#but have also loved hearing the perspective of those who have been fans for such a long time

[mobius-m-mobius]

Hi, it's the “love is a dagger” anon again! I hope you're having an amazing day! Firstly, I wanted to say thank you so much for making the gifset I requested!!

Secondly, I wanted to point out how, judging by their shape and design, the daggers Mobius had in his locker and gave to Loki for protection in 1x2 were most likely the same ones Loki lost to the Bifrost on the sacred timeline. The daggers, just like Loki, were once lost to time and space but then they were found and cherished by Mobius. It takes the entire metaphor to a whole new level and further cements the fact that the quote is specifically in relation to lokius. 🥺

You don't have to if you don't want to, of course, but a gifset of this connection between the daggers in the Loki series and the daggers in the Thor movies and how they relate back to lokius would be very nice to see, especially with how beautiful your gifsets always are!!

Hey again 🗡️ anon, lovely to hear from you!! The day has been a great one so far, hope the same for yours and had a wonderful time making your set 🥰

Completely agree with your observation about the daggers Mobius kept and tried to return to Loki being the ones lost on the sacred timeline, then considering what we know about how the TVA frowned upon personal artifacts or really anything at all to define individualization or connection outside work it means all the more for Mobius to have made a point of seeking out one of the few items Loki found comfort and identity in to treasure 🥺

As to your new request, first of all tysm for the compliment about my gifs, it's truly appreciated and I'd be more than happy to build on more Lokius parallels but (and I always feel a little sheepish confessing this LOL) I've... not actually seen any Thor movies, or hardly any of the MCU outside a bit of phase 1 + The Avengers and some clips involving Bruce and Vision so the irony of being caught up waiting for glimpses of Mobius for eternity isn't lost, trust me 😅😂 If you have any specific scenes or moments from the movies in mind though please feel free to let me know!

[batshit-auspol]

have we talked about the woolworths debacle yet?

Sigh.

Alright kids strap in, because the culture wars are back and stupider than ever.

So there are two characters you need to be familiar with in this story before we continue:

Woolies (i.e. Woolworths) - One of two supermarket chains in Australia. Not related to the giant Woolworths chain that used to exist overseas, other than the Aussie one swiped the name because the original forgot to trademark the name 'Woolworths' here. Biggest company in Aus, and also the biggest employer. Not a brand anyone with more than two braincells would pick a fight with.

Peter Dutton - Man with less than two braincells, and current leader of the political opposition in Australia. Best known for bearing a passing resemblance to a potato and once demanding that a homophobic song get played for balance when a football halftime show performed 'Same Love'. His reputation is so bad that if you told an Australian that Dutton's favorite pastime was drowning puppies, they probably would believe you.

And to prove our point, here's the best headline a friendly newspaper could come up with to try spin his image:

The third thing you need to know is that in Australia we have a national holiday called "Australia Day" which is basically a scheduled day for everyone to get into a giant argument.

This is because for the last 30ish years it has been held on the anniversary of the British claiming the land around Sydney as a colony which was:

a) More the founding of an English prison then the founding of Australia, and more importantly

b) from the perspective of the people who were already living here, kindof a very shit day

Now not everyone agrees on this, and even those that don't 'celebrate' will often still have a get together with friends, but it can't be denied that we've shifted a long way from the days when the country used to celebrate Australia Day by kitting ourselves out in Aussie flag budgie smugglers, drinking enough beer to drown Harold Holt, and partying like it's 1789.

(Now a brief break for a real photo of Peter Dutton at a press conference)

Good luck sleeping tonight. Anyway back to the story.

As a result of this shift away from the trend of showing your patriotism by wearing Australian flag underpants, this year Woolworths decided that they were no longer going to be rolling out their box of southern cross thongs - on the grounds that "this kitschy shit never sells" and they are far too busy with more important things like blaming price gouging on inflation and installing self-checkout machines that think your canvas bag is a crime against humanity.

Never a man to miss an opportunity to act like a massive twat, upon hearing that Woolies had dumped their flag merch, Peter Dutton rushed onto the airwaves to declare that Woolworths had "gone woke" (paging 4chan circa 2009) and called for the country to boycott the store, a story which Australia's media have gleefully put on loudhale for over a week now in order to drive outrage clicks.

We at this point remind you that Woolworths is a company which, as we previously mentioned, basically has a monopoly on selling food in this country. Not exactly something you can boycott.

(Another real Dutton photo break)

Needless to say Dutton's dumbass plan did not immediately put Woolies out of business, however the relentless media campaign by Rupert Murdoch's minions did result in a bunch of innocent low-wage floor staff being harrassed by The Dark Lord's fanboys and a few Woolies stores were graffitied.

Allegedly being the 'free market' guy, Dutton also kindof snookered himself by demanding the free market not decide the fate of Australia day, but logic was never one of his strong suits.

Anyway, in the end we're just going to keep having this dumb circular argument every year, fulled by a media who love fanning the flames, until a politician has the guts to shift the date to May 8 (pronounced m8), and everyone promptly forgets this was ever a thing.

All in all, that's the long and the short of it. As a final touch we'll leave you with this real tweet by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, in all its batshit glory.

We look forward to the absolute dumpster fire of comments this post is going to generate - as is the Australia Day tradition.

[lilislegacy]

Are you aware of the hate you are getting right now for defending percabeth in that one cotg post? I’m sorry :(

Why yes, yes I am. I've received some lovely asks over the past few hours (not that it's anything new)

It's okay though because I deserve it, on some level. I started it by responding critically to an individual's post. That is not something I have ever done before, and I knew that by doing it, I could receive some serious backlash. I signed up for it. So don't be sorry! I need to learn to to work through comments like these.

Hear me when I say this: People who don't like percabeth and don't like Annabeth are NOT bad people. Oftentimes, I find the reasons how they justify it to be quite problematic, which I have talked a lot about, but that is just my own personal perspective. I'm not ashamed to post my opinions on here and point out things that I find problematic, but my intention is never to hurt, offend, or criticize individuals.

So, I don't regret what I posted and I stand by it. That said, I was a bit aggressive, and the way they all responded to me could have been a lot worse. At the end of the day, we are discussing fictional characters from children's books. It's not that deep, and I refuse to get into an online battle over it. I'm pretty sure that we all mean well. So nobody—I repeat, nobody—respond to them negatively, and especially not in my defense. Quite honestly, I'm very embarrassed that there's even an ounce of drama surrounding my name, because that is so not my intention or who I am as a person.

I love you all very much. And to the anti-percabeth and anti-annabeth fans who read this, even though we disagree on viewpoints, my intention is never to hurt any of you. I am truly sorry if I have. I try and bring different perspectives to the conversation, and sometimes I get too passionate about it and get myself in trouble lol. I am sure @fate-of-the-envious and the other posters who responded to my post are lovely people. Maybe we'd even be friends in real life. But I'm not perfect and they're not perfect and when we disagree this hard on something, there tends to be some tension. Like I said in the original post, I appreciate where they are coming from and understand what they are saying. I only hope that they can understand what I am saying, too.

I think there is so much good and so much beauty in Percy and Annabeth's relationsip. It's definitely flawed, just like the two of them are—and I think I have been pretty good about acknowledging their flaws. However, I think their ability to overcome those flaws and continue to love and protect each other, as best friends and as partners, is such a beautiful narrative. I'll never shut up about that or stop defending them. But it's okay that people disagree and I refuse to make enemies over it. So even though I have and will call Percy and Annabeth out for their downfalls, I love them and I'm gonna keep posting about why I love them. And the other side will keep posting critically about them. But overall, I'm really proud that we as a fandom can have discussions like these and listen to different perspectives, while also being passionate about how we feel.

Also, whichever side you're on, we can all agree on two things, right?

1) We love PJO, and 2) Rick needs to get it together LOL

[dalishious]

You probably already received this question way back in the day, but I feel it would be interesting to hear your current perspective on the matter now that Veilguard released.

What are your thoughts on the decision to keep Solas' romance locked to female only? (the whole Lavellan only aspect being a topic of its own I feel) Personally I just don't see Solas as considering physical sex as important anyway, especially with his spirit background in mind. Now gender might be another thing, but I still can't see it as impacting his preferance one way or another.

To go back to a more Doylist perspective.. I know the writers considered having him be open for all genders in Inquisition, but decided against it due to fear of playing into the depraved bisexual trope.

Which I find ridiculous, since Solas in no shape or form exhibits any of the characteristics associated with it, other than being in an antagonistic role. The only way I could see it being problematic at all is if he had been the only bi/pan option in the game and that is just not the case.

My canon Inquisitor is a male Lavellan and I have always considered him and Solas as having feelings for each other. To have Inquistion and now Veilguard block that possibility out is more than a little frustrating I have to say. I honestly wouldn't have minded if Veilguard had just given the option to say you romanced Solas as a male Lavellan anyway, but I know that would have caused more drama.

Hey, I'm really sorry I am only getting to this wonderful ask now! Sometimes I go through periods of putting off messages until I forget about them...

Even before the DATV revelations that Solas and the other first ancient elves went to the build-a-body workshop rather than being born of a womb, in DAI, Solas expressed a distinction between physical body and person-hood. Solas advocates that spirits are still people, even if they don't have a physical body to define them. He also has a lot of dialogue that talks about how much he admires the Inquisitor's "rare and marvellous spirit," which can easily be read as his attraction not fitting sex or gender into the equation.

It makes sense to me that spirits, and ancient elves who come from spirits like Solas, would probably have a different perspective on sex and gender than those from modern day Thedas. Like, he predates any gender and orientation-based discriminatory views in Thedas! He predates bodies period!

I agree that simply making Solas bi while keeping the rest of him as he is would not have led to any problematic biphobic tropes. But even if it did... why draw the line at Solas, but not other characters? This is the same game with Sera after all, is full of lesbophobic and transphobic writing! If the explanation was simply "we didn't have time to make animations for everyone with his character" I would understand more; Solas's romance was after all added only at the very tail-end of development iirc.

Anyway, I 100% support bi Solas, and by extension, people who make fan content of him falling in love with male or enby characters!

[ciel-phantomhives-world]

I've seen many Kuroshitsuji fans say that nobody OBVIOUSLY cares about the nameless twin because otherwise they would have asked about his whereabouts or whatever happened to him in that one month as well.

Well, let me put my 2 cents in on this. I think it's totally unfair to actually consider that as a FACT. First of all, Yana wrote the chapters till the green witch arc in such a clever way where nobody could actually tell if there are definitely 2 boys or not (unless it's the most observant ones connecting the dots together). She purposefully worded the dialogues of the characters in such a manner so that the readers don't immediately realize about a mysterious twin but also dropped random hints here and there. Otherwise where's the fun (the epic, well planned, dramatic reveal)? It's quite obvious that it was done for plot convenience and for a huge plot twist. Also, for more information about this topic, we'll just have to wait and see what happens in the future with the manga instead of treating assumptions as facts. Who knows, we might see the twins from other family members' perspective as well, just like a flashback but a more neutral one and perhaps we can learn more new information. (Unlike the flashbacks that we saw from OCiel's perspective which kinda seemed biased in some ways)

However, if we want to address this issue from the characters' perspective anyway (without taking the plot twist into account) then let's think about Madam Red. She clearly asked OCiel about what happened in that one month. But he didn't say anything, right? What can you do when somebody close to you is traumatized and doesn't want to speak about it? You may try asking them once or twice, indirectly, without mentioning the dead loved ones or anything specifically related to the trauma, so that it might be easier for the victim to open up and madam red knew that but if that doesn't work out then it's better to give it up (unless you're a cop or detective on a case then it's a different thing). It didn't work out for madam red, unfortunately. It's not like she asked about Vincent or Rachel specifically, either. But nobody points that out. Nobody says that "None of the characters asked anything about Vincent or Rachel which means they don't give a damn about them either and only cares about Ciel or blah blah blah."

Did Lizzie ask OCiel the same question about that one month? I can't remember it but even she saw the vibe OCiel was giving. Being all quiet, distant and all. She knew that asking him about his brother or anything related would only further agonize him, remind him even more of the trauma, might make him even more distant towards her and so on because everybody knew that the twins looked quite inseparable. They all probably thought that it's better to stay silent and not mention anything of the past for "Ciel's" sake. And as for Francis, Alexis and Edward, it's still a mystery about how they reacted after hearing that only "Ciel" came back 3 years back. We have yet to see their reactions.

We just know a few things about all of them. Those being:

1) they all probably assumed that the fire killed everybody that were in the mansion except Tanaka

2) then OCiel came back as Ciel and he never told anybody anything. So, again they probably assumed that either the other twin died in the fire or was with him the entire time but since he didn't come back with the twin, so he obviously died cuz he was already weak and how could he survive without anybody looking after him or guiding him? He definitely would have been with "Ciel" and the Butler, Sebastian, if he was indeed alive and so, in order to not remind "Ciel" of those awful memories, they didn't ask anything although some tried to some extent (as much as we know for now) and they sort of buried the memories just like "Ciel" did since it seemed hopeless anyway and not because they didn't care. Rather they probably cared and prioritized more about the only one that's still alive and for his wellbeing, they decided to remain quiet.

[albondiguilla007]

Bottom Tom Riddle

✨ Tom Riddle and the Quest for Vulnerability / 15k /

They found him in an old house, under the stairs. His face was pale and instantly recognisable.

aka

Auror Harry Potter has eighteen-year-old Tom Riddle bent over the table barely a day after he becomes his ward.

THE bottom Tom Riddle fic. SO SO HOT

✨ In Your Soul is Sealed a Pleasure / 22k / “So confident,” Voldemort murmured, “to be waiting here alone, this late at night.” He let a little menace seep into his tone.

The man merely smiled in return, cocky. “Oh, is this a bad area?” he said. “I hadn’t realised, what with the lack of streetlights and the not-so-distant screams. Silly me.”

***

Harry’s been sent back in time, but he’s still not worked out what it is about this specific moment that gives him the best chance to change things for the better. All he’s managed to do so far is talk to an oddly intense man in an alley and try not to get mugged.

The characterization is amazing, both Harry and Voldemort. They’re ridiculously hot and powerful, and it shows. Loved how obsessed Voldemort was with Harry.

✨A moment of your time / 10k / “I think... it’s best if you go home,” Minister Potter says softly. Tom hears the threat underneath, gentled by the man’s compassion and empathy. Go home, it says. Leave this be.

Tom feels sixteen again, discontent and disregarded. He hates it. He won’t stand for it. “And if I refuse to?” Refuses this refusal of his person. This denial of what lies between them, the mystery of those unreadable eyes, the hum of danger that dances over Tom’s skin like pinpricks of static. He has waited too long for this opportunity to slip away from him.

Hooooot

✨ A matter of Perspective / 6k / Potter shakes his head before Tom is even done talking. “I... Look, I’m sorry, but I can’t help you with this. I can’t have sex with you. It’s... physically impossible.”

Tom frowns. “Physically impossible? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means exactly what I said. I can’t have sex with you. Or anyone, really. It just doesn’t work. Don’t look at me like that, it’s the truth!”

Tom curls his lips. “Fine, if you don’t want to help me through my heat, then I suppose I’ll be gone for a while. We’ll just have to hope that the ministry won’t fall apart in the meantime.”

✨ Prizefighter / 11k / Dolohov can predict his tastes now.

Marvolo eyes up the caged, muzzled street-mongrel in his basement. Dolohov's men have done a number on him, sure, and he looks battered. But Marvolo can spot a fighter when he sees one.

And those green eyes.

"Twelve Galleons." He makes his bid. "Put him in the rings."

✨ as long as you come home to me / 5k /

What Tom Riddle and Harry Potter have is not a relationship. It is an arrangement, one where Tom comes and goes as he pleases and takes whatever he wants. Harry seems to understand without being told what to do. He sends expensive gifts to Tom’s flat: endless sweets, luxurious clothes, and rare magical baubles.

Tom provides in return. He provides a shoulder to cry on and a hole to fuck.

✨ Karma’s a bitch / 4k / Tom betrays Harry. Harry’s not happy about it.

✨ Cane Sugar / 14k

Euphoria, invincibility, power — there’s nothing quite like the rush Tom gets when he’s high on cocaine. Nothing, perhaps, except for being with Harry, who also happens to be his dealer.

“Have you ever had one of your clients suck you off, Harry?”

Breath came in shallow bursts as Tom pulled Harry's pants down to mid-thigh. Harry shook his head, his cock springing free just as Tom ran his fingers down the length. When he opened his eyes, he was looking up at the ceiling. “No one’s had the nerve to offer.”

“They mustn’t have wanted it enough.” Tom’s hand was wrapped around his cock, and Harry could feel his breath against the tip, fanning over in soft, quick huffs. Harry’s hand tightened in his hair.

✨ Hit ‘N Run / 17k / His eyes skated over the crisp lines of the stranger's bespoke robes- decidedly fancy evening wear to be clubbing in- and the large black stone set into an ugly gold ring on his middle finger. No other bands- perhaps he was unmarried, or looking to hide it.

Completely sugar-daddy material. Rich, hot and interested.

Harry threw back his drink and leaned towards the other man.

Seventeen was a ripe age for mistakes.

✨ Quid Pro Quo / 3k / Tom is a billionaire financier and buys an entire football club for the sole purpose of signing Harry Potter—the best up-and-coming striker in the British Premier League—to his team. After all, Harry has been the singular focus of Tom’s obsession for the past 20 years.

Creepy stalker Tom, we love to see it

[nekropsii]

Hello! First of all, love your work. Wonderful takes and analysis on the alpha trolls, and also i’m a big fan of sovstuck - both the text and the awesome cool art. I love that every character gets introduced with their own unique artstyle, each oozing with character :)

I wanted to ask, - and please believe that i’m asking in good faith, - about your proship dni. I’ve been seeing discourse about ‘pro/anti ship’ for ages now, but i cannot for the life of me understand what the hell either side stands for. First i hear it’s about abusive or problematic (pedo/incest) ships in general, then it’s about the difference of portrayal/endorsement of those things, then it’s something else entirely and i can never fucking understand what the hell the issue is and why it is so heated.

By no means i’m asking you to speak for the whole discourse or even for the entire ‘side’ of it - if there’s one thing i got, it’s that no one can agree on their definition of what ‘their side’ stands for. But i would like to know what meaning you put into the terms, and what kind of ‘proship’ you would like to not interact with you; i trust that you know what you believe in and are able to put it to words in a way that makes sense and doesn’t contradict itself or common sense, as i sometimes see :”)

I.. understand that since the topic is so divisive, you may get a ton of bullshit in your ask box and notes, should you choose to answer this, both from people who disagree and those who choose to misinterpret what you say. So feel free to ignore this ask if you don’t want to deal with that. Still, i do hope i can someday gain some clarity on this topic haha.

Best wishes!! thanks for what you do :)

Hello! Thank you so much, the compliments mean a lot! They really keep me going, lol!!

First of all, congratulations on formulating the most normal ask adjacent to this topic. Since it's so god damn touchy, people have a tendency to start throwing rocks no matter what "side" they're on, and no matter if they know what the hell they're talking about or not. Frankly, some of the ruckus surrounding this circus act is embarrassing. On both ends. Second of all, while this isn't something I'm an expert in, I do know more than I'd like, so I'd be happy to give my perspective, even if it's potentially a bit limited/flawed.

Thirdly, I'm putting this under a cut, for anyone who doesn't want to read all that.

Content Warning: Discussions of Shipping Discourse, Sexual Assault, Abuse, Grooming, Incest, and Pedophilia.

Let me start this by defining what the Relevant Terms mean:

Shipping: The act of pairing two or more Characters together. Though the term is derived from "Relationship", and therefore is at its core - technically, theoretically - a Neutral Term, it - conversationally, colloquially - carries extremely heavy Romantic Connotations, with a strong implication that said Romance is found to be appealing - typically in the sense of being either Cute, or Sexy. Defining this is not me trying to condescend you - One of the key questions in this discourse is what it means to "ship" something, and whether or not the term implies the shipper is condoning the material inherent to the ship.

ProShip: Essentially means "All For All Shipping". It's the personal, discourse-based identity label equivalent to the phrase "Ship And Let Ship". There's a common misconception floating around that the "Pro" in "ProShip" stands for "Problematic", rather than simply being the positive antonym to the prefix "Anti". While I find this to be a failure of basic deductive reasoning, I can also understand how the conclusion was reached - Proshippers are most commonly associated with "Problematic Content"/"Problematic Ships", and they do tend to take pride in being "Problematic" themselves. Either way, the word "Problematic" is highly associated with them and often reclaimed by them. They also call themselves "Anti-Antis" (horribly stupid label, by the way), and "ComShip(pers)", with the "Com" being short for "Complex". To my knowledge, ComShip is a sect specifically trying to get away from the baggage that the term "ProShip" holds, and away from the very real predator problem within the ProShip Community. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

AntiShip: Essentially means "Against Certain Forms of Shipping". It actually used to be a term for people who were against specific individual ships, rather than a blanket discourse label - for example, rather than someone identifying as just an "Antishipper", they would typically label themselves as "Anti-VrisMeen", or a "VrisMeen-Anti", or whatever their focus was. An important thing to note is that Antis trend Young, and they trend Traumatized. They are typically Teenagers, and their stances are largely informed by their discomfort watching Adults Sexualize Characters who share their age or younger, and discomfort watching people Sexualize some kind of Trauma they've been through - and considering their general ages, it's not unlikely that that Trauma is either Fresh or Ongoing. This is not always the case, but it's such a large amount of the AntiShip crowd, and it's acknowledged so little, that it's worth mentioning. It's a very important piece of context to me.

The general Belief Systems of both sides, as they currently stand, are as follows:

ProShip: ==> Never Harass Anyone Over Their Ships: This is the bones of their beliefs, and where everything started. Essentially, it's rude and unnecessary to send people Harassment over a Ship they enjoy, because not only could you be doing something better with your time, but also it can be pretty difficult to tell the "How/What/Why" of someone's interest in such material. ==> All Forms of Shipping Should Be Allowed, No Matter The Content: This is the meat of their beliefs, and also where the arguing starts. It's exactly what it says on the tin - Anything Goes, including Rape, Abuse, Incest, and Pedophilia. This is why the label is so touchy - many people are extremely uncomfortable with the idea of Fandom going back to its habit of uncritically normalizing + romanticizing Rape, Abuse, Incest, and Pedophilia. Part of this is due to the fact that this uncritical normalization has led to genuine, tangible harm on people in Fandom Spaces, particularly Minors. ==> Being Problematic Is Based: The skin of their beliefs. Many people wrap up Shipping Discourse in terms that make it sound like engaging in it is Political Praxis, somehow. While your stance on Shipping Discourse can certainly be telling of your Political Beliefs, in the way that your stance on literally anything can be telling of that, calling Shipping Discourse on its own some kind of Radical Political Stance is... Deeply silly, and also keeps leading to people saying "Being into Incest/Pedophilia is Queer Nature", like, unironically. I keep seeing this happen. This part of it tends to be very... Spite-driven. ==> Fiction Is Not Reality: Basically their catchphrase - nothing that happens in fiction is real, and therefore has no tangible effect on reality.

AntiShip: ==> Please Tag Your Content Appropriately And Keep It Out Of The Reach Of Minors: The bones of their beliefs. Self Explanatory, typically followed up with "and if you can't do that, don't post/make it at all". To further illustrate this, I'd like to spark any reader's memory of the times where you couldn't Google search "Fluttershy" without being lambasted with hardcore porn. No additions of "R34", or "NSFW", just "Fluttershy". There was no SFW Filters. You just had to fucking fight for your life. Being a child on the Internet is and was extremely rough. There wasn't any Official Tag Filtering on Tumblr until... I think 2017. It was dark. ==> Abuse/Rape/Incest/Pedophilia Should Not Be Considered "Shipping": The meat of their beliefs. Essentially, these are extremely heavy, delicate topics meant to be treated with respect and tact, or not handled at all. This is not possible in Shipping Content. At least, not as we currently understand it, and will likely remain understanding in that way for years to come. They argue that Fanfiction is not ever going to be on par with Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita. Which is true. They also argue that it's impossible for most Fanfictions to treat these sensitive subjects with any respect, which is... Dubious, but also fair, considering the Sturgeon's Law of it all. ==> Ewwwww...: The skin of their beliefs. Disgust. It's a whole lot of disgust. Again, worth reiterating that the bulk of AntiShippers are quite Young and/or Traumatized, and the content they are reacting to tends to be Extreme, so a gut response of disgust is... Honestly, healthy. No 15 Year Old should be stumbling upon art of a child getting frisky with their dad and going "hell yeah, brother!". Though I wish they'd handle their disgust with more tact, I find that it's just... A fair response, given their age, what their backstory tends to be, and what content they tend to be reacting to is. ==> Fiction Affects Reality: Not necessarily their catchphrase, but definitely their counterpoint to the catchphrase of ProShippers. They do not say Fiction is real, just that it does literally have a tangible effect on reality, and point to cases where this is observable. The impact Jaws had on real life sharks is a favorite, as is The Birth of a Nation, and The Turner Diaries. And, of course, the ways that the works put out by ProShippers has tangibly affected the lives of others, especially children.

It is worth noting, I am neither of these things. I do not identify as a ProShipper, nor do I identify as an AntiShipper. I identify as a Horror Writer. I have "DNI: ProShip" in my bio because their stances make me the most uncomfortable, and I have been victimized personally by members of their crowd and the result of their beliefs.

I was Groomed by an Adult ProShipper when I was 14 Years Old. She used her ideologies as a ProShipper to excuse herself and the (sexual) content she forced me to Roleplay with her, and used it to pressure me into writing more and more extreme content. I did not want to do it even at the time - it made me uncomfortable - but she made the idea of saying "No" to her... Quite scary, and like I was the one in the wrong for being uncomfortable with it. After all, Fiction Isn't Reality, right? I am not the only person I know with this experiences. I have met and spoken to countless - and I mean countless - individuals who have had similar experiences with that crowd. The sheer distrust kids and teens tend to have towards them is learned through that crowd's propensity towards grooming them. Because the celebration and normalization of that content breeds comfortability with "the real deal", and comfortability with harboring predators.

I'm sure some ProShippers have noble intentions, and don't realize what the controversy is about. I'm sure some of them are deeply out of the loop, and still think it only means "Being Anti-Harassment". But I do not care enough to give people the chance, just... For the sake of my own sanity. You understand, I'm sure. I do not think that this rift between worlds is ever going to get closed, or that these sides are going to experience amicability, because the question is nuanced and about morality itself, and one side is full of defensive, traumatized teenagers trying to keep themselves and their friends safe from what they are perceiving as legitimate threats to their safety, and the other side is full of people who just wanna jerk it to weird porn.

I'm not personally comfortable with, like, any self-identified ProShipper being near me, just due to my own experiences. Some might try to identify me as one against my will, due to the fact that I am Anti-Harassment and a Horror Writer unafraid to touch upon every single one of the aforementioned sensitive topics, but... I am simply not one, because I don't identify that way, I don't believe in their beliefs, and they creep me out, lol.

My beliefs are that people should be able to write about whatever they want, as long as they handle things with the appropriate amount of care, and as long as they keep things tagged appropriately. I think that harassing people for shipping Stridercest in fucking 2024 is lame because you could be doing literally anything else with your time, and I think shipping Stridercest in fucking 2024 is lame because you could be doing anything else with your time. Like, come on, man, it's not even interesting. They're not even doing anything interesting with it. Where are the themes? There are no themes. It's just brothers mackin' on each other whitely. Come on.

No topic should be off limits, but you should at least give it the care and respect it deserves, and you should make it interesting. Nothing is interesting on its own. Rape is not interesting on its own. Incest is not interesting on its own. Abuse is not interesting on its own. Pedophilia is not interesting on its own. Taboo subjects are not interesting on their own. They're mundane evils that happen literally every day to regular people. In writing, they need to be paired with themes, and, hopefully, with good writing. People who have been through these things deserve not only to have their trauma represented, but handled with care, and also for it to be interesting to read. They deserve to have options. They deserve to have good literature to chew on, to help them digest and cope with their own trauma. It's difficult to do that when you feel invisible to everything but the camera lens of a Fetish Pornographer, and I know many people who are suffering with the fact that their traumas seem to only ever be represented or referenced in shitty pornography.

Sure, some people cope with their own trauma by sexualizing it. I know that's the case for some ProShippers, and their reason for being within that group. But it's certainly not everyone's method of coping, and it shouldn't be the only option... Which is why I'm advocating for safe, non-fetishized exploration of extreme themes.

I think the reason why the discourse is so unclear is because "ProShip" and "AntiShip" aren't very tangible, definite belief systems, and also the talking points are evolving and maturing over time. A few years ago, the beliefs of "Antis" definitely broadly leaned more heavily towards total rejection of those themes being present in any fiction, but their arguments seem to have matured lately into "the problem is the nature of the depiction, not the presence of depiction itself".

That's all I can think of saying right now that wouldn't just be me walking in circles. And don't worry, I can definitely take the hit. I'm not sure what here could be very arguable other than semantics, or maybe a history lesson or two.

Thank you for the ask! Hope this helps!

[misskattylashes]

Alex post 2018 – some ruminations

I have been doing some thinking about the change in Alex from pre TBHC to post TBHC and I have come up with the following ruminations;

Yesterday (1 October) two things happened. The audiobook of The Unfinished Harauld Hughes by Richard Ayoade was released, and Louise posted a very awkward photo of herself and Alex, with some weird reference to an anniversary that makes no sense (but I’m not going to speculate about that). Alex provided the music for the audiobook of Harauld Hughes, and yet I don’t know one person who has listened to it, instead what are we all talking about? (me included) The photo of him and Louise.

I was there from the beginning when little Alex was being hailed as this wonderkid, a little Yorkshire tyke who wrote like Alan Bennet or Jarvis Cocker. The word ‘genius’ was banded about often. Even in the subsequent years, with all the high profile ‘romances’, the speculation about Milex, and all his image changes, people still spoke about what a great musical talent he was, but it all seemed to stop at AM5.

I’m not going to talk about TLSP because that is an equal endeavour with Miles, this is focusing purely on AM.

It was as though Tranquillity Base Hotel and Casino was like Alex finally dropping all the pretence and revealing to the world exactly what kind of genius he was….and no one liked it. From then on something in him changed. We get dramas in the press about him being a love cheat, whereas up until then he had been portrayed as a romantic who went from monogamous relationship to monogamous relationship. Suddenly he becomes this lothario, breaking hearts and causing lots of fans to become more invested in his love life than his musical output.

By the time of The Car, he had practically given up. We get a handful of studio interviews and some written pieces, and that was it. Until it has got to the point that nowadays Matt is the group’s mouthpiece. Alex can’t be bothered at all. He seems more interested in taking part in awkward pap walks and photoshoots with Louise, than he does promoting his own music. How lovely it would have been when AM was voted one of the greatest albums of all time, to hear him reflecting on it. He didn’t have to give away his secrets about subject matter, but he could have spoken about the recording process and what was happening with the other boys at the time. But nada. Matt had to do it.

It is like Alex has become his own self-fulfilling prophecy. The fans didn’t like TBHC (‘puncturing your bubble of relatability with your horrible new sound’) and it wounded him deeply, so he’s giving them little in return except things to gossip about. Let’s face facts, lots of stars have messy love-lives, but they also have high court injunctions in place that stop anyone talking about it. Even Taylor, if she’d had the threat of the law coming down on her, wouldn’t be able talk about Alex. But she’s allowed to and fuels the flames of interest in his love-life rather than his talent. Then of course we have Louise and her strange behaviour, and their weird relationship, which once again fuels speculation. Again, she could be instructed not to interact with fans, but she is allowed to come after them, creating controversy, which Alex becomes involved in without saying a word, but he gets tainted with her brush.

I always thought his troubled 2018 was down to problems with his relationship with Miles, but after a little digging around and finding stuff out, him and Miles were perfectly okay by 2018. I think their troubles were in 2017 after the intensity of EYCTE, but those two can’t stay apart for long, and that wasn’t the problem. The problem was that TBHC was the first album where Alex finally bared his soul, his ‘this is me’ moment and when people rejected it, he was hurt. Let’s not forget that Alex doesn’t know anything but being famous. AM is his world, and it’s like he loses perspective. Yes, people don’t like the new material and the direction the band is going in, and yes, probably half of the people who went to see them on tour went to scream at him, but none of that matters. Time is going to move and so are the AM fanbase. I am sure both TBHC and The Car got them new, different fans who aren’t interested in heartthrob Alex and his messed up life, but instead the beautiful music he makes and his genius with words, which is still the same as it was when he was 19.

I have a sneaky feeling AM8 will be AM5 mark ii, purely to please the fans, which is a shame because AM5 suited the time and space it was in, but not now. He should be able to make the sort of music he wants to, either solo, with Miles or AM.

Anyway, they are just the ruminations from my flu-riddled brain. In a nutshell, after TBHC Alex lost sight of himself and to quote his own lyrics, I would quite like to grab both shoulders and shake him and tell him to snap out of it.

[umathurwin]

HELLO KIARAFIA ACTUAL LOVE TRIANGLE? IM LISTENING 👁👁 - @rafescolors

i’ve been kicking this around in my head ever since i read those fan theories/rumors/whatever about a kiara-rafe-sofia love “triangle” because i have a fic brain. welcome to my latest “hear me out”—

the kiarafia love triangle ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚  ⋆˙⟡

(btw this isn’t a season 5 pitch or anything, this is just a vibes-based idea for these three to become… entangled. have fun with it)

the obvious place to start imo is with rafe. being torn between these two girls is symbolic of his two choices for handling his past and mental health; he could go with sofia, who knows nothing of what he’s done. he’s convinced her that he is normal and will be able to reap the benefits of such. a beautiful wife, a happy family, a nice house on a rich island. it’s a chance at a restart with the drawback of having to live a lie. rafe is not stable with sofia, and this isn’t her fault. she is literally unaware of her partner’s issues and can’t help him because he thinks it’s necessary to keep her. perhaps it’s the price he pays for that normality. 

the alternative, of course, is facing what he’s done and working through it. kiara knows about his past. his rage, his violence, his attempted murders and the successful one. he can’t hide from her, he can’t lie and manipulate her into believing he’s normal. so if he wants kiara, he’ll have to accept his mistakes (something he has never done) and work to atone for them. what that exactly means, i don’t know, but kiara isn’t gonna fuck around and let him get away with his rap sheet. she’s known him for a long time, and i think she would force him into becoming the man he’s capable of if he takes accountability. it won’t be easy, but then again, neither is living a lie for the rest of your life. obviously he could ultimately do neither and continue to spiral but god where’s the fun in that…?

it’s much more lighthearted from sofia’s perspective lol. her naivety about rafe means that, as far as she knows, she’s dating a wealthy, charming man who can be a little flighty and dismissive. he struggles with feelings of inadequacy in their community and has a lot to learn before he becomes the acuminous business mogul he dreams of being, but is otherwise kind and gentle with her. enticing!

now you’re like, well? sofia and kiara? what about that? and listen 🙄 it is not my fault that 1) there are ZERO confirmed lgbt characters in the entire show and 2) sofia never interacts with a woman her own age. so i’m filling in gaps here as i please. take it up with the pates

when i read that fan theory that put rafe at the center of kie and sofia, i had this intense vision of sofia meeting this gorgeous, funny, intelligent woman that she’s never met before because she’s usually slumming around with some dumbass guys in the cut, and sofia realizing that maybe the world isn’t supposed to be in n64 graphics and kiara is like putting on glasses for the first time. maybe the little sparks she’s felt with girls in the past were more than that… 

that’s right bitches. i’m force-bisexualizing sofia from outer banks. i mean, i do it already to kiara, and several other characters, but i digress. kie knows who she is, and i could see her also being instantly drawn to sofia. she’s adorable! she clearly has a big heart. but i also see this additional layer where kiara knows rafe, and if she encountered him with this cartoon lamb in his holster, she’d want to snatch her away and take this sweetheart to a new world. kiara is still technically kook— there isn’t much they couldn’t do together. 

my pitch with kiarafe is more loaded, because i have always leaned on the breadcrumbs they give us that they have a history. i don’t like to point to it like solid evidence because i think it was just an off-handed detail added to give depth to kiara’s kook past, but it did leave a door ajar that leads to so much potential. i say this because i think kiara has a personal reason to want to help rafe, even though he has done significant harm to her and her friends. it’s not that she feels it’s her fault or responsibility— she absolutely holds rafe accountable for what he’s done. but i think she truly wants to see him become the good guy she used to know, for reasons other than “stopping the evil at its source”. if you wanted to get super reductive, her role in the triangle is “do i save one corner from the other, or do i save the person i love from hurting anyone else again?”

now wouldn’t that make for captivating programming? too bad we only have one fucking season left

[mrkestis]

Brotherhood - Mike Chen

A Star Wars Book Review

(Spoiler-free with spoiler section)

Summary: The Clone Wars have begun! As battle lines are being drawn across the galaxy, a bombing devastates the neutral planet of Cato Neimoidia. When the Republic gets implicated in the attack, Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi is sent to figure out the truth.

Obi-Wan’s former Padawan, the freshly knighted Anakin Skywalker, will not follow Obi-Wan on his mission. At least, that’s the plan. When complications arise in the form of the new Separatist agent Asajj Ventress, Anakin will have to do what he does best; bend the rules to save those he love.

Rating: 4 ⭐️

My thoughts (spoiler free):

Remember when Obi-Wan says ”that thing on Cato Neimoidia doesn’t count” in Revenge of the Sith? That’s what this book is about. It’s a short and contained story about politics and character exploration with some action sprinkled in. It nicely bridges the gap between what Obi-Wan and Anakin’s relationship looks like in Attack of the Clones versus in the Clone Wars series.

This also shows Anakin and Obi-Wan’s first encounter with Asajj Ventress, which is great because I absolutely love her. We get a few chapters from her perspective, but I would’ve loved even more.

The best part of the book was the beginning, because that’s where we get all the angsty details about Anakin and Obi-Wan as well their relationships. Padmé makes some appearances, and both Satine Kryze and Qui-Gon Jinn are frequently discussed. Previous canon books are nicely referenced. I recommend this book to all Anakin and Obi-Wan fans who love the prequels and the Clone Wars series, but read Dooku: Jedi lost by Cavan Scott, Master and Apprentice by Claudia Gray and Padawan by Kiersten White before this one for the full experience!

My thoughts (SPOILERS AHEAD!!!):

The prequel angst is just never ending…

The main focus of this book is the relationship between Anakin and Obi-Wan, which is good because I feel like it can gets misinterpreted. One thing I often hear debated is wether or not Obi-Wan did a good job of raising Anakin. Their relationship was obviously rocky from the start, because Anakin was a traumatised former slave who missed his mother and didn’t fit in at the temple, and Obi-Wan was a Padawan thrust into the role of knight and master, getting no time to properly mourn Qui-Gon before taking on a child he had no idea how to raise. Of course their relationship wasn’t perfect. I’ve read quiet a few Obi-Wan centric books over the last few months, and I’ve learned that a fear of failing is a big part of his character. He promised Qui-Gon that he would train Anakin, and his fear of not living up to that promise made him try almost too hard. It wasn’t until he was relieved of the pressure of shaping Anakin into a perfect Jedi that their relationship could fully blossom. Would Qui-Gon have been a better master than Obi-Wan to Anakin? Yeah, probably. Because he was an adult prepared for the task, and his way of viewing the force might have fit Anakin better. But was Obi-Wan a bad master? Absolutely not. He did the best he could considering the circumstances.

When it comes to Anakin, it’s made abundantly clear that his core motivation is how much he cares. It’s his greatest strength and his biggest weakness, and Obi-Wan knows this. When Anakin was his Padawan he felt a responsibility to temper his impulses and lecture him on his feelings, but now that Anakin has become a Knight and an equal he hesitates to do this. Obi-Wan knows about Anakin’s feelings for Padmé (he’s shit at hiding it) and he knows something happened on Tatooine with Shmi that Anakin isn’t telling him about. But ultimately he decides that he trust Anakin to do the right thing, and he will not lecture him or push him about the things he’s doing ”wrong”. Is Obi-Wan right to do this? Trusting Anakin makes their relationship stronger and makes Anakin feel more stable and secure, he’s got a trusted friend and brother now instead of a lecturing master, but not outright talking about Padmé and Shmi might’ve worked in Palpatine’s favour. Interesting things to think about.

It’s always nice to get a look into Anakin’s head. Something that doesn’t really translate to the movies and shows where we don’t get his inner monologue, is how much he constantly thinks about Tatooine and his mother. It isn’t just something that comes up occasionally, it influences every single decision he makes. Padmé is also constantly on his mind, and is ultimately his top priority whom he would anything for. And that my friends is why Jedi aren’t supposed to have attachments.

I love the metaphor of Anakin as the sun-dragon. I mean just look at these quotes:

”Because the sun dragon had the biggest heart in the galaxy, a furnace of flames powerful enough to protect everything and everyone it loves. The strongest heart – stronger than the heart of a star.”

“He was the sun-dragon, with a heart more powerful than a star. He could do anything if he just cared enough. No. He would do anything. He would do everything.”

“This was Anakin Skywalker, the one who would simply find a way.”

“And now she saw into his very essence – a smouldering furnace of a heart, a passion so furious that the intensity of his feelings might be the very thing to incinerate himself into his worst nightmare: a cold, withered dragon’s final grasp for control, it’s brilliant home burned away into a lifeless lump of minerals.”

We also get a look into exactly how force sensitive Anakin is. Other Jedi have to concentrate and actively tap into the force, but for Anakin it’s instinct. He’s the eye of the storm, the center of a force malstrom. He senses so much all the time, and that has to affect his emotional state. It must be very overwhelming, especially for someone who cares as much as Anakin does and who doesn’t have the control drilled into Jedi younglings since they were infants.

There are so many Satine mentions! Obi-Wan has kept an eye on Satine ever since they parted, reading transcripts of her speeches rather than watching them because he gets too emotional when he sees her face. Satine seems to look out for news about Obi-Wan as well. His love for Satine is also another reason why he doesn’t lecture Anakin about his feelings for Padmé. He would feel like a hypocrite considering he was ready to leave the order for Satine at a similar age.

It’s also implied that Obi-Wan talks about his love life with Dex. They seem to be closer friends that I thought, and I wonder what happened to Dex after the fall of the Republic. Another Obi-Wan thing I have to adress is how he reacts to becoming a master and getting a seat on the council. He feels unworthy, and thinks about how Qui-Gon turned down a council seat in order to remain Obi-Wan’s Padawan.

Qui-Gon Jinn is surprisingly present in the story. Both Obi-Wan and Anakin reflect on how Qui-Gon would’ve reacted to and solved situations, and Anakin even senses his presence in the force but thinks he imagined it. It’s also interesting to see just how much of an impact Qui-Gon had on Anakin, given that they only knew each other for a very short time.

There were a few fun cameos, like Quinlan Vos, Jaro Tapal and Cal Kestis (my beloved). In the chapter directly after mini Cal appears, Palpatine talks about how Padawans should be integrated into the military… yeah fuck that.

The subject of the Jedi becoming part of the military was handled very well. We get to see just how much the order changed when the war began, and how devastating the battle of Geonosis was. Sidious’ plan is so horribly genius, because even when the Jedi are doing the right thing by defending innocent and fighting for peace, they are losing. As long as the war exist they are losing. That could be some real word commentary, but star wars isn’t political…right?

The character Mill Alibeth is a way for the author to show that war and conflict is inherently in opposition to the Jedi way, even if they should be fighting for peace. Her becoming a Jedi healer instead of working towards becoming a knight is a nice way of saying that there are other ways to make a difference in the conflict. Her character also allowed us to see that when Anakin isn’t turning to the dark side and murdering younglings, he’s actually pretty good with kids. That’s not sad at all.

My only real complaint is the characterisation of Mace Windu. It’s so easy to just make him the angry Jedi who dislikes Anakin, but there’s so much more to his character. He only has a small role in the book though, so ultimately it’s a minor complaint.

Here’s a list of some fun little details:

- Anakin watches Podracing in his free time.

- Anakin gave his Padawan braid to Padmé.

- Obi-Wan drinks his caff straight black.

- There’s a Jedi named D’urban Wen-Hurd who uses two shoto lightsabers almost like daggers.

- Obi-Wan cut his mullet because Anakin made fun of it one time.

[aerithisms]

i think my problem with this dw season arc accusing the audience of fanbrain for theorising about ruby is that it both feels deceitful and isn't actually that compelling from a character perspective. the season goes out of its way to build up supernatural mystery around ruby and even invokes susan more heavily than ever before in a way that is deliberately trying to get the audience to make those connections. and then it turns around and says you stupid idiot why would you ever try to connect these dots i have deliberately tried to get you to connect.

building up a mystery only for the character to be ordinary is an impossible girl arc redux only this time accusing the viewer of failing to see the humanity of the companion, whereas the impossible girl arc was turning that accusation on the doctor. 7b didn't really blame the audience for viewing clara as a puzzle and in fact several times spells out the fact that clara is perfectly ordinary before the big reveal to give the audience a chance to catch on. as 7b goes on, instead of laying the mystery on thicker, the audience just gets more and more affirmations that clara is a normal human being (rings of akhaten, journey to the centre of the tardis, hide). i found this approach compelling because it was rooted in character, focusing on the doctor's disconnection from humanity/the gendered dynamic of a man treating a woman as his manic pixie mystery to pull him out of grief. s14's meta approach of accusing the viewer feels both unfair, given it has deliberately led the viewer towards theorising, and personally less compelling to me because it wasn't tied into character in any way.

the thing about rey's parentage in tlj is that the reason rian johnson chose to go for that reveal was that it was the only answer that was interesting. none of the theories - rey is a skywalker, rey is a kenobi, and even the eventually canonical rey is a palpatine - were interesting or satisfying because they brought nothing compelling to the table for the story being told. the only satisfaction to be gained from those answers was a fanbrained "omg rey is important because she's related to that guy from the other movie." on top of that, rey desperately wants her parents to have been important, to give her life and her abandonment some kind of significance. so them being ordinary provided the most compelling trajectory for her character because it was the thing she least wanted to hear. it forced her to do the most introspection and growth, as well as tying into the film's themes about the capacity of ordinary people to be special. it wasn't just a choice made to "gotcha" the viewer, it was rooted in character.

i don't think ruby's mother being ordinary accomplishes the same thing. by invoking susan, s14 is engaging with the most egregious example of the doctor's streak of abandonment, which has potential to be very compelling in relation to ruby (and now also the doctor's) own abandonment issues. theories that ruby might be susan, or be somehow related to susan, or somehow related to the doctor, weren't just fanbrained "omg she's related to that guy i know from the classic series." they were theories genuinely rooted in character and the potential to explore both the doctor and ruby's issues with abandonment. and this is something the show willingly led fans towards by invoking susan so much in the first place. so for the show to turn around and act like they were shallow out of nowhere ideas when they were not shallow and were based on potential character conflicts the show itself deliberately invoked, feels misguided.

as well as that, ruby's mother being ordinary does not require that same growth from ruby as it did for rey because it is exactly what ruby wanted to hear. she never wanted her mother to be important, she just wanted to know who her mother was and have a connection with her. so finding out she was a normal woman who still loves her and wants to be a part of her life is everything she's ever wanted. it doesn't introduce interesting conflict for her the way rey's parents being ordinary did for her, because they were written as different characters with different hangups over their abandonment.

tl;dr i don't necessarily dislike ruby's mother being ordinary as an idea but compared to the things it was inspired by - 7b and star wars - it is not nearly as compelling in terms of how it relates to the characters or themes. and the meta angle, while conceptually interesting, doesn't quite work for me because it feels a little manipulative of the audience.

[shieldstable]

Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns will temporarily align, and here's why it would make it sense (from a writing perspective)

Look, we've all been burned by bad writing somehow Palpatine returned -and the WWE writers are known for their whims. And maybe, I'm picking up on strays that no one is consciously putting down, but maybe, just maybe! — so here is my batshit off the wall prediction for the upcoming storylines. With some textual analysis as back up.

If my predictions are somewhat correct, I'm booking a one-way ticket to Delphi. If not, please imagine this as a fun thought experiment.

And I know this sounds like the hopeful ramblings of a fan with too much nostalgia for The Shield, but please hear me out (also, I think Seth and Roman are the most fun when they're feuding, so...)

TL;DR at the end.

1. Chekov's Shield Bomb

This is about picking up what the writers/Seth have been putting down — and what they are putting down is Chekov's Shield Bomb. Especially in the built-up to WM41, Seth's has been big on mentioning The Shield and their history. It's only natural, in a feud between Punk, Roman, Seth with Paul Heyman in the mix it makes sense to mention eleven years of history and animosity.

And yes, Seth has made references before. Notably Royal Rumble 2022, WrestleMania XL. The big difference is, is those moments were created as a distraction/mind games against Roman. The current route they're taking is more nostalgia invoking. Seth keeps trying to get Roman to remember how great they were (are/could be) together.

He keeps mentioning Dean/Mox a lot (would love for Mox to come back, but given that he's at AEW I have low hopes). He keeps talking about how Paul Heyman brought Seth, Roman, and Dean together. The entire built-up to WrestleMania was filled with Seth loudly and proudly proclaiming it's about him and Roman — and together they can take out Punk. Seth went as far as begging Roman to please do a Shield Bomb with him, which at that point Roman nearly accepted but ultimately declined. Chekov, meet the loaded gun.

And sure, with so many storylines being set-up all the time, not everything might be used. But if I were writing a story, or even reading a book — I would underline that stuff and call it heavy-handed foreshadowing. From WWE's standpoint, it's also a smart thing to do. Not only does it serve as foreshadowing, it also serves perfectly as a primer for people's actual nostalgia around The Shield and as a way to measure people's reactions online before (hopefully) actually committing.

And well, if you show the gun, you gotta pull the trigger.

2. 2 vs 3

Right now, the biggest problem Seth's faction has, is that Seth and Bron are outnumbered. As I'm writing this (May 14th) Bron and Seth (and okay, Heyman) had to powder twice already because Sami, Punk and Jey clearly have more combined manpower. Obviously, if Seth needs to expand his operation, he needs to rally more troops.

WWE can use this open job-application to promote new talent (and imo they probably should, given how old the average age in the men division is atm). But, if Roman comes back, and he aligns with Sami and Punk, then it becomes 2 vs 4 and they need yet another guy.

For an interesting story, it is probably also a good idea to get someone who can be put into heavy contrast with Bron Breakker. Bron is doing Seth and Paul's bidding without question, almost blindly in awe. Adding a second guard-dog wouldn't do much. Now, adding someone who is actually wise to Seth's ways, who has their own agenda and who Seth views more or less (a little bit on the less) as an equal? That would work.

3. The great Wiseman heist of 2025

Punk, Seth and Roman have had this huge 3 way feud with a climax at WrestleMania. If they continue this as a 3 way feud, after Seth has been crowned the winner, then what was the point? To brawl forever and ever and your wins never matter because next week you're in the same fight? Ideally, you move on from that in new and interesting ways. We've already had the Punk and Roman alliance during war-games, and I wouldn't want to rehash that if I were writing this. Roman's recently aligned with Punk, and look where that got him? A favour owed and a Wiseman that left him. Punk’s betrayal and Wiseman-heist is probably more freshly on his mind than Seth's steel chair, a near 11 years ago.

CM Punk and Roman Reigns on the same side again — that should be out.

4. The Bloodline is in shambles

Okay, I hear you — there's a bunch of logical set-up but why would the Tribal Chief even want to align himself with what is basically his bitch ex-wife arch-nemesis.

Well — what else has Roman got left?

Roman got his Ula Fala back, he is acknowledged as the tribal chief but right now, in the WWE universe, who is there to rule? Jey got out earlier, and has a title over him (rude) Solo and Jacob Fatu already started their own faction which is also falling apart as we speak. Jimmy's on Smackdown and at this point in time will likely side with his brother if given the choice.

But Seth? Remember point 1! Seth has already said many times that it's him and Roman forever. He's said that he hates Punk, but that he loves Roman. Everything Seth does to Roman, comes from a place of (twisted, fucked up, unhealthy) love.

At the very least, Seth's not Punk.

And Seth's got an ego, thinks he's smarter than everybody else. Al Roman needs to do is grovel a little bit and Seth will say "I told you so" and then welcome him with open arms. And hell, Seth's even got Roman's ex-girlfriend Paul Heyman. Which, Paul still acknowledges Roman at the OTC.

5. Steel chair part 2 electric boogaloo

Roman probably wants his power back. Be the top-dog again, get his title back. The quickest way to accent to power is to align with the new regime, throw your unique set of skills into the mix and help cement the new Bloodline Vision as a force to be reckoned with. There will be constant tension between Roman and Seth (and Heyman) as they bid for the leadership position, but ultimately Roman relents.

Well, until...

The thing with being in power is, it makes you vulnerable to coups. In a beautiful reversal of what has happened in the past — Seth lets his guard down around Roman just enough. And Roman will take Seth down with a steel chair — take bake his girlfriend Wiseman and is back on top. Perfect way to give The Roman Reigns somehow an underdog storyline again and bank on that sweet, sweet nostalgia in a moment that is sure to go internet viral.

Death, taxes, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns hitting each other with a steel chair.

TL;DR: The writers have been setting up a lot of nostalgia for The Shield, they could be cashing in on. Adding Roman to Seth's new cult would add an interesting dynamic and solve some logistical issues. For Roman, it makes sense to rise to power this way and commit a coup later to instal himself as the new-new top dog again — and yes, there will be inevitable steel-chair related betrayal.

[callixpene]

L&DS Future Lifetime Series - PART 2: FOURTH CONVERGENCE

Note: Starting from Part 2, some or all of the Love Interest's perspectives will be meshed together.

MASTERLIST for Part 1 is here(In case you haven't read it): ALL LIs - PART 1: WE MEET AGAIN

The previous part to this fic is here: XAVIER & SYLUS POV - PART 2: THIRD CONVERGENCE

The next part to this fic is here: ALL LIs POV: FIFTH CONVERGENCE

RAFAYEL, ZAYNE & CALEB - PART 2: FOURTH CONVERGENCE

Rafayel X OC. Zayne X OC. Caleb X OC.

Set in Future Timeline. All Love Interests have no memories of their past lives. All of the MCs(5 Sisters) all have memories of their past lives. Very persistent LIs. Avoidant MCs. Love at first sight. Soulmates.

Genre: Fluff, Some Angst

"Care to tell me why you lot are causing a ruckus in my lobby?"

Steven Kingsley's expression was the perfect picture of indifference, one wouldn't be able to tell what he was about to do next.

Rafayel stood in the center of Mr. Kingsley's inordinate office, feeling somewhat agitated.

Beside him, were the two men who had reprimanded him earlier for being 'troublesome' towards the receptionist.

One of them had jet black hair, green eyes, and he was wearing a simple long-sleeved black button up with dark pants.

The other one had brown hair, purple eyes(somewhat similar to his own, but Rafayel concluded his irises were still far superior to his) and he was dressed in a simple corporate suit, as if he were here for some job interview.

Clearly, these two have no fashion sense whatsoever, he thought. Rafayel wouldn't be caught dead in either of those outfits.

"If none of you are going to speak up, I'm going to have to tell my security to drag you all out of the premises, then I'll have your faces plastered on the gates and tell the keepers not to let any one of you enter this place again."

Mr. Kingsley held his palm up when he detected that the three of them were about to start rambling their reasons out in unison. "One at a time, please." He said in an exasperated tone.

"Fine then, I'll go first." Rafayel said, before the others got a chance to speak.

"My name is Rafayel, Sir. I'm a painter with my own art studio, Mo Art Studio, perhaps you've heard of it, it's located at Whitesand Bay. I'm here to see your daughter, Nerissa. She was at my Art Exhibition earlier, and in her haste, she dropped her handbag." Rafayel lifted the handbag to show Mr. Kingsley that he was telling the truth. "I wanted to return it to her myself, because.... because...I didn't trust anyone else to do it. You know....with her credit cards and IDs here and all! Pretty important and confidential stuff! Oh, and I also kind of wanted to personally thank her for attending my Exhibition. That's the reason I'm here."

Rafayel was silently praying that Mr. Kingsley would buy his lame excuse to see his daughter unannounced like this. Beads of sweat were forming on his brow when Mr. Kingsley's expression did not shift one bit.

Beside him, the black haired man pinched the top of his nose bridge and shook his head slightly, as if in disapproval.

The brown haired man on the other hand, discreetly covered his mouth and looked as if he were suppressing a small laugh.

These Goddamn jerks!

Rafayel shot them both with a ticked off look.

"Mr. Rafayel. From Mo Art Studio. I know who you are. My daughter, Nerissa has been a very big fan of you and your work for years now." Mr. Kingsley replied.

Rafayel immediately turned to face him upon hearing this. "She has?"

"Yes. In fact, all of her spaces at our home are furnished with some of your paintings."

"But...but if she was a fan of my work, if she was a fan of me, why did she seem so...so uncomfortable with me?" Rafayel asked no one in particular. He felt his chest ache as he recalled how she practically shoved him, to get away from him.

Mr. Kingsley sighed. "You see....All of my daughters have been through things no one should have ever gone through, especially as children. It took many, many, years to heal their hidden wounds, one by one. Unfortunately, there are some wounds, that will leave deep scars, forever. It is only with time, that one will find the strength to face those that have caused those wounds in the first place." He said, as his gaze lingered on each one of them.

Rafayel and the brown haired man both faced him bearing the same expression - deep concern and frantic questioning.

What had happened to the sisters?

To Nerissa?

"Jasmine told me." Zayne said, and they all turned to face him. "About what happened to them."

*****

"I also know who you are: Dr. Zayne, a renowed cardiac surgeon from Akso Hospital. Because of your immense expertise in cardiothoracic surgery, and your exceptional reputation as a doctor, I personally chose you as Jasmine's new primary care physician. I wanted to ensure she had the best doctor looking after her." He paused. "How much...did he tell you exactly?"

"She said that when she and her sisters were children, they were all experimented on, and five fragments of an Aether core had each been imbedded in their hearts."

"Experimented?!"

"Who the hell would do such a thing?!"

Caleb and the other man, Rafayel, exclaimed aloud, clearly taken aback with this crucial bit of information, about the women they so dearly cared about.

Zayne continued: "Jasmine said you had all the fragments removed, then you had them all destroyed. I fully understand why you had done so. Those cores will bring nothing but trouble."

"Is that all she told you?"

"Yes Sir." Zayne nodded. "She told me, because it seems that the core's implantation in her heart when she was young was likely the reason why she'd been experiencing substantial chest pain for days."

"Dr. Zayne." Mr. Kingsley said. "Please make sure Jasmine gets better. What she didn't tell you was, the fragment implanted within her in particular was the largest amongst all the ones imbedded within all my daughters. I often worry, because she is the only one who has continued experiencing these symptoms long after the fragments have been removed. Please make sure you heal her." Mr. Kingsley replied in a somber tone, but there was a subtle stress in the way he enunciated the word 'heal' as he said that to Zayne.

Zayne nodded his head in response. "As her primary care physician, I will ensure that she will always be at the best of health, as long as she is in my care." And in future, as her lover, he would always ensure that he would take care of her to the best of his ability, so she will never fall ill again, or fall into despair, again.

"So why come here all of a sudden Dr. Zayne? I was informed that her next checkup with you was a week from now."

Zayne's gaze turned towards the bouquet of jasmines he brought with him, it lay atop the marble accent table where he had placed it. Then, he faced Mr. Kingsley, his expression as determined as ever. "I've come to see your daughter, personally, bouquet in hand, on a day where I am currently not clocked in as her doctor." He paused, then bowed fully at Mr. Kingsley. "Surely Sir, you already understand what my intentions are."

Mr. Kingsley was silent for a moment, as if he were assessing the situation. Then, he simply uttered:

"I see."

Then, as Zayne fixed his stance, Mr. Kingsley's gaze shifted towards Caleb.

"Now you. What do you have to say for yourself, pilot?"

*****

"Sir." Caleb started. "I was here for the interview, to be one of your engineers. I will wait for the notification of when the new schedule will be."

Sure, he was in front of Mr. Kingsley right now, but there were entirely different matters being discussed at hand at the moment.

He will have to force his whole being to wait another couple of weeks, in his estimation, for the interview schedule. And he could bear it, he thought, so long as he could still see Lilian by befriending her, so could still be around her at the very least.

His initial plans would have to take a backseat for now, as the first step(getting the job as an Aerospace Engineer)already proved to be quite the bottleneck. He was willing to wait for any length of time, as long as it guaranteed that Lilian will be by his side at the very end of it all.

"Interview? No, you might have misunderstood. There was no interview to be had with you." Mr. Kingsley replied to him.

Caleb's heart dropped to its stomach.

NO. No. He can't have been mistaken. This can't be, his plans-

"With your credentials, top of the class of the Aerospace Academy, as well as all the recommendations from your instructors and praises I've heard from the higher ups at the DAA, I've already decided to give you the position. You will be working directly under me, by the way. I expect great things from you."

Caleb's horror immediately dissolved.

Now, he was absolutely ecstatic.

He definitely was God's favorite, he thought, at this moment in time.

"Thank you so much Mr. Kingsley!" This time, he was the one who bowed fully, in gratitude. "I swear I will never let you down!"

"Also," Mr. Kingsley said, as Caleb stood upright, "I thank you, for bringing my youngest, Lilian, back home safely. That daughter of mine, she's very delicate. I worry about her a lot as well."

Caleb's heart fluttered and his face flushed at the mere thought of his Lilian.

"Well.....is that all you're going to say, boy?"

Caleb was confused. "I...I beg your pardon Sir?"

Mr. Kingsley strode towards them.

"That one" Mr. Kingsley said as he pointed to Rafayel. "Is here to see my daughter, Nerissa. Then that one." This time, he pointed at Zayne. "Is here to see my daughter, Jasmine." Then, for the first time during this entire exchange they had, Mr. Kingsley smiled slightly. "And judging by the obvious lovelorn expression your face shifted into the moment I said my youngest's name, clearly it seems you've come here, for Lilian."

Caleb gulped.

Oh, he certainly hit the nail on the coffin.

Mr. Kingsley crossed his arms in front of them all. "Three admirers, pining for each of my daughters. It's rather difficult being a father isn't it?" He asked no one in particular. " I'll tell you boys what, head back to the lobby and talk to the two men you all saw came down with me earlier over there."

The blond man, and the one with the white hair, Caleb recalled.

"I gave both of them a challenge. And now, you three will have to go through the exact same thing. Hopefully, at least one of them will bother to let you know what you need to do. The clock is ticking after all." Then, Mr. Kingsley smirked. "Because I am not telling you all more than that."

FOURTH CONVERGENCE IS OUT😁🫶

Please stay tuned for the last of Part 2, Fifth Convergence. Hopefully in this one, all 5 LIs' perspectives will fit🙏

Thank you so much to everyone reading this series❤️

I hope you're all enjoying it🥹

Tell your thoughts in the comments what you think of this series so far.

It will be highly appreciated💜🩵🩷❤️🧡

[reikorun]

KlubOutside Q&A 1-100 [Translation]

Translated by @reikorun

Q1.

2021.01.18

Could you tell us if there was any music, for instance, which became the basis for the image of each character in BTW?

A1.

I'll write about it in the set list section at some point.

Q2.

2021.01.18

How can I be a mangaka for Shueisha?

A2.

You can make a submission to Jump-mangasho. All Jump editors can speak English.

Q3.

2021.01.18

Could you give us the details around how you came up with the word "Bankai"?

A3.

Before the serialization of BLEACH, I tried to use the word "卍殺伏龍砲" (Bansatsu-Fukuryuhō) in another manga, I repurposed it from there. 

Q4.

2021.01.18

Right now, what game are you absolutely hooked on? 

A4.

Towards the end of this year, I was playing an absurd amount of Zelda Musou (Hyrule Warriors).

Q5.

2021.01.18

Is there any possibility that unrevealed Zanpakutō or Bankai will be introduced in some form in the future?

A5.

If there is a place where I feel it would be acknowledged by a good deal of readers with a suitable number of pages then I would like to draw them someday.

Q6.

2021.01.18

Are there any comedians that you have been enjoying lately, sensei?

A6.

Tokyo Hoteison and Tontsukatan.

Q7.

2021.01.18

Did Sensei come up with the idea for a fan club himself, or was it proposed by the editorial department?

A7.

This was originally a project that a former editor, who is currently working in the web department, brought forward because he wanted to work with me.

Q8.

2021.01.18

Please tell us your dog's name!

A8.

It's "Uni".

Q9.

2021.01.18

In the anime version of BLEACH, the costume designs of some characters such as Soi Fon, Yoruichi-san and Harribel-sama were different from the original work, what did you think about that?

A9.

Back in those days, there was a rule within Jump that "only works which have finished serialization will be made into late night anime." However, nowadays you can ask them to broadcast it late at night and stay true to the original work. By the way, ALPHAxOMEGA's Harribel figurine is based on the original work.

Q10.

2021.01.18

Regarding Gin, rather than a Kyoto dialect, is that an Osaka dialect with a touch of Kyoto?

A10.

That's correct.

Q11.

2021.01.25

I would like to know what it was that Renji wanted to hear from Urahara-san after turning up in the Human World during the Arrancar Arrival arc, even going so far as to do chores for him!

A11.

"Why did you choose Rukia as the hiding place for the Hōgyoku?" Kisuke told him half truth and half lie, but Renji was satisfied with it.

Q12.

2021.01.25

By some chance, I wonder if Kubo-sensei was actually the originator of Whiskrs STORE? 

A12. 

I am the originator. This is a brand that aims to put out merchandise in which I am involved in everything from conception to completion. 

Q13. 

2021.01.25

Tite Kubo-sensei, when you think about a character, do you also think about colors at the same time? Or, how do you decide the colors?  

A13.

It's pretty much done at the same time. In such cases, the color scheme is determined at the line drawing stage so there is no need to deliberate over how it should look.

Q14.

2021.01.25

What are your favorite sweets?

A14.

Inamura Shozo and Toshi Yoroizuka. I loved their Mont Blanc and mille-feuille but I can no longer find either of those anymore.

Q15.

2021.01.25

Kubo-sensei, could you tell us from your own perspective how to go about creating characters so that readers can empathize with them and find them compelling?

A15.

What's important is whether or not that character has a unique mindset which sets them apart from other characters, so it's not that I think it's necessary to empathize with a character.

Q16.

2021.01.25

Why is the phrase "nandato" (*"what did you say?") used so frequently in BLEACH?

A16.

At the time, there were many works with distinctive catchphrases for characters, so this was an experiment to create a catchphrase for the work rather than the characters, thereby giving the work itself its very own personality. I then put it to work as dialogue that does not compromise the individuality of each character, even when multiple characters are using it.

Q17.

2021.01.25

In BLEACH, "BAD SHIELD UNITED" is brought up as a Human World 'movie' but does Mille really end up dying? Since the speaker is Mizuiro, it's hard to tell whether it's his usual dark humor towards Keigo or if he's serious, I've been curious about that for quite some time. 

A17.

She dies. My first editor from back then (who was also my editor at the time of BSU) also said to me "I'm shocked though…." 

Q18.

2021.01.25

In BURN THE WITCH, there were often color illustrations which were colored digitally, but around what time did you start trying digital coloring? 

A18.

I started from BTW. As far as the order of things go, the Jump cover for chapter 1 is probably the first one that was done digitally. I was nervous until that issue of Jump came out.

Q19.

2021.02.01

Are there any parts of your characters which make you think "this is hard to draw."

A19.

When it comes to parts, large breasts are all difficult. Also, during the week where Szayelaporro's release state came up I complained the whole time whilst drawing it. 

Q20.

2021.02.01

When I was reading "BURN THE WITCH", I very often got the impression that Noel was always positioned on the left and Ninny on the right, but I wonder if there's any significance behind this positional relationship…!?

A20.

In order to generate an impression of the characters with a limited number of pages, I did this as a sort of staging effect in the sense that ‘a character's traits are incorporated in their stance.’ You have a good eye….

Q21.

2021.02.01

I believe each squad was assigned a color, I once tried to identify the location of squad barracks based on those colors. Since there are 4 gates associated with a particular color, I thought of Shōryūmon as Seiryū (east - blue), Shuwaimon as Suzaku (south - red), Hakutōmon as Byakko (west - white), Kokuryōmon as Genbu (north - black).

As I recall, the townscape was circular so I tried to arrange the colors of each squad with the ‘Yellow Emperor’ as the centre and it turned out as follows. I suspect it might be in this circular arrangement: starting from Shōryūmon with 6, 1, 11, 8, then from Shuwaimon with 13, 4, 2, from Hakutōmon with 3, 5, 9, and finally from Kokuryōmon with 7, 10, 12. ×[1]  

Moreover, I'm awfully curious about the actual line up because it is Ichimaru-san from Squad 3 who interrupted the gatekeeper of Hakutōmon, and the three individuals who turned traitor are situated close together. Is there any established blueprint for the placement of squad barracks within Sensei's mind? 

A21.

I can't say for sure without seeing an illustration but judging by what I just read, I think this is very insightful.

Q22.

2021.02.01

Are there any manga, anime, dramas, movies, etc. (other than Kubo-sensei's own works) that as a reader or viewer make you think "this work is amazing!" or "I want you to read/watch that!"?

A22.

My favourite program of the past few years has been Netflix's "The Final Table." It's a cooking competition show, but I think it's the pinnacle of Shōnen manga style cooking battles.

Q23.

2021.02.01

What is your favorite Hiroshima specialty?

A23.

Cream cheese momiji* and plain momiji with chunky sweet red bean paste. (*Momiji manjū are maple leaf shaped sweets.)

Q24.

2021.02.01

I would like to know what kind of work tools you use!

A24.

I don't really have many special tools because I'm not that particular about them … if it's okay, I'll post a photo soon.

Q25.

2021.02.01

I've read in some articles before that the series consists of arcs mainly focused on members of Ichigo's entourage like with Rukia's rescue arc, the Arrancar arc, the Fullbring arc and the Quincy arc. Was this structure something decided upon by Kubo-sensei from the very beginning of the series??

A25.

That's right. I was drawing while wondering if I could continue the series until I reached Uryū.

Q26.

2021.02.01

Izuru-kun's Zanpakutō is Wabisuke and Wabisuke is the name of a type of camellia. Does the theory that the reason why there are multiple scenes within the story where he decapitates his opponent, have its origins in the fact that the camellia is likened to a head and is described as falling?

A26.

That's correct. I thought everyone would take notice about the Wabisuke camellia but at the time it wasn't really picked up on that much.

Q27.

2021.02.01

What is your favourite Pokémon?

A27.

I've never played Pokémon so I haven't the slightest clue.

Q28.

2021.02.08

Does sensei decide the contents, continuity elements and general flow of novelized works like "BLEACH WE DO knot ALWAYS LOVE YOU" and "BLEACH Can't Fear Your Own World"?

A28.

I was the one who passed on the contents and details affecting continuity, I left its portrayal up to the two authors. Whenever they happened upon a part they didn't quit understand along the way, they would also come to consult with me. 

Q29.

2021.02.08

When is the collaboration between sensei and THE BACK HORN?!

A29. 

I'd like to do that with the Thousand-Year Blood War arc.

Q30.

2021.02.08

Please give us details about the iPad you use at work!

A30.

It's a regular iPad with a larger screen. 

Q31.

2021.02.08

Is Kubo-sensei continuing to play "Animal Crossing: New Horizons" without getting bored of it?

A31.

I stopped playing because the UI is too complicated. I'll pick it up again when the UI has improved.

Q32.

2021.02.08

I heard that Kubo-sensei was in charge of the design aspect for the anime original characters Amagai Shūsuke and Kanō Ashido, but was sensei the one who actually designed the anime original characters themselves?

A32.

All characters in the anime originals that are not expressly stated as being designed by me are the product of Kudō-san's taste. I may have done a final design check on the Amagai arc at least, but I didn't touch anything surrounding the Bount arc.

Q33.

2021.02.15

Sensei, do you prefer a girl who shows emotions clearly sort of like Ninny-chan or a girl who is cool-headed and doesn't show much emotion on the surface like Noel-chan?

A33.

I choose my favorite female characters based solely on whether they have big breasts or not, so if it's between these two, it's Noel.

Q34.

2021.02.15

Are there any plans to re-release the color illustration collection “JET”?

A34.

Re-release the art book, I wonder about that… I will try to ask my editor.

Q35.

2021.02.15

Do you play “Dragon Quest Builders”?

A35.

I played a lot of both 1 and 2. I'd like to see a remake of 1 with the technology of 2.

Q36.

2021.02.15

Have you ever felt that the sense of distance and relationships between the characters are different between the anime and the original work?

A36.

Up to around the Soul Society arc of the BLEACH anime, the whole time whilst watching it I kept thinking to myself "if they change things so much, it won't match up with the endgame of the story, but it's out of my hands." I couldn't really understand the characters so I started checking the script around the Arrancar arc.

Q37.

2021.02.15

Does sensei have a favorite designer chair?

A37.

There are many that I like. As for the ones I actually use and like, that includes the Jacobsen Series 7 chair, Eames Sofa by Eames, Magistretti's Maralunga and Maxalto by Citterio.

Q38.

2021.02.22

Chapter 162 of BLEACH (Ichigo's first demonstration of Bankai) is drawn in full color, please give us the inside story around its production during that time (such as how you managed to draw with full color for a weekly series.)

A38. 

I finished the draft in 6 days and I set aside approximately 2 consecutive weeks worth of time before drawing it. 

Q39.

2021.02.22

Sensei, who did you choose as your favorite character on KlubOutside??

A39.

I haven't made a choice yet. When I think about it seriously, I'm honestly having a tough time choosing.

Q40. 

2021.02.22

Which dialect exactly is Shinji's Kansai-ben supposed to be?

A40.

Hirako and Hiyori are both written with a rough sounding Kansai dialect, but I have been told by someone from Kawachi that "Hiyori speaks with an authentic Kawachi dialect."

Q41.

2021.02.22

Are there any plans to make BLEACH a paperback edition?

A41.

I wonder? I haven't heard anything so I guess not. 

※There are no plans at the moment. However, there is a possibility that we will consider it in the future depending on demand. <Editor>

Q42.

2021.02.22

Sensei, I heard that you play Brave Souls, but who is your absolute favorite character to use? Additionally, do you have a favorite character with a Brave Souls original costume?

A42.

The one I use the most is Masaki who is the strongest auto. If you're bad at action like me, you can rely on Masaki. I pull almost all original costumes if they are big breasted, in swimsuits.

Q43.

2021.03.01

What is your favorite flavor of ramen?

A43.

It's chicken broth.

Q44.

2021.03.01

What is the diet of a manga artist like? I sincerely wish you good health sensei!

A44.

It's pretty average. In the past year, the variety of delivery options has increased and has become extremely satisfying.

Q45.

2021.03.01

I'd like to see the design proposal for volume 31 with Szayelaporro on the cover sometime, the one which Kubo-sensei previously mentioned on Twitter...!

A45.

Hasn't this been published anywhere? I'll try and see if I have it at hand.

Q46.

2021.03.01

How are the spellings of characters' names decided?

A46.

On the whole, I try to blend in spellings from as many different regions as possible, so for some characters, I was aiming for that “demarcation where it may just be legible" before making my decision. 

Q47.

2021.03.01

Is Gantenbainne still alive after receiving aid from Captain Unohana in the Arrancar arc?

A47.

He's alive. The "god" he was talking about is Baraggan, so he is gathering Arrancar who still worship Baraggan and building a small nation.

Q48.

2021.03.01

By what age is one able to work towards becoming a manga artist? Past 20, is it indeed too late to start putting yourself forward? I would like to know what Kubo-sensei thinks about the appropriate age for manga artists!!

A48.

I think it doesn't matter how old you are. You don't need anyone's permission to draw manga, so I think it's best to just draw if you want to draw, and stop if you think it doesn't suit you.

Q49.

2021.03.01

Will Whiskrs STORE carry BLEACH goods? I would like BLEACH to come out with merchandise too like those being sold in Whiskrs STORE. I think I'd want to see merchandise which are actually worn by characters or goods that look like they could be sold in Soul Society! Also, it would be helpful if you could add more payment methods…

A49.

I'm also planning to make BLEACH goods, but I've created an inquiry form on Whiskrs, so if you can write "item request" in the header over there and send it to us, I'll consider that too! Also, if you would like to pay using a specific payment method, please contact us.

Q50.

2021.03.08

My question is, are Nemu-chan's hair and clothing Mayuri-sama's hobby? Or does Nemu-chan dress up according to what she likes?

A50.

It's Mayuri's hobby, or rather, Mayuri is the one altering it to match with his own ensemble. Whether or not it suits her is a separate matter. 

Q51.

2021.03.08

Is there any character in BLEACH that you think has become popular, contrary to your expectations?

A51.

I thought Hisagi would never really get popular, so I'm glad that he became fairly popular.

Q52.

2021.03.08

Has there been any change in your favorite characters within your own work between now and the past?

A52.

My favorite characters experience change with every scene I draw, so they're constantly changing.

Q53.

2021.03.08

What is the origin of Rickenbacker's name?

A53.

This is the name of the founder of a guitar company. All Broombuggies are named after people who have passed away.

Q54.

2021.03.08

Do you have a close friendship with Jujutsu Kaisen's Akutami-sensei?

A54.

I had a conversation with him the other day. Right now, I'm using the shampoo Akutami-kun gave me at the time.

Q55.

2021.03.15

With the anime versions of BLEACH and BTW, sensei's characters were given a voice, but to sensei's mind, are there any characters whose voices were a particularly perfect fit?

A55.

Yoruichi is the first one who surprised me, I thought "I didn't expect this character to have this kind of voice!"

Q56.

2021.03.15

Hitsugaya who had been turned into a zombie was changed into Quincy clothes, is this Gigi's hobby?

A56.

It's Gigi's hobby.

Q57. 

2021.03.15

The Quincy have made an appearance in Brave Souls, but how were the voice actors selected? 

A57.

I chose them after listening to recorded voice auditions.

Q58.

2021.03.15

What kind of clothes are your favorite clothes these days?

A58.

Over-sized, whitish sweats. They're comfortable so I want to wear them until the very last moment they're considered trendy.

Q59.

2021.03.15

Does Kubo-sensei play Brave Souls? If so, who is your favorite character?

A59.

I scarcely get a chance to use them, but the visuals for heart attribute swimsuit Nelliel and technique attribute swimsuit Orihime are extremely good.

Q60.

2021.03.22

Are there any manga or movies that influenced you, sensei?

A60.

"SNATCH'" and "300" had a huge influence on me at the time they were screened.

Q61

2021.03.22

I heard that you are also involved in the audition process for the voice actors, but I am curious about what it was like in the early days of the BLEACH anime.

A61.

Ichigo was chosen after I listened to the several audition tapes which had been recorded for him. As for the Human World gang + Rukia and Renji, I listened to the tapes that the team on the other side had selected and got them to change only those who were different from their image. It's about the same level of involvement as in the live-action movie. Any subsequent casting does not involve me.

Q62.

2021.03.22

There are two types of haori for the Captains of the Gotei, but are both options provided when they take up their new posts? 

A62.

At the time of their inauguration, they can choose between sleeved and sleeveless. They can even make modifications during the process, however they may be put off from doing so because it's expensive and this request will not be approved unless you have a very good reason.

Q63.

2021.03.22

When you were still working on your weekly series, were you reading other works in Jump magazine?

A63.

During its serialization, I was pretty much only ever checking for misprints in BLEACH. Between the desire to draw manga and the desire to read manga I only have the capacity to accommodate one, so when I draw I don't feel like reading and when I read I don't feel like drawing.

Q64.

2021.03.22

I have a question regarding the typeface of Rukia's name written on the cover of chapter 266. "Kuchiki" is written in brush strokes, but is there some significance as to why "Rukia" is not written in brush strokes? I'm curious about the covers with names on them since all the names of the other Shinigami are written by brush stroke, whereas part of Rukia's name is the only anomaly.

A64.

It does have a significance, but I might draw it somewhere else so it's a secret for now.

Q65.

2021.03.29

Sensei, is there any aspect in life that makes you think "this is the only thing that is non-negotiable"?

A65.

It has to be "don't let anyone interfere with your work." I'm hardly ever picky about anything else in my actual life.

Q66.

2021.03.29

The more Ichigo has grown, the more he looks like his father Kurosaki Isshin, huh? By the way, will Ichigo inherit Isshin's chest hair? I'm curious.

A66.

I want to believe in the power of Masaki's genes.

Q67.

2021.03.29

Can I safely assume that the description of Squad 1 Vice-Captain Sasakibe Chōjirō Tadaoki's Bankai - Kōkō Gonryō Rikyū - was referring to Tensō Jūrin?

Q67.

That's right.

Q68.

2021.03.29

I was trying to choose a favorite character, but I'm having a difficult time because there are too many charming characters! Please let me have at least three people to root for. Kubo-sensei, can you narrow down your favorite characters to just one in your favorite works?

A68.

Let me narrow it down. Hyoga from Saint Seiya, Nurikabe from GeGeGe no Kitaro and Gorō from Kodoku no Gourmet.

Q69.

2021.03.29

During the time Isshin was Captain, Rangiku was Vice-Captain and Hitsugaya was 3rd seat, but why did Rangiku remain a lieutenant instead of ascending to Captain?

A69.

This is because Hitsugaya is better suited for the position of Captain and also because he had already acquired Bankai. By the way, Hitsugaya had already acquired Bankai by the time he enlisted in the Gotei 13.

Q70.

2021.04.05

Hitsugaya often yells "get to work!" at Rangiku, but what tasks are so demanding that they require the qualities of a Captain class Shinigami? 

A70.

Checks and approvals.

Q71.

2021.04.05

Noel-chan had a guy lick some kind of device when checking to see whether or not he had come into contact with a dragon, but does she have to replace it each time it's used? Or does she use the same one the whole time?

A71.

It is returned and magically cleaned with every use.

Q72.

2021.04.05

As explained with 90s level Kidō which appears in BLEACH, the higher the number, the stronger the spell becomes, but is it the same with spells like Blue Spark which are cast in BURN THE WITCH.

A72.

It's different. The Magic numbers from BTW have simple rules and are assigned in accordance with them.

Q73.

2021.04.05

Out of Rangiku, Orihime, Yoruichi-san, Harribel-sama, Unohana-san, Isane, Nelliel and Noel-chan, who has the largest chest?

A73. 

I think I'm probably drawing Nelliel with the mental image of her being the most voluptuous.

Q74.

2021.04.05

I would like a tour of sensei's workshop!! Is that allowed!?!? 

A74.

I had never considered it. I don't mind doing this if the time and situation allows it, but we'll see.

Q75.

2021.04.12

Please tell us about any changes in the vow Chad made concerning his fists. After he swore to his Abuelo that he would never swing his fists for himself, Chad did not retaliate by raising his fists for his own sake, not even during a fight where he was being beaten. 

Then he met Ichigo and they both made this pact: "you won't have to hit anyone on your own account anymore, but in return you have to hit people to help me. I'll fight for you and you'll fight for me. If there's something you want to protect with your life, I'll stake my life to protect it too." 

From then on, he fought for Ichigo with his fists and grew stronger to protect his friends. However, in the final chapter there is a scene where Chad has become a boxer and is aiming to become champion. Why did Chad, who up until now had vowed not to swing his fists for himself, end up using his fists in a boxing match in order to become champion in the final chapter? Was there some sort of shift in his feelings that made him think that he's ready to use his fists for himself now, or is it that someone has emerged whom he wishes to protect by becoming a champion boxer?

A75.

Nothing has changed. Chad considers boxing a martial art, not violence.

Q76.

2021.04.12

Sensei, if you were to become Captain and Vice-Captain, which divisions would you prefer to be in for each?

A76.

It seems like a heavy responsibility so I don't want it.

Q77.

2021.04.12

I joined a fan club for the first time in my life. Have you ever been a member of anyone's fan club, sensei?

A77. 

It's my first time too. I am currently undergoing the unique experience of joining a fan club for the first time in my life as a member of my own fan club.

Q78.

2021.04.12

I would like to learn about Tite Kubo-sensei's family composition.

A78.

What kind of scammer-like question is this?

Q79.

2021.04.12

I'd like to know sensei's usual breakfast menu.

A79.

Aojiru, Amazake and yogurt. (*Aojiru - a green, vegetable juice made from kale. Amazake - sweet drink made from fermented rice​.)

Q80.

2021.04.12

I was curious about the origins of the names of Quincy: Vollständig (Tatarforas, Hasshein, etc.) so I tried to do some research but I couldn't figure it out at all. Could they be words coined by you, sensei?

A80.

It's not so much a coined word, but rather a regular name …. I give them a name that sounds angelic and doesn't seem to have any apparent origin even if you try to look it up.

Q81.

2021.04.19

Do you prefer raw eggs or boiled eggs?

A81.

I prefer raw.

Q82.

2021.04.19

If you were to go out for a drink one-on-one, who would you go with? Personally, I'd like to go with Ikkaku.

A82.

I don't drink so I wouldn't want to go out with anyone. As long as I don't have to drink, anyone with big breasts will be fine.

Q83.

2021.04.19

Who does Kubo-sensei admire?

A83.

It's not that it's a specific person or something, but I quite admire gag manga artists.

Q84.

2021.04.19

Kubo-sensei, what app do you use when drawing illustrations on your iPad?

A84.

It's Clip Studio Paint. I really want to use Procreate (because Tada Yumi-san is using it), but Procreate is complicated.

Q85.

2021.04.19

Kubo-sensei, please tell us what you value when composing your character designs.

A85.

Place great value on first impressions and also don't be bound by it.

Q86.

2021.04.26

Sensei, did you study calligraphy? I love your drawings of course, but I also love your penmanship!!

A86.

This question reminded me that my grandmother was a calligraphy tutor. But I haven't formally studied it.

Q87.

2021.04.26

I absolutely adore the female characters you draw sensei, but do you find it challenging to draw female characters?

A87.

It's the same. People often say that female characters are difficult because they don't understand women's feelings, but it's the same even for men because people struggle to comprehend the feelings of others.

Q88.

2021.04.26

Please tell us about a movie you saw recently that you found interesting, sensei.

A88.

I watched The Equalizer the other day for the first time in a while, but it's still interesting no matter how many times I watch both 1 and 2.

Q89.

2021.04.26

At the end of the "D-TecnoLife" anime OP, Chad, Inoue, Ichigo, Ganju, Hanatarō and Ishida appear in that order, but I wonder if Ganju's bandana is white because they forgot to apply color?

A89.

This is because the character color check isn't coming to me.

Q90.

2021.04.26

In the Thousand Year Blood War arc, it was stated that no citizen of Rukongai beyond district 50 had been observed wearing sandals for over 500 years, yet as a child Rangiku was wearing a somewhat stylish pair of sandals. Did Gin provide her with those?

A90.

After meeting, Gin and Rangiku gradually moved to the safer inner districts of Rukongai. Gin's zōri sandals and Rangiku's setta sandals, which appear in the second half of the flashback, are items which each of them picked up along the way.

Q91.

2021.05.03

Is there any particular reason why Harribel and Stark are not using their first names in typical Arrancar fashion?

A91.

There is no concept of first name, middle name or last name to Arrancar. 

Q92.

2021.05.03

Please tell us the reason why Kurotsuchi Mayuri started wearing headgear. Additionally, please tell us about his reason for changing that headgear.

A92.

It's his hobby.

Q93.

2021.05.03

What is sensei's favorite manga?

A93.

When I'm feeling down, I always read "Kodoku no Gourmet."

Q94.

2021.05.03

In Bleach, Zanpakutō which possess fire abilities appear within the story, but who is a character that sensei is reminded of when it comes to fire?

A94.

Wanyūdō (from GeGeGe no Kitaro​.)

Q95.

2021.05.03

Do you still read Jump?

A95.

I read it and express my thoughts chaotically to those close to me. My editor also sometimes wants to hear my thoughts.

Q96.

2021.05.03

Is it a coincidence that BTW's release date falls on a full moon in Aries according to western astrology?

A96.

Really!? That is a coincidence.

Q97.

2021.05.10

Yadōmaru Lisa sometimes appears to speak with a Kansai-like dialect and sometimes she doesn't, what dialect exactly does Lisa speak with?

A97.

It's Gifu dialect which is closer to dialects from Aichi. 

Q98.

2021.05.10

About the unfilled drafts and such that are in the Gallery on KlubOutside, how did those come to be preserved?

A98.

Upon completion of the inking stage, I would make a copy and write instructions on it, and when I was done with the draft I would normally throw it away. However, my parents back home told me "send it to us instead of throwing it out", so I sent it to them.

Q99.

2021.05.10

The characters that appear in Kubo-sensei's works are all highly unique in appearance and personality, and I'm always deeply moved by them. Please let us know if there is anything you keep in mind at all times when designing characters!

A99.

I make an effort to try and avoid similar faces or personalities.

Q100.

2021.05.10

Is there any possibility that the BLEACH anime will be released to the world in the form of a full remake? I think that with current technology, it would be possible to depict the world-building more beautifully.

A100.

There are no such plans but I'd like to make that happen.

Translation footnotes:

×1. In Japan, Seiryū, Suzaku, Byakko and Genbu are four mythological creatures known as 'The Four Gods' originally from Chinese mythology. They represent a particular color and cardinal direction. There is also one more divine beast, a yellow dragon (aka the Yellow Emperor) - god to the center. 

[heartofbusan]

These letters JK /they write makes me so sad. It’s this need he/they have for external validation that is so worrying to me. It’s no way to live. Even as an artist.

And mainly because most Army do not deserve his love, his thoughts or his doubts. Most are showing themselves to be vile antis.

I know he is seeking reassurance from us as fans, or something akin to it, probably because he hasn’t released anything in a while, and they are obvious away from their world right now, the end is near but obviously not near enough. But, I just want to tell them that seeking external validation is not worth it, that their self worth shouldn’t be tied to Army or recognition. That love is all that matters, but seek it from real people you know, not nameless and faceless people. I know Hobi Said he has grown up, and his words show that, but also kinda not with this need to seek out something from people he does not know, nor do they know him.

While I agree with you, I think we should respect his perspective in this. He has a deep need to be seen. If he didn't have that spotlight anymore, if he doesn't hear the call of his fans, then what is the point of continuing with his work?

It reminds me of Black Swan a song which references both Sea and Path, two hidden BTS songs that also deal with this theme of being seen, left in the dark I cry alone, seek the ocean ect.

Per doolset: "Through the mature, self-reflecting lyrics, BTS conveys its confession as an artist who learned what music means to self."

Beautifully tragic, isn't it? Maudlin. I love it when BTS brings the angst. Moreover, I am grateful for the honesty they dare show. When they let uncomfortable truth rub against another, and we can peek behind the facade of 'I'm fine'.

Thank you for this interesting ask. I agree that external validation shouldn't be the 'be and end' all. But we're talking about an artist here, a performer. It's easy to see why he desires these forms of validation in his work, as that is what they've worked for from the very start. Once they realized they had fans, and that those fans we're excited about them, their work, that's when they came to really rely on them for support: keep going. When you don't have that anymore, that might be when you have to go back to pulling it all out of yourself. Your determination and motivation need to be up to par in order to pull you ahead. JK has always been a self described 'lazy' person, needing something outside of himself to motivate him to keep going because he himself gets bored easily. Now, while I don't think he will get bored with his work, he might need his fans, then external validation, for that extra push. He spent 2023 building an even closer bond with his fans, with ARMY. Needing them when he was on a break from work to maybe get him inspired again.

Without ears to hear your song, hearts to be stirred, what is the purpose of an artist?

I'll even go so far as to attribute his weverse letter to a little bit of artistic melancholy, perhaps? This point of the enlistment is probably the worst! It's both so close to being over, yet time crawling to a still. The weather probably doesn't help either. He desires forward momentum! He wants to get back to the version of himself he had shed along with his hair.

Let's hope we can keep him feeling loved and remind him were here regardless of his 'output', but let's also accept that he may need that from us in order to get back his focus.

[slaaverin]

I have listened to the first hour of the reading, and I feel so warm, because what do you mean that Jikook and us have communication?

This feels so true because who else did they film the show for? It can't be for the cult, it can't be for solos who hate them together, it can't be for the fandom because they've ignored it for the most part. It was for us, those who support them. I always felt this was the case but to hear it insinuated is so lovely. I love the thought of that balance between us, where they know we support them, and we love and cherish their bond, and they allow us in slowly but surely. That is is reciprocated. That as Blue said 'they are sharing their reality'. 'we are observing what is there'. How privileged we are that we get to see them, as they are, and they allow us to do so, because they know we will keep them safe, and protect them. My jikook heart.

Awww anon this part of the reading made me go incredibly soft 🥹

I think none of us can pretend to know how much Jimin & Jungkook are involved with the fandom and the fans in general. We don't know what they know, what they see and don't see, if they read our words, if they know how much we love them.

It's healthy and honest to say we don't know.

But at the same time, and maybe I'm the only one? There's a strong feeling within me that says that they indeed know and that they even appreciate it a lot.

It's in the little things. The way they acknowledged jikookers on several occasions, the way they openly share that part of themselves like they know some people will receive it and that's maybe why they don't look scared of doing so. And as Blue pointed out in the reading (you may have not watched this part yet) but the constant reinforcement of our beliefs and reassurances (some might call it jikook karma) feels incredibly validating for us. Call me delulu but it's like jikook, they see us. They know. They understand. I would even go as far as saying they love us because it feels like just this - unconditional love from them. AYS really seemed like a gift specifically for us.

It's not something we can know for sure, but nonetheless this intuitive feeling we have as a collective - I don't think it's wrong.

Navigating life is hard in many ways. Because sometimes you have belief and intuitions but there is no one holding absolute truth pointing the way and saying to you "you were right." But "right" isn't even the proper word because truth has so many facets that none of us will ever be truly "right" with anything. No, it's more the case of a gentle reassurance that you are aligned with something real, I would say aligned with love. But words escape me to explain this.

So to me this reading came as a shock, because there are many things in it I have been intuitively feeling but couldn't tell if it was somewhat real or only my own perspective.

So when you see your own thoughts laid out like this in cards (that are in themselves neutral, brought by Spirit) it simply shook me.

As part of the jikook community, I feel very seen right now and understood - like Spirit told us "Yes. It's right. It's good. It's love. You are not crazy."

She even said something I never dared say out loud anywhere because I always thought my perspective was biased since I am a jikooker and that, surely not?

But what she said about God (call it whatever you want) favouring jikook and jikookers I always felt that it was true. I don't know why. We always joke "jikook are god's favorites" but guys honestly I think that it might be closer to reality than we realize.

Of course I don't pretend to comprehend God's plan, it's way too big and complex for our human minds to grasp. And God is unconditional love itself. Of course it also loves taekookers just as much at their core.

But I don't know if you guys see it, but it's really like we are all in a scenario (it's exaggerated here) where we are people engaging supporting unconditional love and jikook are the embodiment of it. Jikook have themselves a very movie like romantic love story and we are the faithful followers fighting for love and truth against """evil""" and it truly feels sometimes - the way things play out - like God wants us to "win" in a way.

I know it's completely subjective and exaggerated because from God's perspective there is no good and evil and there is no battles to fight since we are all unconditional love.

But still in the movie of our collective it truly seems like this and it's rather funny.

I don't know what God's plan is about but I am very curious to see how it will all play out and where it will lead us and jikook.

How will the story end? What God has in store for us? This is really exciting.

Of course this assumption doesn't give us the right to jump on our morally high horses and feed our ego like we are somewhat better than anyone. But still, it's funny to think about.

This reading (and also my own personal syncronicity I shared with Blue) it all feels like a very gentle reassurance from Spirit.

I know it in my heart now that we are all very much loved by God, by jikook themselves, and that there's nothing more to do but to give love in return (to fellow members of our community, to jikook, to All-that-is.)

There is a soft warmth in my heart that sings with joy for our willingness to engage with unconditional love like we do. And everything feels incredibly right, doesn't it?

Do you think the same?

Yes, we'll certainly keep them both safe 😌 let's cherish them a lot 💜

Thanks for sharing your thoughts anon, sending a big hug to you 💜🫂