Camp Wiegman-Part 75
Lucy Bronze x Ona Batlle
Alternative Universe: Military School
Words: 5K
Masterlist
———————————————————————
Saturday, March 26th; 10:00 AM - Lucy and Ona’s Apartment.
"Come on, call her. You’re not going to stare at that phone all day, we’ve got other things to do," teased Lucy, who had just come out of the bathroom.
I groan to show my displeasure, but eventually, I dial my mom’s number. It was time to handle it, and I couldn't keep putting it off. The ringing tone echoed... for a long time... When it stopped, I was ready to speak, my mouth open, but I got her voicemail instead. My heart relaxed at this. I don't know why, but I felt relieved. I immediately hung up.
"I got her voicemail."
Lucy laughed. She definitely noticed my reaction.
"Well, better luck next time. Go get ready, or we’ll be late."
"You’re the one who spent forever in the bathroom."
"Oh, so now it’s my fault, huh?" she laughed as I was already heading down the hallway. "Remind me, who didn’t want to get out of bed?" she shouted so I could hear her.
"At eight-thirty, I had every reason to stay in bed!" I yelled back from the bathroom.
I could hear her laughing as I started putting on my makeup. It was the last thing I had to do. Lucy had wanted to take a shower, so I couldn’t access my things earlier because I wanted to give her some privacy. She needs to understand that weekends are sacred too. Not all of us are motivated to go jogging in the morning. I’ll never understand her on that. We’re supposed to grab brunch with our friends before heading to the gym. It’ll be good to all be together again. Aitana and Beth are supposed to join us later in the day, according to Lucy. I was finishing my makeup with mascara when my phone rang. I groaned seeing my mom’s face on the screen. Lucy came over at that moment, already making fun of me.
"Answer it, or I will."
"Definitely not."
I rolled my eyes, picking up my phone from beside the sink. She’s been pushing me to do this since yesterday, and I have to admit, she’s right. Otherwise, I’d never do it. I answered the call and held the phone to my ear with my shoulder while finishing my second eye.
"Hello?"
"Ona! Did you try to call me? Is everything okay?"
"Hey. Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine. Am I disturbing you?"
"I just got out of surgery. I operated early this morning. Well, more like last night. I’m about to grab some coffee. Are you sure everything’s okay? You rarely call me."
I smiled despite myself. I’ve always admired my mom for her work, even though it cost her a lot in terms of family life. It takes a lot of mental strength and confidence to perform surgeries. She’s a general surgeon. When Mapi needed surgery, she wasn’t the one to handle the case, but I know she made sure to be involved in every procedure for my sake.
"I’m fine, really. I just wanted to call to apologize, that’s all."
"Apologize?" she whispered. "For what?"
"For my behavior last time," I said plainly. "We left without me getting a chance to talk to you again. So yeah, I’m sorry. My reaction wasn’t directed at you."
"Oh... You don’t need to apologize, Ona. I completely understand."
I smiled like an idiot. She really thinks Mapi didn’t tell me how worried she was. From what I’ve heard, she was scared to death, yet here she is acting like nothing happened.
"No, it’s important. I need you to know my anger wasn’t directed at you," I said, smiling at my girlfriend, who finally turned around when she saw everything was fine.
"Alright... well, thank you for calling."
"I also wanted to let you know that we’ll definitely be attending your wedding, in case that wasn’t clear."
"Really?"
"Of course. We wouldn’t miss it."
"Will Lucy be coming?"
"Yes, that’s who I meant by ‘we.’ I hope that’s not a problem?" I teased.
"Oh no, no. We’d be delighted and honored!"
"Great... So, when is it again?"
"June 18th. I... Ona?"
"Yes?"
"I know it’s not the kind of thing you ask over the phone, and I’d understand if you say no, but... I’d like you to be my maid of honor, if you agree. You don’t have to answer right away, it’s just that—"
"Mom," I interrupted. "Calm down. I..."
I took a deep breath. This was hard for me, but I was doing it to keep my promise to my dad. He wanted me to be there when it happened.
"I accept. No problem."
"Really...?"
The surprise in her voice was obvious. A small smile formed on my lips.
"Yeah, it seems so," I teased.
"You know, if you’re feeling obligated or anything..."
"Stop. I accept, that’s it. Don’t make me change my mind."
"It really means a lot to me, Ona, truly."
"I figured."
"I’ll make sure to pay for your dresses, for both you and Lucy. We’ll pick them out together, so they’ll match."
"Whoa, slow down," I laughed. "We’ve got time."
"Can you come during your vacation? You know you’re always welcome at home, even though you’ve chosen to live with her in Manchester."
"I know, but we won’t be around this vacation. We’re visiting Grandpa and Lucy’s parents in Portugal."
"Really?" she asked, surprised. "She’s from Lisbon too? You’re meeting her parents?"
"She’s from Porto. We’re doing one week with Grandpa, then one week with her family. I still need to call him to see if he can host us."
"Oh, knowing him, he won’t say no. He’ll be thrilled to meet Lucy."
"Yeah, I’m not worried about that."
"Don’t be afraid to meet Lucy’s parents either. I’m sure it’ll go well."
"We’ll see," I sighed. "I should hang up, we’re supposed to meet for brunch," I said as Lucy reappeared, tapping her wrist.
"Oh really?With who?"
"We’re meeting our friends at eleven."
"Oh, well, I won’t keep you then. Have a great day, and let me know when you’re coming back to Barcelona."
"No problem, I’ll talk to Lucy, and we’ll keep in touch. Have a good day."
One last goodbye, and I hung up. Lucy immediately came over as I was putting away my makeup.
"Talk to me about what?"
I laughed, shaking my head. She looked so innocent, but I was sure she had listened to the whole conversation.
- Going back to Barcelona.
- Again? she groaned. That’s all we ever do!
- Oh, don’t complain. We’ve only been there twice together. And I think I just agreed to be her maid of honor. I don’t know what came over me.
Lucy laughed and wrapped her arms around me from behind, kissing the top of my head.
- Well, I’m proud of you. I assume everything went well?
- Yeah... she acted like everything was fine, as if nothing had happened. That’s a first.
- Well, that’s good, then. And why do we have to go back to Barcelona?
- She wants us to choose our dresses with her... and be matching.
- Wonderful, she teased.
- Hey, I said, turning towards her. Don’t make fun of me! I wouldn’t mind matching with you.
- That’s not the problem. It’s that I’ll have to endure another shopping session with the mother-daughter duo.
- Well, I have to meet your parents for the first time in a few weeks, I laughed in return. We all have our challenges, babe.
- That’s true, she replied, giving me a playful smack as I walked out.
I’d learned my lesson from last time, so I didn’t react to her playful gesture. We’d moved past that, and she didn’t catch me off guard this time.
- Did you remember to bring your design ideas?
I froze mid-step and turned back around.
- What would I do without you… I mumbled, making Lucy laugh.
I headed back to our bedroom to grab them. She wanted me to bring my ideas since she hadn’t had a chance to look at them this morning. After grabbing them, I got dressed to go out, and we left to meet our friends downtown. We’d noticed that the little Italian restaurant next to the gym offered brunch, so it didn’t take us long to decide to try it out today. The renovations were coming along great. We had time to finish up the locker room prep before the furniture arrived next week. Someone was coming to check if the plumbing was usable as it was. If so, Lucy said it would leave us with a little extra budget, though she wasn’t too hopeful. The place was pretty old and had been heavily used. When we arrived, I wasn’t surprised to see we were the first ones there. Lucy’s an early riser and hates being late. I’ve been on the receiving end of that before, and once was enough for me.
- So, when’s the wedding? You didn’t tell me the date.
- Oh, right. Uh, June eighteenth, I think.
- You *think*? she teased.
- It’s definitely the eighteenth. Are you done now?
She laughed as I playfully hit her shoulder. Looks like she’s in a teasing mood today.
- Oh, relax, I’m kidding. Maybe we can go after your exams, yeah? We’ll be on vacation, so we might as well enjoy it. It’ll take your mind off waiting for your results.
- Really? But what if I have interviews? And what about the gym?
- We’ll make sure you have a school and a gallery lined up before you leave Camp Wiegman.
- Easier said than done...
- Are you done complaining yet? I heard from behind. We can hear you from the other end of the restaurant.
- Oh, shut up! I snapped playfully at my best friend.
- Hey, cutie pie.
I smiled as I stood up to hug her. I’d missed her. It’s about time she moved here so we could properly catch up.
- Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve heard that nickname.
- No kidding!
I greeted Ingrid as well. Mapi sat beside me at the head of the table, and Ingrid across from me after greeting my girlfriend too. Mapi and I exchanged goofy smiles. Looks like I wasn’t the only one who missed this connection.
- So, Miss "I’m stressed about my exam," how’s it going?
- I’m fine, I chuckled. Are you mocking me?
- Oh no, she laughed. It’s just funny. You weren’t like this in high school, and I never imagined you’d turn into this.
- Well, people change, what can I say, I responded with a genuine smile.
- What’s new since I’ve been gone?
- Not much.
- Really? she raised an eyebrow.
- Yeah, honestly, nothing major, I said, glancing at Lucy. Everything’s going well. I’m looking for a gallery, we’re working on the gym, and I’m studying for my exam... that’s about it.
- So, what’s the update on that interview you had? The big gallery, she probed.
- Fields hasn’t changed their mind. I don’t think I’ll accept, but for now, I haven’t heard back from the other galleries, so it’s tricky...
- Stop worrying.
- I’m a month away from taking my exam and I’m without a school. I have every reason to worry, I replied.
Lucy rolled her eyes. It’s been a bit tense between us regarding this. She takes it so lightly that I wonder if she’s hiding something from me again. Luckily, Alexia and Jenni arrived at that moment. We greeted them and ordered right after they settled in. We didn’t want to drag things out since we had a lot to do today.
Saturday, March 26th; 1:00 PM - Gym
It was just Ale, Mapi, and me in the break room, finishing up stripping the wallpaper. There was one wall left, and the goal was to have it ready for painting tomorrow. Our girlfriends were in the locker room since the others hadn’t shown up yet. The plumber finally arrived, and Lucy wanted to be there for the assessment. I didn’t mind. It was nice to hang out with my friends. The atmosphere was great, even while working.
- So, notice anything? Ale asked Mapi with a mischievous grin.
- Notice what?
I gave Alexia a wide-eyed look as she smiled slyly. She knew Mapi wasn’t up to date on the progress of my relationship with Lucy. I turned bright red as Ale motioned towards me with her head. Mapi, who was between us, stared at me.
- Well? What don’t I know yet?
Alexia burst out laughing. I didn’t find it funny. There’s no need to make a big deal out of every milestone in my relationship.
- Your best friend became a grown-up last weekend.
Mapi gasped and smacked my arm hard.
- Ouch! I exclaimed, rubbing my arm.
- And you didn’t even tell me!? When? How? You better tell me everything to make up for it!
Alexia was laughing hysterically. I couldn’t help but follow suit, despite myself. This was exactly why I didn’t want her to know. She always has to give me the third degree.
- You couldn’t help yourself, could you? I scolded Ale.
- Nope, I had to share! It was too memorable and funny to keep to myself. You should’ve seen her, covered in hickeys and grinning ear to ear the next morning, she told Mapi.
They both started laughing. Okay, maybe I was on a high at the time. Hearing how she described me now made me feel really embarrassed.
- So, how did it happen?
- It just... did.
"It just did"? Do you think that’s a satisfying answer for me?
Stop. Seriously, it wasn’t planned at all. It just happened, that’s all. And it was good. She was really great with me. That's it. You won’t get more details.
I stuck my tongue out at her when she groaned.
"I can’t believe you hid this from me again!"
"Hid what?" Lucy asked, just walking into the room.
Oh no, that’s all I needed. We all know how she reacts to Mapi in these situations.
"Oh, nothing. You just need to know how your girlfriend is so mute and stubborn," Mapi pouted.
"Hmm… I think she’s improving. At least with me."
I smiled as Lucy wrapped her arms around me from behind, rocking me gently. I leaned into her embrace.
"Can you come with me? I need your help," she whispered in my ear.
"Really? Well, sure, if you want."
She let go, and I took her hand to follow her. It was the perfect time to be honest. Maybe Mapi would forget about this whole thing… though I’m probably being too hopeful. Before we left, my girlfriend added:
"By the way, we’re thinking of going out to a bar tonight with the others. So, if you're not up for a night at The United, now's your chance to have a girls’ night."
Her suggestion surprised me, but of course, my best friend jumped at it.
"Oh, that’s a great idea!" Mapi exclaimed. "What do you think? Since I’m already here."
"Yeah, why not," Ale agreed.
"We’ll talk about it when I get back, to figure out whose place we’ll go to," I said.
The girls agreed before I left with Lucy. She led me to the main room.
"So, what about the guy? Did he give you a rundown of what’s working and what’s not?"
"Yeah. We could keep the plumbing, but he can’t guarantee it’ll last another three years, so instead of taking the risk and redoing everything later, we’re just going to replace it now."
"Ouch... That’s a shame."
Lucy shrugged and gave me a small smile.
"It’s fine. We anticipated this. He’ll give us a quote to see how much it’ll cost since we’re not doing it ourselves."
"That makes sense. Painting and demolishing is one thing, but this is more complicated."
"Exactly."
We reached the main room, where I noticed the guys had arrived, along with a woman I didn’t recognize. I slowed down when I saw that she was holding my sketches, the ones I had given to Lucy earlier in the day. She was tall, about Lucy’s height, with a normal build and heels. She was charismatic, with long, silky black hair and lightly made-up blue eyes. Lucy smiled at me, seeing my hesitation.
"Don’t be shy. Come on," she said, pulling me forward.
"What’s this about now?"
"Oh, here she is," Beth said when he saw me. "Hey Ona."
"Hey..."
I went around, greeting everyone, including the woman holding my drawings. I quickly returned to Lucy, who had opened her arms, letting me snuggle into her.
"Let me introduce you to Grace," Beth said. "She has an art degree, but she mainly works as a street artist. She’s the one who did the decoration at my paintball place."
"Wow," I said, remembering the place. "Well, congratulations. You’re really talented. I loved what I saw."
"What she means is, she was completely blown away by it," my girlfriend embellished.
Grace laughed, shaking the papers in her hand.
"Thank you, I’m flattered. I could say the same about you. You’re very talented."
"Thank you," I replied, blushing.
I smiled shyly, sinking further into Lucy’s arms. I don’t handle compliments about my work well since I’m not used to people looking at it. Lucy smiled at me, kissing my temple.
"I imagine you’re not here for no reason?"
"No, indeed," Grace smiled. "Beth and I recently reconnected, and he’s been talking about you and how hard you’ve been searching for a gallery. It just so happens that I recently opened one myself to start working more seriously after all these years."
I listened carefully. No… Don’t tell me...? I glanced at Lucy, who was grinning mischievously. I couldn’t believe it! She surprised me again.
"It turns out I was supposed to collaborate with a friend who backed out at the last minute. The gallery’s already open, but I’m not keen on hiring someone when I’ve just launched it."
"You mean…"
"I’d like you to come work with me. As an apprentice, of course. You’d cost me less, and based on what I have in my hands, you’re talented. Our styles are very different, but I think we could complement each other. Plus, with your management degree, you’d be a great help to me."
"Oh, I’m not sure you should rely too much on that degree..."
She laughed heartily. I guess I’ve said enough times that management isn’t my strong suit.
"Well, what I mean is that your résumé is interesting to me. So, if you're up for it, we could do a trial at my gallery to see if you like it. Of course, the condition is that you need to get your diploma first… Although, to be honest, I’d take you anyway, but your girlfriend here doesn’t seem too fond of that idea, from what she just told me."
I smiled broadly. I playfully hit Lucy’s chest, pushing her away slightly. She laughed.
"You hid everything from me again! You’re unbelievable!"
"Hey, I didn’t know," she defended herself. "Beth just told me this morning that she was bringing someone for you today."
"Is that true?" I asked her.
"Yeah," Beth replied, amused.
"I hesitated a lot," Grace admitted. "I hope you’re ready to work because there’s no shortage of it."
"I’m not afraid of that."
"Good, then there won’t be any problem," she said. "Lucy told me you’re going on vacation soon, but if you’re up for it, you could visit the gallery one weekend and do a trial run, like a day or two, to see if it works for both of us."
"Yeah, we’ll arrange that," Lucy agreed. "Maybe we could exchange contact info to stay in touch?"
"Sure," Grace said with a smile. "I’ll handle the arrangements with your school. I’ve got some former professors who might be able to help you secure a spot."
"Thank you so much. I really don’t know what to say."
"Oh, don’t thank me. You’ll be just as helpful to me, so I’m happy to help in return. I hope this will turn into something good for both of us. Who knows, maybe if the sales go well, I’ll be glad to keep you on afterward."
I was thrilled and incredibly relieved. A huge weight was starting to lift off my shoulders. We exchanged contact information and promised to keep in touch. She left shortly after, and I kissed Lucy deeply without hesitation. I really hoped this would work out.
"Oh my God. I can’t believe it’s real. Thank you so much, Beth."
"No problem," she replied. "I’m glad I could help. It wasn’t even planned. We just happened to reconnect, and I mentioned you. She immediately showed interest. From what I just saw, it looks like she likes you too."
"Same here. She’s really cool. Nothing like Fields, for example."
"Oh, definitely," Lucy agreed. "So, are you good now? Can you relax?"
I stuck my tongue out at her in response. She laughed heartily. Unlike me, she had never doubted, and honestly, it felt good. Even when I couldn’t believe in myself, she was always there to remind me that anything was possible. And today, I had proof. I’d found a gallery. This was going to be the new driving force in my life. In our life. I no longer had to consider Fields’ offer, and I was so happy. I could finally turn it down with no regrets.
"I love you."
"I love you too. Now, should we get back to work?"
"Yep."
"Come with me. Let’s go over your sketches and see what we can come up with."
I smiled, following her to the back rooms. I couldn’t wait to start this project. Even though they were just small images without much cohesion yet, I was sure Lucy’s imagination would help bring them to life. And so, our day continued.
50 notes
·
View notes
https://www.tumblr.com/twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat/757245046340943872/hi-ari-i-just-watched-oshi-no-ko-its-so?source=share
hi ari! <3 yes, it's me!
firstly, thank you so much for taking the time to write such an in-depth recommendation list! it was super helpful!
WARNING: long message ahead!
i have actually watched a couple of the things that you had recommended, namely windbreaker and romantic killer. i really enjoyed windbreaker, even if i still don't quite understand how their school system works... (i think it's low-key hilarious how there are barely any adults in this series? and how students run the school for other students? like do they have 'normal' lessons? i'm so curious!)
thinking on windbreaker now, the things that stood out to me the most were those:
hajime looking like an alternate universe version of satoru, who is a cutie pie that grows vegetables. i actually really like his character – i think he's adorable. in terms of character design, i do think his cape is kind of cool. he rocks it. i like that he's positive, down-to-earth and simultaneously extremely astute. he's very likeable, like satoru! (very boyfriend material, no?)
the dynamic between choji and togame is very memorable. thinking on it now, the scene where togame cries and choji asks whether it is the rain... there is just something in their dynamic, when they were 'fighting,' which made it feel, when i was watching, like they were confessing. (i kind of... i couldn't help but think, guys, come on, you're in front of an auditorium... you really want to do this here and now?? in front of this audience?? really??) and also... choji being his 'sun'... it's kind of sweet.
suo! i find his fighting technique to be absolutely fascinating! i think it's so interesting how he doesn't put in an effort to fight against his opponents, instead dismantling them psychologically. he doesn't fight according to a certain school of thought, too; instead, he just picks and chooses what he deems is fitting, willing to experiment and almost confuse his opponents through the piecemeal nature of his fighting technique. there is a little element of cruelty to his fighting style which i find absolutely fascinating... and even though i know that suguru and suo are very different, i wonder what it would be like to transpose suo's fighting style onto suguru.
i have watched romantic killer ages ago!! i didn't know what to watch and it came up, and even though the premise was a little bizarre and the design of the cupid entity was absolutely hilarious, i actually really enjoyed watching it! anzu is a really fun protagonist! and i could absolutely relate to her cat obsession because this is absolutely what i am like with my dogs. her concern for not dating is also one i can relate to... currently, i can't really envision myself dating. i barely have any time for myself when i am at university, and when i do, i'd rather spend it with my friends or go home and visit my parents and my dogs. and besides, romantic relationships take so much work!! and i'm super picky in terms of how i like. (suguru.) anyway, that aside, i thought it was fun, and tsukasa and junta were both likeable! hijiri was... a little cliché and forgettable in my opinion, and didn't add that much to the story, but it also felt like the story ended not being quite finished, so his introduction felt a little... underdeveloped??
and the introduction of tsukasa's stalker was... absolutely terrifying. i can still picture that woman in my mind – her absolutely manic eyes when she looked at tsukasa. so scary!
(i did think it was pretty cute how riri transformed into a competitor for anzu's affections at the end of the series!)
i have tried giving gekkan shoujo nozaki-kun a go, but i somehow winded up feeling a little... bored as i was watching it? i thought the idea of the anime was cool. i can see where they were going with this – it attempted to be subversive by having a a big, bulky guy was writing a 'girly' popular manga series, with the inspiration for the male lead being a girl and the inspiration for the female lead being a guy. from my experience of writing (which was ages ago... my pen had long dried up), that kind of makes sense – the act of transposing personalities of the people you see into characters, and those characters themselves being extremely malleable as the plot develops.
...but somehow, as i watched it, something didn't quite click for me. i'm not sure why. so i ended up dropping it after five or so episodes? i did think the red-haired guy who was constantly blushing was cute, though.
NOW, onto oshi no ko... I LOVED IT! i still have the intro song from season one playing in my head!!
look, first of all, i thought it was super fun. i adore the animation style. i am a little annoying in that, for me, the animation style of an anime plays a big part in how driven i am to watch it. it's partially why i like jujutsu kaisen so much. i adore the way in which the characters are drawn in 'jujutsu kaisen'. the drawing style is absolutely awesome. i LOVE how handsome suguru and satoru are!! (it's not the only reason why i like the drawing style, of course, but i just... appreciate the way in which the characters are drawn.) i just like looking at it. i can press pause and just stare, and analyse the drawing style for a long while.
but back to oshi no ko, when i read the synopsis... i must admit, i was... a little more than surprised. a gynaecologist's soul transposing itself into the body of an idol's child??? how crazy is that???
but then i googled the pictures and saw pictures of ai... and reread your post, and decided to give it a go! and i am very glad that i did!!
i love ai's character design!! her hair is awesome!! i love her star eyes!! and when she smiles, she's absolutely adorable!!
but now onto the series itself... i didn't realise that the first episode was a set-up for the broader story centred on the two children!! i thought that was super interesting – beginning with ai, setting her up, having her be a ghost that haunts the narrative.
the doctor being an otaku... you know what, i do understand why he'd be hooked on something like this – something bright and cheerful, and something that's so escapist, even if, as an 'educated adult,' he realises is a fabrication made for consumption. (i guess, for me, what 'ai' was to the doctor and sarina is what... 'jujutsu kaisen' is currently to me. it's something escapist, a story i can think about again and again, even months after watching, maintaining my interest in it by visiting tumblr...)
the reason for her having the two children is absolutely heartbreaking. but... with the way they set up the story, it... does make sense.
i... even though the premise seems bizarre, it's actually quite profound? yes, it teaches/proselytises some things i already know, but also lots of things that i don't know. i found it fascinating how it tackled the world of entertainment...
the scene where ai died still replays in my mind. the slight greying (?? i'm not sure if i'm misremembering, but i think it was a grisailles image) image of ai as she dies in front of aqua's eyes while ruby bangs on the door was absolutely horrifying. i gasped. i should have predicted that this story was going to take misery's annie wilkes angle... but still, when i saw it on screen... it was just such a crushing death... and for the reports to then be overtaken by reports of the snow... i don't know... if that is relieving or overwhelmingly sad.
i have to say, though, that scene where aqua and ruby pretend to be gods is absolutely hilarious!! i thought it was super funny. and that woman was so terrified! so funny. and ruby saying that she's the incarnation of amaterasu?? and swatting her hand away so confidently!! how funny!!
also, the scene where aqua plays the creepy kid by not acting and terrifying all the actors on set... that was pretty funny, too!! i enjoyed that!! and that whole... segment of him guessing the director's intentions through logic to produce this result and the talk of different types of actors was very, very interesting!!
and ai getting cut because she shined too much?? that was fascinating.
in terms of the series post episode one, i enjoyed how they tackled both the world of film, reality dating shows, the manga industry and the theatre industry! that was cool!!! and i love how they made them interconnected.
in terms of which characters i liked the most... i think i'm going to say, the girls!!! i really like kana, akane, ruby, mem-cho, ai of course, even frill and minami!! (i think frill is... actually quite funny!! and when she was joking about pinning down mem-cho if she were a guy...)
i feel like because i watched everything in one go, everything became slightly muddled in my head, so it's hard to pick out which scenes stood out to me the most!! i did like how the story unravelled – i thought it was pretty neat and slick, and as i was watching, i didn't really notice any loose plot lines or anything... (yes, maybe everyone coming to the rescue of akane was a little too feel-good perhaps, but i did like that... it was cute.)
mem-cho, kana and ruby actually formed a pretty cute trio!! i thought it was funny how the guy with the stubble was like, no one can replace b komachi and then became a super fan who went to their solo concerts... and yes, all three of them are absolute stars!! they are so cute!!! and aqua showing up and going crazy with all three light sticks?? that was pretty sweet.
(on that note... i don't know who i prefer – akane and aqua, or kana and aqua... i might say kana and aqua because aqua can just be... himself?? and when he thought of his happy memories... he mostly thought of kana... but when akane came to comfort him, and figured out his backstory (well, almost... sans the doctor bit), it was pretty sweet.)
i think akane is also such a fascinating actor!! seeing that scene where she basically figured ai out and transformed herself into her to such a creepy degree that aqua found himself confused... that was SO EERIE BUT COOL!!!! and how she filled in the backstory of... ai having a secret child, being exposed to sexual relations early, almost childlike tendencies that are tad too juvenile, etc. etc. – extremely fascinating.
i also think ruby is adorable!!! i think it's interesting how differently aqua and ruby respond to trauma. (suguru and satoru, anyone? okay, i'll stop... not as applicable here.) her drive and passion is extremely admirable. and with sarina's story... and baby ruby struggling to stand up only for ai to help her... my god, how heartbreaking...
i... i have a soft spot for kana because i can see some of myself reflected in her. i also think the idea of achieving a high point in your life and then moving on from that is... pretty interesting. like what do you do if you can never achieve that height again?? you were the big fish before but now you wound up in a pond where... no one cares about that anymore?? i think it's pretty admirable how she had the strength to try out something new and become an idol even though it's so easy to regress into the shadows, not wanting to embarrass yourself yet again. and kana being scared of the stage because she is not alone?? that makes so much sense but that also makes her such a kind-hearted girl...
i also enjoyed the storyline with the manga author and tokyo blade!! firstly, for a manga within a manga/anime... that's... a pretty cool story!! i wouldn't mind watching tokyo blade myself!! but... also i thought it was interesting how they showed the behind the scenes of that world... with the manga creator of tokyo blade, firstly, being so goddamn young!! twenty-two?? (and what am i doing with my life?? lying on the couch outside in the sun while my dog rests by my feet procrastinating on my work because i am perpetually indecisive??)
i thought it was interesting how they balanced her arrogance and her diligence... she is not necessarily likeable and... that's okay. i kind of like that they made her into a little bit of a... freak. (look, if i was at that restaurant, going to the bathroom, and coming out of my cubicle to witness this... being use two toothbrushes to brush their teeth while spitting into the sink, i'd be super grossed out.) i liked the dynamic between her and her sensei, though, and how she was adorably shy back then and had so much respect for her sensei... that was cute. and her desire to branch out and speak to many people being reflected in her manga... that was... pretty sad, i must admit. (but then again, that was... a little bit of projection going on from her sensei, no? i mean, i wouldn't say all my writing is necessarily reflective of me, no? it was a little... presumptive, and based on her assumptions since she... thinks her former pupil is a little... weird.)
the issue of translating manga into scripts is... fascinating. i thought it was interesting when goa spoke of how if it goes badly, the scriptwriter is blamed, but if it goes well, then the manga author is praised... that is true!!! it does go like that!!
the manga creator being a little bit of a creative tyrant from her astronomical success and the past trauma of seeing her favourite manga by her favourite sensei get butchered by bad acting... that all makes sense!! it's a compelling insider take on what it means to adapt works and i really enjoyed seeing it play out on screen and thinking about it! (and besides, so many things nowadays get adapted from medium to medium, it's a pretty nuanced take on a very contemporary issue!)
in terms of kana vs akane rivalry, i think it's pretty fun seeing them... go all out with their acting, you know? i also kind of liked the friendship between the super talented guy taiki and kana! when they were acting out that fighting scene... it was super fun!! really enjoyed it!!! (plus.. the point about adding stimulation to the theatre troupe in the form of external actors – that's pretty interesting!!)
(i also thought it was interesting how aqua extricated himself from the talent competition.)
on aqua, though...
the fact that he felt like his identity as aqua and as the doctor was merging was pretty interesting. i'm still not sure whether he's a super likeable character in my mind. he's compelling, sure. he's supportive of his sister and kana...
i just wonder if seeing ai murdered in front of his eyes was the key reason as to why his trauma response was so different from that of sarina, aside from the obvious personality differences.
i kind of wonder who ai is to him. does he really see her as his mother? i just wonder what it would be like for a highly educated guy to be transported into the body of an infant and being unable to do anything but watch as a girl much younger than you acts as your mother. THAT IS INSANE. (also, how'd he... learn how to speak?? did he retain those memories and the sounds came out instantly... or was the speaking apparatus of his child body so infantile that he had to go about it via... trial and error.)
but when he stopped ruby from pursuing her dreams by arranging that call/sending message from her phone... (i mean, he did 'let' her become an idol in the end, but still...)
(but then again, it's kind of similar to adults (more of an extreme manifestation, i guess) who softly discourage people from pursuing such careers unless their talents seem to be... almost supernatural. like i was discouraged from acting, which, upon reflection, makes sense as there were two girls in my class for whom the star of acting talent shone much brighter.)
my takeaway thought from this series was this – by leaning into absurdity and taking on a premise which seems absolutely bizarre at first glance, it was able to produce a highly nuanced and intelligent account of what it means to work in the entertainment business, and what it means to interact with this business (as most of us do) at large.
i feel like if i were to learn something from this series, it would be this – perhaps, when creating, the rational side of your brain which would discourage you from exploring a scenario in which the body of a doctor is transposed into a baby needs to be subdued as that supernatural element ended up being an appropriate vehicle in creating a broader, fascinating account that functions as a window into the world of japanese (and not just... japanese) entertainment.
i must admit – i enjoyed it so much, i got a little sad when i realised that season two was still in progress!! i wanted to binge it all!!! :))) (but, on the other hand, it allows me to think about this story for a little longer...)
thank you for recommending it!! (and apologies for my very, very, very long ramble.)
(side note – i tried checking out the fate series, but i got a little confused in terms of the watch order?? there are so many!!! and different websites say different things in terms of how you should go about watching it...)
if you have any other recommendations as to what to watch, i'd more than welcome them!! <33
hi my dearest little anon!! 🥹 tysm for the ask hehe, this was sm fun to read through!!!
first of all!!! you are soooo so welcome, it was really my pleasure!!!!! 🥺🥺 i’m so excited to properly respond to all your thoughts hehe
YOU’RE SO REAL FOR QUESTIONING WIND BREAKER’S SCHOOL SYSTEM 😭😭😭 their education is in SHAMBLES. BUT YESSS ume is such a lovely character (ABSOLUTELY bf material), and togame + choji were for sure my favorites!!!! their dynamic and story was the highlight of the season for me :33 HE’S HIS SUN…. it really did feel like a confession lol. AND SUOOO I LOVE HIM AS WELL. it’s crazy you mention that anon because i also thought of sugu when i saw him…. he’s so polite but his fighting style is so . raw? in a way? the hint of cruelty/psychological humiliation is also sooo tasty to me. i love smiley boys who are a tiny bit mean <3
and romantic killer!!!!! aaaaa it was the same for me anon, i watched it on a whim but got so addicted 😵💫😵💫😵💫 ANZU IS SOOOO LOVELY AND SO RELATABLE. and i get you anon!!!! dating isn’t everything!!!!! i love the emphasis the show put on platonic relationships — even though i know it’s not canon, i do see anzu as aroace!! and either way it’s just refreshing to have a shoujo that shows how strong and meaningful relationships can be, whether they’re romantic or not. tsukasa’s and anzu’s relationship ended up as one of my favorites because they’re just…. so wholesome. and sweet. they care for each other sm!!!!! hijiri was my least fav of the guys too but i did think he was cute :3 TSUKASA’S STALKER WAS SOOO SCARY i’m so glad that plotline was treated with the care it deserves!!!
AHHHHH so gekkan shoujo was a fail……. THAT’S OKAY ANONNN ik it’s not everyone’s cup of tea!!! :’3 it was a while since i watched it too….. did you watch the sub or dub?? the dub is funnier imo!!!! but. again… it’s been a while…… MIKORIN IS SOOOO CUTE THOUGH I’M SO GLAD YOU LIKED HIM 🥺🥺 my baby!! my special little guy!!!!!
NOWWWWWWW <3333 OSHI NO KO TIME. I’M SOOOOOO HAPPY YOU LIKED THIS ONE ANON I WAS SO HOPING YOU WOULD 🥹🥹🥹 it’s the perfect mix of dark + gorgeous + entertaining, right???? it has it all!!!!! THE OPS AND EDS ARE SOOOOO GORGEOUS i loved s1’s songs but i’ve also gotten super attached to s2’s……
BUT YES I TOTALLYYY GET YOU. i think jjk has spoiled me a little because i find it just a teeny bit difficult to get into anime that are lacking in that area :’3 WHICH IS PERFECT BECAUSE OSHI NO KO IS SOOOO GORGEOUS. so so pretty. ESPECIALLY AI OHHH MY GOD ANON ISN’T SHE ADORABLE?? 🥺🥺🥺 our beloved idol-sama………. the star eyes are soooo beautifully animated, seeing the light leave them when she dies was . so genuinely horrifying lmao. AND YES YES YOU GET ITTTTT ai haunting the narrative!!!!!! i loved how they handled episode 1 so much….. her final ”i love you” made me. cry 😭 it still makes me cry when i watch it.
and i totally get you on the escapism!!!! jjk is just like that for me too!!!!! and yeah, i have . many theories on gorou (the doctor) and his attachment to ai!!!! how it’s connected to his own life but also his fixation on sarina…… i can’t wait to read the manga :3c
AHHH YOU’RE SO REAL FOR LOVING THE GIRLS 🥺🥺🥺 they’re all soso lovely!!!!! designs, personalities, and all!!!!!!! i hope ruby gets more spotlight in s3 because it does feel a little like s2 is aqua’s…… and i love aqua but i’m also sooo invested in ruby and her idol journey :’3 HER GROUP IS SO CUTEE. AND AS FOR THE SHIPS…… i’ll be so honest anon i think both akane and kana are too good for him LMAO. or more like i just don’t see him treating them as well as they deserve with his whole…. revenge plot going on. lmao. but overall i prefer kana as a character!!! i like kana a lot, and i think she’s so interesting and eerie like you mentioned, but kana feels so . real and grounded to me. i have a big soft spot for her too!!! AND RUBYYYY MY ANGEL. she’s so cute and so so strong, moving on with her life even after ai’s death….
THE TOKYO BLADE ARC IS SOOOOO GOOD. i totally agree!!!! i love the way all characters have been handled, they all just care about the story being told :’3 both abiko and goa!!!! the recent episode where they interact and praise each other was so precious…..
BUT YES . AQUA . oh my goddddd he makes me so insane anon…….. i have so many thoughts of him and his identity because i do think it’s so fractured. i think aqua views ai as his mother, but not gorou. their dynamic is so interesting because ai is like….. his mother, his child, and his love interest all in one, as twisted as it sounds. i do think his love for her is platonic but he himself is unsure about it and i think that adds a lot of depth to it all!!! ai is like the center of his universe….. but yeah, i don’t see him as super likeable, which is . Why i like him LMAO…. i like them a little sick in the head <333 he’s definitely a very flawed character. his attempts to control ruby show that much, even if he’s doing it because he cares…
but!!! yes!!!!! i definitely agree with you on that last point, it’s a really wacky premise that ended up as a super thoughtful exploration of the entertainment industry :3 this is just my own take, and like i said — i haven’t read the manga — but!!! i do feel like the main theme is the exploitation of children. and i wonder how that’s going to come back later in the story. i feel like that’s what everything is sort of building up to, with ai’s abuse and pregnancy, sarina’s death, aqua’s trauma… and so on.
thank you sm for checking the series out anon!!! i’m so happy you enjoyed it so much!!!! i’m always, always here in case you wanna chat abt it <333
AS FOR THE FATE SERIES. i should’ve warned you, it’s a very ……. long series with a lot of different games and manga and anime, but the right place to start is always fate/stay night 🫡🫡 the different fates aren’t connected to each other (fate/zero and fate/stay night are connected though…), so don’t worry about watching them all!! fate/stay night: unlimited bladeworks is more than enough. and if you enjoy that, you can move on to the heaven’s feel trilogy, which is…. a different, darker route the protagonist takes. stay night in general is super good!!!! i hope you enjoy it if you give it a try :3 the fate series in general probably has my favorite writing…. ever? but it might not be for everyone. the characters and dynamics are what really make it shine!!! with some super good fights <333
3 notes
·
View notes