#i would have been absolutely obsessed with this manga if i'd read it when in my edgy emo teen years

[paperlunamoth]

[yuukei-yikes]

Long as hell text post under the cut my guys

me when i wake up and talk every day about the same shit. heart <3 i could talk for days abt jin and the misogyny he writes with. it's everywhere of course lol but out of the female characters takane's like…. the most tragic, in my opinion, because she's the only female character to have absolutely 0 backstory. yes, there's Some stuff, such as her illness, but truly takane does not have that much angst surrounding her illness. everything about her is rather about haruka. takane's moment is yuukei yesterday, but yuukei yesterday is entirely about both haruka and takane and their relationship. yes it's takane's pov, but it's ultimately still about… haruka, and how she feels about him.

back then in the fandom, pre over the dimension specifically, there was a take going around i remember pretty well. "people write haruka and takane like there's nothing more to them than being in love with each other" like the only time we'd see haruka and takane specifically (in fan content), they'd just be there to be shippy. i TOTALLY agreed with this sentiment and i always have, especially because i've always been obsessed with them as characters and i was overanalyzing every little thing (when otd came out i was over the moon bc i got so much stuff right btw. if u even care)

HOWEVER. if u think about it. pre over the dimension, with the manga having covered yuukei yesterday already and the next time takane (and haruka) appear as themselves in the manga is A LOT later in volume 10 (by that time, otd was already out) (also i'll get to takane in 2nd manga route in a second), so what we had at the time, for haruka and takane's backstory, was manga&novel yuukei yesterday and what we got from the anime. if you consider this… truly, at first the only thing to go off really was. just their relationship. that was all there was to both of them, because haruka was described from takane's pov, and everything we got from takane was how she felt for haruka. that was IT. for everything else u had to read between the lines like i was doing bc 10 years later i'd still be here talking about it teehee

of course there are also the songs. takane's songs set in time before she's ene are yuukei yesterday and of course headphone actor, one of the Best kagepro songs dont even come AT ME anyways headphone actor as a song touches THE OTHER BIG THING we were offered about takane at the time. okay, she isn't JUST in love with haruka. the other thing about takane is… she wants to SURVIVE!!!

i've talked about this LOADS of times i know (about this entire thing actually but i just like talking about also it's my blog) takane gets opening eyes because she's so determined to live. ratio + this from novel 2 headphone actor

which brings me to. ugh. second manga route. takane….would not…. KILL HERSELF…. second manga route WHY. we finally get to see Takane again in the manga and she's just so spectacularly NOT HERSELF it's crazy. takane since her INTRODUCTION is presented as "selfish" and how her want for attention from haruka or in general gets the best of her. that's ene. THAT'S ene!!! that's also why ENE stays with shintaro!!! it is FUNDAMENTAL to her character. we were given miserably little about her and in the most simplified way to put it, those things are: takane 1. is an attention whore<3 2. doesn't want to die. so tell me. how do you manage to get these 2 very simple things so incredibly WRONG in second manga route.

where in the world would takane get mad haruka got another friend. it makes NO sense!?!? bro haruka and shintaro ARE ALSO BEST FRIENDS IN THE MAIN ROUTE, where takane ACTUALLY HAS REASONS TO ACTIVELY REALLY DISLIKE SHINTARO, and she doesn't give a fuck that they're friends, why would she randomly care so much now when she has no reason to even dislike shintaro? so basically because she doesn't have ayano she gets jealous and wants haruka all to herself?? erm ok?? let's say that's true (it's not), even if she was jealous of shintaro her desire to be by haruka's side WILL be stronger, she would NEVER just turn around and leave. absolutely NOT. one of the stupidest things takane does is want haruka to look her way so bad she doesn't realize HE'S DYING ON HER. this bitch is so insanely self centered she would never in her life walk out on haruka just for having another friend. REAL takane walks in there with that stupid basket and be like Everyone look at me NOW<3

ok. first trait: attention whore: second manga route FAILS. second trait: doesn't want to die. wonder what second manga route will do. (looks into the camera) takane kills herself in second manga route.

dude you're crazy. you literally get EVERYTHING WRONG. it pisses me off. and not only does she kill herself but she does it because haruka DIED!?!?!?!?!? OH MY GOD. i hate it it's so fucking fake it's not HER THAT'S NOT TAKANE ENOMOTO THAT'S A SHIT CHARACTER JIN AND MAHIRO SATO DECIDED TO SUDDENLY WRITE INTO THE STORY i already put it in this post but let me attach it again

dear lord. anyways i've talked about that loads of times but i needed to include it in this talk cuz. yeah. i dont even HATE the rest of second manga route i just hate how takane is written specifically but since she's everything 2 me erm. you get my thumbs down!!! anyways having acknowledged second manga route we can move on.

back to main route discussion. so takane's backstory. not super deep, especially compared to other characters. yes her backstory is basically that she's sad because her boyfriend dies. but as ene there's so much more to unpack, right?! a character who will 100% accept a HALF DEATH because she's so determined not to die, but she's also mentioned to be tirelessly looking for her body because despite everything she's got HOPE? that's SUPER interesting, i love her!! what will she- *is obsessed with shintaro* ene's obsession with shintaro again ties in with everything else, desperate for attention, finds kinship with shintaro because she (or rather, ayano) decided he's compatible with her, but most importantly, he's doing badly and she wants to help him. takane isn't a person anymore, she's alive only as a technicality, so… she spends time with shintaro! but we ignore, it's TWO YEARS. and only in one of those she is with shintaro. we tend to overlook she spends the WHOLE TIME looking for her body in that other year. of course ene talks a lot about how much she loves her power, how much she loves being ene and not having to take care of her sick body but it's a REALITY that she wants to get it back. if she really didn't want it, why would she look for it and later get back into it when she does find it? but that's in between the lines. ene's obsession with shintaro is super interesting and you KNOW i love everything we know about takane be it her obsession with shintaro or her crush on haruka. i just wish there was....more.... like everyone else gets more! like HARUKA, a damn side character, gets more!!

haruka gets so SO much, he even bonds with SETO!! he gets a really well developed friendship with shintaro, he gets a very long detailed introduction scene with ayano with funny younger mekatrio shenanigans, he gets yuukei quartet hangout moments, he gets a GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH KENJIROU (fundamental imo as he's very important both in general and haruka and takane's social circle back then) and not just all that, but super thoughtfully written feelings about his illness, views on life, wishes... and all takane's story gets is…. she's sick, but it's ok it's not deadly, HARUKA HOWEVER…. oh, HE'S the real delicate one….especially since she's in love with him ofcourse!! dont forget!! btw she's grumpy cuz of her illness. she wishes she just didn't need sleep. aaanywaaays did we mention it's not as important as haruka's illness and btw she's in love with him?

unlike haruka, takane gets no relationship with ayano, and all their interactions are talking about how in LOVE they are with haruka and shintaro. no relationship with kenjirou beyond comic relief of ugh useless ass teacher, even revealed later on she stays in the dark about kenjirou forcing them to participate in the festival ON PURPOSE and playing her like that so she would be determined and make haruka join. her dynamic to shintaro pre being ene is just pitiful, and if it wasn't for his behavior towards her shintaro would be…. erm normal?? yea he's cold to ayano but that vs the way he randomly treats takane without even knowing her. god. imagine kagepro where shintaro DIDN'T do that. he'd still be flawed and stuff like what was the need😭 like HUUHH. takane gets nothing!!!!! and if we're still on the shintaro subject, why she's the asshole for being a menace as ene? whatever. i support women's wrongs. bully him harder.

alright. later she's ene, bonds with the dan. wait!! look!! it's KANO!!! she has so much in common with him, to the point he chooses her to open up to and helps her get her body back!!! this is a GREAT character choice to pair her with and to develop a dynamic with!! uh. oh wait….. kano's just totally awful to her and then later leaves her to get her body back offscreen and on her own? (looks into the camera again)

to continue comparing haruka and takane. takane mentions grandma makes her lunch, grandpa is dead, and they're both SUPER worried about her illness. there's…. nothing about their personalities or their relationship to her. meanwhile, haruka mentions everything! he's all like my illness… when it killed my mother it was exactly when the doctors said it would. my dad is cold and a little strange and doesnt spend time at home. we have a live in helper who does chores. like that's already so much deeper!

u find out through another mention later on that takane's parents work overseas but you dont know ANYTHING else despite it being so specific. while haruka goes on about his relationship with his dad or rather lack of relationship, and there's even some stranger at home doing chores for him. and again HE GETS TO HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH KENJIROU, heavily written as a father/son dynamic. man.

anyways…. this is kinda all over the place and it's something i talk about very often but teehee. wanted to do it again. i was thinking about it again because i realized i don't tend to draw haruka in a context outside being takane's boytoy. which i don't particularly care about because i know that's not all i see him as and i do see him as a deep character of his own and i like analyzing him just as much… it's just in art specifically he's just always there to be in love with her and nothing else. and i was like damn does that suck of me?? but you know what. i dont care<3 thanks for coming to my ted talk.

[corviiids]

genuinely so sorry to slide into your dm's like this, not sure that this is proper tumblr etiquette, etc., but i just got so excited when i read in your sayu-gets-the-death-note ask that you've been trying to talk yourself out of doing an entire statutory interpretation of the manga death note rules because i've been trying to talk myself out doing an entire metaphysical interpretation of the manga death note rules, so... if you, like me, simply cannot talk yourself out of a stupid idea once it sinks its claws in your brain and would at some point like to share notes about I THINK one of the sexiest and most broken parts of this series, i'd be delighted.

oh my god dont apologise im just excited a single person on earth besides me is interested in a pseudo-legal (very pseudo) perspective on the death note rules. high fives you. for the most part im just incredibly impressed that they manage to retain so much internal consistency especially since so many of them have the vibe of, like, random amendments which were included just for funsies. it's incredible they don't overtly contradict each other. ive been obsessed with them since i first saw them and have already spent way too much time reading over them but yeah i'd honestly love to dig into them more. HTR13 does organise them into something closer to Parts or Divisions which makes the structure a little more coherent. it drives me nuts that sometimes a numbered rule will have sub-provisions that have absolutely nothing to do with each other. drafting that gives me a stress migraine

[clumsydragon28]

2 Years of clumsydragon28 ✨

On June 17th, 2022 I posted my first work ever on ao3. After an almost 9 year hiatus from writing, I once again picked up a pen and began again. My life has only gotten better after making that decision, and I am so grateful for the ones who inspired me to once again embrace such a huge part of who I am.

If you would like to see a general recap of my first year of writing, you can read Journey of Words on ao3. Below you will find an in depth look back on my second year of being in fandom ♥️

I would say my first year of fandom can be summed up by the word "excitement". Once I got that first story down, the floodgates opened. Every idea felt like a good idea, and I couldn't get them down fast enough.

My second year, however, I would define as "thoughtful". Compared to the 17 fics I posted in year one, this past year I only published 8. Even though that number is signicantly less, these eight feel more special. Before any of those 8 ideas became more concrete, I asked myself "is this truly what I want to write?" Everytime, that answer was yes. And by writing less, I was able to give each story the time and energy it deserved to be the best it could be. And so, I would like to go a little more in depth as to why each one is special to me.

We begin with Floral Hues. I wanted to write something with my bois for pride month, and after seeing the "flower picking" prompt for rare-pair June, this idea slowly formed. This is the first instance where I really started to experiment more with formatting in my poetry. I wanted to talk about colors and have the words resemble a rainbow, and so I let those forces drive me in writing. I am really pleased with what I was able to pull it off in this one.

Next came Matchmaker which was my first (and certainly not last) dip into writing MitsuCho. The prompt "cat's day" was perfect because I am obsessed with the adorable Mikazuki. I wanted him to drive the poem, bringing the two lovers to together. And I wanted the formatting of the poem to reflect that as well: the stanzas slowly move out and then come back to where they started on the page, just like MIkazuki leads Mitsuki to Chocho and then both of them back home.

Then I took a little break from poetry to write Unanswered Questions. The friendship between Shikadai and Boruto is such a special bond I love, and one I always want to see more of in canon. With the ending of the OG manga, I just couldn't help imagining how Shikadai would view the change in their relationship. Is there a part of him that would remember? Would he be totally fooled by the changes caused by omnipotence? And so, with their friendship bracelets as a catalyst, this story was born. This is one of (if not) my favorite one shot that I've written. It also includes sweet Inojin offering comforting snuggles and kisses to his boyfriend, and it pushes forward my Long Haired Inojin agenda hehe.

SPEAKING OF LONG HAIRED INOJIN, we are now at my only multi-chap story of the past year: our hearts belong on the sea. When I asked @unioncolours what she would like as a birthday present and she gave me this prompt, I could not have been more excited. I had said before that we need a pirate au in the Shikajin fandom, but I never thought I'd be the one to write it. But boy, am I glad I did. I had the absolute best time and the most fun writing this story. Many moments are heavily inspired by the Pirates of the Carribbean movies, but I gave it my own spin and really just went for it. The idea that loves conquers all (a very Bex-core theme hehe) is something I will never tire of writing. I love this story and I love this world I created. I can't wait to one day return and write even more about these swashbuckling lads ⚔️

And now, we come to Sunshine + Starlight. First, I must give another thank you to @keijidraws who created the most stunning artwork to go along with this. I will try not to go on too long about this poem (because I easily could) but this one means so much to me. It took me 9 months to finish this poem. Not because I was struggling and running out of ideas, but because I knew this one was something special. Writing this poem brought me inexplicable joy and happiness and I wanted to hold onto that feeling for as long as I could. I knew as soon as I was done, I would be sad to no longer have it to work on. But accomplishing this poem is one of my greatest achievements. It encompasses everything I love about poetry, everything I love about my own writing, and it is everything I could have ever hoped for it to be and more.

Then I made another return to prose for @backgroundcharacterno5's birthday with The Fabrics of Friendship. I always love to figure out how to put a story into the world of canon. So when given the prompt of matching pajamas, I knew where exactly I wanted to fit it in. The dynamics of the InoShikaCho kiddos are my absolute favorite, as are they Mon's, and I throroughly enjoyed exploring each of their own individual thoughts and feelings in regards to the results of the chuunin exams. Their bond is unbreakable, and I look forward to writing even more about it.

In case you haven't noticed yet, I love to gift works. And so my next poem, Pigments of the Imagination was also a birthday gift. This time for the lovely @notquitejiraiya. This one is also inspired by an amazing artwork by the talented @keijidraws. When I write for a friend, I like to incorpate as many of the things I know they love that I can into the story. And with this one, I really tried to have so much of Becks shine. Some were more subtle than others, but every mention I could sneak in just made the poem stronger. I also really went for it in terms of formatting on this one, trying to emulate Inojin's artistic nature with how the words are laid on the page. My most favorite is probably the heart shaped stanza hehe. This is another poem I really treasure.

And now for my most recent work, we take a dip into a new fandom with In Memoriam H. W. G.. This is a poem I wasn't even going to originally post when done. But once I started working on it, I knew I had to. I am incredibly proud of this work, but in a different way than I am of my others. This was a very big step out of my comfort zone. For the first time I had to write poetry not as I would myself, but as somone else. I had to channel the thoughts, grief, and anger of a character while following a very strict rhyme and rhythm in order for it to fit within the context of the novel. And I did it. For this to be my 25th fanfiction feels very special. I think it excapsulates the growth I've gone through as a writer. And I am excited to see how the leap I took with tackling this poem will strengthen my writing in the future.

In terms of being "thoughtful", I must also make note of my reading habits. Before, I just devoured fanfic. I piled up stories left and right and consumed it all as quickly as possible. Now, my reading style has changed. I have not been reading nearly as many fics as I used to, but it is because I want to read more carefully. For those who have seen comments from me, you know that the character limit on ao3 is not my friend. There was a time that I was afraid to leave comments, thinking that my ranting and raving would be annoying to an author. But I am glad I chose to stop holding myself back. When an author replies to one of my comments, telling me my thoughts and feelings have made their day...that is worth far more than any comment I receive on my own writing. Because it is my truest unfiltered self in those comments, so hearing that it is accepted and loved means the world ❤️

So what is in store for year 3 of clumsydragon28? I think we will see yet another change in pace. More slowed down, and even more thoughtful.

For those of you who have read Plié-sed to Have Met You, and if you happened to catch Sway that I posted here a few months ago, you will see that I have big plans for a part 2 to this dance AU. I think this fic will be my next Sunshine + Starlight. I really want to take my time with this fic and savour every moment of writing it. I am excited to put all my focus into one singular work and give it everything I've got. I don't know how long I'll need (I've already spent almost two years just thinking about it haha), but I vow to make this story the absolute best I can.

I will end this look back on a quote the lovely Bex shared with me in a comment:

"The treason of the artist; a refusal of the banality of evil and the terrible boredom of pain"

This is one of the greatest honours I could have bestowed upon me: to be considered a traitor artist. There is alot of pain and hurt in this world, and I agree that we need to recognize it. But there is also so much beauty in this world. Beauty that needs to be celebrated. So I choose to focus my writing on the magic of life and love. Because it is by hoping and belieiving in a better future that we can achieve it.

For those of you who have showed your excitement and are waiting as patiently as you can for my next story, I thank you wholeheartedly. You are who drive me forwards and push me to be my best self. I would not be here were it not for you, my dearest darlings. I hope to gift you the story you so rightfully deserve ♥️

-clumsydragon28

P.S. will a Shikajin poem or two sneak itself in between now and then? I am a poet after all so...I might not be able to help myself hehe 🤭

[dark-side-blog3]

From "Phantom Blood" to "Stone Ocean", which JJBA part do you think would be the best to be isekai'd into, and which one would be the worst?

Thanks for sending in the question anon! I've been thinking about it all day and going down a bunch of historical rabbitholes to make my choices (which, after typing out several hours later, I realized wouldn't be much fun for anyone to read).

For me personally, I’d say the best one to be isekai’d into would be Diamond is Unbreakable (part 4), and I think the worst one would be Battle Tendency (part 2).

I give my reasoning below, with some heavy editing, which may make it sound a bit strange. I have a tendency to talk too much, so I've tried to edit it down. It's still a bit long.

++++++++++++++

I can't see any benefit to phantom blood, considering Dio is at full overpower with abilities we never see again in other parts, and everyone else would simply be too easy to force into backing off. Johnathan is easy to manipulate, so is a young Erina. Speedwagon can settle for less than he wants in a relationship if he feels Johnathan will judge him for it. And Zeppeli... Is kinda the only threat, but I can't really fathom what a relationship (platonic or romantic) would be like with him. In any case, not the best, but not the worst.

Battle Tendency has my ass beat. I do not run, I will not run, and what would even be the point when more than half the characters in this arc are superhuman/cyborgs? I can't outwit, lie, cheat, or gross out any of them and expect to survive. Even the ones that wouldn't kill me like Suzie Q just have an impenetrable state of delusion. I cannot win this one. Having a horrible time here. Dare I say, the worst time actually.

Because yes: Vento Aureo is all about the mafia having superpowers, and it's well established that they can be some crazy, creative fucks when it comes to torture and murder. And they should be the absolute worst, because organized crime can do way scarier shit than anyone can in Stone Ocean simply because resources and time aren't hard to get.

BUT! I think since there isn't a world war going on, with cyborg Nazis-- Which is a low bar, but such is life when you overthink-- is what makes Vento Aureo better than battle tendency.

And Stone Ocean is... Bad but tolerable. I'd just try my best to mind my own business, and crumple like a paper ball when someone pulls possessive/obsessive shit. It probably wouldn't even connect in my brain the characters are acting yandere, I would just assume they're doing standard prison things since I got isekai'd into the prison arc.

Now that narrows done the best choices between prt 3, and prt 4.

I'mma go ahead and say it: I'd prefer a small town in Japan to crossing countries and continents.

Diamond is Unbreakable has it all. Modern-ish technology, the original pop culture yandere herself, reliable access to medical care (good luck finding my very specific pills in the middle of a desert), and thankfully: A much smaller cast. Keeping track of all the characters in Morioh? Infinitely easier than keeping track of all the characters in Stardust Crusader. Even if we're including those one-off villains, and random background characters, a-la those twisted wonderland isekai.

Though considering JJBA is a franchise that's mostly manga and anime, it's not likely the multiple characters would become interested in the isekai'd victim, since the mechanics would be fundamentally different. A reader or a viewer isn't really a god, they're more of a prophet, if even that. Or just really good at cold reading someones personality. To continue this tangent just a smidge more, I think if you said you got isekai'd, the only people who would both understand what you're saying and believe you is Toshikazu, and maybe Koichi.

What the hell am I supposed to do being dragged place to place, or sitting in a house for three months? With the tech from the 1980's?

[jessenigma]

My Favorite New Manga Reads of 2023

For the past few years on twitter, I've made threads of some of my favorite manga and light novel reads from the past year. This year, I decided I would move it over to two tumblr posts.

After the cut are some of my favorite titles that I picked up for the first time in 2023.

Talk to My Back, Yamada Murasaki

I like to pick up something a little more unusual at least once a year and so at the beginning of this year, I picked up this 1980s alt-manga title about the life of a Tokyo housewife played out in short vignettes. It's a frustrating read because of how real it feels and how much it feels like things haven't changed as much in the last 40 years as I'd like, but it's all the more fascinating for it. The essay at the end discussing Yamada Murasaki's work and placing it in context was a nice bonus too.

When a Cat Faces West, Yuki Urushibara

I love Yuki Urushibara's Mushishi (slow though I have been to actually finish it), so when Kodansha announced a license for Urushibara's much shorter series, I was there for it. It has a cool concept - there are areas of "flow" that will pop up out of nowhere and shift people and places out of time and space and one guy has tasked himself with helping people fix issues caused by it - but mostly it feels like Mushishi but set in the present day. I love a series that's just vibes all the way down.

Skip and Loafer, Misaki Takamatsu

I was absolutely smitten with the Skip and Loafer anime, so when it ended with what felt like a pretty definitive "we are not making a second season of this" final episode, I started the manga. A high school slice of life series lives by its characters and Mitsumi is the more adorable dork ever. The other characters are equally delightful, even when I don't necessarily like them, and I'm so eager to dive deeper into their lives.

Associate Professor Akira Takatsuki's Conjecture (light novel), Mikage Sawamura

This series feels a bit like what you'd get if you crossed The Case Files of Jeweler Richard and The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window: a college student with a supernatural ability to hear lies that alienates him from everyone meets a folklore professor with a mysterious past fascinated by mysteries, and together they investigate possibly-supernatural events. It's a bit silly, but the relationship between the leads is interesting and there's a lot of fun urban legends in the mix. There's also a manga adaptation that I haven't yet picked up, but maybe one day...

March Comes in Like a Lion, Chica Umino

I was curious about this one from the second Denpa announced the license just because of how much I'd heard about the series for years now, and it did not disappoint. I love a good story about a depressed and lonely teenage boy sublimating his feelings into an obsession with a uniquely Japanese pastime, especially when there's so many people around him wanting to help him stop being alone. Now I just wish that the release wasn't quite as slow as it has been, even if I know the many reasons why...though at least I still have the anime to rewatch while I wait.

Don't Call It Mystery, Yumi Tamura

After reading Basara and Wild Com, I was eager to get my hands on a newer series by Yumi Tamura, and the fact that it's a modern-day non-fantasy series made it all the more interesting. Totonou's incessant observations about the things going on around him are delightful, especially when they lead him straight into all kinds of dangers or even just leave everyone around him wishing he'd stop talking for about five seconds. I just want to pat him on the head and ask him to make me some curry.

After the Rain, Jun Mayuzuki

I got a card for the Japan Foundation's ebook library not too long ago, which has been great for picking up a lot of books that aren't available in my local library's collection, including this series. I had heard about it but was a bit hesitant because it's about a teenage girl who gets a crush on her much older boss...but hey, why not give it a try from the library? I'm glad I did because there was such a sweet relationship between them that ultimately helped them both out of the ruts they were in with their personal lives and dreams.

River's Edge, Kyoko Okazaki

I still can't decide if I actually enjoy Kyoko Okazaki's work or not, but I got a little closer to it with River's Edge. It's a harsh story about disaffected teenagers who find a dead body, but somehow it feels less depressing than the other works of hers I've read because they're teenagers and there's still the possibility that they can escape the lives that are dragging them down. I will say this - Okazaki's stories are never boring, whether I enjoy them or not.

Her, Tomoko Yamashita

I got a little overambitious this year and ordered the Italian release of a Tomoko Yamashita title I've been wanting to read for years. Can I read Italian? No. Did I think maybe I could figure it out kinda okay because I've studied French and Spanish? Yes. Did I end up reading everything through a translation app? Also yes. But this collection of interconnected stories about women and relationships was excellent despite the language barrier. I was thrilled to finally see the context for the kiss between a younger woman and an elderly woman that I so admired in Yamashita's 15th anniversary artbook, and its story was a touching exploration of what "normal" means. I would love to see this in English, but unfortunately I can't see it getting picked up.

Glitch, Shima Shinya

I was thrilled that Yen Press decided to pick up another title from Shima Shinya after Lost Lad London, and Glitch has been well worth my time. While it is a fantasy story about a town full of glitches in reality that I'm excited to see play out fully, what really caught my eye is the sheer amount of diversity in the characters - one of the leads is nonbinary, there are mixed race characters, there's a lesbian couple, etc. It's all part of the story but not in a didactic way, which I appreciate immensely. Shinya's art also makes me so happy, and I hope Yen continues to get more of their work.

Lilies and Voices Born Upon the Wind, Renmei

Speaking of diversity in characters, I enjoyed this series not only because it was a nice yuri with a motorcycle lesbian (always a bonus in my book, the motorcycle) but because it had some really thoughtful discussion of asexuality in multiple forms. I wish I could've gotten one of the printed copies that were available for purchase at one con, but alas.

Witch Hat Atelier Kitchen, Hiromi Sato & Kamome Shirahama

Did we really need a cooking series spinoff of Witch Hat Atelier? Probably not. Am I glad we got it in English anyway? Absolutely. This is basically an Olruggio/Qifrey slowburn domestic au fanfic and I adore it. And I love that they keep up the conceit about magical ingredients in each chapter's recipe, even though they are legit recipes you can actually make with the real ingredients recommended as substitutions. What Did You Eat Yesterday? but with witches, clearly an ideal combination.

Scribbles, Kaoru Mori

I am not actually a diehard fan of Kaoru Mori's work - I drifted away from A Bride's Story when I ran out of volumes at the library - but I do unabashedly adore her art. Scribbles is just perfect for me with its pages from her sketchbooks and her commentary about things like the ideal skirt tightness. I bought this in hardcover and all and will continue to get the other volumes in hardcover even though I almost always get Yen Press titles digitally because it's so much cheaper that way, that's how much I like it.

Innocent, Shin'ichi Sakamoto

I've had my eye on Shin'ichi Sakamoto's work for a while because I saw a bunch of panels from Innocent on here and fell in love with the art. What I did not expect was that the violently erotic story about a French executioner would actually get an English license. It's gorgeous and violent and weird and I am so here for it. Now, if I could just be sure that Dark Horse actually plans on releasing the whole thing...

Barbarities, Tsuta Suzuki

Much like with Innocent, I saw panels from Barbarities on here ages ago and wished I could read it without much hope, given the lack of other licenses for Tsuta Suzuki's bl since SuBLime's relicense of A Strange & Mystifying Story ages ago. But thankfully I am getting to read this nebulously historical drama with all of its social machinations and pretty men getting flustered by other flirtatious pretty men. And such nice clothes!

A Home Far Away, Teki Yatsuda

Kuma really gets some stellar licenses and A Home Far Away was especially good. Set in 1990s America, it reminded me of nothing so much as My Own Private Idaho crossed with Banana Fish and made me weep absolute buckets in the end. I don't think it's for everyone, but if you were ever an aficionado of depressing 90s queer cinema like I once was, this might be one for you.

À vos cotés [Tonari ni], Basso

I was shocked when the announcement for the French release of this title crossed my twitter timeline earlier this year - France has even less by Natsume Ono than the US does, but one of their publishers managed to get one of her actual bl titles published under her bl penname? So naturally, I had to get it. It's super sweet, about a young man who likes to take photos of horses at a racetrack who meets a much older man, and I swear reading it was just like reading her non-bl work only this time the two characters actually got to say their feelings out loud. This would be a perfect addition to several mainstream US publishers' bl lineup, and I would be the first in line to buy it if they did license it in English.

Dear, My God, Nemui Asada

More by Nemui Asada in English! I love Asada's work for its unique storylines and this one didn't disappoint, with a story about a priest having sex with a cult member to help save him and another story about a guy who ends up with a talking plant. It's a bit disappointing that it's only available on futekiya - when will we get some of these titles in print already?

Ikigami & Donor, Hiko Yamanaka

Hiko Yamanaka is another one whose work is always a bit outside the mold, and Ikigami & Donor is an interesting sci-fi bl about powerful "living gods" who have tremendous abilities but can't heal from injuries without blood, bodily fluids, or tissues from one specific donor. It's a fascinating concept and the way the relationship between one ikigami and his donor played out made for an interesting story. I hope to see more from Yamanaka one day.

[i-am-snowils-admiral]

I need you to know I absolutely love your tags on the webtoon poll you reblogged from me I 100% agree with your reasoning on all of them

also also!! you’ve read all the same webtoons!!! I only just read s-rank hunters and real estate like a few weeks ago!!! hahaha I’m just excited to find out someone else I know has read them

gotta ask then - what should be my next obsession? I’m currently binging doctor stone (mostly anime but I’m trying to catch up on the manga but it’s hard when I get close to the episode I’m on and then binge an entire season in a day (extra side note I just graduated last week and am spending my newly found free time poorly)) but I am always open to new recommendations, even if it means they just get dropped into my queue of things to read!!

this turned out to be much more stream of consciousness than I originally intended. oops.

This is so wild because I just picked up Dr. Stone about a week ago. I've mostly stopped reading around ch 78 but it's still open in a tab somewhere so I could always go back to it.

I'm so excited we've read the same stuff!! Post-graduation is the perfect time to get into a bunch of random webtoons. Literally what else are you doing. You are free.

In terms of recommendations...hmmmm I actually have a few. Hopefully at least one of these you haven't read yet. Actually I'm going to rate these ones as well for how much I'd like to be a side character.

Often included with the ones we were talking about would be SSS-Class Suicide Hunter, which is pretty good. I'm not caught up but it's super fun and every once in a while will hurt your heart in a good way. (Rating: I'd be happy to be a side character here. Things would go miraculously and somewhat suspiciously well)

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint is a classic as well. (Rating: You couldn't pay me 10 billion dollars to be a side character in this thing)

I've been really enjoying Pick Me Up, Infinite Gacha - it's an interesting take on the "trapped in a video game" plot that actually manages to be semi-unique (I think, at least) in a genre that is not unique in the slightest. (Rating: Also wouldn't want to be a side character. Han Yslat is only interested in like 10 incredibly powerful people and I would be synthesized for someone else's growth for sure)

Dungeon Reset is just. They gave this man Minecraft powers. Good for him. (Rating: I'd be a side character but only if I got to also have Minecraft powers and hang out in all the cool secret bases)

The Newbie is Too Strong is pretty fun as well, I think they just started a new season so chapters are coming out again. (Rating: I would want the NPCs to like me so much. Not sure if I'd survive this one but I'd be making friends)

Eleceed. The plot of this one is: Cats! Also unimaginable violence against children. Interspersed with more cats. It's incredible. (Rating: Depends heavily on what KIND of side character I was. I am not kidding about the incredible violence but I think if I was a normal person I'd be ok)

Happy reading! Congrats on graduation! I've definitely started reading things because you were putting them on your blog, so I'm happy to throw recommendations at you as well!

[kozuki-hiyori]

The difference between the different OP mediums (manga, anime, LA) is interesting and kinda insane to me, cause like, some of the (seemingly very minute) changes that go into it can just spiral off into very different interpretations.

My main example: Kuina (cause I'm a obsessed fool when it comes to anything and everything surrounding Zoro)

So, for context, I originally only read the manga (and then jumped around in the anime after that) and I only very recently watched the Kuina/Zoro background episode. And let me tell you, some of the claims that have been made about Kuina and her death and Koshirou's involvement, etc, etc,,, I was SO confused. Like legitimately, some of the things people would say, I was like, that is a stretch and a half. People would be like, Koushirou comes across as so suspicious, and I'd feel like, literally how?? Kuina literally never says anything about him?? He has like one panel and it's to say she died?? Why are people acting like he killed her?

Then, I finally watched the anime episode, and like, by god, that man comes across - if not suspiciously - then still absolutely questionably. The difference is astounding

So from there, I think it's interesting how differently the events of the story between the manga and the anime can be represented (I personally still lean towards the manga, because that's what is, for the most part, as untainted as you're going to get in the authors intent... and it's what I've consumed, so some bias there), and especially so in a fandom of this size where so many people will have consumed the media in so many different ways!! Not to mention the sheer number of perspectives people approach that media with!! (Nevermind the general tendencies of people to ignore certain aspects of character (completely fine in and of itself) and then treat it like canon (when it gets questionable) (and all the other problems that come with fandom as a whole, but like, in the end, it's the Internet, I've been here long enough...)) (Sorry, that may come across wrong, everyone is absolutely entitled to their own interpretations!! And everyone is going to interpret stuff a little differently! That's the cool thing! But it's also important to be aware of that, and recognize that!)

Really, it's all just very cool, albeit occasionally confusing!

[foxgloveinspace]

I was tagged by @thoseeyeslikefire and @a-s-levynn Thanks for tagging me you guys!! <3

I uhhh.... think most everyone in my circle has been tagged by now, lol. Anyone who wants to do this absolutely can, and say I tagged you lol.

Last Song: Spider Web - No Doubt.

Last Film: Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse

Currently Watching: Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

Currently Reading: I'm still finishing up Red by Jordan Summers. The plot is really interesting to me, but I keep having moments where I'm like "i wish I would rewrite this smut so badly right now" cause the language is So Bad. So I'm trying. I think after this I'm gonna pick up a bunch of comfort manga to reread lol.

Current Obsession: uhhh, Sleep Token, for the most part. I count my obsessions by what I read fic for, so even tho it's not on my blog atm, I'd say I'm pretty obsessed with CoD (specifically GhostSoap which I have been reblogging art for here lately) and Spider-Man. I have a feeling I'm about to completely inter a Spider-Man phase again, which would be interesting cause I was obsessed as a kid, and I've only ever done this with one other fandom from when I was a kid and that is Star-Wars a couple years ago, soooo. We shall see what happens lol.

[itoshi-s]

You are such a fantastic writer and blue lock fan!! ty so much for sharing your headcanons and thoughts about the boys!!! I highspeed ran through the anime and manga in a week lmao and have been obsessing over the fan content and you have been one of my favorite blogs <333 I don't have anyone to talk blue lock so I wanted to drop in and mention a dream I had if that's okay??

It was so stupid but it was inspired by that reader insert basis of being a manager in training for the boys but instead in my dream I was training to be a sport announcer for some reason?? So I was watching in real time the matches of team Z vs others and later Isagi's teams and plays against Rin and such and making commentary like 'ANOTHER FLAWLESS NUTMEG PASS DEFENSE AND OH! OHHH!!! EVERYONE STAND BACK BACHIRA IS ONCE AGAIN TURNING THIS COURT INTO A DANCE FLOOR. THE BEAT IS DROPPING AS HIS ENEMIES DO, TOO!!" or "YES A DIRECT SHOT BY THE MAN THE MYTH THE LEGENDDDDDD ISAGI YOICHIIIIIII!!!" it was wild but not too biased bc I was properly losing my mind over both sides of the match when something impressive happened. But I remember it being such whiplash to a lot of bllk boys bc I have a petite, curvy, and cute appearance but had the heart and roar of a crazy American announcer during games lmao

but honestly?? Aside from Ego needing more creativity for training sims (soccer boys vs holographic zombies WHEN) bc if he's gonna have that much money and tech and ruin these guys' lives let them have some fun in a interactive/simulation, their soccer feats absolutely deserve hype men. Is there anything you wish the manga added, out of curiosity?? I saw a post point this out, but I also wish the (vastly superior!!) female Japanese soccer team is mentioned at some point. Ty for letting me share/reading this btw!! Have a great new year!!

AAAAH nonnie this is so late but PLEASE you're so sweet !! <///3 i am sOOO happi u enjoy my content &&all the silly brainrot asjflksa cmere and let me give u a kiss ! >_<

this dream sounds so fun ajhsklh and you are SO right for that !!!!!!1 you slayed that job getting all hyped.. as you should :3 ! these boys def need a hype man AND an announcer too......... it would be so funny to hear what they'd have to say about some of these games 😭

i'd LOVE to see some more casual scenes like the one they had in shibuya :( like ??!#! that was giving me LIFE i hope we get another chapter or two like that soon ! something else i'd love if they added would be some psychological help 4 these boys LOL but that's just ur psych zari speaking :3 on a serious note it'd REALLY be interesting 2 see how these boys handle being isolated and tired out at the facility for so long tho,, taking breaks w school too ?????? idk if it makes sense but i'd just rly like to see what are the possible consequences to them always being on their 100% and having their usual teenage lives ripped away from them :o do they ever get back in school? do they have any issues w that? is there any mental health professional in the bllk facility in case someone needs help????? i hope there is lol

i agree on the female team sm too !!!!! that'd be absolutely amazing :3 in fact i'm very surprised it wasn't mentioned at all but welp that's football for u i guess we girls never get recognition yet alone in a male dominated space q_q

[beananium]

mittens headcanons based on words i got from a word generator

[been having a shitty night, so i thought i'd do this to de-stress 🐏🎨 i hope you enjoy!]

-

Read

Mittens is obsessed with the text next to exhibits or tours where you read as you walk in museums. He's effectively one of the worst teachers out of the Vocademy (the big school in the Virtual World he teaches at) to bring to a museum tour due to his obsession with stopping to read every last plaque there. Sometimes, he gets so invested the rest of the group moves along without him; he's gotten lost several times due to this.

Consultation

Mittens always has an opinion about something, no matter the subject. Whether he feels the need to express it out loud depends on how passionate or knowledgeable he feels about said subject. His insights on art, matters of emotion, social justice (especially relating to fat liberation as it corresponds to the Virtual World), and food are second to none, and many people come to him first chance they get if they're feeling unsure about any of these topics.

Squeeze

He is absolutely not a fan of hugging without prior warning / asking, with the only exception being people he's really, REALLY close to. This is due to his past experiences of people not respecting his boundaries because of a combination of his easy-going nature and soft physicality. A lot of douchebags would take dares to glomp him back when he was attending school, even causing one instance where he and the person tackling him injured someone else due to the act of knocking them down spraining their ankle. However, given the permission, he will freely give hugs to the people he likes, and he gives pretty powerful hugs too. Though he never does it in public, lest the glomping bets start happening again.

Circulation

His fanart has made the rounds on anime and manga forums in the past, with most praising his work due to its bizarre but very understandable and relatable nature. While he has shifted mostly to doing original art, a lot of his works (both old and new) have gone on to be beloved by many people, and get shared around a lot.

Garbage

Mittens sometimes gets really excited about a topic he's covering. In cases like these, he can go on tangents that either have a lot to say or mean... Well. Garbage. Often times this can last for the whole lecture if unstopped, and sometimes he even has slideshows on his computer for what he wants to say if he just found out about it after yesterday's school day.

[pseudofujo]

FAKE (1998 OVA)

(Yeah, that was really the best photo I could find.)

Summary;

Dee Laytner and Randy “Ryo” Maclane are two New York cops taking a needed vacation in England. Dee has very strong feelings for Ryo and wants to take this chance to advance their relationship (and if he’s lucky, maybe seduce Ryo). Ryo doesn’t understand his own feelings for Dee, and doesn’t know if he wants to (or should) acknowledge them. Their vacation and relationship is suddenly disturbed when murders and missing person reports keep surfacing around their hotel. The only common tie the cases have is that all of the victims were Japanese or Japanese descent. Dee and Ryo have to solve the case before Ryo, who is half Japanese, becomes the next victim. (sourced from myreadingmanga.info, beware of the porn ads, kiddies!)

You can watch this ova on myreadingmanga.info and animesuge.to(not sure of the reputability of this one)

Fake(, styled in all caps usually, but I won't be doing that due to computer limitations,) is a drama-comedy ova that, while certainly conventional in regards to it's art direction(I mean, cmon, I've seen way too many ova's of this era feature the same droopy-styled 'doe' eyes for their ukes,) manages to be charming and funny while also maintaining a dramatic tone.

If I had to describe this in three words, it'd be "funny, but confusing."

Sure, reading the manga definitely would've helped to give context to certain characters(who even IS J.J in this story?), but that doesn't excuse the story pacing being an absolute mess. They introduce J.J, an obsessive and obnoxious coworker of Ryo and Dee's, nearly twenty minutes before the end of the ova! He has no time to stew and mesh with the rest of the cast(Brikky supremacy, by the way,) and generally feels like he was shoehorned in to tie up a loose end.

While we're talking about the story, can I just say that the ghost subplot(?) was complete nonsense? What genre is this? I thought it was a drama-comedy, not a supernatural. The first scene where the ghost was discovered was hilarious, but that's all that the ghost provided to the story.

The characters in this ova(, with the exclusion of J.J,) were fantastic, I loved them all dearly and I will certainly be thinking about Ryo being a mom for at least two weeks. They were all witty, and had distinct personalities from one-another while still maintaining impeccable chemistry. I could see them being an actual family, though I'd bet good money that they aren't meant to be interpreted as such.

I think that the villain got off too easy in the end. The line where Cal(, the one female character in this ova that doesn't die, by the way,) says that she doesn't hate the villain, and Ryo justifying the race-based attempted murder he just faced with "Oh, but [they] realized [their] mistake," was really distasteful to me.

Overall, it definitely could've been better. Did I like it? Yes. Would I recommend it to others? Yes, but only under very specific conditions.

Do not watch this ova as your first dip into 90s BL, you will regret it. But if you're a seasoned veteran, such as I, then I say go for it!

The rep in this one was subpar, but what more can you expect from late-90s BL. There is also a scene that is kind of rape-y and is played off for comedy, so be wary of that.

Points docked because both of the main characters are NYPD.

Overall Score;

3/5

[caluski]

Responding to @ikonofilizm 's replies under the cut bc I guess I lied and still have a LOT to say LOL.........

Yeah i guess it sounds like it which is a shame. I mean San Lang was already taller than him, his hair was basically the same length too, the only thing that they'd have to add in his "real" form would be the eyepatch.... But noooooooo the sexy sexy top has to be like 200cm tall and buff and whatever. Over the top, exaggerated masculinity just for the sake of fanservice... I actually liked San Lang too, it matched his personality! But maybe the author found that too close to the Wei Wuxian guy... Maybe? Since - obviously I'm speaking only about his design - but he seemed like this youthful quirky guy and a bit of a meanie. But still, she could've at least explained when and why the fuck Hua Cheng went through a fucking growth spurt while being immortal lol. Even if we take the time between his "rebirth" after taking on the curse in the kingdom and his rejection of ascension, there's just no way of justifying it.......

Yeah.......... I mean I haven't interacted with fandom, I only really looked up the tags on IG in search of fanart while really curious about characters' official and fanon designs, but from the looks of it, from the fanarts and comments and memes, I unfortunately have to agree and it does sound like they kind of make Hua seem like a fucking sex-obsessed freak and not a guy who waited 800 years and then was too fucking nervous to touch his beloved's hand once they finally met. Like I absolutely REFUSE to believe that he WASN'T a virgin just as much as Xie was (on top of everything else he did spend all his life thinking he was ugly after all). He so clearly respected the fact that Xie Lian was in celibate, didn't tease him until literally like the very last part of the novel and even then it was just about fucking kisses, there were even moments when he was like aware that he crossed the line and was sooooo apologetic. Which is why I absolutely do not believe he would wanna coerce Xie into saying passwords like "I wanna suck hua chengs dick sooo bad" ESPECIALLY since he knew Xie would probably only try to contact him at life-threatening moments.

Sucky to hear that.... Like I said I dont think I'd read the comic but I glanced at some screencaps on IG and idk about character design but the art style in itself is actually really pretty. I absolutely love the way that artist draws hair and eyes.......

SO TRUE!!!!!!! I was actually anticipating it so much and I absolutely expected the last two chapters that's just hualian trying to figure out how to make it work and how to make it legal, because theres no way a wedding between the two would have been an easy thing to do. A small part of me thought maybe either Hua would become a heavenly official or Xie would go down to hell or something, and I'm so disappointed that part has been so just.... completely skipped. Not even in extras! :( Hua just mentions "consummating" which obviously implies a marriage (idk if it counts if you consummate just a relationship, as loving as it might be, doesn't it HAVE to be official...?) but that's it....... Heartbreaking........ I could I guess head out to read fanfiction but why bother if it's not official :(

Honestly I might actually read either one of those now that I actually got through this. Although I'm surprised TGCF is considered superior (I even encountered some tweets claiming that...) because I was so sure mdzs is a fan-favorite! I kept seeing it everywhere for years now, if not about the novel then the Manga or the live action show.... But we'll see. Hope it'll be worth looking into!

So I recently finished reading TGCF... But I have a problem with two things. Spoilers ahead obviously.

In human years, Xie Lian is about 10 years older than Hua Cheng, yes? Since Xie Lian gets turned into an immortal at 17 and doesnt physically age anymore... So how is it that Hua Cheng dies before turning 18 like the fortune said? Because he dies as a soldier... But there is no way that a decade has passed before the war, no??? I can't remember exactly - I feel like I've read the whole thing too fast, the timeline feels blurry in my head - but hasn't it been less than a year since Xie Lian steps down to help for the first time? Isn't that when the war breaks out? That should still make Hua Cheng a child, not a nearly adult teenager...

But THEN - even if I assume I misread that and he actually did die at 16-17, where the hell did the adult form of him come from??? Wouldn't that make the one that followed Xie to puqi shrine the "real" form??? Since that's approximately the age he died?? His image with the eyepatch and the pearl bead and all that, it kept being described as a man in his 20s.... I keep trying to think what have I missed, but even the time he gets killed as a "no name" ghost for the first time, too, he's also in his actual time-of-death state. That much was clear. So what was up with the sudden body change? This whole time, between dying as a ghost, to rejecting becoming a god, he was an immortal still, in one way or another. He couldn't age, right??? It was never mentioned that in the process of becoming the ghost king he could mature physically as he was gathering more power. The only thing explained seemed to be the eye part.

What am I missing here????? No doubt there must be something I misread or accidentally skipped, but what.... What's the explanation for it???????????? How did Hua grow more and Xie didn't even though they were both turned immortal at approx the same age????????????????????????

Also, actually another thing that really annoyed me: that damn array password being left unrevealed. Not that I was that curious of what it was, but I expected it to be revealed and it wasn't, not even in the extras (and in the extras it was even revealed what the last mural was which was EXTREMELY obvious and didn't need to be said). So I went on reddit and I only found theories and someone mentioned that the author stated that "it's to stay between hualian". Which made me even more annoyed LOL because it just makes it sound like even she couldn't come up with what it could be. Personally I don't think it would be sexual, since obviously hua had a ton of worshippers and was a pretty boy and everything, so a lot of people, especially residents of ghost town, wouldn't actually mind saying some stupid stuff like praising his dick or something. I think it would be something like "hua cheng is the best husband in the world" because by the time Xie learned it obviously they still weren't a couple and if it was something Xie-specific (like "San Lang" since he's the only one to refer to him with that. He was soooooooo embarrassed of being so in love with Xie Lian he would NEVER force him to say this kind of stuff in fear of revealing too openly wanting to be spoken to in such way).

I don't know LOL I think I'm overthinking this way too much. But I don't want to give too much shit to the author, I think the story was fun and idk I honestly enjoyed it. Should I draw fanart. I kind of want to.... But yeah I think that's all I really have to say about it lol. It was fun! Definitely not watching the anime or reading the comic or anything else. Genuinely surprised there was no *actual* sex scene though. Also no wedding?????? I can't believe there was no wedding.... Have I missed a chapter or two???? How was there no wedding............ That's so crazy. I can forgive the lack of sex scenes but no wedding...... I'm so disappointed. I was actually so excited to read about a god + ghost wedding. That would be so interesting.

[vampiricpancake]

Ranking the Obey Me bedrooms based on looks and personal head canon! 

MC's Room

First of all I don't get why there's a whole dining table in my room what is the reason??? Second of all does this room even have windows?? It's always been a headcanon of mine that the light above the bed comes from an artificial skylight window to remind MC of the human world since the Devildom is in complete darkness. Props to whoever decorated though (probably Asmo) it looks really comfy and inviting. I give it an 8.5/10 because I'm paranoid bugs might be hiding in those plants.

Lucifer's room

Does he even have a mattress or is it one of those beds with the framing all around the sides and the mattress is fitting in the center? Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if he just slept on a rock hard surface with how grumpy and tired he always is. Though imagine getting fucked by Lucifer and you turn your head and see that creepy skeleton looking at you the entire time. I feel like I wouldn't have a goodnight's sleep knowing that thing is facing me, I'd probably make Lucifer sleep on that side of the bed so he could hide it from my view 8/10

Mammon's Room

I hate everything about his room, it's way too big and it just looks cold and uninviting. Imagine all the fumes and smells you have to breathe in because of that damn car. Imagine how loud and echoey (is that a word?) it gets when you turn on the car and open the garage doors. It's a cool hang out/party spot but you'll never catch me sleeping here. 3/10

Levi's Room

HELL NO! I will not be sleeping here I'm literally terrified of most marine animals this is such a nightmare, I would feel so claustrophobic. Also this boy literally sleeps in a solid, stone cold bathtub. I would avoid this room as much as possible and only go in for manga and then run the fuck away 0/10

Satan's Room

I love and hate his room. The bed by the window is such a vibe... well it would be if there was at least some curtains. That purple couch looks so comfortable and cozy!! The only think that bugs me is that I am incredibly clumsy so I would be terrified even taking a step into his room since I might be crushed by a book avalanche! I feel like I would spend half of my time in there wincing in pain, stepping and bumping into the edges of the books. 6/10

Asmo's Room

His room is THE CUTEST!! The framing covering the bed?? the vanity?? the swinging egg chair?? Not to mention it's pink!!! only downside is once again all of those plants but I LOVE!! I just know Asmo picked silk bedsheets! 9/10

Beel and Belphie's Room

Maybe it's just the fact that I don't have any siblings but my room is my safe space so I would feel really uncomfortable sharing it with anyone. I really love the sun/moon parallel, and I love how cozy they're room looks. I imagine Belphie has a huge selection of pillows, blankets, and plushies to choose from. Now Beel on the other hand, I imagine his side is really messy, food crumbs everywhere, food wrappers, dirty cups and bowls everywhere, it looks a devastating hurricane decimated a grocery store. What does the staircase lead to?? it looks totally empty up there 5/10 (Beel's side) 8/10 Belphie's side)

Demon Lord's Castle Guest Bedroom

It's honestly really cute, the bed's look so lavish. I'm obsessed with he flower vase, might have to find some sort of replica online! Doesn't look like it has any windows though.... 4/10

Diavolo's Room

Obsessed, I feel like his room is smaller than the rooms at House of Lamentation which is funny because he's literally the future ruler of the Devildom so he should have a larger room. Not complaining though, I just know Barbatos makes sure the sheets are nice and fresh every night. I would sleep so well here! 8/10

Barbatos' room

Absolutely fucking not. Where is his bed? Does he just sleep on Diavolo's couch? Does sleep standing up? Does he sleep on the hard floor and use the bottom step as a pillow? Does he sleep AT ALL?? -100/10

If you made it this far, thanks for reading! I hope to do a Mystic Messenger and an Ikemen Vampire one in the near future :)

Alsoooo, I decided not to do the Purgatory Hall rooms simply because they're dorm rooms so they all look the same and they probably aren't allowed to remodel them!

[lnkedmyheart]

My personal opinions on the various ships I am/was drawn to in Yuumori

I'd like to start by saying that I didn't actually go in planning on shipping anything. I'm a huge Sherlock Holmes fan and I have always had a thing for (not entirely romantic) Sherlock/Irene just because I found the way she could throw him off hilarious. (I also relate really hard with Sherlock's utter disinterest in most things romantic and sexual). Disclaimer: she/her is used to refer to Irene before Bond.

Anyhoo.

James/Sherlock

As someone who is super fond of this pair ever since the RDJ movies the anime left a bitter taste in my mouth with these two. Their interaction was too short and rushed for me to reasonably believe that Sherlock actually had a reason to be fond of her. Sure she was fascinating cause he couldn't pin her profile but just...it made no sense. There was nothing particularly special about her outside of sneaky, hot and kind and it just felt like a not like other girls narrative done badly. It felt very Bella/Edward with the whole "I can't read your mind" angle. Also they only know each other for like one day. Even Bond never truly has any interaction with Sherlock and just passes him by. I don't like the "pass by" way of developing romance.

The manga develops them far better with Irene having a lot more personality and keeping Sherlock on his toes rather easily. While they still barely know each other and she dips out quickly, its still believable that Sherlock is fond of Irene by the time she leaves. However it is also made clear at multiple points that Sherlock has no interest in her romantically or sexually. Which lets be real is closer to his general aro/ace personality from the source material. He also explicitly states being uninterested in women and is super fascinated with Irene solely because she's unusual. There's also the fact that the person who says Sherlock may have had special feelings for Irene is Mycroft, the same person who is playing off the "rumor had it that Sherlock was seeing her" lie. There's also the fact that Irene's main focus is protecting innocent people like Sherlock, Watson and Hudson as opposed to Sherlock out of romantic interest and Sherlock's obsession with keeping Irene safe is stated to be more out of her being innocent and undeserving of death just for wanting a better world and his growing obsession with the Lord of Crime and the fear of what he would do to Irene. Basically the ship ends when Irene dies and Bond is born.

That being said...Bond isn't a woman so... Anyway the ship seems to have stagnated for now and I've heard there is a manga scene later (that I'm wary of from stuff I've heard) which I'm yet to reach but so far this ship kinda...sunk itself for me.

I'm also uninterested in seeing if the fandom for the ship can convert me because a large part of James/Sherlock fans I've seen are actually Irene/Sherlock shippers and it irks me on a personal level.

John/Sherlock

This ship has historically been popular for a reason. Something about friends to lovers resonates with people a LOT especially with Sherlock's disinterest in romance and the opposite sex as well as his emotional dependency on Watson. Its rather sweet especially since John also cares for Sherlock deeply. However in the anime their bond barely gets time to develop. We still get more from John than we do from Irene however and Sherlock clearly has a far more positive interaction with John throughout.

In the manga however, John and Sherlock are developed a lot more compared to the anime and their arguments feel like they hold more weight because of this development. I rather like the way they play off of each other and just how dorky John is in general. I do however know how absolutely smitten John is with Mary so I'm sorry but I can't... I just can't seperate those two cinnamon rolls. But this ship is still good.

Sherlock/William

Okay so I didnt go in expecting to ship them. I ended up shipping them anyway. See, I love enemies to lovers ships but usually when there is something warmer there. I need some warmth and emotional tension and its usually missing from this specific ship in other adaptations. However here, holy shit, the anime gave them this "best friends in another life" vibe right up until the last 2 episodes where it just launched into the starcrossed lovers territory.

The manga on the other hand starts us off with "besties in another life" vibe but quickly starts giving us Sherlock being a huge dork over William, and this extremely flirtatious back and forth all while retaining the point that Sherlock is still suspicious of Liam. His interactions with William are also some of the softest we get from Sherlock in the story. Idk man, he acts like he has a huge crush on that pretty blonde professor. Seriously he needs to stop smiling softly at Liam whenever he gets the chance. He's the enemy my sweet idiot child.

Moran/James

I love this ship. I have no idea why this ship is so underrated but not only do they develop beautifully around and through each other within one volume, they continue to have one of the most playful and entertaining dynamics in the series (so far). Also up until this point we only know Irene, Irene isn't the character we need to follow, she's just an introduction. Her entire arc with Sherlock is just an introduction to her capabilities and character however it is only when Irene ends and Bond begins that we truly see any development of the character. The main source pushing for this development? Moran. Now i know some people think Moran is mysoginistic and transphobic, but tbh, I didn't feel that way. For starters the setting is Victorian England, women in men's clothes was hardly considered decent, the gender roles were extremely strict, transgenderism was not something really taken into consideration, women were considered weaker and less useful than men. Keep in mind Irene was already unconventional simply for being too bold than most women of the time. Bond being ftm or nb or what have you while not impossible, would still have been met with some discomfort. Keeping in mind that Moran is the most normal of the entire crew it'd make sense that he has a hard time reconciling with Bond's gender switch. Keep in mind, Moran didn't know Bond before and to him he is just pretending to be a man. Its also about the fact that he realises that Bond thinks he isn't a person but a tool waiting to be told what to do. This conflict and its resolution prove that Moran isn't a bigot (or a mysoginist, he respects Moneypenny a lot) and just has a problem with people playing pretend and is super comfortable with Bond once Bond comes to terms with his role and place in the crew and starts taking initiative.

Moran/Moneypenny

Listen I dunno how to say this, but the golden army arc has me dying over this ship. Anyway, Moran is a war vet with severe ptsd and a huge flirt, Moneypenny is a no nonsense, warm hearted badass lady who is both feminine AND not super feminine. I love how much care and respect Moran shows towards her and it develops him from this womanizing dumb muscle into a genuinely sweet guy with a dumb flirt streak. Its not super deep. I just love them.

James/Moneypenny

I'm sorry but like what the fuck is happening behind the scenes you two??? I ship it simply because...BECAUSE REASONS.

Note- the reason I like Moran/Bond and Moran/Moneypenny despite their short time together and not James/Sherlock is because Moran, Bond and Moneypenny actually developed in their arc while neither Sherlock nor James developed in their interaction. We didn't get to learn anything new about Sherlock or find out about his hidden depths (except that he hates clingy people). The reason Sherlock/Irene from the RDJ movies worked for me was because a) they had a lot of chemistry and it was more of a back and forth and b) there was a mysterious past involved there. In yuumori, the back and forth and chemistry is absent so there isn't really a fun dynamic that I liked about them nor is there a past to truly justify the lack of interaction. There's also the issue that Sherlock comes across as more irritated throughout the arc than interested and that just rubs me the wrong way since we know he is moody and he doesn't show any positive feelings towards her outside of the last few scenes. Meanwhile there is a lot of time given to Moran and Moneypenny's interaction and we see them both grow and Moran and James actually have a conflict and resolution with active back and forth. The reason I like James/Moneypenny is because it is introduced with a scene that implies that something is going on offscreen and like RDJ Irene/Sherlock, this pair leaves me wondering and creates interest.

[2ndwind]

World of Memory: A Personal YGO Retrospective

(I don't fancy myself a writer, but these thoughts just poured out of me. This is for me, more than anything. But if anyone reads it, I hope it's amusing enough.)

I must've been in the second grade when Yu-Gi-Oh came to the US.

I remember all the boys in my class trading cards and challenging one another to duels. I remember gazing wistfully at the checkout of every major supermarket chain, pleading with my parents to buy some cards. When they refused, I decided to make my own fantasy trading cards! Using graph paper! But I quickly learned how hard it was not only to create the cards but also to design mechanics that people would actually want to play.

I remember my parents surprising me that fateful Christmas of 2002 with the original Starter Deck Yugi. Even though 90% of the monsters were weak and vanilla, the smell of the freshly unwrapped cards was CRACK. Better yet, I was finally cool enough to hang out with the boys. Well, I didn't actually play the game very much with people other than my sister, and eventually, the school administration banned trading cards altogether. But it was endlessly fun to talk about. I even went to China one year and bought a TON of fake YGO cards to flaunt and trade with the other kids. Yes, we were all kids cheating other kids.

I remember my heart absolutely racing in anticipation of watching the show on Kids WB, and the crushing disappointment of turning on the TV just a moment too late (I'm reminding myself that Netflix didn't exist back then). The visual style was just so striking, so much cooler than Pokémon's. The plot felt so much more serious. And don't even get me started on the characters. I was literally head-over-heels in love with a Nameless Pharaoh. I was a Revolutionshipper before shipping was even a thing. It's pretty obvious from my Tumblr archive lol.

I remember the first fanart I made, which was me trying to copy the cover of the Starter Deck Yugi instruction manual. It was the hardest thing I'd ever drawn up to that point, and I specifically colored Yugi's eyes gray. Because people didn't have purple eyes, of course. I wish I held onto that drawing because it sparked something in me. Maybe it was my obsession with ancient Egypt, which predated my obsession with YGO. Maybe it was my frustration with my drawing skills. Whatever it was, it would stay with me for a long time. Beyond classmates paying me in change to draw their favorite monsters. Even beyond my fairly brief stint posting YGO fanart to DeviantArt (yikes).

I remember finding the original manga at Barnes & Noble and feeling very confused. Why didn't Yugi have a nose? Where was Duel Monsters? Wait, are people actually dying?? These were the questions I asked myself as I learned what manga actually was. Subsequently, I would devour every copy of the manga and even Monthly Shonen Jump that I could get my hands on. In that way, YGO actually became a gateway to several other manga/anime series. It was a gateway to my now lifelong appreciation of Japanese culture as a whole.

20 years! 20 WHOLE YEARS after my first love of YGO, I can look back and laugh at how much money I spent on the TCG and manga. I can cringe at the silly fanficcy stories locked up in my head and the overly sentimental (or just straight-up copying) fanart I drew. I can, as an adult, appreciate the themes, but also be more critical of certain elements (the whole Doma Arc, how the series portrays women, the ancient Egyptians themselves, the clear references to the occult...etc.).

YGO shaped me into who I am right now: a designer who dabbles in fanart, an avid Egyptology nerd, an appreciator of animation and sequential art, and even an aspiring developer of a card-based game (my grad school thesis! For real). And as much as I sometimes weary of this dumpster-fire world, I still thank God that I was born at a time when I could experience the original YGO and grow up alongside it.

With all these fond memories of YGO, you can imagine my utter shock and sadness when I learned of Kazuki Takahashi's passing. It's even more surreal because I'm still following the man, himself, on Instagram. I hope he truly knew the depth of so many people's love for him and his work. And I hope that, one day, as the endless ages roll on, I'll find him and thank him, myself. For now, this rambling and a few pieces of art will have to do. Rest in peace, Sensei.