#saezuru cover

[transparentduckbird]

The new Saezuru cover 🤍🩶 enjoy fandom 😘

5月31日発売予定『ihr HertZ 2024年7月号』

https://bs-garden.com/product/ihr-hertz-202407/

[soupscans]

Saezuru Cover - ihrHertz

Hoi fellow soups!

This Saezuru month the soup is extra tasty! The Saezuru Cover of this month ihrHertz has been released ✨

[crayonkant]

Saezuru Chapter Titles

Well, my archival obsession with the chapter covers continues. Here are all titles to date as of October 2023.

Legend, based on the illustration:

Yashiro - italics Doumeki - bold font Yashiro and Doumeki - blue font

[1] Defiant, or twisted, there's nothing else to do... but continue living.

[2] Unconsciously, love is born.

[3] Sentimental, irritating, suffocating.

[4] Quietly, secretly... passionately.

[5] Just staying by your side...

[6] So close, yet our hearts are afar.

[7] There are things I want to tell you, but I have no words to convey them...

[8] You don't know how important someone is to you until you're about to loose them...

[9] It's so cold, it gives people a lancinating kind of pain, yet, there is an unspeakable sense of comfort. (note: unusual color cover with Misumi and Yashiro's naked legs)

[10] Back then, when he was still a nobody...

[11] Those unseen wounds, hurting little by little.

[12] Something is about to change...

[13] Downtrodden, life continues -

[14] The past... begins to stir - (note: unusual color cover with a bird's pov and tiny unrecognizable figures)

[15] (no text)

[16] I want to protect... I want to be protected... this contradiction is - (note: unusual cover with story panel of Hirata on the ground and speech bubbles. One bubble could be read as continuation of the title : "[this contradiction is - ] ... pretty dangerous".)

[17] I don't want to vanish from your gaze. (note: unusual cover with story panel and speech bubbles. D: "You could say I'm no match for the force of this person." Y: "I don't want to vanish from your gaze".)

[18] Everyone goes on living with the weight of the past on their shoulders. (note: unusual Nanahara? cover)

[19] Even the smallest things can alter fate.

[20] Someone's hatred towards someone Someone's feelings towards someone - (note: unusual car chase cover)

[21] no cover

[22] The time for everything to change has come -

[23] Even though all I want is to love him it will only hurt him...

[24] I can't allow myself to be touched by those hands

[25] What is this The way this is Is not the way that I know (note: crazy double page cover that will get its own post)

[26] nothing

[27] When it's too late I always think... "Why..?"

[28] A past that can never be erased Memories that won't be forgotten

[29] The feelings that ensnare and the feelings that are real... In the end, will they be revealed as love, or...

[30] Little by little... Things start to go crazy.

[31] So many thoughts, So much anticipation, All blending together...

[32] There's something I've always wanted to know.

[33] I've never needed Anyone Or any thing

[34] nothing

[35] Endings and beginnings Beginnings and endings (note: could also be read "Beginnings and endings Endings and beginnings")

[36] nothing

[37] 4 years have passed... and time flew by in parallel lines

[38] Living under the same sky

[39] Finally, things are moving

[40] There is something in the memory that can't be erased.

[41] I never planned on meeting him again

[42] Feelings are aching

[43] Things that changed Things that haven't And some things that cannot be changed.

[44] Yashiro and Doumeki's On equal footing New relationship Begins! (note: strangest title, so different in style than all others)

[45] After being separated for 4 years, The thing Doumeki saw was...

[46] I thought I fully understood that guy...

[47] What is it you desire?

[48] Pretending as if nothing happened

[49] Even if our positions changed, The feelings are...

[50] Wanting to destroy everything (note: unusual cover, portrait of Yashiro with only Doumeki's gloved hand in the picture...)

[51] I didn't know. Was this what I wished for? (note: unusual cover showing only legs, assuming it's the both of them)

[52] nothing

[53] What I really wished for was...

[54] For us both, There are things we don't know

[lustfulcat]

Chapter 55 spoilers have dropped!

Here is a quick n dirty clean of the cover page and a phone wallpaper so you can carry this sexy Doumeki with you everywhere!

My favorite part of the preview page is Doumeki refusing to believe that Yashiro is impotent and saying that Inami must be bad at sex askhaklhsaklsh. I HOPE HE GOES RIGHT TO YASHIRO AND ASKS HIM ABOUT IT.

[corfisers]

yes i am putting yashiro in water yet again

[saezurusteve]

Happy Birthday, Doumeki!!! I would give you a gift, but you already have the best one! I certainly hope you get some well-deserved sex for your birthday!

[ogata77]

New cover of volume 9 of saezuru. Yashiro being tenderly touched by Doumeki. I hope that in volume 10 that hand no longer has a glove...

[noniedarkmeki]

HAPPY SAEZURU COVER 🤍!

[danmeibrainrot]

Saezuru chapter 58 in May!! And apparently, Saezuru on the cover too🎉😭❤ We eating good Saezuru nation!! 🎉🎉❤

[transparentduckbird]

Stop dropping the cover in 4 of the morning for the love of God 😭😭😭

[soupscans]

Fellow Soups,

we have the official tweet for the Cover of Volume 8! It's such a good counterpart for Doumeki on Volume 7!

[crayonkant]

Saezuru Chapter Covers 43-53

Check out the other posts for the rest of the chapters!

[kyrieren]

Umbrella vs. Rain: The Driving Forces of Saezuru (3)

Note: my analysis relies heavily on visual elements

III. Aiai gasa (相合傘) - Under the shield of love

"相合傘 - Aiai-gasa" is a combination of the word "相合 - Aiai" - doing something together, and the word "傘 - gasa" - umbrella. Literally, it refers to the act of two people sharing an umbrella. However, as the word "Ai" is homophonic with "愛 - Ai" - love, "Aiai-gasa" connotes a derivative meaning: Love Umbrella. In "Saezuru", empathy and love are the umbrella that shields characters from the rain (or I believe so).

Yashiro vs. Mother & Child

The five panels on this page vividly embody the adage "A picture is worth a thousand words." Following Yashiro's forceful removal of Doumeki from the car, a profoundly expressive and iconic scene unfolds. The stark contrast presented is striking: Yashiro isolated in the car versus the Mother & Child duo outside, together under the rain. While Yashiro remains sheltered within the car, impervious from the rain, Mother & Child rely solely on an umbrella for protection. Yet side by side, the prowess of their bond shines through against the glooming backdrop. Their love acts as an impenetrable shield, leaving them unscathed. In stark contrast, Yashiro, who has just pushed away the person he loves and loves him back for mutual protection, finds himself alone. Despite the physical safety of the car, the rain metaphorically pierces through him in the darkness. It’s not the umbrella itself, it’s love that defends people against the rain. Yashiro has never had love before, but as soon as he has, he’s got no other choice than to let it go. That look in his eyes gives a mix of tragic resignation to his fate, the paradoxical coexistence of envy over and disdain for love, and the determination to give up love.

Fortunately, Doumeki refuses to give up on Yashiro, despite his cruel words. He quickly returns, bringing along an umbrella and water for medicine. His determination to stand by Yashiro's side and shield him is palpable. As soon as he enters, the car is brightened up and the rain retreats back to be outside of the car.

In this scene, Doumeki's arrival with the umbrella not only shields Yashiro from the rain's darkness but also symbolizes his loving presence guarding Yashiro off from his turmoil.

Although Yashiro may not yet be brave enough to acknowledge or confront his feelings, his expression subtly transforms from a frown in the first panel to something softer in the last. This instant change reveals the other side of Yashiro genuinely doesn't protest Doumeki's return, hinting at a hidden vulnerability beneath his tough exterior."

2. Moratorium

This cover is the scenery illustration of an extra where Yashiro has Doumeki run an errand to buy him an umbrella. For Yoneda sensei never half-asses anything, I'd like to take an approach regarding the characters' setting and the story's developments on this painting.

This marks the beginning of Yashiro and Doumeki's journey towards each other, as Doumeki endeavors to stand by Yashiro's side. Amidst the pouring rain, their bare heads stand out starkly in a sea of umbrellas, emphasizing the pain they both endure. In the bustling crowd, Yashiro remains motionless, a solitary figure amidst the chaos. The red light he is leaning against represents his childhood trauma and the yakuza world. Literally and metaphorically, Yashiro can't go even if he wants to. Yashiro's relaxed posture against the crimson glow signifies his reluctant acceptance of his date, a tragic resignation to his circumstances.

On the other side, Doumeki opts not to shield himself with the umbrella he carries and dashes to Yashiro with big strides. This bold act underscores Doumeki's unwavering commitment to protecting Yashiro, even at the cost of his own comfort and well-being. He willingly discards himself. That's why it doesn't end well.

3. Not yet Aiai gasa (相合傘)

When Doumeki returns, Yashiro's intuition clicks when he sees only one umbrella with him, but screws the idea of Aiai gasa right away by forsaking Doumeki drenched in the rain.

The 7th and 8th panel summarizes Saezuru until the end of the Hirata's arc - Yashiro pushes him away through assault, while Doumeki endures it all to remain by Yashiro's side. Aiai saga is meant to be two people under the umbrella, not one. Ironically, despite their deep affection and fierce desire to protect each other, their relationship falters due to a lack of mutual commitment to being together. Another significant contributing factor is their profoundly low self-esteem: Yashiro, feeling undeserving, violently pushes Doumeki away to protect him, while Doumeki, undervaluing his worth, tolerates mistreatment and violence for Yashiro's sake. In this sense, they both push Doumeki away, unable to bridge their emotional barriers.

In the 9th panel, Yashiro blames Doumeki for his tardiness. While Doumeki is indeed late, it's evident that it's not his fault. His arrival into Yashiro's world comes after Yashiro has endured immense suffering alone for a long time, leading to a coping mechanism that rejects Doumeki's presence. However, Doumeki's entry into Yashiro's life marks the end of the Moratorium. Yashiro can now begin to move forward, although the process is slow and painful, signifying a gradual progression towards healing.

By all accounts, in their complicated case, love love alone is not sufficient. Acceptance, self-appreciation, and the mutual wish to be together are essential components for Aiai gasa to work for them.

4. Aiai gasa (相合傘) - Under the shield of love

I'll be positive saying that Yoneda sensei has hinted at their happy ending in this poster for the Rain event, or at the very least, a phase where they accompany each other out of love.

This is Doumeki and Yashiro post-time-skip. The image of them under the umbrella signifies a mutual desire to be together at last. Doumeki holding the umbrella for Yashiro, who is already slightly damp from rain droplets, symbolizes Doumeki's belated but meaningful presence in Yashiro's tumultuous life. This time, Yashiro allows Doumeki to take care of him, indicating a shift in their dynamic. Doumeki's actions also suggest a growth in his self-esteem, from nothing to something.

Their interaction speaks volumes. Despite Yashiro's sulky expression and bombastic side eyes, Doumeki meets his gaze directly. This subtle interaction hints at their ongoing communication and mutual efforts to understand each other better.

Under the shield of love - Aiai gasa, they are navigating their complexities. Under the shield of love, anything is possible, I believe. The mutual understanding, if they successfully arrive, would not only empower them but also serve as a shield, safeguarding and freeing them from their birdcage.

Read the previous parts here:

Part 1:

Part 2:

[lustfulcat]

The new Saezuru cover for this month's ihrHertz. OFC I immediately made a phone wallpaper out of it - enjoy!

(thanks to @DarkholmeRonnie for the cleaned pic!)

[swallowerofdharma]

Tales of separated lovers

A preview of the artwork for the cover of volume 9 of Saezuru has been posted. Looking at the horizontal format, my thoughts went to the dust jacket, the removable paper cover, and how we will have Yashiro on the front and Doumeki on the back cover, yet they will still be connected through their touching across the spine of the book. Doumeki is the one reaching, but he does so with a protective glove, while Yashiro doesn’t know how to interpret the touch and grab Doumeki’s wrist to stop or redirect him. He doesn’t understand Doumeki’s intentions. Once we close the volume, they will be on different sides, two separated lovers.

And so I thought, why not writing down at this point my interpretation of Doumeki’s tattoo? Many others have contributed their thoughts and theories and it was always interesting to read them. This isn’t a counter argument to any different explanation, only a contribution to the discussion, my personal interpretation and reasoning.

In this little exchange between Yashiro and Nanahara in chapter 53, Yoneda takes the opportunity to give us a big clue. Although it didn’t seem like Yashiro examined the tattoo that closely in his shock upon discovering it, he tells Nanahara: “He’s carrying around some celestial maiden or whatever on his back”.

While I was reading about Japanese festivals, I was captivated by the story behind the Tanabata or Star Festival, the tale of The Cowherd and The Weaver Girl.

In the original legend the two lovers are both celestial beings, but in other tales the cowherd is a human man who falls in love with a celestial maiden and marries her through deception. But the common point in all these stories is that the couple will become separated, the celestial maiden or spouse will go back to the sky and the man will be forbidden from seeing her and will have to go through some kind of trial to meet her again sporadically.

Now, I think Doumeki made a heavy choice. But one might as well think he was already pinkyless, why not tattooed as well? And the scars on his face aren’t hidden by clothes. He cut his finger off without even sharing sake and now that he has, that he is formally part of the Sakura family, why not celebrate his new status with a tattoo as well? The tattoo might show his resolve and commitment to do as it takes to see his celestial spouse once again.

Yashiro is horrified and it is a testament to how well these characters are written that we can understand his reaction on multiple and profound psychological levels. The men that Yashiro sought out and that used violence freely, the men who trapped him in the yakuza, the men who put his life in danger, they have their backs covered in tattoos. Yet Doumeki was supposed to be different in Yashiro’s point of view. Beginning with his impotence, and the way he used to treat him, without contempt, Doumeki from four years ago, before the Hirata incident, was in Yashiro’s eyes supposed to go back to a normal life, a safer life without the stigma. Because severed fingers and tattoos continue to be stigmatized in Japan. Yashiro knows what that means, because people had been treated him differently and regarded him in contempt even before he was formally introduced to the yakuza. Why bother with a tattoo when Yashiro’s stigma is even unrelated to that? But for Doumeki he had envisioned something better. I love how real this is, from the perspective of trauma, that feeling of separation from the experiences of others, from the experience of Yashiro’s internalized homophobia and the homophobia that is directed towards him, from the social aspect of being yakuza as opposed to be a “civilian”, the constant proximity with crime, corruption, power struggles and danger, in Yashiro’s eyes the ceremonies, the tattoos, all are a cover up, they are fictional, superficial things, he never belonged anyway. He is there because of Misumi’s capricious nature, on a whim. And Doumeki wasn’t supposed to be part of it. Yashiro had a little, modest dream, he could get him out, he could let him go free of it all. Free of any additional stigma. Can’t fingers be reattached?

On the other hand, Doumeki’s tattoo, Yoneda let us know is probably “some celestial maiden or whatever”, recalls stories of separated lovers who were bound to meet again, even if for a fleeting moment, one night a year, and maybe even less, because it is said that if it rains the lovers are prevented from traversing the heavenly river.

Sources:

Lafcadio Hearn, The romance of the Milky Way, 1905 : this is still the best retelling in English prose I have found, however I didn’t search wide and far, and it includes some of the common Japanese variations of the original Chinese tale.

Takagi Masafumi, シリーズ/比較民話](二)天人女房/白鳥処女 [Series: Comparative Studies of the Folktale (2) Tennin Nyoobo/The Swan Maiden] (In Japanese)

Hagoromo Tale (In Japanese) : this is the page with a most interesting depiction

Tanabata on Wikipedia

Swan Maiden on Wikipedia

[chuele]

Saezuru: Why You Need to Read it Twice (4) Has Doumeki changed?

(Expanded edition of Part 3: The impact of Yashiro's words (and acts) on Doumeki)

Has Doumeki changed?

Perhaps, judging solely by Doumeki's responses and his words of Yashiro—cold and rough. But if look closer, we can still see glimpses of gentleness in Doumeki's actions. Doumeki's current actions is a direct reflection of Yashiro's past words.

(1) Scrub the back

4 years ago 4 years later

(2) Cover the head with a towel

4 years ago 4 years later

(3) "Just carry me in" <=> "I'll carry you there"

4 years ago 4 years later

Doumeki still keeps the habit of taking care of Yashiro until now:

(4) "Your suit is hanging there"

4 years ago 4 years later

(5) Cover with blanket

4 years ago 4 years later

Doumeki remembers everything Yashiro said and done, after four years Doumeki's response while changed, but still seems somehow unchanged.,.

-------------------------//------------------------

Previous parts:

Part 1: Saezuru: Why You Need to Read it Twice (1) A single glance from above

Part 2: Saezuru: Why You Need to Read it Twice (2) Rain and the Echoes of Trauma

Part 3: Saezuru: Why You Need to Read it Twice (3) The impact of Yashiro's words on Doumeki