#MAKOTO YUKIMURA YOU GIVE ME A SCENE LIKE THAT AND EXPECT ME NOT TO SEE THIS AS YANDERE

[shinjisdone]

A brainrot thought

ok, I know the scene where Thorfinn went AAAAAAH and charged down to duel Thorkell over ASKELADD'S life but

just

imagine

that is perfect...yandere, but also regular, canon behaviour for Thorfinn

Him charging down to save YOU and duel for you life when Thorkell took you hostage or smth

going FERAL over what they could possibly do to you, ESPECIALLY if you are female and just;;;; straight up going for the kill

how dare any of them. He IS going to kill them. Kill every last one of them!

Its a typical knight in shining armor and damsel in distress situation...but so much more twisted

These are VIKINGS. Barbaric men that know no love but just fame and pleasure. Thorfinn, just a kid in their eyes, going beserk over some other kid. Challening THE Thorkell the Tall over...you.

And he wins. He slaughters down ANYONE who gets in his way, yells at anyone touching you WHILE HE DUELS and EVEN AFTER THE DUEL HE DOES NOT STOP BUT STABS AND SLAYS AND SLAYS. He is killing his way over to you and as the men watch in horror as the bloodied boy ceases his spree and instead...gently wraps you in his arms, the rage in his face gone and nothing but relief left.

Still, his eyes are empty. And his body drenched in blood.

He seems so caring and gentle nevertheless as he holds your shaking form.

Literally not gonna happen since Askeladd has to be saved but JUST IMAGINE

@luopenis , @jinsecho , @mitsureigen

[eleiyaumei]

My (ups and) downs watching the second Hakuōki movie

A follow-up to my post about the first movie.

(Note:  I’m sorry if in this post I come off as harsh. But it is possible to  love something and simultaneously criticize it and illustrate its (potential) flaws. And that’s what I intend to do here. Plus: This is only my opinion and if yours differ from mine, that is totally valid! ^-^)

Yeah, I’m not a fan of this one... But to be fair to the movie and fans of it, here’s some things that I like:

(+) IBUKI THE FEMINIST – Hyperbolic way of praising Ibuki for saying: “Harada and Hijikata think they know what you want but the only person who is able to know that is you.” (*This is my translation of the German subs which I expect to be more accurate than the English sub/dub but that might be wrong, so feel free to correct me!)

(+) Sannan infiltrating Kodo

(+)  HaraShira – Harada’s death scene & Shiranui bringing his spear to Aizu, fulfilling the former’s last wish

(+)  Okita getting to fight one last time & him (talk-)fighting together with Saitō

What I dislike the most about this movie is the ways in which the narrative and/or characters both disrespect female protagonist Chizuru and undermine the romance between her and Hijikata - in my opinion.

Detailed analysis below the cut.

1) (The Narrative) Disrespecting Chizuru

- after Kondō’s surrender, Chizuru prepares to fight but Hijikata has already killed every enemy (I’m not saying she should fight but her being passive in general is my major problem with the movie’s handling of Chizuru.)

- Harada completely understands Hijikata’s reasoning for lying to her and leaving her alone in Edo but does not acknowledge the fact that Hijikata has hurt Chizuru and disrespected her choice/autonomy (but then agrees with Ibuki that Chizuru should do what makes her happy)

- While fleeing Edo, Chizuru falls off a (seemingly obvious) cliff and is saved/taken in by Kazama.

- There, when Kazama asks her what she would do about her evil-doing father, she answers that she would stop him. – Later, Kazama stops Kodo instead by killing him and Chizuru thanks her for that. Kazama says that makes her worthy of being the heir of the Yukimura clan. For what? Being not too proud to show gratitude?

- Chizuru is forcibly and passively confronted with her father – the reason she started her journey with the Shinsengumi in the first place – instead of actively seeking him out and confronting him.

- Heisuke saves her and Kazama kills Kodo.

- Chizuru takes a journey alone to give Hijikata the Makoto flag. But this is never shown, she misses the Shinsengumi and is taken to Ezo by Kazama.

- In Ezo, she runs towards the Shinsengumi and is hit by the impact of an explosion. Her Oni powers activate – I bet she will heal soon enough to get out of the danger zone. But Hijikata runs up to her, ultimately saving her, and she passes out.

-  When Hijikata is shot off his horse, Chizuru falls off with him, sees him lying and bleeding, is attacked by a Fury, does nothing and is suddenly saved by Hijikata. (That attack wasn’t in EB.)

(The Narrative) Undermining the Romance

- several emotionally bonding/romantic scenes/CGs are left out (see above)

-  Hijikata doesn’t eat her food – It starts out with Chizuru noticing that he hasn’t eaten and then telling him he should eat. He refuses. When she later brings him food with a note he should eat, we never see if he listens to her or not because he is overwhelmed by bloodlust.

- Hijikata doesn’t drink her blood. When Hijikata is overwhelmed by bloodlust and Chizuru notices it, she offers her help but he throws her out of the room. Separated by a wall, both suffer from that situation. Just painful to watch, not romantic at all.

- Kondō includes “becoming a rasetsu” in the things Hijikata did to fulfill his (Kondō’s) wish – even though in the first movie, it was ambiguously framed but hinted at that he did it to protect Chizuru. Hijikata does not disagree with this statement and both share an emotional farewell. Platonic, most likely, but as dramatic as a scene where two lovers have to part (and the music that plays during the scene would fit there too) (Kondō/Hijikata shippers, I get you.)

- After Kondō’s surrender, Hijikata doesn’t react to Chizuru’s encouraging words when she hugs his back.

- “dumped over DM”: Hijikata tries to say to Chizuru’s face that he wants her to stay in Edo but then lies to her to wait for him at a tea house. She waits for him for hours then finally receives a letter from him. He’s disrespecting her choice and autonomy just like in the game but him not having the guts to talk to her directly makes this worse – or at least bad in a different way.

- 1 hour into the movie, with 12 minutes left, we have our first and longest romantic scene between the two leads where they pour their hearts out. All in all, too much too late with too little build-up.

[beneaththetangles]

When a True Warrior Dies: Lead Character Deaths in Vinland Saga and Game of Thrones

How do you begin a story? If you’re developing a saga, one that reaches over many years and across cultures and nations, that’s a tale that might be big enough to begin with a type of event that could kill a lesser one: the death of your main character.

Of course, he’s not really your main character—he’s the protagonist of your prelude, and perhaps a red herring, too. In A Song of Ice and Fire, the novel series on which Game of Thrones is based, Eddard (Ned) Stark, the patriarch of his family and perhaps the only truly noble character among hundreds of significant ones in the epic, is executed fairly early on (It’s been years since GoT aired so the moratorium on spoilers for season one is long lifted—but beware, spoilers are ahead for Vinland Saga); it’s a shocking development and throws the entire world of that series into chaos, and demonstrated to the viewers that anything, anything could happen in Westeros.

I was aware that Eddard was going to die when I watched Game of Thrones. In fact, that scene is what finally convinced me to give it a try. It was almost more difficult knowing that Ned was going to die, as the first half-dozen episodes establish him as such a wonderful man—even his flaws are admirable (his greatest sin, even, is later shown to be something consistent with his integrity); I was sitting on edge just waiting for the when.

Vinland Saga, the new anime based on a critically acclaimed manga, hasn’t risen to ASOIAF heights (and it probably won’t—those who’ve only watched the HBO series perhaps don’t realize what incredible literature GRRM’s books are), but it’s followed the pattern of Game of Thrones, perhaps purposely so. And as with my experience, the audience knows that its “main character” is probably meant to die as well, for the introduction shows us as much. It establishes that the true protagonist of the series is not Thors, but his son, Thorfinn. By episode three, we even know how Thors will die, when Askeladd is introduced as the assassin hired to kill him, which combined with an OP showing Thorfinn’s hatred for Askeladd, is enough to convince us that this moment is nigh.

Thorfinn strikes at Askeladd in the anime opening

I don’t think Vinland Saga means to shock us too much, however. These hints seems to be dropped purposely. Even the way the episodes are distributed give us a hint—the first three were aired all at one, ending just before Askeladd fights Thors, and forcing us to wait several weeks before the fourth episode—the one in which Thors dies—was aired. Tension was built. Death was coming to a character every bit the man Eddard Stark was.

The decisions made by George R.R. Martin and Makoto Yukimura are brilliant. While stories smaller in scale would buckle under the weight of such a loss, their tales could not only survive, but be bolstered by such deaths, which set intense events in motion. At least, I assume that’s so for Vinland Saga, which should experience a time jump soon revealing some of the consequences of the unjust death of Thors. It’s certainly true for Game of Thrones, where Joffrey’s last-minute decision to execute the former Hand of the King pushes the land into a war like it had never seen, while also doing something more intimate—it created motivation for all of the Stark family members and led them on their individual journeys as they aligned with the larger gears of war.

Surely the Troll of Jom would have survived if one of the arrows hadn’t pierced his neck?

Each of the Stark children who make it to or near the end of the saga (I’ll go light on spoiler for the final season at least!) mature and grow into characters of significance. In fact, they each become notable individuals in their own right, ones who will one day be the focus of their own sagas and songs. In a noble family, this would be rare, no matter the talent of those within; some are destined to rise and others to disappear into obscurity. But Eddard’s execution sets them on paths they otherwise would never have taken, those that are worth following. It might be pleasant to watch a series about how Sansa learns to be less selfish and eventually becomes a noble woman and mother, but it’s far more watchable to see how she turns from spoiled brat to a mighty and ruthless lady in just a couple of years.

And that’s a huge part of why Game of Thrones works—the life of the those who are intimate with the dead character are changed dramatically and permanently. There is no greater motivation for any of the Stark children than their father’s execution. If this won’t churn out a tale, then those characters were never worth writing about in the first place.

Because of Yukimura’s acclaim, and because of the high quality of episodes one through four, I expect something similar from Vinland Saga, in that I think we’ll see Thorfinn become that worthy character. His flaws have already been on full display, but with the shadow of Thors behind him, there’s so much possibility to see him struggle and grow. He is Arya in anime form, a headstrong but talented young person who lost a father too young and who could very easily turn toward a darker shadow than that of dad, who likely will do so before finding rescue somehow, some way.

And if that’s true, if there’s some comparison here to made to ASOIAF and Arya Stark, the stage may be set for something fantastic, one that’s worth some emotional pain for our characters—and for ourselves.

-----

Vinland Saga can be streamed and the manga purchased via Amazon. Game of Thrones is available for streaming on HBO and ASOIAF can be purchased on Amazon.

[recentanimenews]

Bookshelf Briefs 1/16/20

Anonymous Noise, Vol. 18 | By Ryoko Fukuyama | Viz Media – Welp, I was wrong. Romantically, the final pairing is not what I expected. That said, romance, as always in this series, takes a back seat to the music, and musically the pairing is exactly what I expected. It’s actually quite interesting to see the basic “final volume” beats of a shoujo manga framed in terms of career and musical partner, while the heroine actually ends up with someone else. It’s quite a choice. Elsewhere, the book wraps up the one remaining unresolved pairing. But most of all for me, it goes back to its roots and shows what I loved most about it—Nino screaming the songs like they’re primal. I’ll miss this series, and am interested in what the author is going to do next. – Sean Gaffney

Bakemonogatari, Vol. 2 | By NISIOISIN and Oh!great | Vertical Comics – One thing about the artwork in this manga adaptation, particularly of its lead character, is that it does not shy away from how relentlessly creepy and sexually harassing Araragi can be. The novels made you question how much of it was a narrative device, the anime framed it as so over the top it was almost parody, but the manga makes you squirm at seeing Araragi’s face as he simultaneously beats up and pervs on a little girl. This second volume finishes Hitagi Crab and gets almost halfway through Mayoi Snail, and does a good job at making itself distinct—here the park is a normal park, not the grandiose wonder as seen in the anime. Provided you can tolerate Araragi, an excellent adaptation. – Sean Gaffney

Daytime Shooting Star, Vol. 4 | By Mika Yamamori | VIZ Media – Believing that Shishio has gotten back together with his ex, Suzume tries to see it as an opportunity to forget him. It’s not true, though, and after her friends arrange for them to have an aquarium date, Shishio starts acting different around her. I certainly don’t want him to return her feelings, but it’s also pretty shitty that he treats her like she’s special and gives her false hope when he has already rejected her. At least he’s aware of this. There’s a great sequence where they both stop themselves from calling out to the other in the hallway, trying to avoid falling into their typical patterns, but by the end he’s rushing to rescue her from overbearing upperclassmen and falling pots. I really, really am enjoying this series, but continue to hope that she’s eventually going to get over him once and for all. – Michelle Smith

Dirty Pair | By Haruka Takachiho and Hisao Tamaki| Seven Seas – I was both looking forward to this and also dreading it, and in the end the dread won out. I suppose every generation gets the Lovely Angels it deserves. It’s not as if the original novels did not have Kei and Yuri walking around in Bikini tops and short shorts and cracking wise, and they do here as well. And the novels did indeed have the “we are psychically bonded and get hints about solving crimes that way” jazz as well. But this manga adaptation takes the fanservice to eleven, with the Angels making out and getting orgasm faces as they use their psychic powers. The plot of these is essentially very similar to the originals, and the basic “they solve the mystery, but everything is destroyed” premise is still there and valid. That said, the fanservice makes me recommend this only to hardcore fans of the Lovely Angels. – Sean Gaffney

Himouto! Umaru-chan, Vol. 8 | By Sankakuhead | Seven Seas – I always enjoy the way that there is slow, methodical character development for Umaru in these books. She may still be incapable of taking care of herself without her brother around, but she’s beginning to grow up and demonstrate she might be able to function in society. Of course, there is also the usual Umaru humor, particularly when dealing with Hikari, who not only looks and acts like Umaru but is trying to occupy the same place in her brother’s life. (Speaking of which, we also get more shots of Kanau, Hikari’s older sister and Taihei’s boss, who also might have a thing for him, though I suspect if there’s any romance in this series at all it will be with Ebina, who’s had longer to develop.) Cute, cute, cute. – Sean Gaffney

Haikyu!!, Vol. 36 | By Haruichi Furudate | VIZ Media – After losing the first set to Nekoma, Karasuno wins the second. As Furudate-sensei elegantly shows through a series of panels comparing past scoreboards to the current one, this is the first time that has ever happened. Indeed, throughout the volume, Furudate excels at conveying the significance of things, particularly when the most reserved players on each team experience a moment in which they recognize how much fun volleyball can be. Tsukishima actually smiles when he’s finally able to score a point against his rival/mentor Kuroo while Kenma, whose predictions are usually correct, is happy when Hinata is able to surprise him with a trick shot. And, in turn, Kuroo is happy that the friend who’s been indulging him all these years is finally enjoying himself. It’s all about appreciating the people who get you and who challenge you. I love this series so much. – Michelle Smith

Kaguya-sama: Love Is War, Vol. 12 | By Aka Akasaka | Viz Media – I get the sense that the author has figured out how many volumes he wants this series to be now, as the pacing seems to have become more rapid. Not in terms of the gags, but in terms of the plot—Shirogane’s desire to resolve his relationship with Kaguya by the Culture Festival seems to mean it will happen next volume or the one after, and for once he seems quietly determined—I think committing to Stanford lit a fire in him. Elsewhere, Chika once again tries to cheat her way to victory and is punished, and also tries to teach Shirogane something easy and is punished. And there’s a chapter advertising the We Want to Talk About Kaguya spin-off, which… we’re not getting here. A lot of fun as usual. – Sean Gaffney

To Be Next to You, Vol. 1 | By Atsuko Namba | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – Nina Uemura is in love with her next-door neighbor, Kyosuke Tachibana, who has just started his first year of high school. She ends up witnessing the moment when one of his new classmates, Yuiko Asou, kisses him. This ultimately spurs Nina to confess, but when he goes in to kiss her, she freaks out. Meanwhile, Kyosuke and Asou seem to be getting closer. Because Asou is written so sympathetically (she’s genuinely a good person, and her once-kind boyfriend has become a jerk) and Nina comes across as quite immature comparatively, this manga so far reads like she’s the interloper onto Kyosuke’s love story. He’s moving ahead and she’s desperate to stay by his side, even if he’s entering a world that she’s not yet prepared for. It’s good stuff! I look forward to volume two. – Michelle Smith

Vinland Saga, Vol. 11 | By Makoto Yukimura | Kodansha Comics – It’s been a year and a half since the last omnibus volume of Vinland Saga was released. Somehow in that amount of time I had forgotten just how much humor Yukimura incorporates into what is otherwise an incredibly serious narrative. It helps keep the manga from becoming overwhelmingly bleak, but the balance of between the comedy and tragedy in the eleventh omnibus feels a little off—the jokes and occasional pop culture references (while entertaining) at times lessen the impact of the surrounding scenes. Even so, Vinland Saga remains an intensely compelling and powerful work. These volumes bring to a close the battle at Jomsborg. Throughout the conflict, Thorfinn repeatedly comes up against his decision to live without taking the lives of others. His resolve is severely tested when he confronts the man behind his father’s death and the warriors who likewise seek the deaths of Thorfinn and his companions. – Ash Brown

By: Ash Brown