#Tarao

[lovemesomefanfic846]

This scene is just *chefs kiss* in my opinion

And the fact that their bickering is kinda a un intentional intimidation tactic too

[kikudusk113]

Messy Eater

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More Law on my Twitter!

ALL of Law on my Patreon!

[welele]

ESTOY DANDO VOLTERETAS. Lo que acaba de ocurrir en Telecinco. JASDFJASFJA pic.twitter.com/8SvvtS0l0j

— Alejandro🌹Ⓐ☭CEO of Comunismo de Lujo Automatizado (@comuflauta) April 25, 2023

[sorani-mezzo]

ŹOOĻ 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑

​┄┅┄┅┄┅┄┅┄

​🐗🐕🐍🐅

----2023.8.31

𝓗𝓪𝓹𝓹𝔂 𝓐𝓷𝓷𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓪𝓻𝔂!

​

APOŹ's day1 and day2 are both very exciting, don't miss them!!

[dykealloy]

franky (has never met bepo before): tarao what's your first mate like law: he's a bear franky: weird way to describe him but okay 👍 franky: 🏳️‍🌈❤️✨ law: how are you doing that with your mouth

[vixvaporub]

 Heavenly Delusion | Tengoku Daimakyou by Masakazu Ishiguro – Chapter 15 ☉ Tarao (3)

[void-r23]

Why you like tarao so much?

👒 "He can get unexpectedly tender and caring, it taste so sweet"

[todaysdocument]

Translation of the Diary of Japanese Serviceman Taroa Kawaguchi Detailing Combat Activity on Saipan

Record Group 407: Records of the Adjutant General's OfficeSeries: World War II Operations ReportsFile Unit: 327-INF(165)-.020 27th INF DIV Misc Hist'l Saipan 165th INF RGT, 11 Jun - 7 Jul '44

The following diary translation is forwarded for your information. It furnishes an interesting insight on the character of the Jap soldier.

Diary belonged to Tarao Kawaguchi, of the Mekahara Unit which in turn belongs to the Homare Unit 11945 (43rd Div. Hosp. Unit). Diary was found 19 July at TA 260 G.

June 11, 1944:---

Second air raid since landing on Saipan Island. Same as before. The enemy bombing was carried out in large pattern bombing and received terrific bombardment right after noon and toward the evening. The raid occurred while we NCO's were cooking and didn't have a chance to take cover in the air raid shelters. Altho our AA put up a terrific barrage and our planes intercepted them, it seems that the damage was considerable. Cheran-Kanoa and Tinian area was burning terrifically.

JUNE 12, 1944:---

Same as yesterday, the enemy bombers appeared. Spent the whole day in the air raid shelter and it seems that I have Dengue fever.

JUNE 13, 1944:---

Also today the enemy bombarded. Each squad dug air raid shelters by order of commander. In the afternoon enemy fleets appeared off shore and commenced furious naval bombardment. Seems as if the bombardment was concentrated around Charen-Kanoa and Garapan. The hospital was hit and burning. During the night our second company supplied material to the hospital. Lt. Chura and 2nd Lt. Yamaguchi of the hospital units are high spirits. We carried the patients and the supplies to the air raid shelters.

JUNE 14, 1944:---

Toward the latter part of the day naval bombardment and bombing was prevalent. Today we teansferred to the air raid shelters on the left side of the valley. In the evening, prepared to move medical supplies and tents. Commenced moving at twelve O'clock. However, it was very far so it took us till dawn. On this day the enemy landed and the time has come at last.

June 15, 1944:---

During the evening the Unit Commander and a large part of the NCO's departed for the Saipan Shrine for the treatment of patients, 1st Lt. Kruieda performed bravely and courageously treating the patients under terriffic naval barrage, and he should be considered as the ideal model for the medics section. We administered medical aid to one patient and it was the first time we carried out medical aid since landing on Saipan Island. Under terrific naval bombardment, so impressive ceremony for our country was carried out at the Saipan Shrine. During the night transferred the patients to the 3rd company on top of the hill. Upon returning departed immediately for the ricks.

JUNE 16, 1944:---

Due to the movement of the previous day I was tired so rested in the air raid shelter.

JUNE 17, 1944:---

I and the other NCO's plus five men were ordered by the commander to secure medical supplies. Today the enemy planes are in their glory (strafing and bombing at will).

JUNE 18, 1944:---

The patients are coming in ever increasing numbers. During the evening, transported some medical supplies to the pharmicists section. Today, the strafing by enemy planes was terrific.

JUNE 19, 1944:---

Today the order was given for the distribution of duty. I was placed in the pharmicists section commanded by 2nd Lt. Yamaguchi. [full document and transcription at link]

[annacory-blog]

Dance or die

I fell in love with another fic by @ulysses000 and then Spotify provided me with a perfect song. I had to draw them to exorcise that image from my head.

As per tradition - below is my attempt in translation. I want to make complete translation so badly (this is probably one third)! I believe this story deserves more attention. But can some kind English speaker confirm it is readable???

Love this fic specially from WoD perspective, it cultivates such delicious feeling of emptiness. And while technically, it has a happy end, you can not get rid of bitter taste of loss. Their requiem is not life, and there no way back. All is gone!

—————————————————-

Music stops abruptly. The dancefloor is silent, mob looks around in bewilderment. All eyes are focused on a flimsy, dirty stage. There, litten by sophites, stands brunette, cladded in a black robe. Calmly she re-adjusts many necklaces and bracelets, adorning her bosom and wrists. She checks microphone, softly tapping it with elegant finger, nonplussed by screeching sound it makes or the yells thrown her way from down the stage. For a while she silently stares in the drunk faces below, until eventually rowdy voices are reduced to quiet, unhappy mumble in the back rows.

-"What would you like to say, before the end of the world?"

-"Go fuck yourself!" - someone yells back from the crowd. Brunette’s smiles softly. Her blue eyes sparkle. This sight will be their last before headless body collapses to the floor.

View from the stage is absolutely terrific. It reminds of a late spring evening in the mansion by the sea. Bodies sway in panic, almost as grass would in a lush fields. Writings on the wall glitter with red as if they were remnants of the sunset caught in clouds. Screams - voices of seagulls. Sweet aroma that spreads across the room reminds of freshly brewed Irish coffee. Eyes locked on the bright fountains. Droplets shimmer in the air with a multitude of colour. Content. Do not argue with Mother. It is a simple rule every kid should know. Because, no matter how kind, gentle and understanding Mother is, she is not all sweets and praises. She also has an iron glove to treat the unruly child. Anyone who dares to confront her will surely drown in their own blood.

-"Now, dance or die."

Music never heard in this walls engulfs space. Stirring voice of the violin is echoed by screams, cello is perfectly complimented by heart-rending howls. Robin is not at all surprised by this harmony of cries and choir chanting. Clocks have just reached zero and this means, time for celebration has finally come. Perfect night to forge a timeless bond between the beloved child and the dear friend. Trafalgar stands on the stage, as if he always was there. Pity no one minds what is happening in the spotlight. He looks tidier than usual, ceremonial. Shirt, tie, three piece suit, shoes - all in various shades of black, all fitted perfectly. His gaze briefly stops on the couple of cadavers lying by the stage, then moves to the brunette.

-"Playing with food, aren’t we?"

-"Tarao, symbolism never was one of your strengths." - She smiles softly and shakes her head, - "Don’t try to grasp, what is beyond you. Just think of it as a cog in the well oiled machine."

Flowers on wreath along the walls move, as if troubled by the gust of wind, candle lights flicker, and blond man appears by Robin’s side. Sanji fiddles with the hem of his suit anxiously, fixes invisible wrinkles on the bouquet wrap. Trafalgar thought he put more than enough efforts to look decent tonight, however he wouldn’t stand a chance if this was a competition. Sanji's clan has been know for this aura of perfection, but even among his kin - he is special. Where the rest emmit light of the full moon, Sanji’s light would blind you as hot summer sun in zenith. He holds ten white roses - stark contract against his black suit. Pale of petals resonates with pale of the skin, highlights the gold of his hair. Trafalgar cannot possibly look away and no disciplines are to blame for this magic. Little smile slips from under his control “this is beautiful” he thinks.

-"Sorry for being late" - blond tuck one long golden lock behind the ear. Eyes drift towards the dance floor, but do not linger there. Woman chuckles softly - so innocent.

-"I was worried you made your escape."

-"Please, don’t ruin the moment" - gaze of his blue eyes seems to be glued to the wooden planks of the stage, then he looks up, eyes meet with Robin’s.

They nod, almost simultaneously, and only after Sanji musters enough of courage to look to the other man. His gaze shamelessly devours all the minute details he can grasp, it is hard to tell, if he desperately tries to avert attention from the bloodbath on the dance floor, or genuinely admires the sight. Trafalgar thinks he would be happy with both reasonings. Laws lips move soundlessly forming few words. Sanji chuckles and replies in the same manner: “you too, idiot”.

-"Ladies and Gentlemen." - maybe a dozen of eyes flicker back in response to sweet, calm voice of the woman. Short break taken from tormenting the flesh, generously soaked with blood and tears. Bodies contort with the fear for their life. - "Tonight, before the Dark Mother’s eyes, souls of two cursed sons of hers will be united. Every kindred present here shall witness the making of endless, mutual death." - her eyes run across the dance floor, reading the mood of the guests. - "the Vinculum should not be broken. Anyone who dares an attempt to weaken the bond will be hunted by The Circle of the Crone," - she looks for a moment into particularly dark corner - "as well as by our brothers and sisters from Ordo Dracul."

Her gaze shifts to the dark haired man, waiting for him to return the attention.

-"Now you can speak your vows."

Trafalgar makes a step forward, reaches to touch cold pale fingers, swallows heavily before he starts to speak.

-"I, Trafalgar D Water Law, hereby take Vinsmoke Sanji into my Requiem forever." - envelops his hand gently and carefully - "I swear before all that is holy and all that is unholy that we, tonight, seal our fates by bonds of dedication and honor. When my partner is hungry, I will bring food." - Sanji chuckles quite and bright - "When my partner sleeps, I will watch and bear witness upon waking." - He squints, eyes slit, as if targeted by bright lamp. - "When my partner is afraid, I will give comfort, and when my partner is wronged, I will have vengeance." - Cool fingers caress back side of the hand. - "This I swear on the blood, and the flame and the spirit."

In his blue eyes flashing light reflects, candles burning twice as bright with the last spoken words. Law squises cold hand, trying to reassure, give comfort, prevent flashes from setting kindred's mind aflame.

-"I, Vinsmoke Sanji, hereby take Trafalgar D Water Law into my Requiem forever." - his voice sweetest thing that ever touched ears, in both life and un-life, - "I swear before all that is holy and all that is unholy that we, tonight, seal our fates by bonds of dedication and honor." - His fleeting touch playfully skims through tan fingers, icy sensation brings sober clarity and bliss of inebriation at the same time. - "When my partner is hungry, I will bring food." - Law’s smile is barely there. - "When my partner sleeps, I will watch and bear witness upon waking. When my partner is afraid, I will give comfort," - he is the most gentle and kindhearted, so much is obvious in every syllable of every word. - "And when my partner is wronged, I will have vengeance. This I swear on the blood, and the flame and the spirit."

Sanji’s hold on the hand gets firmer as he expects another rise of firy glow to radiate the room. Little girl steps forward from behind the stage, she is silent and obedient. So small, seven years at most, her deep chocolate eyes glazed with indifference, strawberry blond hair braided in two pig tales, white gown hugs fragile figure. She stares ahead absently, woman’s hands leading her by shoulders.

-"Time to make the sacrifice." - hand outstretched to pass the ritual knife. Fingers gently support ragged blade.

Trafalgar feels how kindred’s claws pierce his skin. He might have broken few bones, if older wouldn’t strengthen his grip in response. It is heard for Sanji. This is easily seen, his eyes shift frantically, his lips stripped of smile and crooked. Even his touch feels colder than before. He never have taken the life of a sentient being. Even in death Sanji remained pure, his hands and soul unmarred by murder of mortals. Law knows other is hurting, in his eyes this child is seen as a spit image of the older sister. Trafalgar himself lost in the shattered memories for a moment. Girl reminds his late sister, who died too young too long ago. Despite that he knows he will have enough resolve to put this innocent child to rest, as she obediently waits for her own demise.

This is essential part for the completion of the ritual. Sanji knows it. This is not news, but he can’t keep his long dead heart from burning and spasming disgusted by creeping acceptance. He was the one who proposed marriage. He organized most of the celebration. He thought about it many times, about this particular moment he has to take someone’s life, scenario played in his head on repeat. But it is not something you can be prepared for. This is wedding. They are about to enter mutual un-life, their souls are to be bound for the eternal death, forfeiting innocence, killing personification of their past. Together.

His hand is shaking, but Sanji hides it, only grip on the hilt gets stronger. Her face is gentle and soft, with neat childish features, but her eyes are dead already, trapped under Mother’s hypnotic influence. Embroidery on the gown matches hair colour. She looks like a little princess. Sanji forgets to imitate the leaving, his thorax freezes mid inhale, mechanical movement abandoned. He thought he would be able to do it, to confront the past, to kill for the sake of something new, for the sake of future. But this first step is terrifying. All his being is trapped, Staring in the eyes of the Beast, unable to move. Sanji doesn’t want to lose his humanity, he is afraid to slip, to get comfortable with the idea of supremacy over humans, his own strength, his right to take life. Few months in his death, as soon as fog of newly obtained supernatural powers thinned, allowing him to think clearly again, he made a decision to give his all to keep whatever “human” have left in this damned shell of the body. Once he got accustomed with business run by The Circle of the Crone, he found plenty of friends in each and every city morgues and knew without failure when fresh carcasses were delivered to local butcheries. When ritual required freshly drawn blood he used his own vite with no second thought. And now all workarounds are closed, blocked by unmovable boulders. Only one way ahead.

-"We are both dead. It’s not going to get any worse." His whisper is scolding hot against the skin, it reminds to expand lungs, air forced in with fake inhale. Warm palm touches softly, fingers carefully wrap around the hand that holds the hilt, the touch reassures, hand redirected slightly - outward and up.

-"Beheading is better."

For once Sanji is genuinely grateful that Trafalgar never listens and reads his thoughts at any given moment. -"One." He angles cutting edge . -"Two." Skin is burning hot -"Three." Thud. Mortal dread frozen in the eyes of the dead girl.

_________________________

And song that was a catalyst for all the efforts

[melkyt]

Law's body is not great at regulating temperature, and most of the time, he is freezing. It could be a hot summer day where everyone is absolutely melting, but he has to wear a coat, or he starts shivering. For someone who was born and grew up in primarly winter islands, that side effect of the amber lead pisses him off.

Luffy runs hot, his power is that off the sun. He barely ever needs or wants to wear a coat. Drum Island was really the only time he really felt cold, and that was at the peak of a mountain after scaling it in nothing but shorts and shirt, and before he awakened Nika. That means his tolerance is way up there.

The two crews meet up as they do on some island to trade information on something (party as far as Luffy is concerned)

Law before they arrived on the island gets a fever from working for way too late, and for way too long, as he does when something catches his attention. Any kind of cold always wrecks him as his immune system is shot, and there is only so much he can do with his power when sick, only the basic keep body alive commands as his attention wanders. Which makes his knowledge and attention based power almost useless

His crew usually takes care of him as best they can. Law tends to be stubborn and prefers to be self-sufficient so as not to get anyone sick. He hates getting anyone to suffer because of him, even if for them his cold won't even slow them down. They tell Luffy and the crew that Law will be healthy enough to come out in a few days, probably before they leave.

Luffy is not cool with that. He came to see Traffy! And nobody is going to stop him. He insists on going. Sanji makes soup to take. They consider Law an honorary member of their family, so they are all concerned. Chopper makes some medicine that should help.

Law cant even lift his head out of bed to tell Luffy off for coming in. He is bundled in a makeshift nest and still shivering.

Luffy sets aside everything he brings and climbs into bed next to Law. "Wow, you're pale, Tarao."

"No fucking shit" Law snaps, groaning as just talking hurts but with Luffy this close, it feels warmer, his teeth have stopped chattering. "Get out of here, you'll get sick strawhat"

"Nah! I brought soup!" Luffy pulls away to go grab it.

Without thinking Law grabs his wrist, hiding his face as it gets even more red.

"See yah dont want me to go, shishishi." Luffy gets under the covers, wrapping his arms around Law. " You're gonna get all better, and then we're gonna party!"

Luffy would use his full Nika power when it gets towards nighttime, and the submarine gets colder and the heaters not doing much to compensate. Law feeling well enough in his arms to fall asleep, something he hasnt been able to do for days. He can never sleep when he is cold and sick.

With Luffy, it's just different. They spend the next day just cuddling, and Law gets well enough to use his power.

Does Luffy get sick? Yes, but he doesn't even notice until he sneezes and shivers!, of all the things. Law is there to repay the favor ofc ;3, talking about how now they are even! Luffy just chuckles, "Come on, Traffy, you're the one who is gonna get sick again if you worry so much"

Law ignores his own advice but makes sure to keep room active thanks to the nagging of his crew xd

[baybugg]

Watching stampede killer and zoro clashing got me swooning. Tarao face got me smiling like a school girl this isn’t fair. Why am I so giddy aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh

[sereinreality]

that guy tarao

[odaclan]

The Conquest of Iga, as recorded in Seishū Gunki

同年の冬、伊賀住人福地某が信長の味方になり伊賀追討の兵を要請した｡故に信長は信雄に伊賀を与え、各家臣に諸方から攻め込ませた｡伊勢､名張口は北畠中将信雄である。同じく馬野口は滝川左近将監一益である。長野口は長野上野介信包である。鹿伏兎口は神戸三七信孝である。甲賀山の口は多羅尾久右衛門尉が先陣を受けた｡下口は蒲生忠三郎氏郷である。大和笠置口は筒井順慶である。 伊賀の侍は防ぐ場所を失い其々城にこもった｡信雄は丸山城を落とした｡一益は富益城を落とし､富益氏は討ち死にして滅亡した｡また、具野尾城は落ちず、信孝は柘植城を攻め落とした｡氏郷は土山城を攻め数刻鉄砲合戦があった｡伊賀は大軍を受けてかなわず有るものは討たれ、あるものは降伏しみな信雄の支配下に入った｡故に信雄は丸山城を瀧川三郎兵衛尉に与え、柘植城を池尻平左衛門尉に与えた｡また、仁木友梅（前守護・義視）を取り立て平楽寺城に入れた｡

In the winter of the same year (1581), a certain Iga resident called Fukuchi became Nobunaga's ally, and requested for an army to launch a punitive expedition against Iga. Nobunaga granted Iga to Nobukatsu, and sent vassals to invade from all directions. From Ise, Nabari entrance, was the troops led by Lieutenant General Kitabatake Nobukatsu. At the same time, from Umano entrance, was the troops under Takigawa Sakon no Shōgen Kazumasu. From Nagano entrance, came Nagano Kōzuke no Suke Nobukane (Oda Nobukane). From the Kabuto entrance, Kanbe Sanshichi Nobutaka. The army coming from the entrance of Kōkayama was led by Lieutenant Tarao Kyūemon, while from the exit came Gamō Chūzaburō Ujisato. From the Yamato Kasagi entrance came the troops under Tsutsui Junkei. The samurai of Iga lost their defences, and holed themselves in their respective castles. Nobukatsu felled Maruyama Castle. Kazumasu felled Tomimasu Castle, and the entire Tomimasu clan were destroyed and killed. Gunō Castle did not fall, but Nobutaka attacked and conquered Tsuge Castle. Ujisato attaked Tsuchiyama Castle, and a gunfight lasted for a few hours there. Iga was no match for such a massive force, and some were defeated, while others surrendered themselves under Nobukatsu. After which, Nobukatsu granted Maruyama Castle to Lieutenant Takigawa Saburōbē and Tsuge Castle to Lieutenant Ikejiri Heizaemon. Also, he brought back Nikki Yūbai (the former shugo Nikki Yoshimi) and installed him in Heirakuji Castle.

(Seishū Gunki vol. 8)

In light of the recently released Assassin's Creed trailer, this really needed to be said:

Nobunaga does not invade Iga because he hated "ninjas"/shinobi. Nobunaga never participated in the Iga invasion and never directly led it.

Both are erroneous narratives that are constantly propagated both by Japanese and non-Japanese media, and this is just frustrating at this point. Some newer takes tried to "clean it up" by saying that Nobunaga invaded Iga as part of his nationwide conquest. That's a somewhat less wrong take on it, but if you put Nobunaga in direct command of the army, then it's still incorrect.

Both times the Oda forces attacked Iga, it was under the command of Nobunaga's son, Nobukatsu. After this final conquest, where Iga was thoroughly defeated in 1581, Nobunaga only came later to inspect the region. Everything had already been cleaned up, and the Shinchōkōki even recorded that there were lavish accommodations prepared for Nobunaga to stay in for the occasion.

Now going back to the narrative.

Seishū Gunki is somewhat less reliable than Shinchōkōki in various areas, but it's still a valuable material regardless. The are differences between this account and Shinchōkōki, though. For example, here Nobutaka was also listed as a participant. In the Shinchōkōki, Nobutaka was not listed as an officer that took part in the charge.

Another difference is that while Shinchōkōki corroborated Fukuchi surrendering himself to Nobunaga, it also mentioned that he was actually from Tsuge. Meaning that there was no need to attack and conquer Tsuge. Shinchōkōki also said that one of the Oda vassals went to Tsuge to protect it, and his name was listed as "Fuwa". In the above gunki narrative, this was the castle/region that Nobutaka attacked. It's likely that this part is in error in the gunki, and Nobutaka was not actually present here.

That aside, there has been various theories about why Nobukatsu attacked Iga, and there's an odd story of an Iga resident(s) who requested that the Oda invade his own homeland that was not explained in prior articles that I've seen. This request from the Iga folk themselves was what encouraged Nobunaga to grant permission for an official invasion of Iga, something that highly disapproved of 2 years prior.

This full text in the gunki provides an insight for the possible reason: It's possibly to restore the rightful shugo of Iga to power.

In the last part of the above text, a man named "Nikki Yoshimi" was referenced. The Nikki family was originally the official shugo (governors) of Iga. In a previous chapter of the gunki, it was mentioned that at some point they lost power, and the so-called council leadership of Iga became established.

If you've read the various floating narratives about how Iga is an "independent" society that is free from samurai rulership, this is how that supposedly came to be. The Nikki family were still there. They just got overrun by the people. If the above text is to be believed, the people who rebelled weren't peasants either. They were still considered of "samurai" class (they even own castles), just that they're perhaps of lower status (some texts would call them jizamurai).

If this narrative is actually accurate, then perhaps the men who came to the Oda for help were associates of the Nikki family. What they wanted was perhaps to the get rid of the "insurgents" who had rebelled and snatched power from the "rightful rulers".

So much for the mysticism of the secret "ninja" village and all, huh? It's just more of the typical power struggle between clans that are constantly happening in this time.

Incidentally, this situation is not entirely unique to Iga. A similar situation had occurred in Kaga almost a century prior, where the Ikkō from the Honganji affiliated temples there overthrew the shugo and ruled the land for a very very long time. Like in Iga, the shugo family were actually still there. They just effectively no longer had any power. The Ikkō rule remained until the Oda forces came and got rid of them as well.

[dude1818]

Now that I've finished the anime, I went through the tag to reblog a bunch of fanart. I saw one post that suddenly made everything click, and now I'm all messed up about this show again. (Note all of this is just based on the anime and I don't know how much has been canonized in later issues of the manga)

While watching the anime, I caught on pretty quick that the timeline between Kiruko's and Tokio's plot arc didn't match. Kiruko and Maru's travels follow a pretty linear pace over the course of the season. Even discounting the flashbacks, the timeline of the Institute plot is all over the place. Tokio goes from not knowing what kissing or having a crush is to sleeping with her boyfriend in about an episode, and noticeably pregnant in the next, and gives birth and has recovered a couple episodes after that. (It may have been an accelerated pregnancy because of her biology, but still. Several months passed)

During my liveblog, I pointed out how they used that for a bait-and-switch in episode 6. After Tarao's memorial service, there's a scene change to Tokio throwing up, which is meant to look like her being shaken up by her friend's death. But then the last scene of the episode completely recontextualizes that, revealing that Tokio was sexually active and that was actually morning sickness, not trauma

I didn't realize they pulled that same stunt across half the season. In episode 8, Dr Usimi drops a button with the logo of the Institute when he killed himself after his patient died. In episode 13, Mimihime gives that exact button to Shiro after he saves her. Shiro and Mimihime are Usimi and the patient. Mimihime foresaw a person wearing Tokio's face coming to bring her outside, and that was Maru (Tokio's child) bringing her outside the hospital to euthanize her

The closing shot of the series is the four kids who escaped the Institute sailing to a modern-day city. The Institute wasn't experimenting with monster-human hybrids, they invented the hiruko in the first place. The doctor who experimented on Kikuro didn't bring his trick to the Institute like I thought, he came from there after the Calamity. And the reason Maru has the ability to destroy them with a touch is because he's a purebred child of two gen 1 hiruko

[nyahuaisang]

Heavenly Delusion Is Queer Regardless of What Anyone Thinks.

Tengoku Daimakyou, or Heavenly Delusion, is getting an anime adaptation and as a long time reader of its manga, it was disappointing to see that some people kind of dismisses certain gender and sexuality themes simply because they don’t see how it’s portrayed as valid. This post will obviously delve into spoiler territories so it’s up to you whether you want to spoil yourself here or read the manga for yourself first.

HEAVENLY DELUSION ANIME ONLY SPOILERS AHEAD

There’s already a massive amount of transphobes who only sees kiruko as being a guy because he had his consciousness transplanted and had that not been the case they would’ve been referring to him as a “female who believes she’s a guy” and I’m so afraid that the lgbt+ community will latch onto that and group the series and kiruko himself with these transphobes and invalidate his queerness in a “oh so you can respect his pronouns but not other trans characters’ pronouns?” way.

My first point is regarding Kiruko being a boy who's consciousness was transplanted into his sister's body.

Regardless of what you personally think kiruko’s gender is, the fact of the matter is that kiruko is a guy in a girl’s body and that inherently makes him trans if not at least queer. In addition, it’s very much implied that kiruko does have some level of feelings towards maru so again even if you don’t see him as trans he is still potentially gay/bi and again, QUEER. And Maru explicitly states that he stills love the person Kiruko/Haruki is now, independant of who "Haruki" or "Kiruko" was before the transplant. It's obvious he's still struggling with his sexuality as he is attracted to this person in front of him but this person turns out to be a boy but the fact is that he's still attracted to him even after learning of this.

Kiruko and almost every other character in this series is queer to some extent and I really really hope people won’t invalidate this story as a queer story simply because it’s not presented to us in a way we’re used to.

My next point is that of the kids in the facility were raised without any concept of gender which inherently makes them all genderless, with about half of them being intersex.

In the original japanese raws, the manga does not explicitly state the facility children as boy or girl, choosing to instead refer to them with their names instead and most if not all of the children uses "Boku", which is the polite masculine pronoun used more often by boys.

Up until chapter 17, we are led to believe Tokio is biologically male as they’re presented more on the masculine side then feminine, as well as being asked by Tarao if they liked Mimihime. The manga shows us a sapphic couple kissing a whiles later, which associates the audience with the idea that same-gender attraction is seen as normal in this facility and thus puts Tokio’s crush on Kona in the light of a homosexual attraction.

Because of this and the fact that we only know Tokio has breasts and a birth canal, which Michika also has, as seen above, it’s very likely that Tokio is also biologically intersex.

In addition, the manga's synopsis refers to Tokio as a "young boy" or "shounen"(the words circled in red)

It is for this reason that I don't like how people immediately switched to referring to Tokio as a girl the second they see they have breasts or hell even back when it was revealed they had a crush on Kona. It's just an incredibly toxic belief that only girls have boobs or only girls crushes on boys or that either of those things immediately makes someone a girl.

I get it. Their situations are not the same as queer people in the real world are, but this is a fictional sci-fi, not everything has to be realistic.

Kiruko and almost every other character in this series is queer to some extent and I really really hope people won’t invalidate this story as a queer story simply because it’s not presented to us in a way we’re used to.

Tengoku is an extremely precious series to me. It's a series that I stumbled upon myself at late hours at night while going through tough times and it's one of those series where I could really feel myself getting sucked into the story and I just really don't want it and its characters to get hate or invalidated simply because it is different from other queer stories.

Let stories be queer while still branching out to genres and themes that isn't strictly limited to romance or about the queerness itself.

Let characters be queer in non-realistic ways, stop strapping queerness down to reality when cishet characters gets to be as fantastical and magical and non-realistic as they want.

This series is queer. Stop saying it isn't.

[liquorisce]

Tengoku Daimakyou Rereads, Chap 1

I've been so obsessed with tengoku daimakyou/heavenly delusion, i binged the show, caught up to the rest of the manga. Now I want to reread the manga to pick up on hints I missed before.

Chronicling my thoughts below.

Note: This is full of spoilers and will only make sense to people who have atleast watched the show

the manga opens with pictures of heaven: a utopia. kids playing in the garden, watering plants, talking and playing with each other.

there are a lot of kids so someone has very kindly made a cheatsheet of the names of characters here.

one of the kids, tarao, is lying sick in what looks to be a hospital bed. kuku, another kid, appears to give him a tomato from the garden. tarao asks if tokio is going to come visit him.

as early as the first few pages of the manga, we have very clear hints that mimihime can sense the future. in chap 1 she senses that the kids are about to have a surprise test.

the surprise test, in a way, sets in motion the rest of the events to come. the robot teacher in the classroom declares that the test will only have 10 questions. But on Tokio's screen (it appears to be an algebra test) there is a 11th question that flickers: do you want to go outside of the outside? this is something that tokio cannot comprehend. but before tokio can ask the teacher, the question vanishes.

at the same time: the kids of other classes are still outside in the garden. kuku approaches kona who is drawing something. it looks like a fish with many arms!!!!! i never noticed this during my first watch, but this fish is what kuku turns into at a later point in the story. kona says that he imagined it: hinting at his ability to envision vague scenes in the future.

after the test mimihime asks tokio what she meant when she was mumbling about the outside. and then mimihime asks her if she has ever thought about what's outside their facility, outside of the walls of the garden. note: this was the scene that made me lose my mind, because the themes of the outside and wanting to go outside of the walls are so aot-like!!! and i have been obsessed with attack on titan for the last decade. ALSO!! i did not know that tokio was a girl when when i first watched this part on the show. in the show they refer to tokio as tokio-kun, which is usually used for boys. I refer to tokio as a girl now, because of later events. I'm curious if there will be hints to it that i missed.

Mimihime then says that whenever she thinks about going outside she sees two people coming to save her, one with the same face as tokio!!! later at night, tokio is unable to sleep and wanders in the garden thinking of what mimihime says. an old woman- who tokio calls director- on a wheelchair with two other people who look like doctors come outside to ask if tokio is having trouble sleeping and would like some meds to help sleep. (a very weird thing to offer a child, imo. makes me think what are all the other weird ways they've been brought up.)

tokio then asks if there's anything outside the outside (aka the garden that she originally thought was the outside), and the director says yes, and refers to it as hell, filled with wretched beasts.

and then chap 1 ends with a very intelligent still of a boy sleeping in what is the completely trashed remains of a karaoke bar called "karaoke heaven." but the words are missing and hence what we read is "kara heaven". from my limited knowledge of japanese, kara refers to emptiness, so idk if that means something here. to note for the future!

other interesting things:

taka is introduced as an extremely athletic child.

shiro is shown to go into a room called the workshop in his free time where it looks like he is building a machine, with a lot of wires, something like a computer maybe.