#Shintarō’s Connections

[legendreign-archived]

Shintarō’s Connections

Family

Masaru Kato: His maternal cousin who disciplines him using force. Masaru dislikes his arrogance while Shintarō claims they will never get along because Masaru's blood type is A.

Mika Midorima: His younger sister who is a year younger than him. Compared to him who was born with a lot of bad luck, she was born with a lot of good luck so to be in close proximity for a prolonged amount of time makes her weakened which is why he acts tsundere towards her saying that it is improper for them to spend time together in public.

Lovers

Kazunari Takao: Exclusively shipped with @ervaurem 's portrayal. He thought of him as a nuisance by staying around him when he does his late practice and even when they were "friends", he thought of him as a nuisance but over time, Kazunari who is willing to comply with Shintarō's ridiculous requests becomes something more.

Natsuki Adachi: Exclusively shipped with @sportbaes . An older girl born with bad luck just like him. Her family owns a bakery that makes red bean buns that he enjoys. Although he is selfish, she is very forgiving of him and in time, the two of them pursue a relationship and he gives her lucky items to make sure she is safe.

(This post will be updated if needed.)

[raspberrylix]

(some) KnB characters and their favorite kpop acts

After seeing a post by @imalwaysinconfusion, I could not stop thinking about the characters and the type of music they would listen to, as music is very cool and event more important to me as knb. But then my recent expertise lies mainly in kpop so this the post. All credits for the idea go to them, hope me doing this is okay :] Most of these are based on vibes and vibes alone

Akashi Seijūrō

(Honestly I’m having a hard time with him, so many signals and yet nothing I could understand, great start)

BIBI

Day6

Midorima Shintarō

Shinee + gg (taemin bias)

Him and Kise have a similar taste but it’d say Midorima is more chill (but don’t come across him on twt during yet another fanwar)

Kise Ryōta

Loona

Itzy

NewJeans

Jeon Somi (when I think of fast forward, I see Kise, why is that?)

XG

He’s either the most nicest person you can meet at the concert or he won’t be afraid to drop kick someone from being a bg stan, the line is very thin

Aomine Daiki

Ateez(!!!)

MonstaX

P1Harmony

Stray Kids (with this I’m really not sure, but he’d love megaverse and side effects for sure)

Murasakibara Atsuchi

Xdinary Heroes

Ateez (Mura would love FOB -> mingi loves FOB -> I love both ATZ and FOB with mingi being my bias-> dots are connected)

Either Woodz or Gaho or both but both of those might be too light for him

Dreamcatcher (feels like Himuro’s influence)

Kuroko Tetsuya

Day6 (wonpil bias, won’t elaborate)

DPR, DPR LIVE in particular

Hoody

Dean, heavy on him

Kagami Taiga

Stray Kids

iKON

bold shot, but somehow, I feel like he would like BlackPink a lot

epik high

Woodz

Kiyoshi Teppei

Seventeen

GOT7

Red Velvet, heavy on Red Velvet

T-ARA, KARA

TEEN TOP, B.A.P, Block B, VIXX, basically all the best from early-mid 3rd gen

he's the chill type and would get along with everyone, despite their music taste and would try to learn about one's favorite artists, if he doesn't know them. he also misses how back in the day idols would interact between groups

Hyūga Junpei

Kard

SuperM

Cheetah

Rolling Quartz <3

he just likes badass people, dunno

Izuki Shun, aka a man with perfect taste

DPR IAN

J-hope

BIBI

Jamie (!)

Koganei Shinji

Xikers, definitely xikers

Billlie

5th gen stan for sure

Takao Kazunari

NCT all units

Riize (maybe)

SM gg

Basically I see him as a huge SM stan

Sakurai Ryō

Lucy

Onewe

AKMU

Himuro Tatsuya

The Rose

Tablo

Woodz

Dreamcatcher

Aida Riko

Yezi

AleXa

G-(i)dle

Mamamoo

(i just think she's very cool and would love cool woman of kpop)

Momoi Statsuki

Nmixx

TXT

enhypen

Oriwara Shigehiro

NCT dream

Riize, big fan of riize, totally has mastered play a guitar move

was this post just me assigning my own favorite artists to these characters, thus making a situation where they had to be my bffs? mayhaps. but i had a lot of fun

[jakethesequel]

Things on my mind today because school research:

(Tldr: The Japanese government is dominated by a single party founded and maintained by a semi-secret society of fascists, former war criminals, ultranationalists, yakuza, cultists, and billionaires; brought together by CIA anti-communism efforts.)

Japan has had one political party in power almost continuously since 1955, only stepping down for a total 4 non-consective years: the broadly conservative Liberal Democratic Party

The LDP was formed by a merger between the Liberal Party and the Democratic Party. Instrumental in this was politician Nobusuke Kishi, a Democratic Party official formerly high up in the Liberal Party. He would represent the LDP as Japan's Prime Minister from 1957-1960

Previously, Mr. Kishi had been a minister in the government of Imperial Japan, considered a protégé of General Tōjō. Post-war he was imprisoned by the Allied Forces under charges of "class A" war crimes for being a major planner of the Japanese war effort. Other fascists held in the same cell were ultranationalist yakuza boss Yoshio Kodama, anti-communist millionaire and billionaire-to-be Ryōichi Sasakawa, and former Yomiuri Shinbun (Japan's preeminent conservative newspaper) owner Matsurarō Shōriki. The bonds they formed in Sugamo prison would become a lifelong secret society influencing Japanese politics.

All four were released from prison without ever facing trial for their war crimes charges. Why? The CIA was very concerned about communist influence in East Asia, and figured letting a handful of fascists go free would give them a very useful tool to suppress socialist movements in Japan.

Mr. Shōriki went on to found Japan's first commercial television broadcaster, Nippon TV. A few years later he became the first chairman of Prime Minister Kishi's new Japanese Atomic Energy Commission. Declassified documents have revealed that he did both those things because the CIA suggested that Japan should have a pro-US TV channel across the nation, and wanted to bring Japan into the sphere of influence of US nuclear technology

Mr. Kodama again became a leader in Japanese organized crime, bringing together a coalition of ultranationalist paramilitaries and yakuza families all committed to a shared right-wing ideology. With his thugs he broke strikes, beat protestors, threatened journalists, managed bribes, and laundered a ton of money, all in service of the LDP and the CIA. At least, until 1976, where he was publicly outed as the main facilitator for Lockheed Martin bribing its way into major Japanese government contracts to the tune of millions of dollars.

Mr. Sasakawa got mega rich off of rebuilding Japan's wartorn infrastructure and establishing a gambling industry. He called himself "the world's richest fascist." He funneled his profits into international political interest groups, like the World Anti-Communist League he founded with his buddies Syngman Rhee of South Korea and Chiang Kai-Shek of Taiwan.

Mr. Sasakawa's activist groups attracted the attention of Korean cult leader Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the Unification Church. The UC's eccentric adaptation of Christianity has a very political theology, and before anything else it's devoutly anti-communist. Mr. Sasakawa became a major financial supporter of the Church, and helped establish its presence in Japan. He connected Mr. Moon with Mr. Kishi, bringing him into the extended Sugamo circle.

Even after his reign as PM, Mr. Kishi remained a central figure in LDP decision-making. He and Mr. Sasakawa developed close ties between the cult and the LDP, and made sure they were regularly maintained. The LDP used Moonies as unpaid campaign assistants, and in exchange Japan became the primary source of the UC's financial support. The UC helped the LDP spread, and the LDP helped the UC spread, growing both.

When Mr. Sasakawa died, his son-in-law Shintarō Abe became the main ambassador of the UC-LDP alliance, which was stronger than ever. When Shintarō Abe died, his son Shinzō Abe (Mr. Kishi's grandson) took over managing UC-LDP affairs. The younger Mr. Abe became the LDP's Prime Minister of Japan from 2007-2008, had a second term from 2012-2020, and faced the consequences of his actions in 2022

Ps: If I've said anything incorrect or unsupported here do let me know, I'm working on an essay.

[sportbaes]

"It's International Kissing Day?" Shintarō raised a brow at Natsuki. "What a ludicrous excuse for a holiday nanodayo." Still he kissed her. "If you wanted a kiss, you should've just asked Natsu."

international kissing day.

it made her heart race, she heard about it from others but didn't want to bring it up to him. midorima probably would think it was stupid, but figured she could casually let him know anyway. it wasn't like they were always so affectionate with each other, but she didn't want to feel like he was ashamed to be seen with her.

when their lips connected, she returned the kiss while she blushed, "s-sorry shin-chan, i will next time."

[alternatecode]

Spy

AkaKuro Day 4 (April 14) - Outcome | Balance | Connection  Quote: “I’ve known all along.”

I’m sorry guys. This one isn’t all that great because it’s mostly a recycled fic. In actuality it’d be multi chaptered but I broke it up for this. Yet somehow it took hours to do it?? I give up. WHy do I even try??

Anyway, it’s yazuka/spy themed au this time. Kinda.

Calling him a spy would be going too far.

Sure he snuck into and infiltrated the current reigning yakuza. Sure he stalks their leader and skulks around the place trying to find insider information. And sure he eventually reports his findings to the yakuza’s rival gang….

….So yeah, he was a spy.

In all honesty, Kuroko didn't plan on staying long, as he was ordered to just recover information pertaining to certain deals and find weak link members. All which he did rather successfully. Not a single person figured it out when a few documents went missing. It led to the mysterious disappearance of two men however. Kuroko inwardly apologized to them but a job was a job.

Hopefully, if things went smoothly, Ogiwara would be able to extract him within a week. Or at least, that was the plan.

His phone pinged, notifying him itd a text message.

[Trick Akashi Seijūrō into accepting a deal from Meikō.]

“Damn it, Shige, what do you think I am?”

See, there was a slight problem here.

Akashi Seijūrō was the boss. As in the infamously cruel man who had no qualms with doing what needed to be done or getting his hands dirty. As in the person whose perception skills outmatched those of a detective's. His moral code was more questionable than one's too.

In just the few brief meetings during his time here, he came to realize just how strong the Akashi's presence really was. And Kuroko wasn't about to have a tête-à-tête with the most powerful and intimidating man in the country.

He could, on the other hand, talk to them.

Them being Akashi's inner circle, of course.

During his time here over the past year or so, he somehow ended up getting along with most of them, the only exception being the boss's right hand man. Of course he didn't exactly plan on getting close to any of them in the start. Too risky. Instead, they ended up talking to him first.

The first one he met was Aomine Daiki. He usually played a roll as Akashi’s bodyguard. They first spoke when Aomine caught him when he knocked Kuroko over on the staircase, almost causing him to tumble down. He ignored him for awhile but suddenly the man started to be strangely friendly. Kuroko brushed it off since Aomine seemed harmless enough.

From there he met Momoi Satsuki and Kise Ryouta when the three of them bumped into each other while carrying documents. Apparently these had specialized skills that were deemed important enough to keep close. Kuroko decided not to underestimate them because of their cheerful and eccentricity. He has yet to find out more. The closeness they forced into made for plenty opportunities at least.

Following the cheery duo came the stone-faced one. Few things he learned about about Midorima Shintarou were that he was an organized man, was really good at his job, and had a thing for Oha Asa. Oh, and that he absolutely hated Kuroko's guts.

“Kuro-chin, there you are.”

Of course. How could he forget about Murasakibara Atsushi. When Midorima wasn't by the boss's side, this guy was. He was probably the tallest person he had ever had the displeasure of meeting. One thing he knew for sure about this guy was that despite his lazy personality, he was not to be messed with. His loyalty to Akashi was fearsome. It made Kuroko wonder when and why he was being so...fond?

“Hello, Murasakibara-kun,” he greeted, slipping his phone into his back pocket, nearly dropping the documents clutched under his arm in the process.

“We’re having a meeting in a hour.”

“Ok?” Everyone knew about it. The boss often calls his inner circle in for meetings, which in turn became a popular gossip topic as members would try to guess what they were about.

The giant glanced away, thinking, before realizing what was wrong. “Ah, and you're to be there.”

That can't be good.

“I see. Thank you for telling me.”

Kuroko didn't give Murasakibara a chance to reply, opting to make his escape. The documents in his arms felt less important all the sudden. Maybe he could just leave then in Momoi’s office when she wasn't around. After, he would need to find a way out of this place wouldn't be suspicious. Forget about Ogiwara’s orders. Even if they are childhood friends and the man helped him get jobs, he would have to let this one pass.

It was not worth his life.

Despite his decision, fate had different plans.

“Kurokocchi~!”

Shit.

“Kise-kun,” Kuroko spoke, mind racing, “what are doing here?”

The pretty blond didn't hold back from a chance to hug the smaller male. Kise had a wide grin plastered on his face when he finally released Kuroko from his grip.

“I'm here to make you make it to the meeting. Your lack of presence may make it difficult after all.”

That bad feeling Kuroko had? It just got worse.

“Oh, are these the accounting documents Momocchi asked for? Are you delivering them?” Kise asked a few pages from the top of the pile.

This was one of the moments that Kuroko appreciated Kise’s habit of quickly changing topics. With a sigh, he let him relax just enough to make sure the blond wouldn't realize how tense he really felt. “Yes.”

“I'll take you there then!”

And that was how Kuroko found himself outside the door to Momoi’s office. He had given the documents to the girl and planned to sneak out while she was engaged in a conversation with Kise, but the topic of a certain individual came up which caught his attention.

“.....Akashi….plan…”

Akashi. It was only an hour, but if he could plant the idea of accepting the Meikō deal, whatever is was, into the heads of the boss's most important then maybe they would get him to accept it and Kuroko could still get paid. It was worth an attempt at least, but he gets an opportunity to escape before the meeting he will be sure to prioritize himself over the job.

“Hey, can I talk you guys about a rumor I heard?”

He did it!

After forty minutes of convincing, he managed to talk them into bringing up the deal with Akashi. They left ahead of him to get to the meeting when Momoi asked Kise to help carry some things. Kuroko promised to be close behind once he finished cleaning up the documents ‘accidently’ knocked over. He waved farewell, waiting for the door to shut before rushing over to the window.

Locked.

No big deal.

He wasted zero time. Kuroko pressed himself against the wooden office door, listening for the duo’s footsteps which have long faded. This might be his last chance. He'd have been smooth about this. Not act suspicious in any way. Tipping off the other members was the last thing he wanted.

He opened the door and dashed.

So far his plan was going smoothly. His lack of presence was beneficial in times like these.

At least right until he got captured.

An arm shot out nowhere, pulling him into the arms of another. Kuroko recognized the person as Aomine. He looked up in the surprise. He almost missed the man's rough apology for pulling him a little to hard. Of course. he wasn't sure what this meant either. Surely Aomine knew he was supposed to be at the meeting.

“Sorry about this, Tetsu.”

Turned out he was right.

His face was met with a cloth. One with a very familiar smell. It was strong and made him dizzy. Oh, of course, it had to chloroform.

Everything went black.

“Really, Ryōta. I asked one thing and you couldn't even do that. You're lucky Daiki found him.”

“Akashicchi! Don't be angry! He promised!”

“Akashi.”

“What is it, Shintarō?”

“He's waking.”

“Oh, you're right. You all are dismissed now.”

Kuroko pressed a hand to temple. Vaguely recalling what exactly just happened. One thing was for certain: Akashi Seijūrō knew exactly who he was.

“Not the outcome you expected, Kuroko Tetsuya?”

Blue orbs groggily found their way around the room before landing on the one who ruled the underground. The room was lavish, a fancy table with seven chairs stood as the centerpiece. The arrangement fit for Akashi would be sitting at the end, like he was doing now. From his place on the floor at the end, Kuroko found it to be rather intimidating.

He could hardly bring himself to speak. Not that he even could with whatever was gagging his mouth getting in the way.

“I must say,” the boss continued, “your skills are very impressive. The others didn't figure it out until recently. I've had my eye on you for a long time now, Mr. Spy.”

This caused Kuroko to still. He was sure that his fear could be seen on his usually passive face.

“That's right, Tetsuya. I've known all along.”

Ah. Does this mean this is where he will die?

“The other’s have taken a liking to you, you know,” Akashi said, amusement shining in those red eyes. “I have as well.”

Kuroko didn't know what to think as the yakuza boss approached him, kneeling to get to Kuroko’s eye level. He tried his best to increase the space between but failed, instead causing himself to fall over.

Catching him, Akashi gripped Kuroko's face, showing no gentleness when he forced the spy to met his gaze. “Say, how you like to work for me? In exchange… I'll let that childhood friend of yours live.”

“What do you say, Kuroko Tetsuya? Become mine.”

[recentanimenews]

Cats Is Still Big, Weird, and Furry in Japan

If you are capable of breathing and have an internet connection, then you’ve probably heard about the new, heavily computer animated movie based off Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1981 musical Cats. The show itself is loosely based off T.S Eliot's book, Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. If you’re unfamiliar with the plot, here’s all you need to know: Cats is a show about a strange clan of felines singing and dancing for the opportunity to ascend to the “Heaviside Layer,” where they go to be reborn. It’s about life, death, memory, and lots of unresolved sexual tension. Whatever happens next depends on how much hip thrusting, skin-tight suits, and fur you prefer in your musicals. And Japan absolutely adores it!

  Since 1983, the Shiki Theatre Company has been performing their version of Cats to Japanese audiences. Cats was first adapted by late Shiki founder Keita Asari, who has adapted other major musicals such as The Lion King and Jesus Christ Superstar for Japanese audiences. And like all adaptations of musicals, each theatre company brings its own unique flavor to the songs, costumes, characters, and stage. However, Cats in Japan is different—although it was based on the original 1981 London production, it still has made plenty of changes for the sake of localization and artistic sensibilities.

  Shiki cast at the Imado Shrine during a promotional photoshoot

  The Shiki production recently celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2018, and as of this year a brand new Cats-dedicated theatre was built in Tokyo. With about 10,000 performances of Cats under its belt, the Shiki production is one of the longest running international adaptations out there. Which for a show as popular as Cats, is no small feat. This April, the current Tokyo Cats cast even took a trip to the famous Imado Shrine (home of the “beckoning cat" statue) for a promotional photoshoot. In the business, we like to call this "peak aesthetic."

  Adaptational Differences

In the Cats lore, there are no main characters, but instead a large ensemble cast. Some productions use up to 33 named cats, however the current Shiki production uses about 25 characters. The most notable difference is the lack of Alonzo in the Shiki cast, a very visible role that is typically reserved for the principal male dancer. In the original London casting calls, Alonzo is described as a black and white cat who is a “very good dancer” and the “ensemble baritone”; however, in Japan, he’s typically replaced by two very different characters: the Japan-only Gilbert and the odd bird Rumpus Cat.

  Rumpus Cat in the Tokyo 2018 production

  While Gilbert was an all-new addition based off a siamese cat and alternate designs for Alonzo, Rumpus Cat already existed. In fact, Rumpus Cat might have well been the strangest choice for the Shiki production—Rumpus typically only appears for one major number in most productions, and amateur productions tend to skip it altogether. Rumpus is clearly based off Superman and American super hero characters, making him probably the most garish of the entire cast. However, in the current Tokyo production Rumpus resembles a Final Fantasy character I might've drawn in high school with his strange hair and red visor. This version is both a weird yet still respectful adaptation of the original John Napier costume design. It's silly, but it works.

  Musical theatre in Japan has always been a big deal. Organizations such as the Takarazuka Revue have been putting on productions since 1914, many of which have been adapted from Western works. While these shows do include dance numbers, they’re nothing compared to Cats. What makes Cats unique is its intensity—as a sung-through show with heavy emphasis on dancing, this makes putting on professional productions incredibly demanding. All this action is compounded by the fact that actors are dressed tight outfits with ears, tails, and coats of fur. The amount of costumes required for Cats has naturally led to the Shiki production developing an individual aesthetic, with plenty of new designs introduced over the years.

  Shiki Theatre Company Rum Tum Tugger (left) and Napier's original design (right)

  Let’s take a look at Rum Tum Tugger here. Compared to the original 1981 Napier design (right), the Shiki version of Tugger (left) is missing half a pant leg, has prominent cheetah-shaped spots, bigger furry cuffs, and a posse of fangirls. Strangely enough, his design was altered for the 1996 Tokyo production, exchanging the black and tan coat and fur for all white. That of course was eventually swapped for the original Shiki design, and hasn't changed much since. And that’s just the fur. For makeup, the Shiki production has experimented with both full and partial face paint, which might remind some of the stage makeup worn by Kabuki actors. Except if they were all, you know, funky cat people.

  So what’s the big deal about Cats in Japan? Ever since its debut, Cats alum have moved on to all facets of the Japanese entertainment industry. For example, in the original 1983 production, Shintarō Sonooka played Munkustrap, and later on went to do voice-over for Yu-Gi-Oh! and Kingdom Hearts. Another Cats alum, Masachika Ichimura, who played Rum Tum Tugger, is most well-known for his role of Mewtwo in Pokémon the Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back. Two epic feline roles for one actor—a purrsonal record maybe. Akiko Kuno, the first to play Grizabella and perform “Memory” on stage in Japan, also has credits in the Sakura Wars franchise. The current Tokyo-based production of Cats even includes special merchandise like mystery charms, just in case anyone was planning their Cats themed ita-bag any time soon.

  Collect them all!

  Cute merchandise tie-ins aside, Japanese localization is never easy. Much like any piece of entertainment that needs to be re-written with a different audience in mind, Cats has been twisted and played with dozens of times. However, despite the many iterations, Cats in Japan is a testament of how even high-concept ideas don’t need to be radically re-imagined to get their point, nor their charm across.

  Cats will always be near and dear to my heart no matter what shape it takes. However, as a fan of the show’s colorful look, I can’t help but fall in love with the Shiki production. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Japan has always been obsessed with cats both in popular culture and the fine arts. Whether it be the Nemuri Neko statue sculpted by Hidari Jingoro, or Hello Kitty, cats have historically been celebrated for their aloofness and cuteness. Cats has a universal appeal that isn’t going anywhere any time soon—and the Shiki production of Cats is still breathing fresh life into a show relishing in its albeit weird, but iconic personality.

  Do you love Cats? Have you ever seen any musicals in Japan? Let us know in the comments!

  ----

Blake Planty is a writer who loves his cat. He likes old mecha anime, computer games, books, and black coffee. His twitter is @_dispossessed. He also just launched a new, free newsletter called Boy Toy Box, where you can hear all about the fictional boys he loves to hate and hates to love.

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[legendreign-archived]

Mika's Connections

Family

Shintarō Midorima : Her older brother who is a year older than him. Compared to him who was born with a lot of bad luck, she was born with a lot of good luck so to be in close proximity for a prolonged amount of time makes her weakened but she is willing to nullify his bad luck, and yet he says it is improper for them to spend time together.

Masaru Kato: Her older maternal cousin who she calls “Masa nii-san.” To him and his younger twin brother, Mika is the cousin they never had.

(This post will be updated if needed.)

[legendreign-archived]

Masaru's Connections

Family

Shintarō Midorima : His maternal cousin who makes Masaru discipline him when he is acting like a brat. He dislikes his arrogance while Shintarō claims they will never get along because Masaru's blood type is A.

Mika Midorima: His younger maternal cousin who calls him "Masa nii-san." To him and his younger twin brother, Mika is the cousin they never had.

Friends

Noburu Makoto: One of Masaru's best friends. They both share the same vices: smoking and drinking. They often drink together. Their dynamic is similar to sibling bickering.

 Saya Otonashi: He acts like a dad friend towards her and is protective of her. She calls him “Masa” and depends on him.

 Kanaria: In his Rozen Maiden verse, he is her medium. Both of them are quirky and intelligent and he buys things for his doll.

Lovers

Kanako Ryuuzaki: Both of them are rather mature and act as the parental figures of their friend group. In every lifetime, they will fall for each other every time.

(This post will be updated if needed.)