#and yusei dealing with being famous

[stellaccelerate]

I want a king au.

[dropintomanga]

Mangaka Are Flawed People Like You and I

If Shonen Jump is considered to be the “World’s Most Popular Manga,” then you can bet that the creators behind the magazine’s landmark series are some of the most popular people in the world today.

Of course, with the attention Shonen Jump series get, there always comes the chance of a big problem that gets exposed. 

And recently, this was the case as Nobuhiko Watsuki, creator of Rurouni Kenshin, had a big exhibition for the series in Japan. This comes off his conviction of having child pornography in his possession and not having to be in jail for an indefinite period of time (compared to what he would face in the West). What got many fans talking was the fact that 14 notable mangaka with ties to Shueisha wrote congratulatory messages for Watsuki and causing (mostly Western) fans of those mangaka to have conflicting feelings over their favorite creators for celebrating someone who’s a convicted pedophile.

Eiichiro Oda, Masashi Kishimoto, Hideaki Sorachi, Yusei Matsui, Takeshi Obata, Hiroyuki Takei are just some of the familiar names many manga fans will recognize that praised Watsuki. Seeing Sorachi’s name does worry me a bit since I know he’s done jokes about lolicons and such. I think what it comes down to is how close-knit mangaka are with each other. The manga industry is extremely rough and insular. There’s little room for social interaction outside of work, so it’s usually your co-workers that you talk to the most at times. I know Oda was an assistant under Watsuki before creating One Piece, so there’s also the senpai-kouhai relationship in play here as well.

This doesn’t excuse Watsuki for what he did. I’m not sure if he’s truly apologetic for his actions. I did hear that one of the major reasons that Watsuki was let off the hook was because Shueisha felt that they had to honor the contract they made with Warner Bros. regarding the upcoming Rurouni Kenshin movie based on the Jinchu Arc. It sounds like some warped sense of honor needed to be preserved over a very serious issue that needs more attention.

Some fans have said, “Thank god Tite Kubo or Yoshihiro Togashi didn’t write anything for Watsuki.” The thing is they can’t assume those creators are righteous just because they didn’t say anything. Fans seem so desperate for heroes because they feel like the whole world is full of awful people. To be fair, the inability of societal institutions to actually help people and encourage that help can give someone a legit reason to be angry.

But treating creators like they’re pure and holy gods that will never do any wrong isn’t the way to channel that frustration. Creators aren’t your friends. They will mess up. Think about it this way - why do you think are there are hierarchal levels of friendship? For starters, you can’t just bombard new potential friends with heavy details about your personal life. Not everyone’s going to get you. There’s probably some people you want in your life that make you forget your vulnerabilities for a bit, so you want different types of friends for your varied needs. Creators usually feel more connected among other creators due to shared experiences. The creator/fan relationship is parasocial at best.

I read this blog post from Steven Savage, author of Fan to Pro and many other notable books about fandom, about the desire for heroes in our world and he said it best.

“We hate real heroes, so we often seek false heroes. We find some person who has the right pose, the right words, and follow them instead. We worship the fakers, the actors, the deceivers, and the grifters.

Fake heroes are clean. They present the way we want, act the way we want, say the things we want. There’s no moral ambiguity – unless you look at their actions.

Fake heroes often have money and fame, and the right looks. They have all the worldly things we want, and we decide that’s heroism. The image is there – as long as you don’t ask how they got there.

Fake heroes don’t have any apparent ambiguity because they lie about it or cover it up. Fake heroes are an act, and we don’t have to deal with moral complications because we buy into it. Fake heroes are so much easier.

Fake heroes fit all we expect. They’re the right age, right sexual preference, right skin tone, etc. Fake heroes are a confidence game that looks just enough like us that we’re confident in believing in them.

We so prefer fake heroes in America. They’re so much easier, and the internet and media will help us find them or turn them out for us.”

I know it sounds like I’m suggesting that mangaka are “fake heroes.” In some ways, they are. We, the people, are the ones who place them as heroic by nature. It’s not entirely our fault as most media and word-of-mouth marketing sing their praises. I’m not saying that we should stop having role models, but I wish people were more reflective about who they should really revere.

I sometimes feel like fans love parasocial relationships a bit too much. I wonder now if it’s because they have no cognitive framework of what proper boundaries are. This can be a huge issue at times especially when you feel lonely and socially isolated. When I think about how people fall into extremism and/or start to do things that hurt other people, I think about that lack of emphasis on enforcing boundaries in a healthy way.

I do think some of the mangaka did feel uncomfortable in writing to support Watsuki. They probably had no choice since ethics and capitalism (especially geek capitalism) never mix well. People who think they’re always “right” don’t really preach ethics unless it directly benefits their reputation.

I already voiced my thoughts about Watsuki before in this 2017 post. I’ll say this as final words - so many things (the brands you like, the famous people you like, the nerd media you like, etc.) will have always some kind of dirty psychological stain on it. Over the past few years, some powerful folks who explicitly say they’re inclusive and diverse turn out to be the ones who aren’t. Someone on Twitter recently asked what if every manga creator has some kind of belief system that doesn’t fall in our line with our beliefs. Do we start to justify pirating their work just to prove our moral superiority?

I’m not sure how to feel about that because you can’t remove every little thing in your life that you don’t agree with. It’s impossible. It’s also a terrible way to live because we need some level of disagreement in order to become better people. We will all mess up and say/do the wrong thing over and over again. I know some “experts” say to cut out toxic people in your life, but if they’re not being abusive/troll-ish and genuinely wish to see you well, then I think you need to stand by them because those folks are the heroes we truly need, not an influential figure who uses their clout to only benefit themselves.

If you want a great post about how to separate art from the artist, this is my favorite post on how to do so.

[a-marlene-s]

Fanfic Accounts and Stories~

Fanfiction.net Account: https://www.fanfiction.net/~amarlenes or https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5329546/

Ao3 Account: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Marlene_S

WattPad Account: https://www.wattpad.com/user/A-Marlene-S

Diviantart Account: https://www.deviantart.com/a-marlene-s

My fanfics: (Fanfiction.net has it all in one place. The other places are.. well, not all of them are on there.)

Complete:

Title: Mending Fandom(s): Soul Eater Rating: T Genre: Hurt/Comfort Type: One-Shot Summary: This is the first angsty thing I have ever wrote. Maka dealing with the loss of a love one.

Title: My (so many greats) great-Shaman King Fandom(s): Shaman King Ships: Anna x Yoh Rating: T Genre: Humor Type: One-Shot Summary: What if Anna were to make sure a descendent of hers were to become Shaman King.

Title: Alchemy Fandom(s): Harry Potter & Fullmetal Alchemist Rating: T Genre: Hurmor/Drama Status: One-Shot Summary: The One-Shot that started the Alchemy Series. Edward Elric has had enough. There is no hope for teaching Alchemy in a place where magic overrules science in everyone’s mind and heart. No one has the heart to study Alchemy…or is there?

Title: Alchemy: Magic vs Science Fandom(s): Harry Potter & Fullmetal Alchemist Ship: Edward x Winry, Alphonse x Mei, Ling x Lan Fan Rating: T Genre: Humor/Friendship Type: Multi-Chapter/Complete Summary: Magic and Science, are they the same or are they completely different? It just takes one person to point out all up and downs. Along with breaking the stereotypes that come up with being a wizard, alchemist and most of all being human. Part One of the Alchemy Series.

Title: Alchemy: Tiny Steps Fandom(s): Harry Potter & Fullmetal Alchemist Ship: Edward x Winry, Alphonse x Mei, Ling x Lan Fan, Severus x Charity Rating: T Genre:Humor/Friendship Type: Multi-Chapter/Complete Summary: Part 2 of the Alchemy: Magic Vs Science. Politics. Either you love it, hate it or you live it. For Alchemy Teacher Edward Elric, he lives it, hates it and loves it when he gets the upper hand. Here is to another year of teaching Alchemy and dealing with conniving politicians and idiots in general.

Incomplete:

Title: A Long Search For Happiness Fandom(s): Yugioh 5D’s Ship: Yusei x Carly Rating: T Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort Summary: How could someone have everything yet feel as if they have nothing? Yusei has the dream job, a good home and yet friends nowhere to be seen. Carly lost her dream job, close to losing her home and surrounded by people who care for her. Could one and the other compensation for this?

Title: A Shadow’s Touch Fandom(s): Naruto Ships: Naruto x Hinata, Shikamaru x Temari Rating: T Genre: Family/Friendship Summary: What would have happened if a certain Uzumaki made friends with a certain Nara. Someone that had stuck by him, even when times got troublesome. This Nara showed everyone that he is not your typical Nara. Let's see how one Shikamaru Nara helps out his friend without completely breaking his non-troublesome persona.

Title: Alchemy: Little Brother’s Turn Fandom(s): Harry Potter & Fullmetal Alchemist Ships: Edward x Winry, Alphonse x Mei, Severus x Charity Rating: T Genre: Humor/Adventure Summary:  Part 3 of the Alchemy Series. Now it is Alphonse's turn to taking over his brother's position at Hogwarts. He quickly began to realize how much...stuff... Edward left behind to figure out on his own. Like, The Boy Who Lived, Sirius Black... and a Philosopher's Stone you say?

Title: Casper High Magic Fandom(s): Danny Phantom & Harry Potter Ships: Danny x Sam Rating: T Genre: Humor Summary:  What if Casper High teaches magic in secret? What if they were invited to the Tri-Wizard Tournament? What if they help or makes things worse in the British Wizarding World? What if...

Title: Corpse Groom Fandom(s): Cropse Bride Ships: Yet to be seen... Rating: T Genre: Romance Summary:  Like how the title states, it a swap from what it would be with several twists and turn. Emily is about to be married off to Lord Barkis Bitter in order to pay off her father's debt to the man. Not wanting to be put up with an arranged marriage Emily runs off and to only end up marrying someone from her past. Someone who's outlook looks rather grim.

Title: Floating White Lotus Fandom(s): Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: T Genre: Humor/Adventure Summary:  Water Floating White Lotus, a former fire nation ship that was converted into a traveling tea shop. The shop is led by the rumored the Dragon of the West, (No knows if this is true or not… yet) and his nephew who wishes to forget the ever lasting war. Well, until a certain someone decided he'd be the perfect fire bending instructor. Au inspired by @captainkirkk​

Title: He Just Ninja’ed us! Fandom(s): Naruto & Young Justice Rating: T Genre: Humor/Friendship Summary: Superboy wasn't the only one they saved form Cadmus that night...Robin, Kid Flash, and Kaldur found a rather Youthful...ninja tucked away in Cadmus. Far too youthful for their own taste.

Title: Kit or Fawn? Fandom(s): Naruto Rating: T Genre: Family/Humor Summary:  Shikamaru isn't the type to allow whispers or glares bother him, but it does become rather troublesome when it becomes known the reasons for it all. Should he let it get to him? Maybe? But that would be too troublesome. "How is it I repeatedly get defeated by a mortal in this pathetic game!" "You're just mad you got beat by a three-year-old, Troublesome Fox." Jinchuriki!Shikamaru.

Title: Koi-Koi Fandom(s): Naruto & My Hero Academia Ships: Shikamaru x Temari Rating: T Genre: Friendship Summary:  A cover-up, to cover-up the actual cover-up. Might as well make this a game on who can figure out everyone's secrets. Konoha experienced a heavy blow for the superhero community. So much so, that everyone that attended Konoha Shinobi Academy had to be transferred out to different schools until further notice. Now let's see if U.A. can play a game.

Title: La Red Fandom(s): Miraculous Ladybug Ships: To be seen. Rating: T Genre: Drama/Salt Summary:  Marinette was not Lila's first, let alone last victim. Let's see how Marinette decides that she needs outside help to take down one Lila Rossi. Salt. WARNING: Lot's of salt coming from Lila, Alya, and Adrien.

Title: Legend of the Miraculous Seas Fandom(s): Miraculous Ladybug Ships: Nino x Marinette Rating: T Genre: Adventure/Drama Summary:  One moment you are laughing and giggling with your friends during a time of peace. What was once a peaceful country all thanks to the Book of Peace, now it appeared someone had taken the book and used it to their own devices, thus leaving a wave of chaos behind. When the book went missing and the person being blamed has a close connection to one legendary pirate.

Title: Past vs Future Fandom(s): Fullmetal Alchemist Ships: Edward x Winry, Alphonse x Mei Rating: T Genre: Supernatural Summary:  Winry Rockbell had inherited a home out in the country from her late grandmother. She moved into the home to get away from the city and all the problems that came along with it. Old problems only seemed to double as she moved into the old home.

Title: Phantom or Fairy Fandom(s): Fairy Tail Rating: T Genre: Friendship Summary:  Lucy ended up finding a couple off Phantoms when she ran away from home… maybe this could be her new start in life.

Title: Shikadai One-Shots Fandom(s): Naruto Ships: Shikamaru x Temari Rating: T Genre: Family Summary:  The Uzumaki family were not the only ones dealing with the affect of having one of their primary family member being gone for long periods of time. Shikadai never verbalized how disappointed he would get when his father would be nowhere to be seen due to his obligations of being the right-hand man of the Hokage. The reason? He knows what is needed to be done for the village.

Title: Shikamaru’s Adventure: Sinnoh Fandom(s): Naruto & Pokemon Rating: T Genre: Humor Summary:  After much debate, (and his mother nagging), Shikamaru Nara, the son of a famous frontier brain, starts his own journey. His main goal, challenge his father without it being such a huge drag.

Title: Shikamaru’s Fairy Tail Fandom(s): Naruto & Fairy Tail Rating: T Genre: Friendship Summary: Shikamaru just thought it was just any other day while babysitting three-year-old Mirai. Too bad for him, the past is coming back to bite him in the butt. An old form of unknown magic that may have helped him but it is far too much of a drag to figure out what got him and Mirai out of one problem into another one.

Title: Silent Moments of the Past Fandom(s): Naruto Rating: T Genre: Humor/Drama Summary:  We are back! Back to this hell hole, we call a Tea Party that is run by Death's himself. Several people woke up after meeting their end, they work up to be invited to a tea party and a chance to change their past for the better or for worse. (Grammar. It's an old fic that was over 70 chapters long. Give me a break.)

Title: Then, There, and Where? Fandom(s): Dragon Age Rating: T Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Friendship Summary:  He messed up. Solas severely messed up. He and the world are suffering for his mess up. Despite how horrid the world became, there is still some hope left. Hopefully, they can fix his past mistakes. Or better yet... prevent it from ever happening. Time Travel Fic. Original Characters.

Title: Uncle ‘Itch Fandom(s): ROTBTD Ships: Many. Rating: T Genre: Humor/Friendship Summary: Pitch Black, The King of Nightmares, everyone's favorite enemy, friend, uncle, and confidante. Multi-Crossover. ROTBTD AU.

Title: I’m a Scholar, Not A Knight! Fandom: My Hero Academia Ships: Izuku x Ochaco, Katsuki x Eijiro, Shoto x Momo Rate: T Genre: Humor/Adventure/Fantasy Summary: Izuku knew he wanted to become more than a simple peasant. He plans on becoming a scholar. A simple scholar that is repeatedly being told otherwise. Somehow, he found himself in the company of a retired knight, a squire, a witch-in-training, a runaway prince, a barbarian king, a human/dragon hybrid and a frog shifter… All of whom start to assume he’s the Lost Hero of Legend. Yeah… there goes his goal of becoming a scholar. Fantasy Au.

Title: Unknown Realty Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug & DC & PJO & Greek Myths Ships: Jason x Marinette, Dick & Kori, Rate: T Genre: Hurt/Comfort Summary: Jason, or as many know him as… Hades.He lost his luster for the living and nonliving, just a constant repeat. That was until he met someone that tug on his heartstrings just the right way. He takes her. Without a second thought.

Title: Futuristic Miraculous Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug & Batman Beyond Ships: Terry x Marinette Rate: T Genre: Drama Summary: With her childhood friends close by, Marinette knew she could take on the world, even when dealing with a certain lair. It all first started with taking a job for being Jagged Stone’s personal designer and that resulted with her being in Neo-Gotham. All the while Terry is facing the fact he is the new Batman and dealing with all the past Robins wondering what Bruce was thinking in taking in a new kid into the cruel world that is of Superheroes.

I’ll post the AU’s I have written here on Tumblr on a seperate post.

Permanent Tags: @mewwitch @runestarchild @souleateralicestein @multishipper1needshalp  @mochinek0 @princesskitomi @someone-ev @crazylittlemunchkin @darkshadowguardian @emeraldpuffguide @vixen-uchiha​

Unknown Permanent tag: (Those that wanted to be tagged, but hasn’t specified to which one... You are going to be on the permanent tag until further notice.): @unmaskedagain @vivilakitty @poshplumcot @slytherinqueen2432 @actual-disaster-human  

MLC: @northernbluetongue @its-stevonnie-bitch @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @thequestionablyhuman   @hypnosharkrebeldreamer @mystery-5-5 @bamagirl513  @dawnwave16 @call-me-paxton @shizukiryuu @naclychilli @virgil-is-a-cutie @saltier-than-the-dead-sea @persephonebutkore @krispydefendorpolice

ML Alone: @northernbluetongue @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @thequestionablyhuman   @hypnosharkrebeldreamer @mystery-5-5 @shizukiryuu @bloody-no-kissu @nobodyfamousposts @kelelamentia @shaismall @caffeinetheory @falling-electricxangel @miraculousl4dybug @dawnwave16 @a-kpoet @legendaryneckjudgestudent

ML/DC: @northernbluetongue @its-stevonnie-bitch @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @thequestionablyhuman @hypnosharkrebeldreamer @bamagirl513 @mystery-5-5 @dawnwave16 @call-me-paxton @shizukiryuu @virgil-is-a-cutie @zalladane

Fairy Tail: @bamagirl513

Harry Potter: @dawnwave16

[rintsubarashi]

YGO 5D’s Ep. 11 pt 1

Yusei is no longer imprisoned and is allowed to wonder Neo-Domino all by himself.  This doesn’t really make all that much sense because the mark on his face is supposed to be a mark given to people who are not welcomed in the city.  But he’s walking around and no one is giving him any mind.

It’s also really obvious that he is being followed, but it is exactly how (in america at least) being released from prison works.  They just, shoo you out.  Maybe they give you your stuff back, but in Yusei’s case they did not.  Let’s begin;

Interesting that even in Neo-Domino there are slums.  Making the perceptions from Satellite very obviously propaganda.

It’s the famous milk scene!!

I guess you can have markings in the city.  Weird.

We’re not suspicious. 

How!?  He doesn’t live here?  Just gonna... Swim on home...

Yusei leaves without a word. Dear... What are you doing?  You don’t have anywhere to go.  Also, it’s so obvious your being followed those suits didn’t even wait a second before getting up.  These suits are dumb...

Yusei looks sooo offended, but he’s the one who just realized he was being followed by suits in a seedy part of town.  Come on, you should know better.

We lost one person that we were secretly following and no one knows about, quickly make a big deal out of it!

A fake I.D.? No one would suspect it!  It’s not like they’re looking for him or anything.

So what he wants to do is brake into the safety committee so he can get his bike and deck(s) back.  Good plan, sure.  But... Sweetheart... Your hair... Also, shouldn’t they know that you will be trying to get your stuff back?

Uh oh.  We might have feelings on our hands.

OUR FEELINGS ARE ALREADY DEAD!

Hey!  Stop putting your feelings out in the open like that!

Did you really get authorization or did you just make that up?

You do not sleep like that!

I would like to know, too.

No matter how much I love my friends and they love me back, they would be pissed if they learned I did something like this.

Feelings.

He’s dead.

And this is why you are not a YGO Protagonist(tm)!

How the hell did that happen!?  Don’t the bikes have emergency brakes?  He makes himself sound selfish by not saving his friend but it felt almost unavoidable?

He has survivor remorse which is a very common things.  Good thing they live in a world in which all mental health problems are solved with a card game. (I will forever be bitter about this fact)

Wait... He’s still alive?

This is all sad and all but I don’t feel this has anything to do with what Yusei said.

Is Yusei just really really dumb or really smart but doesn’t show it?  Because I’m tired of him been so closely followed and him not doing anything about it.

This concludes part one.  This took a long time and I might not keep this format, but I’m trying.