#but you know uta got her love for music from somewhere!

[penofsteele]

Singing runs in the family <3

[liannelara-dracula]

Uta x Human Reader, please? The reader is like Uta, quiet and really artistic. They decide to check out his shop bc artt. And they get really interested in eachother and oops their hearts go 💓 (I'm sorry haha) Also can the reader be shocked but still cool with the fact that Uta's a ghoul?

Hi. No this is a great Idea I just hope this is to your liking I spent a lot of time on this so I hope it's good. Since the reader is a girl I do think that her personality is slight different but I did try to follow along with what you requested.

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    It was Saturday and you were ahead in everything you needed to do. Classes were over, your day was off, and you figured you’d get out to fill the void. You forced yourself out of your comfy bed and f/c comforters to get ready to go somewhere. You brushed the small knots in your hair making your h/c locks soft again. Once you were ready and changed into an outfit you liked you stepped out of your apartment and wandered around the streets of Tokyo. 

    A sigh escaped your lips as you strolled down the street after feeling like you had been everywhere when in reality you had only gone to a couple of places. You looked to the left side of the street that was the more run down and abandoned part of town. This was literally the only part you never checked out very much. You had been there a few times only to meet with some of your classmates from school but you never knew too much about the place.

    I guess it couldn’t hurt to explore. If I feel unsafe I can always run right back anyways.

    As you walked down the street you placed your earbuds into your ears to play the music you liked on your phone to not feel as lonely as you walked. You walked around many buildings searching for a store that piqued your interest. Your e/c orbs widen at the title written on the nearby store, HySy ArtMask Studio, you stopped thinking it would be cool to check out. 

    It looks a little empty but maybe there just aren’t that many people who need masks at the moment. I hope something looks cool in there.

    As you approached the studio’s door you turned the knob of the door to enter inside as a bell jingled, signaling that you had come in. Your fingers removed your earbuds from your ears and placed them into your purse. Stepping inside the medium-sized building with art hanging on every wall, there were all different types of masks. Ones that made you shiver from how dark they looked and others that made you awe from how they were beautifully constructed. The heels of your shoe’s soles clicked on the checkerboard floor as you moved to have a look around the place. It seemed a little strange that the store was so vacant yet it was open.

    I wonder if there is anyone actually working here? I hope I'm not intruding.

    “Hello?” Your voice echoed through most of the building.

    “Um, excuse me. Is anybody here? Hello?” You asked again, walking further around the building.

    You stepped further in the building only to trip on displaced tile, “Ahh!”

    “Ouch!” You winced at the pain you felt in your knee.

    “Are you alright?” The sudden voice of a male had caught your attention as he helped you up.

    His black hair tied into a ponytail and his pale features with a few piercings on his face as an accessory. His hands, arms, and neck covered in ink designs-he’s appearance wasn’t typical to see but it wasn’t unappealing. The lad’s loose yet fitted clothing seemed to match with the rest of him as it was also dark in color.

    He is kinda attractive. . .

    Feeling a little uncomfortable you moved from his grip and dust yourself off, “Yes, thank you. And sorry about it.”

    “Your knee doesn’t look so well.” He stated before helping you up and placing you onto the cold surface of the shop counter.

    “Wait here I’ll get a bandaid.” He started signaling for you to wait as he went up the stairs.

    “Oh you don’t...have too.” You frowned seeing he’d already left to get you a bandage. 

    While sitting on the counter you looked around yourself noticing the place a bit more. Your e/c orbs scanned the room most of it being dark and not many lights were put up. While looking you noticed out the corner of your eye, a jar of some sort. Taking a closer look, you slipped off the counter to take a look at the jar. A chill went down your spine realizing what was in the jar, eyeballs. Human eyeballs were in a jar in this very shop, which meant the owner was a ghoul. This wasn't a complete surprise considering that you were in a more run-down part of town. But still, you didn’t ever think of it as such a common thing. Though you weren’t too worried seeing you had met a ghoul once which also just so happens to be one of your best friends. 

    The sound of footsteps coming towards you signaled he had returned, “You got off of the counter, it must not hurt as much..”

    “You're a ghoul.” Your voice calm even though you were slightly terrified after saying that. Placing the jar back on the table it was on, you turned to look at him seeing his eyes change, he seemed surprised yet threatened. 

    “I'm sorry I made it sound like that's a problem, I must have hurt your feelings.” He looked calmer seeing your alarmed expression turn to a frown as you said this.

    “I promise it doesn't bother me, my friend happens to be one too, and sometimes she tells me to carry snacks for her and so I do. See?” You admitted holding out a small package of ‘food’ that you'd carry when you were with your friend.

    “It's not something I really like doing but she's someone important to me so that's why I don't mind doing it.” You smile somewhat thinking of the friendship you had with her.

    It was there where he had returned to being calm, “That is a sweet thing to do. You are quite brave for a human girl. Though that wound might tempt other ghouls that live around here. What do you say, shall we treat it?” He offered holding the bandaid in one of his tattooed hands.

    Before you could say anything he helped you up onto the counter once again. He kneeled down holding your calf up making it easier for him to wipe the blood off with a tissue. Once he disposed of it in the trashcan he applied the bandage on your cut and bruised up knee.

    “I'm sorry about your injury, I should be getting new tiles soon.” He smiled helping you off the counter.

    “Oh it's not your fault it just happens, but thank you.” You replied feeling at a loss of words by this point.

    “Well, let me know if there's anything you'd like or if you'd want a mask custom made.” He said returning to the work on his desk.

    “Wait, you've made all of these?-that's so much work.” Of course, you were surprised you had to be.

    “It's just one of my hobbies.” The tattooed male stated bluntly.

    It was impressive considering he made every single one on the wall. You could never imagine yourself making all of those masks. The labor work was definitely a lot and so was the time spent to make them. His hands are probably used to work by now.

    “Well, they look really nice.” You cheered as a smile appeared on both of your faces.

    “You are an artist as well?” He inquired, studying your behavior.

    You nodded at this letting out a small laugh, “Yeah, I just don't make masks though. I but I did make this dress I’m wearing.”

    “Well the color really does suit you. Especially with the arrangement of flowers on it.” He complimented you on the detail of it as you both got lost into talking about the time it takes to make things.

    For a moment things felt a little different, there was a sweet silence surrounding the both of you as you looked up at him. Your heart skipped a beat from how much you had in common with him and from how much you agreed with him. While you were thinking in your own head, he seemed to be thinking of something as you tried to pay mind to your surroundings. But before you knew it your attention was brought right back to him. 

    His hand grabbed your chin gently as he examined your face, “I see, you have such beautiful eyes, I bet you are poetic as well.” His expression seemed to look a little curious while he sounded amused at the same time.

    You blushed, “O-oh um thank you but I'm not so sure.” Soon he let go and your cheeks returned to their normal skin tone and you felt a little more relaxed.

    “Well, I'll leave you too looking. My name is Uta.” 

    You smiled a small smile before introducing yourself as well, “Oh well thank you, Uta, I'm Y/N.”

    “It’s a lovely name, it reminds of (favorite flower).” He commented, making you blush again.

    “Oh that is my favorite flower.”

    “I made a mask with those kinds of flowers painted on there. Would you like for me to show you?” Uta piqued your curiosity by this point and you were excited to see his work seeing he was so talented.

    “Sure I don’t mind.” You said as you followed him to one the counters where the masks were kept sealed in the glass cabinet as they were probably more expensive seeing they were kept inside.

    He pulls out a key from his pocket and opens the lock on the glass door to slide it open. Once he does he picks the masks with your favorite flowers and hands it to you. You held it by your fingertips gingerly as you admired the work that was put into it.

    “Wow, I don’t know what to say the brush strokes are-

    “Nicely done?” He suggested looking into your eyes.

    “Perfect.” You felt your heart skip a beat as you were inches apart from each other.

    “I’m sorry.” Stepping back a bit he caught your attention again.

    “It’s fine, also I think the mask suits you, why don’t you try it on? You can look at the mirror here to see what it looks like.”  Uta offered to point to the small mirror placed on the counter.

    “Oh okay, I guess I could.” You say before putting it on as you looked into the mirror.

    Wow, it's really nice but...I can't afford it. It looks really expensive. 

    As you took it off you looked up to meet eyes with him, “It’s really nice. But I can't afford it.” Your warm smile seemed to make him smile as well.

    “There’s no charge, keep it. It’s yours, I liked the way it looked on you so I think you should keep it.” Uta stated, hoping you'd keep it.

    “Oh thanks, Uta but you've already done so much, I should pay you back somehow.” You couldn't take advantage of him, he already treated your wound which you knew he didn't have too.

    “I'd like for you to have it, but if you feel like you're taking advantage you aren't.” Uta smiled, placing the mask back in your hands.

    “Ok, but are you sure I can't do anything for you in return?” You tilt your head to the side grabbing his attention as you waited for him to say something.

    “Hmm, well now that you mention it. Would you be up for modeling for me?” There was a hint of amusement in his voice as he said this.

    “Modeling?” Your voice is thin and confused. 

    What did he mean by modeling? Was he teasing you, you didn't know him that well yet he was already teasing you? You looked at him waiting for him to explain as you didn't want to accuse him of being a perv. even tho he is one.

    “Yes modeling, I was wondering if you'd be willing to model for me for this painting I am making. I don't know who I want to paint but after meeting you I think you'd be the perfect person to paint. You don't have to pose in a specific way or wear anything in particular, just come by next week at 1:00 and I will start painting the portrait.”

    “Oh well I wouldn’t mind, but are sure I’d be a good choice to paint?” You questioned.

    You were flattered, truly. But you felt a little uncertain of the idea. You could never imagine someone painting you, not unless you were like a supermodel. Though in this case, you weren’t you were just a regular girl who liked art.

    “I don’t see why you wouldn’t be, you look very cute.”

    Cute? Uta thinks I look cute. But I’m not cute at all. I'm not a little girl. Do I not have enough sex appeal to be seen as a woman? Gosh what’s wrong with me, why does that even matter?!

    “Y/N, are you alright your cheeks are pink?” Uta titled his head to the side in concern to look at you.

    You felt a little nervous, “Yes-yes I’m fine. And um yeah I can model for you if that’s what you want-Ah sorry that sounded weird I mean that I-mm.” 

    Your lips rambling on as you tried explaining but Uta had shut you up. His lips crashing onto yours whilst his hands cupped your cheeks, you gasped in surprise at the contact which gave him access only to surprise you even more. He smirked into the kiss as you blushed, the intimate contact with the tattooed stranger made your legs feel like jello. Soon, you both parted as you felt a little exhausted, a string of salvia detached from both of your lips.

    “W-why d-did you-” 

    Uta kneeled down to your eye level whilst he patted your head, ”Sorry, I have a habit of kissing cute girls when they get embarrassed.”

    You had to regain your composure as you felt exposed,“Uh, no-no it’s fine. I get it.” You justify waving your hand in front of you like it wasn’t a big deal.

    “Really, so you understand?” He inquired as he seemed somewhat amused by your response. Was he teasing you again?

    You were unsure of what to say, “Yes, um no-no not really. I don’t know what to say, sorry.”

    He turned his back to you, searching for something in one of the lower cabinets, “It’s fine, but if you liked the kiss I will take you out on a date after you come by next week?” A smile grew on your lips seeing he took an interest in you and he wasn’t just teasing.

    Thinking for a moment you answered, “Sure, I’m not busy after.” A small blush appeared on your cheeks at the thought of going on a date with someone who you thought was attractive.

    Uta held out a small box to you gesturing you to take it, “Sounds great. This is for the mask your taking home, the box will keep it safe.”

    A smile grew on your face, “Oh thank you. Well, I guess I should get going.” You said while making sure you were ready to leave.

    “Your welcome, I will see you very soon Y/n.” He stated while waving as you were soon heading toward the door. 

    But of course, something kept bothering you and you knew you had to do it. You turned on your heel in the opposite direction of heading outside and went up to Uta instead. Stepping on your tippy-toes you gave him a light peck on the cheek before saying goodbye whilst you left him on the edge of his seat. And it was from there on out where you not only had a ghoul best friend but a boyfriend as well. You never regretted the day you entered his mask shop because you knew it was the best thing you ever did. Especially since you knew he liked you enough to kiss you, the first time meeting you. From then on you liked the more run-down part of town because you found a reason to.

[curewhimsy]

Utane Uta x Soune Taya infodump (Shiro-Sora)

General Chemistry Uta is pretty sarcastic, blunt, and reserved, so it’s an interesting development to see her grow and interact with the pure and shy Taya as they both overcome their shortcomings together. Uta just lost her passion to depression, but that's touched on eventually/later. She's all like "I hate life" but that's because of depression. She also lost her interest in music to depression, but being with Taya and being in a musical school has her slowly regain it. Taya tries to help out Uta and make her smile but... he ends up upsetting her one time... When Taya finds out how depressed Uta really is he starts crying for her and saying "I'm sorry..." and Uta is like "Why are you crying? Nothing is your fault..." And Taya apologizes again and says it's a habit that he feels responsible for his friend's sadness. Uta hugs him. "I haven't been able to cry for years, so I'm a bit jealous..." She says. "But... I still don't want you to cry though... I like to see your smile, ok?" Taya is very polite, and selfless. He's always willing to do favors for people. He speaks in polite language. He bows at many occasions (Even in this universe that takes place in the USA, and not Japan.) He is humble as well. These may seem like quirks or obsessions as first, but it stems from his feeling of obligation to do things for people and "not be a burden," because he had friends and teachers who treated him like a burden before. When his anemia caused him to faint or miss classes, everyone treated him as a burden. When he starts hanging out with Uta, she comments on how he feels like a butler and tells him to loosen up, it's okay to be a bit more relaxed, and selfish even. Well I think the day Uta finally cries and lets out her emotions is when something bad happens to her (fighting with her father perhaps,) but Taya comes and helps and comforts her, then confesses his love for her. And then come the waterworks, from both of them! Other General Background Stuff (including their gender identities and such) Uta Utane is non-binary, and first discovers it at age 20 through Taya, after getting to know him and realizing she is non-binary as well. Uta eventually switches to identifying as demigirl and uses she/her and they/them pronouns. Taya Soune is non-binary (he/him, trans-masculine, lesbian) and discovered his identity at age 14. He is DFAB and had been raised as a girl until then. A lot of his gender identity is still a secret from his parents, even though they know he takes testosterone hormone therapy. (They assume he is a trans man.)

Uta’s mother died when she was 4 years old. This fanfic takes place in the USA, so she is Japanese-American. Uta’s mother loved music and singing, and named her daughter after the Japanese word for song. After Uta’s mother died, her father didn’t take it well. He abandoned all music and began to hate it, because it brought back painful memories of Uta’s mother. Taya is also Japanese-American. His parents named him “Taya” with the intent of giving him an easy name to pronounce and relate to for Americans. Since Taya was designated female at birth, he was also given a name that sounded female to Americans. He still decided to keep the name after transitioning, however.

Taya picked up his habit of politely bowing when he was 15 years old and took a summer trip to Japan for two months. For this trip, he studied Japanese extensively to be able to communicate with the local people. He can speak Japanese at an intermediate skill level because of this. While he was in Japan, he felt that bowing was an expression of utmost politeness and now continues to do it back in the USA out of both out of reflex and courtesy. Uta had never been to Japan. Her father, who abandoned music after Uta’s mother died, never taught Uta the meaning of her name. When Uta was 10 years old, she was mistaken as being named Utah by everyone and was teased for it. So she Googled her name. She learned that it meant “song” in Japanese. She began to learn about Japanese culture, especially pop culture and music, in secret from her father. Quirks and Funny Moments Uta’s catchphrase is “Yare yare...” (“Good grief...”) Taya’s catchphrase is “Is that sou, desu ne?” (“Sou desu ne” is basically “Is that so?” in Japanese. I combined the two. He also tends to mumble “Sou, ne” which means “oh, well,” and alludes to... his last name! Taya is smart and dignified but... very clumsy and naive as well. Uta is badass, but kind of “chaotic dumb” in certain ways. Sometimes she forgets to do her homework while doing her homework. Don’t ask. Taya loves sweets, and his favorite is strawberry shortcake. He is also a good pastry chef... Uta is horrible at cooking! She is so horrible, that she makes things mega-explode! She is so horrible, she needs Taya to cook for her just so she can get by! Taya gets completely drunk after just a few sips of alcohol. When his 21st birthday comes in the story, he has his first drink. He gets drunk almost instantly and becomes a lot less shy. He starts singing drunk karaoke along with an intoxicated Meiko. (The songs Ghost Rule and World is Mine come to mind.) Taya and Momo Momone once got into a rather heated argument over whether strawberries or peaches are better. Uta asked herself why she was surrounded by airheads. Uta buys Taya a strawberry Squishmallow for his birthday. In no time, Taya is able to think of a personality and an extensive backstory for his new plush friend. Uta is... impressed.

One time Taya tried playing Uta’s violin instead of his usual cello. He played an earsplitting tune and ended up breaking the violin. Not only does it just break, it comically explodes into little pieces! Taya wears fancy and posh menswear all the time. To every occasion. Even to sleep. Don’t judge him. Taya is 5’4” but wishes he were at least 5’8”. He has a slight Napoleonic complex, which is somewhat unexpected. It is eventually revealed that Taya started dressing in such an elegant way to make up for his lack of height. Uta reassures Taya that his height is fine. (Once before they started dating, she accidentally slipped out that she thinks Taya is “handsome the way he is” and became flustered. However, Taya didn’t take Uta’s compliment as having any romantic undertones.) Uta’s height is 5’0” and she is rather fine with it. Deep down, she doesn’t want Taya to be tall. She likes Taya just the way he is. “Why did you set me on fire, Uta? Why didn’t you just write your essay?” -Quote from Taya, when Uta didn’t write her essay and ended up setting Taya on fire instead. (Don’t ask.) Their Part-Time Jobs Uta works part time at a hat shop. This is because Uta loves hats. In fact, she is usually never seen without her favorite hat, a black beret. Even when she is wearing a different hat, such as a beanie, she still usually is carrying her beret with her somewhere. Uta’s hat shop is at the mall, in the dimly-lit corner where nobody really goes to. It is a small shop and she is the head of it. The sales at the shop are poor. The place is named “Defoko’s Hats,” after the nickname Miki gave Uta. The nickname Defoko came from now Miki thought Uta was such a “default” type of person the first time she met her, whatever that was supposed to mean. (The word default written in Japanese katakana is pronounced “deforuto.” The first part of “deforuto” was combined with “ko,” a common ending in Japanese girls’ names, to make the nickname Defoko.) Taya works part-time at Denny’s as a waiter. He started working there to pay back the funds it took to fix a window that he broke by crashing through said window like the Kool-Aid man while he was drunk after having only one drink on his 21st birthday. (Because he cannot hold his alcohol.) Taya over-achieves at his job at Denny’s and acts as if he is a waiter in a five-star restaurant. Along with always wearing his posh, elegant clothing to the job, he is very overly-polite and tactful when taking orders, even bowing at times... people have commented that he feels more like a butler than a waiter. Taya also tends to pour the drinks at the table. In fancy teacups. He pours from a fancy kettle into the cup from a high angle. In fact, he pours them from so high, he has to get a ladder. Everyone in the restaurant stares at him. Taya is quite odd, but he does get a lot of tips. And more people have been coming to the restaurant since he had started working there. He isn’t even going for a gimmick however. He is literally just being Taya. The Theatre Club Taya wanted Uta to join the musical theatre club with him. He felt unconfident in himself alone. Taya is somewhat experienced in singing, though he is a complete beginner in the acting aspect of musical theatre. Uta has no interest in theatre, though joins to help out Taya. The biggest reason Taya wanted this is because he had a play he dreamed of acting out with everyone. It’s a play he wrote himself, from his heart. Taya is alone a lot, but he hopes this play can bring him and his schoolmates closer together. This is all Taya asks for. Uta admires his sincerity. However, since Taya is a newcomer, and the other members of the club are well-established, nobody is thinking of considering Taya’s play as their acting source material, even though nobody else’s ideas are really clicking. Given his nature, Taya doesn’t speak up. They only pay attention to him when Uta tells everyone that he’d like to share an idea. The play is… short, and similar to the one in Clannad? Except with… more people… lol. Haven’t thought too hard about the plot yet. However, it has the line, “Take my hand, I’ll take you to a place where miracles happen.” Taya’s character will be the one to say this line. Note: Okay so I thought harder and brought in the lyrics to “Dolls” by Rozenkreuz-P. So it’s basically about a child who felt alone in the world, so he built a mechanical doll to have as a friend, though he had to leave the doll behind one day to depart to “a world beyond ours” AKA death. The doll was left all alone to age and weather. The doll comes to life and is able to move. It becomes able to speak, so it sets out on an adventure, meeting people in the world it was left behind in. The doll helps out many people with its magical power. The doll’s favorite saying is “Take my hand, I’ll take you to a place where miracles happen.” One day, the doll eventually breaks, and is unable to contain the spirit within it. The doll’s spirit is able to reunite with its beloved owner who created it. Also the doll is a genderless character, because well… Taya wrote this. The work is eventually given the name “Fantasia Story,” exactly like Nagisa’s play from Clannad. Taya is playing the role of the doll. In-universe, it is said to have an “otherworldly feel” to it, and even “Wow, did you write this, Taya? That’s incredible…” A few songs are composed and written by the music club for the play, and the only one mentioned by name in the fic will be the solo Taya sings. It’ll be an actual song as well, Dolls by Rozenkreuz-P (feat. Kagamine Rin). Since this fic takes place in the USA… pretend it’s been translated to English or something. I imagine that maybe IA was the one who composed the song in-universe. Friendship Interactions (From when they were still just friends) Taya felt platonic (friendship) love for Uta the moment he first met her. He was lost on the college campus during his first day, and Uta offered to help Taya find where he was going, even though she didn’t know much about the campus herself. Taya immediately sensed that Uta was a good person. Taya wanted Uta to stay longer and talk with him for a while. When Uta went on her way and left Taya after she couldn’t help him, he felt dejected, but he felt so happy and blessed when he met Uta again later in the day and got to become close friends with her. He states the memory of their meeting is enough to make him cry. Taya is very fond of Uta. He sees her as such a wonderful and special person. He cannot stand seeing her hurt or upset, it hurts him as well. Uta grows to be very fond of Taya. The kindness and pureness of Taya’s heart widens Uta’s perspective on life. She is inspired to be someone more like him, who doesn’t harbor harsh feelings in their heart. Uta grows very protective of Taya. In a sense, she becomes willing to do anything for the sake of him, even doing something embarrassing in front of everyone in physics class to take the attention away from Taya sleep-talking in class. As best friends, they open up about their problems to each other and are always willing to be each other’s shoulder to cry on. When their lives take a turn for the stressful, they have each other. Their bond deeps this way. Uta’s crush on Taya began when she saw how confident he became when acting in the play he wrote himself. Also through the story in the play, Uta felt she got to learn so much about what’s in Taya’s heart. Uta began to see Taya as a wonderful, sweet, humble, and charming person. Taya’s crush on Uta started out as a “platonic crush.” It gradually grew into a romantic one. Taya began seeing Uta in a different light when he realized she was not only kind, but very brave and willing to help anyone in need. Once when Taya wasn’t feeling good, he still felt obligated to work and to do Uta favors. Uta told Taya he needed to rest and to take it easy. She attempted to cook chicken and vegetable porridge for Taya but nearly made the kitchen explode... however, by a miracle of friendship (or love?) the actual porridge didn’t turn out so bad. However, that night Taya’s condition worsened and became severe. He needed to go to the emergency room for pneumonia and a blood transfusion (due to anemia.) Taya began to feel like a burden, but Uta reassured him he wasn’t and blamed herself. They then worked out that maybe it was nobody’s fault. This bout of illness happened shortly before Taya was to perform his musical theatre play. Therefore, Taya isn’t in top condition when he performs. However, he still does his best and gives a good performance. Shippy Details and Interactions (From after they became lovers) Taya is a very gentle and affectionate person. Right after he confesses his love to Uta, he is rather chaste about showing his affection out of shyness. But they grow to trust each other more about these feelings. Taya is a huge hugger and loves to cuddle. Uta is gray-romantic, meaning she rarely feels romantic attraction. She seldom felt romantic feelings in her life. She never felt them substantially before meeting Taya, who she considers her first, and really, only love. Uta never thought she would be big with hugging and cuddling, but physical affection with Taya gives her comfort. (DISCLAIMER: I’m not trying to state that people who lack romantic attraction are “broken” or need to be “repaired.” Other types of love, such as platonic or familial love can be just as, or even more meaningful and fulfilling than the romantic kind.) Taya likes singing Uta to sleep. He even recorded his voice softly singing lullabies for Uta to listen to while falling asleep for when he can’t be available to sing for her. Uta thinks this is very sweet of him. Taya likes holding/hugging or clinging to Uta gently as they fall asleep together. Sometimes when Taya is feeling down, Uta does this to Taya and it comforts him greatly. The Emotional Part TW: ABUSIVE PARENT

———

Taya is practicing lines from the short play he wrote himself. He reaches his hand out and says “Take my hand... I’ll take you to a place where miracles happen.” This captures Uta’s heart.

Eventually in the story, something emotional happens. Uta gets in a fight with her father over her college major. Uta has learned to love music again and now truly wants to pursue it. However, Uta’s father still hates music, and hates that his daughter’s name is Uta (meaning “song”), and hates that the family’s name is Utane (“singing sound”.) Uta’s mother died when she was young. Her now single father is distant, abusive, and wants Uta to be a business major.

Things get emotional between them, and even a bit physical. Taya sees the whole thing, and steps in at a certain point as Uta’s father is about to hit his daughter. Uta tells Taya to stop for his own good, not wanting Taya to have to get hurt. Uta grabs Taya by the hand and runs off.

Once away from the scene, Uta then vents to Taya and tells him that life has been terrible because it lost all its meaning... Uta starts sobbing and letting out all her pent-up emotions. Taya hugs her, unable to handle seeing Uta cry, letting tears slide down his own face. After crying and comforting Uta for a bit, Taya says... “Uta, take my hand... I’ll take you to a place where miracles happen...” This time he’s for real. He‘s reaching his hand out to Uta. He‘s trying to comfort her. Both of them are misty-eyed. Uta takes his hand... and smiles at him. “Now, shall we go?” Taya smiles back. “Yes...” They take a walk to the place where they first met... And after a talk about their memories, Taya confesses his love to Uta at the top of the hill under the stars. Uta’s Life, Music, and Singing Uta Utane started out not being a singer. Until she went to Sonare Community College, the music-oriented college the story takes place in, and met Taya, she had never taken a singing lesson in her life. Uta’s late mother used to love singing. Uta herself was exclusively a violinist at first. She started playing the violin in childhood. When she lost her passion for music to depression, she still continued to play the violin simply because she felt she’d come too far to abandon it. Early in the story, Uta went to karaoke with Taya to help themselves come out of their shells a bit and become less shy in performing. Their new acquaintances Ritsu Namine and Ruko Yokune gave very powerful performances of -ERROR and The Lost One’s Weeping, and blew everyone away. Next, shy Taya gave a performance of From Y to Y, and Uta found out that he actually had a really beautiful singing voice. Uta went up on stage next and sang Jitter Doll rather horribly. Her voice was screechy, scratchy, and off-key. It was actually so bad that the microphone started making a weird feedback noise. She became so embarrassed that she stopped in the middle... and confessed with shame that she wasn’t a singer, and that she just came to help out Taya. Everyone cheered Uta on regardless. It was a great feeling, and pushed Uta to want to pursue singing. Uta becomes Taya’s singing partner, and Taya coaches Uta with what he knows about vocals. Within a year, the quality of Uta’s voice develops well. Eventually, Uta is outside with Taya. A mood strikes them and they start singing. Uta is singing a solo part, and suddenly her father comes up. “Uta?” He says. Uta is suddenly revolted by his presence and ready to take Taya’s hand and run away. She hates her dad and was ready for him to say something awful. But rather... “When did you learn to sing like that? You sounded just like your mother. It brought back memories...” Uta’s father is smiling sentimentally? Uta still doesn’t trust him, and neither does Taya, but Uta’s legs somehow just won’t move. “I...” Uta starts to speak. “You know, I realized something.” Uta’s father interrupts. “I should’ve stayed strong for you. I should have let you pursue music if it made you this happy. Your mother may have passed, but... music is where she lives on. How... how have I not realized that she lives on in you...?” Uta’s father suddenly begins sobbing. Uta doesn’t know how to react at first... but Taya pats him on the back. “Dad...” Uta eventually finds the words to say. “It’s okay now. I’m sorry I never realized you felt this way. I’d recommend not bottling these things up. Seek some professional help, okay? The first step to recovering is realizing these things. I promise, things will get better.” Uta’s father never fully redeems himself, but he lets go all his hatred caused by a traumatic past he cannot change and stops burdening his daughter with his harsh feelings. Two years after the beginning of the story, Uta goes back to the same karaoke place where she first sang Jitter Doll horribly. Little does she know, her performance became somewhat infamous there among the workers for being awful. All 46 Vocaloid and UTAU characters featured in the fic will be present in this scene. This will be a party scene, and perhaps nearing the series’ finale. “Hey, isn’t she that one who couldn’t sing?” The staff says upon seeing her. “Yes, and I’m back.” Uta says. “Now let’s turn up the volume in here. I’ll be requesting Jitter Doll.” This time, Uta totally slays every note of the song with great power and technique. She isn’t impeccably skilled yet, but she’s getting there. Applause booms from the group. Uta’s improvement is as clear as day. Not only did Uta’s singing improve within those two years, but so did her life and character. Her personality is now more cheerful and less closed-off, and she managed to overcome depression alongside Taya, becoming much more confident and buoyant in the process. Eventually... (After Story and Epilogue...) Taya plans an event on the hill where he and Uta first met. It’s a formal evening cookout with a lot of karaoke. In the place where they first met, Taya proposes marriage to Uta on a day in April. They are 24 years old. Their honeymoon is in Tokyo that June. Two months after the honeymoon, in August, they have their wedding and get married. Three years later at age 27, the two adopt their first child, a baby girl they name Sonata.

[hylukotranslations]

Ongaku to hito (music and people) - February 2003 Album: Mona Lisa Overdrive 

Atsushi Sakurai (Vocal) Interview by Hirofumi Kanemitsu

First, about the single "Zangai (vestiges) ". What a title once more.

Really ? (laughs)

The part where you say : "I won't dream anymore that tomorrow would come", is particularly powerful.

In this song, I thought showing courage for keeping up appearences... was a bit... Heroism different from the hero who is usually accepted ? Maybe it's that kind of aspect I wanted to see, to evoke what I don't want to see in me.

This is what appears in the heart of this song ?

Yes.

I found these lyrics put particularly the words in front. Previously, there was the album "Kyokutou I love you" (Far East I love you). In that album, I think you were partly influenced by events like terrorism which occured at that moment, the situations you saw through television. I also felt your sight got very wider. But this single shows that, again, you started going round in circles inside you ?

Yes... How can I explain it ? At the period of "Kyokutou...", feelings like fear, anger, sorrow, were of course strongly boiling in me. I just thought I assimilated and expressed them my own way. But, even if they were accumulated in my heart as informations through television or caracters, I thought at the end what can I do. If I go there, leaving everything behind me, what can I really do. After saying that, I realized there was nothing. Just living my everyday life.

And you can't even participate to voluntary helps.

(laughs) What can I do there.

... Like making collections.

(bursts out laughing)

You mean, instead of such sort of chimera, you'd prefer what is more realistic for you.

Yes. It's in my temperament to torture my spirit.

So, this appeared in your lyrics, and you returned to your interior conflict.

That's right.

And after this return, what do you think about yourself ?

Whatever people could say... talking that way is a bit unpleasant but (laughs), I thought it really suits me. I write to make the songs listen to people, and maybe I repeat what everyone thinks : "ok we already know this aspect of you" but, this is more kind of healthy for me (laughs), more a honest way of expression.

Instead of daring opening your heart and singing for something, being yourself that way is really of life-size for you.

Yes.

But the lyrics of "Girl" written by Imai are, in opposition to yours, full of hope.

Yes indeed. By accident, it was while we were recording quite hard songs like " Zangai " or "Monster" that I had to memorize these lyrics. I had in a way to dodge it (laughs). Maybe I was too forcing myself but, I felt a gap.

This song draws themes from "Bladerunner (of squall)", like hope or light. I was wondering how you were feeling while you were singing it.

Well, I have the position of the one who directly pronounces words, have I ? These aren't my own lyrics so, the tension of course wasn' t evident. So, I put aside the feelings and sang simply, paying ordinarily attention to the variations of rythm and melody. But I suddenly thought : is it really right ? One day, there, I even asked Imai kind of : "maybe you should sing it ?"

... And what did he say ?

He ignored me.

Hahahahaha. It's true this time there are many songs Imai himself writes and sings. It seems he sings a conception of the world which is in opposition to yours, but finally you both make for the same direction.

But it's not intentional, just natural. The course of all what we've been doing so far is the current arrival point. And if we go to the next scene, this time I sing a song about flowers which come into bloom, and Imai is in a destructive mode. I think the way things take place will change variously, but it's while Imai is working that I write lyrics, and it's in the second half that Imai's lyrics come. And there, there's never discordance, curiously.

There is a coherence.

Yes. Just like if there was... kind of imbrication.

The convex and the concave.

Yes exactly (laughs). In music, like in other jobs, if we are walking aiming together the same goal, I think at the end the landscape which appears in front of all of us is probably the same one. Each person has his own personality, his own lifestyle. So even someone who appears exactly contrary to oneself sees the same landscape.

Then, in this new album, what kind of landscape you both see.

... An uppercut.

... An... uppercut ??

We have that feeling (laughs). Talking about angle, speed, it comes from that meaning.

But if we consider the hole course, in march there was the album "Kyokutou I love you", with at the end a track called " Continue" which let suppose a continuation, and this is linked to the new album "Mona Lisa Overdrive". Dividing roughly, everyone would feel in "Kyokutou..." Sakurai's colours appear, and in "Mona Lisa..." Imai's colours are stronger.

Indeed, I thought it was probably what you say. But, honestly, at the time of "Kyokutou...", I was desoriented. It was just after Schwein and, personally, I wished to remain on that tension, this very high and sharp sensation. So if we did a "Mona Lisa..." like album, it wouldn't have been surprising at all. I have the feeling that at this moment I once got my breath back and then I entered the album. But this time, I could work without any feeling of discord.

You mean this intensity and let-all-unveil impulse you got at the time of Schwein still go on inside you ?

I think so. About "Kyokutou...", more than that my colours were stronger, that kind of melodies probably fit me, like my voice which was honeyed.

Then, what about the direction of "Mona Lisa..." ...

Maybe because we did "Kyokutou...", I thought kind of : that's what I was waiting for Imai-chan (laughs).

Ahahahaha.

I think it was really good that way. If we did this album just after Schwein, maybe we were exhausted.

Did Imai plan all this...

Probably... not (laughs).

Hahaha. So you feel highly satisfied with it.

Yes. At the beginning, since my lyrics weren't numerous, I thought maybe I didn't say all. But in compensation I could give more power to my singing. About timing, at the moment of "Girl" I dodged, but for "Buster", "Nakayubi (Middle finger)" or "Mona Lisa" which came after, I really like the melodies and the choice of the words.

But in "Ai no uta (love song)" when you say "you", it has a different meaning only in this song. It seems it makes a pair with Imai's "Bladerunner of squall", to be a song of gratitude written by you.

Yes... Said in a good way, if I had one thing I could do, is it that kind of feeling ? I'd respect people, I'd think I want to treat them very preciously.

Preciously ?

I mean "if possible" (laughs). I mean, I don't want them to feel hurt, to be piqued. And I wish that feeling of mine could be communicated to people around. But then it would look like a rat meeting (laughs) (note : reference to the song "Kagirinaku nezumi (infinitely rat)" ?)

A Sakurai rat meeting (laughs).

But I think it would be good if communicated that way. This is a song which says, it would be great if you were happy... (smile).

How to say, globally, including such sort of feeling, we can strongly feel your desire for living.

It's not consciously, but I think anybody is bursting with desire for living too. These honest persons make open my eyes. Whatever job they do, they want to live... but I think noone is living thinking : "I have to live" (laughs), they just live instinctively. Having this kind of courage. The eyes of the children of the developing countries we can often see. But maybe this is an inappropriate expression.

You mean a feeling that they are not just kept alive.

I am impressed and feel like attracted by persons who do things by themselves, attacking always and more with a great strength.

But although you say you are useless, singing "I am that kind of person", I strongly felt this sort of hope exists somewhere in you, when I listened to the hole album.

Well before... I probably was kind of deceiving by keeping up appearances. Not that I am analysing myself (bitter smile). Now, by writing, even if it's frightening... thinking more about today than tomorrow. I think it would be good if there was a strong vital strenght there. Not a long lasting vitality, but of now. Of each instant...

You mean you have to live more realistically.

Maybe this part of my desire has grown.

But in this album, isn't it the first time you sing so many lyrics of Imai ?

Yes it is. I thought maybe he had many things to express ? But the fact we did "Kyokutou" was surely determining. So, for Imai my colours were stronger too, for the peaceful and melodious side. And he wanted, not to sweept it away but, to struggle his own way. By struggle I mean not desperately, but in the meaning : "I can surely change it somehow" (laughs).

Coming back to the eyes stuff you talked about, are there instants where, like this exemple, you strongly feel someone is living there ?

You know, it depends on my antenna, it can be intercepted like it could enter me without restraint. When I walk in the town and see a beautiful woman going to job or kind of, I think : "her profile looks sad", and : "but for living, she has to...", creating myself dramas (laughs).

There are lively persons like there can be people whose eyes are like dead.

Yes, indeed. As far as I am concerned, if I am taken the singing, no value will remain in me (laughs).

Then you are living in your songs.

It's not something that cool (laughs). Of course, they belong to the ones who create them, but I think it would be bad if they aren't also of the ones who listen to them. I want them to be listened while driving at full speed, or during that kind of moments (laughs).

In the lyrics of "Limbo", you have included phrases like "Six/Nine" or "Just one more kiss".

I simpy thought it would be nice if the audience was enthusiastic about it at lives.

This means your part which wishes to make people enjoy, like what you said a moment ago, is showing itself.

I think so, but I think it's more than little compared to Imai (laughs).

I have the impression this has appeared openly around "Kyokutou", especially "Bladerunner of squall".

It's probably it.

How can you explain it.

Well.................... Maybe it can be sumed up to the word "gratitude".

Then, if you compare this album to the previous ones, which one is close to it ?

.... Talking about the personal tension I would say "Six/Nine", or "Hurry Up Mode" for the silly side (laughs).

Hahaha. But I think what is there are simply impulse or interior vitality.

Yes... We didn't favour any concept but, as a result what you say was brought out. It would be great if the listeners could have that kind of feeling, even if they don't realize it by the words, but if their heartbeat could speed up just a bit, that kind of phenomenon.

I think we can really be communicated this feeling of your strength being here, that you can move forward however much there is a conflict in you, that you can step forward. Thought only reading your lyrics I have the impression you are marking time.

Maybe you are right. Particularly concerning me. Because it's about "Zangai (vestiges)" (laughs).

Please don't laugh at yourself (laughs).

But........ actually that's not right. I am probably very negative but, I have the will to move, to go. It stirs in me. Even left alone, I can't stay at one place. As long as there is vitality in me.

--fin

translation: hyluko [livejournal] scans: tigerpal [livejournal]

NOTE: these translations are not mine also might not be very accurate. i took them from hyluko’s site using the wayback machine. thought they’re great to share. if the owner is around and wants me to take them down i will!

[hirokoa]

*New Single Has Released*

#HMTP "Hiroko's Monthly Tune Project" #3 "Wind's Song" has released, and now available on Spotify, iTunes, AppleMusic, Deezer, Tidal.

Wind's Song - Hiroko Arakaki

https://artist.landr.com/music/672985024663

- - - - -

When I was a college student, Waseda Shochiku screened a documentary film called “Screaming Masterpiece" which is about musical features in Iceland and various artists including björk, Sigur Rós, múm. Since I'm fond of their sounds, I went to watch it. Then, I was totally fascinated by the place "Iceland" itself.

The film contains the scenes of björk's live show. When I listened to the low notes in the intro of "All is Full of Love”, tears started to flow out like a waterfall and I felt somehow “I will go to Iceland someday”.

The first time I had been there was in 2009 (this trip was pretty dramatic, but I'll skip it because it's a long story). After returning to Japan, I was suffering from a kind of lovesickness which makes me want to go to Iceland intermittently, but I couldn't go there so often, so I've always been thinking, like, "I want to go there, again..." "That amazing, overwhelming nature...", "It was so beautiful...I miss there", and "The place I haven't visit last time would be like this when I actually walk there..." Too dreaming and finally wrote a song called "Kaze no Uta" ( means "Wind's Song").

When I visited there for the second time in the fall of 2013, there were exactly the sceneries I envisioned in this song. "Wow, really this!" I was so impressed that I felt like I was dreaming (this trip's story is also pretty dramatic and long).

In Iceland, wild winds often blow. Those are strong enough that push you back slowly even if you are standing firmly. When you're accustomed to daily life in Japan, it might make your blood freeze a bit if your car is blown by the winds when you're on paved roads( the specified speed is basically 90 km/h). Also, out of the high season, the road freezes easily, so 4WD is necessarily required.

Once, I have led our car to offroad with my too ignorant navigation, the car was stuck in the snow, on the vast tundra land where you could see just moss and snow and nobody there.

Or once at night, We had a flat tire due to running over some fallen rocks, on a dark coastal road with very little traffic. Every time I faced these moments, I felt deeply the meaning of the word, "Don't underestimate the power of nature."

Iceland is also a well-known volcanic country. The photo which I used as the jacket for this single had taken by Yuri, one of my close friend, in 2013. It's the place near the part of the broken bridge "Skeiðará Bridge Monument", which shows the dreadfulness of the floods that occurred when the Vatnajökull volcano erupted in 1996 and melted a part of the glacier.

The nature you see in Iceland is wild and powerful, just overwhelming. Then, somewhere in my mind, I realize that I have an incomparable sense of security, knowing the facts that nature exists as nature and that humans live in harmony with nature.

The Icelandic people I met helped us very kindly, and casually just same as breathing, seeing us in need. When we got stuck in because of a flat tire, the few cars that passed by stopped. A family came helped us changing the tire even though it's raining lightly and cold, and another woman gave me a paper with her phone number, saying "Please call me if the things go wrong. I will talk to your rental car company in Icelandic." It was just like a family.

Maybe it's because they know the power of the nature that swallows tiny lives left with careless in nature easily. But it's not that they are scared of nature, I imagined. For Icelandic people, it is "natural", and rather they are loving and respectful to it, I felt.

Nature is not a thing to overcome, but one that we accept its behaviour and live in harmony in it. Warm, cool, and calm. I want to be like them as a human being! For those who live in Japan where natural disasters often occur, their attitude may be a great hint, I guess.

For me, "Kaze no Uta" is such a precious song which is my love letter to Iceland and nature, holds my favourite scenery. It reminds me of the ideal feelings of "I want to live like this as a human being", and the appreciation that "Something makes me to alive and is supporting me to go forward" when I sing this song. "Kaze no Uta" originally a Japanese song, this time I translated it in English and rearranged into "Wind's Song", released as a work for my ongoing "HMTP" (Hiroko's Monthly Tune Project). This project is that I release a track a month, and this tune was for January 2020.

Another one of my close friends, Vicky checked the English lyrics. I'm honoured to introduce that she was also in charge of English subtitles of "Naraibusan (I Want to Learn)" which is available on its MV on YouTube ( https://youtu.be/6NAhAad-OKo ). Thank you always, Vicky.

I'm just singing my favourite things, but I hope you'll listen to. I dream it would be more fun if I could share such feelings, such as the joy of being held in majestic nature and being overwhelmed, with security, with someone anywhere in the world.

[rayraywrites]

Chapter 4

Pairing: Kuramochi Youichi x Sawamura Eijun

(minor: Furuya Satoru x Kominato Haruichi; Miyuki Kazuya x Kawakami Norifumi)

more ships to be added

Characters: Sawamura Eijun, Kuramochi Youichi, Furuya Satoru, Kominato Haruichi, Miyuki Kazuya, Kawakami Norifumi, Takigawa Chris Yuu (more characters to be added)

Rating: Teen and Up Audiences

Total Word Count: 4341

AO3

Summary:

In this universe, you don’t meet your perfect match by happenstance. You’ve grown up with them, maybe not physically, but they’ve always been there. In your mind. Speaking to you.

In this universe, humans are not the most powerful, and there’s pockets of our world that lead to the other. To the fae. And there’s so much more to them, than can ever be understood.

Eijun and Youichi. They stand upon the divide.

“It was as if I had emerged from a dream. The newly familiar trees suddenly gave away to the foliage I remembered from my youth. According to the villagers, I had disappeared for a few years, though they had long since given up on ever finding me. Even to this day, I’m not sure how I got to this other world, and that is the only word for it - a world, much unlike our own. Where strangely powerful beings with magic poured out of them like the way water flows down a river. But even more than the wondrous new experiences – I got to meet the one who completed me, the one who had remained suspiciously silent my whole life. His hair, a blushing pink, and sharp smile have begun to haunt my dreams.”

This diary entry was discovered amongst Isashiki Jun’s belongings following his return back to the human world (as he put it). He had vanished for a few years following a walk through his local forest. I have an instinct that he was able to cross realms because the forest was running along a ley line.

Based on this entry, I, and my esteemed colleagues, have postulated that his soulmate could have in fact been one of the elusive fae – but I cannot confirm this notion as he soon disappeared again. I have long assumed it is back to his matched.

Somewhere within me, I find pity welling up, as a match of that kind is doomed to fail from the beginning, by its very nature. The immortal fae and his very mortal human.

An excerpt from the “Book of Fae and Humans” written by Masuko T. (225 AD)

––––––

With a lively giggle, he clapped his hands together. Smiles were all that showed up on his face, for even when there was something that could make him unhappy, a small hum would appear in his head, or maybe sometimes an actual song could be heard bouncing around his head. It was always the same soothing voice, that wished him a “restful sleep” each night, or a “blessed day” each morning.

Not that he understood any of the words, nor their importance, as to him it was simply babble. But even when so young, he could sense the affection in the voice, and he responded in the only way he could.

Giggling and enjoying life to the fullest.

To his left, he could see his mother sitting on the big blue chair that she was always on when he went outside to play. He saw a dress in her hands, and smiled a wide, toothy grin at the pretty. sparkly material. He used to grab for it, even when she had refused, but the voice in his head would distract him when he threw tantrums.

So instead he laughed and clapped along to the music in his head, giggling at the lilting tones that rose and fell as they sang of a brave Fae warrior fighting her way through a horde of vicious hobgoblins. The song described the warrior’s near failure as a tremendous number of enemies encircled her, with bloody and disgusting weapons pointed down threateningly at her kneeling form. The little boy flinched, and cowered into himself. But then the voice soared, high in register, as it described the sudden surge of power that built up in the fae’s body, the support of her people filling her with the strength she needed to leap up. The voice sweetened slowly, describing the victory so earnestly, it almost brought tears to the listening boy’s eyes.

The boy was unable to understand the smooth flowing voice that sang in an otherworldly tone, and nor was he old enough to understand the meaning of the song. But yet, he felt the emotions welling up inside him, till he could no longer hold them back and instead large fat tears rolled down his cheeks. To his mother’s surprise however, there was no accompanying scream of pain or annoyance as was the usual occurrence, but instead only sniffles and fists struggling to wipe the tears and snot away from his face.

As the song reached its climactic finish, the warrior having defeated the hordes and returning to her people, where she was greeted by his loving and caring matched, who hurriedly began to heal all of the warrior’s wounds. The song ended with a joyous tone, pleasant and calming while also vivacious and lively, which managed to stem the flow of tears pouring down his cheeks. The ordeal left the little boy exhausted, for the changing emotions weren’t something his young body was accustomed to.

Slumping down slightly, he tilted his head back, to look up at the sky. A bright blue expanse greeted him, dotted with big, fluffy, white clouds. With a loud call for his kaa-chan, he began reaching up for the clouds, the tiredness from before quickly leaving him. Unconsciously, he shared images of the blue skies and clouds with his matched, unable to control his thoughts.

But these new images were soothing for the anxious fae, who had also received all the emotions and tiredness caused by the song. The clouds and sky indicated that things were fine, or at least, would be fine.

As the boy got distracted by the things around him once more, he clapped his hands again, trying to start another song, but unsure how he would go about it. Babbling came out of his mouth, his eyes crossing as he struggled to say the word that would get his wish across. Both in his mind and with his mouth, he tried to convey his desires, slowly but surely managing to shape his mouth around the word that he’d heard his mother say before.

唄 “Uta.” Song.

Giggling at the shocked gasp that reverberated in his head, mimicking the one that forced its way out of his kaa-chan’s lips, he called out again for a song.

For the boy’s matched, it was the first time the fae had heard the boy speak. And that the first purposeful word he ever said being for him, made the fae tear up just a bit. So he sang again, this time a soothing song of his own composition. It described the rolling hills of the Spring fields, melding with the Dark forest along their border till a fae could never tell where the Spring Court’s realms began, and the Autumnal Court’s lands ended.

And so the days passed, the little boy’s head filled with songs and stories, the fae spending his time crafting songs and absorbing everything he could from his young match.

––––––

He scrambled to sit down in front of his kaa-chan’s chair, the tone of her voice leaving no option but simple acquiescence. She had a soft smile on her face, and he never wanted to turn it upside down. He had heard from kids in the village that they never listened to their mothers, instead choosing to keep playing and ignore the demands of their kaa-chan. But he had seen their smiles turn upside down, frown his mother had said when he brought up the topic. So he promised himself to never let her frown, and instead did everything he could to make her happy.

So when she called, he came.

Settling himself comfortably at the foot of her chair, he tangled his fingers into the fabric of her dress, already impatient to go play games again. She seemed to sense his restlessness, as she quickly ran her fingers through his short hair, tugging lightly at the strands to bring his head up to face her.

“Youichi, you’re a big boy now, even if Kaa-chan wants you to stay her little boy forever.” He grinned toothily up at her, giggling when she tugged on an errant tuft of hair at his cheeky smile. He had seen his sixth winter just recently, something he brought up quite often, especially amongst the other boys in his village, all of whom were older than him and often teased him about his age.

She continued speaking in the soft, dulcet tones he’d come to realize meant that his kaa-chan was nervous. She didn’t want to discuss this topic, but had no choice. So he tried to control his wandering mind even more, and gave her his full attention. With a careful breath, both to stabilize her voice and for a final moment of stalling, she began telling him about the matched and soulmates. Immediately, he realized who she was talking about.

His Ei-chan!

They spoke in his head, and whenever Youichi was able to talk to Ei, he always felt really calm and happy. He didn’t tell his kaa-chan, but sometimes Ei even helped him with his reading, sounding out the words he was struggling with, and explaining the sentences till he understood them perfectly. His eyes sparkled as he reached out to his Ei-chan, excited to share the news in case his soulmate hadn’t known!

“Ei-chan! Ei-chan! Guess what? Kaa-chan told me that we’re matched! That means we’ll be together forever right?”

At first the only reply he received was a choked gasp, but then he heard the familiar soothing voice spill into his head. However, unlike the normal tinge of excitement that usually decorated Ei’s voice, some confusion and a bit of hesitance coated his words.

“I’m glad you know now Mochi! Forever is a long time kid, but if you’ll have me,” Ei’s voice broke a little, as if he was struggling even to think those thoughts, “I’ll be there for you, forever Mochi.”

Over the rest of his conversation with his kaa-chan, she told him everything she knew about the matched, about the inability to introduce yourself truly to your matched, about how all matched always meet up, even if it’s for a very short period. Youichi kept repeating all the information he understood to his Ei-chan, wanting to tell all the good news to his best friend.

But something made him confused, if everyone always met their matched, what about his kaa-chan’s matched? She rarely spoke about tou-san; only brought him up once a year in the middle of Winter. She would pull out a small frame from the back of the shrine, and move it to a place of honour at the head of her bed. Youichi had sneaked into her room once, to see that it was a painting of a man that looked a lot like him. Was that his tou-san?

Hesitantly, he placed a hand on his mother’s knee, pausing her in her speech, and asked his query with all the tactfulness he had gained in his six-years of living. “Kaa-chan, where is your matched? Where is tou-chan?” Unlike all other times he’d asked about his father, she didn’t seem as surprised by the question, though her face took on an expression of melancholy. She gently stood from her chair and moved to sit down on the porch alongside him. With a soft pull at his arms, he tumbled into her lap and cuddled into her chest.

“Your father, your tou-san, was one of the most loving and caring men I’d ever known Youichi.” Her voice shook slightly, as if trying to suppress the tears that were welling up inside her. “You’re right, he was my matched, and I’d known he was my soulmate from when I was very little.” Youichi saw the soft smile on her lips, a smile that only came out when she was exceptionally proud of Youichi.

He started slightly when he felt her hand raise to his shoulder, but settled again when she simply began running it down his back. “He was only a few years older than me, but he would defend me against all the boys in the village when they would go pick on me. You’re a lot like him Youichi,” she poked his nose lightly with the tip of her finger, pulling a small giggle out of his mouth. “We grew up together, one of the lucky pairs to be born near each other. Guess that should have been a sign?”

He was shocked to see tears building up in the corners of her eyes, and immediately reached up with his right hand to try and wipe them away. In his haste, he nearly smacked her in the face, but his concerned panic was enough to pull a watery chuckle from her, “it’s okay Youichi, Kaa-chan will be fine.” She took a steadying breath before continuing to speak, “anyway, a few years before we had you,, your father began began struggling with walking, and was often very weak. We were all concerned about him, but unfortunat–” she could no longer hold back her tears, so he watched in growing horror as they rolled down her cheeks. Clearing her throat, she managed to finish her sentence, “unfortunately, whatever problem he was facing it spread to his eyes as a ghostly film where he couldn’t see.” She smiled sadly, brushing away the errant tears with her fingers as she whispered the last bit, “he eventually succumbed to the pain just about a year after you were born.”

He felt a pressure building in his chest, something that had never happened before, which made him panic. The pressure continued to grow till it erupted out of him as a loud wail, and tears streaming down his cheeks. His kaa-chan looked so sad, and he wanted to remember his tou-chan. His chest was heaving as he struggled to get all these sudden emotions under control.

His mother chuckled weakly, recognizing the penchant for explosive crying as something her son had definitely inherited from her husband. Shushing her son gently, she slowly began to bracket the truth with a much happier ending. “But he loved you very much Youichi, in fact the first time he held you in his arms, he turned towards me and said that even if he loved me with his very being,” she paused to bend down and place a soft kiss on his brow, “he would fight for you with everything he had.

With that, she let the, now much calmer, boy go off to play with his friends, trusting that he had taken what was important from their conversation. As he glanced back towards his mother one more time, he saw that she had stood up on their porch, her hands clutching onto her sunhat tightly, but her eyes were focussed upwards on the skies. He turned back towards his friends, laughing loudly as they chased each other. He sent off short messages of affection to his matched, descriptions of the flowers and bugs they would find while playing.

For a child’s mind, those heavy emotions and feelings were short-lived, as they were slowly written over with events occurring in front of him. He didn’t remain concerned about his mother for very long.

But while he played, he would never know that she was praying for her husband to watch over their precious son, praying that the boy would never find out the true pain his father had to suffer in the last ten years of life. How there had been days where he hadn’t been able to sit up from the pain, but hadn't been able to simply rest his aching body. Or times when he couldn’t eat because swallowing hurt too much. She hoped Youichi never realized that she had felt all the pain her husband had, as with that level of inner torture, he hadn’t been able to block their connection enough – she had gone through it all.

But what she prayed for the most? Was that her son would never experience that pain.

––––––

Taking a deep breath, he let his shoulders relax slightly, keeping them pulled back. As he took another breath, he could feel the quiver of the feathers on his arrow brushing lightly against his cheek. For a moment it felt as if his entire sight was limited to simply the target sitting a good distance from him. He forced himself to ignore the distractions around him, how the branches of the trees swayed from the power of the wind, how many arrows that had missed his targets only to land harmlessly onto the grass. His vision narrowed swiftly, till all that was left was the red marking at the center of the cloth. He forced his senses to a point of awareness limited only to the weapon in his hand, and the target crying out for him. The hand holding his bow was steady, like a rock in its firmness, while he could feel the itch of the fingers pulling back the arrow, ready to let another loose.

Finally his fingers eased off on their pull, and he could feel as the tips of the feathers brushed their final touch against his cheek before soaring far from him. He felt the bend and sway of the arrow as it glanced against the bow, eventually leading to its direct trajectory. His eyes remained locked on the target, but he knew this one, this one would make it directly into the center. It gracefully made its way to the target, sinking forcefully up till the fledgling feathers were all that peeked out from the target.

He had closed his eyes just before the arrow made its mark, so the thumping noise of arrow piercing its way through the target was all he heard, and it was all the sign he needed.

Success!

Opening his eyes, he smiled brightly, staring at the target with a feeling of contentedness running through him. He had only managed to make his mark every fifth or so shot, so getting this one had felt so good, he almost shouted out in joy. In fact, he saw no reason to not shout!

“Kyahaha!! I did it!” He threw his hands up in excitement. Laughter bubbled up inside him, the relief at finally making such a good mark, but also amazement of the fact left him in an unstable position, where laughter was the only response he could produce. Still riding the high of his success, he excitedly reached out to his matched, knowing that Ei had been instrumental in his ability to make it.

Ei was never one to do any hunting himself, which was something Youichi didn’t fully understand as Ei had said that he lived in a village much like his own. But even so, he always gave Youichi all the support and advice he could. So he was extremely excited to be able to share this moment with his match.

“Hey Ei! Guess what?I” In the meantime, he began gathering up the arrows that had missed their targets, internally wincing at how many had simply soared beside them. He also made sure to pick up the game he had caught in the traps he’d set earlier in the day. For all his inexperience with hunting animals, Ei was inordinately good at figuring out the best way to trap small animals.

“What is it Mochi? Did you finally figure out how to walk without tripping?” He scowled and sputtered at the teasing Ei sent at him, even if his sudden growth spurt had in fact made it difficult for him sometimes. But he just wasn’t used to it! Not something Ei should have been teasing him over!

“Shut up baka! I meant I made my mark! The arrow sunk directly into the middle of the target!” He waited for the joy and elation that he knew Ei would be feeling, and he was absolutely correct when he heard the response.

“Really? That’s fantastic Mochi, I’m very proud of you – you’ve grown so much in such a short time.” He couldn’t help but blush at the praise Ei was heaping onto him, but simply laughed and continued to excitedly babble to Ei, receiving all the pleasing hums and “ahhs” he wanted.

That was something he had always appreciated. The fact that even when Ei didn’t seem to grasp all the nuances, he was always willing to listen. At first he had thought the maturity Ei showed was because he was older than him, but there was a voice inside him that said there was something else here at play. He could have excused the maturity, and the more formal manner of speech, but the almost ethereal singing and the complete lack of awareness of normal everyday things made any excuses futile.

There was only so many times he could explain the concept of a school to Ei before he felt something was off. Regardless of age, he would still know what a school was right? Or why they hunted for food. Or what a birthday was – Youichi had turned thirteen just the previous month, and like always Ei had been completely lost. But Ei was also exceptionally intelligent in certain areas, holding a mastery in artistic ventures as well as explaining strategy to him. Youichi rarely lost schoolyard battles after Ei started coaching his thinking.

One day, he hoped he would get to meet his matched, and be able to get the answers to the questions he’d been asking since he was a little boy. And maybe then, instead of Ei singing him to sleep, as he did each night, Youichi would be able to whisper his good night! and sing for Ei in his warbly voice.

“A really good job Mochi, I know how much you were struggling with your bow and arrow, but you did it. Just keep practicing each day. You got this!” Youichi blushed brightly again, laughing louder than before to mask his giddiness.

Kyahaha!

––––––

He remained light on his feet, running with a speed he had quickly become famous for in his village, but with the grace and agility he had trained into his body. Soundless he remained as he leapt over logs, avoiding brambles and branches with an ease that spoke of limitless comfort in these woods. His eyes barely glanced around his surroundings, instead locked onto the small tail of the deer he was following.

He had patiently waited for this deer to isolate itself from the herd, watching as it searched for better food, for access to clean water. He had seen that it was a strong deer and knew it would be a worthwhile catch for his village. Even though he tended to follow only those that were old or frail, listening to Ei would rub off on anyone, this time he couldn’t avoid the prize that walked willingly into his arms.

However, he still had to chase after the deer, so he followed along, trying to cut off the deer where he could but easily getting left behind by the much faster animal. For a second he debated giving up, returning to his hiding post to seek out one of the weaker deer, but then it paused almost briefly and glanced back at him. As if to mock his inability to keep up. So he glared, and forced himself to pick up the pace, managing to catch up to the deer enough that he was only an arm’s distance away.

As they ran, he began to notice that he was struggling to recognize some of the plants that he passed. And even when he recognized a shrub, there was a life to it that he’d never seen before. The sunlight that had been streaming high in the sky, it being midday and all, slowly disappeared which prompted him to take a peek up at the sky. Rather than a high noon sun, it seemed to be approaching the early morning rising sun.

His confusion inadvertently caused him to slow down till he was barely jogging. The deer had long ran away by that time, though he was already quite distracted from the chase. Running his fingers along a few of the low-hanging branches of a large willow tree, he noted that it felt much softer but more importantly, it almost felt more alive. He had also never seen a willow tree this deep into the woods, only ever near the village where they’d been purposefully planted many years before he’d been born. But even though he was distracted by the odd foliage, his ears remained attuned to his surroundings.

So when he heard a branch snap, he immediately became alert, hands grasping his weapons tighter, and feet spreading slightly so that he could run again, should the need arise. He could see that there was someone standing behind one of the trees to his left. Everything inside him was screaming for him to get away, not trusting anyone who simply stood and watched others, but he found he couldn’t convince his legs to cooperate. He remained rooted to the same spot, wincing as the person slowly stepped out from behind the tree. His eyes widened marginally as he gazed upon the resplendent beauty of the figure approaching him.

He felt his shoulders shudder from the nervous energy coursing through his body. The hand resting on his quiver twitched, ready to notch an arrow and let it fly if necessary. There was something about the ethereal being in front of him that made him want to come closer, but everything he had learnt growing up told him that a decision like that would only lead to doom. He trembled slightly as they stepped closer towards him, away from the tree’s shadow. Immediately his hand clenched his bow tighter, ready to spring into action. In his mind he kept repeating the same wish for the person to leave him; something made him hesitant to yell this desire out loud – he trusted those instincts.

But suddenly, the approaching person froze, and a shocked expression passed across his face, before it turned into hesitance. Then he heard it.

“Mochi?” The figure’s voice was soft and smooth, but what shook him to his core, was the accompanying familiar voice echoing in his head.

Mochi?

[seventh-zephyr]

My thoughts on Keiko leaving Kalafina

So, it’s been a few days since it was announced that Keiko had left. I’m still sad about it, of course, but I feel like I need to talk about it and get it off my chest and then maybe I can have some peace of mind about the whole ordeal. All under the cut because yeah, this is gonna be long.

tl;dr Keiko means a lot to me personally and although I may not like the fact that she has left Kalafina (for both technical and personal reasons), I respect her decision and will continue to support her as well as Wakana and Hikaru in a new era of Kalafina.

Let me start of by saying that I do not blame Keiko for leaving, I know it was entirely her choice, and I respect her decision to leave.

With that out of the way, I do wonder how Kalafina’s future concerts will function. The vast majority of their songs were written for three people to sing, and there are songs that are outright impossible or near impossible to sing with only two people without leaving things out (lookin’ at you, sprinter and signal). Unless they add another person who possesses similar vocal range/skills as Keiko, a number of their songs will either have to be majorly retooled for two (such as Fantasia, and even then that shouldn’t be too hard with this song) or outright unperformable (such as Magia or ring your bell, or other songs with a lot of 3-way harmony work). Of course, songs from the oblivious single still would work perfectly fine with just Wakana and Hikaru, but nearly every other song would need to be retooled (I say nearly because even if it might be weird, something like Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni wa could work with two people). Part of me really hopes they hold auditions for a new member because the way things stand now, live performances will become a new challenge without a decent buildup of additional music written for two voices.

At the same time, I really wish that Keiko hadn’t decided to leave. She added a lot of depth vocally to the group. My choir director always talked about a choral sandwich in Concert Choir before I got moved up to Chamber Choir. He really doesn’t talk about it at all with Chamber, but it’s something I’ve always found important. Your four choral parts (soprano, alto, tenor, and bass) make up a sandwich. Soprano and bass are like the bread, essential but not important compared to what’s actually in the sandwich. Alto and tenor are like the middle of the sandwich, the contents. They’re the important parts, they’re what make the sandwich good. Otherwise, you’d just have bread, and no one wants just bread. In Kalafina, it’s just soprano and alto. Wakana is soprano, Keiko is alto, and Hikaru is somewhere in between. Sure, Hikaru could fill in some of the vocal gaps Keiko left behind, but there are some gaps that just can’t be filled (such as Yami no Uta, a showcase of Keiko’s dark alto power). And yeah, you could flip the choral sandwich thing on it’s head here and be like “But Zange, wouldn’t the sandwich here be W and K as bread and H as the stuff in between?”, but my point with bringing up the choral sandwich is that yes, Hikaru could sing some of Keiko’s stuff. But Hikaru can’t replace her completely in songs like Alleluia, or Yami no Uta, or some others that I’m forgetting. Keiko has that kind of power, she adds that depth into Kalafina’s music and makes it interesting, something you can’t really do with only two choral parts.

Another reason I wish Keiko didn’t leave: She’s one of my biggest inspirations. When I first joined choir in 8th grade, the girls sang up and down the scales to figure out if they were a soprano or alto. We did that and I was like “Hey, some of these high notes are a little too high for me, I’ll sing alto because that’s were my voice feels more comfortable.” So that’s what I did. And almost every time we got a new song, with a few exceptions, sopranos would always have the melody. I remember being a bit frustrated at this and wondering when the hell the altos were gonna have a song where they had the melody. I had to quit choir 3rd tri that year so I could take another class, but 3rd tri was where I discovered Kalafina. And I mean really discovered. I’d heard some of their songs before as anime endings, but I didn’t know who they were. Honestly, I don’t entirely remember how I even discovered them. I know it was through Google Play Music, it was probably on the random stream list for the artists I was listening to at the time (Garnidelia and Mimori Suzuko). Whenever a Kalafina song popped up, I was like ‘hey this sounds really good, I should find more of this.’ I distinctly remember my favorite songs being ARIA, Natsu no Ringo, and sprinter (which still remains one of my favorites to this day). The only album they had on Google Play Music’s streaming was Seventh Heaven, so that was all I really knew for Kalafina music (except for those anime endings and like two or three other songs).

Fast forward to my freshman year of high school. I rejoined choir with the intention of taking it all four years of high school, and Kalafina had quickly become one of my favorite groups. I had their first and fifth albums, as well as their two best-of albums downloaded onto my school computer so I could listen to those while working on stuff instead of looking for it on YouTube. Around November or December, I found out that Kalafina released a Christmas (or as the album calls it, a ‘winter acoustic’) album. Of course, with my love for both Kalafina and Christmas music, I immediately download it onto my school computer and listened to it. It was absolutely beautiful. Around this time as well, we were really getting into gear for our Madrigal Dinner (where I sang with both the Concert Choir and the Madrigal Singers that year), which was in early December, just after my birthday, and by this point I had heard the Choral Sandwich spiel from our director a few times. It was just a normal school day, and we were doing our normal Concert Choir rehearsal during 7th hour. We were practicing one of the songs we would be singing during Madrigal, I think it was Go the Distance from Hercules. We were just practicing that song, as normal, and something in me clicks. I think ‘Holy shit, I love the alto part in this song. Why can’t we have more alto parts like this in our songs?’ followed by ‘Oh my god we get the melody in this section and it sounds really good but we almost never get the melody,’ and then it hits me: ‘Altos don’t need to sing the melody to be amazing. But when we DO have the melody, it sounds absolutely incredible. Just like Keiko.’ From that day on, Keiko Kubota became one of my biggest influences when it came to singing. Whenever altos had amazing harmony parts, I’d think, ‘How amazing would Keiko be singing this part?’ and try to sing it like I imagined she would. Low notes became a treasure to me because they were rare in the songs we were singing in Concert Choir. Whenever we were told to have a dark tone on certain parts, I smiled as I sang that part while thinking of Yami no Uta. Because of Keiko, I’ve learned to truly love the alto life. Every single note I’ve sang as an alto since that realization has been precious to me. There’s no other way I would have it, and I can say with complete honesty that I’m proud to be singing alto.

And that brings us to the present. Sophmore year, I’m in Chamber Choir now, and Keiko Kubota has just announced that she left Kalafina. I’m, of course, disappointed. Keiko was my favorite member, alongside being one of my biggest inspirations, so of course I don’t want her to leave. However, as I mentioned earlier, I respect her decision and I won’t blame her for it. I’d love to see her do some solo work, or even a revival of FictionJunction (she’s still a part of that, at least!) just so I can hear more of her incredible voice, but I can’t say for sure that it will happen, no matter how much I want it to. Wherever Keiko decides to go next, be it in music or not, I’m positive she’ll do an excellent job, and I’ll support her all the way. And just because Keiko is no longer part of Kalafina, that doesn’t mean I’ll stop being a fan of theirs. Goodness, no, their music is too good. Even if it’s just Wakana and Hikaru going forward, I’ll still support them until the very end. It’s a new era of Kalafina, with both their main composer and one of their original members gone; they need all the support they can get. Not to mention, a Kalafina without Keiko is infinitely better than no Kalafina at all.

So thank you, Keiko Kubota, for 10 years in Kalafina, and I greatly look forward to whatever you decide to do next.

[lia-nikiforov]

Fall 2016 Anime: Last impressions

What, me? Posting something that’s not Yuri on Ice? Did I wander to the wrong blog? Oh right, this isn’t supposed to be a Yuri on Ice blog to begin with, oops.

After a very shitty semester and my Mom’s and sister’s vacations messing up with my anime watching schedule (plus a shitty vicious cycle of not watching anime to work on thesis-not working on thesis because stressed from not watching anime), I finally finished catching up with Fall anime, barely on time before Winter begins (I know some winter shows have premiered already, but none that interest me. Rakugo’s on today though!!!!). So here’s a rundown of the best and worst of this most fruitful Fall season. If there’s a gif it means I forgot to take a screenshot of the last episode whoops.  (worst to best my dears, you know how this goes)

Dropped:

Shuumatsu no Izetta: I really tried. Even after the stupidity of episode 4 put me to sleep, I tried to give it a second shot, but episode 6 was literally everything that is wrong with modern anime and ugh, please release me from this hell. Of course having a strong female character was too progressive for a yuribait show, you just had to make her have insecurities about her normal-sized boobs (vs everyone’s ginormous) and dedicate 25 entire minutes to show that she’s actually a real girly girl that likes pie. Ugh. And I didn’t even mention how stupid the “Izetta’s secret might be revealed” plot element was. That was some garbage writing if I ever saw one. Most of what I’ve read after dropping it seems to indicate it was the best choice

3gatsu no Lion: I’m confused with this show. The production values make it very attractive to watch. There is a harsh and interesting story and character drama happening. Episode 5 was particularly great, and some of the storytelling devices are implemented brilliantly. But for some reason I can’t bring myself to care? I don’t know. The more I see the three sisters, the more the scenes with them bore me to death. I found the idea of watching episode 6 terribly not-compelling so I decided to put it in the back burner and wait out. Maybe I’m just incompatible with this mangaka (I really hate HachiKuro). People seem to be loving it, so maybe I’ll give it another shot at a later date.

Touken Ranbu Hanamaru: This was my biggest disappointment of the season because episode 2 was so good. It tickled all my rekijo bones in the best way. But then it just… nothing ever happened? Also the way all the sword boys gush about how much they love the (invisible but obviously audience-proxy) “Master” is way too transparent and took me out of whatever little interesting character dynamics might be going on. What could be an interesting theme –the swordboys having regrets about not protecting their past owners and being tempted to fix it- is wasted in a “it’s okay, I have a new master now!”. Even with my fujoshi goggles there was little of interest because the boys were so infatuated with the Master I couldn’t even enjoy any of it. Held out until episode 9 and just couldn’t be arsed for more. Maybe the more serious ufotable show will be better?

Nanbaka: I don’t know what went wrong with this mangaka that suddenly decided to turn a perfectly fine comedy into a Very Serious battle shonen thing? Especially mid-arc? The New Year tournament had revitalized the show, I was having a load of fun with it, but then it suddenly turned all dark and serious and nonsensical? The only thing tempting me to go back for the last three episodes is Hajime, he’s a champ. But yeah, the shift in tone was too drastic and kind of spoiled the show for me because I was loving it exactly as it was. It didn’t need the drama. Some people seem to be liking the new direction but ehhhh… idk. If I have time.

The worst:

17. DAYS: It was hard to choose which of these two was gonna be the poop prize winner, but in the end, given how much I struggled to even sit through the last couple of episodes, I guess DAYS takes it. Honestly seldom have I seen a show so infuriatingly ruined by “protagonist no jutsu” i.e. things just happen because a dude is the main character. Kimishita scored three completely bananas goals in that game (bless his heart I love him), but Tsukushi gets all the credit for earning the free kicks and second balls and shit and he’s the one credited as the “hero” of the game. It’s amazing that such an insufferable protagonist is part of a show with an otherwise endearing supporting cast. Now will my love for Mizuki and Kimishita be enough to pull me into watching season 2? Tune in some time next year to find out! (spoiler: most likely no unless it comes out on a boring season)

16.Mahou Shoujo Ikusei Keikaku: I called this show the winner of the “Showed its cards too early Award” since episode one, but boy I didn’t expect it to continue doing the exact same thing over and over through its entire run. At some point it became a very unsurprising formula of showing a character’s tragic backstory at the start of the episode to fabricate last minute sympathy to make up for lack of proper characterization, only to have the character in question murdered in increasingly distasteful ways. I always knew best girl Top Speed wasn’t long for this world, but the way they handled it was gratuitously vicious. Couple that with a barrage of villains, none of which were remotely compelling or had any interesting motivations, a poor man’s Kyubey, a protagonist that is even more infuriatingly passive than Madoka herself (at least in this aspect, MahoIku surpassed its intellectual mother), and a resolution that basically says this whole thing served no purpose whatsoever and you’re left with just a feeling that you could’ve done something better with your life. I never expected grandeur from this show, and in fact I guess it turned out to be about as bad as I could’ve expected it to be, but that doesn’t really erase how terribly dissatisfying the ending was. I guess that’s one weakness that Dark Magical Girl shows have yet to overcome. 

Normally a “the meh” section would be here, but I dropped all those shows for lack of entertainment and time, so we’re skipping straight to

The okay

(I liked these shows but none of them changed my life and I was severely tempted to drop them at least once)

15.Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans: I have rather complicated feelings about this show. The writing has improved immensely since the second half of S1 and they’re doing a fascinating job at working the different shades of moral grey. Mika’s sick relationship with Orga continues to keep me on my toes. But with only 12 episodes left I’m still not entirely sure of where this is going, and most importantly, it stinks of tragedy and there seems to be a general lack of joy in both characters and story, so I always go to watch it with little enthusiasm and maybe a bit of anxiety.

14.Girlish Number:  This one turned out way better than I expected it to be, although perhaps for different reasons than most. Usually when I hatewatch something, it’s for the pleasant schadenfreude I get out of seeing something continue to fail miserably week after week (see Sailor Moon Crystal or Mayoiga). In that sense, I wasn’t hatewatching Girlish Number but boy was I getting schadenfreude about seeing the exploitative producer go on a downwards spiral and the shitty LN anime adaptation turning up a complete failure. But because this was the source of my enjoyment, the finale was, to say the least, dissatisfying. If the show had ended with Chitose getting a proper comeuppance and landing different jobs (in non-shitty-LN-anime) that forced her to climb her way back up instead of trying to have  sudden fabricated popularity, while Kuzu got his ass fired that would’ve been cool. But the “Oh I ended loving this production” ending was ehhhh. It felt the show ended going milquetoast on its criticism of the industry. Criticized the seiyuu idol units but still had the seiyuu sing the OP and ED criticized the cheap swimsuit fanservice but still had a swimsuit episode etc. I mean they went really damn hard on the industry, so it was weird and a little frustrating that they didn’t go the whole way, given how they’d already guaranteed to lose the buying audience anyway.

13.Udon no Kuni no Kiniro Kemari: It’s hard to explain what went wrong with this one because, if you asked me, I’d say I really liked it overall. But the key problem is perhaps that I adored the first two episodes so deeply and then somewhere in the middle it kind of floundered and went in a different direction than what I expected –which isn’t inherently bad, mind you- but it’s weird that there’s so little actual udon in the show when they’re in the title. The finale was good in idea, but I feel it failed to make the emotional landing, and that they capped it off to be a sort of commercial for Kagawa prefecture was just… weird. So uh, it was a good show but definitely didn’t live up to the promise of the first few episodes.

12.Uta no Prince-sama Legend Star:  For me, this and Magikyun are basically tied, because, although I have more love for Utapri due to how long it’s been around and how I’ve grown so endeared to the characters, I can’t say Magikyun did anything worse or better. But anyway Utapri! Revolutions had me losing a little of my love for the franchise, but Legend Star was really great! The music improved drastically and we got some truly neat character arcs. The Otoya arc was surprisingly good. It’s sad to see they’ve fully committed to shitty CG dancing though ): But oh well, the Quartet Night song was great and there’s even more anime coming because Broccoli does like printing money after all. Almost forgot to mention it, but Haruka is hardly relevant this season and I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not, but I’ll also say I didn’t particularly miss her.

11.Magic-Kyun Renaissance:  I’ll say this about Magikyun, it was less dumb than I expected given the title. I mean it was super dumb, but it could’ve been dumber. It was also a lot of fun, had neat visuals and surprisingly good songs? I feel it could’ve ended in episode 9 because it doesn’t feel like the new resolution in ep 13 actually added anything of note to the story or the characters, but it was okay. It’s harmless dumb entertainment and that’s what I wanted it to be. 

The good

10.Flip Flappers:  It’s always great to see passion projects like this, even if they don’t always stick the landing. In the gayest anime season, FliFla gave us a lesbian visual spectacle that was among the best animated experiences of the year. While narratively it blooped a little in the last third and became a weird Eva-ish nightmare, it sorta kinda worked out at the end, although definitely didn’t live up to its initial dreamy potential. And it was very lesbian, although I feel it was lowkey creepy lesbian since Papika is somehow an adult??? I think they explained some things too much and left others glaringly unexplained. Some weird things happened in that production that hindered its potential, but it’s still a fascinating series to look at, even if you don’t dig the character dynamics (which are adorable but in the end didn’t do much for me). Could’ve done with 100% less creepy robot though     

9.Classicaloid: I’d call Classicaloid the Bungo Stray Dogs (season 1) of the Fall because while it wasn’t what I wanted or expected, it managed to grow on me. I was on the edge of dropping it because the wacky one-note humor wasn’t working for me at all, but with the introduction of Schubert and the slow drip of answers to our questions of what is even happening in this show, it became notoriously more fun. Definitely the strongest moments of the show are when we get to see the Classicaloids having flash backs to their past lives (the episode about Beethoven and his loss of hearing was particularly brilliant) and while I still mostly have no idea of where this is going at all, they’ve definitely got me hooked wanting to know what Bach is even planning.

8.Drifters: This might have gone even higher up the ranks if not for all the homophobic and sexist jokes ugh. But I guess it’s a testament to how entertaining it is that I watched it all through and would still watch the upcoming second season (or maybe it’s a testament to what a good job it did in tickling my very specific rekijo bone). The characterization of Nobunaga in particular is absolutely brilliant, and the little nuances in the interactions between characters of different time periods are fantastic. Cool action sequences and interesting strategizing and politicking. But I reckon this isn’t something that’s gonna sway the non-history buffs. Also ew the sexist and homophobic jokes. The show has great comedy without that, please don’t be so gross Hirano.

7.ALL OUT!!: It had a bit of a slow start, but once it started picking up with the practice matches and developing the team, it’s just gotten exponentially better! Especially since the addition of the coach. DAYS could learn a thing or two about how it isn’t necessary to make the inexperienced main character the sudden “hero” of the team to make for a compelling sports story. That said I still do not understand about 75% of how rugby works at all, but the endearing cast and the passionate games make up for it. Also the horrible hair. Definitely looking forward to where these kids will go in the second half.

The excellent

6.Fune wo Amu: This is a case of me one-sidedly having expectations that a show can’t live up to and thus I don’t enjoy it as much as I could. Which is no fault of the show itself and it is in fact one of the best anime of the season (arguably the year). It does fail on the entertainment department, but compensates with beautiful craftsmanship and a wonderful portrayal of human feelings and relationships. While it wounded up being Very Heterosexual (and the main couple develops in a rather cold and questionable manner, but hey, the wife wasn’t forced to give up her dreams to become a housewife. A+ for progress! ) the portrayal of Majime’s camaraderie with Nishioka (and Nishioka’s very great relationship with his gf!) was really the heart of the show, and just for that it’s absolutely worth the watch.

5.Natsume Yuujinchou Go: I think it’s rather telling to the quality of the season overall that Natsume Yuujinchou somehow fell just slightly above the middle of the pack. I do feel this season of Natsume was weaker than the previous ones, but to be honest I can’t quite pinpoint why. Maybe it didn’t feel like we reached a new milestone in Natsume’s development or in learning about Reiko –in fact, it feels we learned conspicuously little about Reiko this season-, although the final episode and the Touko episode were notable highlights. With a sixth season already in the works, I have little else to say other than, even when it’s not in top form, this is still among the best one could ever hope to get from anime

4.Bungo Stray Dogs 2: Remember how season 1 was good but not what I wanted it to be? Well, season 2 wasn’t exactly what I’d originally hope BSD would be about but it sure as fuck was fantastic! Starting with the flashback episodes to Dazai’s time in the Port Mafia and the story of Oda Sakunosuke, to the introduction of the American writers and the follow-up with Kyouka and Atsushi’s arcs as well as Akutagawa (!!!!) it was a genuinely amazing season that completely justifies watching the first one even if you weren’t entirely convinced about it at first. My only gripe is the lack of Kunikida, but this season showed that Dazai is the lynchpin of this series and he fulfills that role to perfection. I loved loved loved this season and I hope we get more of this series.

3.Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable: While it floundered a little in the second cour (seriously I was happy Shigechi died, he was an awful character), it picked itself right back up in the third and the battle against Kira –who is an astonishingly amazing villain- was just week after week of blood-pumping excitement and fun. Not every episode was perfect, but the package as a whole is fantastic. At moments it felt more like Kishibe Rohan’s Bizarre Adventure, but even that was okay because every member of the cast was so great. You can see the passion David Production has for this franchise, and I’m hoping they’ll continue adapting it. While Joseph is still Best JoJo, I think part 4, with its incredibly strong cast and creative set up might be my favorite arc so far.

2.Haikyuu 3: vicky’s probably gonna hate me for this but If I’m honest, the Shiratorizawa match wasn’t my favorite in the manga. I love the development Tsukki got through it and I commend Furudate for how brilliantly he’s been working in making these characters grow in such satisfying ways. But Shiratorizawa, and Ushijima specially, is the epitome of OP rival and that’s something that’s never really worked for me. It felt like the Rakuzan game in Kurobas, there were moments in which it felt that it just never ended. And I was worried about how they were going to work it into ten episodes. I think it’s a testament to the anime team that they managed to make it not actually feel like 10 episodes, and that they’ve made this one of the most exciting matches to watch in all of Haikyuu. It was truly spectacular and I can’t wait for S4

THE BEST

1.Yuri!!! on ICE: Joke’s on you, this was a Yuri on Ice post all along!! Even if my conflicted feelings about the ending had been sourer and heavier, I would have no doubt that this is the best show of the season (and the year). It’s taken me a while, but after having chewed on my feelings for a couple of days (while fighting the denialists with all my might) I’m even more confident about it. I don’t even know what more praise I can rain on this beautiful, beautiful show that has literally saved me so many times during this really difficult trimester and I am ever so grateful to its creators for giving us such a beautiful gift in such dark times. Now please end our suffering and confirm a season 2, because just like Victor and Yuuri can’t live without each other (canon!) I can’t live without them anymore ;---;

What a strong season this was! A high note to end an otherwise shitty year! Thanks everyone for following this nonsense blog and I hope this new year brings us all more beautiful anime (and less menstrual cramps for me). Winter shows I’m watching premiere literally today so I’ll skip the “anticipation” rundown and go straight to my watchlist in a couple of weeks.  As always, I’ll be happy to hear which were your favorite and least favorite shows of the season, but I know y’all never answer to my questions ;----;

[todokori-kun]

:)

HEEEEYYYY I FINISHED FMA YESTERDAY

I’M NOT QUITE OVER GREED AND I DOUBT I EVER WILL BE

BUT EVERYBODY’S HAPPY

I’M SO GLAD

(and tiny Pride. It’s fun how he was like, almost the least sympathetic homunculus (I mean, most people can relate to just wanting to go back to sleep ok dad/mom, so even Sloth…lol), and yet he’s the only one who finds a ‘new life’.)

(only HOHENHEIM’S DEAD, my FMA twin is gone ;-; at least that moment with Trisha was beautiful)

I thought I’d cry with FMA’s ending because I did almost cry during the Ishvalan Civil War flashbacks, but…once again, my eyes were dry XD maybe because TG and AoT made me appreciate FMA’s happy ending more?

TYSM for recommending such a great series, Queen Luna <33333 I’m getting kinda emotional XD

UGH. Idek what book that is but I already hate it because of that line.

Hisoka, Hisoka. He’s like the unholy offspring of Furuta and Sebastian. I love it.

(nah, it’s fine,I don’t mind cursing ^^ thanks for asking though, that was sweet)

Yeah, Junior High is pretty cute :) well, it hasn’t been that long since she started learning cello so she’s still playing simple songs like 'mary had a little lamb’ ^^ she really wants to play more complex songs, though.

GAH SORRY I still haven’t started playing OTL I’ve just been a bit busy and had a lot to think about (because COLLEGE) so I kept forgetting…I’ll let you know when I finally start, sorry ;-;

If Urie/Saiko doesn’t become canon…ok, ok, I can deal with Touken, I can deal with that. HOWEVER. If Urie/Saiko doesn’t become canon and Urie/Mutsuki does, I don’t even know what I’ll do. ESPECIALLY IF ISHIDA MAKES URIE ABANDON SAIKO TO 'SAVE’ MUTSUKI OR SOMETHING OMG

I would never! I’m a nice, sweet cinnamon roll who doesn’t know the meaning of the word 'savage’!

If Kimblee actually took a liking to me I’d try to get him to stop blowing things up. Maybe find him a different hobby. But the sad truth is that there’s probably nothing and no one he likes enough to give up his explosions for XD

But you know how I have a cinnamon roll side and then a troll side? Troll!Evans and Kimblee might actually get along really well. Imagine the suffering…

0//////0 Queen Luna is also an amazing friend! Tysm for everything <333 (I say 'tysm’ a lot but then again, there’s no such thing as too many 'thank you’s? lol. Also, I love how 'Queen Luna’ was just a joke at first but now it’s like an actual nickname I use for you. I hardly ever call you just 'Luna’ anymore XD if we ever met irl I’d probably have a hard time calling you anything other than 'queen’)

Oh wow. Sebastian will fight you for the honor of his kitties

X-men is a seperate universe from MCU, though. (I don’t watch X-men so I’m not sure but I think they and MCU agreed to share the Pietro/Wanda twins?) X-men Pietro is a different character from MCU Pietro so our Pietro is still dead ;-;

Moblit and Evans would go on friendly coffee dates and rant about their crazy queens.

Luna/Armin would be so cute, seriously why do I ship you with so many characters…and idk what puberty will do to Armin(will he even survive to go through all of it? sorry) but the fanart of adult!Armin does look good :)

And wait, 15 cm taller than Levi? I’m maybe 3~5 cm taller than him (and I’m only 13 omg) so that makes you at least 10cm taller than me.

It’s really messed up, which means I’ve gotta draw it now XD

Congratulations with Kimblee might go something like this (warning: this is crack and I’m sorta abusing Kimblee's canon abilities, realistically it probably couldn’t go like this):

Shuu: “Mr. Kimblee?!”

Kimblee: “Tsukiyama…

Congratulations.”

*blows up the clock on Shuu’s desk*

“You have invented a new kind of stupid-”

*blows up a framed picture of Shuu and Naomi*

“A 'Damage You Can Never Undo’ kind of stupid-”

*sets fire to the carpet*

“An 'Open All the Cages in the Zoo’ kind of stupid-”

*destroys the entire hecking desk*

“A 'Clearly, You Didn’t Think This Through’ kind of stupid.”

*breaks the window nearest to Shuu*

And then, at the end-

Kimblee: “Every sacrifice you make is for my sister, give her the best life-

Congratulations. :)”

*entire house collapses around them*

So you’d contract Sebastian for chocolate?

(tbh I have a sweet tooth too. I’m sorta sensitive to taste so too many sweets at once makes me get sick of them quickly, but I really like them a little at a time (and I still almost never get sick of chocolate))

ty again for the beautiful edit <3

*hugs* thank you, that really means a lot to me.

But did you see the small Kaneki painting I sent you along with the other pics? Because I actually made that as a way to vent..splattering red blood paint all over the paper did help XD (drawing doesn’t always help, though. When I’m really angry I get the urge to raise my voice and say exactly what I’m thinking, only that’d be horrible so I try to keep it down..but that just makes me angrier LOL)

the left side feels more Kanae and the right side feels more Shuu, but either way, it looks really beautiful :D <3 (also that 'I miss you’ omg I’m getting Shuu/Kaneki feels NO)

(Also I hope the Uta edit I sent you was ok? It was like almost the first aesthetic thing I’ve ever done lol

About it, though: I don’t have a pinterest so I searched stuff like 'black and white aesthetic tumblr’ on google and used the pics that popped up…is that ok? Since I’m just downloading pictures I like and playing around with them on PhotoScape with no intention to post it on the internet or show it to anyone other than you? Idek how this works, I’m way too ignorant about the internet ;-;)

Oh, that sounds cool! I don’t listen to much Ed Sheeran but liked his song for the Hobbit ('I see Fire’? I think that’s what it’s called?) and because Shape of You just keeps playing in the manhwa cafe I go to to read manga, that song kinda got stuck in my head and I can’t stop listening to it XD I don’t listen to remixes a lot for no particular reason but some of them are really cool :)

I’m currently obsessed with Hurricane, Castle, Ghost and 100 Letters by Halsey, along with a bunch of Lana Del Rey songs (going to listen to her new album as soon as I can!), Melodrama (Lorde’s new album), and Young and Menace and Champions by Fall Out Boy…also songs from Steven Universe and Adventure Time, like Love Like You and Everything Stays. And all of FMA’s openings because WOW.

(And yeah, movie/anime soundtracks are always so cool <3)

Is... Is your heart okay? I know it’s a big emotional thing!  Yeee, Greed’s death was a huge shock for me as well T^T WhY Did yOu HaVE tO saY GOodByE

The only thing that really shocked me was Ed giving up his alchemy. It honestly made for a bit of an unsatisfying end, like it’s trying to make way for a sequel (that never came)

Yep, I was expecting you to be not so happy with Hoenheim... Well, at least it’s a happy death? Not in battle, but with his beloved?

TG and AoT scar people for life. Kill of their emotions, so they’re unable to cry at sad things, bc nothing is sad in comparison to those two.  Except for a few rare exceptions. Oh, did I ever tell you that I always, without a fail, cry when watching a specific Love Live episode? It’s about a character that I relate to a bit too much, and since it’s a sorta bittersweet character arc, I always end up crying. The music also gets to me. I could write in detail exactly what and why XD

No problem! If you ever want more recommendations, just say so! Even though I’ll probably recommend series without you asking :P

It’s called ‘Court of Thorns and Roses’. I mean, the writing style is more or less ok, and the premise is interesting at first glance, but then everything gets ruined by the author for not being able to create a flawed MC, cause they have to be perfect!  I’ve read another one of the author’s books before, but dropped it halfway, again because on an annoying MC. The only reason why I finished this one is bc it was the only reading material available XD It’s also supposed to be a spin on Beauty and the Beast, but with fairies, but it was so badly done that I genuinely didn’t realize that until I read it somewhere on the internet. It’s also one of the rare series where I intentionally don’t read the sequels. The original book was that bad I’m getting way too emotional over the book XD

Hisoka is breaking my trash-o meter! It’s over 9000!

Ah, that’s a relief... I’ve definitely started cussing a lot lately, and I know it makes some people uncomfortable, so I wanted to ask ^^

Aw, that’s actually adorable! I hope she gets better at it soon ^^ I’ve always loved listening to string instruments...

Naaah, no worries! Take your time with it! It’s no rush, honestly! Do it at a time that’s convenient to you ^^ Seriously, please don’t feel pressured to play it >_<

Let’s be honest. The possibility of Urie sacrificing himself for Mutsuki is way bigger than Urie/Saiko becoming canon. I cry when I think about it, because we all know Urie would be so much happier with Saiko (*`д´*) Ishida, whyyyyy

Right, I totally believe that. Evans, a sweet, innocent cinnamon roll who doesn't get savage at moments. Sure. Because you totally didn’t set the Flame Alchemist on fire with a burn.

I’m afraid explosions are his one true love. Maybe you could get him to paint explosions instead of making them, though. Like, ‘Ok, Kimblee, here’s paper, some paint, go wild. Just don’t set the room on fire, please.’ He’d show his soft side around you only. If there was anyone else in the room, he’d be his usual self, but with you, in private, he’d probably be a tiny bit sweet. Sometimes.  Troll!Evans and Kimblee would be the actual definition of ‘Prepare for trouble, make it double’. I’d probably run away screaming when you’d announce your relationship XD I’d congratulate you later, but still a bit weary when the two of you are together.

Fun fact: I almost blush every time I read the word Queen XD If I was someone who blushed easily, I’d be an actual tomato while reading your messages ^\\\^ I’d probably actually blush if we were walking around and you called me queen... And then bury myself into a hole forever XD

I’d be the person who’d just shrug her shoulders and be like ‘we all have our opinions’. Now that I think about it, I’d probably get on just fine with Ciel XD

Ah, I see. I just remember that there was a quicksilver in one of those movies, but I didn’t remember the details. 

Hanji and I would simultaneously have the glimmering glasses moment XD  The parallels between the duos are really similar :P

He! Will! Survive! He has too... We already had an almost death for him, and I don’t want an actual death to happen. The cinnamon roll doesn’t deserve it. The first time I saw the fan art, my reaction was. *stares at the screen* ‘well then’ I’d liked Armin from the beginning but this was the moment in which he was cemented as favorite character XD

Aw, Evans is smol for now! When I was 13, I was shortest in class, but now I’m among the tallest. Everyone is taller than Levi... That’s just sad XD But, hey, everyone in Cinderella Phenomenon (I will not shut up) is taller than you! In fact, you’re approx. the height of the MC! Cuuute

Well, my stomach totally doesn’t hurt from laughing too much XD That’s a very destructive version of Congratulations, that would probably end up with someone getting sued XD Shuu for emotional damage, Kimblee for blowing up a fucking house.

Unfortunately, not even chocolate can make me sign a contract with that trash can. Sorry Bassy, but you’re not getting my soul.

Aw, that’s a shame... There’s never enough sweets! 

I’m glad you like it ^^

You could always yell into a pillow? Or punch the pillow if you’re feeling especially angry... 

So, basically, I unintentionally made a Shuu/Kanae edit. I’m not even mad XD 

Yeah, it was pretty good! If you want, I can pass you some advices my friend gave to me when I stared making the edits?  The quote is very Uta, tho. I mean, he does revel in other’s tragedy... 

Yes, of course it is! Find pics any way you want! I’m just using pinterest because it’s easier ^^;; A lot of really artsy pics are posted there, so I quickly find what I’m looking for ^^

Yep, I think it’s called that... Most of his songs on my playlist are from his new album, but some are older as well ^^ There’s this remix of Shape Of You. I listen to it waaay too much XD I found it in an AMV and was immediately like ‘I want this song’, so I downloaded it :P

FMA has some of the best openings and closings I’ve ever heard. My favorite is probably the first one, because it’s just so so amazing *^*

I live for the fantasy fight soundtracks.  A few examples are from the anime Fate/Zero or Fate/Unlimited Blade Works, like This Day and Never Again, Unlimited Blade Works and You Are My King. Those would make a snail race look epic.

AAAALSO THE RAGNAROK TRAILER IS OOUT!  I adored Loki’s moment XD ‘Surprise~ This is going to be so much fun’

[curewhimsy]

Shiro-Sora chapter one outline

I can’t believe I actually got this out...

———

Quiet and reserved Uta Utane is going to her first day of Sonare Community College, a primarily music college, one morning. That evening she will relocate to the dorms.

She passes by a person who is lost on campus and needs directions. Uta doesn’t know the campus well, but unlike most people, she is patient and at least tries to help. The person ends up being very grateful to Uta.

The person Uta tried to help was Taya Soune. Taya is soft-spoken, introverted, and doesn’t have many friends. Taya ends up remembering Uta’s kindness for the rest of the day. While Uta was talking to him, Taya wanted her to stay with him longer. When Uta eventually went off on her own after not being able to help with directions, Taya felt a bit wistful.

Uta ends up having an eventful day at school, meeting a lot of zany classmates with weird quirks.

In first period class, Uta meets a girl named Miki who is quite eccentric, is passionate about anime, and acts rather animated herself. At first Miki gives Uta the nickname “Defoko” because she bluntly declares that she seems like such a “default” type of person, but soon realizes Uta is more of a “kuudere”... whatever those terms mean. The nickname “Defoko” still seems to stick around, however.

(The nickname “Defoko” is from the word “default” in Japanese katakana, pronounced as “deforuto,” coupled with “ko,” a common ending in Japanese girls’ names. “Kuudere” is a term meaning “cool on the outside, loving on the inside.” It is taken from the English word “cool,” (“kuuru” in Japanese,) and the Japanese onomatopoeia “deredere,” which means “lovey-dovey.”)

Miki’s best friend, Iroha, appears to be a lover of everything cute and cheerful. Iroha is quite the Hello Kitty enthusiast as well. Iroha often is saying “nyaa” when she’s in a daze, which happens when she comes across anything she finds cute. However, Iroha is insecure and does not find herself cute. Miki constantly reassures Iroha and says she is adorable.

Uta is surprised at first that Miki and Iroha are in college and are still acting like high school girls... or even younger, for that matter.

Anon is a girl who sometimes fights with her sister Kanon, even though they appear to be on the same wavelength... And they’re up to trouble. Anon likes to attempt to get out of trouble by referencing her name. “It wasn’t me... it was anonymous.” In Uta’s second period, the teacher pulls up what’s supposed to be a boring video to introduce the class. But instead, it’s a link to watch Space Jam on a pirated movie website. Anon switched the links when nobody was looking. The professor’s computer freezes from computer viruses and the entire class is forced to watch Space Jam. Anon is also apparently a hobbyist mime.

Kanon is Anon’s sister, and in second period she wouldn’t stop playing Careless Whisper on her kazoo. Apparently she is training to be a real circus clown because she loves making people laugh. In second period, the professor finally was able to exit out of the Space Jam link. “Now, all of you, do NOT press the link.” He says. But what does Kanon do when she’s faced with a button and the command “do not press?” She presses it! Now the next period gets to watch Space Jam too!

Daina is in Uta’s third period class. Uta hails Daina for finally being someone “normal” and trustworthy at first... until she found out about Daina’s eccentric taste in music, dramatic poetry, crazy obsession with foxes, and tendency to howl at the full moon. And that’s not even touching on her close friendship with Dex, a wolf-obsessed guy who howls at the moon with her.

Dex is a rather eccentric guy who is energetic, yet emotional inside. He likes EDM music and despite his eccentricities, is chill and easy to talk to. Uta respects him in a certain way, aside from the other “weirdos” she met that day, Dex seems very wise and thoughtful.

Basically, Daina and Dex are furries. They’re also theater kids, and low-key emo in a way. And they’ve been best friends since second grade.

Teto is in Uta’s fourth period. She immediately latches on to Uta. Teto mentions Uta looking gloomy and wants her to smile. Teto is quite bubbly and friendly, although she is childish and doesn’t like to be teased. Uta does end up teasing Teto a bit. But it is playful and good intentioned. Teto teases Uta back a bit. They seem to develop a friendship of playful teasing for now.

Aku is in Uta’s fourth period. She seems a little lonely. Uta actually goes out of her own way to talk to Aku this time. Aku tells Uta about the sky. It’s pretty, but... it seems so lonely that we can’t fly up and visit it. Aku had always wanted wings and magic. She gives Uta a spiel about what she would do if she had magic. She would use it to cast away negativity and evil, which is ironic, considering her name is pronounced like the Japanese word for evil, “aku.” Aku prefers to be called by a nickname, Akurin. Uta agrees to call her that.

Clara is in Uta’s final fifth period class. She transferred to the United States from Colombia at the start of high school. She is friendly and cheerful. She is quite doting, somehow feeling like both a mother and a little sister at the same time. Clara says hello to everyone in the class and tries to get acquainted with her classmates. Everyone in the class admires Clara’s friendliness. Uta is a bit shy. She stutters saying her name. Clara thinks her name is Utah. Uta is too embarrassed to correct her. Clara also is already giving invites to the entire class for karaoke, claiming “This class is my favorite so far. Everyone has been so friendly!” Uta actually thinks about going...

Ruko is in fifth period too, and makes fast acquaintances with Clara. Ruko is a very tall person, six feet two. She is non-binary. Ruko is outgoing and also very mature. She admires Clara’s strength to push herself out to everyone she meets. The two chat for a bit. Ruko notices Uta looking a little gloomy and invites her to join in the conversation. This is when Uta tells Clara her name. Ruko believes Uta’s name is Yuuta for a while.

After a wild day, Uta concludes that college is officially weirder than high school.

When Uta is moving to her new dorm room after school, she comes across Taya, who she stopped to help that morning, while at the top of a hill with a pretty scenic view... However, Uta doesn’t remember him. But Taya remembers her.

“Um... Hello.” Uta hears a voice calling out to her.

“Yeah? What is it?” Uta responds. Her manner of speech is rather informal.

Taya approaches.

“Um, I just...” He is rather shy. “I wanted to thank you for your kindness from this morning.”

Taya bows formally, even though they’re in the USA...

Uta feels she is involved in a mix-up.

“I’m sorry... I think you‘ve got the wrong person.” She says.

“Oh...” Taya says. “Maybe you don’t remember me. But... I remember you. You helped me with directions. Well... you didn’t really know the way either, but just the thought of stopping to help... Please, tell me how I can repay you!”

Taya gives another deep bow. Uta starts to think Taya is a little strange.

“Um... you really don’t have to do anything, seriously.” Uta says. “Helping people out is human decency. It was nothing, really.”

“Yet I am so grateful...” Taya says again.

“Well then, um...” Uta starts saying. “How about... you tell me your name? Then we can call it even.”

“Oh, my name is Taya.” Taya says. “Taya Soune. What is yours?”

“I’m Uta Utane.” Uta says. “Well, nice to meet you.”

“Ah! Likewise!” Taya says, with a smile. He is still a bit shy, but he feels like he and Uta are no longer strangers to each other.

They get to the dorms together. The manager of the room tells them their designated room numbers and... WHAT? Uta and Taya happen to be roommates!

“Well, what a coincidence!” She says. “You two already know each other. Well I hope you enjoy living together!”

Taya bows... again.

“Sorry for the trouble I’m going to be causing you.” He says.

“Wait, please don’t apologize...” Uta says. “It’s okay... I’m glad my roommate is someone so considerate. Don’t feel like you have to apologize.”

“Okay.” Taya says.

Once they’re in the room, they have their stuff delivered shortly. They unpack clothes and such. Taya’s clothes are all fancy and posh menswear. Uta’s are mostly all casual and somewhat boyish, T-shirts, jeans, hoodies. Uta asks if Taya forgot to pack any casual clothes. Taya answers that this is just how he always dresses.

“Even to sleep?” Uta asks.

“Don’t judge me...” Taya says.

They eventually have a conversation about why they chose to attend Sonare Community College.

Taya is passionate about music. He has played the cello and taken vocal lessons since middle school. He came to Sonare to enrich his skills and continue down his path. He also confesses his interest in musical theatre, but being too shy previously. He thought about starting it once he came to Sonare.

Uta’s major is music and she had been playing the violin since childhood. However, she lost her passion long ago. She only continued playing the violin since she already came so far. She doesn’t feel the desire to disclose her lack of passion to Taya, considering how passionate Taya seems to be about music and theatre. Uta would just put a damper on his spirits, she feels.

Somewhere along the way, Uta learns that Taya is non-binary. Uta has heard of that term before, but hearing Taya explain non-binary gender in more detail makes Uta begin to relate to the idea and slowly start to question her own gender identity.

That night, before they sleep, Taya asks Uta something. He did just meet her, but he already trusts her a lot.

“Um... I’m terribly sorry. I’m so, so terribly sorry, but... I have something I want to ask of you... I’m so sorry!” Taya says.

“Well... you haven’t even told me what it is yet. Quit being sorry and tell me.” Uta says.

“W-Well...” Taya says. “You see... Remember when I wanted to be in musical theatre? It’s... it’s always been my dream... to perform a certain play with everyone... but... I feel I just can’t push myself alone. Uta, I trust you a lot, so... would you join the theatre club with me?”

There is silence.

“Well...” Uta starts saying.

“Ah, I know it’s a lot to ask of you, but... um... I’ve always been shy and timid, but... when I’m with a friend like you, I don’t feel as scared. It would mean so much to me, and I promise I’ll repay you...”

“...You don’t have to repay me.” Uta says.

“Huh?” Taya answers.

“You know, I really don’t really have any interest in theatre but... if you want it that much, I’ll do it, okay?”

“Ah, really?” Taya smiles. “Thank you so much...”

“Yeah...” Uta says. “Maybe it could be fun...”

That night, as Uta is falling asleep, it sinks in that Taya called her a friend. Feeling grateful she made friends with such an earnest person, she hopes their bond will continue to grow.

[todokori-kun]

(Ugh, sorry for this late reply! OTL I’ve been busy and whenever I sat down to try and write this message it would be bedtime before I’d even gotten halfway through)

If we want him to be happy the best, most plausible and canon-compliant choice is Saiko…yet Ishida’s been ignoring her ever since she told Urie she loves him ;-; #IshidaY

Correction: Ishida (like Shuu and Uta) is a picky eater. He’ll only eat human flesh that’s been steadily stewing in misery for at least a year, and the bitterest, saltiest tears are all he ever drinks.

Ishida’s eating habits being similar to Uta’s makes sense though, since he actually said he gave Uta some of his hobbies lol

Just stop hurting us, please…Ishida needs to redeem himself with Hide’s return as quickly as possible. Either that or something bad needs to happen to Furuta (if Rize somehow breaks free and eats him I’m sure at least half of the fandom would realize that they can, in fact, be satisfied).

Hmm, I was fine with Re up until this arc. Touken feels forced, shippy fluff and Mutsuki drama is getting in the way of the ACTUAL plot (even with all his trolling skills, Ishida cannot convince me that sex scenes and love triangles/squares are more important than how the Q squad is dealing with their trauma from the last battle, what Juuzou, Urie and other investigators are going to do now that they suspect Furuta is lying, how the rest of Goat is doing, what Uta and the Clowns are up to, and Furuta finding a way to, oh, I don’t know, BRING BACK THE FREAKING DEAD). It’s like Ishida has a really interesting plot in there somewhere, but he’s buried it beneath the pointless, badly timed romance.

As for Mutsuki, I used to be a bit 'meh' about them (I used to like them, and then I didn’t mind their backstory/the treatment they got at Torso’s hands simply because I got spoiled and knew it was coming from the very beginning, plus the parellels with Kaneki had me thinking they’d get a similar interesting development) but I’m starting to become more and more indifferent towards them because they just feel really flat now- a basic murder-bot, a copy of characters like Yuno Gasai. Maybe I’d sympathize with them more if their love for Sasaki/Kaneki felt a bit more genuine, but as it is, it seems lacking. It feels like we’re viewing Mutsuki from an outsider’s POV; not much about their actual feelings or thought process about the entire situation, just a bunch of crazy, yandere moments with a few

That AU…make it canon, Ishida. (jk, but seriously). I’m one of those people who won’t complain no matter how much the creators pile on the angst as long as it’s plausible angst (I’m afraid I’m a bit of a masochist when it comes to fandoms…) but I like to think of my favorite characters being happy for once ;-;

 0/////0 TYSM ;-; You’re so supportive and sweet and just asdfj;lk (it’s not easy to reduce me to keyboard-smashing but I have a lot of feelings right now) <333 I’m still scared because there are two ways this could go (either I somehow get over my fear and do ok, which would probably be really good for the anxiety, or I just freeze the second I step onto the stage…which would probably make things worse) HOWEVER, for Queen Luna I shall do my best !!!! <33333 :D

But wait a sec…‘King’…

Plot Twist: I am the real One-eyed King

Also

‘Urie & Tumblr(Evans): A short story’

-Urie pretends not know what tumblr is

-Only he totally does

-It’s an addictive hole of darkness

-And Luna spends way too much time on it for his liking

-Ok, so it’s not tumblr he’s worried about, really

-It’s this guy called Evans that Luna keeps talking to

-And no, he did not just assume this person’s gender, he (ACCIDENTALLY) saw one of Luna’s messages to them calling them a ‘king’

-She never calls HIM stuff like that there’s only that stupid nickname ‘Oreo Cookie’

-Jealousy?

-N O

-That’s for the common folk like Sasaki

-Look, he’s just worried about his s/o ok

-Then one day he brings it up

-'The 'King’ thing was an inside joke of sorts’

-'Evans is a heterosexual female’

-R.I.P Urie, who must now admit that he was indeed jealous

(super awkward crack that suddenly popped into my head

And aww, I’m really so glad you enjoy the HCs ^^)

Me + a person with Shuu’s personality would be pretty hilarious if we managed to get along well. Since at first sight, I appear like this really quite and polite person who’s way too nice for their own good (sort of like an even more introverted and awkward version of Kuroneki), but with people I’m really close with I suddenly turn into Haise with all of his cringe-worthy moments- plus a little bit of dry humor and sarcasm.

Haven’t got the chance to listen to all of those yet but what little I’ve heard sounds lovely! The first three and Soldier Game are my favorites, I think :)

Give it a few weeks and I’ll probably be joining you in Idol hell…

Loki’s hair is actually as long/maybe longer than Thor’s in later movies tho XD but I’m glad Thor’s getting some love! A lot of fans just characterize him as this big blonde idiot who has no clue what he’s doing, when in fact he’s grown quite a bit since the first Thor movie, where he was a reckless, hot-blooded, proud and arrogant person who really did have no clue what he was doing…sort of like musical-verse Hamilton minus his book smart nature and power of speech (isn’t that a terrifying thought?). Never knowing when to shut up and back down, which is coincidentally one of the things that damaged his relationship with Loki- who is his opposite in almost everything.

Without spoiling too much, let’s just say:

Thor is the extrovert, Loki is the introvert. Thor relies mostly on his raw physical power to get the job done (though he’s much more diplomatic now than he was in his first movie), Loki’s power lies in his words (he IS the god of lies after all) and his cunning. Thor can sometimes be a bit thick about the emotions of those around him, Loki reads people like open books and manipulates them like puppets on a string. No matter how much Thor grows up he’ll still have a bit of his old hot-tempered, non-stop personality, while Loki usually prefers to wait for it until he’s sure of the situation.

Unfortunately, Asgard (Thor and Loki’s 'home’- though Loki doesn’t consider Asgard his home anymore) values courageous warriors over quiet scholars and sorcerers like Loki. They praise honesty and boldness; Loki’s lies and illusions make them uneasy and they see him as a coward.

Despite being a prince, Loki has spent almost his whole life being identified as simply 'Thor’s brother’. People tolerate him because he’s a prince and Thor’s Brother, 'friends’ hang out with him because he’s Thor’s Brother, few openly show that they dislike him becuase he’s Thor’s Brother. Heck, when he lands on earth during the first Avengers movie, humans immediately identify him as none other than Thor’s Brother. He’s spent his entire life in Thor’s shadow.

It’s a very Burr-Hamilton relationship, and you can’t really blame Loki for wanting to be in the room where it happens.

(Also, the daddy issues.

I mean, look at what Odin and Laufey did

(SPOILERS for first Thor movie)

What Laufey (king of the frost giants) did:

1: Abandoned Loki because he was a 'runt’

2: Didn’t just abandon him; left him outside in the freezing cold in the middle of a freaking battlefield

What Odin did:

1: He rescued Loki when Laufey abandoned him because he felt sorry for the child…and also because he was planning use him as a pawn to someday make peace with the frost giants.

2: was planning to never, ever have a decent, reasonable 'you’re adopted, but you’re just as much my child as Thor is’ conversation with Loki

3: 'Yes, frost giants are terrible, bloodthirsty creatures, they are completely irredeemable’

4: some years later- 'Am I…? 'Yes, you are also a frost giant’

5: it’s heavily implied that he, like most others, always paid more attention to Thor than Loki

6: 'FATHER! I could have done it! For you…!’ 'No, Loki.’ *lets his adoptive son FALL INTO AN ABYSS IN SPACE. Like, he literally just stands there, watching Loki let go and fall to his death (well, not actually death, but that’s what it looks like)*

6: 'Both of you were born to be kings’

Later: 'All this because Loki desires a throne…YOUR BIRTHRIGHT WAS TO DIE! As a child, cast out on a frozen rock. If I had not taken you in, perhaps you would not be here now to hate me.’

I don’t hate Odin as much as the rest of the fandom seems to, and I do think he had reasons for doing what he did, but the fact still stands that he can be a massive hypocrite (tells Loki that he can’t try to take over the earth because they are no different from humans in the end, then tells Thor he shouldn’t date a human woman and calls her a 'goat’) and the things he did to Loki were just cruel.

Also, Thor, though he never wanted to hurt Loki, didn’t help. From what little we got to see in the Thor movies, it seems he also thought Loki was a bit weird for his quiet nature and interest in books and magic, usually refused to listen to anything he had to say, and just took his presence for granted most of the time so that he never realized how much Loki mattered to him until he lost him.)

Ok, so I’m trying to start the fic and I’m narrowing it down to Urie, Ken, and Shuu. I mean, the obvious choice is Urie since it seems like he’s one of your faves, but Heathers is a bit of a…graphic…story and while I’ve thrown in a bit of extra fluff IT WILL NOT BE A HAPPY FIC. So. Maybe you don’t want to see your favorite character hurt that way…

Also, because it’s HEATHERS, the story that’s set in a normal high school with absolutely no sci-fi or fantasy yet manages to be almost as dark as Black Butler, I guess I should put some warnings…

Slight yandere-ish behavior, murder, bullying, very vague mentions of self-harm and suicide (nobody actually does it or did it though), implied child abuse, sort-of-smut(scene cuts off right before anything smutty actually happens), and a ton of angst

(hint: it’s probably angstier than that thing I wrote about Viktor in a TG AU)

Is this ok with you?

Last note: Heathers and DEH both have a lot of dialogue to fill up the spaces between songs so you might want to either read the plots on wikipedia or talk with me every one or two songs so I can help explain what’s going on ^^

No worries ^^ I was a bit worried though, since I though you interpreted my ‘no new fandoms until the weekend!’ as ‘no messages until the weekend’

About the new chapter (127), has there been another time skip? Also, Shuu’s back! I’m sure you’re happy to see your hubby again (･ω<)☆ And I’m so proud of Naki ;-; My boy’s finally speaking properly.

#bringSaikoback  #becauseHe’sEvilThat’sY

Wait, she confessed her love? Man, I’ve forgotten a lot of things…

Yeah, that seems about right… What a gourmet.

Mask making, then? or eating eyeballs, that also wouldn’t be so weird. 

I want Hide to come back to life and become the next Jesus or something, saving absolutely everyone, because why not? I mean, he’s Hide after all.  Rize eating Furuta would be enough to get me to read the manga again (I already am, tho, at least somewhat. It’s your fault)

Maybe Ishida’s trying to redeem himself by giving us all the lovey-dovey stuff? It’s a shitty redemption attempt, but still…  and bringing back the dead certainly is an interesting way to advance the plot. hopefully it turns out to be a good one as well. hopefully.

i understand how/why mutsuki would fall for sasaki, but it was done in a very bad time and generally doesn’t fit with anything. id be a lot happier if they went murder crazy, but without the whole sasaki obsession. just let the guy be happy for fucks sake

You’re definitely a masochist. I mean, anyone who reads TGRe is (does that make me one as well…?). The AU is my pride and joy, the best idea I’ve ever had. I mean, just imagine it. Everyone being happy and enjoying life without suffering.

I’m sure you’ll do just fine ^^ I may not have anxiety but I do know the feeling of stage-fright. I mean, just a few weeks ago, I was at the japanese speaking contest and I still remember how badly I was shaking before, during and after my speech. I was so afraid I’d mess up… and I did! I did not understand any of the questions they asked me. Only later did I realise what they were trying to say, but in the moment, I was too scared to comprehend basically anything.  However, I got through it, no matter how scared I was. So I’m sure you’ll do just as well, if not better!

All hail King Evans, the One Eyed King! Now go stop the fighting between ghouls and humans, please.

Yeah, Evans is a bit of a boyish name. My first association with it before I met you was Soul Evans, from Soul Eater, a guy.  It’s also part of the reason why I was really afraid to write anything that might delude your gender, since lots of people get mad when people assume. 

Jealous Urie would be one of the most hilarious things ever. He’s to awkward to admit it, which means he also doesn’t do anything about it. How fun.

But you still haven’t answered my question… Who would you pick to be your significant other from the other fandoms we share, like Kuroshitsuji, AoT or YoI? Or even the Avengers universe ;)  You’re not avoiding it!

Honestly, Shuu is one of those people who get along with basically everyone, so I’m sure you’d get along with him. Besides, he’s empathetic, so he’d give everyone a chance to open up.

IDOL HELL! Join us... 

Oh really? Well, I was planning on watching the first Avengers movie and the Thor movies today and tomorrow (and maybe during the next week), so I’ll definitely tell you my opinion, then ^^ But Thor has short hair in the new movie. I am definitely not satisfied =3=

The whole family has some huge issues, doesn’t it? (thor’s family)

I say Kaneki, because it’s not a happy fic and out of the three, I like him the least. 

Sure, I’m fine with basically everything at this point. TG has ruined me in the darkness of itself (i don’t know what im typing anymore, don’t question me, please)

Okay, I’ll make sure to ask you about anything I don’t understand when I start listening to it ^^