#*s: yumiko

[scintillulae]

[bunnymajo]

Shiratori Reiko de Gozaimasu! - 1988-1992

[letsmakefingerfive]

YUMIKO TAKAHASHI, 1980'S.

here's the sources.

[distantvoices]

Nyaduola Gabriel by Anthony Arquier for Numéro France April 2024

Joana Dacheville (Fashion Editor/Stylist), Yumiko Hikage (Hair Stylist), Marielle Loubet (Makeup Artist), Magda S (Manicurist)

[daddydixonscrossbow]

Summary: Reader travels to hilltop to find out some important news.

Warnings: twd themes, zombies, weapons, blood/gore, strong language, age gap (reader is in their late 20’s), pregnant!reader, talk of pregnancy, kissing, mainly fluff

Word Count: 3.4k | unedited

ᖭི༏ᖫྀ ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ᖭི༏ᖫྀ ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ᖭི༏ᖫྀ ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ᖭི༏ᖫྀ

“Hey.” You smile at Michonne, “Mind if I catch a ride with you to hilltop?”

She smiles, “Not at all. Hop in.”

You nod, “I gotta go let Daryl know, I’ll be right back.”

You turn, walking back towards the house when Daryl walks out, “You goin’ with Michonne?” You tilt your head, “How’d you know?”

Dog breaks through the crack of the door and runs up to you, nuzzling his nose into your leg, “Hi, boy. I’ll see you soon, okay?” You bend down, allowing him sniff your face.

“Saw you talkin’ t’her.” Daryl walks down, reaching out to scratch Dog’s head, “It’s fine if you are.”

“I want to go talk to Maggie, see if she needs any help. Plus, I want to help Michonne with getting those people a home.” You stand back up, “Why don’t you come with?”

He shakes his head, “I gotta help Rick, goin’ for a run, I’ll come up tomorrow?”

You nod, “Yeah, that works.” You step in towards him, “Good luck.” He smirks and nods, “You, too.” He pecks your lips, “Love you.”

You smile, “Love you.”

You turn around to walk away and Dog bark, following you. Daryl yells, “Hey, Dog. C’mon, boy. Thought you liked me better.”

You smile at Daryl, scratching Dog’s head before motioning back to Daryl, “Go, boy. Go with dad.” Dog whines and nudges your leg with his nose.

You take a deep breath and walk him back to Daryl, “Okay. Now I’m going.” You smile at him and make your way to the wagon, climbing up in with the others.

“Ready?” Michonne asks and you nod, “Yep.”

The wagon starts going and you wave to Daryl as you exit the gate. He lifts his hand, giving you a small smile.

You turn back, extending your hand out to the one girl, “Y/n.” She shakes your hand, “Magna.” She points as she introduces each person in her group, “Luke, Yumiko, Kelly, and Connie.”

Connie signs and you smile, signing back, “Nice to meet you, too.” You spell out your name, “I’m y/n.”

She smiles and nods.

“Have you been with these guys long?” Magna asks and you nod, “Few years, yeah. They’re good people, I came with to help try and get you guys into Hilltop.”

“We appreciate it. It was getting old being out there, constantly on the run.” Magna rolls her eyes and you nod, “That’s how I was, right before I was found by Rick and his group.”

“Were you alone?” She asks and you nod, “Yep. And it was hell.”

The ride to hilltop was mainly smooth, other than a few walkers that people at the front took care of, so you really, and luckily, didn’t have to do much of anything on the ride there, which is what you had hoped for.

You were exhausted, way more than normal, but you didn’t want anyone to ask questions so you played it off as best you could.

Once you arrived to hilltop, you got out and walked up to the gate where you were greeted by Maggie, “Glad to see you. How’s Daryl?”

You nod stepping back, “He’s good. Coming up tomorrow.”

She nods, “Good. Who do you have with you?” She motions towards the people walking in and Michonne walks up, “This group needs a home, I told them that we’d bring them to you, they can help with their part.”

Maggie nods, “Let’s talk inside.”

“Y/n, you comin’?” Michonne looks back at you and you nod, “Yeah, I’ll be in then. I’m going to see if anyone needs any help out here.”

Maggie smiles and Michonne nods, “Alright. Suit yourself.”

You manage to sneak away, subtly and casually making your way to the medical trailer, “Hey, Dr. Carson.”

“Y/n. Great to see you.” He looks you up and down, “Are you hurt?”

You shake your head, glancing back to the door and lowering your voice, “I need you to do me a favor, and it has to stay between us.”

He raises a brow, “Okay? What can I do?”

“I need an ultrasound.”

“Like.. a pre-“

“Yes.” You nod, cutting him off, “And I don’t want anyone to know about it.”

He nods, motioning to the table, “You got it. Have you been having any symptoms?” He gets the machine ready and you sigh, “Um, kind of? I’ve been more tired, eating makes me want to barf, and I’ve been super bloated.”

“Before we continue, I have to ask.”

You shake your head, “Daryl doesn’t know.”

Carson nods, “Okay, but I was going to ask how you feel about this.”

You laugh slightly, “Um, well.” Tears form in your eyes and you take a shaky breath, “I might be pregnant during the apocalypse, so how do you think I feel?”

“Is the grouchiness a new thing, too?” He smiles and you can’t help but laugh, “How’d you know?”

“You usually never had an attitude unless someone does wrong by you or someone you care a lot about.” He shrugs, “Just trying to cover all the bases.”

He motions for you to pull up your shirt and you comply. Taking a few deep breathes as he puts a gel on your stomach.

You weren’t ready for it. But you forced yourself, you needed to know.

“Okay, so there’s your uterine tissue, and if we go down just a tad..” Carson stops talking and you stare at the screen, “h-how far a long?”

“Looks to be about ten or so weeks. Healthy little thing, that’s for sure.”

“Ten!?” You lay your arm over your face, “I think I’m going to be sick.” Carson wipes off your stomach and helps sit you up, “I know, you were probably hoping for other news, but..”

You shake your head, “No, no. I mean we didn’t plan this, obviously..” you stand up, “I just, I don’t know. I don’t know how I feel about this.”

“That’s okay, y/n. As your friend, it’s totally okay to feel unsure, but as your doctor, telling Daryl is the best thing you can do.”

You close your eyes, “Oh my god.” You turn your head, “You said they were good? They’re healthy?”

He nods, “Oh yeah. But I want to see you back here in about three, four weeks if you can.”

You nod, “Three, four weeks. Got it.”

“And try and cut back on the walker killing. Don’t strain yourself, too much. Okay?”

“I’ll try.” You take a deep breath, slowly blowing it out, “I’m going to go now before I puke all over your work space.”

As you walk to the door, Carson walks over, “Here.” He hands you the ultrasound picture and you can’t help but smile as you take it, “Thank you.”

He nods, “Anything at all, you know where to find me.”

You nod, shoving the picture into your back pocket and walking out. As soon as you step onto the ground, it hits you. You run over to the back of the trailer and bend over, puking up what you can.

“Y/n?”

You wipe your mouth and stand up, “Maggie, hi.”

“What are you doing?” She tilts her head, “Are you okay?”

“Oh yeah, I’m fantastic.” You lean against the trailer and she walks over, reaching up to feel your forehead, “You’re not runnin’ a fever, did you tell Dr. Car-“

“I just came from there.” You take a deep breath, “I’m going to tell you something, but it needs to stay between us, for now at least.”

“How far along are ya?”

You bring your head back and you laugh, “How did you know?”

She smiles, “Please. I have like a weird sixth sense when it comes to that. C’mon, let’s see it.” She holds her hand out and you bring the ultrasound from your back pocket, “Here. Carson says about ten weeks or so. Healthy little thing.”

She just her lip out and looks up at you, “How does Daryl feel about this?”

Your smile fades and tears well up in your eyes, “I-I haven’t told him yet.”

Maggie hands you back the picture and she wraps her arm around you, “C’mon, let’s go inside and talk.” You wipe your face before you start walking and you shove the picture into your sweatshirt pocket.

She leads you inside to her office and closes the door, “When did you first think you were?”

You sit down and sigh, “Probably a few weeks ago, but there’s just so much going on at Alexandria, I never really had a moment to break away and get checked for sure.”

“Would be nice to find a workin’ ultrasound machine for there.” Maggie shakes her head, “But I’m glad you hitched a ride with Michonne. It’s good to get checked out.”

You nod, “Daryl said he’ll be here tomorrow and I just-“ you close your eyes, “I’m scared of how he might react.”

Maggie laughs and you look at her like she just kicked your puppy, “Sorry, I just-“ she shakes her head, laying her hand over her mouth, “in all my years of knowing Daryl, he was never one to give anyone the attention he gives to you.”

“Really?” You ask, your voice cracking as you fight back more tears, “Sorry, these hormones. Everything all makes sense now.” You laugh slightly, “ When I was alone out there, before you guys found me.. I never thought I’d find anyone else, let alone someone to love me like Daryl does.”

“See.” Maggie smiles, “I think it’ll be a shock to him at first, but I think he’ll be happy once that wears off.”

You lay a hand on your forehead, “I hope. I’m just so.. nervous about it all.” You laugh, “Oh my god.”

“It not as bad as you think.” Maggie shrugs, “I had Hershel here. Carson and a few others were absolutely amazing.”

“It’s just scary to think-“

“Don’t think like that. If you want, you and Daryl can stay here for the duration if you want, just so you’re close to Carson.” Maggie offers and you nod, “I’ll have to see what, and how Daryl feels about that.”

“I think it’ll be fine.” Maggie tilts her head, “I think ya’ll are havin’ a girl.”

You smile, “You think so?”

She nods, “Daryl has girl mom written all over him.” She laughs, “I know he’s probably want a boy, but that’s also why I’m thinkin’ girl.”

You laugh and lean back against the chair, “I think I’m still in shock, partially.”

“It never goes away.” Maggie shakes her head, “C’mon, let’s go get you something to eat. I have some ginger lyin’ around her somewhere. It’ll help with the nausea.”

——

You tosses and turned all night.

One, because you couldn’t get comfortable. Two, because you missed Daryl, you hated being away from him, and three, your nerves were still eating you alive.

You sat up, swinging your legs off the bed and you just sat there.

Different ways of telling Daryl running through your mind.

“Fucking hell.” You get up, quietly making your way to where the radio is set up. You click the mic and take a deep breath, “Hilltop to Alexandria.”

You give it a little before calling again, “Hilltop to Alexandria. This is y/n, over.”

“You’ve reached Alexandria, this is Eugene speaking, over.”

“Eugene.” You sigh, “Do you know if Daryl is around, or even awake?”

“Is everything all good on that side of the trees? I do believe he’s patrolling because according to my observation, he can’t stand it when you aren’t here.”

You laugh slightly, “Yeah, yeah. Everything is fine, I just.. can’t stand it when I’m not there with him either.”

“Sit tight, hold your horses. I’ll be back before the goose can squawk, over.”

You shake your head, smiling as you rest your chin in your palm as you wait. A few minutes later, you hear the click and let out a sigh of relief when you hear Daryl say your name, “Y/n, what’s goin’ on?”

“I can’t sleep.”

“Yeah.” Daryl chuckles, “Me either. I shoulda’ came with ya.”

You laugh slightly, “Or you could have just let Dog come with me.” Daryl laughs, “You know damn well if I gave that dog a’choice, he’d pick you.”

“What can I say.” You sniffle, trying to stay calm, “I’m his favorite.”

“What’s wrong?”

You knew hiding something from Daryl was impossible. He could sniff it out a thousand miles away, “Nothing, nothing, I just.. wish I would have stayed, that’s all.”

“It’ll be okay, darlin’. I’ll be there as soon as I can, too dangerous t’ride at night like this.”

“No, honey. I know. I’m just, being a.. a big baby right now.”

“Ain’t nothin’ wrong with that.” He laughs and you nod to yourself, looking out the window, “Should only be a few more hours until day break, right?”

“That’s right, baby.” Daryl sighs, “Why don’t y’try and get some sleep, hmm?”

“I’m not making any promises.” You laugh quietly, “I love you.”

“I love you, I’ll see you in the mornin’ alright?”

“Alright.” You can hear him walk off and Eugene picks up, “Goodnight, y/n.”

“Goodnight, Eugene. Thank you.”

“Anytime.”

You walk back to your room and lay down. You stare up at the ceiling, hand on your stomach. You remember the ultrasound picture and pull it from your pocket. You look at it in the glow of the moonlight, a small smile resting on your lips.

Maybe this wasn’t such a bad thing, children were the future after all, right?

You tucked the picture back into your pocket and rolled over, getting as comfy as you can before you finally got some sleep.

You up as soon as the light started shining through the window, glaring right in your eyes. You sat up, making your way to the bathroom to get as ready for the day as you could.

An hour or so later, you hear the gates open, the sound of Daryl’s bike and Dog barking.

You turn, bending down to meet Dog as he runs up to you, “Hi my handsome boy! Did you miss me? Huh?” You laugh as he licks your chin and you look up, seeing Daryl walk up to you with a smile, “Did y’get any sleep?”

You walk over to him, wrapping your arms around him, “Took a little, but yeah. Eventually.”

He holds you tight and kisses your head, “Ya eat anything yet?”

You shake your head and he nods, “Yeah, me neither, c’mon.”

You walk inside and Maggie walks up, “Hey Daryl.” As she’s is hugging him, she gives you a look and you shake your head.

She nods and leans back, “Breakfast is almost done. Hang tight, okay?”

Daryl nods and turns around, “I don’t think you can ever do that again.” You smile, tilting your head, “Do what?”

“Leave me back home like that.” He pulls you into a hug and dog nudges at you again. Daryl groans, “Dog, what is your problem? Can’t I get five minutes with her?”

He whines and you look up at Daryl, “I think I might know what’s going on.” He tilts his head and you look around, “Come with me.”

You lead him to a room and close the door, “I didn’t..” you take a deep breath, “Fuck, okay.” You shake your hands and rub them on your thighs, “I’m nervous, hold on.”

“What are’ya nervous about, y/n?” Daryl walks up to you and you reach into your pocket, slowly pulling out the ultrasound, “This is why I came here.”

He looks down at your hand and takes the picture, flipping it over and he scoffs, a small smirk on his lips, “Ain’t no way.”

“A-are you mad?” You can feel your eyes burn from the tears that are forming and he looks up at you, shaking his head, “Mad? Why the hell would I be mad?”

He places his hands on your hips, “Look at me.” He reaches up, gently pushing your chin upward, “We’ll figure things out, alright? Things change, and that’s okay.”

He swipes away a stray tear on your cheek with his thumb, “We always have, right?” You nod, sniffling and he cups your cheek, “We always will.” He kisses your head and pulls you into, “That’s prolly’why dog has been up your ass lately.”

You laugh, “Yeah, maybe I’m not the favorite.”

Daryl chuckles and shakes his head, “Don’t say that.” He steps back, walking over to the window to look at the picture in better light.

He studies it for a few seconds, “How far along are ya?”

You walk over, “Carson said about ten weeks. They’re healthy, too. Which is a good thing.”

He nods, “Yeah, yeah it is.” He looks up, shaking his head, “I just..” he scoffs, laughing slightly, “Did you know before, or?”

You shake your head, “I had a feeling, and a few symptoms, but things have been so crazy back home I just didn’t have time to-“

“Nah, you don’t need to be doing anythin’ like y’been.” Daryl shakes his head, “You have two things to worry about and that’s you and our baby.”

You smile, nodding your head.

“Does anyone else know?” He asks as he turns towards you. You nod, “Carson and Maggie. She walked up on me puking outside of the medical trailer and she just knew.”

“Yeah, she’s got some sort’a sixth sense when it comes to this kinda thing.”

“That’s what Maggie said.” You laugh and step towards him, your arms wrapping around him. His arms snake around you and he buries his face into your neck.

“I’m sorry I was nervous.” You whisper and Daryl shakes his head as he stands up, “Don’t, you don’t ever have to say sorry.” He pinches your chin gently, “Not to me.”

You nod, reaching up to tuck hair behind his ear, “Maggie says you’re a girl dad.”

He scoffs, “I’m sure she did.” He smirks and holds up the ultrasound, “Y’think Carson is busy?”

“Only one way to find out.” You smile and take Daryl’s hand, walking out to the medical trailer. When you walk in, he turns around and smiles, “I see you took my advice.”

You nod, “Yeah, I did.” You motion to Daryl, “He wants to see, if you have some time.”

Carson nods towards the table, “of course.”

You walk over to the table and Daryl is right there, his hand in yours while his other presses into your back to help you lay down.

You pull your shirt up and Carson puts the gel on again.

Daryl keeps a hold of your hand, watching everything Carson down intently, “Now what that?” He points to your stomach and Carson smiles slightly, “It’s a gel, basically helps the picture be clearer.”

Daryl nods, watching as he places the wand on your stomach, “So right here..” Carson points to the screen, “Is your baby.”

You look from the screen to Daryl, “That’s our baby.”

Daryl shakes his hair from his face and takes a deep breath, “Yeah, yeah it is.”

You push your bottom lip out, “Are you okay?”

He nods, “Yeah, it just..” he looks down, wiping away his face and you smile, turning your head back to the screen as you squeeze his hand.

“When can we find out what it is?” You look up at Carson and he shrugs, “usually, between eighteen and twenty two weeks, but it really comes down to if the baby wants to cooperate.”

“They’ll be stubborn.” Daryl chuckles, squeezing your hand, “Just like mom.”

“Excuse me?” You raise your brows, giving him a laugh, “I don’t think I’m as anywhere as stubborn as you are, Mr. Dixon.”

He laughs and shakes his head, bending down to kiss your forehead, “Alright, alright.”

Carson wipes off your stomach and Daryl helps you sit up, “When do you want to see her back?”

“Few weeks, but I told her that if she needs anything, she knows where to find me. You both do.” Carson looks between you and Daryl and nods.

“C’mon, let’s go get you somethin’ t’eat.” Daryl runs your back and you look at him, “Maggie gave us an offer to stay here if you want.”

He thinks for a moment and nods, “Let’s go talk t’Maggie.”

ᖭི༏ᖫྀ ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ᖭི༏ᖫྀ ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ᖭི༏ᖫྀ ⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ᖭི༏ᖫྀ

Thank you so much for reading! 🖤

Likes and reblogs are majorly appreciated!

[metamorphesque]

🌼 poems (and a love letter) that helped me live through july 🌼

One Or Two Things, Mary Oliver

Kitchen Song, Laura Kasischke

The Breathing, Denise Levertov

Trapped, Charles Bukowski

Precognition, Margaret Atwood

Rain, John Burnside

Looking, Walking, Being, Denise Levertov

At Joan's, Frank O'Hara

You, Carol Ann Duffy

Time, Louise Gluck

Effort at Speech Between Two People, Muriel Rukeyser

Still, A. R. Ammons

Sonnet XL, Edna St. Vincent Millay

Sonnet XLIII, Edna St. Vincent Millay

Listen, W. S. Merwin

A Thin Line, Ryuichi Tamura (translated by Samuel Grolmes and Yumiko Tsumura)

Driveway, Richard Siken

The Sentence, Anna Akhmatova

Wanting to Die, Anne Sexton

Eating Together, Kim Addonizio

The Look, Sara Teasdale

The Starry Night, Anne Sexton

Hammond B3 Organ Cistern, Gabrielle Calvocoressi

Richard Feynman's love letter to his deceased wife, 1946

[kira-akira]

some random 2006 phantom first-watch thoughts (spoilers ahead)

i had only seen 2018 phantom before (and am obsessed with it) and now i completely get what people mean when they say daimon really poor little meow meow'd 2018's phantom. because wow is osa's phantom way more stoic, reserved, mature, but also more brutal and terrifying. i mean, huge ass sword to kill carlotta??

believe me when i say i love saki's gerard so goddamn much but yumiko murdered me with her you are my own. my jaw dropped. i can see why seeing that live in 2006 made maitii want to join tkz, good lord

i also completely forgot that daimon was literally a phantom's follower in 2006!! it's all coming full circle. the dots are connected

gotta say, obsessed with what 2006 cholet and moncharmin have going on....

WHY DID I NOT KNOW THAT 2006 PHANTOM'S DUEDAN IS TURANDOT!!! this was made for me. i have not stopped thinking about this

in all, despite being literally the same show, 2018 and 2006 are very different from each other. from the set design, to the costumes, and definitely to the characterization of erik. to me, the most memorable part of 2006 phantom is osa and yumiko's powerful vocals. much to think about. now to watch 2004 phantom and have even more emotions!

[bishiedoll]

綿の国星 (The Star of Cottonland)'s Chibi-neko on LaLa covers by 大島弓子 (Ooshima Yumiko).

Source: 1 2 3 4

[cute-girls-from-vns-anime-manga]

Ooh your display case is really cool! Can you give us a rundown of what stuff is/where you got it etc?

HELL YEAH ID LOVE TO SPEND MY TIME DETAILING ALL MY COOL SHIT!!!

I don't want to overload everyone's dashboards with a ton of HQ pics of ALL of this individually so we are gonna go shelf by shelf left to right! I will try and use bullets to group certain things if they are apart of a set of some sort! (though I'm still working on these display cabinets and organizing things into their sets)

Starting with the Eushully shelf!

Kami no Rhapsody (RPG/VN), Source: Ebay

Kami no Rhapsody guide/art book, Source: Ebay

Madou Koukaku (RPG/VN), Source: Ebay

Ikusa Megami Zero guide/art book. Source: Ebay

Kamidori Alchemy Meister Special Alchemy disk (content pack), Source: Mandarake

Kamidori Alchemy Meister Perfect guide/art book + content pack disc, Source: Ebay

Kamidori Alchemy Meister Hannah's Pilgrimage (content pack), Source: Ebay

Kamidori Alchemy Meister (RPG/VN) Source: Ebay

Ikusa Megami (RPG) Source: Ebay <- STUPIDLY RARE I STILL CANT BELIEVE I FOUND EUSHULLY'S FIRST GAME THEY EVER PUT OUT BACK IN 1999 EVEN A SEARCH FOR IT ON SOME OF MY MORE ESOTERIC VISUAL NOVEL HUNTING GROUNDS TURNS UP A SINGLE LISTING THATS BEEN SOLD OUT FOR YEARS NOW!

Amayui Labyrinth Meister guide/art book + content pack disc Source: Ebay

Amayui Castle Meister guide/art book Source: Ebay

Fuukan no Grasesta (RPG/VN) Source: Ebay

Eushully branded mug printed with MC's of their various games Source: Ebay <- just showed up on my ebay alert for Eushully for dirt cheep probably the most absurd Eushully branded thing I own!

Emilita phone strap (she one of the main three heroines of Kamidori Alchemy Meister) Source: Ebay

Amayui Labyrinth Meister (RPG/VN) Source: Ebay

NEXT IS MY FIGURE SHELF!!!!

Tenryuu (Kancolle) Source: PLAMOYA

Saber Lilly (Fate Series) Source: PLAMOYA

Bendy OL-chan (pixiv artist OC) Source: amiami

Jill Stingray Nendroid (VA-11 Hall-A) Source: GOODSMILE

Yumiko Sakaki Bunny Suit (Grisaia no Meikyuu) Source: Solaris Japan

Marin Kitagawa Swimsuit ver. (My dress up darling) Source: amiami

Konata Cat Lingerie (pixiv artist OC) Source: amiami

NOW FOR MY VISUAL NOVEL COLLECTION (That isnt an Eushully or Minato Soft title)

Tsukihime remake (Switch Limited Edition) Source: Amazon

Witch on the Holy Night (Switch Limited Edition) Source: Amazon

Side note here THANK YOU TYPE MOON FOR MAKING THE LIMITED EDITIONS OF THESE TWO SUCH BIG BEAUTIFUL BOXES!!!!

Grisaia Complete Box (Japanese edition) Source: Jlist <- I genuinely believe this is the RAREST thing I own did a quick search and found only ONE seller on Mandarake selling this and its a used and incomplete copy MINE IS STILL PRISTINE AND COMPLETE!

Rewrite limited edition Source: Ebay <- Rewrite has my favorite limited/special edition extras of any visual novel in additon to the beautiful artwork and some interviews and stuff they included SHEET MUSIC FOR TWO OF THE BG MUSIC TRACKS

Clannad Limited Edition Source: Ebay <- This was the first physical visual novel I ever bought and Imported so obviously it holds a special place in my heart, AND OF COURSE CLANNAD WAS THE FIRST VN I GOT A PHYSICAL EDITION OF BEING ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR VISUAL NOVELS OF ALL TIME AND CERTAINLY EARNS ITS STATUS AS A CLASSIC!

Little Busters Limited Edition Source: Ebay <- Not much to say about this one like I did the other two Key VN's ive got just another solid Limited edition of a great classic Visual Novel!

Subarashiki Hibi Source: Ebay <- Honestly with this one I am kind of disappointed in the quality of the box feels REAL flimsy but sadly box build quality isnt what it used to be back in the 90's

LASTLY THE PLUSHY SHELF ONLY THREE AND THEY ARE ALL FROM MAKESHIP!

Glow in the dark goblin: by Jocat <- glad Jocat has recently returned to twitch as his content is really amazing and I loved the little gobo animations he made with these guy's designs!

The absolutely adorable Cardiegon: by Ceroro <- whom is just an absolutely incredible artist whom yall should already be following here on tumblr by now!!!!

Finally the most recent plushie Sky (2.0 WITH BORGOR) the MC of Endless Monday Dreams and Deadlines: both the amazing game and sky herself are by hcnone <- GO PLAY ENDLESSS MONDAY RIGHT NOW GIVE HCNONE YOUR MONEY THEY ARE AN INCREDIBLE ARTIST AND MADE A WONDERFULLY AMAZING LITTLE GAME!!!!

THIS WAS SUCH A FUN TRIP BACK THROUGH THE MEMORIES OF FINDING ALL THIS STUFF AND REMEMBERING BEING SO EXCITED FOR EACH AND EVERY THING!!!!!

[xlxvesxckx]

Turbulence [Chapter II]

Synopsis: The Academy was the most prestigious scoop to go to. If you had money, you ruled the school, and if you were poor, you were the stepping stools to the others. And if you're Y/n L/n, your life was going to become a living nightmare.

Pairings: Poly!Ateez x Reader, Original Characters x Reader, Original Characters x Ateez.

This Chapter: Kim Hongjoong x Reader, Slight Kang Yeosang x Reader

Word count: 2.6k words

Au: Academy Au.

Theme; Angst, Yandere.

Chapter Synopsis: After being triggered by some girls, Y/n spends some time with Hongjoong, only to be told not to trust him by the very girls who taunted her. Confused, she dwells on it, wondering if she should let what she heard go, or keep it in her mind for later

Warnings: Bullying(Verbal and Physical), flashbacks, s, obsession, possessiveness, slight suggestive content. It’s a tame chapter..

a/n: I apologize for getting this back to you so late! But i hope you still enjoy it! More at the end!

Here's My KoFi if you'd like to support!

In case you missed the first part :

Turbulence Chapter I

✧ ▬▭▬ ▬▭▬ ✦✧✦ ▬▭▬ ▬▭▬ ✧

Chapter II : [New and Old Memories]

You were still in shock, the next couple of days you still thought about it.

How in the hell did you manage to get yourself into this shit. Being best friends and Becoming friends with two of the most popular boys in this academy.

Just your fucking luck.

You sighed as you arrived at school, you didn’t know what the hell you were gonna do.

Youwalk into the school, confused on what you were going to, you ended up bumping into someone.

You fell back on your ass and heard a scoff followed by a couple snickers behind it.

“Oh so this is what the boys have been obsessed over?…”

You looked up to see three girls looking down at you.

It was three girls looking down at you from your position. You recognized them from a few of your classes.

There was Ye Ann, A nursing major who was known around school as the one of the most popular and beautiful girls. You've seen her hanging out with Yeosang and one of his friends.

Next was Yumiko Watanabe. She was an arts major alongside you and Hongjoong, you’ve seen her a lot in class and seen her interacting and laughing/joking around with Hongjoong.

Lastly was the ringleader and the one who pushed you.

Her name was Lola, you didn’t know why she was here attending this school, but you knew she was one to be feared. You’ve seen her intimidating many other girls and even causing them to leave the school for being around anybody she deemed hers.

And now she had her eyes on you.

“Listen up and Listen good bitch.” Lola started walking over to hover over you.

“I don't know what you did to make all the boys so obsessed with you so quickly. But I know they are ours. We already have pasts and. Futures with them and they do not include some poor looking bitch like you.”

"I don't think they'll like a dumb bitch like you..."

"You shouldn't waste your time. Go ahead and fuck right off. They are ours."

With that, Lola turned on her heel, with her two lackeys following closely behind, leaving you to think about what she just said.

You sighed heavily as you slowly got up bad brushed yourself off.

You shouldn’t let this bother you, you went through this before, you could survive it again.

As you brushed yourself off, you felt someone tap your shoulder.

Turning you see a guy you’ve only seen in passing, but know him as one of the members of Ateenagerz.

“Hi, Are you Y/n?”

“Yep, That’s me..”

“Great! I’m Song Mingi! Hongjoong is loooking for you and sent me to come get you, his in one of the private studios.”

You took the time to take in Mingi’s appearance, he had short pink hair and was built like what your old friends would call a dorito. He was built, tall, and seemed like an adorable person. This was far from the personality you thought he would have.

You allow him to take your hand as he led you to the studio. You knew Hongjoong spent too much time in that damn art studio, because it was what he did when he was younger.

——————-

“Hongjoong! It’s time to go home already!!! Hurry up!”

Hongjoong chuckles as he finished his final details on his painting for the day. He stepped away from the canvas as he felt arms wrap around his torso.

“N/n stop, you’re gonna get paint on you!” He heard you giggle behind you before turning around to wrap his arms around you.

Hongjoong placed his forehead against yours for a bit.

“We still on for our sleepover?”

“Duh, that’s why I came to get you! My Mom said it was fine, so I don’t want us to waste any time.”

Hongjoong laughs at your words before leaning down a bit more to place his lips on yours. He holds you close as his lips move against yours.

It was not secret that the two of you were close, but behind closed doors, where no one could see the shared touches and kisses between you two.

And you wanted to keep it that way.

Hongjoong was your little secret, and something you wanted to keep all to yourself.

But alas.

Fate had other plans for you that day.

You cried out in pain as you felt kicks and punches land on your body. Someone had seen you and Hongjoong together, that someone being Yui.

Yui was a girl who was known to be obsessed with Joong. She wanted to be his everything and despised anyone who was close to him.

And you were her target.

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOUR STUPID ASS HE IS MINE?!"

You cried out as she continued to punch you before pulling you up by your hair.

"Next time you get near him, you're going out in a body bag bitch. "

—————————————————-

"Y/n"

“Y/n?”

"Y/N!!"

You snapped out of your mind as you now found yourself in the large Paint studio, Mingi was long gone from your side, and Hongjoong looked at your head tilted in confusion and concern.

“What were you thinking about?” He asked watching you walk over to him.

You sigh, stopping directly in front of the male. “I was thinking about us.”

"Oh really? What about us?"

You decided not to sugar coat

"About how I was not allowed to be with your. Or else I'd get beat up..."

Hongjoong went quiet before going to grab your hands. “That’s why I called you here. I..” He trails off before locking eyes with you.

"I want to continue what we lost. What we never got to have because of others interfering..."

You looked at him, confused as Hongjoong continued his words.

“I want to continue what we had Y/n, I was so devastated when you left, I felt like I lost a piece of me. I lost what made me happy, I lost my muse…the reason why i breathed and choose to continue on..”

Hongjoong leaned down so that his lips were ghosting over yours.

You give a slight smile, “Who says we ever stopped?…” You say, punctuating your words by placing your lips against his. "Who's stopping us now?.."

Hongjoong let out a small sigh of relief as he wrapped his arms around you. He then pulls one of your legs to wrap around his waist.

He waited a bit for surprising you by lifting you, so you had no choice but to wrap your legs around his waist.

You pulled away slightly to playfully hit him. “Hongjoong! We are in school!” He smirks at your words before leading you over to a couch that was in the room. He had other plans for you, and he seemed he could care less where you were.

It was usually used for the painting models to wait before class started. But Hongjoong seemed that he had other plans for it.

“It’ll be quick 자기야…I’ll be quick…”(jagiya)

You let out a squeak as your back hit the couch, and his lips were soon on yours. You barely had time to react as he placed himself between your legs.

Hongjoong let out a soft groan as he finally held you in his arms.

He had always dreamed of a moment like this. Finally getting his chance to be intimate with you, after months of hoping and praying that you would simply waltz back into his life …And you finally did.

His head dipped down to be in the crook of your neck, you let out a gasp as you felt his lips on your neck, peppering it with kisses as he trailed down.

“My pretty 자기야…all for me..”He chuckles as he leans down to capture your lips again.

You could feel him begin to grind against you earning a desperate whimper from you.

And you were about to say something but heard a loud banging on the studio door.

“Joong! Did you forget about the meeting today?! Hurry up in there, your art projects can wait”

Hongjoong let out an audible groan as he rose up off of you. He rolled his eyes in annoyance. Joong helped you up and went to unlock the door, leaning on the doorframe afterwards.

Two guys that you’ve seen around before walked in. Both were dark haired and around the same height. Ones hair was a bit longer than the other, and one seemed alot more playful with Joon.

“Jeez, captain what was taking you so damned lon- Oh Hello~”

One of the males walked over to you with a sly smirk on his face. “Ah you must be Y/n! Joong talks so much about you.” You feel a blush come across your face.

He held out his hand "I'm Wooyoung, Culinary art's major!" He then points over to San. "That's San he's my best friend. " San have you a polite wave.

"Is nice to see who Captain has been talking about all these years..."

Hongjoong talks about you? And for years to? It must be a lot for some of his closest friends to remember you. Especially after being apart for so long.

“She’s even prettier than you described Hyung.”

"Definitely, a very pretty woman...,"

“Aye, back off you two. No flirting.”

You watched as the three bicker and talk, you stood there awkwardly.

It was weird seeing Hongjoong go from nearly about to claim you as his to a tired dad of two so fast. You decided to give him some space and let them talk amongst themselves.

It made you chuckle, before you gave Hongjoong a wave.

“I’ll catch you later Hongjoong! Just call me!’ You call out and he nods to you, waving back with a dorky smile before turning around to face his friends.

You left the studio and went down the hallway a bit before letting out a squeal of happiness.

Part of you was fucking scared, not only was Hongjoong one of the most popular guys in school. He had a posse of girls obesseed with him and wanted your head on a platter already.

But then again.

Hongjoong only wanted you. Just you.

What could possible go wrong with this equation.

✧ ▬▭▬ ▬▭▬ ✦✧✦ ▬▭▬ ▬▭▬ ✧

Everything.

Everything could go fucking wrong.

You don’t know how, or why or when. But someone snitched to the Ateenagerz fan club (that’s the name you gave the trio) about how close you and Hongjoong were and your days have been hell ever since.

"I think she fucked him already..."

"Oh my God, such a fucking whore..."

"She's only been her like two months.."

And rumors were beginning to spread, you were doing your best to avoid confrontations

“So you think just because you were ‘friends’ with Hongjoong in Highschool you can waltz in and win him over?”

You sighed as Ye Ann and Lola sat in front of your table. You were studying before your next class as you had a pop quiz and you kinda didn’t want to fail.

You ignored her mostly.

“You think just because he took you in the Studio and made out with you, that you’re special?”

That caught your attention.

You looked up at her in confusion. “How did-‘

Lola leaned close to you with a devious smirk. “I have eyes and ears all over this school” She then leaned back in her seat.

“You aren’t the first Y/n. And you definitely won't be the last one to be underneath him.”

Ye Ann snickered “Maybe he just wanted to fuck his childhood ‘friend’ and knock that off the bucket list.” Lola looked at Ye Ann and then laughed. “Holy shit! You might be right!”

“Maybe he just wanted to get in your pants because he couldn’t before. But i mean, wanting to fuck someone who’s been institutionalized seems like something he would do. He does like them crazy I guess..”

You froze.

How did she know all this information about you?

No one asides from your mother, Hongjoong’s mother and the dean of the school were supposed to know about your past. You tried to block that part of you out.

It was a place you didn’t deserve to be placed in, but because of others at your highschool you were broken,

You can barely remember what happened that day, but you do remember Hongjoong finding you in the classroom and was the one who got teachers to help you.

Everything after that was a blur, you just remember waking up in the hospital, your mom arguing with the principal of the school for allowing the bullying to get this bad.

You shook your head and decided to stand up.

“Look. I don’t like you, and it may seem like I’m picking a fight with you for no reason Y/n.”

You looked over at Lola, who was still leaning back in her chair.

“I’m just warning you, that yea we like Hongjoong and his crew. But they aren’t good people. Don’t let them fool you into to thinking they are knights in shining armor.” She started before leaning forward once again, now standing on her feet.

“They are criminals, they do shady shit, why do you think they practically run the school?”

“Why should I believe you?” Is the first thing to leave your mouth since the start of this conversation. Lola rolls her eyes.

“Fine, don’t believe me, but when you get your heart broken and whine up dead somewhere, don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.”She laughed at your distrust.

Lola stood up and came around the table to stare you straight in the face.

“You can’t handle them Y/n. It’s best you drop them and-“

“Y/n!”

The three of you look over to see Yeosang standing there with a smile, he hasn’t been at school the past few days and you wondered where your new bestie had gone to.

Yeosang walks over with his hands in his pockets and Lola quickly fixes herself to try and get the males attention.

“Hi Yeo~ Y/n and I wer-“

He ignores her and pulls you into a hug. You freeze at first before slowly returning his hug. Yeosang hums softly before pullling away.

“I missed you so much! My Parents had some things to do and wanted me to tag along, so I had to be away for a while.”

He says looking down at you with a smile. “I hope I didn’t have you eating lunch by yourself…”

You giggle at his comment and shook your head.

“No, I just sat with Hongjoong instead.” He hummed in response before grabbing your hand.

“Well, we better get going before we’re late to our class.” He says, pulling you away from the two girls who simply glared at you in response.

You started to wonder if what Lola was going on about true. That Hongjoong and his group were dangerous and weren’t to be trusted.

You shook your head to rid it of the thought as Yeosang rambled on to you about his day and what all he did,

You just decided to focus on the day, and hopefully what she said would leave your mind.

——————————————

It was the end of the day, and Yeosang was coming into the meeting room, seeing all his friends already sitting in random spots. He cleared his throat before speaking.

“Lola and Her friends have been spreading ‘rumors’ about us.”

Wooyoung was the first to speak up, “So? Haven’t we learned that they are just some dick obsessed girls that Hwasa had the mistake of laying down with?” Woo then let out a yelp of pain from being hit with something Seonghwa threw at him.

"Ow!! What did I say wrong? I'm right!"

"Yea, but now is not the time, idiot."

Yeosang shakes his head. “I caught them mid conversation with Y/n.”

That is what peaked everyone’s attention.

Hongjoong stood up from his chair, were he was editing more pictures for his portfolio. “This bitch annoys me…why can’t she get it through her thick skull that none of us want her.”

Jongho, who was usually quiet during these meetings spoke up.

“Probably because San keeps flirting with them…”

“Hey! How else am i supposed to figure out what the hell is going on in the school?” San shot back only to earn a middle finger from the younger male.

Hongjoong let out a long sigh, “Goddammit.” He then slams his hands on his table spooking everyone around him.

“We are going to have to do something, either get rid of the bitch trio, or have Y/n so involved with us that she trusts us.” He then said,e arming hums of acknowledgement.

“Hwa.”

The dark haired male raised his head, “I’m giving you Y/n’s address.”

“You are to go out with her tomorrow. Get her to trust you, and tell her mom that you’re friends with me. That way she’ll trust you to let Y/n go alone with you.”

He turns to the rest of his group. “You guys keep listening out for any other rumors floating around the school.”

He then turned to his computer screen, images of you that he was editing flashed up on the screen.

“I have some work to do.”

—————————————————

©️ xlxvesxckx - 2023

—————————————————-

I hope you guys enjoyed! I am so sorry that this chapter is so late, life has been kicking me in the ass after moving,

I’m currently in debt and trying to pay it off, but my job is kinda eh and writing so my only avenue of work kinda.

So once again, if you would like to support, just click my KoFi link at. The top of the story, it would mean alot to me and mean that I will be able to create wonderful stories for you all stress free!

Thank you and have a wonderful Morning/Afternoon/Night!

——————————————————

[tuppencetrinkets]

Sorted caps from The Walking Dead seasons 10 & 11, Walking Dead: Dead City S1, Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon S1 and Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. You can also find sorted caps from TWD S 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7 here.

Aaron - Ross Marquand - 10,000

Alden - Callan McAuliffe - 2,000

Alpha - Samantha Morton - 4,000

Beale - Terry O'Quinn - 1,500

Carol - Melissa McBride - 16,000

Connie - Lauren Ridloff - 4,000

Daryl - Norman Reedus - 25,000

Elijah - Okea Eme-Akwari - 1,500

Eugene - Josh McDermitt - 14,000

Ezekiel - Khary Payton - 7,000

Gabriel - Seth Gilliam - 5,000

Hershel - Logan Kim - 1,000

Isabelle - Aerli Austen - 10,000

Jadis - Pollyanna McIntosh - 4,000

Jerry - Cooper Andrews - 3,000

Juanita "Princess" - Paolo Lazaro - 6,000

Judith - Assorted - 8,000

Kelly - Angel Theory - 3,500

Lance - Josh Hamilton - 8,000

Laurent - Louis Puech Scigliuzzi - 5,000

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Magna - Nadia Hiker - 3,000

Marion - Anne Charrier - 2,000

Maxine - Margot Bingham - 2,500

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Nat - Matthew August Jeffers - 2,000

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The Croat - Zeljko Ivanek - 2,000

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This content is free for anyone to use or edit however you like; if you care to throw a dollar or two my way for time, effort, storage fees etc you are more than welcome to do so via my PAYPAL.  Please like or reblog this post if you have found it useful or are downloading the content within.  If you have any questions or you have any problems with the links or find any inconsistencies in the content, etc. please feel free to drop me a politely worded message via my ASKBOX (second icon from the top on my theme!

[scintillulae]

[jariten]

2024 Year roundup! (Part 2)

小さなお茶会 (Chiisana Ochakai), Nekojuujisha

グーグーだって猫である (Gou Gou Datte Neko de Aru), Yumiko Oshima

さとう菓子の家 (Satou Gashi no Ie), Kyouko Fumizuki

ドラゴンクエスト ダイの大冒険 (Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai), Riku Sanjo & Koji Inada [Trans. Gregory Werner]

巨人の星 (Kyojin no Hoshi), Ikki Kajiwara & Noboru Kawasaki

わたしは真悟 (My Name Is Shingo), Kazuo Umezz [Trans. Jocelyn Allen]

What more can be said about Kyojin no Hoshi.... its one of the pillars of timeless manga references in manga. Essays about the excessive but beautiful and real emotions of the characters have been written since its serialization in the 60's. The near textual romance between the protagonist and his best friend had the first generation of fujoshis go: "wait, there's something going on here", the scenes of Hoshi's father almost killing his son in the name of baseball regularly go viral on Japanese social media. It's a series where u have to shut off the cinemasins in your brain that want to ding the ridiculous scenes and contrived reasons for why just about anything happens or works. Let its emotional narrative and what it has to say about the great human cost of professional sports not just wash over you but swallow you whole then spit you out by the end. Truly a pillar in the sports genre. (And currently being scanlated!)

[osharenippon]

Shoujo Manga's Golden Decade (Part 3)

Shoujo manga, comics for girls, played a pivotal role in shaping Japanese girls’ culture, and its dynamic evolution mirrors the prevailing trends and aspirations of the era. For many, this genre peaked in the 1970s. But why?

Part 1

Part 2

Follow the Trend

Before we move on to the third movement of the '70s, let's take a quick look at an essential characteristic of shoujo manga: its sensitivity to trends.

The early '70s were a confusing time for the industry. There was extreme freedom in certain corners, with Yukari Ichijo, Machiko Satonaka, and other prominent artists drawing very adult-like drama in shoujo magazines for very young girls. In contrast, there was also a lot of moralism. The fact manga wasn't taken very seriously meant magazines could get away with a lot since adults considered them terrible influences anyway. But, at the same time, since manga wasn't a respected medium, they were also prone to hysteria. Nothing illustrates this scenario better than the controversies surrounding "Harenchi Gakuen," the first full-length series by Go Nagai, who went on to become one of the most celebrated manga artists of the '70s.

Shameless! The nudity and erotic jokes in Go Nagai''s "Harenchi Gakuen" were a hit with kids and teens, scandalized parents and teachers, and made the shoujo industry chase after their own erotic hits.

Nagai, already a respected yet fledgling name in the industry, was recruited by Shueisha to be part of Shonen Jump's inaugural team in the late '60s. Jump, as any manga fan knows, is by far the biggest success story in manga's editorial history. However, back then, it was just a newcomer in a field dominated by Kodansha's Weekly Shonen Magazine and Shogakukan's Shonen Sunday. Go Nagai's series, whose translated name meant "Shameless High School," is Jump's initial smash hit and one of the titles behind its extraordinary ascent.

But "Harenchi Gakuen," a gag manga with erotic jokes, scandalized adults across the nation. The Japanese Parents and Teachers Association successfully led a Shonen Jump boycott, getting the magazine banned in several shops across the country and triggering a media circus. At the time, agitated journalists often accosted Go Nagai at airports and public events, aggressively pointing their mics at him, a consequence of manga-kas celebrity-like notoriety during that era.

Meanwhile, the reaction around "Harenchi Gakuen" did not intimidate other manga magazines. In fact, all of them were pursuing their own "harenchi"-like phenomenon and publishing stories with erotic dirty jokes. And yes, that included the manga magazines for little girls. In Ribon, male manga-ka Hikaru Yuzuki was responsible for the "dirty" manga series. At Weekly Margaret, Yuzuki also had a considerable hit with the high school comedy "Elite Kyousoukyoku," which, while not precisely "ecchi," had a tone reminiscent of Nagai's work. At Nakayoshi, the artist in charge of this type of content was none other than a pre-"Candy Candy" Yumiko Igarashi.

Before finding success with the smash hit "Candy Candy" manga, Yumiko Igarashi was the Nakayoshi artist in charge of recreating the "harenchi" phenomenon in the pages of the magazine. Above, in a good display of how public manga artists were in the '70s, Yumiko describes her panties as part of a Nakayoshi feature.

The "harenchi" phenomenon hinted at a shoujo field that wasn't yet wholly solidified and, therefore, was taking cues straight from the shonen segment, which would later become uncommon. But it also illustrates how the genre projects readers' dreams and preferences.

An example of this is one of Ribon's most popular series during the '70s, Yukko Yamamoto's "Miki to Apple Pie." Serialized between 1973 and 1976, this gag high school manga was full of absurd humor and nudity in the "Harenchi" vein. The twist is that it also had everything girls dreamed of. 

The "apple pie" in the title was a reference to the lead character's favorite dessert during the time the American apple pie had just arrived in Japan and was considered the trendiest sweet. Miki Miyazawa, a popular and beautiful girl who served as the proxy for readers and was loosely modeled after talento Aki Aizawa, also loved astrology and the horoscope, and the romantic lead was a transfer student named Hideki Nanjo, who was a carbon copy of Hideki Saijo, the biggest popstar heartthrob of the '70s. Basically, "Miki to Apple Pie"'s central premise was "What if the popstars girls go crazy for was your silly gorgeous classmate?".

In fact, a testament to Saijo's popularity was how many shoujo manga romantic partners of the era used him as a model. Besides "Miki to Apple Pie," inserts of him were present in Satonaka Machiko's "Spotlight," Shigeko Maehara's "Kimi Iro no Hibi," Mayumi Yoshida's "Lemon Hakusho," among others.

With nudity, slapstick humor, and numerous references to trends and pop culture, "Miki to Apple Pie" became a sensation in the pages of '70s Ribon. The romantic lead, Hideki Nanjo, modeled after heartthrob Hideki Saiji, frequently performed impromptu renditions of popular hits from stars like Agnes Chan, Finger Five, Momoe Yamaguchi, Junko Sakurada, and, of course, Hideki Saiji himself. Full of shockingly offensive and scatological jokes, very little was considered off-limits, making "Miki to Apple Pie" a quintessential example of the distinctive '70s shoujo manga published during the peak of the "Harenchi" boom. It also serves as a perfect time capsule of its era, satirizing and commenting on everything popular at the time—from iconic products like the Panasonic Quintrix television and memorable TV commercials to celebrities, the toilet paper shortage during the Oil Shock, the Discover Japan campaign, and the widespread teenage girls' fascination with horoscopes. This manga elevated shoujo manga's trend obsession to unprecedented heights and mixed it with absurdity.

Saijo is a relic of the past, but shoujo echoing the trends of its time is a timeless characteristic of the genre. That's why most shoujo artists are women who are close in age to their readers: this sensibility to girls' desires is a vital component of the market. From the way the characters look to how they dress to even the shape of their eyebrows, everything is supposed to reflect its time. Therefore, to successfully create shoujo, one has to understand how girls perceive themselves and also how they want to be perceived. How they dress and look, but also how and what they dream of looking and wearing. What they aspire to and, above all, what they find attractive in the opposite sex.

It was precisely that sensitivity and this unique sense of what girls want and dream of that led to the creation of what is now the number 1 shoujo manga trope: the high school romance starring an unassuming, ordinary heroine. Leading the way was another group of artists that, while not as internationally celebrated as the Year 24 Group, are definitely equally as crucial to shoujo history.

The Otometique Fervor

An "otometique" girl by Mutsu A-ko and some of the artist's popular furoku.

Yoshiko Nishitani, another of Shueisha's top shoujo artists of that era, is often credited as being the first to create a series around ordinary high school love. She did that in 1965's "Marie Lou," published in Weekly Margaret. "Marie Lou" was set in an American high school and had a very fashionable white girl as its lead. On her next manga, "Lemon to Sakuranbo" (Lemon and Cherries), she'd once again achieve immense success by bringing the teen romance closer to reality, using an ordinary Japanese high school as a backdrop.

While Nishitani pioneered this narrative style, the rise of more realistic, everyday stories gained momentum about a decade later. One catalyst for this was the "Otometique boom," a phenomenon that unfolded in the pages of Shueisha's Ribon magazine in the latter half of the '70s.

The term "Otometique" combines "otome," meaning "maiden" or a pure young girl, with the "-tique" (tikku in Japanese) suffix. A-ko Mutsu was the artist who spearheaded this movement.

A-ko made her debut in Ribon in 1971 at the age of 18. Her popularity skyrocketed four years later when her first short stories, led by "Tasogaredoki ni mitsuketa no" (What I Found at Twilight), were compiled into a tankobon that became a best-seller. This success elevated her status in Ribon, and soon her "otometique" style became the talk of the town.

Mutsu A-ko's art.

In contrast to the dramatic narratives of the "Satonaka-domain" faction, "otometique" stories adopted a more straightforward structure devoid of major plot twists and intense drama. Instead, they focused on modest love stories where the exhilarating moments were ordinary occurrences, like spotting a cute boy on the street or touching a crush's hand for the first time. While some stories included sad or supernatural elements, readers were captivated by the uncomplicated, heartwarming moments. 

Ako's heroines were ordinary, unassuming schoolgirls, often characterized by shyness and insecurity. Different from extraordinary characters like Lady Oscar from "BeruBara" or the iconic Madame Butterfly tennis star in "Ace wo Nerae," Ako's protagonists were life-sized. 

"Otometique" manga often incorporated romantic comedy tropes, such as chance encounters with cute guys on the way to school or the transformation into beauty after removing glasses. The happy endings typically featured a boy reciprocating the girl's love by accepting her as perfect and beautiful just as she was.

In otometique manga, girls were often in cute plaid and gingham check dresses and skirts, while boys were impeccably dressed in Ivy style, as seen in Mutsu Ako's art above.

While the stories may have seemed mundane, their distinctiveness lay in the meticulous attention to detail. As significant as the exploration of falling in love and discovering inner strength were all the visual details in "otometique" art. Girls had braids or long wavy hair and wore adorable clothes with plaids and gingham-check, as well as cute accessories. At a time when most Japanese girls still had Japanese-style rooms, "otometique" heroines had gorgeous Western-style rooms. They hung out in cozy cafes, made handmade goods, and ate tasty-looking sweets. Houses had French windows and balconies. Boys were tall, lean, with fluffy hair, and were always dressed impeccably in Ivy-style clothes. The "otometique" artists created an atmosphere that perfectly matched girls' aspirations at the time.

Girls often dreamed with having Western-style bedrooms like the ones in Otometique manga.

While Mutsu A-ko was the trailblazer, she was soon joined at the top by two other iconic artists, Yumiko Tabuchi, and Hideko Tachikake. Each of them had their quirks. Tabuchi, for example, often had college girls as her heroines, mirroring herself as a student at the elite, trendy Waseda University. While Tabuchi and A-ko preferred short stories, Tachikake had a penchant for longer series with a bit more drama. But they all had a similar aesthetic and relied on the charm of ordinary love.

The "otometique" phenomenon reflected the trends of the time and foreshadowed the emerging consumer culture that would swallow the country in the next decade. The sophisticated visuals attracted people of all ages, from elementary school-aged girls to highly educated women and men. Both the top public and private universities in Japan, Tokyo University and Waseda, respectively, had famous "otometique" clubs full of students who loved the genre and the style. The mangas were so trendy that they were often referred to as "Ivy mangas," in reference to the iconic Ivy style that was the catalyst of Japan's youth fashion, which was going through a second revival around that time.

While projecting an atmosphere that girls dreamed of, "otometique" also showcases '70s youth and girls' culture. Melancholic, simple love stories among young people were also the theme of the big folk hits of the time. Ivy or country fashion and long hair for men were the top fashion trends. Western-inspired ideals- in decoration, fashion, and musical taste- were pervasive. And creating subcultures and hobbies around consumption was the path society was taking. Simple life-sized stories as a narrative preference echoed the reality of Japan, which was stabilizing itself after decades of turbulence. These stories brought what the country was craving: comfort.

Above, a Mutsu A-ko's bedroom that lived in girls' imagination. Below, the room is recreated in a 2021 exhibition of Ako's art.

Meanwhile, the rise of consumer culture among young girls led to a "fancy goods" boom, with stores selling cute stationery, stickers, and small items popping up everywhere around the country. Illustrators and companies, eager to capitalize, spared no time in creating appealing mascots and drawings to adorn these goods, and it was in that period that Sanrio created Hello Kitty. 

Ribon and Nakayoshi, which were "furoku" magazines, also benefitted. Furoku are extra gifts that come with the purchase of the magazines. And the "otometique" boom meant Ribon could include "fancy goods" -- like notebooks, stickers, letter sets, and small paper goods readers could assemble -- with the illustration of these highly sought-after artists. Most girls around Japan could only dream of Western-style rooms, a closet full of cute Ivy fashion, trips to trendy cafes, and homes with French windows. But they could recreate a bit of this sophisticated atmosphere by having letter sets, notebooks, stickers, and small accessories with A-ko Mutsu, Hideko Tachikake, and Yumiko Tabuchi's art. These popular furokus and the "otometique" stories were critical for Ribon magazine to surpass 1 million copies in circulation.

Girls admired A-ko, Tabuchi, and Tachikake not only as artists creating heartfelt stories with attractive atmospheres but as personalities. The trio, who were in their late teens and early 20s, closely resonated with their fans due to their proximity in age and shared interests. The readers were moved when Ribon featured an article in which A-ko Mutsu had the opportunity to meet and interview her favorite singer, the rock star Kenji Sawada, a prominent teen idol of that era. The positive response was so overwhelming that, a few issues later, Hideko Tachikake, an avid folk music enthusiast, also had the chance to interview her idol, Kosetsu Minami, the lead singer of Kaguyahime.

An otometique girl by Yumiko Tabuchi (left) and a collection of furoku illustrated by her as seen on a 2021 exhibition on her art.

The popularity of "otometique" peaked in 1977. By 1981, the boom had almost faded, and A-ko, Tabuchi, and Tachikake published their last works on Ribon in 1985. Tabuchi and Tachikake married and semi-retired, while A-ko successfully transitioned to manga for adult women.

Despite the end of the style, "otometique" permeated every corner of Japanese society. Its furoku and atmosphere were one of the bases for the almighty "kawaii" culture which now rules the country. The life-sized heroines and focus on mundane love stories and everyday emotions went on to become one of the main characteristics of the shoujo manga industry.

The Iwadate Domain

For years, the influence of "otometique" has been downplayed, one of the reasons why the movement is almost undiscussed in the West. However, in the last few years, best-selling books reminiscing the style were published, and exhibitions of A-ko Mutsu and Yumiko Tabuchi's works were big hits across Japan. A-ko, who moved back from Tokyo to her hometown in Fukuoka and never stopped creating manga, was recognized by the local prefecture as an honorary citizen and gained a permanent museum in the area, signaling her importance to the industry.

But while the "otometique" phenomenon happened on the pages of Ribon magazine, Mutsu, Tabuchi, and Tachikake weren't the only three attracting a massive audience to this type of real-life love story.

Mariko Iwadate's work was extremely popular from the late '70s to the mid-2000s. Above, a collection of her work from her Margaret era.

Going back to the research of sociologist Shinji Miyadai, three domains divided '70s shoujo. There was the "Moto Hagio domain," which included the Year 24 artists. The Hagio domain was more highbrow and intellectually challenging, and many considered it an equivalent to literature, attracting the intellectual elite that sniffed at manga in general. It is by far the most discussed and debated '70s shoujo movement, as well as the most famous in the West, but it was the least commercially successful at the time. Then there was the "Machiko Satonaka domain," with emotionally driven stories full of drama, plot twists, and larger-than-life heroines. Most of the '70s best-selling shoujo series fall under this category, which includes the work of Yukari Ichijo and Ryoko Ikeda and sports manga like "Ace wo Nerae," among others.

Finally, there's the domain in which the "otometique" stories were created. And Miyadai doesn't name it after any of the Ribon artists, calling it the "Mariko Iwadate domain" instead.

In the Satonaka domain, the heroine served as a proxy for the reader in a fantastical world, while in the Iwadate domain, the heroine represented the reader in the real world. But, after all, who is the influential Iwadate?

Mariko Iwadate, who made her debut in 1973 at the age of 16, rose to prominence by embracing the "otometique" style during its peak in the late '70s. Similar to Ribon artists, Iwadate, who mostly worked for Weekly Margaret, captivated readers with her elegant and stylish art, featuring cute clothes, accessories, and intricate details.

Miyadai's choice to name the category after Iwadate rather than the genre pioneer A-ko Mutsu may be attributed to Iwadate's sustained success. After leaving Ribon in 1985, A-ko remained prolific and had a dedicated audience, but she couldn't replicate her peak. Iwadate's popularity, on the other hand, continued unabated even after she transitioned to adult women's manga. Iwadate's work, recognized for its emotional depth, became a significant inspiration for trailblazers like best-selling novelist Banana Yoshimoto and avant-garde manga artist Kyoko Okazaki. In 1993, when Miyadai wrote his book, Iwadate's fame and respect probably made her a more recognizable figure for readers to associate with the category.

Iwadate's soft girly art and story-telling made her extremely popular and influential.

Mariko Iwadate's narrative, especially her post-80s work, has a more psychological and mature element to it when compared to Ribon's artists. She, as an artist, bridged the gap between "otometique" and another highly influential "Iwadate domain" artist, Fusako Kuramochi.

Fusako Kuramochi, debuting while still a teen in the early '70s at Bessatsu Margaret (Betsuma), initially emulated her favorite artists, Moto Hagio and Keiko Takemiya, before finding her style—a realistic portrayal of romance with a substantial psychological element. Her success contributed to shaping Betsuma, alongside Ribon, as arguably the most influential and commercially thriving shoujo title -- the go-to magazine for high school rom-com.

Like the otometique artists, Fusako Kuramochi first gained prominence with short stories and one-shots. In 1979, she wrote her first series, "Oshiaberi Kaidan," in which each chapter depicted the life of a young girl from junior high to her graduation day. In 1980, she published "Itsumo poketto ni Chopin," a classical music manga that also dealt with growing up as a teenager in the city. From then on, she'd publish about two hit series every year in Betsuma before graduating successfully to adult women's manga in 1994.

Kuramochi's success was due to her great skill in portraying girls going through crushes, heartbreaks, and jealousy. The psychological elements struck a chord with readers and helped her create male romantic leads that were extremely popular.

Another component of Kuramochi's work was her sophistication, a result of her upbringing. Her father was the chairman of one of Japan's biggest printing companies, and she was raised in Shibuya, in the center of Tokyo, while attending an exclusive all-female institution. The fact she spent her youth in the middle of Tokyo's hustle and bustle meant she knew the capital well, and her works were full of references to trendy cafes, restaurants, nightspots, and neighborhoods. Her Betsuma work was published right before and during Japan's ostentatious Bubble years, so many chasing an exciting city life referred to her work. 

While her stories reflected the reality and aspirations of the Bubble years, Kuramochi's true gift lay in providing readers with a realistic depiction of growing up and falling in love, making her work immensely popular. In general, consumerism -- displayed through clothes, accessories, and decor -- isn't as crucial to her success as the three Ribon "otometique" artists.

While Fusako Kuramochi is part of the "Iwadate domain," you can argue that Kuramochi evolved into her own category, which was vital for the development of real-life love stories in shoujo in the '80s and '90s and the rise of other highly-influential artists like Ryo Ikuemi.

But going back to the three '70s movements, "otometique"/"Iwadate domain" was definitely the most influential one in steering shoujo manga in its current direction. On the other hand, all of these domains co-existed together and fed from each other. In 1977, during the "otometique" boom, Yukari Ichijo remained untouched as one of Ribon's most popular artists with her emotionally charged dramas. It was the success of Ichijo and other "Satonaka domain" artists that allowed the "Hagio domain" to debut and take risks. In turn, it was the "Hagio domain" that showed there were rewards for young risk-taking shoujo artists.

Yumiko Oshima, known for her girly art and sensitive story-telling, is the inspiration behind the otometique boom.

When asked which artist inspired them the most, both A-ko Mutsu and Mariko Iwadate gave the same answer: Yumiko Oshima. Oshima, known for her quirky love stories and girly art, is an artist who trained alongside Hagio and Takemiya at the Oizumi salon and rose as part of the "Year 24 group," publishing risk-taking manga in Shogakukan and Hakusensha's magazine after a brief stint in Weekly Margaret. In other words, despite the striking differences, the origin of the "Iwadate domain" is the "Hagio domain."

While the influence of the idealized real-life romance is the one we can better observe today, contemporary shoujo would not exist if not for all these three styles meshing together and creating something new. And from that, things kept evolving and changing and gaining new forms. Because, once again, manga, and especially shoujo manga, is about reflecting the girly ideals of its time.

[distantvoices]

Nyaduola Gabriel by Anthony Arquier for Numéro France April 2024

Joana Dacheville (Fashion Editor/Stylist), Yumiko Hikage (Hair Stylist), Marielle Loubet (Makeup Artist), Magda S (Manicurist)

[best-nun-tournament]

Semifinals

The Reverend Daughter Harrowhark Nonagesimus (The Locked Tomb) vs Sister Beatrice (Warrior Nun)

Silque (Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia) vs Sister George Michael (Derry Girls)

Loser Bracket Round 5

Sister Gertrude of Hof (Pentiment) vs Mother Superion (Warrior Nun)

Hot Pants (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 7: Steel Ball Run) vs Shotgun Mary (Warrior Nun)

Mercedes von Martritz (Fire Emblem: Three Houses) vs Sister Camila (Warrior Nun)

Yumiko/Yumie Takagi (Hellsing) vs Sister Illuminata of Perugia (Pentiment)

Loser Bracket Round 6

Mother Superion (Warrior Nun) vs Sister Argenta (Warhammer 40000: Rogue Trader)

Shotgun Mary (Warrior Nun) vs M—'s Nun/Cristabel Oct (The Locked Tomb

Sister Camila (Warrior Nun) vs Sister Mary Patrick (Sister Act)

Sister Illuminata of Perugia (Pentiment) vs Saint Celestine (Warhammer 40000)

Loser Bracket Round 7

Mother Superion (Warrior Nun) vs Shotgun Mary (Warrior Nun)

Sister Camila (Warrior Nun) vs Saint Celestine (Warhammer 40000)