#i am so T_T grateful and happy!

[vehemourn]

⋆˙⟡!!!!! FINALLY :D !!!!! ✧˖°.

[mtkay13]

Qi Ye ensemble cast poster, second edition

Yet another one of those LOL Qi Ye just has that power over me. You know the drill; more info below!

I'll go straight to the point: my main reason to draw this was because I wanted to draw the most somber, dark-looking Helian Qi possible with some dark cross-hatching effect. And because I don't want to draw a Helian Qi solo image because who the HELL does that, I had to turn it into an ensemble cast thing again. I just REALLY like to do that for Qi Ye, for some reasons!!! For a general note, first: shading was a PAIN but making a nice composition and thinking about how to make a hierarchy that both works in terms of storytelling and visual composition was fun. I also liked finding out the "color scheme" to use and I do like lineart. So, now, little notes about each character, and the obligatory name poster just so I'm sure we all know whom I'm talking about:

Jing Beiyuan: I've mentioned it before but drawing Beiyuan is like. The easiest for me, I think, out of ALL Qi Ye/TYK characters combined. He happens to have my general goto "pretty face" (which conveniently has peach blossom eyes). I'm happy with how he turned out here! And got to put the sable around his neck which makes for a nice additional touch. Helian Yi: He's easy to draw as well and I'm glad with how the guan turned out. He initally looked sideways, but I liked it better having him wistfully stare into the distance. Helian Zhao: has the exact same face as in the other, coloured poster, and that cracks me up bc that wasn't even intentional. Helian Pei: GDI I find him so hilarious. He looks so done and out of it. Shout out to all his bird as well, which, I find, really complete the look. Helian Qi: I can't possibly say that I love him as an antagonist because there's nothing to love about this literal trash, but I'm still grateful that we got some of the most rancid stuff going on in Qi Ye just because of him and I'm always here for that. He deserves the villain visual treatment, at least. He was VERY fun to draw and I tried to push that nasty grin and shading as much as possible. He turned out exactly how I wanted him to! (the shading on his face and the balance of light and shadow was a bit of a challenge, actually)

Wuxi: Again, a rather easy one, always pleasant to draw! I loved working on his hair (but complained a lot while doing so)--which I think turned out nicely. Bai Wuchang: Finally! Finally I draw him!! He had to be there, since he's like. The base of the whole Qi Ye plot. Lining him was....... a pain, but at least it looks nice.

Su Qingluan: nothing much to say--I think it's always important to have her there in Qi Ye stuff, and I put her next to Helian Zhao because of how he tried using her--but it did make me feel bad for her when I realised that. Song Ping'an: The real star of the show, lowkey, but always alert and present. Feng Xiaoshu: FINALLY. PRINCESS JING'AN. I'm sorry I took so long to draw her. I want to work on a proper design, I swear. To make up for having completely forgotten to include her in the other spread. I'm so sorry. I like how her face turned out! Liang Jiuxiao: I never, ever, EVER get enough of drawing him. Have I mentioned how much I like him? How much of a great surprise he was reading Qi Ye? How many times I've wanted to high five because finally someone is as confused as I am? I love drawing this very specific smile on him, SO satisfying. Also Bichen said he was "THE Qi Ye antagonist" and I live for that LOL Zhou Zishu: do I really need to say anything atp Jiang Xue: I'm so sorry I put Xiao Xue next to ZZS. The cruelty. But she came out really cute didn't she T_T Anyway that's it. I'm still obsessed with Qi Ye and given my current (totally secret) retranslation project I'm nowhere near done going crazy about this book.

[shanastoryteller]

God I love you, I am so grateful that you were born, so glad that you got to write and so thankful that you decided to share your writings, you are amazing, I hope you are well and wish you health, happiness and everything good in the world thank you so much for existing ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

T_T T_T thank you!!

[redge]

【OSHI NO KO】 Season 2 Episode 19

If I seem very biased with my reactions, please note that she is my favourite OnK character. 😊

This expression looked so sad like she just resigned and enjoyed looking from the sidelines as the actors acted their part. Another post, another please grant happiness to this character, I beg you Akasaka-sensei 🥲

"My gosh Uchiyama Koki as the voice actor of Himekawa Taiki is just really making me hope Taiki gets more more screentime" was my reaction when I first watched this scene. Some of my adored anime characters are voiced by Uchiyama Koki :D

The same script, and the same characters, but with added flavour is what this season does every time. ♥

My real-time reactions when I first watched this scene: "I can't believe the most skinship we get from Aqua and Kana is through a play hahaha"

"Why is this so elaborate compared to the manga I am screaminggggggg"

🤣🤣🤣 Also can you see Himekawa's smile in the anime like why the smirk Taiki?! In my head, Taiki and Aqua planned this together hahahaha

Last June 18, Mengo-sensei posted this on Twitter (X) along with that panel and it sure came as a shock to me because it just came out of nowhere! Season 2 was not even airing at that time yet and this was chapter 62 and the latest chapter when she posted it was chapter 152 (beginning of the last arc of the story). I guess we'll never know what these mangakas are cooking until the feast is done. 😅

No manga comparison because these frames were anime-original. Like I was just expecting this chapter to be animated as it is but anime production went above and beyond I am truly grateful. ♥

In Aqua's She shines brightest when her face screams "Look at me!” thoughts, I was wondering why the catch ball scene didn't make it there and when I watched this episode, "Oh. that's why ♥" I don't know why this episode paid homage to all these scenes in the first season but whatever the reason, I truly enjoyed watching every bit of it. 🥰

This episode is a mixture of 😍😍😍 and 😭😭😭. Oh, Kana Arima. My heart breaks for your child self. 💔

Oh, he sure does. 😂 Not to mention he's also always confusing Kana like what is she to you, really?! Will we ever hear you say it from your own mouth?! 🤣

Akane's heartbeat 😍 I'm afraid I can't compete with Akane as a fan of Kana. Like if Kana has a membership fan club, Akane's member number is probably 000001 and I'd love her for that 🥰

This panel getting animated showing how the director really knows and understands Aqua🥹😭 This episode is really crazy because it made me happy with that Touki-Tsurugi adlib then sad about Kana's childhood then happy about all those frames of Aqua and Kana, delighted with Akane's reaction when Kana finally acted the way she used to and now I feel sorry for Aqua like this episode needs to make up its mind what do you really want from me?! 🥲

The voice acting, the animation, and all those flashbacks with Ai oh this episode ended with a bang.

I just saw posts and Tokyo Blade indeed ends in episode 20. But am I ready to see Aqua's dream? T_T

[igbylicious]

YOUR MIND 👨‍🍳💋👌 I love this update a lot!! The way it kinda has been leading up to this and we all knew it was gonna be wooyoung who pushes first djjaak I love you boo but it tracks XD the readers pov was so well written it just feels like you were expressing some of my own thoughts and feelings that made me go like YES THAT'S THE THING WITH WORDS!! the very unique frustrations of being aro around a world so persistent on prioritising romantic relationships first and foremost ugh you did SO WELL I'm honestly so so proud ahhh I'd print out this chapter and plaster it all over my walls if I could 🖤 also have I mentioned how grateful I am for your san he's SO PRECIOUS!! The way he handles conflict is so soothing bless him. He is truly just the best boy *gives all the head pats to him*. I hope you're feeling better in general and about this chapter, too, because you truly did wonderfully with it. I know it also hits close to home for you and honestly it shouldn't matter if your representation of an aro character isn't relatable to every aro person because it will be to someone and they should feel seen too! So I hope you stop worrying about that even if it feels silly to tell you to stop worrying because that's definitely not how it works, but sometimes hearing it from someone else helps 🖤🖤 thank you for another great chapter and all your hard work!!

lol ofc it had be Wooyoung! he never meant any harm but he just got carried away in the moment ♡ asdjkasdjk San deserves ALL the head pats after that! he was STRESSED!!! like what’s he supposed to do if Woo and reader had a falling out?? ;;

gOD i feel you on the prioritisation! T_T to get personal for just a minute, i already knew abt aromanticism for a while before, youknow, it clicked for me; and i had that ‘click’ moment when i realised that no, i don’t want to be in a romantic relationship, i’m just scared of being left behind alone as i grow older, and my friends’ attention shifts to other things.

a romantic relationship often felt like the only way to guarantee that i’d stay important in the life of at least one person that i also care abt, bc it is treated as such a normal thing that friendships fade when ppl get into romantic relationships, move in together, get kids, that whole deal — all things that i don’t want ^^;; (i do feel more secure with some of the friends i have now, but obv whichever way is a huge wish-fulfillment thing heh!)

asdkjadskj ok now i got all that out; i am so happy the story is connecting with you! even if it is for reasons i wish we didn’t have to deal with lol!!! and it does help to hear ♡ an external reminder is good every now and then, and i needed one (≧◡≦) ♡

like there is such wide spectrum of experiences, needs and wants within the aromantic community, and i really shouldn’t even be trying to encapsulate all of that in one story, one character. some aros are good with being in romantic relationships, others don’t want to be in a QPR; i literally can’t represent us all here lol ^^;;

really, thankyou for the reminder ( ´ ▿ ` )♡

[fiskki]

hi omg this might be random but ive been remembering the edm fandom days and scrolling through random blogs and all of a sudden i remembered skrillbug and i found ur blog and its been so long since i heard about you and lowkey forgot for a bit your art and when i saw it all over again... omg i genuinely forgot how such a great artist u are and were back in the day, it brought back so many memories and how much u inspired me back when i was just a simple teen... i didnt interact much w the fandom i was more of a lurker back then but i just wanted to let u know that u really inspired me and how much u grew as an artist and person too, keep rocking kiki and never stop creating, much love 💖💖

hi!! i hope it's ok im answering this publicly (because it makes me very happy);

thank u so much T_T!!! it really made my day to see this because i have very mixed feelings about my artistic past as skrillbug - i was never really sure of how 'genuine' i was or perceived as, because it was my first tackle with becoming "known" and the attention terrified me so much that i straight up escaped and disappeared

ive been having a little bit of a mental health crisis because of it, because for a while it made me feel almost abandoned? because when i decided to stop publicly working with musicians suddenly things started to fall apart, but now i've found my identity outside the scene as well, and later reconnected with people from my past again

my english deteriorated a little bit so i hope i'm coherent, and sorry about the emotional dump! your message just made me very happy as it came in really nice timing to my realization and acceptance of the ripple effect my time in the EDM community had on me, and how grateful i am now in hindsight to everyone i met and keep meeting still 💖 even on the low key

thank you again!! i feel a little tight in my throat writing this hehe, i hope you have a great week 🥹

[sickficideas]

some hcs i’ve been thinking of recently …!

- dazai gets short of breath easily and coughs often due to his attempts at drowning leaving some water in his lungs

- ranpo gets stress induced low grade fevers when he feels that he messed up

- when fukuzawa first took in ranpo, ranpo got sick regularly bc his immune system got rather weak after living on streets

- firm believer that ranpo gets motion sick and that’s part of why he doesn’t care to learn how to take the train- he’s less likely to get asked to run errands since he needs to someone to with him. but eventually he’ll have to take the train and although he manages to figure it out, one of the members has to pick him up bc he feels so weak after emptying his stomach on the train

- kenji won’t eat for prolonged periods of time in case his ability is needed but this results in him getting dizzy and fainting when he gets up quickly

- yosano gets migraines when cleaning the infirmary because the chemicals irritate her

- sometimes when dazai falls asleep at his desk he’ll have nightmares and is so stressed out when he wakes up that he throws up

also ty for your blog T_T i love it so much we need more bsd sickfic people !!!!! love your content lots 🫡

when i read your fics i always feel inspired to start one myself lolol also sorry this is kinda long

ANON NEVER APOLOGIZE this is such a fantastic list and it's beautifully long i couldn't be more grateful for finding this in my inbox...AND THANK U SO MUCH i am so happy to create content for you guys and YOURE INSPIRING ME WITH THIS BEAUTIFUL LIST!! anon please write a fic you have great ideas!!! Send it to me if you do!!! until then u should totally send over some port mafia headcanons to match this list teehee😏

- the dazai ones are so...💔 the nightmares were things that he was able to easily brush off at first and he could chalk down the throwing up to just being hungover, but they get worse over time the more time he's away from the mafia, it gets so much harder for him to brush it off and he goes quiet for a while to process it. kunikida will take him over to the couch and encourage him to rest or distract himself and offers to stay with him, even if he's just doing his work real close by 💔 and you're so right i like the short of breath bit a lot, he will Die taking the stairs at the agency. begs atsushi to carry him whenever the elevator is out of service

- RANPOOOO....I never considered motion sick ranpo before but it's perfect 😭 that first time he went with atsushi he was probably like wait okay he doesn't know how to use the train but he gets motion sick too??😭😭 and the bit about him with a weak immune system i can totally imagine he and yosano as teenagers and she's taking care of him and teaching him ways to boost his immune system and take better care of himself💔 and she's always the first to notice those fevers while they're working and tries to coerce him into her office to chill out for a while 💔 she cares him so much

- i love yosano getting migraines she's so migraine sufferer coded...i love atsushi getting nauseous from the antiseptic bc of his very sensitive senses too and this is also fantastic...if he's ever helping her out and it gets too much for either of them she's like okay let's go run some errands and get some fresh air

- KENJI LITTLE BABY 😭😭😭 they all look after kenji very well i love that anthology where he overworks himself and at the end it says they all look after him better...he always thinks he's gotten used to not eating but if he gets excited and stands up too fast from his desk he'll pass out and scare everybody 😭😭😭😭

[heiratemich333]

ok my last post for tonight coz im wasted but. im so happy

spring is here, summer is coming…. I’ll get my drivers license soon. I got an internship at a mortuary/chapel ….. i have amazing friends on tumblr hehe 😸.. im just so happy and grateful i feel so lucky…. I’ve bewn thinking of volunteering somewhere during summer…. i wish everyone could be as lucky as i am T_T i love u im so serious

[putschki1969]

“Sono Saki e” Random Thoughts (Review?)

Please be sure to ❗SUPPORT Wakana❗ in any way you can! Especially if you decided not to order any physical copies. You can purchase and stream Wakana’s 3rd original studio album “Sono Saki e” on various sites (mora, iTunes etc) and streaming platforms (Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, etc). • ————— ¤ ♫ ¤ ————— • BUY the album on mora (TUTORIAL here) BUY it in your local iTunes store • ————— ¤ ♫ ¤ ————— •  

Phew, this post is long-overdue. I’ve actually had this “review” sitting around in my drafts since May 30 but I wanted to wait till my physical copies arrived (unfortunately, my package took forever T_T). We have had multiple opportunities to listen to the tracks (or at least snippets of them) and of course I also listened to the digital album as soon as it became available. I’ll be honest with you, my initial reaction to the snippets and later the full tracks was rather lukewarm but in the past couple of weeks, most of the album has grown on me. So far my TOP 5 in order of their track listing are “Rapa Nui”, “標 (Shirushi)”, “希望(Kibou)”,“明日を夢見て歌う(Asu wo Yume Mite Utau)” and “Flag”.  Here are some random thoughts on the album as a whole and the individual songs ┗(•ˇ_ˇ•)→

Vocals: I’m not gonna write an analysis on Wakana’s vocals since I obviously lack the technical knowledge for that sort of stuff but I would still like to vent a little. In recent times, Wakana has talked a lot about how she is constantly refining her skills, working with a vocal coach and discovering new ways to use her voice, however, I fail to hear any real results of those efforts. I have to wonder if her vocal coach (or Takebe in his role as producer) are even giving any sort of effective advice because it certainly doesn’t seem like they do. The Japanese mindset probably keeps them from providing proper constructive criticism. This has always been an issue in the Japanese music industry but I am noticing it more now that Wakana, Keiko and Hikaru can no longer compensate for each other’s weaknesses. I don’t mean to bash or anything, you know I would never do that. I can still appreciate their solo vocals and for the most part I definitely enjoy Wakana’s vocals in this album but sometimes I get frustrated when it’s clear that the girls are not reaching their full potential or are using styles that are absolutely unflattering. I mean, who is telling Wakana (and Keiko for that matter) it’s a good idea to over-affect her voice or to sing in a register that is simply too high? Pretty sure this stuff is up to her so I guess it is a conscious choice and no one is guiding her in a better direction. I know for a fact that Wakana is capable of using a fuller, steadier voice but for some reason she often falls back on singing styles that don’t do anything for her and make her sound quite generic or borderline amateurish. It’s a shame...Rant over.

Visuals: The botanical and watery backgrounds/colours fit Wakana’s image perfectly. I wouldn’t say it’s a good match for the theme of the album but I don’t really mind. These are probably not my favourite looks for her but there are still some super lovely shots included in the photobook and lyric booklets. I originally thought all those light spots were a filter but they really used strings of light for the shoot. Not sure yet if I am a fan of the finished look.Something about it doesn’t really work for me.

Bonus material: No idea why they decided to add a DVD instead of a Blu-ray but I am just grateful we got footage from the Christmas live. It’s a solid concert with many good performances so I am happy there’s official footage. Too bad they cut the Christmas songs though, I remember enjoying them a lot. The audio tracks are a nice addition but I think instrumental versions of the album tracks would have been a nicer bonus. The exclusive fan club track is nothing to write home about, wish they had included footage from the after-talk instead or maybe the Christmas tracks.

Editions: As always, I appreciate that we get different booklets for every single edition. Makes it so much more fun and worthwhile to collect different editions. Overall I would day that all versions were reasonably priced for the content we got. And I am glad they once again decided to go for an LP-sized package with a big photobook. They look so good on my Kalafina showcase/shrine. Small nitpick: The quality of the large photobook isn’t what it used to be, it’s much thinner paper now T_T Makes it easier to scan though so I guess it’s not that bad.

Promotion: As far as the promotional campaign is concerned, I would say it’s sufficiently wide-spread on the media front but it feels a little lackluster in terms of in-store presence. Many Japanese fans have complained that the store promo for Wakana’s “Sono Saki e” wasn’t up to par with all the displays that were prepared for Keiko’s “Cutlery”. Thankfully we got the release events which added a bit of hype. Altogether, her performance in the Oricon Charts wasn’t too shabby either (#28) so the marketing team must have done something right. On a side note, I still very much appreciate the relatively high production value of Wakana’s solo works (especially compared to Hikaru’s and Keiko’s stuff). It’s clear that a lot of money is still invested in Wakana so YAY for that.

Overall thoughts: "Sono Saki e” has been a long time in the making so despite my best efforts, certain expectations have been building up. I know of course that getting my hopes up too high is a stupid thing to do because it will inevitably set me up for disappointment but I am only human and after three years of waiting, I was in a serious Wakana drought. However, now that the album is finally here, I feel a surprising sense of indifference (?) towards it. My reaction to Keiko’s latest album should have been indication enough but I think it’s becoming more and more obvious that I am suffering from a serious case of Kalafina-solo fatigue. It seems like I am steadily falling out of love with their solo music which makes me incredibly sad but I guess it was bound to happen at some point. I am not even saying that I dislike the album but there is just a lack of sparks I guess? Objectively speaking, I would say that Wakana’s 3rd album is quite good, I thoroughly enjoy around 60% of it and I’ve been listening to a lot of the songs on repeat. But I am just not as invested as I would like to be. On a side note, is it just me or does the album feel a little too rushed (despite its long production period)? I would have wanted the album to reflect the three years worth of thought and effort that were supposedly put into it but that’s honestly not the vibe I am getting here. I mean, they decided to include an instrumental of one of the tracks AND a literal copy-paste version of a previous album track, that just screams last minute decision to me. I guess it’s because the actual production didn’t start until much later so ultimately, there was a lot of rushing involved but still, it’s a shame.

●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～ ●～●～●～●～

M1. Butterfly Dream: I feel like everything has already been said about this. It’s fun with the visuals of the PV but without those, the song loses a lot of its charm for me. Even though it’s the leading track of the album, I find it a bit underwhelming, maybe because the melody isn’t really resonating with me? Also, not a huge fan of how Wakana seems to over-affect (if that’s the right word?) her voice during quite a few parts of the song (especially during the chorus) to sound cute/innocent. She sometimes does this for certain types of anisong covers but it’s honestly not the most flattering singing style in my opinion. I guess the outward “cuteness” of the vocals appeals to a wider audience so it’s not a bad thing per se. I mean, there must be a reason why they picked this as promo track for the album (Rating: 2.5/5) M2. Rapa Nui: Definitely the most exciting and refreshing track on the album. The Celtic(?) sound matches Wakana’s voice perfectly. Kinda sounds like something you would hear at a medieval festival. Reminds me a bit of Kalafina’s “Moonfesta” or Hikaru’s “Fili”. Based on the title, I would have expected the song to sound totally different but I am honestly not mad about how it turned out. It’s great that they used the Rapa Nui language for some lines, spices up the whole thing. I initially believed that the song could have benefited from a stronger chorus but by now I’m literally obsessed with it, can’t get the melody out of my head :P Some of those ultra-high notes don’t sound pleasant to my ears but it’s not on a level where it takes away from my enjoyment. Contemplated taking half a point off for it but at the end of the day, it’s not worth it. It’s such a superb track (Rating: 5/5) M3. 標 (Shirushi): Sometimes this song doesn’t really affect me all that much and other times it makes me cry like a baby (especially when Wakana sings “この先も力に歌うから”). In many ways, it reminds me of “Ai no Hana” which has a similar theme and is one of my favourite tracks from Wakana’s first album but I need to hear it live to get the full experience. The same is the case for “Shirushi”. And I also have to be in the right mood for it. I am not 100% sold on the melody but Wakana’s vocals are gorgeous and the emotion she puts into her singing is just out of this world. On top of that, we have beautiful lyrics and a precious backstory, I can’t help but give this song a high rating (Rating: 4/5) M4. 希望 (Kibou): With the exception of “Rapa Nui” this is probably the only track that instantly clicked with me. Even when we just got a snippet of it, I immediately fell in love. The melody is just the right amount of cheesy in a good way, it hits me right in the feels. I think it comes closest to a standard power ballad or a 90s pop ballad. I am a huge sucker for those and it is obviously the type of song I love to hear from Wakana. Is it just me though or could Wakana have used a more flattering singing style for the chorus? She is going very high and it tends to sound a bit strained. For me, this is on the very edge of sounding screechy, a little higher, a little flatter and I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it. It’s clearly a challenging track but not necessarily something that Wakana can’t handle imo. Really curious how she will be handling those parts during a live performance. Hopefully she can tweak her style a bit to make it more suitable for the song. Another tiny nitpick is the bland bridge, I wish it had a little more oomph, it’s neither here nor there but oh well, I am so smitten with this song that I can’t really focus on any of the negative aspects (Rating: 4.5/5) M5. 殻 (Kara): Who thought it was a good idea to do a “Tsubasa 2.0.”? I really wish they would have come up with something else. They had more than enough time to look into other options. I understand the intention of course, “Tsubasa” is solid and highlights some of the grittier parts of Wakana’s voice but that doesn’t warrant a blatant rip-off. Enough complaining though, I feel like I am way too harsh on “Kara”. On its own merits, it’s actually quite fun and yeah, just like its predecessor it works flawlessly to highlight Wakana’s voice in a different way, I like her more feisty singing style. Objectively speaking, I really can’t fault this song but it still doesn’t quite hit the spot for me. Thankfully, Wakana’s singing makes up for it (Rating: 3.5/5) M6. そのさきへ(Sono Saki e)～Interlude～: The melody is not striking enough. I am usually a sucker for a good instrumental piece but this one falls a little flat unfortunately. Wakana keeps saying that she cried when she first listened to the demo but I really wonder why...However, I will have to say that the gorgeous piano playing of this interlude does appeal to me more than the melody in the normal version of the song (Rating: 2.5/5) M7. KEMONO feat.清塚信也: I’ve said it before and I will say it again, every cell in my body is rejecting this type of song. I know that’s a me-problem and I feel horrible judging Wakana’s work based on such a personal preference.This reminds me way too much of some of Keiko’s city-pop (or whatever) tracks. The singing is too fast, there is no proper flow, the melody is all over the place, it’s just outright chaotic. I am sure there are people who can appreciate this new experimental style but I am unfortunately not one of them. I generally don’t like giving low ratings but it is how it is, please know that this is purely subjective (Rating: 1/5) M8. 明日を夢見て歌う(Asu wo Yume Mite Utau): The melody right at the beginning and sprinkled in-between the verses is what initially attracted me to the song, so pretty. However, the rest of the song didn’t leave a huge impression when I first heard it during the Christmas concert. I remember I compared it to “Boku Dake no Stage” because it was also composed by Takebe and I thought it was similarly bland. I realise now that this was a very unfair comparison because those songs have absolutely nothing in common. “Asu wo Yume Mite Utau” is much better imo and aligns more with my preferences in terms of music style. Maybe a comparison to “Toki wo Koeru Yoru ni” would have been better even though Takebe didn’t compose that one... Anyways, after letting the song marinate for a while, I’ve surprisingly come to love “Asu wo Yume Mite Utau”. I’d even go as far as to say it has become one of my favourite tracks from the album. The arrangement is lovely and so are the lyrics. Also adore Wakana’s singing here (Rating: 4/5) M9. Flag: This is probably the most Kalafina/FictionJunction-esque track on the entire album so I understand why it is so popular among YK/Kalafina fans. Personally, I have never been the biggest fan of YK’s more generic anisongs so this track initially didn’t impress me all that much, it was just okay for me, nothing too outstanding. But after hearing it performed live multiple times, it has significantly grown on me. It’s a really solid song and it works perfectly with Wakana’s voice. Even though it might not be the type of music I naturally gravitate towards, it’s still a banger. Especially when you take the Kalafina nostalgia into account. Fun fact, the most recent version with Sakurada has made me add 0.5 points to my initial rating, it was just so good (Rating: 4/5).  M10. そのさきへ (Sono Saki e): Ughhh, I really wanted to love this song but so far my attempts have all failed. I don’t know why it’s so hard for me to get into it. I mean, there must be something to love about it when I hear Wakana rave about the demo tape as if it were the best thing since sliced bread. What exactly is it about the melody that made her cry so much? It still baffles me that this was written by the same person who was responsible for “Kinmokusei” which I absolutely adore. There are some tiny similarities but all in all, “Sono Saki e” feels rather uninspired in comparison to “Kinmokusei”, at least in my opinion. Hearing it live during the release event has also not done anything to make me appreciate the song more. I am afraid it is a lost cause... (Rating: 2/5) M11. あとひとつ (Ato Hitotsu): Nothing much to say here aside from the fact that I adore this song and I am really glad that it’s finally included in an official release. I prefer to hear it live but the studio recording is surprisingly touching too. So understated and yet so charming. I like how Wakana keeps referring to it as prayer, it’s a fitting description. Perfect delivery, as always (Rating: 5/5)

[ferry-man-sam]

Hi ferrymansam, my name is Mal, I have been a VERY HUGE fan of your work.. I've commented on What Lies at the Bottom on AO3 under the username aesopcarle and when I said nothing will ever top your fanfiction, I MEAN IT.. You replied to me and I haven't responded to your reply since even tho i really wanted to especially considering the fact I did not keep my promise to compliment your work for a day more T_T but i want you to know that i enjoy it so much!!

I go to an art school and in July we need to create some kind of project to put in our portfolio. I dealt with a lot of uncertainty, and lately I've not had sufficient inspiration to create something I'm really passionate about. But I am very, very passionate about What Lies at the Bottom..

I've written about you a couple of times, be it in my diary, or wherever. I've CRIED about you at least two times. I've met other people who have read your story on Asia server eng 1. I'm going to go to the love lock bridge and put me and chapter nine's names on a padlock.

I'm a tremendously big fan, and if I could please have your permission to make a fangame or fan animation out of your work I would be so grateful!! Most of the credits will of course go to you, and if I get any profit out of it, I'll do my best to transfer what I can, but I'm afraid of the difference in out countries (I'm Indonesian)

Thank you so much for your time and consideration and I look forward to making this come true 🙏

I’m almost at a loss for words for how insanely happy this message made me. I never thought I’d create something that someone enjoyed so intensely and thoroughly, which has always been a dream of mine that I didn’t think I had a chance of coming true until I reached a wider audience.

The fact that I’ve reached this with my silly little fanfiction has honestly astonished me, and I cannot impress upon you enough that this story wouldn’t have been complete without your enthusiasm and support. You have my full permission to create any kind of fan work you’d like, and please send it to me if you do! It might literally make me cry /pos

I feel like no words will truly ever be enough to thank you. This is one of the sweetest things someone has said about something I’ve created, and I’ll probably come back to this message if I ever have writer’s block it makes me so happy. I have trouble completing things, and this fic was a rare instance that I felt compelled to do so, and I’m so very glad I did. I wish nothing but love for you, and I am so glad to have created something you loved so much!!

In tears, In the most positive way, thank you.

[moonspirit]

Hi, Moon.

I've always wanted to tell you, but never found the words, that I love your fics. The cozy and heartwarming feeling I get from your fics, specially VBEOW, is soothing and makes me forget the things that are overwhelming me at the moment. Lately it has been difficult for me to feel something. But with your fic I do, I feel the peace and beauty of your landscapes. I enjoy the taste of the food. I even got curious about tumeric. I enjoy the rich and varied everyday life of the villagers. I follow and feel the concerns, happiness and sorrow of all characters. Thank you for sharing such an amazing, full of live and beautiful story. See you soon.

Ahhhhhh anon T^T !!!!!! Thank you so much!!!

Part of the reason I write VBEOW is to strive to get readers an immersive experience so you have no idea how happy I am to know you can feel and live in Kald with the characters T_T I'm so honoured, thank you!

I want to add: I know how it is to not feel anything. It isn't something in the past - I still have those days in plenty haha xD It's a very difficult state to be in. But some things still help us feel alive, and I've honestly come to believe they are everywhere, we've just closed our hearts to it. Most often, they're the smallest of small things, like the steam rising from a bowl of soup. That's it, really. Those small things are the ones that help - they're what really make up life.

I'm so glad VBEOW helps you, and to that extent, I will continue to do my very best for you :3

Thank you so much for the extremely kind words T^T I'm so grateful.

[yinyuedijun]

°•-I just would like to say, that a few months ago, I was just scrolling through the smut tag of Aventurine, for the smut obviously, but damn did I stay for the plot. ( ꩜ ᯅ ꩜;)  AHHH, I have been contemplating on sending you an ask and I found the courage today (which I wish this won't be the last one), but I'm here to say I LOVEEEEE your plot with porn fics!!! (yes, not porn with plot atp) You're the best plot-with-porn writer I have ever encountered<3 I can't even count how many times I have reread your translation fic, and then you dropped the zsg which tab has been open on my phone for a while. I just want to give you everything you want (unfortunately I'm barely surviving with my penny) All in all, I just came here to (hopefully) convey how grateful I am, because I truly love the way you write, you characterize, you do that and this! I just can't describe it</3 I am so excited to see your latest fic (omega verse) because I have been trying to find hybrid fics for a while, and then BOOM! Suddenly one of my favorite writers was talking about it in their blog! Just take my heart atp! (˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )づ♡ As you can see this may be too long, possibly because I have literally been edging myself to send you an ask, but I wish you the best! Make sure to rest and stay hydrated, Miss Mao! (please correct me on what I can call you) Bye-bye and thank you! (ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ)♡ P.S. Your hairstyle suits you so much<3 P.P.S. I'm sorry if this came off as too friendly</3

AWWWW THANK U SO MUCH ANON this made me so happy and I appreciate it so much!! T_T thank you for taking the time (and finding the courage!!!) to reach out with such kind feedback!! I am sure this is very obvious but translation means a lot to me and aventurine is one of my favourite characters, so I'm so happy to hear that you enjoy my porn with plot fics for him and that you like the way I characterize him <333 (I also hope the omegaverse fic will be up your alley LOLL I'm not sure that it's anything like a sexy standard hybrid fic but here's hoping you will enjoy it 🙏🙏🙏)

thank u for the self-care reminders also, you take care too!! sending you lots of love 💞💞💞

[thegoldencontracts]

14 comments in my inbox rn AHHHH I'm so happy but also I still haven't gotten around to them all T_T

To anyone who's commented on a fic recently and Still hasn't gotten a reply (even if you probably won't see this): I'm so sorry I really am grateful AGHHHH! I'm not a particular popular author so I appreciate your lovely words of encouragement 💗

[wndaswife]

Hello Rae! ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ!

I just wanted to let you know that the song "18" by One Direction reminds me of you. I'm not a One Direction fan, but their lyrics seem fitting. I've been fond of you since you were 19, and I've been reading your rambles and enjoying your interactions with anonymous users. I hope you don't find me creepy, as my intentions are pure, and I'll remain anonymous since it's embarrassing.

In case you're wondering, when I said "I loved you since 19," I thought it was just a simple crush on Tumblr. But I don't understand why I've grown to love you, perhaps because of your works and who you are. I'm genuinely happy when you interact with 🍸, but I hope it ended well.

Anyway, thank you, Rae! I never believed in love or anything, but thanks to your life and your blogs, I've learned what the good of others means. I've also started to read philosophy to better understand your rambles, but it's embarrassing because confessing this on Tumblr is pathetic. I'm usually stoic and never show any affection, but social media is my biggest escape.

Thank you for being my escape, Rae. I hope you're okay, and thank you for your life! ʕ⁀ᴥ⁀ʔ!!

i don’t think this is creepy ahhhhhh this is so sweet T_T this is so…. 🩷🩷🩷 it makes me think firstly about how there is so much love in the world and around us that we don’t realize at all, and this applies to you too, and no matter how hard we try to imagine it we will never come to a proper understanding of how much love is around us and is because of us unless we tell each other! and secondly that it will always interest me how people connect with and to each other, how vastly different lives and all can affect each other in such intimate ways with no prerequisite

and also this isn’t pathetic at all and please don’t feel embarrassed, love and affection and intimacy r the most important things in this world but they aren’t treated as important as they should be when they aren’t expressed to others, which is why it’s so special to tell your loved ones and those you admire how you feel

this is really so sweet of you and im really happy u have ways to have an escape from things n to find a place that makes you feel loving n comforted and i feel very grateful and privileged that i am part of it

i wish to kiss you on the forehead and rub your knuckles with my thumbs when i hold both your hands then make u a nice meal and a warm drink :3 🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷 thank u for your really really kind words thank u <3333 i wish u a lot of love

[sheswanderlust-txt]

just read you fernando/stevie fic, i do not think my life will ever be the same. the way you write is so well paced, it feels like every individual thing is a whole story in itself and i absolutely love it. thank you so much for sharing your work, it’s fantastic. i’m 100% going to read all your fics now, and please take your time everyone who truly loves your work (including me) will be around & loving it whether you update once a day or once a year :)

Okay I literally spent the whole day thinking about how to answer to this message. Now it's 5PM here and... I still don't know how to thank you for these beautiful words. T_T I am so happy to know that you like this story, it has a huge meaning to me for many different reasons. Fernando has a special place in my "sports pantheon" since the start, and I'm incredibly grateful when I find people still willing to discuss him and Stevie, even after all these years, even though things didn't turn as good as they could have been. <3

[merakiui]

For the Ask Game! 🥺🙋‍♀️🌞🤯⏳

if you haven't answered them already 👉👈 I hope this isn't too much for you! 🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️

It's not too much at all!!! I'm happy to answer more emojis. :D thank you!!!

(ask game)

🥺 Is there a certain type of moment or common interaction between your characters that never fails to put you in your feels?

Oooo there are too many!!! To name specific instances, Riddle's relationship with the reader in DRU always tugs on my heart. He worries so much for her and it's obvious he cares immensely. The same goes for Azul and Cater. All of these people care for Reader, but Reader doesn't care enough for herself. T_T additionally, I like when characters have a chemistry that is so good that they can just share a look and instantly connect and be on the same wavelength as the other. Like Jade and Reader in the upcoming fic. They're both aware that they're using the other for their own benefit, but that doesn't stop them from being friends. And they understand each other (to some degree) because they're both freaks. They play off of one another so incredibly well. I love it. >v<

Also, the trope of "what could have been had [xxx] not happened" always makes me weak. Sea Glass (and its sequel Moonbroch) delve into this trope a lot, especially with Reader's relationship with the man they murdered. At first you may hate him for what he did, but then the fic reveals more human facets to him and suddenly he seems so much better than the trio. It hurts even more when you note the genuine connection he had with the reader before it was compromised.

I also like the interactions Scaramouche and Reader have in another upcoming modern au fic. He's like a grumpy, hissing cat who slowly but surely learns to accept and open up to someone. The entire fic revolves around Scaramouche and his struggles with his humanity and emotions and trauma. He meets his very first friend in the last place he'd ever expect to make a friend. It puts me in my feels every time Scara realizes he's having fun talking to the reader and he quickly stifles that emotion because it's another reminder that he's human. >_< aaaa he just deserves to be loved forever.

And Bittersweet Secret!!!! Reader's relationship with Xiao is so tragic. To a very small degree, Xiao knows it's wrong to confine someone, but he can't let the reader go as they're the only good thing in his life. Without them, everything is dark and lonesome. And the reader is trying so hard to make Xiao happy and get him to smile while living with the fact that they will remain his captive forever. It's such a sad dynamic. :( they both deserve to be happy.

🙋‍♀️ Do any irl people know you write fanfic?

Just one person and it's my best friend. They've listened to my ramblings about various fic ideas before, and I'm always grateful when they exchange ideas with me despite not being into Genshin or twst. :D

🌞 Do you have a preferred time of day to write?

I like to write at night because that's usually when I'm most inspired and focused, but sometimes I'll write in the afternoon if I'm able to.

🤯 What's a genre you struggle with as a writer (ex. romance, action, etc.)?

This may not be a genre, per se, but research papers. Truly the bane of my existence. >:( it's not that I struggle to write them; I just don't enjoy writing them. ;;;;

⌛ How long does it take you to write a fic, or a chapter?

It depends! I wrote Mother in just two hours because I was so inspired after listening to haikara. Conversely, it took nine entire months to write Azul thought 4, whereas it only took a few days to write Azul thought 2. >_< it might just be a matter of how inspired I am, how determined I am to finish a fic, how much free time I'm afforded to write, and also how complex the plot is. Sometimes it takes longer to write fics with complex plots or scenes.