#but if all these powers are instant than ooof

[grimoireoffolkloreandfairytales]

Ah Atalanta is warrior and I love her very much, but honestly I think she is holding herself incredibly well given the opponent because opposition is pretty much, well:

Poison Medea used on Glauce started a nightmarish fire that consumed not only Glauce and Creon to the bone, but spread and devoured entire palace and city/kingdom of Corinth. Sometimes fire is described as impossible to put out with water, and behaving like living things, spreading and devouring whatever it finds ( Euripides, Medea; Seneca the Younger, Medea)

Ability to raise dead, specifically she is noted to be able to resurrect dead even younger, stronger, healthier and beautiful than they were in life, as she does with a ram and even her own father-in-law Aeson. This is why Jason's cousins, Pelias's daughters, murder their father, as they think Medea will do same to him (Ovid's Metamorphoses, and several other sources I can't recall now sorry)

As noted above, Medea helps Jason fulfill one task her father sets by making him invulnerable to the fire, which is motif mentioned and presented in pretty much every source mentioning Jason's labors

Sometimes she is described as yoking fiery bulls and controlling, enthralling and putting to the sleep or outright killing Colchian dragon by herself ( Propertius, Elegies; Ovid, Heroides; Diodorus Siculus, Library of History)

Another of guardians of the Golden Fleece is Talos, immortal bronze giant either created as Hephaestus, or last survivor of the mythical Bronze Age that came before Heroic Age of Greek myths and was finished with world flood. While in some versions Medea tricks him in dying with words, in some she either drives him to madness and suicide, or kills him outright, by malevolent magic of evil eye (Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica)

She is sometimes attributed incredibly potent powers of summoning other creatures and entities to her assistance. This ranges from summoning hordes of venomous serpents, over monsters such as Hydra and Sirens, and divine chariot pulled by dragons of Helios, to outright calling up chthonic deities such as Keres (goddesses of violent death, sisters of Thanatos and sometimes counterparts to Fates) or invoking Furies (goddesses of retribution and punishment (Euripides, Medea; Seneca the Younger, Medea; Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica)

She is also sometimes attributed power to greatly control elements, weather and nature, to the point of disturbing order of seasons and freezing blossoming land in summer, and also creating bountiful harvest within winter ( Seneca the Younger, Medea)

She is very often attributed the famous power of Thessalian witches, to cause eclipse by drawing Moon down to Earth and holding it captive; Medea's powers however are extended to the point that she is said to be capable of commanding and halting the stars too, and even controlling and drawing down and imprisoning the Sun itself (Ovid, Metamorphoses; Ovid, Heroides; Seneca the Younger, Medea; Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica)

This last one is very important, as Sun and Moon are gods Selene and Helios, and Medea's magic works by overpowering, binding and compelling the gods themselves, which is even more striking since Helios is her grandfather and thus supposed to be her superior and source of her power.

I love Atalanta though I will be open and admit that Medea is my one and supreme favourite haha; and I do think that Atalanta has advantage of superior physical prowess, but I do think that she is holding out very well when faced with opponent whose abilities include mind control, making people die or commit suicide from distance, resurrection, achieve invulnerability to fire ( and possibly other damages such as stabbing and steel), wide scale weather and element control, binding gods and controlling and moving celestial bodies; without even taking in account Medea's penchant for trickery and cruel violent comebacks, she has deck bit stacked against her.

Of course, given how Atalanta's main requirement for marriage was to have somebody beat her and she does not seem to consider trickery cheating, this may end very well, very passionately.

Sorry if I am bothering with this!

Ancient Woman Thunderdome 2023

FINAL ROUND (Round 6): Atalanta vs. Medea!

The rules: Vote based on who would win in a fight, NOT who you like more. Consider factors such as physical prowess, intelligence or cunning, and magical ability.

If the character has multiple non-godly forms, consider the one you believe to be more powerful. If the character is a goddess for a portion of their life, please only consider their mortal or non-godly form.

The fighters:

Fighter: Atalanta Source(s): Apollodorus's Library, Ovid's Metamorphoses, various other mythological sources Bio: Atalanta was a huntress associated with Artemis. She was a virgin who lived in the wilderness, and at one point killed two centaurs who tried to rape her. She may or may not have sailed and fought with the Argonauts, and defeated Peleus in a wrestling match at Pelias's funeral games. When Artemis sent a boar to Calydon to punish the king for not sacrificing to her, Atalanta joined the hunt and drew first blood. Later, her father found her and tried to get her to marry. Atalanta, knowing she was faster than just about anyone, said she would marry anyone who could beat her in a footrace, but if the suitor lost, he would be killed. Many men were killed, until Hippomenes prayed to Aphrodite and received three golden apples, which he threw to the side during the race to distract her. She did marry him, and, after she bore his child, they were both turned into lions in retaliation for having sex in a sacred area.

Fighter: Medea Source(s): Apollonius of Rhodes' Argonautica, Euripides' Medea, various other mythological sources Bio: Medea was a sorceress from Colchis, where the golden fleece was housed. When Jason arrived in pursuit of the fleece, Hera wanted to help him, so she got Aphrodite to make Medea fall in love with him because she knew Medea had skills that would be useful. Medea did help, in exchange for Jason's hand in marriage: she used her magic and knowledge to protect him through the tasks the king had him complete to get the golden fleece, and then when it turned out the king didn't plan to give Jason the fleece, Medea put the dragon guarding the fleece to sleep while Jason stole it. She then joined Jason and the Argonauts in flight. When the Argo was caught by Medea's half-brother, Apsyrtus, Medea tricked him into a trap so Jason could kill him. When they returned from their voyage, Jason was meant to trade the golden fleece for the king Pelias's throne, but he wouldn't give up the throne; Medea then tricked his daughters into killing him by telling them that if they cut him into pieces, she could bring him back to life. From there, she and Jason fled to Corinth, where they lived for some time before Jason decided he wanted to marry another woman, Glauce, the daughter of the king (Creon). Creon exiled her, and so Medea went to Athens and got Aegeus, the king there, to let her stay. She then called Jason to her, apologized for her reaction to his desire to marry someone else, and asked if her children could give Glauce gifts as an apology. The gifts, a robe and crown, were poisoned, and killed not only Glauce but also Creon when he tried to save her. She then killed both her children in an attempt to hurt Jason.

[the-nysh]

Deku vs Kacchan 2, full episode live reaction/commentary

AHHHH it’s time and finally here, the important and long-awaited cathartic showdown I’ve been wanting to see animated for ages, as one of my most favorite parts of the manga, both character and relationship wise. ;A; Managed to stay offline and avoid reaction spoilers so I could see it fresh for myself without any distractions. So here we go with my whole in depth breakdown of the episode! 8’D Where I repeatedly get stabbed in the heart and end up completely losing my shit! Length: 4000+ words.

Edit: several of the sub’s lines have since been shown to be mistranslated, which I still transcribe here for comparison’s sake, since I already have the manga’s script memorized anyway. :’D

Last ep left us hanging with Deku’s reaction to Kacchan’s proposal for a fight, so bam, I’m glad this ep starts off immediately with his fumbling answer to him (midpoint of ch117). Ahh, if there’s one thing I miss from the manga, it’s the panel of Kacchan’s deadpan reaction to Deku’s rambling. The anime instead keeps his face half hidden until–

GAH!!!! ;A; THERE IT IS!!! His sudden face of open and honest sincerity! (One of my fav manga panels actually.) Subs have his line as, “What part of you made All Might do what he did? Let me see for myself. If the way you admired him was correct, then does that mean my admiration was wrong?” Oh noo... :’O The anime doesn’t show his whole face warping into a pained, unnerving expression like the manga does (and in a way I was hoping to see that transition animated), but instead shows an extreme close up of his eye, desperate and dead serious. Gbhgh, very tense and chilling (omg plus that dramatic choir ost swelling in the bg is getting to me too).  

Flashback to both their childhood lines about All Might! UGH!!! I was not expecting baby Deku’s line to be that broken and watery! D’8 And said over the image of them standing opposed like that??!!! URGHHH fucking hell!!!

Crying and trembling baby Deku’s aspirations, said when he found out he was quirkless, with his dreams probably permanently crushed, and emotionally at his lowest, helpless, and most vulnerable point, REALLY GETS TO ME?! Fuck!! Just a prelude to seeing Kacchan’s turn at his most emotionally vulnerable too. (gwah, break for the opening, hah I forgot that hadn’t even played yet :P)    

….!!!!!! 👀👀 Shit, shit!! There’s almost no room to breathe here! Ayy they show Kacchan stretch his arms and note how Deku uses kicks now (yoo he’s observant and watches Deku too), but gah! You can really feel Deku’s ‘hold on, wait!!’ pleas, because holy fuck this is jumping into it so fast! I’m not ready either!! D8 

Ok, I can actually breathe a bit when Deku slows down to analyze which hand Kacchan will use, but ohh!!! They animated one of my fav effects, the popping sparks on Kacchan’s palm before he lets it all loose. :’D Hoo, “You like to read a lot into things, huh?” They don’t show the manga’s direct view of his smirk for this line, but do show the panels for their dual “Come on!” vs “Are you serious, Kacchan?” lines. (Hooboi, I’m recognizing manga panels left and right here. And why yes, Deku, Kacchan has been dead serious about what he wants from you this whole time.) 

Yooo, that one sliding shot of them closing in face to face from the preview, but damn, that extra shot of all the over the top destruction to their vicinity. Whew, now that’s impressive for showing the scale/magnitude and seriousness of his explosions. :O (The collateral damage wasn’t shown nearly to that extent in the manga however, so wow. Also uwaah at the chilling ost for when Aizawa is notified.)  

Ayyy!!! My fav bits of popping sparks are animated again. :D What isn’t shown is the manga’s detailed close up panels of them crouched on opposite sides of the road, but rather now they’re standing there, until Kacchan forcefully leaps onto Deku’s side. Visually this is an interesting and heyyy symbolic change. 

Mmmm!!! Deku’s pleas for him to wait remind Kacchan of when baby Deku used to say the same to him in the past. :’))) To wait for him so Deku could catch up from following behind. Hrgh, symbolic flashback montage time. ;.; “No matter how much I beat you up,” ehhh more like he knocked Deku back down whenever he intruded too close for comfort, to try and make him stay back and stop pursuing him (to no avail however), “you were always stuck to my back like glue…!” Yup, because Deku’s spirit never gave up. :’) Ah, and now present Kacchan telling him, “Don’t run! Fight!” feels like a very challenge TO Deku’s tendency to always stick close to him. The Deku he’s always known can’t just break that behavior now and run away, especially not when Kacchan’s actually invited/allowed him into his space this time (figuratively, by acknowledging and offering the fight)! :O

“Even though we both admired the same person…!” ;.; To which Kacchan also recalls All Might’s words to him from their final exam, and how their levels of growth are different. (ok and by the way, the ost during this part is !!!!!) Fuck, fuck!!! D8 All Kacchan’s repeated and desperate questions “why?!” during their rapid back and forth of mixed blows, blocks and kicks…! (omgggg this animated sequence!) To Deku’s surprise counter-kick back, and…

The trip and FALL. (btw ost completely silences now) It’s coming it’s coming it’s coming…! Notice the position of the street’s center divide line. How both of them are stopped so close to the center now, yet still edging on opposite sides. Deku, shocked and realizes Kacchan might be hurt…powers down and instantly runs to him with the familiar outstretched hand & offer to help! ;A; Throwback to the river incident when Kacchan also fell and Deku offered THE same question, “A-Are you okay?” Ooof, the instant nerve button and animated slap away!

Ffffruuggh!! Shit, it’s happening; Kacchan’s voice is breaking. ;A; How he teeters and stands up swaying. “Why did I end up having to chase after the back of someone who was always behind me?” URGHH oh goddd, I’m in pain with the raspy broken delivery already. Also, now that Kacchan’s standing up, his feet are parted on both sides of the line, where now both him and Deku are standing in the center of the road. “Why did a damn small fry like you get strong…and become acknowledged by All Might…? Why is it that you become strong…but I…” SHIT SHIT SHIT;;; “Why was I…” Ohhhh my god, the slow raise of his head…!

“Why was I the one who ended All Might?!” HHHRRUUGHHH!!! THERE IT IS!! The most pained face of desperation and anguish. At probably his most conflicted and emotionally vulnerable point that he’s ever been in the story ;A; Just fucking end me where Nobu makes his voice crack and go all shrill while letting it all out. Some animated sakuga on the delivery and shake of his head here too, kkrghh. ;.; “If I’d been stronger and if I hadn’t been kidnapped by villains, then that wouldn’t have happened…” (ost starts again, and hrgg yes, the animated wipe at his eyes) “All Might tried to keep it a secret…I couldn’t tell anyone! Even if I try not to think about it…it just comes to mind unexpectedly!” (fuck me upppp, the way they animated him shaking his head here ;A;) “I don’t know what to do!” THE TEARS!!! It…it finally happened, and welp, I’m a mess now too. ;A; Kacchan’s line where he wails he doesn’t know what to do, would have had extra context/weight with Twice’s chapter shown before it (as in the manga). Because Twice notes how important it is to know ‘who you are and what you want to do’...and right now we see Kacchan currently struggling at that same personal and internal impasse. (Fortunately it looks like Twice’s part will still be adapted later.)

The shock here, that Deku feels, that I felt when I first read this part in the manga…and the realization that solidified with it, made me finally understand who my fav character was all along. There was no longer any doubt or denial holding me back anymore. Kacchan is that bleeding heart. At his most openly raw and vulnerable, bearing his true self for the entire audience and most importantly, for only Deku to see. Oh no…MY BOYYYYYYYY!!! ;A; <3333 “He’s been carrying this with him this whole time…! More than me…this whole time… He’s been worrying about it…Thinking about it…”

Hrgh, and Deku understands now too, just how much self-blame and guilt Kacchan put himself through after All Might’s retirement. Kacchan had been in more pain over it than Deku. With Deku shouldering the responsibility of All Might passing the torch onto him with the ‘your next’ line, Kacchan had shouldered the responsibility of believing he was the very reason that caused the end to his idol’s legacy of heroism. Taking a stab wound through his own heart, enduring that burden all by himself, and without able to tell anyone about it either. All while keeping up appearances that he’s ‘strong’ on the outside, yet all along hating how weak he actually is. Because of his inability and powerlessness to prevent this huge loss from happening in the first place. 

“There might not be any meaning in this fight. There might not be any meaning in winning or losing. Even so, I thought that I had to go through with it. Because right now, I’m the only one who can accept Kacchan’s feelings.”

BOIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!! There it is! ;A; Because it’s so true. Deku is the only one who can possibly understand both the familiarity and magnitude of what Kacchan is going through now. Good lord, Deku monologues this while Kacchan slowly steps towards him, teetering on the edge of the literal white line!!! Ah wait no, he steps over it and runs to the other (Deku’s) side of the road!! URGHHHHH!!!! Destroy me with this visual ‘walking the line’ symbolism!! ;A; Even Deku braces himself over both sides of the center line, to receive and deliver an answering kick right back at him, in the physical language Kacchan wants right now. Here we goooo~

More Deku internal monologue: “He might’ve just wanted to release these feelings he couldn’t do anything about by fighting. Even if that was the case, I couldn’t just completely reject him. It was kind of twisted if you thought about it.” Hrm, choosing to word it as a ‘twisted’ way of thinking, huh. “From kindergarten to elementary school, middle school, and high school…We’ve known each other for a long time, but until now, we’ve never talked about how we really felt.” Krgh, fuck me uppp with that shot of them back to back together. ;A;

Ahhhh!!! This part of the action resembles Nakamura’s a bit, with the dynamic zoom ins, impact frames, and flashy flame effects. ;A; Can only just sit in awe and watch it happen. No thinking indeed.

GUH! All the way up to the physical strike Kacchan gives to Deku’s core…ouch ouch;;; That bit animating how Deku dents the railing from the force of impact tho. D8 Omg these manga panels are implemented so quick, with them reacting and continuing without pause! Deku backflipping off the rail, but Kacchan catches his arm and throws him. The recoil landing him back in same place where Deku first landed on the rail too. Gosh these details!! DD8    

“It’s only natural, but I’ve gotten stronger…” hrmm, the manga had it seem like Deku was comparing his slow reaction time to Kacchan’s rapid moves, while also praising him out loud too. Now, the subs have Deku talking and referring to only himself…to which Kacchan responds with “What’re you smiling about!?”…so which pronoun is the truth. But oh shit!!! Yoooo, that ost begins! 8’DD

“I’m sure you’re up to something! That’s what makes me sick! I can’t tell what you’re thinking! No matter how much I beat you up, you stick close! Even though you were nothing, it’s like you’re looking down on me!” *gasp* Only now, does Deku finally register and hear those words. It’s the same thing Kacchan told him during their first vs match, how he felt Deku was always looking down on him. They didn’t stop to listen to each other, and couldn’t even accurately read each other’s signals, this whole time! “That attitude you have like you’re better than me, like you’re seriously gonna surpass me– It’s an eyesore!” Because yep, Kacchan just can’t understand Deku’s intentions either. Can’t read or fathom why on earth Deku would bother to keep coming back to him regardless of all his attempts to keep him away.

“Is…Is that what you thought?” (ah yes, and I notice how Kacchan is standing on both sides of the white line again) “I mean, normally, if someone keeps looking down on you, you won’t want anything to do with them anymore.” Ya Deku, because that’s the same thing Kacchan thought about you too, that he felt like he was also being looked down on, by someone who was perpetually and already deemed the weakest, so he tried to distance himself from the walking conundrum (the contradictory person he couldn’t understand: Deku) that incited those confusing and wary feelings. Avoiding Deku didn’t work, physically and verbally pushing him away didn’t work, because Deku always returned back to him. If Kacchan ultimately couldn’t do anything about it, then the only thing left for him to wonder, is WHY?!

“But like I said before, because I had nothing at first, along with the parts I hated about you, I saw vividly all the amazing things you could do!” UWAHH!!

There it is, the sub’s version of the ‘to the same extent as all of your unpleasant traits, your sheer amazingness at everything you do was so brilliant to me, it was blinding!’ :’))))) “You, who had so much that I didn’t have, were an amazing person much closer to me than All Might!” BAWWWWW!!! There it is! ;A; His ‘Kacchan sugoi!’ Comparing everything he admired in him to something much closer, reachable, and worth aiming for in his life than their far-off, distant idol, All Might. ;.; As the answer to Kacchan’s why: Deku had always chased and sought after him, because he was that personal source of inspiration. How Deku viewed the positives he saw in him was so important, it likely kept the hope of his aspirations afloat ever since he was a toddler, when Deku had otherwise nothing else to keep him going. Without Kacchan nearby in Deku’s life, it’s doubtful Deku’s spirit would have even grown as strong as it is today. Kacchan is that important to him!!

(Holy fuck this is only just the HALFWAY POINT of the ep!! ;A; They managed to cover THIS much content in 10 min, whewboi that’s impressive.)    

Omgg there it is, Kacchan’s unhinged grin at seeing Deku momentarily gain on him with a solid hit he could not avoid. Hoho, perhaps he likes it. ;) Finally getting a worthy answer and challenge to play toe to toe. His game on literally flares at that! Bonus: his eyes finally have a visible shine returned to them!!!! ;A;

Ok omg wait no, THIS animated part looks more like Nakamura’s style! Improvising off the manga’s panels for a flashy new set of choreography with plenty of impact frames!! 8D Fav part, to no one’s surprise: the shot of Kacchan’s glowing/sparking palm. Oh fuk that’s cool. <3

Hoho, and it’s not just Kacchan’s game that’s sparked, Deku’s has been too, to the point he even starts channeling Kacchan’s more ill-mannered traits. “This is gross, so I can’t tell you to your face, but…” (omg wut, gross? Heh goodness, Deku’s that embarrassed by it. :P) “When my feeling of ‘I have to beat you’ is stronger than ‘I have to save you,’ I inadvertently start spouting more insults. That’s the part of you that I hate, but the image of ‘victory’ I have inside me is of you.” …!!!!!! Urggkgh ;.;

Deku’s inner confession time. When he wants to win just as badly just as Kacchan does, aka his ‘what would Kacchan do?’ moments, without consciously controlling it, he starts behaving just like him too, foul-mouthed and all. :’D Even taking on the parts of him he dislikes. Kacchan’s influence runs that deep, and he’s set that much of an amazing, winning example to strive for, that Deku pretty much unconsciously becomes the embodiment of him whenever he gets desperate too. Whew, let that sink in. For how much Deku values Kacchan. :’D  

Hooo, love the shot of Kacchan leaping up, for the way it’s framed AND because his eyes appear to be glowing red. :’D Yuuus, adapting a manga panel so nicely!

“I’m not a nice enough guy to just go along with your stress-relieving fight.” Hoho! And yuus, Deku has his own backbone to fully stand up to him with his own strength. Omgg and the shot zooming in from afar with the camera doing a full rotation around them leaping at each other! Ahhh! So cool!

Deku’s not handicapped to stick to just his legs (that would be using only half his repertoire, which wouldn’t fly in an honest, all-out challenge vs Kacchan) “I want to beat you, the incarnation of victory!” ;A; “In order to meet the expectations of All Might, who chose me!” By delivering his classic, straight ‘smash’ punch!

Krhggh!!! The punch actually brings shine to Kacchan’s eyes too, at the moment he resolves not to lose. His trademark tenacity and resourcefulness are not to be underestimated! Omgg, the animation of his arm grabbing Deku’s sleeve! :O Flipping them into an explosive pile-drive right down to the asphalt.

Smoke clears, and AKLFHLGHGJHGJ?! It’s the pin where they’re both breathing and wheezing hard!!! (Truth be told, when I first saw this page in the manga, it left me going uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh for…what it almost looks like. :P) Fucking hell, animation team went even further with the tightening movements in the close up shots for each hold. ERMM 👀;;; Ahahaha wow, I can’t ignore how suggestive this looks, uh, and hears. Omg BONES pls. ;D

Yooo, and even though Kacchan won this, he’s not happy or gloating about it either. Rather he reproachfully questions Deku, while still taking heaving breaths over him, ahh and there’s less blood on his face than expected, that if he has All Might’s power, then what is he doing losing? “Even with that power…even if you made that your own…You still lost to me…Hey…Why did you lose?” Like Kacchan can’t believe it himself. Heck, even from the pained look on his face, it’s almost like he wanted Deku to win.  

Speak of the devil! Because the man himself arrives, having heard the whole thing. Ayy, and we have both boys completing each other’s sentence upon seeing him too. :’)  

Kacchan’s “It’s too late…” while looking away, in response to All Might apologizing for not noticing, has me pained. ;.; Now, fully asking All Might the same ‘why’ about Deku too, for a clear answer this time. ‘I thought you were strong as someone who could already compete; he was powerless but more heroic than anyone else, so I decided he should also be able to stand in the ring.’  

“I’m weak, too, you know…!” ;A; Ah!!! Oh no, my heart. “I always wanted to be strong, like you! It’s because I’m weak…that I made you turn into that…!” Uhuhuu, oh no, my boy. <333 Ooof, and while the manga showed Kacchan’s pained, guilt-ridden face to All Might here, now the anime shows Deku’s astonished reaction to his line too. :’) Mmm, that moment of rare yet honest humility from Kacchan. Savor it, for the truth of how he feels.  

Double oof and BAWWWW!! Animated Dad Might’s reassuring and comforting hug!! ;A; That none of what happened to him was Kacchan’s fault to begin with. Along with All Might’s regret that he overlooked how this would affect him, only seeing his strength from the outside, and ending up making him bear that kind of burden alone. (He’s still only just a 15/16yr old kid to be dealing with this! D:), Krgghhh aww man, Kacchan really needed this; he’s practically starved for it. Even if the softness received from his idol’s compassion and a sincere apology still hurts. The reality still stings. Uwah, that dejected slap away from his touch. ;.;

“After being a hero for a long time, I’ve seen that being fixated on victory like you, Young Bakugo, and wanting to save those in trouble like, you, Young Midoriya…If either of those feelings is missing, then a hero won’t be able to carry out the justice he wants to carry out. Like how you, Young Midoriya, admired Young Bakugo’s strength, and how you, Young Bakugo, feared Young Midoriya’s heart…Now that your feelings are out in the open, I think you both understand. If you both recognize each other and can focus on making each other stronger, then you can save people to win and win to save people, becoming the greatest heroes.”

DESTROY ME RIGHT NOW!!!! ;A; It’s…the iconic LINE! Bonus YES!!!! Animating their slow, softening expressions to become more open as the realization sinks in, just like in the manga’s split panels! ;A; AHHHHH all of my feels! <333 Because it’s just as All Might says: that by supporting and helping each other improve, especially in the specialized areas where the other’s lacking, their combined strengths can become much stronger together than they could only operating alone. Greatest hero duo foreshadowing! 8D 

“You…had the strongest guy lay the groundwork for you. Don’t lose.” :’DDD That kind of humble encouragement from Kacchan to Deku, ahhh good.  

Omg, All Might’s extra line, “I should be bowing and begging you to keep this secret. Just how much will I need you to be considerate for my sake…? Sorry, thanks.” !!!! ;.; I don’t remember this line put exactly like this, but it’s just…compared to what All Might’s already had to do, prostrating himself in front of others to keep his word, Kacchan is…well, when things are truly important, he’s probably one of the most honest and faithful guys there is. He keeps true to his word; he can be trusted. :’) “I’m not being considerate. It’s just too big a risk with too many drawbacks to spread this around.” Heh well, taking the smart and logical excuse then. :P And just like Kacchan can be trusted where things matter, All Might deems it worthy at this point to allow him the truth behind everything involving OfA and its history too.

Hoooo, I love how afterwards, when both boys are following All Might, on both sides of the road now, they’re also at the same equal distance back, side by side, without either falling behind. :’))) Ahh small symbolism for what’s changed in their dynamic. “Jeez, damn Deku, why’d you have to go and tell me for?” BECAUSE HE CARES ABOUT YOU, DUMBASS! And didn’t want you to feel like you were being tricked or lied to! ;A; (Yet...Kacchan still felt that way anyway) Agghh well, these hopeless fools. :’) Bonus soft Kacchan. <3

“But unlike what I’ve been doing until now, Deku– Like how you’ve been watching me and everything around you and absorbing it to get stronger, I’ll also make everything my own to go higher. Higher than even you, the chosen one.” :DD Yuus! Kacchan’s conviction not to cease his own aspirations, but rather to focus even higher than Deku, and now with a greater awareness on how to approach that mutual climb.

“The…then, I’ll go even higher than that! I have to get higher than you!”   “I said, I’m gonna surpass you!” “And I’m saying that I need to go higher than that!” “What?!”

Ahaha, it shifts to their comedic bickering back and forth, as All Might muses how they’ve become more like proper rivals now. :’D Yuus, and now the secret behind All Might and OfA became a secret among the three of them. :’)))

Even more comedy seeing them both captured in Dadzawa’s tape! XD But what’s also so nice/fun about this is how they react like a pair of equally troublesome kids, both on the same page now. :’3 

All Might gives his astute explanation, “Young Bakugo felt responsible for my retirement. He had to face the exam with those pent-up feelings, and in the end, his inferiority complex exploded.” Hmm, exploded quite literally. “It was because I didn’t realize and was negligent in his mental care…It was a fight brought about by the failure of adults…” :’)))) I’m glad All Might is humble and aware enough to realize and admit all of this. Tending for the students’ mental health, especially after a potentially traumatic event, and especially as children with no frame of reference on how to deal with any of this alone, is so important. Even the adult teachers learn how to do things better. It’s also heartwarming to see how All Might takes up the responsibility for causing Kacchan to fail his exam, reasoning Kacchan was too preoccupied with the pent-up feelings over his retirement that he couldn’t properly focus. Trading Kacchan’s responsibility of shouldering the burden, onto his own. Dad Might is so good. <3  

Hooo, and yup, Kacchan owns up to what he did and admits he threw the first punch. :’DDD Oho, but Deku won’t run away from what happened either, “I also went in pretty hard.” Ayyy, slowly maturing boys. <3

*end credits break*

AFTER CREDITS SCENE!! Of their house arrest cleaning!!! :’D Oh sweet, Uraraka asks if they’ve made up. :’3 Yes, she supports them getting along too! YESSS then the quiet scene of them vacuuming alone! 8D

“About my Shoot Style… How was it…?” *long nervous pause, from both their povs* “The motions when you’re preparing to do a move are too big.” *cue soft mellow ost!* “Even when you got faster, I was able to just barely react in time. It’s not good for a slugfest.” “I see...” “When you used it with your punch, it made me mad.” *cue Deku’s honest surprise, and WOBBLY SMILE* ;A;   “I see…!”

HRGGHH yes, their newly soft, tentative, awkward, yet ‘normal’ interactions. :’D As tender as a band-aid freshly removed and the skin left to heal on its own. The awkward dorks are taking wholesome baby steps now. With Kacchan willingly offering Deku encouragement and fighting advice in his own way. ;A; (Heh, Deku’s mixed, overly telegraphed style made him mad when Kacchan actually got caught off-guard.) Boi I cry, especially when the ost finally started up, nurturing that collective awwww moment. They are good and learning boys, and this is just the beginning! :’D

PREVIEW TIME!  

…!! :O Yes, it’s Twice!! What was skipped from ch 115 looks to be moved here. (This ep61 adapted content from mid117-mid121.)  *gasp* OH SHIT, Overhaul tease!!! And…!!! *screeching gasp* IT’S HIMMMMMMM!!! ;A; MIRIO!!!

AHHHHH <33333 Although my hype was off the charts to finally view this ep in its entirety, ahh omg I have plenty of more hype in store to finally see HIM animated as well! X’3 Oooh, this shall be good, with the Big Three tease too!

[megamanxfanfics]

S.V - Ep. 16: Intervention of Destiny

----------------------------------------------------------

INT. ZERO SPACE – Zero’s Lair – DAY

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The logo of Dr. Wily is prominently displayed in the background as it glows from red to purple.  Zero slightly levitates above the floor with his Ominous Virus power and looks down at X.  He observes his darker image in the black and gold Ultimate Armor and smiles.

ZERO: ............X...I'm very happy now...I've never been so happy...

X: ............

ZERO: Just look at us! We’re both in our peak forms, at the top of our Game.  Nothing can stop us!!

X narrows his eyes.

X: …Except each other…

Zero grins and nods to X with respect.

ZERO: My mind is becoming very clear... as though I have known everything... I don't care about the Mavericks anymore... Or the Prophecy…  I just need to do one thing...

X: …And what’s that…?

ZERO: Destroy Sigma!

X’s eyes widen, surprised.  He was not expecting to hear that.

X: …What?

ZERO: That is the mission!  We still have to finish him off, don’t we?

X: (cautious) Zero... you are Zero, aren't you...?

He makes a familiar, irksome smile.

ZERO: We’ve already been through this...The energy readings are still the same...and there is no Maverick reading, is there...? You are reading my normal data. This is my true form...

X: …You've been consumed by the virus and yet...  You’re starting to sound like your old self…

X blinks, confused and takes a deep breath.

ZERO: Heheh…  I was never consumed…  I Am the Virus!

X widens his eyes and shakes his head in disapproval.

ZERO: From the moment I woke from my Host Pod years ago, he has evaded me and avoided death. Part of my DNA infected him and caused him to become far stronger than he ever should have been.

X: And now most of his DNA made YOU stronger than you’re supposed to be!!

Zero gives him a smug smirk.

ZERO: Maybe… But that still doesn’t change anything.

X: IT CHANGES EVERYTHING!!

[Insert Title Card – Intervention of Destiny]

ZERO: Let’s face it.  Until now, neither of us has been able to fully destroy him.  It’s time to rectify that mistake.

X: And what about us..? What about all that before, huh??

X points back and forth to himself and Zero, then he cricks his neck.

X: You were vey quick to write me off as an enemy a few hours ago, so what changed!?  Did I knock some sense into you??

ZERO: Heheheheh, Hahahahah!!!! The Prophecy is still unfulfilled, but I realized… I don’t really care about that anymore. This is My Life.  No one else’s.  Not the Hunters, not Sigma’s, not my Creator’s.. and certainly not yours…  

X nods with a scowl while clenching a fist.

ZERO: …We may be destined to kill each other; you - the Ultimate Creation of Light, and me – the last of Wily’s numbers… But despite all that, I’ve been thinking…  Maybe there’s a reason why you just won’t Die. Perhaps we were always meant to converge.

X: Hm!?

ZERO: …I could use someone like you on my Team. If we take down Sigma together for good this time, we can rebuild this Colony and form a Regime of our own.  

X: Huh? What do you mean…?

ZERO: It’s chaotic out there, X. I can feel the Virus levels of Earth’s citizens coursing throughout this World.  The people are lost and angry.  They’re going to need a real Leader to rein them in, and Sigma… is not it.

X: …Neither are you….  Why not let the Maverick Hunters do their job???

ZERO: Hahahah, Maverick!? This isn’t an issue of Mavericks, X!  We are embarking upon a New World, where soon… there won’t be such a thing as Mavericks, or Irregulars.  It will just become the Norm.  And once all of our instincts align, then we’ll achieve true peace.

X: So you mean to tell me that you’d just let the Humans and Uninfected Reploids die!??

ZERO: We failed these People, X. It’s survival of the fittest for them, now.  And whoever comes out on top, I’ll make sure that they all fall in line!

X vehemently shakes his head.

X: Absolutely not!!  I won’t let you!!!

ZERO: Then you’re in my way!!!! Last warning: You can either stand with me or against me!!  But whatever the outcome, Sigma dies tonight!!!!

X: That… may be the only thing we agree about, but this still isn’t you…  Your data readings...... they’re the same as Zero used to be...but... your motivations are impure… You cannot be seen or analyzed correctly as data anymore. You taught me that, Zero. There’s something evil within you...! Similar to Sigma... Or should I say, even worse than Sigma!?

ZERO: DON’T compare me to that Parasite!!!

X: Even though his virus infected you, you’ve never been damaged! You have only become more powerful since the infection; too powerful, in fact!! I cannot allow this to go on any longer... Zero... I don't want to lose you... but I'm really worried about you......

ZERO: Hmph… There you go again, showing your big heart… That is your kindness and your weakness…  I don’t have time for this…

X narrows his eyes.  

X: Sigma has changed you, and played us against each other! That's why I have to fight even harder and bring you back.

ZERO: Hm!?  ...Then I don't need to give you more explanations...!

X: I'll destroy you, whoever you are, and bring back the true Zero!

ZERO: Hmph!!!

Zero dashes into X, who charges up, but cannot hit him in time.  Zero gets the first attack with a Z-saber slash to the chest.

X: Agh..

X is pushed back from the attack, but he is surprised how unfazed he is by the saber.  This Ultimate Armor was stronger than he remembered.  With his charge-cycle complete, he instinctively pulls up his Buster and tests the Plasma Shot. It immediately knocks Zero down to the floor.

ZERO: Ogh!! No. You won’t defeat me!!!

He gets right back up, defiantly.

X: This isn’t about defeating you. Its about purging that virus from your system!

X runs after Zero with a glowing fist.  He tries to punch him in the gem, but Zero catches his wrist.

ZERO: Uh uh uh…

He blasts him directly in the stomach with a fully charged Z-Buster.

X: Auuughh…

X is knocked against the far wall.

ZERO: Two can play at that game…

X favors his stomach as Zero simply taunts him with a grin and a flickering open palm.

ZERO: Come on, X.  We haven’t even gotten started.

He allows X to get up, who smirks at the challenge.

X: You’re right…  Lets see what we can really do.

-cut to-

----------------------------------------------------------

INT. FALLEN COLONY – Sigma’s Lair - DAY

----------------------------------------------------------

SIGMA: Muahahahahahah!  This is perfect…

He folds his arms as he eagerly watches his monitor with interest.

SIGMA: Now I’ll finally see who is the Strongest Hunter…

-We pan to the monitor and zoom in-

-pan to-

----------------------------------------------------------

INT. ZERO SPACE – Zero’s Lair - DAY

----------------------------------------------------------

X slips a special chip into his X-Buster, while Zero charges up again.

Zero shoots two new, heavy blasts from his Z-Buster that resemble that of a buzz-saw.

The attack frightens X and causes him to kick-jump up the wall for safety.

ZERO: Hah!  Coward…

With a swipe of his blade, he manipulates the wind-gust of his slash to trail into X and knock him down.

X: (hurt) Aghh!  One cannot wield so much power and sustain it!  Why do you think I get rid of all the weapons after every mission?  All those armors…?

X tests out the Ultimate buster chip.  Without effort, he fires his large Plasma Shot into Zero, which engulfs his side and chips away at Zero’s armor.

ZERO: Gaawww!!

The blast chips his left shoulder piece.  No longer does it bear the Z logo it once did.  

X: Your power is going to Kill you, Zero!  And I won’t let that happen.

His armor shifts into dark green, where he unleashes a Super Double Cyclone into Zero.

ZERO: GHHAAAAAAHHHH…

Zero is shoved against the wall, winded.

ZERO: (coughing) Kuugh, no, instead you’ll just kill me, right? Heheh..

Zero’s armor shifts into black as he powers up even further.

ZERO: (continuing) …at least you TRIED!!!!!

He dash-jumps right next to X and slams his fist into the ground.  His enhanced Giga Attack erupts the entire room with waves of dark energy that crash into X and cause him to go down. His new Ultimate Armor just received its first battle scars as X closes his eyes and turns his head.  

ZERO: (smiling) Hmph.

He gives X a respectful nod as he rises to his feet.  Then, he turns around and starts to walk away.

X: (faint) …Hey…

ZERO: Hm?

He turns around to see X, back up on his feet with a golden aura surrounding his dark armor.

X: You can’t get rid of me that easily!

In an instant, he unleashes the Nova Strike, which propels him into a swift air-dash, surrounded by atomic light energy.

Zero’s mouth is agape as the bright figure of his old friend bashes into him.

ZERO: AAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!

X returns the favor as his Nova Strike crashes against Zero’s Virus barrier and shatters it.  The power singes Zero’s chest as X air-tackles him.  When the Nova Strike dissipates, X grabs him by the neck and forces him down to the floor, pressing his other hand against Zero’s gem.

Zero cringes and struggles while X concentrates on powering up his own hand.  

ZERO: Grrr…  Ungghh.. That’s not gonna.. Work!

Zero grabs X’s wrist and forms a buster with the other hand.  He then, impales X in the ribs with his Thunder God Attack.

X: Ooooh….

X stays down, curled up into the fetal position as Zero slowly gets to his feet.  He shakes off the pain, annoyed.

ZERO: Damn, dude.  You really do pack a wallop.  …Why don’t you just join me?  We’re wasting time!

X favors his bloody side, as he activates a sub-tank.

X: (panting, recovering) I…  could say the same thing…

ZERO: Hmph.

Knowing X just used a supplement, he does not hesitate to fire his buzz-saw blasts at him again.

X: Hah!!

He immediately jumps and air-dashes out of the way.  With renewed energy, he flips over and lands a drop kick to Zero’s face.  

ZERO: Ooof..

X: How do you like that?

X takes two swings at Zero, which he easily dodges. Then, his virus barrier goes up again. Zero easily retreats with a back-dash and levitates away.

ZERO: Hmph.  Fool...

He takes out his Z-Saber.

ZERO: I’m /BEYOND this now!!!

At the dash, Zero /slashes a huge dark wave of energy from his saber, which scares X.

With a gasp, he turns black and yellow and releases a Super Twin Slasher out of desperation.  The giant power slashes cancel each other out, which enrages Zero.

ZERO: Daamn yoouu!!

Zero rushes over to X in a rage, flies up and performs a flaming stab from his Z-Saber

X’s eyes widen as he thinks fast.  He uses a Super Goo Shaver barrage of ice blocks to knock Zero away.  X, then advances with an air-dash as he summons a wave of Super Frost Tower spikes.

One by one the giant ice spikes multiply and crash down on Zero, around the room.      

X pants as he looks down at Zero with regret.

X: Give it up, Zero...  Come on.

Out of nowhere, X is surprise attacked by an after-image of Zero.

X: Auugh

ZERO: You’d like that, wouldn’t you!?

Zero dashes into him and performs a Shippuga slash.

X bends down, favoring his stomach again.

ZERO: Hahahaha.

He grabs X by the head and knees him in the face.

X: Khaa!!

X retaliates with a Super Rising Fire Uppercut, which catches him off-guard.  From mid-air, X doubles down with a Super Ground Fire wave, which blasts Zero back against the wall.

X & ZERO: AAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!!!!!

When the fire dies down, Zero flies right into him again and the two grapple once more.  With gritted teeth, they butt heads. X’s new helmet is much stronger than Zero’s, causing him to falter and release his hold. Then, X can see the damage he’s done.

Zero wavers a few steps back until he re-gathers himself. Blood trickles down his cheeks as he points at X, weakened.

ZERO: (wounded) You would NEVER be this powerful without the help of your precious Dr. Light.  

X: I already told you, I’ll do whatever it takes to win! And I’m not through yet!!

ZERO: Hmph...I don’t need any upgrades to defeat you…

X: You’ve received enough of one already...

He blasts Zero in the chest with a Super F-Laser, which burns a hole through his plating and carves quite a scar across his under-armor.

ZERO: Ourghh.. Daamn, you...

X: (continuing) I’m gonna undo what Sigma made you... and…whoever that is.

X points at the Dr. W logo in the background.

ZERO: His name, was Wily!  

Zero bashes another Messenko Giga Attack across the room.  X back-dashes in an attempt to evade it, but still gets knocked around by the waves of blasts. He decides to counter with a Crescent Forcefield and dash into Zero.

ZERO: Agh!!

Zero levitates upwards.

X uses his thrusters to hover in mid-air.  He grabs Zero by the chest and lets his Forcefield carve more scars into his dented armor.  He punches Zero in the face, sternum and gut before his thrusters cease and he is forced to land. Upon touching down, he shoots a Plasma Shot at Zero, turns yellow and catches Zero in a Super Lightning Web.

ZERO: (shocked, struggling) Grr..aarrghhh...

X doubles down with strikes of Super Tri-Thunder, which clash right against Zero, knocking him down through the Lightning Web. He cancelled out his own attack, but it was worth it.  Zero was smoking.  He could sense the Virus around him, fading.

Zero starts to hurt as much as X had before.  He covers his swelling head and curls up, showing a rare sign of vulnerability. His Armor fades from black to red.

ZERO: (v.o, thinking) Damn it.  This is not good!

An idea comes to Zero as X walks over to him.  

X: Hey...  Are you alright?

ZERO: I... think so...  H-help me up...

X’s eyes widen, as he immediately drops his guard and holds out his hand.

ZERO: Hehe.. FOOL!!!!!

Zero immediately uppercuts him with a flaming Ryuenjin slash, which burns X at the chest and knocks him down.

ZERO: /Hahahah. /HAHAH!!!

Zero blasts him twice with two buzz-saw blasts and both catch him, causing direct explosions against his armor.

X: AAAGGHH HAAARRRGGHH!!!!  HOW DARE YOU!!?

Irate and damaged, X rises up from the destruction and jumps after him with brown-tinted armor.

In mid-air he summons a Super Soul Body, which creates 5 after images of X.  All of them air-dash into Zero at different angles, and knock him back down.

ZERO: Waaaaaaagggghhhhh!!!!! 

X capitalizes on his punishment with a Plasma Shot that blows a hole through his ribs.  

ZERO: Aaaaghhhh!!!!!

X: You’re beaten, Zero. Lets call it even.

ZERO: (stubborn) It’s not over yet...

He Hisuisho air-dashes back up, knocking into X, who falters back a few steps.

Zero proceeds to furiously punch X in the face, the side of his head and then his chest, but X blocks it. X blocks another punch aimed at his stomach and shoves Zero away.

X heel-kicks him in the head, but Zero catches his foot and pushes X down to the floor.

Zero lifts up his saber, but X shoots the hilt straight out of his hand.  Annoyed, Zero shoots at X with a full Z-buster blast, directly to the chest.

X: (surprised) Ahhh!

ZERO: (smirking) Gotcha…

X: No ya don’t...

From the ground, X lets out another Super Soul Body attack, which Zero manages to dodge and analyze as he evades the attack with glowing eyes.  Zero picks his saber back up as he runs away.

X gets up, dashes behind him and punches Zero in the lower back.  It was not like X to fight dirty, but at this point, it was do or die.

ZERO: Agh!  

Zero elbows X directly in the forehead.  He turns around and shoots X three times with huge white blasts.

X: (in pain) Ghaaawww…

The powerful buster shots feel worse by the moment, but X rises to his feet, knowing that this pain was nothing compared to the pain Zero caused all those people for so many years.  Indirectly or not, Zero was still responsible for everything.  Maybe the Prophecy was true.  Maybe everything was going to end tonight.

X clenches a fist as it starts to glow blue.

ZERO: Come on X!!  What are you gonna do now!?

X: If I can’t save you... thenI… am going to finish you!

The two run after each other.  X’s inner-power swells as a golden aura surrounds his body once again.  While maintaining a glowing blue fist, X takes flight.

X: NOOOVVVAAAA STRIIIIIIIKE!!!!!!!

Zero stares at X carefully and his gem flashes white.

ZERO: TWIN DREAM!!!!

Zero announces a new attack as he creates a Soul Body, after-image of his own, which strikes at in the heart with a soul saber, just as hard as Zero’s physical saber clashes against X’s Nova-powered body.

ZERO: HUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

X: AAAAAAAAAAaaaahhhhh!!!!

The two fall, parallel to each other, head-to-foot.

X spits out blood as he lands from their attack.

His body immediately powers down.  His Ultimate Armor relinquishes itself and reverts back to his Base Armor.

Zero’s body equally shows no trace of the Virus, as he pants and sweats in his red armor.

They both writhe in pain, immobile on the floor.

X: Aaaggghhh! I thought I won... I didn't expect you to do that... I never expected you to use Soul Body... Ohhh...I'm losing...consciousness...

Zero puts his hand over his aching heart.

ZERO: ...Uh, Ugh......X, X...

X just lies there, unconscious.

X: …......

ZERO: …......

After a long lapse of silence Sigma fades into the room with two fists full of energy.

SIGMA: … Ha ha ha...  You’ve done very well, X...  I will make your end easy!!

Zero looks on, annoyed at Sigma.

ZERO: ...NO, I won’t allow you to! I know everything you’re trying to do!

He jumps in front of X and guards him.

SIGMA: Then, be a good boy and just die!

Sigma blasts Zero with both arms, creating a huge explosion that tears him apart.  Immediately, he is swept away from the blast.

ZERO: (struggling, resisting) ...Uh, Uwaaaaa!  ...X...X... Please survive...!  ...Survive!  X...  Live... for... me...

Zero’s body is ripped in half, as he falls right at X’s side.

With his wires exposed at the torso, Zero is helpless to defeat.

Sigma looks down at his contemporary and frowns at what could have been.

SIGMA: You’d almost fully evolved into your true self...  It’s a shame you didn’t quite make it, Zero.  You had so much potential.  Oh well.. Farewell!

He walks over to X and smiles.

SIGMA: Well...  it is only you and me now… X - The strongest Reploid!  Bwah ha ha!

X: (hurt, weak) …......  ...I’m...losing my strength... and......energy...  I... can’t... see any...thing... ...Ze... Zero... Don’t... leave... Please... stand... by... me... ...I’ll... protect... you... Zero...

X passes out with a whisper in despair.

SIGMA: Awww, isn’t that sweeet...  Come...  It is time we made our preparations...

He bends down and hoists X over his shoulder.  Then he looks down at Zero with a scowl.

SIGMA: Hmph. I will let you live this time. But I won’t be so kind next time you try to betray me. And there WILL be a next time, won’t there, boy...?  Hee hee hee...  

He grabs what little remains of Zero’s body and teleports away with them.

-cut to-

----------------------------------------------------------

INT.  FALLEN COLONY – Sigma's Lair – DAY

----------------------------------------------------------

Sigma appears in the middle of his lair, with X and Zero in hand.  He positions one under each arm as he carries them both to two broken Pods.  One is blue and the other is red.  These are their Host Pods, retrieved from the Forbidden Place – the area in which both X and Zero were first discovered.

SIGMA: Rest up, boys. We have a World to control.

He grins as he places them both in their respective pods.

SIGMA: See you soon…!

-Freezeframe. Grainy effect-

-Fade to Black-

[recentanimenews]

Manga the Week of 9/29/21

SEAN: The end of September brings some nice books, but also a long-awaited new volume of a beloved series, so let’s start with that.

Yen Press has Yotsuba&! 15! Do you know when the last Yotsuba&! came out? 2018, that’s when. Rejoice!

ASH: Ah! A great series to start us off with!

ANNA: Wow!

MICHELLE: When last we left off, Yotsuba and her dad were acquiring a car, so I look forward to some fresh new adventures.

MELINDA: Oh!!

SEAN: Yen Press also has A Certain Magical Index 24, Combatants Will Be Dispatched! 5, In Another World with My Smartphone 3, Love and Heart 3, Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story 3, and Star Wars: Rebels 2.

Apologies to Udon, who I forgot about last week. They have already out Steins;Gate 0 Volume 1, an alternate universe manga set after a Bad End from the original game. This is an omnibus of the first two volumes.

Square Enix has By the Grace of the Gods 3.

Seven Seas has been awfully quiet all month… TILL NOW. Get ready to be buried.

ASH: I am prepared.

SEAN: We start with the Bloom Into You Anthology, a collection of manga by various artists revolving around the cast of this yuri manga.

ASH: I like seeing these anthology volumes released. Once upon a time, seeing them licensed was somewhat rare.

SEAN: Hello World, the manga, is a complete in one omnibus retelling of the light novel. It ran in Ultra Jump.

Karate Survivor in Another World (Yajin Tensei) is a Dengeki Daioh title for those who wish that more isekai titles were like old-school Shonen Champion “teens fight” manga.

ASH: I am interested in portrayals of karate in manga, but am significantly less interested in isekai these days.

SEAN: The Masterful Cat Is Depressed Again Today (Dekiru Neko wa Kyou mo Yuuutsu) is from Kodansha’s Suiyoubi no Sirius, and is about a young woman who takes in a giant cat… who’s really good at nearly everything. Better than her, at any rate. Cats and comedy, love it.

ASH: Indeed! Love a good cat manga.

ANNA: Sounds promising.

MICHELLE: Ooh.

MELINDA: This sounds fantastic!

SEAN: The NPCs in this Village Sim Game Must Be Real! (Murazukuri Game no NPC ga Namami no Ningen to Shika Omoenai) runs in Young Ace Up, and is based on the novel. I enjoyed the novel much more than expected, so the manga should also be fun.

Reincarnated as a Dragon Hatchling (Tensei Shitara Dragon no Tamago Datta – Saikyou Igai Mezasa Nee) runs in Comic Earth Star, and is ALSO based on the novel. I didn’t read that one, but I assume it is cute and has dragons.

That is SIX debuts. Wow. We also get BL Metamorphosis 5 (the final volume), How to Build a Dungeon: Book of the Demon King 7, Mushoku Tensei: Roxy Gets Serious 6, Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn 14, She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man 2, and We Swore to Meet in the Next Life and That’s When Things Got Weird! 3 (the final volume).

ASH: BL Metamorphosis is wonderful; I’m so glad that it was translated.

MELINDA: I never managed to start it, but now is the time!

SEAN: One Peace has the 16th manga volume for The Rising of the Shield Hero.

Kodansha gives us the first volume of the updated Eternal Edition re-release of Codename: Sailor V.

Also in print: Eden’s Zero 12, Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest 8, Fire Force 24, Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie 6, To Your Eternity 15, UQ Holder 23, and Witch Hat Atelier 8, the most important of those titles. (Please buy Witch Hat Atelier.)

ASH: Yes, please do! I’m a little behind in my reading, but To Your Eternity is a favorite of mine, too.

ANNA: Witch Hat Atelier is one of the few series I’m not behind on!

MICHELLE: I totally am!

MELINDA: I’m… I can’t even bear to speak of it.

SEAN: Digitally, our debut is The Girl, the Shovel, and the Evil Eye (Youjo to Scoop to Magan Ou), a Shonen Sirius title whose content is not as cute as it sounds. A man dies and is reincarnated as a worker in a mining camp, without any powers, even! But when he tries to help a bullied girl, will he have powers after all?

Also out digitally: Am I Actually the Strongest? 5, Back When You Called Us Devils 5, Chihiro-kun Only Has Eyes for Me 2, Fate/Grand Order -Epic of Remnant- Pseudo-Singularity III: The Stage of Carnage, Shimousa – Seven Duels of Swordmasters 3, The Great Cleric 7, Harem Marriage 9, Mr. Bride 2, Saint Cecilia and Pastor Lawrence 4, That’s My Atypical Girl 2, and What I Love About You 7. Half that list is just the title of the Fate book.

J-Novel Club has 4 debuts, three light novels and one manga. Dahlia in Bloom: Crafting a Fresh Start with Magical Tools (Madougushi Dahliya wa Utsumukanai) is a J-Novel Heart series about a woman who was isekai’d after overworking herself to death. She’s not a villainess… but she’s still dumped by her fiancee. She’s been trying to be quiet and get on with life… well, screw that. Now she resolves to make a career for herself.

Min-Maxing My TRPG Build in Another World (TRPG Player ga Isekai de Saikyou Build wo Mezasu) is a series that features, well, an isekai’d guy using game mechanics in another world, but apparently the audience for this is more 45-year-old D&D players than teen MMO gamers.

The Reincarnated Princess Spends Another Day Skipping Story Routes (Tensei Oujo wa Kyou mo Hata o Tatakioru) is a villainess otome game series from J-Novel Heart. In this game, most fans agreed that the support guys were better than the love interest. Our villainess is going after one… but the heroine is determined to stop her. We shall see.

Also out as a light novel: Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill 10.

On the manga front, we get the debut of My Instant Death Ability Is So Overpowered, No One in This Other World Stands a Chance Against Me! —AΩ—. Based on the light novel, it runs in Comic Earth Star.

We also get the 4th Record of Wortenia War.

Ghost Ship debuts Manga Diary of a Male Porn Star (AV Dan’yuu Hajimemashita), a Shinchosha title from Kurage Bunch about a young man who moves to Tokyo to enter the world of Adult Videos. It’s… harder than it looks. No pun intended.

ASH: I’ll admit to being curious.

MELINDA: Same.

SEAN: Cross Infinite World gives us Return from Death: I Kicked the Bucket and Now I’m Back at Square One With a Boyfriend Who Doesn’t Remember Me. As you might guess, it’s a Peggy-Sue story a la Tearmoon Empire, and the title is also the plot.

Lastly, we have Airship. In print, they debut She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man, and we also get Classroom of the Elite 9 and The Hidden Dungeon Only I Can Enter 5.

And we get an early digital release of Berserk of Gluttony 4.

Ooof. The Suez is unstuck, folks, and the September of Quiet is over. What are you getting?

By: Sean Gaffney