#blazblue birthday's

[ekkonus]

Happy birthday to the weird cat Noel keeps around.

[wistfulwhistley]

[broken-clover]

I can't help but find Amane compelling. For a lot of reasons, really, but his use of gender as a character motif gives him a surprising amount of texture the more you look at him (Especially for a series that admittedly veers into gender stereotypes a lot, but that's neither here nor there).

Which I guess seems obvious at first glance. I've often seen him lumped in with a lot of other 'trap' (ugh) characters, but in a way it's sort of funny, because it couldn't be more wrong as a takeaway. At a glance, yes, Amane is an androgynous man who wears dresses and makeup. Thing is, though, the point of it isn't to trick anyone- Amane is entirely comfortable in his gender and how he presents, and his choice of wearing 'feminine' things is entirely out of passion.

His visual appearance might offer confusion, but his personality doesn't offer the same sort. For someone that presents himself so gracefully and beautifully, Amane is outright described as

speak(ing) in a rather crude tone at times, and has a manly personality

While I don't know about 'crude' in particular, he has a tendency to speak very directly, and takes pride in his masculinity. His moveset is filled with references to super sentai series, which are often associated with young boys and filled with stereotypically 'boyish' motifs, like martial arts and giant robots. He makes no effort to obscure his gender identity, he perceives himself as a man, and corrects people who mistake him for a woman. But, clearly, being mistaken for one doesn't bother him, as he still happily partakes in his art form and makes no attempt to dress more 'masculine' for sake of having people perceive him as such.

(Even in terms of his non-dance hobbies, Amane leans toward 'feminine' things. He makes candies and is seemingly the only parental figure toward his numerous adoptive children, whom he loves and cares for in the sort of nurturing way that one might more typically associate with motherhood than with fatherhood.)

Amane's use of dance as a motif also leans heavily into this concept. Art forms like dancing often get written off as 'girly' with the unspoken implication that something with that descriptor is less important or even easier in comparison to stereotypically male-oriented hobbies. But dancing, especially in the professional world, takes an unbelievable amount of physical and mental training in order to do well and create a visually captivating performance. Amane's design being based on an onnagata kabuki actor, or a man who plays female roles, also ties into this. Though it sounds simple on paper, onnagata techniques can take years to master, and include learning a wide range of techniques, from makeup styling to posture to vocal training. The fact that Amane is a seasoned professional dancer means that he would be fully aware of all this. While he may employ those techniques on stage, he does not use them in casual interaction. In Amane's perception, he is a man, and having a ladylike appearance does not do anything to the contrary. He is merely himself, perfectly comfortable with both identity and presentation.

Likewise, it feels like these themes are deliberately contrasted with a more stereotypically masculine character in Bang Shishigami. Blazblue has multiple 'hypermasculine' characters such as Azrael and Kagura, but Bang seems to be the one the narrative most frequently draws a parallel to, as they encounter one another multiple times- And, fittingly, both are themed around very stereotypically Japanese motifs, kabuki and ninjutsu. While both seem to embody very traditional themes visually, Bang is a character that adheres more to those traditionalist traits in terms of personality, styling himself as a manly, physically impressive hero who tries to win a woman's heart through acts of valor. When Amane encounters him, as the first dialogue in the first game he debuts in, Bang confronts him not because he has any real business with the man or has mistaken him for a troublemaker, but because Bang finds him 'strange.'

"What kind of attire is that for a man to wear around...!? It screams 'frail' and 'weak'! I can hardly believe my eyes..."

Amane, just as a concept, confuses him and contradicts his idea of what a 'proper' man should be. It's something that Amane even calls him out for later

"Never you mind! It is a crime for a man to look so...so...so beautifully feminine! I shall smack some guts and conviction back into you as a representative of Ikarugan masculinity!" "Whoa whoa, don't you think you're being just a little prejudiced?"

Obviously, Amane sees nothing wrong with how he presents. He sees nothing wrong with a man being beautiful the same way that Bang does.

Though the gag reels are non-canonical, the 'Contest of Manliness' from Chronophantasma seems almost designed to highlight the concept. Amane enlists in the contest to display his sense of endurance, making it to the finals to the surprise and shock of Bang, who views him as a 'gentle-mannered pretty boy,' at one point bringing up a similar point from their encounter in the arcade route

"Despite your appearance, you are actually quite tough..."

Even in combat, he displays this sense of duality. He battles using fans, his scarf, and a parasol, all more stereotypically ladylike implements compared to something like a sword or firearms. He can hit has hard as any other male character, but his movements are graceful and agile, with a sense of elegant poise. It isn't that he is powerful *despite* his feminine presentation. His power is his own. It is simply a matter of what medium he uses to comfortably express that power, regardless if some might view it as weird.

Amane is not a man trying to 'trick' anyone into thinking he's a woman. Amane is Amane. He is a very pretty man who likes to dance, and he is very manly while doing so, and is also very pretty while kicking ass, thank you very much.

[rwac96]

The Uninvited (RWBY Crossover Shitpost)

(Loosely inspired by @brokentrafficknight's Pyrrha birthday posts)

Noel: "Weiss? Have you seen Jaune around--?"

*Noel Vermillion blinks, taking notice of Weiss being without her team...only accompanied by Neptune Vasilias*

Noel: *blinks* "Where's your team?"

Weiss: *irritated* "Apparently, they ditched me to head to Pyrrha's birthday party at SchneeWorld!"

Neptune: "Weiss, I'm sure it was a mix-up."

Weiss: "In reality: Yang, Blake, or Sun 'forgot' my invitation!"

Neptune: "Oh, c'mon! I'm sure neither of 'em would do that to ya."

Noel: *blinks, pondering* "Hold on...Makoto, Tsubaki, Tao, and even Ragna left for SchneeWorld..."

Weiss: *looks at Noel* "Wait, you don't mean--?!"

Shallot: *barging in* "WEISS! We have a problem! My teachers and their families got kidnapped!"

Tifa: *annoyed, walking in after him* "Uh, yeah...not that conclusion, 'genius'. I thought Shinra did the same thing when my friends weren't around...until I remembered what day it was."

Bleiss: *stomps in* "THAT CEREAL CUNT PURPOSEFULLY 'FORGOT' MY INVITE!"

Shallot: "Wait? Invite?" *thinks* "I DIDN'T GET AN INVITE TO SNOWLAND?!"

Weiss: "SchneeWorld, you dunce! And I highly doubt she would invite you or my trollop of a twin to her party!"

Bleiss: "Yet you're here with us, bitch."

Neptune: *looks around* "Wait...I didn't get an invite either!"

Tifa: *annoyed* "I'm sensing a pattern here."

????: "HELP!!"

*Shantae, in elephant form, comes crashing through the wall, shifting back to her humanoid form*

Shantae: *groaning* "Somebody please stop 'em...."

*Ryuko & Satsuki come barging through the fresh hole, fighting one another*

Ryuko: "WHERE'S MAKO?! WHAT DID YA DO WITH HER?!"

Satsuki: "I DIDN'T KIDNAP THAT IMBECILE!!"

Tifa: *grabbing both girls* "Ladies, ladies!" *bonks their heads together* "Enough!"

Ryuko: *rubs her head* "Ow! The fuck, Bar Boobs?!"

Satsuki: *rubs her temple* "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't disembowel you for that?!"

Shantae: *slowly getting up, deadpan* "....Mako went to Pyrrha's party and neither of you was invited."

Ryuko: "THE FUCK?! THAT BITCH!"

Satsuki: *scoffs, sheathing Bakuzan* "Which one? The imbecile or the spartan?"

Ryuko: "PYRRHA! Who do you think?!"

Neptune: "Okay...makes sense why you guys weren't invited...but why me?! I'm a handsome face that any babe would invite parties to. Why would a sexy gladiator lady not let me come?"

Weiss: *clears her throat* "AHEM!"

Neptune: "What?"

Bleiss: *shakes her head* "Such boyfriend material, Frost Tits."

Weiss: "Oh, be quiet!"

Jessica: *knocking on the window from outside* "Guys? Did we miss the party?"

Korra: *outside* "Don't tell me your invites got 'misplaced' too?"

Lucy: *outside* "Hold on...YOU MEAN WE GOT LEFT BEHIND ON PURPOSE?!" *wails*

Shallot: "So...this wasn't an accident?"

Bleiss: "NO SHIT, CAVE ALEIN!"

[rebecca-ju]

birthday boy

[mizukagami-takamagahara]

By 夕阳安城_YuuhiAnjo on Pixiv!

[pikabysss]

Okay, okay, I've spent the afternoon making a proper two panel doodle comic with a birthday theme for Susanoo's birthday.

"I do not need the offerings of some damned defective vessel. Turn back into the seithr wasted to make you." – Susanoo

He's such a tsundere. ♡^_^♡

[nkn0va]

Request(Blazblue): On the day of their birthday's Makoto, Noel, Tsubaki, and Mai's S/O's back them their favorite dishes (Mai's S/O even asking Noel to help them cook for her).

I am so sorry if this gets repetitive, that's kinda how it goes sometimes for 4 character requests. Probably gonna be a bit shorter than usual.

-It doesn't take much to figure out what kind of food Makoto likes. Not only does her heritage make it pretty obvious but she's also quite the foodie in general.

-She doesn't have any particular favorite food but she is a big sweets gal, and of course being a squirrel, nuts are a personal favorite of hers. There are plenty of dishes out there that meet both those criteria, you have options.

-Eventually the idea you decided on was a chestnut parfait. Sweet, easy to make, had nuts, and had fruits to make it at least somewhat healthy. The perfect plan.

-When lunch eventually rolls around you head up to Makoto and present it to her while wishing her a happy birthday. Her mouth almost starts to water right then and there.

-She scarfs it down at record speeds that are frankly a bit concerning. She certainly enjoyed it though judging by her smile and the way her tail couldn't seem to stop wagging.

-As soon as she's done her arms wrap around you immediately in an enthusiastic showing of thanks. She's absolutely going to ask you for more in the future.

-Noel's not too much of a foodie, she absolutely prefers to cook instead of eat, much to everyone's dismay.

-However her birthday happens to fall on Christmas, so you have as good of an excuse as any to make something for her. A traditional Christmas dish could fulfill your needs well.

-You spend hours toiling away in the kitchen, making a nice, full meal for the both of you to enjoy. You figured it'd be a nice thing to do for both of you since work in the NOL has left you both unfortunately unable to go home for Christmas.

-Mercifully, your workload is at least greatly lightened for the day if not outright eliminated entirely. As soon as you're done with what little you have to do and evening comes you invite Noel over to your place, not telling her the reason.

-The first thing Noel is met with is a table filled with steaming hot food, leaving her unable to hold back her shock that you'd go so far for her.

-She doesn't know whether to kiss you or dig right in, however her nervousness gets the best of her and she opts to go for the food, which is by no means a bad choice. The effort and love you put into it really shines through.

-Mission success. Now all that's left is to pray to whatever God will listen that she doesn't get the urge to return the favor...

-Tsubaki is a sucker for chocolate, as much as she tries not to let it get to her. It gets to the point that Jin of all people worries about her in this regard.

-Her birthday just so happens to coincidentally fall on White Day, so you'd likely already be getting her chocolate anyway. The problem is having both occasions on the same day sorta ups the pressure on your part to perform.

-You eventually decided the best way to fill the criteria for both was via chocolate cake. You didn't want just some simple, easy cake from a box anyone could make, you knew she deserved better.

-Then you had an epiphany. You could indeed churn out something worthy of such a lovely lady. After spending a good amount of time in the kitchen you end up with a chocolate cake sweetened with condensed milk along topped with caramel and whipped cream. Surely this would pay off.

-Tsubaki's eyes light up as soon as she sees the fruits of your hard labor, even more so once she takes the first bite. She is practically in heaven. It felt like she was falling for you all over again.

(Can't believe it took this long to finally write for Mai. Though I'm writing this last minute on late night April 21st so what can you do lmao)

-It's rather tough for you to pin down what sort of food Mai would like considering her...complicated relationship with food.

-Whatever you do see her eat, it's completely mangled beyond recognition by whatever the hell Noel does whenever she cooks. You don't know, and frankly you don't think you want to.

-However this is going to turn out to be a nice boon for a change. Not being able to cook for Mai was a serious point of grief for you due to her supertaste, but with Noel around you can finally do so. She immediately agrees to the plan.

-After some discussion about what she typically makes for Mai and what she seems to like best, you two decide on a seafood pilaf. You'd make the base since you wanted to contribute at least something to the dish, and let Noel take it from there.

-Frankly it's a bit scary, leaving her with a perfectly normal dish and then getting it back looking like a weapon of mass destruction. This weapon of mass destruction though was all Mai could eat so you really can't complain. (Not complaining about Noel's cooking...what the hell have you come to...?)

-Mai's grin is practically ear to ear as she eagerly eats everything down, especially once she hears that both you and Noel worked on the dish. As far as she's concerned this is the best damn thing she's ever eaten, thanking you both with a big smile and hug. Being able to eat after what happened is always a treat.

-You still have no idea what Noel does to any food she touches to make it end up the way it does, but perhaps it's one of those mysteries that's just best left unsolved.

[fictional-birthdays]

Happy Birthday, Taokaka! (BlazBlue)

[samyueeeeru]

Happy Birthday!!!!

[ekkonus]

A Happy new years and a Happy birthday one of the best characters ever made, Juusan (Nu-13)

Noel decided they should have a birthday together this year, so she wouldn't be left out.

[wistfulwhistley]

[umberwolf]

It's still September, right?

[cloudyspider]

It’s Terumi’s birthday so to celebrate I’m drop a hot take theory. In that Terumi actually does like the world and likes being human-esque. Not that he doesn’t hate everything he totally does but it’s that he can’t reconcile that due to twisted view on the universe. Let me explain.

Terumi, or properly Susanoo, at some point in his tenure as the Master Unit’s custodian developed a soul, a sense of self, and a will. He is in essence born a god and understands he is a god. At the same time he understands that as the Susanoo Unit he is also a tool and a slave. That as mighty as he is he is ultimately subservient to something. This dissonance leads him to resenting the Master Unit and everything it created and him desiring his own freedom from it. Eventually leading him to separate from his divine body, leave the Boundary, and entering into the world.

From there be begins to plot against the Master Unit but begins to develop peculiarities unfit for a god. He takes a preferred human form instead of something more divine, he develops an interest in playing music, he in a physical body has a taste in something as simple as boiled eggs. And while it more than likely meant he enjoys watching human suffering this quote from his Spirit form from BBDW could mean he just enjoys watching people be people and live their lives if taken especially generously.

“Even in this kind of shitty, incomplete state, there's one thing that's good about it. And that would be...just being able to watch lives.”

At the same time though everything in the world is still of the Master Unit’s making and thus he’s still it’s prisoner. He will find no peace of mind while within his sister’s palm. And so he resents and seeks to destroy his sister’s creations. He will hold unto his birthright as a god even as he has no comfort from it. He hates and looks down upon the humans he finds pleasure in imitating. He’ll spend countless years waging a war against his sister and undo her creation so he can make it as he sees fit because his persecution complex prevents him from anything else! So long as Amaterasu is he will never be free and he will resent her and her creations! And he will envy her for her and status and envy her creations who can feel at peace while he is both god and slave and what comforts he can have will in the end taste of ash upon his tongue!

It becomes rather fitting he motifs himself as a serpent as they can be associated with the sin of envy. He hates what he cannot have or be a part of. Terumi wants the world and human comforts but will only have it if it’s his way. However petulant and hypocritical it may be.

[mangocoal]

Happy birthday, Ragna!

[mizukagami-takamagahara]

Art of Ragna from Mori's Twitter, 2020