#yoshimori: do i what

[weeb-polls-with-pip]

Autistic Anime Boys Prelims - Propaganda Division - Group 3

Propaganda:

Gene -

"Has a special interest in film and almost works himself to death because he doesn't think his film is as perfect as he wants it to be. He completely botches a project on purpose, an action blockbuster, because he felt like it wasn't respecting the thing he loves the most."

Kei -

"It was the scene in which Makoto and Nao discover that he was able to stuff so many wild plants into his bookbag bc there was literally nothing in it that sold it for me. I can't put it into words. I just see that and I know. I know that boy is autistic."

Arthur -

"His powers are literally fueled by his special interest in knights and chivalry."

Euini -

"I relate a lot to his social anxiety, especially his performance anxiety that occurs when he's being watched by people, particularly due to his stress at needing to follow the plan/do things the "proper" way in order to not feel like he's a failure. he also stands like a lil autistic kid and i appreciate him so much for that.

(LIGHT SPOILERS) basically, he has a test that he needs to take in order to advance as a witch, and he keeps failing it because he cant perform properly while being watched by other people, even though he knows the "right" spells to use and why he's supposed to use them. on his third attempt of the test, he's prepared a "script" to use so that he can follow it and not worry about failing in the moment (in this case, his script is a hand-written book of the proper spells to use and the order in which he's supposed to use them), but when a part of the exam changes, he's no longer able to follow his script. because he's been taught all his life that there's only one proper way of doing things, his way of thinking is very rigid and he's not able to deviate from his plan without panicking. luckily, one of his fellow examinees (richeh from the autistic anime girls poll 💕) is able to convince him to try and change the way that he does things to something that is more attuned to his personal needs- basically change the way that he casts his spells and which spells to use so that he doesn't need to struggle with doing things in the way that everyone says that he should; the way that he cant seem to manage. but, even before richeh helped him with that though, he was still finding way to modify the "proper" spells a little bit to better suit his weaknesses. he was trying so hard to fit in to the mold that witch society gave him, but it just wasnt right for him and he was making it work however he could."

Westar -

"something something Westar's entire character is an anomaly amongst the other denizens of Labyrinth in that he's a big goofball in a world where everything is dictated to the extreme by its ruler. if that's not an autism metaphor of some kind I don't know what is."

Sousuke -

"Sousuke Sagara is an ex-child soldier turned teenage special ops who has to go undercover at a high school to discreetly bodyguard another student. The only problem is that he has no IDEA how to act like a "normal" teenager. Sure, you can say that a lot of his mannerisms come from the whole "raised as a child soldier" thing which, fair, you could make a decent case for (C)PTSD. However, he's also extremely serious and has notorious flat affect and does not understand when other people are joking at all. He's incredibly literal; there's several scenes where he misinterprets what someone says, like the time he asked the art teacher what a model was supposed to do and got a rambling flowery metaphorical response about "becoming one with nature" so he ran off to hide in the woods. Another thing, his social skills are… lackluster at best. He's very blunt, and also a terrible liar for an undercover agent, when the student in question confronted him his strategy was to repeat the same phrase over and over again. One time he's challenged to see if he can pick up any girls, and after a brief misunderstanding his "improved" flirting tactic was to jump in front of them and say "Hi! Would you like to know the names of defense agency spies?" Speaking of, Sousuke has an obvious special interest in the military tech and giant robots he works with. He reads their magazines for fun and was able to rattle off the specs for a model Russian tank. The first time he actually looks happy is when he accidentally starts infodumping in front of the class while introducing himself. One time he got distracted on a mission (and need I remind you, Sousuke takes his job VERY seriously) because he found someone who was also interested in the giant robots and got into a full-on conversation with them and completely forgot what he was doing. It is IMPOSSIBLE to read this boy as allistic. And sure, he might be a little stiff, but he's also very caring in his own awkward way. One time he gave a girl flowers as an apology gift…because they were poppies and he told the girl she could get rich by selling opium on the black market. The "picking up girls" challenge mentioned earlier ended with him helping a grandmother pick out a toy for her grandson. He agreed to pretend to be someone's boyfriend for a day (it went exactly how you'd expect, but it's the thought that counts). In conclusion: stan Sousuke Sagara. and vote for him too."

Katsuhira -

"His entire thing over the course of the entire show is that he doesn't feel pain or emotions like other people. He isn't 'interested in himself' or other people (low empathy) and doesn't realize that the things that happen to/because of him do effect other people, he doesn't realize when people have a crush on him or want to be friends, and all of this is stuff he kinda comes to realize as the show progresses. He struggles to care for himself physically because of the lack of physical and emotional input he experiences, and his friends canonically often cook for him and have to remind him to eat, and is a bit picky about what he eats. He cannot read social cues to save his life and is very blunt and honest when communicating with others, and doesn't talk with much tone or emotion in his voice."

John -

"Is very loud and passionate and says everything he thinks out loud, not understanding why others may see that as weird. Has difficulty controlling his volume, so he's almost always shouting."

Yuuri -

"So he models his entire life around the first celebrity he gets a crush on. He's takes up that celebrity's hobby, he gets the same kind of dog that his crush has, and he definitely has his bedroom wallpaper with his crush's face. But then, he actually meets his crush. And his crush likes him back. Naturally he panics over this and proceeds to deny it for months until his crush straight up kisses him. Then like a day later, he just, buys a ring and proposed to his crush on the spot. He's the guy ever. He's so socially awkward, yet somehow still incredibly cocky."

Yoshimori -

"Baking special interest but does Not Get math my beloved."

[alectoperdita]

So I wrote a bit for that gang boss!Jou and defense attorney!Kaiba idea. Originally, I had wanted to start it in media res with them already in a relationship, but as soon as I sat down at the keyboard, I spat out a first (re-)meeting and backstory.

Might keep poking at it but not sure what I have here besides some vibes.

But in the words of the impeccable @elexica, the booty is privileged and confidential.

Rated T, has smoking and suggestive language

Read on AO3

---

"Who are you?" the man asked, tonguing the inside of his cheek and puffing out the darkening bruise marring his skin.

A sharp golden gaze swept up and down the length of Seto's body. While it was mostly critical and cautious, a note of appreciation bled through, and if he had to guess, it wasn't in admiration for his stylishly fitted suit. Judging by the loud crimson blazer and tartan plaid slacks, Seto's choice of a classic black suit was a far-cry from his personal preferences.

People dressed for the job they wanted. For Seto, it was the part of a respectable attorney. The other man screamed punk, well, he might've been a punk ten or more years earlier. No, Seto's client was obviously a mid-tier sub-lieutenant with punks under his direction to do his dirty work for him.

Seto was no stranger to clients like this. And most importantly, he wasn't a stranger to this man specifically.

While the appearance—strong square jaw, atrociously bleached hair, and flashy ear piercings—may have changed in the intervening decades, his name had not. Unlike Seto, Jounouchi Katsuya never escaped the orphanage before he aged out. Based on his current situation, it wasn't difficult to surmised what kind of life he led after he finally left that dreadful place.

If not for that name, Seto wouldn't have recognized his once childhood friend. As Jounouchi currently peered at him without a spark of recognition.

But that was a matter to address later. Or maybe never.

"Your lawyer," Seto answered brusquely. "Yoshimori-san sent me."

Breaking eye contact, the blond man stuck a pinky into his ear, reclining and crossing his legs. He looked more like he was lounging at a club than being held for police interrogation. "Good old Yoshimori, ya can always count on him to have yer back."

"Then keep your mouth shut so I can get you out of here," he growled.

His client threw up both hands in capitulation, flashing a surprisingly dazzling grin, split lip and bloodstained teeth and all. "You're the boss."

Seto addressed the detective lingering by the door, as if he was guarding it. "As I understand it, the other party doesn't wish to pursue charges. Not to mention, he's admitted to instigating the fight. It was a misunderstanding. You have no reason to hold Jounouchi-san any longer."

The officer, Sergeant Honda Hiroto as he previously introduced himself, hemmed and hawed. "We're still verifying Mega's liquor and business license."

"Which is Community Safety Bureau," Seto countered. "That shouldn't concern CIB."

He knew how the game was played, though. OCCB and CIB had to make regular shows of force to placate their superiors, which meant scheduled sweeps through the clubs and bars in the nightlife district, seeing what they could catch in their wide trawling nets. Last night's catch included his rambunctious client. But after nearly 10 hours, the police had yet to charge him and they made minimal efforts to keep Seto from seeing him.

In other words, they had nothing and were just trying to run out clock on 48 hours.

"Yeah, I'm just an honest businessman," Jounouchi slumped forward to interject. "And that asshole totally started it. He couldn't keep his hands to himself and was hassling the girls. I wasn't about to let him—"

Seto silenced him with a sharp glower. Jounouchi shut his mouth with an audible click before miming a zipper closing over his lips.

"As Mega's manager, Jounouchi-san has a responsibility for the safety of his staff. If anything, this was an act of self-defense. But if you insist on charging him with assault, I expect a similar charge levied against the other party," Seto said before fishing his phone out of his pocket. "Head Prosecutor Mitsurugi might have something to say to that effect."

As much as Seto disliked name-dropping the prick—not to mention the disgruntled phone call he was bound to receive later, it lit a fire under the cop's ass. But it still took almost an hour to process Jounouchi's release, more dragging feet to mainly inconvenience the gangster. And while billable hours were always appreciated, Seto simply wanted to go home and collapse into bed, sleep a dreamless slumber. Going straight from a two-day depo to handling a new troublesome client wore even him thin.

By the time they left the building, the sun vanished beneath the horizon once more.

"So, do I gotta pay you or what?" asked Jounouchi, rocking back and forth on the ball and heel of his feet. There was a touch of self-consciousness to the action that had been absent inside the police building.

In comparison, Seto's posture remained unnaturally stiff. "It'll be billed to Yoshimori-san's account."

"Aw cool. I mean I'm good for it even if he wasn't. Just ain't got the cash on me at this second." Jounouchi said quickly. He stared at Seto's face for several long seconds, before looking away, jamming his hands into his blazer pockets, and re-emerging with a carton of smokes and a lighter.

"You'll want to do that somewhere else. Unless you want Domino's finest to cart you right back inside," cautioned Seto.

"You're right. Guess that's why you make 'em big bucks." With the unlit cigarette already pinched between his teeth, his eyes crinkled with laughter.

Seto couldn't say what force compelled him to follow the other man. Not nostalgia. Not really. He didn't know this Jounouchi. The boy from his memory sported dark black hair, shaggy and often falling over his brown eyes. At twelve, he'd been gangly, taller than Seto. Now Seto, who didn't hit his growth spurt until his late teens, loomed over him, and Jounouchi had filled out, especially around the shoulders. No wonder Jounouchi didn't recognize him.

Curiosity, perhaps.

Or maybe a search for closure. Then he could bury those memories after tonight.

They rounded the corner, where they found a designated smoking spot. Jounouchi sagged against a wall and flicked his lighter to life, then paused. The small dancing flame illuminated his face, glinted off his gold piercings and chain jewelry, alit his hair with orange.

"Did you want one?" he asked, curiosity and something else shining from deep in his eyes.

Seto could bid him a good night here. He did his job. That was the only reason for his presence. Instead, he reached into his inner jacket pocket and produced a slim black electronic cigarette. "No thanks. I have my own."

Jounouchi made a faint huffing noise. "Mr. Fancy Pants here."

The fire seared the cigarette's tip and ignited a red cherry. In contrast, Seto's e-cig emitted a calming blue light. They puffed withing seconds of each other, smoke streaming out of their mouths and noses only to twine together and ascend into the darkening night sky. For several moments, there was no conversation. Merely sharing the same space as they each partook of their vice.

Unsurprisingly, Jounouchi broke the silence first. He was quick to get antsy even as a child. But there was a kind of mindfulness and purpose of action that Seto hadn't seen in their youth.

"Are ya sure we haven't met before? You seem familiar." Jounouchi tilted his head as he considered Seto at length. After another beat, a cocksure smile spread across his lips. "Maybe you've been to Mega before. But I'm pretty sure I would've bought you a drink in that case."

Seto coughed. And it wasn't due to the smoke suddenly pooling in his lungs. "No. I've never been."

Jounouchi's face lit up. "You should come by sometime! Like tonight. Bet you could use a good time after a long day of hanging around all them stuffy lawyers."

"Need I remind you that I'm a 'stuffy lawyer' too?" Seto asked stiffly.

Laughter peeled out of Jounouchi. He lurched forward and strung a muscled arm around Seto's shoulders. His warm breath washed over Seto's ear as he spoke in a hushed suggestive tone. "Aww, you're too cute to be walking around with a stick up yer ass unless... I'm sure we can take that to a love hotel."

Heat swept through Seto like a wildfire. It dried his mouth. His mind blanked. Jounouchi was flirting with him. Trying to pick him up with zero regard to who Seto was—a stranger, a lawyer who hauled his ass out of the police station not minutes ago, his childhood friend he hadn't seen in decades and apparently forgot about.

His first kiss, an innocent one they snuck under a shadowed canopy when they were thirteen. Faster than lightning and never to be repeated again. But it lived on in Seto's memory, a shimmering spot in an otherwise bleak childhood.

For an instant, he considered letting that invitation play its course. Whether it ended with a drink at the club that Jounouchi now managed or them tangled between each other's sweaty limbs and the hotel sheets. Criminal record or not, and there was decidedly one, Jounouchi had grown into a devilishly handsome man. His touch already set Seto aflame. And it felt like forever since Seto had that chance to indulge with a like-minded individual.

His profession was a painfully conservative one. Even if there were those willing to get into bed with the mob.

So why not actually get into bed with the mob?

A roll in the hay. A fun romp for everyone involved. No strings attached. No muss, no fuss.

Slowly, Seto exhaled. He powered off his e-cig and slipped free of Jounouchi's arm. "Have a good evening, Jounouchi-san. Should you need legal counsel in the future, you can get in contact with Kaiba and Ishida."

He didn't bother leaving a business card. Instead, he swiftly cut across the lot toward his car.

"Don't be like that. You could at least give me a ride!"

"I don't think we're headed in the same direction. It's easy to catch a taxi in this area." He said without looking back.

Jounouchi gave chase, though. "Ain't got cash. Think they nicked my spare change."

His footsteps quickened. "Then file a complaint at the station."

"Hey, bro—"

"Don't call me—"

"Seto!"

Seto stopped in his tracks before pivoting sharply. "What did you say?"

"Seto. That's your name, right?"

Jounouchi slowed to a stop, huffing as he bent over and braced his knees. This time, the smile he flashed was more dopey. It was almost as fond as yesteryears.

But they were both changed. Grown. Too many lost years stood between them now.

Seto's mouth dried a second time. "I thought you'd forgotten."

As Jounouchi straightened, he dropped his cigarette and stamped it out beneath his heel. Seto remained glued to his spot as Jounouchi closed the distance again. Yet he startled when a warm, calloused palm cradled his cheek.

And he was struck by the strangeness of peering down at Jounouchi's face when the reverse had been true last time.

"Forget those gorgeous blue eyes? Never," muttered Jounouchi. He stood so close that Seto could smell the tar on his breath.

Despite the tender gesture and words, annoyance crested in a wave. It bled straight into his speech. "So was all that before your idea of a sick joke?"

"Nah, I meant it. I mean, I was totally trying to pick you up. And you seemed familiar. Then it hit me when you walked away. I... I can't believe it's really you. Why didn't you say something earlier?"

Seto bit his bottom lip. Jounouchi's eyes darkened, but not from want or arousal. A black cloud swept over his face. His hand fell away like a rock.

"Oh, I see. Can't be seen associating with the riff-raff," he snorted. "Well, thanks for the rescue, I guess. See ya in another 15 years."

With a mind of its own, Seto's hand shot out, seizing Jounouchi's wrist so the other man couldn't slip into the dark and vanish from Seto's life again. "Don't put words into my mouth," he spat through gritted teeth. "This isn't a good place to discuss this."

This being the middle of the police headquarters' visitor parking lot. Where any law enforcement official could come across their unexpected heart-to-heart.

Without releasing Jounouchi's hand, in fact his grip tightened, he pulled Jounouchi along to where his car was parked two aisles over.

The gangster let loose an impressed whistle when Seto unlocked the vehicle, a Lexus sedan. "You are doing well for yerself, ain't ya, Seto?"

The use of his given name made his skin crawl. But not enough that Seto considered abandoning him at that parking lot. Jounouchi didn't wait for an explicit invitation before he slipped into the passenger's seat. Resting one hand on top of the hood, Seto took a fortifying breath and hoped he wasn't making a mistake.

"So where are we headed?" asked Jounouchi.

"Seatbelt," he grumbled before keying the ignition.

"Yeah yeah yeah."

With his passenger buckled in, Seto navigated his car out of the lot and into Domino's streets.

Less than a minute passed before Jounouchi repeated his question. "Where are we going?"

Seto was still considering the options. For once, he didn't have a plan, much less know what his desired end goal was. Keeping his gaze fixed on the road ahead, he eventually replied, "You asked for a ride."

"Hmm, a 'ride,' huh?"

Something landed high on his right thigh. A quick downward glance confirmed it was Jounouchi's hand. Seto white-knuckled the steering wheel.

"Jounouchi," he growled as a warning.

A sigh, then Jounouchi's hand retracted. Seto's leg tingled in the wake of its departure.

"You seriously need to lighten up. You don't wanna talk. You don't wanna fuck. Whaddaya want, Seto?"

Jounouchi's gaze bore into the side of his face, and Seto hoped it was dark enough to hide the heated flush flooding his face.

He cleared his throat before declaring, "I want a drink."

Jounouchi hummed. Hard to tell if it was in agreement or in acknowledgment, though.

When he leaned forward, Seto couldn't help but tense. But Jounouchi was fiddling with the buttons on his dashboard until the radio blared to life. It was still tuned to the same talk news channel that Seto listened to on his morning commutes. A female announcer was in the middle of presenting the world news, and she barely got three sentences into a story about oil prices before Jounouchi jabbed another button, cutting her off. The other man cycled through the channels, never lingering for more than five seconds. Seto left him to it. It was better than making awkward conversation or enduring Jounouchi's attempts at flirtation.

Eventually, Jounouchi settled on a station playing jazz. As the crooning sounds of a saxophone played from his stereo speakers, Seto arched an incredulous eyebrow.

Jounouchi must've caught his look. "What? I can class it up if I want."

Something close to laughter huffed out of Seto. He made no further comment for the rest of the drive. Thankfully, neither did Jounouchi. Seto's own thoughts were already loud enough to drown out the music.

[magma1000]

I don’t have any art rn, so instead here’s my rant abt some stuff I played around w a couple months ago lol

Class 1-C/D but I randomize them into ships lol

1. ShiTani (Eto/Tani)

Pffffff they’d be a sweet couple I think… Tani’s already interested in Eto, and if mr. fun police wasn’t mlm, Tani’d prob be his type lmao 4/10 2. IkeZuki (Ikeda/Zuki) Uhhhh wow what a crackship lol. No way these two would actively seek each other out, but they wouldn’t be a toxic couple so…? Idk Ikeda’d be real sweet to Zuki, and she’d be all like “excuse me, he asked for NO pickles” lol 2/10 3. SakiTomi (Saki/Tomita) Another weird one lmao. Probs a qpr. Noice 👌🏽 7/10 4. UchiYami (Uchida/Hayami) AHA it’s not like it wouldn’t work….but I don’t feel like it’d last??? Especially with both of them being so immature lol 1/10 5. KoyaTomi (Koyama/Tomita) Uhm. Well. Cooool??? Another qpr…. I don’t think these two would be bad??? But it’s hard to imagine them in a relationship lol. 5/10?? 6. UchiSaki (Uchida/Saki) WOAHHHHHH MIND OPENED!!!!!! These two would be a FIRE couple!!!!!!! PETTY QUEENS Y’ALL!!!!! 10/10!!!!!! 7. HiraYami (Hirata/Hayami) Ooh!! This one’s cute!!!! Shy x boisterous is a cute ship dynamic :) Might make it canon hehe…😏 8/10 8. NaitoShiro (do I really??) Another cute one!!!! Lesgo!!!!! Flaming idiot can warm up ice-y quiet boi. Awwwww!!!!! I like em!!!! another canon????😏😏😏 9/10 9. TakaShi (Takahashi/Eto) Wtf? Umm. Nah, not ever a thing 0/10 10. NagaShiro (Nagata/Shiro) A very strange qpr. But it’s not like they wouldn’t be close. If it wasn’t a qpr it’d be a pretty great friendship lol 4/10 11. ShiroMori (Shiro/Omori) Crackship lmao. They wouldn’t be a likely pair, but if Omori set her heart on him, they would be together Forever :)) 5/10 12. ShiZumi (Eto/Izumi) 😳😳😳😳😳😳….. 7/10 13. KaiShiro (Kai/Shiro) Oof. They’d be the most annoying couple m8 ngl but they’d be pretty good lol 14. YoshiMori (Yoshino/Omori) Uhm, they aren’t really each other’s type, it’s definitely a rarepair for understandable reasons lol 3/10 15. MasaNaga (Masaki/Nagata) Mmmm…..mmmmmmmmmmmm an interesting ship….. might explore more of this…. 6/10 16. IkeNada (Ikeda/Nagata) A very odd qpr…. that’s really all lmao 1/10 17. YoshiKai (Yoshino/Kai) Uhm….maybe???? Kai is kinda Yoshino’s type, so maybe she’d catch the feels….. but Yoshino is nowhere near Kai’s type so…yknow 2/10 18. IkeTani Huh…. not a bad ship I gotta say…they’d probs end up with each other after lowering their standards (bc they both reach to high m8) and find out that they’re the perfect pair lol 7/10 19. SakaMasa (Sakai/Masaki) Pffff. Another strange qpr….. I guess 0/10 20. TakaYoshi (Takahashi/Yoshino) Eh…..Yoshino would def fall for Taka, unfortunately for the porcupine tho, she’s not Taka’s type ;-; 5/10 21. SakaYami (Sakai/Hayami) Woah????!!!!! Enemies to lovers trope right over here! OMG!!!!!! Woah…..this….this is a surprisingly cool qpr…might develop this further 😏😏😏😏 8/10 22. TanaUchi (Tanaka/Uchida) Oof… very toxic couple…. Ichida would love to manipulate Tanaka to break his spirit, and there’s no way Tanaka would fight back….baaad 0/10 23. TanaSaka (Tanaka/Sakai) Ppffffff not in all the world would this ever happen lmao 0/10 24. UchiTani (Uchida/Tani) Def not each other’s type lol 1/10 25. SaitoMasa (Saito/Masaki) Huh. Weird qpr….but cool…. ig 3/10 26. SaitoYami (Saito/Hayami) Lmao. This is actually kinda cute… makes sense a lil too 7/10 27. ZukiSaito (Zuki/Saito) Uhm…lol it’d be like a secret admirer kinda deal. Zuki falls for Saito, unaware he’s not attracted to women lol 0/10 28. UchiZuki (Uchida/Zuki) AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH no 0/10 29. TanaZuki (Tanaka/Zuki) lol, Tanaka is Zuki’s type…. and I doubt Tanaka would shoot her down on a date.. huh 9/10

[specialsummon]

“This expedition wouldn’t have happened without Kanekura. So I’m in no position to complain.” “Okay, gather around everyone! I’m taking a picture!” “That was fun!” “For real, Miho’s really impressed! Right, Honda?” “Y-You’re right!” “Professor Yoshimori, thank you so much for today!” “My pleasure. Well, I need to get back to the university.” “Goodbye!” “So, what are we going to do now?” “I’ll wait here until the museum closes. I want my Puzzle back before I go home.”

[johnnyraine]

The 13 Lords of the Shogun - Review

SPOILERS!!

In less than a week, far faster than I've finished any taiga drama, I have finished The 13 Lords of the Shogun. I was evidently addicted to this show, yet again, far more than any other taiga drama. Everytime an episode ended, I booted up the next. I juet couldn't stop.

Certainly there were times I paused it. But this is likely due to my short attention span, but I always came back soon after.

The actors were good; the music was great; there were emotional moments that even made me come close to actually crying.

My favorite fucking characters all died!

I don't know much of this period, so other than Kiyomori, Yoritomo, Yoshinaka, Yoshitsune, Go-Shirakawa, and Noriyori, I literally didn't know when anyone else died. I fucking LOVED Kazusa-no-Suke Hirotsune (Koichi Sato)! I fucking loved that old man, he was soo great! I was very upset when he was publicly murdered. I was heavily upset.

Then (or before) Yoshinaka (Munetaka Aoki), who I actually came to like, fucking dies. I knew he would die, but they made me like him! He was another favorite.

Then I liked Hatakeyama Shigetada because I'm a simp and liked Taishi Nakagawa as Toyotomi Hideyori in Sanada Maru. But on the subject of him, what was up with all the brow-raising he did. In almost every scene I saw him in, he had one brow raised. I don't know what that was about.

But he died too, so yeah. He has a great fight scene with Koshiro (Shun Oguri) that I really liked because... THE ARMOR WORKED! Every time that shit happens, I am happy!

Then my favorites were Wada Yoshimori (Eiji Yokota) and Minamoto no Sanetomo (Hayato Kakizawa). ...yeah they fucking died too. Obviously.

I just loved that old fool, Wada Yoshimori! He was the replacement Kazusa. Plus, my other favorite, Sanetomo, liked him. They were friends! Gods damn it all!

I also called it that Sanetomo (show-wise, as far as I know) was gay. He looked at Yasutoshi (Koshiro's son) way too fondly. Then the jealousy and the love poem. It was obvious.

I was, of course, biased toward the attractive, pathetic, gay twink. Very much so, haha!

I was very upset at Koshiro for killing them both. Even if Sanetomo's was more indirect. Wada was shot with arrows in front of Sanetomo after he, I believe, surrendered. Sanetomo was assassinated by his nephew, but Koshiro knew it would happen and did nothing. So yeah, fuck me.

Anyway, I loved how Koshiro slowly went from being upset and admonishing Yoritomo for his scheming and dark actions, to Koshiro doing the same thing so Hojo would stand on top of the samurai.

By the end, I did not support Koshiro's actions. I understood why he did them, but I did not support him, nor did I really like him by the end. I was upset to see him die, especially the way he did, but I still didn't like him anymore.

I liked Ama Midai's speech to rally the Bando samurai. I also liked when she switched from the white headdress to the purple headdress (whatever it may be called).

Now, Koshiro's fight with Hatakeyama. There was a moment where, if he wanted to, Hatakeyama could have killed Koshiro. There was a too-long pause during the fight. That's a no-no.

Yet again, not all humor landed with me. But the one with Yoshimori and Koshiro, where Yoshimori cuts off his eyebrow, was hilarious.

But anyway, despite all this, I personally give it a 6/10.

Now, do I think it deserves higher? Yes. This is why I changed it to 7/10.

7/10

Currently, my Taiga Drama ranking list has this show at either 3 or 4. Being above or below, Hideyoshi (1996).

I forgot! I loved Hatta (Hayato Ichihara) as well.

Also, they seemed to make the Minamoto bitches. Like Yoritomo: reprehensible actions and spoiled (at least in the beginning); Yoshitsune: impatient, dishonorable, bloodthirsty. He got better after the Genpei War, but not much; Yoriie: almost immediately he takes after his father and is a womanizer. He tries to take a gokenin's wife, and then when that doesn't work, he wants to execute the guy! What the fuck! The only good thing I can say about him is that he tried to rebuild his relatio ship with his concubine and died fighting. That's it; Sanetomo: I love him, but he's weak, way too weak. Being fair, he was always a puppet and hardly had the chance to take power. He also, fairly, sided with the Court in the West. But that is fair considering it was either them or Koshiro (who was reprehensible at this point). He also made the right decision for the wrong reason: Not making Tsurumaru (Koshiro's not "adopted son) a gokenin. Not because he hadn't done anything deserving of it, but because he hugged Yasutoki, whom Sanetomo had a crush on.

The only Minamoto I fully liked was Yoshinaka and his son, Yoshitaka. Perhaps I had nothing against Noriyori.

But yeah, that was it.

[kekkaishifanfictionsideblog]

Who Knows (A Kekkaishi Fanfic): Chapter 33

If Lissette was keeping track of time correctly, it had been almost two days since she had seen her sister. Considering she had been visiting what seemed to be almost daily the younger twin was starting to become concerned. What on Earth did these guys have her doing that would keep her gone for so long? “So, you’re still down here huh? Thought you would’ve at least tried to bust out by now.” Lissette’s head whipped around to the small window and the all-too-familiar voice. She stepped up onto her rock pile and glared at the bandaged baster outside. “If you think I’d come this far to leave her behind, then you’re dumber than I thought you were.” She spat, feeling the reflexive glare plaster itself to her face. He let out a disappointed sigh, his arms crossed across his chest. “You really let her hold you back kid. Considering what’s planned for her tonight, you’d be better off cutting your losses.” “What the hell are you on about? What are you bastards planning?” “Oh, just the plan to grab one of those Kekkaishi to bring her to fix the place. Byaku thought using a hostage could convince them. So, since no one here wants to try tying you up again, they went with the next best option. Nice outfit by the way.” Lissette felt her stomach drop. So that was why they hadn’t given her old clothes back. Put Azza in them and keep her from talking, and you almost couldn’t tell them apart. “I have to say, I’m not a fan of this strategy, but I suppose they’re just getting that desperate. If it’s any consolation, I doubt they’d kill her. It would probably anger the Princess if they did. But, if your little friends don’t cooperate….well, who knows what could happen.” Lissette wanted nothing more in that moment than to wipe that smug look off of his face and go run after her sister. But what good would that do? She didn’t know her way around this place, she’d just be going in circles until they found her again. Best case scenario was winding up back in the cage. Worst case would mean not even making it past Kaguro. “Well, looks like I’ve given you something to think about for a while. Don’t forget what I told you.” On that delightfully craptastic note, he walked away, leaving his youngest with more questions that when he’d arrived. What was the point in telling her all of this? ‘Well, he does hate hostage situations. maybe he just doesn’t think his own daughter is worth the trouble.’ She reasoned bitterly. One thing was still for certain though. Things were going on the fast track to hell, and she needed to get out of this damn cell. XXXXXXXXXX It wasn't too difficult for Gen to keep track of Yoshimori’s movements. His attacks were so obvious he could still spot him pretty easily through the myriad of other attacks. The fact that he was mainly striking to the rooftops until Madaroa came back with news was also helpful. It was clear from his position on the ground that the younger Kekkaishi was growing impatient however, and at this point, Gen was right there with him. Unfortunately, with the myriad of different scents floating around, picking out one or two specific ones proved to be more than a little difficult for him. His worry and anger clouded mind was also an unpleasant addition to the mix. So in the meantime, he assisted in the battle as much as he could, taking down every enemy thrown his way. Under normal circumstances he’d be struggling to keep in control, but keep their end goal in mind seemed to be helping. Besides, he needed to save that unbridled rage for a bigger target. About the time he thought this, a large whirlwind began to touch down, managing to suck Atora and the two main ayakashi she was working with for the night into it and, of course, do a good amount of damage to the grounds. Once it faded, it was replaced by a blonde ayakashi with an overwhelmingly evil aura. “So, you must be the Night Troops. I’ve heard a lot about you. My name is Sakon, and I’ve been looking forward to this. Pleased to meet you all. You should know, my task force one and I are here to take Karasumori this very night.” Once he’d finished this little introduction, several of the other night troops threw attacks at him, only for all of them to fizzle out. “What a let down. Surely the Night Troops must have better attacks than those. I suggest you give it everything you have.” Gen looked up to where Yoshimori stood on his kekkai. The white demon dog had returned, and the younger Kekkaishi started following him off of the sight. Gen started after them, taking this as a sign that they’d found their target. ‘Hang on a little longer Lissette.’ He thought, pouring on as much speed as he possibly could without losing sight of Yoshimori ‘We’re coming for you.’

[sumimurasumiko]

imagine if the anime went all the way to the end of the manga and this is what blank state yoshimori looked like

[the-nysh]

Hey Nysh! What are your favorite fictional bonds/relationships? I'm not talking about romantic ones only, but also about platonic or familial ones. You have Great Taste on anything so I was curious 👀

Hmmmmm...🤔 let me think....I'd say my favorites consist of establishing very strong foundations - like mutual respect, trust & devotion for example, where the bond between acquaintances, platonic friends, rivals, or heck even enemies has the potential to develop into something more over time. (Aw heck, when looking at it this way, it usually satisfies my demi/ace spectrum side.) It's when you can feel there's something very strong & profound there, that defies all other conventional labels - but eventual 'soulmates' or life partners for example, even when not explicitly romantic, where they actively challenge or push each other towards becoming better people, are ones I tend to appreciate most. :'3

Let's take some rare m/f relationships in shonen I've liked for example - which may or may not always lead to romance (it's a bonus), but I really enjoyed the bonds between Ed & Winry (fma), Soul & Maka (Soul Eater), Yoshimori & Tokine (Kekkaishi - where the mc admires the rival girl who's older/more talented, which I found refreshing) and most recently between Power & Denji (Chainsaw Man) - where Power truly showed how she was The One eventually earning that most trustworthy/rewarding 'do or die' bond with the mc - very satisfying to me. :'3

As for same gender relationships, I probably don't need to elaborate why Deku & Kacchan (bnha) are probably the most compelling emotional crux of the series (thematically and symbolically, thru an entire roller coaster of angst and rewarding feelings), but also Gon & Killua (hxh) have something quite special, especially the devoted lengths Killua goes thru to save a devastated Gon from himself once he...[spoilers]. :')) (And more recently, speaking of such pure, unwavering devotion, the lengths Lan Zhan will go to protect Wei Ying in mdzs, against the ingrained rules of his clan towards what he now decides is morally righteous, is very impressive.)

As for more traditional rivals, I remember the main rivalry in Hikaru no Go standing out to me - because near the end, the rival stepped up to support/uplift the mc in a slump (while grieving over [spoiler]) which stuck with me as very strong. And in Glass Mask (very old school shoujo drama) the two rival girls went to such elaborate lengths pushing each other thru thick & thin. :'D

Ah, and speaking of shoujos...the most excruciating slow burn to end all slow burn romances is probably between the main m/f pair in Skip Beat - cause aaa the long torment thru hidden/secret/repressed feelings, yet mutually inspiring/pushing each other and keeping the reader invested thru all the other fun stuff going on - but most importantly you can feel the why & how their romantic feelings actually developed, which is a big plus I look for in any convincing romances played straight. :'D

[vgckwb]

P5R: Rebel Girl (A FeMC Story/P5R Rework) Chapter 61: 4 Targets

The next day, as Ren and Morgana were heading to school, Morgana popped his head out. “So, what are we doing today?”

“Well, I was thinking of going into Mementos,” Ren answered.”Take care of a few requests , as well as getting Makoto more acquainted with the Metaverse.” Morgana smiled, and nodded, and the two of them went to school.

During class, Ren took out her phone and messaged the group.

Ren: We’re meeting up today.

Makoto: Do you always text in class?

Ryuji: Woah! He really didn’t say anything.

Makoto: Who?

Ryuji: Nothing…

Makoto: I’ll ignore that for now.

Ann: So, are we going after Kaneshiro?

Ren: Not quite.

Ren: We have a few Mementos missions to take care of, and I feel like we should do those first.

Makoto: Mementos?

Sumire: Right. She wouldn’t know.

Ryuji: Mementos is everyone’s palace, I think.

Makoto: Could we attack Kaneshiro through there?

Jose: Nope.

Sumire: Palaces are formed when desires are so warped that they don’t fit in in Mementos.

Sumire: While Mementos itself is more of a collective of everyone else’s minds.

Yusuke: Mementos is quite fascinating actually. I’m interested to see what you think.

Makoto: Well, it sounds intriguing.

Ann: OK. Sounds like a plan.

Ren: See you after school at the hideout.

They put their phones away.

After school, they all arrived at the hideout. “So, how does this work?” Makoto asked.

Ren took out her phone and the sheet of paper Mishima gave her. “Well, it’s fairly simple. We make the target aware that we’re going to steal their treasure, then we go in and steal it.”

“That’s also how it works for palace rulers,” Morgana explained, “but unlike the palace rulers, we don’t have to do as much to get to them.”

“I see,” Makoto said.

“We do usually end up having to fight them” Ann lamented.

“But it’s fine,” Ryuji added. “We don’t hurt them in real life this way.”

“But we can get hurt ourselves” Yusuke finished.

“Well...yeah…” Ryuji admitted.

Sumire smiled. “But that’s why we come prepared!”

Jose nodded. “And we also work together to overcome the odds.”

“Hm” Makoto grinned. “Sounds like you have this all down pat.”

“Well, as much as we can,” Ann said. “I mean, none of us even KNEW about this strange parallel world until Ren showed up.”

Ren shoved Ann. “Don’t make it sound like I brought it with me.”

Ann shoved back. “Why not? You were the chosen one in all of this.” The two girls shared a giggle as they continued to playfully fight each other.

“Well then,” Makoto said, causing them to stop, “let’s get crackin’.”

Ren nodded. She looked over Mishima’s paper. “Let’s see. First, we have our follow up. The person pressuring Daisuke into bullying: Yoshimori Sakoda.”

“Wait, someone was bullying Daisuke?” Makoto asked.

Sumire nodded. “Apparently, this guy had some blackmail on Daisuke, and he was using that to manipulate him.” Makoto looked disconcerted. “What’s wrong?”

“Oh!” Makoto exclaimed. “Well, when we confronted him, he brushed us off saying ‘there’s more going on than you know’. At the time, I thought it was just bluster. I did notice a change in his behavior recently too. Was that you?” They all nodded. “I see.” She grew a little frustrated.

“OK, next on Mishima’s list, we have a girl named Hikari Shimuzu,” Ren continued. “She’s been torturing this one guy, basically making him her slave. He’s been coming to school with bruises all over.”

“Sounds horrible!” Ann said. “We MUST put a stop to this!”

“Did he put the request in?” Jose asked.

“It doesn’t say,” Ren answered.

“Hm” Jose thought.

“What’s wrong Jose?” Sumire asked.

“Well, in my studies on humanity, I’ve heard of people who derive pleasure from pain,” Jose explained. Everyone else was stunned. “What’s it called again?”

“Even if that was the case, this sounds like it’s going too far!” Ryuji interjected.

“Oh?” Jose wondered. “And how do you know?”

“Uhhhhhhhhh” Ryuji stammered.

Yusuke jumped in. “Well, if someone thinks it’s enough of a problem to raise awareness of it on the Phan-site, it’s at least worth checking out.”

“Well put, Yusuke-senpai,” Sumire chimed in.

Ren nodded. “And last on the list is a restaurant manager named Nozumi Ono, who, according to the request, does little to no work, berates their employees for even the slightest mistakes, and takes all the credit and money for himself.”

“Disgusting” Makoto reacted.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Morgana added.

“Sounds like a total jerk” Ryuji piled on.

“So, we’re all in favor?” Ren asked. Yusuke raised his hand. “Yusuke?”

“If I may,” he began, “I found something I think we should investigate as well. A string of burglaries being tied to us.”

“WHAT?!” Ryuji shouted.

“Oh, those,” Jose said. “Well, from what I’ve heard, the perpetrator has been using calling cards that resemble ours, but apparently, not even the police believe them.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” Morgana said sardonically.

“But they still don’t know who did it,” Jose said.

“If I may, I wasn’t finished” Yusuke said

“Sorry” Jose apologized.

“You are forgiven,” Yusuke assured him. “Ahem. I did overhear a student planning said burglaries.”

“Really?” Ann asked. “How’d you manage to swing that?”

“I’m not sure myself,” Yusuke replied. “I was just passing by, and he was talking to himself as if no one else was there.”

“Did he just not hear you coming?” Sumire said.

“I suppose so,” Yusuke answered. “Although, I am curious as to how he didn’t see me. I was walking toward him.” The rest of the group looked on blankly. “Well, whatever the case may be, I know who it is.”

“Great job, Yusuke” Makoto cheered him on in an embarrassed tone.

“Why thank you” Yusuke said, not picking it up at all. “His name is Kazyua Makigami.”

“I’ll ask Mishima to add him,” Ren said, texting Mishima.

“Oh, right,” Makoto said, realizing something. “Mishima-kun’s involved in this?”

“Yeah” Ren answered. “He’s in charge of the Phan-site.”

“Oh. I thought that was you guys” Makoto said.

“Well, he knows who we are,” Ryuji explained.

“But he’s on our side” Ann continued.

“Besides,” Ren said, “having him manage the site leaves more time to plan and do things like this.”

“I see,” Makoto said. “Well, as long as you trust him.”

Ren smiled and nodded. “I just sent the word to him. Are we ready?” Everyone else nodded. “Then let’s go.” They all headed into Mementos.

Upon entry, Makoto looked around. “Woah! This isn’t exactly what I expected. But it is interesting nonetheless.”

Ren smied. “Welcome, to the garden of madness.”

“Well, no time like the present,” Makoto said. She started to walk off the platform, but Ren and Sumire caught her.

“Woah, Queen-senpai,” Sumire said.

“What is it?” Makoto asked.

Ren and Sumire helped her back up. Ren then explained. “Memento is huge. It’s too big to walk through.”

Makoto was confused. “Then how do you get around?”

“Myeh heh heh” Morgana chuckled. “My time to shine! Transform!” He transformed into the car.

“Woah!” Makoto said.

“Heh heh” Morgana laughed.

Makoto thought about it. “So, this world is based around people’s perceptions…”

“Correct” Ann answered.

“And I’m guessing that this is because a lot of people have the image of cats turning into vehicles” Makoto went on.

“Also correct,” Ren added.

“But according to Mona himself, he’s not a cat,” Makoto finished. Everyone stood in silence for a few moments before Ren broke down laughing.

“Well…” Morgana began uncomfortably, “...I guess it’s because most people see me as a cat…”

“Oh. That makes sense” Makoto responded.

Ren finished her laughing fit. “Alright. We should get going. Hop in.” Everyone got in and they started driving off.

Once they reached the end of the first floor, Makoto was stunned. “That’s it?”

“No,” Ann answered.

“Then how big is it?” Makoto asked.

“No idea,” Ryuji responded.

“Huh,” Makoto remarked.

“We believe Eris is hold up at the bottom,” Ren explained.

“Oh!” Makoto said, excited. “So, we need to break through to the bottom?”

“Basically” retorted Ren. “Although to gain the ability to do so, we need to make a bigger name for ourselves as the Phantom Thieves.”

“I see,” Makoto pondered. “Well then, let’s give it all we got then!”

Sumire chuckled. “I love your attitude, Queen-senpai!”

“Although it seems easier said than done,” Yusuke explained.

“It seems like we have to play Eris’s game to be able to get to the bottom,” Jose iterated.

“I don’t care,” Makoto said. “If this Eris can turn someone like Naoko into someone willing to murder, I’ll do anything to put them in their place.”

“Woah! Scary” Ryuji remarked.

“No, I get it,” Yusuke said. “Eris really messed with someone she cared about. I have a similar feeling towards her about Kosuke.”

“I’m not saying I don’t get it,” Ryuji explained. “I’m just saying that she’s scary.”

“You want me to be sunshine and roses about this?” Makoto asked.

“That’s not what I meant either,” Ryuji continued.

“Just stop,” Ann said. “You’re going to keep digging a hole for yourself.”

“...Yeah” Ryuji relented.

Ren giggled. “I think what Skull’s trying to say is that if he is afraid of you, whoever we’re fighting better be incredibly worried.”

“Yeah. Something like that” Ryuji agreed.

Makoto nodded. “Very well.” They continued onward.

They came upon a portal and hopped in. “I think that guy is Yoshimori’s shadow,” Ryuji exclaimed. “The guy that’s been bullying Daisuke.”

“Well then, let’s put a stop to his reign of terror once and for all,'' Sumire said aggressively.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Makoto said, cracking her knuckles.

They walked up to him. “Tch. Looks like someone ratted me out.”

“Sure did,” Ren said. “And we’re going to put a stop to you and your fledgling school empire.”

“PAH!” Yoshimori spit. “I’d like to see you try!”

“He’s not trying to convince us to join him,” Yusuke remarked.

“We aren’t meeting on my terms,” Yoshimori explained. “I would have liked to ally with you, but apparently that Akechi boy was wrong. If I had your power, I’d make all bow before me.”

“Well that’s why we have it and not you!” Ann shouted.

“C’mon!” Yoshimori shouted. “Do you really think the people in the school care about scum like us? I’m just evening the odds.”

“By forcefully recruiting people!” Sumire snapped.

“Well, how else are you going to get people on your side?” Yoshimori asked. “Deep down inside, all people are nothing but selfish jerks.”

“Enough!” Makoto screamed. “You go on and on about how it’s you vs them, and you don’t even try to differentiate yourself. You’re no better than Principal Kobayakawa.”

“No better?” a shocked Yoshimori retorted. “No BETTER?!” He transformed into Black Frost. “WE’LL SEE ABOUT THAT!”

“BRING IT ON!” Makoto shouted back. After a well-fought battle, the Phantom Thieves won.

“Gah!” Yoshimori grunted. “Why does no one like me?”

“Um, probably because you blackmail them?” Ryuji took a stab at answering.

“Even before that,” Yoshimori added. “I always have to make people try and like me. But it all just falls apart.”

Makoto glared at him. “It’s because you’re not honest with yourself.” Yoshimori gasped. “You don’t like doing this either, do you?”

Yoshimori looked at her. “N...No…”

“And yet you do it,” Makoto said.

“How do you know how I feel?!” Yoshimori yelled.

“Because I was there once too,” Makoto answered sternly. Yoshimori gasped again. “The problem isn’t everyone else. It’s you. Once you find a you that you can be comfortable with, then you can start reaching out to others earnestly.”

Yoshimori smirked. “Thank you. I needed that. It might take some time to find myself, but I’ll dissolve my network based on blackmail.”

“That’s a good start,” Makoto said.

“If I reached out to you when I find myself, could we be friends?” Yoshimori asked.

“Of course,” Makoto answered. Yoshimori smiled and faded away. Ren took the treasure.

“Wow,” Morgana commented. “People are complicated.”

“True” Makoto agreed. “But we are meant to be social creatures. We ought to help each other in need.”

“I see,” Jose noted. “Fascinating.”

“I guess you’re right,” Morgana responded. “I feel that way too sometimes. I guess that’s part of the reason I feel split.”

“Well, hopefully staying at my place is helping,” Ren added.

Morgana smiled. “Yeah.” Ren smiled back.

Makoto smiled too. “Well, we should get going. We’ve got other people to help, you know.” Everyone nodded, and they left.

They continued onward until they got to the next door. Standing between them and said door was another shadow. “That’s Hikari Shimizu’s shadow!” Ann remarked. “The girl that’s been abusing someone.”

“I feel bad for him,” Ryuji said.

“Well, we’re here to help,” Jose reminded him.

“You said this boy is covered in bruises in real life?” Yusuke asked. “If that’s the case, she might be a dangerous opponent.”

“True. We should be on guard” Makoto reminded them. They walked forward.

“Ugh. So you’re the Phantom Thieves?” Hikari bemoaned. “Why are you bothering me?”

Ren dramatically pointed. “We;re here to stop your abuse.”

“Yeah, you’ve been treating this boy like he’s your slave!” Ryuji added.

“Please. He wants it” Hikari explained. “I just give it to him.”

“He wants bruises?” Yusuke remarked. “I don’t quite think that’s true.”

“I am his queen!” Hikari snapped. “He takes whatever I give him!”

“Yeah?! Well, you shouldn’t treat him like dirt!” Ann snapped back. “If you’re his queen, make yourself a respectable queen! Not just some annoying monarch that holds absolute power over him!”

“Grrr” Hikari growled. “I’m smart, I’m pretty, and he worships me. I’m allowed to do what I want with him!”

“No you’re not!” Ann yelled. “He’s a person too!”

“Grrrrrrah!” Hikari yelled, transforming into Yaksini, “I’ll just do whatever I want with you!” The thieves fought Hikari’s shadow. While it was a tad bit tricky, the thieves won. “NO!” Hikari yelled after defeat. “I don’t want to lose him…”

“Lose him?” Ann asked.

“Yeah. If I apologize, and say what I’m doing is wrong, he’ll run away…” Hikari explained. “And I don’t want that.”

“How did this all start?” Jose asked.

“He came up to me one day… Hikari began. “He asked me if I needed anything. I told him ‘a foot massage’ as a joke, but he really did it.”

“And you didn’t stop him?” Jose inquired.

“Well...I liked it…” Hikari continued. “...And him…”

“Oh” Jose said, surprised.

“You mean like like like?” Ann asked.

Hikari nodded. “Day in and day out, I’d ask him to do more and more ridiculous things, and it just spiraled out of control. Now I feel like this is the only way I can hang onto him.”

“Listen,” Ann said, beginning to offer advice, “being in a relationship requires the two people to be on the same page. If neither of you are happy, you need to feel confident enough to say so.”

“Yeah,” Ryuji added. “I mean, it sounds like this guy also kind of likes you too. And even if he’s willing to do some things for you, if you push him too far, you’ll just push him away.”

“But…” Hikari groaned.

“I know,” Ann said. “It’s hard. But you have to try. If you want this to work, you both have to be happy.”

Hikari started crying. “You’re right. Thank you.” She faded and Ren stole the treasure.

“Well, I think that went well,” Ann said. Jose was looking at her, puzzled. “What is it Sunshine?”

Jose tilted his head. “I know you told Fox, but are you sure you and Skull aren’t a couple?” Both of them started to blush. “Because you sounded like a couple just now.”

“Ha ha” Ann laughed nervously. “Of course we aren’t a couple.”

“Yeah” Ryuji said, equally as nervous. “Our advice applies to all kinds of relationships.”

“I see,” Jose said.

Ren stifled a laugh. “Well, if we’re done here, let's see what the next bit of Mementos looks like, shall we?” Ren walked over and placed her hand on the door. It opened up. Once it finished, she turned around. “What are we waiting for?” The thieves all walked over and headed deeper into Mementos.

Soon after, they found another portal and jumped in. “I think this is Nozomi Odo,” Morgana said. “The slave-driving restaurant manager.”

“Ugh, people like him make me sick!” Ryuji remarked. “Let’s do this fast. The sooner we do this, the sooner he’ll be a better manager.”

They nodded in agreement and approached Nozomi’s shadow. “What do you want?” he asked indignantly.

“What we WANT is for you to treat your employees with kindness!” Sumire said, stomping her foot on the ground.

“Tch” Nozomi reacted, brushing it off like it was nothing. “Have you ever worked in a restaurant?”

“Well, no…” Sumire admitted.

“If you did, you’d know that that’s the law of the land,” Nozomi explained. “You get treated like shit, until you work up to a place where you treat others like shit.”

“What garbage!” Makoto said, stepping forward. “You’re a leader! You need to step up and act as such.”

“I am,” Nozumi said.

“No” Makoto seethed. “You’re a coward. A REAL leader looks out of their team. Not just themselves.”

“Tch. I don’t have time for this” Nozomi said. He transformed into Setanta. “Starting now, I’m YOUR boss!”

“You should know, we don’t take kindly to those in authority,” Yusuke quipped.

“GAH!” Nozomi yelled. The thieves charged into battle, and won. “It’s not fair,” Nozomi said after losing. “I went through all of this before. Why should they be treated differently?”

“Look,” Makoto said forcefully. “What your employees are going through sucks, and what you went through was also probably terrible. But you don’t need to continue the cycle of abuse. You can end it here.

Being a leader is hard work. I should know. But you need to make sure all that hard work is worth it in the end. Otherwise you’re going to wake up one day and realize you hate the person staring back at you in the mirror.”

“Heh. You’re right” Nozomi said. “Man, getting lectured by some kids really puts things into perspective. Thanks.” He faded away, and Ren took the treasure.

They continued onwards and found another portal. Again, they hopped into it. “By process of elimination, this would be Kazuya Makigami’s shadow,” Yusuke said.

“The jerk thief who’s using our name to steal things,” Morgana added.

“But didn’t Sunshine say that not even the police believe that we’re associated with him?” Sumire inquired.

“I did say that, yes,” Jose said.

“Well...it’s the principle of the matter,” Morgana said.

“Whatever the reason, we need to put a stop to it,” Yusuke said.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Ren nodded. They walked over to him.

“Ah, the glorious Phantom Thieves,” Kazuya said. “Have you come to join forces?”

“No. Of course not!” Makoto refuted.

“Then why?” Kazuya wondered.

“Put simply, we’re here to stop you,” Yusuke explained.

“WHAT?” Kazuya shouted. “But we have the same goals. We’re on the same side. There’s no need for fighting.”

“Then will you just stop burglarizing people?” Sumire asked.

“And using our name?” Morgana added.

“WHAT? You don’t like that?” Kazuya asked.

“Of course not!” Ann said.

“Grrr. I thought you were cool” Kazuya grumbled. “Fighting for the underdogs. I thought the world needed people like you. But I guess power just corrupts, as the saying goes. SO…” he transformed into Mithras, “...I guess I’ll just use my power to stop you!”

“...You literally just said power corrupts,” Ryuji said, picking up on the irony.

“SHUT UP!” Kazuya shouted. The thieves charged into combat, and while it was a bit tough, since they’ve been going for a bit, it was nothing they couldn’t handle. Once Kazuya was defeated, he was breathing heavily.

“Pardon me,” Yusuke wondered, “but why do this at all?”

Kazuya looked at them. “Fine. I guess I owe you that at least. Ever since I was a kid, my parents were always more impressed with my little brother. He was more successful at everything, and because of that, he was their favorite. It almost felt like I wasn't even there sometimes.

Yeah, I was jealous, but I didn’t do anything. I felt like that was just how things were. And then you came along, and taught me that maybe things can change. So I began abusing my brother. And when that wasn’t enough, I took out my anger on every bigshot I could find. I started gathering some like-minded people, and I assume you know the rest.”

“How terrible,” Sumire remarked.

“Yeah,” Kazuya agreed. He sighed. “I probably should have said something earlier.”

“It’s not too late…” Sumire pointed out.

“I guess you’re right,” Kazuya replied.

“Well, as long as you’re making it up with him,” Yusuke said.

Kazuya smirked. He took his own treasure out of him. “If you can find my brother, tell him to use this key to open my nightstand drawer and burn what’s inside.”

“Are you sure?” Yusuke asked. Kazuya nodded. “Very well.” He grabbed it.

“Just promise me you’ll keep going after people who deserve it,” Kazuya said.

“You have our word,” Yusuke said. Kazuya smiled and faded away.

“How are we supposed to find his brother?” Ryuji asked.

“He also goes to Kosei,” Yusuke said. “I can give it to him…”

“That might be a bit conspicuous,” Morgana pointed out. “I’ll just drop it off in the cover of night.”

“Very well then,” Yusuke said. They left.

Ren asked “Do you want to keep going, or is that fine enough for now?”

“We did get all of our targets” Ann pointed out.

“Eh, I at least want to get to the next door,” Ryuji said. “It probably won’t open, but it’s a good marker of progress.”

“I agree,” Jose said.

“Anyone have any objections?” Ren asked. No response. “Very well.” They kept rolling. Eventually, they made it to the next door. “Well, we’re one step closer.”

“If I’m assuming correctly, this will open once we defeat Kaneshiro?” Makoto asked.

“Sees that way” Ryuji answered.

“Do we want to do that right away then?” Makoto wondered.

“No,” Ren answered. Makoto looked at her. “We shouldn’t keep blitzing through things. We are tough, but going through the metaverse is exhausting. We need our rest.”

“I see,” Makoto said. “What smart and thoughtful advice. Truly, you’ve adapted to the role of leader quite well.”

Ren was embarrassed. “Thanks.”

“Well, then, I guess that’s all we’re going to get now,” Makoto said. “Should we head out?” Everyone nodded, and they all headed up to leave Mementos. On their way back, Makoto noticed Sumire seeming awfully distant. “Something on your mind Violet?”

“Huh?” Sumire gasped. “Oh yeah. My meet is coming up, and being down here, and seeing everyone’s different problems has got me thinking.”

“You know we’re here for you” Ren reminded her.

Sumire smiled. “Thanks senpai” Sumire said, smiling and blushing. She looked down. “I guess seeing all those people suffering just has me in a tizzy. I mean, I was fraught with so many problems that I didn’t know what to do. So, in a way, this was kind of cathartic. It really helped me put things into perspective. If they can improve, then I know I can!”

“Way to go Violet!” Ann cheered.

“Yeah! You show them!” Ryuji followed.

Jose looked at them. “Are you really sure you’re not a couple?”

“YES!” they both answered, slightly embarrassed.

Sumire giggled. She then covered her mouth. “Oh. Sorry.” Ren then started snickering. One by one, people started laughing along. Pretty soon, the entire PT crew was in stitches. Between the laughter and the exploration, they felt exhausted and remained silent until they left Mementos.

As Ren and Mogana were heading home, Ren bumped into someone. “Oh, sorry.”

“It’s OK,” the woman Ren bumped into said. Ren looked up, as did Morgana. They recognized her as Ryoko Aino, the person who kidnapped cats and almost kidnapped Morgana. She took notice of Morgana. “Oooo. What a cute kitty. Mind if I pet him?”

Morgana hissed. Ren put her hands on him to stop him. “I’m sorry. He’s usually really kind.”

“Oh no,” Ryoko said. “I think it’s my fault.” She fished through her purse. She handed a can to Ren. “Um, for a little while, I was, um, kidnapping cats. And I almost got this little one.”

“Oh?” Ren inquired.

“I was saddened by the loss of my own cat, Snowball” Ryoko informed her. “I panicked, and I got it in my head that I needed to protect all of the cats in the area. But I came to my senses after the Phantom Thieves saved me. So, I’m sorry.”

“I see,” Ren said. She looked at Morgana. “Well, what do you think?”

Morgana was pouting, but knew the answer. “I guess it’s OK.”

Ren smiled. She turned back. “He says he’ll let you pet him.”

“Really?” Ryoko said, beaming. She started petting Morgana, and Morgana started purring. After she was done, she bowed and said “Take care.”

“We will,” Ren said. “And thanks.” The two nodded and went their separate ways. Ren looked at the can. “Wow.”

“What is it?” Morgana asked.

“It’s some fairly expensive tuna,” Ren said. “I guess this is part of her apology.”

“WOW,” Morgana said, drooling. “I know what I want tonight.”

As they were entering Leblanc, they passed by two young adults and an old man, who they recognized as Heiji Ono, the former belligerent old man in Kijijoji. As she came in, she looked at Sojiro and said “I haven’t seen them before.”

Sojiro grinned. “Maybe they’ll start a trend. It’s always nice to get new customers. You know, they only came by to spend some nice quiet time with their grandpa, but I hope they tell others how good the food was.” Ren smiled. Sojiro went on. “The old guy sure was somethin’ else. When he got his drink, he quietly toasted the Phantom Thieves. His grandkids didn’t hear it, but I caught it.”

Ren sat down at the counter. “What do you think of these Phantom Thieves?”

“Well, if that guy is toasting them, they can’t be all bad,” Sojiro said. “But I’m not one to accept things like that so easily. Maybe if they came in and had some curry, and we got to chatting, I might soften up to them more.”

Ren smiled. “You want me to start an ad campaign?”

“Huh?” Sojiro said, taken aback. “Of course not. That prosecutor’s been on my ass enough. I don’t need her breathing down my neck thinking I have a link with the Phantom Thieves.”

“I getcha,” Ren said. “It can be hard to trust people sometimes.”

Sojiro looked at her. “Well, I know I can trust you. I hope you can trust me too.”

“Of course,” Ren said.

Sojiro smiled. “Here. Let me make you some curry. But then I gotta head out.” Sojiro prepared some curry and handed it to Ren. She took one bite and was delighted. “Heh heh. Well, seeya.” Ren waved as Sojiro left.

Morgana was pouting. “Don’t think I forgot.” Ren said. She got up, fetched a can opener, and opened up the tuna for Morgana.

“MEOW!” he frenzied. He plopped his face in the can and went to town.

Ren smiled. “Hm.” She took another bite of her curry. After she swallowed it, she said “Today was a good day.” She continued eating, then went to bed soon after.

[iohourtime]

Yamada Ryosuke x Nakajima Yuto: The two who melted together (anan part 1)

anan 2184 (2020.01.22)

(There are more photos and a crosstalk. I'll post part 2 when I'm done translating.)

Hey!Say!JUMP’s Yamada Ryosuke san and Nakajima Yuto san graced our magazine [on this issue]. It is the first time we had this pair on the cover of anan. As sweet as chocolate, we captured the moment when they melted together for the cover gravure. It will bring out your memories of chocolate.

Yamada Ryosuke

When he heard that this issue’s theme is chocolate, “I love it” Yamada Ryosuke san replied immediately. “There’s one type I especially like. It is a penguin shaped milk chocolate that has a bitter caramel centre; it’s a luxury item that costs 300 yen each. Since the filming of “Moeyo Ken” was really tough, when I returned to the hotel after filming, I would treat myself to 1 piece to encourage myself. On the days where I had really difficult sword fighting scenes, I ate 2 (laughs). I like it that much. If I have to give a reverse Valentine gift to hardworking women? I will use good whiskey to make a highball and spend the time together with her. Since that is someone I like, I can send my thoughts straightly. I am not very good with the type that plays games. I don’t understand people who will not confess their love because they are afraid of being turned down, when they cannot suppress their feelings in the first place.

I played Yoshimori Ryoichi in “Kiokuya: Anata wo Wasurenai”. There were scenes where I cannot hold back my feelings. “The script for that scene said ‘1 tear roll down the face’, but I cried too much. Although it was NG at one point, in the end, that was the cut that was used. Ryoichi is a blend of Yuto and I. [Ryoich’s] ridiculously earnest part is Yuto’s and the taking action once he decided part is mine. His reaction to each thing that happened in front of him was interesting to play. I don’t need Kiokuya, who can erase people’s memories. There are no memories I want to erase; it’s just too painful if I lost [the memory] of the time I spent with the group. It spanned more than half of my life and there is nothing more fun than this.”

Nakajima Yuto

In the drama “Boku ha Doko Kara”, Takeuchi Kaoru, who has the ability to copy other people’s thoughts when he writes their texts, is played by Nakajima Yuto san. “Kaoru wanted to be a novelist, but thanks to his ability, he could not write his own work. ‘What am I’ was something that confused him. In order to show that side, I asked myself the same question; didn’t I become someone who wanted to find himself? I was grateful that I could make my own choices and enjoyed my own growth process. Although having the special power was troublesome to Kaoru, I would like to have a special power. Teleportation, shapeshifting, etc will be cool. I think I will transform into someone nobody knows and walk around the city a lot.

I often received Valentine’s chocolates from the staff on the film set. “They could be expensive and the person might have lined up at the shop for a long time to get them. When I think about that, I am really thankful for [the gift]. If I were to give someone [chocolates], I will give them classy and delicate chocolates. The type where there are many flavours and are lined up one-by-one [in the box]. That way, you can eat without getting bored, and that’s how I like it too. You can hold that and take a plunge to confess in a place where there are lots of people. Since you can use the power from the people around you who would say, “do your best!” (laughs) Right now, is there someone who would buy nice chocolates for me? I think it is important to set rewards. Especially when I am so busy with work and I start to lose track of myself, spoiling me a little will bring a lot of help to me. I think giving chocolates to someone who worked really hard as a reward is great.”

The Yama who wants to be spoiled belongs to me exclusively (smiles). - Yuto

The time the two of us spent together is important. - Yama

Click here for Cross talk and more pictures.

[theultimatestranger]

So anyway, about Kekkaishi,

It's so intersting that the protagonist of a shounen from the time Kekkaishi came out wasn't interested in becoming stronger. Yoshimori just wanted to be a really good baker. He only tried to get stronger when he realized he was veing a burden on someone he loved, even though it wasnt something he was passionate about or something he even liked.

This why Gen was so important. This is why Gen mattered. Gen gave Yoshimori a reason to care about being a Kekkaishi. Sure, Tokine did to, but when you take what happened with Tokine and then REPEAT THAT BUT EVEN WORSE to a more mature Yoshimori, who was still too weak to do anything...

Now you've created a reason for hkm to get stronger. Not just "i fight for my friends!"

He fights for the people he's let down. Because he knows how it feels to make vital mistakes and he's learned that he NEVER wants to make those again

[i-love-tubbs-the-cat]

also, top 5 musicians? :)

oh let’s Do This this is a fun question very expressive!!! i will put this in no particular order as art has many different ways it can touch you and it depends on my mood what i will appreciate most 

Sambomaster, i could probably say this is my top favorite of my list though i try not to. they write very simple very polite little love songs but the way they play you can tell how very passionate they are how much love they put into their music, i would love to see them live 

Galileo Galilei, also a japanese indie band like sambomaster but this is the first band i consider myself having ever gotten into, it was my best friend’s favorite band at the time and they did work for some of our favorite series, it was so fun to share music with someone for the first time. i was so sad to hear they had been broken up for years now but they have made a new band i really want to try to listen to!

Kero Kero Bonito, this is one that i actually hadn’t like much at first but i had so many friends here that had expressed how much the music meant to them so i gave the band extra chances to make a connection with me, i am glad i did! my favorite album of theirs is time ‘n place which feels so different than anything they have ever made and i consider an artistic masterpiece. they are the kind of band you can tell care so much for craft of what they do and put love into every inch, even singing about such silly topics it speaks so much about how they see the world

Yoshimori Makoto, this is a composer actually but i can’t not mention him!! he has done work for some of my absolute favorite series i own every album he has ever put out and spent a considerable amount of money for his best works CD that i couldn’t find a download for. i love his jazzy feel for the majority of his music but there is just such a sense of identity for his compositions it’s instantly recognizable, and he is excellent with creative expressions of different emotions, particularly stress and anguish he expresses in a way i have never seen anyone else portray so profoundly

1Team, so this is a new favorite of mine and certainly one that will always stick with me, they are the first korean group i have put in the effort to truly recognize and understand and their music feels very personal to me because of it! they are so talented and i am so proud of their progress for having just debuted and coming from a smaller company. i love them to pieces and i support them with everything i have!! my favorite members are junghoon and jinwoo, and my favorite song is probably their debut actually Vibe 

[alectoperdita]

Kept poking at yakuza!Jou and lawyer!Kaiba. I did get them into bed eventually, but that part's even messier than the one I'm posting here. Will take a break to consider if I have more to add besides a secondary smut scene.

Still no title unless I keep my placeholder, In bed with the mob.

Still rated T, more backstory and feels

Part 1 here

Read the whole thing in AO3

___

They didn't go to Mega. No, Seto preferred a quiet neutral ground to Jounouchi's club. The hole-in-the-wall bar was a block away from where Seto parked his car, but it was still within Jounouchi's usual stomping grounds. Mega was but a short walk away from the storefront. Yet when Seto slipped through the unobtrusive wooden door, Jounouchi followed his lead without question.

The interior was styled after European bars—wood paneling, deco light scones, a minimalist chandelier hanging from the center of the ceiling. Similar to many storefronts in the area, it was long but narrow. A polished oak bar and shelves after shelves of artfully presented liquor bottles backlit by warm yellow light lined the left wall. Along the opposite wall was a series of small tables and booths to sit parties of two to three. Soft piano music played from the surround speakers mounted along the ceiling. It reminded Seto of a miniature version of the venues he frequented through his law school years.

The bartender, an older gentleman donning a crisp white shirt, dapper waistcoat, and ironed slacks, greeted them. Besides him, there were two salarymen seated at the bar near the entrance. Both men glanced in their direction but very deliberately looked away and avoided eye contact after they spotted Jounouchi behind Seto.

The bartender's expression revealed nothing behind his customer service face. He was likely the owner too. "What can I get for you, sirs?"

Seto asked for a gin and tonic. Jounouchi surprised him by ordering a whisky highball.

The gangster flashed another face-splitting grin. "Told ya. I'm all class."

With their drinks in hand, they made their way to the back of the bar and took the booth near the back wall. It was a tight squeeze even for two people on account of their heights. Their knees knocked several times before they settled into a comfortable enough arrangement. Jounouchi slouched, braced by the booth's corner, and stretched his legs diagonally until his feet poked out. Seto took the opportunity to sit facing forward, with his spine straight and knees locked perpendicular to the ground.

Jounouchi brought his dewy highball glass to his lips and drank. Seto did the same, choosing to contemplate his drink's zesty flavor instead of his companion. To his surprise, Jounouchi didn't guzzle his, but he did wipe his mouth with the back of his hand when he set the glass back on the table.

Seto's phone chirped. He pulled it out to check his notification. It was a message from Mitsurugi.

Mitsurugi Don't do that again.

Seto merely rolled his eyes and stuffed the device back into his pocket without replying.

"Why are ya making that face? Was it your boss or your boyfriend?" joked Jounouchi. That or he was still fishing.

"Neither. Just Mitsurugi bitching."

Jounouchi whistled. "So you weren't bluffing back at the station."

"I don't bluff," Seto snapped. One should never have to bluff if one had the goods.

Jounouchi sat up only to plant his elbow on the tabletop. Still smiling, he pressed his non-bruised cheek to his raised fist. Under the table, the toe of Jounouchi's shoe brushed against Seto's ankle, slow and deliberate and lingering.

"Look at you, friends in high places."

Uncowed, Seto locked gazes with the other man. "I could say the same for you if Yoshimori contracted us for your benefit."

"Aww, yer jealous? Don't worry. He's a bit too old for my taste." Jounouchi winked. "But can't deny he's a swell guy looking out for the guys in the area."

"Yes, I suppose this has nothing to do with the seven-year stint you did for possession and distribution of a controlled stimulant."

Jounouchi's expression collapsed, as swiftly as a earthquake ripping through an out-of-code building. Silence descended over their booth. One so thick that it felt as if nothing, not the bar's piano music or the other patron's muted conversations, could penetrate. Ice clinked in Seto's glass as he lifted it. If he strained his ears, he wouldn't be surprised if he could somehow hear Jounouchi's heartbeat.

After a long, awkward silence that began to grate even on Seto's nerve, Jounouchi finally said, "You know about that?"

"I'm your lawyer"—for tonight anyway—"I would be a piss-poor one if I didn't know. I do my due diligence for my clients."

Jounouchi sucked in a sharp exhale. His hand trembled as he gripped his highball. This time, he chugged half of it at once. "Yeah, and you always had to be the best at anything you did."

Seto studied the other man, noting his sudden downturned gaze and the abrupt change in his mannerism. He couldn't help but remember that Jounouchi often relied on bluster. Brainless loyalty was more of his speed than mean drive.

"If you're ashamed, you should've thought of that before you took the fall for someone else," Seto scoffed.

"Wait. How could you possibly know that?"

"A few well-placed inquires and money to grease some palms will tell me whatever people are already talking about. It's not a stretch of the imagination. Not only were you able to find employment straight out of prison, you were promoted to manager within two months. One possibility is stellar work ethics, but it's more likely that someone owes you a favor. A big favor."

Jaw dropped, Jounouchi gawked at him. Seto filled the new lull with sips of his drink.

To his surprise, Jounouchi burst out into riotous laughter, drawing the attention of everyone in the bar. "Holy shit. That was some Sherlock Holmes shit!"

"Simple deductions," Seto muttered into his glass. He didn't know where the sudden wave of self-consciousness came from. Then again, people sometimes accused him of being too self-assured about the conclusions he drew about others and sticking to them.

It was unsettling how difficult it was to get a read on Jounouchi, though. The tension broke, and the gangster was smiling fondly at him again. "Okay, lemme take a stab at it. You studied abroad. Maybe as early as high school, but definitely university. Your taste in drinks' the same as a returnee's," Jounouchi's gaze flicked to Seto's glass. "The only question's was it England or America?"

Seto took a sip before responding. It didn't escape his notice how Jounouchi's gaze lingered on his lips afterwards. He licked them.

"Neither. Germany."

Jounouchi laughed. "Ya always did bulk conventions."

Seto didn't stop his mouth in time. "Buck conventions."

"Po-tay-toe, po-tot-toe." Jounouchi waved a hand dismissively. "And for the record, I'm not ashamed. Not really. I know who I am. That's not gonna change. It's just... It's you. I always felt kinda shabby standing next to you, and now..."

The man's expression took a turn for the wistful. Seto's heart clenched unexpectedly. From their youth, he only remembered chasing after Jounouchi, a shining beacon that clambered through the orphanage's and the surrounding woods' nooks and crannies.

"If your background was an issue, I would've left you outside police headquarters," said Seto. Not share a smoke or bodily drag Jounouchi into his car so he couldn't escape. They wouldn't be here at this bar if that was the case.

"True. Guess you still don't put up with anyone's bullshit." Jounouchi's eyes crinkled again. "Good to know that hasn't changed."

They lapsed into silence again and finished their drinks in the meanwhile. Seto rose to order another round. When he returned with with another gin and tonic for himself and another whisky highball for Jounouchi, the other man was frowning at his phone, but he quickly shoved it back into his pocket when Seto sat down.

That was when Seto remembered it was a Saturday night, which meant prime business hours for a club like Mega.

"Don't let me keep you if you have business to take care of," he said.

Jounouchi shook his head. "Nah, Toshihiro can hold down the fort. It's not every day I get a chance to catch up with an old friend."

As Jounouchi reached across the table for his glass, his palm covered the back of Seto's hand. His fingers caressed the patch of skin under Seto's wristwatch band. Despite his best efforts not to react, Seto's breath hitched. He didn't necessarily want Jounouchi to stop flirting with him, but each successive touch further muddled Seto's purpose of mind. He slipped his hand out from under Jounouchi's touch. Jounouchi let him retreat without comment, clasping his drink and drawing it across the table.

It was almost a relief when Jounouchi changed the topic. "How's Mokuba doing?"

"Well, he's living in London at the moment." A small smile crept across Seto's lips at the thought of his little brother. "He's happy. I think."

That's what made his departure from the orphanage and the ensuing years worth it. Ensuring his brother's happiness and keeping his father's dying wish.

"Awww, that's good to hear. He's so lucky to have you. You love him to bits."

Even back then, Jounouchi had supported his plan. Even though it ultimately led to their separation. That was one of Seto's few regrets.

"I'm sorry I never wrote," he mumbled.

He tried early on. Until he found several weeks of letters crumpled in the trash in his new adoptive father's study. He got the message then. His letters would never reach their intended destination.

A self-deprecating smile wormed across Jounouchi's face. "That's alright. You were moving onto bigger and better things. I wouldn't have gotten 'em anyway. I ran away several weeks after you and Mokuba left. That place was the pits. There was nothing worth staying for."

The vise tightened around Seto's heart again. His blood roared in his ears. He could blame it on the alcohol, but he wasn't a lightweight. Seto wasn't nearly as much of a stickler for rules as some people guessed. He was a defense attorney. He knew when to bend the rules or even turn a blind eye. But he couldn't turn away from Jounouchi even if he tried.

Not again.

It took effort, but he swallowed the lump in his throat. "We should continue this conversation somewhere private," he declared. It shamed him to recognize the slight warble in his voice.

Jounouchi froze, his highball glass suspended in mid-air with his hand. "Wait, really?"

"You're more familiar with this area. You must be able to recommend such a place."

The other man downed his drink like water and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Okay, okay. Yeah. A few places come to mind. Yer sure about this?"

"Don't make me repeat myself," he snapped, unable to keep an ounce of contempt from bleeding through.

Jounouchi either didn't notice or didn't care. After slamming his glass down on the table, he shot forward and clasped Seto's wrist. It was strong enough that his bones creaked under the pressure, but it wasn't a threat. Nor was Jounouchi trying to hurt him. It seemed he was as reluctant to let go as Seto was.

Then as if no time has passed—untrue because so much did—Jounouchi dragged him out of the bar and out onto the neon-lit streets.

[natsspammityspamspamham]

Dino Watches Anime (Nov 28)

Obviously, I’m not going to list the ongoing anime that I’ve still watching as that hasn’t changed much. I will put the ones that I recently completed though!

Recently Completed!

Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu e

I was going to put this in chronological order until I realized that I just wanted to get this piece of crap out of the way. Seriously, I regret watching this show. I HATE how it’s the highest rated out of all of them! It’s almost an 8/10! I gave it a 4! Here’s why:

This anime started out okay. I liked the sound of its premise. I liked the idea of teenage psychology being pushed but not as life-or-death but more of status. Because believe it or not, sometimes a person values their image and status more than their life. That plot was... kind of there? I don’t know. It was mostly boobs and ass. Those jiggle physics don’t stop here. They make sure to remind you that every character in this anime has large assets and asses every two seconds. 

The characters are probably the most deplorable part of this show. They were so bad. Seriously, we just took the worst parts of every trope and threw them together! The “I don’t talk to anyone. I don’t have any friends. I’m EDGY and don’t belong here. I’m this close to selling myself to Orochimaru for power”, the “cardboard houseplant that’s so monotone that it hurts”, the “double-sided dipstick that will take out a person’s intestines and use them as a jump rope”, and the “arrogant older brother who is way more accomplished than his sister”. We also have more assorted bastards, but those are the main ones. The characters ruined everything. Their interactions were so coarse, forced, hard to watch, and everything is executed so poorly that it made me wonder whether people rated this for ulterior motives or not. Everyone here is an asshole. 

Let’s look at the first three characters:

“cardboard houseplant that’s so monotone that it hurts” - Shoya Chiba isn’t even a bad voice actor. He does give me Hiroshi Kamiya vibes though (not a bad thing), but his voice acting in this show was hard to listen to because his expression didn’t change and neither did his voice. Seriously, over 12 episodes, he has that same expression. Someone threatened to harm him, and he’s still looking like a dead fish. I can’t describe how much worse it is to have a main character whose facial muscles don’t move. He has no personality.

“I don’t talk to anyone. I don’t have any friends. I’m EDGY and don’t belong here. I’m this close to selling myself to Orochimaru for power” - I like her design, but what else is going for her? How many times does she need to say, “I don’t need friends. I just want to move up in school.” Bitch, I get it. You can calm down. You keep doing things for other people but you say you don’t care? She arguably gets the most growth. Akari Kito voiced her and it was just like how any other person on earth would voice this character. 

“double-sided dipstick that will take out a person’s intestines and use them as a jump rope” - She’s exactly what she sounds like. She’s in that gif. She’s sweet and nice until you catch her being not that. Yurika Kubo did a pretty alright job voicing her. Nothing really to say here besides I hated her with a burning passion.

Music was alright. Animation was... Lerche standard. Nothing special. It looks nice until you are flashed so many times that you can’t tell what this show is even about anymore.

This is one of the worst shows I’ve watched in a while. It wastes a perfectly good premise and voice cast.

Kekkaishi

2006 was a good year for anime, and this probably got swept over because Code Geass took the fall season by storm. But this anime was genuinely good. I wanted a good shonen/comedy with action and this filled that void and more. I even read some of the manga before realizing that I just don’t like reading manga that much.

I genuinely like the cast of characters and find them amusing. I also like how they incorporate a stay-at-home dad who wears an apron and no one judges him because it’s what they see as normal. We have a female character whose not being sexualized every few seconds. Sunrise did cheat a little with other female characters though because the manga made their proportions okay while the anime decided to make them look more like a Barbie rather than a human. The animation was pretty okay too. For 52 episodes, it did some pretty okay stuff but with today’s technology, it’s probably not as “wow” as it was back in the day.

I’m just mad that they developed a character only to kill him a couple of episodes later. That’s sad. 

The soundtrack was pretty standard, but I was impressed by the fact that I liked the voice acting. I originally wasn’t as much of a fan of Hiroyuki Yoshino’s works because I found his voice annoying, but when he finds the right character (like Yoshimori or Eraser Mic), he works really well. It’s unfortunate that a lot of the main cast aren’t as prolific as they once were, but I guess that’s life.

No one was hurt in the making of that gif. 

I rated this a 9/10 because it was for pure enjoyment. I didn’t have this much fun watching an anime in a while. This is the anime that got me binge-watching again.

Nobunaga Concerto

This anime has a blaring problem. It’s not the story, it’s not the writing, it’s not the characters, and it’s not the music. It’s the art. Watch any clip and it will give some Berserk flashbacks.

The writing was pretty good too. The story was genuinely interesting, but in the end, it didn’t feel like it did enough. It didn’t cover enough. The dialogue and the incorporation of modern culture with the historic parts were smart. Saburou was really likeable and oddly adaptive. The characters around him (the historic ones) are pretty cut and dry. The music was pretty good too! The art and lack of adaptation are the only things truly holding this show back.

Mamoru Miyano plays the main character and obviously makes him charming and funny, Yuki Kaji plays Nobunaga Oda, and Nana Mizuki plays Oda’s betrothed. I actually didn’t know anything about Oda’s tale prior to this anime so don’t think that’s required. 

I rated it a 7/10

*Another important note is that they get suddenly racist in the last episode. A black guy appears, and people scream that it’s a monkey like they’ve never seen a darker-skinned human before. It was honestly disappointing.

Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakama-tachi

Okay, this anime surprised me because of how much I liked it. It wasn’t even anything special. They took the same JC Staff rom-com tropes and put them into another anime combined with some fairy tale lore. But this anime was so entertaining and charming with its cast that I genuinely didn’t hate any of the characters. There were a few moments that made me go, “okay, that’s a bit too much”, but a girl going around punching people with neko boxing gloves? That’s pretty cool. Ookami was a really funny character who I actually found a bit interesting which is weird for a story that’s supposed to be superficial and comedic. Ryoushi is practically a spitting image of my anxiety and personality but in a charming way? He has some cool moments. He’s almost a little like Zenitsu. Courageous when push comes to shove but he’s actually awake. Ringo was the innocent loli until she wasn’t because if you mess with her friend, she will poison you. Again, they made these references to regular rom-com anime and fairy tales that completely roll together nicely. JC Staff didn’t mess this one up, and as always, there’s a tsundere Rie Kugimiya role in there somewhere. 

Because I enjoyed it so much, I gave it a 9/10.

Inari, Konkon, Koi Iroha

I literally finished this one an hour ago, read the last chapter of the manga, and went “what the heck?” Because... I enjoyed this, but I also didn’t? Bitter-sweetness at its best. Houko Kuwashima is a really underrated voice actress because she hasn’t taken that many big roles as of recent, but she has incredible range. The characters of this are incredibly plain, but I don’t mind that because they aren’t painful to watch unlike the first anime I mentioned (seriously, I watched the last three shows on this list to wash that bad anime out of my brain). Everyone in this anime seems to be perfect in one way or another because they don’t really wish ill on anyone. Not gonna lie, characters like that aren’t for everyone because “everyone is a scum at some point in their lives”. I definitely respect for the need of balance. The story is pretty simple and plain and so is the art. The music was nice and pleasant. Basically, it’s a palette-cleanser of an anime after watching some bad anime. It’s about developing middle school romance and this... “teenage” couple on the side. It’s about friendship! And discovering yourself, and yes, one character found out she was gay, and I was rooting for that character so hard only to find out that she didn’t get her conclusive ending. Everyone else gets some bullshit ending one way or another! This is published in the same publication as Bungou Stray Dogs, and I wouldn’t have been able to tell if I didn’t look it up. 

I rated this one an 8/10 because I enjoyed it still despite the ending being a little idealistic, sad, and far-fetched (seriously, someone becomes a god and gets their existence erased). 

[agallimaufryofoddments]

I’ve successfully imported both CDs! Little iTunes kerfuffle which was quickly smoothed over, no worries. I tell you what, though, I really wish the CDs had track titles. If you saw that second merch post, you’ll have seen the gaiden novel’s tracklist was just numbers and timestamps. 

Listened very briefly to each track to make sure there were no issues, and already I picked up on the unfamiliar background music – it’s not a surprise that it’s unfamiliar, since the radio drama was broadcast in 2005 and the CDs compiled in 2006 (i.e. before the anime aired). I wonder if Yoshimori provided the music or if it was someone else? The staff list should say. 

Re: the EB and Vamp! advertisements -- I was listening without headphones, but to my delight, it sounds like they feature some VAs voicing the characters? That’s all I wanted when I first heard that the CDs had Etsusa Bridge and Vamp! ads what? haha. no, of course I didn’t partially buy this boxset for literal ads and...here we are.

Again, I haven’t listened to either of them with headphones yet and not as closely as I intend to, but my main impression of the EB ad is that it’s exactly the sort of thing Hayato would have wanted: typically ‘tense’ background music, Hollywood-type sound effects involving gunfire, a helicopter whirring and the very Hollywood “super gruff-sounding narrator.” I think the two youngish voices I heard might be Hayato and Seiichi (????), since the narrator specifically mentions “Kugi Seiichi” by name... Maybe. 

The EB ad is about a minute long but the Vamp! ad is 3:08 minutes long. It opens with some spooky breathy voices and organ music, and is narrated by Gerhardt (who sounds different from what I expected). You can hear Relic and a girl who I think is Ferret in the beginning (pretty sure she says onii-sama...and she is very different from what I expected) - Relic speaks later on, too (he refers to Gerhardt as his dad, otou-san). 

My nebulous and tentative grasp of this ad is that Gerhardt is either introducing some of Vamp!’s characters to Relic or the viewer, because I think I heard Shizune’s name mentioned at once point. There’s a punkish/angry voice which is followed by a feminine voice and a clamor of overlapping voices too, and my best guess is that they’re likely Watt, Pirie, and the NEET Squad. Listening to that part again, I think Gerhardt does say Watt. 

(See, I’m so unused to hearing the Vamp! characters’ names spoken out loud – especially in Japanese accents, e.g Watt sounds like Voddo – that I need to focus to parse the names (if they’re mentionend at all). Not like I’m doing myself any favors without my headphones).

This is definitely also not meant to be a “here’s a rundown of the drama CDs in minute detail” post - I just wanted to let you guys know I’ve got the CDs safely  stored on my computer and that the EB and Vamp! ads fulfill past me’s fondest hope by actually voicing some of the characters. Can’t wait to listen to the CD properly and in full. 

[kekkaishifanfictionsideblog]

Who Knows (A Kekkaishi Fanfic): Chapter 32

Azza was beyond relieved over how well that first visit went. The Princess had been absolutely infatuated with her sister and her artistic abilities, and despite her fears, Lissette seemed to actually enjoy being around the fox ayakashi more than she could have hoped. Hell, she’d even started sketching her much to the Princess’ delight. About the only way she could imagine things being much better would be if they finally decided to release the both of them. That wasn’t going to happen, but she could dream. In any case, Azza had awoken in a wonderful mood that day, and had decided on a walk before Miss Aihi started on her work for the day. “So we’re going to take another one? Isn’t that a bit risky?” Azza stopped in her tracks just before Byaku’s office door. Was that Shion’s voice? ‘She must be getting her next orders.’ She thought, deciding to make herself look as inconspicuous as possible to anyone that may be walking by, enjoying the view over the railings as she listened in. “The Princess doesn’t have time to wait for us to come up with something else. We can’t move her again either.” Came Byaku’s reply. “In other words, we don’t have a better choice. Fine, but that brat that replaced Gagin better make for a good distraction.” ‘Shit, Lissette’s friends are in danger. I’d better go tell her so we can -’ Azza’s thought was interrupted by a zap of pain rattling her skull, causing her to hit her knees. “You really think they’re going to believe she’s the other one?” She heard Shion say as the pain dulled and she felt herself now trapped in layers of webbing. “Yes, we simply need to put her in the clothing the other one arrived in. They look enough alike that they shouldn’t immediately be able to tell the difference.” Byaku stated, staring blankly back to Azza’s panicked glare. “If you say so.” Shion responded as her minions picked up her captured victim “At least this one will stay wrapped.” XXXXXXXXXX Gen stood at the ready, hoping against all odds that Yoshimori’s plan worked. He had his doubts, but the Kekkaishi had been right before. Besides, following Kaguro to Lissette seemed like a sound enough line of reasoning, assuming they could either avoid his detection or defeat him. Everyone was in place on the school grounds, waiting for the enemy to show up. Normally in a big fight like this was bound to be, Gen felt his element enough to black out everything else, but now he didn’t think that was a possibility, not with what was at stake. “Raizou, now don’t do anything rash.” Gen could hear Atora giving instructions to her small menagerie of ayakashi in preparation. It quickly becomes background noise as he started scanning the sky for Lissette’s captors. “Gen?” The sound of his name caught his attention and he looked down at his and Lissette’s trainer. Her expression was stern, determined even. “We’re going to get her back.” He nodded, as they heard Hakota announce the arrival of their enemy. He thought about Lissette, the way she’d never even slightly feared him, the way she had managed to worm through his barriers and become his first actual friend. He thought about her search for her sister, the loss of her mother, every bit of pain these bastards had thrown her way for her to just walk right through it. “I know.” He summoned his claws preparing for a fight she should have been fighting with them. They would indeed get her back, and if there was so much as a scratch on her or her sister, the Kokubouro was going to pay for it.