#IS PERFECTLY PACED

[lintpuzzle]

Nothing like reading a clyde-side fic and diving into a small, isolated town with an unsettling yet welcoming secret. Flashes of iconic imagery with a rich interior. Well-researched, with that perfect splash of history to prove that Capitalism is at the root of all evil. God bless!! God bless!! God bless!!

[your-stranger-halfblood-things]

Murray doesn't need to help byler out. He walks in on them kissing in the hallway and then proceeds to pour himself a drink

[almayver]

And this small gallery is called “Phum, his emotional support plushie and his emotional support people”

Bonus Peem being the only one to ever be alone with the plushie

[dazais-guardian-angel]

Chapter 110 is 13 pages long welcome to hell!!! so in a lot of ways this is just more fuel for a theory that I've had for a few weeks now, that's only gotten stronger with each recent season 5 episode, which is that the last episode of the season is gonna end on 110, and that Asagiri/Harukawa and Bones have been collaborating to make this happen, specifically because it's a major turning point that would be the only good place to end the season on.

When we started getting especially long chapters again (like from 25-35ish pages, with the exception of 107.5, the last two being some of the longest we've ever had), at first I just assumed that Asagiri/Harukawa got freed up from some other obligations they'd been having to cause the extremely short/half chapters, like promotional stuff for the anime/Beast movie, or working on light novels. But then 109 happened, with the "supposed" death of Dazai, and heavy emphasis at the end on how literally everyone is at their lowest point right now, and I got to thinking. 11 episodes is a strangely specific number for an anime season -- why not 12, or 13, or even 10, like you'd usually see? Why have we gotten suddenly gotten two 35 page chapters out of nowhere, that's almost unheard of at this point? They're both beautiful chapters, don't get me wrong (as always), and maybe A/H simply just didn't want to cut them in halves because they felt like the full emotional impact wouldn't hit/that there were no good cutoff points in them, but you can't deny that it's surprising, after all the shorter chapters we've been getting. Why has the anime been going at such insanely breakneck pacing for the most part ever since around the Sunday Tragedy chapters, even more so than it has in the past? So much so that it feels dangerously close to overtaking the manga?

Well, maybe, just maybe, it's because..... Asagiri decided a long time ago that whatever happens in 110 is the only point that feels "season finale"-worthy enough, in an arc that still isn't anywhere close to being completely wrapped up, and so both the manga and the anime have been specifically coordinated to reach that part within 2 and a half weeks of each other?

I've seen a lot of people now think season 5 will end with 109, and as much as my sadistic side would find that hilarious, I honestly don't think they'd do that and realistically don't want it to happen; it'd be so cruel to cliffhanger the anime for years like that, and just doesn't feel like a season cliffhanger BSD would do, a series that is ultimately hopeful and uplifting. Seasons 2 and 3 had a positive, conclusive ending; the only reasons seasons 1 and 4 didn't was because they're technically not really full seasons of their own, and are more like the first cour of another "season" that also came out that same year (seasons 1 and 2 both aired in 2016, so they're more like one big season, and seasons 4 and 5 have both aired this year, so they're also more like one big season, again taking into account how episodes 12 and 50 are not satisfying finales like episodes 24, 37, and hypothetically, 61, are). I really can't see season 5 ending with Dazai and Fukuzawa's supposed deaths, Sigma being unconscious and maybe close to death, Atsushi being vulnerable and limbless again, everyone we love still vampires, and the entire world being basically doomed; that's just too depressing and not like BSD at all. However, having said that, if it doesn't end there, there really isn't any good place to end the season before that, either, that feels in any way satisfying or like a finale at all. And so, to me, that only leaves after 109: chapter 110.

I think things are really gonna turn around next chapter. Like I said, everyone is at their lowest point right now, it cannot possibly get any worse, the framing of Dazai, Fukuzawa, and sskk at the end of 109 is telling us that; this is the time for the heroes to finally start winning again, with Aya being so close to pulling out the sword, and for all the thematic reasons other people have talked about to death that I don't need to go into here again. This upcoming chapter being so short again makes a part of me wary of 110 being "the one", so to speak, I won't lie, but at the same time, it's very possible that it needs to be that short because that's all the final episode of the season will be able to reasonably fit in, since it's already gonna be VERY close if they do make it all the way to 109. And at the end of the day, I don't doubt at all that Asagiri and Harukawa can make these the most monumental and game-changing mere 13 pages ever if they wanted to; a chapter does not at all need to be extremely long in order to be an important and impactful one, even if short ones we've gotten in the past haven't felt the most important.

An additional thought I've had, though this is much more crack territory than all this already is, is that since we know from Anime Expo that a Stormbringer movie at some point is highly likely (judging from Asagiri's reaction when someone brought it up), it's possible that chapter 110 and thus the final episode will involve the long-anticipated return of Verlaine and/or Adam, or at least some other major reference to Stormbringer, that would naturally and smoothly lead into a Stormbringer movie to explain things to people who haven't read the novel. It would make a lot of sense, especially since the s4 OP has the Old World sign behind Chuuya, which might be a hint that this has been in the works ever since seasons 4/5 were first in planning with Asagiri. We also know that Dazai and Chuuya's voice actors apparently struggled to record their lines together this season, which probably relates to 101 and possibly 109, but it could be 110 too.... I could be very wrong, as I'm no expert on this kind of thing, but I kinda doubt they would bring Chuuya's actor in for just the vampire growls, and Asagiri placing heavy emphasis on Chuuya's importance this season in that one interview gives me the impression that he's talking about much more than just 101/109. But that's the least solid evidence I have, that's just mostly based on vibes I get.

So basically, I think a lot of factors -- the unusual episode count, how close the anime is to catching up to the manga with three whole episodes left, the seemingly arbitrary recent chapter lengths, and the climactic events of 109 -- can tell us that 110 might be a very, VERY big deal. Again, there's of course no way this arc is anywhere near close to being finished, with so much left to address and resolve, but since it is currently incomplete in the manga, unlike the previously adapted arcs, if the anime was going to adapt it at all, they'd have to find a place that feels satisfying enough to end this season, knowing there won't be more anime for a long time after this, and so I think they specifically planned for that, from both Bones' and A/H's sides. 10 episodes might not have been enough to reach that point, but 12 or 13 might have been too many it wouldn't have been if Bones actually decided to slow down and let the story breathe the way it needs to, but this post isn't meant to criticize the anime, so maybe 11 was just right. And maybe Asagiri and Harukawa specifically pushed to make recent chapters longer than usual, in order to make sure that the manga reached the story content in 110 the monthly release right before season 5 was to end.

Is this just copium? Absolutely. Am I going to look like an absolute clown in two days when this post ages like milk? Probably. But the evidence is There, so let me just enjoy my delusions until Sunday, okay 🥂🫡

[stil-lindigo]

emily carroll has once again permanently changed my brain chemistry

[httpiastri]

highlights of the day 💗💗 three sprints tomorrow, see you then 😚

[onepintobean]

Baz can "one kiss, and you think the world is upside down" all he wants, but of all the moments in Carry On, my favorite is when Baz goes from:

(chapter 32)

to:

(chapter 64)

Simon's given him reason to hope. And even as Baz deflects and denies it out loud, he tells us the truth. It's not hopeless anymore.

[doe-eyed-love]

Something so appealing about innocence/first times to me. The novelty of it all, discovering what makes the other person tremble in anticipation or melt in pleasure. Getting to take in all their reactions for the first time like "give me all your pretty sounds, angel, wanna drink them all in" or "crying for me so quickly? What a perfect darling you are" and "look at you, so messy from just kissing, are you always this sensitive, sweet thing?"

[per1w1nkl3]

its so true that men with long hair and trauma are better. just look at lord of the rings/the hobbit characters vs their actor.

[uhohbestie]

I've been reading and enjoying the heck out of Of Gods And Redstone by @swamp-chicken.

Wanted to draw some fanart of an early scene, with Etho recovering while Bdubs' works on his field.

They're so calm and domestic. Surely nothing will go wrong :')

[slavicafire]

finally started my the wire rewatch. I remember back at uni my two favourite professors being obsessed with it and I started watching it back then, didn't really understand or get into it... and now, what, 10 years later, I am just. in awe

[busket]

people saying marcilles ears aren't pointy enough (for horny elf fetish reasons) without realizing that it's actually a deliberate and extremely important part of her character design

[octoagentmiles]

ok this is weird but I'm a psychology nerd so hear me out–

I love how Natquik and Calico Jack's fear responses are canonically Fight and Flight respectively.

You'd think it'd be the opposite, because CJ's a brave, strong pirate, and Natquik is kind of an awkward loner (affectionate), but noooooooo........

When Calico Jack is afraid of something:

He runs away from it.

Which could actually be a fun nod to the IRL Calico Jack, who was apparently a notorious ✨ coward ✨, and terrible fighter.

and what does Natquik do... 👁️👁️ ?

BARK BARK GRR GROWL BARK—

[dreamingeyes]

What if black cat (tssm and msm 2017) were to swap universes?

tssm black cat would def be more flirty because msm peter would visibly react more to it than tssm peter.

the dynamic between msm black cat and tssm peter would probably be the same as the dynamic between msm black cat and msm peter, except tssm peter would probably be smarter in avoiding her bad luck powers

[meeko-mar]

I saw a take on a TT that was talking about the new cover; and they said that it's odd that Horikoshi did this(specifically, Izuku cradling Katsuki and looking feral) when "that's not how it happens in the manga," and furthermore says,

"In the manga, Izuku doesn't think about Katsuki for longer than like a minute, doesn't seem bothered by it for too long" or similar so they don't know why this cover should hold the weight that it does, essentially.

Because in their claim, Izuku didn't CARE about Katsuki's death for more than a second.

AND LIKE

They have also claimed that they like the relationship of BKDK(not romantically, but otherwise) and I am like HOW can that be your takeaway if you appreciate anything about their relationship ??

We all KNOW Izuku lost his marbles at the SIGHT of Katsuki. We all KNOW that he was raging out of control again, and we all KNOW that Mirio was the only one able to get close to Izuku to tell him that Katsuki would be okay. (And what would have happened if he DIDN'T get through to Izuku??)

We all saw Izuku have to pull himself together and then put himself behind that wall of BW, behind his scarf, behind his Quirk, and FOCUS himself on Shigaraki.

He was VERY MUCH BOTHERED by Katsuki's death. That's not subtext. That's TEXT.

What part of this entire STORY signals that Izuku wasn't bothered??

I JUST-- OOF.

Like, the theme here is that Izuku supresses ALL of this trauma and possibly other feelings that he views as "gross" or not something he can explore rn. If you don't know what Izuku looks like when he's holding back his real emotions for the sake of the current mission, you're not reading the text. You're not seeing the visuals. There's different interpretations but I don't think this one is really up for debate.

Izuku was EXTREMELY AFFECTED, DEVASTATINGLY AFFECTED by Katsuki's death, and the cover is emblematic of that.

ANYWAY sorry had to vent about that.

[amygdalae]

I'm enjoying Mask of the Rose quite a lot!!! the Fallen London setting and atmosphere are very charming to me

I'm so torn wanting to make friends with literally everybody. Can't stretch myself to thin tho cuz there's a limited amount of time to do things. Gonna hafta check out certain things in later playthroughs

My scottish victorian doctor boyfriend just got hauled off to jail as a prime murder suspect though. Not very swaggy. I gotta get him out of there so we can fuck (I don't think he did the murder)