#lucky child hiruko

[snupy]

hiruko 🪝

@luckystarchild

[luckystarchild]

Other Characters' POVs in LC

A long time ago, I received a comment urging me to place other characters' POVs into Lucky Child. I replied to say I would not do this for several reason.

First, at the time the comment was submitted, the story contained 40+ chapters of story told exclusively from one character's POV, in first person. Suddenly switching to another POV would be jarring and strange if it wasn't justified by the narrative. To this day I can think of no justification for such a switch.

Second, certain plot points prevent the insertion of other POVs into LC itself. Omake/side material? Sure, I can include other POVs there because those side fics are not necessarily canon. But the actual canon of LC's main story could NOT support another POV without completely undermining the plot I was building toward. I assured the commenter that the single POV was the intentional and correct choice for the story I was telling. I couldn't tell them the exact reasons, of course. That would be spoilery.

They replied, "I personally don't see the problem in inserting other POVs into the story."

That comment has stuck with me. "I personally don't see the problem." The author is telling you it would be a problem, but... anyway.

I realized today that I can't recall if I've ever revealed those problems to all of you? And I realized that while I can't explain 100% of the problems (the rest of them will rear their heads in the final act of the fic), I can explain at least one huge one.

Spoilers for chapter 100+ under the cut.

In chapter 103, Hiruko dropped an absolutely bombshell on Not Quite Keiko. The bombshell was revealed to audiences in chapter 105:

NQK has been wrestling with this revelation since it occurred. Hiruko's assertion has them asking: Is this world real? More importantly, are my friends real? Are they figments? Is this all a hallucination? Are my loved ones philosophical zombies who only act the part of real, feeling people, mimicking consciousness like robots from a sci-fi film? Or do they have real thoughts and emotions, true consciousnesses, able to make choices of their own will and volition? Are my friends real, or aren't they?

We still don't have answers to those questions. But here's a question for all of you, in return:

Would this question pack nearly as much punch if we'd been treated to those friends' POVs throughout the story?

I'm going to answer that for you: No, it would not. If we had seen the story from their POVs throughout, this question would come across as silly and unnecessary. "Of course they're real!" readers would say. "We've been seeing their emotions, consciousnesses and agency from their perspective this whole time! That proves they're real!"

And I know this is true because some people are already saying Hiruko's question doesn't matter and NQK shouldn't waste time on it, and they're saying this without the inclusion of other POVs! Including those POVs would have been the kiss of death. No amount of questions from NQK could make readers doubt the reality that they had seen with their own eyes. "Of course the other characters are real. We've been reading from their perspective all along!"

Anyway. That's the reason I've never put anyone else's POV into LC directly, spelled out in plain language at last. It would have undermined everything about that revelation from Hiruko, and in turn, it would have undone everything I've been building toward since chapter 1... but that commenter was 60 chapters too early for me to explain why.

And for those still wondering if Hiruko's question matters: I'm telling you it absolutely does. ;)

(Sorry if I've actually talked about this before. I couldn't find a past post. It was on my mind today!)

[imustbenuts]

@a-waste-of-time-and-hot-glue hi and sure!

so while i dont think this is super likely for reasons after thinking about it, shintoism in trigun is... already kinda there. kinda.

in the japanese creation myth, ie, shinto, there originally was a primordial soup/void. from that void emerged 7 gods, and then came the twin gods, izanagi and izanami.

izanagi is the male god and izanami is the female god. with a spear they churned the waters below them and pop came the island archipelago of japan.

eventually they decided to have children (yes.), after realizing their bodies were different and together had the ability to procreate. they had a whole ritual, wherein izanami the goddess spoke first, and then they did the do and had a child known as Hiruko (Leech Child). but this child came out deformed, and so was cast out on a boat of reeds. (that child later becomes a lucky god named Ebisu)

they eventually concluded that the reason for the deformed child was bc izanami spoke first, so they redid the ritual, and now boom, more islands making up more of japan. and then suddenly, izanami was carrying a child named Kagatsuchi.

problem: Kagatsuchi is a fire god. this ends up killing izanami during childbirth and she descends into Yomi, which u can think of as a dark hell. (this also causes her to create more smaller islands in the process)

izanagi in his grief decides to 1) decapitate kagatsuchi, and 2) go down to Yomi to fetch his wife back (yes). but finds out izanami had already eaten the food of Yomi and was therefore bound to the underworld. they get into a titzy and eventually izanagi convinces his wife to negotiate with the gods down there for some kinda deal.

while doing so, izanagi loses his patience and then strikes a light, illuminating the dark as hell Yomi only to see the maggot infested moving corpse of his wife. in her rage she then curses for 1000 lives to be killed a day, and in return izanagi pledges for 1500 lives to be born a day.

he then spawns more gods after wiping his snots and one of them becomes amateratsu, the sun goddess. she then later has a child who becomes the first emperor of japan, named Emperor Jimmu

all of that said to summarize what i think are elements thats already present in tristamp to some extent then:

the primordial soup/chaos being space

the gods before izanagi and izanami being other possible independent plants including tesla

izanagi and izanami being knives and vash respectively

the children now being in those pregnant plants in ep 11

bc vash is independent and taking the role of izanami who should have submitted (yay patriarchy) but didnt, the ritual is a complete toss up

kind of

he then creates a cube baby of absolute destruction (kagatsuchi almost), goes downwards and self destructs as if descending into hell

and the main reason why i dont think tristamp is ever going to frame itself as a shinto story is bc... shinto is inherently conservative and betrays the egalitarian themes thats core to the spirit of trigun. and in a fucking nasty way.

theres elements of patriarchy, the idea of a 'pure blood' or a 'pure race', and a heavenly emperor.

to make it even more insidious, shinto was once used during ww2 as a rhetoric for japanese fascism. Reveal The Emperor, Expel The Barbarians was a strong rhetoric, and this eventually got young men to join the army to then commit fucking awful shit in the rest of asia. think genocide. all this while america and europe were fighting against the nazis.

this then later results in 2 atomic bombs dropping on japan.

theres a reason why the nazis and japan formed an alliance back then. they thought of themselves both as the superior race.

[luckychild]

I remember you sharing the not quites pin-boards, I was wondering if you also had one dedicated to Hiruko/any other ocs

I have one pin board/pennant dedicated to LC that includes sections for Minato, Kagome, and two sections for Keiko (one for past life and one for present). I've updated those sections a bit since I last posted photos of them; will have to snap a pic soon.

But more to the point of your ask, there's also a whole section just for Hiruko, the Fates, and the Makers!

The pin of the young person is representative of Hiruko himself.

"Nothing is Real"... well, I imagine that one is self-explanatory!

"Lies & smiles"... also probably self-explanatory, haha

The cherry blossom pins are a nod to his hair color and the theme of impermanence/fragility

Koi are considered lucky, so the koi carrying a lantern pin does double duty for his "god of luck" and "god of fishermen" status

And the pin toward the top left is a fishing lure, which is another nod to his "god of fishermen" status

The origami unicorn is a reference to Blade Runner and connects to Hiruko; this will come up in a future chapter.

There are three pins that represent the Fates, including Cleo: the starry measuring tape, the handle bearing a needle, and the scissors. Love that set. There's also a little pair of scissors with the word "maker" included, which... another self-explanatory pin, I guess.

Some pins you see in the photo that aren't related to Hiruko are the starry bunny (a Minato reference), the ace of swords (NQK), and the "We're all just stories; in the end, just make it a good one" is a reference to... well, the entire Lucky Child universe, really, but that'll be more obvious later on.

Hope you liked this and thanks for asking! I have SO MANY enamel pins; remind me to show y'all some of my collection sometime. The LC board is just one part, haha.

[thatsneakymedic]

" Finally. I found you, you lil' blighter, " Sasori barks through his Hiruko guise. " You've put me through a fresh 'ell. Ain't 'nuff yer runnin' off to Orochimaru, bitchin' an' whingin' 'bout me 'overworkin' you an' givin' you 'bullshit' tasks. Bah! But you went an' got the brat in a tizzy too. 'e's been slaggin' off 'bout you since 'e got back. You cocked up there. That boy collects grudges like I collect puppets so I reckon you watch yourself with 'im--if I don't kill you myself. Yer lucky yer my only spy that does 'is job! "

@reddawnmultimuse

The chilling guttural tone that was shouted at his direction made him stiffen unexpectedly as he is faced with Sasori. He himself has never said his complaints out loud, but perhaps his actions and behavior of oversleeping at Orochimaru's place is what made the implications very clear and Orochimaru only just said what he could clearly see.

As for the issue with Sasori's partner Deidara, while he himself should've had more restraint on his emotions, now it seems that the blonde has it out for him to now be reporting to Sasori for almost every little thing and complaint about Kabuto to the point that if it keeps up, he will be killed by them for sure.

He obediently listened to their scolding with silence, like a naughty child that has been caught and is being punished by an adult. Which is awkward considering that the situation is very much like that.

Kabuto knew that he was perhaps at fault for acting out when he should have just stayed quiet. An embarrassment, considering that he's supposed to be the best spy.

He kneels down before them as he lowers his head down humbly, he knew full well that spies are not supposed to keep their pride, even if they are in the wrong. After all, he IS undercover and is not supposed to make enemies here. " I understand. I'm so sorry, Lord Sasori. You were right, it was my fault for causing you so much trouble as of recently. It was never my intention to disrupt the organization's and your hard work. I'll keep to myself and be more attentive to your orders and learn to behave myself around others as well. I promise that this won't happen again."

It angered him, having to bow down to this bastard, but it's the best he could do in this situation. Less the mission will be a failure if he is kicked out or killed.

[hongkoredpanda]

Soo... I wanted to draw a happy Hiruko, I swear. But it seems that I can’t help myself to see him in a pitiful light ahaha. And I hated him at the beginning of the story so why did I hurt myself drawing this? Who knows. But I love him now. I love this manipulative little god. One day, I will draw him happy. Maybe.

I drew his outfit based on another fanart of him (by SirisDerp, go see their fanarts, they are amazing!) 

[mamamoon92]

Japanese divinities ✨

Shinto✨

Major kami✨

•Ama-no-Uzume (天宇受売命)

Commonly called Uzume, she is the goddess of dawn and revelry, instrumental to the "missing sun legend" in Shinto. She is also known as The Great Persuader and The Heavenly Alarming Female.

•Amaterasu-ō-mi-kami (天照大神 or 天照大御神)

Commonly called Amaterasu, she is the goddess of the sun as well as the purported ancestress of the Imperial Household of Japan. Her full name means "Great Goddess" or "Great Spirit Who Shines in the Heavens"; she may also be referred to as Ōhiru-menomuchi-no-kami (大日孁貴神). Due to her ties to the Imperial family, she is often considered (though not official) to be the "primary god" of Shinto.

•Ame-no-Koyane (天児屋命 or 天児屋根命)

A male deity, he is considered the "First in Charge of Divine Affairs", as well as the aide to the first Emperor of Japan.[1] He is also considered to be the ancestor of the Fujiwara family.

•Fujin (風神)

Also known as Kaminokaze, he is the Japanese god of the wind and one of the eldest Shinto gods, said to be present at the creation of the world. He is often depicted as an oni with a bag slung over his back.

•Hachiman (八幡神)

Also known as Hachiman-shin or Yawata no kami, he is seen as the god of war. Originally an agricultural deity, he later became the guardian of the Minamoto clan.

•Inari (稲荷)

The god of rice and fertility. His messengers and symbolic animal are foxes. He is often identified with the Buddhist deity Dakiniten. Though traditionally represented as a male, there are records of Inari appearing as a female as well.

•Izanagi (伊弊諾 or 伊邪那岐)

The forefather of the gods, he is the first male as well as the god of creation and life. He and his wife, Izanami, were responsible for the birth of the islands of Japan and many kami, though she died in childbirth. Later, after his failed attempt to retrieve her from the underworld, he sired Amaterasu, Susano and Tsukuyomi.

Izanami (伊弉冉 or 伊邪那美)

•Izanagi's wife and sister, she is the first female as well as the goddess of creation and death. She died shortly after the birth of Kagu-tsuchi, and Izanami followed her to the underworld, but failed to bring her back to the living world. A marital spat between the pair caused the cycle of life and death for all living beings.

•Ninigi-no-Mikoto (瓊瓊杵尊)

Commonly called Ninigi, he was the grandson of Amaterasu. His great-grandson was Kamuyamato Iwarebiko, later to be known as Emperor Jimmu, first emperor of Japan.

•Raijin (雷神)

Commonly called Raiden (雷電), he is the god of thunder and lightning, and is often paired with Fujin. As with the latter, Raijin is usually depicted as an oni.

•Ryūjin (龍神)

Also known as Rinjin, he is a dragon, as well as god of the sea. He resides in Ryūgū-jō, his palace under the sea built out of red and white coral, from where he controlled the tides with magical tide jewels. His great-grandson would become Emperor Jimmu.

•Susanoo-no-mikoto (須佐之男命)

Alternately romanized as Susano-o, Susa-no-o, and Susanowo. He is the god of storms as well as in some cases the god of the sea. He is also somewhat of a trickster god, as Japanese mythology extensively documents the "sibling rivalry" between him and Amaterasu. Susanoo also was responsible for the slaying of the monster Yamata-no-Orochi and the subsequent discovery of the sacred sword Kusanagi.

•Tenjin (天神)

The god of scholarship, he is the deified Sugawara no Michizane (845-903), who was elevated to his position after dying in exile and subsequent disasters in Heian-kyō were attributed to his angered spirit. See Dazaifu, Fukuoka

•Toyotama-hime (豊玉姫)

Also known as Otohime (乙姫), she was the daughter of Ryūjin and the grandmother of Jimmu. It is said that after she gave birth to her son, she turned into a dragon and disappeared.

•Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto (月読の命 or 月夜見の尊)

Also known as Tsukiyomi, Tsuki no kami, Tsukiyomino mikoto, and Tsukiyumi no mikoto, he is the god of the moon. He killed the goddess of food, Uke Mochi, out of disgust and anger in the way she had prepared a meal. This caused Amaterasu to never face him again, causing the sun and moon to be in different parts of the sky.

Minor kami✨

•Amatsu-Mikaboshi (天津甕星), the kami of all evil and stars who existed before Ama-No-Uzume

•Konohanasakuya-hime (木花之開耶姫), the wife of Ninigi and daughter of Ohoyamatsumi, and great-grandmother of Jimmu. She is also known as the goddess of Mount Fuji.

•Ohoyamatsumi (大山積命), an elder brother of Amaterasu, and an important god who rules mountain, sea, and war, as well as the father of Konohanasakuya-hime.

•Sarutahiko Ohkami (猿田毘古神), a kami of the Earth that guided Ninigi to the Japanese islands

•Uke Mochi (保食神), sometimes called Ogetsu-hime-no-kami, a goddess of food. After she had spat a fish, vomited or defecated game and coughed rice, she had been killed by a disgusted Tsukuyomi, or in some other versions, Susanoo.

Buddhism✨

•Amida Nyorai (無量光佛 or 無量壽佛)

Commonly referred to as Amida-butsu (阿弥陀如来), he is the primary Buddha of the Pure Land school of Buddhism. He is also believed to be a Buddha who possesses infinite meritorious qualities; who expounds the dharma in his pure paradise and is likely the most well known and popular of the Five Wisdom Buddhas.

•Daruma (ダルマ)

He is traditionally held in Buddhist mythology to be the founder of Zen Buddhism, as well as the founder of Shaolin. One legend reports that after years of meditation, Bodhidharma lost the usage of his eyes and appendages. The Daruma doll was created in honor of this legend.

The Seven Lucky Gods✨

•Benzaiten (弁才天 or 弁財天)

Also known as Benten, she is the goddess of everything that flows: words (and knowledge, by extension), speech, eloquence, and music. Said to be the third daughter of the dragon-king of Munetsuchi, over the course of years she has gone from being a protective deity of Japan to one who bestows good fortune upon the state and its people.Derived from the equivalent goddess in Hinduism Goddess Saraswati.

•Bishamonten (毘沙門天)

Also called Bishamon or Tamonten, he is the god of fortunate warriors and guards, as well as the punisher of criminals. Said to live halfway down the side of Mount Sumeru, the small pagoda he carries symbolizes the divine treasure house that he both guards and gives away its contents.

•Daikokuten (大黒天)

Often shortened to simply Daikoku, he is variously considered to be the god of wealth (more specifically, the harvest), or of the household (particularly the kitchen). He is recognised by his wide face, smile, and flat black hat. He is often portrayed holding a golden mallet, seated on bales of rice, with mice nearby (which signify plentiful food).

•Ebisu (恵比須, 恵比寿, 夷 or 戎)

The sole member of the gods believed to have originated in Japan, he was originally known as Hiruko (蛭子), the first child of Izanagi and Izanami. Said to born without bones, he eventually overcame his handicaps to become the mirthful and auspicious Ebisu (hence one of his titles, "The Laughing God"). He is often depicted holding a rod and a large red bream or sea bass. Jellyfish are also associated with this god and the fugu restaurants of Japan will often incorporate Yebisu in their motif.

•Fukurokuju (福禄寿)

Often confused with Jurōjin, he is the god of wisdom and longevity and said to be an incarnation of the Southern Polestar. He is accompanied by a crane and a turtle, which are considered to be symbols of longevity, and also sometimes accompanied by a black deer. The sacred book tied to his staff is said to contain the lifespan of every person on Earth.

•Hotei (布袋)

Best known in the Western world as the Laughing Buddha, Hotei is likely the most popular of the gods. His image graces many temples, restaurants, and amulets. Originally based on a Chinese Chan monk, Hotei has become a deity of contentment and abundance.

• Kichijōten (吉祥天)

Also known as Kisshōten or Kudokuten, she is the "eighth" member of the Seven Gods of Fortune, a Taoist deity often combined with the traditional members. She is considered to be the goddess of happiness, fertility, and beauty.

• Jurōjin (寿老人)

Also known as Gama, he represents longevity. He is often seen with a fan and a stave, and accompanied by a black deer.

[ayearinfaith]

𝗔 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗙𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵, 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟰𝟮: 𝗜𝘇𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝘇𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶

Izanami and Izanagi are a pair of creator gods, or Kami, in Shinto. They are credited with the creation of the Japanese islands and the other Kami. Their names are thought to mean something like “she who invites” and “he who invites”, respectively.

𝗞𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘂𝗺𝗶

The legend of Izanami and Izanagi is recorded in the two oldest classics of Shinto lore, the 𝘒𝘰𝘫𝘪𝘬𝘪 and 𝘕𝘪𝘩𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘬𝘪, both from the 8th century CE. Though Izanami and Izanagi are the progenitors of all the earthly Kami, they are not the first. The first Kami were the mysterious “Kotoamatsukami” who are self-created and without gender. Originally there are three such Kami, but two more come into existence later. After these mysterious and aloof cosmic beings come the seven generations of gods. The exact relationship of these gods to one another is not overtly specified, but from their title as “generations” and the fact that they aren’t counted among the Kotamatsukami, it can be inferred that some among them were brought into existence by the Kotamatsukami and the generated the rest. These seven generations include two generations of singular, genderless Kami and five generations of male/female pairs ending in Izanami and Izanagi. The two young gods are given a mandate by the Kotoamatsukami to create the Earth and are given the heavenly spear Amenonuhoku to do it with. The two stand on the bridge of heaven above the swirling chaotic primordial ocean and plunge the spear into its depths. The salt water that drips from the tip becomes the first land, the quasi-mythical island of Onogoroshima which may be modern day Nushima. On this island they built a palace to live in around a pillar known as the pillar of heaven. When they were ready to procreate, they performed a ritual, each walking around the pillar of heaven in a different direction. When they met, Izanami greeted Izanagi who then greeted her back. The two then had sex and produced a child. This child was not what they had expected. It was born with no limbs or bones, a sad and deformed creature named Hiruko; “Leech Boy”. They put the child in a boat and sent it out to sea. In modern Shinto, Hiruko is said to survive and eventually develops, becoming the lucky god Ebisu. Before that though, Izanami and Izanagi need to figure out what went wrong. The elder Kami inform them that their ritual was amiss as Izanami should not have spoken first. Thus, they perform the ritual again, this time with Izanagi greeting Izanami first. They have sex again and this time give birth to the classical eight islands of Japan (modern Japan contains more, notably Hokkaido and the Ryukyu Islands). This part of the story is called the “Kuniumi”; “Birth of the nation”.

𝗞𝗮𝗺𝗶𝘂𝗺𝗶

Now that there is Earth, or at least the Japanese islands, Izanami and Izanagi must fill it with Kami. This is not difficult as almost every action either of the two progenitors take creates grand lists of Kami in the 𝘒𝘰𝘫𝘪𝘬𝘪 and 𝘕𝘪𝘩𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘬𝘪. This all goes well until Izanami gives birth to the fire Kami Kagutsuchi. Because he is made of flame his birth burns Izanami’s genitals which results in her painful death, though not before more Kami are created from her vomit and urine (as I said, every action creates Kami). Distraught, Izanagi beheads Kagutsuchi, and act which also creates many Kami from the droplets of blood. Izanagi travels to the land of the dead, the subterranean Yomi, to retrieve Izanami. Unfortunately he is late, and Izanami has already eaten the food of Yomi, thus trapping her there. Izanami tells Izanagi she will go barter with the lords of Yomi for her release, but he must not make any light. Izanagi is unable to fulfill this request as he wishes to see the face of his beloved again. Upon lighting a candle Izanagi is met with a horrific sight: the once beautiful Izanami is now a rotting corpse. Horrified, he decides to flee Yomi. This betrayal, on multiple levels, enrages Izanami. From her rotting flesh she creates 8 thunder Kami, or Raijin, and the terrible hag known as Yomotsu-Shikome. Izanagi is narrowly able to escape to the surface and plugs the entrance to Yomi with a boulder. Izanami curses him, stating she will take the lives of 1,000 people every day to Yomi. Izanagi retorts that he will create 1,500 every day. Thus the separation of the underworld and the cycle of life and death are established. There is one final act in this portion of the tale. Inzanagi goes to purify himself with water which naturally creates many Kami. Most notably are the Kami produced when he washes his face. Of the water wiped from his right eye the moon Kami Tsukiyomi is born. From the water wiped of his nose the storm Kami and culture hero Susanoo is born. From the water wiped from his left eye the sun Kami and ancestor of Japan’s Imperial line Amaterasu is born.

Image Credit: Searching the Seas with the Tenkei (天瓊を以て滄海を探るの図), Kabayashi Eitaku, 1880’s

[biteheir]

there is probably a post about this. but great knower of uzumakis ... what is their religion like? go into depth for that... :^)

OKAY SO this might be all over the place , but basis is something similar to shinto. not the exact same but very, very close. uzushiogakure has priestesses ( hence force known as miko to keep words straight but uzu calls them just priestesses ) / @viralwill

In Shinto, a miko (巫女) is a shrine (jinja) maidenor a supplementary priestess. Miko were once likely seen as a shaman but are understood in modern Japanese culture to be an institutionalized role in daily shrine life, trained to perform tasks, ranging from sacred cleansing to performing the sacred Kagura dance.Miko once performed spirit possession and takusen as vocational functions in their service to shrines. As time passed, they left the shrines and began working independently in secular society. Miko at shrines today do no more than sit at reception counters and perform kagura dance. In addition to a medium or a miko (or a Geki, which is a male shaman), the site of a takusen may occasionally also be attended by a sayaniwa who interprets the words of the possessed person to make them comprehensible to other people present. Kamigakari and takusen may be passive, when a person speaks after suddenly becoming involuntarily possessed or has a dream revelation; they can also be active, when spirit possession is induced in a specific person to ascertain the divine will or gain a divine revelation.

Uzushio Miko still performed spirit possessions which with a background with fuinjutsu – helps them trap the gods into masks – ( which konoha + other’s ended up ripping off but that’s a discussion for another time ! ) 

where as a traditional Miko would wear :

The traditional attire of a miko would be a pair of red hakama (long, divided trousers) or a long, red, slightly pleated skirt tied with a bow, a white haori (kimono jacket), and some white or red hair ribbons. In Shintoism, the color white symbolizes purity.

Traditional Miko tools include azusayumi (梓弓 or “catalpa bow”) the tamagushi (玉串 or “offertory sakaki-tree branches”) and the gehōbako (外法箱 or the “supernatural box that contains dolls, animal and human skulls … [and] Shinto prayer beads”).

The miko also use bells, drums, candles, and bowls of rice in ceremonies.

an Uzushio Miko would wear something that is easily moved in , easily danced in , and can withstand water – and their attire is colourful with oranges , reds , blues. 

Their MAIN Gods/ Goddesses: 

Amaterasu-Ō-Mi-Kami (天照大神 or 天照大御神) Commonly called Amaterasu, she is the goddess of the sun as well as the purported ancestress of the Imperial Household of Japan. Her full name means “Great Goddess” or “Great Spirit Who Shines in the Heavens”; she may also be referred to as Ōhiru-menomuchi-no-kami (大日孁貴神). For many reasons, one among them being her ties to the Imperial family, she is often considered (though not officially) to be the “primary god” of Shinto.

Ame-no-Uzume (天宇受売命 or 天鈿女命) Commonly called Uzume, she is the goddess of dawn and revelry, instrumental to the “missing sun motif” in Shinto. She is also known as The Great Persuader and The Heavenly Alarming Female.

Fūjin (風神) Also known as Kami-no-Kaze, he is the Japanese god of the wind and one of the eldest Shinto gods, said to have been present at the creation of the world. He is often depicted as an oni with a bag slung over his back.

Inari Ōkami (稲荷大神) The god or goddess of rice and fertility. Their messengers and symbolic animal are foxes. They are often identified with the Ukanomitama and Buddhist deity Dakiniten.

Raijin (雷神) Commonly called Raiden (雷電), he is the god of thunder and lightning, and is often paired with Fūjin. As with the latter, Raijin is usually depicted as an oni.

Ryūjin (龍神) Also known as Ōwatatsumi, he is a dragon, as well as god of the sea. He resides in Ryūgū-jō, his palace under the sea built out of red and white coral, from where he controls the tides with magical tide jewels. His great-grandson would become Emperor Jimmu.Suijin (水神) The God of Water.

Susanoo-no-Mikoto (須佐之男尊) Alternately romanized as Susano-o, Susa-no-o, and Susanowo. Reportedly called “Futsushi”. He is the god of storms as well as in some cases the god of the sea. He is also somewhat of a trickster god, as Japanese mythology extensively documents the “sibling rivalry” between him and Amaterasu. Susanoo also was responsible for the slaying of the monster Yamata no Orochi and the subsequent discovery of the sacred sword Kusanagi.

Azumi-no-isora (阿曇磯良) is a kami of the seashore. He is considered to be the ancestor of the Azumi people.

As well as those God(desses) , they also believe in the Seven Lucky Gods: 

Benzaiten (弁才天 or 弁財天) Also known as Benten or Benzaitennyo, she is the goddess of everything that flows: words (and knowledge, by extension), speech, eloquence, and music. Said to be the third daughter of the dragon-king of Munetsuchi, over the course of years she has gone from being a protective deity of Japan to one who bestows good fortune upon the state and its people. Derived from Saraswati, the equivalent Hindu goddess.[citation needed]

Bishamonten (毘沙門天) Also called Bishamon or Tamonten, he is the god of fortunate warriors and guards, as well as the punisher of criminals. Said to live halfway down the side of Mount Sumeru, the small pagoda he carries symbolizes the divine treasure house that he both guards and gives away its contents.

Daikokuten (大黒天) Often shortened to simply Daikoku, he is variously considered to be the god of wealth (more specifically, the harvest), or of the household (particularly the kitchen). He is recognised by his wide face, smile, and flat black hat. He is often portrayed holding a golden mallet, seated on bales of rice, with mice nearby (which signify plentiful food). Daikoku sometimes manifests as a female known as Daikokunyo (大黒女) or Daikokutennyo (大黒天女). When Kisshoutennyo is counted among the seven Fukujin[4] and Daikoku is regarded in feminine form, all three of the Hindu Tridevi goddesses are represented in the Fukujin.

Ebisu (恵比須, 恵比寿, 夷 or 戎) The sole member of the gods believed to have originated in Japan, he was originally known as Hiruko (蛭子), the first child of Izanagi and Izanami. Said to be born without bones, he eventually overcame his handicaps to become the mirthful and auspicious Ebisu (hence one of his titles, “The Laughing God”). He is often depicted holding a rod and a large red sea bream or sea bass. Jellyfish are also associated with this god and the fugu restaurants of Japan will often incorporate Yebisu in their motif.

Fukurokuju (福禄寿) Often confused with Jurōjin, he is the god of wisdom and longevity and said to be an incarnation of the Southern Polestar. He is a star god accompanied by a crane and a turtle, which are considered to be symbols of longevity, and also sometimes accompanied by a black deer. The sacred book tied to his staff is said to contain the lifespan of every person on Earth.

Hotei (布袋) Best known in the Western world as the Laughing Buddha, Hotei is likely the most popular of the gods. His image graces many temples, restaurants, and amulets. Originally based on a Chinese Chan monk, Hotei has become a deity of contentment and abundance.

Jurōjin (寿老人) Also known as Gama, he represents longevity. He is often seen with a fan and a stave, and accompanied by a black deer.

The goddess Kichijōten (吉祥天), also known as Kisshoutennyo, is sometimes considered to be one of the seven gods,[3] replacing either Jurōjin or Fukurokuju.[4] She embodies happiness, fertility, and beauty. 

There’s a belief that each Uzumaki is blessed by one of the god(desses) listed above – and if they aren’t blessed , then they are cursed like karin’s great grandfather who was cursed with a bite-heal technique.

[numinous-scribe]

We are marionettes by strings animated Yet like lovers of strings liberated Without names we're fantasizing

I’ve been hooked on @luckystarchild​‘s fic “Lucky Child” and I found myself with a terrible need to draw this pink haired asshole delight, Hiruko!

(Base/Pose ref by Misash on deviantart)

[snupy]

hiruko up to no good 🫣 @luckystarchild

[luckystarchild]

Lucky Child Progress Report

The next story arc of Lucky Child (the Territory Training Arc) comprises several smaller subplots working toward a larger goal. It's a surprisingly hard section of the story to choreograph, let alone write (hence how long it's taking me).

Without spoilers, some of the subplots are as follows:

The technical development of a new ability (duh, haha)

The character development prompted and informed by that ability

NQK's interpersonal growth and development prompted by the recently introduced Training Arc OCs

Investigating Hiruko's implications with the Not Quites

Developments with certain key characters, both canon and original, that will HEAVILY inform the story's final arc (AKA even more character development, separate from what's listed above)

General housekeeping regarding NQK's relationships with the core canon cast, because NQK still needs to make up with Kuwabara (or at least find some equilibrium) and deal with the fallout of her secret being exposed

And importantly for many of you: "What's Kurama's deal!?"

The real magic trick is making all of these moving parts flow cohesively AND remain interesting for the readers.

I... have a lot on my plate, in case that wasn't clear. LOL!

Good News: The next chapter is underway, and I will hopefully be able to tell you the next update window sometime soon. Thanks for keeping up with LC despite my long hiatus, and have a great day!

[snupy]

hiruko with 4 different vibes because i am nothing if not indecisive. he might just be my new hyper fixation, hes fun to draw 🫶🏽 @luckystarchild

[snupy]

hiruko with his hair down bc why not! @luckystarchild hope you have been doing ok!

[luckystarchild]

Sometimes I get a little... frustrated... by the reactions to Lucky Child.

(No one is doing anything wrong. This isn't a callout post.)

Fiction that is serialized one chapter/installment at a time over a long period of time suffers from "No Instant Answers Disease." In a book, if you have a question about something that occurs midway through the narrative, you can read to the end and (most of the time) get your answer unless the author forgets the plot thread or something. But with serial fiction that is incomplete, you can't keep reading. You just have to sit with whatever the plot point is, wondering.

Sometimes LC (and most ongoing work probably) gets comments that express frustration over something that I, the author, know will get resolved eventually. But on a few specific topics, folk consistently will write comments that accidentally imply I'm like... writing about pointless stuff?? And I KNOW they don't mean to imply that, and that they're just giving an emotional response to the drama I MYSELF CREATED, which means it's impacting them emotionally and that means my writing of the subject was successful, BUT it's still a little frustrating on my part when people seem to imply that I'm wasting time/words/story on something "useless" or "pointless" or something that "doesn't matter." FRUSTRATING that they think I'm just wasting words!

But it's not frustrating in a "they're wrong" kind of way, mind you. It's frustrating in a "I can't give them any assurances without dropping massive spoilers and now I'm caught between a rock and a spoilery place" kind of way!

Big LC spoilers if you haven't read past chapter 110 or so. Click to keep reading.

Specifically I'm talking about the "None of this is real" plotline. For those who need a refresher, Hiruko implied that the world/people around NQK may not be "Real" by some obscure definition, and NQK spends a lot of time agonizing over what that means in both a practical and philosophical sense, and if it means anything at all.

In chapter 109, NQKagome reacts super emotionally to this whole idea, insisting that the people around her MUST be real. She loves them, and she feels they love her, so the idea that they're "philosophical zombies" that are basically just really good fake people makes her have an anxiety attack. And a lot of readers SWIFTLY sided with NQKagome, and/or they argued "It doesn't actually matter if they're real or not."

It's that last argument I find really frustrating. The implication that "this topic they're spending time on doesn't matter and they shouldn't even worry about it" is, unintentionally, kind of implying that the time we're spending talking about the concept itself doesn't matter, which is in turn an implication that it has no bearing on the plot/story/characters, which is kind of a sideways comment about my writing/storycraft itself. It's implying I'm spinning my wheels on useless crap.

And I know that's not what's intended by those comments, which are instead likely just emotional reactions to a heavy concept, but like... "Hey author, this thing you've devoted thousands of words to doesn't actually matter or have a point, I think it's useless for the characters to care about it" is a frustrating thing to hear.

Because it does matter.

I wouldn't be writing about it at such length and in such detail if it didn't matter.

But I can't like... explain why it matters, or even the DEGREE to which it does or doesn't matters, because even hinting at how big (or small) of a deal it may be could be SUPER spoilery if you're even a LITTLE good at deducing metanarrative. So I just have to sit here nervously laughing to myself going, "Heheh, yeah, uh, it toooootally doesn't matter at all, noooo... (*nervous fidgeting*)" and feeling frustrated that the reader doesn't trust me to write about things that "matter."

Oh god, this is a trust issue. I just figured that out now while writing this.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if LC were complete, you could just read to the end and figure out why/how it matters instead of implying it's a useless waste of time, but LC isn't complete, so...you can't. BUT I also know that the impassioned responses to the "Is this Real?" question show just how deeply the topic gets under people's skin, and that's great for me as a writer, because it shows me where I can focus to get people emotionally invested. Even the most hostile "this sucks and this topic shouldn't matter" responses show me I've struck a nerve, which is a GOOD thing in the end. I should take those comments as compliments.

But all in all, I GUESS those frustrating responses and my reactions to them indicate how much I need to finish the damn story, so maybe this frustration is a good thing in the end... but please, for the love of fanfic, please TRY and trust that if I spend a long time talking about something in the story, it's probably because I'm laying the groundwork for plot later. Don't fall prey to "No Instant Answers Disease."

"Just trust the process and let me cook." That's the moral (antidote?) here.

And that's my rant. Thanks for reading.

[luckystarchild]

hirukos origins remind me of hyakimaru from dororo

While I hadn't read/seen Dororo by the time I first dreamed up Lucky Child, ironically I'm now part of the US marketing team for that IP. Small world I guess!