#Masaki Saionji

[ninja-crybaby]

Archers…

gotta be one of my favourite genders

[x0401x]

What did you think of Tsurune S2 episode 6?

Okay, gotta start this as I always do: pointing out the positive and canon-complying elements first and foremost, because I love them.

First of all, Minato being a lovable little dumbass. We had scenes of him being clueless or distracted here and there, but in this episode we have him being the deadpan airhead that he is. That comes in the form of him doing things like saying funny shit without realizing how ridiculous it is (the unironic use of cute onomatopoeia is a classic for him in the novel and I’m so glad to see it making its way into the anime at last), or getting overexcited about kyudo-related stuff while his body language completely contradicts his straight face. Gotta love Seiya and Kaito giving him the Parent Look TM every single time.

I love that this season is very focused on all the minute details of kyudo. It's visible that the animators have dug deeper into this hole and done even more research on it. I specially appreciate the way they've been including the right breathing techniques into this season and we get a pretty good display of it whenever the camera zooms in on the characters when they're firing a shot.

On the topic of attention to detail, I almost screamed when we got to see Noa and Yuuna's houses. They got Rika's hair color wrong in one of the cuts of this scene but I couldn't care less. I loved it.

I love even more the tournament itself. The way that flower petals are used instead of tree leaves for the girls in order to showcase that their team has a different aura from the boys'. The flashbacks displaying their development and illustrating that it didn't come out of nowhere. The richness in their facial expressions and dialogues along the way.

I also like that they added a scene where Minato teams up with Seiya and Shuu for the first time. In the novel, we only ever get kind of an idea why these three were teamed in middle school, but we never got to see how this started or how they even knew they could work as a team in such a huge club like Kirisaki's. This also serves as a hint that they'd been doing kyudo outside of the club, which is a good explanation as to how they were able to nurture their skills given that Kirisaki's middle school kyudo club only allowed the third-years to actually do archery, while the juniors were stuck with other, more basic forms of practice and couldn't participate in tournaments.

Bonus points for it also being the first time Seiya realizes that Shuu is different around Minato, and that Minato has some sort of influence in him that other people don't. Plus, it gives us something that I missed a lot in S1 and that is being depicted beautifully in this one: Minato is a very charismatic kid. There's something about him that draws people in. His honesty, his innocence, his transparency - it all works to make people either love or resent him, and it's probably the most essential part of his character identity. After all, it's the eptome of Zen.

This scene was a very smart addition.

Speaking of his character identity, by the way, this episode was personality traits by the truckload. Minato's bow nerd-ness is at full power here. And also his impulsiveness being turned into productive, learning patience. He's on his way to being an even better archer and it all begins with the mindset.

Now, I wanna take a moment to appreciate Nanao being a little shit and Minato being embarrassed by it. Love me some in-character banter. And props to finally being shown that Minato's mom used to do archery and that she was his gateway to kyudo. I mean, we had seen that she was the person who taught him about tsurune, but she's also the first person who ever shared previous experience in kyudo with him, so it would've been unfair to just leave this fact out. Again, missed it in S1 and now we're making amends. Bless!

I'm almost in tears at the fact that the girls got themselves headbands too, as well as matching bow sleeves that have cute rabbit patterns to indicate that this is set in the year 2023. I'm also internally howling at the subtle, barely perceptible visual implications that Seiya is slowly migrating to Kaito's side. He's always right beside Kaito in every shot, and I almost didn't believe my eyes when he deliberately chose to sit next to Kaito instead of next to Minato to watch the tournament.

Now, for the things that aren't so positive. Luckily, there's actually very little negative stuff in this episode. It's been the most gratifying one to watch so far.

So, there's been a trend in this season ever since episode 4 where the storytelling ended up falling into the same territory as S1, in which we are getting a bunch of character arcs that culminate in a team arc instead of having a linear plot. It feels like we're checking boxes of character data and kyudo info that we were supposed to have had in S1, which isn't bad in itself, but the way it's being done strikes me as a bit inorganic. These arcs all serve a very specific purpose and are timed in order to fit exactly into the duration of each episode and it shows. It shows a little too much, I'd say, which makes them feel mechanic and somewhat artificial. Like, I know that I'm watching a fictional story, but that doesn't mean I wanna be aware of this fact.

Thanks to these arcs being a thing, we end up having another trend, which is that Minato's development is being delayed until his turn comes up. This ends up creating sort of a disconnect between him and his own habilities. In order to fit into his own arc while simultaneously serving as a proxy for the viewers who have no knowledge about kyudo, Minato literally seems to have forgotten everything. Ever since episode 1, we've seen Masaki do almost nothing but point out what Minato's been doing wrong in every single interaction they've had, so it's hard to ignore that Minato's been making a bunch of newbie mistakes.

This feels weird not just because Minato is the most experienced of the team, but also because he'd already received this exact kind of training at Yata Shrine during the beginning of the story, when he was getting back into archery and making up for the time he'd spent away from the dojo. He's already gone through this phase and was supposed to have overcome it. Besides, all of this stemming from just one fuck-up at a particular tournament is... a stretch, to say the least. Specially when said fuck-up was basically just a matter of teamwork-related mentality shift. It shouldn't mess up his entire form to a point where he has to almost relearn it from scratch, so we're left wondering what happened to his natural talent that everyone used to admire and how the hell he's managed to get to this point when he's literally sucking ass at the basics.

Speaking of Minato’s ordeal with getting back into practice, him using formal speech with Masaki during training is extremely uncomfortable to me. We do get the whole "awkward pupil who can't hold a candle to his mentor" vibe from him, but the formal treatment is pretty odd. In case anyone is wondering, Minato has dropped the formal speech since the second time he and Masaki met in the novel. So yes, this backtracking is something quite strange to witness.

Now, the thing that has me side-eyeing this character arc thing the most is that we seem to be wasting time with them. The show is using these arcs to flesh out the characters and make them likable because it failed to do this in S1, which is understandable, all right. However, I again would argue that having a linear plot would do the job better, not just because it'd feel more natural, but also because, while we're having these arcs, nearly nothing is accomplished except for working out non-canon, unnecessary problems that the anime has created... so that we could have these character arcs in the first place. And that's where I keep asking myself: why are we getting this instead of the source material's content? I mean, I do know the reason why. The original is too gay, we get it. But since I know what I'm missing out on, I at least want to see an on-screen justification for it. I want KyoAni to show us something that will make these changes worth it, because so far, it feels like they're dragging the story down in comparison to the novel.

I have already expressed this before but I still feel the need to voice my concern that this season is just as uneventful as the first. There’s just too little going on and therefore too little for the viewers to get invested in. The drama in the novel might feel exaggerated at times, but KyoAni doesn’t seem to have realized that it’s the only thing separating the series from... well, real life. Without that aspect, Tsurune is just a kyudo nerd-out galore with not much purpose. I’m of course not suggesting that they should suddenly insert into the anime the exact same amount of drama as the novels have, but that they could at least be a bit more daring than what we’ve seen so far and introduce some of it. Because I can't imagine how boring this series must be for anime-only’s.

I keep noticing, after every single episode, that I’m only enjoying this installment because I was already a fan of the original work. If I hadn’t read the novel and didn’t have it in me to read it, having the anime as my only form of contact with this series would’ve prompted me to drop it by S1. This season is way better than the previous one in every sense and it oozes good intentions, yet there’s still a palpable lack of excitement in it. The training at the inn, Shuu’s petty envy, the hotel shitstorm. So much stuff that isn't too far removed from the tone of the anime and that could be put to good use here, yet isn't.

KyoAni, I’m literally on my knees. I implore you to make this thing sell. Please make it sell.

But I want to end this one on a good note, so my last comment is gonna be on the later half of the episode. I adore Saionji's participation and the subtle, well-written explanations about what the boys' team is lacking. It was super refreshing to have the girls' team as the reason why they realized what they were missing in a different way from how the novel did it. Speaking of different way from how the novel did it, I like that we got to see Minato and Saionji's conversation about Shigeru. In the novel, we only had Minato telling Eisuke about it, so I'm happy that we got to actually see it. And gotta tip my hat to the scene where Masaki watches as Minato finally gets his form right once again. Pretty good punchline.

And of course, the last scene is a treasure. The girls being valued as important members of the team is my new favorite thing. Yuuna absolutely blasting Ren into outer space was a blessing. Minato being an unapologetic dork has watered my crops and cleared my skin. That nod to the one-eyed fish had me at the edge of my seat (yes, I still have hopes of it being at least referred to at some point, along with Masaki and Minato's scars). And finally, the Star Festival has been mentioned. Love the way that the dojo was decorated for it. Yata Shrine looks like a new world entirely, almost as if we've been transported to a feudal fantasy setting. I just don't get why it's gonna happen after the tournament. I guess this means we're not getting Ren and Minato's conversation and that honestly worries me, but as always, I'm just taking what I can get.

[thefinalcinderella]

Tsurune 2nd Year Character Profiles

They got updated character profiles for the third book

Masterlist of translations here

Narumiya Minato

The protagonist. When he was little, he became fascinated by kyudo, which he watched with his mother, and secretly studied under Saionji. His mother was killed in an accident before he could reveal it to her, which made him feel deeply regretful. He had distanced himself from kyudo since he developed target panic, but after meeting Masa-san, he realized his true feelings and joined the Kazemai High School kyudo club. He takes care of all the household chores in place of his father, who’s busy with work, and on special sale days, he rushes to the supermarket after club activities. There is a rumor that if you touch Minato’s forehead, you’ll be blessed with good luck...

Takehaya Seiya

The president of the kyudo club and Minato’s best friend. He has an older brother. Because of the traffic accident, he’s protective of Minato to the point of going overboard, but their relationship changed when Minato accepted Seiya’s regrets. He is the most talented student in his grade. He likes bad puns and makes everyone groan when he makes puns. He owns a dog named “Kuma” who Minato sometimes goes on walks with.

Yamanouchi Ryouhei

Minato and Seiya’s childhood friend. He has an older sister. After reuniting with his two friends in high school, he decided to start doing kyudo. His compassion for others is exceedingly high and he sees things with pure eyes. He isn’t afraid of Shuu, called the “Young Lord,” and his younger sister Sae is fond of him as well. Recently, he has been wondering if he should get a Java sparrow. He doesn’t like bugs.

Onogi Kaito

Nanao’s cousin and his “babysitter” since they were young. He used to not like Minato, but that was because he was too upright when it came to kyudo. Now he approved of Minato and is a good teammate. He has a meticulous side to him, and currently he’s working hard in a city-building game. He likes J-Rock. He gets teased by Seiya often.

Kisaragi Nanao

Kaito’s cousin. A “prince” with a brilliant smile. One time, he even got scouted by a talent agency. He popularized his original greeting “Merha”. He tends to give an impression of a ladies’ man, but in fact he is a firm person with his own convictions. He is always watching those around him and often backs them up. He has a weakness for frog merch.

Takigawa Masaki

The coach for the Kazemai High School Kyudo Club and the priest of Yata Shrine. He used to shoot ten-thousand arrows as a memorial to his grandfather, who had passed away while they were still feuding. He had planned to quit kyudo, but after meeting Minato, he decided to take it up again. In the kyudo club, he serves as a reverse mentor and manages the club. He prefers canned coffee to drip.

Fujiwara Shuu

Minato’s brother disciple. He is nicknamed the “Young Lord,” and many people joined the kyudo club for him. He is wary of Kuon, who shows him an excessive amount of respect. He doesn’t approve of getting familiar with others and has an air about him that makes him difficult to approach, but he also has a bit of a soft spot for those he trusts, such as Minato, Ryouhei, and the Sugawara brothers... His favorite food is takoyaki.

[organisationskoval]

319) Kokuhonsha, 国本社, National Foundation Society, Towarzystwo Fundacji Narodowej - nacjonalistyczne stowarzyszenie polityczne w późnych lat dwudziestych i wczesnych trzydziestych XX wieku w Japonii. Kokuhonsha została założona w 1924 roku przez konserwatywnego ministra sprawiedliwości i przewodniczącego Izby Parów, Kiichirō Hiranumę. Wezwał japońskich patriotów do odrzucenia różnych zagranicznych „-izmów” politycznych (takich jak socjalizm, komunizm, marksizm, anarchizm itp.) na rzecz raczej niejasno zdefiniowanego „japońskiego ducha narodowego” (kokutai). Nazwa „kokuhon” została wybrana jako przeciwieństwo słowa „minpon”, od powszechnie używanego tłumaczenia słowa „demokracja” minpon shugi, a społeczeństwo otwarcie popierało ideologię totalitarną. Starszy mąż stanu Saionji Kinmochi publicznie skrytykował organizację promującą japoński faszyzm. Członkami Kokuhonsha było wielu kolegów Hiranumy z Ministerstwa Spraw Wewnętrznych, ważnych biznesmenów, a także niektórzy z najpotężniejszych generałów i admirałów, w tym generałowie Sadao Araki, Jinzaburō Masaki, Makoto Saitō i Yamakawa Kenjirō, z bohaterem wojennym i admirałem Tōgō Heihachirō pełniący funkcję honorowego wiceprzewodniczącego. W 1936 r. twierdził, że liczy ponad 200 000 członków w 170 oddziałach. Kokuhonsha publikowali gazetę i działali jako polityczna grupa wsparcia Hiranumy. Jednak po tym, jak Hiranuma został mianowany przewodniczącym Tajnej Rady, nie potrzebował już wsparcia politycznej grupy działania. Incydent z 26 lutego 1936 r., podczas którego wielu wybitnych członków wyraziło poparcie dla powstańców, dostarczył Hiranumie pretekstu do rozwiązania organizacji.

[sweet-pinkitty]

Men Colored Blue

Wallpaper Campaign

💙💙💙💙💙💙

[kitty-otome]

UNDERRATED VOLTAGE STORIES

i present to you a list of five underrated stories from the app love 365 that you need to read!

some of these stories are main stories, others are sub stories, but they’re all readable even if you haven’t read the main stories of the characters mentioned.

p. s. they’re in no particular order!

BOY MEETS GIRL: KUROSAWA

from the game her love in the force, boy meets girl: kurosawa tells kurosawa’s season 1 main story from his perspective. now, i thought this was just going to be another pov story, but boy was i wrong! the writing in this story is absolutely phenomenal! it wasn’t just like a little compilation of selected events from his perspective it was like, a whole story! it was so good (honestly better than a lot of main stories i’ve read)! i definitely recommend it if you’re into angsty or just more serious stories! oh and even if you haven’t read his main story, it’ll still make sense, so don’t worry!

MAIN STORY: SHINRA

popular game, unpopular character. from the infamous game, enchanted in the moonlight, this story follows you, the mc, as you sell your body to a horned demon named shinra, in exchange for protection against evil ayakashi’s, who are after you. listen, i’ve heard some really... unflattering reviews of enchanted in the moonlight, and honestly i agreed with most of the critics... until i read shinra’s main story. he is so adorable! he is the ultimate awkward tsundere and i don’t understand why people don’t talk about him more! he really reminds me of yuusuke asahina from brothers conflict! not only is his character so precious, the story line is really wholesome too!

MAIN STORY: YUKI SAEJIMA

from the story, bad boys do it better, yuki saejima’s main story is ridiculously addictive! it tells the story of you, mc, who is transferred to an all boys school, where yuki is the science teacher. i’ve honestly read it like three to four times, it’s so good and yuki’s character is just so entertaining to me. he’s like a tsundere who comes off as a kamidere. he’s teasing, a borderline bully, yet he’s still really sweet and thoughtful. i don’t even think my explanation does his character justice, he’s really unique! definitely recommend to anyone who likes age gap or student teacher stories!

PUPPY LOVE DIARIES MASAKI & MASAYA

from the game diary of a step sister, puppy love diaries masaki & masaya is a lighthearted story that, as the title suggests, follows the twins masaki and masaya as they try to show their love to their girlfriend (mc) by making her a gift and well... struggling at it. it’s just so cute and innocent, i was smiling the whole time as i was reading! i’d recommend it if you’re looking for a short and sweet story that doesn’t require much or any brainpower.

MAIN STORY: HARADA

from the game era of samourai: code of love, harada’s main story was surprisingly good. like, actually really good! at the beginning, i wanted to read it because i heard pretty poor reviews about era of samourai: code of love as a whole, so i wanted to check the game out for myself. i didn’t have much hope, honestly. however, i was pleasantly surprised. this story was amazing! it follows the story of mc as she moves in with a house full of samourais, harada being one of them obviously, after her house burned down. i swear, mc and harada’s chemistry is unmatched. their connection, the tension between these two, wow! there’s literally barely any physical contact between them in the story, yet you can feel their attraction towards each other so strongly, it’s incredible! also, harada really reminds me of soryu oh from kissed by the baddest bidder! if you like action stories or stories that focus more on the connection between the characters rather than the actual romance, i think you’d really like this one! this isn’t a story i’d usually go for and i loved it!

have you already read any of these? if so, leave your thoughts below!

[truelovevoltage]

DOAS: Taking Care Of You

“miyuki-snow said: Hello~ Could you do Diary of a Step Sister headcanon please... Like when the MC suddenly fainted im school because of overworking and the brothers tried to nurse her...”

“miyuki-snow said: Sorry... Forgot to mention... Could you do for Yuji, Masaki and Shun please”

Masaki Saionji

He noticed that you were a bit sluggish this morning but he didn’t look into it deeply, he thought that you were just really tired. He can’t really blame you for it since you’ve been helping him out with extra practice. But for him, he didn’t feel tired at all. 

You, on the other hand didn’t want to worry him and decided to go to school even when you’re not at your hundred percent self health wise. You decided to go with the flow and took a non-drowsy pill to help with your headache and to help you get through the day. The last thing you’d want is to fall asleep in class. 

The pill worked in the morning and now you just have to get through the rest of the day. You couldn’t wait to go home and sleep. Masaki invited you to the cafeteria to grab lunch and the two of you talked about the previous lesson. However your surroundings started to sway and made you nauseous. 

Masaki thought you were following behind him but when he turn around he saw you holding your head while the other hand was on the wall for support. Before he could even ask you what was wrong, you couldn’t take it anymore and collapsed. You were lucky that Masaki rushed to your side before you fell. 

He panicked and picked you up right away. He was worried about you, what the hell happened? You were fine awhile ago, why did you suddenly faint? When the two of you arrived at the infirmary room he explained what happened. “Hmm, did she have breakfast this morning?” 

“Yeah she did. We always eat breakfast together as a family.” 

“I see. Y/N’s going to be fine, she just needs to rest. I know it’s exam season and everyone always push themselves and study hard during this time of the year. But I also know that she’s your manager for your team and had to juggle between that and school.” 

The realization hit him hard. He didn’t know that you were trying to juggle everything and he even asked you to help him get extra practice. He blamed himself for being selfish. 

It didn’t take awhile and you woke up, “What happened?” You asked. The Nurse answered your question and told you to rest for the time being. You even apologized to Masaki for worrying him. “Y/N I’m sorry, I should’ve been more observant. I didn’t know that you were pushing yourself and trying to keep things in balance.” He frowned. “But you don’t have to worry, I’ll take care of you.” He smiled. 

That night he told you that you didn’t need to come down to have dinner, he brought you food in your room. He stayed with you and made sure you were eating, he wanted you to finish the food he brought up. He’s going to make sure you eat and get enough sleep so that this won’t happen again.

Shun Saionji

Shun questioned Kaname why you weren’t here. He was very excited to tell you about his day and what they did at class today. He loved talking to you about things whether they’re good, or bad.

He was looking forward to it but when Kaname just drove straight home Shun new something was wrong. Before he could even ask, the butler of Saionji answered the question he’s been meaning to ask but didn’t know where to start. “Miss Y/N overworked herself and fainted at school. Your brothers called me right away to pick her up from school and to look after her.” 

This made the young Saionji worry about you, he couldn’t wait to go home and see how you were doing. He started to wonder what you’d like for your snack or what you’d like to eat for dinner. He tried to remember all your favourite snack or favourite food but nothing came to mind. 

Shun then remembered that you never talked to him about these things, you always listened to him talk about his day at school or what his favourite activities are. You were there to listen about his interests but you never shared your own interest to him and he was going to find out about it. 

He knocked on your door and you mumbled an answer. Shun wanted you to get plenty of rest but he also wanted you to eat. You need to eat to get back your strength.

Shun walked in with a tray. “I heard that you fainted and I brought you some snacks. I didn’t know what your favourite snacks were so I asked the maids if they could make my favourite and we can eat them together.” 

“Oh Shun! Thank you for this but you didn’t have to. I would be happy to try out your favourite snacks!” You smiled at him. 

He wanted to talk about his usual day because you weren’t there inside the car on the way home but he held it back. He wanted to know more about you but he knows that you need to rest. “I’ll get them to make my favourite for you to try and hopefully next time I can try your favourite snack and food as well. For now, you need to get better Y/N and I will be your personal butler.” He smiled. 

You were thankful to have a kind and caring brother to be there for you at your side. “Thank you, I’ll be in your care then.” You giggled as he gave you tea to drink. 

Yuji Saionji

He was minding his own business and was preparing for the upcoming festival and kept him busy for awhile. He didn’t even notice the time and there’s only two hours left and the day will be over. 

Yuji thought about going to your classroom and go home together since he always enjoyed your company. However one if his classmates ran and opened the door of the room, it made everyone jumped in surprise. “YUJI!” His classmate yelled. 

“There’s no need to shout, I’m right here.” He replied.

“I just saw Y/N getting carried to the infirmary.” 

This made Yuji stand up from his seat. The others knew that whenever it comes to a family member, Yuji will take everything seriously. He looked at the his classmates and gave him a nod. He was thankful that his classmates were very understanding. 

He didn’t even listen to the rest but he ran to the infirmary. He didn’t care about his looks right now, he was worried about you. He wanted to know what happened exactly. 

Upon his arrival, his older brother was there talking to the nurse. “Perfect timing. Yuji, can you take Y/N home? I would do it but I have a meeting later and Kaname is busy as well. I can tell your teacher to excuse you for the rest of the day.” 

Even if his brother didn’t tell him to do it, he will gladly offered to take you home instead of staying in the school. You had a slight fever and Yuji made sure you were warm on the way home. He wanted to do something for you and cook soup to make your body warm. 

He carried you to your room but you didn’t feel anything cause you were in a deep sleep. I guess that’s what happens when you use up all of your battery and don’t have time to recharge at all.

While you slept in your comfortable bed he made you soup. He asked the chef if they could help him make soup, at least then it won’t turn out as bad and it’ll be edible. He also made sure to bring you fresh flowers in your room in case you wake up from your sleep. 

It surprised you when you woke up in your room and wondered how you got there because the last thing you remember was you fainting in the hallway as you walked with your friends. 

You sat up from you bed and saw that there were flowers on your bedside table. You wondered to yourself who put the flowers but it made you feel better, and during that time Yuji was walking in with the soup he made. “Oh you’re awake. That’s good then, you need to eat some soup and take your medicine.” He smiled. 

You were about to pick up the spoon and eat when Yuji snatched it from you. “Nope, you’re sick Y/N. I’m going to feed you.” You wanted to say no but you didn’t want to hurt his feelings and nodded at him. “I’m going to be your personal Nurse today Y/N! If you need anything I will get it for you.” 

Once you were done eating, he fixed your pillows and made sure you were comfortable. He stayed with you until you fell asleep, he didn’t want to leave you alone. When he noticed you fell asleep, he tucked you in and whispered to get better soon.

[rikumorimachisgirl]

I ran into a college classmate earlier. He asked if I was seeing someone, and I thought...

... Hmmm, yeah... 😁✌

It's true though. 🙈

[inthiscorner]

This made me cackle 😭😭😭 | From Masaki Main Story POV|

[senzila]

OOF

[sadisticsmiles]

The Saionji household has come a long way in a short amount of time in its translation. It’s nostalgic remembering the voices of Wataru Hatano (Shuichi), Tetsuya Kakihara (Yuji), Masaki (Takahiro Sakurai), Masaya (Hiroyuki Yoshino), Shun (Koki Miyata), and Daisuke Namikawa (Kaname Midou), as I went through the Celebrity Wedding sub-story. The story in the app isn’t like how the scenarios for the drama CDs play out, though, since the Love 365 game is a revamped version of its original. Drama CD 2 has an older version of Shun standing across from Yuji, who resembles Tamaki Suoh from Ouran High School Host Club, in his (Yuji’s) wedding version.

Also, I previously have mentioned Daisuke Ono voices the extra character in the second CD.

[x0401x]

Tsurune —Tsunagari no Issha— Official Fanbook: Character Highlights #2

Masaki's Highlight

A Long and Steep Path

Masaki at first attempted to tell Minato and the others why they had lost against Tsujimine, but understanding Tommy-sensei’s intentions, he decided to firstly let them reflect on it. In order to continue doing archery for a long time, Minato and the others must think, realize and learn from their mistakes by themselves. He aims to teach them not for a short-term improvement of their skills, but so that they will keep practicing archery throughout their lives.

For the Sake of His Pupils' Growth

In the past, the only thing he thought about was improving his skills in order to change his grandfather’s opinion of him. However, Masaki’s mindset changed as he watched from up close as Minato, Seiya, Ryouhei, Nanao and Kaito overcame their challenges through trial and error. He began to rejoice in the growth of his disciples as if it were his own, saying things like, “Right now, I’m just happy that they’re getting better.”

Living Through Bonds

Masaki had a feud with his grandfather and parted ways with him without ever being able to reconcile. However, the teachings of his grandfather, 8th dan Yasaka, live on in Masaki’s shooting. This is clear even to Mutou—Kirisaki’s advisor, who knew Yasaka’s shooting. The teachings connect master and students.

Eisuke's Highlight

Proving His Strength

Nikaidou is obsessed with winning in order to prove the superiority of the uchiokoshi-style shooting, which is what connects him to his uncle. At the root of this is his hatred for Saionji, who turned down his uncle Shigeru—and by extension, for Japanese archery itself. He intended to quit archery after winning the nationals and proving to people the strength of the uchiokoshi style. That is how strong his feelings towards his uncle and uchiokoshi are.

Undoubtable Skills as an Archer

Although his goal was revenge, he took archery seriously, enough for his skills as an archer to be regarded highly by Masaki and Motomura. He also keeps a keen eye on what the other members of his club need to improve in their shooting. Although they were receiving advice from Shigeru, the fact that members with little experience were able to participate in the nationals was largely due to Nikaidou’s leadership.

A Presence that Gives Support to His Heart

Since he was a child, Nikaidou has idolized his father’s brother-in-law, Nikaidou Shigeru (VC: Endou Daichi). Due to family circumstances, Nikaidou was often left in Shigeru’s care, thus Shigeru’s presence naturally became bigger in Nikaidou’s heart. His admiration for Shigeru’s form when shooting in uchiokoshi style was also the reason why he started doing archery. The greater his affection for Shigeru is, the stronger is his anger towards the unreasonably unfortunate events that befall him.

Koushirou's Highlight

Whilst Keeping a Distance

Fuwa is intrigued by how Nikaidou, who has a deft attitude towards everyone, does not hide his hostility only when it comes to Minato and Shuu. He realizes that Nikaidou is secretly burdened with something, but does not ask about it out of consideration for Nikaidou’s pride, and instead investigates it through the people who know his circumstances.

That Guy Who Tends to Hold Back

Fuwa is the only one who notices Nikaidou had bought equipment with his part-time job earnings. He casually hands Nikaidou some mosquito coils and insect repellent spray, saying they “were on sale”. He maintains an utterly frank attitude and observes how Nikaidou responds to it, making it easy for Nikaidou, who tends to be reserved about weird things, to accept his kindness.

[lilyah]

Diary of a Step-Sister // Masaki Saionji // Main Story, Epilogue, & His PoV

[tsuki-kirigakure]

I'm sick rn but I think this made me feel better. 😭😂❤

[solns]

Masaki Saionji CG

[voltageotome]

♪ Diary of a Step-Sister ♪

Masaki Saionji is OUT NOW! Diary of a Step-Sister's third character is here!

▼Love 365: Find Your Story▼

https://app.adjust.com/67mqkn