#LOOK AT THAT LITTLE KATORI

[offhandway]

I LOVE SMAP, 1994

[bizlybebo]

anyways i had time to think about dakota cole on the flight and i was specifically thinking about system headcanons cause of the posts i reblogged earlier and now im thinking about plural dakota cole. youre a kid whos gone through hell and back and Then you live with somebody who loves you so much and tries so earnestly but simply Cannot bear the weight of your grief (being your dead parents’ only child; alaska was grieving her sibling too) and your sheer energy. so you learn to compartmentalize yourself and your personality and suppress who you are because you’re your aunts little boy and your parents’ kid. but you’re also an energetic loud attention seeking kid in class who will do anything ambitious or daring to be noticed by others. and you’re the quiet little boy who wanders the streets of new haven aimlessly avoiding going back to the apartment and crouching down to pet stray cats and murmuring to them. and you’re also the kid who kicks his shoes off in a dead silent apartment and checks your aunt’s pulse and wipes the drool from the corner of her mouth and closes the bottle of whatever vice she chose tonight and settles her to bed and staggers through a dirty apartment to your one safe haven: your room. and you escape it all by dreaming of being a superhero who can save people and starting by saving your aunt and moving away from all of this junk and neglect and pain and maybe if you were a hero you could’ve saved your parents too. and you can’t form into a full person when you’re just clawing at trying to survive and still be positive and hide what you’re going through cause there are other people hurting and you can save them. always the weight of the world with you dakota. i’m just saying that with all of this i can see where a split seriously could’ve happened. and then there’s all that stuff witj katori and the procedure and mato and then dakota joining pd. and how he mentions time passing weirdly for him and his gaps in his memory (and obvious suppression of memories + emotions) and how he can’t remember when he goes “feral” and also his entire thing of adopting a new identity (dakota damascus vs dakota cole). like these aren’t necessarily criteria for being a system at all and these are all possible “Normal” aspects of being a singlet character too but just looking at it through this lens is so. man. yknow

[littleragondin]

15 Day BL Challenge

The full challenge can be found here!

☆*:.｡. Day 15: 5 Bestest besties .｡.:*☆

Oh yes, let’s give it up for friendship! I do love a good friendship, nearly as much as siblings (but just nearly). Thailand I'd say is especially good at that game I feel like. Alright, here's my list!

- Pharm, Team, and Manaow in Until We Meet Again. They are so sweet the three of them, they love and care for each other, and their friendship while new-ish feels so solid and serene, I love them.

- Yamada Koharu from Kabe Koji. I honestly don’t think he could make it without her, she’s always here for him even when he can’t realize it properly. She is a fantastic friend to him all along. Also she is brilliant and hilarious and I love her.

- The two friend groups in Secret Crush on You, really. Especially our group of creative little weirdos, but I love how the two groups have each other’s back, and how they merge too. They’re really sweet and they all love each other which makes me weak in the knee.

- My boy Katori from Takara kun to Amagi kun. He didn’t make it in the Best Boy list (a shame), but he is definitely deserving of a place in this list! He’s always there to help those two (and heavens know they do need a nudge), he always look out for Amagi, and he is just so funny. (my boy is suffering)

- And because we started this game with some OG, I will end it with some OG and go with Yiwha from Together With Me! (the whole group gets it, but I'll put the focus on her). She is just that great, she was probably my favorite character of the show actually. She's just a bestest bestie TM.

And with that we finish the whole challenge! Thank you @negrowhat it was such a fun one =3 (I saw you mention you were planning a GL/QL one, I can't wait ^^)

[watori-fics]

Away Mission Test Wholesome Chats & Banters (Suwa Squad #7)

Title: Getting Comfy at Suwa Squad 7 Pairing: Gen (Suwa | Ui | Oki | Katori | Mikumo) Summary: In which the five agents from different squads trying to have a good time, and they actually do during the away mission test.

Note: Suwa squad members working and living together for a week sounds like a blast! Here’s a fun scenario of Suwa Squad with Katori, Osamu, and the rest of the gang, complete with the sibling-like chaos. Love their dynamics. I mean, just reading the extras got me all SQUEEEE

At Suwa Squad's meeting room, late afternoon.

The Suwa Squad had gathered for their routine strategy meeting, but, as usual, things were already spiraling out of control.

Katori slams her hands on the table. "Why are we even listening to Four Eyes again? I mean, seriously, why’s the youngest of us all trying to tell us how to fight?"

Osamu, sitting across from her, remained composed as ever, writing and scribbling quietly in his notes without even glancing up.

Osamu says softly, "Because, Katori-san, you missed the last twenty minutes of planning sessions, and someone has to keep things on track."

Katori hisses, "Who asked you?!"

She crossed her arms, glaring at Osamu like an annoyed older sister who couldn’t stand her little brother’s calm demeanor. Before she could spit out another retort, Ui bounced over, full of energy and serotonin, practically glowing with cheerfulness.

Ui, cheerfully chimes in, "Come on, Katori-chan! Mikumo-kun’s pretty smart! He’s trying his best!"

Katori groans, "Ugh, you’re too positive."

Meanwhile, Oki, who had been leaning back in his chair with a big grin, was clearly enjoying the chaos.

Oki teases. "Katori-chan, give Mikumo-kun some slack. He’s our little strategist prodigy. Besides, it’s kinda cute watching you two bicker." Katori whipped around to glare at Oki, her face turning red. Gritting her teeth, she hisses again. "Don’t call me cute! Gross!"

Oki laughs. "I meant the sibling vibe you and Mikumo have. He’s so calm, and you’re like—" He imitates her hissing, "—rawr."

Katori glares harder. "I will end you."

Before the tension could escalate, Suwa, back from the toilet, entered the room, arms crossed, looking every bit like the rough-mouthed father figure of the squad.

Suwa grumbles. "What the hell are you all yappin’ about? Mikumo, you good? You haven’t quit yet from all the noise?"

Osamu merely shrugged with a little laugh, glancing up briefly from his notebook. "I’m used to it."

Suwa let out a loud laugh, smacking Osamu on the back in what could only be described as a semi-painful display of fatherly affection and grinned. "That’s what I like to hear! Kid’s got backbone. Y’all could learn something from him."

Katori, while rolling her eyes, quips. "Of course you’d take his side."

Ui, ever the bubbly peacekeeper, quickly jumped in with a big smile. "Aww, it’s ‘cause Mikumo-kun is like our little brother! We should take care of him!"

Oki nodded enthusiastically, patting Osamu on the head with a mischievous grin. "Yup, youngest one’s the brains of the family."

Osamu, clearly used to their antics, just sighed softly, not even bothering to move Oki’s hand from his head. He says calmly, "Should we get back to planning for tomorrow?"

Suwa plopped down at the head of the table, kicking his feet up. "Yeah, yeah, let’s hear it, Mikumo. What's the next slick plan you’ve got for us?"

As Osamu started explaining the strategy, Katori was still glaring daggers at him, but even she couldn’t deny the kid knew his stuff. Oki and Ui, meanwhile, were nodding along enthusiastically, with Oki throwing in the occasional joke and Ui offering praise at every opportunity.

Despite all the sibling-style squabbles, there was an undeniable camaraderie in Suwa Squad—a group that bickered like family but, at the end of the day, had each other's backs. Even if Osamu had to deal with Katori’s endless teasing and Suwa’s tough love, he was undeniably part of the team.

———

It’s 7pm, and the timer signals the end of the test period for the day. Everyone in Suwa Squad lets out a collective sigh of relief. The cramped, plain room at HQ has been their home for the test duration, and while they’ve gotten used to it, the confinement is starting to get to them. Still, for now, they’re free to relax.

Osamu, ever the responsible one, takes charge of distributing tea. He approaches Katori first, who’s leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, still sulking about the day’s results.

Without a word, he offers her a cup. Katori eyes him suspiciously, her usual grumpy demeanor in place.

“You better not be trying to poison me, Four Eyes,” she mutters, but grabs the cup anyway.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Osamu replies calmly, completely unbothered by her snark. He moves on to the others, while Katori takes a tentative sip of the tea, her expression softening slightly as the warmth hits her.

Meanwhile, Oki emerges from the tiny kitchen area with cups for the rest of the squad. He hands one to Ui, who, as usual, is all smiles.

“Here ya go, Ui-chan! Hot tea, made with love,” Oki grins.

“Thank you, Oki-senpai!” Ui chirps, accepting the cup. She blows on the tea gently, her lips pursing like a cat testing something too hot.

Oki’s eyes light up. “Ui-chan, ya look just like a cute lil’ kitten!”

Ui giggles, her cheeks puffing out as she blows on her tea again. “Meowww,” she jokes, playfully leaning into the cat comparison.

Katori, sitting with her tea, rolls her eyes. “Dorks.”

Suwa, sipping his coffee, watches the exchange with an amused smirk. “You kids are kinda adorable, I guess. But man, do I miss my beer.”

Oki chuckles, setting his tea down. “Should’ve smuggled in a can or two as part of your personal effects, Suwa-san.”

Suwa snorts. “Yeah, and get us all failed immediately? No thanks.”

Everyone bursts out laughing, imagining the look on the judges’ faces if Suwa tried to sneak alcohol into the mission test.

As the laughter dies down, Osamu, always the calm little brother figure, sits down with his tea. He watches the dynamic around him—Oki doting on Ui, Katori begrudgingly sipping her tea, and Suwa cracking jokes like a rough-mouthed father figure. Despite the teasing and banter, it’s moments like this that make them feel like a real team, even in the pressure cooker of the mission test.

Katori, glancing at Osamu from the corner of her eye, lets out a quiet huff. “You’re not so bad, Four Eyes,” she mumbles under her breath, just loud enough for him to hear.

Osamu, with his usual composure, just nods and takes another sip of tea. No grudges, no bitterness—just the same steady presence that keeps this chaotic squad grounded.

The evening break continues with more light-hearted banter, the weight of the mission test forgotten, if only for a little while.

[elumish]

How are you so smart

I would NEVER have the opportunity or source to learn the details of swordfighting

Thanks!

My main writing sword fighting post is from like 8.5 years ago and so it's mostly based on my experience doing a really niche form of weapons-based martial art called Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū where I studied primarily iaido and paired katas with a bokken, along with some bōjutsu (bō staff katas).

Since then I've also done jūjutsu that was mostly strikes/joint locks/throws but also included some weapon training, as well as very minimal amounts of aikido weapon training (mostly jō with some bokken) and some Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA).

All of that is to say that, if you're looking for a place to learn swords or other weapons, there are almost certainly places near you to find it. There may be a HEMA group near you (though you need to be careful because some of them lean a little too hard into the historical European part of it in all the worst ways), and/or other martial arts places near you (e.g., aikido, jūjutsu) may have weapons classes.

[shizukais]

World Trigger chapter 231

Ok first thing I have to say: I LOVED THIS CHAPTER!

The way the other squads were confused by Suwa squad's sudden improvement and how some of them quickly realized that this was some Osamu strategy, I loved every single one of those moments.

Katori all happy because of the wins in a row of their team, so adorable! Without mention Suwa, proud of his squad and pretty much saying "fuck them all, we're on fire!"

It is very interesting to see how the improvement of one squad can motivate others to seek other ways to improve too. They don't want to be the best one, but improve themselves! (well, maybe with some exceptions aka Ninomiya lmao)

Karasawa and Osamu are so much alike haha, it's funny. Usually they go along the same line of reasoning, no wonder Karasawa is always expecting great things from Osamu. They could have a great teacher-student dynamics I guess.

But the last page worried me a little bit! Chika doesn't look okay. Being on Ninomiya's squad sucks tbh. He's arrogant and perfectionist, it must be very hard on her to be around him (not to mention the whole weird situation of her brother and Hatohara that must be uncomfortable between them). I wonder what exactly is going on, but I'm pretty sure that Yuzuru will be there to defend her of Ninomiya's rough words.

Overall, I must admit that I'm kinda happy this part of the arc (battle simulation exercise) is coming to an end because it's getting a little tiresome. But before that I still want to see more of the opinions of A-rank judges. They are so much fun!

[bengiyo]

Jack o' Frost Ep 1 Stray Thoughts

I hope this doesn't spell the end of MBS contributing to BL on Fridays since this show is only 6 episodes. Still, we head into a trope I don't always enjoy: amnesia.

Oof, starting at a breakup. Okay, drama.

Oh no: another Ritsu. I can't take anymore right now.

Incredible how much costuming, hair, makeup, expression, and posture can change how someone looks. I would have necessarily clocked Fumiya as Katori from Takara and Amagi.

We're already running.

There is a gray pallor covering this show.

I wonder if any of this is scary for Ritsu, seeing as he doesn't remember anything yet. It's also going to be tough on Fumiya, because he's caring for someone he had been falling out of love with.

"And they were roommates."

He needs to explain what happened to Ritsu, because he was very confused about the bed. I don't think Fumiya realizes yet how little Ritsu recalls.

I think I struggle with amnesia plots because it feels like a perversion of second chance romance, which I love dearly. The amnesiac isn't behaving like they were before the event, and are we rooting for them to remember or not?

I like that Ritsu is an artist. Using his innate talent gives me hope about where this goes.

Suzuki Kosuke's face journey when he realized Ritsu didn't remember him was appropriately complicated.

I'll admit the show has piqued my interest, but I remain cautious.

[sporadicthingcollection]

Welcome to the Fanfic Masterpost Theater! I'm your writer, director, producer, stage manager, costume designer, makeup artist, publicist, and gofer.

And you, dear reader, will be playing the part of…

Miss Lindiwe kaDandala!

(Commissioned from the lovely @mozzalu!)

You are Lindiwe, daughter of Tandisiwa and Dimar of the clan Dandala, of the city of Dandala, of the Pantoran country of the Katori Peninsula. Or Lindiwe kaDandala, for short. Your friends call you Lindy!

You’re a Pantoran woman in her mid-20s. At 1.8 m (5’7”), you have a soft build -- you’re not really one for exercise. Breaking a sweat is overrated.

You have a degree in astrovehicular engineering, and you're currently employed as a designer and blueprinter. You have soft eyes and a keen mind, but sometimes your thoughts get all tangled up and you have to take an hour or two to straighten them out.

Miscellaneous facts to inform your performance:

The tattoos on your face are a stylized trihorn, the symbol of the Dandala clan. It embodies teamwork and memory. By having most of your coworkers’ caf orders memorized, you like to think you’re living up to both.

You have dinner at your parents’ house every week, catch a matinee with your pops every other week, get pedicures with your mom and nana once a month, and build models with your granddad whenever the mood strikes.

You grew up surrounded by music, and that love has continued into adulthood. You have a sizable collection of sound slugs -- or you would, if your brother would quit “borrowing” them. Your favorite genre is either knuff or sluggathéque, depending on how much of a dancing mood you’re in.

You love your little brother Phthalo, but like all teenage boys, he’s a real pain in the butt sometimes. At least that little blonde Human he's been hanging around seems like a good egg. And her begoggled brother isn't half bad to look at.

When you’re ready, take your place on stage. Your leading man is… well, he’s somewhere around here. Once I find him, we’ll start the show. Break a leg out there!

Appears in:

Filled With Things to Say

---

"Filled With Things to Say" Masterpost | To the Mastahpost | Tip Jar

[asilosmagdalena]

Katori Shingo and Nakai Masahiro reuniting on TV for the first time in six years is making me unreasonably emotional because satasma has always been my favorite SMAP combi, those two are the best at comedy so their interactions are funny but beyond that they have such a unique bond with Nakai leader being the papa of the group and Shingo being the baby. They may be 46 and 50 now but they met when they were only 10 and 14 years old. They have that big brother little brother energy but it's an interesting reversal of their IRL family dynamics where Shingo is the eldest brother and Nakai is the youngest. I've watched nearly every subbed SMAP clip I could find (and many, many unsubbed ones) and satasma have a relationship with each other they really don't have with anyone else, no other combi really compares.

Anyway, here are some of my favorite satasma pics throughout the years. (Look at 14 year old Shingo already towering over 18 year old Nakai)

[sameeroak]

Sameer Bhai Hai Kya ?

Friends as I have mentioned in my previous posts, one of my key goals for 2023 is to re-connect with old friends and make new friends.

To make new friends, I am very active in our community WhatsApp group (which has 300+ Desis). We crack jokes in the group and also help out each other with advice on referrals, recommendations and DIY advice and help.

This DIY advice and help landed me in a funny and precarious situation which I am going to share with you today…

One of my friends on the WhatsApp group asked if anyone had a ladder he could borrow. I have one, so I immediately replied that I had one and he was welcome to come and pick it up from garage. He came promptly and looking at the height of the ladder said that he didn’t think that the ladder would work for him as he needed to change the bulb of a chandelier in foyer which has at least 10 feet high.

I told him that I had a similar issue and I had changed the chandelier bulb by pulling the chandelier towards me from balcony using a long stick with a hook and the end, and he was welcome to take if he wanted. He said Yes and took the long stick with hook from me.

I forgot to mention anything about this to my wife.

A few days later, the friend texted me that he was done with the stick and wanted to return it. I said, I am at home only, stop by anytime.

He came after some time and at that time I was in the shower, so my wife opened the door.

My friend (who is a well built and has a beard) was standing in the door with the stick with hook in one hand and he asked – “Sameer Bhai Hai Kya?”

Looking at my friends body demeanor and the stick in his hand, my wife got little scared and said “He is in the shower, can I help you ?”

Friend said “Nahi, Unhe bula do… Unhe ye dena hai..” and he banged the stick on the floor to demonstrate

Now my wife got really scared and she thought that he had come to beat me up… she tried to close the door… then my friend realized the gravity of situation and said “I will leave the stick on porch.. you give it to him and tell him that I will be in touch”

My wife came running to the shower and said “what Kand you do sitting at home on your community WhatsApp group ? there was a person at our door come to beat you up …”

I burst out laughing and explained to her the whole story that it was our stick only which he had borrowed and he was returning it….

Just yesterday, one of our neighbors’ stopped by and handed me a tubelight (I always keep a spare in our garage, so he had borrowed it when his went out….)

My wife burst out laughing “Pehle Danda now Tubelight…. Bhai wah… aur kya bata hai muhale me….”

Well… if she counts her katoris…she might find few missing.. after all some of my neighbors’ do stop by now and then for milk or sugar…

[animehouse-moe]

Ice Guy And His Cool Female Colleague Episode 5: Summer Bread Festival

At the same time that I really did enjoy this episode, it also felt the most abrasive, so I'll air my grievances first.

This episode felt... visually lazy, so to speak. The whole lens flare and effect thing to make a character cuter is Fuyutsuki's thing. Putting Komori (and even Otonashi) under the same effect and not something that better reflects their personalities feel somewhat low effort when considering it doesn't take very long to come up with a variation or something slightly different (that said, it's still cute).

Following that up, I just sort of felt like the overall appeal of this episode was flat. The storyboards were rather plain and played it overly safe for the most part, which is disappointing when you consider the fact that there's nothing unique to draw your attention anywhere outside of the characters. It's one of my biggest pet peeves in regards to adaptations. It's incredibly easy to get lazy with backgrounds because manga doesn't necessarily have to put a huge focus on it. But it's different because of where the viewer's attention is in an anime compared to a manga. They're two different mediums, you can't use the same tricks and skip a few steps. That's not to say that the whole episode is a wash, there's certainly still good scenes here and there.

Going hand in hand with that, the direction did also feel relatively lazy. Lots of panning shots that were focused on static objects. I understand having limitations and stuff in regards to animation, and especially how Shojosei series struggle to get any sort of decent resources placed towards their adaptations more often than not, but it's pretty easy to steer clear of lazy shots and concepts, that once more, remain closer to the concept of manga than anime.

Anyways, enough doom and gloom. What I really liked with this episode was how the supporting characters had themselves and their personalities fleshed out. I had hoped to see it after their involvement in the previous episode, and was very relieved to see them get that time so quick after it. Komori and Saejima, and Katori and Otonashi getting their starts in this episode was nice, and gives us half the season to now explore the trio of romances that we have in front of us.

The biggest positive to this is we get to experience different types of romance, so that we don't get bored of Himuro and Fuyutsuki while still being able to let them progress at a decent pace. If a breather is required, it's easy to take a closer look at one of the other pairs, and once that wears thin a little bit we can focus back in on the original pair. It's a smart decision and certainly makes full use of the spirit/yokai concept.

The last little bit that I loved from today was Himuro's jealousy. It was so much fun getting to see another side of him in that regard, and to see how his feelings and personality have changed as he continues to spend more and more time with Fuyutsuki. Well, that and Himuro's little flashback to him and Fuyutsuki in high school, I'd love to see a spinoff/AU of the pair in high school really.

[arianamidnight]

Okey, I'm a little nervous (I'm really, really, really nervous actually 😅)

Well, this is my first story here... But okey, enough talking -- time for warning.

Warning! This fix contains poly-relationship and tickling. If you don't like it you should leave.

Characters: Katori, Mickey, Noah (all three of them are my OCs)

Okey, I don't really know what else I should put here, so....

~~~~~ Enjoy ~~~~~~

My past is not today

the story is told in the first person

I knocked the door, and felt nothing when beautiful female voice said: "You can come in". I opened the door. The room was half dark and only a huge bed infront of me was lighted by two night lamps. It was enough light for me to see the girl that was lying on the bed. She was fully naked, just her ginger hair was covering her breasts. And again I felt nothing. I've known that she was my bride, known what's gonna happen now, but... I didn't want it. I didn't have any feelings to this girl, who was really beautiful, but not my type. Too selfish, loves money too much. I sighed and started slowly going to her. Suddenly I felt something wet on my cheeks. Tears? Am I crying? But why? I became emotionless long time ago, when my parents disallowed me to date someone I truly loved. But still tears flowed from my eyes faster and faster.

-- Mickey!

Ah? Whose voice is it? Sonorous but so worried right now.

-- Mickey wake up!

Another one? This is female. Gentle and again really worried. What did she mean by "wake up"? Am I sleeping? Is it just a nightmare? Maybe there, with that two people I could be myself?

-- Please Mickey you're scaring us!

Again the first voice. So familiar and needed...

After that thought world started spinning and I suddenly opened my eyes. After a few seconds when I finally was able to think, someone rushed into my arms.

-- Don't you dare *sob* scare us like that again! -- said black haired girl sobbing into my torso.

-- Shh Katori, it's okey now, -- said I with the soft smile petting her head.

-- You started crying while sleeping, and then didn't wake up when we called you, -- said ginger haired guy with worried voice.

-- Sorry about that Noah, I had a nightmare, -- answered I, rubbing Katoris' back.

Noah sat on the bed infront of me and Katori.

-- About your past again? -- asked he.

I just nodded. Even though it was just a bad dream, deep down I was still afraid that this could be reality.

-- I don't know what nightmare you had, but this won't happen. -- said Katori and looked at me. Her gray-blue eyes were still wet but her face was confident. -- We won't let it happen.

-- Kat is right Mikey, -- said Noah with a grin, and then playfully added:-- I think someone needs cheering up~

After his words I felt Katoris' fingers gently poking my belly, an burst out with giggles:

-- My lohohohove, nohoho!

I curled into a ball trying to protect my sensitive belly.

-- Oh no you won't~ -- shouted Noah and hovered over me pressing my elbows to the bed. He was tall enough, so Katori was able to get below Noah to tickle me.

-- Are you ready?~ -- teased she wiggling her fingers above my belly.

- Nahahat agahahahahain! -- I couldn't help but continue giggling.

-- Go on Kat! Get his tummy! ~ -- ordered Noah with evil smile.

And she did it.

-- Gahahahahaha hahahaha! Ihihihit tihihickles sohohoho bahahahahad! -- yelled I trying escape from Noahs' hands, but I didn't succeed. Ginger haired was really athletic and way too strong. But after one more minute of laughter Katori stoped and Noah let me go.

-- *pant* T-thahahanks... *pant* -- said I still giggling a little.

My lovers just smiled gently and cuddled me on both sides. It took me a minute to catch my breath.

-- Guys, let me go -- said I then. -- I have to cook breakfast.

-- Nu! Mine! -- mumbled Katori.

-- Let's *yawn* order pizza -- Noah agreed with her.

-- B-but... -- I tried to object, but felt both of them poking my sides.

-- Okehehey! We cahahan! -- laughed I.

But after a few minutes of cuddling Noah and Katori fell asleep. "I love you so much guys. I can't imagine what happened if I wasn't brave enough to go against my parents when they forbade me to date Noah..."

A few seconds later I fell asleep too, and my two angels were protecting my sleep.

[bizlybebo]

The mute by radical face as a dakota song? If you take the part about his folks sleeping in seperate beds as them "sleeping" in seperate graves. His whole this is wondering why. Ive made myseld sad over this. 👍

OHHH MY GODDD IM GONNA CRYY DUDEEE. STOOOPP

it really hits harder cause of the fact that this song kiiinda sounds like him vaguely too. and HIS FOLKS SLEEPING IN SEPARATE BEDS/GRAVES… DUDEEE. DUDE YOURE KILLING MEEEE

currently listening to bitb so i am in a MOOD (/pos) for this song cause AUGGH.

^ blatant projection. autistic + speech impediment dakota cole.

also the lyric about “conversations with the clouds, the dogs, the dead” makes me think SOOO much of dakota just. wandering the streets of new haven. he loves school more than he does being at that apartment, as much as he hates to admit it, and he drags his feet on the way home, takes detours to places like tony’s. he was always wandering the streets, petting stray cats and squinting up at the cars and roads and shit above new haven. like. man. idek how to explain it but GUAAAHHH

PUNCHES A WALL. like do i even have to say anything. do i EVEN have to say anything. something something dakotas utter determination in the face of everything. so strongly motivated it bleeds into being stubborn and childish. “pulling stars out the sky” and being such a dreamer, wanting to be a hero, wanting to be strong and capable, etc.

^ AND THIS. i think that once he grew up a little bit after the resurgence he started taking notice of things and feeling. guilty? for what a burden he was upon his aunt. of course, she loved him, would’ve taken him in in a heartbeat a thousand times over, but she was grieving too and she was losing herself. strain was put upon both of them in that time, it wasn’t their fault dakotas parents died.

^ SOMETHING SOMETHING DAKOTA AND LEAVING. LEAVING THE HOSPITAL AFTER KATORI AND NEVER LOOKING BACK. LEAVING AFTER THE S1 FINALE. GODDDDDDDD IM GONNA THRUPPP

^ these lyrics being about katori and then the rest of pd. i’m gonna bite somethikg

[goldenguillotines]

Katori have you ever looked into idol culture on other planets? :3

"✧੯•́໒꒱ Oh? What's up?"

"✧੯•́໒꒱ Oh! I am knowledgeable about some of them! Well- mainly because they're performers here on Alternia.. I don't pay too much attention to stuff too far out. Kinda dumb ykno?"

"✧੯•́໒꒱ Not like there isn't talent our there, but I'm not leaving Alternia or paying all those stupid fees to get some music albums on planet!"

"✧੯•́໒꒱ It's a little hard to understand but when the song is good, I usually keep the video saved or add it to my playlist!"

"✧੯•́໒꒱ Why, you got gossip or maybe you wanna recommend me someone.. or ask me about one?"

[fzzr]

The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague is the Comfiest Workplace Anime

Koori Zokusei Danshi to Cool na Douryou Joshi (The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague, henceforth "Ice Guy") is a slow-paced anime about a workplace romance in a world where the descendants of youkai live openly among people. It is also super duper comfy, with characters who are absolute perfect cupcakes hanging out in a workplace setting.

The titular Ice Guy is Himuro, a descendant of a yuki-onna (snow woman). His ancestry means that when he experiences some strong emotion (anxiety, anticipation, etc.) he manifests a highly localized snowstorm or other snow-related phenomena. He meets Fuyutsuki, the cool female colleague, when he finds himself literally frozen in place on the way to what turns out to be both of their first days on the same job. They're both immediately smitten and only become more so as they get to know one another.

Alongside our leads are an assortment of other humans and youkai descendants. Fox spirit Komori and phoenix Katori fill out the supernatural side, and Himuro's sister puts in (criminally few) appearances as well. Saejima and Otonashi are other humans working alongside them all as they go through their days at an unspecified but usually relatively relaxed office job.

/comf/

Ice Guy is always an all around chill (no pun) time. It's not like there's no conflict at all, it's just that the conflict is along the lines of trying to get a limited edition drink or wanting to get a prize in a company costume contest. The point of the show is to put Fuyutski and Himuro in proximity and let them be perfect at each other. Normally one might feel anxiety that they're taking too long to get moving with the romance, but despite being glacially (yes pun) slow it never feels frustrating. The characters all just like being around each other, and so do we.

There are probably a few layers of fantasy here to draw you in. Many jobs are stressful and alienating. Seeing a group of people doing work they at least don't mind with people they enjoy being around is a dream in its own way. Workplace romance in real life is often a Bad Idea but Fuyutski and Himuro seem to be able to navigate it without great risk. Plus, who doesn't like the idea of bonding over someone's cat and exchanging cute little matching tchotchkes and doing tiny acts of consideration and kindness and and and....

The Eyes Have It

There is one unavoidable thing to discuss about the animation of Ice Guy, and that's the eyes. Everyone has interesting and distinct eye (and especially iris) designs, but what makes them stand out is they're animated. If you look at someone's eyes they're almost never still - they adjust and look around. You know, like actual eyes. That is incredibly rare in anime, and certainly I don't think any show has done it in this way. It can be distracting when you're not used to it, but once you are it makes the characters all the more human. It also provides something to look at when we see reactions up close.

Conclusion

Score: The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague is 8/10. Sometimes you just want to hang out with characters who are just adorable together and this more than delivers.

Recommendation: Ice Guy is indeed very slow paced, but if you're in the market for something comfy and romantic but are tired of the usual high school setting, maybe give it a shot. The power level requirement is minimal.

Comparisons

Wotakoi is the most obvious comparison for Ice Guy. It's also about workplace romances, this time between otaku. It takes place at a different time in the relationship, though. Wotakoi's main characters already had history together. The plot kicks off with them getting together as a couple. Most of the content is similar to Ice Guy anyway, with the two of them getting to know each other in different ways, meeting family, etc. It's a bit more comedic in tone, but if you like Ice Guy there's a good chance you'll like Wotakoi as well.

Working!! is a different kind of workplace romance anime. Specifically, it's an off the wall comedy. The romance starts out as very secondary, but increases in prominence as the story moves along. It follows the Toradora! pattern of being about how the characters develop and come to understand their feelings. The similarity with Ice Guy is mostly in how the workplace setting interacts with the plot. Both of them make ample use of work as a device to put the characters in proximity and in unusual situations (like a work party or team trip).

Interviews With Monster Girls is a show that uses a similar conceit of supernatural beings living casually in an otherwise recognizable society. It uses that frame to explore living with and accommodating disabilities and disabled people. Ice Guy doesn't make quite as much use of that setting twist, but it does share the specific detail of using the yuki-onna ice power to punctuate emotional moments. Just a neat little commonality.

Final Thoughts

I don't know how many times I gotta tell you that Himuro and Fuyutsuki are perfect and adorable and etc. etc. Just give it a watch next time you feel like life is going too fast.

[estararchive]

Post-Teaching Session

Media: Kantai Collection Pair: Aya x Katori Type: One-shot (NSFW) Word Count: 1831 words

Commissioned by Aya (KMKptLt on Twitter).

Katori had just finished her work at the naval academy, after eight hours of teaching the new cadets. Katori, being the caring mother-like figure she was, did want to see her students become full-fledged ship girls who will fight against the Abyssals on sea. Yet, Katori was still a woman with her own life and energy–of course teaching newcomers about combat, enemy types and equipment, and strategy development would be exhausting for her, both physically and mentally. Sometimes, the new ship girls would be paying attention and understand her materials quickly, and some others may be slow in understanding. Some other cases include the ones who are noisy in class, or making crazy antics that would’ve driven Katori crazy, should she not have enough patience.

Still, the ship woman loved her job regardless. And seeing them grow to be like her and other seniors is something pleasing for someone like her.

As Katori’s thoughts began to wander around from exhaustion, her walking pace began to quicken. Somewhere down the corridor was her Admiral’s office, and that was the place she was heading to. Upon arrival, Katori knocked on the door. A simple “Come in!” was what she received, before the ship woman quickly opened the door and barged in. Katori could’ve sworn that she just slammed the door after entering the Admiral’s office, yet it was none of her concern now. She just wanted to tell her admiral–who was also her wife.

“Now, now, my dear. You better not slam the door next time, or else it will break. We don’t want any of that now, do we?”

The Admiral, Aya, was not too pleased at the entrance. However, she quickly shrugged off her displeasure and continued to focus on her paperwork again. Aya had to finish countless mission reports, as well as signing documents of every ship girl that was new to her naval base. Katori looked over to the busy Aya with an apologetic look. “Sorry… today was just exhausting…” Aya did not reply, or even bat an eye at her for a little while until she finally put down her pen and turned to look back at Katori. Her once serious gaze changed into a more relaxed and loving one, now that she was no longer busy with her work. With a smile, she got up from her seat and walked over towards Katori. Standing next to her, she patted the ship woman’s head gently. “Something happened today?”

“Aya-chan, some of my students were really making me stressed out! Can you imagine just seeing paper planes flying around or loud noises? I wish for it all to stop!” Katori complained. “And then there’s this one with high energy and always asks… Oh lord, I do love seeing my students having high energy and curiosity in learning, but why does it feel tiring to me…” Hearing her wife’s complaints, Aya gave her wife another pat on the head. Her palm then slowly traced down to Katori’s cheek to caress it, before she gave a light pinch. “My Katori’s pretty exhausted today, huh? Hold on, okay? Let me get you a glass of water.” Aya poured some of her leftover water inside a glass, and handed it over to Katori. The ship woman took a quick sip, before sighing in relief. She put down her glass on the small coffee table near her, before throwing herself into Aya’s arms. Her embrace was warm, even warmer than the fireplace she used to sit next to before she became Aya’s wife. Hell, she wasn’t even her girlfriend yet at that time.

“Thank you, Aya-chan…” Katori mumbled, before she finally let go of the hug. Aya could see that Katori was freshened up a bit after their display of affection, yet she knew Katori was still exhausted on the inside. She needed something to get her mind off of things. She needed a distraction. Without saying anything else, Aya quickly kissed Katori on her lips. As her lips pressed against her wife’s, her heart hoped that Katori would forget her exhaustion from her students’ antics earlier at the naval academy. The kiss grew deeper and deeper, followed by Aya slowly licking Katori’s lips as if asking for her permission to enter her mouth. Katori didn’t even hesitate, and let Aya’s tongue explore her mouth however she loved it.

After what felt like an eternity, Aya pulled out from the warm, wet cavern to get some oxygen into her lungs. A string of saliva formed in between the two women, like it was proof of the love they had for each other. Gently, the Admiral caressed Katori’s cheek again. However, lust was present in her gaze. She wanted to please Katori, and relieve her from her stress while also getting a taste of Katori after a long day of paperwork. With those thoughts in mind, Aya pulled Katori by the wrist and led her to a sofa. She took a seat first, before pulling Katori down to the sofa and rested the ship woman’s head on her lap.

When Katori was getting snug, something large and soft was right on her face. Aya’s breasts were pressing on her, making Katori’s face redden. Noticing that Katori was slowly getting shy, Aya only pressed it even closer to her face. Her fingers then unbuttoned her white uniform, revealing her bra right in front of Katori. With a smirk, she asked the ship woman. “Since you’ve been very, very tired… I might as well reward you, darling.”

The Admiral proceeded to unhook her bra, and exposed her bare chest in front of Katori. At the sight, the ship woman looked at Aya’s nipples with such anticipation that her mouth seemed like it was unable to close at all. Her desire to just take in her Admiral’s nipple inside her mouth and suck on it was just unbearable for Katori. And Katori did exactly that. “Come on now, Katori. Won’t you put your lips on it, darling?” she cooed. To tease Katori even more, Aya moved her breasts right in front of Katori by placing her palms below them and shook them gently.

“Mmh…!” Katori whimpered, but then proceeded to do as Katori commanded. First, Katori was giving small, light kisses around Aya’s breasts, and then to her nipples. It didn’t take long for Katori to finally just take in all of her nipples inside her mouth, and licked it with her tongue. The ship woman kept on licking and slowly sucked on them, and she could feel the nipple of her Admiral harden the more her lips and tongue stimulated the Admiral. Katori didn’t stop there however, and she started pinching on Aya’s other nipple. However, after one pinch, Aya gently grabbed hold of her wife’s fingers.

“No, Katori. Not yet. And it’s not your role to tease me, you know? Now come here, darling. It’s my turn now.”

Aya then got up from the sofa, and let Katori sit on the sofa. Her hands skillfully undressed Katori, down to her naked body. Exposed, Katori’s expression kept on getting redder. Even if Aya was her wife, she was still feeling embarrassed. Yet, it didn’t stop Aya from trying to devour her. As Katori was already naked, Aya could easily bend down and started licking and sucking her wife’s nipples. She took her sweet time stimulating the ship woman, sucking harder as well as pinching Katori’s other nipple. In the eyes of Aya, this was nothing but just child’s play, and she has yet to go down deeper. For Katori however, she swore she went to heaven the moment Aya’s lips, tongue, and finger stimulated her breasts.

“What a cutie… I love my wife so much,” the Admiral mused in between her stimulations. Her hand moved down from pinching Katori’s nipples to her thighs, caressing them back and forth slowly. Soft moans continued escaping from the ship woman’s lips, and she could feel her core heating up the more Aya was teasing her. The Admiral finally let go of Katori’s nipple, and took her time to regain her breath. As she did, she entered two fingers inside Katori’s tight, little hole. A bit wide due to the stimulation, but the walls were almost like a fit to her fingers. Katori was clenching around her tightly, and Aya was enjoying every bit of it.

“Ready, darling?” “Y-yes, Aya-chan… Please… I need it–I need you…”

Hearing her wife’s confirmation, the Admiral moved her fingers back and forth inside Katori. The movements were slow at first, but enough to make Katori lose her mind. She found herself gripping tightly on the sofa backrest as Aya was fingering her. Her back arched slightly from the pleasure, while her lips kept repeating her Admiral’s name like a prayer. Aya,  who wanted Katori to feel more pleasure, quickened her ministrations. Her fingers were moving fast and deep, making sure to hit her most sensitive spot.

“Aya-chan…! N-nngh! Aya-chan…!” the ship woman called out, her voice filled with ecstasy. She was getting really close to climaxing, with her walls clenching her Admiral’s fingers. However, Aya was not going to let her climax that easily–whenever she felt Katori clenched her walls, she would slow down her pace only to quicken it again when Katori’s walls loosened around her. To stimulate her further, the Admiral took back Katori’s nipple inside her lips to suck on it again. “Aah! P-please… Aya-chan! Please…! I want to–aah!”

The Admiral finally decided to let Katori reach the climax she had been begging for, and the moment she reached her high, her juices squirted onto Aya’s face and breasts. Katori panted, catching some air as she slowly came down from her high. She then looked over to Aya, who had a satisfied look on her face after she removed herself from Katori’s body. “Were you satisfied? Did you enjoy it as much as I did?” Aya asked. Katori responded with a nod, followed by her thankful words. “I did… Thank you very much, Aya-chan.”

Aya gave Katori a smile, then proceeded to help Katori get clothed again. She also put her uniform back on, not wanting to look disheveled after the session she had with her wife earlier. When Aya finished putting on her clothes, she noticed that Katori was getting sleepy on the sofa. Quickly, she seated herself again and let Katori lay on her thigh again like before. It took her only a few minutes to be fast asleep, and Aya only smiled at the sight.

“Sleep well, Katori. You did amazing today,” the Admiral whispered, her palm gently caressing her wife’s hair. She was glad that Katori was able to relax because of her, and should the time and mood come again, Aya wanted to make Katori wind down like this again. But for now, it’s time for her and Katori to have a rest, and let their minds go to the world of dreams after a long day.