#i love arakawa's style so much

[kimetsu-chan]

~Welcome to my blog!~

Hello! You can call me Kimmie or Kim (some nicknames my sweet friends gave me 😋)

I am not going to disclose my exact age but I am a minor

I do art and sometimes I’ll write!

I am a pessimist— (I will hate on my art sometimes)

My birthday is December 4th :D

My persona

Here is my OC Masterlist!

I do take requests for art and writing, and you can find those rules, here!

The things I have written are here :)

My gamejolt is my BSD focused area, although I will post BSD here occasionally. The username/tag is the same as here!^^

and @soyyyyaa is my twisted wonderland focused blog :3

⚠️ I do take emergency requests and those will take top priority no matter what. Emergency requests will almost always be open, even if normal requests aren’t. If I have a request I am actively working on and I receive an emergency request, I will let the person who sent the first request know that their request is being put on hold until the emergency request is finished. Consistent misuse of emergency requests will result in a temporary ban from placing requests. I will ultimately decide what qualifies as an emergency request.⚠️

More info about emergency requests here

I have a roleplay account for my oc, Yuna at @ask-yuna-handa

Male Kny oc, Zeno Arakawa, can be found on @ask-zeno-arakawa

My time zone is Eastern Standard Time!

These are my emoji coded tags:

🍁 is my writing tag!

🌾 is my mental health tag. I use it whenever I post something related to mental health or when I’m sad

🪻 is my drawing tag. I use it whenever I post art that I made!

🌹 is my animation/time lapse tag, I’ll post 🪻 and this together since animations are technically art

These are my moots! They are lovely people and I recommend following them!

@natsukishinomiyaswife (SUPER talented writer and has adorable art! Also super super sweet :D )

@cherry-bomb-xoy (DELICIOUS, ABSOLUTELY DELECTABLE ART, I LOOK UP TO CHERRY SO MUCH-)

@zenitsustherapist (ISA, BESTIE, ILYSM. MWAH MWAH!!<3)

@shjsjskshsjs (we have the occasional super long convo and it’s a lot of fun, I like yapping with her >:3)

@nothingtoseehere1-2-3 (I don’t interact w/ her a lot, but she’s cool!)

@midnightmah07 (SHES SO NICE OMG- my twst mootie :3)

@local-giyuu-simp (my twin that I tried to eat in the womb)

@gyutarowritings (my child :3)

@donkeybro (VERY NICE. Very fun to roleplay with too! :D)

@your-local-demon-slayer-nerd (very funny, would do stupid crap with)

@ame-delights (our ocs have become Milo’s guardians)

@ayunakatsukiwolfhashira (jaw dropping amazing fics. I should’ve followed her sooner. She’s also rlly nice :D)

@mooechi (beautiful, amazing, gorgeous, delectable art. AND THEY CAN RECREATE THE KNY ART STYLE SO PERFECTLYYYY)

@saffron0v0 (certified sweetheart. I think you could stab her and she’d forgive you— don’t do that though.)

@squidifier (such cute art omg—)

@ryn-loves-cheese (THEIR ART IS SO GORGEOUSGFIUEGFRYH)

@ta-ni-ya (amazing art yum yum)

@night-mince0 (my other child >:3)

@scrimblyscrorblo (one of my art idols. I freaked out when we became moots)

@tinyperson00 (very nice, Akira is so pretty)

@naramaiz (Amari makes the best cookies yum)

@larz-barz (she’s literally an angel omg—and she is my wife, my one and only I love her sm)

@shycroissanti (another art idol, is so so nice. Says im her art idol too??!! EugfakgeGHWVDUY)

@kiyokatokito (the human embodiment of straight up sugar)

@muichiroslovermwah (I would like to adopt you please :>)

@boo-simplified (YET ANOTHER ART IDOL)

@tokito-dulya20 (very yummy art and fics)

@cloudymistedskies (ANOTHER ART IDOL—)

@mrs-k0zume (she said I could officiate her and Kenma’s wedding teehee)

@rion-isnot-an-ai (literally an angel #2)

@silliestsakura (i foam at the mouth bc of how pretty her art is)

@aceofstars0 (my first mutual and second follower!! ILSYM ACE.)

(Thank you to @saradika for the dividers!)

[innerchorus]

Arslan Senki Chapter 126 (Part 2)

And unlike Kmanga you don't even have to pay twice for the privilege of having it split into two. SPOILERS for this chapter, I can't stress enough that the ending is a huge fucking cliffhanger so if you don't want to get spoiled please don't look.

That's a piece of the (Un)Holy Master's cloak...

Nicely dealt with by Andragoras!

Anyway, this is proper confirmation that Team Zahhak's clothing has magical properties / a life of its own and can potentially be dangerous even when separated from the wearer.

Given how fast the Master can dodge (or more correctly this is a teleportation style of evasion that I mentioned before where he reappears behind them) it's impressive that Andragoras actually landed a blow, though it's not even close to being a fatal one. Still, he looks like he's aiming to finish the job until the Master tries to regain control of the situation by attempting to blackmail Andragoras with the location of his child!

These panels of a shocked Hilmes in the background just watching all this drama unfold, lol

Anyway, it turns out Andragoras cannot be blackmailed and he'd rather renounce his child than be manipulated like this, which is... very on brand for Andragoras, regardless of what the truth about the child turns out to be in Arakawa's manga.

The Master: tch! Hilmes: Yikes

(Is anyone of the Parsian royal line a good father? Doesn't seem that way in recent generations. Hilmes, please reverse this trend with Irina by your side, I'd love to see you both happy with a family!)

Anyway GUESS WHO'S KNOCKING AT THE DOOR IN THAT LAST PANEL? THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S ZANDEH, PUPPY BOY TO THE RESCUE! And he's still got that little guy who was one of Kharlan's soldiers with him, and that warms my heart for some reason, I hope he gets to live.

Hilmes... 😭

I wonder what Zandeh thinks? It's clearly not 'nothing at all'.

Anyway this makes me really sad because where we saw Arslan open up to his followers and receive their support, Hilmes... can't bring himself to do that. Personally, I feel that at this point, Zandeh would support him regardless (as would Sam, who unbeknownst to Hilmes already knows the truth) but Hilmes can't bring himself to admit it, to admit the fact that he's based his whole life around a lie. Without his claim to the throne, who is he?

It's sad that he can't see that the right to rule and the qualities that might inspire loyalty and love are based on so much more. I'm not saying that he's a worthy ruler right now, unlike Arslan he hasn't even thought about how he'll govern the country for the better, but I do find it sad that his mindset leaves him so isolated here when it doesn't need to be that way.

(I'm going to need an Irina mention soon. At least show that Hilmes is thinking of her, even if he feels he can't speak with her.)

That's it for Team Hilmes content this chapter, anyway.

Who should Team Arslan bump into on the way to Mount Demavant but the Zot with a leashed Don Ricardo, still clinging on to Rukhnabad! So while Arslan did deliberately set out to get the sword, in the end it looks like it's going to happen via a chance encounter (well, if anyone can ever persuade Don Ricardo to let go of it).

Gieve recognising Rukhnabad is a great moment! Even he is so shocked that it seems like he's struggling to form the words as he processes what he's seeing.

I feel pretty sorry for Don Ricardo, he hasn't really recovered mentally from his encounter with Zahhak, he doesn't look to be in a great state, and while the Zot are merely intending to hand him over to Arslan, they can't communicate with him so presumably all he knows is that he's their prisoner, he has no idea what his fate will be and nobody to reassure him. Likewise, they don't know what he's been through.

Team Arslan try to figure it out thanks to Estelle, but Don Ricardo is too distressed, so they decide to find a village to stay the night. It's at this point that alarm bells started going off in my mind.

Narsus says "It's too quiet." (I start thinking of the village he stayed in with Alfarid where Arzhang had killed all the villagers.)

The horses start freaking out (we know they react this way to Team Zahhak)

Team Arslan find bodies of villagers with only their brain eaten (and who do we know of who has an appetite for brains?)

OH FUCK, OH SHIT, OH FUUUUCK

A weird mist begins to seep into the scene; Zahhak in the novels was described as exuding a miasma of sorts, I think it provoked fear in those who were close to it?

PANELS THAT FILLED MY HEART WITH PURE DREAD

Gods, I hope everyone survives this encounter. I don't know how it's going to go down but it strikes me that this could be it, this could be the actual deciding fight as far as Zahhak is concerned, because we have Rukhnabad on the scene right here, it could really be happening in Arakawa's manga right now, and I'm not sure I'm ready?

My head is ringing with questions. What does Zahhak's full form look like (we see the snakes clearly but not what they're attached to)? Is he fully resurrected or are the shoulder snakes just operating on the instinct of hunger? What happened to Kaykhusraw's body? Are any members of Team Zahhak here with the Snake King? If Team Arslan do fight Zahhak here, how do they go about it? One on one? As the strongest warrior, will Daryun take him on? Will Arslan (with Estelle's help) manage to persuade Don Ricardo to hand over Rukhnabad, and will he opt to take on the Snake King himself with the sword's powers?

Man I wish Kubard were here... I've always said he'd set everyone straight about the notion of taking on a being like the Snake King in single combat... Just kill it, any way you can.

Part of me feels like Zahhak won't be defeated yet and this encounter will serve its purpose mainly in showing Team Arslan that he truly has been unsealed, so now they'll know what the sorcerers were working towards and they'll know what they're up against. But will they come through this unscathed? I'm not ready for character deaths!

My working theory as of this post: Zahhak is not fully conscious and is mainly being driven by the snakes' hunger; he is heading for Ecbatana for some sort of ritual involving the head jars where he will truly return in full. The final confrontation will take place after matters in the capital with Andragoras and Hilmes have been resolved, and may involve entering Team Zahhak's lair beneath Ecbatana (ArAkAwA sHoW mE tHe DaRk TeMpLe).

Guys... I am utterly exhausted, this chapter has wrecked me. I'll keep an eye out for raws / somewhere to read the simulpub for free and post a link if I see it.

[kurisus]

So you love noragami we all love it any reading recs of things like it? Or that you just like?

YES!!!!!

So I have to preface this by saying there's nothing quite like Noragami. And there is nothing wrong with rereading Noragami over and over. But I still have a lot of recs that give Vibes or in general make me Feel Emotions, so here's a non-exhaustive list.

Anime/Manga:

Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya. I've been saying for years that Fruits Basket is Noragami if it was a shoujo. It deals with the same cycles of abuse and an outsider who tries to break them with pure compassion that Noragami does, although it's much more of a drama than a fantasy. Just watch it and think of Yato as the Zodiac cat. I rest my case.

Fullmetal Alchemist (Fullmetal Alchemist) by Hiromu Arakawa. Chances are you've read or seen this already but it's objectively a masterpiece by any standard you care to use. Whether you like shounen fights, deeply emotional interpersonal relationships, political dramas about war and revolution, fantasy based on Greek myth, or anything else, FMA balances them all perfectly (another thing it has in common with Noragami). I love it so much.

Code Geass. This may seem like a wildcard pick but I rewatched Code Geass a few years ago and realized there are a lot of shared elements (like, Suzaku and Kazuma are the same guy). I may be delusional but it's hands down one of the most insane anime I've ever seen, in a good way. Like how FMA and Noragami balance a bunch of genres, Code Geass is a mecha action anime, a school slice of life, a political drama, and a Shakespearean tragedy all at the same time.

Chainsaw Man by Tatsuki Fujimoto. Again this may be one you're familiar with, but after I caught up on Part 1 of the manga I was so deeply wounded I had to start thinking about Noragami again (which is a worse idea). Chainsaw Man is much more of a Shounen™ than Noragami is, and I still maintain that the saddest parts of Chainsaw Man are like happier Noragami chapters, but it's a very good story and one that also has a lonely, cast-out protagonist who craves human affection but has no idea how to get it (and when he does, it's ripped away from him).

Durarara by Ryohgo Narita. In the anime adaptation, pretty much the entire voice cast is shared between it and Noragami (in the Japanese dub). It is a very weird story about a lot of weird people who are competing to be The Most Normal Person In Ikebukuro, a task which they all fail at spectacularly. It doesn't have much in common with Noragami aside from the voice cast but I love it so I recommend giving it a watch (or reading the light novels if you're feeling adventurous).

Link Click. This is a donghua (Chinese anime) about time travel and it steadily drives me more insane the longer I think about it. The three main characters have such lovely relationships with each other and the emotions go OUCH every time. It's a little harder to pinpoint the connection with Noragami here, but it is a story about the things people will do for love. The writing is crazy good especially considering it's not based on a novel or comic; I haven't seen an anime-original with writing this good since Code Geass.

Not a specific anime but the other week I thought about, what if Yuki Kajiura had been the composer for Noragami? Her style suits its aesthetic so well so now whenever I watch something she wrote for, I yearn.

Books:

The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir. If you've looked at my blog at all in the last 2 years you'll know I am very sane over this book series. I actually made a Venn diagram comparing it to Noragami a while back, but the gist of it is that they deal with a lot of similar themes such as love, death, and the curse of immortality. It also has soooo many messy and complicated relationships and twists that leave your jaw on the floor. You can also use the worldbuilding to put your blorbos into and it's very fun for giving yourself Thoughts. For example I've done it both ways by putting the Noragami characters into the TLT universe and the TLT characters into the Noragami universe. Both are very painful.

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint by Sing-shong. I'm not done reading this yet (about 2/3 through), but the further I get the more I realize it's about all kinds of love, the same way Noragami is. The narrator forms a "party" of people in the apocalypse, and they go through life-or-death scenarios together, and the way they grow to love and care for each other is so natural and feels so earned whenever it pays off. If you want romantic relationships, queerplatonic relationships, parent/child relationships, or any other type of relationship, ORV has it. There is also a webtoon adaptation but I'm reading the novel because it's completed; the webtoon will take many more years to get there.

Miscellaneous:

The Adventure Zone: Balance. This is a DND real-play podcast and it doesn't really have anything in common with Noragami but, like Noragami, it made me feel every possible human emotion, so I recommend it. It has a slow start but it grows into something so beautiful and creative and by the end of it I was sobbing in my car. Listen to it if you can, or at least listen to the music (it gets music later on and all of it is soooo good).

Okami. This is a video game heavily inspired by Legend of Zelda and much like Noragami it's a retelling of Japanese mythology, so the storyline will def have some familiar elements. I recommend playing it for yourself (it's available on Steam for PC and pretty much every other platform you can name), but a playthrough would be good too. It's nearly 20 years old and has withstood the test of time because the creators decided to make it look like a classic Japanese painting come to life, and the gameplay involves drawing, so it's very artsy and fun (although the controls are really weird).

Thanks for the ask! Hopefully you found something new, and I'll be sure to share if I find anything new to add to this list because I am always on the prowl for Noragami-adjacent things ❤

[awoken-artist]

{Finished in March 7th 2023}

🌈✧{Please Do Not Steal, Trace, use my Art in AI and NFTs and Repost/Resubmit my Works. Thank You.}✧🌈

So its been a long while last I drew these two and I drew this a couple months ago I think and forgot to share here [but i am gonna be more active on here to post since twitter is going downhill, rip] 

So I got very inspired by an artist, marycrispies, who was doing modern highschool AU of the FMA characters and I really loved the fitting idea Ed would love punk rock and/or metal cause- lets be real.... considering what Edward is into and his sense of style, it screams that to a degree.

I thought about revisiting a old story being Alchemy high [and I miss the group and it had potential. idk why i deleted the deviantart group years ago but i had it back up now some time ago for fun and also like- have it exist. i do miss the fma peeps that joined very much..I do hope all of them are doing well in all honesty. I still keep the really old arts of it. i love it all. miss you guys very much &lt;3 ]

I want to go back to Alchemy High story but considering the Alchemy High is - like how with the twilight and harry potter books where each books has its title. like example twilight having - eclipse and breaking dawn. harry potter having the chamber of secrets and deathly hollows. something like it with the story but for the story it would be Alchemy High focusing, obviously with the Highschool aspects...and then the collage Au focusing on what happens after highschool and deal with the collage parts of it. [though mostly focusing on the slice of life part of it mostly with the dorms and everything.]

its a work in progress and plan to do more arts of them tbh. ;w; just need to figure out some ideas is all ^v^

🌈✧{Credits}✧🌈

✧ Artwork and FMA OC Emmy Rosenthal © by: @awoken-artist

✧  Fullmetal Alchemist and Character Edward Elric owned by:

Hiromu Arakawa

​✧ Programs Used: Clip Studio Paint EX

[animehouse-moe]

Suruga-Ya Art Book Haul

It's crazy. I made this order Friday night, and it's at my doorstep Wednesday afternoon. And I didn't even pay for shipping thanks to the campaign that Suruga-ya was running. The average cost of a book here is under 10CAD, all said and done, so I really can't recommend giving it a shot if you're looking for art books.

Anyways, these are the ones I grabbed, and I'd love to take a walk through each of them and why I got them.

Prince Universe - Mutsumi Inomata

This is the first, and oldest art book in the haul, and that age and position comes with reason. Inomata is an insanely tenured animator, dating all the way back into the end of the 70s. They've worked on series like City Hunter, Saint Seiya, Maison Ikkoku, and many many others. One of the best things about the art book is the age of the style, and not in a bad way. No, these drawings have aged like fine wine over the years and are very beautiful.

Hydrogen - Tsuruta Kenji

Need I really say anything? It's Tsuruta Kenji, incredible art and a healthy side of nudity are present in everything they do. Really though, I think what I like most about Hydrogen is its range, opening with a short manga and ending with a large amount of black & white line art. Though who am I kidding, his works that are done in color are still incredible, and there's something that I just love about his character designs.

Boogiepop And Others - Koji Ogata

Despite its relative popularity for the era, Boogiepop isn't something that really ends up talked about all that much. But I'm a big fan of it and its style/designs, so I had to pick up the art book from the illustrator for the light novels.

Nostalgia - Tsukiji Nao

Admittedly, I'd not heard of Nao before finding this art book. But I saw the cover and knew I wanted it, and now I'm in the middle of reading Adekan as its got me in its grips, and for good reason. Nao's art is incredibly beautiful, and I'd say the "best" out of this batch of art books.

Mix Noise - Misaki Saitou

Saitou is just a damn good artist. Their style presents a discernable age, and a very palpable edge that I just can't get enough of. They're not on the level of Nao, but it's a style of art that I could look at all day long. Side note, the art for the second was for the cover of a manga. Yeah, imagine seeing art like that on a manga. I'd immediately pick it up.

Okamarble -Okama

Despite my excitement and interest in the artist, I don't know if I'm the biggest fan of this art book. Okama is known for having storyboarded some pieces of the stunning Kubikiri Cycle ONA as well as doing some art for Arakawa Under The Bridge and even character designs for some other SHAFT series. I do think their art is pretty, I'm just not a fan of the more erotic nature of the book at large (which delves into full on nudity towards the end). So yeah, I don't think this is an art book for people that aren't die hard Kubikiri Cycle/SHAFT fans, but the art within is still really good.

Step2 - Hisashi Eguchi

Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely a fan of Hisashi Eguchi. I love their design sense, and am a massive sucker for their color design and style of shading/lighting. Buttttttt I got this art book because of the Sonny Boy art in it. I know, sue me, but this is just about the only art book out there that has Sonny Boy art in it from a staff member on the anime.

World of The Tapir - Shizuku

In a world where it feels like there's a near unlimited amount of great artists, how do you separate yourself? Well, what separates them for me is color design. Having fresh and unique art that plays on color and provides a strong sense of individuality is a surefire way to get my attention like World of The Tapir did. Not that the art itself isn't pretty, but the color design is what really singled it out for me.

Kaleidoscope - Keiko Takemiya

Being a part of the Year 24 group is introduction enough, I feel. But I'll keep going. Being a pioneer not of just shoujo manga, but manga in general, Takemiya has a pretty impressive bit of history behind her, which this book details. Not so much "art book" as it is "visual memoir", it's a very interesting piece that I'll be slowly digesting over time alongside it's timelessly pretty art.

1017 - Toinana

I...don't have anything to write for this art book. Toinana is an illustrator that I found on pixiv and so I stumbled across this art book. I love their character designs for how busy and creative they are, but I don't really have any sort of history to explain with them because I don't know too much, really.

Asai Genji / Kusanaga Rin Artworks

I've been a fan of Kusanaga Rin's artwork in The Faraway Paladin since I first laid eyes on the covers for the series, so imagine my surprise when I found out they had a penname. Even further, imagine my excitement in finding out they've done art for Fate (among plenty of other video games). If you want art closer to the video game side of JP culture then I can definitely recommend this one.

And so finally that's the end of the list. There's a lot of art for me to enjoy in these books, so I'll certainly be taking my time with them. But not too sow though, have to make sure I've got a clean slate for the next time suruga-ya has a free shipping sale. Seriously, even with the minor price differences between the JP and global website, the free shipping makes books like these a steal. Absolutely love art within books that are in outstanding or even borderline amazing condition, there's not really a way you could go wrong if you're looking for this stuff.

Also, for those that have read this far and want just a little more (literally a single image more per art book) I will have a video up on my TikTok account (yes I caved and made one, largely for art books) tomorrow morning EST, so feel free to check it out.

[gathoscorner]

Yesssss u reblogged >:) 2, 6, 23 for artist asks? (You dont have to tag ppl if you dont want to but I’d love to hear about your inspo! i love your style<3)

2. who is your favorite character to draw?

this might come as a suprise but, King

i don’t draw him much but when I do I have a lot of fun drawing his skull. He has such a cool design

6. tag your favorite artists/inspirations

yay, finally an excuse to gather all of my favs in one place

oh man, theres so many but I will list the ones I feel influence me the most

hiromu arakawa (fma mangaka) she is not a mangaka, she is THE MANGAKA, my biggest inspiration of all time, i could gush for hours about her art

dana terrace (the owl house creator) the way she draws characters look so alive, when i feel artistically overwhelmed I go to her insta and just browse and idk, it helps me. How she draws clothes slays me. How is she so good???

alejandro barbucci’s work on the w.i.t.c.h comic (he worked on the firsts issues) his work inspired me back when i was a little kid and I feel it left an impact on what I consider aesthetically pleasing even now

sachinteng (twitter. illustrator) i have a goal to fill my wall with posters of all of her illustrations once I get enough money and proper setup. they are the definition of cool

makanidotdot (tumblr. comic artist) so often i go back and awe at the body language in her comics. I started following her when she drew avatar fancomics but now i just follow because she really is that inspiring

jorgejimenezart (twitter. comic artist) started following him this year but i go to his page a lot, love the way he draws the human body and perspective

michaelramsted (twitter. horror artist) i don’t draw horror,but man I enjoy it a lot. i feel that the ability to convey a story powerful enough to create emotions on the viewer with just one illustration is next level greatness. and this artist always nails it

23. draw your fav as a vampire

idk if this meant fav as in fav to draw, or fav character but im going with the girl herself

(feat vampire-hunter!Hunter)

[tired-reader-writer]

Daryun is such a Little Shit, a side of him I think perhaps people usually don't get to see— people who are not Narsus, that is. And look at Arslan off to the side being all awkward because his new dads his new brothers Daryun and Narsus are arguing. Poor little bean third-wheeling.

Narsus: 0, Daryun: 1

How fucking dare you, bastard! DON'T ELBOW MY SON WTF.

Arakawa makes sure to show us him activating his trap (is the entire house booby-trapped? how and why did Narsus even decide to have this trap in the first place? maybe he was worried of assassins still being sent after him). I now want a Home Alone style show but w Narsus and Elam in this little hut, it'd rule so hard. Also, nice sandals!

Elam seems more an adult/parent than Narsus does, looool. They've got it reversed. Considering how much Elam looks up to Narsus and whatnot, I wonder if he was much, much shier than he is right now, a bold and strict young man who scolds his guardian adult like Narsus is an unruly kid. I've mentioned before a headcanon that Elam was unresponsive and borderline catatonic when he first arrived after his parents passed away, still lost in his grief and shut off to the world, and it was Narsus who coaxed some life back into him.

I love their dynamic, can you tell?

TO THINK HE WAS ACTUALLY CLAPPING, HA. Good lord he's so pleased with this turn of events. (I really, really do wonder the stuff I was still wondering about in my previous reread post tho, aaaaaaaaa)

Narsus: 1, Daryun: 1

Elam seems much more childlike here, like a stubborn teen being told to go to bed early or something. Contrast this against the previous scene where he was scolding Narsus, this reminds us that for all his maturity and competence, he is in fact still a child.

Arslan to the rescue! Elam looks so hopeful d'awwwww

Look! Elam is taller than Arslan despite being younger, sheesh Narsus what'd you feed this kid? And I think he seems to have a slimmer build too? Though that may just be because of their clothes building that silhouette. (Which prompted me to go down a rabbit hole of an admittedly odd headcanon w way too much thought put into it aka I went and checked the previous chapters again, I'll make a separate post about it)

I know I've brought this up before but Flying Elam is not an anime-original! Ha!

[waitineedaname]

i finished the first 24 chapters of the fma manga!! my thoughts so far, under the cut bc it got long

edward is a fucking gremlin. my camera roll is just turning into a collection of panels where ed looks like a horrible gremlin child and i love it

related to that, I adore arakawa's art style. it's not TOO different from the style in the anime, but there are certain little quirks specific to her art that I love, like the Enormous Frowns she likes to draw

alphonse seems like he's allowed to be more snarky in the manga and I appreciate that. he is constantly being like "oh my god brother you're an embarrassment to be around, STOP IT"

yoki sucks and deserves everything that happens to him later in the series

the fucking chapter where ed is like "we should do something nice for hughes when we get back :)" and then you turn the page to see hughes's coffin. and then later that chapter is scar's nightmare and him waking up being taken care of in the slums. I am eating DRY WALL.

while in general I'm finding I like brotherhood's pacing as much/more than the manga, I do think the backstory is presented way better in the manga. goddamn they cut a lot in brotherhood, especially the stuff with izumi

speaking of izumi, I love her and I love sig and I love how much they love each other. it's still so good to me that sig is this enormous bear of a man with a resting scowl, but he's so sweet to the boys and is like "shouldn't we be less hard on them" meanwhile izumi is the scariest housewife on the fucking planet. god i love the curtises.

I already thought mustang was an asshole in the backstory in brotherhood, but WOW HE SOMEHOW SUCKS EVEN MORE IN THE MANGA. I'M GOING TO ATTACK HIM LIKE A FERAL ANIMAL. this dude decided to verbally abuse a depressed and disabled child, recruit him into the military, and then hold the threat of being arrested over his head to keep him in line. no wonder ed hates his ass.

I've put the next couple volumes on hold and im v excited to read more 👍

[444lpblue]

Undead Murder Farce #1 - Oni Slayer

Screenplay: Noboru Takagi Storyboard: Mamoru Hatakeyama Episode Director: Yuuki Koike Animation Directors: Noriko Itou, Naho Kozono, Yayoi Takano, Sara Sakoe

I knew absolutely nothing about this show, truly, before it came out, except that it was directed by Mamoru Hatakeyama (Shinichi Omata) and that it looked pretty sick based on the PVs. So, I really wanted to watch it. And boy, this is probably the most Shaft-like thing released in this entire year so far, which makes a lot of sense, even though this is not a Shaft production. The director, if you know, has worked on several Shaft anime earlier in his career, including "Arakawa Under the Bridge," "Hidamari Sketch," "Puella Magi Madoka Magica," and more.

It's very hard to put this style into words, but it works perfectly for this show, which goes all-in on its theatrical nature to such an extent that it almost feels a bit pretentious, but in the best way possible. The pairing of the unique script with this weird theatrical and somewhat minimalist direction/storyboard at times is a perfect match. The script is incredibly rich and the ever-changing imagery used to describe what they are saying are just a format that I love far too much. That's why I'm so obsessed with many Shaft shows in general.

I don't really know how to fully explain this episode without describing every moment, which isn't really my usual approach since I struggle to express my thoughts concisely. Heck, sometimes I'm even too lazy to watch anime. But it's visually striking and has a quirky way of presenting things. The story itself is also very unique and reminiscent of Monogatari in many ways. If you're a fan of Monogatari, I highly recommend it for the visuals and the vibes. I haven't read the source material, and I can't predict if the strong direction will continue (although I believe it will, given Hatakeyama's skill as a director). But I just want to urge you to watch this show. And honestly, if it maintains this level of quality, it might become one of my favorite shows of the year. The first episode hit all the marks I enjoy in these unique, surrealist-style shows.

[felixcloud6288]

Fullmetal Alchemist Chapter 28

Dorchet has gone back to being a punching bag.

This shot of Izumi holding Loa in a submission hold is one of my favorite shots in the chapter. It's especially impressive when you consider how Izumi is way below Loa's weight class and is therefore using her entire body to keep him pinned. She's forcing most of her weight on a single point at her left knee so the full pressure is on Loa's upper spine. She's also using that weight to pin his arm, essentially using his own weight for the submission. She doesn't need to apply any force to keep his arm in place. She just needs to use her right leg as a pivot point and her right arm to keep it from sliding off.

I bet the scene with Sig and the women was Arakawa coming up with the silliest excuse for why Sig wasn't with Izumi when she walked into Greed's room.

It's fascinating how Greed has a moral code. The other homunculi we've seen have demonstrated no personal standards at all. They're pragmatic and so don't go around committing wanton cruetly (Except Envy), but their actions are not driven by any personal convictions.

It's probably the next day when Ed returns. I love Bradley casually giving Ed a melon as a gift and wish he did it more often than here and that time he visited Ed in the hospital. You can even see he's carrying it in the preceding panels.

Armstrong seems quite annoyed to be chauffeuring the President on this impromptu vacation.

I wonder if Izumi has been scouted by recruiters in the past cause Sig is barely keeping himself from assaulting the leader of the country for suggesting she apply to become a State Alchemist.

New Tumblr Holiday discovered. September 2nd is "Meet Day". (Recall the date format on Ed's watch is [day] [month] [year] so 2/9 is 2nd day of month 9).

I want everyone to witness shirtless Sig.

Izumi tells Ed about the situation and Bradley decides to listen in. Bradley is especially interested when he hears about Greed.

Just gotta love Ed's screaming speech at Greed. He struck the fear of god in Martel and left the room silent. I'd say Greed is applauding in honest awe. Al is in tears that his brother loves him so much. Dorchet's ears are ringing.

Ed didn't even use his automail arm to take out Dorchet.

As for Ed's fight with Greed, I like how he's starting to mix Alchemy into his fighting style. He's using one of Armstrong's techniques to generate ground spikes during his recovery from an aerial attack and he's using Scar's destruction alchemy to convert those spikes into a shrapnel/dust blast. And this is on top of him using Alchemy to create a platform to give him a positional advantage.

back

Spoiler Discussion

I wonder what people speculated about Bradley's reaction to hearing about Greed when this chapter first came out. Without future context, we could assume his actions at the end are a natural response he ought to have. He's the leader of the military, and he's learned about the whole conspiracy revolving around the people with Ouroboros tattoos. Plus, he could be considered an ally of Ed's. So people might speculate his response is moral, if excessive.

And then when we learn he's Wrath, his motivations are completely different. He's going after Greed not because Greed kidnapped Al, but because Greed is a risk they've been needing to eliminate for some time. Wrath needs to erase anyone who may have a connection to Greed to ensure no secrets get out. His order to capture Greed alive might be to reduce the chance any soldier uses lethal force against him and consequently see him regenerate.

"You're the kind of guy who doesn't mind getting the crap beat out of him but totally loses his cool when your brother or someone gets hurt." Why do you know this type Greed? Is it because your power makes makes you fine with getting the crap beat out of you, Greed? Is it because you power lets you protect those you care about, Greed? Is it because you're pretty chill until someone hurts your subordinates, Greed? Is it because you are this exact same type of guy, Greed?

Greed has gotten annoyed with everyone not giving him what he wants, but the only times he's ever been truly angry was when Wrath killed his friends and when Greed remembered Wrath killed his friends.

[todayisafridaynight]

I wanted to touch on Day with the Sun in a manner that's EVEN REMOTELY TIMELY so I don't end up piling too much on when talking about your fics [both in terms of how much I'd have to write and how much you'd have to read]. SO! Sorry if this sucks and is inarticulate… exhausted from crunch AND my keyboard is busted… but I will power through because this haaas to be one of my favorite fics of yours and I Cannot Contain Myself. Also I feel bad for egging you on to post it but not actually saying anything yet so☠️

I've said bits and pieces of this before but I adore your fics because I can visualize them with incredible clarity. Like not even kidding, Top Ten Hallucinogens, you've got everyone's mannerisms and "voices" down perfect and you always have just enough detail to be able to See The Vision without the story having to grind to a halt. I really like the way attention is only brought to certain details with purpose, when they're relevant; that adds a lot to what I'm about to talk about.

I think your writing style really shines in works like this, where it's sort of like a Particularly Involved Substory, or a lighthearted "cooldown chapter"--just like, those parts that are all in-engine and mostly unvoiced but have SO much heart and characterization. I can See the camera moves and transitions, and I can Hear the music and sound cues. But at the same time, you take full advantage of the medium in being able to get into Arakawa's head, see what he sees and does or doesn't take note of and the conclusions he comes to, and get into what their day-to-day might be like and the ways this trip is both reflective of and breaks from the usual for them.

It's just SO well-done! The fic as a whole is a delight from start to finish--there's so much to chew on in every moment, every interaction, and the fact you've managed to pack it all into such a short story while maintaining the perfect pacing throughout is nothing short of commendable. Giggling And Kicking My Feet The Whole Time For Real and I MAINTAIN I was right to be excited… I'm so happy to have had the opportunity to read it [three times now]!

Arakawa's soooo moe To Me and reading from his perspective always makes me ill because his worries and concerns and shortcomings are so human, but he's doing his best to make his family happy, and they ultimately do end up having a nice day because of his initiative… Jo is SO cute in this too, I rewatched Hero SP after completing the show recently and he really has that Tsugaru-like Neurodivergent Awkwardness. Last But Not Least I loved Masato, I was his age the majority of the last couple of times I remember going to the beach… he's just like me fr…

No But I always really enjoy this Era of Masato, because in the singular flashback we get, he seems just a little bit more tolerant of Arakawa. It's nice to see him before [I feel like] he stops addressing him as "Dad" to his face, only saying it to specify who he means when he's talking to other people--that's kind of how I am with my mom now.

At the same time, it's of course a little bittersweet. One nice day isn't going to change the course of their futures, and it's painful to see Arakawa have these high hopes for his son that don't come to fruition in the way he envisions, or to think about how Jo's the only one around to remember moments like these now…

At any rate, closing out with some notes that came to mind as I was reading:

LOVE the premise being based in Masato being more open with Jo--I was definitely hoping Arakawa'd have some thoughts on that and I was happy to see he did, and to see echoes of it in things like Masato choosing to lean more heavily on Jo and Arakawa musing on Masato's "preferential treatment" of Jo.

It's also really sweet to see how Jo's earned it; he really spares no effort when it comes to Masato and it shows in big and small ways, like how he seems more synced with Masato when he wants to be put down while Arakawa's lost in thought. At the same time, even though he's grossly overprepared and clearly didn't pack for just himself though he initially wanted to set up away from the Arakawas, he only really has the courage to do any of what he did because of Arakawa strongarming him into actually involving himself and letting himself have a good time. The synergy with those three is unreal

Love literally every single time Arakawa tries to understand Jo… that longing for a greater depth of knowledge when he already knows him well enough to read his thoughts from what he wrote in the pamphlet… the way he notes and responds to Jo's anxiety and propriety, the way he goes and investigates the book, the Painfully Awkward But Real conversation they try to have about art and theater and how he /wants/ to share but they're not quite communicating, the way he doesn't know to connect things like Jo's knowledge of construction and his inexperience with normalcy to his past but has this gut feeling… the way he's right about how he'll never fully know him…

I wanted to note this separately because of The Subject Matter ☠️but although this quote comes from a CSA checklist, it is applicable to others with abusive backgrounds [I mean… I do HC Jo as a CSA survivor and it is close to my heart given he ticks a lot of said boxes either way, but that's a topic for a much different ask… If Ever, it never felt like an appropriate topic to write in about], and it seems relevant to what's going on with Jo in this fic: "31. Limited tolerance for happiness; active withdrawal from happiness, reluctance to trust happiness ('ice=thin')." Obviously He Has Other Reasons but I feel like that's what Arakawa's picking up on at certain points. That's why I was really happy Arakawa got to spot and capture those Rare Jo Moments where he's happy and at peace… it's something that works whether you read the fic as platonic or romantic, but it's interesting to view through both lenses

VERY MUCH NOTICED THE BOOK HAS A BROWN COVER BTW I'm Literally Delusional but I was obviously reminded of the book that keeps popping up in your comics, the tattoo one and the AraSawa Domestic Moments Cringe [For Masato] Compilation… perhaps not the same one but I wouldn't be surprised if it took years to finish either given he hardly got to read it before being pulled away… he's INSANE for describing that as Light Reading [I can't even read my own art history books, I just look at the pictures] but I respect it… I also respect you both actually using bookmarks instead of just Praying I Turn To The Page I Left Off On like I do…

Dadliest FUCKING moments from Arakawa in this one I swear to goddddd I talked about his attempts to understand Jo but his attempts to understand Masato when Masato refuses to get what's on his mind across at every turn are so real… also spooking Masato like that… showing up with only his wallet and practically nothing else but being fully prepared to spoil Masato… wanting to put Masato's sunscreen on for him… not "acting his age"… the SKIPPINGGGGG… the expectation of a soon-to-be-empty nesty making him squish Masato for reasons Masato cannot discern [not to mention The Symbolism of the sunset imagery as the backdrop for this in particular although it should be a beautiful moment]… his FUCKING FIT [JO'S FIT TOO BUT HIS FITTT] GOD I'M LITERALLY JUST LISTING THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE FIC AT THIS POINT BUT HE MADE ME SO ILL

I could hardly say any of the above without thinking of Jo though… I mean… Second Parent is so true… A Dad Of Another Variety... Deeply appreciate him getting to be part of the family… speaking of parents I ALSO deeply appreciate the Akane mention…

I'm just. Obsessed with the entire finale and everything leading up to it [AS IF I'M NOT OBSESSED WITH EVERY OTHER THING] but I should let you go at some point so I'm stopping here <3

OH AND I would absoluuutely love to read [Or View] anything else you might have in mind with regard to Ikumi! Loved your art :] We don't have anything concrete to go off of At All as of now, so I don't think anyone could blame you if you wanted to explore one idea one day and a different one the next. I don't think about her often because I'm not creative enough to know where to take things [and I certainly wouldn't know how to make it Not Miserable], so I'd be very curious to see :]

Would also love to hear your thoughts on We Make Antiques 2 and The Deer King :] if you have the time/If They're Still Knocking Around ☠️

[EVERY THOUGHT I GOT DOWN BELOW]

i think its Physically Impossible for you to write anything Lame nor Inarticulate dont WORRYYY best wishes to you and your keyboard regardless tho 🙏 more over i'd be THRILLED to read a novel's worth of your commentary on any of my works- but i also know typing a lot is. Tiring LMAO SO i'm utterly grateful for anythin you send in (;´༎ຶ▽༎ຶ) i also never mind how long it might take for you to send something in: i know you always put a lot of time and effort into your asks, and all of that time is well worth the wait since they always end up being my favorite things to read (❁´◡`❁)

moving on tho, ABSOLUTELY makes me happy to hear my descriptions are good ! i always worry about doing too much or too little, so im glad it's Just Write in terms of highlighting what's important while not lingering too long on unimportant things or going too fast ♪(´▽｀) reading the fic three times… thems Deer King numbers WHAT AN HONOR TYSM FOR ENJOYING AND READING (^人^)

im glad this story can feel 'substory' esque. when it comes to my comics, i generally try to give them that 'side content' kind of feel: just something nice to cut away to away from the 'main action' of the canon story, so im glad that can be reflective in a fic like this (and probably makes sense as to why this is my 'strongest' fic) (╯▽╰ ) ive mentioned it during a stream before (and probably in my tags too), but i do try to 'direct' my art and treat things like a movie set. i try to keep that same kind of mentality when writing, so i'm happy to hear it was effective :]

being able to write from arakawa's perspective is a fun experience to say the least. i really Do Not Hide It when i say that i borrow a lot from my life and the people in my life whenever i draw or write something, and i've made it noooo secret my dad is a big inspo for the things i make, ESPECIALLY when it comes to family. with all of that said, an aspect of arakawa i wanted to try to explore lately was his struggle of maintaining a happy family despite his circumstances. it wasn't a MAJOR focal point of this fic I Dont Think, but definitely was something i had in the back of my mind and is generally something i keep in the back of my mind when trying to portray arakawa

all of that said, i'll try not to be SUPER personal (as i do that anyway LMAO) but i'll confess that writing arakawa is 'special' to me. i can't exactly put a word to it, so 'special' will have to do. when i was growing up, in some sense, i was upset with my dad for things he ultimately had no control over. despite the time that's passed though, he's always tried his best for my siblings and i (and even my mom before this year when An Incident occurred and finally woke up him up to how terrible she is LMAO). he told me once that he wanted nothing more than a happy family, and that he never wanted his kids to feel alone or abandoned. that's a sentiment i can very easily imagine arakawa having not just towards masato, but towards the rest of the arakawa family as well due to his own upbringing; that sort of care extends to jo too Evidently. whether it's romantic or platonic, i do want to communicate that arakawa does try to get close to jo not just cause It's Expected for him to care about someone in the clan, but because he can identify the signs of an uncomfortable upbringing in jo, and doesn't want anyone else to have to shoulder that loneliness by themselves like he did. yk: have a more personal reason to as opposed to it being a part of his job. and lbr: jo can't brood ALL the time, there's GOTTA be a single second he actually does seem happy for once (and those very rare momence, me thinks, are very much all the waiting for arakawa)

with all of THAT said, being able to explore these thoughts and scenarios with arakawa is a way for me to better understand and appreciate my dad and what he had to go through i guess- sort of like an apology for how much i tended to doubt him even though i knew he wanted nothing more than to be there for us, so i'm def happy exploring that for myself has been able to become a good read (❁´◡`❁)

onto jo tho…. i love portraying jo in these domestic settings somuch (evidently). bro really is just so out of his element, ESPECIALLY when he's trying to appear Tolerable (in his eyes: arakawa will ALWAYS love him) it's just such a hilarious contrast to how we know him (a cunt) ☠️ as i was writing this fic i just kept thinking to myself that- in an ironic sense- jo would absolutely be a beach/airport dad given the circumstances (just pack unnecessarily, be overly vigilant to make sure things go accordingly, etc etc) and it's what really made writing everything so fun when i got to sit and imagine it and share it （￣︶￣）

that fun bit aside, i do also enjoy writing jo in these types of scenarios in a similar vein to why i like writing arakawa: it's a bit personal. i'd rather equate my upbringing to negligence opposed to outright abuse like jo experienced, but i can't imagine how my thoughts manifest to be too different from jo's in certain scenarios. especially when it comes to his hesitance towards happiness or believing he isn't deserving of that happiness (or anything good really), it's a very personal feeling i get a lot, and in particular his need to not want to intrude or take up space (doubly considering it may seem as tho he's trying to 'steal' masato even though he gave him away in the first place). it's pretty easy to write with that respect (and is probably why i tend to drift to portraying his pov's LMAO), and trying to capture that feeling of anxiety or worry or apprehension but still keep it in tune with jo's 'stonewall-esque' character is definitely cathartic in a sense. it's also interesting to do when i have him next to other characters, and ESPECIALLY when im writing from a perspective that isn't his own. it's important i don't make him appear too outwardly anxious or 'small,' but i also want to make sure it's clear he does feel those things in that moment: i want that fact to be sort of a blink-and-you-miss-it kind of deal.

all of THAT said though, i AM very interested to hear more about your thoughts on him as a CSA survivor (and me wonders if that is what you were referring to when adding to his backstory some asks ago)... VERY fair if you'd rather keep that discussion elsewhere though: it is a very sensitive topic

onto masato though, i enjoy portraying masato a lot pre-ichi times. i guess it's just a nice phase to touch on before Everything Spirals, so to speak: he still has some of that anger from his childhood, though he can't express it the same way anymore. he has to be a bit more mature about it- but he is still a teenager. plus, since he's still a teenager, he still predominantly relies on jo and arakawa, and Of Course i have the most fun when i get to portray any combo of that trio interacting with each other (and it shows lmao).

on that note though, i do enjoy thinking a lot about the supposed relationship jo and masato mustve had while he was growing up. as it shows, jo turned out to be 'masatos favorite' (however much that means all things considered). there surely must have been some seeds planted for that to have been the outcome later on, so it's fun thinking about how those things can manifest, and it's especially fun getting to pen arakawa's perspective on it

AND OF COURSE THE BOOK WAS INTENTIONAL LMAOOOO yk what they say One's An Incident Two's A Coincidence Three's On Purpose You Asshole ☠️☠️ the first two times were truly accidents but at this point it doesn't hurt to have a 'running joke' or something like that in my comics/fics. we'll get him a new book someday i promise ♪(´▽｀)

as for me though, i cant trust to open on the same page i left off on.. plus i really like collecting bookmarks, especially when they're of butterflies: it gives me a reason to look them up and learn something since the designs are always pretty enough for me to wonder what species they're based on (❁´◡`❁)

ALL IN ALL THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR ENJOYING !!!!!!!! truly commentary like this gives me reasonsto keep writing its SUCH a huge motivator i cant stress it.. all the pain is worth it when i can see how much you enjoyed the fic.. i hope to always make you feel that excited to read something from myself ╰(°▽°)╯ !!

with THAT in mind tho… i certainly do feel the motivation to pen at least ONE ikumi story now.. when that's finished is TBD but for now i hope you enjoy this Kinda Old scribble of a Little Older ikumi i did (or at least one variant of an older ikumi) <- drew it so i could hallucinate better

im not good at fashion and i was really trying to figure out a look for her that still REMINDED people of ikumi but yk. was appropriate for a 30-something-year-old woman in the 90's.... but i have plenty of time to explore other looks so i wont worry (i do really like this hair cut tho.. maybe that'll be a constant)..

AND OF COURSE i'd be happy to write two quick lil reviews for those movies: i LOVED them after all (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)

for WMA2, my favorite bits of these movies is always The Plan Coming Together- yk the last like. thirty or so minutes LMAO BUT FR ill never get over watching everyone work together to con people (plus the turtleneck really is A Look for nakai.. BIG fan- also them goofy ass magnetic glasses.. what even are those i love them). had me GOBSMACKED when it was revealed shino wasnt even a real mom but also Not Surprising in retrospect but ALSO Whose Kid Is This. Where Are Your Parents.

i do love how the movie started with the idea that sasuke Wasnt going to do any more con jobs and was going to be living honestly, yet In An Ironic Twist to ensure japan wouldnt have a Counterfeit Antique problem he ended up having to make so many fakes… a necessary evil me thinks… more importantly i really will never get over yo-chan fucking licking everything like ENOUGH. STOP. but dont it still makes me laugh fuckin weird ass old man (;´༎ຶД༎ຶ`)♡ it did make me happy to see sasuke's son get a job he really loves tho… that was cute.. AND WHEN HE TRIED THE POTTERY WHEEL That Was Cute :) anyways.. all in all lovely movie Of Course I'd Love It… one day i hope we can find the third movie….

AS FOR DEER KINNGGG ABSOLUTELY LOVELY MOVIE you were right the animation was GORGEOUS and PERFECTLY weighted. i ESPECIALLY loved the scene with the stilt walkers not just atmosphere wise, but the actual weight and heft of the stilts was just so… Immaculate. AND LEST I NEGLECT TO MENTION YUNA'S THE CUTEST LITTLE GIRL EVER i love her so so so much she's so adorable her cheeks are plump like a peach's her pigtails are adorable and i love her tooth gap (;´༎ຶД༎ຶ)(;´༎ຶД༎ຶ) van and yuna getting to hang with the villagers was MAD sweet tho… had me deceased at the end when the cure of Mad Wolf Disease was just deer milk tho. NOT A HATER was just a hilariosuly simple solution considering The Horrors caused by the mittsual (i knew i wasnt a sicko for drinking milk...)

As If I Need To Say It Anymore very lovely movies….. thank you much both for going through the effort to find WMA2 and for reccin The Deer King…

[unolvrs]

AS AN ANIME BOOMER WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ANIME STUDIO (i'm a newbie in watching anime btw so i want to know more <3)

this is going to contain anime recommendations too <3

if you're expecting mappa to be in this list, i'm apologizing in advance because it's not :") this post is entirely to gush about studio shaft so thank you so much for asking this question. dw there are other studios after i finish my studio shaft spiel:

let me tell you guys how the love story between studio shaft and i began. i was a child watching shoujo kakumei utena and i fell in love. it was... so unlike any other anime i’ve watched as a child, especially when i was watching blue dragon, pokemon, and naruto in the sides. it had a female main character, had homosexual undertones that made may or may not pushed me further in the closet, but most of all: it was unique.

enter: arakawa under the bridge was an experience. then sayonara zetsubou sensei. god. but at this point, i still haven’t pinpointed that they were all from the same studio. and then, here comes the monogatari series.

the monogatari series will always be the greatest pieces of animation (and by that, i don’t necessarily mean plot but the animation itself) in all of the shit that i watched, and when i say i’ve watched lots of animation, i mean lots. but the monogatari series will always stand out as the best. the thing about good animation that i’m searching for is a distinct style that you can see from afar. this is actually one of the reasons why i don’t really consider mappa as one of my top animation studios because while they’re amazing, and they really are, it’s not the type of animation that you glance at and then go “ohhh, it’s mappa” unless you sit down for a couple of minutes. well, you can, but i’m the type of person who prefers metaphors over descriptors, you know?

anyway, studio shaft’s animation of the monogatari series is ingrained in my writing. i always want to make my writing look and feel like the monogatari series which is so hard to do, but i can proudly say that one of my main inspirations is studio shaft.

THEN MAHOU SHOUJO MADOKA CAME OUT AND I—

mahou shoujo madoka magica. my sweet. this is the time when i finally recognized studio shaft’s animation and it was the best feeling ever. the head tilts, the framing, the backgrounds, the sudden texts. the tragic and confused atmosphere. and then nisekoi. i also recognized the animation and yes, it was also the best feeling ever. and i was obsessed with nisekoi for the longest time and to be honest, i was one of those people who fought in the comments section of chia-anime and fighting for team chitoge.

a dream come true: mekakucity actors. i was the biggest fan of the kagerou project and when i found out studio shaft was animating it? i wanted to bawl my eyes out. of course, it was beautifully done as i expected, and of course, as a fan of kagerou project, i was disappointed by how it ended, but still, the point is: studio shaft.

some notable animes from studio shaft: mahou sensei negima, sangatsu no lion, kino no tobi, maria holic, ef, uchiage hanabi, etc. etc.

some other studios i like and my favorites from them:

i love the storytelling of brain's base the most. while i love studio shaft for it's style and uniqueness, brain's base storytelling triumphs over all studios. period. if studio shaft is my favorite animation, brain's base is my favorite storytelling!

baccano!

durarara!!

hotarubi no mori e

fumetsu no anata e

tonari no kaibutsu-kun

natsume yuujinchou

spice & wolf

mawaru penguindrum

kuragehime

kyoukai no rinne

aoharu x kikanjuu

isshuukan friends

has there been an anime that pa works released and i've watched that i haven't cried for? none.

another

angel beats!

charlotte

nani no asu kara

hanasaku iroha

sayonara no asa ni yakusoku no hana wo kazarou / maquia

canaan

sirius

fairy gone

uchouten kazoku

rdg: red data girl

glasslip

appare-ranman!

i love this kind of animation. period.

kiznaiver

ssss.gridman

kill la kill

darling in the franxx

promare

little witch academia

bna

star wars: visions (don't get your hopes up)

a big production studio but it's one of the greatest studios period. my favorite animes were produced by this company. this is also the last studio i'm gonna recommend because this studio has lots of good anime:

neon genesis evangelion

kuroko no basuke

flcl

mahoutsukai no yome

higashi no eden

blood-c

b: the beginning

great pretender

suisei no gargantia

ao haru ride

kaze ga tsuyoku fuiteiru

koukaku kidoutai

xxxHOLIC

ballroom e youkoso

psychho-pass

noblesse

diamond no ace

robotics:notes

vinland saga

yuukoku moriarty

kaizoku oujo

tennis no ouji-sama

sengoku basara

aria the animation

junketsu no maria

hal

shinreigari

guilty crown

haikyuu

shingeki no kyojin

b: the beginning

momo e no tegami

kimi ni todoke

bungaku shoujo

bem

tsubasa chronicles

break blade

le chevalier d'eon

miss hokusai

donten ni warau

the point is, this studio is big and famous. why am i even promoting this. everybody knows this studio already smh.

anyway, madhouse also has most of my favorite animes of all time too (AHEM sonny boy AHEM) but everybody knows about studio madhouse already. toei animation, kyoani, etc, etc.

thank u. please stan studio shaft and brain's base.

[gnzma]

3 AND 4 👁️

[ it's monday my dudes *SCREAMS* ; ACCEPTING ]

3. whose writing has impacted your writing style the most? (you can choose anyone! famous writer or not.)

[ oh man nice question fndmasgndf

i think. ironically enough, comic writers did? hiromu arakawa of fullmetal alchemist fame is an obvious choice, but so did elisabetta gnone, who wrote the first few volumes of w.i.t.c.h. and fairy oak?

and i'd say. hironobu sakaguchi, specifically because of ffix (which. once again, it's the one piece of media that first pushed me to write and draw and create stories). the writing is very simple, very realistic, funny when it has to and heartwrecking at the right moments

when it comes to actual writers, well. some years ago i wouldve named someone who now i hate with burning passion, but rereading artemis fowl made me notice how much i take inspiration from eoin colfer's writing style? idk if it SHOWS but. ye afndmsgn ]

4. which muse of yours is your all time favorite? if you stopped writing them: why?

[ honestly? i think guzma is a possible candidate. he became one of my comfort muses with the years so. yea :°>

when it comes to a character i really loved and i stopped, papyrus from undertale. i love him to bits still, undertale is still a very important game for me, buuuuuut. i don't really vibe with the fandom, or the rpc. it felt a little Too Much for me ]

[rithmeres]

3, 4, 13, 14?

3. what ideas come from when you were little? last week when i was cleaning out my old room i found art from when i was 10 and i had copied a page out of the deltora book of monsters and deltora quest is absolutely to blame for a lot of things i love including but not limited to fantasy, horror, monsters, gore etc. even though i dont draw a lot of monsters anymore

4. fav character/subject that's a bitch to draw? alphonse.. i have so much respect for arakawa and the fma animators bro i just know that if fma was made in the 2020s alphonse would b a CG rig with hand-drawn elements animated over him and every day im grateful that never happened

13. a creator who you admire but whose work isn't your thing? loish was literally the queen of the online art world and i have to appreciate everything she for digital artists in the early internet years but her art is definitely not my favorite style

14. any favorite motifs? 🅱️ones

[innerchorus]

Sorry if this seems rude, I’m just genuinely curious because I don’t understand. Why does everybody seem to like Isfan so much? He was just never that interesting to me

Are you ready, Anon? It's time to do battle.

I'm just joking; I'm not offended. There are plenty of characters that (while I may like them) don't fascinate me in the way they seem to others. I'm not sure how accurate it is to say that everyone likes Isfan, though. I imagine there are plenty of people who are ambivalent. It might just be that the people who do like him are more active in the fandom?

Still, as a minor character he's definitely popular. Looking at the results of that recent popularity poll, he ranked well above the characters of Zaravant and Tus, who were introduced at the same time as him. I doubt that me explaining what I like about him will suddenly change your opinion, and that's okay, but since you do seem genuinely curious, I'll give it a try. I think there's a few factors.

He's Shapur's brother — not a character trait in its own right, but definitely what first made me curious about him, even before we met him. And it continues to be interesting, in that you can see his brother's influence on him, and also glean a little bit more info about what Shapur was like from Isfan himself.

His personality - I guess you either like this or you don't, but I enjoy his eagerness to prove himself, his strong sense of what's right, and his earnest and honest nature. His personality, coupled with his age and relative inexperience make for both exciting scenes and the potential for positive growth.

He has an interesting fighting style. Hopefully we'll get to see more of him in combat in the manga soon, but even if you dislike Isfan, surely his fight scene against the sorceror and then Gieve was exciting?

WOLF. PUPPIES. This is a novel spoiler but it's a harmless one and I feel like everyone knows it by now anyway. I like how he tries to repay the favour to the wolves who saved him when he was young by saving and raising two of his own. I love the acknowledgement of his connection with wolves in that manga scene during the hunt, plus that hint of the wild in his fighting technique. His bond with his wolves is another aspect of his character that I like (there are some great scenes with them in the novels).

He's also one of the younger lords who answers Arslan's call, so he's an interesting counterpoint to those who have previously served Andragoras. I guess you can say the same for Zaravant, too.

He gets some great scenes later in the novels! The manga may or may not get that far, and you may or may not find yourself feeling differently about him, but I maintain it will be super exciting! There should be one coming up soon, that will be made even better thanks to an earlier addition by Arakawa that ties in with what I said about enjoying how Isfan grows as a character as he gains experience. I'll definitely discuss it more when we get there! But suffice to say, he's brave and he's striving to do what he can to support Arslan's cause.

His face

His fangs.

Okay, I'm going to stop now. If anyone else wants to add anything or elaborate on why they do (or don't, lol) like Isfan, go ahead.

[yue-muffin]

@mejomonster​ anime/manga rec list because ask and ye shall receive.

historical fantasy: altair: a record of battles by kotono kato. longer review here. very good war story with high tension political, economic, and tactical maneuvering. rare setting/focal point of the turkish/ottoman empire rendered with beautiful art and attention to detail.

fantasy: the heroic legend of arslan by yoshiki tanaka. recommend the novel over the new 2013 anime/manga, but that’s purely personal preference. I don’t prefer hiromu arakawa’s art style for anything but her own works. i prefer novel!arslan’s mix of maturity/nobility and naivety over the more childish arslan from the new anime/manga. the old ovas preserve the vibes of the novel much better imo, especially the unnerving fog in the opening scene. but very good story overall. a classic ‘dispossessed royalty and his band of fighters must escape and return to take back their country’. also set in ancient persia with the europeans as the aggressor a la conquistadores/crusaders.

honorable mention: yona of the dawn by mizuho kusanagi. shojo version of arslan? haha i’m only half kidding, but yona of the dawn stands on its own two feet. again the classic ‘dispossessed royalty and her band of fighters’ etc. except this one’s more obviously fantasy with the band of fighters having superpowers. anyways i love the writing, especially yona’s character arc from spoiled oblivious princess to determined to retake her country and do better for its people. set in ancient korea.

shounen: hunter x hunter by yoshihiro togashi. classic shounen that starts with four plucky adventurers and gradually ramps up violence and consequences of the protagonists’ actions. this series has an arc for everyone, and while you probably won’t like every one equally as much, it has a lot to offer and a super fun magic system with smart and creative battles. the world is zany, dangerous, batshit crazy, and charming.

honorable mention: jujutsu kaisen by gege akutami. for a new shounen (seinen?) that’s honestly lived up to the hype. it needs more seasons though, because the story’s just getting started. i really love the main trio and find they play off each other super well. also, though they’re not always the focus, there’s a great variety of female characters.

adventure: magi: the labyrinth of magic by shinobu otaka. inspired by the stories of one thousand and one nights (arabian nights). if i had to pick one anime or manga that embodies ‘magic’ and ‘adventure’, i’d pick magi. i found the setting very unique (middle eastern, plus countries analogous to ancient china, rome and others). it also goes deeper into topics like poverty, slavery, war, and discrimination. very underrated series tbh.

psychological: monster by naoki urasawa. undisputed master of the category. has a dynamic similar to the one i like in qianqiu; a battle of wits and wills between a doctor and the man whose life he saved, not knowing he will grow up to be a serial killer. dark, twisted, but so very human. that’s how i would describe monster.

slice-of-life: natsume’s book of friends by yuki midorikawa. ugly sobbing. the anime is so good, the music really adds to the emotional impact. this story is, at its heart, about the frailty, importance, and warmth of human connection despite featuring yokai and supernatural elements. it’s about healing, being kind to yourself. i absolutely love natsume. he’s like that adorable dog you find at the shelter who has so much love to give but is also withdrawn from being treated badly in the past. and believe it or not, his character slowly grows across the seasons, even though there’s not a strong overarching plot.

 sports: run with the wind by shion miura. i loved this anime more than i had any right to. if you’re the type who can’t relate to most sports anime set in high school, then this one’s for you. it’s about college kids, a very underused demographic, who decide to run in the hakone ekiden, japan’s most famous relay marathon aired nation-wide every new years. it’s an inspiring anime, not just about running. it speaks to anyone who has lost the spark and love for something, and rediscovering the spark and what made you love that something in the first place. it also speaks to just...doing something for yourself. accomplishing something that took effort and being able to pride yourself on that. has a novel, jpn only, i haven’t read it yet but there’s fan translations available.

honorable mentions: giant killing by masaya tsunamoto and ao ashi by yuugo kobayashi. i love soccer (football), so i had to throw these in as other examples of sports anime that aren’t about a high school team. both tackle the professional sides of the sport. giant killing is the actual adult pro leagues, ao ashi is the youth team of a professional team. i’d say, if you’re a soccer fan, giant killing’s vibes will speak to your soul. ao ashi is just a realistic take on what it actually takes to get to the top. i actually prefer the manga of ao ashi, but if you can’t visualize the plays very well (like i did at first), the anime is probably better.

comedy: barakamon by satsuki yoshino. ok, there are probably other good ones out there, but i don’t watch comedy often. barakamon was surprisingly good though. it’s about a young professional calligrapher who’s booted off to a small island town after offending an official at a competition. he’s there to improve his calligraphy and do some soul searching (unwillingly). i liked it because for one, it actually does kid characters right. they’re gross, disruptive, adventurous, sometimes cute, selfish, and sometimes amazingly selfless.

sci-fi: gundam 00. alright, it does get a bit preachy and weird at the end, but i liked 00 a lot because it starts off so strong. the first scene of the first episode will haunt me forever. it’s really about how we of the modern world all live interconnected lives, whether we like it or not, and turning a blind eye just because it doesn’t directly affect you doesn’t mean it won’t someday impact your life.

???: baccano! by ryogo narita. novel or anime, but the anime is excellent, the music sets the vibes of early 20th century america, and the dub is superb. i just can’t watch this one without the dub, which is a rarity. it’s zany, you’ll be so confused in the beginning, but i promise it makes sense and all storylines are connected. but it’s chaos. good chaos. the storytelling’s really unique.

movies: i could have picked a few, but one of my favorite anime movie series is garden of sinners by kinoko nasu. it’s dark, twisted, and paranormal mystery. my favorite movie of the series is probably paradox spiral.