#ai japanese mature woman

[aigeratedmagma]

[aiarts-posts]

Kimono

[midnightactual]

Its funny, Yoruichi x Ichigo is the fandoms favorite crack ship for Ichigo particularly lol. What's your thoughts on this? Why do you think people like this ship and do you think it could happen if Ichigo became close to her like everyone likes to think?

I'd dispute that and say that fandom's favorite crackship for Ichigo is GrimmIchi, but I'll admit it really depends on what segment of fandom we're talking about, because GrimmIchi is the purview of transformative yaoi fangirls, while YoruIchi is the purview of curative horny hetmen who now mostly use AI to make porn of her while generally giving him a harem. (IchiBambi is also weirdly popular for some reason despite them never meeting.)

Why do the curative horny hetmen create YoruIchi porn? Well, that's an onion of a question.

The first and most important reason is because Ichigo is the main character, so he is automatically the main focus and fixation of the bulk of the curative audience. Now while Ichigo definitely does have a personality, it gets deemphasized enough over the course of the series that he can reliably function as a self-insert for the average guy, who is both the main creator and consumer of porn of Yoruichi. (As an aside, this is also a primary driver of UraYoru porn, which mainly revolves around Kisuke being perceived as "cool" and "a baller" despite being a nerd, rather than any kind of misapprehension of romance between them.) So, Ichigo is settled on first and foremost because he's the most obvious male to include in M/F porn. Obviously, Yoruichi is the real main focus.

The second reason is because "hot for teacher" is an extremely common trope and fantasy all by itself, and Yoruichi's canonical "teasing" of Ichigo forms a convenient onboarding point for imagining she might have some kind of interest in him, even though that's absolutely not what it actually signified. Picking Ichigo specifically caters to this better than any other male character would.

The third reason is because only slightly less common as a fantasy is the idea of taking a powerful woman and "putting her in place" through sexual prowess. YoruIchi porn usually has an air of "putting that uppity bitch in her proper place" rather than being tender or affectionate or whatever else. It's almost always explicitly sexual rather than sensual. Considering Yoruichi effortlessly disabled Ichigo during SS Arc, and in TYBW endlessly berates him, picking him imbues works with this element of powerplay and one-upmanship.

The fourth reason is because most of this art, coming from the West, has weird racial tensions behind it, given Yoruichi's ambiguously "exotic" appearance. Light-skinned anime characters are generally treated by Western audiences as white, even if they are known to be Japanese, rather than as Asian. Dark-skinned anime characters are generally treated by Western audiences as black, even if they are more accurately described as ambiguously brown. It isn't really hard to see that the "BWC" phenomenon is generally being appealed to, and for what audience.

[Future me editing in here: another reason is the Bleach equivalent of when Asuka or Rei is discussed, and someone answers Misato. Yoruichi is the most plausible stand-in for Misato, to Rukia and Orihime's Asuka and Rei, not that any of them actually fit those archetypes well. She's the "cultured" choice.]

So, basically, YoruIchi porn is thinly-veiled self-insert wish-fulfillment. (And so is most UraYoru porn.)

Now, at about this point, you're probably thinking, "Okay, but what about stuff that isn't porn?" and it is true that there is some art and fic of them that doesn't necessarily revolve around sexual conquest and/or titillation, and which exists for reasons other than the above, although it isn't that common.

Most of that work is also wish-fulfillment, just of a different nature. It tends to fixate more upon the idea of Yoruichi as a "mature" woman (as opposed to Rukia, Orihime, Riruka, and to some extent Nelliel) while also not carrying the pseudo-incestuous undertones of Ikumi, who overtly presented herself as like Ichigo's big sister he never had, and who nonetheless comes across as motherly toward him because she's actually a mom. Yoruichi doesn't have that same issue and is therefore a less "weird" older woman for Ichigo to be attracted to, yet one he actually kind of interacted with substantively unlike, say, Rangiku. Rangiku also lacks the "hot for teacher" element, as would Retsu, Kūkaku would actually be incestuous, and so on. (Ostensibly people like the idea of Ichigo with Bambietta and/or Candice as an enemies-to-lovers kind of thing? And because it's a mostly blank slate, they can do whatever they want.)

So, basically, Yoruichi is the "cleanest" option for putting Ichigo with an older woman he actually has some known interaction with. It's simply expediency by process of elimination.

In both cases, pretty much none of this ever has anything to do with what Yoruichi would think was attractive, appealing, supportive, sexy, and so on, and is almost always and forever to do with what the creator thinks would be aesthetically appealing. This is generally true of almost all Yoruichi ships, but I'll come back to that later.

So, is there some way it could it work out between them?

Not in canon. There is no possible canonical or pseudo-canonical telling of events where Yoruichi would have any interest in Ichigo. I'm phrasing it as an absolute because in my understanding there is no way Yoruichi would ever show any actual attraction toward Ichigo. He's too young, he's too naive, he's too foolish, and he generally just gets on her nerves... exactly like Yūshirō. In fact, she derisively makes the comparison herself in chapter 629:

If she sees him as anything in canon besides as a project to be babysat, she sees him as an annoying younger brother. I don't really think I need to explain that no matter how much "closer" they became platonically, she would never have any interest in him romantically.

So, to reemphasize: anything with YoruIchi within or near canon is ridiculous and out of character and is purely for the sake of the creator or audience.

Now, do there exist alternate universes where Yoruichi could find some (older) version of Ichigo appealing, say if they were much closer in age? Like, a human verse where she's 27 and he's 23 or 24? Yeah, sure, that's possible. I can readily imagine a version of Ichigo that could appeal to a version of Yoruichi, under other circumstances. That Ichigo would probably have to be a mixture of Ichigo at his most mature (circa FKT) and at his most confident (early Bleach) in terms of personality in order to get her attention.

Here's the problem though: Kūkaku exists, and she already is that without all the extra baggage.

To return to my point on Yoruichi ships in general, they generally exist to service the creator/audience, or their actual fave. As I have laid out here, YoruIchi mostly exists to facilitate fantasies which Ichigo is standing-in to enable. UraYoru generally treats Yoruichi as Kisuke's prize and accessory that he regularly gets to fuck as a reward for being so awesome. YoruSoi broadly treats Yoruichi as Soifon's prize for showing such "piety" and "faith" toward her "idol", which she "deserves" because "she loves Yoruichi so much" (in an ironic reprise of how most IchiHime that I have seen, regards Ichigo as Orihime's prize for "loving him so much").

Because you've happened to catch me on a day where I've taken my meds and I am very actively and continually choosing violence (I'm listening to "Set The World Afire" by Megadeth on loop as I write this), I'm going to go over the other two a little more before proceeding onto my final argument.

The entire "Yoruichi and Kisuke are childhood friends (to lovers)" construct is a misunderstanding that comes from a failure to understand the nuances of Japanese-to-English translation, to appreciate that Shinigami do not experience time and growth as humans do, and to appreciate that characters are often vague and imprecise in their speech, if not outright lying.

When Kubo answered in Klub Outside recently that Aizen was aware of Kisuke even before Kisuke and Yoruichi met, the correct solution to that was not to assume that Aizen met Kisuke in the Muppet Babies playpen, it was to realize that "very young" for a Shinigami can extend out to their 100th to 150th birthday, or even more. Shinigami appear to categorize periods of their life by relevance to their current existence, not strictly by chronology, and this is likely a function of their nonlinear aging. Time in the strictest sense is less important than the major events in their lives, and takes on a relative nature, which has a long history in Japan anyway. You might consider this as like the "11 lives" concept. Yoruichi met Kisuke a few "lifetimes" ago, a time which she now considers "very young" in her life. That's all.

With the childhood friends angle thrown out, we come to the idea that Kisuke and Yoruichi are in fact good friends, which I dispute. As I think much of this blog serves as testament to, people are generally not particularly interested in figuring out who Yoruichi is, why, and why she does what she does, let alone what she may have been up to. They're not interested in analyzing what is known, because if they were, I would not be discovering and presenting a lot of these things for the first time—they would be well known already. So, when people fill in Yoruichi for UraYoru, they fill her in in such a way as to accommodate and coddle Kisuke, their actual blorbo.

I find that disrespectful to her in the extreme.

I will also tell you that YoruSoi is the exact same thing, simply lesbian as opposed to het. The actual blorbo is Soifon, and she is "awarded" Yoruichi for her troubles in the exact same way.

I actually personally find YoruSoi even more absurd, to be honest. First, because the misunderstandings that created UraYoru are simpler to understand, second because YoruSoi overwhelmingly only exists in the anime, but third and foremost because YoruSoi is presented as this great triumph of sapphism in response to the icky heteronormativity of UraYoru, and yet it somehow exists in the face of the now well-known LGTBQIA+ meme, "historians will say they were just very good friends".

That is exactly how people treat Yoruichi and Kūkaku, without a single hint of irony or self-awareness, even as they proclaim how "obviously" gay Yoruichi and Soifon are for one another.

Now, people are free to ship what they like, but I want to be fully clear that I am immovably of the opinion that both those two ships exist exclusively to benefit Kisuke and Soifon, and always twist Yoruichi to suit what they think would accommodate those two most. They do not exist, and have never existed, for even a measure of Yoruichi's sake. She is an object within them.

She is also an object within YoruIchi, as already documented, and we come to the sixth and final reason why it exists: because people can correctly surmise that she belongs with a Shiba, but they do not have the courage or honesty to admit which one and accept that that equation doesn't include a penis.

Wrong Shiba.

(Much like Renji is clearly far more fascinated with Kuchiki Byakuya than he is Kuchiki Rukia. Wrong Kuchiki.)

As I have previously written:

But this is the truth: we have an incredibly sensual, sexual love poem by an incredibly sensual, sexy, powerful (brown) woman, which is clearly directed at her “best friend”, who is also an incredibly sensual, sexy, powerful woman. And that really brings us back to this post. WLW content from Japan is about cute fluffy innocence, not the intense female “When you’re both TOPS” energy that Yoruichi and Kūkaku radiate together (which I will again note was also present in CFYOW). Japan still isn’t ready for that today. It sure as hell wasn’t ready for it in 2005. And yet there it is nonetheless.

The world is simply not ready to accept YoruKū. This is especially hilarious in a world where CaitVi is currently running wild to rave acclaim.

(To be super clear here for the sake of nuance that nobody cares about: it is not "if you don't ship what I ship, you are wrong and bad", it is "if you ship these things I feel that you lack respect for Yoruichi and thus your ship is invalid and illegitimate in my eyes", and yes, there is a distinction.)

Basically, as far I'm concerned, only cowards ship YoruIchi. I'll be waiting at the adult table for them when they grow up and develop a taste for more than chicken nuggets and hotdogs with ketchup on them.

[toonabby]

4 days until Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution is released

Today marks the 20th anniversary of OS-tan, a Japanese meme that originated on 2chan, depicting several operating systems (namely Windows) as anime girls. ME-tan, their first creation, is based on Windows ME, a bug-ridden mess of an OS that was discontinued by Microsoft not long after it was released. Futaba Channel's portrayal of her is of a ditzy but kind-hearted Cute Clumsy Girl with a leak as an item. Later OS-tans would be followed, from the mature business woman 2k-tan to the lovable big eater XP-tan aka Saseko.

In 2009, Microsoft Japan released their own official OS-tan to promote the release of Windows 7 in Japan. Her name is Nanami Madobe, a friendly and peppy girl who represents Windows 7 and is voiced by popular idol/voice actor Nana Mizuki. Later on, other members of the Madobe family would be introduced - Yuu and Ai Madobe, the twins who represent Windows 8, Claudia Madobe, the business woman who represents Microsoft Azure, along with a spin-off comic called Cloud Girl, and Touko Madobe , the time traveler from 100 years in the future who represents Windows 10. Microsoft Singapore and Microsoft Taiwan would follow suit with their own respective versions of Internet Explorer and Microsoft Silverlight - Inori and Hikaru Aizawa. Personally I prefer this version over the above version, though both are equally as good.

[livyslabyrinth]

also, following this up but way darker— i was talking w my bf and we realized somehow all 3 of them got groomed in some way. lord, help this mess of a family.

spoilers under the cut: trigger warnings for subjects like abuse, and grooming (the action of attempting to form a relationship with a child or young person, with the intention of sexually assaulting them or inducing them to commit an illegal act such as selling drugs or joining a terrorist organization.)

kanna reveals that kugie was being romanced by a “mature/adult” woman in the original japanese version of your time to shine. sara is still called “underage” by mishima when keiji thinks about drinking with her, so i assume the simulation takes place with everyone at their same ages as in the death game.

shin was groomed by sou, whether you see their relationship as romantic or not. i personally see it with slight “romantic” undertones due to the excess of photos of shin being placed around sou’s house (possibly one sided as shin, at his most affectionate points with sou, states he viewed him as a sibling or an anti-hero) but either way… it was definitely abusive. shin’s ai reveals that sou was not even a student at his school, just a random grown ass man attending.

(side tangent and personal head cannon : i wonder how much coke sou was snorting to be able to balance high school, being a “psychologist”, “prison guard”, cashier at the ice cream shop, shin’s “friend”, a “nurse”, meeting with the yabusames, working for asunaro… like, half of their funding probably goes to his booger sugar because no way you’re doing all that without speed.)

but back to the main point, he specifically picked an emotionally vulnerable teenage boy with no friends, making it easy to groom him with the intention of forcing him into the death game. shin was very uncomfortable throughout the time they shared. during the lantern scene he says they spoke between computer monitors when at his house due to how uncomfortable he felt with him, and became even more disturbed upon seeing sou peek from between them.

when clicking photos of him he claims sara is “making him remember the bad parts”. he shows the most disdain in the chapter when upon inserting the fake id card into the control room several smiling photos of him appear.

i believe one of the most heartbreaking things shin has said is when confesses relief at the sou’s death despite the loneliness of losing his only friend.

i really hate the romanticization of their relationship. it’s sad seeing a complex character have clear grooming overlooked by gooner-fans (chainsaw man fandom is rlly bad with this as well) and the “i love toxic yaoi” crowd. shin is a victim who deserved much better. he was, at best, a kid who was groomed into joining a death game due to the trust he put into his first “friend”. at worst, there’s a possibility he was groomed romantically or sexually as well.

i do like their relationship. i find it incredibly interesting from a psychological perspective— but the romanticization of it genuinely takes away from a well-written character.

upon taking sou’s name, shin also took upon himself the man’s personality. believing that a psychotic, sadistic, and morally dubious demeanor would save him. but upon doing so— he continued the cycle of violence (fortunately ending it out of genuine love for his victim in chapter 2.) he latched onto the weakest of the group, manipulating kanna to his will with the sacrifice card.

i frequently wonder if he did this because he saw some of himself in kanna. that same timid highschool boy that was manipulated by sou hiyori, the man he has “become”.

regardless of his later intentions and affection, he originally sought to groom her into becoming someone he could use, bend to his will, make part of his plans.

but in chapter two, he broke the cycle. he found himself becoming affectionate towards kanna— and her self-sacrifice distressed him to the point that he was willing to die for her.

that’s one of the reasons i find his name reveal so perfect— we learn of shin tsukimi when we first see that true side of himself that he tried to “kill”. sou hiyori would never care for another human being the way shin tsukimi does. sou hioyri would never feel empathy for his playthings and feared death until the end, while shin tsukimi died at peace giving himself up for kanna.

tragically — even if kanna had been the sacrifice, he was prepared to die. he knew she would choose sara to live alongside her as her surrogate sister.

shin tsukimi broke the cycle, and i find it so tragically beautiful.

favorite thing about kugie + greenblings is somehow— despite the biological siblings being separated and kugie not even being related to them… all three of them ended up gay.

shin and kugie are pretty self explanatory, but kanna gives me gay vibes as well. (this is NOT shipping in any way, just general observation) her blushing sprite is only used when sara says she smells nice in 2-2, if i remember correctly. and i don’t even know what to say about the hot springs scene… she’s visually checking her out and nobody knows wtf happens when the screen goes black. kanna in the hot tub cutscene photo always reminds me so much of the feeling of changing in locker rooms in middle school when you first start to question your sexuality— poor girl. also, either intentionally or unintentionally grabbing reko’s ass in the emotion route 😭

like, its not due to influence between them as kanna only recently found out about kugie’s girlfriend pre-death game and neither of them knew shin. it’s not genetics, since kanna and shin aren’t directly related to kugie.

just genuinely blows my mind how ALL OF THEM ended up gay.

…honestly, that could be said for most of the cast though

[vintage7of9]

[strawberrycupsforever]

Let’s talk about Shin

Nana has many complex characters and I think Shin is sometimes misunderstood.

When we are first introduced to Shin he’s only 15 years old (lying about being 18, even though no one really believed that to be the case). He comes from an emotionally abusive household, his father admits to not being able to care for him and the only interaction we see him have with his brother is just terrible. One can only imagine the level of neglect and pain he had to experience throughout his childhood.

It’s mentioned that he wasn’t raised in Japan, having sometimes issues with the language and culture (his lack of knowledge about Japanese culture is an ongoing gag amongst the group). He escapes his home and ends up being taken advantage of by a predatory woman (that flight attendant), who not only abuses him, but introduces him to pr*stitution. Whenever he mentions this in the manga, especially in the beginning, he seems to be very nonchalant about this fact, distancing himself from how serious the issue is, by simply describing it as work. He is many times portrayed as being mature and “wise beyond his years”, even going as far as to give advice to Nobu and Reira about their emotional problems. There are times where we can forget how young he actually is.

I think Ai Yazawa does this on purpose.

At the beginning, we see Shin as a very mature young person: the way he acts, the people he surrounds himself with, his way of expressing himself... He seems very secure in this persona he puts forward, and for a big part of the manga he almost manages to fool us. 

But Shin is still a child, and a very hurt one at that. Hachi is one of the few people who recognizes this, she gives Shin something he has never experienced: unconditional love. Shin admits this himself, the bond he has with Hachi is so special because for the first time in his life someone loves him for him, selflessly, without expecting anything in return.

One of the most frustrating parts of the way his character is treated is people’s reaction to his relationship with Reira. Throughout the manga people expect this teenager to be Reira’s saving grace (I could write an entire analysis on how the people around her have enabled her to be the way she is). Not a single adult steps forward to comment on how inappropriate this relationship is. Only Takumi, and just to protect Reira’s image from a possible scandal. He even asks him to wait for her until he turns 18. It’s honestly sickening. Not once did anyone think of removing him from that relationship for his own good. Shin is left confused without understanding his feelings, wanting to “save” Reira and do good by her and his band. It’s honestly heartbreaking to read, the amount of pressure he has to deal with.

It’s not surprising he ends up giving into self-destructive tendencies after Reira (a whole adult who has no business being involved with a teenager), breaks up with him. His first reaction is going back to the woman who took advantage of him the first time, and then the chaos with his arrest ensues.

Honestly, Shin just need to be protected at all costs, so many people seem to forget how young he actually is. 

[cute-ai-grannies]

Mrs Kanamoto was such a popular teacher, her students even began to dress in her adorable style...

[aigeratedmagma]

[satoshi-mochida]

AI: The Sominum Files will launch worldwide for PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam on July 25, publisher and developer Spike Chunsoft announced.

In addition to the standard edition, a North America-exclusive “Special Agent Edition” will also be available for $89.99. It includes:

A copy of AI: The Somnium Files for PlayStation 4 or Switch

A-set acrylic stand – Approx. six inches tall

Outer box – Original Artwork by character designer Yusuke Kozaki

THOUGHTS REMaiN BELOW art book – 30-plus pages of sketchesand concept art

REVERIES IN THE RaiN soundtrack

A-set’s #1 fan stickers – Three vinyl stickers

Here is the official fact sheet:

Specifications

Title: AI: The Somnium Files

Release Date: July 25, 2019 (worldwide)

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Switch, PC (Steam)

Price: Standard Edition: $59.99, Special Agent Edition: $89.99

Players: One

Genre: Adventure

Website: Spike Chunsoft, Steam

Rating: Mature

Languages: English and Traditional Chinese text, Japanese and English audio

Developer: Spike Chunsoft, Co., Ltd.

About the Game

The mind never lies…

In a near-future Tokyo, detective Kaname Date is on the case of a mysterious serial killer. Date must investigate crime scenes as well as dreams on the hunt for clues. From the mind of Kotaro Uchikoshi (Zero Escape series director), with character design by the Yusuke Kozaki (No More Heroes, Fire Emblem series), a thrilling neonoir detective adventure is about to unfold.

Story

One rainy night in November, a woman’s body is found at an abandoned theme park, mounted on a merry-go-round horse. She had been stabbed repeatedly, and her left eye was gouged out.

Kaname Date of the Metropolitan Police Department arrives on the scene. He recognizes the woman. Suddenly, he hears a noise from inside the merry-go-round.

He breaks into the merry-go-round’s central column to find a young girl. And in her hands, she grips a bloody ice pick…

Get the announcement trailer, a more in-depth overview, and our interview with director Kotaro Uchikoshi and designer Akira Okada below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.

GDC 2019 Trailer

Game Developers Conference 2019 Presentation

■ Setting

Set in a near-future Tokyo.

Real-world settings and science fiction elements.

Travel between dreams and reality to investigate crimes.

■ Characters

Iris Sagan

Name: Iris Sagan

Voice Actor: Jackie Lastra (English), Nao Shiraki (Japanese)

Sex: Female

Age: 18

Profession: High School Senior/ Internet Idol

Iris is an internet idol (musician) belonging to the entertainment office Lemniscate. Her stage name is “A-set,” but her fans call her “Tesa.”

Ota Matsushita

Name: Ota Matsushita

Voice Actor: Zach Aguilar (English), Natsumi Fujiwara (Japanese)

Sex: Male

Age: 24

Profession: Light Novel Author (Self-Declared)

Mizuki

Name: Mizuki

Voice Actor: Corina Boettger (English), Tomoyo Kurosawa (Japanese)

Sex: Female

Age: 12

Profession: 6th Grader

Aiba

Name: Aiba (AI-Ball)

Voice Actor: Erika Harlacher (English), Akari Kito (Japanese)

Sex: Female (According to Settings)

Age: 5

Occupation: Investigation Assistant

Interview

When the Zero Escape series ended and you began work on AI: The Somnium Files, what were the main things you set out to do differently?

Kotaro Uchikoshi, Director: “In Zero Escape, I used a lot of cutscenes, but for AI: The Somnium Files, I wanted to create a game mainly for adventure game fans. That was my main goal in creating this.”

Akira Okada, Designer: “In Zero Escape, I was mainly focused on the escape parts, but in this one, I wanted to create a game where you solve the mysteries, such as using your intuition where you have to think a little bit.”

How does Date’s artificial eye play into the gameplay?

Uchikoshi: “The artificial eye has special powers that will aid you in your investigation.”

OK, so Date can extract information by entering a person’s memories. What forms will these dreamscapes take on?

Okada: “Every person dreams differently in real life. Some parts are memories, things that you don’t expect happen. So I wanted to reflect that in the game as well. Unexpected things happen, maybe dive into a memory. That’s what form it takes.”

Can you tell me a bit about the gameplay systems? What will players be doing specifically?

Spike Chunsoft representative: “We’ll be able to share more information about the gameplay soon. We’ll have some trailers and stuff for that coming up. For now we’d like to focus on the characters and stories.”

Gotcha. Maybe I can get in this question at least, feel free to deflect it as well. Is AI: The Somnium Files a point-and-click-type adventure game or do you control Date himself? What is the player perspective?

Spike Chunsoft representative: “I would say that’s also more of a gameplay question, which we will answer at a later time.”

Fair enough. Alright, so being set in near-future Tokyo, I would imagine there is more than just Date’s eye in the field of advanced technology. What other futuristic technology will players utilize in the game?

Uchikoshi: “The setting is close to our era—cell phones, cars, and what not are all there. But in this world, the artificial eye has special powers, and that is a huge part of this game.”

The latest trailer paints AI: The Somnium Files as having a serious mood, but will there be any lighter-hearted moments?

Uchikoshi: “AI: The Somnium Files is generally a serious game with a serious mood, but it has its fun parts and gags in there to keep the player having fun. And there are some heartwarming parts, as well. There’s a mix of everything in there.”

There has been talk online about how Iris is Siri backwards, and how the devil-worshiping demon cult Naixatloz she is a part of is Zoltaxian backwards, which is a word Siri has been known to use, and whether Iris’ last name Sagan is connected to NASA’s Carl Sagan. Can you comment on any of that?

Uchikoshi: “It’s exactly how you imagine.”

So the internet did good, huh… Thank you for your time, Uchikoshi-san and Okada-san!

[katemarley]

shipping in shounen manga/anime: detective conan

From an article about shipping in the shounen genre in the German yaoi/yuri manga magazine “dokidoki” (No. 4, 1/2018, p. 27):

So we see that the problem is not the female characters, for these are often very well written. The problem rather is the abrupt way in which the male main character and the female lead get together, especially in comparison with the friendships he has to his male friends and how slowly and deeply these develop until they are very close in the end. If a lot of mangaka managed to elicit the same depth for their hetero ships, their popularity would surely increase tremendously. This is what makes you wonder why it seems so difficult for many shounen stories to ascribe a beautiful plot to a romantic relationship. It often seems forced, much to the chagrin of those lovingly designed characters. Luckily you cannot colour everyone with the same brush, for there are series granting their main characters marvellous romances, such as [Hiro Mashima’s Fairy Tail].

This is exactly what I was lamenting about Detective Conan on Discord a while ago. Of course the setting is a bit different because Gosho Aoyama always uses the “childhood friends to lovers” trope, but still… There’s so little character development with respect to ShinRan (Shinichi x Ran), for example. They’ve basically been almost together since Chapter 1, so it’s barely a spoiler to say they officially get together after “a mere” 1000 chapters. It’s just … yeah, everyone expected that and, if we’re completely honest, after a lot less than 1000 chapters.

Still, Shinichi always seems to forget about Ran during a case. Both her and (to a lesser extent) Kazuha are kept out of Shinichi and Heiji’s detective work. Most of the time, the boys just dash off and forget about the girls, only to remember them in case they get in danger. Technically, both of them are “strong female characters”, what with Ran’s karate and Kazuha’s aikido powers. From the perspective of the boys, they still remain girls in need of “protection”, most of all.

Both Ran and Kazuha are complex and interesting characters and I like them a lot, but, sadly, their romances with Shinichi and Heiji are neither complex nor interesting to me. Of course they deserve their boys—the question rather is if the boys always deserve them, but that’s ultimately something Ran and Kazuha have to decide for themselves.

However, that’s exactly why CoAi (Conan x Ai/Shinichi x Shiho) and, only recently, HeiShin (Heiji x Shinichi) and KazuRan (Kazuha x Ran) have become more interesting to me as ships: Shiho/Ai is cunning and intelligent. She isn’t the “detective type” herself, but, as a scientist, definitely on a par with Shinichi/Conan in terms of intelligence … and in terms of sarcasm/irony. I think the last bit is what really got me. Also, there are several hints in the series pointing towards her having a crush on Shinichi. The same—being an intellectual match for Shinichi, plus being sportive (football/soccer vs. kendo), plus hints in the series that can be interpreted as romantic attraction towards Shinichi—is true for Heiji as well, and Kazuha and Ran also have their moments (I might make separate posts for each pairing sometime).

That does not mean I’d disapprove of either ShinRan or HeiZuha (Heiji x Kazuha). I’m good with them. But I’m a polyshipper and a multishipper, and there’s the concept of polyamory. That’s why, in my opinion, neither of these ships (need to) clash with one another. Of course there’s the thing that all Detective Conan characters are pretty jealous/possessive of their (intended) s/o’s, but I think they’d be able to mature and overcome that with time.

What I criticise about ShinRan and HeiZuha aren’t so much the ships but rather the way in which gender roles in Japanese society are depicted/understood by a Japanese manga artist in his mid-fifties: The girls have too less agency, in my opinion. Actually, most of the grown-up women in the series have, at least to some extent, retired from their jobs when they married their husbands (as is still pretty common in Japanese society). This is true for Chikage Kuroba who retired as Phantom Lady when she met Kaito’s father Toichi, the old Kaitou Kid, and it’s also true for Yukiko Kudo who retired from acting when she married Shinichi’s father Yusaku. I sometimes get the impression the only actual “modern woman” in the whole series of Detective Conan is Eri Kisaki, intelligent and successful lawyer who (interestingly) has decided to move out from her sluggish husband Kogoro.

[lotusdumpling]

NyoTalia Axis

+South Italy, Prussia, and Spain.

Veneziana- Alice Vargas

This chick is a badass. Unlike her male counterpart, and even her sister, she's a hard worker who doesn't stop until she gets things done (stemming from the common stereotype that Northern Italians are serious hard workers). She doesn't expect others to work as hard as her, however, and even likes when people let her take initiative. She's an emotional, cheerful, and protective person who lives to and for love. She likes caring for people and acts like a big sister. She has a close relationship with her actual sister as well. She's strong-willed and stubborn, with a love for debate—peaceful or otherwise. A bit of a tease, she likes to make jokes and flirt with others to see their reactions. She's a little rough around the edges and accident prone, but she'll get the job done. She works off of random spikes of energy rather than a scheduled approach, and often has great bouts of inspiration. She's more tomboy-like than most, especially her sister. She gets along well with Germany, Prussia, and America as a result.

Romana- Chiara Vargas

You know that one chill friend who could kick your ass if you cross a certain line? That's Chiara. She really doesn't care much for work, and though she'll get things done if she needs to, she usually lets Veneziana deal with things (not that Vene minds one bit). Unlike Romano, though similar to Veneziano, she is artistic and often locks herself away for days at a time when inspiration strikes. She's profane and blunt, though she tries not to be impolite. She gives off a strong, dominant air, and she's earned the respect of many people. She's fairly laid-back and calm and she tries to avoid conflict. Sometimes, though, she manages to get pissed off enough to throw her chill nature aside and put you in your place. When this happens, she can get quite bossy (inherited from the Maiden of Eternal Sunshine herself). Spain is like a mother to her, and she's very family oriented. She has a love for clothing, designing, and hair products. Looking good can raise her confidence, mood, and energy so much she's it's almost unsettling. She's really close with her sister, they tend to do a lot of stuff together, and she's really protective over her.

Japan- Honda Sakura (本田桜)

Sakura is a Yamato nadeshiko (ideal Japanese woman) type of person, who's wise, loyal, mature, humane, and domestic with a bit of hidden childishness—a blossom by appearance and a wildflower at heart. She's really passive and tends to hang on the sidelines, but she can make herself heard if she wants. She tends to daydream—usually, being the himejoshi she is, about shoujo ai—and yearns for an adventure. She's often called "Sakucchi" (a typical Japanese nickname for a Sakura) or "Mameko" (literally meaning bean child). She has a not-so-secret love for all things cute, and enjoys gardening and tending to her pets. She's a closet Otaku and a little obsessed with foreign culture, both thing's she has in common with America. She's diligent, polite, and sweet, but tends to hide her problems away from others and often times herself. Sometimes she gets self-conscious about her height, and has been caught on multiple occasions trying on Romana's heels. She's admitted to admiring the west and western culture on multiple occasions. Though she's quite shy and antisocial at times, she really wants to have more friends and admires America's socialization skills.

Germany- Monika Beilschmidt

Monika is a habitual worrier. She's the one who goes out with everyone as the designated driver and only cracks open a single beer once she gets home. Prussia, Veneziana, and America are constantly trying to get her to loosen up and have fun, but she always starts worrying something will go wrong if she's not on watch. Occasionally, however, she lets up, usually when she's doing something she enjoys. She's a bit on the quiet side and speaks as little as possible, unless she's lecturing. She's a bit self-conscious about her masculinity and height and it surprises people when she does girly things. She wants to do more feminine things sometimes, but doesn't know how to go about it. Once Romana gave her a makeover, and she was really happy for a few days. She has a weakness for sweets and loves dogs. She often takes on the role of a babysitter for her friends, despite being quite young and lacking experience, and tries to keep everyone out of trouble. Though everyone exasperates her, she has a certain amount of respect and understanding for them, and really cares about her friends. Unlike her male counterpart, she doesn't need a manual to do much and is quite lax on the rules, but she's still really socially awkward. Being a peace maker, she's often annoyed by Veneziana's tendency to fight and need to win. She likes more mellow activities, such as reading and biking, and likes spending time with Prussia and Austria.

Prussia- Julia "Julchen" Beilschmidt

A "maga amazing" girl with an oversized ego, she can be a bit over baring, but she's also better at understanding people and giving advice than her male counterpart. She's serious, book-smart, and hard-working, but it's hidden under her wild nature and strong will. She believes her younger sister, Germany, is the cutest thing and calls her Schwest. She's optimistic and tries to make the best of her situations. She's a bit of a clean freak and enjoys cleaning for others, despite her the lazy air she gives off. She seems to have an interest in skylines and interior design. She often gets in fights with Austria, but they usually make up almost immediately. She likes to listen to Austria play violin and has a nack for singing. She's modest and humble when it's called for, and doesn't give compliments often—which makes them all the more meaningful. She seemingly speaks bird(evident by her constant whistle conversations with Julchick) and is quite the animal whisperer in general. She's actually fine being alone and prefers it sometimes. She has a habit of blasting German rock as loud as possible, though Monika is used to it at this point.

Spain- Isabel Carmen Fernández Carriedo

The epitome of style, Isabel has a sophisticated air about her. Her hair, clothes, house, and things are well kept and she doesn't like losing or breaking things. People seem a bit surprised when they learn she has a bit of a wild side, as she never seems to get dirty and likes to keep things orderly, but she does have a passion for sports and dance. Despite all of this, she isn't actually in the best place politically or financial, but she has a "fake it till you make it" attitude. The happiness and comfort of others has always been a main priority of hers, but she is the boss and she'll make that known. As one of the oldest European nations, she believes she should be respected and admired. She likes to enjoy herself, whether she's relaxing or partying, and enjoys wine and wine based drinks. She always has a fan on her for some reason and can do quite a lot of things in heels. She's fiery, loud, passionate, and rather funloving, but she can become serious quickly and doesn't like being disobeyed. Family, tradition, and religion are everything to her and she's rather protective, affectionate, and clingy.

[fire-dwelling]

Fire Force, Chapter 151: ‘Young Man, Assault’”

...I give up.

Ohkubo, go fuck yourself, you misogynistic hack.

Triggers if you hate a shitty mangaka perving on a 17-year-old and trying to hook her up with the older dude who keeps creeping on her.

This is the writer who gave us Maka, Crona, and so many characters--and he’s reduced to this. Seriously, someone, anyone, get Ohkubo some therapy.

Translated from Japanese to Portuguese to English to snarky translator’s notes to maintain my sanity getting through this utter depraved incoherent shit-fest of a goddamn awful manga series.

Goddamn it.

Page 6

Jonah: “Have you finished training? Training, suited to a true hero? The time has come...The bullet of flames will rise. No…”

Page 7

Jonah: “He has come.”

Narration: “Out of the darkness, he arrives: the strongest warrior, Assault!”

Page 8

Assault: (thinking: “During the fight in the Nether, I should have been a support troop and exterminated the 8th...But they had a blessed killer...Tamaki Kotatsu. Despite her innocent face, she is a shameless individual.”) “Grrr. Disgusting.” (thinking: “To defeat the 8th, I need to put an end to her. I’ve trained...Day and night, I have trained endlessly...All to deal with that vulgar, coarse woman.”)

Page 9

Assault: (thinking: “I read porn.”)

Woman: “Aaah...Oooh…”

Assault: “I examined inappropriate magazines and videos...Non-stop...I surrendered myself to those female bodies. Wait for me, Tamaki Kotatsu. I’m coming for you!”

Page 10

At the 8th Cathedral

Tamaki: “?”

The envelope says “A Challenge.”

Tamaki: “ ‘I'll be waiting in the Old Wasteland of the 2nd District.' A love letter from an admirer?”

[Translator’s note: A writer who wasn’t a misogynist prick wouldn’t write this character to be this fucking stupid looking at a note that says “Challenge.” Or the writer would have set up Tamaki as lovestruck or haughty and therefore assuming any letter to her is a love letter, hence the “challenge” is of her own making. But what do I know--I just analyze this shit for a living, and Atsushi Ohkubo is a fucking hack.]

Page 11

The sign says “Wasteland.”

Tamaki: “The Bloody Flame, Assault?!!”

Assault: “You came alone. You’re brave, Tamaki Kotatsu.”

Tamaki: “How are you…”

Assault: “There’s no need to explain to the dead. Die!!!”

Page 12

Tamaki: “AH!”

Assault: “Her panties. Carnal sensation...Damn...I cannot lose here…”

Page 13

???: “In real life, it’s different.”

Tamaki: “Ai.”

Assault: “GUAH!”

Hood 1: “Assault failed?”

Hood 2: “It seems his current opponent is powerful…”

Hood 1: “What will he do now?”

Hood 2: “He begins new training.”

Page 14

Assault: “It was absurd to think that I could overcome with just paper and images...Real life is... very different...So!!! I have come!!! I have arrived!!!”

The location is Chupa-Cabra Cabaret.

Page 15

Manager: “What’s your preference?”

Host 1: “Bring out a bottle of wine.”

Host 2: “Welcome.”

???: “Have your breasts gotten bigger?”

???: “Ahaha, you’re silly!”

???: “Saizu-san, are you crying again?”

???: “It’s just that my daughter doesn’t speak with me…”

Assault: “What kind of place is this? I’m shivering all over. But this is training.”

Page 16

Host 3: “Hi, I’m Saki! Nice to meet you.”

Assault: (thinking: “Like dynamite.”) “Ugh.”

Saki: “Huh? Hold up. What’s with the suit? You just run away from a wedding? You hardly seem like a man at all.”

Assault: “I...I don’t?”

Saki: “I would know! You’re different from other men who come here.”

Assault: “I’m not really a man...So I cannot be defeated by Tamaki Kotatsu.”

[Translator’s note: ...A clever writer would work through this idea about the really gross conception by rightwing jerk-offs who think they have to be sexually pure out of their misogyny towards women. Or a clever writer would consider how pornography addiction can debase men as they objectify women. But Atsushi Ohkubo is a fucking hack.]

Page 17

And now, Assault is Forrest Gump. This is not a box of chocolates: it’s just a box of shit.

Assault: “I didn’t think I would be able to converse so well with a woman...I may in fact be a genius. I’m coming for you, Tamaki Kotatsu.”

[Translator’s note: ...Please, for the love of God, tell me these aren’t puns.]

Tamaki: “No!!! Why?!”

Assault: “...”

[Translator’s note: ...Someone, punch Ohkubo in the dick.]

Page 18

Tamaki: “D...Don’t look…”

Assault: “That is such...an innocent, embarrassed face...It’s different when they’re young.”

[Translator’s note: JESUS FUCKING TAP-DANCING CHRIST, SHE’S 17! AND HE’S OLDER THAN DIRT! WHAT THE FUCK?!]

Page 19

Narration: “She’s strong...Very strong...Tamaki Kotatsu...I have never faced such a strong opponent...That is why I have to overcome myself...I am the killer emerging from the depths. I'm the bloodshot Assault! After my third defeat, I waited for the strong winds to blow. This moment cannot escape my vision.”

Woman: “AH! What a weird wind!”

[Translator’s note: You know how people say “I feel unclean, I need a shower”? Is there a way to substitute water with fire and just burn the unclean off of me?]

Assault: “The panties of the young...Her shame is seared into my eyes.”

[Translator’s note: SHE’S 17, YOU SICK FUCK!]

Assault: “My training is complete. There is nothing that can stop me.”

Page 20

Jonah: “So...You finally got it?”

Assault: “Yes.”

Arrow: “His arm didn’t move...He stopped my arrow with one finger…”

Jonah: “Assault...has arrived…”

Jonah: “?!”

Page 21

The note he leaves is “I’ve come!”

[Translator’s note: ...I’m leaving.]

Jonah: “Assault…”

Page 22

Set up for a dumb joke incoming.

Page 23

Tamaki: “Enough of this! What’s your problem?!”

Assault: “This time will be the last.” (thinking: “I have evolved...I can handle this, no problem.”)

Tamaki: “You’ll never get it!”

[Translator’s note: Tamaki, the dude is super violent and powerful, and you’ve come alone. Seriously, is everyone at the 8th just stupid this week? This ruins the entire fucking point of the series when you can’t hold up a barometer to know when something is truly dangerous and should be taken seriously. Akitaru would let her do this? She didn’t tell anyone? No one follows her? Just...What is this crap? What is the point? How do we go from Soul Eater to this garbage? It’s Chapter 113 all the fuck over again.]

Assault: “Oh, I know ... Like you said, I can’t.” (“I know that oh too well...I can see the result...No matter how many times I try, I can’t win because…”)

Page 24

Assault: (“It’s different when it’s someone you like.”)

[Translator’s note: … *vomits*]

Assault: “Come.”

Narration: “No matter how much you fall in love, you have a battle from which you can not escape! In the next chapter, a new arc begins! And stay tuned for the anime announcements! To be continued in Chapter 152: ‘Oze Family.’”

[Translator’s note: This entire chapter sours me on any idea of an anime: this series doesn’t deserve it. Ohkubo doesn’t deserve to be rewarded when he can’t mature as a writer. What a fucking disappointment; what a waste of a person.]

[arishamod]

Ultra Jump May 2018: 100 Questions for Komiya Arisa

“I’ll affect you with the magic of love  ♪”

TL: Arishamod QC: Ippi, Yuja

Komiya Arisa (Voice of Kurosawa Dia)

Nickname: Arisha

Birthday: 5th February

Blood Type: B

Hobbies: Reading Manga, Sleeping

Skills: Drawing portraits, Classical ballet

Notable Roles:

Movies: “Love X Doc”, “50 First Dates”, “After School War”, “Yumeji: Ai no Tobashiri”, “Evergreen Love”

Drama:   “Teru Konda's Legal Recipes”, “ Uchu Sentai Kyuranger (Akyanbaa)”

TV: “Tsuukai TV Sukattojapan”, “Tonight’s Nazotore”

1. Favorite food?

Meat.

2. Disliked food?

Hot tofu.

3. Favorite sweets?

Japanese rice crackers.

4. Your number one favorite home-cooked dish?

Although my mom is really good at cooking, and I love all the food she cooks, my favourite is still Ebi Fry (fried shrimp)!

5. Favorite color?

White.

6. Favorite scent?

A slightly sweet floral scent.

7. Favorite season?

Winter.

8. Favorite event of the year?

Birthday.

9. What sport do you like watching?

Figure Skating.

10. What sport do you like playing?

I don’t know how many years it’s been since I’ve played sports. Although I like to watch it, I might not say the same about playing it.

11. Favorite animal?

Dogs, but if it comes to looking at them only, it would be cats.

12. If you were to compare yourself to an animal, what would you be?

I look like a cat.

13. Are you a dog person? Or a cat person?

Dog person.

14. Favorite manga?

“Black Butler”.

15. Favorite genre of manga?

A clichéd shojou manga.

16. First manga you read?

“Ciao (Cha-o)”.

17. First anime you watched?

“Sailor moon”.

18. Favorite movie?

“Les Misérables”.

19. Favorite musical artist?

No one in particular.

20. Song(s) you listen to every day?

I don’t really listen to music…

21. First CD you bought?

A “Morning Musume” CD.

22. Your specialty song at karaoke?

I almost never go to the karaoke.

23. Phone lock screen?

The portrait that was drawn by Kubonouchi Eisaku that was used for my collaboration goods.*

*the same one that was used for her 3rd fan meeting.

24. A clothing brand you often buy?

UN3D and Elendeek.

25. Your best outfit?

None in particular.

26. Favorite place in your house?

Bed.

27. What do you want most right now?

A small Balenciaga purse.

28. What’s something that you’ll always carry in your bag?

My purse and portable charger.

29. What’s something you’ve been collecting unintentionally?

Cosmetics for the lips.

30. What’s your treasure?

The necklace that was given to me by my parents on my 20th birthday.

31. What kind of child were you?

Even now I am a child who has freedom.

32. Your childhood treasure?

The stuffed bear that my grandma gave to me.

33. Your childhood dream?

To be in “Sailor Moon”.

34. Someone you respect?

My parents.

35. If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

Domestically, I would want to travel to Shikoku*. If it’s overseas, I would like  to travel to Iceland, where I previously traveled to for work once.

*Shikoku is the smallest major island in Japan.

36. What country do you want to try visiting?

France.

37. Any bad habits?

Recently I feel like I am hunching my back.

38. Do you have a catchphrase?

Demo sa (but).

39. Charm point?

My eyes.*

*I’m pretty sure this is her SFW answer because she has mentioned that her butt is her charm point in her gravure interviews ><

40. A strength you have?

I diligently do what needs to be done.

41. A shortcoming you have?

Frequently changing my mood.

42. Your special skill?

Classical ballet and drawing portraits.

43. Something you’re bad at?

Staying still.

44. A precise weakness of yours?

I am useless when I don’t have enough sleep.

45. What do you want to fix about yourself?

Since I realised that I get lonely too easily, so I want to feel secure when I am by myself.

46. What are you confident you can imitate well?

The faces of people with their eyes wide open from the manga by Mr. Umezu Kazuo.

47. What’s something you could live off of?

Food.

48. Your current obsession?

Since I have received a Kindle, I have been reading.

49. A phrase you’ve been using a lot?

None in particular.

50. Favorite motto?

Do it one way or another.

51. If you could describe yourself with one word, what would it be?

Doing as one wishes.

52. Something you’ve been picky about recently?

When they are doing my partial makeup for our stage costumes for Aqours, I sometimes insist that they “must use this eye shadow”.

53. Fill in the blank with something positive: I’m actually _.

Able to forget anything completely once I go to sleep.

54. Fill in the blank with something negative: I’m actually _.

Lonely.

55. Anything but this!

Being touched randomly by things around me

56. What would the world be better off without?

I do not know.

57. How do you kill time?

Sleep.

58. How do you relieve stress and refresh yourself?

Sleep.

59. What app have you been using often recently?

The calendar app that I use for managing my schedule.

60. What’s something you always do once you wake up?

Brush my teeth.

61. What’s something you always do before you sleep?

Drink water.

62. What do you do when you ride the train?

Things like reviewing Aqours’ dances and checking my Twitter.

63. What do you do to maintain your health?

Food definitely helps.

64. What do you do when you have the day off?

Sleep or go shopping.

65. What do you do when you have time to yourself?

Sleep or lie on my bed and do nothing.

66. What do you do when you hang out with friends?

We go to cafes.

67. Where do you want to go on a  date?

A meal would be fine.

68. If you were to confess to someone, what kind of situation would you want it to be?

I don’t really intend on confessing...

69. If someone were to confess to you, what kind of situation would you want it to be?

I want them to confess to me in person!

70. Something fun that happened recently?

When I was in Tokyo and Osaka for 3 days for my birthday event, there were many people who came to the event. It was difficult, but together with everyone who came to the event, I did my best! I had fun during this event.

71. Something sad that happened recently?

When I can’t remember what kind of work I did when I return home everyday.

72. Something funny that happened recently?

I often wear my western clothes backwards. I find that funny yet sad (laughs).

73. Something about your past you want to erase?

Nothing! Right now I should use all of it as a source of encouragement…

74. A moment that made you think “This is a miracle!”?

The time when I was heading to the station without checking the schedule, and the train came at a really good time.

75. A moment that made you think “I’m glad to be alive”?

When I am eating a delicious meal.

76. What wish do you want granted in the future?

To appear in a morning drama.

77. What’s something you wished for that came true?

Becoming a heroine.

78. Any fond memories of 2017?

I was able to travel to many different regions through the lives and events.

79. What went wrong in 2017?

I guess the year passed without any failures that was big enough to immediately come to mind...

80. What would you do if you won 100 million yen from the lottery?

Put money into my savings and buy a house.

81. What would you do if you had a time machine?

Since I neither want to know the future, nor do I want to change the past, I wouldn’t use it.

82. What would you want to do if the world were to end tomorrow?

Live a normal day with my family.

83. What would you want to eat if the world were to end tomorrow?

A meal cooked by my mom.

84. If you could bring one thing to a deserted island, what would it be?

“Anywhere Door”*

*The same one used by Doraemon

85. If you were reborn in another world, what would you want to become?

A human with save points.

86. If you were reborn in this world, what would you want to become?

Human.

87. If you were to be reborn, would you want to be male or female?

Female.

88. What’s good about being a girl?

Being able to wear many different cute western clothes each day.

89. What’s something you’d want to try if you were male?

I want be a playboy.

90. A challenge you want to take on?

I want to drive down from a mountain pass…

Though even if I got a license, I definitely wouldn’t do it.

91. A voice role you want to try in the future?

A normal girl. I think that it’s different trying to portray a normal girl.

92. If you could do any job outside of voice acting, what would it be?

Currently, I am doing gravure as part of my actress work outside of being a voice actress. When I was young, aside from the entertainment industry, I wanted to be either a pharmacist or nutritionist.

93. What made you the happiest out of everything you’ve been told?

“You have become such a mature woman”, which was said by a staff member that I’ve have known for some time.

94. Have you been keeping any secrets from the rest of Aqours?

There isn’t anything important enough that I will keep a secret from them…!

95. Where in Numazu would you like to visit again?

The frog museum.

96. Praise yourself as much as possible!

Your skin is so smooth!

97. Memories of your first love?

Around the time when I was an elementary school student?

I have forgotten it, just like how I forgot what I did yesterday. I don’t really remember much…

98. Please tell us a life changing experience.

Right before I turned 18, I had to live on my own, but I did not know how to use a washing machine.

99. Your thoughts on today’s photoshoot?

Since it is the season for spring clothes, being able to have pictures of us taken with the poses from the AZALEA cover with the room filled with balloons, really makes me happy.

        100. Finally, a word for your fans!

There will be many more events, so please do come for them!

Let’s watch out for each other’s health (laughs).

[taliya-writes]

Judgment Day snippet - DCMK

Shinichi hummed as he exited headquarters, ducking into Sakuradamon Station to catch the Yurakucho train bound for Wakoshi Station before switching trains at Ikebukuro Station.  He alighted at Ekoda Station, the journey from police headquarters to the Kuroba home as familiar to him as breathing.  He smiled upon seeing the house he had grown up in: nondescript, well-kept, and outwardly boring.  The conventional exterior betrayed nothing about its rather unconventional occupants—a neurosurgeon and retired phantom thief, a ranked police officer, and their twice-de-aged, adopted son.

Unlocking the front door, he announced, “I’m home.”

“Welcome home,” two people chorused, and Shinichi’s face cracked into a smile at hearing his father and godmother’s voices.  A moment later Kuroba Kaito and Haibara Ai emerged from the living room, and father and son hugged each other after Shinichi had slipped into his house slippers.

Kuroba Kaito was a wiry but spry man of fifty-seven years of age.  The outer corners of his mischievous indigo eyes were creased with laughter lines and his espresso-colored hair was liberally sprinkled with strands of silver concentrated around his temples—if still as wild as ever.

“Hi, Tou-san,” Shinichi whispered, then stepped back and glanced at his godmother before sweeping her into a hug as well. “Hello, Haibara.”

“Hello, Shinichi.”  Haibara Ai was ten years younger than Kaito.  A petite woman of mixed Japanese-Irish descent, her grey eyes were warm as she looked her godson over.  Silver also threaded through her auburn chin-length locks, but that was the only outward indication of her age.

“Where’s Kaa-san?” he asked as they trooped into the living room, where a tray of tea had been prepared.

Kaito filled and handed a teacup to his son. “She’ll be on her way soon.  I caught her in the middle of a meeting.” He groaned as he sat down on the sofa, chuckling at his son’s raised brow.  “I’m allowed to feel my age,” he griped somewhat defensively.

Shinichi snorted.  “You rarely ever act your age.”

“Doesn’t mean I don’t feel it in my joints.”

“You’ve no one to blame but yourself for that.”

“I’d like to see you be Kaitou KID for almost thirty years first, and then tell me your joints don’t feel like they are all falling apart.”

“Children,” Ai admonished, cutting through the father-son bickering.  “Behave.”

“He started it,” Kaito muttered with a pout at Shinichi, who replied by sticking his tongue out at his father.

The scientist sighed.  “How utterly mature of the both of you.”

The three chatted on various topics as they waited for Aoko to arrive.  After Kaito had greeted his wife home with a kiss to the cheek, the four sat down in the living room with mugs of green tea—Kaito and Ai on one side of the coffee table, and Aoko and Shinichi on the other.

“So,” Kaito began, and glanced somewhat nervously at his research partner.

“We wanted to discuss this with you before we bring it up with everyone else tomorrow evening,” Ai finished.  She took a deep breath.  “Shinichi, Kaito and I have developed something that might be able to bring your memories back.”