#I think it was sushi restaurant

[russolaw]

he tried to tell me...

[violetsoup]

reblog instead of liking please, it helps more people see my drawing,

baby bill cipher sets off my maternal instincts , and human design idea

[braverytattoos]

Sparkly Squidrry in MFASR

[hestzhyen]

Chapter 45 Uh, Seriously?! Posting

So! Full speed ahead it is, internet void! What a dense chapter.

First up, John Hishaku and the Samurai Murderer Guy that was at Chihiro's house in chapter 2.

Guess we'll see more of him soon, how fun! It's not quite clear how many people are talking here, but Hishaku scheming is afoot and the game is on. The only question is how fucked the Kamunabi is going to be by the end of the arc IMO.

And don't think I missed that vase reappearing. My nemesis. The spiky boi on the mid-left drove me insane as soon as the raws dropped but I would like to tentatively propose that it is a kiku (chrysanthemum). Different colors have very different meanings so I still admit defeat on that front. But kiku are usually associated with mourning or Imperial imagery, so that's cool. I demand a treat if this flower arrangement turns out to be the world's subtlest hint that the Hishaku are related to an old regime or breakaway faction of the government.

But yeah... so much cuteness this week. Very welcome after the rich drama from the past few chapters.

Boys who commit patricide together fall asleep mid-conversation wake up together, apparently. And for all the fan artists/fanfic writers out there, it's now canon that both of them are wearing long-sleeved shirts under the other layers. I was kind of hoping for Chihiro to be wearing one of his dad's shirts but this is more in character...

Fine, okay, it's probably for convenience's sake since apparently these guys can only rest for one night before jumping into the lion's den. But I'm flabbergasted by their soulmate coding. I kind of expected Hakuri to pass out, but Chihiro conking out at the same time in the same pose is too damn cute! Barely over a week together and they've already perfectly synced their sleep schedules and postures lol.

I find it deeply amusing that the entire flashback sequence at the end of chapter 44 was purely for the reader's benefit though. Seriously! Hakuri asked Chihiro "So... what comes next?" and then they both immediately passed out sitting up. So the last four pages were there just to spare us from even more infodumping in this chapter, which is much appreciated.

That's something that Hokazono-sensei also did at the end of the vs. Sojo arc in chapter 18. 10 pages to him exploding, 7 to the situation at the Kamunabi (which will now come into play! EXCELLENT LAYERING OF DETAILS!). I don't know if I'm smart or educated enough to do a full analysis on the techniques he's using, but I love the style. He doesn't let the emotional points linger too long or waste a single goddamn panel in this manga. Yeah, I want more time with the characters outside of serious plot moments, but there's not much else for me to complain about. The need isn't particularly dire anyway since every scene is efficient in giving us characterization and info at the same time (example later this rant).

So yeah. Thanks to that excellent pacing decision, we get to witness this crowning moment of heartwarming:

LOOK AT THESE DORKS. LOOK AT THEM. I LOVE EVERY SINGLE ONE. Thank you for this moment of Team Goldfish x Hiyuki and Tafuku bliss.

And look at the food on the table! Hiyuki and Tafuku have earned a measure of trust with Team Goldfish! Just a bit, but Shiba definitely wouldn't have let them stay the night and eat with them if he felt they were dangerous.

It's also so sweet that Char's comfortable sitting in big bro Tafuku's lap... she's come a long way since her debut as a scared, scruffy orphan. Wonder where the gang is hanging though. Someone's apartment, I guess? A nearby hotel? More insignificant details this annoying reader wants to know...

TW for SF5-era tournament enthusiasts: That Stage appears in the first panel.

Did anyone have bets on Shiba wrecking Hiyuki in Street Fighter while waiting for Hakuri and Chihiro to wake up? I didn't, but I love it. And this scene highlights something I've really come to appreciate about Kagurabachi's writing: it's incredibly efficient. Almost every scene has more than one thing being conveyed at a time. For instance, here we learn that Hiyuki sucks at Street Fighter compared to Shiba but is too stubborn to quit (comedy & character consistency) and still doesn't know he's ex-Kamunabi (serious). This in turn tells us that Shiba's probably got something to hide from active Kamunabi personnel. After all, it's not like the org itself is a secret, and we wouldn't see Hiyuki questioning him twice if his circumstances weren't suspicious. So Shiba's subplot thickens while we laugh at the gag- peak efficiency.

The cuteness, though... the sweetness of this chapter, man!

Chihiro respecting Yuu's nickname and correcting Hakuri with such a gentle expression is incredibly adorable. He's so relaxed here... but oh wait, there's... chibi Hakuri and Chihiro apologizing for worrying Uncle Shiba?!

Chihiro and his new #1 enabler owe more than an apology but it's good enough for now.

This break wasn't quite long enough to reset the tension in my opinion, but it absolutely delivered on character moments. We definitely needed this after all the big feels from the previous few chapters. I wish there was more time devoted to letting us calm down before ramping up again but what we got here is pretty good.

And so we jump feet-first into laying the groundwork for the Kamunabi arc. A nice, efficient recap of the situation leads us into some additional context and a surprising bit of Shiba characterization. Whatever beef he's got with the Kamunabi feels quite personal for a guy who plays it cool and loose most of the time. We know he's glad he quit because they're too uptight, but there's gotta be more to it than that- he's subtly trying to steer Chihiro away from them while Hiyuki is having none of it here. I want to gently snap this man in half to make him spill his secrets...

At the end of the day, though, Shiba's not going to stop Chihiro from joining the Kamunabi. That's been his thing since Chapter 1: if Chihiro makes up his mind to do something, Shiba will offer advice and make suggestions but ultimately leave the decisions up to him. I wonder how much of his guilt over Kunishige's death plays into that...

Then!

PFFT. "I know what I'm doing here seems risky and unwise but It's fine, trust me. I've got Hakuri." OKAY BUDDY. You've been able to do a hell of a lot since you met this kid haven't you? It's like meeting him changed the trajectory of your life as much as you changed his.

Shiba's expression is very interesting to me. He's like "ah, I get it..." and he's not thrilled in the slightest. Adding Hakuri to the team means Chihiro can be even more reckless than ever before; what little influence he had over Chihiro's safety is all but gone now. And Hakuri himself won't try to stop Chihiro from putting his life on the line- he'll risk his own to help him do it! All this while they're poised to go somewhere he probably can't follow... poor Mr. Shiba.

And then!! AND THEN!!!

Chapter 32: Smile Unlocked (once has no meaning...)

Chapter 36: Smile Lost (twice is a coincidence...)

Chapter 38: Locked In (three times is a pattern...)

Chapter 45: Smile Restored (four times is fate)

The one pulling the other forward is always on the right, leading the reader as well.

When one calls, the other answers. What one starts, the other finishes. A and Un. And this time Hakuri echoes Chihiro's "you got it" catchphrase back to him! I hope this is their thing now, like the "How's my timing?/Perfect" bit that Shiba and Chihiro had.

I'm going absolutely insane over this interaction though. It's the first time Chihiro's gotten to hear someone affirm that they'll see things through with him at his own request (on-screen at least). The first time he's outright said he needs someone, even. And of course Hakuri responds so enthusiastically- he's finally wanted. Just a few days ago he thought he'd never amount to anything. But he's got so much hope thanks to Chihiro's faith in him now.

"What I need in my life is a samurai! THAT'S YOU!" is finally answered with "I'm going to need your help again." hnnnngh what in the hell is this chapter.

Platonic, familial, romantic- however you want to see their relationship, these guys are meant to be together. If I ever start to doubt Hakuri's importance again just smack me right upside the head- he's truly Chihiro's other half now. Let's cheer them on and hope nothing horrible happens to Hakuri ever again! Protect the smile of the boy who would die for you on command, Chihiro. You've been warned.

Protected Bearers

Cool stuff ahead, and tough times to go with them. I doubt things will be as simple as Chihiro successfully making his case and being allowed to start trying to Talk no Jutsu the former wielders. This arc seems like it could easily be longer and more complicated than the previous two combined. I kind of hope it is, just to get more time with everyone. I've never loved a cast of characters this much.

That said... In another series I'd be sure Chihiro would visit each area one by one in their own mini arc, but Kagurabachi is probably going to subvert the expectation somehow. We got previews of the areas so we'll be seeing all of them. Probably (we goddamn better after that gorgeous spread showing them off.), but not in the way we'd expect. This story is so fast I kind of expect us to blitz through all of them in a handful of chapters each... guess it depends on how in-depth we get with the bearers themselves.

As we originally saw them in chapter 18. The slightly updated designs from this chapter are pretty nifty.

I'm 100% sure the order they're presented here corresponds with the areas shown on the spread immediately afterwards. So eye scars is stuck in a temple, the girl is stuck in an onsen, kabuki monk guy is stuck in what looks like a floating shrine, and sushi chef is in... a sushi restaurant. Wow shocker.

I'm going to make the assumption that they got to choose where they were imprisoned for the rest of their lives. Maybe it was the government's way of expressing gratitude for helping the war effort? Which makes Magatsumi's wielder (the Sword Master) being sealed up like a nasty curse all the more intriguing... he's clearly fucked up but was he always that way or did the sword corrode his mind? Is there more to the lifelong contract with these swords than just being the only person who can use them? I better get some answers!

Anyway.

So Kunishige personally knew and chose these people... I wonder how meeting them will deepen Chihiro's understanding of his father's legacy. I sincerely doubt that all of them will make it easy for him to recover the blade they're tied to, but we'll hopefully learn a lot while Chihiro makes his attempts. Really seems like we are set up for Kunishige and Seitei War backstory so I am hype. Dead DILF lore! DEAD DILF LORE!

Hiyuki and Kamunabi Thoughts

Hiyuki also had some interesting moments this chapter. She understands that the current stalemate with the Hishaku has tied the Kamunabi's hands for the most part, forcing them to do less than savory things (like bidding on the Shinuchi) to keep the peace. And despite her hotblooded outburst before the auction, she still has rock solid faith in her org's mission. So I don't think she'll defect easily so as long as she believes the mission is doable under better circumstances.

And it seems like she thinks Chihiro might be the right catalyst for change... hmm. She's essentially using him as a chaos agent to shake up the status quo because he proved himself to her. She finds him worthy of deciding how to handle the blades, so now she's giving him and Hakuri the opportunity prove themselves to her leaders. Very cool. There's some rather deep stuff going on with her.

Hiyuki's much more establishment-oriented than her personality and actions suggest. I get the sense that she's there as an idealist who is willing to upset the status quo to see the mission through. A true believer in a bureaucratic institution- love that type of conflict. Can't wait to see more of her in this arc!

So now we're set to see Chihiro's philosophy and methods on trial. Super intriguing stuff and I'll definitely be looking at the questions each Kamunabi leader is asking to try and suss out their allegiance. Playing Guess the Traitor this arc is gonna be a lot of fun (I hope)!

Speaking of which... Azami as the traitor allegations don't move me, but I do think he'll be restricted this arc due to the ongoing investigation into his clandestine activities. Chihiro could well be on his own without an adult to watch out for him. At least he and Hakuri will be there for each other. ...With no one to try and stop them from doing reckless stunts. Uh oh.

So that's a wrap on this fuckhuge ramble. Hope the breakneck pace slows down just a smidge but I'm still very onboard with whatever is coming next. Thanks for allowing me to ramble as always, void.

[rubyrkgk]

Flavor Scouts - Set 1, 2, 3

Reuploads of a character design series I was doing of retro-style food gijinkas

[Commissions] [Carrd] [Soup of the Day]

[izvmimi]

i’m dying cuz every time there’s a suspicious character around when i’m out with my partner and i don’t see them this man gets so genuinely upset and gives me a quasi-lecture

[stunie]

HEY HEY hope ure doing good!! i saw u mentioning ume's silly shirts and it made me think of how ume would 100% be one of the guys who wears "I♥️MY GF" shirts or matching his and hers shirts with his s/o 😭😭 just ume and his silly tshirts is so cute

oh nia ): this. thinking about him all excited the night before his lil netflix date with you. he saw the shirts through the shop window earlier on his way home— and five minutes later, he was already out the door with the bags in his arms. he had his new outfit for tomorrow draped over his chair hours ago (he gets really excited for dates so he likes to prepare everything early), but he just can’t seem to stop looking at it. he keeps imagining how you’ll react— picturing the look on your face when you see the “i love my girlfriend!” in huge letters across the top. and… just maybe he could try and convince you to put a kiss mark on it too. the whole thing plays out in his head over and over until he’s finally falling asleep with a soft smile tugging at his lips, arms wrapped tightly around his pillow in hopes that tomorrow can come just one second faster.

[evadingreallife]

We're having kebabs tonight so grandma will too, i wonder what she'll think lol

[korogie]

george made him soup and dream is like i’m gonna marry you

In my heart and sould dnf proposal is either Dream accidentally blurting it out while looking at him doing smth romantic cuz he had been planning it for a while and George laughs at him but obviously says yes and Dream still goes through w his initial plans or George just casually dropping the idea and Dream falls to the floor

[braveburned]

putting this on the dash too bc it’s sending me. gregory making a shirt with his own missing persons poster on it

[hiemaldesirae]

just ate the worst sandwich in existence i am in so much agony

[lesvegas]

I'm surprised there are so many people that like blue and rare steak, I think I had a rare steak once and wasn't a big fan of it, somehow too chewy... but when sliced super thin like beef tataki I love it

[akkivee]

i am once again crying over the incredibly happy smile kuukou does when he and unami meet again 😭😭😭

[asexual-levia-tan]

eris absolutely hates devildom food btw. she can prepare it. she has memorized what is edible (for demons, and then a smaller list for herself) but she does not enjoy eating it, which is honestly probably why her relationship with beel is so good (always has leftovers to give him)

thats all the say that when she eats out at the less fancy restaurants they often have human world (inspired) food and she ALWAYS orders it and she ALWAYS feels super embarrassed about it

[finexbright]

Completely agree with your take on the video and pretty much everything else tbh. One thing I'm curious about though, why does his management/ label etc allow him to put out something so transparent? Surely it does them no favours when he's this loud?

the thing is that harry has always been loud, but especially since more so since the end of 2020. he's made some very pointed comments about/to jeff and wrapped it as an inside joke but it's very obvious to those who know the behind the scenes insight or whatever. at first, or honestly at any other instance even i would have thought how this mv even saw the light of the day but i think it's very clear that because of the dumpster fire of a stunt that is dwd and the horrible negative pr he's been getting for the past couple years as a consequence of the stunt, it was very easy for him to get the upper hand on this. i may be wrong, but i think the way it works is that it's transactional in nature, so like it's like "okay harry if you do this and this, then we'll let you wear blue for your performance" kinda thing. that example is vague but yeah it's a barter system of sorts and i think with this one harry straight up went "you've done enough, i'll take it from here".

[septembersghost]

Can I ask you a question...?

What does "if the stars were edible if our hearts were never full could we live with just a taste" mean? That whole song is confusing af. I thought it was about having a crush on someone without a lavish lifestyle (I don't want you to go broke) but I am not sure(EXPLAIN YOUR SONGS HARRY!!!!)

(you can always ask a question and i enjoy singing that in my head hehe) just for you i paused my mental breakdown over fob and flipped on harry's house and am listening to mfasr as i type. <3 a while back an anon pointed out to me that the entire song could be seen as the metaphor in the music video (which. listen that mv is a horror movie and i block the imagery out, BUT i do think he was making a very definitive point about the music industry and the commoditization of art and not treating artists as human but rather as objects of consumption). but i think you could look at it both ways - as talking about striving for and wanting more, and avoiding being trapped or chewed up by it - think about it as related to "reaching for the stars," only he's saying, what if we could EAT them, what if the universe was ours to taste, could we ever stop, or would our hearts consistently yearn for more and more of it, like an addiction? if you compare this to fame, it's like, is there a pinnacle you can reach where you'll ever feel satisfied or are you always going to be hungry? if you LOSE that hunger, do you lose your voice and inspiration? if you're too hungry, do you destroy yourself? so he says: i'm not going to get lost. i'm not going to go broke. as a sort of defiance of that, there's a balance. music for whatever you want. "you know i love you, babe" could be addressed any way you choose - is it to the audience? to fame? is it to a lover? is it us to him? is it all of those things?

that said, the whole song is esoteric and up for interpretation, and could be a song about throwing oneself into a swirling, lavish love affair too. completely up to you how you like hearing it!