#i kind of wish enae had had more of a reason to be there or strong motivation

[gideonisms]

Liked the broad strokes of translation state and deeply enjoyed some moments of body horror and/or humor. Qven was my favorite character and I think the whole book could have been narrated by em and I would have loved it. I did find enae's bit of the narrative dragged at times, and if you are going to do three pov characters alternating back and forth, it seems like their lives should all be more connected or they should be more connected emotionally. I felt that connection between reet and qven but not necessarily between them and enae. But it was fun sff in the vein of a star trek episode so overall I'd recommend it

[tinkonka]

hi hi!! I loved defining love and a canary’s cry! Any thoughts/wishes/predictions for the upcoming rui(?) event? Or the wxs world link?

HII !! THANK YOU SO MUCH OMYGOD...

You know? Upcoming rui escapes me. Mainly because we're entering a new arc and rui Isn't stuck on the same thing again (because wxs arent leaving eachother for the time being which is what he was waffling about). There's been a few bits and pieces of him reflecting on like "I need to know more about being a director than an inventor right now" because he wants to push tsukasa and nene forward...

...that. That is assuming, that we're going to get a current Rui event - but also i dont think its out of the blue for there to be a flashback event either? We've gotten so many lately... and we HAVE gotten rui as a kid but we've barely touched upon his middle school years so? Could possibly? be about that? the coordinates in the trialer being where he and nene crossed paths and then he walked off on her...

...but then you think more about like. would a commission like the one in the trailer fit. for this kind of event... unless its. Going for a completley different tone. I DIGRESS!!

In terms of other stuff though i do want like. a Neon..set... I think Ruiemukasa 4* are confirmed (because in this wxs rotation, theyve only had one each) so im only hoping nene can get a 3* and we can have a full set... i want something with ROBOTS. i wa nt something like? Vbs arc ender. that kind of neon.

for the world link i am so freaking excited ! For a producer i think its most likely to be sasakure.uk (considering when you thnik of wxs comms tondemo IS rather iconic - it feels more like a wxs comm than a tsukasa comm... although the "most iconic song" reasoning doesnt quiiite work anymore because i dont think love material was that iconic of a song I DIGRESS). but to be honest i wouldnt mind Kinoshita... maybe even pinocchio-p again .... Shrugs

for themes and stuff in the event its.. to do with a growth of sekai... Which makes you wonder if like. considering its Tsukasas sekai.. i wonder what it'll be like ?? maybe like. More stages? More plushies? Do you guys think they'll pull an An on us and then have emu's grandpa manifest,

THERES JUST!! SO MUCH POSSIBILITY?! AND YOU JUST WONDER!! what the HELL The cards will look like ? I THOUGHT they'd be going with a theme of the untraineds being in the sekai and that was the case for all of vbs but. Then. Ena. was just At a cafe like? Girl. Get in the picture

THANK YOU FOR THE ASK!!! I LOVE TO TALK!!! THIS IS A VERY FUN THING TO TALK ABOUT!!

[zara-anthology]

Kuyamu to Kaite Mirai (Composing the Future)

"The one thing I can’t forget, ah… my future will be full of regret" -Asahina Mafuyu

Kuyamu to Kaite Mirai (悔やむと書いてミライ, Composing the Future) is a commissioned song by mafumafu. It was written for Nightcord at 25:00, a fictional underground music circle that makes songs online at 25:00 (1 AM). The song was written with all four members in mind (Yoisaki Kanade, Asahina Mafuyu, Shinonome Ena and Akiyama Mizuki), but for the sake of simplicity we'll only look at the song from Mafuyu's standpoint. Since the original song is in Japanese, I am using an English cover by aya. Above you will find a lyric video, though you can also read along with the lyrics by clicking "keep reading" below.

The song quite literally describes despair in its rawest form, expressing feelings of hopelessness and a weariness of life. Mafuyu feels as though she's hanging on by a thread, struggling to hold on knowing her life is not worth being saved. Frustrated and exhausted of life, she wants everything to end, to be forgotten, to disappear. The line "I’ve lost sight of what I wanted to be" alludes her identity crisis, as Mafuyu has always acted out of the fear of dissapointing her parents, subjected to their high hopes and standards. She wants to hope for a better tomorrow, but it feels impossible: "‘cause no matter how I try, no flower can grow in a monsoon". The line "this superficial love has nothing to show" describes how people feel the need to act as if they care about you, while in reality they're simply being polite and have no idea what's truly happening under the surface. This pretense of forced kindness holds no meaning, and is nothing more than an empty promise. The bridge reiterates Mafuyu's wish for hope and her desperation to keep living, but deep down she knows it's impossible, having accepted the tragedy that is her life: "that is the life I know, staring at the sky while destined to fall". She wishes she had never been born in the first place. In the final line, Mafuyu calls out into the void, hoping for someone to save her from herself.

Mafuyu is a character from the game Project SEKAI COLORFUL STAGE! feat. Hatsune Miku. I discovered the game through a friend not too long ago, and in hindsight I don't think I could have discovered it at a more opportune moment in my life. When I was first introduced to Mafuyu's story, I was overwhelmed with a profound sadness I couldn't quite put into words. I often have this with fictional characters, but somehow it felt different this time. It took me a while to realize that it's because her feelings, her identity crisis, and her desire to disappear are all identical to what I've been feeling for a very long time. Within Mafuyu I saw a clear reflection of myself, and through her story I was able to find the words to give voice to my own feelings at last. Even though she has succumbed to despair, in some strange backwards sense she was able to give me hope. For this reason, I have chosen her as the face of my anthology.

[lyrics]

if one day you decide to drive the stake into my chest would that be nice? it would be nice. venom laced into your words, intent to lay me down to rest would that be nice? it would be nice.

hanging on by a thread everyday is this a life even worth being saved? toss my heart onto the ashes, watch as it bursts into flames

so end me, forget me, what do i care? there is not a single shred of hope left i’m shaking, i’m breaking beyond repair a coward hidden in the depths of despair i’ve lost sight of what i wanted to be there is no way to be healed with scars that run this deep the one thing i can’t forget, ah… my future will be full of regret

pretending you’re alright when you feel like you’re dead inside is that life? yeah, that’s life. if it’s like that, then what’s the point of living at all? with a heart that keeps beating on by default to this day, the answer is still uncertain

hoping one day that a flower will bloom although there isn’t a sprout in view ‘cause no matter how i try, no flower can grow in a monsoon

that’s why i made the choice to end it, forget it, throw it away as every color in my world becomes gray pretend that you care but you and i know this superficial love has nothing to show so you win, i give in, what can i say? i’m so tired of the empty promises we made the one thing i can’t forget, ah… my future will be full of regret

stumbling in the dark, i keep on trying desperate to be saved, to keep on surviving still, i fear there’s nothing left here for me locked inside a cage, the key thrown just out of reach that is the life i know staring at the sky while destined to fall ah… maybe it would be better if i was never even born at all!

so end me, forget me, what do i care? there is not a single shred of hope left i’m shaking, i’m breaking beyond repair a coward hidden in the depths of despair i’ve lost sight of what i wanted to be there is no way to be healed with scars that run this deep the one thing i can’t forget, ah… my future will be full of regret a future written off as regret

when will it end? please make it end there’s no future left to defend these regrets are haunting my dreams someone, please save me…

[keefwho]

January 16 - 2024 Tuesday

10:59pm

5.5/10

This morning I took my last shower at my parents. They weren't home so I was able to blast the GDQ stream over my phone while I got clean. For breakfast all I ate was a can of spaghettios warmed up by the heater so I could produce as few dishes as possible. I made and uploaded a few avatar pics as well.

In stream I warmed up with Ena sketches again. Then I worked on the big nanachi commission. A few of them had joined to watch and were apparently in a Discord call. They were fun to have in chat. I wanted to keep streaming when I was done but I had other things to move on to. After stream I took an hour to focus on cleaning up the place now that I got hot water back. I wiped down the sink/mirror, kitchen, and fireplace. Also removed some boxes and stuff laying around and vacuumed very thoroughly. I did this instead of jerking off which I regret.

Lunch was some really good rice a roni. It's cooking time ate into my afternoon work time and instead of wait until it was done cooking, I started my work anyways. I did half of a request before it was done cooking, I ate, and then I finished that request while in Ena's server VC. Then I worked on a Hitch x Misty pic for an hour and almost finished it. I left the call to do my yoga which was hard since I missed a few days and they tend to get harder as they go on. Then I moved onto my project which is when Daisy became free. Once again I think I need to step back and start over with what I'm doing, I didn't have as much of a plan as I needed. We watched a really rough episode of Bojack tonight and then continued our pony text adventure. I found it very hard to be creative with it tonight as much as I wanted to. We did that until bedtime which I played Kingdom Hearts during. Had some frustrating battles but I got through them.

I once again put on my MarsMiner persona and it works great, it just feels easier to do what I gotta do without the complications of how I 'feel' or what I 'think'. That can be saved for the appropriate times. I don't feel like I did the best job enjoying my free time though, I still felt a need to perform. I was also very horny today since I finally have the facilities back to clean up properly but instead I did my chores and chose not to stay up late to do it. I know better than to let those kinds of feelings make decisions.

2:11am

I woke up to jerk off because I couldn't ignore it. I really gotta listen to my body more. It's only natural to be sexual. I'm always hesitant to talk about it like it's an important thing in my life because there can be so much shame in being too sexually active even though there shouldn't be. It's not even a huge thing for me, not like it is for some people I know. But still I feel like I should never talk about it or if I do, I can't treat it like it's important. In this case it was important because my body needed it and I had to interrupt my sleep for it. I should have taken care of it earlier instead of keeping it at the bottom of my priority list. This is like a self care thing for me, I gotta do this for myself.

On another note I had some crazy deep post nut shower thoughts about my life and my past and what it all means to me. Sometimes I wish I could individually talk to everyone in my life that isn't here anymore for what feels like no reason. Like all the people I feel like should still be there. It feels like there's been so many. Maybe I can talk to some of them and just be open about feeling bad about how it all went. All I really want is closure, but I also can't bank on ever getting it. Closure might mean re-adjusting to what life actually is now instead of dreaming about what it could have been. I often find myself living a different reality and it holds me back so much.

[queenofwerewolves]

Future Hope

chapter one - Where it all began.

We all thought the new decade would be a new fresh start, a new beginning for humanity, we were all so excited for the the arrival of 2020... and it's unknown horrors that we awaited along with it.

it started with just jokes and memes, the virus wasnt affecting us, it didnt seem like a big deal. Then it reached Italy, then the United States. In a span of three months, the entire world changed and was affected by COVID-19. Then it happened.. the attack and sudden uprising of those who had privilege, but didnt know of it's power..

it started with the Black Lives Matter Protests, but it got worst, so unhumaningly worse. People around the country and the world tried to help and stop this evil, but it wasnt enough to stop them. The White Suprimacy.

Death, despair, anguish, loss for hope... What has the world come to?

Even after two years of the incident, in the year of 2022, the same horrors from before was still going on. No one could stop them, those who tried were imprisioned or now buried six feet under, people gave up, they lost hope... Until a new reason for that hope arrived.

It started as a friendship group. Eight people of different kinds, intetrests and hobbies brought together by a common interest, which soon grew into an unbreakable bond, sharing pictures or tagging one another with a funny meme attached to it, simple acts but filled with love.. Until this group almost lost a member.

A fight was happening while she was visiting a store, it was between a simple teen wearing a pride shirt and a middle aged man, bickering and arguing issued, but no one expected the man to pull out a gun and attempt to shoot the kid... Only to miss, and shoot the beloved group friend...

She was texting her friends while it happened, only for them to not hear anything for weeks... But she finally replied, after weeks in the hospital, recovering from the shot. One of the members couldnt have it anymore, and kindly asked for everyone to create a Discord account so they could all see how their wounded friend was doing. Everyone agreed, and surprised her with a call.

Maria was her name, and she couldnt be more delighted about the surprise..

"Yo! Yooo Bitch can you see us?!" Shouted one friend from their call

"For fuck's sake Spike the woman was shot and you have to call her a bitch?!" Rudely replied another friend, who's background was dark and gloomy and had far too many halloween decorations.

Maria laughed softly. "It's OK Spooks.. Wow.. I cant believe Im seeing you all.. Just wished it wasnt at the hospital through a videochat..." She said with a soft smile.

"It is truly a concerning situation we've been dragged into.. but it brings me joy to see you alive and well Maria" Said another friend, looking a little too-well dressed in the call

"Im guessing Griff begged you all to make a Discord huh..?" Maria said, looking at the video box of young man with a concerned yet and embarrassed look.

"Queen... We were so worried..." He answered, slightly choked up. "We thought you were a goner.. When you finally texted back I..I just had to see you..!"

Queen. A nickname she never thought someone would ever call her, hell it was a title that she didnt even deserve. Until she met Griff, which started to call her that, and her other friends jumped along, she always loved that nickname.. Made her feel special...

"Seeing you all together... All for me... It makes me want to cry.. But we dont have time for me getting emocional" Maria answered, suddenly stern

"Why is that Queen? Something going on?" Answered another friend, who was sucking on a lollipop during the call, such the sweet tooth she is.

Maria smiled. "No Muffin.. I simply have a proposal for you all.. And I hope you all are in with me...Because Im getting pretty sick of the way things are in this shit world.."

And so was born a new hope, a group of fighters that are indignified about the way things are, and how they almost took their friend away.

After healing completly at the hospital, they all met in person for the first time. Maria told them that they way they are now wont be enough to make a change to the world, but she knew how to fix that. After a small walk through the woods in the park, they came through a gated area, which Maria crawled under a broken spot of the gate and the others followed, doing the same.

"Long ago" Maria started speaking. "After I moved here, I decided to explore around this park for fun. That's when I found this abandoned gate and went through the same broken piece of wall of the gate we all came through, I believe that's here can help us become better then we already are."

Spike, chewing a piece of gum sneered at her comment. "Oh sure, what is it? A wishing well?"

"Well..." She answered as they came to a stop.

In front of them was a perfectly clean, almost sparkling fountain with clean crystal water still working and flowing out of an angel's vase. The fountain was too bright and shiny, it sure as hell didnt match the rest of the area's gloomy and dark visuals..

"It's a wishing fountain!" Maria spouted out, smiling wide. But the rest werent as.. cheery as she was.

"A fucking... wishing fountain?" Spike answered. "You expect me to believe that's a real wishing fountain? If that's true then why dont you wish for this shit world to become better?"

"I tried!" Maria answered "Apperently it doesnt make big wishes like that, it only makes wishes about yourself or something very small. Like wishing your room to be clean kind of small"

"I mean.. It kinda has that magic aesthetic, I mean, that thing is impeccably clean while the rest is covered in dirt?" Kip answered, glancing at the fountain.

"I know it sounds silly but it really works, I actually did my wish already!" Maria said smiling wide

"Bullshit" Spike answered "You aint a fucking Werewolf, what makes you think we believe you actually wished to be one?"

".. Cause I didnt wished to be a Werewolf..?" Maria answered, dumbfounded. "I always said that I LIKE Werewolves, but I never wanted to be one. I wished to be good at using a scythe and knife throwing, like exceptionally good ya know?" She said excitedly. "And before you answer, YES I do have a scythe, I bought one. Dont ask where."

"So... who goes first?" The smollest of the group, Rook, asked.

"I'll go" Said Griff, pulling out a coin before Maria stopped in this tracks. "This.. Doesnt accept coins" Maria said, seeming a bit worried.

"Then what?" Griff answered back, only to shocked when Maria answered "Blood".

Before Spike could throw a fit, Maria cut him. "Just a drop! Literally! I got a needle here with me, all you gotta do is prick your hand and let the drip fall after you make a wish."

"Let's just get on with it before Spike goes crazy again" Said Blink, the tallest of the group and the one to deal with Spike's bullcrap

Griff took Maria's needle and stood in front of the fountain...And said outloud his wish..

At first he whispered his wish, as if he didnt want anyone to hear it.

"Uh.. It has to be out loud or it wont work Griff." Maria said.

"I-I said.. I wish to be a strong, masculine and really beefy Wererabbit that's really manly and buffed up!!" he shouted with a tone of embarrassment in his voice.

"A Werebunny.. Griffy?" Said Maria in disbelief. "What?! It's co- ow!!" Without looking, he pricked his hand with the needle, and let the drop of blood fall into the fountain's water, mixing along with it. The fountain suddenly shined so brightly that everyone had to cover their eyes for a brief moment before it died out.

Then.. Silence.

"... So.. Now wh-AHCK!!!" Shouted Griff, hit with a sudden shot of pain throughout his body, which made him fall on his knees as everyone backed away from him. They watched in horror as not only he grew almost three times his size, but he got much fuzzier, his ears stretched into rabbit ears, his muscles swelled and bubbled as they grew bigger, his body shifted painfully into a hybrid between man and rabbit. When he finally finished, he just collapsed on the floor, panting exaustedly.

His friends were inicially shocked, until Maria snapped out of it and rushed to his side, placing a hand on his head. "Griffy? You OK..?"

He answered, in a much gruffer, deeper voice.. "Yeah.. Yeah Im good.."

"Jesus.. It worked.. Can you stand?" She asked. Griff nodded as he slowly got up and almost knocked his head on a tree branch from how tall he was now. Everyone was looking up at him, jaws dropped in shock and awe, until..

"HOLY SHIT YOU'RE NAKED!!!" Rook shouted as she covered her eyes, running in place "MY EYES!! THEY BURN!!!"

"We.. better finish these wishes quick and get you some pants." Maria added, Griff simply nodded as he covered himself embarrassed.

One by one they did their wishes. Becoming who they wanted to be to fufill their purpose with Maria.

Spike wished for strong arm strenght, fast stamina and an aluminum bat that never breaks, and can destroy almost anything. Blink asked for a sword, the ability to parkour and jump from building to building like some kind of vigilante. Kip asked to be part cat for the heck of it and that whatever she draws will become a reality. Muffin asked to be a fairy, to bring joy because she isnt a fighter. Togekiss asked for high I.Q, the ability to see simulations of possibilities in the future and telekenisis and teleportation. Spooks asked to be like an Underworld Goddess, with the power to summon shadows and have the darkness on her command, and finally, Rook asked to be part bird and a wizard with elemental nature, and musical spells,to honour her beloved Lammy, she also wished to have a split personality to be like her favorite character, ENA.

And so the team was ready, and soon they would make a change to the world, the revolution has begun, it was time to shine..

For a Future Hope.

[thedeliverygod]

2020 Anime Rec List

side note that these animes didn’t necessarily come out in 2020 (though some did) its just the year that I watched them. 

FOR FANS OF NORAGAMI

Toilet Bound Hanako Kun

Based off the popular legend in Japan of Hanako-san, a ghost who haunts the girl’s bathroom. However, this Hanako is a mischievous boy who happens to be the leader of the school’s Seven Wonders. The heroine Nene comes to Hanako with a wish of making her senpai notice her and chaos ensues from there as the near shore and the far shore intertwine. You’ll see a lot of obvious comparisons between this and Noragami and the manga is also extremely worth it. I would say Hanako-kun is a little bit heavier on the comedy, but by the same token it can also be dark af :]

Kakuriyo

All of her life, Aoi has been able to see ayakashi; one even saved her from a near death experience when she was a small child. But after her grandfather passes away, she’s met by an ogre king who says that because of a debt her grandfather owes him, she must come to the hidden realm and be his bride. Aoi refuses and asks to instead work off her debt at the inn that he owns. With the help of Ginji, a kind fox ayakashi, Aoi starts her own restaurant and grows many friendships with the various workers of the inn, including the ogre king himself. This one is definitely not as action based as Noragami or Hanako-kun but it’s a very spiritual and fun show. If you’re into cooking/food, there’s definitely a lot of that too.

 Fantasy

A Lull in the Sea

In this world, certain humans have been blessed by the gods with ena; a special skin covering that allows them to live and breathe underwater. For generations, there has been tensions between humans who live on land and humans who live in the sea. The show begins with a group of friends who for the first time are required to go to school up on land. While most are open to the idea, the main character, Hikari, is very hesitant and very resistant towards befriending land-dwellers. Over time, the friends grow to realize people in the sea and people on land are not so different after all and do their best to bring the two worlds together. This is honestly simplifying the plot a lot, but it’s a beautiful series. The amount of characters could honestly get a little overwhelming at times but I still highly recommend it.

ReLIFE

Arata for all intents and purposes is known as a “NEET”. So when an opportunity arises for him to become 17 again and ‘restart’ life, he takes it. I’ll be real, this anime was not at all what I was expecting. Arata’s reasons for being a “NEET” are very deep and relatable rather than the results of poor life style choices. Honestly, I think most people who are in their twenties right now can relate to at least one or more parts of his story as the anime goes more into detail. By going back to high school, it teaches him how to connect with people on a real level and how to appreciate life for what it is and take in every single little moment.

 Slice of Life

Kakushigoto

Kakushi Goto is a successful manga artist. But not just any manga artist, one who makes his living with lewd drawings and jokes. The catch? He has a small oh so innocent daughter that absolutely must NEVER know what he does for living. This anime is so sweet, heartwarming, and hilarious. Honestly the reason I watched it is because the main character is the same voice as Yato lmao. So if you want to pretend, it’s like Yato has a little girl.

My Roommate is a Cat

Subaru is a recluse novelist and has been stuck in writer’s block for quite a while. After finding a kitten and bringing it home, Subaru finds new inspiration for both his writing and ways of seeing the world. A really cute & slow-paced slice of life.

Tonikawa

On his way home from school, Nasa sees a beautiful girl across the street. Without thinking, he walks across and finds himself being hit by a truck. Luckily, the girl jumped in to protect him and saved his life. Though she miraculously only had a few cuts, Nasa suffered some broken bones and was told to wait for an ambulance while she walked off. Not wanting to lose a chance to see her again, Nasa chases after her and asks her about going on a date. Tsukasa replied that she would date him only if they got married first. Without hesitation, Nasa says yes before he soon passes out from the pain. Years pass and Nasa can’t forget the girl who saved his life. But just when he’s about to give up, she appears again and this time she’s got the marriage papers. This anime is really cute and hilarious! I thought the characters were younger than they actually are due to their cutesy design which is why I held off on watching it but I promise it’s not children getting married haha. Although Tsukasa says she’s 17 it seems to be implied she’s older (like, Yato old). I haven’t read the manga so I don’t know this for sure but there’s been a few moments in the anime that seem to hint at this. Plus, you know, the fact that she was hit by a truck and was fine.

[princess-zola]

/steeples fingers/ tell me... about zola

Hi, thank u, ily

How I feel about this character: 

Baby boy, baby. More seriously, I am really attached to Zola for reasons I don’t really understand myself. I did not find him “evil” unlike Hans, and kind of started to empathize with this ugly small goblin because, I am one.

Basically, I really like him, I wish he was more than just. A villain that dies after 2 chapters.

All the people I ship romantically with this character:

Prepare to hate me fire emblem tag: Sakura, Takumi, Iago, Corrin

My non-romantic OTP for this character:

ELISE. Gosh. I just love to imagine them being terrible pranksters together in the castle. And all the people above.

My unpopular opinion about this character:

I like him is that not enough of an unpopular opinion?

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon:

Not dying??? It doesn’t even do anything to the plot. No reason for him to die. I’m still mad. It’s been so many years. I just want him to have canon content.

My OTP:

TakuZola (god bless the Japanese side of the fandom for content. Never thought I’d own a doujin of TakuZola. I own two.)

My OT3:

Iago/Zola/Corrin for sure. (And I blame you ena.)

[runanadwiddles]

That's completely relatable, sometimes if not very often I also feel like that, so hopefully you'll be able to recharge and feel the best you've ever felt once you're fully charged~

Now you get to hear my uh... Ramble of my beloved characters <3

Quick warning: There might be some sensitive topics down below such as the EXTREME lack of self confidence. This will be more based off of comfort being that they are the main reason why I adore them versus my normal reasons why I love them so much.

I don't know if a lot of people notice, but I'm a very big TomoyaP quite obviously/hj

I guess one of the big reasons why I adore Tomoya is his ambition in a way. He's not some talented genius where he can do everything perfectly and even though he knows that he's not talented he still tries his best to be the best he can be.

In a way I look up to him in a way, I never really had that kind of determination, always thinking I'm not good enough or how there's better people out there who's better than me, so just give up. I lack the confidence to think I'm good enough and that I should just quit the moment I run into a wall or having a hard time doing it. I begin to develop an inferiority complex against those, not much as hatred or envy, but just the thought of, "If only I could be that good, but I know I'll never be." The feeling and thought of being mediocre is the best I'll get.

Another thing is that I find Tomoya so adorable! He gets so embarrassed when he wears a dress or has to act as a girl, but he still powers through it which makes me want to cheer him on! Another thing is when he was super happy that Wataru told him that his food tasted good. When he explained why it tasted so good be was practicality euphoric when he said that Souma taught him how to cook and that made me MELT.

Tomoya is a really simple character, an average person, and being that he's written like that as a character gives me the thought, "I'll just try again." He reminds me of any normal human being and that I don't have to be talented, gifted, or to be a prodigy to be the best I can be. He provides the biggest comfort to me out of all of the characters I adore.

Another character I adore is Shinonome Ena from Project Sekai. She's an artist much like how I am. She wants people to recognize her for her art and not her selfies when she posts. I want to be an artist as my career the moment I graduate, but I know that I'm lacking in some places in art. I'm scared that my art isn't the art American art schools want and I know what I draw is basically an alien to American art.

Ena has those similar thoughts if she isn't cut out for the art world. Quiting to draw at a point in her life, wanting to be left alone. When her first event focus happened I found her even more relatable. Even when she was told she wasn't cut out for the art world, she still tried to prove that person wrong even though she failed her exam.

Even after that failure, she still kept drawing, pursuing her passion of drawing. When the commission song came out and when I read the lyrics it was even more relatable. "I drew what I only wished to..." drawing what I only wanted, my ideals painted over reality. "I don’t have the talent so I suppose I’ll just remain here crying all my life" When I'd see other people's drawings I'd feel this empty pit, not hatred nor envy, but the feeling of me not being good enough. I know I'm lacking, but I don't know how to improve either, no matter how many methods I use. Sometimes that feeling makes me want to be alone and cry, making me want to quit art and only imagine me being an artist.

Ena is a character who doesn't like half assing things either. When I look at my art and if it's half assed then I would just want to throw it away. Which is something that isn't good, but at the same time I can't stand but to hate it. I won't be able to look at it, but Ena also shows that even though the art isn't the best, you can still find the faults and make ways to improve on them versus just tossing them away.

Ena is the second character that provides me the most comfort besides Tomoya. Both are very similar, but Ena shares that artist to artist connection and I find her struggles very similar to mine. She wants others to know her for her art, and nothing else. She wants her art to be appreciated by others. She doesn't want to rely on using her selfish reasons to get the appreciation she wants. For me, I simply want others to just enjoy looking at my drawing, if not, just liking it.

Hey, can people reply to this with why you love your bests from enstars, love live, prosekai, etc? I’ve been feeling really emotionally drained and could use some positivity. 💕

[entamewitchlulu]

Homura’s Top 15 Zexal Characters

Once again, under the cut due to length!!!  Time to talk about Zexal babies <3

15. Kaito Tenjo

I have always felt like the odd one out of Zexal fans with him being so low on my list, but that’s definitely not to say that I dislike him!  In fact, I’ve actually been becoming a lot more interested in him since his back story started to basically take over my Zexal rewrite haha.  Kaito is a little like Kaiba for me in that I feel like he’s a very interestingly complex character.  He has a lot of factors in his life that make him what he is, and that gives him layers to dig through and explore to really figure out the core of what he is.  I love that he’s one of the first rivals to legitimately terrify the protagonist with his power, but he has his own brand of awkward softness to him too even with people other than Haruto once he’s free of the duty of being a Numbers Hunter.  He’s a single-minded and really fucking determined and although he’s not super high on my list, I do have to appreciate him.

14. Ena

Okay but for real Ena is here because I’m gay, and also, the second they appeared I was like !!!!!! i smell fics 

Anyway, I know they have like no fucking character at all, but I love them anyway.  Their design is fascinating and I’m still 80% positive they were supposed to be related to Mirai somehow.  I love what we do get out of them, like, they’re one of the only people actively standing up to Eliphas and going behind his back to help Yuma and Astral out of the entire Astral people, and that’s kind of badass tbh

13. Mizael

God, look at him.  Just...just look at him.  It should be illegal to be this fucking pretty.  Beyond his a m a z i n g character design though, Mizael is just a really fascinating character.  He’s the only one of the Barian who doesn’t seem to really hold any hatred or grudge; he has no actual animosity towards the others except to just think he’s superior to humans.  He’s just really out to test his skills and prove himself as a dragon tamer rather than having any real devotion to the Barian cause, and I think that’s fascinating.

12. Mirai Tsukumo

Shoutout to the first real onscreen Yu-Gi-Oh mom; I know she, too, doesn’t really have any character or screen time, but I love that she was set up to be an adventurer just like Kazuma, and we get to see that she was involved with a lot of his adventures and stuff.  She’s just...interesting to me, I guess.

11. Number 96 / Dark Mist

I just think ze’s a really fascinating antagonist.  I loved zir introduction scene so much, like, that’s still one of my favorite Zexal episodes.  Ze’s a legitimately frightening, looming sort of villain that’s in it for the shits and giggles, which is one of my guilty indulgences.  Ze just wants to watch the world burn and honestly I can respect that in a villain.

10. Vector

God, this asshole.  I love him but I hate him but I love him???  He’s an absolute shitstain but I can’t help but be entertained by him.  He’s one of the most conniving villains in all of Yu-Gi-Oh, and I wish that I hadn’t been spoiled about his identity before it happened because I feel like I would have really been shocked by the turn around.  And yet, all the tells are there, even from the beginning; they try to divert your attention by fooling you with the Barian police officer shit, but in the end, after a second rewatch it’s easy to see where he’s going with his plans, and you just have to sit there and be impressed with the writing of his character and his set up.  He’s a shitlord who laughs at suffering but he’s incredibly interesting for the way he does it and his willingness to play the long-game; not to mention he is fucking hilarious and every scene he’s in is legitimately amazing.

9. Alit

Look at him, he’s fucking precious??  Not only do I heavily appreciate his basically canon bisexuality, but his character is so endearing.  He’s an antagonist, but you can’t help but love him for how straightforward he is.  He’s a fun-loving, punchy guy who just really wants to cross fists with someone and really throw his all into a good fight, and he’s honestly just so pure despite being technically a villain for a good chunk of the story.

8. Rio Kamishiro / Merag

Idk I’m just a sucker for the ladies I guess.  Rio has just a great personality imo; I love how sassy and uptight she can be and how she just excels at everything.  She knows how cool she is and she acts like she does; she won’t put herself down for anybody, and hse’s also a great and supportive friend to the people she does let in close.  I like how even though she’s presented with an ice theme, she’s never once characterize as the “ice queen” trope, she’s a legitimately caring person and she doesn’t try to hide that.

7. Astral

GOD look at zir?????????? Astral is the most precious alien bby ever, like holy fuck I love zir.  Astral is so cute.  I love how ze slowly learns more about the world, turning from someone incredibly analytical and afraid of failure to someone who’s not afraid to take risks.  I love how ze’s influenced by Yuma and Astral’s entire character arc is so precious.  And anyway just look at zir cute face???

6. Ryoga Kamishiro / Nasch

first i mean just...look at his smile??????? how Pure???  Ryoga is just...he’s a good boy, okay?  I love his story and his character development so much.  He starts out as such an asshole, but just one encounter with Yuma reawakens the part of him that’s legitimately a good person who cares about people and wants to take care of them.  Ryoga is just a very natural leader imo, something that carried over from his time as Nasch.  He’s good at leading but god he doesn’t want to, and I think that’s why he tries to be such a loner, because part of him is afraid of people relying on him again.  He’s a much softer heart than he pretends to be, and he doesn’t want to hurt people.  I still remember his tears when he remembered he was a Barian and he realized that was going to put him at odds with Yuma and Kaito and everyone, but he couldn’t abandon the others either.  He’s the kind of person who really understands responsibility, but while he’ll take it on, he also fears it?  And that’s just...honestly real relatable for me.  He’s a good kid, and I think it’s really fascinating in that he’s an antagonist in the end, but he’s not a villain.  He and Yuma are both fundamentally good people who are forced to fight due to poor circumstances, and a lot of real life is gray like that, so it was really cool to see it shown in the series.  Sometimes, no one is the bad guy, but fights still happen.  Ryoga is a great example of this.

5. Kotori Mizuki

What a precious child....honestly, I love Kotori so much; she’s cheerful, supportive, and she never lets herself lose hope.  She works hard and she’s more than willing to jump up to the plate if she has to, but she’s also content standing back and letting other people handle things, which I honestly relate to a lot.  She’s a bright light for a lot of her friends and I think that’s inspiring.

4. Durbe

LOOK AT MY NERD HE IS SOFT AND PRECIOUS!!!!  Durbe is just so good.  He’s another one of those antagonists who’s not a villain, he’s just on the other side for reasons that no one can really control.  I love how devoted he is to Nasch and Merag, how he’s so willing to follow them and protect them that he’s called the White Shield of Barian.  I’m also a sucker for megane characters tbh.

3. Akari Tsukumo

God I love her.  She’s who i project onto in this series tbh, as an older sister myself.  My lil bro might not be anything like Yuma, and we might get along a little better than Akari and Yuma do, but Akari just resonates with me in a deep way because at the heart of it all, she really cares about Yuma and wants to do right by him.  We don’t get to see much about her, but she has a lot of hidden threads that I find really interesting to look into; like if you think about it, she’s the sole provider for the Tsukumo household now with the parents gone.  I don’t think grandma works.  What kind of stress must that put on her, especially with her parents having disappeared right when she was getting out of high school?  Thinking about that puts a lot of her actions in perspective to me, and I find her honestly relatable in that regard.  What if it was me that was suddenly the sole provider for my little brother?  It strikes me a lot, especially when I watch scenes with Akari, and I think she’s a great character that I feel comfortable projecting onto.

2. Michael Arclight

Look at my husband, he is pure and good.  I love Michael a lot because honestly?? I relate to him immensely.  He’s a really good person who gets excited about the things that interest him, and will talk your ear off about them if you let him.  He gives everything for the sake of his family, and I honestly couldn’t blame him for going to the lengths he did, because I can’t say I wouldn’t do the same for my own family.  And even after all of that, he realized what he had done wrong and was willing to do what it took to atone for that mistake.  He knew what he had done was wrong and never stopped trying to make up for it--I cried a little when he showed up to protect Yuma and said he would be his sword and shield, it was so pure???

1. Yuma Tsukumo

God blessed me when he let this child exist.  Yuma is everything that I want to be; he’s enthusiastic, confident in himself, never gives up, and always gets back up in the end.  He just feels real to me in a way that some characters don’t.  He feels like an actual child, like his actual age.  He acts like a lot of thirteen year olds I actually know, and he reminds me a lot of some of my cousins, so I was almost immediately drawn to him when I finally started watching Zexal; I wanted to protect him and take care of him.

I love him for his emotions, for being able to cry in front of others and really feel things.  I love him for his outgoing nature and his unwillingness to give up on anything or anyone.  I love him for his forgiveness, which is so much wider and broader than anything I can do myself, and I wish sometimes that I could have as much kindness and innocence in my heart as him.  He’s a shining light and I wear his necklace on the days that I need extra confidence for things.  I’m so glad that I let go of my initial dislike of his character design because he’s one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

[oracleether]

So the FE voting Ballot is over and Fire Emblem Heroes comes out in a few days. I’m looking forward to trying it out, since I’ve never tried a mobile game, but mobile games where to progress you need to pay in bulk for favorites/powerful units. This isn’t the case in the long run with FE:H, as you can play through and complete in-game missions and level up units over time rather than pay for strong units that happen to be my favorites right off the bat (it brings a whole new meaning to “pay to win”), games like that were always turned me away. Now, as for who I voted for in the FE Roster...

There was too wide of a pool to vote from for my particular group of who I’ve slapped with the, “I like this one,” label. I knew Ike would do fine, in fact he did more than fine; he’s currently top three with Lucina and Lyndis, but I voted for big Ike over little Ike (same character, I know) because design wise, I like FE10 Ike but FE9 Ike wins by a very little margin and his story just manages a lot that it’s perfect when playing through with only The Greil Mercenaries. Here’s an old ramble post you can read about Priam, but I’ll have something new soon. So, here is the problem I had; who the hell could I vote for without leaving out someone? I had to leave out a lot of people, I dropped voting for Emmeryn, because I figured no one would vote for her and they complain that she’s even playable in Awakening to begin with. I dropped voting for Ena, the pink dragon from Tellius, because “she’s a bad unit” (doesn’t stop me) and very few (excluding myself, clearly) dislike Ena, but Ena’s extremely helpful in FE10 with her Blood Tide ability and I wish we were given the chance to pick between her and Nasir in FE9 and I wouldn’t need to throw the battle with The Black Knight with Ike to recruit her and in the process, lose Nasir. I dropped voting for Rajaion, because like with Greil and Elena, without him, there’d be no backstory history to Path of Radiance, and I’d love to see Rajaion be bought to life, given a voice, and to change into his black dragon form on the battlefield. (And I want him to fight with his little brother and nephew that he gave his life to save his.) I had to choose between Yen’fay and Say’ri, but I picked Yen’fay because there’s a lot people forget about for Yen’fay. In terms of what he’s seen, what he’s done (or lack thereof), what he’s been through and where he comes from, but also what’s important is how much of a soul searcher and eye opener he is for others, but he doesn’t see any of his own qualities for himself and there’s a longer (waiting in the wings) reason for me to yell about Yen’fay. I had to leave out L’Arachel, Tana, Cormag and Glen from Sacred Stones, and if you don’t want me to make you bring out the extra duty earplugs about those four, then I’m moving on. I voted for Stahl, Sully and Kjelle back to back, as they’ve all grown with me and like Yen’fay, I’ve realized that they all have this underlying aspect of their characters that people overlook, only because they’re too busy writing them off as one note characters or taking a single aspect of their personality and running with it (but this isn’t excluded only to Awakening characters, it’s been done for Tellius characters--see Ike--too). Stahl has this underlying level of confidence in himself, and it’s bought out when others show they have faith in him that he’s made for the job. The downside is that it makes everybody else try harder when they see he’s improving, so Stahl is literally the oil to the machine that keeps it polished and working. This trait is especially evident, to way higher degrees, in the DLC conversation Stahl can have with Chrom, and he gets hasty in wanting to do his job well and live up to the expectation someone has on him. But that might only be because it’s Chrom and his being the leader of the Shepards. But when working with Sully, Stahl’s confidence is boosted and he works harder because it’s what she’s teaching him. Which I’ve made this comparison between them before in that they have the opposite personality effect on each other; Stahl learns to be driven (in a way that’s fair and not putting him in harms way) and direct when given a motive. Sully is tempered and calm and able to voice and explain something that’s always been a concern in the back of her mind. Which she’s kind to Stahl, not to say that she hasn’t been before, but he’s her friend and her partner and their support dialog really reflects this and I just love it so much. I love this green and red knight duo. Now comes the subject of their daughter, Kjelle. Like Sully, Kjelle is interesting because she doesn’t have many chances to show that she’s got concerns and fears about so many of her internal doubts and the game didn’t give her many chances to show it off. But because she’s a knight, Kjelle is a protector first and foremost and she’s even taken a knife to the back to keep one of her friends from getting the blade to the spine. Kjelle’s rough-edged, but she’s not without compassion, her support with Yarne is a perfect example. And finally, the runner up, himself. Morgan. The child disowned by time and son of The High Deliverer (and Radiant Hero of Legend). Morgan is vastly overlooked in every shape and form, but I’m still so thankful that the Future Past Drama CD wrapped up his story so concretely and I’m also glad I was able to call in advance that that was the world he was from. The game hinting that Morgan wasn’t only from a different world, but over time, he was able to remember everything of his past, even though he may have lied about it to the others, it’s like his coming to terms with what happened, what he had done and didn’t turn away from his choices (choosing Grima!Robin over the other children). Morgan isn’t a soft kid, for all his goofy demeanor and able to show care and worry about others; this kid is tough, if not the toughest kid of the bunch and he absolutely, 100%, deserved to go home to a future that won its peace.

[exsanguisdraconis]

Some hc points about Verena:

I feel like this is something that people get confused about Verena a lot.

Verena’s general apathetic nature is a dragon thing. She has the things she loves, she has moments where her anger or excitement flares, but most of her days are spent laying around, flying, or hunting. She doesn’t do a lot of talking unless drawn into conversation (which annoys her unless you’re a certain person) and she doesn’t have a lot of emotions. They range from peaceful to mildly annoyed.

Ena does have her moments that she enjoys having fun. Sometimes she’ll attend a party that someone has twisted her wing to go to, sometimes she’ll play cards, sometimes she’ll even go dancing on a really good day. These more emotional moments will get played a lot more in our rps because I’ve found 2 things. 1: It isn’t fun to rp with Ena when she’s just laying around wanting to be left alone. And 2: people get upset with her.

Ena doesn’t like to be asked about her general demeanor, because she doesn’t have this long list of reasons as to why she’s like this. It’s her nature, it’s what instinct tells her to do, and it makes her content. And generally for dragons content trumps happy. It’s a form of happiness that doesn’t inspire them to get up and do active shit. She gets a little self conscious when people try and push her to be more emotional or to explain why she enjoys her day to day life, which looks surprisingly dull for a mystical fire breathing flying machine.

Another thing that happens a lot is that Verena’s apathy is often mistaken for cruelty. 

Let me be super clear. Ena has absolutely no guilt over past actions. That’s the dragon side of her, and also just kind of who she is as a person. What’s done is done, let it go, live for the moment. So she isn’t going to cry over people in the wrong place at the wrong time when she got carried away in a rampage. There are rare moments where Verena will admit she wishes they had not died but Verena does not do things that she doesn’t feel are necessary. She’s very reverent about the lives she’s taken for the most part, but she doesn’t toss and turn over it.

She also doesn’t just murder people for pleasure. She doesn’t think it’s funny or fun. Ena will fight and kill for people she loves or for her own morals or because her temper/appetite get the better of her. Verena will not participate nor allow frivolous killing in her presence. It pisses her off.

Verena’s a bitch, but deep down she’s kind of a softy. A lot of her shitty behavior comes from her past and her animal instincts that prompt her to behave certain ways. But I don’t want the idea that she’s like these modern day vampire tv show people where she’ll just pick a person off and eat them. Maybe if she’s super hungry and they’re a really shitty person like a murderer or a rapist but that’s not the usual. 

Verena eats fish primarily. After that she likes red meats. She’ll eat birds if she manages to catch them. Humans and other sapient species don’t usually make the menu.

[recentanimenews]

Anime vs. Real Life: Laid-Back Camping in Yamanashi

  There simply hasn’t been any other anime up to date, which managed to convey and capture the appeal of camping and the natural charm of the great outdoors, as perfectly as Laid Back Camp has.

  An inviting setting, fun characters, and a highly relaxing soundtrack were all part of the reason why the cozy slice-of-life show was undoubtedly one of the best anime of the past year. But it was the simply stunning-to-look-at backgrounds, all of which were meticulously modeled after real-life locations, which really managed to sell the anime’s eminently comfy atmosphere and tone—inevitably making viewers want to go see and experience these sights for themselves.

  And with the great outdoors being only a mere two and a half hours away from Tokyo via train, it shouldn’t come as a much of a surprise, that the anime’s main setting, which is Yamanashi Prefecture, has registered a literal boom in visitors since the show’s airing last year. Especially the featured campsites have all at least tripled their visitor numbers thanks to the popularity of the anime, even during the colder winter months. With the recent announcement of a second season, a full movie, as well as a mini-series airing in January next year, it doesn’t seem that the hike in popularity is going to slow down anytime soon.

  While I had already thoroughly reported on Laid-Back Camp’s real-world locations while it was still airing, I had never actually been to any of the shown campsites. So thanks to the kind help of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) I had the opportunity to finally pay them a visit, as well as have a little chat with the anime’s breakout director, Yoshiaki Kyogoku, back at studio C-Station. So get yourself as comfy as possible, and scroll through all the Laid-Back Camp comparison images I took on my trip to Yamanashi!

    Lake Shibire 

    We’re going to kick things off with one of the most beautiful anime locations I’ve ever been to in general, which is the small Lake Shibire. The caldera lake is sitting in the mountains of the Shibireko Prefectural Natural Park in Yamanashi at an altitude of 850m.

    Out of all the locations on my Yamanashi trip, this one is probably the hardest to reach, as it is deep in the mountains, roughly one hour away from Kofu City, the prefecture’s capital, which makes for a good hub should you ever want to visit some of these places yourself.

    Shibire Lake’s camping ground is called Suimeiso, and was featured in Laid-Back Camp’s episodes six and seven. The outing was actually Rin’s and Nadeshiko’s first ever intentional camping trip together, so it definitely marks an important point in their friendship.

    The actual campsite is located on the exact opposite side of the lake, but if sleeping in a tent under the stars is not your thing, the reception building here also functions as a minshuku, which are basically family operated, Japanese-style bed and breakfasts.

        I was completely flashed when I met the owner of the campsite, Kitajima Shinsuke, as he was just the spitting image of the owner in the anime. And as he later on confirmed, the anime’s character was indeed based off of him! He was a great guy to talk with, and I’m sure we did for a good hour or so. Laid-Back Camp really caused a significant hike in campers for the place, especially notable during the winter months. Barely any visitors found their way to the campsite during the off-season before, but that all changed since the airing of the anime, and the camping ground now sees around 70-80 visitors even in winter. There has even been an influx in solo-campers.

        I’m sure you’re able to spot the large Rin cutout in the picture above, and inside of the building they also sold a good number Laid-Back Camp merchandise.

      Getting a hot chai, which was the same drink that Nadeshiko’s older sister got while she was there, was perfect to wind down a bit and take in the scenery. After that I was off to explore the campsite.

      Nadeshiko prays to be spared by the giant bull demon, who resides in the lake. According to the anime, the bull was slain by a samurai, and since then has been emerging from the lake everyday just short after midnight. Surprisingly, the anime’s legend is actually based off a real one. Long story short, about 300 to 400 years ago, a samurai defeated the lake’s bull demon at the cost of his own life. Because of this sacrifice, rain started to pour in the drought-ridden area, and to this day, as a kind of a rainmaking ritual, people offer a cow’s head to the gods around here.

    The inscription says Ozaki Dragon King, and is tied to another legend of the lake. Apparently, a four-tailed dragon deity used to inhabit the lake, which was also eponymous for Lake Shibire’s name (‘shi' meaning four and ‘bi’ meaning tail).

        The lake has a perimeter of 1.2km, and takes around 20 minutes to walk around, but it’s quite easy to get sidetracked here like Nadeshiko.

      You’ve surely noticed by now, but the attention to detail in the anime backgrounds is absolutely astounding. Location scouting for the show was done during the winter months, and had the team at Tokyo-based C-Station often make three or four trips out to Yamanashi in a month. Director Yoshiaki Kyogoku has visited every campsite himself, and has done dozens of camping trips with his teams, but also quite a few solo camping trips, just to fully grasp Rin’s character. On top of that, they also made every food shown in the anime onsite, using the same exact same tools as well, which goes to show just how much thought and detail went into the production.

      Definitely seems like a good spot to set up camp.

    It’s probably also a good place to nap, but knowing Nadeshiko, she’s soon up and running again and exploring the campsite.

      There’s obviously a bunch of other activities you can do at Lake Shibire, such as hiking, fishing, swimming, and boating, and let’s not forget about taking comparison pictures for Laid-Back Camp.

                ‘Sup.

    Planning ahead with Google Street View only gets you so far, so there’s often still some location hunting I have to do onsite. I was just wandering around in the woods a bit, when I randomly stumbled across this path from the anime.  

    At one point, Rin mentions that she actually likes lakeside campground the best, and after getting to visit Lake Shibire myself, I definitely get where she’s coming from. 

    Yamanashi Fuefukigawa Fruits Park & Hottarakashi Hotspring

    Next up is a location that’s just as picturesque, while also being much easier to reach: The Hottarakashi Hotspring. To get the full experience, it’s best to start at Yamanashi-shi Station, just like the girls did. Unfortunately, the station building itself is currently under renovation, so the information board outside of it was the only comparison image I could take here.

      From Yamanashi-shi Station it’s only a few minutes to the Nezubashi Bridge, where the girl’s resolve to walk the whole distance is already starting to dwindle. It’s around 4km from the station to the hillside onsen, and it takes a good hour to get there. The view, hot spring, and food will all definitely be worth the hike, though. And if you just want all of that without the hike, there’s also buses going directly from the station.

        On their way, the girls decide to catch a break at the Fuefukigawa Fruits Park, which usually offers a good view of Mt. Fuji’s peak. Japan’s sacred mountain is actually situated in Yamanashi Prefecture, and is without a doubt the prefecture’s pride and joy. Mt. Fuji also plays a central role in Laid-Back Camp, as it makes an appearance in just about every episode.

    Located in the middle of the park are three glass domes, containing a fruit museum, as well as the Orchard Café, which they also stop by at in the episode.

        Yup, the fruits parfait tastes as good as it looks!

    And even the ice cream cup was faithfully recreated.

    Just like any other major Laid-Back Camp location, this one, too, was quite proud to be part of the anime tourism phenomenon. There were all kinds of anime related goods lying around, as well as pictures of the star-studded cast of voice actresses, all of whom have paid the café a visit. While Rin’s and Ena’s voice actresses, Nao Toyama and Rie Takahashi respectively, were both extremely famous to begin with, the show really boosted Yumiri Hanamori's profile, who voiced Nadeshiko.

    It’s a real shame that the café is closing down this month and relocating to the new station building, but there’s a new café going to take its place, and the beautiful view will stay the same regardless.

    Hottarakashi Hotspring

    After the pit stop at the Fuefukigawa Fruits Park, it’s still a bit of a hike to the Hottarakashi Hotspring (called Hottokeya in the anime), but the prospect of some much deserved onsen-time should be more than enough to keep you going. Unfortunately, the original entrance sign was blown off during a recent storm.  

        The open-air bath is just down here. What you see in Laid-Back Camp is really what you get. Relaxing outside in the soothing hot spring water, overlooking the Kofu Basin, while catching glimpses of Mt. Fuji here and there was simply breathtaking, and I wish I could’ve shown you just how stunning it all looked in real life, but taking photos inside the bath was obviously strictly prohibited.

        After the hot spring it’s time to reward oneself (again).

      In the show, the girl’s get an “Onsentamago-age”, which translates to deep-fried hot spring boiled egg. Think of tempura breading, but with a soft-boiled egg inside, and trust me – it’s good. I almost forgot to take the comparison photo after my first bite.

          After that, the girls of the outdoors activity club go rest a bit more at the cabin. It’s a laid-back show, alright.

    They later visit the Pinewood Campground to set up camp, which is only a short walk away from the hot spring. Unfortunately, if you want to enter the camping grounds, you’ll have to register in advance.

      Sticking around for night time is also definitely worth it, as the episode’s grand finale ends with Nadeshiko sending Rin a picture of the famed Fuefukigawa Fruit Park, which has been selected as one of the best three new night views of Japan. At the same time, Rin sends Nadeshiko a picture of the night view from the Takabotchi Highlands in Nagano Prefecture. The little interaction between the two is one of the director’s favorite moments of the show.

    Motosu High School

    Located in Minobu-cho is Motosu High School, which is the model for the anime’s high school. The school was chosen by the manga’s Yamanashi-based author, Afro, because of its scenic mountain-top setting. Unfortunately, the school has already closed down a few years ago, but it’s nice to see it somewhat live on through the manga and anime.

      Surprisingly, I was allowed to wander around the school a bit, which was being prepped for a special fan event, and I actually did manage to find a suspiciously familiar looking room. Might this have been the inspiration for the outdoor club’s narrow club room?

    However, the main building of the school looks quite different in real life.

    Several fan events take place in and around the school nowadays, so a desk that looks just like Rin’s from the show was set up inside of the former library, which was filled with Laid-Back Camp memorabilia as well. The locals generally seemed thrilled about the attention the small town has been getting since the anime, and have played an active role in making these fan events happen.   

    There are even a few anime locations to be found on the short walk from Kai-Tokiwa Station to Motosu High School, like the funny Google Street View scene.

        Starting from Kai-Tokiwa Station, it’s best to explore the next few locations via train, as all of them can be found along the Minobu Line.

      Minobu

The next stop is Minobu Station in Minobu, a quaint little town along the Fuji River, which was featured in the anime’s eight episode. 

        The town’s main road is lined by traditional Japanese shops left and right, one of them being Eishodo, a traditional confectionary store. The store right next to the station sells Minobu Manju (basically sweet steamed buns), which Nadeshiko and her friends just couldn’t get enough of in the episode.

      If you’re lucky, you can even stumble across the dog shown in the episode here in real life. Unfortunately, the owner was apparently out on a stroll with him when I was there.

      It was great to bump into other people doing the Laid-Back Camp pilgrimage here, even one year after the airing of the anime.

            Utsubuna

Utsubuna Station is the last relevant stop along the Minobu Line. The station gets quite a bit of screen time in the show, since it’s where Nadeshiko has to get on to commute to school.

              Selva Store

Selva Food Garden, called Zebra Super Market, is the grocery store where Aoi works part-time. Taking photos inside is not allowed, but it’s still worth it to head inside, simply due to the special Laid-Back Camp goods corner, which has some exclusive merchandise of the show.

      The liquor store right next to the supermarket is where Chiaki works to earn a few extra bucks. However, the actual store closed down some time ago.

    Lake Motosu

And last but not least, this article would not be complete without Laid-Back Camp’s most iconic location: Lake Motosu from the first episode! It’s the third largest and clearest of the Fuji Five Lakes, and while they’re all popular destinations for outdoor activities and getting a good view of Mt. Fuji, Lake Motosu’s view of Mt. Fuji is especially noteworthy for a particular reason.

    I didn’t actually walk through the whole 558m-long Nakanokura Tunnel, I just went in and out to get the photo.

        The temperature was five degrees Celsius just like in the anime. And while I’m all for recreating anime shots as accurately as possible, I wouldn’t have minded for it to be at least 10 degrees warmer during my visit.

          Only anime can make lying down in front of a public restroom a tourist attraction. I saw several people recreate the scene from the anime there.

      Motosu Central Lodge is where you check in if you want to camp at the Koan Camping Ground.

    As you can imagine, the interior looks just like it does in the anime, and they also serve some great Hoto noodle soup, which is a local specialty, and also the dish Chiaki prepared for Nadeshiko when she was sick in episode nine.

        The main entrance of the Koan Camping Ground is just behind the lodge.

      Aside from camping, the area is also great for hiking. Right behind the lodge was a mountain trail which led to a very scenic observation deck, with a great view of the lake, Mt. Fuji, and the surrounding area, which only took me around 30 minutes to get to.

        It was already spectacular in the anime, but seeing the crystal-clear lake, with Japan’s sacred mountain lingering in the background, was just absolutely stunning in real life. This really isn’t just any ordinary view of Mt. Fuji, and if you’ve ever been to Japan yourself, you’ve likely already seen it.

    That’s because this specific view of Mt. Fuji as seen from Lake Motosu graces the reverse side of the current 1000 yen bank note (around $9) since 2004. The bill’s image of Mt. Fuji is modeled after the famed photograph “Lakeside in Spring,” taken by Koyo Okada, a man who devoted his entire life to photographing Japan’s highest mountain. The same image was also part of the design of the older 5000 yen bill.

    It’s definitely a million dollar view, or more accurately, a thousand yen view!

    And there you have it, just about every Laid-Back Camp location located in Yamanashi Prefecture. Laid-Back Camp’s impact on the prefecture is clearly evident, and can not only seen by the increasing number of anime tourists, but also simply through the love of the local people for the anime. So if you’re a fan of the anime, and you’re already eagerly anticipating the continuation of the series, why not try to experience some of the show’s best locations for yourself?  And if you already want to get a taste of the second season, it might be worth a shot to head up Mt. Minobu, and visit the legendary Kuonji Temple. All the Laid-Back Camp merchandise and many cross-over events might be there for a reason.

      Which one of the locations do you think looks best? Does Yamanashi seem like a place you want to visit? Sound off in the comments below!

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Wilhelm is an anime tourist, who loves to search for and uncover the real-world spots he sees in anime. You can talk with him on Twitter @Surwill.

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[sapphicalexaandra]

this episode of supergirl wasn’t so bad, compared to the last...three, i think? i enjoyed it a lot, mostly, it’s cause it had:

Kara character study and development, which is what i’m in this for, okaY??? The episodes about her trauma, anger, sadness etc. and how she struggles or deals with it is MY SHIT and i just wished they would do this more often. 

Kara and Alex’s sisterhood is what matters to Kara most in the end. They are always and forever the heart of the show, and i also wished they stressed this m o r e o f t e n, or that they didn’t forget it in favor of bad ships.

I also enjoyed the legion people, imra and brainiac are very nice, and the fights + teamwork were cool. 

But speaking of the bad; of course the ships are the sore point. I envy those who are okay with these canon ships, really. Like, i wish ships weren’t always the most make it or break it points for a show, but they are. The kind of relationships that are portrayed tells a lot lot.

to elaborate: it’s not even that k*ramel is any worse than any other generic ship. m*n el too, he’s just...hey, yo, you’re not an asshole anymore, good for you. the problem is, that i can never ever ignore how this ship started, how the character started, because both never had a genuine development. the guy took over the show, every storyline, every KARA storyline. they isolated her, they brought her down until all she had left was him, so that they could pass that relationship as genuine. nope, it never was. and now after the fact they try to pass it even more as if it was this great love story: all i remember are endless arguments over m*n el not respecting who kara is and does. it’s just...no. And i’m not foolish, i know they’re gonna make it endgame in some way, the writers just love it too much, they changed the entire show in favor of it. This is the reason why i can never enjoyed it the show all-heartedly. It’s just...whatever, now. I can tolerate it if they do some good stuff as stated above^^ but the supergirl i loved is dead.

which brings us to the other two, the ‘pair the spares’. again, it is a whatever story. take the other two people who can’t be shipped with the main girl, so put them together to get rid of the problem. j*mes/l*ena will never be more than an even more generic ship. 

It’s how it is. I will always mourn the fact the supergirl will never be more than a generic show, istead of the something different and far more special than it could’ve been. Yes, supercorp would’ve brought that. That love story between the MAIN character and the lois-lane love interest would’ve made for the pulsing heart of an epic slow burn love story that lois-and-clark always are in any Superman. Robbing Kara (and Lena) of that because f/f ships can never be the main endgame ship in a mainstream show is honestly a crime. Yes, there are far more f/f ships lately, but they are never the kind of center of a story as so many het ships are. They are never the show. There’s a difference between ships that make a show and ships that are in a show, after all. Supercorp could’ve made the show. 

These are my honest thoughts, and now i’m out. I’ll keep watching the show sporadically and casually, but with no real investment in it. Only hope are the danvers sisters <3