#debut him please

[somnimagus]

mizutsune in the coral highlands

[id in alt!]

[innerchorus]

are there differences between shapul and esfan? theyre the same character to me.

It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to respond to this mainly because it sounds like something my partner would say to antagonise me but let me give it my best shot.

I do think there are some differences between them (and I will of course mention those in this post) but I think it's more interesting to answer this question by looking at why these two characters are so alike, and specifically why the fact that they are so alike doesn't mean they are merely cardboard cutouts of each other and is vital to understanding them as characters.

First, while Shapur created a strong impression and is an important character to myself and many others, it's worth noting that he appears in relatively few scenes in the manga. That's enough to glean some info about what he's like as a character, but we don't get to spend as much time with him as we do with the main cast. Maybe that's part of why you feel this way.

We do, however, get to see a bit more of his younger brother, Isfan.

When you say that Shapur and Isfan are so alike they seem the same to you, my first response is pretty much "well, what did you expect, given the circumstances?". It's clear from the outset that Isfan wishes to follow in his brother's footsteps.

Here he is in Chapter 59, freshly arrived in Peshawar.

Straight away we learn he wants to avenge his brother's death and offer his service to Prince Arslan in his brother's stead.

From Chapter 64, right before his fight with Gieve.

Here we learn that not only did Shapur save Isfan, he actually taught him. The novels even mention that 'while his brother served as a military general in the royal capital, Isfan became an agent of the royal capital and stayed in his hometown to guard it,' so even before we meet him in the manga, Isfan was stepping into a role that had previously been occupied by his brother, a role that Shapur had trained him for.

It's very clear that Isfan looks up to his brother, idealises him and aspires to be the kind of person he was, not just in a military sense but also sharing his morals, viewing loyalty to one's country and protecting the weak as far more important than riches (as stated in Book 12 of the novels, this is something Shapur said that Isfan adheres to as well). Is it such a surprise that after being so closely taught by Shapur and clearly modelling himself on him, Isfan seems so like his older brother?

That's really why I think saying they're 'the same character' feels reductive, because the reasons why they are so similar tell you so much about them.

And despite Shapur appearing in only a few scenes before his death, the same thing works in reverse. When we meet Isfan, we also learn more about Shapur. I don't think there's any need to list it all as that's not really what your question was aimed at, but I hope you understand my point.

The two brothers do seem to share character traits (they can be hotheaded/rash, as seen with Isfan's fight against Gieve, him rushing hastily to attack Chassum Fortress, and in Shapur throwing down his helmet at Atropatene after learning the king had fled, and particularly in his rescue of Isfan where he rushed alone into the snowy mountains to save him) but again, they're related, sharing the same father. So it's not really a surprise. This does, however, also highlight a difference between them, one that comes down to age and experience.

When we meet Shapur, he's in his mid 30s, and a Marzban, one of the highest military positions possible in Pars.

When we meet Isfan, he's around 20, and although he's clearly got some combat experience he's not at his brother's level just yet. And while they share some traits like I outlined above, while Shapur likely had the age and experience to moderate his reactions a little bit (see how he backtracks after his initial outburst at Atropatene, and defers his conflict with Kubard for another day which never comes), Isfan doesn't, and on certain occasions (like rushing ahead at Chassum) his inexperience shows.

I also want to cover character design, because I think it's a deliberate choice by Arakawa to have there be some resemblance between the two but not have them appear totally identical. One, it highlights that Isfan has a different mother (the manga appears to give him her lighter hair colour), and two, I think it indicates that Isfan isn't just Shapur v2, he's not meant to be just a carbon copy of his brother. Maybe that's also why we haven't seen Isfan wield a spear, Shapur's weapon of choice.

That those visual differences highlight the difference in their birth circumstances feels important. Shapur was born into high status as his family's heir. Isfan was born to a enslaved mother and if not for Shapur's actions his father would have allowed him to die simply to pacify his wife. While Isfan now occupies the same privileged position that his brother grew up in, it could easily have been different.

Those circumstances (Isfan and his mother's abandonment in the mountains) also lead to a distinct difference between the two, which is fighting style. Okay, we don't see much of Shapur in combat but he's clearly a classically trained Parsian warrior. This is likely the nature of the training he gave Isfan, too. But Isfan has an element that is unique to him, something that wasn't influenced by his brother but relates to wolves.

In his fight with Gieve, Tanaka describes Isfan's movements as 'wolf-like' and in both the novel scene and Arakawa's manga adaptation, Gieve is surprised by Isfan's movements (specifically the kick seen below) which depart from orthodox swordsmanship with the unpredictability of the wild.

I don't think we would've seen Shapur pull a move like that!

Yes, I know it makes no sense for Isfan to have these wolf-like traits when the actual contact he had with them was very limited, but I'll forgive Tanaka this conceit because it's fucking cool okay?

Anyway I hope this satisfactorily answers the question. I'm aware I am very (very) into these two characters and not everyone will be as interested in them as I am, but I hope some of the the points in this post were of interest. Hopefully I didn't forget anything, I didn't get a chance to proofread!

[asexual-juliet]

i do think it’s kind of weird how attached outsiders fans in particular are to the obc like the prospect of an actor maybe leaving the show after almost a full year should not freak you out or actively distress you that is how broadway shows work and you do not know these people personally

[rickybaby]

Daniel papped in LA | 08.11.23

[made-my-peace-with-all-the-bad]

Guys it’s the way I need someone to see Cole!Paul and write a full analytical essay on every single thing he does and how he is in every single scene

[catz4ever]

Someone made a beautiful episode time length banner and I love it! 🖤

One more day until I see my favorite uruk again! 😭

[onlyzhuyilong]

He recalls becoming anxious when he was 27 or 28 about his acting career being almost 30. What did he want to film in the future? He wanted to make movies, but he didn’t have the opportunity. And so he questioned what he should do going forward. [Marie Claire interview excerpt]

[unfo11owmeplz]

I've seen alot of jiradoro these days but yknow what i'd like to see? JiraGaru...

[haetrack]

like tell me i didn’t write that

I WROTE THAT ACTUALLY ☝️i personally know jaehyun just so u guys know

[buttercupshands]

finally got THE SR Dabi

Useless if UR Dabis are already there, and event ended like... a year ago BUT THE OUTFIT WITH BLACK HAIR FINALLY

the collection is complete... both Dabi one and SR LoV one

[wonho-ssi]

[hariboz]

HELLO I AM HERE TO ANNOUNCE YOU CAN VOTE FOR FREE!! YOU CAN VOTE ONCE A DAY FOR FREE ON THE YOUKU APP, WHERE YOU CAN ALSO WATCH THE EPISODES!!

1. Download the YOUKU app & create an account, then go to the vote channel!

2. Cast your daily vote for Ollie! <3

3. Rinse and repeat until December 25th, which is when the first voting round ends!

UPDATED:

if you cannot find the VOTE CHANNEL at the top, here is how to vote!

1. Open the YOUKU app, create an account/log in, and tap on the ASY promo banner!

2. You will be brought to an episode. Just tap on the VOTE CHANNEL here, right under the episode!

3. Vote for OLLIE as usual! Votes are open until DECEMBER 25!

[naplias]

orlando @ brooklyn | december 1 2024

[fragrantpines]

Thinking about kissing food men 💕

Yangzhou rice's face explodes into a blush whenever you kiss him. People who know that he is a food soul but don't know exactly what kind of food soul he is will easily mistake him for a ripe tomato from how incredibly red his face would become. 

After dating for a long time, his blush never truly disappears, it only lessens as time goes by as he gets used to your kisses and sudden bursts of affection, even reciprocating them in his own loving way after he gets over the embarrassment. Oh, but don't think that he'll become immune to your affections one day. All you have to do is kiss him once, slowly pull away while twirling his hair in your finger before saying "I love you" with your whole heart and– man down man down!! Someone get Dumpling right this instant!!!

Kissing Meng Po Soup is like falling into a sea of spider lilies. His lips are as cold as snow but are also as soft as silk, tempting you to deepen the kiss and allow him to wrap his arms around your waist, letting him pull you into a tight embrace before he falls asleep again with you in his arms. Even if you try to pull away, his scent is incredibly toxic, a deadly poison that pushes all thoughts to the back of your mind and whispers at you to fall asleep with him, to accompany him to a dreamland where both of you can stay and live happily ever after together. 

"Hm… don't go, stay with me…."

It's hard to tell whether he was awake or asleep when he said that as your mind was already on the brink of unconsciousness. 

Perhaps a little nap will help….

If you get caught trying to kiss Tusu Elixir, he will immediately give you a bombastic side eye. Maybe even a criminal offensive side eye. 

"What do you think you're doing? Have you finished memorizing all the common herbs used in medicine yet? You haven't? Then don't think of moving an inch from that spot until you can recall them all!"

In the blink of an eye, he turns his wheelchair and leaves the room at record speed, leaving you dumbfounded but too scared to move unless he comes back in and demands you to recite all the herbs right there and right now. 

Unbeknownst to you, Toso Wine will be just outside the door, covering the lower part of his face with the back of his hand as his eyes glare holes into the floor below him. He doesn't need to look into the mirror to know that his ears look as if they were on fire, making the blush spread across his face turn even darker. 

"Stupid." He curses under his breath, pondering on how to approach you and ask you to kiss him again without being too obvious about how much he craves your touch. 

Kissing Taibai Duck depends on 3 factors: time, location and how drunk he is. 

The last one is especially, especially important. Drunk Baiya and not drunk baiya were two entirely different people so proceed with caution. 

Depending on how drunk Baiya is, he'll either tease you about it or not even realize that you've kissed him. The latter only happens when he's incredibly intoxicated but if you try to go in for another kiss, he'll grab you by the wrist before swiftly placing his lips over yours, engaging a fiery kiss that ends with you feeling as if you were as drunk as the charming man smirking down at you. However, if he teases you and you try to move away, he'll panic and pull on your sleeve, asking you to stay for a little longer. If you agree, he'll grin and kiss you lightly, thanking you for staying by his side.  

On the rare occasions when Baiya isn't intoxicated, your kisses become his new form of intoxication. His kisses aren't limited to just your face. Your hands, your legs, your neck… anywhere that he can possibly reach on your body is a place that he will kiss on. If you ask him to stop, all he'll do is chuckle and kiss your lips briefly before continuing– but not before cupping your cheeks and gazing into your eyes softly.

"If time could ease its relentless march when we’re together,

and hasten its plodding pace when we’re apart,

I could spend an eternity in your arms,

to savor love everlasting in my heart."

The poem in Baiya's part:

https://www.momjunction.com/articles/short-love-poems_00697479/

18. Mi Amor

- Benjay

I was going to put in a romantic chinese poem for Baiya's part but all of em were too long for my liking so I took one from another website :') Got to brush up on my poetry skills if I were to write more Baiya stuff in the future

Update: Changed Taibai -> Baiya, changed Toso Wine -> Tusu Elixir

[pixeliiiii]

your honor. new fave HSK goalie just dropped

[drifting-starlight]

Save this babygurl from himself.

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Silly little bonus: