#And I LOVE that Tsubasa is this complex

[completeoveranalysis]

Hello, french anon here. For so many years, I have told you that I needed your wisdom and guidance to finally understand trc's ending. At last, we are finally starting to get to the confusion of all confusions. But I am slowly realising that my confusion was partly due to the fact that I know NOTHING about ccs (or any other Clamp's works) and had never seen these characters before. Having trc being my first Clamp's work was in insight, not really the best I suppose ¯\_(. . )_/¯

Also, over the years I have developed a deep hatred of all time shenanigans, because it LITERRALY cause me terrible headaches to try to understand it (is it the autism? the adhd? Am I just stupid? Mystery), so i've avoided going other this arc again. Hope with your explanations i will finally have closure.

Good luck!

~ French Anon

Thank you French Anon! I SINCERELY hope I can make any sense of it whatsoever once we get there. The Confusion is definitely not any reflection on you though - if a manga is infamous for being deliberately difficult to understand, you can never be faulted for not being able to do it on the first try. Or the second. Or ever.

And it IS a limitation of Tsubasa that it's written this way. You can't go to anyone and say, "Hey, maybe you should read Tsubasa! You might like it!" when you have to follow it up with the disclaimer of, "Oh, but wait, have you read Cardcaptor Sakura? You should probably read all of that first - and specifically the manga, and not the anime. Also you have to read xxxHolic at the same time otherwise the plotline of Tsubasa won't make sense. Oh and it would be even clearer if you had also read some other of CLAMP's works, specifically their longest ones, which are much harder to find these days. Read as much of those as possible before even starting Tsubasa."

Like I LOVE Tsubasa dearly and I genuinely think it's the greatest manga I've ever read, but I also think you should NOT have a list of required reading you have to get through in order to understand a book you're reading for fun in your free time.

So no wonder it was confusing! Definitely not a failing on your part at ALL.

[judywisteria5]

Reflections on The CLAMP Universe and Cardcaptor Sakura

The goal of this piece is to critique CLAMP’s narrative techniques and character design, with extensive criticisms of Tsubasa and xxxHOLiC, but with no intent to demean the characters themselves.

This is an informal essay that initially aimed to explore why Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle "damaged" Cardcaptor Sakura and address the complicated emotions of Yue fans, along with the overlooked role of Yue as the Judge. My initial motivation was to critique Ohkawa’s treatment of Yue, but as I delved deeper, the complexity of the discussion grew, making it difficult to settle on a suitable title.

[Reader Notice]

This article is approximately 4,500 words, with logical connections between sections. Please avoid skimming if you intend to engage fully with my arguments.

The purpose here is to discuss the literary techniques and character development within these works. Although there is extensive criticism of Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle and xxxHOLiC, this does not imply a disparagement of any character. If you hold a different perspective, I welcome well-reasoned discussion. I will not respond to overtly aggressive comments; please avoid bringing in fandom drama.

The original text was in Chinese and published in 2022. I used ChatGPT for the translation and did an initial proofread myself.

I have a lot to say about Clow’s characterization and CLAMP’s failure in portraying him, but I haven’t included it here. English-speaking readers who are interested in discussing it are welcome to message me privately.

[Contents]

I. General Overview of CLAMP II. On Scriptwriting Flaws in CLAMP, with Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle and xxxHOLiC as Examples III. Cardcaptor Sakura: A Beautiful Yet Unrealistic World

IV. The Forced “Crossover” of CCS, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, and xxxHOLiC V. The Tragedy of Yue and the Inevitable Character Deterioration in Clear Card

VI. Reflections on Clow/Yue Fan Interpretations

[Note] Unless otherwise specified, "CCS" refers to Cardcaptor Sakura as a series, excluding the Clear Card arc. Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle （TRC）refers primarily to the manga version.

I. General Overview of CLAMP

Despite its popularity, CLAMP is particularly notable for its commercial acumen rather than other artistic strengths. Their success is evident in their keen market insight and adaptability across varied genres, especially in crafting small details (like character and artistic designs). However, they appear weaker when it comes to larger conceptual settings (such as worldbuilding). Although CLAMP’s illustrations are relatively impressive—particularly with art books being frequently published—their overall impact within manga itself is not as prominent. This is especially apparent in action scenes (like fight sequences), which often lack the necessary sense of motion and impact.

In terms of scriptwriting, CLAMP’s style could be described as “aesthetic-driven,” yet the content often veers into melodrama, with plots that lack logic and coherence. The themes they present can sometimes feel troubling: their works tend to emphasize "fatalism," placing excessive focus on an idealized notion of "love" that can feel unrealistic. Although CLAMP’s works are widely recognized, their scriptwriting level does not always match the acclaim they receive.

The following sections will delve further into the issues in their scriptwriting.

II. On Scriptwriting Flaws in CLAMP, with Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle and xxxHOLiC as Examples The scripts for CLAMP’s works are primarily written by Ohkawa Nanase, hereafter referred to as "Ohkawa."

Many fans regard TRC as a masterpiece, claiming it must be read in tandem with xxxHOLiC to truly appreciate its depth. I strongly disagree with this viewpoint. Below, I’ll refute several key aspects that TRC fans often praise:

The time loop involving the Real and Clone versions of Syaoran and Sakura at the end of TRC.

The intricate timeline with Real Syaoran, Clone Syaoran, Real Sakura, and Clone Sakura is frequently lauded as "mind-bending" and as something that "feels ingenious once fully grasped." In reality, though, this couldn’t be further from the truth! The author clearly lacks the expertise to handle time loop narratives effectively, leading to a storyline that is confusing and difficult to follow. In TRC, Ohkawa uncomfortably relies on ideas of "fate" and "inevitability" to explain the time loop, such as when Real Syaoran steps into Yuuko's shop, setting off a chain of events. However, even if readers accept these ideas, once they unravel the plot, they encounter paradoxes typical in time-travel fiction—especially issues related to the grandfather paradox, which the author leaves inadequately resolved. Moreover, the concept of a time loop itself doesn’t require multiple versions of Syaoran and Sakura to complicate the storyline—this intriguing concept could be fully explored with just a single character.

In the ACGN (Anime, Comics, Games, Novels) world, time loop storylines generally lack the craftsmanship seen in genuine science fiction, and there’s a stark difference between them. (Even Steins;Gate, often considered a “masterpiece,” handles this somewhat clumsily.) Instead, I would recommend Isaac Asimov's The End of Eternity, which showcases meticulous planning, genius in handling paradoxes, and an exploration of philosophical and sociological themes.

(Side note: TRC has numerous bugs, and here’s an interesting one related to CCS: Before Clow Reed warped time and made his error, the King of Clow Country was Fujitaka. However, after Clow’s mistake, Fujitaka splits into Fujitaka and Eriol in the Cardcaptor Sakura world. So, where did Fujitaka, King of Clow Country, come from in earlier parallel worlds? Thus, TRC was awkwardly linked with CCS solely for commercial gain, which I’ll explore in depth in Section Four.)

The CLAMP-style "Sense of Fate" and "Angst" In other works focused on themes of fate, some authors manage to express it with the resonance of Greek mythology or Shakespearean tragedy, while others rely on plot conveniences. I must reiterate that fate is a challenging theme in the ACGN realm, and CLAMP’s works—particularly TRC and xxxHOLiC, where fate is often central—are notably flawed in this regard. By comparison, I feel Puella Magi Madoka Magica addresses this theme relatively well.

TRC constantly emphasizes "costs." In Fullmetal Alchemist, another ACGN work, the concept of “equivalent exchange” reflects the author’s world-building efforts, with fair exchange rules—for instance, achieving immortality requires the sacrifice of countless lives. However, TRC’s world-building is practically nonexistent, with no explanation of the exchange methods or rules. How does Yuuko's shop operate? What can be used as payment? What kind of payment achieves what kind of wish? Ultimately, everything is decided by Yuuko herself. And yet, this “cost” is central to much of the story's angst, such as Clone Syaoran’s connection to Sakura and Real Syaoran’s memories with Watanuki.

In xxxHOLiC, although Yuuko does not return, TRC introduces clones, time rewinds, and space-time distortions while still insisting “the dead cannot return.” This approach feels highly contrived. xxxHOLiC asserts that “there is no coincidence, only inevitability. Every cause has an effect.” This overly deterministic view, combined with weak plot logic, makes Watanuki’s “poignant waiting” in a butterfly dream sequence feel hollow, lacking emotional depth.

Stories that effectively handle fate as a tragic theme often move the plot and create a tragic hero through a series of reasonable yet inevitable events, even if they involve supernatural elements like mythology or religious undertones. A modern example would be Tolkien’s The Children of Húrin, where, under a curse, the protagonist unwittingly kills his closest friend, unknowingly commits incest, and brings misfortune to anyone who draws near, unable to escape the curse. Each event is plausible, whether attributed to the curse or his own character traits.

In contrast, CLAMP’s unexplained ideas of "inevitability, cause and effect, fate, cost," etc., feel more like lazy ways to resolve conflicts and advance the plot, exposing the creators’ limitations. CLAMP-style “angst” largely boils down to “because the author says so,” requiring readers to suspend logical thought entirely, fully accepting the premise, and simply reveling in the “beauty of fate” and the “angst” it supposedly brings. This approach seems best suited to an audience in their angst-filled teenage years, and can be termed “manufactured angst.” For readers who prioritize narrative consistency and well-built worlds, such a plot structure is not only unconvincing but also confusing and awkward.

The Interconnections and Plot Twists between and within TRC and xxxHOLiC When it comes to the interconnected references and callbacks in CLAMP’s works, I can’t provide an in-depth analysis as I haven’t thoroughly read all of them. However, when a story’s core and the author’s skill fall short, no amount of layered references, plot callbacks, or parallels in visuals and character design can add real depth; it all ends up feeling shallow, lacking in substance. To draw an imperfect comparison, the first five chapters of Dream of the Red Chamber, especially the prophetic verses, were crafted by Cao Xueqin. If Gao E had continued the work from there, would the overall effect still be as mesmerizing?

The fatal flaw of Ohkawa’s signature twists lies in the fact that the early foreshadowing and groundwork are nowhere near enough to support the later “stunning plot twists,” which often feel forced and contrived. Creating these twists isn’t difficult because the text can be intentionally ambiguous and open to various interpretations. For example, inserting a few seemingly irrelevant, vague lines into the dialogue leaves space to “explain” (or even improvise) later. They might even deliberately create ambiguous lines and scenes, allowing for a range of explanations further down the line.

Take, for instance, when Fei-Wang tells Real Syaoran, “You’re just like me” (in an exaggeratedly dramatic scene). Most readers might think this suggests they share a common goal, like resurrecting the dead. Yet Ohkawa’s later explanation could be that Real Syaoran is like Watanuki, who is like Clow, who is then like Fei-Wang, making Real Syaoran like Fei-Wang. However, this explanation lacks any logical foundation. The context, preceding events, and the story’s world-building all fall short of supporting such a forced interpretation. Yet this is then presented as “reasonable” in the story’s development, which doesn’t count as proper foreshadowing. Even so, these kinds of setups still earn admiration from many readers, which is honestly quite amusing.

(Side note: In Cardcaptor Sakura, Sakura once told Yue, “You and Yukito-san are so similar,” a line that Yue himself didn’t agree with. However, should Ohkawa decide to “expand” on this line in the Clear Card arc, it might trigger a similar shock effect.)

In summary, the values and narrative techniques in CLAMP’s works often seem rather peculiar, fully revealing Ohkawa’s limitations as a creator (even though she once audited literature courses at a prestigious university, her work’s results speak for themselves). CLAMP’s audience adores TRC and xxxHOLiC, while readers who don’t appreciate this style often struggle to continue and may even doubt the work’s quality. Unfortunately — or perhaps fortunately — I find myself in the latter category.

III. Cardcaptor Sakura: A Beautiful Yet Unrealistic World

Without the nostalgia of childhood, CCS is essentially a typical, idealized Mary Sue-style shoujo manga. It heavily emphasizes gentleness and a “magical allure,” which can come across as somewhat hollow. Even the progressive themes it’s praised for today, like “love transcending social status, identity, and gender,” aren’t unique to this work alone. During the golden age of Japanese manga, CCS wasn’t an especially standout work.

Like CLAMP’s other works, the CCS manga lacks real-world logic. However, as an idealized shojo manga, its conflicts are far less intense than those in other CLAMP works, so the absence of realism doesn’t feel as jarring. CCS presents a beautiful, dreamlike world (though this idealization is taken to an extreme in the character of Yue, the Judge; under close scrutiny, it’s doubtful this perfect world could hold up — more on this in Section Six). For this reason, CCS doesn’t quite qualify as an exceptional fairy tale. A true fairy tale should resonate with all ages, and telling a simple, pure, beautiful story well is no small feat. In the ACGN (Anime, Comics, Games, Novels) sphere, I consider Ghibli’s Castle in the Sky to represent the pinnacle of this genre. The Ghibli world might feel plausible, but CCS’s world feels purely fantastical. Healing, gentle stories also have layers, and when the setting and plot logic feel more realistic, the gentleness and healing resonate more deeply. Even so, CCS remains CLAMP’s best work in this genre and may even be their only truly “pure” story. Due to CCS’s theme, the work almost entirely avoids the script flaws discussed in Section Two, with none of the dark, glamorous style, twisted, chaotic plotlines, or subtly angsty themes that characterize many other CLAMP works.

About 80% of CCS’s immense success can be credited to its anime adaptation. (Though I haven’t researched the manga’s sales or the anime’s viewership ratings, this is my subjective conclusion.) Compared to the manga, the anime’s storyline is more well-rounded (such as the addition of Syaoran competing for the cards and Li Meiling’s character). The characters are portrayed in more depth, addressing many of the manga’s script issues and removing some elements difficult to accept in reality (such as Sasaki Rika’s teacher-student relationship). The anime feels more grounded than the manga, enhancing its healing effect without feeling hollow. Furthermore, the anime’s art direction is more refined and diverse (with additional outfit changes and Clow Card designs). Combined with factors like the peak of Japanese animation’s expansion at the time, these aspects contributed to CCS’s widespread popularity.

In summary, CCS is CLAMP’s only purely sweet shojo manga, suitable for all ages and wholesome, and this is what most CCS fans love about it. This fanbase doesn’t entirely overlap with the audience for CLAMP’s other works.

IV. The Forced “Crossover” Between CCS, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, and xxxHOLiC

In discussions surrounding Cardcaptor Sakura (CCS), it’s common to see people recommending Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle (TRC) and xxxHOLiC, claiming that these works "explain" certain plot points in CCS. I strongly disagree with this viewpoint. I believe that if you enjoy the healing, wholesome themes of CCS, along with elements like magical girls and costumes, it’s best to avoid watching TRC and xxxHOLiC, and there’s no need to delve into CLAMP’s other works either.

The crossover between CCS and TRC/xxxHOLiC fundamentally disrupts CCS’s independent charm for two main reasons:

Firstly, CCS is entirely different in genre from other representative CLAMP works, especially TRC, as discussed in Section Three.

Secondly, using character names from CCS in TRC and xxxHOLiC is purely a commercial tactic, designed to draw attention by tapping into CCS’s popularity. Beyond shared names and appearances, there’s essentially no thematic or plot-based connection between TRC/xxxHOLiC and CCS.

Since TRC appears to have a closer link to CCS, I’ll primarily use it as an example for analysis.

So, what is TRC really about?

[Plot Overview]

In summary: The first half consists of episodic dimension-hopping stories, with Syaoran traveling through various parallel worlds to collect feathers to save Sakura. Most characters in these episodic arcs are from past CLAMP works. The latter half focuses on unveiling the truth (with a slew of Ohkawa-style twists) and the final confrontation with the antagonist, though this section’s handling of time loops is poorly executed, as previously discussed.

In detail: At the moment of Yuuko’s death, Clow Reed briefly wishes she could "open her eyes again." Because of Clow’s overwhelming magical power, this wish stops Yuuko’s time and distorts space-time. This thought ultimately takes form as Fei-Wang Reed, the final antagonist. Fei-Wang orchestrates a series of events to torment Syaoran and Sakura (hence the episodic dimension-hopping). Meanwhile, Yuuko and Clow work to restore the timeline and correct this mistake. In the end, their efforts succeed, but both die in the process, leaving Syaoran and Sakura with a slightly better outcome.

[Characterization]

Syaoran: The classic shounen protagonist — brave, kind, and determined to protect the heroine.

Sakura: A gentle, kind heroine who initially needs saving but gradually grows into a resilient and courageous character.

Clow Reed: A kind, gentle figure driven by remorse, striving to make amends for past mistakes.

 

As we can see, this has virtually no connection to CCS: the plot is unrelated, and changing the characters’ names wouldn’t impact the story in any meaningful way.

The Syaoran and Sakura in TRC are merely the typical shounen manga leads, sharing almost nothing with their CCS counterparts, particularly Sakura.

In TRC, Clow serves mainly as a plot device to supply the core conflict and backstory. Over half the manga passes with Clow appearing in fewer than 20 panels (I counted carefully; his longest scene is a four-page flashback from Sakura’s memories). His characterization is minimal and fundamentally inconsistent with CCS’s depiction of him as whimsical, eccentric, and morally ambiguous. Aside from their names and appearances, the only connection between Clow in TRC and CCS is the title of "great magician." In TRC, it’s explained that Clow left the CCS world due to a space-time distortion and that he had to “fill in the gaps” in a parallel world to correct his mistake. This connection is entirely forced—why would he need to “fill in the gaps” to fix his mistake? There’s no reasonable explanation. If the story were altered so that Clow from Cardcaptor Sakura simply passed away naturally, while TRC featured a powerful magician named “deeR wolC” who distorts time and space and works to make amends... it wouldn’t change the story in any meaningful way.

In fact, after CCS concluded, Ohkawa gave several well-known interviews where she firmly stated (paraphrased): “CCS is not in the same universe as other works. CCS is complete with no sequel.” This clearly indicates that Clow’s death in CCS has nothing to do with TRC. The claim in TRC that "Clow left his original world to atone for his mistake" is just a convenient excuse by Ohkawa, who lacked the scriptwriting interest to fully address TRC’s central conflicts, so she used Clow as a scapegoat. Using Clow across TRC and xxxHOLiC ultimately came at a high cost — it led to a complete breakdown of his character. (This, of course, is also one reason I find Clow and Yuuko as a pairing highly unconvincing, an issue I’ll discuss in more detail later.)

In conclusion, CCS is a self-contained, internally consistent work that doesn’t need and shouldn’t be linked to TRC or xxxHOLiC. However, the Clear Card sequel to CCS shows signs of merging with these two works. While CCS is itself a commercial work, this pursuit of greater profits by capitalizing on CCS’s popularity to promote more commercialized works undermines CCS’s simplicity, purity, and beauty — a counterproductive move.

Syri once said that TRC is “a product of CLAMP’s creative burnout, now stale and contrived.” I find this assessment very accurate. Although early CLAMP works like RG Veda and X have melodramatic plots, they are filled with creativity, inspiration, and even a touch of BL aesthetics. However, TRC is simply a repackaging of these early works, commercially reprocessed. Comparing the iconic moments in early CLAMP works with those in TRC and later works, the former have a powerful emotional impact, while the latter feel more like beautiful but soulless dolls. This phenomenon only becomes more evident in CLAMP’s later works, especially in Clear Card.

Some critics say, "CLAMP’s commercial strategy resembles Apple’s: build a closed ecosystem (story chain), reuse core templates (worldview), and extract the last drops of value from classic characters (popular characters)." This commercial model is fully realized in TRC, and perhaps TRC’s success gave CLAMP a taste for this approach, leading their subsequent works to lean even more toward commercialization. (Though, personally, I think a comparison to Marvel Cinematic Universe might be more fitting.)

The artistic merits of this “repackaged content” have already been discussed in detail in Section Three.

V. The Tragedy of Yue and the Inevitable Character Deterioration in Clear Card

(Due to heightened emotions during writing, this section may be somewhat disorganized and will be refined later.)

Yue embodies many classic CLAMP elements, incorporating various iconic traits from earlier CLAMP works.

Design Elements: Cherry blossoms (anime-only, during "The Final Judgment"), Tokyo Tower (also anime-only, appearing in "The Final Judgment"), the moon (Yue is literally a symbol of the moon), and feathers — all of these are signature CLAMP motifs.

Art Style: In the manga, Yue’s eyes, hair, and feathers are rendered with an intricate, lavish style, closely resembling classic CLAMP aesthetics. Although CCS generally adopts a simplified, clean shoujo style, Yue’s design still stands out as distinctly different from other characters.

Character Traits: Yue relies on his master and develops feelings due to his subordinate position. When his master reincarnates, he is destined to fall into a one-sided devotion, with slumber and waiting themes that define his existence…

The problem is obvious: Yue’s aesthetic and character setup don’t quite align with CCS’s themes. He feels more like a character suited for one of CLAMP’s earlier works, better placed in an intense, "fate-driven tragic romance" typical of the CLAMP style.

Furthermore, if Yue’s character were developed with realistic logic, it would likely mean his attachment to his former master, Clow, is deeper, making it harder for him to connect with his new master. This setup contradicts the idealized shoujo philosophy where the protagonist is universally adored. In other words, in a shoujo manga, everyone should love the universally beloved heroine, Sakura Kinomoto, and Yue’s design clearly contradicts this convention.

When CCS was created, the character settings might have been somewhat spontaneous, carrying over traits from CLAMP’s earlier style. This led to characters like those with dual personalities or souls (like Yukito and Yue), as well as conflicting lines and official character details. There’s also added complexity, such as one persona still having feelings for a former master. However, as CCS gained popularity, these casual elements turned into significant issues. As a gentle, comforting shoujo manga, CCS relies on its core themes staying intact, but Yue’s character starkly exposes CCS’s lack of realistic logic and could potentially undermine its themes of warmth and kindness.

As a commercial team, CLAMP’s Ohkawa may lack the writer’s attachment and regard for her characters, as seen previously with her treatment of Subaru. Even if Ohkawa did want to develop her characters carefully, as mentioned earlier, her skills might not fully support this. So, what kind of treatment could Yue receive in this context?

Most likely, Yue would be deliberately sidelined or subjected to official out-of-character (OOC) moments, eventually resulting in his character’s decline.

And thus, in Clear Card, we see a Yue who doesn’t resemble "Yue" at all: outwardly cold, but actually a soft-hearted tsundere; he seems like he’s going to scold Syaoran, but instead gently touches his face (an utterly puzzling scene); he quickly devotes himself entirely to protecting Sakura, showing almost no reaction to Clow (although in the original series, every mention of Clow subtly affects him) and even goes so far as to scold Eriol over Sakura…

The original CCS ends without revealing whether Yue eventually moves past his heartbreak or remains sorrowful. However, at the very least, Eriol left open the possibility of accompanying Yue, preserving the integrity of CCS’s theme. However, Clear Card, as a direct sequel, fails to address Yue’s unresolved issues. No one comforts or regards him as an independent being — everyone simply prefers Yukito. Under these circumstances, the attempt to create a warm, healing atmosphere only weakens the other characters. The character who suffers the most from this decline is Eriol. As the only one who truly understands Yue’s feelings and experiences, he should offer comfort, even if he isn’t Clow. As Clow’s reincarnation, he absolutely should. In the original CCS, he pays particular attention to Yue, not only focusing on Yukito. In Clear Card, even if actual conversations aren’t shown, we might assume private exchanges took place between Eriol and Yue. However, in scenes where “Eriol, Kero, and Yue meet,” there’s no indication of any private communication between Eriol and Yue. Eriol even leaves a message for Kero but not for Yue. How is this “kind”? He shows more concern for Ruby than for Yue. Doesn’t he recognize Yue’s gentle, soft-hearted nature? Syri once criticized the overemphasis on “Syaoran x Sakura” and “You’re the best!” moments, and this view is valid. The deliberately heartwarming atmosphere feels hypocritical in these circumstances.

Conclusion

In the original CCS, Yue is the only truly tragic character, while the other character designs remain largely intact.

Viewing CCS, TRC, and xxxHOLiC together, Clow’s character has completely deteriorated (and if Watanuki in xxxHOLiC is made into Clow’s reincarnation, this would collapse entirely), with some associated characters also affected.

Considering CCS, TRC, xxxHOLiC, and Clear Card as a whole: all the characters have ultimately suffered from inconsistency and decline.

VI. Reflections on Clow/Yue Fan Interpretations

Firstly, for me, fan creation isn’t just entertainment—it’s a way to explore interesting questions and think about life. So, I tend to analyze works and characters with a more realistic perspective, blending in my personal experiences and thoughts. I’ll often dive into a whole “plate of dumplings” (the entire work) just for the “vinegar” (an aesthetic or intriguing concept, not just a character or pairing). Since I can’t make my own “dumplings,” I rely on others' works for this “vinegar” that can only be savored along with the “dumplings” (meaning character issues need the context of plot, setting, etc.). In Clow, Yue, or Clow and Yue, I’ve found that exact “dish of vinegar” I crave.

Secondly, my fan creations lean toward a “gap-filling” style. I enjoy constructing stories and backgrounds that align with the original based on limited information. I especially like exploring what might have happened before the main storyline—like stories of Clow, Keroberos, and Yue.

But honestly, CLAMP’s works make terrible material for fan creation:

As I mentioned, CLAMP’s worldbuilding is loose, the plot lacks logic, and it just doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. Using any reasonable logic to think about these settings just ends in "meltdown."

CLAMP’s works are “fan creation killers,” leaving little room for fans to build on. They churn out spin-offs, novels, audio dramas—ways to boost their commercial value and basically dictate how fans should interpret the work. But I don’t want to follow their way of doing things. CLAMP throws away the “vinegar” I crave, instead serving up industrial sugar or blades that I can’t stomach.

A Short Piece

This is a short piece I wrote two years later to counter some CLAMP fans.

If creating a character requires 100% effort, then CLAMP’s portrayal of Yue is 60% creation and -40% destruction, leaving a mere 20% of creativity. As for Clow, his character is so poorly constructed and hollow, riddled with logical contradictions, that I can’t even evaluate the effort needed to create him. Honestly, Clow is just a lazy storytelling device Daioh uses to set up background and conflict, saving herself a load of work—way more than she put into Clow and Yue as characters!

Let me be blunt: the core elements and relationship of Clow and Yue are simple (art aside): Clow is a half-British, half-Chinese great magician with knowledge across East and West who created the 52 Clow Cards (a spirit deck for divination) and the guardians Keroberos and Yue (representing the sun and the moon). He deeply loves his creations, treating them as his children. Before passing away, he used foresight to prepare for the next master and ensured that those connected to the Clow Cards would be drawn to the guardians. Clow is gentle, wise, and mischievous; Keroberos is lively, Yue is calm and pure, with the moon’s nature, and deeply loves Clow. It’s that simple. Since CCS ended, every CLAMP work depicting Clow and Yue has steadily destroyed these core aspects, completely ruining both characters and their relationship. So, where exactly is this "characterization" CLAMP supposedly offers?

And as for that argument, “you shouldn’t criticize creators while enjoying their work”—that tired “fan rule” against criticizing creators—it’s ridiculous. CLAMP makes manga for profit (I call it “money-grabbing” because CLAMP has no professional ethics), and it’s the readers who fund them! Discussing CCS online adds to its popularity; in my youth, I even bought merchandise. In other words, I paid for CCS as entertainment, only to find out it’s trash after looking closer—so shouldn’t I be allowed to criticize the creators? Frankly, those few core traits and some art are more than enough to fuel all my writing and headcanons, far surpassing CLAMP’s shallow portrayal of Clow and Yue. Does my passion for Clow and Yue have anything to do with CLAMP’s flimsy plotlines? Clow and Yue can easily be separated from the original work and its creators. I won’t accept any rhetoric about "you can’t criticize creators" or “you have to know how to make your own ice before judging a refrigerator!” I only care about the core elements here. I paid for this and can take what I like from it to fuel my own enjoyment.

And to end with my usual bluntness: Anyone who backs CLAMP can’t truly love Clow Reed and Yue. You just don’t honestly care about these two characters.

[dokidokitsuna]

Hey, have you watched the anime "senki zesshou symphogear"?

It's a very great magical girl anime and if you haven't watched it yet you definitely should! I think you would like it.

...This has got to be a trick. ^^; You already know, don't you?? I can't remember talking about anything remotely similar to Symphogear lately...I mean, unless you just really like the anime and want to recommend it to everyone, in which case 🆗

Anyway, short answer: Yes, I have. ^^

Long answer: I used to be a Symphogear SUPERFAN. I watched all 5 seasons of the anime and the OVAs, I read the S1 companion manga (and did some panel recolors~); I archived the whole S1 soundtrack, I memorized all the girls' activation songs, and I was an active contributor and later a translator on the FANDOM wiki. If the new people haven't completely rewritten everything, you can probably still find a few of my articles there. I focused mainly on episode summaries and the introductory blurbs for the XD Unlimited mobile game events. I'm pretty sure my song translations have all been edited out, unfortunately...=_=

Anyway, I also used to review the series as it aired on my DeviantArt account. ^^ It was a big part of my life for a while there, and I still keep tabs on it occasionally...nothing's really been happening lately, though. Even the mobile game is shut down at this point...I really hope all their recent attempts to keep the hype alive are actually leading up to something, because if not...I mean, either do something new with the series or just let it die gracefully, y'know?

Like, instead of getting normal promotional things-- merch drops, pop-up cafes, sponsorship collabs-- we're getting DJ shows and chiptune remixes (that weren't even that good...) with pretend videogame visuals...it's making me suspicious. If we're gonna do this, the 'cinematic production' they're talking about better be good. I don't want 90 minutes of 'grown-up Hibiki with long hair reminisces about her earlier missions (so we can fill the runtime with flashbacks)'...because if they do that and it flops, they're not gonna recoup the money they're spending on these...things, and then the series really WILL die. Sadly and un-gracefully...

...It probably shows that I have a complex relationship with the franchise. ^^; I have seen Symphogear at its best and its worst; I have loved it at times and I have hated it at times. I agree that it's a high-quality anime...unfortunately, I think a large part of the reason that I kinda fell off it is because its final few episodes were some of the most disappointing. I loved Season 5, but they really didn't have any creative ideas for the actual end of the series and by golly it showed. ^^;;; Left a bad taste in my mouth that remains to this day.

Because of that, if I ever do talk about it again-- maybe after that 'cinematic production' finally releases-- it's gonna be with a critical lens. Symphogear deserves its flowers for its consistently beautiful animation, A+ character design and action-packed story...but it also has a lot of problems that I've never seen anyone mention. Like its bad habit of "redeeming" villains with deathbed gestures...or its occasionally sloppy handling of trauma (*cough* tomato metaphor *cough*) that honestly got progressively sloppier over the course of the series. How do you start with Tsubasa's and Chris's incredible character arcs and end with Maria thanking her mother for abusing her...? o_O

Also, and this is a big one: there's a lot of fanservice, some of it honestly NSFW, and a some of it actively detrimental to the story. I don't mind bath scenes and pool scenes during the casual moments of the story, but I do mind gratuitous boob jiggles during the hyper-serious final boss fight. T_T Pick a tone, please. To Symphogear's credit, it handles its fanservice with a rare level of maturity-- now that I think about it, there's a lot of nudity in the series too, but they tend to do it so tastefully I never thought to point it out. But that means when it DOES start doing more immature stuff I can't really forgive it...like, come on; you're better than this.

^I say all of that because if any of you read this ask and want to check out the anime that changed my brain chemistry, you deserve to know beforehand. I really hate how when people talk about anime they only ever say "its good, it's really good!" without addressing anything that happens in it that might be uncomfortable or triggering (Symphogear is included there, just FYI: most of the abuse the characters have suffered is offscreen (like Chris being sex trafficked as a child) but it does get brought up, and you will see a bit of it occasionally). It's gotten to the point where I simply don't trust people when they recommend anime anymore; even if it's something as simple as having really excessive fanservice (for example: Mai-Hime. Great premise, fun characters, interesting story. Not watching it again, tho) I know they're not going to mention it. They never do.

As anime slowly becomes more mainstream, though, I'm hoping that culture is going to change. Action anime in particular routinely handles heavy, sensitive topics with graphic visuals, and not wanting to be surprised by that doesn't make you a 'tourist' or whatever they're calling people these days. Content warnings harm no one; they only help.

[faux-fires]

tagged by @ranilla-bean for the 20 questions meme!

1. how many works do you have on ao3? 35

2. what’s your total ao3 word count? 466,309. Hey, that's not too shabby!

3. what fandoms do you write for? Currently NONE. previously: dragon age, tsubasa chronicle, supernatural, fullmetal alchemist, legend of zelda...

4. what are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Your Princess is in Another Castle ("Dragons kidnap princesses, everyone knows this… except sometimes, they get it wrong. Or do they? A story about mistakes, misunderstandings, and flower crowns. Also Kurogane's non-stop never-ending suck of a life, and the idiot that causes all that chaos to begin with.")

For Better or for Worse ("A 'five things' fic, featuring five different times Hawke proposed to Anders.")

The Centre of All Things ("Hawke gave Anders a ring, after their first night together, and never quite told him what it meant. As Kirkwall begins to crumble around them, Anders struggles to strike a balance between love and the needs of the mages.")

Adjustment ("A year after the end of Act 2, Anders comes home late, and Hawke missed him.")

Bound ("Anders receives many gifts from Aggressive!Hawke across the years. He's charmed by most of them, surprised by others.")

most of my fics predate ao3 and while i backloaded the TRC ones on, I can't be bothered doing the same for the FMA fic i wrote 20 years ago. and the SPN stuff, uh, well, AO3 kind of did it for me! i woke up one day and an old archive i forgot my fic was on had been ported to the archive, all my spn fics helpfully attached to my account in the process. when i tell you i orphaned them at something like the speed of light -

5. do you respond to comments? Um.... I MEAN to, but.... i'm not great at remembering...? i really cherish every one i receive and i KNOW it's bad of me, i can only offer apologies.

6. what is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? i literally just write happy endings i can't answer this

7. what is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? how are defining happy??? look mikke takes the piss out of me ALL THE TIME for my definition of fluff, ever since i entered a fluff vs angst competition on the side of team fluff with a story in which one half of the otp was tortured and murdered (he got better)! *i* define a happy ending as one in which, during the course of the story, a character grows and develops. by that metric, an ending where the character loses everything and everyone they love but gains a mindset enabling them to find peace with the loss is a happy ending, TO ME. a sad ending, by contrast, is one in the character does not grow or change, and stays in the same state (or worse!) than they started the story.

so with that in mind, probably through a forest wilderness. people die! anders and hawke are rejected as monstrous by the people they tried to save! but they gained one (1) feral orphan and solved their relationship issues, d'awwww. <3

8. do you get hate on fics? nope

9. do you write smut? if so, what kind? yes, but not in EVERY story. i find smut to require a lot of effort to write! there's complex choreography and emotions to handle... the only thing harder (HEHEHE) is fight scenes for the exact same reason

10. do you write crossovers? what’s the craziest one you’ve written? i'm not interested in crossovers (blorbos from series a meet blorbos from series b) but i love a good fusion fic, where blorbos from series a have always lived in the world of series b. craziest... probs the trc/wow fusion fic i wrote for an audience of three people? idk i've written a lot! i dreamed of a zukka howl's moving castle fusion a few days ago (probably inspired by chiptrillino's gorgeous illustrations she's been sharing recently) so that was pretty fun, as someone who very, very rarely remembers my dreams.

11. have you ever had a fic stolen? nope!

12. have you ever had a fic translated? yeah, to russian!

13. have you ever co-written a fic before? yeah, @mikkeneko and i wrote a whole SPACE OPERA. well. half of one, i guess (oops).

14. what’s your all-time favourite ship? whatever i'm shipping at the moment

15. what’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? i plead the fifth

16. what are your writing strengths? EMOTIONS. also i think i write humour well?

17. what are your writing weaknesses? starting, continuing and finishing. /sob

18. thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? even if you're fluent in that language, it alienates more people than it impresses, i think. i love using other languages as an easter egg (like rana has a character named with a cantonese pun in the iconoclast) but whole dialogue is like... very hard to pull off, and outright mortifying if you don't actually speak the language and just google translate it.

19. first fandom you wrote for? the legend of zelda! my irl friends and i (aged 13) had a massive shared self-insert 'verse going on. my first steps into fandom PROPER tho was with fullmetal alchemist.

20. favourite fic you’ve written? this is a complex question because how do you define favourite? swift illuminations was probably the most fun to write (anders vs hawke arm wrestling) and i always enjoy getting to write comedy - your princess is in another castle has my favourite lines i've ever written, for example:

"Can I go?" Yuui asked Ashura. Despairing it was, then. At least he wasn't naked. It was a low bar to meet in terms of presentation, but so far two of the six people in this room weren't making it.

these skies are breaking i've always been fond of because it's 35k and i wrote it in two days but the plot is uhhhhhh. missing. ash on the windowsill same sitch, 50k in 36 hours and my first completed multi-chapter fic but i wince at how clumsy it is when i reread it. i'm proud of a lot of my later dragon age fics because they contain better exploration of ideas and characterisation, so... idk. toss up!

but in terms of stuff i'm most satisfied with, probs 'how to love a god' this short character exploration piece i wrote for the anderszine. first time writing second person and because of the zine space limit i had a hard maximum word count too so i agonized over every word choice. i don't really edit my own stuff - i post it pretty much hot off the hoop - but i did actually enjoy doing it that time.

uhhhh so that's me. but i'm tagging.... anyone who wants to do this!

[meimi-haneoka]

Hiya~ Dimensional-bitch is my side blog, and I guess I cannot send mail from it!

Anyhow, I saw your reblog and wanted to send you a note personally because...damn. I get it. I've been seeing the same...stuff around. And my extraocular muscles have been getting an EXCELLENT work-out from all the eye rolling.

So many temper tantrums. Half of them whining that CLAMP worked on something other than their preferred manga for a few years, half of them mad about...whatever exacting expectation they had for Clear Card that wasn't met.

And honestly? THESE ARE THE SAME TANTRUMS MY 3 YEAR OLD HAS.

If I dare to do something other than take her to the park we went to yesterday? Instant fit! Worst Mommy EVER!

If she gets the milk she wants in a blue cup instead of pink? DAY RUINED. She can't enjoy milk again, EVER.

I am old enough now to realize that every time a CLAMP manga ends we are going to get this same round of preschooler "BUT IT ISN'T WHAT I WANTED!" foot-stomping. And it's...fine. Whatever. But even though I expect it now I am still. so. tired. And salty. I could salt the seven seas.

So THANK YOU for taking the time to look at and put together something that really gets into what Clear Card IS and DOES. (I am looking through your blog now and I am sad I didn't find it sooner - you've got lots of great stuff here! Especially about Kaito - I do NOT understand the fandom hate??? He's obviously a tortured but ultimately good soul????) There are so many good (and fun! - I've been reading this with my 8-year-old son and he is totally into the magic of it all, even if some of the symbolism flies over his head for now) things about it that get buried under the tantrums. And I am so happy to see them discussed like this!

Best wishes! <3

WAAAAAIT WAIT I HAVE TO REPLY TO THIS ONE BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE BECAUSE I feel like I'm about to cry...

You know the feeling when.....you feel *seen*? You feel understood? This is what I felt when I received your ask, Dandelion! (Is it ok if I use this name?) Omg yes. a thousand times yes....you summarized pretty well what I've seen and what I think about this whole situation too. (BTW I'm a mom too and I know what you mean! 😂)

I am old enough now to realize that every time a CLAMP manga ends we are going to get this same round of preschooler "BUT IT ISN'T WHAT I WANTED!" foot-stomping.

Ever since I got on the internet, I was able only to witness the endings in "real time" of Tsubasa, Holic and Kobato, and while I don't remember much for Kobato (probably because it's so underrated and no one was reading it), I DO remember especially the uncomfortable "atmosphere" in the fandom that accompanied the last chapters of Tsubasa's serialization. I remember all the negativity, and all the exact same complaints of today with Clear Card, "it's too complex!" "this has dragged too long please END IT". It was so overwhelming that I got dragged into it too. I COMPLETELY understand what you mean. I didn't expect I'd see it again with Clear Card, but hey people can always surprise you for the worst, isn't it? So I had decided, towards the end of Clear Card, that I wouldn't let ANYONE make me go through what I went through when Tsubasa ended, and I've set limits and lines to not be crossed with everyone, even close friends. I wanted to enjoy this story in peace to be able to write about what I TRULY feel.

I am SO GLAD that you're checking the rest of my blog and that you find my posts interesting. Most of the time, especially when I talk about Kaito and Akiho in the desperate attempt to make people understand those characters a bit better, it's a bit like shouting in the wind.....but I won't stop doing it. I love those characters, and I thank CLAMP everyday for creating them, they brought so much depth and enriched CCS in a special way.

Thank you so much for this ask!! 🙏❤️

[jovianjournal]

February 2024 (comics time)

took me a while to finish this post because i actually had to work, for once.

Kimi ni Nidome no Sayonara wo / Un second au revoir -- Takogawa Takomaru, Tanaka Tomo, French translation by Essia Mokdad

I saw this manga in my local bookshop and i picked it up because the art looked really cool, but it's not the kind of story i usually read: it's a... psychological horror mystery with some supernatural elements? The story begins when a young man goes to the funeral of a childhood friend who had been missing for several years and whose body has just been discovered, hidden for all this time in their old high school. At the funeral, he gets attacked and wakes up in the body of his younger self, a few months before his friend's disappearance.

For me the main appeal is the art and the vaguely homoerotic ultra-toxic friendship, the plot is sometimes a little lacking, a little tropey. At the time of writing, there's still one volume to be published in France at the end of the year and i'm looking forward to the end of the mystery, because i've guessed some parts of it, but there's some time travel shenanigans that still need clarifying. overall i'd recommend it! (although: tw for child abuse & violence)

*

Country Diary - Haru kara natsu e -- Ishino Aya, French translation by Gaëlle Ruel

Sometimes you read a book and you think the whole time "gosh i wish i was living in this story". A 2 volume series about a university professor who quits his city life to buy an old abandoned house in the countryside, where he befriends a local carpenter and learns to tend his field with the help of his farmer neighbours. Very Story of Seasons, very cottagecore fantasy. A sweet lil story about community and frienship and craft and nature and... idk it's just really cosy and charming.

*

Blue Period (volume 14) -- Tsubasa Yamaguchi, French translation by Nathalie Lejeune

One of my favourite currently running series, about a fine art student and his art school adventures. Lot of really interesting stuff about art and being an artist. This volume focuses on some of the side characters, who are truly the strength of the story, a big cast of colorful weirdos.

*

Dungeon Meshi -- Ryoko Kui, French translation by Sébastien Ludmann

Okay unless you've been living under a rock you've probably heard of delicious in dungeon, who was adapted into an anime earlier this year. I'd been meaning to read it for a very long time and after watching the first couple episodes i finally bit the bullet... and binged the whole thing in a couple months. Exactly the Kind of Story I Love : fun fantasy with complex worldbuilding, great characters with complex relationships, expert comedic timing, beautiful art, complex themes in a silly wrapping... can't recommend it enough.

*

Rivages Lointains -- Anaïs Flogny

A story about gay mafiosi in mid century america. Great art, great ambiance, i just wish there was at least one character i could root for. don't get me wrong i'm all for morally ambiguous anti heroes, but they either need to have some likeable traits or to be fun to hate. These guys are mostly just unsympathetic. I still really liked it tho!

*

Squire -- Nadia Shammas, Sara Alfageeh, French translation by Florent Degletagne

ooooh this one was really good. it took me a long time to read, because i'd heard great things about it, but it's a thick one, and i was waiting for the right time to read it. Second world fantasy with middle eastern vibes. the authors are palestinian and cisjordanian (if i remember correctly) which add an extra layer on the themes of colonization throughout the story. I loved the secondary characters and i wish they got more time to be developed, but other than that it's a great story that felt extremely relevant.

*

that's all folks, see y'all next time

[thelaithlyworm]

@mimosaeyes tagged you:

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love!

Thank you for thinking of me!

Disclaimer: If you asked me the same question next week I would probably have a different answer. I’ve written a lot, and I love a lot of them.

Anyway anyway, trying to go back to some of the early stuff:

My Adventure – First! Fanfic! Ever! Belladonna Took, one of the three remarkable daughters of the Great Took, deserved to have an adventure of her very own. I remember getting buried very deep in the lore to write this, and I absolutely loved the chapter where ancient tales of the Silmarillion get filtered through the POV of a very young hobbit. And the poetry I wrote for it still delights me. 

The Girl Who Was A Cherry Tree – so for a while I was really into xxxHolic and Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles and then I was really into CLAMP in general, and this was some of the fruit of that obsession. CLAMP always seem at their best when there’s a corpse under the cherry tree and I leaned into that when I gave Clone!Sakura her happy ending.

Never A Love Story – also had a hyperfixation on The Musketeers for a while, a real good time. I tried filling two prompts on the kink meme at the same time and ended up with a fairly complex exploration of gender roles with girl!d’Artagnan-who-wants-to-be-a-soldier and deep-in-salon-culture-Aramis mentoring her. And… lots of questions of identity and doing right by ourselves and each other. And I had a lot of fun with it in general. They had a very non-standard love story, but they did very much love, and I’m at peace with that.

And Blue-Bleak Embers – Nirvana in Fire AU where Prince Yu funks out of waging the rebellion and spends the next few months as an idle prince always knocking on Mei Changsu’s door, even as Mei Changsu is quietly dying. And it’s a peaceful fic, and objectively a happier ending – no-one died in the rebellion and Da Liang wasn’t so weak by the end that it seemed ripe for invasion, that’s a happy ending, right? – but in this version Jingyan doesn’t get that boost to his career from being a war hero and he just. He just takes too long to get the court case started and MCS never sees his justice. It’s gentle and bittersweet and a bit raw – the companionship of two people who have both mauled the other and don’t see any point in putting up masks anymore.

Slice of Life – Pretty much my ship manifesto for Wu Xie/Hei Xiazi, I think. Vignettes from their training relationship! I loved how all the scenes mirrored each other in the end, and Hei Xiazi’s clinical eye on his student, even as he breaks bones and navigates weird night-time conversations and enacts the greatest kindness he can: teaching Wu Xie that people he trusts can hurt him. Another fic that’s very bittersweet and raw, I think.

tagging (if you want to participate): @procrastinatorproject @jazzfic @regionalpancake @inimitablereel @bladedweaponsandswishycoats @sharkbeneaththelotus

[mysticdestiniesarchive]

Meet the MC!

i forgot about this lmao but we have some facts about the player character!! i think these were originally a separate teaser and bio post but whatever, this is MY sideblog.

Meet Tsubasa Fujimoto*, a 19-year old university student with a practical, hard-working nature who has been thrown into a new, unwanted life filled with supernatural phenomena.

During a weekend visit your mother revealed to you your true nature as a homunculus – an artificial human made through alchemy – and you have been wondering if you truly exist ever since. Your new sorceress powers are overwhelming and undesired, but you are determined to gain control of them.

*name is changeable.

Here’s some facts about our MC, Tsubasa Fujimoto:

She likes practicality and logic

She’s a closet shoujo and otome fan and loves reading

She enjoys roller coasters and extreme rides in general.

She likes the quiet and the sound of rain.

She enjoys Takumi’s detective stories, Hikaru’s ancient tales of Japan, Shou’s jokes and hearing about Shinji’s spirit encounters.

So, you don't know what a homunculus is? Here’s a little info on them for you:

It is exceedingly rare that a homunculus is ever successfully created, as it is an extremely complex and dangerous process. Because of this there have only been a few of them ever created. Homunculi are alchemically created artificial humans. More often than not they are a physical and biological copy of their creator, although it is not completely uncommon for the alchemist to attempt to recreate a dead loved one. Because of the low success rate of creating homunculi, not much is known about their nature. It is unknown if they harbor any additional abilities or traits outside of the person they were meant to represent. - An excerpt from Professor Sapienti’s book: Beyond Humanity

[shizukais]

Hi....If you don't mind, can I ask, what are your top 10 (or top 7) favorite media (can be books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series)? Why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before......Thanks....

Hi! Thank you for asking ❤️ On general (no specific order):

Coraline, Neil Gaiman (book)

I read it for the first time in elementary school. I completely fell in love with the story. I was young and I remember being quite impressed with it (for a children's book, it's quite shocking huh). Years later I reread the book and felt again as if I was reading it for the first time. It's been my favorite book for a long time. I always read it every now and then.

Friends (TV series)

My comfort show. I watch it at any time to have fun or just pass the time. I've watched it so many times that I know almost everything about this series. I can talk about it for hours or write a 10,000-word thesis about it.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle (manga)

My favorite manga of my collection. My little paper treasure, as I like to call it. I really like this story, it has everything I enjoy in a piece of media (fantasy, mystery, plot twists, angst, well-developted characters, etc). I really wanted to erase my memories and read it as if it were the first time again. It is breathtaking.

One Piece (anime)

Despite having seen Naruto first, One Piece is somehow more memorable for me. Whether due to its long duration or the complexity of the character/world build, One Piece is a remarkable work that I always talk about when talking about favorites.

Shinya Shokudo (manga, TV series)

Talking about Shinya Shokudo is not easy. Whether it's the manga or the TV series, it touches me on several levels. A feeling of nostalgia for something I didn't experience, coziness and tranquility. There are few media that bring me such nice feelings. It's simple but touching. Even though I have zero kitchen skills, I love seeing Master cooking different dishes and the customers telling their unique stories.

Hajime no Ippo (anime, manga)

It's a lifetime series, published since long before I was born. I've been reading it for so many years already! I always say I need to see its ending before I die. It's something that I simply have as a goal in life lol Seeing Ippo reaching the end of his story. (Mori sensei please be healthy, okay?)

World Trigger (anime, manga)

Amazing story, amazing characters, amazing world building. Everything about World Trigger is amazing to me. I'm a big fan of science fiction and World Trigger delivers everything and much more. The only sad thing about it is the very slow pace for the story to progress, but we have to be grateful that even with health problems, Ashihara sensei keeps going. I'll always support him and wish to see the end of WT someday.

Supernatural (TV series)

I watched it for the first time when I was a kid and it scared the hell out of me. Ever since then I've been watching SPN from time to time. I love the cheap drama and the quirky stories. Although, for me the quality of the series has deteriorated a lot over the seasons and I don't understand the fandom tbh. But that's another topic I guess.

Tokyo Revengers (manga)

Tokyo Revengers started as an obsession and has remained as a favorite. Time travel stories are always a must-read / must-watch for me and TR knows what they're doing with it. I love protagonists who at the beginning are nothing, but over time manage to develop into someone better in order to achieve their goals. Also, Mikey has become a very imporant character for me, I can say that in the end, he was pretty much the reason why I read the whole thing.

*I didn't include movies because I would need a whole list to fit all of them, there are so many that I would like to mention.

**Honorable mentions: mushishi, natsume yuujinchou, link click, nge, golden kamuy, pandora hearts, yu yu hakusho, dorohedoro, hxh, naruto, bsd, clamp's works, junji ito's works.

[sinkableruby]

hey talk about Monogatari ships

YAHOO <- said like mario

although i do want to say that i dont really do many ships either so my ideas may not be sparkling... nevertheless it is a fun ask and i want to do it

i will try to keep big spoilers out of it for once!

ill mostly leave aside canon i think

ships i like:

sodachi/tsubasa: this ones a shout out to you. but also. it is very good... i always think of that idea of them bonding over cooking. not only would they be good for each other with each able to provide the kind of support they'd both need, but i think they'd understand each other too. its good 😌

hitagi/ougi: i dont think i would like this one seriously but its just really funny to imagine. araragi crying in the background, ougi being so confused... its so fucking funny

hitagi/tsubasa: i know this one doesnt work bc like the whole point is that its unrequited and all... but i still think its cute. two best friends and they're gay for each other? that's wonderful. i love it.

koyomi/shinobu: weirdly i do like it. wouldnt say i necessarily like it more than the canon koyomi/hitagi but theres something i can appreciate about how theyre stuck immutably together, bonded forever... once koyomi gets older we dont know how his lifespans gonna work, so theres something there about being lonely and solitary in the world except for just one person who you'll always be with whether you like it or not. it's not exactly a sweet or romantic type thing but its more like a 'you're all i have' melancholy sort of thing.... and thats interesting to me

tsukihi/nadeko: the classic i love this one yeah. i dont even think it'd be a super healthy relationship given how tsukihi is.... tsukihi. but thinking about how nadeko has been pining over her for so long i think itd be interesting, especially considering tsukihi would definitely not be as infatuated with nadeko as nadeko would be with her. and nadeko would have to put up with so much for it... they'd probably break up like every other week because of tsukihi's fickleness, or like have whole periods where they dont talk and nadeko thinks theyve broken up or are fighting and tsukihis just being tsukihi. 'the things nadeko does for love' is basically how i think of it. maybe she'd be better off just moving on... poor nadeko. not very good luck when it comes to love...

suruga/higasa: ok i said i wouldnt talk about spoilers so i wont talk about this one much. but i think they'd be cute together. i like how higasa sees through suruga. i think itd be super cute if she was teasing her out of like a crush. they should kiss

also any like specialist/specialist stuff i'd probably like, just bc we get so little of those guys that its cool to play around with their dynamics. maybe like yozuru/tadatsuru for like a kinda rarepair rivalry dynamic... i could see them as a divorced couple maybe. but really just. any of them. hell maybe theyre even a polycule who knows.

and also rouka/suruga is good but i dont really have any thoughts on it per se, i just like it a lot. its complex... its bittersweet... ya feel

ships i dont like:

koyomi/tsubasa: yeah p much everyone's talked about why this would never work. i might almost like it for like, the angst it would bring but i think it doesnt quite reach there either so its just meh.

koyomi/ougi: m..m... dont like it.. dont like it. i think their relationship is so much more interesting the way it already is so i dont really feel the need to see them in a romantic one yk. i dont think it would be good for either of them either... they will just stagnate if they stick around each other. and also this is like maybe not so applicable bc anything is possible in the ship world but. these two just would never. they dont see each other like that yk. if im looking from an analysis lens here, the camera which is mostly under koyomi's perspective that licks and slobbers over all the girls never does that for ougi. despite him thinking shes like "bewitching" (appearance wise but also probably in the other sense too lol) or w/e. i could write more about this and the harm i think it would do but it'd get spoilery and become a dissertation so ill leave it at this. ummm... dont like it. :p

deishuu/hitagi: ok i see people talking about this one a lot so i just have to put my foot down.. i think its meh. i think its whatever. i think kaiki is not and was not interested in her, and just saw her as a brat who was infatuated with him. and while i do think its possible or maybe even probable that hitagi was infatuated with him while he was scamming her bc she saw him as a savior... i dont think the infatuation would have been that strong. maybe just a little crush, but nothing serious. i wouldnt go so far as to call it love yk, if those feelings were there... and on the idea of that 'if,' i also think its way more interesting if kaiki only THINKS hitagi was infatuated with him when really she never was because it shows the flaw in his perception. like thats the kinda perspective cool thing i like in the monogatari series... thats why i like how its so vague in canon too. the ambiguity makes this dynamic interesting imo

suruga/karen: kind of dont have strong feelings about this one but i cant really see it. i dont think they'd be the right dynamic for each other and it'd become awkward...

ok thats all i can think of for now thanks for sending the ask >:3

[completeoveranalysis]

Nick have you seen the parallel between Sakura's farewell words to Lava Lamp and Real!Fai's last words to Yuui/our Fai as uncovered in his final memory in Celes? Could you talk about it?

I didn't notice this at all in the moment, but OOF. The PAIN of this parallel.

WHAT A MOMENT TO ECHO.

It draws quite an emotional parallel between (our) Fai and Lava Lamp Guy. Both of them ended up trapped in long, lonely, torturous situations where their fate was tied to someone else - someone they loved dearly, someone who is kind of dead, but because of their unique situation they ended up tying their entire existence around these ultra painful complex scenarios for the other person's eventual survival. Lava Lamp outright told Watanuki in the dream world that no matter how much he has to endure he will do what needs to be done to fix it. And Fai kind of had the situation happen twice - first, when both twins were alive, where they both stuck in the eternal torture pit for eternity because they refused to let each other die, and then later in life where Fai was trapped into servitude to Evil Wolverine's plan in order to try and revive his brother at the end of it all. Both Lava Lamp and Fai have good goals - they are devoted to someone they love, and will endure anything they think they need to in order to save them. But so much so that it twists their lives into constant suffering, to the point that the person they want to save actually cannot bear it anymore and wants to set them free instead.

So in both these final moments we have Sakura and (the original) Fai sacrificing themselves to save the other from endless suffering - Sakura saving Lava Lamp to free him from his plotline death and everything he is chained to, and (og) Fai making the deal with Wolverine that thematically frees Fai from the pit AND frees his future self from his commitment once he knows the truth of the situation.

It's a very beautiful, dark, and tragic act of love in both cases. They are scenarios born of desperation, where there is no safe winning outcome, and the alternative will either bring endless suffering or death for both of them. It shows that both parties are, at the end of the day, willing to sacrifice literally their entire existence to save each other - but also exploring what that means and how much suffering can come of this blind devotion. IS it truly better to live your life in constant torture in the hope that you might one day free someone you love from their predetermined death? Or is this only forcing yourself to suffer needlessly?

From a plotline perspective, both of these characters are technically already dead by the time we get these lines. Sakura kind of died in Infinity. Her fate, by her own choice, has already been tied to this outcome. It would have been impossible for Lava Lamp to stop it. (Og) Fai, too, is dead by the time Our Fai sees this scene in it's true context. He died hundreds of years ago, and even though Fai bent his entire life around trying to switch places with him, in truth that was always impossible. With that in mind, both scenarios are less about "who sacrificed themselves first to save the other" and more about the concept of trying to change a death that has already taken place - and that's an idea at the very core of Tsubasa all the way through.

What is the true nature of grief? To be in pain forever, or to accept that the person you've lost loved you, wanted the best for you, and wouldn't want you to suffer like this anymore?

Do you, like Evil Wolverine, break anything you need to break in order to bring that person back - or do you allow yourself to heal, like they would have wanted?

It's technically an open question, but in both Fai's death and Sakura's death, we have the person in question actually answer the question for us.

[everythingsinred]

Do you think that even after dating Mikan for a while Natsume would still being jealous?

Hi hi hi, Anon!

So this is a bit complex and I'm sure there's various opinions on this, but I'll just stick to my own understanding of his character for this.

To start with, Oxford has a couple definitions of jealousy.

feeling or showing envy of someone or their achievements and advantages. feeling or showing suspicion of someone's unfaithfulness in a relationship. fiercely protective or vigilant of one's rights or possessions.

Essentially, jealousy is a normal emotion (notice here that the above definitions use the word "feeling") but it's born of insecurity. If you think back on any TV shows or movies where jealousy plays a major role, the jealous person is usually feeling insecure for whatever reason. Sometimes it's justified and sometimes it's not. Let's discuss this a bit.

One: The first definition describes envy of achievements and advantages. You might say this is how Natsume is jealous for most of the manga before he and Mikan actually get together. I wrote a very long series of essays detailing this, but his jealousy is mainly about being able to pursue affection or a relationship. He's jealous of Tsubasa for being able to hug Mikan, openly or otherwise. He's jealous of Tono for being touchy-feely, because he isn't allowed to be. He's convinced any affection toward her would hurt her, so he can't even try it.

That's an advantage Tsubasa and other boys have that Natsume doesn't; it crops up every now and then with his humorous aggression toward Tsubasa and Tono and his moody stares whenever Ruka and Mikan have a moment. His circumstances make it so hugging or spending too much with Mikan is not a possibility and he's jealous of others for not having to worry about that.

You see a few times in the manga when he is less constrained and acts a lot more familiar with her; whenever he backs off it's because he has no choice. He becomes less jealous during those moments, because if he has the same opportunities he can only blame himself if things don't go his way. Granted, I said "less jealous", not "not jealous at all" because Natsume's martyr complex doesn't stop him from wanting what he wants, even if he won't admit it. He wants to love Mikan openly and also to be loved by her. Thus, jealousy would be two-fold, and if either of those desires is challenged (and they are, frequently) then he gets jealous. Yes, he puts his wants aside often, but that doesn't mean they don't exist or influence his emotions.

I don't think Natsume in a happy relationship would feel that as much. You might bring up his fourth alice shape as a reason why he might feel insecure, and I'd give you that if I wasn't a hundred feet deep in delusion, since I believe the fourth shape would become a nonissue eventually. He can hold her hand or hug her or kiss her whenever he wants, and actually has more justification to do so than anybody else.

That brings us to two: The second definition is about suspecting infidelity. I think I talked about this the most in my essay about Natsume's feelings during the Rapunzel Arc, but Natsume is deeply self-loathing. He doesn't view himself as valuable because of who he is and he doesn't entirely buy that Mikan really loves him. He thinks her love is weaker than his, maybe fleeting. She is affection, but her affections are definitely not invincible. She could hate him someday, and he could never hate her back.

"You are mine."

If Natsume thinks Mikan doesn't love him as much as he loves her, then it's completely possible that he might get insecure about her feelings. I don't think Mikan would cheat, but the fear that maybe he's not as interesting, or that her feelings have passed onto somebody else are still on the table. I think Natsume might struggle with believing that Mikan chose him and doesn't have feelings for anybody else.

This is where independent thinking must come into play. To be entirely honest, if Tachibana Higuchi is at all to be listened to, then I think Natsume would be within his rights to be jealous under this second definition. Our dear mangaka has made jokes to the effect that Natsume shouldn't be too comfortable, that he hasn't "won" yet, that Ruka or Hotaru still have a shot. That's not even mentioning the atrocious final chapter, where Mikan apparently only cares about Hotaru and doesn't mind telling every single person that came to see her that Hotaru is number one and the others don't even place (OOC and disgusting behavior, TBH).

I think that's all ridiculous and the final chapters are so bad I ignore them. The only part of the Memorial Book I care about is the Red Riding Hood comic and the HotaRuka picture. I ignore Higuchi Tachibana's post canon ideas entirely.

FIRST: Natsume absolutely should be comfortable in a monogamous romantic relationship with Mikan! He should not be nervous and watching over his shoulder all the time! That's so ridiculous, that he shouldn't trust his girlfriend not to be faithful to him. It's insulting to their relationship and to Mikan, especially, that there's a chance Mikan would change her mind all of a sudden.

SECOND: Natsume did not win. He was chosen. Love isn't a game. I'd argue it's hardly even a feeling. It's a choice. There's a reason married couples go to counseling to work on their relationship when their feelings weaken; the feelings are an important part of a bond, but they're not the only part. Otherwise, what is stopping every dissatisfied person out there from leaving their partner to find a new and exciting stomach full of butterflies and electricity? You choose to work on the relationship because you choose that person, good and bad (to an extent, of course), and there shouldn't be anything fleeting or hesitant about that.

Mikan chose Natsume. She loves him, yes, but she also chose him. She chose to kiss him, to give him her heart via alice stone and also metaphorically. She chose to devote herself to him, and that's not the same as Natsume winning some competition. That was something only Mikan could decide, and she did. If we have any trust in Mikan, and we should, then we should disregard Higuchi Tachibana's attempt to be edgy and believe that Natsume should not be worried about her leaving him for anybody else.

THIRD: Love, in its feeling form, doesn't have some maximum capacity, and as a result it should not be that simple to state who you love the most (but also common courtesy should keep you from announcing that information out loud to a group of people who care about you for no real reason, especially when said top person isn't even there). Hotaru is Mikan's best friend. Ruka is Mikan's trusted friend and ally. Natsume is her boyfriend. There's different types of love and those types are all important and valuable.

I don't think Mikan would be unfaithful. I don't think she'd leave Natsume or have an emotional affair, trying to suppress hidden feelings for somebody else while she placates Natsume. It's a nasty thing to accuse her of, and I don't care much for the Memorial Book for this reason. Mikan loves Natsume. She chose him. End of story.

But Natsume is insecure. He was brought back from the dead just to make Mikan happy, after all, so he has no reason to believe in his own value, still, even at the manga's close. I think they'd both have to work on his insecurity to completely eliminate his feeling of not being enough for her. She'd have to validate him, but I'm sure she's up for it, because it doesn't seem that difficult TBH. He's so beyond happy just being chosen, that if she just keeps at it (keeps choosing him and openly loving him), that it would help a lot with his work on himself.

To the final definition: Being protective or possessive. This one is the one that sounds most like what we see in Kageki. A Natsume who is dating Mikan, trusts Ruka with her, and can be as openly affectionate as he wants. There's no wanting for advantages, because he has more than anybody. No fearing infidelity, because he trusts his best friend and his girlfriend. But possessiveness? That we do see.

Natsume monopolizes Mikan's attention and I personally think that's great. He's being selfish, and y'all know that's what I love to see for him after he's put himself dead last his whole life. Natsume is the kind of boyfriend who wants to spend all his time with his girlfriend, even just sitting around doing nothing, because he's spent so much time not being able to. I don't really think that would ever go away.

But over time, as he becomes healthier, I don't think the first two definitions would apply at all. I don't think he'd want to switch places with anybody and he wouldn't be scared for his relationship. He'd maintain just the right amount of possessiveness. He does after all, keep going back to the "You're mine" thing, so it clearly means a lot that she is his girlfriend. He'd also love any possessiveness from her because being loved by her makes him happy.

I really didn't mean for this answer to be so long but turns out I have quite a lot of thoughts on the topic.

I guess the short of it is that yes, to an extent, I think he'd keep some of his jealousy around, but that it would become less and less about fearing infidelity or of not being good enough.

[sysig]

What are some rare characters you love that you think people don’t draw or write about enough

Do Max and Dex count I love them and I feel like I'm approximately 80% of the Helix fandom rn lol

Doug Peterson and Russ Frushtick from Law Abiding Citizen - the fandom has gotten real quiet over time but I still love them so much ♥ There's a lot you can read into or leave silly with their dynamic, I still wholeheartedly recommend the emerge, transformed series as one of my favourite interpretations of Russ especially 💕

The Editor from Jazzpunk - he's just a silly little guy! It's honestly such a shame that he's only really in the last chapter, I would love to see him explored more, he's the worst ♪

Tatsumi Souichi from Koisuru Boukun - genuinely one of my all-time favourite characters, and The Only Good Tsundere as far as I'm concerned lol. I'm gonna write about him! I've got my fanfic and video essay sitting in my drafts, but like agh!! He's so interesting!!! So beautifully flawed - he's internally consistent which is my Favourite - and watching him grow and change while still being himself over literal years has been a truly unparalleled experience as a reader 💖

Luke Wigglebig and Florette from Pajama Sam: You Are What You Eat From Your Head To Your Feet - I joked before about being the only person on the internet who ships them but like, I'm pretty sure that's actually true lol. Even just more fanart of them by themselves would make me happy, they're so cute!! Especially Luke, his design is adorable

And then probably a more well-known one but I haven't been following his fandom popularity lately haha, Fai D. Flowrite from Tsubasa - him, Nova, and Watanuki move in and out of being my CLAMP faves, though Fai is probably the most complex of the three of them. And he's a trash man! A garbage fire of a wizard ♥ I love him

[heronoegg]

If you don't mind, can we please get some bakusquad hcs from your au? 🥺👉👈

YES YOU CAN ANON

Bakugo

Bakugo is albino, if she wasn't she would have brown hair like her dad.

She has special headphones she's supposed to wear when using her Quirk at all times. (She at first didn't bc Bakugo is stubborn) She insist her ears were fine until she tried to show off one day by making a big explosion and blew out her ear drums for a entire day. Don't worry recovery girl fixed it that was her last warning and it scared her so bad.

Bakugo has hearing aid's we live for this hc she does not know sign language because her hearing problems didn't start to get worse/ to the point of needing the hearing aids until she got into UA where she's using her quirk on overdrive all the time.

She loves her dad, that's her best friend. Bakugo is a daddies girl all the way.

They have daddy daughter days and he loves to buy her outfits they are best friends they go shopping together

Bakugo's dad calls her "Katsuki kitten"

Bakugo's uncle on her dad's side was the one that got her interested in mountain climbing, he would take her up when she got big enough but before that he used to bring her back cool trinkets from where ever he'd go in the world.

Bakugo has a complex relationship with her mom, it's a lack of understanding on her mom's part and the fact they are literally same personality different person doesn't help. It's hard for Mitsuki to understand Bakugo but she is still a trying parent.

If Bakugo was a parent she wouldn't be hard on her own kid as her mother was on her.

Bakugo has a young chaotic cousin who she thinks is annoying as heck that Deku never knew about because she never mentioned him and he never seen him. He wants to beat Bakugo and be better and he's just loud and annoying even to Mitsuki.

Bakugo's parents work at a modeling place that is why they are rich.

Bakugo calls Deku's mom aunty Inko but Deku does not call Mitsuki aunty lol

Bakugo developed a crush on Todoroki and only released it when they were side kicking with Endeavor.

Somestimes Bakugo and Todoroki do this thing when Todoroki jokingly leans in like "Well, i guess we gotta kiss" and then stops. At first Bakugo thought he was a freak for doing that but it became a normal thing they would do all the time and sometimes she would lean in as well when they became closer and they both just not actually kiss until one day they did.

Bakugo doesn't like being a third wheel which she usually is to a lot of people.

Bakugo and Sato cook together a lot.

Bakugo calls Sato by his name because she can't come up with something that doesn't sound like a romantic nickname for him besides Sugar jock.

Bakugo gives people nicknames cause she has a hard time remember names.

There is some of Deku's clothes at Bakugo's house incase he comes over for a sleep over they have a mattress and everything for him in Bakugo's closet.

Bakugo is friends with everyone in the Dekusquad.

Bakugo respects Uraraka because she's the only girl she knows who can lock eyes with her and take her down if she wanted to.

Bakugo likes spicy food but can't handle as much as Deku can. Nobody else in the squad except mildly Sero likes spicy food.

Bakugo's middle school friends live in this AU and they go to UA but they are in class C the one Shinsou was moved out of. Tomo (long fingers),Kirisame (short black hair) and Tsubasa (Kid with wings)

Bakugo never makes it known she is a rich kid but bought kirishima's groceries once because he's kinda poor and was about to go the the corner store for groceries and Bakugo was just not having that. Told him everything he needed put it in the cart and she would pay for it that's when they really became friends.

Bakugo ignores Togaru's existence rival who? but they fight a lot.

///

Kirishima

His parents split and he lives with his single dad.

Ryukyu is his aunt, Tatami is his sister and Tetsutetsu is his brother.

Kirishima has depression but it's diagnosed and he takes his meds.

He can't keep a secret, if you tell him something and tell him not to tell he'll go "I wont!" but if you pressure him a little bit like keep asking him once or twice he'll tell you everything.

There is dragon quirks in his fam's genes so he has retractable tail and wings.

He hates that he has to peep talk himself cause of his depression, it helps him get okay for the day.

Kirishima's and Tetsutetsu bite and wrestle eachother a lot when Yo came over once he bit him and he cried, Tatami thought it was funny.

Kirishima and Sero train together a lot Kirishima almost always wins.

Kirishima is the one who created the Bakusquad, he befriended Kaminari first then Sero, Sero like the vibe of these people. lastly he slowly introduced Bakugo to the group because Kaminari and Sero didn't really want to be friends with her because she was mean. Mina was already his friend even though they weren't in middle school she just became his friend really quickly.

Kirishima calls Bakugo Ladybro

Kirishima if somebody says anything about him being the only boy in the Bakusquad he'll say it's them who's protecting him and that girls can be aggressive.

Kirishima wanted to be friends with Bakugo cause he used to have a bully in middle school and something happen to that guy and he feels like even though he was bullying him if he had one friend maybe he wouldn't have done what he did. He knows Bakugo and Deku have history and he feels like if he makes friends with her she wont be so mean anymore. He forgives Bakugo for the bully she used to be cause he knows she is kind in her own way.

Kirishima's middle school friends or at least one of them was his "Happy buddy" which means that was the one who knew he had depression and would help him with it. They don't go to this school so Kaminari is his new happy buddy.

Kirishima is kinda poor and feels bad his dad has to pay for him and Tetsutetsu to go to UA

Kirishima isn't really close friends with anyone outside of the Bakusquad.

Kirishima is the one who has a crush on Sero first.

//

Kaminari

Kaminari dad was a deadbeat from America who his mom met when she was living there. Kaminari went to kindergarten and elementry school there before his mom decided to move to japan.

Kaminari has a little sister her quirk is called "Volt stream" She can emit electricity from her brain in low voltages, electricity is constently surging through her body and her vines like blood so she has to let it out sometimes or she'll feel what she calls "Prickly" Everytime she uses her quirk depending on the voltage she will either feel light headed or pass out. Her name is Rai

Kaminari's mom is a pro hero name Electric pop

Kaminari's mom's quirk has the same quirk as Kaminari but she can only shoot the lightning from her finger tips, she can't discharge in any other way.

Kami's dad just had a basic lightning quirk he was a hero in amaerica but like only for the money she left him but Kaminari did get to be around him for a while. He wasn't a good dad but he wasn't an awful dad.

Kamianri's parents taught her basic fighting just in case.

Kaminari can speak English but not write it very well.

Kaminari lives close to wherever Todoroki's house is and can get there pretty quickly.

Kaminari can skateboard that is her means of transportation.

Kaminari cooks macaroni a lot.

Kaminari makes cursed food mixtures. She made a peanut butter girlled cheese once.

Kaminari eats pickles from the jar, drinks the juice and all. once that's all she ate in a day woke up in the dorms one evening ate a pickle and went back to sleep.

Kaminari comes into Tokoyami's room for nails to be painted stays for the company.

Kaminari is friends with Tokoyami and Dark shadow.

Kaminari is also friends with Aoyama they are a blonde duo.

Kaminari lives next to Kinoko and they are friends and neighbors.

Kaminari is also friends with Rin kinda.

Kaminari had a crush on Mineta for some odd reason and never said anything about it cause she thought it was awkward and weird.

//

This kid from the where Bakugo and Todoroki retook their liesense exam

is Sero's little brother his name is Sho he can peel his skin like tape (It's not as painful as it sounds) he's annoying.

Sho goes to pre-school with Eri he has a best friend name Chocto who is Hound Dog's son (we call Hound dog mad dog in this au)

Skeptic is Sero's local evil uncle on her fathers side who nobody rats out because the whole family is scared of him.

Skeptic traumatized Sero as a kid being just generally scary with his quirk.

Sero lives with her older cousin Shin and Sho because there was an argument about Skeptic and Shin took it upon himself to get the kids away from that house.

Sero and Shin have a really close relationship, he makes her feel safe and he's always looking out for Sero. He's like that really chill older bro everyone wished they had.

Sero is very smug and that's how she relates most of all her emotions.

Sero doesn't like to feel strong emotions (sadness or anger) she would really rather not talk it out or have complex conversations when there is a problem. Just one person take the blame and don't do it again so we don't have to talk about this or bring it up anymore. In other words she hides from her feelings.

Sero dated a lot in middle school but never felt anything for anyone until she started liking Kirishima.

Sero feels inferior to Bakugo that Bakugo could have just the right things to say to help Kirishima and she wouldn't know what to say. (Example: Kirishima was having a breakdown and Sero didn't know how to talk to him so she called Bakugo who calmed him down. She felt really bad and useless that she was closer and right there but there was nothing she could do)

After the sports festival Sero developed Bell’s Palsy from Todoroki freezing her.

//

Mina

Mina doesn't mind a lot of things she's really chill.

Mina is the gateway to the whole class to the Bakusquad because she is close friends with so many other people outside the squad.

Mina isn't too sure what love is about and says that a lot. she'll randomly put it in after a normal sentence. "Lets go to mcdonalds, also im not too sure what true love is actually"

Mina comes from a neglected household. That's why she loves so much she doesn't want anybody to feel left out.

Mina is moth coded so at a certain point when they've lived in the dorms one day she just got super sleepy and fell asleep went into a cocoon for a week and came out looking fresh.

Her horns fell off after that and grew back, she could grow another set of arms and wings which was freaky but cool.

Mina is good at listening when somebody needs to vent. "Come get in my bed and we can talk comfy"

Mina is a gossip channel, her and Toru they know everything.

Mina's purse is a bottomless pit. She has everything.

Mina always wants to put makeup on somebody.

Mina is friends with Toru and Toru is friends with Dark Shadow but not so much Tokoyami.

Mina can relate to Mineta about being a neglected.

//

Jirou

Mina is the one who even got her included in the squad. She would always look over at them so Mina slowly introduced her until she was part of the squad.

Jirou is whatever she needs to be to get out of a satiation or win a battle. In our sports festival there were two brackets of the tournament and she made it to 3rd losing to Jurota Shishida. She fought Rin before this and tried to kiss him throwing him off guard, she kissed him and used her quirk through her lips to send her heartbeat into his head resulting in her win.

If Jirou uses her quirk to much she'll pass out because it's putting a strain on her heart.

That is how she lost to Jurota she amped up her quirk to it's fullest and they both passed out but she passed out first.

Jirou is the youngest of two brothers. Jude and Hibiki. Hibiki is a pro hero musician and Jude is in a boy band.

Jirou's house is a music store where they sell instruments and teach lessons. She offered working there as an option for Tokoyami who works there now.

Jirou is friends with Tokoyami they are goth buddies but not so much dark shadow cause she thinks dark shadow is annoying.

Jirou has a crush on Rin.

Jirou's hair is naturally curly like her dad's she straightens it. Later she lets Mina braid it.

When they live in the dorms She gets her hair cut's from Tokoyami.

Everyone who paints their nails gets their nails painted by Tokoyami including Jirou.

When Jirou says something is "Punk rock" she means it's cool. she'll say something like "that wasn't very punk rock of you" or "Wow! that's punk rock!"

Jirou is friends with Mineta (Mineta is more respectful in this au he actually is grossed out/scared of girls because of something that happened to him in his old household he got adopted by Midnight)

[novelmonger]

🦈🌻🍬🚦

🦈 Which character is the toughest to write?

Lol, the last time I answered a question like this, I was accused of being racist for saying that Sam Wilson is funny and emotionally stable XD

But as I think about it now, I suppose the real answer is that the toughest characters for me to write are snarky geniuses. The main ones I've had occasion to write would be Sherlock Holmes and Tony Stark. For one thing, they're much more intelligent than I am, so that's hard to write, and also their areas of expertise are very far removed from my own. Then, at least in Tony's case, I always feel the need to reference pop culture in some way - but not the nerdy stuff I would actually know about. Tony's always dropping references to movies I haven't seen or bands I don't listen to or something, so it takes a lot of effort to figure out what to make him say, and both he and Sherlock have this mocking way of talking a lot of the time that doesn't come naturally to me. I don't feel like I've ever really gotten either of their voices quite right.

🌻 How often do you read your own fics?

Less than I used to, I think. These days, I usually only read my own stuff when someone comments, "I love how you did XYZ!" And then I'm like, "Wait, I did XYZ?" and of course I have to go read it to see what they're talking about :P By the way, I'm not counting reading back over earlier portions of whatever WIP I'm in the middle of. That's just part of the writing process.

🍬 Do you write for multiple fandoms? If yes, what is your favorite fic of yours for each fandom?

From my FFNet profile:

So yes, I would say so XD

I only have one fic apiece for Wolf's Rain, Castle in the Sky, Death Note, Prince of Persia, Oddworld, Lovely Complex, Tsubasa Chronicle, Professor Layton, Supernatural, Star Wars, WordGirl, Daredevil, Avengers, and Dororo, so that goes without saying. Here are the others:

Final Fantasy X - Someday the Dream Will End My novelization of the game. Please note the date this was published and realize I was sixteen the last time I touched this thing ^^' It is very far beneath my current standards, but it's what got me into writing fanfiction in the first place, and it taught me so much about how stories work, how to write novel-length works, and also a lot of my preferences when it comes to writing and posting fanfic, specifically.

Harry Potter - Change I don't actually like any of my HP fics very much, if I'm being honest. I wrote most of them ages and ages ago, so the writing isn't very good, and I don't think I handled the few good ideas I had with the delicacy they required. So I picked this one because I wrote it much later than all the rest, so it's at least fairly competent. It's just a little exploration of a headcanon about how the broken Hogwarts House system could be tweaked to not be quite so divisive and counter-productive.

Full Metal Alchemist - The Ultimate Sacrifice Oh my gosh, I've written so many FMA fics over the years, it's almost impossible to pick x.x Some of them are really old and not very well written, some have really good ideas but my skill at the time is holding them back, some are quite good but...are they my favorite? In the end, I decided to go with this oneshot because it was burning a hole in my brain for years before I finally got it written down, and I think it still holds up okay seven years later. Basically, it's an AU that explores what it would be like if Ed uses his love for Al as the toll to get Al's body back. Super angsty, lots of tears, it's great! :D

ICO - Piaculum My novelization of the game, written after the official one was published in Japan but a good three years before it was ever translated to English, so that's how I justified writing it ^^' I didn't really know what I was doing. Parts of it are still kind of good, and I like how I dealt with certain themes and drew in connections to Shadow of the Colossus. But yeah, if you want a book that contains the story of my favorite game of all time, just go read Castle in the Mist by Miyuki Miyabe instead.

Legend of Zelda - One Hundred Beats A 100 Themes fic centered around the friendship of Link and Navi. I wrote this whole thing during one of the busiest and most exhausting periods of my life, and I'll always be impressed by past-me for doing that. I also really like some of the stories I came up with for it, especially all the AUs. Most importantly of all, brainstorming one chapter led me to the headcanon that healed the pain of what they did (or didn't do) with Navi in the canon, and for that I will always love this fic.

Sherlock - Memento Mori One of my kidlock oneshots, an AU where John and Sherlock met as kids. This one deals with the death of Sherlock's dog Redbeard (needless to say, it's quite different from the canon). Personally, I think this is the best one of my kidlock fics.

Captain America - Make Me Whole Obviously! This is the fic that took over my life and changed me irrevocably. For the first time ever, after so many years of writing just to get the ideas out and because no one else was doing it, this time I had a story where, even if ten other people came out of the woodwork with the exact same concept who were much better writers than me, I wanted to be the one to write it. I really got the sense that God wanted me to write this story, and I've seen the fruit of that over and over again. And, of course, without this fic I wouldn't be writing the mammoth WIP I'm working on now.

🚦What sort of endings do you prefer to write: ambiguous, bad, happily ever after, etc.?

You know, I've always said that bittersweet endings are my favorite. Endings like LotR, where the good guys win and evil is defeated, but not without great cost. But as I think through some of the endings I've been most satisfied about in my own writing, I think I need to fine-tune that. I think my favorite kind of ending is a particular brand of bittersweet, where it's not exactly "the Shire has been saved, but not for me." It's more like "we've been hurt, and we're not okay yet, but I think we will be." To me, that's the most realistic kind of ending you can get, because that's the way our lives are. (Not that I don't appreciate a good, completely happy ending where everybody lives happily ever after!)

Fanfic Writer Asks

[shipcestuous]

i have a very niche submission but I've been rereading a shoujo manga i haven't read in a while -- tsubasa to hotaru -- and noticed that two of the minor characters are pretty shippy. there's soma-kun (i don't know if they ever mention his first name), who's introduced first, and he's sort of an arrogant, carefree teenage boy who only seems to care about himself. later, his sister, soma hina, is introduced. she's younger than him and seems to dislike him greatly, which is why she joined another school's basketball club as a manager to be able to beat him in a game. soon enough, through a few interaction, it actually kind of gets clear that they're a little obsessed with each other -- he worries about her in his insensitive, cheery way and in all her prickly act, she really thinks about him and his opinion a lot. they're not canon or anything, but i think they're very cute (and other characters joke about them having a brother/sister complex several times so)

That sounds like the kind of dynamic I would LOVE.

If only it was canon...They've got the perfect set-up, it sounds like it's building to it.

Thanks for the recommendation1