#Me: Is this Gap Moe effect/charm?

[touchoffleece]

I got some unfortunate news for those of us who have or are falling for Gigi's charm/charisma and want to kick our feet while twirling our hair and playing out fantasy's of her wife guy energy:

Mother Nature has joined the party. uwu My exaggerated joke having been said with partial purpose to share that clip I found fitting, I'm happy to see Gigi getting all this attention and compliments. A part of me does worry about her feeling typecast going forward, or feeling like we have expectations to behave this or that way, but largely I am happy to see that she is getting the love and hype from fans and her fellow co workers even months past the debut hype phase of "new gen" status as we get closer to the end of 2024.

Looking back the people excited since her debut stream were either: niche rp/ttrpg fans or memers. While those fans are largely still there, she really got a chance to get the more general audience's attention, and we got to see her Senpai/Senior Co Workers slowly get to experience the unexpected charm of Gigi Murin.

I need to marry Gigi Murin from Hololive English Justice from Hololive English from Hololive from Cover Corporation

[animegirlsakurablr]

If you'd indulge my curiosity a bit more, I was wondering- what are 5 servants that you enjoy having, and 5 that you want? You can include some reasonings if you want, but you don't gotta

Well, this is gonna be fun. 👀 Sorry that this'll probably be long!

Servants that I enjoy having:

Scheherazade

I know that not a lot of people like her for one reason or another, but I'm glad that I was able to get her. While her NP can truly be the most effective against a select few enemies, it can still hit everyone on the opposing side, and she's a better unit after getting her upgrades. And while her debut (writing wise) was... less than stellar, she does get better later on (ex: her relationship with Nitocris). Looking forward to Ooku and going through her interlude.

Martha (Rider)

One of the few non-Casters that is a healer. Simple, but still good. I personally like how she tries to keep a calm, saintly image when there are a couple of times where she's down to throw hands (it's also implied in her second interlude that she sometimes struggles with being a saint, since she got angry at seeing damned souls not being able to pass on after J-boy's sacrifice, and she feels ashamed that she got angry in that situation).

Cú Chulainn (og)

Simple kit, but it works very well. Even though he'll do somethings that would enrage modern day society (like killing his son in combat), he does have standards. Very charming.

Odysseus

Gundam/Kamen Rider jokes aside, he is a good unit. Unique selective lock-on, NP charge skill that also grants charm immunity, and his NP removes defensive buffs before doing damage (Medea take notes). It also helps that he's a charming (haha) character as well. Also, Mecha Horse go brrrrrrr. :D

Siegfried

Clear bias aside, he is a good unit... after he gets his upgrades (also I low-key hope that his Armor of Fafnir skill somehow gets integrated into his kit, since he sadly doesn't have it as a passive, but that's neither here nor there). Even though he's a bit too self-sacrificing, he does have good and noble intentions. Also, he's an absolute dork (affectionate) during Summer 4 (he thinks glasses automatically increases intelligence, if that's not a somewhat himbo thing then I don't know what is).

Honorable mentions: nearly everyone except a few (Benkei, both Gilles, Phantom).

Servants that I want:

Voyager/Kijyo Koyo

I'm just gonna combine two options into one, since they're gonna be on the same banner and I'll be happy to get either one or both. Not much reason here, just looking forward to having a Foreigner and a neat Berserker.

Caenis

I find him a very interesting character that I hope to get one day. I know that I missed my chance to get him on NA, but his interlude's dropping next year, so I'll get another chance.

Fairy Knight Gawain/Barghest

Yes, I'm one of those fans who like her, you're free to judge me. 😅 When she was first revealed, I didn't think much of her, except that I think that she has cool armor and the colors used for her are really nice to look at (until her third ascension, but that's also not here nor there). And then her bio was translated, as well as her role in LB6... and the next thing I know I developed gap moe for her.

Okita Souji

Even though her interactions are restricted to GudaGuda/Koha-Ace stuff (as far as I'm aware), I find her enjoyable and I really like all her ascensions.

Leonardo da Vinci (Caster)

I miss Genius Mom a lot. 😭

Honorable mentions: Jack the Ripper (I want to adopt my stabby daughter), Katou Danzo (I want to reunite Kotarou with his Robot Ninja Mom), Caster Gilgamesh, Gray and Taisui (I know that these two are welfares, but I'm still including them), James Moriarty (nice design and a fun and interesting character)

This is a bit longer than I thought, whoops

[manjuhitorie]

Interview with Shinoda - Guitar Magazine March 2021 - English Translation

I began to wonder "What have I been deeming as ‘good’ all along?"

-Thank you for coming all the way out here. To kick it off I’d like to ask what the story behind the title ‘REAMP’ is.

AMP is like the recording mechanism, correct. I recorded by re-amping a lot this album, after it was recommended to me by our engineer. I recreated most of the sound in an amp simulator, sampled it at home on a line-in, then brought that in to the studio. There I sent the line-in signal to the guitar amps, recorded the sound coming from the amp, and voila. This way the guitar playing and the sound engineering become two separate things. At home I focus on the recording, at the studio I focus on the mixing.

-That’s a great way to localize your focus.

Though my workload multiplies (laughs).

-Ultimately you’re spending even more time focusing (laughs).

Yep (laughs). To put a long story short, we dipped our feet into new techniques for this album. So when it came down to deciding the title, 'Restart' or 'Reload' or any words with the prefix 'RE' were among consideration, but we couldn't find a good one. When at last I remembered that I had re-amped (laugh). I proposed the idea, it clicked with everyone, and now here we are.

-A bit of a double meaning to it then. What felt the most different this time in regards to the new techniques?

Back when wowaka was with us, he was the ultimate judge over whether a take or sound was good or bad. But now I have to be the judge and the one who takes the rudder myself... The main difference is that I need to become the axis now. When I was alone at home it hit me just how little I had a sense of good and bad (laughs). I began to wonder "What have I been deeming as ‘good’ all along?”.

-I see. What do you find difficult about singing and playing Hitorie’s music?

I found that I don’t have much leadership (laughs). I’m more fit for the sidelines and such... I’ve had a long career of being the lead guitarist, wherein there’s always been another leader figure above me who’s actions I’ve responded to and taken my own approach to.... A correspondent presence in a way....

—Then the necessity for a number one in command popped up.

Yep. It was like, I was really in a pinch back there. If I was to get anywhere, before anything I needed to establish my own standards of good and bad. I looked back at the music I’ve loved throughout my life, and started from there.

-Were you able to establish your own judgment through this album then?

I did what I could do. But, I’m still missing something... I don’t think it’s something you can find through just one album. I still haven’t, and there’s parts of the album that I still feel my optimization was lacking. I feel that I want to make a more polished, less rugged around the edges, piece. I’ve only established the groundwork for now. Such as what makes good music, the rhythm, pitch and so on. The basics.

-What makes good music ‘good’ to you, Shinoda?

Hmm... Phrase before sound... I think there needs to be a phrase before anything. To put it simply, the music needs to be what’s encouraging the phrases. Whatever achieves that the most effectively tends to be what I deem as good music. There’s a bunch of options when it comes to even strumming one chord. To use a single coil, a humbucker, a P-10.... Not to mention that strumming different will change how a chord resonates. Each note has its own goodness scale as well. Contemplating all that is what makes music.

-When I look at your music itself, I can see how this came into play as well. The phrases themselves have become less complex, while the riffs have become even more powerful. Especially ‘curved edge’, a killer tune even among the rest.

My bandmates and I each pitched in to write the music for REAMP, I wrote 10 while they wrote 1 each initially, basically I had to write a lot (laughs). And the last and final piece I wrote was ‘curved edge’.

-I see.

We intentionally lessened the riff-tastic music, we were eschewing following the old ‘Hitorie formula’. I made more chilled out downers. But the more I did it, the less interested I noticed my bandmates become (laughs). It didn’t click with me myself either, and it didn’t bring us together much. I thought I was doomed to never write a song that would properly fit Hitorie.. When I got the idea to write a song that mixed intense riffs and modern beats, ‘That I might be able to do’.

-In a way you wrote that song at wit’s end.

From there I drew inspiration from K-Pop. Stuff like Blackpink. Wherein you can’t discern if the climax of the song lies in the hook or the riff. I found that interesting, thus can the climax of ‘curved edge’ be found in the riff. Enough that the hook is the riff itself. When I told the members, their reaction was positive as well.

-It fits the modern Hitorie. In a previous interview Yumao (drummer), when looking back on Hitorie’s history, had mentioned that Hitorie could write music without a peep, after so many years together. Following this change to your writing formula, is that feat still possible, have your exchanges with your bandmates changed as well?

-When it comes to my written pieces, well... It depends on the song. For ‘curved edge’, ygarshy and I didn’t share a word. While we were making the demo song, I asked him to ‘Just play bass that works with this’, and with that little information he actually pulled off something incredible. I was like ‘Holy shit’ (laughs).

-The first verse alone is a stroke of talent (laughs). How about the drums?

The beat is unlike anything Yumao had played for Hitorie before. 4/4 beats were always our go-to, but we tried to venture a little into unknown territory. So I handled the  director job quite a bit, the drums may be the aspect I directed the most actually. It turns out that my concept of beat is completely different from wowaka’s.

-What do you mean exactly?

-I’m probably not... as much as wowaka.. No wait. I can’t say this for sure but, he was someone who was creative with his beats, so he tended to conjure up ones that would be virtually unplayable in context. I make up beats that are out of control sometimes too but. I stick to the rules, or, how to put it... Even when I make up a brand new beat, the voice in the back of my head will tell me ‘Wait, there’s rules’.

-I see. So wowaka wouldn’t bother with the rules much.

I haven’t put much deep thought into wowaka’s perception of beats until now though, this is only a quick assessment from my experiences. Though near the end, it seemed like his mindset changed to ‘It’s better if I let Yumao play however he desires’. Imyself haven’t reached that level yet.

“I need my love for guitar to grow even more, I say.“

-Allow me to ask you about the guitar solos. In the songs ‘Marshall A’ and ‘dirty’ are the solos in abundance and in the spotlight. What do you deem as good and bad in terms of guitar solos?

For me there’s only two types of guitar solos. You either play well, or you don’t (laughs).

-That’s a strict guideline (laughs). How do discern between the two?

It ultimately depends on the song. I like solos that are played “poorly”, such as by Momo Kazuhiro of MO’SOME TONEBENDER. I think their’s are awesome. When each and every note of a solo is poignant, it actually brings out the charm of electric guitar. So I think that solos can be wonky as hell, or precise as hell. Or in the middle is okay too. I like solos that are catchy with proper phrases to them even. Like HI-STANDARD’s ‘Fighting Fists, Angry Soul’, the solo could be a song on its own. It depends on what fits with the song. In regards to the solos of Marshall A, they fall into......

-The ‘Played well and proper’ solos.

That’s it. The song kicks off with unsteady distorted notes, but the solos are clean, it’s gap moe.

-The tone is clean as well. Did you intend for it to be gap moe?

To a degree. Like, 'is this really that kinda song' (laughs). On the other hand, when it came to 'dirty' the song has always been nothing but alternative rock style since the get-go.

-The solos are full of grunge and fuzz after all. ygarshy wrote that song, correct.

'Cause ygarshy and I are the same age from the same generation, our ideas match up as well.... For this song, it was like the Nishikawa Susumu idea- (laughs).

-I see (laughs). Back to what you said earlier, that your "optimization was lacking". How would you like to evolve as a guitarist?

I don't think I'm Hitorie's guitarist anymore. In the current world I'm in I'm not just a guitarist, I'm a singer-song writer, and that's become my primary focus. Yet despite that guitar is still absolutely a must for me. It brings the physical world and the world of music together better than anything. Thinking about it, my approach towards guitar is probably going to evolve after this as well. Up until I've played as Hitorie's guitarist, adding and adding to the sum of Hitorie's parts  (laughs). My attention was always on how to optimize to hell. Going forward my attention is probably going to shift when I play guitar. But that doesn't change the fact that guitar is essential for bands in general, and essential for Hitorie as well..... Aghh, I never thought about what it means to be a guitarist to me up until now (laughs).

-(Laughs).

I think my ideal guitarist self is still far away though. But I've grown a lot by being with my bandmates, and I can't be losing my eagerness to learn. I need my love for guitar to grow even more, I say (laughs). That's where I think I'm lacking. There's still so much about guitar I'm yet to understand, and that's my weak spot. There's a lot for me to reflect on.

Gear: Fender 1963 Jazzmaster The main guitar used in REAMP, a jazzmaster on borrow from wowaka. The serial number points to it being a 1963 issue. The saddle on the bridge has been swapped out to an Astro Notes. Shinoda selects the front for concerts/recordings, and doesn’t use preset switches. The guitar you can hear from the left channel in “High Gain” is this one. While the guitar you can from the right channel is a Tokai LP.

Fender 1965 Jaguar Also on borrow from wowaka, it was heavily used in Hitorie’s previous album ‘HOWLS’. For ‘REAMP’ it was used for the backing of ‘dirty’ and the main riff of ‘Utsutsu’. In regards to the Buzz Stop Bar, Shinoda himself prefers the musical range he can reach without it, but others oft react better when it’s on.

Pedal board: 1 WEED/GCB-95 mod wah 2 BOSS/TU-3W tuner 3 S-Distortion SASAKI 4 Prescription Electronics/Experience 5 Octave Fuzz & Swell 6 Keeley Electronics/Son of Fuzz Head 7 E.W.S./ Arion SCH-Z mod chorus 8 BOSS/PS-6 harmonizer 9 BOSS/DD-20 digital delay 10 Providence/Provolt 9 power supply

His guitar signal inputs at 1, then connects all the way to 8. He adores his 1 because there’s a gain knob on it, and as soon as he turns it on can he drive*. His main distortion pedal is number 3. His standard is to set  the volume knob at 12 o’ clock, the tone at 11, and the gain at 8. To give himself a boost in guitar solos he turns on pedal number 5, with the volume set to max. Pedal number 6 found its use in the song ‘(W)HERE’ on Hitorie’s album ‘Imaginary Monofiction’, but recently its fallen out of relevance for him. 7 was used in the song ‘Montage Girl’ on Hitorie’s ’Roomsick Girl’s Escape’, and harmonized phrases in general. He primarily uses 8 for the short delay, and it found usage in ‘curved edge’.

Amplifier: Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100 Marshall 1960 AV The number one weapon is volume. Shinoda’s main amp is this Hiwatt. The reason he started using it was because ’The only thing that could oppose the volume of wowaka’s Matchless amp was a Hiwatt’. The clean sound of it is what brings bass to Shinoda’s playing. For concerts that will be recorded, he sets the EQ bass, mid, and treble knobs all to 11 o’ clock. He sets the presence knob to about 13 o’ clock, but this gets adjusted every performance. This one stays the highest to ensure his music comes up front. He alters the high frequency and the level it pierces the ear with his pedals.  

[daeva-agas]

[Having your beautiful smile is enough for me. Thank you for always supporting me.]

Though he harbours plans of revenge in his heart, but in a charming contrast he has a gentle heart. He considers himself not deserving to be loved, but that's what endeared him to others even more. Only you can lead him out of this hell of revenge.

--------------

Some sweet posts from Ikesen Taiwan’s Mr Sengoku election campaign.

They say his soft heart is 反差魅力 (a charming effect caused by contrasting behaviour/personalitites, gap moe?). Chinese and Japanese sure have such succinct way to phrase things that comes out as a big mouthful in English.

To be completely fair 心疼 can mean “love”, “feel sorry”, or “anguish”, so I opted for “endear” because well... I’m leaning more towards “love”, but I wanted to be careful. 

[bpro-cardstories]

Yuta Ashu SR

2018 ー Like myself [自分らしさ]

“Thank you for your advice, Tsubasa-chan!”

Happy Valentine to everyone!

Part 1

A rather unhappy Yuta comes homes. That’s unusual for the cheery boy. Goshi asks him what is wrong. That is when he lets out all his worries.

Yuta and Ryuji are guests in a live show. He will have to play a scene, that fits the theme of Valentine and makes the girl’s heart beat faster. Since he is fairly unversed in such situations he has trouble coming up with a good scenario. After all, Yuta wants to look cool and mature like the adults do.

Goshi is as clueless as he. He is not interested in such things. Yuta’s whining is annoying him. This is why he refers to Kento. He has more experience in things like love and flirting.

Kento would much rather continue looking on his phone. But Yuta’s begging leaves him no choice.

“I like chocolate, but I want you. Can I taste you?”

As expected of Kento, it has a mature feeling to it, is what Yuta thinks after Kento shows him what he came up with ad lib. Yuta is worried whether he can convey the same atmosphere. Goshi, on the other side, felt a chill running down his spine.

Kento suggests to perhaps practice with someone so he will not be nervous anymore. Yuta agrees and thanks him for the help.

Part 2

In the morning Tsubasa is greeted by Yuta. He wonders if Ryuji is not here yet. She replies that his friend will come later. Yuta then proceeds with an action that catches Tsubasa completely off guard. He comes very close to her and says

“Rather than chocolate, why don’t you spend sweet times with me?”

“Y-Yuta-kun? What happened suddenly? Chocolate?”

“Ne ne, was it heart pounding? Did you feel the adult’s charm?”

It doesn’t take long until Tsubasa realizes what this was about. He wants to hear her thoughts. Her words are not what he anticipated. Rather than the romantic heart pounding feeling her surprise was much bigger. That shocks Yuta, he asks for the reason. For Tsubasa it felt off since there was no image about what he said.

Clearly displeased Yuta tells her that it was Kento who taught him such lines. He thought like that he could convey an adult-like feeling. At his confession she has to giggle. It’s true, that is something Kento would say. For Yuta it might be too adult-like for him. He begins to doubt himself. Maybe he is not suited for that kind of thing? He wanted to try out that moe gap Mikado mentioned. But Tsubasa reassures him. The customers will be pleased if Yuta does what his heart says him. That’s the most important thing about this job. Her words have a positive effect on Yuta. He wants to think of a line that suits him more.

Part 3

It’s the day after [Eden du Chocolat] appearance. THRVE has a meeting with Tsubasa.

Kento asks Yuta how it was yesterday. The latter is pleased to talk about it. The show was a big success, very exciting and and the venue smelled like sweet chocolate. If he had the chance he would have eaten all the sweets because they looked really delicious. Next time, he’d like to go there in his free time.

What interests Kento more is if his teachings were a success as well. In that moment the atmosphere becomes a little bit gloomy. Yuta admits that he thought of a phrase on his own rather than using what Kento taught him. Tsubasa’s surprised reaction and words incited him to choose a phrase that’s more like him. Hearing this, she apologizes for her unintentional hurtful reaction. Since it was so sudden she didn’t know how to react.

“You don’t have to apologize, Tsubasa”, Kento reassures her.

“Why did Yuta say those words without context? Her reaction was only natural.

With sweet words, the timing and atmosphere are important.”

“Boo, you didn’t tell me!”, Yuta protests loudly.

In fact, Yuta said he could manage but Kento knew that it would not have the same effect like when he does it. Those words make Yuta anything but happy. He turns to Goshi for help who only gives him a “I don’t care”. Luckily, Tsubasa lightens up the atmosphere again. She says that Yuta’s words were great, the venue’s response was amazing. In the end, he is happy to have followed her advice. He joyfully thanks Tsubasa with a small blush for her help. She stays modest and tells him again that it was very nice.

“Hmm…. Then next time, how about I give Tsubasa sweet words?”

“Eeh?”

“Does Yuta have enough already? I will show you the charm of an actual adult”, Kento teases.

“Eeeh, Kenken what are you planning!?”

“A, ahaha…..”, is the only phrase Tsubasa can give.

Goshi becomes annoyed at the end from all the noise and urges them to be quieter.

END

[italicwatches]

My Hero Academia, season 2 - Episode 32

Food’s in the oven, so let’s try and squeeze this in while I wait for my meal. It’s My Hero Academia, episode 32! Here we GO!

-We begin at the hospital. Deku’s still stuck in bed, and with nothing better to do, he’s just chewing on news about the whole Stain mess. As far as the public is concerned, Endeavor took down the hero killer, and three young men happened to suffer unrelated injuries due to accidents during their internships.

-Tenya’s already gone back home, his mother having come to retrieve him to recover somewhere that isn’t a hospital bed. Shoto got out of it pretty light, so he was just plain declared safe to discharge the next day, and thus went right back to his internship.

-So now it’s just Deku on his own, waiting for his leg to be useful again, and contemplating what everyone else is up to at their own internships…

-Opening!

-Episode 32: Everyone’s Internships

-So first we cut over to Best Jeanist, taking Katsuki out on patrol. And he has a pop quiz for the kid. The chief reason for patrols is to have a deterrent effect on criminal activity; the would-be crook sees heroes walking around, and decides not to hold up the local bank today. But what’s the secondary effect?

-Katsuki figures it’s kicking ass and taking names.

-Katsuki is wrong. As in all things. It’s to form a connection with the people; the hero walking the beat gets to know their people, and in turn the people know they can trust the hero and rely on them if things go wrong.

-…Anyways that’s when some kids recognize Katsuki from when the slime thing tried to eat him. And so he literally makes small children cry. Repeatedly. Best Jeanist has to figure out how to grind down this kid’s stubborn pride so he’s not, you know, all of this.

-Over to Gunhead and Ochaco. He’s showing her how to deal with a knife or similar weapon, and it’s pretty solid advice against someone who’s not trained. It’s not gonna help against a Stain-type, but she is both deeply impressed and loving that gap-moe that the gentle Gunhead has to offer.

-Let’s see what Uwabami’s up to!

-She’s signing autographs while her girls just stand there and quietly contemplate where they went wrong in life. (It was when you picked Uwabami as your mentor, I’m sad to say)

-Kirashima and Tetsutetsu are helping clean up a park. In hard contrast, Kyoko is doing real rescue work with the rough and tough Death Arms, and her earphones gave them a major asset in a hostage rescue. She’s feeling good about it, too, feeling like she’s really making a difference…For a character who’s so often shown as grumpy and snarky, it’s good to see that earnest pride bubbling up for once.

-And then to Tsu, who’s scrubbing down a boat. One of the sidekicks here, Sirius, is sympathetic that it’s a boring gig out here most days…But you stick with it, and you find your purpose.

-So obviously the Captain being all cutesy is our image. And Sirius is so very embarrassed at the attempted gap-moe from this rugged and tough Captain. But this banter is, itself, kind of adorable.

-Then they get a message from the coast guard! Sounds like they’re getting put to work. The ship’s unhooked, and the Oki Mariner sets sail to go to the rescue!

-And soon Captain Selkie is laying out what they’re dealing with. A ship was reported to have stowaways…But instead, when investigated, all they found was missing cargo. So they’re not just looking for victims of the sea…They’re hunting pirates! Hell yeah! Also Tsu is totally enamored with the Captain’s big tough frame being cute. She and Ochaco clearly need to share their doujin collections.

-So Selkie hits the water, having a Quirk much like Tsp’s: While she has the proportionate strength and skills of a frog, he has the proportionate strength and skills of an incredibly buff seal. So while his crew searches with the ship, he sonars his way through the water…

-Until well into the night, when they’re having no luck…Until they get a report from the coast guard! A fishing boat was spotted fleeing in their direction…And then Selkie gets back with a confirmation that that very same boat is coming their way! Kill all the lights and get ready to sneak up on them!

-Soon the orders are coming in, and Tsu finds herself left waiting on the ship with no room to actually do stuff…But as Sirius lays it out once Selkie gets gone, there’s a big risk any time you’re dealing with something like this. Miles away from shore, away from anyone who could help you…You have to be doubly careful with criminals on the high seas.

-Anyways a flare goes up, blinding the stowaways, and Selkie demands they stop for an inspection at once! Soon the ship’s being gone over from top to bottom…Until Selkie has one last place he wants to look. Open the fish bin.

-…So the two squid lookin’ fuckers turn out to have taken this humble fisherman hostage, and now they have Selkie and his sailors too. And then the fisherman goes in too, leaving enough time for their boss Innsmouth to do his work. I assume he secretly ravishes land women.

-Back at the ship, Sirius’s fine hearing catches a sonar signal from Selkie…Telling them to get after the ‘stowaways’! He’s going to get himself out, but it’s going to take too long!

-Soon, their path takes them to a rocky outcropping, where Tsu gets put to work catching a squid lady. Who promptly gets interrogated and then tied up. There’s only one more person left…

-And meet Innsmouth. Who’s knocked out their last sailor cold, and has Sirius in his grasp! Tsu is on her own now, and Sirius’s attempt to get free with a baton just sees her slowly getting crushed…Tsu needs a plan, and NOW.

-Which is when the other sailors come in on Sirius’s radio. Innsmouth forces Tsu to lie to them, if she wants Sirius to survive…And Tsu remembers Sirius’s words. The true importance of being a hero, and her trust of the captain…

-So she takes the radio…And immediately shouts out their location GET HERE NOW! Then it’s a frantic leap into the rocks, with Tsu whipping out her tongue to catch Sirius and get her out of the line of fire…Only for Innsmouth to catch her and drag her across the rocks! It’s the end for her, if she can’t figure out a way out of this…

-Cue Innsmouth’s underlings being thrown into him, and Selkie arriving with a full display…He gets blinded, but his sonar hearing catches Innsmouth’s every movement, letting him fight and keep the bastard’s attention long enough for Sirius to grab his leg! Now, Captain!

-CAPTAIN KIIIICK

-So Innsmouth goes down hard, as Tsu and Sirius check on each other, and Selkie tries to be all cute about his relief that they’re okay. While Tsu’s figured out a real, honest idea of what’s important to being a hero…

-Back on land, these would-be stowaways are taken away by the coast guard, and they can only apologize that Tsu had to go through something rough like that…But Selkie’s overwhelmingly proud of the kid. Froppy might not be licensed yet…But she’s got the heart of a hero, and the skills to back them up. She’s going to be great one day very soon. And oh, the pride on this kid’s face at that kind of praise.

-Credits!

That was pretty fun! More Tsu time is always a good time. Even if it does leave me with the certain irony that MHA taps into the charm of superhero comics so well, and has so many cool characters we barely get to see, that it really makes me want more people able to pour ideas into it and make a more thoroughly explored universe. Like, I would devour an entire one-cour anime just about a graduated Tsu working on that ship, stopping sea-crime and bantering with her gentle yet buff Captain. And you know my stance on a Mei spinoff. (GIVE IT TO MEEEE)

Do I dare dive into the world of fanfic for my fix? It might be the only option on the board. But for right now, we’ll just have to catch back up with Deku next time, in episode THIRTY THREE of My Hero Academia! Wait for it!

[turbles]

Thoughts On the Beauty of Katsuki Yuuri

apparently there’s been a debate going on about whether yuuri ought to be called beautiful or not? idk, here’s my thoughts on the issue I guess, for what it’s worth.

I’m just gonna start off by saying I think yuuri is a REALLY well-designed character. there’s a lot to talk about here! his design is not only appealing and charming (because tadashi hiramatsu is a goddamn professional) but I’d even go a step further and say that the finer points of yuuri’s character design are also a vehicle that communicates the show’s themes. this is a really impressive and unfortunately rare thing in anime these days! 

When Hiramatsu has talked about his thought process for designing yuuri in the past, he’s said that yuuri is meant to look as plain as possible. this is pushed further by comparing him to the rest of the flashy-looking characters in the cast, but I’ll just use victor for now as a point of comparison.

Yuuri: he’s Japanese, obviously. He has many prototypical japanese features (black hair, brown eyes, shorter legs etc). His looks are virtually never commented on by anyone in the story, and when they are it is most often in a negative light, though it is mentioned his skating is beautiful. Victor: he’s russian. he has straight-up silver hair and really bright, somewhere-between-blue-and-turquoise eyes. uh... this is... normal for russians..? he is universally acknowledged in canon as, at the very least, distractingly good looking, causing heart attacks and fainting spells all around him with but one wink.

point is victor looks like an anime character, and yuuri looks like a real person, comparatively.

however, the MOST IMPORTANT feature of yuuri’s design is how dramatically he can change his look and still be recognizable as himself.

Like...??!?!

ok yeah this is obvious, I know it is, because I know every single one of us had A Reaction when yuuri turned on the eros for the first time. After inching closer and closer to a nervous breakdown for the first 3 episodes, we get nice and comfortable in our perception of what yuuri’s character type is; then the Onsen On Ice event comes and he suddenly does a 180 and becomes Sexy Confidence Personified for 2 minutes on the ice. I’m thinking woah, this is the fabled Gap Moe, where a character’s seemingly predominant personality traits are contradicted in certain situations. The gap moe only works because we love to be surprised, which just happens to be a recurring theme in YOI. :O 

But yoi handled characterization really well and sidestepped a number of oft-tread tropey paths for most of the characters. Especially Yuuri. The series portrays him as having a wide range of feelings, motivations, and reactions to things. He is revealed more and more to be a really complex, real-feeling person. The expressiveness of his design, and his ability to transform visually in so many different ways (there are so many different variations of his design! his body goes through physical changes as well as his changes of attitude physically changing his design. is this why he has 3 different nendoroids already...?) reinforces the wide range of his personality as well. His well-written character and carefully-designed outward appearance work together to express a really believable person, who is capable of surprising us with his depth episode after episode.

So, think of yourself as Victor, for a moment. The first time he sees yuuri, he arguably doesn’t even recognize him as a skater, from looking at him. Nothing special, probably just a fan, of which he has and has-seen zillions. Victor, like the viewer, comes to appreciate yuuri by experiencing his depths over time, learns how he works and how to exist successfully alongside him, and eventually comes to really capital-L Love him. As the viewer, speaking for myself, I found myself developing my feelings for this character at much the same trajectory as victor: over time, and in response to his gradually-revealed depths. My first impression was indeed of a shy, plain, regular-ass guy. I was like “oh looks like Hiramatsu re-used Parasyte Guy again” (which, lol, joke’s on me: Parasyte Guy is also designed with versatility of his look in mind). That’s all you get when you see a person for the first time. Just an impression based entirely on how they look. It is completely purposeful that he looks pretty regular in the beginning, to the viewer and to victor. Because it makes uncovering all the beautiful details SO much more enchanting.

it’s necessary for yuuri to come off as plain in the beginning, because how else will we feel that sweet, sweet surprise when he brings the Eros all of a sudden?

I think, as viewers, we fall in love with yuuri just as victor does. As we accumulate knowledge of his personality, little things about him start to take on beauty you probably wouldn’t have noticed as keenly at first. It’s what can take you from:

“This is a pretty cute anime-smile”

to:

*PRINCE’S I WOULD DIE 4 U BLARING AT 100000000 DECIBELS*

I’d argue it’s appropriate to call yuuri “plain-looking”. He looks like a regular person (well, caveat: he looks like a regular figure skater. that’s the only explanation for his ass) His magnetism is not in blinding, fae-like beauty like Victor’s or Yuri P’s. The effect of his confidence is never as obvious on him as it is one someone like JJ, with his near-permanent smirk and half-lidded eyes. the appeal of his eros isn’t like Chris’ overt, exaggerated sexuality with full lips, bright eyes, and prominent eyelashes. He never even really fits into the Eros costume perfectly. it’s never skin-tight on him. It is even, technically, a borrowed costume. But while not really fitting his body, it grows more becoming on him as he brings more and more of his genuine feelings into his performance.

(as an aside: one of the only times a character outright calls yuuri himself beautiful, it’s Victor, and yuuri is wearing his free skate costume, designed for a routine that expresses yuuri’s own emotions and development of himself. a.k.a.: symbolizes everything I’m talking about here lol)

Yuuri’s beauty is never JUST about how he looks, because that’s not how his character was constructed in the first place. Our impression of him is crafted carefully over the course of the series, using his character design and character writing in tandem with eachother. It is through Yuuri that the show’s recurring theme of Surprise is delivered, as yuuri continuously surprises his audience, himself, Victor, and us as viewers. Just because he is indeed “plain-looking”, doesn’t mean he isn’t also so, so beautiful. Yuuri’s beauty flows out gently from within him and manifests in response to learned facets of his personality. His smiles are so beautiful because you’ve seen him in his worst panic. His eros is so mesmerizing because you’ve seen how hard he’d struggled to access it, because you know what honest feelings he tapped into to release it; alluring, because you realize the shy, plain dude from the beginning is just the top layer. Every Yuuri we see is an honest yuuri, it’s all recognizably him, and the variety and surprise as you watch him open up to you and you begin to piece all these visions of Yuuri together into a cohesive picture of his character... is what leads you to fall in love with him, and see him as beautiful. Much like what drew victor to fall in love with him, and see him as beautiful. Much like how a real person might fall in love with a real person, and come to find their beauty as well. 

Very few of us are like Victor Nikiforov, Instantly Stunning With A Chin So Perfect It Could Fell A God. Most of us are Katsuki Yuuris, overlooked by 99.9999% of people on the street, but whose beauty waits to be seen by someone who wants to look close enough. 

so anyway I guess this is why I’M not completely sold on fics and stuff where victor is immediately all hummina-hummina over him. I just feel like that skips over the most interesting angle of Yuuri himself, and imo it’s just plain less interesting to read about a relationship where BOTH sides are smoking hot in much the same way...? There’s something really interesting to me in acknowledging something is plain but finding it absolutely beautiful in its simplicity at the same time. Somehow reminded I heard of a fic where kissing was described as, instead of sweet or fiery or melting, “tastes like mouth”. That’s just... so memorable and wonderful to me, lol.

this sort of bleeds into a thing I’ve been thinking about writing on designing sets of characters anyway, ideas about contrasting the designs against eachother and using a character design to subvert expectations later on down the line. related, but eh. it’s why I latch so hard onto the idea that yuuri can be considered genuinely plain AND beautiful AND sexy all at the same time, just cause... that’s the kind of effect I’ve been trying to achieve in my characters for a long time XD

Anyway that was a ramble, ty for reading, yuri on ice saved my soul goodnight

[mitesandmen]

7/8 - The Road South, Orland

I wrenched myself out of bed at 6 am. Getting an early start always sounds better the night before. I was trying to meet my first contact that evening, so I had to make some serious headway. I threw together a quick breakfast, and double-checked the packing list. All set. Gas for the car, coffee for me, and we hit the road. 

The drive south from Oregon is breathtaking. Out of the fertile Willamette valley, through thick summer storm clouds and rolling fields of rye, and over soft pine-covered mountains. Numerous junkyards put the mangled and rusting corpses of careless vehicles on morbid display. Another semi passes a logging truck losing speed on a steep and winding climb, and trailing mustang has to can it for the fifth time. This explains the junkyards. California greets you with the gap-toothed smile of wildfire-scarred mountains. Scraggly plants cling to the hillsides anywhere there’s water to be had. Everything is in sepia-tone: brushy, brown, or burnt. The bright flashes from perpetually sunlit roofs dwindle, giving way to craggy wilderness. A DOT road sign proclaims, “Welcome to California,” but a white-washed barn is quick with a correction: “The State of Jefferson.” 

Mt. Shasta leaps out from behind a turn, standing guard over the broad valley as you plunge out of the wilderness into the agricultural heart of the state. You know you’re near Redding once you start sweating. As you descend further, you collide with the heat like a wall. The speed limit jumps to a frenetic 70MPH and aggressive drivers begin pouring in from the onramps. Ominous signs read “Speed Limit Enforced by Aircraft.” Apparently the other drivers aren’t so concerned about a strafing run or drone strike, so you slip quietly into the right lane. Mattress stores and used car lots announce the return of civilization. 

I found Orland, after much searching, tucked neatly in an orchard spanning several counties. The town has an instant charm, and seems to have been passed over when the spirit of consumerism transformed America into one great strip mall (from sea to shining sea). The outlying land is flat as a table and neatly lined with olive and almond trees. These lines are crisscrossed by majestic concrete canals and cracking, sunbaked highways. I never saw a speed limit sign, but the classic cars bearing down in my rearview mirror kept me safely above 60. I stopped in a shady orchard to change my drenching garments and prepare for my first meeting. 

My first contact is named Russel. Hidden in his own corner of the endless orchard, he runs a huge beekeeping operation. Crews were just unloading pickups and clocking out as I arrived. The exhausted workers didn’t pay me any mind as I pulled in. The smell hit me immediately, stirring up memories (as that sense always does) of my own exhausting days working for Dirk. “Bee-smell” is something every beekeeper learns: harsh smoke, salty pheromone, and sweet honey. Powerful, musty, and not all together unpleasant.

Russel met me in his mercifully air-conditioned office. Original artwork and awards decorated the walls. “Young Beekeeper of the Year” from the State of California (or Jefferson, whichever it may be). He was kind, quick-witted, and helpful. His attention was diverted every few moments as he answered texts, chatted with employees as they clocked out, and drew up the next mornings’ plans on a whiteboard. His desk was covered in neon sticky notes, but otherwise immaculately clean. He had a habit of pausing after (largely rhetorical) questions, waiting to see if I could follow his train of thought, piece together hints, and make the logical leap required to ascertain an answer. Or maybe he’s just fond of watching people squirm under the pressure of an unfair riddle. Like most beekeepers, Russel worries about Varroa over all else. According to him, stressed and failing hives (often with heavy mite loads) usually abscond before total collapsed. Every novice beekeeper who has kept a hives for a few years will at some point run into the mysterious disappearance of a purportedly strong hive. Usually, signs of weakness are difficult to detect (viral infection, for instance) and the bees—more attuned to this peril than their shepherds-- jump ship instead of waiting to die. Searching for greener pastures, they are often accepted into neighboring healthy hives. While they think they’re accepting fresh recruits, the bees are really letting a horde of stowaway mites in their front door. This contributes to the exchange and spread of mite infestations from hive to hive. Less vigilant beekeepers act as breeding grounds and distribution centers for Varroa, leading to other healthy and well-treated hives becoming infected despite their owner’s best practices.

Unlike most beekeepers, Russel doubts the purported development of Amatraz resistance--instead blaming lazy beekeepers and improper usage for its decreased efficacy. If applied during times of brood-rearing, most mites are safe inside the cells of young bees, and the arachnicide becomes largely harmless. Additionally, the chemical has been effective for nearly 25 years, without showing signs of lowered efficacy until very recently. All the same, Russel is searching for other treatment options, starting with a test run of formic acid this season. 

I’m staying the night in an unexpectedly comfortable RV park outside of Orland. After my long visit with Russel, I barely made it to the front desk before closing. Moments later, I was entitled to a bit of grass to pitch a tent, free WiFi, showers, and an honest-to-God swimming pool. Chicken over a propane grill is my reward for more than 400 miles of progress. This is the Californian luxury I’ve been dreaming of. 

Russel left me with the locations of a few yards to collect samples in (starting bright and early), and the numbers of three new beekeepers. I’ve already established contact with one and am planning a trip to visit him in the bay. I wasn’t originally planning on heading that far south, but the chance to collect samples from a large urban environment seems too good to pass up. As I’ve been told, San Francisco is well worth the visit. However, I have a few more stops on my journey down I-5. 

429 miles from home

Tomorrow, I’ll be heading to Willows looking for a man called Moe

[recentanimenews]

Bookshelf Briefs 10/24/19

Ao Haru Ride, Vol. 7 | By Io Sakisaka | Viz Media – Somehow I missed reviewing the sixth book, and may have missed reading it as well. In any case, things aren’t going well for our lead couple, which is suffering from the usual miscommunication drama that infects shoujo series like this. Indeed, it infects the rest of the cast as well, and so we have Kou’s brother getting in trouble for seemingly having an affair… with Futaba. It’s not what it seems. But it does inspire Shuko, who was terrified about what would happen to her crush, to confess to him. Fortunately, he’s a good teacher, so rejects her. We’re also getting some setup for a beta couple, which I think I would enjoy more if it wasn’t so obvious. This was a good volume, but I’ve grown to expect great from this series, and it wasn’t that. – Sean Gaffney

Cats of the Louvre | By Taiyo Matsumoto | Viz Media – I expected it would only be a matter of time before Cats of the Louvre was licensed, but I was initially a little surprised that Viz was the company bringing it over—up until this point, every volume of the “Louvre Collection” (including Hirohiko Araki’s Rohan at the Louvre and Jiro Taniguchi’s Guardians of the Louvre) has been released by NBM Publishing. But, on the other hand, Viz has been Matsumoto’s primary publisher in English. Viz has done a beautiful job with the release if Cats of the Louvre, combining both volumes of the Japanese edition into a single, hardcover omnibus. In part, the narrative follows a declining colony of cats that lives in the hidden corners of the Louvre and the humans that come into contact with it. Both Matsumoto’s storytelling and artwork are atmospheric, magical, and melancholic. But while there’s some darkness to the work, there’s also hope. – Ash Brown

Hakumei & Mikochi: Tiny Little Life in the Woods, Vol. 7 | By Takuto Kashiki | Yen Press – I think we’ve now caught up with Japan, so expect more of a gap before the next volume of this. Till then, we see our not-a-couple couple use bird mail delivery, get taken advantage of by local doctors, have troublesome friends over for the night, wait in a very long line for food that may not live up to the line, etc. Easily the best chapter is also the most serious, as an old mentor of Hakumei’s dies and sends her a final sake bottle, which she and Mikochi wander all over to try to drink quietly before Mikochi finally moves on so Hakumei can grieve a bit. This is always going to be the sort of series where “we couldn’t buy the cups” is gripping drama, but that’s why it has its fans. – Sean Gaffney

Himouto! Umaru-chan, Vol. 7 | By Sankakuhead | Seven Seas – Is this the end of the superdeformed Umaru? Well, no, but it makes for a nice change of pace, as Umaru realizes that she’s been hanging out with friends normally for a while, and wonders if she can admit to them her big secrets—both her slothful little self, and also her masked gamer. The message turns out to be “don’t rush growing up,” which is a bit disappointing but not surprising given this has like five more volumes to go. We also see the “rival” girl again, and she turns out to also be connected to this extended family in an oblique way. Unfortunately, emphasizing the similarities between her and Umaru works a bit TOO well—sometimes I can’t tell them apart. This is the definition of moe cuteness. – Sean Gaffney

Magus of the Library, Vol. 2 | By Mitsu Izumi | Kodansha Comics – The main selling point for this series is present and correct—it is gorgeous, and rivals Witch Hat Atelier for the prettiest manga in Kodansha’s stable right now. The main plot involves a somewhat older Theo setting out to take the Kafna test, despite the fact that it’s a job, much like “librarian” is here, seen as being for women. He’s joined by a young woman who seems to tick off every single box in the “easily flustered love interest” box, to the point where I actually found her a bit annoying. The series sure does love its books, though, and also loves its grueling three-day-long test, which is known to break many of its participants. Can Theo pass? If you guessed “I bet we find out in Book Three,” you’re right. – Sean Gaffney

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, Vol. 6 | By Hideyuki Furuhashi, Betten Court, and Kohei Horikoshi | VIZ Media – With the departure of Master, Vigilantes seems to be settling in for the long haul. Koichi discovers two new applications for his powers, which leads him to engage villains in ways he really shouldn’t, though this comes in handy when he helps Aizawa take on another enhanced Trigger user. In fact, there is lots of Aizawa in action, which I appreciate, as well as an example of how effectively Midnight’s powers work in the field when she goes undercover to figure out who is dosing young men with the drug. Meanwhile, there’s a mysterious speedster lurking about who easily dispatches the villain that Aizawa and Koichi struggled with. This prequel really seems to be coming into its own and I find myself increasingly captivated by it! – Michelle Smith

Mythical Beast Investigator, Vol. 2 | By Keishi Ayasato and Koichiro Hoshino | Seven Seas – Last time I called this very readable but extremely forgettable. The two qualities invert in this second and final volume, as the “twist” that happens halfway through the book is rather startling, but I don’t really like the way that it’s handled, which seems confusing and probably reads better in the novel this is based on. The focus, appropriately, changes over to Kushuna, the grumpy rabbit demon accompanying Ferry on her journeys, and we see how they originally met and how he was won over to her side. But… ergh, I don’t want to spoil the twist, but let’s just say I disliked it and leave it at that. On the bright side, I’m very glad the series ends with the second volume. – Sean Gaffney

Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle, Vol. 9 | By Kagiji Kumanomata | Viz Media – The bulk of this volume is given over to the demon castle’s Summer Festival, which naturally Syalis is SUPER EXCITED for, despite meaning that outsiders might actually notice she has the run of the place. With that in mind, she does a café (well, haunted house was taken) which features her, as a hostage in big fake handcuffs, begging for food. It’s brilliant and also hilarious. We get a beauty pageant, which Syalis manages to lose despite seemingly being a shoo-in, as well as the final bonfire, which she sleeps through, much to her horror. The rest of the book is just as funny, and while the gags aren’t original they arrive with precision timing. This remains a fantastic comedy manga. – Sean Gaffney

That Blue Sky Feeling, Vol. 3 | By Okura and Coma Hashii | VIZ Media – I reckon some people are going to be disappointed by the ending of That Blue Sky Feeling, in that Noshiro and Sanada are not yet formally dating, but if one looks only at the change in Sanada, then it’s a satisfying ending indeed. Probably because of his experience being accepted by Noshiro, when Sanada’s long-time friend Ayumi asks whether he likes boys, he tells her the truth. And when Noshiro starts going out with a girl, it’s Ayumi who knocks some sense into Sanada, telling him that his feelings do matter in this situation. After Noshiro ditches his date to hear what Sanada has to say, it’s confession time and it looks like the feelings may be mutual. But what really stands out to me is Sanada’s face there at the ending—happy and at peace. His love was not rejected! I hope we get more Okura in the future. – Michelle Smith

Tomo-chan Is a Girl!, Vol. 5 | By Fumita Yanagida | Seven Seas – Beta couple Carol and Misaki get the main focus in this book, though they aren’t actually a couple. Carol seems to be waiting for Misaki to take the lead, and he just isn’t doing that—though seeing her and Misuzu threatened by some punks turns on his inner rage, as the cover art shows. As for Carol, once she finds that Misaki is trying to get stronger by spending time with Tomo at her father’s dojo, Carol suddenly finds herself jealous—and decides to do something about it by seemingly seducing Jun. Of course, she’s not really doing this, but it does serve to show off Jun’s paralyzing fear of intimacy, and also possibly the sexiest “rawr!” in all of manga ever. I love this series. – Sean Gaffney

The Wize Wize Beasts of the Wizarding Wizdoms | By Nagabe | Seven Seas – After a wizard named Wizdom bestowed the shape and intellect of humans upon beasts, the demi-human tribes built a grand academy. The Wize Wize Beasts of the Wizarding Wizdoms is a collection of BL short stories set at that school. I must say… as a major fan of Nagabe’s The Girl from the Other Side, I thought I’d like this more. Some stories are charming, like “Mauchly & Charles,” in which a human is clearly in love with his bear friend, but others are darker, like “Doug & Huey,” in which a crow sabotages his peacock pal’s efforts to find a girlfriend so that he can remain closest to him, or “Alan & Eddington,” in which the latter brews a love potion intending to make out with the former and leave him with no memory of their encounter. I was expecting more whimsy, I think. – Michelle Smith

By: Ash Brown

[recentanimenews]

FEATURE: Aniwords – What's the Deal with Kemono Friends?

  I did not plan to watch Kemono Friends when this season started. To be more accurate, I didn't even know Kemono Friends was an anime that I could be watching. Having trimmed my simulcast watching schedule to a few hopeful new shows and a sequel or two ahead of the season's start, I wasn't even paying enough attention to the announcements or the upcoming anime charts to know that what would become the Japanese anime fandom's biggest anime of Winter 2017—a moe animal girls show based off of a defunct mobile game rendered in exceedingly poor CG—even existed. But here we are. A week ago, it was reported that the first episode of Kemono Friends had surpassed 1.2 million views on popular Japanese streaming site Nico Nico Douga. When I checked the count shortly before this post went live, that number had swollen to over 2 million.

  In the English speaking fandom, Kemono Friends has had a much more muted impact—but with even the official Crunchyroll Twitter account professing its love for the show, viral Japanese fanart crossing language barriers, and the small group of devoted Kemono Friends followers (Kemono Friends friends, you might call them) slowly growing in number, it seems the show may be destined for higher mountains than just the one where the Japari Cafe is located.

  For those who have only heard about Kemono Friends via hearsay—or who haven't heard about it at all—the fuss about this show may be quite mystifying. And, to some extent, the confusion is justified, because on the surface Kemono Friends doesn't have a lot to recommend it besides some very pretty backgrounds. But, having seen the first three episodes of the show, my impression of Kemono Friends is that the secret to its charm is not necessarily what we see on the surface (although that's definitely part of it), but what we don't see. And it's what we don't see and what not seeing it does to us that makes watching Kemono Friends such a strangely engrossing experience.

すごーい！

    But first, a quick introduction to Kemono Friends for those of you yet uninitiated! The basic premise of the show is that a young girl finds herself in the middle of a savanna with no knowledge of who she is. She soon after encounters an anthropomorphized Serval cat, who inquires about what kind of animal the young girl is. Upon learning that the girl knows neither her name nor identity, Serval dubs her Bag-chan (after the backpack she carries), tells her that they are in a large area called Japari Park, and proposes they journey to the park's library to figure out what kind of animal Bag-chan is. Thus the adventure begins!

  With this knowledge in hand, we can now turn our attention to describing the experience of watching the season's biggest sleeper hit. Although the plot summary above promises excitement in the form of adventure, Kemono Friends has more in common with the slice-of-life episodes of Dog Days (another anime featuring a bunch of cute girls with animal ears and tails) than it does with Fullmetal Alchemist. Aside from a short encounter with a mysterious monster called a Cerulean in the premiere, the majority of the show's runtime thus far has been spent dealing with the small problems that arise during Bag-chan and Serval's journey. Along with the Friends they meet along the way, they overcome challenges like crossing a river, charging a battery, and making a mountaintop cafe more visible to flying visitors.

    As far as the characters go, nearly all of their (very simplistic) dialogue is focused on their immediate situations (as is fitting for a cast of animals), with only the inventive and curious Bag-chan occasionally asking questions that go beyond basic engagement with the current Friend or problem. And, as they are the lenses through which we the audience experience Japari park, the characters' focus becomes our focus. It's a common device that many such shows utilize to direct audience investment—for example, Nick Creamer's latest article on Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid explains how it's the everday concerns of its characters that define the show's focus—but in Kemono Friends this technique has another effect as well.

  Despite the fact that the characters are mostly concerned only with what's in front of them, there are hints here and there that something else lurks beneath the peaceful exterior of Japari Park. The presence of the Ceruleans, the hints dropped that the anthropomorphized Friends used to be just regular animals, the existence of Japari Park's areas and their diverse climates, and the presence of rundown signs and vehicles seem like they should be pointing to some kind of unusual past for the park, but Bag-chan and her companions are far too busy naively ooing and aahing at what they encounter on their adventure to pay much heed to such things. For them, these details are merely interesting facts of their universe—but for those of us who live outside of it, they stand out in contrast to the moe slice-of-life stylings of the Friends' meandering adventures.

  The cumulative effect of this dichotomy between the anime's focal point (the Friends' adventures) and the unacknowledged but ever-present specter of its unexamined setting is a rather curious one.

    When learning how to draw, new artists are often taught about a concept called "negative space," a term which refers to the space around and between the defined physical presence of the image's subject. For example, let's say you're drawing a coffee pot. The negative space in the image might be the air between the spout and the body of the pot, or the circular gap you can see through the pot's handle. In drawing classes, negative space is often used by teachers as a way of breaking down students' preconceived perceptions of how the object they're drawing is; by drawing the negative space, which they don't consciously recognize, they end up creating the actual object. Negative space is powerful because it implies and defines the meaning of the object—although what that meaning really is isn't always clear, as the famous optical illusion known as Rubin's Vase (two faces or a vase?) demonstrates.

  My viewing of first three episodes of Kemono Friends left me with a feeling similar to that of viewing Rubin's Vase. The show—not just visually, but in terms of overall content—is defined as much by the "negative space" within it, the gaps of seeming nothingness as anything else. In a post documenting the response to the show on Japanese social media, some of the wild theories that are being developed about it, and the role of social media in making the show a hit, one blogger even proposed that its script might be called "contentless," a description I feel is apt given the comfortable non-conflicts that make up each episode's story. It's all just so remarkably unremarkable that you can't help but notice all the nothing that's happening.

      But what's left in all that space between the uneventful proceedings of the plot is room for a feeling of discomfort and uncertainty to grow. Because so little occupies so much of Kemono Friends, the feeling that there must be more persists. There's probably a good case that such a "more" doesn't exist within the show, but at the same time that the logical brain recognizes there's nothing more to the show than a bunch of CG anime girls with ears talking endlessly about how "fun!" and "interesting!" everything is, a mention of something taken for granted by the show's characters but unexplained to the audience or a shot that seems to warn that something out there is watching our dear Friends on their adventures reignites the feeling that the negative space isn't completely empty. Or, rather, it demands that we fill it with meaning. And it doesn't matter whether Kemono Friends intends any of this or not; the mere presence (or non-presence) of these elements is enough.

  The philosopher in me supposes all this might speak of some deep truth about humanity. About an innate need to create meaning out of the things we encounter, just as Serval and the other Friends seek to understand and make sense of their meetings with the creations of mankind. About how the negative space of existence implies with inexorable force upon us that it all has to mean something. Maybe our fascination with this seemingly inane and shoddily produced anime is an indicator of a deep human desire for substance in an ephemeral world. Just as Bag-chan seeks meaning by searching for the kind of animal she is, so we too search for meaning in Kemono Friends. Maybe we need to find out what kind of animal we are.

  Or maybe we've all just got a little too much time on our hands. Have too much on yours? Give Kemono Friends a try.

  -----

Isaac eases his compulsive need to write about anime on his blog, Mage in a Barrel. He also sometimes hangs out on Tumblr, where he mainly posts his drawing practice as he seeks to become a renowned idol and robot fanartist. You can follow him on Twitter at @iblessall or on Facebook.

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com