#the japanese one isn't out yet so i can't compare

[xelasrecords]

The varying levels of Vyn's anger in different languages are so fun to hear because in Mainland Chinese he's calmly seething, in Taiwanese he's about to snap, and in Korean he's deathly chill.

[bakuhatsufallinlove]

Who Wants To Talk About Japanese Orthography In Manga???

Me, it's me, I do, and I have been chomping at the bit to get the chance to.

Orthography refers to the conventions of written language to represent sounds. That may bring to mind the idea of rigid grammar rules or spelling standardization, but in a linguistic sense, orthography simply describes observable trends across language use. This isn't about authority--I am not going to talk about what schools teach or say people should write one way or another. This is about examining how real people use written language creatively to convey different things in popular media.

This is a huge topic, so I'm only going to use examples from MHA to highlight Horikoshi's style.

First, let's get a run-down of the main parts of written Japanese and how they tend to be used.

We've got kanji and kana; kanji are logograms, while kana are syllabaries. Kana refers to both hiragana and katakana collectively, but we will delineate the two from here on.

The Wikipedia page for kanji, describing this more succinctly than I'm about to.

For clarity, I'm gonna color-code each one.

Let's take a quick look at all three in action.

Chapter 65

By virtue of being the syllabary that grammar particles are written in, hiragana can get away with a lot that kanji and katakana can't.

You can write simple sentences in hiragana alone, like so:

The sentence is perfectly comprehensible like this, but it reads as casual or perhaps a bit immature, like the person is either leaving out kanji for speed or simplicity (like online) or they aren't confident using kanji. Although, the word hito (person) is extremely common and its kanji is simple, so this would probably look more natural:

But there are also kanji for the word kawaii, so you could also write it this way:

On the other hand, writing the whole thing in katakana looks weird as fuck:

bECAuSE iT kINDA reADS LIKE THis, or maybe L I K E T H I S

It seems almost alien, overemphasizing the phonetic sound of the words, implying there's something notable or unusual about them.

But what if you write it like this?

Both ways use katakana to put flavor on a specific word. The first puts it on person, which could be used in a situation where someone hasn't been named yet, but the speaker tonally emphasizes your knowledge of them--like "oh, you know who."

The second emphasizes cute, which could read as sexually suggestive, teasing/joking, or even a threatening tone, depending on the context. "Real cute, ain't they?"

Basically, the connecting grammar bits need to be in hiragana, but nouns, verbs, and adjectives can typically be written in any of the three systems. That introduces choice into the matter, and these choices may have some cultural connotations.

This is a subtlety in written Japanese that manga loves to take advantage of. Orthography contributes a lot to characterization and tone, so individual creators develop little quirks as part of their own writing style.

Now let's finally take a gander at some of Horikoshi's!

Kanji instead of hiragana for semantic emphasis

Chapter 48

Best Jeanist could have used only hiragana for the word "good" (いい, ii), which is a very common way to write it. But he's not just commenting that they are nice kids, he's talking about them as "goodie two-shoes" and even puts brackets around the idea. The kanji emphasizes the cultural idea of a Good Child™, a well-behaved, morally upright, obedient young person.

Kanji instead of hiragana denoting a serious or severe tone

Chapter 36

Katsuki's "you" pronoun omae being written with kanji comes across as markedly serious, especially compared to how his dialogue is normally written. This is actually the only time Katsuki says omae and it is written with kanji--all the rest are in hiragana, which tends to read as more casual.

Hiragana instead of kanji denoting a gentle tone or youthful/childlike language

Chapters 129 and 183

Katsuki and his omae show us how kanji use can be seen as more mature and serious; Eri's dialogue does the opposite of this by using hiragana when it could use kanji, emphasizing her youth and innocence.

Katakana instead of hiragana or kanji for emphasis or slang

Chapters 209, 207, and 2

As I detailed above, one of katakana's most common uses is similar to italics or all-caps.

But you also tend to see slang written with it, and depending on the slang, the word being in katakana can immediately clarify it from other, perhaps more standard meanings. In Jirou's case, her personal pronoun uchi can mean a couple other things, so it being written in katakana clarifies her usage. It could arguably also imply she is taking a bit of an argumentative tone--Katsuki's slang is typically written in katakana for both of these reasons!

Katakana denoting regional dialect/accent, nonstandard pronunciation/muddled speech, or confused articulation

Chapters 102, 208, 394, and 2

Ochako gets flustered and defaults to her regional Kansai dialect. Instead of "chigau wa" (Tokyo dialect), she says "chau wa" repeatedly.

Katsuki and Toga both drop the w- sound from a word. Katsuki says "ore a" instead of "ore wa," while Toga says the word "kawaiku" as "ka'aiku" and "kawaii" as "ka'aii." Notice how the katakana which represents the vocal omission/hiccup is actually smaller than the others? That's also a little stylistic detail for communicating this kind of nonstandard speech.

Izuku repeats All Might's words, chikara wo, in a confused daze because he isn't following All Might's point. By removing the kanji especially, this kind of katakana emphasizes him sounding the words out without recognizing the underlying meaning.

Basically, Japanese has some excellent ~vibes-based~ orthography because of how the language is structured!

Of course, you find this kind of thing in English as well--especially in the age of the internet, where people note that "how dare u" reads as tonally distinct from "how dare you." As you develop language fluency, you tend to pick up these things subconsciously more than anything, but it's one of my favorite things to analyze and compare.

These are just a few examples and my own interpretations of them. I'm sure there are many more uses and flavor-nuance I'm not picking up on. Since any given choice can be read a few different ways, context is very important. My examples aren't definitive proof of anything, but it can be fun to keep these kinds of details in mind while reading.

Shueisha and Shonen Jump surely have in-house standards for text, and mangaka must operate within that range. That said, I have indeed seen every one of these examples in other manga as well.

And on the independent side of things, doujinshi and online manga are basically the wild frickin' west--I have seen tons of totally crazy, highly creative ways to take advantage of the unique flexibility found in Japanese, but that's a post for another day.

I will probably write more about this kind of thing in the future when I can pinpoint some more observations, but I hope you all enjoyed the ride. <3

[maoam]

I guess I'll tag @sasukesun since this post is addressed to her as well. Anyway, how are you addressing me yet not tagging me (I assume I'm still blocked) and I only got this through another person? You're just being hostile.

I have said multiple times Sasuke isn't girly. Neither is Naruto. You put words in my mouth. His feminity comes from his looks (because that's Kishi's type) and the yin/yang. Sasuke is very neutral in the way he dresses, rather rude in the way he speaks to people (compared to how Japanese generally speak) and definitely not a weak doormat like Hinata. I have addressed all these things multiple times.

Sarada and Boruto's relationship doesn't parallel NaruSasu, if you read Boruto manga you would know that. Sarada is very passive when compared to Naruto. She just asks Sasuke to help Boruto. Can you imagine Naruto doing that? Naruto would help Sasuke by himself, that's how Kishi would write it. He wouldn't write Naruto to sat on his ass and wait for things to happen like he is writing both Sarada and Sumire do. People constantly complain about Sarada being rather irrelevant and it's true.

When I say "dynamic" I'm referring to the fact Minato is the only one who bothered to try to save Kushina and the only one who didn't give up on her. My point was about TROPES Kishimoto likes [link]. And why are you ignoring I pointed out Kishimoto paralleld Boruto to young Naruto, Sasuke to Kushina, and Naruto to Minato in the Boruto movie where they were coparenting Boruto? And again, it's about a trope. It's not complicated. Here is another post I made about similar tropes in both ships [link].

Same with Mario/Saori. Funny how you keep ignoring the latter despite me writing posts about that as well. [link] Can you seriously look me in the eyes and deny the similar tropes? Oh hey here's another [link].

I also made a post pointing out the similarities in how Hinata feels towards Naruto and how Naruto feels towards Sasuke but of course you ignore that because it doesn't fit your narrative about me. [link] If it was like you said, I would have ignored this as well. I also made another in reverse, about similarities in how Hinata feels towards Naruto and how Sasuke feels towards Naruto. [link]

The examples of Oro, Obito and Kabuto, are all about them making Sasuke their possession. And when you add the weird imagery, which Kishi never uses anywhere else, and Oro's comments about Sasuke's beautiful face and body, it's not rocket science to understand what's going on. Notice how I didn't mention Itachi, because despite Itachi wanting to control Sasuke, I never saw 'that type' of thing there. And trust me, I would point it out if there was, it wouldn't make me uncomfortable.

You call me a weirdo and stupid so I feel I have to reply to all this.

"I just express my opinion and if you don't agree you can always block me" I guess this is more directed at sasukesun but can't this apply to you as well? I mean you block and unblock me because you don't want me to see your replies and respond, but you still want to call me stupid and other names. It's just not cool dude...

Also this is you so I'm pretty sure you are the one mad that I'm not raving about girly twink Naruto and masculine buff alpha Sasuke aren't you? Lol. I'm sure my posts about Naruto being a rascal punk who gives people the middle finger and farts in his opponent's face kill that little princess image for you.

[tobiasdrake]

What do you think of Majin Buu's redemption?

Complicated. Buu's arc isn't... I wouldn't really call it a redemption, so much? It's closer to a child learning right from wrong for the first time. Just. Muddied by the extent of the wrongs Buu committed in ignorance.

Morally speaking, Majin Buu is a very complicated character that operates on an eldritch scale. He doesn't map 100% onto a relatable human experience.

The original state of Buu, colloquially known as Kid Buu or Pure Buu, is effectively a mindless killing machine.

Like. That's not to say that he's a zombie or something. Pure Buu demonstrates creative attacks, learns moves from watching others perform them, and is capable of advanced problem-solving.

But by the same token, he doesn't really seem... self-aware. Pure Buu's behavior is more akin to a feral beast than a sentient person.

I would compare him to a robot. He's capable of learning, applying knowledge, and working out solutions to obstacles in front of him. But he has no sense of self, identity, or real understanding of the universe around him; Only a program that he uses his comprehension to carry out.

He's making advanced calculations, rather than informed choices. He exists for the singular purpose of purging all things that exist.

No, Goku. He does not. He is not interested in fighting you. He is not interested in anything. He is executing Annihilation.exe.

The only reason the fight on the Kaioshin world can even happen is because their god-world apparently can't be blown up.

This is what writing yourself into a corner with protagonists who can't breathe in space and a villain who blows up any planet he touches looks like.

Even Buu himself doesn't like this version of him. He practically begs Goku and Vegeta not to erase his identity and personality.

This is the foundation that Buu starts from: A killing machine programmed to destroy. But then he absorbed the Daikaioshin or The Great God of the World Kings and developed an intellect and personality.

(Given that Dragon Ball's mythology is rooted in Japanese Buddhism, it's likely no coincidence that Daikaioshin and by association Fat Buu has a Buddha-like appearance.)

Fat Buu is a lot like Piccolo Jr., with the difference being that the reincarnated Piccolo was very adult-coded while Buu is clearly meant to be taken as a child. Nonetheless, he's the first aspect of Buu to be self-aware enough to become capable of moral agency. Daikaioshin's influence on his mind made him more intelligent, turning him from a mindless killing machine into an impulsive and easily influenced child.

Look at him in that center panel. Just. Thinking about what Goku said. Mulling it over in his head. Like, he was onboard with this whole "Do what I say because I have power over you" thing but now that you mention it....

Goku does not get enough credit for being the one to kill Babidi. This rolled up to him. He straight-up ended Babidi with a question.

In this form, Buu does vile things, to be sure.

But as the text box says: He's a child at play. Majin Buu at this point has the moral complexity of a five-year-old. He's not really evil; He just... doesn't know better. He's never been taught better, and so his actions are almost paradoxical in nature.

Legit, one of my favorite chapters of the entire Buu arc is when he encounters a starving blind kid and heals his blindness so he can be properly afraid of him. Then winds up making friends.

Nuked that town and also he made that milk by Candy Beaming a human being so that's horrifying. And yet, you can see the peculiarity of his villainy even this early. Buu craves approval, even though he's been taught to care only about destruction and carnage.

Craves it so much that bringing an end to his carnage is as simple as asking him to stop.

And that's that. It's really not so much a redemption story as it is a child being taught better. Mr. Satan was the first person ever to actually say to this thinking form of Majin Buu, "Hey, that's bad. Don't do that. It's bad."

The first person to try parenting him instead of fighting him. (To be fair, it would have been impossible to parent him before Goku's semantic homicide of Babidi.)

Once this form of Buu returns in the final battle, he still isn't really a moral actor. He becomes a protagonist out of nepotism.

(Yeah, Viz uses Hercule instead of Mr. Satan because they hate fun. HAIL SATAN.)

After Satan asks him to please stop being bad, Buu becomes morally neutral. He's effectively Satan's uncontrollable toddler. He doesn't comprehend high-minded ideals of good or evil; He's an emotional and impulsive creature who cares about his bestie.

Which, to be honest, puts him in good company. Most of the cast of Dragon Ball are ex-assholes who don't so much have a traditional redemption story, but instead just... stop doing the thing. They used to be assholes, and then, for one reason or another, they stopped.

It's actually something I find really grounded about the way Dragon Ball handles its cast. Most of the characters in the series are like this, to varying degrees of past heinousness. There's none of the gravitas of atonement or redemption questing or the Big Moment of Redemption. They just. Stop being assholes and become some guy.

Piccolo is a rare exception.

[sadiewayne]

i want to preface this with a few things

dick grayson is my favourite character. i am not here to slander him or talk bad about those who like him

fanon is what got me into dc. i have grown since and now have a substantial comic collection (at least for the few months i've been collecting). i still enjoy fanon but i am a canon person

with all of that said...

a pointless rant about dick grayson in fanon

sources listed at the bottom

this discourse surrounding dc, the batfam in particular, has really been irking my lately. i don't know why, it just has. i see so much around these characters and the way fans interact with each other here on hellsite and on tiktok (i avoid twitter like middle-aged cis white british dads avoid talking about their feelings) and i just wanna scream about it

the erasure of dick grayson's character

dick grayson isn't a himbo

this is particularly common in fanfictions given that the barrier of entry is non-existent but the idea that dick is a silly, ditzy, idiot that can't cook is arguably the complete opposite of his character

i have a feeling this idea stems from the nature of dick as nightwing, the cracking jokes whilst fighting, the appearance of not taking things seriously (when he in fact does, just not as outwardly as the likes of batman). this in and of itself is ridiculous given that a similar character, peter parker aka spider-man, also crack jokes and honestly is very similar to dick in the way he is as a hero, and yet, for the most part, is still taken seriously and isn't diminished to the same level that dick is

which could come down to public knowledge of the character

let's be honest, the majority of the public could tell you who peter parker is, have probably seen at least one live action iteration of the character, if not all 3 iconic versions (maguire, garfield, holland) most (and please forgive me for using generations) millenials and gen z can define their teen years based on which spider-man was coming out. which they went to the cinema to see. all live-action appearances are:

the amazing spider-man ('77-'79) played by nicholas hammond

spider-man (also japanese spider-man) ('78-'79) played by Shinji Tōdō

spider-man (1, 2, 3)('02, '04, '07) played by tobey maguire

the amazing spider-man (1, 2)('12, '14) played by andrew garfield

spider-man (homecoming, far from home, no way home)('17, '19, '21) played by tom holland

given that dick has just as many live action appearances, stretching back to before spider-man had even debuted in the comics:

the batman serial ('43) played by douglas croft

the batman and robin serial ('49) played by jonny duncan

batman ('66-'68) played by burt ward

batman forever ('95) and Batman & Robin ('97) played by chris o'donnell

titans ('18-'23) played by brenton thwaites

EDIT: in my excitement i never included the first comic appearances of either character. dick debuted on the 6th march 1940 in detective comics #38, peter debuted on 5th june 1962 in amazing fantasy #15

(i am not talking about animated appearances as for both peter and dick they are much less known to the general public than live action)

i'd say i was surprised to see the same number of appearances, but by comparing when the show/movie came out, you can see a clear difference

every live action spider-man project listed has occurred within the past 50 years, with the movies being in relatively consistent from 2002 onwards. dick grayson is more sporadic, 2 appearances in the 40s, again in the 60s, again in the 90s, and finally in the late 10s. no wonder he's less well known when you have to go back to the 90s for a movie version and even then it isn't really dick grayson (in terms of characterisation)

most people can tell you there's batman and robin, and maybe just maybe they can tell you robin is dick grayson, but that's about it. mention nightwing and they blank. and don't even try to tell someone that there's been more that one robin, it won't end well

i can hear people yelling "but dick is a sidekick and peter isn't"

yes, that is true, but dick hasn't been a sidekick since the early 80s, after he'd been around for over 4 decades. that's a pretty old sidekick. but yes, this does hold some merit but given that dick is a lot older it's interesting. and with the most recent live action appearance being titans, a show that spends the first 2 seasons exploring dick's journey from sidekick to standalone hero, it does pose some questions

that was a long tangent to basically say that an equivalent character in personality isn't erased so much in fanfiction because they have more recent and bigger exposure (probably)

also, random, but in my research i came across this list of best teen heroes and look

fig 1. image showing spider-man and dick grayson in positions 1 and 2 relatively in a fan voted list of best teen heroes, spider-man having 3446 votes and dick grayson having 3191 votes

anyway, back to the rant

a wayne family adventures (WFA) tangent

i see people blaming WFA for this but i really don't think that is the case. he may not be the same as his comic counterpart but he is not out of character. everything he does is still very much him. examples include:

comforting duke after ana broke up with him (ep. 10)

helping damian make a friend (ep. 24)

being torn between his brothers (ep. 27-28)

teasing bruce after zatanna made him superman (ep. 54)

teasing helena into swapping weapons (ep. 63) i just like this one

organising everyone back to the manor when he realised alfred was left on his own during thanksgiving (ep. 68)

picking the rainbow suit for bruce (ep. 77)

talking to a little girl who just lost her parents (ep. 80-81)

annoying wally (ep. 84) birdflash time

helping duke with the kidnapping threat (ep. 99) also like this one

competing with jason over lian and roy (ep. 108)

making tim do all the work in his apartment (ep. 111) + haley

comforting and helping damian when he doubts himself (ep. 113) arguably my favourite episode

ok that was most of them BUT seriously WFA is not the problem here

there's no "fix" for this, i just wanted to tell people to stop blaming WFA for everything wrong with new comic fans; you can enjoy WFA and enjoy the comics, the aren't mutually exclusive

WFA doesn't erase him, they just choose what to show in the limited time you get with him. the only thing i remember being "wrong" is that dick can't cook (ep. 17 - top chef)

and yeah, WFA does play into the golden retriever vibes fanon dick has... in one episode, specifically the haley episode (ep. 111) see below. if it takes 111 episodes to fall on a fanon trope, i think that is fine. if you want to include ep. 17, that's 2 episodes out of 116! that's pretty good going. even the comics have more ooc moments (see the current nightwing run)

fig. 2 screenshot from wayne family adventures showing dick grayson smiling and saying "thank you" whilst a tail wags in the background

fanfiction

unsurprisingly, fanfiction is probably to blame but don't think i'm blaming authors (i kinda am but stick with me here)

i don't think writing a comic canon charatcer should be required, but i do think writers should disclose when they haven't read the comics. from experience, i get not annoyed, but have a "ugh" moment when i read a fic and the character is ooc, but if the author has stated in the notes that they haven't read a comic and the character is probably ooc, i am still going to read the fic

ooc or not, if a fic has a decent plot, at least 6th grade (UK year 7) level writing, and not "want to punch them in the face" characters, i'll enjoy it. throw in a popular trope and it'll be a favourite

and if you tell people "hey, this is probably ooc from the comic canon" they can't get mad or blame authors... just saying

i mean the whole reason this is "the problem" is that people get mad over ooc in fan works. like i'm sorry, have you read gotham war?!?!? the current nightwing run?!?!? lots of ooc in the comics themselves

tl;dr

fanfiction is the root of all evil

no, but seriously, dick's, mis-characterisation is a product of his prevalence in media, the material people have, and a lack of disclaiming ooc in fanfics. the last point could be a solution, but honestly expecting fanfic authors to do that is ridiculous

this rant was for nothing, hope you enjoyed wasting your time

i did tell you it was pointless

(i should've called this section a conclusion bc the word count is 1559 and that is insane. it's literally longer than the essay i have due in next week that i'm only half way through)

(also, this was supposed to be the first part of a longer post about how dick is over-sexualised but at that word count i'm splitting it up)

sources

list of live action dick grayson

list of live action spider-man actors

used for dates of spider-man films in the correct order

wayne family adventures

[marxist-amy-rose]

I feel like to some people, SatAM is just to Sonic what the Super Mario Bros. Super Show! was to Mario, when it's not the case at all! SMBSS is just one of many branches of Mario Content, whereas SatAM was a franchise defining event, a turning point in history, it sealed Sonic's fate. Forces would not have happened without SatAM, or Archie, and no Forces or Archie, no IDW! You get what I mean? SatAM had more of an impact than X did, fight me on this, I will kill us both on this hill. Not to say that SatAM is better than X, just that, X's mark on the franchise was soft and shallow compared to SatAM's, SatAM's mark is downright problematic even.

What's gettin' me all uppity about it now? Well, again, I feel like people treat SatAM like the Sonic Bros. Super Show (when far more accurately, AoStH would be the Sonic Bros. Super Show), like it's a footnote, a side dish, and not as important as it really is to the public perception of the franchise and how Sega tries to play catch up with that perception, it's one of the earliest parts of Sonic's seemingly forever identity crisis. You know whenever someone says Sonic is a franchise about freedom and fighting oppression? You can thank SatAM for that. When you break it down, that kind of thing comes from SatAM. Sure, SatAM also started a trend of Sonic associating with monarch's, but no one really cares about that except me, so whatever. SatAM was the first thing people got pissed at for "All of Sonic's friends" and complaining about a "bloated cast", Sonally and Sonamy was the first shipping war, SatAM was the first Sonic Cartoon, the first split in Canon's, it was the first! It was responsible for Archie and all Archie became, and what eventually became IDW, and was so shamelessly copied but also ignored and disrespected by Forces. There isn't an equivalent, such an oddity of the franchise yet so impactful at the same time, even because of its status as an oddity, it is something special to Sonic!

(extended extra analysis under cut)

I kinda find Japanese purists in the Sonic Fandom, especially the young ones, obnoxious. Like, they're this odd brand of Sonic purists, not on a gameplay level or visual design level but on a conceptual level, Sonic is a flawless concept that represents freedom and not really a character with problems, the real Sonic plots in games are the original Japanese ones, those types. It's not a moral judgement, I don't even think they're wrong, I just think that it's ignorant. Sega was founded by an American, Sonic was made to appeal to juvenile Americans, he's Santa Clause Bill Clinton Michael Jackson Mickey Mouse. I'm just a Doylist about these things. What Sonic is to me is a moving conversation between America and Japan, and when you cut out one side of it you miss the whole thing. You can't cherry pick what is and isn't "really Sonic", it's ALL Sonic, that's the conundrum, that's the metanarrative. Sonic isn't "about" anything, especially not when you remove it from its creators and inspirations, and from the very earliest days, those creators were also USAmericans. Sonic 2 and Sonic CD, Sonic CD US Soundtrack and Sonic CD JP Soundtrack, Sonic Story (English Translation) and Sonic Story (Original Japanese), Sonic Comics and Sonic Manga, SatAM and OVA, etc. Sonic was never written to be about Japanese-American, dialectics lets say, but when you look at its fanbase and look at its creators and look at its history, that is what makes Sonic, that's the historical push and pull that has created Sonic, not as a singular forever idea like Mario, but as a moving living historical entity, even with its own goddamn looping lifecycle!

Hell, now with Classic Sonic and Modern Sonic, you can say Sonic is just dialectical at its heart as well as in its history. Then with Knuckles, Shadow, Metal Sonic, hell even Tails you could say. Sonic was made as, literally an antithesis to Mario, or an equivalent, a rival, whatever, Blue Oni Red Oni. The dichotomy, the dialectics are just in the blood and soul of what this franchise is on a larger level.

[crystalis39]

TRANSLATION: 'Pietà' by Nyalra

Back in August 2022, the "Needy Girl Overdose Staff Book" was released. It contains a lot of interesting behind the scenes content, among other things. Such as this 8-page short story, by Nyalra, about Ame and KAngel. I'm bad at Japanese so this is mostly cobbled together with DeepL, Jisho, Google Translate, and duct tape.

The Internet reeks of decay.

It's so oversaturated with people that there is panic everywhere. The slightest thing can set off a frenzy like a bug, and the amused spectators light fires. All the adults are desperate to put themselves on the line and bash those who have failed.

And yet, we love the Internet. Compared to the real world, where we are expected to belong to a "society," the chaos of disorder is somewhat better. I decided to become an Internet Angel in order to save all the wanderers in this small and infinite electronic space. By doing so, many people will be able to see me. I am the kind of person that no one in the real world would take to... and many people are looking for me. I offer fleeting comfort to the spirit of everyone who recognizes me. I am an angel guiding the lost.

Tonight again, I descend into the net space as an Internet Angel. I will wear a golden wig with my black hair spread out on both sides. I love my pink and light blue twin-tails. When I move during the transmission, the spiraling twin-tails shimmer and flicker, making me look beautiful. My makeup is perfect. A little exaggerated is just right. I think it's better to be a little exaggerated, because I feel like I can give people a dream as an unrealistic being. All that remained was to sit in front of the camera wearing a sailor suit that shone like the Northern Lights and a smile that I would never normally wear.

A ray of light, illuminating the chaotic internet of today Bringing happiness to the otaku floating in this electronic sea A promise of future peace - manic and moody but it’s alright The Internet Angel has descended!

"Hey cuties! I'm your loving neighbor, KAngel!" When I said, "hey cuties," the chat started to speed up with [hey kangel] all at once. The fans are so well organized and righteous. Thanks to them, I can be a pious angel today. There is no God on the Internet, though.

"Today... I have a job for you! I've just released an analog record with my songs on it! Isn't it amazing? In this day and age, it's a record, a record! It's this big!"

[I made a reservation!] [Wow!] [I want one too!]... The chat is very honest. I feel the purity of the comments, and I like the casual comments like this. I would like to respond to the flow of comments as much as I can.

"I've never played records before either, but I took this opportunity to buy a player! Now I can joke around until morning while listening to the songs of KAngel..."

[I think I'll get one too.] [What's a record?] [A one-man show?] The chat is flowing like a waterfall tonight. As long as I am riding this stream of water, I am happy to imagine that I am there as a comfort to the viewers. There are many hardships and suffering. Even in the most enjoyable streams, fatigue and stress can build up. But I still can't imagine myself quitting because I feel the value of my existence through this connection with an unspecified number of people.

Tonight, along with tens of thousands of other geeks, I'll be spending another late night...

~~~~~

I turn off the feed, shut down the computer, take off my wig, and change into my casual clothes. The reflection in the mirror on my desk is, of course, not an angel, but my usual self. I am a lusty lump of flesh that none of the tens of thousands of geeks know about.

I was once slammed by someone who said, "All content creators are fakers." That's what unimaginative idiots always say. If you really think it's easy enough to get paid for playing in front of a screen, you should start too. Can't you think of how narrow the bar is to get to the upper echelon where you can make a living in this world? You can't understand how hard it is to play the role of a cheerful and humorous fool on purpose so that your audience doesn't see you suffering, so you can only get approval by slamming others anonymously like that.

...I don't care about slander I've seen a hundred million times, but the word "fictitious business" is the only thing that bothers me. It seems to be the opposite of a real business, and refers to a business that is not solid and leaves nothing behind. But, in the case of video distribution, all that is left is the video. Well, there are some goods. It is certainly a profession that is far from solid.

So, is KAngel a "fiction"? A rather strong collective hallucination created by the lost lambs of the Internet. Of course, it is based on my body and mind, but the coated surface cannot be denied as a fiction.

I'm sorry I'm a fictional, lying entity. ...but no one can see me in real life. I have no choice but to do so.

Finding material for daily content is important. The key to content is numbers, and during the day, I choose topics to talk about and go left and right before the nightly live time. When there is nothing going on, I wander around the city like this. It is good to stay in my room and wander around the Internet, but sometimes I am attacked by the image of the exhaust heat from my PC entering my body and making my mentality heavier than ever. In such a case, it's a good idea to go downstairs.

Today, I decided to go to Shibuya. By the way, I heard that the billboard for the sponsorship I had accepted recently was on display in front of the station. I wade through the crowd and stand in front of the station. On one of the walls supporting the Shibuya station, there's KAngel with a can in her hand and a big smile on her face.

Young girls noticed KAngel and said, "How cute!" They were so excited. Some of them were even taking selfies with the bottles of natto-flavored cola that KAngel promoted. Everyone loves the Internet Angel so much. The lump of flesh standing right next to me, not looking like KAngel, was out of my sight.

That cola... didn't taste good. I drank it because it was for a sponsorship, but if it wasn't for work, I wouldn't put even a drop in my mouth unless I was tortured. The KAngel in the ad was holding it with a smile on her face, and the girls who were influenced by it were happily buying it. I have never seen such an expression on their faces. The girls are leaving after taking a selfie in front of the advertisement of KAngel. I wonder how they would react if they knew that their favorite KAngel was right next to them? I wonder if a heavenly being might be watching over everyone like this.

It's a short walk to the scramble crossing.

This is an unlucky place for content creators. The odd behavior of streamers who tried to stand out at this place was repeatedly roasted, and the air was filled with a miasma that bad things would happen if you filmed at this place. Well, it doesn't matter to me because I rarely take pictures outside.

But then, the residents of the Internet are also heartless, aren't they? They consume Internet content day in and day out, but the moment the creators lose their balance, they flip-flop and slam them like demons. For example, if KAngel posted a plan to sleep on a futon in the middle of an intersection, a storm of criticism would pour in, saying, "Don't you think about the inconvenience to passersby!" Of course, it's not the fault of the person who gets flamed, but.... But why don't they at least give a little consideration to the feelings of those who have to walk this tightrope every time they do it?

The Internet is a tough place.

It's so easy to say, "This is interesting!" "A new talent" "Definitely a genius". But if the wind changes direction for a moment, the same mouths and hands are used to belittle others. I wonder if people who just repeatedly consume on the spot have any faith at all.

One day, I, too, may be consumed to the point of being thrown away like a toy that I have had enough of playing with.

It is sad to be an Internet Angel.

"Hey cuties! I'm Scramble Angel, KAngel! Today I went to Shibuya on my own! What a surprise! In front of the Shibuya station, there was a poster advertising the natto-flavored cola I drank the other day. Isn't it cute?"

[cute] [I saw it] [I took a picture with it]... Fans responded to the angel's call. The wave of positive feedback is so pleasant that I even feel a kind of sanctity. A slightly religious and dangerous thought. "Shibuya was so crowded that I got super tired... Angels can't stand the air down there for long. I'm more tired than usual, so please heal me."

[Good night!] [Good job] [I'm always ready to listen] Colored comments start mixing in. Prominent comments with money attached: superchats. By posting highlighted comments with money, you can be easily picked up by me, or you can simply feel the comfort of having made an offering. It's all about self-satisfaction at the end of the day, but if it makes people happy, then it's a good thing. I am providing them with contents and cuteness that are worth it, so I should be proud of it.

By using the superchats I receive as my flesh and blood, a part of the recipient's wallet becomes a part of KAngel's. This feeling of togetherness must be very comfortable. This sense of oneness must be very comfortable for them. At first I felt a little sorry for the superchat culture, but recently I have come to respect it. The fact that I am instilling faith in others and making them feel better by doing so is a religion in itself, but it is also one of the few good deeds I can do.

For this reason, I try to be the sweetest angel in front of the camera.

~~~~~

After the stream, Ame-chan... returns to her normal self. After the broadcast, I try to go to sleep quickly after checking my reputation via vanity searching, but I can't sleep so easily due to the stress of being manifested as an angel. Even when I get under the covers and try to close my mind, I can feel the opinions of the Internet entering my brain, and I can no longer fall asleep so easily. This feeling increases as the number of my followers increases. Each time this happened, the number of medications I had to take at the hospital increased.

Tonight, as usual, I cannot sleep. I keep having flashbacks to those fans who took selfies with the poster, who didn't recognize me. I need to take my medicine. I take more psychotropic and sleeping pills than usual. A few pills are swallowed by water, passed down the throat and digested in the stomach. The ingredients travel through the bloodstream and stimulate the brain. They gradually blur your consciousness so that you don't have to think so hard. The sensation of a cool chill in the back of my head. I don't mind it.

There is still time before I feel completely sleepy. I get up to go to the bathroom, stagger my steps, and jump up when I see my face in the bathroom mirror.

For a moment, my face looked like KAngel's.

I had already taken off my makeup and wig, but in the mirror I saw myself smiling at me, my pink and light blue twin-tail hair swinging. I looked down in horror and saw my hair in the drain, glistening gold, and I let out another hiss. Slowly... I took a deep breath and looked back at the mirror to see a frightened downer girl on the other side of it, and the hair in the drain was black. Thank God, I'm "Ame-chan" now.

~~~~~

Returning to my futon, I think about the current phenomenon. My ego and the ego of the KAngel are assimilating. My two brains are melting together, as I am forced to spend my days going back and forth between the lump of flesh and the angel. Both of them are me, but neither of them is me.

In other words, I don't need the "Ame" persona. The one who entertains and leads the otaku is KAngel, and I am merely one of the parts that assist her activities. I am merely an auxiliary part of her activities, because none of the viewers are looking at me. The number counter is growing by the thousands and thousands, but not a single one of them knows "Ame". Unlike KAngel, I am not needed. No one will be sad if I die right now. The only people who will be sad are the fans who will mourn the disappearance of KAngel from the internet. I'm sure they will be chasing after another streamer in a few months.

Breathing is labored. My heart is beating loudly. The more I think about it, the more my thoughts loop, and I can't stop ruminating on the voice that says, "I don't want you." I don't want this. I don't want this. I don't want this. I don't want this. I don't want this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't want to do this.

Somehow, I reach up from the bed, take a pill from the sheet of sleeping pills, and swallow it in one gulp. Oh, my head is getting fuzzier and fuzzier. This sensation must be a nightmare. Since childhood, I have strangely had the ability to foresee nightmares just before falling asleep. Tonight, too, I must endure suffering even in my dreams. Please help me...

~~~~~

A pure white space. The usual me. I find myself sitting in a chair, with KAngel sitting in the chair across from me. She is smiling as usual.

"Hey cutie!"

The angel greets me. Her pink and light blue twintails twinkle. I thought it was a beautiful color scheme.

"You don't have to greet me like that. There are no viewers here, only me watching you." "I see. I'm sorry, Ame-chan."

Even so, she never changes her expression. The angel always has a smile on her face.

"There's no need to apologize, I know you're doing your best..." "That makes two of us, doesn't it?" "I don't know. I'm just a dime-a-dozen girl with a rotten personality... Nobody would approach me wandering Shibuya, unlike KAngel." "You're also KAngel." "I'm not KAngel." "You're also KAngel." "I'm not KAngel. Still, I'm part of it." "No-no, we're the same." "KAngel is pure, unlike me. The whole world - the whole internet - loves you." "Ame-chan, doesn't that fit you as well? Because you are me." "That's why there's a clear difference between me and you." "So, it's because I'm a beautiful person who many people like?" "That's right." "I like Ame-chan." "I told you I was impure." "Even if you're impure or a sinner, guiding you is my role as a guardian angel." "You don't have to protect me." "Uh-huh. I'll still protect you, because if you're hurt, I'm hurt." "I'm the only one who should be hurt. I'll make sure it doesn't affect your brand, KAngel." "That's impossible. You and I are one. We're inseparable partners for life." "I'll give you myself. Earlier today, I panicked because I wasn't sure which of us was the main personality. If our partnership is to be like this, then I'd rather give you my entire soul." "No. If you did that, I'd surely cease to exist. Both of us would disappear, annihilated."

Before I knew it, she grasped my hand.

"What would happen if we both disappeared?" "Maybe when you wake up, it'll be in a hospital bed. It'd probably be difficult to stream for everyone after that." "KAngel, what should I do?" "I think it's the other way around. What should I do, Ame-chan?" "I don't know." "Do you like me, Ame-chan?" "Sometimes I hate you, but I still like you." "More than anything else?" "No, I think there are quite a few things that take precedence over you." "Do you like being by my side?" "I don't think I do. After all, the way I see it, your existence is too beautiful. It looks unnerving." "Do you like staring at me?" "I like doing that. You have a nice face. We have the same face, so I'm just being egotistical... I think I'm properly pretty." "Do you think I'm dumb?" "I don't think so. I'm just playing the fool for the viewers. The real fool is me, who I can't tune out such things." "Do you think I'm attractive?" "Yes. So much so that tens of thousands of fans come to see you. Every single ribbon is lovely, you look so complete." "Is that true?" "It's true. I'm you and you're me, so I won't lie." "Do you like me?" "I like you." "Do you really love love looove me?" "Yeah, I really love love looove you!" "...Then, it's okay."

She stopped holding her hands with mine, and rolled up her long sleeves to reveal her arms. KAngel's arms weren't the skin of a pure white angel, but a ragged and scarred mess of red lines running down.

"I told you, didn't I? You and I are the same. I'm hurt, and I'm impure, too."

KAngel never fails to smile, even during times like these.

"I will save the internet, but only you can save me."

She smiled her most beautiful smile of the day, and then - as if ascending to the heavens - she disappeared.

~~~~~

I will be an Internet Angel again tonight.

Wearing a blonde wig, an aurora-colored uniform, and rocking pink and light blue twin-tails.

"Hey cuties! It's the Internet Angel, KAngel!"

[hey kangel] [hey kangel] [hey kangel]... The nerds cheerfully return greetings today. A smile from the angel on camera.

One comment, [I had a dream about KAngel yesterday!!!] was a superchat with a red frame. The red frame represents the largest amount. They must have been so happy to have met KAngel in their dream. I want to pick up such a comment.

"I was in your dream? Ha ha! Angels sometimes appear in dreams to tell us various things. Most of the time, their words and deeds are inexplicable, but that is because they are faithfully carrying out God's will on their behalf. So remember what the KAngel in your dream told you. That's the sign God gave you."

[I wish I could meet you in my dreams.] [Is there a God?] [Angels are so clumsy!] ...The comments rolled in.

"Come to think of it, I've been doing a lot of chit-chat lately. Today, I'll give you an angel's commentary! Like an angel, I've been studying Gods. Do you know who is the best wrestler in the world at taking on other people's attacks?"

In the chat, many names of wrestlers were mentioned. I have no knowledge of wrestling at all, so I'll just let it slide and move on to the main topic.

"It's Jesus Christ. Christ is the greatest wrestler, for he has been bombarded with so many people's emotions, and he returned them all with love... that's written in a comic book!"

The entire Internet was abuzz with every word and phrase of KAngel. Accepting all the intrusive love from fans and slander from the anti-fans, the Internet Angel was flapping her wings in the window again tonight.

Maybe it's because of the religious discussion I had last night, but I kind of wanted to see a church. I heard that there is a rather large church a few stops away by train that is open to visitors. I thought it might be good material for something, so I went there immediately.

The stained glass windows engraved with religious paintings are majestic, especially beautiful when the light coming through the cross-shaped skylight forms the shape of a cross on the floor. Walking ahead of the light, you will see a large, large, real crucifix. This is the most important religious symbol of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

I have a vision of KAngel crucified on that cross. Her pale skin glows bewitchingly with red scars, her usual smile has ceased, and her eyes are closed in peace.

I slowly lower the hallucinogenic KAngel from the cross. I take her in my arms and whisper to her.

"I love you. I really love, love, love you."

The angel opened her blue eyes for a moment, looked at my face in relief, closed them again, and fell asleep peacefully.

[mrmallard]

Okay so this is going to be a long, rambling post about Pokemon that involves bugs, UFOs and a Pokemon that feels like a friendly trans girl, so stick with me because it's going to get esoteric and deranged.

Back when I was a kid, one of my favourite Pokemon design-wise was Ledian. Ledyba is adorable and I like it, but fuckin Ledian is a little Super Sentai superhero bug guy, I love him:

Like what a badass design! He's got the little cartoon booties and the cool pointy antenna and four arms with the white cartoon gloves. Ledian fucking rules.

The issue with Ledian, imo, is that it's weak as shit.

Looking up the base stat total, Ledian maxes out at 390 stat points - it has 110 stat points in special defense, but everything else is very mid. And in a non-obsessive nerd way, I've always felt like Ledian lets the team down despite my love for him - I tried having him on my team back in Pokemon Crystal when I was a kid, and I just couldn't do it. There's a noticeable difference between Ledian and a whole-game party member.

Ledian has the same base stat total as Graveller, which I've used on a whole-game party a few times, but the typing (Bug/Flying) isn't as useful and - imo - the moveset (at least in gen 2) was lacking because of that. Graveller is an absolute monster when you've got it using the right moves, and it always has been. Ledian was always my favorite un-favorite - he's a kickass little guy who I love, but I can't justify having him on a team because he was a weak link.

So what I want to establish is three things:

I love ladybug-themed Pokemon.

I don't like using Bug Pokemon, even if I love how they look (Spinarak, Pineco)

For better or worse, I love power and I like a good typing in the Pokemon I do use.

So, let's get out of generation 2 and jump into gen 8.

Blipbug.

I don't like Blipbug.

Every generation has a Caterpie, and for Sword and Shield, Blipbug was that Pokemon. It has a cute little design, but it's also overdesigned in that latter-era Pokemon way. It's a little nerd fella with a bow-tie and big eyes that look like a pair of glasses. I played Shield; it was the first Pokemon game I bought and played since Platinum, and I didn't particularly like gen 4. Blipbug was anathema. I did not go for Blipbug.

That was a mistake.

I was wrong.

Because Blipbug evolves into a Pokemon called Dottler, who's been giving me a hard time in this ROMhack I'm following called Pokemon Emerald Crest. No biggie, I thought Dottler was a single-stage evolution Pokemon that was kind of a beef-gate. But hey, Blipbug evolves into Dottler. I probably won't ever use one, but it's a very formidable Pokemon on its own.

But DOTTLER evolves into a THIRD Pokemon. And the third evolution is absolutely, 180% going to be on my next team.

Ladies, gentlemen and esteemed non-binary individuals - take a fuckin gander at ORBEETLE:

First of all - ladybug. Check.

Second of all - badass fighter design that kinda resembles something that might come from a Japanese tokusatsu show. Check.

Third - the typing.

Bug/PSYCHIC.

Orbeetle fucking rules. I haven't used one yet, so I could go back on all this later, but it's like the Ledyba evolution line done right. Don't get me wrong, I severely misjudged the potential of Blipbug bc I didn't like the design - by that metric, the Ledyba line is much better design-wise. But Ledian suffers from being a permanent second-stage evolution. Graveller can potentially evolve into Golem if you have a friend with a link cable - Ledian is kinda mid forever.

Orbeetle is a third-stage evolution, and comparatively it's an absolute fucking MONSTER statwise.

Orbeetle has a base stat total of 505, with a hundred defense stat points and 110 in special defense. Everything else is a bit mid, so Orbeetle might not be the best attacker for all I know. But for the sake of this post - Orbeetle has the same base stat total as fucking NIDOKING.

And THAT'S NOT EVEN THE COOLEST THING ABOUT ORBEETLE.

Orbeetle has a Gigantimax form, where it turns into a

MASSIVE

FUCKING

FLYING SAUCER

FROM FUCKING SPACE

IT'S A GIANT PSYCHIC LADYBUG FLYING SAUCER

WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK THIS IS BADASS

How have I never seen or heard of Orbeetle before? This is the coolest shit Pokemon has done in ages, and it's technically Old now. I don't like how Blipbug looks so I never used one, when the whole time I could have been using Orbeetle. Holy shit.

Anyway uhh as a post-script here's the Pokemon that reminds me of a friendly trans girl:

This is Simipour, and she looks like she gives great hugs. Thank you for coming to my TEDx Talk.

[nearly-wonderland]

人造エネミー Jinzou Enemy - Jin - English Translyrics 

「 A song that turns away eyes. 」

"Living a life only doomed to repeat,  When your dreams all fall away, there's no point in remaining the same." Words you paint in lies so they won't fade. One and the same, we crave for a world that’s too far out of reach  Your fingertips that say this to me; Yet your silent voice is all the truth that I need.

The nameless figures you've hidden away,  And yet even then, how you beg for them to stay A love like that, you know there's no way they could feel the same.

Still, that's the way that it goes, so bring one and two more days to a close Bite down your fear like we're still alive* Just close your eyes and sleep ‘til you're fine.

"Ah, how it's all mundane," you scoff again, averting your gaze Even though you know your eyes could never look away... Hey, since it's all ignored, and you won't let those feelings arise Are you going to spend another day glaring, tired empty eyes staring at this lonely me through the screen?

You know this kind of life isn’t what you should do That hurting turning to all you knew To sort through truth and root out all the lies, it’s all hidden far away deeper than you can find

Is this whole world just lying to crumble beneath?** Since you don’t see it, hey, why don’t we Just run away from this broken place, to a non-reality made for you and me?

So why continue with your carrying on when this world is doing nothing but hate and scorn you? Just say 「 Goodbye 」 to it all, and only lie your eyes upon me.

"Ah, truly wonderful," you say, and clap your hands with glee But the lies you weave are slowly flooding down the streets. Hey, if you’ve grown so cold to a point where it’s more than you can bear Tell me why your tired eyes are still glaring, boring through me comparing me to all the lies that you see?

You know this kind of life isn't what you should do Why can't you see that you're breaking too? When all is gone and you're all that remains, close your eyes and turn away from the world that you find Stuck in a darkened room without kindness or light And soon, one day, when the sun will rise You'll hear my cries and resounding within as I break apart and fall out of existence 

"No, please, this just can't be! Please, I don't understand!" You stare coldly as I cry, and say, "I'm done with this toy that can only talk, so just leave, I've gotten sick of it all." 

———————————————————————— *The lyrics in Japanese don't explicitly mention death, but rather pretending to live, so I took liberties here to convey the story a bit better. For series like Kagerou Project and Shuuen no Shiori, I'm much more likely to take artistic liberties in the lyrics due to my familiarity with the source material in every form it's been adapted. **"Lying" is used throughout the lyrics intentionally, both in its meaning as a non-truth and as in 'laying' in another tense. The repetition of the term I felt fit the nature of this song very well, which is also why you'll find some repetitive terms and mid-line rhymes throughout the entire song.

[It's a concrete plan for me to eventually translate every Kagepro song! This has been my goal since I started writing lyrics several years ago~]

[demonlordclayman]

One question that I will come back to again and again is simply this:

why?

Where is Clayman's Revenge going, broadly? Why is this the story Fuze wants to tell?

Obviously I can only speculate - I am not the author. And I don't really have strong answers yet.

I think a big motif through the story so far is a compare and contrast to Rimuru and his friends. Clayman falls because he doesn't confide in and listen to his friends though arguably this is out of his control with the influence set by Kondo. However, Revenge sets the stage that he's been doing a bad job of relying on them even prior to Kondo's influence.

(chapter 1 of Clayman's Revenge)

The difference in the main timeline for Revenge is that he's started listening to them and including them. One of the covers even explicitly compares him and his army to Rimuru!

(chapter 11, full disclosure, this is a fan translation screen cap. The official English apparently didn't feel like translating those words, they're just missing entirely, but I see them in the Japanese raws!)

So I don't think this theme is very subtle. Clayman and his forces are growing stronger because of him earning trust and giving trust, and growing as a person. And my expectation is that this will lead to a better outcome for him. What that means for the world is pretty interesting though, especially with Chloe/Chronoa/the Hero looping through time the way they are.

It's also worth mentioning that Clayman himself is...oblivious to the reasons as to why his people are stronger.

(Chapter 12)

He has no idea why things are going better than in the past, so clearly he's still got a lot to learn on this journey. That being said, we can also see this growth has taken root and it isn't just an act.

I don't have the impression he would have called them "friends" in the original timeline, for one, and he's clearly actually upset about this. And, as I brought up in my thoughts on chapter 20, he keeps buying things for people (Eva with the necklace and Raine with the ambergris) even if there's not a good reason.

So that brings up another thing - what will happen with the encounter with Kondo? Clayman doesn't remember it. He has no idea he's been under someone else's control in both of the prior timelines.

my best guess at this point is that by this time, he will have a new reputation, and someone else will realize something is a wrong - a friend. Maybe multiple friends. I suppose the whole thing could be avoided, but the idea of someone noticing the difference and caring enough to do something really aligns with the idea of friendship and the benefits it brings. So I think that's more like.

That being said, I'm still wondering why Clayman. Clayman gets so little development in the novels (and other adaptations) - he's this villain that's propped up just to fall really hard (it frustrates me just how hard - the claim is made repeatedly of how smart he is and we don't see that in the main timeline at all). The Moderate Jesters do have an important role to play as Yuuki's subordinates in the main plot, so does it have to do with this family unit as much as with Clayman's growth? I still wonder what the outcome of this is going to be.

There's also the fact I can't dismiss that Clayman's soul has been inside of Rimuru this entire time in the main plot. I'm not sure I agree with the idea I've seen put forth that this is something Rimuru is doing to him - teaching him a lesson while he's inside his stomach. It would require knowledge that neither he nor Clayman (or Raphael/Ciel) have to simulate all of this so I just don't see it. That, and his soul is used to heal Tear (in 19? I think it was book 19).

Actually, by the end of book 20, Clayman's family has been absolutely devastated. Footman has been taken over by Jahil. Laplace and Yuuki both are MIA (I don't believe either of them are dead). Tear and Kagali are. Alright ish.

But wait. Let's go back to that Footman thing. Do we know when Jahil was implanted into Footman? I'm not sure we do. Is Jahil already spying on Clayman in Clayman's Revenge? And also why would Feldway put him in place to spy on Clayman specifically anyway...hm. I guess the real target may have been Kazalim, but...I'm not sure. This feels like something I'd like to come back to when we have more information.

Let's just close the lid on that though - the second I start thinking about what might change in the main timeline I realize I need a separate post probably, that's an entire can of worms.

To bring it back to the point, I love the world building we're getting and the character development we're getting for Clayman and the people around him. I would, frankly, read the shit out of a slice of life Clayman manga so I have no complaints. But I think there are bigger things afoot here, and I'm eager to see where this is going despite my lack of answers currently!

[x-authorship-x]

how do the narutoverse characters all speak the same language? i get it if its in the same land / village, but another land / village ??? how do they understand eachother?? do they have the same universal language or do they all speak the same language?

... i'm definitely nit-picking now. if only i could learn to be a normal human being and stop having existential crises with these question~~~ ♫

Also technology is wack in Naruto, wdym you send messages thru letters but you guys have phones, emails and television??

Well... for a given understanding of what exactly is the "same language" and a forgiveness of regional dialects, varying literacy, and colloquialisms... Everyone speaks Japanese in Canon.

I don't know Japanese and I haven't watched/read the manga/anime so I couldn't say if the Japanese used is consistent across characters or anything. Also I'm not looking for anyone to kick down my ask box to info dump on this

In my fics, I lean into varying accents and local colloquialism in order to give a sense of varying regions, class, culture, etc etc. However, writing in English is very different from writing in Japanese because... well, I don't speak Japanese so I know the vibes of 'why' but I literally can't explain it.

Shisui speaks like a perfect Clan kid from the heart of Konoha; Raidou is from the same place but his voice is rounder, less polished, and he might have shared some "rougher" slang with his Squadmates since he's the only one who grew up in a working class civilian neighborhood.

Kisame has a different accent to Shisui (Kiri compared to Konoha) but they are totally fine with communicating because they've both had a high level of village-centred education that teaches them how to talk, how to speak, and how to blend in. Kisame has therefore been trained out of his rural dialect/accent (later on in this AU, some of you may notice that Zabuza has stubbornly held onto his).

When Shisui was undercover in Lightning's rural areas, he altered his accent and manner of speaking to better blend in.

The Crows speak in a way that is totally different to Humans. Shisui, as a fluent but obviously non-native speaker, uses much more basic language. There are noticable translation issues (no word for 'Hokage' so they use 'Hat', they never use Human Names, Akira isn't Akira's 'true name' but rather the Human equivalent used for functionality) which emphasises that the Crow language is completely distinct from the Human's.

Let's get back to Canon (🙃)

People can speak the "same language" and not be able to understand a word the other person is saying. I know a woman who's husband's family were from a different village and the in-laws could barely make small talk because they were so heavy on the slang, which absolutely did not translate to the other region's slang.

In Narutoverse, there's some stuff to consider off the top of my head

One, it's an anime, Kishi has too much timeline to forget and insane plot decisions to introduce to bother with linguistic nuance and do this idea justice so - as far as I'm aware - he didn't do language variation in canon.

Two, I think if Shinobi villages had their own languages, it would be something treated more like a hidden code than used casually, domestically, or be ritualistic in important events etc. I do think there'd be a shared 'higher' language at least, for treaties and Daimyos and shit, even if the rural farmers didn't know it even existed. And this means Shinobi would know it too.

Three, texting. Can the rural farmer own a cute little flip phone with a few attached charms? The world of translation would surely open up at least, although that doesn't mean dialects or different languages would disappear

Again, I'm not a linguist and i have no interest in being one!

The idea is cool tho

(every time I answer an ask, I tell myself it'll be shorter this time and yet...)

[crowemoji]

I'm planning to make a comic in the isekai genre just purely out of hatred with how boring and dogshit a majority of stuff is there in that genre.

I want to make it mostly comedy. Yes, mostly. I want some serious stuff in here too so that it's thrilling.

Here's my ocs, the main four:

Hino Toshiro, the protagonist we follow, the one that gets isekai'd. Oh right, he gets isekai'd into his own video game. He was originally an indie game developer (I just wanted to follow the classic tropes you see in a lot of isekais and be stupid about them).

I wanted him to look a bit more unique when compared to other isekai protagonists, so I didn't go with the basic hairstyle almost every male protagonist has (can these guys be creative for once).

He has a bite mark because the protagonist of the game got bit and died from it, so Toshiro becomes him, essentially 'respawning' but he kept the bite mark. In order for Hino to not get shot at first sight, he looks around for a dead body and uses the lab coat from it in order to cover it. The bite mark has turned into a scar and all that blood has dried up (it looks fresh in the concept art but this was something I thought of later after I drew him). He can't get infected but he knows that the bite mark stayed because that was a feature in his own game. The feature being that whenever you die, the wound from your previous body stays, so you have to find new ways to make sure you aren't getting killed by the people who are supposed to help you.

And because he's the developer and one of the writers (his friend group consists of people that also want to make a game with him, so that's his development team), he was able to research a lot of stuff about biology and microbiology. He isn't as experienced as a person with an actual degree obviously, so he isn't a know-it-all type guy.

Kinoshita Hitomi, one of the characters from the fictional biotech company, (I haven't thought of a name yet). She worked as a clinical technician before the apocalypse from the game happened.

She used to play baseball when she was a teen but abandoned it because of her parents wanting her to specialize in some sort of medical related career. Now it's useful here because she can kill zombies with only one or two or three swings (it depends on where she hits them, but usually two).

Maria Cumberman, you can tell she's not japanese by her name, she's from Canada and came here to get employed in the company. She's very young for being a microbiologist and one of the researchers for finding a cure for rabies but considered a savant so she got her degree earlier than most.

Let me add on a bit more: The research for finding a cure for rabies backfired, causing the apocalypse in the game, the virus took over 2 months to completely mess up everything in the building. This rabies variant takes over a lot faster than the regular version. It still takes some time to act, but not as slow as rabies [can be], it's acting time is predictable however, so that helps.

Because she was one of the researchers, she blames herself and feels extremely guilty about it. She and the others are trying to find the cure themselves, but Maria is the only one actually experienced in this type of thing, so they need her alive.

I haven't thought too much about the plot yet (I wanted to design my characters first), so I need to think of why the virus spread that quickly.

Tanaka Futoshi, worked as a business development manager.

He has a ring which was from a previous marriage. He divorced his now ex-wife of 6 years (she was a piece of shit), but he didn't want to get rid of the ring because 1. it was expensive and 2. it looked neat (it doesn't look that cool here but I'll add more stuff when I get to making more detailed reference sheet), so he moved the ring from his ring finger to his middle finger to silently say 'fuck you' to his ex. It doesn't really affect him in the current time because he moved on but it's a funny backstory for his ring.

Height chart.

Tanaka looks a little off but I don't really care to redraw him.

That's all. Here's some more concept sketches.

Other stuff about the world, not necessarily only about the characters:

The lab coat;

Company logo;

And ID card tier codes (tier I, II, III, and IV). This appears on the bottom of someone's ID and depending on what tier of access they've been given, they can gain access to various rooms and equipment. The ID scanners also check the fingerprints that exist on a special holographic sticker to ensure that the person who's in possession of the ID is the actual owner. I can't put the concept image of that here because image limit.

That's it, hopefully I get to make an actual decent comic instead of it being boring and dogshit like the isekais I'm making fun of (if it becomes something like that, feel free to shoot me).

My plan is to make it black and white like mangas usually are, but it has some colour... well, the only thing that's going to have colour is blood. But I think it will make it a bit more interesting to look at because I personally love looking at artworks that do that type of thing.

I've drawn comics before but they're always short and they're not even my own characters, so this is gonna be my way of practicing. Hope you had fun reading. If you'd like some more stuff about it don't be afraid to ask (if you even want to).

[toreii]

Lost in the Book with Stitch part 39

Disclaimer: This is a fan translation. I apologize for any mistakes. I’m by no means fluent in Japanese, but I try my best. Please, support the official translation when it comes out. Be kind and friendly, and feel free to support me by donating a ko-fi if you’d like. Link is in my description!

Uninhabited Island - Sea

Lilia: “Haa, that was fun, that was fun. Surfing is so much fun!”

Lilia: “It's especially nice when the waves don't go as planned. I fell down so many times!”

Lilia: “Kufufu, it feels like my body is still being shaken by the waves. Also, the inside of my nose feels tingly due to the seawater.”

Lilia: “Also, the sun was blazing down l, and shining brightly on the endless water surface!”

Lilia: “There are still so many fun games to play in this world...”

Lilia: “I was able to experience something I didn't know before. I have never been so happy. I'm so glad I came to this island!”

Riddle: “Yes! I didn’t know how fun the sea could be.”

Riddle: “The joy of getting on a surfboard for the first time…”

Riddle: “When the big waves came, I saw a large school of fish in the waves! They were all small, and they looked and greeted me with their eyes.”

Floyd: “Huh—? Isn't that just your imagination? They're not that smart.”

Riddle: “It’s my imagination. When I get back to school, I have to look up what kind of fish it is in the encyclopedia.”

Riddle: “When I sat on the board and listened to the waves, I was amazed at how loud they were. It's completely different from seeing it from a distance.”

Riddle: “When I go back to school, I'd like to invite everyone in the dorm as well. Cater and Deuce will be especially delighted.”

Floyd: “Oh, despite Goldfishy-chan falling in the water so many times. You’re surprisingly flexible.”

Riddle: “It's true that I failed many times…but, if you think of it like horseback riding, there's nothing you can't do.”

Riddle: “The one who had more trouble than me was…”

Azul: “…………”

Azul: “I find it so difficult to maintain a sense of balance... or rather, I don't understand the point of going out of my way to stand on the board.”

Azul: “It's a human foot, right? You can't attach it to the board with suction, or wrap your foot around it.”

Azul: “Yet, why is it so easy for everyone else…”

Floyd: “Aha, Azul kept making his legs so stiff~!”

Floyd: “If you were going to be squealing, you should have used the paddle on the board like I told you.”

Lilia: “That’s right. Then, it would have been easier to surf than usual.”

Azul: “I don't want to. It's humiliating because it seems like I'm the only one with assistance.”

Azul: “How was Floyd able to ride such big waves so easily?”

Lilia: “Yeah, that’s right. Wasn’t that your first time? I was surprised at how quickly you were riding the waves.”

Riddle: “Compared to Azul, it’s not like it’s because you’re a mermaid...Do you have any tips?”

Floyd: “Hm? Just a hunch.”

Riddle/Azul/Lilia: “A hunch…”

Floyd: “Yeah. When the waves come, move your body in the direction that makes you feel happy. That’s all.”

Floyd: “Then the waves will come and take you on board, and you can just float on the board! Like that.”

Azul: “There's no way I can learn...It was a mistake to ask Floyd for advice.”

Riddle: “It's about yourself. You'll eventually learn to ride it on your own without any advice.”

Riddle: “That it! Next time we go with our dorm, let’s bring Azul with us.”

Azul: “Oh, I’m looking forward to it.”

Floyd: “I wanna go, too! Let's also invite Jade. I'll show you how Azul’s legs tremble.”

Azul: “Hmph, that's fine. Jade probably won't be able to surf well at first anyway...”

Azul: “This time, I’ll be the one laughing.”

Floyd: “Yeah—. I'm sure Azul will wake up early and practice every day starting tomorrow.”

Lilia: “Oh, then please invite us too. Let's surf with Malleus, Silver, and Sebek!”

Lilia: “Now then, shall we take a break?”

Riddle: “Hm? Ace and the others are…”

Grim: “Woah! Water splashed off Jack's board. It’s salty!”

Ace: “Jack, don't get carried away just because you're a little better!”

Jack: “Hah. If you’re feeling frustrated, try to do better.”

Jack: “Stitch, Yuu, are you both exhausted, too?”

Jack: “Don't lie on your stomach all the time, show your guts...uwah!?”

Ace: “Yeah~! Yuu, did you see that? Jack got wiped by the waves.”

Jack: “Pffftpfftt……shut up. It was a choppy wave!”

*Splashes Ace*

Ace: “Woah, stop it! Don’t splash me!”

*Splashes Jack*

Grim: “They’re both splashing me too!”

Grim: “Ooh~……….Yuu, Stitch. Let’s get back at Jack and Ace!”

*Water fight ensues~*

Lilia: “T-This is……no way……youth!”

Riddle: “Yes, the first years are so energetic, including Stitch.”

Floyd: “If we’re still planning to go back, I’ll head back first.”

Azul: “Let us do the same. I wouldn’t be able to survive among such cheerful first year students.”

Riddle: “Hehe. That’s right. Let’s go back to the cottage, and prepare for dinner.”

To be continued…

[silver-wield]

i find the whole tifa "SHOULD" be buff on twitter really sad. Some people are really taking the white Knighting complex and missing out why some are saying factual stuff about her. If the OP didn't try to force their way that she's a pugilist (which she is not, she's a monk but they're probably referring to ff14 pugilist -> monk system which didn't exist in FF7 yet.....but they really do no want to be corrected and would rather tantrum instead ... seriously so "mature" goddamn it, that's why I blocked them off) and that she should be buff otherwise you're kissing SE's/Nomura's ass. It's sad, really sad.

Do they even really love tifa just as she is? Then why ask to change her? Almost even removing most of her chest which is a part of her whether they like it her not? One could have a preference surely....but they shouldn't shove it down people's throat and call them names if they don't agree. If they don't want people to comment, then why post it on public then? It's the internet? I really don't like OP, they're being too defensive and insecure with their own work.... Just because people liked it, doesn't mean the majority will accept it, twitter is not the world. That isn't tifa, that's somebody cosplaying as tifa instead. Seriously..... If OP didn't say shit that she "should", this wouldn't escalate at all. there have been plentiful buff < - > ultra buff tifa fanarts made all throughout the years before but don't need to assert a stupid stance like this, acting like it's a fact when it's not. They should stop forcing tifa to be their poster mascular body type character in FF series and demand SE to create a new one instead. They should leave tifa alone and stop forcing their ideals on her, Tbh her best design for me will always be dissidia tifa.

Personally, I think remake tifa could use a bit off current Rose Namajunas' body type to balance with her huge chest and add more strength to her *design shape....but what OP drew was no offense, "not effective" at all in the grand scale of things. Completely deflated her chest and muscle size like compared to cloud lol would look like a sore thumb with the rest of the cast too. Perhaps they wanted a Reika Saiki....instead? But this muscle idol, unlike their redesign is still able to keep her feminine vibes though??? Hmm

Anyway, I don't appreciate op being too defensive and aggressive I think it was them who ultimately made it worse and those who sincerely do have muscle fetish too (in the guise of pro muscular women), Im sure cleriths are taking advantage of this moment. There are indeed bad takes from clotis as well but most of them are only there because OP brought up what should and shouldn't be, no different from people who assert her breast should be larger than it already is. I clearly see no difference and "both are still objectifying tifa", it's just that their taste are different from the other. They don't even realize their hypocrisy smh. Tifa.... When will they ever stop talking about your body. You trully are the most realistic character I've ever laid eyes on 😢.

This was long but also silver, I may not always agree with you but I wish I could be more Idgaf in my life when it comes to shit like these, how the hell do you do it? It's incredible.

forgot to add srry! Not making tifa cute is like a no go especially in japan. Her youthful, feminine, cute design is like that for her (specially her), for a reason, especially when her looks are supposed to be reminiscent of general japanese Beauty standards and not western ones.

Op has zero respect for the devs or fans by being all idgaf about canon and my interpretation should be what the devs do because that's what I want.

I literally do not give a fuck if people draw Tifa different from canon. I also draw Tifa different from canon. The point I made from the start, and have stuck by is that op is body shaming women who aren't overly muscular like women can't be slender and athletic. They're disrespecting the devs creative process and acting arrogant af because they got a description from fucking Google that doesn't even match Tifa's job. She's a monk, not a pugilist. Op acting like they're being bullied when they were the one antagonising people with what they said is so much garbage I can't even.

You'll notice it's never any other character being demeaned this way. Cloud lugs an 80lb sword around but nobody says he should be more muscular.

Op even thought they had some gotcha by saying they'll draw Aerith overweight, but unless she also says this should be canon then she's just being a fucking body shaming moron. They're not doing it to celebrate bigger women, they're doing it to piss people off, and at the same time implying Aerith's canon appearance isn't adequate either. Women look like Aerith. She has a straight up and down frame. When people warp that by making her look like Tifa and then try and claim she has curves that also pisses me off because she doesn't. It's not so much the art, although I also don't like it, but typically ignore it, it's the mindset of the people making and commenting on it like their opinions should be taken up by the devs and the game changed to suit them.

And comparing a body type to a haircut is ridiculous. Anybody can get a haircut. Tifa does get a haircut in AC. Hair is not body type.

Tifa's design is canonically cute and adorable. She's yamato nadeshiko

People can draw Tifa how they want, but this is how Nomura canonically designed her. She emulates the delicate beauty, so screaming that should be changed is just a disrespect to Nomura and ffvii.

If y'all are fans then why you being assholes to the creators?

[maoam]

if you ever get the time, i highly recommend that you go through the official naruto fanbooks since ive heard that they have many cool sasunaru easter eggs which arent really discussed much among the sns community, my japanese isnt as good so if you ever find something cool please share on your page as well alright?

you can see their japanese scans here (scroll to the bottom of the page)

https://narutoversity.wordpress.com/databooks-and-fanbooks/

I don't know if I care about the fanbooks, considering they aren't comparable to the manga, also their creators make many silly claims like this one:

"First-rate chakra control and brainpower!! Braver than any man, charming as a maiden!!

As a ninja, she still doesn’t have any remarkable feats under her belt, but even Kakashi acknowledges her latent ability. Chakra control, Genjutsu, her display of knowledge during the Chuunin Exams: she’s shown shining potential in a fairly wide array of competences. Should she develop them, she might become a threat even to the great Sasuke! She’s also the one in Kakashi’s team who reins in the two hot-headed types that are Sasuke and Naruto, like an older sister looking after a mischievous little boy."

As me and sneezemonster15 have talked about, Sakura is all book smarts and can't put any of that information into practice. And Kishi wrote her that way. Brainpower? Wish she could use some common sense sometimes. And since when does she reign Sasuke and Naruto in? Sasuke is the one who is constantly roasting her for being lazy and not learning jutsus. And she pipes down for any negative comment from him.

"A woman’s hair is her life. Yet she cuts her hair off in order to change herself!!"

Now this is just stupid and sexist.

"She probably exemplifies what an ideal young woman would be like."

I hope the hell not that Sakura isn't what an ideal young woman is like. Shallow, self-sentered and cruel?

"Sasuke dead…?! Her heart was torn between her shinobi’s duties and pure love."

Lol I remember SS claimed Kishi called Sakura's love "pure" because of this line written by the book creators. Except Kishi called Sakura's love selfish in one of the manga entries. 自分勝手な 恋な, (jibungattena koina) which means selfish/self centered/egoistic love. It’s a negative word.

"Sakura herself doesn’t really know how she feels about Naruto. Her great love is Sasuke, but it should be noticed she also looks Naruto’s way… We can’t talk about love for the moment, but who knows?! It might happen."

Shipping bait that made narusakus think their ship had a chance.

"Hinata’s fighting ability was found lacking by the Hyuuga Clan. But her latent potential is quite conspicuous, so development is to be expected in the future."

🤣🤣🤣

"To find that Itachi is interested only in Naruto surprises Sasuke. This seems to state that the value of his existence falls below Naruto’s. Thoughts of denial give birth to jealousy."

What's funny though is that even these books acknowledge Sasuke was feeling angry due to Itachi when he challenged Naruto, not because he was jealous of Sakura lol. But of course SS pick and choose what they like about these books.

Also all those stats... no way Sakura has higher intelligence than some other characters. She always makes the dumbest decisions during battle.

"She tries to get involved but there is no room for her. In front of their heated glares, she does not exist."

Finally some good line hahaha.

"Sasuke left Konohagakure. Sakura’s heart did not reach him. Naturally lonely and peace loving, for Sakura, the loss of one teammate causes her great pain.

Thus, if that person is someone she loves, the pain is greater. So she shouts out her love which goes unheeded, squeezing the words out of her throat. It’s as if this is her imprisoning destiny."

Something that SS also love to ignore when referring to their precious fanbooks.

A lot of these lines in the book just seem like them writing whatever that sounds nice, and would make fans buy the books. Like the line how no one who confronts Sasuke has a chance of living, despite us knowing it's not true lol

[regina-bithyniae]

Very incomplete thought here (do I post any other type?) but the LOGH game on Friday got me thinking about the series again, with trying to explain the backstory to newcomers and all that

It's very 19th century, isn't it?

The FPA is constitutionally very revolutionary. Its flag is the Tricolor turned 90 degrees with a star in the middle, its anthem is "Revolution of the Heart", and its right-wing aren't a bunch of free-marketers and social conservatives, but flag-waving corrupt civilian politicians and yet more bloodthirsty militarists in the fleet.

But it's not a communist type of revolutionary government. The FPA is definitely a Big State sort of place, but that's out of necessity - they're at WW2-scale mobilization levels even just at the start of the story(1). All that distinguishes the FPA left wing is it's doveishness. How they plan to end the war is beyond me, but in a two-power international system must implicitly mean caving to the Empire.

The FPA's internal struggle is between the entrenched crooks and thieves (the Trunicht government), the indifferently numb masses, the militarists (the NSMC), and the distinctly liberal reformists who win the argument in the end, if too late for it to matter (Yang, Joao Lebello).

With how dysfunctional the FPA becomes by its last years, I've shifted from seeing it as a US analogue, and wondered if we should ground it more somewhere like Argentina.

---

And then the Empire.

Why would a story written and published during the height of the Reagan-era cold war tensions pick the now-irrelevant monarchic system as the opposite to liberal democracy? Communism was right there; fascism was at least in recent memory. Instead it indulges in the fantasy of the genius enlightened despot boy emperor.

I've wondered if the answer to the puzzle here is that LOGH isn't quite as universalist a story as it's easy to take it as. The admirals of both sides behave with a distinct IJN bloodthirst; the prominence of insane terroristic cults; the FPA's right-wing being filled with out of control militarists in the armed forces is very 1930s Japan; the Douglas-Grumman scandal was recent news when LOGH first published (2).

What to make of this is where I can't say much more. Perhaps it is meant as (and largely is) a story mostly concerned with the authoritarianism/liberalism clash, but with an easily missed distinct Japanese point of view on it. Maybe it's meant partially about all that, but as much about Japan's past and present. The politics are certainly easy to read for whatever you want, be it Reagan-era hawkishness or contemporary populism and democratic decay - so at least something there has a timeless quality.

(1). In share of population, if you count up the manpower in the 12 numbered fleets and divide by the total given population, it's at comparable levels to the US in late WW2

(2) Can't take credit for noticing this one, read it elsewhere but can't find where