#so. character growth for kurogane

[meanderfall]

Need to re-read Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles and pay closer attention to Kurogane's subtle character development

[mirai-e-jump]

TV Guide Dan Vol.49, October 2023 Issue ft. Kamen Rider Gotchard Cast Members Junsei Motojima x Yasunari Fujibayashi Interview (translations below)

Publication: October 20, 2023

"You two are currently appearing as rivals in "Kamen Rider Gotchard." Would you please describe each other's role?"

Motojima: Kurogane Spanner, played by Yasu-kun (Fujibayashi), is a cool and mature kind of character. If Houtarou Ichinose, who I play, has the mental age of a 10 year old, Spanner would be that of a 25 year old. I think it's interesting that they're rivals.

Fujibayashi: Well, they're rivals, but I'd say that Spanner is overwhelmingly stronger.

Motojima: No, I don't think so! In episode 3, Spanner loses to Houtarou.

Fujibayashi: He didn't lose.

Motojima: It was Houtarou's win!

Fujibayashi: Ahaha! Since the details aren't clear, we'll leave it up to the viewers to decide (laughs). Houtarou, played by Junsei, is a true to life version of Junsei, or rather, he's just as he is. He's mischievous, an airhead, and a lively person! Gotchard is Junsei's first full time acting role, so he's got alot of room to grow. I think you'll enjoy watching Junsei's growth and development alongside that of Houtarou's.

"What's the relationship between you playing these roles?"

Fujibayashi: We get along really well, huh?

Motojima: Yeah. Also, when I was having trouble with my acting, Yasu-kun would give me advice like, "Try this kind of movement here," so I really appreciate it.

Fujibayashi: I don't have that much acting experience either, and I'm not in a position to give advice, so I'm just saying what I feel from an objective point of view. Junsei has his own unique style, so he's able to express it through his acting.

"What specific scenes do you think Fujibayashi-kun's advice helped improve?"

Motojima: The one in episode 3…

Fujibayashi: Ah! The scene where Houtarou and Spanner fight with shinai's in the dojo?

Motojima: That one! For that scene, we read the script over the phone the day before filming, and before we shot that scene, we talked for about two hours in the waiting room thinking, "If we did something like this here, wouldn't it turn out better?" I never learned how to sword fight, so Yasu-kun taught me how to swing a sword.

Fujibayashi: It was really difficult to move around while saying those lines. But, both of us were determined to make it a great scene. We practiced holding umbrellas instead of swords while saying the lines. In that scene, I personally thought, "Junsei's so amazing."

Motojima: Eh! Where, which part?!

Fujibayashi: There's a scene in the dojo fight where Houtarou did a jumping head butt toward Spanner's stomach, and I thought such an attack would be absolutely terrifying and painful. Actually, Junsei squirmed the moment the footage cut to that scene. Still, I believe that the viewers could feel Junsei's determination to put his body on the line and his passion for the show. In that sense, episode 3 became an important episode for us.

Motojima: It's a scene that we absolutely can't leave out when talking about this show. Also, there's a scene in episode 5 where I did pro wrestling. I had to act as if I was in pain when I was subjected to a technique, but I didn't know what it was like when a person really feels pain. So, I asked Yasu-kun, and he told me, "When people get hit in the lower back, they arch their body and feel the pain."

Fujibayashi: We actually hit each other on the back of our thighs to see how we would react (laughs).

Motojima: That's right (laughs).

"In contrast to the relationship between Houtarou and Spanner in the show, we can see that you support and get along well with each other during filming, do you also hang out in your private lives?"

Motojima: Next time, all the cast members promised to go to an amusement arcade!

Fujibayashi: It's just a plan though. Everyone's schedules don't quite match up….However, everyone's made good progress and have become friends. Besides, I feel like the two of us will have a relationship that lasts a lifetime.

Motojima: Oh~! That makes me happy!!

Fujibayashi: Junsei's current "weapons" are his freshness and his will to "Just give it a try," and he has the most important passion for an actor. I myself have my own pride as an older person. I'm confident that we can maintain a good relationship as acting rivals even after this production is over.

Motojima: Yeah. I hope we can continue to improve each other through friendly competition.

Fujibayashi: It's still early in Gotchard's story, but looking ahead to the ending, I'm already kind of sad! But, I'm really looking forward to Junsei's growth.

Motojima: Oh, I appreciate that.

"By the way, do you know each other's views on love?"

Motojima: We talked about love once before, right? On a train ride home after filming, I asked him, "What kind of person is your type?" It was because I was curious (laughs).

Fujibayashi: If I'm remembering right, Junsei's into pretty girls, right?

Motojima: Yeah. I think Yasu-kun said that was the type of person he'd fall in love with.

Fujibayashi: That's right. Also, I guess Junsei likes quiet people.

Motojima: Yeah, I like quiet people.

Fujibayashi: I like cheerful people, so I don't really have a type at all.

"How do you go about approaching someone you like?"

Motojima: I feel like I'm a proactive person. For example, as a student, I might ask someone, "Would you like to go to the cultural festival together?

Fujibayashi: That's good! But, I'm as proactive as Junsei. I also reply to LINE messages very quickly.

Motojima: That's right, you're really quick.

Fujibayashi: Without messing around, maybe I would straight up ask her, "Let's go out to eat!" and start meeting up more often.

Motojima: I see. I really want to talk on the phone with the person I like. I'm aiming to do a "fall asleep phone call" (he awkwardly laughs).

Fujibayashi: What, that comment was too cute!

"Now then, please tell us about the benefits of becoming your lover."

Fujibayashi: Since I can speak English, I can take you on trips to various countries!

Motojima: Eh~? That's not fair! I definitely can't win against that! But, I can play the guitar. It would be nice if I play and she sings.

Fujibayashi: You're going to make her sing?! Isn't it about Junsei playing the guitar?

Motojima: Ah, I want her to listen!

Fujibayashi: Well, you know, Junsei's really cool when he plays the guitar! He has a very soft expression…When I saw Junsei's guitar video, I was so moved that I couldn't help but send him a LINE.

Motojima: Fufufu~ Well then, I'll play the guitar for you. On a beach overseas!

Fujibayashi: No, you don't have to compete with my English (laughs).

"In the future, If you were to co star in another production, what kind of production would you like to appear in, and what kind of relationship would you like to play?"

Motojima: Houtarou is also a second year high school student, so I'd like another school story.

Fujibayashi: Junsei can still play student roles. I think I'm limited to playing a college student…

Motojima: But, I'm also a college student, and it would be nice to play college classmates. It'd be fun to compete with each other for lovers!

Fujibayashi: I'd like to fight as two historical kings. Something like, "Romance of the Three Kingdoms."

Motojima: That sounds good, I want to try it!

Fujibayashi: Junsei in the form of a military commander…Hmmm, his dark face would suit it…maybe?

Motojima: Yasu-kun also has a dark face, right?

Fujibayashi: I had the opportunity to wear a wig when I performed in a 2.5D musical, but I have thick eyebrows, so I sometimes have to clean up my eyebrows with makeup. So, as a member of the "eyebrow tribe," I'm alittle worried about Junsei's eyebrows.

Motojima: Eyebrow tribe (laughs). But, I really do hope we can co star in a historical drama someday!

[andro-dino]

omg hey could could you talk about zyro maybe? i like hearing what you like in characters especially in shogun steel

ZYRO MY FRIEND ZYRO!!!!!!! I,,, love Zyro kurogane,,,,,,, so much,,,,,,,

I don’t even know where to begin with him. Ik it’s been a while since I’ve gone on one of my “shogun steel characters are so interesting bc of the ways they start so rough around the edges as bladers and differ so much from their predecessors despite the similarities” rants but basically that whole idea is PERFECTLY encapsulated in Zyro’s entire being. Like, I love that he loses right off the bat. He’s established immediately as a very strong blader, but that’s within the limited scope of his small hometown, and when he goes out into the city, naturally he immediately seeks out the strongest blader, and then promptly gets beat by him. I love that he comes off as cocky and overeager to a lot of the other bladers including Shinobu at first. I’m realizing now actually a lot of shogun steel characters have that in their introductions and I EAT IT UP EVERY TIME bc I love how much they really are just young teenagers bc like that’s so young teenager of them. I love Zyro’s energy and determination as a whole; it makes you really root for his training and improvement really quickly and it makes it really satisfying when you do see his growth. I ALSO LOVE THAT HIS IMPROVEMENT ISNT PERFECT!!! He doesn’t immediately defeat every rival that he meets the first time and it’s frustrating to him and he gets upset about it but all of those losses continue to just push him even more. I like that he is a bit aggressive also. He is pretty kind and friendly for the most part but he’s also got a lot of sass and edge to him which again just makes him feel so realistic to me. I find him to be such a relatable character because he is a very forgiving and caring person but he’s also got the capacity to be like “this fucking guy…” to people who are kind of assholes. I LOVE HIS DYNAMICS WITH EVERYONE SO MUCH!!!!!!!! I can go on for so long about all of his individual dynamics AND I WILL!!!!!!

With Shinobu I feel like it’s kind of obvious coming from me but GRAAAHHHHHH‼️‼️‼️ their bond means so much to me. I love how they both think the other is an asshole at first I love that Zyro wants a rematch more than anything and Shinobu refuses until they are literally forced to battle in the one day tournament. I love how lame Shinobu is at first and how slow he is to come around to Zyro. I love how they push each other to their very limits and inspire each other so much. I love how Zyro literally makes a public love declaration to him and they r literally soulmates. Despite their initial animosity, they so quickly become attached at the hip and literally love each other so much. I love how Zyro is literally ready to commit a murder when Kira fucks Shinobu’s shit up. I just love how connected they are and how much they care about each other and and and and

Him and ren is such a fun dynamic and I love them so much. Rens introduction as a whole I love bc she comes out the gate swinging and Zyro immediately gets so upset at ren for stealing his technique, which is so dumb but again it’s an endearing moment of him being childish and stupid to me, and ren just immediately has so much fun and inserts herself into the group. It’s interesting bc during their training, benkei makes valid critiques of her reliance on the cyclone bey stadiums, but she’s so stubborn that she refuses to accept that, AND EVEN THOUGH SHE INSISTS THAT SHES IN THE RIGHT, it still gets in her head which is really evident with how off her game she is in her first match with takanosuke, and I love that Zyro recognizes that and recognizes that she is a strong blader and is so quick to be like “THE HELL ARE YOU DOING MAN USE THE TECHNIQUE!!!! YOURE SO GOOD AT IT USE IT!!!!” And it’s a really cute moment of him supporting her and getting over his initial reservation around her. They bounce off each other so well and I love how much they help and encourage each other they mean so much to me

Honorable mention before I forget: I don’t have as much to say about them but Zyro and Maru are the siblings ever idk what to tell you they r so silly together and I love them so much

His dynamic with the unabaras is both so funny. Eight gets under his skin so much and he does it right back to him and it’s such a silly and realistic dynamic. Much like kite, eight stays a perpetual hater and it’s very funny, especially when eight ends up actually rooting for Zyro and hating every second for it. Speaking of kite, THEY ARE ALSO SO FUNNY TOGETHER. I love the silly rivalry they have, which is at its best imo when Zyro goes to challenge Yoshio and kite gets mad abt it bc they’re dynamic is just so good there and it is so fun. They truly bring out the worst of each others hater energy and it’s so funny and it’s so great, especially when you combine it with kites “don’t think we’re friends or anything!” energy vs Zyro’s consistent ability to create extremely close bonds with literally everyone he meets.

Both takanosuke and Sakyo also have life changing relationships with Zyro and again I’ve gone on abt it so much BUT FOR GOOD REASON!!! I love how much Zyro acknowledges takanosuke and his strength. Like, it’s easy to forget how skilled takanosuke is, but that boy is an insane fucking blader and it really comes through in his battle with Zyro at nbb. Both of them push each other to their limits and the match is EXTREMELY close, and both of them have a blast the whole time bc both of them are so similar in their extreme passion and fighting spirit and it’s so wonderful. And him being able to really see the depths of Takanosuke’s strength and passion and motivation is what then allows him to have an even better match with Sakyo afterwards. Zyro and Sakyo already have so much fated rivals isms to them and their dynamic as narrative foils, both of their similarities and differences to their respective predecessors, and how much that influences their individual characters and their dynamic together is something that I am so insane abt. It’s very important to me that both of them start off not necessarily on the same level as gingka and Sakyo were but by the end of the season, they are very much on track to surpass both of them in the future, and how connected their dynamic becomes. They’re rivalry starts off very aggressive (and somewhat petty with how their first battle ended) but Zyro is so quickly able to reach into Sakyo’s heart and like fundamentally change his entire worldview and part of that is seeing Takanosuke’s passion and care for Sakyo and like like like like yk. idk I don’t have the abilities to fully put my thoughts into words when it comes to these guys but like you get what I mean right. Also I just think it’s funny how neither Sakyo nor takanosuke really have many significant bonds with other characters besides each other and Zyro. Zyro their friend Zyro! (I have a comic I’ve been meaning to draw abt this I’ll get to it at some point I swear 🤞)

And obviously him and Kira are like. life changing. I can’t even begin to describe how fucking insane they are but god. I think the one thing that really gets me is the fact that Zyro never at any point gave up on Kira. He never hesitated to fight back against him at any point when he was fuckin shit up but every step of the way he still knew there was hope for Kira, even when Kira himself couldn’t see it, and he never stopped trying to reach out to him and gave everything in the end to bring him into the light. good shit man.

yeah anyways Zyro kurogane THE character ever thank you and good night

[completeoveranalysis]

[8]

ORIGINAL OUTFITS AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

COMING FULL CIRCLE INDEED

Going ALL the way back to their most iconic looks, that speak the most directly to who they are and who they were, and we can SEE the visible differences in their designs. Kurogane’s arm has been replaced, doubling down on his signature colour as he’s become the truest version of himself. And as a FASCINATING parallel to that, his sword is the actual one this time - not a copy or imitation, like HE was before. Haunted by his past as he was, he was a damaged echo of who he was when he was younger, but not anymore. Now Ginryuu is really here and it’s the actualisation of Kurogane BECOMING the Kurogane he was always meant to be. He’s fulfilled his family role by relearning the love his parents taught him, he’s regained his true name by healing from the grief their loss left in him, he has more family than ever before, and now he’s on his way to punish the one who took it all away from him in the first place. Kurogane is PEAK Kurogane. 

And FAI. He’s in his Seresu clothes, but he’s not displaying the damaging lessons Ashura taught him in order to manipulate him into doing what he wanted. Fai isn’t lying anymore - he’s not smiling, he’s not pretending to be happy, the entire facade is gone. He’s showing how he really feels - in a direct contrast to how Ashura taught him to fake smile as the only way to help them since he couldn’t do it with magic. Now he doesn’t even HAVE that magic and he’s helped the people that mean the MOST to him without ever touching it. Fai knows his VALUE now - he knows he is loved, that he loves them back, that that’s ENOUGH, that that ACCOMPLISHES more than magic itself ever did, and that he doesn’t need to fake anything in order to make a difference. 

Also his HAIR is longer. He’s no longer keeping his appearance the same as a facsimile to the twin he wanted to switch places with. He’s healed from that too, moving on as HIMSELF and not just as a living promise that he was manipulated into making in the first place. He’s his own person now, all the chains on him are gone, and there’s nothing in his past looming over every action he takes. He’s free now - and he’s chasing down the man who DID THIS to him in the first place, along with the people he loves. 

OH IT’S SO BEAUTIFUL. 

And then Mokona outlines it for us in words too, because Mokona is still awed by the plot coming back around to the beginning and it’s utterly adorable. Because at this point ME TOO MOKONA.

MEANWHILE I SEE BOOTS AND A CAPE AND I THINK I HAVE THOUGHTS (tm) ABOUT WHAT THIS NEXT PAGE WILL HAVE ON IT

LAVA LAMP DRESSED AS SYAORAN

OH now THAT is interesting

On the one hand it’s a FASCINATING move to make. Because visually? YES, the Syaoran should dress like Syaoran in the beginning of the manga.

But we know now! It’s not the same! This ISN’T the Syaoran we started the manga with! Moreover Lava Lamp NEVER DRESSED THIS WAY. These AREN’T his clothes. He never looked like this! He didn’t grow up in Clow like Syaoran did - though he WAS apparently there, in his Lava Lamp, the whole time. 

And all of THAT is difference enough that we get no other visual signifiers of his growth. His outfit is the SAME because it’s the CHARACTER who’s different. Instead of the clone donning the identity of the original, now it’s the original donning the visual identity of the CLONE. 

And THAT’S an entirely different kind of circle, but I kind of love the inversion of it all. Especially since the last time Lava Lamp left the Clow Kingdom (where he was trapped) he travelled TO Acid Tokyo, in order to hopefully fix Syaoran’s soul. But now Syaoran’s soul IS fixed, and he’s travelling BACK to the Clow Kingdom to find a whole Syaoran instead!

… OH AND HIS EYE. He only has ONE eye in the reaction shot at the end, because that’s an echo of the link he had with Syaoran, and how he ALSO used to have all the single eye imagery that foreshadowed Lava Lamp watching through it his entire life. 

Lava Lamp is the reverse of everything that has happened - the mirror image of things coming full circle, but coming full circle all the same. 

[thekingwhereitallends]

Boruto: Tenchijin Chapter Three; Tempting the Gods!

Genre: Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Action

Summary: More characters being introduced to the readers and show their growth. That may include living legends and forgotten guardians.

Date:Jan.20th 2042

"I trained you to be much better than this. Come on, not even landing a single hit ruins both your's and my reputation!" Hanabi yells at her pupils who are hyperventilating.

"Are you serious? You have been considered to lead the clan, many said you are the best the hyuga has to offer." Wasabi states.

Wasabi Izuno, standing at one hundred sixty two centimeters tall, she has grown her hair out, now wears sleeveless green jacket with fishnet shirt and grey pants. She is a chunin.

"Firstly, whoever said that has certainly not seen all hyugas in combat. Secondly, I've been holding back against you three." Hanabi asserts.

"You are cutting our ninjutsu in half like butter. We can't break through your rotation technique and there's not a single one of us who can cast a genjutsu on you strong enough that your byakugan would not help you see through the illusions." Namida claims.

Namida Suzumeno, one hundred fifty four centimeters tall, wearing crop-top brown and white jacket and black fishnet shirt underneath, also brown pants with white linings. She's been promoted to chunin rank.

"So hop-" Hanabi is cut off, begins to spit blood and grunt.

A sword found it's way through neck and pummels her to the ground, leaving a pool of blood.

It's Tsubaki who was waiting for the right time to catch her mentor offguard using the weak spot of byakugan to her advantage.

Tsubaki Kurogane, one hundred sixty centimeters tall, has finally succeeded Mifune as leader of samurai and wields his kurosawa blade. She's a tokubetsu jonin, specializing in kenjutsu. She wears an armor now, with the same color palette of white, black and pink.

The girls are in shock, terrified of Hanabi whose body shivers uncontrollably.

They turn to Tsubaki and frown at him with a displeased expression.

"I know that's a shadow clone but why being so vicious?" Wasabi says.

"Couldn't you knock her down with sheath of your sword?" Namida asks.

"Don't scold me. She did hit a nerve." Tsubaki responds, sighing.

"That's was a clean hit." A voice comes from Hanabi's side. It's sinister and like the demons in horror movies people watch in the cinema if one asked the teen girls to describe it.

The injured Hanabi stands up, her sclreae turning black slowly and byakugan having red color, the girls get spooked upon seeing her in such a terrifying state.

"Geeze, she's gonna suck the soul out of us." Wasabi speculates, trembling.

"Please spare me..." Namida begs Hanabi, rivers streaming down from her eyes.

"Make it a quick death." Tsubaki says, sitting on her knees, offering her sword to her mentor.

Hanabi stands infront of Tsubaki, grabs her student's sword in hands and takes the kenjutsu stance. "Any last words, little girl?"

"Let my friends go." Tsubaki says, shutting her eyes.

"A woman of honour... How admirable." Hanabi responds. "Your wish is granted."

Hanabi swings the sword as Wasabi and Namida scream for her to stop just so the surrounding area transforms and they realize they have been trapped in genjutsu.

"Oi." Hanabi groans, pinching Tsubaki's ear and lifts her up. "You are too reckless."

"There's no rule in fighting. Isn't that what you taught us?" Tsubaki cries, trying to escape Hanabi's grasp.

"Cheeky brat." Hanabi lets go of Tsubaki.

"I bet that was one of coolest things you've ever seen in your life?" Tsubaki asks Hanabi, who stares at her with widened eyes, pouting.

Everyone looks at Hanabi who has locked eyes on Tsubaki, and after a few seconds they all burst to laughter.

"I must admit you looked badass when you stabbed me in the neck inside my genjutsu." Hanabi confesses, pushing Tsubaki away.

"Your dracula transformation was gorgeous!" Says Namida who pinches her fingers and thumb, kisses them and dramatically tosses them away from her lips.

"We are bunch of deranged ninjas who must be locked in asylum!" Iwabe claims, grinning.

Hanabi then remembers her sister who used to laugh with her, together they had so many precious moments.

"You all better be ready the next time because i won't go easy on you." The smile on Hanabi's face fades and he starts to walk away from her students.

"Was our performance that bad?" Namida wonders.

"No. You did well." Hanabi responds.

"Take care of yourself, Sensei." Wasabi shouts.

"Yeah..." Hanabi says, thoughts filling her mind.

'Big sis...' Hanabi looks at the sky, the moon visible in the afternoon. 'Forgive me for not being there to save you...'

Hanabi sits on a bench in a park, wearing a sad smile on her face. 'Tsubasa-kun, don't you dare die on me...' Hanabi thinks, squeezing her eyes shut.

Hanabi might appear to be flirtatious and naughty but she had only developed romantic feeling for one person who never desired to be in any love affair: Tsubasa Emiya. Ever since she was a child, Hanabi was interested in Tsubasa for being the mysterious, idealistic and virtuous champion he is.

Tsubasa did complimented her, told her that she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, but he never developed romantic feelings for or sexual attraction towards Hanabi. He still didn't wish to break her heart, and Hanabi didn't want to give up on him.

.

.

.

"Woah!" Metal Lee cries staring at the boy in white and blue armor levitating in the sky.

Metal Lee, one hundred seventy five centimeters tall, wearing the same clothes of his father Rock Lee, now significantly less anxious than he was as a child. He's a tokubetsu jonin who specializes in taijutsu.

"What's that? A sorta anti-gravity technology?" Iwabe shouts.

Iwabe Yuino, one hundred eighty one centimeters tall, now a bit more buffed and muscular. He carries a long staff on his back. He's currently a tokubetsu jonin specializing in Bojutsu.

"Nope!" Denki lands on earth and starts walking toward Iwabe and Metal. "There's no such thing in physics. And yes, i know i'm a ninja who can do magic tricks but please let me explain the mechanism in simple terms."

Denki Kaminarimon, one hundred sixty six centimeters tall, he has grown a longer ponytail and his bangs now reach his jawline. Denki has a higher-rank than his teammates as he's been promoted to jonin after his accompolishments as a scientist that are considered to be revolutionary, but also his progress in all categories.

"I'll pretend i can compehend what's gonna come out of your mouth." Iwabe states.

"Is the explanation gonna be that complex?" Metal asks Denki.

"Ah, imagine that the inertial mass of an object is the tendecy of matter to stay where it is and resist acceleration. Gravitational weight has two aspects: a mass experiences a force in presence of a gravity field, and it also produces a gravity field itself. Mass-Energy is the general relativity which says that you get tons of energy by converting mass into energy. Usually in these equations, the objects have positive mass. Now can you guess just what happens if objects have negative mass?" Denki explains, leaving Iwabe and Metal dumbfounded.

"It would defy gravity, i think?" Iwabe responds, breaking a sweat.

"A negative mass in gravitational field will experience a force in opposite direction from the source of the force, producing negative grativational field which repels the other object with positive mass instead of attracting it. If both objects produces equal forces then there is no acceleration... which means there is no motion. My body is source of energy and the armor converts it into negative mass of desired proportions which allows me to travel at incredible speeds." Denki explains.

"But you will run out of chakra pretty quickly like this." Metal says.

"I have thought about that beforehand. Borrowing Katasuke-senpai's technology and modifying it, I can now absorb ninjutsu and even nature energy. I will spend some of my time transfering my chakra into this armor in case i need it for a mission. I can last three days on battlefield if i have to." Denki responds.

"I bet you have installed other stuff too." Iwabe assumes.

"Hehe." Denki giggles.

"Damn, bro just became the strongest of our generation." Iwabe shouts loudly.

"Maybe fifth or sixth on the list. I have a long way to go." Denki replies, scratching his nose.

"At least you are the smartest." Metal says.

"Regarding quantum physics, chemistry, mathematics, computer engineering, computer science and information technology yes i am indeed on the top." Denki asserts.

"I totally believe you." Metal says, while Iwabe is left jawdropped.

'I knew he's a bookworm but this is insane. No wonder Shikamaru considered Denki to have higher IQ than him.' Iwabe thinks.

"Boys!" Udon calls his pupils, who turn around immediately and bow to him. "That's a nice armor you wear, Denki."

"Oh this? It's not an ideal design. But yeah, thank you so much." Denki responds, smiling.

"Are you planning to become otsutsuki hunter or something?" Iwabe asks Denki.

"No, haha. I just want it to be functional and fix some minor problems." Denki answers.

"I don't want you to talk about that." Metal says, with horrified expression on his face.

"Me neither." Iwabe agrees as he's broken into sweats since Denki talked about the science fields he excells at.

"You are assigned to a S-rank mission. Here." Udon says, using a smartwatch invented by Denki himself called ElectroStorm in order to send the data to his team who have smartwatches around their wrists. "Let's go."

.

.

.

"Orochimaru-sama, i think we have found the whereabouts of Toneri Otsutsuki." A gentle and youthful voice emanates from an elegant lady dressed in a black cloak, her eyes glow in the dark room and make her appearance known.

Seina Shakudõ, fourty one years old, standing at one hundred sixty centimeters tall, she has a tender and lean frame, long wavy copper red hair, turquoise colored orbs and a nostril piercing on left side of her nose, she is of fair complexion and her skin has a tint of pale peach pink. She wears a dark green and black dress underneath her cloak and has polished her nails in black.

Originally a kunoichi of takigakure who was born with wood style kekkei genkai due to random genetic mutation that made her especially versatile and superior to her peers, Seina was indeed a prodigy who was not fond of the cruel world created by ninjas. Withdrawn and inward-looking, Seina has always sought peace in nature, and her calm presence allows her to approach the deadliest animals and bond with them, she is even capable of communicating with them through means of telepathy.

However, there is a contrasting belief which defines Seina and she blames it on her weirdness. Seina in her childhood was captivated by the tales she heard about Orochimaru and studied his philosophy and had researches on him. As a fan of fantasy novels, Lord of Darkness represented three aesthetic character tropes that she was obsessed with: goth, mad scientist and vampire.

Since Orochimaru was feared as the most notorious criminal on the planet, and Seina was surely not fond of the genocides her favorite ninja was committing. After fourth shinobi world world war's conclusion, Seina learnt that Orochimaru hadn't received death penalty because of him assisting the shinobi alliance by reanimated the hokage and also his possession of unparalled knowledge, Seina was hesitant and asked herself if heading toward otogakure is in accordance to her morals or not.

Seina visited Orochimaru and asked him to accept her as his apprentince, and Orochimaru was amused by her courage and the mysterous essence of her's, found her to be a very pleasant company over the course of time. Seina was wary of Orochimaru's ambitions and looked for a hint of malevolence in his eyes, but she figured that his heart had softened and he had no desire to return to his old methods.

"He's been sealed away, is that correct?" Orochimaru speculates, taking a sip from their cup of tea.

"Log-kun had been looking for his presence in the past three weeks, and figured that Toneri has been imprisoned in dragon king's palace. Nevertheless, it seems to be impossible for your eldest son to tear the fabric of space-time for unknown reasons. It must be protected by one of the gods you occassionaly speak of." Seina suggests.

"I presume Karin's adamantine chains are not effective then." Orochimaru utters.

"Sadly not. Jugo-kun, Suigetsu-kun and i tried to force our way through it, but the barrier seems to be impenetrable." Seina says.

"What is that made of?" Jugo wonders, going back to his human form, heavily panting.

"Aren't you supposed to be descendant of a sea god or something?" Karin asks Suigetsu, falling on her knees.

"Descendant of a tough dude who lived in ancient times, babe! This perfect being right here can't do shit, what do you expect from a lazy swordsman like me?" Suigetsu retorts as he's turned into a small pool of water, Log who is lying on the floor lifts his head to glare at the swordsman of the mist.

"Get lost." Log responds, not even bothering to mention that he was the only one capable of sensing Toneri's presence who was located in another dimension that was possibly protected against psychic powers with a barrier technique of elder gods.

"Stop it you all. This is going far beyond just awkward and hilarious." Yoruza claims while sitting cross-legged, and moans after so much chakra she had used up.

Yoruza Hozuki, Suigetsu Hozuki's and Karin's pale-skinned and redheaded daughter with violet eyes and neck-length hair. Yoruza is fifteen years old, has a muscular frame, stands at one hundred seventy centimeters. She is skilled in swordsmanship, medical ninjutsu and sealing arts. In contrast to her parents who are outgoing and extroverted, Yoruza is introverted and shiftless, but has inherited her father's sardonic sense of humour and her mother's short fuse.

"How troublesome." Orochimaru put their cup on the table and rise on their feet.

"I can tell that you know a solution already." Seina asserts, licking her lips.

"I just know. I can't do anything about it." Orochimaru mutters, gets past Seina, who follows their lead. "No one can."

'If only he was here...' Seina thinks as she is walking behind the greatest of legendary sannin. 'Please... play it safe... Tsubasa-kun...'

During her early days as Orochimaru's apprentice, Seina had the chance to meet Sasuke Uchiha who visited his former mentor for guidance and preparations in case his wife bears his child.

Tsubasa, who was eleven years old at the time, was partnered with Sasuke, caught Seina's eyes. Seina was often annoyed by kids and considered them to be annoying, but Tsubasa was different, reminded her of herself. Polite and sarcastic, Tsubasa radiated confidence and humility, and was phlegmatic about socialization and instead lingered in solitude to attain a superior self-awareness.

Tsubasa's supernatural intuition drew him towards Seina, perceived her as a girl who not only shares similar interests with him but is also wise, considerate and reserved. Tsubasa was an author and Seina an illustrator. Seina was fascinated by Tsubasa's personality and how he mirrored her in various ways while retaining his mysterious essense. Seina was there for Tsubasa when he was down at times, perhaps he was often far away from her and expressed his feelings in unorthodox manners, she knew he loved her.

For Tsubasa, Seina was an angel sent from heavens to balm her wounded heart. A bright star in the darkest nights of his life.

"May i contract Sarada-chan and Mitsuki-kun?" Seina asks her master.

"They are already hard-pressed. I'm afraid i have no choice but to tempt the gods! Fufufu..." Orochimaru let out a mischevious laughter that puts a smile on Seina's face.

[psychewritesbs]

Kashimo Hajime--Being the strongest is not enough

The character analysis no one asked for based on loose interpretations from like three manga panels.

Idk. There’s just something I really like about Kashimo.

With Hakari it’s more immediately obvious what’s to love because he’s just cool af and Gege takes quite a bit of time to develop him as a character.

But with Kashimo, we are left to guess. 

We’re given just enough information to get our imaginations going to fill in the blanks and self-insert. 

We know he’s a ruthless sorcerer from the past I cannot help myself I love ruthless characters who lived his life challenging himself by going up against strong opponents. 

When looked at his motivations from a face-value perspective, Kashimo’s motivation looks basic af. After all, he looks like someone who enjoys the thrill of fighting for the sake of fighting.

But is there more beneath the surface to one who chose to have his soul reincarnate in a new era so that he could go up against the strongest sorcerer?

Fighting as a metaphor to becoming the best version of yourself

For some reason this reminds me soooo much of Dragon Ball. My memory around the exact unfolding of the events is fuzzy, it’s been at least two decades since I last saw this particular episode, after all. 

But in one of the first tournament arcs in Dragon Ball, Master Roshi, Goku’s mentor, disguises himself as Jackie Chun so that he can go up against Goku. His goal is to defeat Goku because he fears that if Goku wins, he might become complacent, think he has reached his peak, and settle for mediocrity as a warrior.

While Roshi does defeat Goku after a though battle, Roshi was not aware that even if Goku had won, his fighting spirit, his desire to challenge himself and become stronger would have prevailed and prevented him from leading a mediocre life as a warrior.

This trope is actually very popular in Shonen manga where certain characters are shown to be obsessed with fighting to become the best they can be.

This is actually one of my favorite panels of Kurogane and I will overuse it like there’s no tomorrow, especially if the shoe fits.

Again, when you look at the trope at face-value, it looks like it’s about fighting for the sake of fighting.

But when you dig beneath the surface, it’s about fighting for the sake of challenging yourself to become a better version of yourself. It’s about transcending your limitations by going up against others who are better than you are.

So at its core, you have characters whose philosophy of life revolves around self-improvement. 

Characters like Kashimo are characters that are driven by a desire to never settle for less than they know they can achieve--and even if they are not sure they can achieve something, they push themselves to try and go beyond their limitations anyways.

But more importantly, from my perspective, it goes back to what the character thinks overcoming said larger-than-life challenges says about them as a person. It’s almost as though they are seeking to validate their existence not just through high stakes battles, but through what it means for them to be the victor.

What’s interesting to me is the idea that even if Kashimo were to defeat Sukuna, I headcanon Kashimo would not be satisfied in a similar way that Ryu is perpetually dissatisfied. They are both seeking power for the sake of power after all.

Rather, I would not be surprised if Kashimo would go looking for the next big opponent to validate himself because he is seeking validation from outside of himself.

Which begs the question: when is enough enough? 

Honestly, there is nothing wrong with self-improvement unless your only reason for personal growth is because you are bored.

Kashimo is also bored af

The problem with seeking to defeat “the strongest” to validate your existence is that you inevitably get to a point where you are the strongest. The thrill of seeking a higher level of existence ceases to be because, well... you “arrived”.

Which is kind of what happened to Kashimo...

And one of the things that really strikes me about Kashimo when we’re first introduced to him is that he is shown as someone who is sulking because he’s too strong in comparison to the sorcerers he has killed.

What’s more... that thumb... Is he anxiously chewing on his thumb? Like a kid with a nervous tick?

So what this tells me about Kashimo is that what drives him is his inability to sit still and be with who he is. He cannot sit still long enough because every moment sitting idle is time he could be validating his existence through high stakes battles and growing from them. 

In other words... he’s bored af and it is through high stakes battles that he comes alive--he is literally an adrenaline junkie.

Seriously, if you go looking through the chapters with him in them, you are likely to see him smiling when he realizes his opponent has a nice trick up his sleeve that might prove to be a challenge.

So with Kashimo, it isn’t just about the excitement from the battle, but what it means for him to be able to fight a strong and unkillable opponent.

What’s more. I just can’t get over the idea that Kashimo, a man who had once become bound by the limitations of a decaying body, is now occupying a vessel in the prime of his youth.

And that’s actually one of my absolute favorite things about Kashi-chan. The fact that he is so eager and excited to go all out now that he’s in a body that can keep up with how energetic he is. 

Ok that was actually an analysis based on 14 panels featuring Kashi-chan, not 3. But I’ve been fangirling about Kashi for some time now and today I felt like writing and so voilá. 

I feel like I am only scratching the surface as per usual and there’s more to say about him but... this is good enough for now.

If you read this, I hope you’re enjoying Kashi as much as I am.

[pmkscanlations]

PMK DVD Booklet Interviews 1

Thanks again to @/pmkloveadmin and their kind friend yuunsoba who provided the raws for this booklet! I’ll be posting the interview translations in parts over the next few days. Please note that I’ll just be doing text posts due to the newer, stricter restrictions re: posting magazine images & the scan donator’s request! Thank you and please enjoy the first set!

INTERVIEW 1: ICHIMURA TETSUNOSUKE (Voice actor: Kaji Yuki)

Please tell us your genuine reaction to the announcement of the movie project.

Peacemaker was a project I took on along the way while auditioning about 4 years ago. It was a great honor to portray an older Tetsunosuke, who showed great growth even in the original work. At the same time, I was very nervous. I was involved with the drama CD initially, so this was my first time doing post-recording for the anime side of things. I dreamed of working as a voice actor when I was in school, so being able to do this was deeply moving for me.

Please tell us your genuine reaction to your first read-through of the script.

This makes me sound like a total newbie, but I just thought, “Uwah! It’s a Peacemaker Kurogane script!” (laughs). The drama CD script was just paper, so I was delighted to see a fully bound script with a picture of an adolescent Tetsunosuke on the cover. While Kobayashi Yumiko kicked the whole thing off with a line from a young Tetsunosuke, there are plenty of heroic scenes between then and the main storyline, so I felt like making the tonal change would be quite difficult. There are scenes of tragedy and scenes that make you laugh, and throughout it all, I was reintroduced to the variety of expressions these characters wear. As Tetsunosuke, I was also left thinking “what will happen next?!” because of how it ended. I’m sure everyone who watched felt the same, but I’m just excited for the continuation.

Quite some time has passed between the drama CD and the movie, but please tell us if you carried over any impressions from then into your acting this time.

When I played Tetsunosuke in the drama CD, it was the Hokujou Arc, so I didn’t have a chance to play the lively Tetsunosuke that everyone thinks of until now. Because of that, it was a really tough place to start, and I had to overcome my concerns and anxieties that I wouldn’t match up with the mental image everyone had. The “Tetsunosuke” in me is energetic, bright, and able to face any conflicts head-on, just like the version depicted in the movies. So I was happy that I got to play both the young version and the adolescent version that I imagined. With these fresh feelings, I was able to take that along with the “Tetsunosuke” created by Kobayashi Yumiko and really dive into the character.

What scene do you think has the biggest impact, and what scene do you want people to pay attention to?

I was happy to see a young Tetsunosuke at the start. It paints a good picture of the events that led him to the current story arc that the movie covers. After that, I very abruptly went into a montage of famous lines and scenes, so I got to say a lot of high-impact things in every way (laughs). I think that’s how I was able to manage the switch to the energy of the Shinsengumi’s sharpness and the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

I think the most notable scene is where Tetsunosuke goes to buy Saya’s freedom! Naturally, the story is full of tons of interesting drama, but I think that stories about pure love are universal regardless of era or rank. I think this will become particularly important to Tetsunosuke, who will surely be embroiled in battles from here on. Even the flashback scene between those two in happier times reminded me of just how big of a presence Saya has in Tetsunosuke’s life.

The scene where Hijikata talks to Tetsunosuke about Saya’s miuke* is impressive, isn’t it? To Tetsunosuke, what kind of person is Hijikata Toshizo?

From Tetsunosuke’s childhood, Hijikata has been an overwhelming presence. As a man, human being and warrior, he’s unbeatable, you know? That’s why I think there are both parts he admires and parts that he can’t understand. I think Hijikata is a lot like a father to him in that respect. Tetsunosuke didn’t carry out his orders with full obedience and backtalked instead of respecting him. I’m sure that Hijikata will become an even more important person in the future, and Hijikata will likely undergo changes himself, but I hope their relationship will carry on as-is.

This is a story about the Shinsengumi’s great ambitions. After this, what sort of challenges do you want to tackle?

2017 was the year of climbing Mount Fuji and having unprecedented peach wars. With that all done, I’m mostly focusing on myself and my daily life again. I want to handle each job as a voice actor with precision and care.

Also, I’ve been saying this for ages, but someday I want to master conversational English. I like to travel, and learning English would help me expand my circle of communication and enjoy the world even more fully. So I’d like to study when I have time.

Finally, please leave a message for the fans who watch this series.

Thank you for viewing the show! It’s delightful to see that a work I have such strong personal ties to has made it to theaters, and that so many people have come to see it.

Many dramas cover the history of the Shinsengumi. With the amount of time they’ve spent together and all of their meetings and partings, it feels like they’re really here, and I hope you can enjoy this first part of the movie set.

How will this Tetsunosuke, with all of his growth, handle the conflicts that may appear with Suzu, Saya, and the Shinsengumi that he views as a family? Fortunately, the development will continue, but I think the glimpses of their will to live and hope are charm points of the series. Please watch over us until the end. Thank you!

INTERVIEW 2: YAMAZAKI SUSUMU (Voice actor: Sakurai Takahiro)

Please tell us your genuine reaction to the announcement of the movie project.

Even though it’s been a long time since the anime, my first thought was that I’m happy to be involved in the franchise even all these years later. I still remember the original TV series, so seeing Tetsunosuke grown up gave me a sense of time passing by in both the show and also real life. Because of that, it all feels fresh even though it’s a continuation of an old story.

Please tell us your genuine reaction to your first read-through of the script.

It was really nostalgic (laughs). The cast’s feelings toward the work is strong, and I was reminded all over again of how this story has the power to connect people. Even though about 15 years have passed since the anime, I didn’t feel the gap. Despite the strong nostalgia, there was no confusion or stumbling. I think it must be because Kobayashi-san and Kaji-kun are there supporting the foundation.

Quite some time has passed between the drama CD and the movie, but please tell us if you carried over any impressions from then into your acting this time.

Yamazaki’s really grown, huh? It feels like he climbed a mountain with his older sister, and from his line about retiring, you can guess that he’s peeled away his old veneer and done some growing up. Since he can see so many things and people around him clearly - including Tetsunosuke - and is someone with many connections, I was struck once again by his importance as a character.

The gap that changed moment by moment and developed into something serious was also deeply impressive.

What scene do you think has the biggest impact, and what scene do you want people to pay attention to?

Okita’s line where he says, “If there are extra rifles... could you give one to me?” really left a big impression. I was wondering what he meant... Whether they’re aware of it or not, I think most characters in this series are desperately trying to live. But among them all, Okita, who gave off a feeling of loneliness, caught my eye. Even though Yamazaki wasn’t in the scene, I couldn’t help but wonder what sort of words he’d have for Okita if he had been. I was also impressed by the unchanged parts, like the Ichimura brothers using Tatsunosuke’s loincloth for target practice, and the way that things shifted bit by bit toward more serious developments.

The Shinsengumi members are all fascinating people, don’t you think? What’s your impression of Saito Hajime, one of the key players?

I used to think that even among the Shinsengumi, Saito Hajime stood out as particularly manic, but he’s really gained a lot of popularity through these stories, hasn’t he? In my mind’s eye, I associate Saito Hajime with Takashi Matsuyama-san’s take on him, which involves the strong image of a slight downer who’s very mysterious. I think that in this story, Saito’s humanity – or backbone, rather – became visible.

This is a story about the Shinsengumi’s great ambitions. After this, what sort of challenges do you want to tackle?

To be honest, I can’t join this challenge... (laughs). I guess I want to play a role I haven’t before. It’d be nice if I could see a version of myself that I haven’t yet. Rather than trying to master something in a totally new field, I think I’d do best with deepening my own strengths.

Finally, please leave a message for the fans who watch this series.

I think that the shape and depth of the story will change depending on who’s viewing it, but if you feel something when you watch it, I hope you can cherish those emotions. There’s also a sequel, so please keep an eye out. Thank you!

[noa-ciharu]

FAI MY BELOVED!

Blonde twink vampire wizard from faraway snow country with mental hospital worth of trauma and blue eyes <3

Sexuality headcanon:

Bi probably. He's basically married to Kurogane but during his past I'm somehow inclined to think Fai had interest in people regarding of their gender

Gender headcanon:

Maybe genderfluid? Probably cis male but with lack of reluctance to act feminine or even dress feminine (ahem, Horitsuba) he sure got me wondering

OTP:

Kurofai ofc. Is there any other serious ship for Fai anyways? It was my first clamp ship <3 they're actually very easy to miss if reader isn't careful enough and doesn't know to Clamp's usual romantic tropes. Very subtle and mature paring

BROPT:

Ofc trc main gang <3 found family goals

Fai just how long are you??? Total noodle

NOTP:

I've seen some people ship him with Chii, probably based on heteronormativity and Bee Train's genius fillers. Little do they know Bee Train included accidental incest. Plus I sort of have hard time picturing Fai and Chii with anyone beside Kurogane and Hideki...

Random headcanon:

I'm sure he drinks to cope, there's no other. Plus remember how in Outo Fai presented himself as big kitty? Well said cat was black and we all know black cats ate traditionally seen as symbolism of bad luck. Well... I don't think that was accidental. Also Fai growing up his hair might be symbolic too, something about spiritual growth

General opinion:

My first clamp blorbo!!!

I'm so so glad clamp didnt go with their original plan and kill Fai bc what's the point of killing deeply traumatized character that's on road of healing? I'm sure trc would have taken far far darker turn if Fai died and that's sort of not a point. Trc road trip is like a slow therapy, each 4 of them had their deeply rooted problems and each 4 of them received amazing character development for better. Fai was arguably in worst mental place and it's refreshing to see him genuinely happy and getting better post trc

[yououui]

I don’t have my books with me right now and it’s been such a long time but... I’m pretty sure Fai casted a spell on Kurogane so he can call out the sword like Syaoran did before they went to Celes? And it’s not Ginryu, he used another sword called Sohi in Celes, I think...?

Anyway it’s still a big moment for kurofai and I love this scene too <3

Yes! Right before they went to Celes, Fai cast a spell on Kurogane's left arm to hold Souhi the same way Syaoran holds his sword. And also yes very big!!! many much important!!! All about the Very Important Left Arm of Symbolism!

I know you didn't ask for it but as you said it's a big moment so I'm gonna overanalyze this part because I love it

Kurogane's left arm is his Important Symbolic Character Growth Arm. It's the arm he's been cutting to feed Fai his blood and it's the hand that Tomoyo scarred after his village was destroyed, and now it also holds Fai's magic (kinda like Kurogane's blood is in Fai huh). Kurogane's scar is in full display, and we also get a somewhat sweet moment of Kurogane expressing full shock and then concern, because he knows how much Fai never wanted to use his magic. It's a short but powerful moment, seeing Fai willingly use his magic for one of the first times in the entire series for Kurogane, especially when you look back in retrospect and know that Fai knew what fight was coming in Celes, and that this would help protect Kurogane and also help him kill Fai

And then right after this he CUTS THE DAMN THING OFF. He has to chop off his left arm to save Fai from Celes and he does it with no hesitation and the symbolism keeps on giving baby

He cuts off the arm he's been using to feed Fai, which we've seen as a strangely intimate but also very disconnected encounter. Fai drinks from Kurogane's wrist as Kurogane holds his arm out, effectively allowing Fai to remain at a distance despite how close they really are. By cutting off this arm, it's like he's severing that line of disconnect between them

But then, of course, the scar. The scar that Tomoyo gave him and holds all his trauma. That scar. For as much as Kurogane doesn't like to dwell in the past, this scar is a constant reminder to both Kurogane and the audience of Kurogane's past (clamp doesn't draw it prominently for no reason). More specifically, for Kurogane, it's the physical representation of his failure and weakness. In his mind, he lost everything and ultimately received that scar because of his own inability to protect his family (and it's not like he could have done anything, but that's childhood trauma for you). It's the catalyst that fuels Kurogane's main goal from that point onward: true strength, so that night can never happen again. It's the moment that led him down the misguided path of being a murdering ninja assassin and got him sent on the journey in the first place. And it's always right there, a constant reminder for him to always try to be stronger in the truest sense of the word without realizing what "true strength" actually is.

So Kurogane cutting that arm off is like cutting off that reminder, that moment, his past that's been holding him back, whether he realized it or not. He'd been growing and slowly developing an idea of true strength over the entire series, but this was the moment he finally shed the last bits of his past self. Because it's in that moment that he realizes that his strength is useless. It doesn't matter how strong he is, he can't physically pull Fai out of Celes and save him. And then he learns that he can save Fai if he chops off his arm, which he does without a second of hesitation. You think chapter 1 Kurogane would have done that? Of course not, he needs his big muscular arms to be all Strong and cutting one off will hinder him.

But now he knows that his strength won't save Fai, his sacrifice will. So he chops off the Important Symbolism Arm full of scars and Fai's magic and saves Fai, and at the save time, cuts off the last bits of his past that were weighing him down.

[into-september]

Spoiler: Luka isn’t a great character yet.

This post is dedicated to the person who said that “Lies” was a great episode, but she’d rate it lower than “Truth” because she just really hates Kagami ♥  

There are words being used about Luka after “Truth”. And, um. I disagree. 

Those would be words like "character development” or “amazing character depth” or  “one of the most compelling characters on the show” - yes, I am quoting. And sorry, but no. 

There are three things that needs to be said before going into why I disagree that it is now proven fact that Luka has always been a great characters and ya’ll are just haters. 

First: Up until this episode, people complaining about Luka being a cardboard cutout with zero existence outside of Marinette were not wrong. Him being painted a something more than that in Season 4 does not mean the earlier complaints about his portrayal were without merit. 

Second: There isn’t one single character on this show that should be described with the words “complex” or “deep” anyway; the only characters who have gotten any storytelling nuance at all are Marinette, Adrien and Chloé. Do you want me to talk about complex characters? Bring out Hikaru no Go or Nana. Amazing character development? Try with Fai and Kurogane on Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles. Or hell, Digimon bloody Tamers. Miraculous Ladybug is a different kind of story, and its characters are correspondingly silly. And that’s okay! 

But even among a cast that has thus far been almost entirely one-note, Luka is remarkably blank.

Which brings us to the third point: What I talk about when I talk about “good characters”. 

What I Talk About When I Talk About Good Characters

MLB is a cute and lovable superhero cartoon for kids and the main purpose of its cast is to be cute and lovable. They don’t need to be complex, as long as they’re entertaining. The fact that almost all characters are shallow doesn’t make MLB bad. Even so, let’s establish what makes a character “deep” or “complex” or “nuanced” - all more or less synonyms in this situation. 

Flat characters are shallow and unchanging. What you see is what you get; they react the same in every situation, they never surprise you, and whatever experiences they go through in the story, they remain unchanged by them. 

Round (or “complex” or “deep”) characters would then be the opposite: As they meet different people and experience new situations, they react in different ways. They have hidden sides that might emerge to the audience as the story unfolds. There is more to them than meets the eye. 

Very related to this is character development (aka “growth”), which in this context means characters who change over the course of the story. Something happens in their lives, and their view on the world and their behaviour changes because of these experiences. Character development is mostly relevant when it happens in symbiosis with the plot, but flashbacks and backstories being detailed can reveal past development. 

Reminder, again: Characters don’t have to be round or dynamic in order to be “good”. A good character is defined by whatever purpose that character has in the story, and a lot of genres depend on characters being static and shallow. Round and dynamic characters are frequently a lot more interesting to watch, but flat characters can be just as entertaining in their own context.

The problem is the characters who are so flat that they are borderline non-existent. 

What Luka is

A few months back, I stumbled over the character profiles on the official website and made the comment that the three lines devoted to him there told me more about him than his entire onscreen history had.

Those three lines still say more than "Truth” contributed.

Luka was introduced as and continued to exist as one singular thing: A perfunctory “rival” to Marinette’s love of Adrien. As far as his purpose in the story went, he never had any meaning as “Juleka’s brother” or “the frontman of Kitty Section” or even “Marinette’s friend out of school”; He was only ever “that other guy Marinette kinda likes”. His entire onscreen history revolved around her. Almost every word he uttered was either in conversation with her, or in conversation about her. 

His place in the story was thus pretty narrow, and as a lot of people have pointed out, his personality has been correspondingly thin. From what we've seen of him on screen, we can say the following about him:

Nice

Chill

Good at reading others

Probably supposed to be wise for his age

Selfless to the absurd when it gets to love

....prooooobably capable of feeling injustice on behalf of others? (it bears pointing out that all of his rage in “Silencer” is focused on the fact that Marinette was wronged - not himself or the rest of his bloody band who is the competition XY in fact went after. Which includes his sister, who indisputably takes handles hardship worse than Marinette does)

And because fandom is what it is, let’s compare that to Kagami:

Competitve, yet also capable of and ready to consider her rivals as friends

Determined to a fault, repeatedly getting into trouble becaues she doesn't stop to think things over twice or listen to the advice of others. Moreover, she considers her determination a point of pride

Holds herself to very high standards and has little compassion with her own failures

Focused on her family and preoccupied with bringing home that honour, but not uncritically so; values her mother's approval but will break those rules if she thinks they are silly

BRUTALLY honest and not here to put up with your BS

Observant of social situations but tends to react to them in ways that might not be awfully good for her

Awkward  

Lonely

Willing to forgive people who maybe didn't fully deserve it

Intensely emotional but not very good at expressing it

Ready to fight an akuma with a mic stand for the sake of the bae

Kagami is a faceted and often conflicting person whose life is walked on a tightrope of her mother’s unreasonable expectations of her and the things Kagami herself wants in her life. 

Luka is a boy with a guitar who is nice, mature, and completely self-obliterating when it gets to love. That’s it. That’s the story. Insert your own fantasy boyfriend.

What "Truth” did and didn’t do

“Truth” took some steps to mitigate this, but... not a whole lot. For the vast majority of this episode, Luka is trucking along the same tracks he’s been on for all the previous six episode’s he’s played some part in: He’s the man who is nicer than Jesus with the patience of a saint and the closest he gets to a disagreeable action is to voice a sentence of very reasonable disappointment. 

Speaking of disappointment: One of the complaints people have about him, is that he is a character completely lacking in flaws. Nothing he ever does is done out of ill will or other unflattering personality traits, and this episode stretched his goodness so far that things became low-key absurd.

Marinette is treating him badly - not on purpose, but she is. He never complains, and not because he’s an idiot who’d buy any excuse she throws at him (sure, Adrien, really into fashion); St. Luka the Understanding would never think ill of good people. He’s too good to imagine blaming her for the way she’s acting, too good to even entertain the suspicion that Marinette might not be as nice as he thought she was; too good to actually demand the answers that any person with self-respect would want. 

It gets to the point where his akumatisation comes across as kind of weird. In “Silencer” he did in fact want to use force against his victim. This time, his frustration isn’t with Marinette, but with whatever it is that keeps her from being honest with him. He is supposedly akumatised because he wants to know the secrets people are keeping, yet he says out loud that he doesn’t feel entitled to these secrets even though they are directly affecting his happiness and his peace of mind. It doesn’t make a lot of sense emotionally, but is probably there to explain what follows: One thing that DOES shine a bit of new light on Luka is that he is both fighting the akuma, and conscious enough to be able to tell Marinette to get away. It isn’t a first, because Chloé and Adrien and Miss Bustier have been there before him, but that still places him in a pretty unique club. 

His akumatised rampage becomes the hunt for all the two secrets that has been denied him in his life, with one clearly being more significant than the other. But that is an accidental occurence, only briefly mentioned in passing earlier so as to not come completely out of the blue. Even when an earth-shattering revelation is being made, the focus of the episode is the frustration with Marinette’s secrets. It’s the natural interest of the show because it is an existential threat to Ladybug. But for Luka? Plain, vanilla teenage angst. This episode told us that there is at least one level of him that isn’t “Marinette” or “music”, but we don’t get more than the tiniest glimpse of it.

Not until the very end of the episode do we witness an actual interaction between (a lucid) Luka and someone who isn’t Marinette. And Luka’s action during that scene is to... accept a hug. From someone with whom his history is “were in the same scene twice”. 

In conclusion: No

Did we learn anything new about Luka in “Truth”? Well, there was a line dropped about him having feelings about the fact that his father wasn’t around, that’s something we didn’t know for sure before. 

Did we get to see any new sides of his personality? IDK, if it counts that we know for certain that he has the capacity to feel sad?

Did we learn anything about Luka’s relationship to characters who aren’t Marinette? Nope. We got the promise of some future relationship with Jagged, but what that is going to be like remains to be seen. We know more about how Jagged feels about this, than how Luka sees things.

Did his relationship with Marinette at least change? Yeah, no. She’s still not able to commit to it, he’s still patiently waiting for her. 

Did Luka grow in this episode; did his personality change as his life was turned upside down? Not on screen, at last. The boy who promises to wait for Marinette is the same boy who kept on pushing her towards Adrien, kept on nudging her to figure herself out, who readily supported her confession to another boy with the promise that he’d be there for her if she ever changed her mind. And if his relationship to his family changes after this, well - we won’t know, will we? Because it’s not like we knew a single thing about his relationship to his family before, except that he cares about his sister and presumably gets along with his mum. 

We got to see more of him than we had before, but very little of what we saw of him was new information. It didn’t change our view on his character much, if any, nor did it change who he is in-universe, nor did it change who he is in the grand part of the story. Luka is still the nicest and maturest and most understanding boy imaginable; he is who any girl with half a brain would date, and he’s still willing to selflessly wait for Marinette. 

Remove Kagami's romantic pursuit of Adrien, and she'll still have pretty much the same space in the story. She'll be the rival in whom Adrien found a kindred spirit, the awkward girl Marinette treated badly and then befriended, the miraculous wielder who was chosen again at Chloé's expense. Luka without Marinette? Is a second Theo, a background character model showing up whenever they needed someone to fill in as a convenient civillian. Comparing the episodes where they received their miraculouses is telling: Kagami's episode was about her, and her relationship to her mother, and Marinette's relationship with her. Luka? Literally just happened to be the only guy around after Marinette and Adrien had spent the entire episode being cute.

Very development, much deep. Most compelling character on the show indeed. 

[volfoss]

Top 5 clamp characters :)

That's SO hard but ok I'll try my best boss o7

So sorry but like OBVIOUSLY Yuuko from xxxholic. She's literally stunning and has the best personality and is the best part of xxxholic.

Chi from Chobits. I'm keeping this kinda vague since you haven't gotten there yet but GOD she's just so great. She has this really good character arc and is really cool, I love her sm!

Tie between Watanuki and Doumeki (also from xxxholic wow shock that my fave keeps reappearing) but they're SO GOOD. Their comedy dynamic is so so so good and I can't even get into the sheer tragedy towards the end of the series but like they're SO good.

Another tie because I WILL NOT separate kurogane and fai. Their dynamic is again SO good and their character arc and growth and development and guhhhh. I love how Fai has cute nicknames for him and they're both so self sacrificing, they're both my poor little meow meows

I'm trying SO desperately to remember names from other clamp series so I'm not just slamming my favorites over and over but like I gotta again say, from xxxholic, Himawari. When I first read it, I was kinda disappointed that she didn't seem to get as much attention as doumeki and watanuki but each reread I find smth new about her. She's just so sweet and caring despite her past and we r birthday twinsies!

[annebrontesrequiem]

I posted 5,627 times in 2021

1132 posts created (20%)

4495 posts reblogged (80%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 4.0 posts.

I added 4,137 tags in 2021

#bern reblogs - 1650 posts

#mine - 1059 posts

#bern speaks - 511 posts

#clamp - 255 posts

#higurashi - 169 posts

#xxxholic - 168 posts

#tsubasa reservoir chronicle - 123 posts

#inuyasha - 78 posts

#ikemen vampire - 66 posts

#liveblog - 58 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#this also causes me pain tho cause i’ll never be a professional ballet dancer but we don’t have time to unpack that on a mystic messenger po

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

Rip OSHA Official, forever in our hearts

82 notes • Posted 2021-09-01 23:31:34 GMT

#4

Another thing I love about Yuuko is that she’s in some ways very detached and distant, a mentor and a sort of idealized figure, while also being almost painfully human. 

The conversation where she talks to Watanuki about butterflies and wishes is so difficult specifically because it feels so intimate, almost uncomfortably so. Yuuko has been this mentor figure for so long, with all the answers and all the advice. So seeing it in the reverse - seeing Watanuki ask Yuuko what she wants and realize that Yuuko doesn’t really know what she personally wants, besides the inevitability of what she’s been building up to - is just so intimate. It’s where you realize that the beauty of Yuuko’s character is that it’s ultimately both incredibly strong and incredibly fragile. Fragile in the fact that Yuuko has been working towards this goal of saving the world alone and isolated and so self-consuming that she has forgotten her own wants. Strong in the fact that she still manages to continue on, still manages to fight towards her goals and retain her personality in the process.

The fact that Watanuki is able to see this vulnerability not only shows incredible character growth on his part - how he has finally come to reach out to other people both for his own problems and for theirs - but it shows the depths of Yuuko’s character. Yuuko is supposed to be idealized, she’s called The Space Time Witch, rather than her actual name. She is notorious for her power, and yet she is ultimately just another person with a wish, another person who needs others and needs happiness. And that’s just so beautiful about her. And that’s one of the reasons I love her so much.

83 notes • Posted 2021-09-08 04:02:54 GMT

#3

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY FAVS

90 notes • Posted 2021-04-01 05:20:32 GMT

#2

Kurogane’s introduction is one of my favorite character introductions of all time. The fact his first appearance is him literally murdering people is such a good indicator of who he is, what his flaws are, and how he sees the world overall. The fast pace reflects his own frenetic energy, and the way he’s unceremoniously dumped off sets up his put upon characterization in the lighter moments.

It’s just so bold to start off with your protagonist committing petty murder - something not endearing to the sensibilities of the readers - and I love it so much.

100 notes • Posted 2021-10-20 05:18:12 GMT

#1

Me, a Shugo Chara fan: Oh no…

103 notes • Posted 2021-11-05 19:35:51 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[completeoveranalysis]

[3]

Oh I LOVE this. The first page here begins by touching on the topic of the distance that has been between them for a while now due to everything that’s happened. He mentions ‘As long as it’s you’ because he’s met OTHER Tomoyo at this point, and the reason that happened at all was because Tomoyo sent him away in the first place - and Tomoyo smiles sadly, or perhaps thoughtfully, at the subtle reference to that difference. 

Kurogane then immediately brings up Evil Wolverine’s initial plans for him, which I’m THRILLED by because I genuinely didn’t think they’d address this between them. But Tomoyo uses examples of their past together to say that Evil Wolverine’s plan was NEVER going to work with Kurogane (He didn’t even do what TOMOYO wanted after all), and IT MAKES KUROGANE SMILE. They end the second page by BOTH SMILING, the closeness between them re-established by both parties. And OH the character growth Tomoyo must see in him. To go from the Kurogane in Chapter 2 to the Kurogane before her now must be the most amazing thing to witness, to see this gentleness, to see this sense of calm, to see a touch of the same prickly nature he always had but this time with his heart full of love and the wisdom to know what ACTUALLY matters the most. 

It really shows that even though they’re not talking about the fact that Kurogane is about to leave again, they’ve emotionally realigned themselves and nothing is different between them, even if they're very different people now.

I don’t actually know this for certain but I feel like the wording at the start of this page might be a little off, in tone at the very least. Kurogane asking for confirmation that what Evil Wolverine did was a "crime" is like the LEAST compelling way to start topic of conversation, but I’m just going to reword it in my head and keep going. 

I… 

Wait EXCUSE ME?

DID WE KNOW THIS?

... I'VE FORGOTTEN SOMETHING HAVEN'T I.

The sword Kurogane had with him WAS NOT THE ACTUAL GINRYUU BUT JUST A COPY OF IT.

SO. THAT ONE CHAPTER COVER THAT HAD KUROGANE WITH THE TWO GINRYUU SWORDS WASN’T JUST A COOL FLAVOUR MOMENT BUT REFERENCING THAT HE DID IN FACT HAVE TWO OF THESE ALL ALONG AND THAT IT WOULD BE RELEVANT AGAIN SOON.

EXCUSE ME I’M HAVING A MOMENT

[kuroganeweek]

Kurogane Week 2019 – August 25th – 31st

Day 1 [Aug 25]: Scars Day 2 [Aug 26]: Guardianship Day 3 [Aug 27]: Swords Day 4 [Aug 28]: Demons Day 5 [Aug 29]: Laid Bare Day 6 [Aug 30]: Curiosity Day 7 [Aug 31]: Growth

[Guidelines] – [Prompt Explanations] – [tags]

We’re back and better than ever! The official prompt list is up and that means it’s time to start those gears turning. Thanks to everyone that sent in suggestions - we were able to incorporate most ideas into one of these seven days. Not all content has to follow the prompts, they’re just there to help. These past few years have been amazing, and the future looks bright.

Do us a favor and please read the guidelines as there was an update last year.

Please tag all content as #KuroganeWeek within the first 5 tags so that it’ll show up where we can find it and reblog it!

We hope you can participate and join in on the fun celebrating this wonderful, dynamic character!

[pmkscanlations]

Cho!Animedia Peacemaker Interviews

An interview with Kaji Yuki and Tachibana Shinnosuke, the voice actors for Tetsunosuke and Suzu in the Peacemaker Kurogane movies. The original interview can be found here!

Tetsu is sunnier, while Suzu is more “unpleasant”. Once again, we ask that you please share your thoughts, feelings and reactions on part one of the movie project, “Omou Michi”.

Kaji (Kaji Yuki, VA for Tetsunosuke): Since I was Tetsunosuke’s voice actor for the drama CD, this project was my first time entering the animation side of Peacemaker Kurogane. It was a theatrical release on top of that, which was a huge honor and deeply emotional for me. I think that through voicing the young Tetsunosuke in the drama CD, I was able to gain recognition from the audience of this beloved piece of media. Part one of this movie helped me recapture the feeling of being a part of the “Peacemaker Kurogane” franchise. During the opening, I got to travel around and participate in speeches with the staff, and it was delightful to experience the reaction of fans firsthand.

Tachibana (Tachibana Shinnosuke, VA for Suzu): I was also in the drama CD, but I really wanted to see a growing Tetsunosuke and Suzu in motion as soon as possible. Since there are so many action and battle scenes, I thought from the start that it would be a shame just to portray it all with only sound, and I wanted to see it animated quickly. So I was really happy to hear about this high-quality animation, but… Well, Suzu only made some appearances in part one and didn’t have many speaking scenes… (laughs).

Kaji: (laughs) Yeah, part one was like that.

Tachibana: But I’m still happy to watch the newly animated version of “Peacemaker Kurogane”, which will finally cover the adolescent times of Suzu and the others.

Between the time of the Drama CD and now, have you two felt any growth or changes regarding your characters?

Kaji: As Tachibana-san mentioned, it’s a big deal that the characters are moving around on screen now, as opposed to being audio-only. In the 7th volume’s drama CD, there were a lot of times where we saw a Tetsunosuke who had closed himself off, and the movie brings to light a much brighter, more vibrant side. It made me really happy to feel the differences when playing a Tetsunosuke who was bursting with energy. In the first part, there’s Tetsunosuke and Susumu’s interactions, the lively conversations of the Shinsengumi, and his romance with Saya… By depicting a Tetsunosuke in the spring of his youth like this, I felt like I was able to accomplish finding another version of him within me. But of course, considering the original work will follow along with the flow of history, the Shinsengumi’s future is hazy... Since I know that, I’m actually in more pain the more happy scenes I see.

What about Suzu?

Tachibana: Suzu’s been falling into his dark side since the drama CD, so I don’t think much has changed in that way. It feels to me like he’s still dragging along that same kind of darkness and gloom. I was able to undertake the roles in both the drama CD and movies with that in mind. Still, it’s an even stronger nastiness when there’s animation involved – or rather, the animation conveyed a certain obstinacy. So I was more emphatic and stronger with my acting in the movie. Well, but the most memorable thing for me was finally being able to see the lacquered skull (laughs). I could only imagine it until now. With that included, I think I was able to keep the feeling from the drama CD and give a performance to match the animation.

Part two, otherwise known as “the whole audience will be moved to tears”. Please share your thoughts, feelings and reactions regarding part two of the movie project, “Yuumei”.

Kaji: For Tetsunosuke, part one was relatively light and positive, but… At the very end, he and Saya literally passed right by each other, going in opposite directions. I felt a big “gap” there. The same goes for the “gap” between the Shinsengumi and their times. I wonder if they’ll be able to continue going against the flow of the era… Though of course, from their perspective, that concern is a long way off. As expected, the contents of part two weighed heavily on my heart and it felt like my chest was constricting all over again when I played it out.

Tachibana: Yeah… For me, Suzu finally got to speak (laughs).

Kaji: That’s it.

Tachibana: Yep. (laughs) I really just thought “he finally talks”. But my frank first opinion when I read through the whole script was, “oh, so this is where it ends!” After watching part one, I wondered where they would take part two and what would be a good ending point for it, and had lots of thoughts jumbling around about that. But when I saw this, I thought, “I see, this is the perfect way to make all viewers cry”. That’s one way to end it, and it’s an ending that will stick in everyone’s hearts. To put it simply, I felt like the ending did a good job. But I also thought, “if it’s going to end here, make a sequel”.

Kaji: That’s the exact feeling!

Tachibana: “There’s still more, right? I’m begging you…” (laughs) That really was the feeling.

Kaji: I want to see it… But when I think about the future of the Shinsengumi, there’s really nothing left but pain.

Tachibana: It’s really nothing but pain. Nothing but pain, but for Suzu, there’s still more to come (laughs).

Kaji: Yeah… If “that future” doesn’t come…

Tachibana: Right, if things don’t continue, we’re just left with Suzu’s dark side.

Kaji: Yeah, that’s right. Moreover, Tetsunosuke and Suzu still haven’t even had dialogue together yet.

Tachibana: That’s true.

Kaji: I’m looking forward to acting in that scene, and as a fan, I want to see it animated.

Tachibana: Thinking about the “gap” that Kaji-kun mentioned, it probably applies to everything.

Kaji: It feels like everything is shifting bit by bit.

Tachibana: Tetsunosuke and Suzu are also out of sync. The same goes for the Shinsengumi and their era, and Saya and Tetsunosuke. Various “gaps” start to emerge, and I guess that’s what creates the drama. Even the second part ends with a “gap”. That’s why many pieces of the story are still hazy, but it really gets you thinking and makes you want to see the next part. If you look at it like that, I think the second part has become a movie you can watch from a lot of angles and enjoy in numerous ways.

This time, were there any requests from the directors or directions that left an impression on you?

Kaji: The second part ends with Tetsunosuke’s narration, and I remember having lots of discussions about the atmosphere and how to tackle the script. In addition to what had been brought up, I had ideas about what kind of nuance was better. On the flip side, they’d suggest that I redo parts in different ways to try them out. Is it the opinion of a neutral storyteller, or is it something that contains Tetsunosuke’s thoughts? That’s one key to figuring out what I wanted to do. I’d be happy if you could pay attention and listen to it closely. The Shinsengumi is about to leave Kyoto, but in the case of Tetsunosuke and the others, they’ll just move forward, carrying out their unchanging beliefs and justice. I was aware the whole time that even though this was a moment of despair for them, as long as they looked ahead, it wasn’t over yet.

And what about Tachibana-san?

Tachibana: Right, well, the directors told me “please relax and go all-out with the lines”. There’s a line from Suzu at the beginning of part one, but the movement of his mouth was really fast, and I felt like my characterization would change if I matched it. I said something like, “this doesn’t really suit Suzu, does it?” and the directors immediately said “please just totally ignore the speed” (laughs). It turns out they match the speed to the lines later.

Kaji: That sort of thing makes me happy.

Tachibana: Yeah. We care about portraying the character’s feelings, you know? Anyway, regarding Suzu, the staff and I were able to talk and I could add a little more color to the second part. I was told that “it’s okay to be stickier and more stubborn”, and I feel like I created those kinds of feelings by emphasizing his nastiness and the eeriness that comes from it.

What was the biggest appeal about one another’s characters this time?

Kaji: I’ve only known “the current Suzu” since I started playing Tetsunosuke, but hearing Tachibana-san’s voice in the studio this time… I felt how big his presence is for Tetsunosuke again, and it weighs even heavier on my heart than before. Tetsunosuke hasn’t met this Suzu yet, who has essentially changed into a different person. But no matter what, he’ll have to face Suzu again one way or another... Him having that conversation with Suzu is a scene I definitely want to try, so I would be delighted if I could someday.

And what about Tetsunosuke through the eyes of Tachibana-san?

Tachibana: Well, he’s straightforward and genuine, right? After all, those are some of his best and strongest points. It’s a contrast to Suzu, who’s completely twisted (laughs). That sort of honesty and steadiness isn’t something a lot of other Shinsengumi members have, so I think that’s his big charm point.

What if there’s hope for Tetsunosuke and Suzu in the future? From here on, it’s all hypothetical - but in a “what-if” scenario, what would you hope for the story of these two?

Kaji: If we’re completely setting aside the flow of the original work (laughs), then I would want to see them reconcile. I’d want to see them become friends again, despite not knowing if they’ll survive to the next day, despite living in an era where you never know who you’ll lose. I think the ideal for me would be seeing them meet each other as soon as possible in their truest of forms, and getting along closely like they did as children.

When they were kids, they played around in Shimabara like a couple of puppies.

Kaji: Yeah, they did. I’d love to see the two of them as adults chatting away happily again.

What about you, Tachibana-san?

Tachibana: If we’re really talking “what-if” scenarios – I’d love to see some fights happen in a setting completely unrelated to the original work. Something like West Army versus East Army.

Kaji: What the heck kind of answer is that!? Doesn’t that sound like the Sengoku period? (laughs) Tetsunosuke vs. Suzu!?

Tachibana: Yeah! Tetsunosuke vs. Suzu!

Kaji: Are you saying their relationship should end with a fight?!

Tachibana: Well, yes. But I want them to be competing until the very end.

What started this fight?

Tachibana: What started it… Huh, I wonder… Maybe something like stealing a steamed bun (laughs).

Kaji: You’re going with a reason like that?! (laughs) It’d be nice if they could just use swords that are too soft to cut people.

Tachibana: Alright, let’s do it with soft swords and soft skulls (laughs). We’ll really beat each other up, it’ll be tons of fun (laughs).

Kaji: It’ll be great (laughs). But seriously, I do want to see their real future.

Tachibana: It feels like the fate of Tetsunosuke and Suzu is just starting to unfold, so I’d also love to see their story from this point on get animated, too. That’s the best “what if”.

[metalandmagi]

Hogwarts House Anime Recommendations: Gryffindor

Okay, it’s that time again, time for the last round of Hogwarts house anime recommendations! And this time it’s Gryffindor!

other house recommendations:

ravenclaw

hufflepuff

slytherin

As we all know, Gryffindors are always in the spotlight and are basically the most represented house, and that sort of reflects in my recommendations. It was very difficult to try and think of lesser known shows to go with, so I mainly kept to what I thought are some of the most defining Gryffindor anime despite their popularity.

Some of the key Gryffindor traits running through these anime are bravery (bordering on recklessness), selflessness, and characters that are highly fueled by their emotions.

1. Haikyuu!!

For anyone who hasn’t heard of it, Haikyuu is an awesome sports anime. Lovingly referred to as “the volleyball anime” this story focuses on the once powerful Karasuno high school volleyball team, with Hinata Shoyo as one of the new first year members of the club who wants to work to take the team to nationals. However, also on the team is his middle school “rival” (a term I use loosely considering they only played one match against each other), and the two have to learn to work together to actually make the team successful.

I actually mentioned this anime in my Hufflepuff recommendations because I believe many sports anime do fall into that house. However, I actually think Haikyuu is a good Gryffindor anime because of its inclination towards showing the characters branch out and define what it means to be brave in their own separate ways. Each character has their own way of being bold and unique in their talents and work hard to make themselves better at the sport, even if it is scary for them. I mostly see this in Kagayama, Yamaguchi’s, and Asahi’s characters, but everyone has their own demons to fight. Hinata may be the main character but this is the only sports anime where I actually remember every member of the team’s names and care just as much about the other high school teams as well. This is going to go down as a classic sports anime because it keeps you gripped on the game as well as the growth of the characters without dragging out the play time or giving the characters super human abilities that is so rampant in the genre.

2. Hunter x Hunter (2011)

Again, for those who don’t know about it, Hunter x Hunter (at least the 2011 version) is basically a standard shounen anime setup about a spunky 12 year old kid named Gon, who starts a quest to find his “missing” father. Gon’s father is a Hunter, meaning in this world, he is part of an elite group of people who basically travel around the world just doing whatever the hell they want, from being hired as bounty hunters, to catching rare animals, or pretty much anything you can think of. So in order to find his father, Gon sets out to become a Hunter too, along with his lovable, rag-tag group of misfits. But be careful, this show starts out as a typical happy-go-lucky adventure anime and turns into an extremely dark and fucked up show involving everything from organized crime and genocide to the mass extinction of the human race to weird animal hybrids.

Okay stay with me, because this is gonna be a wild ride. I can only go off of the 2011 version, but this show is straight up amazing. I promised myself several years ago that I would get around to watching it someday, and that didn’t end up happening until the English dub started airing on Toonami in 2016. After watching the first 5 episodes dubbed on television I sprinted to my computer to watch the rest of the series as fast as possible...while also catching the dubbed episodes every week. Around episode 115 or so, I realized I was going to burn through this anime...and I didn’t want it to end. So now I’m back to watching one dubbed episode a week as it comes out just so I could prolong the experience. That’s how good this anime is. So technically I haven’t finished it yet, but it’s only because I don’t want to end it….and also I had some serious issues with the pacing of the last arc.

In terms of why it fits Gryffindor so well, all you have to do is watch Gon for about 5 minutes. All of the main characters...apart from Killua...have very noble goals and want to help others in their own ways. Hisoka is also one of the best...villains?…..anti heroes?...antagonists?…. that I’ve ever seen, and he is a great mixture of discomfort and intrigue to watch every time he’s on screen. If you love the old school shounen shows, if you want to feel nostalgic for when you were a kid watching Naruto or Bleach, if you want a show with clearly defined arcs, interesting characters, and not one, but two of the best tournament arcs I’ve ever seen, then for the love of all that is good, GO WATCH THIS SHOW if you haven’t already...I know I’m pretty late to the game with this one.

3. Akatsuki no Yona (aka Yona of the Dawn)...And Arslan Senki (aka The Heroic Legend of Arslan)

It’s official, I can’t do one of these things without doing a double recommendation. But seeing as these anime fit so well together and the protagonists seem very similar, I figured I had to do both. Both of these shows focus on the sweet cinnamon rolls royalty of a kingdom trying to regain their thrones after their respective countries have been overthrown or taken down from the inside. Akatsuki no Yona deals with a young princess who is trying to bring together a group of magical dragon people in order to regain the throne and fix the problems with her country. Arslan Senki (the 2015 anime version, not the ova), is more military oriented, focusing on a young prince trying to free his country as well as his father and mother from an invading country, led by a villain wearing a silver mask...who may have more of a claim to the throne than Arslan does.

Both of these shows are very fantasy oriented and desperately need to be continued. They also both have tried and true Gryffindors as the main protagonists who only want what’s best for their people. Arslan and Yona both look at the world through very innocent eyes but have to learn the harsh realities of their kingdoms and be brave enough to overcome all obstacles with the help of their friends.

4. Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle

This anime follows four main characters (Kurogane, Fai, Syaoran, and Sakura) as they travel through different worlds trying to find pieces of the shattered soul of Princess Sakura. This takes place in the same universe as literally every other CLAMP created work, meaning that yes, it is the same Sakura as the one in Cardcaptor Sakura….just in a different world. If you’re a fan of anything CLAMP related, you need to watch it if you haven’t already.

This show will probably mean a lot more to people who have seen/read literally every CLAMP anime/manga in existence, but I actually hadn’t seen any other CLAMP material before watching this show. I basically just knew that Cardcaptor Sakura was a thing that existed and Tsubasa involved those main characters. But this anime is what sparked my love for the universe, so you don’t really have to know anything about the CLAMP universe to enjoy the anime (the manga on the other hand is a completely different story). I have always thought that Sakura, Syaoran, and Kurogane are all good examples of Gryffindors in different ways. Kurogane is more of a protective father figure, first showing nothing but recklessness and learning to become more thought out in his plans. Sakura is a Gryffindor in the sense that she also wants to protect people and learns to be brave over time, while Syaoran’s sole purpose is protecting Sakura and can be extremely chivalrous. Anyway it’s a fun adventure show that leads into a very dark and mysterious set of OVAs that will make you go “damn I should read the manga....and also every other CLAMP manga I can get my hands on.”

5. Attack on Titan

Yes, I had to. There was no way I could leave out Attack on Titan from a Gryffindor recommendation. I’m not even going to bother with a summary, since everyone and their dog has at least heard of it. This truly is the most Gryffindor anime to ever Gryffindor. It completely embodies the idea of the house both in the actual anime and in the real world. It even has it’s own golden trio, with a bookish character, a “chosen one” character, and a character who relies mostly on instinct.

Like I said, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin are all great Gryffindors in the same way that the original golden trio are. The plot of the show constantly evokes the idea of doing what’s right, even if it means putting your life on the line. Everyone who joins the military in this universe knows they need a mixture of bravery, daring, and just the right amount of recklessness to be successful. Even in the real world the anime has been in the spotlight the same way Gryffindor house is all the time, with great characters, an interesting plot, and intriguing world building that keeps people invested even with four year waits for the next season. Every episode has you rooting for the main characters in the same way that you root for Harry Potter and the rest of the gang. Not to mention it looks and sounds fucking amazing. So if you decided to skip the second season because you’ve read the manga...don’t. The anime just makes everything a million times better.

So that’s the end of my Hogwarts house anime recommendations! Sorry I couldn’t really branch out very much with Gryffindor house, but I tried my best. I hope these are helpful!