#edo wonderland

[kitto09]

I felt like such a dork but we had Japanese people coming up to take pictures with us for 3 hours because of this. If you wanna feel like a celebrity pay the extra fee at Edo Wonderland for cosplay. There's various choices and having two old women stuff you to look like a proper samurai is definitely an experience to say the least.

[jlatj]

Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura 日光江戸村

Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura 日光江戸村

As I mentioned in my earlier post about Tobu Square World, I’ll talk about the other theme park we went to in Nikko. This one is called Edomura, a theme park that is largely inspired by Edo period in Japan. What is it ? /h2> In Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, there is still a slice of the Edo Period left for to you find. Step back in time to 17th century Japan and explore the beauty, culture and…

[matchajapantravel-blog]

EDO WONDERLAND - Have Fun Exploring The Roots Of Japanese Culture 

Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura is a cultural theme park that recreates the atmosphere of Edo (pre-modern Tokyo). Become an Edo citizen for a day and explore the roots of Japanese culture through the amazing activities available in Edo Wonderland.

https://matcha-jp.com/en/5412

[wolfie-japan]

Edo Wonderland - theme park that recreates the Shogun era.  You can rent a kimono and get into the spirit, wandering authentically recreated streets and meeting park staff who dress in costume and play the various roles.  I tried the ninja star throwing, had a shamisen (Japanese string instrument) lesson, archery, and met the resident ukiyo-e painter and saw his works.  There are a couple of performances throughout the day, including a ninja show.

It’s the closest you’ll come to living in a Zatoichi movie.  The only thing missing from was the gambling, and, well, you don’t get to actually kill anybody.  A samurai did simulate slashing my guts open because I did not bow deeply enough for him.

By closing time, most of the patrons had gone home, so I got a lot of photos where you only see the park staff.

[tokyogems]

travelled back in time to the edo period. 日光江戸村。

[normanblogs]

Ahtisa Manalo touring around Japan with the other Miss International 2018 Candidates

Ahtisa Manalo touring around Japan with the other Miss International 2018 Candidates

After touring Saitama City and other nearby Japanese cities (top photos and left), Miss Philippines Ma Ahtisa Manalo was picked as one of 47 (out of 77) delegates of the #58thMissInternational brought by Tobu Railway for a tour of Nikko (all the images below). They went to Tochigi City and visited Nikko Edo Wonderland and Tobu World Square.

Photo credit: Stephen I. Diáz of ICA

Ahtisa even got…

[hi-technique]

Edo Winter Wonderland by Rekishi no Tabi on Flickr

[okayto]

Mini-Review: The Gymnastics Samurai

In 2002, the world of Japanese men's gymnastics was still strong. Jotaro Aragaki devoted his entire life to the sport, but things didn't go as planned. His coach Amakusa suggests he retires. But then an encounter comes that changes the fate of the Aragaki family forever.

I’ll be honest: I pick this up based solely on the image (poster? key image? Surely there has to be a name for these things?) that Funimation used:

Let’s see, we’ve got 1) mention of gymnastics, 2) a bright and happy color scheme, 3) guy who looks like an adult, not creepy, 4) little girl, unsexualized, 5) random assortment of weird items.

So, the vibe I’m getting is “not serious but not wacky, with gymnastics.” And gymnastics is cool!

I’m a simple person, really.

We start off with Jotaro, in his late 20s, presumably past his prime as a pro gymnast, and with few recent wins compared to his glory days as “the gymnastics samurai” in 90s Olympics, the nickname coming from his ponytail hairstyle. With his career stagnating and a daughter to raise, he has to make changes. While trying to work up the courage to tell his daughter (and biggest cheerleader) that he’s going to retire, they take a trip to Edo Wonderland and meet a character who changes everything.

This wasn’t your typical sports anime, though the gymnastics are featured and fun to watch. Jotaro has competitors, yes, but his main problem isn’t a rival, it’s having to change himself. And not just “work harder, take things seriously” as is normal in sports stories, but he essentially has to re-learn how to listen to people.

Jotaro was a nice, interesting protagonist. He’s not mean or dumb, but he tends to take things at face value and sometimes not even that, processing comments through the filter of what he’s already thinking about, and therefore missing things that aren’t metaphorically flashing neon signs in front of him.

And it’s not just played for laughs, it’s an actual weakness: he’s completely missed things his longtime coach has been trying to tell him, and it nearly leaves him gymless. He was emotionally supported by his wife, and when she died--a few years (I think?) before the series started--he didn’t notice that his young daughter started picking up some of those emotional responsibilities. So through the series, Jotaro has to learn to listen--actually listen--to his fellow adult professionals if he’s going to be a real competitor.

Don’t mistake this for a show about a manbaby or deadbeat dad, though. Jotaro struggles to balance home life and pro life, but a large part of the show is him realizing that the balance doesn’t just happen, and working to pay better attention to daughter Rei, so she doesn’t feel the need to act as an adult that she’s not. And he’s a caring and loving dad, not just a fun-loving bro.

There’s a theme through the series: whether in gymnastics or personal life, what has been happening is not sustainable, and needs to change. Not because what has been happening is horrible or bad, but because what has been happening is based on expectations, bodies, people, or conditions that have changed. If the characters don’t change in response, they’ll stagnate.

Jotaro isn’t the only focus of the series, however. His daughter Rei, and the ninja Leo they pick up from a historical theme park in episode 1 get a lot of the focus in the second half of the series. Both characters have their own issues and insecurities that show more as the series goes on: both have their own relationships with Jotaro, and their own emotional investment in his career that they partially use as a proxy for their more uncomfortable, personal issues.

The setting is 2002, and The Gymnastics Samurai won’t let you forget it, whether it’s the characters’ cell phones, or the ganguro bartender Ayu, a wonderful character about whom I would watch an entire series.

The show, while overall light, has some deep themes of attachments and relationships, how people see themselves and others, and how feeling other people’s expectations (or even what you think their expectations are) can affect you, even if you have a different relationship with the thing being expected.

Verdict

English Dub? Yes

Visuals: Very nice, modern and clean lines. CG models are used for some of the gymnastics routines, but they’re done fairly well.

Worth Watching? Yes. It’s not particularly realistic (ninja Leo is pursued by mysterious sunglasses-wearing professionals during several episodes for reasons that are explained later, but which you can generally accept as cartoon drama; the family owns a talking turquoise bird), but it was fun. And more than that, I enjoyed a sports show with an adult protagonist, and the growth the characters (but especially Jotaro) have in learning to change.

Where to watch (USA, as of July 2021): Funimation (sub and dub), BD/DVD

Click my “reviews” tag below or search “mini review” on my blog to find more!

[asunnydog]

🍷 – Describe an ideal date for your muse.

Ignore Adric taking notes in the corner

“Anywhere with a lovely person~”

“But if I had  to make up something, It’d certainly be in Nikko!!

We can go hikin’ in the mountains, visit a shrine -

oh!! or go to edo wonderland!! And I get to see how lovely ya’d look back in my hayday, and you can learn more about the sorta place I came from!

not ta mention hotsprings, or festivals if we’re lucky!! I’m sure ya’d love it!”

[lzsylovesanime]

Anime Spotlight - The Gymnastics Samurai

This was a lovely feel good and earnest sports anime which I enjoyed a lot.

The plot is In 2002, the Japanese men's gymnastics team is not doing well. Jotaro Aragaki is a professional gymnast and former Olympian. However, despite being good in the past, he was never able to get a gold medal. As he suffered a shoulder injury and is an older athlete at 29 years old, his coach, Noriyuki Amakusa, suggests he retires. While considering retirement, Jotaro takes his daughter Rei to Edo Wonderland. While there, they encounter a foreigner dressed up as a ninja, who after following them home, introduces himself as Leo. Later, while announcing his retirement at a press conference, Jotaro changes his mind half way through and decides to continue to pursue a career in gymnastics.

Its a story of not giving up but also family and being there for each other and of course athletic pursuit. There is some very nice and fluid animation on the gymnastics and movement performances that elevate the series. The characters are likeable and sweet maybe a bit too earnest and understanding but sometimes I appreciate a nice family who have gone through something (the death of their wife/mother) and still have a connection, an understanding and appreciation for each others ambitions and dreams. Leo our ninja that slots into this family unit is just a gorgeous and lovely character. I love Leo, he's got the most interesting back story and development but I love how he completes this unit and how they realize he's part of their family.

I appreciate an older protagonist in the form of Jotaro who isn't ready to give up in his dream and he does put the work in and does work so hard but returns this in the end. Its all tied up very nicely and is an uplifting ending.

Its just a short and sweet series with a great opening and a gorgeously drawn ending. Plus a little bonus in the fact that I can ship Jo/Leo.

[humblenovice2022]

These poster cards featuring the Imperial and Paris Combat Revues came from the official Sakura Wars trading card game set. While fans are aware of the Imperial Combat Revue doubling as stage actors in their public life, this is the first time their Parisian counterparts are depicted doing ensemble plays since their division functions more as a cabaret. Anyway, here’s a translation of each play from top to bottom.

1. Carmen 2. Wings 3. French Cancan (Paris Combat Revue) 4. French Cancan (Sakura, Sumire, Iris) 5. French Cancan (Kanna, Kohran, Maria) 6. French Cancan (Orihime, Leni) 7. Snake Woman Fiery Hell 8. Kunisada Chūshingura 9. The Bohemian 10. Sherlock Holmes 11. Come Forth, Ryoma 12. Because of Love 13. Rapunzel 14. The Three Musketeers 15. Dinosaur Island 16. Lupin VS Holmes 17. Tatamize Dance 18. Queen of Mars 19. Crimson Lizard (Revival) 20. The Blessed Prince 21. Journey to the West 22. Joan of Arc 23. Sister Angelica 24. The Blue Bird 25. Puss in Boots 26. The Three Little Pigs (Iris, Kohran, Leni) 27. The Three Little Pigs (Sakura) 28. Little Women (Sakura, Sumire, Orihime, Leni) 29. Little Women (Kohran, Maria, Kanna, Iris) 30. Thumbelina 31. My Paris 32. New Journey to the West 33. Little Red Riding Hood 34. The Sea 35. The Crane's Repayment (Orihime) 36. Tanabata Legend 37. Cinderella 38. 3rd Heaven 39. Secrets of Edo 40. Princess Kaguya 41. La Boheme 42. Black Cat Waltz 43. Madame Butterfly 44. Love is a Diamond 45. Princess's Holiday 46. Night of Montparnasse 47. Vampiress Carmilla 48. Iris in Wonderland 49. Rose of Arabia 50. Fearsome Magic Show 51. Black Cat Rumba 52. Lady Camellia's Evening 53. Crimson Lizard 54. The Apprentice Magician 55. Snow White 56. The Crane's Repayment (Sumire) 57. Shonen Red 58. My Darling Clementine 59. The Merchant of Venice 60. My Fair Lady

[stampstamp]

I remember seeing news about Taisou Samurai while it was in production, but I didn't hear anything for ages and apparently it aired last year and no one really talked about it?

I'm a few eps in and the plot is still a bit vague but it has a lot that appeals to me:

It's set in Ikebukuro in 2003

A dedicated father has to reconsider his career as a gymnast after an injury

An illegal immigrant who worked as a ninja in Edo Wonderland moves in with his family and carries on being a ninja

Kappei Yamaguchi voices a massive pet bird but they keep shushing him 😏

Mappa worked on it so the animation is high quality.

It's kind of all over the place but I like that sort of thing. Yay for blending genres!

It reminds me a little bit of Tsuritama(?) And uh a little bit of that one about the sexy monk and the girl with the mallet but it's nowhere near as surreal it's just similarly eclectic.

[jlatj]

Tobu World Square 東武スクエアワールド

Tobu World Square 東武スクエアワールド

Last November, me and my son took a trip to Nikko to take advantage of the Go To Travel campaign and to celebrate his 4th birthday. I’ve lived in Tokyo for 11 years and never actually been to Nikko. It was just for one night but my planned itinerary was like this – Tokyo – > Tobu Square World -> Edo Wonderland Edomura -> Kinugawa Onsen (stay for the night) -> Shrines in Nikko the next day ->…

[iicytodoroki]

𝐴𝑘𝑎𝑖 𝑇𝑎𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑖𝑎𝑜𝑖 - 𝑊𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐴𝑈! 𝐾𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑦𝑎𝑚𝑎 𝑇𝑜𝑏𝑖𝑜

𝘼𝙠𝙖𝙞 𝙏𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙖𝙤𝙞 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝! 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐱 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬! 𝐊𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐲𝐚𝐦𝐚 𝐓𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐨

Prologue > Chapter One 

It’s the mid-Victorian era (Edo period-Meiji era), where trains and electricity are being installed, hierarchy is still prominent, and young yn is on a picnic with her older sister and brother. The family’s parents were not able to attend due to business affairs abroad leaving them to enjoy spring’s blooming wildflowers and the lush green grass swayed by Zephyrus from the west and Eurus from the east.

Kazuko (和子 - first; the obedient) the oldest, your sister was busy chattering with your older brother Kotaro (太郎; shining son) about her marriage of three years. Kazuko’s husband is taking care of their two boys back at home. Young yn was nearby picking the freshly bloomed wildflowers to make a bouquet for her beloved siblings.

“Yn! You should come and join us for lunch!” Kotaro yelled in yn’s direction.

Yn turned around, “Wait, I’m almost done!”

Kazuko replied back, “Kotaro is going to eat your share of the tempura!”

Hearing this, yn quickly set her prematurely mad bouquets at where she was kneeling. Quickly rushing to their family’s short-legged table set-up. Just as she was finished wiping her hands from the damp cloth Kazuko thrusted into her face as she sat, Kotaro was about to take yn’s share of tempura. She tried to swipe it back from her brother, but he was faster and had a taller reach then yn. The eldest looked in amusement at her younger siblings arguing over a piece of fried food while she got the tea ready. 

During their lunch, the siblings spoke about their stories they weren’t able to cover in their letters. Reminisce and laugh on memories from childhood. Like how Kazuko was swooning over her crush when she went to a seminar and Kotaro caught of whiff of it, so he thought it’d be fun to figure out who the fellow was and invite him to their home. Kazuko lit up in bright red and turned from a collected young lady to a stuttering mess when she saw her parents talking to her now husband about the academic conferences he had attended. Another was when Kotaro and Yn were playing on the very same area but twelve years prior, in a game of hide-n-seek but Kotaro thought it would be amusing to scare little yn in the forest. Resulting in tears and tripping to run in the arms of her parents.  

Stuffed and starting to feel drowsy with the warmth of the sun radiating on to the siblings, Kazuko suggested it’s time they take a long leisure walk around the beautiful estate. Yn bolted up from her laying on her back to rush back to her bouquets. She really wanted to get them done before her beloved siblings left her again. Kazuko lives a half-a-day’s travel and Kotaro will be going abroad to meet with their parents since he’ll be training under them. Yn knew Kazuko liked to dry the flowers and use them as decor. Kotaro has been learning to work from the bottom-up in the family business, causing him to travel a lot nowadays, so he likes to press the flowers as he journals and write letters to yn back home. 

I better give Nisan extra flowers since he’ll be abroad, yn thought. 

“Yn, we’ll be walking the usual path if you need us,” said Kazuko, opening her lavender wasaga1 

“Make sure to get me more fragrant flowers for my collection,” Kotaro piped as he walked alongside their Onesan.

Yn nodded and waved with her youthful smile as her siblings turned their backs to face the trail. 

She kneeled down to tuck in her light blue yukata, which was embellished with her mon (family crest of hollyhocks), under her knees. Once yn was done with her sister’s flowers, she set it aside and put some more thought on her brother’s. She noticed his theme did not have as much variety and looked too similar to Kazuko’s. In search of different wildflowers to fit her brother’s taste, yn set down her work to walk along the edges of the forest a few meters on her left. 

Yn hoped to find patches or bushes of different flowers in the forest. But instead you hear rustling ahead of you. Then yn spots a tuft of silver-gray hair running away. 

It looks to be a man, yn thought.

Next she sees the white-haired man pull out his pocket-watch, dropping an apricot embroidered handkerchief in the process. 

“I’m going to be late! Late, late, late!” he mumbled in frustration. 

Before yn could call out to him that he dropped his belonging, he quickly dashed off through the bushes without a trace but the fallen leaves, almost like a rabbit. 

“I know my way around here and surely that man wouldn’t be going to attend an affair so deep in the forest,” yn said to herself. 

With that assumption, yn could give the handkerchief back and return to her original place, so she chased after the man. After all, it would not hurt her to return a lost item and it’d be rude not to. 

In her attempts to keep up with the man, while calling out to him, yn did not notice the contrast in light and thickened foliage under her feet. 

“Hey! Sir you dro-,” yn shouted but got her foot caught in an overgrown root. Propelling her to an oddly large,

.

.

.

dark

.

.

.

cold

.

.

.

rabbit’s hole.

Screaming, yn clutched the handkerchief and shut her eyes in fear of the impending impact that awaits her at the bottom. However, she failed to notice that during her fall, the musty dirt cavern gradually changed to white walls with gold detailing. 

Then everything came to a stop. The wind that was once blowing on yn as she fell was no more. Peaking one eye at the time, yn was kneeling in a grand circular room. Burgundy walls and white marbled floors underneath her. As she scoped the room, she saw the white-haired man go through a door which slammed shut. The sound echoed throughout the room, enclosing the fear in yn that she is in an unknown place and that the only way is to follow that young man. 

Yn got up to go towards the door, not without noticing the change in her attire. Her once light blue yukata has now changed into a puffy light blue dress with a pinafore2. Yn also noticed that she had a dainty necklace with hollyhocks. 

“W-what,” yn said in confusion “this can’t be real…”

After many pinches on yn’s arms and legs, she concluded no more time should be wasted and went back to the task at hand. When approaching the only door in the room, it seemed to be getting smaller. As yn stood right in front of it, she finally realized the door has been miniature-size all along. Stressed on what to do next, yn surveyed the room again. Only for her eyes to fall on a plain corner table with something sparkling in her eye. 

Walking towards it, yn could clearly see that it’s a glass vile tagged with “Drink Me”. Out of options and time, yn hopes for the best and drank its contents. In a matter of a few seconds, yn and everything on her shrank. Checking to see all her limbs and other body parts are still intact, she let out a sigh or relief and raced for the door. 

Turning the knob and opening the door, yn’s eyes widen in fascination. 

To her left and right were gorgeous and ginormous flowers. Large butterflies with wings as clear as day. Tiny birds with starry night wings swooshed passed her by the hair. The songs of the birds were not of the usual twittering or chirping, but harmonized tunes. 

Amidst in her amazement, she hears the familiar muttering of “...late, oh dear my, I’m late again.”

Directing her gaze ahead of her was the young man as he ruffled his hair in frustration before breaking into a run once again. Without a second thought, yn ran after him, determined to never lose sight of him in this unknown wonderland.

1(oil-paper umbrella)

2(sleeveless garment like an apron)

A/N: i hated and loved redoing this. also why the hecc a, i not able to do superscripts on here, i literally copied from g-docs.

[rosezure]

Songbird 4 - We’re All Suspects

Songbird Chapter 4

A/N: I wanted to try something out with the points of view in this part. Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the BNHA/MHA universe, nor its characters. This work is intended for entertainment purposes only. My own characters are, however, of my creation.

Content warning: nudity, mentions of pain, mentions of violence. Please,  let me know if I’ve forgotten anything!

Summary | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

Winter in Japan was much colder than in Pindorama. Everything was covered in white, and snow fell every other day. Asa was enchanted. The coldest she'd felt was when she escorted Queen Yeba to the Andes for a secret meeting among allies. 

Now, Asa lived in a traditional Japanese home currently covered in snow. Her very own little winter wonderland. The house was quite large, having many rooms and accommodations. Her favorite part was the forest that surrounded it. Though the hot springs in her backyard were a strong second.

Asa had been delighted when she learned of the house's possession of one. In Pindorama, there was something similar: Houses at the foot of the Great Peak Mountain often had small lakes in their backyards. The waters were cold, but they were known for being refreshing to those that traveled through the dense humid Amazon jungle. 

Perhaps it could be her absolute favorite place right now.

Asa sat in the hot springs, as naked as the day she was born. Crystal-like snowflakes fell from the heavens as she leaned back with her mouth open to catch them. She giggled at the contrast of temperatures in her mouth.

"Madam," The housekeeper, Mrs. Ito, walked out of the house. Her beautiful smile flashed as she bowed.

"Mrs. Ito, please," Asa blushed, "Call me Asa, I insist!" She submerged, leaving her nose and up above the surface.

"Right, Asa," She older woman smiled, "The headmaster and some teachers have arrived for dinner," Mrs. Ito clapped excitedly.

"Splendid!" Asa rose from the hot water and beamed, "Please, tell them to come to enjoy the hot springs!" She asked, already moving around and making sure everything looked presentable.

"Right away, Asa! I'll provide them with the robes and slippers," Mrs. Ito bowed again and disappeared into the house.

"This will be a fine opportunity to assess how pro-commission these coworkers of mine are," Asa mumbled to herself as she retied her hair in place. 

The guests arrived: a small animal-like man, a tall dark-haired man, an elderly woman, and two blonde men. Beaming, Asa greeted them and invited them in. They shed their towels or robes and entered the spacey private onsen.

The guests introduced themselves, bowing their heads slightly.

Keigo had been warry of the invitation sent by the newcomer. She had her own house near the campus, and it was apparently luxurious. He didn't want to meet the ice queen Aizawa had described, much less some spoiled royal brat.

But even he had to admit the house was gorgeous. The residential complex was styled after the Edo Period, akin to high-ranked samurai living quarters. And at the very back, there was a private onsen where "Asa" was waiting for them.

To say Keigo was surprised at the foreigner's invite was an understatement. But he was beyond blown away by the beauty of the onsen in her backyard. The hot spring was surrounded by boulders of all shapes and sizes. Smaller stones formed a pathway to the spring, and it was decorated with all sorts of plants on either side. In the far left corner of the spring was a beautiful fountain cascading down into the steaming waters. 

Asa waved them over. Keigo felt himself blush as he almost stumbled when he saw her: She was breathtaking. Her dark hair was in a tight bun, leaving her features visible. Her copper skin contrasted ethereally with her icy blue eyes. Sadly, her wings weren't out, and Keigo felt himself kind of wishing they were. 

"Welcome!" Asa's accent as she spoke Japanese was only slightly noticeable. She smiled elegantly, inviting them in.

"Hello, miss Asa," Nezu greeted in English. He offered his hand, or paw, for her to shake. She took it gracefully. Keigo noticed her movements were reminiscent of a ballerina. But to him, it just meant she was probably deadlier than she looked. 

"I am Nezu, headmaster of UA High. These are my coworkers Shota Aizawa, Hizashi Yamada, Chiyo Shuzenji, and Keigo," Nezu pointed to each one of them. Asa nodded in understanding.

"It is customary here to address new acquaintances by their family name, correct?" She asked in Japanese, tilting her head.

"Quite right, miss Asa," Nezu nodded, almost dropping the towel on his head, "But you can call me Nezu." He was grateful she understood and spoke Japanese. Using his limited English would have made communicating hard. 

"If it is alright with you, sir," Asa offered a polite smile, "I'd rather call you Headmaster or sir," her tone was respectful, and her smile never wavered.

"Of course!" Nezu laughed lightly, "Whatever makes you comfortable." Asa nodded, then turned to Keigo and the others.

"Thank you for welcoming me into your school. I hope we can work well together and prepare great champions." Asa bowed her head at the end of her mini-speech.

"You are adorable, miss Asa!" Recovery Girl got closer to the woman and squeezed her cheeks. "You'll make a fine addition to our team." She patted Asa on the shoulder.

"Thank you very much!" Asa grinned widely, giggling quietly. Her smiles and words seemed genuine enough, but Keigo felt flustered for some reason. It was like something about Asa that he couldn't quite grasp, yet it made him uncomfortable.

"Mr. Aizawa, Mr. Yamada, Mr. Keigo, thank you for coming. I understand it must be strange to have a foreign coworker joining under these circumstances. I'll try my best to help in any way I can." She bowed once again.

Keigo was irked. She was too polite. Too smiley. Too nice. There had to be something wrong with her. Something she was hiding. And Keigo was going to find out what it was. 

"I assure you my mission is to work with you and for you," Asa declared, interrupting Keigo's thoughts. He looked up to see her staring straight at him. 

"Uh, right. Good." He nodded stiffly. Maybe his scowling wasn't as subtle as he thought it was.

The conversation continued to flow amongst them, but Keigo tried his best to stay out of it. After a few more minutes, Mrs. Ito called them for dinner. 

The dining room was beautiful. The dark wooden walls and tiles contrasted gracefully with the lighter-colored furniture. The food was laid out on a table in the center of the room. Soon, everyone had taken a seat on flowery-patterned cushions on the floor.

Dinner flew by with more chit-chatting and laughs. Asa was a natural diplomat: Everything she said and did was deliberate, showing her guests how much she valued their company. Even Aizawa seemed to be more at ease than usual, and Hizashi laughed delightedly at Asa's stories. Nezu and Recovery Girl were reminiscing, telling her about childhood memories attached to the dishes she had prepared. 

After they all finished eating, Asa took them to walk around the garden. It was kept safe from the harsh winter by a glass covering and its own heating system.

"Some of these species come from Pindorama. I had some sent over since they're used in some of our religious rituals and for healing." Asa walked ahead of them, explaining what each plant was and how it's used.

"Ah, I'm sorry! This is probably boring," She laughed lightly, her eyes turning to half-moons. Keigo felt himself blush. 

"Not at all," He blurted out. This was the first time he'd actually spoken. The others turned to look at him in astonishment. Keigo cleared his throat.

"Oh, thank you," Her smile seemed softer this time. 

Shortly after the walk in the garden, Asa sensed it was probably time to see her guests off. Recovery Girl was getting too cold, and Aizawa's state was worsening.

"What if I helped with that a bit?" Asa offered, seeing Aizawa's pained expression. 

Hesitantly, Aizawa nodded. Asa carefully removed the long coat she had worn over her clothes for the short trek. Carefully, she helped Aizawa onto a bench between two tall trees. She knelt beside him on the ground and gingerly placed her hand over his recovering leg.

"I'm not sure if you'll feel any side effects," She frowned, "So, please tell me if it's too much," She took a deep breath.

Soon, a strange aura began encircling them. Keigo watched in amazement as her wings ripped through her clothes. It tore through the layers she wore, exposing her back to the cold air. 

Asa's lips moved, but no sound came out. Yet, all of them felt a strange feeling of comfort. The air suddenly became warmer. Aizawa's leg seemed to be glowing, causing the man's eyes to widen.

The young woman stood up, removing her hand from his leg. She stood up and sighed.

"I hope that helps a little," Asa offered Aizawa a hand. He took it and stood up, his leg feeling more stable than before.

"It does," Aizawa smiled to everyone's surprise, "Thank you, Asa!" 

"It was my pleasure, Mr. Aizawa," She bowed slightly.

They left after that, bidding her cheerful goodbyes and promising to see her at work soon.

Keigo couldn't sleep that night. He'd never been so impressed by someone's quirk. His first reaction had always been to analyze and determine if they presented a threat to him or not. Yet, now, every time he closed his eyes to try and sleep, he'd picture her wings, those gorgeous, majestic, white wings. Hell, he still felt the aftershocks of her quirk. It didn't just heal Aizawa's pain; it felt like it was healing his own soul and-

Wait a minute.

Her quirk was a healing quirk. It healed wounds, cuts, bruises, pain. Not feelings or emotions. Or did it? 

Keigo stood up from his bed, running to his desk to go over the files he'd received on Asa. They contained classified information about her quirk's history, which the queen herself had. How he got them wasn't relevant. Keigo was sure they never mentioned any other form of healing in the description. But maybe, just maybe, he'd missed it in the report.

Asa of Pindorama's Quirk Description

Type: Healing.

Pros and cons: Can heal open and scarred wounds, bones, muscles, veins, etc. The subject's wings are exposed every time the quirk is activated, which can cause unwanted attention. 

How: Classified. 

Keigo read through every little detail. He skimmed every page and every folder, taking notes of the information he read. But, he found nothing about the strange feeling of comfort and warmness she'd made the others feel. 

Could it be a side effect? If so, why wasn't it included in the files?

What was Asa of Pindorama hiding behind those icy blue eyes?

One thing was certain: She wasn't just a simple healer.

In the onsen, Keigo noticed that her body was littered with scars. Some were too big to have been accidents or minor injuries. It was almost like her skin held war stories from how marked it was. Could it be she was tortured? Or maybe she was a soldier or spy of some sort. That seemed to match his theory more.

If Asa was really the enemy, then she'd have to be an excellent spy to have infiltrated the system. She even got a recommendation letter from the queen herself! What more proof was there that she wasn't a mere healer?

The ex-pro hero wrote down all of his observations. He wrote about the scars, the callouses on her hands, the polished manners that were almost too perfect, and every other information he thought was relevant. He wrote on an old notebook he had lying around his new room.

Follow the events of March, Keigo sold his old house and bought a smaller apartment. After he was hired by Nezu, he sold that apartment and settled for an even smaller one near UA High. But he still had most of his belongings; they were just piling up in random corners around his apartment. 

Maybe he needed to focus on cleaning his place. 

Yeah. Keigo was going to clean up and donate as many things as he could. Then, and only then, would he start focusing on his new "mission": Expose Asa of Pindorama as an enemy spy.

Asa sighed in relief once they were out of sight. Healing Aizawa's leg took a toll on her. She had meant to lessen the pain only, but she ended up using too much power and fully healed it. Hopefully, he wouldn't notice it soon. Asa wasn't sure how she would explain not being able to control her quirk. 

She helped Mrs. Ito clear the dining room and wash the dishes. After that, she went straight back to the onsen. Asa let her body practically melt into the hot water, feeling her tensed muscles relax. Asa had heard of the healing properties of onsens. She'd openly admit to having felt ten times better after spending time immersed in the hot springs. Yet, she couldn't help but replaying the evening. 

Hours later, Asa was still submerged in the hot waters of the onsen. Something was off about Headmaster Nezu and Keigo. And she would get to the bottom of it.

The way Keigo seemed overly suspicious and cautious bothered Asa. Sure, she knew they wouldn't all warm up instantly to her. Keigo, however, seemed wearier than the rest. Asa couldn't have one of them suspecting her true intentions already. No, she'd have to deal with him personally. 

From what she could gather on intel and data, Keigo was formerly known as the Winged Hero, Hawks. Whatever happened all those months ago made him retire. Of course, he wasn't the only one, but he was the youngest of the newly retired heroes. 

Yet, what made him stand out to Asa was his affiliations. Keigo had been brought up by the HPSC. He was taken in by them when his father was caught by Endeavor. Keigo's mother was in no state to take care of him, so the organization took it upon themselves to raise Keigo Takami. 

Asa believed his connection to the agency could be dangerous to the mission. She'd have Keigo watched, just in case.

Nezu was a whole different story. He was intelligent, clearly a capable teacher and headmaster. But Asa's instincts screamed the minute he entered her home. If she hadn't controlled herself, his head would've rolled right then and there. 

Asa lifted her wet hands to her temples, massaging them lightly. She groaned in annoyance.

This was becoming unnecessarily complicated.