#I'm really sorry to Seiji ...

[ladsofsorrow24]

seiji in the babydoll... the whole reason why i picked up this VN... 😔🫶💘

[carrot-felisidad]

Man, Matoba Seiji is such a yapper.

He looks so mysterious with that all black traditional clothes, creepy af eye patch, an exorcist job, and an entourage, but this man sees a teenager and just opens his mouth like there's no tomorrow. Like bruh, you don't need to over share.

I don't know if I should feel sorry or laugh whenever he trauma-dumps to a literal teenager who wants nothing to do with him, or to his high school crush who also wants nothing to do with him, but he doesn't know that he's sharing the saddest parts of his youth so casually.

I don't know what to feel about him. He's such a yapper.

[whosname]

[Id. Psychic flyers 1. PROFESSOR NATORI KNOWS EVERYTHING I have the solution to all your problems, I guarantee it. With amazing power to bring back your love one in hours, no matter the age, gender time or distance. Hidden treasures, protection. Curses, unknown diseases. I’ll give the name and show you the face of your hidden enemy. Fortune telling, palm reading, tarot. I’ll give you luck! I has a drawing of Lunchbag Natori and exorcist Natori smiling back to back with stars around their hands. 2. Brother Matoba. You'd have to see it to believe it, amazing and effective results. Stop suffering in silence. I have the solution to all your problems today. Consults and advises on all matters of life such as love, marriage and business. I bring back your love one, no matter the distance. With the secrets to love, your home will never be broken by cheating or lack of love. Win in love, sex, business and work. Find the evil you’ve been done. I find your lucky number. On the border the words "If I don't tell you why you came and what are your problems your consultation is free. It has a drawing of Matoba smiling in a circle, around it reads "Brother Matoba and the power of your mind" End Id.]

What happens when the exorcism business (/acting in Natori's case) is slow? they have to promote themselves with flyers? A joke with only me as an audience. Blame the weird English on the original format.

[haru-chi]

Now that Miharu's arc is done and I gathered my thoughts and my strength, I feel like talking now for a bit ...

-contain manga spoilers-

Firstly, what the anime has done wasn't so bad at all, in fact I think they did the best they can without changing much which's I'm kinda surprised with for this season overall, it has the least changes out of all seasons so far (?), even the production value is far better than the last two season which was something I worried about tbh yet was pleased in general despite few little things 👀

With that being said and out of the way .. what come next isn't "hate" at all, so don't mistake it so :)

I found the anime version just lacking something .... it just didn't feel the same for some reason ... maybe the perfect word I find to describe what I feel is "detachment" ?

I don't know, was it because they simplify things which made things lose its gravity? Was it because they omit certain lines which had moved me the most in the manga ? Or was it that their interpretation of certain scenes was different than the manga vibe I got ? or they put emphasize on not what I thought they should've been ?

It's like, I felt Seiji/Miharu's burden, longing, wishes didn't hit that heavily ? Even Natori's inner struggle and action ... It's like I'm detached in certain way from their emotions which I don't even know if that's the perfect word to use but can't find a better word for what I felt ...

Hmmmmm, it's like, in the anime you feel like an outsider watching those people's story and struggles while in the manga you're an insider seeing all of this firsthand because of those little details etc thus you'd feel/understand it all better >>> don't know if this is a perfect example ><

I wondered if this was because they didn't do an extended hand before it, but as a manga reader this doesn't matter much for me so that's not it ...

But then I realized that this actually an on-going anime issue I always noticed and felt ... I even experience it firsthand being an anime-only way back then in the distant past ....

I feel the anime treat Natsuyuu's stories as standalone more than they should .. like aside from big arcs (mostly exorcist) then it doesn't matter what order everything else goes to ..maybe most fans think so too .. they don't realize that there IS a seamless story-flow under it all .. not all story follows it yet most stories can rely on it for building up be it on-going issues or questions and answers around it be it indirectly or directly (take an extended hand and Miharu's stories for example)

I was under this same misconception too back then, which's why when I jumped to the manga I was shocked by its depth and way of storytelling that genteelly indirectly connect most of its stories, which's why it resulted in Natsume's growth ...

His growth wasn't because of that certain story you just noticed it in it but was a result of the small ones before it which you thought was unrelated yet in fact it was a build-up and added depth to his character (maybe I'll talk in depth about it in different post?)

What I'm trying to say is, most story's order is important than some people think, and Midorikawa pay close attention to that and it's part of her storytelling and style which I really admire and love ... how there is an unspoken rule or something that put into attention few details or add more depth to the world/characters without directly saying so and that easily to miss ....

Do you remember how Homura's arc was something she wanted to do from early on yet because Natsume wasn't ready so she withhold for a very long time ... or how she didn't reveal Seiji had a sister before revealing that Taki had a brother (Seiji's sister arc was the next vol from Taki's brother reveal if no one noticed btw which's something I love and always wanted to mention and talk about)

That's why I said the anime treat Natsuyuu's stories as standalone more than they should and alot of things can gets lost ....

Miharu's arc didn't happen until an extended hand story happened before it .... and those stories are too important to each other ...but since I talked about this in a different post, I won't go about why that is here...

But this anime mindset results in Miharu going first which even after watching it I still find it a weird decision since there was room to do an extend hand then finish the season with Miharu's arc ....

I'm here thinking how such a simple thing can change your perception of things greatly or how can omitting or putting emphases on certain thing can change your view of them... I find that interesting but in the end that's why because of this the anime can never reach that same depth, that same unspoken indirect beauty ....

I really wonder why ? I feel like they had an idea or certain view about Natsuyuu which isn't wrong per say but can be harmful or a hindrance in the long run ?

Miharu's arc in the anime had me just setting here thinking and trying to understand why I find it lacking or feel this detachment and absent of gravity or weight from it that I felt in the manga ....

I'll stop here, it just I don't get it and kinda feel disappointed ? Sad ? Tbh I really don't know what I should be feeling other than I wanted something more for one of my best arc, it wasn't the worst yet wasn't that great either :)

[iffeelscouldkill]

I wrote some more of the 'What if Nicholas never applied to Kings Row' AU

(I need to come up with something catchier to call it; in my notes it's just titled "Fence AU")

First part is here!

--

It was surprisingly easy to persuade Coach Williams to let a random onlooker watch the team practice.

As Aiden resentfully went off to change into his team uniform, Harvard explained the situation to Coach Williams, who looked Nicholas up and down.

"You went up against Kyle Allen in the first bout on the regional circuit," she said. Nicholas was clearly surprised to be recognised.

"Uh, yeah." He scratched his head sheepishly. "I lost-"

"15-5. Could have been 15-6, but you didn't quite manage to get that touch past his guard in the second third," Coach said, and nodded. "You can stand on the sidelines, but no distracting the fencers. Keep any commentary to yourself."

"Yessir. Uh, ma'am." Nicholas saluted, and Coach Williams quirked an eyebrow, but said nothing. As Nicholas went to stand at the edge of the salle, Aiden stalked over, dressed in his fencing whites and radiating irritation. Harvard was about to volunteer to spar with him to give Aiden an outlet and smooth things over with some banter, but Coach Williams spoke first.

"Aiden. Nice of you to show," she said, handing Aiden a red tardy slip, which he took wordlessly and tucked into the sleeve of his uniform. "You're with Seiji. I want the two of you to practice getting in under the other's guard."

Aiden's smile was razor-sharp and contained not a trace of humour or friendliness. "Sounds great."

Seiji's eyes narrowed, and he nodded. No doubt, he was looking to even the score following his staggering loss to Aiden during the team try-outs just a week ago. Harvard was positive that a match between the two of them would be a bloodbath. "Coach, maybe it would be better if Aiden and I-"

"No. Harvard, you're with Eugene; I want you to practice the same thing," Coach Williams said, her tone brooking no argument. "Pay attention to your defence in the low lines. Eugene, I want you to focus on consistency. You've made good progress in the last year - but fencing at nationals will be a completely different ballgame."

Eugene nodded seriously. "On it, Coach."

"Everyone else," Coach Williams called to the rest of the practicing fencers. "Pair up and take it in turns: one fencer practices lunges, one fencer practices parrying. After three minutes, you'll switch."

Harvard took up a stance across from Eugene, but he couldn't help tuning into the conversation between Aiden and Seiji a few feet away.

"-not going to make the same mistake against you twice," Seiji was saying. "It was a cheap trick; I know better than to fall for it."

Aiden raised his eyebrows coolly. "You know, we're teammates now," he pointed out. "We're meant to be working together. Helping each other."

"I don't need help from someone like you," Seiji retorted. Harvard groaned under his breath.

"Uh, Harvard?" Eugene prompted him. Harvard shook himself and put his helmet on.

"Sorry - go for it, Eugene. I'm ready."

"Are you planning to approach every practice bout like it's a grudge match?" he heard Aiden snark, just as Eugene scored a hit past his guard. Harvard swore inwardly and tried to put Seiji and Aiden out of his mind so that he could give Eugene his full focus. He would talk to Aiden later. He might have to speak to both of them about team spirit.

*

Nicholas stared at the dark-haired fencer taking up a stance opposite Aiden. The coach had said "Seiji"… and Nicholas had seen the guy in the changing rooms at Regionals. All the smirking, full-of-themselves dickheads (including the dickhead that Nicholas had lost to, Kyle Allen) had been acting like he was a god in human form. Seiji Katayama.

But what would one of the top-ranked national fencers be doing here? Hadn't everyone said he had a full ride to Exton? Nicholas knew that Exton was one of the top fencing schools (if not the top fencing school).

Coach Joe had tried to encourage Nicholas to apply to one of the high schools with a good fencing programme, even go in for a scholarship, but… Nicholas wasn't much of a one for class attendance. His academic track record ranged from poor to non-existent. It was difficult to picture himself at a fancy school.

Nicholas was burning to ask someone, but all of the fencers were busy practicing and Nicholas didn't want to try Coach Williams' patience when he was getting the chance to spend some of his rare downtime in a really cool salle watching fencing matches. Nicholas had expected to be spending that time making out, but this was better.

Nicholas' fingers itched to pick up a blade and step onto the piste himself. He was watching the matches between the fencing team members - Harvard and his opponent, and Aiden and Seiji - closely. Particularly Aiden and Seiji. In contrast to Harvard and his opponent, who were pushing each other but not too much, pausing between exchanges to give advice and compliments, Aiden and Seiji were both laser focused on the match, neither saying a word.

Aiden was giving no quarter, attacking again and again with speed and from a variety of angles, forcing Seiji to defend constantly. However, Seiji was more than equal to it, and only very rare blows found their way past his guard.

Coach blew her whistle for the pairs to swap, and Seiji and Harvard switched to attacking while Aiden and the other guy (Eugene?) defended. Now Aiden was the one fending off a continuous volley of blows.

The whistle went again, and then once more before Coach Williams blew two sharp trills and called for everyone to take a break. The fencers broke away from their pairs and milled around, grabbing water bottles and chatting. Harvard and his opponent grinned at each other and shook hands; Aiden and Seiji stared at each other frostily before walking in opposite directions.

"Hey!" said a cheery voice next to him, and Nicholas looked around to see a petite guy in fencing whites with long hair fixed into two buns grinning up at him. "I haven't seen you around here before!" He stuck out a hand. "I'm Bobby!"

"Nicholas," said Nicholas. "I'm just spectating, actually. Uh, Harvard invited me?"

"Cool, so are you visiting from another school?" Bobby asked, earnest.

"Uh…" Nicholas had a brief flash of the classes he was skipping to be here. It wasn't like he ever took anything in from them. "Kind of, yeah."

"What do you think of Kings Row?"

"It's… A lot different to what I'm used to," Nicholas said, thinking about the dingy, scuffed local hall where he'd learned to fence. "Listen, Bobby-" He realised that this was his chance to get an answer to his questions about Seiji. "That guy over there. Isn't that Seiji Katayama? The national-"

"-number two-ranked fencer, yeah." Bobby was immediately blushing and starry-eyed. "Can you believe he fences here?"

"Why does he fence here? - I mean, no offence; your facilities are amazing. But I heard he was going to Exton?"

Bobby nodded seriously, clearly excited to impart some quality gossip. "No-one knows for sure," he said. "He showed up at the beginning of the semester and hasn't said anything about why he switched. Aiden has a theory that- Well, he thinks it's something to do with Seiji's loss to Jesse Coste at Nationals."

Nicholas' fist clenched involuntarily at his side at the mention of his half-brother. "Right," he said. "Yeah, maybe."

"Oh!" said Bobby as the coach blew on her whistle again and started gesturing. "I think I've got to- no, wait, it looks like she just wants the team for the next bit." He relaxed again and took another drink from his water bottle.

In the company of someone as friendly and enthusiastic as Bobby, Nicholas momentarily forgot the edict about not commentating while fencing was going on. "He's obviously in a different league," Nicholas said as the coach had Harvard and Seiji demonstrate a particular move. "Aiden's good, but he wasn't fast enough to take advantage of the moments where Seiji was open."

Nicholas' voice had carried a little too much in the newfound quiet, and he suddenly found the coach glaring over at him. Nicholas slapped his hands over his mouth, and Bobby murmured, "Oh no," next to him. Aiden, who had clearly heard Nicholas' comment, didn't look offended, only raising an eyebrow. But Seiji Katayama -

Nicholas only had a moment to register how furious Seiji looked before the other boy was storming over to bear down on him.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded.

(Now with part 3!)

[chronosbled]

If they had a kid meme for seiji and pixel !!

send me a ship and I’ll tell you their:

Name: Lucious

Gender: Male

General Appearance: Lucious, just like his younger twin brother, has very feminine facial features, especially when it comes down to his eyelashes and plush lips. Much like his mother, he has her reddish-pink hair and some of her orange streaks, additionally, he has a few auburn brown streaks like his father. He also possesses his father's auburn brown eyes. Both Lucious and Lucio also have their mother's slightly pointed ears.

Personality: Lucious is a very serious person who often spends most of his time locked away in his room, presumably hacking large organizations and serving as an information broker (he's not afraid to blackmail people either). He has a tendency to act rudely towards his younger brother which often makes Lucio think he dislikes him, but in reality he does so to keep Lucio out of harm's way (especially when he enters the crosshairs of someone that wants to get rid of anyone he cares about). He does have a soft spot for his brother though and it shows whenever he needs emotional comfort and support simply because of how much he reminds him of their mother.

Special Talents: Lucious is vastly intelligent because due to the fact his father is a genius and he possesses a talent for working with anything tech based because of his mother. Additionally, he excels at archery due to all the training he's received from his father.

Who they like better: Pixel. Lucious has a rather large soft spot for his mother due to how emotionally unstable she is when it comes to socializing and often does his best to soothe her worries.

Who they take after more: Lucious honestly takes more after Seiji, though only when he's under the influence of his drugs. He is visibly more hostile towards those that he deems his enemies, though he is just naturally agitated by those he doesn't know.

Personal Headcanon: Lucious is highly afraid of losing his family despite the way he acts so cruelly towards his younger twin brother and father. He knows that his family are the only people that will truly ever care for and he knows that his line of work may one day put them in danger, hence he fears that he will be the cause of their deaths one day.

Face Claim: Leon

Name: Lucio

Gender: Male

General Appearance: Lucio, just like his older twin brother, has very feminine facial features, especially when it comes down to his eyelashes and plush lips. Much like his father, he had his father's auburn brown hair, additionally, he has a few green and yellow streaks like his mother's hair. He also possesses his mother's dark purple eyes. Both Lucio and Lucious have their mother's slightly pointed ears.

Personality: Lucio is very much the complete opposite of his brother, Lucious. He is extremely shy and has a tendency to stutter or grow nervous whenever he's placed into social situations, additionally, he is not someone that actively goes out of his way to converse with those that are not his family. Lucio is what many consider a bookworm, whether it's reading fairy tales to escape the cruel reality of the word or books about technology and programming, he's interested in it all.

Special Talents: Lucio is vastly intelligent just like his father and older brother, allowing society to label them as geniuses, much to his dislike of being outed in such a way. He also possesses an outstanding understanding of technology and how it works because of his mother, often having big organizations offer him a job in programming their devices, to which he always declines. Lucio is also good at archery, but not to the extent of his father or older brother.

Who they like better: Seiji. While Lucio loves his mother as well, he generally has a hard time speaking to Pixel due to them having too similar of personalities, hence he gets along better with his father due to the fact Seiji's ADHD makes him hyper talkative, therefore making it where Lucio doesn't need to say much to hold a conversation with him.

Who they take after more: Lucio honestly takes more after Pixel, probably more than he would like actually. Not because he doesn't want to be like her, but because their shared social anxiety makes things difficult for them.

Personal Headcanon: Lucio really enjoys makeup despite most people trying to discourage this. He finds the various different products available to be very fascinating and greatly enjoys all the colors along with all the different things various combinations of makeup can create. Despite this though, Lucio does his best to hide his hobby from his family, not out of fear they would judge him, but because he's too embarrassed to admit such a thing.

Face Claim: Leon

[souenkun]

WAUGHHHH OH MY GOD?!?!?! 😭💖

First of all, hi pencil, nice to meet you! 🫂❤️ and happy new years and happy holidays to you as well! 🥹🫶

Second, OOOOOH YOU MADE THE PRETTIEST ART OF THEM EVER!!!! Thank you so, so very much!!! 😭🥹😭🥹😭💖💗💖💗💖 I'm sooo obsessed with how soft they look in your pretty art style, both from their expressions and even down to the way their hairs + traditional clothes sway with the wind! 🥹🥹🥹👍👍👍 and the fact that matoba is the one taking the first step here, giving a piece from their teenage youth as his offering, and natori is so absorbed with matoba and his gentle smile instead........ please know that I'll cherish this wonderful artwork, I simply can't stop zooming in at every little detail you've etched here! 🥹💗👍 this is the best way to start my year actually, I am so winning in life, so thank you for this bringing this surge of energy and positivity with your horrible exorcist art! I hope this year will give you double the happiness that you just gave me and that it'll last waaay until the end of the year! 🥹🥹🥹💖💖💖🫂🫂🫂💗💗💗

hello @souenkun and happy new year!! ♡ i hope your days are filled with more of these two~~

that one scene in this last season was so good ╰(´ ︶ `)╯♡

thank you @natsume-ss for hosting the event!

[ohcorny]

so! it's been a year since i put never satisfied on hiatus, and 9 years since i started posting it, and rather than make you read everything if all you want to know is "when's it coming back?" the answer is still: don't know! but the answer has also shifted closer to "it isn't" the longer i've spent on break, and i think it's worth being up front about that.

i talked about it a little here a few weeks ago, but the long and short of it is that between taking on better paying work, writing better stories, and looking back at what i'd already done for never satisfied... i just don't think i want to continue it? the year off has been incredibly good for my mental health, and i can't see myself wanting to go back after the two-three years still ahead of me on my current project. that's not to say i never want to return to the characters or the concept, but if i did, i imagine it would be with something completely new, in a different form. after all, i started this comic when i was 21 years old, a lesbian, and a sophomore in college. i am now just shy of 30, a bi man, and overall a completely different person than i was, back when i was writing without a plan and putting all of my insecurities into the comic--insecurities i don't identify with anymore. lord i'm closer to rothart's age than i am to lucy's. hate that

anyway. you have all been extraordinarily kind for following never satisfied for as long as you have, for supporting it as much as you have, and being as patient as you have. whatever form never satisfied takes in the future (god willing, with a more cohesive story structure and A PLAN FOR THE ENDING, WHICH BY THE WAY I NEVER, EVER HAD) i hope to see you there!

in the meantime, as an update on where i'm at with the thing that made me stop working on NS: i finished it! all the pages for Hunger's Bite (if you remember it with a different title: no you don't) have been turned in and now it's just revisions and covers and then........ waiting a year until it can come out. because that's how it is in traditionally published graphic novels! nothing releases for a full year after you finished it! and you're even getting it earlier than was originally planned, because i'm a creature and finished it like three months ahead of schedule. i've also already started thumbnailing the sequel book which i can't talk about whatsoever and will now be working on that for the next two years and then HOPEFULLY the first book will have done well enough that i can sell a third! so you better buy it when it comes out next february!!!!!!

to ease you all into it, i wanted to do a little crossover to introduce the main characters. we have emery, whose design is fully and unintentionally just Seiji Again down to his color palette (but seiji would bully him if they met. like so hard. he's a wimp). then we have neeta, a girl who dreams of travel and cares deeply about worker's rights, and wick, a vampire agent investigating the mysterious and sinister new owner of the 1910s ocean liner emery and neeta call home. he's also gay. but sorry lucy, you aren't his type. you're not mean enough.

the best place to keep up with me these days is probably here, as this first book gets closer to release, i will probably be posting about it a lot. and i will certainly post about it here when there's an official release date and cover reveal! i hope you'll go read it. i really think if you liked never satisfied and its themes, you'll like hunger's bite!

thank you again for reading!!

[quirkwizard]

Final Note: A Look at the True Ending of My Hero Academia

Wow, Hori. Way to ruin my heartfelt review of the final few chapters of your series. It was very inconsiderate of you to put this out.

Okay, but seriously, I was not expecting this to happen. When I had heard that Volume 42 was going to have a lot of new pages added, I thought there were just going to be more extras. Stuff like little notes and character profiles. Imagine my shock when we get a whole additional chapter for the proper finale of the series.

I am only writing about one chapter here. In spite of the fact this is ending the series, there's only so much I can cover here. So this is going to be a lot shorter than some of my other mega posts. More notes and a few longer tangents then the bigger analysis I had written about on the final arc and the epilogue.

And yes, I am using the fan translations here. Normally, I'd wait for some official translation to come out, but going by what people have said, these translations are pretty close to what's going on in the manga. Plus, the last volume isn't likely to come out until October and there is no way I am waiting that long to talk about this.

Duds and Duds: The Final Stitch-Part 2

Let's get something simple out of the way first: new looks.

-Nejire got one of the more improved looks. The spiral gauntlets and leggings are simple additions, but really add a lot to her look.

-I guess Present Mic's hair works like a tree. It grows as he ages and if you cut it, you can tell how old he's gotten by the rings.

-Best Jeanist, how did you get a hair cut that somehow even made you look like even more of a complete fop? And why the laces? Why do the jeans have laces in them?

-I'm mixed on Mirio's new look. The ones on his legs are kind of silly, but very fitting for him. I also miss the visor he had on as well. However, I cannot accept the pompadour as a part of his appearance. I'm sorry, but it just looks silly.

-Kamui Wood's new look is simple, but amazing. The narrower eyes look more menacing, the branches around his mask forming a makeshift crown, the wreath of leaves around his head to give him this regal look. It's great, no notes.

-The Ketsubutsu Schools kids got some minor touch-ups to help them stick out more, such as Shikkui's more rap artist-inspired look and Tatami's arm sleeves. It just makes them look less generic. Yo Shindo caught me off guard though. Maybe it's the cow-lick or hair dye, but he looks like an entirely new character. Like I swear his face changed shape too.

-I think Tamaki just won me over. No joke, he actually may have gotten one of my favorite looks. The all-black look with the hood gives this monstrous appearance. The teeth on the hood is not only amazing appearance, but a really cool reference to how his power works around eating. The little bendy straw on his costume is amazing as well. It's both a cute detail and a practical part of the costume.

-Juzo, Setsuna, and Kendo didn't have much going. Maybe a few minor design choice changes that don't hurt anything. Same with Tetsutetsu, but I really like his sharper hair and larger eye accents. Just something about them made him pop out more. I like Manga's drawing tablet as his chestpiece. It's a really cute design for his character.

-Seiji looks even cooler now with his sharper features. Inasa is more of a sidegrade. The Slimy Shadey hair is really odd, but I do like the goggles to help fit in with his steampunk look. Camie I'm the most confused about. Why does she have feathers in her cap? Is that a reference I'm not getting? Maybe to a superhero or mythological figure?

-Monoma has the worst design out of anyone here. I don't even know where to begin with him. The clock earrings are dumb and just seem like they'd get in the way. His gloves are actively keeping him from using his Quirk. And do I even need to say anything about this hair cut? I can't believe Hori turned Monoma into an e-boy.

-Fat Gum is a bit of a downgrade for me. The all-black look doesn't suit his more welcoming brand and personality. Plus, the "M" and "G" in the middle of the "F" already present on his chest just look really out of place. I just think it worked better with the "F" and "G" on his old costume. They just fit a lot more seamlessly into his overall look and helped break up all the yellow with some white.

Meet Up/Catch Up

Now to talk about certain changes to Class 1-A. Yes, I'm dedicating another list segment to this. I have a lot of thoughts on it

-Wow, I really don't like Sero's peach fuz mustache. It looked bad in the helmet, and it's even worse now. It just looks so wrong on him.

-I despise Iida's half buzz, though I will admit that's more than everything ruining that hair cut over the past seven years.

-Nighthide is such a terrible hero's name. I'm not sure if that's just bad translation, a lack of creativity, so simply an in character choice for Shinso to be bad at naming stuff. Just like his mentor.

-Kirishima threatening to scratch the hood of Bakugou's car is one of my favorite jokes in the series. I know it's only part of the fan translation, but I'm going to be disappointed if it isn't in the official one.

-I like how Hori basically had Denki and Jiro look into the camera and confirm they are not dating. Right after confirming two characters getting together that nobody cared about but him. 

-I have once again been vindicated by canon. Iida is in fact faster than Bakugou. The manga out-and-out said it. All the power scalers out there can turn on your badge and calculators.

-Hey, look at that, a billboard with Izuku's face on it. It's almost as if he hasn't forgotten about it over the last couple of years. Maybe Hori wanted to make it extra obvious for some of the fans.

-I appreciate how not everyone is a pro hero by the end and some of them are still sidekicks. Any other author would have had it, so all the students are pros with their own agencies, but it's realistic not every one of them would have the want or ability to become a proper pro. I'm honestly surprised which ones are and aren't though.

-I'm kind of amazed that my guess of the rankings of the heroes ended up being so spot on. Pretty much all of them ended up in the brackets. I would have guessed where they were. Even some of the reasoning was spot on, like Bakugou's terrible people skills still getting in his own way a lot of the time. The dark horse of all this was certainly Shoji. I assumed that he would have fallen in the rankings due to spending so much time trying to deal with the heteromorph situation, but I guess that ended up helping him in the long run.

Missing Invites

So one complaint I've heard about this ending is how focused it is on Class 1-A and especially Uraraka and Izuku. Which I can kind of get. It's just that, as the final chapter in this entire story, it carries a lot more finality to it. So, if some character isn't given any attention, chances are they are never going to get it. I can understand the desire to see other characters. Like I wanted to at least get a look at how All Might and Endeavor were doing. Even if it's only one panel, it would have been nice how things were for them eight years on.

However, I do think that misses the point of this chapter. Because a lot of this chapter is around to act as an epilogue to the main cast of the series and to show us the future that they were and are still fighting for. As well as to tie up Izuku and Uraraka's arcs and to affirm what the story is about and what messages are. Anything that isn't focused on that feels more like a nice bonus rather than something integral we needed to see, such as getting to see the Big Three as heroes. A lot of the characters and their arcs were wrapped up already. As nice as it would be to see where they ended up, you don't really need to.

Ships Docked

Look, I'm glad there weren't a lot of ships got together within the final act. If we're being honest, a lot of the ships that people love didn't have a strong foundation in canon. So I didn't really want or expect an "And then everyone paired off and had a kid" ending that people were wishing for or dreading would come to pass. Considering that there hasn't been much in the way of personal relationships for more than 1-A as a whole, instead of pushing 1-A more as a larger unit of people that help and support one another rather than focusing on individual pairs, it would have been very jarring.

That being said, it's hilarious how, in a fanbase as famous for shipping as this one, there are only three canon pairings at the end of the series. Maybe four depending on how you interpret Gentle and La Brava's ending. And two of them were for ships nobody cared about. There was Shindo and Tamati, a pair that you'd only know was a couple from the databooks. Then there was Kuroiro and Komori, a connection that only had the faintest of set up in the databooks, a brief exchange during the Joint Training Arc, before being pushed front and center in the very last chapter. And of course, there was... we'll get to that, trust me.

Ghosts of Shipping Past

So you're telling me that Izuku got pushed to Uraraka by Bakugou and Toga pushed Uraraka to Izuku? Bakugou and Toga, who are the most popular pairs for Izuku and Uraraka respectively, are literally pushing Izuku and Uraraka together. And that's what ends up making them confess to each other. If I didn't know any better, I would say this is a Supernatural finale level of spite on Hori's part. That he got so tired of people harassing him and his staff about shipping and had this part sketched out to specifically make people upset about it. 

And if Uraraka is seeing Himiko and Izuku is seeing Tomura, does that mean that they are both being haunted by them? Fanfic writers, this is a golden opportunity here to make a comedy fic. A newly minted hero couple try to live their lives while being haunted by the ghost of their archenemies. What, is Himiko going to be cheering Uraraka on about getting together with Izuku and that she should take him right now? Meanwhile, Tomura's haunting Izuku about how he should grind out another level in League of Legends before doing anything else?

Odds are LeMillion to One

I'm still pretty mixed about Mirio becoming the Number One hero. I guess it feels like such a big deal to get the top spot only to have it fall to Mirio. And I'm not saying that to slam Mirio. I do like Mirio. Mirio is one of the most heroic figures to come out of UA, if not the whole series. It's just odd to me because Mirio feels like such an afterthought. Outside the Yakuza Arc, he hasn't had much going on with him, let alone an arc where it feels like a proper conclusion. I suppose it's to show the change in things. How the greatest hero in Japan isn't this invincible pillar, but this jokey guy that can hang out with kids and make a fool of himself.

I guess that has less to do with where Mirio ended up and more about how little presence he had in the story. Looking back, I do think that Mirio's presence and momentum were put to a grinding halt because he lost his Quirk. That Horikoshi just wasn't sure what to do with him once the Yakuza arc was done. Because when I try to map out Mirio's character and his arc, I struggle to understand where it was going and how it ended up here. He's introduced as the guy who seems like the best "One For All" candidate on paper. Then it's shifted to being more about carrying on Sir Nighteye's successor. I know I'm getting way off-topic here. It's just been something that's been on my mind ever since I read the chapter.

Temperate

Shoto is great in this chapter. I've always stood by the idea that part of Shoto's arc in the series is about him trying to define himself as a person. Away from all his family and the baggage that came with it. From trying to accept his power as his own to riding himself over the demons of his father to finally being able to be his own person. Saying that he just wants to do something because he wants to do it. It's also a good contrast to how Enji was. Instead of obsessing over the same thing that destroyed his family, once Shoto got as high as he felt he could go, he instead turned to something new that he wanted to try. For no other reason than he simply liked soba and thought it would taste better with something he made. 

I also really like how they tie this into the idea of heroes having more free time and becoming less and less needed. That now heroes have chances to take care of themselves, stop worrying about everyone else, and have lives outside their work. Again, that's something I feel like didn't ring as true with only Chapter 430 as context. We never got to see anyone besides Izuku working in that chapter. And since he was a teacher and not a pro hero, it didn't feel like what Hawks did came to pass outside of maybe a few lines. So I'm glad it got some focus on Shoto and his own arc. I think it's a excellent note to end his character on. I'm glad that it was more overtly finished as opposed to the single panel we got for it in Chapter 430.

Blast Back

So, after all that, what do I think about Bakugou's ending? I think it's an effective bittersweet ending to his character. He reminds me a lot of veterans after a war. And I'm not just saying that because he was in two wars for his life, both of which he technically died in, though that is part of that. It's more about the mindset and character of Bakugou. He's a man who defines himself by his ability to fight and win. Now the world is coming to the point where those aren't as valued, and he lashes out because of it. He tries to find that drive in other people like his sidekicks, but none of them have it anymore. He tries to reignite that rivalry with Izuku, only to find that he's moving on with his own life. 

It's like a natural expansion of his failure to move past his mindset earlier on in the series and how obsessed he was with being the best, only now it's twenty times more depressing. It's an interesting way to end his character. Bakugou got what he wanted, but realizes how little any of it really means. Which isn't to say it's a sad ending. Bakugou was able to complete his arc and come out the other side a better person. That is a more worthwhile reward than any kind of ranking. However, I do think there is some hope for Bakugou. Considering how much of the chapter is about people trying to live their lives outside of being a hero, I prefer to think that he would eventually do the same.

Weightless Burden

Out of all the characters, Uraraka needed this chapter the most and easily benefits the most from the extra focus. There's just a lot about her character that felt unfinished otherwise. Like with a lot of stuff, it does help that we get to see Uraraka in action and helping people with their Quirks. It helps clear the air about what exactly Quirk Counseling is and how it's going to affect people from now on. That what Uraraka said wasn't just hot air, and she did help people. And that, yes, what the League did and went through was important. It helped push people to make changes later to keep something like this from ever happening again.

More importantly, we get to see her dealing with her emotions. I feel like an underrated part of Ochako's arc was her being more honest about her feelings. We got a lot of her trying to understand people and the importance of reaching out with Toga. And without that part of her arc completed, it seemed like a part of her story was left unfinished. I like how it gets so much focus in this chapter, with Uraraka basically being literally haunted by her feelings, both metaphorically and literally. All in all, I like how Uraraka was handled in the final chapter, and I think this is a good end for her. If only there wasn't something that overshadowed her entire storyline in the eyes of the fans.

Within Reach

I feel so vindicated by this whole chapter. Besides all the claims people made about Izuku being disproved, it retroactively makes Chapter 430 better. I was always fine with Izuku being a teacher. I felt it was a very natural place for his character to end up in hindsight. It's something he has the skill to do, especially in a place like UA with his observational skills and hero knowledge. However, it can still feel jarring with just Chapter 430. Izuku's dream was to be the world's greatest hero. He did achieve that, but it was never mentioned that he wanted to be a teacher. Having Izuku say that was what he wanted and enjoys doing is very important. It helps add a lot of validity to this writing choice and shows how much Izuku has grown into wanting things outside of hero work.

More importantly, I feel like this works much better as a finale for him. While Izuku working with Dai about his Quirk did work as showing Izuku's change in mindset, I don't think it was as satisfying of an ending. It worked to tie up some of the thematic ends to the story and Izuku, but it did not work as well for an emotional climax. Because Dai was just some nobody we hadn't met before. Now, we get a lot more proper closure with Izuku and the rest of the cast. We got his final moments with All Might and Aizawa, but not much else. Now we finally get closure with all of his classmates, Bakugou and Uraraka included. And it gives us time to show him enjoying stuff outside of hero work instead of just being told about it.

Car Bomb

Alright, let's disarm this first bomb. The car ride.

Speaking of growth, it is not out of character for Izuku to reject Bakugou's offer. It has been over a decade since Izuku has been in middle school. He has grown a lot over the year the story takes place in. Shoot, he's probably grown a lot more since then as well. My point is, this is not the same Izuku at the start of the series. He would not freak out over signed All Might merchandise. Izuku and All Might have been friends for a decade. He would not jump at the chance to work under Bakugou as a sidekick or with him as an equal. Izuku does and should have a life outside of Bakugou. Izuku does not owe Bakugou anything for helping to make him a suit. It was a group effort with Toshinori and the rest of Class 1-A, and I really doubt Bakugou would even want Izuku to join just because Izuku "owed him one".

I bring this up after talking to Izuku and Bakugou on their own because both are important parts of why this section of the story was done this way. Izuku out and out said that he wants to be a teacher over a pro hero. Being a hero is important to him. It lets him spend more time with his friends, and he gets to help people, but it doesn't define his life any more. He's doing what he wants now. He doesn't have that self-destructive heroism as a part of him anymore. His wanting and choosing to be a teacher is part of that healthy selfishness I was talking about before. I honestly think that him working with Bakugou would undermine that part of the ending. That he'd go back into hero work full time and have it take over his life rather than focusing everything on teaching. Shoot, it even ends with Bakugou telling Izuku to think more for himself.

And I think a lot of this comes down to people overestimating Izuku and Bakugou's connection and its relevance to the overall story and underestimating their own growth. Bakugou is Izuku's rival, and they play a part in each other's story, but their rivalry is of minor note to the greater story. This isn't like Naruto and Sasuke, where the two main rivals are of vital importance to one another's storylines. It's more like Ichigo and Yuru, where the rivalries are far less prominent and only occasionally cross over. It was more that Bakugou's own arc was heavily tied to Izuku, but Bakugou's arc was only part of what was going on in his own story. Specifically, the part of Izuku training to be a hero and how they both learn from one another. However, that part of it is done because Izuku found a life for himself outside of hero work, leaving not as much for Bakugou. Which is why I think the ending seems sad for Bakugou, even though I'd describe it as more bittersweet.

Holding Hands? How Scandalous!

All of this chapter aside, let's get into the real meat of this and defuse the second bomb. There were a lot of fans that were upset about this. Let's remove the good chunk that were simply upset their ship didn't become canon and focus on some real issues people have with this.

No, this isn't a fake-out. This wasn't made by Hori's assistants, generated by AI, or whatever other piece of cope you've heard online. This did happen, it is canon, and it is romantic. And yes, them holding hands is supposed to be romantic. Not only would it be out of character for these flustered nerds to do anything more implicitly romantic, but them holding hands ties a lot more into their characters. Them grabbing each other's hands is an integral part of their connection and growth. It's to show the two are connected and understanding one another. It ties back to the idea of reaching out being about understanding someone and part of why the two do it so much together. By them clasping hands at the end, it's to show the bond the two have made and how close they are now.

No, Uraraka getting with Izuku is not something that was forced into the story, nor was it something that came out of nowhere. Uraraka's feelings for Izuku have been set up ever since she was introduced. It started out as a crush but was slowly reinforced and built up between the two's appearances, both apart and together. Having her get with Izuku ends part of her arc as well. One of the biggest points of Uraraka's story is how bad it is to repress your feelings and not be emotionally open with the people around you. This is contrasted by Toga, someone who was hurt by that same repression, yet now was totally honest with her feelings. It's why Uraraka said that she admired Toga as a person for that honesty. Shoot, it's why Ochako confesses her feelings for Izuku in that fight. Something people seem to be forgetting. Uraraka pushing down her feelings wasn't the end of that plotline, it was merely another plot point in her story that culminated in this confession.

No, this doesn't devalue or reorient Toga's story to be about the two of them. Toga has always played a major role in the romantic connection between Izuku and Uraraka at various points in the story. There's a reason why Izuku keeps getting brought up whenever Uraraka and Toga fight each other. However, that was only a part of her character. Toga's story was all about trying to be understood for who she was and trying to find happiness in her life. She got that when Uraraka was willing to bleed and die just to try and reach out to her. And Toga's story was over when she died and saved Uraraka's life, living life as she chose to till the very end. Izuku and Uraraka getting together does not ruin that. Her usage here is more about her manifesting due to Uraraka's unresolved emotions. It's why Toga only shows up when Izuku becomes more active in her life. Again, it goes back to that whole thing about Uraraka admiring Toga for being so open about her feelings.

No, the fact that Uraraka ends up with Izuku does not devalue her character in any way, shape, or form. Her getting with Izuku is part of her story, but that's it: part of her story. She can still be her own person with her own life outside of Izuku while being in a happy relationship with him. They aren't mutually exclusive. Uraraka has this whole other arc she goes through with Toga that is integral to each character and the story overall. For the past eight years, Uraraka was and still is a pro heroine who helped countless people with the expanded Quirk Counseling program. That part was well established before the relationship was resolved. Because that's just as important to her story and character as the romance with Izuku. That doesn't go away because she updated her status to "In a Relationship". It doesn't automatically reduce her to a housewife. I'm sick of people saying this, and it's a frankly disgusting way to look at her character.

Epilogue to the Epilogue

So what do I feel about this ending? It was nice, and I am glad that we got it. I am someone who defended the original ending and have only come to appreciate it more as time has gone on. That being said, it did leave me with this feeling of incompleteness. Like the overall picture was there, but there were fragments of it missing. And in those fragments, people started filling holes with their garbage ideas. I do think that Chapter 431 filled out some much-needed holes within the first finale and ends the series on a good note.

Heck, Hori was able to fix and cover a lot of the problems I had with Chapter 430. The fact that Izuku wanted to be a teacher seemingly coming out of nowhere? Settled and expanded upon that he always wanted to be a hero as well as a teacher. The lack of any real final moments between Izuku and Bakugou? That was settled pretty well with the two of them in the car. The lack of resolution regarding Izuku and Uraraka? One of the main focal points of this chapter and what we ultimately end the series on. It feels more complete, if that makes any sense. And I'm glad Hori got this opportunity. Few authors ever get the chance to make a recovery like this, and fewer still are able to pull it off.

I will say that now I'm less worried than I was before. When I ended my review of the final few chapters, I talked about how much the general perception of the series would have been tainted by the ending. I feel like most fans are a lot more agreeable with this than they were on Chapter 430. I still stand by the fact that it was ruined by leakers and the general anti-hype tainting any discussion people could have about it. And it wouldn't have stung so if all of the obnoxious memes and straight-up lies surrounding the ending weren't out there.

Will My Hero Academia live on? Oh, I'm sure it will somehow. Maybe Shonen Jump will force the hand of one of their many mangaka into making a sequel series. Maybe it will live on through merchandise sales, spin-off light novels, and however many movies they decide to make about it. I know for certain it will live on. In us. Countless characters, stories, and art pieces that we all made because of it.

I started this series right around the same age as Izuku. Some young kid who was quiet, socially awkward, and obsessed with superheroes, knowing all sorts of trivia about them. So naturally, I was drawn to series where the protagonist was literally me. Yet what kept me was the story, the worldbuilding, the characters, the art, and, of course, the power system. But the thing that resonated with me more than anything was the message: anyone can be a hero as long as you choose to be one. Now that the series is over, here I am again. At a similar age to Izuku. I wonder if I've grown as much as he has. All I know is that My Hero Academia will always have a special place in my heart.

Sure, there were ups and downs throughout the story. Yet, in a strange way, I appreciate that as well. This story helped me a lot when it came to my critical thinking with the media I interacted with. It made me think about and reconsider what I was watching and reading over and over again. It helped me overcome my gut reactions to events and how those reactions would stick with me. It helped me think more and more about the actual message and meaning of it. Not what I thought the story was saying, but what the story was trying to tell me. It made me reconsider parts I despised and helped me appreciate what I enjoyed so much about this story.

Most of all, it inspired me to create this blog and to meet all of you. It filled me with so much creative passion that I couldn't help but share it with all of you. Was it hard? At times. But there was always the feeling that what I did inspired and helped the people see the series in a new light. I've had so many people talk about how much they love my blog, how they are excited to see me post, and how much they want to use my Quirks for their stories and characters. I've even had people say to me that what I did helped them think about stuff critically, and they were inspired to make their own stories all because of what I did. That means so much to me. More than you could ever imagine.

And now it's over. I'm left to wonder what I will do with myself and this blog now that it's done. I suppose I'll have to figure that out soon enough.

[dia-souls]

Diabolik lovers Bloody Roses Novel [Chapter 04]

Chapter 04

The sound of dripping water, chains and the echo of the wind could be heard. It was dark everywhere and nothing could be seen. With a blindfold on her face and a cloth in her mouth, it was difficult for her to breathe. Thinking about why she is here and how everything happened so fast, she tried to control her tears.

Yui was lying on the cold floor with her hands tied with chains, trying to find the monk to breathe. No one can hear her voice. No one will come to save her. Because this is an inevitable punishment and no one can escape from it. Because this is the fate that she chose herself.

As she was lying on the ground and trying to breathe, she heard the sound of someone walking. The dungeon was dark and she could not see anything. That's why she didn't understand who was approaching her.

???: Young lady, don't try to run away. It was your choice, so don't resist so much.

Yui shuddered when she heard the young man's voice. Her fear grew more and more every moment, thinking about what would happen to her. She didn't know any of these nobles. She was captured in their prison because she wanted to save her father. This is the punishment she chose himself.

???: I will take the cloth out of your mouth on the condition that you promise not to cry or shout. Because no one will come to your rescue. Everyone saw with their own eyes that this was the fate that you chose yourself.

Yui nodded her head in emphasis. She had no other choice. The young man slowly approached Yui, opened her blindfold, and took out the cloth from her mouth. Now it was easier for her to breathe. Her vision was still dark and she couldn't see the man very well, but the weak and blurry look was enough for her to realize that the man was a servant.

The servant grabbed the chain that was locked to Yui's hands and pulled it to force Yui to stand up. Yui, who was scared, had no choice but to obey. She got up and went with the servant. Whenever Yui got tired and fell behind him, he pulled the chain tight to force Yui to keep pace with him.

The servant's steps were very fast and it was difficult for Yui, who had spent the whole night with her hands and feet tied and her body aching, to move with him.

The servant took Yui out of the dungeon. Yui looked around the dungeon. It was a scary place. Many people were in chains and with wounded bodies crying and begging for mercy. But the servants beat and whipped them mercilessly. Their thin bodies showed that many of them had not eaten for a long time.

Yui had heard before that the palace prison was the most terrifying place for sinners and criminals, but she never thought that the nobles would be so cruel and treat the peasants like animals. Thinking that she was going to be punished instead of her father, she was relieved that at least her father was freed from this suffering.

Servant: Don't try to complain about the current situation. It was your choice. You were so stupid that you accepted your father's sin and now you are being punished instead of him.

Yui: Can I ask... what is going to happen to me?

Servant: I will take you to the first prince and heir to the king's throne, Lord Shu-sama. He will decide for you.

Yui shuddered upon hearing the name of the king's heir. She had never heard good rumors from him. Yui is very afraid. She seems to have lost everything. Old Hina's cries begging the soldiers not to take Yui away could be heard in her ears, bringing tears to her bright eyes.

Yui: (Hina-san... I'm sorry... I'm really sorry... It's all because of my father. I can't let him be punished.)

*flashback*

Soldier: Someone entered the forbidden area and hunted illegally. Who is he? He must introduce himself, otherwise all the people of this village will be punished.

Villager 1: We have only one hunter in this village.

Villager 2: Where is Seiji? He has to explain his work to the soldiers.

Villager 3: Seiji has been missing for several days. Even his daughter does not know about it.

Soldier: If no one confesses, all of you will be punished.

*flashback ends*

Yui wiped her tears with her sleeve while her hands were tied. Now she just wishes that her father is well. But facing the prince and nobles is even more scary for her. For a girl who spent her whole life in the village library and read books, this incident is very scary.

After a short walk with the servant, Yui was in a large corridor. It was so long that at first it seemed to have no end.

Servant: Listen, peasant girl. You must be polite and respectful to the prince. Remember to be careful with your behavior and don't speak until he has given you permission. You have no right to beg for mercy and forgiveness for your sins.

Yui nodded her head in emphasis.

The closer they got to the prince's room, the more bitter it became. But there was a faint sound of music. It seemed to be the voice of a violin. It was very relaxing and beautiful. It made Yui forget her fear for a short while. The closer they got to the prince's room, the louder the violin sounded.

Finally they reached the prince's room and the servant stopped at the door and knocked calmly. Violin's voice stopped when he heard the sound of the door.

???: who are you?

Servant: Shu-sama, I have brought you the village criminal. The same criminal that your father ordered you to decide her fate.

???: Come in.

The servant opened the door slowly and entered the room. The prince's room was very big. Only this room was bigger than the whole hut where Yui and her father lived. Music books were in the library of the room, and there were violins and various instruments on the floor.

The young prince was standing in front of them with dignity and handsomeness while holding a violin in his hand and looking like he had been practicing. At first glance, he seemed very harsh and threatening, which made Yui's fear increase. But he was very beautiful. He had beautiful long hair and blue eyes that were as beautiful as the sky. Seeing the prince, Yui was out of breath and it was very difficult for her to speak. She was scared. She was very scared.

The servant stepped forward and pulled the chain, causing Yui to fall right in front of the prince's feet.

Seeing the prince looking down on her, Yui quickly stood up and stepped back, which made the servant get angry and kick her, and Yui fell to the ground again.

Servant: You insolent. You are standing in front of the prince. Bow quickly.

Yui, who was lying on the ground, bowed before the prince with fear and trembling, and tried to apologize to him.

Yui: My Highness... I... I'm sorry... I...

Servant: You fool, didn't I tell you not to speak without his permission?

The servant kicked Yui again. This time harder than before, which made Yui's mouth bleed. Yui could barely hold back her tears. Her body was thin and weak, she was injured and she could hardly stand up.

Shu: That's enough. Get out of here quickly.

Servant: Your Highness... I...

Shu: You have done your duty. I am going to decide the fate of this girl. You go out. I know what sentence to give this girl what she deserves.

The servant bowed to the prince and left the room at his command. After the servant left the room, the prince looked at the poor girl lying on the floor, her face covered in dirt and blood, and slowly walked towards her.

Seeing the prince approaching her, Yui tried to stand up and bow to him again. Sobbing, Yui prostrated before him and did not say a word this time. She was just trying not to cry but she couldn't. Even though a hand caressed her head, she trembled with fear. Prince grabbed Yui's chin and lifted her head, forcing her to look him in the eyes.

Shu: Don't cry.

The prince took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the blood that had flowed from Yui's lips. And stroked her head.

Shu: You look very young. how old are you?

Yui: ....

Shu: Hahaha don't worry you can talk. I give you permission.

Yui: I... I... I am 15... years old.

Shu: You are much younger than the one who committed the crime. Tell me, what is your crime? Aren't you the same girl who accepted her father's sin and accepted to be punished instead of him.

Yui tried to defend herself but remembered the words of the servant who told her not to try to ask the prince for forgiveness and that she should accept her crime and guilt.

Yui: I... I... I'm guilty. My father did not do anything, I am guilty. I accept any punishment... but my father is innocent.

The prince could not stop laughing. The innocence of this girl and the fact that she was trying to save her father was very cute and lovely in his opinion. He could imagine what a cruel monster the servant made of him for this girl that this girl is so afraid of him. In any case, he did not like to see this girl like this.

Shu bent down and caressed the girl's cheek gently. Shu's movements were very strange for Yui. Not being able to predict his movements scared her more.

Shu: Hmph... you are very beautiful... so I can give you any order I want. It seems that you are a valuable prey for me and I don't want to miss this chance. So my decision for you is to be my slave. Only mine.

[enhashoutout]

Seiji, Arata, and Noboru

Sooo I'm rewatching High&Low the Worst as one does, and my brain started running again; so here is a comparison post of Seiji, Arata, and Noboru.

Seiji and Arata are to Fujio what Noboru is to Cobra and Yamato.

(Also I'm really sorry the Arata photo isn't centered. I tried fixing it but due to the picture dimensions I couldn't get his picture to center)

The One Who Can't Mess Up

When we meet Noboru for the first time, he is introduced as the friend who has a bright future. Even from their childhood, it is highlighted that Noboru is different from Cobra and Yamato. Noboru has dreams of becoming a lawyer, he does better in school, he doesn't get into fights.

Cobra and Yamato even say it themselves multiple times that Noboru isn't like them; that even though he came from a run-down area he had dreams and a better future than anyone else from there. In the Story of S.W.O.R.D series, Cobra even states that Noboru went to college, which was a completely different world that Cobra and Yamato could not understand. We also get a scene where Yamato tells Noboru that he is their star, encouraging him to keep going toward his dream of being a lawyer.

This early version of Noboru we see is exactly who Seiji is.

When we are first introduced to Fujio's childhood friends in the H&L The Worst movie (I haven't watched the Worst spin-off shows so I'm speaking solely based on the movie) Madoka informs the group that Seiji is the top of his class, making him the smartest person their age. To this, the friends celebrate and call him "The hope of the Hopeless Housing Estates".

Later when the group meets up again after the Oya High and Housen fight, Madoka points out that Seiji has a bruise on his lip which is unusual for him. Right away, Fujio tells Seiji that he can't be getting into fights. I'm sure Fujio knows what the costs are for Seiji, that's why he never encourages fighting with him like he does when he talks to Shinya and Masaya. We also see this when they meet up in the morning before school. Seiji asks Fujio if he is going to Hope Hill, and Fujio tells him that he'll be the one to bring Arata back and that Seiji doesn't need to worry about a thing and to stick to his books.

When Seiji gets into an altercation with his classmate who is speaking badly about the Oya students, he is confronted by one of the authoritative figures at school. This man points out to Seiji that all the teachers at school have high expectations of him. The teacher also tells him that with his grades he could get into any college of his choice in the country and that it would be best not to act in ways that would jeopardize his future.

We see that both Noboru and Seiji are constantly held up to higher expectations by the people around them simply because they were different than their peers growing up.

How Seiji and Noboru must've felt

I have not finished Story of S.W.O.R.D yet so Noboru's feelings are purely my own theory/speculation.

We get Seiji's feelings/perspective on the matter in the movie. When the man who I assume is one of the teachers or even is the principal is confronting Seiji about his actions, he also says that he heard that Seiji hangs out with boys who attend Oya High. He goes on to tell Seiji how he shouldn't be seen around them to which Seiji confronts him with the question about cucumbers.

Seiji points out that cucumbers do not naturally grow straight, we as humans put them into a mold that makes them grow straight and only allow those ones to be sold at markets. He relates this back to himself vs his brothers.

"My friends, my brothers, they aren't hoodlums or twisted. Among my friends, there's not a single loser, scumbag, or lowlife! They just grew up naturally bent! Sometimes, I envy them. I wish I were... I'm fine sir. I will become straighter than anyone else. I will be placed in the best position in the best market. For their sake."

Seiji knows that his capabilities are higher than the other boys and takes advantage of that and seizes every opportunity he can academically. He understands that he is being molded into an image of someone who is "successful" or "acceptable" in the eyes of society. However, sometimes he is envious of the fact his brothers do not have to do the same. But Seiji understands that for the sake of everyone, he has to be the one who strives to do better and take a different path in life than one where physical fighting is prominent. The lying undertone of this being that Seiji is working towards a better life so he can take care of everyone makes my twisted, bitter, little heart happy.

So how exactly does this relate back to Noboru? It's because I think that Noboru must've felt the same way.

From my understanding of the movies, we don't see much of how growing up with different behavior affected Noboru other than the fact he focused on his academics and had big future plans. He falls off course after his time in prison though. When Noboru and Cobra are talking outside of the gas station, Noboru tells Cobra how he had lost his way in life and could no longer see the future plans he had for himself. This plays a large part in how Noboru is similar to Arata, but let's back up a bit.

I assume that there were multiple times when Noboru had felt the same way Seiji did. In the show, we see that Cobra got his name because he had been Cobra twisting everyone since they were kids. This alludes to the fact that even at a young age, Cobra and Yamato fought with the other kids while Noboru didn't. We see that Noboru went to high school and took his college entrance exam which Yamato dropped him off for. We also see the scene where Noboru tells the two that his college acceptance is just the beginning, he has to also pass the bar exam. All while this is happening, Noboru is still friends with Cobra and Yamato. He hangs out with them, Naomi, and the other Mugen members at Itokan when he isn't studying. This leads me to believe that Noboru had to have felt the same way as Seiji multiple times throughout his life. He must have been struggling by himself with his academics and was envious of his brothers who didn't have to do the same, but understood that for the sake of everyone he had to be the one that "does better".

Little Parallel I noticed: Being friends with the people they are, these characters know how to fight even if they don't actively use these skills.

During the Mugen era, Sannoh's Pre-debut era if you will, Noboru doesn't get into fights with anyone. However, we do see him beat the shit out of the guys who harmed Miho. He doesn't actively fight until Sannoh era but I assume that being friends with Cobra, Yamato, Kohaku, and Tatsuya they taught him some stuff.

This also rings true for Seiji. Let's bring it back to the morning of the Kidra fight. After Seiji and Fujio meet up and Fujio tells Seiji not to worry, he walks in while his classmates are talking smack about Oya and Housen. When he's had enough of their yapping he swings at one of his classmates. Based off of everyone else's body language, it doesn't seem that the guy he punched would be able to fight back or that any of their other classmates would be able to step in and stop the fight. None of them seem like they know how to fight or even knew Seiji could throw a punch like that. I assume being friends with guys as strong as Fujio, Masaya, and Shinya teaches you a thing or two though.

The One Who Tried to Purge His Past

When H&L the Worst opens, we are introduced to Arata when Madoka tells Fujio that Arata has been hanging around some bad people and there are bad rumors revolving around him. We meet his character when he is caught on the construction site selling RedRum to some guys who work with Masaya and Shinya. Throughout the film we see that Arata is simply working with Kidra for money, he's not friends with any of these people or shares the same morals as them. This is the first point of comparison for Arata and Noboru.

Arata is working with Kidra because he needs money to take care of the house bills and his mother's hospital bills. Noboru only took up Nikaido's offer to join Iemura because he felt that it was the best way to continue from there when he felt like he had lost everything. Both took a path they thought would be best for them even if it was morally wrong or they were engaging with the wrong people because they needed something from these people.

When Arata is confronted by Fujio, he tells Fujio that he has his own way of doing things and that he wishes everyone would just leave him alone; to which Fujio tells him that he knows what he's doing is wrong, and that's why he showed up to Grandma Sada's resting place in the night by himself. Fujio tells Arata to throw the dirty money away. The night before when Madoka tells the group that Arata's mom has cancer and is worried for Arata because he has been working so hard to pay for everything, Fujio comes to understand why Arata is working for Kidra but also points out that what he is doing is wrong. Fujio tells the group that he doesn't know how to explain it, but he knows the way that Arata is going about the problem is wrong. Fujio tells Arata that his problems are also Fujio's problems because they grew up together and got in trouble together, so why shouldn't Arata's problems also be his? This is the equivalent of Cobra and Noboru's scene when Noboru is aiming the gun at Sannoh. Cobra tells Noboru he understands why he did what he did. Noboru's actions are to keep Sannoh safe from Kuryu, but that he went about it the wrong way just like how Arata is making money for his family but he went about it the wrong way.

Both are much smarter than the people around them, not in an academic sense

Noboru and Arata are both smart, much smarter than the people surrounding them even if it's not in an academic sense.

Noboru is seen as the brain in Sannoh. This is prevalent when we see the Amamiya brothers come back to him for help in breaking through the USB firewalls to reveal the Casino Project. This is also seen when Noboru was still working with Iemura. The other Iemura members are hot-headed and act recklessly whereas Noboru always treaded with caution and logic. It definitely wasn't one of his best moments but I have to give it to him because using Chiharu and Shion to push RedRum and cause chaos within S.W.O.R.D was pretty smart of him. I'll give credit where it is due lol.

After the Oya and Housen fight, we are brought back to Hope Hill where all the Kidra members and RedRum pushers are partying because they think that Housen and Oya can no longer get in their way. Not only are they talking about Oya and House, they are talking down on the S.W.O.R.D gangs as well. To which Arata speaks up, saying that the S.W.O.R.D gangs are not dumb, and that if Kidra wants to continue their business they need to move faster. Growing up in this area, Arata knows vaguely how the S.W.O.R.D gangs run and how everything works in the S.W.O.R.D area, whereas the Kidra guys do not considering they got beat by Murayama twice and think they can do whatever they want with no consequences. The other pushers clearly don't use their brains as much as Arata either. All the scenes we see of these characters together, it seems like those guys are just there to be there while Arata does the actual work of selling RedRum.

Grace Periods and Protecting Your Friends

Every time we see Arata, he's avoiding his friends. He avoids talking to Masaya and Shinya on the construction site, he avoids Seiji's messages and calls, he avoids Seiji when they both show up to Grandma Sada's resting place, and he tries to avoid Fujio in Hope Hill. Arata avoiding his friends and not talking to them is the equivalent of Noboru giving Sannoh so many grace periods to disband for their own safety.

After his run-in with the Oochi brothers on the construction site, Arata keeps quiet and doesn't tell the other pushers who Masaya and Shinya are. He avoids Seiji and Fujio until he can't. I feel that in a way this was to protect everyone. He knows what he is doing and the people he is involved with are dangerous. Ignoring them was partially so they wouldn't stop him but, part of it must have been to keep everyone else out of it because as he states while he fights with Fujio, this is his problem.

Both characters are trying to protect their friends while engaging with people who could harm the people they care about.

Purging one's past

Arata in order to work for Kidra is doing what Noboru tried to do and tries to purge his past (he is unsuccessful obviously).

Noboru multiple times throughout the series and Road to High&Low movie is telling his friends that he is different now. He tells them that people change and that he is no longer the same person he used to be. Nikaido gives him a gun, essentially telling him to either kill himself or kill his past (Sannoh). When he pulls the trigger, we find out that the gun is actually not loaded and the guy is just shooting blanks. The symbolism to this is that he can not purge his past even if he wanted to because your past is a part of you. Without your past, there is no present or future. You can't make the present or future better if you don't have your past to look back on.

Arata is doing the same when he tells Seiji he isn't the same as he used to be and when he tells Fujio that he's changed now. Fujio tells him that he can continue to punch Fujio, but his fists don't hurt one bit, not as much as his disappearance hurts their hearts. Arata and Fujio are both crying by the time Fujio is about to send another punch Arata's way, only for Masaya and Shinya to stop them. When they bring Arata back, Seiji and Madoka are there to greet him and welcome him home. Arata looks at the market and you can see the look in his eyes change. He never changed, he missed this place just as much as he missed his friends. He wasn't able to purge his past. His past is actually what helps him in the present and future, considering the group works together to give him money to help with his mother's treatments.

A Home to Come Back to

In High&Low the Movie, we see Kohaku's monologue about being a home to return to. Cobra and Yamato decide they want to go after the guys that got Noboru in jail and they tell Kohaku that it should've been them that got arrested because Noboru had a bright future and they didn't. To this, Kohaku asks them how either of those actions would help Noboru; Cobra and Yamato don't have an answer. Kohaku tells them that they can't change what happened, but that they can wait for Noboru because if Noboru has no home to return to, he'll never come back. At the end of Road to High&Low, this is exactly what we see. Sannoh was built so that Noboru would have a home to return to. Yamato even says that they can disband Sannoh Hoodlum Squad if Noboru doesn't need it anymore, that is fine, but he just wants his friend back. Once Noboru realizes that he doesn't want to purge his past, he asks Cobra and Yamato if he can come back, to which they gladly accept and welcome him back with open arms.

Fujio, Seiji, Madoka, Masaya, Shinya, and the market are Arata's home and place to come back to just like Sannoh was for Noboru. Had the group left Arata alone or chosen to exclude him because of the rumors that started to surround him, Arata probably would've never come back. But it's the fact that everyone was constantly trying to reach out throughout the course of the movie and Fujio, Masaya, and Shinya literally jumped into Hope Hill to fight and physically drag him back out that Arata comes home. He had a family to return to who would accept him even after his mistakes.

How Arata and Noboru must've felt

Again, this is pure theory and speculation because it isn't directly stated in any of the films I have watched.

Noboru must've felt alone not being able to tell anyone what he was really going through, it might even tie back to how he's the friend who couldn't mess up. Having such high expectations for himself, Noboru probably felt like a failure landing himself in jail even when he felt he wasn't in the wrong because those guys hurt Miho. On top of that, he never really tells Cobra and Yamato how he's feeling whenever they visit him in jail. When he worked for Iemura, he also had no one to confide in either. The only person who was really within his vicinity while he worked for Iemura was Nikaido, but Nikaido was the hardest on him and was violent with him because, to Nikaido, Noboru was like looking in a mirror. Nikaido aka Cain used to come from Nameless City and he truly wants to purge his past and forget ever being a part of Rude Boys and wants Noboru to do the same with Sannoh. Being so alone was probably affecting him in a lot of ways.

Arata was the same. None of the group knows that Arata is actually working with Kidra for his mother's hospital bills until Madoka tells them after she visits Arata's mom. He didn't confide in his friends for this matter, and never really talked about his feelings in general. Fujio reminds him that Grandma Sada was always worried about Arata because he never spoke up about his feelings, always bottling them up. Arata must've felt that he should take care of his own problems instead of troubling others which led him to be lonely.

Something random I noticed: The scene at Grandma Sada's grave when Seiji confronts Arata and Arata punches him, can be seen as symbolism of how Noboru felt inside during the show and Road to High&Low. Visualize Seiji and Arata as two parts of Noboru who are battling and struggling to co-exist. Seiji is his past, telling him that it's alright to come back to his home and his family while Arata, his present, is trying to tell his past that he isn't the same anymore.

It's definitely not that deep, it's just how I interpreted it.

You made it to the end! These are probably nothing new and very obvious points that everyone saw in the movies I just wanted to write about it so here we are lol. This post is not proof-read and is a little messy and all over the place but thank you for reading it anyways.

Likes, comments, and reblogs are appreciated. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments and reblogs. Please don't take my work and repost it anywhere or take credit for it, if you would like to build off of my work please tag me for credit and tag me because I would love to see your thoughts :)

[callmeklair]

Yui deserves better ♡

//I'm really sorry for my language because I'm pissed right now.

I woke up and accidentally opened wattpad, so I was like aight I'll check some fics of other fandoms I'm in... then I came across a DL fic with Yui as a spoiled brat and "bitch" like the hate!??? I seriously don't get it!

you hate yui? okay, keep your opinions to yourself. BUT dragging her down and messing with her character just to make your own character shine is stooping low.

LIKE WHAT BLUNTLY!??? even if her character wasn't very open in anime, she wasn't anything like "spoiled." I can't even bring myself to read such stories because they disgust me. but I still went through the first chapter because I wanted to see comments. you know what made me surprised?!? okay the author might have been young at that time because the story came out in 2017 or maybe they were not young? who knows. but these stupid comments! 2 years ago— idk if people do this to either get in the author's good book or just dumb dumb. Like it's just the first chapter and all it has was Seiji saying the OC "you remember my daughter, your greatest friend, Yui?" and people went full on fucking hate by calling her a bitch in the comments!??? LIKE atleast let her make an appearance and get mischaracterized by such a lovely author :D

Like i thought we got over it a few years ago that Yui is actually one of the best FLs and character out there. if you don't then I suggest you read Dark fate, the writers have actually given her character a good depth.

You are free to write Oc x diaboys story, there is no issue but degrading Yui's character and mischaracterizing her because of why not is so stupid. You don't like her? then don't add her in your story.

Stop spreading Yui hate through stories and mischaracterizing her. People writing such stories just want to create delusional reasons to hate on her because they know it themselves that there is nothing to hate on Yui through games and even anime!

(let's ignore LE, all the characters were messed up which were developed so nicely in DF, because of writers. they didn't even spare Yui)

I have so much to say, and want to go on and on about this because I have many other fics to point out for such behaviour, but i don't wanna spoil my mood furthermore as I just woke up and it's stupid 5 a.m.

[applesandbannas747]

the way pacat treats eugene as a character is so contradictory to the central message of the comic being about working for your dreams… at this point i think pacat created eugene as purely a plot device because he is The Most Normal Guy™️ in the comic ig but often moves the plot along or creates tension. at surface level, his story may not be as compelling (for lack of a better word) as nick’s or seiji’s or even harvard’s, but that’s why i think parts of the fandom gravitate towards him. can’t formulate my thoughts atm… it’s late

sorry for ranting in your askbox but i know you really like eugene; i’ll be in my cave writing fanfic 😤

I’m always here to scream about Eugene, never apologize for that XD

MAN see, maybe I'm biased (i definitely am) but I find Eugene's story far more compelling than Harvard's and even Aiden's--we're given his flashbacks earlier in the comics than we even get of Harvard's 'oldest daughter trauma' storyline (which,,, i never find interesting to start with,, I'm so sorry) so it feels really bizarre that if the end we're supposed to go along with the conclusion to his arc here. Because let's be real Pacat is a good enough writer to make this anything but the end for him. The message in his story is 'sometimes working hard isn't enough and it never will be' and while that's true, it really fucking sucks given the fact that none of us are here for the 'harsh realities of life' messages, we're here, like you said, for chasing dreams, working hard, and making it as the unexpected underdog.

Eugene's treatment is such a disservice to fans, and I am so disappointed in Pacat and Jo for his story.

[haru-chi]

I'm sorry, I really am sorry to him but ...

I thought this was Seiji trying to creep them out 😭

[billyvell]

Ok, so... I finally finished Room No.9. I have some mixed feelings...

The third route was really sweet. There are so many sweet moments between them. In Daichi's narration. The tasks of hurting Daichi were kind of nervewracking, but not too much really. The way the whole post-enema shower thing turns out makes me, again, sad at how that went on the end B/C route, because it really, really was avoidable...

I won't even talk much about ending E. It just feels like the "wrong/bad" option of the route. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to take that Seiji is really fine and distanced himself like on ending D, or if he got taken out by the people responsable for the study. Anyway, it doesn't really feel "real", even less than endings D or B.

The F ending one... Yay, they got out, they're fine, they're still friends.... They're still friends. Ugh. It's so frustrating to hear Daichi talking about just forgetting everything that happened. Like, yeah, I get wanting to "leave the room behind", but that he straight up says he'll just ignore it? That they didn't learn ANYTHING really? Even after that sex scene? Come on. They even have Seiji saying he doesn't want to get married, and Daichi talking about maybe drifting apart because they would have their own families, as if to hammer home the point that they'll really stay just friends?

Look, I can kind of appreciate the feeling of holding onto your friendship. I do. I managed to appreciate it after the other endings where that is lost. But that should be like, one of the endings. Or maybe, not even that. If it was one or the other, there should've been a romantic ending. There should've been a romantic ending one way or another. Because it's honestly so frustrating that at the end of all that they're still in denial. Or at least Daichi.

Like, again, I get valuing friendship, but Daichi is SO IN LOVE. Like he's so in love it's stupid. I'm sorry but there re SO, SO MANY LINES THAT SHOW THAT!!! Not just the ones where he generally compliments Seiji as in appreciating his good qualities as a person, but like, the ones where he notes how attractive he is. And there are a lot of those, some horny ones but also some that are neither platonic nor sexual, just, romantic. There's no way they really wrote some of those with us not meant to think that.

I guess the writers didn't want for there to be just one ending that was fully great and satisfying above all the others? I don't know. I guess ending C is the romantic one? Sure, whatever...

I don't want to read too much into it but it really does feel like the game is sort of trying to send the message that lust/physical attraction and a true/pure love are inheretly incompatible? Like it's a good thing that they'll only stay friends and never have sex or even kiss again? Like that's the only option because anything else is just a ruined friendship? I really hope that wasn't the creators' intentions.

In the end I guess I can still headcanon that in the F ending they will eventually come to terms with being in love and getting together. Who knows. Maybe I'll write something.

I'm a bit disappointed to end this with such a sour taste in my mind. I, overall, really loved the game. But I'd be lying if I said this (the way the "good ending" goes and no romance issue) doesn't make me really sad. I saw people sort of complaining about it, but I thought it was just gonna be that they didn't outright said they were in love/gonna be in a relationship but that was still implied, you know? That's what that CG in the train looked like to me... Like I saw someone frustrated that they didn't talk about their feelings but I thought it was just gonna be something like "but after everything Seiji and I are even closer" as they held hands implying a romance.

Anyways. Still a great game overall. I love the premise, the characters, the unsettling vibe that we're able to feel, the sweetness in it, all the horniness and guilt and exploration of the human psychology. The art, the voice acting, all the technical aspects. I guess it's really over. I've been finally freed from room no.9. 🫡

[tiredlittlewriter]

OYA HIGH HEADCANONS PART TWO!!!!

This is the last of my Oya High headcanons for now!! I'm very excited and love them vv much. I love this series and I'm very excited about these! I hope you enjoy more about these stinky boys

💙💙💙

Fujio

- just like Murayama, he can't read/j

- okay but real this isn't even a hc but very protective of the ones he cares about

- made everyone get life 360. Gets mad when people go to Suzuran w/o him

- is the type to say "His pronouns are they/them!"

- there is no lock this man cannot pick if you're locked out the house call him he's gotcha

- asks Madoka for girl advice and Seiji for guy advice (doesn't take either of their tips, keeps taking people to Suzuran as his 'I know a place' place)

💙💙💙

Tsukasa

- passed out on a Rollercoaster once

- diagnosed with good son disease, I just know his parents love him so much

- has a cat. The cat looks exactly like him and everyone sees it but him

- "omg guys I don't even know how to play a guitar" *starts shredding*

- came out to the squads crying and everyone was like "we know. Next"

- Tsujishibaroki were probably like "join the club"

💙💙💙

Jamuo

- Halloween stan, dresses up every year

- often is confused for a 12 year old boy

- Was 100% at every S.W.O.R.D event so he could tell the tea. The equivalent of the Ichigo Milk girls

- only bring him to karaoke if you're prepared to never leave

- straightest man in Oya he's too scared of guys to crush on them

💙💙💙

Nakagoshi

- don't be fooled by how cool he looks

- is the they/them that Fujio protects

- sometimes features on Tsuji and Shiba's songs

- holds Nakaoka at gunpoint to match with him for Halloween

💙💙💙

Nakaoka

- I have to do it. It's the only way I can deal with the hairstyles. He's a strong member of blasia I'm sorry (so is Tsuji and Tetsu. If they've got the hair going they're repping blasia)

- u know what? Probably knows Tetsu he seems like he would

- Member of the lgbts

- girl group stan don't even question it

- terrible babysitter. Your kids won't be dead but they'll have eaten every piece of candy in the house

- did one weed and now thinks he's gangster shit (he is, but not for doing weed it's cause he can punch through drywall and then kick down your door)

💙💙💙

Kiyoshi

- special breed of bisexuality where he likes one guy exclusively

- actually probably couldn't read for a while. Tell no one

- really good at doing hair

- scared of heights

💙💙💙

Yasushi

- animal lover

- wants a tiger. Was very sad when he found out he could not own a tiger

- probably secretly a really good singer

- if you kissed this guy on the forehead he'd start to cry tbh