#TOMOYO MY BELOVED

[shy-sapphic-ace]

I JUST FINISHED CARDCAPTOR SAKURA WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH NY LIFE NOW 😭💕

[shining-gem34]

Farewell Longing Firmly For Reunion

||Personally, this is my spite writing regarding Dan Heng reaction about Cloud-Piercer breaking. Also Dan Heng and Cloud-Piercer in general.

Song Inspiration/Drabble Title: Ado エルフ, Gentle Hands (ENG Ver.)- Tomoyo Mitami

HSR 3.0 Spoilers

Years before Dan Heng joined the Astral Express, he once heard a glass artisan say, “Anything that has a form will eventually break. If there is a beginning, there is an end.”

Those words struck something within him. They tug his heartstrings and turn into threads. The holes left in his soul and mind are being patched up by the stirrings of his emotions. They're forcing him to remember memories that should've remained forgotten. The past that was supposed to be washed is a rock refusing to be swallowed up by the ancient sea.

The clinking of their cups meet as the party toasts to another victory. They toast to another reunion after a long battle. They toast for better days to come. Their happiness, however memorable, is as brief as the leaf blown away by the storm.

Something breaks, and someone screams.

The glass artisan words remained with Dan Heng even after joining the Astral Express. There are times he will forget it between maintaining the data bank and exploring new planets. It is only when he takes care of Cloud-Piercer it will return. His hands polishing the spear will pause to ponder.

When he was exiled, Cloud-Piercer became his companion through the best and worst of his lonely wanderings. He did his best to maintain his weapon. To polish and sharpen the spear, Dan Heng learned from blacksmiths who admired the craftsmanship of it. The familiar motions, and their inquiries of its creator, brings forth blurred memories. Indistinct faces and arrogant voices discussing Cloud-Piercer makes his heart ache.

He does not remember the name of the man who crafted his spear.

Yet a single truth is seared into his soul.

The moment Cloud-Piercer was placed in his hands, Dan Heng knew it belonged to him. This spear is his, and no one shall ever take it away from him.

But he forgets his beloved spear is linked to a past he denies.

Throughout the short journey with Jingliu, Dan Heng ignores the anxiety gnawing in his stomach.

She is not Kafka whose honeyed voice is dripping with poison. Jingliu speaks gently like a winter breeze brushing against the sleeping dragon. Coaxing him to awake before she strikes and drags his head to look at the crimson skies. To force him to confront the past as she reminds him he cannot escape no matter what. Even if he covers his ears, her voice still reaches out to the depths of his soul.

“Combat is like smelting — purging the impurities with burning flames and exposing a person's true nature.” Jingliu states, her tone carrying a bittersweet note of nostalgia.

Behind her blindfold, Dan Heng can feel her piercing gaze on him as she asks.

“Those are the words of the one who made Cloud-Piercer for you. Do you remember?”

Amongst the burning sea and destruction, the High Elder can only hear his human heart shatter once again.

If anything has a form, then the body is also considered one.

Every form will break under pressure, and Dan Feng can feel the cracks forming since returning to the Luofu.

No, they were always there- he simply never acknowledged it.

Now, they’re spreading faster than what he can keep track of. Before Dan Heng realizes it, everything collapses and the ground under his feet gives out. He falls between the cracks, but his body falls apart rapidly. His hand reaching out for solid ground breaks into pieces and are swept up by merciless waters.

He opens his mouth to scream, but not a single sound comes out.

When Dan Heng sits up in the Archives with a gasp, he turns to Cloud-Piercer. His spear rests against the nearby wall. He takes a deep breath before outstretching his hand and in a moment, Cloud-Piercer appears on top of his palm. He holds it against and closes his eyes. Their solid weight keeps him anchored to reality, a soothing balm to his heart after a nightmare.

As his thoughts start to drift away, he can hear the pluckings of guzheng strings echoing in his dreams. Shortly, the thunderous clapping of the drums joins. The both of them moving in tandem with a certain craftsman humming.

So quietly, Dan Heng falls asleep to their lullaby echoing in his mind.

In the heat of the battle, Dan Heng charges forward with Cloud-Piercer in his hand.

As he faces the unknown swordsman in Amphoreus, the archivist watches the events unfold in slow motion. With a smile, the swordsman swings the Trailblazer bat and parries his spear. His absurd strength or the timing of his strike, or both, are more than enough to break Cloud-Piercer in two.

Teal eyes widened in surprise as the blade stabbed into the ground behind him.

The uneasiness he felt for the past few weeks has accumulated for this moment. Every nightmare he had, he brushed it off and moved on with his day shoving it in the back of his mind. After all, Cloud-Piercer has lived for more than seven hundred years. With diligent maintenance to keep it in pristine condition, why should Dan Heng believe it would be destroyed so easily when it has existed for so long?

How ironic he chose to remember the glass artisan words shortly after his spear broke.

“Anything that has a form will eventually break. If there is a beginning, there is an end.”

Fortunately, Phainon kept true to his word and recommended a craftsman capable of repairing Cloud-Piercer.

Dan Heng is no expert appraiser or engineer.

By observation alone, he can't find any faults in his spear. There is not a single crack where the pieces are melded. The welding is smooth with the material showing no signs of color variation. He takes a step back to make room to test his spear.

It is easy to fall into a rhythm of swinging and twisting the spear in his hands. There are no changes in its weight as far as he can tell.

Satisfied, he lowers his spear and nods to Chartonus, “Thank you, Sir Chartonus. And to you as well, Phainon.”

The Trailblazer beams and claps their hands together, “That's great, Dan Heng! Cloud-Piercer and Cold Dragon Young duo are back in action! We are sooo back to the ass kicking. I can see it now: Galactic Baseballer and Cold Dragon Young rising from the ashes! If only our Ice Queen was here with us to make it a trio…”

“Please act normal.” Dan Heng said bluntly. He's used to the Trailblazer antics, but they shouldn't be weirding out their acquaintances.

Chartonus remains impassive as ever. In contrast, Phainon looks amused and comments, “You both are really energetic. The day never gets boring with you two around.”

“Oh, you would get along with our other friends just great, Phainon! I just know it!” The Trailblazer said proudly, placing their hands on their hips.

Phainon responds with a smile and a nod of his head. A hint of something unknown flickers in his crystal blue eyes.

Soon, the Trailblazer was distracted by a shiny object in the forge. Led by their curiosity and instinctive need to investigate, they walked further inside. They weren't alone because Chartonus was keeping an eye on them to make sure they didn't break anything. Dan Heng can't help but shake his head fondly at his companion.

“Dan Heng.” Phainon calls out, placing a hand over his chest. His expression becomes sheepish as he says, “Again. I am sorry for any offense I've caused during our first meeting.”

“Your course of action was understandable, Phainon. If I were in your shoes, I would've done the same thing. I assure you, I am not offended or upset.” Dan Heng reassures him, because he finds it ridiculous to hold a grudge over something out of their control.

Still, the archivist's sense of Phainon wasn't entirely convinced. He looks almost like a kicked puppy he can't help but want to tease. However, he refrains and says instead, “You already repaid the debt by keeping your word and had my weapon repaired. That's more than enough for me.”

Those same crystal blue eyes look over him. Whatever Phainon found, and hopefully it's his sincerity, he relaxes and smiles, “Thank you, Dan Heng. I'm glad to have mended things between us.”

“As I said, what happened was neither of our faults- only circumstances. Besides…” Dan Heng can't resist being a little cheeky and adds, “...I am open to revisit our first meeting with a rematch, Phainon. Without the element of a beautiful surprise.”

To his delight, Phainon turns sheepish once more. There is no mistake the swordsman is flustered by the pink blush dusting his cheeks. He coughs lightly and excuses himself to talk to Chartonus about something. 

Dan Heng, radiating smugness, watches him retreat into the forge to talk to the craftsman. 

With his friend and acquaintances occupied, he takes a moment to look at his spear again. There is not a single mark to indicate it was broken previously. He does not doubt Chartonus skills, but a single question comes to mind.

“What would he think if he saw this?”

If he closes his eyes, he can hear the indignation in Yingxing's voice. The craftsman steadily grows louder between scolding him and grumbling about another craftsman touching his spear. He would take Cloud-Piercer from his hands and inspect it thoroughly. His violet crimson eyes scrutinize every detail to make sure the repair is done to his impossible standards.

If not, Yingxing might undo it himself and fix it to his standards.

And what would Dan Heng Feng do?

He stands to the side and observes the craftsman work. The dedication to his craft is unmistakable, so focused to the point he is humming once more. A passion so hot it's as if he's engulfed by the very flames of the forge itself. He can't stand to look away or else in a blink of an eye, there will only be ashes after the flames.

When Yingxing is done, he’ll return Cloud-Piercer to him. An arrogant smile on his handsome face, callous fingers gliding on the sharp edge of the spear, and a playful reminder that rouses the vindictive side of him. 

But Dan Heng sees another man overlapping Yingxing. The hunter who chased him throughout the stars. The ghost of his past who refuses to let him forget their sins. His beastly eyes look straight at him. A maniacal smile splits his face in half as he grabs Cloud-Piercer by the Blade. Uncaring of the fact he’s injuring his own hand, blood spills from the cuts and stains the spear crimson.

“This spear is sharp enough to pierce dragon scales. Be careful, High Elder, lest you hurt yourself with it.”

Opening his eyes, the illusion of bittersweet memories disappears. 

Unlike before whenever the dream ends, the urge to dig his claws into his skin until it bleeds is barely present. The need to tear off his own face and hide in a corner is not as strong as before. If there is anything he feels, it is only the hollowness in his chest accompanied by a yearning so powerful it will move the moon, the stars, and the sun. 

Shaking his head, Dan Heng banishes the thoughts away. This isn’t the appropriate time or place to drift away into nostalgia. 

Still, while the others are busy some feet away, he allows himself a moment to observe Cloud-Piercer again. The metal shines under the torch fires nearby but once again,he is impressed how there is not a single crack where it broke. 

The urgency of the situation since arriving in Amphoreus left little time for Dan Heng to think or feel. Now, he recalls the shock he felt seeing Cloud-Piercer break. A brief few seconds of heart-wrenching grief for a treasured companion, a legacy of his journey, and the most precious gift of a beloved. But then, he had to push such emotions aside and reassured the Trailblazer he would be fine. 

And he meant it.

They had to move forward for the sake of their journey and explore Amphoreus, and then find a way to communicate with the Astral Express. After all, the signal to outside the planet is jammed leaving them unable to report the situation to Himeko and the others.

That’s not including the dilemma Amphoreus itself is experiencing presently. 

Yet amidst the chaos, Dan Heng lets out a sigh of relief knowing Cloud-Piercer is repaired.

He traces the character “Dan” engraved onto the spear. The glass artisan's words come and go in his head, but Dan Heng understands another perspective of his wisdom.

“Anything that has a form will eventually break. If there is a beginning, there is an end.” Dan Heng repeats quietly to himself. Wordlessly, he puts his spear away and grasps the traces of its blue light, “Likewise if there is an ending, there is also a new beginning.” 

“Dan Heng! Hurry up or I’m leaving you behind, slowpoke!” 

Upon being called by the Trailblazer, Dan Heng lowers his hand and moves to join his companion. Hopefully, it wasn’t too obvious he was smiling or else they’ll feel inclined to pry into the reason. Or worse, they’ll start taking pictures for March 7th and revel in the fact they caught him smiling. 

“If there is an ending, there is a new beginning. The form will never be the same again, but it will bear the scars and continue living.”

[completeoveranalysis]

Of Yūko's customers, which ones you find most memorable?

Most memorable customers, you say?

I hope you don't mind me using this as an excuse to make an arbitrary list by way of answer. (Arbitrary lists, my beloved...)

Yuuko's Customers In Order Of How Well I Remember Them

(Though I will exclude all the bigger characters for fairness. So, Syaoran, Watanuki, Lava Lamp, Fai, Kurogane, Doumeki, Himawari, Seishirou, Ashura, Tomoyo, etc, etc. Regular xxxHolic customers only!)

10. Birdcage Customer

What was this about? Was he even a customer? We just don't know!

But the thing most memorable about this whole situation is the most pressing question: WHY DO YOU HAVE EVIL WOLVERINE'S SYMBOL ALL OVER YOUR HOME? It's even on his front sign!

WHO ARE YOU?????

9. The Liar

Mostly at the bottom because I can't resist the irony. She's the first big customer we see - but what do we really know about her? Absolutely nothing, because she lied every step of the way!

What can we really remember about someone who never actually told us anything about herself?

Though I guess you could say her ending causes quite an impact.

8. Monkey's Paw Customer

Did I forget this had happened? Perhaps!

She's one of those cases where the cause and effect are so clear that the rest of the cast might as well not even be there - and I think most of her story IS told through scenes entirely from her perspective.

I think the most memorable thing about her is the Sheer Audacity of hunting down a monkey's paw and being convinced that, actually, she already knows what it does so it can't possibly go wrong. Love that for her. Would kill for this confidence.

(Not literally - but she kind of did that also)

7. Ame Warashi

Her impeccable style. Her winning charm. She's an icon.

I had just completely forgotten that she was also a customer at one point.

She makes up for it for being absolutely great in every scene she was in, but what are you going to do in a list based purely on how well I remember the customer part? Woops! My bad!

6. Karasu Tengu

They get huge points for this being a Central Event in the narrative, but also I completely forgot they were in this as customers. The entire plot scenario? Incredible! Character defining! Et cetera!

The actual Karasu Tengu themselves? Woops! I forgot they were there. My fault though!

5. The Computer Addict

I love this one. She's so ahead of the curve that she was addicted to the internet back when you had to be on the pc to use it. Honestly, relatable. I also went through a phase like this as a young teen, so the struggle was real.

Little did we all know that in the present day the accessibility of the internet would be so rampant that she literally wouldn't even need that pc to indulge her habits anymore. Oops!

But that aside Yuuko is peak during this arc and I love everything about it. Especially the fact that Yuuko just hangs out on message boards in her free time? Wonderful information. I can do so much with this.

4. Oops! All Ghosts

Another incredible storyline. The twists are preserved by some sneaky panels from Watanuki's perspective and Yuuko's morally grey approach to the whole situation is wonderful. What if you wanted to get rid of the ghost in your home, only to find out that YOU were the ghost all along? It has the DISTRESS. It has the CONFLICT. It has the TRAGEDY. 10/10

3. Haunted Photo

Another customer with Peak Audacity. Trying to wish away the consequences of your own actions? Committing something awful but being unable to actually look at the proof yourself? The ultimate wish being an anxiety inducing curse that is sure to fail? Love it.

It's also one of those juicy situations where the morality of the situation basically drives itself. The customer causes her own problems and can't actually be saved - and doesn't deserve it either.

And honestly I think CLAMP should get a lot of credit for having the haunting effects of a photograph slowly turning around in a purely static medium. They really pulled that off.

I still love the evil smile in the photograph the last time we see it. PURE memorable.

2. The Twin

WE LOVE HER? WE LOVE HER.

Being consistently cut off and run down and overwritten and slowly clawing your way out of the situation through the sheer desire to be your own person?

And then the answer is a haircut?

It's another glimpse into the side of Yuuko that really does try cut people a good bargain. The wish could have been taken in any number of ways, but Yuuko went for the easiest and most affordable way that would genuinely help the customer actually fix her life on her own. She didn't specifically need supernatural help for this, but it was the route that presented itself, and it was the one that got her the help she needed when she needed it. Very hitsuzen, very relatable, very identifiable storyline that sticks with you.

Just like the final entry!

1. Kohane

Listen do I even need to explain this one.

Kohane is like THE storyline. It's THE example of what it's all about. It's not entirely supernatural in nature but completely heart wrenching. It has Watanuki playing a central role in fixing the problem, setting up for his future (or at least, what I assume it will be). It ties xxxHolic to Tsubasa and hints at a secret tool that will help with someone later.

And it has Kohane! You can't go wrong.

[houkagokappa]

I watched Mononoke Karakasa so I now I can interact with the small handful of posts about it I have and will come across on my dash

Here are a few thoughts I have about the movie

First of all, what a stacked cast! A lot of seiyuu I really love, Tomoyo Kurosawa my beloved~ and Hiroshi Kamiya fits Kusuriuri perfectly!

Second of all, LESBIANS!! I saw one post mentioning the possibility, so I knew I could expect something, and I got more than I was anticipating so I'm very happy. I also think I enjoyed the story and the characters more due to how female focused it was

I was a little worried if 90 minutes of Mononoke would melt my brain, but I was glued to the screen the entire time. It looked stunning and was an upgrade from the tv-anime (which tbf aired 17 years ago). The new design for Kusuriuri is super hot, although I prefer the gold and white version for his transformation, I can understand why they changed it too. As always, I'm a sucker for pretty kimonos and intricate hairdo's and we got a lot of that in this movie~

Overall a very nice movie and I'm happy there will be a continuation for it. I'm a fairly new fan to the franchise/character, but it's pretty cool how far they've come, from an arc to a tv-anime to full movies. I can't wait to see what happens to these characters next!

[thewickedlorchqueen]

Given Lily's pattern of hating works made by women creators (SU, FMA, TOH, Dungeon Meshi kinda) I wouldn't be surprised if she hates on Witch Hat Atelier, which was written by a woman, once the anime comes out. The creator is friends with Dana Terrace and the manga advocates against voyeurism and sexual abuse, which is probably reason enough for her to hate it.

Also, I wonder what she thinks of Rumiko Takahashi? I bet she hates Ranma with a burning passion for its admittedly outdated portrayal of gender. She'd probably group it with Rocky Horror and RuPaul. I think I remember she said she liked Cardcaptor Sakura once, which was made by four women, but called Tomoyo a creepy lesbian for her constant filming of Sakura. Then again I bet she secretly gets off to it because they're cousins and underage. It's performative, just like her hatred of Elsanna and Andy and Leyley.

Not gonna lie, I have no idea when it comes to Lily. I truly think it depends on how popular the show gets, but yeah I can see her finding something nitpicky to complain about. I will have to check it out it looks good!

As for Rumiko Takahashi, yeah she probably hates her, I mean a popular Japanese manga artist that has not only written four popular manga (Ranma, Inuyasha, Urusei yatsura, maison Ikkoku) all aimed at women with her attempts at gender being outdated (but to be fair she wrote Ranma in the nineties? when even her fav sitcom friends had the same level of questionable takes. I love friends but Chandlers parents), and is well beloved in the anime community? Wouldn't be surprised if she tries to pull another Rebecca Sugar.

Yeah I say that as well and like Lily, the same person that will have one sister wrap her arm around another, cuddling her in the moonlight while listening to the radio and gives her sister a kiss on the cheek, for a valentines day special,

OG post https://www.tumblr.com/lilyvalerieorchard/758382305961181184/rise-my-minions-we-have-another-post-to-report?source=share

is going to say a elementary school girl filming her best friend fight bad guys is predatory? K

[stardustizuku]

PART 3: The Theme or "How Does Magic Work?"

My old dramaturgy teacher would always tell us that every story has a “premise”. The point you’re trying to get across. What this entire three act structure monster we call stories are trying to say.

It’s always a single sentence, and may even be cliché. “Friends are forever”, “keep moving forward” or “love hurts you”.

In Magical Girl stories these premises are interconnected with their powers.

The premise of the show is reflected in either their powers, the monster of the week or the final villain.  A villain is presented, and a hero is presented. The powers of the hero are the solution to a problem caused by the enemy.

In a good show, this is all unified. It’s all the same, or has a very general aesthetic. This is what I mean by “theme”. It’s the premise, the aesthetics, all working together to create a cohesive thing that will shape your story.

Take Star Vs. It had a rough time finding its footing, but it’s basically privilege and the accountability we have for the mistakes of our past generations. Star is a princess, placed there by centuries of corruption. How do we solve it? By returning it to its rightful owner (Eclipsa) or, as seen in the finale, destroying the magic entirely.

And this is only the theme tied to the characters, when we get into the theme tied to both villains and powers – it becomes even clearer that the best shows are those who understand this balance.

Sakura Card Captor’s theme is connections or rather, the relationships we have with one another and how they make us human. This is why her Cards are important. They give you insight on people. The Illusion Card showed us how much Sakura longs for her mother. The Song Card tells us about Tomoyo’s love for music, her voice, and Sakura. And through bits and pieces, we learn about the people around her and how much they matter.

When the Final Judgement rolls around, what’s put into jeopardy is precisely that. Not her life, or her future, but her relationships and connections to others. If she loses, she’ll forget the feelings of Her Most Beloved Person. They show us a word without feelings, without connections, those same that the Cards helped formed and us to see - and it’s terrifying.

There’s no real enemy other than forgetting.

The Cards and the Theme are connected. Sakura even forms a bond with them. So in a way, Sakura keeping and using the Card is a way of her clinging to her feelings and treasuring the connections she has to others.

The Premise, the message, is “Our connections keep us human”.

Tokyo Mew Mew has something similar. It has a mostly environmental message. The girls become a hybrid of endangered animals, trying to save the Earth. It’s no coincidence that Chimeras are animals deformed. Polluted animals, corrupted ecosystems, only being able to be purified by people who care.

Some, like Rei, hold deep love for animals (Butterflies) and are used to hurt others.

So their goal is not only to save the Earth (from aliens) but also to save Earth (nature, the planet, the environment) from humans. And their powers represent as much, for they’re endangered animals.

Even the Aliens chastise humans for destroying their home. They bear hatred for humans who seem to take for granted a home that they desperately want.

At the end, the Aliens are given a chance to rebuild their home with the scattered pieces of Mew Aqua. Aoyama (the one who always cares for the environment) is the one to help Ichigo destroy Deep Blue, who wanted to destroy Earth.

The enemies are both the distorted creations of pollution and those who want to take Earth for their own gain. Their powers come from endangered animals, taked to protect the Earth, the nature, that they have.

Their premise then becomes, “we have to care for Earth”.

Princess Tutu’s theme is destiny. This is the one who’s most on the nose about it. Princess Tutu is a puppet for a cruel story made by Drosselmayer, and everyone else is following his command. All eternally cursed to repeat such a tale.

Tutu very much represents it. Her powers to restore Mytho’s heart are destiny-based. It’s her job (although unknown to her) to set the pieces back together so that the “Prince and the Raven” can continue. She’s the set piece that “turns back time”

At the end of the story, his heart is fragmented again. So that the story can start again, she must bring him whole again. Only then can “The Prince and the Raven” start. Once she sacrifices everything and gives up her humanity can the tragedy truly begin, The Prince sacrificing his heart to seal the Raven.

But the story is about breaking this cycle. She fights back against destiny. Making sure the story doesn’t repeat itself and achieve a happy ending - even if it’s not for herself

The enemy itself is destiny, represented by Drosselmeyer.

Her powers originally given to her so that a destiny could be fulfilled, eventually got used to fight against it and give Mytho his happiness back.

The premise, obviously, “you can fight against destiny”. Or the more well-known quote: “May those who follow their fate be granted happiness; may those who defy it be granted glory”

Mermaid Melody is about hidden feelings, longing.

Many characters are unable to let go of the past, and wish/long for something. Luchia longs to confess her feelings, Hanon longs for her teacher, Kaito still waits upon the Mermaid who saved him, Sara is still in love with Taro, Gaito loves Sara, even the minions have wishes of the own.

And how do they express them? Through the songs. Through the same powers they have. Because the nature of them being turned into bubbles if they confess, the only true way for them to say their deepest feelings are true the songs they sing to defeat the villains. Perfect Blue is sung by Hanon when she realizes her love for Taro. Sara’s longing for Taro creates “Return to the Sea”. Luchia’s unrequited love creates “Legend of the Mermaid”. Seira’s wish to be born makes her sing “Birth of Love”.

The wishes that can’t be voiced, the longing they have, are transmitted through songs; the powers they have. They’re connected once more.

The enemies in this case, either shut their own ears to avoid listening to said longing or outright sing over them. By the end, Gaito reveals his own longing for Sara, and this is what brings us closure. When the villain allows himself to voice his feelings, is when our characters win.

The Premise is “always say what’s in  your heart”.

Shugo Chara’s theme is self-discovery. The shugo charas are representations of who they want to be - who they want to become. As they solidify their dreams, their abilities and their wishes - they’re able to transform in that self that is their ideal self.

Monsters come in the form of those who have lost their purpose or whose “shugo chara” got corrupted or lost.

So while their powers are born from the ideal self - their identity - the monster come from those who corrupt them or demotivate them to follow said dreams.

I find it really poetic how they have to say "my heart, unlock". It says a lot about how they have to "open up" to reveal their true self.

The message, “be who you want to be”.

Sailor moon has a different theme each season but in Sailer Moon SuperS it’s dreams. Everyone has a dream and Chibiusa’s pure dream is the one that attracts the power of Pegasus. The enemies are those searching for other people’s dreams, so we learn about the victim’s dreams.

It’s chibiusa’s dream-powered magic that allows them to protect other people’s.

Hell, even Madoka has it. Hope.

Every magical girl is born out of hope, a wish. And it’s That wish keeps them going, fighting the manifestation of despair: witches

When they realize that despair is the inevitable end of that hopeful wish they made, it’s when Madoka steps in. And through her selflessness, she uses hope filled Magic to destroy the despair (all witches) that burden the magical girls.

Again, through her hopeful magic, she defeats despair.

Her message is the same “hope beats despair”.

So,

How do Chat and Ladybug power’s, relate to both their internal conflict, and the villains they have to fight?

Again, not much. The show is more focused on the expanding lore than, actually tying it all up in a concise reason as to why and what they’re fighting. But it’s never connected.

All I can think of as a Theme is “The ideal vs the real” on how Adrien is perceived as ideal but Chat is the real, and Marinette the real vs Ladybug the ideal.

However, these things never get fully explored.

The monsters, the akumas, are negative emotions. Anger, sadness, helplessness, and seeking retribution of them. Doesn’t really match on a surface level.

AND THEIR POWERS. Both “luck” and “destruction”.

Characters: Ideal vs Real.

Monster: Negative Emotions.

Powers: Luck and Destruction.

Can you see why this is a mess of a series? Presented like this, bare bones and surface level, NOTHING connects.

And it gets even more annoying when you get to the rest of the team – and don’t worry we’ll get to the fucking team – because there we don’t even HAVE the a connecting thing for the animals they are.

What the hell does a turtle, a mouse, a fox and ladybug have in common?

Nothing.

You can’t do that!

You can’t just put a bunch of animals together for no reason! Tokyo Mew Mew has them, sure, but they’re all endangered animals. No better example than Pre-cure that while they have random powers each season, they all stay on a theme. Animal doctors, music, elements. The like.

But.

Ignoring the issues with the team for now.

How does, *gestures at the table* it connect?

Well, personally, I can tie. Not through anything the show has stated, mind you, but more as a head canon and personal interpretation.

What if the butterflies represent the transformation?

Luck, and bad luck. Creation and destruction. How do they tie to bad emotions?

Maybe if those bad feelings represented destruction, and only ladybug “creation” could be able to solve them. Then the theme of “Transformation” could tie it all together.

You can’t create without first destroying. And you can destroy if you haven’t created yet. Ou can’t be angry, if you weren’t happy once, and you can’t be happy without being sad sometimes.

Like Chat can’t work without Ladybug, then Ladybug can’t work without Chat.

Transformation would have been an amazing theme, quite ironic tho, because the show literally never “transforms”. The status quo stays pretty much the same and it never bothers to transform either it’s character or plot points.

It would be amazing if we had gotten to see Marinette truly change. Marinette becoming more like ladybug, and Adrien becoming more like Chat. That the “ideal and the real” aren’t as diametrically opposed as they thought. And that they as civilians, can transform into that ideal they long for, without the need for a superhero mask. It would perfectly fit with the powers and the monsters.

Even more, what if they influenced and transformed each other too? How fun would it have been to see them constantly changing one another? Seeing Ladybug become a bit more like chat? Or Chat more like ladybug?

And I know the show is trying, but it’s not succeeding - but imagine having Ladybug realizing she can’t do it without Chat. Not only because he cares for him, but because they complement each other. What if her powers won’t work if Chat isn’t near? What if Chat tries to move on from Ladybug but feels useless?

Chat feeling awful because he can only destroy stuff. Ladybug reassuring him that it’s just part of transformation, and through breaking smth they can create smth new?

Ladybug accidentally creating something that she shouldn’t have. Something dangerous and out of control and its Chat who saves her. Who reassured her that even if she messes up, he’ll be there to clean up at the end?

What if the “Miraculous Ladybug” shout at the end turns everything to normal isn’t just Ladybug’s power? It’s something only completed if Ladybug AND Chat’s combine their powers?

Chat destroys what wasn’t supposed to be there, Ladybug creates what was destroyed.

This is what a good theme can do. A clear vision of what you’re trying to say, about what your characters do and should be fighting.

If you were to ask me, I wouldn’t be able to tell you the Theme That MLB has RIGHT NOW.

And because it doesn’t have a theme it feels like a bunch of loosely strung together pieces that make no sense when you try pierce them.

Nothing is…put together. Nothing is cohesive. One minute the show is telling you to forgive people who may do stuff because they’re pressure by their environment (Zoe by Cloe) and the other the opposite (Cloe by her mother - a villain).

The theme that should be tying it all together doesn’t exist. What’s the message? What do they wanna say? To all those young girls what are they trying to tell them?

That through connections to other people you can be happy?

That fighting and caring for the environment is something important and we should care?

That if you try hard enough even your awful destiny can be overturned?

That through singing you can share your deepest feelings even if you aren’t allowed to say them?

That it’s okay to falter or not know who you are, as long as you keep trying you’ll eventually become someone you’ll be proud to be?

That dreams are important and you should fight to protect and keep them? No matter how silly?

That it’s okay to despair, because hope will always win? That you can make wishes, that things will be okay?

NO

Ladybug doesn’t say shit. And I’m not saying it has to say anything deep. I’m just saying it has to say something! Anything! A theme! A message!

And if you don’t have a theme, if you don’t a message, if you don’t have a premise

Then why are you telling a story?

Easy, you’re not. You’re not telling a story. Because a story has a reason to exist. This is so basic they teach it in introduction to creative writing at a community college, and these idiots can’t even figure out what the point of their story IS.

Scarlett Lady does a great job at it.

The theme is simple.

Anyone can be a hero.

Scarlet Lady is a hero despite everything (in the public eye). And brings certain mobility for Chat and Marigold. And Marinette became a hero without a miraculous. And then with one.

Everyone can get akumatized, sure. But people can be heroes too. All that it takes is not giving in to your negative emotions, and choosing to take action.

Even Lila eventually becomes part of the group. Even she eventually helps. When Sabrina breaks out of Chloe’s shadow she becomes a hero in her own right, standing up to someone who hurt her. And standing up when Chloe tries to hurt others.

Is a simple message, one probably not even intended by the creator. But it shows that if you do it right if you have a clear sense of your characters of your story, their motivations and their powers - a theme isn’t hard to get

It speaks volumes to its incompetence

Not only does Ladybug not have a purpose to reflect Marinette’s alter ago, it can’t even bother to have a theme.

At this point...

Why are we even here?

There's no point in this story. There's no point in us being here. There is no point in us caring, because CLEARLY, the writers don't even care.

It's trash. It's nothing. And I'm not trying to be hyperbolic - if there is no premise, there's no reason for the story. It becomes nothing more than wallpaper with a budget, or background noise. Something closer to children's media, the level of paw patrol, teen titans go or Mickey's house club.

Something only worth a damn for the palette and moving characters.

What’s even worse is the third and final nail on the coffin this show put on itself. They didn’t have a theme when the powers were just luck and bad luck. How can it possibly work with-

PREV << MASTERLIST >> NEXT

[izutsoupmi]

Magia Cyan - Annotated: - The same way that (I keep insisting) momo is based on tomoyo ccs, saki's design is based on Daughter Of All Time sakura ccs - In japanese flower language, sunflowers mean "I look only at you" and "admiration/longing", and here momo is to sunflowers as saki is to sun, we all understand. If the site i was checking wasn't lying to me and the number of flowers does, in fact, matter, then 11 sunflowers additionally means "beloved/dearest" - That's my phone. I know japan is iphoneland and i know momo has an iphone but I Don't and it was easier to just use what i had instead of finding the one specific picture at the one specific angle with the video setting for the camera on. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me - Michiko dropped out of uni to become lord enorme and feels/is directly responsible for cyan's disappearance. It kinda just Feels Right that she would've jumped ship around the start of her second year (which wouldve also been the second year of hs for momo/randa/saki). My plan was for saki to do this big reveal and then bolt so i guess we're looking at a summer 2018 timeframe, since that's when sunflowers bloom? knowing how long the mgh took would make this a lot easier... (but i kinda drew myself into that corner, huh) - it's 04:37:56 on the camera timer bc i'm reffing ch. 43 (baiseleo vs pesca, which doesn't have much to do with anything but is the only one that i could feasibly turn into a time code of some kind) and ch. 56 (shio-chans SoL), the 7 is a / :^)

BONUS: the design draft (?), the first AND firstest sketches, and miss girl, unobscured

[mahou-furbies]

Closing thoughts on Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card

To my surprise this had already ended, and over a year ago too. Apparently CCS isn't big enough in my circle for it to have been bigger news.

First things first, the worst sin this manga commits is that there aren't nearly enough magical girl outfits! CCS is known for Tomoyo crafting a new one for every event, but this time most of the Card Catching happens so spontaneously that there's no time for a costume change. Which I suppose technically makes sense in-story, but I still reject this and would instead prefer any kind of excuse to get Sakura into a cute new fantasy outfit every chapter, no matter how nonsensical it might be.

Then for the actual content. In general I can see why CCS is such a beloved classic, but personally I've never been too big on it. Which makes it a little difficult to judge the sequel, like is it actually meh, or am I just being a hater again? I just can't get into these characters, I can like a good wholesome story like Yotsuba& where everyone is super nice, but in CCS the cast is just so saccharine that they barely feel human, so it's hard to get invested. It's like Sakura is rather meant to be someone's ideal daughter instead of her own person, like she's eternally pure, ever so helpful and well behaved, never has a nasty thougth in her mind, and so on.

Another issue I remember from the original manga that still persists here is how almost every character hides important information from Sakura. You can "well actually" most of it, like a lot of the time there is a decent reason, but there's just so much of it that to me it feels kind of patronising, or frustrating when the main character is always several steps behind. Some of the secrecy doesn't even lead to anything interesting story-wise, like eventually the information gets out and Sakura is a little upset for one panel, and then everything is forgiven. I don't know how much of a fair criticism this is, but the "keep secrets from the main character to protect them" trope is one of my pet peeves (unless you lean into the broken trust aspect, then it's good) and I feel it strongly here. Also in general it's a good thing that the side cast has their own thing going on so that the main character is not the only one who gets anything done, but here Sakura sometimes gets lost in everyone else's planning.

The new girl Akiho is at least cute, I got no complaints on her. I'm also always a sucker for any kind of twin/clone/otherwise similar and paired characters, so my favourite thing about the manga was how she kept being compared to Sakura. As for the story otherwise… Eh. Feels a lot like a retread of the original manga, Sakura's Cards disappear and she must get new ones one by one. The character relationships are pretty static and I don't think I really learned anything new about Sakura. There are a lot of Alice in Wonderland references, which for the most part felt superfluous. Towards the end Sakura's class puts up a play that's a pastiche of Alice in Wonderland, and then Sakura gets sucked into the world of the play, and the story gets pretty confusing when the characters are both acting their roles and doing the actual plot.

Also if you're into Tomoyo/Sakura or Toya/Yukito you don't need to bother with this because you'll be scrambling for crumbs, there is little else in terms of shipping besides Sakura/Syaoran. Which is like the most vanilla ship ever, sure it's wholesome but man I just can't get anything out of them.

[ikeromantic]

Trick or Treat 🎃🍬

What gorgeous creature has come a-knocking on my ask-box door? She seeks a treat, and nothing more!

How about a Keiji drabble? A little something, but not too much! You'll get cavities!

Keiji woke in the early morning hours when night was at its deepest. The dark hours were usually hard for him. A time to shame himself over every mis-step. But not anymore. Not when he awoke beside his beloved Tomoyo. 

Her face was set in a sweet expression of relaxed abandon. Her fire banked for the night. So adorably ferocious. He nuzzled her hair, put a kiss to the top of her head. His heart ached with love, overfull.

She brought him to life and made him remember what it meant to hope. She was somehow real and somehow his.

Trick or Treat Ask Game!

[sternenwaisin]

I’m rewatching card captor Sakura and it makes me so sad for so many characters.

Like tomoyo who is obviously in love with Sakura??? And tomoyos mum who was in love with sakuras mum AND THEN THE MUM DIED???? BUT BOTH ENDED UP WITH SOME DUDE. (Okk let’s look away that they are cousins and Second cousins)

I’m so heartbroken watching it back. Especially for Tomoyos family.

This anime was my first interaction with gay people and that you can love and be soulmates with everyone without caring about gender (NOT AGE!!! LETS NOT TALK ABOUT THOSE WEIRD CANON RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TEACHERS AND STUDENTS)

Yukito and touya my beloved, I still hate that they made yukito this weird magical angel thing. Why couldn’t he be just human.

[aloe-note]

Land of the Lustrous (anime) – Episode 1

3d is really the only way this anime could have been produced. the shine and texture of the gems is so important to the story's identity, and 3d enables studio orange to deliver that consistently.

look at the green light refracting onto phos's shoulder here. you wouldn't do that with 2d. you could, but you wouldn't. it'd take too much time.

the main appeal of an anime adaptation is seeing a work in motion and color. but lotl has a problem: ichikawa haruko's artwork already has amazing motion and color despite being still black and white images. the anime adaptation needs to find other ways to stand out from its source.

it achieves this well in adding sound. the foley work is excellent. from the first moment phos moves, the clinking sounds signal the material of their body. the voice acting is also great (kurosawa tomoyo my beloved). the score so far is good but i haven't had moments where it really hooked me. there is that one song reminiscent of a part of the spirited away ost, though my drawing that comparison is mainly cause of the sheer number of times i've seen that movie. anyhow.

[pixsaladpit]

CCS AU

CARDCAPTOR SAKURA WWW MY CHILDHOOD BELOVED <333

anwyays what if ccs / pixsalad au.

Jamdeul plays the role of Sakura.

Gonglyong plays the role of Kero.

Uhhh Radar as Syaoran.

Suhyen, Gakbyeol, Duckgae as classmates. Ggumong and Yuseong in the background probably.

I completely forgot Tomoyo existed- Suhyen as Tomoyo (finds out Jamdeul is magical girl)

Mapple as Eriol.

Pakeumo as Spinny (Spinel)

I forgot Yue also existed

its been so long hold on

-- Jamdeul is a ordinary choir kid who accidentally releases a bunch of Clow Cards and was forced to become a magical girl.

-- Jamdeul would be looking for a book about minecraft or something when a heavy book bonks her in the head. Turns out Gonglyong was rolling in his sleep and fell, and technically making it his fault that Jamdeul has to collect the cards.

do you see my vision. my grand vision with this shitty drawing i speedran in 15 minutes on sketchpad with a mouse.

key form's just whale holding a key

another shitty doodle, less rush this time

Jamdeul's wearing a cape btw

-- gonglyong: mhm yes magical girls should look like magical girls.

jamdeul gets sailor outfit :D

i got distracted while doodling what happened

oh yeah expandign the universe

so

-- gonna give pakeumo and gonglyong animal/creature forms but also human forms.

-- my idea bin's dry

so

[completeoveranalysis]

[4]

And Tomoyo just whips it out immediately, because she knew he was going to bring it up in this conversation. Not even as a seer, because she can't do that anymore - just because she knows him so well.

AND OH THAT FINAL PANEL, WITH KUROGANE REFLECTED IN TOMOYO’S EYES. AMAZING. BEAUTIFUL. 

Also the SECOND funniest way to tie the theme of doubles into Kurogane’s plot - there are just… two of him when reflected in someone’s eyes. 

I WILL TAKE IT. THANK YOU CLAMP.

The fact that Kurogane is surprised to see it is SUCH a nice touch. Even though he had a copy of it for such a long time, this is the ACTUAL link to his family. This is the ACTUAL symbol of his past and everything his family legacy means. It's not just a memory anymore - it's sitting right here in front of him, carefully wrapped up and cared for all this time.

It's the final stage in Kurogane's backstory coming back around. It's the continuation of the exact conversation they had in this exact room about this exact sword all those years ago. It's Kurogane finally returning home, not to be with Tomoyo as he once thought, but to continue the promise he made to his family all those years ago, and to take down the man who slaughtered everyone he loved.

It's, once again, everything coming full circle.

Proof that Tomoyo is the best: SHE EVEN PROVIDED THE FLASHBACKS TO THE EXACT SCENE I WENT LOOKING FOR.

THANK YOU TOMOYO, MY BELOVED. If I did not just hunt this down moments ago this would have been the EXACT context I needed.

That aside, Tomoyo pulling a “So I kept it” is infinitely funny to me and this is such a good turn of events. 

It turns out that Kurogane’s mother foresaw certain future events and ALSO prepared for them ahead of time. 

Or at least that would fit the pattern of every other seer we have in the series. It’s possible she didn’t foresee anything at all and she just talked to Tomoyo as a general precaution, but either way! Here we are!

[houkagokappa]

The new season of anime is starting and I'm not doing too hot on the previous one. I ended up picking up Undead Girl Murder Farce, because I liked the vibes, the style, it has Tomoyo Kurosawa in it and it's by Lapin Track my beloved. I've only seen one episode though, I haven't had time for more and I wanted to catch up with Zom 100: Zombie ni Naru made ni Shitai 100 no Koto first. It had a great, energetic, stylish and fun first episode. I thought it was funny and somewhat fresh how a zombie apocalypse was the best thing that happened to Akira, our overworked protagonist, as it allows him to live freely. (Also, the colored blood does things to me). Then, halfway through I started to get tired of some of the jokes and clichés, and now it's stuck in production hell so it's not on me to finish it on time. Lastly, I picked up Watashi no Shiawase na Kekkon due to the promise of pretty kimono and a touching story. The kimono are indeed pretty, and I was impressed by the variation and amount of detail on them. I like the protagonist Miyo, although she could've easily been an overly tragic character, there's some realism to her. Surprisingly I also like her relationship with Kiyoka, he is so gentle and supportive of her. The magic stuff however, has been disappointing and I'm in no rush to finish the series (I'm currently on episode 8). Lately I haven't been in the mood for anime that much, and I've been quite busy/away from home and it's been too much effort to keep up with it any more than this.

[bmpmp3]

i often, with very little seriousness, say that i prefer to read shoujo, josei, and the occasional seinen manga over anything from shounen magazines because even if they take a turn in quality, at least they will End within my lifetime HFKJSDHKDSHFD and this really is a joke: mostly as a way to combat the last 15 years of shounen elitists coming at me for liking things published in different magazines while also, in a slightly self deprecating way, pointing out how a lot of series in other magazine demographics usually either end at a natural stopping point or get canned unceremoniously with no conclusion (although shounen magazines are no stranger to the latter either LOL the nature of magazine publishing........) compared to just going on for hundreds of chapters after the quality took a nosedive

but make no mistake, despite how a lot (and i mean a LOT) of shoujosei is cancelled early before it can really start to get bad (or it gets trapped in an eternal hiatus because of magazine changes, or it just ends normally LOL), there are still plenty of series that went on way too long or struggled because of their length. some are worse than others: i remember Special A being solid but with a serious plateauing problem in like the latter half where it felt stagnant and boring (albeit not egregious or anger inducing or anything). but then theres other stuff like. hkjfdajhkgrlfjd. Peach Girl my beloved and beloathed <3 HHRJKFJRFEd and dont even talk to me about Vampire Knight or Black Bird. don't even say those words to me

and of course getting cancelled early can also give a series a great opportunity to fumble the bag horrendously in 3 chapters or less: one of my favourite shoujo manga of all time, Penguin Revolution, has an absolutely hilarious last chapter in that you can feel how much the author was like "SHIT FUCK I NEED TO WRAP THINGS UP RIGHT NOW" so hard that i cant even be mad about it LOL

and with that as a preamble: last night i finished reading A Devil and Her Love Song/Akuma to Love Song and well. um.,

quick TW: because of the topics that the manga touches on, I am going to talk a little bit about sexual assault, specifically sexual assault of a minor, and suicide. i will do it somewhat frankly because i want to take it seriously and not beat around the bush and i will do my best, but feel free to let me know if im off-base

SO the first half of the series is really solid, specifically with the characters. Maria in the beginning, especially with the bullying arc, was really engaging as someone so (intentionally or otherwise) neurodivergently coded. and The Boys: Shin and Yusuke were also really strong - moreso on Yusuke's end as like, a foil to Maria's complete inability to mask, Yusuke is like the king of masking. but even Shin, despite everything that comes later (and we'll get to that. by god we will get to that) was also interesting as like a foil in a different direction: a person resigned to his loneliness compared to Maria's drive to connect despite her struggles. And despite how sidelined the girls get, in theory I really loved Ayu and Tomoyo's connection to Maria and the whole squad as well (can't help but love a mean girl redeemed and a shy but secret goth kid respectively)

the series starts to take a turn for the worse after the new school bullying storyline and into the beginning of the Anna Situation. im gonna refer to this Anna, the friend of Maria's from her old catholic school who lost her voice as Anna (friend). it seems clunky but we'll come back to that LOL

i actually didn't hate the whole situation, i found Anna pretty compelling in her anger and resentment and even cruelty, and i was invested in seeing how her relationship with Maria would pan out. unfortunately she herself was basically forgotten about after she moves away to america and instead a lot of the situation was spent focusing on Shin's turmoil which was where his character started to. test me.

this is where Maria's backstory with her mother comes in: maria was born from the rape of her 14 year old mother, who then committed suicide with a preschooler Maria in her arms because of the turmoil and the way she and Maria were treated in the aftermath. this is. an absolutely unreal turn. really fucking dark and tough topic, but i had an inkling of hope! the series was handling its first like, 30 chapters with a surprising amount of care despite some clumsiness...

and the thing is i love a lot of stories that attempt to handle dark topics in loud, fumbling ways as long as theres a sense of compassion and honesty in it you know? and compassion and honest really is the thing, i actually prefer a messy but earnest story about dark and sad events compared to something that knows all the correct words to say while still dancing around serious topics (this is a problem i run into often in recent years. i think its a selfconciousness in storytelling that makes me feel like im being talked down to you know?)

but there is a difference between fumbling a bit an dropping the ball entirely. and MAN that ball was dropped HARD when you bring in the american soldier kidnapper and rapist of the main character's middleschool aged mother and try to turn him into some "redeemed" priest goofy crybaby dad character for the main character to forgive and reconnect with. but we'll get to that, i need to get back to shin

Shin learns from Anna (friend) about Maria's past and how Maria had forgotten it all because of the trauma, but may remember when she's held by others. not wanting to retraumatize her, and believing not remembering her past is what's best for her, he starts distancing himself from her. he also tells the other boys, the blonde bitches (Yusuke and Kurosu (we'll get to him later i prommy)) that have a crush on Maria as well about this, essentially deciding for Maria that she should never learn her past and attempting to control her relationships with other boys behind her back. THIS is intensely possessive and paternalistic WHICH in a vacuum COULD BE a really interesting, dark, but prescient and complex major character flaw to explore (especially in a story written for young women and girls like a manga serialized in Margaret would be). unfortunately the story never grapples with it, its framed like your classic possessive-but-like-in-a-sexy-fantasy-way despite being written in an incredibly embarassing and pathetic manner

like dear GOD i wanted nothing more than him to get some sense knocked into him by the blonde bitches. i LOVE a good character arc where a shojo manga love interest with possessive tendencies learns to respect his gf's autonomy its a classic!! especially with Maria's past, learning that helping someone with trauma means being there for her, not controlling her life behind her back! so much potential there

but alas. all we got was Shin hiding in the shadows from Maria for several volumes until, during an argument where Maria remembers her past and has a panic attack, he attempts to force himself on her and gets his hand hurt in the process. and. god. this is a shojo manga trope i Do Not Care For, honestly it is one of the few things that'll sour me complete on something:

the plotline where through a series of very bizarre circumstances the main love interest will sexually assault (or attempt to) the main character and then get really mopey about it (ouuhhhh im the baad guy how could i do thisssss i feel so sorrrrrrry for myself) and then the narrative will bend over backwards to say that UMMM ACTUALLY its okay the main character wasn't upset about that! it was something else! she didn't think it was rape!! she's cool with it!!! don't feel bad love interest guy!!! LITERALLY i hate it so much. the next several volumes spends so much time on Shin trying to make him feel better about his hand injury and how everything he did was okay because Maria loves him and it was PAINFUL so so frustrating

which brings me to the other guys, the blond bitches. Yusuke is mvp we know this, especially in the early volumes. but after he realized maria's in love with Shin no matter what and he has no chance, he also becomes frustrating because all his edges get sanded off, he's still a wonderful friend to Maria (although he unfortunately drinks Shin's koolaid and also hides her past from her) but he completely stops pushing Shin to be better which makes both characters worse. he was so interesting as the king of masking, such a relatable character type but MAN things went downhill

earlier in the series before Shin tries to push himself on Maria and I was still a bit sympathetic to him, i was thinking like damn. Maria should just get with Shin because she likes him but also setup a polycule where the two blonde bitches can orbit around and keep shin in check LOL

and kurosu. im going back to kurosu finally. a third anime boy has hit the love triangle. hes contentious for very valid reasons but the thing is. i kinda liked him? OKAY okay he has serious SERIOUS personal space issues which were played a little too much for laughs and we'll get to his relationship with Maria's father in a moment but i couldnt help but relate to a big dumb seemingly outgoing but still distant kid who talks too much about horny shit. Yusuke is just like me fr but. also. Kurosu is just like me (idiot highschooler edition) frrrrrrrrrrrrrr sorry i do see a bit of myself in him. hell i even see a bit of myself (dumb possessive middleschooler edition) in the earlier versions of Shin (before you know. he went off the rails), and i think thats whats so frustrating: these characters start with ideas that are ALMOST relatable and intriguing character flaws and then it just descends into madness

and back on kurosu's relationship with Maria's biological father, it is pretty fucked that he hides the fact that he knows Maria is the daughter of the child his adoptive father figure raped for so long, and its especially fucked he brought Maria to the church where maria's bio dad is now a priest taking care of orphans as like a way to "reunite" them and show that "he's changed" and such, but this is really a problem less with the characters and more with the way the story's themes are coalescing in general. The character of Kurosu himself was quite interesting as like a foil to the foils of maria and yusuke, simultaneously really good at masking while also not being good at ALL. and I loved that he got on Shin's case to stop being so possessive and weird about maria. And not to be all "he's literally neurodivergent and a minor" but i can't get all that mad at a 15 year old who (as revealed really quickly in a random chapter near the end) who had to leave his abusive father and scared abused mother under really traumatic circumstances and then suddenly was taken in by a seemingly kind priest trying so hard to defend said priest. i think theres something very compelling and emotionally resonant there: grappling with the the fact that someone you love, someone who treats you with such kindness, someone who you think saved you even, could have been so cruel to your other loved ones.

i know i have a bajillion experiences like that (much smaller scale things like finding out a person who was nice to u is bullying others, or more serious things. im sure im not the only one who's got crazy shit happening with cousins and aunties and uncles and such). like it changes things: you can't just sit idle about it, but you also don't have the authority to confront anyone, you can't go back to the way things were before and there's an irreparable distance between you, but you don't know how to move forward other than letting that distance grow. I think theres something here!!! but unfortunately, the series as a whole was largely uninterested with anything other than turning the main character's mother's rapist into a doting father type character out of nowhere, treating the aforementioned rape as if it was just a little "mistake"

when i read or watch something and i have a very strong reaction to it, good or bad, i often like to look at reviews afterwards. a lot of people seem to think theres no reason to look at reviews if you already have your own opinion, but i personally find them really helpful to get new perspectives and sometimes find catharsis with others with similar perspectives to mind. and so i was looking at some fan reviews and this review's first line killed me

THEYRE NOT WRONG the full sentence is "This story really reminds me of Usagi Drop, just for the way that the ending butchers my enjoyment fo the entire series" which is VERY true, but also its very true more specifically n the sense of WHY on gods green earth is this series trying to frame the rape of a young teenager as a romantic thing (albeit in akuma to love song's case the circumstances are less grooming and more violence, which just makes it bizarre in a different way). but this person's review is great, it just puts the problems with the series in such a succinct way: it swiftly turns from a decent little drama about teenagers learning to grapple with communication into Rape Apologia: The Manga.

all in all i think the big problem with akuma to love song is how much the story is just uninterested in the topics it brings up. its not a matter of taking on tough subject matter and handling it in a slightly clumsy way, its a matter of taking on tough subject matter and then trying to tie it all up in a neat little black and white bow. the series best part of the series, which is kind of seen in the section where all the kids go to the beach together, is when the characters try to learn to communicate and be honest with eachother despite their difficulties. but that was forgotten and thrown away for some very bizarrely cruel melodrama, brushing aside one of the biggest victims: Anna (mother), the girl who was assaulted and the abandoned by all her loved ones in the process. a teenage girl alone with just a toddler. a character the series had no interest in, not her life or thoughts or agency. really depressing

also yeah maria's teenage mother has the same name (and looks???) as one of her former best friends. and you know. thats what got me kind of thinking. with how much Anna (friend) was like completely forgotten about. i honestly wonder how the writing for this series went. this is why ive been so frustrated after all, its highs are so good but its lows are so so SO disastrous. it appears to have been in a biweekly version of Margaret, im unsure if it was published in every issue though. if it was, maybe rushing to get out something every two weeks was in part to blame for how downhill the writing got? i dont think manga should be published more than once a month at most, i think its unethical working conditions for the sake of a worse product and its bad for everyone involved.

and i know its not really considered standard in art and media criticism to focus so much on the working conditions and mindset the author was in while creating. looking at art as itself divorced from its circumstances and death of the author (as in the actual essay meaning like the author is not god and the intended interpretation is no more or less important than the audiences) and so on and so forth. but i can't help it ive always been like this LOL if something bad i wonder how the creator felt creating it....

but anyway. now. one thing i will give the series: they did not randomly pair off the remaining ensemble cast at the end. one thing about shoujo manga, especially from the 2000s is that if there are an equal number of boys and girls, they will be unceremoniously split into couples by the end regardless of how compatible they are HJKDLDHFJKD i was so scared when i realized there were three boys and maria had two gal pals. i was so scared. but we were spared from that at least orz

i do want you to know something though. despite all my criticism, the thing about this all: i love garbage. i love trash. i will read like anything even if its bad as long as i think i can get SOMETHING out of it. even if that something is just "wow that was bad". do you remember the aforementioned Black Bird? what did i get out of that? i dunno, probably just something absolutely crazy to read in a public library as a 17 year old LOL. i love garbage melodramatic soap opera bullshit so much

but i think what frustrated me so much about akuma to love song, as mentioned before, is that it was like. genuinely really good! in some parts! its the potential that is killing me i think. its one thing to read some big dumb and questionable melodrama knowing what youre getting into in the first few chapters, and its another thing to start out written with such emotional intelligence only to take a complete and utter nosedive so dramatically

is this how shounen manga readers feel all the time. dear god.

but well. i guess i still got something out of 90 chapters of this. a really strong start. some good art. and a what-not-to-do manual for the latter half

[ladyinfierno]

so i'm a bit sick at the moment and rewatching old series to cheer me up, and i'm stupidly fangirling over old ships and remembering how much i loved li syaoran