#I've been having trouble finding new things to read after MHA

[call-me-copycat]

Currently reading Ichi The Witch (Spoilers I guess?)

Apparently in this world you have to acquire magic (which they call Majik lol) to become a witch

But in order to acquire this magic (Majik) you need to pass the trials the magic (Majik) gives to you, because apparently they're alive and have to allow someone access to them. Interesting

But I suppose there are also some magics (Majiks) that don't want to be acquired? Because there's one that just overall hates humanity and is unfortunately super powerful as well

The witches (those that passed a trial and acquired a Majik) are hunters apparently, who go on hunts for more Majik

I'm a My Hero Academia fan, so in a way they're sort of like the Pro Heroes of the world (⁠๑⁠¯⁠◡⁠¯⁠๑⁠)

I really like the main character, he's a little ditzy but in an endearing way, he reminds me of a mix between Shirakumo and Luffy lol. He's very intelligent though when it comes to hunting

Still reading now, apparently that huge powerful Majik that didn't want to be acquired defeated a lady who was called "the most powerful witch", and it was weird that the Majik kept saying that since she was a woman she couldn't defeat him

The main character came out of the bushes and saw a giant thing attacking people, and since he seems to really really like hunting things, he got excited and defeated the Majik after it fell into his trap - it was funny seeing the Majik panic and go "wait you can't do that!"

It's that same Majik pictured above earlier by the way

However since he defeated the super powerful Majik, he absorbed it's powers and became a witch - which he had no clue would happen, as he's just a guy who liked to hunt animals on his little mountain

The Majik he acquired turned into a wizard/witch gown and hat on him, and it's very funny seeing him so confused because everyone else is standing there shocked that he took that Majik guy down like it was nothing (that Majik was highly sought after I guess)

Still reading on ( ¯꒳¯ )ᐝ

So it seems that only women were expected to be able to acquire a Majik, and that it was impossible for men to do so because it's never been seen before. However, there's an exception for this because they said if a man happens to run into a Majik that happens to be extraordinarily powerful, who also happens to only accept men, then there's still a 0.001% chance it would be able to take even after all that

So the powerful witch lady told him to be careful right after he absorbed the Majik, and to not say anything that might come off as a chant - right off the bat he says "oh? Like this?" and tries to copy her chant she said when she was fighting that Majik, only for him to accidentally shoot off a massive beam of light lol

I'm really liking Ichi ﾌｯ(⸝⸝⸝≖ᴗ≖​⸝⸝)‧⁺✧*

୨୧┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈୨୧

That's chapter 1! It seems pretty nice already! So far Ichi is my favorite, I really like his character ('∀`)

I can't promise I'll read through the whole thing, but here's my initial thoughts ^⁠_⁠^

[oxygen537art]

istg I luv ur art style so much and also can I get mha smut recommendations (idrc wat ship but mainly bakudeku and dabihawks is wat I'm looking for. shiggydabi is cool too)

Thank you so much for your nice words, I'm glad you enjoy my art! ❤️

I've listed the authors and titles of their works that I once saved in my favorites. I hardly follow updates now, it's been a while since I reread the works listed here, so I rely purely on notes and bookmarks left by past me. Just a reminder that everyone's tastes are different, please read the tags. And check out the authors' other works!

18+, Minors Do Not Interact!

Aphra_After_Dark

The Desk Job

Fight for You, Fighting for Me

how to 69 when both of you have fangs

In For A Penny

Mommy Milkers

Of Corset Is

A Slow Descent

Something New

bluebelle

can I kiss you?

full rack

hard boiled

cozzzynook

“Closer”

"Come on baby bird, show me whose submissive”

“Lace and Feathers”

“Mated” series

“I got you a present birdie”

“I’ll Love you even when you don’t love you”

Self-care is the best care, but with you it’s just better

The sun that stole the moon

“Touya’s Fun Night In”

Cateil

drowning in you

heart and soul

messy

palpable

cellostiel

Maraschino Cherry Juice

Relaxation

The Real Deal

Songbird

So Fucking Electric

DeadBoysWalking

Hyperfixation

Shut Up And Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Good Boy

If Only

Eyes On Me

The Other Way

Wait A Minute, Baby, Stay With Me A While

Turn you inside-out by dorothycanfly

drunkenCharm

As Above So Below

Before I Ever Met You

Begging for Thread

Days of Bloom

Drowning Gods

Good Vibrations

i hold you to my heart's desire

Waiting Game

FeatheredFvck

Bad Behavior

Bet

Breathe

Dickstracted

Euphoria

I'll Do You Two Better

It's A Spring Thing

The One Percent

Unexpected

From flames to ashes by NekoRika (This is a collection of oneshots, but I save the chapters 3, 23, 36, 41, 43)

Neurotoxin

Arrangements

Change Of Pace

Learn To Breathe

Punk Gecko Boi watches Smexy Gaymer and his Goth bf fuck on webcam.mp4

Pixie_Virus

4's a Party

Couch Troubles

Meet-Cute

After Dicking Cuddles by the_pursuit_of_happiness

I'll Make It Fit and Milk Me by paleserendipity

SaltyTomato

Good boy

I hope they have your eyes

Pretty Fingers on Slick Thighs

satan_copilots_my_tardis (I recommend all of their works. Some are only available on Tumblr (18+) @satancopilotsmytardis)

SoenNoAme (TsukkiNoNeko)

Blue Flames, Blue Passion

Captivated By Your Resonating Light

Close To You

Dancing Flames

Diplomatic Approach

Edge of Glory

Glimmer

Heated

Kiss Me Like It's Do Or Die

Play A Little Game

Satisfy the Undisclosed Desires in your Heart

sometimes I wonder which one will be your last lie.

Stuck in Repeat

Tears That Drip Sore

until you learn to love yourself

White Camelia

Your Innocence Is Mine

Wind Down by frozenCinders

Primal Instincts and Pretty Things by truthinadvertising

fuck around and find out and End Racism in the OTW- All Dolled Up by unbalancedcentrifuge

VampyrSutton

Be Good For Me

The Cave

Eyes on Me

Good Little Whore

Hate Fuck

How Are You Alive?

How Do You Live Like This?

How the Mighty Fall

Spring Heat

SSD Day 3~Werebeasts~Claiming Bite/Knotting

SSD Day 6~Anthro~Collar

Werewolfnightwalker

All Of Me

The Consequences of Nesting

Down By the Wexford Border

Save a Horse, Ride a Birdboy

Soft

Take Me Apart So Gently

Turn Off The Lights (We Don't Need Them To Dance)

[soul-dwelling]

Do you ever feel like shonen manga just doesnt appeal to you anymore? To me, it seems I have finally outgrown it mostly, even the ones I still like for nostalgia I take in more unique directions in my own stories

I've been trying to get more into certain Shonen Jump chapters each week--and some are a hard sit.

For ones I really like that didn't last as long as I would like, and that did something to modify the genre / demographics (Magu-chan is cute; Candy Flurry was fun, had a girl lead, was dessert-based powers, even if the plot wasn't anything groundbreaking), there are ones that drag.

(And, spoilers as of today, Tuesday, November 22, 2022, for My Hero Academia's chapter coming out on Sunday, because GOOD GOD, THAT CHAPTER SUCKS, WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT? Like, sorry, but this manga, its plot, and its "surprises" are such bullshit and exhausting. I'm not even complaining about the mutant plot: I can point out so much that doesn't work, but I can appreciate the intention--but I am also a cishet white man who is so not being critical enough of this manga and its mutant plot given my privilege. Honestly, MHA at least tried to discuss disabilities and has at least acknowledged them [even as I think there are still flaws in the marketing--given what is coming up in the anime, I am curious whether the marketing is going to stick with pre-war Aizawa, Mirko, etc, or actually show them with their disabilities in future marketing / merchandise]. But I can't look at the mutant plot with regard to prejudice and bigotry and not find that plot lacking and flawed--and while I think it is fixable, I don't think I'm the person, in my position, to yet suggest enough fixes. God, this manga needs a hiatus and another review by editors. Sometimes, when we are in a world of fascists, we want to see a fascist lose, not constantly doing "BWA HA HA, you did not anticipate I would do this next!" If I wanted poorly thought out JoJo villain shit, I'd...not want that, because it's poorly thought out JoJo villain shit.)

Some of this I'm sure is with age--not because age brings wisdom, knowledge, or taste (it doesn't, not necessarily), but because you get exhausted seeing the same thing over and over again without something more surprising and creative. (Not to ignore the value of nostalgia letting you enjoy things over and over again to calm yourself--we'll get to that in a moment).

But then again, there are current manga for younger readers that I still get joy from reading, even at my age: Blue Box is engaging; Akane-banashi is educational; I'm not excited for the Undead Unluck anime due to the studio behind it, but I love how this supposed final arc to the manga is paying off so much setup; PPPPPP has surprising art.

Spy x Family...Maybe I'm being hipster about this, but as much as I enjoyed the manga, there does feel like a point where it got less enjoyable (Twilight's back story being introduced so abruptly after that weird choice to have Anya get in trouble due to a new character). The current manga has some surprises (Damian's mother, the current plot). But the anime? This is my fault: if I came in the anime first, it looks great; if I come into the manga first, it doesn't capture the energy and movement as I imagined it would--so, again, my fault. I've fallen off of some episodes. I mean, Nightfall is coming, and she's a lot of fun, and the story arc there has so many gags and so many moments of excellent animation...but if the animation isn't pretty enough (more on that below), why do I want to sit through the same story again?

There are definitely long-running manga that I'm more excited to see payoff and how they end (One Piece [more on that in another reply], Blue Exorcist...just being done with MHA because, again, good God, that twist and this chapter are fucking enraging and are going to piss me off all week...), but at least I'm still interested in how they end (minus MHA...seriously, that twist is pissing me off--I just want that manga to end, right now). And there are some that are shorter manga but now starting to wrap up (Servamp), and given the twists in them (you know, _good_ twists, not whatever the hell MHA just did), I'm excited to see how they wrap up.

But sometimes you want something for a slightly older audience, or something that is more challenging plotwise and characterization-wise. Bungo Stray Dogs is about the only seinen I can stomach reading right now--because it's the closest to shonen that I can think of (motley crew, broad personalities, fighting, high emotional stakes, dynamic character interactions, an entire world and history to explore not just in the main manga but in the anime, in light novels, in films).

I have more to say about nostalgia another time. But notice that nostalgia kick coming in again in anime and manga production since about 2018 up to today.

Sorry to be petty, given my lack of knowledge of series lore, but from what I've tried to watch of it, who was asking for a more faithful Urusei Yatsura anime except people who are nostalgic? It seems more, "People know Inuyasha and Ranma, let's do this now," and I try to watch and think, "No."

Why are people still invested in a Soul Eater reboot--when we know how Chapter 113 and the prequel twist crap are going to turn out when adapted?

"But I want to see pretty animation!" So do I--in a good story. If the only excuse is "to make it more pretty," I'm not here for it. That's like doing a remaster of a video game without fixing the gameplay problems.

That's not to say the role of nostalgia in driving more animation and more manga is all bad, though. I'm happy for people getting more Fruits Basket content--because the entire manga never got adapted, so, yes, go off, make that series again. I'm happy for people who like Trigun and Blood Blockade Battlefront getting new anime: I enjoyed both series, I want a more faithful Trigun anime...even as I am not into the new visual choice (the new Vash design looks so much better in 2D than 3D).

So, it's not that nostalgia is bad--it can be good to give people the story _again_ when they are older and can appreciate it in new ways. I do think there are audiences that get more out of Fruits Basket now than when they saw the first anime.

(And as I suggested above: nostalgia can calm us down--rewatching and re-engaging with something familiar makes it predictable, so you're not panicking over plot twists that seem chaotic and poorly thought, maybe because you aren't giving the story time to let those details unfold and show there was logic to the writing...or maybe because it is chaotic and poorly thought.)

But for every Fruits Basket, there is yet another Dragon Ball that, sure, fine, but I'm not sure is going to give you something new characterization-wise when it's still about power-ups, new designs, and new characters, rather than digging more into the ramifications of what Goku has done (I think Super did a great job actually reflecting on what Goku and others got wrong in the past--and need to stop doing).

So, to actually answer/respond to your question/comments:

It's not that shonen doesn't appeal to me anymore--but as a trend right now, it seems like the same as in any year: good stuff cancelled way too soon, some new exciting stuff that replenishes my enjoyment, and some stuff that really needs to end already.

I don't think I've outgrown it. Shonen keeps being though of as for young boys, when we have seen enough in readership that it is for more than just young people and more than just any one gender.

And yes, I definitely get more enjoyment writing fanfic ideas from these manga, or imagining how you could revise the stories (because, again, MHA needs a rewrite), or to fill in back stories (Mephisto in Blue Exorcist could get three or more other manga series, given how long he has been around).