#I love Edward Elric very much

[dragons1re]

If I had a nickel for each time I hyperfixated on a show with a blond autistic mc…

…I’d have three nickels, which isn’t a lot…but it’s weird it’s happened thrice!

[sassydefendorflower]

I think I finally figured it out, the reason why so many people hesitate to call what Roy did with the Elrics to get them to join the military coercion: Riza telling Winry that it is their choice alone.

Because the fact of the matter is that Riza is wrong.

Edward is eleven in this scene, heavily traumatized, freshily disabled, guilt and nightmare ridden - he's obviously not mature enough to make long-lasting decisions regarding his life, considering he just tried to bring his mother back from the dead.

It's insane for a grown woman to assume that these children will be able to make choices divorced from outside influences.

Ed had a grown man tell him that maybe one day he will be used as a human weapon but the prize will be worth it if they manage to get their bodies back - and you're trying to tell me that's not manipulation and coercion?

The thing is... yeah, it makes perfect sense for Riza to think of it as a free choice.

And that's where this manga really excels and some readers/watchers take the source material at face value.

Because every choice Hawkeye makes throughout the story is influenced and guided by her own moral compass, guilt, shame, and trauma. By the choices she made in the past.

The timeline is never explicitly explained, but we know Riza is a few years younger than Roy. We know Roy left the Hawkeye household at 18 to join the military and that he came back at 20 to learn the secrets of flame alchemy from Riza. We know that she joined the military after he inspired her by his belief in the state propaganda, and we know that by the time they met again on the battlefield another year or two must have passed (it is strongly implied that Riza never finished the military academy, instead being ordered to the front lines for her skills with the sniper rifle before she could complete her last year).

What am I trying to say with this?

It is very possible within canon that Riza herself was only sixteen when she signed up for the Amestrian military. That she lied about her age to enlist. That she herself was a teenager who made choices that led to the death of thousands of Ishvalen citizens.

She grew up abused, with an absentee (then dead) mother, an emotionally distant father, and a lone house for her to take care off. Roy Mustang was her way out, and she was fifteen or sixteen when she gave him a nuclear weapon.

Riza sees that choice as a free one - one she made because that's the kind of person she is. There are no outside influences or socioeconomic factors to blame (in her mind) - she did what she did, no matter what, and that's both why she can carry the guilt and the motivation to move forward with her.

For Riza, in that moment at the Rockbell's, it doesn't matter that Ed is eleven and traumatized - while she can recognize them as children, she has only ever known full responsibility for every choice she's made.

Ed is free to follow Roy into the military and it is his choice alone, because if Riza where to acknowledge that maybe it is more complicated than that, that maybe there are other factors at play, that maybe Roy's goal is not the same as Edward's, then she'd have to acknowledge that maybe - just maybe - not all of the choices she made as a teenager where entirely her own, either.

That maybe her childhood shaped her more than she'd like to admit, that maybe her joining the military was more than just her own unaffected choice, that maybe some of the guilt weighing her down is not entirely her own.

And I am not saying this to paint Roy Mustang in a bad picture - I don't think he lured Riza into the military, but he did influence her. Just as the state propaganda did. And the fact that they are living in a military state.

But I am saying that Riza is projecting her own worldview - in which she is solely responsible for every single thing she's ever done - on a couple of kids, in order to frame her own actions in a larger context.

Especially since their fateful meeting at the Rockbell's takes place only a year after the war's over. The wounds are still raw. Her choices and the consequences of those choices are still raw.

But that doesn't mean she's right.

It doesn't mean that Edward and Alphonse Elric were actually free in their choice to join the military.

Yeah, they could have refused. And then what? Automail's expensive without a military stipend, research limited and locked away, and the taboo? Yeah, if any other military official found out about it they'd be facing the death penalty (even if we know the Homunculi wouldn't have actually killed them).

So they did say Yes. Which is what coercion is.

It doesn't matter that Riza could only see the freedom of their choice - and it doesn't take away from the story.

Because it is a moment in which all characters firmly establish themselves. Roy as someone who will go the extra mile to further his goals (and lets not act as if employing the youngest State Alchemist in the history of Amestris wasn't a great political move on his part), Riza as someone who carries the guilt of her choices like a shield, and Edward and Alphonse as people for whom hope and determination will win over despair every single time.

(and just to underline that I am not making this all up, Riza's insistence to face trial for her acts in Ishval even though she was "just following orders" fits perfectly into this understanding of her character: she made the choice to pull the trigger every single time, it does not matter that a refusal to do so could end in being court-martialed or killed. She's the one to pull the trigger. She's the one who made that choice. So it is her responsibility alone.)

[pianapplez]

Edward and Alphonse Elric, circa 1920

[tls123]

holding these pages very, very close to my chest

[allie-the-ally]

Sashaaa can you doodle elrics hugging each other some time I think they both need a hug

of course!!! i saw this and it made me happy to think about, i drew it immediately :)!

[ID: A simple drawing of Edward and a human Alphonse Elric hugging as teenagers. Ed has his arms outstretched around Al's head and he is stepping back on one leg, with the other slightly up in the air. Al has run up to Ed and has his arms around Ed's torso. They are both smiling and slightly blushing. End ID]

thank you for the ask!

[orcelito]

Announcing my newest blorbo in the form of a mini spam at 3 am. As is proper in the world.

[stackslip]

the aftermath of scar's first attack on the elrics has a markedly different tone in 03 and mangahood and ive seen some mangahood fans says it's an example of why they dislike 03 over manga/brotherhood—in 03, the brothers are very clearly closed off from the rest of the mustang gang and reaffirm their own strong bond to each other above all, not trusting the adult military members; whereas in mangahood there IS a moment of complicity and relaxation with the mustang gang for coming to rescue them, and a lot of people cite it as part of their endearment for mangahood—the elrics aren't alone, and they learn to trust and love other people, including the military adults who have their best interests in mind.

difference in taste asides, i think that this is forgetting a crucial element of the previous eps and why exactly 03 ed and al react the way they do. unlike mangahood, where scar just appears as a demonic and horrific threat without much context except that he's from ishbal, in 03 the elrics learn about ishbal and the military's atrocities there right before confronting scar. they're told firsthand that it wasnt the heroic military action they'd been told, but a savage genocide that their friends in the military actively partook in! ed and al have a whole conversation about whether scar is justified before ever confronting him, they learn of his losses, and al.... actively believes that scar IS justified, and that were al in scar's shoes he too might snap this way. scar's actions are immediately recontextualized to the viewer before we see him attack our protagonists, a great amount of sympathy is given to him by the narrative and by alphonse. and not only do the brothers have to suddenly contend with how their plucky military colleagues have aided in genocide, and that they have been actively lied to by the military, but then ed gets the bomb dropped on him that mustang killed winry's parents. his superior officer and the guy leading the plucky military crew is directly responsible for the suffering of their close friend!

so like, between this, scar almost killing ed but showing al certain empathy and promising edward he won't harm his brother, having to swallow that not only is the military is far worse an institution than either the brothers suspected but that the people cheerfully teasing them and showing concern for their safety have been active participants in unbelievable levels of suffering (including the suffering of an amestrian girl they DO know)..... yeah, of course al and ed end up being far more closed off to the mustang gang after scar's attack! ed didnt just almost die and lose his arm, he has to suddenly contend with very ugly truths and how much mustang might have been hiding from him til now. no wonder they reaffirm their bond to each other—how do you trust these people when they're still in the military after being ordered to murder innocent people and the help lie that it was a simple and necessary military operation? ed at this point is still somewhat stuck in his "well Equivalent Exchange means the world is fair and also i got some deep racist issues embedded in me, so surely the military didnt commit genocide for no good reason right?" but like.... he's still swallowing the pill that he was lied to, that mustang murdered winry's parents on direct orders from the military, that his becoming a state alchemist really was selling his soul to the devil. and al is coping with his own mortality and body, and with how what he would have done had he been scar, how fucked the entire situation is.

honestly it's a much better take on scar imo but it's also yet another example of how 03 is bitingly critical of not only the amestrian military as an institution, but of the people who willingly participate in it. there's no neat separation of the good military heroes and the evil military dogs—once you join the amestrian military you ARE their dog. you've signed away your soul. you're an active participant in their crimes, unless you leave and actively begin opposing them. scar pointed out himself he would have let ed live had ed quit the military earlier! he's only interested in going after the people who have been actively participating in amestris's military atrocities. and yeah it does mean that the mustang crew in 03 is not the lovable goof squad or Found Family people care about in mangahood, but tbh 03 is just fundamentally uninterested in these kinds of dynamics at all.

i think it's ok to have different taste and say, well, i need/want a crew of lovable goofs and found family to enjoy fma as a whole! but i think it's completely unfair to criticise 03 for saying that your favourite war criminals are.... war criminals, and that the teenage protagonists' realisation of the extent of their crimes should not at all affect their dynamic with the crew.

[waitineedaname]

shoes in FMA rated on how comfortable they'd be to fight in

Edward Elric

considering Ed's uhhh very distinct taste in aesthetics, these could be a lot worse. they look relatively comfortable and don't seem like they'd be difficult to move around in. they are platforms though, which I imagine makes things more difficult. I'll be generous and give these a 7/10

Most of the Amestrian military

pretty much everyone in uniform wears the same shoes, so I'm lumping them all together. these are Roy's, if that matters. they look fine. I imagine that because it is part of a military uniform, it's designed to be moved around in and worn for hours on end, so ideally they're relatively comfortable. it doesn't look like there's much traction, but they're usually fighting on flat surfaces so whatever. 8/10

Fu and Lan Fan

these shoes fucking rule. the picture I've included is Lan Fan's, but they wear p much the same shoes. I fucking love these things. they have spikes. Edward Elric fucking wishes. considering this seems to be part of the bodyguard uniform, I'd imagine they're as easy to run around in as the military shoes, if not better since they're expected to be doing martial arts in them. but most importantly, they have spikes. 10/10, no notes.

Ling and Mei

on the topic of doing martial arts, both Ling and Mei wear these.... I'm not sure what they are. flats? slippers? it's unclear. (EDIT: they are apparently Kung Fu shoes!) they seem relatively easy to move around in I guess since they're not very cumbersome and both Ling and Mei rely on being very nimble. they look like they have absolutely no support in the soles though, which is gonna get painful after a certain point. also depending on what fabric they're made of, they could definitely start chafing. I've worn flats. I know that hell. 7/10 for the potential blisters, but at least they're designed specifically for martial arts

Greedling and Bradley

it's hard to get a good shot in this scene because neither of them stop moving, but I swear to god, they're fighting in dress shoes. I cannot stand them. this CANNOT be comfortable. I know Greed prioritizes aesthetics over function so this was probably a compromise between his and Ling's tastes but ohhh my god. he was probably wasting so much of the philosopher's stone just passively healing the million blisters on his feet from running around in these things. there's a chance Bradley is wearing the military uniform shoes but I think he was in more formal dress when he got blown the fuck up, so I don't think so. no wonder he complains about being sore, quit running around in dress shoes you fucking moron. 4/10.

Greed

THESE FUCKING THIIIIIIIINGS. WHY ARE THEY POINTY AT THE END. WHY DOES IT LOOK LIKE SOMEONE HIT HIS FOOT WITH A MALLET AND FLATTENED THEM. he's so dumb. I love him. looking at these things tells me he would probably wear goth cowboy boots if he could, and tbh that would probably look better. 3/10 for Greed's overall silly as hell fashion sense

Lust

okay. the heels make sense considering her whole vibe. however. these are part of her fucking BODY. when she gets incinerated, they grow back. can she even take them off???? I'm scared to ask. I guess if theyre part of her body, she doesn't have to worry about adjusting to balancing in them like you would normally with heels, but oh my god. she can never wear normal shoes. I would also be murderous if I had to wear heels all the time. 4/10.

Father and Izumi

guys. these are sandals. it has been four hundred years and Father is still wearing the same outfit he was wearing in the damn desert. find a new outfit man. Izumi is apparently wearing bathroom slippers (hence the WC) so idk why she's even wearing those out of the house. Father gets 0/10 and Izumi gets 1/10 because she still manages to kick everyone's asses while wearing these, so respect

Envy

PUT YOUR FUCKING TOES AWAY. -10000000/10

[niaojirou]

royed fic recs please

I'm so HAPPY to provide!!! I have my own masterlist for royed fics but it's still under construction, so I will give you three of my favorites! I tend to read long fics so buckle up!

1. Veritas [Mature, Romance/comedy]

↳ Roy Mustang; a presidential candidate of the US. Treading through ice bridges to get to his destination. Every move is calculated precisely down to the bone, but Roy really just had to fuck Senator Hohenheim oldest son.

Personal review: Great, GREAT rom/com, funniest fic I’ve read in this fandom. I've busted out my lungs every single time I'm reading this fic. Absolutely phenomenal.

// Veritas - dawnstruck - Fullmetal Alchemist

2. Tears And Rain [Explicit, threats/attempt of rape/non-con, political drama, happy ending]

↳ Quick summary: Someone have been killing high-ranking officers in Amestrian military, and that also included an assassination attempt on Roy Mustang. The only reason Roy survived was because another target in the list saved him, and that was Edward Elric, but he was no General, and yet he was also in the same immediate danger. Nationwide conspiracy pushed both of them into extremities for survival, while others on their side were forced to aid in the dark.

Personal review: No review can do justice on how amazing this fic is, my #1 favorite fma fanfiction. I won’t shut up about this masterpiece. This fic is my good to go fic to download if I’m in any of my 22 hours flight. I have nothing to say anymore/spoil as this fic has to be enjoyed and savored first hand. It’s the rite of passage for Roy/Ed fans. Impeccable work.

//Tears and Rain - BeautifulFiction - Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003)

3. i don't want to fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart) [Mature, Romance, Drama, Hurt/Comfort]

↳ Roy and Edward got married, they got two kids, but they really have to separate for their own good because this is not working out. They mutually split and agreed to see each other a few times in a week for the sake of the kids. But deep in their heart they know they still care very much for the other. Family drama, romance and a good amount of angst sprinkled on top.

Personal review: Picture yourself snuggled in with a warm mug of hot chocolate, outside is very cold from the falling snow, you turned on the TV and a family christmas movie comes up. That is how reading this fic feels.

//i don't want to fall in love (this world is only gonna break your heart) - cathydeff - Fullmetal Alchemist

(Small edit: Please read this fic while or after you listened to Peabo Bryson's If Ever You're In My Arms Again because it amped up all the feelings and believe it or not I was bawling so hard lmaoooo)

[smalltowncryptidfucker]

Thinking about how Edward and Ling are probably just as touch starved as each other, but in like, vastly different ways.

With Edward- based off what I can tell- the only people he knew he could be physically affectionate with in any way, was his mother and Alphonse.

(Not to say Winry and Pinako aren’t affectionate with the boys, but I feel like being physically affectionate isn’t something that comes naturally to either of them. They seem like they prefer acts of service as a way of showing how much they care more than anything, and I think that’s wonderful! Even after the Elric brothers pretty much decided to kiss their hometown goodbye, the relationship they have with the Rockbells is still strong enough to where they know they can rely on them for anything, which is very important.)

But it really sucks, because their mom is long gone, and Alphonse, while he’s still around, no longer has a body. He’s a soul bound to a suit of armor, and he can’t feel anything. And I’m sure that Alphonse is still as physically affectionate with Edward as he can be with the body he has, but the unfortunate truth of the matter is, that if he isn’t careful, he might accidentally injure Edward. And I’m sure that terrifies him more than anything. Alphonse is so kind, gentle and loving, and the idea of hurting his brother by accident, or otherwise would devastate him. So he keeps Edward at arms’ length, just so he doesn’t get hurt.

Whereas with Ling, there isn’t much about his background that we know canonically (that I can recall- if any of you know something, feel free to add on), but considering the fact that he was conceived by the emperor and a noblewoman for the sole purpose of being a potential heir to the throne, and nothing else, I don’t think his childhood was filled with much genuine affection.

I’m sure he was treated well, but there’s a difference between actual love and care for a child, and the pretty much forced respect for the potential heir to a throne. His days were filled with constant training and education to prepare him to run a country, and typically with characters like him, they usually are fed some sort of BS akin to “showing/receiving affection is a form of weakness,” and “don’t get attached to anyone, or you’ll lose everything”. Stuff like that. And not to project headcanons onto a character that no one has seen in canon, but I’m sure Ling’s mother saw her son as more of a way to get more power, than an actual family member. Again, could be wrong, but considering the fact that the emperor produces heirs by just… going to the “best” noble families of each clan in his kingdom to ensure his bloodline is “pure” or some shit, that blatant disregard for family is probably the norm for anyone in power in Xing.

And I know that Lan Fan and Fu do genuinely love and care for Ling, but at the end of the day, they’re his bodyguards. Their relationship is purely professional, and they all know that if they overstep those boundaries, that could spell the end for them. They have to keep him at arms’ length to ensure their survival.

Basically, what I’m saying is, Ling has probably never received a sincere hug his entire god damn life.

So, I’m just thinking that the first time they hug or hold hands or some shit, they’re both so nervous, because Edward hasn’t been held in so long, and Ling doesn’t know what to expect, but then they both just melt into each other.

TL;DR: Ed and Ling share the same amount of touch-starvation, but physical affection was ripped away from Edward, and Ling was never provided any to begin with. They should clearly join forces.

[stem-sister-scuffle]

STEM SISTER SCUFFLE: ROUND 3 MASHUP 2

Ms. Frizzle (The Magic School Bus) vs Winry Rockbell (Full Metal Alchemist)

Ms. Frizzle is a Science Teacher!

Winry Rockbell is an Automail Mechanic!

Why you should vote for each contestant:

Ms. Frizzle:

"*gestures at entire magic school bus series*"

"Embodies the true spirit of scientific discovery: barely-contained chaos."

"She is very knowledgeable about a wide variety of sciences, and uses that knowledge to further the educations of many people. Teachers deserve the world; they do so much for so little in return. (shout out to Mrs. Goates)"

"She loves science and loves teaching kids about science. I love her. Idk I saw she only had one submission and that made me sad so now im here submitting her"

"She is an icon and has cool earrings"

"SHE'S SO COOL!!! She's so smart and so fun and genuinely just an icon. ALSO she has a little lizard on her shoulder. I saw an ask abt the submissions for Ms. Frizzle and the sender was the only person who submitted her.. I couldn't let this go. ALSO one of my professors irl called herself the irl Frizzle and she's a doctor of biology so make of that what you will"

Winry Rockbell:

"The best automail mechanic in the whole of Amestris: need I say more? She’s also the only person who can really get Edward Elric to listen / scare him"

"She's super smart and is crazy about mechanics, but she's also so kind and compassionate! She helped deliver a baby, she cares really deeply for her friends and family! She truly rocks!"

"i’m a biomedical engineer so she is the best women in stem"

"she’s extremely skilled and dedicated to her craft, her work is very high quality (she’s also the personal mechanic for one of the protagonists) and she has a dedication to improving the lives of the people around her in any way she can (and she has so much autism swag about automail, it’s a joy to watch). i love her your honour"

"She's so good and so fun and she's trying her best. She makes sure the prosthetics work and they're super plot important!!!!!"

"She can build and repair robot limbs AND attach them to human nerves"

"She’s only 15 and is repairing magic-infused heavy machinery for fun"

"Spunky, kind, and smart as hell... one of the shounen manga girls of all time."

"At age fifteen she could build a whole metal arm in 3 days (pulling all nighters)! She geeks out over the work of other prosthetics engineers and earned herself an apprenticeship where the shop's costumers began to prefer her after only a few months! She's kind but takes no shit and narratively symbolizes the goodness of humanity. also she read medical textbooks as a kid (her parents were both doctors) and was able to apply that knowledge for successful impromptu midwifery years later!"

"She is practically a child engineering Genius! Designs and makes prosthetics. She takes her work very seriously and geeks out over other people's designs. She is such a beautifully written strong female character that holds her own in a fandom full of amazing strong female characters and a great role model. She's Hella cute"

"She is considered a prodigy in her field, and is known as the “Automail Otaku” because of her unending interest of any machines and tools in the building and repairing of automail. She is incredibly smart, sincere, and passionate. She works hard for what she wants, is full of optimism despite what she has suffered, and is very loyal to her friends."

"built a fully functioning prosthetic arm for her friend when she was TWELVE basically by herself and has been his regular mechanic since. also heavily dabbles in the medical side as well as the mechanical side (for example: she successfully delivered a baby single-handedly at fifteen having only ever read about the subject before). she is so skrunkly she’s an icon a legend and she is the moment"

"Listen any girl who can master mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and biology in order to build prosthetic limbs by the age of 12 is Impressive. She’s the one that got me onto an engineering career path I’m very biased"

[queenoftheantz]

Top 5 Anime/Manga characters of all time and why?

oh wow hmmm....

Completely subjectively:

Oikawa Tooru (haikyuu!!)

Oikawa... he is just yknow. My Character. But I also often in my daily life have a little Oikawa in my head reminding me that my passion is my passion because it's fun and I love it. That talent and skill are intertwined but also not static or pre-determined, that I might not be as good as I think I should be, and I might never be, but if I don't try I definitely won't. Maybe I will reach my goal today, or tomorrow, or in 30 years. And I can do it at the pace and path that suits me. He speaks of all this AS WELL as the very bitter feelings that preceeds these revelations. I also really love his focus on facilitating others, of reaching potential together, of trust and faith in his team and their in him!

2. Marcille Donato (Dungeon Meshi)

Oh Marcille. (Manga spoilers here) Marcille started out so silly and to be honest? Annoying? Girly and anxious and squemish. But then you realise that these parts are absolutely true, but she is also determined and loyal and scared and unafraid and skilled. The firly and squemish becomes charming in contrast to her being excited to experience death and morally ambigious enough to use ancient magic or become a dungeon lord. And then you learn even more about her and her family, the way she grew up and how she probably is... pretty young, considering everything. The knowledge and life experience of someone being 40 maybe, but with the brain to handle it of a 19 year old... she is so afraid for everyone to die away and yet she cant help but love people! Isn't that lovely!? And as someone very afraid to lose my parents I really really feel for her relationship with her father. I think Marcille was a character who really illustrates the progression of tone in Dungeon meshi, represents the themes of the story so well, and really grew on me. Also gay. hi.

3. Shinji Ikari (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

I know people don't like this guy but he shaped me so much as a teen. I think his journey through lacking self-esteem and depression and self hatred is both fascinating, nuanced and in the end, encouraging! Imagine being offered to join humanity all as one, never feel rejected or alone again and then DESPITE all he has gone through, chosing to be yourself after all! And frankly I love that the show lets him be cowardly and weak and unsympathetic, it makes him more real and make his strong moments stronger. Also gay. hi

4. Mob (Mob psycho 100)

Mobs story is more low key, but I also enjoy a story about a young boy who FIRST has to find the motivation to improve himself, and THEN has to realise that improving yourself and being a good person does not necessarily mean to surpress any negative or strong emotions. Once again, a story about acceoting yourself, even the sides you have a hard time controlling and find off-putting or scary. And I think Mob gets to realise this in a silly and gently way!

5. Abe takaya (ookiku furikabutte)

Oh Abe. It's that one page. When he is explaining to Sakeaguchi his backstory with Haruna, and he is talking about it so casually, it's no big deal, but you can tell. "Everyone is afraid of pain". It makes my heart clench every time. It's his control-issues, his fast felling into caring about Mihashi as a person, but then slowly realising what that actually means. It's him being shocked by the smile, it's him doing anything to win, it's him not realising how mean he is. In a different story Abe would have been a bully. But fortunately for him Momoe and the team and Mihashi himself are not putting up with any of it and he slowly and also gently improves himself. I gotta catch up with oofuri. (also gay. hi)

Shout outs to: Hinata Shoyo (of course), Mihashi Ren (also of course), Edward Elric, Sophie (Howls moving castle movie), Reigen (im not immune), Tamaki (ohshc, sometimes i just think about him and hes so charming and fun and i relate), Kanamori (Keep your hands off Eizouken!, shes just. so cool. It's a fun show but every time shes on screen im blushing a bit shes just! Wow!), and the straight college student from one of my fave BL's who has to go on a personal journey to accept that he actually likes a man who's bigger and taller than him and has a big ass. Shoutouts to him too.

[kurosmind-art]

Something less angst for this day: A few weeks ago I was about to get into an artistic block and my husband made me avoid it completely with this doodle, I love you very much Edward Elric.

Oct 3, who would forget?

[dreaming-hibi]

In this rant I will—

I read something that made me think quite a lot the other day but, if you ask me what it was, well, I wouldn't be able tell you because I forgot. What I can say is that: I'm about to rant on KHR again.

Unsurprisingly, the rant is about our dear protagonist Tsuna (my love for Tsuna is both logical and personal, so let's not go there). I don't interact enough with fandom to make statements like "Most people do" and "Most people don't" — in reality, I've barely interacted with more than 5 people who know this manga in my life. Anyway, of those people, I remember some who were frustrated with the childishness and indecisiveness of the characters, especially someone like Tsuna.

Like, what?

It is only years laters that I finally have the composure to answer this claim with calmness.

"Tsuna is indecisive and childish."

First of all, how can anyone expect a 14 year old to know exactly what they want to do with their lives? Heck, there are some people that only figure out what they want in their 30s, if not later! And some others that never do and live their life trying to make every day count. How is a 14 year old, who had never been entrusted with any kind of expectation, just supposed to know?

Oh, is it because Naruto knew he wanted to be Hokage at 12 years old? Or because Deku was firm in his conviction that he wanted to be a hero at the age of 5? Or again because Edward Elric decided he was going to be a state alchemist and achieved so at the age of 12 years old?

Well, if that's the point of reference then, actually, Tsuna is the most realistic teenager I've seen in a shonen manga with fantastical elements and Amano-sensei did a wonderful job with her teenage (and child) characters. She sure as hell hasn't forgotten what it means to be 14 years old, unlike some people.

Furthermore, Tsuna is a teenager trying to tell what is very much an adult, who has shot him on more than one occasion for trying to oppose him (granted, I know Reborn did it knowing Tsuna could overcome whatever he threw at him and he seemed ready to intervene should it ever seem like Tsuna couldn't do it, it still doesn't change the fact that beginning Tsuna was actively terrified of this baby killing him on accident), that he does not want to be the boss of a mafia family he has, realistically, no obligation towards. Tsuna, at the very least, knows what he doesn't want, and he's vocal about it to Reborn... It's just that Reborn wants to hear none of it.

[Chapter 283 "Simon Middle School", Tsuna telling Reborn that he has no intention of becoming the boss of a mafia family and that he doesn't want to be involved with the mafia anymore.]

If you see Tsuna as childish for the way he keeps insisting that he doesn't want to be part of the mafia, is because you have forgotten what it's like to be 14 years old. Tsuna is not childish in his desire to not want to be involved in the mafia.

Actually, this issue lies in the reader (apart from the whole having forgotten what it feels like to be 14 years old) and in Amano-sensei's representation of the mafia. In Katekyo Hitman Reborn, we see a mafia that has been severely toned down from what it truly is. For us, this "mafia" is interesting, fascinating and, we do not see any problems with Tsuna joining it. After all, "if this is the x, then sign me the fuck up!" right?

Well, no.

Fictional mafia or not, Tsuna shouldn't be forced to join any of it when he doesn't want. Like, it seems like Tsuna is the only one seeing KHR's mafia without the rainbow-tinted glasses. I don't know how the boy does it, because we barely ever see KHR's mafia as being anywhere near as bad as the real mafia is, but Tsuna does anyway and he's right in no wanting any part of it.

I support Tsuna not becoming Vongola Decimo. But I also admit I have no idea what that boy could become if not the boss of the strongest mafia family.

We are introduced to a Tsuna who has no particular life skill, nor any particular hobbies — in fact, that's why he cannot understand Yamamoto's suicidal act in chapter 5, because he himself admits he has NOTHING he ever felt passionate about enough to take his own life.

Though Tsuna gets trained on how to fight, by the end of the manga he still has no life skills to talk about and, that's completely normal. He fought those battles because he HAD to. Those battles did nothing to enrichen his everyday skills.

Yeah, sure, he can go into Hyper Dying Will Mode, but how is HDWM gonna help him pass his algebra exam?

Tsuna needs a hobby outside of the mafia.

[somepsychopomp]

Winged!Ed AU ft. Hohenheim (Pt.1)

rotating an idea for an FMA(B) AU in my mind where Ed has wings that are typically folded tight against his back and hidden by his red coat. He's basically born a chimera and chooses to hide his status to avoid obvious questions and suspicions.

But I want to lay down the background details, starting here:

Xerxesians, being prodigious alchemists, would of course have dabbled in chimeras and were the first to produce "successful" chimeras- similar to Greed's crew where they pass pretty much entirely for human. Most of their test subjects would have been servants, slaves, poor folk trading their bodies for coin, etc.

that's how we get Hohenheim- or 23, the twenty-third in a long line of chimerical experiments. He himself wasn't fused with an animal, but his mother or father was. 23, in turn, was actually born with a set of wings.

(Hohenheim being born a chimera is important to note bc it means his master not only made a series of healthy chimera, but ones that could reproduce! unfounded at the time)

Hohenheim was born w/ the wings of a lesser kestrel. I chose this bird more because it fits Ed more than Ho, but I just liked a few key details about it!

The lesser kestrel occupies a territory from Germany across the Middle East all the way to East Asia, which isn't super important given that FMA is set in a fictional world but loosely speaking, it's feasible that a Xerxesian alchemist could get his hands on one for human experimentation purposes.

I like the faintly red-brown coloration the males have on the back of their wings in combination w/ that black- very Ed.

They do well in grasslands/agricultural fields but are also adaptable to urban environments & co-existing with humans.

They are birds of prey!

however, they're quite diminutive birds of prey- meaning they're small and arguably very cute. (They're like 10-13 inches in length and notably smaller than Common Kestrels & other birds of prey)

Hohenheim's wings are proportional to his body tho, giving him the ability to fly.

As a slave, his physical fitness was well tested. He can fly and glide with great agility, but he was never allowed to go far because his master always kept him tethered to prevent his escape. Hohenheim also has a trail of feathers going down his spine but interestingly enough, he lacks a kestrel tail. He supposes that's not surprising, he lacks talons or a beak or eyesight far beyond that of a human. But perhaps he carries the genes for a tail. (Foreshadowing)

As an adult post-fall of Xerxes, Hohenheim found himself lost and shell shocked.

For many years, he contemplated cutting off his wings so he could better blend in with humans. But as a living Philosopher's Stone, he felt like it would be pointless endeavor and instead learned to hide them with a long coat.

Most of his canon story is basically the same until he meets Trisha.

When he fell in love with Trisha, Hohenheim knew full well that as a born and fertile chimera himself, it's fully possible their children will be born like him. He wasn't certain how great of a chance it was, it could be a recessive trait with no hope of ever resurfacing down his family line, or it could be a guarantee.

Hohenheim first has to reveal his wings to Trisha.

Even though he fully expected her to reject him at that point, understandably so, she instead accepted Hohenheim for who and what he was. She understood the possible consequences of their relationship and was completely willing to raise a potentially chimera child, together.

cue their first son.

To be safe, they have a home brith without a doctor or midwife, relying instead on Hohenheim's knowledge of alkahestry and human anatomy to tend to and heal Trisha.

And at the end of it, Edward Elric is born with wings. His were characteristic of baby kestrels, puffy and white and lacking the coloration or streamlined appearance that Hohenheim had as an adult.

Turning Edward over to properly examine his body, Hoheheim is horrified to see a small, tiny tuft of a tail protruding from Edward's lower back.

Dear god, his child was even more of a chimera than him! It's devastating to think of, until...

Hohenheim and all his souls cry at the sight of Trisha cooing at Edward as if he were a normal child, kissing his forehead and soothing his chip-like cries. She loves him. She loves their child, even if he was like Hohenheim. So brave, so loving, his Trisha.

But it also terrifies Hohenheim. He knew Trisha wanted at least two children, partly so they could help on their small family farm and partly so that the children could keep each other company.

All he has to go off of is the fact that his one and only child was very visibly a chimera. Ed will always be lesser than those around him- he will always have to hide his true self. But Trisha loved him and still wanted another child with her whole heart.

So they have Alphonse. And to Hohenheim's amazement, their second child has no visible chimera traits whatsoever! He's for all intents and purposes, human! He's human, and beautiful.

And perhaps, perhaps, just perhaps...even if Hohenheim does his best to treat both his boys equally, there's just the tiniest part of him that wants to recoil at the sight of Ed in the bathtub, flapping his wings and sending up bubbles. He's arguably slow to help Trisha bind Ed's wings before he goes out to play with Winry so they aren't seen, as well as when Trisha fits Ed with some kind of outer garment like a loose sweater or coat to hide the shape of his wings. He's possibly, if one looked close enough, a tad bit reluctant to groom Ed's wings. To gently pinch his pin feathers to release them (new feathers are encased in a white sheath as they grow out to protect them before they're fully developed), or combing his feathers or anything else.

The only thing Hohenheim does persistently and with excruciating effort/attention is when he clips Edward's flight & tail feathers so that even if he tried, he couldn't fly. It's honestly better if Edward never, ever learns how to fly and never develops the desire to. Far less a chance of someone ever uncovering his condition.

Hohenheim and Trisha have the same argument many times over the course of the first few years of the boys' lives. Hohenheim, as Ed's father, wants to take responsibility for his son's unfortunate condition by severing Ed's wings and tail before he's old enough to really remember them and the procedure.

Trisha, in contrast, argues that Edward's extra extremities are perfectly healthy limbs, even if his wing muscles are underdeveloped, and that it would be a tragedy to cut out such an integral part of himself.

[serialadoptersbracket]

Round 3, Match 8: Roy Mustang vs. Rune Saint John

Submitted kids:

Roy Mustang: Edward and Alphonse Elric

Rune Saint John: Max Saint John, Quinn Saint Nicholas, Layne Dawncreek, Annawan Dawncreek, Corbitant Dawncreek

Propaganda under the cut!

Roy Mustang:

1. “This pathetic cringefail loser of a man managed to raise and guide two traumatized children into becoming well-adjusted adults. He also gets bonus points because those kids end up saving the world from disaster.

Also he's hot sometimes”

2. “He has two(2) sons!!!!! Weird little traumatized children!!!! He's also soooo dad shaped(a mass murderer)!!!! He such a loser too!! I love him so much I wanna chew on him <3”

3. “ok i'm not into fma buts its a popular source and my oomfs r into it and i hear a lot about them. like top five things i hear about whenever i hear them talk about fma. hashtag war criminal family swag”

Rune Saint John:

“Oh my god, oh lord where do I start. Within the FIRST CHAPTER of the FIRST BOOK he accidentally adopts a teenager in exchange for a magical artifact during a deal with a fae- this teen is Max! He then later adopts Quinn, whos older brother he is dating. Then he adopts the three Dawncreek children after a series of events in the second book that i wont get into due to plot spoilers, but it was ✨traumatic✨ AND the author had confirmed that there will be ANOTHER kid joining his found family in the upcoming 4th book. Rune is the chosen one, there are MANY prophecies about him, to the point that Quinn; who has the ability to see future probabilities, finds it difficult to look at him. He experienced horrific sexual assault, and he just wants to be a decent person and look after these traumatized magic children. Every member of his found family is a chaos gremlin- including Rune. Honestly this book series is so so very near and dear to my heart, and it handles topics like grooming and assault with incredible tact and care and more people should read about Rune and his queer disaster found family.”