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soupthatistohot · 10 months

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BSD 109 Spoilers!!!

I will always always ALWAYS come back to this panel when talking about Asagiri’s storytelling.

At its very core, BSD is an absurdist text, Kafka Asagiri having been inspired by many absurdist authors. Franz Kafka, who he took his pseudonym from is one of them. Albert Camus, basically the most well-known absurdist is referenced with the Mersault prison, the name of which comes from a character in his most famous absurdist work, The Stranger.

Absurdism is the belief that the world around us is irrational and inherently absurd and that explicitly seeking meaning is pointless. In his essay The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus explains, that there is value in the act of rebellion, though. Sisyphus, who has been doomed to roll a boulder up a mountain only for the boulder to tumble back down each time he reaches the peak, finds meaning in the act of continuing to push the boulder. Even though he will continue this cycle for all of eternity, he doesn’t just lay down and give up, he rebels against the absurdity of his situation by continuing to push the boulder, despite the seemingly futile nature of the act.

As I said earlier, BSD is an absurdist text. All of the animanga’s main characters are on a journey of discovering their meaning in life, and their place in the world, and they do this by rebelling against its absurdity — especially Dazai.

Dazai sees the absurd world for what it is, and when he was in the PM, he hated it. Thus, he sought suicide as a solution. I will note here that absurdists generally view suicide as a failure to rebel against the absurd, just giving up and giving into hopelessness. But ever since Dazai left the PM and took Oda’s advice, he’s been rebelling against this, doing good despite his inherent beliefs about morality and the world, and he’s absolutely gotten better for it.

Other characters embody this idea of rebelling against the absurd, hell, that’s kinda what this whole arc is about. The world is literally ending, and things seem to be at their absolute worst, but someone like Atsushi still has hope that he can change the minds of the hunting dogs and save reality as we know it. He even has hope that he can get through to a vampiric Akutagawa when the guy is literally brainwashed and attacking him. Aya as the “last hope” right now embodies this, too, deciding that she can’t just sit around and do nothing and then trying to remove the sword from Bram even though the effort appears futile.

But everything is going wrong right now. Fukuzawa is bleeding out, Dazai has just been shot through the forehead and appears to have died, Atsushi’s had his limbs ripped off and is at Akutagawa’s mercy, and Fukuchi is literally going to end the world! How can we have hope?!

Think about BSD. Think about the story that’s been told so far. Surely Asagiri isn’t killing everyone right now, surely the world isn’t gonna actually end. I’m not entirely convinced Aya’s plan is gonna work— but please consider that the point of absurdist storytelling is that even when everything seems to be at its worst, even when life seems completely meaningless, there is inherent meaning in still continuing to fight against this.

BSD has never been a story where the villains win, and I don’t think it’s gonna start being one. I think, as usual, Asagiri wants to scare us, to make us feel hopeless about the situation, only for someone to pull through and completely turn the tides.

Dazai laying down and accepting his death at Chuuya’s hands is not going to be the end of his story, because it goes against everything Asagiri seems to stand for. Dazai wouldn’t just give up in his fight against Fyodor, because he needs to prove he’s right about what he says in this panel:

"The ones who actually make the world turn are those who scream within the storm of uncertainty and run with flowing blood."

I think this reflects Asagiri's own beliefs and is also the reason why he is not going to let Dazai die like this, because in a way, that would be proving that Fyodor is right. From a storytelling perspective, it’d be saying “everything I’ve communicated up to this point actually means nothing and life is truly hopeless!”

Dazai has cheated death before, as has basically everyone else in danger right now. I promise you, something is going to happen and they’re all going to survive, because BSD is not trauma porn, for lack of a better term. It’s a story about how a group of people fight against the absurdity of their reality, even when everything seems completely and utterly hopeless.

There’s a lot of theories circulating about how things could work out, especially Dazai’s “death,” and I’m not here to repeat all of them, but I will say that a lot of them have credence, especially because Asagiri isn’t the type of author to make mistakes, every single detail has a distinct reason.

So even though I don't know how things are going to work out, I have full faith that they will, including Dazai's current situation. None of these characters are done just yet, they've got too much fight left in them to just give up.

[original twt thread]

#bsd #bungo stray dogs #bungou stray dogs #bsd 109 #bsd spoilers #bsd manga spoilers #bsd meta #kafka asagiri #asagiri kafka #soup rants #being a hashtag camus girlie has its merits!!!#bsd absurdism analysis

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luckystarchild · 8 months

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We all know One Piece is absolutely PHENOMENAL, but nothing is perfect, so as a writer, what would you say is your biggest pet peeve or least favorite part of One Piece as a story?

My biggest issues with One Piece are largely the same issues I have with my own work. And that makes it hard to discuss because I am hyper-aware that these critiques either make me a hypocrite OR make it seem like I'm comparing myself to Oda, which is egotistical AF and equally as obnoxious. Either way, I'm screwed.

That being said...

Narrative bloat vs. subtle foreshadowing. The story is long. That length can put people off of the story and make it feel super bloated. It's a huge barrier to entry. Some stuff that takes place over just a few days in-universe takes hundreds of chapters to convey to the reader. And I'm sorry to say that some of it doesn't feel necessary to the story (here's lookin' at you, Thriller Bark) and can be a bit of a drag.

Some people defend the length and say everything matters and that even small details become relevant later, but IMO, those details/foreshadowing pieces are often delivered in such minor ways that you can't remember the foreshadowing when the plot actually, finally drops. The length of the story and the subtlety of the story are at odds, and that's sometimes a shame.

(Also, Oda did NOT plan everything in advance. He just didn't. Some things are missing foreshadowing that would've been there if he'd planned ahead. He absolutely capitalized on early plot points and expanded them later in the story, but that's not the same as foreshadowing or planning ahead. Oda is a great storyteller, but he isn't a god, and I wish people would recognize he's fallible and stop with this whole deification shit.)

(Also as a person who has an unfinished work over a million words long, and who takes many chapters to show a single day/hour, and who puts in TINY foreshadowing no one can remember after so many words, this is what makes me a hypocrite. Either that or I'm very self-aware. Either way... sorry lmao.)

The other issue I have is the handling of the story's characters, and this once again relates to the length of the story and the problems that length causes.

Much as I love the Straw Hats and think their backstories are all pretty epic, it feels like the characters get their Shining Moment in the Sun when those backstories are introduced before being pushed to the backseat for hundreds of chapters/entire arcs at a time. Then they get pulled forward again for a little while (Sanji in Whole Cake, for instance) before getting shoved into the background yet again to make one-off remarks here and there. It sometimes feels like they get more development in their backstories than they do in the actual narrative, which is... not great, in my opinion.

Example: It feels like Zoro hasn't had anything meaningful to do except fight since he was introduced. He gets some moments here and there (like in the chapter where "nothing happened"), but it's not substantial, and I truly feel like I don't know Zoro all that well even after all this time with him. And that's sad.

Also, the forays into the side characters in other crews are INTERESTING, sure, but sometimes they're just distracting and pointless. Example: Ace's big flashback with Oars Jr. stands out to me as tear-jerker-porn that didn't add much to the story overall. "But that's how he learned to make straw hats!!" I hear people screaming but--I don't actually give a shit how he learned to make them. I'm sorry. I just don't. Take out that whole thing. It's not needed. I simply do not care about the Oars Jr. and Ace friendship that is only relevant for 5 minutes before both of them die. Similarly, Ace also feels like a giant symbol and not a person. I was sad FOR LUFFY when he died, but I shed zero tears over his death itself.

Long story short: There's just not enough narrative to go around to develop EVERYONE properly, and I have New Character Fatigue, and I wish we'd stop meeting new people at this point. (Where TF is Smoker, I ask you? Please, I need him back, it's been like three arcs without him...)

Overall, I just wish the narrative would tighten up for the sake of the plot and the characters. The live action version actually does a good job of this, which I appreciate a TON.

And again, I recognize these same issues could be said of my own work, so go easy on those tomatoes you're getting ready to throw, please!

#one piece

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soul-dwelling · 2 months

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Any new thoughts about current one piece? To me its just seems like Oda is throwing things at the wall at this point - Oh the elder is actually a monster, oh but Kuma comes, but oh Bonney can control the other robots, but oh the giants come too, but oh now ALL the elders come when just one was supposed to be the "hype" thing.

I guess the problem is that instead of being cool and exciting it just devalues everything - like one elder not being able to do everything leaves room enough for the others in the future, but now all five not really being able to do their job makes the whole concept of turning them from ruthless yet human politicians that do cry when they have to do inhuman acts into generic demon monsters that treat humanity as bugs be kinda not worth it, atleast in my oppinion

I received this ask on March 20, 2024.

I better answer it now, given some non-One Piece spoilers I read that kind of screw up what I'm going to say below.

(My Hero Academia spoilers below; spoilers for Justice League Unlimited below; spoilers about One Piece throughout.)

One of the inadvertent advantages of enjoying One Piece, while not being as close to the series and not remembering all details from it, is that these kinds of details bother me less compared to series I have a lot more familiarity with.

For those reasons, revealing that Saturn has a giant monstrous Devil Fruit ability didn’t bother me. If anything, I can enjoy the moment for the pure shock as well as, with reflection, what that may reveal: the reason Saturn has been in power this long is not just due to experience and intelligence but also a powerful Devil Fruit ability.

But as you say, when thinking about it, it does lead to disappointment--maybe in different ways than what you describe. What I mean is, okay, sure, Saturn now shows he has this giant terrifying power…and we can assume Luffy will beat him, because Luffy. At best Saturn’s power means he’ll overwhelm other characters first, which could cause irreversible harm or at least long-lasting harm.

As for the arrival of the other Elders and then showing off their powerful abilities: yeah, that is rushing things more than I think the story needed--that could have been saved for a future story. At best, it makes sense: the Elders are now just that desperate that they are going to do overkill to make sure to stop this problem right now. The problem is that, even if it makes sense for the characters, it does sap some anticipation in the story. As you said, “one elder not being able to do everything leaves room enough for the others in the future,” but now we got to rush everything to get to that reveal already.

As for the Elders coming across as less human--I’m ambivalent. To complain about a different series, it’s like how I feel about My Hero Academia and All For One.

On the one hand, yay, we made the fascist into a pathetic immature man-child and wannabe supervillain, showing that at the end of the day every fascist is nothing more than a bully who never grew up.

On the other hand, it means the way of defeating All For One will always be unsatisfying, not only because in our real lives we (for good reasons) don’t handle fascists and bullies that way and hence those fascists and bullies persist (making My Hero Academia a bothersome moment of escapist fantasies that inadvertently suggests the wrong way to handle fascists and bullies and denies us a real-world example how to address them).

Plus, by making All For One so pathetic, it leaves you thinking, “Why didn’t someone just do this to him before?” The manga at least does give an answer: in a society where no one extended a hand to help Tenko, why would you expect anyone to stand up to stop All For One? Then again, someone did stand up to All For One--a lot of someones, all the holders of One For All--and All For One’s long-term planning and massive power makes their sacrifices, especially All Might’s and Nana’s, seem pointless, and it requires the story to bend over backwards to act like All For One is so smart when, even within the story and with the suspension of disbelief, there is no way he could get every last bit of this stuff correct (up until he let his ego toying with Endeavor, Hawks, All Might, Stain, and Bakugo get in the way of just finishing the job).

What does all of my ranting about All For One have to do with the Elders? My point is, do you want to represent fascists as humans and hence they have flaws, emotions, maybe even sympathetic qualities, or for political motivation do you want to dehumanize fascists and portray them as just monsters? Each approach has its advantage--but neither version on its own is usually satisfying on its own. Probably the best iteration we got was Eiling / the Shaggy Man in Justice League Unlimited, someone who shows “honorable” qualities and perhaps some sympathetic ones, but who is still a raging fascist and, by his transformation, becomes monstrous on the outside and, as he concludes, “becomes what [he] hate[s],” another overpowered freak who hurts bystanders in a foolhardy quest against an equally powerful opponent.

Maybe Oda will do that with the Elders what Justice League Unlimited did with Eiling--but then we don’t get the satisfaction of seeing them get their asses kicked. Maybe Oda will just have them get their asses kicked--but will we also get a motivation representation of how we should be handling fascists, by holding them accountable by law and, through their punishment, reassert how such threats will be stopped and make an example of them so that no one ever abuses power like that again?

I mean, fascists do treat people like bugs. Even if they cry, that doesn’t suddenly change the awful things they have done (I’m not about to let someone weaponize their tears--going back to All For One again, cry harder over killing your brother, AFO). But, yeah, as storytelling, it is less engaging when the villain is just a straight-up fascist, because just about nothing they do is going to make you believe their emotions are anything more than an extension of their work to maintain their unsanctioned power over others. Unless you’re Odo from Deep Space Nine, it’s hard to write a fascist where you get how they eventually committed the injustices they did but can cheer on their redemption and understand their desires.

As for the other details:

Kuma showing up makes narrative sense, so that’s unavoidable.

Bonney controlling robots… I admit, I’m ignorant as to a lot about Bonney and her power set, so I don’t have an opinion on this.

The giants showing up… That is too awesome for me to worry about it: this is absolute fanservice, paying off the long wait. As I said, maybe if I was closer to One Piece then I would get annoyed; at the distance I have from the story, this is a feel-good moment of getting to see the giants return.

#one piece spoiler #one piece spoilers #long post

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moongothic · 6 months

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Vague thoughts after chapter 1102 and rethinking my old predictions

So I had been wondering for many, many weeks now if Kuma's memory bubble would disappear after Bonney looked into it and indeed is has disappeared Which means all the theories about the Memory Bubble getting "inserted" into another "vessel", be it some random Pacifista or S-Bear or just back into Kuma's own body, just so we could have "Kuma back" no longer can happen. The bubble is gone, no one else can see what Vegapunk and Bonney had seen, and no one else can carry those memories, no one else can inherit Kuma's will

But also, the Memory Bubble wasn't actually like Kuma's Memories, just a copy of them, meaning while Kuma has lost his humanity, those memories are still technically in there. He's essentially a disconnected brain in a jar, it's just the jar is also his OG body

And the chapter gave us two potential options for Kuma; either he's going to self-destruct just like Saturn wanted, or Vegapunk somehow in secret managed to install that circuit that could allow Kuma to have a """split personality""" (more like, his brain has been disconnected from his body and the circuit just allows it to be reconnected when enabled). Meaning Kuma could maybe take back his body

Though if the self-destruction mechanism was still put in, Kuma could get to regain his conciousness for a minute just to punch Saturn and/or say goodbye to Bonney and still end up blowing up. Which is a horrifying throught. But it's definitely plausible.

But it all just depends on whether or not Vegapunk followed Saturn's orders, and if Saturn had Kuma checked by someone else afterwards. I do kinda hope Vegapunk went against his orders, because if he didn't then him mentioning the circuit would have been completely pointless as far as writing goes. Like it's bit of a Chekhov's gun; you introduce the idea so that if it comes back in the story, it'll make sense, it won't come entirely out of nowhere. But, just as that can apply to the circuit, it can also apply to the self-destruction mechanism. Though, if that was installed already... considdering the Government KNEW the Revolutionaries had stolen Kuma, you'd imagine they'd maybe have tried to detonate Kuma remotely since they would've been able to take down a rev or two that way, probably. Though that also depends on whether or not the self-destruction can be activated remotely (though I'd assume so, since the whole point of it is that if Kuma went on a rampage and the Gorosei weren't there to give out a direct order, they'd still be able to stop Kuma) Also gotta wonder why Akainu and co allowed Kuma to rampage in Marijoa if the self-destruction was an option... Like sure, depending on how explosive the self-destruction might be, having him blow up in Marijoa might also mean not just Kuma but Marijoa itself blowing up. But between Kuma climbing the Red Line (aka there was plenty of time to have him self-destruct before he'd reach Marijoa) and him having blasted off again (aka he's not in range anymore)... Yeah

IDK the self-destruction is still extremely plausible, it's likely the Marines didn't resort to it yet simply because if they did then the plot wouldn't move forward the way Oda wants it to (also they might need like clearance from the Gorosei first etc, which could take time, especially since Kuma's recent adventure in Marijoa began and ended quite fast)

Whatever happens, we're finally out of the Kuma flashback. I definitely enjoyed it, but man was it a long fucking flashback

It's gonna be interesting to see where we go from here though.

I know people have suggested Kuma could arrive on Egghead and scatter the Strawhats to get them off the island, just like in Sabaody, but have we considdered the possibility that Kuma could like. Blast Saturn off the island instead. Like he could send the man back to Marijoa, or like, literally any fucking island available (as long as the Red Line isn't in the way)

'Cause that would be an unexpected turn of events for one fucking thing

It wouldn't stop the Marines being a threat to the Strawhats, though it would definitely sow confusion and panic, which alone could be enough for Luffy and co to escape. Like Kizaru isn't in the condition to fight anyways (though even if he was, he might not have the motivation, especially IF Kuma managed to regain his conciousness), and while Lucci and co might be a menace... IDK Zoro and co should be able to handle them. And who knows, maybe Kuma could blast them off too while he's at it

And yeah, that could put the Marines in a situation where they might not know what to do and what to focus on. The Strawhats could maybe escape.

With Kuma and Bonney too. Like Kuma may be on the verge of death, but if they're bringing the Vegapunks with them, the Punks and Chopper could be able to patch him up? Dude is a cyborg and all? MAYBE? IF WE'RE LUCKY?

But that really does depend on whether or not Kuma gets blown up. Nothing can be said for certain until we see the man's fate

But as I've mentioned before, if Kuma doesn't die and they manage to escape together... where does Kuma go? 'Cause, if he's with Bonney, then being with the Strawhats might be a really dangerous situation for both of them. Like yes Luffy and co are strong and could protect them, but also they're trying to continue their adventure onwards to Elbaf and Laugh Tale, they're heading into danger

Kuma could try to blast him and Bonney back to Momoiro Island, since that's where the Revs are, Dragon and co could be safe for them, but to do that they'd have to first pass through Marijoa, and shit's dangerous. It'd arguably be safer for them to either stay in the New World, or fly over the Calm Belts to either of the two Blues surrounding New World

So there are options there

If Kuma could send himself and Bonney to Wano, that could actually be a really safe place for the two right now, it'd be quiet so Kuma could spend time recovering in peace, and because of Wano's borders it'd be hard for anyone to get there, plus Yamato (and Momo, the rest of the Samurai) would be there to support them, all they need is just like a letter from Luffy etc

If Kuma knows Mihawk (and/or Crocodile), he could also try to seek shelter from Cross Guild, maybe, IDK. Like we the readers know Wano might be the safest place for Kuma, but if Kuma wanted to be with someone he personally knows and trusts, a fellow former Shichibukai (or two) could make for a comforting ally (depending on if the two actually know each other or not)

IDK man, shit's interesting, break week is gonna be rough y'all

#Moon posting #OP Meta #OP Spoilers #chapter 1102

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muffinmonstah-art · 2 years

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Hi, I was wondering if you heard about the chapter 1055 fiasco, regarding Lawbin shippers being extremely toxic to other shippers in particular to Frobin, where there was a panel of Law and robin side by side. Those Lawbin shippers thought that was romantic(clearly not) apparently and they began screaming at the top of their lungs to Frobin shippers the following:”Omg our ship canon and yours is not,blah blah”. They are so hateful and delusional. What do you think about this situation?

Ship wars are so pointless, especially regarding One Piece, I swear. Many many years ago on a Q&A a fan asked Oda if there would be romance within the Straw Hat crew and Oda’s answer was “They’re all in love... WITH ADVENTURE”

He was jokingly telling everybody they could go watch telenovelas and read romance novels if they wanted romance and ship wars. And he’s been constantly trolling shippers ever since, non stop. I remember another Q&A where someone asked him if Sabo’s long fringe was because he wanted to be more handsome in Koala’s eyes and Oda said the long fringe was because Sabo just wanted to cover the burn scar on his eye. Another one where someone asked if the reason for Luffy having a nosebleed by seing Nami’s titties was because Luffy is in love with Nami and Oda said Luffy was just imitating Usopp’s reaction to titties, not because he was attracted to Nami in any way.

Oda’s constant trolling to shippers is hillarious, and make me wonder if these hardcore shippers are reading the same manga at all lol

The few ships that are canon on this series have been presented on a very direct way, with little to none red herring nor subtlety. Look at Capone/Cifone and Kyros/Scarlet. Those have been obvious from the very start.

Frobin on the other hand is the only case I can think of a ship that slightly deviates from the rest of the stuff. But only because Oda said if the Straw Hats were indeed a family, Franky would be the father and Robin would be the mother. It was cute, but it was a played out as a fun curiosity and it’s all. Maybe the Sanji/Pudding stuff will have a payback later on? With the memory erasure of the kiss thing that happened at the end of Whole Cake Island? But it’s Oda, so who knows. The payback may be just a joke.

To be honest, after spending time on the DC fandom and constantly being exposed to stories with forced nasty fucking hetero ships that don’t make sense, especially surrounding Nightwing’s stories, One Piece not having ships is such a relief and a breath of fresh air.

I’d like Frobin to be canon on some way, but I don’t care that much either. I think ships should stay in fandom spaces and just be a fun hobby, not to be taken seriously. I wish the same thing happened to DC. I can only sigh and wonder “Why can’t Nightwing remain single and have adventures with friends for just ONE RUN, without DickBabs or any other ship being shoved down my throat every two seconds?!” Just my opinion, anyway.

#asks

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opbackgrounds · 2 years

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Hey, it’s the CP9 anon again. I apologize in advance for this really long ask I’m about to send - you can absolutely ignore this, but I just can’t leave an argument un-argued.

Ok so. I think my problem lies with CP9 coming off as…kind of passive? Like, we *could* assume that they were actively snooping around and such, and that Iceburg was going to great lengths to hide information, but we don’t see any of that, so judging how much they did and to what extent gets kind of speculative. All we do know is that CP9 was “investigating” Tom’s workers and Franky, though what that means and what they actually did is left vague, and ultimately nothing comes from it.

But ultimately, the only knowledge that they use to come up with their theory is that Franky is Cutty Flam. Which they get that information one year into their undercover, when Franky gives his name to Kalifa, and during the night of their attack, when they see the fake blueprint.

(Which, as an aside, the breaking in, attack, and what is essentially torture and interrogation is what CP9 is good at. They’re assassins and they’re good at it. The long-con undercover operation solely designed to get information? Not so much).

That’s all the information they use. Which…points to those four years in between as kind of…pointless? Like, they don’t use any other information that they might have gathered in that time, so that time, story-wise, is functionally useless, aside from ramping up the emotional shock for the reveal (which Oda does very well).

Now. I want to point out that CP9 has barely no knowledge about Tom or his company. Lucci says that they are shrouded in mystery, and that they didn’t even know that Iceburg was one of his apprentices and that there was another one. But the kicker to that is that their boss 100% knows all of that information. He knows Iceburg was Tom’s apprentice. He knows who Cutty Flam is and that he was the other apprentice. He blatantly knew all of the necessary information.

Which, could just be chalked up to Spandam being terrible at his job, and also government beuocracy and lack of communication (which gets brought up in Franky’s backstory, so that’s definitely a thing).

But, Tom had a public trial. People were there, and saw him and his apprentices get accused. Spandam announced Franky’s real name several times to the audience. Who also saw Tom punch a government official, and Franky bash that same guy’s head in with a rifle.

Like. I feel like people would remember that? Maybe not 100%, but there have to be rumors and urban legends about the company. I mean, that is entirely speculative, I just find it hard to believe that there is no information about Tom’s workers. Maybe not officially (and you could definitely link that to Iceburg’s efforts of scrubbing them from the paperwork and official documents, if they even existed on them in the first place) but 8 years is not a king time. That stuff would still exist in the public memory. Blueno was a bartender, I find it hard to believe that he didn’t hear any weird tales about the incident.

But putting aside all that - even if we assumed nothing, and that CP9 were working off nothing, I still would call them terrible at their jobs (of the information gathering spy-type variety, specifically).

Because, Iceburg clearly had a reaction to the name Kalifa gave him. It was significant enough that they all remember that tiny moment four years later. Yet they didn’t follow up on that? Lucci straight up said that they had dismissed him as person of interest, even though Franky was clearly a very suspicious person! Like! Not having a background usually means he’s hiding something, guys! Even if they didn’t make the Cutty Flam connection, Franky still has:

- Some connection to Iceburg, enough to call upon at his house, and prompt a strange reaction from him

- Had been seen by Blueno acting familiar with Kokoro, a known associate of Iceburg

- Clearly going by different name

Not to mention that, right after that incident, Iceburg goes to their old warehouse (where a lot of useful information is hidden) and meets up with Franky in private and gives him the blueprint, which the CP9 knew nothing about.

Which definitely means that CP9 was not keeping track of Iceburg’s movements, which was the whole point of their mission. Even if Iceburg was good enough to lose a tail, the fact that he disappeared for several hours without any of them knowing should’ve been cause for concern!

I don’t know. Maybe I watch to many spy thrillers and heist movies and have high expectations for competent spies. There are just a lot of moments where I feel like CP9 really dropped the ball when it can to uncovering information and spying on Iceburg.

I mean, compare what they find out in the five years they spent undercover versus the couple of days they used a more…”brute force” method (shooting Iceburg, forcing him to make a move on the blueprints, basically torturing him for information). They are clearly better at one over the other.

There are aspects of the spy job they are terrifyingly good at - mainly the skills that fall more under assassination, which makes sense (though, hilariously, they fail to kill a single person on this assignment. I know that’s more because Oda hates killing off characters but it’s still funny). But they are, in my opinion, terrible at information gathering. Considering, you know, it takes them five years to uncovering a small amount of information, which they should’ve already known or they got though violence. The only information that they truly get is that Franky used Cutty Flam, which they proceed to dismiss and not do anything about for four years.

Also, I just think it’s funny idea, them being terrible at their jobs.

You make a compelling argument, but in my heart I still cannot call them terrible spies. At the very least we have to say that they are exceptionally good at the undercover part of undercover investigation. Which, yes, doesn’t mean they‘re any use at obtaining the intel they want but is still part of the job.

And that’s one big thing about CP9 that I think you might have failed to take into account. They do have actual jobs on Water 7, so I don’t think the goal was to keep eyes on Iceburg 100% of the time. Maybe some of the other Government scrubs on the island were supposed to, but I don’t see that Iceburg giving them the slip to meet Franky is their fault.

So, to start, you’re right in saying that there’s no paper trail for CP9 to follow. Whether Iceburg scrubbed it, or like Bellemere with Nami and Nojiko Tom just never officially registered it in the first place, there is no record of Iceburg or Franky having a connection with Tom

Likewise, the physical space that Tom worked in is mostly under water. Even warehouse seems to be Franky’s personal space, not somewhere the Family as a whole often visits, so even when CP9 was investigating Franky trying to learn his history there’s no reason to believe they’d ever find the place, let alone understand it’s significance. Much of the evidence from Tom’s era is simply lost due to the sinking nature of the city

Thirdly, in the absence of any sort of paper trail CP9 did try to gather info from the populace, but that information was vague and contradictory

Since building the Oro Jackson, Tom had been ostracized by the people of Water 7. No one would work with him, no one wanted to be near him, no one is seen interacting with him. Yes, Iceburg and Franky were a part of Tom’s last trial, but interestingly enough Iceburg’s name is never mentioned, and Cutty Flam/Franky only said a few times. For the vast majority of the trail, they’re simply referred to as Tom’s apprentices. Even if the witnesses remembered such a tiny detail among all the insanity of the trial (unlikely), all they’re going to know is that Tom had two kids with him, and one was later hit by a train.

You seem to put a lot of importance on Kokoro as a shared link between Iceburg and Franky after Tom’s death that just isn’t there in the manga. Yes, Franky acts on rather familiar terms with her in Blueno’s bar, but Franky was also well known and regarded by much of Water 7′s lower class. And while Kokoro is introduced as a drinking buddy for Iceburg, we don’t know what that means. Kokoro has a whole life and relationships that we’re never made privy to, and Iceburg going out for drinks every once in a while with his stationmaster might not mean a whole lot if she’s spending a lot of her free time in a bar. All three of them seem to be very careful about not talking about the past.

What I will say is, CP9 was likely hamstrung by Spandam’s incompetence, both in the past and present. When he first interrogated Tom he didn’t even know about his plea deal with the Government, and after finding out immediately jumped to the extreme of killing a bunch of people in order to get Tom arrested. He didn’t gather intel on Tom’s current movements or associates—as far as we know, Kokoro was never brought in for questioning or was arrested before or after Tom’s death, which would have been really helpful to the Government when piecing things together, but noooo, Spamdam with his murder boner was too caught up to do even basic investigation.

Flash forward to the present day, Spamdam��s incompetence bit CP9 in the ass, since Lucci and co., were only recently told about Tom’s apprentices at all, as if that weren’t vital information needed for the success of their mission

At the end of the day we don’t really know how CP9 spent their time during their five year mission anymore than we know exactly what measures Iceburg did to thwart them, so if you or anyone else chooses to believe that they’re terrible at their job then be my guest. But they started out at a pretty disadvantaged position due to past and present mismanagement and ended up succeeding anyway, and I feel like that has to account for something.

#sarc talks #long post #CP9 #theories and headcanons #writing long metas at 4 o’clock in the morning instead of sleeping is a perfect use of my time

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ikeromantic · 3 years

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Rhythm in Kind

A Nobunaga Oda fanfic, approx. 2700 words of fluffiness, featuring a bellydancing MC. Inspired by a conversation with @scruffymctee ^_^

It was mid-afternoon and Nobunaga was having trouble focusing. He’d taken Hideyoshi for a walk around the castle to calm his restless spirit.

Hideyoshi was trying to engage him in a discussion on current patrols. He was doing his best to keep the conversation alive, despite getting only the occasional nod or grunt in response. His voice fell into rhythm with his footsteps as they walked Azuchi castle.

Nobunaga let the words wash over him as his mind wandered. It wasn’t like him to be so distracted, but for the last several weeks his mind was not on his goals. His thoughts insisted on drifting toward the odd, brazen woman that saved his life. She was beautiful. Unpredictable. And breath-takingly honest.

“My lord?” Hideyoshi was frowning at him.

“Yes?” There was no way he would admit he’d missed the question entirely. He stopped and turned to face Hideyoshi. This turned out to be a mistake.

The door behind Hideyoshi was open to the room beyond it. Warm sunlight spilled through the windows, bathing the room’s sole occupant in a golden glow. It was her - the girl that claimed she was from the future. And she was . . .

Hideyoshi turned to see what caught his lord’s eye. He let out a strangled sound as if his breath couldn’t decide whether to move in or out. His mouth hung open and his body froze in place.

Nobunaga barely noticed his friend. His attention was eaten entire by the girl. His little fireball. She’d tied her kimono strangely, the obi sitting at her hip with a large bow at the side. Her arms were held at a low angle, eyes closed, and her hips were moving, up - down, a shiver, then her chest rose and a serpentine wave rolled down her belly.

The girl didn’t notice them. She was humming something, a strange melody. And she was moving to it, flowing across the room with delicate steps.

This was some sort of magic. Nobunaga was certain of that. A human body - even a woman’s - didn’t move like that. Flowing, graceful, with little staccato gestures layered atop the sinuous motions. It lit a fire in him, one that spread from his chest to his loins. A heat more intense than the fires of Honno-ji had been the night he almost died.

“She . . . is . . . possessed,” Hideyoshi stuttered. His face was bright red.

Quite suddenly, Nobunaga didn’t want his friend there. Didn’t want him to see the girl. To be . . . affected by her. He wanted this for himself. His desire grew in leaps and bounds.

Her legs flashed through the gap in her kimono. Thigh and calf tense as she rose and then with languorous sensuality, rolled her hips.

“You may go.” Nobunaga dismissed Hideyoshi.

“My lord, you can’t be alone with -”

“Go!”

Nobunaga’s raised voice broke the moment. The girl’s eyes flew open and her cheeks flushed a deep red. “Y-you!” She sounded half angry, half distressed. “You spied on me!”

Hideyoshi looked at his lord for a heartbeat. His body was tense as a bowstring, jaw set in firm, harsh lines. He was wise enough not to say anything as he turned on his heel and left.

Nobunaga waited for his steps to fade. His eyes were on the girl as if there was nothing else in this world to see. In that moment, there wasn’t.

She stood there, back straight, fists balled at her hips. Staring defiance at him despite her embarrassment. There was so much fire in her. Was it any wonder, Nobunaga thought, that he felt the heat?

“Why are you staring at me? What do you want?” She made the words an attack. Clipped and short.

He entered the room, slid the door shut behind him.

“I already finished my work today!”

Nobunaga smiled.

“Are you going to say something or just creep on me?”

“Please. Continue.” He gestured toward her.

Her cheeks went an even deeper shade of red. “I - No! I can’t . . . not with you - you watching!” She crossed her arms.

“You would deny me?” Nobunaga raised one eyebrow. There were few people willing to say no to him in Azuchi. Fewer that were women. Perhaps, just this one. “Most would be pleased with my regard.”

“I am not most.” If she could have struck him dead with a look, he’d have died in that moment.

Nobunaga nodded. “I know.”

For a long moment, neither of them said anything. She waited to see if he would back down and he wanted to see if she would give in. Finally, she sighed.

“Look. I don’t dance in front of people, ok? This is just . . . something I enjoy. For myself. I’m not some kind of professional. I can’t entertain you.”

He considered her words. Did she think he saw her as a performer? How interesting. And that was a dance of some kind. “I have never seen dance like that. What is it called? How did you come to learn it?”

His questions seemed to please her. Some of the tension bled from her shoulders. “It’s called bellydance. Though-” she laughed, “there are a lot of different kinds of dance that people call bellydancing so this is just my version.”

“And how did you come to learn it? Is it very common in Japan?”

She shook her head. “Not really. I have a dear friend that bellydances. She is much better than I am at it. She taught me some. Some I just . . . try to copy what the girls in the videos do. I’d show you what real bellydancing looks like if my phone worked here.”

“I only want to see you dance.” Nobunaga’s lips twitched up in a small smile. “I do not know this kind of dance, but I think you are very good. You should be proud of yourself.”

Something in her gaze softened at his praise. A crack in her fiery armor. “I - no, you only say that because you haven’t seen anyone else.”

“I say it because you are beautiful and talented. Now. Will you dance for me?”

He could see she was thinking it over. Reluctance warred with something else in her expression - an emotion he couldn’t pin down. Nobunaga wanted to take her by the chin and run his thumb down the line of her jaw. To meet her gaze and pierce the wall she’d put up between them since that first night at Honno-ji.

“If - and only if! I agree to dance for you, I’d have some . . . requirements.”

Nobunaga gestured for her to continue.

“I need some music to dance to. And noone else can watch. I don’t want an audience. People here already look at me strangely. And it can only be one time. Just once. I don’t want to have to dance for you whenever.” She gave him a meaningful stare.

“Done.” He didn’t want to agree to that last requirement, but perhaps she could be persuaded to change her mind later. Nobunaga was a very persuasive man.

She watched him with some suspicion but agreed to perform for him. After some discussion, they set the date for three nights hence. They would meet in his tenshu. The musicians would meet with her ahead of time so she could explain what she needed - a process she was clearly nervous about.She insisted she was no musician herself, but that she could hum the melody and give them the beat - if this was enough. Nobunaga was certain it would be. After some debate, she was satisfied - or at least, less nervous.

Then she left and Nobunaga set about planning. Azuchi had several accomplished musicians. Players of fue, drum, and koto. Even his warlords could play, as music was an important part of their education. Nobunaga just had to find a musician he wouldn’t mind sharing his little fireball with while she danced . . .

The day of the performance arrived and Nobunaga still hadn’t decided on a musician. The idea of anyone else seeing her dance displeased him. That beauty was for his eyes only, and he couldn’t bear the thought of sharing it. He’d considered and tossed aside several solutions. A screen the musician would stay behind. Putting them outside the room. Blindfolds.

Every option had a fatal flaw. The girl would know the depth of his possessiveness. His . . . interest. And, of course, there was no fool-proof way to keep someone present from peeking. So even if he were willing to reveal his own weakness where she was concerned, it would be a pointless gesture.

In the end, Nobunaga realized there was only one solution. One he should have decided the moment he came upon her dancing.

******

The chatelaine arrived in Nobunaga’s tenshu at the agreed upon time. She wore an oversized haori, hiding her clothes under the heavy silk. She was barefoot, her nails painted red, and her skin was dusted with gold, glittering in the lamplight.

“You came.” Nobunaga smiled. He’d known she would, yet it was a pleasure to see she did not continue to resist him. At least not in this.

“I said I would.” She stopped just inside the door and looked around. “Where are the musicians? I need at least a drummer . . .”

He nodded. “And you will have a drummer.” He took out a shimedaiko from one of his shelves. Until today, he hadn’t touched the drum in years. He preferred to listen to others play - those with genuine skill - but today, he would have to do.

The girl’s eyebrows rose. “You?”

Nobunaga sat and placed the drum into position. “Give me the beat and I will play.” Her skepticism only made him more determined.

She shrugged. “Alright. The rhythms are split into two sounds. A deeper Dom and a lighter Tak. This one should go . . . dom-dom tak-a-tak dom tak-a-tak.” She mimicked playing with her fingers against her thigh.

It didn’t seem a hard rhythm to play though it took him a moment to follow. Nobunaga played it for her and after a few moments she nodded.

“Ok, I can dance that.” She took a deep breath, steadying her nerves. “Just try not to speed up ok?”

“I will.” Nobunaga watched as she closed her eyes, clearly remembering some other place and time. He felt a little jealous that in her world, she must have danced like this many times for all sorts of people. Her friends. Perhaps a lover. Was that what she remembered? He might have asked, but she chose this moment to shed the haori and when she did, he found himself unable to make any sound at all.

Beneath the heavy silk of the haori, she wore a kimono that she’d . . . altered. It fit tight through her chest and flared at the hips. The sides were open to reveal the smooth skin of her legs. And she wore some tasselled scarf around her hip that swayed provocatively even before she began to dance.

Nobunaga took a sharp breath as her hips lifted. Then she was moving, her legs flashing, hips swaying. Her chest rose and dipped to the rhythm he played. Tremulous waves rolled from her chest to hip, and up again.

His heart was racing and his face felt hot. It was all he could manage to continue to play the beat she’d provided. There was a connection between them in this - a bond. He didn’t want to break this spell they wove between her body and the music of his hands.

She opened her eyes and for a moment, their gazes met. Her lips were parted in a sensual breath, her cheeks were pink, and in her eyes there was a languorous heat. Her hips rolled forward and dropped, then she turned and he couldn’t see her face. Only the sinuous roll of her hips as they shook, the tassels swaying.

Nobunaga could not have looked away if his life depended on it. He wanted her dance to go on forever. And he wanted to put the drum down and pull her into his lap. Kiss her gold-dusted skin from those soft pink lips to her innermost places . . .

His thoughts colored the rhythm of the drums. Though he kept the general beat she’d asked of him, he found his hands slowing, sliding over the taught drum-skin as they would caress her flesh. It turned the sound to a sensual one. Less staccato and more glide.

Her body followed the changes, moving in slow, tense circles. She danced around Nobunaga, letting the edges of her skirt brush against him. Every touch sent a shock of need through him, a desire he’d never felt for any other woman.

The air between them was hot, crackling with shared passion. Nobunaga felt he would burst if it went on, but he couldn’t bear to stop. The fires in his heart flowed to every limb. He burned for his fireball. He ached.

She knew the effect she had on him. Her lips were turned up in a small, pleased smile. Teasing, she shimmied her chest, bending, dipping just out of his reach. Or so she thought.

Nobunaga could resist her no longer. He stopped playing and reached for her. His delicious little fireball. She squealed as his fingers curled around her waist.

“Wicked girl,” he said hoarsely, barely trusting himself to speak. He wanted to kiss her.

“T-this wasn’t part of the deal,” she gasped.

“Do you always look so delicious when you dance? Or only when you dance for me?” Nobunaga’s fingers trailed down her shoulder. The thin fabric did nothing to disguise the heat of her skin beneath.

The girl squirmed as if she would like to escape, but only wound up with an arm over his shoulder, and a leg around his waist. “You! What? I - I don’t look . . . “ Her pleasure at the compliment warred with her anger at being manhandled.

Nobunaga simply held her loosely, enjoying the way she moved against him. “I cannot decide if you tease me intentionally and I should be wary of you, or if you are simply this adorable.” He stroked her arm, though he wanted to do so much more. He knew she would resist him, run from him, if he did. Patience was the way to make this little fireball his own. Force would only extinguish her flames.

Her lips opened and closed as if she’d been about to say something, then changed her mind.

“When we are alone, you can say whatever you will to me,” he told her.

“Well. Well I don’t intend to be alone with you! Lecher!” She pushed against his chest and he reluctantly let her go.

Nobunaga watched her as she straightened her clothes and shrugged the haori back on.

She glared at him.

“Thank you for dancing for me. I will count the days until your next performance.” He would have her here every night, he thought.

“No. No. This was a one-time deal. Besides, I told you! I’m not an entertainer! I dance because . . . because it reminds me of home. Of happy times. It makes me feel beautiful and strong and . . .” She looked down, unwilling to meet his gaze.

Nobunaga stood. He put his finger under her chin and lifted her head to face him. “You are always beautiful and strong.”

Her eyes were wet with tears she refused to shed. He hadn’t realized she missed her home so very much.

“I cannot-” He paused. Nobunaga hated admitting he couldn’t do something. “I cannot give you back your home. But I will do all in my power to see you safe and happy, here.”

She flung her arms around him and pressed her face to his chest. He could feel her tears soaking the cloth of his kimono. Though comforting was not his best skill, Nobunaga wrapped his arms around her and stroked her back as she cried.

“I . . . I miss my friends. My m-mom,” she wept.

Nobunaga kissed the top of her head lightly. “I would be a friend to you. If you let me.”

She took a shuddering breath and looked up at him. “I - I will. Under all that scariness, you aren’t so bad.”

“Scariness?”

The girl laughed softly. “Yep. And . . . I guess Hideyoshi can be my Sengoku mom. He’s not really scary either.”

Nounaga wiped her cheek with his thumb, removing a tear drop before it could fall. “He mothers us all.” This earned him a brighter smile.

She lifted up on the tips of her toes and brushed a light kiss across his lips. “Thank you.” Then she was gone. Out the door and down the steps.

Nobunaga still felt the warmth of her against his chest. And the petal-soft touch of her lips.

#ikemen sengoku #ikesen nobunaga #oda nobunaga #otome guys #otome #fanfiction #fanfic #bellydance #fluff

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sparda3g · 5 years

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One Piece Chapter 944 Review

I’m starting to think whatever I predict, it doesn’t happen at all, but I’m not complaining. Most of the times, the result ends up being better. We didn’t get the unusual pairing team in action, though quick exchange of bickering was fun, but there are plenty of moments to get excited. Drake waste no time to appear, as if he has an auto-spawn point whenever Zoro appears. But that’s okay, because this chapter essentially becomes a huge setup for an exciting and possible climax of Act 2.

The capital is in chaos. I begin to wonder about the funeral; shouldn’t that be going on still? Anyway, I’m still sad for Toko for losing her father in front of her and sadly, toad oil didn’t revive him like magic. At least they are planning to retrieve his body for a proper burial. The part that got me so hyped is when Zoro decides to use Two-Sword Style: 720 Pound Phoenix on none other than Orochi, the douche. I know the consequences and all, but screw it, I want the satisfaction we all deserved. Zoro’s memory of Yasuie helps the moment a lot. You can tell Zoro cherished his words and kindness, and to see him die out of amusement pissed him the hell off. Now this is the Shogun Assassination Arc that I’m willing to smile.

I hate Oda for not able to live up to that expectation. He played the fans like a damn fiddle with the paneling, only for Orochi to be saved by Kyoshiro. Now I hate the guy even more. Aside from that, I still think there’s something up with him. I haven’t seen Zoro this angry in a long time; not a moment of breaking that cold glare. Drake is after Sanji, so this means it’s those two that will fight. That’s going to be an interesting match-up; a dinosaur versus a chef is a match you don’t see every day.

Franky covering for Zoro is such a badass moment. I just love how Zoro simply say, “Cover me,” and Franky barges in, taking all the bullets like a monster. Even the panel with only his left eye visible makes him look like one. It’s the way how it happened that makes the moment so good. Essentially, Usopp, Robin, and Nami joined the chaos. Zoro versus Kyoshiro should be pretty good. It’s odd how Kyoshiro sounds so proud to be a lapdog. Who would be happy about that, let alone under that prick of a Shogun? There has to be something.

I have to admit, I laughed at Udon scene, where everyone is watching the chaos, including Queen and Luffy. It’s like they’re watching the final game. Whatever happened to the Sumo match? I guess no one care about Sumo anymore. Joking aside, it’s humorous just watching them, well, watching. The comedy, intentional or not, ends when prisoners arrived: Kamazo the Killer, the one Zoro defeated, and surprisingly, Kidd, the one who escaped earlier.

At first, I thought it was pointless for Kidd to escape, only to get captured again with nothing new. I thought, “It’s probably to establish that no one can escape Udon.” I would have been fine with that, but maybe there could have been more. It turns out there is and it’s actually quite grim in its own right. The build-up to the reveal is haunting. As soon as Kidd mentioned about laughing, you know this is not going to end well.

It shocked me that Kamazo is actually Killer, Kidd’s partner and part of the Worst Generation. It’s odd because the name is right in our faces, yet I didn’t think that is really him. Now I understand the purpose of Kidd getting captured. Not only he was caught again, but he discovered his partner has “lost his mind.” Ever since the Smile Fruit reveal, everything that involved with it ends tragedy, which is incredibly ironic. I feel bad for Kidd to lose everything bit by bit.

Speaking of losing, he’s about to lose his life along with his partner; sentenced to death by drowning. Till this day, I believe that is the worst way to die. Queen becomes a certified prick when he makes a new rule. As long as Luffy and Hyogoro remain alive, the death row mates will continue to drown. That’s freaking insane. That funky pose he does no longer makes me laugh; he needs to get clobbered. I do like Luffy’s line about when and where he will die is for him to decide. That would have been a fine spot to end the chapter, enough to hype you up, but it’s topped by the presence of Big Mom. Holy crap! Udon is about to be served.

This was a great setup chapter; all hell is breaking loose. There’s hell at the capital, and there will be hell at Udon. Zoro was a badass, even if he was close to open the underworld beyond by attacking Orochi, but screw that, it would have been glorious. A lot of interesting setup for many battles to come, including Sanji versus Drake and Zoro versus Kyoshiro. The artwork is solid with a lot going on in the background. I’m more impressed with the suspense build-up that led to Killer’s reveal that not only surprised me, but felt the pain. The ending was very hype; who knew I would be so happy to see Big Mom. We’re in hell now.

#one piece #chapter 944 #review #spoilers

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darkmindsthinktwistedthoughts · 5 years

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To Catch A Princess

Thank you all once again for the show of support and for helping me reach the 300 milestone on this little writing blog of mine. What follows is the short I have written for our competition winner @rikumorimachisgirl they requested a Nobunaga story with their own OC Mia. A Sengoku, push and pull relationship prompt with the two characters and the smart way the warlord had to bring their battle to an end. I hope this meets your expectations, my dear.

Warning: Strong language, a plotting warlord, slightly frustrated seamstress and NSFW/ a little smut-ish.

Masterlist

---

To Catch A Princess

*Slam*

“The big idiot did that on purpose!” Mia crashed back into her room in the castle with considerably more force than she had intended. However, right now the fact the walls were probably rocking in their foundations was the last thing on her mind.

Nobunaga Oda, Devil King of the Sixth Heaven, Daimyo of Owari, Lord of Azuchi and as of this moment in time a royal pain in the backside had managed to push all the wrong buttons of his Princess. Mia pressed her back against the door as she slid down it to the floor. Not only had he once again dragged her into a battlefield he had spent the entire time poking fun at her and her reactions.

---

Three days ago, they had received word of a small skirmish in Oda territory. It would have been easy to send one of the others but Nobunaga was particularly fed up with the ring leader of the incident and wished to make an example of him by showing up there himself.

“You’re coming too. Pack a bag.” His voice carried over the room at the war council as he looked directly at her. She hated the way he commanded her about but she hated it even more when she could feel the pull, she had towards him. An invisible force reaching into her body and dragging her heart and soul in his direction.

“I am NOT going back into another battlefield with you. Find someone else.” Mia stubbornly refused. Whether it was a total disregard for her own self-preservation or just naturally part of her personality it didn’t matter. Her fiery and passionate displays had long since captured Nobunaga’s attention and his heart was always left in a position of longing when he saw her. No other had captivated him so completely and no other had refused him to strongly.

“You will be joining me, Mia. It was not a request.”

Knowing it was pointless to argue with him further Mia had packed a bag with the help of the maids and set out with the small army to deal with the ruckus. The campsite was set up, the food had been eaten and just when it was time to go to bed for the night, she noticed something was missing. Namely her tent.

“What is the meaning of this?” Mia angrily approached the centre command tent and Nobunaga as he looked over the map of the area. She was pointing at the tents behind her and he had to work hard not to actually smile as he knew exactly what she was upset about.

“You will be in my tent during this trip.”

“Like hell, I will.” There is was the spark in the darkness. The ignition of the Fireball that he liked to see dancing behind her hazel eyes.

“Sleep in the tent or find a place for yourself under the open sky. Either way, you are forbidden from leaving the campsite.” He held his gaze firmly on hers. His carnelian eyes missing nothing in her shift of emotion as her eyes started to waver with the unspoken emotion bubbling just below the surface of her façade.

“I didn’t think you would go so far as to use a cheap trick to try to get me to warm your bed.” Mia clenched her jaw.

“I never said anything about warming my bed, Mia. I just said you were to be in my tent. I wish to keep my lucky charm close and where I can see it.” Nobunaga moved around the table removing the obstacle between them and took her chin in his hand tilting that pretty face of hers towards him so he could be sure to gain her full undivided attention. “Perhaps it is you that has alternative suggestions as to sleeping arrangements? If that is what you desire, I shall be happy to oblige.”

“No thank you!” She brushed him off and stormed out. This was a familiar game to them now but something had to give.

---

It had been a couple of months and she had seen many sides of the lord of Azuchi. His joy when hawking, the carefreeness of him as he was riding for leisure, the smug look he had on his face when he inevitably won a game of Go. The anger on his face as he fought in battles to defend his dream of a unified Japan. How he could change from a monster on the battlefield to a sweet and innocent curious boy behind closed doors as she told him things about the future.

Of course, she had also noticed his well-built and toned form peaking out tantalizingly from beneath his clothing. The way his black hair moved in the wind inviting her to run her fingers through it, those eyes that sometimes burned with such heat she thought she might melt under their gaze. When had she changed from the girl who did everything in her power to the point of cutting off her own long chestnut brown hair in an attempt to avoid being his latest bedroom conquest to someone who felt the world stop spinning when she saw him?

The doors behind her back slid open after a very brief knock which caused her to tumble back into the legs of the man that opened it. Hideyoshi’s warm caramel eyes widened a little, looking down on her with concern when he saw her literally fallen at his feet.

“Mia are you alright?” Hideyoshi bent down and took her by her hand righting her back on to her feet.

“Yes, fine. Was there something you wanted?” Mia asked straightening out her kimono from its tangle.

“Nobunaga wants to see you.��

“That is hardly a new thing.” Mia said huffily, rolling her eyes.

“He has work for you. I believe it was a commission.”

---

Curiosity got the better of her. It wasn’t as if she could ignore his request for her to join him in the Tenshu. After gathering her sewing kit and climbing the stairs to the highest part of the castle Mia closed her eyes and took a deep breath to compose herself before knocking on the door.

“Enter”

Ok, Mia. He is just looking for some sewing, which means he’s not going to start chasing you around the room like Shougetsu when he sees a mouse. Just breathe. Nothing is going to happen. It’s all going to be fine. It's all going to be—

“Naked?!”

With nothing but his white haori draped over his broad shoulders, Nobunaga raised his head from reading some papers at his desk.

“You kept me waiting.” Nobunaga shamelessly greeted the shocked Mia.

“Sorry about that.” Mia’s replied trying to regain her composure. “Why are you sitting with nothing on?”

“I have something on.” Nobunaga’s reply was flat and hard to tell if it was going to be the beginning of a long joke or if he was being serious.

“A haori is not nearly enough to be considered adequately dressed when expecting visitors. Hideyoshi said something about a commission?” Distracting herself with her sewing kit Mia set it to the side and began looking through her tools.

“I wish to have a new kimono made. You shall have to take the appropriate measurements.” Nobunaga was now standing looking for all the world like the last sweet in the candy shop. A soft breeze carried in from the open door to the balcony was not helping the situation as it latched on to his natural scent. Filling the room with even more of him than usual.

“I see. What is the occasion?”

“That is of no importance. Just make one in whatever fabric you deem suitable.”

“And you stripped down to your fundoshi so that I could take measurements?” Mai asked with her tape measure now in hand. She was still attempting to keep this all about business, stubbornly refusing to let her eyes wander further south than his chiselled pectorals.

“Naturally. Why else would I do such a thing?” Nobunaga looked completely composed as he remained standing there. His defined muscles from years of training and the faint scars that tracked over his skin exposed.

“I—”

“Yes?” Nobunaga gave a knowing smirk as he watched Mia in her slight fluster before him. Two could play this game, but only one was going to win. And Nobunaga Oda didn’t lose.

“No never mind. If you could please stand and hold out your arm to the side, I’ll start taking notes.” Somehow successfully keeping hold of herself Mia began work.

---

It was distracting and pushed the boundary on his frustration to the point where if it should snap now he was nearly certain he would hurt her. She had avoided him since her arrival even gone as far as to attempt to run from him after their introduction at the temple in Kyoto.

Every ghosting touch of her fingers on his skin seemed to leave trails of burning desire behind as she moved around him gathering her measurements. It was torturous, she was close enough to feel and it would have taken very little to just grab her. But he wanted something more.

She had done a fine job bewitching his mind. Every waking hour where he had even a few seconds of free time had drifted back to her. That smile, her laugh. The sound of her voice, the rich colour of her hair… Her hair. Why had she cut it? It had been so beautiful he would have enjoyed nothing more than to take that long braid and wrap it around his wrist and guide her through the carnal delights of a long evenings pleasure in his bed. Still, even short it suited her.

He could not place the feeling he felt when with Mia as something he was completely familiar with. It was more than a longing to pursue her for warming his bed and having his night’s entertainment. He wanted her heart, body and soul. Only she could do this to him. Only she was capable of driving him so close to the brink of his own sanity.

The silence between them as Mia diligently focused on her task was like another trial sent to test his resolve further. Her small arms wrapped around his waist her tape measure in hand as she took more information from him. Then nothing.

“What is it?” Nobunaga turned quizzically.

“I… I have to take your inside leg.” Mia had a faint blush on her face and gods help him if it wasn’t something else that sent a thrill through him threatening to tip that finely balanced scale he had between remaining calm and just taking her for his own right that second.

“Do as you like.”

Mia knelt down by his feet, and he did not miss the slight tremble in her hand as she brought the end of the tape to his inner thigh, trailing the length of it down to his ankle to get a number. This was unusual he had been measured for clothes before but this was a new thing. It was probably her western training as a seamstress but the simple seemingly innocent action made his blood flash white hot.

“…Mia.” He voice was lower than she had ever heard it before, the rumble of it was something like a lion’s roar. It sent a chilling tremble through her body that seemed to go straight for her core.

Neither knew who was the first to move. Awareness of such a thing was lost in the desperate need they had to be together. Each one was taking turns in pulling the other in a different direction, impatient lips fusing together swallowing whole words and moans as if they were the only thing needed for survival.

The clashing heat as the two bodies connected. Bare skin rubbing in a glorious pent up frustrated friction was enough to make them both feel as if even the slightest glimmer of light that made its way between them was a grievous unforgivable action.

Their actions were primal, unyielding and left them both panting for breath as they collapsed onto Nobunaga’s futon. Mia’s flushed skin had taken on a slick sheen that made her look like she was glowing in the lamplight. Nobunaga lazily ran his fingers over her skin that usually lay hidden beneath layers of silk. Fingertips tracing an invisible line from navel to nape. He felt her shudder beneath his touch and smiled content to know he had finally gotten what he desired. This was his privilege.

“That was—”

“A mere introduction to the main event. The night has only just begun Mia. I finally have you in my bed I forbid you from leaving until I say you can."

---

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sambart93 · 5 years

Text

2019.01.14 GARO Stage Vol 3: Kami no Kiba - JINGA - Reincarnation [Review]

Official Website here Official Twitter here Press Coverage 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Videos 1

CAST and CHARACTERS

Inoue Masahiro as Jinga Yamamoto Ikkei as Sasha Inami Anju* and Oda Erina as Tomoha Masaki Kaoru as Ruka Matsunoi Miyabi as Amelie Fukuen Misato* and Nazuka Kaori as Shera Shimizu Saki as Ontake and Yuzuki Miyagi Koudai as Ushio Sengoku Minami and Isohara Kyouka* as Saeka Yumoto Misaki as Kerusu doNcHY as Tomino Sato Daisuke as Ramedo and Pakutora Sato Kazuma as Kaise Namiki Shusuke as Ikari Noda Hiroshi as Kido Iwata Arihiro as Lumido and Midouji Nakamura Seijiro as Fugi Horrors: Ega, Ryo, Hiro-C, Taka-ki, Kraus, Shimoo Hiroaki, Kudo Shoma, Katakabe Hiromasa, Sakai Hayato, Noda Ryunosuke, Yoshiba Yuki, Tezuka Sae, Ito Reina, Taguchi Fumiya

*There were some double casts so the * signifies the ones I saw.

NON-SPOILER REVIEW Overall: This was very good. This was a solid stage. I thoroughly enjoyed the action, I enjoyed so many of the new actors, seeing the horrors IN PERSON and so up close was amazing! The use of the projection mappings and how they used the front screen for the effects was really cool! The combination of heavy rock and action scenes was a perfect combination and I absolutely adored the two - three big action scenes that used heavy rock music to their advantage to intensify the action. One of the fighting scenes actually really impressed me with HOW they did it! Also the fact that we had a LIVE band performing is awesome! The adlibbing was gold. I can see a lot of potential in some of the characters and their future storylines. I hope we get more development and more appearances from certain characters in the future! I thoroughly enjoyed myself at this stage, even with the earthquake about 30 minutes into it which FREAKED me off. However, I had a few technical issues. This play could’ve been amazing with about 2 - 3 more days rehearsing. Let me clarify; the actors are not the issue at all! But, the sound staff and the scene transitions were very questionable at times. Sometimes the sound effects for punches and such were either played too early or too late, and it was glaringly, obviously off beat. There were a lot of moments where the orchestra would go from one song to the next as a scene ended and started, but there’d be like 10 seconds during that transition where none of the actors could more or say their lines, and it felt very unnatural and roboticly timed. If they had had just a few more days of rehearsals I really think they could’ve fixed and perfected the sound and music timing. The other issue I had was the story. The main story and the main points of the story were absolutely fine, but I felt like one character and their story line (which is attached to the main plot) was totally unnecessary. At first I thought maybe only I have these issues, but upon talking to other friends, our negatives about the play matched completely. They also had problems with the timeline in the story too, they said it was confusing to figure out when all these events are supposed to take place. But luckily, I was able to understand the timeline without any problems. But besides me, my friends found that a problem. Rating: 6/10 - I enjoyed myself, but with a few more days of rehearsing and script revising, this stage could have been amazing.

SPOILER REVIEW

PreShow

I was very confused when I got to the cinema and got in line for the goods. My goodness Goods was confusing!! You had to pick up your goods from the tables first THEN line up to pay?! No wonder the line was going so fast!! XD It took me a minute or two to figure out what the hell was going on. I kind of wish all shows did this. Would be so much faster in the goods line!! Rather than waiting for Miss-Take-A-Lot who is always in front of me buying about 40 sets of different bromides when all I want is a pamphlet but I have to stand behind her for 10 fucking minutes, also because the effing staff are taking their god damn time too trying to get everything and counting everything out for then about three times. <<< A common occurrence I experience unfortunately.

But anyway....

Then I got into the theatre and right away the very front screen is down and the projection mapping for the Garo opening sequence/advertisement on the screen looks so damn cool! And the GARO music to go along with it!! It was very Messiah-esque in that it had random patterns and shapes floating about but you knew they signified something or someone. Just like in Messiah’s movie openings. It was so cool to watching while counting down to show time.

I was to the right of the stage fourth row, but just not far enough to have any of the stage cut off - PHEW!!

Finally, about 20 minutes in, I ‪FINALLY experienced an earthquake during a show! It was bound to happen soon xD‬ although it went on for much longer than I was comfortable with so I momentarily didn’t focus on the play, so I have no idea what happened during those few minutes.

The Story

I want to talk about the story first:

So the story actually jumps around; it occurs before, during and after the Jinga tv show. Some people (as mentioned above) found it really difficult to figure out when it was set but I took little hints to figure out when it was. The first 40 minutes or so are set before Jinga is reborn as a human; he’s still hanging around Amelie and the Horror are bowing down before him. Then the middle section is set during the Jinga tv show; we see where he went those few episodes where he came back bloody or he doesn’t remember what happened. And the final part is setting during after the events of Jinga when he gets his Horror posse to turn and such.

The main running thread throughout all this is a girl called Tomoha. Tomoha is a Makai Priest in training, and she has a group who she trains with, she has a sister, and has some normal friends. One of her normal friends unfortunately succumbs and becomes a horror, but Jinga gets involved and reverts her back to a human being. Tomoha learns that the person who saved her friend is called Jinga and that he can turn horrors back to humans. After this she decides to find him, but when she does Jinga doesn’t recognise nor remember her. She realises there are two Jingas. Later she wants to introduce him to her training clan but while there Jinga’s Horror henchmen, and a group wanting to destroy Jinga turn up and the entire clan is doomed.

That the basicness of the entire story. Now to get into details.

The Show

Maybe I’ll just get the negatives out first and then I can flail to the end.

☆ As mentioned above I had some technical issues with the play. First was the timing between action/movements and the sound effects. The timing of some action hits were either too fast or too slow. And the off beat of the sounds were glaringly obvious unfortunately. Also, the transitions between songs, the actors would stay frozen until the right note in the music and then the scene or line would start, which made it look and feel very robotic.

☆ I really do think just a little more (a few days of) rehearsing would’ve really perfected this stage! There were technically things like timing that could’ve been spot on if they had had just a little more time. I heard from a friend that: they didn’t have a GenePro for the press because it wasn't good enough yet, and that they kept pushing things back until eventually just cancelled the GenePro and only gave interviews instead. So clearly, I’m right in thinking (even at Senshuuraku) that they needed a few more days. During the curtain call, Masahiro even commented that he only had one day to rehearse. But I’m not even calling out on the acting! I thought everyone did well. I only had issue with technically stuff.

☆ Call me bias but the first 30 mins or so were so unnecessary and were pretty boring. They use Tomoha as the central character for the plot but in all honesty, Tomoha’s entire storyline and participation was unneeded and unnecessary. I liked the main storyline for Jinga, and the storyline of Jinga being tracked down by the Ikkei crew, but Tomoha was completely pointless. We didn’t need her in order to know about a training group of priests and knights, we didn’t need to know she had a sister, we didn’t need one of her friends to turn horror, we didn’t need her begging for Jinga to save her. This all could’ve been just a random human or a random training crew and nothing in the main storyline would have changed. Jinga could’ve just found and gotten to that training crew on his own, Jinga could’ve ‘saved’ this human-turn-horror without introduction. We didn’t need to know about her or her sister or any one specifically at all. You could’ve switched ANYONE in where she was and it wouldn’t have made any difference to the story at all. Having her as the ‘main character’ just made the first half full of unnecessary introductions, absolutely pointless, and SO BORING.

☆ And because the story was somewhat lacking, they really missed a great opportunity to have Jinga get really evil. We have Tomoha who has clearly fallen for Jinga and completely trusts him, and you’re telling me Jinga didn’t even TRY to manipulate and use her?! I really wanted Jinga to USE her! Manipulate her! USE HER!!! That’s what the real Jinga would do! He’d be like ‘oh this idiot LIKES me. Well I’ll trick her into falling in love with me and then she’ll do anything for me mwahaha’ but nooooooooooo the story makes a romantic bullshit subplot out of it where it’s hinted that Jinga also likes her. Oh FUCK OFF! The real Jinga would have used and abused her, and he would have laughed in her face the moment her world came crashing down! That’s the Jinga we know! But alas the story did not go there. Seriously, a few more days of script writing and rehearsing would’ve made this amazing!!

☆ Another thing I wish that changed in the script was during a few battle scenes, the entire cast are dancing to the battle music rather than actually fighting... wtf?Again, another missed opportunity! Even as the music and the dancing started, I immediately thought: TARANTINO! I really wish they had done a Tarantino-style thing: Jinga orchestrating and dancing to music while everyone else is actually fighting and screaming. That would’ve been much better. I was completely fine with Jinga being all orchestry and dancing but I think going Tarantino style would’ve been better: only he can hear the music and is dancing, while everyone else is actually screaming and fighting. Instead of this bullshit of everyone, including Horrors, dancing to the entire song.

☆ Lastly, I didn’t have a problem, but a lot of people were confused as what the the timeline of this story was. I’ve already explained above, but I can see how others might been confused. It wasn’t exactly stated so you just had to pick up on what people were saying and who was where in order to understand what point in the timeline we were in.

Now to the fangirling!!

☆ Sticking to the fighting and music topic: The actual fighting scenes with the very heavy rock music were AMAZING! You could feel the music through the floor and the fighting was very well choreographed! It was so god damn fun!!

☆ I’m jumping ahead but the best fight scene was definitely the climax fight between Jinga and Sasha. It was absolutely amazing how they did it!!! Ikkei (Sasha) had a body double so it looked like Sasha could move super fast from one end of the stage to the other! It was so fast paced, and so well executed, that even from the 4th row, I couldn’t tell where the real Ikkei was during the fight! Also the use of the lighting during this scene, and having their weapons light up. We had some points that were in complete darkness and all you could see were Jinga’s sword and Sasha’s weapons that were lit up and fighing. It was SUCH A GOOD SCENE. It was best scene in the entire play. Absolute kudos to the choreographer and to Masahiro, Ikkei, his body double and everyone involved in that scene because holy hell it was amazing!

☆ We had a LIVE orchestra the entire time which was absolutely amazing! The music itself is just a masterpiece! It’s so good! I guess that’s why they called it Garo the ‘Live Entertainment’.

☆ There was a higawari/daily change guest every day and the show I went to had Kashiwagi Yusuke as the guest. If you don’t know, I love Kashiwagi so I was super excited for this! And he did not disappoint. He was GOLD.

Yuusuke did fucking Osomatsu!!! Everyone was DYING of laughter! Even Amelie and the other cast couldn’t keep it together! SO MANY OSOMATSU JOKES!! So his story is that Amelie and co. can’t eat him because he already made a promise with Jinga that Jinga would devour him. So he explains that he wanted to save his brothers (and that there are six of them), but they accidentally got mixed up in his scheme of trying to rob a bank, and they all ended up getting shot at. In exchange for stopping those bullets from hitting his brother, he agrees to make a deal with Jinga. During his storytelling four of the ensemble came on stage in the other Oso-coloured jumpsuits and Yusuke’s like ‘WHERE’S PURPLE?!?! You couldn’t even get me five people?!’ He was absolutely amazing! So many round of applauses during his higawari. And he did some backflips too. At the Amilie ran after him with her knife like ‘KKAAARRAAAMMAATTSUU!!!’.

During the curtain call, he said he wants to come back as a Horror if they ever let him come back. He also apologised to the vast colour difference between everyone’s outfit and his; he was ain a bright blue jumpsuit with a kimono styles scarf over his shoulders xD Absolutely GOLD.

☆ I absolutely loved being able to see Jinga’s costume so up close! I absolutely adore his grey coat from the TV show and being able to see the detail of that coat so close in person was amazing!

☆ Also the full body Horror and Makai Knight suits that we got to see on stage were phenomenal! They looked AMAZING! They were pretty terrifying as they went past me in the theatre! xD And huge kudos to the people wearing those suits. They must be absolutely dying in sweat in those suits!!

☆ There is a scene where we get to see the switch between Human Jinga and Horror Jinga. Seeing that transition right in front of my eyes was amazing! I love how different his body language and posture is between the two Jingas. I also adore how different his fighting style is too between the two versions of him.

☆ Ikkei/Sasha was so good too! I absolutely adored his look. I love how he always called himself ‘Sasha’ and referred to himself in the third person, and I love how over the top he can be. And I already said but that final fighting scene with him was phenomenal!

☆ Nakamura/Fugi’s fighting style and weapon is so cool! I really loved how much control he had with his weapon. He had some moves where the weapon could’ve easily fallen out of his hand and gone flying but he had such control and so flawlessly used it. I was so impressed.

☆ Koudai as Ushio was GREAT! He was playing a young, cheerful, sorted stupid Knight in training and he just lit up the stage with his happiness and silly moments xD I wanted so much for him to survive and get all revenge-y on Jinga’s ass! I was so sad when he died. I wanted so much more from him!

☆ A quick note on the Sasha/Fugi/Ruka/Ontake group: They are neither Makai nor Horror. From what I understood, they’re from their own world and Ontake is actually like....a god? or at least an overseeyer of the human world. Because she has a forest of candles, and the candles are everyone’s life/souls. Some candles have black flames which shows who’s become a horror, and the rest are normal flames. So essentially they’re from another... dimension/world? And they hear about Jinga’s plan to steal their goddess/spirit called Tomino so they want to kill him before he can get to Tomino.

☆ There is a twist at the end where Tomoha is possessed by Tomino (we assume she’s a goddess/spirit from the world that Ikkei is from) which means ‘Tomoha’ might have a bigger role in the future.

☆ A comment from curtain called that I enjoyed: Nakamura mentioned that he’d like a spin off dorama just about his character Fugi, and then Ruka’s actor was like “I hope Ruka gets a spin off dorama too!”. Inoue immediately after said ‘not like Sasha’s gonna get one cos he’s dead’ and Ikkei was absolutely distraught looking, it was hilarious. He was like ‘hey!!!!!!!!! I can come back! I can just pop out of nowhere!’

☆ After the show: Miyabi/Amilie was at the dvd corner and Inoue/Jinga was at the buppan corner!

And that’s all! I hope you enjoyed this short review!

#garo #jinga #kami no kiba #inoue masahiro #miyagi koudai #miyagi kodai #review #stage #stage play #2.5D #2.5次元 #yamamoto ikkei #nakamura seijiro #inami anju #masaki kaoru #miyavi matsunoi

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littlemissonewhoisall · 5 years

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I've personally always preferred the Eiichiro Oda Method of Character Deaths - i.e., nobody dies EVER unless it's a flashback. The Big Bad can do whatever he wants to helpless villagers or failed underlings but as soon as the arc's over they'll pop right back up. (Of course, it helps that in One Piece the heroes are always on the move, so there's less chance of the cast getting overcrowded.)

I’m not a big fan of that idea either, tbh. I want death to mean something. There should be real stakes, but those stakes shouldn't be established by thoughtlessly killing characters with real potential. IMO death being so cheap in comics has come about because writers have become careless in how they use character death, which should be rare and impactful. Certain deaths are done well enough that you don't need to undo them, (see: Barry Allen) but most of the time those deaths are just pointless, stupid, and cruel, which doesn't fit the medium at all and leads to later writers who justifiably want those characters to have a fair shot undoing the deaths, which just makes the people who kill them off more flippant about it.

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intergalacticrp · 6 years

Photo

NAME :// OSAMU DAZAI ORIGIN :// BUNGOU STRAY DOGS AGE :// TWENTY-TWO JOB :// PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR FC :// SOTA FUKUSHI

Seven devils all around you Seven devils in my house See I was dead when I woke up this morning And I’ll be dead before the day is done

BIOGRAPHY ://

(suicide tw, suicidal thoughts tw, suicide mention tw, death tw, depression tw)

Dazai was orphaned at birth, never knowing who his parents and never quite caring for that matter either. While the other children at the orphanage he met would often ask or spend hours talking about what their parents must have been like, he looked at the conversation as being a pointless waste of time. In fact, he didn’t talk much with the other children at all. He was a quiet kid, often sitting to the side and observing everyone carefully, picking situations apart until he figured out how every tiny event had played out and what had caused it to play out in such a way. It didn’t take long for him to learn that he had a knack for knowing how people worked and it took even less time for him to start using it to his advantage.

He found no joy in simple everyday activities like the games all of the other kids would play. No matter how many school teachers encouraged him to get involved, he refused, sticking to where he wanted on the sidelines. For as long as he could remember, there had never been anything that made him happy, there was always this emptiness in him, a hole that could be filled by nothing and nobody. There was hardly anything he was emotionally invested in and when he did turn to things that were logic based, he found it all too easy. School felt as if it were below him, everything that was taught was far too simple.

Dazai spent years searching for an escape, for some possible way to fill that hole and when even academics failed him, he turned back to people. He forced himself to gain an even deeper insight and with time, he learned there wasn’t a soul he couldn’t predict. He thought there wasn’t a single part of the whole universe that could provide even a challenge to him. Upon this realization, he instead decided to look for an escape. At fourteen, he thought he found his solution in suicide, but it landed him in a hospital. It was there that he met a man that would change his life forever.

The doctor who helped Dazai recover, a man named Ogai Mori, took Dazai in at the end of his stay at the hospital. It was that very night that Dazai learned he was not who he said he was. The man was in fact a member of the largest organized crime unit, a group called the Port Mafia. After killing the previous leader in front of Dazai, Mori told him that the story they would tell was that the leader had died of an illness and that he wished for Mori to take his place. Dazai, unaffected from what he had just witnessed, decided that perhaps in a world of bloodshed and war he could find a way to fill the hole that’s always been there.

So, Dazai stays, Mori grooming him and raising him to one day be his right hand man. But Dazai discovers, he not only fits in with the Port Mafia, but he excels there. Having no apprehensions about doing anything, Dazai rises in the ranks faster than anyone before, becoming the youngest executive in the history of the Port Mafia at just sixteen. He gains a reputation as being ruthless and calculating, cruel and mysterious. He’s known as a man who demands to be feared not with his words but with his actions, treating even the subordinate he’s training named Akutagawa without even a shred of mercy. Dazai is cold to nearly everyone, startling even Mori with how dark and intelligent he proves himself to be.

Yet, to a certain extent, Dazai is an actor. His lies and manipulation going so far that even the true version of himself is rarely seen by anyone. His attitude changing depending on who he is surrounding himself with in that moment. The first person who he showed another side of himself to was a boy his age named Chuuya, who he had been ordered to work with for a few missions. It was a partnership that became known by most, due to the sheer damage the two often caused when they did work on something together. The two quickly formed a rivalry but behind all that was something similar to a friendship.

To Dazai, Chuuya was a person who he enjoyed teasing, resulting in them bickering whenever in the presence of the other. He found what bothered him and latched onto it, making jokes and jabs about anything he thought would annoy the other enough to produce a reaction. It wasn’t hard to do, Chuuya was a person that was hot-headed and Dazai got under his skin with ease. It was rare for Dazai to see anyone as his equal and while he didn’t quite see Chuuya as that, he saw him as being closer to that than really anyone else. It resulted in him being not as ruthless, to smile and laugh even, but even that wasn’t enough to get rid of the empty feeling that filled Dazai.

The only person who ever came close to that was someone Dazai met back when he was a new member. It was a low-ranking member who rarely did any jobs of much interest named Oda. Oda was the only person to truly know Dazai, to know about how he felt as if he were alone in the world, how nothing fixed the hole. Not only was he the only person to truly know Dazai, but he was the only one to understand him. Dazai clinged to this, spending most of his free time with him for years. To others looking in, it was odd, it was a time where Dazai was gaining notoriety, right before he became an executive, most wouldn’t think he had time for some lowly member that truly didn’t contribute much. But the closer Dazai grew with him, the more he smiled. Even after becoming an executive, he would push Oda to talk about the menial tasks he did that day instead of explaining whatever grandiose plan he had put into action that day.

Two years after becoming an executive, at eighteen, Dazai and Oda would go drinking together in a tiny bar in the part of town that most wouldn’t be caught dead in late at night. He would order the same drink, he would always beg Oda to talk about his day, and they’d toast to something. Little by little, Dazai started to feel happier, to taste the hint of what life might be like if he could only find a way to not feel so empty.

Just as he thought that might happen, Oda died in a conflict with a rival organization. But just before doing so, he told Dazai that the hole he felt in him would never be filled and that although he knew that good or evil didn’t matter to Dazai, that he should choose good because striving to be a better person was a much more beautiful life to live. His dying wish was for Dazai to change, not who he was, but who he aligned himself with. To this day, Dazai considers Oda to be the only true friend he has ever had in life.

Right after Oda’s death, Dazai left the Port Mafia. After being assigned a mission, he aborted it halfway through and disappeared. With the punishment for desertion being death, Dazai took two years to erase any proof of his existence or trail and left his home planet, travelling around and staying underground until he landed on Yen Sid finally at the age of twenty. From there he scoured for work, anything that would allow for him to do good. He quickly found himself a home in an eccentric group of people who worked at a private investigation business called the Armed Detective Agency. He knew he wouldn’t work well in a place filled with too many rules and with the laid back attitude of everyone, it was a near perfect fit. The people were passionate enough about doing good and they followed the law, often working with police rather than around them.

Now, Dazai is almost unrecognizable from the man he used to be. He’s jovial and positive, often teasing his co-workers and trying to be comedic. His closer coworkers and friends know he was involved with a criminal organization and some are even aware of the fact that he was a high-ranking member within that. But few know the extent of what he did and Dazai would prefer to keep it that way. In fact, he prefers to keep most things close to his chest.

But despite the change in work, the Dazai that did atrocious things is still in there. He’s still calculating and manipulative, he’s still quick-witted, and he’s still just as willing as he always had been to commit those atrocious things if need be. As when it comes down to it, he did just what Oda asked him to do, not to change himself but to change what he did. Now, those skills are being used for good, even if Dazai personally doesn’t care about what they are being used for. He has a knack for finding who they need to and he can easily tell when a someone is lying, not to mention he’s skilled with weapons and in martial arts due to his time with the Port Mafia.

At twenty-two years old now, that feeling of emptiness is still there, present as ever, but it’s faded just slightly. While there are some days he wants to escape from life forever, most of the time that’s not entirely the case anymore. He’s with a good group of people. He has a new partner that he works with that is nothing like Chuuya, but is just as fun to tease and perhaps even easier to. He’s even taken to helping someone named Atsushi, but he treats him fairly and with kindness, not even an ounce of the cruelty he used on his previous subordinate is present. Dazai has learned that Oda was right, that hole of emptiness in him will probably never be filled, but he smiles now when he stares out at the sunset to think, and that’s far more beautiful than how things were in the past.

AESTHETIC ://

bandaged hands, the sound of a lock being picked, the heavy weight of a gun in hand, the smell of old books, the taste of a whiskey on the rocks, the ticking of a clock, matches burning, trusting no one and sharing nothing, a smile that’s never been real, rain hitting the ground on a silent night.

MISC ://

He’s known to be lazy by some of his current co-workers, often making it seem like he’s doing nothing at all when in reality he’s been figuring everything out and just neglecting to tell anyone else his plans or predictions.

He seems to always have some type of injury wrapped in bandages.

Despite not talking about what he used to do, he doesn’t feel guilt over it in anyway but he keeps it a secret as he feels others could use it against him.

Since coming to Yen Sid, he’s run into a few people from his past in the Port Mafia, they’re aware of where he’s at, but they’ve made no moves to attack him yet.

He can be quite selfish, putting his own wants above everyone else’s and not caring who really gets hurt as long as he gets what he wants in the end.

He is always carrying a weapon with him, usually a handgun.

CONNECTION ://

Doppo Kunikida : work partner who he would hesitantly consider a friend.

Atsushi Nakajima : the newest member to the armed detective agency, he’s taken him under his wing and is mentoring him.

Chuuya Nakahara : ex-work partner that he seems to keep running into, an enemy unless a situation arises where they have to work together.

Ryunosuke Akutagawa : someone he was mentoring when he was in the port mafia, only speaks to him when he has a use for him, doesn’t care for him besides that.

AVAILABILITY :// OPEN || TAKEN BY LEAH

#dazai osamu #sota fukushi #taken #tm #male #bungou stray dogs #bungou stray dogs rp #rp #rpg #roleplay #animated rp #anime rp #cartoon rp #space rp #scifi rp #bio rp #skeleton rp #semi appless rp #lgbt rp

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osamu-dazaisan · 6 years

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@warringbeauties He had planned this special night for Chuuya, after all. Of course, the stupid executive would be late. Dazai had snuck into the other’s penthouse, bringing groceries with him and prepared him his favourite French dishes. Even if Dazai found them quite strange and wasn’t use to the cooking methods, he still successfully made Soupe a l’oignon & coq au vin. The recipe guide he found helped a lot and within a few hours, the entire penthouse smelled nothing short of delicious. Stealing a bottle of red wine from Chuuya’s wine rack that stood next to his kitchen door, he set the bottle down upon a smooth white linen clothed table. The dishes were set up with forks, knives, and spoons in their proper place. For a moment, he had to thank Mori for forcing him to learn such silly table etiquette. Even if it was for winning over clients and guests, he was using it now to try and win over one Chuuya Nakahara. Part of him laughed at the idea of making dinner for someone he couldn’t stand in the past. What would his sixteen year old self say if he saw him wearing an apron, carefully drizzling the left over sauce upon the Coq au Vin? How would he scoff when he saw Dazai easing the Soup a L’oiignon into the ramekin? Would he laugh at how gingerly Dazai set down the wine glasses? If anything, his younger self would at least try to poison the dishes or fill them with laxatives so the chibi can have a fun night later, but those thoughts seemed pointless now. No, his younger self would’ve rationalized this strange behavior. He would call it a strategical move to win Chuuya over so that he would have an unbreakable loyalty to the detective. He would be such a wonderful pawn indeed, forcing him to follow his orders and suggestions over that of Mori’s, but that was not his intentions tonight. Chuuya became someone he could trust, proving that he could be a kind person, seldomly gentle, when he most needed it. Oda saved him once before, and now Chuuya’s doing the same for him. Imagine the shock on Chuuya face when he randomly showed up at his doorstep a few months back, blood dripping from a gash in his side and staining the welcome back he so carefully set out. Dazai imagined he would’ve just thrown him out, letting him bleed out until his body was warm no longer. Imagine the detective surprise when Chuuya took his wrist into his hand, sitting him down on the plush velvet couch before going to grab his first aid. Dazai came here because he hoped Chuuya would stitch up the wound for him, but he never would’ve thought it would actually happen. Even if he pretended that this was all part of his greater scheme, Dazai was pleasantly surprised. Chuuya mended his wound, dressed it, brought him warm shitty sake that Dazai gifted him for his birthday, and spoke with him. Dazai got scolded for bleeding all over his good couch, scolded for letting himself get injured, and scolded for waking Chuuya up in the middle of the night just to bother him. Even if Chuuya wasn’t properly human, he had more of a heart than Dazai. Dazai must’ve realized that was the moment he realized all the things that Chuuya had done for him in the past. Taking care of his drunk self when he could finally drop the image of a perfect executive, reminding him to eat when he was overworking, setting money aside into his accounts when Dazai blew them on random items; it was like he had a wife instead of a partner. Maybe that’s when it all clicked within his brain that he must’ve meant more to Chuuya. Maybe that’s when it clicked that Chuuya meant more to Dazai. Even if the petite Mafioso couldn’t see it, Chuuya radiated his own bright light. A beautiful light that shone just as brightly as his orange hair, as radiant as those sky blue eyes, as majestic as Chuuya himself. Dazai will admit, he was a bit smitten. He had thought of Chuuya as handsome before, but it just seemed to click now that he was very attractive. Strange how one’s view of a person can change when feelings come into play. He was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of the lock turning from the front door. Slipping off the apron, he slung it over the nearest cabinet before stepping out of the dining room to meet one really tired executive.

#warringbeauties #Verse: WarringChuuya #I'mma fluff you so hard rn.#Surprise binch

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dazaran · 6 years

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title: the wind at your back pushing you forward ship: dazai osamu/edogawa ranpo rating: G AO3 link: here!

day one of bsd rarepair week -- prompt : memories / letting go.

Dazai disappears often. This is not a surprise to anyone in the agency, as he isn’t exactly subtle about it. More accurately, whenever he disappears, no one gives a damn and assumes he’s off trying to commit suicide as per usual, is stuck somewhere, or arrested. No one really seems to be bothered by it outside of his new subordinate who is all too kind, all too considerate, as well as the occasional Tanizaki. This all being said, when Atsushi brings up the fact Dazai is missing again with a concerned furrow of his brows, no one bats an eyelash. Kunikida is still typing away at his computer, Kenji is pinching at the leaves of a potted plant he kidnapped from its perch on the windowsill, and Ranpo is playing a video game on his lavender PSP.

“Didn’t you receive a case this morning?” Kunikida asks, looking away from his keyboard to give a long stare at Atsushi. “It’s pointless worrying about that oaf. If he doesn’t want to be found, you won’t find him.”

“But-”

“You’ve been here long enough to know you don’t need him at your side for every case.”

“That’s true, but...”

Ranpo groans dramatically, tossing his PSP onto his desk as he stands to his feet. The noise is loud enough to startle Atsushi ever so lightly. “I’ll go get him. Would that make you happy?”

“Eh... Ranpo-san knows where he is?”

The detective scoffs, raising his chin as if looking down on the teenager. “Who do you think I am, Atsushi? There’s nothing I don’t know, nothing I can’t figure out. Besides, even if you’re an idiot who can’t tell, Dazai is actually a man of habit more than you realize.”

Kunikida scoffs next, hunching over his computer, typing with what sounds like even more force on the keys. “If only those habits included doing his work instead of running off whenever he feels like it.”

“Don’t get too neurotic so early in the day, Kunikida.” Ranpo teases as he walks around his desk, stopping behind the blond to pat him on the shoulder and give a reassuring smile. “I’ll take care of him, so you focus on what you do best, yeah?”

Kunikida relaxes under the detective’s touch. He only hesitates for a few seconds before heaving a sigh, nodding his head politely. “You’re right. Thank you, Ranpo-san. As always, we can count on you when we need it the most.”

Ranpo grins in response, and without another word on the subject, he turns to make his way towards the main entrance of the agency with a cheerful hum. He keeps up this act up until he's out the door and has closed it behind him, then and only then does he let his expression relax while descending the stairs to reach the bottom floor.

Dazai’s disappearing acts, huh...

He pauses upon reaching the end of the doorway to the agency’s building. Across the street, a sweets shop has a stand out front in pastel pink and blue. It’s only on Fridays every first of the month they’ll put it out, and it’s on the first Friday of the month Dazai goes missing around this time. Like that sweets shop, he is a man of routine, and the place where he thinks is well hidden is in plain sight.

Of course, a man of his intelligence knows that many would expect him to hide instead of sitting out in the open.

With a pensive hum, Ranpo tucks his hands into his pockets, pivoting on a heel to begin walking down the sidewalk. It’s a bit unlike him, to be focused on the cracks in the sidewalk compared to studying his surroundings, the people, the sights - but they would distract him, he knows. He’s fickle at times, but when it came to things he felt the need to be serious about, Ranpo was completely capable of focusing on the matter.

He doesn't need to be serious with Dazai, per se, but things are different when they're alone. The air is different, Dazai’s voice is softer, his gaze is down instead of meeting those bold green eyes that maybe, just a little, he's afraid of.

(Those eyes that see into everyone and everything, delving into all of Dazai’s secrets he keeps under lock and key and a charming smile -)

“Ohh? Strange to see you out and about by yourself, Ranpo-san.”

Ranpo lifts his gaze, meeting the dark, gentle brown eyes of Dazai Osamu. He's standing there on the sidewalk with his hands in the pockets of his coat, shoulders relaxed, and an innocent tilt to his head. Ranpo can tell that it's fabricated innocence in some attempt to hide the underlying weight present on his shoulders.

“... Your visit to the cemetery was rather short this time, huh?” Ranpo answers, not hesitating to cut to the chase.

Dazai sighs, hanging his head and shaking it with a smile. “As always, I can't hide anything from you, Ranpo-san.” he acquiesces. “Though usually it would be Atsushi-kun to come hunt me down... Are you worried about little me?”

There he goes again, giving that perfect smile, but it's as hollow as the mask he wears on his face. It's so fragile, can be so easily broken to pieces, yet no one was selfish enough or concerned enough to do it.

No... perhaps they were, but the Japanese were always the type to not get involved in others business. Ranpo knows this all too well.

“Yeah. I probably am.” Ranpo answers at last, stepping closer as he casually reaches into his pocket to procure a lollipop, unwrapping it before popping it into the brunet’s mouth.

Dazai doesn't fight it, if only because he's so startled by the honesty of the detective’s words. “H-huh?” he stutters, blinking as he turns to give Ranpo a confused blink when he begins to walk past.

“Am I not allowed to worry?”

“That-...”

I wish you wouldn't - that is what Dazai’s troubled furrow of his brow says. His troubles are his alone, what he must always shoulder independently, and Ranpo understands the sentiment more than he'd like but... At the same time, he's selfish.

“I don't feel like going back to the agency yet,” Ranpo continues casually, letting his head fall back to study the clouds passing overhead. “Take me out to lunch as an apology for worrying your senpai.”

“Ehhhh, do I have to?”

“Well - do you wanna go back to working yet?”

A moment of silence.

“Lunch it is! Do you have any preference, Ranpo-san?”

Figured as much. Ranpo gives a wide, amused smile. “Not really. Surprise me! If you can~”

“That’s asking for a bit too much...” Dazai laughs lightly, hitching his shoulders up in a shrug. “But I might have a place or two in mind. I just hope the one I choose will suffice.”

Of course, the place Dazai ends up taking Ranpo to is to a small gelato shop just outside Cosmoworld, a place to view Cosmo Clock 21 while they lean against a pier railing side by side. Ranpo’s gelato is a bright pink, strawberry flavored of course. Dazai’s is matcha tea flavored, and a bright green. For a warm spring day like this, gelato is a good choice, Ranpo thinks.

“- So how was it?”

Dazai hums, looking at Ranpo as he takes a spoonful of his gelato into his mouth. “How was what?”

A smile, this one holding no intent to tease. “Your visit to Oda Sakunosuke’s grave.”

There's a moment of lingering silence, the two of them merely keeping each other's gaze. Eventually, Dazai turns his head away to look down at his gelato and stir the contents idly. “That reminds me - It's been on my mind for a while, but... you always say his name so fondly, Ranpo-san. It doesn't quite feel as if it's out of politeness towards my relationship with him.”

Surely it would seem strange, for someone you didn't know to have known your closest friend speak his name so fondly. Dazai probably doesn't like it.

“We've met before. Though it was brief and might have not meant much to him, it did to me.”

“Hmmm~ How long ago?”

Ranpo taps his lips with his plastic spoon, expression thoughtful. “Twelve years ago now, I'd say.”

“Twelve...”

“Ehh? What, what, are you jealous?” Ranpo snickers, nudging Dazai playfully.

“No, not really,” Dazai shakes his head. “It's just, at that time-”

“Yeah. He was still an assassin when we met.” Ranpo sighs, almost fondly. “That brilliantly talented Assassin-san killed a man right before my eyes with a bag on his head and hands tied behind his back. I'll never forget that sight.” And then, a grin. “After all, he was an even match for Fukuzawa-san of all people despite being my age and having such a handicap! He was amazing! Well, he still got captured, but my point stands.”

Dazai snorts in amusement. “Well, it's the director, after all. Though, someone like him during those days wouldn't kill in broad daylight, nor allow himself to get caught. Something’s wrong with that statement, isn't there?”

“Clever as always, Dazai,” Ranpo confirms. “Yeah, the guy he killed was the guy who hired him. He was told to come to talk details, but was framed for murder of the boss of that place. I cleared his name ‘cause that case was in the way for me at the time. That Assassin-san didn't take well to betrayals and the like - that's why the guy died.”

Didn't take well to betrayals, huh... The brunet’s eyes fall half lidded in thought. “... And? Why is he so important?”

Ranpo takes a gracious spoonful of his gelato, giving a noise of pleasure as he swallows. “‘Cause he repaid me later. I got kidnapped, and they were people he met before. Without him giving the location to Fukuzawa-san, I probably wouldn't be standing here with you right now.” Then, Ranpo smiles, leaning back against the railing. “That guy was the type to save others before he was even aware of it. Though you'll surely never tell me the details, that guy saved you too, didn't he?”

Ranpo doesn't mind that Dazai may never tell him about the intricacies of his relationship with Oda Sakunosuke. It's clear that their relationship was closer and more relevant in comparison to Ranpo and his remembering of every little detail in his life. Just as Ranpo knows he's not obligated to tell Dazai about the details of his life or his parents, Dazai doesn't need to talk about his relationship with Oda. Rather, it's transparent in how he feels about the man in question.

The man Dazai Osamu is now is because of that former assassin.

Dazai seems as if he’s contemplating something, opening his mouth to speak, then closing it. Ranpo sighs out loud, jabbing his spoon into Dazai’s gelato to steal a bite.

“It’s okay to linger on things. It’s okay to not forget about them and keep them in your heart and mind for as long as you want to. But, carrying memories and carrying a ball and chain are two different things. I don’t think Assassin-san would want you to make him out to be a weight on your shoulders as much as he’d want to be the wind at your back to push you forward. He wants you to be happy, find happiness, maybe love - fill that hole in your chest.”

There are a few more seconds of passing silence as Dazai studies Ranpo through his lashes, soon giving a small scoff that sounds almost amused as he returns Ranpo’s gesture to steal a spoonful of his strawberry gelato.

“The amount in which you can understand without me saying a thing is as terrifying as always, Ranpo-san. If there’s such thing as killing a man with words alone, you could surely accomplish it.”

Ranpo puffs his chest. “I’m a master detective, after all! It’s only obvious!”

Of course he’d take pride in such a thing. Dazai smiles, looking up as he takes another spoonful of gelato into his mouth. He seems to hold it for a second too long before swallowing, then turns to Ranpo. “Ranpo-san, let me take you to ride that.” he says almost abruptly, pointing at the Ferris wheel with his spoon.

“Eh? When?”

“Tonight. It’s much more beautiful lit up at night.”

“That sounds like you’re asking me out on a date.”

“That’s right.” the brunet seems a bit cheeky then, looming over Ranpo almost as he leans forward. “I’m asking you out on a date. Am I worthy enough?”

Ranpo puckers his lips childishly in thought, then grins playfully as he points to Dazai with his spoon. “Give me the rest of your gelato, and I suppose I’ll give you the honor.”

“Demanding as always...” Though Dazai acts dejected, he gives up what’s left in his cup over to the detective anyway.

Dazai can’t feel a bit bothered by it when Ranpo’s smile in return as if he’s the happiest person on the planet over something so simple as gelato, over someone as simple as himself.

#bsd rarepairweek #day1 #dazai osamu #edogawa ranpo #daran

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the-bejeesus · 7 years

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The Most Damning Problem of √A

So obviously, the manga for Tokyo Ghoul is significantly better than the anime. You can argue over whether or not the anime has any merit, but the manga is almost objectively a more well-done story. Most people would point at the plot differences, the alternative focuses (the anime having a lot of emphasis on insanity and chaos, while the manga focused on tragedy and identity), the bad use of color and overly kinetic animation style of Studio Pierrot (Obviously Studio Pierrot has made great anime, but their style just didn’t really work for Tokyo Ghoul), the censorship, and so on. While all those are good points, I was rewatching the anime and came across a horrible boredom that was most prevelant in √A, and I think it’s ultimately why the anime could never be a palpable substitute for the manga.

The mangaka of One Piece, Eiichiro Oda once explained that he doesn’t have Luffy kill his enemies or anything because what’s more important than the actual fight itself is how two ideologies clash and one comes on top. A reason the Batman vs. Superman fight worked in The Dark Knight Returns and not in Batman v Superman is because Frank Miller gave Batman a clear conflict with Superman and Zack Snyder did not. I think this difference is what Tokyo Ghoul’s anime had with the manga.

I could talk all about the pacing of the fight. In the anime, it’s too fast to tell what’s going on and it’s hard to tell what either of them are thinking. They just punch and attack and eventually one wins. Studio Pierrot also had a terrible way of making a villain seem more threatening. Sachi and Arima are one of the two single most strongest characters in all of the manga, but in the anime they’re just— fast. You never see Sachi break Kaneki’s bones straight out of his arms. You never see him blast Kaneki through a kagune wall— just a concrete wall, which is way weaker. You never see Arima kill someone with a single strike or win with a small quinque. They’re both nothing but really fast.

But ultimately what made the manga have better fights, rather than just better pacing, is better conflict. In the manga I could point to any fight and explain it’s meaning and why it was important.

Kaneki vs. Nishiki — Kaneki didn’t want to give into the idea that he’d eat anybody he’d know, while Nishiki was fighting on the basis that it would be a delight to eat your best friend. While Kaneki wins the fight, he almost gives into Nishiki’s horrific point.

Touka vs. Mado — Mado believes that because Touka is out for revenge, she must be evil. But Touka thinks that because he’s trying to kill an innocent little girl, he is evil.

Any Kaneki vs. Amon fight — Amon is basically the embodiment of what Kaneki would be like if he never became a ghoul. Kaneki needs to show that while

Kaneki and Touka vs. Tsukiyama — Tsukiyama believes that because he’s an excellent fighter and rich that he can eat whomever he wants and have the ultimate human — or half-human — cuisine. Touka wants to prove that she is both stronger than Tsukiyama and doesn’t need to eat specific nontheless. Kaneki wants to not be eaten, which coincidentally also emphasizes to himself that he is a ghoul (if he sees it unnatural for Tsukiyama to eat him, it must mean he’s a ghoul).

Kaneki vs. Yamori — Yamori is the idea of the insanity Kaneki could easily fall into because of how all his original ideals of the world have been broken down. Because of that really long Dream Sequence-epiphany he had though, Kaneki wants to instead find a new identity in life.

Ayato vs. Touka — Ayato did everything he has to be strong enough to protect Touka, and Touka wants him to recognize that he’s doing shithead stuff she never asked for.

Kaneki vs. Ayato — Now that Kaneki wants to be stronger to protect his friends, Ayato is a symbol of how this could go against his wishes and make him hurt those whom he wishes to protect. So he saves Touka by kicking his ass, proving almost immediately that he is still a protector.

Shinohara vs. The Owl — Yoshimura wants to not kill anybody while also helping to save Kaneki. Shinohara wants to kill him because he thinks he’s the same Owl that he failed to protect others from 10 years ago. A simple misunderstanding.

Kaneki vs. Kurona and Nashiro — These twins are like him, proving he’s replaceable and doesn’t even need to be in this hellish world. Kaneki tries to prove that he is stronger than the both of them, proving he is still, as he said before, the only one who can do this [this being knowing the pain of both ghouls and humans and communicating that knowledge].

Tsukiyama vs. Naki — Tsukiyama is educated and Naki is not. Tsukiyama wants to prove he’s superior while Naki wants to prove he is not useless simply because he doesn’t know much.

Kaneki vs. Sachi — Kaneki is the slim boy hero we tend to see these days in anime while Sachi is the embodiment of the masculine anime hero we saw in stuff like Fist of the North Star and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. Kaneki wants to prove that you don’t have to be tough to be strong, while Sachi wants to prove his years of physical training are what gives him meaning in life.

Juuzou vs. The Owl [Eto] — Juuzou believes that death is undeniably a part of life and it doesn’t matter. Grieving over something that was inevitable was a waste of time. But once the Owl potentially kills Shinohara, Juuzou is struck with sadness and anger, and directs that anger towards the Owl for breaking his view of the world for possibly the first time in his life.

Kaneki vs. Arima — The most important fight. Kaneki has believed this whole time that he is special enough to make a difference, but Arima’s mere existence is objective evidence that the world is too big and strange to change it. Kaneki loses, proving the story to be a tragedy.

All deep fights that keep you invested and entertained. Now let’s look at the fights in √A, and how they’re not interesting or deep at all.

Tsukiyama, Uta, and Yomo vs. Noro — Wow Noro is strong. Tsukiyama wonders if he’d taste good. Noro walks away and the fighting instantly stops.

Kaneki vs. Ayato — Kaneki walks out of the torture chamber and starts fighting the first thing he sees. That’s Ayato. Wow.

Hoji vs. Tatara — They know each other. Hoji killed two guys Tatara liked. Wow, I didn’t know Tatara liked anybody.

Naki vs. Akira — They both have blonde hair and fight to see who’s prettier. Akira has CRC gas that instantly whithers a kagune, and it’s not harmful to humans, making CCG doves pointless. Why not just gas Tokyo and save the day?

Shinohara vs. Ayato — Shinohara starts winning and Ayato remembers he had a dad and then passes out.

Kaneki vs. Sachi — Kaneki tries to help Sachi but Sachi thinks he’s Rize. What? Is that really enough motivation to fight? Why not just ask Kaneki why he smells like Rize? What?

Kaneki vs. Shinohara — Shinohara thinks Kaneki’s gone crazy and Kaneki agrees. Wow.

Juuzou vs Kurona and Nashiro — Juuzou asks them why they became ghouls and they said “we don’t want to spoil the manga” frustrated, Juuzou stabs them and they run off to see Dr. Kano— I mean into the darkness. Remember, Dr. Kanou is a plotline from the manga and we can’t have that in a manga adaptation.

Kaneki vs. Amon — Kaneki says “may I pass” and Amon says “no” and they switch places and they die, except Kaneki.

Hide vs. ??? — Hide fights ??? and loses. Instead of seeking medical attention, he talks to Kaneki about stuff for 5 hours and then dies. So sad.

With clashes like these, it’s impossible to be interested in the fights going on, and that’s on top of the fact that you can’t tell what either fighter is thinking or how they’re struggling. When all the fights are that boring, it doesn’t matter how well-animated the fight is. And ultimately this is what made people lose interest in the Tokyo Ghoul anime after the second season,

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