#haikyu is good for the soul

[kuri-karin]

day 1 of @duke0fsin art challenge c:

offical art redraw ^_−☆

[zizizombz]

HII WELCOME 2 MY BLOG !

I'm scene and emo and i LUV MUSIC!!!! RANT 2 ME ABT IT ANYTIME!! I LOVE LISTENING

I'm bigender and use She He prns!!!

My fav colors r pink, green, and blue

☆ My fav artists r Pierce the Veil, Tyler, the Creator, The Medic Droid, My Chemical Romance, Violent Vira, Julie, and The Millionaires + ! (>_<)

(>_<) I luv Haikyu, MHA, Soul Eater, Miraculous Laybug, Mob Psycho100! nd more! ☆

I'm mixed! (b&w) nd Physically disabled!! I'm also autistic and have ADHD but that's not important!

BYI

☆ I have a not good memory! I sometimes have gaps in my memory and cant remember details! ☆ It may take me a while 2 reply 2 messages bc i don't pay attention!! ☆ I block freely and WILL especially block zionists! I'm pro Palestine all the way and wont argue abt this! ☆ Im overall a nice person but sometimes i can come off as mean bc im bad w tone!! ☆ IM A MINOR!!!!

I BLOCK FREELY!

DNI

☆ zionists ☆ proshippers, comshippers or noncon related things ☆ gross accs + NSFW blogs ☆ racists, homophobes, ableists, transphobobes + basic dni criteria ☆ Vivzie supporters.. ☆ sexualizes minors ☆ kid diddlers + ppl who support them ☆ HATE FUN

HOBBIES

•ᴗ• Writing! Roleplaying(literate)! Digital art! Oc designing! Volleyball! Watching Youtube! Fashion! Music! ♡

♡ None of these hobbies I take srsly! I might post art from time 2 time but my motivation comes nd goes so i wont b consistent! •ᴗ•

SOCIALZ

I'm active on discord but u'll have 2 ask me 4 that bc i don't want 2 post it on here right now! Spacehey Twitter heh... silly blog

[v4rtig0]

Someone please tell my why my area of living has been getting school threats. I’m literally gonna kms😍

Anyway this is literally me, I love silent hill. I’m only playing the HD collection(ik it’s super hated on) but I AM NOT paying $150-300 on an original😭I can buy a bunch of shit with $300. So in conclusion I probably will only ever play the HD collection bc I don’t see myself ever getting my grubby hands on an original😞😞sucks to suck but wtv. I completely skipped silent hill 2 bc I really wanted to play silent hill 3. I’m sorry James😋due to the school threats that my area has been receiving I am NOT going to school tmr. Since we’re here I’m gonna say I love video games. Specially story videos games and decision based games(they’re the best😫) if you couldn’t tell I’m a yip yapper. I love to yap like everyday. I would also like to say that I love my 3 figurines I have in my room. My toga figure, my shigaraki figure and my itadori figure. I would also like to say I love anime(even though I watch like 3 anime’s minimum)😭MHA, JJK, HAIKYU, TOKYO GHOUL, A SILENT VOICE, TBHK and SOUL EATER. Thats pretty much it. I used to like The Promised Neverland. But season one was the only good season. Season 2 was lowkey ass😭this is a rough introduction to me honestly. Well I hope anyone who read this has an amazing day/night😼😼😼

(I also would like to say I draw too)

[sltybsoo]

MAIN MASTERLIST

groups and my ults ☼ ateez - mingi, hongjoong ☼ bts - rm, j-hope ☼ p1harmony - soul, jongseob ☼ stray kids - han, felix ☼ txt - beomgyu, taehyun ☼ blackpink - rosé, jennie ☼ itzy - yeji, lia ☼ twice - tzuyu, mina

drama ☼ sweet home ☼ the glory ☼ the good bad mother ☼ true beauty

anime ☼ aot ☼ haikyu!! ☼ mha ☼ saiki k

[eluvixns]

throwing together my summer list for my mission to enjoy things and get back to things i love and like for me!! it's got suggestions from mutuals and friends and i'm excited about it so here it is

READING:

all systems red ( the murderbot diaries, book )

illuminae ( book )

howl's moving castle ( book )

batman: the golden age vol 1 ( comic )

marvel masterworks: the x-men, vol 3 ( comic )

batman: wayne family adventures vol 1 ( comic )

nana vol 1 and 2 ( manga )

WATCHING:

doctor who s1 ( 15th doctor, still need to finish it, tv )

hotd s1 ( tv )

hotd s2 ( tv )

the office s1 and s2 ( tv, this is gonna be the show i throw on when i use the treadmill >:D )

one piece live action s1 ( tv )

one-punch man s1 and s2 ( anime )

dungeon meshi s1 ( anime )

haikyu!! ( anime, as many seasons as i can fit in )

mob psycho 100 ( anime, as many seasons as i can fit in )

PLAYING:

ff:xiv ( always and forever but the goal is to level viper up so i can continue the rest of endwalker with it and then get my teeth stuck into dawntrail BUT i'm going to take my time i'm not gonna rush anything if i wanna level instead of doing anything else, i will, if i wanna spend the day crafting, then i will. i don't want to feel like i have to get caught up bc then i get miserable with it and i don't want to feel that pressure again like i used to all the time before )

the outer worlds

pokemon: violet ( i wanna beat this so i can start working on my national pokedex again >:3 )

elden ring

dark souls

pathfinder: wrath of the righteous

warhammer 40,000: rogue trader

scarlet hollow

fallout: new vegas

dragon age: origins

dragon age 2

dragon age: inquisition

baldur's gate 3 ( bc i wanna actually finally finish the game now i have removed the parts of the community that made me feel bad for playing it in the first place i've never finished it or seen the ending so i just ksdjghdfk i wanna finally do it and have fun with it again )

i also planned some fitness stuff because now i'm healed from surgery and up and about again it's time to work on getting my strength and stamina back and like, take care of my body 'cause, y'know, being deathly unwell fucks you up and stuff

but yi i'm excited i feel like tackling all of this over the summer is gonna be good fun!!! and a nice place to start for getting back into things like reading and watching stuff again ( and if anyone tries to bully it out of me again or makes fun or whatever whatever then um i'm gonna turn to crime )

[nani-nonny]

Ch.17: Intermission: Blue - Whispers of Distant Souls

I recently binge watched Invincible because I’ve been meaning to but never really had the time to sit down and watch it in one sitting like I prefer. And goodness that was a lot. Very entertaining but a lot of a blood. But I was very shoulder deep into it and had a nice shit-talk conversation about certain characters with my siblings hahah!

Anyways, it gave me the motivation to finish this chapter with the spare free time I have for this week (not because of the blood from Invincible but the spite in me to have nice family bonding/fluff on the mind)

Spoilers:

The future turtles in Leo’s mystic core really channeled a Haikyu moment /j:

[jusst-you-race]

Asking about f1 haikyu part 3. I need this silly but amazing crossover with all my heart and soul <3

omg thank you lo <3

“I’m sure you’ll be enjoying not having to block Max today.” It’s Lewis, his soft voice somehow carrying over the noise from all the courts. George shrugs. “It’s not like the rest of the team sucks. Besides, I block Max successfully enough. He’s not that good.” Lewis chuckles. “Nothing phases you, huh?” George pulls out of his stretch to properly look at Lewis.  “I just have faith in the team. Our captain isn’t half bad himself.” Lewis laughs, sounding a little bit delighted. “Flattery will get you everywhere, George.” And with a wink, he wanders off to gather up the team. “Flattery will get you everywhere, George- gosh you two are the worst.” Alex’s face is pulled into an exaggerated grimace. George glares halfheartedly, cheeks pinking. “That’s blatantly untrue; we have to watch Charles and Max interact every other week.”  The facade breaks and Alex grins.  “Got me there. Well come on, we’re starting up front. I think Lewis is trying to get us facing off against Logan.” George hums. “The new kid?” “Yeah, Oscar’s friend, with the all-American charm.” George’s eyebrow climbs up his forehead. “All-American charm?” “Yeah, you know, blond hair, blue eyes, handsome…” Alex clears his throat. George is delighted. “Handsome is he?” “Shut up, not what I meant, I’m ignoring you now, time to play.”

i wanted to write something about the other team! this is going to be george focused, with him and alex being ridiculous best friends. idk how in character any of this will be but i'm having fun writing these idiots and that's what counts!

[simplepotatofarmer]

Loyaall!!!

I was curious since you’ve been on the internet for so long, what phases have you been through? By phase I mean periods where you’ve been in different fandoms, watched different groups and creators. This phase for example, Minecraft phase!

this is actually a good question because i'm old enough that i genuinely was not on the internet when i was young! or rather, i had things like neopets and i had email but i never really participated in fandom until i was a bit older.

so, horrifyingly, the answer to 'what was the first phase you've been through' would be superwholock.

then honestly, i don't really know. i was a dragon age blogger for a bit, RVB, i was an OWL (overwatch league) blogger for a very long time, then general anime (BSD, haikyu, DRRR!, soul eater and more obscure shit like K - never watch this - and servamp) and then cdramas.

a lot of those overlapped.

if i'm honest, this is the only phase that really hasn't had a lot of overlap though i do have more personal hobbies now where my life used to be 'take care of kids' and ????? so that probably accounts for that!

[verdantmeadows]

Does anyone have a good list of classic 2000s to early 2010s anime or ones they like? I guess stuff like Haikyu!, Lucky Star, Fruits Basket, Bleach, Mirai Nikki, Naruto, Soul Eater, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, Clannad, Azumanga Daioh, that sort of thing?

[hellobunny044]

Panels. | Series

panel. in manga art, panels refers to the frame that wraps around one moment in time.

********************************************************

an original Haikyu AU pairing Udai Tenma (the og little giant

warning!!: containing some manga content.

word count: 5190

********************************************************

Panel - 5

“Udai-san,” From across the table somewhere in weekly shonen building, Akaashi’s voice rang greeting him, “I hope you've been well.”

Udai had come to the office to show Akaashi the rough sketch of the 24th volume of Zombie Knight Zomb'ish.

“Yes, Akaashi-san. I’ve been doing very well.”

“With the manga?”

“Yes.”

Catching the way the editor glanced briefly with a judgmental look so loud in his face, Udai immediately added more weight to his claim. “I mean, I came here a day before the deadline, right? Let’s firstly agree to that, please?”

“Well… that one’s right, so,”

Udai grinned, “That’s more like it.”

Akaashi did not give any formal sign when he began.

It’s not a secret anymore that the very man sitting before him is—and he bet will forever be—a strict editor.

Critical, thorough, perfectionist, and sometimes demanding, would be some of those perfect terms to describe Akaashi Keiji as his editor. His precision in work could sometimes be so overwhelming, but in some parts of the story, he was probably the most befitting person there is to fill the role of Udai’s editor.

The room hung heavy with anticipation as Akaashi immersed himself in the macabre pages that Udai had sacrificed countless hours to birth. His eyes scrutinized the black and white strokes, carefully etched with an almost ethereal precision.

For a long time the room was filled only with the denseness of Akaashi’s silence as he struggled with the rough manuscript Udai had brought to her. On the other side of the manuscript where his hands were quite free, he occasionally fiddled with the pen between his fingers. His eyes, rather than those of a young owl, looked more like those of a young hawk.

That was Akaashi Keiji on days like this from Udai’s perspective.

“So, what do you think about it, Akaashi-san?”

“The shading on this panel is uneven, the proportions on this character are off on this and this panel.” Akaashi criticized, not mincing his words.

Udai felt like the wind had been knocked out of him. He had poured his heart into this volume, spending countless hours carefully crafting each panel, yet it seemed it wasn’t good enough.

Laughing that one off bitterly, he said, “As always expected from your words, super sharp, super precise.”

“I only gave necessary critics to make sure that the manga is doing well.”

“Then I suppose I am to make the necessary changes,” Udai replied, nodding.

“That goes without words.”

“Geh!”

Akaashi sighed, taking off her glasses for a moment after struggling with the rough sketch script.

“The overall plot in this volume is very interesting. ”

Udai sighed almost like someone in pain, “Of course. I literally poured my heart, soul, and body into this.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course!”

“In that case, how about starting the same thing about your time management, Udai-san?”

Udai seemed to be slapped by Akaashi’s question coming at him. Half defending himself, he said, “I’m on time.”

But when Akaashi looked at him, he immediately continued with. “Though not always.”

Akaashi sighed.

“However,” Udai then quickly continued before Akaashi could do anything. “At the very least, I’m always trying my best. But, you know, out of ten attempts made, it is very rare that the success rate would go for 10/10, right?”

“You can, if you apply a task-focus on every attempt.”

“Geh!” Udai gave an expression of dislike listening to what Akaashi had to say, bored by something about the editor's task focus. “After all, it’s all about that task-focus thing, huh?”

Udai sighed, “Akaashi-san, you really are so demanding.”

Akaashi wiped his glasses carefully and distractedly, once in a while, responding to Udai’s words.

“Anyway, I’ll try to give it my best for the last five volumes, and more than anything, I’ll give Zomb'ish the best ending.”

“Right.”

“Then after that, when Zomb'ish ends, I’ll start drawing storyboards for my next work.” Udai’s eyes sparkled with determination. The smile that bloomed on his face laced with confidence.

Just before putting her glasses back on, Akaashi had smiled. A curved line that remained a 1% part of Akaashi Keiji, a young weekly shonen jump editor who was known for being strict and perfectionist.

“You look so pumped up about that, Udai-san.”

“Of course!”

Sometimes, at certain times, Udai’s fiery spirit reminded him of Bokuto Koutarou. Traveling back to high school days in a split second through the artist’s behavior made Akaashi feel quite sentimental. However, Akaashi Keiji is still Akaashi Keiji.

Udai turned to Akaashi, “I’ll start working hard from now on, so please be prepared because I’ll be coming nonstop for consultations. This time it will be more frequent!”

“I’ll be really grateful if that really happens.”

Udai almost choked on his own breath. Quickly coming out of his embarrassment by Akaashi’s point, Udai immediately exclaimed, almost scowling if he did not remember that he was an adult, a grown-ass man.

“Akaashi-san, you shouldn’t look down on me like that! If you continue like that, I’ll really teach you a lesson!”

“I’ve prepared myself for that, Udai Sensei.”

Udai was stunned to hear the formal calling that came only whenever Akaashi was in his most serious editor mode. Sure enough, this time Akaashi looked serious as he carry on.

“Knowing that an end must come is all the more reason to begin anew.”

The editor’s hand adjusted his glasses in the closing sentence.

“Let’s keep giving it our very best, Udai Sensei.”

Udai then responded politely to that sentence. “Yes, sir.”

“Regarding your next work,” Akaashi continued, “first of all, rather than anything about your next works, you should finish Zomb'ish first. Let’s give our best for every last volume that will be published.”

A smile gradually spread across Udai’s face, its curves askew. Perhaps this time, with Akaashi’s encouragement, Udai felt a greater sense of confidence. “That goes without saying. After all, Akaashi-san, didn’t I tell you? I will work hard seriously after this. You’ll soon understand how serious I am!”

Udai looked up at the sky from the window. Akaashi no longer attacked him with criticism or other insinuations. It was quiet, and Udai could clearly hear the rumbling of his passion to give his best on the last five volumes left to finish Zombie Knight Zomb'ish.

Having had enough of gazing up at the sky, letting his hopes for the final five volumes of the manga fly, Udai moved on. He returned to Akaashi who still had a bit of work to do, diligent as always. For a moment, he peered at something Akaashi had written on the stack of papers he was reading, completely uninterested in whatever it was. Then, his gaze wandered and stopped on the analog clock on the editor’s desk that was still neat despite the several stacks of papers on it. A total contrast to Udai’s kind of tidy desk at home.

Looking at the clock reading eleven o’clock, Udai muttered something about Oh? It’s almost lunchtime.

“Akaashi-san,”

Akaashi paused.

“It’s almost lunch time.”

Choosing to look at her watch, Akaashi also muttered something about oh? It's lunch time already.

After reading Akaashi’s gesture, Udai pointed behind him while saying, “I know a good restaurant nearby. Want to try have lunch there?”

“Although I appreciate your offer, I have to pass this time.”

“Heee? What’s with your answer? You’re so weird, Akaashi-san.” Udai almost pouting.

“As you can see, I’ll be a little busy.”

“They don’t always pay you extra for working an extra hour, you know.”

“That is indeed true.”

“Then?”

“I will stay in my office for some time. I’m afraid that someone will make a last-minute surprise visit at lunchtime.”

Although Akaashi’s last sentence was spoken almost half-mumbled, Udai managed to catch a few things.

“Huh?”

Akaashi looked at Udai and said, “I’ll join next time, Udai-san. Thank you.”

Udai sighed then got up. “Okay.”

Akaashi, who probably noticed how Udai wiped his already quite long hair behind his ears as he packed up his things, said something.

“Udai-san,”

Udai turned briefly at Akaashi, and replied with a hum.

“Just wondering,”

“About what?”

“If you ever consider tying your hair.”

Udai did not immediately stop, but his attention was drawn to Akaashi’s words about tying his hair. He was also quite surprised that there was something else—beside his obsession with chips that could not be helped—that Akaashi also noticed outside of their professional relationship as a manga artist and editor.

They were definitely two different person when it came to things like this. If Udai was the as long as it doesn’t get in the way —type, then it was clear that Akaashi Keiji was the before it gets in the way —type.

“Also, Udai-san,”

“Hm?”

“Schweiden Adlers have a match scheduled for later this month.”

“Oh? They have?” Udai’s eyes lit up.

“Yeah. You’ve been watching Hoshiumi Senshu’s matches all this time. Why don’t you try going to see it in person once in a while?”

Udai returned the question, “What about you, Akaashi-san?”

“Watching the combination of Kageyama, Hoshiumi and Ushijima is satisfying, but I’d rather not being called a traitor.”

Udai’s laughter broke out at Akaashi’s words, “It’s true! If I’m not mistaken, Akaashi-san and Bokuto Koutarou from Black Jackals were partners during high school, right?”

Akaashi answered briefly.

“They were all feisty, Black Jackals or Adlers.” Udai smiled.

“Someone from Black Jackals, if I’m not mistaken, once idolized you a lot, right, Udai-san?”

“Ah— him? Yeah. Hinata Shouyou. Right. Kind of.” Udai smiled, remembering a particular person with distinguished orange hair. Someone whose wings were ten times stronger than his when he was his age.

The atmosphere was awkward and silent. For a moment, Akaashi thought that this would be a situation where Udai would get sentimental about his volleyball career stalling out. But no. Udai smiled at Akaashi and said, “I’ll watch the match from home. After all, I’ve given my word to my esteemed, strict editor to work harder on the last five volumes. Task focus.”

Udai studied how Akaashi looked off-guard in the last part where he quoted something that was his trademark, obviously not expecting it to come.

Udai grinned, “This time, I’ll teach you a lesson for underestimating someone older, editor-kun.”

Akaashi let out a sigh of relief, tugging slightly at the corners of his lips to simply smile. “Alright, then. Good luck with the hard work, Udai-san.”

“Yes. Be prepared, Akaashi-san! There will be no mercy when I get serious.”

Udai no longer cared about Akaashi’s response as he turned and left the room.

********************************************************

Udai left the Weekly Shonen Jump’s office feeling both relieved and exhausted. The meeting with Akaashi had been productive, but it had also been tiring. He needed to rest, to have a little break. So he decided to go to a restaurant nearby, hoping to find some solace in a good meal.

He decided to treat himself to lunch at a nearby restaurant, a small place he had always come to when he stopped by at the office.

This restaurant was apparently not quite the favorite in the neighborhood despite the good trademark of each one of their menu and there weren’t many people coming on each day he stopped by. Same goes for today.

As he walked in, he was surprised to see that the restaurant was playing some volleyball tournament on their giant TV screen.

The teams on the screen were Japan and Brazil, two powerhouses in the world of volleyball. The match was intense, with both teams fighting fiercely for every point. Some people, especially the waitresses, were cheering, clapping, and shouting, hyping themselves up

Udai found himself smiling, caught up in the excitement of the game. It was contagious.

“Welcome! Good afternoon, Sir. What would you like to have?”

Udai took a seat at a small table near the wall, still watching the match with a distant gaze. His mind was wandering far back, to his high school days, when he was the ace of Karasuno’s volleyball team. The memories came flooding back, the adrenaline, the sweat, the tears, the ecstasy when his team won.

He remembered how he used to practice for hours, perfecting his techniques, his jumps, his spikes. He remembered the excitement of the matches, how they’d spent hours analyzing their opponents, trying to find their weak spots. He’d never felt more alive back then, more passionate, more driven.

The match on TV was intense, and Udai found himself slowly getting caught up in the excitement.

Even though he knew it was probably a rebroadcasted match, he felt like he was there, in the thick of the action, sweating and jumping, just like back in the day.

The crowd in the restaurant was going wild as Japan scored a point.

Udai smiled watching the enthusiasm.

He remembered the satisfaction of a well-placed spike, the feeling of the ball hitting the ground on his opponent’s side of the court. He remembered the exhilaration he felt when he heard the crowd cheering, the smile on his face as he high-fived his teammates.

Watching the match now, Udai realized how much he’d missed the game. He felt like he’d lost a part of himself, a part that he hadn’t realized was missing until now. He realized that there’s still a part of him that strangled on the court, yearning to the feeling of being there. Yearning of the thrill, the joy, the pressure, he started to yearn for all of it to the past he knew he had left with a big heart.

While Udai Tenma might be content living in a life where he is the creator of one of the best selling manga series, the Little Giant inside him was yearning to be taken back to his nature. Right there. On the court.

This might look painful for some people, but he had realized it since long long ago, that there was another thing that he wanted to try—and probably would do better than—than volleyball.

He had given up his youth for volleyball, and was given more than enough chances to play his best, to see what lies on the other side of the foreign ocean of volleyball. Now, it’s time for another version of himself to be given a chance to fly.

.

.

.

Sendai City Gymnasium, Nine years ago

Udai’s muscles were on fire, his heart pounding in his chest as he stood on the court. He could feel the energy of the crowd, the pressure bearing down on him like a weight. But Udai was in his element, the sweat on his skin cooling in the crisp air of the gymnasium.

This year prefectural tournament’s semi-final match was between Karasuno High School and Aoba Johsai Private High School was one of the most anticipated match. The bleachers were packed with supporters from both sides, cheering loudly for their teams in their own cheering trademark.

The stakes were high, and the tension could be felt all around.

Udai stood ready, his eyes locked on his opponents. He could see the determination in their faces, their muscles tense as they waited for the ball to be served. Karasuno was having their breakpoint as they took the lead with 19-19 and Udai was on top of his game, scoring point after point for his team.

The air was filled with the sound of sneakers squeaking on the polished floor, and the occasional grunt as players leapt into the air to spike the ball.

Both of the teams were evenly matched, but Karasuno had their most reliable weapon being on top of his game, their little ace.

The ball flew high and Udai jumped, his fingers brushing the ball as he sent it rocketing towards the opposite side of the court. The crowd erupted into cheers as the ball slammed into the floor, just out of reach of Aoba Johsai’s players.

Aoba Johsai called for a time out, their coach trying to rally his team. Udai looked around, his eyes flickering over his teammates. They were all sweating profusely, but they looked determined, their eyes locked on the ball as it was passed between them.

Udai knew they needed to keep up the pressure on Aoba Johsai, to keep pushing until they won the match.

The gymnasium was charged with energy, each player on the court pushing their bodies to the ultimate limit, sweat droplets beading down their foreheads, and muscles screaming in agony.

As the whistle blew across the gymnasium, Udai’s eyes shone with determination, and his breathing was calm and steady, even when he knew that the pressure was on his shoulders.

The ball was served, and both of the team sprang into action. The ball flew back and forth across the net, each team trying to gain the upper hand. Udai felt his frustration growing as the ball bounced back to Karasuno’s side, but he was ready.

The ball was passed quickly between his teammates, and Udai made his move, charging to the net with the ball in his hands, ready for impact. At this point, he knew that nothing but a top-class block would be there to block his view to the summit, ready to tackle every possibility of a no-touch spike, and with the ball now in his control, he had every responsibility to make it count.

As he rose, his eyes scanned the court, searching for the perfect opening. In his mind, he was already mapping out his path, calculating the best possible angle to use Aoba Johsai’s blockers as his tools to score.

With a mighty roar, he spiked the ball towards his opponents, aiming to the nastiest spot in between the blocker’s awaiting fingers.

Udai’s block out was not only accurate but driven with so much force that it left Aoba Johsai’s players unable to do anything but stand there in utter disbelief as they watched the ball sail past them.

The sound of the impact echoed through the gymnasium, and Udai watched as the ball dug into the floor. The crowd was on their feet, screaming and cheering as Karasuno took another point, bringing the score to 21-19.

Aoba Johsai’s players were relentless, refusing to let Karasuno get too far ahead.

The crowd roared as the ball flew over the net, the players on both sides leaping up to spike it down.

As the ball sailed towards him, Udai could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He had to make this one count. He leapt into the air, his arm outstretched, and connected with the ball.

It flew towards Aoba Johsai’s blockers, but they were ready for it. Their hands rose up to meet the ball, but Udai was too quick. He angled his hit just right, and the ball went sailing out of bounds.

Karasuno’s cheering section erupted into cheers as the referee blew his whistle, signaling the point. Udai could feel a rush of exhilaration as he landed back on the court.

But Aoba Johsai’s players weren’t going down without a fight. They regrouped quickly and came back strong, their own ace spiking the ball with incredible force. The ball smacked into the Karasuno blockers, and for a moment it seemed like it might be a point for Aoba Johsai.

Karasuno was also prepared. Their blockers pushed back, using the force of the spike to redirect the ball back towards Aoba Johsai’s side. And once again, Udai was ready.

He dashed towards the net, leaping up to meet the ball as it came over. There was a split second of hesitation as he calculated the angle, the force, the position of the blockers. And then he struck.

The ball hit Aoba Johsai’s blockers, then bounced off at an unexpected angle. It careened towards the back of the court, just out of reach of their defense. The scoreboard beeped again, calling another point for Karasuno.

The crowd was going wild now, the sound of Karasuno’s cheering section echoing throughout the gymnasium. Udai felt a jolt of pride as he high-fived his teammates, the adrenaline pumping through his veins.

The rest of the match was a blur of spikes, blocks, and dives. Karasuno and Aoba Johsai exchanged leads several times, each team pushing themselves to the limit.

The prefectural volleyball tournament match between the two powerschool of Miyagi Prefecture was reaching its climax with an intense battle that had the crowds on the edge of their seats.

The score was 24-21 with Karasuno edging ahead with match point. Udai rose to the occasion and delivered a powerful strike. The ball sailed over the net, bouncing off the outstretched fingers of Aoba Johsai’s blockers. The ecstatic fans erupted in unison.

With a collective roar, Karasuno had sealed their victory and secured their place in the finals.

For Udai, standing amidst the celebrations, his eyes were still on the game. It wasn’t just about winning, it was about giving it his all, pushing his limits to the max, connecting with his team and returning their trust.

As the excitement died and the crowds dispersed, Udai knew that the victory had been one to remember, and he would forever cherish this moment, a lingering triumph, in his heart.

He looked up at the scoreboard, he saw that the final score was 25-22 in Karasuno’s favor.

But he also felt a deep sense of respect for Aoba Johsai. They were a formidable opponent.

Udai looked across the court, locking eyes with Aoba Johsai’s ace.

“We have a great match, thank you very much!”

As the two teams exchanged a congratulatory handshake, Udai locked eyes with Aoba Johsai’s ace. There was a sense of mutual understanding between them, a shared appreciation for the game and the competition.

“You played a great game!” Udai said, admiring the other player’s composure and skill.

The ace of Aoba Johsai team nodded gratefully and replied. “So did you, number 10. You really pushed us to our limits out there. It almost feels like we’re facing a giant in the mid-air. A Little Giant.”

The Little Giant. Right. He remembered that name. A nickname so foreign, cringe, yet it clicked so much with him, so befitting like a missing puzzle to his nature.

“It was a great game! Next year. I’ll make sure to take our revenge on you, number 10.”

Udai smiled, feeling a sense of a good-rivalry with his opponent.

“Sure! We’ll accept the challenge with an open arm.”

As they walked away from each other, he couldn’t help but be grateful for the opportunity to test himself against such a talented adversary.

The gymnasium reverberated with cheers as Karasuno emerged victorious against Aoba Johsai. Kawada, the captain, led the team in a graceful bow towards the supporters in the cheering section. The entire team then surged towards the audience, as they felt humbled by the overwhelming support that fueled their victory.

“Thank you very much!”

As Udai caught his breath on the court, his eyes swept over the crowd of cheering Karasuno supporters.

Udai accidentally saw Phone—Sasaki Tsubasa—in the crowd, her eyes ablaze with admiration and awe.

She was there. Well, nothing is wrong about that.

“Let’s get back and stretch!”

“Alright, Sir!”

********************************************************

As the game ended, Udai walked down the hallway of Sendai City Gymnasium, lost in his thoughts. Suddenly, he heard someone calling him.

“Udai Senpai!”

He turned around and saw Sasaki Tsubasa—again—catching up to him, almost running.

Smiling, she greeted Udai with politeness and a glimmer in her eyes. A pure form of admiration, awe.

You again, but Udai couldn’t bring himself to utter such words. Suddenly afraid of being too impertinent or perhaps… would sound familiar somehow.

In the midst of their colliding world, Udai could hear some whispers passing through, recognizing him with the new calling, apparently perfectly retrieved among the cheering section and he wondered if his classmate, the genius inventor of the nickname would show up any moment now.

Those whispers were merely something but:

That’s him, that’s him! The little ace of our school! The cool hitter!

That’s the Little Giant, right there!

He’s really The Little Giant! He’s really that little…

Suddenly, when his world had become too noisy of those whispers, another voice rang clearly to clear everything out of his hearing. Almost as clear as the sound of a summer rain.

“You were amazing!”

Sasaki Tsubasa… he almost forgot that the girl was right there. Eyes still ablaze with admiration.

“That spike in the end was incredible! What was that?” Tsubasa exclaimed, a glimmer in her eyes.

“What was that? Are we supposed to call it a flying spike?”

“Flying—”

“You really can fly, Senpai! You’re above the net for some time like in slow motion!”

Udai was surprised by her sudden compliment, yet… It felt odd. It does feel odd when you’re not expecting something at all.

Thank you—would be enough to end this little commotion, wouldn’t it?

“I’m sorry for being snotty—”

Snotty?

A few crowds that passed by them brought along some whispers about Udai’s new nickname. Tsubasa followed them with her gaze, her mouth echoing the new calling in an audible utter.

“The Little Giant.”

Her gaze returned to Udai, scrutinizing the athlete with a shadow of a smile in her gaze. Her admiration was still there.

“Oh, right. You’re the giant-power-in-a-small-body, The Little Giant of Karasuno!”

Her smile blooming, surprising to Udai. Once again, odd.

“You even have a cool nickname! The new idol Of the whole school! Good for you, Senpai!”

“Thank you.”

No. Wait— what? Thank you?

Sasaki Tsubasa gave two thumbs up to Udai, almost making him flinch.

“Looks like I’ll have to ask for your autograph soon.”

Udai frowned, unfamiliar with long interactions like this.

He already said his Thank you, but why wasn’t this little commotion over?

“Oh- or perhaps, instead of an autograph, Senpai, should I just ask for one of your sketches?”

Sasaki Tsubasa returned with a look on his face that seemed to strike something in Udai, something he hadn’t realized was there all along. Something... odd.

“Senpai, you can draw, can you? Not to mention being unfairly good about it either. Instead of just a signature, it’s better if I get one of your sketches and sell it as A drawing by The Little Giant of Karasuno.”

Studying the look on Udai’s face, Sasaki Tsubasa immediately continued, “Kidding! There’s no way I would do something like that.”

Sasaki Tsubasa’s smile blossomed. For Udai, it was as if he was being stranded in a foreign land he had never been to before.

Just as the world was about to fall silent in his senses, a voice returned him to the present day.

“Udai-kun!”

Udai, recognizing that voice, reacted almost in surprise. He turned his head. From his right, a blonde teammate, third year Tsukishima Akiteru, approached him. He came with a face that has I have something to scold you about because you’re wandering too much and now’s the right time to move you ass before Kawada scolding both of us when his eyes caught the other presence that was there with Udai.

Udai grew restless to the way Tsukishima Akiteru smiled understandingly at Sasaki Tsubasa.

The blonde finally turned to Udai after greeting Sasaki Tsubasa, delivering the expected words with, inexplicably, a more subtle tone.

“It’s time to gather. Kawada and the others are waiting.”

Udai replied formally.

His eyes greeted Sasaki Tsubasa briefly and muttered something like then, almost under his breath.

Walking with Tsukishima Akiteru in a content silence for a while, Udai could not expect that the question that came to him was as silly as, “Was that your girlfriend, Udai-kun?”

He hoped that Tsukishima Akiteru was joking when he said that, but he was serious.

“No.”

.

.

.

Present day, Tokyo

Obviously, no was better than a hurtful yes after all.

Eventually, the match ended, and Udai realized he had been sitting in the restaurant for over an hour. He paid his bill and left, the sounds of the cheering still ringing in his ears. He felt rejuvenated, refreshed, and rather, quite ready to go back being the manga artist that he is.

As he walked to the station, Udai found himself humming a tune he couldn’t quite place. It was a song from his high school days, something he hadn’t thought about in years.

Udai had agreed that the past is in the past, content with what the present provides him with. This sky-rocketing career as a successful manga artist, a well-planned future down the road… but ever since the unexpected encounter with Tsubasa, he started to long for the past.

It almost feels like he was convinced to reopen the locked box packed with the memory of his youth, in contrast to what he had promised himself.

Udai remembers that their story didn’t end perfectly, almost like a manuscript that was left behind because the writer no longer found the resonance to fill the pages with. Their story ended on a blank page.

Now, in the present day where Udai has left that page behind, even believing that he has almost completely abandoned the whole book, questions arise in his mind about whether it is true that his feelings have died since the last word of their story was written? Was it true that all his hopes about them had been dashed since they stopped halfway?

His promise was about to keep going further. Halting midway was okay but turning back was not. It’s not that he is okay reading his book backward, isn’t he?

Her eyes whispered that it was okay to go back. In the end, he halted. Regret covering the walls of his heart.

Before him, after a long time, memories rang.

“Udai-san?”

Her voice warm, as was her gaze. It seemed like only yesterday that they first met as two strangers when Tsubasa’s phone was suddenly there in his bag.

She waved, just like the first-year student he met nine years ago in high school. Her smile was full of the friendliness he had almost forgotten, almost like a warm greetings of spring after the cold melted into the ground.

Nine years have passed. Is he being greedy if he was looking forward to this meeting too much? Is he being greedy if he started hoping for something he had destroyed eight years ago?

But this one’s on the fate, isn’t it?

Udai had never expected anything like this before. If only that day fate had not brought them into an unexpected encounter, then he might have continued to move further into the future he had planned without having to halt midway like this.

Udai had never invited her even in his hopes. Let alone hope, he knew that he had no right to invite her back again.

If after this his heart was filled with greed, it’s on the fate. It’s on the fate for bringing her back.

Before him, Tsubasa’s pace halted. She smiled, friendly greeting the only man responsible for the worst thing that ever happened in her youth.

“What a coincidence that I ran into you here.”

Oh, what a coincidence.

—

[hypnagogic-marshmallow]

So uh, do you ever do that thing where you think you did something, except you didn't do it, you only remembered to do it, and somehow your brain decided that was the same thing?

Yeah, that was me with turning on my ask box. ANYWAY.

@theskeletoninthegarden

(referencing this post)

 How many books did you read this year?

If we're counting manga (and I am because if it was good enough for my library's summer reading program, it's good enough for everyone else), I would guesstimate about...hmm...

113, perhaps?

Manga was my gateway back into reading after many, many years of Pointless Reading Anxiety Over Nothing. It's quick, it's good, and easy, so that made everything else easier to get into, too!

But including only the wordy-word books, that's about, uhh...

34? Many of them re-reads as I revisited old favorites.

17. Top five books of the year

Alrighty, here we go (in no particular order because I am bad at ranking):

-An Ordinary Wonder by Buki Papillon. Seriously, this one hooked me right from the beginning. It follows an intersex main character living in Nigeria. There are some harrowing scenes so read safely, but it was. Just so good. Pretty sure I cried.

-I had That Same Dream Again by Yoru Sumino. This one was so stinkin' cute and whimsical. I had a fantastic time, and it really reminded me of what it's like to be a kid again.

-The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher. YA mystery about the sudden death of a girl, and all the people tangled up in it. This one was a re-read, and I'd only read it once before, but it really nails the type of writing style I lean towards.

-It Had to Be You by Georgia Clark. I historically haven't read a lot of romance, but this is the book that convinced me I should read more. Especially the fluffy kind. Bonus: an entire will-they-gay, won't-they-gay tension permeates the entire thing, with a payoff that I won't spoil. But I had a great time.

-Providence by Max Berry. If you like existential space horror and would enjoy a prominent character that you can easily headcanon as autistic, I'd check this one out.

Bonus shout-out to Haikyu! as the manga series that has devoured my soul this year. I fuckin' love my volleyball boys.

34. What’s a book you’ve recommended the most this year?

I haven't done much recommending, but I absolutely would suggest The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen if you are even slightly interested in graphic novels. I did me a nice cry over that one.

18. Least favourite books of the year

Well, nothing I outright disliked, so that's good! In terms of manga, I tried Dr. Stone for the first time, and it just was a series I couldn't get into. The Last Slave Ship by Ben Raines was very interesting, but was probably the hardest to get through.

Thanks again for the ask!! This was fun. :D

[frenzydestroys]

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🖍 . ┊ Hi, I'm Jouska!! Welcome to my blog. I'm a basic guy, so I didn't decorate this introduction a ton.

There will be a second part to this because... I actually don't know why, but there just will be. Anyway, this introduction is mainly about my interests, so enjoy.

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PRONOUNS

彡 . He / Him pronouns are preferred! I identify as a (non-cis) boy, but I don't like being labeled as a trans man, I am simply Jouska! I don't mind any other pronouns, though, since I'm used to being misgendered.

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FANDOMS

彡 . Fandoms I'm in!!

One piece

Roblox myths

Regretevator

The backrooms with guns (underrated roblox game / doesn't exactly have a fandom, I just pretend it does.)

Attack on titan

Windbreaker

Five nights at Freddy's

Vocaloid

Sonic the hedgehog

Haikyu

Blue lock

Madk

Hunter x hunter

Chainsaw man (haven't watched in ages)

South park

My hero acadamia

Mob psycho 100

Saiki K.

Madoka magica

Neon Genesis evangelion

Genshin impact

Sanrio

School bus graveyard

Weak hero

Not so shoujo love story

Gravity falls

Gacha

Flamingo incidents

My little pony

Soul eater

Toilet bound hanako kun

Spooky month

Good omens

Bungo stray dogs

Bugbo

Ouran high school host club

Friday night funkin

Among us

Designated bully

Get schooled

Viral hit

+ more!!

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YOUTUBERS

彡 . Youtubers I like!

Flamingo / Albertsstuff

Funkyfrogbait

Duncanyounot

Not even Emily

Markiplier

B_is_sketchy

Minnemi

Jessi vee

Nihmaru

Benoftheweek

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MUSIC

彡 . Artists and bands that I enjoy!

Sheena Ringo ♡

Rory in early 20s

Bo en

Kikuo

Mitski

Spellcasting

Toby fox

Oliver buckland

Machine girl

Lamp

Shinsei kamettechan

Kaya

Hiiragikirai

Mothy

Maretu

Lemon demon

Will wood

Kate bush

Stomach book

Jack conte

Mccafferty

The front bottoms

Lacroix despheres

Goreshit

Bukabukabukai

Babuchan

Neros day at disneyland

Atarashii gakko

Jun togawa

Serani poji

Coltemonikha

Capsule

Nyanyannya

Romi park

Tricot

Linked horizon

Fake type

Akiko yano

x0o0x_

Hanae

Wagakki band

Ali project

Teniwoha

Hachi

Deco*27

+ alot more...

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FAVORITE CHARACTERS

彡 . My favorite characters of all time!

Len Kagamine (Vocaloid)

Gakupo (Vocaloid)

Tails (Sonic the hedgehog)

Maka (Soul eater)

Asuka (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

Teto (Utau)

Reigen (Mob psycho 100)

Shou (Mob psycho 100)

Luffy (One piece)

Bartolomeo (One piece)

Collei (Genshin impact)

Fu Xuan (Honkai star rail)

Snapper (Viral hit)

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🖍 . ┊ Okay... I think that's it... well, I hope you enjoyed looking through this introduction. If I'm being honest, I won't post much. I dont know why I went out of my way to create this whole ass introduction... anyways, bye!

[cobaltperun]

i dont think ive ever seen FMA brotherhood, ill definitely add it to my watchlist. ive watched noblesse, haikyu, jojos bizzare adventure, mha (the fandom scared me away ngl,) vampire knight (was lowkey weird, but it was my first anime so its whatever)

to make a long list short, i like pretty much any genre of anime. its not that I'm not into anime anymore per se, i just have a hard time starting shows & such. have you ever seen a silent voice or erased? both made me absolutely sob. also sorry for the long asks! you can tell me to tone it down if need be. im quite the rambler 😁

much love, cassius ❤️

I haven't watched A silent voice, but I have read the manga. So, I guess shorter ones might work better. on that I'd recommend Anohana, beautiful story, though it is a tear-jerker. Then there's 91 days, 86 is another good one, though I think season 1 is better than season 2. Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works is probably the best way to experience the gist of the Fate/Stay Night story.

FMA Brotherhood to me is jack of all trades, master of almost all type of deal. Deep characters, gripping, emotional story that stays with you, it tackles important questions, the human soul, life itself, military, war, the openings are amazing, the OST is kinda average though, aside from a few exceptions, and the fights really depend on who is fighting, and there's actually very little plot armor.

[stannienight]

hi hi!! i saw you didn’t have many asks so i took this as my chance😈

i haven’t rlly seen this anyway but hcs of saiki with an s/o who’s like just as pretty as teruhashi or hell even prettier if you will. (idk it’s rlly up to you) but instead she’s actually just as sweet as she is on the outside, in the inside. also bakes and brings him sweets bc that’s all i’ve ever wanted to do☹️

hi!!! i'm sooo sorry i'm late i got like two root canals and then had a migraine for three days straight- anyways, excuses aside, here are your hcs! i hope they're what you expected them to be i'm not really sure T_T

(sorta long because my brain runs at 100mph)

s/o uses she/her pronouns!

saiki's really beautiful s/o headcanons

- he unintentionally compares all of teruhashi's and his s/o's thoughts and LOVES the difference

- every time they meet someone new teruhashi thinks along the lines of "they're probably stunned by my beauty" but his s/o just thinks like a normal person "damn those are some nice shoes" "omg i have the same earrings" "their eyeliner is so on point ugh"

- of course teruhashi is very jealous, not only because of saiki dating but also because his s/o's prettier (her focus shifts from saiki to being even more beautiful which is an absolute win for saiki as well)

- saiki remembers his s/o whenever he listens to "what makes you beautiful" by one direction but he'd never tell her

- no because how does she have no idea that she's absolutely stunning people literally fall at her feet when she enters the room-

- whenever they're in public saiki can always sense the adoring thoughts people have over his girl so he makes it very blatant that they're dating (arm around the waist, forehead kisses, the works)

- she gets hit on SO often saiki is tired at this point

- superpowers aside he gets jealous sometimes too you know

- if he sees a man making her uncomfortable he will reflexively yeet them into the stratosphere

- "saiki that was a bit unecessary-" "are you okay?" "am i... yeah... thanks :]" "good :]"

- saiki feels like he doesn't deserve her a LOT because he's soOoo average (lol you wish saiki) and she's absolutely drop-dead gorgeous

- also often thinks he's wrong for dating her because she deserves better and he's not really great at showing affection (he doesn't touch her much because he's afraid he might accidentally blow her up or something, and he's a tsundere in general)

- but when she bakes stuff for him he knows he has found The One™

- she brings him a present. he looks at her adorable, excited face. he looks at the present. it's sweets. he swears his soul leaves his body for a moment. wants to propose to her instantly

- is plagued with the thought "how did i get this lucky" every single time he sees her

- he loves listening to her thoughts because although she's so gorgeous she thinks about such MUNDANE things like what she wants to have for dinner???

- her mind is as beautiful as her, she has the most amazing creative ideas as well and saiki will fondly listen to her speak about them even though he already knows

- she's so kind too she basically changed saiki's perception of humanity

- he always had a thing against good-looking people because they get an ego about it but his s/o absolutely clueless about her beauty

- saiki sometimes tries to show her how beautiful she is but she puts it down to him being a sweet boyfriend

- that being said she isn't self-deprecating or anything, she just doesn't think much of appearances and saiki thinks that's wonderful

that's all, i hope it was okay! <3

send me more asks for hcs, oneshots, or anything in general!

(i have also joined the haikyu fandom so i will take asks for that as well, if anyone has to offer any <3)

[millenialfanfictionaddiction]

Polyship with Bokuto and Kuroo

Bokuto Kotaro x Kuroo Tetsuro x Fem! Reader (timeskip!)

Warnings: Swearing, kind of turned into angst to fluff

AN: This is a request from Spooky anon!

🏳️‍🌈 Please Like, Share, Comment to support my writing 🏳️‍🌈

🤚🏻 I have nothing to say here YN

You are so lucky, my jealously is overflowing rn

Our perfect himbo man and everyone's favorite Rooster 🥺

I think this relationship is a good balance

Bokuto is a very needy man and Kuroo is pretty independent

I feel like you all would bring something to the table that would make this ship work

You meet Bokuto and Kuroo through Team Japan

You actually worked with Kuroo and helped with Team Japan's promotion

That's how you met our favorite owl bby 🦉

You were gearing up for a photoshoot when Kuroo introduced you to the team

You know those cheesy montages where someone sees their soul mate and music plays and all that crap

Yeah that was what happened to Bokuto

He instantly was attracted to you and honestly you were attracted to him

Now you and Kuroo already had a pre-established relationship since you worked together

Bokuto and Kuroo are essentially besties 🤚🏻

You and Bokuto started getting closer while you and Kuroo remained close

It would just be natural for all three of you to hang out together

More feelings started to develop and you three grew incredibly close

Now before we go any further, I fully believe Bokuto would be bisexual 🏳️‍🌈

I think a polyship would be perfect for him because he requires A LOT of attention

I mean, seriously you saw how Fukurodani handled him 😐

Essentially he requires a team's worth of emotional support

Now there is going to be some jealousy because it's Kuroo and Bokuto

We all say Haikyu: land vs air

"I lIkE tO tAkE tHe SpOtLiGhT eVeRy OnCe AnD a WhIlE tOo"- Kuroo

"YeAh- WeLl iM tAkInG iT bAcK"- Bokuto

🙄🙄 honestly children istg

Despite their random quarrels, I think there's two would be so supportive

However, there will be times when they both get caught up in work

To be fair, they are super busy and it's the Olympics

I mean you're busy too but coordinating your schedules is becoming impossible

You recently decided to move in together 🙌🏻

Big step! We love that for you three 🥺

Unfortunately you've had no time to celebrate with a date night

Your schedules have clashed several times but tonight is finally the night!

You planned an amazing date night with your boys and you are so freaking excited!

Peep the chat 👇🏻

You arrive home and are waiting for your boys to show up

You've ordered food, showered and you are all ready

5 approaches, followed by 6, then 7 and soon 8pm

Not a sign of either of them in sight

😬😬😬😬 ope-

You are a mixture of hurt and angry

I do NOT blame you one bit

Around 9pm you decide to pack it up and head to bed

You've just put the food away when you hear the front door unlock

Bokuto and Kuroo walk in laughing as you stand, leaning against the kitchen counter

Your face 👉🏻 PISSED

once again, I'm mad for you YN 😡

Kuroo and Bokuto look at you

"Hey babe-"

"Nope- you do not get to call me that"- you, hand up 🤚🏻

Bokuto and Kuroo stiffen

You literally halted 2 giants YN

"Love what's wrong?"- Kuroo asks

"You can not be serious right now"- you 😐

Bokuto and Kuroo look at each other, confused

You stand there, arms crossed and rolling your eyes

"Did you forget what tonight was?"- you ask

Bokuto and Kuroo 👉🏻🤨🤨

At this point you are getting so mad, tears are forming

Please this is me- when I get mad, I cry

"Tonight was suppose to be date night!! We agreed that we would have dinner together because Kotaro has a game tomorrow and we were going to have a chill night in"- you shout, now crying

It hits Bokuto and Kuroo all at once

"Oh shit, baby! Fuck we totally..."- Kuroo

"You forgot? Yeah I got that"- you say walking away and grabbing your keys

"YN where are you going?"- Bokuto questions, worried

"I need to get out for a minute. I'm really mad and upset"- you say walking by them

The look at each other as you walk out the door, tears falling

Now Bokuto and Kuroo know they fucked up and man do they feel like shit!

Seriously they've been so distracted they forgot about your date night

I mean you literally mentioned it earlier in the day 👀 so like they REALLY fucked up

You walk around town for a while, it's getting cold and you decide you need to head home

Deep down you know they purposely didn't mean to miss date night but it still hurts

You walk up to the apartment and you enter

The house is quiet so you assume everyone is asleep

Rather than wake them, you decide you should just sleep on the coach

Our thoughtful angel 🥺

You manage to fall asleep for a while when you hear the front door open

You're eyes adjust to the light as you see Kuroo and Bokuto enter, arms full of groceries

"YN- baby what are you doing?"- Bokuto says running to you

"I- I thought you were asleep so I didn't want to wake you"- you say

"YN we never want you to sleep without us ok? Bokuto and I went out to get some stuff to make it up to you. We know we fucked up and we are so sorry"- Kuroo says

"We got your favorite and look, flowers!"- Bokuro says holding up the biggest bouquet of flowers you've ever seen

"You- you did this for me"- you 🥺 tearing up again

"Omg are you going to cry again?"- Bokuto our little empath

"It's happy tears Ko I promise" you say pulling your boys into a hug

No matter how stupid they can be, they love and adore you YN 🥰

[psychewritesbs]

Chapter 173: Tokyo Colony No. 1, part 13: Dark ≠ Evil + The meaning of Tsumiki’s name + Takaba vs. Gojo

Happy JJK-Sundaaaaaaaaaaaay! 

Y’all.

I love Jujutsu Kaisen.

Because of the way my brain works (basically overthinking almost everything and looking for the thought process behind behavior in others), I have a hard time consuming most media because most of it is too predictable.

That’s why my favorite anime/manga are usually psychological in nature--Zankyou no Terror, Sonny Boy... Jujutsu Kaisen.

Or anime/manga that use familiar tropes and yet remain highly unpredictable: anything CLAMP, Haikyu!!... Jujutsu Kaisen.

Right. So...

Dark ≠ Evil. The idea that darkness is inherently evil is a cultural bias in the West propagated by the Judeo-Christian religion. 

Dark does not need to equal evil. 

Just think of how seeds need to be nurtured in the darkness to germinate! 🌱 I didn’t just baby talk that imaginary seedling.

Dark ≠ Evil

When people assume that darkness = evil they are looking at “darkness” as a symbol and concept through the lens of the Judeo-Christian religion. 

But there are interpretations of darkness that do not involve the concepts of “good and evil”.

You can go Google “darkness in Buddhism,” “darkness in Taoism” and “darkness in Shintoism” if you want to get a gist of it. I have to say these depictions of darkness are probably closest to what I envision when I use a term like “Dark Megumi”... not to mention Carl Jung’s definition of the shadow.

Why those religions? Because Japanese Buddhism and Shintoism are the philosophies most likely to have influenced JJK and I personally like a lot of their esoteric teachings. 

I just felt like clarifying that because I’ve used the term Dark Megumi quite a bit and I’ve seen comments float about the interwebs about Megumi being evil vs being a good person and this or that. 

I personally don’t headcanon Megumi is evil just because he is going to go through a “Dark” arc. To me it’s more along the lines of “dark night of the soul” meets “his repressed self is going to have the spotlight moving forward” and then he’ll learn something from it because #life.

Dark ≠ Evil.

There is a lot of nuance to Megumi that is hard to put into words (which is a lot to say for someone who vomits words about Megumi as much as I do. AND, especially since I keep trying to explain the thing because I want to understand it in myself). 

Think of Megumi’s personality like a continuum. On one end is the Megumi we saw from chapters 1 through whenever he entered the colony. This is the Megumi that is in the light, the Megumi we can see that we all fell in love with.

At the other end of the spectrum is a Megumi that we had not been able to see because he was hanging out in the shadow, he was in the dark.

That Megumi hiding in the dark is creepy af and I love how Gege depicts just how despite his cool and collected “personality,” he’s actually pretty sadistic and gets super excited to fuck shit up fight.

Just look at his smile ffs.

Imagine this was your yearbook or Driver’s License photo. You’d be voted in for “most likely to kill someone”.

That’s why I’ve been (rather painstakingly) writing about Megumi’s extreme duality and how Megumi rejects both dualities in other people--which means he rejects them in himself.

I'll keep writing about Megumi’s kind, compassionate self. But I will also keep writing about his “darker”, repressed self because, just as Gojo said in chapters 3 and 4, Jujutsu Sorcerers are a little cray cray.

I didn’t miss the point, I just expanded on it. That’s what I do. I overthink. It’s not always the healthiest behavior but that’s why I meditate and do yoga.

Also, you know Megumi is a good old jolly, morally gray mess of a character when he can justify devaluing another’s life so that he can kill them for the “greater good of all”. 

I feel like this is Gege getting all Philosophy 101 with his readers.

Anyways... moving on.

So... in chapter 168, after rather brutally and violently killing that one guy, Megumi dissociated from his actions.

This chapter, I thought it was funny to see Megumi casually having a conversation with someone he had just mortally wounded.

You know. Just your average conversation with someone whose future you just ended. Just Megumi being cold blooded af.

Megumi just feels no remorse whatsoever. He totally checks some of the boxes for someone with Antisocial Personality Disorder.

If this was Yuji, or any other human being, he would be having some serious existential angst about it. And I have to say I absolutely love Yuji’s perspective on the matter.

But this is Megumi we’re talking about here, and the boy has a clear perspective of whose life matters and whose doesn’t in his eyes. 

For those he cares about he’ll put his life on the line, for those he doesn’t he is RUTHLESS AND UNFEELING... And I love it, and I can’t wait to see what Gege makes of his character arc because being “unfeeling” is nothing but a defense mechanism.

And going back to the blurred line between “good and evil,” we have Reggie giving Megumi all of his points.

If this was Sukuna, who is in fact irredeemably evil, he would be taking those points with him straight back to hell thankyouverymuch. If only because “if I can’t have them, neither can you.”

Reggie might be doing one last good deed on his way out from this plane of existence but... 

Gege just casually dropped a super cryptic message. 

Like wtf dude. Is it foreshadowing? I don’t know AND selfishly hope it isn’t. 

Gege has already teased the idea that Megumi might become a “puppet of carnage”

And now Gege is not only teasing the idea of Megumi being toyed with by fate and becoming a clown before he dies, he’s very casually introduced the idea of a pre-determined fate vs. free will.

Fck... I love Jujutsu Kaisen.

So given the religious symbolism of Angel coming down from the sky, the idea of a pre-determined fate vs. free will, and the symbolism of the clown...

Akutami Gege. 

What in the world have you got in mind for Megumi?!

The similarities to Chainsaw Man’s Aki aside (which is super unsettling because who knows what an unhinged Megumi would do)...

I also couldn’t help but be reminded about the cog symbolism in JJK and how Sorcerers are cogs in this grander machinery that is the JJK world. Aside from Jujutsu Sorcerers as cogs, cogs can also be a symbol for fate and destiny.

And since we’re talking about pre-determined fate vs. free will here... every single one of Megumi’s actions moving forward is likely to be what seals his fate as a “clown”.

Death is also another interesting symbol. If you are into tarot symbolism, then you know that the Death card is not a final destination, but a symbol for change and transformation.

AND...

I was literally just listening to a podcast in which it was mentioned that red herrings are used to keep the audience from guessing what the outcome of a story will be.

So this could very likely be a massive red herring.

Honestly, maybe I am in denial and this is face-value foreshadowing that Megumi will die and I am just over here doing mental gymnastics to convince myself otherwise, but... until then, I am sticking to @justafrenchlondoner​‘s theory that Megumi will survive to unite the clans. I’d pay to see that happen.

Also he’s my favorite. Please don’t kill him Gege.

But... can we please talk about Tsumiki’s one-panel cameo?

For the longest time I’ve been wondering if Tsumiki will be nothing more than a plot device for Megumi’s motivation.

And then we get chapter 173.

Holy 💩, Batman. I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore...

The meaning of Tsumiki’s name

So this came up because the question of whether Tsumiki is a sorcerer from the past was brought up.

The short answer is that we don’t know whether she is a sorcerer from the past or not until Gege reveals more about her. And, I do wander whether her name might hold a clue... 

(And as always, take with a grain of salt. Exercise them sexy critical thinking skills of yours!)

Since the kanji in characters’ names in JJK is not only very revealing of their personality but also an important part of the story... I started to wonder if the same was true for Tsumiki’s name.

For example...

You have Yuji’s name as a play on words about his unwavering humanity.

Ryomen Sukuna’s name literally translates to “twin/two-face + mask + something that drives evil away.”

Megumi’s name is a play on words on blessings and bowing/respect to darkness (shadow). Because darkness ≠ evil.

What about Tsumiki?

The kanji for Tsumiki is made up of 3 characters.

津美紀

津 (tsu) is the kanji used to represent the concepts for haven, port, harbor and ferry.

美 (mi) is the kanji used to represent beauty and beautiful.

紀 (ki) is the kanji used to represent chronicle, account, narrative, history, annals.

If you read it at face-value, Tsumiki's name could mean "haven + beautiful + history".

You could interpret her name to mean something along the lines of "beautiful history that serves as a haven"--which, if you think about it, is sort of congruent with how Megumi remembers her.

Tsumiki is a haven for Megumi as the one and only constant source of love and affection in a world that all but abandoned him. More importantly, she symbolizes all that is good about him--this is one of the reasons he rejects her.

HOWEVER... and this is just speculation, what happens when you get creative with the kanji in Tsumiki’s name? 

The thing about the kanji for 津 (tsu) is that it is also the kanji used in words like tsunami and tsunami earthquake. This would be a very interesting development because an earthquake and the tsunami that ensues is an incredibly destructive force of nature.

I still don’t know if the panel below is foreshadowing, but I have to wonder why Gege would draw Tsumiki in a panel where Megumi is talking about how “as long as he sees someone as a good person, he doesn’t want to see them die (no matter how dangerous)”. 

Why not draw Yuji instead? Since this is a conversation between Yuji and Megumi from chapter 9. Why Tsumiki whom we knew nothing of back in chapter 9?

BUT I was also surprised to find that 津 (tsu) is also used in words like 天津御祖 (amatsumioya) imperial ancestor and 天津乙女 (amatsuotome) celestial maiden, just to name a few.

I feel like this is a bit of a stretch but the whole idea behind 天津 (amatsu) is that it means imperial and heavenly and uses the kanji for heaven and harbor/port/haven.

As for the kanji for 紀 (ki), it is a character used to define a specific period of time in history.

You can confirm all of this using online kanji dictionaries.

Am I doing mental gymnastics to come up with these crazy ideas? Yeah maybe 😂. I’m pretty flexible because I’ve been doing yoga for years.

Is Angel actually Tsumiki?

Uh. 

I don’t know?

I don’t think anybody can know with 100% certainty until Gege confirms it. 

For all we know Tsumiki’s cameo is a red herring and Gege is just laughing at us. If I was him, as the author of a manga read by millions of people world-wide, I’d be doing my best to troll the fandom by giving them what they did not know they needed.

Sorry, I’m all over the place today.

Back to chapter 173.

What we know is that the sequence in question starts with Remi running from Kon who is slobbering after her.

There is one of two things happening here: Either Megumi was making sure she’s ok, or Megumi was trying to kill her.

I thought I was on team “Megumi was trying to kill her,” but after much deliberation, I decided I’m on team “Megumi was making sure she’s ok”. 

Megumi had been protecting Remi and worried about her all along, so the idea that he was trying to make sure she’s ok is consistent with past behavior. 

The only way it makes sense in my head for Megumi to try to kill her is if he’s lost conscious control of his shadow--quite literally and figuratively and psychologically.

This is when, just as whatever is going to happen was going to happen, “Tsumiki” interrupts him.

So wether “Tsumiki” is saying “that’s no good to kill her” or she’s saying “that’s no good to look after her”...

The interesting part is not just the meaning of what she says, but that, as @justafrenchlondoner​ pointed out, Remi hears Tsumiki’s voice.

So if Remi heard the voice, then this isn’t Tsumiki’s voice disguised as Megumi’s moral compass in his imagination, but rather Tsumiki’s actual voice--or at least a female’s voice.

I also cannot get over the word choice.

“だめだよ” (dameda yo = “that’s no good”) is an expression used to communicate how doing something is not nice or not a good idea to do so.

In context, it comes back to whether Megumi was looking to make sure Remi was safe or trying to kill her.

But if that wasn’t mindblowingly insane as it is...

Right after this happens, Megumi collapses and Angel comes down from the sky right above him. 

And Angel comes down in such a way that she looks like your average Judeo-Christian Guardian Angel. This was an image many of us grew up with.

But instead of looking after children, Angel is looking after Megumi.

The fck is happening right now? 

But there’s more...

On top of that, said Guardian Angel in question is wearing a turtle neck (most images of Tsumiki show her wearing a turtleneck top), has a hairstyle that is slightly similar to Tsumiki’s, and is coming into the scene just after Remi heard the voice telling Megumi “it’s no good”.

Either way. I can’t shake off the feeling that despite Gege using the symbolism of a Guardian Angel here, there is something sinister going on.

And yet...this could still be nothing but a red herring! 

Honestly, at this point... who knows?

Gege is unpredictable af and that’s exactly why I love JJK.

I think that for the most part it’s a pretty accepted idea within the fandom that Tsumiki would not approve of Megumi’s actions. i.e. Him killing others for her sake.

But with the way these events unfolded... is this Gege subverting expectations?

Wasn’t Angel supposed to be in Tokyo Colony No. 2 anyways?!

And... did Megumi know this was happening already but said nothing?

The way the panel is presented: “shut up stupid sister” feels like there had been communication going on between them that the audience is not aware of.

And of course... Gege leaves us with a massive cliff hanger as he makes his way to Northern Japan where Yuta is kicking ass and taking names in the Sendai colony.

I swear Yuta is the creepiest character ever in the best possible way. It’s always reassuring to know that he is actually quite the sweetheart no matter how sinister he looks.

OH! Speaking of Yuta, I am sure you’ve already seen but it looks like tickets for the JJK0 movie go out on sale on 2/25 in North America for a premiere of 3/18.

3/18 is also when the new Downton Abbey movie premieres so I guess I’ll be at the movies all day going from “rich Brits bemoaning their luck over tea at their French Riviera vacation home” to “2D characters dropping deep truth bombs like love is the greatest curse of all” in one day. 

Takaba vs. Gojo

Don’t hate me Gojo stans but... in a battle between Takaba vs. Gojo, my money is on Takaba 😂😂😂. Just because Gege is a massive troll.

I would pay money to see Gojo and Takaba go all out in battle with each other. I headcanon it would be the equivalent of the Japanese version of the Looney Tunes being Looney.

Just absolute and unadulterated ridiculousness.

Happy JJK-Sunday y’all!.

Personal

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for joining me this week as always.

You know... I had a very rough week the week prior to this one and when I sat down at the computer to write an essay I just felt so much better. This experience made me realize that writing these essays/nerding out is serious therapy for me.

I have to say I’m super grateful to Jujutsu Kaisen for helping me tap back into what I love.

Also...

This may or may not have been me...