#yuuris expression is everything to me

[arom-antix]

So.

That new Gearous Yuuri birthday art, huh?

[thegirlwhorideslikeasamurai]

Having just watched Call me by your name, I thought about the gayness of Yuuri's competitive nature and how it establishes intimacy between him and Viktor.

Yuuri is introduced to us through his obsession with Viktor that started at the onset of puberty. Since the first time he saw Viktor skate, his entire existence revolved around becoming like Viktor to finally meet him on the ice as an equal. An important part of this endeavour included moving to one of the best training facilities in the world (today, Skating Club Detroit is one of the ISU Centres of Excellence) the moment he was free from school.

And then, there's this:

Now that Yuuri has gained confidence, he reveals his plan for last season's Grand Prix Final. When Viktor was still competing.

Yuuri did not only want to meet Viktor as an equal. His secret desire is to beat Viktor in competition. (And, but that's speculation, has probably been there since his childhood friend encouraged him by telling him that she hopes that he and Viktor one day will compete against each other.)

And that's where I come back to Call me by your name and my favourite quote from the book:

“Did I want to be like him? Did I want to be him? Or did I just want to have him? Or are “being” and “having” thoroughly inaccurate verbs in the twisted skein of desire, where having someone’s body to touch and being that someone we’re longing to touch are one and the same, just opposite banks on a river that passes from us to them, back to us and over to them again in this perpetual circuit where the chambers of the heart, like the trapdoors of desire, and the wormholes of time, and the false-bottomed drawer we call identity share a beguiling logic according to which the shortest distance between real life and the life unlived, between who we are and what we want, is a twisted staircase designed with the impish cruelty of M. C. Escher.” ― André Aciman, Call Me by Your Name

Being four years younger, Yuuri has looked up to Viktor and regarded him as the ideal to strive for ever since he first saw Viktor skate. He not only craves Viktor's approval but outright demands his attention, which serves both as communication as to create intimacy. It reminds me of the bathing trunks scene in which Elio, the protagonist of Call me by your name, craves to feel closer to Oliver and hopes to be caught (it's not the only scene of that kind in the book), just that Yuuri is more mature and more direct in his approach, at least for Viktor and him. Yuuri's skating is a flirt, a declaration of love, a desire to feel closer to Viktor, and a means to communicate all kinds messages to Viktor that have his love etched all over them as well. To achieve this goal, he even goes so far as to acquire some of the skills and achievements Viktor is most renown for and exceed them:

jumping the 4F not only in competition but at the end of a long, exhausting programme, which even Viktor himself never dared to do

attempting a free skate with the same technical difficulty as Viktor and breaking Viktor's world record as a result

Everything from copying Viktor's programmes to beating his score speaks an unequivocal love language that expresses Yuuri's desire to be Viktor, to be like him, and to have him for himself. Elio does the same when he puts on the bathing trunks (yes, even the "have him for himself", it's called marking). The younger partner's desire to become the older one's equal and exhibit a competitive nature towards them, is not uncommon for same-sex relationships. For Yuuri, this desire is eventually answered by Viktor deciding to return to competition (I have a theory that Yuuri is the rival Viktor didn't know he needed until Yuuri beat his world record and Yuuri's actions throughout the show lead to this point).

Both Yuuri and Elio strive for ultimate intimacy with the subject of their desire. What manifests as a physical/sexual want in Elio, expresses itself through a rather abstract and academic nature for Yuuri, which is no less romantic or intimate and doesn't lessen his homoromantic drive to become like Viktor and to make him his. His wish to compete against Viktor as an equal encapsualtes and opposes these two things and holds a delicious promise for their future as a couple because it directly speaks to Viktor's own desires.

If you don't know Call me by your name, please read the book and then watch the movie. It's such a great showcase of portraying intimacy.

[yuurivoice]

Hi Yuuri!! Long time lurker first time caller (I’ve been following your work since early 2019) and I just want to express how insanely amazing it’s been seeing your work grow and evolve over the years! The amount of hard work and heart you and your team put into everything you do never ceases to amaze me and the heartfelt stories of love and family that you tell have always kept me coming back to get lost in the characters you have been so kind in sharing with the world. You are spectacular and thank you for sharing the pieces of yourself that you do with us <3

Mannnnnnn

Thank you for the kind words! They mean so much to me! <3

[rikeijo]

Today’s translation #748

Febri vol. 40, Hiramatsu Tadashi's interview

Part 11.

-- There is nothing wrong with your directing style (laugh). One highlight of Yuri!!! on ICE is your trademark style of animating the characters' very rich dramatics.

Hiramatsu: For example, when I try to adjust just eyes, then the balance of the whole thing ends up being off, so in the end, I re-draw everything (laugh). When the Director or the Episode Director give you a request to make it look 'melancholic', you would think that correcting just eyebrows will do the trick, but that's not the case. In my opinion, if you don't correct head position, and posture of the character as well, then it's not possible to express their emotions.

-- Having working together, what do you think about Director Yamamoto?

Hiramatsu: She's like all the characters that we see in this show put together in one person (laugh). At times, she's aloof like Victor, and people are scared to approach her, but sometimes she's hesitant just like Yuuri. In a sense that she does things that are completely unexpected, she's pretty similar to Victor, I think.

-- What are those unexpected things?

Hiramatsu: It was actually predictable that she does unexpected things, judging by the fact that she asked me to work on men's figure skating anime, though (laugh). For example, she absolutely refuses to cut corners, even in case of figure skating scenes. When I first heard that she was going to show skating scenes of all 14 skaters post-episode 8, I thought: 'Nah, you won't'. That even if that was the initial plan, we were going to cut some out at the production stage. That's what I thought, but actually we didn't cut out almost any at all.

[dialovers-translations]

Diabolik Lovers LOST EDEN ー Kino Ecstasy [09]

ー The scene starts on the emergency staircase of Kaminashi Tower

Male Ghoul A: ...So you have finally made up your resolve then?

Yuuri: ...Yes. I shall be the one to set Kino free.

Male Ghoul B: I see...

???: Has everything been made ready?

Richter? ...In that case, let us begin.

Yuuri: Yes. We are ready when you are.

Kino...

She will only provide temporary relief...

In the end, I am the only one who can truly save you...

*Flap flap flap*

Monologue

Ever since Yuuri-san and the Ravens have left us,

the inside of the manor,

has felt incredibly empty.

As of late,

Kino has not been doing much at all,

simply loafing around on the coach,

playing around on his phone. 

Almost as if he was desperately trying,

to keep himself distracted.

ー The scene shifts to the living room of Kino’s manor

Yui: Hey, Kino-kun.

Kino: ...

Yui: ...Kino-kun?

Kino: Zzー... Zzー...

Yui: ( Seems like he’s asleep... )

Selection

→ Put a blanket on him (❦)

Yui: ( I’m pretty sure there’s a blanket somewhere around here... )

*Rustle* 

Yui: ( Fond out. I’ll put this on him. )

Kino: Uu...Nn...

Yui: ...

*Rustle rustle*

*Cling*

Kino: Nn... Zzー ... Zzー ... 

Yui: ( ...Is he asleep? Thank god... )

( Anyway, I’m pretty sure I heard something just now... )

→ Keep quiet

Yui: ( I’ll keep quiet so I don’t wake him up... )

Kino: Nn...Uuhn...Nn...

*Rustle rustle*

*Cling*

Yui: Hm? Something fell just now...

Yui: ( ...Is this ...? )

*Rustle*

Yui: ( Could this be...The key to the dungeon cell...? )

Kino: Zzー ... Zzー ... 

Yui: ( We’re the only two people here right now... )

( I might be able to run away together with Ayato-kun... )

ー She runs towards the door

Yui: ( But...Would that truly be the best thing to do...? )

( If we run, Kino-kun will actually be all alone... )

...

( ...Anyway, I gotta let Ayato-kun out of his cell first. )

ー Yui leaves the room

Kino: ...

ー The scene shifts to the dungeon

Yui: ( I’ll be able to save Ayato-kun with this...! )

Kino: I see. Taking my key without my permission, huh? ...Not bad.

Yui: ...!

*Rustle* 

Kino: What were you hoping to achieve by freeing Ayato from his cell? Run away together hand-in-hand? 

I guess you’ll leave me at last as well. 

Yui: ...

No, you’re wrong. I do want to let Ayato escape. But...

I plan on staying here.

Kino: Eh...?

Yui: I mean...There’s nobody else left.

So if I were to run away as well...You’d be all alone.

Kino: ...Excuse me? In other words, you’re sympathizing with me?

Yui: ( Sympathize...Do I? But... )

( I just...don’t want Kino-kun to have to be all alone... )

( I mean, I don’t think there’s anyone else more afraid of being lonely... )

...You’re right. Perhaps I am.

But...Nobody would want to be all alone, right? Neither do I...

That’s why I’ll stay here. With you.

Kino: Hm, I see. ...Fufu, if this happened a little while back, I might have just killed you right here, right now.

This whole time, I’ve lived absolutely dreading other people’s compassion.

But...Right now I don’t mind it, if that means you’ll stay here with me.

...I was kind of getting tired of my mobile games anyway.

I’m fed up with having to spend every day killing time by myself...

Yui: Kino-kun...

( I knew it... )

( Even though he said that it was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders... )

( He’s been sad about Yuuri and the others leaving, hasn’t he...? )

( However, he can’t be honest with himself... )

...Don’t worry. I won’t go anywhere.

Kino: ...

Monologue

As I spoke those words,

I grabbed Kino-kun’s hand. 

Because I wanted to convey to him,

that he is not alone. 

In response to my action,

Kino-kun made an expression (表情),

as if he had been taken somewhat by surprise. 

However, the very next moment ...

he squeezed my hand back (握り返し). 

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー 

[triptychgrip]

I had a dream last night that one of my favorite anime characters (Viktor Nikiforov, from Yuri!!! on Ice) met another one of my favorite anime/manga characters (Sohma Ayame from Fruits Basket) and now I very well may have to write a crossover fanfic.

For one thing, the two of them seem to share some fundamental personality traits (easily excitable, very practiced in masking insecurities), but secondly, I think their meeting and sizing each other up would be so fun to write about. Like, I can totally see a situation where Sohma Yuki and Yuri Plisetsky bond over how extremely irritating they find the collective energy of Ayame and Viktor, together. And Mine and Yuuri would just watch their significant others with fond/exasperated expressions. Plus, I think it'd be hilarious to write about Viktor and Ayame being envious/admiring of the other’s hair care regimen and flair for the dramatic.

But that’s actually not what I intended this post to be about.

This dream got me thinking about the parallels between both shows, so I decided I'd make a 3 point pitch to fans of each to go check out the other, if it’s not already on your radar. I talk about both shows pretty broadly, so I don't believe I'm spoiling anything with this post.

Both pieces of media (I say ‘media’, because I prefer the Fruits Basket manga, even though both the original anime/remake are excellent) get me so in my feels, so I’ll try not to go on forever and ever. That being said, please do read to the end for my two disclaimers.

Reason 1: I think fans of both would agree that a big theme of their canon work is the transformational power of vulnerability. This feeds into the sub-themes of found family, and how the “practice” of letting love into one’s life (because it truly does take practice, despite society making us think it’s easy-breezy) can deeply shift us as people.

At its core, each implements huge characters arcs for their MC's that demonstrate this.

For Yuri!!! on Ice, this applies to Katsuki Yuuri and Viktor Nikiforov -- two professional male figure skaters, the former known as "Japan's Ace" skater, and the latter dubbed a "Living Legend" -- and for Fruits Basket, this applies to higher schoolers Sohma Yuki, Honda Tohru, and Sohma Kyo (though, truly, it could apply to all of the Sohmas). Right off the bat, I'll say that a big difference between yoi and furuba revolves around age. Yuuri and Viktor are adults, while Yuki, Tohru, and Kyo start off as (what seems to be) high school juniors. Yuri!!! on Ice fans, don't let that dissuade you from checking out Fruits Basket, however; its themes are very complex, and will challenge you.

Both media start off with their main characters at low points.

Katsuki Yuuri has just come in last place at his first Grand Prix Final competition: the competition it seems he's been working towards his entire career, and the one where he'd hoped to gain Viktor's attention (as he's looked up to the "Living Legend" since he was just twelve years old).

Similarly, we see that Tohru Honda has recently lost her mother (her father is also dead), and is practically homeless. She is living in a flimsy tent on Sohma Shigure's property. While Yuuri decides to leave the United States to move back home to Japan, and is contemplating retiring from figure skating altogether, Tohru is taken in by Shigure and Yuki in exchange for helping out with chores around their house.

In yoi, the plot moves along when we see Viktor -- who has just won his 5th World Championship title -- decide to drop everything and move to Japan to be Yuuri's coach, after seeing a viral video of him skating to one of his routines. And in furuba, the plot moves along as we watch Tohru meet more of the Sohmas, and learn about the big secret plaguing their family.

Canon shows us that while Katsuki Yuuri has a lot of love/support in his life prior to Viktor’s arrival in his hometown (his parents, his ballet teacher, etc), his own anxiety/insecurities makes it so that he struggles to realize the love around him. He has a hard time seeking out comfort or opening up to people when navigating hardships. But this fundamentally shifts with Viktor’s role in becoming his figure skating coach (and, eventually, romantic partner).

I would be remiss if I didn't make a content warning, here. Generational trauma and neglect are big themes in Fruits Basket.

In Fruits Basket, the zodiac "curse" -- a generational Sohma family trait that makes physical contact between its members and those of the opposite sex challenging, as touching leads each Sohma member to turn into its zodiac animal (i.e. Yuki turns into the rat, Kyo turns into the cat, etc.) -- as well as Sohma Akito's cruelty has made it so that Yuki and Kyo have been brainwashed into believing they are burdens...that they are unlovable, with no redeeming value, even in the eyes of their own family members.

But the presence of Tohru in their lives (and her ripple effect of positivity that completely upends the curse dynamic) causes Yuki and Kyo to unlearn these entrenched beliefs, and to realize that they have always, inherently, been worthy of love *brb sobbing*

While the idea of cute zodiac animals might lead one to think the manga/show is this cotton-candy fluff ride, there is a lot of heaviness that I personally found super compelling, and a reason that ppl who don't typically like content featuring high schoolers might make an exception for it.

Now, of course, Yuri!!! on Ice has its own heavy themes: navigating anxiety as well as feelings of apathy/depression, and while it's not canon, the lack of detail on Viktor's backstory has led many in the fandom to develop headcanons around possible strained family relationships/trauma history. Because it's something I actually have been wondering about, I thought I'd make a poll.

Reason 2: Both are very funny, with compelling romantic development.

Regarding the former, I found myself laughing out loud while reading/watching. I think a huge part of the reason has to do with the 'tsundere' archetype that Yuri Plisetsky (another figure skater) embodies in yoi, and that Sohma Kyo embodies in Fruits Basket. These grouchy characters are hilarious and lovable, and the audience enjoys seeing their energy play off of contrasting personality types.

Reason 3: It's more obvious off-the-bat in Yuri!!! on Ice, but the element of surprise is used to great effect in both. While there are tons of examples I could give, I'll say that each contains a fundamental "twist" that really makes you reconceptualize your entire understanding of the storyline/character relationships. I know that's not a lot to go off of, but each major surprise really shifted my perception of the pre-conceived power dynamics that we are led to believe exist in each.

It's no secret that Yuri Plisetsky is actually a big fan of Katsuki Yuuri, but his teenage pride won't allow him to admit this. Seeing Yuri adamantly insist that he thinks Yuuri is a loser, and just generally being aggravated by Viktor's extraness is pretty comical. Similarly, Kyo is quite prickly, and it's clear that Tohru Honda's diametrically opposed nature (i.e. she is warm and caring, to a fault) throws him for a loop. Seeing him flustered by it is hilarious.

I won't say any more about the romance development b/c I don't want to spoil anything in Fruits Basket, but suffice it to say that both media have plenty of "awww" moments that will have you swooning as characters open up to one another.

Disclaimers:

1) I think it's unfair to compare these pieces of media solely based on the amount of canon content around them.

Yuri!!! on Ice is an original anime, and (thus far) only has 1 season of 12 episodes (whyyyyy MAPPA?! I like Attack on Titan as much as the next person but please, I beg, give us season 2!). On the other hand, Fruits Basket has an original anime, plus a remake, and was a manga that went on for years. Thus, you will likely think the characterization/plot development is much richer. But, one thing I absolutely adore about the yoi fandom is how much fan-created content exists. Like, years after the show came out (in late 2016), there are still ppl actively writing fic (like me! I discovered it in 2020 but only started writing last year), making fanart, etc.

2) Another note about comparison that is pretty important:

Because of the overtness of certain elements in Fruits Basket (i.e. two very clear kisses happen, and we also see follow-up content that was released that shows a marriage take place in the future, etc.), fans might watch Yuri!!! on Ice and be disappointment with what they might characterize as understated romance between Yuuri and Viktor. But I think it's important to note how revolutionary the show was for portraying a queer romance between its main characters, especially in a show that was never marketed as a yaoi (boys' love) series. Despite several obvious indicators of the romantic nature of Yuuri and Viktor's relationship, there are still ppl that will argue that these two were merely coach/skater, and nothing more, and I just...don't even know where to begin in addressing that without dropping spoilers. If you're that curious, go to my AMA feature and drop me a question and I will happily write you a novel of a response.

Alright, that's mostly it...if you've gotten this far, thank you so much for reading! If you do end up checking out one or other, I hope you'll let me know what you think.

The very last thing I'll say is that I've only written fanfic for Yuri!!! on Ice (all post-canon, I've linked my Ao3 Dashboard), but I've been ideating around some Fruits Basket ideas, so may give it a whirl in the coming weeks. With every fiber of my being, I wish that I had artistic ability so that I could make fanart of Ayame and Viktor meeting...one can dream lol

[blithesrps]

Rat I

It was too quiet.

The silence seemed heavy, like a pillow pressed over Rat’s face that left him just enough air to panic. There were no whispers echoing over curved stone walls, no soft rustles of rodents seeking scraps at the corner of every cell, and no booming cracks that announced someone had gotten the whip again.

There was just the quiet.

Rat rolled over in the bed he had been told was his, placed in one of the many vacant rooms in the Ramshackle dorm. The bed itself was part of the problem. Too soft, like it was trying to swallow him. He’d never laid on anything so fine before, complete with a thick comforter that had been kicked to the bottom of the mattress. He’d never even seen a bed like this one before. It was wrong. Rat wasn’t supposed to have nice things. Hivechildren did not have nice things.

Yet here he was. Ara had come for him like she’d promised, pulled him from the den of snakes like a god plucking life from a seething ocean. He knew he would be safe here if she said he would, but he couldn’t kill the part of him that expected to see an Enforcer bursting through the door at any moment. That would be the end of everything, when they came. No way they’d let Ara and him live after such a malfunction.

So…where did that leave him?

Already dead, he supposed. If they caught him, he’d be killed quickly. Which might not be so terribly bad. No more punishments, or fights, or fear of getting sold to a master who would want to take him apart piece by piece. Hivechildren weren’t allowed into the afterlife, so he guessed he’d just be…gone.

Suddenly, the silence seemed more threatening than before.

Taking a shuddering breath, Rat slipped from the bed, walking on the balls of his feet across the cool wood to his door. Opening it with a muted groan of old hinges, he poked his head into the hall. One of the rooms there belonged to Yuuri, the kind girl who had shown him around when he’d arrived that morning. The strange beast named Grim slept with her, which meant Rat didn’t have to be afraid of running into him alone in the dark. The ghosts though…

For a long time, Rat stood there frozen still, eyes locked onto the hallway looking for any movement or sign of …well, not life. Undead? Any sign of ghosts. Only when he was satisfied did he move out the door, and even then, it was with the caution of a hare who knew the fox was near.

Eleven steps and he arrived at another door, turning the handle slowly and slipping in with just a hush of movement. Moving quickly now, heart hammering in his chest, he hurried to the bed lit up by the glow of the moonlight, clambering onto it with a sudden vision of Thorn grabbing his ankle in the dark.

With force enough to make him choke, a hand slammed into his throat, forcing Rat down against the sheets. He squeaked in terror, catching the gleam of a silver knife in a hand before gasping out, “Ara!”

“Rat,” Ara replied in almost the same moment, lowering the steak knife she’d stolen from the kitchens on her own first night at Ramshackle, “Rat…I could have hurt you.” She released his throat, sitting back and looking at him reproachfully. Rat flushed red, embarrassed at his obvious mistake. He should have announced himself, not dove into her bed like a frightened child.

“S-s-s-sorry…” he said, swallowing as Ara slid the knife back under her pillow. She studied his expression for a moment, before glancing out the window to gauge the hour. Though she’d been sleeping just a moment before, her eyes were alert now.

“What’s wrong?” she asked him finally, turning back to face him. Rat dropped his gaze.

“I c-couldn’t sleep. It’s too…” he trailed off.

“…I know. It was for me too,” Ara admitted, softening as her heart rate slowed again, “But I think…we’re okay here. I think it’s going to be different. I think we can be different.” Rat didn’t reply, frightened and thrilled by the prospect.

“How do you know?” he asked.

“I don’t,” she answered honestly, “But I believe. And as long as I am here, you do not have to be afraid. I will look after you.” Now Ara spoke with conviction. She knew that though they were certainly safer here than they had been in the Hive, it was still frightening, trying to step into a world full of people who may as well have been from a different planet. She didn’t know if it was possible for the two of them to fit among them, but she was willing to try. She would give anything she had to be able to try.

“Lay down,” she ordered softly, laying back down in bed herself and lifting the blanket with her arm. Rat shyly slid down under the covers, pushing close enough to Ara’s side that he could find comfort in her familiar scent.

“Go to sleep,” Ara went on, watching until Rat closed his eyes and let out an exhale of relief, “Tomorrow I’ll introduce you to my friend.”

Rat’s eyes opened in again in surprise, “Your…friend?” Ara smiled, trying to restrain from grinning.

“Yes. You’ll like them. They’re like us, a bit,” she told him, reaching to rest a hand on his head, the most affection she’d ever felt allowed to show the younger boy, “Go to sleep, Rat.”  

He did. And for the first night in his entire life, Rat slept without dreaming.

[harocat]

First of all, how are you? Yes, the main question honestly. I hope you had a nice New Year celebration. Yet another question, If this is a propriate one, how did your journey in watching figure skating begin?  Sorry for the curiosity, I’m just wondering how something passionate started.

And thank you.

I could say a million, million words and not be able to wrap them into the level of gratitude I feel towards the existence of your blog. I started, of course, with Yuuri (I love so much how good of a person he remains, despite all the hardships he encounters, so many significant details, but that's what Yuuri is all about: what you can't put into words, he always chooses action over expression which requires more attention, it's beyond me how many people can simply overlook that, and I think I could talk about it for a very long time), then I clung to all the clear and wonderful ideas about figure skating (special thank you for my sweet meow meow Wakaba Higuchi and dearest Satoko Miyahara), but beyond that I just felt comfortable staying here. I know this may sound awkward and perhaps too personal, but I really hope it doesn't unsettle you. The last little while has been hard for me (it's been going on longer than I realized) and it was good to know that I could go somewhere where I don't have to be afraid, where it would be safe to sit and just quietly think. Your perspective somehow softens my heart, sometimes it's hard for me to explain. I write in no way with the thought of burdening you, but with pure benevolence. I really hope that you know that we appreciate you very much. Thank you so much for your patience and dedication and lightness and seriousness. You don't have to read or respond to any of my words (only if you want to), I just hope you are well, and you are in good health. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, all the best, and peace of heart and soul.

Thank you for the lovely message. I'm really sorry it took me a while to reply. This was so sweet and I'm so glad my blog has been a place where you feel welcome and relieved. Seriously I almost teared up a bit reading this. And I hope things look up for you soon.

(Also your words about Yuuri are so nice. He really is the best boy ever.)

I hope you also had a great holiday season. Mine was nice. I went to a con over the weekend of NY, which was a new experience. I got a pair of roller skates which I haven't had a chance to try out yet because it's been too wet out. I could go to the skating rink, but I haven't roller skated since I was a teenager so I'd rather put them on the first time somewhere where no one will see me ahaha.

I got into skating when I was really young. I have vague memories of watching the whole Tonya Harding debacle play out, which definitely got me interested. I remember watching the Olympics that year on the tv in our basement. I only watched the women. Ladies has always been my favorite discipline. At the very beginning it was the only one I watched!

The next year my older brother gave me a poster of baby Michelle Kwan from his Sports Illustrated for Kids. I thought she looked super cool, because she was so young herself, so I started watching her competitions. The rest is basically history. I somehow became totally obsessed with her and it developed into a childhood hyper fixation. I recorded all of her competitions and by the early 2000s I had a literal massive box of recorded skating competitions (not just hers). Somewhere it still exists. I remember eventually I started taping over some of the competitions because I didn't want to buy new tapes, but I NEVER taped over one of Michelle's. I watched everything though; every pro competition (RIP cheesy pro comps), every ice show, etc. In the last half of the 90s and early 2000s, there was SO MUCH skating on tv in the US.

I went ice skating for the first time in when I was in elementary school, and my mom signed me up for lessons. I never completed the lessons because I stepped on the ice and within two minutes, I attempted a spin and broke my ankle. Kids are dumb. Once I was healed I did go back on the ice, and I skated a lot until high school. I did take lessons, but I was never super serious about it. I'd love to take it up again, but because of my ankles (ironically enough), I'd need to buy more expensive skates and I just haven't felt like investing in it. Hopefully the roller skates are a step toward that.

Michelle was such a constant in my childhood, because her career was quite long, that she really did leave an indelible mark on me. After she retired I kind of flitted in and out of the sport for some years. There were a couple skaters I pretty consistently followed, and some seasons I watched more competitions than others. So I was always a big fan, but sometimes I was more 'diehard' than other times.

I liked Davis and White and Mirai Nagasu, baby Yuzuru really caught my eye. I loved Tatsuki Machida and Shen/Zhao a lot. And Mao. ❤️

I always stayed up on being knowledgeable about the sport even if I wasn't committed to watching every competition. I've been watching consistently again since shortly after Sochi, but tbh until Yuri on Ice happened I didn't really talk about it much? I didn't know many people online who cared about skating, and I was well aware figure skating fandom was very vitriolic, so I pretty much refused to venture into it. I just watched it.

When YOI happened more of my regular online friends, people I followed, etc. started posting about skating so I started sharing my opinions more online as well. Also it was nice to come into a fandom already having knowledge about the subject matter ahahaha. That was new! TBH before YOI, in my head I'd plotted a figure skating AU for most of my fandoms. Now the AU was canon.

[boreal-sea]

I know everyone who follows me on Tumblr is cool, but I've seen some buckwild takes on twitter (mostly from people who are extremely anti-Izzy, yes, it's a thing, there's been a lot of drama, a lawsuit, and doxxing involved)

ANYWAY

I've seen some folks claiming that Stede is a horrible person for abandoning Edward... and in the same breath, they place all the blame for Edward embodying the Kraken at the end of the season on Izzy.

Both situations were trauma-induced reactions. But in one situation, the person is blamed for their actions, and in the other, he's excused.

Personally, I think it shows a severe misunderstanding of how trauma works, and a disconcerting lack of respect for people who react to "fight or flight" with flight instead of fight. There is of course actually four options: fight, flight, freeze, fawn.

I've seen this reaction in other fandoms too: people really cannot wrap their heads around anxiety, trauma, and fear causing a character to flee a situation if it results in someone else being harmed. I recognize it immediately, as someone who also has an anxiety disorder.

In Yuuri on Ice (stay with me), Yuuri has an anxious break down near the end of the series. He decides that the best way to "fix" the situation is to "run away" by breaking everything off with Victor. Yuuri very much has a low sense of self-worth and views himself as bringing Victor down, and preventing Victor from skating.

In OFMD, Stede has an anxious break down near the end of the season. He decides in a moment of utterly traumatic panic that the best way to "fix" the situation is to run away back home. Stede very much has a low sense of self-worth and views himself as bringing Edward down and is accused more than once of "bringing the greatest pirate ever to ruin".

You can see the similarities. I think I deserve a reward for comparing Yuuri on Ice to OFMD.

Anyway, in both cases, I saw a lot of fans expressing zero understanding, empathy, sympathy or compassion for either Yuuri or Stede.

"Oh my god, he's so cruel, how could he do that!? He needs to apologize on his knees! He doesn't deserve to be taken back!"

But let's look at Edward: he's also facing trauma: he was left behind by Stede, and then Izzy comes along and in his attempt to snap some sense into Edward, he makes it worse.

But Edward doesn't flee.

Edward's response is, in my opinion, a combination of fight and fawn. He becomes the Kraken both to literally fight, and also to appease Izzy, to scare people into believing he is who they want him to be. It's a very aggressive form of fawning, but he's not doing it for himself, he's doing it to make other people happy. He's becoming who he thinks they want him to be: the Kraken. It is, in its own way, a form of flight too, because he's retreating inside himself and putting up a persona to hide behind, but I think people don't always catch on to that form of flight.

And the people out there blaming Stede for his reactions don't blame Edward, they blame Izzy! "It's Izzy's fault! He did this!"

So Stede gets to keep his agency, but Edward doesn't. Edward is a victim, but Stede isn't.

And that's not even getting into how Izzy's actions are in and of themselves a response to him being genuinely worried for Edward's mental and physical well-being. He even tries to send in Lucius first before resorting to threats. He tries to do things the gentle and kind way.

All of the characters are reacting to everything and it's a big clusterfuck of feelings, but some folks don't like things to be complicated, so they have to pick aggressors and victims, and somehow, those folks decided Stede and Izzy were to blame, and Edward has no control or agency over his decisions.

And I think people just overall have more respect for people, fictional and real, who react to panic and trauma with "fight" instead of "flight". Which is a damn shame. I'm not sure if ableist is the right word here, but it feels derogatory in some way.

[thegirlwhorideslikeasamurai]

On Love Eros is a textbook depiction of how a figure skating routine evolves over a season

If you watch figure skating, you might have noticed that skaters grow into their programmes as the season progresses and that sometimes elements (usually jumps) are rearranged or replaced because the skater struggles with them or to increase the base score of the programme. In Yuri On Ice!!!, there is a lot of this, most prominently in Yuuri’s and Yuri’s programmes. In the following, I will break this down for Yuuri’s short programme On Love: Eros as this provides the most comprehensive data on the subject.

Presentation

Figure skating is, to somewhat extent, acting. A programme can require a skater to slip into a role (I’ve heard of skaters who take acting classes for this), but even for a programme that portrays a skater’s feelings basic expression and projection skills are useful. Yuuri skates at his best when he skates true to his feelings and because of this, he gets high programme component scores (PCS), which help him make up for messed-up jumps. But when Viktor assigns On Love: Eros to him, Yuuri has no idea how to skate it. For how shall he express something he hasn’t experienced before?

Yuuri has never thought about love much less had a relationship. He says of himself that he didn’t pay attention to the things happening around him because he focused on skating since laying his eyes on Viktor for the first time. However, Viktor’s demonstration of On Love: Eros has given him an idea of a possible story:

A playboy comes to town and bewitches the women left and right. He decides to pursue the most beautiful woman in town, but she isn’t swayed. As they play the game of love, she finds it difficult to make the right choices and ends up falling for him. Then, he casts her aside as if he’s tired of her and goes off to the next town.

Which pretty much describes the situation in episodes 2&3 as Yuuri perceives it, including a possible scenario that Viktor discards him for coaching Yurio. (It also represents Viktor’s misperception of poor drunk Yuuri at the banquet, but that’s beside the point.)

Yuuri very keenly feels that he’s not at all like the playboy in his story as he considers himself physically unattractive and lacks confidence. Thankfully, Viktor’s old costume inspires him to swap roles and play the woman in his story as her part is closer to “how he feels”. To win, he must change the story and make Viktor stay. It’s unclear whether “how he feels” also refers to his unique notion of sexiness as a queer man, but as queer people are less likely to adhere to cishet stereotypes, it can very well be an additional factor. As a result of his revelation, he asks Minako to teach him to move more femininely. In the show, this is expressed in Yuuri using female pronouns during the first two times he skates Eros (the female Japanese “I” is “atashi”) and his voice being softer compared to when he’s off-ice. To cover up for his inexperience, he thinks of his favourite dish, which he’s only allowed to eat when he wins. Ironically, katsudon is a wrapper for everything Yuuri wants besides eating this food: he wants to win and he wants to eat katsudon with Viktor, representing his wish for Viktor to stay his coach (and maybe other things concerning Viktor he may not yet be able to express).

Yuuri's approach to expressing Eros reminds me of how actors approach the portrayal of an experience they never made themselves or that is hard to conjure. As a writer, I do this a lot too when putting myself in a character’s shoes. Switching the viewpoint character is also super helpful when a scene just doesn’t work the way I want it to (which is kinda what Yuuri does, too).

In episode 5, the story Yuuri wove around his programme has changed. His portrayal of Eros has evolved, but it’s not yet perfected. He still impersonates a woman and a tasty katsudon (“I’m a katsudon fatale that enthrals men” using “atashi”), but now it’s the woman who discards the man and goes off pursuing the next man.

Yuuri predominantly focuses on trying to include Viktor’s advice when he was flirting with Yuuri in the rink coaching him (“dance more like you’re trying to seduce me”). Only close to the end, he remembers the story of his programme: “On the conclusion for the love-crazed couple… how did it go?” which is kinda distanced compared to his thoughts about Viktor flirting with him and might imply that he doesn’t fully identify with the role.

As a sexually experienced person Yuuri’s coach, it’s evident to Viktor that Yuuri is still wrestling with his portrayal of Eros (which must be strange as he remembers how Yuuri was at the banquet lol). However, between episodes 5 and 6, something important happens: Yuuri and Viktor finally get together and thus the nature of their interactions changes (I discussed Japanese dating culture and how this is portrayed in YOI here). Because of this, Viktor instructs Yuuri to seduce him as himself the next time when he skates Eros in competition, which is at the Cup of China. And Yuuri’s reaction says it all.

Yuuri promptly starts using the same pronoun he uses when he refers to himself in his dialogue lines throughout the anime (“boku” is the Japanese standard male pronoun for “I). The programme is no longer a story with a protagonist Yuuri has to impersonate and identify with to some degree, but about him actively seducing Viktor with his own charms. It’s unclear whether he keeps the “female” skating style despite the pronoun change as this exceeds the limits of the animation (skating scenes are super difficult to animate so the pronouns might serve as a proxy for what the creators couldn’t translate into images). However, as Yuri!!! is super queer, I headcanon this style to become less exaggerated as it evolves into a natural expression that is 100% Yuuri as he fully blooms into his unique notion of Eros as part of his queer journey and his deepening relationship with Viktor.

However, it’s beyond doubt that the evolution of Yuuri’s portrayal of Eros is also closely tied to his relationship. Taking Viktor’s pep talk, Yuuri’s inner monologue while skating (“I am the only one who can satisfy Viktor”), and their exchange in the kiss and cry into account, skating seductively isn’t the only thing Yuuri thought of doing to Viktor *cough*, and they both know. As a result, he delivers a stellar performance with a new personal best.

I don’t think I need to elaborate on the off-ice activities the two likely have engaged in between the Cup of China and the Rostelecom Cup. As a result of his deepening relationship with Viktor and the subsequent experiences made, Yuuri scores even higher when he skates Eros in Russia. Being far away in a place where people might resent him for stealing Viktor from the sport, fuels his possessiveness which is one aspect of his Eros and ends in him getting an even higher score. His short programme has reached a stage at which he can hardly improve it any further with its current layout.

Before I’ll talk about the last time we see Yuuri skating Eros, let’s dive into the technical side.

Technical aspects

Eros is a super difficult programme for a skater with lots of stamina. All the jumps are in the second half and every entry into a jump is more difficult than the previous one, starting with a spread-eagle into the 3A and ending with a lunge entry into the 4T+3T combination. The step sequence which covers the better part of the first half looks quite demanding, too, as it has to match the pace of the music. All this makes the programme pretty ruthless, matching the theme. The initial layout includes a 3S as the second jump, which Yuuri decides turns into a quad in an attempt to beat Yuri at the Onsen on Ice because he is that desperate to win. Of course, this doesn’t go as planned, but Yuuri had to take the risk. As a side effect, it makes the entire routine even more daring. (fun fact: many irl skaters struggle with the 4S too)

As said above, Yuuri skates at his best when he skates true to his feelings. This is especially true for jumps as he is prone to flub them when something is on his mind or the programme isn’t working for him for whatever reason. To successfully land a quad jump, everything going into the execution like technique, timing, speed, power of takeoff, the moment of opening the body before landing etc. must be finely tuned. So, it’s no surprise that Yuuri nails only the 4S when he fully settled into the programme in episode 6.

For the Grand Prix Final, Yuuri changes his jump layout of Eros one last time to maximise its base score. Again, it’s a risk he’s willing to take to win. He’s been taking risks all season by changing jumps, most prominently in his free programme when he included the 4F to surprise Viktor, and now he plans to jump the 4F in Eros as the final jump, while the 4S remains in the second jumping pass but is combined with the 3T whereas the 4T is omitted.

For reference: these are the base values of the jumps in question as they appear in Yuri!!!*:

3S: 4.4

4S: 10.5

4T: 10.3

4F: 12.3

The 4F is a jump so far only Viktor could land successfully in competition and so it became his signature move. It symbolises everything Viktor is to Yuuri and expresses his desire to become as good as Viktor or even surpass him, as well as his romantic feelings. Including it in Eros, adds a possessive layer to the many things the 4F represents like showing the world that Viktor is his now, but also Yuuri’s ambition and growth as a person including his newly-discovered confidence. Remember the flashback to the rink between the Rostelecom Cup and the Grand Prix Final when Yuuri had already proposed to Viktor? “You want to see me land a quad flip in the short programme, right?” “I do!” It sounds a lot like a second proposal—all this is ultimately part of Yuuri’s Eros, too.

In the end, Yuuri doesn’t nail the 4F and ends up in fifth place after the short programme as his mind was more occupied with winning than with seducing Viktor. I like to believe that Yuuri succeeds at the next competition and that he continues refining his SP throughout the rest of the figure skating season as his relationship with Viktor deepens and evolves further. But as the anime ends mid-season, this speculation is mostly based on watching irl figure skating and my headcanon.

Closing remarks on queer presentation

What sometimes is referred to as “female” expression in dance sports is a soft and sensual movement style as opposed to the cishet male stereotype (strong, shows little emotion etc). It basically describes a gay stereotype. However, how a queer person presents can apply to a variety of queer labels. Being queer myself, I don’t feel comfortable deriving labels from isolated information for an individual be they real or fictional. I don't want to promote stereotypes, and because of this, you won't find me jumping to conclusions about their unique queerness.

Japanese pronouns

For further reading about Japanese pronouns especially when used by queer people, I recommend this comprehensive article. Having read this, Yuuri’s switch to “atashi” during the first two times he skates Eros, makes even more sense to me.

*these base values were the same in the seasons I checked starting from the 2014/15 season to the 2016/17 season, which encompasses the time Yuri!!! was produced.

If you enjoy my meta posts, please consider giving my blog a follow or checking out my works on AO3(link in bio). You will find the results of my meta musings in there!

[desperatepleasures]

i went back and reread the first chapter of one of my fics (one i almost never reread bc it's Long) and i'll be honest lads the first scene of this fic is the best thing i've ever written??? so i'm gonna shamelessly post it here (and here is the fic if anyone is interested but it's. kinda niche)

It’s easier to ignore, in daylight, the way that Yuuri lights up a room. But when the sun starts to set, everything gets bathed in a warm glow that matches the feeling rising from beneath Murata’s ribcage, and suddenly it’s really, really hard to ignore. The darker the evening gets, the brighter the fireflies glow against the shadowed trees in the distance, the brighter Yuuri’s laughter glows as it bubbles up from his chest.

So Murata gives in for a moment, and lets himself look slightly longer than he ought to. His gaze lingers on the way Yuuri’s eyes crinkle shut when he laughs, as if he hasn’t long since memorized every single plane of Yuuri’s face.

He miscalculates, though, and freezes when Yuuri’s eyes open back up to find Murata still staring at him. Murata is pretty skilled at schooling his facial expressions, so most people wouldn’t think anything of it beyond accidental awkward eye contact. But this is Yuuri. Yuuri isn’t exactly observant, but he knows Murata better than anyone.

Murata waits for Yuuri to make a joke. Instead, Yuuri just meets his eyes and stares right back, like he’s searching for something. It’s kind of disorienting, to be the one being scrutinized for a change. Murata can’t bring himself to look away, though.

“Do you have feelings for me?” Yuuri asks, tilting his head slightly but not averting his gaze.

“Go home, Shibuya,” he replies. “You’re clearly sleep-deprived.” Another in the long series of things he’s said to Yuuri that aren’t technically lies, but definitely aren’t the truth.

To be fair, Yuuri is sleep-deprived. He’d been complaining earlier that he hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in months. He didn’t sleep well in an empty bed.

That situation was entirely Yuuri’s own doing, of course.

“That’s not a no,” Yuuri counters, and whatever happened to that fifteen year old boy who couldn’t even think about this subject without blushing? That version of Yuuri would really come in handy right now.

Instead, Murata is stuck with the eighteen year old version who is still staring him down, and he suddenly realizes he has no idea how to handle a Yuuri who isn’t afraid of this. He’d always let Yuuri’s internalized homophobia do the work for him when it came to avoiding this particular conversation. Lazy of him, really.

“Why haven’t you said something?” Yuuri adds when he still doesn’t reply.

“Would it really have made a difference?” he answers, making no effort to suppress the tinge of bitterness in his voice.

“Maybe!” Yuuri replies emphatically. “I’m single now…” He finally looks away, and doesn’t it just figure that that memory is what brings Yuuri back to reality?

Who is Yuuri trying to kid, anyway? If he was ever going to try being with a man, he had three years with an incredibly attractive and more than willing fiance in which to do so. Murata is fairly sure Yuuri isn’t trying to toy with his feelings, but how else is this supposed to come across?

“So, that’s it?” he snaps, and Yuuri flinches a little at his tone. He continues anyway. “You want to date me? You want me to sweep you off your feet and then fuck you tenderly on a bed of rose petals using the strap-on of your choice?”

Yuuri just crosses his arms and looks straight at him and says, “Why are you trying to push me away?”

“Because you don’t want this,” he replies firmly.

“You don’t get to decide what I want!” Yuuri snaps back, and there’s genuine heat there, like this is a sore spot for him.

Murata crosses his arms in return. “And what do you want?”

Yuuri takes a slow breath before replying.

“I want you to take me on a date.”

[rikeijo]

Today's translation #438

Miracle!!! on ICE, Animage 1/2017, Uchiyama Koki's interview

Part 2.

-- In Onsen on ICE, Yurio lost to Yuuri and went back to Russia. How do you interpret the change that happened in him after that?

U: I didn't change the way I play the role that much, like the way I say my line for example, but I think that that Lilia Baranovskaya joined him as his private choreographer had a big influence on him. He was able to survive her tough training, and seeing that Yakov Feltsman said that on the contrary, it was good for Yurio that he separated from Victor earlier [than expected]. I think that, at first, Yurio was angry that Victor didn't keep his promise and he lost the competition to have that promise fulfilled. But in the end, that he separated from Victor turned out to be a win-win situation. It was very interesting, how this part of the story was told to us from Yakov&co's perspective.

-- We see Yurio training without saying a word about it, but from people around him, we hear that he used to hate practices...

U: Yurio doesn't have a submissive personality for sure, but he agrees with Lilia's, the demon coach, methods, so he gives his best during practice sessions. I don't necessary think that you can say it's him really growing up a lot, but it's one change that occurred in him. Yurio also talked about this in his monologue - he's only 15, so in the future he has to go through a lot of changes in his appearance and in his body. So probably, tomorrow, he won't be able to achieve the artistic expression he can achieve now. I think that it must be tough for somebody so young... But at the same time, it was very interesting - the way that the mental state of competitors was portrayed. His will to give up everything for winning was also very memorable to me.

[capsensislagamoprh]

Phichit managed to catch Otabek as he was hauling in what appeared to be far too much weight in a very long box. "Set up?" The dark man nodded. "Okay. Thanks for this, by the way. It saves Christophe and me so much work."

"No problem."

"So I was thinking..."

Otabek stopped, set down the box, then turned his full attention to Phichit. "I want to set up a group chat with you in it." He could feel the vibes get heavy. Otabek didn't partake in SMS like most people his age. Phichit knew Yuri practically dragged his ‘bestie’ into the modern communication era after disparaging his bullet-proof Nokia and forcing him to upgrade. Otabek’s stare was causing Phichit to falter. "It's so everyone can drop you their tracks and suggestions."

The air cleared. "How many people will be in attendance?"

"Hundred or so? Victor and Yuri are very popular. With the plus ones, and all..."

"How long is the reception?"

Phichit looked like he had been caught with a magnet in his cheeks. "Uhm. Until everyone goes home or passes out?" Otabek stared. Phichit stared back, eyebrows climbing into his hairline.

"How long is the 'dance floor' portion of the reception?"

"Three, maybe four hours?"

"And will you need lyric music to be played during dinner?"

"No, I think that's better for conversations."

"Instrumental undertones to set the mood. Fade in to low-key to pull people from the tables so they can be changed into the dance floor?"

"Brillant!" Phichit beamed. He'd not thought of that. They could use musical cues to keep things flowing! Having a DJ was going to save him so much time.

"With the addition of a push for people to head towards their homes, it's looking like a six hour list. Three of actual dancing. One for focus, including the official opening of the couples dance, and one on either end to build and fade."

Phichit had no idea, but it sounded good. "Sure."

"With a hundred guests, and an average run time of three twenty, you're looking at a hundred and twelve songs at best. Seventy five of those will be dance floor songs. Twenty builds, same amount of drop. Leaving room for wind up, cool down, and the couples dance. How do you want to handle whose songs get priority?"

Phichit stared. Say what now? Otabek returned the gaze, steady and intent, waiting for him to answer. "I um... first come first serve?" Otabek nodded. "No wait! Wait. How about I give everyone up to four songs to choose from and you limit them?"

"Dubious."

"I... what?"

"Dubious. It's shady. Let everyone have four songs. Give Victor and Yuuri each the opportunity to pick one of the four. That will be two songs. I will mix them into the flow so they both have their choices and no one feels slighted."

Phichit blinked. Genius. Genius! "Oh, yeah! I'll do that!"

"Phichit," Otabek said, calling the man back before his twitching text fingers went faster than his plans,"don't put me in the group chat. Put Victor and Yuuri in. Create another chat where they send Yuri their selections. I do not want to be bombarded by last minute changes. This is going to be hard enough as it is, trying to fit everything into the timeline."

"Right. You, me, Christophe, Victor and Yuuri. Planners, grooms, and the DJ."

"Not me, Yuri. I won't be able to keep up with the requests, fall out, and the mixing. He can do request rejection control."

"And… Yurio?” Otabek nodded. “Ah, both! Got it." Phichit raced back to Christophe. "Okay, so we have a plan!" Outlining what was discussed with Christophe, the Swiss man nodded with a considering expression.

"Do you think he can manage an after party mix too? Something for those of us who go all night?"

"I didn't ask him."

Christophe saw Yuri walking by and smiled. "I'll see if I can get it done." Phichit left him to it.

part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6

[dialovers-translations]

Diabolik Lovers LOST EDEN ー Laito [VAMPIRE ENDING]

CHAPTER MASTERLIST

ー The scene starts by the World Tree

*Cling* 

Yui: ( ...!! Laito-kun!! )

Laito: One second.

Kino: ...!?

Yui: ...Laito-kun? 

Laito: Don’t you think...You should at least listen to my final wish? 

Kino: Heeh, you’ve still got something at this point?

Laito: Yui-chan...

Yui: ...Yes? Laito-kun...

ー Laito approaches her

*Rustle rustle*

Yui: Is there something you’d like me to do...?

Laito: Yes, there is. Something very important, only you can do...

Yui: Uu...

Laito: Please don’t cry, be strong. You’re going to chop off my head right now after all.

Yui: Eh...!?

Laito: I’ve told you before that death is considered a joyous occasion to Vampires, rightーー

So please dry those tears. Smile. You should rejoice...the fact that I get to finally free myself from this wicked life and be reborn...

Yui: I can’t...I could never...

Laito: I would like you to be the one to end my life.

No, it has to be you.

Yui: Laito-kun...

Laito: I’m sorry. For not being able to say ‘I love you’.

But I believe that by asking you to kill me, my love for you should be more apparent than ever.

Yui: Uu...

Laito: That’s the kind of guy the man you fell for isーー

Yui: ーー I know...I’m well aware of that...But I love you regardless. 

I’m sorry. I made you suffer...When I should have realized and accepted you instead...

Laito: Yeah. Thanks...Then, you know what to do, right? This is truly what I want. 

Yui: ...Yeah...

Laito: Make it quick. Then I will quickly ascend to the Heavens...

And be reborn once more, this time into someone who will be able to love you without causing you any pain...

*Rustle* 

Laito: Will you wait for me? 

Yui: Yeah...I’ll wait forever and everーー

Laito: Aah, but...You’re a ‘Bitch-chan’ after all...I wonder if you won’t be able to stop yourself from going to another man? 

Yui: Of course not...I would never. 

Laito: Then to seal our promise, with one final kiss. 

Yui: Sure...

*Rustle* 

Laito: Nn...

Yui: ( Laito-kun...I love you. Forever and ever, until the end of the world, for eternityーー )

Kino: Yeah, yeah. Seems like you’ve come to a conclusion.

*Rustle rustle* 

*Cling* 

Kino: ーー Here you go. Don’t try and hurt yourself or someone else, no matter what, understood? 

Yui: Ughーー

ー She faces Laito

Yui: ( If this is your wish, then I shall fulfill itーー )

Laito: ...

Yui: ( I’llーー )

Laito: ーー This is goodbye for now, Bitch-chan. 

Yui: ...Yes, farewell...

Laito: ...

*STAB*

Monologue

ーー Ironically enough,

the smile I saw on Laito-kun’s face back then,

looked more peaceful and beautiful,

than any of his smiles I had ever seen before.

When I saw that expression on his face,

as I brought down the knife and slit his throat,

I truly felt relieved from the bottom of my heart.

So much so,

I almost wanted to pat myself on the back,

for finally freeing him from everything. 

Yui: ( ...Laito-kun... )

*Woosh* 

Kino: ...Are these Karlheinz’s...The Powers of the World Tree...!? 

Mine...These belong to me!!

Now, come...To me!! Settle inside of me!!

Yui: ( I’m being blinded...! I can’t believe these were inside of Laito-kun up till now....! )

Kino: Eh!? Why...!? How come!?

Yui: ( ...What is happening!? I have...no ideaーー )

*Woosh*

Kino: !? The powers...!! Yuuri, what is happening!?

Yuuri: ...I do not know! However...It appears that the powers have denied you...

And they’re being...absorbed into the World Tree just like that...

Kino: ...You’ve got to be kidding me...That’s outrageous...!!!

Yui: Eh...!? 

( Laito-kun’s body is...!? )

( He’s being absorbed...by the World Tree. )

Monologue

The Powers which were set free from Laito-kun’s body,

despite being a strinkingly large flash of light,

disappeared inside of the World Tree. 

And at the same time, to our surprise, 

Laito-kun himself as well, 

began to fuse with the trunk of the tree. 

At that moment, the tree which had previously been withered,

came back to life again in the blink of an eye,

shining a bright light across the entire area,

turning the dark night into day.

Yui: What on earth is happening...!? 

( What happened to Laito-kun? )

( I can’t believe it...None of this. )

Reiji: ...The power of the World Tree which had previously been inside of Father must have returned...

Yui: Reiji-san! You were safe!

Reiji: Yes, but more importantly...Let us leave this place.

The Adler troops are on their way...!!

Yui: B-But, Laito-kun is...

Shuu: ...He should be fine. The World Tree...is protecting him. 

Yui: Ugh...

Ayato: Chichinashi, let’s go! Hang on tight!!

ー Ayato leaps into the sky with her

Yui: ( Laito-kun...!! )

*SCENE SHIFT*

Kino: ...

Yuuri: Kino! Get a grip, please! The Adler troops areーー

Kino: Hahaha...Ahahaha! What is this joke...? It makes no sense. 

Yuuri: Kino...!! Dodge...!!

*Woosh woosh woosh* 

*STAB*

Kino: ...!! Kuhーー 

ー Kino collapses after being struck down by the arrows

Yuuri: Kino...!!!

Kino: ...Press Fーー (1)

Monologue

ーー For quite some time after that,

the Demon World remained in a state of war,

with various clans,

fighting out a continuous bloody battle. 

As for the Vampire Clan,

with Laito-kun having passed away,

it should go without saying,

that they did not participate in this battle. 

But who eventually ended up,

claiming sovereignty over the Demon World,

was nobody.

There was no clear victor declared. 

And ironically enough,

it was the Vampire Clan,

who never even participated in the war in the first place,

who once again, slowly reclaimed their governing roleーー

ー The scene shifts to the rooftop at school

Yui: ( I wonder what exactly Karlheinz-san’s powers were in the end? )

( From what Reiji-san told me, they originally belonged to the World Tree. )

( And through the exchange of power between Karlheinz and the World Tree, they gradually grew strongerーー )

( In other words, he was the sole individual who would ever be able to properly wield those powers. )

( In which case, Karlheinz-san should have known that another individual would never be able to control them. )

( As well as that things would turn out that wayーー )

( I wonder why he decided to give away his powers regardless? )

( What exactly was the purpose of the Apple of Eden project...? )

( I wonder what he wanted Adam and Eve to accomplish...? )

( I don’t really understand. Whether it’s over now or not. )

???: ーー Bitch-chan~

Yui: Kyah!?

*Rustle rustle* 

On certain CGs, little black roses will appear on the screen. If you click on them, you get an extra line of dialogue.

“I want you to never change and stay my cute Bitch-chan forever, okay? ...I love you. ...Nn.”

“I’ll never let you go again. I’ve decided that I’m going to find happiness together with you.” 

Laito: What’s the matter~? Looking at the night sky with a sad expression on your face...Were you thinking of me, perhaps?

Yui: Geez, Laito-kun, don’t startle me like that...

Laito: Nfu~ My bad? So, what exactly was on your mind? If you won’t tell me, I’ll do something naughty to you as a punishment~

Yui: ...Gosh, you never change, do you? 

Laito: I guess so? Even if I’ve been reborn, I’m still myself...

Or would you have preferred for me to turn into a completely different guy? 

Yui: Oh come on, don’t tease me. 

Laito: I’m not teasing you! I want to know how you feel. 

Yui: Of course, I’m glad it turned out like this.

Laito Nfu~ A fine answer. As your reward ーー 

*Smooch* 

Yui: Nn...

Monologue

Exactly, perhaps he borrowed the powers of the World Tree,

but as the word alludes to,

Laito-kun was ‘reborn’. 

It may sound unbelievable,

but shortly after I had returned to the human world with his brothers,

we were informed of the following by one of their Familiars:

‘ーー Laito-kun has been found by the base of the World Tree.’ 

*Rustle*

Yui: Hey, Laito-kun...What was it like inside the World Tree? 

Laito: I was asleep the whole time. And I had a very long dream...It felt like being inside a cradle. 

Inside my dream, I was living a happy life.

Almost like that version of my past, was reality. 

Yui: ( Laito-kun was able to overwrite his own memories with what he was shown inside the World Tree. )

( While he was able to be reborn in the literal sense of the word... )

ーー Still, you haven’t changed much. 

Laito: Eh? Where’s that coming from?

Yui: Nevermind...

( Even if he has been reborn, his personality and behavior remains the same, so it kind of throws me off. )

( Seems like his brothers are somewhat puzzled by it as wellーー )

Laito: More importantly, won’t you join me for some fun now?

Yui: Eh? But isn’t the monthly dinner banquet taking place tonight?

Laito: Actually, I received word from Reiji earlier that an emergency meeting is being held at the Demon World. 

Seems like the World Tree is showing signs of decay again after all. 

I guess that might be because I ran off with its powers again after returning them once beforeーー

Monologue

Exactly. When Laito-kun got reborn,

he was once again,

entrusted with those powers.

However, he is no longer

like he was before,

and perhaps it’s because he’s been staying in this world,

but he’s been relatively calm in comparison. 

Although all of that,

might be because he was finally able,

to leave the past behind him. 

In the end, Reiji-san decided to step up,

as the leader of the Vampire Clan,

since he simply could not leave such a responsibility,

in the hands of Laito-kun,

which brings us to todayーー

Yui: The fact that the World Tree is withering doesn’t predict much good, does it?

Laito: Then, I wonder if I should return these powers to it once more then? 

Yui: Iーー

Laito: ...don’t like the sound of that?

Yui: Yeah. I don’t want to ever go through that nightmare again...

Laito: All things eventually come to an end. If they started, then that’s simply their fate.

Yui: Yeah.

Laito: Besides, it’s be a shame not to enjoy the time you have, simply because you know it won’t be forever.

Yui: That sounds like something you’d say. 

Laito: Nfu~ I’m a hedonist at heart after all...Hehehe...That being said.

I do feel bad for Reiji, but why don’t we go enjoy ourselves as well? 

*Rustle* 

Yui: I guess it can’t be helped.

Laito: I’ll make sure to tell Reiji we were partners in crime.

Well then, let’s go. Hold onto me. Ready? 

*Rustle* 

Yui: Yeah...!

Laito: I’ll give you the night of your life...Okay?

ー Laito leaps into the night sky with her

ーー THE END ーー

Translation notes

(1) He says ‘this sucks’ or ‘this is the worst’ literally but I can never pass up an opportunity to meme with Kino. <u<

[neutronice]

Victor’s Remarkable Evolution

I was watching (okay okay rewatching for the billionth time) Yuri on Ice, and something struck me. Specifically something about Victor. Namely, the slow and soft march of Victor’s evolution in the series, from the self-absorbed icon to a vulnerable and loving partner and coach.

At a press conference, when asked about whether Victor went off to become Yuuri’s coach, Yakov shouts: That man only thinks of himself!

And honestly? I agree. I think that the show’s creators wanted us to view Victor through that lens. He was bored. He was stagnant. He decided he wanted to try out coaching because that sounded kinda fun and cool. Yuuri Katsuki idolized him, and skated his routine beautifully. Victor could combine seducing the gorgeous Japanese skater who idolized him with taking the mental break from skating he needed to return refreshed.

Image quote: So, a magic spell to change the little piggy into a prince...

This... is not the attitude of someone who is taking the coaching seriously. He presumes he can waltz into Japan, take this cute little Japanese skater under his wing and transform him into... a prince, all the while getting laid.

It’s why Victor squealed at the challenge that Yuri Plisetsky put forward: choreograph both programs and watch two skaters battle over... him. He got to choreograph the two skaters: one who represented his youth and one who represented his lust. 

Victor wanted to watch Yuuri seduce him on the ice (in one of his old costumes), and decided the way to score more points was to put all jumps in the second half. Even Nishigori called that choice spartan.

Yuuri suspected, talked to Minako about it, and decided even if this was some sort of Victor vacation, he was going to take full advantage, and Victor is lucky that Yuuri was the type who devoted everything to this experiment, to Victor as his coach, even knowing that Victor's heart was maybe not entirely in it.

Indeed, throughout the beginning, Victor was enjoying playing coach without really being one. He teased Yuuri enough that Yuuri started to avoid him. Finally, Victor actually made an effort to connect. And... Yuuri let him in.

This is also one of the first times in the animation that Victor’s face is that soft. He’s having a real moment, not a manufactured one here. Talking to Yuuri does that for him, and for the first time, alone and out of the spotlight, you have to wonder if that felt kinda good. It makes it pretty clear that Victor was entirely serious about being Yuuri’s boyfriend, though that moment was probably also to put Yuuri off kilter, because that’s what Yuuri had done to Victor.

Unfortunately, by the regional qualifier, Victor is a little back to some of his bullshit, picking a flashy suit to advertise his debut as a coach. He made that moment about himself, not about Yuuri. Yes, thankfully he had moments where he actually gave good advice (that Yuuri needed to... pay attention to his fans), but mostly it was still Victor thinking mostly about Victor.

That though... started to change. When Yuuri did his free skate, he openly rebelled. He changed triples into quads without asking, and... Victor found himself watching Yuuri with interest. He started to see Yuuri, noting that he skated in time with the music, and that there was something about his impatience on the ice that meant Victor couldn’t look away. He even internalized that Yuuri’s rebellion to his instructions was a whole lot like him. This was the moment that Victor finally started to take coaching seriously.

He stopped thinking of it as a performance, and starting thinking about himself and Yuuri as a team. He’d wear suits (he’s Victor Nikiforov after all), but it was no longer only the Victor show in his head.

Then Yuuri declared his love for Victor on a televised event. Victor’s facial expression says it all.

Yeah, he heard it. Ugly tie and all. Victor succeeded in scoring the adorable Japanese skater. Thankfully though, he’s in a much different headspace now than he was when he showed up naked in the onsen.

It does mean that the next time we see Victor, he is much more affectionate. On the way to Beijing, Victor is draped over Yuuri on the plane. He’s holding him while they watch the other skaters or run to hold each other at the kiss & cry.

China is also where Victor’s biggest breakthrough happens. Yes! He finally takes being a coach seriously. Yes! He roots for his pupil to win and believes in him. Yes! He tries to do his best for Yuuri, forcing him to nap (with snuggles of course, Victor’s self-control only goes so far...) before his free skate.

Then... Yuuri being on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Victor... doesn’t know what to do. He gets Yuuri away from other skaters to warm up, he forbids him from doing jumps in warmups (Yuuri rebels). And then...

Boy screws up big time. Trying to shatter Yuuri’s heart to motivate him. Victor admits he has no idea what to do when someone is crying in front of him, asks if Yuuri wants him to kiss him. (Um, no Victor. Not right now). Yuuri tells him what he needs.

It was probably one of the first times in Victor’s life that he really messed up, and really hurt someone he cared about. He feels stupid for not asking Yakov what to do, and looks pretty broken when they return for Yuuri’s free skate.

Luckily... Yuuri seems to be driven extra hard by Victor screwing up, deciding he’s going to add a quad flip to the end of his program. Something not even Victor has done. And well, we all know what happened next.

Before this moment, we see a lot of “fake Victor.” Even around Yuuri, he threw on that fake charm. But, after Beijing? Around Yuuri, the mask came off.

Victor and Yuuri were a team. Victor was Yuuri’s coach, and he loved it. And the change in the animation is stark. The fake looks were only when Victor was forced to mug for media. When he was looking at Yuuri? His face was as soft as when he said “you’re not weak.”

JJ Leroy ignores Yuuri and walks straight up to Victor? We see open hostility. Yuuri skates another wonderful one? Victor gets down to kiss his skate. Yurio shows off true agape? He’s genuinely excited.

And then Yuuri sends him back to Japan to be with Maccachin (who got into the buns.) Victor doesn’t even hesitate to run up to Yakov and ask him to coach. No ego, nothing. (I don’t think we need to ask why Yakov said yes. Because he recognized Victor as a coach now too... and Yuuri deserved it.) Just... doing the best he could to make sure Yuuri got through his free skate.

Yuuri did. And... this was their reunion.

You cannot tell me that the Victor we met at the very beginning would have done this. This is a Victor who lives for someone other than himself, who has found someone he loves more than skating. The person who opened him up and accepts him as he is... and runs just as fast and just as desperately to get back to him too.

Yuuri is the reason Victor changed, evolved, grew better. Yuuri is why Victor took coaching seriously enough to fall in love with it. Yuuri is the person Victor is entirely himself with.

It means we get to see his soft side. We get to see what a man on top of the world is like when he falls uncontrollably in love. Who’s opened his heart enough that it might break.

Yeahhh Yuuri is an idiot... (I wrote about that already), but if Victor were not this Victor, open and vulnerable, Yuuri would not have skated the program he was capable of (rising to the occasion and scoring higher than Victor’s WR), and would not have committed to staying in skating.

Victor is not going to give up coaching. He loves it, just like he loves Yuuri. He is less afraid of trying to climb to the top again, not when he’s found things that make him truly happy.

Victor changed, evolved, and in the process, he found the happiness and meaning he was always seeking. And in the process of that journey, he found a husband and his next calling.

I actually don’t think Victor ever wins gold again. But I also don’t think he cares. Yuuri getting a gold medal would mean more to him than 10 more for himself. It’s that sort of growth that makes this series so beloved. Because the growth was organic and natural, even as it was extremely profound.

[nikiforoov]

The "unbalance" between Victor and yuuri os imho a purely fanon thing. Yuuri's displays of admiration and affection are just as public and earnest but ppl tend to focus todo much on victor's crush bc for some reason a huge portion of the fandom loves to characterise him as some overbearing obnoxious person who's constantly begging for yuuri's attention, while portraying yuuri as some aloof cold hearted asshole who is always snubbing him and being constantly annoyed by everyone he does.

ah yes, these kind of characterizations bother me so much! especially when they’re used for situations that happen later in the canon or after it.

yes, vitya can be considered a bit extra. yes, he was very direct with his advances in the beginning. and yes, yuuri might have come across as aloof back then. but these things only happen in the early canon! it’s not who they are. they both had their reasons, they talked it through, came to understand each other better and their behaviours changed because of that. i know i’ve mentioned this before but it feels like these common tropes are some kind of strange relics from the early episodes when we didn’t know the characters yet and a part of the fandom just hasn’t let go of them? 

i can see why people can get so focused on vitya’s crush, since it came as such a huge surprise and i don’t think anyone saw it coming and suddenly everything just made so much sense. but yuuri can be just as extra in his displays of affection as vitya, if not even more! i mean which one of them declared their love on live tv and suddenly proposed in front of a church while a choir was singing and everything? exactly. and i can’t think of a single moment in canon where yuuri would have been portrayed as annoyed or cold toward vitya’s displays of affection (after getting over the initial shock of vitya simply being there)!

i wouldn’t say the imbalance is purely a fanon thing, but it’s nowhere near as huge as the fandom sometimes makes it seem. i do think yuuri was trying to hold back during the series, bc he saw letting vitya go after the gpf as something inevitable. he failed rather spectacularly at that tho ♥