#<- my moto and i will live by it

[the-stove-is-divorced]

Time for my yearly (ish, kinda, sorta, maybe) time to ANNOUNCE THAT I FUCKING LOVE SCARLET SCARAB!! I MISS HIM SO MUCH.

Look at my son. His iconic palette swapped fit. His funky little scarab buddy. His cool ass name. He's my little fella, my good time boy, the best mf that has ever existed on the planet and that time-span was like one episode. IF SCARLET SCARAB HAS NO FANS THEN I AM FUCKING DEAD.

That is all ( ´ ∀ `)ノ～ ♡

[burirammin]

Rewatching the whole 2013 le mans weekend again to do a write up and marc looks so young and full of wonder. the way his eyes just sparkle!!!!!! vale and dovi i get you i really do.

[originalqueenhottub]

So, something to share with peeps... I'm in a open relationship with two men who have been dating for 8+ years, while I have been friends with one of them for over 15+ years.

Sounds awesome right?.... well... imagine dating Yami Yugi who is dating Seto Kaiba...

While all the "fan girls" for this paring might be like:

"OMG! GUUURRRRLLL YOU IN HEAVEN!"

Absolutely FUCKING not.

Take into consideration, my boys personality type:

They are both ENTJ

What does that mean, exactly?? Well, it means dinner is never agreed on for starters. For 2 hours... from when they decide it's time for food? It's a debate.

Movie date night also turns into a gamble. It's a fight usually between one of them wanting a movie they already seen before, the other wanting something none of us have seen.

OR- one wants to watch LOTR. The other? The Matrix.

Meanwhile, my happy, yet, a dumb-ass (A INFP)-

-is supposed to be a tie breaker, likes both movies and understands why they want what they want... Becomes the enemy #1 ;_; because it's: "Can't you just, pick one!?"

D; NO, MY DUDEZ, I CAN'T. Because as soon as I do one of you is angy!

Obviously. There are perks, or I wouldn't stick around but to those who are like "They would be a GREAT Couple!"

Sure, if they have been to therapy 👀

But, other than that?

*nervous laughter*

[fuckyeaharthuriana]

Not really enjoying the "no song for Mordred" novel by Newitt. So much that midway through it I had to google if it was written by a man because of the way Guinevere and Mordred were described.

But thankfully I'm really loving Cherith Baldry's stories and I knew I would. And she recommended me the Book of Gaheris so I'm gonna get that soon!!

[mielmoto]

listen i know most of y'all can't have any knowledge of my other ocs but i see this every time i open my rp folder and it's. it's so real.

[timperleyworldofwater]

everything reminds me of her (the motorola pebl my mum used to have)

[intertexts-moving]

seeing midwest biker jackasses w/ no helmet short sleeves on the interstate is soo insane to me like ?? cant believe they think thats cool when head to toe leather riding gear & gloves & a full face helmet is infinitely hotter than theyll ever be.

[boobachu]

I liked parallel canon when I thought I killed Confetti with her own gun.

drowned inside the lake outside, away you flow

[beneaththetangles]

This week’s Reader’s Corner features reviews of two premieres: that of a “starting-over” romance, Re-Living My Life with a Boyfriend Who Doesn’t Remember Me, and a supernatural josei tale, GOGOGOGO-GO GHOST! But there’s plenty more besides, including the latest volume of Medaka Kuroiwa Is Impervious to My Charms and the moving one-shot manhwa Your Letter. Check out our thoughts on these works and let us know yours!

-----

Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki’s Conjecture (Vol. 4) • Bless (Vol. 2) • GOGOGOGO-GO GHOST! (Vol. 1) • I Want a Gal Gamer to Praise Me (Vol. 2) • I’m Giving the Disgraced Noble Lady I Rescued a Crash Course in Naughtiness (Vol. 6) • Medaka Kuroiwa Is Impervious to My Charms (Vol. 5) • Re-Living My Life with a Boyfriend Who Doesn’t Remember Me (Vol. 1) • Your Letter

[volknerslegs]

love reviews for midbudget phones that moan about not being able to play video games? girl its a samsung a53 get a nintendo.

[myandolorian]

I am having motorcycle thoughts....

[my-fancy-hat]

The process of creating is the active, constant question of the self, to question the extent of my capacities to convey a message worth of people's respect and admiration. To me, Look Back is a tale of self-reafirmation for Tatsuki Fujimoto. I'm aware it came out in the gap between part 1 and part 2 of the author's best seller, Chainsaw man, which makes this oneshot such an intimate soul-shaking story after what may be the pinnacle of his career. This made me question, why would he write this kind of story after CSM (and Fire Punch) anyways?

Through Fujino and Kyomoto's journey (which funnily, their names convined are Fuji-moto) we are put in the shoes of the stirring yet self-doubting mind of the creator: "why do you draw manga? why do you create?" is the question the protagonist has to find the answer for. Fujino navigate her life for her passion and pride as a talented story-teller artist, while Kyomoto does so for her love for art itself in a more reserved and personal way. Combined, I think they are the rope that pushes Fujimoto back and forth in his mind, the fear of the creator to tell a story worth of people's respect (Fujino) while being faithful to oneself (Kyomoto). Fujimoto knows there always will be an expectation, a mark above his head everytime someone is aware a new story has his signature, so it's understandable for anxiety to take the worst of you, the fear to be openly judged by the masses. So why do you even bother to get through that unpleasant thing? will I ever surpass what I made in my past projects? why do I keep creating? is this all I will ever be? the entire process is tiresome, boring, a never-ending task, I enjoy art better as a consumer anyways, so why?

If there's only one person who my art made their day better, made them smile or excited for what is coming next, then it was worth every single second I spend working on it.

It's a reafirmation to keep going. That I was born to live into this world for this sake, and I'm worthy to connect and receive this love. This is my place.

I deeply respect you for it, Tatsuki Fujimoto.

[kujiba]

【I think, moto moto likes you! 】

୨୧ — ꒰ himbo!reader | he/him prounouns | NPC reader | shit posting

୨୧ — ꒰ Reader who's just your average Joe, going on about their day as an npc for the Traveler to pass by. Yet managed to rizz up a important character with 0 effort

Ft. Pantalone, Kaeya, Zhongli

A/n: I'm juggling two fanfics in one cause I'm him, also I need my himbo reader crumbs. OOC probably cause I can't read for shit

P A N T A L O N E

— Pantalone was never too fond with his subordinates nor co-workers, opting to instead focus his attention on the mora he had collected and Snezhnaya's economic policies. Indeed the man's plate was already a handfull to deal with.

— Though his life definitely took a turn once his eyes locked onto yours

— You were a simple worker for the fatui, only doing your job as a helper by carrying the more heavier and larger crates packed with weaponry for the fatui soldiers.

— To you, you generally look average, having no special qualities to be worth mentioned. But to him, good god you looked straight out of a Greek painting.

— Your muscles would bulge under your clothing, the buttons on their last lives trying to hold everything together. That sharp gaze that could cut through anything with a single stare, oh no.. HE'S HOT

— And before you knew it, your pay check began to SKY ROCKET. You almost thought it was a fever dream seeing 6 digit mora be handed over to you like it's nothing, even after you did barely anything.

— Curious enough, you decided to personally see him in his office, questioning why you abruptly received such high pay. Not that you minded it, but you were kinda worried this was some kind of final goodbye fee before you get fired or maybe worse.

— To say that Pantalone was excited to see you was an understatement, he was absolutely ECSTATIC too see your divine and gracious self in front of him in arms reach. Oh how he wished he could just reach out to you, imagining how your strong and well built arms would wrap around his waist, pulling him closer to your body.

— Pantalone had met with many attractive people in his life, many being above the average, but you? You're a different case. Pantalones legs felt weak and wobbly JUST by being close to you, it must be an achievement to have such an important character like him act like some high school girl with a crush.

— And some days later after, you'd be flabbergasted seeing yourself climbing the ranks in a rapid pace, earning yourself a position of Pantalones personal assistant...though grateful for this opportunity, you can't help but notice the man's undeniable favoritism to you.

K A E Y A

— Kaeya is often depicted as a confident or dramatic man, regularly seen chatting with the locals and having a faint deviousness in his sapphire eyes. Being one of the more relaxed members of the Knights of Favonius, surely nothing will break the man's inner self?

— So why is it that Kaeya is standing infront of you, shy and flustered with your hand on his shoulder, previously catching him after a slight trip.

"Are you alright sir?"

— Kaeya shuddered slightly, his body twitched hearing your voice be so close to his ear, he didn't expect your voice to be so...pleasant to hear

— He mentally cursed himself, being such a high figure and acting all embarrassed for some hot stranger

— But as the days passed by, Kaeya decided to grow a pair. You often found him in some alleyways, a vast field, or even when you take a small stroll outside of your house

— Kaeya might look all calm and collected in the outside, but mentally he felt flustered and even sometimes shy by your presence, he has to take a 5 minute breather before 'coincidentally' bumping into you for the 1947th time

— But you're a pretty nice guy, not commenting on Kaeyas behavior, so like any normal person, you decided to befriend him, thinking nothing much of it but a new friend to talk to.

— But to Kaeya? This was a WAVE of bewilderment

— Mostly, when making friends he's usually considering his benefits, not having much friends anyway despite his 'flirtatious' and 'laid back' attitude.

— Kaeya even sometimes experience a sense of longing, loneliness. He never had a true friend yet all his life, but when you offered to be his friend? He felt... Sort of relieved.

— Though he himself couldn't even explain the emotions swirling inside him, the sight of you soft smiling at him. You weren't befriending him for your own benefits, but to instead genuinely be his real friend.

— And before Kaeya knew it, the two of you began to grow closer and closer as the days passed, hanging out in angels share whenever Kaeya or you had some spare time.

— He only hoped you'd accept his confession in the near future, but for now. He liked it this way.

Z H O N G L I

— Zhongli has his fair shares of companions, some still staying by his side till this day, while some others had to go. The mans basically seen it all at this point, with an experience of over 5000+ he's already accumulated thousands of stories to tell

— And you're just a guy who likes to listen in on stories here and there while eating some freshly cooked Chop Suey (杂碎)

— You two met while Zhongli was taking a small walk in Liyue Harbor, he who was peacefully enjoying the harmony and the people, admiring the sky and plants. And you who traveled from Fontaine to Liyue just to try some food and visit a family member

— You, obviously lost in the city decided to come up to him immediately since he looked pretty wise and handsome. Zhongli didn't mind guiding you around the harbor, since he had some spare time anyways

— Zhongli couldn't help but take note of how.. Tall you were compared to him, it was almost unreal. He'd met with many humans before, all of them being unique with one another, and you were no different.

— Zhonglis eyes quietly glanced at your body before right back at your oblivious smiling face, it wasn't right to check out a stranger so intimately. He had to keep his himself under control and provide you with the necessary details on your trip.

— Though, his keen eye already took notice of how you were absolutely mesmerized at him, not being able to listen much and only giving small nods.

— Zhongli eventually grew curious enough to ask why you stared at him so delicately

"Is there something on your mind?"

"Oh! Haha, sorry you're just very handsome and smart. Thank you alot sir"

— You shaked his hand and left, thanking him for his guidance, leaving a confused yet embarrassed Zhongli.

— Zhonglis gloved hand covered his face that was turning slightly red, what was it that made him so bashful? Was it the way you smiled at him? Or how you bluntly praised him out of the blue? Zhongli wasn't a stranger to compliments, yet when you said it.. Suddenly everything came crashing down.

— By the next day, Zhongli luckily found you once again, eating some of Liyues delicacies while listening on some stories, stories that were specifically about the Geo archon.

— Over time, Zhongli began to grow more and more intrigued by you each time you two cross paths, the way you act so aloof yet kind to the people, or how you always say anything that's on your mind keeps Zhongli more and more entertained by you. Regularly looking forward to meeting you every day.

— Zhongli wasn't unaware of what he was feeling as he grew closer and closer to you, even dropping some subtle hints to show his feelings for you. Yet the himbo you are, you answer completely oblivious to his feelings.

— Well, he has alot of spare time in his hands anyway. Slow and steady wins the race, and Zhongli could wait for thousands of days just for you.

A/n: Likes and reblogs are appreciated! Thanks for reading≧﹏≦

[jjkarmy091]

Second Best- Jungkook (part 6)

Summary: Being friends with someone who has your heart it’s already hard, let alone when that special someone ends up falling in love with your best friend, the one you think would never make anything to hurt you . Will you be able to ignore it and move on? what will happen when everything gets too much for you to handle?

Genre: Friends to lovers; angst; body insecurities; bullying; friend betrayel;

Pairing: Jungkook x female!reader

Jungkook woke up around 9:30 am. The first thing he did was check his phone in case he had any notifications from Y/n, but had none. He was seriously getting worried about this lack of response. Had something happened with the person Y/n left with? If that was the case he would never be able to forgive himself. He knew he should have gone after her, he's so stupid. 

He got up, took a quick shower, got dressed, grabbed his keys and left, he couldn’t keep up with this uneasy feeling. Putting his helmet on, he drove to the coffee shop Y/n worked. He knew her shifts very well, and that was the only place he could find her. When he got there, he parked his bike, took a deep breath and got in looking everywhere for her but still no Y/n in sight. 

“Hey there moto boy. What can I get you?” Sana asked. Jungkook looked kinda confused. “I was actually looking for Y/n. Is she on her break?” Sana frowned and looked at him suspiciously. 

“You’re kidding right?” Sana exclamed. “You are always together and talk to each otherall the time when you aren’t. You can’t tell me you didn’t know she took some days off” 

The world fell at Jungkook's feet upon hearing that. Y/n took a few days off and didn't even answered to his texts or deign to call? what the fuck was going on. Jungkook nodded his head, said thank you and left, picking his phone up instantly to call Y/n. “The person you called is not available. Please try again later” 

Fuck. Me

------------ 

Y/n fell in love with that place as soon as she saw it. Everywhere she looked she she felt immense peace and everything seemed so quiet and cozy, everything to make the weight on her shoulders disappear. Upon entering the chalet, they were immediately greeted by a gentleman at the entrance who directed them to the reception.

After checking in and receive the keys, they picked up their luggage and followed the gentlemanto the elevator, who was showing them the way to their "apartment”. Y/n couldn’t believe what her eyes were seeing. Walking in, she’s faced with a very nice living room, with wooden walls and gray furniture. It had shelves with books, among other really cute stuff decorating the place. All very neutral and very light, exactly what she needed. On the coffee table was champagne and a plate with strawberries and chocolate with a small note saying "we hope you enjoy your stay as much as we enjoy your presence. Thanks for choosing us. Have fun" 

From the living room they went to the bedroom to organize their things. When they walked in Y/n was even more astonished. From their bed they had a view of the outside. She always loved snow and being there was filling her heart with so much happiness she wished she could live there forever.

“Where did you find this place and how can you afford it for both of us?!” Y/n exclaimed. Lisa looked at her with a funny look “My dad owns it. A benefit of traveling so much and not seeing his family for so long, not everything can be bad. I used to come here for Christmast and New year. It's crazy during those days and you know me, I love crazy and those were my favourite moments here”

Y/n laughed. Only Lisa could say something like that. 

“So… You know how to ski right?” Lisa asked out of nowhere. “Oh hell no Lisa, no way, not right now, we just got here we should—” Y/n argued back but was soon interrupted by Lisa 

“There's a snow suit in the closet on the right. We have a lot to discover we won't wait until tomorrow. You rest during the night. Come on princess, time is money” Y/n huffed while getting her suit to start putting it on.  How could Lisa have so much energy was something she couldn't understand.

They both got dressed and head out of the chalet. Y/n was amazed by the view, everything was perfect. But it’s not an adventure if something doesn't go right for Y/n. Out of nowhere she lost sight of Lisa, making her panick. She had no idea where she was.

Y/n looked around trying to see her friend but couldn’t identify anyone who would look like her. She started walking around worried about straying too far from where Lisa last saw her. Y/n was so distracted that she didn't even notice anyone coming close to her, ending up colliding with that person, causing her to lose balance and fall. The other person quickly knelt down, stretching out his hand to help her until she heard “Y/n?” 

She looked up, took the stranger's hand and straightened her hair a little, trying to understand where she recognized that voice from, until the stranger took the protective mask off his eyes and saw him.

“Taehyung?”  

Tags: @esposadomd @joonlover1207 @eegyo @furrywonderlandwolf @minghaosimp @differentrunawayperson @nikkinikj @jksusawife @11thenightwemet11 @jk97bam @11thenightwemet11 @cryingoverpixelsetc @bhonbhon @lostinneocity @almostpurplelady @meowforluv

[empty-movement]

Musical Utena ~ Blooming Rose of Deepest Black EVERYTHING

Oh, hey! Did you like what I did with the 2018 Musical Utena ~ Bud of the White Rose? With the posting a script, lyrics to the main banger, and links to download the everything I ever did about it?

I'm back to bring you all that tasty kibble, but for the sequel that followed the next year!

Musical Utena ~ Blooming Rose of Deepest Black EVERYTHING

You've asked, like, a lot a lot, and finally I answer! You want the script? You want some goofy memes and meta? You want to download (check the thread!) both the original crunchy streams on top of the Blu-ray, but also the soundtrack I made? Wanna read the translated program? The interview with Ikuhara and Yoshitani? Wanna see all the bromides? Yep, like last time I even collected the Twitter behind the scenes images.

Once again a massive undertaking both originally and in pulling together the script, which again, I did live on the subtitles, so I never actually made a script I could just copy and paste to show y'all! Well! Here it is!

Also, yes, I know you wanna see the banger's lyrics:

Two Worlds a Mirror Apart 鏡分ケる二つノ世界​ Kagami Wakeru Futatsu no Sekai​

KOZUE: With your sword, cleave into two…​ その剣により鋭く区切られた​ Sono ken ni yori surudoku kugirareta​ MIKI: ...the light and the dark reflected within the mirror...​ 鏡の中の光と闇​ Kagami no naka no hikari to yami​ SHIORI: The chosen live on, embraced by the light...​ 選ばれた者は光に包まれた生者​ Erabareta mono ha hikari ni tsutsumareta seija​ JURI: …while the rest are left for dead in the dark.​ 選バレヌ者ハ闇ノ中ノ死者 ​ Erabarenu mono ha yami no Naka no shisha​ WAKABA: The one you seek in the mirror...​ 鏡の中を探しても​ Kagami no naka wo sagashite mo ​ WAKABA: ...will never find a path to you...​ あの人は帰ってこない​ ano hito ha kaettekonai​ SAIONJI: ...so smash it...​ 鏡ヲ壊シテ​ Kagami wo kowashite​ SAIONJI: ...and make your own way to their side.​ アノ人ノモトへ​ ano hito no moto e​ NANAMI: You are illuminated...​ 光君は確かに僕の​ Hikaru kimi ha tashika ni boku no​ NANAMI: ...standing right here before me.​ 前に存在している​ Mae ni sonzai shiteiru​ EVERYONE: This is no illusion, so grasp my hand now...​ 幻想じやない僕の手を握っていて​ Gensou janai boku no te wo nigitteite​ EVERYONE: ...and let my warmth make its way to you.​ 触れた手のぬくもりが証明している​ Fureta te no nukumori ga shoumei shiteiru​ EVERYONE: Please, never let me go.​ ねえだからもうこの手を離さないで​ Nēdakara mou kono te wo hanasanaide​

MAMIYA: You are shrouded by an enveloping darkness...​ すぐ目の前の闇が君を包み込んで​ Sugu me no mae no yami ga kimi wo tsutsumikonde​ MIKAGE: ...feeling as though you'll vanish into nothing...​ 消してしまう気がするから​ Kesshite shimau ki ga suru kara​ AKIO: ...consumed by the light...​ スグ目ノ前ノ光ノ​ Sugu me no mae no hikari no​ AKIO: ...that has reached out to touch you.​ 君ヲ包モウトシテモ​ Kimi wo tsutsumou to shite mo​ EVERYONE: Hold on, and don't lose heart...​ 決シテシマエナイ心ニ​ Kesshite shimaenai kokoro ni​ ANTHY: Though in darkness, I know...​ 闇ノ僕ハ確カニ​ Yami no boku ha tashika ni ​ ANTHY: ...you're standing here before me.​ 君ノ前ニ存在シテルケド​ Kimi no mae ni sonzai shiteru kedo​ UTENA: None of this is real, so grasp my hand now…​ 現実ジャナイ僕ノ手ヲ握ッテミテ​ Genjitsu janai boku no te wo nigitteite​ EVERYONE: ...and never forget...​ 触レタ手ノ温モリハ​ fureta te no nukumori ha​ EVERYONE: ...my warmth will make its way to you.​ 忘レテイナイ​ wasureteinai​ EVERYONE: Please, never let me go.​ ネェダケドモウコノ手ニ触レラレナイ​ Nē dakedo mou ko no te ni furerarenai​ EVERYONE: These are two worlds, a mirror apart.​ 鏡分ケる二つノ世界​ Kagami wakeru futatsu no sekai​

​(Thanks to Nagumo and cowtown for help with the romanization!)

[fujoshimenacecw]

A conversation between Moto Hagio, Hideaki Anno, and Shimako Sato

In our first ever translation work we share a riveting conversation between Moto Hagio, Hideaki Anno, and Shimako Sato! Read on our wordpress or keep reading on tumblr under the readmore

For the 189th issue of the Magazine House publication Hato yo! published January 1st 2000, movie director and screenwriter Shimako Sato leads a three way conversation between herself and her acquaintances, the anime and live action movie director Hideaki Anno, and manga artist Moto Hagio. Together they discuss their respective admiration for each other’s work, Anno’s past statements on otaku, their takes on parent-child relations, how to escape puberty, and why Anno finds it scary to be around children. 

To Me, There is 5 Ways To End a Story

Hagio: I got really into Neon Genesis Evangelion after it finished airing (laughter). I had been told by an acquaintance that Eva was a work that had “fans who were looking forward to watching the series so enraged by the developments in the final episode that they broke their TVs” (laughter). I wondered what could a work that evokes such strong emotions be like? I was really interested, so I borrowed the VHS tapes from a friend of Shimako-san’s, then I started watching.

Anno: I’m a big fan of Hagio-san’s manga, so when Shimako-san first said she could introduce us and arrange this meeting I was truly happy. The fact that you took an interest in Eva is an honor but… When I first heard “to me, there are five ways to end a story” I thought “as expected; amazing!” So after several twists and turns I finally reached a conclusion

Sato: Anno-san, when did you first encounter Hagio-san’s work?

Anno: The first one I read was They Were 11! during its serialization. In elementary school I read it at the Ear-Nose-Throat Doctor. I generally read manga at the waiting room there or at the barbers, since I didn’t really get any manga to read at home. When I read They Were 11! back then I was blown away. After that I read Hyaku Oku no Hiru to Senoku no Yoru [trans: Ten Billion Days and One Hundred Billion Nights, original story by Ryu Mitsuse]. My favorite work is Half-god [Hanshin]. The fact that such a meaningful story could be told in only 16 pages is amazing. I think Hagio-san is a genius storyteller, but her art is amazing as well. In middle school I thought that if I copied Hagio-san’s art I’d become better at drawing.

Sato: If you had also imitated her storytelling would that perhaps have changed Eva’s final episode? (laughter)

Saving the world, love and hatred

Anno: You know, I don’t have much interest in concluding a story.

Sato: Do you hate wrapping a furoshiki? [trans note: a traditional wrapping cloth]

Anno: No, it’s that I think you can do more with a furoshiki than tie it up pretty. Like break it or tear it to shreds, all kinds of things.

Sato: If we include all that, isn’t that still doing the act of wrapping?

Hagio: In your case Anno-san, I find your way of grasping the world unique.

Sato: For both Anno-san and Hagio-san, even with the differences between manga and anime you’re making a serialized work, right. When you make a long-form work, is the ending something that is already decided? Or is it something that changes?

Anno: For me it’s something like a live performance, and ends up gradually changing as I create the work.

Hagio: I’m a bit too careful, so I can’t draw if I haven’t thought of the ending. An exception is when I made Star Red. Otherworld Barbara which I made later also ended up becoming an exception 

Anno: Star Red’s ending was magnificent. I was also influenced by Star Red. Actually, I’ve written some dialogue similar to the one in Star Red’s ending 

Sato: Which of the characters do you like?

Anno: Well, the protagonist.

Sato: I like Elg. At first I thought he was a rather unreliable person, but he gradually came to play an active role. By the end he revived a dead planet through love.

Hagio: I also like characters like that!

Sato: When I watch Anno’s works like Eva I feel like you are more the kind of person who saves the world through hatred, what do you think?

Anno: I don’t know 

Hagio: That feeling of uncertainty becomes the foundation of your storytelling doesn’t it? I come to think that that feeling is something so overflowing you can’t tie it all together. 

Sato: It seems you have some differences when it comes to making a story, but I think one thing your stories have in common is perhaps parent-child relations?

Anno: That is true, Hagio-san. Your relationship with your mother appears in your work…

Hagio: When I was a child, my older sister was my mother’s favorite, I was always compared to her. It seemed my mother thought that compared to my sister I was unreliable so she always worried about me, even when I was into my thirties she’d tell me to quit making manga.

Sato: And that was during The Poe Clan’s heyday wasn’t it?

Hagio: (laughter) When I was watching Eva, something that really caught my attention was Shinji-kun worrying about whether or not he was useful to his father. Yet there was a distance between them. During that time I was very interested in, to put it into words, “broken relations.” 

Otaku Are Generally Uncool

Sato: Anno-san, in your work I think father-son relations is something that makes an appearance. Are there any real experiences behind that?

Anno: My family was normal. If I have a complex it would be that we were a poor family rather than a just normal one, and my father has only one leg. Regardless, I think stories about parents are the simplest to make, it’s easy. 

Sato: So since Eva is a parent-child story it ended up like that?

Anno: What makes it easy is that we have some preconceived assumptions about [parent-child relations], “have you argued with your parents?” and such.

Sato: What appears in your work isn’t those things, but your own internalized problems don’t you think.

Anno: That appears to be it. As for my family we truly were the archetypical lower middle class household. My father was a good person. A sensible man. When you’re under circumstances like my father was you have to live sensibly or else you’re excluded.

Sato: So in opposition to that, you became an otaku.

Anno: That might be it. Your most important model for what normalcy is is your family. But I have a younger sister and she is exceedingly normal. She doesn’t read manga, there is nothing twisted about her at all.

Sato: And by twisted you mean?

Anno: That she’s not an otaku.

Sato: Anno-san, you’ve said that you hate otaku, haven’t you.

Anno: It’s not hate. It’s just that I think otaku are uncool. To otherwise not notice that you’re uncool or purposefully suppressing that fact makes me feel disgusted.

Sato: What about The Matrix? Isn’t that a cool otaku movie?

Anno: That one is also uncool.

Hagio: Even though Keanu Reeves is cool.

Anno: Keanu is cool. Because he is not an otaku. The otaku are the Wachowskis. They can’t get out of the confinements of their otaku-ism. So for example, even if they make something cool, part of it will for certain be otaku-like Even though I say this I don’t hate it. If I truly did I’d quit being an otaku.

Sato: Hagio-san, would you say your family was normal or was it perhaps affluent?

Joh (Hagio’s manager): Hagio-san and her mother actually have a similar biorhythm. It was perhaps due to that fact that Hagio rebelled by pursuing the path of becoming a manga artist. 

Hagio: I might have been running away by drawing. But, if I had rebelled by becoming a delinquent I think it perhaps might’ve been more enriching to me as a person.

Anno: To become a creator is not something I think is a happy path to go down. In order to not be unhappy you have to work for dear life. At the very least create works as if you’re going back to zero [from the negatives].

Hagio: Is it a negative? Because you are an otaku?

Anno: Being an otaku is a huge negative. You make up for it either by relying on others or by producing creative works. With that said, I think my generation has it easier than yours, Hagio-san. This is an era where even old men read manga. My parents even now have no issues with my line of work. I appear in Asahi Shimbun, I appear on NHK, they have nothing to worry about. That is also why I will try not to ever refuse any coverage from my hometown newspapers.

Hagio: But don’t you think parents don’t truly understand? Even if I become famous, my parents will say; can’t you quit drawing manga? And just appear in the newspaper? (laughter)

Sato: But if you quit drawing manga you won’t appear in the newspaper. (laughter)

Hagio: In that context, a part of me still expects too much affirmation from my parents. Not externally but internally. Even if I appear in Asahi Shimbun I still end up thinking it’s not good enough.

Sato: The fact that you still worry so much about what your parents think at your age Hagio-san, it’s so strange.

Hagio: Yes, I think so too

Anno: Could it be that you have to become a parent to change that part of you that worries so much about what your parents think?

Sato: I don’t worry at all about what my parents think.

Anno: I also don’t care even a little bit. As far as I’m concerned, I’m bored if I get my parents’ approval. When I did Nadia: The Secret Of Blue Water for NHK I felt that feeling.

Sato: Do you have a replacement parent figure?

Anno: Well, a man without imaginary enemies is no good. For me right now, I think I want to make works that have Hayao Miyazaki beat.

Sato: Hagio-san, your worries might also be what gives birth to your works.

Hagio: That might be the case.

Sato: Anno-san, earlier, you said “you have to become a parent to change.” I personally don’t think if you don’t have children you can’t become an adult. I think that being an adult is being independent in everything you do. That’s why I think marriage or having children doesn’t change anything.

Anno: You can become a parent without being an adult. At 17 or 18 you could become a parent. To become a parent without even being an adult, that is the problem I think. 

Sato: Do you consider yourself to be an adult, Anno-san?

Anno: I guess I’m a child. 

Sato: I don’t consider my parents to be adults.

Hagio: I’m very discontent with the fact that my parents aren’t adults.

Anno: I’m not discontent.

Sato: For me realizing that my parents aren’t absolute adults was a relief during my middle school years. Until then I had played the role of an exemplary student, but when I realized that fact I stopped playing that role. 

Hagio: So you’re a child who didn’t fit into your parents’ expectations. I was also a child who didn’t fit into my parents’ expectations, but the fact that they didn’t shrug their shoulders and say “that’s fine,” filled me with anxiety. I thought that if I become an adult I’d lose that anxiety. But I want recognition from people. I continue to request affirmation. 

Sato: Anno-san, in Eva you portrayed children like this, but are you like this yourself?

Anno: The affirmation? Hmmm. That kind of thing changes with the project.

Hagio & Sato: ?

Anno: I don’t believe in the supremacy of the director of a work, but rather the work itself. What would be best for the work, I only base my judgment on the total. Although I won’t hand over the executive decisions.

Hagio: Manga is a one-man job, but with a movie there’s the director, the scriptwriter, the actors, etc. Each of them sees themselves as a leading part. Furthermore as living beings the things we do will sometimes diverge from the plan we made in our heads. The fun of living is discovering what those differences will be.

Is Eva The Rite of Passage That Will Get Us Through Puberty?

Sato: The movie Love & Pop that you directed Anno-san, the original creator Ryuu Murakami-san and yourself are both men, yet the story is about high school girls. I found that interesting.

Hagio: I thought that both of you wanted to be very similar to an archetypical girl. You said you wanted to see a part of puberty, and girlhood that you couldn’t control. After all, men aren’t just made up of boys. I believe that femininity and masculinity is something we have combined within us. Sort of androgynous.

Sato: The boys you create not having that vivid true-to-life quality to them I think is a representation of that. Anno-san, as a man, what do you think of the boys in Hagio-san’s manga? 

Anno: I think they have empathy. I think what I like the most is that all the characters are smart. Because they have such a high intelligence it feels good to read.

Hagio: Like a washing machine right at the peak of its cycle, I want to leave my characters on the verge of that kind of critical point [of merger]. To be honest, the idea that once you’re past 30 you’ve become an old lady, that sense is something we’ve left behind.

Sato: I’ve found that when men become old they lose their ability to be nihilistic in their work, is it the same as that?

Anno: In the case of men, as you age, the world view [of your fiction] rather than your characters come to reflect your nihilism. You don’t aspire to be nihilistic, you yourself are becoming nihilistic. Your world view is what gradually utilizes nihilism. Isao Takahata, for example, is a nihilistic person. Nothing is born from being nihilistic. As nihilism is Plus-Minus-Zero, eventually your heart can’t be moved.

Hagio: A world that doesn’t change, isn’t that comfortable? 

Sato: Even though in order to grow you have to fight. By asking like this, Anno-san, did you not experience puberty?

Anno: That might be it.

Hagio: I thought you were right in the middle of puberty.

Anno: I thought I’m losing it, but it might be puberty. Generally speaking, otaku don’t go through puberty.

Hagio: I thought otaku went through a prolonged chronic puberty.

Anno: It’s not what society ordinarily calls puberty.

Hagio: A never ending puberty, in this age, could it perhaps be because there are no more rites of passage? 

Anno: Sure enough, you have to bungee jump. (laughter)

Hagio: A ritual to let your childhood die and then replay it, such a thing doesn’t exist now. Taking entrance exams may be the closest to [a rite of passage].

Sato: Don’t you feel like lately that around age 30 is when the coming of age ceremony actually happens?

Hagio: For that part, that’s when the stories takes on that role I think.

Sato: As a ritual?

Hagio: It’s not a ritual, but perhaps more intuitive? A trial run on a mock life. By that definition, I noticed Eva is just like that. I had an acquaintance who is a teacher from the Kyoto Steiner school. They saw the Eva movie in theaters. At that time they found the reactions of the people watching to be more interesting than the story. They had thought, isn’t it like we’ve all come to see the rite of passage which we all failed? I thought so as well “that’s right, that is interesting.” The rite of passage to become an adult after entering puberty, be it Gundam or Eva those stories put people in a position where they are observing the world, observing themselves, experiencing war and such.

Sato: Anno-san, were you considering all this…

Anno: I didn’t make it like that. But when I was making the movie I was thinking of this a little. 

Hagio: When I watched Eva it ended up overlapping with the book Childhood [by Jan Myrdal]. It’s a book about a mother who can’t love her child. She thinks “I have to take care of this child”, but even so she can’t love him. I wonder what happens to children raised like this. Children learn from their parents. In truth there will be consequences for the parent, but the question on my mind was children who can’t find their place with the parent, where can they find their place instead? Although I thought you were such a person when you were making Eva, Anno-san. (laughter) 

Sato: Speaking of, the other day you were on a TV show teaching grade schoolers about anime, Anno-san. What do you think of children?

Anno: I was scared of being in contact with children. I don’t understand the appropriate distance to take. I believe even the most casual thing an adult says mustn’t traumatize them, I end up becoming oversensitive. In grade school during still drawing class, I’d draw roof tiles and other detailed things, but humans moved around and I found it annoying, so I never drew people. Because of that my teacher said “this isn’t a child’s drawing,” which deeply hurt me. In the end, from that experience I think it was a part of the reason why I decided on working with drawing. Even though I opposed standardized education, I really felt the difficulty of dealing with not having a basic manual.

By the way, how much longer until Zankoku na Kami ga Shihai Suru [trans: A Cruel God Reigns] ends? I made a mistake. I wanted to read it all at once, right, so I refrained from buying it but… when volume 6 came out I ended up buying all of them. 

Hagio: Oh yes, right. July next year I think. 

Anno: Understood. Then the final collected volume will be out in the fall of next year. Hmm well that means I can enjoy it for another year. Understood. 

Sato: Isn’t that great.

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Translated by mod Juli, with assistance from two financially compensated native speakers.

A scan of the full interview raws has now been added to the wordpress version!