#aibou rambles

[getvalentined]

Apropos of nothing at all, I present:

The Nibelheim Doom Triangle Playlist

Big Houses by Squalloscope (Lucrecia and Hojo and Shinra)

I Come With Knives by IAMX (Hojo to Lucrecia)

Labour by Paris Paloma (Lucrecia to Hojo)

Superman by Ivory Layne (Lucrecia to Grimoire Vincent no it's Grimoire)

Between by Vienna Teng (Hojo and Lucrecia)

9 Crimes by Damien Rice (Hojo and Lucrecia and Vincent)

Die Tonight Live Forever by InnerPartySystem (Hojo to Vincent)

Up In The Air by Thirty Seconds to Mars (Hojo to Sephiroth)

Black Eyes by Radical Face (Vincent to Hojo post experiments)

Castles by Of Verona (Vincent to Lucrecia postcanon)

Veins by Charlotte Martin (Vincent and Hojo and Chaos)

BONUS: Song Unsung by Eden White (Veld to Vincent post death)

All's fair in love and science!

[yume-fanfare]

i loooove all the eye - ai puns in ai the somnium files they're absolutely everywhere and all so good

[amelikos]

First promotional pictures for HZ075 (link here and here).

Ramblings about the original Explorers (Lucius, Rystal, Gibeon).

First recap.. which highlights that the Explorers got founded by Lucius, that he set off to Rakua with Rystal and Gibeon, etc.

The picture showing Lucius, Rystal and Gibeon together is really nice.. lots of casual trust and closeness between all of them as it looks like Gibeon is explaining something to both of them and they are listening to him intently. Seems like Gibeon is someone they could consider trustworthy and reliable as he appears to be the one who is most prepared during his journeys (he carries a bag, a notebook, etc). Terapagos is also smiling! I wonder if Gibeon and Terapagos had a close relationship, but what is certain is that Terapagos didn't always feel the way he currently does towards Gibeon. That trust got broken afterwards because of what happened in Rakua.

(Stray thoughts about that trio, but I wonder if they were similar to Liko, Roy and Dot.. I mean, the mere fact that they are a trio means that we can draw parallels between the two, but. Thinking about how Lucius&Rystal and Liko&Roy could have similarities on some aspects, since Lucius and Rystal both have Rayquaza and Terapagos.. and Liko and Roy are both currently associated with these Pokemon.. which kind of tickles the part of me who is fond of Roy&Liko.. which, in turn, makes me wonder if Gibeon and Dot could be similar on some aspects. Gibeon carries a notebook so he seems to gather information the same way Dot does? I wonder if Lucius and Rystal were hyping up Gibeon the same way Liko and Roy do for Dot.. "Gibeon you're so smart and reliable and what would we do without you, and")

--

Second set of pics. It highlights that Lucius, Rystal and Gibeon all traveled together to find Rakua.

It's interesting to me since our current characters are also traveling to find Rakua, and I love when narratives play on a cycle repeating itself. Same destination at different points in time.

Something I also love is that Rakua is thought to be a "fairy tale". Lucius's story was also considered to be a fairy tale, and Diana, Liko and the others didn't know if he really existed but they chose to believe that he did. It's something that Roy brings up in HZ006, even ("I always believed that the ancient adventurer was real"). It's an active choice they make to believe in something and to chase it. (Also knowing that Rakua wasn't exactly a beautiful fairy tale given what happened, and it turned out to be potentially a dangerous place.)

This already tells us a lot about Gibeon. Even if he could appear to be more "logical" or "rational" (seeking information, etc), he chose to believe in Rakua and to dedicate himself to finding it, even if he wasn't sure about its existence? It reminds me of Dot and Agate's exchange in HZ056 when Agate thought that the occult books were ridiculous, but Dot thought that they could have a kernel of truth to them.

This makes me wonder if Lucius, Rystal and Gibeon were all traveling independently towards the same destination and met each other somehow (Lucius meeting Rystal first, then both of them meeting Gibeon). And they may have decided to travel together as a matter of practicality since they were looking for the same thing anyway. I wonder where they heard about Rakua.. In ancient books?

The mention of Gibeon being wholly dedicated to his goal is interesting (and could indicate how things went wrong for him.. as in being "too dedicated" at the cost of everything else). Zygarde being described as "White Zygarde" as well (in contrast to Lucius's Rayquaza being the "Black Rayquaza"). Zygarde is Gibeon's partner (aibou) so that also speaks of the depth of their bond. Gibeon seems to love his Pokemon properly. I wonder where he met it?

(Also, thought that came to me. It's neat that both Liko and Amethio's grandparents have dogs as their partners Pokemon (depending on the form).. Diana has Windie. Zygarde's 10% form resembles a dog.)

The mention of Lucius and Gibeon having lots of respect for each other also really gets to me.. These two were friends! I wonder how they came to greatly respect each other (because of their dedication to adventuring?), but I'm happy about it. The tragedy is that they all cared about each other and were friends, and because there was love, it makes it all the more heartbreaking the way things ended..

I like what all the pictures infer about the characters. Not sure what Lucius, Rystal and Terapagos are looking at in the first picture but they are all smiling, and it's cute. Lucius being casually in Gibeon's personal space in the second picture shows that there is a lot of comfort between the two of them and that they can talk to each other in a straightforward way and as equals. The third picture is also cute because the original Explorers had their own group fistbump, showing lots of camaraderie between all of them.. and we're meant to think of the Rising Volt Tacklers who do the same thing, too. Gibeon had close friends like that!

The fourth picture is my favorite of the bunch. Almost feels like we're looking at something we're not supposed to see because it feels that tender to me, tbh. They all look close. (And Rystal being in the middle in that scene is also interesting. Kind of neat that knowing that even though Lucius and Rystal were romantically involved, Gibeon still manages to be close to her. They just all mutually respect each other. It doesn't have to be weird. (And by that, I mean that it doesn't have to be about a love-some kind of shape which is three straight sides and three angles.. or about using a female character to further angst/drama between two male characters.. it can be all three of them standing together as equals.. and the love Lucius and Rystal feel for each other is one thing, and the bond all three of them share is another thing altogether.. etc etc.. anyway.)

Also something something about Rayquaza being the dragon of the sky and Zygarde being the dragon of the earth(?) and Terapagos being the bridge between the two? Poetic cinema.

--

While I'm at it, I will also write down my last stray thoughts about the upcoming episode. (Though I could still have more tomorrow depending on what the PR account decides to post.)

Given the insistence on the close friendship between the original Explorers, I wonder if Lucius really sacrificed himself to protect/save Rystal and Gibeon. But then, why does Terapagos react with so much anger at Gibeon's name and looks? Did Gibeon attack Lucius and Rystal and is the reason for Lucius's demise?

Was Gibeon somehow influenced by the Rakurium? Did Gibeon know about the Rakurium's properties before arriving in Rakua? Or did he find out about its possible blessings when he got there, which caused an instant fascination and interest in it for him? Was he so desperate to reach Rakua that when he finally got there and saw the Rakurium, he became obsessed with it?

Was Gibeon somehow influenced badly by the Rakurium, or the Rakurium enhanced his desires (potential great desires for knowledge, mysteries, immortality), causing him to attack both Lucius and Rystal? Was Gibeon fully willing and in control of his actions? Is there an external element that might have set him on the wrong path? Can Gibeon still be saved? Can he reconcile with Lucius (and Rystal, even though she is no longer here)?

I really can't wait to know their story and everything else.. and about what happened in Rakua. What is the Rakurium, what does it do exactly, what happened to Gibeon who was once so close to his friends, what will Rystal's last words be, what will the characters do with this knowledge?

[taldigi]

Whyd I read that "have to go to sleep because of Capitalism" tag as smthn Yuuko has said. Like, Yosuke tryna get her to sleep and she won't stop blaming Capitalism for it <--- she is a toddler [maybe idk how old she is but that's besides the point]

I think I put her aaattttt 5? Still daycare so it checks out.

The inane ramblings of a tired child in tandem with the feral blood of the Hanamuras can only be a good thing.

Yuuko, having been picked up by Yosuke and staring daggers at Yu: Aibou-san, I have to sleep because capitalism.

[sennenpharaoh]

“… Hn.”

He could see there was a little more to it, but he wasn’t about to push him into speaking.

“How brave of you to admit to that,” he said after a moment. “There was a time where you couldn’t be anything less than perfection, so it is… refreshing to know you are being honest with yourself.”

For the first time he was the one to reach out, placing a hand over Atem’s. He still wasn’t quite tangible, but there was a little solid touch, coolness in his skin.

“Sometimes it is all we can do to simply watch the battles we cannot fight, friend. That does not make it any easier to know, especially when in another time you would have been on that front line. I understand that feeling.”

Of being trapped in place while the world changed, watching everything through a haze and being unable to breach.

“These people… I am sure they do not only fight for your sake. Their choices are their own. You are not always responsible for every bad thing that happens, Atem.”

— @majutsukurai

Oh he felt that. It was faint, but it felt cold, right against his hand. He looked at his friend's hand that was on his... and smiled, a little chuckle coming out of him.

"You sound just like Aibou. He's been trying to help me learn those same lessons, bless his heart. Even though I'm no longer the perfect, powerful ruler that everyone looked up to, that doesn't change my feelings of wanting to do... something. Watching those I care about suffer or fight when there was a time I'd step in and protect them... that feeling of being powerless does... eat away at me."

He took his free hand to his chest, the other hand still unmoved from Mahaad's "touch". "But you're right. As much as I hate it, you're right. I can't be so selfish as to think they're only fighting my own battles, even if I can't but somehow feel responsible." And he's... tried to apply that. Once. Maybe.

"But... I will admit that this new life has gotten me to start being more... well... I'm not sure if 'honest' is the right word, but I've definitely noticed a... change from my former demeanor." It was obvious to anyone noticing that he was no longer the stoic, hardened Pharaoh, molded from lessons that he took to heart from the previous Pharaoh, that everyone once saw him as. "I'm... not sure if I'm okay with this 'change', but I can't deny that it's there."

Ah, he's rambling when he should be reminiscing with his old friend.

[thrilling-oneway]

May/June update:

Forgor to do this last month since nothing was changed lol. Toya's birthday show somehow got gayer by saying Akito was blushing (this also happened back during woao) and honakana wedding was left intact bc it was probably too gay to censor.

Anyway for this month the only stuff I put on there was for Pandemonium and fucking somehow the event TL was good. Which is absolutely insane because usually ensekai isn't good with the boys being emotional towards each other. "makes me smile a lot" beccame "given me so many reasons to smile" which is close enough and conveys the same meaning so it can stay and they actually correctly translated aikata as "partner in crime" which was genuinely surprising. I have very low expectations for ensekai.

Anyway the one thing that didn't make it from pandemonium was the Airi/Tsukasa team name "Wrapped Around Their Partner's Finger". Literally translated to "Swayed by their partners" and otherwise TL'd as "Pushed around by their partners". I like to use the first one I listed because I read on some language learning webforum that 振り回され is like the Japanese version of the phrase "wrapped up around someone's finger". Also it makes sense in context more than the third one and makes more sense in english than the second one.

So anyway the ensekai version of that team name is "can't take you anywhere" which is very clearly a completely different sentence. More context. For the cc names this event Rui/Shizuku and Tsukasa/Airi were given matching team names based on the scene where they're shopping for souvenirs. Rui/Shizuku's team name is "Wandering Off". So in context, yeah "can't take you anywhere" said as an exasperated remark makes sense but again that is absolutely not what the original team name was.

My theory is that with the word partner coming into play and in a context where they couldn't TL it in the same was as in the story, shizuai got sacrificed. Anyway because I like learning languages and explaining things I'm gonna go on a ramble about the specific word they used for partner and how it's not the same as aibou and used super ambigously in the context of this team name and why i said yesterday that shizuai gaybaited too close to the sun.

So the word used for partner in the team name and in the story is aikata (相方). Aibou (相棒) is what's used for VBS, which based on what i've read on japanese webforums discussing it's usage and just general knowledge, it seems to be used a lot in (shounen mostly from what i've seen) fiction, though it's less common in real life. Generally it's used to describe a coworker, and it's the word used for detective partners and such.

Aikata has a much broader meaning. It can mean companion/someone who is always by your side, prostitute, comedy partner (mainly for bokke/tsukkomi duos) (ig this is the one used in the story which became partner in crime on en), or, primarily with the younger generation, romantic partner. It's generally more personal than aibou. And they absolutely knew what they were doing when they used it as the team name here LOL.

When you factor in that Airi got this team name in reference to Shizuku, you can't use the partner in crime translation bc it doesn't work for them. While the bokke/tsukkomi thing does apply to them (it was the solid heart/pure heart gimmick) they would have to leave the word as just partner, and no way is ensekai going to do that. Companion could've worked but then again they used that for honakana wedding so maybe they decided it was too gay for the viewers in this event.

It might also be that they ran out of space like the event cc name is literally Umissable & Spirited which is still really funny to me. But they still could've said partner it wouldn't have hurt them.

Anyway rip shizuai you died for our sins.

unhappy emunene censor day my bingo card is a 4x4 now

i cut several quotes bc i didn't want to spam the same 3 ships on this over and over but i will keep track of other censors and edits throughout the year too if i stay in this fandom

[aibou-ftw]

Remember that 81k word JohnDave fic I was writing? Well the first draft is finally fucking done.

Final(ish) Word Count: 195,877 words

It's gonna be a fucking *beast*

[roger-maylor-brian-tay]

Kei x Yaku episode 10 spoiler.

It's the end!!! Nooo I need more 😭! There's a hint of a possible season two so let's beg them to make it happen.

There's no kissing eventually, but that forehead touch means a lot. I like to believe it means love that they have for each other.

Shiro and Ichiro support each other. They have each other's backs. They worry about each other's safety. They feel comfortable being with each other more than anybody else. They can be themselves around each other. They really care for one another and they don't hide it.

Baby, that is LOVE 💘

[deejadabbles]

Shouldn't have had that 2nd margarita cos now, as I'm listening to "we don't talk about Bruno" for the fifth time tonight, all I can do is imagine Yugi and Atem singing the first part (you know where Pepa and her hubby talk about their wedding)

[yuneyn]

Summary:

"Even if it was just a dream, just one night, Shirou knows that he’s going to cling to this fantasy world for comfort. Their reality is harsh after all, so of course he wants to escape it sometimes and just pretend. Pretend there aren’t people who want them dead, pretend his sister isn’t living as a dead person anymore, pretend he doesn’t have to do some of the things he has to do as a yakuza… Pretend he isn’t sleeping alone while Ichirou is lying on his couch, obliviously pining for his childhood friend."

Late at night, Shirou remembers the dream he had and muses about his relationship with Ichirou.

——————————————

This show owns my soul so have some more of Shirou's inner ramblings about what happened in episode 7!

[renegadewangs]

I just saw that post of yours about how you were aro/ace. As an ace person myself, I think that finally hit the nail on the head to me as to why the homumiko dynamic in TLP resonates so well. Rather than being purely focused on romance, it’s based on a solid platonic foundation of two partners that have a solid, supportive, cherished bond. Though it can be viewed as romantic, the focus is more on their platonic compatibility and I relate to that so much.

Oooh, I'm glad you enjoyed that! I headcanon Holmes as ace and very clumsy when it comes to romance, so that's indeed part of the reason why The Legendary Pair focuses more on their partnership and how they complement each other, rather than romantic gestures. The Kissing Men is the only chapter where I outright went out of my way to establish their relationship on a more intimate level, and arguably also the Cardboard Box one as a build-up to that.

I also just think there should be more stories with ace characters in it to begin with, because it feels to me like society places a bit too much importance on sex and physical intimacy as a factor of a healthy relationship. It often feels like it's the narrative 'end goal' of a story about two people falling love. As if third base is what you should be striving for instead of, y'know, a healthy relationship built on respect and care. It also feels like that might be part of the reason why asexuals are often dismissed with remarks like "you just haven't met the right person yet" or "wow you must've had lousy sex in the past". Why do they assume it's something to be 'fixed'? Some people don't like the taste of chocolate. It happens. How you interact with one another in any given moment of the day is the most vital portion of a dynamic in my opinion, and stories should show that more.

But I don't mean to ramble on too much, fasdkljsafd, sorry! Point is, if it resonated with a fellow ace, that means I did my job well!

[aibou-ftw]

OH MY FUCKING GOD JFDKSLA;JFDSA

No really this is the first time I've ever seen someone recommend Journeystuck omfggjgksdla;jfdskal; thank youu

DOES ANYONE HAVE GOOD JOHNDAVE AND/OR DIRKJAKE FANFICS

I read silence is golden, space adaptation syndrome, and ontological paradox and they destroyed me emotionally and I need more ❤️

[shinayashipper]

I'm just thinking about how Yugi calls Yami his other self... mou hitori no boku, and Yami calls him Aibou, partner... I think it's just really cute.

But at those rare occassion when Yami calls Yugi his other self... mou hitori no ore... idk, I just think it's kinda... more intimate?? Like he's more desperate, more passionate?? Idk, maybe because we are used to Yami calling Yugi with Aibou, so when he's using mou hitori no ore, it's like... MY other self, y'know what I mean?? Like, it's Yugi... HIS other self.

Maybe because boku is like softer and more polite than ore? (Pls correct me if I'm wrong here, I can only understand very little Japanese) And Yami uses ore as his first-person pronounce and just when he's using it to regard Yugi it's like aggressively or passionately saying MY YUGI, you know??

HHH SORRY I'M SLEEP-DEPRIVED and just thinking abt puzzleshipping petnames for each other.

[iristial]

Crime Counting Double!!!!

The English line for this beauty should be Nobody’s Perfect

[freelancedisappointment]

Im having nightimes flashbacks and theres this au fic where Yami is like "fuck destiny I wanna be here instead" and theres this internal conflict of him wanting to be with Yugi and the gang and the crimpling fear of what his memories will bring and everytime anyone mentions it he is like:

[ryuuaka713]

Bungou Stray Dogs Dead Apple: “You used corruption, believing in me? How Beautiful.” A “DISSECTION” OF THE SCENE

I mentioned before in one of the posts by @nataliaphantomhivesblog​, where we were discussing about the corruption scenes in BSD, that the scene in Dead Apple is my favorite. So, I decided (like any SKK trash) to make an “analysis” of that scene, just to make a point why I like it the most compared to the other corruption scenes (as if this post is the definition of being productive like I’ll just wasting my time rambling here LOL)

I divided this post into two parts. Part 1 is the more difficult one where I am attempting to write some “character analysis”. While Part 2 is more about how the scene is composed (it’s pretty boring. I’m sorry)

I will NOT include the infamous Lap scene (I know. I know. We all love that moment. But I would rather focus on the scenes before that).

Side note: I do not specialize in film or literary critique, so really this whole post is just for fun. Thus, why I put quotes on the analysis. Take this is as my personal opinion where I’m attempting to make sense by making it sound “fancy”.

But anyway. Here it goes:

In every Corruption scene, the thematic notion is always Trust—as in Chuuya trusts Dazai well enough to use his ability so long as he is present to nullify it. It is a very life-threatening process, especially for Chuuya since Corruption, despite being one of the most powerful abilities, can cause self-destruction the longer he uses it. So, Dazai should keep a close watch on him at all times, and then even giving him a sense of comfort to compensate to Chuuya’s worn-out body and for his efforts. This is the same trajectory in all 5 episodes of Corruption, but out of all of them, what stood out the most (for me) is the scene from Dead Apple. 

This scene has amazed me ever since I first watched the movie. And while it just shows their infinite trust, the whole execution of this scene evokes more than just that thematic concept. What I see in this scene is something that all of us have already witnessed, but there is something unique in the way Dazai nullifies Chuuya’s corruption, and their dialogue may be just them bantering and yet, their tonality is different. It is as if, we just touched a moment that is reserved only for these two and we just happened to have the privilege to witness it. In other words, there is a sort of familiarity (or intimacy) and gentleness going on at this very moment—it is cathartic. This is what I want to look into—like how did we come to this?

PART 1: His Proper Partner.

In the Japanese version, ever since the episode where Chuuya made his first debut, they call themselves “aibou” (相棒), referring to a one-on-one partnership. While “nakama” (仲間)can also refer to a partner, it has a different connotation in which the closest English equivalent of that term would be “comrade” or “acquaintance”. The closest English equivalent of “aibou” is, to no one’s surprise, “partner” (or “pal”). And it makes sense, considering that the first kanji (相) can mean “mutual”, “together”, or “each other”. So, to have Dazai and Chuuya referring to themselves as that, it just manifests their familiarity on each other.

And in their case, their “familiarity” is both their advantage and disadvantage. It is a “disadvantage” because they use it to get on each other’s nerves (both in comedic and serious situations).

However, it also serves to their advantage, especially when they have to cooperate in the battlefield. This comes into light in the Lovecraft Episode where they executed Operation Shame and Toad—Chuuya acknowledges Dazai’s tactical mentality, whereas Dazai (as he referenced Chuuya’s mastery in martial arts) let’s his partner do the grunt work. Interesting enough, this is the same episode we first see Chuuya’s Corruption (but not the first time he uses it).

Using Corruption stipulates that “familiarity”, especially in Dazai’s part who has to be present to monitor Chuuya’s physical state, therefore he is aware, not just the consequence in using Corruption, but also of Chuuya’s limit. This explains why Dazai declares that he is aware of Chuuya’s moves and “breathing pattern”, otherwise, as what he himself says, he “won’t be a proper partner”.

What is witnessed in the Lovecraft Episode is the standard protocol that Soukoku uses when they are at their last resort. So, it is not a surprise that we get to witness Chuuya using Corruption, again, when he saves Dazai in Dead Apple, except it is done differently.

Even though Dazai is ten steps ahead of the enemy, the situation is still risky and even more complicated in Chuuya’s part since he is using his ability WITHOUT Dazai present. And that he has to save Dazai first before he can get it nullified. With that being said, it requires a careful approach, one in which they know the other’s moves—Dazai knows too well how Chuuya would react. For instance, the manga version of Dead Apple demonstrates how Soukoku communicates in their operation using “codes”. As such when Dazai got himself kidnapped, no one knew about his whereabouts until Hirotsu mentions about Dazai buying a microscope (to which it leads them to a dead end). However, Chuuya—upon remembering that Dazai teases that he needs a microscope in order to see him—demands to see that microscope, breaks it, and finds the transmitter. It is a well-planned strategy in Dazai’s part where all it takes is to leave helpful clues for Chuuya to pick up and catalyze the operation. In the Dead Apple movie, he does it again:

Indeed, for the audience, it is not new to see Dazai planning ahead and having ulterior motives behind his actions. It is not new to see Chuuya executing his plans and understands his motives either. But seeing these two working together despite those four years of absence, and without physically communicating is beyond human comprehension. Almost like the microscope scene, Dazai is not there to directly tell him about his plan. Chuuya doesn’t know about the antidote until that punch as his only “clue” is that Dazai is working alone, so he sees that something is amiss.

Seeing the critical state of Yokohama, Chuuya knows that he will use Corruption, but seeing Dazai’s corpse, it gives this uncertainty on whether they can make it out alive or not. And yet, what did Chuuya do? He jumped off the plane and activates his ability, knowing that there is “no time to chicken out” or else Dazai’s plan won’t work, and they’ll end up dead. Even if it means doing the job to protect the city, it still takes guts for Chuuya to work and place his life on someone he “hates”. Despite those 4 years of absence, the scene in Dead Apple just manifests that they never doubt each other’s capabilities. And to further validate this, let’s check out their dialogue:

           Dazai: You used Corruption, believing in me? How beautiful.

           Chuuya: Yeah I did. I believe in your disgusting vitality and craftiness.

           Dazai: That was a somewhat violent way to wake up Snow White.

           Chuuya: Tch. You’re the one who hid an antidote your mouth knowing I would punch you.          

Not only does this scene perfectly parallels to the Lovecraft episode where we see Soukoku bantering while still in a critical situation, it also emphasizes the degree of their trust and how that trust has taken root from their familiarity.

Dazai: You used Corruption, believing in me? How beautiful.

Chuuya: Yeah I did. I believe in your disgusting vitality and craftiness.

Dazai’s first line is the main idea of their partnership, echoing Chuuya’s quote from the Lovecraft episode: “I used Corruption because I trust you”. This is a vital aspect in their relationship since it has been stated before in Fifteen and Stormbringer that “no one has trusted Dazai”… until Chuuya comes into the picture. Ever since their first teamwork against Rimbaud, Dazai finally has someone he can rely on both in strength and assurance, even smiling at the fact that Chuuya doesn’t even deny his proposal but merely asks for his reason.

With that being said, then it is appropriate for Dazai to say that line, touched by the idea that Chuuya still constantly trusts him. It just reminisced so much from what they have as children that it seems to this day, they never forgotten about it.

On the other hand, in Chuuya’s end, he confirms that trust and provides a reason, which is appropriate since Chuuya is Dazai’s “reason-living” like in Fifteen:

Chuuya’s line—“I believe in your disgusting vitality and craftiness”—is very similar in the excerpt from Fifteen, and this just shows how that line from the movie indicates his familiarity to Dazai. By “familiarity”, I mean that he knows his partner’s mental process and motives (as I have mentioned above). In this case, it seems like Chuuya has seen something that he and Dazai have in common: the desire to live. Of course, the latter always craves for death, but with his new viewpoint on Death, his mission in fulfilling Oda’s wish, and the fact that he is tethered to someone who wished to live, Dazai just couldn’t die. And Chuuya, being his constant companion, knows this. This is why Chuuya “believes” that whatever plan Dazai has on mind, it will always work, and in the scenario in Dead Apple it starts by taking a leap into Corruption—which is ironically, the very thing that could kill Chuuya, and by extent, would cause Dazai’s death if the plan is not well-thought or if they don’t work together. By referring to his “vitality and craftiness”, Chuuya is acknowledging his familiarity on Dazai, admitting their “rotten relationship”, and justifying his trust on him.

Dazai: That was a somewhat violent way to wake up Snow White.

Chuuya: Tch. You’re the one who hid an antidote your mouth knowing I would punch you.

Another interesting thing I find in the dialogue is Dazai’s line: “That was a somewhat violent way to wake up Snow White”. Fans think that this is Dazai flirting, where he is implying that he wants to be kissed by Chuuya the same way the prince does to Snow White. For me, I think this little dialogue is more than just fanservice since it makes sense, not only in the context of the movie containing motifs of a “poisoned” apple. I think the reference of the fairytale in this dialogue not only foreshadows his “death”, but it also highlights their dynamic whenever they work together with Dazai acting childish and Chuuya knowing that he is actually being serious (or the fact that he cracks some jokes in most Post-Corruption scenes). This is still related to the whole “familiarity” theme that I have been rambling about; as mentioned before, Dazai and Chuuya would use whatever they know about each other just to rile each other up. These moments are generally meant for comedic effect, but these teasing and bickering can serve as their advantage.

Similar to the microscope scene I have mentioned, Dazai makes that microscope comment seem like a childish joke on the surface, however, Chuuya picks this up as a clue and sees his real motive. This kind of synergy is seen again in the prologue of the movie where Dazai jokes about Chuuya getting hit by bullets when he is in close range of the enemy, and yet, the latter takes it as a warning that an ability-user is nearby. We really don’t know if Dazai leaves a Snow White-related clue for Chuuya before the events in Dead Apple (it would have been pretty cool tho), but that dynamic in the microscope incident and prologue is very similar to that dialogue we see in the movie: Dazai is being playful, but Chuuya sees and calls out his ulterior motives. This is how Soukoku works!

PART 2: The Art of Catharsis

The relationship of Soukoku in the battlefield is one of the best teamwork we have seen in the anime. Both parties are synchronized in the way that Dazai’s brains and No Longer Human, and Chuuya’s fighting skills and Corruption perfectly compliment each other. Moreover, we also see the basis of that partnership, and this is something that the creators want to highlight in this scene (in other words, how did the animators deliver this dynamic?)

In my opinion, I think the words “gentleness” and “cathartic” fit in this scene. To start off, before this moment takes place, we have witnessed Chuuya fighting the Dragon.

That scene was intense! Chuuya activates Corruption, generates into pure destruction with him yelling Dazai’s name (despite the fact that he is not supposed to be in a proper mindset). The way this scene plays out is interesting; in the shot, we see the two main figures (the Dragon and Chuuya) mostly in red—which is a very vibrant color—in contrast to the blue and green background. By using the color that pops out, the attention is on them, and it is topped with the amount of action in that moment. Not to mention, the background music, containing a rock music and a rap, elevates that energy. It is a scene that heightens the adrenaline, so the audience can empathize with Chuuya—understanding him as a character that is full of life, and also his hastiness to kill it before he runs out of time.

When that fight is over, we notice that the music alters into a string orchestra. This is a very good change because the tempo is slower—a direct contrast to the rap music—as if it is slowly bringing the audience down from the hype in the fighting scene the same way Chuuya slowly goes down and hovers Dazai’s body. The music immediately stops right on cue when the punch happens, then the audience is left in silence. Usually in films, silence is used for the purpose of anticipation. In this case, the anticipation is placed on whether Chuuya’s punch and/or the pill worked and saved Dazai.

The transition from the white background into a blue background should indicate that Dazai is alive. And yet, the animators did this subtly rather than showing Dazai’s face (like in Season 1 episode 1), just so the audience is still in the state of anticipation (add that with the white noise in the background). Furthermore, there is a fairytale quality in that shot, like this is similar to when Sleeping Beauty (in this case “Snow White”) wakes up, that’s when the colors in the castle come back.

Getting close to that iconic shot, I love how the animators keep the “camera” in the same place (Chuuya’s face), that way we can further empathize with Chuuya by seeing a close shot of his state: he was at his limit! But as soon as the blood starts moving away from the screen, we can see a bandaged hand moving to his face. And then, finally!

Words cannot describe how much I appreciate the details of that scene, especially on Dazai’s gesture. He moves his hand slowly but quick enough to nullify him right on time. Not to mention, he does not just touch his cheek but rather cups it (look at the shape of his hand!). One can say that the gentleness in Dazai’s gesture is the exact opposite to Chuuya’s punch, and this sort of contrast further highlights the catharsis in this scene. In other words, after all of that intensity with the fight and seeing Chuuya’s bloody state, it is relieving to see that familiar hand touching him, indicating that Chuuya can rest. And seeing that we witnessed and empathize with him, we know what it feels like.

With that being said, that’s why the third shot above where the hand is fully placed on his cheek and he made a short gasp is my personal favorite. It is the contrast in Chuuya’s face where we can still see “Corruption”, and Dazai’s hand to which he activates “No Longer Human”. I have seen some people complaining about how they want to see Dazai’s face in this scene; personally, I think this scene is animated brilliantly as it is. It is only fair to see a close up of Dazai’s hand to indicate that he is nullifying “Corruption”, after all, “No Longer Human” is works through touch. To top it off, the beauty in “not seeing the face” is more powerful because it leaves more to the imagination—we don’t know specifically what kind of face Dazai is making, but the way that hand moves alone is enough to tell us what he is thinking at that moment. And finally, upon contact, we see Chuuya making a slight twitch—this is when Corruption recognizes No Longer Human and deactivates. This is when Chuuya recognizes that familiar touch and knows that his partner is finally awake, so he can finally rest.

Then we have that iconic shot! Like the one I mentioned above, the camera stays in one place, only this time, it is a long shot, so the focus is on them (thus they are on the middle). Interesting enough, there is no background music in this scene, and we can’t see their expressions. Usually, in this anime, when a character is seen faceless, in order to determine what they are thinking are feeling, the animators would usually make them do a gesture or a dialogue.

In this scene, where everything is silent and their faces “unseen”, our focus goes to their exchanges. Both Mamoru and Taniyama use their “bedroom voices”, and I think it is appropriate considering that their dialogue contains a deeper meaning in regards of their relationship. In other words, as mentioned before, it may seem like another day of bantering, but with their tone, there is something sincere and intimate in what they are saying. Also, the playfulness in Dazai’s comment and Chuuya’s response hits different compared to their other moments of constant yelling. You really don’t need the close up of their faces in order to see that they are at peace in each other’s company.

In addition, the color scheme of the scene is predominantly blue, which makes sense, not just because of Dazai’s ability, but also because it highlights the serenity in the scene. The blue color, the orb, and the bandages that glide silently are animated in a way that they buffer out the red that we have seen back with Corruption, and also indicates a sense of “protection” (which is later seen in the lap scene when Dazai has to protect Chuuya from the fog). In short, the ambiance perfectly fits with how Dazai is there to give Chuuya a sense of comfort in Post-Corruption, letting him rest so that he can compensate for all that he did.

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The scene in Dead Apple is something that lies in between of the familiar and the new—we have seen Dazai and Chuuya in this situation before, we know how they function as a team, and we know the level of risk they are taking. But this is something that we have never seen before; like subtleness in his gestures, the softness in their tones, and the fact that these two are in a position where they are saving each other, which becomes part of their instincts. They show how much they trust each other by knowing how much they knew of each other. They acknowledge the fact that their fates are tethered regardless of the years of absence. And finally, it is not just the Prince saving Snow White, but rather: the Prince saves Snow White and Snow White saving him in return.

OK, I just literally fried my brain. If you’ve read this far, I thank you so much for your time! I am so sorry if this is too long. I welcome for any critiques or discussions. So yeah, that’s my ted-talk