#there’s just a lot of love in the series. Hatori says in one of the author notes that she only satirizes & jokes about things she loves

[aftokrator-official]

B, C, F, and G to start~?

B - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind.

Man, so many! I am very suggestible when it comes to ships and my friends are talented so it is very easy to draw me into things 😂 Some examples off the top of my head, mostly MP100 and World Trigger:

Minori/Mob, which i hadn't really thought about until Mis put it in my head and now they're married with children in my endgame headcanons

Hatori/Minegishi - that one's your fault hehe

KaiKashi

SuwaKaza

ToriHyu

Not from anyone I know personally, but various Pixiv artists and doujinshi sold me on TachiNino

....I feel like at least half of my watori ships are Mis's fault now that I'm thinking about it hahaha

(honorable mention to jinyuu as well, since it was in my mind when I started the series from Mis talking about them - i feel like it's very likely I would have started shipping them independently anyway, bc the dynamic is Very Good, but Mis made it inevitable ksdjfskd)

C - A ship you have never liked and probably never will.

YuuOsa and TachiJin come to mind... I LOVE both as platonic relationships, but I just... don't see Osamu or Tachikawa as someone Yuuma or Jin would be attracted to, respectively? And top Yuuma just isn't it for me. (I do actually own a single OsaYuu doujin... because the art was gorgeous and it had post-body-recovery Yuuma with his missing limbs and eye, which I am always down for, lmao.)

Azuma with his kids, especially Miwa/Koarai/Okudera - I just can't imagine him not being incredibly scrupulous about maintaining healthy boundaries with the teenagers under his care, and the alternate character interpretation of "predatory Azuma" that i've seen in a lot of the azumiwa/etc content is... extremely Not For Me.

It's not a huge ship, and basically nonexistent on the eng side of fandom, but Hyrein/Osamu still baffles me. Like, Osamu-fuckers chase ur bliss, etc, but Hyrein had SO LITTLE to say about Osamu personally compared to other Border agents he fought (Izumi, obviously, but even Miwa and Karasuma) that I just cannot imagine Osamu leaving any impression on him at all, let alone the obsessive villain/hero ship that has apparently spawned more doujins than haiizu no i'm not salty leave me alone

F - What’s the longest you’ve ever been in a fandom?

HMMM this is a really hard one to quantify since there are some fandoms that I tend to return to periodically, and often have like... one primary fixation but several running in the background that can still Activate me periodically. The longest individual fixations tend to be around 1.5-2 years (Transformers, Star Trek, Promare, and MP100 all reached that point) - but there are comfort fandoms that I circle back to repeatedly that have been in my life for decades (Star Trek and Pokemon are a couple of the major ones, and Ar Tonelico is a more recent example that hasn't quite hit a decade yet but shows no signs of going anywhere). And while MOST of my fic/art consumption and creative output is in Watori right now, I still would say I'm in MP100 fandom to some extent - I still buy shimateru/Claw-centric doujins when I see them, a lot of my friends are still active in the fandom, and I've got shimateru WIPs I hope to circle back to eventually. OTOH I don't really see myself returning to writing for Promare and don't currently have any interest in my older Star Trek WIPs, but I still like to rewatch both of them, I have no intention of selling any of the Promare merch that is in every room of my house, and I still love going to the Trek con in Vegas every couple of years and have some future cosplay plans... And you can still absolutely activate those parts of my brain if you talk to me about the Dominion or Kraylio, hahaha. It's very nebulous but I kind of like it this way! I like still feeling connected to my fandoms even after the intense hyperfixation phase has faded.

G - Have you ever had an OTP? If so, do you remember your first one? Who was in it?

I always have one or two Big Fav Ships in any given fandom, but I've always been a multishipper also, so "true" OTPs are a little rarer. I remember Ishihime in Bleach being one of the first non-canon ships I felt pretty strongly about, and disliking Ichihime as a result, but I also liked Ulquihime a lot, so... lmao. The first truly exclusive OTP I can remember might actually be Han'Gerrel/Zaal'Koris from the original Mass Effect trilogy, which was incidentally also the beginning of my shift from primarily-het shipper to primarily-gay shipper hahah.

I think in my mind, something qualifies as an OTP if it's like... the True Ending in my mind, even when I also enjoy other ships. Like- in MP100, Shimazaki and Teru just Are Together, even though I also sometimes enjoy other ships involving them like touishima, shimamine, riteru etc - those other ships just always are "relationship history" or "alternate timeline" in my head, and I never really imagine them long-term in the same way.

[seijorhi]

asks <33

misc stuff that piled up overnight

BRO YOUR VOICE??? SOOTHING!!!! CALMS RUSHING RIVERS!!! YOUR VOICE IS IMMACULATE now i want a series of rhi reading snippets of your works KSHGLS

🥺🥺🥺

rhi!! i haven’t told you in a hot minute but i hope you know how loved you are 🥺💛

ILY TOO!! nonnie pls <33

me, Hatori: there’s three things that can hold his attention for hours at a time; the construction site across the street back home, the volleyball Tooru had given him on his first birthday, and the sound of RHI’S MF VOICE!1!1!1 you’re so sexy… and for WHY? -🐦

bby hfdjhvfjdkJSKFHDJK 🥺 you're gonna make me blush.

omg hi lovely c: idk if u remember meee but i was that one anon before who mentioned oika being in disguise for literally all other charas and that when it doubt its oika c: y do i feel like ive heard ur voice b4 KSNMDMDND LIKE NO WEIRDNESS BUT IDK — ngl its expected but also kinda not??? idk to throw it back from the other anon, it was scary to msg u the first time - IDK IF ITS LIKE ANXIETY, NERVES OR LIKE THE VIBES BUT IT FEELS INTIMIDATING. but ily lots anyway, bc aussie + oikawa = me and like we’re now besties for life just from these two simple facts. and yes u have a say - yes or yes c: TAKE CARE LOVE 💕✨ (and oikawa is still always the answer, no seijoh until nxt yr? hahaha i cant read my eyes r closed i cannot c - ok jks aside, imagine jan 1 hits and its just all seijoh 🤧🤧)

you're very cute nonnie hehe. yes ofc we can be besties <33 and who knows, maybe it will be a very seijoh new year ;)

Rhi you do not sound at all like I thought you would 😦😦 Idk how to explain it but you sound a lot younger than I thought you would????But your voice is very relaxing maybe you should read out one of your favourite fics for us Jkjk Unless.... 👀👀 Also I don't think you come off as mean or rude at all?? I think you're sweet and very funny (especially your responses)Then again we're all internet strangers so take every opinion with a grain of salt - @artemis32

<33 i will take 'younger' and 'relaxing' ghfjdkvbfjdk

and thank you bby!! ilysm 💕 also i would not hold your breath for the full fic, trying to record less than a minute nearly killed me hahaha

I don’t think you’re cold and mean at all lol (tho idk how much that’s worth coming from a stranger on the internet) You set clear boundaries with anons and don’t take shit which I think is very valid ✨

thank you, i try to be nice on here!!!

no that’s definitely australian,, nsw or vic by the patterns involved

i will neither confirm nor deny this. very sus. fghrejksdjhfjk

[kimievii]

tagged by @highstrionics thank you so much!! ♥ and sorry, it took me quite some time to do this ;;

-

fave colour: I don’t think I have one favorite colour actually. But I tend to love shades of purple, blue, pink, grey and green a lot.

currently reading: Not reading any novel at the moment (even though I have many (way too many) in my to-read list. But right now all I can read is fanfiction. Pretty obsessed with this svsss fanfic (bingyuan, magical boys au) Balala Like Magic, You Transform My Heart by Kuku88 at the moment!)

last song: I’ve been listening to nothing but lofi hip-hop for the past two weeks. I don’t know why I kept denying myself this for such a long time because turns out it one of my favorite things to listen to and it’s been doing wonders to help me motivate myself into writing. I’ve been listening mostly the classic Lofi girl, but also found this band and especially this video from them, which I’ve been listening in repeat lately!

last series: First Kill. Watched it with a friend when he was over at my place because we didn’t know what else to watch but it was... disappointing tbh ;;;

last movie: It’s been so long since I last watched a movie that I don’t... even remember what it was, huh. I think it was Encanto? God, it’s been a while...

currently working on: Working on a SVSSS fanfic at the moment. I wrote 4 chapters so far and still have a lot to do. I just hope I’ll manage to finish that one (I have a bad habit of dropping wips, reasons why I no longer publish anything...) SVSSS is a fanfom that inspires me so much, though, it’s crazy. Like, I have a good dozens of fic ideas and parts of me really hope I’ll manage to write them all.

-

share 10 different favorite characters from ten different pieces of media in no particular order, then tag 10 people 🎥🎬📺

(this part took me forever tbh 10 different pieces of media is a lot for me, and having to pick just 1 for each piece was also super hard ;;;

1. Shen Qingqiu (SVSSS) - God SQQ, what a dork. I love him. I love him SO MUCH. So much. He’s my everything.

2. Cloud Strife (FFVII) - I cannot make a list of character and not mention him. He’s been a fave for roughly 20 years, after all.

3.  Lan Wangji (MDZS) - What to say, he’s a dear, I adore him ;v;

4. Crowley (Good Omens) - Favorite fallen angel~

5. Axel/Lea (kingdom hearts series) - By far my favorite character in the KH series. 

6. Atem (Yu-Gi-Oh! DM & Season 0) -  Possibly one of my very first fictional “crushes”.

7. Frodo Baggins (LOTR) - Kinda like Cloud Strife, he’s been a fave for so long. I adore him.

8. Thanatos (Hades by Supergiant Games) - As far as I can tell, everyone loves Thanatos in Hades, and for very good reasons. I think me saying “He’s a dear, he’s a dork, I adore him” is valid for literally every single characters in this list =‘D

9. Ja’far (Magi The Labyrinth of Magic) - You know, it’s funny because I don’t actually like Magi all that much, and dropped the manga fairly early on and yet Ja’far remains one of my favorite characters. I loved him then, I love him still. 

10. Mabudachi trio (Ayame, Shigure and Hatori Sohma - Fruits Basket) - Can’t mention one without the other two so I made an exception here and picked all three. Teenage me adored them so much aah 

-

Tagging 10 people is just too much, I never know who to tag ;;; But feel free to do this even if I’m not tagging you!

Tagging @oddishblossom ; @demoiselledefortune ; @spacedoutpup ; @xkilluas(only if you guys want to!)

[cesium-sheep]

boss wife takes kind of a weird approach to sex, when I’m used to reading a lot of bl. like there’s plenty of nips, but the single butt shot is censored with a word bubble, and they say things like “make love” or “sexy time” lol. it doesn’t look like it’s this writer’s first work, but it has some of the hallmarks of inexperienced writing. the way the setup is handled feels forced, foundational facts are introduced to us in a really weak tell-don’t-show fashion, and they include a specific flashback panel twice in the same chapter only a couple pages apart, which feels particularly clumsy.

the love interest definitely has some compelling elements to him, I’m generally fond of the “noble gangster” archetype especially when it’s one who clearly has a genuine softness so close to the surface. he’s set up so he’s supposed to have some complexity to him, but he still feels like a sketch character more often than I’d like. the easiest point of comparison I have is akitora from jealousy, but akitora’s a goofy exterior on a steel soul, whereas this guy feels more like a hard shell grown incompletely over a goofy center. and it’s kind of a rough spot to be in to be compared to one of my top 5 manga writers out of the dozens and dozens of series I’ve read, because how many people are going to be able to rival someone from the top 5? (4 implicitly lol, altho honestly I think I only actually have a top 4. scarlet beriko, natsume ono, suu morishita, and bisco hatori. manga in the us seems to be somewhat unusual in the way it cultivates loyalty to publishers, genres, and tropes far more than it does to individual creators (or repeated collaborative teams like suu morishita), but those four, I will get a manga just because it has one of their names on it. (although I suppose that’s not that unusual for american-made comics either. I was thinking more in comparison to novels in the us, where an individual creator is far more likely to have a following.))

the main character is a little hollow, she has a couple stated desires but no real shown desires. she says she really wants to earn a living as an artist, we’re told she used to stare covetously at a set of definitely-not-faber-castells all the time, but in the entire first volume we see her make one single drawing, immediately after being gifted a set of colored pencils by the love interest and at his explicit request as a job opportunity. it also feels like she has some fairly unrealistic expectations for the love interest, explicitly telling him not to act like a yakuza when they’re out together when he was literally born and raised into it.

anyway, I think it’s worth giving it another volume, although I feel like it’s showing a lot of cracks. no other way of knowing for sure whether those cracks will get better or worse. and there are also some really sweet moments. and inexplicably a lot of nips.

[chodzacaparodia]

If you let me torment you with more questions, fav favourite characters?

I'll gladly let you torment me hahah! <3

This is another difficult ask because I have MANY characters that are close to my heart. (sorry it took me so long!!)

Chifuyu Matsuno from Tokyo Revengers. HIM!!! Just Chifuyu best boy! I love how important friendship is to him and how much he is willing to sacrifice himself for his friends. His obsession with his cat is adorable hahah. It is so beautiful (in any hairstyle). I just love him with all my heart <3 Great personality, just a green flag.

Megumi Fushiguro from Jujutsu Kaisen. I will repeat endlessly that all I need is a beautiful emo boy with trauma and I am in love. And this is Fushiguro Megumi. Despite being quite grumpy, he really cares about the people close to him. And he has demonic pets!

Aki Hayakawa from Chainsaw Man. Just like Fushiguro (but for some reason I love Fushiguro more).

Sugawara Koushi from Haikyuu!! My boy, I love him so much!!! (my icon says it all lmao). Suga is a character that I can say with full confidence that he is my soulmate. I feel like we have a lot in common, I love his mischievous nature, how supportive he is to other players, how hard he tries even though he knows he's at a loss, his sense of humor and NEGAVITY BEGONE!!! I love his aggressive support :')

Kozume Kenma from Haikyuu!! I am impressed by his intelligence. A gamer boy who doesn't like to get tired and is also a huge introvert who is not very good at socialization. And I love the look of him!

Sakusa Kiyoomi from Haikyuu!! Antisocial weirdo. Too blunt jerk. I love him. I've read hundreds of fanfics about him, I've also written about him, I just feel like I understand this character.

(I love many of the characters in Haikyuu!! I could spend hours listing them all… but these are my top 3)

Tohru Honda from Fruits Basket. My favorite female character, the person I would like to be. Her hopeful look to the future, coping despite adversities, good heart, constant willingness to help others. This is a real Angel.

Kyo Sohma from Fruits Basket. My tsundere. Tragic backstory, lots of issues, but I'm enchanted by how it's starting to change and soften. Kyo can love beautifully despite his hurt (or maybe because of it)

Yuki Sohma from Fruits Basket. I had a problem with him at first, but over time I started to understand him more (when I discovered we had the same MBTI lmao) and ohhh. His tragic backstory made me shed a a lot of tears. This boy deserves love.

Hatori Sohma from Fruits Basket. I swear, the last Fruits Basket character! I had to mention him because he deserves recognition. Worries about others in a silent way. He is kind and loves in a unique way.

(But I also like Saki Hanajima, Arisa Uotani and a lot of others characters from Fruits Basket...)

Izuku Midoriya from My Hero Academia. I don't care what others say about Deku's whiny nature, I will defend him forever! He has the right to cry! This boy just wants to save people! Another character I feel like I understand.

(I also like many other characters from My Hero Academia, such as Shinsou Hitoshi, Tokoyami Fumikage, Aizawa Shota, Todoroki Shoto, Monoma Neito, Kaminari Denki, Mei Hatsume, Jiro Kyoka… there are a lot of them...)

Roy Mustang from Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. he pretends he's just a silly guy, but he's actually very intelligent and cunning. Hot literally and figuratively.

Ranpo Edogawa from Bungou Stray Dogs. My fav from BSD. Just a silly guy who is the most intelligent character in the universe with a weakness for sweets. He thinks he's better than everyone else (he is) and I love him for it.

Yuri Plisetsky from Yuri!!! on Ice. Tsundere, cat boy, anger issues. I was proud of him.

Newt from The Maze Runner series by James Dashner. THE GLUE that holds everyone together!!! Slightly irritated (no one swears like him in the maze lmao), but a good friend who believes in others. He broke me. Too good for this world, deserved better. I love him.

Adam Parrish from The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater. Just Adam Parrish. There is probably no other boy as hard-working and ambitious as him. I admire him. Fiendishly intelligent. And of course a traumatic childhood </3

Paige Mahoney from The Bone Season series. By the fourth volume I started to have a slight problem with her, but I still believe that she is one of the better-developed female characters in this type of books. She can actually think rationally.

Nico di Angelo from Rick Riordan's books. My favorite character created by Riordan. He's traumatized, he's an emo boy, a bit nerdy, full of anger, but good boy.

Leo Valdez from Rick Riordan's books. My second fav from his books. Silly, intelligent boy with a great sense of humor and visible complexes.

Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games Series. A strong female character.

I have a lot of favs, I certainly haven't mentioned all of them. I would never finish it. Sometimes I randomly remember that a certain character is one of my favorites lmao.

Thank you so much for this ask <33

[ayamisc]

manga rant. 7.26.09

(c) Hino Matsuri (Vampire Knight) (c) Bisco Hatori (Ouran High School Host Club) (c) Kishimoto Masashi (Naruto)

so anyway…. 4 mangas updated this week..

let's begin with BLEACH.. so the action i was anticipating.. wasn't THAT much of an action.. but it's okay i suppose… since that means nobody died yet… hahahaha.. i love the title and the main idea of the chapter though-- the enemy of my enemy is my friend. hmmm.. gives u something to think about, ne?

Naruto.. uhm.. let's see…. well, we see just how FAMOUS kakashi is….. and the mizukage is REALLY sexy now that she's all.. colored. hahaha…. oh and naruto… is really such a loser x__x but hey, who knows maybe he'll convert the raikage into one of his new fans….. and a war will be avoided.. hmmm… oh, and next week…. i think sasuke's gonna make his move…. and is sai going to tell sakura about THAT? o.0

Vampire Knight SIGH i swear, i swear. Yuki HAS to choose at some point… but really… it's making my head hurt. I swear, that series is full of masochists. >__> the whole lot of them.

zero liking yuki, but will without hesitation kill her upon sight.

kaname, who loves yuki…. but knows yuki loves zero…. but is still willing to give his everythin to yuki…..

and yuki… who loves someone else, but promises to stay by the other's side for eternity. WHAT THE HELL IS WITH THESE PEOPLE..err…VAMPIRES! >_>

Ouran High School Host Club YOSH! sooooooo, Mori-sempai can get PRETTY scary…. seriously…… but i really loved the humor of the chapter. plus, the unexpected CHUUUU hahahaha… hmmm.. i wonder how they'll face each other in the next chapter…. hahahaha

PS. This blog was originally posted on DeviantArt.

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update (10/09/23)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

A Bright Heart by Kate Chenli (5/10)

If you enjoy the currently very popular genre of stories about girls in historical settings getting a second chance at life with knowledge from their previous one, this has that sort of premise. It’s what initially drew me to the book. However, unless you like the genre, this book is pretty mediocre. The plot is very simple and easy to predict, and the main character, Mingshin, is pretty bland and perfect; she knows how to solve every problem. As such there’s not really that much tension since there are few challenges she doesn’t immediately overcome. The love interest and honestly most of the side characters are pretty one-note, and the writing fluctuates between the flowery words you’d expect from the setting and jarringly modern phrases. Overall, I was really looking forward to this book, but I don’t think I’d like it at all if it wasn’t a plot I know I enjoy.

Ouran High School Host Club Vol. 1 (9/10) & 2 (8/10) by Hatori Bisco

These are rereads, and it’s just so much fun to read this series. OHSHC is definitely a dated manga with some jokes that aged badly and a style that has fallen out of practice, but it’s so enjoyable, especially for someone like me who read it a while ago. It has one of my favorite openings, the chaos of the Host Club gradually discovering Haruhi is a girl, and the chapters, while mostly individual shorts, do a great job of establishing the characters and through lines for once the story becomes more serious. These volumes are honestly so funny, and Haruhi’s one of my favorite manga protagonists (and a genderfluid icon).

The Tea Dragon Society by Kay O’Neill (9/10)

Despite being a very quick read, a graphic novel less than 100 pages long, this was adorably sweet and actually made me tear up. The art is lovely, and characters are very well developed for such a short book with a lot of casual representation in terms of race, sexuality, and ability. The art is beautiful and really enhances the ethereal vibe of the whole story. Also, I absolutely loved the little academic accounts of the different kinds of tea dragons and how to care for them in the back! This is a book that feels like a passion project and is a great cozy fantasy read!

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare (CR, 73%)

Cassie Clare was so close to figuring out that polyamory is an option in this book. She got it eventually, but the amount of times Tessa says she loves Will and Jem or one of them says they wouldn't be whole without the other...you have two hands for a reason! Otherwise, I think the pacing in this book is better than in the first one. I think a large part of that is Will's side of things with his curse and whatnot. Tessa's a lovely person but there's only so many times we can rehash her internal turmoil before it starts to bore.

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon (CR, 33%)

This book stresses me out, which is part of why I'm making such slow progress. I turn in page in fear of what horrible things will befall the characters. I'm particularly attached to Dumai, and I just find her storyline so interesting.

Lodestar by Shannon Messenger (CR, 24%)

If there's one thing Messenger can do, it's make you empathize with the characters because ugh I just want some answers! I really hope some major leaps are made in this book; I feel like it's been a while since a big reveal (the brother doesn't count we barely know him). Also, it seems this series is really pushing Fitz and Sophie lately, which makes me suspicious. When it comes to the romance aspect, they just seem so bland to me, and I don't quite trust that the story is so adamant about them getting closer.

[ultraericthered]

Anime Update V2 54

Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 - This time it was all about robots - the big automated machines that are out and about assisting with all the recovery efforts in the aftermath of the big quake. I find it so funny how in a time of imminent crisis, the usual “stranger danger” rule sort of flies out the window, as it happens again here when Yuki and Mirai bond with a teenage “robot otaku” voiced by Greg Ayres, who they even end up getting into a dangerous situation with. (For a brief moment beforehand I thought he died off-screen, which would’ve been hilarious.) But the whole episode also devoted much time to building up my anxiety for when something I knew would inevitably happen finally happened - In the final minutes, Yuki just...collapses. 

Hunter x Hunter - The Chimera Ant Queen’s forces are on the attack and have now infiltrated a foreign country. And they are quite a lot to take in, I must say. A variety of different human-animal hybrids who command all the lesser insects, with their ranks including not just Colt and his colleagues but a chameleon version of Larry Butz and a purple Reginald the CIA Koala with the voice of Archer. These are some of the most creative and out there villains I’ve seen in any Shonen series and that they’re played so straight despite the silly nature of their designs makes them stand out all the more. I await to see what happens with Gon, Killua and the rest contend with them.

Fruits Basket - The episode wasn’t doing much for me at first since I’ve not found Machi to be all that interesting, but then it turns out that she’s aware of how bland and unremarkable she is and feels her existence is a meaningless one not deserving of acknowledgment because of it. Damn. But Yuki acknowleding her, as well as her watching how he’s grown and changed since he first joined the student council, is steadily helping her. Yuki actually going to the Sohma estate for New Years Eve this time was interesting, with his interaction with Akito that causes Akito to flip the fuck out, smash a glass vase against Yuki’s head, and start (again) screaming angrily standing out in my memory, as well as the exchange Yuki and Hatori have afterwards; two abuse victims finally at peace with each other.

Re:ZERO - I loved so much seeing Subaru and Julius burying the hatchet and working together as allies. Even if they can’t be said to be friends, their interactions have them admirably doing their best to be respectful towards each other all the same. It’s fitting that the key sign of growth from Subaru would be in his humility towards the guy who he fought with at the start of his downward spiral. Betelgeuse went down against Subaru and his allies easier than I’d expected, only for it to turn out that his “fingers” are different back-up hosts for his mind, so we have to keep dealing with him in different forms. Wilhelm continued to be great in how kind and inspiring he is with Subaru, as did Felix with how fun, friendly and observant he is. Rem has left the picture for the time being but Ram returns and she’s as great as I remember her being. Emilia comes back and kicks some major ass to save even those who fear and distrust her. Everything’s looking up...until the end, as Subaru ends up getting his own mind and body possessed by Betelgeuse, which is as freaky to witness as you’d imagine. I actually almost teared up at this last scene because of how Felix and especially Julius react to having to answer Subaru’s plea to put him down in order to kill Betelgeuse. Of course this was never going to be easy. We’re in for one more loop to settle things!

Fate/Stay Night Unlimited Blade Works - More expositon, Shinji reveals himself as the bastard who commands Rider, Shirou refuses to join him, and Saber is now going to fight Assassin...the one key difference from what I’ve seen before is that now Shirou’s been taken to the temple and is the captive of Caster. Where is that going? 

Symphogear GX - Maria arrives on the scene to joined in the fight against the Evatrice-looking doll servant of Carol who showed up at the end last time. Later into the episode, a red haired doll with some superficial similarities to Spinel from Steven Universe went on the offensive against Hibiki and Miku, and Hibiki finally found her voice to sing again and bring out Gugnir, resolving to use her power to fight in defense of what she cares about even at risk of pain, thank the lord!

Eureka Seven - Pretty much a total breather this time around. Renton, Talho, and Hilda go out on the town at the same time Holland and Eureka are out shopping elsewhere in the viccinity. The best thing about it was getting more character out of Talho, who is such an immature disaster who drinks a lot and enjoys trolling the shit out of Renton when he’s being a goober. The brawl near the end was pretty random but nice to actually see Holland’s nobler side and get the first official confirmation of something between him and Talho.

Gintama - The preview from last time lied to us! The part about Otsu now being a fighter was just the opening of the episode, with the actual story being something I was unprepared for. First time learning of the shadowy overarching evildoers in this series’ setting, first time witnessing a serious named character death, and while the show’s had moments played straight and sincere beforehand, this is the first time I can recall it going really hard on being serious and dramatic. Most of the episode was still plenty humorous, but that section after the guy’s death was shockingly grim and also sincerely moving.

[uglygirlstatus]

Should i read ouran?

YES. assuming you’ve already watched the anime at some point absolutely Yes. I loved the anime when I was 15 and revisiting the series now all these years later by reading the manga definitely reawakened something in me. I really think it is a delightfully fun and absurd story with a lot of heart and a lot of love and a truly iconic ensemble cast. Like the main characters of course but also all the crazy side characters.

It’s also genuinely just extremely funny. I was laughing out loud throughout all the volumes, I think Bisco Hatori is a genius when it comes to comedic timing and character-specific comedy. Everyone is so stupid in uniquely funny ways and everyone loves each other so much. The anime catches up with the manga about halfway through and then it’s all new material about further character development and relationship development and future planning and I CRIED OK!!! Also even the stuff that is covered in the anime is a bit different in the manga, eg the Alice in Wonderland ep is waaay funnier in the manga imo

Here’s some online scans but honestly if your local library has copies I recommend reading those, I’m partial to the official translation. Or be crazy like me and buy the full box set on impulse at 2am

[yukisohmasmokesweed]

what are your opinions on the thought process that Shigure groomed Akito so he could have control over them?

i think this opinion is a massive oversimplification of akito and shigure's power dynamic that has roots in the latent sexist idea that men inherently have power over women, as well as the heteronormative idea that love between a man and a woman is inherently romantic.

first off, i think it's a pretty bizarre assumption that a child could have the wherewithal and foresight to enact a complex series of actions that relies on the aggressor having a working knowledge of children's needs and behavior and years of planning and execution. people like to cite shigure's childhood declaration that he "...want[s] to make that [love] last forever...to give it form and make it [his]" as a statement of intent to groom and control. not only is this an absurd thing to say about a child who can't be any older than 10, it disregards two vital facets of akito and shigure's relationship: the magic in combination with shigure's own trauma. in my opinion, these lines speak to the power of the bond and how shigure interprets it. hatori and ayame reject it, the former letting himself sink into despair over his lack of control and festers in resentment, the latter completely removing himself from family life in order to avoid it. shigure, however, copes with the curse by diving in head first; just like the rest of the zodiac, he knows that there is no way out, so he embraces the good things about it in order to cope. in addition to this, though we don't know much about shigure's upbringing, we can assume based on his short interaction with his parents that he came from an emotionally neglectful home (expanded on here), so the prospect of unconditional love from akito is something he craves. i think these are much more reasonable motivations for the beginning of shigure's obsession rather than positing that grooming a person he had never met before he even went through puberty was his goal.

with regards to gendered power dynamics, i think this take severely underestimates the amount of abuse shigure withstands from akito. the idea that shigure is somehow in control of the relationship is simply not true; their relationship is DEFINED by their power struggle, which is a game that akito was winning until the very end. it ignores that men can be abused (and we see him being abused by akito, both physically and emotionally), and it also ignores that, in many toxic and abusive relationships, there is not always someone who is purely a victim. shigure is undoubtedly horrible to akito back—he is vindictive, cruel, and cold towards them. he also knows full well that he is one of akito's most important emotional supports and uses this position to manipulate them. however, his gender and age does NOT give him power over akito. he must do as akito says, both because of the magic and akito's position as the family head. while their relationship is not necessarily a victim-and-perpetrator situation, the power dynamic clearly favors akito, who is literally all-powerful and a professional abuser.

with regards to the heteronormative idea that men and women who love each other is inherently romantic: the scene most often referenced for this opinion is the scene between teenage shigure and child akito in chapter 101 where he tells akito he loves them. i do not interpret this scene to be romantic whatsoever, and i actually think it's really weird and telling that so many people do. these are two people whose only comfort is one another and have known each other since early childhood; i don't think it's weird at all for shigure to tell akito he loves them in this situation. given fb's focus on familial and platonic love, how platonic love can transform into romance, and the fact that akigure is a parallel to kyoru, i interpret this scene as entirely familial/platonic.

i can understand why people have this opinion: shigure is a man, and he's older, and he is a manipulator. he gives people very visceral reactions because he's incredibly well written. his actions do also fit into some of the stages of grooming, but it falls apart upon closer look (source): he targets a child (ie, he becomes close with his cousin who he is supernaturally bonded to against his free will), he gains the child's trust (ie, they become friends), and he fills a need, in this case akito's lack of parental support, all of which he does as a child himself. he does not, and cannot, isolate the child because he doesn't have the power to—akito's status would prevent them from being completely isolated (a good example of akito's position inherently giving them more power). when it comes to sexualizing the relationship, we just don't know, there isn't enough textual evidence to argue either way. as for the last step, maintaining control, shigure does NOT try and make akito think he is the only person who can fulfill akito's emotional and physical needs. in fact, he's doing the opposite; he WANTS akito to meet and be changed by tohru, and he has no problem with akito's intimate relationship with hatori, who probably provides more emotional and physical support to them than anyone. you could argue that shigure is trying to isolate akito by driving the other zodiacs away, but i don't think shigure attempting to separate an abuser from their victims is what "isolate" is meant to reflect here. so, as we can see, shigure fulfills SOME of the stages of grooming, but i don't think they hold up to scrutiny if you're thinking about fb in a nuanced and world-appropriate way.

i can also see why people misinterpret shigure's bid for control as some sort of abuse, but he states that he wants to be equal with akito, not above. i do think there is an aspect of misogyny here; shigure's masculinity, and the role that masculinity grants him in society, is threatened by akito's control over him, but i don't think having fragile masculinity and making grabs for power because of it when you're in an abusive relationship is abuse in turn.

i'm not trying to absolve shigure of anything here. he is cruel, he is manipulative, and he does things to hurt akito on purpose whether it's in revenge or not. but i don't think shigure meets the standards of being a groomer, and i think this assumption, in addition to what i previously stated, is a symptom of fandom misusing buzzwords to gain points. it's not a nuanced view and i think a lot of it, in my experience, comes from projection; shigure, in all his awfulness, is extremely easy to project onto. however, i think that there are some things in fb that are just not analogous to real life, and that this aspect of akito and shigure's relationship is one of them.

[chaoticriderlessb]

Ya know, I don't give a flying fuck what people think. I like "Ouran"'s episode 8. I understand everything it was trying to teach. And ya know what? I still love Kyoya to bits and pieces. I don't believe he's a bad guy, at all. And no, he's actually not the jackass some people claim he is because "of what he did to Haruhi".

Listen, if you ask me, as much as I see all sides in this episode, Haruhi needed to be taught that lesson. It actually slightly irks me that even though Kyoya tried to prove the point he was trying to make (by putting on act and teaching her an important lesson), Haruhi still didn't seem to get it.

Honestly...I hate choosing sides, but in this case, where the lesson to be taught, here, is so important...I have to go with the host club on what happened to Haruhi. I get that she was just trying to help those girls. I really, really do. And I get why she didn't call for help. Growing up, she only ever had her dad, but he worked all the time. But I still feel like Haruhi should have called for back-up, or even at least thought of it. No disrespect to Bisco Hatori, and maybe it's just me that...in a situation like that, Haruhi didn't even think about calling for back-up. And yes, the situation would have gotten worse if those thugs did discover that she was a girl. So yes, I have to go with the host club on this one. Especially since the manga goes more into detail about the whole thing. But again, that's just me and my opinion/how I feel.

Still, it doesn't make Kyoya "the jackass" because all he was trying to do was teach Haruhi an important lesson, and she still didn't seem to really grasp it, regardless if whether or not she saw through his act. Could he have tried to teach her in a different way? Maybe...but I'm not gonna lie, I don't really see how else to get that lesson through to Haruhi. I don't know, something just tells me that simply talking it out isn't quite enough. But, again, that's just me and how I see things.

I've seen a few theories that say Haruhi is autistic, somehow, and that's partly why she handled everything like that in episode 8...but honestly, I'm having a hard time seeing her as being autistic. I'm possibly on the spectrum, myself (I said "possibly"...I don't actually know because I haven't gotten tested in a few years, so please, nobody get at me about it), but if Haruhi is actually somehow or somewhat autistic...I can't see it.

I'm seeing a lot of hate towards Kyoya mainly on Pinterest (don't get at me about that, either, please...I have an anime board on there), and it just...the hate is so unnecessary when he's not even the bad guy. If anything, it's possible putting on an act to teach a lesson was the only thing he could think of. Hey, ya know, I don't think of everything, either. Some things or actions or whatever just don't come to mind, immediately. It happens to everybody, whether you want to admit it or not.

So, with all this being said, I still think that people (especially those who just started the "Ouran" series) need to sit and calm the fuck down. If you haven't already, maybe consider picking up the manga because there is so much more detail shown/told in the manga than the anime. If you can't buy the physical copies, there are apps and sites where you can read it.

I do hope that someday, more and more people will understand episode 8 as much as some people and I do, regardless if whether or not you're a manga-only or an anime-only, or hell, even both.

Seriously, the hate Kyoya receives in this episode is so unnecessary, and I highly doubt Bisco Hatori intended for that to happen.

People also need to keep in mind that the manga started back in 2003 and ended in 2011-2012, so it is not a new series. Nothing has changed, so please, don't expect it to. Let's not forget, as well: Japan handles certain things differently than the US. It's not up to us whether they want to improve on those certain things or not. Maybe someday, they will. For all we know, they are, but progress is just very slow. We don't know, and personally, I'm the type of person who would rather not look into that sort of thing, especially since I'm trying to stay away from any negativity. It's sad and very unfortunate, but it's the truth.

Anyway.... I rambled, again, as always...but those are my final thoughts on episode 8 of "Ouran". These are my opinions and feelings, so please, respect them and for the love of all that's good, don't start any drama, especially towards me. If you agree with me, cool. If ya don't, cool. I don't need the drama, though. Enough drama goes around as it is.

In the meantime, I will continue to love all of "Ouran", and I will continue to love Kyoya. If you're a huge Kyoya fan like I am, high-five.

Later!

[eurydicees]

top 10 ouran manga-only arcs

this is going to be such a long post i apologize in advance. the ranking system has absolutely no criteria other than "does this pass my vibe check.” bonus points were awarded if i could think about tamakyo while reading it; points were also awarded every time tamaki did something cool. this was a delight to make. anyways, without further ado, here are my personal top ten favorites, and no i will not be taking criticism.

1. THE TAMAKI EXTRAVAGANZA

(vol 16 chp 73 - vol 18 chp 80)

PLOT:

So much happens here that I couldn’t think of an actual name, and uh does it count as a single arc? Probably not, but I’m counting it as one because it has a single thread: Tamaki. My beloved. So. First, Tamaki finally, finally, finally moves into Suoh mansion #1, but when he gets there, he gets told that he’s only allowed to study the Suoh business and go to school and nothing else— meaning he has to quit the host club. Shizue threatens to out Haruhi as a girl and ruin her reputation— possibly losing her the scholarship— if Tamaki doesn’t break off all ties with her.

The Host Club disbands. Kyoya begins an Investigation™ into Tamaki’s mother— she had been incredibly weak and unhealthy when Tamaki was a child, but when Kyoya met her, she was pretty healthy. After some sleuthing, the hosts minus Tamaki discover that she probably had Bisco Hatori’s fictional version of lupus, which was cured by a mysterious foundation— which they discover was run by the Grantaine family, funded by the Suoh corporation, and actually researched by the Ootori conglomerate. Literally everyone is in on it. It’s fucking wild. Like. Huge “holy fucking shit I need to stop and take a breath” moment.

This information is suddenly released to the public, and then the Suoh corporation all vote Shizue out of her position, saying that she’s no longer fit for the job. She locks herself in her room and refuses to speak to anyone, breaking Tamaki’s heart. But now that she’s no longer top dog, Anne-Sophie can come to Japan— Yuzuru is super hyped and expects Tamaki to be as well, not understanding that Tamaki’s family fantasy includes his grandmother. Tamaki stops going to school and plays piano every day in order to cheer up the house, eventually luring Shizue out to listen to him play their shared favorite songs from J-dramas.

They begin to bond and Shizue sees that he’s not a failure because of his parentage, but it’s too late because Anne-Sophie is about to fly back to France. All is hopeless.

EXCEPT THEN. All of the hosts and all of the clients realize what’s happening and rush to help him get to his mother. They all adore him so much, and give their all into getting Tamaki to the airport. Shizue finally encourages him to go, realizing— with the help of Haruhi— that she has been bitter and selfish and Tamaki deserves better. They rush to the airport, and through a series of shenanigans that are no match for the combined power of the hosts and every single girl at Ouran, Tamaki makes it to the airport. They make it there JUST in time, and Tamaki gets a five minute reunion with his mother. Haruhi finally confesses to Tamaki that she loves him.

WHY I LOVE IT:

oh my God oh my God oh my GOD. Like. This is just. So much. So Much. We all know that I’m like. The #1 Fan of Tamaki Suoh. Like. President, vice president, treasurer, and secretary of the fan club, all at once. I love him so much, and this just gives him so much development. There is so much opportunity for him to grow and you not only really see who he is as a character, but you also see how much he’s grown as a person from his first introduction. You also get more of a glimpse into the world of Rich People, and the way that all of their families interact with each other, and then also with the way that they interact within their families. It’s just such an intense arc and it’s so beautiful and I love it so much.

2. THE SPORTS COMPETITION

(vol 10 chp 46 - vol 11 chp 49)

PLOT:

This one is HARD to rank, because I love it, but it also Hurts. Like. I genuinely cried over this one, though that’s not actually saying much because I cry at everything. So. Here’s what’s up. Tamaki gets into this idea of a sports festival, and then Kuze wanders in to fight Kyoya again, so Tamaki suggests a competition between the two of them. This is a very Tamaki thing to do, but Kyoya gets fed up with it and refuses to participate— until Kuze accuses him of being “Suoh’s pet” and that he’ll always let Tamaki win, and then Kyoya gets fired the fuck up.

But he’s still bitter at Tamaki for starting this, so the two of them stop talking and my heart breaks. This does not stop Tamaki from having heart eyes for Kyoya 24/7. Hikaru and Kaoru are assigned to competing teams, and begin their Very Long Journey into not being so codependent— Hikaru is on the red team with Tamaki, Haruhi, and Kuze; Kaoru is on the white team with Kyoya and Honey.

Essentially, each team goes through rounds of races in different areas that are like. Complete bullshit games, but whatever. It’s Rich People World. The white team gets ahead; the red team performs a scene from a Shakespeare show to rally their losing team together and begins to win, until they’re on even footing. The final race is between Kyoya and Tamaki.

There’s a heartbreaking series of panels of Tamaki just… thinking about Kyoya. I cannot get enough of it. Then there’s an even more heartbreaking series of panels of Kyoya just… thinking about Tamaki. You realize, alongside the other hosts, that Tamaki pushed for this race not really for benefit or fun, but to give Kyoya a chance to compete in something for real, without having to set it up so that Tamaki wins (as we see in the race for the central salon). It’s a chance for him to win and not put his family first. Tamaki still tried his best, because Kyoya would hate him if he threw the race, but he lost because Kyoya fought with the intention of winning for HIMSELF, and not just playing support to Tamaki or impressing his father.

Finally, in the last panel, it’s revealed that the class trip will be to France.

WHY I LOVE IT:

God it burns so good. So Good. The Tamakyo, the Hikaru & Kaoru character growth, the Kyoya development, the Tamaki being so so so good, the Kyoya being so brilliant, everything oh my lord. This is really one of the biggest points of Kyoya’s character development, and it’s the first place I’m going to point to when thinking accurately about who he is as a person. It shows who he is, and who he believes he is, and who he wants to be, and who other people see him as. It’s also just a Tamakyo goldmine, even though they don’t ever actually talk. It’s so beautiful and it makes me cry.

3. THE ORIENTEERING RACE

(vol 14 chp 66 - vol 15 chp 68)

PLOT:

In an attempt to make Tamaki realize that the hosts all love him just as much as he loves them, the hosts sans Tamaki put together an orienteering race. There are six checkpoints, each one with a task to be completed in order to get an ingredient that will make the best meal at the end of the race.

Hikaru and Kaoru play the return of the “Which one is Hikaru?” game, knowing that Tamaki has been able to tell them apart for a while by now; Nekozawa’s checkpoint is a quiz on cursed items, knowing that Tamaki is familiar with Beelzenef; Honey’s checkpoint is a game of whack-a-mole with little mini Usa-chans, knowing that Tamaki isn’t afraid of making him upset over a game, though all the girls are; Mori’s is a sword slicing thing to show that Tamaki will never give up on something; Haruhi’s is a “tell the truth or never pass” kind of thing; and Kyoya’s is a crossword puzzle of all the answers made up of things from previous club themes.

Tamaki pairs up with Konoya— who is in love with him and is the “perfect Haruhi” trope— and realizes that she’s incredibly different from Haruhi, and that he loves Haruhi for who she is and not who he thought he wanted her to be. He also realizes that— because the hosts have gone through all of this for him— they do love him for who he is, no matter what, no matter the bad parts of his personality, and they’re never leaving him.

WHY I LOVE IT:

Look. We know that anything about Tamaki is gonna make me happy. I am a simple woman and so easy to please. This is literally just three chapters about how much all of the hosts love Tamaki and want him to be happy. I cannot express in words how rewarding it is to watch Tamaki realize how important he is and how much he’s loved— because he is loved, he’s so loved, he’s so so so loved. This is also the arc with the building block / building a home metaphor, and it destroyed me both physically and emotionally (vol 14 chp 66). This is where the found family is really solidified, and we all love a good dosage of found family.

4. RACE FOR THE CENTRAL SALON / THE SCHOOL FAIR

(vol 6 chp 22 - vol 6 chp 26)

PLOT:

This is where the anime diverges from the manga, and I have to say that this version of the school fair is just so much better than the anime version. Like. Just So Much Better. Basically, the club is setting up for the school fair, and the best spot to set up— essentially, the spot that will get the most foot traffic form the parents— is in the central salon. To figure out which club is going to get the spot, they all compete in a literal race, both mind games and physical games and it just slaps overall.

The b-plot is that the Host Club is getting threatening letters telling them to drop out of the race, alongside blank papers that are sent with the notes; the hosts have to figure out who is sending the notes and confront it. This is the arc that introduces both Kuze and Yuzuru Suoh for the first time. Kuze is captain of the football team and Kyoya’s rival and also definitely his secret ex-boyfriend. Chairman Suoh is… just. A lot. Just. That’s it. A Lot. He’s A Lot.

Anyways, part of the winning race is capturing this crown that’s hidden on campus, which turns out to be at a swimming pool. The football team gets there at the same time as Haruhi, and Kuze pushes her into the pool and goes for the crown. Kyoya and Tamaki reach her at the same time— Tamaki’s instinct is to go for Haruhi, but Kyoya tells him to get the crown and thus the glory of winning, while Kyoya rescues Haruhi.

Later, it turns out that Yuzuru was sending the blank papers with harmless messages written in invisible ink as a prank to emphasize the literal hate mail that the hosts were getting. The follow up to the race is the actual school fair, where we meet Yoshio and Shizue. Fuck Shizue, not even going to get into that right now because I WILL cry, but just know that it’s even worse than it is in the anime. Yoshio, though, is eons better in the manga than in the anime— he is genuinely proud of Kyoya and says that he actually wouldn’t mind appointing Kyoya as heir.

WHY I LOVE IT:

Volume 6 does SO MUCH for Kyoya and Tamaki and we all know that I’m ride or die for the two of them. Kyoya finally gets a chance to shine as team leader and it’s what he deserves! Tamaki takes a little more of a backseat, which I don’t even mind, because Kyoya does such a good job of pulling attention here. The scene at the swimming pool is just so good— it really shows the huge amount of trust between Tamaki and Kyoya, and does a good job of setting up the relationship they need to have as Rich People, outside of their friendship, which is something that we don’t see a lot of. Overall, it’s a very Kyoya-centric arc, and it does amazing things for the development of his character and personality. It’s one of the biggest insights into how he functions as a kind of mastermind for the club. We also finally get Tamaki’s full-ish backstory, which genuinely makes me cry every time.

5. THE HITACHIIN FAMILY

(vol 10 chp 45 / vol 11 chp 51 - vol 12 chp 53)

PLOT:

So this is technically two plot lines, but I’m going to count it as one because it’s all about the twins, my loves. In vol 10 chp 45, we get a little insight into the life of the Hitachiin family and why the twins are as fucked up as they are. Quick rundown— their parents can tell them apart but pretend not to for whatever godforsaken reason; Kaoru admits he’s in love with Haruhi for the first time and Hikaru remains oblivious; Kaoru begins to realize how unhealthy he and Hikaru’s relationship is and how, one day, they aren’t going to be able to have all of the same things; there’s a cookie metaphor; Tamaki gets lost in the Hitachiin manion; it’s all a good time.

In volumes 11 and 12, we begin the actual split between the twins, where they realize that they can’t stay the way that they are forever. They can’t be one person forever. They realize this in a fight over Haruhi, where Hikaru suggests they “share” her as a sister, and Kaoru rightfully thinks this is bullshit. They get in their first— and only— genuinely real argument. Hikaru breaks down in Mori’s house, Kaoru breaks down at Honey’s place, literally no one is happy and I am crying.

Kaoru asks Haruhi out on a date, and then ends the date by explaining that he could never date her knowing that it would be hurting Hikaru. Haruhi is, understandably, very confused by this whole thing, and no one is telling her anything.

Kaoru then makes up with Hikaru, saying that he’ll give up on trying to pursue Haruhi, but tells him that they actually do need to live separate lives at some point— and that point might as well be now. He wants to break apart entirely, but Hikaru explains that while they need to break apart in a lot of ways and find their own identities, they can never fully forget each other. They agree that they can influence and love each other without depending on each other for a personality.

They keep up the incest ACT at the club, though. Bisco Hatori couldn’t manage to write her way out of that one.

WHY I LOVE IT:

So this one just. Really hits home for me. It’s a genuinely heart wrenching arc, and the progression of the whole thing was just so slow and so steady and it was so well done. The twins are two of my favorite characters in the show/manga, and their relationship is something that I can analyze for days, and this arc is a huge part of why it’s so interesting. It does amazing things for both of them as developing characters, but it does even more amazing things for their character growth as people. It also provides a nice catalyst for the Hikaru/Tamaki/Haruhi love triangle. Anyways, it made me cry and apparently that’s my only criteria.

6. THE FRANCE ARC

(vol 10 chp 46 - vol 12 chp 56)

PLOT:

On the Ouran 2nd year school trip to France, Kyoya decides he’s going to spend the trip searching for Tamaki’s mother, rather than spending it with the other students. He works himself to death trying to find her— he ends up literally falling asleep on the ground because he’s so exhausted from searching and taking literally no breaks. Kyoya finds her eventually, and has a really nice conversation with her— she has a bunch of photos of Tamaki, and clearly is constantly thinking about him. When he gets back to Japan, he tells Tamaki about her— about how beautiful she is, about how she smiles, about how she thinks of her son every day.

We get more of Tamaki’s backstory, and his close relationship from his mother and how his mantra— living life in Japan to the fullest and being as happy as he can be every day— all comes from his mother. She told him that she’s happiest when he’s smiling, and so when he leaves her behind in France, he decides to be smiling every day and make everyone around him smile as well.

While Kyoya is in France, Tamaki stays behind in Japan— he gets closer to his father, who offers to begin to train him to take over the Suoh business. He visits Haruhi, and tells her a little bit about his life in France, and Haruhi’s love for Tamaki begins to make an appearance for the first time.

WHY I LOVE IT:

So I went into this list thinking that this would be my favorite plot, so it’s wild to me that it didn’t even make the top five. It’s kind of weird and I didn’t expect it, but I’m still satisfied with this list. Anyways, I really love this one, even if it’s not the top five. It’s like. The ultimate Tamakyo story, and there’s just. There’s just so much to unpack there. Like. We don’t have time for me to go through the whole thing and analyze every part of it because there’s just so much of it. It’s so good, and it makes my heart grow three sizes. It’s another brilliant development piece for Kyoya, and shows his softer side, as well as just how much he loves Tamaki.

7. MORI AND HONEY GRADUATE

(vol 15 chp 71 - vol 16 chp 72)

PLOT:

Honey and Mori announce that, after graduation, they’ll be splitting up and going to different universities. This proceeds to emotionally destroy literally everyone except for them. Mori is challenged to a series of duels at the Kendo club in which he has to fight every underclassman who wants the honor of fighting him before he graduates. He’s exhausted and worn down, and he loses to a second year, which is bad for like. Honor reasons. RIP. Anyways. He reveals that he’s just been really worried about something but before he can tell anyone, he has to duel Honey. It hurts.

They start preparing for the fight— which Kyoya is capitalizing off of via movie rights and betting rings— and scare everyone that they’re going to never speak again. When the fight comes, they fight on the Windswept Hill™ at Ouran (the same place that Chika and Honey fight on way back when). They go for it and pull no punches, until Honey tries to do a flying kick and Mori catches him and gently places him outside of the boundaries of the fighting ring, thus winning the duel.

Because he won, he pulls out a sheet of paper in which he’s written down all of the things that Honey needs to do in university because Mori isn’t going to be there to take care of him: brush his teeth, cut down the cake by 90%, and stop bringing Usa-chan to classes. Mori felt that he didn’t have the right to tell him these things until they were on equal level because he had won the duel.

They make up and everything is okay— they graduate, everyone cries, including me. Kasanoda gives Mori flowers, it’s all very cute. Haruhi makes cookies, and when Tamaki goes running down the hallway to find her, they bump into each other and drop all of the cookies. While they’re picking them up, they share the classic ~accidental kiss~.

WHY I LOVE IT:

This is one of the only Honey & Mori-centric plotlines that gets fully fleshed out and like. More than a chapter. It really does lovely things for their relationship, and it’s the end of an era. Even though it’s the end of an era, though, the resolution is incredibly satisfying— Honey and Mori’s stories are wrapping up, but it’s really well done. It’s sad, but it’s a really rewarding ending. They’re such sweet boys. Also, it’s not like they’re gone forever, so it’s all okay.

8. REIKO x HONEY

(vol 10 chp 41)

PLOT:

Reiko is part of the Black Magic Club, and falls in love with Honey when he gives her a hand in getting up after she trips over Usa-chan. However, she believes that falling in love with Honey is equivalent to him “stealing her soul,” and so she uses “curses” to steal his soul back. These curses are basically just love spells. 

In the end, Honey tells her to just, like, be herself. Talk about her interests. Get to know him. Be honest. Then she won’t need love spells to make him like her. Even if she messes up or is awkward or says something weird, he’ll still like her because she’s being true to herself. This is one of the only Honey-centric chapters, and Reiko is one of my favorite side characters.

WHY I LOVE IT:

They’re the OG goth x pastel couple. The blueprint for all other couples. Icons. I love them so much. This makes it on the list just because I love their relationships. I also love the whole Moral Of The Story, in that it’s important to be true to yourself. It’s so sweet it hurts.

9. HARUHI AND TAMAKI’S FIRST DATE

(vol 18 chp 81 - vol 18 chp 82)

PLOT:

So. Right after the two of them confess their love to each other, everyone expects them to get together and be a couple right away, but Haruhi is just kinda chilling. She’s not super stressed about dating, it’s just a relief to have said it out loud. Meanwhile, Tamaki is kind of a mess, stressing out over their first date and trying to make it as perfect as he possibly can. Seeing him so stressed, all of the hosts band together to help him out in planning a date. When Tamaki finally gets up the nerve to ask her out, he falls in the fountain and Haruhi has to fish him out. She’s then the one to ask him out to the amusement park.

In true Tamaki fashion, he gets incredibly stressed out again. He gets fashion advice from a series of unfashionable people. The hosts sneak around the amusement park and follow them around, finding out that it’s actually going really well, as long as they’re not interfering. After the Lobelia girls show up and try to sabotage the date, Tamaki and Haruhi run away— while Kyoya Handles™ the situation— and they go to her mother’s grave. There, it’s revealed that Haruhi will be going on an exchange program to America.

WHY I LOVE IT:

It’s just. So cute. Like. I’m Tamakyo for life, but I do adore them so much. It’s lower on the list because of the sheer amount of second hand embarrassment, but overall, I loved reading this one. Tamaki is just so genuine and earnest about everything he does, and I think these chapters do a lot to show why the two of them work as a couple. It also does lovely characterization points for Haruhi, and begins to wrap up the ending. Bonus points for a jealous and heartbroken Kyoya.

10. PRINCESS MICHELLE

(vol 9 chp 38 - vol 9 chp 39)

PLOT:

Princess Michelle comes to Ouran to do a week of school in Japan. After meeting her, Tamaki essentially puts him and the Host Club at her beck and call, doing anything that he can to make her happy, no matter how insanely extravagant her demands are. Everyone else finds this infuriating, until Kyoya points out that Michelle looks similar to Tamaki’s mother, saying that the last time Tamaki saw his mother, she was crying— and if he sees Michelle smile for real, it might help him picture his mother smiling again.

Overall, it’s just a very soft arc that begins to unfold Tamaki’s family-related trauma. It also kickstarts Tamaki’s realization that he’s in love with Haruhi and doesn’t actually have paternal feelings for her (that’s the whole next chapter, but make it funny rather than introspective); and it’s one of the moments that Haruhi realizes that Tamaki is genuinely just a good person.

WHY I LOVE IT:

I wasn’t sure that this one would make the list at all, but I do really love this story. It’s pretty short, just two chapters, but it’s overall really sweet. I like Michelle as a character a lot— she seems a bit like a bitch at the beginning, but she gets fleshed out and given an actual personality as the chapter goes on. It’s a really good example of Bisco Hatori’s writing.

HONORARY MENTIONS:

Mei (character): probably the most significant character in the manga that doesn’t appear at all in the anime, which is pretty tragic, but I think that the anime really wanted to emphasize that Haruhi doesn’t really have any female friends / friends outside of the hosts. But anyways, she’s Misuzu’s daughter and Haruhi’s friend; she’s lowkey transphobic but she’s getting better! Had a brief crush on Tamaki but she ends with being the #1 Tamaharu stan. Great friend to Haruhi.

The masquerade ball: Haruhi's going away party, and the reveal that she's a girl.

Haruhi gets kidnapped: Haruhi is kidnapped and held for ransom, the hosts find her and break down doors to get there.

[mistergrass]

Zodiac Mom Headcanons: Hatori’s Mom

This post in the series is a little different because it incorporates a lot of my headcanons about the dragon bloodline in general

If you’ve read my behemoth of a fic, you probably know the gist of it, but to keep it brief, here is the tl;dr before we get into the Mom Stuff

Other than the god, the dragon is the only member of the zodiac to come from one singular bloodline

No other zodiac bloodline can erase memories

Members of the bloodline, even if not cursed, are expected to become doctors and to learn the memory-erasing technique

Non-cursed dragon family members have the ability to erase memories with a lot of training, but it is not nearly as potent or powerful as when an actual dragon does it

(Also thanks to @lilbeehive​ for bouncing around ideas with me.)

Rat & Snake Mom | Ox Mom | Tiger Mom | Rabbit Mom | Dragon Mom

Hatori’s parents knew early on that a love marriage was never going to be in their future.

Hatori’s father is the grandson of a dragon, and the only child of his parents. It was decided from a young age that he would become a doctor, and once his grandfather passed away, it was also understood that he was expected to have a child — a child that would be the next dragon.

He doesn’t resent this — being from a well-known zodiac bloodline, he grows up knowing that his loyalties need to lie with the Sohmas and with the zodiacs. And, quite frankly, he’s very suited to medical work, especially the kind demanded by the family (which I’ll talk about more later on).

The point is, this parental situation is unique. The other zodiac mothers have varying levels of surprise when they find out their child is a zodiac. But to ensure the safe and healthy birth of a dragon, this is something that is meticulously planned in advance. That means the mother must have full awareness and revere for the curse.

Initially, Hatori’s father was engaged to another woman — the granddaughter of the former rabbit and a woman five years younger than him. The plan was to marry as soon as she finished high school, but a few months before their wedding the woman gets cold feet and runs away with a man she fell in love with in school.

It’s then that Hatori’s mother is chosen, as the great granddaughter of the former ram. She’s also three years older than Hatori’s father.

Almost immediately, Hatori’s mother is informed that — following a successful medical examination — she is now engaged to be married. She accepts this gracefully. Her family’s long-standing wealth and status come from their zodiac ties, as well, and she knows that this is a duty she must accept.

And, quite frankly, she was never a woman who thought much of marriage. It’s not as if she considers it a big sacrifice.

In a few short months the two marry. And suddenly these two very obedient, introverted people are stuck alone in an inn for their honeymoon, never having said more than a few words to each other.

Hatori’s father has also never been with anyone previous to this, and the two are rather socially awkward. Hatori’s father has always been the kind of person to put his studies first, which developed a very serious and aloof persona. Hatori’s mother is much the same, and has never really been one to enjoy a lot of company, regardless.

They both do their best to try and follow through with it, but Hatori’s father (fumbling through it all himself) recognizes his new wife’s nerves. Without any prelude, he stops before it can get any further. After a very long, weighted silence he says, “elephants can stay pregnant for up to 23 months.” When she states her obvious confusion, he simply replies “these things take as long as they take.”

They don’t say anything for the rest of the night, but Hatori’s mother finds she appreciates both his attentiveness, and his straight-forward (if bizarre) nature (she’s not the type of woman who enjoys being coddled or talked down to).

All things considered, they find they’re actually very suited to each other.

Neither ever develop true romantic feelings for the other, but neither ever really viewed marriage as a romantic institution to begin with. Them becoming each other’s closest friends ends up being the best case scenario.

In Sohma social circles, they’re considered the odd couple. Hatori’s father’s dry, monotone way of speaking tends to make the delivery of jokes or earnest questions come off harsh and offensive. While his wife, who has come to understand the nuances of his personality, never seems to care to bother to clear up misunderstandings this could cause — and even seems annoyed at people’s inability to read her husband with the same fluency she quickly acquired.

Hatori’s mother also takes a deep interest in her husband’s work. Not just as a doctor, but specifically as a zodiac doctor.

The doctor’s position is not only to erase memories, but to provide proper care for the zodiacs when traditional hospitals are not an option. In addition, because of the supernatural nature of the curse, and the longstanding tradition of zodiac doctors within the family, Hatori’s father not only studies conventional medical science, but old records kept from previous Sohma doctors, some veterinarian studies, and even holistic/witchdoctor practices. The true science behind the Zodiac Doctor’s work tends to become an experimental gumbo of many different healing practices through history. Something Hatori’s father is fascinated with, and tends to lean into more heavily than maybe previous generations had.

(He also becomes deeply superstitious as he gets older and continues his studies, which only intensifies after his wife passes away).

Hatori’s mother is also just as taken by his practice, and ends up becoming something of a research assistant for him. She’s a fast reader, a very quick learner, and overall an extremely intelligent woman. Something Hatori’s father values highly in his wife, and is more than happy to allow her into his work. In the last few months of medical school, she even reads over his final papers and makes corrections.

Eventually they’re comfortable enough with each other to have sex, which they only ever do in order to try and get pregnant. Two years into their marriage, and just as Hatori’s father is graduating medical school, Hatori is born — the first zodiac of this generation.

She does love her son, but just as she was raised that her life and marriage was not her own, she knows the same applies to her child. On paper, she is the perfect mother — home cooked meals, proper clothes, clean house, books and toys purchased. Yet, she has no real idea how to interact properly with a child, and generally treats her son like she would any other adult in terms of the expectations she places on him, and her general lack of verbal and physical attention.

She also takes up tutoring Hatori in what will eventually be his occupation. They study for three hours after each school day as soon as Hatori is old enough to spell. Though neither of his parents get angry easily, and both are generally very patient people, Hatori’s mother can still be very strict and has no problem scolding her son when he doesn’t pay proper attention.

However, Hatori’s father does insist that they have dinner together every night. Though his parents are strange, and seemingly-cold people, these dinners never feel forced. It’s clear to Hatori that his parents enjoy each other’s company, and because they treat Hatori as if he were an adult, it feels as though they enjoy his company, as well. Not quite the same as a loving pat on the head, or being told “good job”, but it’s something he remembers fondly as an adult.

Hatori, as a result, grows up very disciplined and with a deep sense of duty and loyalty that is exemplified by every aspect of his parents’ lives.

With the birth of other zodiacs, it becomes natural for the mothers to begin to befriend each other, as well.

Hatori’s mom and Shigure’s mom had already been family friends for as long as she can remember. Though Yuki’s mom and Kureno’s mom, with their change in status, also become incorporated in this circle.

She finds an unlikely friend in Kureno’s mother. She likes her earnest, down-to-earth nature, and her friendliness has always seems genuine. She does not, however, hold the same opinion of Yuki’s mother. Their problems start early on, and slowly escalate all the way up to the final years of Hatori’s mother’s life.

The problem is Yuki’s mother’s embarrassingly apparent desire for status. The way she acts, dresses, and talks all come across as desperate and irritating. Hatori’s mother, admittedly, is a bit of a snob. She’s been in a high-class family her whole life, which means she’s never had to think about acquiring status. She also has a very secure position as both the wife of the current Zodiac Doctor, and the mother of both the dragon and the first born zodiac of the generation. And when Yuki’s mother tries to insert herself into Hatori’s mother’s life, she is, politely, but undeniably rebuffed.

For that, she holds quite a grudge against the woman. One that only gets exceedingly worse a few years later when Hatori’s family become the first and only people to discover Yuki’s father’s extramarital affairs.

It happens like this:

Fed up with his wife’s needless possessiveness of him, and irritated by her instance that they become pregnant with a second child, Yuki’s father starts to become more and more distant in the months during Yuki’s mother’s pregnancy. By the time Yuki is born, they hardly even speak to each other. Six months later, Yuki’s mother decides to take a trip and leaves her children behind with a swarm of maids and her stranger of a husband.

Deciding he wants to sleep in his own bed for the night, and reveling in his wife’s absence, he invites one of his many mistresses to his house instead of a hotel. In the middle of the night, the woman is woken up by the sound of a baby crying. She finds the nursery, and in an attempt to soothe the restless newborn, she goes to pick him up.

Yuki’s crying may not have woken up his father, but the piercing, terrified scream of his mistress certainly did.

Yuki’s mother knew about his affairs, she knew about his slew of mistresses. But she had made him promise that no one else would ever, ever find out about them. What’s worse is when Hatori’s father asks to question them about what happened (a standard procedure before erasing anyone’s memory), he doesn’t even have the decency to show up.

But Hatori’s mother is there. And so is Hatori.

Though the young dragon boy is only ten, it’s a good opportunity to learn one of the most valued aspects of his future role. As his tutor, and as her husband’s unofficial research assistant, Hatori’s mother is also included in the process.

Yuki’s mother finds herself hating the woman’s calm, clinical stare as she is forced to explain the most grievous humiliation of her life and marriage.

Convinced that Hatori’s mother will eventually let slip the truth about her marriage, Yuki’s mother sets out to turn the other mothers against her. She even develops a small resentment for Ayame, who she is believes will learn the truth from his friendship with Hatori. Shigure’s mother, who has always been happy to follow the social tide, goes along with this very easily. Haru’s mother, new to the group, is also easily swayed against Hatori’s mother. Even Ren and Akira find themselves taking Yuki’s mother’s side, causing Akira to advise that Hatori’s mother no longer assist with her husband’s work.

This might have been a more devastating blow, if it hadn’t already become an impossibility.

What Yuki’s mother never seemed to understand, was that the family of the dragon deals in privacy. Hatori’s mother would never have told a soul about Yuki’s father. Hatori’s mother doesn’t even tell her own son when she starts to get sick.

Hatori’s parents believe that everyone’s affairs should be their own, and there are certain things you just don’t tell children. So for the two years that Hatori’s mother is ill before her death, no one other than their immediate family knows.

Hatori’s father is heartbroken having to watch his dearest companion slip away, and he leans even further into holistic remedies in order to try and aid her recovery. As a child, Hatori knows something is wrong but is never told what. But he has clear memories of coming home, his mother absent from the house again, to his father having deep, serious discussions around the kitchen table with men who called themselves shamans.

Eventually her illness gets so severe that she stays in the hospital full-time, though she still tutors Hatori over the phone. Her unexplainable absences from the Sohma social circles make it easier for the other mothers to believe that she’s snubbing them out, just as Yuki’s mom is saying. And by the time Akira orders Hatori’s mother to stop assisting her husband, she’s already been too sick to do so for months.

The only person who knows among the family, is Kureno’s mother. She comes to visit the hospital at least twice a week, and promises not to say a word to any of the other family members. They become quite close, in the end.

Her death comes as a surprise to everyone but her husband and Kureno’s mother.

At the funeral, Hatori doesn’t cry. Instead, there’s a heavy, leaden weight in his stomach for weeks. Though she was never conventionally affectionate, she was a consistent, reliable, and comforting presence that is suddenly gone. One that, in hindsight, he realizes he misses terribly.

Because his father is not an expressive man, Hatori wonders if his father even mourns her loss. That, along with his father’s general nature, causes a distance that lasts between the two for a long while. It isn’t until Hatori starts to apprentice with his father in earnest at the end of middle school that he realizes how wrong he was.

All the notes, research, reports, and every other contribution his wife attributed to his practice, Hatori’s father has preserved so reverently that they look more like freshly printed medical journals than well-used notebooks. Hatori isn’t sure he’s witnessed a greater demonstration of love. This is cemented further when he stumbles upon old research papers from his father’s days in medical school covered in abundant, but neatly written, notes.

“I like her handwriting,” his father explains. “It always helps me focus.”

This conversation becomes Hatori’s most prominent memory of his father after he also passes away two years later.

Friends with: Kureno’s mom, Shigure’s mom

Doesn’t like: Yuki’s mom

[rainbow-filmnerd]

My Ranking of the Sohmas from Fruits Basket

Back in late May 2020, I began to watch the 2019 reboot of Fruits Basket (I first discovered it from my good friend @sweet-chinchilla), and it's become one of my favorite anime series EVER. At the end of September 2021, I was finally able to finish the series, and I loved EVERY MOMENT of it! I felt like to do a ranking of each of the Sohmas from least favorite to top favorite (I'll try to keep it brief because there are 14 CHARACTERS to discuss!)

Also, if you haven't read the original manga and/or seen the 2019 anime, there will be MAJOR SPOILERS ahead!

13. Kagura Sohma (my least favorite)

The first female cursed Sohma I was introduced to. As much as I liked Tia Ballard as her in the dub, I just did not care for Kagura. Sure, she eventually moved on from it, but it kinda annoyed me how she kept pursuing Kyo despite him being not all that interested in being her boyfriend. Also, I know she had good intentions to talk some sense into Tohru, but knowing how violent she gets, was it really necessary to SLAP HER?!

12. Hiro Sohma

There was a point where I hated him more than Kagura. I did not like how he was such a brat and jerk when we were first introduced to him, but slowly, I warmed up to him. His crush on Kisa is adorable, and him growing to become a responsible big brother was just too sweet.

11. Shigure AND Akito Sohma (they're pretty much tied in this position)

Shigure is someone I'd like to call a "Sly Dog". He's a bit of a scumbag, but he's well aware of it. He's also one of those characters that's either "lawful evil" or "true neutral". He provides a lot of comedy in the anime including him being just a smart-ass. Also, when he's not acting like a jerk/creep, he's a pretty decent guardian figure for Tohru.

As for Akito, she's a beautifully written antagonist/character in general, and she's definitely someone I pity. Sure, much of her actions are unforgivable, but I feel like she's not expecting everyone to forgive her that easily (or at all even). Also, Colleen Clinkenbeard's performance as her is nothing short of spectacular.

10. Ritsu Sohma

To be honest, he needed way more love! I know people found him annoying, but part of me relates with constantly saying "I'm sorry!" over the smallest of things. He's a gorgeous character that I feel like deserves better. He'd be higher if that were the case, and if not for some of these other characters.

9. Kureno Sohma

I didn't expect to like him that much, but I do! Part of it is that charm that comes with most characters Ian Sinclair voice in the dub (his performance in the s2 finale was especially amazing). He's just a sweet and kind man, and I can see why Uotani fell for him and also reminded her of Tohru. Only complaint I have is that I wished there was a flashback scene of him transforming before his curse broke. I would've loved to see his Zodiac form at least once.

8. Isuzu "Rin" Sohma

Another character I didn't expect to love. Rin is a very tragic character, and what she had to go through was devastating, but seeing her being able to heal was just as emotional. Brina Palencia was amazing as her and is easily my favorite role of hers.

7. Kyo Sohma

Yeah, he's a little lower, but I don't love him as much as the ones that follow. However, he's still a GREAT character, and deserves so much after meeting Tohru. Kyo would sometimes remind me of Bakugo, but he's also a true cat. Feisty, acts like they dislike people but has a real soft spot (especially towards one person). Also, this was my favorite role by Jerry Jewell.

6. Ayame Sohma

The Sassy Snake himself. Oh, how much I LOVE Ayame! Like Shigure, he provides a good portion of the humor to the anime. Chris Sabat's performance as him is mind-blowing but also amazing (since most of his well-known roles are tough guys). Ayame is just so extra, and I love it. Also, his love towards Mine is sweet and I kinda wished we got more moments between them.

5. Momiji Sohma

The boy who was possessed by my Zodiac animal, the Rabbit! I strongly prefer how he looked before his growth spurt, but Momiji is just a precious bunny boy. It is heartbreaking to see that he's suffered and feels sad, but he's just so pure and precious. I hope the one he fell in love with makes him feel so happy.

4. Hatsuharu Sohma

This is who I like to call the "Bi Himbo Ox". Haru was instantly one of my favorites because he just cracks me up, he's super handsome (the studio behind the 2019 reboot really just made everyone look pretty), and also Justin Cook's performance as him. As much as I adore Kirishima, Justin showed off and executed the range of Haru's dumb, sweet, loyal, seductive, and harsh personality. Also, his love for Rin is adorable and him and Yuki is definitely one of my favorite crack ships.

3. Kisa Sohma

The precious tiger cub. I adore this sweet little girl so much, and how she looks up to Tohru like an older sister is so adorable! She's a precious angel that deserves SO MUCH LOVE. And I ALWAYS smile whenever I see her on-screen. And speaking of that last part...

2. Hatori Sohma

I don't know what it is, but upon first introduction, I've been drawn to him and he quickly became a favorite. There's just something so comforting about Hatori, from his kind and no-nonsense personality, prettiness (as mentioned, the 2019 anime animators make everyone look pretty), and his voice (all thanks to Kent Williams' performance). Hatori also has some of his moments of being a little silly, but it's due to the chaos he deals with whenever he's around Shigure and/or Ayame. Out of the Three Musketeers, he's my favorite.

1. Yuki Sohma

He was an INSTANT favorite of not only the Sohmas, but of the entire series, and seeing him grow makes me so happy! I also love how kind and gentle he is, and lemme tell you. This was the first anime I've seen after My Hero Academia, so hearing Eric Vale as Yuki was WILD (same can be said about Jerry as Kyo), because I was used to his creepy and chilling performance as Tomura Shigaraki. But hearing him as Yuki was amazing and it made me appreciate him as a voice actor. SO FREAKING TALENTED. If you wanna know how much I love Yuki, I have his Funko Pop! figure, which captures his beautiful likeness well.

[robinasnyder]

So, thinking about Fruits Basket, especially in regards to the new Anime, I find I mostly either like the changes (Ritsu's episode) or am only missing small pieces of dialog. Except, so far, for one part.

Mayuko and Hatori.

For anyone who is Anime Only, let me just say that there is somehow a vast different between the anime and the manga. To be honest, Mayu and Hatori are probably one of my favorite pairings in the series. I was extremely excited to see their story in the anime.

I was a teenager when the first anime was dubbed and popular. The manga hadn't even finished when I started reading. I read a lot of fruits basket fanfic and crossover fic back then and I was always so frustrated that people often wrote Hatori getting back together with Kana. I didn't like Kana. I didn't like her in the old anime. I didn't like her in the manga. Truthfully, the mostly sympathy I've had for her was with the most recent anime. But I never liked her. Hatori got hurt and she basically made it all about herself. In my head, I paired him with an OC I created because I didn't want him back with Kana who seemed so flaky and selfish to me.

And then I got to see Mayu and Hatori's story, and after that, I couldn't pair Hatori and my OC anymore. I just loved Mayu so much and thought she fit Hatori so well.

This is why I'm so disappointed how much I don't like them in the new anime. I read someone who said that they didn't like Mayu and Hatori because it seemed like compulsive heterosexuality. And in the anime, it does. This isn't just something I didn't see when I was younger, I reread the manga a year ago and still loved them. I was most excited for this episode and just... it felt so weird.

What I liked about Mayu and Hatori is that the pair balance each other out pretty well.

Hatori is described as a kind, caretaker personality to the point that when Kana got so sick, he decided he had to save her no matter what ot cost him. He consistently tries to help the others around. But he also doesn't think very well of himself, or like he deserves happiness, or that if someone knew everything about him that they wouldn't like him.

When he sees Mayu again, he sees someone who knows him. She knew him when he was at his best, but also knee about some of the worst things he did. She's friends with his friends. She's still friends with the person he used to love most. And despite all of that, she still is so open to him and clearly cares about him. She's stubborn, and recognizes that he isn't truly happy when most people would never know. That she is someone who knows what he did to her best friend, and what happened to Kana because of him, and still looks at him and sees him and cares about him is just something he hasn't had before.

On Mayu's side, we do get to see how she sees Hatori. It's pretty clear that she saw who he was right from the beginning, but also clearly thought Kana was a better person and deserved him the most. For her, not having a chance with Hatori is painful, but she's fine with it because the two people she likes most on the world are happy together. And I think it's pretty clear she avoids Hatori afterwards because she doesn't want to be a painful reminder to him. She doesn't have her outburst becausr she's lonely or feel like she has to be with him, but because she genuinely is upset that he doesn't have the happiness he deserves.

I like them because they work together. Hatori will be the gentle but sarcastic spirit that Mayu needs. Mayu is stubborn and kind. I always got the sense that if Mayu had been faced with what Kana had been faced with, that she wouldn't have crumpled the way Kana did. She's a caretaker too. And having two caretakers means they will both be able to suppot each other.

All of this seemed extremely obvious in the manga.

The issue with the anime, I think, is that while Mayu mostly comes across, that Hatori just seems awkward. The affection he displays seems forced and stilted. You don't get those hidden depths of emotions. You don't get the hints of who they could be. The meeting in the anime isn't framed to allow Mayu to drop her hero worship, and isn't framed to show Hatori seeing that other people can care about him. In the anime, it seems like the meeting is something they would have to work past, not something which is a break-through for them. And that's why it doesn't work.

And I hate this because I honestly love this pairing so much.

[papers4me]

Fruits Basket,Se03, Ep7 (part 2)

Toxic kindness (Kureno):

I’ve touched upon this in se02 finale, but kureno’s toxic kindness mirrors the foolish traveler story. The foolish traveler says “ thank you” as he dies. Kureno ignores the knife in the hands of a person whom he saw with his own eyes abuse a number of children repeatedly. Kisa, Isuzu, hatori & yuki bodies testify of being beaten, cut, & bruised. Kyo’s psychological abuse was announced in front of kureno himself before akito summoned him in the beach arc. Akito has strangled her mom & screamed, cried & went manic in front of him. Yet, kureno walks toward her ignoring the knife, hugs her & tells her to press the button of change. Easy, right?

I highly respect the author that Akito didn’t respond positively. I don’t want kureno to be stabbed or want akito to run away & hurt the others.  Also, I hate cheap drama. So, I’ll never support dramatic confrontations just for the sake of it. I want a realistic depiction of trauma & mental illness. The person who lived her entire life entitled to be obeyed, feared & having extreme authority, won’t just change cuz a foolish guy told her to.

-The responsibility of Nurturing children:

Akito’s outburst represent the author’s view on the role of nurturing children properly to teach them to be decent human beings. Akito was raised with extreme views neglect & narcissism. You’re special & must be loved (said her dad), Others MUST obey you (said the old maid), No one truly loves you (said her mom). So, her entire life she craved showcasing her power over these unfortunate zodiacs as it stems from the notion that they live for her sake.

Tohru on the other hand was raised with compassion, love & appreciation of other ppl. Tohru being timid, shy or unable to stand for her self are personal struggles that tohru deals with & not related to nurturing , While her trauma might be caused by a parent, it didn’t prevent tohru from being a kind & compassionate person because she was raised & taught abt these things.

The faults of abusing a child might lead to create faulty mentality & social issues. these kids might even grow to implement similar abuse onto others, while all that is understandable, it will never excuse their behavior. A lot cases of real life abusers were once kids who were abused. It is tragic. It explains why they become the horrible person they are today, but it never excuses the harm of others. The victim is not responsible of your screwed upbringing. Kisa, kyo, yuki, & Isuzu have nothing to do with Akira, Ren or akito’s troubles. They are victims themselves but they didn’t go & inflect harm upon others. Yes, they each developed a faulty coping mechanism &  showed tendencies of rage, withdrawal, misplaced pain, but they were never a harm towards the society, & their peers.

Akito’s outburst paves the path for her redemption. How it will happen? I duno. Will someone once again holds her cheeks, talks her into bettering herself? I duno. She will atone. I can guess that based on the ED. but Will she be rightfully punished for her crimes? I duno. I hope so. Forgiveness is different from punishment. Thus, a type of punishment should be implemented. Abusers, whether victims or not, or atoned or not, must receive it. It is only fair.

- What will happen with tohru/ kyo’s confession/ confrontation? What is the exit from kyoko’s harsh last words! How can Furuba’s best mom hates kyo! My mind goes crazy!

Perhaps the following will happen:

(a) Kyo will confess the past, tohru forgive, kyo relieved, they kiss or whatever (happy ending). This could happen but while I would be happy for them, I’d hate that kyo’s entire trauma goes away with a simple “ I forgive you/ I love you”. Trauma doesn’t have a button you magically shut down. Kyo must unload his burden first! open his lid, then deal with it. Also, How will kyoko’s last words fit here? Are they just kyo’s imagination? really? it seems so anti-climatic. Imagine living with kyoko’s words for two seasons only for it to be in kyo’s mind! I really need kyoko to have bigger role than simple imagination. She’s either a haunting ghost or a holy perfect mother, rarely a real human character. Also, I need to include Akito. In this happy version, Akito gets stopped by shigure or even yuki! .. possible but too light for all the buildup drama & endless cliffhangers! lol

(b) Kyo will confess the past, tohru won’t forgive, kyo hurts himself as he sees her pain (dark ending). This ending is too dark for both. kyo hearing tohru’s words of un-forgivness will echo what he himself believe in he should be. Then where is hope for him? T_T Tohru not being able to forgive is logical since her mom is her world, but it also further ties tohru to her mom. She’ll be stuck again remembering her mom’s tragic words & last moment. Also, tohru will loose another person she loves even more than her mom. Here Akito will interfere somehow. Perhaps tries to kill tohru, then kyo sacrifices himself saving her. I duno.. too dark for furuba! lol

Ok. I give up. Anything I think gets stopped by kyoko’s words. I need kyo to push tohru away cuz this is the only logical progression for his trauma! I refuse to believe that kyo’s trauma was pushed into the climax & was written to embody furuba’s most mature themes of guilt, self-forgiveness, repeated mistakes, depression & others only to be quickly solved. But, tohru’s own issues were quickly presented & addressed in one short ep so..... augh! I want to hope for more from tohru, but I duno.. her growth has been so inconsistent, & I’m tired of being disappointed.

Next ep could either become furuba’s best ep or the worst ever!!! & this scares me so much. 

Side Notes:

Kyo was repeatedly punished for his mistakes & faulty coping mechanism throughout the series, He is yet to be forgiven by someone or forgive himself. But he has been living the punishment of his own trauma.

Why is momiji still speaking German in the dub? I know his curse break is a secret, but He’s still holding on the facade of identifying with a rabbit in his burger, imitating his mom’s accent as he’s still so attached to her. I thought he let go of the past while bravery acknowledging it & moved on. Starting brighter, happier & with more hope. He isn’t still holding on to pain. He is looking forward now. =/

At first, i didnt recognize the room tohru & kyo are eating in! XD. It’s their living room, right? first time seeing it with all doors closed. weird.XD

Seeing Hiro’s curse break further reinforces that there is no logic on its breaking order. It just breaks. that’s all. If there is any reason behind it, then, momoji should be the first. He had always developed outside relationships with others way before tohru & not exclusive to her. Seeing as he has lots of friends playing with him. Also, he has always dealt with his own issues with level headed perspective, never too absorbed in sadness, never too self-focused, he never withdrew or lashed out. He never looked down on kyo, heck! I’ll argue that he even looked up to him!. hiro could've happened earlier too, as he was always protected from trauma & in a loving home, then yuki as he not only opened his lid but told akito in her face that he will forgive her & decided to never be by her side. His curse should have broken right on se02, ep25. You can place anyone afterwards. So, yeah, the curse just breaks, perhaps akito herself has a role as her insecurities increases. duno.

I dont care for the curse itself at all. As far as I’m concerned it is (a) fun gimmick, (b) analogy for abuse & trauma. The later is the core of furuba.

plz let next ep be well-done, well-written & well-direct. plz! T_T