#anime adaptation when /j

[weezering-your-posts]

You just got Weezer'd!

Happy dunmeshi farcille day here’s that one meme

[sagstelliums]

ℍ𝕠𝕨 𝕕𝕠 𝕡𝕖𝕠𝕡𝕝𝕖 𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 𝕪𝕠𝕦? (ℙ𝔸ℂ)

ℙile 1

(Angel number 133) People view you as someone who’s emotional and unpredictable, sometimes you try to distract yourself from things you’re not happy about. Some people view you as pessimistic and some think that you like to hide your emotions or you don’t like showing them but it’s hard for you, people view you as someone who’s hard to please or you don’t smile often. People view you as very feminine or you have very feminine features, people really like your chest area and legs especially if they’re long. People view you as someone who’s hard doesn’t keep up with social media or you don’t care about online drama, people view you as someone who’s talented or multitalented but you don’t realize it. People view you as someone who’s very fair and you like standing up for what’s right. Signs- Leo/scorpio. Initials- Z, H, J

ℙile 2

People view you as someone who’s addicting or intense, they view you as very attractive and they think you attract a lot of people. People assume you’re very experienced in love or you have a lot of suitors, people view you as someone who’s good at keeping secrets or you have a lot of secrets. People view you as likeable and they think you have a lot of feminine energy around you or you attract a lot of feminine energy, people may assume that you like the same sex but you attractive to anyone. People think you’re someone who breaks hearts instead of getting your heart broken, people view you as someone who’s very resourceful and adaptable. People view you as someone who’s always smiling or laughing and most of the time you look happy, people view you as someone with strong feminine energy. People think you have nice lips or teeth, they think you have a nice chest area especially if it’s smaller or perky. People view you as mature and you’re good at seeing through people and their lies, people think you’re very consistent and you don’t really like change. People think you’re all for women being in power and women equality, people view you as a good baker or you really like bread or carbs. People view you as someone who’s very protective of their heart and feelings, people view you as sneaky. Signs- Virgo/cancer. Initials- Y, C, H, U, Q

ℙile 3

People view you as someone who’s very supportive of LGBTQ+ rights (trans rights specifically?) people view you as someone who has a lot of masculine energy or you have masculine features. People view you as someone who’s grateful and finds the sliver lining in any situation, people view you as someone who likes sweets and animals (specifically cats). People view you as someone who’s a good manifestor and you’re good at getting what you want, people think you work hard and you stay motivated when it’s comes to your goals. People view you as someone who doesn’t have many limitations and you always go beyond your limits so you can grow. People view you as someone who’s an optimist and you don’t like showing when your said or upset, people view you as fair and you love to match energy of others. People think family is important to you and they have a big influence on your life or your decisions, people think you’re honest and you don’t have a lot of secrets or you just like to stay out of trouble. People think you’re good at adapting in chaos and you know how stay calm while everyone else is panicking, people view you as someone who’s very looks good in darker colors like black, purple, and dark green. People view you as someone who has dark features or your features really pop out/very distinctive, people view you as someone who has a lot of attention online social media or you could easily get a lot of attention online. People think you would get a lot of attention if you made spiritual content. Signs- Leo, Sagittarius, Libra. Initals- Y, O, N, M, F

Personal readings always available!

Divider by @thecutestgrotto

[aashi-heartfilia]

Where can I read "Kusuriya no Hitorigoto" Light Novel?

Since a lot of you have been asking this question lately, here is everything you need to know in brief...

What is a Web Novel (WN) and Light Novel (LN)?

A WN is basically weekly chapters released by the main author on a weekly basis. You can find it on a lot of Japanese sites. Some amazing people also translate them on a regular basis and post those chapters. LN is a compilation of WN chapters. A number of Chapters from the WN are taken, translated, properly rewritten and edited to publish a final LN. It has a few illustrations as well like the one you can see below...

Manga, Light Novel and Anime

Basically, the LN is taken and illustrated by an artist and we call it a manga. And when the manga has reached a certain number of Chapters, and gained a lot of popularity, it is converted into an anime. So that's the flow of things. We have

WN -> LN -> Manga -> Anime

I think that clears up a lot of misunderstandings. Firstly, the WN is published on a weekly basis, some chapters from WN are taken and translated properly to make a LN. The LN is illustrated by an artist to make the manga and the manga is generally adapted to make the anime.

In case of 'Kusuriya no Hitorigoto' or 'The Apothecary Diaries', the anime is doing a great job of adapting the overall story because not only are they properly animating every scene from the manga but also adding their own scenes from the LN.

Where can I read WN, LN and Manga?

WNs are the hardest to find, since they are released on a weekly basis by the Japanese author. They are written in Japanese and a few fans translate them for everyone. You can find it here...

(They have translated chapters of vol 10, 11 and 12)

The LN has reached until vol 9 and vol 10 is scheduled to release in Jan 2024. Currently, there is no source where you can find it for free (not that I know of, because even I have purchased the e book from Amazon) though the first few pages are available to read for free! So you can check them out!

Where did the Anime, Manga left off?

The Manga has reached ch 68. If you want to start reading the light novel from where the manga left off, you can start reading from vol 4, chapter 4.

The Anime has released ep 12 and it has covered manga material till ch 20, if you want to read manga after finishing the anime.

If you have any other questions regarding the LN, WN, Anime or Manga, feel free to ask!

~ Sunshine

[animefeminist]

J Michael Tatum discusses returning to Spice and Wolf, dubbing philosophy, and Ouran's queer legacy

J Michael Tatum is a juggernaut of the English dubbing sphere. He started out as a secondary character in 2005’s Samurai 7, a mecha-flavored adaptation of the Kurosawa film, and from there went on to play multiple iconic roles, including Sebastian Michaelis, Scar, Okabe Rintaro, and Isaac Dion. Most importantly for today’s discussion, however, are his turns as traveling merchant Kraft Lawrence (Spice and Wolf) and host club manager (and Shadow King) Ohtori Kyoya (Ouran High School Host Club).

We sat down with Tatum to talk about radical recent changes in the dubbing industry, what it’s like being a highly visible gay voice actor, and Ouran’s enduring appeal.

Anime Feminist: Just to start off with something probably a lot of folks have asked you at this point: but what’s it like playing Lawrence again after all these years?

J Michael Tatum: Oh, such a gift. BrIna and I both—Brina Palencia, who plays Holo–so love those characters and that franchise that we’ve been dreaming of getting to revisit them for years because we never really got to finish it. And we loved it so much that we came back for the audiobook when they asked us even though we don’t typically do audiobooks, because they’re very time-consuming. But we love those characters so much we couldn’t resist. And then now [there’s] the reboot, so it is lovely.

It’s always such a wonderful feeling to get to come back to characters that you feel a relationship with, that you feel akin to. Now, I’m older, hopefully a little wiser and have more tricks up my sleeve that we can bring to the performance that I wouldn’t have thought of when I was, you know, 18 years younger. I’m also just so glad that here I am, pushing 50, and I could still play him. [Laughs]

Read it at Anime Feminist!

[tiffanys-aus-and-headcanons]

Terrible Visions

A scrambled timeline is a timeline that has proceeded much like ours, except that some particular facet has been mixed up all over the place. For example, in the scrambled timeline we will consider today, our world's fictional stories have been told by different people, and in different ways.

Bryan Lee O'Malley, in this alternate timeline, is best known as the cartoonist responsible for Homestuck, a popular comic series about a group of children who become embroiled in a cosmic-scale video game known as Sburb. Although Homestuck is probably most often associated with the cult classic Edgar Wright-directed film adaptation released in 2016, the comics themselves are highly-regarded, and the film brought a new audience to them. Netflix has commissioned an animated continuation, The Homestuck Epilogues, which is due to be released soon.

Andrew Hussie, on the other hand, is a figure you're likelier to know if you're overly online. His "MS Paint Adventures" series - most notably including Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, which is kind of like Homestuck but weirder and hornier - have firmly remained a fixture of obsessive Twitter fandom culture. It doesn't help that the best-known iteration, Scott Pilgrim Vs The World, is infamous for stretching thousands of pages of meandering digressions out of a simple and focused narrative starting point. Scott Pilgrim fans have developed something of a toxic reputation, which is not entirely deserved - although of course Knives discourse is interminable, and back in the fandom's heyday there were reportedly incidents of fans assaulting each other "for being evil exes".

Scott Pilgrim fandom was very big back in the day, though, and consequently it was a nexus for other creative figures who would go on to surpass Hussie. Perhaps foremost among these is indie developer Toby Fox. He was literally living in Hussie's basement when he produced ROSEQUARTZ, a universally-beloved retro Goonies-like RPG about a human hybrid boy born to a race of gem-based aliens. He's now developing an episodic spiritual successor, RAZORQUEST, with more overtly dark themes. It revolves around an inheritance dispute among a demon-summoning family.

Other foundational figures in this timeline's internet culture include Alison Bechdel, who helped get the webcomic scene started. Although she's now more seriously acclaimed for her personal memoirs, her gaming webcomic Press Start To Dyke, which premiered in 1998, was once everywhere. It had a broad appeal, and at its height, it was common to see even straight guys sharing pages from it. Time has not been especially kind to it, though, and at this point its main legacy is test.png, a meme spawned by one of the comic's most ill-advised pages.

Then there's John C. McCrae, more often known by his pseudonym Wildbow. A prolific and reclusive author of doorstopping "web serials" - long-form fiction published online - McCrae's best-known serial is still his first, Wind, a noir superhero story set in an alternate history where capes are mostly just a subculture of unpowered vigilantes. Wind landed in a culture already rife with comic book deconstructions, like Alan Moore's 2002 graphic novel Worm Turns, but it nonetheless managed to stand out from the pack with its extensive cast of characters and its themes of coordination problems and the end of the world. Later McCrae web serials include Part (the first "Otherverse" serial; an urban fantasy story about a couple who die in a car accident and find that they have become ghosts), Tear (a "biopunk" story set in a collapsing underwater city), Warn (the controversial Wind sequel), and Play (the second "Otherverse" serial, set in a small Indiana town that helps hide a psychic girl from the CIA).

Last and perhaps least, we should discuss J. K. Rowling. Far and away the most famous of any of these authors, Rowling's name is inseparable from the YA series that she debuted with, the Luz Noceda books, which remain her one successful work. Although it was heavily derivative of older fantasy novels - like Jill Murphy's Academy For Little Witches, or Philip Pullman's Methods Of Rationality trilogy - Luz Noceda was still a monumental and unprecedented success in the publishing industry, and the film adaptations were consistent blockbusters. The final book, Luz Noceda and the Watcher of Rain, contained some allusions to a romantic relationship between Luz and her recently-redeemed associate Amity. Rowling confirmed that this was her intent in subsequent interviews and indicated that she had fought her publishers for it; the film would then go on to escalate matters slightly further.

There have been many lengthy and heated online arguments as to whether the references in the book itself constitute text or mere subtext. Whatever your stance on this discourse, a new complication has been introduced recently: although she has put out no official statement on the matter as of yet, it has become quite apparent from Rowling's shrinking network of contacts and her conspicuous silences that she is certainly TERF-sympathetic, and likely an outright TERF herself. For many, this is leading to a critical reevaluation of the social values inherent in the Luz Noceda series; others, to say the least, are holding off on that kind of reappraisal.

Anyway, Scott Pilgrim just beat Luz Noceda in a Twitter poll for Most Gay Media, and people are piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiissed

[techramonic]

The Culture in Morality: Dylan Klebold Journal Analysis, 2.

Below is a quote from Dylan's journal that stands out to me. The first part: the evidence of desperation to cleanse impurities. With this, I can garner that Dylan seems to have a deluded sense of morality. Second: It looks like he is trying to blend in with the general population. It’s not only him who thinks this way, so do other individuals. It’s as if he is trying to attain unity or solidarity from the act of “cleansing himself morally”. Moreso, attempting to be "human". 

Humanity: Ethics and Morality

According to Emile Durkheim, one of the founding fathers of sociology, morality reflects the organization of society and binds it together. It serves as an agent that bridges the divide between individuals. Morality, in essence, consists of principles distinguishing between good and bad.

Charles Darwin’s "The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex," published in 1871, asserts:

“I fully subscribe to the judgment of those writers who maintain that of all the differences between man and the lower animals the moral sense or conscience is by far the most important.”

Since then, an influx of questions has arisen regarding the relative importance of culture and biology in determining morality. Whether the moral sense is derived from either of two aspects:

the moral rules humans accept as behavioral guides (assessing right or wrong); or

the biological basis of ethics (consciousness of actions and consequences)

Ethics has an established difference from morality. It is the notion of doing a rather practical or pragmatic action, while morality is the idea of being driven to do good. An ethical code does not have to be moral to be justified, but must be feasible or convenient. This means that as long as an idea is practical, whether it is considered to be good or bad, it is ethical.

In an essay by Francisco J. Ayala titled "The Difference of Being Human: Morality," he proposes that the capacity for ethics is a necessary attribute of human nature, while moral codes are products of cultural evolution. Ethical behavior is a byproduct of man's intellectual prowess—a nurtured quality fostered by natural selection. Morality did not emerge as an adaptation but as an exaptation, developing into a function different from its original purpose. This is explained by the presence of three biological conditions for ethical behavior that allow humans to have a moral sense: ability to anticipate the consequences of one’s actions, to make value judgments, and to choose between alternative courses of action.

Moral codes, compared to Ethical codes, are outcomes of cultural evolution, accounting for the diversity of cultural norms among populations and their evolution over time. People accept standards according to which their conduct is judged as either right or wrong, good or evil. These norms vary, however, some norms, such as do not kill, are widespread and perhaps universal. This explanation suggests that while it is inherent to be ethical, morality arises from cultural and sociological factors created out of normative behavior. From this, we can assert that humans all inherently have the ethics that guide them throughout their lives. What makes them interconnected however is the presence of morality that acts as a framework to keep them bonded together and functioning.

Moral Exclusion

With that, it is easy to say that humans are human because of biological factors that distinguish them from the animalia kingdom. However, we can also observe that humans also deny others of the capability of being human even if we are from the same species. Time and time again, we can observe that humans are susceptible to dehumanizing others. So really, why is that?

Most cases, we confer personhood upon each other when we criticize others using a sort of check-list: morality. It is technically a learned culture that allows us to be bonded together and function as an entire whole. What I do, you do, and vice-versa. However, not always can it unite us because other times it can also alienate others. Sometimes, distorting morality itself by using it as a tool to exclude those who do not fit into certain categories of moral preference.

Since it is a culture that evolves through time, there are aspects of it that are different from individual to individual and culture to culture. This means that what can be bad can also be good to others and vice-versa. Not everything is in one standard that's applicable to all because not everything is practical for everyone. Ethically speaking, when we acknowledge other people’s complexities outside the standard black-and-white "good or bad " spectrum, we feel more connected. We realize that we are human because we have the ability to rationalize and do what is pragmatic.

Dylan’s Difference and Indifference

Dylan believed he was outside the norm, devoid of humanity, and different from everyone else. He was ethical in the sense that he understood the consequences of his actions and could make determinations about them. He knew the consequences of taking lives and taking his own life. With this, it is already enough to consider him as human. He could rationalize, therefore he is human.

One of the reasons why he does not feel that he is human is because he lacks the connection others have. Morality being a culture has brought people together and as I have previously stated, also excludes others. I believe that he subscribed to the belief that to be human, one must be moral so they could fit in with society. This creates an internal conflict. Humans are no strangers to latching unto vices because to them, it is pragmatic. We smoke, we drink, and we do things others consider immoral because we think it helps us.

With morality, a tangible framework is provided for achieving a purpose. It is an established system that offers a good reason to quit vices in exchange for acceptance. Dylan sees this difference as a weapon hindering him from being included. He acts like others to be accepted and, supposedly, be happy with this acceptance.

[momtaku]

Thoughts on the Attack on Titan Musical

tl:dr; It's been two weeks but I am still not over it.

When I posted the photo of myself holding the playbill of the Attack on Titan musical the most common reaction was "WHAT???", so I guess some background might be good to start with.

Yes, the Attack on Musical is a thing. It was first performed in Japan in January 2023 with shows in Osaka and Tokyo. When it was announced that a second run of the musical would include New York City, I pounced on tickets.

See, it's real! This is my video of the closing number. We were allowed to record this.

The New York run was at the New York City Center which seats about 2200 people. There were a total of 4 shows the weekend of Oct 12. I attended the Saturday matinee. The style of this production is known 2.5D, and is incredibly popular in Japan. I did some checking and this is the first time a 2.5D anime adaptation has appeared outside of Asia. Did Attack on Titan work as a musical?

Surprisingly yes, although I think anyone who wandered in off the streets would've been thoroughly confused. The themes that attracted most of us to the series translate wonderfully to the stage, and despite knowing the story well, they managed to make it feel fresh. Carla's death, for instance. When she realized she was trapped and facing certain death, her song to Eren and Mikasa was a children's lullaby about survival. That portion of the manga always hit me hard, but the desperation, horror and love set to a lullaby? Damn it musical, you made me cry.

The original scene of Hange leading a Titan Biology class might be my favorite of the entire show. The actor who played Hange was the perfect amount of unhinged and delightful as they dance across the table while the 104th answered a pop quiz. (And yes to "they" since the playbill specifically mentions that the actor in the role was known for her portrayal of nonbinary characters.) It was genuinely hilarious.

The musical covers the first 11 chapters of the manga, stopping in the "Struggle for Trost" arc, where the plan for Eren to plug the hole in the wall was conceived but not yet executed. I remember reading that portion of the manga years ago and feeling that same sense of optimism. So the musical ends on a high. Humans finally have a way to win against the titans, It felt like a strange place to end, knowing what ultimately happens in the story, so I wondered if the intention is for a part 2 musical adaptation.

(btw, the staging of "can you plug the hole" had Eren and Levi kneeling closely on the floor together with a manly shoulder clasp looking earnestly at each other. It had me looking at my very ereri friend with raised eyebrows. It was for sure her favorite moment.) What was the performance like?

The short run 2.5D musicals don't have the polish or production budget of a true broadway musical, but it was still wildly entertaining. Since the director is known for breakdance and hiphop, there was plenty of that. The dance numbers were fun. The songs were catchy.

Rather than try to describe it, here's a TikTok review that shows off the 3dmg, the titans, and that two minute head spin that no one could shut up about.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by mixed feelings (@mixed.feelings)

Also, the cast could not have been for perfect. I mean LOOK AT THEM!

From this tweet

Who was in attendance?

As I mentioned before, this was a first in many ways so it attracted people from all over the world. While I was opening my blind box items, I met a group older women from Japan who'd travelled to New York from Tokyo and had purchased tickets to every single NY performance. Their English wasn't great, and my Japanese is nonexistent, but what surprised me the most wasn't their dedication to the show, but that they seemed genuinely surprised to see me. I don't know if that was because I too am an older fan like them, or if they weren't expecting equally passionate westerners at the show but I tend to think it was both. I suspect the Japanese fandom has no idea how big this series is outside of Japan, or that it attracts such a diverse audience.

My podcast partner Luna was sitting next to two women who'd flown in from California. They knew nothing about Attack on Titan but were fans of the actor who played Eren. Since it was his first time performing outside of Japan, they came solely to see him.

On my flight home was a 22 year old wearing an Attack on Titan musical t-shirt. We started talking and I learned it was his first time in New York, his first time seeing a broadway musical, and his first time traveling alone. He just loves the series that much.

In general the audience was much younger than what you'd normally see at a broadway show and 100% more excited. Plenty of people were in cosplay or else wearing Attack on Titan clothing. The atmosphere was insane.

My merch haul

The mug and t-shirt sold out before the second show so I was glad I was there early to snag them. The playbill is selling on Mercari for almost $50. Sadly my poster didn't survive the trip home. It cracked in about 50 places.

Did you do anything else in NYC

Aside from hanging out with so many of my favorite people, the Kodansha Popup House was going on. It was incredibly cool.

We met up with James from the Titan Teatime podcast. I think the plan is do a joint podcast in a few weeks to get everyone's thoughts . I'll post more about that if it actually happens.

Final Thoughts

Rumor has it that the show's successful New York run could mean it will branch out further. If it goes to London, nothing will stop me from being there. It was that much fun, and I can't wait to share the experience with my European friends.

[guidaozongshi]

On Sakura and SasuSaku's apparent popularity in the eastern fandom

One of the widely regurgitated talking points in favour of the Sasuke/Sakura relationship is that it is the most popular Naruto pairing in Japan and that Sakura is a very popular character but western fans apparently fail to understand the nuances of their relationship unlike their eastern counterparts. These claims range from half-truths to complete nonsense, in this post I attempt to counter these.

Firstly, let's talk about Sakura's reception in Japan.

Kishimoto infamously said that girls would come up to him to complain about Sakura and that he really struggled to make her likeable. But you don't need his statements to arrive at the conclusion that she is not well received.

Take a look at the Naruto Character popularity polls by Shounen Jump taken during the run of the manga.

Character Poll 1 , as of Chapter 60

1. Kakashi Hatake – 22,692 votes

2. Naruto Uzumaki – 16,729 votes

3. Sasuke Uchiha – 13,674 votes

4. Iruka Umino – 7,128 votes

5. Sakura Haruno – 3,055 votes

Naruto had just started to take off , with Team 7 being the main focus, yet look at the difference in votes for the members. Iruka, a character that barely appears overtook Sakura. What's ironic is that this will be the highest position she would ever receive because her popularity gets worse.

Character Poll 2 , as of Chapter 107

1. Naruto Uzumaki – 2,788 votes

2. Kakashi Hatake – 2,635 votes

.

14. Sakura Haruno – 359 votes

14th Position! Despite the fact she is from a trio of characters that are the most focused on. Not only the other Konoha rookies rank above her but even Gambunta ( the frog ) overtakes her.

In Character poll 3 , 4 ( chapter 199 ), 5 ( chapter 245 ), 6 ( chapter 292 ) and 7 ( chapter 531 ) her ranking becomes 9 , 10 , 8 , 12 and 12 respectively , while the other Team 7 members never leave Top 4. Characters with less panels and appearances repeatedly overtake her.

It is not an exaggeration to say that she was widely disliked as a main character. She has been repeatedly bashed, on Japanese online forums as well as by the author. ( more on this later )

All this of course doesn't mean that she doesn't have a fanbase, oh she has! a very loyal one and a particular kind at that . Women who love Sakura tend to be fans of Shoujo/Josei , something you can notice if you have come across SasuSaku artworks.

When Naruto ended , the majority of their comments were congratulating Sakura on her long one sided crush being finally reciprocated and how happy they were for her. Sasuke fans couldn't care less about the relationship as her character has hardly any effect on his story ( that is, until Gaiden came along and angered many people)

There is a noticeable difference in how JP artists portray their relationship in comparison to their western counterpart. The former portrays it as a 'puppy love' like between an idol and a fan. The appeal of the relationship comes from Sasuke, who is the classical male ideal and Sakura who is deeply ' loyal' to him , who then gets rewarded for it. It is one of the reasons why it only shot up in popularity post-ending.

On the other hand, the latter seems to believe that Sakura is Sasuke's equal, that she challenges and influences Sasuke, despite the fact that she becomes a doormat in front of him and according to Sakura's own words she couldn't come close to Sasuke's heart.

I have discussed why some Japanese fans like Sasuke/Sakura as it may appeal to their taste but these fans don't make much of the fanbase.

Case in point, one of the most hyped SasuSaku material i.e Sasuke Retsuden only managed to sell about 17k copies for the weeks it charted, in Comparison Naruto J Novels 1-7 sold about 470K when it was in circulation back in 2008.

Even the manga adaptation piggybacking on the anime couldn't even sell 40K copies for the first volume.

There was a time when Sasuke's name alone would be enough for a manga to sell out but the truth is that not only the majority of Naruto fans have moved on since 2015, even the loyal fans aren't interested in this content.

After Gaiden came out, Both Sakura and her relationship received harsh criticism, the 2channel threads kept bashing her and Kishimoto of the poor handling of the relationship.

Some of the snippets

"..with the release of Gaiden, the author just had worsened what was already bad. I guess he lost his willpower to write.”

“I was expecting before Sasuke and Sakura’s feelings would be shown in Gaiden but was edited out...because back time I thought I saw some spoilers that Sasuke and Sakura had gotten closer.

But now there’s no way there was some edit, no, this whole thing is a fucking lie.”

"A natural progress of loving, to slowly get accustomed and come to love someone, yeah I can’t imagine this with Sasu/Saku. Such extremely weird couple, how are they supposed to get used with each other over time? This is the vibe I get.

This relationship feels weird in my head, maybe I’m asking for too much to find a reason behind this.

But Kishimoto’s Sasu/Saku bonds is completely empty, I guess it’s funny that there’s nothing to add in it.”

"Sakura’s feelings is over the top terrible. She’s able to be happy with this..”

The thread is VERY long but you get the gist of it.

Fun fact : In 2015 Sasuke/Sakura was 6th most voted couple that should Break-Up by Japnese readers

Accusing others of not understanding their relationship because they apparently don't get their supposedly "culturally contextual relationship" is quite stupid and laughable because it's also hated by many Japanese people. It's only popular with a specific set of audience.

Which brings me to the other argument.

"Sasuke/Sakura is the most popular Naruto couple in Japan"

While this might be true today, it has not always been the case. Sasuke/Sakura shot in popularity post-Naruto ending while the most popular pairing throughout the run of the series (Sasuke/Naruto) declined. ( If anybody has the pixiv stats from 2012/13 , please feel free to add)

Take a look at this Naruto couple ranking list in Japan from 2012 ( the rankings are based on Google Japan results if I am not wrong)

サスナル (SasuNaru) —- 166,000 res.

ナルサス (NaruSasu) —- 78,400 res.

サスナルサス ( SasuNaruSasu) —- 244,400 res.

サスサク (SasuSaku) —- 54,700 res.

There's quite a large gap.

Even in 2016, 2 years after Naruto ended and many Sasuke/Naruto artists deleted their artworks or moved on from the fandom , it still rivaled SasuSaku in popularity on pixiv

SasuNaruSasu サスナルサス 9.502 works

SasuSaku サスサク 8.150 works

I will make a separate post for the Chinese Naruto fandom but they are very brutal against the Sasuke/Sakura relationship.

For other East Asian countries, I wrote about how SasuNaruSasu is the largest pairing in China with no close second . I am unfortunately not familiar with the Korean fandom.

This is the general sentiment there :

Sasuke married Sakura to atone for his sins

🤍 10 K

[cooketimm]

Hardboiled #10-25 (1990-98) cover artwork by Bruce Timm

Interview from Cool Stuff Magazine #1 (1995):

Gary Lovisi: Much of your work is characterized by raw, intense energy and action, or beautiful women in stylish, dangerous settings. Some is obviously influenced by the pulps.

Bruce Timm: I’m big pulp fan, have been since the early 70s, when I started reading Doc Savage and Avenger reprints. I can’t really say how they’ve influenced my artwork much, except when doing pulp-homage stuff like the Bob Price books. But I do sometimes wish I was born decades earlier so I could have worked for some of the old pulps, which was why it was so much fun doing the Price stuff, and the «mock 50s» paperback covers for your Gryphon Books.

The hero pulps — Doc Savage, The Spider, The Shadow, etc — did have a big impact on my approach to the Batman cartoons. It’s something I tried to inject into the show from early on, the atmosphere, danger and illicit excitement, and especially that Norvell Page-type feeling of impending doom — the «doomed city» mood. It’s also why I set the sense in a timeless, 40s-styled world of big cars, padded shoulders, gangsters, shadowy streets, etc. I only wish we’d gone farther with it.  

For instance, my original version of Batman himself was actually close to the Shadow: rarely seen close-up, speaking in short, clipped phrases, more mysterious, literally. I wanted to play him cold and remote, almost unhuman. But the network and our various story editors would have none of that!  «We need to humanize him», «He needs to have a sense of humor», «We need to more about Bruce Wayne, the person», etc! Whereas I could care less about Bruce Wayne! He’s much more fascinating if you don’t know what he’s thinking, or what drives him.

A few «Shadowy» touches did survive. Batman is rarely seen be the public, almost never on TV. Even when dealing with the police, he’s usually off in shadows conferring with Commissioner Gordon only. And when he’s in the Batcave, he’s almost always in costume. My way of saying he’s Batman, not the other guy, not Bruce Wayne. Like Lamon Cranston, his true, «legal» identity is a facade.

I’ d love to do straight-ahead pulp hero adaptation someday. Doc or The Shadow or The Spider, either in comics or animation, without the senseless updating and over-explaining «character development» like in the Alec Baldwin-Shadow-fiasco-film.  

Gary Lovisi: Your stunning covers for my Hardboiled mag are very popular with everyone who sees them. What are your feelings on hardboiled crime-related art?

Bruce Timm: It’s hard, actually, to define «crime-fiction» art. There’s pulp crime-fiction art, and digest crime-fiction art, both of which cross over with paperback crime-fiction art. Basically, I’m a fan of good illustration. Period. Regardless of subject matter. Composition, emotionally intensity, color and lighting effects are what I look for. And pretty girls, of course!   

My favorite pulp crime artist is H. J. Ward, hands down. Gorgeous gals in twisty curvy poses, painted in luscious, creamy, wet-on-wet oil technique. My favorite paperback artists include Robert McGinnis, Robert Maguire, and Mitchell Hooks, the usual suspects.

My approach to the Hardboiled covers is different from my earlier ��homage» work. When the covers were black and white, I used to experiment with different b&w textures, coquille board, zip-a-tone, xeroxed newsprint, whatever worked. Now that I’m doing them in color, I’m trying to make them as exciting and eye-catching as possible, with loud color, sexy gals, exaggerated action, and simple, graphic, almost cartoony styling.

[scotianostra]

On December 27th 1904 J M Barrie's play "Peter Pan" premiered at the Duke of York Theatre, London.

J.M. Barrie created his character based on his older brother, David, who died in an ice-skating accident the day before his 14th birthday. His mother and brother thought of him as forever a boy. The "boy who wouldn't grow up"

The story of free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical island of Neverland as the leader of the Lost Boys, interacting with fairies, pirates, mermaids, Native Americans, and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside Neverland.

Peter Pan has become a cultural icon symbolizing youthful innocence and escapism. In addition to two distinct works by Barrie, the character has been featured in a variety of media and merchandise, both adapting and expanding on Barrie's works. These include a 1953 animated film, a 2003 dramatic/live-action film, a television series and many other works.

J. M. Barrie first used Peter Pan 2 years before, as a character in a section of The Little White Bird, an adult novel where he appears as a seven-day-old baby in the chapter entitled Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Following the success of the 1904 play, Barrie's publishers, Hodder and Stoughton, extracted chapters 13–18 of The Little White Bird and republished them in 1906 under the title Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, with the addition of illustrations by Arthur Rackham.

Barrie never described Peter's appearance in detail, even in his novel, leaving it to the imagination of the reader and the interpretation of anyone adapting the character. In the play, Peter's outfit is made of autumn leaves and cobwebs. His name and playing the flute or pipes suggest the mythological character Pan. Barrie mentions in Peter and Wendy that Peter Pan still had all his "first teeth".He describes him as a beautiful boy with a beautiful smile, "clad in skeleton leaves and the juices that flow from trees"

Traditionally, the character has been played on stage by a petite adult woman. In the original productions in the UK, Peter Pan's costume was a reddish tunic and dark green tights, such as that worn by Nina Boucicault in 1904. This costume is exhibited in Barrie's Birthplace museum at Kirriemuir.

In the Disney films, Peter wears an outfit that consists of a short-sleeved green tunic and tights apparently made of cloth, and a cap with a red feather in it. He has pointed elf-like ears, brown eyes and his hair is red. In Hook , the character is played as an adult by Robin Williams, with blue eyes and dark brown hair; in flashbacks to him in his youth, his hair is light brown. In this film his ears appear pointed only when he is Peter Pan, not as Peter Banning. His Pan attire resembles the Disney outfit (minus the cap). In the live-action 2003 Peter Pan film, he is portrayed by Jeremy Sumpter, who has blond hair and blue-green eyes. His outfit is made of leaves and vines.

Barrie commissioned a statue of Peter Pan by sculptor George Frampton which was erected overnight in Kensington Gardens on 30 April 1912 as a May Day surprise to the children of London. Seven statues have been cast from the original mould, they are in, Egmont Park, Brussels, Belgium, Bowring Park, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, Bowring Park, Johnson Park, Camden, New Jersey, USA, Queens Gardens, Perth, Western Australia, Sefton Park, Liverpool, and Glenn Gould Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Various other statues have appeared around the world, including three in Scotland, the first is at Mearnskirk Hospital for children in Glasgow, the first superintendent of the hospital, Dr John A Wilson, was a school friend of Barrie, the other one in Scotland is of course in Kirriemuir, one in the main town square and the other in the Peter Pan Garden by Barrie's Birthplace, now owned by the National Trust of Scotland.

The most famous of the other statues is at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, who JM Barrie gifted the rights to the play in 1929, the copyright first expired in the UK (and the rest of Europe) in 1987, 50 years after Barrie’s death, but the government of the day made an amendment to the copyright act giving Great Ormond Street Hospital the unique right to royalties from stage performances of Peter Pan (and any adaptation of the play) as well as from publications, audio books, ebooks, radio broadcasts and films of the story of Peter Pan, in perpetuity.

[jamisonwritestf2trash]

TF2 Mercs as Cats!

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Based on a conversation I had with @prognostic-santhanas

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Scout- Abyassin

Abyassin cats, by nature, love to jump and climb and very are inquisitive. Scout, as a cat, would definitely always be climbing on the most random things and making the MOST dangerous jumps across furniture to keep himself from getting bored.

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Solider- American Bobtail

He's American in every form! But seriously, to be honest, Soldier is a LOT more dog coded then cat coded, so what better than a cat that has dog like characteristics? Bobtails are also very confident cats, and can be super friendly.

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Pyro- Bengal Cat

If Pyro was going to be ANY colored cat, it'd definitely be orange. Like Pyro in any form is a BRIGHT animal. But Bengals are also very confident, curious, and athletic. And like, cat Pyro LOVES to explore and run around, literally chaos incarnate of turned into a cat.

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Demo- LaPerm

LaPerms are very friendly cats, with some being referred to as lapcats, who have occasional bursts of high energy. Honestly, if Demo was a cat there's no doubt he wouldn't spend most of his time laying around and enjoying affection only to get up to some chaos when the mood suits him.

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Engie- Siberian

Siberian cats are affectionate, friendly, and extremely intelligent, and I mean, that's exactly how I'd describe Engie. Honestly, even when he's a cat, he's still VERY smart. No doubt, he learns how to do tricks and commands on his own, unprompted just for the fun of it.

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Heavy- Russian Blue

He has to be Russian in every form! (/j) No, but this fits more tempement wise like most of the others. Quiet, intelligent, and loyal are all ways Russian blue cats have been described, and that definitely fits Heavy. Honestly, it's not in this specific breeds nature, but cat Heavy is definitely a guard cat for any house he's in.

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Medic- Somali

Somali cats are highly intelligent cats. Similar to Engie, cat Medic would definitely be teaching himself everything he could. Also, unsurprisingly, a cat who's best friends with the neighborhood birds, you can definitely find them just, cuddling together. But he definitely would have a tendency to hunt mice just to "experiment" on as best as he could as a little cat guy. And I mean, come on. Put an evil grin on that cats face and tell me it's NOT Medic.

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Sniper- Korta

Korta cats move slow, hate loud noises, and have extraordinary sight, smell, and hearing. Like. This might just be Sniper himself. Cat Sniper is most definitely an amazing hunter. If he wasn't busy getting up to mysterious and unknown things you'd definitely find a plethora of dead animals just left in random places as gifts from him.

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Spy- Maine Coon

Common traits of Maine Coons are that they're adaptable, quiet, and patient, and like, come ON. It practically explains itself. Spy is definitely an annoying cat that loves to fuck with you but also will throw a fit if you don't give him attention. God, FORBID, you don't give him the exact amount of attention he requires. Something you obviously value more than him will be destroyed later on...

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Uh, surpise! Hc post jumpscare! This took me longer than it should have and I'm sorry. I genuinely appreciate how patient you all have been with me. Burn out is insane but I'm still in love with writing and in love with the tf2 fandom. I'll do the best I can to keep writing and again, thanks for being so great guys!

Hope you liked the hcs :D

[hplonesomeart]

Why bro looking like that /j

Personal update thing (skip reading if you’re just here for the Puzzle art. I’m not going to drag everyone into my life. Especially if it’s a rant about trivial things that don’t matter that much in the end lol. I just enjoy personal journaling and expressing my mental state whenever I feel stuck. This isn’t really a public notice for everyone, it’s more like talking to myself):

I might be going through some kinda art block right now I don’t quite know…just wish I wasn’t feeling as sluggish/lazy with how I spend my time. Lately it feels like it’s a chore to try and get myself to draw anything. It’s like my body and my mind are trapped in slow motion; I can barely get changed into normal clothes, eat breakfast, or get out of bed in the morning. Even when I manage to draw it’s like the art I’m currently producing looks bad. Maybe my brain suddenly forgot how to draw his head proportions? Looks off model and it bothers me. Maybe I needed to use more references? Suppose I could chop it down to being a stylistic choice but even so—feel like I could do better :P

So I’ve been taking a break. But if I start playing video games for too long (specifically I’m trying to get into playing Momodora—I have a history with my past friends trying to introduce me to the game ages ago. I never got myself a copy until this Christmas) I feel like I’m wasting time I could’ve spent animating. No matter how I choose to spend my time it always feels a little wrong. I believe it’s the subconscious pressure of having a short Winter Break. I start school again in January and I’m really not looking forward to it. Throughout this 2024 school year I started getting lightly scolded by my parents for animating instead of studying or focusing on work. So my brain adapted to doing this oh so “helpful” (sarcasm) thing where it shuts down the desire to animate or draw when it’s preparing for school. And yet when I’m IN school suddenly all these animation ideas happen and when I’m OUT of school with all this free time it goes “lol nope don’t feel like doing it.” Is this what executive dysfunction is like…? Or is that different?? I don’t know but it’s kinda frustrating.

Anyways here’s the low effort Puzzle art I sloppily made. I don’t like how it looks but hey beggars can’t be choosers….making any amount of art is a miracle at this rate. No matter what it’s extra drawing practice at the very least. I was just goofing around with the glitch effects & chromatic adhesion. It’s nothing special but complaining about it won’t get me anywhere, so we keep moving forward instead 👍

[vampiretendencies]

for my mental wellbeing PLS PLS PLS PLS write dad to be jj again

i beg of you. i was literally in a depressive episode and reading ur last jj fic was such a pick-me up. (ps ty for that 😭)

i LOVE u & i hope ur okay love

pairing; dadtobe!jj x pregnant!fem!reader

warnings; fluff, mentions of pregnancy, throwing up, talk of feet if thats a trigger for some, suggestive

authors note; came up with this earlier. hope this helps you, even if it's a little bit.

Hell has frozen over and JJ Maybank is folding laundry.

Really, he's only doing it so he can see the small animal patterned baby socks and the wholesome footy onsies. You'd washed them in preparation, as the nursery is adorned with all things baby, and your due date is to come any day now. Creeping it's way in, however pregnancy has been somewhat of a breeze with JJ at your beck and call.

Even if you are blowing chunks in the morning, he's breaking his rest in bare skin to hold your hair and press kisses to your spine.

"S'okay baby, still so pretty.” Is something along the lines of what he typically says, unbothered by the miraculous bile that ejects from your insides— using the nearest towel to clean you up earnestly and eagerly, he couldn’t fathom his baby appearing so helpless. Carrying your limp body back to bed, in his broad, bulky arms, insisting that you rest and not move a muscle.

He is so overly passionate when it comes to soon to be family.

He’s adapting to being a father, but he’s still the same old JJ.

“Do you think babies know they’re babies?”

You sat beside him on the fluffed out couch, nose crinkled in a manner of ‘what the hell are you talking about now’. JJ awaits your answer, absentmindedly folding a small pair of new born pants. The clothes basket is about half way full now and it’s taken him an hour to simply get that done, admiring the baby clothes and dreaming of when he gets to swallow the child whole with his enamoured ways.

“What, JJ?” You sighed exasperatedly, his antics peeling beneath your skin as he’s been doing this the lot of the time being seated here. Though he’s folding laundry his finger tips still find their way to your inner thigh, squeezing at the flesh with ease. Unable to go through extended periods of time without the proximity of your fiery being.

Always touching, explains the reasoning behind you being pregnant.

“Like what if our baby thinks-“

“JJ …” he knows he’s irked those pregnant hormones a bit too far from the rolling of your eyes and the way you keep saying JJ in protest for him to ‘stop talking about something so overly stupid’. Usually there’s so much patience in your voice when a ‘J’ rolls off your tongue calling his name. “I don’t know what you’re talking about … my fuckin’ feet hurt, my head is pounding, and I feel like a Goddamn whale.”

JJ eyes bulge, gesturing his hands in a surrendering way for he knows that any little thing that agitates you in the slightest will send you over the edge— breaking closer and closer to being dilated and in a hospital room. But, he never holds it against you, acknowledging that you mean no harm, merely in aching pain every growing hour.

Kind of like a shut up while you’re ahead sort of thing.

“Sexiest Goddamn whale I've ever seen," he tries to compliment, throwing a onesie to the side, the darting of your eyes makes the mischievous smirk on his face grow all the more wider.

There's always an urge of neediness behind every smirk.

His index finger traces your cheek bone to gain your full attention rather then the slim phone in your hands, a pout is beginning to form and it's making JJ's heart burst.

"M'not in the mood J, my belly's just gonna' get in the way."

"Never, your belly would make it even better ... but that's not the route I was taking baby, let me show you, yeah?"

And you nod willingly letting him take the pain away. JJ's dropping to his knees, keeping your complaint in mind that your 'fuckin' feet hurt.' Though your eyebrows furrow, you decided not to question, wishfully hoping for his contact despite it.

Pushing the throw blanket that was in your lap to the side, he puckers his lips around your knee. Practically worshipping the legs in front of him. Peering up at you with sensuous eyes, short-lived as he molds his mouth with the skin of your calves, granting each and every inch of skin with solicitous osculating kisses. Delicate with the way his large hands hold them upright to meet his mouth. Suctioning and delving all he could possibly reach.

"Thank you for carrying our sweet baby."

His voice sent goosebumps, vibrations of his heavy voice elevating to the point of you not being unable to muster a 'you're welcome' or 'of course'. Instead, your head falls back to collide with the couch cushion, eyes closing. Relishing in every empyrean like movement your lover ignited; heaven bled through every sullen kiss.

It came to a halt and know he's kneading your feet, oh so soft, lathered thick of a vanilla musked lotion. From the big toe to the heel his knuckles massage the foot, almost melting the swelling away like clockwork.

"Feel better, baby?"

"Feels so much better, J."

[aziulpre]

Hi Nakamura!

Do you have time to answer something of mine and advise me about it? You see, I love your art, your merchandise, and everything else.

How was your process of adapting to the Omniverse style? Was it difficult?

And well, I wanted some advice about it because I've always liked Ben and I'm curious about your process, and that's it.

Sure, well... about Cartoon style, as I've mentioned since my beginnings, my design has always been similar to Omniverse, so it was not difficult for me.

Especially since I've always been a fan of Derrick J. Wyatt (Unfortunately I knew him half year before his death) and cartoon stylized style from Cartoon Network (like DC animated series).

Also, I am a character designer so I handle different styles...

which makes it easier to imitate (but keeping my style, so that it's recognizable that it's mine).

Something funny about UAF style... many people hate it, but when it comes to drawing it, it's actually very similar to Omniverse 🤣 the only distinction would be the "proportions" of the body. Nobody believes me Hahahah

The only advice I can say: if you want to improve, draw every day. About learning, you have to find the best way that fits you. When I was a kiddo, what worked a lot for me was looking at art from series and trying to imitate it (in fact, famous painters often imitate real landscapes). Over time, or just in a drawing, start adding your own details and you'll find your style.

I say "imitate" instead of copy, because "copy" means you just reflect what you see on paper/screen: There is no difference and that is not creative. It may work for learning or even animation, but it isn't recommended if you want to be "independent" (I don't know what the correct word is) but It's a way that many or few people can know that it belongs to you. The good example is that people who know my art recognize my comics, but when someone just looks at a drawing out of the corner of their eye they think it's a scene from Ben 10 series.

If you already know how to draw, it's good to see many references. In my case, I often look at lighting references and muscles or a thin body to be able to correctly capture the color and proportions (especially the realistic muscles, because it's a little difficult for me... that works for me in Anime style or detailed drawings).

[lej222]

'Banana Fish' - The Series That Broke Me

TW: mentions of r@pe, physical and emotional ab@se, p@dophilia, forced pr@stitution, de@th, dr@g usage, child p@rn@graphy and violence! Also, HEAVY spoilers for the ending of the manga and anime. PLEASE BEWARE THE TRIGGER WARNINGS AND SENSITIVE ISSUES DISCUSSED IN THIS POST!

Banana Fish is an action-thriller manga that was serialized in 1985 in a shoujo magazine and was later adapted into a 24-episode anime series in 2018 by Studio Mappa. Even to this day, it is regarded as a classic work that has changed the shoujo landscape and attracted a high number of male readers, making it hard to categorize it into just one genre. With over-the-top action scenes, eccentric fashion and gang wars, Banana Fish remains an 80s classic that was somehow able to move new generations of fans with the anime adaptation changing the setting into modern times. The title of the manga is a reference to J. D. Salinger's short story, "A Perfect Day for Bananafish", and shares its themes of violence and innocence, symbolized by the two different worlds the main characters of the story represent.

Banana Fish is a character-centered work with sensitive issues

Unlike most of its contemporary shoujo manga, the story of Banana Fish takes place in the United States. The main protagonist, Ash, is a 17-year-old boy who has suffered terrible physical, sexual and emotional abuse ever since he was a kid. He is the leader of a young gang in New York and transports goods to the Mafia, something that he does for survival after escaping the clutches of the feared Mafia leader, Golzine. One day a man is murdered in front of his eyes who gives him a phial containing a strange powder while saying the words 'Banana fish'. Ash recalls his brother muttering the same thing after he returned from war. He was a soldier who developed a mental health disorder and Ash uses his illegally earned money to try to improve his condition.

While Ash starts to secretly investigate the strange drug, a photojournalist named Ibe arrives to the city from Japan with his young assistant, 19-year-old Eiji, to write an article about juvenile American gangs. He wants to meet a journalist friend of his, but the local detectives inform him that he's in prison. They advice him and Eiji to visit Ash's gang to take some pictures for their report. Ibe later reveals that he brought Eiji along on his trip to give him a new inspiration after the boy had to give up on his pole-vaulting career due to an injury. Eiji is a pure-hearted and innocent soul who looks younger than his age and is curious about the differences in cultures.

After Ash realizes that the powder itself is a dangerous drug called 'Banana fish' and it was used on his brother, he starts a fight against Golzine who wants to sell it to the government. Eiji and Ibe both accidentally get involved in the confrontation and decide to help Ash in order to uncover the truth.

While the main plot of Banana Fish revolves around Ash's fight with the Mafia, it's the major characters of the story who truly move the plot forward. Their personal stories, thoughts and relationships are all important, even when the series becomes more action-packed. From very early on in the story, we are reminded that Ash is a murderer - even if it wasn't him who chose this lifestlye and he was a victim himself, Ash knows that he has to pay for his crimes. This is precisely why this message gets reinforced in the most emotional moments of the series when Ash has to willfully kill even his own friend to end his pain.

Ash was forced to experience horrible things ever since he was a kid and his choices were taken away from him. At only 17-years old, he doesn't care if he's alive or not and he's heavily traumatized but deep down has a good heart and only wants to be free. It's not until Eiji enters his life that we see the the real Ash behind the persona he built to protect himself. Despite being part of a corrupted world, Ash is drawn to the light and freedom that Eiji represents in his existence; however, Ash has to face the truth that the longer Eiji stays with him the more corrupted he might also become himself. Ash's reluctance to completely sever his ties with Eiji only puts him in danger, but Ash still doesn't want him to hold a gun in hopes of protecting him from his dark world, saying that "one murderer is more than enough."

BL? Close Friendship? Does it even matter?

Many people recommend Banana Fish as a BL classic and leave viewers traumatized who are not familiar with the triggering contents of the series. The protagonist of the story is a victim of child p@rn@graphy, pr@stitution, ab@se and r@pe. Marketing the series as a simple love story without mentioning the heavy subject matter is nothing sort of disrespectful. To avoid confusion, Banana Fish is an action-drama first and foremost. There's a deep connection between two male characters that is the heart of the story, but it doesn't define its genre.

When Eiji first meets Ash he asks if he can hold his gun - it's a simple question without any ulterior motive that illustrates Eiji's naive and innocent worldview. Ash, who lost his inner child after the trauma he had to endure, finds himself agreeing to his request. Ash's bravery and dedication to his friends inspire Eiji to also do his best and that's when he decides to jump over a wall with a metal pipe to call for help, overcoming his painful memories about pole-vaulting. Eiji becomes the image of freedom and warmth for Ash, someone who can make him unguarded and peaceful, just an ordinary teenager. Even though they come from different worlds, Eiji and Ash understand each other deeply and would do anything for the other.

Let's make this clear - Eiji and Ash love each other, but the nature of that love is up to interpretation. The creator Yoshida Akimi is known to have given contradictory answers on this matter. While she claims that Banana Fish was inspired by 'Midnight Cowboy' and the deep platonic relationship between its two male characters, she has also referenced famous queer movies with her art and put illustrations in her artbook that lean towards a more romantic interpretation. And then we haven't even talked about the subtext and the ending of the manga. Or the fact that 'Midnight Cowboy' is considered to be an essential part of queer cinema by many people so its interpretation also varies.

While Yoshida has said she wanted to portay a platonic friendship, her art and the relationhip between her characters were clearly influenced by queer media. Up to this day, it's impossible to decide which interpretation is true. And it doesn't matter. Ash and Eiji share a profound connection in the story that is beyond romantic or platonic love. It's the bond of two souls that have found their other halves, two individuals who inspire each other, a love so strong that it transcends our mortal existence because it will never cease existing. I would even go as far as to call it the purest form of love.

We also have to consider the publication date of the series. Banana Fish is a product of its time, and it's evident in how it portrays intimacy between men. There's no positive depiction of sexual relationhsips between men and every homosexual encounter is r@pe or ped@philia. Compared to these negative experiences, Ash and Eiji's non-sexual relationship feels more intimate. This might seem like a contradiction, but it's not surpiring given the stigma homosexuality had at the time of publication. Banana Fish was published in 1985 when the AIDS crisis made people fear homosexual acts and think of them as 'dirty' and stigmatized. No wonder that a platonic connection might have seemed like the purer form of love at the time. The argument that romantic feelings cannot exist without intimacy is also an inherently flawed one, because it implies that people who are physically unable to have a sexual relationship or do not have sexual desires are not capable of loving another human being. Which we know is not true.

We also have to keep in mind that Ash was a victim of sexual assa@lt and repeatedly gets violated in the story. It is never romanticized- it's portrayed as a vile act and the perpetrators receive no redemption arc. Yoshida has stated that Ash probably wouldn't want to have a sexual relationhip based on his past - a statement that made several survivors like Ash voice out their own opinions. They pointed out that while it might feel impossible to some people, past victims might want to be intimate with a trusted partner, even if it's a slow healing process. It's not about what Yoshida said, but the way she rejected any sort of possibility of Ash exploring positive sexual experiences in the future, which again points to an outdated perspective on survivors of SA. We obviously don't know Yoshida's intentions and I'm not trying to analyze her answers, but I would agree with many readers that these questions are better left up to interpretation. Writing about male victims of SA in the 80s and how they also felt violated and broken after experiencing such horrible trauma was a big deal and she deserves the credit for highlighting such a delicate issue, but by today's standards the topic could have been handled in a more sensitive manner.

Whether Yoshida truly intended to portray a close friendship or she simply didn't want her work to be labelled as a bl instead of a crime-thriller and lose readers who would never touch anything bl related with a ten-foot pole - we'll probably never know. And frankly, it's not important. It doesn't change the fact that Banana Fish has inspired countless bl works and Ash and Eiji are regarded as one of the most beloved m/m couples in manga/anime. It doesn't change the fact the manga depicted an incredibly healthy and supporting relationship between two boys who loved each other unconditionally.

Finding hope and purpose amidst despair

Like I've mentioned before, Ash is a heavily traumatized individual who is thrown from one hell to another. His existence seemingly has no purpose and he wouldn't mind dying, but what keeps him going is his desire to make those pay who prey on the weak. His life is a never-ending cycle of violence and trauma and he flinches at the smallest touch or camera shutter. Through sheer coincidence, it's a photographer assistant that fills his life with meaning and purpose. Ash's deepest desire is to be free from exploitation and violence so when he sees Eiji "flying" in the air it makes him feel inspired. He becomes the first person to save him without wishing for anything in return. Eiji has a pure soul and Ash doesn't want it to get corrupted, for him, protecting Eiji's innocent worldview and happiness becomes the most important thing. Even though he knows Eiji would be safer in Japan, he still cannot let him go. Just like the leopard in Hemingway's story that Ash recites, Ash is looking for a purpose in his life, something that can set him free from his pain. The leopard froze on the mountain while it was searching for something that was more valuable than its life. At the top of Ash's Kilimanjaro there's a future with Eiji - going to Japan with him, always staying by his side.

When he's with him, Ash lowers his guard and doesn't sense danger. He's just a 17-year old boy who laughs about funny jokes and enjoys the company of another human being. He's uncomfortable with people approaching from behind but doesn't even flinch when Eiji does it. He stops shaking when he hugs him despite flinching at other people touching him. However we choose to interpret their relationship, Ash and Eiji's souls are intertwined. Eiji gives Ash hope for a better future and the opportunity to dream. The tragic irony of their situation is that the same circumstances that allowed them to meet each other in the first place are also the ones that force them apart.

It's important to mention that the anime adaptation clearly went for the more romantic interpretation. From promotional arts and visual storytelling to the opening and ending sequences, the series put a big emphasis on the relationship between the two boys and how they changed each other's lives. The second ending in particular, titled "Red", very clearly symbolizes a love beyond friendship and it shows the two of them at a field with the sun shining on Eiji while Ash is watching him from afar, mesmerized by the light. The colours of the rye field and the setting sun are blending together, creating a sense of tranquility where time seemingly stops existing. This video gaines even more meaning after the last episode, especially with the lyrics:

"In spite of how the world decides to see my life Would I still have a chance for us to say goodbye? Over and over again If I decide to burn instead of fading out I still would like a chance for us to say goodbye Over and over again

If we can be found, we sure can get lost Through all the madness of falling in love If we're truly lost, I don't want to be found Here dying alone

The stain of RED that colors the pavement Painted with blood of somebody you love Is this the sacrifice for the broken Losing the purest of what's in your heart"

(or in other words, the ending that still gives me emotional damage because of its powerful imagery)

Eiji is also an anchor to Ash's humanity. When we first see Ash, he is in many ways disconnected from his emotions - he wouldn't mind dying but doesn't want to give up his life willingly. He doesn't like killing people without a reason, but he accepts it's a part of his reality. However, Eiji makes him let his guard down. To everyone else, he's a capable gang leader, a highly intelligent individual, an object of worship and fear. In front of Eiji he's just a normal teenager and he doesn't want him to see his "ugly" side. Whenever Eiji is separated from him, Ash becomes disconnected from his emotions once again. But Eiji is also the one who makes him feel like a human being in his last moments.

The most cruel, yet beautiful ending

I will be completely honest - I initially hated the ending. When I first saw it, I thought it was the cruelest thing I've ever witnessed in any anime and I still stand by my opinion. Ash's death was cruel - after a life full of trauma he finally found his happiness, only for it to be taken away from him in the very next second. Ash decided that he would let Eiji go because they are too different for Eiji's safety, until he finds his letter with the plane ticket Eiji left him. Ash becomes unguarded once again and doesn't notice the danger until it's too late. However, Ash chooses to spend his last moments at his favourite place - in the library. He sits in the seat where Eiji did and reads his letter that says Eiji might say goodbye to America but he doesn't want to say goodbye to Ash because his soul will always stay with him. Ash passes away knowing that somebody loved him and cared for him, and he also cared for that person - Ash found meaning in his life through loving another person. This scene was so beautifully done that I was violently sobbing through it. Don't get me wrong - Ash deserved better. He was just 18 years old, a heavily traumatized victim who just wanted to be with the person he loved; however, I'm comforted by the knowledge that he was happy in his last moments. A cruel, yet tragically beautiful way to end his story. A thematically fitting conclusion, even if it seems unfair and left me with a hollow feeling.

While it came as a shock to me as a viewer, Ash's death was carefully foreshadowed in the series. Salinger's short story, which was the inspiration for the title, is a tragic tale of a soldier who has experienced so many horrible events that he cannot regain his place in the world. He talks about banana fish that were originally normal fish at first, but once they swam into a hole full of bananas they ate so much they couldn't get out. This story is a metaphor for the soldier's PTSD about war, he's just like the banana fish in the sense that he cannot go back to what he once was before he became corrupted. Ash, similarly to the soldier, has way too much blood on his hands. While most of it was for self-defense, Ash admits that he cannot break free from his cycle of violence and there are moments when he has no other choice but to kill another human being. Ash already sees no way out of the "banana-hole", but his liberation comes in a spiritual form through meeting Eiji and loving him unconditionally. Knowing that there was someone whose soul would always stay with his was what finally made him free of his ill fate full of violence.

That doesn't mean that the ending is not problematic. Yoshida stated that Ash's death was a karmic consequence of him killing other people. While Ash was a victim himself, I can understand where she's coming from. What I cannot understand is why it was only Ash who had to suffer these consequences - other characters who have killed others didn't die at a young age. It makes Ahs's death even more cruel when he finally decided to tell Eiji his feelings. Also, there seems to be a strange message about how death is salvation for broken people. Yoshida never even entertained the idea that Ash would have been happy in Japan, but he wasn't even given the opportunity to try. While the library scene is one of the most beautiful scenes I've ever watched in anime, it still leaves me with a conflicted feeling. Tragedies indeed happen in real life, but this one especially hurt. I understand the themes of the series,but it didn't make the ending any less painful which is proof of how impactful it was. The anime director likely shared my sentiment because they decided to leave the ending open. Ash is sitting at the library with a smile on his face, but we don't know if he truly passed away. Maybe someone will notice him and call for help. Maybe one day he can go to Japan.

In the manga; however, Ash is clearly dead. Even after 8 years, Eiji still cannot move on and even another character says that Eiji is forever Ash's. He lives in New York, mentions Ash in conversations without saying his name, chases after people who look like him. And even though Eiji can finally bring out his photos, there's an underlying implication that he'll never completely heal. I've mentioned the second ending's significance and I believe it beautifully illustrates how the connection between the main characters is one that transcends their physical existence. It might even seem like as if they've met again in the afterlife because their souls are always together. I'm not saying that Eiji should never be happy in the future. He might never fully move on, but he deserves to have a peaceful life. But I also like the implication of the second ending that one day they will meet again in different forms because the connection between them was so deep that the duration of the time they knew each other in the corporeal world is actually irrelevant.

Banana Fish was a series that broke me and made me cry, and the relationship between Ash and Eiji made me think about what I would want to remember in my last moments. It is a work full of triggering moments and tragedy, but at the end of the day what's important is what you take away from it even if it's not the author's intention. Whether Ash found peace through a close friendship, romantic love or a deep soulmate connection, it doesn't matter. But I'm happy that at least in his final moments he finally found his purpose.

[goldsnek]

do u like anime.

random question ik but still

LOVELOVELOVLEYOURART BTW the way you draw al and luci is

🤌M A J E S T I C🤌

I do like anime!

When it comes to anime adaptations, though, I prefer reading the manga first :)

Thank you very much!! :D