#homeless theater troupe

[dixkens]

Library support for homeless people at the Hennepin County Central Library in Minneapolis.

[moodyvoid]

my absolutely random headcanon is that dabi, at some point when he was homeless, was taken in by a theater troupe. he eventually left obvs but i just find the idea so funny

Lmaooo maybe that’s where he initially met Mr. Compress and why he’s like the only one he shows respect to half the time. They’ve been practicing the Touya reveal together for so long 💀

[primeministerofantarctica]

A3! reading club: act one (chapter 1-6)

(cw: talking about parental neglect and abuse, orientalism, one mention of suicide)

Hey, ten out of twelve isn't bad, all things considered! This very well could have gone down in October. Also, since it's February (March if you wanna be generous), does that mean everyone in Harugumi's slightly younger than their Year One ages now? Ack, timelines are confusing.

Izumi casually talking about how Yukio neglected her and following it up with "well, it was probably because he loved this theater so much!" is. Oh, girl. No wonder she snapped when Sakyo suggested he'd abandoned Mankai, because if he hadn't loved it, then why did she have to go through with that?

I'm not versed enough in Japanese particles but I recognize "daijoubu" and Tsuzuru watching this trainwreck unfold and saying something along the lines of "are you guys, like, okay?" is extremely funny.

Then we get to Sakuya and Masumi's family situations, which. From a meta perspective, it makes sense to want to give your minor protagonists the freedom that having parents limits. That's why the trope of "young protagonist in kid's spec fic media is conveniently an orphan" is so common. (was? I think it's becoming less common now.) The problem lies in the lack of willingness to follow through with the emotional conflict it creates, or resolve said conflict in a satisfying manner. Sure, I'm assuming they weren't starved or physically abused, but being treated like a burden when you're a child is still fucking traumatizing! Basically I think Izumi Sakuya and Masumi should start a union. And I'm glad later chapters go the reasonably more toned-down route of "my parents have a reasonable amount of trust in me to make these kinds of decisions".

Also, can we talk about Sakuya and Masumi, because they're one of my favorite brotps here. The way Sakuya appoints himself as Masumi's surrogate big brother? He's so eager to potentially share a room with him ;-;. (personally I hc that Ms. Sakuma was expecting another child before the accident or whatever killed them, so Sakuya's been a big brother without a younger sibling all this time </3)

Wow, that doesn't sound like a metaphor for anything! You're right, Izumi, why would you go the easy route of taking something prepackaged and guaranteed when a bunch of wildly different spices can create a delicious meal if you know how to utilize them right?

Am I grasping at straws here. Probably.

The little ka-ching sound effect is adorable.

Tsuzuru, I'd think "antagonist" should be near the top of the list...also, there's plenty of plays that have been pulled off with two or three actors. Just put on "night, Mother" or something. (Joking. Don't look up night, Mother if you're sensitive to themes of suicide.)

"Tsuzuru, you picked this troupe because it had a dorm, right? ...Then maybe our best bet is to focus on more people in your shoes."

"People in my shoes? In other words...."

"The homeless?"

I CAN'T ASJHGSKSDSK

he's literally doing the 😔 face i'm on the floor.

HE'S HERE! Funny how Izumi's right about Citron not being a regular tourist right off the bat. He may not be from another troupe, but he's definitely "in character" right now.

Also, oof. Citron's my second fave in Harugumi after Sakuya, but it's glaringly obvious how much of his character is rooted in orientalism. Sure, maybe it's an act, but why is he talking about how "shameful" showing skin is when his top is (conveniently for us) THAT low-cut.

On another note, I know people have pointed out his distaste for pig's feet as evidence for headcanoning him as Muslim, but I haven't seen anyone point out how he calls Veludo Way a "mecca" of theatre. Like yeah, mecca can just mean hub, but...why didn't they just say hub? Words Have Connotations. I'm not saying this coding is good or bad, it's just a neutral observation.

AND HERE'S THIS BASTARD (affectionate)

Oh, Kasumi! (insert pointing reaction pic bc I've run out of photo space.) It's Kasumi, guys! :D

[shiningdesignersreflections]

Qin Yi: Flower in the Mirror

Designer's Reflection: Flower in the Mirror

Obtained: Sea of Fantasy Gleam

Rarity: SSR

Attribute: Green/Fresh

Awakened Suit: Moon in the Water

Story - transcripts from Designer's Reflection

Chapter 1 - The Beginning

Chapter 2 - The Kindness

Chapter 3 - The Hatred

Chapter 4 - The End

Story - summarized

Qin Yi isn't just an acting prodigy, but also the youngest head of the family. As such, he is the one who interacts with others on behalf of the Qin family.

One day, he is invited to perform for a group of officials. They barely regard his performance before they return to business. To these men, actors aren't worthy of the most basic respect. But this allows Qin Yi to eavesdrop on their conversation without being noticed. One of the politicians, Mr. Shen, brings up Mr. Lin's financial affairs. This interests Yi.

When he goes on a leisurely walk through a garden he'd purchased and renovated, he spots a young woman reading a book. He passes by her and finds a spot to sit and enjoy the sunshine. As the sun set, a young man comes in and embraces the girl. The two are clearly in love - but they split when they hear footsteps.

It's too late. The steward of the Lin family approaches the young woman, admonishing her for seeing the boy and trying to force her back home. Qin Yi finally intervenes. He apologizes for not recognizing Miss Lin, and to make up for his error he offers her two tickets to his play - and also a note hidden underneath.

Naturally, she comes to his play. This one is about a girl and a canary, both trapped in their own "cages." While the bird is able to escape and fly away, the girl ends up dying. Qin Yi made this play specifically for Miss Lin. No one else but Lin Xiao picks up on the hidden message.

Qin Yi then finds the young man, who tells him that Lin Xiao is engaged to a pompous jerk. Yi tells the boy that there is nothing he can do about the engagement, but he can help him see the girl one more time. When Qin Yi is called to perform at the Lin house, he sneaks the boy in disguised as an actor. After the show, the two lovers would be reunited.

During the play, however, Qin Yi switches places with his apprentice. While the boy steps onstage to sing, Yi sneaks into the upper levels of the Lin house. He finds what he really came here for, and then he leaves.

The next time he sees Mr. Lin, Qin Yi reveals that he knows about the corrupt deal he made with Mr. Shen's business. The two officials had been planning to cut back on taxes and line their pockets. Furious and desperate to keep face, Mr. Lin agrees to grant status and access to Qin Yi.

Not long after, the Qin family rises in power. Qin Yi eventually opens up other theaters and takes in homeless children to train them to "blend in" like him so he can gain more secrets and earn more power.

After all, as the head of the Qin family, Yi has no choice but to better the family's image. He is like Lin Xiao, like the canary, trapped in his own cage.

Connections

-Qin Yi says that he and the Qin family see each other as tools. In Out the Phoenix Palace, Yi pretends to be the long-lost Qin son that went missing years ago. Whether the family believes him or not is irrelevant: they use him to gain status, and he uses them to get out of the abusive troupe.

-When Qin Yi discuses his plan to set up a network of spies and secrets, he talks about taking in homeless children. He himself was a homeless child, as in Pollia Mist Silk, Yi reveals that his parents were never around, he often had to eat deer food in the park to survive, and he eventually ran away to find a better life.

-In the end of this Reflection, Qin Yi talks about how he can take on any disguise with ease... but also wonder who he truly is. Starting from Nostalgic Dreams, we see Qin Yi forced to take on different personas for survival: from tricking his best friend, Monkey, to becoming the missing Qin son in Out the Phoenix Palace, to his identity crisis (disguised as a simple play about a fox spirit) in Jamais Vu.

Fun Facts

-There's a well-known proverb in China: "Flower in the mirror, moon in the water." It refers to something beautiful that you can't obtain, or something that seems shallow having a deeper meaning.

-There are peonies on the fan in the beginning. Peonies in Chinese symbolism represent beauty, love, affection, and good fortune.

-Nine is the name of Qin Yi's first apprentice, and also an auspicious number in Chinese numerology. It's connected to the emperor and sacredness, as well as representing longevity.

-While Qin Yi is a master manipulator, he's not completely free to do what he wants to do. The Qin family uses him to rise in power, which means he has to use his skills to convince politicians to grant him (and by extension, the Qin family) access to exclusive spaces, like how he tricked the Lin family.

-The garden Qin Yi buys and renovates is called Rivera Garden. Rivera is a common Spanish and Latin-American surname.

[cityandking]

🍪🍾🍻 for minah, eniko, and bran x

tyyyyyyy // odd oc asks

🍪: What is something that's sentimental to you OC?

MINAH — finds a lot of sentimentality in art. there's a reason she stuck with the troupe, beyond the pragmatic. there are some things—a style of painting, a song, a line from a play—that evoke a kinder sort of nostalgia than she expects

ENIKO — does his best not to engage in sentiment if he can help it, but he's got a certain softness for kids, especially urchins. he prefers to completely ignore his own childhood, but something something experiencing the self through the lens of the other,, (he just wants them to grow up better than he did)

BRAN — her ship, her mother's signet ring, her crew. sabine. she's covetous by nature, but part of that is that things are imbued with meaning, and she's all about making meanings out of things. and maybe sometimes people. it's about what's hers, y'know?

🍾: Does your OC believe in luck? If so, do they have any charm or ritual they do before a stressful event?

MINAH — minah's pretty firmly opposed to any suggestion of an outside force or power or deity meddling with her life. she's staunchly anti-andrastian, doesn't believe in the dalish creators, and certainly doesn't believe in fate or destiny. that said, it's impossible to go around with a troupe of actors without inheriting a little bit of superstition, so she's got a couple rituals. she mostly keeps them constrained to the theater

ENIKO — grew up always hearing that he was lucky to not be one of the homeless cretins on the street and internalized a whole lot of that. on the flip side, he was decidedly unlucky in the prices he had to pay for a roof and a meal and an education, so... he definitely believes in something, but he hasn't had the time to unpack all that shit and figure out what, exactly. definitely nothing divine, but. something. (this is, in a star wars au, why he makes such a great fuckin' force sensitive street rat)

BRAN — she literally named her ship the luckrunner (a run of good luck, if you will). I don't think she has any specific rituals or the like (a kiss for luck, probably, if sabine is around), but she's definitely got a vein of superstition in her, in the way of any good pirate or storyteller

🍻: What's your OC's favourite comfort ritual? How do they calm themselves down after a rough day?

MINAH — answered! (she hasn't got much by way of rituals, but she'll turn in a little early. this is, I think, not so much a comfort as it is a self-defense mechanism. a real comfort would be a good bath.)

ENIKO — feels most comfortable with a wall at his back and line of sight on multiple exits, but that's not exactly a ritual. if he feels safe enough for it, he'll go over his gear—mend the seams, polish the buckles, sharpen the blades. pick everything apart so he can put it back together again sharp and right, like he's doing the same to himself. lord knows he has plenty of practice being taken apart and being put back together. (depending on the kind of bad day, he might go looking for a companion for the evening, but that's definitely not exactly comforting or calming)

BRAN — also answered! (socialize, unless she needs some alone time, in which case she'll disappear for a bit)



[icharchivist]

this might be both the saddest and funniest of the random “hey do you wanna join my theater troupe” moment Izumi came up with.

saddest because of the implications about Misumi’s reasons to be homeless to start with and Izumi’s implied concern, funniest because of the timing with Matsukawa, this close to call the cops, while Izumi is already “no wait. Let him join our found family.”

[jonfarreporter]

Award-winning Mime Troupe Spotlights San Francisco’s Homelessness Crisis

Founded over six decades ago, the Tony-Awarded San Francisco Mime Troupe has always been at the forefront of the pulse of the City and the issues of the day. SFMT opens its 64th season on July 1 with a new musical called: “Breakdown - Sometimes it’s not all just happening in your mind.”

Directed by Michael Gene Sullivan, Breakdown features a five-person cast, with original music & lyrics by Daniel Savio.

The musical reflects what is currently happening in San Francisco as homelessness continues amid a stressed-out economy from the COVID-19 pandemic and rising inflation. The story/plot of this musical is how can we help those struggling with actual mental illness? And who is driving the country insane?

The main character, portrayed by Kina Kantor is a homeless woman named Yume. She lives on the San Francisco streets of an increasingly intolerant urban landscape. Yet that doesn’t mean all her issues can be solved by a passionate social worker, named Saidia, portrayed by Alicia M.P. Nelson.

In the City “by The Bay” San Francisco seems to have more bureaucracy and paperwork than compassion. Help is always just around the Kafkaesque labyrinthine corner!

But that doesn’t mean San Francisco is the hellhole of progressivism as an up-and-coming Fox News commentator, named Marcia Stone, portrayed by Jamella Cross, seeks to present San Francisco that way to the rest of the country.

As playwright/director Sullivan and music composer/lyricist Savio strive to illustrate…whether it’s an individual, a bureaucracy, or a national sanity, everything is headed for a…”Breakdown!”

While SFMT’s initial inspiration was and is rooted in mime, as Sullivan explained.

“We use the term ‘mime’ in its classical and original definition,” he said.

"The exaggeration of daily life in story and song." “It is a form of popular theater that is as old as the marketplace itself,” he said.

Similar to SFMT is Theatre in Paris, in France. Upon hearing the news about the upcoming 64th season and SFMT’s new musical, Carl de Poncins, one of the founders of Theatre in Paris agreed with Sullivan, saying…

“Yes…The history of mime relied on elaborate movement and gesture but also incorporating speech and some song.” Pointing to mime’s universality as an art form, de Poncins noted…

“variations of the practice also found their way into ancient aboriginal, Indian, and Japanese theatrical heritages, all of which feature performances that blend music and dance with a narrative told through a stylized gesture and facial expression.”

“The Japanese Noh tradition of masked theatre, in particular, is another example, said de Poncins, and Noh would go onto influence many contemporary French theorists of mime.”

Co-founders of Theatre in Paris, Christopher Plotard and Romaine Beytout, like de Poncins are very pleased and excited for SFMT as they present an entirely new production. Bringing live theatre directly to the people in public places such as parks is what they are all about. They applaud the work SFMT is doing.

Following much of the basic commedia dell'Arte format, SFMT revels in the ability for art to enhance and improve people’s lives. Adding further, Sullivan said. “From the ancient Greek and Roman farces to the Renaissance/Shakespearean era to modern Chinese Opera, we are using archetypes comically to illustrate people's issues.”

“This is a time honored worldwide tradition,” said Sullivan just as de Poncins mentioned. “Our broadly drawn characters are instantly recognizable allowing the audience to immediately engage in the action,” he said.

BREAKDOWN - A New Musical, opens July 1 at Cedar Rose Park in Berkeley and continues with a showing at Dolores Park in the Mission District on July 4. Shows will continue throughout the Bay Area in SF, Marin (Mill Valley), Ukiah (Mendocino), Cotati (Sonoma), East Bay, Palo Alto, Santa Cruz, San Jose, and Davis, until September 4.

All performances are free of charge unless otherwise listed. Some performances will require an RSVP.

Written by Michael Gene Sullivan with Marie Cartier, BREAKDOWN - A New Musical has been made possible by contributions from The Don Stevens Laugh and Love Fund; California Arts Council, Grants for the Arts; and Individual Donors. For a complete schedule and more information, visit sfmt.org or call 415-285-1717. (Photos by David Allen Studio, Courtesy of SFMT).

[rxscss]

"𝒾 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒷𝑜𝓇𝓃 𝓉𝑜 𝓇𝓊𝓃, 𝒾 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝒷𝑒𝓁𝑜𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝑜𝓃𝑒, 𝑜𝒽 𝓃𝑜, 𝒾 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝓎 𝓎𝑜𝓊. 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝑒 𝒾𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝓁𝓊𝓃𝑔𝓈, 𝒸𝒶𝓃'𝓉 𝒷𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑒𝓋𝒾𝓁 𝑜𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝓉𝑜𝓃𝑔𝓊𝑒, 𝑜𝒽 𝓃𝑜, 𝒾 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝓃𝑒𝑒𝒹 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝓎 𝓎𝑜𝓊."

(—) ★ spotted!! nadia sakarya on the cover of this week’s most recent tabloid! many say that the 32 year old looks like hande ercel, but i don’t really see it. while the actress is known for being spontaneous my inside sources say that they have a tendency to be snippy i swear, every time i think of them, i hear the song midnight sky by miley cyrus {she/her / cisfemale} - penned by candice

𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓴𝓼

connections || musings || pinterest || instagram || headcanons 

𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓬𝓼

name: nadia sakarya

age: thirty two

nicknames: nad

date of birth: may 19th, 1989

astrological sign: taurus

place of birth: east harlem, new york city

occupation: actress/comedian

label: the connard

positive traits: spontaneous, quick-witted, realistic, headstrong

negative traits: snippy, sarcastic, pessimistic, blunt

characters/celebrities she’s like: penn badgley post gossip girl shitting on the show in interviews, emily ratajkowski calling out sexism and misogyny in the industry, chelsea handler, jennifer lawrence, aubrey plaza

𝓫𝓲𝓸𝓰𝓻𝓪𝓹𝓱𝔂

born and raised as an only child, nadia was a new york city kid down to her core.

her mother being a teacher at the local elementary school and her father owning a butcher shop, though her immediate family was small, it was the neighbors and friends in her neighborhood that became nadia's family.

her parents were givers - often working double time to give to their community - her father giving food out to the homeless daily, her mother working long hours at the school to help any children who needed extra help. they taught nadia at an early age that giving back, even when they didn't have that much, was incredibly important.

they raised her to be strong, free of ignorance and bias, and always wanted her to be someone that stood up to any kind of injustice, and that's exactly what nadia became - an incredibly headstrong girl, fighting for what was right, questioning authority to a fault, having 'she's a great student, but talks too much' written on every single one of her report cards growing up.

because of this, her parents felt as though she needed an outlet and enrolled nadia in a local theater troupe after school.

often cast as the villain or the comic relief sidekick, nadia never had 'main character' potential - was never the soft spoken, pretty lead with the voice of an angel. she was always the one that was too loud, too crass and too clutzy, but little did she know that that would one day be her super power.

getting into laguardia high school was when everything changed for nadia. her quirks becoming her strengths, realizing that she didn't need to be the pretty damsel in distress lead and that she was a powerhouse all on her own, turning minor roles into the one that everyone was talking about when the curtain dropped.

only having theater experience, her plan was to head to broadway, making it into julliard college for acting. however, despite how talented she was when it came to acting, she couldn't sing for shit. no matter how many lessons she took, no matter how hard she tried, she simply didn't have it. and a voice was needed for broadway.

at a complete loss and extremely discouraged being surrounded by talent from all over the world, nadia dropped out of college halfway through her freshman year, much to her parent's dismay.

she began doing standup comedy acts at random comedy clubs around the city, trying to make herself known, trying to gain a following, and trying to make it somehow.

one of her main schticks was mimicking the upper east side prep school kids she had grown up making fun of with her friends, and one night, the casting director for an up and coming cw drama about said upper east side brats just so happened to be in the audience.

loving nadia's dramatic portrayal of an upper east side snob, he asked her to audition for the role of blair waldorf in gossip girl and after a long audition process, nadia got the role.

thankful she was able to stay in new york city, close to her family and friends, the role was a complete out of body experience for her and catapulted her into overnight fame.

because of who her character was, she started getting cast in prestigious fashion campaigns, a frequent on the met gala red carpet, and someone who sat front row at every fashion week, and nadia found it hysterical, because it was the furthest thing from who she was.

although the role paid the bills, gave her enough money to help both of her parents retire and move out to a nice house in long island, the reputation the role gave her was something she absolutely hated - because it was so far removed from who she really was.

after a six year run, the show finally wrapped, and nadia didn't hesitate to make it known how stupid she thought the show was and how she was absolutely nothing like blair waldorf in real life. often performing her own sold out comedy shows where she had an entire bit talking about how dumb gossip girl was.

wanting nothing more than to break out into the world of serious acting, however, has managed to become a staple in the genre that is the personification of everything she's against - which is romcoms.

during her run on gossip girl and now, years after, she has been landing rom-com after rom-com, becoming a staple in a genre that she hates with a fiery passion, and her sarcastic answers during press tours don't shy away from letting it be known.

𝓯𝓲𝓵𝓶𝓸𝓰𝓻𝓪𝓹𝓱𝔂 & 𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓻

tv + movie career:

2010 - 2016 -gossip girl., role: blair waldorf age: 21-27, awards: teen choice award for choice tv actress 2010 & 2012

2010- clueless. role: tai, age: 21, awards & acclaim: none

2012- mean girls. role: janis ian, age: 23, awards & acclaim: none

2013-  the devil wears prada. role: andrea sachs, age: 24, awards & acclaim: none.

2014-  easy a, role: olive penderghast, age: 25 awards & acclaims: none

2015-  new girl, role: 3 episode guest arc as abby day, age: 26, awards & acclaims: none

2016- movie: 13 going on 30, role: jenna rink, age: 27, awards & acclaims:  people's choice award + teen choice award

2018- movie: bridesmaids, role: annie walker, age: 30, awards & acclaims: none

2019- movie: miss congeniality, role: gracie hart, age: 31, awards & acclaims: teen choice award

2019- movie: wine country, role: tammy, age: 31, awards & acclaims: none

2020-  movie: bridget jones diary, role: bridget jones, age: 32, awards & acclaims: none

2021-  movie: pretty woman,  role: vivian, age: 32, awards & acclaims:  golden globe for best actress,

[jpeg-dot-jpeg]

Batfam Performers AU

No Capes AU where all the members of the batclan come together through a shared love of dance

The Wayne family has been a big supporter of the arts for generations (i mean cmon martha and thomas literally got killed leaving the theater, thats low hanging fruit) and of course Bruce continues this tradition by being very actively involved in the arts communities in Gotham, especially dance which is his favorite

Bruce and Dick meeting is pretty much exactly the same as cannon except instead of becoming a crime fighting duo, Dick gets therapy and decides to continue in gymnastics in remembrance of his parents

Dick goes to the Summer Olympics no less than 3 separate times, and while there, he finds a fantastic group of friends in a variety of other events like Running (Wally, who specializes in the 100 m), Archery (Roy obvi), Weightlifting (Kori), Boxing (Donna), Modern Pentathlon (Garfield), Skateboarding (Raven), and Table Tennis (Victor). 

After retiring from international competitions, Dick does several tours with the Cirque du Soleil.

Jason is a street performer, breakdancing for spare change and also pickpocketing passersby and Bruce goes Hey, That’s Free Kid. Back when he was homeless, Jason spent a lot of time at the local community center learning hip-hop and keeps up with it even after moving to Bristol. It’s more of a casual hobby, but he’s gotten several offers to tour professionally.

At one Winter Olympics competition (which the waynes always attend in person), Dick stumbles upon one of the chinese figure skaters. 

Enter: Cassandra Cain, rising figure skating star, literally won every competition ever, master on the ice, etc etc. Except... somethings off. Because it turns out there’s a huge scandal with abuse of the underage figure skaters going on (think of that controversy with the russian figure skaters who were basically being starved and abused to delay puberty so they wouldn’t develop curves bc that would impact their ability to do quadruple jumps). So Bruce goes, Oh, You’re Being Abused? That’s Free Kid and adopts her. After being adopted, Cass continues to compete in figure skating, but at a much less intense level, and also explores other forms of dance. She falls in love with ballet and quickly rises to the top. That’s where she meets Tim!

Tim fell in love with dance the second his parents forced him to learn the waltz for galas. They enrolled him in ballet (bc “that’s one of the only respectable styles of dance”) basically just to shut him up. Secretly, Tim has been obsessed with more contemporary styles of dance ever since he saw a certain circus performance (wink wink nudge nudge) and constantly goes to watch underground dance competitions. Cass, who knows him from the ballet studio, spots him at one such competition and drags him forcefully into the family. Much to his parents chagrin, Tim ends up forming a small dance troupe with Conner, Bart, and Cassie (Young Just Us). They travel to competitions all over the country, winning hearts and inspiring sexuality crises.

Duke, instead of working as a performer, works in lighting design! He learned the craft from his parents and knows how to work a lighting board like no other. He does work for basically every show/competition in Gotham, including plays and musicals. He knows everyone. Or, more accurately, everyone knows him. Duke is everywhere. If you’re a performer in Gotham, Duke has pointed a spotlight at you.

Damian is classically trained, basically since birth, and won’t let anyone forget it. He considers anything that isn’t classical to be inferior and takes great pride in his ability to dance en point. His dirty little secret? Damian loves square dancing. Jon made him do it once and he complained about it the whole time, then never stopped thinking about it. He would rather die than let anyone find out.

Stephanie starts out as a street performer as well. Unfortunately, she doesn’t get adopted by a billionaire (yet) and after turning 18 works as a stripper in one of Gotham’s less reputable clubs. She falls in love with pole dancing and starts doing it competitively. She catches a lot of shit for it, which is stupid because pole dancing is an incredibly difficult and incredibly beautiful artform. All her awards earn her a spot as a dancer at a club in Gotham that actually treats their performers well. She meets Tim when he sneaks out to one of the pole dancing competitions and gets in a fistfight with an asshole who kept harassing Steph about giving him a lap dance. Steph also does roller derby. This isn’t relevant, but I like it.

Barbara was an incredibly gifted gymnast who trained alongside Dick before suffering a spinal injury during a nasty training accident. She goes on to study music composition and writes/sound mixes for basically everyone who’s anyone. Everyone wants Babs to compose a piece for them because she’s just the best. She’s sought out by teams ranging from break-dancing to cheerleading to experimental.

Bruce has just about every piece of equipment purchasable installed in his basement, so all of his beloved family members can pursue their dreams <]:*)

[childishillustrator]

my dad and i where talking about how one of his openly gay friends didn't like the progress LGBTQIA+ flag because it included POC. He said 'why should there be a distinction for a community thats based for people who are queer in gender and sexuality?'. unfortunately i didnt get to talk to the guy, but my dad was trying to defend his friends position. since a lot of white gays dont know how much POC have helped our community so im gonna give a couple names that have helped the LGBTQ+ community.

Gladys Bentley (1907-1960)

Bentley was a gender-bending performer during the Harlem Renaissance. Donning a top hat and tuxedo, Bentley would sing the blues in Harlem establishments like the Clam House and the Ubangi Club. According to a belated obituary published in 2019, The New York Times said Bentley, who died in 1960 at the age of 52, was "Harlem's most famous lesbian" in the 1930s and "among the best-known Black entertainers in the United States."

Bayard Rustin (1912-1987)

Rustin was an LGBTQ and civil rights activist best known for being a key adviser to Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. He organized the 1963 March on Washington and was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in 2013 for his activism. In 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom pardoned Rustin for his arrest in 1953 when he was found having sex with two men in a parked car in Pasadena. Rustin served 50 days in Los Angeles County jail and had to register as a sex offender. In pardoning Rustin, Newsom noted how LGBTQ people were unjustly punished for their sexuality by U.S. law enforcement at the time Rustin's arrest.

Stormé DeLarverie (1920-2014)

A biracial, butch lesbian, DeLarverie was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and was always a performer. As a teenager, she joined the Ringling Brothers Circus where she rode jumping horses. Then from 1955 to 1969, DeLarverie toured the Black theater circuit as the MC — and only drag king — of the Jewel Box Revue, the first racially integrated drag revue in North America. She worked as a bouncer for several lesbian bars in New York City in the ‘80s and ‘90s, and held a number of leadership positions in the Stonewall Veterans Association. DeLarverie also served the community as a volunteer street patrol worker, and as a result, was called the "guardian of lesbians in the Village." Beyond her LGBTQ activism, DeLarverie also organized and performed at fundraisers for women who suffered from domestic violence and their children.

Marsha P. Johnson (1945-1992)

Marsha P. Johnson — who would cheekily tell people the "P" stood for "pay it no mind" — was an outspoken transgender rights activist and is reported to be one of the central figures of the historic Stonewall uprising of 1969. Along with fellow trans activist Sylvia Rivera, Johnson helped form Street Transgender Action Revolutionaries (STAR), a radical political organization that provided housing and other forms of support to homeless queer youth and sex workers in Manhattan. She also performed with the drag performance troupe Hot Peaches from 1972 through the ‘90s and was an AIDS activist with AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP).

these are just 4 of the 16 from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1130856 . there is rich history that POC's history and LGBTQ's intertwine. we as white queer people need to do our research on our own community. its important to understand why intersectionality is so important. unfortunately white gays are the worst offenders of this and need to be informed of their own history.

[shewhoworshipscarlin]

Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones

Matilda Sissieretta Joyner Jones (January 5, 1868 or 1869 – June 24, 1933) was an American soprano. She sometimes was called "The Black Patti" in reference to Italian opera singer Adelina Patti. Jones' repertoire included grand opera, light opera, and popular music. Trained at the Providence Academy of Music and the New England Conservatory of Music, Jones made her New York debut in 1888 at Steinway Hall, and four years later she performed at the White House for President Benjamin Harrison. Besides the United States and the West Indies, Jones toured in South America, Australia, India, southern Africa, and Europe.

Matilda Sissieretta Joyner was born on January 5, 1869, in a house on Bart Street in Portsmouth, Virginia, United States, to Jeremiah Malachi Joyner, an African Methodist Episcopal minister and Henrietta Beale, a singer in a church choir and washerwoman. Her father had formerly been enslaved, but was educated and literate. She was the oldest of three children, although her siblings died when they were young. Matilda Joyner was nicknamed as Sissy or Tilly by her family and friends, and began singing around the house at a young age. When she was six years old, her family moved to Providence, Rhode Island, where she began singing at an early age in her father's Pond Street Baptist Church. She attended Meeting Street and Thayer Schools. In 1883, Joyner began the formal study of music at the Providence Academy of Music. She studied with Ada Baroness Lacombe. In the late 1880s, Jones was accepted at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, studying under Flora Batson of the Bergen Star Company. She also studied at the Boston Conservatory.

In 1883, she married David Richard Jones, a news dealer and hotel bellman, when she was 14 years old. He  served as her first manager. She filed for divorce in 1898, citing his drunkenness and lack of support. She divorced him in 1899 for his misuse of their money and gambling. 

On October 29, 1885, Jones gave a solo performance in Providence as an opening act to a production of Richard III staged by John A. Arneaux's theatre troupe. In 1887, she performed at Boston's Music Hall before an audience of 5,000. Jones made her New York debut on April 5, 1888, at Steinway Hall. During a performance at Wallack's Theater in New York, Jones came to the attention of Adelina Patti's manager, who recommended that Jones tour the West Indies with the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Jones made successful tours of the Caribbean in 1888 and 1892. Around this time one critic at the theatrical journal the New York Clipper dubbed her "the Black Patti" after Adelina Patti, an epithet that Jones disliked, preferring Madame Jones. She later told a reporter that the name "rather annoys me... I am afraid people will think I consider myself the equal to Patti herself. I assure you I don't think so, but I have a voice and I am striving to win the favor of the public by honest merit and hard work." 

In February 1892, Jones performed at the White House for President Benjamin Harrison. She eventually sang for four consecutive presidents — Harrison, Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt — and the British royal family. For three of her White House performances, Jones had to enter the building through the back. She was finally allowed to enter through the front door for the Roosevelt performance.

Jones performed at the Grand Negro Jubilee at New York's Madison Square Garden in April 1892 before an audience of 75,000. She sang the song "Swanee River" and selections from La traviata. She was so popular that she was invited to perform at the Pittsburgh Exposition (1892) and the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1893).

In June 1892, Jones became the first African American to sing at the Music Hall in New York (renamed Carnegie Hall the following year). Among the selections in her program were Charles Gounod's "Ave Maria" and Giuseppe Verdi's "Sempre libera" (from La traviata). The New York Echo wrote of her performance at the Music Hall: "If Mme Jones is not the equal of Adelina Patti, she at least can come nearer it than anything the American public has heard. Her notes are as clear as a mockingbird's and her annunciation [sic] perfect."

On June 8, 1892, her venue options expanded, she received a contract with the possibility of a two-year extension, for $150 per week (plus expenses) with Major James B. Pond, who had meaningful affiliations to many authors and musicians and also managed artists such as Mark Twain and Henry Ward Beecher, and her fees began to rise. She received $2,000 for a week-long appearance at the Pittsburgh Exposition, noted for being the highest fee ever paid to a black artist in the United States. By comparison, Adelina Patti was paid $4,000 a night. 

By 1896, she had become frustrated with racism limiting her venues in the United States, particularly when the Metropolitan Opera, which considered her for a lead role, rescinded that opportunity because of her race. She noted in her letters that she encountered less racial prejudice in Europe, and that performers' skin color was irrelevant to their reception by audiences.

The highest-paid African-American performer of her time, later in her career she founded the Black Patti Troubadours (later renamed the Black Patti Musical Comedy Company), a musical and acrobatic act made up of 40 jugglers, comedians, dancers and a chorus of 40 trained singers. She remained the star of the Famous Troubadours for around two decades while they established their popularity in the principal cities of the United States and Canada.

Jones retired from performing after her final two performances at the Grand Theater in Chicago and the Lafayette Theater in New York City in October 1915. When her mother fell ill, and Jones  moved back to Rhode Island to take care of her. She devoted the remainder of her life to her church and to caring for her mother, also taking in homeless children and caring for her two adopted children. She lived off her holdings for a number of years, but was eventually forced to sell most of her property to survive, including most of her medals and jewels and three of her four houses. In her final years, the president of the local NAACP chapter helped pay her taxes and water bill, and provided her family with coal and wood. She died in poverty on June 24, 1933, from cancer at the Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. She did not have the money to pay for a gravestone upon her death, and is buried in her hometown at Grace Church Cemetery.In 2013, she was inducted into the Rhode Island Music Hall of Fame. In 2018, money was raised to finally place a headstone on her grave; the headstone was erected in June of that year.

A plaque marks the area where Jones' home stood on Wheaton Street on Providence's East Side.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sissieretta_Jones

[blackkudos]

Hill Harper

Francis Eugene "Hill" Harper (born May 17, 1966) is an American actor and author. He is known for his roles on CSI: NY, Limitless, and The Good Doctor.

Early life

Harper was born in Iowa City, Iowa, the son of Harry D. Harper, II, a psychiatrist, and Marilyn Harper (née Hill), who was one of the first black practicing anesthesiologists in the United States, and, co-authored a book called Wearing Purple. Hill Harper has been acting since the age of 7. Harper graduated from Bella Vista High School in 1984. He then graduated magna cum laude from Brown University in 1988. In 1992, Harper graduated with a JD, cum laude, from Harvard Law School. In addition, he also received his Master of Public Administration degree from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. During his years at Harvard, he was a full-time member of Boston's Black Folks Theater Company, one of the oldest and most acclaimed black theater troupes in the country. While a student at Harvard, Harper befriended Barack Obama, with whom he played basketball.

Although Harper earned three Ivy League degrees, he decided to pursue acting and moved to Los Angeles. He has received several honorary degrees, including honorary doctorates from both Westfield State College and Howard University. Born Francis Eugene Harper, he adopted the name "Hill" as a tribute to both his maternal and paternal ancestors.

Acting career

Harper's first roles in television began in 1993, in a recurring role on the Fox series Married... with Children, while also making his film debut in the short film Confessions of a Dog. He had his first acting role in a feature film with Spike Lee's Get on the Bus (1996), which cast him as a UCLA film student riding a bus to the Million Man March in Washington, D.C. He went on to further demonstrate his versatility in such films as Christopher Scott Cherot's Hav Plenty (1997) and Lee's He Got Game (1998), the former of which featured him as an egotistical pop-soul singer.

His profile subsequently rose on both the mainstream and independent film circuits, thanks to roles in films ranging from Beloved (1998) to the independent romantic comedy Loving Jezebel (1999) to The Skulls (2000). Harper did some of his most acclaimed work in Jordan Walker-Pearlman's The Visit (2000), an independent drama in which he starred as a prisoner dying of AIDS who tries to put his life back together. He also portrayed Leshem in the 2010 Syfy original movie Stonehenge Apocalypse.

Harper played coroner-turned-crime scene investigator Sheldon Hawkes on the CBS crime drama CSI: NY for nine seasons.

In February 2013, it was announced that CSI: NY would be ending and Harper would be joining the cast of Covert Affairs as a series regular.

From April 21, 2015, to May 10, 2015, Harper starred as "Hard Rock" in the Off-Broadway play ToasT. The play (produced by Lemon Andersen and co-starred Keith David) is set in the Attica Prison around the time of its 1971 prison riot and tells of the lives of its prisoners using poetic prose.

From May 1, 2018, to June 17, 2018, Harper starred as "Rooftop" in the Off-Broadway play Our Lady of 121st Street. This Dark Comedy (written by Stephen Adly Guirgis and directed by Phylicia Rashad) is about former students paying their respects to Sister Rose, only to find that Sister Rose's body has been stolen.

Since 2017, Harper has portrayed Dr. Marcus Andrews on the ABC series The Good Doctor.

Hill Harper's acting career also includes voice-over work (or voice acting) with CSI:NY the Video Game, Breathe Bible, and, a podcast called Legal Wars.

Writing career and political advocacy

Harper is the author of several books: Letters to a Young Brother: MANifest Your Destiny, published in 2006; Letters to a Young Sister: DeFINE Your Destiny, published in 2008; and The Conversation: How (Black) Men and Women Can Build Loving, Trusting Relationships, published in 2010. His books, The Wealth Cure: Putting Money in Its Place and The Wiley Boys were both published in 2011. His book, Letters to an Incarcerated Brother: Encouragement, Hope, and Healing for Inmates and Their Loved Ones was published in 2013.

In January 2008, Harper participated in "Yes We Can", a music video produced by will.i.am supporting presidential candidate Barack Obama. Harper is a member of the Obama for America National Finance Committee.As of October 2009, Hill has made several contributions to political candidates, exclusively to Democrats. Harper endorsed the 10,000 Bookbags back-to-school backpack campaign to help local disadvantaged children with Urban Change Ministries founder Pastor Jay Cameron of the Life Center, and R&B singer Ginuwine.Harper stated that he is a fiscal conservative when he appeared on the political talk show Hannity on September 10, 2009. On February 22, 2016, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law announced that Harper would be their national spokesman.

Harper serves as the Executive Director for New York City personal injury law firm Napoli Shkolnik.

Awards and recognition

In the fall of 2008, Harper was initiated as a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity with his Co-Initiates (called "Line Brothers") Dr. Naim Akbar of Florida State University and former NFL player Leo LeMarcus Newman.

Harper won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for three consecutive years (2008–2010) for his portrayal of Dr. Sheldon Hawkes on CSI: NY. Previously he had been nominated for the award for three consecutive years (2005–2007), for the same character. In 2000, he had also been nominated for the award, for his role in the medical drama City of Angels. On January 9, 2014 his book Letters to an Incarcerated Brother: Encouragement, Hope, and Healing for Inmates and Their Loved Ones was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Non-Fiction.

In 2018, the Audience Development Committee, Inc. (AUDELCO) nominated Hill Harper for a Vivian Robinson Award; Lead Actor in a Play, for his role as Walter "Rooftop" Desmond in the Off-Broadway play: Our Lady of 121st Street.

People magazine named Hill Harper as one of the "Sexiest Men Alive" for 2004, and again for 2014.

Personal life

While writing his book The Wealth Cure: Putting Money In Its Place, Harper was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. After treatment, he was given a clean bill of health.

After being diagnosed with thyroid cancer, Harper researched the effects skin care products can have on a person's system. This led to his creating an all-natural personal care line for men and women, called Be The Architect.

In November 2015, Harper received a call to adopt a baby boy from a homeless woman. He agreed, and by May 2017, the adoption of Pierce (named after Pierce Brosnan) Hill Harper was finalized.

[fallinglntokillugon]

KilluGon Fanfics Galore - Winter 2020 [Part 2: Current Works 5-8]

It has been about 1.5 years since I looked at the list of my longer fanfic ideas and, well, I have to add and organize them now… How many large-scale projects have I created for myself? How many will I start and continually think about forever?

Here, we add MANY new KilluGon stories/concepts that I’ve been thinking about since the last time we did this! We will also add in some updates (like genres and years)! If you like one in particular, let me know~

———

Current Works

5. Bride Beyond the Wall [Summary and Character Profiles Completed]

<2019> Fake Historical AU, Romance, KilluGon, HisoGon, WingZushi, and HisoIllu (T-M)

Gon is bought as a mail order bride by rich businessman Hisoka Morrow. Gon is an island boy that is not used to living cooped up in such a big luxurious house. The only place he can really relax is in the big tree out in the garden. He doesn’t realize what his fate is. On the other side of the wall at the Zoldyck Summer Estate, Killua is terribly angry. As the next head of the family, he is always under the observant eye of his older brother, Illumi. One day, Killua spots a boy his age on the other side of the wall. Not only has he never seen that boy, but he falls in love immediately. 

6. Alluring Secret [Story Summary Edited, Act 1 Part 1 Posted]

<2018> Angel-Human AU, Romantic-Tragedy, KilluGon and creepy, one-sided HisoGon (T+-M)

Genderless Angel Killua (a ‘he’ for the sake of easier writing) is wounded after failing his mission to protect his assigned human. A young Gon finds Killua and nurses him back to health. Killua falls in love with the boy and asks Oracle Alluka to make him a human male. Returning to Earth as a mysterious teen years later, Killua elopes with a Gon of the same age on the day he was to be wed to Hisoka. This tale follows the tragic story of the Vocaloid song of the same name. So, what will Killua sacrifice in order to prove his love?

7. Partners in Crime [Book 1 Chapter Summaries Completed, Book 2 Chapter Summaries Halfway Finished, Prologue Posted]

<2018> Robber AU, Action-Thriller, KilluGon and LeoPika (M)

An action-packed, drama-filled “cops and robbers” extravaganza based loosely off the song of the same name by Set It Off. Gon, a homeless boy lost in York New City, gets picked up by couple Leorio and Kurapika. It is revealed that they are actually a pair of robbers! The couple let Gon join them, followed by a runaway Killua from the famous Zoldyck family. Follow the animal-masked four as they pull off robberies, policemen Hisoka and Illumi close on their trail, in order to live through each day to eventually find or reach their dreams!

8. Thespian Lesbian  [Summary Completed, WIP]

<2020> Femme KilluGon High School AU, Drama-Drama, KilluGon (T-M)

Killua is a busty girl who wears baggy clothes and a glare. She is bad at showing her emotions, but has a love for the stage. Her passion is musicals, where she can show her skills in performing, dancing, and singing. This semester, the junior musical theater troupe is going to put on a performance of Wicked. Killua gets the part of Elphaba, while a ditzy girl named Gon from a different school gets the part of Galinda. Gon falls in love with Killua at first sight, but is caught up in the fact that they're both girls. Killua is openly a lesbian, so has to take the lead in both the musical and their romance. 

[shiningdesignersreflections]

Chapter 4: The End

Narrated by Qin Yi.

Narrator: No one knows the human mind better than I do.

Narrator: So I can be anyone.

Narrator: I know what they want, love or power.

Narrator: I step into the banquet again. No costume, no makeup, no covering up my birthmark. Some think my birthmark is a sign of evil.

Narrator: I didn't even cover up my birthmark, a sign of evil someone may say.

Narrator: Wearing only a robe and a bowler hat, I walk into the banquet hall.

Narrator: I feel comfortable and happy.

Narrator: When I was a child, I didn't know those false lights, condescending applause, and love were for the clowns.

Narrator: I meet Mr. Shen again, and he is obviously surprised by my showing up.

Mr. Shen: Mr. Qin? What are you doing here?

Qin Yi: Mr. Shen, long time no see. I was only lucky enough to be praised by Lord Lin, who introduced me to this place.

Mr. Shen: I knew you weren't ordinary.

Qin Yi: Actually, there's one thing I'd like to discuss with you. Why don't we talk?

Narrator: I made a deal with the head of the Lin family. I gave him the information he needed, and he told me secrets of equal value.

Narrator: As long as he leads me into their world, I'll keep the secrets that belong to him.

Narrator: Mr. Lin is very smart. He would know this is a deal with each taking what he needs.

Narrator: It's not easy, being controlled by someone else.

Narrator: The bright lights of the banquet shine on people's faces, and their smiles look hypocritical but predatory.

Narrator: I patiently search for my next goal.

Narrator: When some things are torn open, they will never recover. One secret holds another secret, one person leads to another.

Narrator: Like a giant spider web.

Narrator: And I'm weaving this thinner and thinner web in the dark.

Narrator: One day, those hidden things will all be in my hands.

Choose either "What are you going to do?" or "What do you want to get out of it?"

If "going to do," ...

You: What do you want?

Narrator: I want to grasp the fate of those dignitaries and make them my playthings.

If "want to get," ...

You: What do you want?

Narrator: I want power, money... I want to stand higher and have everything I don't have.

--

Narrator: This is just the beginning. I still have a lot of work to do.

Narrator: I opened new theaters and organized new troupes everywhere in the Cloud Empire.

Narrator: I began to take in homeless children like Nine and taught them patiently.

Narrator: To observe, to disguise, to put on a mask, to become another person flawlessly.

Narrator: They will become countless "Fair Ones," quietly lurking in every corner of Cloud Empire, weaving this huge net for me.

Narrator: As for Lin Xiao...

Narrator: She eventually married the fiance chosen by her father, and the young man was never able to see her again.

Narrator: I went to her wedding and watched her wings be clipped. She was a canary that couldn't fly out of its cage.

Narrator: All the officials and celebrities who talk and laugh offstage have been included in my net.

Narrator: She once asked me what freedom was, but I didn't give her an answer.

Narrator: When she thought she was a poor canary, she could never escape her own cage.

Narrator: As I walk through the magnificent banquet hall, others would look at me with mixed feelings.

Narrator: Some people like me.

Narrator: Some people hate me.

Narrator: Some people are afraid of me.

Narrator: Some people flatter me.

Narrator: Some people only regard me as a spoiled performer and still despise me.

Narrator: Some people can't figure out why the powerful aristocrats and officials always have a strange attitude towards a performer.

Narrator: In fact, the performer himself is also a performance.

Narrator: I play "Qin Yi" and wait for prey to fall into my web.

Narrator: I watch them play specific roles in my script, and then appreciate their struggle.

Narrator: The play is over. Do you like it?

Narrator: It doesn't matter if you don't, there will be a new one soon.

Narrator: The lights of the stage will never go out. There will always be more people on the stage, playing a predetermined script.

Narrator: But I don't know who is going to write my script.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

[satoshi-mochida]

Sega officially announced Yakuza 7: Whereabouts of Light and Darkness (English subtitle not official) for PlayStation 4 during a press conference at UDX Theater in Akihabara, Tokyo today. It will launch on January 16, 2020 in Japan for 8,390 yen, and in 2020 in the Americas and Europe.

Update 4:08 a.m.: The western release is titled Yakuza: Like a Dragon. Read more here.

Here are the first details, via the official Japanese website:

■ Introduction

The latest numbered entry in the Yakuza series for PlayStation 4, this is the story of new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga. In the new setting of Isezaki Ijincho in Yokohama, the story of the hot-blooded thugs stirred up by Ichiban Kasuga will begin.

If the protagonist changes, so does the gameplay. This is a new Yakuza experience!

New protagonist Ichiban Kasuga changes not only the story of the game, but also how you play.

■ Story

Protagonist Ichiban Kasuga makes his way up from the depths of despair. Depicted until the becoming of a new “Dragon,” this is the ultimate story of overcoming the higher ranked and rising to new heights. The future is in your hands!

January 1, 2001. The yakuza Ichiban Kasuga, who belongs to third generation family of the Tojo Clan—the Arakawa Family—was asked to take the fall for the crimes of wakagashira Jo Sawashiro by his boss Masumi Arakawa, which he agreed to do. For the family that he loves, for the respect of his boss… Kasuga served 18 years in a strict penitentiary, and in 2019, was finally released.

However, there was no one there to greet him upon his release.

With no one to welcome him, Kasuga returned to his hometown of Kamurocho. But the Kamurocho was not the Kamurocho that Kasuga once knew.

Thanks to a police policy known as the “Kamurocho 3K Operation,” the Tojo Clan had fallen. The police and the Omi Alliance of Kansai yakuza had completely taken over. And the one who created this new Kamurocho was none other than Masumi Arakawa.

“How could the boss do something like this!?”

In order to ascertain the truth for himself, Kasuga went to go see Masumi Arakawa.

After getting past obstacles like Omi Alliance members and his former superior Sawashiro, Kasuga manages to make his way to Masumi Arakawa.

“Boss!”

A reunion 18 years in the making with the “Boss” he loved like a father, the yakuza he admired—But what awaited him there was not the smiling face of a reunion, but rather the cold barrel of a gun.

“I’m sorry, Ichi… you need to die.”

The gunshot echoed. Kasuga’s vision dimmed—.

“Wha….!”

While wandering the depths of life or death, Kasuga somehow regained consciousness. But when he came to, he was at a dumpsite in homeless town lined with cardboard houses.

“…Where am I?”

Kasuga’s question is answered by a homeless man.

“Ijincho… Isezaki Ijincho. This is Yokohama. Got that? Yokohama.”

■ Battle

“Live command RPG battles” bring the fight of the “Dragon” to a new stage!

Yakuza 7 uses a “live command RPG battle” system that combines the series’ signature action with an RPG command system. It has evolved into a system in which anyone can easily enjoy exhilarating battles. In this completely new battle system, Ichiban Kasuga and his party will fight by selecting techniques with various effects such as attack, recovery, support, and more. Enjoy immersive and dynamic battles against all sorts of enemies.

■ Adventure

A new setting: Isezaki Ijincho in Yokohama!

Yakuza 7 is set in the huge new area of Isezaki Ijincho in Yokohama, which is more than three times the size of Kamurocho in Tokyo. In Yokohama, where every place has different faces, a grand story will unfold.

■ Cast

An all-star cast appears to bring the story of a new “Dragon” to life!

Kazuhiro Nakaya, Akio Ootsuka, Sumire Uesaka, Nobuhiko Okamoto, Yuichi Nakamura, Kousuke Toriumi

Shinichi Tsutsumi, Ken Yasuda, Kiichi Nakai

General Director Toshihiro Nagoshi

■ Characters

Ichiban Kasuga (2000 version) (voiced by Kazuhiro Nakaya)

The Tojo Clan is Kanto’s largest yakuza organization. Ichiban Kasuga is a wakashu of the Arakawa Family, a third generation family of the Tojo Clan. Since he was born in Kamurocho soapland Shangri-La, he is called “Soap Ichiban” by the older residents. Although he grew up without knowing his true parents, he was charmed by the manly spirit of Masumi Arakawa, who he met at age 15, and joined the Arakawa Family. Since then, he has lived with resolute loyalty to Arakawa, but since he is not good when it comes to earning money, he is shunned by the wakagashira Jo Sawashiro, who stresses the importance of money.

Ichiban Kasuga (2019 version) (voiced by Kazuhiro Nakaya)

He takes the fall for Sawashiro, who committed murder, at the request of Arakawa Family leader Masumi Arakawa, who is like a father to him. After that, he spends 18 years in penal servitude. After he is released, the Tojo Clan has fallen, and the Kansai yakuza known as the Omi Alliance has taken control over Kamurocho. Finding out that Masumi Arakawa was behind it all, Kasuga goes to see Arakawa to asertain the truth at its source.

Jo Sawashiro (2000 version) (voiced by Shinichi Tsutsumi)

A wakagashira with a sense of duty and humanity towards his boss Arakawa, who stresses the importance of money. He would beat Ichiban Kasuga down with his fists as a daily occurrence, as he was unable to earn money. He single-handedly takes on the role of the “whip” within the Arakawa Family.

Jo Sawashiro (2019 version) (voiced by Shinichi Tsutsumi)

A martial artist yakuza who serves Masumi Arakawa from the era of the Tojo Clan. He hated Ichiban Kasuga back in the day, and after 18 years, that hatred has not changed. Since Arakawa became an substitute wakagashira of the Omi Alliance, he has the same authority as an Omi Alliance executive directly reporting to the boss.

Namba (voiced by Ken Yasuda)

A man who was stripped away of his nursing license after challening the medicine from the hospital he worked for to the black market, and now lives in the depths of poverty in Isezaki Ijincho. After Ichiban was shot by Masumi Arakawa and lost consciousness, Namba saves his life and begins working with him.

Masumi Arakawa (2000 version) (voiced by Kiichi Nakai)

The leader of the Arakawa Family of the Tojo Clan. Born and raised as the son of a popular theater troupe, he has been all over the country, but someone shot and killed his father, the chairman of the troupe, which led him to the yakuza. In the past, he was known as the best martial artist in the Tojo Clan, and for that reason the Arakawa Family was established as a third generation family of the Tojo Clan, and he was feared as “Killer Arakawa.” He meets Ichiban Kasuga by chance as a boy and becomes his sponsor.

Masumi Arakawa (2019 version) (voiced by Kiichi Nakai)

While he was once the head of a Tojo Clan third generation family, the Arakawa Family, after information about the Tojo Clan was leaked to the police, the Tojo Clan was eliminated from Kamurocho, which provided a major service to the Omi Alliance’s advance into Kamurocho. With his achievements recognized, he is currently the substitute wakagashira, essentially the Number 2 man in the Omi Alliance.

Watch the teaser trailer below. View the first screenshots at the gallery.

[icharchivist]

I can't believe they're making azami do a portrait in one (1) week, perform it infront of an audience, AND he has to get first place in order to get into Mankai. This is a fourteen year old kid my dudes. Who gives a shit if he has ulterior motives about joining.

Banri joined because he wanted to fight juza, Itaru for a room, and chikage joined because he wanted revenge on hisoka. Oh wait that's right, hisoka joined because he had nowhere else to go. Just like azami. Literally there has not been a troupe that had a member with no ulterior motives.

Masumi (joined so the director falls in love with him???), itaru, and chikage from spring.

Misumi was literally homeless and escaping an abusive family.

Banri, and taichi was a mole.

Hisoka was also literally homeless and had no memories.

Obviously misumi and hisoka are vastly different circumstances but still.

Also I get that they're a famous troupe now and need to have standards but this is excessive.

Sorry I ranted hahaha I just became very annoyed with yuzo and sakyo and think they're being very unfair towards azami. Like dudes come on the is a whole ass kid. Cut him some slack he doesn't want to live with his Yakuza dad

oh yeah i totally hear you that's quite unfair. Like Azami just needs a home guys djdhdk

i think it's just that Sakyo is extremely well, sort of severe with him because assisting Azami in running away puts him in a delicate situation regarding his father and he wants to see if Azami is even ready to dedicate himself to it. not to mention that if Azami joins, considering the whole family knows about Sakyo's plays, it WILL be discovered where Azami is and that Sakyo has been covering for him. and it could put Izumi in a difficult situation as well.

so in a way i can kind of understand why Sakyo is a bit stricter about it? there's a bit more at stakes from allowing Azami in and the question is, does Azami wants it enough for it to be worth the risk?

as for Yuzo i think it comes both from the fact he particularly dots Sakyo and will probably arrange for him, and the fact he's been holding Autumn to a different standarts because they're all butting heads as it is. plus the portraits were originally a way to test if they were ready to be serious too because none of them put themselves in their acting before that. i think it's not for nothing Banri almost quited because of the portrait making him face he wasnt serious about it, and for Taichi everyone could tell his portrait was shallow and it ended up an indication of how much distances he put with them until he did his real portrait.

it is unfair Azami has to go through this whole trial to even be admitted considering the rest had to discover as they went.

tho at least in the list of people who joined with ulterior motives, Misumi, Hisoka and Chikage were really good at acting so they got a pass (and Chikage's true intentions were unknown when he joined, he pretended to be a theater fan), Masumi was decent he got a pass and the company was at stake but Yuzo did call him out on the fact he had to stop thinking about Izumi if he wanted to act, and well, Itaru was torn to shred with Yuzo telling him to quit, which he almost did. Banri&Taichi re what i just said. in the end they all mostly got a pass because the future of the theater stood on the fact they had to be there.

but yeah like it's still unfair!! Azami remains a kid running away from his toxic and controlling father. while the portrait itself is a challenge i understand because of what i just said, having him score first place is still so unfair. maybe an indication of how much Sakyo can trust him that if he is really serious he'll manage, but unfair regardless.

especially since more than him joining the company it's kind of his safety as a runaway kid on the line so it sucks they set him up to such higher standarts.

And the fact he could just as much learn to live acting if he was allowed to join and it sucks to stop him from experiencing himself if he can discover something to like here.

though i think it does fit the thematic explored in that specific arc and with Azami's struggles so at least narrativewise it serves it's purpose

but i get your annoyance yeah dkshsk