#tpn gf children

[chidoroki]

182 Days of TPN - Day 173

Chapter 173: "Prisoners"

My immense dislike towards Peter often leads me to making fun of him, but he ain't a cute kid. I dunno any child his age (however old he is here) to look that happy with wearing a full suit. Normal children would complain.

I know Norman isn't related to the James at all, but I still enjoy how so many people joke or theorize about it solely based on how he took on the WM persona and how similar they look at a first glance. Not just by the hair and outfit either, but even their actions, like you can't look at this panel and not be reminded of that one panel of Norman from ch126. It's so memorable that I don't even have to place it here to compare the two because of how identical it is to James here.

Imagine if James never found that old document. The world would continue on suffering under the farm system rules forever and we wouldn't even have our story. Maybe. Ray would probably still question his existence and the world whether or not James hides clues in the books in the GF library. It would certainly be more difficult for the kids to survive outside the farm though without using the pen for guidance, if they could manage the escape in the first place.

Peter, for once in your life, can you please just act like a normal child? Who hears of someone sacrificing others for their own gain and thinks, "oh, they're brilliant! I wanna be just like them!" I really hate how Julius pushing aside his personal feelings in order to change the world and stop the fighting sounds so similar to what Emma did with making the new promise, but our girl would certainly never betray her family and friends to achieve that better world!

This poor man. It's as if his entire purpose in life is crashing down around him.

As heartbreaking as this scene of James' death is, I can't feel sorry for Peter in this moment. The dude labeled James as a traitor and gave the order to the other Ratri men to go kill him, so I can't imagine why the boy is wailing so hard for something he caused to happen. He could've at least tried to talk to James about the situation, maybe find some common ground that the two of them could agree upon that would apply to both their ideals on how to run the clan and farm systems, but nope. Death be upon ye. The fact that Peter gets up and walks away shortly after rubs me the wrong way too. If he was truly upset about his brother's death, surely he would've taken his body somewhere else to do a proper burial instead of just leave him there. Peter mentions at the start of this chapter that he respected James more than anyone, but this sure as hell ain't the proper way to show it.

Local fool having an existential crisis. Sure the Ratri clan was bound to play the part as the mediators between both worlds, but one couldn't honestly believe that was the correct way to do things. It's surprising the promise lasted a thousand years before someone had the nerve to stand up and say, ya know, living this way just ain't right.

Peter isn't wrong, unfortunately. Humans can really be so terrible. The world we're personally living in is far from perfect.

One of the rare deaths when the corners of my mouth are tugged upwards. It's fine. No one really wanted Peter to join the kids in the human world anyway.

Favorite panel/moment:

James' smile. That's all.

[just-like-playing-tag]

A few days ago volume 20 came in the mail and it's everything I've been thinking ever since so take some edits of the anime designs adjusted to volume 20 colors

[the-silliest-idiot]

Can we just get a season full of fish instead of a declawed version of the manga?

[yuugosskunkhair]

Imagine yuugo singing ’goodbye to a world’ to emma😭💔

”thank you”

”ill say goodbye soon”

“dont blame yourself”

*scream*

[tama1313]

I did a The Promised Neverland spotify playlist

I tried to make a "fandmade soundtrack" suing songs that fits this manga/anime

(explanations and spoilers under the playlist)

Dollhouse: Basically all TPN season 1 in a nutshel

If I die young: Connie will never know how her death meant to the others :' )

Stressed Out: Full Score Trio + Don and Gilda thinking about a way to escape without being busted

Worried about Ray: More "Worried about all the GraceField kids" (+ Norman when he is about to be shipped out)

My demons: Ray in season 1 basically (at least, most of the fandom headcanon this song as his theme, so I had to put it ^^)

On my Own: Ray but after Emma saves him from his sacrifice, when he starts to have again hope

Isabella's Lullaby: How could I not put this?!? When the thruth behind Isabella's story is finally revealed

Brother: Gracefield kids careing about eachother after the escape

Elastic Heart: Emma and Ray after the escape (and for the whole manga, expecially Emma)

Nothing ever Changes: SungJoo and Mujica thinking about demon's society and the pact

Runnin': Yuugo in the bunker (and all his backstory and how he wants to flee his pain)

Be My Escape: again Yuugo, but after he meets the GF children

Monster Town: Emma is caught and brought to Goldy Pond (and the first arc of GP)

Make a Move: same as above, but it's from the POV of GP kids

Revolution: Finally the GoldyPond kids rebell themselves and they can escape

The kids aren't Alright: Yuugo and Luca's reuinion because yes

Hey Brother: same as Brother by Kodaline

Birds: the kids reach for the Paradise and finally... Emma and Ray reunites with Norman!! ;_;

Wires: Norman has changed...

Honey I'm Home: ...due to the experiments the demonds did on him at Lambda lab!

Blood//Water: and now he wants to destroy Demon's society

Goodbye to a World: Emma makes a "new promise" with HIM

Emperor's New Clothes: Geelan's character

Empire to Ashes: Norman attacks the city

If I killed someone for you: He did all of this for Emma and his family

(I think you just understood who is my fav character ^^' )

Discord: Demons from Humans POV//Norman from Demons POV

Voracity: Queen Legravalima

The Plagues: Clan Ratri and James and Peter's relationship (expecially the last part of the song)

Used to The Darkness: Peter Ratri

Outro: The Kids finally escapes in the human world, but Emma is noth there anymore...

World in our Hands: The bonus chapter where our protagonist are finally visiting the human world (and ofc now Emma is with them)

We Are: Just our protagonists + Grace Field family + all the friends they aquired

And that's it!

I hope you like the song choice

[tutubola-moved-on]

The Essay I Wouldn't Shut Up About Last Month

For english class I had to write a persuasive essay and I knew I wanted to write smth related to tpn cuz it was the end of the year and I was too tired to think too much. My teacher read the first paragraph of the wikipedia summary and said the story was too childish to be analysed and I would only be able to write decent essay on it if the essay was about why 6th graders should study it. So of course I did what every good student does: I ignored him and submitted an essay about gender roles. And then he gave me the max grade so like!!

Disclaimer(s): This was written for my english teacher who ofc didn't read tpn so there's a lot of context. I'm referring to Lambda as a laboratory to make it less confusing (GF is already "the farm").

Also sorry for any mistakes I'm 15 and brazilian but I tried my best

Introduction

The way I would define gender roles correlates with an unavoidable human laziness; people saw the many roles to be fulfilled for society to properly function and distributed them as easily as possible: you’re a woman, you do this; you’re a man, you do this. While it is a straight-forward criteria in which everyone can find their spot, it leads to unnecessary harm and wasted potential. Take Virginia Woolf’s Shakespeare’s Sister as an example: a woman with the interest and skills to act on stage was barred from it and jumped from a bridge. And we’ve seen these situations play out throughout history and in countless stories, from Virginia Woolf to Billy Elliot; stories in which human potential was nearly or completely shot down by the imposition of gender roles.

Having said that, I propose a reformation to the way roles are distributed. Rather than based on gender, a biological condition that affects little more than a person’s reproductive system (a definition that is also contested by the existence of transgender individuals), it would make people happier and more efficient if they were able to take on the roles they have the interest in and the abilities needed to excel at, as shown in Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu’s The Promised Neverland, a graphic novel series in which success is often linked with a disregard towards gender when assigning roles while failure comes from attempts at forcing oneself into a strict definition of what it means to be of either gender.

The Dangers Of Perpetuating Gender Roles

The premise of The Promised Neverland is simple: humans and man-eating demons forged a promise that separated the world in half; one side in which humans could live independently from the demons, and the other where human children were cultivated in farms disguised as orphanages and harvested for demon consumption. Of those children, the only ones who survived were girls who knowingly chose to avoid death by becoming mothers, and the select few that found out the ‘truth’ and managed to escape.

That, by nature, is a catalyst for a gendered system: girls have no chance at growing past the age of twelve unless they go through a competitive selective process and are deemed promising housewives, while boys aren’t given the opportunity to become fathers for the children, both an exaggeration of gender roles in our society. This structure is explored in Kei Toda’s book Reading The Promised Neverland With a British/American Literature Scholar, where she mentions how this system reinforces a “traditional family” in which the “mother takes care of the … house … and the children by herself” while a father’s absence is not “unnatural” as they are often encouraged to “work outside and earn living costs for the family”  (3-4).

Maintaining such a system at the expense of children’s lives undeniably gives it a negative light, while also being a reflection of how far our world is willing to go to preserve that traditional family and its inherent gender roles. Girls and women who are unable or unwilling to adhere to motherhood tend to be shamed, and, in worst cases, beaten and killed, while there’s an ongoing trend regarding absent fathers, which has shown to severely impact a child’s upbringing. Nevertheless, the initial setting for The Promised Neverland mirrors our current society, in which women and men are highly discouraged to divert from gender roles no matter how much they can accomplish on their own, and consequently results in an unhappy, unsafe, and, most importantly, inefficient society.

Disregard Towards Gender Roles Enabled The Escape

In spite of that, the situation changes when the main characters—Emma, Norman, and Ray—are introduced. While, structurally, life at the farm is strongly based on gender roles, the children live as themselves, manifested especially when it comes to their escape plan. Emma had the skills needed to lead the escape, being known for her “outstanding motor skills” and “learning [abilities]” (vol.1, 32), as well as being “amazingly true to herself” (vol.4, 97). These are qualities traditionally associated with young boys—the athletic abilities and self-assurance—and, had she followed gender roles, she would’ve had to suppress them. That could’ve changed the course of their escape; they needed someone who could not only survive in harsh environments but also lead with confidence and determination, and neither Norman nor Ray had the ability to take her spot.

On one hand, Ray was determined to die in the farm, and while Norman was “a genius” with the “best brains” (vol.1, 32), his “weakness [was] physical strength” (vol.2, 38). Although he’s perfect for the evaluation and planning, a leader for an escape cannot be weak; again, they have to be able to endure long hikes and sporadic runs, and help out those who cannot. Norman accepted that, and instead of clashing with Emma’s leadership, he served as the “white horse” for her, “the knight,” supporting her to “move freely” (Sunny). He turned away from traditional male gender roles he wouldn’t be able to fulfill in order to focus on a role within his reach; thus, he filled in where Emma couldn’t, and allowed Emma to fill in where he couldn’t, and that cooperation was what led to a smooth escape from an extremely surveillanced facility.

At its core, the escape was only successful because they allowed Emma to lead it regardless of her gender, and because the boys knew the benefits of her leadership and took the required supporting positions. This is a base example of how diverting from gender roles allows us to wholly put our skills to use, thus reaching full human potential.

Surviving In The ‘Outside’ By Exploring Individual Abilities

The children’s survival on the outside relied primarily on using the qualities and interests they had to best provide for themselves. While the escape from the farm showed the increase in efficiency when gender is discarded, their lives as escapees uncover the physical and mental well-being promoted by it.

Soon after the escape, Emma takes on the role of hunting, while Ray begins to cook. That subverts traditional expectations of gender, but is, once again, a demonstration of their individual abilities—Emma’s athleticism and Ray’s vast knowledge would've made it impossible for gender roles to be followed without the addition of unnecessary obstacles. This is also manifested when they first encounter a wild demon: Ray analyses the situation for a solution but she ultimately shoots it, yet another use of their skills.

Not only is this system effective, but, during a meal, Emma mentions how there’s a lot of “happiness when food is delicious” (vol.6, 113). Had Ray refused to cook in order to follow gender roles, the food might’ve turned out poor, and consequently the meal would’ve been less enjoyable. The children needed someone to cook, and barring him from it simply for being a boy could’ve been, at the least, an annoyance. Although it seems like a small detail, these situations eventually contribute to teaching children gender roles that can harm them and others in the future. In our world, for example, toys are constantly segregated; cooking kits are usually advertised for girls, while action figures are advertised for boys. This inevitably leads to young children being discouraged to pursue what they truly want, which can only lead to so much happiness and satisfaction.

Another main event in which there is clear benefit from the disconsideration of gender is during the Goldy Pond rebellion, in which Emma and nine other children liberate an illicit hunting ground. Of those children, two of them—Nigel and Gillian—stand out, being assigned as partners to take down one of the poachers, but once more inverting traditional gender expectations. Gillian takes the front line as a shooter, while Nigel primarily builds the guns away from the battlefield. When comparing to WWII, when women took over the factories and built supplies for the male soldiers, it seems unlikely that Nigel and Gillian would switch the roles.

However, Nigel openly admits to being weak, couldn’t “count how many times” he was saved by others (vol.10, 33), and recalls how, if it weren’t for Emma, he “would’ve given up” (vol. 20, 170). He wasn’t physically or mentally capable of taking the front lines, and his life would’ve been put in severe risk if he had been forced to. But because he wasn’t, he developed strong mechanical skills and not only preserved his well-being but also greatly benefited the rebellion. Considering the high rate of conscription during WWII, it’s hard to believe all soldiers had the capacity to fight. There were probably so many men who died because they had no interest or skill to fight, but had to enlist because of their gender.

These arrangements, together with Emma’s continued leadership, allowed the children to survive outside the farms for far longer than expected. There’s no doubt that a lot of their safety and happiness wouldn’t have been possible had they stuck to gender roles, and that is a message that should be more prominent in our society.

Submitting To Gender Roles Led To Unnecessary Harm

The story wouldn’t be complete without examples of gender roles leading to character’s downfalls to further stress the harm it can cause. That is, of course, initially represented through the farm system, in which countless women became mothers because it was “the only way to survive,” despite losing full autonomy over themselves (Mother’s, 20). Later on, it is also shown through Norman’s character arc. He never escaped the farm, being shipped to an experimental laboratory a few months prior, and his time in the lab twisted his views of gender.

Two years after the Goldy Pond rebellion, following an enemy attack to their shelter, the children flee to a hideout led by William Minerva, their key ally in the human world who had supposedly been killed. Upon arrival, however, it is revealed that Norman had taken on the name, described by the children of the hideout as “smart and sharp” (vol 13, 180), “cold,” and a child who “looked like a god” (vol 14, 185). That description is so distant to the Norman from the farm that neither the characters nor the readers were able to really associate him with the role of Minerva. He became an exact definition of an ideal, traditional man; someone who’s powerful, emotionless, and an overall perfect leader.

But, as explored during the Grace Field escape, he does not have the qualities for that role. Especially after his time in the laboratory, his physical health deteriorated and his days were numbered, but he couldn’t bring himself to seek help because he “wanted to be a leader [they] could rely on” (vol.18, 35). Norman’s attempt at following gender roles overshadowed his decaying mental and physical health up to a point where it was almost irreversible; he was corrupted by the idea of fitting into traditional masculinity and ended up blinded to the harm it was causing.

Inevitably, Emma eventually confronted him. In that spiral, he planned to wipe out the demons so he could leave behind a free world for the children, while Emma had the arrangements to see Scribbles (their ‘god’) and reforge the ‘promise’ so everyone could cross over to the human world with no bloodshed. But no matter how prepared she was, he shut down her ideas as “fairy tales” (vol.15, 76), implying that he was the rational, wise man, while she was living in her head, unable to process real life---an idea that’s present in several misogynistic manifestos in our world, like Patmore’s The Angel in the House, where women are painted as “passive” and “gentle” (Thackery). He was, undoubtedly, fueled by misogyny and a determination to impose gender roles, and didn’t give Emma an opportunity to act on her own regardless of how well it had worked thus far.

In the end, Norman carries out his plan, and Emma is left with no choice but to forge the ‘promise’ on her own at the cost of her memories and connections to the children. Norman’s actions had massive negative consequences, despite being easily avoidable had he continued to take on roles fit for his skills, rather than his gender. His transformation following his stay at the laboratory reflects on how attempting to fit into a box someone doesn’t belong in can harm not only oneself but others. It further stresses the importance of disregarding gender when it comes to assigning roles, and how much one’s qualities can affect their ability to safely fulfill a gender role.

Conclusion

Although gender roles have always been a clear way to organize society, more often than not they have led to harm and wasted potential. Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu’s The Promised Neverland highlights the negative consequences of following a gender role without having the qualities or interest needed for it, and how much more efficient and healthy we as humans can be when roles aren’t distributed solely on gender.

Works Cited

Shirai, Kaiu, & Demizu, Posuka. Yakusoku no Neverland | The Promised Neverland. Vol. 1-20, SHUEISHA, Inc, 2016-2020.

Shirai, Kaiu, and Posuka Demizu. “A Mother’s Determination.” translated by Satsuki Yamashita.

Sunny. “Shirai's First TPN Manuscript: The Way We Survive in This World.” 1000 Sunny Go, Blogger, 7 July 2021, https://1000sunnygo.blogspot.com/2021/07/shirais-first-tpn-manuscript-way-we.html.

Sunny. "Kei Toda's The Promised Neverland Analysis," 1000 Sunny Go, Blogger, 19 September 2021, https://1000sunnygo.blogspot.com/2021/09/kei-todas-promised-neverland-analysis.html

Patmore, Coventry “The Angel in the House.” William Makepeace Thackery, 2 Mar. 2011, http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/novel_19c/thackeray/angel.html.

[ashlunes]

Mama/grandma au because I can't find any where Emma isn't weak (and has long ass hair for some reason)

More info about this au:

The gf kids couldn't escape, that's why she still has both of her ears.

Unfortunately, Norman got shipped and died, and Ray suicide attempt was successful since Emma wasn't there to stop him.

Gilda became a sister and Krone a mother (they're both in the same farm).

In the 2nd and 3rd slides, the sisters are : Barbara, Gillian, Violet and Sonya.

Also the children on the first side are my OCS that have nothing to do with TPN lmao

[crazymadredfox]

[crazyoverrecent tpn eps anon] i was really looking forward to seeing yuugo but then when i saw that THERE WAS NO YUUGO SITTING ON THE CHAIR i paused the anime and had to calm myself that he’s gonna show up e v e n t u a lly. Now, I am wondering what the heck did they (the studio or smth) //do//. I just saw you reblogging about the recent tpn episodes and I wanted to hear your opinions about it. Its nice to hear that I’m not the only one frustrated haha

Oh hell yes more dumping

anon i’m so sorry this got super super long

I was very excited with the trailers and everything before it came out, shit looked amazing, but I was expecting around 6 or so episodes before Yuugo even shows up cause of that plant(?)thing they got trapped in. So I waited a bit before watching.

And then last week I go to twitter and literally see the frame of that goddamn table AND THERE IS NO YUUGO. First they cut out that whole mini-arc of them learning to survive and went right in to Mujika saving them, which in my opinion is a bit of a copout, cause in that little segment you really saw how well the kids could adapt and learn on the fly and use their brains and whatnot. But whatever- if they came to the goldy pond arc faster I was willing to watch them speed through other things, because I believe that goldy pond arc really is the most important event in the manga. A turning point for the characters and their developments and that is when they truly grow with their views on the world and goals.

But all of that doesn’t matter now because Yuugo wasn’t in the Bunker,

And I disliked every single thing after.

First I miss my bunkerdad, he is my absolute favorite character and a fan favorite for a reason (i rly rly don’t know what will they get by cutting him out) but it’s all because of his growth. He is grumpy and mean and bitter and while we do learn about it later, at the start he wasn’t all that dear to me. But then his backstory happens, shit gets explained, kids find the room etc etc- his redemption happens slowly and he just grows from bitter sad angry man to a grumpy father who loves his children and wants to protect them at all costs.

Which is huge! Aside from Minerva (even he later disappoints) Yuugo is the only adult (w/ Lucas ofc) who these kids can look up to and count on.

Cutting him so early off, and even if he shows up alter under different circumstances in my opinion ruins the character arc he went through. As we later find out he was about to kill himself in the moment when Emma and the others stepped into the bunker, and rewriting that with them saving his life in ANY other way just won’t cut it. Them preventing his suicide, putting him to work and giving him a reason to live (as well as proving family is worth it all) and returning HOPE HE LOST by finding Lucas is a whole character arc that I can’t see being altered so drastically and still being impactful.

Especially with how mistreated he’s already being, without being present in the anime. While I was happy that the wall with his scribbles exists along with the notebook, the fact that he left a message that said “I’m going to the human world; don’t lose hope” is THE LAST THING YUUGO WOULD SAY AT THIS POINT IN THE TIMELINE. He went mad from loneliness and guilt as the only survivor, he stayed alive ONLY because he thought his whole family died and that it would be even worse if he went and died as well. He gave up on going to the human world, because he doesn’t see a point in doing so alone.

That’s why episode 4 ruined my hopes for Yuugo; even if he does show up later to me his character is butchered already. (I will be over the moon if he shows up, don’t get me wrong, but I deeply condemn current developments)

And this all is just about Yuugo.

What ep4 did to the narrative is so so dumb.

In the manga bunker is their grand gift for survival. For escaping GF, surviving the forest, finding their way, outsmarting the demons and whatnot. It’s their new home, a place where they feel safe and secure, and it takes years to establish that. When it gets attacked everyone is shocked and upset. I remember reading those chapters and being on the edge of my seat, actually feeling hurt, because I knew how much time and effort they put into making it a real home. Yuugo and Lucas giving up their lives in a grand gesture of love, ultimately showing that they’re ready to give up their all for these kids they come to see as theirs. It’s gutting and painful and heartbreaking.

In the anime it’s cheap and absolutely pointless. I would get it if it was just another disaster that just happens to Emma and the others to show how the world isn’t on their side, but THEY SPEND A YEAR THERE. A whole year in a goddamn flashback, unnecessary and boring, there is no emotional punch to it getting attacked, no true losses (because while we do see them getting settled down and living easily, it just goes by so fast and nothing new is shown except baths and the piano.) Bunker looses all its meaning, there’s no new emotional connections, Yuugo is badly set up (if you can even call it that) and that stupid call from Minerva just makes my blood boil.

The point is that the bunker gets so much setup, a long tour and it seems like a checkpoint, but it’s ultimately useless because we spend a single episode before it gets attacked.

With that it erases Andrew (at least for now, which is very unproductive if you ask me) and fucking destroys the security needed for the goldy pond to happen. Anyone can argue with me about yuugo’s character being rewritten and changed for the better but you can’t tell me the bunker plot point wasn’t a complete waste of time.

Alalala onto the goldy pond I’ll wrap this up soon I promise.

As I said, universally accepted as the best arc aside the first one. I went back to read it again at least two more times and to me it is as close to a perfect arc as you can get. I would’ve been happy if it stayed like it was in the manga. It handles a huge amount of characters so so well, they all feel important, the plan is very complicated but works out because it was brewing for such a long time, sets a power balance and HAS THE BEST SET OF VILLAINS IN THE WHOLE MANGA.

Pure strategy and tactic kept me coming back, as well as the fact that the main handicap (which is the impossibility of relying information between the groups) didn’t feel forced. But now it can’t happen because a)Yuugo is NOT HERE b) no bunker means no space for tiny kids to stay safe c)it wasn’t even mentioned??

And if they go and shuffle events around and crap I can maybe see it taking place in a satisfying matter, but the thing is that goldy pond was a big turning point because Emma learned she is able to win against demons, even as strong as those five, but at the same time realized that humans are her enemies as well. and as we saw that has already happened in the anime.

My view is that if goldy pond arc happens, it won’t be as impactful as it was in the manga, especially because so much time had passed, but I need it to happen because it was such a great arc.

All in all, this is my current opinion. I am disappointed and sad by the current flow of the anime, but willing to watch where it will go. In my opinion, so many changes were unnecessary, because where manga started going downhill is much much later, around the time Norman is introduced back. I get that they might be setting up other arcs and going for something completely original, but by god I don’t have to like it. They are cutting out so so many great things that would look sick animated, and in return giving us timelapses and cheap thrills. And I didn’t even touch upon villainizing Isabelle SO EARLY ON

Once again, just current opinions, and if by chance they somehow manage to turn this into something entertaining and fun, AND add yuugo and the goldy pond arc, I will gladly eat my words and praise them later. This has been going on for way too long and if anyone bothered to read all this bullshit pls don’t get mad; I’m glad if you like the anime as it is, I just can’t get over so many bad decisions and such a huge drop in the quality of storytelling.

[anon i hope this eases your mind, know that i’m just as frustrated as you, and that it’s justified i’d say]

[frozentothetouch]

I’m back to say this

I think the reason I don’t enjoy where the anime is going is because I honestly could care less about the gracefield kids. I know some manga readers who do actually enjoy the anime route and are accepting of the original path it’s taking, but I just...don’t like it at all.

sure I know the gf kids are the main characters, the main focal points, but the thing with tpn is that the characters that were introduced in the manga were VERY interesting. and even though a majority of their characters were never fleshed out, just to have a new cast of people was so refreshing and exciting! I adore the demons and I adore the gp kids, ayshe, hayato, etc. I wish that the anime instead used original content to further their characters instead of dragging out arcs that didn’t need anything added onto them (or cut from them)

it worries me that the center point on the gf kids is going to take away from the other (manga) characters. ESPECIALLY the demons. hear me out, I wasn’t fond of any of the demons (except musica and sonju) while reading the manga for the first time, but I started to realize the depth that was put into some of them, that they functioned just like humans (aside from the...food part) and it made me love and pity them. I still haven’t watched the new episode, but seeing them so carelessly take out the intruders with no hesitation (did they kill a wild demon? I’m still unsure) takes away from those scenes where they were scared. terrified to kill or harm. BECAUSE THEYRE CHILDREN!! when Andrew had threatened them, the children stood frozen, too scared to move their guns. but it’s different in the anime...

I’m just upset. I don’t have much attachment to the gf kids so I could really care less about this filler stuff. I liked tpn because of the rush, because there was no time to relax or stop and take a moment, there was always something to be done and it felt nice. obviously I feel like the last arcs in the manga weren’t done as well as the first arcs, but comparing it to the anime right now I’m starting to think it’s the best we’re gonna get. If the anime wanted to go original, I wish they waited until after gp, because I personally feel like that’s when the manga needed a little fixing.

I’m terrified that if they do animate gp, it’ll be changed. and I don’t think anything should be changed about that arc. it’s perfect

ok rant over hhh

[stray-tori]

TPN Vol 13 (and some earlier volumes) Thoughts

I honestly thought there’d be more sort of... domestic fun times in the shelter with the dadsTM but Ig not, okay byeeee- (i wish i could be sad, come on brain)

I also just... they HAD to throw in that romantic sub...element before he died?? really? was that necessary? ugh. I felt like they could have done more of these flashes to the past earlier and then just reminded us of them here but... oh well.

Also Emma’s dreams give her therapy. I’m not sure if TPN is saying that these sort of visions are actually some sort of supernatural connection but I find the idea funny that Emma gives herself therapy in her dreams and just SENSES the timing of the explosion (again, weird “placing scenes inbetween other things that already happened”) - that was intense, but I just... I’m not huge on these outright CONVERSATIONS. I think for Ray’s hallucination it worked better because (and the german dub goes in on this even more) Norman just says things (even if a bit different) that were already said before, so it’s more of a.... coming together I guess.

That also kind of bothered me about the scene when Emma is passed out   in GP, it just felt a little “??”, thanks Emma for giving yourself a pep talk by imagining all of that. Ik she’s close to death BUT HOW DID SHE KNOW HOW PEOPLE DIED THAT SHE NEVER MET.

We kind of joked that since the eye necklace gives Emma that one experience on the water, it might be what triggers these things? but then again, it also happens earlier so probably not-

but it’s a fun little inside joke, “ah, there the eye goes again”.

.

STUPID KIDS- I mean yes let the kids be stupid sometimes but GOD WHY NOW, GO BACK- though ig if they had the mech owls, they might have easily found them again anyway. who knows.

How convenient that the randoms always died.

BUT injuries actually persist and are dealt with instead of just time-skipping to when the person in question is okay again :) Emma’s stab had no weight, it was only there for Yugo’s arc and was not dealt with satisfyingly for me hh...

I didn’t talk about this I think because I didn’t note down things for that volume, but hh idk, she seemed PERFECTLY FINE when she got up again, which was hard for me to believe... and afterwards, we couldn’t have gotten one or a few chapter(s) showing the things Emma recaps happened while she was out? We couldn’t have gotten some angsty panels with unconscious Emma and people coming to her side? come on :(

.

please get Andrew off my screen pls end my suffering, i do not want to LOOK AT THIS.

but also. goddamn. shounen manga, huh-

LIKE THIS IS EPIC BUT ALSO I DO NOT WANT TO SEE IT.

.

HAHAHA I THOUGHT THE ANIME CAME UP WITH THIS CONVENIENT DEMON NOM dsihsds, the manga executed it better (i will never get over how the anime cast just sits there like :o at the first time seeing a human being eaten but hey) but it’s still... very convenient oml.

Ray just wants to be burdened. the man wants to use his resolve to kill. let him.

.

Minerva time - obviously the secrecy is kinda ruined by the anime and by spoilers, but... idk... do people actually not find obscuring people... sus? I mean I GUESS the first time we saw the person with the hood, they also didn’t show his face SO I SUPPOSE it’s not completely unlikely that it’s just continuing to do that - but why would you not show it if it was actually James? He already had a face reveal. And the super harsh shadows on only him just look kind of awkward and hhh I DON’T KNOW-

As much as I like this scene as their introduction and I’m glad we get to see the mass production farm (the hug killed me), I also would have preferred them to omit him from it or just not show it NOW (they love their insert-scenes-in-hindsight stick way too much anyway) to commit to the “secrecy” approach for the audience. But maybe I just don’t get it. And I do like the scene so I’ll shut up and take it.

I will say... Barbara eating demon meat reveal in the anime... i liked that more tbh. Because we realize it with Emma and Ray and the way it frames the meat and her hate talk, it’s just MWAH-

Though they also have a lot more personality in the manga which I feel wouldn’t have hurt their anime counterparts.

I still pledge for a two year age-up for this story iduskhjds, it wouldn’t have hurt in general but also jsut because... imagining a 13 y/o dramatically pulling his hood off on a balcony in front of a crowd is just... not as epic to me as it’s supposed to be I think fuishdjs

And as much as the execution of the Norman reveal in the anime deserves to be dunked on and as awkward as the “walking up without saying anything” is... at least being in a demon community was a good reason to actually, yknow OBSCURE their faces and hide them naturally. I didn’t really think about this before BUT that actually makes a lot of sense and I like that more than the harsh shadow treatment.

I also always thought that the “Minerva” cover was supposed to make them come to him, which I GUESS it did, but he had his messages anyway (the way I thought it went was that he had no way to contact them, so he took that cover so they’d come find him eventually and stuff) and ALSO sent people out to find them so I guess it wasn’t the only reason - I suppose it’s also for other children/humans who know Minerva. I actually really like this element, I think it’s neat. I just thought it wouldn’t be this.... in your face and more sort of... not showing him at all until they meet him.

I also hope he actually told the squad his name is James, he’s just like a completely different person, actually sadssda.

I just find it funny to think about Lucas hearing some young soft-spoken boy, maybe barely being grazed by puperty voice and going, “yup, thats the same person as I heard on the phone with Emma :)” just. how. like if he didn’t think so I would have assumed he’d mentioned it.

Also another case of “we didn’t hint this, we didn’t show this off to the side in a panel (or tori is blind), BUT IT HAPPENED GUYS I SWEAR. HE ALSO GAVE IT TO OLIVER I SWEAR!!!!-”

.

I didn’t know about the mech owls. interesting.

.

I find Jin and Hayato’s reactions to the group interesting. the group kind of sees all the GF escapees as holy or also as their rescuers sth because like, if they hadn't escaped, none of them would be free, etc. Which now that I think about it, is... technically not true ig since Norman could have escaped Lambda even without the GF escape succeeding so. HM. And ig since they bowed to them, I think maybe it's jsut "wow you escaped on your own, you're so cool"? I just wonder if they kind of began thinking that way on their own or if Minerva's protecc squad/Minerva kind of gave them reason to behave that way by talking about the GF escape or something... probably they just did it on their own but I'm just rambling.

or maybe they’re just impressed they aren’t incompetent.

.

idk if im forgetting anything but yee, here we go. I’m just being a judgy prick, I’m enjoying it (mostly bc our read is just chaotic).

[chidoroki]

182 Days of TPN - Day 177

Chapter 177: "Mother"

This chapter.. this damn chapter never fails at getting me emotional. I'm still so very upset that Isabella dies this way too when we had other characters such as Emma and Barbara also get impaled by fierce demons and survive with their scars, so why not my queen huh?? I know there's that whole neverland fairy tale idea where adults aren't allowed there, which would've been an interesting concept for our series given the several adult deaths we had already, but that would've cancelled out some of the oldest Goldy Pond kids who are already older than 18 at this point. However, with how Emma phrased the new promise to allow all humans raised as food to cross over into the human world, there wouldn't have been any issue. Isabella could've easily joined them then, like c'mon Shirai, couldn't ya at least let these kids have one parent join them, please? They already lost Yuugo and Lucas, we didn't need to add another!

As if stabbing this woman wasn't enough, this bastard goes on to taunt her, saying that she'll never make up for her past mistakes no matter how hard she tries. First off, to hell with this guy. Secondly, that's such nonsense. I know this moment is supposed to be seen as "Isabella's big redemption moment," but it totally didn't need to happen this way. I'm gonna sound like a broken record when I say this, but this woman's redemption arc started way back when she first admitted defeat on the wall while watching her precious children escape GF. From gathering the ropes they used so the demons wouldn't know which direction they ran, to secretly planning an entire uprising within the farm system in hopes to one day assist her children when they returned. She even used her newfound power as Grandma to help spare the lives of other children at GF by lowering the amount of harvests that took place. Granted, walking the children to their deaths as caretaker and her treatment of Ray are certainly her biggest flaws that can definitely outweigh all the good she's done during those several years as a mother, but again, it's not like she truly wanted to act that way! It was her job; a job she only took because she valued her own life so much (& honestly, I would too), but she excelled at it for their sake. She's renowned for being the best for providing such high quality meat to the farm (which sounds bad when ya think of them as food, I know), but it means her children were raised with such rich emotions and were able to reach a reasonable decent age because they knew what happiness and love felt like and she did everything within her power to keep them alive as long as they possibly could. So to hear this demon make a statement like this just irks me because while it's true this one mama bear moment may not be enough for Isabella to be redeemed fully, it completely disregards every other motherly act she's done for her children over the years.

Literally the only positive I can take away from this highly unfortunate demon encounter is how damn strong and determined Isabella is. The fire in her eyes and the intense grip she has on this demon that straight up prevents it from moving to hurt Emma or the other girl.. aahh it's such a badass moment! What a queen!

Every single time I come across these panels, all I hear in my head is that Mushu quote: "You missed! How could you miss? He was three feet in front of you!" Seriously though, I can understand with how quick everything happened and the intense new threat could've caused Ray's aim to be off a little, but my boy, this could not have been a more worse occasion to miss. I don't wanna say it because it'll be so mean but s2!Ray could've done better.

Bro I remember so very clearly when a couple panels of this chapters were first teased before the official release (& yeah I was a complete mess back then too), but when this panel was going around, it was cropped short to where Ray wasn't seen at all, so people were going nuts about where he was, why wasn't he also surrounding Isabella, if his hatred for her really went so deep to not wanna be near her while she's at death's door, etc. It was kinda wild and absolutely made me anxious, but thankfully the panic was short lived when the full page was available. Sorta. I mean, it's still not a pretty panel, seeing my favorite villain minutes away from losing her life, but at least Ray is present along with all the other GF kids.

Seeing Isabella being more concerned about everyone else aside from herself after a serious stab wound.. what a bittersweet "like mother, like daughter" parallel.

Crazy how Krone's actions and words lead the kids to believe Isabella's intentions were just as heartless. Yeah both ladies wanted to survive and would choose to achieve that by any means necessary, but at least Isabella cared for the well-being of her children. That's already a whole lot more than what your typical mom or sister is capable of.

Having this panel placed in the middle of all the heartbreak is very much appreciated because I definitely need some adorable flashbacks to make me feel a little better before diving right back into my puddle of tears. Seeing her smile and laugh alongside the trio is the most adorable thing, especially that head pat she gives Emma. Also love that reference to ch95's extra page where Gilda was working so hard at the shelter that a sleepy Chris mistakenly called her "mom." Oh, my poor boy Chris.. he's gonna have so many things to catch up on once he wakes up and learning about Isabella's death ain't gonna be easy.

Say it louder, sweetie!!! And most definitely repeating myself once more by saying that I'm so glad the second season animated that panel of Isabella hugging the trio despite this chapter's events not happening.

I love this idea of Isabella & Yuugo being the "what if" versions of the kids. Isabella's situation could easily be applied to any of the girls, though most people associate it with Emma which is fair, just as we usually make the connection of Yuugo to Ray due to them both witnessing their family getting killed and all that time they spent alone, whether it be physically, mentally or emotionally. All three honestly.

Seeing all the children beg Isabella to hold on, along with them confessing how much they love her.. oh my goodness, I think so often how thankful I am that this scene wasn't included in the anime because seeing the pain on their faces is hard enough already, imagine how loudly I would sob if I heard the emotion in all their voices.

Oh, if any version of her lullaby played here, my heart would shatter. I already feel close to tears. She probably dreamed of hugging all her precious children and openly declaring her love for them once more without any fear of what the farm system might do to her and/or them, and now that Isabella finally gets that chance, she has such a thankful smile on her face and I'm happy she gets to experience these warm feelings one last time.

I dunno about anyone else, but this chapter always feels like a "try not to cry challenge, level: impossible" for me. Doesn't matter if they added in this cute scene of her hugging the trio with such a beautiful smile, my heart is still in pieces on the ground. I'm the one who needs the hug!

Favorite panel/moment:

If you haven't learned how much I love Isabella, Ray and their complicated mother-son relationship yet, then I haven't rambled on long enough. But yes, as much as her death absolutely wrecks me, I'm relieved it allows us to get one final interaction between her and Ray. By now we have a pretty good grasp about Ray's feelings towards Isabella, so the fact he kept his distance this entire time until she called out for him is so sad. We can't really tell if he rushes to her side or if he takes slow steps, but what matters is that he didn't deny her request.

It means so much that this moment is just between the two of them too. Sure it was undeniable sweet to see all the children cry and huddle around Isabella, but she and Ray have such a deep history so they deserve one last scene together. Although it's a very fragile relationship, that doesn't prevent her from giving him a personal apology with the very last bit of strength she has. Aahh, how terrible she must be feeling right now, thinking back on all the times she wasn't allowed to show him the same level of affection as a mother would normally show her son or for making his life such a living hell. She could've very well chosen to be angry at herself here or let the pain show on her face, and yet she chooses to smile instead. Not a smug or confident one Ray's probably used to seeing her use, but a gentle one that really conveys how strong her regrets are.

Having her last wish being for Ray to protect everyone is so perfect with how it shows that right til the very end, Isabella's children have always been her top priority and she'll always think of them first. It's also sweet that she wants Ray to hold onto this promise because us readers already know how committed Ray is to providing for his family and keeping them safe. Hell, his compassion and protective instincts were on full display last chapter when he jumped in to shoot at that demon bastard and when he accepted all the moms and sisters to join the kids in the human world back during ch164. Those were such great opportunities for Isabella to witness just how caring her son really is and how much he's grown. I'm certain she's so proud of him. To this day I still wish Isabella had actually spoke that "I love you so much" to him, but I know she was steadily growing weaker by the minute that even speaking or seeing clearly was becoming a challenge for her. The nice thing with Isabella though, is that she doesn't really need to say such words out loud for Ray or any other child to know how true her feelings are, as Emma confirmed earlier during her moment of reflection, that Isabella's actions speak far louder to the point where everyone was able to recognize how strongly she loved them all. What completely breaks me about this entire chapter though is seeing Ray finally breakout into tears as he holds onto his mother's hand. This boy just found out his mother was alive, along with becoming their enemy once more, saw her betray their common enemy in order to assist the children, which sparks his discussion to forgive her and wish for her to join him in the human world, only to realize that won't happen as she jumps in to protect one of his best friends and ends up critically injured all because he failed to killing a demon. That is so much to experience all in one day. It's a miracle he kept his emotions in check to begin with, but now he's hit with the realization that he's losing his mother for good and.. damn it 'yall. Can we please give my boy a break?? And my queen too while we're at it?? Both of them seriously had two of the worst experiences in this world and instead of having them reconcile and build a better mother-son relationship in the human world together, we gotta make them suffer once last time, huh?? Fucking hell man.. I said it way more than once and I'll say it a million more times up until I'm on my own death bed, but the decision of having Isabella stay alive is by far the absolute best thing to come out of season two.

I want to wish their moment was lasted longer than a page and a third, but I'd probably never recover from all the emotional damage if their tearful goodbye had more focus. AAhhh.. seems like I should've wrote out a lot more considering the amount of time I spent on this chapter and how passionate I get about my favorites, but ya know, the emotions are hella strong today.

[just-like-playing-tag]

Hi, first of all, hope you are having a great day! Seeing your posts makes my day. And second, who do you think in ynn would be a ghost believer and who is skeptical?

Awww, thank you for the compliments ( ꈍᴗꈍ) I hope you're having a wonderful day too!!!!

Who believes in ghosts out of the cast is a very interesting concept to think about!!! Also kinda tricky, since ghosts canonically exist in the tpn universe as seen in chapter 181. Taking that into account, this is what I came up with also discussing about it with friends (thank you @puff-poff and @red-string-of-gal-pals for your help!!):

[the-silliest-idiot]

Just believe me

Sims things I did not manage to screenshot

Sonju read a book about fitness and got ripped instantly

Lewis crawled inside Sonju’s tent to watch Sonju sleep

...so did Andrew

Andrew screaming for days that he is hungry and refusing to grab some food or take any helpful action whatsoever

a mysterious lightning strike killing Andrew 

Krone fighting all the children at Gracefield

Isabella murdering Krone with an axe

I’m pretty sure some GF kids are in love now

Demon Edward moved into the Gracefield house to help out

Demon Edward hates Isabella’s guts

Ed’s true love is not Isabella but Bayon 

Sonju running EVERYWHERE

‘Sonju, there is spaghet-‘ NYOOOOOOM

he runs to go and pee, take a bath, sleep or eat literal trash

Parvus came home with 10k simoleons from work

I really wanted to be kind of mad at Parvus for that

...I don’t like it when my sims become rich. I just deleted a lot of their money and then Parvus had to come along

Parvus is too cute to be mad at unfortunately

Sonju got struck by lightning while I was not looking

The other TPN sims stories

[themightyaliendwarf]

So, uhm, I’ve just seen the preview for the episode 10 of TPN season 2, and I have a couple of though: 

- Why did the farms actually dressed those children in those new uniforms? Seriously, why? What’s the point? To trick them? To trick Emma and others? What can even possibly be your motivation, CW? I mean, really, if there is no good reason, you could easily spend the money that you put into drawing those outfits, to, I don’t know, improving CGI? Just a thought... 

- Sonju is fighting. Cool... but why? Weren’t you supposed to clean up the mess in the village? Why are they needed there? Why is Mujika here? Look, I know that I’m a salty manga reader, but I have honestly no idea why they should be there. 

- So, Emma walks to the GF with a bow and arrows, and Isabella welcomes them with an actual gun... Look, I know that Isabella will turn out to be a good guy (let’s face it, they won’t change it), but it’s just so silly looking. Have you ever played the game of Civilization with an AI? You usually reach the point where you have advanced weaponry from XX century, while your opponents didn’t even discoverer gunpowder. It really reminds me of this kind of situation. Why CW won’t give Emma her gun? Why? I mean, bow is cool and all, but if you think that it has a chance against guns, I guess you must be Legolas

That’s the end of my quick rant. I expect to see mess tomorrow

[yuugosskunkhair]

‼️‼️Tpn spoilers‼️‼️

What if the gf children had nightmares after escaping of demons and their mom betraying them but they'd wake up to yuugo trying to calm them down ( awkwardly ofc), but after his death they'd wake up from nightmares expecting him to be there only to remember he died 😭😭😭😭😭

CAN U FEEL THE PAAINNN

[tutubola-moved-on]

Hi I like music and I kind of go wayyy too deep into the TPN soundtrack and I think it's about time I start throwing my thoughts out there before they spiral too much

Disclaimer!!! This is not a complete analysis at all, just a few thoughts on each of the songs. I'll probably revisit some of them in future parts if I ever do those aha anyways enjoy

(Part 1/?): 63194, Emma's Sorrow, Emma's Determination, 22194, Norman's Lament, The Promise Between Humans and Demons, Jailbreak and Isabella's Lullaby.

(manga spoilers)

I've done a lil smth smth on Main Theme 2 already and its my favourite song like ever aha this is a cry for help

here you go people

but now anyways fr

63194 (Season 1)

Wouldn't have started with this one cuz I'm still figuring it out but it was the first one that came up when I pressed shuffle

Let's just go straight to the point so we can move on. The first time we hear 63194 is in episode 2, when Norman is talking to Ray about their plan in the forest (or, as I like to call it, "boat scene"). It reaches its climax when Norman starts talking about how he'll use himself to ensure the escape plan will work.

And then it's only used again in episode 8, if I'm not mistaken, after Isabella tells them about Norman's shipment, thus foreshadowing him refusing to escape and using his "death" as a tool to help the others escape.

But alsooo the song is Emma's theme, so there's definitely some sort of meaning other than foreshadowing Norman's shipment. That's for later though cuz I'll have to think more. The beginning does sound a lot like Strauss' Metamorphosen, a piece symbolising how German culture was destroyed during WW2. Not sure what to do with that info for now.

If you'd like a little extra stuff, I also tried connecting the pieces to the Doctrine of Affections, a... thing some Baroque composers wrote that connected music keys to feelings. (I found many sources but I used this one).

63194 is in C Minor, which is described as "innocently sad" (although another source said "sweet but sad") and "lovesick." I think innocence really describes Emma, Ray, and Norman in general, as kids who never did anything wrong but were thrown into the wrong world. Innocently sad would be their conversations in boat scene. They're talking about life or death, it's not something kids should have to deal with.

But again, it's hopeful. Norman wants to create a boat made out of mud---he wants to save everyone---and he really believes it'll work. So although sad, it's also sweet. It's a light at the end of the tunnel, and also just an act of kindness. As for "lovesick," that would just describe Ray and Emma's inevitable longing for Norman after he was gone. Which brings us to...

Emma's Sorrow (エマの悲しみ) (Season 1)

The two times I remember Emma's Sorrow played was 1) When they first talked to Don and Gilda about the house and 2) During the infirmary flashback scene.

The Doctrine of Affections describes E Minor as "grief and longing." In the infirmary flashback scene that obviously not only shows how Norman longs for that time when they didn't know anything and everything was light and happy but also, once again, foreshadows Emma eventually having to grieve him.

Especially because they don't play the staccato part (short quick notes) that's in the original version. Instead, the strings are always present. In staccato, the music gets pretty,,, lowkey? because the instruments can't exactly "show off," whereas the legato (long/connected notes) really shows the true importance and impact each individual instrument has on the song. Considering how the strings (specifically the violins) in the soundtrack could symbolise Norman, it's showing how Norman is not just another guy who's in their group and planning the escape, but an actual friend they'll lose and who'll leave a significant emptiness behind. Not only brain power wise, but just.. you know he's a human being and it's gonna hurt either way.

Not only that, but the harmonies itself in Emma's Sorrow once the strings really do come in are really incomplete. Like, the piano part seems to be all over the place, but it comes together because of the strings. Norman was the one who brought Emma and Ray together, in a way, and isn't Emma and Ray clashing exactly what Shirai wanted when he sent Norman away? Yea...

And Emma's Sorrow is, of course, parallel to:

Emma's Determination (エマの決定) (Season 1)

Yea no I'm still gathering thoughts on that one. The ascending bass contrasting the descending bass in Emma's Sorrow is pretty cool, though. It plays when Don is going off about how he wants to be strong after punching Ray and Norman and it's in F# Minor, so "passionate resentment." Connect both and Don really is ready to change the world. He got slapped with this very very bad reality and naturally he's angry and he's sad and he wants to do anything in his power to save people.

But back to Norman.

(hi future me here. oh my god why am i only talking about norman this was not the route this was originally going to take im so sorry i swear there's more to this post than just norman brain rot 22194 is the last norman one)

22194 (Season 1) and Norman's Lament (ノーマンの嘆き) (Season 2)

22194 is in B Minor, so "patience" and "walking towards fate." That's pretty self explanatory considering how he, and I quote, "chose death." Yea. G Minor would be "uneasiness of the future," and once again, pretty self explanatory (The whole Lambda seizures thing and I'm The Only One Who Can Save The Humans Syndrome. Normy worries too much :/)

Comparing both is pretty fun, too. It's the same melody but in different keys and instruments and thus just give off different feelings. While 22194 is full of instruments and harmonies and is clearly structured, Norman's Lament is just. Empty. It's like it's trying to stay true to 22194, so the Norman from before, but at the end of every musical sentence it just drifts off. You can see parts of 22194 in there, but it's not the same. At all.

There's also no harmony. He wants to do everything himself, and discards all his bonds and friends for that. So sad. Stop him.

All that while 22194 is rich and beautiful and oh my god i love that song so much and it's just showing how Norman was a lot more lively and layered and human when he allowed people to come into his life (the harmonies) and listened to those people instead of just locking himself up and doing everything himself.

So in conclusion cuz I ramble a lot, 22194 is about GF Norman, who hadn't gone through all those things that turned him "evil," who trusted his friends and believed everything had a good, ethic solution. Norman's Lament is about Lambda/post-Lambda Norman, who had gone through a whole lot, and was now in a downwards spiral and had left everything behind to become God or whatever, but was also in denial that he had changed in the first place.

does this make sense no idea i'm typing this while sleep deprived and high on bread and i failed english this quarter

but that aside

The Promise Between Humans and Demons (人間と鬼の約束)(Season 2)

I love this song!!!!!! So much!!!!!!!!! I love the percussion, it's used so well. And I love the way the song builds up and adds more and more instruments until it eventually reaches a climax, like the growing tension between the humans and the demons during the war that snowballed and snowballed and eventually caused both sides to resort to the Promise.

And when the song comes down you can hear a very short "first draft" ish version of Isabella's Lullaby.

It's as if yes, all this mess went down and the demons and humans made this huge promise that completely changed the world and affected an entire society but then far far away from the Seven Walls and the Promise and oblivious of the Ratri Clan and the demons were these two tiny tiny children just singing a song and living happily. And those children---and that song---were the foundation for the entire revolution that ended with the Promise. Wow.

And it's in D Major, D Major is "Triumphant." The song itself sounds triumphant, and yes the Promise was gross but it was a nice little hello kitty band aid over the mess that was the world before it.

What was truly triumphant, though, was the kids' escape, which happened to the same melodic theme, albeit in a different key. Which leads me to...

Prison Break (脱獄) (Season 1)

Oh my God. I love this song.

It symbolises the kids breaking ties with Isabella and how many obstacles were in the way (not only was she their mom; their only mom who had cared for them for their entire lives, but she was also their enemy and did everything she could to prevent them from escaping). The second the brass comes in with the theme (around 0:53) it sounds like it's struggling to play it fully. In this case, Isabella, once the singing parts, would have lost her voice after being outwitted by the children (keep in mind the song starts playing after they've already reached the wall). After all, the song starts with a voice that seems to get more and more desperate before it's overrun by instruments, thus losing its power.

So she's trying to control them and get them back, but they won't let her. They're going to break free. So you have the melodic theme playing with significant breaks, until eventually it all goes silent. Why? Because they escaped. Isabella completely lost contact with them, they're free. And then you get the same melodic theme in The Promise Between Humans and Demons.

But the theme isn't played full. It's not played to the extent that they play it in TPBDAH, instead there's a lot of just "blank space" with no melody above it: that's where the children will write their melody---their story; a story independent from the Promise that shaped their lives thus far.

AGH.

I need a break but I'll be back

Isabella's Lullaby (イサベラの唄)

OK OK Continuing on Isabella I love how Sarah Alainn sings like she's crying. I really recommend this if you want to go deep on Isabella's Lullaby, they pretty much said everything I had to say. I don't go on youtube like ever and that might as well be one of my favourite videos LOL anyways

I also really recommend listening to the no vocal/piano solo version, the harmonies are so beautiful. And the more you listen to it the more you hear, there's always something new. The violins especially oh I love the way Takahiro Obata uses violins. Honourable mention to Nat King Ballade (ナットキングバラード) and Each Thought (それぞれの想い) (idk if thats the english name for it,,,, i've seen it as "Their Own Thoughts" too)

WELL THEN. What a ride. I'll go to sleep now. If anything is incoherent or u just wanna talk then send me askies or a dm smth idk aha i like music but i hate grammar :P