#but sugiura is there to protect his mans

[undercooked-spaghetti]

We don't talk enough about the part near the end of Lost Judgment where Higashi is in danger of getting shot and Sugiura saves him by jumping from his safe spot, kicking the gun away from Soma, and risking getting stabbed by the man in retaliation.

Sugiura took a bullet at the end of Judgment, lives, and then stops Higashi from potentially having a worse fate because the gun is pointed directly at him. It's also not Higashi's first time at the bad end of a gun.

The power couple we deserve in the Judgment series. 😤

[lemonxdaisybby]

May I request to have Dating Headcanons with Yagami Can be SFW or NSFW ones, If you're free 😳

I'm missing for my man and hooping He will come back one day for the Judgment 3 😩🙏😭

Maaaan, what I wouldn’t give for Judgement 3 😭 Hoping that because Sugiura and Tsukumo had a lil cameo in Y8, it might be a thing 🥺

Here u go some Yagami hcs, hope you like 💕

It likely took such a long time for Yagami to ask you out. There would be a lot of tension and subtle flirting beforehand, but he’d be so preoccupied with work that maybe Yagami would try and convince himself that he doesn’t have time to date.

Kaito would be having none of this, however. He’d push Yagami so often to confess to you or ask you out on a date, to which Yagami would attempt to deny his feelings, protesting that the two of you are just friends, but he’s fooling no one.

Once the two of you do start initially dating, despite being busy, he would try to make as much time for you as possible and would text you throughout the day. Casual dates would also take place once or twice a week, both initially and once the relationship is more established. Yagami would take you out to grab food at cafes or small restaurants, you two would meet up for coffees and for walks around the city, and maybe there would even be a little VR date every now and again.

Yagami would try his best to keep you separate from his work. He is a professional after all. However, you often hang out at his office with him when you have spare time, and he’s stuck working. Sometimes, he may ask for your input on some cases, getting you to look over things to see if you can bring a fresh perspective.

Be prepared to take lots of naps together. Yagami is a very sleepy man. Also, considering he practically lives in his office, more often than not you’ll probably invite him to stay at your place, to the point where he’s sort of unofficially moved in. He’d be super grateful for you allowing him to crash at yours so often.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Yagami smells amazing. It would be cologne, mixed with leather. It would be such a comforting and manly scent. It wouldn’t be overpowering, but you’d definitely get a whiff of it when he brushes past you, and when you hug him you’d just want to bury your face into his chest and inhale the scent.

He is protective, but to a nice degree, where it comes across as more gentlemanly. He trusts you, and knows you can handle yourself and make sensible decisions when out and about, but he will still walk you home if it’s late, or if you’re needing to walk through more shady areas he will accompany you. If anyone ever gives you trouble, he’s there for you straight away.

Yagami is really observant, and so has learned to be pretty receptive of your feelings. He caught on to your little behaviours and quirks very early on, and can always tell if something is off, or if you’re not feeling too good. He’d ask you about it outright too, letting you know that if you need any help, reassurance, or someone to rant to, he’s there for you.

When it comes to sex, he is a fairly passionate man. He’s pretty vanilla, and doesn’t go too wild, but he can be very intense and intimate.

He is obsessed with your hips and legs. His hands are always gripping on to your thighs or hips tightly during sex, to the point where he almost leaves bruises. Wearing short, tight dresses that really enhance the curve of your hips and showcase your legs would turn him on so much.

On days where he doesn’t get to see you, and the office is pretty quiet, Yagami would totally lean back in his office chair and jerk off to the thought of you. Maybe if you’ve recently sent him some dirty texts or pics he’ll use those as motivation. He might also send a quick video of himself jacking off in return, if he’s feeling brave, or if you’ve asked him to do so at one point.

[itz-wanderer]

What would Yagami and the Boys will react when they heard Reader was pregnant? 🥺👉👈

Hello! Thank you for requesting! Also I tried my best to write it the same length for each characters, I REALLY DID, but it's hard 😔 so yeah, here it is!

Hope you enjoy! 🫶🏻

Yagami Squad when they heard their s/o is pregnant

Yagami Takayuki

- Thanks to his profession as a Detective, he’s used to observing people’s change in behaviors, including yours. That’s why when you tried to hide your pregnancy from him, he noticed it right away and asked you about it. You were planning to hide this fact from him but nah, this was the moment.

- When you showed him the positive pregnancy test, his eyes widened in surprise, sure he knew something was off but he never knew he was going to be a dad this soon!

- The first few seconds of silence made you gulp nervously, a soft smile plastered on his face, and he embraced you tightly while whispering “I love you” and “Thank you”.

- As much as he wants to stay home with you, he still has to do his job as a detective but he makes it a routine to kiss you and your belly before he goes to work, you could feel the baby communicating with you by its little kicks.

- If he’s already this protective with you before the pregnancy, he’d be even more protective once the baby arrives! He even told Kaito and the others to look after you in case he’s busy with his detective job.

Kaito Masaharu

- He’s a passionate man and lover, who likes to express his love in every possible way, that’s why when you’re holding the positive pregnancy test he’s bursting with happiness. He’s smiling from ear to ear. He even throws his fist in the air and exclaims “Yes! Finally! I knew we could do it!” Afterall, the one who suggested for a baby was him and you were happy for you both.

- He’ll keep you safe, healthy, and satisfied with everything he can do. If he sees you carrying heavy stuff around, he’s going to grab it from your hands in an instant and tell you to sit and rest . “No no, I personally don’t think it’s good for our baby, how about you sit and rest, love?”, which is gonna end up with you complaining but agreeing in the end.

- He never forgets to tell how beautiful you are every single day, don’t even think about mentioning you look fat now and not as pretty as you look before. “Wha- baby, you’re carrying my child and you always look beautiful in my eyes.”

- He obviously can’t wait to have a kid running around the house calling him “daddy”, seeing their first steps and hearing their first words, the little creature would be the perfect symbol of your everlasting love.

Toru Higashi

- In conclusion, this man knows you better than yourself, he’s always aware of why you’re sick, when you’re on your period and how to comfort you. So when you starting to have these pregnancy symptoms like feeling nauseous and missing your periods, he had his own guess until you proved his guess was right by showing him the positive pregnancy test.

- He starts by pulling you in his warmth, a soft kiss on your lips and then your belly, you’ve always wanted to have children with him and seeing his reactions just made your determination stronger. For the rare times of him smiling, this is one of those moments where he smiles, he is definitely telling his aniki first before others. He won’t even let strangers get too close worrying they might bring harm to you in some or the other way.

- He becomes a lot more caring than before, if you crave something out of nowhere, he’ll definitely get it for you even if it’s midnight. In other words, anything you want, you get.

- He always thought he was so lucky to have you as his wife and this memory will be forever etched in his memory along with other fun ones with you.

Fumiya Sugiura

- “Is this… a pregnancy test?” Is the first sentence he said when you showed him the positive results. You gulped down, nodding nervously.

- “NO WAY, I’M GOING TO BE A DAD? WAIT, I NEED TO TELL EVERYONE ABOUT THIS!” He exclaimed loudly, that isn’t the reaction you had expected but it makes you feel better. He already sent a text to Yagami and the others at this point.

- The next thing he does is pulling you into a hug and kiss you. He grabs your shoulder for reassurance and blabbers about how he’s going to be a dad, whether the baby inside is gonna be a pretty girl like you or a cool guy like him, planning your baby room, what clothes are needed. “Y/N honey, should we go to the baby store after this?”

- He’s literally pacing back and forth around the room blabbering about the baby with teary eyes of excitement, repeating himself a few times about how proud he is of you and how thankful he is.

- He starts to kneel down in front of you to be on your belly’s height so he can embrace you that way and whisper things to the baby inside to be a good kid.

[woundedheartwithin]

Quicksand

Part Six

<< first | < prev | next > | AO3 >>

—

He stumbles home from Tender, brain buzzing with the alcohol he can still taste on his tongue, the cocktails he’d had, the whiskey he’d tasted in Kaito’s mouth, body thrumming as his skin remembers the older man’s big, rough hands slipping under his hoodie and the shirt beneath it. He giggles to himself, the effort of it throwing him off balance, and he trips over a curb and crashes into a wall, knocking his head against it hard enough to break skin. He reaches up to dab at it with fingers that feel detached from the rest of him, giggling again when they come away bloody.

“Whoops.” He says, wiping his hand on his pants.

He manages to find his apartment without further incident, but he can’t seem to find his keys, so he bangs on the door instead.

“Okubo!” He yells, laughing wildly. “Open up, I dunno where… huh. I’m a locksmith. I don’t need fuckin’ keys, I can just—“

“Sugiura?” A soft voice says as the door opens, and Sugiura jumps nearly out of his skin.

“Damn, don’t… don’t scare me like that, asshole.” He growls, pushing past Okubo and into the apartment.

“Wow, how much did you have to drink?” The other man asks, shutting the door and reaching to steady Sugiura as he nearly falls on his face trying to take off his shoes.

“A whole lot.” Sugiura giggles, leaning hard on Okubo as he finally wrestles his sneakers off his feet and stumbles out of the genkan. “Hung out with Kaito-san. Love that guy. So much fun to drink with.” He babbles as Okubo hauls him to the couch and helps him sit without falling.

“He could’ve at least walked you home. What happened to your head?”

“Oh. Wall jumped out and hit me. I’m fine.”

“Let me clean and bandage it.” Okubo says, voice soft and even, and Sugiura watches him as he walks to the bathroom, eyes trained on the doorway when he disappears through it.

“Don’t you have, like, a drinking problem or something?” He blurts when Okubo returns, and he expects some kind of sharp retort, but the other man just smiles sweetly and sits down next to him.

“I don’t like who I am when I drink.” He says, and Sugiura frowns.

“I don’t like who I am when I drink either.” He says after a moment, wincing as Okubo dabs at his forehead with a cotton ball soaked in rubbing alcohol. “I turn into an idiot. Make bad decisions. Fall into shit.” Okubo hums softly, big, dark eyes meeting his own briefly before returning to his work. “But I feel better when I drink. Like shit isn’t so hard anymore.” He reaches up and grabs Okubo’s wrist and leans forward until he can see his face without the blur of inebriation. “Why? Why is shit so fucking hard?”

“I don’t know, Sugiura.” Okubo murmurs, eyes wide with something like fear as they flicker back and forth. “I’m almost done.” He prompts when Sugiura says nothing, one hand on his shoulder gently pushing him away when he doesn’t move. “It’s really late. Let me finish this, and then I can help you get ready for bed.”

And his voice is so soft, so gentle, so fucking sweet, and Sugiura wants to stop the flash of anger that roars through him but he can’t. He wrenches away from Okubo and stands, nearly falling as his too slow feet struggle to catch up.

“Fuck off. You’re not my sister.” He snarls, and Okubo flinches like he’s been struck, staring up at Sugiura with big, wounded eyes. He can feel them on him as he storms into his room, boring through the door when he slams it shut, like the other man can see through it, through him, through the walls he’s erected to protect himself from everyone and everything. A prison cell of his own making, built brick by brick and locked up tight, the key he’d stashed in his pocket long forgotten.

[yakuzacasual]

Jealous Higashi and Sugiura hcs please? <3

PREFACE

It’s a weird change of pace when I realize writing for Sugiura has been more fun than Higashi, but I guess there was more space for jokes there, while in case of mafia baby I just can’t help but be all somber and serious. It was a good write altogether though so there you go, Non. Thank you very very much for stopping by! Hope you enjoy it, have a fantastic day and stay safe out there ;^)

BEING JELLY ABOUT THEIR PARTNERS WITH Higashi and Sugiura

TORU HIGASHI

Very nonchalant about it or so he tries to act. Not a single person is fooled though. The way he’s staring daggers into the person currently taking all of your attention is quite telling and frankly, unless you are incredibly oblivious, you’ll know as well. Higashi has this very specific frown on his face while standing close enough to overhear bits and pieces of your conversation but also far enough to give you the feeling of privacy. He’s got his hands folded over his chest giving off the vibe like it’s none of his business who this strange person is, but at the same time if there is anything he can grip with his fingers, you can be sure he’ll squeeze the heck out of it. While he’s not the strongest man around, Higashi has certainly broken a pair of glasses or two this way.

He is not the type to get jealous too much as he made it a point early on in the relationship to get to know your closest friends and acquaintances. This way he knows who he can relax around and instead of worrying about the competition, he can focus on befriending them himself. Rather than being explicitly jealous, Higashi is the cautious type. More often than not he is just feeling protective of you, especially if the person you’re meeting is someone he doesn’t know or trust just yet. In case anything worrying goes down, he is more than ready to step in and send any troublemaker scurrying off with the power of his unpleasant grimace, shiny metal pin and sometimes a bunch of his boys with bats. However, the need to protect you and the bitter taste of jealousy can intertwine at times, making it very difficult for him to differentiate between the two. Which basically messes up his entire thought process and drives him absolutely mad, as he suddenly finds himself unable to think about your safety without this ugly bias. And if there is one thing Higashi really does not like, it’s being blatantly biased in a situation that requires objectivity.

Definitely does not talk about his lesser jealousy periods, partly because he is very much aware that you know of them anyways, but also because he does not wish to inconvenience you with problems that are his to solve. He will act as though they never happened, but should you try and prod him about it, Higashi won’t even try to dodge the questions. Instead, he is being very unemotional and clinical about the responses and though he never lies, it is clear that he has no interest in prolonging the conversation. You’ll find him eager to discuss his feelings only once he runs into a brick wall and there is no way to move past it without your help.

FUMIYA SUGIURA

Jealous Sugiura can be summarized in three words: clingy, whiny, competitive.

He does not take kindly to people flirting with you, he might be a bit more lax if it’s your friend and it maybe sounds like a joke but even then it immediately gets him on edge, and definitely is not okay with anyone touching you in any way, shape or form. Should he encounter such a situation or just sense that you may not be feeling comfortable around your interlocutor, this man will make the flashiest entry possible and immediately introduce himself as your partner. Just to make absolutely sure the madlad trying their moves on his beloved will get the message loud and clear, Sugiura sneaks his arm around you while looking them straight in the eye with the biggest grin he could possibly muster. Asserting dominance, they call it. And quite frankly, if you’re not terribly uncomfortable, he will gladly keep his hands on you long after the pest is gone. The jealousy makes him crave physical contact more than ever to the point of being, as aforementioned, quite clingy. No amounts of affection can really appease him in this state, so it’s just easier to let him have his way.

If he feels like you were letting the pest act like this, because they are your friend or you’re just used to that or whatever, maybe even did it specifically to make him jealous, Sugiura is going to whine. A whole lot. For like a week after the scene took place. He is persistent and determined, the kind of devil that won’t back down until he knows everything you do about the person that dared make him feel this way. Whether it is you who tells him after you’re done with “the attitude” or he scrapes together enough coins to get Yagami’s service, it doesn't matter. This man needs to know what he is up against, not because he feels like he might be lacking, but rather to find ways to one-up them. Show his beloved, that he can do better than that.

And do better he definitely does. Or he tries damn hard at very least, to the point of being as cute as it is ridiculous. Imagine if someone at work charmed you with a box of cookies they made. Sugiura would spend every free moment of the next week taking a youtube crash course on baking, possibly burn down his kitchen at least once and turn out empty handed at the end because he ran out of ingredients before the fateful batch that would finally succeed. He does know how to turn the tides around, however. He admits to having failed in the field of crafting sweets, so he gets you to join him next time, so that both of you can have some sweet, quality time baking together. Basically, Sugiura always finds ways to make these competitions that literally no one asks for work in his favour.

[richincolor]

New Releases

With summer break almost upon us, or for those of us already lucky to be out, these new releases are perfect for road trips or sitting by the pool.

Virtually Yours by Sarvenaz Tash Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

Modern love plus online anonymity is a recipe for romantic disaster in this lighthearted new romance from the author of The Geek’s Guide to Unrequited Love.

How bad can one little virtual lie be?

NYU freshman Mariam Vakilian hasn’t dated anyone in five months, not since her high school sweetheart Caleb broke up with her. So, when she decides to take advantage of an expiring coupon and try out a new virtual reality dating service, it’s sort of a big deal.

It’s an even bigger deal when it chooses as one of her three matches none other than Caleb himself. That has to be a sign, right?

Except that her other match, Jeremy, just happens to be her new best friend IRL.

Mariam’s heart is telling her one thing, but the app is telling her another. So, which should she trust? Is all fair in modern love? — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Five Midnights by Ann Dávila Cardinal Tor Teen

Five friends cursed. Five deadly fates. Five nights of retribución.

If Lupe Dávila and Javier Utierre can survive each other’s company, together they can solve a series of grisly murders sweeping though Puerto Rico. But the clues lead them out of the real world and into the realm of myths and legends. And if they want to catch the killer, they’ll have to step into the shadows to see what’s lurking there—murderer, or monster? — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Not Your Backup by C.B. Lee

Emma Robledo has a few more responsibilities that the usual high school senior, but then again, she and her friends have left school to lead a fractured Resistance movement against a corrupt Heroes League of Heroes. Emma is the only member of a supercharged team without powers, she isn’t always taken seriously. A natural leader, Emma is determined to win this battle, and when that’s done, get back to school. As the Resistance moves to challenge the League, Emma realizes where her place is in this fight: at the front.

Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian Balzer + Bray

It’s 1989 in New York City, and for three teens, the world is changing.

Reza is an Iranian boy who has just moved to the city with his mother to live with his stepfather and stepbrother. He’s terrified that someone will guess the truth he can barely acknowledge about himself. Reza knows he’s gay, but all he knows of gay life are the media’s images of men dying of AIDS.

Judy is an aspiring fashion designer who worships her uncle Stephen, a gay man with AIDS who devotes his time to activism as a member of ACT UP. Judy has never imagined finding romance…until she falls for Reza and they start dating.

Art is Judy’s best friend, their school’s only out and proud teen. He’ll never be who his conservative parents want him to be, so he rebels by documenting the AIDS crisis through his photographs.

As Reza and Art grow closer, Reza struggles to find a way out of his deception that won’t break Judy’s heart–and destroy the most meaningful friendship he’s ever known.

This is a bighearted, sprawling epic about friendship and love and the revolutionary act of living life to the fullest in the face of impossible odds. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

I Wanna Be Where You Are by Kristina Forest Roaring Brook Press

“In a world where it’s easy to lose faith in love, I WANNA BE WHERE YOU ARE is a brilliant burst of light. A dazzling debut.” ― Nic Stone, New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin and Odd One Out

When Chloe Pierce’s mom forbids her to apply for a spot at the dance conservatory of her dreams, she devises a secret plan to drive two hundred miles to the nearest audition. But Chloe hits her first speed bump when her annoying neighbor Eli insists upon hitching a ride, threatening to tell Chloe’s mom if she leaves him and his smelly dog, Geezer, behind. So now Chloe’s chasing her ballet dreams down the east coast―two unwanted (but kinda cute) passengers in her car, butterflies in her stomach, and a really dope playlist on repeat.

Filled with roadside hijinks, heart-stirring romance, and a few broken rules, I Wanna Be Where You Are is a YA debut perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sandhya Menon.

If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann Swoon Reads

High school finally behind her, Winnie is all set to attend college in the fall. But first she’s spending her summer days working at her granny’s diner and begins spending her midnights with Dallas—the boy she loves to hate and hates that she likes. Winnie lives in Misty Haven, a small town where secrets are impossible to keep—like when Winnie allegedly snaps on Dr. Skinner, which results in everyone feeling compelled to give her weight loss advice for her own good. Because they care that’s she’s “too fat.”

Winnie dreams of someday inheriting the diner—but it’ll go away if they can’t make money, and fast. Winnie has a solution—win a televised cooking competition and make bank. But Granny doesn’t want her to enter—so Winnie has to find a way around her formidable grandmother. Can she come out on top?

This Time Will Be Different by Misa Sugiura HarperTeen

Katsuyamas never quit—but seventeen-year-old CJ doesn’t even know where to start. She’s never lived up to her mom’s type A ambition, and she’s perfectly happy just helping her aunt, Hannah, at their family’s flower shop.

She doesn’t buy into Hannah’s romantic ideas about flowers and their hidden meanings, but when it comes to arranging the perfect bouquet, CJ discovers a knack she never knew she had. A skill she might even be proud of.

Then her mom decides to sell the shop—to the family who swindled CJ’s grandparents when thousands of Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps during WWII. Soon a rift threatens to splinter CJ’s family, friends, and their entire Northern California community; and for the first time, CJ has found something she wants to fight for.

When the Ground Is Hard by Malla Nunn G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

In this stunning and heartrending tale set in a Swaziland boarding school, two girls of different castes bond over a shared copy of Jane Eyre.

Adele Joubert loves being one of the popular girls at Keziah Christian Academy. She knows the upcoming semester at school is going to be great with her best friend Delia at her side. Then Delia dumps her for a new girl with more money, and Adele is forced to share a room with Lottie, the school pariah, who doesn’t pray and defies teachers’ orders.

But as they share a copy of Jane Eyre, Lottie’s gruff exterior and honesty grow on Adele, and Lottie learns to be a little sweeter. Together, they take on bullies and protect each other from the vindictive and prejudiced teachers. Then a boy goes missing on campus and Adele and Lottie must rely on each other to solve the mystery and maybe learn the true meaning of friendship.

The Boxer by Nikesh Shukla Hodder Children’s Books

Told over the course of the ten rounds of his first fight, this is the story of amateur boxer Sunny. A seventeen-year-old feeling isolated and disconnected in the city he’s just moved to, Sunny joins a boxing club to learn to protect himself after a racist attack. He finds the community he’s been desperately seeking at the club, and a mentor in trainer Shona, who helps him find his place in the world. But racial tensions are rising in the city, and when a Far Right march through Bristol turns violent, Sunny is faced with losing his new best friend Keir to radicalisation.

A gripping, life-affirming YA novel about friendship, radicalisation and finding where you belong.

[iwroteyoualoveletter]

Megumi Ogata Livedoor Interview (May 2018) [1/2]

I could make it this far because I overcame that adversity. Megumi Ogata on fighting to the end with Kurama during her newcomer period.

The Female Voice Actors We Fell in Love With

It’s been more than 10 years since I first heard their dreamy voices from anime men, charming my heart completely. In the blink of an eye I was dazed, to find out the possessors of those voices were female, so astonishing it was not to be forgotten. Completely different from the “sweet girl” voice actresses, it became natural to chase after them. Despite their dignified femininity, they could still voice powerful men, sway my heart with mysterious sex appeal, and manage to sound more boyish than a real boy in vocal purity and forwardness… at that time, I fell in love with their colorful voices, the same ones that color the anime world today.

Here at Livedoors, we’re featuring the women behind those cool and charming voices who are continuing their fight on the frontline. There are 3 interviews in total. In this second feature, I listened to the story behind Megumi Ogata’s acting of the ever calm and composed Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho.

Photography: Tetsuya Arai

Reporter: Kaori Aoyama

Hair & Make-up: Naoko Sugiura

Pushing my senior voice actors out of the way and getting to the mic, that’s how the recording began.

In 1992, Yoshihiro Togashi’s popular boy’s comic Yu Yu Hakusho (Shuueisha) became a TV animation. Killed in a traffic accident, juvenile delinquent Yusuke Urameshi goes through a series of events that allow him to return to life, and the story follows his activities as a spirit detective. Ogata played the role of a former demon thief.  Appearing first as an enemy, he later becomes an ally to Yusuke in protecting the human world.

-- In December 2017 it was announced there would be brand new animation for Yu Yu Hakusho’s 25th anniversary Blu-Ray boxset. Please say how you felt when you heard the news.

First, “Will the cast be the same?” was something I wanted to know. I didn’t want to celebrate prematurely in case they changed the casting, so until I knew I kept a careful watch. (laughs)

-- When they pitched it to you, how did you feel?

I was happy. “I can act him again.” Now that the staff are earnestly working on production, I can’t wait to see how it turns out.

-- I believe the fans are waiting with heartfelt anticipation too! Next, I’d like to hear about the period of time around the anime’s original airing. Yu Yu Hakusho was your debut work, wasn’t it?

It was my first work, so it was a lot to absorb. Even the terminology in the script, things like, “OL(※1)” and “PUN UP(※2),”  were words I didn’t understand…

-- That terminology isn’t something a newcomer can go somewhere to learn, right?

That’s right. There were so many things I didn’t understand, and it was a really big role, so I felt like there was pressure building up on all sides. (laughs) At the same time, it was decided I would be in “Tsuyoshi Shikkari Shinaisai” (in the role of Yamaguchi Shizuo). Both required all my strength, and I knew I’d have to give them my all or die trying.  

-- Did you receive advice from any of your seniors at the studio?

Yes. For example, in the beginning I couldn’t use the mic well, and I was told, “You don’t need to try so hard. It’s going to pick up your voice anyway.” (laughs) For Yu Yu Hakusho, we had 3 mics, and since the lead(s) spoke often, there was a dedicated “leading role mic.” The other 2 mics were used by supporting cast.

When Kurama first appeared in the “Three Bandits” scene, there were two others with me. Because we had to record the protagonist Yusuke’s voice too (voiced by Sasaki Nozomu), the 3 of us had to use the 2 remaining mics. I was new so I worried over, “Which mic should I be using…” until the scene finished.

-- You must have been nervous about the timing of when to start speaking alongside your seniors.

(In the role of Gouki) Norio Wakamoto was an actor who used to be part of the police riot squad. His way of speaking and moving was loud, because of the training he’d received as an officer, and he approach the mic with his whole body saying, “Uwooo! Haaaa!” while waving his arms about. Then, alongside him was Hiei’s voice actor Hiyama (Nobuyuki). At first, Hiei also required quite a bit of energy so he was shouting, “Haaaa!” waving his arms around too. I thought someone was going to get hit. (laughs)  

While I was debating where I should go, their scene finished. The voice actress for Kurama’s mother, Kumiko Takizawa, guided me by saying, “You can just push them out of way and take your place,” and Wakamoto also said, “Come over here.” I gave a timid, “O-okay then” and made my way over. (laughs) That was my first appearance, my first recording.

Editorial Annotation:

OL(※1)  - Overlap - While the first video is running, the scene gradually becomes the next scene’s video.

PUN UP(※2) - The camera angle pans from down to up.

“Don’t lie to the heart” The teachings of the audio director live on even now.

-- What was the atmosphere like at the studio?

In the animation business now, people tend to gather with others from the same generation, but back then everyone was on their own. I was the only real new one. Though Hiyama was also relatively new, he’d still started before me, and above me were other young people who’d already made a name for themselves like Nozomu and Megumi Hayashibara.

Above them were the backbone actors, like Mayumi Tanaka (Koenma) and Shigeru Chiba (Kazuma Kuwabara), and then above them even we had people like Tesshou Genda (Younger Toguro) and Hisako Kyouda (Genkai). Because there were so many people of that generation, it really encouraged me to learn a lot.

-- So many prominent people!

Among my superiors was the audio director Kan Mizumoto, who had a large presence. When overlaying the audio, he’d say things like,”It’s ok if it doesn’t match to the second (while pointing at his chest) as long as it doesn’t lie here.” Cute or cool voices aside, more than clearly pronouncing the sounds like “ga” or “wa,” he said it was important to be honest, because real stories came from the heart. Keeping the meaning of those words in mind, I continued on with the story more at ease with my acting.

-- What a lovely piece of advice!

Isn’t it? But there were times my superiors were against me too. Scolding me like, “Just now, you sounded too much like you’re acting in a romance and it wasn’t good. Can you stop that?” I’d listen to them shaking but only be thinking, “In any case, I didn’t lie” or “My heart is one with the role.”

-- Those words have stayed with you even now, haven’t they?

Yes. Because of that, if I thought I’d done a really good take, even if it was slightly off I’d negotiate with the director about altering the art to match. It wasn’t digital like now, it was film and not an easy thing to fix, but the director (Noriyuki) Abe really did his best to accommodate me. I felt nothing but gratitude towards him.

Masafumi Mima, the audio director in my other debut work “Tsuyoshi Shikkari Shinaisai,” was of a similar mindset, insisting it was critical for one to be “born into the work.” Those two had a huge influence on me in my first 2 years. Really, I owe a lot to them, that I came to embody those words in my heart and turn them into habit. The director of “Haameru no Biolin Biki” Junji Nishimura who I’ve worked with once told me, “You’re the least suited voice actress in Japan for lip syncing.” [T/N: Lip syncing as in pacing her words to the already animated mouth.]

-- What!

While laughing the director continued, “But, when I’m listening to your acting, I want to change the work to match you, so it’s fine.” I believe that having those supportive directors and audio directors allowed an unskilled actor like myself to get by. Of course, it wasn’t that I didn’t see the arrogance in asking them to change the animation to suit me, but in my heart I always felt that I wanted the work a certain way, for the work to resonate with people. Of course, the effort it takes to be in sync [with the animation] is a major premise too! (laughs)

Pressure from all sides! … Troubles with no one to listen.

-- When we interviewed Hongo Kanata, who you worked with on “Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope's Peak High School,” he said, “When I nervously entered my first recording session, I was really happy when Ogata took the time to introduce herself to all of the cast.” Would you say you’ve always been that mindful of and considerate towards others [when working]?

During my newcomer days I didn’t have that kind of time at all! I didn’t know anything about the business, and suddenly I was a regular on a major production. There was so, so much going on. Like I said earlier, “there was pressure from all sides.” At that time, the production company president said to me, “If you keep putting in your best effort, your relationship with this company might improve,” and I was shaking like, “But it’s only my first time doing this…!” (laughs) There was a lot other than that, but it felt like fighting for my life every day, thinking, “If I mess up this role, there’s nothing after!”

-- By “all sides,” do you mean there was pressure other than that from the production company?

Yes. One was, not counting child roles, but roles from high school and older, I was the first voice actress to attempt voicing a young man.

--  You have an amazing story for how you were chosen at the audition. The first thing you did was give your name, “Megumi Ogata” and they immediately reacted, “This is the exact Kurama voice we’ve been searching for!”

(Link to Tweet story.)

Yes. When I went to the recording studio, the staff said things like, “If we compare you to [someone else] your balance is a little… well, we picked you, your voice suits the role. But, it needs a bit more something?” I worried, “A bit more ‘something’? What should I do?”

-- That’s when you received those words about “a story that doesn’t lie” from the voice director Mizumoto…

He was the person to say, “You’re forcing your voice lower, but you don’t need to.”

-- How were you able to overcome that obstacle?

I’ve casually spoken about it before, but I was aware my vocal cords were on the rare side and long for a female. Japanese people often have short vocal cords, but mine are more like a black person’s… That’s to say, they’re vocal cords with the possibility to expand. You can think of vocal cords the same way you think of a violin or double bass. The violin’s strings are short and produce a high sound, the double bass has long strings that produce a low sound.

You can train to a high pitch (singing range) and extend [your ability], but the length of your vocal cords is something you are born with, so people with short vocal cords cannot produce a low sound. But, for me to deliver my voice, teachers in my major said if I trained the muscles throughout my body that I needed like any average man, it seemed possible my singing range would naturally expand. I believed their words and started frantically working out at the gym.

-- You had multiple things within the company coming at you, pressure from the production management, pressure performing as a young male character, in addition to all the pressure you were feeling during actual recordings. Even though it was your first work, it was a difficult situation to be in. Did you have anyone you could talk to?

No, there was a lot more official stuff going on too, so there was little time for personal matters. I got the job and many other problems popped up around the same time… My family and friends were worried for me, as well as the classmates I’d had with me up till then, who as you’d expect talked with me.

I didn’t have any accomplishments to speak of, and there was a period I was regarded as the lucky newcomer. Outside the top tier, many staff and senior actors would say things like, “Your role should’ve been my role.” One senior actor actually said that to my face. Of course, not all the senior actors were like that! In any case, there wasn’t someone to talk to [about my troubles]. I had no choice but to make my own resolutions and overcome.

-- It was the first case of a woman acting a young male’s role, so I imagine not all fan reactions were genial.

In truth, though people said things, I did not get any complaint letters (about how I acted Kurama). At the beginning it was more that people thought things like, this popular character should be played by a normal male voice actor, or where did they get this nobody from to play this role.  But, in playing the role, it’s true I didn’t feel I had [the fans’] consent. Putting that thought out of mind also took personal effort.

-- While you were fighting with yourself you were still able to overcome so many challenges. I think that’s really incredible.

It’s only that I had to! (laughs) Conversely, you could say my first year and how I spent its beginnings sticking out Kurama’s role might be how I was able to do everything that followed to now.

-- Didn’t you ever think, “I don’t want to go to work anymore!”

At that time I never thought, “I don’t want to go.” Just, after the show had been airing for about half a year, suddenly my voice refused to come out. The doctor said to me, “It’s due to stress so if you rest about 2 weeks it’ll be fine.” That’s when a lot of stuff happened that I can’t say in interviews.

-- I see… well, how about when you heard people’s opinions that “Kurama’s voice is really lovely!” Did you feel something like relief?

Before the first event, one of my seniors who’d been a big anime’s lead teased me by saying, “I got hit with an egg.” (laughs) Other levels included things like, there might be razors in fan letters so be careful, and “what would you do if someone threw something,” all of which had me nervous.

The event began with the anime opening playing, with me on stage in the wings (where I couldn’t be seen from the audience). At the lyric Kurama is shown, I heard loud cheering. “Huh, maybe it’ll be ok…” I thought with surprise, and made my way on stage to meet the loud cheering. I was so relieved! For the record, I don’t think I ever received razors in a letter.

→ Part 2

Translator’s Note: Do not take everything written in this interview word-for-word. There were many places I struggled to find the appropriate English for and I might have misunderstood the original Japanese. If you noticed mistakes, please tell me so I can fix them and learn.

Part Two of this interview strays away from YYH and Kurama into what happened next in Ogata-san’s career as a voice actress and musician. As a huge Ogata fan, I’ll keep on plodding through for myself, but give a comment if you’d like me to post that too when finished.  

[lady-adventuress]

Books I Read in 2017

Alphabetical list here, reviews under the cut in chronological order:

Almond, David: A Song for Ella Gray

Bardugo, Leigh: The Grisha Trilogy, Six of Crows, Crooked Kingdom

Cline, Ernest: Ready Player One

Cloonan, Becky, Brendan Fletcher, and Karl Kerschl: Gotham Academy Vol. 1-2

Cluess, Jessica: A Shadow Bright and Burning

Coulthurt, Audrey: Of Fire and Stars

del Duca, Leila and Kit Seaton: Afar

Dragoon, Leigh and Jessie Sheron: Ever After High: Class of Classics

Flores, Chynna Clugston, et al.: Lumberjanes/Gotham Academy

Gaiman, Neil: American Gods

Gaiman, Neil and Chris Riddell: The Sleeper and the Spindle

George, Madeleine: The Difference Between You and Me

Gilmour, H.B. and Randi Reisfeld: T*Witches #1-10

Hale, Shannon: Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World

Hicks, Faith Erin: The Nameless City, The Stone Heart

Jensen, Michael and David Powers King: Woven

LaCour, Nina: We Are Okay

Larson, Hope: Chiggers, Mercury

Lubar, David: Sophomores and Other Oxymorons

Riordan, Rick: The Trials of Apollo #1-2, Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard #2-3

Shea, Lisa: Ever After High: Once Upon a Twist: Cerise and the Beast

Stewart, Cameron, Brendan Fletcher, and Babs Tarr: Batgirl Vol. 1

Stoker, Bram: Dracula

Sugiura, Misa: It’s Not Like It’s a Secret

Turtschaninoff, Maria: Maresi

Weir, Andy: The Martian

West, Hannah: Kingdom of Ash and Briars

I also listened to a lot of audiobooks as I was working this year, but since I have terrible audio comprehension, I stuck to books I’ve already read and know I like:

From Tamora Pierce, Alanna: The First Adventure and the Trickster series, read by Trini Alvarado. The Protector of the Small series, read by Bernadette Dunne. The Immortals Quartet, Sandry’s Book, and The Will of the Empress, Full Cast Audio narrated by Tamora Pierce. All of them were good, but I especially loved hearing the Trickster series and all of the Full Cast books. I absolutely recommend them. Immortals was my favorite.

From Eoin Colfer, the Artemis Fowl series, read by Nathaniel Parker. I liked it a lot. It’s nice being able to hear the accents and remember that Artemis is actually Irish.

T*Witches #1-10, by H.B. Gilmour and Randi Reisfeld. Twin witches who were separated at birth meet at age fourteen and must learn magic to protect themselves from their evil uncle. This is a series from my childhood that still holds up in a cheesy nostalgic way. I always found the attempt at teen slang baffling, but at its core the story is still about family and girls supporting each other and trying to do the right thing. Excellent and complicated relationships between both biological and adopted families, excellent and complicated supporting characters.

Dracula, by Bram Stoker. An ancient vampire brings death and evil to England while a group of mostly-bumbling protagonists try to stop him. It’s hard to read a book like this without being influenced by the cultural interpretation, but one thing that really threw me off is the importance of characters that seem to get really downplayed in adaptations. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed the book, but I did enjoy how ridiculous parts of it was.

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World, by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale. A fourteen-year-old girl tries to make new friends while keeping her squirrel tail and superpowers a secret. I love Shannon Hale’s children’s books. Squirrel Girl had the charm of her Ever After High work, surprisingly without being as over-the-top. Doreen isn’t the type of protagonist I tend to relate to and I always get a little weirded out with anthropomorphized animals, but the book was fun and funny with distinct voices and an appropriate amount of camp. Also, footnotes.

The Difference Between You and Me, by Madeleine George. The closeted popular girl and school outcast are on opposite sides of school politics, which causes problems in their secret relationship. I feel like there are tons of fanfictions like this, so I was glad when this book didn’t run into the overused tropes. Unfortunately, it didn’t really have much in the way of conflict at all, which was surprising when it seemed like every single character’s opinions were meant to be deliberately polarizing. I thought that situations and characters were set up really well, but none of it really came together in a satisfying way.

Chiggers, by Hope Larson. Graphic novel. A girl navigates summer camp drama and befriends the girl no one else likes. I’ve heard a lot of good things about Hope Larson, but I couldn’t like this book even though I was trying to. It felt like nothing was happening for most of the story, and I’m not sure what was accomplished in telling it. The elements of magical realism were interesting, but it wasn’t enough to carry the story, and neither was the mundane drama. There wasn’t enough time to invest in the characters.

Mercury, by Hope Larson. Graphic novel. A girl’s experience with a mysterious gold prospector affects the life of her modern-day descendant. The story was thought-provoking, even if it took me a while to get into it, and the magical realism was well-integrated. I don’t love Larson’s cartooning style, but I thought it was much more readable than Chiggers without sacrificing its uniqueness.

The Nameless City, by Faith Erin Hicks. Graphic novel. A boy befriends a native girl in the city his people conquered. Hicks’ visual storytelling skills are excellent, and I love how her characters and expression can be both subtle and cartoony. The story was thoughtful and deals with political realities in a way that doesn’t demonize or alienate anyone. Jordie Bellaire’s color palettes are beautiful.

Unfortunately, the sequel The Stone Heart doesn’t quite live up to the first book. The art is still excellent, but the pacing and plot seemed less well-planned, especially since the story now seems to be heading in a more predictable direction. There’s a third book forthcoming, so maybe that opinion will change.

Batgirl Vol. 1: Batgirl of Burnside, by Cameron Stewart, Brendan Fletcher, and Babs Tarr. Trade paperback. A college student tries to reinvent her vigilante identity while dealing with being the personal target of a mysterious villain. This was definitely not a bad book, but it also didn’t feel like a Barbara Gordon book. If you’re writing for characters with decades of history, that legacy deserves to be respected, and I’m not sure Stewart and Fletcher accomplished that in the writing. Separate from preconceptions, the plot was solidly set up with good dialogue and distinct characterization, although I thought Barbara’s arc had a weak resolution. Tarr’s art is great, though, and I can definitely see why this series is so popular.

Gotham Academy Vol. 1-2, by Becky Cloonan, Brendan Fletcher, and Karl Kerschl. Trade paperbacks. A girl investigates a haunting at her school, which is connected to a mysterious summer experience she can’t remember. Kerschl’s character acting is excellent, and the relationship between the protagonist Olive and her ex-boyfriend’s sister Maps is immediately compelling. The cast is well-rounded and interesting, and I enjoyed reading a comic set in a superhero world without being a superhero book. Plot elements are set up from the first issue, and the story is a lot of fun overall.

A Song for Ella Grey, by David Almond. A modern version of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth is told from the perspective of Eurydice’s best friend. Almond is an excellent writer, but I felt like this was a story that didn’t need to be retold, especially with his addition of a tragic unrequited queer romance. The protagonist doesn’t have any agency within the storyline so it felt like a series of events happening in sequence rather than a narrative. I did think the formatting shift at the turning point was interesting, but the myth dragged unnecessarily in order to fill the length of the novel.

The Trials of Apollo #1: The Hidden Oracle, by Rick Riordan. The Greek god Apollo is sent to earth as a teenager as punishment for his arrogance and is bound to the service of a young girl. It’s hard to enter into the Trials of Apollo series without prior knowledge of Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus, and even as a fan of the other books in the universe, I had a hard time engaging with Apollo as a protagonist. The narration fit the character well, though, and Riordan deals with serious subjects without resolving anything prematurely. I liked that each chapter was introduced with a haiku rather than a title.

The second book in the series, The Dark Prophecy, is similar in tone to the first. I would say the biggest change is the addition of Leo and Calypso from the prequel series to finish off the classic trio of heroes. That dynamic was interesting, and I also really enjoyed the appearance of my favorite Percy Jackson character.

We Are Okay, by Nina LaCour. A girl deals with grief over her grandfather’s death and reconnects with her best friend during winter break of her first year of college. It was a slow start and I had some trouble keeping up with shifts in the narration, but I ended up liking this book a lot. The writing is atmospheric and captures the protagonist’s thoughts well. The setup for the mystery is subtle and doesn’t take focus from the characters.

American Gods, by Neil Gaiman. After three years in jail and his wife’s death, a man takes a job that involves him in a war between old and new gods. I really like Gaiman’s writing, and Shadow is a protagonist that is engaging despite his relative passiveness. Even so, I wouldn’t say this was a book I actually enjoyed all that much, and plot twists were well-developed to the point that they weren’t particularly surprising or satisfying. I’ve seen a lot of stories modernize gods, so Gaiman’s treatment didn’t seem as unique as I’d been led to believe. That being said, maybe I would have enjoyed this more if I’d read it earlier.

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Hammer of Thor, by Rick Riordan. A teenager resurrected as a Viking warrior goes on a quest to retrieve Thor’s hammer. This series in particular seems to depend on pop culture references, so while I liked the writing, I wonder if it will stay as relevant as Riordan’s other books. I did really enjoy the cast and the expansion of their backstories, and this book sets up what seems to be more of a crossover with the Percy Jackson series.

Book three, The Ship of the Dead, was also really fun. The closing of The Hammer of Thor was a little misleading in that the crossover elements were limited to the beginning and end of the story as usual, but by this time the characters are more than capable of standing on their own. It seems like this book is the last of the series, and it managed to close out the plot pretty well.

Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom, by Leigh Bardugo. Six teenagers are hired to break a political prisoner out of a foreign country. Not only is this an excellent heist story with a really detailed plot, but each of the characters are fully developed and they all have their own arcs throughout the books. Bardugo’s cast is inclusive and intersectional without feeling like she’s checking off a list and the writing is witty with clear voices. Both the characters and plot drive the story. I can’t say enough good things about this duology.

The Grisha Trilogy, by Leigh Bardugo. A teenage soldier discovers an elemental power and becomes part of a plan to overthrow a corrupt monarchy. This trilogy takes place before Bardugo’s Six of Crows books, but it was disappointing in comparison. I really disliked the protagonist, and there was a lot of focus on a frustrating romance, to the point that it overshadows the interesting worldbuilding. The plot dragged in places, despite being too thin to fill three books. Even so, there are a few really great supporting characters that almost made it worth it.

Sophomores and Other Oxymorons, by David Lubar. After a successful freshman year, a teenager’s overconfidence causes problems at his high school. This is the belated sequel to Sleeping Freshman Never Lie, which is one of my favorite books. Sophomores seems more self-referential and has a subplot that doesn’t seem to fit the tone as well, but for the most part it had the same witty charm that I loved about the first book. Of course, the best part of the series is still Lee, the female lead.

Maresi, by Maria Turtschaninoff. An abbey novice discovers her calling when a new girl with a troubled past arrives. This book was originally published in Finnish, I believe, but I think it must have lost something in the translation. The narration is distant, and even though parts of the world are described, it was hard to picture any of the setting. Overall it didn’t really hold my interest.

Kingdom of Ash and Briars, by Hannah West. After gaining magic powers and immortality, a girl becomes responsible for ensuring peace throughout three kingdoms. I really didn’t like this book. It treats the female characters poorly, especially the antagonist, and although the plot is ostensibly about duty, it’s heavy-handed, relies too much on tropes, and is really obviously motivated by romance. A lot of this can be overlooked if it’s ironic or just done well, but it never came together and ended up being very frustrating.

Of Fire and Stars, by Audrey Coulthurst. As she enters an arranged marriage, a princess has to hide her magic and her attraction to the prince’s sister. Even though the two protagonists are supposed to have equal weight, I ended up almost actively disliking one of them. The plot isn’t terribly engaging, but because I couldn’t get behind one of the characters, the romance couldn’t carry the novel for me. It wasn’t bad, but I wish it was better.

Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters, by Shannon Hale. A commoner-turned-princess takes an unattractive job to teach court manners to three royal sisters. This book is the third in Hale’s Princess Academy series and it is just as excellent as the first two. The plot is set up well across multiple books, and Miri is an excellent and flawed protagonist who is capable without overshadowing the other characters. The romantic plots don’t feel forced and the narration accomplishes a lot of interesting worldbuilding. Another book with girls supporting one another despite not necessarily understanding each other.

The Martian, by Andy Weir. An astronaut is stranded on Mars after an early mission evacuation and must survive until he can be rescued. I was skeptical about the premise, but everything is well thought out and clearly explained, without sacrificing either reader engagement or scientific accuracy. The protagonist has a great voice, but as soon as the perspective shifts away from his first-person mission logs, it’s easy to tell that Weir isn’t a very experienced writer, since the other characters and third-person narration are not nearly as well-defined. Overall, though, it was still a good book.

Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline. A high-schooler who is desperate to escape a dystopian future dedicates his life to solving a virtual reality puzzle and becoming the heir to a video game empire. There were two things that I really disliked about this book, the first being the protagonist, who seemed like a terrible person for most of the book. The second is that, despite being ostensibly a celebration of pop culture (and especially 80s pop culture), the overall viewpoint seemed really rigid and judgemental. The writing was fine, and there were some really interesting puzzles, but in the end I felt like it was male nerd entitlement in novel form.

Ever After High: Once Upon a Twist: Cerise and the Beast, by Lisa Shea. The daughter of Red Riding Hood and the son of King Charming are forced into the roles of Beauty and the Beast in order to escape their midterm exam. Cerise and Dexter seem like an odd pair, which sometimes works in the Ever After High universe, but didn’t really here. Part of this I think is because this book is written for an even younger audience than the original so the characters lost a lot of their nuance. The only part of the story that surprised me was almost immediately negated by a soap opera-worthy plot device to prevent the status quo from changing.

Afar, by Leila del Duca and Kit Seaton. Graphic novel. A girl tries to fix problems caused by her newfound ability to project herself into different worlds, while keeping her younger brother out of trouble. There is a lot of visual worldbuilding here, which I thought was very well done. Plot wise, it felt like the protagonist’s arc was maybe just the first act of a much longer book, but the characters were solid all around.

Lumberjanes/Gotham Academy, by Chynna Clugston Flores, Rosemary Velero-O’Connell, Kelly Matthews, and Nichole Matthews. Graphic novel. The ensemble casts of Lumberjanes and Gotham Academy work together to free their teachers from a girl’s attempt to relive a disastrous birthday. I think this book is set up more for fans of both series, and since I’ve only read a little of Lumberjanes, I felt like I was playing catch-up for some parts. I did really like the parts that showcased the Gotham Academy characters, though. I felt like the art was missing the lushness and texture of what I remember of the regular series, which was disappointing.

Ever After High: The Class of Classics, by Leigh Dragoon and Jessi Sheron. Graphic novel. The children of popular fairy tales learn more about their parents by using magic to relive parts of their high school experience. This book was very disappointing compared to other parts of the franchise. The art is minimal and flat compared to the webseries, and all but one of the anthology-esque stories felt like retreading old ground. I also really disliked the narrative hoops the audience was expected to jump through just to keep anything significant from changing.

It’s Not Like It’s a Secret, by Misa Sugiura. After moving from Wisconsin to California, a Japanese-American girl struggles to build a life she is happy with while keeping secrets that could ruin her family. This book was a bit surreal to read because specific parts of it were identical to my high school experience, while other parts were completely foreign. Still, the writing is solid and thought-provoking, and I liked that there is no easy answer to the protagonist’s problems.

A Shadow Bright and Burning, by Jessica Cluess. A newly-discovered sorceress takes on the role of a prophecized savior in a fight against enormous apocalyptic monsters. I found it a little difficult to get into the characters, especially since there is only one girl in a large group of boys and the gender difference is a large part of their interactions. I disliked the romantic subplots, which seemed to take over the narrative, even though the worldbuilding and political aspects of the plot were really interesting.

The Sleeper and the Spindle, by Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell. A queen postpones her wedding to deal with the sleeping curse that threatens to spread from the kingdom next door. The story begins as a mix of archetypes from Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, but Gaiman’s atmospheric writing elevate it even before the surprising finale. Riddell’s illustrations and other visual choices for the physical book are beautiful and tell the story meaningfully. Highly recommended.

Woven, by Michael Jensen and David Powers King. After his murder, an aspiring knight goes on a quest with a spoiled princess to stop the universe from unraveling. This book had an interesting premise, but its execution filled me with rage. Although it pretends to have dual protagonists, the princess is treated horribly by the narration without any kind of self-awareness. She is given a thin veneer of fighting ability but no agency in the story and is constantly being rescued without payoff. The writing and pacing also seemed flat. Overall extremely frustrating, especially because of the hints of interest.

[woundedheartwithin]

Some story ideas. Maybe I’ll actually get around to writing one or two. If you’d like to use them, please feel free! Just be sure to tag me so I can see!

———

Saori had met Higashi a thousand times before, had always thought him handsome, but it’s not until she witnesses his kindness that she wonders if she wouldn’t mind getting to know him a little better

Higashi is impressed by Yagami’s parkour skills, and a little frightened at how easily he can choke a man out

Higashi and Yagami share a drink in the arcade. But with Higashi, it always feels like Yagami’s taking one step forward, only to immediately take two back

Tesso offers Yagami and co. a place to spend the night. He figures now’s as good a time as any to finally bond with his kyodai

Sugiura doesn’t visit Kaito in the hospital. Kaito wants to know why. Turns out Kaito getting stabbed had scared Sugiura more than anyone thinks, and Sugiura’s first goal is always to protect himself

Higashi drives to Yokohama with Hoshino-kun. Teasing ensues, and maybe leads to something more

Zhao and Yagami bond over their mutual taste in outerwear

Yagami nearly gets blown up. Sugiura can’t believe his eyes when the detective finally drags himself back to Yokohama 99. Maybe Kaito is there

Yagami and Sugiura skate around town. Sugiura gets a little distracted and eats shit, and Yagami is not about to let him live it down