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court-jobi · 2 months ago

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Alexa, Play...

((banner by me! I don't own Horikoshi's work OR the mindblowing art of @gsony24~used w permission))

Pairing: Midoriya x reader

Words: 1.6k

Rating: G~

Warnings: Southern US!GNreader, comfort fic, tooth-rotting fluff here y'all, established relationship, language barrier, dancing-in-the-kitchen level self-insert

Summary:

Izuku comes home to spot your grocery list on the fridge written out in your native language- something he sees just as rarely as hearing you speak it. Just when he thinks he couldn't possibly find you more adorable, you strike a match and chuck it into his heart with a touch as simple as a peck on his cheek, a laugh thrown his way... or -like now- when you chat over the phone in an accent he never gets to hear. He wants to hear more so badly, and asks for it so sweetly.

A/N: a short n'sweet one today, folks, bc I was missing writing for this sweet green bean. I have yet to see MHA: You're Next, but have no one to see it with ughhhhh so off to writing fanfic to soothe the pain~

For my My Hero Academia Masterlist, check it out here!

Read on Ao3

You're on the phone with your mom when Izuku finds your sticky note for shopping on the fridge. His mindful shut of the door was appreciated by your mouthed apology, but let him know that he'd best occupy himself solo for a bit while you catch up. The time difference between your home country and here leaves your windows to chat limited, so he’s happy when your schedules align like this.

If you'll be on a while longer, he thinks he can take a quick drive and pick up these few things for you. Inspired by the idea, he plucks the list out from the magnet’s hold.

You've got nice handwriting, a blend between printed letters and a tilted, cursive script. Personality shines especially near the end of a word, when you're rushing to move onto the next thought.

Painter’s tape

bananas

white vinegar (stupid drain line)

It's so simple, but when it's written in your native language by default, it feels like a secret to be reading even something so simple as a list like this– scribbled out in the way as it appears in your head.

For most formal paperwork, your kana characters are decently executed, though it's always going to be harder when you grew up speaking Japanese rather than filling out lines and lines of bellwork in the kanji style. This isn't to say you've not been trying:

Over the course of your courtship, you've bonded with young Eri as an extension of Izuku's life and have inherited some of her early learning textbooks. You happened on them by accident, when you were helping her paint her room a few months ago. It sounded elementary when you expressed the interest to read and write Japanese better, and the sweet girl was so enthusiastic to help!

She lent you her books, but of course you weren't becoming an expert overnight. However slow you’d pace yourself, Izuku was plenty proud of you for making the effort. He'd allow you as much grace as he could spare– especially since your notes were still so cute to find here and there~

Across the room, pacing along every other tile on the floor like stepping stones, you look up catching Izuku staring. You’ve been deep in conversation for only about an hour, but give him a wrench of your nose in jest, and begin wrapping up the call explaining that he’s home and you’d like to greet him properly.

Izuku calls out a quick 'hi’ and ‘bye' to your mom when he motions to go on speaker; you're not one to refuse him, as he well knows.

You seem pleased on more than one front when he asks to talk to your family, so he continues to do it. For one, you’re touched by how spirited he is to even want to interact with your mother, and his dropping of formalities and reverting to English to speak to her means a lot to you. Neither point is lost on sweet Izuku, based on how your smile brightens when he jogs over to you to be more in speaking range.

When you hang up, you're quick to pop up and kiss him as a welcome home. Izuku hangs onto you a little longer than usual, thumb rubbing into your cheek as he savors you several times in quick succession.

Just when he thinks he couldn't possibly find you more adorable, you strike a match and chuck it into his heart with a touch as simple as a peck on his cheek or a laugh thrown his way.

“‘Zuku, what's that look for, babe?”

In your sentimental bliss, you're still surprised to get such adoring treatment from him almost a year into a relationship.

“Nothing,” Izuku chimes back, “I just forget that you're this American sometimes~”

“Whaddya mean, ‘you forget’?!” the concept sounds hilarious to you.

“I do!” Izuku offers to take your phone to plug it in nearby, “I have to remind myself that Japanese isn't your first language, until I see you on FaceTime with your mom. Out of nowhere, I'll just hear you sound so different, like: ‘byyyye~ talk to y'all later’!”

You snort at his attempt at a southern accent– stiff and stuck on the wrong vowels. Clearly this succeeds in amusing you, because you hop up and down on the balls of your feet like you've discovered a new game:

“Oh my God, ‘Texas Smash Deku’ is the stuff of my fantasies!– oo!! say, ‘I’d like a honey butter chicken biscuit’~”

“WHAT?? N-no!!”

“What YES!! Please??”

Both doubled over in laughter, you're entertained over his thorough embarrassment, but you're both smitten and carefree: holding onto each other despite nearly buckling at the knees.

Izuku tries his best to catch his breathe first, determined to explain himself,

“I can't do it right! It's like- you say things- I don't know how to describe it! It's not just the flat, movie star accent.. It's–"

“What, a-- ‘drawl’? ‘Twang’?”

Izuku snaps at the realization.

“Yes!! That!! The country kind, like that chef you watch!”

You've rolled your eyes, stepping out of his kind hold in favor of checking out what takeout he brought home.

“-Hey, no, come back!”

“‘Makin’ fun'ah my accent, I outta smack you’.”

You're far from really mad as you tote around the kitchen getting silverware and soy sauce, but Izuku follows you around like a shadow regardless. Eyes full of that puppy love, he does try to block you in from the pantry closet,

“I’m sorry, honey~”

“No you're not.” --but you're grinning out of forgiveness anyway.

Izuku sneaks a hold on you, reeling you in. It’s cozy in your shared kitchen, alight with just the right amount of overhead lighting and enough space for you two to stand and share tasks.

“I do like hearing you talk like that,” he shares contentedly, “It’s nice to listen to that side of you, especially when you have a lot to say.”

“Yeah well,” you turn into his arms, rather than away, “I'm sure you've noticed already, it comes from her side of the family. Guess I can't really ditch the accent whenever I switch back. The more I think about it… I'm gonna be happy if I can keep sounding like her as I get older. Lets me keep something of hers- even if my ‘dashing hero’ of a man over here thinks I'm being cheeky."

“No, I'm not teasing now! I mean it,” Izuku presses into you, “I only meant, you don't hold back or anything when you're chatty with her.”

He wonders if it stems from shyness, your avoidance of using too much English here at home. If you’re jamming out while doing chores -presuming you’re alone- you’ll switch the station once you know you have an audience.

“Not trying to hide it with you! I'm just out of practice here. No one else in our circle really uses English, so it doesn't come up, I guess.”

You make the point with a wistful aire. Occasionally you'll sub English classes as a favor to Izuku’s effervescent coworker at UA, but not often enough to get too much exposure. He's always been impressed with your Japanese diction, and thinks you could very well go into teaching if you ever wanted a career change.

Still, whether its for work or play, it’s a sound that’s intrinsically you, and there’s a magic to it that Izuku finds himself chasing. A secret power of yours, if he could only unlock it.

“--Plus, I don't think a lot of the slang translates over?” you get comfortable in his arms, locking your fingers behind his neck with no intention of leaving as you muse, “You guys have your own here, and that’s hard to figure out anyway.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

Tenderly, you run your nails through his hair, a thoughtful look up to him,

“Do you want me to use it more at home? Lay on the sugar for ya?”

A chance to hear you at your core? Watch your handwritten notes come alive?

“If you want-” Izuku softens, “-if you’re comfortable.”

“Can you understand me though?”

“I can hear you. It only gets hard when you get excited, ‘cuz you talk fast.”

You fuss back at him, “Oh, as if you don't.”

Caught under your hypocritical eye, he can only offer an honest chuckle back, “Fair~”

But for all of your feeling put on the spotlight, you seem to hold a soft spot for the way Izuku makes his requests:

“ ‘I guess I can indulge ya, since you asked so nicely.’ ”

–and it’s enough for him to try his hand to give you a linguistic sparring partner right back:

“ ‘Say something else.’ ”

All English flies out the window when he's looking at you like this, as you fall under a fit of nervous laughter, “What am I supposed to say?!”

“ ‘Sing me a song, my love. Something 'twangy'.”

You giggled, "'Twangy', good Lord…”

Izuku could write novels on everything from your finest features to even your most pensive insecurities, romanticizing each of them into a beautifully imperfect anthology. He does so in his mind, at least, when you’re barely lucid on the edge of sleep but still trying to engage him in meaningful conversation. He’ll do so in the notes on his phone, when he learns of yet another favorite token of yours, and wants to add it to the list of comfort measures he can refer to when you need it most.

And when you prompt Alexa to play your newly revealed ‘Karaoke hours that will never see the light of day’ playlist -the one that’s chock-full of female power ballads which you begin to sing your own rendition to- Izuku is certain his mind nor fingers nor heart can catalog how much more he can possibly love you… though he’ll dance in place with you as he listens and soaks it all in.

#izuku midoriya #izuku x reader #midoriya x reader #izuku midoriya x reader #mha fanfiction #my hero academia #boku no hero academia #mha #bnha #mha x reader #bnha x reader #izuku fluff #deku fluff #deku x reader

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platrom · 4 months ago

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Infinity.

PROLOUGE.

JJK x READER

SUMMARY: In every universe, Ryomen Sukuna will find you, whether it is by chance or not. But only time can tell if you awake to discover your doomed fate.

WARNINGS: Heian era, reference to murdering of newborn girls in families, reference to being unloved, Uraume is cruel, servants are poorly treated and killed, Sukuna is idealized, reader has a best friend :)

MASTERLIST | NEXT CHAPTER

i. bliss

The springtime is always beautiful in Japan. Children tear away from the insides of their machiyas and frolic outside, dancing to the sway of the cherry blossoms and the tweeting of the birds. Parents tear away from work to spend a moment gazing at the beauty of life, and the world sings at the generosity of their gods.

But this year, unlike any other, has been far more prosperous.

Umes, ajisais, and himawaris have sprouted for the first time in decades. The elders are pleased to see the flowers of their childhood, ones that had disappeared for so long, had come to life.

The townspeople are kinder and more genuine. More bargaining is taking place and more vendors are being generous with their customers. Free fruits are being handed out to parents and sips of sweet juice are being given to playing children.

The rumors say it is Lord Sukuna’s doing. The world is coming to life because he is choosing his bethroted tonight.

Women from all over the land have arrived to his estate. Peasants, aristocrats, and royalty from all regions have traveled miles to reach the prosperous land of Ryomen Sukuna, where no battle has ever been lost. He is a permanent legend in Japan’s history.

The world will remember his name.

“Who do you think Lord Sukuna will choose?” Aguri sighs, sweeping the sides of the corridor. Speckles of black drift from the ends of the broom to the corner of the room. “I heard Akazome Emon is a high contender. Her poems are moving— I’ve heard.”

A silence settles. What she means to say is if she could read, she’d know. But as a maid as low her, you’ll never learn to read kanji. Her family had come from poverty, anyway. Aguri, as her parents called her, was an unwanted child. Just like her name’s meaning— excess. They had too many girls, all her parents desired was a boy who could carry on their name.

She was not, and so they left her behind to sweep floors and wash grime wherever a stray like her would be allowed.

It’s a fate better than being buried alive.

“She will be lucky to have him, if he chooses her,” you offer as you scrub down the walls. The pail beside your foot shakes as you step into it. “It is not our place to decide what our lord favors. It is his choice and his bride.”

Aguri pouts. You grin.

“No matter what, I’m sure Lord Sukuna will find a spouse worthy of ruling beside him and all will be well in Japan.”

“You’re staring to sound like Uraume,” Aguri nudges your hip. You elbow her back. “You and them can take place as Sukuna’s most loyal servant.”

“(Name).”

The two of you fall silent. To your left is Uraume themself, staring silently at you and Aguri. A seedling of fear festers in your stomach, flooding your system.

Your mouth glues shut, and you both bow your heads.

“The Frozen Star,” is all you offer. The ends of your hair slide against the smooth floor. It is black like the hearts of the direct subordinates of Sukuna and as dead as the heart of the king.

It is ruthless and eternal, just like Sukuna.

“You are summoned to the maid headquarters. Come with me immediately,” they order. Instantly, you move to their side, keeping your eyes trained on the ground. Uraume scoffs.

“And you,” they refer to Aguri, “if these floors are not spotless when I come around again, you will be fed to the curses.”

Your eyes may not see her, but your soul does. You can feel the way she trembles in fear, the promise of death far too close to comfort.

These threats were common. In fact, you both had watched your fellow maids been fed to those ghostly spirits that lurked in the bottom of Sukuna’s estate. Monstrous and deformed faces that foamed at the mouth at the site of a terrified human that got shoved into their cage, prepared to be eaten by another lifeless creature.

It was only a matter of time until you were next. One mistake was all it took for your life to end in the Sukuna estate.

Maybe living outside the castle’s walls were easier.

But you had heard the tale of the curses that flooded the village in the dark hours of the night. The ones that rose at dusk and feasted at dawn. In Sukuna’s estate, they were tamed and chained. In the world outside, they were free and vicious.

All safety had a price to pay.

You wish you could defend Aguri against Uraume, but you are powerless. One word out of line and your head will be off your body.

Your fists clench at your side.

“Yes, Frozen Star,” Aguri responds quietly, kneeling down to the bucket beside her feet. Uraume scoffs and begins walking, leaving you to trail behind her tail.

ii. opportune

The walk is long. Your head remains lowered as you walk inches behind Uraume, a symbol of measly position beneath a loyal Sukuna subordinate.

Individuals like them are treated as royalty adjacent. The ones the king can trust are considered to be angels sent from God, meant to serve Lord Sukuna for all of their lives. They are one in few, but undoubtedly devoted.

You had heard tales from the cooks in the kitchen that Uraume and their fellow subordinates had been kidnapped once, but a neighboring kingdom. They were tortured, striped of their clothes, and humiliated in front of masses. When their captors dangled the possibility of freedom above their heads in exchange for information on Sukuna, their mouths stayed sealed, just as their cries of pain did, and they endured the beating of one thousand whips until the king himself saved them all.

When you told Aguri the story you heard as you passed the kitchen, stars grew in her eyes. She seemed enamored by the idea of such a strong leader caring so much about his men. Aguri would never doubt the greatness of Lord Sukuna.

As for you?

Your opinion is always better left unsaid.

Uraume suddenly stops, and you pause your movements. The ends of their robes sway.

Their eyes focus on the top of your head. You wait in silence, your eyes trained on the tips of your shoes.

They’re worn, black flats. The sides are tearing on the edges, and the curve around your ankle is beginning to flake as the string stitching it together frays at the edges. They were the standard shoes lowly maids were given to wear— typically, they belonged to previous workers who had either died of old age, or from being fed.

The men of the estate received the shoes of the men who had died in war. They worked outside, against the spirits of the night.

You don’t understand how they get selected. There are men who can see the spirits that work inside the castle, cooking and cleaning like the rest of the women. You’ve heard the words “cursed energy” and “technique” leave the mouths of those who perform such gruesome tasks.

You are glad you have none. You can only see the spirits, but not kill them. You can stay safe inside the walls of the estate.

“You have served Lord Sukuna exceptionally. You will now be in charge of cleaning the rooms of the servants,” Uraume pushes the door open and steps inside, leaving you to follow.

You’ve never seen this room, before. There are stacks of rollers with a thin, plastic film around a black handle in thick layers filling the highest shelves. In the middle shelves are the bedsheets you all use, rags sewn together by young girls to cover the thin and scratchy mattresses the estate grants. And on the lowest shelves lay bottles of clear, yellowish liquids and an assortments of colorful towels with splotches of dark gray all over.

Uraume nods. “These are at your disposal. You are expected to know how to use all of these materials and clean all rooms by the end of the week.”

You bow. “Yes, Frozen Star. Thank you.”

She leaves.

iii. fulfillment

Somehow, cleaning the quarters of the maids is worse. It is a change from your previous routine— scrubbing the floors with Aguri, dusting the shelves, polishing the trinkets of the kingdom, and heading off to sleep after your measly meal of broth and whatever rotten vegetables were in the kingdom.

Now, you work alone. You must carry heavy sets of bedsheets and towels to each room, along with sets of rollers and bottles of spray. The cart they had generously provided was broken by another many years ago, but everyone has failed to notify Uraume.

The sides of your shoes are beginning to crack and tear even more, but you are certain any chance of getting a different pair of shoes is slim to none.

Nevertheless, the job does have its benefits.

While you clean the rooms of the higher-up maids, you have found little trinkets stuck underneath their beds or on the floor. Little bows, scrap pieces of porcelain fabric, and even bits of beads from heavens knows where.

You show them to Aguri every night, pleased with your findings. They are forgotten goods to you, perfect to make something special in the future.

Aguri is saddened by your move, however. She now works alone during the day and sometimes sits alone during supper while you run around cleaning. But the moments you two share in your quarters at night make up for it. You both gossip under the moonlight and giggle over the findings in the rooms.

In a few of the men’s quarters, you have found the undergarments of another woman. The suspicions you two have built against the others in the estate tend to be correct.

It is a joy to see love behind the dark walls of the castle. It sparks hope that even on the darkest of places, life can be grown.

#© platrom, plot / writing / banners & headers. do not repost, reblogs are appreciated! please consider leaving a comment and a heart! <3

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eybefioro · 9 days ago

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(Kanji-less version, timelapse and ramblings under the cut)

ALSO OPEN THE IMAGE TUMBLR KILLED THE QUALITY AS USUAL

I wasn't sure sure which version was better, so here is the one without the ~~menacing~~ kanji! (And sorry. I'm sure the Kanji I did is horrible but I swear I tried my best)

So. Before some time before Good Omens consuming my every awaken thought, the media that lived in my head was JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. Because of a certain thing I am working on, my mind end up connecting the two and I HAD to do something about it or else I'd go crazy.

(Cues 3 min time lapse bc i spent -checks app- ALMOST 46 HOURS on this thing. Fuck)

Since JJBA is one of my fixations, at some point I end up watching every single interview with Araki (the author) I could get my hands into, and lo and behold he actually shared about his process quite a bit over the years. We even have access to some timelapses of him working on illustrations!!! I tried to follow a bit of his process, and one VERY interesting characteristic of his work is the JoJo pose – very dramatic covers/panels that showcase the character. He often uses fashion shoots as a references (Araki is very inspired by fashion, architecture and music and there is a million references in his work it's very very interesting and fun) like this:

So there I go on Pinterest looking for a fashion photo that inspires me (Google was shit. What is happening to that search engine?) AND I FOUND IT

YALL. IT WAS LIKE A SHOT RIGHT THROUGH MY BRAIN. I COULD SEE IT SO CLEARLY. Aziraphale and Crowley falling out of heaven together after the second coming. Azi holding him. Crowley giving the middle finger to all those fuckers bc HE GOT HIS ANGEL BACK.

But the thing is... the things is. I'm no artist. I have almost no experience drawing. And this is not exactly an easy pose, and is something pretty ambitious for a beginner like me (I can literally count on my hands the amount of digital drawings I have done. It's all on my blog even lol) so like.... the chances of this going well were very slim. But I am very happy with how it turned out!!

I have to thank @elenthyaolyenths and @gribouli LOTS for that. Elen teached me how wings worked, a bit of anatomy with that, a bit of how she makes those beautiful fluid pieces, Li taught me a bit about colors and light/Shadow. Their support was amazing and they're so so nice to me 🥹

I had so much trouble drawing this bc I'm still learning how digital painting works and how Ibis Paint works. Idk what half of the stuff there does LMAO yk the line work? All in one layer. Don't do that folks. I resized the canvas half way through and had to redo a bit of the line art bc I had to scale it a bit to make the proportions better. Half way in I figured out how to make masks (again, elenthya is an angel for telling me that exists) so I had to learn as I went how that thing works (I still don't know how to use it fully). Ibis Paint froze like 4 times bc my phone can't handle it well LMAO my precision is shit bc I mostly draw with my fingers so I had to gave up control and use the stabiliser on maximum... and so on.

I'm having so much trouble with everything in digital painting BUT IT'S SO MUCH FUN. THERE'S SO MANY POSSIBILITIES. I'm excited to keep going and learn more.

Back to the Jojo style. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. I love harsh lines and shadows, the dramatic effects, the detail, the crazy perspectives, the colors... THE WAY ARAKI DRAWS SMOKE AND CLOUDS.

This was my ref for the background, and to represent the heaven Crowley is flipping off and that they're falling from. (fuck this scene in the anime broke me. BUCCIARATI MY BELOVED)

AND THE CLOTHEEEEESSSSS I HAD SO MUCH FUN IMAGINING WHAT THEY'D WEAR IN ARAKI'S STYLE. Obviously Aziraphale is once again sporting something inspired by the crepes look bc omg that was so OVER THE TOP. I'm sure araki would come up with something crazier and more interesting than what I did, but I still think this is a fair shot.

As much as I love JoJo's style I have to say it isn't really an art style made to depict softness. Like. I don't think Araki ever drew something that looks soft. All the characters are slim or super strong, and the few ones that are fat he didn't really... Well. I'm gonna say it. Araki doesn't draw fat people, and when he does I don't think they're a good depiction. As I said he doesn't do softeness lol nothing looks soft in his style, not even fabric I think. It's all sharp lines, dark shadows (again, I love it but yeah) and thin (or extremely big in the first parts) people. This fits really well with Crowley but not so much with Aziraphale. If this was a pose that showed more of him I'd probably not do a great job at it. I think I'd need to go heavy on trying to make his clothes look soft and big to try to make it better.

Now WwwwwiiiIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGGZZZZZZZ!!!! Elen is such a magician at drawing wings. I can't believe she actually offered to help me with this one. I learned so much. I was taking inspiration from her work, I wanted to make them BIG and GLORIOUS as she does and I think I succeeded a bit at it (they're not as fluid and perfect as hers, obviously, but I think they still look nice.)

As she was explaining to me how the anatomy works and all we ended up talking about how they're like arms and the digits in bats and I decided to give Crowley that type of wings. I also discovered that Elenthya used to draw DRAGONS. DRAGONS YALL. SHE GAVE ME A DOODLE OF ONE AND IT'S SO AMAIZNG. So together with the bat wings I tried to give him some drangon-esque feel. And she also gave me the idea to make Crowley's wings more damaged, to give more weight to the drawing - Aziraphale helping him not to fall again, holding him in the descend.

Anyway. I talked too much already and no one has the patience for this lol I just like to register the process of me learning things. It's fun.

#fanart i guess #good omens #jojo no kimyou na bouken #jojo's bizarre adventure #good omens fanart #fanart #crowley x aziraphale #aziracrow #ineffable husbands

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yumeka-sxf · 6 months ago

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Japanese Linguistic Observations in Spy x Family - part 4

Part 4 - Furigana and double meanings

I discussed in Part 2 how Japanese is comprised of three different alphabets: hiragana and katakana (together referred to as "kana") which represent pronunciation, and kanji which represent meaning. With there being over 2,000 kanji in common use, as well as various ways to pronounce any one kanji character depending on the word it's in, children learn kanji gradually throughout their school years. So manga and books aimed at a younger audience will typically have kanji "translations." These are comprised of small kana called furigana which are printed to the right of the kanji to show how to pronounce it. In the below panel for example, the one word that has a kanji is the 嬉 in 嬉しい. The furigana shows that 嬉 is pronounced うれ ("ure") to make the adjective "ureshii" (happy).

Sometimes manga authors will use furigana+kanji in creative ways to convey different meanings to words that specifically suit their story/characters. This alternate way of translating kanji is called 当て字 (ateji). One way of using ateji is to help introduce fictional terminology. In SxF for example, Ostania and Westalis are made-up words, but Endo assigns them their own kanji: 東国 for Ostania and 西国 for Westalis. The second kanji for both of them is 国 which means "country," and the first kanji for Ostania is 東 which means "east" while 西 for Westalis means "west." However, to differentiate them from the actual words these kanji represent ("toukoku" and "saikoku," which mean "eastern country" and "western country" respectively), Endo writes out their pronunciations in katakana next to the kanji. You can see this in the panels below.

Even though they're not real words, by assigning them kanji that represent what they are – "east country" and "west country" – even without any context, Japanese readers get more information about these terms than English readers do thanks to the use of kanji and furigana.

Another way manga authors can use ateji to suit their needs is by telling readers to pronounce otherwise normal Japanese words in the "language" they want. For example, the word used for "codename" in SxF is 暗号名, which is a real word that is pronounced "angoumei." However, when we look at the furigana that Endo assigns to it, he specifically tells us to pronounce it like the English word "codename" (コードネーム).

Since SxF is a series that takes place in a fictional version of Europe, Endo must have found it more fitting to use English for specific keywords like this.

While the above examples are fairly common throughout all manga, especially those that have a lot of fictional terminology, Endo also gets creative with using ateji to form double meanings that lend insight into the characters' thoughts/feelings. And we get one of the best examples of this in the very first chapter:

This is the scene where Twilight's saying that he became a spy to create a world where children don't have to cry. The word for children, 子ども, should be pronounced "kodomo," however, the furigana is telling us to pronounce it as じぶん (jibun), which means "self." By creating this double meaning of Twilight saying he'll make a world where children and/or he himself doesn't have to cry, points out in a subtle yet poignant way just how much Twilight's trauma as a child shaped his determination to make sure other children don't have to suffer the same fate. It's a brilliant way of showing a deeper side of the character that he wouldn't outwardly show.

A similar example occurs in chapter 49 during the cruise arc, in the scene where Yor is guarding the room at night, thinking about how she was dragging her feet during the Barnaby fight. Her last thought during that scene is wondering what she's fighting for, however, even though the word used is いばら姫 (ibarahime), which means "Thorn Princess," the furigana tells us to pronounce it as わたし, which is the "I"/"me" pronoun that Yor uses.

The ambiguity of reading the word as "I" or as "Thorn Princess" emphasizes how she's struggling with her Thorn Princess identity at that time. It can almost have a different meaning when reading it one way or the other. For example, reading it as わたしは何のため ("For what reason am I [doing this]…) or as いばら姫は何のため ("For what reason is Thorn Princess [doing this]…) gives the impression that she's trying to distance herself from "Thorn Princess"…that she's unconsciously seeing herself and "Thorn Princess" as different people.

Another example that's not as deep but still interesting is from chapter 87, where Sylvia visits Fiona in the hospital and tells her not to push herself so hard, even for his sake, with "his" referring to Twilight. The kanji used is 黄昏 (tasogare) which means "Twilight," but the furigana translation is あいつ (aitsu) which means "that guy/that person."

This is a clever way to use kanji/furigana to indicate that Sylvia is indeed aware of Fiona's feelings for Twilight by having her not refer to him by name, but also informing the reader that she definitely knows who she's talking about.

I also find it interesting that all three of these examples are spoken from a character we're viewing from behind. I think it's just a coincidence, but still interesting 😅

I'll wrap up with one more example from chapter 58, where Loid notes that his understanding of Bond is lacking, just like Anya. Once again, the word for children, 子ども (kodomo) is used (Loid likes making double meanings with that word, doesn't he?) but the furigana translates it to アーニャ(Anya).

I interpret this as him saying he needs to understand children better, but he specifically means Anya (even though he doesn't want to admit his particular yearning to understand her).

If you're wondering how the anime handles these ateji, it seems to vary. In the anime version of the chapter 1 example, Loid says the correct kanji translation "kodomo," but in the chapter 49 example, Yor says the furigana translation "watashi."

The anime seems to use the reading that would make the most sense if spoken out loud by the character.

I haven't read enough manga in Japanese to say that this use of furigana+kanji to create double meanings is a common thing, but even if it is, I'm sure Endo has his own unique style of doing it. I know there's more examples in SxF that I missed, and unfortunately I don't have the time to look through every chapter to find them. But if you happen to come across any others, feel free to let me know 😃 I may amend this post or create another one if more interesting examples pop up.

Continue to Part 5 ->

<- Return to Part 3

#spy x family #sxf #spy family #spyxfamily #loid forger #yor forger #anya forger #bond forger #sxf manga #sxf manga spoilers #sxf analysis #sxf meta #sylvia sherwood #sxf spoilers

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tokidokitokyo · 3 months ago

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新潟県

Japanese Prefectures: Chūbu - Niigata

都道府県 (とどうふけん) - Prefectures of Japan

Learning the kanji and a little bit about each of Japan’s 47 prefectures!

Kanji・漢字

新　あたらしい、あらた、にい～、シン　new

潟　かた、がら　lagoon

県　ケン　prefecture

中部　ちゅうぶ　Chūbu, Central Japan, the central region of Japan

Prefectural Capital (県庁所在地) : Niigata (新潟市)

Niigata Prefecture is famous for its high-quality rice, sake, spectacular fireworks displays in winter, skiing in winter, and hot springs year-round. Niigata lies along the Sea of Japan and includes the offshore islands of Sado and Awa. Silt deposited by the Shinano and Agano rivers has created the lowlying Echigo Plain in the central part of the coastline, where the majority of the prefecture's population live. Most of the cities are along the coast as the rest of the prefecture is mountainous.

Recommended Tourist Spot・おすすめ観光スポット The Katakai Fireworks Festival - 片貝まつり

Katakai Fireworks Festival (source)

The Katakai Fireworks Festival is an annual autumn celebration at Asahara Shrine. Fireworks serve as dedications to the shrine, with individuals and companies expressing their sentiments by contributions to the display. The display contains the "yonshakudama" firework, the world's largest firework with an 800-meter diameter, and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.

In the morning, the town of Katakai is full of traditional events like the dedication of firework balls to Asahara Shrine, and rituals praying for the success and safety of the upcoming display.

Other fireworks festivities include the Gion Kashiwazaki Festival Sea Fireworks (July 26th) which illuminates the night sky over the sea; the Nagaoka Festival Grand Fireworks Show (August 2nd & 3rd) which unfolds along the banks of the Shinano River; and the winter display of Echigotsumari Fireworks in the snow (Late February) where fireworks color ethereal flower fields of light on snowy plains.

Regional Cuisine - 郷土料理 Hegi-soba (Buckwheat noodles) - へぎそば

Hegi-soba (source)

Soba is usually made with soba flour and wheat; however, this Niigata style soba is made by mixing a type of seaweed called funori with the seaweed. Soba originated in the Edo period, and in Niigata soba was made in an area called Uonuma. Uonuma didn't grow wheat, and so often local vegetables like ground burdock root were added to the soba flour to make noodles instead. In addition to soba, Uonuma was famous for its beautiful textiles, and when weaving the cloth, funori would be ground up and applied to the weft to stiffen the fibers and make the process easier. Someone must have come up with the idea to add funori to soba flour one day, and hegi-soba was invented.

Like zaru-soba, hegi-soba gets its name from the rectangular serving tray in which it is served. The verb hagu means to strip or peel, and in many dialects of the Kanto region it is pronounced hegu. The trays made from planed wood were called hegi. Thus the soba, wound by hand into bite-sized portions and layered on the tray, is called hegi-soba.

The funori makes the noodles a little more slippery than regular soba noodles but the taste doesn't differ much. The best way to enjoy hegi-soba is to dip the noodles into the dipping sauce, or mentsuyu, to get a base flavor. Then, try it with some hot Chinese mustard: Spread a little mustard on the soba, then dip the soba into the mentsuyu without letting the mustard and mentsuyu mix. Next, add sliced green onions to the mentsuyu and dip in your noodles. Finally, add some ground sesame seeds to the mentsuyu and try out that taste.

Hegi-soba is the pride of Niigata, such that you can get a special Soba Ticket in the city of Tokamachi, which gives you two 500-yen vouchers for soba, usable at 14 different restaurants in the city.

Niigata Dialect・Niigata-ben・新潟弁

Niigata-ben has three different classifications - two on the mainland (Tōkai-Tōsan dialect and Tōhoku dialect) and one on Sado Island (Sado dialect).

あちこたねぇ　achi kota nee

Standard Japanese: たいしたことない、大丈夫、心配ない　(taishita koto nai, daijyoubu, shinpai nai) English: trivial, not amounting to much, it's okay, don't worry about it

あちこたねぇよ、きっと大丈夫だから achi kota nee yo, kitto daijyoubu dakara

心配ないよ、きっと大丈夫だから shinpai nai yo, kitto daijyoubu dakara

Don't worry, it's going to be okay

2. かんべんね　kanben ne

Standard Japanese: ごめんね　(gomen ne) English: I'm sorry

あー！かんべんね。忘れちゃった。 aa! kanben ne. wasurechatta.

あー！ごめんね。忘れちゃった。 aa! gomen ne. wasurechatta.

Ah! I'm sorry. I forgot.

3. ごおぎ　(gougi)

Standard Japanese: 大変、ものすごく　(taihen, monosugoku) English: immense, greatly

これはごおぎ難しいね kore wa gougi muzukashii ne

これはものすごく難しいね kore wa monosugoku muzukashii ne

This is very difficult, isn't it

4. なじらね　(najirane)

Standard Japanese: いかがですか、調子はどうですか (ikaga desu ka, choushi wa dou desuka) English: how are you, how are things

A: 今日はなじらね？ kyou wa najirane? B: ばっかいいて～ bakka ii te～

A: 今日は調子どう？ kyou wa choushi dou? B: すごくいいよ～ sugoku ii yo～

A: How are you doing today? B: Really good～

5. そいがー　(soi gaa)

Standard Japanese: そうなんだ　(sou nan da) English: oh really, oh I see

A: この前ぽんしゅ館に行ってきたて～ Kono mae Ponshukan ni itte kita te～ B: そいが？ Soiga?

A: この前ぽんしゅ館に行ってきたんだよ Kono mae Ponshukan ni itte kitanda yo B: そうなの？ Sou na no?

A: The other day I went to Ponshukan* B: Oh really?

*Note: Ponshukan shops are located inside three major JR stations in Niigata, this sake "theme park" where you can sample leading local sake brands, purchase sake-related goods, and even soak in a sake hot spring bath.

More Niigata dialect here (JP).

#japanese prefectures #日本語 #japanese #japanese language #japanese langblr #langblr #studyblr #都��府県 #新潟県 #niigata

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httpserb · 3 months ago

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sharing my favorite kageyama headcannons that ill probably put into the series im writing abt him:

he's autisic

i like to think he is actually smart but in a really weird way like literature & history doesn't stick but i like to think he oddly likes science (physics in particular bc he'd learn how much easier it is to set)

i think with the interview there is a chance that his parents work overseas alot with miwa in tokyo

due to the headcannon above i think he has really good hygiene & routine

he can cook really well (i like to think pro-bazil hinata was forced to learn to cook so they take turns)

bonds with natsu after he awkward decided to give her a pedicure and show her how to take care of her nails & hands (she'll forever love him as a big brother)

has a certain diet but also has a small sweet tooth

him and hinata are big eyebrows and long eyelashes and i wont explain myself

i saw a headcannon that kags was half-chinese, half-japanese thats why japanese was hard for him to understand but he was good with kanji so i like that one

he is unironically babied by most people around him but he doesn't realize

i plan on having miwa & alisa get together so thru that lev & kags are gonna be surprising besties (lev is gonna claim their brothers trough transitive property)

he has dimples (i will not explain myself) theyre small so you have to make him really smile or laugh to see it

loves spring & summer but doesnt do well in winter despite being born in winter

once karasuno found out he was alone in that big house theyd come over whenever they wanted bringing their own snacks, blankets, and homework

i like to think kags finds a cat that looks very similar to hinata while he is at brazil (the cat only likes him and for some reason kenma)

kags being really nervous and kenma realizing he isnt scary just really awkward and they become friends with kags finally becoming friends with akaashi through kenma

kuroo insisting on being friends bc their best friends are friends

ushiwaka watcing over kags when he was on the olympic team at 19 and at the alders

osamu sometimes giving him discounts or freebies if he wins agains atsumu

iwazumi babying him once he becomes the olympic trainer

there is more but the post is getting really long

#haikyuu #hq #kageyama tobio #tobio kageyama #haikyuu shoyo #haikyuu tobio #haikyuu manga #kagehina #shobio

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my-my-my · 4 months ago

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Aizen, Calligraphy and Poems (?)

In addition to getting into fountain pens, I have also started to read waka poems, which are Japanese poems. While I’m personally not interested in calligraphy as a hobby, reading about the historical aspects of Japanese calligraphy and waka poems made me curious about Aizen’s relationship with calligraphy, and by extension - poetry. We don’t know much about him in relation to those two things other than:

Aizen enjoyed Japanese calligraphy/considered it a hobby

He was so good at calligraphy that he was teaching it at the academy

Hinamori began to practice calligraphy during his captaincy and he held monthly calligraphy sessions for his squad

Aizen had a column in the Sereitei Communication called “The Yin of the Pine Needle”

Japanese calligraphy is a subject often taught to children in elementary school, but it has even older historical roots tied to professional warriors of the bushi rank (samurais are a part of this ranking system). These warriors were trained in bujutsu – were bu means war, and jutsu means technique, and budo. Budo doesn’t quite have a direct translation, but some describe it as the “martial ways to peace.” Even within budo, there were two “emphasis” students needed to focus on: 1) bu which were war and combat strategies, and; 2) bun which were Japanese literature and fine arts. Warriors of the highest ranking were expected to learn all of this, and some students were even expected to learn the flute (shakuhachi), Noh dancing (shimai) and flower arrangement (kado – which was one of Unohana’s hobbies!).

Japanese calligraphy, known as shodo was considered a vital part of a warrior’s training – so it is of no surprise that the Soul Academy, would incorporate it in their curriculum as a class, in addition to kido and sword fighting training.

But why is shodo so important to a warrior’s learning?

Well to many warriors, if sword fighting was considered a reflection of one’s mind (see my post here about Aizen and Kyoka suitgetsu), then shodo is the physical representation of the artist’s spiritual force. Shodo is more than just writing – it is a visible way to sense a warrior’s mental and physical condition. For centuries, leaders in Japan were expected to be strong calligraphers, and some of the best sword fighting masters in history, such as Miyamoto Musashi, were also regarded as some of the best calligraphers of their time.

Each brush stroke must be precise and unwavering – there isn’t room for corrections. An artist must be decisive once the brush hits the paper. The same can be said for sword fighting. You do not swing your sword “hoping” you will get a strike; you swing your sword because you are certain you will strike. Just like in any of the combat arts Shinigami must learn, mistakes are ultimately final in shodo.

Just like handling a sword, holding a brush is also a particular skill. Some teachers in shodo will grab brushes out of their students hand to check their grip. But the trick is that you can’t have too tight of a grip, as your brushstroke becomes rigid and your writing becomes static. Thus, you must be concentrated, but also relaxed. Shodo has an emphasis on balance and flowing, dynamic characters, just like with sword fighting. It’s why there’s often difficulty in painting a straight line, because your mind and body must work together as a unit. Once your brush hits the paper, your hand must paint without hesitation – your thoughts are free as they are focused on the “here” and “now” of painting. Aizen, who had a strongly concentrated mind, was also relaxed – his fight with the Gotei 13 in Fake Karakura Town is an example of this.

I already talked about this in a previous post, but Kyoka suigetsu acts as a metaphor for visualizing before striking. Shodo has a similar concept as well. Skilled artists should be able to visualize the kanji they’ll paint, and then make the decision for the first brush stroke. It would not surprise me if the Soul Academy then made calligraphy an elective because for students to be relatively decent at calligraphy, it would be a safe assumption that they would be good with a katana. Both require accuracy and skills to be effective.

Aizen was already a master sword fighter, so it is then, of no surprise, that his calligraphy skills were also unparalleled. While it’s a shame we don’t see any of Aizen’s calligraphy work, he was recognized in his skill in it that he became a teacher. I also wouldn’t be surprised if this was his way to “vibe check” students as potential conspirators with him, because of the underlying assumption that brush, katana and mind are one.

Calligraphy is just one aspect though; some calligraphers were also talented poets! One specifically that comes to mind is Sugawara no Michizane. To be honest, Aizen kind of reminded me of an evil version of him lol. Sugawara no Michizane was a poet, scholar and politician employed to the Emperor of Japan. Long story short, a political conflict arose, where two other clans working for the emperor made comments that suggested Sugawara was trying to usurp power from the Emperor. As such, Sugawara was exiled from the imperial court.

Another fun fact about Sugawara no Michizane, he had a favourite plum tree in the imperial garden! So much so that on the day of his exile, he wrote a poem for it: When the east wind blows/ let it send your fragrance/ oh plum blossoms. / Although your master is gone/ do not forget the spring. The legend goes that Sugawara missed this tree so much that it flew to him during his exile. This gave the plum tree the name: tobiume.

Sugawara died not long after his exile, but the imperial palace, and those who wronged Sugawara, experienced dreadful things. Specifically the Emperor’s palace was destroyed through a fire… which was triggered by lightning. Such as the fall of the Sereitei during the first invasion of the Quincy after Aizen’s defeat (Sasikibe dying and Yamamoto burning Squad 1). While Aizen is indeed alive, the imperial court were incredibly superstitious and made temples in honor of Sugawara. And we have Shunsui (temporarily) releasing Aizen for the war (I admit, this connection is a bit of a reach!)

As for poetry, I again, wish we had an example of some of the things Aizen wrote, but the Yin of the Pine Needle is an interesting title for a reoccurring column! He wrote 50 volumes for it. (For context, Unohana’s column had 1041 volumes.)

In Japanese flower language, pine needles (matsuba) symbolize harmony. The “yin” in Aizen’s column’s title, is a bit more ambiguous, because yin can mean different things in this context. Yin can represent assimilation, quietness, sluggishness, psychological or spiritual work, it can also be interpreted as suppression when yin is associated with emotions. Regardless of what exact meaning Aizen’s column was meant to be, it would be a safe assumption that Aizen was publishing something that was could have been a critique, commentary or something where he’s pointing out the “harmony” either within Soul Society or something more ambiguous lol, is not what it seems.

Here are my rambles, thanks for reading! Would love for Kubo to write more Aizen, but alas! I'm always going to overthink the crumbs we get of Aizen's character lol.

#bleach #aizen sousuke #aizen sosuke #sosuke aizen #aizen #sousuke aizen #I don't know i'm just rambling #aizen meta

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liillyliilly · 5 months ago

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Lost In Yesterday

ushijima wakatoshi x reader words; 1446 synopsis; Ushijima wished that things would always stay like they were when it was yesterday. When Y/n moves out of his yesterday, will he be able to keep up?

[Eventually, terrible memories turn into great ones]

Ushijima Wakatoshi doesn’t know what it means to be subtle. Even as a second year in middle school, when he first saw Y/n he knew he needed to say something about the way she looked or else it would just kill him.

“You are very pretty.”

Y/n just gave a small smile and said something in what he could only recognize as English. When she walked off to her desk in the second row, Ushijima knew he was in for a challenge. Being quiet himself, he realized this wasn’t a good match to try and win. His confidence was at an all-time low, as he looked on at her trying to find ways to fit in at school. She would try and use her hands to talk, or resort to drawing what she was talking about. But when people would just shrug and walk off, he felt like seething because Y/n honestly didn’t deserve that.

The one time he tried to get her to play volleyball with him was when he saw her sitting under a tree flipping through a book. But when she just shook her head and pointed at a group of other kids, Ushijima set the ball down and sat next to her. He felt like he was going to burn himself from how much heat was rushing to his face. When she tried to talk to him using small phrases, he felt endeared to her because even though she could only talk like a small child she had tried her hardest. And he could commend her on that.

He thought he would try and pick up on his English when he got home that day. As he laid on the floor, looking through an English dictionary, his eyes wandered to the volleyball sitting right by the door. But he refocused and lasered his eyes onto the pages of words.

“You can do this. Do it for L/n.”

The next day at school, he swallowed thickly before going up to Y/n and making conversation.

“You and I are friends.” He meant it to be more of a question but the reaction Y/n gave was enough of motivator to keep him learning English.

As he went through Middle school and eventually was in his first and second years of High School, Ushijima kept learning English. And while Y/n improved her Japanese and Kanji writing skills, she was still lacking in a lot of descriptive words and could only make out simple sentences. Which gave Ushijima the opportunity to say whatever he was thinking without getting too flustered, knowing that she wouldn’t understand unless he repeated the words.

“Your eyes remind me of the passion I have for volleyball. Deep and pure.” He mustered out as Y/n was resting her head on her hands reading the same magazine as him. They were sitting across from each other at his kitchen table. And if he lowered his gaze, he could see the colors of the magazine running across her eyes.

“What was that?” She set a hand on the magazine page, lifting her head and straightening her back so that she could be semi-eye level with him.

“Nothing to worry about.”

The days he spent trying to keeping growing as friends with her turned into weeks, that turned into months, that turned into a strong bond going into third year.

[Does it help to get lost in yesterday?]

Ushijima Wakatoshi feels like the only time he ever experienced true jealously was when Y/n started going on dates with the boys on the volleyball team. Even as a blunt person, he just couldn’t ever bring up the fact that he also wanted to take her out on a date. At least once. He could deal with meeting and challenging other volleyball players, but the idea of facing Y/n left a sickly-sweet taste in his mouth.

He didn’t notice just how much she had changed from his second year in middle school, until she started to speak to him in near perfect Japanese. Or how she made friends easier than he did. Or the way she laughed at the jokes his team members uttered. He figured the best way to approach this was to talk to Tendou.

“Satori, how do I make a joke?” Ushijima was laying on his dorm bed, his volleyball resting on his chest.

“Oh, is this mayhaps about the foreign girl?” Tendou kicked the desk he was sitting at and slid across the dorm floor with his office chair, only stopping when his chair hit the edge of Ushijima’s bed.

“There are millions of foreign girls Satori.”

“But there’s only one L/n.” Tendou sang, as he wiggled his fingers in the same way he used to taunt their opponents.

“That is true.”

['Cause it might've been somethin', who's to say?]

Ushijima Wakatoshi was never one to regret things. But he regretted ever letting his heart become Y/n’s, if only for an hour. Recently Y/n had been going on and on about some boy in her math class. And it itched at Ushijima. Every time she said his name in that very specific tone of voice, it scratched at him. She would talk about what it would be like if she ever did confess, saying something about it ‘being something, but really who’s to say’.

“And he lent me a pencil when mine ran out of lead. Can you believe that?” She sighed dreamily, and put her hands to her face and held back a smile.

“I can give you a pencil.” Ushijima handed her a pencil.

“Thanks, Ushi, but it was different when he did it.” She twirled the pencil around her hand. Toying not only with the writing tool, but also toying with Ushijima’s heart. It was some sort of game where she continued to just give him hope then steal it away at the last moment.

“Different how?”

“I don’t know. It just felt,” She muttered in English for minute before getting her light bulb moment. “It felt like some sort of made for TV movie about teenage romance.”

“Real romance is not the same as it is in the movies L/n.” Ushijima clarified. He didn’t want Y/n to mix her reality with the incessant daydreams she wandered through.

Real romance wasn’t just a love at first sight thing. Real romance is knowing and understanding a person on such a deep level where you could probably be more conscious of them than your own self.

“I know.” Y/n huffed, and handed the pencil back to him. But he just closed her fingers over her palm so she kept gripping the pencil.

“So why are you fawning over it?” Ushijima was stuck. He wanted to stay in his yesterday of simply talking to Y/n about her books, or school work, or even just listening to her blabber in an incomprehensible jumble of English and Japanese.

“Ushi, you sound angry.” Y/n set the pencil down on the nearest table in his room.

He didn’t want to be angry. He just had had enough of the waiting around for yesterday to happen again.

“I am.”

“Why?” Y/n tilted her head.

“Because I like you.” He confessed.

“I like you too Ushi, but I don’t know what that has to do with this.”

Ushijima wanted to pull his hair out. Ushijima wanted to grab her shoulders and shake any form of sense into her head. Ushijima wanted to stare at her eyes and watch as the vivid colors swirled around with her emotions. Ushijima wanted something so simple, but why wasn’t he getting any sort of response.

“No, you do not understand. I like you.”

“I like you too! But why are you being mean?” Y/n huffed and turned around so that she wasn’t facing him anymore. It seemed so childish and immature. But it was the only way to protect herself from having to directly look at him.

“Can I show you?” Ushijima walked around Y/n so that they were facing each other again.

“Sure.” Y/n still wasn’t meeting his eyes

He leaned in and pressed his lips onto of hers. He didn’t try to go further by moving his lips. He was content with just having his lips touch hers. But when she pressed back and her hands moved up to run through his olive colored hair, he was no longer lost in his yesterday. The yesterday of staying still and watching everything from a defensive stance. Because, it isn’t yesterday any longer. It’s today.

#haikyuu #haikyuu x reader #ushijima wakatoshi #ushijima #ushijima x reader #ushijima wakatoshi x reader #shiratorizawa #childhood crush #friends to lovers #pining #lilly's red string of fate

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petitelepus · 5 months ago

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Hey In honor of our art trade…😁

Can I do a Tengen x fem!reader with slight wives x reader? Angst, fluff, happy ending.

Where reader is a hashira and has a massive crush on Tengen and has no clue about his wives. He has a crush on her too and tells his wives about her. He then confesses and him and reader start dating but Tengen still hasn’t managed to tell her about his wives until one day someone mentions Tengens wives and this causes reader to freak out and comfort Tengen at his home and ends up meeting the wives and they confront her and tell her how excited they are to meet her finally. Basically they have a girls night and reader ends up crushing on them too. Tengen comes home to them taking and they end up ignoring him because of how well they are getting along.

I hope this was clear enough please message me if you have any questions. And thank you so much! I’m excited for our trade!! 💜

Summary: You fell for the Sound Hashira when he saved you from Demon. After years of training, you became a Hashira also and you and Tengen met again. The two of you start going out, but he hadn't mentioned his wives to you... Until it was too late.

Warnings: Angst, Suggestive, A Little Naughty But Not Enough To Be Really Naughty

A/N: Tengen Uzui, Fem!Reader, Hinatsuru Uzui, Makio Uzui, Suma Uzui

EXTRA: This is an ART TRADE with wonderful writer @lovelywritinglady! I hope you enjoy this story, I worked super hard for it!

You were the brand new Hashira, making it there through hard work but not only were you a feisty Slayer, but you were also talented at it. It was only natural that you would make it to the top and join among the best there was.

However, the thing was that you weren't always a Demon Slayer.

No, you were just a simple woman living a simple life… Then one night you were attacked by a bloodthirsty flesh-eating Demon. You tried to run but to no avail… But just as you were about to be devoured, a man came to your rescue and decapitated the wicked monster.

"Right on time!" The strong man laughed and your eyes shined as you saw the kanji of Destoy on his uniform's back. The man put the twin blades he wielded down and turned to look at you.

"Are you alright, young miss?" He asked as he offered his hand to you and helped you up on your feet. You nodded, speechless as you took in his handsome face, kind smile, and warm voice.

"Great! Make sure to avoid staying up at this hour!" He laughed as he turned to leave, but you called after him, "W- wait, what's your name?"

"Me? I'm Tengen Uzui! God of Festivals! Remember it!" The man laughed boisterously and just like that, he disappeared into the night. That was the night when you became a religious person.

In a way, your old life ended that night because you made it your mission to become a Demon Slayer, save other helpless people, and better yet, properly thank the man who saved your life.

So you sought out the Demon Slaying Corps and started to train. It took a year and a half, but you were determined to become someone who people could trust their lives to. Someone who could save them from a gruesome fate you had barely avoided thanks to the mysterious Demon Slayer.

It took time, but you made it through the Final Selection and were granted the jacket and your very own Nichirin sword. You asked around and learned that the Slayer who had saved you was actually a Hashira, one of the elite Slayers and you were filled with determination to become his equal.

It took another year of training and slaying Demons, but finally, Master Oyakata invited you to his estate where he granted you the title of Hashira. That's when you were introduced to Tengen again and…

The Sound Hashira's eyes widened when he saw you. You had grown a lot since the day he had saved you. You were stronger and prettier than ever before. Not that you weren't beautiful back then, but now you were absolutely glowing.

"Hey there! I'm Tengen Uzui, the Sounds Hashira, but you may-" He greeted you, attempting to be casual, as if that was possible, but as you smiled at him, he was stunned to silence.

"God of Festival." You nodded with a sweet smile, "And I am honored to finally meet you again, my God."

And that was when he fell for you… Again.

Tengen cleared his throat as he pointed at you, "You!"

You blinked and pointed at yourself, "Me?"

"Yes! Go out with me!" He exclaimed and you blinked again, stunned, but then you smiled brightly like the sun on the sky and nodded eagerly, "I would love that!"

You should have thought it for a moment, but you couldn't bring yourself to say no. Not now! He had asked you out, so you were certain that he was a single man, looking for a possible partner!

But the reality was different, not completely, but certainly different.

As the day passed, you and Tengen had a fun time together, both of you enjoying each other's company to the fullest. As you spent actual time with him, you learned that he was a little quirky and loud about it… But it was just one of his winning qualities and you fell for him again and again that day.

As the day came to an end, you guys parted ways with promises to see each other as soon as you could, like the next day when he would take you out for some high-quality ramen. He was a gentleman and took you to the inn where you were staying instead of asking you to join him in his mansion.

However, there was another reason for that also. Three actually.

"My dearest wives who I love more than anything!" Tengen shouted as he made it to his mansion and his three wives Hinatsuru, Makio, and Suma came to greet their husband, "Welcome back Lord Tengen!"

"My wives, it appears that I… I have fallen," Tengen sighed and his wives shared confused looks before Hinasturu stepped forward, "What do you mean, dear?"

"There is this new Hashira…" Tengen said, "She is the same woman I saved a couple of years ago."

"The one who you couldn't get out of your mind?" Makio asked and he nodded, "The very same one."

"That you were upset that you hadn't asked out?" Suma asked and the man nodded again, "Yeah… And when I just accepted that I wouldn't see her anymore, she suddenly became a Hashira and I asked her out!"

The three wives shared knowing smiles and then shared that smile with Tengen.

"Dearest husband." Hinatsuru smiled as she grasped her husband's hand and kissed his knuckles, "If you love her also, then we will happily welcome her to our family."

"Yeah, when can we meet her?" Makio asked excitedly and Tengen looked away as if he could have avoided the responsibility of his actions, "She… She doesn't know about you guys."

"Y- you mean you didn't tell her about us?" Suma asked and the man nodded, "I didn't-!"

The women were about to object but Tengen quickly continued, "But, I'm going to see how things go with her and if I feel like there could be something between us, I make sure to introduce you guys to her!"

"Are you sure that is the smartest way to do this?" Hinatsuru asked and Tengen nodded, buffing his chest out in pride, "Of course! I'm a genius after all!"

The three women shared very quick glances before nodding because they knew, loved, and supported their husband, no matter what. But all three of them agreed on something and turned to look at their husband.

"Alright, we are fine with this."

"But we don't sleep with you until you marry her!"

"A- And you can't sleep with her!"

"DEAL!" Tengen shouted, "I accept these terms!"

And he really did.

After the talk with his wives and with their blessing, Tengen and you started seeing each other quite frequently, spending time together during days and sometimes even hunting Demons together when the sun was down and the moon decorated the starry night sky.

The situation wasn't always the most romantic one, but you were absolutely sure you were in love… Each moment spent looking at this man or self-proclaimed God made you smile and you got butterflies in your stomach whenever he grabbed your hand to lead you somewhere, was it either to a restaurant or Demon's direction.

You were absolutely sure that he could be the one… Then one day, you were on your way to get something to eat, when suddenly-!

"Oh, Lord-Uzui!"

You and Tengen blinked as you turned and saw some random Demon Slayer approach you guys. The young man looked familiar, but you didn't bother knowing others than Tengen and Slayers with actual potential.

"It's been a while!" The Slayer said and Tengen frowned, "Right… Who are you peasant anyway?"

"Is she one of your famous wives?" The Slayer asked, ignoring the cold shoulder he was getting and both your and Hashira's eyes widened as you registered the young man's words. You were shocked as if someone had thrown a bucket of cold water over you and Tengen felt like a cold hand had seized and was squeezing his heart, followed by anger.

"No, she is not…!" He growled, "And who exactly are you, again?"

The young Slayer looked at you and then at him again and quickly realized that he might have just said something he shouldn't have.

"I- It's not important! W- well, I better leave, see you!" The youngster said as he quickly turned and ran off at record speed, like, you swear you've never seen anyone run even from Demon at that speed.

…But the damage was already done.

You swallowed as you looked up at Tengen, "I didn't know you used to be married?"

"Well, the thing is…" He rubbed the back of his head, "I still am."

"You're…" You couldn't believe what you were hearing, "You're married?"

"Yes," Tengen nodded, "I have 3 wives that I love more than life itself!"

Maybe he shouldn't have said that last part, but it was too late to take his words back.

"Then… All this time…" You felt your heart shatter in your chest as you squeaked out, "Was all this a lie?" with such a small voice that could have belonged to a field mouse rather than a strong woman who hunted Demons for her living.

"No!" Tengen immediately objected, but the remains of that shattered heart of yours were lit on fire.

"What!? Am I your mistress or something!?" You shouted and you could tell that your shouting was attracting bystanders' attention, many looking curiously at the drama happening right in front of them in broad daylight. You couldn't take it, you had to get away immediately.

"I'm leaving!" You snapped, but before you could go Tengen grabbed you by your shoulders and held you in your place, "Just give me-!"

Your eyes stung as you raised your hand before bringing it down, fully intending to slap him with all your might, but the man grabbed your hand just before it could make contact with his cheek.

"Tch!" You frowned as you turned and tried to yank your hand back so you could run away, but the Sound Hashira held onto you hard.

"Let go!" You cried out as the fire inside you died out and all that was left was heartbreaking sorrow. Tears started to stream down your face, but Tengen didn't do so.

"Let me explain!" He shouted but when he saw your tears he felt like the biggest jerk in the history of man- and demonkind.

"Aah, shit…" He cursed as he pulled you back and hugged you tightly against his chest. You struggled against him as you cried, your tears staining his uniform but he just hushed you and petted your back, "Just… Let me explain… And after that, if you want you can leave and I won't stop you."

You were sniffling pathetically as you tried to stop the tears and control your uneven breathing, you were a Hashira for God's sake!

Finally, you managed to get control over yourself and nodded, "F- fine…"

"Alright." He sighed, "So…"

So Tengen explained everything from his past life as Shinobi to modern days. How his cruel father wanted nothing from his children but successors and that was one reason why Tengen had so many wives. But he couldn't pressure enough how unlike his younger brother and their father, he truly loved his wives…

And how he had fallen for you also that night when he had saved you. How you haunted his mind, but when he had tried to find you again you were nowhere to be found. He never expected you to follow his example and join Demon Slayer Corps, but then fate brought you together!

"That's my story," Tengen nodded as he was done saying what he wanted, "I love you, but I also love my wives and nothing can make me leave them."

"I…" You swallowed a heavy lump in your throat and nodded as you tried your hardest to keep yourself from bursting into tears again.

"I need time to think…" You muttered sadly as you turned and walked away… And like he promised, Tengen didn't stop you.

That night you didn't go out to hunt Demons, no, you spent the whole night crying into your pillow. You were sad, you were mad, but you were still in love with the Sound Hashira and that only made everything harder and more hurtful.

This went on for almost a full week. It appeared that even Gods or Master Oyakata took pity on you because you weren't sent out on a mission even once that week.

It was almost as if you had been sent to Butterfly Mansion to heal, only you were nowhere near the Mansion, but in your own room and you weren't hurt, physically at least, though, it did feel like your heart took a hard beating.

So you spent that whole week locked up until you finally deemed yourself sane enough to go and confront the man who made you into this whirlpool of unbearable feelings.

Before you could even consider going outside, you made sure to bath and prepare yourself. You didn't want to go and see Tengen while looking like you had been living on the streets for the last week, even if you felt like it.

Once done, you left the safety of your room and before you knew it, the sun was starting to set, but your Kasugai crow had taken you to what appeared to be Uzui mansion. Just looking at the huge building made your heart ache in your chest.

You hadn't been together that long, a little over a month, but he still had managed to make his way into your heart like he did all those years ago when he saved you and now there was a hole only he could fill…

You breathed in and out and you were just about to knock on the door when said door slid open and-!

"Ah-!" Your breath was taken away by this beautiful blond-haired woman before you and you realized that she must have been one of those 3 wives of Tengen's.

"I- I-!" You stuttered and then swallowed as you tried to speak without your voice wavering, "I- I'm looking for Lord Te- Uzui! I'm looking for Lord Uzui!"

"Ah, Lord Tengen had to go hunt down a Demon but he should be back by tomorrow." The woman replied and you nodded, understanding, "I see. Well, thank you-!"

"You wouldn't happen to be that new Hashira Lord Tengen is smitten by?"

You flinched and the woman gasped, "You are! Hinatsuru, Suma! Come here! It's Lord Tengen's girlfriend!"

"W- Wait- No-!" You tried to object but then two women who were just as gorgeous as this blond woman joined you two by the doorway and they smiled, "My, are you looking for Lord Tengen?"

"You- I mean-!" You didn't know what to say and the woman with the blue dress smiled as she pulled you into the building, "Don't stay out there, come on in!"

"I-!" You were about to refuse when you were pulled into the mansion and before you knew what had happened, you were seated by a table on the floor as the wives placed a bowl of rice crackers and a cup of green tea before you, like perfect hosts did.

"So?" Makio grinned as she, Hinatsuru, and Suma sat across from you on the other side of the table, "Tell us about Lord Tengen! What did the two of you do when you were together?"

You blinked as you thought about all the things you did, but you took the question in a wrong way. They must have been mad at you and thought that you were an evil mistress who tried to steal their beloved husband!

"I- I assure you three that nothing inappropriate happened between me and Tengen!" You exclaimed and the three women shared glances before giggling, "We trust your word and our husband."

"Hopefully he took you out to that nice tea house by the outskirts of the town!"

"Wait?" You raised your hand, "You believe me?"

"Of course," Hintsuru nodded and Suma continued, "Lord Tengen told us so much, but we wanted to hear how you liked being with him!"

"Well…" You frowned bitterly as you averted your gaze, the next words hurting you, "I had fun… But I fear that he was fooling with you guys all this time while we were seeing each other…"

The three wives blinked before Hinatsuru smiled gently, "Dear, that's not the case."

"Huh?" You looked at them and Makio smiled, "We made Lord Tengen promise not to sleep with anyone!"

"You and us!" Suma added, "And Lord Tengen is a man of his word!"

"I…" You swallowed nervously, suddenly feeling so flustered and not knowing how to escape this situation, you grabbed the cup of tea and drank it in one go.

The wives looked at you in shock as you finished your tea and moved to get up, "Thank you for your hospitality, but I should leave now-!"

"Please, stay here for the night." Hinatsuru smiled gently, "We will prepare a room for you and something more comfortable to wear."

"I shouldn't…" You really shouldn't, but the women were persistent.

"Please?" Suma begged, "We would like to know more about you!"

"More than Lord Tengen has told us!" Makio added and you frowned as you remembered the man behind your sorrows.

"I don't know if that's a good idea…" You muttered as you looked aside, not able to look at these gorgeous women.

"We understand that our husband has made you upset." Hinatsuru started gently, "And you have every reason to be angry at him for keeping us a secret, but please, let us make you feel better."

"But-!"

"Please?" Suma asked or more like begged again and Makio nodded, "You can leave at any point if you feel uncomfortable!"

"I…" You sighed before nodding, "Alright, I'll stay."

"Jay!" Suma cheered happily as Hinatsuru got up, "I'm going to get you something to wear. Please, have some more tea."

And you did and Makio and Suma watched you and occasionally asked about what it was like being a Hashira. Questions that you answered honestly until Hinatsuru came with a night yukata for you.

"I hope this is to your liking." She said as she handed the clothing to you and you nodded gratefully, "Thank you. Uh, where do I change?"

"Oh, forgive us." The three women stepped out of the room and shut the door behind them, granting you some privacy. You swallowed nervously as you stripped and slipped into the yukata. It was awfully soft and smelled like flowers… It was very nice.

"Are you done perhaps?" Came question from the other side of the door and you nodded, "Yes, I'm dressed!"

The door slid aside and Suma motioned you to follow them, "Come come, we will take you to your room!"

You nodded and followed them to the other side of the house where the guestroom must have been. But as you stepped into the room you were confused by the 3 extra futons on the floor.

It took you a second, but then you realized that it was most likely Tengen's and his wives' bedroom.

"Uh, I think this is not the right room-!" You were about to say when the three women started to strip suddenly.

"WHOA, HEY!" You yelped as you covered your eyes and the ladies giggled, "Don't worry, we are all women here."

"Yeah, but-!" You blushed, not knowing exactly why you were acting as shy as you were being.

"You can look you know?" Makio said and you shook your head but after a minute, Suma added, "We're dressed also now!"

You peeked between your fingers and yes, they had put on yukatas of their own. You sighed as you lowered your hands, but you were quickly grabbed and dragged to bed by the three women.

"So tell us… What made you most upset?"

"Tengen keeping us as a secret?"

"Or him being a married man?"

"I…" You frowned a little, not really understanding what the difference was, "Probably both…"

"Do you want to marry him?" Makio asked and you thought about your answer for a second or two before nodding, "The thought did go through my mind a couple of times that he could be the one…"

"Lord Tengen would love to marry you!" Suma cried out suddenly, "He told us so!"

"H- He did?" You couldn't almost believe your ears. Had he said so sweetly about you? Did he really think so? You smiled a little, as happiness spread through your body, warming you and bringing those butterflies in your tummy back to life.

The women smiled as they watched you brighten up like a flower after rain and Hinasturu asked calmly, "Do you dislike the idea of being married to women also?"

"I-!" You blinked as you fell back down to the ground from the clouds and looked at the three women, noting that they were all gorgeous and so far, so very kind and sweet to you.

"I… It's…" You blushed as you averted your gaze, too flustered to actually look at them, "It's not that I hate the idea…"

"So you swing both ways?" Makio asked and your blush grew stronger.

"It's- It's not-!" You stuttered, "I- I've never-!"

"Are you perhaps untouched?" Hinatsuru inquired with a small amused smile and her amusement just grew when she saw your reaction.

"I- I-!" Now you were blushing so hard that even your ears turned red, "I- I focused on slaying Demons! N- Not some flings!"

"So all you know is how to slay Demons?" Makio and Suma thought out loud, "How sad…"

"I- It's not like it's a hindrance! Killing Demons is far more important than keeping someone's bed warm!"

"You're so cute!" Suma cried out, "But liking both men and women isn't a hindrance."

"Yeah, after all, who knows a woman better than another one?" Makio added with a wink.

"Though, Lord Tengen knows what he is doing," Hinatsuru giggled, "After all, he can take all three of us at once."

"He-!" You swallowed as your lower tummy felt a little weird, "He can?"

"Yes." The women nodded.

"He can go on for hours!"

"And he doesn't tire out easily!"

"I…" You started to play with your fingers nervously, "I wouldn't know what to do in that situation… And even less with so many partners and women…"

"Well…" Hinatsuru shared knowing glances with her fellow wives, "I think we could help you with that uncertainty of yours."

"What do you mean-?" You were asking when suddenly all three wives bounced on you.

You gasped silently as Makio hugged you from behind, holding you against her soft breasts as Hinatsuru kissed your knuckles and Suma kissed your cheek.

"Since you are staying here for the night, we thought we could have a sleepover, just us girls together!" Makio said from behind you and Hinatsuru added. "While we are at it, we can show you some perks of being married to women too."

"If you don't want to, just tell us and we back off!" Suma said, "But we can make you feel really really good!"

You blushed and were about to object… But as you looked at these gorgeous women willing to include you in their relationship, you found yourself unable to. Instead, those same butterflies you felt every time you thought or were with Tengen resurfaced as you looked at his wives.

"I don't know what to do…" You whimpered pitifully and the three women smiled as they started to undress themselves and you, "Trust us and we will take care of you."

The next morning, as the sun was rising, Tengen finally made it home. He had taken some of his pent-up frustration out on the slippery Demon he had been hunting the whole night but he still felt frustrated with himself.

Especially when he thought about you and how he hurt you with his actions. He hadn't heard of you for a whole week, but he had promised to leave you alone if you wanted to be left so and he was a man of his word.

He did get a good scolding from his beloved wives and he deserved all of them, he didn't deny it. Still, he wanted to see you and apologize for his actions, but that had to wait as he entered the mansion he called home.

It was still early and the sun was just peeking from the horizon so he expected his wives to still be sleeping. He made his way to their shared bedroom and opened the door, fully expecting to see his beloved wives sleeping peacefully-!

"What-!?" He blinked, stunned to see you sleeping with his wives! All four of you were sleeping, hugging, and cuddling with each other and Tengen could tell that you were all naked under the blankets.

"Looks like things worked out somehow," The man thought as he carefully closed the door to let you and his wives rest peacefully. So he went to the guestroom to sleep a little and wait until your ladies would wake up.

The Sound Hashira wasn't sure how long he had been napping when he heard the room's door slide aside and someone enter the room.

"Lord Tengen…?"

It was Hinatsuru! The man groaned as he got up and turned to address his wife, "Morning Hina."

"Good morning." The woman smiled, "I take it your hunt was successful?"

"As always!" He nodded as he stretched his arms and back, and then he remembered you, "So… She was here with you?"

"Yes." The beautiful woman nodded, "She came to seek you yesterday so we invited her to stay for the night."

"I could see that. You were all comfy and nice together!" Tengen nodded back and his wife giggled, "Please join us at the breakfast table. I think she wants to talk with you."

"Yeah, I had a feeling," He said as he got up and followed his dear wife to the eating area where Makio, Suma, and you were already waiting for them.

As soon as Tengen stepped into the room, your eyes were glued to him. He looked just as handsome as always as if your little quarrel hadn't affected him at all.

"Lord Tengen, you're home!" Suma cried out happily and Makio smiled also, "Welcome back Lord Tengen!"

"Hm, morning my gorgeous wives!" Tengen greeted the women and then he looked at you, "And morning to you! I'm happy to see you!"

You gave him a small nod, "Likewise."

"Makio, Suma, can you help me get Lord Tengen some breakfast?" Hinatsuru asked and the two women quickly nodded and followed the third one out of the room, leaving you and Tengen alone.

The Sound Hashira sat on the ground opposite from you and nodded, "I take it that you are ready to talk with me since you came all the way here to see me."

"You're right," You nodded as you sipped your tea and Tengen sighed as he rubbed the back of his head, "Let me start by apologizing. My behavior was so unflashy and unfair towards you."

"Thank you… I…" You put the small teacup you were holding down on the table and looked at the man you loved, "I will both forgive and apologize to you."

"Huh?" Tengen frowned, "Oi, why are you apologizing for something stupid I did?"

"Well, I think that I might have overreacted back then…" You admitted, embarrassed, "For God's sake, I'm a Hashira yet I acted like a spoiled brat."

"My behavior wasn't exactly much better." The man admitted and then turned more serious, "But I still do love you a lot! And I have no doubt in my mind that my wives would love you also!"

"Ah, Hinatsuru, Suma, and Makio welcomed me into the family with…" You blushed as you pulled your yukata's collar down, showing the dark hickeys all over your neck and shoulders, "VERY open arms."

Tengen blinked as he realized what had happened and then he laughed out loud, nearly startling you out of your skin, "HA HA, I see my wives already accepted you as part of the family!"

"Thanks…" You pulled the collar back up and looked at the Sound Hashira from under your eyelashes, "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Do you… Are you alright having me as one of your wives?" You asked bashfully and Tengen stared at you as a smile rose to his lips, "Yes, I would be honored to marry you into our family."

"Then…!" You were saying when the door to the room was slammed open and Suma rushed inside and jumped to hug you and cried, "I knew it, I knew Lord Tengen still loved you!", as she peppered your cheeks and forehead with quick pecks.

"Oi, Suma calm down!" Makio snapped as she moved to pull her fellow wive away, "I want to kiss her also!"

"Ah, there is plenty for you both-!" You were about to object but the two women joined forces as they started to kiss you together. You cried out as you were drowned in kisses and Tengen actually laughed as he watched his wives shower you with affection.

"We are all glad that you both managed to reconcile." Hinatsuru said as she made her way to her husband and kissed his cheek, "She is a real gem."

"Yeah," Tengen smiled as he looked at you as you blushed and tried to fight off Makio's and Suma's advantages, "And she is ours."

#lovelywritinglady #tengen uzui #demon slayer #kimetsu no yaiba #kny #makio uzui #hinatsuru uzui #suma uzui #Reader #Fem reader #Fem!Reader #writing #my writing #ART TRADE #Story #my story #angst #fluff #suggestive

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adachimoe · 6 months ago

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How the bad endings teach us something about Adachi

I'm gonna preface this by saying that there is a "no-fun allowed" answer from Atlus. But I think you can come to this conclusion even without their no-fun allowed, developer corner, Word of God statement from the Premium Fan Book. I will do my best to hopefully express this before just posting the no-fun allowed comment at the end.

In my opinion, this is the absolute character defining line for Adachi:

At this point in time, you've identified Adachi as the culprit, chased him into the TV, heard his insane rant on December 7th, then went back to kick his ass, and beat him in his boss fight.

Before Amenosagiri hijacks him, he has some words about his situation. Despite his ramblings about haves vs have nots and about the whole "ooh look at you you have FRIENDS and PEOPLE and BONDS", he doesn't express any of that after his boss battle. There's no, "See, the world is unfair, you guys ganged up on me 7 vs 1!!" or any kind of delulu bullshit. He just says that the world is fucked and he didn't have anywhere to go back to.

When you think about the game until now, Adachi was trying to fit in to society as a normal person. Despite what he felt about women, it's not as though he walked around town in broad daylight using Tiger Drop on random schoolgirls. He didn't murder 2 ppl then also become a cop who was like, trying to use his powers to moonlight as a Magical Assassin or something. He didn't even, gasp, suggest that you teenagers try a little underage drinking.

When Adachi says, "I didn't have anywhere to go back to", it's because by exposing him as the murderer, he thinks you've taken away his ability to fit into society. Despite his ranting, for him to admit that he has nowhere left to back to, means that he knows that he's what's "wrong" and he's what doesn't "fit"; "rapey murderer" is not acceptable in reality.

What's more is that, after Amenosagiri's boss battle, when Adachi realizes that is super duper extremely over, he says he thinks you came to kill him. And -- despite being a murderer himself -- he indirectly advises you not to take the same path as him by telling you to just leave him there.

Because, again, he knows he's the part that's wrong. He doesn't belong in society anymore, but that doesn't mean all 8 of you (ain't counting Teddie, he doesn't have human rights) have to be on the outside of society and have murder in common.

At which point, Yosuke (and Kanji) point out that he *does* still belong to society, just in a jail cell:

That is how it works in the "real world", the world Adachi ran away from. Can't even call it a metaphor or subtle or something; the dude physically ran away from your party and jumped into a TV to retreat into the magic TV world.

Finally, after actually coming out of the TV, he learns that not even Dojima had discarded him:

Despite Adachi's perception that he doesn't belong anywhere, he learns that he does still belong. Not in the way he would like to belong, of course, but if he is a law abiding citizen, then there is a place for him.

Then December 23rd and New Years rolls around, and the world is fine.

And now, the bad endings

There are multiple bad endings in the game. First off, if you kill Namatame or can't convince the team to keep reaching out to the truth, then time fastforwards to March 20th and the protagonist leaves Inaba without solving the case. The city is fine, Shadows aren't running around, but the fog is still around. While the fog seems bad, it also doesn't seem *as* bad as it is in the dungeon failure ending.

If you refuse to handover Adachi's name and instead protect him, then time fastforwards to March 20th, Adachi gives you his phone number, tells you he'll keep in touch. Again: The city is fine, but the fog is still around.

On the other hand, when you do corner Adachi and are on the path for the good ending, then on December 7th, he tells you that the world will end by the end of the year, and this is why you must clear his dungeon.

But if you fail to clear Magatsu Inaba by the deadline of December 23rd, then the fog will be quite thick, even in your bedroom. Naoto will call you as she's attacked by what I am assuming is townspeople who have turned into Shadows.

Basically, it seems that one thing Adachi was not lying about on December 7th was what's going to happen by the end of the year.

The difference

So we have the usual bad ending and the Adachi ending where it's March 20th and even though there's fog, the world didn't end and people aren't running around as Shadows.

And then we have the dungeon failure game over where Adachi's threat about the world ending by the end of the year has come true and Naoto gets attacked.

From talking about this game with people on the internet for the past 1.5 years, I have learned that people consider this to be a plot hole or inconsistency, and is part of why "Persona 4's plot is bad and doesn't make sense".

The attempts I have seen to explain it are people who parrot Hiding in Private's video where he suggests that in the Adachi Ending, since you willingly helped cover for the murders, Izanami allows you to spend your remaining time in Inaba in peace. But this explanation makes no sense for the killed Namatame or didn't pursue the truth endings, where you fastforward to March 20th and everything is fine it's just foggy. You didn't willingly help cover for the murders there, you just gave up.

But both of these - Hiding's explanation and calling it a "plot hole because Persona 4 Plot Bad" - are both glossing over what I think is a pretty huge, key detail: In the endings where time skips to March and Inaba is fine, Adachi did not go into the TV, whereas in the ending where the world actually gets screwed, you cornered Adachi and he went inside the TV.

Which in turn reveals what is going on and why Adachi's line after his boss battle is so important: Even though Amenosagiri is the source of the power to screw over the world through the fog, the world is ending because Adachi wants it to. You revealed that he's a murderer and he doesn't belong anywhere anymore, so screw the world! It sucks now! Get rid of it!

It's selfish and it's childish, but we are talking about Adachi.

And now, a detour about Amenosagiri

I think it is a reoccurring thing in media that, even though there is some "interference" from these beings of higher power (e.g. Izanami giving people powers, and her picking a guy who represented "emptiness" and a guy who represented "despair" lol), it is ultimately humans that cause everything to go to shit, and the heroes -- who believe life is worth living even tho some humans do suck -- must fix it.

Adachi's desire to just end it all after the truth comes to light that he's the murderer fits in with this trope. Yes, he had a magic power that he normally wouldn't have and he got a bit silly, but it was ultimately him being weird about a woman who didn't know he even existed that spiraled into this chain of events that ended up with him being exposed and the world almost ending.

I have read interpretations that, since Golden also included the line about Izanami putting Amenosagiri in Adachi (it didn't exist in the PS2 version), that means that Adachi was just following a script and Amenosagiri made him kill people and end the world and all that. I'm not really a fan of this. "Adachi did it because demonic eyeball possession" feels like a huge cop out, as it would also shift blame away from him for murdering people and just generally being a shitty human being. It also raises questions like, "If Amenosagiri made Adachi evil, why did he throw up when he saw Mayumi's corpse / why did he only kill 2 people / why did he even say the line about not belonging in the world", amongst many other questions.

If Amenosagiri is so linked to Adachi as this suggests, why does Adachi even appear in foggy shopping district on dungeon deadlines to check for dead bodies??? Like, if he's linked to the observer from the TV world who has been watching the Investigation Team, and this observer has been controlling him, then why does he not already know the victim was rescued? I think the point of the line added into Golden (I don't think you even see it unless you do Marie's SLink?) seems to be "trying to explain for the player why Namatame and Adachi turn into the Sagiri dudes", cause that shit just kinda came out of nowhere in the PS2 game.

Notably, the game tries to address the "Ame controlling Adachi" thing right after Ame's boss fight, as if the writer read the player's mind, and thought you might be wondering about the same thing:

Chie, I believe she asks this because she is trying to understand what is going on with Adachi. If you can blame it on, "He did it because he had a demon eyeball photo lens inside of him telling him what to do", then you don't have to think about this any further, do you? Case closed. Naoto does not fully dismiss this idea, but voices her opinion that Adachi must have been down to end the world too. Which then goes back to Adachi saying he has nowhere left to go; I think Naoto is on the right track here.

But why is there fog

I think what trips people up during the "skip to March 20th" bad endings is the presence of the fog - does that not mean the world is still fucked, even tho Adachi didn't enter the TV?

The game itself uses the fog as a metaphor for lies and misconceptions and assuming that humans don't really want the truth. Like, after you solve the murder case, Amenosagiri does you a solid and instantly clears the fog from the real world. In the ending where you kill Namatame, the truth of the murder did not come to light. In the ending where you didn't kill Namatame but gave up on the truth, the truth again did not come to light. In the Adachi ending, you willingly buried the truth of the murders, and the truth stayed buried there as well.

I don't think the fog is present to communicate "The world is fucked", I think it's just saying that the case is unsolved. After all, the people still believe Namatame did it and in 2 of those endings he is going on trial as the protagonist leaves town, meaning people are still under the impression he's the murderer.

Curiously, on December 16th, Kondo brings up how Inaba gets covered in fog every 50 years. The validity of this, though, is left a mystery because he then says he heard it about on TV, which we know from the game isn't exactly the most reliable source of info lol. (I vaguely recall a different NPC, an older guy, talking about this too, but I can't quite remember which one it is. Maybe it was Daidara?)

On the other hand, despite "people being tricked by the media" being like a theme in the game, none of the other NPCs seem to have heard this TV special or news or whatever that Kondo heard because the majority of the other NPCs are freaking out and buying gas masks, assuming the fog is actually poison. One of them even believes that it's some conspiracy theory caused by Junes. Kondo suggesting that whatever he heard on TV is correct seems level headed compared to the poison gas conspiracy theories that the rest of the town is buying into.

But when you learn that Izanami is behind everything, I feel like that sequence of events gives some validity to what Kondo heard.

It makes it seem more like, every 50 years, Izanami gets a little silly, gives people powers, and then watches what unfolds. Thus, when you stop Izanami in the true ending, you are also stopping the cycle, which the protagonist recognizes.

Lastly, the no-fun allowed answer

From the Premium lore/setting book:

Discovering the truth, the self-proclaimed special investigation team have cornered Adachi, who enters the TV and wants the world to end with reality being swallowed by the Midnight Channel. If Marie is the one who listens to human wishes, then Adachi is the one who wished for his own very self-centered wish to become reality.

I believe the purpose of Naoto and Chie's dialogue was to suggest what the meta explanation was ("I think he wanted to end the world too") while still keeping it in-universe and in-character.

#persona 4 #tohru adachi #adachi brainrot #persona 4 golden #p4 #p4g #persona 4 the golden premium fun book

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