#i was rewatching the forest training arc

[heronoegg]

Jesus, you can listen to all the my hero openings and the strong meaning behind it is enough to get you emotional

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - All's Quiet on the BL Front

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

May 2024 Wk 3

Ongoing Series - Thai

Wandee Godday (Sat YT) ep 3 of 12 - I love how were getting a solid depiction of two queers just genuinely enjoying sex with each other. That’s actually rare in BL. In this case, it manages to also be weirdly adorable and cute.

Dee is such a tease. I guess Y likes a brat? 

LOOK at those bedroom eyes!

Linguistics corner: when these two are being serious, sweet, or flirty with each other they use rao/nai which is kind of old fashioned and charming and not common in BL. They move pretty seamlessly into gu/mueng and back depending on the style of convo, tho. It's FUN to hear them talk.

Let the fake relationship commence!

My Stand-In (Thai Fri iQIYI) ep 4 of 12 eps - I HAVE THOUGHTS. I'm really enjoying the sinister backbone of this show. I hope they have the courage of their convictions in that regard and lean into a kind of sexy evil revenge narrative. It was a pleasure to watch the break up and I do not want a redemption arc for Ming or a romance for us. Fuck 'em, let’s just ride a revenge train, okay Joe baby?

That’s said, I totally sniffled at the ending scene where Ming (for two years!) has been paying penance cooking for two and waiting alone. Excellent pathos. Now, I understand how they're gonna make this a full 12 eps. And I’m excited about it. Carry on!

We Are (Weds iQIYI) ep 7 of 16 - I wasn't a fan of Winny & Satang in My School President but I'm loving them in this. The thing with Q, Toey, and Chain had me hooting with laughter. I think I’m finally just easing into the relaxed absurdity of this show. The key is not to expect anything from it. Just them being tiny gay idiots.

Two Worlds (iQIYI) ep 10 fin - Someday I’d like to really enjoy a MaxNat show, but today was not that day. (I feel like ever since Between Us I’ve been generally disenchanted with established OG pairs and what they’re bringing to the table. Perhaps that’s a discussion for another day. Cherry Magic excepted, of course.) 

OK, so this final episode, they sure tried to fit a lot in. But that made the pacing better for me. So I kinda liked this weird cliff notes resolution to the story.

In conclusion:

MaxNat do a credible job with a messy script about parallel worlds, gangsters, and strange diseases cured by forest fruits. It sounds confusing because it is. The chemistry is excellent the side pair is entirely forgotten about, and one could drive a Tardis through the plot holes. Still, I found it modestly enjoyable if not at all rewatchable. 7/10 

Only Boo! (Sun YouTube) ep 6 of 12 - I do love how bold and brash Moo is. He’s truly a great character, such an utter outgoing sunshine puppy focused on his pursuit of his older boy. I'm charmed by his utter harmlessness. They gave us a sweet coming out scene, and an awesome supportive mom. Frankly GMMTV has a good track record with moms. (With a few noted exceptions, of course.)

That said, I do keep forgetting this is a GMMTV offering. It just doesn't FEEL GMMTV. Just me?

OMG Vampire (Thai Sun ????) ep 1 of 10 - Starts tomorrow, will report on sitch next week. LeeFrank are back - not unlike the undead. But how do we feel about it? Unsure given their track record.

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

At 25:00 in Akasaka AKA 25 Ji Akasaka de (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 5 of 10 - I like it. I like our sulky 2nd lead. He’s pouty, adorable, brash, and adding some much-needed tension to this narrative. The blurring lines between show within a show is a lot of fun. Probably the best I've seen done in BL so far.

Living With Him AKA Kare no Iru Seikatsu (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 6 of 10 - I like that we got backstory, but we also sort of already knew it. So this ep felt a bit like filler. They are wonderful when they’re on screen together but when they aren't it's a bit dull. I hope we just get them together for the next 4 eps. But this is Japan, so I doubt it.

Blossom Campus (Korea Thurs Gaga & iQIYI) ep 1 of 6 - The image resolution on this show (via Iqiyi ) is terrible. Meanwhile, awkward crush. Jock nerd pairing. Dorky. Maybe a bit too much awkward/dorky for me? I'm not sold on this one.

Meanwhile the ordering then not eating or drinking of food continues. Very upsetting.

Boys Be Brave (Korea Viki) eps 5-8fin - This show was just never sure what it wanted to be. Slacker sunshine KiSub moves in with nerd JinWoo, mostly because he knows JinWoo likes him but won't confess and that's never happened to him before. It reminded me of some earlier KBLs like Behind Cut, yes is had bones but not much flesh, so it only just hung together and progressed through not very much plot in a jerking rattling fashion like an animated skeleton. All the story and chemistry was with the side couple and none of the screen time. That just annoyed me. What did this BL want to BE? Who tf knows. I, for one, don’t care, and resolve to think no more on it. 6/10 

Blue Boys (Korea Sat YouTube) - This ended at 4 eps on a cliffhanger. Since this is a very small studio I don’t have a lot of faith in there being a part two. But they have bundled both this BL, and the GL, bingable chunks on YT. So if you want to binge it, it’s there. Just be aware that it ends on a cliffhanger.

My thoughts?

Promising reunion romances full of class and coming out struggles but I grade with what we got, not on expectations, and you know I HATE a cliffhanger. So yeah, it HAD promise but as of now it gets a 4/10 - fatally flawed. I reserve the right to change my mind if they amend for damages.

It's airing but...

You Made My Day (Thai YT) ep 1 of 5 - mini series staring the I Will Knock You couple Tar & Bom, started but I couldn't find it. I also didn't try very hard.

Lady Boy Friends (Thai WeTV grey) 16 eps - reminds me a bit too much of Diary of Tootsies only high school. Not my thing. DNF unless it turns a corner and is truly amazing.

A Balloon's Landing (Taiwan movie) trailer - A frustrated Hong Kong writer, Tian Yu, meets a Taipei street gangster, Xiang (Fandy Fan from HIStory2: Crossing the Line), and the two of them embark on a journey to find the Bay of Vanishing Whales. Along the way, they discover unexpected twists and turns and close bonds, which brings out the message that "there is always someone like you in this world who is waiting for you. This released to cinemas in Taiwan, no word on international release.

In case you missed it

A really really thorough and fascinating article on 2 Moons 2 and what happened.

Next Week Looks Like This:

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

May Releases

VBL (Taiwan) is releasing 4 'Special Episode' epilogues to their 4 2023 shows every Friday this month on Gagaoolala, Viki & Viu. Not sure on search terms or how to find these. (Or, frankly, if we need them.)

5/10 – You Are Mine

5/17 – VIP Only

5/24 – Stay By My Side

5/31 – Anti Reset

5/25 The Time of Fever AKA Unintentional Love Story 2 (Korea movie) trailer - HoTae & DongHee are back but unfortunately not in a cinema near me. Side couple from Unintentional Love Story, same actors, same character names. I love them. I NEED TO SEE THIS.

5/28 My Biker 2 (Thai movie YT?) - trailer

5/30 Knock Knock Boys (Thai Thurs WeTV) - I'm hoping I can get it elsewhere since my WeTV account is inactive, but I do love Best and I'm interested in seeing him in a new pairing. That said, I'm not wild about Seng... so I won't be too cut up if I can't get hold of this. More here.

5/31 The Time of Huannan (Taiwan movie) - May not be BL

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

I'm a sucker for this king of casual claiming. (Only Boo)

It me! (Wandee Goodday)

(Last week)

Streaming services are listed by how I (usually) watch, which is with a USA based IP, and often offset by a day because time zones are a pain.

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @sunflower-positiiivity @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious

If ya wanna be tagged each week leave a comment and I will add you to the template. Easy peesy.

[fuxuannie]

╭₊˚ ๑︰𝒔𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒛𝒆

:★: relationship : rengoku kyojuro x g-neutral reader

:★: warnings : spoilers 4 mugen train arc

:★: a/n : rewatching season 2 will forever hurt my heart in a way i cant forgive <\3 i literally havent hax water in 3 days and im still crying huyu,,,

"Kyojuro?"

As he stands in your shared homes garden with his arms crossed, his head softly turns to you with his gentle smile. "Hm?"

You walk towards him, a look of worry he was far too familiar with was etched all over your face. "Are you sure you'll be okay? I know you're strong but..."

He feels your hand squeeze his arm tightly.

Rengoku chuckles, uncrossing his arms to instead wrap them around you suddenly. Though he does it so often, something about how he holds you feels tighter and the feelings behind it linger once he pulls away.

"Worry not, my dear." His pinky finger locks with yours, lifting your hand up softly to remind you of the child-like way of making a promise. "I will come home and take you out to our favorite restaurant."

"Just.. just don't let a spouse bury their husband."

His signature smile flashes on his face.

"You'll never have to feel such pain, because as long as I know you'll be waiting for me, I'll do everything to keep fighting."

Your feet felt exhausted, you could practically hear your own heartbeat echoing throughout the forest but you didn't care. You followed the traintracks that weren't far from your view, already informed that they were the same ones that the Mugen train followed.

When sounds of crying came into earshot, you prayed it was tears of joy, and your worst nightmare hadn't come to life. "Rengoku!"

It felt like your entire world stopped turning as the sun rose, yet the head Rengoku always held up high falls down as he sits in a pool of his own blood.

Your footsteps begin to slow down, the weight of what's happening slowly setting in.

"Kyo.. Kyoju.."

Tanjiros head immediately shifts to your direction, his sadness turns to dread when your tear-filled face comes into view.

"Kyojuro!"

[benoitblanc]

Episode ask game!

Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead (DW)

The Wedding of River Song (DW)

Irresistible (TXF)

Nisei/731 (TXF)

Demons (TXF)

:)

silence in the library/forest of the dead (doctor who 4.08/4.09):

scum on earth | will not rewatch | pretty bad | not great but charming | objectively not good but i had fun | listen it's complicated | neutral | no complaints | this is great | this is fantastic | one of my favorites | actually a divine work nothing will ever top this PERFECT sci-fi. absolutely no notes. the character work is horrific (affectionate), the monster is terrifying, and the premise is so fucking weird. give catherine tate an emmy

the wedding of river song (doctor who 6.13):

scum on earth | will not rewatch | pretty bad | not great but charming | objectively not good but i had fun | listen it's complicated | neutral | no complaints | this is great | this is fantastic | one of my favorites | actually a divine work nothing will ever top this i think i've only seen this one once so i don't remember it super well, but i love every river song feature so i'm sure i liked it. i remember it being very very very strange

irresistible (the x-files 2.13):

scum on earth | will not rewatch | pretty bad | not great but charming | objectively not good but i had fun | listen it's complicated | neutral | no complaints | this is great | this is fantastic | one of my favorites | actually a divine work nothing will ever top this in my top three txf eps easy. i LOVE that there's no paranormal element and yet it's the most horrifying episode of the whole show. tattoo the scene at the end onto my eyeballs. it's about her not wanting to feel like he has to protect her but him wanting desperately for her to let him in because he cares!!! she doesn't want him to think she's weak but she's the strongest person he knows!!! sometimes chris carter actually really gets scully

nisei/731 (the x-files 3.09/3.10):

scum on earth | will not rewatch | pretty bad | not great but charming | objectively not good but i had fun | listen it's complicated | neutral | no complaints | this is great | this is fantastic | one of my favorites | actually a divine work nothing will ever top this this is my favorite mytharc ep/two-parter. it's funny, it's suspenseful, it's got the first insights into the fact that the government is really the ones behind all the alien crap (i choose to ignore the later mytharc stuff where they go back on this because GOD is it incredible storytelling and it fits in SO well with the themes of the show). it's got mulder jumping on top of a moving train and losing his phone as scully begs him not to. it sets up the cancer arc to a t. it's even got rob bowman

demons (the x-files 4.23)

scum on earth | will not rewatch | pretty bad | not great but charming | objectively not good but i had fun | listen it's complicated | neutral | no complaints | this is great | this is fantastic | one of my favorites | actually a divine work nothing will ever top this listen to me demons isn't about samantha and the smoking man it's about mulder and scully and her illness and how they both feel like they're losing control of their lives along with each other. you have to listen to me i'm begging please

send an ep for a ranking!!!

[antixsocialfelixie]

Anime theory #1: Could Dabi be shortsighted?

I have finished MHA a while ago and am still waiting if there will be a season 7 made and if it’s already made, for it to come to the states. And in a time of feeling empty, I had rewatched the show and had made it to season 3, specifically season 3 episode 44. I case some of you have forgotten what had happened in this episode, it’s basically the episode where the LOV invaded the training camp and the arc where Bakugo got kidnapped.

Now, there’s these specific scenes with Dabi that in general made me conjure up this theory. It is where Twice and Dabi were walking together through the now flamed forest and the same place where Aoyama was hiding behind the bushes. In that scene, Dabi sees him but here’s the thing. When Aoyama had looked at Dabi, his head had completely poked out of the bush he was hiding. It was pretty noticeable as well

I mean, his entire head is literally out. But when Dabi does see him and actually stares at him. He squints his eyes, well he squints them slightly.

I know it isn’t really something to pay such close attention to but thinking about it is a little odd. Dabi had seen Aoyama, there was even a sequence where he was going to go to where Aoyama was at to do god knows what. But here’s the thing…when Twice had interrupted by asking Dabi if he was going to call back the Nomu, Dabi didn’t even try to maybe even tell twice that he had seen someone there and wanted to double check it. And since they had talked about his Nomu, he probably would have checked if someone was there since some information had been leaked even if they weren’t as important.

Why wouldn’t he go double check? How come he had let it slide? And I know maybe some people or some of you would probably say or are thinking “Maybe he’s the type to keep it to himself” or “It wasn’t relevant so why would he?” And yes, maybe you’re right. Maybe I am just overthinking this scene. BUT there’s another reason too. Although Twice DID distract him by talking about the Nomu, he still should have checked. It’s not like he’s stupid obviously.

In a later scene in the episode, he looks up to the sky as Mr. Compress falls. But once again, he squints.

It was a little strange at first that he had squinted so much in this episode and I remember being visibly confused as to why. And obviously there doesn’t have to be any reason as to why but it still had my head whizzing around in circles.

And then, that’s when I came up with this theory. I had done research as to what is shortsightedness and what it is? Basically, it is when the eyes grow slightly too long. This means that light doesn’t focus on the retina at the back of the eye properly and instead the light rays focus just in front of the retina and that causes distant objects to look blurred. Hence, why he squinted when seeing Aoyama and Mr. Compress.

And if you thought that was all, WELL YOU COULDN’T BE MORE WRONG HAHA!

I also researched something about blue light, and what it could do to the eyes. It could have a negative effect on the eyesight. It could damage retinal cells and cause vision problems and growths on the clear covering over the white part of the eye. Where am I getting at with all this researched answers? This sorta proves my point. Dabi has what color of flames? They are blue, one of the strongest types of blue flame I might add. And his quirk is something that he would’ve had since a young age (4-5) and if we go back some more. SPOILER AHEAD; SEASON 6!!!

You can see in the picture from above that when he was younger, he would train a lot to improve the strength of fire that he could produce. I believe that he was 5 here and him being 23 now, it’s pretty much been 23 years (I think) since he’s had and seen the light from his flame.

What do you guys think? (NO HATE PLS)

[asphodelical]

The Great Anime Rewatch of 2024 - Part V

Casshern Sins

First watched: January 2014 Rewatched: January 2024

Original rating: 6 New rating: 4

Prior to this rewatch, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you anything about Casshern Sins. It might’ve been better if it had stayed that way. While watching the first episode, I couldn’t stop complaining how bad the writing was. It feels like the creative team was banking on the show’s style and atmosphere to compensate for its weak dialogue, and I’m not falling for it. The thing I will fall for is the music. It’s really good. But if I want a post-apocalyptic story about robots having existential crises, I’ll stick with Nier: Automata, thank you very much. I lasted five episodes. 

__________________________________

Claymore

First watched: December 2011 Rewatched: February 2024

Original rating: 7 New rating: 5

The writing is basic and everything is mid. If one of your deuteragonists is an audience avatar with no personality, that’s not good. Then on episode five we completely switched POVs out of nowhere, and we barely know anything about our original duo. It feels like the author was stalling for time while they figure out what do to with Claire and Raki. I lasted five episodes. 

__________________________________

Boku no Hero Academia 1, 2, & 3

First watched: 2016, 2017, 2018 - all original airdates Rewatched: February 2024

Original ratings: 7, 8, 8 New ratings: 7, 7, 4

I remember enjoying BnHA, but I never got swept up by the hype. I’m not really into superhero stuff to begin with, and the sub-genre is so oversaturated, the stories almost feel like parodies of itself. Anyway, let’s try this again, and not on a weekly basis. (I refuse to rewatch season four since I didn’t like it much.)

Season 1 - I find it extremely hard to believe that every single student made it out of that big villain ambush with light injuries. At least one kid should’ve been killed or, at the very least, extremely traumatized. But what I appreciate most is that the characters are smart and actually use their powers creatively and intelligently. I still don’t understand why Mineta exists, though. No one likes him. He should’ve died. 

Season 2 - BnHA’s strengths and weaknesses are in full swing now. Its highs consist of the sports festival/tournament arc, Bakugo and Deku vs. All Might, and the conversation between Deku and Shigaraki. As for the weaknesses? Well, the neglect of the female characters was thriving. I really don’t like Creati (she can create anything except a decent outfit), but I pitied her—getting roped into a hero internship and do nothing but beauty ads? What the actual fuck? After the Stain stuff, my interest was diminishing and I was skipping bits of almost every episode. Bakugo is my favorite character, and fuck that dog police chief. 

Season 3 - Now I’m actively skipping episodes. It’s starting to get redundant at this point (more exams???), the cast is so large it’s collapsing on itself, and there’s no sense of loss. Why should I care about any fight when everyone gets to walk away alive, completely intact, and fine in every sense of the word? This was less evident when I watched these seasons as they aired weekly with lengthy breaks in between. The pacing problem is also exacerbated now, with the stupid forest training bit taking up the first seven episodes, when it probably could’ve been three or four. (I skipped most of them, hence the ‘probably.’) Meanwhile, the villains don’t actually accomplish anything. There’s no reason for me to take them seriously. And the heroes aren’t developing—their powers aren’t escalating or changing, and neither are they as people. The only character who gave me what I want is Bakugo in his fight with Deku. 

BnHA is weird, because in this world where nearly everyone has a power, I think it went down one of the most uninteresting directions possible. The cast is far too large, and can’t juggle them all, despite its earnest effort to do so. And while suspension of disbelief is always required in things like superhero stories, I feel like there’s not enough loss. That’s partially due to the nature of the demographic, but stories like these shouldn’t be so terrified of whittling down/killing off its bloated cast. What if some of the UA students felt traumatized from fighting with real villains, or decide that they want to change career paths? Or a former hero student who turned to villainy? It’s a shame that those things aren’t explored. 

I still had a pretty good time with the first two seasons, but found myself emotionally apathetic to most of the cast. 

The only ones I actively care about: Bakugo, Deku, and Shigaraki. 

The characters I enjoy but am not particularly invested in: Froppy, Tokoyami, Todoroki, Ochako. 

Bypassing season four, will I give season five a chance? Not sure, since season three was painful to rewatch. From overall fan opinion, the story and writing seem to get worse, and I spoiled myself with Bakugo and am very disappointed to see sacrifices gone to waste and being brought back from the fucking dead. 

[134340am]

does anybody wanna come over to my house and eat spam and egg fried rice with me 😤

[abyssalstrike]

please god i need to hear you talk about farmhouse raph i love him So Mucj.

OK OK i saw this a while ago but i took the time to rewatch the farmhouse episodes to refresh my memory and i took NOTES. So here we go Let me just start this off by saying that the farmhouse arc is genuinely one of my favorite segments of the entire series, and Raph is one of the main reasons why. When you really sit down and watch what Raph does throughout these episodes, you begin to realize that he's actually a really reliable figure- he tries to cheer up Donnie when he's bummed out about April rejecting him, and he's always keeping an eye out on Leo and is constantly encouraging his recovery, and he's also a little more indulgent to Mikey's antics. And yeah yeah I know "The Croaking" exists (the episode where Mikey runs away), but that entire episode, and the fandom's perception of it, is so wack that I'll have to speak on it in a later post or something because damn it just pisses me off a little . a LITTLE bit! just a lil. I will pretend it doesn't exist until then. For some examples, let's start with Episode One, Within the Woods. Of course, Raph watched over Leo while he was recovering in the bathtub for months. The dedication. The loyalty. When April brings it up, he brushes it off as no big deal. He just cared that much to take care of him all of that time. It's so sweet. And it's even sweeter when, at the end of the episode, Leo reciprocates that sentiment by never leaving his side when he was recovering from being turned into a plant. Love them. Episode 2, A Foot too Big. One of my favorite episodes because despite all of the second-hand embarrassment I get from cringe king Donnie (and the scene at the end ugh), it's actually hilarious. So Donnie makes this music box with his picture in it, and he gives it to April, who, of course, rejects his advances by leaving in the most awkward manner one possibly can. Raph witnesses this entire thing, tells him straight up that it will never work between him and April, and then enthusiastically suggests that they go forest training to help cheer him up. This is the EXACT same thing he did with Leo when he just woke up from the bathtub. Exact Method.

Pictured: Brotherly Affection (Donnie and Raph are SUCH an underrated duo it is a SHAME they didn't get paired off more often) It's also really cute how Leo and Raph are co-leading the training in the following scene. He's still a little playfully mean but he gives actual constructive advice to Donnie and Mikey. It's also interesting to note that when the duo is running away from Bigfoot, they only turn back to fight when they find Raph in the woods again. Here's another thing I noted. There's a montage of Bigfoot generally being difficult to live with, and at some point, she takes a fucking shit in the bathtub. Raph brings her, Donnie, and Mikey outside so that bigfoot can teach them Forest Stealth while he goes to clean it up. I am 100% certain that if this was the Raph from season 1, he would not have done that. I am so serious. Raph from season 1 OR hell, SEASON 2, would have reasoned that since Donnie and Mikey wanted to bring Bigfoot home, they should be the ones to take full care of her. He doesn't even get mad- annoyed or frustrated, sure, but he doesn't yell at anyone, he doesn't place unfair blame on one person- none of that. Later on in the episode, Donnie vents to him about how Bigfoot is following him around and smothering him etc. To which Raph remarks something like, "Now you know how April feels." He's so real. There's just so much I can bring up. The fact that Raph not once ever goes too easy on Leo when they train together because he knows Leo would hate that. Raph enabling Mikey to draw on Leo's face while he sleeps. Raph somehow being the only one to bring his grappling hook when they were all (minus April and Leo) kidnapped by the Chimera Turducken thingy. Raph and Leo playing video games together. And overall, I noticed his anger-fueled outbursts aren't really that common anymore either. He's just trying his best to make sure his brothers are okay in the ways he knows how to. My sweet angel

[munchcorner]

It's been a while since I've watched My Hero's previous seasons. I forgot how painful Midoriya's scream was when Bakugou was kidnapped. I saw the forest training camp arc on tiktok and ended up rewatching ep 7 of season 3. And oh my god MIDORIYA'S SCREAM! MY HEART! IT WAS SHATTERED! SPECIALLY WHEN HE WOKE UP IN THE HOSPITAL AND WAS REMINDED THAT BAKUGOU WAS GONE ALSKAKKSKSKS MY HEART HURTS

[belatedbday69]

rewatching mha and i think a moment we dont talk about in regards to dvk2 and katsuki's first signs of character development is that, during the forest camp training arc, right after deku warns that the villains are after kacchan and katsuki gets the message, he says, "I can take care of myself" and then "well I don't care what anyone says." I think this has gotta be the moment he looks back on when he blames himself for all might's downfall. he ignored todoroki and mandalay and everyone else and it got him captured (not that it's his fault ofc but he blames himself yk). In the future he learns to listen to people and not act purely on his own terms.

[heronoegg]

Rewatching the anime a little bit to refresh my mind and I dont know if it's just the anime but if I had to get rid of anything in the anime that annoys me the most it would be AND LISTEN TO ME READ IT HOW IM SAYING IT

the way they went about making Uraraka have a crush on Deku

It's so annoying to the point I dont wanna "fix it" I just want it gone.

It's kinda long what I have to say and if you like Uraraka/Deku this post probably isn't for you

See it would be fine if it wasn't her whole personality and if you dont agree with me that's fine but I just.. it's hard to watch them fail my girl.

My most annoying parts of it are definitely.

- when she was taking her exam with Aoyama and him bringing up mention of the fact she liked Deku made her lose all composeture in a situation like that. 13 was literally caught off guard that she let go and the only reason they won is because she didnt wanna rip the children apart using black hole or void or whatever her quirk is called.

-when shes fighting Himiko for the first time in the forest training arc shes in FULL ON ATTACK AND PROTECT TSU MODE she man handles Himiko to the ground and I'm rooting for her. Himiko all of a sudden brings up a love interest cause she can smell it on or in Uararka's blood or something that she knows she likes a person. This takes over Uraraka's mind and she leaves ATTACK PROTECT MODE and is blushing and confused like a yandere simulator when you see Senpai. like... why is this scene needed? We know Uraraka likes Deku why does it have to get in the way of Himiko potentially almost stabbing or ending Tsu's life right in front of Uraraka? They were in a fight, having feelings for your crush is not gonna automatically flip your brain into "☺ oh no I remembered I like him" she could have just been extremely confused and Himiko was talking about how she loves Stain the same way Uraraka apparently has feelings for Deku, this scene is only here to show us Uararka liking Deku is making her mess up and that's why later she says she'll put those feelings away and then doesn't put them away cause she allows this to be in the forefront of her mind, Mina even teases her about it later with the present Deku got her. There's nothing wrong with Deku getting her a present and her cherishing it but she keeps it in her arm shoot thingy and when Himiko stole it season 6 Uraraka chased her to get it back cause it meant a lot to her... if it meant a lot to you leave it home??? I'm not gonna bring my keychain I like a lot or something someone gave me to the battle field leave that home where you know its safe

-in movie 1 Uararka is first scene stuttering because she was eavesdropping in on Deku and Melissia having a normal conversation about the island expo. Momo and Jirou are angry for her for no reason because this is meant to be perceived as Deku "cheating" on Uraraka by hanging out with another girl and it really isn't, they were literally just geeking out about hero gear and being a hero I rewatched the movie with my friend a little bit and she said "it's easy to ship Deku with Melissa because I dont feel like it's being pushed in my face ''THEY LIKE EACHOTHER GIGGLE GIGGLE'' it literally just showed two people who are more alike than they knew cause they are both quirkless and geeks about heroes talking about geeky hero stuff. Your next thing is your gonna probably say I'm hating cause I ship Deku with Melissa, I dont care about shipping the characters I was just making a point I honestly really need Deku and Melissa to stay platonic and friends cause shipping them just isn't my tea but to each it's own, I'm not saying I hate Deku/Uraraka I'm just saying there was a better way to go about making them fall in love or have a crush on eachother cause so far into the forest training arc and onward it's one sided, Deku never really thinks about Uraraka the way she thinks about him next your gonna say but in the beginning Deku was crazy about her cause he was like "A GIRL TALK TO ME" when he came to UA and when he talk to her on the phone he was like "I TALK TO A GIRL ON THE PHONE!" He did say these things, girls dont talk to Deku, not in his old middle school not ever really, he's a 15 year old boy if a nerdy kid talks to a girl he's going to geek out about it cause that never happen before

-it's just hard in general to watch her say "I'm gonna put these feelings away cause they get in my way" and then she proceeds to not do that even when shes putting them away she keeps bringing it up or its shown that she clearly didnt "put them away" cause she's struggling to not think abo it Deku in every trial she faces. I kid you not I remember her saying "what would Deku do" the same way Deku says "what would Allmight do" and it's really annoying.

Thanks for coming to my tedtalk I just wanted to talk about this cause I dont really appreciate how her romance life is handled. If you like Deku/Uraraka power to you but I dont and I can only see them as friends and she had a crush on him but he friend zoned her

[olwolo]

C!wilbur can eat my fists for saying the syndicate is like a government, let my boys have their anti-gov book club man. And alsoo we really are on the same page, it's just so much fun! And people don't usually take funny characters seriously and that's my favorite part lmao they make the chill times and the serious times way better, literally the best of both worlds. TRAINING ARC PRIOR TO BREAK IN YES. Olwolo pls if we have that I'll here and just make a rave on ur inbox!! We are not even asking for too much u know :( and I understand what you mean 100% !! Despite cc!niki obviously saying she enjoys where she's now, I adore their interactions so much! Their canon interactions are few but so good!! I feel like c!techno knew c!niki would be a good ally since she burnt that tree down! I mean, after all he did on that day he took his time to knowledge niki's actions u know? Something she did by herself and mostly to herself. I'm too much fan of the techno-sensei stuff and man do I love to think about how strong niki can grow with techno's help while also being like... 99% at fault of that growth because she was the one that stepped away from her past and looked for the syndicate after the invitation! Techno relationship with everybody in the syndicate is just so nice because they are strong together but he isn't the only reason they are, u know? He's just a attentive character ig lolol idk if that makes sense but YEAH. The "good work, niki" and the "so, how are you feeling about this?" After tommy died and just everything about her returning to baking and stuff. They are turning to best friends you honor! We love to see! But also, headcanon that the only one that enters techno's house while he's away is niki to talk to Steve and make sure he's not mad anymore <3 the true power friendship right there!

But OLWOLO HEADCANONS MY BELOVED! I love it omg I thought I recognized the flowers from that first mumza art u posted and omg that idea!! I love the headcanon that mumza is such a nature force while still being the goddess of death! I mean, life and death walk together ig! Persephone vibes~ (which makes me want to ask u ur thoughts for niki's codename on the syndicate but anyway ahaha) And your design for Kristen is also so nice ugh I would love to hear more headcanons if u have any! The fact he notices the flowers on the forest behind his house too on his last stream 🥰 ugh I love them. The sketch of c!phil following the path is so cute,, like how intriguing it was at first for him !! And then ur last art he's like really close to her ugh man I love it 🧨

sdjkkl i took that comment more as cc!wilbur poking fun at the people saying that the syndicate is a government than a serious in character moment. and i'll gladly welcome the rave if we do get that training arc. and god i just love when moments from earlier streams end up nicely tying up with the more recent stuff! like you said c!niki telling c!techno she was the one who burned down l'mantree fits so well with why he thought to invite her to the syndicate. i rewatched the vods from the beginning a while back and seeing how things from those early storylines fit with how the characters and the story progressed when it wasn't even planned and how some things get a new context too. it's all chef's kiss. the syndicate dynamic is just so good i can't get enough of it. and aaah niki and steve content!! i love it! and i don't have too much to say about the codenames besides they fit well from what i read about the mythology lol.

and idk there's just something that fits so well in including flowers in a design for godess of death!mumza. i didn't want to make the design like too grim (though i have a few ideas for that alternative too) because that's not entirely what death is about to me so i took like a more peaceful approach i guess? with the mostly white robes and flowers? but still wanted to have that vibe of mystery and something not being quite normal so i gave her the veil and pitch black hair that can resemble a cloud of space. i don't really have more headcanons for now (unless we're talking about overall dsmp bc oh boy i feel like i have too many) but knowing my brainrot i'll come up with something new soon enough hjkl and the flowers growing in the forest gave me so much validation!!!! like i sketched the mumza design right after the forest first appeared and seeing the flowers included in canon in a way was so nice!

[annabethlestrange]

RANKED: STUDIO GHIBLI MOVIES (rating from highest to lowest)

Check caption on every photo to check synopsis and review. 📷 I'm so happy! I've managed to finish 24 Ghibli Movies. Yay! Achievement unlock! I want to rewatch some of their movies. Every movie feels nostalgic, with good vibes, and a whimsical story! Highly recommended! (my highest rating is 5 stars and the lowest would be 1 star)

(set1 10photos)

PONYO 2008 ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ 𝄢 One of my top Ghibli favorite movies of all time.ü 📷 Simple, adorable, and very charming characters.📷📷 • WELCOME TO A WORLD WHERE ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. The son of a sailor, 5-year old Sosuke lives a quiet life on an oceanside cliff with his mother Lisa. One fateful day, he finds a beautiful goldfish trapped in a bottle on the beach and upon rescuing her, names her Ponyo. But she is no ordinary goldfish. The daughter of a masterful wizard and a sea goddess, Ponyo uses her father’s magic to transform herself into a young girl and quickly falls in love with Sosuke, but the use of such powerful sorcery causes a dangerous imbalance in the world. As the moon steadily draws nearer to the earth and Ponyo’s father sends the ocean’s mighty waves to find his daughter, the two children embark on an adventure of a lifetime to save the world and fulfill Ponyo’s dreams of becoming human.

Added another movie poster. Coz why not? 📷

Spirited Away 2001 ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ 𝄢 One of the best-animated films. I can't explain how I feel. It seems dramatic AF, but damnnnn... I wish that there's a second part. It's a bittersweet ending. I love it. One of the best movies I've watched this year. WHY THE HELL DID I WAIT FOR TOO LONG?! 📷📷📷 Highly recommended! 📷 • A young girl, Chihiro, becomes trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free her family.

The Cat Returns 2002 ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆ 𝄢 "Always believe in yourself." -Baron Humbert Von Gikkingen One of my favorites! 📷📷 I love the characters! Specially Muta and The Baron. I enjoyed this so much. To be honest I'm not a cat person. I'm more of a dog person. But I find it entertaining. Who doesn't want to marry The Baron?! 📷📷 As always, magical and enjoyable watch. Highly recommended! • IT’S NOT SO BAD BEING A CAT, NOW IS IT? Haru, a schoolgirl bored by her ordinary routine, saves the life of an unusual cat and suddenly her world is transformed beyond anything she ever imagined. The Cat King rewards her good deed with a flurry of presents, including a very shocking proposal of marriage to his son! Haru embarks on an unexpected journey to the Kingdom of Cats where her eyes are opened to a whole other world.

My Neighbor Totoro 1988 4.5 ★ 𝄢 Sana all may kaybigan like Totoro.ü 📷📷 • Two sisters move to the country with their father in order to be closer to their hospitalized mother and discover the surrounding trees are inhabited by Totoros, magical spirits of the forest. When the youngest runs away from home, the older sister seeks help from the spirits to find her.

When Marnie Was There 2014 4.5 ★ 𝄢 This is a slow burn for me. First 45 mins. of the film was dragging. I almost give up. But I'm glad I didn't. It was beautifully made. Well-crafted characters. And OH WHAT A F*UCKING TWIST!!! That ending! 📷 OMG! I DIDN'T SEE IT COMING... I was so surprised, that I cried. I love the storyline and the plot. I hope that everyone can watch this at least once in their lifetime. 📷 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. • PROMISE WE’LL REMAIN A SECRET, FOREVER. Upon being sent to live with relatives in the countryside due to an illness, an emotionally distant adolescent girl becomes obsessed with an abandoned mansion and infatuated with a girl who lives there—a girl who may or may not be real.

Castle in the sky 1986 ★★★★ 𝄢 Very pure. Enjoyable. Just like my best friend told me for every Ghibli movie, IT'S MAGICAL AND WHIMSICAL. 📷 The characters are unforgettable. Love the ending when the pirates helped Pazu and Sheeta. 📷📷 • HAUNTING AND BRILLIANT! A young boy and a girl with a magic crystal must race against pirates and foreign agents in a search for a legendary floating castle.

Howl’s Moving Castle 2004 ★★★★ 𝄢 TIMELESS.ü I love TURNIP, Markl and Calcifer! 📷 • THE TWO LIVED THERE When Sophie, a shy young woman, is cursed with an old body by a spiteful witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking castle.

From Up on Poppy Hill 2011 ★★★★ 𝄢 Beautifully created. Poetic. The characters are well developed. I love it. Quite anxious about where the story will go. I'm happy with the ending.ü 📷📷 • I LOOK UP AS I WALK… A group of Yokohama students fights to save their school’s clubhouse from the wrecking ball during preparations for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. While working there, Umi and Shun gradually attract each other but face a sudden trial. Even so, they keep going without fleeing the difficulties of reality.

Only Yesterday 1991 ★★★★ 𝄢 "If today's no good, you'll have tomorrow. If tomorrow's no good, you'll have the next day." Memories of my own childhood flood back while watching this. It reflects on our own youthful days. I love it. I personally love Toshio's character. And omg that ending, my heart! 📷 📷 • I’M GOING ON A TRIP WITH ME It’s 1982, and Taeko is 27 years old, unmarried, and has lived her whole life in Tokyo. She decides to visit her family in the countryside, and as the train travels through the night, memories flood back of her younger years: the first immature stirrings of romance, the onset of puberty, and the frustrations of math and boys. At the station, she is met by young farmer Toshio, and the encounters with him begin to reconnect her to forgotten longings. In lyrical switches between the present and the past, Taeko contemplates the arc of her life, and wonders if she has been true to the dreams of her childhood self.

[alternatefandom]

Recently, I rewatched Chinapuri’s training camp episodes, and I decided I needed a reference for MuZhuo’s arc here. So I made one.

While the rest of the team are having their own troubles, Zhuo Zhi alone remains relatively untouched. He's certainly one of Yu Qing's aces, but unlike the rest of the team, he maintains a certain detachment from victory, allowing him to coast through his team's recent morale troubles. He even comments that he doesn't understand why Mu Siyang involved him in the matches against Yu Feng, since he alone has remained unaffected. Even in the training camp, he remains his usual, mild-mannered self, unaffected by the rest of the team's irritation.

But then, he starts to notice just how troubled Mu Siyang is. Zhuo Zhi’s next appearance comes later that night, when we see a frustrated Mu Siyang practice tennis with his right hand. Zhuo Zhi comes in, inquiring about the state of his left hand, and Mu Siyang asks Zhuo Zhi not to tell anyone about how he’s training with his right arm. With the team’s morale as low as it is, the news would’ve been yet another blow to the team, and they can’t afford that.

This is when Zhuo Zhi understands just how heavy Siyang’s burden has become for him. That night, he is one of the three who stays up late, unable to sleep. From then on, we start to see a bit of distance between Zhuo Zhi and Mu Siyang. In the next morning, we see Qiao Chen sitting between the two of them. And after Yu Qing lost, Zhuo Zhi didn’t stay behind to accompany his friend like he did back in episode 7--he left the table even before Chi Dayong, and if you pay attention to him, you’ll notice that unlike in their first dinner, here he doesn’t touch his food at all.

At the treasure hunt in the forest, they're even more distant. Zhuo Zhi goes hunting with Lu Xia, and even when team are gathered together, Qiao Chen is, again, there between Mu Siyang and Zhuo Zhi. Observe:

After the hunt, though, we see Zhuo Zhi and Mu Siyang together again. It seems that Zhuo Zhi has finally resolved his troubles. While he still does not want victory for his own sake, he will chase victory--and with a single glance, he makes perfectly clear who it is he’s fighting for.

Later that night, after everyone has left, Zhuo Zhi seeks Mu Siyang out. And as if that single, speaking glance at dinner isn’t enough, Zhuo Zhi then lays his motivation out for us.

In short: compared to TezuFuji, MuZhuo is as subtle as a brick to the face. There is nothing to analyze in there. Zhuo Zhi adores Mu Siyang enough to decide to fight for him, and that’s all there is to it.

[alien-tech]

i rewatched frozen 2 the other day so it’s time to talk about just how badly anna is treated in the movies

before this i would like to clarify i'm not anti-elsa at all, but disney really did a number on anna

obvious frozen 1 and 2 spoilers ahead

first of all, let’s start with the fact that both movies are centered around elsa's growth. yes, anna is in the movies as well but ultimately when you consider the plotlines a lot of it place elsa at the center of attention. elsa ran away and is struggling so anna needs to go after her as well as fix the winter issue that elsa inadvertently started. elsa has a whole song about her struggle when essentially she ran up the north mountain (which was a whole lot easier for her than anna since she does have powers) and made a castle where she was living blissfully ignorant to what her kingdom was going through. disney tries so hard to pass this off as elsa’s struggle but considering that it takes anna most of the whole movie to even get up there in the first place, i’d say elsa overnight trip wasn’t really much of a struggle right?

and on that note, elsa and anna are supposed to be the main characters right? they're both supposed to be the main characters, but both movies feel so much more centered on elsa and elsa's arc. it's about elsa's struggle with her power, elsa's mission to the enchanted forest, elsa's the gift, elsa's the spirit, elsa’s etc etc. again, yes anna is there too but the way disney focuses on how elsa grows and glosses over anna's growth is very underwhelming and disappointing.

everything that happens in the movies is perpetrated by elsa. elsa starts the winter and then runs away and in the end it’s anna who fixes the problem. elsa triggers the spirits and wants to run away yet again, this time to the enchanted forest and in the end she goes too far and dies and it’s anna who again, fixes the problem; which she figures out how to do on her own without any powers. disney portrays anna as a side character, focusing on elsa's arc so much more instead of anna's.

this is kind of a different point but still relevant, here's this post about elsa's oufits in the second and first movies. anna has at most 6 outfits. elsa has at least 8. it’s obvious that disney intended to market elsa as a main character and put her before anna in every way possible, even putting less effort into giving anna varied clothing design. disney will try to pass off frozen as a movie about sisters but it doesn’t even do that well. elsa undermines anna at every possibility. she lies to anna about hearing the voice, she remains distant from her throughout movie two (even though her growth in movie one was supposed to be about opening up herself again and trusting in her powers), elsa blames anna for trying to save her from the fire, she continues to promise anna that they will do it together, and then essentially tells anna she's not powerful enough to come along with her ("no anna, i have my power to protect me. you don't" to which anna replies "excuse me i climbed the north mountain, survived a frozen heart, and saved you from my ex boyfriend without any powers"). elsa still pushes anna away in movie two, even though it was a lesson she supposedly learned in movie one. anna then says "you promised me we would do this together" and elsa says agree and then turns around and COMPLETELY BREAKS THAT PROMISE RIGHT IN FRONT OF OLAF AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER SAYING THAT TO HER SISTER.

without anna, elsa died and even though anna did die (because of elsa but that was largely an accident) and everyone is talking about how strong elsa is for surviving becoming frozen but that EXACT thing happened to anna and while that was happening she managed to survive it, save her kingdom, and save her sister AND she didn't have any powers! going by this point, anna is the stronger sister.

movie one is arguably, all about elsa which would be alright if they made movie two about anna. despite the fact that in movie one, anna climbed the north mountain, tried to save elsa in order to save her kingdom only to be shoved out again, shot in the heart with magic, froze to death, and still managed to save elsa from hans and play a part in stopping the winter; the movie still ends on the note that elsa has learned to control her powers. it's about elsa learning to stop fearing herself and elsa learning to let people in right? and yet, if that movie is about elsa and elsa’s growth (even though again, anna did everything) then movie two should definitely be centered about anna right? but it's not about her and if the growth for elsa in movie one was learning to trust in herself and her sister then why in movie two does elsa continually shut anna out? it's like she made no growth at all.

anna is such a strong character and it’s so disappointing how much disney glosses over her. when anna was FIFTEEN she lost her parents. she went to their funeral ALONE and then she stood outside her sister's room, BEGGING for her to come out and comfort her. she BEGGED elsa to come out, to be there so they could grieve together and elsa didn't. nevermind the fact that elsa “couldn’t”. that’s her SISTER. even if she couldn’t open the door to hug her, she could at least talk to her through the door. but she ignored her and essentially insinuated to anna once again that she hated her and that she wasn’t worth talking to. disney focuses so much on how hard it was for elsa when she was young but to say nothing of the hardships anna faced when they were younger. she lost her BEST FRIEND and older sister in one day and she blamed HERSELF. elsa never telling her why they weren’t allowed to play with together anymore. her parents never telling her why her sister suddenly didn't want to play with her anymore. nobody telling her why her sister suddenly didn't love her anymore. i get that you could argue that it would be dangerous for anna to know, but is the better option really not telling her anything and having anna blame herself?

i get elsa had a hard time with her powers and all, but anna had it so much worse. can you imagine the sort of things that would have gone through anna’s head after losing elsa? her sister is the eldest and maybe has royal lessons (because as you know eldestborn children receive ruling lessons but youngest children do not). maybe anna figured “i’m not important enough for her anymore”

and do you think anna had her parents? the only person anna could play with was elsa because their parents are the king and queen and have royal duties. most princes and princesses are raised by nannies and nursemaids. anna didn’t have her parents and elsa was GONE and she thought it was because of her. anna's parents were the king and queen, they were busy with their duties and the rest of their time was spent with elsa trying to help her control her powers. anna had no one. no one.

back to movie two though, elsa defied anna over and over again and anna still said "i believe in you elsa, more than anyone or anything" and as SOON AS ANNA SAID THAT elsa said they would do it together and then sent her away. on a fucking ice boat. and you know what happened then? ELSA DIED WITHOUT ANNA AND ANNA YET AGAIN THOUGHT IT WAS HER FAULT. after olaf said “i think she [elsa] went too far” anna’s face fucking FALLS because she thinks “if i was there for her..” nevermind the fact that anna WANTED to go with her and was turned down because elsa implied that anna wasn’t strong enough to go with her. 

as said by their grandfather "magic makes people feel too powerful, too entitled" now in the case of the northuldra, they weren’t entitled nor did the magic make them feel such. but with elsa? she definitely has an entitled attitude that is only exemplified as the movie goes on. the parents clearly favored elsa so much and i would say elsa's entitlement comes about 40% from her parents treatment

the movies focus so much on elsa and what elsa is doing, it's not fair to anna. nevermind that anna is literally the hero of the first movie AND of the second movie. elsa was dead and anna knew that, as well as the fact that anna just lost her childhood best friend and still she got up climbed out of that mountain, woke the giants, destroyed the bridge, and ALL OF THAT while ALONE AND AGAIN WITH NO POWERS but oh my god, elsa is the HERO because she stopped the flood. again, i would like to clarify i'm not anti-elsa i'm just anti-anna underappreciation.

that was most of it for my rant but @mamadragon404 brought up a good point when we were talking about this yesterday. does anyone bring into question the fact that anna is supposed to be queen with no training? any child born after the first are never trained to rule. only firstborns receive ruling lessons and secondborns are supposed to be married off for political gain. this actually explains so much about why anna tries to find a true love at the party, and attaches onto hans so quickly because at home in arendelle, she has no one. her parents are gone, elsa has continually shut her out again and again, and her whole duty as a princess is to marry off for a union. she thinks that's what she's supposed to do and it's the only thing she can do because she feels so alone at home there's nothing there for her in arendelle, so her best hope at happiness is to run off with a prince, hopefully the man of her dreams because with a duty like “marrying off” the best thing she can hope for is that she’s stuck with someone who loves her. she's so quick to trust hans because she has to convince herself it's what she wants, she has to because it's supposed to be her duty and at least it's not her parents choosing which country's prince she has to marry she's trying to choose for herself, because subconsciously she knows she doesn't actually really have a choice.

so yeah the movies should've been nicer to anna and i am sorry but they did not do justice to anna at all, she deserved so much fucking more appreciation than she was given.

[staygoldaj]

Analysis on the MHA Girls

(Part I: Uraraka & Momo)

I know that the fandom tends to dislike these queens and push them aside, and I know Hori doesn't really know how to write women, but what he has given us is great and I wish the fans would appreciate these awesome ladies more. So here's an analysis for my girls, I wanna do an analysis on the three musketeers (broccoli, popcorn, & candy cane) so that'll be posted soon too :)

Uraraka

BEST. GIRL. I love Uraraka so much, she is the reason why I started watching MHA and she's such a sweetheart, I wish she wasn't so hated amongst the fandom.

We first meet her as this wholesome, bubbly girl who saves Midoriya from falling, and it's pretty clear that she's gonna be the main love interest. Honestly, I was a little disappointed during her first few scenes. Like I said, she was the reason why I started MHA, and she turns out to be the typical sweet girl the main dude has a crush on. I didn't have high hopes tbh. What first intrigued me was when she admits her reasons for becoming a hero. You would never expect the innocent girl-next-door love interest to be doing something for money. Even she herself says it's "such an unwholesome motivation" in comparison to Midoriya's and Iida's reasons, and she gets praised for "looking out for herself." This is the first misconception I see often on her character; she wants money for herself because she's poor. If you look into her reasons, she just wants to make money for her parents, not for her, so that her parents can take it easy. She is just as selfless as Midoriya and Kirishima, but I don't see her get praised for her selflessness nearly as much as for those two or other characters. I also really like the small flashback they included; her father tells her to not worry about them and to follow her dreams. Whether at the start Uraraka truly wanted to be a hero or solely did it for the money is up for interpretation. I personally think she started solely for the money, which I'll get into after I talk about the Sports Festival.

Uraraka vs. Bakugo is one of the most emotional fights in my opinion, and it's one of my favorites. EVERYONE in that stadium underestimated her. I'm not going to say that the reason was because she was a woman, but rather, Bakugo is pretty ruthless and powerful, where as she is not, and people knew that. The fact that she was a "small young girl" just added more fuel to that, if that makes sense. And this best girl did what she could to prove EVERYONE wrong. This is where Uraraka proves that she isn't a typical sweet shonen love interest and I wish people took notice in that. People think of ambitious, determined, driven, cunning, and powerful women as dark and mysterious, femme fatale so to speak. But this fight shows that Uraraka, a pretty extroverted, kind, and bubbly person, is all of those qualities, just as ambitious and determined as the strongest male characters in the show, such as Bakugo and Todoroki.

And when she loses the fight (after basically passing out btw, queen didn't stop until the very end), she doesn't just mope and quit and wait for encouraging words from her love interest, she 1. GIVES the encouraging words TO her love interest and 2. she understands that her quirk alone isn't going to be enough to get her to the top, so she carefully chooses a hero agency where she knows she will be taught combat, AND SHE LEARNS. The next time her class is attacked by villains, she single-handedly takes down one of the more dangerous members without a quirk, just with the fighting skills she took the time to learn.

Back to what I said earlier, Uraraka started her hero journey solely for money. This plays directly into her development in seasons 3 and 4, which is criminally underrated. She sees her entire class working harder than ever, and even though she's dealing with unfamiliar emotions, she decides to push those emotions aside to not fall behind, determined to be a good student and hero like her classmates. During the events at Shie Hassaikai, Uraraka finally learns the true environment a hero works in. Failing to save Nighteye, she realizes that what she truly wants for herself isn't money or Midoriya, it's being a hero who saves people. I believe Nighteye's death directly ties into the "who protects heroes when they need protection?" line. This recent chapter in the manga makes me think that she's gonna do something big and go through a character arc. I said this on Twitter and I'll say it here, I want Uraraka to become a hero who protects heroes (whatever that could mean, it has a nice ring to it lol). Honestly, her character has sm potential, I'm excited for what Horikoshi has in store for her.

Momo

God is a woman and that woman is Momo Yaoyorozu. I'm tired of people calling her annoying because of one episode, as if you've never had self-esteem problems before 🙄 so now I'm going to talk about why she's amazing 😋

My initial impression of Momo was the typical smart girl, stern, formal, and aloof, but still caring. And as I rewatch the series, I believe this is what Horikoshi was going for at first. I think her voice was deeper in the first season too. As much as I love the Erza type of characters, I love where Horikoshi ended up going with Momo. As a teenage girl, I find the arc she went through during season 2 very relatable. It's obvious that Momo was raised to have full confidence in herself. While she may not show it like Bakugo does, I think it's obvious that she's not used to losing, she was probably praised for having an amazing quirk growing up, like Bakugo, but is a way more humble about it because she was raised differently. So at the Sports Festival, she experiences losing, seemingly for the first time, in a place where she just can't afford to lose. But she does. And this takes a huge toll on her.

She's rich, pretty, the top student in class, and admired by her peers, but obviously that's not what mattered to Momo. What mattered to her most in that moment was looking good in front of agencies, what mattered most was to be a worthy hero, and she feels like she's failed. She seeks guidance from a female hero, hoping to have a female role model guide her through issues she has as a 15 year old girl, but instead finds herself being used for her looks. Again, Momo doesn't care about any of that, she just wants to be considered a worthy hero, and her defeat at the Sports Festival made her completely lose the confidence she needed to accomplish that goal.

Now we have the Yaoyorozu Rising episode. Fans who hate her often refer to this episode as "evidence for Todomomo", "her being annoying by not knowing what to do," etc. etc. etc. 🙄

I like Todomomo. It's a cute and healthy ship. There are WAY more Todomomo scenes, not in this episode. Todoroki is a side character in Momo's story in this episode. This episode is MOMO'S. Sorry but she’s not sharing the spotlight. I know that seems a little aggressive, sorry, but this episode shows a lot of development in Momo, and it just gets brushed off as Todomomo content when it's not. She did know what to do, btw, she has a plan. She didn't know how to communicate that. She didn't want to communicate that. She was scared that her plan wouldn't work. She was scared that she'd fail. All of that stems back to her defeat at the Sports Festival, she has lost a major amount of confidence, and Aizawa and Todoroki notice this. Aizawa even says that her actions are of a normal 15 year old girl's, and even though he wished to help her, he couldn't, so Todoroki does it in his place. This is something I notice about Momo that is one of the most relatable things I've ever seen in a teenage girl in not just shonen, anime but just in fiction in general: she knows she has a good plan, but she doesn't have confidence in it until someone else gives her the validation. Upon seeing that others trust her, she regains her confidence and fulfills her plans with excellency. She is a REALISTIC 15 YEAR OLD GIRL which is honestly SO refreshing to see in a work of fiction. It's what I love about her character: she represents many teenagers, girls, boys, and theys alike.

And yeah, it might've been annoying if she had stayed the "has good plans but only executes them if she gets the validation from others" type of character. But she doesn't. By season 3, she has shown a significant amount of growth. She is shown to be more of a leader now that she's more confident in herself, and she's still dealing with it (that one scene with Sero & Jiro 💀), but she's gotten a lot better after realizing her worth, after realizing the trust others have in her, after realizing that others see her as an intelligent leader. So in the forest, she quickly comes up with a plan and executes it quickly. Had she not done this, had she not thought and acted quickly, who knows how long it would've taken before the heroes found Bakugo.

Another thing I want to mention before I finish Momo's section- at the hospital, All Might calls her a worthy hero because of her actions. It was her inability to act quickly at the Sports Festival that made her doubt her worth, and it's her ability to act quickly that makes All Might see it. I think this plays a major role for her character, maybe why she ultimately decided to go on the mission to save Bakugo. She's gonna have some of the spotlight to herself during the Joint Training Battle.

I also want to mention something from the manga, if you don't want spoilers then don't read this part.

Some of Midnight's last words in the manga are "Yaoyorozu's going to make a fine leader someday," which shows how her peers and mentors alike notice her potential. Additionally, she proves this statement right by quickly coming up with a plan to stop Gigantomachia. I'm very excited to see how Momo develops into an even more inspiring leader as the manga continues.