#ACKNOWLEDGE HIS SWAG

[donrotbrain]

GRRR AAAAA RAAAAAAA VOTE FOR DONNIE!!! CONSIDER THIS MY SUBMISSION TO THE DONNIE PROPAGANDA MACHINE

DONT LET THE STEAM RUN OUT

DONNIE IS AUTISM K I N G

@autismswagreblogs

[rivilu]

There's pieces of media that alter your brain chemistry and then there's pieces of media that rearrange you on a molecular level

[eldragon-x]

Ford and Stan and Bill are all characters of all time to me in different ways

[shadowsandstarlight]

I’ve only read one (1) Marvel comic and it’s literally ten times better than the entire MCU

[rigberts]

guilty gear xrd is insane for ky mains bc ninety percent of the character interactions with him in that game are random people looking at him and calling him a femboy

[gimmick-swag]

i did not expect to see people talking abt me in the GV server *sobs aggressively*

[transgods]

my friend group did the google polls thing and jesus christ. im green and he's yellow btw i stood no chance

[shitpostingkats]

Give me a post canon Neku that's ever so slightly Spooky.

When he moves through the crowds on the street, there is a little bubble of space around him. Unconsciously, people step aside to give him room to pass. You can track him even in a throng of people, just by the small parting of the masses, the one man gap of space that naturally forms around him, as the citizens of Shibuya feel something mighty moving among their midst.

His pockets constantly jingle with pins. Every promotional button, every limited-time swag, he collects almost without thinking, fidgeting with them as he talks. It seems like he carries his entire collection on him at all times, more than it seems can even physically fit in his pockets.

He sees people on the streets that no one else can see. He'll give them a little nod, a look of sympathy, and, occasionally, toss a pin from his seemingly never-ending collection to them. For just a second, there's someone visible, like the sheer act of being acknowledged by the Legendary Player raises them a frequency or two, bringing them just a little closer to this plane. Then you blink and they're gone. Faded back into the hustle and bustle of the city like they were never there at all.

He's somehow a regular at every shop, every restaurant. Locals recognize him, greet him like an old friend. This isn't exactly weird, per se, but what is weird is he can't be more than twenty. How does he even have the time to become a fixture at every hotspot in town? When he walks into a cafe, the staff instantly knows what he's going to order. But if you ask, the cashier will look puzzled, and tell you, in an almost confused admission, that they don't think he's ever been here before today.

He'll answer questions without you even having to ask them. He'll respond to unvoiced thoughts, back of the mind though jumbles, know exactly what you're trying to say even if you can't fit it into words. Sometimes, he'll tilt his head, like he's listening to some distant music, and in that moment you're not entirely sure he isn't reading your mind.

[midnight1nk]

So, this week's episode...

[Spoilers below cut]

Past Ink: Guys, it's fine. This isn't a serious episode, it would be too soon for another arc. It's just gonna be another silly Saturday.

Current Ink: ....

(the following is my live reaction:)

[*unholy screaming*] FOUR NOOOOOOOOOOOO

WOW WHAT A GREAT START TO THIS EPISODE, SCRATCH EVERYTHING THAT I SAID ABOUT THIS BEING A "NORMAL" EPISODE

NOPE I NEED TO PAUSE, I NEED TO TAKE A WALK BC I'M NOT GONNA GET OVER IT, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS COULD LEAD

they're not gonna do it in this episode BUT the fact that goop!4 is being acknowledged in every way possible, we might just have a sequel in our hands

NO NO NO CUT THE INTRO, I HAVEN'T EVEN FINISHED THE EPISODE YET AND YOU WANT ME TO MAKE A THEORY ON IT ALREADY? HOLD YOUR FUCKIN HORSES, I'LL GET THERE GEEZ

anyway, we have to press play...

I'm pretty sure someone already has done a pirate au (no I'm not over what I just watched) and anyway, artists: here's pirate SMG4

Four, you should've read the file name before downloading it [*shakes head*]

Wait, is this going to be a parody of computer buddies? That's actually pretty fun..... OH NO NO NO

Ah, so we are doing computer buddies

Actually, yeah, can we have Mario as president please

love how it says "no one even compares to mario. especially smg4 who sucks booty cheeks [or ass] and mario doesn't"

Observe as the SMG4 fandom gets terrified of the word "perfect" [*screams*]

MARIO MARIO NO NO NO HE DIDN'T SAVE

I felt that in my core omg

as a graphic designer, this hurts

apparently, there's a whole new dimension in our computers, Only in the SMG4 Universe [*cheesy thumbs up*]

We really are getting all the computer buddies, huh? I wonder if KinitoPET will appear

[*silver the hedgehog voice*] It's no use!

BRITISH SMG3

wow what a funny bit... WAIT HOLD UP WAIT A MINUTE, LOOK AT THE MEDIA BOX

the eyes....

w̷̹̓e̷̼̽ ̸̯́n̴̩͆e̵̝̓v̴̼͑ë̵̤r̴͓͛ ̷̭͝l̵̦̎e̴̞͗f̵͉̐ṯ̴͗

and the left eye too... oh god, the EYE OF RA— [*gets shot*]

honestly, Four, you improved your aim ever since Western Spaghetti (ik you also did for PV but that's not the point)

I knew they were gonna bring in buff Luigi again

I'M SCREAMING

THERE IS NO WAY THE TEAM JUST DROPPED THAT ON US, THIS CAN'T BE REAL

ok first off, the fact that Four has a folder labeled "Super SECRET Spicy Memes" is giving "totally homework" folder energy (and I don't want to even think more about that)

hey, Four did say that Three brings some spice into his life (yeah, "rosemary to my bread" and all that jazz)

SECOND, the fact he has an image of SMG3 with him saying "whats the matter smg4 kun?"

THEN the "I know what you are" audio clip...

Four, buddy, you're down bad aren't you?

like "woah smg4's bisexual, I didn't know that", the closet is out of GLASS so we been knew but I DID NOT expect this

having Three be a tsundere is one thing, but FOUR....

🫵🏳️‍🌈⁉️

"they're dating behind the scenes" at this point, yeah

we have to keep going... [*secretly puts this clip on the fridge*]

I hate this so much /silly

[*chaos ensues*] [*sips my coffee*] just another tuesday saturday

GOTTA GO FAST GOTTA GO FAST— [*gets tazed*] i can never catch a break c'mon man

oh hey Swag!

four dollars is four dollars, you got yourself a deal

ok, I'm gonna need everyone to see Four's cute little hops here:

look at him go, my silly little goober :) oh, now you have? then let's keep going

holy shit, this fight scene is so well animated!!! LET'S GOOOO

never thought I'd see the day of seeing biblically accurate bonzi in an SMG4 episode and yet here we are.

SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP

THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING I'VE SEEN IN MY LIFE, I'M ASCENDING

"...but they hugged before" NO YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND

A normal hug, where two people cross each other and are unable to see the other's face since it's over their shoulder, is just as it is: a normal hug. It can be seen as platonic and/or romantic.

THIS is a lot more intimate. 3 and 4's heads touch while they hold each other by the hand. This type of hug is reserved more for romantic partners when the situation leads them to a devasting end, where they face each other to look at and remember what their partner looked like, one last time before they die.

In this case, it makes sense as the computer is collapsing within itself.

"It's not actually them tho." Yes, they're digital copies of 3 and 4 but that's the thing: they're COPIES, acting on what 3 and 4 would actually do

SMG34 shippers, we are eating GOOD today yum yum

but then, that begs the question: would there be a moment where 3 and 4 would reveal their feelings for each other at the worst possible time?

(you guys are not going to be ready for my next episode concepts) What, who said that?

uh anyway them 💙💜 gotta put it on the fridge

I feel for you, Four, but I have a horrible feeling about this

...

Foreshadowing is a literary device—

no seriously, I feel like this could be part of a future arc where a past villain would ruin everything Four has and would offer up a deal when Four would be the most desperate. There's always a catch. Hmm, why does that seem familiar...?

Your life's work or your friends, it's your call, SMG4

:)

HELL YEAH FOUR, THROW IT AWAY (omg just like how he chose Three over the USB, I'm crying dude)

also congrats to Ourstor08954957 for the lovely art in the end credits 🎉 such cute doodles ❤️

.・-: ✧ :--: ✧ :-・.

Oh boy, what an episode. I feel like I'm in another plane of existence right now. Everything was absolutely incredible, great job Team!!

Everyone, say THANK YOU to whoever put the SMG34 crumbs in there, we shall treasure it for the rest of our lives. I'm gonna put those moments on my fridge. OH I would love to see the artists draw the SMG34 hug or pirate Four!

Love the fighting scene right by the end and the little details they have added in there. I guess it's "Torture Ink with the Idea that Goop!4 May Happen" day but hey, I'm so normal about it (no I'm not). I've been a bit stressed since finals are coming up so I'm thankful for anything this episode for me.

(If anyone is curious, the WOTFI website is still up and yes, I am logging its status just in case.)

I'm sure everyone is going crazy over this...

"They gay fr :3" [BenJoJoGV, Twitter]

🧍

BEN YOU CAN'T JUST SAY THESE THINGS—

[naomijoestar]

SWAG okay I was just asking if like. La Squadra with a goth reader but the Stand is like one of those little cute clown dolls???

Kinda like one of these if that makes sense??

Masterlist here <3

I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed writing this, I’ve been wanting to give La Squadra something for so long!

You didn’t specify whether this is platonic or they’re dating so I made it platonic, I hope you don’t mind. 💕

(Stand side nots: it’s small in size but not as small as the sex pistols, stand abilities: cartoon physics type of stuff, you’ll understand what I mean when you read)

La Squadra with a goth intimidating reader who’s stand is a cute clown

(Bucci Gang version)

Risotto Nero

Risotto eyes you from the shadows, his gaze a piercing mix of curiosity and wariness. He’s used to assessing threats at a glance, and your dark, gothic aura suggests you’re someone worth watching. Expecting a deadly stand to match your look, he’s caught off guard when a colorful, plushy clown appears at your side, giving him a cheerful wave. Risotto’s eyebrow twitches in confusion. “That…is your stand?”

You merely nod, unbothered by his judgmental tone, and watch as the clown suddenly pulls out a giant anvil from behind its back. Without a moment’s hesitation, it hoists the heavy object above its head and slams it down toward Risotto. He dodges just in time, but a massive crater forms where he’d been standing. Now, his interest is piqued.

The battle is intense, with Risotto using Metallica to manipulate nearby iron objects, while your stand counters with cartoonish props that make no sense. When Risotto sends sharp metal scalpels flying your way, the clown produces a comically large pair of scissors, snipping each projectile mid-air before any can touch you. He clenches his teeth, frustrated but impressed, realizing your stand’s unpredictability is a dangerous advantage.

As the fight progresses, Risotto attempts to corner you, but your clown keeps pulling off unexpected tricks: an endless rope to trip him up, a cartoonish boxing glove that launches itself from its body to land a powerful blow, and even a giant magnet that affects his own stand. Despite his usual stoicism, you catch a slight twitch of a smile at the edge of his mouth, a rare acknowledgment of respect.

Formaggio

The moment Formaggio sees your stand, he bursts into laughter. “A clown? For you?” he teases, clearly amused by the contrast. He underestimates both you and the clown, finding the sight of it bouncing around in its colorful, knitted outfit hilarious. “Oh, this is too rich! What’s it gonna do? Tell me a joke?”

But as he’s busy laughing, the clown’s wide grin turns mischievous. With a snap of its fingers, it pulls out an oversized mousetrap and sets it right near his feet. Just as he takes a step forward, SNAP! Formaggio yelps, his foot caught in the trap as the clown cackles, its high-pitched laughter echoing.

Annoyed, he shrinks himself down, hoping to slip away undetected, but your stand has other plans. Suddenly, a tiny circus tent appears around him, trapping him inside with exaggerated cartoon walls that stretch and contract whenever he tries to push against them. He scrambles around, bumping into props like juggling pins and rubber balls, each one oversized and ridiculous. Every escape attempt is thwarted by the clown stand, which gleefully watches from outside, tapping its nose as if to say ‘Nice try!’

Frustrated, Formaggio finally escapes, only to be greeted by a pie to the face courtesy of your stand. You can’t help but smirk as he stumbles, wiping cream from his eyes. Lesson learned: don’t judge a stand by its appearance.

Illuso

Illuso sneers, confident he can handle whatever your stand throws at him. He’s unimpressed by the clown’s playful antics, crossing his arms with a smug grin. “That thing can’t possibly stand a chance in the Mirror World,” he scoffs. He reaches out, attempting to drag the clown into his dimension. But as he tries, the clown’s face smashes against the mirror like it’s in a slapstick cartoon, flattening with a loud ‘SMACK!’

Irritated, Illuso tries again, but the clown wiggles its finger at him in a mocking gesture. Then, with a flourish, it pulls out a comically large mallet and begins pounding the mirror. Each hit causes cracks to form in the reflective surface, sending Illuso scrambling to repair it from his side.

Realizing he’s losing control of the situation, he attempts to flee, but the clown is relentless, conjuring up ridiculous items: a huge pair of pliers that it uses to tug on his jacket from the real world, a tube of glue that it splatters across the mirror to trap him, and even a giant, inflatable hammer that bounces him around when he tries to escape. By the end, Illuso is fuming, his pride wounded as he’s bested by what he initially thought was a “harmless joke.”

Prosciutto

Prosciutto gives your clown stand a cold, judgmental look. “How ridiculous,” he mutters, activating The Grateful Dead to age it immediately. He expects the clown to crumble like any other target, but instead, the clown’s cheerful expression only morphs into an exaggerated elderly one, complete with a fake beard and comically oversized glasses. It hobbles around, leaning on an imaginary cane, but still manages to wave cheekily at Prosciutto.

Annoyed, he increases the aging effect, but the clown retaliates by pulling out a huge spray bottle labeled “Youth Juice” and spritzing itself. With a little shake, it reverts to its original state, completely unaffected by Prosciutto’s stand. He grits his teeth, realizing this is going to be more complicated than he anticipated.

As the fight goes on, your clown stand begins to toy with him, pulling absurd stunts to dodge his attacks. At one point, it stretches out its arm impossibly long to reach around him, delivering a surprise slap across his cheek. When he lunges at it, the clown conjures up a banana peel, sending him sliding across the floor in a rare moment of humiliation. By the end, Prosciutto’s usual calm demeanor is shattered, replaced with a barely restrained fury as he realizes he’s been made a fool of.

Pesci

Pesci is intimidated by your dark, gothic look, but the clown stand’s cheerful demeanor throws him off balance. He chuckles nervously, finding its antics strangely endearing. He reaches out, almost wanting to pat it, but that’s when the clown’s eyes glint with mischief. Suddenly, it pulls out a gigantic fishing pole, casting the line straight at Pesci’s Beach Boy.

To his horror, it hooks onto Beach Boy and starts reeling it in, dragging him along with it. He panics, trying to regain control, but your clown stand is relentless, pulling out one absurdly oversized object after another: a big rubber chicken that smacks him across the face, a fake tunnel painted on the wall that he crashes into, and even a gigantic fishbowl that it briefly traps Beach Boy inside.

Pesci ends up sprawled on the ground, out of breath and utterly bewildered, realizing that the “cute” clown was anything but harmless.

Melone

Melone’s analytical mind goes into overdrive the moment he sees your stand. He’s immediately intrigued, trying to understand how something so cute could pack such a punch. He releases Baby Face, expecting the creation to take care of the clown stand quickly. But your clown is ready. It pulls out an enormous vacuum cleaner and begins sucking up Baby Face’s cubes as they approach, each one vanishing with a satisfying “pop.”

“Fascinating,” Melone mutters, momentarily captivated. But his awe turns to frustration as the clown pulls out more absurd props: a giant fly swatter to smack down any cubes that regenerate, a massive cartoonish rubber band that it snaps at Baby Face, sending it flying back, and even a bucket of water it throws in Baby Face’s direction, which somehow shorts out its pieces temporarily.

Melone watches in frustrated fascination, torn between admiration and irritation as your clown completely disrupts his plans. His usual calm is nowhere to be found as he finally realizes that no amount of calculation could prepare him for your stand’s chaotic nature.

Ghiaccio

Ghiaccio scoffs the moment he sees your stand, launching into a furious rant about how impractical it is. “A clown? Are you serious? How can you take this fight seriously with something like that?!” he shouts, his icy rage fueling White Album’s powers. He expects you to be intimidated, but your clown merely giggles and pulls out an enormous fan, blowing back his freezing attacks with ease.

As Ghiaccio’s temper flares, the clown pulls out a barrage of comedic props: rubber chickens, cream pies, and a mallet that’s almost as big as he is. Each item hits him with perfect comedic timing, making him look increasingly ridiculous as he stumbles, rants, and struggles to stay upright. His face flushes with frustration as he realizes he’s being outmaneuvered by a “stupid clown.”

His final attempt to attack is thwarted when the clown produces a firecracker, tossing it at his feet with a cheeky wink. The explosion leaves him covered in soot, looking like a classic cartoon character after a mishap. Seething, he roars, “STOP LAUGHING!” as your clown grins back, unfazed.

I hope you enjoyed this! If you’d like anything fixed or anything specific don’t be shy to message me and tell me!

If you liked this make sure to check out my other work, and if you’d like anything specific for any jjba character/squad from parts 1-7 don’t be shy to request it!

[weeb-polls-with-pip]

Autistic Anime Boys Side B Round 1 Match 15

Propaganda:

Kaito -

"Can we please vote for the blue man and his cool scarf. Please.

Look at this man's face. He has autism swag, AND he's blue AND he sings! He's friends with Hatsune Miku, and he lives in your computer!! (Maybe).

He's the first male Vocaloid to be developed, and when first released he was considered a 'failure' due to the fact that he was not as popular as his female counterpart. This has changed since, and he is now more popular!!"

Ranpo -

"He's a narcissistic man-child, but you can't help but love him anyway. He really grows on you after you start getting into his tragic backstory of being an orphan at 14, then getting kicked out of the police academy for being too smart. The anime all but says he's autistic, with his adopted father figure acknowledging that Ranpo is much more intelligent than most people, and sees the world very differently."

[the-great-kraken]

why arthur christmas is the best christmas movie of all time:

- treating christmas as a military operation undertaken by battalions of elves risking their lives

- it nails the family dynamic: a vaguely offensive grandpa constantly talking about the good old days, an older man determined he's still young and a brilliant father, the coolest woman you've ever met brushed off as "Wife", an eldest child desperate for respect and acknowledgement, and a younger child beginning to notice the family's intense dysfunction. what could be more christmassy.

- a lot of dark humour for a kids movie and completely unafraid to drop references to the cuban missile crisis or vietnam war

- "is it true children aren't real and they're just antimatter?"

- at one point they hypnotise lions with a pair of novelty slippers and singing silent night

- moving on from the old ways but recognising that the technological age brings with it intense depersonalisation and in order to welcome it in we need to make changes to the way we view consumption to prevent everything falling to a corporate mindset

- the homoerotic energy between Steve and his elf and the blatant lesbianism of bryoney

- grandsanta says "at least finish us off with a rock" and arthur literally stops to consider it

- arthur's autistic swag

- "all around the streets, children on new bicycles pointing "THAT'S THE GIRL SANTA HATES!" she runs away, alcoholic by the age of nine, DEAD BEFORE SHE'S EVEN-"

- the US military shoots down santa after mistaking him for a ufo

- arthur running solely on weaponised anxiety for a good chunk of the movie

arthur christmas suffered from a terrible marketing campaign and i won't let it keep going on without the recognition it deserves

[whitenikes]

Now you might be asking: tumblr user whitenikes, what Does make a dilf in the nhl? and I'm so glad you asked

(please remember this is for jokes and hahas im far from serious and just giving a humble perspective and I'm always open to discussion)

Based on the dilf recipe cited in my other post, it can be narrowed down quite easily and I've made a scale of Real True Dilfs to Absolutely Not A Dilf. In the middle is what I like to call Future Dilfs

(note: being a dad does not automatically make you a dilf, being dilf is a different energy within. a dad could be a dilf, not all dilfs are dads)

To Me, the peak of True Dilfhood is Steve Yzerman

An Apprentice (nick lidstrom, whom he raised into the next captain, among others)

Battle Scars or Other Injuries (eye injury circa 2000 something, knee injury, cheek scar, etcetera)

A Divorce (see also: 1991)

Gray Hairs

Body Hair

Crows Feet & Laugh Lines

Now many of these things could hypothetically apply to any guy you pluck from the nhl and I acknowledge that. However, it's all of these things working in conjunction with each other to make the man that sets him apart as a dilf

So. Who in the current nhl is a dilf?

I've heard what the tags have to say and I will accept Claude Giroux as a dilf. He has body hair, emotional battle scars, and a divorce (from the flyers)

Joe Pavelski I will accept as a dilf, he has an apprentice in wyjo, more emotional battle scars, and I'm almost positive I've seen him with eyes that beg for a moment of relief

Which then brings us to our Future Dilfs. These are the guys who hit a couple of the points but something is lacking from being complete dilfs, whether that be a lack of dilf swag or being too young to count as a dilf

Dylan Larkin has a future as a dilf. He has his children, moritz and lucas, crows feet, dark circles, and the pitiful eyes. "But doesn't that make him a dilf now??" No. Too Young. He needs to bake a little longer before he hits peak dilf

Brady Skjei is not yet a dilf no matter how many times people say he is. He has grey hairs and that's about it. He is a silver fox at best but he is Not a dilf, there's a distinction

And this brings us to our Absolutely Not a Dilf category. These are guys who are too young to count as a dilf, they're the "harry styles with a beard" essentially.

Any of the hughes brothers? Not dilfs, they're 20 year olds with beards or a suit. That doesn't make them dilfs. Perhaps they could be in the future but by god they are Not dilfs at this current time nor will they be dilfs in five years

Cale Makar is not a dilf, that is a baby faced rosy cheeked youth. absolutely not a dilf and it's shameful to refer to him as such

Under no circumstances are any rookies dilfs, be serious.

Bonus special category of Not A Dilf, But Dilf Adjacent is what I like to call Uncle Energy (or cousin)

Auston Matthews has fun uncle energy, but he's not a dilf. He could hypothetically be dilfy in the right circumstances

Mitch Marner has cousin you haven't seen in a few years energy and you're baffled that you're related to him

[perenlop]

ok i guess he lost this time and this is the start of his despair arc in snowbelle or something

also why does this episode feel like it’s already happened twice

[sanflawoah]

After the finale, many seems to conclude that Toranaga's schemes has always been perfect from the start, that every events and every deaths are all part of his design all along, happening exactly how he wants it. But really it was only half true. His "sacrifices" aren't intentional sacrifices. No matter how clean he plotted, unexpected blunders always occurred beyond his control, he just happens to be very good at letting it flow rather than going against the current.

Tadayoshi and Tsurumaru, Fuji's husband and son. Toranaga never even intended them to die. Before he came to Osaka, he took Ochiba to Edo because her sister was in labour, knowing the regents wouldn't dare to do anything to him while the heir's mother is still in his domain. Everything would've gone all calm and well until at least Ochiba came back and the council voted. But Tadayoshi unexpectedly lashed out publicly with half-drawn katana in front of the regents (in Tadayoshi's defense: he does it out of loyalty for Toranaga), such offense would've sentenced Toranaga and his entire clan to die had he didn't de-escalate the situation. Tadayoshi then asked for seppuku and to end his bloodline out of shame for his outburst. Hiromatsu said he was foolish for it, but Toranaga acknowledged Tadayoshi's bravery, and ensured Fuji be spared from it.

The show didn't quite picture it, but in the book Toranaga was actually quite shocked to found that Yabushige had assembled a sizable army when he arrived in Ajiro, large enough to end him had Yabushige wanted to betray him right there. However, he kept a calm facade and maxed out charisma points to sway Yabu's army into loyalty, right out of Yabu's hands, acting as the true interest of the late Taiko.

Toranaga never intended to draw the first blood with the killing of Jozen. Nagakado was honestly to blame for this, even Omi too for provoking it. But then it turned out to be a W move for him, because in response the entire Osaka would be out for blood for his head into the open field . No matter how strong Toranaga's army is, attacking five armies inside a fully armed fortress would be a foolish instant defeat.

Then Nagakado acted out of place once again. So many had said that Toranaga "sacrificed" his son, when actually this boy is one rabid horse and Toranaga was right to pull his reins. If everyone is somewhat a "pawn" for Toranaga to use, he didn't actually count Nagakado as one. He always tried to keep Nagakado away from the big fight, if not out of love then at least out of wisdom for his son's recklessness. When Saeki handed the order for Nagakado to commit seppuku over the crime of killing Jozen, Toranaga sternly prevented it. Remember that he could've just let Nagakado took it like Tadayoshi did, it would've been a fair retribution and de-escalate the hostility, but still he didn't.

In Nagakado's defense, how would you feel being the son of a great lord famous for astounding achievement at such a young age, and then you, the no swag son. Even if Toranaga didn't expect Nagakado to copy him, the people around them would still constantly compare them. That's why Nagakado was so rogue to prove himself. It was exactly the same with Saeki, so jealous of Toranaga that when the opportunity arise to thwart his brother he took it.

Toranaga was fully prepared for the real Crimson Sky until the earthquake devastated his army, not to mention the unexpected betrayal from his brother. He had no choice but to surrender.

Nagakado's death was the most unnecessary, truly no beauty in it. He was the one blunder that kept blundering himself out of his father's control. But then turns out the mourning period for Nagakado was crucial for Toranaga to plan the next move. Without it, the council would've immediately ordered him and his clan's execution and it would be all for nothing. In the end, he made his son's ugly death into a meaningful one.

Then came Hiromatsu's death, the most costly death for Toranaga. Being friends for so long they understood the cost of the greater goal. Yes Nagakado's death did buy him some time, but the council wouldn't be so convinced of his surrender, the master of trickery™. Plus they took Nagakado's death as a bare minimum L. "Don't give up on our lord, even when it appears he has given up on himself." Hiromatsu knew that they have come so far and they couldn't stop now, so out goes Toranaga's best guy to complete the surrender facade.

The secret ultimate ace card was Mariko. From the beginning, no one seemed to fully catch up with Toranaga, not even Hiromatsu, except for Mariko. The relationship between Toranaga and Mariko was a mutual one, each with their own goals but happens to be intertwined in the same path.

Toranaga didn't even intend for Mariko to die. The book explained that Toranaga had future plans for Mariko after the war, to divorce her from Buntaro and have her as his messenger to England with John. He knows that Mariko was the only one who could reach Ochiba. He just wanted Mariko to come get Kiri, Shizu, and their newborn son to get out of Osaka, at the same time tell Ishido he's a bitch and hopefuly broke Ishido and Ochiba's alliance (the Minowara sends their regards). It was ONE BIRD throwing TWO STONES. Unfortunately, then he lost his ace card too but damn did it worked a little too well, he literally won the war because of it.

People expected John to be Toranaga's secret weapon, setting the expectation of a "Some dude got isekai-ed into foreign world and now he's destined to save it" trope.

To borrow Mon Mothma's quote: "I show you the John in my hand, you miss the Mariko at your throat".

Yabushige was the audience's voice when he asked "How does it feel to shape the wind to your will?" Because everyone saw Toranaga's final reveal and thought damn it was him all along! But then Toranaga went meta and replied, "I don't control the wind, I only study it." No, everything didn't fell into place like exactly how he wanted. He's not the all-knowing untouchable god. Many times he was crossed and blocked, but instead of trying to force his path through, he simply let it flow. His schemes are not a rigid linear one like how his opponents worked, but it branches and found its own way, and that's how he won.

[leniisreallycool]

"Asmo doesn't know but I'm about I turn him into a Lucifer killing machine"

He's such a menace

When you have so much aroace swag even the dating sim is forced to acknowledge it

Average dog owner threat

Gasp

These options-

"everything seems fine" *two seconds later* "wait fuck no"

Why is that the casual go-to for them. Aren't you trying to be inconspicuous

His little blush I can't

I love how he was completely willing to give up and accept that all his brothers went missing mysteriously under horror movie circumstances

Not the twins guilt tripping Luke into letting us use his room

Stop Luke's voice is annoying don't make him be so cute

Hehehe

Funny dialogue options

No Asmo that's your brother what the fuck

I love these options MC can be such a menace

Classic menace MC

I feel like calling myself his Henry would be insulting because I'm a "normie"

but it's also bad to act like it was wrong for him to lose trust in me after I lied to him. There are no good options this time

Asmo channeling his inner Fransiska von Karma

I wanna pet Cerberus even if he's supposed to be scary

and this is coming from someone who hates dogs in general

Beel. Beel what do you mean by this

You didn't answer my question do you melt in like snow I'm so serious about this