#executive yuko

[crewel-intentions]

Alpha@Yuko: "Alpha is interested in the time this one has spent within Team Rocket, such as operations this one has been involved in and the like, if Alpha may so inquire."

Yuko: "Oh right. I suppose most of you don't know what I've all accomplished while working with Team Rocket, hm?"

(@shaymincafe) (@a-toxic-bounty)

[nishikiyamayuko]

That one Yakuza 1 movie is a tenuous addition to the game canon at best but when it alluded to the fact that Nishiki’s parents died via murder-suicide by blowing up their house with themselves in it everything about that character made like 90% more sense

[femme-malewife]

So as I am seeing a new little influx of honeyworks fans, likely due to the shitty herotaru anime, I want everyone to listen up.

LIPxLIP, the idol duo featured in the anime, are a lot deeper than what the anime explains. I understand that it was Hiyori's story (even though they didn't get her personality right either lmao) so it's not going to go into detail about Aizou or Yujiro. I'm fine with that. I really am.

What bothered me was the small bits we were given are incredibly misleading for new fans. The anime exists more as fanservice for pre-existing fans. Fans who read the novels, regularly watch MVs, and so forth.

So I'm going to go over LIPxLIP's stories. Their thematic importance. Their relationship, and their relationship with Hiyori. I am quite sick and tired of seeing new fans blab about them as hateful misogynists, shallow, uncaring towards their fans...and all that.

Starting off with the local hero of the anime, Shibasaki Aizou.

Back when he was a small child, he loved singing. His mother played piano and his father played guitar (his father probably taught him how to play guitar? That or he picked it up himself. I don't think that was ever specified). He entered a children's singing competition, and ended up winning.

However, a couple years later, his father began to lie about going to work when he was really going out and having an affair with (another woman? multiple women??). This led to the father and their mother, Shibasaki Yuko, to constantly argue and scream at each other.

As a result, Ken (Aizou's older brother), would make pasta for himself and Aizou, as their parents were too busy screaming at each other for hours at a time. The novels stated that back then, their parents would argue so often that they would forget to buy groceries, and would leave Aizou starving. During this time, Yuko began drinking and getting drunk- which would scare her kids.

Eventually, the Shibasaki parents got a divorce, and Yuko began to drink even more heavily. She would cry and mourn. Aizou and Ken were still children at the time. Aizou, being the young child he was and recalling how Yuko used to smile when he sang, began to sing for her in hopes of cheering her up. Of course, Yuko just threw her alcohol at him and screamed at him that he needed to shut up- he was too noisy. It's also been heavily implied that she would hit Aizou too when she was drunk.

From this, Aizou stopped singing, being physically unable to. He began living out his days without truly living, just getting by. He had friends, but didn't hang out with them or join any clubs, having become depressed and understimulated.

In middle school, when playing his guitar one day, his mother broke it and screamed at him to never play it at home again. This led to him crying and not playing again...until he came across a musical instrument store, where he meets Morita. He, one day, brings the guitar in and begs him to fix it. Morita agrees, and even allows Aizou to stay in an upstairs room that used to be used for music lessons every now and then, on the condition he returns home occasionally. So he essentially finds a second home in the music store.

One day, he sees on his phone that there's an audition to become a teenage idol, so he signs up, which is where he meets Yujiro.

He (and Yujiro) both pass due to their spectacular performances, and are told to become a unit. Aizou now has his fire back, looking forward to the future.

.

Now, for Someya Yujiro aka Aizou's anime arm candy.

When he was little (maybe before he was born? or maybe before he was 5??) his birth father died (unknown cause). His mother, Tae, got remarried to Someya Tamagoro. At first, things were fine. His father trained him in the art of kabuki.

Yujiro, at a young age, desperately wanted to be on stage doing kabuki with his new father. In fact, the desire was so strong, that he turned down all invites to hang out and play from the kids at his school. He didn't watch tv, he didn't do anything that would be considered a hobby. He abandoned everything that makes up a childhood to pursue his dream.

However, one day...his father told him and his younger brother, Koichiro, (who looked down on Tae and Yujiro for joining the Someya family), that Koichiro would be his heir. Yujiro tries to protest, only for Tamagoro to glare down at him coldly and tell him that he can't do it...he has no beauty.

All these years training, and Yujiro finally understands...he was never meant to stand on that stage. His father trained him for years, never truly intending for him to be on stage. Koichiro holds this over Yujiro, always mocking him and shoving him around.

As a result, Yujiro was banned from even entering the practice halls, and he became a helper of the house. He cleaned up backstage after shows, did laundry, all of that. Along with that, Tamagoro became colder to him, while Koichiro mocked him and abused him- verbally and sometimes physically. Yujiro thinks of taking his mother and running away, but has nowhere to go. He is absolutely miserable.

Of course, one day, Koichiro, for some reason, allows Yujiro to perform at a shrine once in his stead. We do not have any details on this, except that it made Yujiro happy and was clearly a one-time thing.

In either case, Yujiro too, lived a life of silence and loneliness. He tried to smile for his mom so she wouldn't worry, the one person who spoke to him. He had no friends, no hobbies, he accepted his fate of being his family's shadow, watching as Tamagoro has Yujiro's name removed from anything mentioning the Someya name, especially kabuki sites.

He was, essentially, disowned.

Tae still encouraged him to find something that made him happy...which eventually came in the form of the idol audition, where he meets Aizou.

...

NOW. That's a hell of a lot deeper than herotaru gave us. And again, it's fine that they couldn't go all into depth- after all, it's Hiyori's anime and her backstory is more simple. We can't have the idols outshinng her now, can we?

In any case, going strictly based on the novels (as the Hanipre stories are their own thing...though I like to consider them canon, but I know they're technically not), the stories of Aizou and Yujiro begin.

After agreeing to become a unit (or they won't debut at all), the two do not get along at all. Aizou mocks Yujiro for his lack of strength and stamina, and Yujiro mocks Aizou for being unable to read sheet music, Aizou finds out that Yujiro's father doesn't think he has what it takes to be an idol. So, he takes him to his secret spot and the two practice and talk.

Yujiro eventually gains Tamagoro's approval, and the two do a commercial, though they are not very well known. They want to debut.

After multiple instances of various situations (including Aizou sharing his music room with Yujiro, some bullies shoving Aizou into a pool at a live show and Yujiro yelling at them and teaching Aizou how to swim, going through an aquarium together and Aizou winning a stuffed penguin and giving it to Yujiro when he sees how disappointed he is that he didn't get it), they finally get their debut song, Romeo.

Eagerly, they practice it together. During this time, they're thinking about whether or not they should go to high school. Aizou tells Yujiro how he wants to avoid one high school in particular.

Yujiro eventually decides he wants to, because Narumi Sena inspired him. She was the one who recommended Sakuragaoka to him. Because of her, Yujiro checks the school out and runs into Aizou. He admits to Aizou he's thinking about going here, and Aizou balks. He's absolutely appalled, and complains about not wanting to go there. (Which..??? Aizou..??? No one said you had to?!) Yujiro points this out and Aizou has the flimsy excuse of "it'll be easier for Manager Uchida to pick us up".

...I'm sure. But I digress.

Filming for the Romeo MV comes, and the two are inspired by Sena's professionalism, and at the end, Aizou finds Yujiro alone and, after arguing over who is the first lip in their unit name, they share a toast together.

The MV released in February, just before high school begins, and Yujiro and Aizou are proud to see themselves on the giant tvs in town. Yujiro remarks to himself how he feels as though he can overcome anything, and how he'll still be depressed- there'll still be days he can't even get out of bed, where he wants to run away, desperately endures tears, and so on...but he knows Aizou will be by his side.

School starts up, where they meet Hiyori. In the novels, Hiyori has to actually work hard to gain their trust and friendship (I did a full novel-to-anime comparison here. I am skipping over retelling it so I can continue with LIPxLIP's story, but rest assured, I will get back to it and explain their friendship.)

The end of the year comes- and I am assuming it's autumn or so when the next novel takes place, since they mention an upcoming "spring concert" and how they've been idols for a year now.

The two boys are getting along more- though they still have their argumentative moments. They are given an opportunity to be in a play as the main characters. Aizou is hesitant, but Yujiro, who has acting experience thanks to kabuki, accepts it immediately. Yujiro cheers Aizou on in his own weird way and Aizou accepts the job as well.

However...during the first reading...Aizou loses his place and the director goes off on him. I mean, even when I was reading/translating it, I was appalled myself.

Yujiro stands up for Aizou, and nearly gets them both fired because of his "bad attitude". They agree to stay on board, but now, there's tension in the air.

Aizou's new at all of this, so most people ignore him, esp the director. But Yujiro is good at what he does, so people expect perfection from him. He's suffering as well, on the opposite spectrum from Aizou. Hell, just one scene alone, Yujiro and some NPCs did for over two hours straight with no breaks. They've been practicing in general for a while now and this was, according to Aizou, the first mistake Yujiro makes...which causes the director to scream at him.

Now, multiple times already, Aizou has ran after Yujiro and abandoned his spot, and thinks about how he refuses to leave Yujiro alone, because he was worried about him.

He even seeks help from some female colleagues (who...know about Aizou's brother and mistakes him for him. Which leads to a genuinely hilarious moment of Aizou screaming in actual horror about the idea of dating a girl, and he only thought about it "for 3 seconds". He says he talks with a few girls but never wants to be personally involved with them) to help him better himself at acting.

Eventually, Aizou realizes what he has to do and...does it. He lightens up the entire room with his humor and even earns Yujiro's gratitude and respect (though...Yujiro kind of accuses him of trying to "woo him" when Aizou insists they practice together??? and says he may start some rumors??? Hello???)

Practice resumes, and Aizou takes singing lessons from IV of Ft4 due to not understanding how to sing with emotions and not just singing something well.

Dress rehearsals start, and Aizou recalls, back when he was a child, the joy of singing. He remembers the joy when he sang in the children's competition, and amazes everyone. Things are going well.

Until...Yujiro eventually collapses from a lack of eating and sleeping. Aizou catches him and Yujiro is taken to a hospital. Aizou worries for his wellbeing until he is able to check on him. At first, Aizou scolds Yujiro for not taking care of himself, before blaming himself for not realizing Yujiro wasn't taking care of himself. He admits to himself he saw Yujiro not eating and being tired during the day.

After the first day of the actual play, Yujiro tells Aizou about the time he was able to perform at a shrine, and Aizou, now realizing the truth about how Yujiro wasn't able to perform on stage, encourages Yujiro to dance for him, even assuring him that he was the only one watching.

After the director interrupt them, the two both think about how they have a future of hope ahead of them.

OKAY.

NOW that we are now all caught up with their stories, let's break down their relationship.

The two of them fight. They always have. They have their ups and downs often, butting heads about the best way to do things. However, they both acknowledge that fighting is part of their own love. Source.

The entire point of the Romeo novel was for them to realize they can rely on each other, how they are no longer suffering alone, and chasing their dreams. Aizou realizes that there's someone who will always stick up for him, even when they don't get along. Yujiro realizes that he doesn't have to suffer alone and can rely on a partner- not just for work, but for his emotional needs as well, as he points out in the epilogue.

The entire point of the LOVE&KISS novel (aside from telling an AU story, which half of the novel is the fantasy universe) was to nip their trauma in the bud. They have unintentionally begun to rely heavily on each other.

With Aizou, he finds his passion for singing again. Not just his dream- but the pure joy he gets when he sings. He doesn't need his mother's approval anymore (though she moved to France anyway and got remarried there, so it's not like he'll see her again).

With Yujiro, he's finally able to prove to his father, his brother, and the director too that he's someone worthy of being on the stage. Not just as an idol, but as an actor too. He even performed kabuki on stage- albeit it was supposed to be solely for Aizou's eyes only.

The two argued twice in the novel, and the rest of the time was spent worrying about each other, spent helping each other, and strengthening their bond. It's because of each other that they were able to overcome a harsh hurdle in their lives, the things that blocked them from becoming truly happy with their careers.

With a bit of offhand flirting and standing by each other firmly, the two have cemented themselves as the most important people in each other's lives. Hell, they even wear the same outfts in Chapter 7 as they do in Samishigariya, where it explicitly states that they're the most important people to each other (or, at least Yujiro is to Aizou), interconnecting this novel to the song in question.

As for Hiyori...no, she was not in this novel. She was briefly in Romeo at the very end when complaining about city boys, but despite working for them at this point in time, she does not show up at all in LOVE&KISS. Hell, she's not even mentioned.

I do not think it is a continuity error. I think this was done deliberately- because what purpose would she serve? I'm not trying to sound mean, I adore Hiyori. But she knows nothing of their backstories or trauma. And LIPxLIP are not the type to blab about their past abuse. It's taken them a while to be open and honest with each other even now. The novel is about Aizou and Yujiro and their bond. They had their own spotlight in Hiyori's novels.

With Hiyori, they obviously have grown to care for her. They've helped her dress up for Asuka and confess to him, and approved of Nagisa as boyfriend material for her, even encouraging her to go for him because they know Nagisa truly loves Hiyori.

("But Lisi! You said you're going based off of the novels and MVs!" Yes, but Hiyori's newest song and Nagisa's song both show that the event in the anime happened and are firmly continuing it, so it is...canon.)

Either way, the two still make fun of Hiyori and gang up on her, but despite that, they still are there for her...kind of? It's not like she really faces any hardships aside from the bullying incident that eventually blew over. But they do support her dream in being a track athlete.

They respect her hard work. They respect her.

Even so, despite them clearly being good friends, there's still a wall between them. Aizou and Yujiro haven't told her anything about their lives...and why should they?

If you're going based on the anime, they have every right not to tell her anything. Hiyori's first instinct when Ken told her a bit about Aizou was "thank god it's not real trauma. hmm how do I fix him?" and then yelling at Yujiro that he's not hated by his family because his mother makes him lunch.

Knowing what you know now, you can see where I'm going with this? Anime Hiyori seriously butted her nose where it didn't belong and, unintentionally or not, she completely undermined their trauma. Sure, they didn't hear her talking with Ken, but they sure as hell heard her when she said Yujiro wasn't hated by his family. And not to mention that aggravating as fuck scene of her comparing Aizou's dislike of women to her dislike of squid.

Aizou dislikes women partially because of his family, yes, but it's mainly because of his trauma with his mother.

They're friends, yes, but not personal friends. Aizou and Yujiro will help Hiyori, but they are not willing to let Hiyori help them outside of work-related issues.

LIPxLIP were able to grow as people because of each other, they rely on each other, they don't need anyone else because they have each other. They enjoy the presence of Hiyori and Minami, and they respect Ft4 as senpais, but that's about it.

Herotaru trashed their stories. Omitting things is fine, but not at the expense of ruining their backstories and personalities.

I think the anime should have been longer so we can focus more on their backstories and personalities. And give us a reason to truly believe that Hiyori, Aizou, and Yujiro are friends, rather than just shrug and say "yeah, they're friends because she said she has a dream".

And no, Yume Fanfare is not for Hiyori. The song is hinted to have been sung during high school, yes, this is after the bullying incident with Chizuru. We know this because we see Chizuru crying in the song Heroine Tarumono and the exact same frame is in Yume Fanfare, which Hiyori does not appear in. They are not gesturing to her, or looking out at her in the audience. She is behind the stage. As seen in the herotaru MV. They are gesturing to each other, singing and dedicating this song to each other. Hell, it goes over their trauma. It does not show us Hiyori's dream. Yume Fanfare is AIZOU AND YUJIRO'S ONLY.

Also Yamako, the creator of them, has said so herself as well. Sooo...yeah.

You can ship what you want, but you cannot and will not take Yume Fanfare from me because a shitty adaptation wanted to be special.

I hope this post has been helpful to anime-onlys.

LIPxLIP Novels: Romeo, LOVE&KISS

Bonus: Yujiro's solo dedicated to Aizou and Aizou's solo dedicated to Yujiro

[winterbirb]

It's not even an INTERESTING white house readout. It's a fucking G8 joint statement about economic cooperation and working with Russia to fight terrorists. But it's important to the narrative, as it likely was IRL, because one of the MAIN THEMES is 1. Everyone getting fucked over by international supercorporations but not being able to fight them with traditional means and 2. Clandestine joint cooperation

[mncxbe]

Summer wine

𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐲𝐚 𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐱 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐦!𝐨𝐜 / 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐢 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦!𝐨𝐜

Chuya noticed the faint blush on the woman’s face.

“Are you alright?” he enquired"

Yes I feel great, it's just very hot in here.”

𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: romance♡

𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕: a long boy

Lots of wine talk🍷

It's hard to love like this. In a time when the first appearance is all that matters. For a while Chuya tried, he really tried to find someone, but his position as a Port Mafia executive tended to scare people away. No matter how fancy he dressed, how elegantly he behaved, people just never bothered to get to know the real 𝕙𝕚𝕞. People are superficial.

Eventually he stopped trying. He gave up on pursuing anyone romantically. He did have occasional hookups but nothing more. And frankly he didn't mind it. Being by himself was more than enough. Plus, he had the Mafia, so he wasn't completely alone. And Dazai. Dazai was always there.

Sometimes Chuya wished that he never knew the brunette. Such moments were when Dazai was parading his new girl through all the fancy restaurants and bars he frequented. Oh, how beautiful she was. She wasn't the type to make all heads turn but she had a certain way of carrying herself, as if she was walking on clouds. And her smile was so genuine, visible not only on her lips but also in her eyes. She seemed kind, which is exactly why Chuya hated seeing her with Dazai. He knew she deserved better.

The redhead clearly remembers the first time Dazai introduced her to him. He caught him staring from across the room and wasted no time to greet him. He hurried the young woman to his table.

"Ey Chuya, nice to see you here. What a pleasant surprise" said the brunette

Chuya gritted his teeth before replying shortly:

"I wouldn't call it pleasant"

"Oh you're hurting my feelings" spoke Dazai, his signature puppy eyes appearing on his face.

The woman only chuckled, covering her smile with her hand.

"Bella, don't cover that pretty smile of yours" spoke Dazai while pulling the girl in for a short kiss.

At this point Chuya was boiling, his vision clouded by anger. Dazai noticed the change in his friend and smirked, placing a hand around the woman's waist

"I almost forgot. Darling, this is my former colleague Chuya Nakahara"

Before he could say anything further, the woman extended her hand

"Nice to meet you, Chuya. I'm Yuko Hamada"

The redhead shook Yuko's hand with a smile. His touch lingered for a second too long.

"Hey sweetie, said Dazai. Would you mind bringing me my wallet? It's in my jacket. I think it's time we paid."

"Sure" she said in a chipper voice

As soon as she walked away, hips swayed to the rhythm of the slow jazz music playing in the restaurant.

"So, what do you think? Pretty isn't she?" enquired the brunette as he sat himself next to Chuya.

"Mhm" hummed Chuya in reply, taking a sip of his wine.

"C'mon Nakahara. I saw the way you were glancing at her. All evening"

"I didn't take you for a jealous man, Dazai" spat the redhead.

"I'm not, Chu. I'm just stating the obvious"

By the time Yuko returned with the wallet and their other belongings their conversation had long ended.

"Ready to go?" she asked

"Sure babe"

Dazai simply got up and took the wallet from her hands, making his way towards the desk.

"Well it was nice seeing you, Chuya. I hope we meet again"

She bowed and left, not waiting for his reply.

The thought of her kept lingering in his mind for weeks. He eventually met her again in a wine bar. Yuko was seated at a table in the back of the room. The man wouldn't have noticed her if it weren't for the red bowtie in her hair.

With a fast beating heart Chuya made his way to her table, taking off his signature hat as he got close.

"Good evening, miss Hamada. It's a pleasure to see you again"

The woman squinted her eyes as if she was trying to remember who he was. Suddenly, her eyes widened.

"Oh Chuya, right? Dazai introduced me to you a few months ago. You'll have to excuse me. I can be quite forgetful sometimes."

"There's no problem, miss" the redhead paused, weighing his new words. He then hesitantly spoke "And speaking of the devil. Where is Dazai? Isn't he here with you?"

Yuko shook her head "We actually broke up about two weeks ago"

Chuya's brows raised in surprise

"I'm sorry to hear that" he said, trying his best to conceal a smirk.

"Oh don't be. It was fun while it lasted. And that's all it ever was. Fun. I wanted something more and he simply wasn't the one who could be that for me. So we decided to part our ways. There was no fight or something of the sort" She said all this with no trace of remorse or annoyance in her voice. She truly didn't seem hurt by this breakup. His train of thought was interrupted by her gentle voice.

"You can take a seat if you want" She motioned to the cushioned seat in front of her and handed him the menu "Here you go, in case you want to order something"

The man obeyed and took the book. The wines were some of the rarest and most expensive in town. He knew that well hence the fact that he frequented this place.

"So, he added, what brings you here tonight?"

"I'm trying to pick out some wines for a tasting I have in a few days. Or at least narrow down my options"

"Oh so you're a sommelier?" asked the redhead in surprise

The woman let out a small chuckle.

"You seem surprised"

"Well, I am. In a pleasant way"

She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Well, my dad was really passionate about wines so it was natural for me to follow this path"

"I see. So what have you chosen? Maybe I can give you a hand. I'm passionate about wines myself"

Right then the waiter brought 12 bottles of wine. Six were red, two rosé and four white. Yuko proceeded to open the first bottle. It was a Dom Perignon Rose from 2010. She poured some in both glasses and placed the bottle on the table. The woman raised the glass to eye level, checking the colour, then swiftly brought it to her nose. She was fully concentrating on the fragrance.

"Smells fruity. It's great"

Yuko took a sip of the wine, her lipstick staining the glass.

"Mmm this is delicious. Do you notice the notes of orange? And the peach?"

"There's something appely to it too" added Chuya

"Yes. It's actually refreshing. It reminds me of the seaside, waves crashing on rocks and the breeze carrying the heat of sleepless nights.” She then let out a laugh ��Sorry I tend to do that. Anyway, this would go well with the scallops served as an appetizer.”

Yuko took out a notebook with a red cover and scribbled down the name of the wine.

“Alright. We have eleven more to try”

The Dom Perignon was followed by a bottle of Krug Brut Rose. Yuko concluded that it was too acidic and crossed it off the list. Then they opened a bottle of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Montrachet, then a French Sauvignon blanc, an Asti Spumante and a sweet Sauternes. The woman picked the latter for dessert.

By the time they got started with the red wines, Chuya’s head was already spinning. The combination of flavours and fragrances was intoxicating. And then it was her. The man couldn’t help but marvel as he listened to her talk about the wines, briefly presenting every one of them. He simply nodded at whatever she said.

Two hours later they finished the tasting. Yuko had ordered two more wines and eventually managed to complete her list.

“So we’ll have the Dom Perignon Rose as an appetizer, followed by Pinot noir and Merlot for the lobster, another Pinot Gris for the vegetable dish and the Sauternes for the crème brulee.” She brought her hands to get temples, gently massaging them “This was more exhausting than I anticipated. Thanks for helping me, Chuya”

"It was my pleasure, miss”

"Oh please” interrupted the woman while waving a hand in disapproval “Just call me Yuko”

They locked eyes and for a second Yuko found herself getting lost in his eyes. She began exploring his features; his delicate, almost feminine face was beautifully framed by his hair which fell just past his left shoulder. In the dim lit room his eyes seemed a dark shade of grey. Her gaze lingered on his lips. ‘Such kissable lips’ she thought to herself.

Chuya noticed the faint blush on the woman’s face.

“Are you alright?” he enquired

“Yes I feel great, it's just very hot in here.”

Yuko touched her heated cheeks with the back of her hand and checked her phone.

“I think we should go outside. My friend is going to pick me up soon”

They made their way towards the door walking next to each other in silence. After a few minutes of waiting a white car parked just outside the bar.

“I’ve got to get going. Thanks again for the help. I’m more than grateful”

Chuya simply bowed his head slightly before reaching for the pocket of his vest. He procured an engraved black card from there.

“Let me know when you get home, will you?” said the man with a playful smile on his lips.

Yuko nodded and waved goodbye, rushing to open the passenger door of the vehicle.

At around 11:30 that evening Chuya’s phones chimed.

"Got home safe” read the text, followed by a wink emoji.

The man smiled and wished her goodnight. The amount of alcohol in his system prevented him from starting a new conversation. He simply went to bed, letting the soft and cold sheets envelope him.

A few days later Chuya decided to reach out to her. He analyzed the whole situation; she was after all the first genuine and interesting person he had recently met so why not give it a shot? He called her on the pretext of asking her about the wine tasting.

“It was excellent. Everyone was pleased with the wines and they gave me a huge tip.”

Her voice was a bit static through the phone but he could clearly make out the excitement in her tone.

“That’s great. Look, I wanted to ask you something. Would you like to accompany me to dinner on Friday?”

Chuya’s heart started racing a bit, waiting for her response but after a few seconds she replied

“Sure I’d love that. Where are you planning to go?”

The man smirked “It’s a surprise. You just wear a nice dress, alright? Give me your address and I’ll pick you up at around 7”

"Okay, got it. I’ll send it to you. Can’t wait to see you!”

At 7 sharp Chuya parked his car in front of her apartment just as Yuko was exiting the building. The sound of her heels on the pavement was muffled by the windows. The man got out of the car to open her door.

“Thanks” she said, her soft lips forming a smile.

They arrived at the restaurant and took their seats. The place had a beautiful view of the city and he was lucky enough to reserve a table next to the window. The night went smoothly. They both had Wagyu beef with sautéed mushrooms and asparagus and dessert but the man didn’t drink. Yuko on the other hand downed half a bottle of a red Beringer wine. They talked about wine and their job and surprisingly enough Yuko was interested to find out more about the Port Mafia. Then they dove into more personal subjects; their childhood, their aspirations for the future, their love life. Turns out that Yuko herself was as unlucky as him. She never had a relationship that lasted more than a couple of months. They tried to avoid the subject of Dazai since every time he was mentioned the redhead rolled his eyes and let out a huff.

After Chuya had paid the bill they returned to the vehicle. Yuko’s legs were a bit wobbly from the drink so he placed a hand around her waist to support her. This closure was familiar, as if they had known eachother since the beginning of the world. ‘Maybe this is the connection everyone talks about. True love’ thought the man.

He drove her home and made sure she got inside safely. Before he left the woman placed a small peck on his cheek.

"Thanks for this evening. It was lovely”

For the first time since forever Chuya was flustered. He was giddy, feeling like a child who just found the hidden stash of candy. He simply nodded and wished her goodnight, making his way back to the car.

After a few more dates the relationship started getting serious. He had her come over a couple of times for a home cooked meal which always ended up with them in the bedroom. She invited him to her wine tastings and he even got to meet her family. Yuko was afraid to ride the motorcycle hence she almost had an accident when she was little but the man pursued her into riding with him. His favourite moments though were the morning after, when he would wake up next to her sleeping form. When she eventually opened her eyes she would say “Good morning Chuu” in an angelic voice and pull him in a tight hug. This was all he ever wanted.

Seasons went by like summer rains. Yuko moved in with her boyfriend and they started spending even more time together. Then she also got a part time job to contribute to paying rent.

“I know you have enough money for both of us but I want to help” she often stated.

Yuko also started attending Port Mafia events; different gatherings they had; and she got along with everyone. Even Akutagawa showed little to no hostility towards her.

Their relationship eventually got to that level. The day he proposed Chuya felt like he would pass out. He had been overwhelmed with emotions for a couple of days, which his partner didn’t fail to notice but he simply blamed it on work. The redhead wasn’t worried about being rejected. He knew how they both felt for one another. However, he couldn’t help but wonder whether he was ready for this new chapter.

So there stood Chuya at the end of his kind sized bed, wearing his work clothes and holding the small box in his hand. It was their 3 years anniversary and he was planning to propose. But he had doubts.

He was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn’t even hear the front door open. Yuko stepped into the bedroom, her shirt half undone.

“Chuu I didn’t expect to see you here.  Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

Her gaze then drifted to the red box in the man’s hand. He was too taken aback by her presence to try and hide it. The woman’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Is it…”

“Yes, it is” interrupted the redhead, covering his face with his palms. “It was supposed to be a surprise”. His voice was shaky, filled with uncertainty.

Yuko took a seat next to her partner, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“You know, Chuu. We don’t have to get married now if you have doubts. Everything is great as it is.”

Chuya straightened his back and raised his gaze, their eyes locked.

“Doll, I love you and I want to spend every day for the rest of my life with you. I have no doubts about that” He took her slender hands into his, giving them a squeeze. “I just don’t know if I’m ready for this”

The woman chuckled “No one is ready for marriage, Chuu. But nothing has to change between us. We’ll take things slow and see where it goes”

“So you’re saying yes?”

"Of course I’m saying a yes”

One of her hands snaked around his waist and she leaned over him, pressing his back into the mattress.

“After all, I like how Yuko Nakahara sounds” She pressed a kiss onto his lips. “Plus I really don’t mine calling you my husband’.

Chuya smirked into the kiss before flipping her over.

“Well then my wife seems kind of eager today. What husband would I be If I left her unsatisfied?”

// just imagine a steamy sex scene//

Two months after they both said their vows and were officially pronounced husband and wife. The ceremony itself was attended by a few people, but the party was the talk of town. Both Chuya and Yuko had many acquaintances and they were all more than happy to honour their invitation. After a long debate the pair decided to also invite Dazai. The brunette stood at his designated table next to the Akutagawa brothers, a seat chosen by Chuya. His eyes were following the bride all around the room.

“You’re staring, Osamu” spoke Chuya as he took a seat next to his friend. Dazai smirked, placing an arm around Chuya’s shoulders.

“I didn’t take you for a jealous man, Nakahara”

The redhead ginned, remembering the conversation they had a few years prior.

“Well, what can I say…” His eyes were fixated on Yuko who was walking around the room, greeting and chatting with all the guests.

“I’m happy for you, Nakahara. Take care of her, alright?” added the brunette with a hint of pride in his voice.

"I definitely will” replied Chuya.

He was going to keep that promise till the day he died. 

[ask-sarah-and-co]

(Crewel-Intentions) 💎 + Yuko Akiyama please? <:3c

aaaa your story’s already really good and I think it would fit in well in universe! Only difference miiight be that Team Rocket technically doesn’t disband here?

Giovanni and the executives go to prison for a few years (they’re out by 2022, a year before the story). So assuming that Yuko is an executive, she’d also be tossed in there with them?

I’m so sorry that’s all I have- mostly bc this is so alternate of a universe! Uh, she’d be able to go to Giovanni and Rose’s wedding during the plot at least?

Here’s a lil doodle as an apology !

[nug-chuohku]

Seto-kai

Founded nearly 70 years ago, the Seto-kai family is headquartered in Chiba City. They have maintained themselves as a prominent power not only in Japan but in multiple countries including parts of the U.S. and Southeast Asia. The group doesn't stand out amongst the rest when it comes to violence, as they conserve a consistently peaceful (by yakuza standards) business image. Doing work commonly in money laundering, gambling, racketeering, prostitution, blackmail, loansharking, protection racketeering, and a more recent development in dealing bootleg hypnosis microphones.

Generally speaking, the Seto-kai doesn't start fights, having a strict no-killing rule amongst the group. Being a more consecutively successful money-earning gang, the Seto-kai is notorious for sweet-talking their way out of violent conflicts and helping citizens during major destructive events. This sort of weaseling does get on the nerves of many gangs around the Tokyo city area. Still, the family is near-untouchable so long as the money keeps on flowing. 

A couple of years ago however, the group had a hiccup when it came to their illegal hypnosis microphone business, leading to the loss of their partner business and the loss of several dozen members - either by death or by retirement. This waver has weakened Seto-kai a bit and as a result, they have been the target of several attacks by smaller gangs.

1. Oyabun

Name: Seiji Matsui (松位 晴慈)

Age: 42

Position: Head of Seto-kai

Bio: The exact opposite image of a gangster, Matsui used to double as a real estate agent when he wasn't busy intimidating someone for money as a yakuza member. At the age of 30, he became the head of the Seto-kai when the prior Oyabun had passed. The position was no easy task, however, with many members making attempts on his life to steal the seat. Despite those many years of hardship, he's earned his subordinates' respect as the current head of the group, maintaining the gang's snakelike charms while displaying a more kind and forgiving approach towards his kobun.

With whatever money he can spare, he likes to support children in unfortunate circumstances usually through anonymous donations to organizations dedicated to the cause. He has a sense of sympathy towards children in those circumstances, having come from a similar background.

"No need to fret about what you owe us! Take your time… Just know that the Seto-kai always cashes in on their debts. Always."

2. The Secretary

Name: Noriji Kudou (久藤 憲二)

Age: 47

Position: 2nd in Command

Bio: Colder, more calculating of the Seto-kai leaders, Kudou is the man in charge of wrangling each of the smaller groups together. Acting as an over-glorified secretary, Kudou loves order. If it weren't for the group's long-standing rule to not kill, he would have probably executed a handful of associates by now. Of course, he's loyal to a fault, all to keep order.

Kudou has been the right-hand man to Oyabun, protecting his life multiple times. As far as anyone knows, the two treat each other as brothers having grown up and eventually joined the Seto-kai together. 

"Accounting says that we are down a percentile… And the numbers don't lie. What sort of slacking has your department done now?!"

3. The Accountant

Name: Yuko Rachi (良知 優心)

Age: 49

Position: Head of Seto-kai Accounting

Bio: Yuko was lied to, to make this brief. Having been tricked into the group by a friend who recruited her under the guise of an ordinary accounting job, Yuko has now been loyally working with Seto-kai for decades. At first, Yuko was terrified of course! But with some of the coaxing from Kudou and the Oyabun, she's made herself the head accountant, managing the money which is brought in from all over departments. After all, what is a business without someone to manage all their money?

"I see that you’ve made some improvements since the last quarter! I hope you don’t plan on slacking now… Oyabun expects us to do our best!"

4. The Lawyer

Name: Syougo Gonda (権田 丞吾)

Age: 36

Position: Seto-kai Representative Lawyer

Bio: Even criminal organizations need a lawyer! Syougo works as the main legal representative to the Seto-kai, typically getting the group members lighter sentences for the charges they are given or even straight up getting members out of trouble completely. Syougo overtook the previous representative lawyer by miraculously helping the Seto-kai get away with a major money laundering scheme that had been exposed carelessly.

"What, you think that criminals don’t have lawyers? Everyone needs someone to back them up in every corner, including the legal side."

5. Head Shark

Name: Makou Jibiki (地引 引野)

Age: 38

Position: Head of Extortion 

Bio: A terrifying man, Makou is the expert when it comes to anything involving racketeering. Loan sharking, protection rackets, blackmail, you name it. The moment he gets a whiff of a money opportunity he takes it, no matter the cost. His group has the most members, as the Seto-kai specializes in extortion the most. Under him, he has many smaller sub-divisions headquartered in several cities as a part of their business.

He’s described as a loud, vulgar man, he’s harsh towards his underlings, wanting to maintain high expectations out of each one of them. Many subordinates describe him as a tough parent, but Makou seems to hate this notion.

"What are you shrimps doing, hah?! Quit fucking slacking, get out there, and make some fucking money!"

6. Queen of Luck

Name: Akiko Fujita (冨田 璃子)

Age: 36

Position: Head of Gambling 

Bio: The overseer of the more public businesses, Akiko loves anything to do with gambling. Organizing pachinko parlors, casinos, and horse races, they operate legitimately in and out of Japan. That doesn’t mean Akiko plays fair all the time, often rigging bets and running illegal games underground as a way to earn even more money. Their businesses get into trouble legally pretty often, but it’s nothing the Seto-kai lawyer can’t handle.

Akiko may indulge herself in the most luxurious items she can get, but despite her overly flashy display, most of the items she owns has been shoplifted. Kudou gets on her case for this often although Akiko dismisses him casually every single time.

"Darling! Isn’t that too low? Come on, let’s raise the stakes a bit, hm? I’ll throw in my car if you want…"

7. The Madame

Name: Sawa Chinen (智念 佐和)

Age: 73

Position: Head of Prostitution

Bio: An older woman, Sawa has been in the family longer than the others. Sawa is harsh towards most people, the only people having seen her gentle side are her subordinates and Makou (with whom she sometimes works). She stubbornly stands in her position despite many members insisting that she should step down and let someone else take over. However, it’s her belief that nobody can take over her position… Not yet at least.

"You think you can waltz in here and pick any one of my girls or boys to sleep with you?! Not with that empty wallet, you won’t!"

8. Little Arms Dealer

Name: Hiroki Ebinuma (海老沼 寛希)

Age: 28

Position: Head of Weapons

Bio: The youngest of the executives and the most inexperienced, Hiroki was promoted to his position when all of the seniors in his department were slaughtered in the incident. While nowhere near the same as the previous leader, this sole survivor managed to tough out the trauma and has revived his group well enough. While the Seto-kai does forbid the act of killing, Hiroki supplies the departments that go out into the public with the skills and weapons needed to defend themselves. This includes hypnosis microphones, which used to be the group’s main choice of weapon. However after the incident, supplies have been cut and as a result, Hiroki has had to establish connections beyond microphones to simple weapons, such as knives, tasers, and other less deadly choices.

Hiroki appears as a strong, silent leader but in reality, his anxiety and trauma has left him with a prominent stutter, which he is extremely embarrassed about. To combat this, he only speaks to his close subordinates who act as his speaker.

"Yyy… Yy-you shouldn’t b-b-be here. Iii-it’s a m-mistake to t-tressp-p-pass."

[easternmind]

Lessons in Japanese game design

In the second act of Zettai Zetsumei Toshi 2, the player takes on the role of Yuko Saeki, a young woman wrongly accused of murdering her brother. Her story begins in a prison cell which she is forced to flee from due to the massive floods taking place in Geo City. As she tries to find an exit and survive the disaster, detective Shigeru Akimoto, who is obsessed about her being trialed and execution, restrains her using a pair of handcuffs. These cuffs will present a challenge to this character for most of her campaign.

In a very conventional manner, ZZT2 allows the player to equip accessories and clothing items. This can be done dozens of times in any of the character’s stories as they encounter clothes and gear which increases protection and decreases vulnerability to the elements. The above example shows how, for instance, equipping any other character with a coat will result in a slight change to the base polygonal model.

What is less conventional, however, is that in the case of Yuko, the game designers contemplated the fact that her hands are cuffed and that she cannot fit her arms into the jacket’s sleeves. Taking into account the fact that this is a game produced during the year 2005, to say nothing of its minute budget, this singular detail, itself, represents the kind of thought process and attention to detail that characterize Japanese game design at its best.

[tsumu]

Nightmares

Yui followed the specific instructions that was relayed to her from her father by Yuto.

Go to the disclosed location.

Go there alone.

Don’t carry any weapon.

With every step, her anxiety heightens. What’s going to happen? Will she be okay? Will tomorrow come for her? Yui was terrified and shaking nervously. She finally arrived at a quaint little house in the middle of nowhere. The roof was covered with the whitest snow her dark hazel eyes had ever laid upon on. The pathway towards the door had traces of footsteps which alarmed her because it was proof that her father was alive and merely inches away from her.

As she arrived at the door, Yui took a deep breathe and knocked on it.

“H-hello.. Is anyone home?” she said timidly.

The door swung open and right before her was an intimidating looking man. His figure towered Yui and his arms were decorated by alluring tattoos that signalled his previous membership in the Yakuza.

“Yui. I have been expecting you. Please come in.” the man spoke.

Yui froze.

“Aw come on, don’t worry I wont hurt you.” he motioned for to enter the house.

Talking off her shoes, she entered the house and was greeted by the smell of warm charcoal burning by the fireplace. It was a beautifully decorated traditional Japanese house. Nothing that one would expect from a former Yakuza boss.

The mysterious man led her to a room where she could see a large a garden that was blanketed in beautiful white snow.

It was beautiful and Yui was in awe. This is how she exactly pictured to be the house of her dreams.

“Beautiful view isn’t? It will be yours soon?” an unknown voice boomed.

Yui turned around and saw a frail old looking old man on a wheelchair. He had an IV drip beside him which indicates his declining health.

“Wont you come sit?” the old man gestured towards the floor cushion. Separating the two was a medium sized wooden table. Suddenly, more tough looking men came into the room with a cups, a pot of tea and some traditional Japanese snack.

Yui watched everything in awe.

“Please have a sip. I made sure to serve the finest blend since my only daughter is coming to visit me.” he said while smiling gently at Yui.

“Thank you.” Yui sheepishly replied.

“So I am assuming you are here because of your dreams right?”

Yui nodded.

“And that person, told you to kill me right?” the old man bluntly said.

Yui couldn’t hide her shock at those words.

“H-how do you know?” she asked.

“There has never been a moment in which I am not watching over you my dear daughter. From your first days of being able to walk and when you graduated university, I have witnessed everything. Being the daughter of a yakuza comes with many risks”

“I have always made sure that there were no obstacles in your life. That you lived an mundane but peaceful life.” he continued.

“That man you are seeing? Aki? He’s actually the grandson of a former ally of mine that I had to eliminate.”

“I suggest that you stop seeing him if you want to live the next day.” spoke the man calmly.

Yui’s eyes widened.

“But I understand that you might not even believe me because after all..” he paused and glanced at the scenery outside.

“I am a nothing but a terrible human and father who had abandon his own child.”

Soon tears were rolling down Yui’s cheeks.

“Did you dream of Yuko last night? The girl who looks like you but from the other universe?” the old man asked.

“Yuko?”

“Ah she never mentioned her name to you? Well her name is Yuko. Did you talk to her last night in her dreams?”

“No. She didn’t appear in my dreams last night.” Yui replied.

“Hmm. I guess they got her already. She’s probably going to be executed as we speak. She got caught by the supreme leader yesterday.”

Yui immediately stood up in horror and disbelief. Her tears were long gone, anger has fuel her every bone but she was still shaking.

“H-how do you know all this?” Yui asked suspiciously.

“I told you, I have been watching your every single move since you were born my dear. There is nothing that you know that I don’t.’’ the old man boasted. He immediately approached Yui in his wheelchair and placed a gun in her hand.

Yui immediately backed away and shook her head.

“W-what are you doing?” she nervously questioned.

“Well.. let’s end it everything right now, right her. Let’s liberate you from your suffering.” he said nonchalantly.

While holding Yui’s hand, he shifted the gun pointing towards his forehand.

“You have every right to end my life. My dear child I was the root of all your suffering.”

Yui’s eyes were trembling, unable to control her tears. She was feeling overwhelmed.

Her father knew that she was coming her all along. She didn’t know that the reason why her life was so boring was for her own safety. She didn’t know that her father was watching her from afar.

Is it really fair for her to kill her remaining blood-related relative? Will she really do it? If she doesn’t do it, Yuko will be dead. But that would also lead to her own father’s own death. In the midst of her troubling thoughts, Yui sob uncontrollably.

Suddenly, a loud sound pierced through their eyes. Almost, immediately the sound of a body collapsing raided echoed throughout the room.

Soon, the room was bathing in a velvet pool of blood.

[enfantsterriblestokyo]

「First Love 初恋」(Netflix) 2022年11月24日〜

Official Site

Official Trailer

Teaser Trailer

[Cast]

Hikari Mitsushima / Takeru Satoh

Rikako Yagi / Taisei Kido

Kaho

Minami / Akiyoshi Nakao

Towa Araki / Aoi Yamada

Itsuki Nagasawa / Jiei Wakabayashi

Makiko Watanabe / Takashi Okabe

Morio Agata

Ren Sudo

Kanji Furutachi

Daisuke Kuroda / Shingo Mizusawa

Osamu Mukai

Gaku Hamada

Kyoko Koizumi

[Staff]

Written & Directed by : Yuri Kanchiku

Cinematographers : Kazuma Shinde / Junichi Nakamura

Lighting : Jin Kobayashi

Sound Recordists : Masahito Yano / Yoshifumi Kureishi

Art Department Coordinator : Nori Fukuda

Production Designer : Yoko Sagae

Set Decorator : Tetsuya Nomura

Costume Designer : Babymix

Hair & Make-up Artists : Takeharu Kobayashi / Aina Hanada

Make-up Artist : Yuko Shimada

First Assistant Directors : Shinya Masuda / Kimiyoshi Adachi

Production Manager : Kota Suemitsu / Taisuke Oku

Post Production Supervisor : Tetsuo Ohya

VFX Supervisor : Koji Nozaki

Editorsr : Emi Onodera / Naoki Watanabe

Re-Recording Mixer : Hiroyuki Ishizaka

Sound Effects : Hiroki Matsuura

Music by : Taisei Iwasaki

Line Producer : Mikiya Sato

Executive Producer : Kaata Sakamoto

Producer :  Kasumi Yao

Production : C&I entertainment

Inspired by the songs “First Love” and “Hatsukoi” written by Hikaru Utada

[psychewritesbs]

Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Thanks....

Hi there. I don’t mind at all. Thanks for asking!

I think the characters I love are typically the result of circumstance or a reflection of my life at any particular given moment in time. 

I split the list into Western Media and Japanese Media below the cut. Also, not sure I came up with 10 characters per se.

Western Media

In no particular order.

Ariel, the Little Mermaid

Perhaps it was her archetypal journey that I loved so much, but when I was younger I used to looooove Ariel. I was super young but I just identified so much with her. I also have fond memories of my mom blow drying my hair to look like Ariel’s.

Belle, Beauty and the Beast

Anyone who is proud to be a nerd and who can read a book while walking (because ain’t nobody got time to adult when you’re reading a good book) is a Queen in my book.

But I also really identify with her desire to get more out of her life than what the society of her time expected from her. 

Also... she’s the OG millennial snob.

Little town, full of little people ♫. 

Peggy Olson, Mad Men

This girl is such an inspiration. Peggy worked her way up the ladder in a male-dominated world by demonstrating her very unique ability for story-telling. I loved watching her growth and even if I didn’t like how the ending of her character arc was executed, I agree that the way her life unfolded was the natural course of her personal growth.

I think since I work in Marketing and love using graphic design as a form of visual storytelling to persuade, I find her character even more relatable. Even her bitchy self is highly relatable to me lol.

Mary Crawley/Talbot, Downton Abbey (that’s right, did you ever imagine that this girl who reads battle Shonen manga would also love watching historical British drama?)

I love Mary. She’s beautiful, elegant, and intelligent. But above all, she knows her mind. 

As for her character arc, I loved watching her break away from the expectations set upon her by society. She went from this girl who was just waiting to be rescued, to a woman in charge of her own destiny.

Samantha Jones, Sex and the City

Samantha, my girl. Sexually liberated, a successful entrepreneur, and living in Manhattan, Samantha was someone who built her own success but not at the expense of her femininity. 

She is the ultimate girl boss, so her character arc revolved more around softening up and becoming available for intimacy--something I love about her.

Japanese media

1. Sumeragi Subaru, Tokyo Babylon, x/1999, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle

I adore him. That’s all. My soul feels like Subaru is a kindred soul.

2. Fushiguro Megumi, Jujutsu Kaisen

I’ve written extensively about him so to keep it short here I’ll say that he’s very relatable. I love how he overcomes his own self-imposed limitations and steps into a version of himself beyond his imagination. 

He’s also a little cray-cray and a well-written closet sadist is always a fave in my books.

3. Ichihara Yuko, xxxHolic, xxxHolic Rei, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle

She’s a Queen. Period.

I have to admit I don’t love her the way I love Subaru and Megumi, but Yuko is simply amazing. I want to be a space time witch like her when I grow up and that’s why she makes this list.

Some old school faves worth mentioning are...

- Tomoe Hotaru/Mistress 9 and Kaio Michiru (Sailor Moon S)

- Duo Maxwell (Gundam Wing)

- Athrun Zala (Gundam Seed)

Newer faves include:

- Sakurazuka Seishiro (Tokyo Babylon, x/1999, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle) 

He is both one of the most complex and stupid characters ever.

- Fai D. Flourite (Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, Tsubasa World Chronicle)

- Twelve (Zankyou no Terror)

- Shin-Ah (Akatsuki no Yona)

- Hiyakawa Rihito (Sankaku Mado no Sotogawa wa Yoru)

Anyways, thank you for asking!

I’ve shared my fave animanga characters before, but it was fun to compile the list of Western Media faves because it made me realize the reason I hardly ever like any female characters in anime and manga is because there is hardly any representation for the kind of feminine character archetype I like--independent woman who forges her own destiny.

[crewel-intentions]

(Nat to Yuko) "Team Rocket huh, was it rough getting out from under them? I have-had a family member join them years ago, but they got out and did their own thing pretty quickly. (@asktheisle)

(Thank you for the ask, @asktheisle ! Sorry I didn’t doodle your lad this time.  This was easier and more efficient ;;w;;)

[lytdybr]

Treeline from Jordan Manley on Vimeo.

Patagonia Films presents: Treeline. Follow a group of skiers, snowboarders, scientists and healers to the birch forests of Japan, the red cedars of British Columbia and the bristlecones of Nevada, as they explore an ancient story written in rings.

Directed by Jordan Manley

Producers: Laura Yale, Monika McClure

Executive Producers: Alex Lowther, Jimmy Hopper, Josh Nielsen

Cinematography, editing, principal sound design: Jordan Manley

Additional Cinematography: Scott Secco

Associate Producers: Garrett Grove, Lisa Ida, Soichiro Uchino, Mie Sawatari

Editorial Advisors: Daniel Irvine, Chad Manley

Motion Graphics: Daniel Irvine

Additional Sound Design and Mix: Jeff Yellen / Ridgeline Sound

Cast & Athletes

Taro Tamai Hidehiko Wajima Kazushi “Orange Man” Yamauchi Yuki Miyazaki Alex Yoder Leah Evans Carston Oliver Laura Yale Connie Millar Diane Delaney Michael Cohen Deb MacKillop Suzanne Simard Akihiko Tamaki Konami Tsukamoto

Still Photographer: Garrett Grove

Additional Audio Recordings: Travis Rummel / Felt Soul Media

Assistant Camera: Ryan Christiansen

Assistant Editor: Bill Hawley

Additional Footage: Nick Leboe

Japan Field Producer: Yuki Miyazaki

Translators: Yuki Miyazaki, Yuko Yoshikawa, Yosh Haggerty, Young-kil Jung, Lisa Ida

[femme-malewife]

A surprise visit from Yuko rattles both Aizou and Ken...and it's up to their partners to pick up the pieces.

[tempenensis]

I think Gege said that he knows how megumi is going to end up, but that he’s still not sure about how itadori’s end is going to be like. I wonder if he’s going to finally be free from sukuna or execution. I also wonder if he’s going to end up with yuko lol

He said he already knows Itadori's ending in his Mando Kobayashi interview

[cacaitos]

the question doesn't include the net and hollistic quality of the work or events/characters unrelated to the complex or the relationship. they're both mid works if we're at it lol.