shutupscale-blog

[kaeyazuha]

how am i supposed to label wanderer in my fics...

I'm sure most people will just use Scaramouche which makes sense but like

I feel bad

I have no idea why (yes I do) but the idea of using Scaramouche for him makes me sad. That's an identity he was abused and manipulated into, one that he doesn't want to associated with anymore. That's the entire point of this quest. Kunikuzushi is another identity he isn't comfortable with anymore, understandably so. But I also don't like calling him Wanderer since it's such a vague name hrgfgff

[reikorun]

KlubOutside Q&A 301-400 [Translation]

Translated by @reikorun

Q301.

2022.03.07

The Medallions and the "Sankt Altar" used by His Majesty bore a striking resemblance to each other, is it correct to assume that the Medallions are the practical application of "Sankt Altar"?

A301.

That's correct.

Q302.

2022.03.07

Towards the end of the story, brush pens became used less frequently to express bloodshed compared to the early days, does this have something to do with your art style? I would love to know if there is a reason.

A302.

It became like that because I wanted to draw more detailed blood spray and flow.

Q303.

2022.03.14

What kind of technique is Ganju's "Seppa"? Considering the fact that it can directly interfere with matter and the fact that Ganju trained with Ginjō's group in the final arc, I anticipate that this is perhaps a technique closer to Fullbring.

A303.

He is using a technique passed down within the Shiba clan to unbind the union of Reishi particles thereby dividing the matter into pieces.

Q304.

2022.03.14

The boss-like characters that Ichigo has fought so far, that is, Byakuya, Aizen and Ginjō, all have colors contained within their names, but is there some color related connotation in Yhwach's name? 

A304.

In the very early stages of development, Yhwach was given the pseudonym "Yhwach Beltz". Beltz means "black" in Basque.

Q305.

2022.03.14

Is Renji's false Bankai "Hihiō Zabimaru" (*Baboon King), inspired by Minamoto no Yorimasa's slaying of the Nue? Renji subdued Zabimaru who is in the form of a Nue and attains the Bankai "Hihiō Zabimaru"; Minamoto No Yorimasa slays the Nue and is granted the famous sword Shishiō (*Lion King). I'm very interested in the pair because they both have these points in common: defeating the Nue and gaining the power (or weapon) called "~King". I would be happy if you could answer!

A305.

It's the first time I'm hearing of this legend. However the similarities are such that I'm not even surprised you would think it's the source. A sword with such a manga-like name exists….

Q306.

2022.03.21

Orihime has a food scene in every arc. Examples: 

Agent of the Shinigami arc - Red bean paste on a loaf of bread.

Soul Society arc - Meal at Kūkaku's residence.

Arrancar arc - Ice cream eaten with Rangiku and the meal that was almost shoved down her throat by Ulquiorra.

The Lost Agent of the Shinigami arc - Doughnuts.

Thousand-Year Blood War arc - Scrapped bread, some sweet potato-like food. 

And more.

Were these eating scenes included to add to her character, or rather, perhaps I should ask if they naturally increased in number because Orihime came to life on her own as the story progressed? I love the scene where she cries while eating doughnuts in the Lost Agent arc.

A306.

I'm realizing that for the first time now that you've mentioned it. Come to think of it, Orihime eats well, huh…. Whenever I draw a food related scene, it is also the moment where I think to myself “I want a soft atmosphere in the dialogue and the scenery”, so I believe that's where Orihime fits in. Besides, it's kind of like, I don't really want to draw a scene where a man eats food, you know?

Q307.

2022.03.21

Between Isshin and Masaki, who came up with the name "Ichigo"? My personal hypothesis is that he was born because Isshin protected "one thing = Masaki's life", and since Isshin would probably dislike the idea of his son bearing half of his own name, I reckon Masaki came up with it. However, if there is a definitive answer, I would love to know! 

A307.

Masaki is the one who named him. For a long time, I was in two minds over whether or not I should draw Ichigo's naming scene, but I abandoned the idea because it would likely just be Isshin and Masaki getting all lovey-dovey and that's gross.

Q308.

2022.03.21

In my opinion, Ichigo is the most handsome Jump character of all time! From sensei's point of view, are there any protagonists that you think lead a cool lifestyle, or anyone you consider good-looking among the history of Jump protagonists?

A308.

I'm rarely enthused by the protagonist, so I don't have any protagonist in mind. I like Cygnus Hyoga. Somehow, I feel like I've mentioned this before….

Q309.

2022.03.28

If Grimmjow undergoes training, could he attain Resurrección: Segunda Etapa someday? 

A309.

He can.

Q310.

2022.03.28

In chapter 2, Ichigo fights a Hollow in Yumisawa Children's Park, is there any connection between the name "Yumisawa" and the Quincy? From long ago, the Ishida family have resided in Karakura Town which is the Jūreichi. I wondered if there is a possibility that words relating to the Quincy are attached to place names? (*Yumisawa - 弓沢 includes the kanji for "bow" - 弓.)

A310.

Huh!? There is indeed a connection. That's uncanny! I'm surprised you noticed because I simply added that connection in the name while playing around with the background details and had no intention of mentioning it at all.

Q311.

2022.03.28

When it comes to something I don't like, but I have to get it done, I have a hard time getting started. What does sensei do at times like this?

A311.

I procrastinate until the very last minute, and when it finally becomes impossible to put off any longer, I'll start with just a little bit of the initial part and then leave it aside for later. Of course, I'm talking about my rough drafts. 

Q312.

2022.04.04

I thought the lines that Kajōmaru-san delivered were contrasting Captain Kyōraku's speech, but since Kajōmaru-san disappeared earlier than I expected, I've been contemplating the true meaning of his words this whole time. Did something happen in Kajōmaru-san's past?

A312.

Naturally, his lines are meant to correspond with Shunsui's lines, but it's the prelude made for the purpose of setting up Shunsui's speech which is the main message, so I had Kajōmaru say it as he was going to exit the stage early.

Q313.

2022.04.04

I've always thought to myself that if a BLEACH musō style game ever came out, it would probably be so much fun. Doesn't "Shinigami Musō" sound good??? Thank you for your time!!!

A313.

I love Hokuto Musō too, so I think it probably would be fun if there was one. Just imagine Aizen running out from the back of the screen in a 2-player setting whilst blowing away all the trash mobs!

Q314.

2022.04.04

Why did the Shin'ō Academy have its name changed from "Tōgakuin"? (Has their curriculum or philosophy changed?) ×[1] 

A314.

Originally it was a school exclusively for Shinigami, however as organizations like the Kidō Corps and the Inner Court Troop were established and classified, the name changed. 

Q315.

2022.04.11

It's something that I just thought of right now, but is it possible that the Zanpakutō belonging to the early 13th Division were modeled after Pisces and its ruling planet Neptune? Captain Ukitake's Sōgyo no Kotowari may allude to the constellation of Pisces. It is a constellation in which the tails of two fish are tied together with a string (or ribbon), and Sōgyo no Kotowari also has the hilt of two swords linked together with a cord.

On the other hand, Kaien's Nejibana is a three-pronged spear. It is a symbol of Neptune (Poseidon in Greek), the god of the sea who rules over the planet Neptune. 

I have a fair amount of confidence in this theory as there is too much overlap, but what do you think? Also, please let us know if there are any source materials or inspirations which formed the image of Captains and Vice-Captains (any others are fine too).

A315.

"Twin fish" is used to represent letters in Chinese literature, from there I kind of imagined it as "exchanging of letters" → "circulation of energy". About Kaien's sword, I suppose that comes from the mental image of combining the whirlpool of the Shiba clan and water from the twin fish. ×[2]

Q316.

2022.04.11

Sensei, can I use the photos you uploaded of your doggie for my phone's wallpaper?

A316.

You can.

Q317.

2022.04.11

I really sympathize with Quilge Opie's line "speech is silver, silence is golden", but I wonder if a line like this is based on sensei's actual experience?

A317.

This is originally a proverb from the English language.

Q318.

2022.04.18

I watched Ōishi-sensei's birthday stream! I'm very happy because I was able to see characters from other works being drawn by Kubo-sensei and the process by which illustrations come to a state of completion in real time! Do you have any plans to stream it to your fan club or release a time-lapse? If you are so inclined, please do so!!

A318.

That is Ōishi-kun's YouTube project, so please make a request to Ōishi-kun! ×[3]

Q319.

2022.04.18

What does Honshō Chizuru-chan think about Orihime and Ichigo's marriage?

A319.

Since Chizuru is a free-spirited person, she would think "she got married, so what?"

Q320.

2022.04.18

Kubo-sensei also appeared in Ōishi-san's YouTube archive, I watched the hell out of it (an expression I rarely use these days….) The damask-patterned curtains behind Kubo-sensei were so chic that I took my hat off. What brand is it? I looked very closely at it, but I wonder if it's a front lace style where a damask-patterned lace curtain is hung in front of a thick curtain. I was interested because the curtains were beautiful.

A320.

I forgot the manufacturer but it does indeed have front lace. You're very observant…. ×[3]

Q321.

2022.04.25

When Byakuya fought PePe, he was never manipulated by Love Kiss even though he was struck by it. Is that because the mantle Byakuya was wearing is made of the Ōken.

A321.

That's right. That reminds me, there was no space to draw the reason there….

Q322.

2022.04.25

When the Soul King is first seen, he clearly appears to have limbs, when did you settle on the idea to have him limbless? Additionally, when Pernida Parnkgjas promptly dispatched the Second-Class Divine Soldier he was drawn with a normal left hand, so I don't think Pernida was set up to be the Left Arm of the Soul King at that time.

A322.

With respect to the set up I had in mind, it had been arranged so that normally, Pernida can maintain an imperfect humanoid form, but when they lose themself, they lose the ability to maintain their shape, thus revealing their true form (a left hand), but since it's difficult to understand, I'm thinking it's a concept I can probably do away with. Either way, I wanted to draw Pernida's hood tearing apart when they turn into a left hand.

Q323.

2022.04.25

I wish a Blu-ray box edition of the BLEACH anime would be offered for sale…they were available in the past…I'd like to have something similar to the DVD box which went up to the Soul Society arc….

A323.

I'll let my editor know. Murakoshi-saaan!

Q324.

2022.05.02

I apologize for bringing up the anime, but in the Zanpakutō: The Alternate Tale arc, among the Zanpakutō of the Captains and Vice-Captains whose names had already been established at the time, it was only Itegumo's incarnated form which did not make an appearance. Was this Kubo-sensei's intention? Or is it that the anime staff simply didn't come to you with an offer for Itegumo…?

A324.

Since I have no recollection of ever having met to discuss Itegumo, I think it's likely there were no plans for Itegumo.

Q325.

2022.05.02

What kind of person is Ikumi-san's husband? How old is he in your designs?

A325.

Ikumi-san is single in the main story, and she remarries in that space leading up to the Echoing Jaws of Hell arc.

Q326.

2022.05.02

Kubo-sensei, do you often reread the BLEACH tankōbon? 

A326.

I usually don't read them at all, so I've almost forgotten everything. It's thanks to posting replies in this Q&A corner that with every round of questions I end up rereading the previous and subsequent tankōbon thoroughly.

Q327.

2022.05.09

Was it intentional that Aizen's origins and past are still largely undisclosed? I'd like to know because I often find myself thinking that there aren't many villains who possess that much charisma whose background remains unknown.

A327.

Most depictions of a villain's past are composed in order to draw out sympathy and a sense of relatability from the audience, and since I don't like that approach very much, I try to avoid it. All characters have a different set of values and I believe a villain is a character whose differences in that regard are so large that they cannot be accepted.

Q328.

2022.05.09

I was always watching out for this with bated breath, but I wonder if the reason Rangiku's breasts don't spill out from her Shihakushō is because she's holding them in place with Reiatsu? Did she actually have a nip slip once where nobody was watching? I'm curious if the reason why her chest is so widely exposed is because they cause her pain or perhaps it's a 'freebie' for others. I love how sexy her chest is.

A328.

I was drawing her with the assumption that she would affix double sided tape to her chest, but I like the idea of her holding them in place with Reiatsu better. Maybe I should use it.

Q329.

2022.05.09

I was surprised to learn that Kubo-sensei's hometown is the very town where I currently live and work (I felt a strong sense of familiarity at the mention of Soleil). So here's my question: roughly where in Karakura Town is the Visored's base located? 

A329: 

The Visored's hideout is around Spark (the name of a supermarket). I wonder if Spark is still there…?

Q330.

2022.05.16

The 7th volume with Byakuya on the cover begins with the line “We should not shed tears”, but at the time Kubo-sensei wrote this poem, did you already have an image in your head of chapter 502, "Falling Sakura" (where Byakuya is defeated by the enemy and sheds tears)?

A330.

I had no way of knowing where Jump would tell me to end the series, so it's not the exact version I had in mind back then, but I wrote it based on the idea that the tears would eventually be shed.

Q331.

2022.05.16

I would like to know how Yoruichi transforms into a cat. Is it a technique she herself had developed, is she able to shapeshift using a spiritual tool belonging to the Shihōin clan, or perhaps a device or technique developed by Urahara Kisuke? These are the only methods I can think of.

A331.

This is a technique developed by Yoruichi, for the purpose of sneaking out of the mansion whenever she pleases.

Q332.

2022.05.16

Have you ever tried Ayataka Café Matcha Latte? It's extremely popular and delicious.

A332.

Matcha based sweets aren't really my thing.

Q333.

2022.05.23

Where on Earth did Renji get that snazzy shirt with the Zabimaru-like design which he was wearing in the Human World in the final chapter? Was it custom made for Renji?

A333.

It's custom made. That t-shirt is nice isn't it?

Q334.

2022.05.23

On the Squad 10 introduction page in BLEACH 13 BLADEs, it says "Rangiku narrowly avoided having her Bankai stolen", has Rangiku acquired Bankai?

A334.

That's what is actually written there!? It's a mistake. How in the world did a mistake like this get in there…?

Q335.

2022.05.23

I have a question about the Shikai of Komamura's Zanpakutō "Tenken". When looking at the games and the anime, it seems there are two patterns in Tenken's Shikai ability: one where it partially summons Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō and does battle with its arm and sword, and another pattern where it accompanies Komamura's attacks with a mass of sword energy (?) that looks like an enlarged version of his own arm and sword. Which one is considered correct by Kubo-sensei?

A335.

"Summoning the arm of Myō'ō" is correct.

Q336.

2022.05.30

Regarding the resident certificate which is given as a bonus for joining this FC, I was surprised to see that Hueco Mundo was an option. Even in Hueco Mundo there are resident certificates…are there any public offices and such that manage it? If so, did Aizen establish and maintain it? These are the questions I thought about but I'd like to know sensei's opinion!

A336.

You might be able to tell by looking at the signatures, but Harribel is in charge of it and Hueco Mundo has started to become organized after Harribel began ruling.

Q337.

2022.05.30

You mentioned Momoclo in a previous Bambies related question, do you have any favorite idols and such? Did you happen to like Hinatazaka46 through Love it!? Is there someone you're rooting for?

A337.

When I see idols who were season regulars on Love it! appearing in other shows, I naturally start rooting for them. (*Love it! is a variety show in Japan.)

Q338.

2022.05.30

During the new captain's appointment ceremony in volume 74, Nanao-chan, who served as the host, is seen carrying a cane, was this an aftereffect of her fight with Lille? In the same volume, just a few pages before (the scene where she goes outside to call for Captain Kyōraku), it looks like she didn't have a cane, so I was wondering what the true situation is.

A338.

That's right. Either I forgot to draw it in the scene where she calls out to Shunsui or the detail ended up getting lost in the solid paint fill.

Q339.

2022.06.06

Is the reason why Ichigo's Bankai could not be stolen with a medallion because Ichigo's Bankai was mixed with Hollow power?

A339.

Correct.

Q340.

2022.06.06

You served as a judge for the Jump Gag Manga Awards, and I got the impression that there is a high percentage of gag manga among the works you find interesting, but do you have any plans or desire to draw your own gag manga?

A340.

When it comes to me, I just don't have the talent to draw gag manga, so I won't draw it. Gag manga are challenging works and only a select few can draw them.

Q341.

2022.06.06

About the color illustration from chapter 558 (depicting Ichigo and Renji inside a white coffin with a cross on it), it appears to bear a close resemblance to Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" music video, is there any connection?

A341.

I drew the white coffin design quite a long time ago and when I saw the Bad Romance music video, I recall being rather indecisive about what I should draw because Bad Romance was released first. Ultimately, I ended up drawing it after some time had passed. That being said, the music video for Bad Romance was incredibly cool.

Q342.

2022.06.13

When the anime commences, will there be a BLEACH game released following Soul Ignition? Not so much an app or something but for game consoles…. 

A342.

I feel like I heard some rumor like that from my editor….

Q343.

2022.06.13

If the Quincy trace bloodlines, I think Uryū would notice that an Echt Quincy called "Kurosaki" existed until recently, but were there any documents, family trees, etc. compiled by Sōken? If so, did Uryū sense something extraordinary after being admitted to Karakura High school, in particular towards the fact that it was a human with the surname "Kurosaki" who possessed the high Reiatsu?

A343.

Books concerning the Quincy are kept in a locked archive inside the hospital. Uryū is forbidden from going there, nor does Uryū himself want to enter that place so much that he would go to the trouble of fighting with Ryūken. Additionally, the more important books are kept in Ryūken's private room.

Q344.

2022.06.13

I've been wondering about this for a while, but in the color version, Liltotto's clothes in her earlier appearances had long sleeves, is this something that was simply overlooked during your checks? Don't the Sternritter only conform to one style of clothing?

A344.

Really!? I had no idea because I wasn't asked to check that. Her outfit was always sleeveless.

Q345.

2022.06.20

I read on the internet that the heroine of BLEACH, Inoue Orihime, is modeled after Inoue Mayuko from Ushio & Tora. Is that true? Is it also the case that Tatsuki was modeled after Asako?

A345.

I'm not exactly familiar with Ushio and Tora…. Please check for yourself whether it's mentioned in any official statement anyway.

Q346.

2022.06.20

Is it possible for fellow Hollows to make children?

A346.

It's possible.

Q347.

2022.06.20

I was thinking that the "B" and "H" from Jugo and Bazz-B's Schrift are the letters which form each other's names, was this giving us a hint that these two were best friends?

A347.

Of course.

Q348.

2022.06.27

I want Hollow and Dragon figurines!!! Are there any plans to turn them into figurines? Where can I request one to be made for me? I want to line up all the Märchens!!!!!!!

A348.

Is this question based on the premise that I draw all the Märchens!?

Q349.

2022.06.27

Will the effect of Wabisuke's ability be lifted if the Shikai is disengaged?

A349.

It will be lifted.

Q350.

2022.06.27

When Shinigami engage their Shikai, sometimes It will be unleashed by calling the sword's name despite not uttering the release command, is there any difference between this and a situation where they do recite the release command in full? Just like how only those who have acquired Bankai are able to release their Shikai without calling the name itself, perhaps it's not the case that just anyone can do this?

A350.

Only experts can release Shikai without the release command, and even if they can, it will take time for its efficiency to reach 100% after the release.

Q351.

2022.07.04

If members of the Visored have theme songs, please tell us about them!!

A351.

Oh yeah, I guess I've never made a note of that. I'll write about them somewhere!

Q352.

2022.07.04

Please tell us what your favorite BLEACH movie is!

A352.

I like the Ulquiorra fight at the beginning of Hell Verse.

Q353.

2022.07.04

Is the healing ointment that comes out of Ikkaku's sword an original ability of the Zanpakutō rather than something that was added through modification? When I did some investigating, I learned that the Hōzuki plant was used as a medicinal herb in the past, so I thought, maybe?

A353.

It's Hōzukimaru's ability.

Q354.

2022.07.11

I have received my certificate of residence, thank you very much. Did you also inspect the packaging envelope? I have never seen such a stylish parcel before, I was totally blown away…. I'm truly happy that I was immersed in this universe even before opening my package.

A354.  

I did inspect it. Isn't the design great? The certificate of residence is also the outstanding handiwork of Ishino-san who has been involved with BLEACH for a long time.

Q355.

2022.07.11

Will the birthdays of the Sternritter members be made public in the future?

A355.

Perhaps it will be revealed in the anime, I can't say for sure.

Q356.

2022.07.11

In an illustration previously exhibited at the Reverse Shibuya event, Rickenbacker was listed as a Broombuggy. His appearance is quite different compared to Marshall and Wordsworth, does this mean that all Dragons people ride are considered Broombuggies?

A356.

Broombuggy is the name of a Dragon species while simultaneously being something like a model number used for Wing Bind registration, so if an individual brings along their own Dragon and it passes the test, they can register it as a Broombuggy.

Q357.

2022.07.18

When designing a female character, how is the bust size determined?

A357.

It's not so much choosing a bust size, but rather it's more like deciding on the overall fleshiness of the character and then making it a size that suits.

Q358.

2022.07.18

The new BLEACH work looks so interesting, I could barely contain my excitement!!! I couldn't help but wonder if there's something hidden in the title, like in BURN THE WITCH, is the missing horizontal bar on the "A" in "BREATHES" simply a design choice? Or does it have some kind of meaning? Please give us a hint!

A358.

I was just playing around with a design for the rough draft and I didn't even really communicate this detail to my editor, but the design more or less gives the impression that the "bolts of Hell have come loose.”

Q359.

2022.07.18

In the one-shot, there are records adorning a whole surface of the wall in the 5th Division barracks, are those all Hirako's personal belongings?

A359.

That's right.

Q360.

2022.07.25

I read the new BLEACH one-shot. The individuality of each person very much stands out, even down to things like their Captain's haori, has the change in Captain-Commander resulted in a more lenient dress code, personal grooming and so on?

A360.

It's definitely become more lenient. I mean, the Captain-Commander is Shunsui so….

Q361.

2022.07.25

With regard to Captain Unohana's name, was it intentional that by giving her the name "Retsu (烈)", the kanji for "death (死)" can be constructed when parts of her name are combined? Also, if the aforementioned is true, is there a possibility that the details surrounding characters’ naming will be revealed in a future one-shot sequel?

A361.

If "Hana (花)" and "Retsu (列)" are cut in two and then connected together, the result is "death (死)". It was intentional, or perhaps I should say, I did it out of fun but it turned out right. If someone correctly guesses the wordplay in the naming like this, then I may acknowledge it, but I don't think I should be the one to reveal it.

Q362.

2022.07.25

Is the BLEACH one-shot drawn entirely with traditional art mediums? There were some parts here and there that looked like it could be digital, did you use both?

A362.

Illustrations of characters, illustrations of animals, visual effects and lettering for sound effects were all made using traditional art mediums, Anything outside of that is digital.

Q363.

2022.08.01

New Vice-Captain, Rindō, has made an appearance, but where did Vice-Captain Iemura go?

A363.

Given that Atau's abilities were superior, Iemura voluntarily made an application for himself and was demoted to 3rd seat. Even though Iemura was the one to raise the matter of his own accord, he was so depressed that Hanatarō, unable to look on in silence, summoned him back to the 4th Division where he was reinstated. In the end, it seems that the 4th Division, which has a lot of paperwork, is more suited for Iemura. 

Q364.

2022.08.01

I read the one-shot! I was like "this is iiiit!" for the first time in a long while and it gave me goosebumps…. Is this strictly a one-shot, will there not be a continuation…? I would definitely like to read the rest!

A364.

I'm not good at drawing when I'm being told to “draw, draw, draw” repeatedly, so I'll consider it once I'm no longer being told to do so.

Q365.

2022.08.01

Was the color spread in the 20th anniversary chapter, drawn digitally?

A365.

The coloring is digital.

Q366.

2022.08.08

How does Ichika perceive Yumichika's gender? We live in a time where gender is a difficult issue, but I'd like to see a scene unfold where he's like "I'm a man" and Ichika goes "what!?"

A366.

She already knew he's a man from the start.

Q367.

2022.08.08

In chapter 188, when Isshin-san regained his Shinigami powers for the first time in 20 years, he referred to the Visored in his conversation with Urahara-san. During this scene, Urahara-san who had helped to contain their Hollowfication, acted as though he possessed no detailed information concerning their backgrounds or ideology. Was this information simply not revealed to Isshin-san and nothing more? Or is it that he truly had no idea what the Visored were planning at that time because he hadn't been involved with them since The Past arc, among other things?

A367.

This is because he concluded that there would be more of a benefit towards the management of Ichigo's Hollowfication if he did not divulge that information to Isshin.

Q368.

2022.08.08

I like the sound of Aaroniero Arruruerie's name. What is the origin of this name?

A368.

It's based on the designer Eero Aarnio.

Q369.

2022.08.15

I have a question concerning the phrase "Fill the earth and know your own powerlessness" in Kurohitsugi's chant. In the book of Genesis, after creating man (in the sense that man is the greatest thing ever created), the word of God states “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it." Are the words in the Kurohitsugi incantation modeled after this? 

A369.

It's not the case that I used Genesis as a model, though Kurohitsugi's chant itself becomes a chant that speaks about all humanity.

Q370.

2022.08.15

In the new one-shot, Ichigo goes to Keigo's ramen shop and says "everyone came out to eat", but who exactly does he mean by "everyone"? Who else was there besides Mizuiro? Was Chad also with them

A370.

The one in the seat at the back is Uryū.

Q371.

2022.08.15

I love Dordoni, so I'd like if you could draw him a lot more.

A371.

Now that you mention it, I forgot to draw new pieces for Dordoni and his group for the art exhibition….

Q372.

2022.08.22

In the new one-shot, Ichika calls Renji "Tō-sama (*father)", but what does she call Byakuya?

A372.

"Oji-sama (*uncle)"

Q373.

2022.08.22

Sensei, have you ever seen derivative creations (fanfiction, dōjinshi, etc.) of your own work? Also, what do you think about such creations?

A373.

As long as the fans can find enjoyment in it with one another, they can go right ahead. Please send me male-oriented erotica. Because I read it.

Q374.

2022.08.22

I love the background music from the anime and movies and I listen to them often, was sensei also involved in the music selection?

A374. 

It doesn't involve me. This is not because I'm not interested, but because I'm fond of Sagisu-san's work.

Q375.

2022.08.29

Aside from nobles, do seated officers live on the road to the seated officers' quarters? Do they live in detached housing?

A375.

Most of them do.

Q376.

2022.08.29

I was incredibly impressed after watching the video of you drawing on KlubOutside! Are you using a tracing lightbox from Bears.Seven? And is it being stabilized by the horizontal pipe behind it? Also, if you don't mind, I would be grateful if you could tell us what's going on with the space on both sides of the tracing lightbox!

A376.

I ended up buying a new ultra-thin tracing lightbox over and over again until I found one that I liked, I forgot the manufacturer's name. I'd be in trouble if it broke…. The space on both sides is chaotically littered with things.

Q377.

2022.08.29

Regarding Kyōraku-san's Bankai, Katen Kyōkotsu: Karamatsu Shinjū, if the opponent doesn't put up a resistance (that is, try to rise to the surface) at the Third Act: Dangyo no Fuchi, does it not transition to the Final Act? The story goes that "having resigned themselves to their fate, they hurl themselves", so I thought that if the opponent accepted it, then it would become a lovers' suicide just as the name suggests. 

A377.

Not limited to the Third Act, If an opponent dies midway through, it is assumed that the "performer has disappeared", and thus the Act ends there.

Q378.

2022.09.05

When I look at sensei's work, the lines appear to be much bolder in the early stages, are your lines something you paid more attention to as a consequence or did you have a change of mind regarding this area? Or perhaps you merely changed your pen?

A378.

The lines became thinner for two reasons: for one, with that early method of drawing, the lines would come out too thick when printed in the magazine, secondly I gained more experience with a pen and it reached a point where I was able to draw faster. 

Q379.

2022.09.05

Do you like robots? You are great at creating characters, creatures and fantasy. Someday, I would like to see a robot designed by sensei.

A379.

I'm not interested in robots right now so I don't think I'd be able to compose a good design.

Q380.

2022.09.05

After I saw Ichika, there's something I've been wondering about: what is the growth rate of a Shinigami like in terms of physical age? Does the growth rate eventually come to slow down as the physical body develops in age?

A380.

I'll probably write about this in a Fanbook.

Q381.

2022.09.12

Japanese translations of the chapter subtitles were printed in the Fanbooks, but are there any plans to publish the rest somewhere?

A381.

It was difficult to check them so I don't really want to do it….

Q382.

2022.09.12

How tall is Tōshirō at present, in cm? Has there been any change from 133 cm…?

A382.

He's 134 cm now.

Q383.

2022.09.12

When you were composing your designs for New Sakura Wars, did you decide on the framework of each character? I'm especially curious about Anastasia.

A383.

For Sakura Wars, the request came in with everything already decided down to the names, settings, personality, body type, hairstyles, colors and role, so my job was to draw the actual design of the character using my own art style, that's all there was to it. It's almost like "putting makeup on someone else's child “

Q384.

2022.09.19

Kazui's room made an appearance in the one-shot, what made an impression on me is the fact that it wasn't a children's study desk or the like which adorned the place, but instead it was very simple furniture. Is there some reason for that?

A384.

It's to Ichigo's taste.

Q385.

2022.09.19

I would like to know what foods Kisuke-san likes and what food he dislikes…. If there are any changes between the time he was a Captain and the time he became "Hat-and-Clogs", I'd definitely like to hear about both of those eras….

A385.

His favorite food is rice and the food he dislikes are too many to list. While we're on the subject, Yoruichi has no likes or dislikes at all when it comes to food.

Q386.

2022.09.19

Who came up with the title "WE DO knot ALWAYS LOVE YOU"?

A386.

I did.

Q387.

2022.09.26

Is it possible that Engetsu was not originally Isshin's Zanpakutō, but instead a Zanpakutō that once belonged to another Shinigami, like for instance, someone among the Five Great Noble Clans? I was wondering if the reason why no Shinigami connected the dots between Isshin and the Getsuga Tenshō used by Ichigo, was because they recognized Engetsu as a fire type Zanpakutō and were unaware of its ability i.e. "Getsuga Tenshō which gathers Reiatsu into a slashing attack"?

A387.

There are three reasons why the other Shinigami were not reminded of Isshin through witnessing Ichigo's Getsuga Tenshō:

Unlike the one used by Ichigo, Isshin's Getsuga Tenshō is a technique that gathers fire and Reiatsu into a slashing attack which is used at close range.

There are no opportunities for fellow Captains to learn each other's technique names outside of fighting together and training together.

In the Soul Society arc, Ichigo doesn't mention the name Getsuga Tenshō in front of anyone but Byakuya.

Q388.

2022.09.26

A long time ago on a certain program, Morita-san, who plays the role of Ichigo, mentioned how Kubo-sensei had pointed out to him the correct intonation of Getsuga Tenshō back in the early days. Did Kubo-sensei check the intonation of characters' spoken lines and techniques in the Thousand-Year Blood War arc, which were implemented in Brave Souls but have yet to make an appearance in the anime?

A388.

I may not be able to check as far as the finer details for Brave Souls. For the new anime on the other hand, I spent several hours discussing and checking as many new names and vocabulary as possible. As long as I haven't missed anything in my checks, it should turn out great.

Q389.

2022.09.26

I would like to learn the particulars of how Shutara Senjumaru got promoted to the Zero Division. What did she (is it a she?) create? At first I thought it might be the Shihakushō, but I can't imagine that a Shihakushō is important enough to warrant a promotion to Zero Division, so I'm thinking it's probably something else. 

A389.

It's the Shihakushō.

Q390.

2022.10.03

I would like to know how Abarai Ichika-chan rates her father's eyebrows!

A390.

She thinks they're the coolest shape in the whole world.

Q391.

2022.10.03

Does Kubo-sensei have a Kanken certificate? (*Japan Kanji Aptitude Test)

A391.

I don't have one.

Q392.

2022.10.03

What is the motive behind Kyōraku Shunsui choosing Yadōmaru Lisa as his Vice-Captain? I'm also intrigued by their relationship. When Kyōraku and Lisa reunite again during the Decisive Battle of Karakura in the anime, Lisa strikes him violently as if in greeting, Kyōraku then says something like "you're looking as cute as ever" and Lisa blushes in response. I'm curious because I think this would never have happened if Lisa wasn't conscious of Kyōraku in some way or the other.

A392.

This is one of those scenes where the checks didn't come to me.

Q393.

2022.10.10

I really love the well-built and good-looking mature men that Kubo-sensei draws, but I was curious about specific areas of the face or body where you exert the most effort when drawing these characters. If I have to pick one character, I would be very happy if you could tell me something about Zaraki Kenpachi. 

A393.

All the characters are different in terms of what aspect I pay extra attention to, in Kenpachi's case, I imagine him with "dry-looking, tense muscles on a thin figure with prominent bones.”

Q394.

2022.10.10

Not long after assuming her position as Captain of the 8th Division, Yadōmaru Lisa is seen wearing a Captain's haori which had long sleeves (in the illustration from the novel "WE DO knot ALWAYS LOVE YOU" Lisa can be seen wearing what looks to be a haori with sleeves.) However, in the one-shot, it became a sleeveless Captain's haori. Did she have it altered to sleeveless or does she switch between two garments depending on her mood that day?

A394.

Immediately following that, Lisa used the haori Shunsui used to wear after cutting down the length of the sleeves.

Q395.

2022.10.10

The Seireiheki ordinarily protects the Soul King Palace, but do the gatekeepers of the Seireimon also normally protect the Soul King Palace?

A395.

I'll write about this here because it's probably not a piece of lore I'll ever draw, but the areas bordering the edges of the street around where the gates fall have come to be named "Marumaru-mon", they stand guard over the vicinity of those areas. ×[4]

Q396.

2022.10.17

Sensei, how many layers do you divide your work into when drawing an illustration digitally? If possible, I would also like to see a making-of video of your drawing process!

A396.

The number of layers depends on the illustration. All of the original color drawings from the BLEACH exhibition are still available as time-lapses, so I hope they can be viewed somewhere.

Q397.

2022.10.17

Kazeshini's chains appear to be expandable, but how does it shrink back after it has been expanded? 

A397.

Shūhei does his best to shrink them back.

Q398.

2022.10.17

Given that Shawlong is the No.11 Arrancar, does that mean he was the first Menos among Aizen's forces to be turned into an Arrancar? In that case, why did Aizen choose him as the first test subject?

A398.

That's because Shawlong himself advised Aizen to try it on him first.

Q399.

2022.10.24

If Moguro Fukuzō from the "The Laughing Salesman" were in the world of BLEACH, who do you reckon would be the character that would likely be targeted by Moguro Fukuzō to have their souls filled?

A399.

Let me see, I wonder who… Shūhei…?

Q400.

2022.10.24

According to Ulquiorra's monologue, it seems that the fully Hollowfied Ichigo had used Sonído which is Hohō for Arrancar. In The Past arc from volume 36, it appears as though Kensei, who had progressed in Hollowfication, also utilized Sonído in the same way when he instantly moved behind Rabu. Could this be an indication that as a Shinigami's Hollowfication spreads from a state of being the mask alone to one where it affects the whole body, their existence grows closer to an Arrancar?

A400.

Correct.

Translation Footnotes:

×1. The "Shinigami Tōgakuin" is a name which appears in Souls character book, page 99. This is the name that is still most commonly used in Rukongai to refer to the Academy.

×2. Kubo is referring to Han-dynasty poems and legends, most notably: Ballad of Watering Horses in a Ditch by the Great Wall. Fish is used as a metaphor for letters sent by families far away as people would place their message in a wooden receptacle shaped like a fish. This receptacle would open down the middle thus becoming "two carp":

From a far land a traveler came and left me two carp. I asked my children to cook the fish and inside they found a silk letter. I knelt long and read the letter. What did that letter say? It started, Try to eat. and ended, I miss you always.

×3. Kōji Ōishi's Birthday stream featuring Tite Kubo:

https://www.youtube.com/live/nTwRin6T3VA?si=TmtttpxOOAdWnRLa

×4. Please note: "Mon" means gate but "Marumaru" is not really a name, marumaru is a symbol (○○) which we use as placeholders when, for instance, there is no name. So it's essentially like saying "such and such gate” until the named gate actually falls and replaces that placeholder.

[paraliveimaginesblog]

hello hello! I love this blog ! :)) I was wondering if its ok if I could request hcs with Allen, Hajun, Shion, and Hokusai with a gender-neutral s/o who (tries) to hide the fact that they cuddle with a stuffed animal when they sleep? Bonus if the stuffed animal is old/from childhood! thank you!! keep it up with this blog <33

Allen Sugasano:

It wouldn’t bother Allen in the slightest. He’s a little perplexed about why you felt the need to hide it from him, wondering if he gave off secretly judgmental vibes, but he knew he had more than enough quirks you could judge him for. He’ll never be in favor of someone discarding a thing that they love, his trauma feeling all too fresh when he thinks about it; he doesn’t want you to change who you are and if you’re a person who likes sleeping with stuffed animals, so be it! He’ll defend it to anyone he has to.

Hajun Yeon:

Listen. Being teased is a love language to Hajun, and he certainly wasn’t going to be able to resist a juicy tidbit like that. He might hold back the slightest bit since you seemed mortified at him discovering this, giving off one of his flirty little lines and asking if he’s not a comfortable enough teddy bear to sleep with at night. He does grant you one mercy and his relentless teasing about your stuffed animals are spoken aloud in private spaces only, as he was the only one allowed to make jokes (since he’s the one sleeping next to you at night, other than your stuffed animal).

Hokusai Masaki:

Hokusai just added it to the seemingly endless list of things that make you way too cute for him to even handle. With it being his only response at first, you can’t help but feel a little shifty, asking if it bothered him at all that you wanted to keep your stuffed animals with you. He stated that he doesn’t mind at all, even asking if you’ve named them and properly introducing himself to them out of respect as they had been around much longer than him. He seemed to be comparing it to his love of cats, saying he could understand seeking comfort in things that couldn’t communicate yet were there for you regardless.

Shion Kaida:

Shion doesn’t think it’s weird per se but he does seem a little bothered about staying in the same bed as a stuffed animal, asking if you didn’t want to just cuddle with him instead. If activities escalated he also felt oddly thrown off from having your stuffed animals right there, so it takes some getting used to for Shion. He doesn’t really mind it though if it’s something you need to sleep peacefully at night.

[mana-jjk]

i know we’re talking about THAT chapter right now, but i need another day to cope y’all <3 anon i promise i’ll answer but angst actually kills me lol

so instead !!

i’m here to present my case that toge would absolutely be the first choice of a pseudo-god parent. not for any religious reasons, if there was a better name i’d use it, but i think jjk definitely has a need for that system.

with how common mortality is, the high demand in sorcerers, the uncertainties of their lifestyle… i mean just look at megumi. not exactly the same, but in any case, they need to know that their kids will be okay if anything ever happens.

i personally headcanon that nobamaki would have twin boys because it’s actually adorable to me. they expected at least one girl at first, they even had their names picked out. mai and saori, after two of the most important people in their lives. but around the time it got closer, maki started second guessing naming the name mai, wondering if she’d ever be able to associate it with anything but her sister.

then two healthy baby boys came into the world, masaki and takai, elegant and beginning, new world. not exactly a copy of maki and mai, whose names corresponded with hope and each other, but a homage. an act of service to what they never got to see together.

anyway, toge was absolutely their first choice for a godparent.

individually, their relationship with him is one of their strongest dynamics for both characters.

yes, nobara loves yuuji and megumi in her own way. yuuji might have been the second pick if he wasn’t so head empty, eating cursed fingers. i truly do not think megumi would have been entrusted with any of her children lol, that boy is emo and emotionally stunted (in a nice way).

maki and yuuta friendship is so good, but he’s still kind of pathetic. his favorite food is sesame oil and cabbage y’all, there’s no way. panda would’ve been the second pick if he wasn’t such an instigator.

on the other hand, nobara understand toge so well that it freaks out even the second years. after being kidnapped, she was first hand witness to his dependable side and kindness. he’s like a big brother to her, and i know without a doubt that their dynamic only got stronger after that. they are the besties, shopping buddies, gossip squad, unserious duo. he takes care of her, he notices when her self-esteem is lower and immediately addresses it. he was the one to catch her during training, encourage her, and tease her. i cannot stress enough how bestie coded they are.

i might love maki and yuuta friendship, but maki and toge are my absolute favorite to think about. i know the general consensus in their dynamic seems to be toge being a gremlin and maki screaming at him, but i really think they interact in a different way. i’m still waiting for a couple translations from phantom parade, but i truly believe maki genuinely respects and loves toge, vice versa. when we first met yuuta, maki’s first reaction was to bully him lol, but it wasn’t until toge spoke up that she stopped. in the light novel, it’s said repeatedly by nobara that maki respects him. maki herself goes on to openly admit that he’s the most considerate out of all of them, and says that his only flaw is that he can be pretty mischievous. nobara also notes how close the second years are to each other enough that they share a braincell. when you look at the art of them together, there’s only one where maki looks irritated, and it’s only because toge is laughing at her tourist glasses. it’s kind of crazy to me that the dynamic in fanon between toge and maki is actually the canon interactions between panda and maki. i could talk all day about this, but i genuinely see a more placid maki when she interacts with toge and need more of that dynamic. they love each other !!

so yes, they have a really strong relationship with toge, i would venture to say one of the strongest for both characters. emotionally speaking, toge is also shown to be extremely mature.

he doesn’t show much in his body language, but he can read others very well. despite not being able to speak outside of safe words, he’s also good at settling the people around him. most importantly, he’s one of the few characters we’ve never seen lash out. despite being villainized by yuuta lol, smacked by nobara, on the end of gawking by kamo, pushed to near death, permanently disabled, and more, he’s confronted each situation with emotional maturity. the fact that he told yuuta that his arm being torn off wasn’t yuuji’s fault, speaks volumes about the character. yuuta too, when he was afraid, toge tried to comfort him but also backed away when he saw him being scared. silencing himself in itself speaks to his maturity.

as a babysitter, he’s also very well off ! with being the best cook of the second years, he also made sure panda was eating too by feeding him. when left alone with children, he was seamlessly connecting with them to the point where they understood him fluently. his first reactions are always to emotionally and physically protect the first years and yuuta. with his abilities, he also knows more than most the importance and correct way to control abilities. is this not your dream babysitter?

more than that, i truly believe that if anything ever happened to nobamaki, he’d love and raise them as his own with zero hesitation. he’d raise them the way they’d want to and never let them believe that any set of parents loved them even a little less.

with that being said, yuuta gets the default second spot as a godparent purely because toge was the automatic first choice. eventually, when nobamaki have a little girl named saori, they are her godparents too.

i know he holds those babies like he’d tear himself apart for them. it’s a learning curve with one arm at first. he’s scared his prosthetic will get in the way or hurt them. but for some reason the babies seem to adore his prosthetic arm too. tiny fingers wrapped around robotic joints, toge could swear he feels the warmth even through false flesh and phantom pain.

some of their first words end up being onigiri ingredients, it’s only because “mama” came first that nobamaki can see the humor in it. they have to consciously teach their kid that they are capable of saying yes instead of shake. what they don’t realize is that sometimes they talk in onigiri too.

yuuta sulks a bit that his spot is only be default, but he proves himself as a very good godfather and babysitter. he does not feed them cabbage, thank you very much. but they usually ask toge to cook instead, much to Yuuta’s’ devastation.

it’s probably through babysitting that the baby fever reared its head in both of them. watching yuuta hesitantly toss takai in the air after his insistence that mommy does it all the time, and freak out over his health frantically. toge letting masaki cling to his leg in public, always one tiny hand clutching the robotic fingers. yuuta showing masaki how to use a wooden sword in cool moves just likes mommy. toge acting like the damsel in distress for takai to play his games. watching yuuta get swatted by the wooden swords, allies enemies in an instance, toge watching with a tiny smile he doesn’t bother to hide.

they’re good with kids.

at night, it almost hurts to say goodbye. but their own little girl isn’t too far away.

i need more domestic fluff right now y’all, this in physically paining me you don’t understand. toge is so parent coded i will actually scream cry sob throw myself on the floor. inuokko would be such good guardians no matter what and i love them.

[cherry-valentine]

Spring 2024 Anime Season

Spring 2024 Anime

Note: I’ve decided to stop writing about new seasons of shows I’ve written about multiple times before.

Tadaima, Okaeri is this season’s soothing, feel-good show. It’s also this season’s “please have babies we are begging you!” show. It follows married couple Hiromu and Masaki and their daily lives raising their adorable children. Something to note is that while the couple here are both men, the series really isn’t about their relationship but rather about their roles as parents. The two of them face discrimination for being together, but not because they’re both men (same sex relationships seem to be common in this world). It’s because Hiromu is an alpha and Masaki is an omega. Alphas can get any type pregnant and omegas (regardless of sex) can become pregnant by anyone. Other than that, there doesn’t seem to be any difference between them and regular human beings. The show ends up being fairly realistic (especially if you sub in homophobia for the alpha/omega stuff). Overall it’s a mild, sweet series. The strength of the show lies in just how cute their young children are, the family drama surrounding the couple, and the endearing friendships they’ve built. The animation and art are fine for this type of show, with comforting pastel colors and gentle music. Recommended. 

Oblivion Battery is a baseball sports anime about a battery duo who dominated middle school baseball. They were so talented that all the top schools offered them scholarships. But instead of continuing their path to becoming pros, the catcher Kaname gets amnesia after an injury. This causes him to forget everything he knows about baseball, and his cold, calculating personality reverts to the silly goofball he would have been without the discipline of baseball. He decides to go to a no name school with no baseball team, but his pitcher/best friend Kiyomine follows him, and with the help of some former rivals, they decide to start a new team. The main draw of this series is the unique premise. The amnesia angle is interesting, and the relationship between the two boys in the battery is fun.  Kiyomine is the quiet, stoic type who balances out Kaname’s zany antics well. Kaname himself is saved from being too annoying by being voiced by Mamoru Miyano. The baseball seems reasonably realistic so far, and all the rules are conveniently explained to us via the characters explaining them to Kaname. The animation is nice but the character designs are almost aggressively unattractive. All the characters’ faces look too small for their heads. It’s a strange image, but I guess I’ve gotten used to it. I can’t resist a sports anime with a unique premise. 

 A Condition Called Love is a shoujo anime about a young girl named Hotaru and the boy who falls in love with her, Hananoi. While Hotaru is a fairly average girl, Hananoi is very good looking and popular with girls. The catch is that Hananoi comes on way too strong and has several well-meaning but toxic methods of showing his love. His feelings are very intense from the beginning, and the first episode might leave you scratching your head because he seems to fall madly in love with her out of nowhere. I will only say that this gets addressed later. But right away, it’s clear that Hananoi has several red flags. He’s possessive, gets jealous easily, is self destructive, and has no interest in maintaining any relationships besides the one he has with Hotaru. I appreciate that the series rightfully points out that this is concerning behavior and Hotaru refuses to have a relationship like that. She makes it clear that she will keep all her friendships and she earnestly tries to help Hananoi change. My main issue with the series is that it seems to be a bit wishy-washy with these themes, never taking them quite far enough to have a strong impact. And sometimes Hananoi will do something I think is pretty egregious and Hotaru just doesn’t seem to mind. While watching, I’m often reminded of the manga Love and Heart, which explores similar themes but goes much harder with them. Of course it has the luxury of a college aged cast instead of high school students, but I still feel like this show could have delved a little deeper. I do like the explanation for Hananoi’s behavior and outlook. It makes perfect sense and makes him a much more likable character to have that context. The art and animation are okay, but Hotaru tends to be drawn with exactly one facial expression and I wish she was more visually expressive. Hananoi has a very pleasing design, as do most of the supporting cast. Despite my mild complaints, the show is still very good and at least touches on topics that aren’t often explored in a realistic way in shoujo. 

Wind Breakers is one of my favorite new shows this season. It follows Sakura, a high school boy who excels at and enjoys fighting, starting as a new student at a high school known for its fighting delinquents. He goes there with the intention of fighting his way to the top and taking over, setting up our expectations about what sort of series this will be. Instead, he discovers that the delinquents are more like a team/found family and they’re basically heroes to the small town the school is located in. They patrol the streets, protect the townsfolk, repair damages, etc. Sakura, somewhat surprisingly, finds this all very cool, and is happy to join up. The school is led by the very charming, very cool, and very strong Umemiya, whom many people have compared to Jujutsu Kaisen’s Gojo (they look somewhat similar and even share a voice actor). He’s definitely a highlight of the show. The character designs are varied and interesting, and the animation is nice. The fight scenes look pretty great. The soundtrack is excellent. Highly recommended. 

Yatagarasu is a show I almost dropped after the first episode, but I’m really glad I kept watching because it hit its stride in episode two. This is a court intrigue series about a world where humans can transform into giant ravens. The youngest prince is next in line for the throne, surpassing his older brother due to being born with rare and powerful abilities. This splits the court between supporters of each brother, leading to assassination attempts, betrayals, and various other things. At the same time, a daughter from each of the four great houses is sent to participate in a competition to be chosen as the royal consort. This aspect of the story is the one I thought I would hate, as the idea of multiple women competing for one man just doesn’t appeal to me. But it soon becomes clear that romance has nothing to do with it. At least two of the women have zero interest in the prince himself, and thus far in the series the prince hasn’t even gone to see any of them even once. It’s all political maneuvering. There’s some violence here and there, but overall the story is more about politics than action. The prince himself is an interesting character, not falling easily into one of the usual tropes for a character in his position. The animation looks lovely and the character designs are fantastic. The music is also very good. Highly recommended if you like a good political drama with some supernatural elements. 

Kaiju no. 8 is probably the show I was most looking forward to. I’ve been following the manga since it began and I’m a big fan. It’s set in a world where kaiju attack often and Japan has the highest number of them. The country has created a defense force to fight them, and protagonist Kafka has always wanted to join. The problem is that he’s thirty, and he’s failed the application process several times already. Having pretty much given up on his dreams, he instead works on a kaiju cleanup crew (responsible for cleaning up all the kaiju guts that splatter everywhere following their defeat). After meeting a young coworker who intends to join the defense force, and surviving a run in with a kaiju himself, he decides to try one more time. A complication arrives when a tiny kaiju forces its way down his throat and gives him the ability to transform into a powerful kaiju himself. The best part of this series is Kafka. We so rarely get protagonists his age in this sort of story, and it’s refreshing to see him continue to pursue his dreams and act as a sort of father/uncle figure for the younger members of the cast, even as they outclass him in every way. I also like that some of the most powerful people, ones that Kafka see as his “goal” are women. There’s Mina, a captain in the defense force who is absurdly strong and can take out massive kaiju solo (and also happens to be Kafka’s childhood friend). And then there’s Kikoru, a new young recruit who outperforms every single other applicant and is viewed as a genius prodigy. The battles are a blast to watch, with cool kaiju designs and fun fight choreography. The animation is solid. The music is excellent. If you have even a passing interest in kaiju, this is the show for you. 

Other Shows I’m Watching:

My Hero Academia Black Butler Touken Ranbu Kimetsu no Yaiba 

[thewritetofreespeech]

Hello I noticed that you posted something about Tsurune I love that anime and I was wondering if you could write scenario where Masaki meets his brother's photographer friend who shows up to the boys tournaments and he starts developing a crush on them.

Masaki Takigawa + Brother's friend

Even after all this time, and all the tournaments, Masaki still got nervous at the start of each one.

It seemed to be worse now that he wasn’t participating. The hopes and dreams of the students he coached feeling heavier than his own. His teachings effecting their dreams, but having no tangible way to alter the outcome from the sidelines. He tried to keep it inside though.

“Oy! Masaki!”

He turned at the sound of his name from a familiar voice. Seeing Ren waving as he walked up. Another person in toe. “Nii-san, what are you doing here?”

“I was in town for some reference work on a new book, so I thought I’d come and see the tournament. You told me about it over the phone, remember?” He vaguely remembered that. “Oh! This is [Y/N]-chan. They’re a photography journalist major at the university. They’re interning with the publisher, so I had them tag along.”

“Nice to meet you.” [Y/N] said with a small bow. “I hope this isn’t too much of a surprise, or disturbance.”

“Not at all.” Masaki assured. “It’s a public event. So all are welcome.”

“Masaki-chan is the coach. But he’s also a great kyudo archer too. And a great guy.”

“Nii-san!” Masaki hissed at Ren’s compliment, while he and his guest laughed it off.

“Well, I’m sure it will be great to watch. I wanted to take some pictures. For my portfolio. We won’t get in the way.”

Masaki nodded and his brother & friend went off to the sidelines for the rest of the tournament.

He didn’t talk to them for nearly the rest of the day. He’d catch sight of [Y/N] now & then. Behind the lens. Hunched down to get a better angle. It was very familiar to him from being around Ren, but he still smiled a little at seeing their passion.

After the tournament was over, Masaki came over to talk to [Y/N] and his brother again. The two already scrolling through the photos. “Did you get any good ones?”

“A few.” [Y/N] replied. Handing him the camera to scroll through himself.

It was only a few pictures in and he could see they were very talented. Very being a still image, there was still a lot of movement to the photos. An energy. A liveliness. He flipped through a few more before he came across a photo of himself. Looking pensive as he waited for Minato to release his bow.

“Sorry. I guess I should have asked if you were ok with your picture taken. I can delete it if you want.”

Maskai blinked and released the breath he was holding. Like he had been in the picture. He handed the camera back and told them, “no. It’s ok. You can keep it if you want.”

[Y/N] smiled. “I can send you a copy? Of the whole roll I mean. That way you guys have some nice pictures of your events. They’re not professional, but it’s a start.”

“Not professional yet.” Ren chided with a wink before he nudged [Y/N] playfully.

“I would like that.” Masaki agreed. Gladly handing over his contact information to get the copies.

“I’ll send them to you later tonight. Once I go through the bad ones. Just text me to make sure you got them. Or…if you want to grab a coffee or something.”

The blunette looked a little stunned before [Y/N] jogged off. “They like you.” Ren cut in, knocking Masaki out of his stopper. “They said you were cute.”

Masaki turned bright pink and nudged his brother in the shoulder. “Nii-san!!” To which Ren laughed, but still didn’t try to stop him when he texted [Y/N] later.

[hyugaruma]

Re: Who's the strongest among the HiLO characters: Amamiya Takeru is definitely one of the strongest if not the strongest character within the franchise. Remember how Tatsuya told the Sannoh kids that even though Hiroto and Masaki are strong that Takeru is fighting on a whole other level. Meanwhile, Masaki and Kohaku are more or less a draw, while Hiroto and Cobra (and Yamato) are also a draw (though I do think that Hiroto is stronger than them). Hiroto and Ice are pretty much also a draw for that matter.

Going by The Live and the fight they had, Ryu is on equal footing with Genji (but only because Ryu uses a sword, while Genji is a terminator even without a weapon). Meanwhile it takes both Amamiya bros to beat Genji, while Kohaku and Genji are kinda a draw I guess (which is actually insane if you think about the fighting power).

Rocky is stronger than Ranmaru, but somehow weaker than Jesse, though that could've been because Jesse caught Rocky off guard. Jesse and Cobra are a draw in my books because their fight was interrupted.

Now Smokey... I do believe given the altercation between Daruma and Rude Boys (+Yamato's involvement in that fight), that Rude is holding back in their fighting. Like, the only reason things looks so bad for them in the Doubt fight was because Doubt used a dirty trick with the broken bottles. And while we don't have confirmation on who was the one handing the finishing blow that killed Smokey, we can say that it was not Nikaido with his sword because they were "only" bruises on Smokey's body. I mean, the only person with a name who would have all the reason to finish Smokey off to gain something from it is Kirinji. Not saying that it was him (because it was most likely a group effort), but we do know that the other Dragons consider the Iemura guys as people who do the dirty work and are not afraid to get their hands dirty.

Cobra, Murayama and Hyuga are more or less on equal footing, though I guess Murayama would be held back by his crush on Cobra, while Hyuga has gone a lil soft since he saw the light.

As for the new kids, Raoh is #1, than Sachio, Fujio is in third place, then Ryo, and Todoroki is very close behind (I would pay good money to see a fight with him and any of the other guys).

I guess Odajima is stronger than Jinkawa (he is quick on his feet which gives him a certain edge), but only because we haven't really seen a proper fight of Jinkawa.

Someone I can't place for the life of me is Amagai. He seems to know how to throw a punch, but Tsukasa is definitely stronger than him.

Also, while we're at it, Binzo is an absolute wildcard and someone I would compare with Hyuga and Murayama in terms of always getting back to his feet. I mean, Odajima did say that Binzo is apparently the second strongest after Raoh within Suzuran (while implying that he's probably as strong as Todoroki).

Before I forget it, the Ichigo Milk girls all agree that Naomi is a stronger fighter than any of them, which doesn't say much, but considering that she grew up with both Tatsuya and Kohaku, I will say that she is strong, especially since she was ready to throw hands with both Rocky and Doubt.

I will not comment on The Sengoku stage since it both contains spoilers, but also given that twist/reveal, it could very much change certain power rankings (if you wish to know, I can reveal the twist which while it doesn't spoil the stage, it does impact something else in relation to the modern day HiLO characters).

!! Definitely agree on the Amamiya bros, Ice, Kohaku, and Genji being up there. Those are the ones I would have put at the top of my list

It’s hard to say with Ryu because I feel like we’d need to see him fight without the sword

I’d also need to see Jesse fight more. One interrupted battle between him and Cobra isn’t really enough to tell, but, he was strong enough to become the top in the worst prison, sooo that has to account for something

I’m sure Amagai is strong but technically we never even got to see him in a one-on-one fight (rolling my eyes he’s such a little baby). We literally only see him beat people who have already been beaten down

Totally unrelated side note that has nothing to do with the strongest characters but I would love to see Hyuga, Murayama, and Binzo all hangout (or fight); they would have such a good dynamic

[ecargmura]

Tadaima, Okaeri Episode 7 Review - Proof Of Happiness

Hey, the title of the episode is the same title of the show! Title drop! Anyways, the start of the episode is Masaki being consoled by Hiromu after what had transpired the previous episode. To be honest, I found the moment heartwarming. Masaki has a tendency to beat himself up when things don’t go the way he expects. He wants to be proud of his marriage to Hiromu and to show that he’s happy and is deserving of happiness, but his inability to articulate that upsets him. Fortunately, Hiromu keeps proving that he is Masaki’s better half as he consoles him and tells him that he loves everything about him from his flaws and him as a person. Gosh. I am someone who has a jaded viewpoint when it comes to marriage, so to see someone like Hiromu show off how much of a great husband he is to Masaki makes me want to get married, but reality doesn’t work like that. Reality totally doesn’t work like how it does in Tadaima, Okaeri because it’s impossible to have kids as adorable as Hikari and Hinata waking you up with their angelic glory. I get Hiromu. If my kids were as cute as them, I’d be gushing every day.

Fortunately, Kazuhiko does apologize about his hurtful words to Masaki in the previous episode. Hiromu did set him straight. I feel like Kazuhiko’s actions weren’t out of romantic love for Masaki as some may imply, but more out of an overbearing overprotectiveness that came from being forced to watch over him growing up. He said it was like an imprint of sorts? Anyways, Kazuhiko isn’t bad in my eyes. He’s just human at the end of the day. Sure, he’s rude, but he wasn’t saying those words with bad intent. He was just overthinking that Masaki would be alone when he left the countryside and believed that his marriage with his alpha husband was an unhappy one due to his biased thoughts towards him. Fortunately, seeing Hikari’s protectiveness towards Masaki and seeing Masaki smile was reassurance that Masaki’s living a happy life and that he doesn’t need to step in.

The grave scene was gorgeous. The letter that Kazuhiko finally gave to him was voiced through his mother’s words. Honestly, Kazuhiko was right in that he didn’t need it anymore. The letter is about how she wished she could’ve done more for Masaki before he left home and how she wishes he’d find someone who loves him unconditionally and allows him to live unpretentiously and straightforward like his name. The reason Masaki doesn’t need that letter is because he is already living the life his mother wished for him. However, the letter shows that his mother did love Masaki despite being portrayed a bit negatively with how she was hesitant she was during Masaki’s flashbacks of him being pitied by the people around him. I think it was nice to see her true feelings poured out because she was a parent at the end of the day.

It was nice seeing the vow scene with the main couple. Episode 3 revealed that the two never had a wedding, so this is as close to one as they will get. It’s a little bittersweet in a way. The two are so happy, yet they never had a chance to celebrate their marriage as they had family issues.

I got two favorite scenes. My first favorite scene was when Masaki and Hikari returned with the letter. Masaki says “I’m home” (Tadaima) to Hiromu while Hiromu says “Welcome home.” (Okaeri) If you noticed throughout the previous episodes, Hiromu has always been the one to say “Tadaima” and Masaki would respond with “Okaeri”. It’s nice to see the roles reversed for once. My second favorite scene is the Matsuo and Yuuki foot flirting scene. It was super cute and a nice moment between them. I’m definitely like Hiromu when he asked “Did you two make any progress last night?” He’s the captain of this ship. I can also see Matsuo getting interested in Yuuki in that scene, especially when he denied Hiromu’s teasing.

Now let me get to the errand scene. First off, that errand scene with Hikari is actually a bonus chapter in the first volume. Second, LOOK HOW CUTE HIKARI LOOKS IN THAT FROGGY RAINCOAT! I was holding back when he was being all cute with the frog coin purse, but when he showed up with that raincoat, it was game over for me. I legit clutched my heart due to the cuteness. How can the author make Hikari even more adorable than before? It’s a talent to make kids that cute in a consistent manner with one scene upping the next one. Also, people might get worried about Hikari running off alone, but in Japan, getting kids to run errands is an actual thing so that it helps them grow independent. However, Hikari’s technically too young to start his first errand as the normal ages are from 5-7. The scene with Grandpa getting the letter was cute as he was gushing over Hikari’s note and then he read Hiromu’s note which was him taking a jab at Kouji. Man, Hiromu will always find a way to mic drop his dad and I love it.

The voice acting was so good in this episode. Atsumi Tanezaki just continues to amaze me with how she portrays Hikari. Now that he’s three, he speaks a lot more and he’s slowly losing that shyness he had from the early episodes. The way he was telling Kazuhiko (who’s technically his uncle) that he can’t have Masaki was so good. I also loved the little tantrum he threw when Hiromu told him that he can’t marry Masaki as he’s married to him was so adorable. The fact that he wanted to marry both Masaki and Hiromu while upset was so cute and hilarious. A fun little fact about Kazuhiko is that his voice actor did an amazing job during the drama CD recording to the point that the author’s editor wanted a side story about him. It’s crazy how good acting can amp up a piece of media. Tadaima, Okaeri is stacked with good voice actors and the watching experience is extremely good because of them.

Speaking of the drama CD, this marks the end of the second volume which got a drama CD adaptation. Volume 3 never got a drama CD, so I’m looking forward to future scenes and characters. Note that there’s an emphasis on the words “Radiant Days” after the couple made their vows. All the Tadaima Okaeri volumes are not numbered, but they have a little subtitle starting with the second volume. Volume 2 is called Kagayaku Hibi, which is translates to Shining Days, or Radiant Days. It’s a nice little touch. As a manga reader, I honestly can’t wait for next week because I feel like my favorite parts of the story will be adapted. I’ll explain more next week. What are your thoughts on this episode?

[angelwheat]

You did one for a tall S/O, and as a tiny person I'd love to see Primis + Ultimis with a really short S/O as well, like 5" 2 and below if you don't mind?

Call of Duty Zombies

1.0 & 2.0; Short S/O

we show love to all personal differences here ❤️ thank you for the request dearie. i apologise for the wait.

2.0 (Primis)

Tank Dempsey

Dempsey knows you can't help being short, but he can't help teasing you. Because you're much shorter than Dempsey, he tends to ruffle your hair a lot as you're at perfect height. Much to your dismay, though it's all in good fun. But you are at perfect height to be cuddled. When you hug him, you're head rests on his chest and he loves it. He often picks you up to kiss you, and he's deemed you the name "baby".

Edward Richtofen

He'll admit that he finds the drastic height difference rather funny, but it's also cute. Edward messes around sometimes by not leaning down when you're standing on your tip toes as you're trying to reach up and kiss him, but don't worry he never carries it out long enough to upset you. He can't help it! To him, your height is adorable.

Nikolai Belinski

So. Much. Teasing. But it's all in good fun. He quite often picks you up when you least expect it, which often has you squealing in surprise. Nikolai is the tallest of the 4, so there's no doubt that the height difference is drastic. He's fond of picking you up to kiss you and is willing to give you piggyback rides. He has many teasing nicknames for you, but has all the more reason to call you "little one."

Takeo Masaki

Forehead kisses! He finds the height difference adorable and can't help the little forehead kisses to show how much he treasures you. Takeo now doesn't feel so tiny compared to the others. He often hugs you from behind and rests his chin atop your head. It's just perfect. Though he secretly finds it adorable when you're reaching up on your tip toes to get something high and he can't help but smile. Don't worry, he'll help if need be!

1.0 Ultimis

Tank Dempsey

"She's short, whatever..... Okay, it's pretty damn cute." He plays it off like it isn't cute but the height difference makes him chuckle a lot, especially when you're standing next to him. He often likes to sling his arm over your shoulders when you're beside him. That way you can snuggle into his side. He can pick you up and hold you over his shoulder with ease, and he's startled you a few times by doing this. He'll carry you to the bedroom that way ;)

Edward Richtofen

He's devious and uses the height difference to his advantage... in a playful way. Sometimes, Richtofen will purposely put things of yours high up out of reach to tease you. He won't helplessly leave you struggling to retrieve things though. In truth, he finds your height endearing and often finds himself putting his arm over your shoulder whenever you're next to him. He uses a high-pitched voice to coo and call you adorable to annoy you.

Nikolai Belinski

He surprises you by hugging you nearly all the time. Nikolai adores it when you sit in his lap. You just fit so perfectly in his lap, and he's better able to cuddle you that way. He's like a giant teddy bear to you, and he finds it the sweetest thing when you fall asleep snuggled up to him. Has a habit of booping your nose when you're grumpy.

Takeo Masaki

He's short compared to the others, but to him, you're tiny. He won't openly admit it, but he finds your height extremely cute. Takeo softly ruffles your hair or pats your head gently when you're beside him. He doesn't feel so inferior to the others, but he'll stand up for you if you're being teased about your height. He chuckles to himself when he's sees how tiny you are compared to things in general.

[stuffedsand]

Wahey milgram oc time my silly guya

013 - Shiratori Masaki

My boy

- 20

- prisoner number 013 (I slapped them into base milgram cuz I don't wanna make a whole new cast)

- to quote my own character notes: cringefail specimen of a man.

-- fun name thing! His first name means "true, hope" hehe

UNDERCOVER

"Under, oh so aware of all that you say

This makes me sick, so please, go away"

Votes (fabricated lmao)

T1 - INNOCENT

T2 - GUILTY

Songs of Prisoners

+T1 – what…what are you talking about?

+T2 – no…you-you’re lying!

Voice trailer (t1)

Oh uh… Shiratori Masaki, that's my name. 20, uni student. Uhh what else … oh, sorry if I forget anything, i, ah, my memory has never been any good

If I'm being honest…I don't know what the hell you're talking about! No one around me has died recently. At least…not as far as I can recall…

*Takai? Takai! Wake up! This isn't funny..!*

Voice trailer (t2)

Hi, Es-kun, how have you been? Ah, Shiratori Masaki. You didn't forget our deal, right?

*Shut up! I don't want to listen to you and your stupid problems anymore!*

Personality

-- a timid yet stubborn man. It is very difficult to change his opinions on things. Polite, but very quick to turn defensive if blame is turned on him.

He can be a prick at times.

Extra notes

-- a man with really bad memory loss. During T1 interro, he makes a deal that he'll take MILGRAM seriously if Es can tell him who his victim is. And he has to believe it

-- not mentioned but his memory loss is a trauma response. Dead bodies are traumatic I don't think that's a contraversial take

-- the indirect murderer of the pair

Full body:

Please note -- his ugly fucking shoes were not an accident he has a horrible fashion sense

014 - Akabane Kazuko

The She

-23

-prisoner number 014

-based off one of my multifandom ocs (and my favourite of the 2)

--fun name thing! Her name means "gentle/kind/harmonious child". 子 is also(apparantly) male specific. I have fun reasons for that

UNDERCOVER

(pardon the artstyle change this was done on my tablet instead of my computer and was. Rushed💀)

Under, I don't care if I'm in the right or wrong

Songs of prisoners

Full of malice, we will waltz to our doom

Votes (edit)

T1 - guilty

T2 - (?)

+t1 – let's get on with it, shall we?

+T2 – ...you're not very good at this.

T1 – voice trailer

Hello. I am Akabane Kazuko. 24. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Warden.

I am interested in how all this will play out. But nothing will really change the impact of our actions. Remember that, Warden

* My final act… will take your breath away! *

T2 – voice trailer

Good day, Warden. Kazuko, you remember, yes? Seems your choices have caused quite the ruckus.

* You…You know what you've done! I'll make you pay for it!*

Personality

-- a calm and gentle woman. A showman at heart, she is elegant and loves performing magic tricks.

-- some are unsettled by her, but she does her best to be kind and friendly to those she speaks to

Extra notes:

-- Magician coded :)

-- because I can fabricate fan theories, es assumed they killed 2 people in trial one. They have only killed one.

-- the direct murderer of the pair

Full body: (outdated a lil, I changed her vibe. Design still stands)

Please note -- bowling alley socks

Interro qns (please give me some interro questions tho I'm very bad at thinking any up)

Also note: interros are formatted as

--

Question

Kazuko

Masaki

--

Cuz I wrote this when I labelled Kazuko as 001 and Masaki as 002. I'm changing it to reflect their new numbers but editing on Tumblr mobile sucks so I'm not changing the order </3

Q)Tell us your family structure

014 — mother, self, brother,

...it's just me now

013 — parents, me and my twin, Shiratori Takai.

Q)Is there people you hate?

014 — hypocrites.

Don't become one, warden

013 — people who always depend on you

Q)Which prisoner is the most similar to you?

014 – yuzuriha kotoko.

013 – hm...

Probably kayano. He looks like he doesn't know why he's here, too

Q)What was your murder weapon?

014 — what a bold question

It was a bottle.

013 — haha, I'll humour you for this one

Hmmmm...... My words, maybe? I've been told i have quite a sharp tongue

Q)What was your family like?

014 — kind, resilient. They were wonderful. I

loved them

013 — they're ok.

Which prisoner do you get along with the least?

014 — mr mukuhara. Nothing against him, he just reminds me of someone.

013 — …Kusunoki. No reason, but I do wish she'd stop trying to talk to me. It's annoying.

Q)How has your experience been within MILGRAM ?

014 — quite good, considering we're all in here for murder.

013 — uh… good? I still don't believe you saying we're all murderers.

Q)Do you have regrets?

014 — yes. I should have done something sooner

013 — no? I did argue with my brother recently, but it was nothing, really. I'll apologize and everything will be fine

Q)Is there a verdict you hope for?

014) all I hope for is your honest judgement. I want to see how you choose to judge

013) Well, since I don't think I've done anything… I'd hope to be forgiven, of course.

Who was your victim to you?

014) nothing.

013) eh? Warden, I don't know. We made a deal remember? You tell me!

What is your father like?

014) i dont consider him my father.

013) uh…he’s my dad. What more do you want me to say, really...

What do you think of the prisoner paired with you?

014) Shiratori? Not much opinion. I do wonder what he's done to be here, though.

013) Ms Kazuko..? Shes intimidating, if I'm being honest. Not scary, just...intimidating

[iamumbra195]

Random Snippet from my What if AU: Rukia was killed in the Soul Society after Aizen removed the Hogyoku from her?

This is kinda random and I’m trying to figure out what sort of Zanpakuto I want Karin to have. basically what happened is that after Rukia died, Ukitake gave Ichigo Rukia’s asauchi and Ichigo kept with him until Karin is worried because Ichigo’s acting weird and refuses to talk about Rukia whenever she’s brought into conversation and because Goat-face also told them not to nag Ichigo too much about it. So she goes snooping through his room, warning Kon not to tell and finds the asauchi and feeling an odd sense of connection to it. Ichigo shows up at that time and they both kinda just stare at each other and then Ichigo talks her to Urahara’s shop the next day to figure out exactly what was going on. Urahara explains the whole asauchi situation and then Ichigo, confused because he never got an asauchi and still had Zangetsu, begins questioning things a bit more. While Ichigo’s originalpowers were sealed because of the masaki and Isshin hollow situation, Karin’s weren’t as much and extended exposure to Ichigo’s reiatsu had made so that she could actually seperate her body and soul without the shattered shaft bullshit. After a bit of needling, Ichigo does let Karin  get involved and learn stuff like Kido from Kisuke and Tessai, hanging out with Ururu and Jinta while Ichigo trains with the Visored

anyways, her Zanpakuto is ice/snow based: Kangetsu which means wintry moon and I thought that was fitting because all the shinigami Kurosaki's seems to have zanpakuto with a moon name (Engetsu, Zangetsu) and the elemental part of it has to do with how both Isshin and Kaien Shiba (Engetsu: Fire, Nejibana: Water) had elements so I combined the two and got this: cold fire that freezes whatever it touches

Also, it’s rukia’s asuachi so i thought the ice them was fitting

Also as a tribute to the whole quincy aspect of her heritage, I want her zanpakuto to turn into an arrow type thing, idk something like that

I haven’t figure out everything about it and am open to ideas 

(I’m also playing with the idea of making Tatsuki and Yuzu fullbrings ‘cause I think it’s cool)

anyways, here’s the snippet

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

She couldn’t breathe.

The spirit stared down their nose at her, killing intent-- reiatsu as Hat’n’Clogs called-- bearing down on her like a mountain. Cold sweat soaked her back and palms, her hands shaking from where they clung onto Rukia’s old sword like a lifeline.

Yuzu was behind her, unconscious and bleeding, and Ichigo wasn’t here to protect them.

Everything hurt.

She was alone.

Her breath hitched.

She was alone.

She was going to die.

Something cold trickled up her spine, slipping into her veins and settling oddly in her chest. The person-spirit twitched, tilting its head and narrowing its eyes at her.

‘What do you desire?’

What?

Karin resisted the urge to check and see who had spoken, refusing to take her eyes off the spirit even for a moment. Distraction meant death. Distraction meant she couldn’t protect Yuzu like she promised Ichigo she would.

‘What do you desire, Kurosaki Karin?’

Her eyebrows knitted into a scowl at the persistent distraction, especially for such a stupid question.

She wanted to protect her family. She wanted to be able to step up when Ichigo couldn’t. She wanted to protect Yuzu and Dad and Ichigo and all her friends. She wanted to be strong enough to protect them all, to make a difference.

The cold sensation intensified and suddenly the world tilted on its axis and Karin found herself stumbling, landing on her backside on something cool and sleek. The alley she had been in moments before had vanished along with Yuzu and the person-spirit.

Which meant Yuzu was all alone.

Karin scrambled to her feet, looking around at her unfamiliar surroundings wildly. It was a cave of some sort, large and spacious, covered in snow and ice. There were lamps hanging in the air, lighting up with some sort of odd blue flame.

“Don’t panic,” the voice from earlier spoke, louder and clearer than before. Karin froze but cool hands settled on her shoulders and her fear dissipated, immediately replaced by an odd sensation of safety. “She’s still safe. Stretch out your senses. Don’t hinder yourself with mindless panic.”

It was true.

She could still feel Yuzu’s presence like she was right beside her.

Karin turned slowly and the hands slipped away. There was a boy that didn’t look much older than her with dark skin, pale blue-white eyes, and unnatural white hair that fell across his face in lazy curls that looked unfairly elegant. His yukata was the same color as his eyes with a black sash and the sleeves and hem were adorned with what looked to be black spider lilies.

The most unnatural thing about him despite his other oddities was the halo of blue flames that hung above his head and what looked to be the remains of a hollow masks on his jaw.

His eyes were oddly soft and kind despite them only just meeting.

“I’ve always been with you, Karin,” he said softly, his lips twitching into a small as if he could hear her thoughts. “I’ve known you your whole life. Every hardship, every loss, every goal. I’ve been there. I’ve waited a long time for you to come meet me.”

Karin paused, comprehension slowly dawning on her. “You’re… my Zanpakuto. But that’s not possible! Urahara-san said I had a long way to go before I can call you!”

He laughed and Karin made a face, disgruntled by the amusement on his face. “Bouts of self-reflection often occur in our most desperate moments. You called for my help when you had no one else to turn to, no one to protect you but yourself. So, answer me one last time, what do you desire?”

Determination swelled in her chest. “I want to protect Yuzu. I want to be there when Ichi-ni can’t. I want to be strong enough to protect them all and win!”

His smile widened, unbridled joy glittering in his pale eyes. “Then call my name and I’m yours to wield. You can hear it now, can’t you?”

For a moment, Karin felt her chest tighten because she couldn’t hear anything and then the softest whisper carried through the cool night air.

The moon was bright tonight as snow fell from the winter night sky.

Karin’s grip tightened around her sword and a small smile tugged at her lips.

“ Freeze the flames of Hell, Kangetsu!”

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed …

- W. E. Henley

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Someone help me with the release command, how does kubo come up with so many cool names and release commands like???

You guys don’t realize how fun it’s going to be when Karin and Hitsugaya meet because he a) looks waayyy too much like her zanpakuto spirit, b) karin drew her zanpakuto spirit all over her notebook and Yuzu now thinks she has a crush on him c) they both have weirdly close zanpakuto spirits, like Karin has had her asauchi for maybe two weeks at this point and the fact that she’s achieved her shikai already? terrifying

I love Karin so much, she had so much wasted potential

Manga Karin for the soul:

[paraliveimaginesblog]

For the kissing prompts, may I request number 48 for Hokusai?

Hokusai Masaki

48. One person has to bend down in order to kiss their partner, who is standing on their tip-toes to reach their partner’s.

Hokusai loved to admire you.

He knew how to do so without drawing attention, and it helped he was a naturally quiet person, allowing you to exist without even knowing he was present. You couldn’t count on your fingers the number of times Hokusai surprised you, turning around to see him watching you closely; you almost always ended up tossing something in the air or knocking something over in surprise, but he was ready for it, catching your item or cleaning up the mess made in apology. But he couldn’t let those moments go, the ones where you were authentically yourself because you thought no one was watching.

He thinks of how cute you are, so cute that it struck him down to his very soul. It made his heart ache in his chest when he looked at you, wanting to hold you in his arms and never let you go. Loving and being loved by you was easy, it was like waking up each morning, giving the comfort of walking a familiar path when you know sunshine and rainbows wait at the end. You left him feeling breathless just by being.

When he called your name you’re only half-surprised, having gotten quite used to Hokusai entering the room like a ghost, only announcing his presence if he needed to. You turned to him with a warmth in your eyes, excited to see him despite it only being hours since you’d last been together; you couldn’t help but miss him when he was gone, even if it made your reunion that much sweeter each time your hearts connected again.

He whispered your name again, fingers stroking your cheek, his hair tickling your forehead like the strands were made of feathers. You giggled, your chin tilted up to meet his lips in a gentle kiss, arms wrapping around his neck to hint that he should linger down here with you for just a little longer.

[fullmetalgirl98]

30 days Paradox Live challenge

DAY 7: character you can relate the most

💿 Hokusai Masaki (MC name: 風来 BOY)

I must say that finding an answer to this question was more difficult than I had imagined, I'm honestly surprised about it. I don't think there's a character in Paradox I can 100% relate to in every nuance…. For example, I think I also have something in common with Allen, Yohei, Shiki and Yuto (I reiterate…Yuto), but if I have to choose someone with whom I feel most akin in more than one thing, then that's Hokusai. You know, I'm not an outgoing person, I tend to spend most of the day in my head mulling over a lot of things. As they say, I have fun with what I have in there and I really only express a very small part of what I process in my brain... I change completely only in the presence of a very small number of people whom I fully trust and who do not judge me for who I am and what I like, and I take on a much more extroverted shade than I actually am with them only. I quote verbatim from the wiki: "Hokusai is a quiet yet compassionate individual. He cares for the people around him, often praising them or expressing concern for them when they are troubled. He also has a great fondness for animals, especially cats." Well, I think what I have most in common with Hokusai is precisely all this (we're both INFJ, after all lol). He's willing to support others in need, to lend a listening ear to those who simply need to talk without being judged (not for nothing I DO love HokuShion, see Day 4). Lately I've noticed that many people, even adults with whom I'm many, many years apart, often confide in me automatically, and this really warms my heart, I feel that I'm at least a little bit of help in this world to someone, in my immense worthlessness. Also, needless to say, I love cats. Madly. Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to keep any in my house, and that makes me very sad…but every time I see a cat, I necessarily have to satisfy my urge and pet it LOL. I consider myself a cat myself, in some ways, but shhhh

[lumohyperfixationhell]

Hi Im back again

Kenji and Masaki have a name now!!! Yayyyy

More reveal, Kenji is really not fond of master detectives. He thinks theyre selfish pricks and obviously assumed that Masaki was the same when they met. But over time he learned that Masaki isnt a selfish prick, hes just a boyfailure in communication (since he works alone)

The president of WDOs Poison Control Branch (aka the PCB) took Kenji in when he was transferred from a standard detective agency and shaped him into who he is today. There was another person that Kenji admired but.... shes another story. (Look at lore flashback for what I mean)

Also fun fact!! Kenjis visor was specially made by Amaterasu corp and Its a prototype to a product they wanna release in the future to replace glasses. YAY!! IM FINALLY CONNECTING STUFF TO SMTH IN CANON!!!

But yayyaayayayaayayayayaayayay ok bye

[meimi-haneoka]

Oh definitely. I was NOT expecting the confession by Kaito down on paper. "The moon is beautiful" is quite a roundabout way of saying things in any case BUT I was not expecting it to be sketched out like this. I dunno why but I expected something like Akiho and Kaito returning to Tomoeda and in some conversation, Akiho implying that they had gotten together or her just telling Sakura that she had told him her real name or something like that. Definitely NOT a full blown confession. You know what this is? This is called growth. 😂 I am glad that Kaito can actually put his feelings across without beating about the bush. Speaking of growth, LMAO at Syaoran and Kaito's communication. What even??? 😂 These two. My first reaction to this was "why are men like this?" Especially awkward men. There were people who kept complaining about how Syaoran had become a perfect and boring Prince charming boyfriend character. Lol. This. This is our awkward boy. Communicating with another equally awkward guy (you bet the latter probably never had a friend to communicate/chat with before Syaoran). Our two moonie idiots. Also, I think Kaito feels embarrassed and shy regarding communicating with Sakura. I mean, he treated Sakura as this naive and inexperienced girl who has tremendous power and thought he could manipulate her and things around her for his own goals. Unlike Syaoran who is well known around magical circles and thus was someone Kaito thought he could outright toy with or openly bully for his own amusement because of the power gap, while he didn’t wish to hurt Sakura, it was clear that he actually didn't think much of her initially either and only wished to put Akiho under her (and her associates' protection) because she was that powerful and he was dying. It was only when Sakura offered an extremely simple solution (that is to mindwipe the Squid Clan) to an overtly complicated scenario of his own creation, while offering her protection and affection at no cost or conditions did I think Kaito actually started respecting her. The look on his face when she offers to mindwipe the clan and the association, he was so shocked. Like that was the moment I think for the first time, he looks at Sakura as Sakura, a tremendously kind and forgiving person instead of some powerful MacGuffin. He had experienced kindness and affection before, in form of Lilie or Momo or even Akiho, but I think what he experienced here was wisdom. I think Sakura might legit be the first person he actually admires. Not admires as in what he feels for Akiho, but as in someone he looks upto. Given that he has been tremendously powerful since he was a toddler and never had a person who could fill that role, I genuinely feel that his embarrassment and shyness is more akin to that an overconfident kid who made a mistake and is now too embarrassed to speak to the cool sempai in charge who solved their mistake easily. You can see the difference between his interactions with Akiho and Syaoran or even Eriol possibly with whom he is a lot more comfortable communicating with in his own style as opposed to Sakura. I think while he has gotten the growth that he needs to be more communicative with the former, he still needs space to have the growth before he can start communicating with the latter, something he probably quietly acknowledges by not writing to her (as yet) despite Sakura welcoming him with open arms Also, talking about growth, guess who hasn't grown regarding their hostility towards their BIL. Touya, if you are not dealing well with their dates even though they are in 9th grade, you are going to be in for a serious of rapid meltdowns after this. Because if things are going the way they are right now, things are going to rapidly progress and escalate between SS soon over the next couple of years if, as we both agree, SS are to marry legit right out of high school. I would like to feel bad for him but I suppose this is genetic. Truly Masaki's great grandson as Fujitaka pointed out.

Hahaha Aubretia! I'm laughing so hard at the final sarcastic remark 😂😂😂😂 Yeaaah here everyone is working hard towards their mental growth, about about we do the same, uh Touya?? 😂 of course his boyfriend cannot help but still tease him about that 😂😂 now he can do that with his "brother" in the open too! 😂😂 Ah dear.......

Switching to the Kaito topic.....ohohohh 😆 Using "the moon is beautiful" phrase can sound like a roundabout way for us abroad, but I can assure you that in Japan there is probably going to be no one who won't understand IMMEDIATELY what he means, because that phrase is THAT popular (used and overused in all kinds of media, I still feel SO STUPID for not having encountered it till Clear Card). Moreover, the fact he chose precisely the way she had chosen back in ch. 48 is an evidence of him completely returning her feelings, and also some kind of "now I understand what you meant" message passed along with the declaration.

The fact he's saying it in full daylight is even more in the face about his intentions. He probably still doesn't have the courage (or doesn't feel it's appropriate yet) to make a full blown declaration with the word suki (all the work of mother-in-law Lilie was aimed at that!!), but feels like he can use this concealed way to get the message across without forcing his hand too much. Akiho used this way when she didn't feel confident enough yet, and he feels like he's allowed the same. Maybe, who knows? He will never say it straight up with those words. I dunno, but they pushed so much over the fact that he's quite strange so he's probably going to find peculiar and creative ways to tell her every day that he loves her without using strong words, since he is an introvert to begin with and he doesn't even go about things like everybody else.

I absolutely agree with the fact that he admires Sakura immensely and this is the reason why he doesn't feel worthy of writing letters to her yet. Although I disagree over the fact that he started only in the finale. I know that Kaito can come off as arrogant sometimes (especially if all you've read is the English translation), but the words he uses towards Sakura are always kind. I always felt ever since he was introduced a peculiar reverence towards Sakura. He wanted to call her with -sama at the very beginning. He constantly praised her magical skills and watched with kind eyes Sakura's growth (even if that meant that he was backed against the wall). Not only Sakura, but Syaoran's too. Throughout the story he showed clearly how he appreciated that Sakura was kind to Akiho, especially in chapter 55 he had this monologue where he recounted how Akiho was happy to have met Sakura and the others, and he seemed genuinely happy about that. At the same time, he looks so sad while he says that, because he knows he'll have to let go of Akiho when the time to activate the magic would come. And in that activation, he took care of disrupting Sakura's life the minimum possible. He didn't remove memories or facts that weren't strictly related to his arrival in Tomoeda or Akiho's status as not-her-sister. Since now we know how much Kaito loved Akiho throughout the story, I don't think he would've ever chosen Sakura to be by his precious Akiho's side if he didn't respect her and didn't see her good heart. I don't think he would've chosen her only for her amount of powers, because he knew all too well that magic power alone can't make somebody's happiness. He knew what Akiho needed. Or so he thought. 😉

With everything that Sakura has done for them now, all the effort she didn't spare for them without asking anything in return (something he wasn't used to, that's why he made that shocked expression when she offered to solve things in her own way, using a huge amount of power), I think that admiration reached impossible levels 😂 And now he's paying her back by teaching her boyfriend a dangerous magic

[spainkitty]

OC Names Meaning

Rules: google and post the meaning of your OC'S name (if you made their name up or they go by a nickname, post an explanation of how it came to you)! bonus if you can find something for their last name too.

I love it when you tag me 🥰 @sillyliterature thank you!

DRAGON AGE OCs:

Lanil (Surana) Lavellan: My girl. My Bae. My scrumpdiddlyumptious. Her name has zero meaning. Literally played around with letters and vowels until something cool happened. However, she has nicknames! 'Lane' is just short for Lanil, easypeasy. Varric calls her 'Shortie', which annoys the shit out of her. She knows she's short, she's FINE with it (she's not fine with it), but the GALL of this dwarf to call her short!! 🤣 Her nickname from the Chargers in my FIIF AU is 'Brusier', because she's a teenytiny ball of RAGE. Krem made a joke about her being a 'bruiser', and the nickname stuck.

Aleandria Cousland-Theirin: Okay, so this has a story. My irl name is Alexandria Denys, and I currently live in China. Their automated systems, like banks and hospitals, etc, HATE long foreign names. It's a pain in the butt to do anything officially. I went to a local public hospital once and I don't know if it was the computer or the person using the keyboard, but SOMETHING lost its gotdang mind and input my name, and printed my official papers, as "Aleandriad" and I lost it laughing. My first thought was: "This would be a great D&D name!" Eventually, I started playing DAO and my first character was a Cousland. I thought Aleandriad Cousland was a bit much, so I dropped the 'd' and there we go. So, in a roundabout way, her name means "Defender of Mankind". Her nickname is 'Andry' (because Alistair's nickname is Ali, lol).

MY ORIGINAL NOVEL OCs:

Hamasa: Hamasa is a fire dragon who can shapeshift. His current form is, of course, a human looking young man (for reasons!). He has many names depending on who is talking about him. The Imperial Court calls him: 'Kana'iro' which comes from the words "aka + kin'iro" or "the red golden". His adoptive-sister calls him 'Masaki', and his new bestie, Marya, calls him 'Hamito'. Sometimes, he's also called 'Masa'.

Marya Garsia: Marya is this world's version of "Maria", basically. A simple classic name for a farmer's daughter and for our 2nd MC. Her nickname is usually 'Marrita', though if Hamasa ever felt comfortable enough, he'd call her 'Mariki'.🥺

Emerens Valerius: Valerius is the third/final MC (the main cast is larger, but these 3 get POVs in the two novels thus far). Marya calls him 'Wally', because she's irreverent and knows it'll annoy him. (He goes by Valerius, which is pronounced "Wah-lair-ree-us".) When he was young, he was called 'Emmeki', but very few even know his first name now. In his squad of knights, he was called 'Kaecus', which was a shitty, rude, and ableist nickname meaning "Blind One", because he has very obvious faceblindness.

@anyone who read this and wants to do it, too! Please tag me so I can see yours! 🥰💖