#Akira would probably just fight him

[monoukotori]

Headcanon number 1:

If Akira and Sai had the opportunity to met (like, with a real body), they would get along like a house on fire. I can imagine Akira acting like a teacher's pet with Sai, so cute. And Sai would be thrilled to play with him and they would talk about go for hours. I'm sure they would become really close really fast

Headcanon number 2:

Hikaru would get violently jealous, of both of them, at the same time. Would try to insert himself in any and all conversations they have and demand that they explain any and all inside jokes to him. He also would invite himself to any outing they attempt to have, and try to shift the attention to himself like a needy toddler

Headcanon number 3:

Hikaru would do all that without connecting the dots or realizing that he's jealous. He just thinks that being together makes them really annoying, and is convinced that his behaviour is normal

[akirakirxaa]

27 for music ask game!!

[Music ask prompt instructions here! You too can find out what kind of random stuff I listen to! Keep Reading break due to Endwalker spoilers.]

Are you not sick of playing games? Sick of giving blame? Sick of fucking living like the world has never given you a life-defining day? And I can't relate. - Feel Nothing, The Plot in You

A great many things had happened in the past several months that Akira never would have guessed at transpiring. Not least of which included traveling to the far flung past before Hydaelyn even existed, slaying the very gods of light and darkness, being rescued by her already dead enemy (more than once even), and traveling to the very edge of creation. But despite all of these things, they weren't what caused her the most pause.

It was that, in her moment of need, when she felt she was staring certain death, certain failure, head on, who would come to her rescue but Zenos in the form of Shinryu, having flown across the literal expanse of the universe just for, what, a chance at a rematch?

Had the circumstances been less dire, she may have still been stunned to silence.

And she was absolutely stunned at the amount of comaraderie in that final battle. Had she not known better, she would have sworn that there was no way this was the same man who'd tried to kill her, and those she loved, on so many occasions.

But the moment the Endsinger was defeated and Meteion had left to guide Akira back to the ship, she felt the shift. He knew she could never let him leave alive. She knew he wouldn't let her leave without a fight. And, as he pointed out, did she not wonder who was truly the stronger? Did she not yearn to push her own limits to new heights?

It would always come to blows. But he stood back and gave her the choice to walk away if she wanted. She pensively gazed across the empty expanse that had been the final battlefield against the Endsinger.

If it came to it, it would be a beautiful place to die.

"That, I cannot deny."

It's too late, too late I've buried this and it's evident You won't change, won't change (I feel nothing)

[kroosluvr]

temptation

i lowkey have too many notes to write down properly KDFHKDS but ill write them down for Future Cele so i can read it later and be like omggg past cele ur so fun and interesting

in general, the more "color" the scenes have, the closer it is to "real life" as opposed to the muted/hushed winter blues of maruki's reality

i.e. the dark frames w akira smiling and the very last panel are when reality sinks in: first for akira, then for goro

by the way this is long winter au but sumire is still brainwashed. this also works for canonverse but i just had long winter au in mind:o

youve heard of laundry and taxes now get ready for coffee and pastries

in every panel, akira is smiling! :) and goro is very much not smiling.

intentionally his face is hidden in the last 2 pages so its unclear whether it's the "ideal reality" already (akira/goro's daydreams/wants/desires), or if goro is still fighting akira on making sure he picks the right choice

the smoke from the first page kinda leads into the 3rd page omfg COMPLETELY UNINTENTIONAL BUT REALLY COOL LMAOOO

that's nameless and belladonna in jazz jin!!! i love them. I LOVETHEM. i miss them so bad is it obvious

the cafe is loosely based off of caffe strada @ uc berkeley LMAO. my parents used to take me there a lot as a little kid so that's the first cafe i think of when i imagine one. its like right on the streetside, basically on the sidewalk, so its very bustling and people are always walking by... probably a little disconcerting to see everyones summery bright smiles despite the bitter cold and snow

in long winter AU, the Ideal Reality starts before 1/1 so yeah they get to see the new years fireworks together (or something)

also intentional that they wear the same winter outfits in the whole comic although it Probably does not take place at the same time. in maruki's snowglobe, time seems frozen in place... but akira and goro are both acutely aware that the sands are running thru QUICK

goro's frustrated expression on page 3 is one also of disdain: "don't speak FOR me you fucking imbecile" type of expression.

goro, who's never lived a normal life and therefore doesn't know much abt "normalcy" nor really actively seeks it. this 3rd semester is basically purgatory for him and he doesn't care to try and go through the motions the way akira does. akira what do YOU know about the type of "normalcy" i deserve? how do YOU know if i "deserve" that?

im thinking that this is a naive akira who is mostly set on taking the deal because he feels hopeless... seeing all his friends with good happy lives while goro and himself are alive and miserable and shouldering the weight of the world during the horror of long winter......

oh but if he takes the deal they could all be good and alive and happy!!!.... and goro knows this. i feel like in any other universe (i.e. akira is 100% certain on not taking the deal and goro knows this) then goro would be happy and carefree to do these little indulgences for himself and akira's sake, to just enjoy the snowglobe world while it exists.

but this goro is discontent. he sees how akira is enjoying the snowglobe and knows maruki is depending on this. goro has to be the one to remind akira that none of this is his to keep........ in this fucked up world, routine is dangerous. becoming comfortable is dangerous. they cannot keep any of this.

on that note, goro says "i hate you" in a halfhearted sort of way (it's not true and akira knows that.) but he's trying to think of a way that he can dissuade akira from picking the wrong choice.....

and i think the thing is, goro thinks all of this, but he still falls into the rhythm of routine with akira anyway. in a way, goro feels hopeless too.

all of this is maruki's doing........ paralyzed by the inability to choose... whatever you do, you lose. goro needs to hold akira at arm's length so the stupid sentimental fool doesn't get too attached and falls into the wrong universe. akira needs to make a concentrated effort to detach himself from goro even though he wants the simplest thing in the world: just one more unremarkable day with him. it's lose-lose..........,

also i liked drawing the tentacles in the last pic the freaking blue lines on them were SO satisfying to draw

edit: also the last page: the blood flooding the panel….. the idea of the ideal world being built off of the blood and sweat and tears and bodies of the people who could have been. of those lost in the actualization, of those destroyed, of those stitched together and brought back to life. all just for a little false happiness. goro sees it but akira doesn’t, and it’s a grim sight.

[monakisu]

I want you to know that I came across a random post of your Death Note art, went "Awww, oh my gosh, with the way this person draws Light I think Akechi would look fantastic in the same style!", clicked onto your profile, and then saw your newest artwork was Akechi. I'm still kind of cackling over it and thought maybe you'd find it funny too. Your art is SO cute, I'm very happy I found it <333

HAHA THAT’S AMAZING (<< was an akechi artist wayyyy before i fell head over heels for light)

but rlly… theyre so similar:

- brunet

- asshole

- pretty boy

- mass murderer

- black-haired homoerotic rival

at the end of the day, the key difference is one is a top and the other is a bottom.

ok but seriously, they’re vastly different characters on a fundamental level:

- light was handed everything him on a silver platter: family, friends, looks, intellect, a comfortable life… as a bastard child of a sex worker and now an orphan, goro had to fight his way to his current position and will always harbor a terrible sense of inferiority (light is completely confident in his absolute superiority, Always (that’s why the challenge of L sent him off the deep end of obsession lol))

- light genuinely sees himself as a hero, while goro would like to feel the same but is nonetheless depressingly aware of his villain’s journey (his undesirable position as the detective vs the underdog phantom thieves, his string of assassinations, his ultimate dirty bloody goal, etc.).

- light’s motive is about the world’s salvation, cleansing, the birth of his ideal reality (very messianic of him with the slightest loving tinge of mary cradling her lamb hahaha) while goro is laser-focused on ruining this one asshole’s life in particular, vengeance and revenge at once! one’s focused on rebirth, and the other gunning straight for death! they both use murder to get what they want but light probably floats around thinking himself so clean and divine as mother of the world (ignorance is bliss) while goro is constantly desperately trying to cover up his suspiciously red hands with his gloves hehehe… they’re both constantly striving for perfection, just with varying levels of self-awareness!!

- goro is a canonical loner; light has a horde of friends; this is probably due to a difference in public persona! goro is an untouchable idea of what he thinks a human should be and is completely out of the loop when it comes to normal social interactions (believes opening with hegel will instantly endear himself to the average person (luckily he inflicted that upon akira who is decidedly not average in the slightest)), light is implied to be more down-to-earth and even slightly goofy (he’s gaming decorum like an advanced speedrunner)! it’s probably good how distant goro is, because getting any closer to him will allow you to see how off-putting and uncanny he is, sorta like an AI-generated image—seams in the wrong places and far too much teeth LOL. meanwhile light has this whole shebang so thoroughly figured out that he’s BORED with it all! he’d like to move on to the next game (with L), thank you!! light definitely still exudes uncanny creepiness (it’s his natural state of being) especially when he zones out or starts hysterically cackling out of nowhere at his own thoughts, but he’s a hundred times better at masking compared to goro due to a better upbringing. goro is starved for the adoring friends he sees akira easily picking up one after another; light couldn’t give less of a shit because he’s always had those trivial luxuries! he’d much rather prefer an adoring WORLD!!

- then there’s the difference in how they die… one started out surrounded with company but ultimately died alone, while it’s the opposite for the other (if you count the de-realization of maruki’s reality as goro’s “death” (which i don’t)).

- in conclusion, light and goro are like funhouse mirror reflections of each other!!! one is a pampered lapdog getting a taste of rabies and letting loose, while the other is a starving wolf trying to domesticate itself for treats and headpats!! and i <3 them both!!!!!

anyways i may be wrong about light because im going purely off of fics, tumblr shitposts, and my own imagination :] feel free to school me in a way that won’t destroy my delusions!

[srovtl]

(Judgment on the blasphemous) Figaro SSR Card Story Translation

An encounter with a magical tool - Episode 1

That day, we were visiting a mansion full of sculptures in the eastern country to investigate the strange phenomenon of "monsters appearing in the forest."

Akira: Figaro. Did you find anything suspicious there?

Figaro: This area is probably okay. There were no sculptures with strange magical powers either.

Figaro: Ah, but I did find something nostalgic. Check this out.

In the palm of his outstretched hand was a brooch with a crimson gem set into a slightly tarnished gold base.

Akira: Wow, what a beautiful brooch...! The shape of the gemstone and the design of the base are both so delicate and beautiful!

Figaro: Right. This is actually a magical tool.

Akira: Really? How is it used?

Figaro: You see—

Mithra: I've seen that brooch somewhere before.

Akira: Mithra…!

Figaro: Oh, hey. Don't take it so forcefully 

Mithra suddenly appeared, grabbed the brooch, and stared at it closely.

Akira: Mithra Do you know about it too?

Mithra: just vaguely. how did it work again.....?

Figaro: It's a magic tool that absorbs the light in the surrounding area and creates a small explosion. It was often used in the northern country.

Akira: An explosion...? Why was that in the north...

Figaro: It has a fair amount of destructive power, and is useful for destroying huge ice blocks and rock walls.

Figaro: In the north, things like that often get in the way of living.

Akira: Ah, I see... It's a pretty practical magical tool.

Mithra: Now that I think about it, haven't we ever had a fight over this?

Figaro: Aaah…... You keep only remembering useless things, don't you?

Akira: Fight? But with both of your magical powers, it's not really necessary...

Mithra: True. Why were we fighting?

Figaro: Because you wanted to test its power and tried to use it near the village.

Akira: What, near the village...?

Figaro: : Right? So, when I stopped him so that damage would not occur to the village, a fight broke out.

Mithra: Really? Doesn't ring a bell for me.

Figaro: You...

Mithra: Whatever the reason, remembering fighting with you makes me irritated, so I'm going to use this to erase that memory.

Akira: What!? Just like that on the spot!?

Mithra: 《Arthim》

Figaro: Nope~ you stop that.

An encounter with a magical tool - Episode 2

Mithra: Huh? Why should I follow your orders?

Figaro: If you use that magical tool and blow up the surrounding area, the sage's Wizards won't stay quiet.

Figaro: And what if, I said I'm going to call Oz?

Mithra: …….

Figaro: If your actions cause the mission to fail, it will give the sage's Wizards a bad impression, and it will cause trouble for Arthur.

Figaro: When that happens, Oz will cooperate with us. As the second, you're no match for him.

Mithra frowned in genuine displeasure.

Mithra: ...stop talking so much, how noisy. I don't want to live worrying about what's going on around me all the time.

Mithra: I'm just going to do what I want to do.

Mithra: 《Arthim》

Akira: (N-no way...?)

Without the slightest hesitation, like breathing, Mithra cast the spell.

Seeing the magical tool begin to glow faintly, Figaro quickly hid me behind his back—

Mithra: ……

Akira: ..Huh..? It's not exploding...?

The faint light emitted by the magical tool slowly faded away, and nothing happened.

Mithra: Hey, isn't this broken?

Figaro: Well yeah. Do you remember when we fought? It was hundreds of years ago.

Figaro: That magic tool was a bit broken even back then and now it's just junk. It's not causing any explosions.

Mithra: Haah, I guess that's how it is.

Mithra: Never mind, I'm not interested anymore. Well then.

Akira: Oh... he's gone…

Figaro: Seriously.... He said what he wanted to say, did what he wanted to do, and then disappeared...

Figaro: He really hasn't changed at all since the old days.

With a big sigh, Figaro turns to me.

Figaro: Are you okay, Master Sage? I scared you.

Akira: Ah, no… I was surprised, but Nothing happened so it's fine.

Figaro: I see, that's good.

Figaro: That guy is really annoying. He's so free-spirited and only thinks about his own convenience.

Figaro: Maybe it's because he's a Wizard of the North.

Akira: Hmm… Rather than because he's a Wizard of the North, I think it's because he's Mithra.

Figaro: Why do you think so?

Akira: I mean, Figaro, even though you were originally a wizard from the north, you're well-liked in the south and you watch out for us and care about us.

Figaro: Master Sage...

Akira: Of course, I like Mithra too, who's so free-spirited and sometimes stands at the lead...

Akira: I'm grateful to Figaro for leading us as our teacher at the magic manor, and I think he's wonderful.

Figaro: …….

Figaro: I see. Thank you Master Sage.

An encounter with a magical tool - Episode 3

Akira: Is it okay to put this brooch back where it was?

I picked up the brooch that Mithra had tossed and handed it to Figaro.

Figaro: Yeah. It's almost out of magic and shouldn't function anymore, so there's no need to worry.

Akira: Then shouldn't you have told Mithra from the beginning that it couldn't be used anymore...?

Figaro: I'm pretty sure he knew too. He just wanted to cause trouble.

Figaro: Well, it's good to clarify the hierarchy sometimes, so this was a good opportunity. It would be troublesome if he got carried away too?

Figaro winks mischievously.

Akira: (Was that a joke? No, that's his actual feelings...)

Akira: Where did this brooch come from?

Figaro: It was buried in this sculpture. Look.

Figaro points to a nearby sculpture that is about knee-high.

Akira: Hmm, this...

The sculpture was in the shape of a person wrapped in rope. Looking closely, there was a mark where a brooch had been placed on the chest.

Perhaps it's because of the passage of time, the bumps on the body and face have smoothed out considerably, but there is still a pure atmosphere, like that of a priest.

Figaro: "Sage"...

Akira: Yes?

Figaro: Oh, sorry. I didn't call you. See here, "Sage.” It's carved into the base.

Akira: Umm…

Akira: So that means... is this a sage from a generation long before mine?

Figaro: Hmm, I think it's probably a creation of the imagination. Back then there was no magic manor and it must have been harder to meet the sage than it is now.

Figaro: Perhaps they tried to worship the "sage" they had heard rumors about, like a god.

Figaro: Humans always want to cling to a being that will save them.

Akira: Now that you mention it... There was a similar culture in my world.

Figaro: Well, it may be foolish to cling to it without even knowing the real thing.

Figaro quietly closes his eyes. His eyes are as deep as a lake, and it is impossible to see into them.

Akira: (Foolish, huh...? But…)

Akira: Still, isn't it true that this existence saved their heart?

Figaro: True?

Akira: Yes. This statue looks like it was cared for very well.

Akira: There are no noticeable scratches, and the statue has few bumps, which is probably because it was handled with care.

Akira: Maybe they buried the magical items that could have put them in danger because they wanted the sage to protect them.

Figaro: I see. So that's what you feel.

Figaro quietly gazes at the statue of the sage, still in his hands.

Figaro: If that's the case, perhaps the Worshipped themselves were saved by them…

Then, he slightly relaxed the corners of his mouth and gently stroked the sculptures.

His gaze was calm, as he was gazing into the distance.

Then let's line them up. - Card Episode

Akira: Hello, Figaro. Are you going out?

Figaro: Yeah. A little trip to the south.

Figaro: Apparently, a traveling sculptor who passed through Cloud City said they wanted to carve a wizard from the south.

Akira: Ooh, So there are traveling sculptors...

Akira: Huh? So are the other three going too?

Figaro: No, This time it's just me.

Figaro: While I've been painted before, I haven't had many statues, so I'll see how it goes.

Akira: I see, I hope it will be a wonderful encounter!

Akira: If all goes well, maybe we can get them to make sculptures of everyone else too...

Figaro: I'll check out the sculptor's personality and how they do things, if they look alright, maybe that will happen.

Akira: Yes! It would be more fun if we had all the statues instead of just one.

Figaro: It certainly would be lively if we had all the statues.

Figaro: Thank you, Master Sage. To be honest, I wasn't all that keen, but now I'm getting a bit excited.

Figaro: If they are nice, I'll introduce you too. Then we can line up the statues of us southern wizards and Master Sage.

Homescreen voice line 

What kind of costume should I wear this time? Master Sage, in your world ghosts are a classic, right? I thought that might be good, but, you know, we have a real ghost at home, so I'm worried I might look inferior. Oh, I'll probably get scolded again for saying this kind of stuff.

[feroshgirlsims]

Chapter 7.4 - You Can't Go Home

Mortals always ran.

Fear driving them forward.

Even as they forgot to look around.

Fuckin’ idiots.

“I-I can get the money. I just need more time!” the sim pleads once he’s cornered. “Tell Jacques I got a deal that can’t fail!”

It can fail. It probably already has. But Akira isn’t worried about the sim who was stupid enough to borrow from the Devil.

He's worried about the pack of goblins watching the whole exchange with hunger in their eyes. 

As they close in, he speeds over to cut them off. “This one ain’t for eating, in case you was getting ideas.”

“We could share, elf-friend,” one of them offers. “Broken bones and fresh meat, a delicacy.”

Hunger curls in his stomach. If sims knew even half the things the fae considered delicacies they would stop making TV shows depicting them as bloodless aristocrats. “Get your dinner somewhere else," he warns.

It’s not the answer the goblins want. They lunge, and he draws a sword from a liminal pocket he usually hides with his glamour. 

When he’s done slicing through them, he hefts it over his shoulder and calls out to JJ. “We done here?”

“Yeah,” the wolf holds up a stack of bloody simoleons, “Santiago’s coming to make sure he gets home. Can’t collect payments from a dead man. You wanna hit up Elixirs and Brews?”

Akira was in no mood for Glimmerbrook. With the Moon Revelry coming, Elves would be out in full force cavorting with witches and he really didn’t need the dirty looks or snide comments. 

Plus, he had other plans.

“I got something to do," he glances back at the goblins. A few slices of the sword wasn't enough to put them down. "Don’t let Santiago leave until those motherfuckers find their way out the park.” 

"Sure thing," JJ waggles his brows, “And I would pick Cora over drinks with me, too. Tell her I said hi."

Akira arrives at the Straud Family Compound in seconds. He’s in enemy territory, but if he doesn’t want to be seen, he won’t be. 

The Strauds were an anomaly in the world of organized crime. Julia didn’t move in territory beyond her own, and even though it’s clear her cannabis was the best in Sim Nation West, she doesn’t deal with anyone outside of local sims. Even Jacques has to get his supply from her secondhand. 

No, the Strauds weren't ambitious but they protected their home with viciousness of raptors, hence the stupidity of hiding out in it.

Not that the stupidity was stopping him. He didn't lie when he told Jacques he'd be crazy to get close to Vlad's family of maniacs. Akira felt crazy.

Earlier, he'd watched Vlad struggle to feed a batch of chickens and an enchanted rooster, though it was clear Vlad didn't know it was enchanted since he tried to take it on with a hatchet.

His whole family gathered to watch the fight; his grandmother even took bets.

Vladislaus got his ass kicked. Trained killer he may be, but no one could best an enchanted rooster, and certainly not one straight from the netherworld. 

Akira was still laughing and feeling a little wistful.

Changelings weren't rare. It's why fae were born with their glamour firmly in place. The hard part was figuring out how to drop the cover and reveal your true features.

And to be a changeling was to live by trial and error. He still remembered the first time he thanked a classmate and wound up bound to their will for half the school year. 

Since then, Akira had carefully ordered his life. Friendships never got too deep. Relationships didn't either.

But Alice and Vlad feel like home.

She’s all sunshine and fire with curls Akira wants to tug and lips he wants to bite. And Vlad is compelling but dangerous. Fae-like. Even bruised with a black eye he’s so unnaturally pretty that his features seem to be arranged wrong. The temptation is...visceral, almost binding.

Before he can give into it, Akira pulls his magic close and lets it vibrate near the center of his chest.

In an instant, he’s gone.

PREV | NEXT

(Part 4 of 4)

[theender36]

I got some thoughts on Sonic 3 that I wanna talk about so

⚠️ Spoilers for the movie Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024) ⚠️

Love that the riff from Live and Learn is used as a leitmotif for Shadow but also Maria was playing it on her guitar which is sad and now I'm picturing Shadow playing that riff in his head all the time

Right before Shadow busts out of containment his heart monitor starts going and then stops which I'm interpreting as his heart beating so fast it doesn't register

They didn't outright say it but Gerald is the one who hacked into GUN to revive Shadow. I don't think they addressed how he got out of prison but he probably built something in his cell

I love the running gag that Ozzie the golden retriever resents Sonic

Loved the joke about Sonic's security system (nunchucks) still working (hit himself in the face again)

Shadow has always been a foil for Sonic but the movie fully realizes the potential of that dynamic in my opinion. They both have a loneliness deep inside from losing someone they loved but Sonic was able to move on and find more family. Shadow hasn't had that chance yet

They used the "Talk about low budget flights" line!

The credits said they used the City Escape music but I must have missed it

Wild that they gave Shadow a gun and a motorcycle again and made it work this time. It probably has something to do with him doing the Akira slide up the side of a building

The CG animation really shines in this movie. I kept looking at how good the reflections in their eyes were. And the fight scenes just had so much slick movement and speed while also properly conveying what was actually happening

When the egg-drones show up, you assume they're going after Team Sonic. But Gerald is controlling the drones so they were definitely gunning for Walters

A Traveling Wilburys song during the flashback was a surprise to be sure but a welcome one. However, I will nitpick the fact that the song End of the Line came out in 1988, which would have been 14 years after Shadow was locked away

Biolizard cameo as the kaiju in the movie Maria and Shadow are watching

Eggman says something about having some unknown quality that makes him "totally undesirable to all possible genders" which suggests to me that he has tried dating loads of people with various gender identities (Woah, he's pansexual! I didn't know that!)

You may ask why the plot treats G.U.N. keeping the other key to the Eclipse Cannon like it's a bad thing. For one thing, the Robotniks are gonna try to steal it, and for another, I don't think a secretive yet fallible military organization having access to a doomsday weapon is a good thing

The concept of G.U.N. keeping a vault that has no records of it so that people can't visualize it to use Warp Rings is very cool and almost SCP-esque

Big fan of Shadow's solution to a telenovela love triangle being for the woman to just kill the two men vying for her affections

Love the subversion of a fight between Sonic and Knuckles with Knuckles instead relenting because he trusts that Sonic will do the right thing in the end

That being said, Knuckles desperately needs a flying island to keep the Master Emerald safe because Wade just ain't gonna cut it

There are a small handful of moments where I think Jim Carey did a really good job of dramatic acting. In particular, the final flashback to Maria's death where he manages to really show the loss and heartbreak Gerald experiences despite wearing a goofy prosthetic

Gerald turning ice-cold to Eggman when he says "You're no Maria"

So glad they did a DragonBall-style Super fight between Sonic and Shadow. If you're gonna make a movie with a bunch of CGI, you might as well go a little nuts with it

You may ask "how are Sonic and Shadow breathing in space?" The same way they do in the games babeeeyyyyy

Shadow and Gerald really wanted to kill the whole world and themselves. And once the Cannon was charged, Shadow didn't care anymore. He was totally willing to let Sonic punch a hole in his chest

Of course, Sonic comes to his senses and is willing to talk with Shadow after sparing him. I love that what changed Shadow's mind was remembering what Maria told him about the stars. That even when they're gone, their light still shines

They literally Lived and Learnt

I wish the Live and Learn sequence wasn't interrupted by Gerald giving Eggman an over-the-knee grandpappy spanking but what can you do

I'm glad that Tails and Knuckles weren't just sidelined for the third act. They show up to save Eggman, help redirect the Cannon, and then save Sonic. Would have been really awkward if they made such a big deal about teamwork only for Sonic to wrap up the conflict on his own

Tails is really chill about Eggman stabbing his grandpa in the butt and launching him into a giant bug zapper

Eggman comes to terms with his own loneliness and is willing to sacrifice himself to save the world not just because he wants to rule it but because he has someone to care about

Missed opportunity for a "Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog"

I know it's still a family friendly movie but it's odd that Tom got kicked by an enraged hedgehog moving at the speed of light and all he got was an arm in a sling

The mid-credits scene got me hyped. I can't wait to see who they have voicing Amy. And I like the decision to have an army of Metal Sonics

I hope the next movie explores more about where the animal characters come from because we really don't know much. I'm guessing whoever is behind the Metal Army is from there

Post-credits scene, of course Shadow lived but I'm hyped to see what direction they take that in. Are they gonna do the amnesia thing or will he just be stranded somewhere?

I know that using Chaos Control requires an emerald and the movies established that the Chaos Emeralds are held within the Master Emerald but it sucks they never said it except for in the Shadow Generations DLC. So uh 0/5, do better

[tobiasdrake]

Man, every time you post from Dragonball Meta I go "Man, that makes so much sense! Now I wanna see their take on this" On that note: How would you describe Gohan and Krillin's dynamic

It takes a village to raise a child. Goku, Chi-Chi, and Piccolo's contributions to Gohan's upbringing are often brought up, but it's often overlooked that he was Krillin's ward for a time too.

During their time on Namek, Krillin and Gohan have a pretty neat dynamic. As a hybrid Saiyan given some instruction in ki manipulation and martial arts by Piccolo, Gohan has a great deal of raw ability. But he's also five years old.

He's got a lot of power and some technical prowess but he doesn't have the sharp instincts or experience of a martial artist. He has the temperament of a child in need of guidance. Because. Like. That's what he literally is.

His ki sensing tends to be more finely tuned than Krillin's.

Gohan is a fantastic radar. I think learning to sense ki at such an early age probably made it second nature for him, like having a sixth sense. But that's my speculation.

In any case, Gohan's got a lot of ability but what he lacks is maturity, experience, and some of the more esoteric techniques picked up from a lifetime of martial arts study. That's where Krillin comes in. Krillin calls the shots during their time on Namek.

As an aside, I love this moment because it conveys the difference in technique between the two. Gohan and Krillin are both about to absolutely murder these guys in one hit each, but the way they're about to do it is totally different.

Gohan fights like a brawler, and so he's just going in for a hard right hook. Krillin, meanwhile, is preparing to twirl himself around with Bukujutsu in order to create momentum for a spinning kick.

Brute force on the one hand and finely honed martial arts on the other. Akira Toriyama's greatest talent as an artist was conveying character through action.

That is their dynamic on Namek. (Dynamek?) Gohan is powerful beyond measure while Krillin makes choices about where and how to apply that power. And when Gohan's impulsiveness gets them into trouble (in a way that will pay out massive dividends for years to come):

It's Krillin's technical knowledge, experience, and knack for subterfuge that gets them out of it.

This victory was brought to you by everybody cannibalizing Tenshinhan's techniques because they're so good. Dude needs to start filing patents.

Bunch of fucking thieves, Kame-senryu.

This sort of teamwork is the relationship they develop. Krillin is experienced and tactical, but also pragmatic. He didn't want to save Dende; He was totally willing to let Dende die to avoid exposing him and Gohan. But he rolls with it and adapts.

When he next sets out into a situation where they might have to leave the Namekians to die, he doesn't say he's not taking Gohan to avoid a similar predicament... but he does bench Gohan without giving any reason for it.

It's certainly an interesting choice, to be sure.

And a mistake he'll spend the next six days trying to un-make.

Oof. Would have been a great idea to have brought Gohan along in the first place, huh?

He does it again much later, when he's once again flying into a situation where he might have to choose between exposing himself to Frieza or letting the Namekians die.

Again, no explanation offered. Gohan volunteers to join and Krillin tells him, "Nope." Gohan has implicitly been fired from ever doing spy ops with Krillin again. Nonetheless, he continues to follow Krillin's lead unquestioningly, all the way up to the end.

For his part, Gohan is impulsive and follows his heart. He leans on Krillin for guidance and mentorship, but also follows his heart.

But together they effectively fight as a single unit. That... psychic mind training thing they were doing on the spaceship wasn't just sparring; They were also forming battle strategies and making plans for fighting an enemy together.

The coordination and teamwork between Gohan and Krillin is some of the best in the series, because they had both time and will to practice and train themselves as battle partners. Guldo can freeze time and he's still on the backfoot from how fast they flow from one attack to another, and how well Gohan's learned to read Krillin's moves and follow along without a word between them.

Oh, and the ki sensing.

I love the way Krillin and Gohan dominate this fight. Guldo's telekinesis almost pulls this out for him right at the end, but 90% of this fight is Guldo narrowly avoiding being brutally murdered by virtue of his time manipulation.

This is, once again, the Planet Trade Organization in the nutshell. Their raw abilities are incredible, while the Earthlings are better fighters. This tends to put the Earthlings on the backfoot, but the Earthlings have the tools to at least navigate the situation - For a time, at least.

When they can find an answer, they excel. When they can't, the raw ability of the PTO wins out. One of my favorite moments for Gohan and Krillin is right here, when they intervene during Vegeta's fight with Recoome.

This is a desperation move. There was no plan here. "We're fucked; GET 'IM!" was the only idea exchanged before they rush in.

So, lacking a coordinated strategy like the ones they used against Guldo, you can see their different values manifest in how they move. Krillin, the underhanded pragmatist, goes straight for a critical shot. Hitting Recoome with a well-placed knee drop to slam his jaw shut on the ultra-powerful Eraser Gun he's firing from his mouth.

Krillin's sneak attack fucks up Recoome about as hard as the preceding battle with Vegeta did.

But where Krillin sees an opening for a powerful hit, Gohan sees a life in danger. So he moves to save Vegeta instead of following Krillin's attack. Even Vegeta's startled by this decision.

Vegeta's pissed that Gohan didn't let him die. Vegeta would have let Vegeta die.

This is who Gohan is: A kindhearted boy who doesn't want to be in these violent situations but will do whatever he has to do in order to protect the lives of others.

Gohan is the most unambiguously heroic character in the cast. There is no poison in his heart. He's not here to fight. He doesn't care about martial arts. He has no enjoyment and no love of violence. He has Goku's best quality: He doesn't like it when people are being hurt, and he's bold enough to get involved if he can. But it's distilled in Gohan, untouched by Goku's poison.

Which is both a strength and a weakness, in different ways. And remains so throughout the rest of his life.

[writerofjourneys]

Hi! If requests are still open, could I request Akira/Joker with a female reader who's a phenomenal cook?

Making him lunches, snacks, and occasionally breakfast and dinner too. Boy's bout to be spoiled.

Cooking for Joker

Fandom(s): Persona 5

P5 Protagonist/Joker x Fem Reader

Headcanon

Content: Fluff, romance, food, established relationship, marriage, married life, aged up characters, cooking, domesticity, soft Joker, taking care of each other, affection, declarations of love.

Warnings: None.

Main List | 𝐉𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐫

As the leader of the Phantom Thieves, Akira is busy preparing for heists and fighting Shadows. But not just for being a leader of a mysterious infamous group, he’s busy everywhere. Ranking up confidants, fusing Personas, stocking supplies, studying, Akira’s been dealt with a lot of responsibilities since he got to Tokyo.

Eating at Big Bang Burger all the time and doing those challenges isn’t healthy on a regular basis. He does eat out with the team and his confidants sometimes. And Sojiro does cook breakfast for him on occasion.

But he will have a tendency to overwork himself and forget his own needs. He’s also taking care of Morgana, another mouth to feed besides himself. During lunchtime, Akira would either share his meal or just give it to Morgana.

Though since Morgana is known to keep track of his bedtime, the cat will make reminders for him to eat. The talking feline does pride himself for being responsible.

But you making food for him will send his heart soaring. He’s a lanky male, not too thin, but not so muscular, so he could still go for some more meat in his bones. It’s not only a sweet gesture but also an efficient way to help feed your hardworking boyfriend. He may even blush a little from the adoring sentiment.

Making bentos for him? Touching. Making matching bentos for the two of you? Adorable. Especially if you’re putting great details in the lunches, like making cute faces in the shape of animals and such. Akira will tease that it looks far better to admire, but he’ll happily finish the bento until there’s nothing left. He’s never been a picky eater so he’s open to try anything you make.

Learning about your cooking skills definitely impresses him. Akira likes to improve his own culinary abilities. Working with Sojiro behind the counter helped him discover that passion. So being a phenomenal cook, he’d gladly ask for tips and advice once in a while.

Akira finds himself astounded that someone like him, someone carrying a false criminal record serving probation in an unfamiliar place alone, could have such a loving girlfriend caring for him. He always makes sure to not let you forget his own affections and how much everything you do means.

It becomes a routine for you two to meet up at lunchtime and eat together. Sitting side by side closely, across with legs touching. There’s no doubt that Akira will happily reciprocate in taking turns making meals for you both. A good way to practice his cooking skills despite his busy schedule. If you were to ever be unable to make it, Akira will feel your absence greatly.

Breakfast? Probably best to have something easier to eat as you walk to Shujin side by side on weekdays. It is true as they say that to a person’s heart in general is through the stomach. If you stopped by carrying food filled containers to eat at LeBlanc, Sojiro has no problem with it. He does agree that Akira should be mindful of eating. Depending on if said containers are washable, he’ll let you keep them at the café until you take them back.

Feeding each other is a thing in private. When no one is there, Akira will offer a piece of food to your lips, expression cheeky. It’s something you’d only do behind closed doors.

And in reverse, he’s happy to welcome a spoonful from you. Wiping a stain on his mouth gets him a bit bashful. A napkin? Cute. Your own tongue? Now his face got even redder.

But beware, the leader of the Phantom Thieves has tricks up his sleeve. He’ll reciprocate the action in a sneaky way to tease back.

Dates spent cooking and eating together is very domestic and wholesome. Trying new recipes, sharing some, it’s a lovely way to spend time with one another. Though you’d probably spend that in your home rather than his. Because as nice as the coffee and curry is at the café, you’d have more privacy and space to work on. Akira always has a look in his eyes when he gazes upon you, so much so it makes you bashful every time you see it.

Food turns into a new love language between you.

And once you become adults? Naturally, living together is expected after the deepening of your relationship growing from being high school sweethearts. Cooking together becomes a real staple in your household. Working different jobs may not always let you cook together, but having the thoughtfulness of making food for the other is still as meaningful.

[k-dokja]

⟪ reasons to date kijima akira ⟫

→ amazing cook 10/10 he'd also be super indulging towards his girlfriend so you can ask him to cook anything and he'd labour to do it for you.

→ never have to worry about him ever paying attention to other girls, he straight up only has eyes for you. you're his person and that's more than enough. would beat the ass of anyone who tries to hit on him while knowing he's in a relationship.

→ legit would try to become a better person for you. yes, you CAN fix him. he's going to be an amazing husband. he'll cook, he'll clean, and he might not care about himself but if it makes you happy, he'll do just about anything while complaining about it.

→ has a motorcycle. for sexy points. also wears slutty v-neck and choker as a fashion choice. you know, for sexy.

→ doesn't understand technology except his motorcycle. he might die in this day and age but at least he will die not having brain rot.

→ 188cm. knows how to fight. he might make money from underground fighting matches but he's really good at it? so I guess it's fine? for now?

→ but listen, he'd probably fight ghosts and haunted spirits for you. 10 in determination points. 100 in stupid and reckless. he's honest about being afraid too... a man in touch with his emotions?

→ not very academically bright if you like them stupid. his strength outweighs his intelligence point by like, three times.

→ more attentive than his face implies (really he scowls as the default mode), would notice your little quirks and habits. he might not remember your anniversary but he'd remind you to take your medications and sleep early.

→ probably shit at cuddling because he's so lanky, doesn't know where to put his arms and always gets weirdly awkward if he's cramped up too long. but since this is reason to date him, you should know he's very casual with physical intimacy.

→ by that i mean he'd do little lingering touches often. doesn't even notice it's an embarrassing thing, but his hand is often on the small of your back, your elbow, your hips. just really like to have you within hand reach and keep you close.

→ you know he's touch-starved. he's also weirdly intense about it, but only in private. he can kiss you senseless when it's just the two of you but the moment someone is there, he clamps up like he'd die from being affectionate.

[flightofgoro]

"Goro-senpai?"

Sumire was standing at her usual spot in the subway, awaiting her bus, but she caught a familiar glance of brown hair, brown winter coat, green argyle vest. She runs up to him, her red hair that used to always be tied neatly in a ponytail now spilling over her shoulders. She glances at him almost apologetically before averting her eyes back to the ground.

"I-I was just about to text you. I was wondering ... um, if you wanted to go to Mementos later today. If you'd like." She pushes up her glasses. "... I'll probably go by myself, regardless. I just need to let off some steam."

— @yoshizawaviolet

goro straightens up when he hears his name, then rotates his head to see a familiar girl with her carmine hair tied up, cerise scarf wrapped around her neck along with her shujin uniform on - supported with a long, black winter coat that went down to her knees. of course, goro took note of the way she looked at him before her eyes avoided his. he crossed his arms while sumire uttered her next words.

“lose the formalities, sumire. if we're going to be fighting against a false reality, it'd be odd to be addressed formally.” goro stated firstly, his voice feeling dry in his throat. while thinking, he went to her question. “well, you won't be going by yourself, that's one. secondly, why don't you ask akira? he may be the better option you have.”

not that he was necessarily declining, goro just happened to think that there were probably better options to go with sumire. akira was up on the list for sure – he was frustratingly skilled. then there was sakamoto – as begrudging as that sounds. and the list goes on. it wasn't that goro was entirely incompetent, it's odd to assume that people would choose an ex-detective, who was behind the mass shutdowns, to go with them into another world. but if sumire wanted him to come, goro has no reason to refuse.

[tanzalatazaa]

English isn't my first language, so there are probably mistakes. I didn't proofread it before uploading it, so any constructive criticism is welcome.

My angel

Bakugou’s vision blurs, everything happened so fast. From one moment to another he wasn’t standing anymore. As his eyes slowly close, he can see lights in the distance. He can hear screams, and battle sounds. Lying on the ground in silence, he tries to keep his eyes open. All he can remember is that they were fighting some villains, then suddenly his head hit hard on a wall, and now he is on there trying not to faint. 

The world becomes slow through his vision, his head hurts, and he thinks that maybe closing his eyes for a couple of seconds wouldn’t be that bad, right? but, as soon as he does it a face appears in his mind.

Akira.

Bakugou opens his eyes as fast as his injured body lets him, he scans the place. He has to find her, that's all he can think about. Everything is chaotic, there are a lot of heroes fighting almost the same amount of villains. There’s fire, and buildings collapsing. He needs to find her, he tries to stand up but he fails. Bakugou curses at his body for not responding, and tries again, falling again. He would’ve cried out of frustration if he weren’t to focus on trying to find Akira. 

Katsuki drags along the ground, seeing some dead bodies. This attack was huge, unpredictable. Since The War he hasn’t seen something like this. In one moment he was patrolling with his pro hero girlfriend, and in the other they splitted fighting a lot of villains. 

Bakugou realizes that has been staring at the bodies, and his stomach feels sick. The mere thought of Akira ending up like them, makes his whole body sick. He continues dragging, looking for her, he can’t stop, not until he finds her. He prays for his body to react, and it finally responds, now that he’s standing, he can look faster. His head still hurts, but he doesn’t care, not when he doesn’t know where the love of his life is.

‘She’s dead’

That voice. It has been a long time since Bakugou haven’t heard that voice. He started therapy a couple months ago, after Akira practically begged him for it, saying that it would help him through his anxiety disorders, and damn she was right, like she always is. What would he do without her? he thinks.

‘Akira’s dead, and that’s your fucking fault’

That voice again. He tries to fight it. He just can’t break down, not now. He wants to move, but he can’t.

‘With such a fucking useless number one pro hero, no wonder why she’s dead’ 

Bakugou repeats to himself that she is not dead, trying to calm himself. He can't breathe, he can’t shut that damn voice.

‘You can’t save everyone, and you certainly can’t save her, you useless piece of shit’

Bakugou wants to scream his lungs out. He wants, no, he needs to shut this fucking voice down, but he can’t.

‘Akira didn’t deserve to be stuck with someone like you. Someone so fucking coward that waited years until finally grow a pair of balls to confess his love’ 

He hates that everything it says is true. Bakugou did love her from highschool, but never had the guts to tell her. He even moved away just to not face her, to not face the sour reality that he never felt good enough for her. So he ignored her, just waiting for that feeling to go away, but it never did, indeed it only increased by seeing her a the news as a hero prodigy. Every night he tortured himself for being a coward when it came to love, when it came to her.

‘Akira could perfectly get whoever she wants kissing her feets, but she fell for a stupid asshole who doesn’t know how to love, who doesn’t know how to walk either apparently’ 

Bakugou is trying to breathe through his nose, but the intense sobs that are leaving his body don’t let him. 

‘You are broken, and nobody should love broken things, right?’

His entire body is shaking and he can barely feel his face. Katsuki wants to stop that, but he can’t, he’s a prisoner of his own body, his own mind. He knows that he needs to keep looking, he has to find her, he needs to calm down, but why can't he?

‘You break Akira’s heart when you left her, just saying that your dream of becoming number one hero was more important, liar, you were so fucking scared to get hurt, that you hurted her instead’

“I hate you, I hate you, I hate you” Bakugo mumbles to himself, hitting hard on his chest with his fist, hurting himself.

‘You shouldn’t have come back, you just should’ve left her fall for someone else, someone better. Because she deserves to be happy, unlike you’

Bakugou wants to refute that, but he simply can’t, he knows that it’s right, he’s been knowing it for a long time. He feels like dying as he collapses on the ground, crying like a baby. Those words were getting into his head. Maybe they were right, maybe he was just a piece of shit that deserved nothing. 

Katsuki can’t stop thinking about that night, three years ago. The night he called her after four years of no contact. Bakugou remembers the week prior like if it would've been yesterday, he was at his lowest point, utterly alone. All he could think about back then was how stupid he was in the past for letting Akira go. It was a surprise for no one that he was so in love with his best friend, that everyone was shocked when Bakugou left the city without confessing, and just pushing you away. Even ignoring her calls, until he finally answered, just saying that he needed to focus on his career, Akira as always, understood him, she swallowed her tears and supported him, because she loved him, and if that was what he wanted, she would understand. She let him go, hoping that he would come back.

And she was right, he did. Bakugou was alone, yeah, he had Kirishima and Denki, but they each had their own lives, they talked from time to time, but that didn't take away from the fact that he was alone. And he knew he could blame no one but himself for that. The morning before his call, was the morning he climbed the hero rankings, he was finally the number one hero, his life's dream was coming true, but he couldn't feel more miserable. He was the number one hero, but what good is it if he has no one to celebrate with?. If the only person that he wanted a praise from was in another city, and he pushed her away until they no longer talked for years. And just then he realized that pushing her away from his life to focus on becoming number one pro hero was stupid, because without her, that title meant nothing. 

After hours of overthinking any possible way this would end up, he finally called at night. He didn’t know what to say, in fact he never thought that Akira would answer, all he wanted was to hear her recorded voice asking to leave a voicemail. Just hearing her voice would’ve made him less miserable. So when he heard a soft “Hey Bakugou” he couldn’t stop himself from crying, silent tears rolling down his cheeks “You did it, I knew you would. Congrats number one hero” On the other line Akira could only hear soft sobs.

She knew she was in love with him back in highschool, and she knew he loved her back.  She knew him like the palm of her hand, so she knew he would need time. When Bakugou left with no warning, she was heart broken, she tried to reach him, and after she did, and heard his response, she knew she was right. Bakugou was scared, he has always been a stubborn boy, she knew he had to figure thighs out in his mind alone. So she decided to wait for him, she always knew she would wait as long as it would take, she never mind it though. She loved him and only him, and she knew it was the same for him, he just needed time. 

So when she saw his call, Akira almost cried out of excitement. She saw the ranking in the morning, and she couldn’t feel more proud of him, but deep down, she wished she could’ve been able to celebrate with him. That’s why she answered her phone right away, and praised him. Her heart ached for him as she heard him crying alone. Her mouth, running on its own, started to say everything she wanted for years. “I’ve been waiting for this call for years” Bakugou tried to say something, but he couldn’t stop crying, he didn’t know how much he needed that, until that moment “I know Bakugou, I’ve always known” She said, knowing what he wanted to say “Just come back home. You have a place in my agency, I mean I’m not the number one hero, but you are always welcome here. I love you Bakugou, just come back, come back to me. We can talk here” When Bakugou could finally stop himself from crying all he could say was a soft “Thank you”.

He took the first flight back home, back to her. Their relationship continued just where it stopped four years before. After a few months they started dating, and everything was coming up together where it was always meant to be. 

‘Akira gave you a space in her life, just as nothing happened, after four years. She forged right away, no hesitation. But you still don’t, deep down you know you never deserved how well she treated you when you came back’

Laying on the ground Bakugou cries, all the insecurities he had been trying to avoid are haunting him. A part of him doesn’t want to fight anymore, doesn’t want to be a burden, and just for a couple of seconds he thinks that maybe everything would be better if he wasn’t

alive. He thinks that Akira’s life would be better if he’s not there. But the other wants to keep fighting, fighting for his life, fighting for akira.

Both sides of his head are fighting against each other. Bakugou closes his eyes, and he can almost see each side running against each other as if they were wrecked trains with no brakes going at full speed, about to crash to see which one survives. His chest aches, and a known voice gets into his mind “I love you Bakugou, just come back, come back to me” A only thick tear rolls down his left eye.

It is at that moment that he realizes he is not ready to die,  in fact he doesn’t even want to, not now. Please, somebody get him out of this train wreck, somebody help him! Today more than ever he is aware that he is not the best, that he is just a failure, but he still has a home here, he has Akira. After so many years and so many obstacles they are finally together.

Bakugou opens his eyes quickly, gripped by terror, feeling more and more trapped between the ropes, in his mind, that force him to fall. He gasps in despair, feeling as if he were on the edge of a precipice, completely bound by chains that try to pull him down. He runs, screams and struggles until his arms run out of strength, until his lungs run out of air. His legs become unstable and Bakugou stumbles and falls to his knees, terrified he tries with all his might to escape, but it is too late, he has reached the edge.

And then he knows.

It is the end.

But not just any end.

It's his end. 

The chains win.

He has lost.

He failed again.

Bakugou feels how he falls in slow motion to the bottom of that precipice that has none. He closes his eyes waiting for that impact that never comes, instead a dazzling light is present bringing him back to reality. Katsuki opens his eyes and sees her.

Akira.

She is there in front of him. He opens and closes his eyes frantically, no doubt it's her. From her body emanates that bright light and that does nothing but confirm to him that she is a point of light capable of illuminating even the darkest darkness. Bakugou sees her lips move, but does not understand her. He hears the sound of her voice, but cannot recognize what she says. Bakugou can only think that Akira is his angel, that bright and pure being who saves him from his demons. 

Angels are not supposed to fall, so why did he see her fall to her knees?

“Kat-suki!” She speaks while falling “Akira!” Bakugou runs to her, kneeling beside her “Akira babe, I’m here, I’m here with you” Akira drops herself into her beloved's lap. Right there is when Katsuki notices the blood gushing from his girlfriend's abdomen. 

No.

No!

NO!

He desperately pulls her to his body, holding her body between his arms and sitting her on his lap. While one spleen holds her close to his chest, the other presses into her wound. Bakugo's body trembles in terror, unable to utter a word.

“Katsuki, my sweet Katsuki” Akira smiles at him, while little tears leave her eyes “My love” She closes her eyes a few seconds. “Akira! I’m here, okay? You’re safe, you are with me” Bakugo feels the lump in his throat tighten “We’ll get out of here together”.

“After you left, I thought I lost everything, you know?” Akira opens her eyes “I was so in love with you, I think I’ve always been” Akira lifts her hand and gently caresses her boyfriend's cheek. “I had the girls, but I felt so lonely, all I wanted was you” Bakugou starts crying again “After the first time you answered my calls I was so happy, even when you ditched me” Lets out a little chuckle “Just hearing your voice was enough to make me happy”

“I waited for you for years” She settles on his chest “I always knew you would come back to me” She gives small caresses to the arm that holds her “People said that I should move one, and get over you, because you wouldn't come back. I never heard them, I believed in you. And I wasn’t wrong, because you did call, after all” She smiles as she closes her eyes disguising a moan of pain “You don’t know how happy I was that you finally called, I felt like a little kid on the candy action of a store, when I knew that the man I had always loved was coming back”

“I never told you this, but before you called I was at my lowest, wondering if life was worth living, but after you came back, you taught me what it was to feel like living and not surviving, again” Little sobs left Bakugou’s body “You were my reason to live”

“N-no” Bakugo bites the inside of his cheek, trying to control his sobs.  “You are not doing this. No!” Akira caresses Katsuki's trembling lower lip “Don’t you dare say goodbye, because I won’t let you, I refuse to” He pulls her closer to his body, putting pressure on her wound.

“Sweetheart, my baby, my love. You gave me everything any person could ask for” She ignores him, and continues between teers “I swear that you made my world so perfect. You pushed away my demons, and I don’t even know how, but you chased hell away and gave me a paradise by your side”

“Since you came back, three years ago, you made me pray” She laughs out of her own words “I’m not a believer, but you had me praying every night to any god that could exist, that everything we had didn’t finished” She smiles hiding her pain “On my knees I asked the air that if this was a dream, I never wanted to wake up. Because the love of my life was back”

“Since you came back I dreamed that all these sleepless years, waiting for something I thought impossible, would be enough for you to stay with me. I knew this love was worth it, because I am destined for you” Akira cradles Bakugo's cheeks lovingly “I knew it from the first moment I heard your voice that first day of school" She settles into her boyfriend's arm "I felt a spark, a connection. I couldn't explain it, I just felt it, I just knew. That impulsive boy would steal my heart and my every sigh" Akira looks at him with pure love 

"For a moment I saw it hard, very impossible, but I never stopped having faith. I never lost hope that you would come back to me and today I am more grateful than ever" She closes her eyes sighing for a brief moment “Akira, please. Stop, don’t do this to m-” A hard sob don’t let him continue. 

“If- if I don’t make it through the night” Her voice breaks “NO! Don’t you dare to say what you are about to say” Bakugou desperately holds her tighter as she starts sobbing “N-no, you can’t just go, no when I could finally say that I love you” The image of both of them sobbing creates a scene full of pure pain “You have to fight, for you, for me, f-for us”

“Kats” She mumbles “No, you can’t” He interrupts her “You can’t leave me alone. You promised you wound’t abandon me, you said we would be so happy together. You said it!” The sobs get intensified “I-I just can’t imagine a world without you. One where your jokes or your laughter are not ringing out. How do you expect me to see myself in a world where I won't be able to hug you? You are the light that lights my path and my reason for getting up in the mornings. P-please... don't do this to me“ Bakugou hides his face on Akira’s neck silencing his sobs there.

“Suki, don’t make it harder than it already is” She shakes as she cries “Your joy, only your joy can order the chaos of my mind" He doesn't separate from his body as he speaks "Only you are able to give light and order to my life, to give it purpose. I-I would be so lost if you left me alone."  

“Katsuki” Her voice is desperate "I-I don't know what's going to happen, but I do know that I'm tired o-of all this shit" She looks around "And I also know that you gave me the best life so if I don't make it through the night, know that you saved me in every way someone can be saved. You painted my gray days with colors and gave life to my already dead heart" She pulls him away from her body and caresses his cheek with the back of her hand.

"If today is my last day and it's my time to go, don't forget me okay?" She presses her grip on his cheek gently "Keep me in your memory" She continues caressing with her thumb on the same spot "Remember me fondly, remember our dates and our kisses, remember the little jokes and every 'I love you'" She takes a breath of air before continuing "Let me be your favorite angel from above just like you were for me down here" She kisses Bakugou's chest without much force as he denies desperately in tears.

"And r-remember that life always gets better" She nods, pressing her lips tightly together and releasing more tears "As much as it may seem like it doesn't, it always does. I've known since the day you came back to make every part of my day better, to heal every wound in my heart, to assemble every loose piece of my lost soul, you came back to brighten my gloom and rebuild each of the broken pieces that make me up. You took me in your arms, preventing me from falling into the void. You saved me, my number one hero" She takes between her hands, her boyfriend's hands and kisses them tenderly "So you can cry, but you have to promise me one thing, babe" Her tone of voice and her look harden "You have to promise me my love, that you will remain strong".

"H-how do you expect me to do that if the one who gives me strength every day is... y-you" His voice cracks. "You are the bravest and strongest person I know Katsuki, I know you can do it" Her face is looking paler and paler and a large red stain decorates her hero suit. "But I don't want to" Bakugou intensifies his grip, sobbing louder and louder, sounding almost like screams. "Kat-suki please don't leave me alone now" Her voice sounds terrified "I don't want to die, I-I don't want to die alone, I'm scared" She speaks between sobs "I-I don't understand what I did wrong. I'm a bomb that's about to explode, I never meant to hurt you. But here I am, leaving you without keeping our promise" She bites her lower lip "Please forgive me, I never wanted this. I-I wanted to grow old together with you, being happy. I hope someday you can forgive me for not being able to do that."

The sobs that burn Bakugou's throat do not allow him to speak, however, he does as she asks, he does not leave her alone. He takes her hand and intertwines his fingers with hers making them fit perfectly. He lets out a cry of pain at the sight of the promise ring he placed on her ring finger a couple of months ago. "O-our love is strong honey. There is no love without pain, so they say" He tries to smile, but only manages to grimace sadly "We have suffered enough in this life, in the next one we will keep all our promises and there we will be very happy."

"W-will you promise me?" her voice trembles. "I promise you, my love" Bakugou places a soft kiss on her lips, a few tears sneak in, though they don't mind it too much. They just let themselves be carried away by the moment, enjoying their, probably last, kiss. "This is a promise with no chance of breaking" He assures firmly "Because my love for you will never change, a life without knowing you will never be real" He takes her hand and kisses right where that silver ring is "You will always stay here" He puts her hand over his heart "D-don't you dare forget me" She starts breathing heavily "T-that could never happen. A heart that loves doesn't forget and mine loves you more than anything" Akira loses more and more strength "Look at me, look into my eyes Katsuki Bakugou" As best she can she manages to raise her hand to his face holding both cheeks "You've given me a perfect life, the best I could have had. I promise this is not goodbye, e-everything is going to be alright. I love you."

Her voice fades and her arm falls to the side. Lying in his arms Akira releases her last breath, leaving forever, and taking with her a part of Bakugou's heart. What do I say a part, taking his whole heart with her. "I-I love you" He whispers against her neck. He screams and cries as loud as he can. His throat burns and his body trembles. He hugs her with all his might, laying his head on her chest as he does every morning, only this time he doesn't hear a heartbeat, he hears nothing but his desperate cries. 

"NOOOO! NOOOO!" He throws his head back screaming into the wind "Please don't leave me!". Between spasms and sobs he screams without letting go of the lifeless body of the love of his life "COME BACK! Akira come back!" he shakes her body as if that could bring her back "WHY DO YOU HATE ME SO MUCH?". He screams at that god he's been told so much about "WHAT THE FUCK DID I DO TO YOU!". His sobs begin to choke him "Give me back .... give me back my love, I beg you" Rivers of tears run down his eyes. For the first time he stops to look at his girlfriend's face and gently closes his eyes that were still open. Bakugou can almost hear his heart break into a thousand different pieces. With a trembling hand he caresses her cheek. He moves closer to her and deposits one last kiss, his heart breaking. He hugs her body seeking comfort, hoping to hear her voice telling him that everything will be alright, but that never happens, Akira is dead and will never come back. He will no longer hear her voice, nor kiss her lips, she will no longer fill him with kisses in the mornings when he wakes up, she is gone.

"My love wait" He hugs his body rocking it back and forth "I-I still love you" He bites his lower lip hard "Y-you have to come back, I still need you, I need your 'goodnight' kisses. I need your hugs every morning before I leave for work, I need you to say those jokes that I don't understand and I-I need...you" Bakugou breaks into tears again, letting out heartbreaking sobs that he could swear are heard all over Japan "Let me hold your hand, baby" He takes her now cold hand "I'll fix it, I swear I will. I promise I'll love you all my life, but please come back. I promise I won't get mad about silly things anymore and I'll always make your breakfast, I-I'll kiss you as many times as you want and we'll watch those stupid Christmas movies you love so much, I'll even wear those Christmas sweaters with lights if I have to. But, please come back my sweetie, I still need you here with me, I'm not ready to let you go, not when you taught me what it's like to want to live."

"I love you, I love you, I love you" Bakugou gently pushes aside a few strands of hair that fall over her face, as he kisses her forehead gently "Only a kiss of true love can make you wake up right? That's what that movie you like so much used to say -Why don't you wake up? I love you. I still love you with all my heart, so you have to come back" He shakes her expecting something that won't happen "I can't let you go, I don't want to, I'm not that strong" He whispers against her lips, between sobs. "T-tell me one last time that you love me, just one last time please" His eyes hurt from crying so much, his throat from screaming so much, but what hurts the most is his heart that withered, died leaving along with the love of his life, his soul mate.

Just as those voices said, he couldn't save Akira, she died in his arms and he couldn't do anything but cry. They were right, all he can think is that he is a useless failure who doesn't deserve to be loved or to be happy, but why did she have to pay for that? A shiver runs through his whole body, this has to be a nightmare. Akira can't be really dead. He tries to run, to escape from this bad dream, to free himself from those chains, but this time there is no light to save him.

His angel fell.

[brilliant-red-eternity]

[Psycho-Pass Providence spoilers]

I thought long and hard about sharing spoilers with you on my blog, but here they are: a buffet for Shinkane fans! I can’t guarantee that the spoilers are 100% correct since I haven’t seen the movie myself and translations can be messy, but I try my best – feel free to correct me, to add things or to call me a crackpot and liar!

I had a feeling that many of you would like to know (at least to some extent) what this movie is about and if Shinkane becomes canon. It will probably take some time for PPP to be released outside Japan and as we all know, patience is a virtue. Don’t read if you don’t want spoilers. I’m serious! There are major spoilers in this text! But if you don’t mind, here’s a summary of what I picked up from Japanese fans who have already seen the movie:

1. The first meeting with Unit One after Ko’s return goes as expected: Ginoza is angry and Sugo has to prevent him from going off on Kogami. The atmosphere between Akane and Kogami is described as awkward and tense even when working together on the new case. They travel to Dejima (?) and Saiga accompanies Akane because he’s the only one who can access the Stronskaya document.

2. When Kogami and Saiga have a drink in the apartment/hotel, Saiga urges Ko to contact Akane and to come clean with her. He obeys by calling her. Akane tells him to apologize (“I just want you to say sorry”) but he doesn’t, so she hangs up the phone. Kogami seems to be very irritated and I can’t wait to see his face. Also what is the meaning of the empty liquor bottle on Ko’s table?

3. Ginoza asks Kogami on the boat “Why did you come back? It was our duty to protect Tsunemori” to which Kogami answers something like “For someone else’s sake again.” Does it mean that he came back for Akane? I think so. Ginoza seems to smile a little when he hears this.

4. We already saw the scene where Ko shields Akane from the explosion, but I don’t know exactly what happens afterwards. They say the angle of view is a little erotic (this can also be translated as horny, obscene) LOL

5. When the Peacebreakers attack, Saiga-sensei dies. I think he gets stabbed and then falls over a railing into the depths of the building. Akane tries to save him but he lets go of her hand so that she doesn’t fall with him. Phew! This is going to be hard to watch. No wonder why the Japanese fans cried! When Akane finds his dead body, the one who comforts her is Ginoza. Ko goes after Akira to fight him in a landscape holo room (?) aka that scene with the horse.

6. Now the elevator scene. Akane cries over the death of Saiga but Kogami seems unable to comfort her. Something holds him back (his own grief maybe?) so he just pats her on the shoulder saying something like “Focus on your duty, and cry after everything is over” and Akane says “Yes”. It sounds a bit heartless and reserved, doesn’t it? Why all the drama?

7. Then there’s an interrogation at SAD or PSB headquarters and Kogami gets shot by the arrested Akira whose consciousness was hacked. Ko ends up in the hospital where Akane visits him and finally they talk to each other and come to an agreement. This is very reminiscent of PP1.

8. I was a bit surprised to hear that Akane is invited to Kei’s wedding and that Arata’s dad commits suicide in his car after giving a speech. Really? On the wedding day of his son’s best friend? Did Arata witness this? Holy sh--! At least, I read that Akane followed Arata into the parking lot and perhaps was able to comfort him.

9. Akane leads the operation to stop the Peacebreakers. Before she leaves (gets on the plane?) Kogami is worried and says “Hey, don’t do anything reckless” and she replies “I can’t promise you that, so you better come quickly please.” Is she flirting with him? I think it’s cute and quite self-confident.

10. When Akane is defeated in the fight against the white haired man who points a gun to her head, Kogami rushes to her aid. The plan was to arrest the guy but things went out of hand. Kogami shoots him and then he hugs the injured Akane – yes, that’s what it says in the comments! I can’t wait to see this! I read that Akane says something like “I made Kougami-san kill again” to which he answers “And I will be held accountable for it”. The hug seems to have been a request from director Shiotani, because (as we already know) Akane and Ko won’t see each other for a long time after that.

11. The end is a bit confusing and I’m not sure if I got it right: Kogami is arrested and Akane writes him a letter that is just as emotional as Ko’s letter in PP1. She says that he had a great influence on her life and that she can’t promise him anything. Then she goes off to kill chief Kasei during some public event (?) because Sibyl wants to introduce a new bill that would strip the Ministry of Justice of all authority (?). Akane’s crime coefficient is low because you can’t kill a cyborg. But from the public’s perspective, she’s a killer. She seems to sacrifice herself for the dream of a just society that abides by the law instead of Sibyl’s despotism. Now Sibyl has to judge her. They have to reveal and explain her low CC without looking like idiots. Good luck, Sibyl! Akane seems to have set a precedent in PPP.

12. Kogami goes free and Akane is sent to the isolation facility where she finally breaks down and cries. He promises to pick her up when she is released – and so he does in FI when he finally manages to apologize! Some fans say that even though Kogami’s crimes aren’t punished by law it’s clear from his emotions that Akane’s imprisonment is his punishment. His actions had an impact on others, especially on someone he cherishes and loves. But unlike Kogami who killed out of revenge and violated the law, Akane has committed a crime in order to uphold the law. The Japanese fans cried at the end. Kogami must look pretty miserable! Seems as if Shinkane has a habit of breaking each other’s hearts and ours too, huh? But we know they will reunite in FI, so there’s hope! And who knows what the future holds.

Well, the movie covers many issues: foreign politics, references from the bible, Bifrost, new technology and AI, lots of action and so on. It’s quite exhausting to do research in Japanese as a beginner, so I only focused on the things I wanted to know. In other words: Akane, Kogami, Ginoza and Shinkane! I can’t wait for this movie to be released in my country, although I think it will probably be another year :’(

One last thing: speculations about the nature of the relationship between Akane and Kogami are running wild on social media again but all I can say is that if only a mere 20% of the above is true, then you can’t speak of platonic. Sorry, it’s not possible! There are far too many emotions, far too much awkwardness here that you don’t go through as “just friends”. They’re not a couple, but both of them are probably aware that they could become one if they chose to.

[yakuzacanons]

Hello lovely human! Can I request some headcanons of the guys comforting their s/o after a particularly bad nightmare? 🥺👉👈 (you bet your ass I woke up in cold sweat about half an hour ago and my immediate thought was "damn, this would make for an awesome prompt)

FINALLY I have gotten to ur ask, my apologies for the wait. You are the very last on my list of quite old backlog so I'm glad to be caught up and I appreciate your patience. Headcanons below dat cut.

Kazuma Kiryu

Would just hold you, rubbing his hands on your back or shoulders to soothe you. Wouldn't ask you to talk about it but would listen if you wanted to talk about it. Mostly would just tell you to breathe and hold you gently.

Majima Goro

If you wake up in cold sweat and sit up suddenly or make a loud noise, you might honestly scare him awake too. He might think a threat is nearby at first and be like "Huh?? Wha happened?", nearly springing out of bed. Honestly, that reaction alone might just get a laugh out of you enough so to forget about the nightmare. Otherwise, he'd just hold you while lying down and stroking your hair.

Saejima Taiga

Two words: bear hug. You are getting a bear hug. You are having a bear hug until you feel better or until you fall asleep again. Hell, use his chest as a pillow if you want too while you're at it. That's it, that's all there is to it. Certified Saejima strategy.

Akiyama Shun

Bless his sleepy ass but he is half asleep while trying to comfort you. Rubbing his eyes sleepily while hearing you out. Just drapes his arms around you and leans his head on your shoulder until you both pass out again.

Tanimura Masayoshi

Would ask if you want to talk about it. Either that or he'd volunteer to go get you some water or tea to calm your nerves. Would sit up and hear you out while holding his pillow against his chest.

Ryuji Goda

Honestly, he'd probably try to make you laugh or take your mind off of things. Might say something dumb like "Next time, just make sure I'm in yer dream. And I'll fight all the bad guys for ya." He might not have much to offer in words but he'll find some way to make you smile before the night is through.

Nishikiyama Akira

Actually he's also prone to nightmares so he gets it. Pretty good at soothing you. Would help you slow down or monitor your breathing if it's a particularly intense one.

Daigo Dojima

The second he knows what's happening, he's sitting up in bed, holding you against his chest tightly in his arms. You can talk about it if you want but Daigo also perfectly understands that sometimes you just need to be close to someone and weather the storm. Also one of the boys who'd run his fingers through your hair a lot.

Mine Yoshitaka

He'll sit by the edge of your bed, holding your cheek in his hand or gently stroking your hair. He wouldn't go back to sleep until you felt comfortable again or until you start sleeping again. Mine doesn't really sleep much and is a light sleeper anyways.

Tatsuo Shinada

Similar reaction to Majima except his dumbass would fall right off the bed and onto the floor. His tumbling antics might just make you burst out laughing. Man's a natural slapstick comedian. He'd immediately ask if there's anything you need or that he can do to help. Would also apologize for falling over, as if that's something he'd need to be really sorry about in the first place.

Ichiban Kasuga

Goofy fluffy head is tucking you right back in bed and snuggling you up tight. Would say something like "I'll protect you from the nightmares, don't worry!". He'd also just nuzzle you with affection until you felt better. He wouldn't get surprised to the level of Majima or Shinada but he would at first be like "uhhHH what do I do, what's going on??"

Tianyou Zhao

Like Akiyama, he's a sleepy head. He'll sit up, eyes half open and hair all mussed up. He'd hear you out while leaning his head against the wall or he'd bring you a glass of water and extra pillow for added comfiness. Don't judge him too hard, he's just a heavy sleeper.

Joon-Gi Han

Also prone to nightmares, probably the most out of all the boys. Honestly doesn't sleep much so he might already be awake when you wake from your nightmare. Might even notice you're having one and wake you up for you. Would lay next to you and hold your hand or drape his arm over you until you fell asleep again. Unfortunately not great at offering words of reassurance.

[kroosluvr]

someone on twt asked for royal trio tennis playing styles so i will think out loud for several paragraphs under the cut:

PLAYSTYLE

GORO AKECHI. the son of masayoshi shido, one of the best players of all time, so he has big shoes to fill. however he didn't learn from shido himself and was instead passed around various intl academies before settling in at shujin tennis academy. as a lefty he uses it to his advantage: his spin serve is killer and he's a menace with backhand slices and drop shots. he's not one to rush the net and only cleans up with volleys if his opponent is basically off the court already. though not PATIENT by any means, he's very very consistent and i think he seeks to wear you down quickly at the beginning of the match: you get the feeling that "oh shit this guy's an absolute wall, i can't counter this, it's hopeless" so that he can rake in the games from there. i think you have to go into a match with REALLY high confidence otherwise he'll break you pretty fast he also does passive aggressive mind games i.e. instead of passing u the ball to serve he hits em to the corner so u have to go fetch them. doing quick water breaks or none at all if he's winning so you're forced to rush. asking "are you sure?" on linecalls where it was DEFINITELY out just to make you second-guess yourself. he doesn't cheat, though, obviously,that's leagues beneath him, but he'll do little things to break your concentration in a match so there's already a high bar to vault over if u even want a CHANCE at beating goro akechi, but if you get on his nerves somehow then you can crack him from there. someone like akira's unpredictability and flippantness on the court without much sense of planning probably gets under his skin really quick

AKIRA KURUSU. wildcard....... he played a lot of sports growing up, baseball, soccer, track, basketball, u name it basically, but picked up tennis at around age 13 and Somehow was extremely good at it, and immediately scouted and currently training at shujin tennis academy. his athletic and naturally competitive nature means he's naturally really attuned to the nature of Competitive Sport: aka, if he's down, no big deal he'll just fight like hell to get back up. one of the things in tennis is that u can spiral real easily: losing a few points can turn into losing a few games then the match, however, that doesn't phase akira which is his biggest strength. he's really good at Wiping The Slate Clean and starting from scratch if he's down. he's really good at swapping strategies: he can be the moonballer, he can be the 25-ball-rallier, he can be the serve-and-volley menace. etc. and he can do this on the fly without any reluctance. the biggest thing apart from goro and sumi is that he's having FUN. he loves being on the court no matter what, the competition part is secondhand. meanwhile goro and sumi are really really wrapped up in their issues with tennis so the kinda Mind emptiness akira has puts him a step ahead (which they're envious of slash HOW DOES HE DO IT? slash working towards it) SO YEAH hes highly adaptable and fluid in his game style. though, ofc, he tends towards Flashier stuff (which can easily surprise his opponents) so i'd say he's a big fan of cross-cross-down-the-line and such patterns. deep rallies then sudden drop shot and while ur scrambling he beats u to the net. stuff like that. second serve on the first serve. etc. another thing is that his parents are pretty absent (different than the way goro is) i.e. they just dgaf about him entirely, no matter what he does, even if hes good at tennis. (while w goro at least shido would acknowledge him since shido is so far in the limelight). so i think this adds to his adaptability - he doesn't feel constrained the same way goro and sumi do, by their family relationships akira's also one to chat up his opponent mid match LMAO he's not even trying to distract them or play them like that but he's just a friendly happy go lucky guy in the end his thinking is "i hate to lose" so he just keeps playing and keeps winning. it's simple like that

SUMIRE YOSHIZAWA. younger sister of kasumi, she started rhythmic gymnastics w her at a baby age but even from a young age she could tell kasumi was going to outshine her. because of her own timidness holding her back, her own reverence of her sister, she could tell she'd never truly have the willpower/confidence/steadfastness to reach out and be Better than kasumi. because what she really wants is to imprint her name on the world - she doesn't want to be yknow. "kasumi and sumire" she wants to stand on her own, something she doesn't feel she can do if she keeps on with gymnastics. SO SHE SWITCHES TRACKS TO TENNIS another independent sort of sport where you're also scrutinized in the limelight and etc. it'd be difficult to learn this late in the game (age 11ish maybe.) but she's steeled herself and shes determined and READY. it was a biiig decision for her but her parents+kasumi were basically like ok <3 yay<3 and she doesnt reveal how insecure she was about all of that and living in kasumi's shadow and etc. she only confides in akira abt this later down the line (and then goro) her game is really like yknow textbook GOOD like all her shots are impeccable and perfect and really technically perfect. super impressive all around. i dont think she has any specific shots/plays that make her stand out, but her game speaks for itself already in how consistent she is and how steadfast she seems on the court (though inside she's lowk nervous) i think her game might be "predictable" just because of how pristine and mechanically she learned it, but the thing is her form and aim is just so flawless that even if you do know whats coming next you cant counter it all the time actually if anything i think she'd have a killer fast first serve. like CRAZY powerful i think she's not naturally "good" at tennis the way akira and goro are so she works 10x as hard to remedy it. more than just the physical/technical component, getting her mental right is the hard and most important part. when she gets deep into a match sometimes her brain gets the better of her, so in longlong matches she oftentimes loses so that's the current thing she's working on.

PUBLICITY

as with pro tennis comes PUBLICITY and BRAND DEALS and INTERVIEWS and MODELING and ETC

goro dgaf about that but if he's more Famous then he'd be more shoved into shido's face so he goes along with sponsorships and interviews and magazine covers even tho he lowkey hates it.

He doesn't do the detective prince thing here bc he doesn't need to be. he's outwardly bitter and pissed off and snappy the way we know him

akira and sumi are his biggest fans tho always collecting his brand deals and magazines and stuff. they also help tutor him in english so he can do interviews better LMAOO though he's really eyeroll about it

akira and sumi both are good with the publicicty aspect as opposed to goro. sumi, striving to become an intl star, expects it and trains herself for it in spite of her social anxieties. akira, well, is akira and is totally made for the limelight

this causes some sort of internal distress? in goro. he can't quite place it but he feels strange standing alongside them..... something like that. like, of course he wants to take the tennis world by storm, but in the way that he can rub it in shidos face. not really this... aspect? he's not sure what to do with this.

OTHER NOTES

sumi and goro are both highly superstitious and have a solid routine that they ALWAYS adhere to. i.e. goro always practices vs the ball machine the night before. sumi always rewatches rio iwasaki's killer 2016 matchpoint before matches. sumi never wears tennis shoes anywhere other than the court. goro never drinks other gatorade colors besides yellow.

meanwhile u could call akira up 3 mins before and be like hey matchtime and he'd be like ok<3 yay<3

sumi and goro also both analyze their opponents before matches i.e. looking up their ranking and stats and extrapolating stuff frm there while akira is like "oh narukami? from uhhhh. gekkoukan? no. yasogami? ohhh haha thats fun i dont think i played him before :3"

to me at least sumi doesn't come off as naturally competitive the way akira and goro are, inherently: i think she wants to be GOOD, and maybe (in this au) she wants to be Better than kasumi, to gain recognition, to stand on her own two feet: etc. but maybe she doesnt have the inherent Means to get there so that's a lot of what she gains from being friends with akira and goro, to get insight into their mindsets

akira and goro are doubles partners (for better or for worse) (it works great some days and horribly the next. you never know) they dont Seriously compete in doubles though, theyre both singles players to the end.

akira and goro switch off being sumi's mixed doubles partners. she doesn't really play doubles at all i think

sumi is the one who watches pro tennis the most. goro and akira don't really keep up

they all go to shujin academy but kinda half-homeschooled bc as pro players they dont have time for full-time school. theyre also traveling a lot so yeah

goro ties his hair in a low ponytail on the court, sometimes pins his bangs back. akira's hair is too short to tie back, i imagine he pins it back or wears a headband a la rafael nadal

sumi wears a visor! and contacts. akira wears contacts too but sometimes he wears glasses when hes silly goofy

mishima is a sports reporter LMAOOO well theyre all highschool age here so he's a Wannabe sports reporter.

it's also common knowledge that goro is shido's son btw. and goro's mom is dead also. i think only akira and sumi know abt like. his hatred and resentment towards his dad tho

ALSO they all idolize rio iwasaki bc i said so. shes prob like the coolest tennis player of the decade and also woah shes from gekkoukan thats cRAZYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!! hamuko is her wife too. tennis coach ham:3 or smth

i think akira's story is then catalyzed later down the line by an injury - that he can heal from, but it forces him to seriously look at tennis and say for certain "ok this is my dream and this is something i want to devote my life to" the way sumi and goro are already devoted to

[tokiro07]

I wanted to ask you this since you seem like an Undead Unluck expert. Me and a friend of mine watched the last episode of the Undead Unluck anime together yesterday and they asked me: "Why didn't Andy use Life is Strange on Rip instead of Anno Un?"

I just assumed that since this version of Life Is Strange was drawn by the G-Liner, it could only be used by the person wielding the G-Liner, but I'm not entirely sure if that's the case or not. Also, I've read the manga, but don't remember if it was ever brought up who could or couldn't use what the G-Liner had drawn.

I actually made a post about this exact question when that happened in the manga! I originally criticized Anno's plan for that exact reason, but there're a couple of reasons I can think of

First, they were kind of in the middle of a fight for their lives. Taking the time to ask Andy to use an Artifact could have left an opening for Autumn to attack, so it was probably just quicker to do it himself

Second, the Anno body was in pretty rough shape, and only a representation of Akira in the first place, so he wasn't exactly an asset to have in the fight anyway. He likely viewed this act as the only thing that would really give him value at this point, so there's no sense in endangering everyone else to protect someone who can't contribute anymore

Third, it's hard to say what Life is Strange would actually do to Andy. I think it's safe to say "nothing," but Anno might have been worried it would age his body since he wouldn't be living through the aging process. It probably wouldn't have, but why take the risk?

Fourth, Anno may not have predicted that G-Liner would break. I certainly wouldn't have guessed it would, so sacrificing Anno to just make him again later would have been a reasonable strategy, it was just unfortunate that it didn't work out

Finally, and this is the real life reason it had happen this way, it was SUCH A GOOD SCENE! It was the culmination of Akira's entire story, and Andy's goodbye to Anno was the perfect summation of the arc's theme of living on through memory.

"Even if no one could actually see him, so long as there were people who remembered him he would be right there. That was the belief that Andy chose to hold."

Even if there's a logistical way that things could have been "better," would you really trade the narrative weight of what we got just because something else "makes more sense?" I know I wouldn't