#like i feel CRAZY having to defend the MAIN CHARACTER but some of you people CANNOT treat people with respect its actually wild

[enlichened]

I literally saw someone say laios is too autistic for romance... you guys HAVE to start being respectful to autistic people. like I know he's just a character but its emblematic of real problems. Even if it's just a joke, it is NOT FUNNY to perpetuate ableism in the form of jokes. I see like a thousand posts a day about how he has autistic swag and in the SAME POST joke about how his friends actually hate him, nobody could REALLYYY like him they're all just pretending <3, he's too autistic for sex or romance or love.

He has canonical problems in the text with people pretending to be his friend, or people secretly hating him. We've gone over and over again about how divorcing autistic people and characters from sex and romance on the whole is infantilizing. (individual ace/aro headcanons are fine, but maybe also examine where they're coming from when its characters widely seen as autistic). I feel like a lot of fans don't even realize what they're doing. oftentimes what you think is funny fan content is actually you making fun of him and excluding him from things based on his autistic traits.

And this isn't even MENTIONING the racism in making kabru be aggressive to laios for no reason all the time when kabru has genuine reason and understanding even when he thinks he might need to kill laios. OR how weird it is that people will boil down falin's autistic traits for farcille and say like "yeah she's similar to laios, but she's less of a 'freak' (AKA has developed people pleasing social skills) so marcille likes her still :)"

[dozyrogue]

Okay so since the soulfire talk is back I want to talk about how people were so convinced that Bolas is the definition of found family but it seriously isn't.

They were brought together by the fact that in purgatory you lose yourself or you don't and at the time everyone in bolas was not well beforehand and then they were put on an island that basically said "you are going to Lose Yourself." And then they did it all together and that's it. So it's kind of funny when people are like "oh they're no longer family :(" like yeah that's the point.

Then we have soulfire who I say most of the people on that team were alone for they were already close to each other.

Like this was around the time where Tubbo started to feel very alone and then he got pushed into purgatory.

Tina was learning about or remembering her past as a demon and how much she hated it. And she also only really had foolish and bagi. But was also kinda pushing bagi away

Everything about badboyHalo. Him and Tubbo are so alike that it actually drives me crazy. And homestly during that time he only really had dapper.

Bagi who was rejected by her brother that she spent FOREVER TO FIND and the relationship between her and Tina was just starting.

Like even outside of purgatory soulfire still respects each other. It's only badboyHalo and tubbo that are willing to defend each other when other people keep stealing from them. Whenever Tina gets to see her beloved tubward she's always excited to see him and just happy to be with him again. The constant of soulfire members calling tubbo coach?? My heart is melting.

OH AND LETS NOT FORGET Pac, Bagi & bbh going to Purgatory 2 simply to save tubbo and bring tubbo back?? I'm sobbing my eyes out. Why did they make that their canon reason??? Cuz pain.

Yeah there was a moment where they had some respect issues for Tubbo. But Tubbo Time After Time proved himself to be the best leader for soulfire. Like sure anyone could have led soulfire but it's just something about tubbo being the main guy that pulls it all together. And on top of that it wasn't just tubbo leading bbh and tina where also helping and leading as much as they could. It would just lead back to tubbo. Unlike the bolas phil Messiah thing they had going on, even though that was good!

bagi when they came back still had great care for Tubbo. And that's just a here thing bte, they all did. She was one of the few people that saw him cracking and I will always love her for that. Now tubbo and bad have such a strange respect for each other that You Don't See with other characters. And I love that with all my heart.

they are so found family coded and I love them for it.

Found family even if they aren't together constantly anymore

Soulfire you will always always have a fan in me.

If soulfire has no defenders I'm DEAD

[dorkynerd23]

The Nuzi Hate Is Ridiculous And Just Saddening/Defending Nuzi.

Alright, so...let me just start off saying that this'll be the last time I'm going to discuss anything drama related, especially what goes on in the Murder Drones Community. Honestly, at least over here on Tumblr, the fandom isn't that bad and awful and is not that much of a trainwreck as it is over on the toxic bird site, but this is something that just NEEDS to be discussed in general. This situation and just the insane amount of drama and fighting that's been happening with the MD fandom lately has honestly been tiring and has taken a toll on me. it honestly has, if I'm gonna be honest, it's been draining and I just don't wanna talk and deal with this anymore. I just wanna move on from this situation and continue obsessing over and watching my favorite robot show and not deal with any of this unnecessary and childish drama anymore!

Anyways, for those who don't know, there's been a lot of arguing and fighting in the Murder Drones fandom as of lately, at least on over on Twitter, but it's been happening over on things like Tik Tok, even YouTube and it isn't uncommon exactly, but it is something that's gotten worse in as the show continues to grow in popularity. The main discussion and arguments when it comes to shipping in the Murder Drones fandom are between Envy (N X V) and Nuzi (N X Uzi) there's other ships in the fandom people like, but Envy and Nuzi are two of the most popular ones and the ones who are often the topics when it comes to shipping wars. I've already discussed and talked about the craziness and drama that's been happening with the fandom with some fans harassing and going after the VA's, people getting on them for their opinions, trying to switch things around to fulfill their egos, ect. But, the main thing I'm going to be talking about with today's topic is Nuzi and the amount of unnecessary hate it's gotten and how I think it's unfair, because it's seriously gotten worse and worse. And if you don't know what the ship Nuzi is and aren't very familiar with the ship or MD itself as a whole, basically, Nuzi is the pairing between Serial Designation N and Uzi Doorman from Murder Drones, who are two of our main characters in the show. Now, people have been shipping these two since the pilot and have enjoyed their interactions and at first in the beginning of the show it seems the show was hinting at the two being just good friends but as time went on, the show started to develop and explore the two and things started to change and the show has started hinting at both N and Uzi starting an eventual romance down the line and hinting at some romantic tension going between them. Now with Uzi, it seems she's definitely starting to fall in love with N and gaining feelings for him, but she seems to downside her crush on him and it's pretty one-sided since meanwhile with N and his side of things, he seems clueless and isn't aware of Uzi's feelings and it seems that he only sees Uzi as a friend and nothing more beyond that and the show hasn't hinted on how N feels about Uzi right now..of course, it's too early to tell for where the relationship between these two will go and it's too early to have N and Uzi fall in love and start an relationship but there is potential and room for them to start a relationship eventually, there's room to dive more into their dynamic and relationship and potential to have a good romance between the two.

Now, as I've stated..Nuzi has gotten an extreme amount of hate lately, some misinformation and rumors have been spread around in the fandom to the point it's caused people to start attacking others who are fans/love the ship and started going after and harassing fans who make fanart of the two, anits and especially diehard shippers of both Envy and Thuzi, (but it's mostly Envy shippers) keep on throwing around and saying the excuses on how Nuzi is a "P*oship" and how N is an adult and Uzi is a minor and how they're siblings, or say how, "Uzi has a crush on Thad!" "N has a crush on V and even admitted it!!" And they'll just use EVERY excuse in the book..they'll turn shit around and do whatever they can to make people feel bad and shitty for simply even adoring and liking Nuzi and finding it cute, hell it's even gotten to the point where some fans started going after others for liking other ships in the fandom like Vizzy/Pink Lemonade, and just any ships involving WD X DD. I'm not kidding, I've seen fans and others argue that Nuzi wouldn't work out because both N and Uzi are different robot species and how on N has killed and slaughtered Uzi's people. Apparently because both N and Uzi can't make a good pairing because they're apparently, "boring and uninteresting" and one is a WD and the other is a DD, but because both V and N are DD's and because they knew each other in the past that automatically means something..? Seriously?? I'm not joking when I say some of these fans are downright ridiculous and childish, they'll do whatever they can to stop people from liking ships like Nuzi and shame people for even enjoying it and make childish hate posts on said ship constantly, and it's overall just so hurtful and ridiculous, Dude. And it's people like them that make this fandom look awful and downright toxic, it's people like them that make others think that everyone in the fandom is like this when that's far from the truth!

I'm honestly really sick and tired of how this fandom mistreats and bullies other people just for simply liking different ships, people have stated that they feel hurt and feel like they can't like certain ships without them being attacked and shitted on, they feel like they can't like something they enjoy without others dragging them down and being hated on. It's ridiculous how some of these fans see Nuzi as the most awful and horrendous ever made and it needs to be forgotten forever. It's ridiculous and laughable how some of these people point out and rant on how much they hate Nuzi, only to make it the only thing they talk about and mention 24/7, some of these people literally just whine and complain about how they're not a fan of said ship. I mean, it's totally fine and okay to not like certain ships and you don't have to love and enjoy the same things as others do, but you don't need to make hate posts all the time and bash others for finding comfort and liking the ship they like, you don't need to make rants 24/7 on how you despite said ship..it just makes you look so damn childish and just unbearable, like okay..you're not a fan of certain ships, okay? JUST MOVE ON!! WE GET IT, just stop harassing and making us feel like shit and horrible people, stop making us feel terrible for loving Nuzi, just move on and just don't interact with us if it bothers some of you so damn much. I mean, it's gotten so bad that some have left the MD fandom because of the toxicity and childish behavior from some of these fans. Just please stop and be nice to one another, it's not right how some of you will harass and do whatever you can to make people feel shitty for enjoying what they love and trying to paint them out as these awful individuals. Like seriously, I just cannot stand shipping wars and I really despise them, shipping wars are such a waste of time and are just an excuse to harass and cause unnecessary drama and it just results with people getting hurt. And I've said this many times before and I'm gonna say it again, shipping shouldn't be the ONLY thing to focus on when watching and getting into any piece of media. There's much more to love and look forward to, there's more to appreciate and shows have more to offer than just ships, SHIPPING AIN'T EVERYTHING.

One more thing I'm gonna add and talk about before we finish up is that..I don't even understand and get the hate Nuzi has received, I mean I'm fine and totally alright with people seeing them as friends and respect their opinions. But, what's with some of these people just disliking and harassing people for seeing the two more than just friends and wanting them to be something more? I've seen people argue and say that it's either too cliche and just call both Uzi and N, Starco 2.0. And it's just ridiculous how some of these fans and antis act whenever there's moments with Uzi and N together or when the show is hinting at a possibility of the two being an item someday. Is this seriously how these toxic fans are gonna act whenever Nuzi have any moments together?? Whether it's romantic or not? It just seems the idea of Uzi and N being something more just burns these fans up inside and just frustrates them to the core. Nuzi ISN'T what you guys think it is and it's more than that, nothing is being rushed and forced and nothing is being written poorly between them either, and they AREN'T another Starco. Also, Nuzi isn't just here for fanservice, these moments we've gotten with Uzi and N were already planned out and worked on, MD has been in the works and in production since about 2020, wayyy before the show even came out and before the fandom was even a thing. Uzi and N were already planned and hinted at being something more and having something special between them, they were always meant to have something deeper and important and the show seems to be going the route in wanting to develop further into Uzi and N's dynamic and their relationship as a whole. The scenes we've gotten for Uzi and N have always been planned out and if Nuzi happens and becomes a thing in the series, it's because Liam wants it to be and planned it that way, NOT BECAUSE OF FANSERVICE!! It's fine if you're not a fan of the pairing and just don't find any interest in it, you can love and like what you want. But please stop acting like it's a big deal and something to get angry about, because it's not..it's not worth it. It's not worth throwing tantrums and acting over the top about, just move on and ignore.

Anyways, this is all I've wanted to talk about when it comes to this Nuzi hate and the drama that surrounds the ship when it comes to the fandom, I've just wanted to give my thoughts. Also, everyone in the Murder Drones Community, just PLEASE be nice and kind to one another and respect each other's opinions. ♥️ You guys are better than this and getting into arguments and shipping wars aren't worth it and are just plain silly, doing any of this just results in people being hurt and affected, getting into shipping wars aren't worth it and they're are better things to do. Please, be nice to each other and if you aren't a fan of certain ships in the show then that's fine and alright. Just move on and scroll away and respect other's feelings and opinions, you don't have to like a ship that's popular or what many seem to like! Just don't be a dick and treat others like crap and make hate posts just because you're not a fan of said ship, just please move on and keep moving forward! Plain and simple, just ignore and move on with your day, mistreating and hurting others just isn't worth it.

[exilethegame]

i've been having an itch to write an if game, do you have any tips? i feel like its a very bad idea to jump straight in head first yk?

So much of it is a "figure it out as you go" kind of thing, but here's what I've learned, personally, and how I usually go about things!

1.) Figure out the kind of story you're trying to tell. That goes with any form of media. Is it a comedy? A tragedy? Is it meant to read like an old fairytale or a YA novel? What makes writing good is incredibly subjective, so it's important to find your genre + voice as a writer and play into your strengths. You can't satisfy everyone, so aim to satisfy yourself.

2.) Figure out who the player character is. What is their history? What's their role in the story? Why are they the player character? Figure out how much variation you want for them-- what's solidified about their past, and what's open for headcanons, and what's open for choices in-game?

3.) Treat MC with as much dedication as your main characters-- don't separate them from everyone else. People want MC to feel like an active part of the story. This is a generalization, of course, but I know myself and others enjoy an MC who has agency and feels just as fleshed out as the other characters in the story. I don't want MC to feel like a "observer" but rather an active character in the narrative.

4.) Plan out your game mechanics + the affinity system ahead of time. This is something I didn't fully do, and while it wasn't earth destroying, it has made coding unnecessarily messy at times on my end. Is it a stat heavy game or choice heavy game? What are the important stats, and how often will the player be able to influence them? I find the second part of that to be the most important, as you want to pace stat increases/decreases with the length + pace of the game. For example, in The Exile, MC's personality can only change in the first three chapters. Once MC is brought to Plaithus, their personality is locked in. This goes for other variables too-- sometimes there are only "windows" when they're able to be influenced. This helps me keep track of what's what and not be overwhelmed by the amount of stats I have.

5.) Plan out your cast, and make sure everyone has a purpose to the story. If you can't defend the presence of a character in your story, you might need to rethink their presence, or otherwise change the character. This doesn't mean they need to have a giant, crazy character arc connected to the main story, but rather that they bring something to the table that other characters don't. That being said, it probably is a good idea to make sure every main character in the story has some sort of personal story arc. It can be small, but it's nice to see how characters change over the course of a narrative, otherwise they might feel "static."

6.) Know why you're making your story. Is it for yourself? Is it for fun? Is it to make money? Is it to make art? Will it be public or private? If you're making the game public, prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for critique and external opinions. I think we, as creators, sometimes underestimate (especially in IF and on Tumblr) just how crazy things can get with reader/author interactions.

And, my final piece of advice...

7.) Learn to set boundaries and say no with a full chest. Your game is your game at the end of the day, no one else's. Do what makes you feel happy and fulfilled and write the kind of story you want to read. And, of course, be easy on yourself. Writing takes time and effort, and sometimes you'll hit hurdles. The most important thing is to be patient with yourself and learn to keep on going forward, even when the going gets tough. As I always like to say, writing slowly is better than not writing at all!

Best of luck if you decide to make the jump and write a game!

[ninja-knox-ur-sox-off]

Sorry for the random asks, I just get random thoughts.

If the Wobbly Hearts AU Ninja were in a band AU who would be doing/playing what?

-froginninjago

bro ur asks are fun so this works out HGLKSJDF

Okay, i had to think a bit hard on this one but here we go

Jay - Lead Guitar: Bro has some wild speed which would be dope for shredding amazing for finger picking, this, ofc, is in reference to his elemental power of lightning. I'd think he can play several different types of guitars ranging from a standard electric to the banjo. He also likes to be front and centre a lot of the time and absolutely thrives off of attention so guitar solos would really give him a chance to shine. I imagine he'd play with a speed similar to this guy though likely not with that type of guitar

Kai - Bass guitar/backup vocalist: I'd actually give Kai the bass cause it's criminally underrated (like kai in the show it feels like sometimes) and it kinda lends itself to the fact his character ends up being more of a supporting role (specifically to Lloyd in the show) in the background rather than the main protagonist. He's extremely skilled in a way that not a lot of people notice, an avid bass defender and hype man and only slightly annoyed that Jay has more fans than him. He likely posts lots of bass shredding vids online

Cole - Drums: I mean come on you had to have seen this coming. I know it almost feels basic to put him but it fits so WELL. He's the one who keeps the team on track in the show and on beat in the band. He's so steady and consistent that it kinda blends together and you forget he's there sometimes. He's the one band member who can go out in public and not a single person will recognize him and he's cool with that. He has an amazing voice and could easily be a lead singer but he's content where he is. He's wildly skilled on the drums and I imagine people would start taking notice in him when he has like a drum solo that happens and its kinda like how Jay is crazy on the guitar he'd be outrageous like this dude

Lloyd - Lead Vocals/drums: Lloyd's currently learning drums from Cole and he's having a lot of fun with them. (a nod to my hc of Cole teaching Lloyd how to lead in the show.) He has the best voice out of the group with an INSANE range in his vocals. He can go from more like straight up angelic sounding to like hardcore screaming and so he's pretty versatile. (A nod to his oni/dragon sides.) He doesn't enjoy singing as much as he does drumming but he's good at it so he doesn't mind being the lead. Though he's not a huge fan of his fans. They're a little crazy. If you want to see him smile ask him to play the drums for you, he gets really winded and is always grinning with his hair a complete mess afterwards. He gets a lot of dopamine from da drums. He also enjoys helping Nya out with writing their lyrics

Nya - Stage Manager(previous)/Backup Guitarist/Second Lead Vocal/Songwriter: Nya is pretty versatile in what she can do. She knows the basics of base, is a pretty solid contender for lead guitar, she's also learning drums from Cole alongside Lloyd. She used to handle the behind the scenes stuff at some point before she actually joined the band. Her ability to both carve out her own place and easily fill in for the other's if they need to tap out lends itself to her element power of water something something. I kinda think of Walk Off the Earth with their two lead vocalists and how their voices blend together really well and the harmonies are really nice for how Nya and Lloyd would sound together. She also has a huge hand in writing the bands songs obviously. Kai did a lot of the lyrics for a while but he's not the most creative person. The whole band kinda has a hand in writing and its a group effort but Nya's usually the one leading it

Pixal - Stage Manager (current): I'm thinking Pixal used to be like, a solo act for a while or something? I dunno I actually couldn't get many ideas for her. But a soloist songwriter and maybe singer and she eventually retired from that and runs things behind the scenes for the band, booking stuff, getting transport, she's great at her job and the whole band loves and appreciates her, Kai regularly dramatically falls across her lap to ask "What would we do without you?" when she hands him a juice box after a set. She also handles the technology (with some assistance from Nya and sometimes Zane) and any more digital sounds they want added to their music

Zane - oh screw it, it's gotta be violin doesn't it??: come on just listen to his Falcon Chase song what else would he play??? All his songs in this show are literally strings!!! Cello, viola, violin, fiddle. i imagine he's classically trained in a lot of the bow + stringed instruments. I'm thinking Lindsey Stirling type playing probably or something. It lends itself to his controlled but emotional?? way of dealing with stuff? You can get a wide range of emotion from these types of instruments and he knows how to pull at your heartstrings (get it cause strings instrument--[gets hit with a chair])

Am i well versed enough in music to know if all these instruments would work well together? No, no i am not. But the concepts are cool and I guess i can be a lil silly goofy with it

[shepherds-of-haven]

Hi Lena! I hope your week has been pleasant thus far!

I’m not sure if this question has already been asked yet, but what kind of characters would the ROs be in a horror movie? Like, who’s the cynical character that doesn’t believe the monster is real, the cocky guy who is all like “yeah I can beat this idiot no problem”, the “survivor” character that shows up later in the movie to help the main cast, etc.

Sorry if this question doesn’t really make any sense, feel free to ignore this is you want! 😅

Hi there, I sort of answered this question in various different ways--I'd recommend checking out the Halloween horror masterpost, which has a few different horror AUs!--but I didn't really specify what "tropes" the characters might fall into, so here goes!

Blade: I'd think he's the leader character who tries to give everyone the best chances of survival by directing them to defend themselves and makes you feel safe with his presence (you know, like the older brother who was in the military or the super strong athlete boyfriend or the hyper-competent neighbor with a mysterious set of skills or what have you), but then he has to leave the group because he stands the best chance of getting help (thus removing the comfort of his presence and rocketing up the anxiety of the film); he probably gets "killed" by the killer in a jumpscare and is knocked out and left for dead for most of the movie, then shows up all bloodied to stab the killer in the back at the last minute when the audience thought he was dead! So he survives, but he's pretty heavily injured and the rest of the group has to help him make it out

Trouble: he's full of confident bravado, like "you know what? *grabs kitchen knife* fuck this guy, I can take him! he can't get all of us!!" *immediately gets killed* or *power goes out* *in an effort to reassure the group* "don't worry guys, I'll go out there by myself to check the circuit box, nothing could go wrong!" Or he's the guy who "sacrifices" himself so the rest of the group can get away, potentially with the surprise ending of coming back with the police to arrest the killer and finding him alive after all! So he has a very low chance of survival, but he might live depending on how things shake out!

Tallys: she has final girl energy for sure, she's the one hearing Trouble offering to go outside in the storm alone and is savvy enough to be like "mm-mm. nope. we're not doing that. not today!" She's the one who doesn't seem like she's doing much throughout the movie as all the people are getting picked off, but then you see her doing really clever things like rigging booby traps or hiding under a bed so she can stab the killer in a foot or something crazy like that. Her self-preservation instincts and cunning definitely means she's going to make it through to the end: whether she's the lone survivor or if her skills guided the group to safety after Blade and Trouble got taken out just depends on what type of movie we're watching, lol!

Shery: sadly, she has helpless victim energy where she's so terrified and unskilled that someone (like Trouble) might first die defending her, making the audience frustrated, and then she might end up dying as well! Or she might end up just hiding away somewhere, not able to contribute but not dying, either! ...But yeah, she has sweet, innocent, sacrificial lamb energy, so she might die just to show the audience how wicked the villain truly is 😭

Riel: he's the skeptic of the group, he's the one who refuses to believe that anything supernatural is going on, he's the logician who flatly says, "this can't be happening. there has to be some other explanation." I feel like those types of people generally die in horror movies, so he's probably dead, but if we're not going by horror movie rules, he's probably smart enough to outwit the killer/supernatural threat if he can break through his own disbelief and actually start scheming against it! If it's like a monster or something like that, he stands a good chance, but if it's a demon or a ghost, he's probably dead 😵

Chase: he's the comic relief, he's the one keeping the morale group high, he's the clown who seems largely unfazed by what's happening but is skilled and capable enough to help defend the group. I feel like those types stand a solid 50/50 chance in most horror movies, where if they're minor characters, they'll definitely die, but if they're major members of the cast, they end up being one of the heroes of the story because the audience is fond of and rooting for them. Given Chase's uncanny ability to survive most things life throws at him, however improbable, I think he's one of the last ones standing, kind of like in Cabin in the Woods!

Red: he's the source of information, the smart one who's providing everyone with the backstory/information/mythology of the killer/threat. The guy who's been researching local anthropology in the area and just happens to have extensive knowledge of "that one serial killer in the 80s who [insert backstory] here." He might lack the common sense or hard survival instincts of a Tallys or a Blade, but he stands a good chance of surviving so long as no one sends him off by himself! If he's caught out alone, he's 100% a goner 😔

Ayla: she has like "batshit final girl" energy, the member of the group who seems sullen and withdrawn at a party and strangers are like, "what's her deal?" and there's some backstory or implied allusion to her dark past where she survived being kidnapped by Jigsaw or her parents were killed by a serial killer or something like that, and you think it's all speculation until someone starts killing people off and she's already in the corner sticking nails in a bat or busting out the chainsaw saying grimly, "Not like this. Not again." She stands a very good chance of survival so long as her trauma doesn't make her act reckless and the killer doesn't outsmart her by digging a booby trap or something!

Briony: I feel like she either has badass final girl energy or the energy of someone who vastly underestimates her opponent, like I could see her taking charge after some of the others get taken out and is like, "Don't worry guys, I've taken tae kwon do for ten years!" and she just is like not really processing the level of depravity that is going on and just gets annihilated, or she's the one keeping the group together and like plows the killer down with a car in the chaos or something like that. If Shery causes anyone to die to protect her, though, it's definitely going to be her BFF Briony 😭

Lavinet: this is not who Lavinet is in real life, but in a horror movie AU I could definitely see her being cast as the pretty, popular, spoiled rich girl who gets gruesomely murdered first lol... realistically in her "real life" persona I definitely think she'd be a final girl, almost to the point of prioritizing her own survival over someone else's, but in horror movie trope standards I think she'd be the one making out with some random jock in the car outside before the killer pops up in the backseat and then you cut to the characters walking outside and finding the car on, idling, with the windows covered in blood 😭

Halek: he is absent/sleeps through the majority of the spooky stuff (or, like, he's the guy you see at the beginning of the movie who can't go on the trip to the haunted cabin because he has to work or some bullshit and you sort of forget he's a part of the cast but then he shows up to save the day at the end because he felt like something was off when no one was answering his text messages)! He's sort of baffled when everyone piles into his car screaming bloody murder and can't relate to their ✨ trauma ✨ but at least he saved them!

[danganronpasurvivoraskblog]

Hajime Hinata VS Izuku Midoriya [Danganronpa Survivor VS My Hero Academia]

Hifumi: Hajime Hinata, the Ultimate Hope from Hope's Peak Academy.

Leona: Izuku Midoriya, the Symbol of Hope from U.A Academy!

Uchui: The masses need a savior when the world is in danger. In a society that consistently held them back, these incredible heroes began life with nothing and developed the charm, fortitude, compassion, and drive to defend the people they care about.

Hifumi: However, which one of them will prevail when everything is on the line?

Leona: He's Hifumi, I'm Leona and THAT'S Uchui! 

Hifumi: And it's our job to analyze their weapons, talents and skills, to see who will win a DEATH BATTLE!

Leona: So we've decided to have Uchui come back for another major role in an episode, and in case you're wondering why...This. This is why.

Uchui: Yes. After all, I happen to have quite a unique attachment to our combatant today.

Leona: Everyone strap in, because we are about to talk about one of the most convoluted and batshit crazy backstories in all Danganronpa lore...and yes, I ACTUALLY mean that this time.

Hifumi: To start with, let's once again go over Hope's Peak Academy, since it actually plays a pretty heavy role in this story, even more so than compared to our other combatants. There are definitely a lot of talented people in our world who have extraordinary skills that make them appear superior to others. People swarm to these gifted individuals, referring to them as prodigies, savants, or even geniuses.

Leona: And Hope's Peak is a school that focuses on these people, giving them Ultimate titles. Like the 77th Class of Ultimate Students, which were freshmen around the same time this story starts. They included characters like the Ultimate Gamer, Gymnast, Team Manager, Mechanic, Photographer...even Princess and Yakuza!

Uchui: Hope's Peak Academy and it's staff did not care about who you were or where you were from. Be you a poor slum dweller with barely any cash or power to your name, or the heir to a powerful empire with a criminal underbelly, it didn't matter. So long as you were the most talented high schooler in your respective field, you could be invited to attend Hope's Peak's main course as an Ultimate.

Hifumi: Emphasis on the "invite" part. Unlike most Japanese high schools, Hope's Peak Academy does not have an entrance exam, at least it didn't at the time. Modern Hope's Peak under the guide of Makoto Naegi is different and more welcoming, but back in the old days, you had to actively be scouted by the academy itself in order for a chance to attend.

Uchui: There WAS, however, more to this. In the year that Class 77-B enrolled, the Reserve Course was launched by the Academy runners. It was designed for students without talent who could attend classes for a hefty fee. Reserve Course attendance was required, and students were treated like regular students, in contrast to Ultimate students who could choose to attend classes or not. Only three Reserve Course students are currently recognized by name, but the most significant by far...was Hajime Hinata.

Hifumi: Like many of his kind, Mr Hinata had always admired Hope's Peak Academy and hoped to attend since he was a young child. It was a lofty ambition of his, comparable to becoming a superhero or celebrity. Being a part of something greater than himself would allow him to overcome his self-consciousness and grow into a person he could be proud of. Being a talentless person, he thought his life was boring, and that he himself was worthless.

Leona: But thanks to the Reserve Course, Hajime got to attend his dream school, lived a happy life, and enjoyed his studies to the fullest, right? Right?

Uchui: Not by a LONG shot. Even as a Reserve student with no talent, Hajime continued to feel inadequate. He was so resentful of his own limitations that it drove him to want to enroll in the Main Course, not be some backup student. And frankly, the Academy itself and the twisted bastards that ran it, the Steering Committee, did NOT help with this. In fact, they only ADDED to the emotional damage!

Hifumi: In the eyes of the academy runners, having talent was the key to success in life; without it, one can only lead a life of mediocrity and meaninglessness. The Reserve Course Students were despised as merely affluent children who gained admission to the Academy of Hope by buying their way in. 

Leona: Oh...Well...That's ok! 'Cause he made a friend! A friend in the form of a really cute and chubby main-course student, Chiaki Nanami! The Ultimate Gamer! They met on the first day of school and met at the fountain to play video games together on a regular basis. She once consoled him after he was upset about not having a talent, telling him that there is more to life than that and that spending time with others is was important.

Uchui: While I can get behind that, and while Hajime was happy to have her company, his obsession with being something greater did not lessen. In fact, the longer he stayed at Hope's Peak, the worse things got, especially when one of his fellow Reserve Course students was murdered by another, and the academy not only refused to do anything about it, but they actively COVERED IT UP to avoid backlash from the public.

Hifumi: When he tried to confront the academy about it, he was swiftly...beaten to the curb. It was here that whatever self-confidence he once had left his body entirely. He wasn't even HUMAN in the eyes of his heroes, just a money-bank! At least...that's what he thought.

Uchui: Truth be told, Hajime had caught the interest of some...suspicious individuals working on an experiment with the Steering Committee...This was the Hope Cultivation Plan, otherwise known as the Izuru Kamukura Project.

Leona: With this being the last straw, Hajime signed up for the project, where he, a young skinny kid, received superpowers to become CAPTAIN AMERICAAAA-This is the wrong script, isn't it?

Hifumi: Well, it DOES share some similarities, but the actual outcome could not have been more drastically different. This is the part you should explain Mr Porosen, assuming you're alright with it...

Uchui: It's perfectly fine. It's why I came on the show today after all...Ahem...Truth be told, the original plan for the Izuru Kamukura Project was proposed by Ryuichi Kamukura, a descendent of Izuru Kamukura; the original founder of Hope's Peak...He's also...my Father...

Leona: If you think that's a yowch, it'll hurt more to know that in spite of Izuru reportedly being a rather humble man, his descendants were anything BUT! The family is basically the Danganronpa equivalent of Umbrella Corp. reputed for their secretly evil and ruthless nature, sacrificing anyone and anything in their quest to achieve perfection. The only exception, and the only one of them who actually had a fucking conscience, was Uchui here.

Uchui: And the Hope Cultivation Plan was supposed to be my father's pièce de résistance. The purpose of the experiment that my father designed, oversaw, and received funding for from The Steering Committee, was to produce artificial hope in talentless students and create the "Ultimate Hope," a student possessing every talent Hope's Peak Academy has ever studied. In actuality, my father implanted pieces of artificial talents into me, making me a test subject who first demonstrated that it was possible. Hope's Peak was sought after by him because he believed that high school age was the ideal age, since I was still a child and my body was not suitable for it. B-But this isn't about me! Since Hajime on the other hand, they deemed was the perfect candidate. 

Hifumi: As you may have surmised, in order to accomplish this goal, immoralities such as human experimentation were needed. For this reason, the Steering Committee concealed the project from everyone, including Principal Jin Kirigiri and the other Hope's Peak Faculty members. As a matter of fact, the Kamukura Project was primarily funded by the Reserve Course, with the majority of students' tuition fees going toward it, and the project had enough money to start the human testing phase before the freshman year of Class 77-B.

Uchui: And for better or worse, the experiment was a SUCCESS! Hajime took this offer because he was so desperate for talent, and in the end he acquired every talent known to man. And so the "Ultimate Hope" came into being—the one and only human being who is flawless and whose abundance of gifts is intended to give others hope.

Leona: Great! So now he can basically do everything! And it's not just a matter of being as great as every Ultimate Student! Hajime actually EXCEEDS all of them in their latent abilities by a MILE!

Uchui: Ultimate Hope is the most powerful talent that our universe has ever known from how it culminates every ability. It includes the powers of Ultimate Analyst, Ultimate Clairvoyant, Ultimate Imposter, Ultimate Lucky Student, Ultimate Martial Artist, Ultimate Secret Agent, Ultimate Soldier, Ultimate Assassin, Ultimate Neurologist, Ultimate Detective, Ultimate Team Manager, Ultimate Gymnast, Ultimate Photographer, Ultimate Cook, Ultimate Animator, Ultimate Programmer, Ultimate Mechanic, Ultimate Musician, Ultimate Pharmacist, Ultimate Gambler, Ultimate Confectioner, Ultimate Blacksmith, Ultimate Pyrotechnician, Ultimate Nurse, Ultimate-

Leona: Stop! STOP! STOOOP! Are you seriously listing EVERYTHING!?

Uchui: Uh...yeah? Is that not the idea?

Leona: We will literally be here FOREVER if you list of EVERY skill he has, you nerd!

Uchui: Oh...I...Sorry...I got a bit carried away there...As dastardly as the circumstances are, I cannot help but marvel at the results.

Hifumi: Well, we DO have to at least explain SOME of them, otherwise our audience won't have much to work with. Why don't we go over the one's that are most notable and important; i.e. the one's that would help him in combat? Then we can elaborate on them and explain feats.

Uchui: Oh, I see! Well in that case, let's start with some basic combative talents like Ultimate Soldier. Because of his talents, Hajime is above superhuman in terms of physical strength, reflexes, and speed. This gives him Mukuro Ikusaba's talent, but to a much larger extent, so he should be able to accomplish all of her achievements and feats as well. Speaking of Ms. Ikusaba, he actually launched her with a backhand move not long after he unlocked his abilities. He can effortlessly dodge bullets like her too.

Leona: That's right! Remember that super badass and almost unbeatable Ultimate Soldier that has incredible instincts that we talked about in Round 2? Hajime was standing RIGHT in front of her, hit her with an attack that she DIDN'T SEE COMING, and ONE-SHOT HER! Holy shit! Where was your Ultra Instinct THAT time Mukuro!?

Hifumi: Speaking of strong characters and matching feats, Mr. Hinata is knowledgeable about and skilled in every martial art, just like Mrs. Sakura Ogami, and he is swift and strong enough to defeat the Monokuma that Junko Enoshima was using in the first Killing Game, whereas SHE could match it.

Leona: With his talents, Hajime should realistically be able to do everything the likes that Genocide Jill, Akane Owari and Nekomaru Nidai; other powerful characters in the series, some of which we've already gone over!

Hifumi: Remember how, without using any climbing equipment, Ms. Owari climbed the Hope's Peak building with ease, detected the smell of cooking meat while on the roof, and survived the fall from the roof to the ground? He can do that too!

Uchui: Remember how Genocide Jill used a pair of scissors to cut through robots the size of small houses, leaped from the ground to a monorail several stories above, shattered glass windows without a running start, cut through a steel door, and deflected blows from a robot the size of a skyscraper? He can do that too!

Leona: Remember how Nekomaru took a shit so hard that it carved a hole through a forest and screamed so hard that he generated three explosions the size of Hope's Peak Academy? He can do that too!

Uchui: Uuuuh...Yes! Yes he can! As much as I loathe to be reminded of that...!

Hifumi: As with Ms. Komaru Naegi, who we've already mentioned has an excellent eye and accuracy, Mr. Hinata also possesses marksman abilities and ought to be the world's greatest marksman. More importantly, he should outclass Kiyoka Maki, the ACTUAL Ultimate Marksman, in terms of dexterity and proficiency with a gun.

Leona: But of course, there's more to fight than just being able to move and punch super fast and hard. You also have to consider skill, tactics, and of course, bullshit. And BOY does he have some BULL-SHIT!

Hifumi: Ironically what may be Izuru's two most useful abilities originally come from less-than-desirable people. His eventual arch-enemy, Junko Enoshima, and his arch-rival, Nagito Komaeda. These talents of course being Ultimate Analytical Prowess and Ultimate Lucky Student respectively.

Uchui: Hajime's analytical abilities are nearly unopposed, much like Junko's, possessing a startlingly high degree of accuracy and speed in his prediction abilities. Additionally, he has the ability to read people the moment he meets them. He also has the talent Ultimate Lie Detector and has stated himself that he can detect dishonesty in others, which renders any attempt to deceive him futile.

Hifumi: Furthermore, he's demonstrated an overabundance of good fortune with the Ultimate Lucky Student talent, to the extent that it can rival that of Nagito Komaeda. He is among the very few individuals who are shielded from Komaeda's extreme bad luck as a result. The best example of this is when Komaeda pointed a gun at Enoshima not long after their first meeting. When he attempts to fire the at the Ultimate Hope, Mr. Hinata's good fortune overrides Komaeda's, causing the gun to jam.

Leona: Ok, but...wait a second...I think I get how this hypothetically COULD be possible. I mean, for performance enhancing and combat powers, you can fiddle with his brain, fuck with his genes or mess with his muscles and skeletal structure. I GET that. But how in the ever-loving fuck do you gift somebody LUCK!? Luck isn't a substance! It's an immaterial thing that has no conclusive sway, so...how is he able to do this?

Uchui: Good question! NEXT QUESTION...!

Leona: Um...alrighty then! So, at the end of the day, Hajime got his wish and then some! He had gone from being a nobody to being the icon that Hope's Peak's morals were grounded on! A symbol of Hope for the future of all mankind! And he was loving every second of it!

Uchui: I'm sure he would...if he had been around to see it...

Leona: I really need to stop jinxing myself...Ok, what happened this time?

Hifumi: Truth be told, a lot of the feats that we've just listed were, technically, not achieved by Mr. Hinata himself. As it turns out, the Steering Committee and the Cultivation Team, as they did VERY OFTEN, DECIEVED Mr. Hinata. In addition to being endowed with an abundance of abilities and boundless potential for greatness, he was also lobotomized in order to eliminate any memories, personality, or other emotional functions that might have impeded the development of talent. Not that they told HIM that.

Leona: Those dirty...FUCKING...BASTARDS!

Uchui: Quite right. Hajime was used as a lab rat by the very people he spent his whole life looking up to, who took advantage of his talent and feelings of admiration for hope. They eliminated every sense, feeling, thought, and pastime that would have impeded the development of talent. His memories of the past, including those of his best friend Chiaki, were all pushed deep into the back of his mind by force. The academy changed Hajime into an entirely different person whose specialty is talent itself by directly interfering with his brain. He was supposed to be the result of all the research done by the faculty at Hope's Peak Academy, a genius among geniuses with a variety of skills. He became an empty shell of a human stuffed with nothing but talent...He became...Izuru Kamukura...!

Leona: He became your granddad?

Uchui: No, he was named after my granddad, silly! Ryuichi wanted to make sure that our "family legacy" was recognized as such, so he and the Hope's Peak Steering Committee named him after the academy founder.

Leona: Ugh this is all...so fucked! How can this get any worse?

Hifumi: Well, three words...Junko...! Fucking...! Enoshima...!

Leona: UUUUUUUUUGH GAAAWWWD! What did she do THIS time!?

Uchui: At first, it seemed as though she was trying to kill him because he was the Ultimate Hope, but Junko's true goal was to attack him knowing she couldn't win in order to demonstrate Despair's unpredictable nature, peaking what little curiosity Izuru had. By forcing him to witness the student council members' mutual murder and many other forms of humanity at their worst, Junko coerced Izuru into leading the Remnants of Despair—a group made up of Chiaki's brainwashed classmates—and causing the Tragedy. Izuru changed his title from "Ultimate Hope" to "Ultimate Despair" after siding with Despair and leading to the total destruction of Hope's Peak and the world.

Leona: On the one hand...this guy is one of the main reasons why the Tragedy happened...But on the other, SWEET TASTY KARMA for the fuckboys at Hope's Peak! It's so REFRESHING MMM!

Hifumi: That's...weirdly psychotic of you...But I suppose it makes sense?

Leona: Ok, but to be fair, putting my lust for vengeance aside, this doesn't sound great...The Ultimate Hope is evil and Hajime is dead! ...OR IS HE!? Later on down the line, Izuru Kamukura got confronted by the Future Foundation and he and his cronies in the Remnants of Despair were placed in the Neo World Program, a program designed to undo Junko's brainwashing after her death.

Hifumi: Following Izuru's entry into the Neo World Program, Hajime's memories were recovered and his former personality was recreated using historical data, essentially resurrecting Hajime from his near-total erasure.

Leona: Awesome! Hajime's alive again, he and his friends are getting...questionable therapy, Junko's dead and everything's back to normal! ...I just did it again, didn't I?

Hifumi: It turns out that Izuru predicted in advance, likely using his analyst and clairvoyance talents, that the Future Foundation would attempt to go this route. He even knew in advance that Hajime would be brought back through these means. However, following Junko's passing, Kamukura devised a scheme to use the Neo World Program to enable Alter Ego Junko to take control of their bodies, with the help of the other Remnants of Despair. Junko's AI infiltrated the program and kickstarted the Jabberwock Island Killing Game!

Leona: Oh GREAAAAT! How the hell does the Future Foundation even contend with that!? The most powerful, intelligent and unstoppable person completely destroyed their master plan, and now nothing is going to stop them! ...Did I just jinx it again?

Uchui: In a positive spin this time, yes! It turns out that in spite of being responsible for Junko's presence in the program, Izuru's intentions DIDN'T align with hers. At least...not completely...

Leona: How so?

Uchui: Well, one interesting thing that many people forget about Izuru Kamukura is that in spite of his unmatched prowess of predictions and insight, he doesn't know EVERYTHING. In fact, Junko was actually able to surprise him by showing him the unpredictability of Despair during the slaughter of the student council. Izuru almost got shot in the face and didn't see it coming due to Despair's unpredictability. However, at the same time, he found out that Hope could be equally as unpredictable...When Junko masterminded the death of Chiaki Nanami, Hajime's best friend, and the main catalyst in brainwashing her classmates.

Leona: Aw, she died!? How could they be so...*sniff*...HEARTLESS!?

Hifumi: That's Junko Enoshima for you...But the real surprise was that when Izuru witnessed Chiaki's final moments...he cried. Something that he never expected he could feel. And it was here that Izuru really figured out what needed to happen. What he needed to do.

Uchui: Ultimately unable to make up his mind between Hope and Despair, he had chosen to sit back and watch the other members of Ultimate Despair. This was to determine if it would be in his best interest to pursue Junko's Despair or Chiaki's Hope. His personal objective, which even Junko was unaware of, was to watch the conflict between hopelessness and optimism and ultimately decide which side to support by uploading the AI into the program and seeing how things played out. To which Hajime found his hope again through Chiaki's AI counterpart, and was able to retake control of his mind, body, and very being.

Leona: And...he ACTUALLY came back this time, right? Like ACTUALLY? I don't want to jinx it again.

Uchui: Yep, he came back as himself finally. However, even though Hajime returned, Izuru didn't exactly leave. It turns out that Izuru and Hajime's identities merged into one by the time they arrived to save the Future Foundation with the revived Remnants following the Final Killing Game, as he recalled his memories before the project. Additionally, Izuru continued to exist in Hajime's mind for a while as a ghostly illusion, resembling a second personality that lurked in the shadows.

Leona: But Hajime still came back, and he got to live a happy life fighting for the future he believed in with his friends on Jabberwock Island; and he lived out his days in peace...

Uchui: At least until he almost died and Izuru automatically took over his body again...

Leona: OH COME ON!

Hifumi: We will likely be here forever if we break down everything Mr. Hinata has accomplished or what he's been through, but we should definitely get to breaking down feats and general stats as we always do.

Uchui: We've already kind of broken down some powers and the things that Hajime is capable of, but let's talk about some feats. Let's start with general strength.

Leona: Hajizuru is stronger, faster, tougher and smarter than every other Danganronpa character, including people who can fight skyscraper sized robots, dodge machine gun bullets, elbow drop the floor to make it collapse and survive the fall with no injuries, hold onto a vehicle moving at escape velocity, survive a barrage of missile hitting them with no damage and survive the roof of a building falling on them with no permanent damage. That's pretty neat!

Uchui: Now might be a good time to mention that Hajime is actually one of three people (not including Makoto Naegi because his is different) that holds the title Ultimate Hope, and is the first of three who have received these powers; though the other two did so through Organization Zetsubou's Hope Serum, a concoction that gives them a pseudo-powerful version of Hajime's overpowered abilities. These two are Ayumu Fujimori, a young man in a similar shitty situation to a young Hajime, who he sensed a kindred spirit in, and Nagito Komaeda, Hajime's long running arch-rival, who gained the powers to be on equal footing with him...Which turned out to not have been the case at all.

Hifumi: During his fight with both Ultimate Hope's, Mr. Hinata seemed to be even with them, but as it turns out, once Kamukura took control of his body again, he revealed that Mr. Hinata had been holding back...MASSIVELY. And the following beatdown on Komaeda, he proved this.

Leona: Starting with Ayumu, even though he only had his powers for a few days, after being forced to watch Komaeda kill his closest companion...yeah things are really awkward between these three like that...purely out of rage, he let out a huge burst of energy that levelled a small town! So how does Hajime scale to that? Surprise! Turns out he's a NUKE waiting to happen!

Hifumi: To be more specific, after his fight with Komaeda in the city of Kyoto, when Kamukura took over, Chiaki Nanami stated that Izuru's natural potency has the potential to level ALL OF KYOTO, resulting in the destruction of many homes and facilities, and the potential deaths of tens of thousands. If we take this literally, it puts Mr. Hinata's natural power on the same level, if not slightly higher, as the Little Boy bomb that destroyed Hiroshima. That's about 15 Kilotons of TNT by the way.

Uchui: And he can recreate this explosion just...letting out all the power that's inside him! He doesn't even need to MOVE to do that! In that same fight against Nagito, his opponent tossed the top half of a skyscraper at him...And Izuru responded by COMPLETELY OBLITERATING the projectile and grinding it to dust...by simply FLICKING A PEBBLE AT IT. And in reality, we KNOW that Izuru is FAR stronger than this! He FAR surpasses some of the strongest feats of strength in Danganronpa, and right now, the most powerful calculable feat of strength Big Bang Monokuma's head being rocketed up so high, it blasted a hole through the clouds. This was briefly discussed in Komaru's episode, but scaling Hajime to that, it would increase his attack potency from 15 Kilotons to AT LEAST 173 Kilotons of TNT.

Hifumi: But by far his most potent feat is his latest and greatest. In the middle of a standoff with Matta Gyalusetsu, Izuru Kamukura, for the first time in his life, got MAD, and with it, kind of serious. And he pounded the ground so hard with his foot, that it sent a TREMOR ACROSS ALL OF JAPAN.

Uchui: With our current scaling, that bumps Izuru's raw strength aaaallll the way up! To absolutely IMPOSSIBLE levels at that!

Leona: Now I know what you're thinking. Something like that shouldn't be possible, right? And you're right! Anyway, aside from that, he also defeated a fleet of approximately 41 ships from the Future Foundation seemingly single-handedly, and then later in the same day took down 5 elite Future Foundation personnel single-handedly, apparently by himself and without sustaining any damage.

Hifumi: He is far superior to people like Sakura Ogami, Nekomaru Nidai, and Mukuro Ikusaba—whose destructive potential we have already spoken about at length—as the Ultimate Hope. Furthermore, Kamukura gave incredibly sloppy performances with little to no purpose for each of his shows of power. However, Mr. Hinata DOES possess that drive, so just think of the incredible feats of strength HE could accomplish with that ability!

Uchui: Hajime would have the ability to defeat armies and bring about the end of the world on his own if he didn't restrict himself to make sure he doesn't unintentionally cause wanton destruction or overwhelm his peers with his sheer power and talent.

Leona: But strength isn't everything. Let's talk speed!

Uchui: As we previously discussed, Hajime is significantly faster than Mukuro and was able to overwhelm her in their first meeting. In addition, he has avoided blasts from the FF Hacking Gun in the past and has managed to avoid a bullet that he was only just able to see coming, demonstrating that he is at least faster than light.

Hifumi: We can't exactly lock down an exact unit of Mr. Hinata's speed, but we know that it at least has to be above relativistic. Scaling him with his allies and creatures of his own caliber like the Monokuma's, we know he at least has to be Mach 23. However, we know that this is even higher, because Izuru has, on multiple occasions, moved so fast that it appears time is not moving around him, like he did when he shot Komaeda after their first meeting. This results in a speed that is just straight up incalculable, so we can only make estimations.

Leona: And, just for good measure, he possesses literally every talent known to man; and there are many talents that necessitate peak human reflexes and reaction time, as well as other brain-to-body reactions and coordination.

Uchui: Defense and durability is even harder to calculate, but he's been thrown through buildings and tossed around like a ragdoll with barely any scratches or signs of fatigue. But the BIG calculation that we can scale him to is the time that Akira Tsuchiya dropped an FF satellite on Jabberwock Island and completely DESTROYED it. Of which, Hajime was basically at the epicenter of.

Leona: Holy shit, WHAT!?

Hifumi: We don't know for sure just how big or how wide Jabberwock Island is, but assuming we take a look at the zoomed out map and scale 1 pixel to about...1 mile. That would make Jabberwock Island's full scale 828 miles wide and 408 miles tall, giving it a total area of 337,824 miles squared. And if we assume that the satellite is roughly medium sized, as it is depicted in the image of the chapter, that would put it's mass at about 2500kg maximum. Quantifiably, that would make the Jabberwock Island explosion tantamount to...21 Kilotons of TNT!

Leona: Holy...Fucking...Shit...

Uchui: This is all VERY subjective though. Without knowing the actual size of Jabberwock Island, force of the explosion, or what Hajime actually did to shield himself from the blast, since like I said, he can move faster than time permits, which would give him plenty of time to get to safety, we can't definitely say that this is his ACTUAL defensive ability. Hajime usually resorts to dodging attacks instead of tanking them, and even in situations where his speed and defensive talents don't work out, he can always fall back on his luck, which again, outlucks even Nagito Komaeda's.

Leona: But it is an INDESPUTABLE FACT that Hajime was ON THE ISLAND when it blew up. Besides, 21 Kilotons scales well with his Little Boy output equivalent. Really makes me wonder how someone this overpowered could ever hope to lose?

Hifumi: Well, it's not like Mr. Hinata doesn't have his limits. Though more motivated than Kamukura, he rarely ever has to push himself when it comes to fights, so when he DOES get caught of guard, he gets caught off-guard BADLY. Like he did against Fujimori and Komaeda when he first found out about their powers.

Leona: I guess in that regard, Hajime's greatest weakness may be his power itself. Not only does he have a shitload of baggage to carry as a result of his powers, but because almost nothing can threaten him, he is frequently vulnerable to being caught off guard and lacks a surefire solution to any opponents who may be stronger than him. But even so, can you BLAME him!? With his superhuman abilities and talents combined with his sheer prediction ability and intellect? How could you NOT get a little cocky like that.

Hifumi: I wouldn't say "cocky" Actually, in spite of how he's factually better than everyone, Mr.  Hinata has a tendency to hold back so that others can take the spotlight over him. In that regard, I don't think there's anyone more humble?

Uchui: That's why he's the Ultimate Hope. There is no title greater for someone like Hajime Hinata.

Leona: You know, sometimes I really do think we're living out a sci-fi drama every day of our lives guys. And it makes me laugh because I think the world of My Hero Academia is pretty normal by comparison.

Uchui: You probably don't realize how much you're exaggerating. The world of My Hero Academia, or Boku No Hero Academia (if you're annoying) is anything from normal, since 80% of humanity have developed supernatural abilities known as "Quirks". 

Hifumi: Formerly known as meta-abilities, Quirks are decided and gained by a person's genetic makeup, giving them superhuman abilities. They aren't just specific to each user either; they fall into several categories as well. Additionally, Quirk users can typically only develop one ability; as a result, they cannot naturally acquire any other powers besides the one they're born with.

Leona: And Heroes are people who have been granted permission to use their special abilities to defend the public against Villains who use their powers for evil, natural disasters, and other threats. Heroes are people who make their profession out of being heroic; the World Heroes Association overseeing all hero activity worldwide. That's right! Being a superhero is literally a way to make a living here!

Uchui: And it's because of the revolution of Quirks and the industry of heroes that places like U.A. High School, and many other schools like it, popped up. 

Hifumi: U.A. is regarded as Japan's best Hero Academy and is the top-ranked high school for heroics. Its teachers are free to conduct their classes in any way they see fit, and it does not follow conventional school procedures. In fact, All Might, the world's greatest pro hero, widely known as the Symbol of Peace, is just one of the many heroes that U.A. is known for having trained and produced.

Uchui: With his dramatic flair and charismatic smile, All Might naturally gained many fans who wanted to grow up to be like him one day: A hero who's presence could bring smiles to even the most tragic situations. One of those fans, arguably his all time biggest...Was Izuku Midoriya, AKA: Deku.

Leona: "Deku", by the way, is a pun on the Japanese word "Dekunobou", which means "good for nothing". A nickname "lovingly" given to him by his "best friend since childhood" Katsuki Bakugou.

Hifumi: And while not very nice, made sense as a nickname. Midoriya was originally born as one of the 20% of the population who did not possess a quirk, in spite of his parents both having one of their own. Because of this, he was initially tormented and bullied throughout much of his younger life.

Uchui: It struck particularly hard because Deku was such a huge fan of All Might and aspired to be just like him. Imagine being told that you are utterly incapable of becoming like your idol by almost everyone, including your own family, because you were born with a certain birth defect. I've been there, and trust me, that shit stings.

Leona: In spite of being a basic bitch, Deku didn't want to give up on his dreams. Even after that bitch Bakugou told him to swan dive off the school building's roof, Deku continued to reflect upon how he had come to his aspirations in the first place...WHOOPS, SLIME VILLAIN ATTACK WATCH OUT!

Uchui: While Deku very nearly lost his life, it all worked out in the end when he was saved from the slime villain by none other than All Might himself. Izuku asked if he could become a hero without having his own quirk when he had the opportunity to speak with him. All Might, however, went on to tell Deku that experts had to risk everything to save the day, so they couldn't honestly state whether or not a hero could exist without a quirk.

Leona: Damn...Even his idol is telling him to give up on his dreams...This kid's life sucks ass!

Hifumi: But the tides can change very quickly, and in this case the winds blew the other direction. Deku was thinking about giving up on his goals while strolling home when he approached the location of a villain attack. His body moved on its own when he realized Bakugou was the victim, possessed by the same villain who had attacked him earlier. Having looked at his old friend's pleading eyes, Deku rushed towards the villain, attempting to save Bakugou despite being Quirkless. Inspired by the boy's action, All Might appeared and stopped the Sludge Villain before he could harm Deku.

Leona: This was where the life of the Quirkless wimp that was Izuku Midoriya did a full 180. As it turns out, All Might's body was slowly decaying as a result of a grievous injury he suffered at the hands of his arch-nemesis, All Might needed someone that he could pass his legacy onto. Someone who could become the new Symbol of Peace after his time was up.

Hifumi: Moreover, All Might desired no ordinary person. There were a lot of people looking for fame and wealth in the hero world. To save someone, All Might desired a person whose body moved on its own. He chose to take on young Midoriya as a pupil after realizing that he possessed those qualities.

Leona: And surprise surprise, his legacy wasn't the only thing he was passing on. He ALSO gifted Deku his QUIRK. Wait, but I thought Quirks were genetic. How did All Might pass his quirk on? What's the story behind that?

Uchui: A long time ago, a villain by the name of All For One, a man with the ability to transfer other people's quirks to himself, forced his younger brother Youichi Shigaraki, who didn't seem to have any quirks at all, to have one; a Quirk that allowed him to accumulate power inside his body and increase his strength. But neither of them realized that Yoichi already possessed a Quirk; one where it's only ability was that it could be transferred to another individual through his DNA. A new, all-powerful Quirk was created when the transference quirk and the power stockpiling quirk united...The almighty One For All.

Hifumi: All Might himself was actually the 8th user of One For All, inheriting the power from his mentor, Nana Shimura. And once All Might transferred his power over, Deku became the 9th. Deku eventually enrolled in his dream school, UA High, and joined Class 1-A, the same as his now rival, Bakugou, thanks to All Might's support and extensive training. Along the way, he made some friends and partners for life, including Ochako Uraraka, Tsuyu Asui, and Tenya Iida.

Uchui: It feels good to see Izuku get this opportunity to fulfill his dream of becoming a hero after he was denied it for a full 14 years. It really makes you want to support him, doesn't it?

Leona: Yeah, for real! And when time came to establish his own mark as a hero, he turned the name Deku, a title that had only ever been used to make fun of him, into his own Hero name. Turns out "Deku" can ALSO be an abbreviation for "Dekiru", someone who can do anything. Ironic, right?

Hifumi: It's not all sunshine and rainbows of course. You have to be prepared to face off against a wide range of thugs and villains in order to be a hero. Some of these bad guys are capable of shattering buildings like they're made of twigs! Thankfully, it appears that Deku has far more potential with One For All than even All Might initially realized.

Uchui: All For One is unquestionably one of the most powerful quirks in the world of MHA, which is what allowed All Might to gain the prestige that he has. Deku was given the ability to control a vast reservoir of potent energy when he inherited it, and can stockpile that energy to gain  momentary superhuman strength at destructive levels, increased agility, increased hearing, and superhuman speed. In fact, when he first used this quirk, he was able to move faster than the human eye and defeat a massive villain bot with a single blow. However, One For All has a VERY notable drawback with it's use.

Leona: It FUCKING HURTS!

Hifumi: "Hurts" doesn't even BEGIN to describe it. A new user's body is not as naturally adapted to One For All's transfer as it would be if they had a Quirk from birth. For instance, it would be ineffective if a fire-breathing person burned their mouth while using their power. 

Leona: In addition, One For All is a lot to handle. If your body can't take the power, then you might as well kiss it goodbye! It's because of this, the successor must undergo intense and rigorous physical training to hone their body to make room for the quirk, which is why Deku had to buff himself up and go from lad to chad, just so he could contain it.

Uchui: Even then, it takes time for the new user to get used to One For All and figure out how to use it properly. It took Izuku ten months to prepare for the entrance exam of U.A. High, and, despite training his body to be a suitable vessel for the quirk, going anywhere above 20% of his max power can cause the recoil of his punch to shatter all the bones in his arm. The physical backlash at the time prevented Izuku from being able to fight properly or compete with his peers on an even playing field, and it even caused irreparable damage to his arms and hands. Of course, as things stand now, he's gotten leagues stronger and can handle the quirk more, but the weakness is evidently still there, since it happened to All Might at one point too.

Hifumi: The GOOD news is that Izuku happens to be VERY intelligent and observant. 

Leona: Yuh-huh! Deku's greatest asset prior to receiving his quirk was his vast knowledge of fundamental hero skills and tactics. He's been a Pro Hero nerd for years and is able to apply that knowledge during crisis situations in a practical manner. He even has a notebook studying people's quirks! 

Uchui: Thus, even with One For All's severe disadvantages, Izuku's cunning gives him ways to wield his power that are still useful in combat. He also has some basic knowledge of hand-to-hand combat and can still act instinctively based on his notes. Deku can even compete head-to-head with Katsuki Bakugou and Shoto Todoroki, two of Class 1-A's strongest students, by using those skills appropriately.

Leona: And one of the big ways he's learned to counter the weaknesses of his quirk is by using his big brain to develop new fighting styles and upgrades to his equipment. For example...Full Cowl!

Hifumi: Midoriya gained better control over his Quirk and was able to unlock this stage of his power thanks to his training with Gran Torino, one of All Might's old mentors. By allowing the power to flow through him rather than concentrate in one place, Midoriya is able to use a portion of the full power of One For All throughout his body.

Uchui: He gains incredible strength, speed, mobility, and agility when he uses this technique. Additionally, when he attacks, it keeps his bones from breaking. However, by dispersing the power throughout his body rather than concentrating it in one spot, Izuku spreads the power throughout his body, which lowers the damage of his attacks. This let's him use powerful punches like his signature Detroit Smash, and can even attack with pressurized air with his  Delaware Smash.

Leona: And yes, they're all named after American States. At this point in time, Deku is capable of bringing out about 30% of his maximum potential, 45% if he really wants to push it, without utterly destroying his body. Even then, 30% was combined with Melissa Shield's Full Gauntlet, which negated any disadvantages of using One For All at higher percentages. As a result, it is unknown how this state affects Deku's body under normal circumstances. Deku was able to easily blow away security bots with vast amounts of wind pressure created by the punch with 30%. Of course, if his back is against the wall, he can still access 100% of his power at the risk of breaking whichever body part he attacks with. 

Hifumi: When Midoriya reaches his maximum power, he can perform the 1,000,000% Delaware Detroit Smash, the strongest smash move in his repertoire. This move entails him using all of his energy to activate One For All at 100% before unleashing a full-swing attack on his opponent. Midoriya executes the move by first landing a full-handed Delaware Smash before unleashing a devastating Detroit Smash. In the pivotal moment of his fight with Muscular, he defeated the Villain by punching and propelling his enhanced opponent with enough force to leave an impact crater in solid rock with a single blow.

Leona: Furthermore, he possesses the renowned "United States Of The World Smash!" Izuku's rendition of All Might's "United States of Smash." Izuku starts this Ultimate Move by using Full Cowl at 100% to increase his power levels. Then, he launches a forceful barrage of punches. Subsequently, he maneuvers around his adversary, gaining speed and intensifying his lunge prior to unleashing a devastating kick. Originally, this was used to defeat Flect Turn.

Leona: Wait, we're counting the movies here!?

Uchui: Hell yeah we are! I mean, since we're counting Survivor, it's only fair we introduce Deku at his peak, right? Anyway, though Full Cowl was pretty revolutionary in terms of helping Deku grow with his quirk, it wasn't gonna be enough. Thanks to All Might's advice, Deku realized that he was trying too hard to imitate his hero, and so Full Cowl eventually evolved into a unique fighting style that Deku gained with the help of his friend Iida...Full Cowl SHOOT STYLE!

Leona: Because if punching with his arms was getting to be too much, why not just punch with your legs instead!?

Hifumi: Um...I'm fairly certain that is what we call..."kicking?

Leona: Hmph! I'm just quoting the show...

Uchui: Human leg muscles are inherently stronger than human arm muscles, and the Shoot Style fighting style takes advantage of this by emphasizing kicks. Izuku gains much more power and stability by focusing One for All: Full Cowl's effects on his torso and legs as opposed to his arms. Greatly aided by the distinctive Iron Soles that became a part of his outfit.

Hifumi: Originally designed by Mei Hatsume, Deku's Iron Armor Soles are fastened to his iconic red shoes. The impact strength of his kicks is increased when he kicks something because his soles absorb the impact and re-distribute the kinetic energy. 

Leona: Speaking of gear and best girl, she also invented Deku's Air Force Gloves, another vital tool on his hero costume. Remember how Uchui dropped that little tidbit of Deku being able to fire pressurized air by flicking his fingers? These gloves allow him to focus, build up and aim these pressurized bursts to deal devastating ranged attacks! Still though...

Hifumi: What?

Leona: I bet what a lot of people are thinking now is that in spite of it's sheer power, One For All seems a little bit of a one-trick pony, right? I mean, sure, it's strong, and he can break shit down with it, and launching bursts of air is cool and all, but...

Uchui: Well, prepare to be surprised. Remember how Hifumi said earlier that there's more potential in Deku than even All Might predicted? Well, it all started during a training match with Class 1-B, 1-A's rivals, when Deku's quirk went berserk, and started shooting black tendrils everywhere!

Leona: Black tendrils? What kind of power is that?

Uchui: As a matter of fact, it's a different quirk known as Blackwhip, which was originally possessed by Daigoro Banjo, the fifth user of One For All. With this quirk, the user can shoot dark energy tendrils that help with grappling from a distance and improve mobility. Izuku can use it to create incredibly powerful and long energy tendrils that he can use to tie up opponents and swing around the city, like Spider-Man, or, like Tsuyu, shoot one out of his mouth.

Leona: So he just straight up got ANOTHER quirk!? So he has two now!?

Hifumi: Actually, he has ALL of the previous users Quirks. Because One For All accumulates power, the Quirk Factors of all of its former users combined with its core have grown stronger over time. Even All Might was unaware of this, and Deku became the first person to be able to access the Quirks of earlier users.

Uchui: He has even more options in combat because he can utilize multiple of these integrated quirks at once. In addition to Blackwhip, there's Float, Gearshift, Fa Jin, Danger Sense, and Smokescreen.

Hifumi: Let's dissect these. The seventh user and All Might's late mentor, Nana Shimura, granted him the quirk Float. Due to this quirk, Midoriya is able to take flight and suspend himself in midair.

Uchui: The second user, Kudo's quirk is Gearshift. Izuku can alter the velocity and/or speed of any object he touches, including himself, thanks to this quirk. This enables him to significantly increase the impact force of his own blows and accelerate both his own and his target's velocities. Gearshift is now so strong that Deku only ever uses it as a last resort due to its unusual nature, which has developed over the years from being empowered within One For All.

Leona: Danger Sense is...It's literally Spider-Sense! It originally belonged to the fourth user, Hikage Shinomori, and it basically sends a sharp tingle through his head whenever he's about to be attacked. What, was Spider-Man one of the OFA users? I feel like Horikoshi might just be plucking powers from the web-slinger.

Hifumi: Not that outlandish. Kohei Horikoshi, My Hero's Mangaka, is famously a very big fan of Spider-Man. Deku's character writing is actually primarily based on Peter Parker himself. Even Blackwhip bares similarities to Spider-Man's web swinging.

Uchui: Bruce, the third user, gifts the Quirk Fa Jin. This Quirk enables Deku to accumulate and store kinetic energy through repetitive movement. He can then unleash this stored energy in the form of an explosive burst of speed and power. Combined with his other quirks, this can yield some deadly results.

Hifumi: Lastly, Smokescreen, the sixth user En's Quirk, is quite simple. This Quirk enables Deku to emit a dense cloud of purple smoke from his body. This smoke can cover a large area and impair people's vision.

Leona: And these quirks, once he mastered them at least, gave Deku WAY more combat options, and a new handful of Ultimate moves at his disposal! Like...OVERDURIVUUUU!

Hifumi: We already HAD the JoJo episode!

Uchui: This is obviously not some Hamon ability. Using Overdrive, Deku applies Gearshift and Fa Jin to himself, enhancing his strength and speed to overtake adversaries and launch devastating blows at them. In fact, the force he unleashes is characterized like One For All at 120%.

Leona: Talk about going Plus Ultra!

Uchui: He also possesses moves like Blackchain, which is a combination of Blackwhip and Fa Jin that launches and ensnares opponents far into the air. Additionally, there is Transmission, in which he charges at his opponent and hits them multiple times, increasing Gearshift's speed with each strike.

Leona: With all these powers at his disposal, Deku really had what it took to become Number 1 and carry on his retired mentor's legacy, and with him now on the field fighting villains, the world was a much safer place because of it...Is what I WOULD be saying, but I'm not about to jinx it again. 

Hifumi: The truth is that All Might was not the only person who was passing his legacy onto a protégé. All For One was secretly doing the same thing to Nana Shimura's secret grandchild, Tenko.

Leona: Tenko?

Hifumi: Not THAT Tenko! Taking on the name Tomura Shigaraki, he rose to prominence as the head of the League of Villains, and the Paranormal Liberation Front, with the ultimate objective of emerging as Japan's most formidable villain and obliterating any obstacle in his path.

Uchui: In many ways, Shigaraki's story parodied Deku's own. Both of them relied too much on their teachers at the beginning of their stories and lacked a clear conviction or path to their objectives. However, through One For All and All For One, they both acquired numerous powers and developed into each other's greatest adversaries as heroes and villains respectively.

Leona: But shit really hit the fan when they first unleashed these powers in a war that resulted in a lot of death, and hero society itself to fall apart at the seams. It became clear to Deku that even though All Might had only ever shown him love and encouragement, he was always under an unbearably intense amount of pressure. Especially since Shigaraki could track him and know his every move.

Hifumi: Midoriya became more aloof and cold toward people as a result of the trauma he had endured from the war, witnessing innumerable innocent people have their lives destroyed by the now broken status quo of Hero Society, having All For One and Shigaraki constantly target him because of his Quirk, and having to take on the duty of defending his friends. He grew more and more afraid of the harm he would do to people around him after All For One threatened to break him both mentally and physically, and thanks to his extreme stress and burden, he rushed into battles, leaving All Might, his classmates and the other Heroes behind so no one else would be harmed.

Leona: But...and trust me, I'm saying this from experience...running away from home leaving just a note NEVER goes down well.

Uchui: Izuki had become completely monstrous in his appearance by the time Class 1-A found him, covered in blood and filth from all the non-stop fighting he had put himself through. Thus came probably the hardest challenge he'd faced that entire night.

Hifumi: Even the classically trained bully Bakugou was determined to help his childhood friend, and his classmates weren't about to take no for an answer. They were even willing to use force to bring their friend home, but thankfully, everything turned out okay in the end.

Uchui: Izuku was able to be brought back to reality by Class 1-A, despite his best efforts to flee, and they informed him that although his decisions were sound, he was no longer able to manage things on his own. He knew that his friends would be there for him in times of need, and that the only way to defeat All Might was for everyone to work together to defend their school and the civilian population.

Leona: Friendship is magic baby!

Hifumi: We did My Little Pony already too! Stop making references to past episodes!

Leona: As we often do, let's end this by breaking down a few of Midoriya's feats, starting with strength. Now going by the original DB analysis brought up a rather notable one, so let's get that out of the way first and...why it's kinda bullshit, but also pretty impressive!

Uchui: Izuku's most powerful feat is when he passed the power of One For All to Bakugou in the second movie, and they combined their powers to split an absolutely huge cloud formation above them. We can calculate their dispersion over 63 trillion kilograms of water by sizing the island and comparing it to the clouds above. That is equivalent to the mass of 12,000 Great Pyramids of Giza, meaning that each blow would have needed almost 80 Teratons of TNT. However, we'll cover that in more detail in the post-analysis. It is somewhat complicated.

Leona: The power of One For All allows Deku to take down buildings just with his punches, launch himself hundreds of meters into the air, and tank point-blank explosions. Despite being inferior to both, he managed to send a Full-Power Muscular flying with a single blow and injure the Incomplete Shigaraki's stomach with a kick.

Uchui: And when combined with his other Quirks, these can be even stronger. The combined power of his Detroit Smash Quintuple and Fa Jin results in a release of energy that is at least five times more potent than usual. Deku can increase his power even further by using Gearshift to unleash his Overdrive technique, which was strong enough to punch a hole in Shigaraki's torso, who in his complete form is way stronger than All Might in his prime.

Hifumi: Now let's talk speed. The explosive detonation velocities table indicates that Bakugou can detonate explosives at velocities of Mach 20 or more, a speed that Deku has demonstrated he can at least avoid. On top of that, he reacted to Nine's attacks—another Villain with multiple quirks—and sidestepped a laser with a higher percentage of power. In addition, he has the ability to move and respond to Lady Nagant's bullets, which have a velocity of 5884420.20 m/s.

Uchui: And again, he managed to maintain a pace with Complete Shigaraki, whose velocity is comparable to Prime All Might, who is said to be able to travel more than 200 kilometers in an instant. And with Gear Shift, he quickly and easily defeated Shigaraki before he even realized what had happened.

Leona: Durability's nothing to scoff at either. Even though the recoil of One For All tears his body apart, Deku still keeps on fighting and throwing punches even when his bones are all cracked! And he's capable of taking brutal blows from the likes of Shigaraki and Overhaul at max power, both of whom can easily level a city block on their own.

Hifumi: His extraordinary endurance has only increased as he worked to finish One For All. He has demonstrated levels of stamina comparable to his mentor in his heyday, defeating villains and traveling the entire nation for several weeks, if not a month, without stopping while maintaining Full Cowl activated. These feats occurred following the events of the All-Out War.

Uchui: Even when exhausted to the point of collapse, he was still stronger than all of Class 1-A put together. His extreme pain tolerance has increased even more, to the point where multiple broken bones hardly seem to stop him from fighting. Additionally, he has survived the agony of bullet wounds for roughly a month.

Leona: Deku is an analytical wizard in his own right, since he is well-versed in Quirks and constantly assesses their advantages and disadvantages during combat. But even with all these crazy ass powers and abilities under his belt, Deku's true strength lies in  the teamwork between himself and his friends.

Uchui: And with their assistance, Deku will undoubtedly grow into the ray of hope he always imagined himself to be.

Hifumi: The Symbol of Hope...All For One...and One For All...

Hifumi: Alright, the combatants are set! Let's end this debate once and for all!

Leona & Uchui: IT'S TIME FOR A DEEAAATH BAAATTLLLLLLEEE!

Two lightning-fast individuals are seen flying across the screen and parkouring their way over the horizons of an uninhabited island archipelago in the middle of the ocean.

Hajime Hinata, the leader of the Remnants of Despair and the Ultimate Hope, is one of these individuals. The other is Izuku Midoriya, the head of Class 1-A and the Hero, Deku.

When they come into contact with the rocky, mountainous terrain of the archipelago, both heroes come to a grinding stop. As they take their positions on opposite hilltops, Hajime turns to look at Deku, his expression halfway between excited and stern.

Hajime: Alright. We should be far enough away from any civilization or infrastructure that we could risk damaging.

Deku: Yes! Thank you again for agreeing to let me spar with you! I hope to learn a lot!

Hajime: Don't get your hopes up. Really, I'm just a regular guy in the grand scheme of things...

Deku: I'm not sure I believe that! I think you'll make for a great opponent!

Deku drops into a fighting stance with a smile on his face.

Deku: You'd better not hold back! Because I know I won't!

Hajime: Heh...Whatever you say, kid...

As Hajime adopts a fighting stance of his own, Deku lunges forward to land a blow. Even though the punch is light, Hajime is pleasantly surprised to feel its sheer power as he catches it with his hands.

He acknowledges the strength of his opponent with a smile before snatching his arm, turning, and flinging him into the hills, where he crashes into the top of a crag. After that, he runs after Deku, creating a dust cloud in his wake.

Deku: Heh...!

Deku's Iron Soles grind him to a stop, but his smile stays broad even after he's sent flying. When he recovers, he sees Hajime flying in his direction, trying to hit him with a strong haymaker. Deku counters by activating Full Cowl at 8% and delivering his own haymaker back.

The mountainous terrain around them crumbles as their fists collide. At a breakneck pace, they continue punching without missing their target until the very last moment of their combination, when they land a blow so strong it knocks the other person flying backwards.

Deku: Delaware...SMASH!

Hajime: Think again...!

Deku, charging in to take up arms, launches a cloud of compressed air from a distance. In response to the attack, Hajime appears to catch and deflect the air.

Hajime: Funny...I know someone else who's used similar techniques before...Oh, that's right! ME! 

Hajime gestures with his fingers as though he is brandishing a gun at Deku. He launches his own pressurized air blasts at the rising Hero, surprising Deku, who is only able to avoid with the help of his Danger Sense.

Deku: Woah!? Delaware Smash Air Force!

Taken off guard, but thoroughly impressed, Deku ups the ante. He fires a burst of compressed air at his opponent using his special gloves. The blast has enough concussive force to completely shatter the ground beneath Hajime, even though he can see it coming from a mile away and easily avoids it.

Deku looks up in awe as Hajime perches atop another cliff. He looks back, also impressed.

Deku: Incredible! How about we take it up a notch!?

The Ultimate Hope is about to be struck by the Symbol of Peace, who cocks his fist back, but Hajime effortlessly deflects it with a casual wave of his hand.

The Hero launches another attack, taken aback by how easily his first one was parried. Hajime repays the favor by sending Deku hurtling over a different cliff, where he uses Blackwhip to stop himself.

Hajime: Fine by me...! I was beginning to get bored already!

Deku: You're...surprisingly fickle...AH-!?

Hajime: HYAAGH!

Deku: UUGH!

Without even a moment to think, Deku is met with an uppercut and a barrage of punches from the Ultimate Hope's fist. Hajime quickly brings Deku back down after sending him skyward by grabbing and pulling on his Blackwhip. He swings him around like a throwing hammer, and flings him across the mountain range, landing him on a different island with a forest landscape!

Deku crawls back to his feet, but Hajime moves like a bolt of lightning, and is already standing over him by the time he does.

Hajime: Disappointing...Excuse my rudeness...

Deku; Trust me...I'm just getting started...! FA JIN!

Hajime: Guh!?

Deku activates the third users' quirk and erupts with the kinetic energy stored up from his and Hajime's attacks, powerful enough to blast the Ultimate Hope back. Hajime stumbles through the forest, but Deku is fast to react, landing another blow before an uppercut launches the former Reserve Course student skyward!

Deku: One For All...! Full Cowl...! SHOOT STYLE!

The Hero outcast then leaps toward him and kicks Hajime back to the ground with a Manchester Smash while wearing Iron Soles. Even though the impact blows away several trees and craters the forest, Hajime gets up and gets ready to go again.

*CRUNCH!* 

Hajime: Hold THIS!

Hajime then lifts a big tree out of the ground, leap several feet into the air, and slams its trunk into Deku. With ease, the Symbol of Hope breaks the makeshift weapon and flies in Hajime's direction, grabbing him and sending the two of them plummeting back towards the earth.

Deku: Wyoming SMASH!

Deku uses another one of his trademark attacks, giving his opponent a powerful shockwave by spiking him on the head. Hajime is propelled downward, but he catches himself with a display of acrobatics and lands coolly, smirking and scratching his nose.

Deku: You're amazing...! It's like you're not even trying yet!

Hajime: I gotta admit, this is more than I was expecting...Still, hardly a challenge...

Deku only smirks in response to this taunt.

Deku: Then LET LOOSE! TEXAS SMASH!

*WHA-BOOOOM!*

As Hajime ducks under Deku's attack, the forest behind him is completely destroyed by a blast of wind pressure. Without breaking a sweat, he starts hitting Deku with a barrage of punches and kicks, repeatedly knocking All Might's student into a tree with enough force to uproot it. Then, in the middle of flying, Hajime grabs the tree, stops, and tosses it in Deku's direction. Deku is knocked backward by the tree, but he bounces back quickly.

Deku: Give me EVERYTHING YOU'VE GOT!

Hajime rushes after Deku as he falls back to the ground, and the battle rages throughout the forest. Following a brief exchange of blows, Hajime gains the upper hand and knocks Deku back with a forceful blow. Hajime then tries to follow through, but Deku stops him.

Deku: Go beyond! PLUS ULTRA!

Much like he once did to his rival Bakugou, Deku shoulder-throws Hajime, smacking him into the ground and sending him rolling through the trees. Hajime brushes off the pain, the dirt, and Deku's concerns.

Hajime: Give me something exciting to work with...and maybe I'll consider it...!

He is able to support his claim by leaping ahead and casually punching Deku all the way to the island's coast through the forest. The Hero prodigy's body crackles with energy as he builds even more power, and he floats in the air to avoid colliding with the ocean.

Deku: If you say so...! ONE FOR ALL! FULL COWL 45%

He barely avoids the next blow from Hajime and kicks him into the water, then reels back and uses Texas Smash once more. But the attack and the pressure it releases are FAR more powerful, to the point where it manages to smash into Hajime and split the coast of the ocean.

But shortly after the attack, Hajime leaps out of the water, blasts away the ocean surrounding him, and sprints back towards the island along the water.

They fight across the ocean, exchanging quick blows until they come into contact with yet another island, where they end up locking arms with one another. This island is more barren and flat, made of solid rock and stone with few mountains and cliffs. 

Hajime: Now THIS is more like it...! THINK FAST!

Admittedly having at least a little bit of fun, Hajime picks a pebble up with his foot kicks it into the air, and flicks it with his thumb. Midoriya barely manages to avoid the pebble's railgun-like blast, and he just stares in wonder at its power.

Deku: Fast? I can do that...! GEARSHIFT!

Deku uses Gearshift on himself to quickly outrun the Ultimate Hope and kick him in the stomach. He then uses Transmission to quickly take Hajime down a peg with a series of punches that are made more powerful and swift by Gearshift.

Hajime: Hah! Not bad! That one actually hurt a bit!

Deku: There's more where that came from! St. Louis Smash Air Force!

Hajime: Why do all these attacks...? Eh, whatever...! HRUUGH!

Now that he is farther away, Deku fires a powerful vertical roundhouse kick while arching his leg back and releasing a massive burst of compressed air. But Hajime's own supersonic air punch manages to dissolve it. Deku counterattacks by soaring into the air and parrying a second blow.

Deku: SMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSHH!!!

*WHOOOOOOMM!*

He strikes down towards Hajime with a powerful punch, launching multiple enormous flaming fists at him in an overwhelming display of force, similar to the attack that destroyed Overhaul.

Hajime: Hm...Hoo...RRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!*

As he sees the massive flaming fist hurtling towards him, Hajime clenches his fists, stiffens his body, and lets out all of his energy at once, accompanied by a supersonic scream! Deku's attack and the pressure from his body collide, causing a catastrophic nuclear explosion that engulfs the island, resulting in it's complete and total destruction!

There is a pause in the fight as the ocean collapses into the area where the island once was. A large burst of water rises up suddenly near the coast of another island, as Hajime leaps out and drops and rolls onto the sandy beach of the fourth island, gasping for air and pounding his chest to steady his breathing. Deku meanwhile, swings down with Blackwhip and lands on the sand, awkwardly chuckling.

Deku: Well...it's a good thing we decided to take the fight out here, right?

Hajime: Yeah...out here...Wait...Hang on a second...How did we even get out here without a boat?

Struggling to recall the circumstances, Hajime looks back towards the slowly filling crater. But then, he spots something...What appears to be a crack in reality with lines of code fraying off of it like strings.

Hajime: Oh...that's right...Now I remember...

He stands up with a smirk and dusts himself off.

Hajime: Hey, Deku? You wanted to see me go all out, right?

Deku: No! I want you to go BEYOND that! Surpass your limits! Plus Ultra!

Hajime laughs as Deku confidently thrusts a fist towards him. He then ducks down and clenches his own.

Hajime: Well, I can promise I'll try...! Let me show you how powerful I can be!

Red bio-electricity starts to radiate Hajime's body, and his red eye starts to glow, matching Deku's own green electric aura. 

Deku beams with anticipation but is instantly struck in the face with a blow so forceful that it tears apart reality once more. And then another, and another, and another, as Hajime, fighting with at least half his strength now to match Deku's, begins to destroy him with every move he can think of, slowly but surely shattering the digital world around them.

After dealing Deku a powerful blow, Hajime appears to teleport there as he moves so quickly. Deku is sent flying. He tries to strike back, but Hajime appears to pause his blow before launching another terrible strike that shatters the world even more.

Deku charges forward, his costume beginning to come apart from the constant attacks. He creates a Blackchain with Blackwhip, which Hajime collides with and is thrown back by. Then, in order to get some hits and knock Hajime into a canyon, he uses Gearshift and Fa Jin. Hajime retaliates, exchanging blows with Deku until the latter throws him into the air.

Hajime counterattacks, sending Midoriya back down to Earth with a devastating axe handle as Deku flies upwards to continue his attack. As Hajime dive bombs to pursue Deku after he lands in the canyon, he crashes into the earth, pushing pebbles out of the ground due to the pressure and aura surrounding him.

Deku then uses Air Force before smashing Hajime once more before the two engage in a fierce fight that ends in an explosion, further widening the fissure. Then they begin to trade blows, with Hajime coming out on top. He unleashes a lethal combo on him that includes some extremely powerful punches to his face that cause the surrounding area to collapse. Hajime then grabs Deku, leaps out of the canyon as everything comes crashing down, and tosses him into a rock formation. Deku is exhausted and drops out of One For All 45% as he faceplants into the ground.

Even under his mid-gauntlets, Deku's bones seem to be slightly fractured from the constant fighting. Hajime decides to talk to him now as he stands up gasping.

Hajime: Well? Is that "Plus Ultra" enough for you?

Deku: Amazing...! You're AMAZING! This has gotta be the most incredible superpower I've ever seen!

Hajime: O-Oh...um...thank...thank you...

Hajime becomes bashful in the wake of Deku's earnest enthusiasm and compliments, as the young Hero himself pulls a notebook and pen out of his tattered costume.

Deku: U-Um...I-If you don't mind, could you explain to me how your Quirk works? I'd like to take notes so I can apply your techniques in my future battles!

Hajime: Huh? Y-You're sure? Well...alright then.

The camera pans out and the fight awkwardly pauses as Hajime quickly explains the logistics of his Talent to Deku, and how Talents and Quirks are slightly different. Deku excitedly scribbles down notes next to a hastily drawn diagram of Hajime. By the time he's finished, he exhales an ecstatic breath, smiling like an innocent child.

Deku: Wow...! It's so...incredible...!

Hajime: Thank you...Still, I really hope it doesn't deter you from trying to reach the top or anything...

Deku: Haha...Of course not...

With a solemn smile, Deku pockets his notebook, straightens his posture, and furrows his brow at Hajime.

Deku: After all...I know just what I need to do to defeat you now...!

Hajime: Oh...?

Deku: One For All...ONE HUNDRED PERCENT!

Hajime: Guh!?

Deciding to risk it all out of nothing but respect for his opponent, Deku pushes past his limits, uses his Quirk at 100% of it's full power, and the sheer force of his presence blasts Hajime back!

Now emitting a green aura and crackling with lightning, Hajime can barely stand to look at Deku when suddenly, Deku stamps on the ground so hard, the ground beneath his feet erupts, throwing him up into the air!

*WHOOSH!* *BANG!*

Hajime: Gugh! GRAGH!

Deku: HUUUUAAAGH!

*WHAM!* *WHAM!* *WHAM!* *WHAM!**WHAM!* *WHAM!*

Deku: I want you to SMILE! 

Hajime: GRRGH!

Deku unleashes a multitude of punches that slowly but surely cause his own bones to break apart, and yet despite that, he doesn't even slightly relent! He gives everything he has into battling Hajime, beating him at 100%, and even adding the effects of Gearshift and Fa Jin on top of it, increasing his power even further beyond!

And yet, despite facing the brunt of the biggest thrashing he's faced in his life...Hajime grins ear to ear...

Hajime (internally): When was the last time...I felt this much pain?

Deku: UNITED STATES...!

Hajime (internally): My muscles are killing me...That punch hurt like hell...If I get hit with something stronger than that, it might kill me...! So why...?

Deku: OF THE WORLD...!

Hajime (internally): Why am I...so HAPPY right now...!?

Deku: SMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSHHHHH!

Hajime breaks out of his bliss when Deku unleashes one of his best Ultimate Moves, with enough force that not one, but TWO of the archipelago islands are completely and utterly destroyed by it! Hajime however, withstands it, even though he suffers several broken ribs and torn muscles. Deku for his part is also gradually falling apart, but regardless...neither smiles are broken.

Hajime: LET'S GOOOOO!

Deku: YEAH!

Hajime also decides to put his full weight into the fight; his body glowing a white aura. To Hajime's delight, Deku manages to stay ahead of him despite him reaching his maximum and evade his blows, unleashing even more powerful counterattacks.

Hajime's aura only intensifies as he and 100% Deku trade blows all over the archipelago at blinding speeds, gradually tearing apart what's left of the islands. His clothes are torn, and he is now taking the fight more seriously.

Hajime finally hits Deku hard with a punch that hurts him a lot, but it doesn't upset him. Deku catches Hajime's fist and punches him to the side as he tries to follow up. To the point where their latent energies are released and begin to rip the world apart at the seams, Deku and Hajime throw as many attacks at each other as they can, repeatedly countering, blocking, and dodging each other's blows.

Hajime: Wait...that's right...! This is the digital world...! Then...Haha...I wonder how far I can take this...!?

Deku is surprised as Hajime suddenly leaps high up into the sky, silhouetted by the virtual sun. The Ultimate Hope looks beyond the endless horizon, and then up at the sky above him. The silhouette of his best friend, Chiaki Nanami, wearing her Hope's Peak uniform hovers in the air above him. She reaches out her hand, and Hajime takes it...

From Deku's perspective, Hajime's the scene is honestly, somewhat haunting. It appears as though Hajime's presence alone has the power to destroy the world as his body glows and his hair stands on end, causing the waves surrounding him to become restless and red lightning to strike everywhere. Eventually, his body flashes white, his hair turns whitish-gold, and both of his eyes turn a piercing red as he screams with will and power. But, Deku only notices Hajime's mouth when he looks down from above, ignoring every other feature on his face.

Hajime: YOU WANTED MY BEST?!?! HERE IT IS!!! 

Deku: Now THAT'S a smile...! ONE FOR ALL!!

Hajime: I'll never let myself be bored again...!

Deku: ONE MILLION PERCENT!

Hajime: I'll never let anyone CHOOSE AGAIN...!

Deku: DELAWARE...! 

Hajime: I am NOT Izuru Kamukura!

Deku: DETROIT!

Hajime: I AM HAJIME HINNAAATAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

Deku: SMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSHHH!!!

Deku soars through the sky while Hajime soars back down! He unleashes the strongest SMASH he has while Hajime uses all of his strength-related abilities to deliver his devastating blow!

Both characters understand that they must go above and beyond PLUS ULTRA if they hope to succeed! So they both give it their all one last time, screaming as their fists finally make contact!

The impact alone proves to be so powerful that what remains of the archipelago is straight up DELETED! Despite Deku increasing the power of his attacks even further with his other quirks, Hajime is still able to endure it as he pushes forward! Neither of them want to let up, not necessarily out of a drive to win, but a desire to show their opponent the respect they well and truly deserve!

Their two unstoppable powerhouses collide in a way that destroys the digital world entirely, shrouding everything in darkness until reality cracks open and emits a brilliant white light...And at that point, the godly clash finally ends, and the game shuts down entirely...

...When Deku's arm finally gives way...

------------------------------------------------------------------

Deku: AGH!?

Deku suddenly lurches awake, looking around in a panic as he realizes he's not on the archipelago anymore. He sits in a round-shaped pod and looks down at his arms to see that they're still intact. He then looks above him to see the pod he's sitting in connected to a large computer in the center, with a bluescreen on the monitor.

Hajime: Heh...Chihiro's gonna kill me...

Deku looks up to see Hajime, now back to normal, leaning on his pod. They both look up towards the computer.

Hajime: It's called the Neo World Program. Future Foundation modified it so that we could use our full strength without the risk of causing any lasting damage or hurting anyone. 

Deku: Hahaha...You weren't kidding about being careful. I almost forgot I even got in this pod...Still, I guess this means I lost, huh?

Hajime: Well...

Hajime crosses his legs and sits comfortably.

Hajime: If you want me to be honest...You are the most powerful person I've ever had the pleasure of fighting...And that was the most fun I've had ever since I got these powers. Even if I'm "perfect," you're smart, strong...kind...and you're not done growing yet...

Deku: Meaning, what?

Hajime: I'm saying...I can't wait for the rematch...!

Hajime raises his hand for a fist bump...

Deku: Haha! Me neither!

...And Deku returns it...

Leona: And THERE WE HAVE IT! We have PEAKED PEOPLE!

Uchui: I have to agree! That was nothing if not glorious! Though I guess we're gonna have to use the backup simulator for the final battle...This one got totalled...

Hifumi: Given the vast array of skills and abilities that these two fighters have, there are a lot of ways that this fight could turn out. Factors such as the environment, circumstances, timing, and continuity have the potential to significantly alter the outcome of this battle. So let's analyze each category to take into account when it comes to Death Battles and determine our winner. Strength is the first and most evident.

Uchui: There is a fair bit to consider when scaling their individual powers here. First of all, while Deku at his maximum power, and Hajime/Izuru at theirs has done similar things, like the time Deku disintegrated a gigantic block of solid matter or destroyed an entire building with one of his strongest smashes, while Izuru disintegrated a skyscraper that Nagito Komaeda threw at him by using a pebble as a bullet. 

Leona: Let's start with Deku, whose most notable feat is actually the one that was calculated in his canonical Death Battle episode; parting the clouds with Bakugou. At the time, Death Battle calculated this feat would require a force of 80 Teratons of TNT. And we're willing to stick by them on that one. In contrast, Izuru struck the ground during his brief, but powerful clash with Matta Gyalusetsu so hard, it caused earthquakes across all of Japan! So how big a gap is that?

Hifumi: Calculating it from Deku's canon Death Battle episode, Deku VS Asta, Death Battle calculated that Asta could dish out a power equal to about 480 Teratons of TNT, because he scaled to an attack that could wipe out the Clover Kingdom, which is about half the size of Great Britain. Japan is approximately 1.6 times bigger than the entire united kingdom, so doubling up and scaling that calculated result from Death Battle's analysis, it puts Izuru on the level of 1536 Teratons, or 1.54 Petatons of TNT!

Leona: That's 15 Zeroes by the way! Basically, that would mean Izuru is about 19 times stronger than Deku, so he undoubtedly takes the win in terms of strength!

Uchui: Well...not EXACTLY...Unfortunately, it's near impossible to lock down just how powerful Hajime is as his maximum potential, since he rarely ever uses his full strength in a fight. Unlike Deku, who can be scaled to other One For All users like All Might, as well as his classmates like Bakugou, Hajime is above and beyond every powerful feat in Danganronpa, and can't even be properly scaled to the other two Ultimate Hope's. Plus, at the time of that cloud-splitting feat, Deku didn't have Fa Jin or Gearshift, so who knows how much power he would have on his own if he had applied those at the time?

Hifumi: Izuru confirmed that during his fight with Komaeda that Hajime was massively holding back the entire time they were fighting, and even Izuru seemed to merely be toying with him at first. While an exact unit hasn't been given, the fact that he was able to throw Komaeda around like a ragdoll and completely undermine him in spite of how he was able to defeat every other member of the Remnant's of Despair means it's far greater than that, and he must have been using NOTHING on Fujimori!

Uchui: Makes sense. They were fighting on a cruise liner filled with hostages and Hajime didn't want to hurt Ayumu either. So of course he was holding back. But even without a total number, Deku achieved that cloud feat with 100% of his power, AND coupled with Bakugou who was using the same thing. Using quirks like Gearshift and Fa Jin means Deku has likely gotten even stronger since then, being able to bring out 120% of his Quirk's full capability, and he's not done growing yet.

Leona: Even if Izuru is multiple times stronger, it probably won't be long before Deku finds a way to properly catch up with him. Our safest bet for this analysis is to say that they tie in strength.

Hifumi: In that case, we move onto speed. This stat on the other hand, is fairly clear cut. Deku would have a reaction time close to lightspeed if he could scale to Shigaraki. In addition, he has reacted to Lady Nagant's bullets caught them, and avoided lasers and if he applies Gearshift, he can accelerate even further.

Uchui: In contrast, Hajime is casually able to move so fast that it feels like the flow of time itself has stopped. And it's not that ridiculous in context. Characters like Mukuro Ikusaba and Sakura Ogami have done the same thing, even without Ultimate Hope powers; and Hajime is leagues beyond both of them.

Leona: For sure! Even without the whole time-stoppy BS, Izuru would just be leagues faster. Deku is able to respond to Bakugou's explosions of Nitroglycerin, but that Mach 20 is far less than Sakura Ogami's feat, which places her at Mach 26,475, which is easily Sub-Relativistic! In fact, it even beats the powerhouses like All For One and All Might! Izuru CLEANS in speed, and even with Deku's keen battle instincts and reactions, it's unlikely even Danger Sense would be enough to save him!

Uchui: Deku and Hajime do have very similar styles of fighting though, so they should both realistically know how to react to each other's attacks and abilities. The next thing to go over is durability. 

Hifumi: Both Hinata and Midoriya have taken the full brunt of some DEVASTATING attacks, especially Hinata's feat of surviving the nuclear explosion of Jabberwock Island. Deku surviving attacks from terrifying villains like Shigaraki, Overhaul and more also implies unbreakable defenses, and yet despite all of that, we still have to give this point to Mr. Hinata.

Leona: The reason being that while Deku has trained to suit himself for it, as things stand now, he can't even bare the brunt of his OWN ATTACKS! Every time he attacks with 100% of his max power, he ends up breaking his bones, almost to the point of destroying the use of his arms and legs entirely.

Uchui: Hajime on the other hand shares absolutely no such weakness. He's more than capable of unleashing the full capability of his talents with no serious drawbacks. In fact, his only weakness is his mentality, something that Hope's Peak knew would get in the way, thus removed upon Izuru's creation. All in all, Deku's most glaring weakness is the only thing that makes him lose this particular comparison, but removing it, they're actually dead even, just like strength.

Leona: The same cannot be said in terms of stamina, where Hajime just completely outclasses him. After the events of the All-Out War, Deku demonstrated that he is capable of taking down villains and touring the country for a few weeks, if not a month, without taking a break while keeping Full Cowl activated at all times. Despite being completely exhausted, he was able to repel Class 1-A's combined efforts, and while his broken bones are undeniably a weakness, they rarely ever significantly impair his fighting prowess.

Hifumi: On the other hand, with all of his athletic prowess, Mr. Hinata ought to be even more resilient than Genocide Jack, who, in contrast to her other half, never seems to tire and can take on a great deal of Monokumas with ease. In fact, even without his powers, Nekomaru Nidai mentioned that he had the makings of an athlete, despite his seemingly slender appearance. He is surprisingly muscular when he isn't wearing a shirt, and he's able to run a great distance around Jabberwock Island without seeming to get tired.

Leona: Now let's talk intelligence! This one's also pretty straightforward.

Uchui: Deku is unquestionably a GENIUS when it comes to both academics and combat. On top of studying famous heroes quirks and analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of people's powers his whole life, in his few months at U.A. High, he has fought several different villains, which has given him invaluable experience. His prognostication abilities are so advanced that, even in the dark and during torrential rain, he could discern Lady Nagant's movement patterns and pinpoint her location based only on the trajectory of her bullets. And despite only having used Fa Jin for a few minutes, he quickly became proficient with it in combat. He has also demonstrated the capacity to carry out several mental tasks concurrently, or multitasking, an ability that is thought to be beyond human capability.

Hifumi: But as impressive as all that is, it's NOTHING compared to Hajime Hinata. Mr. Hinata was a successful student in his own right even though he was enrolled in the Reserve Course. He demonstrated his skill as an amateur sleuth during the Neo World Program Killing Game by leading the charge to solve every murder case, even the ones that involved devious tactics and scant evidence, just as Makoto Naegi had done before him.

Leona: And that's not even mentioning the fatass Elephant in the Room that is the talent of Ultimate Analytical Prowess.

Uchui: Junko Enoshima's Ultimate Analytical Prowess talent bestowed upon her monstrous analytical abilities, rendering it remarkably effortless for her to forecast events and expeditiously acquire the proficiencies of other talent holders. For example, she was able to produce brainwashing videos by merely observing Ryota Mitarai at work, learned how to perform neurosurgery to lobotomize and/or erase others' memories by perusing Yasuke Matsuda's research, and acquire programming knowledge by looking at Chihiro Fujisaki's programs. And Hajime, having this talent, is just as capable of doing all that, if not moreso.

Leona: Deku may have more on-field combat experience, but with Ultimate Hope that just automatically gives you the power to do everything, who really needs all that crap? Hajime's uncanny ability to analyze even allows him to easily see through most of Deku's attacks, as well as easily identifying his weaknesses like his bone-breaking punches.

Hifumi: Which ultimately leads us with one more, glaringly obvious category to go into...Powers!

Leona: One For All, Gearshift, Fa Jin, Danger Sense, Float, Blackwhip, Smokescreen, all those United States of Smash attacks, Full Cowl, Shoot Style, Air Force...Deku's got so many awesome and powerful attacks, techniques, powers, gear and moves under his belt, it's honestly amazing to think he doesn't win with any of them!

Uchui: It doesn't matter. Deku may have a handful of superhuman attacks and feats, but he's facing an opponent who is essentially unstoppable and can do EVERYTHING! And not just on a human level! Something FAR ABOVE even that! Hajime was endowed with every human talent by the experiment that transformed him into Izuru Kamakura. Imagine battling an opponent who possesses almost any skill. Do you believe you could succeed?

Hifumi: That's not even taking into account the more ridiculous powers like Ultimate Luck, which is shown to make him virtually untouchable. Mr. Hinata has extraordinary luck, which allows him to quickly influence most situations to his advantage, particularly those involving conflict. For example, the gun was perfectly working moments before Komaeda tried to shoot Kamukura, but it jammed.

Uchui: Nagito and Hajime engaged in another battle in which the former used a ball to knock out all of the nuts and bolts that held up the building, bringing it to an entirely new level. However, Izuru was unharmed by pure luck. Additionally, he should have better luck than Makoto, who even people like Junko Enoshima find unpredictable due to his special luck pattern that enables him to survive near-death experiences.

Leona: And if JUNKO couldn't figure out how to work around Izuru's luck, then DEKU certainly couldn't!

Uchui: And again, Deku can't unleash his most powerful attacks without severely hurting himself in the process. And that concludes our discussion! Hajime gains the upper hand in power because he has an excessive number of counters and hacks, and in the end, he prevails!

Leona: Well, I think there's something else...If you really think about it, both Hajime and Deku's powers involve them using percentages of their full power. But the difference is that Deku multiplies his strength to get stronger, while Hajime DIVIDES his to get weaker, especially since there aren't many people in the world of Danganronpa who can actually touch him. At the end of the day, this fight isn't about who would win, but about finding someone who can bring out the best in each other, even if it's through bloody battling. And I think Deku had everything he needed to bring that excitement and joy back to Hajime's life. Saving him with a smile and bringing one back to his face.

Hifumi: In that regard...I suppose Midoriya DOES win.

Uchui: Well, if that's not the pinnacle of Death Battle, I don't know what is...

Uchui casually fist-bumps Leona.

Hifumi: Izuku Midoriya proved to be a worthy heir to the title of Symbol of Hope, as his cunning strategy and unwavering determination gave his opponent the fight of his life. However, Hajime Hinata's unmatched strength, immense abilities, and boundless potential proved to be too much for All Might's student to overcome.

Leona: Deku gave it his All, but he simply couldn't Hope to compete with Hajime, the pinnacle of humanity!

THE WINNER IS HAJIME HINATA!

[bioethicists]

Your post about unfollowing people who’re really combative online made me think about someone in particular. Apologies if this is out of nowhere so feel free to ignore.

If somebody (with thousands of followers) who isn’t a part of a specific marginalised group habitually seeks out bad takes regarding them to dunk on, isn’t that a little weird? I’m not talking about defending your friends when they’re facing discrimination or dunking on the main bigot character of the day, but regularly seeking out bad takes from small accounts that’d otherwise never seen the light of day.

It’s nobody on here I’m referencing. I feel a little crazy because this person gets heralded as a huge ally and has a lot of people in this marginalised group who’re really devoted to and defensive of them but it just really rubs me the wrong way because they seem really discourse-brained more than anything else.

yeah haha ironically i think some of the ppl on that post are seriously missing the point (which i probably could have made clearer) in terms of some of them are like. people who clearly think being told they're racist is the same as the type of behavior i'm talking about.

but also yes! this is more what i meant- people who are seeking out fights with those who would otherwise never get any attention! especially when it's takes that are NOT popular or the response is just totally disproportionate. or just building a social media brand off of over-exaggerated hatred/meanness towards people who "deserve it". it reminds me of all the cis people on here who constantly reblog shit about like... putting terfs in meat grinders but then never even lift a finger (or, more likely, are part of the mob) when trans women are sexually harassed or viciously bullied.

i don't think joking about harming bigots is some grand moral wrong, but it's often just gratuitous in a way where... are you actually expressing outrage or are you using the performance of outrage to get followers? what if that outrage is directly putting people in danger (e.g, if you find a terf with 45 followers + start sending her death threats, is that helping anyone or is it potentially provoking more violence, which you know full well you will NOT be the primary target of). i can see how this behavior can result in members of certain groups defending you, because if nobody has shown their willingness to defend you, isn't it refreshing to see someone who will? it's not so simple, either, cuz i do think ppl who do this do CARE, but i'm not sure the way that they care is sustainable or would hold up to a real, complex situation where allyship is needed.

it's so contextual + i'm not arrogant enough to pretend like i'm the one who can see the context right 100% of the time. this is a little sappy but i feel like the difference is whether the root of the anger is love/hope or if its fulfilling your own desire to lash out/release tension/look good. like "i'm pissed because i care about my trans siblings + it hurts me to see them treated this way + nobody else is saying shit for them so i'm stepping up" vs "raging online meets a need in me that i'm not willing to acknowledge + here's the perfect target". not exactly that simple but sometimes u can tell someone would be a kiwifarms bro if they didn't need social capital from a different crowd, ykwim (which btw we regularly learn that certain leftists will comb through + disseminate kiwifarms shit if it fits their vibe, which is an automatic red flag to me that you only care about drama, not morals)

it reminds me of how some "callouts" are clearly written with the intention of preventing harmful people from maintaining the power to do more harm (e.g x popular artist sexts underage fans) while many others are clearly written with glee about someone turning out to be Bad (e.g x popular artist has a private twitter that i, op, SCROUNGED to find, where they say horny things about genshin impact characters)

[stubbyartist]

The lack of nuance in the Toshiro debates is killing me… he’s not a bad person BUT he has done some things that are wrong.

Do I think he was wrong to be angry with laios? Not at all. He has every right to be mad about the microagressions he faces, especially from laios. And although it’s not exactly excusable for him to never communicate how he feels, it’s still understandable why he’s like that because of his upbringing and how different the eastern culture is to the island’s.

The main thing I do take issue with that I’ve seen some people defending is his proposal to Falin. I think although again, some of his decision to do so is explained by his culture and upbringing, it is absolutely not excused by it.

I’m going to preface this by saying I am not just “mad at him for trying to get between farcille” because that is not the case. This is about how his proposal completely disregards Falin’s feelings.

To understand why the proposal is such an issue, you have to understand some things about Falin. She has a low self esteem, likely due to not only being treated as an outcast by her village, but also by her magic school peers. Falin is pretty naturally a people pleaser as well, and very rarely does she stand up for herself.

When Toshiro proposes, without ever asking her out or getting to know her well, Falin is very much startled by it. And the other characters take issue with it as well. The proposal is not something that had any precedent. The scary thing, and the reason the proposal is so wrong, is that Falin Considers Accepting! Even though she does not love him or want to marry him! Because she thinks she’ll never get another one! This is something that really shows how little Toshiro knows and understands Falin. If he actually knew her well enough, I believe he wouldn’t have proposed. Because it put Falin in such an uncomfortable position as a person who has such low self esteem that she struggles to say no to something that anyone else would’ve rejected immediately.

And this is not even regarding the fact that the society that the characters live in is very patriarchal, and most women are expected to marry men that have been determined by their families. At one point Falin does have an arranged marriage as well! But it’s ultimately dropped when she goes to magic school.

All this to say. The characters in dungeon meshi are all very flawed characters, there’s not a single character that is completely perfect! And that’s why it’s so good. Toshiro is not evil, nor is he a saint. And that’s why he’s able to be a compelling character! The characters in dungeon meshi feel so real and human Because they have so many flaws, and aren’t always in perfect moral standing. Ryoko Kui is crazy good at writing characters that are believable, and there’s no main character that feels super flat to me.

End of rant! here’s the little source of this rant as well.

[crusherthedoctor]

📞 a character others dislike but you don’t?

♠️ favorite protagonist?

🕷️a character you feel is underrated?

📞 - a character others dislike but you don't?

Elise has gained more appreciation over time, but you still get people who think she's to blame for everything wrong with '06. She was a decent if underdeveloped character who simply wasn't used in the story that well, and anyone who thinks turning her into a Not-Sally is the only way to fix her isn't trying.

There's also Zor and Marine, both of whom I will always defend. Isn't it wild how I can barely remember anything from The End's three minute tough guy Reddit copypasta, yet everything Zor says is solid gold... shout out to IDW for missing the point and making him an unironic tryhard like every other villain in the comic. As for Marine, people act as though her character development never happened, which isn't helped by Flynn being one of those very people, and I don't understand why they give her flak for her stereotypical accent, yet make no such complaints about Bunnie.

For a couple of non-Sonic examples: King Sombra kind of went through the same arc as Elise in retrospect. As in, nowadays he has more open fans, but back when he made his debut, he received a disproportionate amount of flak for being a mostly silent villain, and the way he was used. I personally appreciated what they were going for with him, mainly cause of how they conveyed his Crazy Prepared defenses and the like, and honestly, by the time FiM concluded, I think he ended up better off than certain other villains lmao.

And of course, Moneybags. Not counting the first game (cause he didn't exist yet), I don't consider it a true Spyro experience if Winnie the Shit doesn't pop up in increasingly improbable locations to make deals in exchange for, *ahem*, a small fee. He also has some of the best lines. ("What are you going to do, sue me?")

♠️ - favourite protagonist?

Gex is unironically a better written character than everyone in Frontiers and IDW put together. This realisation makes me want to drink tap water at Jerry Garcia's.

Tails has always been my main bro out of the Sonic good guys, cause of how smart he is and how much he wants to help. :D It's also why I'm vocal about how much I despise it when fans double down on reducing the franchise to Just Furry DBZ due to super forms and whatnot, since it means Tails and other characters not named Sonic/Shadow/Silver are guaranteed to be treated even more like they're not good for anything meaningful. >:|

Then there's Spyro of course, which I know will be considered ironic to some given my complex feelings on Sonic, but truth be told, Spyro isn't really that similar to Sonic beyond some snark. He does admittedly act like a dude with tude in the first game, but it's clear that he's younger in that one. From the second game onward, where he's slightly older, he's considerably more chill... at least compared to Bubsy and many others from the 90's. And speaking of, despite his dialogue consisting entirely of WOAH, I respect Crash as well, since it was the bandicoot that got little me into the world of video games.

And many things change, but my fondness for Fluttershy will never die. Just as I have a preference for funny robot-loving villains who nonetheless remain a legit serious threat instead of being a joke, I have another preference for kindhearted quiet characters... which is why I also enjoy Trip... and Tikal... look, we all have our types, I'm sure you can sympathise. ;P

🕷️ - a character you feel is underrated?

The Hard-Boiled Heavies have mostly been pushed aside since Mania came out (aside from that one IDW story, but that's not a blessing), and it makes me madder than YouTubers who pretend they're mad because there are villains with dialogue who have less personality than these guys. They're so much fun, and despite all of them having the same Egg Robo template, their designs remain distinct from each other, even in silhouette form.

I also took to Ariem early on. Like the Heavies, "underrated" refers to general lack of fandom buzz compared to other characters, since although she appears to be quite liked, the acknowledgement given to her is somewhat limited due to her being stuck in an Android-only game for the time being. Some people also have an obsession with comparing her unfavourably to either Sage or Lanolin, for reasons I can probably guess in both cases. Me? I love her design, and her interactions with Cream and Knuckles are cute. :> I know it's not likely, but I hope she appears elsewhere so that she can be brought to more fans' attention... provided she doesn't get IDW'd.

Finally, a more complicated example: Metal Sonic. Now yes, he's very popular and beloved, and remains so to this day, but during the last couple of years, I feel I've been seeing two growing sides in the community when it pertains to him: the side who loves Neo Metal Sonic, and believe he's only a threat in that form like Flynn apparently believes (given how he often turns regular Metal into a jobber), and the side who consider him lame or essentially worthless because of his minimal characterization compared to others. He might not say much, and he might be a hedgehog-shaped tool of Eggman's ambition rather than a complete person of his own, but I believe there's a lot you can do with Metal that wouldn't require turning him into Usurper the Elf Shoes. OVA Metal ain't S-tier for nothing.

[paranoidpoltergeist]

Starscream is genuinely such a tragic character because as much as he's just kinda crazy every iteration has something that just makes u feel so bad for him.

IDW Starscream is something I couldn't scrape the surface of if you gave me 107 days. G1 Starscream's is not only mainly just used for comic relief the poor guy, but he lost his partner who then turns around and in his eyes betrays him. I mean Skyfire had every right to go "what in the fuc" and dip but the fact he went with Starscream in the first place tells me that somewhere along the way something happened to make him go coocoo.

In prime he was seemingly manipulated into joining the Decepticons and then constantly talked down to. From my perspective it honestly just seemed like Starscream was after praise or recognition which he never gets, now if this is because Megatron's a dick or because of the dark energon idk. I mean he kept the Decepticons afloat the entire time Megatron was gone chasing what was by all accounts a myth and did more then we saw Megs do THE ENTIRE SERIES. He managed to kill an Autobot, we never actually see any casualties and they've got a steady flow of energon.

I mean even in RID his main goal was to just kill Megs and tbh if I'd been beat down over everything I did, even if it was wrong bc I personally thought it was the right way to go about it, I'd be majorly pissed too. Yeah he wants control of the Decepticons but(and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong it's been a very long time since I've watched prime) I only remember him actually attempting to kill Megatron once or twice. Sure he was self serving but just bc he wants respect.

Bayverse Starscream was just the saddest thing I've ever seen. He could breathe and Megatron was drop kicking him off a building, didn't even get to be the treacherous sic jeez💀

Dude the WFC Trilogy was so wild idek how to word it so kind of a take on his character as a whole here. It was weird and characterizations were way off but I actually liked Starscream. He was still the guy we know and love but with a neat twist. He still had that tragic feeling to him especially getting traumatized and all but Dinobot telling him everything he went through wasn't an excuse to hurt other people was just *chefs kiss* bc it's really not. As tragic as Stars character is it's not an excuse for him to hurt the people around him. I mean no matter how bad I can feel for Prime Screamer he still used and manipulated everyone around him(Knockout for one). This is in no way me trying to justify or make him a good guy, a character can be tragic while still being a bad person. Somebody get him in therapy lol.

Oh man and don't get me started on the Unicron Trilogy Starscream. Probably the most tragic of them all, poor guy did not deserve any of Megatrons abuse. Allow me to let him speak for himself "I tried to gain favor from you, but nothing was ever good enough. No matter how many battles I fought, you always found fault." He really just wanted recognition, he literally sacrificed himself just so Megatron could get it through his thick head he needed to team up with the Autobots, and I recently had someone point out to me Starscream probably could have done some damage to Unicron with Swindle but he knew he was gonna die and he didn't wanna drag his mini-con down with him. Just ow.

Animated Screamer was just wild idek what he was on I can't defend him lmao bro opens the show trying and almost succeeded in killing Megan. I'd comment on Cyberverse if I could but I haven't actually got to watching that yet whoops. I feel like I remember seeing a clip of him talking about wanting the respect he deserved which honestly could have been his ego talking or really sad idk, but back to what I was originally saying.

Almost every time he shows up and you pay him any attention besides comic relief he's a super tragic character and it's not only what makes him one of my favorite but it makes me sad when I see people completely disregard everything but whats on the barest of surface levels. I feel like that's all Micheal Bay did he remembered Star being comic relief and so thats all he was. He's like an onion for lack of a better analogy, got a million layers, might make u cry, and you either love him or hate him. He could be such a compelling interesting character like with IDW but no one wants to look below the surface AND I GET IT 9/10 were literal children's shows so they're forgiven but Micheal Bay is on my hit list for that one.

edit: bro if this makes absolutely zero sense I literally wrote and posted this at 3am and then just scheduled it at a normal time for reasons I'm not actually 100% on so sorry💀

[paladibun]

personal gay/bi mike ramblings & other late night thoughts //

Been thinking about how I relate way more to gay Mike as a bi dude rather than to bi Mike. (This isn’t whos interpretation is right or anything) I’ve seen the post that was like both gay byler would portray different experiences under one label and show that no label outright owns a specific experience. A bi Mike’s arc would be more about choices in relation to others with less introspection and a gay Mike’s arc would explain internal turmoil and self depreciation in relation to a queer identity and the need to hide it, which would require more of it . And ofc gay people don’t own this flavor of experience but in Mike’s case would explain his actions if under that lense for me personally. Also noticed the later headcanon is more prevalent for those with a bigger Mike bias than Will which is interesting.

Also thinking about what a mess or I guess how much ambiguity there is in both Will & Mike’s characterization when it comes to their relation to their sexualities which ultimately causes people to develop strong opinions and get angry when people get their arcs or dynamics wrong. The thing is that the Duffers like ambiguity - it gives them freedom and they also don’t like to state things outright when it comes to identities and very important sociopolitical issues while trying to be “realistic” /half-neg ( ex: Karen & Nancy talking about feminism without mentioning women, the way Robin’s coming out was handled without mentioning any gay words while the show is comfortable using homophobic words )

Anyway almost got heated on a completely separate topic.

It is sometimes confusing as to what is meant to be presented as a “Will Arc” and a “Mike Arc” On the one hand Will struggles from overt homophobia from others and from Lonnie growing up, on the other hand he has Joyce, Jonathan, Mike, and the party who adore him and while I doubt Will understands that they would accept him no matter what, there’s definitely an earlier self acceptance in his identity as a hyper-visible gay man(you can see it with the Turing Project & the bravery with the painting). I define internalized homophobia as “a set of complex contradicting behaviors based on society’s homophobia and heteronormative pressures” and some people define it as “being sad that people are being homophobic to someone” I think both Will and Mike have degrees of both and sometimes it’s hard to see how much of either both characters have. And for Mike, it solely depends on how you read his sexuality thus explaining his actions and feelings. Again, it is vague which I think is humanizing and realistic.

I won’t touch the dynamics topic until the tag evolves beyond late stage fandom spoon/fork binarization of gay relationships but just noting that aspect of byler isn’t void of complexity.

One last thought for the night:

Just looking at the fandom and noticing unfortunate patterns. Mainly the desire to be right above all else and largely at the expense of collective fun and creativity which is like the main point of fandom. I think it comes mostly from having to fight the GA and m*levens to prove we aren’t crazy (insert Joyce Byers gif here) a year ago and that mentality sticking for way too long. Like the desire to to defend your thoughts and feel your feelings strongly about a topic is amazing and is another big fandom driver but at some point people getting angry for fanon, headcanons, people having fun making things in a way that isn’t popular loud accounts approved is honestly concerning. I see it a lot from the side I agree with too and it’s like. We can do better right? Not everything needs to be activism tinged?

Anyway anyway thanks for reading this far I’m passing the whole fandom edibles as we collectively rewatch the source material and resetting our very “seeing red at posts we disagree with” adled brains. 💕

[bbygirl-aemond]

HOTD fandom is genuinely the worst fandom I've been in, not even GOT/ASOIAF was so mean and toxic to people for no reason. People can't just enjoy things, they have a need to drag others every second, and someone always wants to start a fight and insult others over opinions. People also treat the book and the show too seriously like it's a history book/documentary about their family and they are the only ones who know what actually happened, then get mad when someone doesn't agree with them. It's just crazy.

This actually brings me to a point I've been wanting to make for a while, because I've done a lot of thinking about why the HotD fandom has so much heated conflict and disagreement. I think it's largely a consequence of how the show's been marketed. This ended up so much longer than I anticipated, so I'll put my commentary under the cut. I encourage everyone to read this even if they disagree with me on certain points within the fandom, because it's completely neutral on characters and teams and makes no moral commentary on any of them.

Humans love the idea of pack mentality. Think of how in America so many people identify so strongly with one of the two main political parties, and will straight up ignore logic and reasoning to blindly agree with members of "their" party and attack members of the "other" party. They'll understand that a politician is contradicting themselves or doing something they don't actually agree with, but they'll ignore it and support them anyways because of their party membership. They'll even extend this into adopting that questionable position themselves, just to defend their party against criticism from the other party. We love feeling like part of a group, and we tend to make it into a sense of identity that makes things intensely personal and emotional.

Making people "pick a team" leads to massive engagement, and it's an amazing marketing strategy. Think of Captain America: Civil War, and the team mentality that was fostered by the showrunners. It meant tons of people became really engaged in the franchise, because it allowed them to made their team their sense of identity. That's another fandom where people from different "teams" get really heated at each other.

But team mentality also means that any perceived attack on the group feels like a personal attack. I think this is why I sometimes get accused of attacking characters I haven't even mentioned, like when people thought I was attacking Rhaenyra for criticizing Viserys's parenting. It shows that those people view Rhaenyra and Viserys as part of Team Black, and that any attack on any member of Team Black is treated like a personal attack to them. They can't comprehend that you might disagree with part but not all of the members of one team.

This then translates into people being unable to accept criticism of any of the characters. Just like how people assume you hate their entire Team if you criticize a single member, they'll assume you hate an entire character or dynamic if you criticize some part of it, no matter how empathetically you try to do so. I've criticized Rhaenyra's decision to have bastards from a political standpoint, while acknowledging that she had non-political reasons (youth, feeling abandoned, wanting the opposite of Daemon, trust, affection) for doing what she did. And some people have had a really hard time understanding that I can criticize her while having empathy for her, and while supporting her claim to the throne.

I think this is why, like you pointed out, people act as if these characters are their family members. It's because psychologically they feel like they are. They identify with them. And because they see these characters as an extension of themselves, they feel like they alone know them better than anyone else, just like how they know themselves better than anyone else.

So this means people have a very strong emotional reaction to their favorite characters being criticized, because it feels like a personal criticism of them. It means they're more likely to seek out and attack criticisms that weren't even directed towards them. But this black-and-white mentality of with-me-or-against-me means that they will attack anyone who supports the team or character they don't identify with, because that support is taken as an indirect attack on their team. Criticizing certain characters is seen as an attack, but so is praising other characters.

This is also why we see people blatantly disagreeing with the literal creators of this content. I've seen people try to argue with GRRM, the showrunners, and pretty much every single actor/actress involved about their understanding of their own characters. There's so much hate directed towards Emma D'Arcy and Olivia Cooke in particular just because people can't accept having a difference of opinion with them. Like it baffles me, because these are the people who should have the most authority about their respective characters. They have all the insider info from all of the possible sources, info that you very much do not have access to. How can you say you know better than them? But people see the characters as an extension of themselves, and therefore think of themselves as the ultimate authority on them, beyond reason.

This is, unfortunately, true for both Team Black and Team Green in this fandom, so it's just this escalating spiral of people yelling at each other for not having the same opinions. I also think this is why so much of the fan-created content for HotD involves either explicit or implicit self-insert characters being shipped with actual characters. The marketing of the show kind of relied on the assumption that all engagement is good engagement, which is true for getting good view counts but not great for creating a healthy fandom capable of thoughtful and civil discussions.

[life-and-death-companions]

some (possibly) unpopular opinions pt. 2

It turns out my rant about manhwas that did not appeal to me were actually pretty fun to read, and since I am nothing but a jester for entertainment I have decided to make another one of these. I feel like I'll get flamed for some of my choices though 💀 doesn't matter, all in good fun 👍

Under the Oak Tree

The Beginning After the End

Solo Levelling

Beatrice

I Have Become the Heroes' Rival

How To Hide the Emperor's Child

Why Are You Doing This, Duke?

Beware of the Brothers!

Under the Oak Tree

Let me just preface this by saying that my complaint is not about Maxi's timid, soft-spoken nature. I understand that her fear to defend herself and her inability to communicate her needs properly is a result of years of cruel abuse, oppression and control. In that regard, she is very similar to Soru from Twilight Poem (Heeran Love Song), and I love them both. They both have a quiet strength evident by their capacity for kindness in the face of constant barbaric mistreatment - not to mention their resilience. Few people would go through what they did and still strive to heal or accept genuine human connection.

However, I am far less empathetic towards Riftan. With how often he gets it on with her, he's been classically conditioned to associated Maxi with arousal and sexual pleasure. Too many times has he initiated this type of thing when Maxi was only trying to express herself and communicate, which made for a frustrating narrative - and if I'm honest, after some time it felt like he was using Maxi as a sex toy, which enraged me like nothing else.

Most people liked the smut, some thought it was a bit overkill. I, for one, am proudly ace and so it did nothing to appeal me to the story when it was obvious their sex life was 99% due to lust alone, rather than any sort of connection. I kick my feet and screech just like any other person when I read about two people loving each other so much and finding refuge through touch and physical intimacy - but this was shallow sex. It got to the point where when Riftan would made advances I would start laughing because it was just that predictable and boring.

(Also! Their first wedding night! Stank! Of! Sexual coercion! It made me so enraged and it was so confronting that I honestly skimmed through the dialogue and skipped the scene altogether. "You're my wife so we must fulfil our marital duties" PLEASE I WANTED TO BARF. Nobody come at me about historical accuracy and context when this story has fucking wizards and shit.)

Also, I'm a bit of a man hater (we all have flaws 💀) so reading about a man who by all means solely holds the power in a relationship makes me dislike the story on principle. Maxi has been under the thumb of men from the moment she was born, so her marriage to Riftan felt to me like a simple switch from one type of oppression to another. I'll admit I was projecting a bit because I was seeing the many women in my life who've suffered because of the patriarchy through Maxi and resenting Riftan as a result. However, I still don't think my assessment is that flawed.

TL;DR: I hate presumptuous, inconsiderate men, and unfortunately Riftan fell into that category, but Maxi, sweetie - I love you with all my heart.

The Beginning After the End

Manhwa that is obviously intended for a male demographic are honestly a bit of a hit or miss most of the time. I loved The Return of the Mount Hua Sect, and the main character from The Return of the Crazy Demon has my whole heart.

The reason why I dislike a vast majority of them is that they obviously cater to the idea that an ideal man should be cold, uncaring, callous, invulnerable and entirely masculine-presenting. The comment sections of male-targeted manhwa like Solo Levelling and the Beginning After the End are full of boys that look at all these MCs acting superior with their hands in their pockets and their arrogant smirk and think they're the 'goat'. Female characters are treated as incapable of rising to the same level of strength as the male main character, and indeed when they're confident in their skills the boys in the comment sections have nothing but derogatory comments to make about them.

In the comment sections of the Reaper of the Drifting Moon, not only is the MC under fire after their transformation to a leaner, more snake-like, curvy frame that appears more feminine, but the women he encounters are insulted in every way. Case in point:

I wish this was the worst among them, but it's not. I bet many other people can attest to the fact that comment sections like these are drowning in misogyny.

Arthur is in many ways that toxic masculinity personified. Always superior, always overpowered, always better, always smarter. Also, he's a thirty-eight year old weirdo that goes around having under-aged girls as love interests. If that isn't deeply disconcerting I don't know what else to say.

Solo Levelling

I'm so gonna get hate for this.

I also don't care.

Anyway, my issues here are three:

Jin-Woo panders to that ideation of an OP 'Goat' protagonist that I really don't fuck with personally.

The romance sucked. There was no real connection between him and Cha Hae-In. We had like one episode of them going to the amusement park. The whole "he-doesn't-smell!" premise was an obvious (and weird) attempt to force a romance subplot and give Jin-Woo a female love interest, perpetuating that image of him as desirable and flawless. She was, in a word, a prop.

The ending sucked also. It was one step away from the Protagonist Loses Their Powers And Settles Into A Life of Domesticity trope and I hated it. It was so unfulfilling.

The reason why I stuck around and read it in full was simply that it's fun. It's fun, sometimes, to read self-indulgent trash about OP main characters that solo every challenge. It just doesn't exactly make for a very memorable story or a likable protagonist, which is why I don't really care much for it.

TL;DR: The kind of brainless story you read when you can't be bothered putting yourself through the emotional and cognitive effort of connecting with complex characters and loaded stories.

Beatrice

I dropped this so fast I don't remember much about it, but I can say three things:

The fact that she was a slave and was basically rescued from hard labour because she was charming and cute was very much not it 💀 Why do all these girls that used to be slaves conveniently forget about slavery and its ramifications on others when their status is elevated and they posses the influence to do something about it?

LMFAO WHY DOES SHE LOOK SO HAPPY WHEN SHE'S SAYING THIS PLEASE-

In almost every panel, she looks dainty, petite and naïve to the point of appearing like a child, especially when compared to the ML's massive hulking rippling-pectoral figure. It made for equal parts ridiculous and creepy panels when they were put side by side.

LOOK:

ALSO CACKLING AT HIS POSTURE AND POSITION

TL;DR: Should have been classified as a comedy because I laughed more than I swooned over their apparently dreamy whirlwind forbidden romance.

I Have Become the Heroes' Rival

This story was so good and now it's rapidly going downhill. Claudia and Irene, my beloveds.

Felix - well, very questionable. When he abandoned her on the seaside after their first kiss and dramatically walked off into the ocean I laughed for hours.

And when he broke her bone during sex and the entire thing was romanticised and established to be proof of his inhuman verility I was actually gobsmacked.

"Don't provoke me because I won't be able to stop or control myself after" is the biggest fucking red flag to me. At any point during sex, Irene has the right to feel safe enough to say no or to change her mind. But whatever. The whole attraction of this story appears to be the kinky demon sex. I mean, judging from the comments and the fans it has garnered, I won't say this isn't successful.

TL;DR: Not my cup of tea.

How To Hide the Emperor's Child

I'm so tired of subpar, pathetic MLs.

Why Are You Doing This, Duke?

Some people thought the Duke's transformation from cold-blooded, cruel man to loving and kind to Nöel was funny and cute and a testament of the power of love.

I was uncomfortable with it. The overstated, grand gestures of love, the superficial nature of their relationship in the beginning, and Nöel's own focus on self-preservation to keep her position as the Duke's beloved made me uncomfortable. The Duke felt like a victim.

TL;DR: I don't like Nöel. I don't like the Duke much, either, from what I've seen of his real persona. That said, I did drop it, so I don't know how the story progresses with regards to that love spell and its origins.

Beware of the Brothers!

Sweet home Alabama~

[cowboymantis]

Not to be like a hardcore Ubisoft/Assassin's Creed defender (I loathe Ubisoft), but I've loved this series since I was little and have recently been having fun replaying older games,, and noticed something happening more and more in recent years

People's criticism on the new AC games having too much "magic" or whatever in them is really funny because it has been kinda crazy since the very first game??? The ONE thing every game centres around is magical objects to enlsave all of humanity and an ancient civilisation of higher beings that are basically Gods?

If anything, I really love the mythology themed activities the newer games have, especially because most of the times it's kinda optional too, so you're not always forced to engage in it. But even then, as someone who's always loved mythology, I really love this stuff.

And it's been there since the beginning, sure it's more part of the main story now, but people saying ohhh AC used to be realistic and historically accurate!!! Is just kinda. Idk man. It always took liberties to have it's own storyline while shaping the accurate history to be fitting for that storyline, and it still does that. Even anything, with the discovery tours (? Was that the name?) In recent games, it tries to be even more educational and in a way everyone can experience the historic worlds.

Now, I have A LOT of criticism with AC, and I hate Ubisoft as a whole like all gaming companies lol, and I get how AC doesn't feel like AC anymore and more like their own seperate games, but that's a complete other thing.

So if I see people complaining about those "magic" or "mythology" aspects, then, idk, maybe AC just wasn't from you from the beginning on and thats fine, but is it valid criticism for the game if just you don't like it? Like there are popular games/shows/etc I just cannot get into, and that's totally fine, you're not supposed to like everything!

I'm no expert when it comes to this, like I personally couldn't finish Valhalla yet, bc it felt very bland and the world felt so empty and small, it is a huge open world, but while replaying AC2 recently I had so much more fun, even though I've already platinumed the game years back and have spent so much time in this world. But it just feels bigger and has much more atmosphere. In Valhalla, I often just had to laugh at line deliveries, not because they were funny, but because it was just so bad and soulless.

And I'm not sure, is this criticism for the game as a whole, or is it just how I felt about the game personally? Because other people love the game. And I get it, it looks cool, and the character mythology analogies are really neat imo, but just the way it was written and designed feels very like all just a show from the outside. It's like when I have a cool story idea. I'm thinking okay, here are the characters, this is the main plot and woaghh cool plot twist here would be cool! And then I try to bring it down in text and it's just...hm...Okay how the hell do I connect this all. That's how Valhalla feels to me, if that makes sense??? 😭😭

I wouldn't be a good game critic, because I would spend too much time thinking about what type of my criticism is actually valid and what's just my own gaming taste I guess, but it's not like critics have ever differentiated those...

BUT YEAH to get back to my point, of course at the end of the day it's not that deep, it's just one of those random things I thought about again when seeing some posts about it.

But it's just always kinda funny to me when someone either just remembers AC from vague memories 10 years ago or have just seen random gameplay from it and don't remember/know about all the wild things that happened in the story (both past and present storylines of the games) and think it's some super serious historical documentary 😭😭

[myevilmouse]

I had a professor who wrote old-timey sword & sandals fic. One day, I asked him if he inserted himself into any of the characters when he was writing - did he assume a character role. He was really surprised at the question, as much as I was surprised at the answer: why, no, actually - he hovered above the story as a neutral observer.

I, on the other hand, always identify with a character as I am either writing or reading (almost anything fictional) When I am writing, even though the story may be fandom/canon based, I usually like to endow either an OC or a canon character with some aspects of my own life.

My professor was astonished at this conflation of my life with fic.

Today, I will send this same Ask to several authors and see where YOU position yourself as you write fic: are you a neutral observer? Do you identify with a character in the fic? Do you purposefully create OC to blatantly endow them with your personal characteristics/history?

Same goes for reading fic: do you look for a character to identify with, or are you a neutral observer?

Thank you so much for participating in my little Ask survey (feel free to to expand as much as you like with the answers)

Thank you so much for this ask @beebee-76!  I am happy to be included in your author poll 😁

This reads at first blush like a fairly straightforward issue/question, but I am afraid for me the answer isn’t exactly straightforward. 

The most important aspect of enjoying fic (for me) is characterization—it can be beautifully conceived, written, and executed but if I’m there and Luke would never do that or Thrawn says something completely OOC (to my personal interpretation) it’s basically an unrecoverable fumble on the part of the author and I have a very difficult time continuing for pure enjoyment. 

^^ Fanfic writers everywhere making my man do crazy shit

I say “for pure enjoyment” because sometimes I will read something for a different reason—to support the writer, for example, or to see how a batshit crazy scenario was executed, or, let’s be real, for the smut.  But I tend to find that if characterization is good/I agree with it, I usually find everything to be good, so that’s where I start and end as a reader.  I don’t need to identify with any particular character and when I am thinking about this ask in particular, I’m like, nope, I don’t do that.  I have lots of fictional characters I adore but I would not say I identify with them when reading (or in hindsight).  I LIKE them, but I don’t necessarily look for (or see) myself in them.

Here is my disclaimer on fanfic in general: EVERYONE SHOULD WRITE THE CHARACTERS THE WAY THEY WANT. I've said it before and I'll say it again, make Luke a misanthropic scientist who is into bestiality, I don't care. I won't read it, but I will defend your right to WRITE it and to call him Luke Skywalker, that's the beauty of fanfic. If the Wiccans will forgive me, "and it harm only fictional people, do what thou wilt."

I will be the first person to ever wear out a gif, and this is the gif.

So as to your main question, I am sort of all over the place here.  I am with your professor in general—I attempt to tell a story as a neutral observer out of a sense of obligation to the characters.  However, I am admittedly able to do that by identifying with various aspects of their personalities.  That may sound convoluted, so I will explain a little more:

I have nothing in common with Mara Jade except we both adore Luke Skywalker.  So when I write a Luke/Mara fic, I feel like I would be doing a disservice to the character if I was imposing my personal traits upon her.  Yes, I’ve taken dance lessons but no, I’m not a dancer, so it can inform the way I write Mara dancing (or anyone dancing for that matter) but our mindsets are not the same.  I find her frustrating and sometimes obtuse, and I sincerely hope I am not like Mara in most ways.  But in order to write detailed Luke appreciation and Luke/Mara in general, I have to get in Mara's head and see how she would interpret something he’s saying or doing, or how she reacts or struggles.  This is really imagination, nothing more nothing less.

I also have nothing in common with Arihnda Pryce, hahah for that matter, at least I hope not.  I find many things to admire about her, and many things that are sympathetic in her biography, which I hold is necessary as a writer to capture her authentically (again with the disclaimer as I see her/read her).  But I do not identify with her, or, for that matter, Thrawn.

I tend to focus on shipfic, and the only OC I have invented in any depth is my art forger—Seta.  I don’t think I have much in common with her, but I have, to be fair, imbued her with a love of languages, art, dogs, and well, Thrawn.  These are all things I enjoy but none of them are intentional outside of being necessary to tell the story.

Let's be clear I'm not talking about writing FOR myself, I'm talking about identifying with the character. Yes I have a strong language kink, uniform kink, smut likes, etc. so you will see things I personally enjoy crop up in my stories of course (I am writing them for ME), but I hope (at least I like to think) that they only appear when logical and aren't smushed into an identity for random kicks. I'm thinking hard about this and invite anyone to chime in if I'm forgetting something egregious hahaha

Maybe one of my favorite things about being a writer is, as a true “pantser,” I never know where the story is going.  So there is never really (or rarely) an opportunity for me to say “oh, you know what, I’m going to have Luke do THIS or Pryce do THAT” because I personally enjoy it.  When my personality manifests in the story, I think it’s mainly in service of the story, such as using my pretentious art snob vocabulary to write a debate between Thrawn and Seta, or making Luke a vegetarian (like me!) because I honestly don’t see how anyone who is so in tune with the Force in all living things could be OK with eating meat once they get to a certain level of awareness.

None of this is to suggest that doing it another way is bad or bizarre, it's just not how I approach writing, I guess. I am an anomaly in many ways, I am well aware.

That was a bit long but I hope helpful for your survey! I had fun thinking about this! 

So to revisit your questions in a more TL;DR fashion:

Am I a neutral observer?  Sort of

Do I identify with a character in the fic?  As much as necessary to write them authentically

Do you purposefully create OCs to give them my personal characteristics or history:  Definitely not

When reading:  do I look to identify with a character or read as a neutral observer:  Neutral observer

Thank you again! 🥂