or was manipulated into it. Her actions were her choices that she made because she wanted to. She chose to put on a mask and be the girl each of her clients wanted, and she’ll spit in the faces of those who say her sense of self was so weak she was easily manipulated into. She's stated in both of her interrogations that she does not care if she is condemned for what she did, but she does care about losing her agency.

Yuno is perceptive and socially intelligent. While she may find wearing a mask for too long to be bothersome (like when she talks to Mikoto about letting his guard down and being less self-conscious or breaks the happy-go-lucky act in her first interrogation), she understands the reasoning behind them (she know why Kazui lies so much and that there are people like Kotoko who take their first impression of someone as infallibly right which could spell harm for her). She knows sex work, adultery, and the like are looked down on and that society tends to come down harder on those scandalous things compared to other acts, so her sex work is hidden. (I’m not sure if Yuuko Kashigawa is the alias she gave to just the doctor who performed her abortion or the name she used for when she was with clients).

So, what does this mean for Trial 3? We know that the prisoners’ next song depends on the previous trial’s verdict. Haruka went from Innocent to Guilty while Yuno received her second Innocent verdict. Neither are going to be pleased. Haruka will be angry because he’ll see it as another betrayal by Es, while Yuno, might still see the Innocent verdict as Es continuing to not take her seriously/not respecting that she is a person capable of making her own decisions.

If you compare their Trial 1 songs to their Trial 2 songs, both Haruka and Yuno become more explicit about what they’ve done. And the explicitness seems to be in response to how they interpreted their Innocent verdicts.

In “Weakness” we get to see teenage Haruka kill something offscreen with a rock. Young Haruka is horrified by the blood on his hands, but the blood is censored by crayon scribbles. The most violent thing we see is Haruka strangle his younger self, but we don’t see him finish the act. No bodies, human or animal, are in his first music video. He seems ashamed of what he’s done. The Innocent verdict seems to validate him (which he seems to take as love), and so jn “All-Knowing All Agony” he doesn’t hide what he’s done. We see him launch a chair through the fish tank and watch them flop on the ground. We see animals that he has presumably killed, ranging from butterflies to dogs. We see him stand up and beam while the things he’s killed litter the ground, and for a split second at the end, we see him strangle somebody. Our “love” gave him a kind of strength he didn’t have before and now he’s excitedly showing off what he’s done. He’s like a little kid showing off his new skill for the adults. I think in Trial 3, Haruka is going to take his Guilty verdict personally and I think he’s going to try and win back our “love” (pity) by showing how he got so screwed up he ended up killing someone. He equates pity with love and validation with acceptance and encouragement, so I don't think he'll close himself off from Es, and by extension, us, entirely. He killed to win back his mother’s love, you think he won’t show worse to win back ours?

As for Yuno, “Teardrop” is her middle finger to the “poor girl” assumptions people made. It’s as if she’s saying, “Oh, you love the ideal me so much, right? How about now? Do you still love me, or just your overrated, ideal me?” We see her accept money in return for her services and dressed in lingerie, we see her in several scenarios where it is implied that she either had or is about to have sex with a client, we see her show off those different facets of herself and stand proudly beside them. Unfortunately, at least with the Western audience, she’s been met with a resounding “Girlboss, slay queen” rather than the condemnation she wanted/expected for showing off her true self. She’s going to be even more pissed with us and she is more likely going to be even more direct so the other shoe can finally drop (get the rejection she expects to receive).

These are just my thoughts on these two and what I think is going to happen next. That’s a lot of spinning my wheels for just these two, so I’m going to be breaking this thing up into segments. Next up is Fuuta and Muu.

2 / 3 / 4 / 5

[red-moon-at-night]

Currently concocting the most self-indulgent 'normal' Milgram AU in the world right now... I am going to make these fuckers Found Family and give them a chance to come to terms with their situations and themselves... 

All through the power of a goddamn fish shop/aquatics store.

Hear me out okay:

So we know that from his interrogation questions, Kazui has a childhood friend who he looks up to, that has a boat and if the world ended tomorrow he would go fishing. He mentions to Mikoto in a timeline conversation that one of of his hobbies is trawling. I am taking these facts and running with them like my life depends on it.

In this AU everyone lives in relative proximity to each other (I will have to think about exactly where later) and are all in different stages of their ‘sins’, but notably no one has actually killed a person.

Kazui is a widower having a midlife crisis at 39 and taking time off of work/leaves his job altogether to pursue something new - like helping out his childhood friend with his fishing-store-come-fishkeeping-aquatics-shop. Yes it’s weird that it’s both but it brings in more footfall and more customers (is what his childhood friend tells him). It becomes a bit of a running gag. Kazui also starts running martial arts classes in the evenings because I can totally see that being something he wished he’d done instead of... whatever his old job was. Anyway, he’s depressed but somewhat happy doing the things he loves.

Meanwhile over to the left we have Haruka finally being discharged from a psychiatric unit on a community treatment order (yay!) Part of that community treatment order includes a program where individuals volunteer in the local community with partnered businesses... Haruka picks the fish shop, obviously. But he’s getting paid for it, because Kazui is not about to agree to free child labour. So Haruka gets a job!

Cue a journey of self-discovery in which Haruka learns he is actually not useless or a burden to society. He can do things? He’s been given responsibility? And he enjoys it?? Mind blown. Kazui is there to support and encourage along the way. Just wholesome all around (except for the trauma Haruka has to unpack about his mother and her fish tank ohoho-)

Haruka is the first kid Kazui ‘adopts’. The second kid is Muu who wanders in the shop one afternoon, missing a shoe and has a thousand-yard stare in her eyes. We then have this scene: Kazui asks if she’s okay and she eventually replies something along the lines of “yeah I’m fine I just tripped while trying to catch up with a... friend” and Kazui then asks if that’s why she’s only wearing one shoe and if she needs a spare and she says “no I just forgot to put it on until now thanks for reminding me” and takes a shoe out of her bag and puts it on. Kazui decides she’s exactly the right kind of person for Haruka to practice his social skills with and gets him to go over there and help her out. They awkwardly talk about the betta fish tank they’re standing next to. She leaves. She comes in the next day and says she’s decided to set up a new tank at home could she get some help with supplies. The rest is history.

Muu starts skipping school and hanging out at the fish shop, to get away from her... situation at school. She still hasn’t talked to Rei since that day in the bathroom. Kazui is slightly concerned but also isn’t a snitch and would’ve bunked off school as a youth so is pretty chill with it as long as she’s safe. The fish crew is born.

Some extra very important bits of lore:

Kazui takes Haruka on dad-and-son fishing trips.

At some point Kazui ‘adopts’ a third kid except it’s actually his child from a fling about two decades ago. It’s Yuno. He doesn't actually know he has a kid until her mother gets into contact with him, saying her daughter wants to meet her biological dad can she please come and see him. Kazui has an existential crisis. Kazui agrees. They set up a date and he's asking his fish shop crew about what kids their age like and learning very little because he’s taken in two very weird teenagers. Muu does end up telling him about brands of makeup/clothes/perfume/etc. that girls like, which of course is all expensive and possibly designer.

So yeah Kazui and Yuno meet and she runs circles around him. She's her wonderfully sweet but cold self. They talk about his dead wife and he is dying inside. They exchange contact numbers and emails. She wants to see him again which surprises Kazui because that's Not the vibe he was getting from her.

The university students exist and they all go to the same one. For now it’s mainly Kotoko and Mahiru lesbian hours. She’s a law student, and she’s a literature student, sharing a class (maybe linguistics) and slowly becoming aware of each other’s existence. Mahiru likes girls but she doesn’t know it yet. Mahiru sits on campus and does a bit of people watching, writing stories inspired by what she sees - and maybe one day she sees Kotoko doing her vigilante shenanigans and falls a little bit in love. Kotoko is oblivious to this (is what she tells herself). They end up working on a class project together and become weird friends. 

Kotoko is very much doing her side gig of apprehending criminals and punching the daylights out of them. No deaths... yet. She wants to improve her technique so starts going to the martial arts night classes run by Kazui. Mahiru eventually ropes into watching one time so she can make notes for action scenes she wants to write. She also ends up joining. It's fun!

Haruka also learns some martial arts with Kazui, having one to one sessions before classes start. It’s good for him, to get his pent up anger out in a non-destructive way, to redirect all that energy somewhere. He’s scarily good. This results in him building the courage somewhere down the line to join in on the actual classes, at least every now and then. He and Kotoko spar and it impresses her just a teeeeeny tiny bit.

[tokiro07]

Undead Unluck ch.193 thoughts

[Run Boy, Run]

(Contents: character analysis - Top)

On twitter, @phylloodles pointed out that if Fuuko was having Haruka watch over Top anyway, then there was nothing stopping the Union from being aware of and treating Top's mom's illness even if Fuuko herself was indisposed time traveling

I absolutely agree that it's silly that that's not what happened from a Watsonian perspective, but from the Doylist perspective, Tozuka has created a character arc for Top to go through that just wouldn't work if throwing money at it was the solution

The lie that the current Top believes is that no one cares about him and his mom, and that they're better off fending for themselves than relying on others. He believes this because his community turned its back on them and refused to offer any help when they needed it, and thus he believes that community in and of itself is worthless. I think an outsider coming in with a ton of money would have undermined the message that people need each other and their communities to thrive, as I think that reintegrating Top into that community as if nothing happened would just leave him with resentful feelings towards them. "Oh, now that mom is magically better, you're just going to act like you didn't exile us?"

Instead, I think what needed to happen here was for Haruka to build a rapport with Top; their Tom-and-Jerry dynamic notwithstanding, they do seem to genuinely like each other, implying that even if they don't agree with each other, they are on generally friendly terms. Top's realization that Haruka gave him his Unbreakable shoes not to give him a power-up but to protect him from himself undoubtedly recontextualized every interaction that they'd ever had - her attempts to capture him weren't to punish him, they were to try to help him, he just couldn't see it

In the end, Top isn't going to go back to his normal community, he's going to join the Union, that's a foregone conclusion. For that to happen, though, he needs to understand that the Union is the community where he belongs, the one that will accept him and help him unconditionally, and building that rapport with him is absolutely necessary for him to come to see them that way

It's a lot like the fight with Void. Fuuko could have just disguised herself as Void's opponent, and she could have just beaten him instantly with Unluck, but the point was to communicate who she and the Union were and how Void would fit in with them, how they could provide the sense of belonging that he was looking for

It's sad that avoiding Top's tragedy wasn't enough, and maybe it would have been had Fuuko been there at the time, but the point is that this is where we are now. This is the scenario that we're in; Top is an outcast who doesn't trust in the idea of community, so he needs to be shown that there are people who do care and will be there for him no matter what. A misstep along the way created a new tragedy, but not one that can't be mended, and all it takes is for someone to hold out their hand

Until next time, let's enjoy life!

[dirt-str1der]

Ngh awake thinking about the way phantasmagorias author portrays the majima everywhere alert through prose like YOW the second before the door slams open you already feel ten thousand icy cold needles shooting into your skin so deep they pierce to the marrow, like youve walked into a spiderweb spun with threads of fate and theyre all wrapping around you and trying to converge inside your body and then the door opens and its him. Its really him and you have every reason to square your shoulders up and tell him get the FUCK out of my home

[angelp-official]

Oh boy, a new character is introduced! And her name issssssss...

Atsuko Fujisawa

Fujisawa Atsuko (藤沢敦子) is a 3rd grader. She is a member of the idol group MORE MORE JUMP!

Background

Atsuko used to be Cozy Glow, but ever since she reincarnated as Atsuko, she forgot all about her past. When Atsuko had internet access when she was a kindergartener, she was obsessed with idols, especially Haruka. And since then, the words "Tomorrow will always be a better day" always rang through her mind when things didn't work out for her. She dreams that one day, she'll be just like Haruka.

Atsuko later then created a channel called "Chinou-chan!" that posts her dance practices and Utattaites. Due to her channel getting immense popularity, she had to wear disguises every time she went outside. She then took a hiatus and considered retiring as an influencer and stop following her dreams as an idol.

One day, she accidentally eavesdrops on Minori, Airi, and Shizuku when they were talking about Haruka's mental state. She desperately wanted to help them.

Atsuko then meets up with Minori when they were walking to school, and Atsuko reveals her identity as Chinou-chan! to Minori. Atsuko then explains to Minori that it would be best to show or tell Haruka how she feels herself, after all, Haruka was really important to Minori.

Thanks to Atsuko giving hope to Minori, Haruka, Airi, and Shizuku and leading them to where they are now, she was invited to join MORE MORE JUMP!, and she excitingly accepted the offer.

Appearance

Atsuko has scarlet eyes and curly light blue hair that reaches to her neck.

Unit Outfit

Atsuko shares a similar outfit to that of the rest of her group members: a white sleeveless blouse with a black ribbon underneath a vest, a black and white ruffled skirt with multiple layers, a loose black belt adorned with the group's three-leaf clover motif, and white heeled shoes. Atsuko's outfit differs the most from her members in the way she has the color yellow as an accent color. She has two white ruffled arm bands on her upper arms and white bracelet-like sleeves.

Personality

Atsuko is an intelligent and cheerful girl who enjoyed being complimented and would work hard to get at least one. Despite the overwhelming popularity, she still like receiving compliments for anything she does. She started in idol training when she made the channel and became really good at dancing.

She always looked up to her favorite idols, almost often repeating some quotes from them, either famous or underrated. She always loved motivating people and leading them to the right path, even if it meant she had to lie. She also really likes sweets, she would ask her mom to either buy or make her sweets.

Relationships

Hanasato Minori: Fellow group member. Minori has heard about Atsuko's channel "Chinou-chan!" and listens and watches some of her videos. Atsuko was happy to help out Minori and form MORE MORE JUMP!, in fact, they wouldn't even be there without her help. Atsuko is grateful to have Minori and the others by her side.

Kiritani Haruka: Fellow group member. Atsuko always looked up to Haruka ever since she was a kindergartener. Haruka thinks Atsuko is worthy of being in the idol world.

Momoi Airi: Fellow group member. Atsuko really admires Airi's energy.

Hinomori Shizuku: Fellow group member. Atsuko admires Shizuku's inhumane beauty, and encourages Shizuku to be true to her heart no matter what.

Voice Headcanon

Kanata's voice (Especially in her Idol cover) ABSOLUTELY fits Atsuko, no questions asked

Aaaaaannnnddd that's all for Atsuko! I'll make her design when I feel like it and continue on the others later! (Please know that I'm not good at writing. The reason why Cozy Glow is a bit out of character is because she doesn't have her past memories yet. It will come back soon. Also, I'm not gonna tag this as MLP cuz I know fans will bully me for making her OOC even though there's a reason for that.)

[intoloopin]

do you still have the genderbend/girl version of loopin? i was obsessed with this post

While the original post unfortunately seems to have been lost forever, I do remember fem!LOOPiN VIVIDLY, anon, and I'm glad you do too! They never fully left my mind, to be honest, and I have expanded on their lore/storyline a little from time to time just to amuse myself because the lineup was that bomb.

LOOPiN is a fictional south korean girl group debuted under New Wave Music on April 2018 with the single 'Secret': a rush to the moon against Blockberry Creative fully debuting Girl Of The Month with the english name 'LOONA' that LOOPiN ultimately won.

Story goes that, after failing to convince BBC to share rights to create a sibling boy group to Jaden Jeong's ongoing project, Seo Chanhyuk 'stole' Girl Of The Month rejects Taeha, Minah, Yeonsoo, Diana and Haseon with the promise of letting the girls be a full self produced act under New Wave that, despite all odds, was fulfilled.

Despite their slow start, the group completely exploded in early 2020 with their experimental hit 'I Got A Boy', now deemed as K-Pop's 'Bohemian Rhapsody', as well as LOOPiN's Produce Line -- Minah (BANGMFM), Yeonsoo (NaSunny) and Jimin (T.O.z) -- magnum opus. In the middle of their following year, when LOOPiN was arguebly at their popularity prime promoting 'Savage', oldest member and main vocalist Byungha announced her departure and retirement from the entertainment industry, and current member Gyuri was added to fill in the shoes she left behind.

As of 2024, LOOPiN has been named one of the most essential K-Pop acts of all time, and it's a stable when people talk about creativity in the industry, quality and longevity.

Fem!LOOPiN, from left to right: Lee Luda as Park Taeha (Fem!Taesong) | Jeon Jiwoo as Bang Minah (Fem!Minwoo) | Lee Hyebin as Na Yeonsoo (Fem!Seungsoo) | Hashimoto Kanna as Fukunaga Haruka (Fem!Haruki) | Park Jiwon as Hwang Jiho / Diana Hwang (Fem!Dylan) | Zhao Xiaotang as Wu 'O.z' Zhilan / Oh Jihan (Fem!O.z) | Kang Mina as Woo Gyuri (Fem!Gyujin) | Moon Sua as Lee Eunjae (Fem!Hanjae) | Song Yuqi as Xu 'JayJay' Jiayi / Janis Xu (Fem!J.J) | Jo Yuri as Kim Haseon (Fem!Haegon).

*On the original post Hyun Seunghee and Kawaguchi Yurina were the fem versions of Sejun!Taesong and Keigo!Haruki respectively, and I still love that casting, but c'mooon, this lineup is also so supreme. I can't remember for the life of me who was Fem!Dylan's original fc though... I also have no idea what Byungha a.k.a fem!Beomseok would look like because I no longer have any idea of what Beomseok looks like kskdkd;

**So yeah! In their canon, LOONA was never even given the english LOONA because Seo CEO is that petty, lmao.

[rggshiptournament]

i vote for majima to be disqualified and here's why: he is violating one of the tournament rules: "two variants per character." even though majima is an example of this rule, it doesn't make a lot of sense when you really think about it, for you see, he has had 3 variants: idol, depression and snakeskin.

taking out the idol outfit, we are left with depression outfit and snakeskin outfit. these give two completely different vibes, and thus should be considered two variants. and while yes, there's contestants with two different outfits in one picture as well, they are still within rules boundaries because either: 1. it's the only appearance they have and so counting as the two variants (see: reina or mikiko) or, 2. the style is so similar that it can count all as one variant (see: shinji or haruka). 

one may argue that majima counts as the second reason “he has the same shoes it’s the same style.” as much as i love majima, there is no way some guy in a simple black tuxedo would have gotten this far in the competition (and if he had, that's clear favoritism). if you have an artist with a different style to the game do full body fanart of y0 majima, from the top of my head i can count like 2 other characters he could be confused with. do that with snakeskin majima, i assure you he will NOT be confused. they are too different.

another argument i can see coming is that contestants are selected like this: one variant as the self we see throughout the story, and the second variant an alternative outfit that a player can choose from (as part of a dlc or completion of chapter). this argument could almost save majima, except it falls apart when you take into account nishiki. nishiki has been in the competition as two different contestants or variants: his self in yakuza 0 and in yakuza kiwami. these are both outfits we see through the games, they are both the ‘self we see throughout the story’ and they are distinct enough to be considered two different contestants.  yet majima doesn’t get the same treatment? funny how depression and snakeskin outfits are also from y0 and kiwami respectively. 

in conclusion, majima has infringed the rules of the drip tournament having 3 different variants and so he should be eliminated from the competition altogether to keep the good spirit of the tournament.

(well, that, or open a new wildcard round and allow one more variant for everyone. while this is a good alternative, taking out majima would be the most fair to everyone else. and yes, getting rid of one of the majimas for next round would also be unfair... i can write up why if anyone needs me to)

okay so this is a very valid point however

a disparity on my end would be unfair grounds for disqualification. full disclosure, i only tacked on y0 majima onto post y0 because i forgot about him

i won't be holding an extra wildcard for variants because that'd mean i'd theoretically have to retroactively add a variant for EVERY contestant from the ground up for it to be fair and that's just. insane.

i do feel like this is just anti-majima sentiment which. yeah i totally get. left unchecked majima would sweep the entire tournament on sheer popularity alone.

but listen to me. imagine if i disqualified majima right now. there'd be outcry. they'd be screaming for my head in the streets. i'd be drawn and quartered. fed to the beasts. unspeakable things really

i... honestly fail to see how getting rid of one of the majimas is unfair. especially when, as you say, depression outfit majima objectively wouldn't have gotten so far alone.

so in the true spirit of democracy, let's have the people decide.

[shiningwonderland]

A Class Prologue (Repeat)

Translators: Ladylancer (twitter: utatranslations), Raz, (twitter: agnadance) Proofreaders: Boo (twitter: masatoswife), Belen (twitter: reiharus) Editors: Aoi (twitter: AoiTsukihime), Mae (twitter: itoshikimaegirl)

A Spring Day's Introduction

‘Idols:’ those who are unattainable and who we long for.

‘Idols:’ those who give people dreams and courage.

‘Idols:’ those who I....

I’m Haruka Nanami—15 years old. Starting this spring, I’ll be aiming to become a composer, someone who creates songs for said ‘idols’!

Looking back, I was nothing in middle school.

I was extremely shy, didn't have any friends.... The neighborhood dogs would bark at me and stray cats would scratch me.

I wanted to be helpful to others but my efforts were always in vain, no matter what I tried to do.

During the many days I felt depressed, the idols on TV were the ones who would always pull me through.

So I decided that one day, I wanted to make songs for these ‘idols’! In order to fulfill that dream, I wrote a piece of music.

I filled the song with my feelings and sent it along with my application to Saotome Academy, a school specializing in the performing arts with a success ratio of 1 in 200.

It's a few weeks later and I've finally received a notice from Saotome Academy.

Select the phrase!

It’s the first time my wish has been granted, the first time my dream has come true. This is the first step towards changing myself.

From here on, my story begins!

Haruka Nanami: … I couldn't sleep a wink.

Today is the long-awaited entrance ceremony for Saotome Academy.

The past two days, I’ve only been thinking about things like whether I’ll be able to get along with my classmates, or if I should bring a small gift with me.

Because of all my worries, I haven’t been able to sleep.

Haruka Nanami: ... Ugh. I’m sleepy…. But despite that… I’ll do my best today!

Hayato: Ohayaho~! All of you 10 million HAYATO fans nationwide, how are nya? I’m wishing you all well today from Studio 2!

Hayato: Today’s theme is, you guessed it, ‘final tax return.’ Eh? You've already done yours? Of course…!

Haruka Nanami: Ah… HAYATO-sama. He looks as magnificent as always.

My favorite idol, HAYATO-sama, is a rookie idol who debuted last year.

No matter how harsh his trials are, he never loses his smile. He’s a bright and energetic person, like the brightest star that lights up the night sky.

HAYATO-sama’s show, ‘Ohayaho News,’ is the only show I make sure to watch no matter how busy or sleepy I am.

Once the clock hand ticks to this exact time, I’m always ready in front of the TV!

That’s how it goes every day.

Hayato: … That’s all! Reporter HAYATO, signing off! Everyone, bye-bye nya~!

Haruka Nanami: Alright! I’m fully charged! Let’s go to school!

Oh no… I had no idea a train would be this merciless during rush hour….

People who go to work must be doing their best to overcome this every single day….

Rustle.

Haruka Nanami: ...!!!

Mmh… Just now, it felt like something touched my butt....

Rustle, rustle.

Haruka Nanami: ...!

… I was right. I-is it a molester?

W-what in the world should I do?

???: Can’t you see you're bothering her?! Knock it off, you old geezer!

Haruka Nanami: Ah….

What a nice voice…. Beneath its childlike simplicity, you can feel a core of strength. A straightforward, sincere voice that carries well.

… Actually…. Did this person just... save me...?

Pervert: Tsk, what a brat. I hate goody-two-shoes like you!

???: Ah! Hold up, don’t you run away! … Dammit.

Ah…. The pervert got away. He managed to slip through the crowd… But if he were still here, I would feel uncomfortable....

I’m glad he’s far away now....

???: Are you okay?

Haruka Nanami: Eh…. U-um…. Well… I’m not sure what to say….

M-my words aren’t coming out right. Um, umm….

???: In a situation like this, I think ‘thank you’ would work.

His smile is dazzling. Bright, like the sun….

Haruka Nanami: T-thank you….

Pat. He gently places his hand on my head.

I’ve never been touched like this by anyone other than my father....

His eyes are gentle and warm, like a summer breeze. His smile is just a little mischievous, yet refreshing. Somehow, he looks like the protagonist of a shounen manga....

Otoya Ittoki: I’m Otoya. Otoya Ittoki. Nice to meet ya.

Haruka Nanami: Ah, right. Um, i-it’s n-nice to m....

Pshhh.

Upon arriving at the station, the doors slide open and a horde of people begin to file out.

… However, e-erm…. Um….

Caught in the wave of people, I'm forced off the train….

Otoya Ittoki: Eh? W-wait! Aren’t you wearing a Saotome Academy uniform? You’re not supposed to get off he—

Pshhh.

Ittoki-kun’s words are cut off by the closing train doors. Erm….

Where am I…. This is the station before the Academy’s… isn't it? The next train is… not coming anytime soon!!

I have no choice but to run for it! I prepare myself for the sprint.

Right after passing through the ticket gate, I start running like a racehorse released from its paddock gates.

I run down the street in front of the station, up the hill that makes my heart start pounding, and bolt straight through the residential area.

Then, at that moment....

Cat: Meeeow.

Haruka Nanami: … A cat?

I can hear the pitiful crying of a cat.

Cat: Meeoow. Meeoow.

Haruka Nanami: I can hear you, but….

When I look around, there’s no cat to be seen.

Cat: Meeoow. Meeoow.

Haruka Nanami: Ah!

The cat is crying from the top of a utility pole.

Haruka Nanami: I see, you don’t know how to get down, do you? It’s going to be okay. I’ll catch you, so…. Come, kitty....

I spread my arms wide and show them to the cat. It hesitates for just a moment before jumping off.

Haruka Nanami: What a relief... It seems like there are no injuries.

Cat: Meow!

The cat meows happily in my arms.

Haruka Nanami: Please don’t climb up high places anymore, alright?

After giving the cat my warning, I set it down and start running towards the school once again.

Haruka Nanami: I have to run fast to make up for lost time!

Then, after fifteen more minutes of running, the school finally comes into view.

Haruka Nanami: Haaa… huff… huff… Ah…. H-handkerchief….

I search my pockets for my handkerchief in order to wipe away the sweat flowing from my face like a waterfall, but....

Haruka Nanami: It’s not there!

… I must have dropped it on the train earlier. It was my favorite one, too…. Either way, I've gotta keep going for now.

When I pass through the school gate, other students are still arriving as well.

Haruka Nanami: I-I made it in time....

Lost in my thoughts, I can’t slow down easily....

—Thud.

Haruka Nanami: … Nnh.

I bump into something and fall, but it… relatively... barely hurts. Eh? This soft feeling on my lips...

Haruka Nanami: ...!!!

M-m-my lips are touching those of an unfamiliar boy…. T-this is… my first kiss….

… That aside, what a handsome person....

Long limbs, dark, lustrous hair, and beautiful, white fingers. His eyes look a little austere; they’re very profound and stunning.

I’m in awe. I've never seen anyone this beautiful before.

??? A: … Will you please get up?

Ah!

Haruka Nanami: A-ah, kiss, u-um, m-my first, i-it... was s-soft.

A-aaah. What should I say? At the very least, I have to apologize….

??? B: Y-young Master! Are you injured?!

??? A: There's nothing.

??? B: You commoner! Do you have any idea who you’re talking to?!

Haruka Nanami: Eh…?

??? B: You’re talking to the heir of the Hijirikawa Group—one of the world’s seven financial conglomerates—Masato Hijirikawa-sama! Don’t be haughty! Bow down, bow dooown!

Haruka Nanami: Eh…. O-of course.

I obediently kneel down on the ground and apologize.

Masato Hijirikawa: Jii…. Step down.

Jii: But….

Masato Hijirikawa: There is no problem. Step down.

Jii: Very well! As you wish.

Masato Hijirikawa: ... You’re not injured, are you?

Haruka Nanami: … I’m fine.

I remain kneeling on the ground and nod without raising my head.

Masato Hijirikawa: … Truly?

I-I think so…. In all honesty, I feel too frightened to even raise my face.

Then, Hijirikawa-sama takes my hand and helps me up.

Masato Hijirikawa: … You are injured.

Eh? A-ah…. Now that he mentions it, my knee seems to hurt a little bit….

Masato Hijirikawa: I will treat it....

Haruka Nanami: Eh, um, er….

While I'm unable to say anything out of panic, Hijirikawa-sama pulls off the necktie from his uniform.

He gently places a white handkerchief on the wound and wraps his necktie around it, securing it tightly.

After finishing up his treatment, he stands back up.

Masato Hijirikawa: … What is your name?

Haruka Nanami: … Eh? … Eh, um… I’m… Haruka. Or, well, u-um…. U-um, I’m really sorry!!

I flee the scene, not quite knowing why.

I guess it's because, well.... Because I feel embarrassed.

A-about the k-kiss, that is. Besides that… he went so far as to treat my wound....

I was a little absent-minded until just now…. The moment he asked me for my name and I introduced myself, I suddenly came to my senses….

Then I started feeling so embarrassed that before I knew it, my feet were already moving away….

The venue for the entrance ceremony is simply glorious.

Chairs are lined up in the wide auditorium, and large flowers can be found on either side of the stage.

And for some reason, there's an orchestra class of 120 people on standby in front of the stage.

It’s almost like an opera event could start at any moment. Or perhaps the venue could be compared to the giant stage used for that once popular, nation-beloved comedy show....

As the entrance ceremony begins, the orchestra begins their majestic performance.

The drop curtain parts to both sides of the stage. But….

Haruka Nanami: Huh? There’s no one on stage.

At that moment, the auditorium ceiling starts to split into two and opens up little by little.

Male Student A: W-what is that?

Male Student B: A jet plane? But… why is it in a place like this?

Looking up at the sky, I can see countless jets flying overhead. Then, one of the jets opens its hatch.

The person inside...

???: Haa HA HA HA~~!!

... jumps.

Haruka Nanami: ...!!!

Male Student A: Is he... skydiving?

Male Student B: No! If you look closely, he isn’t carrying a parachute!

He’s right, the skydiver doesn't have a parachute. He appears to have noticed it himself, too....

He reaches his hands towards his back for a moment and then shrugs helplessly.

W... W-what’s going to happen...?

THUD!!

Along with a terribly loud crashing sound, the stage is wrapped in smoke.

Male Student A: Oh man…. He’s dead, right…?

Everyone lowers their eyes out of grief. We all expect a tragedy. But then....

Shining Saotome: Everyone! Congratulations on your admittance. This school’s principal is ME, SHIIINING Saotome, yeah!

Haruka Nanami: ....

As if nothing happened, the school principal begins the ceremony on the stage.

He's styled his hair like horns on either side of his head and wears pitch-black sunglasses.

He has a polka-dot shirt, with a pink necktie under his grey suit. He is clearly a very unique individual.

Shining Saotome: This school was, of course, founded by ME for the sake of discovering and nurturing ‘renowned idols!’

Shining Saotome: Now, applause~!

Clap, clap, clap. While everyone is still in shock, we start to clap.

Shining Saotome: Hm~ OK, OK! It seems like you’re all good kids.

Shining Saotome: As of right now, I will tell you about the Seven Commandments all Saotome Academy students must know. So clear out your ears and listen closelyyy. This is quite sudden, but ME loves songs! SONG IS NUMBER ONE! That’s why…. Even though idols are idols, here at Saotome Academy, becoming an idol singer will be your main goaaal! Before graduation, everyone will perform songs in the graduation audition. Those that pass will immediately get a CD debut! Those songs will also be made by you! That’s what the composer course is for!

Shining Saotome: Idols and composers will team up and aim to become the strongest renowned idols!

The principal is explaining important information, so I know I’m supposed to listen seriously….

But for some reason, my legs start to feel like jelly and I feel dizzy. Come to think of it, I haven’t been sleeping too well these past few days….

I couldn’t get anything down my throat this morning and then ran at full speed for twenty minutes without anything in my stomach….

Then, someone patted my head for the first time…. And it was the first time I k-ki....

Remembering it now makes my heart beat faster. Ah, somehow, my dizziness is....

Shining Saotome: That said, please spend your school life with ‘Purity, Integrityyy, Beautyyy!’

Ah…. The principal’s speech… is over… —Thud.

As soon as the principal finishes his speech, I black out and fall backward.

Haruka Nanami: Mmm….

It… doesn’t hurt. It looks like the person behind me caught me as I collapsed.

???: ... You’re alright. Stay just like that.

Such a gentle voice….

???: … It’s probably anemia. At times like this, it’s a good idea not to move around too much. You can take it easy, please put your weight on me.

He’s holding me firmly from behind. Warm, gentle arms…. For some reason, I’m already feeling a little better.

… Huh? Could this be… a hug from behind…?

Haruka Nanami: … Ah, aah. M-my... my apologies….

???: It’s alright. Please stay like this for just a little longer. When it comes to anemia, you shouldn’t rush things.

As he says that, he gives me a sweet smile. Wire-framed glasses cover his long eyelashes and his curly hair is a color reminiscent of milk tea.

Such sheer white skin…. His features are very delicate and gentle.

And, above all, his kind and warm voice that speaks so politely. Just listening to it gives me soft feelings.

Natsuki Shinomiya: My apologies, I should have said this sooner. My name is Natsuki Shinomiya.

Haruka Nanami: I’m… Haruka Nanami.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Haruka Nanami-san. That’s an adorable name. It suits you very well.

Haruka Nanami: T-That’s….

Natsuki Shinomiya: Nanami-san, please excuse me for a moment.

Haruka Nanami: Eh?

His slim fingers undo the ribbon on my uniform and then begin to undo the buttons on my shirt.

Haruka Nanami: ...!!!

The people around us quickly start shifting uncomfortably. ... But Shinomiya-san isn’t bothered at all and continues to loosen my clothes.

Natsuki Shinomiya: How does… this feel for you? Does it feel any better?

Haruka Nanami: A-ah… um… Well, my-my clothes….

Natsuki Shinomiya: Ah…. Pardon me…. Um…. With cerebral anemia, it is best to increase blood flow by lowering your head. Since you can’t lower your head any further… at the very least, loosening your clothes should help with increasing your blood flow….

Haruka Nanami: Ah…. Thank you….

Natsuki Shinomiya: Ah.... There’s no need to…. You’re very welcome....

When I show him my gratitude, Shinomiya-san’s cheeks flush red.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Well…. Anemia is usually a result of lack of sleep, missing breakfast, or sudden, intense exercise....

Shinomiya-san gives me a gentle smile as he tells me about anemia.

Ah… I meet all those conditions... I’m sorry.

Because of those things, I've become a terrible inconvenience….

Once the opening ceremony has finished, everyone starts heading to their respective classrooms.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Ah, Nanami-san.

Haruka Nanami: Shinomiya-san…. Ah, I wanted to thank you… for earlier.

I bow my head to him gratefully.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Don’t worry about it. As long as you feel better now, that’s what matters the most.

Otoya Ittoki: Huh? You’re from this morning…. Whoa, so we’re in the same class. Were you okay this morning, Nanami? Did you make it to the opening ceremony on time?

Haruka Nanami: Eh? Ittoki… kun....

This morning, he saved me from that molester….

Haruka Nanami: Um… I somehow managed to get here on time. Ah, thank you… for back then.

Huh? But, how does he know my name…? I don’t recall introducing myself….

Otoya Ittoki: Ah, that’s right! Here, you dropped this on the train.

Haruka Nanami: ...!!!

Before my eyes, he holds up the handkerchief that I lost this morning.

Otoya Ittoki: "A Class, Haruka Nanami." It’s kinda unusual to see a name written on a handkerchief. But it’s thanks to that that I got to know your name. Let’s get along this year!

Haruka Nanami: O-of course. Likewise, it's very nice to meet you.

Masato Hijirikawa: Hm? You are… that woman from earlier…. How is your injury? You ought to have consulted the infirmary, just in case….

Haruka Nanami: ...!!!

T-the person from this morning… H-Hijirikawa-sama!!!

I never thought we would meet again. W-what should I do…? I ran away from him without thinking earlier….

Haruka Nanami: Ah, no… I... I-I’m fine…. Well, um, I’ll make sure to wash the handkerchief and tie and return them to you….

Masato Hijirikawa: Please do not stress over it. … I have plenty of spares, so why don’t you keep them?

Haruka Nanami: Eh, ah…. Of course. Thank you….

Otoya Ittoki: Ehh, I see you’ve already met Natsuki and Masa too.

Masato Hijirikawa: Rather than meet… I would say it was more of an accident.

Haruka Nanami: U-um…. Do you all know each other?

Otoya Ittoki: Yeah, we were all together for the school orientation.

Natsuki Shinomiya: Yes, the two of them are wonderful friends.

Otoya Ittoki: That event deepened our friendship a bunch, more than we actually needed.

Masato Hijirikawa: It was a severe trial that I do not wish to dwell on…. However, it was meaningful in terms of friendship.

Otoya Ittoki: That’s for sure…. Well, anyway, let’s be friends this year!

Whoa.... To think that everyone I met this morning is in the same class as me….

Moreover, all of them are friends with each other…. What an amazing coincidence....

Otoya Ittoki-kun. Masato Hijirikawa-sama. Natsuki Shinomiya-san.

All people who allowed me to experience a lot of firsts. This year, I will be in the same class as all three of them….

Just thinking about it makes my heart pound with excitement.

Alright! I’m going to give it my all and become a splendid composer!

Prologue End - Choose your partner!

[dearmahiru-archive]

I know nothing about the milgram subscription sry, but doctorbunny was kind enough to share the new gifs if you wanted 👀

https://www.tumblr.com/doctorbunny/718691189004632064/theres-a-second-mappi-gif?source=share

tysm! someone kindly messaged me about it beforehand and let's just say i am not feeling well. going to use this ask as an excuse to talk about my thoughts on them because i have too many...!

spoilers below the cut!!

judging from the above shot this gif reads to me like he's waking up mahiru with the confetti. you know how towards the end of mahiru's t1 song she's fallen asleep? since she's wearing the birdcage outfit i image love you takes place right after that moment.

also i will just say that it's absolutely sickening if mahiru's boyfriend died on her birthday like honeyfizzley said. not only is that traumatizing but remember that one timeline conversation where, on mahiru's birthday, amane tells mahiru she'll die soon? if the lover's suicide theory is correct then like... that is the most gut-wrenching foreshadowing possible.

(on a lighter note, mahiru and i share the same birthday! you can probably imagine my reaction when i found that out, went to check her birthday timeline, and saw the convo with her and amane...)

the head tilt at the end is also very cute to me! i really really want to like mahiru's boyfriend. it's alot easier to hate him when he's scattered bird feathers but now that he has a face i can't bring myself to slander him.

speaking of his face, i really like his tareme eyes! i have a drafted post about it but droopy eyes in character design tends to signify the character is gentle personality. think haruka, kazui, or even mahiru herself! so, combined with my wishful hopes he's not a bad person, her boyfriend reads as a kind person to me.

another drafted post i had was about what eyes signify in milgram. the only proposal i've seen were that "eyes are the window to the soul" — it represents the prisoner's understanding/connection to the people around them. for instance, kazui feels disconnected from his wife but, for whatever reason, understands the bar lady more. or, for fuuta's case, everyone in dark triad lacks a face except rumerie who fuuta looks to for guidance in every battle.

so, like with shidou's family revealing their eyes, i think it's very interesting how now is the time mahiru's boyfriend reveals his face. if the above theory is correct—heavy emphasis on the if—then it means mahiru only felt connected with her boyfriend on the last day they were together as a couple.

this might be me being stupid but it kind-of looks like mahiru is limping here? like, compared to her boyfriend's full walk cycle, we're only seeing her left foot hop and a small bit of her other one.

i'm really, really curious on what happened between their happy celebration and how they ended up so wrecked. i initally assumed only mahiru was in disrepair because she was tearing through the forest looking for boyfriend. here they're both walking side-by-side.

also adding onto to my lover's suicide theory... neither of them have their shoes on. i don't like where this is going.

mahiru undercut supremacy... mahiru fluffy hair supremacy...mahiru smile supremacy... mahiru blush supremacy...mahiru...

so sad that once again mahiru's earrings have been taken away from her. just let her have them...! i'm once again curious on what happened between the celebration and the forest because how does her earrings get knocked off? unless it was a car crash or something to mirror shidou's case (i hope not i hope not i hope not i hope i hope not.)

someone on twt mentioned that, comparing the gifs with infm, the thumbnail gif will take place in the middle of the mv. i have a feeling it'll be the reveal of her boyfriend's death maybe? possibly? same with inmf showing mu stab rei before cutting to her hatching from the chrysalis.

"hmm... i’m a little troubled that i can’t go home, but... it’s fine, I guess. even if i go home, there’s nothing left..."

manifesting mahiru shiina 100% innocent sweep first time ever in milgram 🙏🙏

i'm a little disappointed we didn't get a sneak peek into her new outfit...! each prisoner has recieved a new one and i'm really excited for mahiru's. i'm picturing a corspe bride situation where her wedding, the symbolism of her happy future with her boyfriend, crumbles away to nothing, leaving only her and a corspe at the alter. love is (un)dead...