#edo squad

[bbcreative-0]

IM SO DISAPPOINTED

I have never, NEVER, been so disappointed in all Leosagi/Leoichi fans!!! How could you!?! How could ALL of you miss the golden opportunity to make Leo + Edo Squad content!?!?!

We have been WASTING the perfect opportunity to make the most chaotic friend squad ever!!! For shame on ALL of us!!!!

Okay now that I am done being overdramatic, seriously why hasn’t anyone make this kind of dynamic??? All Yuichi’s friends (hell even Yuichi himself) are all criminals and you are telling me Leo isn’t their best friend???

Nah, we are FIXING THAT TODAY!!!!

Gen is literally a bounty hunter who has a twin, scared of spiders, and scared of germs. I know Gen and Leo are buddies in the sense they are covering for each other to lie to their family.

Kitsune is a thief, Chizu is a ninja, and Leo is both. Those three are besties and they are 100% gossiping together.

You might think Yuichi isn’t done for these crimes but WRONG! He is totally okay with it as long as no one is getting hurt and they don’t get caught. As long as no one crosses those two things, it’s fine. Yuichi might just voice his concern once in a while.

I also know missions with the Edo Squad plus Leo is chaotic as hell and we need more content of Leo vibing with Yuichi’s friends and Yuichi is in the background going along with it while once in a while voicing his concerns.

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

"BOY, WHERE'S THE FIRE?" -- THE FIFTH SQUAD, "SHI" BRIGADE IS HERE TO ANSWER THE CALL.

PIC INFO: Resolution at 1736×2560 -- Spotlight on an woodblock art print from the series江戸の花子供遊び・五番し組 "The Flowers of Edo Children's Amusement," Edo Fireman, the Fifth Squad, "Shi" Brigade. Artwork by 歌川芳虎/画 Utagawa Yoshitora, c. 1858.

Source: https://museumcollection.tokyo/works/6233568.

[berrryparfait]

cherry blossoms in edo japan ⋆˚✿˖°

➴ continuation: misty sunsets in edo japan

— ��‧₊ᐟ featuring: samurai! rafayel, caleb, zayne, xavier, sylus x fem!reader

— ༉‧₊ᐟ premise: you are the sheltered daughter of a powerful clan leader in edo period japan. beneath the boughs of the cherry blossom trees lurks a mysterious shadow who keeps you safe... 「as long as you remain where i can see you, that is all i care about. ∼ tomoe, kamisama kiss」

— ༉‧₊ᐟ tags/cws: historical japan au, jealous / kinda manipulative caleb, mild(?) enemies-to-lovers xavier

— ♫₊ᐟ soundtrack: love upon wings in your heart – hoyo-mix

✧ a/n: this was inspired by the otome game nightshade (2016), which i really enjoyed. i've always loved the setting of historical japan, so here's an imagining of our LIs as badass, mysterious samurai TT

RAFAYEL, the sneaky and playful samurai... He’s agile and swift as a breeze, always on the lookout for trouble. You spend half the day listening to your father berate him for toppling yet another basket of peaches, but he never stays angry for long. No one could—Rafayel’s tendency for mischief was annoyingly endearing. He was beloved by the whole clan, including you. You tease each other like crazy, which brings you an embarrassing amount of joy. Thanks to him, days spent locked up in the estate are less lonely. However, even good days come to an end. An assassin from an enemy clan escaped the notice of the guards one night, and you were snatched from your home like a bar of gold. Just when you were about to lose all hope of rescue, Rafayel burst through the doors and eliminated the whole squad of assassins, the look on his face one you had never seen before. “Anyone who touches you will have to face my wrath. There is nothing dearer to me in this world.”

CALEB, the protective and dedicated samurai... Being a few years older, he's always been like a big brother to you. He trains with the other young men, always cracking jokes and flashing that bright smile of his. But don't be fooled—this man possesses an unparalleled work ethic and commitment to his path. If anyone was destined to be a samurai, it's Caleb. He simply knows how to enjoy himself when he's off duty. If anyone were to ask him what he thought of you, he'd laugh and say you were like a little sister to him. You know better. Once, he caught you by the lake with one of his friends. He scolded you for being alone with a man who wasn’t him and frightened his friend so badly that he never spoke to you again. Sometimes he takes it too far, you think to yourself. But you don't know what you'd do without him. "You don't understand the dangers you'll be getting into if you leave. Trust me, I know better." When will he stop coddling me? "I can take care of myself." He sighs and pats you on the head. "And cherry blossoms are blue."

ZAYNE, the dutiful and reserved samurai... You see him from time to time, always in some kind of rush. He works for your father and spends most of his time dealing with the clan’s adversaries. He’s good at his job, and you understand that without him, your family would never be truly safe. You’ve tried to speak to him, to ask him what his favorite season is and how long he’s been working for your father, but he’s as serious and detached as a cold winter’s night. He merely stares at you as if deeming you unworthy of his time. This morning, you woke up at the break of dawn to catch the sunrise by the cherry blossom trees. How you long for some company—a friend or two. That’s when you see it in the corner of your eye, there one second and gone the next: the glint of a sword disappearing behind the nearest building. You don’t question who it was. “It was you, wasn’t it? Earlier this morning, by the trees?” He merely glances away, feigning disinterest. A blush creeps onto his face “If you’ll excuse me, I have important matters to attend to. Good day, my lady.”

XAVIER, the observant and efficient samurai... You’ve watched him train for years, the soft-spoken and no-nonsense mentor with a reputation for possessing the most impressive combat and stealth skills the clan has ever seen. He's usually sent on missions not to kill, but to spy—making him a silent but deadly threat to enemy clans and your father's most prized subordinate. As for you, you don't think very highly of him. Sure, he's an excellent fighter who also happens to be incredibly handsome and charming and cool, but what else does he have to offer? His answers are clipped, his tone condescending. He sure as hell doesn't care about you. He probably sees you as the troublesome, pampered daughter of his boss; just another disturbance he's forced to take care of. But why is it that you occasionally trade glances with him in crowded rooms, and wonder about how he's doing in the late hours of the night? "Oh. It's you," he remarks, unbothered by your appearance in his doorway. "If you're going to interrupt my sleep, the least you could do is come in."

SYLUS, the dangerous and elusive samurai... You’ve only ever seen him in the dark; an intimidating, ominous presence watching over you in the quiet hours of the night. You want so badly to get to know him, to understand him—you’ve called out for him to tell you his name a million times, but he refuses to share anything personal. You know he’s a menace, slinking in and out of the estate whenever he pleases to conduct his business, and you almost feel bad for the fools who stand in his way. One night, you sneak out into the forest to find him, yearning to escape from your life of boredom and solitude and become a samurai yourself. But first you’ll need to be trained. “Has the princess finally decided to come out of her castle?” You glare at him. “I hate it when you talk down to me like that.” He chuckles, then places a single cherry blossom in your hair. “Meet me here tomorrow night.”

— ⋆˙⟡ ©berrryparfait

《 please do not copy / plagiarize / translate my works or publish them on any other platforms. 》

[recurring-polynya]

Are we accepting anime-beds to this discussion? Perhaps as supporting evidence?

The first one I thought of was Komamura waking up during the Halloween episode. He is, predictably, a futon-man. Wolfman. Whatever.

There was a similar shot with Isane waking up from her dream in the Lamp Society episode, and I was pleased by how consistent they made her bedroom to the shot you posted above.

You mentioned Rukia's Bount arc recovery situation being largely similar to Hisana's, and that checks out, although I have to say, Rukia's got the world's thinnest futon here. Maybe she just prefers a hard sleeping surface. Reminds her of her, uh, childhood of sleeping in the dirt, I guess? (or maybe Byakuya just thinks it does)

They move her around later when Ichigo and Renji come to bother visit her, whether it's because they move her around to wherever the sunlight is coming in, or Ichigo and Renji just aren't allowing the parlor or what, I don't know.

We also see Rukia's normal sleeping situation in the New Year's episode, which is still futons, although her futon looks nicer. Then again, the Bount Arc takes place in September or so, and this is New Year's, so maybe this is just her winter bedding.

PS: I guess this is her room? Which implies that when Renji comes over, they hang out in her room?? O! K!

Speaking of Renji, he slept on a futon when he was staying at Urahara's, which is in the Living Room, but is sort of...culturally...Soul Society?? I guess a lot of people sleep at Urahara's from time to time, and it's always futons in like, the big room they have for injured people, which is sort of analogous to the Squad 4 situation. Renji was here on a slightly more permanent basis, and he spent at least some of it uninjured. Anyway, I am not going to pass up any opportunity to post my Renji's-Urahara-Shouten-Sleeping-Situation screenshots, here they are:

That reminded me--I don't take anything that happened in Fade to Black as canon, but it does feature a shot of what passes for futons in Rukongai.

Finally, you mentioned earlier about Hitsugaya being a futon man, and I agree, so I was wondering what sort of accommodations were provided the time that the Karakura Kids had a slumber party in his office. The answer is: they slept on the floooooooooor

You've always been my go-to for all things Bleach lore and world-building! Do you think Shinigami all sleep in futons or beds? Or maybe it varies from character to character? We've seen the 4th division with beds in their wards, but I think every other character has slept in futons.

Haha, thank you! We do love a furniture deep-dive here, and people's headcanon speculations about shinigami life even more.

I started a list of any time we'd ever seen a character in some kind of bed (futon or frame), but it mostly just ended up being a long list of "_______ at the 4th," lol, so we'll see all those aside (almost all those aside). But canonically, there is a mixture! We see:

Hinamori in Aizen's futon

[Bleach 100]

Ukitake in his quarters

[Bleach e40]

Isane in her quarters

[Bleach 179]

Hisana at the Kuchiki house

[Bleach 179]

I think Rukia had a similar setup during the Bount Arc, as well.

Also, I'd like to note that for the record as I was retrieving *bed pictures* I got emotionally destroyed by my re-encounter with this panel. It is just SO deeply sad:

[Bleach 180]

The incredible, isolating vastness of the room, and the way the shadow cuts across the space. ToT <33333 It also reminds me of a really excellent meta piece done by afinepiece, where she analyzed the panels from Byakuya's story about Hisana and pointed out sections where the panel visuals might suggest Byakuya's memory/headspace more than physical reality. Her journal is deactivated but I know the reblog is on B3 somewhere! I'm inclined to go with that reading here, even though I also feel like the room probably just *looked like this* because every room in Soul Society is like this. (Maybe it's also for airflow, given her illness seemed partially respiratory and possibly contagious? ngl I'm basing this off that one anime elaboration scene and my co-blogger's post about Circus Hisana and Elephant TB).

In my mind Byakuya's convalescent setup was the same as Hisana's (is this the sad Seireitei equivalent of couples' outfits) but I was wrong:

[Bleach 180]

He's in a bed! But from the look of this building he's probably at the 4th and not at home. Put simply, this building is too brutish and workmanlike to be part of the Kuchiki complex:

[Bleach 180]

Hanatarou's quarters (implied)

[Bleach e259]

The tatami floor, layout, and big closet on the right-hand side seem to imply that Hanatarou uses a futon.

Abarai family quarters (implied)

[Bleach "No Breathes from Hell"]

This is probably not the only room in this house and they could put *anything* in those cabinets, but their sheer number and the style of the room suggests that this converts to a futon-filled bedroom, regardless of what might exist in other parts of the house.

Bonus 1: Renji in jail

[Bleach 118]

Is this at the 6th? Is this at the 4th? I always assumed the 6th, though obviously the 4th was involved. Idk, Byakuya left him on the ground. Maybe if you don't pick up your invalids the 4th just stashes them in their jail.

Bonus 2: Hitsugaya in Junrinan (non-shinigami, non-Seireitei)

[Bleach -16 (in between 286 and 287)]

These examples are pretty skewed in favor of futons, but if we think about this collection of characters, there is an overrepresentation of people who trend more traditional in terms of aesthetic, so they might not meaningfully represent the whole. Also, half the list is the same family.

We've seen a number of different offices and meeting rooms for each division, as well as some private residences, which have been a mix of Western and traditional styles in terms of the building itself and the furniture within it. Most of the offices seem to have Western furniture (or at least, the 10th, 6th, and 3rd), whereas Byakuya and Aizen, at least, seem to prefer the traditional at home.

Though, I don't know what this big-ass room is, but given its size and feeling of formal reception, this may well be the 5th's office?

[Bleach 100]

NB 1: I tried to look up what the office looks like under Shinji, but what is happening here:

[Bleach "No Breathes from Hell"]

NB 2: The 2nd also has traditional receiving rooms (used by both Yoruichi and Soi Fon, wherever the division between Shihouin and the 2nd is. But I assume Soi Fon's office is not the Shihouin Family Receiving room).

--

My feeling is that the differences are more regional/Division-based than personal preference-based, and *when*/by whom this design language was established depends on how much time and money the people in charge want to devote to furniture.

But that doesn't necessarily mean each Division is uniform, since we can see Isane and Hanatarou, both seated officers of the 4th, have different-style rooms! Maybe this is an effect of the 4th being an early bed adopter for their general professional purposes. Unohana is 100% a futon lady. I feel like Isane just accepted whatever was originally in the room, and that if there were no bed at all in the room she would sleep on the floor before asking to remodel. Does that mean a previous 4th VC wanted to modernize the VC quarters?

Was that previous 4th VC the original bedframe proselytizer, and got permission from Unohana to do up their quarters like a model home that gave examples of both types of room? Do Isane and Unohana live in an IKEA showroom?

What are the benefits of futons?

the room can be multi-use, a general common room by day and sleeping dorm by night

don't have to make a bunch of bedframes

Given what a big deal everyone makes out of transporting goods from the Living World, I feel like they probably make all their furniture and don't import particleboard from Nitori, so this would be expensive! Plus, given the amount of building reconstruction that needs to happen, I feel like there's probably a fairly small quota of wood released to civilians and/or divisions for non-essential use.

What are the benefits of bedframes?

BUNKBEDS

easier cleaning/long-term savings?

Yeah, you'd have to make the bedframes and have a whole separate common room, but having beds implies you've probably done away with the tatami in the room, since you're not really supposed to put heavy furniture on the mats. And I don't think in a barrack with heavy use you'd be able to rely on shinigami simply "being careful." Same logic as college dorms and their "IKEA, but completely indestructible" furniture.

So if you decide in the long-term that you don't want to do tatami maintenance/replacement and want wood furniture on wood floors, maybe the bed route is for you! ("You" here meaning "your division"!) At which point it'd be a matter of:

caring enough to do a cost/benefit analysis about this

whether or not you want to preserve the traditional aesthetic

whether you have the initial capital to invest in making the change

Some additional thoughts:

We know that at least a portion of the 2nd has heated floors, as financed by Oomaeda. I'm not a heated floors aficionado--though I stayed at an AirBnb once with a heated driveway--NUTS) but I feel like that would...not work with tatami? That over time the heat would dry them out too much and make them brittle? So maybe the 2nd has beds.

Despite the fact that the 10th office changes out their couch out a few times during the canon timeline, I feel like there's a 0% chance Hitsugaya has considered a bedding/architecture overhaul during his tenure at the 10th. He's spent the last 15 years developing a real filing system and an actual budget procedure. He didn't come in with extra money to put towards beds and the 46 doesn't generally approve that kind of line item. That's more of a "gift fund" expense.

Shinji is trying to get a Pod Hotel proposal approved, on the grounds that the idea would benefit more than just the 5th. They could implement it in the Tsumesho (Gotei WeWork)! And provide them in strategic outposts across Rukongai!

During what decade was the 11th briefly "HAMMOCK DIVISION" because it seemed like the cheapest, most low-maintenance option?

[biggianteggplant]

"She Was the Moment—Until the Farm Fought Back"

just some farm animals against you(low-key them too.)

KITA SHINSUKE

You wanted to be ethereal.

You had a vision: flowy skirts, wildflowers in your hand, and animals that gravitated to your soft energy. Like you were some kind of countryside princess. You were manifesting. You even practiced a soft laugh and everything.

Then a chicken charged you like it was protecting national secrets.

“NOPE—NOPE—NOPE—NOPE—!!!” Your voice echoed across the field as you sprinted for your life, skirt hiked up, hair flying, a literal flock on your heels. A chicken, a duck, and — why was there a turkey?! Why was the turkey fast?!

You made eye contact with the goat. Even the goat looked concerned.

Meanwhile, over by the fence, Kita Shinsuke watched with the calm of a man who's seen things. Rice farmer, composed soul, your painfully hot next-door neighbor. The one who carried feed like it weighed nothing and looked like every slow-burn romance novel male lead ever written.

He didn't panic. He didn't even flinch. Instead, he just murmured, “She should’ve turned left at the goat.”

You tripped over your own shoe, hit the dirt, and made peace with your gods.

The poultry squad retreated, job done.

Face down in the grass, you considered disappearing into the soil. Maybe becoming compost. At least compost is useful. At least compost isn’t seen by the guy you’ve been hopelessly crushing on for weeks.

Boots approached.

You slowly peeled yourself off the ground, twigs in your hair, breath ragged, soul slightly detached.

Kita crouched beside you, holding out a water bottle like this wasn’t the most humiliating thing to happen in Hyogo all week. Maybe all year.

“You okay?”

You nodded in shame.

“You lasted longer than most,” he said, completely serious. “Turkey got me on my second week.”

You stared at him. “…What?”

“It was personal,” he added.

A pause. Then—his lips twitched. A smile. Not big. But real. The kind of smile that makes your chest do gymnastics.

“Next time,” he said quietly, brushing a leaf off your shoulder, “I’ll show you how to handle the turkey.”

You opened your mouth. No words came out.

Instead, the goat started chewing your sock.

You may have gotten folded by the local poultry, but at least Farmer Hotness smiled at you.

And honestly? That’s a win.

SUGAWARA KOUSHI

You were having a normal day. A peaceful, romanticized, sunlit walk through your grandma’s field, probably humming a soft tune and thinking about your crush like an innocent farm baddie.

Then God said: “Let’s humble her.”

Because from the heavens descended a demon pigeon with nothing but smoke in its eyes and vengeance in its wings. That bird didn’t chirp. That bird said “SQUARE UP.”

“AAAAAAAAHHH—NOT LIKE THIS!!”

You took off running so fast, the grass folded behind you. You were speed. You were motion blur. You were a Nike ad with trauma.

And then—

“OH MY GOD SWEETIE RUN—RUNNNN!!!”

Enter: Sugawara Koushi, sprinting in from the left like he’s in Baywatch: Poultry Edition. He’s waving his arms, flinging his jacket like a lunatic, and yelling:

“I GOT YOU BABY GIRL—STAY WITH ME—”

You’re scream-laughing. He’s scream-laughing. The bird? Still chasing you like it’s got beef from the Edo period.

“WHY IS IT STILL COMING FOR ME—?!”

“MAYBE IT SMELLS FEAR OR EXPENSIVE SHAMPOO—”

“I USED HERBAL ESSENCES!!!”

“WELL NOW YOU’RE GONNA DIE SMELLING LIKE BOTANICALS!!!”

You trip. Sugawara grabs your arm. You both hit the ground like two gremlins thrown out of heaven. The bird flies away eventually, probably satisfied with your emotional destruction.

You lie on the grass. Hair a mess. Sanity questionable. Sugawara’s wheezing beside you.

“I—I can’t feel my legs. That was cardio. That was trauma cardio.”

He opens a tiny pouch and starts tossing you snacks like a mom in denial.

“Here. Gummy worms. Sugar therapy. Also—sparkly band-aids.”

You look at your scratched arm. He slaps a glittery pink bunny one on it like a medal of survival.

“You earned this. That bird was a war criminal.”

You both start laughing again. Possibly hysterically. Possibly because your brains are overheating.

Then he looks at you — hair in tangles, grass on your face, chaos incarnate — and grins.

“Hey… I think I’m in love with you.”

You blink. “You what—”

“Huh? I said ‘Let’s go above the coop and view’. Chicken coop. The view. That’s what I said. Yep.”

He shoves another gummy worm in your mouth.

You almost died via bird. You almost fell in love. And you definitely saw Sugawara kick his shoe at a duck.

Rural romance is so raw.

AKAASHI KEIJI

It started peacefully. Just another soft, sleepy morning. You were out near the shed, humming, holding a bag of duck feed like the wholesome country cutie you were becoming.

But little did you know... The duck knew what you did. The duck remembered.

It had beef. And it brought back-up.

From behind the coop, a formation emerged—two chickens, one goat, a loose turkey, and an emotionally unstable cow. At the front: the duck. Eyes locked on you. Beak twitching with vengeance. Wings spread like it just got promoted to general.

“...Why is the duck leading them like a general?”

You whip around. Akaashi Keiji. Calm, unreadable expression. Holding a book, of course.

You blink. “Help me.”

He tilts his head, studying the poultry war march like a Nat Geo narrator.

“Are you in danger… or are you being initiated into a cult?”

“KEIJI I’M GONNA DIE.”

That’s when the goat charges.

The goat doesn’t run. It launches.

You shriek. Akaashi sighs, places his bookmark, then sprints after you with silent resignation.

And now it’s both of you—running like medieval peasants in a barnyard apocalypse. You trip over a hoe. Akaashi grabs you with one hand and FLINGS the duck feed bag into the distance.

Bad move. The duck takes that personally.

“This feels like a low-budget horror film,” he pants. “But with feathers.” “And regrets.”

Eventually, he pulls you into the shed and slams the door shut just as the goat headbutts it. You’re both panting. You’re holding a rake like a sword. He’s sweating, bent over, hands on knees.

Silence.

Then he straightens up, brushes his bangs out of his eyes, and says with completely dry sarcasm:

“You were very graceful while being hunted. Like a ballerina. A terrified one.”

You burst out laughing. Ugly, full-chest kind of laughter.

He looks at you, softening, then reaches into his hoodie pocket and pulls out—

“I brought you pocky… before the ambush happened.”

You take it, trembling.

The goat rams the shed again.

Akaashi sighs.

“I will die in this shed with you. And it’s oddly romantic.”

You didn't make peace with the animals. But you might have trauma-bonded with a literary heartthrob.

Honestly? Peak rural romance.

IWAIZUMI HAJIME

It lets out a noise that sounds like a broken trumpet mating with a chainsaw, then CHARGES at you like it paid taxes and you didn’t.

You scream. You run. Your sandal flies off into the rice field like it’s trying to escape too.

Iwaizumi sighs, pulls out his phone, and starts filming.

“I shouldn’t be laughing.” “But I am.” “Look at her go.”

Zooms in on your terrified sprinting. Catches the exact moment you yell “IT’S GOT TEETH—IT SHOULDN’T HAVE TEETH” (it doesn’t. You were just panicking).

But then it gets real.

The turkey corners you by the water pump. Its wings flare. You trip backward.

And Iwaizumi—like he was waiting for a cue in a drama—drops his phone, sprints like an Olympian, and SWOOPS in…

Bridal style.

Yep. Picks you up like it’s a Marvel movie and you’re the main girl he pretends not to love but secretly worships.

“I got you, dumbass,” he says through gritted teeth, dodging a chicken mid-run. “Why are you like this?? Why is this your thing now??”

You’re clutching him like a damsel in distress who just realized the love of her life is built like a Greek statue and smells like cedar.

“It was a test, Hajime…” you whisper. “A test from God.”

He almost drops you on purpose.

Later, he sets you down by the hose and ruffles your hair roughly.

“You’re chaos. Pure chaos.”

You grin. He rolls his eyes, hands you your lost sandal, and mutters:

“Let’s not talk about the turkey again.” “Ever.”

Then opens his phone again to replay the video.

You hear your scream echo off the hills like music.

He’s not deleting it.

Ever.

KYOTANI KENTARO

It’s supposed to be a normal day. You’re just out in the field helping your dad with errands, maybe trying to look cute in your lil overalls because Kyotani Kentarou, the grumpy neighbor, is outside chopping wood like a shirtless Greek tragedy.

But then…

The Goat appears.

Not just any goat. This goat is fat. Like thicc. Waddles like a loaf of bread—but fast. Too fast.

“WHY ARE YOU RUNNING—YOU HAVE NO KNEES!!” you scream, fleeing across the yard as the goat CHARGES with surprising agility.

Kyotani, shirt half-off, blinks. Then looks at your dad, who casually folds his newspaper, pats him on the back like a mafia don, and says:

“She’s your problem now, son.”

And just like that, it’s ON.

The goat is LOCKED IN. You’re zigzagging. Screaming. Doing Olympic-worthy footwork.

“WHY IS IT STILL BEHIND ME—IT'S BEEN TWENTY MINUTES!!!”

Kyotani jogs up like a linebacker, eyes the goat, and says:

“Tch… square up then.”

The goat snorts. Kyotani growls.

It’s a standoff.

You’re on the ground catching your breath like it’s Warrior Nun Season 3, yelling:

“STOP FIGHTING THE GOAT!!!”

But he’s not listening. Kyotani legit blocks the goat like he’s guarding you from an NBA player. GOAT TRIES TO JUMP. HE COUNTERS.

They exchange glances. It’s primal. Ancient. Brother to brother.

Then—suddenly—the goat just stops. Stares at Kyotani. Turns. Walks away.

Defeated.

You’re panting, sweating, hair everywhere, and Kyotani just throws you a look like:

“Tch… dumb animal.”

Then helps you up—gruff but gentle.

“You okay though?”

You nod.

“That goat’s on drugs.”

Kyotani snorts and walks you back, hand on your back the whole time like a silent protector.

Your dad watches from the porch, sips his coffee, and mutters to himself:

“Yup. He’s the one.”

USHIJIMA WAKATOSHI

The plan was simple: impress your hot, stoic volleyball-player-turned-farmer neighbor by casually strolling through the field like a Pinterest cottagecore girl.

But then—Cowzilla locked eyes with you. And for some godforsaken reason… charged.

You:

“WHAT THE HELL—WHY ARE YOU RUNNING??? GO BACK TO YOUR KIDS!!”

Cow: Moo intensifies.

You bolt. The earth shakes. You look behind you. Mistake. It’s GAINING.

Ushijima Wakatoshi, standing perfectly still by the barn, squints at the scene unfolding like it's a documentary.

Arms crossed. Silent. Majestic. Like a tree.

“Your knee lift has improved. Your form… could be more upright.”

YOU'RE FIGHTING FOR YOUR LIFE. This bovine behemoth is on a personal mission. A vendetta. Maybe it’s a Taurus thing.

You scream as you leap over a fence, trip over a hay bale, and flop in front of him like a dying fish.

He blinks once. Then:

“That cow gave birth last week. She may think you’re a threat.”

You, wheezing:

“I WAS SINGING A TAYLOR SWIFT SONG.”

Ushijima, serious as ever, offers you a hand like this is war protocol.

“Next time, approach from the east. And… do not sing about revenge.”

You:

“I LITERALLY SAID NOTHING ABOUT REVENGE—WHY DOES SHE HATE ME.”

Ushijima:

“Cows can sense emotional instability.”

You:

“...are you calling me unstable??”

Ushijima, looking into the sunset:

“No. But you are very… loud.”

Later that evening, he brings you a glass of water.

“I admire your determination. Not many people can outrun a maternal cow.”

You sip it in silence. He sits beside you.

“Would you like to meet her again tomorrow?”

You glance at him. Eyes wide.

“Are you trying to kill me, Wakatoshi???”

“No. I think you can earn her respect.”

MIYA ATSUMU

It starts with a simple farm errand: you were just going to check on the chickens.

3 minutes later, a goat the size of a gym bag but built like a linebacker headbutts you into a pile of grass.

You don’t even have time to react before a chicken joins in like it’s WWE.

🗣 Atsumu Miya:

“AND SHE’S DOWN! SHE’S DOWN!!! THE GOAT STRIKES AGAIN, FOLKS!”

He’s recording from the porch like it’s an Olympic event.

Zooms in on your face as you try to army crawl away from the chaos.

🎙 Atsumu, narrating:

“Yn tries to regain control—but OH! OH!!! THE COW HAS ENTERED THE RING—WE’VE GOT A 3V1 SITUATION, JIM!!”

“And what’s this?? A chicken with a vengeance?! Folks, I haven’t seen this much action since the finals against Itachiyama!!”

You, sprinting for your life, screaming:

“WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?!” “I GAVE THE DUCK A NAME—WHY IS HE LEADING THE ATTACK??”

Atsumu (giggling like an idiot):

“Babe, that duck got BEEF.”

He does nothing to help. NOTHING.

Except laugh so hard he falls off the porch and rolls like a potato.

Later, when you’re panting on the grass, hair full of feathers, pride annihilated—

Atsumu comes over, still holding his phone, shows you the slow-mo footage of the goat bodyslamming you.

“I ain’t gonna lie—ya took that hit like a champ.”

“Yer built for survival, babe. That goat never stood a chance. I mean, except when it... you know... tackled you.”

You: “Delete it or I’ll body slam you next.”

Atsumu: “Too late. It’s my wallpaper and I’m makin’ merch.”

KUROO TETSURO

It was supposed to be a peaceful getaway. A sweet little countryside visit to your grandparents’ place. You and Kuroo, escaping the noise of Tokyo for a week of morning walks, homemade jam, and absolutely zero animals with grudges.

You were wrong.

“So, what do you wanna do first?” Kuroo asked, slinging a lazy arm around your shoulders as you both stepped outside, the sun warming the overgrown grass and wildflowers.

“I wanna say hi to the animals,” you chirped. “Give them some feed. Maybe do a Snow White moment.”

“Sounds cute. But why’s that pig looking at you like she’s about to file a restraining order?”

You froze.

There, standing at the edge of the pen, was Marlene—the pig. The same pig who, once upon a time, chased six-year-old you around the entire barnyard because you accidentally spilled apple juice on her snout. The same pig who never forgot.

Marlene snorted.

You blinked. “Oh no. Not again.”

It happened instantly.

With the power of a freight train and the anger of a soul wronged, Marlene launched into a full sprint.

You screamed.

“WHY ARE YOU STILL MAD?! THAT WAS FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, GET OVER IT—THERAPY EXISTS!”

You booked it across the field like your life depended on it. Kuroo was doubled over, wheezing, barely able to function.

“Oh my god she’s going feral!! Babe—BABE, ZIG-ZAG!!!”

“I’M TRYING!!!”

Your grandma, sitting on the porch like an omnipotent farm deity, took a casual sip of tea and called out, “She’s never liked you.”

Kuroo whipped his head toward her, stunned. “Wait—what?!”

“She remembers the apple juice,” she added, setting her cup down calmly. “Pigs never forget.”

“Oh my god,” Kuroo whispered, utterly in awe. “This is generational trauma. The pork edition.”

Meanwhile, you were still running. The pig was gaining. You tripped over a rake (because of course there was a rake), hit the grass, and screamed like you were in a horror movie.

“KUROO HELP ME SHE’S GONNA BITE MY ASS—”

He finally ran over, grabbing you and dragging you to safety, both of you collapsing behind a pile of hay bales. Marlene trotted away, satisfied, probably humming her villain theme in her piggy mind.

You lay there, panting, your hair a mess, your pride in shambles.

Kuroo looked at you, tears still in his eyes from laughing, and said with the most smug, teasing smirk: “So… was this your cardio for the day?”

You threw hay at him.

Later that evening, just when you thought it was over, he presented you with a laminated piece of paper, crudely decorated with clipart barn animals and Comic Sans text.

🏅 FARM SURVIVAL CERTIFICATE 🏅 This certifies that [Y/N] bravely survived a direct pig attack, trauma flashbacks, and rural betrayal. Awarded by: Kuroo “Still Laughing” Tetsurou.

You stared at it.

Kuroo beamed.

“I love you,” you muttered, deadpan.

“Love you too,” he replied, proudly hanging it on the fridge. “Also… she’s still watching you from the pen.”

You glanced out the window. Marlene made eye contact.

You locked the door.

TSUKISHIMA KEI

All you wanted was to impress the tall, spectacled boy who smelled like fresh laundry and quiet judgment.

You had a plan: help out with the chores, show you’re “not like other city girls,” maybe look effortlessly cute tossing bird feed into the wind like Snow White.

Instead, you were currently sprinting across the backyard, being violently pursued by a chicken with murder in its eyes, screeching like a WWE wrestler entering the ring.

Tsukishima Kei was sitting five feet away. Not helping. Sipping his stupid iced juice box.

“Wow,” he deadpanned. “National Geographic would eat this up.”

“KEI.” You screamed, dodging a beak aimed at your calf. “DO SOMETHING!”

“I am. I’m filming. Smile.”

You turned your head just in time to trip over your own foot and faceplant into the grass like a Sims character glitching.

The chicken climbed on your back like it just defeated a raid boss. You could hear its tiny feet doing a victory dance.

Tsukishima, still filming, casually commented, “You just got bodied by a six-pound bird. Congrats.”

You rolled over dramatically, dirt-streaked and betrayed. “You were right there! Why didn’t you help?!”

“I told you not to wear red,” he replied, adjusting his glasses. “He thinks you’re a threat to his harem.”

“This isn’t a drama, Kei! It’s a chicken!”

“Mm. Tell that to the bloodlust in its eyes.”

You tried to sit up. He offered you a napkin. Not a hand. A napkin.

You snatched it. “You’re enjoying this.”

He smirked, eyes glinting like the smug anime boy he truly was. “No. I’m archiving it. For science. And future blackmail.”

You sulked, brushing feathers off your pants. “This is why the chickens hate me.”

“No, they just sense weakness.”

You stared at him.

He stared back, sipping.

Finally, he got up, walking over like the world’s slowest prince charming, and offered you an actual hand this time.

As you stood up, he leaned in slightly and said under his breath, “You looked cute getting chased, though.”

You blinked. “What?”

He stepped back, already turning away. “Nothing. Go feed the ducks next. They bite less.”

You watched him walk off, offended but flustered.

...You were still gonna try feeding the ducks.

Even if you died trying.

ASAHI AZUMANE

You didn’t even see it coming.

One second, you were innocently picking up chicken feed with a smile, thinking maybe Asahi would glance over and think, “Wow, she’s so gentle and nurturing.”

The next second?

A mutated, demon-grade goose came charging at you with the force of a thousand screaming banshees.

“OH MY GOD—WHY IS IT SO FAST?!”

You took off running like you were in The Hunger Games, flinging corn like confetti as you screamed for divine intervention.

Across the yard, Asahi froze mid-sip of his barley tea, eyes wide.

“Oh no… oh my god… oh no… IS SHE OKAY?!”

But before he could run to you—

The goose changed targets.

It locked eyes with Asahi like it had personal beef from 1987.

“I—what? WHY ME?!” he gasped, literally dropping his tea and holding onto his bun like it was the only thing keeping him alive.

Despite the terror, he sprinted to you, arms out like a knight in fluffy joggers. “GET BEHIND ME!”

“WHY WOULD I DO THAT—IT’S AFTER YOU NOW!”

Too late. He scooped you up bridal-style, which would’ve been romantic if not for the part where he tripped on a rake and face-planted both of you into the cabbage patch.

Asahi tried to shield you, but the goose landed a solid slap with its wing on his back like it was tagging him into a WWE fight.

“GET IT OFF!!” you screamed, flailing under him.

“I’M TRYING—I’M SO SORRY—I THOUGHT I COULD BE BRAVE—” he cried, rolling away like a dramatic theater kid and dragging you with him.

You both lay in the dirt, puffing, grass in your mouths, while the goose strutted away victorious.

A long silence.

Then Asahi softly whispered, “I think I saw God for a second.”

You coughed. “Yeah. And He was laughing.”

He turned his head to look at you, cheeks red, hair full of leaves.

“I wanted to save you,” he said, earnest and pitiful. “I swear I meant to save you.”

“You did. And then we died together.”

Asahi gave a breathless, nervous chuckle. “Romantic?”

You nodded solemnly. “Deadass.”

TANAKA RYUNOSUKE

It started innocently. A soft afternoon sun, the gentle cluck of chickens, the faint hum of countryside peace.

Then… it happened.

From the barn, emerged a creature so heinous, so feathered, it could only be described as evil in a beak.

A duck.

But not just any duck. The duck. Eyes glowing. Webbed feet stomping like thunder. Neck elongated like it had a personal vendetta.

“Why is it looking at me like that?” you asked, backing away slowly.

Tanaka, sipping juice under the tree, squinted.

“…OH HELL NO—THAT DUCK IS CHARGING???”

It was already too late.

The duck launched forward like a cruise missile, wings out, rage unmatched. You screamed and sprinted. Tanaka leapt to his feet, yeeting his drink, grabbing a random stick like he was Link from Legend of Zelda.

“BACK OFF YOU FEATHERED DEMON!!”

You darted past him, yelling, “IT’S TARGETING ME SPECIFICALLY—WHY DOES IT HATE ME?!”

Tanaka stepped in front of the duck like a knight, arms wide. “STAND BACK, PRINCESS, I GOT THIS.”

The duck didn’t stop.

It flapped once. Twice. Then launched at him with ninja precision, pecking his thigh like it had trained for war.

“AUGH—IT GOT ME—IT GOT ME!!!” he wailed, swinging the stick like a maniac, missing entirely.

“WHY ARE YOU FIGHTING A DUCK LIKE IT OWES YOU MONEY?!” you yelled.

“I’M TRYING TO DEFEND YOUR HONOR!!!” He tripped. Fell. Got pecked again. “THIS ISN’T HOW I GO OUT—I’M TOO SEXY TO DIE!!!”

Eventually, the duck waddled off like it won. Like it knew.

Tanaka lay in the dirt, hair wild, shirt stained, stick broken.

You sat beside him, panting. “You okay?”

“…I fought a turkey for you, bro. A turkey.”

“That was a duck.”

He stared at the sky, traumatized. “Then what the hell is the turkey gonna be like…”

OIKAWA TOORU

It was supposed to be a cute countryside date. Strawberries. Picnic basket. Oikawa in a pastel button-up trying not to step on anything suspicious.

“I don’t get how anyone lives like this,” he sniffed dramatically, dodging a chicken like it carried disease. “There’s dirt. On the dirt. That touches more dirt.”

You laughed, feeding goats behind the fence. “They’re sweet if you don’t sass them.”

“Please,” he scoffed, flipping his hair. “Animals love me. I radiate elegance. Goats can feel that.”

A single goat—large, built like a linebacker, horns out like it bench-presses hay for sport—stared at him through the fence.

You paused. “Okay but that one? That one’s… different.”

Oikawa met the goat’s eyes. Big mistake.

He narrowed his eyes, took a bold step forward and put one hand on his hip. “Listen here, you Hell’s Kitchen extra. Your beard looks stupid and your vibes are rancid. I moisturize. Do you??”

The goat blinked.

Oikawa smirked.

The goat smashed through the fence.

“OH MY GOD—”

“WHY IS IT SO FAST???” Oikawa screamed, instantly bolting behind you. “I THOUGHT GOATS JUST ATE CANS AND STOOD ON ROCKS!!!”

“YOU MADE IT MAD,” you yelled.

“HE STARTED IT WITH HIS STUPID HOOVES—” The goat lunged.

You didn’t think. You grabbed Oikawa bridal style—all 6 feet and fragile ego of him—and ran.

“Put me down—WAIT NO DON’T—WAIT YES—NOOO—”

You dodged chickens, hurdled over a rake, got slapped by a branch, all while carrying a full-grown setter who kept gasping like a Victorian maiden.

“You’re literally shaking,” you panted.

“IT’S MY NERVES. THEY’RE FRAGILE. LIKE MY JAWLINE.”

The goat gave chase, unstoppable, possessed by farm demon energy.

“WHY IS IT STILL FOLLOWING US—WHAT DID I DO—WHAT IS ITS DEAL???”

“You insulted its beard!”

“I INSULTED IT WITH STYLE, THERE’S A DIFFERENCE!!!”

Eventually, your grandma came out holding a broom and muttered, “Ah. That one again,” whacking the goat gently until it sulked away like it got grounded.

You collapsed on the grass. Oikawa sprawled across your lap like he fought in a war.

“Never,” he huffed, “bring me near anything with horns ever again. Unless it's you. You're hot when you're holding me like a damsel.”

You shoved him off. He clutched his chest dramatically. “Wow. Saved your man and got slandered. I demand strawberry jam as payment.”

“You’re lucky the goat didn’t actually headbutt your ass into next week.”

He looked off into the horizon, deadly serious. “…It tried. But I was too beautiful to hit.”

[tsuma-senju]

Free me, Please - Tobirama Senju

Pairing Tobirama x Reader.fem

Summary You and Tobirama were a couple before the Konoha was formed, then everything changes and you are revived by EdoTensei

The golden afternoon sun stretched across the Senju clan's training ground, tinging the sky with shades of orange and gold. You were panting, your hands resting on your knees, feeling the sweat running down your face after the last sequence of blows you had exchanged with Tobirama. He, on the other hand, maintained his impeccable posture, his red eyes shining in the reflection of the twilight.

“You're getting slow.” He teased, twirling the kunai between his fingers.

You laughed, recovering quickly, and took up combat position again.

“I'd say you're just becoming more predictable.” Your voice carried an amused but also defiant tone.

Tobirama raised an eyebrow. This was a constant competition between you. Not just a training session, but a perfectly synchronized dance between two shinobi who knew each other's moves like no one else. The blows exchanged were too fast for an ordinary spectator to follow. Every dodge, every block, every counterattack was as sharp as the blade of a well-wrought katana.

Between intense training sessions, you always shared knowledge, exploring the limits of your abilities together. Edo Tensei was one of the jutsus you both developed side by side, discussing its principles, studying its mechanics and weighing up the risks. Neither of you ever imagined that this technique would one day separate you.

That day, after training, you lay on the grass, watching the sky slowly darken.

"Do you believe that this war will end one day?" you asked, turning to face him.

Tobirama was silent for a moment, his eyes locked on the stars that were beginning to appear. Then he answered with rare seriousness:

"If it does end, it will be with many losses. And I only hope…" He hesitated. "I hope you won't be one of them."

You smiled, touching his hand lightly.

"We won't lose each other, Tobirama. We'll always be together."

If only I'd known how wrong I was.

The smell of blood and ash dominated the battlefield. You and your squad were surrounded. There were too many. Too many. And no matter how hard you fought, your fate was already sealed.

The enemy blade pierced your chest, and you felt your body go weak. The pain was intense, but even worse was the cold that spread through your limbs. Your vision began to blur and, in the midst of the chaos, your mind searched for only one thing: Tobirama.

The last image that appeared in her mind before everything went dark was his face, his penetrating gaze, the firm touch of his hands. You tried to call out to him, but his lips made no sound.

Then came the darkness.

The Fourth Ninja War was at its height. The Hokages had been revived by the Edo Tensei, now gathered to answer Sasuke Uchiha's questions. As Hashirama spoke, explaining the events of the past, Tobirama remained silent, his arms crossed, his eyes fixed on the horizon.

Then he felt it.

His chakra.

Tobirama's heart raced, but his expression remained impassive. He slowly turned to Hashirama, who was already looking at him with a worried expression.

“Hashirama…” his voice was low, controlled, but his older brother noticed the slight tremor in his hands. “Do you feel that?”

Hashirama closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the chakra in the air. When he reopened them, his countenance became gloomy.

“That chakra…” He frowned. “It's… hers.”

Tobirama's world seemed to freeze for an instant. He didn't need confirmation. He knew. You were there. You had been revived.

And not for a good reason.

The fight was in full swing. Your body moved with murderous precision, but inside your mind, you were screaming, fighting to regain control. You saw the faces of the Leaf ninjas, you saw the fear and determination in their eyes, and you hated every blow you were forced to deliver against them.

But there was still something you could do.

"Attack my legs…!" His voice escaped through his lips without the enemy noticing. A whisper mixed with the sound of battle.

One of the ninjas hesitated. Did he understand?

"Cut off my chakra circulation…!" You forced the words out in the middle of an attack, hoping that someone would get the message.

And then Tobirama appeared.

The shock on his face was imperceptible to the others, but you knew that look. He understood. He saw you there, trapped inside yourself, and he knew he had to put an end to it.

With shadow clones, Tobirama drove away the wounded ninjas, leaving just the two of you on the battlefield.

"Tobirama…" Your voice shook between attacks.

"I'm here." He replied, his voice laden with something he hadn't allowed to show for years: pain.

You fought. The blows were violent, fast, but there was a different weight to this fight. You were fighting to die. He was fighting to accept the inevitable.

"I… never stopped loving you." He murmured, each word a confession torn from his soul. "I've never forgotten us…"

Tobirama hesitated for a second. A second that cost him a gap in his defense. But instead of taking advantage, you smiled.

"Please… stop this. I can't stop. I kill every second I breathe." Your gaze met his, and finally you begged, "Let me go."

Tobirama closed his eyes for a moment, but when he opened them again, they were filled with cruel resolve.

“And I've never been able to look at another woman after you.” He admitted. “I never accepted your loss.”

You smiled, feeling tears welling up. Finally, he said aloud.

“Then let me go.” You whispered.

With one last breath, Tobirama advanced, the chakra blade piercing your chest.

You felt pain. But above all, you felt relief. Your consciousness began to dissipate along with the jutsu. You raised your hand and touched his face one last time.

"Thank you… Darling…"

And then you disappeared.

Tobirama stood there, motionless, staring at the empty space where you had been. Hashirama put his hand on his shoulder, but he didn't react.

His heart, already broken once, was now just ashes blown away by the wind.

And this time, he knew he would never see her again.

[karasukarei]

Wind Breaker Drama CD vol. 2 sample - Oedo-style Fuurin Story

This drama CD is set during the Edo period, so keep that in mind while reading this! Boufuurin has become Fuurin-gumi (“gumi” means group, like in “shinsengumi”) here, with Umemiya as the group head.

As always, if there are mistakes, feel free to let me know!

Other translations I’ve done can be found here!

Scene 1

Sakura (?): I heard that the barracks for Fuurin-gumi is supposed to be around here… is it that?

Nirei: E-excuse me, is this the barracks for Fuurin-gumi…?

Sugishita: *grunts*

Nirei: It is right, it’s obvious! It’s nicely written here right?

Sugishita: *more grunting*

Nirei: U-um, could you perhaps be from Sugishita-san from Tamonshuu’s First Squad?

Sugishita: *gasps of suspicion* You, could you be-!?

Nirei: Heeeeeee!!! I’m sorry I swear I’m not a suspicious figure!! I am Nirei, and I’d like to join-

Sugishita: Coming to join Fuurin-gumi, you sure have some guts! *draws sword*

Nirei: A-ah, I’m being you please don’t cut me down!!

Sakura: Oi! Stop it!

Scene 2

Hiiragi: You made one more mistake.

Sakura: Huh?! What more is there besides this?!

Hiiragi: The head of Fuurin-gumi is not me-

Umemiya 🩵: Ohh, Hiiragi! You’re here!

Enomoto: !! Umemiya-san! Thank you for yourrrrr harrrrd worrrrk!!!

Umemiya: Oh! (t/n: think of it like a sign of acknowledgement)

Hiiragi: Where have you been all this time? (t/n: this might not be accurate, I couldn’t quite catch what he said)

Umemiya: Ahh, sorry about that, here, I bought some dango as souvenirs to share with everyone!

Hiiragi: *grunts of gastric issues without GasCon 10* Anyway, those two over there, they’re new people who just joined today.

Umemiya: Oh?

Nirei: You’re… *excited sounds* It’s the real person! Sakura-san! It’s this person! This person is the top of Fuurin-gumi! The group head Umemiya-san!

Sakura: Eh?

Umemiya: Yo, Sakura! You really came, huh? I look forward to working with you from today!

Sakura: Huh? Huh?! HUHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!!!

Scene 3

Suo: Huh? Over there, is there some sort of commotion?

Kiryuu: Something seems to be up, huh?

Kaji: That restaurant seems to have had someone eat and run.

Sakura (?): Eat and run?

Kaji: The granny from the shop said that the culprit was a man wearing a blue kimono.

Nirei: A blue kimono? Ah!

Kaji: What is it?

Nirei: Just now, there was a man in a blue kimono running down that road!

Sakura (?): Tsk, dammit. *starts running*

Kaji: Oi, hang on!

Suo: Let’s go too!

Nirei / Kiryuu: Yes! / Mm!

[olikaluku]

Chapter 1: ‘Dance to the unified sound’

Our acknowledgment and positive response to echoes of cries for a nation bound in freedom, peace and unity.

Ekan

#endSARS was a decentralised social movement petitioning for freedom from police brutality. The series of mass protests called for the disbanding of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS); a unit of the Nigerian Police with a long record of abuse on Nigerian citizens.

Originating in Benin City, coral beads (ekan) represent power & freedom of expression in Edo culture. ‘Ekan’ is a tribute to the 12 protesters who lost their lives on 20/10/2020 using their voice to defend liberty, peace and justice.

Coral beads also represent hierarchy and dominance, the use of broken corals depicts the dismantling of hierarchical abuse of power.

[novastar-creations]

This is concept work for an idea that I’ve had floating around in my head for a while (may have mentioned it on tumblr idk) of there being previous champions of Karasu-Tengu in the staff

Ofc ofc I then decided to play around w/ some of the characters from the Usagi Yojimbo comics bc I thought it’d be fun - who knows maybe Mariko and Kenichi will have a whole ass squad in there :P

I’m still not sure if I’d do that tho bc I also want them to hang out with Neo Edo crew and that’s already a lotta people.. that plus a whole new squad is like.. a lot.

Rottmnt Dawn au Masterpost

Maybe an art fight ref sheet, maybe not? Idk I’ll probs not post it tbh

[recurring-polynya]

Izakaya Kamenoya, Part 4

All right, it is time for the final article in my series on Izakaya Kamenoya, the bar all the shinigami drink at in filler episodes! Today, I will be making a valiant attempt to identify what kind of food items are available! Bleach is rather famous for portraying food as blobby lumps, so wish me luck!!

The history of izakaya is pretty interesting, but they basically evolved out of sake shops that started serving food to attract customers and also to entice them to hang out (and keep spending money). They tend to serve small plates, which are shared. This can span a really wide range, though, from just a few basic bar snacks, up to a fancy restaurant. Izakaya Kamenoya tends towards the more full-service. According to the article I linked above, people didn't do a lot of cooking at home in the Edo era--they cooked rice at home and purchased pickles and other simmered goods to top it with. This fits right into the Seireitei to me--shinigami have demanding jobs and disposable income (at least moreso than Rukongai folks), so they love to eat out.

Check out this Ladies' Night Spread, for example:

That looks like two big platters of sashimi in the middle to me, and that's clearly tamagoyaki (rolled omelet) on the far right.

The episode very kindly gave us this close-up of Assorted Meat Skewers.

I am not quite sure what the brown slabs served over lettuce are...tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlets), perhaps?

In this shot you can also see some little fish. This looks similar to a picture I found of eihire (grilled stingray fins, served with mayonnaise), so I am assuming this is a something similar.

Boys' Night Out is going to be less fancy, because the boys in question are broke, but it's generally the same stuff-- sashimi, tamagoyaki, skewers, BUT they also have this cool table-top grill! It's called a shichirin, apparently, and is often used to grill yakitori, which it looks like exactly what they're doing. I feel strongly that this is a thing Iba is super into. Like, you go out drinking with Iba, you know he's getting the shichirin. The fact that shichirin translates to "seven wheels", cements this even harder into my heart: it is both grilling (manly!) and a reference to Squad Seven, what is not to love?

How about captains? Ukitake and Kyouraku seem like a pair of guys who enjoy a good meal.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT FISH.

So. Um. Well, it looked to me like it was a fish that had been made into sashimi and then the sashimi was sort of arranged over the skeleton of the fish, with the head in tact (If you are not able to tell how I was able to discern that from this potato-quality screenshot, it's fine, I'm not so sure either). Anyway, I looked that up to see if it was a thing and it sure is! It's called ikizukuri and you do it while the fish is still alive. Today, it's a controversial practice, but Soul Society be Soul Societin'!

In less upsetting news, it looks like they each have a little cup of chawanmushi (egg custard with savory mix-ins, like mushrooms or shrimp). Also, lots of skewers and bowl of colors (pickles maybe?)

I also have this shot from Kyouraku and Amagai's first venture, but I can't tell what anything is:

Clearly a less impressive spread, but they only just got there, so maybe there's more to come. Croquettes in the middle perhaps? I would guess that those little square cups are matcha pudding but Kyouraku hates matcha. The smaller plate kinda looks like more skewers, but it also seems to small to be skewers.

Moving on the other end of the price scale, what does the Extra Value Menu at Kamenoya look like? I'm sure Hisagi and Kira know!

The anime did not give much help here. It looks like they have more of those ?tonkatsu?. Kira's got a plate of...sliced cucumbers maybe? The beige lump in the middle has some colored specks in it, so I'm guessing a fried rice of some sort.

As a final note, I love these little blue cups of orange bulbs that Kira's emotional support team is enjoying here (also more tamagoyaki). They seem like they should be easily identifiable, but they don't look like anything in the two dozen "things to eat at an izakaya" articles I read for this. Is it a fruit? Is it chestnuts? If you have an idea (or you can identify anything else that I couldn't) please let me know!

earlier posts in this series: (part 1) (part 2) (part 3)

[saikolikes]

“Black Silk in a Coffin”, an akeshu Royalty AU set in Edo Japan that I wrote for Vulpes as part of the latest bunxia exchange!

Akira, leader of a squad of the Rebel Corps, must infiltrate Shido’s castle as part of a bigger espionage scheme. All goes well until he disguises as Young Lord Akechi Goro’s new attendant… someone meant to serve him in more ways than one.

You can read the fic on Ao3!

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

FIREFIGHTING AS A CULTURAL FORCE FOR THE WOODBLOCK ARTS IN EDO PERIOD JAPAN.

PIC INFO: Resolution at 1750×2560 -- Spotlight on "The Flowers of Edo Children's Amusement," Fireman, First Squad, "Man" Brigade (江戸の花子供遊び・一番万組), artwork by Utagawa Yoshitora [歌川芳虎/画], c. 1858.

COLLECTION OF: Edo-Tokyo Museum

TITLE: "The Flowers of Edo Children's Amusement"; Fireman, First Squad, "Man" Brigade

CREATOR: Utagawa Yoshitora

CREATION DATE: 1858

Source: https://museumcollection.tokyo/en/works/6233571.

[deck-shuffler]

(My favorite character is Judai, always has been Judai. My brother's favorite is Saiou/Sartorius. I'm doing this for him.)

What about Saiou, what spot does he hold in your AU?

Oh, you're in luck cause he's an important character in here. Do take note that I am working with other people for this AU, so the ideas for Saio are a group effort.

Saio is a diplomat under Prince Ojin, making him a VIP during the diplomatic negotiations with Ryo. Thing is, he is a fairy here (same with Mizuchi) and metal is his weakness, thus making his efforts a little bit more difficult in a machine empire. Don't worry though, he is escorted by Knight Edo and the J-Squad minus a few members namely:

• Hayato (someone has to be in the office during Misawa's absence)

•Manjoume (he got hospitalized and also had a sudden promotion as CEO of his family's company)

•Fubuki (he's Manjoume's knight and must stay with his lord)

•Sho (who at that time returned to his brother's side)

[Johan, O'Brien, and Jim haven't joined the squad yet at this point.]

Unfortunately for Saio, Amon also joins them which he will be proven to be a problem later. But hey, after all that he gets to be in an acquaintance party hosted by the prince for all of his troubles!

[gristlegrinder]

sometimes i like to think about what my monstergame ocs would be in gw2 (ex. marina is a specter married into a minister family with white mantle ties) or what they’d play if they played the game (yusuf usually runs a healbrand for most instanced content but his oldest oc/story main is a harbinger) but i rarely go the other way around. so like. yeah

siya’s an uratha, i think. ex-night watch hunter who developed lunacy after a harrowing werewolf attack and then got picked up by a pack. irraka, iron master. (braham is a cahalith, naturally). their original pack got wiped out hunting a frost-themed idigam of some kind, so now it’s just the two of them. admittedly unsure how their soundless stuff translates because i think pale tree / luna is a reasonable analogue but like… hm. it could be fun for them to have gone through the pure rites that sever the werewolf from their auspice (for… reasons) just to get the hell out of fire-touched territory once they find an opening. and then the braham stuff happens. something like that

edo’s a sandharrowed or draconic kith changeling. ogre. possibly a loyalist? admittedly my ideas for his durance remind me a lot of this one sample changeling NPC in Splintered City: Seattle, where the changeling is a veteran and their keeper is the war machine endlessly chewing up the squad he left behind in arcadia and is trying to bargain for, but… yeah that’s the vibe exactly. it’s kind of just that. and i am perpetually horny for loyalist changelings who can’t separate themselves from their keepers and let themselves be rewritten by the narrative in the process yeah yeah okay moving on (if i didn’t do all that, he’s definitely winter court. he’s got depression)

zooey’s a pretty obvious sin-eater candidate. this is really not helped by how much she’s based off of an old sin-eater character of mine. she’s hungry for sure, but i’m not sure if she has a solid krewe archetype, because dragon’s watch feels like a mixed group of different supernaturals and the astral ward are, well, they’re obviously mages. but like, hear me out, with deimos as a geist you’ve got this whole thing where i can establish eparch as a kerberos in the underworld, isgarren as this particularly obsessive moros… anyways, i think their innate keys are going to be beasts for deimos and chance for zoofahshoo.

an ugallu begotten vibe is up there as an option for khismat just because i like the weather-based atavisms for her air attunement focus and a devouring definitely has corrupted dragon champion vibes. the primordial dream hates to see her coming. and, unrelated, i like the idea of a trahearne that has been fully transformed by arcadia against his will and made into a huntsman. maybe even make khismat fae-touched with him for extra vibes. do some weird oneiromancy stuff with them on the edges of the dreamscape.

audax is probably a demon (destroyer/saboteur) who is going, like, deep cover with an angeljacking operation, and ibuki is probably(?) a vampire of some kind, but i just don’t have more thoughts on that rn

[bbcreative-0]

A Deal for Love Chapter 12: A Deal

Chapter 12 where the Edo Squad is struggling and Leo is tired

[menacewithawolfcut]

I’ve been thinking about this idea/prompt approximately for a week, and it may sound silly, but please hear me out: basically, the lore is Mizu, Taigen & Ringo squad is doing plot stuff together, they need to sneak into a kabuki theatre (I haven’t made up the specific reason why), Mizu gets to “cross-dress” as onnagata for disguise purposes, the usual fighting action happens, and also in the background of all of that Mizu’s crush towards Taigen intensifies, but at the same time she experiences emotional flashbacks of her marriage to bitch Mikio (again)

Main inspirations behind this include: “Noel’s Lament” from Ride the Cyclone musical (the main one), “Vampire Empire” by Big Thief, du_duck’s fanart/video where Mizu also “cross-dresses”, a deleted scene from the show where she checks out herself in the mirror, and various historical & art stuff about kabuki theatre and Edo-era Japan in general that I found online and at the local museum, because I’m a nerd (derogatory)