#slay your majesty

[a0random0gal]

And my knees bend once more

[jazzkrebber]

oh don't mind the spill I just started violently choking on my water I'm fine

[thecheesyboi1315]

The people of melon city would not judge you for being trans

[loadsofcats]

These live in my head rent free

[bbqhooligan]

me on my way to spew bullshit under the comment section of an extremely well written fanfic that goes like *ape noises angry ape noises happy chimp noises gorilla roar gorilla roar gorilla roar*

[aenramsden]

The following is not my idea; it was the original brainchild of a friend of mine named Omicron, with help from various others including EarthScorpion, TenfoldShields, @havocfett and ShintheNinja:

So, you know what I want to do one day? Run (or play in) a D&D campaign in which the Big Bad Super Dragon that is fuckoff ancient and unfathomably powerful and whose actions have shaped history and bent the course of nations and had repercussions on the whole culture and society in the region where it's set; the Bonus Special Boss for some endgame optional quest after you defeat the direct BBEG and win the campaign...

... is a white dragon.

To explain this for people not deep into 5e monster lore; D&D dragons are sapient beings, and known for their instincts and tendencies, and whenever you meet an big evil dragon that's really old it's usually this ancient creature of terrible intellect Smaug-ing it up all over the place.

Except white dragons are fucking stupid. Like, they're still capable of speech and thought! They're just… feral, hungry morons. And you almost never see them portrayed as ancient wyrms for that reason; they lack majesty. Critical Role did it, yes, but even then, Vorugal is explicitly the most bestial member of the Chroma Conclave, and the others are the more intelligent planners and long-term threats. An ancient white as a nation-defining endboss, though; not a thug for a smarter master but as the strongest and biggest threat around is just not the sort of thing you tend to see.

Adventurers: "Oh wise Therunax the Munificent, gold dragon of Law and Good, what can you tell us adventurers of the evil dragons which rule this land?" Therunax the Munificent, 500-year old Gold Dragon: "Good adventurers, know this: this land is torn apart by the evil of Tiamat's spawn. The eastern marches are the dwelling of Furinar the Plague-Bringer, black dragoness whose hoard is a thousand sicknesses contained in the body of her tributes. The southern volcanic mountains are the roosting of Angrar the Wrathful, the fiery red dragon, who brings magmatic fury on all who do not worship him. And the northern peaks are home to Face-Biter Mike, the oldest and most powerful of all, of whom I dread to speak." Adventurers: "F-Face-Biter Mike???" Therunax: "Oh yes, verily indeed; two thousand years has Mike lived, and his eyes have seen the rise and fall of five empires, and a hundred and score champions have sought to slay him; and each and every one he bit their fucking face off."

Like... I want to see a campaign where Face-Biter Mike is genuinely the most powerful dragon in the region, if not the entire world. Where sometimes he descends on a city to grab himself some meatsicles and causes a localised ice age by the beat of his vast wings and the frigid wastes of his mighty breath and by the chill his mere presence brings to everything for miles around him, and everyone just has to deal with that for the next decade. An entire era of civilization comes to an end, an empire falls, tens of thousands starve in the winter, all because Mike wanted a snack. Where his hoard is an unfathomably vast mass of jewels and artefacts and precious stones frozen in an unmelting glacier, except he is a nouveau riche idiot with fuckall appraising skill, so half of his hoard is coloured glass or worthless knicknacks, and he doesn't give a shit.

"Your Draconic Majesty, this crown is… It's pyrite." "Yeah, well, it's brighter than this dusty old thing made out of real gold, it's my new best treasure. Throw the other one away." "…throw the Burnished Tiara of Bahamut, forged in the First Age of Man, your majesty???" "See? I can't even remember its fucking name." "But my lord-" "DO YOU WANT TO BE A MEATSICLE" "…I will fetch a trash bag, your majesty."

But at the same time, he's not stupid, he's just simple, and in some ways that makes him more dangerous than the usual kinds of scheming Big Bad you see in these things, while simultaneously justifying why Orcus remains on his throne (because he's lazy). Face-Biter Mike doesn't make convoluted plans or run labyrinthine schemes; he just has a talent for violence and a pragmatic, straightforward approach to turning any kind of problem he struggles with into a problem that can be resolved with violence. Face-Biter Mike has one talent and it's horrifying physical power, so his approach to any complicated problem is "how do I turn this into a situation where I can fly down and bite this dude's face off?" with absolutely no regard for the collateral damage or consequences of doing so, because those are also things he can turn into face-bitable problems.

"My lord, the dread necromancer Nikodemion is using his undead dragons to attempt a conquest of the eastern kingdom; his agents are everywhere, his plans are centuries in the making, what can we do against such a mastermind?" "I'm gonna fly over the capital and eat the eastern king." "M-my lord???" "The kingdom will collapse without leadership, Nikodemion will win his war, he'll take the capital and crown himself king." "And that helps us… how?" "Once he does I'll fly over to the capital and eat him." "…" "This is why you advisors all suck. You're all about convoluted plans when the only thing I need to win is know where my enemy is so I can fly down there and eat him. Stop overthinking things."

And, like, yeah, it's a simplistic plan, but when you're several hundred tons of nigh invincible magical death, you don't need brilliant strategy; the smartest way to win a war is, in this case, the simplest. He's not even all that clever at figuring out the consequences of face-biting, he's just memorised the common consequences of doing so.

(If you want to go all in on Mike being the major mover and shaker in the region; Nikodemion only even has a pet zombie dragon because Mike killed the last dragon to show up and contest his turf but wasn't going to eat a whole dragon by himself. Nikodemion got to stick around and amass that much power because Mike ate the Hero of the Realm while he was adventuring because he figured the Hero would come and try to slay him at some point. Nikodemion got started because Mike ate half the leadership of the Academy of High Magic who typically keep evil wizards and necromancers in check. And then eventually this product of Mike's casual, careless actions becomes a big enough problem to bother Mike personally, at which point Mike eats him too.)

He doesn't even really fail upwards, either! He is regularly reduced to nothing but the glacier he stores his hoard in, but he's Face-Biter Mike so nobody wants to commit to actually ending him forever lest they get their faces bitten the fuck off. And his hoard's in a huge-ass magical glacier so nobody can get to it without running into the Invading Russia problem; it's hard to wage war when everything is frozen over and you're both starving and freezing to death. Once he's been beaten back to his central lair and has lost all his holdings… I mean, he's still a problem, but he's a far away problem. So he loses his assets and spends a decade in a cave brooding it up while no one dares risk trying to actually kill him, and then a generation or two later he flies down to a kobold colony and gets himself some minions, or a dragon-worshipping mage comes to offer his service against a pittance from his hoard, or a particularly stupid cult starts thinking they can get in good with him and leech off his power, and then he's (hah) snowballing again.

He's also got a very… well, the kind of weird Charisma that Grineer bosses do. Like Sargas Ruk, who's a malformed idiot, but oddly charismatic. As he's a dragon, that makes him a natural sorcerer and thus Charisma is all he needs. He's pretty relaxed when he isn't in a face-biting mood, and he's kind of infectiously optimistic, because his life has taught him that he will succeed as long as he perseveres. So he just believes it.

And sometimes that's really refreshing to work for, as an evil minion of darkness! It's like, you're coming to your Evil Dragon Lord with terrible news; you've worked for evil overlords before, you know how it goes. You fall to your knees weeping and tell him that you've failed to seize the incredibly powerful magical artifact, you think your life is forfeit. And he's just like "Eh, it's okay, these things are all over the place. Better luck next time. You remember the guy who took it, right?" and you go "Y-yes, oh great lord!" and he's like "Sweet tell me his name later and I'll grab it" and then eats a frozen adventurer he kept around as a snack.

His followers tend to quickly realise that if they fail him, bringing some temple's silver or a sack of brightly coloured beads or a couple of dead cows means he's super forgiving because at least he's got something out of the day. "Oh boy, cows? It's been forever since I had those, ever since the Orc Steppe Nomads took over it's all about goats and onions. Today is a good day." He's a master of delegation by dragon standards, in that he just tells you "Just go get it done, I don't care how" rather than micromanaging you and constantly appearing as an image in smoke or taking over your campfire.

The key part of Face-Biter Mike as a threat to players (because he exists in the context of a D&D campaign) works well in that you can rely on several known quantities:

He will not pull sneaky shit that you don't see coming

He will not make convoluted plans that you must work to unravel

He will consistently attempt to come down and wreck you personally if he finds the opportunity and you are a threat to him

You cannot fight him head-on (at least not until the last leg of the campaign, and ideally as an optional boss rather than mandatory)

So as long as you are good at staying under the radar, thwarting his minions (whom he gives broad orders to with almost zero oversight) and not putting yourself in face-biting range, you can deal with him. If you succeed, it won't be the first time Mike has lost his assets and had to go brood in his glacier for a decade or two before rebuilding. It happens; he can deal with it. And that's a win for you within the context of a single campaign, so take the win.

And if you're not going to use him as an enemy, he works pretty well as a quest-giver, too! The costs for failure are obvious and straightforward, and "do whatever, just get me mine" means that players have a lot of freedom in accomplishing their goals. As far as evil overlords go he is actually one of the least dangerous to work for; his pride is relatively subdued by draconic standards, his goals are simple and typically achievable, and he is easily pleased.

(There's also a good chance he is the forefather of any draconic sorcerer in your party, because Face Biter Mike is a deadbeat dad.)

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Diana Rigg (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, The Assassination Bureau, A Midsummer Night’s Dream)—Though she may be most famous across the pond for her Game of Thrones-era career, here on her native soil she is an icon of the 60s and female empowerment! Arguably best known for slaying as Emma Peel in The Avengers, her biggest pop culture legacy is definitely playing the only woman Bond truly loved - Tracy di Vincenzo - and absolutely stealing the movie (OHMSS) from under George Lazenby’s nose. The Assassination Bureau is also an extremely fun and underrated period adventure film where her boundless energy and wit is better matched by Oliver Reed. She excelled at playing alluring women with a sense of humour and darker complications underneath. Undoubtedly one of England’s most lovable, intelligent, funny, sexy and unforgettable actresses of all time, I entreat you VOTE PRINCESS DI !!

Barbra Streisand (Funny Girl, Hello Dolly)—I love her smile!! I love her nose!! I love her Brooklyn accent!! She's hilarious and gorgeous and real!!! I love her sense of humor! I love her voice!

This is round 2 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Diana Rigg:

"She lived with a director/partner/boyfriend for eight years in the 60s and told the tabloid press '[I have no desire] to be respectable'"

Barbra Streisand propaganda:

"If you want to know why I’m submitting her, you’ll just have to read her 900 page memoir My Name is Barbra. It’ll explain everything!"

Lovely, smart, funny and a GORGEOUS VOICE

have you seen her? she could sing and dance and i love her so much in funny girl

Her most famous movie line is telling herself “Hello Gorgeous,” what else can I say lol. One of the most famous Hollywood divas of our time, who’s still alive and going strong. All of her outfits in Funny Girl are also soooo pretty. Plus she got to act alongside Omar Sharif, who was in the Vintage Men Poll.

She IS the greatest star! Her voice! Her eyes! She has one of the most stunning profiles I've ever seen. Talent in SPADES! (And honestly, as a wlw it's disingenuous to ignore it - a truly beautiful cleavage)

[namfinessed]

i have died - p.jm.

genre: angst, mild fluff (7.1k) royal au! (mentions of blood, fighting and all information might not be accurate to history.)

summary: jimin knows his queen has a heart, he's known it since he set eyes on her, even if rumours whispered that she was cold, calculated, merciless, jimin held on, his queen had a heart.

masterlist

-

to be a queen, was to be powerful, they said.

it was to be graceful yet stern, commanding but caring, soft but strong, beautiful but not so much, that it took away from your strength.

to be a queen, was to be miserable, you said.

you sat on your throne, with the burden of the world on your shoulders and not a touch from someone else to cure it or take it away. your arms stayed firmly on your lap as you tried to concentrate on your advisor’s words.

“war is upon us, your majesty, everyone’s saying it.” he gestured to the court filled with old men, greedy old men who were waiting for you to slip up.

“on what basis, did you make this conclusion?” you tried to stay calm, even if a shiver went down your spine and your hands started sweating.

you knew war was going to descend on your kingdom any day now, your parents warned out about it when you were still a kid, you had been preparing for this your whole life, but it didn’t stop the nightmares, chills, or fear. war would devastate your kingdom, it would run your people and resources dry and as the queen, you were expected to stop this devastation.

“do you not see what is happening in your kingdom, your majesty?” one of the old men sneered at you as their hands tweaked their mustaches and your patience almost gave out.

beside you, your general, park jimin, tightened his hand on his sword, ready to slay the man on your command. you lift a hand in his direction, showing a sliver of your patience, and he brings his hand back down.

“i do know about the riots and the grains,” you started, leaning forward, “i also know about the affairs.” you stared pointedly at the old man, whose eyebrow started sweating as you stood up.

“be careful with how you speak to me, or i will not hesitate to tie you up and throw you in the middle of a bloody riot.” you stormed out of the room with park jimin hot on your tail, concealing his smile and an audible hush resounded around you as you walked out to the barren land.

you weren’t known as the heartless queen for no reason, you were merciless, with whomever you deemed deserved to be treated that way and you knew it wasn’t fair, but as a queen, you could care less about being fair.

“should i ready the swords, your majesty?” jimin spoke and you nodded, turning and disappearing into a room to change. you hastily undid the layers of clothing you wore, feeling more and more air enter your chest as you stood naked in front of the long mirror covering the wall.

scars from many wars ago littered your chest, thighs, and arms, you wanted to pile on all the layers of your clothing back on your beaten body.

you pushed the layers away instead, a queen shouldn’t worry about battle scars, she should celebrate them. you got your armor and boots on, feeling better when everything was covered, and stepped out.

but a sight made you stop in your tracks.

across the practice field, were two lovers, oblivious to the world, hiding away from the world under a sheer curtain, the women were holding back their smiles as they stroked each other’s cheeks, leaning into each other but leaning away, as if a magnetic pushed them close and far. one of them reached out and kissed the other’s cheek, your hand instinctively reached to your cheek, unconsciously patting the area.

never a kiss.

never has a kiss ever touched your skin.

never has a touch from someone you loved, left a ghost on your skin, like your scars did.

across the practice field, jimin’s worried eyes saw your hands stroking your cheeks, his gaze followed your line of sight to see the poorly concealed lovers, his heart twisted as he watched you push your hands away and a grimace fell on your face. jimin had never seen a smile on his queen’s face but with the role you had, he knew you didn’t have much to smile about.

“your majesty, they are ready!” he yelled, capturing your attention, away from the lovers who brought tears to your eyes. your eyes snapped to his and the vulnerability disappeared, a hardness settled in them again and jimin wished that he let you stay lost in your vulnerability for a little more.

you grabbed your sword and protective gear, struggling to put on the headpiece as you always did, jimin stepped up and snapped it into place, it was the only thing you let him do for you.

and jimin looked forward to it every day.

you fell into a rhythm, jimin was a formidable opponent, never letting you be distracted for too long, which was relieving. the sounds of swords clanging, boots kicking the sand up, and heavy breathing drowned out everything else for you.

your eyes stayed laser-focused on jimin’s movements, they were natural, clean, and sharp, and so were his father’s.

you had known jimin your whole life when he was still just a kid and learning from his father, who was your father’s general, when he followed his mom around, who followed your mum around.

his parents weren’t alive now, nor were yours.

someday, you were ten years old, your parents had left for another town and never returned, and you had to be a queen while still not understanding what death was and why it had taken your parents, jimin’s parents protected you until an unknown disease took the two of them as well.

jimin’s sword hit yours, bringing you back to the present, where you had no one to love nor protect but jimin did, jimin always knew he would protect you.

you swung back, twisting your leg to bend and hit the armor covering his stomach, he recoiled at the contact and you smirked underneath your headgear. this continued, you played the dance of defense and offense, and soon, you ripped the headpiece to force some air into your body.

“i’ll be going now.” you walked out, without looking back and jimin nodded, dropping his sword, wordlessly watching you leave.

somewhere, between being a queen while still being a child and losing everyone you loved, you had forgotten to care for another person, and between protecting you since he was a teenager and losing everyone he loved, jimin had only grown more determined to care with all the heart in him.

that was the difference between you and jimin, you lost your heart and he gained a second one. and naturally, you two never spoke anymore but jimin had always wanted to tell you about his second heart, that it beat for you, even if it meant that his head would be at the end of your sword.

-

the talk of war kept spreading throughout the kingdom and your palace became louder, so did your heartbeat in your ears, so did your sword hitting jimin’s, and so did your internal cries for help.

you marked the map as you circled it, checking entries, exits, and secret pathways that could leave you vulnerable to the enemies.

“seal the exits, don’t allow goods transport till the next week, we will put up announcements when it can be resumed, station two guards at every secret route and give them our best guns, station one guard at each entry and exit, make sure meals reach them from time-to-time and distribute palace supplies to the people, without good transport, they won’t be making money” commands flowed easily out of you, you took every advisor’s bullshit advice and decided to ignore it at all, you came up with the most efficient plan you could.

“should we seal them tonight, your majesty?” jimin stepped forward and you nodded, “tonight would be best, we have to protect ourselves before we regret it. and later, i need to discuss battle strategies with you, keep that in mind.” jimin bowed to you and stepped back as the advisors argued with you.

he watched with a smirk as you calmly explained how miserable their plans were, he watched as you put all of them in their places and left the room, leaving the air of your power lingering in the room.

“she’s just as arrogant as her father” the same old man who had questioned your knowledge of the kingdom in the court, turns his nose up with a nasty sneer on his face. jimin feels his skin start to burn in anger when he hears the noises of agreement from the others.

“she’s even worse, at least her father was a capable ruler, she’s just arrogant and nothing else,” another one adds with a smirk, and everyone laughs at the comment, jimin wonders how you hold onto your patience with these men.

“she’s not even beautiful enough to be arrogant, did you see the scars covering her arms? no wonder she isn’t married” they continued to add snide comments, sipping their drinks and doing everything but be the advisors they are.

a slam on the wooden table startles them all, liquid jumping out of their cups and onto the floors, they all turn to see jimin’s eyes burning holes into them as his hands twitch on the table.

“one more word about our queen and i will personally wield the sword that chops your necks off.” jimin says calmly, though his fury is poorly contained. the advisors quirked an eyebrow at him, “who do you think you are? you are a general, not the queen’s lapdog, behave.”

another one piped up to reprimand him, “you are no one to lay a hand on any of us, learn your place, or we will make you.”

a dark chuckle bubbled out of jimin as he quickly realized if given the chance, he would take the lives of everyone in this room in a heartbeat, “my place is to serve her, so if i ever lay a hand on you, it wouldn’t be for me, it would be for my queen.”

the advisors grew wide-eyed at the storm-like fury that brewed in jimin’s eyes as he stared at them, jimin was known to be kind, friendly, and sweet around the court, but seeing him this way, had them all clearing their throats and looking away as a sheen of fear covered their faces, their eyes flickered from jimin to the sword that rested on his hips.

it would only take him a minute to kill them all and that knowledge had all of them gulping for air.

outside the room, you held your hand to your chest as a long breath released out of you, you never left since you heard the first comment from your advisors and even if it wasn’t supposed to hurt you, it did.

and you knew jimin didn’t have to say anything, you knew he could’ve just left the room, this was the first time anyone had ever stood beside you and not against you.

jimin opened the doors to see you beside them, eyes gazing up at him with concealed fondness, your face stayed cold and distant but jimin noticed the tiniest curve of your lips.

he remembers how you used to smile as a kid, wide and with teeth, dimples curved in as you ran around the palace, having your maids chase you around, he remembers the first time you had talked to him.

“get the swords ready, general.” you rush out of the area, leaving jimin a little startled but without another word, he follows you.

-

the sounds of your swords clanging brought you peace, as your chest slowly started to loosen up, though you had to admit that your focus wasn’t great, your eyes kept flickering to catch glimpses of jimin, hidden under his protective gear and your mouth kept opening to say something.

“you didn’t have to stand up to them, park jimin” you muttered, just loud enough for jimin to hear and his movements paused.

so, you had heard.

he was wishing that you hadn’t.

“i know, your majesty.” his arms lifted his sword again, but dropped it as soon as your sword hit the ground.

“then, why would you do it?” you hated the tremor in your voice, it was so unlike you, so unlike a queen.

“i don’t know, but i can’t think of anything else i would’ve done at the moment,” he removed his headpiece to see you, to see what you felt about his words.

you nodded with uncertainty, you expected him to say that as your general, it was his duty to defend you, you hadn’t expected anything more than that.

“i appreciate it,” you said breathily and jimin nodded back, his cheeks attaining a flush from both the cold wind gushing around you and also from your words.

i would do it again, by the way, even if my life is on the line.

he felt the urge to tell you as you turned away but then his eyes caught the royal emblem etched on your armor and he swallowed his words.

“i wasn’t always like this, general, i think you know that.” tears, that you couldn’t stop, lined your eyes as you thought back to the child that you were and the world that you had to grow up in, and jimin felt his chest fill with sorrow because he knew so well, knew more than you thought he did. “i know, your majesty, i know.”

you straightened your shoulders, any trace of vulnerability escaping your body as your advisors passed the field, all of their eyes analyzing and judging you.

“we still have to discuss those strategies, come.”

-

the rest of the night, you went over your defenses again and again, eyes catching fleetingly, accidentally, and then returning to the table with flushed cheeks, jimin was delighted to be so close, yet so far, from you.

and each time, your eyes met, you felt your heart beating again, you felt yourself wanting to say things that had nothing to do with the maps spread out in front of you.

“we knew each other before all this, didn’t we, park jimin?” before you became a queen, before you owned a kingdom, jimin was present in your distant memory, “you gave me flowers.” he smiled at you, images of your younger self flashing brightly in his mind.

“no! that can’t be true, general” a smile of disbelief curved on your face, you never looked at flowers, you couldn’t imagine any part of you that would gift someone flowers.

“oh, but you did, your majesty” jimin cheekily replied, making you shake your head and look away from him, trying to remember a time when you weren’t a queen.

but jimin remembers too clearly, how you had met, how your hands touched him for the first time, when it was all innocence and warmth.

it had been a hot, summer day.

jimin’s mother was busier than usual. it was the princess’s birthday and the entire palace was geared up to celebrate it grandly.

but jimin wasn’t happy at all. his eyes were hurting from the tears he had cried, his cheeks were firing up with heat as his body burned.

he was sicker than he had ever been and his mother couldn’t take care of him, her own eyes were filled with tears that she couldn’t take care of her child but she had duties to fulfill.

jimin sat in the garden, sniffling and pulling grass, refusing to listen to his mother’s request to stay inside as his cheeks puffed up with defiance.

then, he heard soft giggles falling from the corridors into the lonely garden.

he turned to see the princess, her hand in the queen’s, her other hand gripping tightly onto freshly picked jasmines, as she walked merrily, it was her birthday after all. and even as a kid, jimin couldn’t look away from the princess.

she was a joy to see, a joy to hear.

when the princess turned to look at him, to look at sad, pouty jimin, sitting by himself, picking the grass with tear-stained cheeks, jimin wouldn’t have guessed that she would run over to him. he wouldn’t have guessed that she would take the jasmines in her hand and place them above his ears.

“flowers are happy, you should be happy.” you had told him, with a dimpled smile, staring at him for a few seconds before running back to your mother, but he watched as you looked back at him till you left the corridor.

jimin felt the traces of love bloom in his heart for the first time.

now, he sees you, so tough and powerful and as his queen, but he remembers too well how you used to be and jimin fell for you then, unfortunately for him, he hadn’t gotten back up.

at some point in the night, the sleeves on your dress ride up and your eyes widen as you push them back down, you hurriedly look up to see if jimin has seen anything, you wait to see if his face twisted in disgust, but jimin only smiles, “you are so strong, your majesty. i wish i was more like you.”

he doesn’t speak about your tears.

or your scars.

or the fear on your face.

you know that he notices it all, but he doesn’t say a word.

you didn’t know that even if you weren’t the queen of the kingdom, you would still be jimin’s queen, hot or cold, kind or ruthless, heart or heartless, nothing could change that.

and jimin might have felt it when he was still a kid, but this was the first time, that something bloomed in your heart, you weren’t sure it was love, you were just sure that it was because of him.

-

weeks later, your kingdom was sealed, business halted and time as it was, didn’t move as you and your people prepared for the war.

tensions were high, and the kingdom got quieter as everyone waited for any news about their fate, you spent every minute with jimin, formulating and discussing plans that could bring you even a sliver of hope, and every minute, your heart unwillingly grew sprouts and flowers.

“hand over the kingdom to us and there will be no blood staining your land or else, your entire kingdom will drown.” your minister read the last sentence of the letter that was sent over to you that morning and you tried to resist the chill crawling on your back.

but you knew who it was from, a much more prosperous kingdom, a much more powerful kingdom with a king, not a queen, not like your weak kingdom.

you were powerful and you have won many wars but your opponent has colonized several countries at a time so realistically, your chances of surviving his quest were slim to none.

jimin eyed your tightening fists with a glint of worry and concern as your minister hung his head, solemn from the words he just read, “what do we say, your majesty?”

you knew the gravity of your decision here, you could either abandon your land and people, hand them over to a stranger, and not look back, because you knew even if you fought back, you would be weaker, you would lose.

but you also couldn’t turn your back on your people, your father and mother wouldn’t have done that, they wouldn’t have handed your people over, and they would have fought with everything they had.

sometimes, you just wish they would be beside you, gently guiding and firmly telling you what to do. sometimes, you wanted to crawl on your mother’s lap and cry until you couldn’t, sometimes, you just wanted your father’s hand on your head, telling you to be brave.

but your wishes remained wishes, hard decisions had to be solely made by you, whether you liked it or not.

“tell them, they will be the ones drowning, not us.” you feigned the confidence you knew your court needed, and seeing everyone’s face light up as their loud cheers echoed in your court, made it easy for you to say it, even if you knew it wasn’t true.

you would drown.

and never float back up.

all because you couldn’t be the queen your people needed.

you told yourself, that it was justified to give false hope to people whose hope was weathering, it was justified to lie to your court while knowing it would be gone in flames later, it was justified to fake your power for the flicker of relief that passed over their faces.

but jimin’s eyes stayed on your knuckles that turned white, your eyes that seemed dazed and he knew you were lying, his hand rested on his sword as he realized that the cheering people, were all waiting for their deaths.

-

“your majesty, a moment of your time.” jimin stayed outside the door until he heard your voice, allowing him in. you were sitting at the edge of your cot, chest heavy and breathing caught in your body.

“forgive me, your majesty, but you and i both know that you were lying.” he spoke, with confusion lacing his voice, you were always honest, you never lied for the sake of making someone feel better. “about what, general?” he didn’t recognize the strange, lifeless tone your voice had taken.

“that we are going to survive the quest.” jimin knew as much as you did, that your kingdom would be run to the ground, even if he thought you were the strongest of them all, he knew your kingdom would fall.

“we are going to survive it,” you lied through your teeth.

“we’re all going to die” jimin didn’t know why he was arguing with you, but he couldn’t help it, this was the first time his queen had lied and he needed to know why.

“oh general, i have died a long time ago” you laughed bitterly, your stomach twisting at your words, you felt sick, trapped in yourself, trapped in this palace that gave you all of the power but none of the relief that came with love. his gaze softened as, for the first time, tears flowed down your face like a river, as sobs escaped your chest without restraint, as you sunk to the floor with your hands tightly wrung the bedding.

you had died the day your parents didn’t come back, you had died when they placed a heavy crown on your tiny head as a kid, you had died when the sprinkle of someone else’s blood fell on your face, you had died when the people you fought for called you heartless.

you had died more times than you could count, one more time, even if it was for real this time, didn’t shake you at all.

it was dying without a touch of love decorating your skin, that truly scared you. you wished for a touch that wouldn’t unravel you but would hold you together, the way even a riptide, as dangerous as it is, longs for a shore to embrace, you want just a touch.

jimin should leave, his duty wasn’t this, his duty wasn’t to console a broken queen but jimin never stayed by your side as a duty, he stayed because it was where he belonged.

jimin sunk to his knees, his hands trembling to touch you, to let you lay on him and let years of your tears run down his chest, but he doesn’t want to be at the end of your sword, he wants to be at the end of your bed, watching you while you sleep and protecting you from the nightmares that plague you.

and then you surprise him.

jimin’s breath halts as he watches you reach for him, one frail hand in the air that beckons him closer and he follows wordlessly, sitting beside you and watching as your head finds his lap. you melt into his lap, fingers falling away from your body to hug his legs, a soft hum leaves your lips and jimin’s urge to protect you increases exponentially.

it's been a while since he has seen his queen be herself, and he knows as you grasp onto him for affection, that this was you finally giving up on maintaining an image, at least in front of him.

he slowly places a hand on your back, unsure if he was allowed to touch you the way you touched him, but you only bury your tear-stained cheeks into his legs and jimin relaxes, letting his hands travel on your back, his hands burned with love as he rubbed circles on your skin that coaxed more cries out of you, but this time, they weren’t out of pain, they were out of the relief of finally being touched with love.

“jimin,” you called out, so softly even if your voice dried out from the tears, so intimately that jimin wanted to curl up to you and forget everything else, “yes?”

no general.

no park jimin.

just jimin.

“i didn’t lie because i wanted to, the kingdom will die long before the war gets here, if i don’t lie, they need to hold onto something as we go into the war, they need to believe that they can survive to even fight.” and jimin sees it, the heart that your people denied that you had, you had thought of them before anything else and he smiles to the ceiling.

“after everything goes, you will be remembered as the greatest ruler our kingdom has ever seen,” he speaks sincerely, as his hands caress the lengths of your hair, which lulls you, your heart warms but you know it wasn’t true, “no one would remember me.”

“i would, in death and life, i will.”

you hadn’t expected to be satisfied with his answer but somehow, that was more than enough of you.

you always wished for a touch to make you feel loved, to make you feel anything but jimin’s words alone held you together and for the first time, you bore a heart that was heavier than you were, a heart that dragged you down, pulled you down and forced you to accept its size.

and you loved the enormity of affection you felt, especially that it was for the man who held you so gently even if he had seen you at your strongest.

“your majesty, i have a confession.”

“i think i know what you are going to say,” you might not have cared for other people, but you did notice things, you noticed the lingering looks jimin would give you, the smile that would grow on his face whenever you put your advisors in their place, the way his tone changed to something softer only when he talked to you, you had noticed it all.

you felt the same, maybe not as long as he had, but melted against him, you knew you wouldn’t feel this way for anyone else, except the person who stood by and protected you for so long.

“but if you allow me, i still want to say it.” you peered up from his lap with an amused smile, your general was more romantic than you had thought him to be, and jimin hadn’t thought your smile could be any more beautiful than it was in his dreams, but it was.

“you are allowed,” you face him, cheeks flushing and hands trapping his, “i love you, i’ve loved you since i knew what love was.”

you were only just learning love, as your skin touched his, as you sunk further into him, as you felt cocooned by his presence, as you felt his unwavering love for you through his touch but even if it was just now, you knew you felt the same.

but you couldn’t bring yourself to say the words, as a queen, were you allowed to profess love for someone else? with a war approaching, did you deserve to love as your kingdom ran to devastation?

you couldn’t say it, you couldn’t allow yourself the luxury.

you just nudged further into jimin’s body, squeezing his hand as a silent way of professing, ‘i feel the same, in my heart that’s beating after a long time, i feel what you do and i will tell you, i will tell you soon.’

jimin sighs in relief, his skin growing warm as your hands desperately try to tell him what your mouth can’t and he allows his body to drape over you, hands caressing your dress and brushing your hair away from your cheeks.

“i understand, my queen, i will wait.”

-

that night, everything changed for you, you had felt so defeated before the war even started but here you were, days later, hitting swords with jimin once again, a new kind of determination drummed in your attacks, you had to win the war, you had to be with jimin.

“your majesty, i’m afraid you are getting distracted,” jimin teases you as his sword nears your throat, with an amused scoff, you pull back to drag your sword on the ground and drive it up to the back of his head, “apparently, not as much as you, general.”

you both spent every quiet night together, in each other’s arms, in each other’s words and he professed his love to you every single day, even if you didn’t say it back, and he reminded you that your heart hadn’t died, it had just hidden away, but he certainly had wedged himself into it and it seemed to you that he would never leave.

jimin raises his sword in surrender, a chuckle leaving his lips once he sees you grin widely at his defeat.

“you are enjoying this too much,” he tuts at you, “i’m still your queen, jimin” you playfully scold him and he rolls his eyes at you, “and i’m still your general, your majesty.” he tips his invisible hat with a shit-eating grin and leaves you, flustered in the middle of the ground as he walks away to greet some new members of the army.

what was this feeling that consumed you, as your eyes refused to look away from his retracting figure?

a fluttering sense of calm danced around you, your usually restless heart had taken a steady, loud rhythm and you loved the world right now.

you felt as if everything was alright, as if the skies were always blue, as if the flowers always bloomed, as if you could fight a war and win it, just to keep this moment alive.

“your majesty!” a shrill voice broke your dreamy thoughts, and your head snapped to see your minister rushing down the hallway to reach you. you hold your arms over his shoulders to steady him as he breathes heavily.

“careful, minister.” he shook his head at your words, eyes pinching shut as he panted.

“they’ve gotten in, your majesty.”

and just like that, the feeling of victory faded from you.

“what are you talking about?” you couldn’t recognize how tight your voice sounded, how your hands twitched involuntarily to your sword, and how the air in your chest knocked out of you.

not now.

not so soon.

“we sealed every exit, minister, that is not possible” you desperately tried to dissuade what he was trying to tell you, he solemnly shook his head, “one of our own turned on us, they gave them entry into our kingdom, and several civilians were beheaded just a few minutes.”

your blood boiled.

for a minute, your eyes saw complete red as your hands shook beside your body, “how many, minister?” your voice didn’t contain your fury, nor your heartbreak.

“hundred and twelve, as of now, your majesty.”

in that minute, you knew you could slay an entire kingdom if you wanted to, you knew that if you were let loose, not a single soldier would be able to keep up with you. your people were supposed to be the last ones to get hurt, you were supposed to be protecting them and you failed.

“i’m assuming, the traitor has been caught?”

“yes, your majesty.” your minister’s eyes widened in fear as you pulled your sword out, “show him to me.”

-

that night, you scrubbed someone else’s blood off your face, and frustrated tears lined your eyes but the red never seemed to disappear, as you kept washing, more and more took its place, and soon, you gave up on getting it off, you had to accept that a part of you will always be stained with their blood.

the blood served as a reminder of the people you couldn’t save.

you had spent the evening, preparing for the war that would start tomorrow, it was finally declared by your opponent in another mocking letter, and providing aid to the families who lost their loved ones, each of their cries rang loudly in your ears even if hours passed.

water droplets dripped down your face as you sat once again, defeated before the war began, at the edge of your bed, but this time, a knock at your door filled you with relief.

jimin came in, exhausted as well, but his eyes zeroed on the red covering your arms and face, without a word, he took a washcloth, dipped it in water, and sat beside you.

his fingers nudged your hair away from your face and slowly, patiently, patted the blood away, shushing you as you broke down in tears in the middle.

that night ended in jimin’s arms, with a clean face and a lighter heart.

both of you didn’t know what would happen the next day, you just knew that you had to survive for each other.

-

“line up!” jimin’s yell filled the courtyard and all the soldiers jogged across it to surround him, “you all are aware, going in today, of the severity of the situation and what it could lead to, but i trust that my soldiers will still give their best, we all have homes to return to, keep that in mind. let it serve as a motivation for you to win this, help your fellow soldiers, and keep your focus.”

all of them were nervous, all of them had left home saying their final goodbyes to their families in case they never returned, but all of them also believed in their general and his words, rapid nods came as a response from them and they started preparing themselves mentally.

jimin gestured for them to move along and they all started embracing each other, comforting words poured into the space and they soon moved away to disperse.

in your changing room, your hands slid down the scars that covered you, after today, you were sure there were going to be even more, but somehow, you didn’t mind it as much. your maids placed the armor on you, tightening it around your body and you bit back a groan.

you didn’t know how many more of these wars you could fight.

suddenly, they all shuffled away, leaving the room, causing you to turn around, confused at their actions, only to see jimin entering the room.

“i don’t know why they ran away,” he said with comically raised eyebrows and you bit back a grin, “i’m sure they must have seen you leave my quarters in the morning.” his head fell back with a laugh as he stepped closer to you.

“that can’t be, i’m so discreet, like a ninja, you know?” you rolled your eyes at him, “you broke three vases just two days ago, jimin.” he kissed your temple as another laugh bubbled out of him, “maybe i’ll learn along the way.”

“maybe you will.”

you sighed as both of your smiles slipped, there was no telling if there was a way anymore but believing that there was, it was all you could do.

“how are the soldiers?” your eyes bore into his similar, armor-clad body that came up behind you in the mirror.

“just right, your majesty, don’t worry.” his arms came up to wrap around your body and your hands rested on his arms, a shuddering breath left your mouth as the gravity of today settled in even more.

maybe there won’t be a way, maybe you will never get to hold jimin like this again.

“before we go jimin, i want to tell you, like all of them, you have me, a home and i need you to come back for me,” that was the closest you could get to professing your love, your words were pleading, begging, even if your face was passive. jimin shakes his head, his hair rubbed onto your neck as he exhaled, “we both need to come back, i’m not letting this end here.”

after minutes passed of just being enveloped in each other’s warmth, you wished you could just ignore the war and stay in this room forever, with jimin, you wished you could ignore the possibility of losing him but the loud roars of your soldiers marching to the battlefield reminded you of who you were doing all of this for.

you were the queen, jimin was the general, and both of you had duties that couldn’t keep you locked in this room.

so, with a pained heart and arms that longed for each other even if only seconds passed, you both parted to step away from each other.

jimin reached for your headgear, taking his time to brush your hair and slip it on your head, the one thing you always let him do for you and you held back your tears as he pressed a kiss to your forehead. you reached for his hands and kissed the back of them, your tears soon fell on them and jimin’s resolve started breaking.

but he sniffed, pushing himself away and wiping your tears, “are you ready, my strongest queen?” he held out his hand with a wide, albeit painful smile on his face.

you put your hand in his, trying to stay strong, “whenever you are, general.”

and as you two stepped out, the warmth of his skin spread on you, his head dipping down to give you one final smile that was filled with his ever-growing love.

you felt scared that you might never see it again.

“i love you, your majesty.”

i love you unbelievably more.

“there will be a royal wedding to get ready for after this, be prepared, general.”

-

jimin winced as sand clouded his vision, he swung his sword aimlessly, hoping to catch his opponent, his ears were ringing from all the screams of agony around him, and when the blood splattered on his face, another scream rang much louder in his ear, causing him to look away.

another soldier who wouldn’t go home.

he whipped his head around, trying to catch sight of you in the midst of all the chaos, and after ducking and running under everyone around him, while slaying whoever he could in the way, he finds you.

a soldier fell at your feet and you took a huge breath, while looking around, only to catch jimin’s impressed face, you both smiled at each other, with red dripping down on your faces.

there was a chance.

you could win this and go back home to each other.

but soon, jimin got pushed into the chaos, and another, darker cloud of sand dusted across his face, forcing him to stand straight and attack again. he couldn’t see you again but he knew you were giving it your all, so he busied himself.

only a few more.

and he would be back with you.

-

they told him that you killed the most.

that you had fought bravely, and led your kingdom to victory.

that you were the queen that they would love and celebrate, even if centuries pass.

but how could jimin love and celebrate you, when he couldn’t hold you in his arms?

when your body was carried into the palace, it had taken everything in jimin to not set the entire palace on fire. to him, a palace without you, alive and breathing life into the building, was not a palace at all.

people held him when he cried, when he wanted to drive his sword into himself, when he would try to shake your body back to life, when he wouldn’t move away from your body, people put their arms around him and tried to lift him up.

but none of them could console him, all the promises you both had dreamed about vanished in front of his eyes and he blamed every single one of them, if they weren’t so harsh on you, if they didn’t call you heartless, you wouldn’t fight till death to prove that you did indeed have a heart, that you indeed had the biggest one.

jimin didn’t have too long to mourn, soon, the heavy crown was positioned on his head, they told him that it was your last request for him to look after the kingdom you had left behind, and once it was on him, he realized the weight you carried around your whole life, since you were only a kid.

they pulled all kinds of royal clothes on him, the materials itched, they burnt his skin, and the gold threads dug into his neck, as if the clothes were his own prison.

as he was made king, the kingdom rejoiced, they were finally getting a king, a true ruler, in their words, and jimin laughed in all their faces, their history would only have one true ruler, and it was you. no one could do what you did.

the throne felt wrong to jimin, as if he didn’t belong, but he knew this was what you wanted for the kingdom you loved so dearly, and jimin would always serve your needs.

he wished, as you had, for you to come and hold him when he had hard decisions to make, he wished to melt into your lap one last time to feel the warmth that ran away from him, he wished that you were right beside him, gently guiding and caring for him.

but he was left with only the ghost of your touch, that would forever haunt him.

jimin still got up every day, he put on the heavy crown and the irritating clothes and listened to the same blubbering idiots, the way you had, and he tried his best to be the ruler you were.

but at night, he crumbled away, dreaming of your touch and your love as he hugged your headgear closer.

jimin’s dreams remained dreams.

[anachronic-cobra]

🍽 royalserving Follow

O God everyone at this banquet is kissing His Majesty The King's boots, he's not gonna fuck thee

🤡 jesterihardlyknowher Follow

OUT OF MINE WAY GAYBOY

🤡 jesterihardlyknowher Follow

Stokcs

134 notes

🔮 nostradamus Follow

Cleansing thine hands and avoiding contact with your peers will slow the spread of the Black Death! I beg of thee, understand this

🐦‍⬛doctorbeaky Follow

Lmao this peasant thinks he knows the body's humors better than modern science! Fool, be away with your witchcraft and let we doctors remove the tainted blood as we have for decades

🙈 pissantpeasant Follow

Imagine thinking thou knoweth more than those who have studied medicine

🔮 nostradamus Follow

@doctorbeaky never studied medicine, they were posting about their fruit stand going bankrupt only yesteryear

🫁 miasmatic Follow

And? He's still a doctor. Go jump into a lake if thee loveth cleanliness so.

🔮 nostradamus Follow

[thou art all so fucking stupid.png]

12,820 notes

sirlanceacock-deactivated15320215

His Majesty The King has bestowed upon me the honor of slaying a beast to save the princess of our neighbor kingdom

sirlanceacock-deactivated15320215

...tbh this dragon is kinda fair actually

sirlanceacock-deactivated15320215

Forget the princess I'm boutta get lanced myself 👀

🐉dragonbone25 Follow

Rip to the greatest hero of all the land 🫡😔

105,442 notes

[some-messed-up-writing-for-you]

Short Prompt #1283

CW: suggestive themes.

"Many had tried to slay me before you, challenging me to battles they never imagined themselves losing," the monster king rumbled, letting the base of his spear thud against the ground. He bared his teeth in a snarl, "So, what makes you think you stand a chance against me?"

The human, surrounded by many other monsters, eyed the powerful king up and down with clear fluster. "I assure you, Your Majesty, I am here for a... different kind of tussle."

[linkemon]

Fatui headcanons 1

Friendly reminder that English is not my first language. You can check my Masterlists both in English and Polish here.

Warning!

Some Fatui have yet to appear in the game, so the characters may deviate from their later canon versions.

La Signora

✧ It's not like she was your mother. The best part of her character died with her lover. But it was hard not to feel anything for the woman who had been your mentor for several years. She personally chose you as her protégé. She gave advice and trained. Always saying that she doesn't know what it's all for because she can never be stopped so that someone like you could take her place.

✧ I let you go with me only because Tsaritsa told us to train recruits. She repeated these words and the like very often. But when anyone dared to question you, she always stood up to them. If any of Fatui's lower ranks dared to talk back to those above them, she would eliminate them without batting an eyelid. But she let you talk back, telling you to know your worth. Her student can't let herself be pushed around. That would be bad for her.

✧ When you heard he was dead, you didn't want to believe it. Perhaps many would have rejoiced at your position but you just felt empty. You knew you could do everything you were supposed to do and you would be honored to serve her majesty but joy was somewhere on the side. The first thing you wanted to know was how and where she died. You promised yourself that one day you would slay Raiden Shogun. It was your duty to avenge La Signora.

Pantalone

✧ You met him before he climbed to the top. He was a poor man with no vision. Over time, he developed an unhealthy obsession with the gods. Why did so many people have visions and the two of you didn't It was unfair.

✧ Together you tried to survive on the street. It was a strange time. Sometimes you starved to death. However, your relationship was not based on trust. Some shared food when it was scarce. You shared the spoils according to the amount of work you put in, with no reduced tariffs. Sometimes you went so far as to steal from each other, bringing less than you needed.

✧ Pantalone was usually better at planning jumps and actions. He taught you some nice tricks, including how to manipulate people. He usually chose easier targets. You were a proponent of force solutions.

✧ When given a chance to climb to the top, he abandoned you without hesitation. You always knew he was capable of this. But it wasn't until it really happened that you realized how hurt you were anyway. So when the Fatui asked you to join their ranks a year later, you agreed. Also to face Pantalone one day when you've achieved a lot.

✧ You first saw him again at your mentor's funeral. He was rarely in your area, so you only heard about him. Everything you wanted to tell him slipped out of your head. You only responded to his polite smile and handshake, then walked away.

Tartaglia

✧ As the youngest member of the crew, he often talked to you. He was very popular with recruits. There have been many occasions when Fatui's seniors have charged him with taking care of you during your training. You were always ranked number one, so naturally he wanted to challenge you. It was an honor, so you didn't even think of refusing.

✧ Over time, private training in the form of sparring entered your blood. When you came under La Signora's wing, you stopped. You already had a new teacher and Tartaglia didn't like your mentor very much. Still, he used to pick on you when he came back to Snezhnaya. He loved teasing you. Especially if you've been sitting on paperwork.

✧ At La Signora's funeral, he sided with you and Arlecchino. He himself knew what it was like to be away from his homeland and the vision of death outside of it was terrible. When he supported you, he looked at you the whole time. After the ceremony, he came over to ask how you feel in your new role and if you want to face him. You knew he wouldn't ask about your mentor but you knew his approach to family. It was kind of his attempt to comfort you, so you went to the training ground.

Il Dottore

✧ You never expected that one of your first assignments would involve working with this man. But Tsaritsa's will is sacred and you were the new Harbinger. You had to adapt. You didn't miss him. It would even be safe to say that he scared you. All the rumors you heard about him were nasty. And, as it turned out later, true.

✧ You were tasked with overseeing the security of his lab in Liyue. He produced machines there but not only. He was fascinated by Abyss. What's worse, he's taken it upon himself to keep you informed of all his steps. For some reason, the Dottore thought he'd do what he could to interest you in the subject. Like it or not, you had to listen. Over time, you noticed that you saw meaning in his words and it scared you.

✧ One unlucky day you had to leave the factory with the entire crew. There wasn't much time. You saved his life when several Ruin Guards rioted at once against him. He just laughed the whole way, running away. He said it would be too weak of an end for a genius like him. You've said a few things that would make more than one of the higher-ups try to kill you. But he just laughed again. You're stuck with him now.

[tonightwrites]

Emperor Husband

A head cannon/scenario about the empress having an emperor Husband.

This will have the concubines mentions of war, blood, gore, yandere themes, stalking, mentions of past torture, no pain is towards the empress.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The beautiful lady sat at the top of her throne looking down at the guards in boredom. The last she had heard from her army was of their victory in the final battle. The land is rich in metal ore and nutrient farmland.

The throne that once sat next to the lady was gone from its intended place. Now it sat in a study collecting dust and spider webs. She glanced at her right, where it used to be, and sighed heavily. Hopefully that person could bring some stories of the battle with him.

Gerald a trusted butler of the palace came bursting through the doors of her thrown room. His appearance is all in disarray, everything out of place.

"Your Majesty, sorry for my rude arrival." He paused having to catch his breath. "The Emperor is here a week before schedule!!!"

If anyone else has heard the words leave the man's mouth they'd be shocked to hear them. Alas the Empress knew that her husband wouldn't dare come home as soon as he had the chance too.

"Let him in then." A simple instruction was given. As if waiting on the other side of the door another man slammed the doors open after the last word left her lips. A broad shouldered man stood at the entrance with a large smile on his face.

He walked briskly towards his one target in that room. The empress raised her brow at his appearance. The man was covered with blood, from slaying the pigs of the fallen kingdom's men he had just conquered.

"Oh my love, it has been too long. I have missed you so much my dear. I can't wait to have you in my arms once again my darling wife." He speaks to her in a soft and excited manner. The lady holds her hand up in front of her, stopping him from coming closer.

"Clean yourself and then maybe I'll consider being in your arms." At her voice a shiver runs up his spine, oh how he's missed this.......

Original ask: Possible husband

Story: Chapter 1

Masterlist

Taglist: @reallysparklychaos @gallantys @devils-blackrose @meforpr3sident @gayfagdownthestreet @yani-dere

[reikorun]

KlubOutside Q&A 301-400 [Translation]

Translated by @reikorun

Q301.

2022.03.07

The Medallions and the "Sankt Altar" used by His Majesty bore a striking resemblance to each other, is it correct to assume that the Medallions are the practical application of "Sankt Altar"?

A301.

That's correct.

Q302.

2022.03.07

Towards the end of the story, brush pens became used less frequently to express bloodshed compared to the early days, does this have something to do with your art style? I would love to know if there is a reason.

A302.

It became like that because I wanted to draw more detailed blood spray and flow.

Q303.

2022.03.14

What kind of technique is Ganju's "Seppa"? Considering the fact that it can directly interfere with matter and the fact that Ganju trained with Ginjō's group in the final arc, I anticipate that this is perhaps a technique closer to Fullbring.

A303.

He is using a technique passed down within the Shiba clan to unbind the union of Reishi particles thereby dividing the matter into pieces.

Q304.

2022.03.14

The boss-like characters that Ichigo has fought so far, that is, Byakuya, Aizen and Ginjō, all have colors contained within their names, but is there some color related connotation in Yhwach's name? 

A304.

In the very early stages of development, Yhwach was given the pseudonym "Yhwach Beltz". Beltz means "black" in Basque.

Q305.

2022.03.14

Is Renji's false Bankai "Hihiō Zabimaru" (*Baboon King), inspired by Minamoto no Yorimasa's slaying of the Nue? Renji subdued Zabimaru who is in the form of a Nue and attains the Bankai "Hihiō Zabimaru"; Minamoto No Yorimasa slays the Nue and is granted the famous sword Shishiō (*Lion King). I'm very interested in the pair because they both have these points in common: defeating the Nue and gaining the power (or weapon) called "~King". I would be happy if you could answer!

A305.

It's the first time I'm hearing of this legend. However the similarities are such that I'm not even surprised you would think it's the source. A sword with such a manga-like name exists….

Q306.

2022.03.21

Orihime has a food scene in every arc. Examples: 

Agent of the Shinigami arc - Red bean paste on a loaf of bread.

Soul Society arc - Meal at Kūkaku's residence.

Arrancar arc - Ice cream eaten with Rangiku and the meal that was almost shoved down her throat by Ulquiorra.

The Lost Agent of the Shinigami arc - Doughnuts.

Thousand-Year Blood War arc - Scrapped bread, some sweet potato-like food. 

And more.

Were these eating scenes included to add to her character, or rather, perhaps I should ask if they naturally increased in number because Orihime came to life on her own as the story progressed? I love the scene where she cries while eating doughnuts in the Lost Agent arc.

A306.

I'm realizing that for the first time now that you've mentioned it. Come to think of it, Orihime eats well, huh…. Whenever I draw a food related scene, it is also the moment where I think to myself “I want a soft atmosphere in the dialogue and the scenery”, so I believe that's where Orihime fits in. Besides, it's kind of like, I don't really want to draw a scene where a man eats food, you know?

Q307.

2022.03.21

Between Isshin and Masaki, who came up with the name "Ichigo"? My personal hypothesis is that he was born because Isshin protected "one thing = Masaki's life", and since Isshin would probably dislike the idea of his son bearing half of his own name, I reckon Masaki came up with it. However, if there is a definitive answer, I would love to know! 

A307.

Masaki is the one who named him. For a long time, I was in two minds over whether or not I should draw Ichigo's naming scene, but I abandoned the idea because it would likely just be Isshin and Masaki getting all lovey-dovey and that's gross.

Q308.

2022.03.21

In my opinion, Ichigo is the most handsome Jump character of all time! From sensei's point of view, are there any protagonists that you think lead a cool lifestyle, or anyone you consider good-looking among the history of Jump protagonists?

A308.

I'm rarely enthused by the protagonist, so I don't have any protagonist in mind. I like Cygnus Hyoga. Somehow, I feel like I've mentioned this before….

Q309.

2022.03.28

If Grimmjow undergoes training, could he attain Resurrección: Segunda Etapa someday? 

A309.

He can.

Q310.

2022.03.28

In chapter 2, Ichigo fights a Hollow in Yumisawa Children's Park, is there any connection between the name "Yumisawa" and the Quincy? From long ago, the Ishida family have resided in Karakura Town which is the Jūreichi. I wondered if there is a possibility that words relating to the Quincy are attached to place names? (*Yumisawa - 弓沢 includes the kanji for "bow" - 弓.)

A310.

Huh!? There is indeed a connection. That's uncanny! I'm surprised you noticed because I simply added that connection in the name while playing around with the background details and had no intention of mentioning it at all.

Q311.

2022.03.28

When it comes to something I don't like, but I have to get it done, I have a hard time getting started. What does sensei do at times like this?

A311.

I procrastinate until the very last minute, and when it finally becomes impossible to put off any longer, I'll start with just a little bit of the initial part and then leave it aside for later. Of course, I'm talking about my rough drafts. 

Q312.

2022.04.04

I thought the lines that Kajōmaru-san delivered were contrasting Captain Kyōraku's speech, but since Kajōmaru-san disappeared earlier than I expected, I've been contemplating the true meaning of his words this whole time. Did something happen in Kajōmaru-san's past?

A312.

Naturally, his lines are meant to correspond with Shunsui's lines, but it's the prelude made for the purpose of setting up Shunsui's speech which is the main message, so I had Kajōmaru say it as he was going to exit the stage early.

Q313.

2022.04.04

I've always thought to myself that if a BLEACH musō style game ever came out, it would probably be so much fun. Doesn't "Shinigami Musō" sound good??? Thank you for your time!!!

A313.

I love Hokuto Musō too, so I think it probably would be fun if there was one. Just imagine Aizen running out from the back of the screen in a 2-player setting whilst blowing away all the trash mobs!

Q314.

2022.04.04

Why did the Shin'ō Academy have its name changed from "Tōgakuin"? (Has their curriculum or philosophy changed?) ×[1] 

A314.

Originally it was a school exclusively for Shinigami, however as organizations like the Kidō Corps and the Inner Court Troop were established and classified, the name changed. 

Q315.

2022.04.11

It's something that I just thought of right now, but is it possible that the Zanpakutō belonging to the early 13th Division were modeled after Pisces and its ruling planet Neptune? Captain Ukitake's Sōgyo no Kotowari may allude to the constellation of Pisces. It is a constellation in which the tails of two fish are tied together with a string (or ribbon), and Sōgyo no Kotowari also has the hilt of two swords linked together with a cord.

On the other hand, Kaien's Nejibana is a three-pronged spear. It is a symbol of Neptune (Poseidon in Greek), the god of the sea who rules over the planet Neptune. 

I have a fair amount of confidence in this theory as there is too much overlap, but what do you think? Also, please let us know if there are any source materials or inspirations which formed the image of Captains and Vice-Captains (any others are fine too).

A315.

"Twin fish" is used to represent letters in Chinese literature, from there I kind of imagined it as "exchanging of letters" → "circulation of energy". About Kaien's sword, I suppose that comes from the mental image of combining the whirlpool of the Shiba clan and water from the twin fish. ×[2]

Q316.

2022.04.11

Sensei, can I use the photos you uploaded of your doggie for my phone's wallpaper?

A316.

You can.

Q317.

2022.04.11

I really sympathize with Quilge Opie's line "speech is silver, silence is golden", but I wonder if a line like this is based on sensei's actual experience?

A317.

This is originally a proverb from the English language.

Q318.

2022.04.18

I watched Ōishi-sensei's birthday stream! I'm very happy because I was able to see characters from other works being drawn by Kubo-sensei and the process by which illustrations come to a state of completion in real time! Do you have any plans to stream it to your fan club or release a time-lapse? If you are so inclined, please do so!!

A318.

That is Ōishi-kun's YouTube project, so please make a request to Ōishi-kun! ×[3]

Q319.

2022.04.18

What does Honshō Chizuru-chan think about Orihime and Ichigo's marriage?

A319.

Since Chizuru is a free-spirited person, she would think "she got married, so what?"

Q320.

2022.04.18

Kubo-sensei also appeared in Ōishi-san's YouTube archive, I watched the hell out of it (an expression I rarely use these days….) The damask-patterned curtains behind Kubo-sensei were so chic that I took my hat off. What brand is it? I looked very closely at it, but I wonder if it's a front lace style where a damask-patterned lace curtain is hung in front of a thick curtain. I was interested because the curtains were beautiful.

A320.

I forgot the manufacturer but it does indeed have front lace. You're very observant…. ×[3]

Q321.

2022.04.25

When Byakuya fought PePe, he was never manipulated by Love Kiss even though he was struck by it. Is that because the mantle Byakuya was wearing is made of the Ōken.

A321.

That's right. That reminds me, there was no space to draw the reason there….

Q322.

2022.04.25

When the Soul King is first seen, he clearly appears to have limbs, when did you settle on the idea to have him limbless? Additionally, when Pernida Parnkgjas promptly dispatched the Second-Class Divine Soldier he was drawn with a normal left hand, so I don't think Pernida was set up to be the Left Arm of the Soul King at that time.

A322.

With respect to the set up I had in mind, it had been arranged so that normally, Pernida can maintain an imperfect humanoid form, but when they lose themself, they lose the ability to maintain their shape, thus revealing their true form (a left hand), but since it's difficult to understand, I'm thinking it's a concept I can probably do away with. Either way, I wanted to draw Pernida's hood tearing apart when they turn into a left hand.

Q323.

2022.04.25

I wish a Blu-ray box edition of the BLEACH anime would be offered for sale…they were available in the past…I'd like to have something similar to the DVD box which went up to the Soul Society arc….

A323.

I'll let my editor know. Murakoshi-saaan!

Q324.

2022.05.02

I apologize for bringing up the anime, but in the Zanpakutō: The Alternate Tale arc, among the Zanpakutō of the Captains and Vice-Captains whose names had already been established at the time, it was only Itegumo's incarnated form which did not make an appearance. Was this Kubo-sensei's intention? Or is it that the anime staff simply didn't come to you with an offer for Itegumo…?

A324.

Since I have no recollection of ever having met to discuss Itegumo, I think it's likely there were no plans for Itegumo.

Q325.

2022.05.02

What kind of person is Ikumi-san's husband? How old is he in your designs?

A325.

Ikumi-san is single in the main story, and she remarries in that space leading up to the Echoing Jaws of Hell arc.

Q326.

2022.05.02

Kubo-sensei, do you often reread the BLEACH tankōbon? 

A326.

I usually don't read them at all, so I've almost forgotten everything. It's thanks to posting replies in this Q&A corner that with every round of questions I end up rereading the previous and subsequent tankōbon thoroughly.

Q327.

2022.05.09

Was it intentional that Aizen's origins and past are still largely undisclosed? I'd like to know because I often find myself thinking that there aren't many villains who possess that much charisma whose background remains unknown.

A327.

Most depictions of a villain's past are composed in order to draw out sympathy and a sense of relatability from the audience, and since I don't like that approach very much, I try to avoid it. All characters have a different set of values and I believe a villain is a character whose differences in that regard are so large that they cannot be accepted.

Q328.

2022.05.09

I was always watching out for this with bated breath, but I wonder if the reason Rangiku's breasts don't spill out from her Shihakushō is because she's holding them in place with Reiatsu? Did she actually have a nip slip once where nobody was watching? I'm curious if the reason why her chest is so widely exposed is because they cause her pain or perhaps it's a 'freebie' for others. I love how sexy her chest is.

A328.

I was drawing her with the assumption that she would affix double sided tape to her chest, but I like the idea of her holding them in place with Reiatsu better. Maybe I should use it.

Q329.

2022.05.09

I was surprised to learn that Kubo-sensei's hometown is the very town where I currently live and work (I felt a strong sense of familiarity at the mention of Soleil). So here's my question: roughly where in Karakura Town is the Visored's base located? 

A329: 

The Visored's hideout is around Spark (the name of a supermarket). I wonder if Spark is still there…?

Q330.

2022.05.16

The 7th volume with Byakuya on the cover begins with the line “We should not shed tears”, but at the time Kubo-sensei wrote this poem, did you already have an image in your head of chapter 502, "Falling Sakura" (where Byakuya is defeated by the enemy and sheds tears)?

A330.

I had no way of knowing where Jump would tell me to end the series, so it's not the exact version I had in mind back then, but I wrote it based on the idea that the tears would eventually be shed.

Q331.

2022.05.16

I would like to know how Yoruichi transforms into a cat. Is it a technique she herself had developed, is she able to shapeshift using a spiritual tool belonging to the Shihōin clan, or perhaps a device or technique developed by Urahara Kisuke? These are the only methods I can think of.

A331.

This is a technique developed by Yoruichi, for the purpose of sneaking out of the mansion whenever she pleases.

Q332.

2022.05.16

Have you ever tried Ayataka Café Matcha Latte? It's extremely popular and delicious.

A332.

Matcha based sweets aren't really my thing.

Q333.

2022.05.23

Where on Earth did Renji get that snazzy shirt with the Zabimaru-like design which he was wearing in the Human World in the final chapter? Was it custom made for Renji?

A333.

It's custom made. That t-shirt is nice isn't it?

Q334.

2022.05.23

On the Squad 10 introduction page in BLEACH 13 BLADEs, it says "Rangiku narrowly avoided having her Bankai stolen", has Rangiku acquired Bankai?

A334.

That's what is actually written there!? It's a mistake. How in the world did a mistake like this get in there…?

Q335.

2022.05.23

I have a question about the Shikai of Komamura's Zanpakutō "Tenken". When looking at the games and the anime, it seems there are two patterns in Tenken's Shikai ability: one where it partially summons Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō and does battle with its arm and sword, and another pattern where it accompanies Komamura's attacks with a mass of sword energy (?) that looks like an enlarged version of his own arm and sword. Which one is considered correct by Kubo-sensei?

A335.

"Summoning the arm of Myō'ō" is correct.

Q336.

2022.05.30

Regarding the resident certificate which is given as a bonus for joining this FC, I was surprised to see that Hueco Mundo was an option. Even in Hueco Mundo there are resident certificates…are there any public offices and such that manage it? If so, did Aizen establish and maintain it? These are the questions I thought about but I'd like to know sensei's opinion!

A336.

You might be able to tell by looking at the signatures, but Harribel is in charge of it and Hueco Mundo has started to become organized after Harribel began ruling.

Q337.

2022.05.30

You mentioned Momoclo in a previous Bambies related question, do you have any favorite idols and such? Did you happen to like Hinatazaka46 through Love it!? Is there someone you're rooting for?

A337.

When I see idols who were season regulars on Love it! appearing in other shows, I naturally start rooting for them. (*Love it! is a variety show in Japan.)

Q338.

2022.05.30

During the new captain's appointment ceremony in volume 74, Nanao-chan, who served as the host, is seen carrying a cane, was this an aftereffect of her fight with Lille? In the same volume, just a few pages before (the scene where she goes outside to call for Captain Kyōraku), it looks like she didn't have a cane, so I was wondering what the true situation is.

A338.

That's right. Either I forgot to draw it in the scene where she calls out to Shunsui or the detail ended up getting lost in the solid paint fill.

Q339.

2022.06.06

Is the reason why Ichigo's Bankai could not be stolen with a medallion because Ichigo's Bankai was mixed with Hollow power?

A339.

Correct.

Q340.

2022.06.06

You served as a judge for the Jump Gag Manga Awards, and I got the impression that there is a high percentage of gag manga among the works you find interesting, but do you have any plans or desire to draw your own gag manga?

A340.

When it comes to me, I just don't have the talent to draw gag manga, so I won't draw it. Gag manga are challenging works and only a select few can draw them.

Q341.

2022.06.06

About the color illustration from chapter 558 (depicting Ichigo and Renji inside a white coffin with a cross on it), it appears to bear a close resemblance to Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" music video, is there any connection?

A341.

I drew the white coffin design quite a long time ago and when I saw the Bad Romance music video, I recall being rather indecisive about what I should draw because Bad Romance was released first. Ultimately, I ended up drawing it after some time had passed. That being said, the music video for Bad Romance was incredibly cool.

Q342.

2022.06.13

When the anime commences, will there be a BLEACH game released following Soul Ignition? Not so much an app or something but for game consoles…. 

A342.

I feel like I heard some rumor like that from my editor….

Q343.

2022.06.13

If the Quincy trace bloodlines, I think Uryū would notice that an Echt Quincy called "Kurosaki" existed until recently, but were there any documents, family trees, etc. compiled by Sōken? If so, did Uryū sense something extraordinary after being admitted to Karakura High school, in particular towards the fact that it was a human with the surname "Kurosaki" who possessed the high Reiatsu?

A343.

Books concerning the Quincy are kept in a locked archive inside the hospital. Uryū is forbidden from going there, nor does Uryū himself want to enter that place so much that he would go to the trouble of fighting with Ryūken. Additionally, the more important books are kept in Ryūken's private room.

Q344.

2022.06.13

I've been wondering about this for a while, but in the color version, Liltotto's clothes in her earlier appearances had long sleeves, is this something that was simply overlooked during your checks? Don't the Sternritter only conform to one style of clothing?

A344.

Really!? I had no idea because I wasn't asked to check that. Her outfit was always sleeveless.

Q345.

2022.06.20

I read on the internet that the heroine of BLEACH, Inoue Orihime, is modeled after Inoue Mayuko from Ushio & Tora. Is that true? Is it also the case that Tatsuki was modeled after Asako?

A345.

I'm not exactly familiar with Ushio and Tora…. Please check for yourself whether it's mentioned in any official statement anyway.

Q346.

2022.06.20

Is it possible for fellow Hollows to make children?

A346.

It's possible.

Q347.

2022.06.20

I was thinking that the "B" and "H" from Jugo and Bazz-B's Schrift are the letters which form each other's names, was this giving us a hint that these two were best friends?

A347.

Of course.

Q348.

2022.06.27

I want Hollow and Dragon figurines!!! Are there any plans to turn them into figurines? Where can I request one to be made for me? I want to line up all the Märchens!!!!!!!

A348.

Is this question based on the premise that I draw all the Märchens!?

Q349.

2022.06.27

Will the effect of Wabisuke's ability be lifted if the Shikai is disengaged?

A349.

It will be lifted.

Q350.

2022.06.27

When Shinigami engage their Shikai, sometimes It will be unleashed by calling the sword's name despite not uttering the release command, is there any difference between this and a situation where they do recite the release command in full? Just like how only those who have acquired Bankai are able to release their Shikai without calling the name itself, perhaps it's not the case that just anyone can do this?

A350.

Only experts can release Shikai without the release command, and even if they can, it will take time for its efficiency to reach 100% after the release.

Q351.

2022.07.04

If members of the Visored have theme songs, please tell us about them!!

A351.

Oh yeah, I guess I've never made a note of that. I'll write about them somewhere!

Q352.

2022.07.04

Please tell us what your favorite BLEACH movie is!

A352.

I like the Ulquiorra fight at the beginning of Hell Verse.

Q353.

2022.07.04

Is the healing ointment that comes out of Ikkaku's sword an original ability of the Zanpakutō rather than something that was added through modification? When I did some investigating, I learned that the Hōzuki plant was used as a medicinal herb in the past, so I thought, maybe?

A353.

It's Hōzukimaru's ability.

Q354.

2022.07.11

I have received my certificate of residence, thank you very much. Did you also inspect the packaging envelope? I have never seen such a stylish parcel before, I was totally blown away…. I'm truly happy that I was immersed in this universe even before opening my package.

A354.  

I did inspect it. Isn't the design great? The certificate of residence is also the outstanding handiwork of Ishino-san who has been involved with BLEACH for a long time.

Q355.

2022.07.11

Will the birthdays of the Sternritter members be made public in the future?

A355.

Perhaps it will be revealed in the anime, I can't say for sure.

Q356.

2022.07.11

In an illustration previously exhibited at the Reverse Shibuya event, Rickenbacker was listed as a Broombuggy. His appearance is quite different compared to Marshall and Wordsworth, does this mean that all Dragons people ride are considered Broombuggies?

A356.

Broombuggy is the name of a Dragon species while simultaneously being something like a model number used for Wing Bind registration, so if an individual brings along their own Dragon and it passes the test, they can register it as a Broombuggy.

Q357.

2022.07.18

When designing a female character, how is the bust size determined?

A357.

It's not so much choosing a bust size, but rather it's more like deciding on the overall fleshiness of the character and then making it a size that suits.

Q358.

2022.07.18

The new BLEACH work looks so interesting, I could barely contain my excitement!!! I couldn't help but wonder if there's something hidden in the title, like in BURN THE WITCH, is the missing horizontal bar on the "A" in "BREATHES" simply a design choice? Or does it have some kind of meaning? Please give us a hint!

A358.

I was just playing around with a design for the rough draft and I didn't even really communicate this detail to my editor, but the design more or less gives the impression that the "bolts of Hell have come loose.”

Q359.

2022.07.18

In the one-shot, there are records adorning a whole surface of the wall in the 5th Division barracks, are those all Hirako's personal belongings?

A359.

That's right.

Q360.

2022.07.25

I read the new BLEACH one-shot. The individuality of each person very much stands out, even down to things like their Captain's haori, has the change in Captain-Commander resulted in a more lenient dress code, personal grooming and so on?

A360.

It's definitely become more lenient. I mean, the Captain-Commander is Shunsui so….

Q361.

2022.07.25

With regard to Captain Unohana's name, was it intentional that by giving her the name "Retsu (烈)", the kanji for "death (死)" can be constructed when parts of her name are combined? Also, if the aforementioned is true, is there a possibility that the details surrounding characters’ naming will be revealed in a future one-shot sequel?

A361.

If "Hana (花)" and "Retsu (列)" are cut in two and then connected together, the result is "death (死)". It was intentional, or perhaps I should say, I did it out of fun but it turned out right. If someone correctly guesses the wordplay in the naming like this, then I may acknowledge it, but I don't think I should be the one to reveal it.

Q362.

2022.07.25

Is the BLEACH one-shot drawn entirely with traditional art mediums? There were some parts here and there that looked like it could be digital, did you use both?

A362.

Illustrations of characters, illustrations of animals, visual effects and lettering for sound effects were all made using traditional art mediums, Anything outside of that is digital.

Q363.

2022.08.01

New Vice-Captain, Rindō, has made an appearance, but where did Vice-Captain Iemura go?

A363.

Given that Atau's abilities were superior, Iemura voluntarily made an application for himself and was demoted to 3rd seat. Even though Iemura was the one to raise the matter of his own accord, he was so depressed that Hanatarō, unable to look on in silence, summoned him back to the 4th Division where he was reinstated. In the end, it seems that the 4th Division, which has a lot of paperwork, is more suited for Iemura. 

Q364.

2022.08.01

I read the one-shot! I was like "this is iiiit!" for the first time in a long while and it gave me goosebumps…. Is this strictly a one-shot, will there not be a continuation…? I would definitely like to read the rest!

A364.

I'm not good at drawing when I'm being told to “draw, draw, draw” repeatedly, so I'll consider it once I'm no longer being told to do so.

Q365.

2022.08.01

Was the color spread in the 20th anniversary chapter, drawn digitally?

A365.

The coloring is digital.

Q366.

2022.08.08

How does Ichika perceive Yumichika's gender? We live in a time where gender is a difficult issue, but I'd like to see a scene unfold where he's like "I'm a man" and Ichika goes "what!?"

A366.

She already knew he's a man from the start.

Q367.

2022.08.08

In chapter 188, when Isshin-san regained his Shinigami powers for the first time in 20 years, he referred to the Visored in his conversation with Urahara-san. During this scene, Urahara-san who had helped to contain their Hollowfication, acted as though he possessed no detailed information concerning their backgrounds or ideology. Was this information simply not revealed to Isshin-san and nothing more? Or is it that he truly had no idea what the Visored were planning at that time because he hadn't been involved with them since The Past arc, among other things?

A367.

This is because he concluded that there would be more of a benefit towards the management of Ichigo's Hollowfication if he did not divulge that information to Isshin.

Q368.

2022.08.08

I like the sound of Aaroniero Arruruerie's name. What is the origin of this name?

A368.

It's based on the designer Eero Aarnio.

Q369.

2022.08.15

I have a question concerning the phrase "Fill the earth and know your own powerlessness" in Kurohitsugi's chant. In the book of Genesis, after creating man (in the sense that man is the greatest thing ever created), the word of God states “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it." Are the words in the Kurohitsugi incantation modeled after this? 

A369.

It's not the case that I used Genesis as a model, though Kurohitsugi's chant itself becomes a chant that speaks about all humanity.

Q370.

2022.08.15

In the new one-shot, Ichigo goes to Keigo's ramen shop and says "everyone came out to eat", but who exactly does he mean by "everyone"? Who else was there besides Mizuiro? Was Chad also with them

A370.

The one in the seat at the back is Uryū.

Q371.

2022.08.15

I love Dordoni, so I'd like if you could draw him a lot more.

A371.

Now that you mention it, I forgot to draw new pieces for Dordoni and his group for the art exhibition….

Q372.

2022.08.22

In the new one-shot, Ichika calls Renji "Tō-sama (*father)", but what does she call Byakuya?

A372.

"Oji-sama (*uncle)"

Q373.

2022.08.22

Sensei, have you ever seen derivative creations (fanfiction, dōjinshi, etc.) of your own work? Also, what do you think about such creations?

A373.

As long as the fans can find enjoyment in it with one another, they can go right ahead. Please send me male-oriented erotica. Because I read it.

Q374.

2022.08.22

I love the background music from the anime and movies and I listen to them often, was sensei also involved in the music selection?

A374. 

It doesn't involve me. This is not because I'm not interested, but because I'm fond of Sagisu-san's work.

Q375.

2022.08.29

Aside from nobles, do seated officers live on the road to the seated officers' quarters? Do they live in detached housing?

A375.

Most of them do.

Q376.

2022.08.29

I was incredibly impressed after watching the video of you drawing on KlubOutside! Are you using a tracing lightbox from Bears.Seven? And is it being stabilized by the horizontal pipe behind it? Also, if you don't mind, I would be grateful if you could tell us what's going on with the space on both sides of the tracing lightbox!

A376.

I ended up buying a new ultra-thin tracing lightbox over and over again until I found one that I liked, I forgot the manufacturer's name. I'd be in trouble if it broke…. The space on both sides is chaotically littered with things.

Q377.

2022.08.29

Regarding Kyōraku-san's Bankai, Katen Kyōkotsu: Karamatsu Shinjū, if the opponent doesn't put up a resistance (that is, try to rise to the surface) at the Third Act: Dangyo no Fuchi, does it not transition to the Final Act? The story goes that "having resigned themselves to their fate, they hurl themselves", so I thought that if the opponent accepted it, then it would become a lovers' suicide just as the name suggests. 

A377.

Not limited to the Third Act, If an opponent dies midway through, it is assumed that the "performer has disappeared", and thus the Act ends there.

Q378.

2022.09.05

When I look at sensei's work, the lines appear to be much bolder in the early stages, are your lines something you paid more attention to as a consequence or did you have a change of mind regarding this area? Or perhaps you merely changed your pen?

A378.

The lines became thinner for two reasons: for one, with that early method of drawing, the lines would come out too thick when printed in the magazine, secondly I gained more experience with a pen and it reached a point where I was able to draw faster. 

Q379.

2022.09.05

Do you like robots? You are great at creating characters, creatures and fantasy. Someday, I would like to see a robot designed by sensei.

A379.

I'm not interested in robots right now so I don't think I'd be able to compose a good design.

Q380.

2022.09.05

After I saw Ichika, there's something I've been wondering about: what is the growth rate of a Shinigami like in terms of physical age? Does the growth rate eventually come to slow down as the physical body develops in age?

A380.

I'll probably write about this in a Fanbook.

Q381.

2022.09.12

Japanese translations of the chapter subtitles were printed in the Fanbooks, but are there any plans to publish the rest somewhere?

A381.

It was difficult to check them so I don't really want to do it….

Q382.

2022.09.12

How tall is Tōshirō at present, in cm? Has there been any change from 133 cm…?

A382.

He's 134 cm now.

Q383.

2022.09.12

When you were composing your designs for New Sakura Wars, did you decide on the framework of each character? I'm especially curious about Anastasia.

A383.

For Sakura Wars, the request came in with everything already decided down to the names, settings, personality, body type, hairstyles, colors and role, so my job was to draw the actual design of the character using my own art style, that's all there was to it. It's almost like "putting makeup on someone else's child “

Q384.

2022.09.19

Kazui's room made an appearance in the one-shot, what made an impression on me is the fact that it wasn't a children's study desk or the like which adorned the place, but instead it was very simple furniture. Is there some reason for that?

A384.

It's to Ichigo's taste.

Q385.

2022.09.19

I would like to know what foods Kisuke-san likes and what food he dislikes…. If there are any changes between the time he was a Captain and the time he became "Hat-and-Clogs", I'd definitely like to hear about both of those eras….

A385.

His favorite food is rice and the food he dislikes are too many to list. While we're on the subject, Yoruichi has no likes or dislikes at all when it comes to food.

Q386.

2022.09.19

Who came up with the title "WE DO knot ALWAYS LOVE YOU"?

A386.

I did.

Q387.

2022.09.26

Is it possible that Engetsu was not originally Isshin's Zanpakutō, but instead a Zanpakutō that once belonged to another Shinigami, like for instance, someone among the Five Great Noble Clans? I was wondering if the reason why no Shinigami connected the dots between Isshin and the Getsuga Tenshō used by Ichigo, was because they recognized Engetsu as a fire type Zanpakutō and were unaware of its ability i.e. "Getsuga Tenshō which gathers Reiatsu into a slashing attack"?

A387.

There are three reasons why the other Shinigami were not reminded of Isshin through witnessing Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshō:

Unlike the one used by Ichigo, Isshin's Getsuga Tenshō is a technique that gathers fire and Reiatsu into a slashing attack which is used at close range.

There are no opportunities for fellow Captains to learn each other's technique names outside of fighting together and training together.

In the Soul Society arc, Ichigo doesn't mention the name Getsuga Tenshō in front of anyone but Byakuya.

Q388.

2022.09.26

A long time ago on a certain program, Morita-san, who plays the role of Ichigo, mentioned how Kubo-sensei had pointed out to him the correct intonation of Getsuga Tenshō back in the early days. Did Kubo-sensei check the intonation of characters' spoken lines and techniques in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, which were implemented in Brave Souls but have yet to make an appearance in the anime?

A388.

I may not be able to check as far as the finer details for Brave Souls. For the new anime on the other hand, I spent several hours discussing and checking as many new names and vocabulary as possible. As long as I haven't missed anything in my checks, it should turn out great.

Q389.

2022.09.26

I would like to learn the particulars of how Shutara Senjumaru got promoted to the Zero Division. What did she (is it a she?) create? At first I thought it might be the Shihakushō, but I can't imagine that a Shihakushō is important enough to warrant a promotion to Zero Division, so I'm thinking it's probably something else. 

A389.

It's the Shihakushō.

Q390.

2022.10.03

I would like to know how Abarai Ichika-chan rates her father's eyebrows!

A390.

She thinks they're the coolest shape in the whole world.

Q391.

2022.10.03

Does Kubo-sensei have a Kanken certificate? (*Japan Kanji Aptitude Test)

A391.

I don't have one.

Q392.

2022.10.03

What is the motive behind Kyōraku Shunsui choosing Yadōmaru Lisa as his Vice-Captain? I'm also intrigued by their relationship. When Kyōraku and Lisa reunite again during the Decisive Battle of Karakura in the anime, Lisa strikes him violently as if in greeting, Kyōraku then says something like "you're looking as cute as ever" and Lisa blushes in response. I'm curious because I think this would never have happened if Lisa wasn't conscious of Kyōraku in some way or the other.

A392.

This is one of those scenes where the checks didn't come to me.

Q393.

2022.10.10

I really love the well-built and good-looking mature men that Kubo-sensei draws, but I was curious about specific areas of the face or body where you exert the most effort when drawing these characters. If I have to pick one character, I would be very happy if you could tell me something about Zaraki Kenpachi. 

A393.

All the characters are different in terms of what aspect I pay extra attention to, in Kenpachi's case, I imagine him with "dry-looking, tense muscles on a thin figure with prominent bones.”

Q394.

2022.10.10

Not long after assuming her position as Captain of the 8th Division, Yadōmaru Lisa is seen wearing a Captain's haori which had long sleeves (in the illustration from the novel "WE DO knot ALWAYS LOVE YOU" Lisa can be seen wearing what looks to be a haori with sleeves.) However, in the one-shot, it became a sleeveless Captain's haori. Did she have it altered to sleeveless or does she switch between two garments depending on her mood that day?

A394.

Immediately following that, Lisa used the haori Shunsui used to wear after cutting down the length of the sleeves.

Q395.

2022.10.10

The Seireiheki ordinarily protects the Soul King Palace, but do the gatekeepers of the Seireimon also normally protect the Soul King Palace?

A395.

I'll write about this here because it's probably not a piece of lore I'll ever draw, but the areas bordering the edges of the street around where the gates fall have come to be named "Marumaru-mon", they stand guard over the vicinity of those areas. ×[4]

Q396.

2022.10.17

Sensei, how many layers do you divide your work into when drawing an illustration digitally? If possible, I would also like to see a making-of video of your drawing process!

A396.

The number of layers depends on the illustration. All of the original color drawings from the BLEACH exhibition are still available as time-lapses, so I hope they can be viewed somewhere.

Q397.

2022.10.17

Kazeshini's chains appear to be expandable, but how does it shrink back after it has been expanded? 

A397.

Shūhei does his best to shrink them back.

Q398.

2022.10.17

Given that Shawlong is the No.11 Arrancar, does that mean he was the first Menos among Aizen's forces to be turned into an Arrancar? In that case, why did Aizen choose him as the first test subject?

A398.

That's because Shawlong himself advised Aizen to try it on him first.

Q399.

2022.10.24

If Moguro Fukuzō from the "The Laughing Salesman" were in the world of BLEACH, who do you reckon would be the character that would likely be targeted by Moguro Fukuzō to have their souls filled?

A399.

Let me see, I wonder who… Shūhei…?

Q400.

2022.10.24

According to Ulquiorra's monologue, it seems that the fully Hollowfied Ichigo had used Sonído which is Hohō for Arrancar. In The Past arc from volume 36, it appears as though Kensei, who had progressed in Hollowfication, also utilized Sonído in the same way when he instantly moved behind Rabu. Could this be an indication that as a Shinigami's Hollowfication spreads from a state of being the mask alone to one where it affects the whole body, their existence grows closer to an Arrancar?

A400.

Correct.

Translation Footnotes:

×1. The "Shinigami Tōgakuin" is a name which appears in Souls character book, page 99. This is the name that is still most commonly used in Rukongai to refer to the Academy.

×2. Kubo is referring to Han-dynasty poems and legends, most notably: Ballad of Watering Horses in a Ditch by the Great Wall. Fish is used as a metaphor for letters sent by families far away as people would place their message in a wooden receptacle shaped like a fish. This receptacle would open down the middle thus becoming "two carp":

From a far land a traveler came and left me two carp. I asked my children to cook the fish and inside they found a silk letter. I knelt long and read the letter. What did that letter say? It started, Try to eat. and ended, I miss you always.

×3. Kōji Ōishi's Birthday stream featuring Tite Kubo:

https://www.youtube.com/live/nTwRin6T3VA?si=TmtttpxOOAdWnRLa

×4. Please note: "Mon" means gate but "Marumaru" is not really a name, marumaru is a symbol (○○) which we use as placeholders when, for instance, there is no name. So it's essentially like saying "such and such gate” until the named gate actually falls and replaces that placeholder.

[sm-baby]

Kinger do be a Slay Bitch witch his coat

-GoldLamb

they don't call him "Your majesty" for nothing.

[roalinda]

you reminded me - how it slays me actually that in swm James stopped showing off with snitch for Sirius, but he didn't stop harassing Snape for Lily. Different scales, yes, and yet. Sirius had quite a character in his youth, and James seemed to value and thrieve in this part, too - mean, arrogant. And it's not like Sirius minded James' faults like showing off - when he told James to put snitch away, it was not [stop because you irritate me], it was [stop because Wormtail' reaction irritates me].

SWM is probably one of my most favourite chapters in the whole HP series. Not just because it stars James and Sirius in their teenage days, but also because it shows the darker parts of their personality ( specially James' ), a neat contrast to Harry's usual hero worship for his father. I think this scene is what makes the reader appreciate James as a great character later, the way he matured and lived and sacrificed. (but this is completely another discussion ) 

You are completely right anon, Sirius was mean and arrogant and so was James. They were two parts of a whole, working together like a tandem, dysfunctional without each other. They were too similar yet different and that was their glue, their magnetic gravity. We have three books (POA, GOF, OOTP) to see Sirius' arrogance ( or at least traces of it ), but for James we only have less than ten pages. 

Here:

Sirius stared around at the students milling over the grass, looking rather haughty and bored, but very handsomely so. ( HP and OOTP, chapter twenty eight , page 644 )

"Reading between the lines, I'd say she thinks you are a bit conceited, mate (James)," said Sirius. (HP and OOTP, chapter twenty-eight, page 649)

Obviously, James had been called arrogant in this chapter a lot by both Lily and Snape, but I quoted Sirius on purpose because here he shows/says:

Yes, Lily sees James as an arrogant toerag, so he should not delude himself with the fact the she doesn't. ( right now)

He himself doesn't care about James' arrogance. (He said that about Lily, he never said I think you are too arrogant as well) 

He said - a bit conceited - , both to sweeten the rejection for James and to insert a bit of sarcasm. 

James had started it all to liven up Sirius as he himself put it. I am not discussing the morality of the situation here because it is not relevant to this talk. He wanted to entertain Sirius. He wanted to show off in front of Sirius, not the girls around the lake or Lily at that moment. He wanted to show off in a way that Sirius can be indulged in as well, and not to be irritated by James' actions, be it straight from him playing with the Snitch or Peter's extreme excitement. True, he enjoyed the attention of the crowd, it is a part of his character, but at that moment it was Sirius' attention he was seeking. Sirius was easily irritated by Peter and was brilliant enough to ignore Remus when he suggested to test him for Transfiguration, so naturally it was James whom he indirectly seek entertainment from. He doesn't mention it or anything, he just says I am bored and James jumps and practically is, Yessir, yes, your majesty, your wish is my command, let me indulge and entertain you. 😂

That's the simplest approach to SWM. Sirius and James didn't care for anything as long as the other was satisfied. 

This doesn't go for Lily, even after James started dating her. James never stopped hexing Snape 🤺 , because Snape also never missed an opportunity to curse him back. 🤺 Yes, it's only one person whom he has a bad history with but the point is he does not change his ways for Lily completely if he doesn't see it fit.

He also is clearly triggered after Sirius tells him that Lily thinks he is conceited (which results in the line below), because arrogance and pride is a part of him, a part that can be either pleasant or unpleasant, depending on who is he interacting with. 

"Right," said James, who looked furious now, "right —" (HP and OOTP, chapter twenty-eight, page 649) 

This is the difference between Lily and Sirius and the types of showing off James has for them. Sirius has James on leash, be it in a positive or negative way. He says start, James starts. He says stop, James stops. This does not go for Lily. James even told her - don't make me hex you - , although it was earnest and in good humour. But let's face it, he would never say this to Sirius in a situation like that.

Sirius is fond of James as well and never minded his faults as you rightfully put it. He was fond of his arrogance and idiocy as he later told Harry. (by idiocy I don't mean the incapability of achieving brilliant magical performances and academics, I mean the way he was a jerk) 

There is a reason Sirius and James are soul mates. It is not just because they adored each other and were Quite the double act, it was also because they had accepted and were not trying to change each other. They loved each other's faults in an exclusive private way, never ashamed or worried about social etiquette in each other's company.

Gods, sorry for the long rant 🙈 thank you for the ask.

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Diana Rigg (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, The Assassination Bureau, A Midsummer Night’s Dream)—Though she may be most famous across the pond for her Game of Thrones-era career, here on her native soil she is an icon of the 60s and female empowerment! Arguably best known for slaying as Emma Peel in The Avengers, her biggest pop culture legacy is definitely playing the only woman Bond truly loved - Tracy di Vincenzo - and absolutely stealing the movie (OHMSS) from under George Lazenby’s nose. The Assassination Bureau is also an extremely fun and underrated period adventure film where her boundless energy and wit is better matched by Oliver Reed. She excelled at playing alluring women with a sense of humour and darker complications underneath. Undoubtedly one of England’s most lovable, intelligent, funny, sexy and unforgettable actresses of all time, I entreat you VOTE PRINCESS DI !!

Anna Karina (Une Femme est Une Femme, Pierrot Le Fou, Vivre Sa Vie)—When you watch a Godard film, it's impossible not to pay attention to her beauty and charisma, it's impossible not to like her, even if you hate the film

This is round 1 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Anna Karina:

“How can you say no to those eyes?”

Link to Paris Review essay: Finding Anna Karina (https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2020/02/25/finding-anna-karina/)

Diana Rigg:

"She lived with a director/partner/boyfriend for eight years in the 60s and told the tabloid press '[I have no desire] to be respectable'"