#I'll Spread My Wings And Learn How To Fly [Musings]

[my-midnight-musings-xoxo]

Major spoilers for MadK!

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We're returning to MadK, as promised. Makoto is one of my favorite manga characters, there's so much to him and I utterly adore the character writing in this story. I don't know if I've said this before but no one in MadK is a perfect victim, something I've noticed people expect, even subconsciously. Makoto is far from the perfect, even ideal victim if you view it in how people believe victims "should" appear. To refrain from a tangent, let's move on to his design!

(Laby has a great video essay on Jinx that dives into multiple topics including how Dan isn't viewed as a victim because he isn't a "real" victim, highly recommend it).

First the bolo tie. I've mentioned before how it represents J passing on his trauma. Still, in my research to find more symbolism for it I found it was appropriated by Westerners, specifically cowboys and ranchers because of course it was, leading to its worldwide fame. If you want to learn more, Palms Trading Company has an article on its history. I'm going to view the passing of it on to Makoto as an allegory, but that doesn't mean we're finished!

Kiernan's wings. In Japanese culture dragons don't fly as often as Chinese ones do hence they're depicted more serpent-like. I don't believe I'm qualified to deep dive into the symbolism through a cultural lens, so I'll analyze through a story and characters lens.

An interaction that stuck with me after I finished reading was Makoto confronting Kiernan about his..infatuation turned love (this is in Vol 3 Chapter 17 towards the end). Makoto says outright, "I belong to him, which is what makes me so attractive to you. You know you'll never make me yours. You pine. You feel safe." Kiernan partly agrees, thinking that now it's more like being with J himself. Both fail to gain what they truly want from each other, they want J through the other. Kiernan never achieves getting J, but Makoto does at the very end, becoming him only worsens this fate. Taking the wings from someone as obsessed with J as he is serves to contribute to figuratively and literally reaching J. In Vol 2 Chapter 12 after Makoto takes Kiernan's wings he flies up to J, along their wings spread out it's clear he's slowly but surely climbing up to J's position. He asserts he's not going to become a demon like he wants, despite him doing just that. Destroying himself entirely to mold himself into exactly what J wanted, what he was.

The werewolf teeth aren't talked about often, but I find them interesting. Werewolves aren't really a part of Japanese mythology, so I'll be analyzing this generally. They symbolize the duality of humanity and primality, along with repressed desires and the struggle with said desires. It's usually a curse that can be dealt with through a silver bullet. Through some skimming, apparently, that's a myth? Silver represents purity, protection, and along with other things it's associated with the moon. Werewolves turn beneath a full moon. Overall the moon is a symbol of emotion, with full moons symbolizing heightened emotions, completion, and transformation. The sun and moon are direct opposites in this position, adding to the dichotomy of werewolves.

J and Makoto reflect and oppose each other perfectly. Both are clearly victims, both destroyed by decades (even centuries) of suffering, and both reflect their inner child. Both wanted to be truly loved. In a way, they found each other. In J's case, he shed his facade, revealing a lonely child who simply wanted love, the very notion distorted from years of abuse, even from Kiernan, someone who was supposed to love him. We get little information about their relationship, and I know they're demons, but it's still tragic. Makoto lost himself the way J did, becoming nobody.

This manga is wonderful and has endless content to analyze and muse about! The day I can hold it in my hands I'll be over the moon, I just don't want to have to explain to my parents what depravity I've bought ehe.

I hope this was sufficient, or at least interesting to read. Not quite sure what I'll muse about next. I have a draft about MadK and how it'd function as a musical, unfortunately I have next to none musical theater knowledge so that probably won't be posted for a while. Maybe I'll muse over certain scenes I'd like in MadK.

Hope to post this weekend, no promises <3

[shrineofprophecy]

𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐄 .

Share at least 5 songs that you associate with or remind you of your muse!

Brave Shine - Aimer

How can I destroy my weakness? ‘Cause I wanna be stronger / I need to keep them all safe, but I lack the power / If we learn to wield our flaws, then the future will be ours / BRAVE SHINE / If you need a hand to hold, then STAY THE NIGHT / On the darkest of my days YOU SAVED MY LIFE

2. I love rock 'n' roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

The beat was going strong, playing my favorite song / I could tell it wouldn't be long 'till he was with me / Yeah me / Singing I love rock and roll / So put another dime in the jukebox baby / I love rock and roll / So come and take your time and dance with me

3. X - Chungha

The picture that had no room for me / I stared at it for a long time / Couldn't piece together back then / Those sad pieces are now sharp blades / With sharpened knife, I cut away / The scars of you that followed me like a ghost / Filled up clean with new flesh / Like nothing ever happened

4. Breakaway - Kelly Clarkson

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly / I'll do what it takes 'til I touch the sky / And I'll make a wish, take a chance, make a change / And break away / Out of the darkness and into the sun / I won't forget all the ones that I love (I gotta) / Take a risk, take a chance, make a change / And break away

5. Journey - WOODZ

When I walk through this door / Far beyond on the endless road / Will there be the sun shining down on me / So I’m ready to journey again / I might lose myself when I leave but / Deep inside my heart, on my little island / Is where I have kept myself intact

Tagged by: @aventvrina (thank you!) Tagging: @avaere (robin), @iiryoku (sunday), @duelmarks, @sagnaevi and you!

[silverhearted-robin-hood]

The kitchen? Steaming. But, none too bad this time, thankfully. The countertop? A little more mild than the usual disarray of tasty additives, albeit with a few spills here and there that would need to be cleaned up later. Sapphire himself, had smeared sauce stains on his face and clothes. An arm sporadically mixed everything together until the rice was nice and fluffy. Green eyes then intently focused, really hard, on chopping some daikon. 

“Eugh.....eu...1.”

“2...3....”

For all the precision he had as a swordsman? Sapphire’s cuts were, usually, clumsily disfigured. Which is why he was taking it as ridiculously slow as possible. As silly as it was, he didn’t care so long as it satisfied the friends he was making this meal for. 

🎵“Cutting, cutting, cutting....chopping....chopping...chopping. Please, don’t let this be another failure because if it is I will die insiiiiiide~ So, don’t break my heart~”🎵

[profilcr-blog]

Someone: *points out the katana Selene always carries around*

Selene: *deadpan* ...I have a permit for this.

[gccddaughtcr]

IC Tag Dump

[silverhearted-robin-hood]

“I CANNOT believe I just had a therapy session with a turkey. Welp, I’ve had my strange encounters, though it was refreshing to get all those things off my chest about my father. Jeez..Sapphire, you really are emotional. Sometimes I hate that about myself.”

He lightly hits himself with his hat.

[silverhearted-robin-hood]

“If Nylon’s nose is as long as a cucumber, does that mean it will grow longer every time he opens his mouth? Like Pinnochio?”

[silverhearted-robin-hood]

I’d imagine teen Sapphire’s like that grandparent that’s just gotta have some kind of antique or rare find to add to his room. His room at the shop is very cute: canopy bed, strawberry adorned walls, and a shelf with childhood mementos and then you have some daggers decorated on the wall/a stand for swords. 

[silverhearted-robin-hood]

Speaking of teenage tomfoolery, Sapphire had heard through the grapevine that it was Pocky Day. Naturally, he is pretending to tease a nonexistent entity with some chocolate sticking out of his mouth. A part of him was imagining a kiss. 

“Hmm..

“I WANT IT SO BAD!!”

[silverhearted-robin-hood]

Sapphire sat near his academy’s courtyard fountain in deep thought. He kicked at some grass, like the ever-so ruminating individual he was. Green eyes watched as he viewed two butterflies dancing in unison, right across the lilies the school gardener often tended to. Then a light blush filled his cheeks, as he saw the two fluttery friends waltz together like a couple of partners on the dance floor. 

“This can’t be real. I’m confused.”

“Makube-san..we’ve grown up together for many years. It feels like a blur just yesterday we were dressing up as princesses and cracking cases as kiddos. Guy brags about having a sharp eye and still hasn’t changed. Hm...”

“WHY ME THOUGH!? Why did this stupid boy have to go and give me one of those looks? He’s always been so brave and confident. And I know he’s been hurting...it’s just I don’t get why me when I haven’t been able to help him. He always looks so angry and sad.”

[silverhearted-robin-hood]

“There’s rampant chimera in our midst tonight.”

Sapphire would apply more holy seals on the door. Although, he knew in his heart that they would only last for so long given the limits of his magical knowledge. Thunderous snarling and claws scraped at the ornate wooden door. Poor things. If he remembered correctly, there were rumors of chimera being roped into illegal research by the underworld mafia. Something about the fused body structure of these creatures, must have completely fascinated these hellish lords; the extent of their capabilities and development. Could these monsters, thinly veiled as mob authoritarians, have been responsible for this insane breakout? 

“I don’t want to hurt them. I’ll just have to shut myself in until I find a way to knock them out! They aren’t in their right minds...why should they have to die? It can’t be the only way!”

The clock began ticking, as Sapphire hurriedly flipped through some pages. Searching and attempting to find answers on crafting some sort of slumber potion. 

[silverhearted-robin-hood]

“I think the next place I want to focus is on is the paths near our borders. I’m not...I’m not really sure where I’m going with this but I think we our merchants and farmers could profit a lot from having expansive routes? They would have plenty of other pathways to choose from and newer people who will be exposed to their goods. And..and maybe protection from escort guards...I don’t know. Does anyone else have any suggestions?”

He gave a lopsided smile. Once upon a time, Sapphire was told the heart and mind had a penchant for creating such elaborate, grand plans promises could not keep. It was either “go big or go home.” And Sapphire definitely did not want to leave a fish hook dangling like Duralumin had done. If he needed any feedback, now was the best time to receive it.

[silverhearted-robin-hood]

Sapphire blushes at even the slightest thought of marriage life.

“O-oh, no I’m not ready to think about that yet! I just don’t think so..”