#tomoe ozen

[maiji]

This is the behind the scenes work-in-progress overview for fight / flight part 4! (part of the YYH North Bound prequel project)

I finally got around to scanning the thumbnails for this part! I remembered to do this mainly because part 5 (which is also the final part of this story in the North Bound series!) will be posted here soon.

Because it's been so long since I worked on part 4, I don't have as much to say compared to previous behind the scenes posts. Basically time heals all wounds (or at least these ones) and thus I forgot all the details of my screaming/crying/complaining, hahaha. That and possibly because this part was "only" 6 pages.

More character design commentary and part 4 page sketches below the cut!

Character design commentary and more sketches

For part 4, I had designed a new character who didn't already exist in Yu Yu Hakusho.    

The second drawing above (with the Chinese characters, just my calligraphy practice on the same page) was actually from pretty far back, I was thinking about her (and her dialogue) for a while. You can see I was playing a lot with the design of her face, how old she might look, and how I might distinguish her from other female characters and Spirit World guides, especially with the stylizing of her eyes. 

Outfit-wise I don't think she's that unique as far as classical sky maiden-type designs go, but I do enjoy drawing her hair. I gave her a beauty mark at the last second while inking the comic.

Here are all of the page sketches - without the text, followed by more commentary.

Comparing my thumbnails to my sketches, there wasn't much change.

The "Otake, stand down" tennyo descending page got adjusted a bit with a close up of her lips for her dialogue. I still feel a bit ambivalent about the composition, whether I should have positioned her higher, but I like the feeling of descent and the fluttering of her hagoromo.

Second last page, second panel after Otake says "hmph" - I took so long working on this that the doodle in my page sketch was undecipherable to me, and I was at a complete loss as to what on earth I had been intending. Fortunately, my script at this part said "sheathes his sword" which saved me. Though, if I had bothered going back to look at my thumbnails, I would have realized my thumbnail of this action was ten times clearer than my page sketch.

Other comments:

First page, large panel with the sparkle of the tennyo appearing - I had a heck of a time with the forest background on this one. Blob blob blob it seems serviceable enough. Like I've said before, my environments are mostly rough vibes, haha.

"EUGH YUCK GROSS" page - I had a lot of fun with the tennyo's expressions, and I really like how Otake's face turned out in the last panel. Drawing annoyed people with bloody faces is fun!

Last two pages: I was very proud of how Tomoe turned out on these two pages, her looking up poses. I also was pleased with the forest in the last panel. More vibes!

[xenowlsome]

If I have to do all the worldbuilding work for Kishi, I might as well go all out.

Warning: extremely long post, pathological overthinking and faked knowledge of various languages

Naruto world - geography and countries

(Note: many of the names are phonological approximations to the original names and so may not make much sense)

Geography:

→ Land masses:

Kigi Peninsula (木木半島 / “Peninsula of the many trees”) - peninsula on the north-east extremity of the continent; named so for the dense forests covering the mountains

though this is the name proper, the peninsula is often called by the country name

Crescent Peninsula (三日月半島 / Mikazuki-hantō) - peninsula connected by a small strip of land to the eastern side of the continent

Tomoe Islands (巴島 / Tomoe-jima) - two islands to the east of the Mikazuki Peninsula

Pearl Islands (珠群島 / Tama-guntō) - a cluster of islands in the Eastern Sea

Baratan Island (薔薇痰島 / Baratan-jima) - an island off the southern coast of the continent

The Nose (鼻半島 / Hana-hantō) - a small peninsula in the Ice Sea

→ Mountains:

Senzan Mountain range (千山 / “A thousand summits”) - the great mountain range stretching across the continent

Western Mountain range (西山脈 / Nishi Sanmyaku) - the range between the Great Desert and the plain

Tengu Mountains (天狗山脈 / Tengu Sanmyaku) - the highest peaks of the Senzan Mountains

Original name: Тэнгэр Нуруу (Tenger Nuruu / “Sky Mountains”)

Kotesuwa Mountains (コテスワ山脈 / Kotesuwa Sanmyaku) - part of the Senzan Mountains on the Kigi Peninsula

Original name:  कोटेश्वर (Koteshwor / “Ten million gods”) 

Kōdai Plateau (広大 / “The great expanse”) - plateau north of the Senzan Mountains

→ Lowlands:

Central Plain (中原 / Nakahara) - the plain stretching between Senzan and Western Mountains to the sea; “birthplace” of the Central Empire

The Great Desert (大砂 / Ōsuna “Great Sand”) - the rain shadow desert to the south of Senzan Mountains

Original name: Улы кум (Uli Kum / same meaning)

Ōmu Desert (大無の砂漠 / “Desert of great nothingness”) - the desert in the southern part of the Kōdai Plateau

Original name: Оэмно Элс (Oemno Els / “Southern Sands”)

Jukai Forest (樹海 / “Sea of trees”) - the forest taking up the south-east part of the Central Plain

Western Wilderness (西荒野 / Nishigoya) - the expanse of land to the west of the Great Desert

→ Rivers&Lakes:

Black River (黒川 / Kurogawa) - the great river flowing from the Tengu Mountains and through the Centrain Plain; the continent’s longest river

the name stems from its clearness before it enters the plain

Kisaki River (后川 / “Queen river”) - the river flowing north through the Kōdai Plateau; technically a part of the Black River

Original name: Хатан Гол (Hatan Gol / same meaning)

Hanasen River (華千川 / “River of the thousand beauties”) - the river running from the Western Mountains along the southern coast

Original name: Ана өзен (Ana Ozen / “Mother River”)

Fire River (火川 / Higawa) - the river tracing the north-west edge of the Central Plain; named so because it was rumored to have had scalding waters at the beginning of the world

Utoga Lake (烏兎が湖 / “Sun-and-moon lake”) - the lake in the Tengu Mountains, the highest lake on the continent; a place of worship for local religions as well as for (the Narutoverse equivalent of) Buddhism

Original name: Хутга Нуур (Khutga Nuur / “Knife lake”)

→ Seas:

Ice Sea (氷海 / Hyōkai) - separates the North Pole from the continent

Inner Sea (内海 / Utsumi) - between the mainland and the Crescent Peninsula

Eastern Sea (東海 / Tōkai) - the waters between the mainland and the Pearl Islands as well as the ocean beyond

Countries:

The Five Great Countries:

Fire → Chugoku (中国 / “Central Country”)

name inherited from the eponymous empire

Water → Chōson (朝尊 / “Precious dawn”)

Original name: Joson

Lightning → Akasa-goku (赤矢国 / “Red arrow”)

Original name: Akāsā-Bhūmi (“Sky land”)

Earth → Mōn (蒙ん)

Original name: Монх Улс (Monkh Uls / “Eternal land”)

Wind → Kaze-goku (風国) / no change

Original name: Chelana-Kara (“Land of the wind mother”)

Other Countries:

(Note: the small countries on the periphery of Chugoku are former provinces and have kept their province names)

Iron → Kurogane-goku (黒金国 / no change)

Historical name: Томоргазар (Tomorgazar / “Iron land”)

Snow → Shimo-goku (霜国 / “Frost country”, we don’t need two countries that are basically the same)

Tea → Shizuyama (静山 / “Silent mountains”)

Rice Fields → Aota (青田 / “Green rice field”)

Grass → Shirono (白野 / “White field”)

River → Kawagata (川潟 / “River lagoon”)

Rain → Fukugawa (福川 / “Good luck river”)

Waves → Seigaiha (青海波 / Name of the traditional waves pattern)

Hot Water → Ōita (大分 / Ōita Prefecture in Japan is famous for its hot springs)

Waterfall → Yamamon (山門 / “Mountain gate”)

Shirono, Fukugawa and Kawagata are collectively known as Kansai, or “West Barrier”.

[slice-of-no-life]

Year End Anime Roundup

Hello all.  this is a list of every anime I watched this year.

A Channel 6 - Meh. Aho Girl 7 - stupid funny Akiba’s Strip 7 - this series was more fun than it had any right to be.  I thoroughly enjoyed it. Alice to Zouroku 8 - I really enjoyed some parts of this but i have a personal weakness for series about adults raising children. Another 7 - Wasn’t bad but didn’t really resonate with me that much. Ansatsu Kyoushitsu S1 9 - thoroughly enjoyed this. Ansatsu Kyoushitsu S2 7 - ending was kinda meh Bakemono no Ko 8 - I really enjoyed this movie.  I had seen it at walmart for ages.  glad i picked it up. Blend S 9 - Ah yes the workplace Rom-Com.  Always a favorite of mine. Boku no Hero Academia S2 10 - don’t look at me like you didn’t know this was gonna have a 10. Carnival Phantasm 8 - had a lot of fun with this. Castlevania 8 - Hoping for more of this Centaur no Nayami 7 - I love monster girls so this was a no brainer. Danmachi Gaiden Sword Oratoria 7 - alright as a companion to danmachi.  can’t really stand on its own merits. Demi-chan wa Katartai* 10 - this was a series I looked forward to each week.  I wish i could say more great things about this but if you’re a fan of SoL, you really can’t do much better than this Durarara (all of it) 8 - I really enjoyed the beginning to this.  i feel like the last season or two could’ve been skipped if the friends even spoke just a little. Eromanga Sensei 10 - masterpiece. Evangelion 1.0 9 - waiting for 4.0 Evangelion 2.0 9 - ^ Evangelion 3.0 9 - ^ Fate/Apocrypha 8 - it’s a goddamn mess but i love it. Fate/Kaleid liner Prisma Illya Movie: Sekka no Chikai 8 - I love seeing heroic spirit emiya anytime I can. Fate/Zero 2nd Season 9 - dont know why i waited so long to finish this.  i enjoyed it. Fuuka (updated and now finished) 6 - started out cool but got boring about midway Gabriel DropOut 8 - CGDCT cute girls subverting religious stereotypes.  you have a Fail-len angel addicted to gaming, a sadistic angel, a mostly harmless prankster demon and a demon who is easily the most pleasant person in the show.  would watch again Gurren Lagann 8 - don’t even know what was even happening at the end but it was cool. Hajimete no Gal 7 - it’s alright. Himouto s2 9 - i thought it fixed a lot of the problems season 1 had and it actually made umaru a tolerable character.  Also bonus points for more cgdct. Hinako Note 7 - eh it was cool.  Kuu-chan was bae. Howl’s Moving Castle 9 - Watched this while cooking Easter dinner. Imouto sae Ireba Il. 8 - Solid show with some of the most ridiculous parody comedy i’ve seen. Inuyashiki 8 - Super robot attack grandpa was pretty cool. Isekai shokudou 8 - I enjoyed it. Isekai wa smartphone to Tomo ni. 7 - vanilla as fuck op character in a harem.  still moderately enjoyable.  I like how they approached the harem scenes. Juuni Taisen 8 - fate meets the chinese zodiac.  it was alright. Kakegurui 8 - i still don’t know how to categorize this. Kancolle Movie 9 - I finally got to meet all the charactersfrom the games that the weebs i follow love so much. Katanagatari 9 - so glad i finally gave this a shot.  it was worth it. Kemono Friends 10 - wholesome. Kimi no Na wa. 8 - it was just alright for me. Kiseijuu: Sei no Kakuritsu 8 - that was pretty good. Kizumonogatari 3 10 - it was amazing.  i got to see my favorite series on a movies budget. Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon* 10 - seeing Ms. Kobayashi’s daily life was a treat and I loved seeing how her life changed as other characters were introduced into it.  Going into this show i thought it was gonna be a silly thing but it was much more serious than i anticipated.  Kanna was best loli for the season and it wasn’t even close *megumin always gets honorable mentions* aoty candidate Koe no Katachi 10 - best non monogatari movie of 2017 Koi to Uso 7 - meh Konosuba2* 10 - i love it when s2 live up to a great s1.  they fixed a lot of the problems with s1 but didn’t compromise what made this show magical.  darkness really climbed the best girl chart this season thanks to plenty of storylines.  could always use more megumin.  Aoty candidate Kuzu no Honkai* 9 - wow way to make me feel emotions.  i was initially turned off by all the hype i saw.  im glad i gave it a try. Love Live S1-S2 8 - i really enjoyed this. Made in Abyss 10 - it was pretty.  it had chibi characters.  it was dark it was an anime of the year candidate. Mahouka koukou no rettousei 8 - Magic High was cool if a bit pretentious. Mahoutsukai no Yome 10 - im always a sucker for a fantasy world that didn’t feel cookie-cutter.  Anime of the year candidate. Masamune-kun no Revenge 6 - protag-kun confirmed for shit taste.  main girls best friend was way better and she wasnt even a route.  ending was weak. will probably still get s2. Megane na Kanojo 5 - meh 4 shorts about glasses girls. Miyakawa-ke no Kuufuku 8 - Lucky star spinoff that gave me lucky star vibes. Momokuri 7 - an okay rom comedy. Naruto Shippuuden 7 - wow what a trip.  there was only like 70 eps of filler in the last 100 episodes. Nekopara 9 - true to the game and compelling enough to stand on its own.  will probably watch again. Net-juu no Susume 9 - I really enjoyed this series.  MoriMori-chan is a waifu of the year candidate New Game 2 7 - wasn’t as good as the original but it was alright. would watch a s3. NonNon Biyori 9 - enjoyed it.  should start s2 at some point. Noragami s1-s2 8 - didn’t think i would like this as much as i did. Nyanko Days 6 - can’t remember shit about this One Room 7 - alright.  its short episodes so it could knocked out in 40 mins. Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki 9 - really enjoyed wolf children.  watched for mothers day to appreciate my own mother. OwariMonogatari s2 9 - really enjoyed this conclusion to my favorite anime. Renai Boukun 7 - meh it was entertaining for a while. Saekano s2 9 - I was gutted emotionally during the first half of the series.  I still enjoy it though.   Seiren 6 - i’d give arc 1 a 9, and everything else was blah.  i dont even remember arc 3. Shingeki no Kyojin 2 9 - I enjoyed it.  most people said there was too much flashback but i didn’t have a problem with that. Shoujo Shuumatsu Ryokou 8 - cool ambient cute girls.   Spice and Wolf S1-S2 9 - I didn’t know i was gonna get economics lessons from an anime this year.  enjoyed it. Star Fox Zero 6 - nothing important. Sword Art Online: Ordinal Scale 8 - enjoyed seeing this in theaters. The iDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS Theater 7 - meh The Kings Avatar 8 - solid series that’ i’d like s2 or another series like it. The Seven Deadly Sins 9 - I see why this is the 4th most binged series on netflix.  everything about it screamed quality. Tsurezure Children 7 - good enjoyable rom com shorts.  i hope theres a s2 coming. Urara Meirochou 8 - solid cgdct.  cute girls are fortune tellers.  Koume for best girl.   Yojouhan Shinwa Talkei 8 - they spoke so fast i struggled to read the subtitles.  It was great though. YuGiOh!: The Dark Side of Dimensions  7 - ive never seen a theater roast a series they paid $12 for.  it was everything i remember about the old show.  Kaiba was hilarious. Zero kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho 8 - solid fantasy series.  Zero for potential waifu of the year   

Waifu Tier characters (no previous characters for earlier years ie Megumin, Megumi Kato, Mikasa) Satou Sakie Kobayashi-San: i loved her Tohru: she’s so cute Hanabi Vigne Koume Tsuneki Hikari Zero MoriMori-chan Chise Ozen the Immovable Natsukawa Kuina Ishida Miyako Satanichia Kurumizawa McDowell Elf Yamada Shiori Shinomiya Mashu Kyrielight Astolfo Frankenstein Jeanne D’Arc

Imouto Tier Nikawa Denkigai Kanna Kamui Natsuki Momohara Sagiri Izumi Yuzuru Nishimiya Alice *spoiler character from A Sisters All You Need*

work in progress anime Boruto 20/38 Cardcaptor sakura 40/70 Dragonball Super 42/121 Sakura Quest 16/25

i’ll compile all the 8, 9, and 10 rated anime in another list and from there, I’ll choose my picks for anime of the year.  I may even steal crunchyrolls categories and place what i saw into those.  i reserve the right to add to this list up until the 15th of January or to change any score on it.  *seriously theres like 70 series on this list and ive probably missed some.*