#Sorry i have a lot of feelings about this silly anime and I'm forever burdened with the knowledge that my special guy was shafted

[snubbullls]

Being a fan of an older show that has basically no community is torture

Being a fan of a side character in that show is even worse

Being a fan of that side character when all 4 pieces of fanart that exist of him are white washed makes me want to rip my leg off and beat someone with it

[theclearblue]

Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before.....Thanks...

I have, but luckily I enjoy gushing about some of my favorite characters aksjdklkgl so I'm happy to answer again! Last time I just listed some but this time I'll 1. Do a limit of one per series and 2. Give an actual description of why I love them. Also I'm so sorry this will be mostly animanga characters just because these characters stick in my head easier for some reason? My memory is truly awwwwful. (Also also this is by no means a definitive list or order, just some that I really really like).

Zoro (One Piece)

I feel like I've talked a fair length about Sanji and Robin and why I love them so much, but I have a little bit of a difficult time with Zoro. Fun fact before I started watching one of the few things I knew was that he was a fan favorite an was determined that I wouldn't like him that much, he's the "cool and badass and broody" one and I thought he was gonna be the kind of character similar to Megumi (JJK) or maybe Bakugou (MHA) both who I like but it's not favorite archetype. But then I realized. He's just a Guy. a Silly Guy. My man is stupid in such interesting and unique ways ajfdklsl. But what I REALLY love about his character is , yeah, he is kind of broody and reserved, but it seems more like a burden he puts on himself in order to protect the people he loves rather than a true reflection of himself. He cares SO much about the people that he loves and it's clear to me that his greatest fear is not being strong enough to protect them. His "I need to get stronger" attitude honestly seems to stem a looot from his anxieties and maybe even trauma around losing Kuina at such a young age. Ok I could talk forever about him and it's actually not difficult to pin down why I love him but I'll end it there.

2. Kenjaku (JJK)

I've kind of built a bubble within my online presence where I don't really see the vitriol, but I know this is REALLY not a popular opinion, and a lot of people are confused as to why I really like them (biggest offender is my sister who gives me shit for this constantly lmao). And I get it! Kenjaku is genuinely vile in what they have done (particularly as Kamo Noritoshi) and what they're trying to do with the merger. By all means he shouldn't (isn't) supposed to be likeable. But they REALLY captured my attention when I caught up to JJK back in August and read the Culling Games arc in full. For starters, silly guy, and I love silly guys (see above example). They're pretty unique where they fall into this "mad yet cold scientist" trope but...they're playful? They're genuinely excited about sorcery and will be kind of annoying where, for the life of them, they CANNOT read the room that everyone just doesn't care or actively hates them (which makes me a little sad honestly lol)? Little bits of information were just constantly intriguing (their relationship to Tengen, being a foil to Yuki, and not to even start on them being Yuji's mom). What really cemented it for me was the Takaba vs. Kenjaku fight though. Kenjaku before this seems driven to keep going for scientific curiosity, but it's clear to me that they're bored, disappointed, and even seem depressed a little bit ("And yet...there must be more to human potential"). But then Takaba comes along. And they honestly have an instant connection while also pushing each other in ways nobody has before. Isn't that insane on Kenjaku's part? They've been alive for over 1000 years!! They find someone who understands them, they might be enemies but they are a duo. Gahhh I could talk about Kenjaku forever they have so many layers and they just fascinate me SO much.

3. Yona (Yona of the Dawn)

One of my favorite protagonists of all time, without a doubt. And I didn't even like her in the beginning (you're not supposed to really). At the beginning of the series, she's honest to god, a spoiled brat. She whines, she complains, she's incredibly weak and takes people for granted. But good god, this is one of the best character arcs I have ever seen in my life. When her entire world is thrown upside down and she's betrayed by her childhood best friend, and has to go on the run with Hak, she just matures and grows into herself so beautifully. She travels around her kingdom for the first time and sees the complexity of the situation where, yeah, she lost her father because of Soo-Won, and that hurts still, but she understands why because it becomes kind of clear that her father was pretty incompetent as a ruler. If I picked one character on this list that just has the best character development, Yona sweeps I'm sorry.

4. Killua (HxH)

Ugh this really should be both Gon and Killua but if I had to choose one it's Killua. Another great example of amazing character development. At the beginning he's already a fun character to watch, he's easygoing and quippy and just cool honestly. But with his upbringing as an assassin he's clearly not very...well adjusted to what a normal life looks like. He's raised to be a cold and ruthless killer and nothing more, and that's reflected in the Hunter exam arc when he swipes a guy's heart from his chest without a second thought. But then he meets Gon, and for the first time in his life he gets to just be a normal 12 year old boy? And as he goes on this adventure you can just see him become more human to the point he can't ever return to how he was at the beginning of the series. And to have that parallel with Gon (particularly in the Chimera Ant arc) where Gon is losing his humanity while Killua gains it?? UGH I want to give this kid a hug so bad I love him.

5. Riza Hawkeye (FMA)

On this list because she sent me into my first gay panic (at least, the first one I was consciously aware of LMAO). God, what a woman. She is incredibly hot but I do love her character as well. It's hard to talk about her without also talking about Roy (and vice versa) because they are just SO intertwined, but god if there were ever soulmates, it's maybe them. Just the level of respect and trust they have in each other is unlike anything I've ever seen, where they both are so haunted by their pasts but they keep each other going and are able to so easily rely on each other? Ugh they're just so amazing, and with Riza seeing how strong she is where her own father uses her to protect flame alchemy, and her just 100% trust in Roy to burn the tattoo?? Wowowowowow she just. She changed me.

6. Anatole (The Great Comet of 1812/War and Peace)

Ok so um. My big secret is that I'm a Musical person. I really don't talk about it much here lmao, but when I tell you I was like. Obsessed with the musical The Great Comet of 1812 for a solid two years that's no joke. Which is just. If you don't know a musical that adapts about 90 pages from the novel War and Peace (stick with me here). And my even bigger secret is that I'm obsessed with Anatole, who is the villain/antagonist. Um he's not even particularly deep I don't think, he just sucks. But he captured my heart by being a silly guy. This man is an arrogant piece of shit man but also kind of a coward, and him singing the line "Just as a duck is made to swim in water, God has made me as I am" to justify him cheating, I-...it changed something in me. Never before or after have I wanted to dissect a character's brain so much in my life. He's maybe the first silly villain that I just really loved lmao, maybe there's a Anatole -> Kenjaku pipeline (this pipeline only exists for me and no one else in this world).

7. Toph (Avatar the Last Airbender)

God choosing between Zuko and Toph was difficult for this entry, but I want to talk about Toph lmao. Just. What a unique and refreshing female character where I still think her writing is ahead of it's time. Just on the surface she's so fucking cool right. What an introduction where she's soloing all these musclehead earthbenders and putting grown men into the dirt. And such good representation of a disabled character where she's clearly not incapable and the things she can do well, she does really really well! But she is faced with the reality of needing help sometimes and she's not ashamed to ask for it, and I think there's this really good balance struck with her character between these two factors. I think she also just blends into the gaang seamlessly while also challenging them in new ways, and vice versa, and they really don't seem complete without her.

8. Eurydice (Hadestown)

Ok oooonnnnneee more musical character and this is definitely more justified lmao. Another big secret is that I love Greek mythology, was obsessed with it as a kid and still am. And Hadestown twisting the Orpheus and Eurydice story into this grim early 20th century industrialist/capitalist setting with jazz elements?? I'm a history major I'm such a BIG nerd for shit like this, and this is the best iteration of Eurydice to me. In the original myth, she gets sent to the underworld because a snake bites her, there isn't any agency to it, it's just bad luck essentially. In the musical, she CHOOSES to go down with Hades to the underworld, and that small thing does wonders for her character. She obviously loves Orpheus, but the fact is, she's going hungry and growing cold, and where before she would run away, she stayed for her love of Orpheus. And then Hades slips in to offer her food and shelter for the exchange of labor, and she leaves to the underworld, not realizing the colossal mistake she just made. She's such a flawed character but you understand why she makes the mistakes she does, and her character is just so incredibly human.

9. Mob (Mob Psycho 100)

This kiiiiiiid. God I love him. Apologies to Gojo but this is just the best instance of an "OP" character. This kid has busted ass psychic powers, powers that people literally worship. Unfortunately this doesn't save him from any of the horrors that middle school presents. He can't talk to his crush, he kinda sucks at sports, and he has little to no social skills. And on top of that he feels the need to suppress his emotions due to the consequences of his powers? GAHHH I just think Mob is maybe one of the relatable characters ever, you can be the best at something but that doesn't save you from the growing pains that being a teenager presents! And just his journey of self acceptance and kindness and love is so heartwarming to see, the way he resolves his insecurities throughout the series just healed something in me too.

10. Sophie Hatter (Howl's Moving Castle)

HMC isn't even my all time favorite Ghibli movie (top 3 though), but it's certainly the one I've gone back to the most and that's in large part due to Sophie. At the beginning of the movie, she certainly isn't in a bad place in life but there is this...melancholy? sadness? to her where it seems life is more happening to her and she has zero self esteem. When the curse is placed on her and then we can literally see her character journey and the ups and downs being reflected in her appearance, it's just so unique and realistic. It's so satisfying to see her start to actually live her life, to gain confidence in all of her various states, and how she helps both her new found family and how they help her as well. Another character where her development is just unmatched.

Thank you for sending this ask, I had a lot of fun rambling here <3

[imagine-loki]

I'm still breathing, Chapter 5

TITLE: I’m still breathing CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter 5 AUTHOR: fanficshiddles ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine a mutant has been living on the streets for years, until she is picked up by the Avengers. She’s taken to live with them so they can help her to discover what her powers are. Loki especially, takes an interest in her. The two become very fond of one another as they discover what her power is. RATING: M 

Sophie had daily lessons with Loki to improve her technique with using her knife. He also gifted her some of his throwing knives and taught her how to use them to their best effect.

Tony wasn’t sure he was happy with Sophie learning from Loki, but Natasha assured him it would be fine. They all hadn’t failed to notice that she and Loki seemed to have a bond forming. If they weren’t training together, they were in the library or eating in the kitchen.

Sophie was gaining some weight now that she was eating properly. She was admiring her body in the mirror one morning after her shower. She no longer had her ribs sticking out and she was starting to get more of a figure. Her face wasn’t sunken in like it used to be when she first arrived and her skin was glowing a healthy colour.

There was a knock on her door just after she finished getting dressed. It was Natasha and Wanda.

‘We are going into the city for some shopping. Want to come with us?’ Natasha offered.

‘Uhm… I don’t know.’ Sophie said anxiously.

She wasn’t sure if she wanted to leave the premises. It had been three months. She found it like a safe haven and the thought of leaving to go back into the city was a rather scary thought.

‘You can’t stay cooped up here forever. Come on, it will be fun.’ Wanda smiled.

Sophie bit her lower lip in thought, but she decided that she was right. She couldn’t stay cooped up forever. She nodded in agreement and grabbed a jacket from the wardrobe to put on. They all made their way downstairs to the garage where a car was waiting. It was similar to the one that Natasha had picked her up in. She froze just a few feet from it.

‘Sophie?’ Natasha looked concerned.

‘I… I can’t go, I just remembered I promised Loki I would train with him this morning. I’m sorry.’ Sophie spoke quickly and turned around, rushing back into the building.

Natasha and Wanda looked at one another, knowing full well that she was lying. But they didn’t go after her, not wanting to push her.

Sophie ran back to her room, when she got inside she found she was struggling to breathe. It took her a moment to get it back under control, to focus herself. She wasn’t entirely sure what was wrong with her, she never thought she would have an issue with leaving…

There was another knock on her door that made her jump and pulled her from her worrying thoughts.

‘Who is it?’ She shouted, her voice shaky.

‘It’s only me, poppet. Are you alright?’ Loki called back.

Sophie smiled a little. She really liked her new nickname that he had for her of late. She decided to let him in, save them from just shouting through the door. She was surprised to find that he looked genuinely concerned.

‘May I?’ He asked, motioning in.

‘Sure.’ Sophie nodded and let him in to her room.

‘I just saw a blurry of blue rushing by. What happened?’ He made himself comfy on the edge of her bed.

Sophie sighed. She knew that there was no point not telling Loki. He would also know if she lied and said everything was fine. Because it blatantly wasn’t, even a non-god of lies could see.

She sat down on the bed too as she explained what happened, with her freaking out in the garage.

‘It’s silly. But I feel that this is like my safe place. And I’m scared that if I leave… That I won’t get to come back. That it will have all just been a joke or something and I’ll be back out on the streets again.’ Sophie did her best to hold in her tears, she felt ridiculous, but she couldn’t help it. ‘I can’t end up back on the streets, Loki. I just can’t. Constantly looking over my shoulder thinking I’m going insane with paranoia. Constantly begging for food or money. Trying to sleep in the freezing cold. Getting beat up. Constantly being moved on by the police or harassed when I’m just trying to sleep or find some sort of comfort somewhere.’

Loki so desperately wanted to embrace her, to comfort her. He shuffled closer to her. ‘That will not happen, Sophie. I’ve told you before, you’re part of the family now. We all care about you. Nothing is going to change.’

‘But what if something happens to split the Avengers up. If there’s some sort of, I don’t even know.’ Sophie wiped her eyes, feeling stupid for crying. Especially on front of Loki.

‘Well, if there was, Thor and I would no doubt go back to Asgard. If I was allowed to return. And we would take you with us.’ Loki said as if it was such an obvious option. Sophie looked at him like he had two heads. ‘What?’ He asked at her look.

‘Why would you take me with you?’

‘Why wouldn’t I? I’m fond of you, Sophie. I highly doubt you’d see me taking Widow or Wanda back to Asgard.’ He chuckled. ‘But you and I, we are rather alike. Besides, you’re the only person I know aside from my mother to have such a love for books as I do… You will never end up back on the streets, I give you my word on that.’

‘It’s odd that the god of mischief and lies is more trustworthy and truthful than my own mother was.’ Sophie gave Loki a small smile.

‘Did she ever give you any kind of love?’

‘Nope. Said I was a burden to her. That the only reason she had me was because of the benefits she would get with having a baby.’ Sophie felt her stomach twist as she thought back to the many times she’d been told that.

Loki felt his heart sink for her. ‘My parents adopted me. I am not Thor’s biological brother. My real parents cast me out, left me to die. I was the runt of the litter, so to say. If Odin hadn’t found me I wouldn’t be here today.’

‘I’m sorry.’ Sophie saw the pain in Loki’s eyes when he told her.

‘Nothing to be sorry for. I feel it’s only fair that I share some of my past with you, as you are doing. I know it takes courage to trust someone enough to do so.’

Sophie looked down at the bed between them both. Loki’s hand was there, resting. She so desperately wanted to hold his hand. She wasn’t sure why, but she did. Just to feel someone’s touch.

Loki noticed her looking and it was as if he could read her mind. He turned his hand palm upwards, then just kept still and said nothing. As if she was a wild animal he was trying to gain the trust of. Sophie very slowly moved her hand closer to his and the tip of her fingers touched the side of his hand, but she quickly retracted again.

‘It’s ok, poppet.’ Loki whispered.

She tried again, this time she placed her hand on Loki’s and kept it there. Neither of them did or said anything for a minute, then Loki slowly brought his thumb up and rubbed across the back of her hand. To his delight, she didn’t retract her hand.

The feeling was overwhelming for Sophie, her skin tingled under his touch. Yet, she liked it. A lot.

Loki looked up and saw she had a tear rolling down her cheek. So he took another chance and carefully reached out to wipe it away with his thumb. She closed her eyes at the action and let out a breath. His touch was oddly very comforting.

‘Whenever I tried to get close to someone on the streets, they always ended up double crossing me. Stealing what I had or trying to hurt me. I learned not to trust anyone. But with you, it feels so different. It’s scary how much I feel I can trust you.’ Sophie opened her eyes again and saw Loki looking back at her with so much kindness in his eyes.

‘It doesn’t need to be scary, Sophie. You can trust me. I won’t ever let you down.’ He promised. His thumb was still moving slowly across the back of her hand. ‘I struggled to let people get too close to me too. It didn’t help that growing up I felt like I was in Thor’s shadow. Though it makes sense now when I found out my true heritage, that I was adopted. It’s only been the previous few years that I’ve learned to accept myself for who I am, that I’ve found some peace.’

‘Your true heritage? Are you not Asgardian?’

‘No. I am known as a Jotun. Or a frost giant. As kids in Asgard, we are told stories of the monsters. To fear them. It was difficult coming to terms that I am the monster that kids are told about, I still do not think I am quite there yet.’ He said sadly.

‘You’re not a monster. Even if you had ten tentacles and warts all over you, you’re not a monster. I’ve met true monsters out on the streets. You are not one of them.’

Loki frowned, wanting to ask more. Sophie saw that look and sighed slightly. She took her hand back and placed it in her lap with her other hand. Feeling nervous again.

‘When I was new on the streets, I thought everyone wanted to help. They seemed so kind at first. One man took me to his home. Said I was welcome to stay. I thought my luck had finally started. But he only had one thing in mind… He tried to rape me. I still don’t know how I managed to get away before he hurt me, but I did. I wasn’t even of age at that point. Worse, he was a policeman, supposed to protect people. Stupidly, I let myself get into more trouble a year later. A girl a few years older than me took me to where she stayed, it was under a bridge and sheltered. There were around five of us, kind of like a camp. I again thought my luck was in, being in a group should be safer. But they turned on me. In my sleep they attacked me, injected me with a bunch of crap drugs, I couldn’t get away. They claimed they wanted to check that the new drugs were safe to use. Well, they weren’t. I nearly died from the overdose, was rushed to hospital as luckily for me a passer-by found me unconscious on the ground. Of course at the hospital they didn’t believe me when I told them it was all forced upon. They thought I had just tried to overdose. That’s where all the marks on my arms came from. Then I found Alexa, the girl I told you about when I was 17, I had sworn to myself I wouldn’t ever trust anyone again. But there was something different about her and my gut feeling was right for that one time. Since then, there’s not been anyone I’ve trusted enough… Till you and the others.’

Loki had been listening to her story intently. He couldn’t believe what she’d been through. And he knew that there would still be more to her past, it broke his heart and made him equally angry that people would take advantage of such a young girl on the streets. She had no one and that made her trust people she shouldn’t have. She’d been incredibly vulnerable out there.

‘It’s no wonder you have trust issues, poppet. I am so sorry for what you’ve been through.’

‘It’s not your fault. But, they are the monsters. Not you.’

‘I will be sure to remember that in my darker moments. Thank you.’ Loki smiled. ‘I am amazed with how you survived through all of that trauma along with living on the streets.’

‘Whether it was luck or something else, I don’t know. But, I’m still here. I’m still breathing.’ She shrugged.

‘I never realised how bad it was living on the streets.’ Loki admitted. ‘Then again, Thor and I didn’t realise there was such a thing. But even supposing, to think about the dangers you were in.’

‘There’s a lot of drunks, junkies, thugs, muggers, rapists out there… Then there’s some that are just trying to survive, like myself. But it’s knowing who to trust, as anyone could turn on you when it comes to money or possessions. That’s why I found it was best to just stay on my own. In some of my darker moments I found myself doing things I regret, just to survive. Though I don’t blame the ones that turn to alcohol or drugs, cause let’s face it, being out of your mind for a while is better than living in the real life out there.’

Loki’s mind was reeling with everything that she had just told him. He couldn’t believe it. He was really struggling to come to terms with what she had been through in her short life.

After repeating his words that she had nothing to worry about with being chucked out, he managed to persuade her to go with him to speak to the others about her concerns. That they weren’t as bad as they seemed, making her laugh.

So when Natasha and Wanda returned, a meeting was called. Sophie, with Loki at her side, told everyone why she was so worried about leaving the base. That she was struggling to come to terms that this was her home now.

‘Even if it turns out you don’t have powers that can be brought out, we aren’t going to chuck you out. You’re part of the family now, kid. You know too much of our secrets.’ Tony winked at her, making her laugh.

Natasha then spoke up. ‘And besides, I think Loki would throw a fit if you left. And he can be much worse than Bruce is when angry.’ She grinned.

Loki looked like a deer caught in the headlights. ‘I am not worse than him!’ He grumbled. ‘But yes, I would be most angry if that happened. Not that I would let that happen.’

Sophie blushed a little when she looked at him. But she did feel assured.

‘We won’t pressure you to go out, but know that when you do you will be coming back here when you want. Because this is your home now.’ Steve said with a kind smile.

‘Thank you. All of you.’ Sophie smiled, feeling reassured for once in her life.