#I’m thankful for all the memories that I made with this series and the manga is already finished

[koffeenoe]

I made this in May 🥲

[natsuki208]

My (not so long) Appreciation Post for Jean Kirstein!

(Sorry friend, but this definitely includes spoilers so you can’t read it)

When I first started watching AOT I didn’t really thought much of Jean, but once I started reading the latest chapters of the manga at the time (and because of JM pics) he began to grow on me.

He’s started off as an insecure kid who wanted nothing to do with the titans and just live his own life quietly. The Military Police was his only option in his mind and only entered the cadets to become qualified to join (Eren calls him out on this for not wanting to use these skills to fight)

I’m smug and I know it ;)

All of that changed once his hometown of Trost was invaded. He and the other cadets were forced to jump into battle against the titans and he was scared out of his mind.

He may have led the charge to the Armoury, and aided to take out the titans roaming there, but he still didn’t felt cut out to be a leader type - until a certain someone close to him shares inspiring words of how being weak makes him relatable and easier for others to look up to. Words from a boy who believed in his potential from the start.

Look at my boys!

This lead to his traumatising reaction when he found Marco’s corpse after the battle. Someone who believed in him is now long dead, and Jean felt horrible to see his body burn away with other poor souls who lost their lives to the titans.

Jean didn’t wanna leave Marco’s memory in vain, so he decided to give up on his selfish goal and do the right thing by joining the Scout Regiment - still scared as hell even during the ceremony.

The night he watched his soulmate burn.

Throughout the series, we see him grow even more into a admired character by the others, Armin and Eren respect him a lot and even Levi and Hange to a degree. And I will say this: he’s the only character I feel wasn’t completely ruined in S4.

He’s now a lot more confident in his position and is titled commanding officer, with still rough flaws, but at least smart enough to know that Eren was planning something when ‘lying’ to Armin and Mikasa. He keeps everyone on the right track to fight against titans and the yeagerists, as with good leadership qualities should.

Not just in the looks department.

Surely he was almost tricked by Floch to give everything up once more, but he’s grown pass that with still holding onto the memory of Marco. During the final battle, he was the one who nearly finished off Eren by blowing off his head. As much as I didn’t like Connie this season, he still acknowledged that all of them made it through thanks to Jean.

Now with being an ambassador, he’s still taking lead to change the world alongside Armin and the others. In conclusion, he’s one of the most human characters in this series - I can see why he was Isayama’s favourite for a time.

Happy Birthday again to the majestic stallion.

Okay, I give in. He’s also handsome as hell.

🐴 ✨✨

[gxilds]

the borderlands

for dummies

I guess

now that we have reached the conclusion of the original manga series in the show, a lot of my friends seemed to be confused about the ending or what exactly the borderlands is. And while I haven’t finished the show (wether I am or not is debatable, granted i’m just dramatic and will get over my qualms with it fairly quickly) I have read the manga which gives you more clues as to how you should interpret it.

the mass majority of this post will be the last few chapters of the manga which stay relatively true to what the show has in it (other that some stuff that is not relevant to this post) so take that how you will.

this post will be divided into a few parts

what created the borderlands

what we can interpret the borderlands is

how it affected the players

in the last chapter we are met with this group of panels at the start

We are informed of a meteorite attack that happened two years prior to the events of this final chapter. we can grab two things from this:

this meteorite attack is relevant to the story

the story probably spans over two years

Using that first and second point, we can assume that it is not just relevant but that it is probably what the fireworks were in the beginning of the series was.

and in chapter 63 they also use fireworks for parallel as to them finishing all of them games and show is a meteorite hitting what we can assume to be shibuya

so a meteorite hit them? cool, I guess… what can we do with this information?

I’m so glad I asked, narrator me!

this leads me to the second question

how can we interpret this?

I guess… it’s more simple now that I put it into words.

Essentially,

it’s a collective state of limbo.

I guess?

It’s a point between life and death where it seems the borderlands are used to create judgment as to if the characters should really die or not.

in order to prove this we have to mix the third point into this

how has it affected the players?

in the end we find the players in the hospital with no memories of what happened in the borderlands but clearly affected

(For some reason I can’t find any panels online for this but I do still have the one of chishiya stocked up because I’m so not normal about him)

for example, Chishiya is affected emotionally and is left feeling better after his clear change of heart in the end of the series.

Niragi lays next to him burnt to a crisp and as far as we know chishiya seems to be hurt as well from the damage caused by niragi. so they’re all obviously somewhat affected by what happens inside when they leave.

Everyone else wakes up from their 2 year (supposedly) coma and is left without memory of the borderland but totally cool with each other. Arisu and Usagi ask each other out (my parents fr fr, thank you AIB Retry), Kuina is being my pookie and they’re all having fun… other than those who aren’t there.

People who died in the borderlands seem to have not made it (Karube, chota, etc), which puts the limbo theory into prospective.

as for the collective part of it… I thought that was obvious

all the meteorite victims are in the borderlands with each other and interact in ways that leave impressions on each other

duh

Look, I know the way I word this makes the writers sound dumb but I actually think it’s creative and kind of refreshing. I half expected to have them turn this shit into as the gods will when I first read the manga…and then I would’ve been left disappointed. and while there is a sequel series to cover I’m glad there’s a happy (albeit, tentative and not long lasted) ending.

I don’t think they’re going to do the sequel manga in the show, sadly. I also feel like it goes without saying that if they continue the show without using the source material other than to give us tooth rotting chishiya fluff and him living his best life after the borderlands then I’m not tuning in 😮‍💨 sorry to whatever this joker bullshit is that i’m hearing about but… lawd 😭😭

🏷️: @clearskiesandmistyeyes @irehluvr

[ladyloveandjustice]

My Favorite Books I Read in 2022

I read a TON of books in 2022- roughly 62, (and 54 separate graphic novels/manga series, but we’ll cover that in another post).  You can see them all here- the print books start with Hench.

This was thanks to how I started listening to audiobooks while doing chores/working out in addition to reading, and some downtime at the office where I checked out low effort reads. So I thought it would be fun to just give some very quick overviews of the best books I read this year.

First up is:

 This is How You Lose the Time War by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar 

Deliciously lyrical and lovely, this novella tells the story of two dangerous women who are rivals on the opposite side of a war fought through time-travel- they taunt each other through letters and ever-so-slowly fall in love. I failed to finish this when I attempted it a couple years ago, I wasn’t in the best place and while I knew the writing was great, I had a hard time processing all the information. I’m really glad I gave it another shot with the audiobook- the narration is wonderful and drew me right in. I would to each letter and then read it in print, tasting each word again like a drop of sweet, dark syrup. It’s got a wonderful fairy-tale element despite being a sci-fi and the colorful picture it paints of time-travel and the ever shifting identities and forms the characters take on is worth getting lost in.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

I listened to this on audiobook, and it was a great experience. I still have an image in my head of huddling in bed late at night, the narration like a dark, icy wind rattling the windowpane, yet each sentence cradled me and made me feel even cozier under the covers. Based on Polish folklore, the narrative follows a girl who tires of how the villagers spurn and scorn her family for being Jewish moneylenders, so she decides to take matters into her own hands- but her business saavy and talent for multiplying silver catches the attention of some fearful supernatural beings who want to cut a deal. Her story intersects with two other women- one a princess on the run from a demon, one a girl with a family in debt and a cruel father. It’s a sharp and biting fairytale with a lush sense of a setting. I had a few matter-of-my-own-taste quibbles with the ending, but it was a wonderful winter journey.

One Last Stop and I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston

One Last Stop follows a college girl new to NYC who gets in a romance with a woman who seems to be mysteriously bound to a the subway- and bound to the wrong decade when she should be in the 1970′s! This is a full on mega-cheesy, tooth achingly sweet romance, but for once it’s kinda laser-targets at my gay, awkward self, so I actually really enjoyed it. I wasn’t even bored by the sex scenes and liked reading them, which is unusual for me.

I didn’t enjoy I Kissed Shara Wheeler quite as much, but it’s still worth a mention. The protagonist is a gay girl trying to adjust to existing in a Bible-Belt school, who receives a kiss and a mysterious letter from the supposedly perfect fundie popular girl Shara Wheeler- right before Shara disappears. It’s a YA, and it does a good job capturing what it’s like to be a teen-in-denial of how much they love mess when it comes to love interests, and touches on some of the struggles being queer in the conservative area, while striking down the idea everyone should just move to New York for salvation.

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

This novella tales the tale of Yetu, a member of an undersea race descended from pregnant African women who were thrown off slave ships. She is tasked with carrying the memories and pain of all the generations of her people. It’s an affecting and gut-twisting examination of generational trauma and how one copes with it- is it possible to carry all that agony, or is it best to forget? The narration was a bit dry at times, but it’s a story that stays with you.

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy

Heartbreaking but at times darkly funny, McCurdy’s memoir about her relationship with her abusive mother and struggles with child stardom is worth all the hype, in my opinion. The writing is punchy  and the story is told in short vignettes that make for an addicting read/listen. McCurdy does a great job communicating the degrading horror of both familial abuse and exploitative studios, while sardonically highlighting the absurdity the abuse thrives.

Otherside Picnic Vol 7: Funeral of the Moon by Iori Miyazawa

Otherside Picnic truly has my heart. The stories themes of healing from abuse and trauma come to a triumphant crescendo in this volume where Sorawo decides to deal with the Satsuki problem once and for all. It actually inspired me to write a whole article about the themes surrounding trauma, abuse and recovery in this series and how wonderfully they’re handled, which should hopefully be out it couple months!

Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Cows. Free Mustache Rides. Barbie. Nona is impossible to spoil. I got even more hype for The Locked Tomb series after re-experiencing the first two installments in the excellent audio books narrated by Moira Quirk, and Tamsyn Muir cracked my brain open all over again. We get to see a little bit more of what life is like outside the Nine Houses in this one. I found it a little more plodding than the previous two, but it’s still a great installment of my current favorite book series. I’m probably going to listen to the audiobook version soon, which considering I only read it a few months ago, that tells you just how much I enjoyed it.

Loveless by Alice Oseman

A YA following a university girl on a journey to realizing she’s aromantic-asexual.  Her fears and feelings of alienation drive her to make some bad choices and risk losing what’s really important. This book almost felt too painfully real- I’m not aromantic, but I came to terms with being asexual in college, and struggled in a similar way. I still struggle sometimes. But while the relatability was almost painful, I felt a deep kinship with this book, and these messy, silly teens and their messy, beautiful friendships. Asexuality is still so rarely talked about and represented that I’m really glad this is out there.

The Honeys by Ryan La Sala

A haunting YA horror, the story follows Mars, a genderfluid kid who was chased out of a fancy rich-kid summer camp that enforces a strict gender binary. His sister remained at the camp and hung out with a group of beautiful, popular girls nicknamed the Honeys. After she ends up dead under suspicious circumstances, Mars goes back to camp to find the truth, but now he himself is hunted. With spooky and visceral prose, some pointed and well deployed social commentary, and an A+ atmosphere, this was a great October read. 

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I’d been stinging from disappointment from some books I’d been anticipating but found myself trudging through at times, so this page-turner was a breath of fresh air. The book is about a woman interviewing a movie star from the golden age of cinema known as Evelyn Hugo, only to find that her life was full of secrets and her seven husbands are far from the most interesting relationship in her life. The prose might be too simple for some, but I think it made sense in the context of a woman narrating her life to someone, and it made it very accessible. I knew the main 'twist' of the story, but there were lots more twists it pulled off well. I appreciate that Evelyn was so flawed, and that the book wasn't afraid to let the reader wrestle with a lot of the bad things she did while still showing areas where she deserved sympathy. There were a lot of parts I wish the book could have gone more in depth with (though in the context of a woman telling her life story, it did make sense she didn't in certain areas) and that the viewpoint character was a little more developed, but overall I really enjoyed this as a quick read.

Norse Mythology By Neil Gaiman

A great primer on Norse myth- there were only a couple of these I knew in detail, with a few other I knew about vaguely, and I found it to be a really entertaining and accessible read. Probably not as useful for a Norse Myth know-it-all, but it did a good job piquing my interest.

Bonus reads- these weren’t quite five stars, but were interesting enough to be worth mentioning!

Library of the Unwritten by A.J. Hackwith

In Hell, there’s a library for unfinished stories. The problem is, the characters sometime escape their stories and cause mayhem. It’s up to Hell’s librarian to wrangle them. This had a killer premise and likeable characters, but I found the narrative a little detached and thought it tried to do a little too much at once. Still definitely worth checking out for fans of stories about stories.

 Carmilla by J. Sheridan Le Fanu

I read Dracula this year, but I found the classic lesbian vampire story held together a bit better overall, even if the ending was really anticlimactic. I loved the titular vampire. You can check out my reactions here!

T.J. Powar Has Something to Prove by Jesmeen Kaur Deo

This was a really sweet little YA story about an Indian-American girl dealing with the stigma around her body hair. I did find the debate parts a bit dull though, despite the fact I was in debate in high school

Thistlefoot by GennaRose Nethercott

 A story steeped in Jewish folklore where two siblings inherit a Baba Yaga house. I found the middle a bit of a slog (and there were a few characters who didn’t have a real reason to be there) but the ending came together really well.

Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots

A temp worker in the henchmen-for-supervillains business gets injured by a hero, and nursing a grudge, uses her statistics know how to destroy the superheroes in creative ways. Her talent catches the eye of the premiere villain, and she gets in deep. It was a really creative concept and biting look at the gig economy and the world of celebrity, and I enjoyed a lot of it! While the heroes are assholes, the stuff the villains do to them (and especially their families) can get pretty uncomfortable, which I found interesting in a morally-grey way but I did wonder about the weird fixation the book had with kidnapping children. I know it’s a go-to for supervillains, but it’s still weirdly overused. And while I don’t mind body horror, the ending was so fixated on it that I actually had to flip ahead to get through it, it was so repetitive and a little bizarre. Still, it stuck in my head and I’m down for a sequel.

---

It was a good year in books and I’m looking forward to the next one!

[head-empty-just-sigma]

why Dazai said goodbye to his partner

(and no it’s not because he died)

so i’ve been seeing posts fly around left and right with fan theories about why Dazai said goodbye the way he did, but none of them really mentioned a specific topic and that’s what i want to discuss and theorize about in this post here

🔺spoilers ahead for the main manga series as well as Dead Apple and Stormbringer🔻

i’m so sorry my theories are novel sized, i will provide a tldr under the cut here for those of you who cannot read all my rambling… the tldr only contains spoilers for manga chapter 101

also, this post is written courtesy of @nataliaphantomhivesblog who replied to my theory comment on another post and encouraged me to make it into an actual post like i've been wanting to so thank you and i hope this doesn't disappoint lol

here’s my “this post is literally the length of an epic novel” summary:

Dazai says goodbye to Chuuya because he thinks that this situation will break the bond of trust that Soukoku is made of. Dazai has always tried to avoid hurting Chuuya, including making him use Corruption, but Dazai has found himself in a situation where he just can’t prioritize Chuuya’s wellbeing. and this makes him feel bad enough to the point of basically apologizing to Chuuya for putting him in this situation, and saying goodbye to their partnership, but he knows Chuuya won’t die at least, or maybe has a plan to get Chuuya out of there, so he laughs it off at the end for a smooth transition back into nonchalant-ness with a subtle nod to real life Dazai's unfinished novel "guddo-bai" in his final line this chapter

let’s first bring up this set of sad, depressing pixels:

(i’m using specifically this screenshot because of the english translation, the context it provides makes more sense to me in this situation for this theory than some of the other translations i’ve seen)

let’s talk about the first and most obvious thing: Chuuya is in a closed room that’s filling with water, and his sole companion is Dostoy. Dazai is somewhere else in the prison, and has no clear way to reach Chuuya. on top of that, Chuuya showed up there as a vampire, and in the last panel above it looks like he’s returning to his human senses, and it’s unclear if people retain the memories of what happened during the time they were a vampire when they return to their human state, so it’s entirely possible Chuuya has found himself in a dangerous situation with no knowledge of how he got there. this, number one, i think would be a little nerve-racking for even Chuuya himself, and on top of that, he’s hearing his partner talking over an intercom saying goodbye to him. Chuuya is in a dangerous situation, with no clear plan of escape, and (the most important thing) he has no idea what Dazai is planning to do here. why is this so important? well, let’s look at a not so brief history of soukoku in dangerous situations like this…

Chuuya vs Lovecraft

i mostly bring this up because i absolutely love watching this fight in the anime it’s in my like top 5 best bsd animated moments but i do have a legitimate point here i promise

so, after 4 years of no contact, Dazai and Chuuya team up again for an epic fight against Guild members Lovecraft and Steinbeck (even tho Steinbeck is only there for 5 seconds before being punted like a damn football) and we see how soukoku functions as a partnership involving Dazai’s mastermind plans and strategies, and Chuuya’s literal godlike strength and ability. and the basis for this partnership? trust. Chuuya’s Corrupted state may be godlike, but it’s also incredibly dangerous to use. during the fight, we see several shots of Chuuya’s face with blood dripping from his nose and his mouth from using Corruption. we also learn that Chuuya can’t come back from Corruption on his own, and he could die in this state. so, why does he use it? because he trusts Dazai to bring him back. despite not working with Dazai for 4 years, despite them being in enemy organizations, and despite Dazai taking every opportunity to harass Chuuya literally like 5 minutes before this, Chuuya trusts Dazai enough to put his life in Dazai’s hands. why? because Dazai trusts Chuuya to get the job done, and because Dazai let’s Chuuya have the final decision when using Corruption. even though there are no other options here, which Chuuya comments on, Dazai still says regardless that it’s up to Chuuya to follow Dazai’s plan. and then, at the end of the fight…

this quote is IMPORTANT because it’s one of the few times Chuuya openly admits to trusting Dazai!!

Chuuya vs Dragon

ok, next up is Dead Apple. there’s no way i’m not mentioning this even if it wasn’t in the main manga series, it’s just too important to this theory tbh

i couldn’t find a gif of his dramatic entrance leaping off a plane *cries*

this point speaks for itself if you read the book/manga or watched the movie. before this scene, Chuuya meets with Ango, where Chuuya’s asked to go beat the crap out of this dragon bcuz he’s the only one who can basically. this whole scene was just two gods duking it out let’s be honest… Chuuya agrees, and while he’s on the plane, Ango admits to Chuuya over a radio that Dazai is most likely already dead. this means that if Chuuya uses Corruption, he’ll die. however, Chuuya knows Dazai well enough to know he’s alive in there (and we later learn that Mori sent Chuuya out in the first place to help Dazai), and Chuuya trusts Dazai and his “disgusting vitality” enough to risk actually dying using Corruption this time. i also think Chuuya points out a good fact at the end of the fight as well, which is where he mentions Dazai hiding the antidote in his mouth knowing full well Chuuya would punch him, therefore proving that Dazai trusts Chuuya to be there to save his life. and this is what soukoku is all about: their equal trust in one another that the other will be there when one of them is in danger

and also this scene where Dazai canonically pushes Chuuya’s face into his crotch, and then Chuuya proceeds to fall asleep in his lap. and also the cheek touch Dazai does to bring Chuuya back from Corruption im SCREAMING

*ahem* moving on…

Stormbringer

i won’t lie, i haven’t read it yet, cuz the official english translation doesn’t come out till the end of next month as of writing this, and i haven’t been able to find any full novel ones out on the internet passed like chapter 4, but i’ve seen a bunch of quotes from it to basically already know what happens

SO… due to me not actually reading it… i’ll keep this part short to minimize any potential context errors. my main point here is to emphasize how Dazai feels about Chuuya using Corruption. we’ve all seen the quote where Dazai, after telling Chuuya his plan and then walking away to let Chuuya decide for himself whether to go through with it or not, is trying to think of alternative plans so that Chuuya doesn’t have to risk his life using Corruption. Dazai genuinely cares for Chuuya’s wellbeing, and it’s emphasized a lot when it comes to Corruption. Dazai really will only suggest it as a last resort if no other options are available. and that he always, no matter what, leaves the final decision to Chuuya. Dazai straight up walks away from Chuuya during this scene in Stormbringer so that he won’t have any influence over Chuuya’s decision here

there's also the whole Dazai believing more than anyone else in the world that Chuuya is human, but im not going to get into that since i have very little information and quotes to go off of on this topic so i'll save that for a later theory on why Dazai and Chuuya bonded on a level outside of soukoku

ok, so, finally. my actual theory

Dazai is breaking Soukoku’s bond of trust

in all the times they worked together (i'm omitting Fifteen since soukoku wasn’t established, and Chuuya admits to not trusting Dazai at the beginning of Stormbringer in chapter 3, which takes place a year after 15) in every scene shown here in this panel of flashbacks, there was a mutual trust between Dazai and Chuuya that they could rely on one another to win a fight. Dazai would come up with the mastermind plans, Chuuya would do the fighting, and Corruption would only be used as a last resort AND only if Chuuya agreed to do it. yeah, most of the time there is no other option, but it’s the fact that Dazai never once orders Chuuya to use Corruption that’s the point here. he doesn’t just say “well there’s no choice so just do it” he always lets Chuuya have the final say on the matter.

but, for the first time, this simply just didn’t happen. Dazai is fighting against time with poison in his veins, his opponent is a mirror version of himself with morals equal to that of Beast Dazai, Chuuya’s a freaking vampire, and all hell has broken loose up top while they’ve been in prison. Dazai has very few options here, and prioritizing Chuuya’s wellbeing in this situation just isn’t possible if Dazai wants to beat Dostoy, or at least force him into a corner where he has to reveal one of his tricks. and Dazai feels bad enough for forcing his partner into this kind of situation that he literally says goodbye because he thinks that this move will ultimately break the bond of trust that soukoku is made of… Dazai knows Chuuya isn’t going to die, that’s not what this goodbye is for. if it was, then Dazai would have absolutely not smiled and joked at the end.

Dazai cares too much about Chuuya that if he were to truly lose him, i personally think he would become similar to the Dazai in The Day I Picked Up Dazai side B, where literally nothing matters to him except his own motives and goals. he would have been so dark and so angry in the final panels if Chuuya were to actually die, that it would put that one panel of angry wet rat Dostoy to shame. we actually do see Dazai's anger in the panel where he literally calls Dostoy a bastard for using Chuuya in this situation. but him joking here is also him putting his mask of nonchalant-ness back on after that vulnerable moment of him reminiscing on soukoku’s past, knowing he may have just drowned their partnership too soon? more like too late it’s been 3 weeks

i also think he joked at the end for a few more reasons. 1. to provoke Chuuya, duh. Dazai always harasses Chuuya at every opportunity, this is just another one of those times, and 2. to kind of antagonize Dostoy. Dostoy specifically played his Chuuya card here bcuz he thought it would give him some kind of advantage over Dazai, whether it was combat wise or not. this is Dazai just being a prick and laughing in the face of Dostoy’s plans. it could also be a subtle hint to Chuuya that Dazai has a plan to save him and this is just a part of that, since we've seen in scenes like the Lovecraft fight that Dazai often teases Chuuya before a big fight happens. we also see that Dazai's strategies are named after works of literature in the Lovecraft fight, and the final "goodbye" here in Japanese is not 'sayounara', which is meant to carry finality when it's said, Dazai says 'guddo-bai', which besides being the most literal translation of goodbye in english, is also the name of real life Dazai's unfinished novel its unfinished bcuz he commited shinju before he could finish it but um well i'm ignoring that. so this could also be another hint from Dazai that he has a plan that involves Chuuya not becoming an actual shrimp under the water here

ok, i think that covered everything… i’m sorry this is literally the length of a short novel thank you so much for reading you’re all greatly appreciated <3 umm here’s a bonus Sigma-related theory

so we all know Dazai is joking about not caring about Chuuya. but why would he fake not caring about his partner, besides to harass Dostoy? to manipulate Sigma. i don’t think we’ve talked enough about Dazai using and discarding people like napkins, and i think this is going to turn into one of those times. here’s why…

we know Sigma’s gift can’t be used on Dostoy, bcuz Dostoy can’t be touched. however, we also know that Sigma is literally 3 years old… a toddler, no thoughts, head empty, and surrounded by lunatics. why would Dazai laugh at his partner drowning? to make it look like he does not care. Sigma believes Dazai just won against Dostoy, and i think Dazai knows this. Dazai even compared Sigma to Atsushi in one panel bcuz they are both mentally immature and don't grasp the fact that Dazai is a master manipulator. Dazai is trying to draw similarities between him and Dostoy to manipulate Sigma. what for? pfft god don’t even know, it’s Dazai. only Dazai knows why he’s manipulating Sigma into thinking he’s heartless with morals on par with Dostoy. i honestly can’t think of any reasons why Dazai would feel the need to do this other than the pure joy he finds in harassing any living creature around him, and also maybe to drag information out of him similarly to the way he did it in the very first chapter of the manga where he deduced Atsushi was the tiger, then proceeded to manipulate Atsushi into working with him using money. it’s also 3am while i’m writing this so i think i’m forgetting something from the last few manga chapters, like how Dazai picked Sigma to have a partner with him before Dostoy’s reveal of a vampire Chuuya by his side. and Dazai wasn’t even surprised, he just seemed angry when he mentioned Dostoy had Chuuya. but i don't have enough info on this to make a real theory so this is just a mini string of thought i had.

[mania-sama]

Hello, just found your blog and I love your posts. Thanks for sharing them.

When I first saw your blog, I thought it will be about classical books like Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, etc (sorry for my mistake). I'm new in anime/manga (about last 6 years), before that since my school days, I only read classical books.....So not young in age but young in fandom :D

Are those seven are your fav media : BSD, JJK, Genshin Impact, AFTG, Voltron, Demon Slayer, Haikyuu? Can I ask why you love them? What made them special for you?

P.s

Are you excited for the Haikyuu movie, new season of Demon Slayer, and new spin off for AFTG?

Thanks 🌻

Thank you for sending in another request!! I smiled wide when I saw that sunflower 🌻

I completely understand where you’re coming from. The A Tale of Two Cities is sure to through anyone off. Sorry!! I mainly use this blog to post my ramblings and creative projects that I can’t really put anywhere else, plus a few one shots. I might transfer more of my one-shots to here from Ao3, but I simply haven’t gotten around to it.

Love to hear that you love the classics, though!! I wish I had the patience to read more than I have already. I’m an extremely slow reader, so it makes it difficult to get through classics (even though I love them dearly). For anime/manga, I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan myself. Not that I don’t enjoy it, but I don’t go out of my way to read or watch something in that genre because it’s in that genre. I watch or read anything that may pique my interest, regardless of the format, be it on Youtube, Hulu, Crunchyroll, etc. I haven’t really even seen many animanga myself, to be honest.

I wouldn’t say the seven that you listed are my favorite media, they are just the ones that I have written fanfiction/analyses about and posted it on here. I use that list as a masterlist guide for people to find my meaningful posts easier! So, not my favorite, just whats available to peruse on my account. As for my actual favorite… it’s hard to say. I don’t think I have seven I can list off the top of my head, but I do have some favorites in general.

Interestingly, for most of my “favorites”, I have never written a fanfiction for, nor do I read many fanfics for (with the exception of a couple of favorites). I don’t know why this is. Maybe because I find the original story too good to be expanded upon? I can’t say for certain.

A Silent Voice is easily favorite movie. It’s also my favorite anime, if you don’t require the anime to be a series. I haven’t watched any movie better, animated or otherwise, and I’m not sure I ever will. The characters are all so beautifully human, who say and do the wrong things, who are awful to each other, but who also do kind things, who develop, who change, even as others stay the same. Not to mention that the animation itself is beautiful. I could go on and on about this movie; I cry every time I watch it. I’d say it’s my favorite piece of media in general. Everything else falls behind it. Nothing can top it (at least not yet). Fun fact, if you didn’t already know: the English voice actor for Shouko, the main female lead, is actually deaf. Wonderful voice casting as well, just to top things off.

Bungou Stray Dogs is my favorite manga as of right now. I love it for many of the same reasons I love A Silent Voice; the characters are horribly human and complex, despite their inhuman abilities. Each character is interesting and unique, and while I do have gripes with the main storytelling, Asagiri’s Bungou Stray Dogs: BEAST really makes up for it. All of the character designs are also very unique and thought-out. Each character and their design leaves me spiraling as I think and analyze. It really triggers the autism LMAO.

Child of Light is my favorite video game. While I do have the most hours logged into Genshin Impact (and it is a close second in terms of favorites), Child of Light is simply one of those games that I can never forget. I have a lot of good childhood memories tied with it. I also completed the entire thing in one sitting in about 10 hours, which is the first and probably last time I ever speed-run a video game (speed-run is used loosely here because I am not “speedy” in any sense of the word). Anyway, Child of Light is a very beautiful game both in visuals (with its watercolor game design) and music (one of the best soundtracks in any game, in my opinion). The language in the game is also very unique — every character speaks in a rhyming pattern, all except the Jester character, who you would THINK would speak in rhymes but fails miserably every time. Each character is as fantastical as the next, ranging from a water droplet to a mouse. I wish everyone would play this game, because it’s so fun and so beautiful.

The Grishaverse is my favorite book series, though there are multiple series within the universe. I just don’t have a favorite (definitely not the Grisha Trilogy though 😭). Although it’s been a while since I’ve read the books, I seriously couldn’t put them down when I was reading them. They are a perfect blend of fantasy and realism, with believable characters and powers. While the OG series is genuinely not good in my opinion, the Six of Crows and King of Scars Duologies are actual masterpieces. Six of Crows is full of action, intensity, and found family, while King of Scars balances it out with political intrigue. Very, very well written and well done book series in plot, character, and setting. The TV show is a crime against the books, honestly, but it’s okay, Just read the books, they are better.

Merlin is my favorite TV show. I actually really love watching medieval settings. Not as much reading (not that I don’t like them in books, I just don’t search them out for the purpose of being medieval), but I love to watch them. I like admiring the old settings, buildings, clothes, and lifestyles that are being presented. I also love Arthurian retellings, so Merlin kind of hits the spot. I don’t have as many good reasons for loving this series, I just do 😭. Best (b)romance of the century. I did cry at the end when I watched it. Also, thank you to the Merlin fandom for reaching me what a good fanfiction is supposed to look like.

That’s all I can think of. I don’t really have a favorite individual book, classic or otherwise. I think that’s kind of impossible for me. I’ve read many great series, and I assume I will read a great many more to come.

I’m not sure if I’ll watch the Haikyuu movie. It’s been a long time since I’ve watched the anime, but if I come across it and I can watch it for free, then I’d be down honestly. I have been keeping up with Demon Slayer, with plans to read the manga maybe, so I am pretty excited for the new season!! And don’t get me started on the new All for the Game book!! I need it in my hands right now.

Thank you so much for asking!! I love talking about my favorite medias lol

[legallyhermione]

Hi....If you don't mind, can I ask, what are your top 10 (or top 7) favorite media (can be books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series)? Why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before......Thanks....

Ooooof this is such a hard question!! Thank you for the ask, I love this kinda stuff!!

Without further ado, and in no particular order, here they are!

1. Any of MXTX’s content (I’m counting them as one because I love too many things 😭): For me, these novels and adaptations were my first foray into danmei and Chinese media. I also discovered them at a time when I was questioning my identity and coming to terms with the fact I’m queer (which is…not really accepted in my family). I watched The Untamed first, then read fan translations of the novels before they started being officially translated, and I keep coming back to them because I find them so thought provoking. I like that none of the characters are presented as perfect people; they’re all flawed humans, but we love them anyway.

2. Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty: found family, Sherlock Holmes-like detective skills, spies, political machinations, food as a form of love? What more could I ask for! I just love this show. Haven’t gotten to read the novel it’s based on yet, but I’m hoping to soon!

3. Yuri on Ice: one of the first anime I ever watched, and it’s just so sweet and lovely. Definitely one of my comfort shows! Plus there are some crazy good fics. Still hoping one day we’ll get the movie!

4. Harry Potter: I struggle with this one a lot, because I very much dislike JKR’s transphobic rhetoric. But the fan spaces of Harry Potter provided me with support and escape I needed many times throughout my life, and for that the fandom of Harry Potter will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s been a part of my life nearly as long as I can remember.

5. Thousand Autumns: another one with some very morally grey characters! I love thinking about who and what is right and wrong, and this novel definitely makes you think about it. Lots of political world building as well, which I love.

6. My Cousin Vinny: a fantastic movie that I have many fond memories about. The jokes and digs about the south vs the north in the US always make me laugh, and as someone who has lived many years in both of those areas, those scenes make me giggle.

7. Haikyuu!: another one of my comfort shows! It’s just happy and fun and adorable. I love this one. I watched it sooooo many times during lockdown.

8. BBC Merlin: was morgana my bi awakening? I shan’t tell! Suchhh a good show, I miss it so much. Another fandom that has some incredibleeeee fanfics. Y’all writers are so talented.

9. Our Flag Means Death: I think this was maybe my first piece of media that explicitly included multiple queer characters but the entire storyline wasn’t only about the otherness and pain of being queer (or just a stereotyped role). This show made me feel seen in ways no other media had before. Plus, the show is gay pirates. It doesn’t get much better than that!

10. Avatar the Last Airbender: me and my siblings all loved this show, and we still watch it together often whenever we’re together. It’s so good. Zuko’s character development is still quite possibly the best redemption arc I’ve seen. I love it.

Phew. It was so hard to choose 10! I’m glad you didn’t ask me to pick one because I’m afraid that would’ve been impossible for me! What are your favorites???

💚

[thoughtfullyrainynightmare]

Hi Laura! Could you please answer 5, 8 and 11 for the ask game? Thank you! Cheers!! 💕

Hiya Acacia! ^^

Of course!

5. With description I’m proud of

'Most'? Oh damn, do I have a top #1? But this is pretty good. It prompted a manga colouring due to a tag left on it

“Not my sister…” he uttered to himself, under his breath, barely recognizing it, as he stood on the darkened sky, held up by his mana, and his mana alone. Like a forgotten god, cast down from the heavens, ready to push down the weight that pulled him to the ground once upon a time.

8. That hurt my own feelings to write

Basically entire Chapter 25: Before We Have It (From Before We Have It; Embers series)

His conviction and dedication; things he was so proud of! He was proud to be the knight who always wanted to do the right thing! When William had taken his arm, instead of pursuing senseless vengeance or justice by his own hand, which people would have understood, not maybe condoned but understood, he hadn’t. He had played it by the book. By. The. Fucking. Book. Because he was a good man. He was an honest man. He was a dedicated man who wanted to do the right thing. Always. But this time, doing the right thing would mean-, so many things. Though it could mean so many things every time; responsibility, standing for what is right, against the opposers to lead the country towards a better, brighter futures as a line of defence! And he was so proud of being that line of defence… He was supposed to be that line of defence… He. Was. A part of that line of defence. Defence… To protect. By laying down the one he loved and walking away, leaving her to die. Because he was a good man, an honest man, a man… that she had loved.

11. With characters I want to write more in the future

I feel like this is a cheap shot, but I kinda wanna write for more family fluff for the Lion Siblings

Fuegoleon stayed silent for a moment as a memory flashed through him. He remembered being around 10 years old, and going through the feeling of inferiority. He remembered wondering if he could ever compare to Mereo-aneue, who made it all seem so easy, meanwhile he had to put so much work and effort into his own skills. He remembered that one night when he sat, quietly, in his own room, and wondered if he could do it. If he could become a powerful Magic Knight. If he could become a captain after Mereo. If he could, some time in the future, become the Wizard King. All that he wondered, because Mereo always seemed to be lightyears away from him, out of reach by a landslide.

[chidoroki]

182 Days of TPN - Day 13

Chapter 13: “Traitor, Part 3”

Yes yes, bravo Norman. Very clever plan that would’ve fooled me as well, though I’m surprised Ray didn’t at least go check the first two locations, but I suppose he was just feeling that confident.

Of course it’s an unfair advantage to the anime for how it handled Ray’s laugh, since we can actually hear him (& i very much prefer said laugh in dub), but also because it’s just a better shot of his madness. The panel doesn’t show us much.

I know I always give credit to Isabella for raising such high grade merchandise (& yes i still hate how that sounds too) but is it fair for me to praise Ray as well? Surely he helped behind the scenes (if only just a tiny bit) in very casual and unsuspecting ways to both mom and the children, and I mean that like not only helping Emma & Norman slowly realize the secrets of the farm but perhaps assist with the other kids by improving their scores and their daily lives.

Sure he put all his efforts to just help Emma & Norman but we now know from ch181.5 that his initial plan was to save everyone. And granted, he’s the reason for some shipments due to tests involving breaking trackers, but he’s doing his best okay?

You dunno how badly I wished they would’ve had Ray just say “Yeah” again. I know it wouldn’t be true if he answered that way, but it would be funny. To me.

Alright, please have mercy on me Norman fans, but I think I finally realized the reason I’m not the biggest fan of your precious genius.. and that is because he was so ready to just use Ray and leave him behind. Ray. One of his very best friends. The boy who has been living in a hellish reality for the past six years, doing everything he possibly can in order to give Norman & Emma a chance to escape and survive at the cost of his own life. And Norman just decides.. nah, thanks but no thanks, traitor, we don’t actually need you.. like excuse me?

There’s many characters in this series who are ready to sacrifice everything (i.e. their own lives.. or memories) for the sake of others and then there’s Norman here who’s willing to sacrifice someone else (who he is very close to) for his own benefit. Yes I know Isabella basically does the same thing by raising the children to be essentially perfect meals in order protect her own life, but it just.. feels different to me. Probably because the latter is written as a fabulous villain who we’re supposed to dislike and the former is one of our main heroes we’re supposed to root for? But how can I cheer for him when said hero is trying to abandon another hero of the story? Granted, Norman didn’t know Ray was working as a double agent at first, but the fact he was so willing to ditch Ray at the drop of a hat just never sat well with me. But thank god for his chat with our literal sunshine child with a heart of gold before this scene even took place:

“I’d take that person with us. Because if we escape, that person’s life might not be guaranteed anymore. Also.. I want to believe in us. The thing with Gilda made me realize that. Ray told me to suspect everyone. And if he says that I couldn’t see through mom’s lies, I don’t have a comeback. But even if there is a traitor who is an agent of the demons, there’s no one among our siblings who is truly bad...(continued below)”

If it wasn’t for Emma and her optimism and devotion to her family, I firmly believe Norman would’ve kept quiet to use Ray and eventually abandon him, if given the chance. So thank you best girl for saving my boy’s life way before the escape even happened.

This cute flashback conflicts with the anime as ep1 did have Conny carry Little Bunny to the front door (it disappears after, somewhere), but the manga doesn’t show the stuffed animal in her hands at all, so this little memory makes sense in the manga’s case.

I believe this conversation happens somewhere during the events of chapters 10 & 11, between more tag practice and the library meetup with Don & Gilda, as we do see her carry a kid around in ep4 at least.

Favorite panel/moment:

He just looks so.. chill and unbothered, despite the situation. Ray’s just real intrigued that Norman figured him out so efficiently.

[mycoolwritingcorner]

Sailor Moon: Reignstorm - Chapter 1: Rei’s Dilemma

The Sailor Guardians thought they had finally caught a break. With Galaxia defeated, Ami and Makoto have finally confessed their feelings for one another, and Rei is trying to figure out where she and Minako stand, when out of the blue a mysterious new enemy arrives from the stars, with some very familiar tricks. Will our heroes be able to band together once more to defeat them, or will this new villain succeed in tearing them apart from the inside out?

(Note: This story takes place after my previous stories, Buried Feelings: Facing Love at Last and The Calm Before The Storm)

--

The cloaked figure descended upon the remains of what used to be known as Planet Nemesis. The planet, and the Malefic Black Crystal which it housed had both been destroyed in Death Phantom’s bout with Sailor Moon, along with the Death Phantom himself. Most had assumed there was nothing left to fear from this planet, that any threat it posed had been neutralized by the combined power of two Legendary Silver Crystals… they were wrong.

The figure sifted through the rubble of the shattered world for some time, before they finally found what they were looking for: a shard of the Malefic Black Crystal, roughly the size of Sailor Moon’s Silver Crystal, which contained the last of its power. The figure picked the Crystal up and held it in their gauntlet, feeling its dark energy surge through them. They cracked a smile underneath their cold metal mask.

“Oh… this will do nicely.”

…

“What do you mean you liked the ending?!” Rei shouted indignantly at Minako, who had come to the Hikawa Shrine to return some manga she had borrowed from her raven-haired friend.

“Um… that I liked the ending?” The blonde said while watching Rei place her manga back on her shelf.

“But they completely botched it! Her best friend stood by her through everything, was her rock for the entire series, and then at the end they decide that she should end up with some boring guy who she has, like, no chemistry with instead of her?”

“I thought it was sweet. I really liked the wedding scene at the end.”

“Oh that was the worst!” Rei complained.

“You just don’t like it because your ship didn’t happen.” Minako shot back with a smirk.

“No, that’s not it at all!” Rei refuted, a light blush crossing her face, “I’m just saying there was clear romantic tension between her and her best friend, and then at the end they decide to just throw alllll of that away to have her end up with a dude who’s about as interesting as a piece of cardboard!” The miko finished with a huff, earning a giggle from Minako. “What’s so funny?”

“You’re cute when you get all riled up about this stuff.” Minako replied with a smile.

The compliment caused Rei to turn a shade of red comparable to the skirt she wore as a Sailor Guardian, “Oh… um… thanks?”

“Anyways, I’ve gotta get going, are we still on for Friday night?” Minako asked as she began to make her way towards the exit.

“Uh, yeah, definitely.” 

“Alright, awesome, catch ya later!” The blonde-haired girl said before taking her leave.

After her friend had left Rei sat on her bed in contemplation. She and Minako had been spending a lot more time together as of late. The two of them had figured, with their other friends running off together so often it made sense for them to keep each other company. Since they started, however, Rei noticed something was different about Minako. While mulling over the events of the past few weeks, she was drawn into a memory of the aftermath of the first of her and Minako’s escapades…

…

“Uh, hey Rei, what’s up?” Usagi asked over the phone, clearly confused as to why Rei had decided to call her out of nowhere so late at night.

“Uh, well…” Rei began, nervously twirling her hair while sitting atop her bed, “... I have a… hypothetical, for you.” 

“You called me because you have a hypothetical for me?” Usagi questioned.

“Uh… yeah.”

“Oh pipe down, the movie will still be here when we’re done.” Usagi said out of nowhere from the other end of the line.

“What?” 

“Oh, Mamo and I were watching a movie when you called.” Usagi explained, “Anyway, what’s your hypothetical?”

“Well… let’s say, again, hypothetically, that one of your best friends… I dunno, kissed you on the cheek out of nowhere, what would you think about that situation?”

“Well… it’s definitely not something I’ve ever experienced personally.” Usagi began, “I guess it would depend on the context?”

“Yeah, I uh… I guess that would make sense.” Rei replied.

“How about you, babe, you and Motoki ever kiss?” Usagi asked before Rei heard a voice talking in the background, which presumably belonged to Mamoru.

“What do you mean you can’t talk about it?”

“What do you mean you were sworn to secrecy?”

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE WAS ALCOHOL INVOLVED?!” 

“Usagi!” Rei chided, “Can we focus please?”

“Right, sorry.” Usagi apologized, “Anyway, it’s obvious this isn’t just a hypothetical so how about you tell me who kissed you so I can actually help you out?”

“Okay, okay, fine!” Rei conceded, “It was Mina.” The raven-haired girl said in a whispered tone.

“Oh, why didn’t you lead with that?” Usagi scolded, “Mina flirts with everyone, she probably just thought it’d be fun.”

“Right, right, obviously.” Rei said in agreement, “I just figured I’d get a second opinion to make sure that there wasn’t… y’know… more to it than that.”

“I mean… do you want there to be?” 

“WHAT?! No, of course not!” Rei dismissed, blushing profusely, “Anyway, thanks for your help, gotta go, bye!” She finished before quickly hanging up the phone, Usagi’s words still echoing in her mind.

“... do you want there to be?”

“... Do I?”

…

The question had hung in the miko’s head ever since. Especially any time Mina would flirt with her which was… fairly frequently. Rei tried to heed Usagi’s words and just write it off as Mina being Mina but something about it just felt off.

In general she had been acting weirder as of late, especially around Rei. And she had all but confirmed that she had feelings for someone (who was almost certainly a girl)... was it possible that those feelings were for Rei?

What further confused the situation were Rei’s own feelings on the matter. She had never even thought about Minako in that way before, but now? She couldn’t stop thinking about it. And as far as Minako’s flirting, Rei would certainly be lying if she said she disliked it. Not to mention she had suddenly been noticing things about her friend that she had never paid much mind to before. Her long, flowing hair, her beautiful blue eyes, her lips…

Rei shook her head aggressively to get herself off of that train of thought, “Maybe I need to talk to someone about this.” She thought. As she began to mull over her potential advisors, she quickly realized there was only one person best suited to give advice on this front.

--

*The "escapade" Rei is referring to can be seen in my last story, The Calm Before The Storm.

And that was chapter 1! As for when chapter 2 is coming, I know I said weekly at the end of The Calm Before The Storm, but it is more likely for these to come out on a biweekly basis. Apologies, but with college keeping me busy that's just kind of the way it has to be. There will likely be some times when I'm feeling generous and post two weeks in a row if I'm satisfied with the chapters, but don't expect that every time.

But please, let me know what you guys think! Comments are very much appreciated!

And come back next time for Chapter 2: Gathering The Pawns.

Next Chapter

[melting-sugar-cubes]

Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Thanks....

I don’t mind at tall~! And while I’m not sure I could give a full pick from everything I’ve consumed, I can at least go with some that stick out as extra memorable lol

{Disclaimer: these are in particular order, aside from the order I’ve managed to remember them in-- also full warning that this list is probably gonna be a mess, but here we go lol}

1}: Minato Mito -Therapy Game/Therapy Game Restart

Hoo boy, where do I even start here? I suppose some of the reasons I love Minato so much are the fact that I can relate to him, personality wise... Of course, liking how he looks is a nice bonus too-- but I think one of the biggest reasons is that despite being a troubled person thanks to his past, he’s till willing to work on himself and try to become a better partner/man, even if during that journey he’s still struggling with himself in a fair few different ways.

2}: Howl Pendragon -Howl’s Moving Castle

Look-- all i can offer for my piece here is that this movie is among my top tier bits of comfort media, and i’ll make no excuses that part of said enjoyment is a crush on a flamboyant, charming, and sparkly wizard--

3}: Cheshire Cat -Are You Alice?

Okay, so-- i’ve had a soft spot for Alice in Wonderland themed media for ages now, and this manga was no exception-- plus, the darker/more mysterious twists it’s built on made for something really new at the time i picked it up. And while I adore a majority of the cast, I can’t help singling out this troublemaking cat as a high favorite lol-- seeing as his personality is super appealing to me, and watching his dynamics with other characters was always interesting and fun... although, in addition to this-- the fact that i enjoyed him enough to rp him for a good few years likely goes a long way in me loving him as well. As there’s always something special about making your own memories with a character in that sorta way--

4}: Shui -Lamento ~Beyond the Void~

Despite being a minor character in the story, I like Shui for the fact that he was overall such a caring character, and someone who tried his damnest to fight for he believed was the right thing to do. From befriending (and let’s be honest, probably also falling in love with) Leaks, whom their whole populous viewed as an outcast, to trying to plan a way that he could prove the others wrong about their views on him. And later on, doing all he could to help his son in trying to fix the mistakes he and Leaks ended up setting in motion.

5}: Saint Germain -Code: Realize

I can’t think of the words to put together why I love this man as a character so much... But, I can at least vouch for loving him based on the fact that his route was my favorite to play through. Added fun fact: his route is one of the few that’ve managed to actually make me cry a bit lol

6}: Shiraishi Kageyuki -Collar x Malice

Shiraishi I love because he’s a character I find fascinating, from learning about the deeper layer to him via backstory, to watching him grow as an actual person... Compared to someone who once viewed himself as little more than a doll, a being without his own emotions or true existence.

7}: Ukyo -Amnesia: Memories

Ukyo again gains his spot based on his route(s) being among my favorites in the game lol-- but again, also because i enjoy his complexities, and maybe because i slightly have a thing for fictional men who’re just a bit unhinged XD

8}: Cinderella -Dictatorial Grimoire

Coming from a series that i picked up more or less on a whim, after it was recommended to me at the bookstore one day-- Cinderella is a character i loved at first because of the impression he and the story as a whole gave me, but past that first impression, he grew on me over the course of things as i learned his layers. And somewhat, got to watch him grow-- However, i can’t deny also loving him thanks to the fact that he (like Ches) is an older rp muse of mine. So the memories from those adventures play a big hand in things too lol

9}: Angel Dust -Hazbin Hotel

Aside from loving Angel for the levels of chaos that is his personality, I also enjoy the glimpses of a deeper look we get at him... I guess to sum it up simply, I enjoy Angel because while I vibe with him a surface level, he’s also another case where seeing the bits of deeper layers to his character is fascinating to me.

10}: Blitzo -Helluva Boss

Honestly, I haven’t got much to say about Blitzo-- aside from the fact that like Angel Dust, I love him for the absolute chaotic energy lol

{Honorable Mentions: Giving these a separate section, so I can avoid doing repeats from the same source in the above list-- and below a cut so this post isn’t super long}

Impey Barbicane, Victor Frankenstein, & Cardia Beckford -Code: Realize

For Impey and Fran, my love is 100% born from a mix of their routes being tied and secondary favorites from the game, and simply from a love of their personalities-- meanwhile Cardia’s is mainly the latter, but also because i loved the experience of watching her grow throughout the game (plus, she also earns a sweet spot with me for being one of the few good VN heroines i’ve seen)

Asato -Lamento ~Beyond the Void~

Although his route wasn’t among my favorites in the game... mainly for one reason-- overall, i like Asato because i find him super sweet-- and because i feel like he had a lot of untapped potential that could be put to use.

Shizuma Ikushima & Itsuki Mito -Therapy Game/Therapy Game Restart & Secret xxx

Honestly, while i generally love all the cast from Meguru Hinohara’s works, including one i haven’t listed here-- it’s hard not to have that added soft spot for those closest to my top favorite from this little series lol

March Hare, Alice(?), & Jack/The Knave of Hearts -Are You Alice?

All I have to say is that I love way too many characters out of this manga's cast LOL-- But these three earn a special mention because, yet again, I adore their personalities... And for Alice(?), because I just find him interesting in general-- Jack meanwhile, earns added love thanks to the fact that I've written him as a muse in the past

Ikki -Amnesia: Memories

With Ikki's route being my second favorite from the game, it felt like a crime not to give him a spot somewhere in this list--

Snow White & Otogi Grim -Dictatorial Grimoire

Both Snow and Grim earn a spot here because aside from loving the cast of this manga in general, these two still win extra points for the fact that I adore their personalities lol

For the next few characters, I can't really think of anything to say about them, but-- I'd still like to list them anyway--

Sophie Hatter -Howl’s Moving Castle

Okazaki Kei -Collar x Malice

Isshiki Yasuhiro -Collar x Malice

Alastor -Hazbin Hotel

Stolas -Helluva Boss

[lucky-clover-gazette]

Shadow shakes his head. “You’re doing perfectly. I just don’t want this to be a bad memory for you.” Dreaming Vio startles at the comment. Is this a bad memory? He doesn’t think so, but his definition of ‘bad’ is far from conventional. That’s what months of corruption does to a person, he supposes. Shadow runs his hands down Vio’s waist and hips as the blonde pushes him against the headboard. Vio kisses him deep, almost as if sucking poison from a wound. Shadow’s eye widen as he watches strange patterns appear on his own skin. Dark purple veins run down his arms and neck, almost resembling the complex root system of a tree. They seem to almost be alive, the lines pulsing as Shadow kisses Vio harder. Vio whimpers, but doesn’t let go. The lines transfer from one body to another, tendrils of gloom creeping their way beneath the thin fabric of his blouse. It appears to weaken him further at first, and he loses the energy to kiss Shadow hard. He falls into the other man’s arms, his body jerking around every three seconds as if taking prolonged damage from the direct exposure.

— —

I think one of my favorite things about your writing is how you take so many concepts from other games in the Zelda series (like the gloom or the addition of the Hero’s Shade in this fic specifically) and use the elements given through canon but also add your own twist. I’m mostly curious what inspires you to use those things, and also how much more complex the systems might be than what we get from reading the character’s perspectives. I also just really like this scene and the concept of this fic as a whole; it’s definitely one of my most favorite things I’ve read :D (Also I’ve been meaning to ask if there’s any specific songs you’d tie to scenes in any of your fics or music you listen to while writing in general).

Anyways thank you! Hope you're having a good day!

thank you so much! i always appreciate your comments.

with other zelda things, it’s really kind of connected to my overall experience with the series. loz was an iceberg for me, like i started with botw, got really into it, started watching other people play the other games, read the twilight princess manga, got a wii u to play the oldies, and eventually just kinda randomly picked up the four swords manga almost a year ago. so i already had a lot of love for this series before writing four swords fic, and a lot of thoughts about the games. esp bc it’s not a nostalgia thing for me, i’ve approached zelda as an adult, i think my analysis of and connection to the media has been pretty “deep” or whatever. these stories mean a lot to me, and i’ve always been someone to take stories and their importance in my life seriously. botw in particular was a very healing experience for me at the time that i played it. that game holds a lot of philosophical and emotional meaning to me, and i get why others may not enjoy it, but as someone who has now played the other games, i still think it’s a master piece. my favorite game of all time, honestly, and totk was such a gift. it did so much right for me. it’s been delightful experiencing the series how i have.

i don’t love all of the choices made in terms of story and themes in loz, but there is a LOT to play with in fic. esp bc it’s a reincarnation type series, i don’t give a shit about the timeline, i just want to draw parallels and do clever interesting things. so a lot of the time i’ll have a vague idea of what i want to do with a story, and there will be a way to make connections, if only for my own enjoyment. i’m a strong believer that all art is derivative, but like, if you know the author loves it and is having fun, that only makes it better. it’s hard to pinpoint what i thought of and what was put in my mind by other things in the series, and honestly, i’m totally cool with that :)

i want to tread lightly talking about the gloom and corruption stuff in that specific fic because spoilers buuuuut the core concept of that part was just for it to be vaguely toxic and kinda … yknow… and i liked the idea of gloom/gloom hands being this confused force of harm and affection. honestly this whole fic is just me putting some very personal feelings and experiences on blast, and it’s been exhausting to write. i actually scrapped the final chapter and i’m rewriting it now, for the best!

hmmm i do connect my writing a lot to music but i think (?) you’ve seen my vidow playlist already! for the final chapter i’m doing a little bit of a tone shift and i’ve been listening a ton to the bottoms (movie) soundtrack. going for something more lively and active and cinematic, instead of two people being miserable. inserting a little dark humor too, closer to the og corruption but it’s chill au. while working on earlier chapters of corruption but it’s unchill i associated it with “eyes half open” by cinders, and (TOTK SPOILERS) i listened to the totk memory ost of rauru sealing ganon pretty much the entire time i wrote the chapter where vio kills green. been listening a lot to “pain” by king princess (also in bottoms, that movie is living rent free in my brain rn) while working on the final chapter.

hope this answers your questions! thanks so much for reading <3

[newtypezaku]

Hello....Can I ask your top 10 favorite anime (can be series or movies) that you've finished? And why do you love them? Thanks if you want to answer....

Sure, I'll just grab the top of my MyAnimeLi-- actually, hmm, can I trust past me's ratings? Does current me remember how past me was scoring these? 

WE’LL DO IT LIVE! In no particular order, and under the cut to avoid blasting yinz with a wall-o-text:

Legend of the Galactic Heroes: Okay, so I fully get people who don't want to slog through this because it can be painfully slow and dry, but that's what drew me to it. In terms of world-building and showing your work, this is one of the best sci-fi political dramas you'll find in any medium. It's also great if you pay attention US current events and want to be even MORE worried about the decline of the republic.

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: A wild ride from start to finish, with an amazing cast and well-written escalation as evil plots materialize. Great balance of action, drama, and comedy. I'm struggling to think of another show that lasted four or more cours where I didn't, at any point, think, "Huh, it's really dragging lately." Fond memories of watching this in anime club, too.

Patlabor 2: The Movie: All of Patlabor is pretty great, and you can jump between the TV series and the OVAs/movies depending on what kind of tone you want in your giant robot police procedural. The second movie is a gripping political thriller that asks some very big and scary questions about the nature of peace and power; as with LoGH, it’s one of those that maybe you wanna hold off on if current events are stressful.

Macross Plus: It distills all of the Macross essentials into a tidy two-hour package with high-quality animation, lovely Yoko Kanno soundtrack, and one of the most gorgeous mechs ever to grace the screen, the YF-19. Virtual idol Sharon Apple gets bonus points for the effort made to make her music not sound contemporary. Also makes it painfully clear how much Japan loves Top Gun for whatever reason.

Chihayafuru: Completed in that I’ve watched what’s been adapted. This is somehow an honest-to-goodness sports anime which effectively hits all the tropes, surrounds the MCs (who are huge dorks themselves) with a quirky ensemble cast, and has introduced audiences to an incredibly Japanese cultural curiosity, competitive Hyakunin Isshu karuta. Shout-out to the Kitakyushu Manga Museum for finally giving me the opportunity to buy a plush Snowmaru.

Mobile Suit Gundam: I’m always going to have a soft spot for Wing; it was my first and I’ve yet to run into a Wing mech that I don’t instinctively like. But in terms of world and characters, the OG is where it’s at. Massive appreciation for the depth of the story being told in what was supposed to just be a toy commercial for Mr. Bandai in 19-freakin-79. Amuro and Char have grown to be larger-than-life and there’s just something comforting about seeing and hearing them whenever something new pops up. (Yes, even the damn McDonald’s commercial that Ikeda Shuuichi was paid real money to do.)

Psycho-Pass: Continuing with the theme of “here are some uncomfortable truths about modern society and we’re not being subtle,” we have Akane, the mythical good cop in a sea of actual violent criminals. Watching her slowly learn how the world works, hate it, deal with it, and then face it on her own terms -- chef’s kiss. Side note, shout-out to the time @lindoreda and I went to see the stage play, and I was one of the few dudes there, and we could feel the room collectively inhale when Kubota Yuki took his shirt off.

Flag: Flag is told from the perspective of a photojournalist embedded within a UN task force carrying out peacekeeping operations in generic central Asian country. And when I say “from her perspective,” I mean that literally, as almost the entire show is seen through her camera lens with occasional side-views from another journalist’s POV or onboard camera footage during missions. It’s a unique and painfully contemporary (although it’s, what, over 15 now?) mecha that I need to rewatch sometime.

Haikyuu!!: I’m giving Haikyuu a nod over some other excellent contenders (Kuroko and Daiya come immediately to mind) because it has all the elements I expect -- lovable cast, action-packed matches, special attacks that straddle the line of unbelievability -- plus a selfish intangible. I can cosplay Asahi without a wig and a quick shave, because manbun has been my default for years. It’s nice having a show I like where I can just take one look at a dude and be like, yup, I can wear that to cons until I start turning gray.

Shinkalion: I WOULD BE REMISS NOT TO MENTION THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT TRANSFORMING-BULLET-TRAIN FRANCHISE OF MY LIFETIME, WHICH IS A TOY COMMERCIAL HIDDEN WITHIN THE STORY OF A BUNCH OF KIDS CONFRONTING BIG PROBLEMS AND FINDING SOLUTIONS THAT MAKE ALL THE ADULTS IN THE ROOM THINK, YEAH, WE CAN TRUST THEM WITH THE FUTURE AND THE FUTURE IS NOW.

[reikitai]

Reflection time

As we all know, Kazuki Takahashi tragically passed away. It’s something that should’ve never happened, and while I am deeply saddened by this it has also made me reflective. I am an artist myself. Everything I write is done with a certain intent to it, and there’s always passion involved in my projects. There’s hardly anyone I knew that showed that passion like Kazuki. Everything was so masterfully done. We’ve truly lost a legend and there will never be another like him.

Yugioh saved my life. I say it all the time but I mean it sincerely. 

I was a spiteful, cold, angry, reserved individual growing up due to circumstances I could not control despite how much I wanted to, despite how much I tried and it was due to those circumstances I was also forced to grow up too quickly. It was what happened to me that caused me to become that way.

Lately while rewatching YGO in Kazuki’s memory, I’ve been thinking about the importance of impactful of characters, character growth and character development. I don’t think any character grew quite as much as Kaiba did. 

I see a lot of myself in him, both in good and bad ways. If I didn’t have that safe place at that time I’m not sure what I would’ve turned into, but when he grew in the series/manga and movie(s) it really gave me the hope that I could grow too. When he admitted his mistakes to himself, and embraced that profound humility after all that childhood abuse and struggles to adulthood.. I desperately wanted to make myself alright too. I wanted it so bad and nothing could stop me. Not the bad days that would evidently come ahead, not the doubts I had inside, nothing. I needed this healing for me. I did. I have. I haven’t felt so outgoing in such a long time.

Kaiba is like a childhood home I’ll never grow out of. 

As for those that hate Kaiba, I hope you never have to understand why I love and defend him so fiercely.

Please, don’t be afraid of complex and morally grey characters. Write them. You never know who’s actually going to need them.                                                                                                                                                                                     

Rest in power, Kazuki Takahashi. Thank you for everything.

[blueeyeswhitegarden]

Plenty of people have talked about what Kazuki Takashi and the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise as a whole have meant to them over the past couple of days, but I figured that I’d try my best to convey my feelings into words.

I woke up yesterday morning to the news of his passing and it still feels unreal to me. Just the shock of seeing the headline on ANN and processing it throughout the day was just so overwhelming that I didn’t know what to say or do. It was just such a tragic and sudden passing.

I’ve been a fan of the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise since the DM dub. I had seen a few episodes early on in season one, but the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon duel, particularly its ending, grabbed my attention and I’ve been hooked ever since. This series has been such a huge comfort and constant presence for me for years. Arc V is my absolute favorite series in the franchise and it, as well as all of the other spin-off series, would not exist without the manga. I do have a lot of nostalgic fondness for DM too. As much as I do like Atem, Yugi being the shy kid who loves games and just wanted friends was a lot more relatable to me and I’m sure to other fans as well. The DSOD movie was such a terrific anniversary movie and a great way to send off the DM cast. It lead to so many good scenes that I just adored like Yugi and his friends talking about their futures and Yugi’s brief reunion with Atem. I didn’t know I needed that extra bit of closure until I watched the movie in theaters. The whole movie made me happy that I’ve been a fan for all these years. While he hasn’t been too involved with the franchise since DSOD, it was still nice to see him occasionally post some new artwork. Seeing his artstyle evolve over the years was impressive. Knowing that he won’t be able to do more drawings, something he clearly loved to do, is quite sad too.

I’ve made so many wonderful friends through this series. I met my best friend in middle school not too long after the DM dub started and we still talk with each other all the time. I’ve met even more people over the years through this franchise. I think that’s one of the reasons why his passing has hit me so hard. Without the Yu-Gi-Oh! manga, I wouldn’t have met so many of my friends and I would be a much more unhappy person as a result. Knowing that the person responsible for creating the franchise that has brought me so much joy and comfort over the years and has allowed me to make many dear friends is suddenly gone is just heartbreaking.

This quote from one of the manga volumes has been going around since the news broke out: https://twitter.com/danajiru/status/1544966774130544640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1544966774130544640%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=

I’ve seen that quote before over the years, but reading it after trying to process the news for awhile finally made me start crying. Just the thought that people becoming friends through his manga brought him the most joy felt so bittersweet to me. I have jokingly say that “friendship is magic” is the theme of the franchise, but it’s true. The power that comes from forming friendships has always been a central theme of the series. I think that’s a big part of its appeal. The characters creating strong lasting bonds with each other can make it easier for the audience to be invested in them and having the cool and dramatic flare of duels with monsters on top of it can be a good hook.

I truly hope that Kazuki Takahashi knew how much his work meant to people, that it did allow many people to form friendships and that it continues to make people happy. I wish I could thank him for creating the manga, for allowing me to meet so many wonderful people and for all of the precious memories I have thanks to this franchise. I’ve been struggling to find the best way to convey how much this franchise means to me for days and I’m still not sure if I pulled it off. For now, I think this is the best I can do. I hope that Kazuki Takahashi is at peace and his family and friends will be okay as well. Thank you again for everything.

[rayereil]

Memories in the Rain Part 2!

The fight with Grand Fisher is intense. It’s well paced and well drawn.

It’s also the first time Ichigo is fighting on his own. We haven’t had a chance to see him use combat smarts, but he pulls it out in the end!

But jeez, Kubo wanted to make sure we all hated Grand Fisher, huh? Making Ichigo fight his mother brings the trauma straight into the spotlight though. Ichigo has to literally facedown his past to get stronger… not subtle, but it is effective.

Also, did I mentioned Ichiruki? They really do win in this arc. Ships aside, this is a powerful moment hinting at Rukia’s past. Ichigo’s fight is something she’s familiar with. And she’s terrified of losing Ichigo, but she knows she can’t interfere…

You can’t convince me Kubo knows about Rukia’s past yet, but that seems to be Ukitake? As I remember nothing about Rukia’s past other than Kaien’s death, I can’t say much more… but it’s apparent having to watch Ichigo fight is painful for Rukia. She wants to help, but knows she must let him fight alone.

And Ichigo kicks Grand Fisher’s butt!

Which is good because he’ll never see Grand Fisher again.

And even though Ichigo initially views this as a loss, the audience knows it’s a victory. Ichigo let’s his past get destroyed for the sake of seizing his future! One where he can protect everyone.

And who better to accent that point other than Rukia. It’s truly a touching scene between the two of them. And it’s such a classic trope that the concerned love interest thanks the unconscious love interest for not dying. Rukia is 100 percent falling for Ichigo here, and I’d wager Ichigo is starting to like Rukia more and more.

Obviously this is interpretation and not canon… but it’s trope compliant, haha! Kubo just doesn’t end up using them.

Also I need to talk about Orihime again.

She’s perfect. She’s so funny and has such a bright personality! I wish Kubo had kept the jokes up as the series went on…

We also have Orihime realizing she understands Ichigo better after Tatsuki’s story. I’m glad she understands him more… I can only hope Ichigo will eventually be given screen time to understand Orihime in the same way.

And to finish out MITR, the conclusion.

The first scene just gets me. I don’t know what it is about humor like that (“ten years ago-“ “six years”) but I just love it.

And then we have the emotional conclusion! Isshin comforting Ichigo. Ichigo finally realizes the reason no one blames him the way he does himself. We get some closure to the events that have haunted Ichigo, and it’s so beautiful that Isshin is the one who gets this moment with his son.

While Isshin is often used as a gag character and is sometimes made into a pervert, even for his own family, I like serious Isshin. Wish we got to see more of him.

On a related note, I don’t recall Everything but the Rain having Masaki comment on Isshin’s hands while smoking. It didn’t happen in the anime, but obviously scenes were cut for time, so maybe it’ll be in the manga. I hope so. What a quirky thing to mention only to never bring it up again when you have the chance.

And now everyone say goodbye to Grand Fisher because we won’t see him again until the beginning of HM. Also, at the very end of MITR, we see Grand Fisher being reborn into a stronger version of himself. Where is he supposed to be? I’d guess Huecho Mundo, since nowhere else seems appropriate. It really feels like a dropped plot threads since Grand Fisher beefs up and swears revenge on Ichigo, only for him to become a throwaway villain for Isshin to kill. I am glad Isshin gets to kill him though… just wish it’d been in grander fashion. And maybe with Ichigo tagging along. They both deserve some revenge, but it is what it is.

Anyways. It was fun to reread MITR. It’s one of those arcs you “know” but the details are hazy.

Most importantly, I’m getting close to Uryu’s arc!