#headstrong rin is headstrong

[the-silver-peahen-residence]

For Mineta: Who had the softest chest out of all the girls you met? :3

@demon-blood-youths

"Who has the softest chest?" Mineta thinks a little but looks left and right to be sure he's alone before looking at the anon. "It's hard to say honestly. All the girls had soft pretty boobies." he giggled but thinks.

"Most of them were really cute, and so so soooooo soft. Like Ashley butterfly. Her chest is so soft and snuggly. They were the right size to nuzzle my face in them. Sara has the cutest look on her face when you squeeze her cute butt. Even seeing strong girls like Maggie and Kali being cute! Some of the girls have normal or slightly plump boobies but still nice to enjoy." he giggled doing grabby hands.

"Though, I also love some of the fraction leader female boobies...even Van ink's. Hers is so so soooooo soft and it's like snuggling into a warm pillow." he drools flushing pink with a nose bleed.

"*Sighs* I was in heaven when I got the chance. I bet it's better when I get to squeeze and enjoy. Her bras and panties were soft too." He said to the anon but as he did, the anon tenses to see Mineta confused.

"What?"

"I'm sorry. But what the fuck did you say about Ink?" said a angry voice to scare Mineta. He slowly turns seeing six angry young men who were the six claws.

".......Uhhhh.."

"The hell you do to Ink you fucking asshole!?" Rin said aiming the tip of his blade towards him.

"What did I tell you about being a fucking perv Mineta!?" Bakugo cracked his knuckles.

"You know..that's pushing it. We can't let that slide." Ren said pushing his glasses up but he was angry.

"How dare you be a pervert around Ink!" Atsushi said growling.

"I say we beat the living shit out of him! No one touches our Ink!" Denji said.

"Right! That's low for you Mineta!" Midoriya said.

"uhhhhhh..I......." Before long, he begins running away screaming.

"GET BACK HERE!!"

"NOOOOOOOO!!!!"

[racke7]

I was re-reading "In Flight" (because I have literally nothing better to do, stuck at home sick), and I started to think.

Like, gabriel_blessing's Shirou Emiya is an... interesting character. He's not a very good "Shirou Emiya", but he's an interesting character who happens to share that absolutely unhinged lunatic's name.

I can't even entirely blame the author for it, because Shirou is a... very complicated character to do right by. It's a knife's-edge of trying to balance "too traumatized to consider themselves human", and "thinks that this is normal", and trying to fit that into an entertaining (and not trauma-focused) narrative is... not easy.

But. Looking at a character who's called "Shirou Emiya" behaving in ways that don't mesh with "Shirou Emiya"? It's weird. And it sometimes makes me step back and go: "what the fuck kind of Sekirei-story could you write with the actual Shirou Emiya?"

Pre-War Shirou? He's basically just a traumatized nice guy with the ability to make a crowbar a little bit tougher. He kind of disappears into the background, is what I'm saying.

Fate-Route Shirou? You put a Sekirei in front of a man who's sworn his heart to another? You try to steal him away from his beloved Saber, who he must always search for until his dying day? Jail! Jail for the author for a thousand years!

(I could see him being good friends with Miya or Kazehana, who both know what it's like to love and lose. But he didn't really lose, did he? She's still waiting for him, even now.)

UBW Shirou? Do you really think that Rin would ever give up on a promise she made? Her promise to watch over him and guide him away from Archer's path? Rin would rather try to raze the Clock Tower to the fucking ground, than give up. And Zelretch would probably think that that's too fucking hilarious to not reward, so trying to split them up is just... very much a long-shot.

HF Shirou? He's already happily married, dude. He's not gonna fuck your aliens, he's too busy being satisfied with his life.

It just-... There's just no Shirou that really meshes well with Sekirei, because he's already made his choices by the end of the Routes, and those choices don't include ecchi-aliens.

BUT

But, there's one idea that struck me.

HF Rin comes back from London, and stumbles across a young boy desperately searching for his little sister. A boy who is clearly not human, and whose sister is very likely to be targeted sexually (because Sekirei-Ashikabi are romantic bonds).

HF Rin who knows some of those horrors from the suffering of her own little sister? Of fucking course she helps. She'll turn the entirety of Shin Tokyo upside-fucking-down if it means she can track down that girl faster and make sure that she isn't being hurt.

Which made me think about "how would she track Kusano down?". And the answer to that is blatantly obvious: "Shirou is a goddamn blood-hound for magic, and he'll probably owe her like half-a-dozen favors at this point".

And if we'll be involving Shirou by calling him over from Fuyuki in order to track down someone's little sister? I feel like we need to up the absurdity-value of Shirou's entrance.

So, rather than calling a young man who looks very friendly and reliable, Shiina's new Ashikabi calls a tiny little girl with pink hair.

That's right, Emilya von Einzbern is dragged into this mess, and Sakura (who absolutely refuses to have her senpai out of her sight for longer than five minutes) comes with her (and Rider plays chaperone, as always).

So now, we have a very pretty tiny little girl with pink hair. A tall and very sexy-looking (almost unnaturally so) onee-san with glasses. And a young woman with very sizable... tracts of land.

Of course they're going to be mistaken for a group of unwinged Sekirei.

(And then Sakura murders the poor Ashikabi who tried to flirt with her cute senpai.)

As for the rest of the story? I have no clue. But like... what a fucking entrance.

[airybcby]

Oooooh, are you still doing the spotify wrapped event? If so, my top artist is my queen Taylor Swift and my top song is Haunted:3 If not, please ignore this!! Have a great day<3

i am!! im OBSESSED WITH HAUNTED!!!

if your top artist was taylor swift and your top song was haunted, i’d pair you with…

sae itoshi

AND

rin itoshi

જ⁀♡⊹｡° i'm wishing he was you instead

♡ a/n — for my spotify wrapped event! - masterlist -

♡ content — sae itoshi x gn! reader, rin itoshi x gn! reader, gn! reader, reader still likes sae, unrequited feelings, pining, reader and rin are in a relationship, set in the u-20 vs bllk match

♡ synopsis — when sae itoshi left you all those years ago, you foun comfort in rin, but what happens when all those feelings come to a head?

It’s supposed to be just a game—another match between the Blue Lock 11 and the U-20 team—but everything inside you stops when you see him.

Sae.

His presence on the field is magnetic, the way he moves, the way he commands attention. It’s effortless, calculated. You can almost hear the echoes of old memories, the ones that made you believe in him. But that’s not the person who’s standing there today, commanding the U-20 team.

He’s changed—hasn’t he? He has to have changed. But when you see him like this, it feels like nothing ever really shifted. The ball at his feet. The smirk. The arrogance. It’s like no time has passed since he walked away from you, no time since he left without a word, leaving you to pick up the pieces.

And there’s Rin. The one you’re with now.

You’ve never told Rin about what happened with Sae. Not the whole story. Not the part where you clung to him after Sae left, afraid to be alone, afraid to face the emptiness without someone by your side. You never told him that part of why you sought Rin out wasn’t just because of who he was—but because he was someone you thought you could lean on when Sae wasn’t there anymore.

You glance over at Rin now, who’s in the middle of the action, fiercely focused, the way he always is when he’s playing. There’s an intensity to him you admire, and it’s real. Rin’s always been like that—headstrong, ambitious, and present. Unlike Sae, whose detachment was as much a part of him as his skill. Rin is here, playing for himself. And you’re with him.

But today… today you can’t help but feel that deep ache when Sae looks at you from across the field. His gaze lingers for a moment too long, and even from a distance, you feel it. That old pull, that ghost of a connection you once had. You quickly turn away, but it’s too late. The memories are already flooding back.

You and Sae, back then—before everything changed. Before he chose his own path, before you learned how easily he could let go of you. Back when you still believed there was a chance.

Rin glances at you from the corner of his eye and then back to the game, but his attention is clearly divided. He’s trying to gauge you, to figure out what’s distracting you. He can see it in your expression—the way your focus isn’t fully on the match, the way your mind is elsewhere.

And it’s true. You’re not fully here. You’re not fully present, and it’s not fair to Rin. He deserves better. He deserves someone who’s as invested in him as he is in you. But how can you be when part of you is still haunted by Sae? When the "what-ifs" and "could-have-beens" keep swirling around in your mind every time you look at him?

It's after the game when Rin finally finds you, waiting on the field for him. Or someone else. “Hey,” Rin’s voice cuts through your thoughts. “Are you okay?”

You shake your head, forcing a smile that doesn’t quite reach your eyes. “Yeah, just a little distracted,” you mutter, your gaze flickering back to Sae as he makes a move on the field, reporters around him. It’s impossible to ignore him, especially when he’s so close, when every part of him pulls you back in like it always used to.

Rin notices where you’re looking, and the edge in his voice hardens. “You’re still thinking about him, aren’t you?”

Your heart stutters. You don’t answer right away. You don’t have to. Rin knows.

“I’m here,” he continues, his eyes searching yours, softer now. “I’m not him. But I’m here. And I want you here, too.”

You feel the weight of his words, and your chest tightens. You want to be there with Rin. You are with him, after all. But Sae’s shadow lingers, and you can’t escape it. Not when you see him there, so perfect and untouchable, just like before.

And the truth hurts, doesn’t it? The truth is, part of you will always wish things had been different with Sae. You’ll always wonder what could have been if he hadn’t left. But it’s too late for that now. You’ve already chosen.

You look at Rin, and the guilt sets in. You’re here with him, and yet your heart still aches for someone who walked away.

“I’m sorry,” you whisper, almost to yourself. “I’m trying to move on. I really am.”

Rin doesn’t say anything for a moment. Instead, he takes your hand, his fingers firm, but gentle. His touch grounds you in a way Sae’s never did.

“I know,” Rin says softly. “But I’m not him. And I won’t leave. You’re mine, whether you realize it or not.”

You squeeze his hand, nodding. “I know.”

But in the back of your mind, Sae’s lingering gaze stays with you, a reminder of what you could never have.

got this idea and i'm not sure ppl will like it but f it we ball

i hope you liked it!

likes, comments, and reblogs are appreciated!

[entamewitchlulu]

this ruri rin event is soooo good the girls are so perfectly characterized ;w; i love how while they all have a lot in common due to being reincarnations of the same person, and have a lot of similar values and such, they're also so distinct and have such distinct voices.

You've got Yuzu, who's kind of big sister coded in a way, like she can take it and dish it out, but she's also caring and mature. She's a bit more on the reserved side compared to Ruri, being more reticent about her real feelings because of embarrassment, but she's not a tsundere. She's competitive, but in a friendly competition sort of way.

Ruri is a bit similar to Yuzu, but she's a lot more forward and up front about both her feelings and her random thoughts, being much more willing to just directly ask someone "oh so are you going out?" rather than dancing around the subject, and never holding back on saying how she truly feels about someone (which is almost always positive). She has no shame or embarrassment about saying how she cares about someone.

Selena is a wildly sheltered, one-brain cell jock who doesn't know what dating is, and she can be blunt but mostly just because she doesn't really get social graces. She's very headstrong and straightforward, and almost devastatingly honest, maybe even a little gullible (her upbringing certainly made her susceptible to influence). She's very pure, in a way, but she's quick to take responsibility for her mistakes and straightforward with others.

And then there's Rin, who is definitely the most reticent about her true feelings, covering them up with tsundere-esque dismissals and sometimes avoiding closeness (likely because her upbringing causes her to fear loss, so she holds things at arm's length in case they disappear). But she's also so much more like Yugo than I initially anticipated, she also has the same pure love of dueling and competition which is why they make such a good duo. Peas in a pod. She can be a bit childish in some ways, when she gets petty about not getting to be in the Friendship Cup, and she's less a big sister or a mom friend than she is the friend who struggles to hold onto the brain cell when she's with her other dumb friend, and i love that for her.

It's just so cool how unique they all are. I love Arc V. The character writing is so good.

[iho6hi2]

Unspoken Rizz.

Type: Drabble, Oneshot

Pairing: Isagi Yoichi/M! Reader

Summary: Isagi was never the type to get frustrated over petty shit talk, but you prove to be a special kind of exception.

Warnings: Degenerate Flirting, One-Sided Dislike, Enemies to ???, Unresolved Tension, gay bitches

Word Count: 1,890

A/N: theyre so LAME 🫥🫥🫥

*Du bist ein Blödian - you're an idiot

"Only one goal against the U-20? You'd think the superstar on the rise would be better, but he's barely keeping up." Isagi overhears you talking about him to a less notable player of Bastard München.

Recently, Isagi kept seeing and hearing more of you. When first introduced, you didn't speak a word of importance and value to him, just the simple greetings with the regular dose of stiffness and unfamiliarity he had expected and returned.

Then like a switch that's been flipped, one morning you slap him in the face with headstrong, criticizing and bitter comments. He was confused, baffled and a little speechless to say at the very least.

You two clash gazes and your smile impossibly widens, while he pinches his eyebrows together. He decides to be the better man and just nods his head politely while looking away from you.

Isagi isn't one to pick fights. He isn't the type to argue with people unless he was bitten without provocation first, but other than that, Isagi doesn't actively seek butting heads with others for whatever reason, nor does he enjoy it.

So, he couldn't help but allow your little snide remark to get under his skin and boil his blood slowly from within him.

He wouldn't admit it, over his dead body would he confess something as pathetic as that, but it did make him look back on the game and think about whether or not he could have done something more, and truthfully, he really could have. But he was still proud of his game and hearing someone diminish his hard work made him angry.

He shouldn't be, he was surrounded by assholes. Both figuratively and literally. Isagi should know better, you were no different than players like Kaiser, Rin, Barou... hell even Karasu. The same shit-eating grin, sly eyes and pompous attitude.

And with that set in stone, he let it go. Isagi continued on with his training, not thinking about you and that smug mug and smart mouth of yours.

★

Isagi was reviewing the latest rankings. Noa had updated everyone's current standing and Isagi smiled when he checked his status, he was higher up now! He was slowly climbing up the rankings and surpassing in numbers even regulars from Bastard München.

"Your physicals are still trash. Go hit the gym," amid his ignorant bliss, your voice booms directly in his ear. Your breath fans his neck, sending shivers down his spine. He whips his head around so quick he was pretty sure even you could hear the slight cracking noise.

He frowns and grits his teeth and almost froths at the mouth upon noticing how pleased you seemed with his reaction. "Shut the fuck up."

In one way or another, you remind him of a vulture. Preying and biding your time to devour him, but perhaps he's giving you way too much credit with just this analogy alone.

You roll your eyes, your smirk never once falling off. "Brains alone won't get you anywhere, go run the treadmill and lift some weights." You advise, all the while ill-mannered.

"We'll see about that. I'll beat you," Isagi replies confidently. He stands his ground firmly, staring into your eyes.

You whistle, unimpressed. Bemusedly, you say, "That was lame, did you make that up on the spot or have you been practicing it for a while now?" It's not exactly a question, he knows that perfectly well, but Isagi still feels compelled to answer, to have the last word.

"Trying to act cool and unbothered isn't the way to win a confrontation, [Last Name]."

You chuckle and it feels entirely out of place coming from you. "What movie on Earth did you escape from? Are you delusional or is that just another one of these group symptoms that Blue Lock gives you?"

Isagi sighs, you were hopeless. He can't deny the fact that you were good, but he can't understand why you only spoke to him and him alone in that patronizing way. He's seen how you behave around Kaiser, Ness and the other less talented players on the team and they've never once appeared displeased to his degree.

"What's wrong with you?" Isagi asks out of the blue, voice not exasperated, just inquisitive.

You blink, the corners of your mouth twisting downwards for a split second. As if self-conscious of frowning around him, you immediately smile. "What's wrong with me are those ugly cleats you got on."

"But we're wearing the same exact pair."

"Look how you're copying my style, though. That's crazy, though."

Isagi sucks in a breath, walks around you and resumes his daily routine. Meanwhile you continue to stare at him, amused at the silent treatment you were receiving. You could deal with the cold shoulder, makes it more fun.

"You're never gonna be anything." You claim. Isagi turns on his heels and exits the room. You quickly deflate.

Perhaps you couldn't deal with the cold shoulder as well as you thought you could.

★

Isagi wipes his sweat with a towel, sitting his ass on the sidelines, slumping all over the wall. He pants, eyes getting droopy. He was about ready to doze off.

Isagi did extra the exercises in his usual work-out regime. Embarrassing as it is, he did take your suggestion to consideration and decided to run with it. His legs were killing him and his arms felt like falling off, but he thought that it wasn't a waste of his time.

He battled the urge to fall asleep in the in-door gym, unaware of the way you drank up the sight of him from where you stood, all too pleased to see him listening to you in spite of everything that was said and done.

Kaiser glances at you briefly, then clicks his tongue with his usual arrogant expression. Like your subliminal signs of affection were inconveniencing him despite your lack of vocalization.

"When are you ever gonna learn? You make yourself far too obvious," he chastises you with a holier-than-thou voice.

"You think so?" you question, rubbing the back of your head sheepishly.

Kaiser focuses on Isagi's form and discerns the nasty drool escaping his mouth before studying your own awky figure. "Never mind that, he's got shit for brains up in that skull. You aren't any better, either."

Ness chimes in passive-aggressively, "I'd still give him the benefit of the doubt."

"Wow, thanks guys. Love you so much." You reply sarcastically in turn.

Kaiser glares and raises a finger, "Don't say that to me, ever again. You'll make me hurl on the spot." Ness claps at that and you simply marvel at the dick riding.

★

Your shadow looms over Isagi, who refuses to acknowledge you. He preoccupies himself with his half-empty bowl instead, wondering how long you're going to stick next to him, leering down like you're a supreme being and he's a measly flea.

You pull the chair right beside him, plopping your bottom with the least bit of grace he's ever seen. He closes his eyes, shoving a spoonful of food in his mouth as a distraction.

You chortle, splitting a loaf of bread apart and dropping it in your soup. Isagi gags at your method. "Don't look at me like that. It's not like I'm feeding myself steroids."

"You'll need them to beat me." Isagi bites back at you even if you easily spot the rice grains sticking to his nostrils and the sauce stain on his chin.

"I don't need that shit to kick your ass."

"We can take it there."

"We've already taken it there. Next game, I'll humiliate you live in front of all these dumbasses tuning in and you won't have a shred of pride and dignity left in you." You respond, but for some reason Isagi can't feel the characteristic hostility, instead there was a rhythmic lilt to your tone.

"You love talking, don't you," Isagi grunts, but he can't find it in himself to frown unlike before. He was getting a bit excited, you're no weakling and the thought of competing against you made him unable to sit still. He wanted to be standing on the field in this very moment, but he nevertheless had to wait.

You stay silent after that, but he could tell you weren't backing down just because of what he had retorted. You squint your eyes and mirth settles once more on your features, "Unfortunately for you, I've always been a blabbermouth."

★

You contemplate drowning yourself in the hot springs. The water is warm, but your shame has your blood running cold.

You have lost against Isagi. Even if for the most part you didn't mean half the things you said, you still had some pride. And yet what little confidence you had left was shattered in mere seconds.

You should have been faster, you should have read the situation first and you should have calculated better. You should have scored that goal, but you ended up as a piece of shit decoy for Isagi, who reveled in his victory.

You look up at the ceiling, blinding yourself. Your ears were getting filled with gross butt water and you felt like a torn-up plastic bag. "I suck hairy ass cheeks, man. Fuuuuuuckk."

"You're not wrong." You pause in your fit, eyes saucers wide as you stare like a deer in headlights. You were suddenly embarrassed, like you were caught doing something appalling.

You dip your head under water and Isagi observes the small bubbles emerging on the surface. "Stop that, [Last Name]! Are you a child to be upset over something dumb like that?" He scolds you and you think that might have been your breaking point.

"Shut up! You're one to talk, you big penis! Weren't you the one sending death threats to Gingerhead via real life? I'm allowed to cry! Real men cry!" You manage out between green snot and you divulge that you were ugliest when you wail.

Isagi parts his mouth, rendered speechless. Not so much because he felt guilty, but because being put so abruptly in such a weird situation made his mind go blank. He couldn't figure out what to do or say to comfort you. Seeing you cry like a baby prompted him to at least try and pacify you a tiny bit. That's what nice people do, right?

"Hey," He reaches out to you, his hand grabbing at your arm to pull you out of the hot spring. You grip his forearm out of the blue, bringing him down, large splashes of water escaping the confines of the small pool. "What the fuck?!"

You cling to his back, semi-strangling him. "Do you really think I'll cry cause of one loss? Especially in front of you? Don't make me laugh! You're not that special. Du bist ein Blödian, Blödian, Blödian." You sneer even if he can't see. Well, you really did cry, but you somehow played it off. You didn't know if he believed you or not, but it's not like it mattered.

"To think I actually felt bad for you..." Isagi's lips twitch into a ghost of a smile.

"Don't pity me!"

"You're a sad man, [Last Name]."

"Eat my horseshit."

At the end of the day, Isagi couldn't stand you. But that didn't mean he couldn't stomach you. You were still annoying as hell, though.

[thesauce8]

I wish Kushina and Minato swapped roles. Hear me out on this one.

I was super excited seeing how Kushina wanted to be hokage, and I was disappointed that she wasn’t able to be the first female hokage. She was super headstrong, badass, and not a pushover. She was also a Jinchuriki, which means she had a lot of power potential. Imo, it would’ve been cool if she was also Kakashi, Rin, and Obito’s sensei.

She would’ve been revived during the war, and ngl, I think her and Naruto’s interactions would’ve been more heartfelt than him and Minato’s. She was most of what was making me so emotional during their deaths. (No offense to Minato. It’s not like I dislike him; he’s just a little bland to me.) She would’ve resonated with Obito as his sensei since they’re similar (we got a bit of this in the game), and those interactions during the war would probably also be more gut wrenching because of that connection. We could’ve been shown that she was a little harder on him because she believes in him (sorta like their dynamic in the game) but he doesn’t know that, creating some future regrets for her. That way, it doesn’t mess up the fact that Rin was his closest bond, but it would’ve made their encounters during the war so painful.

There’s a shortage of female characters who weren’t done dirty, so a female character with that much presence who isn’t a pushover and is badass would’ve been really nice. She also seems like someone who’d oppose the system and want to be hokage to fix it because of her likeness to Obito and Naruto (maybe even validate Obito’s concerns with the system), her passion, her past, and her resilience.

Someone mentioned that kunoichis were specifically trained to be medics back in Kakashi’s time, and I’m not sure about the credibility of that, but I think that would’ve been a fine thing to add to demonstrate another issue with the system. Kushina could publicly abide by that but secretly train Rin more in depth because girls have to stick together and all that. And then the idea of Kushina wishing to pass her title to a boy she wishes her own son would be like. Plus, she seems like the type to be able to hammer down Kakashi’s tough exterior, even if only a little bit.

[starthaw]

so for the past year I've been reading girl meets rock! (highly recc - it's very well written, just a shame about the music lyrics censorship... we hate copyright laws ong)

anyhow, this is my rant-analysis about takami and his relationship with hatano as it developed over these months and some predictions for future chapters, because this in particular is one of the more interesting developments imo

please talk to me abt this manga none of my friends care about jrock like this man

from the get go, takami is very clearly meant to be an antagonistic character, or about as antagonistic as a high schooler can be (even in the first ch we're told they don't get along throughout all of high school, lol). as the story progresses it becomes clear that there's a clash in personal philosophies, particularly where the glimpses of takami's backstory seem to hint at rock music being a point of contention. he's obviously good at it, he's definitely practiced a lot, and he enjoys it enough to keep going. but what else does it mean to him? what's the point of all this?

the song he sings in protocol. (ch36) is eve's dramaturgy, which centers on his internal conflict; that is, this role on the stage. why a rock band? why not violin, or baseball, or any other activity? why follow in the footsteps of his (likely to be, and probably unsuccessful) brother?

he bears the weight of social expectations and he greets it appropriately. because he's popular and good looking, it's expected that girls will ask him out all the time, and if that's the case, why should he say no? it's only a matter of course to him. the thing is, life grows meaningless and predictable if everyone is assigned to such specific roles and expectations.

takami's the same in that sense. he thinks of other people in a narrow-minded manner, acknowledging ayame as "another boring normie" (ch21), "just like everyone else". it's all the same to him, and he's given no reason to change this worldview. it's high school for now, sure, but when he has to "grow up", he'll be just like them. he's nothing special in the grand scheme of the world. he can afford not to care about how people think about him, because if everyone is the same and nobody is special, it really doesn't matter what they think. the way he sees it, everyone is bound to be the same, boring normies.

this is why hatano's such an anomaly to him. she's interesting for sure, similarly self aware but internalized in a different way. opposite to takami, she absolutely bombs it on stage (ch15), and she messes up the guitar all the time. she lacks the finesse and skill takami has but makes up for it with ambition. she wants to get better. she wants to play more. she wants a band on the stage, under the lights, with all eyes on her. she wants all these things and even when the world seems to bagger her down, she gets up and tries again.

she's confrontational and headstrong in a way takami can't comprehend. hatano contradicts these self-assumed truths tamaki has and turns them upside down, rejecting his worldview.

when she's knocked down, she fights back to stand up for herself - the biggest surprise of all. japanese society oppresses individuals in favor of the collective, so when hatano embodies the spirit of rock and roll, it renders takami speechless.

takami makes a lot of arrogant assumptions. they're not totally baseless with his limited worldview, but they're typical and immature for someone his age. he's self aware enough to acknowledge skill and respect people's dreams (see ch19 with his thoughts on rin), but when ayame mentions looking at the bigger view, takami is forced to think of himself as "ordinary".

it's because he sticks this label on himself, despite all his skill, that he'll never make it to much at all. he's trapped himself with the box of what a "ordinary" person can do unless he changes his mindset, which, given his internal thoughts (end of ch47)... unlikely to happen anytime soon.

that's not to say hatano isn't ordinary - because she is. she's an ordinary high school student who happens to be a bit passionate about rock music and still learning how to play guitar. but she's special in a way takami isn't, as well as being ordinary, and that's because she can inspire others in a way he can't. she has a spark he lacks, the kind of fire he doesn't seem to have.

it's gotta suck for takami to see that, right? because by all accounts, even if they're both ordinary, he should be better than her, you know? it's what he expects. it's not right otherwise.

that brings us to the latest chapters (ch48) - takami sets the game, the terms, the prize. hatano honestly doesn't have much to lose, but takami is hinging his pride on this.

if hatano loses, takami gets to go back to the same as he was before, and nothing will have really changed. they're both ordinary people in the end, but takami still has something over her. it's to be expected. if hatano wins, though, takami has to change the way he thinks and start to acknowledge her as a genuine equal. it'll force him to re-evaluate his approach as a whole.

tl;dr: he's obnoxiously pessimistic (nihilistic?) and she's annoying optimistic, in spite of how it might seem at first glance. it's wack, I love it.

i think the best ending would be for heartbreak to lose - again, it's within expectations. the skill diff is obvious, and the girls have the least to lose. moreover, plot-wise, the boys have more pressing questions to advance characters development than the girls seem to.

my main reason for thinking this though is because takami still won't be satisfied, even if he won. so what? if hatano is just another high schooler, then what's up with her being so different from him? it'll be more fuel to develop his character further, which is the best way to drive the plot.

in a battle of the bands, protocol. could win easily. but in a battle of character, tamaki would lose to hatano, for sure.

[verysium]

ive always imagined mrs itoshi to be a really energetic woman. you know those middle aged women that are just so youthful, you can feel her energy and aura when she's in the room. and she would definitely love saes gf. because sae has a personality totally opposite to hers but after committing to a relationship he learns a lot from you and you encourage him to to strengthen his family bonds. she would LOVE spending time with you, talk to you about fashion and gossip. she'd call you her daughter in lawww omg shut up i love her

🥲 *cries in heavily dysfunctional mommy issues* when will it finally be my turn to experience the kind and loving touch of a middle-aged woman? sae better treasure his mama or else i'm gonna steal her from him when he's not looking.

on a more realistic note, i do think mama itoshi would be the type of person who simply doesn't age. there is something irrevocably uplifting and youthful about her, and i think that has a lot to do with the adversity she's faced throughout her lifetime both as a woman and a mother. even though she's soft-spoken, she is firm and headstrong. definitely knows what she wants. she always tells sae that the strongest people are the ones who smile, no matter what life puts them through. (obviously, that lesson flew right over sae's head cus he looks perpetually depressed but whatever...)

i honestly don't think sae has a strong attachment with either parent, but he isn't averse to them either. it's the small things that you pick up about him. how he never lets anyone touch him but stays still when his mother to brush his bangs back. how he never buys those expensive lunch meals during practice because he prefers his mother's homemade bentos. how he doesn't like to show unnecessary emotion but cracks a small smile at his mama's kitchen antics.

idk if it's just me, but i also feel like his mother was the stricter of the two parents. both sae and rin were forced to become self-sufficient from a young age. walked themselves to practice. bought snacks with their own allowance. sae even took a train ride to tokyo by himself to find a representative agent. not saying their parents weren't supportive, but they definitely weren't a constant presence either.

i think what sae needs is time. time to process his youth and to reconcile with his family (both his parents and brother ofc). i feel like he went through a lot of parentification, and undoing that will require a lot of patience. this would probably happen in his late twenties to late thirties, once he's well-established or even retired from football. with so much time on his hands, he has nothing to do but reflect. emotionally mature sae will be very different from current sae.

mama itoshi does welcome you kindly. mostly because none of the itoshis ever fathomed sae getting involved with someone seriously. i just know she has good skincare, so you two probably have girls-only nights where you two do nothing except watch TV dramas and wear face masks. i don't think she's particularly physically affectionate, but she does show her love through cooking. always pinches your cheek fat and tells you that you aren't eating enough (typical asian parent thing to do lmao.) also cuts up random fruits and places it beside your desk lamp while you're working.

i feel like sae has a bit of a hard time coming to terms with the way you assimilate into his family. he already feels like a stranger in his own home, but when his mother treats you like her daughter-in-law, it really gets him thinking. can he be normal? is this what it's like to be normal? is it really okay to have this? long story short, he probably has to reason with himself for one thousand and one nights before he decides he's actually going to marry you.

[dandelionterminal]

Invisible String (Sebastian x OC) Part 1: Prologue I

link to next part

tags: not beta read, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, like demon ranking stuff, Demon Deals, demon biology, Mentions of Myth & Folklore, Family Feels, Platonic Relationships, Eventual Smut, Eventual Romance, Song: invisible string (Taylor Swift), Cross-Posted on AO3, eventually part of a collection

characters: Sebastian Michaelis, Original female character

Summary:

-One single thread of gold tied me to you-

Demons, angels, and grim reapers roam the streets of London in the latter half of the 18th century. Adelaide DuPont knows that whatever killed her parents was not human. Someone, or something, killed them and left no trace. Adelaide and her brother, Luca, are left almost desolate. Their only hope is to get the Earl of Phantomhive on their side as an investor in their parents' company. Sebastian Michaelis is a leashed demon. However, that does not stop him from smelling his mate. He will not let the fate of humans in this world take her away from him. He can balance two goals at once. He can care for his master and convince his mate to return to the pits of Hell with him.

Every faith in history holds some shred of truth. No one faith holds all the answers to the way of the world. No one being that exists on the mortal plane can answer all questions. No piece of folklore is entirely true. Many creatures exist, from the yokai of Japan to the Selkie of Europe. Many wives' tales are also true. Our story is based on a few shreds of folklore and faith. Demons, angels, and grim reapers roam the streets of London in the latter half of the 18th century. Within these streets, one earldom houses many strange people and… entities. 

Ciel Phantomhive, a dark-haired young man with fair skin, houses a rather odd band of servants. Mey-Rin, an outwardly bumbling and clumsy maid with maroon hair and wide glasses, has extreme farsightedness. She has an impeccable vision for seeing afar and is an invaluable sniper. Baldroy, a former soldier with dirty blond hair and lightly tanned skin, is a very headstrong man. He is stubborn and determined to prove himself, but he could be a better cook since he is a chef. Finnian, a walking ray of sunshine with equally sunny hair and freckles, is abnormally strong. Having previously been an experiment subject, he is not used to his strength and breaks objects easily. Tanaka, a butler from Ciel Phantomhive’s younger childhood of Asian descent, does not provide much in the form of serving. And finally, there is the “leader” of the servants. Ciel Phantomhive’s personal butler, Sebastian, is not human. He blends into the human servants well, given that they are all so peculiar. Their own non-human characteristics may help them ignore the russet red eyes and sharp fangs that protrude from his lips. The dark hair on his head matches the dark color of his nails and contrasts his inhuman pale skin. 

As we take a peek into their lives, we may observe the servants preparing for guests. The non-human butler cleans up the messes the bumbling staff make as they lay out provisions for these guests. He glances around at all of the staff, taking note of the auras that glow around them. Mey-Rin and Bard glowed with bright red energy, Finny glowed a brilliant yellow, and Tanaka a soft blue. He watched as his young master came down the stairs, speaking in that too-grown-up tone that masked the young boy inside, as he glowed in muted colors that were filtered by his blocked energy. The servants, including our demonic butler, all bowed to their master. 

“Where are our guests, Sebastian?” the young master asked.

“They should be arriving any minute, my young lord,” the butler answered. As if on cue, a knock resounds on the door. Mey-Rin scrambles to open the door for the guests. On the doorstep stood a young woman with light skin like fine porcelain. Her cheeks were hollowed and her emerald green eyes were dull and sunken. She wore a dress of cheap blue material that highlighted her strawberry blonde hair. Next to her stood a boy with matching hair and eyes who wore a suit of the same material. His figure was much healthier than that of the young lady, though. 

Sebastian took stock of the pair. The boy’s aura glowed a vibrant indigo, but he oozed introversion and anxiety. The female’s aura was a dull, almost black shade of grey. It was a dulled shade of white, a very rare aura color. He looked her up and down when he noticed a shimmer of gold near her hand as she curtsied to the master of the house. He did not hear her words, however, as his ears rang and hummed with his pulse. His heart raced as he took a deep breath, smelling the most alluring scent of discontent mixed with florals and musk. His eyes traced the thread as it flowed into the manor. His mind raced as he saw the thread reach him and go around his neck, tying and binding him to the thing human female standing before him. His face briefly showed his shock before he masked it in a smile. 

His master, the owner of the contract binding him to the mortal plane, spoke to him, “Sebastian, show Ms. DuPont and Mr. DuPont to their seats. We will dine and then discuss business,” he said sternly. His visible eye glowered at him, noticing his flustered state. 

Sebastian’s heart raced in his chest, thumping rapidly with excitement. The need to claim his bondmate was strong in his veins. 

“Of course, my lord,” the demon said. He glanced up at the siblings, “Please follow me, my lord and lady.” 

He led them to the dining room, desperately trying to ignore the scent that was filling his nose. The scent of his mate. The one who held the thread of his fate.

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group A Round 3: #A3 vs #A1

#A3: Girl who sees ghosts meets poor shinigami. Comedy ensues.

#A1: Teens with special powers seek & protect other unique teens.

Details and poll under the cut!

#A3: RIN-NE (Kyoukai no Rinne)

Summary:

Rinne Rokudou has bigger problems than going to school—namely, helping spirits pass over to the next life. Because of this responsibility, he often finds himself short on money and struggles to buy his necessities: food, clothes, and exorcism tools.

Sakura Mamiya has been able to see ghosts since she was little. She hoped she would outgrow it, but even after starting high school, nothing has changed. To make matters worse, the first time her ever-absent classmate, Rinne, shows up for school, only Sakura can see him. She assumes, as anyone would, that he is a ghost. However, to Sakura's surprise, Rinne proceeds to attend school like normal the next day.

Propaganda:

This is one of Rumiko Takahashi’s underrated works (mostly getting overshadowed by Inuyasha due to her releasing this series after the fact), and I don’t see a lot of people talk about it often. While it’s not my favorite of her works, it’s one that I still like because of the way she portrays the characters. Plus, it still has that classic Rumic comedy and feel to it and I really love the animation with her artstyle. Anyways, if you like supernatural comedies (with a hint of romance) then vote for Rin-ne!

Trigger Warnings: None.

#A1: Charlotte

Summary:

Yuu Otosaka has the ability take over a person’s mind and body for five seconds at a time, allowing him to cheat his way to the top of his class and enter a prestigious high school, where he continues his dishonest acts. His shenanigans are eventually stopped by Nao Tomori, the headstrong student council president from Hoshinoumi Academy, who sees through his deceit. Through coercion, Nao convinces Yuu to transfer to Hoshinoumi and join the student council.

With Yuu begrudgingly assisting in council affairs, the group sets out to find and protect new ability users from harm. However, as they further investigate the abilities, their findings entangle them in far more complicated matters than they could ever imagine.

Propaganda:

I would encourage anyone who enjoys shows that make you think to check this one out! Due to things revealed near the end of the series, a second watch-through is well worth it to see the clues towards the ending and foreshadowing along the way. Consequential drawbacks for these special powers are included throughout the series. Plot-twists keep the audience hooked through it all. There is character growth as the main character changes and as hard choices come up later. It does take you on an emotional roller coaster from light-hearted humor to hitting you right in the feels. (I totally did not watch this anime just because my favorite voice actor is in it lol)

Trigger Warnings: Child Abuse, Child Death, Emotional Abuse, Flashing Lights, Gender Identity/Sexuality Discrimination, Graphic Depictions of Cruelty/Violence/Gore, Rape/Non-Con, Torture, Mutilation.

The non-con warning is for female characters unwillingly having their underwear publicly exposed.

When reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

If you want to criticize one of the shows above to give the one you’re rooting for an advantage, then do so constructively. I do not tolerate groundless hate or slander on this blog. If I catch you doing such a thing in the notes, be it in the tags or reblogs, I will block you.

Know one of the shows above and not satisfied with how it’s presented in this tournament? Just fill up this form, where you can submit revisions for taglines, propaganda, trigger warnings, and/or video.

[captainspiggbo]

So. . What if Satan gets Yukio?

[[Tw: mental health, depression, s*icide, death, unhappy shit, etc.]]

I really doubt this will make sense, but as per usual, I'm open to being corrected and spat at lmao. . . So uh, enjoy the read! 😅👌

Boo!

Look I'm not one to bring up season one's uh. . "Ending" unless I absolutely have to. . But in this newest chapter we see that Yukio and Rin are on they're way to the palace thing and can already assume based on the time skip; things are likely not gonna go well. . Demons require broken individuals, mind breaking is like they're whole schtick. . Only one of the twins has truly spiraled (i.e. self exit attempt), depression is a demon all on it's own; point is, you don't spiral just once. While Yukio is finally healing, he's no where near "better" and unfortunately that makes him a walking beacon of a target. I don't have too solid a theory as to how this will play out, but Satan can't kill them outright correct?? He hates Rin, but Rin is the best body for him, Yukio would be the perfect stepping stone to get closer to Rin. . Rin is headstrong, he won't break easily. . But who is the one person he loves more than anything? If I was a deranged, narcissistic, fuck who wanted to hurt my target to they're core the logical step is to remove who they love/care for. . The older exorcists can be easily removed, Satan's little lackeys are gonna maybe (HOPEFULLY NOT) pick off everyone one by one. . His mentor, his friends, potentially even his love interest, and finally Satan will take his brother. Do I think Yukio has the potential to die? Not really? (A part of him maybe??) But he would be a pretty good puppet to dangle in Rin's face, cause him to despair; act foolish or straight up give up the good fight. . No, we don't see Satan directly having a body yet in the future, but there is a hungry core feeding on the land. He just needs something to latch onto, a vessel to hide in that won't expire right away, just a sentient nugget. . I'm likely going too far, as per usual, but I believe something will happen that will make Yukio either self sacrifice or have his will broken again. I see Mephisto or someone under his direction removing Rin from the situation as to not let Satan get them both right away (also extending the fun, yippee!). Either way, Satan will have a decent body to build around as he waits to challenge Rin again whenever he pops up in the future. The goal won't be to "win" the fight outright, but to have a vessel that can hold on long enough to wear Rin down in order to finally succumb to Satan. I believe that is why we don't see Yukio in the future, Satan has him in some form or fashion and Rin will have to fight to get him back. . The goal of "killing Satan" was already not enough as we've seen, Rin couldn't do it (well he could theoretically but you get what I mean). . . Ooooor I could be talking out my ass as per usual and bringing back an element from a (assumingly approved by Kato) "ending" from season one is too far fetched. . It's not like she's ever set things up from the beginning or anything. . She totally doesn't like hidden meanings. . . 👀

[the-silver-peahen-residence]

To the six claws! Did you hear about the rumors regarding Ink's greatsword; Wyvern. Also what is your opinion on that sword?

Ren was looking to the anon with arms crossed but the boys knew what they spoke of. "Yes, we heard the rumors regarding Ink's greatsword Wyvern-"

"You mean that piece of shit?! It hit me in the damn face five times now! I think it hates me!" Denji grumbles remembering but Ren looks to him remembering that.

"Ahem, but honestly we are unsure of the sword. I've never seen such a weapon having such a aggressive soul. Though, that explains it destructive behavior." Ren said.

"That sword scares me at times from the feeling of being near it at times. But it still is pretty powerful for it." Midoirya said.

"Yeah, it's a cool sword..just wish it would STOP DESTROYING EVERYTHING IT TOUCHES! IT TOOK ME WEEKS TO FIX THE APARTMENT!" Bakugo shouted.

"..I think it's cool. Dangerous but it's almost like my own sword but it's a lot more deadly." Rin said thinking.

"I don't know. The sword feels like a living creature to me but not in a mean way or anything." Atsushi said as Ren sighed.

"To say in quote, the sword is...powerful and strong, but very aggressive."

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 1/5

Book Blurb:

Star-crossed lovers grapple with forbidden attraction and a growing army of ghostly dead in this swashbuckling YA fantasy debut.

After ten years of exile, following regicide in the House of Tristain, an alarming royal edict is delivered to the immortal scarecrow Guardians who once defended the crown: surrender themselves to the church of the Silent Gods, or stand accused of further treason. But with a puppet prince set to take the throne and vengeful wraiths appearing with alarming frequency, something foul and sinister is at work in the kingdom of Niveaux.

Lady Charlotte Sand was born to calm the restless dead. A headstrong heroine, she refuses to relinquish her family’s lavender Guardian to the Cardinal’s Watch—a rash misstep that costs her brother his life and sets her on a path for revenge.

For pious and handsome Captain Luc de Montaigne, it’s an excruciating predicament. His long-lost, childhood love has triggered a faction war that could tear the realm asunder. Now Charlotte and Luc must choose between killing one another and stepping closer to victory—or yielding to the electricity between them.

Heartily inspired by The Three Musketeers, this multiple-perspective narrative features a unique system of bone and herbal magic, sultry banter, and a feisty cast of well-rounded supporting characters. This rousing first entry in the Waking Hearts fantasy duology is a gorgeous read and an excellent pick for fans of Rin Chupeco and Margaret Rogerson.

Review:

A French historical fantasy inspired by the Three Musketeers and the first in a series. The story is told through multiple point of views. It follows Lady Charlotte Sand who is on a path of revenge after her brother dies. Then there is Captain Luc de Montaigne, facing off against his long-lost childhood love who has now triggered a war that could tear the realm apart. Charlotte and Luc have to decide who's side they are on and if they can trust one another or have to kill one another. The story has a Wizard of Oz-esque feel to it and it is a YA fantasy. I'm going to be completely honest and say that this book was a real slog to get through for me. I really found myself getting bored and disassociating from the book. Just getting to the end of the book was a drag. The characters weren't as engaging as I had hoped and the story felt slow. I really wished I would have liked this more but honestly it just didn't work. Unfortunately I will not be continuing with the series. I do think if you like the Wizard of Oz or the Three Musketeers, you should give it a try and see if it works for you!

Release Date: June 4,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Holiday House / Peachtree / Pixel+Ink | Peachtree Teen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[faidfluorite]

mermaid swamp (remake) reviewwww

prefacing this by saying i can count the amount of rpgmaker games i've played on one hand (SADLY)... gradually changing that by going through a friend-vetted list >:3

mermaid swamp felt super confined which really lent itself to the stories super spooky atmosphere... i love lakeside horror and this definitely cranked up the notch with the bog body mermaids and swamp fume craziness. after my first playthrough i wasn't super crazy on the protagonist aside from the fact that i love women who are written as sort of unapologetically brash and headstrong, but in my playthrough (true ending) i wasn't huge on her being a history major with 0 interest in actually researching what the hell was happening in that house

and then it totally hit me that i went to college for animation with people who didn't know how to use the fill tool and a lot of stuff made sense LOL. rin feels like the kind of character that learns through doing, and a fundamental part of the her escape from the trap the main cast find themselves in is learning, through multiple horrific experiences, to put trust into her friends even when she's beginning to not trust herself.

with yuka, it's trust that she'll survive- that if they find a way out of the mansion and to a hospital yuka will pull through and their struggles won't have been for nothing.

for yuuta, it felt like trust that he could break through his episode once rin destroyed the paintings holding him hostage. there's a small order you have to follow, new house's paintings to old house's and if you rush off in a frenzy to try and lose him, he almost senses that franticness and you get a game over as he kills you at the swamp's edge. when you find a way to calm him down, he's able to rest and regain his strength to bring you all home! something you can't do if yuka or yuuta don't survive.

with seitaro... you sort of have to battle with this line of trust and intimacy throughout the entire story. without him, rin loses her motivation and some of her grounded sanity (in an ending where yuka, yuuta and rin make it to the climax without rin, she still completely loses it and throws herself into the swamp). when seitaro has an episode and tries to coax rin into staying by his side, she has to trust in who she knows he is to break through her confusion and defend herself to keep them both alive.

to give the "mermaids" peace and to find closure herself, rin has to trust her gut and bury them underground. they have to share in their suffering, accept that the only way they're leaving the mansion is if they leave irrevocably changed and that in itself is how the old man can also find closure from his families prolonged "curse"...

i have a lot more thoughts about folklore and urban legend, generational trauma and the passage of time as a means of healing old wounds but i only played the remake tonight so i would want to play the original game before writing more so i can compare the two and see how the story has been changed and developed ^_^

all in all a really fun, short game! if any of you like rpgmaker games, i would love some more reccs!

[the-ravenclaw-werewolf]

Which of the four nations do you think each of the 40 (excluding Zuko and Korra) would be part of and which ones could bend?

Remember! List is subject to change!

Indented: Character

Bullet point: Explanation

When writing my answer, I had thought of a A:TLA AU with these characters, with the exception of Korra, but let me know if anyone is interested in hearing it!

MCS (WE): A:TLA Elements

I came up with this list back with the mind set of all of them to be benders, but if I had to chose some of them to be non-benders to would be:

Spike Spiegel

He isn't rich or socially powerful as some of the other characters from his anime, but he's always quick on his feet and has a few tricks up his sleeves.

Mako Mankanshoku

She's already weaker in a sense compared to the cast of her anime, but I can see her being supportive and learning chi-blocking, even if she executes in a weird way.

Chika Fujiwara

She is definitely the opposite of Spike when it comes to wealth and social standing, but I could imagine her more in a role of where she is a non-bender but is very manipulative, kind of playing mind games with her opponent.

Tohru Honda

She didn't need special powers in order to help the Sohma family, so a non-bender role would fit with her.

Izuku Midoriya

I don't think I need to say it.

Senku Ishigami

HE WILL USE SCIENCE TO DECIMATE ANY BENDERS WHO WISH HIM OR HIS LOVED ONES HARM! CHANGE MY MIND!

Iruma Suzuki

He's isn't a fighter, but we have seen him train and fight when faced against the odds, even though he is just a human in the Netherworld full of demons.

Nagisa Shiota

Naturally adaptable and can easily fool his opponents into dropping their guard because of his unassuming appearance.

Ciel Phantomhive

It's in a similar vain to Chika, but he would be pulling more strings in the background to combat any benders.

But regardless, here is my take on your question!

Fire:

Heine Wittgenstein

Earth would be a good element for him as he endured so much from both versions of his backstory. However, because he was a leader in both stories and he was driven to make changes to the kingdom/lives of those who lived in the lower class better, I put him with fire.

Satoru Gojo

He wants to change how the jujutsu system is and has an insane amount of drive, even if it seems he’s just kickback. Not to mention he already has such powerful and destructive technique, what could possibly go wrong? (Answer: Everything).

Kusuo Saiki

Even in the most ridiculous of situations, he has the drive and energy to achieve his goals and or a quiet life.

Rin Okumura

Driven, determined, stubborn, wants to be the best exorcist and defeat Satan, definitely a firebender.

Soma Yukihira

His biggest drive is to beat his father and to become the best chef in the world, making his perfect element fire.

Ciel Phantomhive

Ironic that he’s fire, but I chose this element as he is a leader who takes charge of his life, even if it means to make a contract with a demon. He knows what he wants and he doesn’t care what it takes to get it.

Killua Zoldyck

Fire, and not just for his lighting. He has the strength and determination to fight for what he believes, even if it means fighting against his family or powerful enemies. He will even use everything in his arsenal to see that Alluka, his friends, and Gon are safe and sound.

Emma

Definitely fire as she is driven to get the kids of the orphanage out of there and safe all the while doing everything in her power so they can get to the human world safely. I could see her as earth too, but she isn't afraid to challenge the system.

Earth:

Levi Ackerman

Is a firm leader who doesn't bend (ha!) to anyone and keeps marching forward even in the hardest of times.

Kobayashi

Blunt, stubborn, but determined and headstrong, I can see her as a powerful earthbender who knows how to keep others in line.

Edward Elric

Even though he has a short temper, he would make a perfect earthbender as he already works with so many elements from the earth and is stubborn to a fault.

Senku Ishigami

He has conviction and drive, but also when he sets his mind to a goal, there is no talking him out of it. For better or for worse, he take on any challenge he comes across and sweeps everyone else along for the ride.

(Plus I can imagine him using his bending and science to creating Octo-Arms just like Doc Ock.)

Air:

Saitama

While indifferent, he still has a heart and fights for the right thing. He can come off as rude or cynical, but that’s only because his indifference affects his social interactions. I first thought fire or earth would be his forte, but then I thought of how he usually fights in the defense of others. Sure he wants to find a fight that he can go all out in, but more often than not, get involved in a fight when civilians or an area is in danger. So I thought air would fit him.

Naegi Makoto

He tries to keep the peace and finds a resolution, and absolutely hates the idea of killing. But he brings a sense of community to the group he leads.

Legoshi

He is quite humble as he purely uses his strength for the sake of others and to protect them, so he would be a prefect airbender

Mako Mankanshoku

Full of life, cheer, and loves her family and friends to the very core, even through the hardest time, she has such high spirits that it’s hard to not get swept up in it.

Ryota Suzui

He doesn’t like to take risks, but is shown to pull through when the stakes are high. Smart, yet thoughtful. Careful, but determined. But above all else, he is grounded.

Tetsuya Kuroko

As you know, he works best in the shadows and as a support. And since air can be used to support the other elements, this is perfect for him.

Izuku Midoriya

He deeply cares for those he loves and stands up for what is right. While some go with fire, I see air bending as more of his style.

Shoyo Hinata

He doesn't like to be shackled by his own limitations, which is why he strives to break them so he can go higher.

Shigeo Kageyama

He can be naive at times, but he has a deep understanding of people and emotions, and plus his esper abilities already deals with spirits, so this is a good choice for him.

Iruma Suzuki

He doesn't have material desires, he just wants to live his life with his family and friends. He may be a gentle soul, but when push comes to shove, he can pull off amazing feats.

Hanako

Because of his playful nature and that he strives to protect the spirit world and those he cares deeply for.

Water:

Italy

One of his famous landmark is the Grand Canal, but I see that he is a peacekeeper, but also a fighter if need be, (i.e. Turkey). I considered him as an Airbender, but he has earthly attachments so water I found was a better fit as he also cares for his family and friends and can adapt pretty much everywhere, even in the wackiest of ways.

Spike Spiegel

Like his philosophy, he goes with the flow of life and adapts to anything life throws at him. He also has a heart, even if he doesn’t show it.

Satoru Fujinuma

When he has to constantly live through Revival, he has to adapt and be quick to find the oddity. And even if he doesn’t show it or says he doesn’t have the capacity to care about others, he constantly puts himself in harm's way for their sake.

L Lawliet

He is adaptable in so many ways that he always has a contingency plan. Even if one plan fails, he’s quick to come up with another and is always strategizing, like his mind games with Light.

Yuuri Katsuki

He has a deep love for his family, friends, and later on Victor. His entire program centers around the concept of love and during his training he learns how to adapt both physically and mentally.

U-1146

Definitely determined and hardworking, for his ultimate goal is to protect the body and the cells that live in it, making him the perfect waterbender.

Haruka Nanase

Do I even need to say it?

Kae Serinuma

Throughout the changes of her life, she adapts and finds ways to conquer through them. And she wishes for the others to get along, even if she’s oblivious to their feelings for her.

Langa Hasegawa

Adapts from snowboarding to skateboarding in a matter of seconds and deeply cares towards his new found family.

Chika Fujiwara

As a politician's daughter, she needs to be ready for anything. With all her skill sets and to be able to switch the situation to her advantage, this is her element. (But now I’m terrified that she will try to learn blood bending.)

Mafuyu Sato

Despite being soft spoken and most of the time expressionless, he has a big heart and cares for those he loves, especially when he is afraid of saying the wrong thing. He found a place within the band and could definitely call it home.

Tohru Honda

Gentle, thoughtful, sometimes stubborn, has adapted to the worse, and a healer to all, this is her element.

Haruhi Fujioka

Often blunt and lacking tack at times, she has shown to be understanding and quite motherly at times, which makes her caring but brings about a tough love.

Tanjiro Kamado

He is entirely devoted to his family and those he cares about and strives not only to find a cure for his sister, but to rid Muzan from the world so that innocent people can live out their lives in peace.

Nagisa Shiota

He mostly puts others in front of himself, but he is ready to fight for his classmates and teachers, as they all become this weird, but wonderful family.

[derekscorner]

Fated Rantings: Unaware of Loss, Nor aware of Gain.

I had intended for this to be the initial post on my Fate Unlimited Blade Works thoughts but that post was quickly taken over by the mindset of Shirou Emiya and his battle with Archer.

I will likely find issues with that post in the future due to not fitting in every impression I had or because I was annoyed with wording. It was very difficult to put into words due to the way Shirou & Archer argue in circles due to their self-admitted hypocritical nature.

But now that it is out of my system lets talk about the other fun things Unlimited Blade Works (which I'll call UBW here on) did with it's story.

If you're curious about part one: https://derekscorner.tumblr.com/post/740386958269890560/fated-rantings-bone-of-the-sword#notes

Let's gooooooo-

Leading Lady

Even though she is the lead for this adaption I covered her little in the first post despite her and Shirou's budding romance.

Given my Saber obsession some will likely expect me to hate her but I don't truth be told. I love how Shirou helps Saber in the Fate route but I'm not a man who is a shipper. (I actually think very ill of it)

Anyone watching a Fate anime should go in expecting differences anyway since Shirou's focus is a different girl per route and adaption.

And Rin Tohsaka is a rather likable character. She's more bratty or "tsundere" here but I expected that. To be honest her being so chill in Fate 06 was a surprise due to her reputation for this behavior.

She's by no means overly exaggerated compared to the trope nor is she mean. She's actually a rather kind hearted girl.

Now this may be conjecture on my part but I think her even bothering with school shows a bit of that kind nature. Hell, I was surprised when Shirou mentioned it because I didn't even question her student life. Shirou's right, She has no reason to go.

She's a mage, heiress to a very old family, she doesn't truly need to be there. As of writing this I have yet to watch Heaven's Feel and there may be dialogue I forgot from UBW (I'm trying to remember and put to word a lot here) but I suspect she goes to school to keep watch over Sakura.

I know more than UBW explains due to lore videos and watching Fate/Zero but the series does showcase this.

She's unsure how to approach Sakura, she even seeks justification by asking Shirou a hypothetical about a family sending a daughter away through adoption, and she often goes to the archery club to watch Sakura.

There's a lot there that I expect Heaven's Feel to show me but within the frame of UBW I see that as her primary reason to bother with school.

I mean, there may also be some aspects of loneliness or her crush on Shirou at play as well but it's interesting that she'd choose to bother.

That's just one example as well. She's constantly making excuses to keep Shirou alive and around in every route. Some would chalk that up to her own feelings but she does that early on specifically because Sakura likes Shirou.

Usually her outbursts are due to shyness or embarrassment. She's, quite frankly, a bad liar. When Shirou does something stupid the disgust is very visible on her face. When she's talking too or even about Kirei the disgust is aubible.

I almost forget that she has a bitchy or cold school image half the time. Hell, after typing this I wonder how she even pulled that off...then again maybe she just believes she's pulled it off.

She never interacts with people and once Shirou is pulled into her circle there's a constant and visible confusion at how she's acting by her peers.

Her dynamic with Shirou is also fun to watch progress. She gets annoyed at him often but opens up as time goes on. Her headstrong personality never falters but I did like seeing her acting more normal. Not as a mage but as a kid.

When it starts she's constantly annoyed at Shirou but that's only until she learns that he was raised as a person. She assumed he was a mage but Kiritsugu didn't make him one. She still gets annoyed sure but she's more willing to explain when she knows he's going in blind.

She even makes an efforts to know or help him by the end of season one like with that date episode. They're both dorky kids about it but it is sweet to see although I do wish the story put a bit more focus on her learning that he was the only survivor of the Fuyuki fire.

Perhaps what I liked most was that despite her feelings she always made sure to tell him the facts of a situation. The flaws in his worldview or the idiocy of an idea. That bluntness is born out of concern as well but it's also just logical, sensible.

Her goal once the war was over was trying to convince him that his life has worth. The epilogue episode shows this and I found it a genuinely kind-heated thing to focus on.

Especially when she and the viewer both know that Shirou's likely doomed to be Archer anyway.

Overall she takes no shit from anyone, can be a little petty, and at times I wonder if she herself is too kind to be a mage. I can now see why she's so popular, she could probably carry a Fate story all on her own if I'm being honest.

I would love a Fate story where she managed to summon Saber and Shirou doesn't exist. She's a proud individual but she has heart. There's even Fate material you could make a story like her dismantling the Greater Grail years after the 5th war. (yes that's a thing)

I know the El Melloi novels or manga have her appearing doing mage things too.

...to be honest I don't know what else to say. This is a good character, I'd like to see more.

Edit: I just wanted to add that I love that she actually kicked Casters ass in a literal sense. She just jumped her and started to karate her, it was hilarious.

Other things

Rin and Shirou aside, Fate UBW had several other things that stood out to me. I'm not sure there's enough there to work into paragraphs like above or with the previous post but I do want to mention them.

Such as Iilya. I expected to see more of her in UBW but such limitations are natural when adapting a visual novel with multiple routes I guess. That or they assume you’re using Zero as context for UBW.

The grail going out of its way to ruin Iilya’s childhood is kinda fucked up as well. I can't tell if that's Angra Minu being spiteful toward Kiritsugu or if it just enjoys breaking a child's mind.

I also appreciated the Berserker fight early in season one. It was great to see a more even fight between him and Saber. His job of berserker is so on point it hurts.

He once murdered his family due a Hera induced madness and now he's protecting a traumatized child in a similar madness. I infer his drive to protect her to that legend.

I also must give Fate props for continuing to make great use of making a tragic mythology story even more tragic.

The gender swaps and "coomer" bait art the series is known for is one thing but Fate also just does a great job at using the legends of a spirit to make them more tragic.

Caster in particular was a great sub villain I thought. I got annoyed when she stole Saber but knowing her legend as I do and seeing her backstory also makes her pitable.

She's visibly not okay with being called a witch and seems to have terrible luck with men. Even when it's outside her control the world will summon her to a waste of a man for a master.

Her and her masters sub plot was sad but I found that love genuine. He had trouble seeing himself as human but I think his dedication to her was very worthy of a humanity he can't see.

Caster also never betrayed her master once. She did thinks hoping to appease him but she never lied and neither did he reprimand her for anything. Even if he didn't know why he was perfectly willing to help her with anything.

They're both damaged people but he's the type of man Medea deserved in life. I even went to look up clips of them from Carnival Phantasm after I finished UBW.

Then there was Lancer. This man, THIS MAN, deserves a break. I did not expect UBW to make me like him as much as I did given how little he actually shows up.

I know he's doomed to fail in any adaption of Fate/Stay Night due to Kirei's actions but I'd still like to see him get a decent partner in one story.

I didn't mention it back then but I found his reaction to Kirei and Gilgamesh's scheme in Fate 06 moral. Cu Chulainn has a morality that shows itself in UBW as well when he decides to save Rin just because he likes her and Shirou.

He's like an uncle. He finds them hilarious when forming an alliance which is a comedy trio that I still did not know I needed till I saw it.

I also liked him killing Kirei in this story. The bastard deserved worse, some may wonder why he died so easily, but keep in mind that Lancers spear is cursed.

Even if Kirei's heart stopped in Fate/Zero it wont change the fact that having your heart pierced by Gae Bulg is to be cursed by it.

I also liked seeing him use runes. People forget that he was trained in rune magic while alive.

Then there's Gilgamesh

Right off the bat I'll state that I like him as a villain in UBW more than I did in the Fate Route. His obsession with Saber is...well I'm not sure how to put it into words.

Hollow I guess? I dunno.

It may be that I just find myself agreeing with his goal in UBW. His distaste for the modern era, the direction humanity has taken. It's hard to not feel an apathy or boredom with our modern world.

For Gilgamesh this annoyance is amplified. It's not stated in UBW but he is the reason the Age of Gods ended sooner than later. He has clairvoyance and while alive he saw a future of humanity moving past their planet to the stars.

With that in mind and spite against the gods he severed that link. If you play FGO and reach Babylonia, Uruk, you see how he ran his kingdom too.

When he goes on about superfluous or people knowing value in themselves he means it. This does not make him or his actions ok but I do get it.

He made a bet and humanity has let him down.

Original vs Fake

Then there's the other big highlight of UBW, his battle with Shirou.

This battle is interesting for a variety of reasons due to how Shirou's existence contrasts to his own.

In his fight with Archer they had this somewhat poetic undertone of the two meshing. Archer, devoid a master, is losing mana and weakening.

In contrast, Shirou is learning Archer's muscle memory and past as their blades clash. He's getting better as they battle. Of course, Archer could end it at any point but he doesn't because he feels like he'll lose in another way if he doesn't kick his own ass in a fair fight.

It's humorous, it shows stubbornness in both but also acts like a metaphor of the past and future syncing up. It shows they're the same person despite how much they hate each other.

While the battle with Gilgamesh is a stomp as you would expect it to be. Gilgamesh is a real hero, the oldest hero we have on written record. Shirou is the fake wishing to be a hero.

Shirou does not deny this either. Gilgamesh calls him a fake as an insult but Shirou claims it. In this battle, its Shirou speaking the truth and that angers Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh can't stand the fact that someone who imitates could be a threat to him. Of course, many will argue that Shirou isn't but I am not about to dive into the Gilgamesh power scaling debates. I'm too old for that DBZ banter.

In truth, Gilgamesh loses this battle solely because of his arrogance. Had Gilgamesh recognized this Shirou for the threat he was and used Ea to atomize him he would have won. But he didn't, he could not accept that he'd need Ea to win when even Heracles fell to his treasury of weapons.

I'll even agree with Shirou here. He does make a good argument that Gilgamesh is a fake in his own way. He's a king, and while Shirou is wrong about him not being a warrior, it is true that Gilgamesh never mastered one weapon.

His treasury is his weapon. The originals, the stuff noble phantasms would later be based on. He's proud of that collection so seeing Shirou's imitations is highly offensive to the king because he knows that could be a problem deep down.

Against most spirits Gilgamesh will ruin them easily, by his own admission Shirou's unlimited blade works would falter quickly against any true hero who's mastered a single weapon, but in a highly specific circumstance these two abilities cancel out.

It's akin to rock paper scissors or even pokemon typing...perhaps a better example is the devil fruit weaknesses in One Piece.

Unlimited Blade Works is a hard counter to the Gate of Babylon. So long as Shirou has the mana he can copy and negate the weapons Gilgamesh throws at him.

The very notion of this, the very fact that a fake can be as good as the original, is no doubt the most insulting truth Gilgamesh can't deny.

Heck, you could even argue Gilgamesh would've won had he donned his armor or used his chains but that's moot as well. The point his his arrogance lost him this battle.

The Gates of Babylon may not be his only weapon but that's what he relied on because he hated that Unlimited Blade Works could match it.

Seiba & Archer

The final thing that stuck out to me, at least one worthy of extensive words, is Saber's reaction to Archer's reveal.

You’d expect Shirou to argue but he simply listens. Instead it is Saber who talks here. Or perhaps the better word is she ‘inquired’ his beliefs.

While watching her do so I began to find it more like she’s trying to defend her own ideals by proxy in this scene.

The Fate Route works because she and shirou have that commonalty in idealism. Yet she also shares the regret Archer does for their mistakes in life.

UBW isnt the Fate route so she hasnt been set free from that mindset...at least not yet. Its clear she sees value in Shirou’s nature, perhaps due to that common self sacrificial nature but they never sit down and go into detail. Their friendship is close but it doesn't grow into the love that saves them both in Fate.

More interesting in this scene is that she cant find a good way to counter him, he even points out the similarity to her life to silence her protests when she tries. It's not a shouting match but it's clear she can't counter...and it makes sense why.

She can’t refute Archer's words because some part of her believes it. Whether she's right or wrong for doing so is obviously debatable but that may be a post on it's own...I'll have to think on that it.

I will say that I was happy to see Archers confrontation with Shirou helped her in some unseen way.

It may not be as focused on in UBW but I would’ve been sad if she left this route still tormented.

Conclusion

At the end of the day Unlimited Blade Works is a damn good show. I will admit I didn't feel as sucked into it as I was with Fate 2006 or Fate/Zero but I do see why it's the favorite for many.

I do wish the Fate Route would get another animation after watching this. I think my draw to Fate/Stay Night specifically is Saber herself and I feel most attached to a story that focuses on her.

I do like other Fate stories not related to FSN but that's that and this is this. I hope we one day get that Fate route remake.

Next time I tackle Heaven's Feel.

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For my other experiences with Fate go here: https://derekscorner.tumblr.com/tagged/fated-rantings