#idol koushiro

[izzyizumi]

Digimon Adventure ~ Koushiro{u} Izumi Official Merchandise + {NOISE CANCELLING} HEADPHONES {Tri} Merchandise 2017 (Pre Soushitsu) x Ani-On Station vs {Adventure Merchandise 2024} x KARATEZ {Karaoke}

{EDIT by Me} {DO NOT RE-POST}

[izzyizumi]

Rereblogging for "The Beginning" release anniversary in Japan, even though I technically didn't first see until November 9th!

And, some friendly Reminders...

Communication can show in many forms (That Aren't Just "Speech");

The way you personally prefer to "communicate", if it works for you, is Valid;

It's NEVER "Too Late" to Apologize

Coincidentally, the same date of the official release in Japan (though technically the pre-show premiere was October 5th) is personally the birthday of my own (Late) Biological parent;

So yes, you can assume I had many Feelings while making this :)

(Though the main focus is not just Taichi, Please remember to regard my rules before Interacting)

Digimon Adventure+02/tri./Kizuna/(+Adventure:) {2020 Reboot} + Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning (+minimal Kizuna) A.M.V x “Apologize” {David Archuleta} Live Concert Version Featuring Characters/Duos/Ships: + {+2020!}/{Kizuna!}KOUTAI, {02!}KENSUKE, (Implied/Former?/Un-requited??) YamaSoraTai/Yamachi, {briefly/+also from Yamato's end); Adventures Chosen; (Overall 02 Chosen-Leaning +Side KouxTai)

“I’m hearing 'what' you say…”

“Take a Fall {?}”–

“I Need you like a heart 'needs' a BEAT– … BUT that’s Nothing {N E W…}”

“{’XXXXX’} like the A N G E L…"

“IT’S TOO– (???)”

"...Ten feet..."

Comment: If you think I'M not in this CROWD somewhere, {despite the fact my voice is really soft 'irl'} you might just be Mistaken,,,,, (Also - This is my overall personal 'final thesis' on The Beginning.) {If you watch, please genuinely try to FOLLOW the themes presented.}

{Note: Tri Pt. #6 Bokura no Mirai/"Our Future" Spoilers, Major The Beginning Spoilers, (select scenes from opening, final battle, FINAL Post-credits scene at very end clip) + middle part Big spoiler (Rui’s eye & Ukkomon) {Notes: Eye Trauma/Injury; Blood}

Original Song © O.n.e.R.e.p.u.b.l.i.c Archuleta cover from AUGUST 1st 2009’s Sunrise, Florida Concert {“Hey O.P., can you explain that GAP in your blogs' hISTORY of this fANDOM—???”} [Do you hear 'THEM' here???]

*Edited in about 5 hrs 10~ min overall (Preparing for this however took at least four days of off-and-on out-lining) {Any final fix's will come in the future...!!}

{*Slightly LOUD/Low quality audio at points!!} (*Contains cheering, as its LIVE Ver.)

by Me/Hikari M. Productions @hikari-m/@koushirouizumi/@izzyizumi {DO NOT Repost} {DO NOT Copy} {DO NOT Reproduce my Work/Video Edits Without my Permission Under any Circumstances}

[zenlesszonezero]

As the conspiracy reaches its finale, the Void Hunter joins the fight.

Uncover the Conspiracy in Zenless Zone Zero's All-New Version "A Storm of Falling Stars", S-Rank Agent Hoshimi Miyabi is here! With S-Rank Agent Asaba Harumasa Limited-Time Giveaway! Pre-register to obtain additional rewards.

[ashxketchum]

Now it feels like we’re celebrating the 25th Anniversary 😍

This new art for an upcoming collaboration with Karatez is just simply stunning. The theme is (very obviously) “idol” and I personally love the futuristic pop concept they’ve added to the outfits. Although exact date and merch details haven’t been shared yet, they shared a few layouts of the key art.

The outfits are also great this time around because of their little references to the partner Digimon’s Perfect evolutions. Listing them down one by one as always.

Taichi: The blue markings on his jacket plus robotic arm markings on his right sleeve are a nice shoutout to MetalGreymon.

Yamato: We see WereGarurumon’s pattern on his jacket and a few belts wrapped around his hands that captures the punk-grunge vibe of WereGarurumon well. It may be Yamato’s affinity to music, but he looks extremely in his element in this art, it’s not often we see him so raring to go in official merch art (he’s more of a soft smiles guy usually).

Sora: Her gloves and the red bandana on her arm coupled with the feather in her hair are clear shoutouts to Garudamon. It’s kinda funny to me that being the girl who’s crest is a heart symbol, she’s making a victory sign while Mimi and Hikari are both making different types of finger hearts 😆

Koushiro: Honestly they were really subtle with the reference for him and even twitter couldn’t exactly answer my doubts so I’m gonna have to see Koushiro stans step up and answer whether the reference in his outfit limited to the markings on his jacket resembling AtlurKabuterimon’s chest?

Mimi: I think she’s the one with the most easy to catch references, her skirt resembles Lilymon’s and her hair tie looks like Lilymon’s flower canon. I love that she’s making the big finger heart because it’s just so very Mimi. If Yamato suits the passionate side of being an idol, Mimi is definitely meant for the cutesy visual vibe that can make fans go crazy over just a wink and a smile.

Jou: He’s wearing three belt like bracelets around one wrist like Zudomon which makes his a minimal reference though not as subtle as Koushiro’s. I do feel that they could’ve done a bit more with his look, maybe add a horn to the side of his headset? I also can’t wait to see the full art for each kid individually cuz I do think him and Yamato are wearing similar bellbottom pants!

Takeru: The feather on his headset and the yellow suspended straps are a decent reference to HolyAngemon. Considering that they wanted to keep the outfits limited to one colour per kid, I think this is the best way they could slip in the reference, though I wouldn’t have minded a few rings.

Hikari: The feather on the headset, the corset-ish belt around her waist and her gloves are very nice references to Angewomon. Keeping Hikari’s innocence as a kid intact while referencing a Digimon that is undoubtedly considered one of the most sexiest mons in the franchise would have been really tough and I salute the illustrators for coming up with this design! I also like the OG Korean finger heart she’s making, such a cute look on her.

The cherry on top are each of the Digimon partners holding supportive cheering goods for their kids. Piyomon’s love for Sora goes hard with her big name banner. Meanwhile, Agumon and Palmon kept it simple with haoris, Tailmon and Patamon too decided to go the simple route with light sticks. Gabumon, Gomamon and Tentomon seem normal from afar with their hand fans but when you get a closer look on all the hearts around Koushiro’s name on Tentomon’s fan, you know the three spent time making those themselves.

All in all, a pretty amazing illustration to be able to get merch of!

But wait that’s not all, andGallery has also teased a future cafe collaboration with Digimon Adventure on their twitter, more info will be announced on 19th Feb but they did share a preview of what to expect.

[appendingfic]

Imagine Koushiro going to Sonic "okay I know a guy" and it's Jpop idol Ishida Yamato

[noctisfishing]

Draw Me Closer

Characters: Yamato x Taichi (w/ Mimi, best supporting actress <3)

Summary: A club with bright lights and a flashy theme. Butterflies, idols, and dance pop. Yamato was suckered into setting foot in this scene, but whether he realized it or not, he knew there was only one reason to be drawn to it.

Notes: Dedicated to @pan-kuzu. This art. And this song. I was compelled.

Hope y'all enjoy this li'l slice of Taiyama~ <3

Once again, Yamato found himself in a place he least expected to be in on a Saturday night. He stepped into the lobby in his black button up shirt and dark jeans and observed nothing out of the ordinary from the staff and other guests, though he was mentally prepared for whatever it was that would come next.

It came to him as no surprise when he turned toward Mimi when she called for him. Her outfit was simple, a light spaghetti strapped tank top and a mini skirt and she let her long, wavy tresses flow down. The only thing added was a pair of white embroidered gloves on her hands that were cut to reveal her fingers. When she twirled in excitement and gave him a big smile, Yamato couldn’t help but be reminded of a spritely fairy. If only Mimi had a headband and a pair of wings.

Except the wings in this case were attached behind the ears of the headphones. Mimi held two of them on her wrist, and a pair of black fingerless gloves in her other hand. 

Yamato blinked at her, reluctant. What in the world did she talk him into this time? How silly was he going to look in this get up?

The staff called to them, signaling that the event was about to begin. Mimi glared at Yamato now, holding out her hands towards him. In the pressure of the moment, Yamato grabbed his pairs of headphones and gloves and put them on, then followed quickly behind Mimi as they went through the doors and into the darkened room.

Lights of blue, purple, and pink surrounded the room, where Yamato observed a large group of people wearing butterfly headphones of different colors and the same gloves on their hands. A young, female voice that he recognized announced her introduction as the night’s main performer and disc jockey through his headphones, and when he looked up towards the large screens elevated above he saw the virtual figure wearing her sleeveless collared top and mini skirt, her long twin tails of teal hanging on either side. The cheers from the crowd surrounded him as the music began to play.

So Mimi brought him to a Hatsune Miku-themed event. Yamato looked around for a few moments as he listened to the upbeat music in his ears and everyone around him began to dance, their butterfly headphones bobbing and waving around to the music. He had never been to a “silent disco” before, and he was intrigued at seeing dancing as they heard the same song in their ears.

Then, Miku gave a shout out to the dancers listening to the other station, to which there were less cheers. Curious, Yamato felt around the ear of his headphone to find a switch. When it clicked, a song of a different beat filled his ears along with the soaring sounds of an electric guitar. He dug this station already. 

Mimi’s cheers were louder than the song in his headphones, and Yamato saw that she was dancing with Jou and Sora, whom he had expected to see, especially with Mimi’s talent to convince their circle of friends to go anywhere she asked. Yamato waved at the three of them and walked on, bobbing his head to the music. He also passed Koushiro who was sitting by himself, but Koushiro was paying no mind to anyone else as he listened to the music on his own. 

When the next rock song began to play, Yamato recognized it and began to sing along. He continued to pass people by, scouring through the faces of the people dancing as a couple or in groups, hoping to find the face he was hoping to see. Yamato was surprised that this face had yet to show himself, especially when his hair was so easily spotted even in the densest crowd.

The music transitioned into a different song, though Yamato continued to sing. But the crowd of people seemed to part in front of him, and that was when his eyes caught onto a gaze of chocolate brown, his lips singing along to the same song.

Yamato stopped in his tracks, his lips parted in surprise. Taichi had stopped singing along, his expression appearing to match Yamato’s. Little did he know, Yamato found himself and Taichi making their way towards each other, and the flashing lights and surrounding people seemed to fade from view. 

The butterfly earphones looked sillier on Taichi than Yamato thought they did on himself. Taichi even wore a disproportionately small top hat on the side of his head, which he admitted was not Mimi’s idea as Yamato had thought - Taichi thought it would fit the theme of the night.

Still, Taichi wore the black on blue shirt and jeans to complement. Taichi even wore a nice tie to go with it. The whole outfit worked too well. One of the things Yamato loved about Taichi was that he found a way to make himself look good even in offbeat situations, and Yamato found himself breathless. 

When they stood face to face, eyes still locked on one another, Taichi smiled, singing to the lyrics sounding in Yamato’s ears. Yamato felt a chill on the back of his neck. That was another one of the things he loved about Taichi; aside from some pop songs that Yamato would kick him out of the room the moment he sang them, Taichi had the same taste in music as Yamato did, and he found it endearing to learn that Taichi sang along to a lot of the songs he did.

The more Taichi’s lips moved as he sang, the more Yamato yearned to be closer to him.

Yamato grabbed Taichi by the wrist and began to move for his new search. He waded his way through the sea of people with Taichi following closely behind, his eyes scanning for an ideal spot. In an area where the dancing crowd loosened, he spotted a place to go, and there he headed.

Turning a corner a few feet from the dance floor, Yamato found a small space where the strobing lights didn’t hit, away from the wandering eyes of his friends and from anyone else. He wasn’t in the mood to dance, anyway. It was a space for only him and Taichi, who stayed close behind Yamato the whole time. When Yamato turned around to face Taichi again, there was little space between him and the wall behind him. Taichi reached toward Yamato’s headphones and clicked the switch, changing the station back to Hatsune’s music. It was the type of music that Taichi annoyed Yamato to death with, but Yamato felt like he could tolerate this song, its pop beats with the piano playing the background. What was the song called? “Magnet”? Yamato didn’t want to bother with asking Taichi, not when their gazes remained fixed on each other.

Taichi wore a smirk this time, looking as though he knew exactly what Yamato wanted. Yamato moved closer, the rhythm of the bass and drums bumping in his ears, the beat of his heart pounding in his chest. He met Taichi’s fingers at the tips with one hand, and held Taichi’s chin with his thumb and forefinger of the other, their noses nearly touching. 

Taichi had taught him not to frustrate himself with what drew them to each other. How they could clash in disagreements yet Yamato still wanted him around. How in one moment Yamato couldn’t stand him, but in the next he wanted to feel his touch. Yamato had learned to run with what he felt he wanted to do, and at that moment with the music swelling and feeling Taichi’s warm breath soft, Yamato closed his eyes and gently pressed his lips against Taichi.

Gawd, he loved those lips that kissed back. Those lips that kissed him so deliciously urging him to come back for more. Yamato kissed Taichi slowly, savoring the feeling of Taichi’s soft touch, his tongue brushing his own. 

When Yamato let himself pull away, he only drew back to Taichi’s lips. Then, when he broke off the kiss, Taichi gave them only a few seconds to catch their breaths before he leaned in once again. They succumbed to each other, their arms wrapped around one another and holding each other tight with their bodies pressed together, like two magnets that were never meant to be apart.

[koushirouizumi]

@izumikoushiroweek

(For Reblog day!) [*Though the intended pair was/Is Koushiro x Taichi, it can also be viewed as semi canon-compliant.]

{Digimon Adventure} ~ A.M.V (Anime Music Video) ~ {Jigoku} Together + Song: {H e l l} Together (Sung By: David A r c h u l e t a) Featuring Ship: Koushiro{u} Izumi x Taichi Yagami {KouTai} / {Taishiro[u]} & Izumi (Parents) as Family (with bonus 2020 Reboot Koushiro + KouTai Moments)

Note: If it does not display above for any reason, Please view at the direct link here! (The above may work at later times, Please check back!)

Summary:

Don't be bold...

But the more you grow, You know the truth

And all I want is to make you proud If I would run would I let you down? You SAID-

If I have to "live" without YOU I DON'T wanna live "FOREVER"- So LET 'EM close the gates-

We'll go to {"Jigoku"} Together

My Commentary: This A.M.V. showcases mostly Koushiro's Adoptee storyline, while also including brief scenes from 2020 eps that focused on Koushiro's inclusion or highlights. (There are a few tiny semi-spoilery segments from final battle of Digimon 2020 Episodes 66~67, but mainly show Koushiro.) There are no Tri, Kizuna, or The Beginning spoilers here. However, a finalized version may add in other moments later!

A.M.V By Hikari M. Productions a.k.a @izzyizumi / @koushirouizumi

{Do Not Copy} {Do Not Re-post} {Do Not Remove Caption} {Do Not Re-produce My Works/Editing Under any Circumstances, including for A. I. Usage, without my Permission}

Further commentary under the 'read more'!

Extended Commentary: An A.M.V. I made in just under 2 hours, or, about an hour and 50 minutes total of editing, plus saving and review checks; as I aimed to finish just in time for: "Kou&Ten Day" a.k.a a "Koushiro & Tentomon Day" {Focus} (5/10, May 10) in the J.P.N fan base, the name comes from the "Kou" of Koushiro's J.P.N name, {Kou = Go = "Five" (5)} as pronounced in J.P.N + "Ten", a nickname for "Tentomon" partially given by Mrs. Izumi during "02" ("Tento-san") Koushiro fans often share Koushiro works on this day, including platonic works.

This particular work, specifically for Koushiro x Taichi, includes a Queer focus lens as the original song did. (Please be respectful if interacting on this work!)

This {s o n g} means a LOT to me on a personal level, so please, please if you can support and consider purchasing the original by A r c h u l e t a, at any official links it may be out on, including I T U N E S!

As Mother's Day 2k24 is also 5/12 this year, it's also just in time for combo Kou&Ten Day+Mother's Day!

[amethyst-geek]

Who I think would take whose family name in Digimon pt 1

Since 1 of my first posts was me sharing my headcannon that Yamato would be the one adoption Sora’s name, I decided to list some of the Digimon parings I ship who would adopt whose surname upon getting married. For some context, married couples in Japan are required to have the same surname and while it is much more common for the wife to be the 1 to adopt the husband’s surname, it is not unheard of for the husband to adopt the wife’s surname. To determine who would be taking whose surname, I will be asking myself the following questions:

1. Does the wife come from a prestigious family?

2. Is either half of the couple the last in their family line?

3. Do either of them have a career that would warrant keeping their surname (scientist, actor, etc)? I may need to rely on a head-cannons a bit for this one.

These r only some of the pairings I ship and I plan to discuss the other pairings in a different post. 

Adventure

Mimi and Koushiro- Figuring out this one is a bit tricky compared to the others. While the 2020 anime version of Mimi come from a prestigious family, that doesn't seem to be the case in original anime (at least not to the same extent). According to the epilogue, both have careers that would make it logical to keep their names, with Izzy being a researcher while Mimi is either a nutritionist or a celebrity chef (who also apparently dabbles in fashion design according to Kizuna). However there is one factor that makes me lean toward Mimi being the one to adopt Izzy’s name (at least legally, I can still see her using her maiden name professionally)- As revealed in episode 38 of Digimon Adventure, Izzy’s biological parents died when he was a baby and his adoptive father was his bio dad’s last living relative while his bio mom did not have any family at all, so Izzy is almost certainly the last in his family line. Thus I think Mimi will adopt the Izumi name while still going by Tachikawa professionally. Or maybe Izzy will adopt the Tachikawa name and they’ll name their daughter Izumi. 

Takeru and Hikari- The Yagami family doesn’t seem to be particularly prestigious, and since Taichi is still around, he’s probably got the “carrying on the Yagami name” thing handled. Thus, Hikari being the one to adopt Takeru’s surname seems more likely then the reverse.

Xros Wars 

Taiki and Akari- Based on the typical reasons a man might adopt his wife's surname, there doesn't seem to be any reason for Taiki to be the one to take the Hinomoto name. Akari has 2 brothers, so he Hinomoto name probably wouldn't die out if Akari adopted the Kudo name. Taiki and Akari also seem to be relatively equal interns of social class. I’m not really sure what Akari would do for a living. While I sometimes head-cannon her as growing up to become a physchatrist, I also consistently head-cannon Taiki and Akari as getting married shortly after the latter graduates from college or sometimes even right after she finishes high school (either way she'd probably begin her career using the Kudo name). 

Kiriha and Nene- While Hunters showed that Nene became an idol singer and actress (two careers where it is common for women in said professions to keep their maiden names), Kiriha is implied in the show to be the last of the Aonuma family (if his backstory of being alone after the death of the parents is anything to go by). Thus, similar to Mimi and Izzy, I believe that if Kiriha and Nene were to get married, Nene would legally change to Aonuma so the Aonuma name doesn't die out, but continue going by Amano professionally (partly to avoid confusion, also because they initially want to keep their relationship a secret from the public as some fans can get pretty crazy when it comes to the love lives of celebrates. Look up how fans reacted to Mamoru Miyano announcing that he and his wife were having twins if you don't believe me). 

[eswel]

How Digimon reflects the sociocultural context of its time

I know that we, as a fandom, complain about how in Adventure 2020 the group keeps getting split time after time, but after watching the latest episode (29) I realized something: they can find friendship and support in each other even if they’re apart by keeping in contact through the digivice and that feels a lot like what’s been happening this year with the whole pandemic situation. We cannot be physically close, but people find comfort by staying in touch through virtual means. I don’t know if it was something intentional or is just a coincidence.

This idea made me think about other instances where Digimon seems to take inspiration from real world events. Earlier this season when the blackout happened, it was shown how people where going to the stores to buy in desperation, just like we were hoarding toilet paper and disinfectants.

Also, just a few episodes ago there was the whole thing of the ships and Koushiro mentioned something about a potential conflict between United States and Iran. At the beginning of this year that’s what happened (and everyone got scared with the prospect of a world war). Again, I don’t know if this reference was on purpose or not, but I can only wonder.

Speaking of politics, during the world tour in 02 the characters mentioned being preoccupied of causing tension between India and China when they needed to cross the border to travel where the digital gate was, in order to return the digimon to their world. I remember hearing about that earlier this year and I’m not very knowledgeable about that matter, but I can only guess that’s an issue that’s been going many years (including 2000).

I’ve always had this feeling that the first series has something about the Y2K, considering that it was released in 1999. Of course, as technology has advanced we've seen how that’s reflected in each of the Digimon series with things like cellphone apps, tablets, artificial intelligence and the such.

And one could say that the same applies to the music. During the most recent series we’ve heard how the sound of the opening and ending resemble what’s trending at the moment (at least I personally get that impression when listening to Q? and the idol group from Appmon).

I’m pretty sure there must be a lot of other examples. What do you think? Can you remember other moments from the anime, games or manga that seem to be taken from our world?

[holyhikari]

it's 2020.

☆Mimi has an Instagram account even tho she's 10 (her parents WOULD) that constantly gets deactivated because she posts pics of random people calling them ugly.

☆Jyou has Climate Change Anxiety.

☆Koushiro is the most overpowered character now with all the technology he might as well rule the digital world and get Tentomon to evolution forms never seen before, Taichi and Yamato who?

☆Takeru is a Minecraft player but Yamato tries to make him stop because every time a creeper blows him up he goes into a hysterical crying fit (also thess kids swear a lot Yamato doesn't want them near his brother) Alternatively, he plays Fortnite.

☆Taichi's idol is Neymar. Sora is pissed at him because Marta is much better.

☆They can have a group chat now. Yamayo only answers Takeru's texts and straight up ignores everyone else. They kick Taichi and Mimi out at some point because they spam it with tik tok videos and j-pop fancams, respectively

☆The Yagamis got an actual cat for the family after Hikari got addicted to playing Neko Atsume.

☆"The day we went to summer camp! August the first, twenty twenty!" *IF there's a summer camp this time.

Please add your own.

My own post fills me up with unspeakable horror because I actually have no idea what kids or tweens are into these days (in Japan much less!) I haven't spoken to one since I myself was 12 and I have no intention of changing this.

[digitalworldbound]

“D..did you just make that noise?” For Sora/Jyou

Number 20: “D-Did you just make that noise?”

Characters: Sora/Jyou. This takes place sometime during the Tri timeline. I tried to add some references to other pairings you like, so if you squint, I hope you can see them. I absolutely loved the idea of all of the Chosen in their little Halloween costumes, and had to stop myself around 1500 words because I was getting way too excited. Also, I apologize for the abrupt ending!

Send me a prompt if you’d like!

In retrospect, maybe encouraging her rambunctious group of friends to go to a haunted house on Halloween may not have been the best idea she’s ever had, but Takenouchi Sora refused to admit defeat. The past week had been stressful, filled with exams, sports tournaments, and holiday festivities. The group was due for some relaxation.

As Sora watched Daisuke and Iori competitively inhale their second yakitori, she felt more like a mother hen tending to her chicks than a high schooler. “Hey, guys!” she called, attempting to gather the attention of at least two of their collective braincells. Any response she might have received would have been lost in the throngs of people that crowded the waterfront. Festival tents lined the shore, the smells of fried food and pumpkin spice wafted through the air.

Each second of silence only added to her annoyance. She had worked endlessly for days to plan this get together, and it seemed that no one was taking it seriously. “Did you need something, Sora-san?” A small squeak escaped her throat as her body whipped around in surprise. The skirt of her devil costume swayed around her hips as she tried to regain control of her breathing.

“Oh, it’s you, Jyou-senpai.” She managed, heart pounding in her chest. A Bakemon costume (hand crafted by Mimi) hung off his thin frame, casting grueling shadows across his cheekbones. The sight reminded her of their first encounter with the ghost-like creatures, all wrapped up and ready for a sacrifice.

Instead of responding, the gentleman in question smiled a toothless grin. The soft glow of the fairy lights illuminated dark blue eyes as they scanned the crowd for his friends. “You know, everyone looks like they’re having fun.”

From their position on the outskirts of the festival grounds, Sora could make out Mimi’s hair as the girl mercilessly teased Koushiro. Her cat costume left little to the imagination, and Koushiro’s pink cheeks contrasted against his blue wizard robes.

Sora’s tension eased when her eyes landed on a blonde vampire and his mummified friend chatting amiably next to a noodle cart, toothy grins gleaming under the lights. It always soothed her worries when those two boys managed to get along. Their siblings, ever the rowdy pair, competed head-to-head in a heated battle for dominance: dart throwing. At stake? A month supply of strawberry ice cream for the girl in the Wizardmon-inspired ensemble and a kiss on the cheek for a smaller, blonder vampire. Sora laughed lightly as Takeru’s last swing wedged itself in the bullseye and Hikari’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Even if it wasn’t Miyako’s slightly off-key voice that filtered through the karaoke speakers, she would have been easy enough to find in her full Sailor Moon cosplay. Ken had managed to slip away and join Iori and Daisuke in their quest to consume any meat that was wedged onto a stick. They looked darling, Sora decided, dressed as Alvin, Simon, and Theodore.

“I guess. I just wanted everyone to go to the haunted house together. What’s the point of planning this get together if we all aren’t, you know, getting together?” Punctuating question with a sigh, her shoulders slumped forward. “But,” she continued, “they all look happy enough, so it’s okay.”

Jyou opened his mouth to speak, but quickly shut it. Sora’s hands fiddled with the plastic horns nestled in her hair. Her eyes flicked towards her navy-haired friend as he cleared his throat nervously. “Well, just because they won’t go doesn’t mean we can’t.”

Her rejection died in her throat when her eyes settled on his hidden smile and flushed cheeks. “Jyou-senpai, you don’t have to sacrifice your night to entertain me. I’ll be fine. Besides, I think Koushiro-san might spontaneously combust if Mimi-chan tries to feed him again.”

In an uncharacteristic act of boldness, his slender fingers wrapped themselves around her wrist. “C’mon,” he said, turning his neck to meet her eyes, “You need to live a little.” Sora allowed him to tug her down the boardwalk and towards the old courthouse. If the twisted, bloody smiles of the clowns weren’t enough to double the young girl’s heart rate, the shrill, primal screams spilling out into the October air were.

If the twitch of Jyou’s hand on her wrist was any indication, he was becoming apprehensive as well. His smile never wavered, nor did his grip on her. Before Sora could decide whether or not to kindly remove his fingers, the pair were shoved in a group of Love Live! Idols and various farm animals. “Welcome to the House of Terror!” gritted the clown from before, his pungent odor testing the limits of the young girl’s gag reflex. His mouth opened once more, but whatever advice he was about to give them was drowned out by the screeching of the entrance erupting wildly on its hinges.

“Right this way, my pretties.” an old woman crooned from the building, voice reminiscent of branches scratching against a window. Sora shivered, but allowed Jyou and some stranger dressed as a rooster to push her along.

Her tension eased once the group left the corrupt clown outside. The hallway they entered was eerie, a black light illuminating the fabric of Jyou’s costume. One of the school idols screamed as an arm reached out from behind a blood-splattered curtain to caress her. Sora pressed herself closer to her companion. Wordlessly, his fingers reached down to grab her own, giving her palm what Sora assumed was supposed to be a reassuring squeeze. If his hands hadn’t of been so sweaty, she might have been comforted.

The black sheets opened into a large room filled to the brim with children. Dismembered baby dolls littered the ground, limbs hanging from the rafters above. The Chosen of Love smoothed down her pleated skirt, eyes avoiding the creature in the corner. A young girl, no older that thirteen, sat alone on the far side of the room. Dressed in a simple white gown, the child chanting something, but her voice was so low and haunting that Sora couldn’t make it out. Water dripped from her dark hair, and her lips were painted sea-sickening blue.

A couple dressed as cows made a run for the door on the other end of the room, utters quaking in fear. Their hooves slipped on a severed baby arm, and their spots went flying. Jyou tensed, the crunch he heard after the fall not boding well with his first-aid training. Sora looked around helplessly as the pair of utters still hadn’t gotten back up. ‘Oh, gods.’ she thought, stomach anxiously twisting itself into knots.

The group’s guide had suddenly disappeared.

“D-Did you just make that noise?” Jyou whispered into her ear. For a second, the red-haired girl had to convince herself that the shiver she felt was a result from the chilly atmosphere, and not the fact that his lips had been that close to her skin.

In all honesty, her heart had been pounding too loudly for her to hear much of anything, but with one look at the soulless girl in the corner, she turned towards Jyou. “No, but let’s get out of here!”

Jumping over the up-turned cows and various idols, the pair ran towards the rickety door. Apparently, the staff on the other side had no idea they were expecting the next group of people to terrorize, as the bloody nurses and doctors still engaged in an intense lip lock.

“G- Gomen'nasai.” Jyou stuttered, a flush reaching his hair line. His little devil companion felt as uncomfortable as he looked. “Um,” the polyester doctor called out, “this room is occupied.” Sora made haste to drag her and Jyou away from the hormonal teenagers before he could give them The Talk. He attempted the same thing with the younger kids a few months prior, and nearly cried when they were the ones to correct him.

Red light filtered through the hazy hospital room, but Sora recognized an exit when she saw one. “This way, Jyou-senpai!” she yelled, tugging his arm behind her.

The pair burst into the warm October night, panting and sweating. It took several minutes for the pair to catch their breaths and ever longer to notice their mischievous friends staring at them.

Takeru’s laughter startled Sora, her hand flying up as if to hold her heart in her chest. As her orange eyes rose to meet mahogany, she found herself temporarily blinded by the flash of a camera. “Hmm,” Hikari mused, “this one may be cute enough to develop.”

“That’s not the only thing that’s developing.” the younger, annoying, traitorous vampire giggled out. His basketball reflexes proved useful as he dodged an attack from the little devil, pulling an amused Wizardmon behind him. “See you love birds later!” he called out cheekily, admiring his own pun.

“Get back here, you guys!”

Jyou laughed quietly beside her, the hood of his costume bunching around his shoulders. “Ah, just let them have their fun. Besides, I’m pretty sure that sound I heard was the growl of your stomach.”

Fingers still intertwined; Sora allowed her senpai to tug her towards the tents of food. On the way down, her eye caught Mimi’s. In a strange way, the well-placed wink and sly smile on her friend’s face seemed to be a cue of sorts., and Sora tightened her grip on Jyou’s hand.

“Hey, Jyou-san, how do you feel about splitting some ujikintoki?”

[o-w-quinlan]

Digimon Adventure 2020, episode 6 reaction (and over-analysis?)

Well, that was good. Very good. Definitely among the better ones until now.

Her relationship with Palmon is pretty good too. Palmon clearly indulges her during the first few scenes, but immediately drops the pretenses and honorifics once things turn dangerous. She's also perceptive enough to notice Mimi is scared, and immediately stops once Mimi stops walking in the end to look at her.

Ogremon showed some good planning. He seems to have expected the frontal assault to fail, and planned to separate all the children. He sends the Tuskmon to try for a lateral one to get Taichi and Agumon away, Coredramon seemingly baits Sora and Piyomon away from Mimi later on, then of course he always had a Drimogemon prepared, and seems to try to attack them right before the evolution triggers, as well as later tries to attack Mimi directly while Togemon is occupied. Despite the caveman dialogue, he's shown himself to be pretty smart, and his pain and shame at the end after Greymon broke his horn makes me wonder how his character will play out. Both him and Coredramon had glowing red eyes at one point, which has also been the case with every brainwashed digimon. Adds more fodder to the "Ogremon is being controlled" theory. A couple other bullet points I wrote while rewatching the episode:

Taichi makes sure to not forget his original reason to come to the Digital World. He also does not immediately cheer when the tuskmon fall into the trap (unlike Agumon and Palmon), because he knows the battle is just starting. Mimi doesn't cheer either.

Agumon is the only one of the group who does not say he is hungry. Instead, he closes his eyes and tries to smell for food. A big change from Tri, and a welcome one.

Palmon and the Tanemon did not immediately notice Taichi and Sora weren't digimon. Or at least, Palmon didn't treat them as something strange. Maybe they didn't recognize they weren't digimon until Mimi saw them?

The Tanemon do not speak. Does anyone remember if Koromon spoke in episode 1? They clearly understand language and how Mimi is feeling, they just don't speak.

OST while Mimi is introducing herself sounded very stereotypically european, probably channeling them for the "Royalty" feeling.

Agumon and Piyomon gossiped about the Tuskmon, introducing them to us. Palmon immediately realizes what the Tuskmon plan to do, showing she knows the layout of her area. They really do feel like they've lived in this world their whole lives.

Sora knows who the president of Tachikawa Industries may be.

The throne moves from the middle of the village to directly in front of the fruit trees. Not a continuity mistake, just a curious bit that implies Mimi asked them to move it just for this fight.

Greymon is capable of one-shotting two Tuskmon at the same time with Mega Flame, which is consistent with last episode. He is only capable of holding them back in CQC, though.

Palmon did not realize the battle wasn't about the fruit until Ogremon mentions the children.

Palmon's evolution sequence has petals. Lilimon reference?

During the Greymon vs Ogremon fight, while Taichi is focused on them, Sora instead notices the fight between Togemon and Drimogemon. When Mimi stops walking at the end, Sora also knows without asking why she did.

Palmon devolves without explanation. I don't think we'll get an explanation of why some Adults remain on their evolved forms for a while and why some devolve immediately after the fight.

The Yamato-centric ED is starting to feel very misleading, though I guess we'll get swamped by Yamato-centric episodes eventually. As of right now, my ranking of the characters would go Taichi = Mimi > Koushiro > Yamato > (Hikari) >Sora. Next up, serious angry Jou and a V-Tamer reference episode.

[ahiddenpath]

Drabble: Clothes Shopping with Koushiro

So I’m reading my Nanowrimo 2019 draft for Tri: Integrity Lens.  I found a scene where Koushiro, Eimi, Mimi, and Takeru take Koushiro clothes shopping.  It’s pretty fun, so I’m sharing it below the cut.  Enjoy!

Koushiro trailed a step behind Eimi, Mimi, and Takeru, trying to buoy his mood. True, he wanted to learn about style and find his, whatever that entailed. ��But choosing clothing from his screen was so much more comfortable, especially with Mimi and Takeru shooting excited glances at him, as if in anticipation of a show.

Takeru, being voted the most knowledgeable of menswear, chose the first store. Koushiro wondered if it would contain nothing but hats, and was relieved to find a fairly normal-looking selection of clothing inside.  A young, male employee approached, dressed a bit too punk for Koushiro's tastes. Still, the man looked good, and Koushiro’s eyes darted to Eimi, gauging her reaction to his outfit.

But she simply greeted the employee and shifted focus to the wares. "Hmm...  Shopping for someone else really is different.  Does anything catch your eye, Koushiro?"

"Uh."  Truthfully, Koushiro was too keyed up to look at the clothes.  The employee stepped closer, and Koushiro stepped back, walking into a rack.

"Are you looking for anything in particular?" the man asked.

"Um."  Koushiro's eyes flicked to Eimi, who smiled encouragingly.  "Er-  N-no."

Taking mercy on him, Eimi said, "We're browsing, for now.  Can I let you know if we need help?"

"You got it!" he replied.  Koushiro watched him go, heading towards the cash register area in the back of the store. The next breath came a little more easily.

Takeru clapped a hand to his shoulder.  "You okay?"

A rush of shame replaced Koushiro's anxiety.  "Yes," he sighed, pretending to look at the clothing. "I apologize for...  I don't know why I freeze up like that."

"It's totally okay!" Mimi said.  "I have a few friends like that.  I don't get it, but it's pretty common."

"That's true," Eimi said.  "Lots of people feel anxious when talking to strangers.  But we're here to help, so let's take a look."

Eimi approached the nearest shelf and unfolded a pair of pants, holding them out. They were forest green and featured an abundance of pockets.  "The pockets seem useful, and I like the color, but...  I dunno, do you think they look sort of bulky?"

"Totally," Takeru said.  "Aniki might be able to pull them off, but they would wear Koushiro-san."

Eimi scowled.  "Hey. We're here to be supportive."

Koushiro knew that Takeru wouldn't hurt his feelings on purpose, so he tried to ignore the sting of self-consiousness.  Yamato was tall and well built, with broad shoulders and slim hips.  Koushiro was hardly taller than Eimi, and while his body shape had changed from a child’s to a teen's, he was still scrawny.

Eimi folded the pants and put them back.  "Take a look, Koushiro."

Koushiro tried, he really did.  But he found himself following Eimi, trailing a few steps behind, looking at whatever she selected.  He felt more comfortable around her, and frankly, he was overwhelmed.

After a while, Mimi flounced towards him, her arms full of clothes. "Koushiro-kun!  Do you like any of this?"

Takeru approached, laughing.  "He can't see any of it!  Let me help."

Takeru picked up a shirt from the pile.  It was a button down in warm, sunset orange.  It immediately felt familiar, but wasn't the point to try new things?

"Look!" Mimi cried.  She poked the shirt's left breast pocket.  A row of tiny embroidered pineapples lined the top of the hem.

A dopey smile split Eimi's face.  "Wow, I...  I love it? It's nostalgic, but the shade is easy on the eyes...  And the little pineapple detail is so cute!"

"Hmm..."  Eimi clearly liked the shirt, so Koushiro would buy it, but he thought the point was to try new things.  "I like it," he said slowly.  "I'll try it on.  But... Is there something similar that's less plain?"

A wicked grin split Takeru's face.  "So glad you asked," he said.  "This way."

Mimi followed, still showing her selections.  Koushiro chose a few to try on, guided more by Eimi's reaction than his own tastes, since nothing had caught his eye yet.

Takeru stopped the group by a rack that burst with color, like a rainbow condensed into fabric.  Koushiro blinked, his body's attempt to spare the oversaturated cones in his eyes.

"Um," Eimi began.  "Takeru, we're not going on vacation."

Koushiro tentatively lifted a hanger and the attached shirt.  It was a button down made of lightweight, soft material. "It seems comfortable," he said with approval.

"Er- well, yes," Eimi agreed.  "It's sort of like... a lounge item.  People wear them on vacation."

"Oh, yeah!" Mimi chirped.  "They're popular in Hawaii, I always see them there.  That's why there are so many colors and floral designs."

Koushiro placed the shirt back on the rack, quite missing Eimi's relieved expression, and the way it crumbled when he selected a different shirt.

He held up a red button down covered with palm leaves and pineapples.  "It's definitely not plain," Takeru said, his voice oddly delighted.

Koushiro examined the shirt and added it to the "try on" pile.  "I think I like it," he said.  

"You could sure use a vacation," Mimi said.

Koushiro lifted a fist to his chin.  "Is that a requirement to wear these?"

"Nope," Takeru said, grinning.  "I mean, they're selling them with all of the other clothes, right?"

Koushiro turned to Eimi to confirm and found a stiff smile.  "I guess... that's true..."

Reassured, Koushiro selected another shirt.  This one was black and decorated with pink flowers and orange goldfish. Eimi made a strange sound as he added it to the try pile.  "Is something wrong?" Koushiro asked.

His girlfriend coughed, then cleared her throat.  "Excuse me."

Koushiro nodded, then returned his attention to shopping.

 XXX

 Mimi and Eimi waited outside of the changing room while Takeru browsed and Koushiro tried on his impressive collection of items.  His selections were eclectic, but they were united around a theme: everything Koushiro picked was gaudy.

Mimi had only just returned to Japan, and Eimi had no say in her wardrobe when Mimi lived in Odaiba.  But from pictures and the little Mimi had seen in person so far, Eimi's tastes were as sophisticated as a high school freshman's could be.  Eimi seemed to prefer solid colors, and made statements with structure instead of pattern.

And she was quietly watching while her boyfriend picked out Hawaiian shirts and button downs adorned with giant goldfish.

Mimi leaned into Eimi with a Chesire cat grin.  "How you doin', girl?"

Eimi stared blankly back.  "Goldfish, Mimi."

Mimi's smile widened.  "I saw 'em.

Eimi held her hands up helplessly.  "It's not just me, right?  That shirt's an abomination."

Mimi laughed, then slapped a hand to her mouth to smother the sound.  Truthfully, that kind of shirt was gaining momentum with male models and idols- in short, it could be charming on boys whose livelihood was pulling off avant garde looks.

Koushiro was likely to look like a walking, on-fire fish tank.

"If you tell him you don't like something, I think he'd put it back," Mimi pointed out.

Eimi sighed and slumped against the wall.  "I know.  That's why I can't say anything.  The whole point of this is for him to figure out his style and interact with the clerks. He shouldn't dress to please me."

"True," Mimi said.  And she really did agree.  As a friend, Mimi was proud of Koushiro for trying something new.  And yet...  Wasn't it a girlfriend's duty to prevent her guy from wrecking himself?

Footsteps from the hallway had both girls looking up.  Koushiro stepped into the store area, holding his arms awkwardly out.

Mimi's manic smile was meant as a release, giving her just enough control to avoid falling into hysterics.  She glanced at Eimi and watched a tiny piece of her soul visibly depart.

"U, um."  Eimi cleared her throat a few times.  "I think those might be work clothes?  Like, for manual work."

Koushiro wore a utilitarian pair of overalls over what looked like a white thermal shirt.  It was true that overalls were a hot trend in women's clothing right now, but Mimi hadn't noticed it leaking into menswear.  Frankly, Koushiro looked like he had taken a wrong turn and ended up in Tokyo instead of the farm.

"It's comfortable," Koushiro said.  "And it seems unique."

That's because no dudes wear that here! Mimi's vision began to swim, obscured by a film of hysterical tears.

"D-do you like them?" Eimi asked.  Koushiro's brow knit, his brain churning over clothes instead of data for the first time.

"Um... I think so.  Maybe I'll look again..."

Koushiro turned around, and the girls were silent until they heard a door close beyond the wall.  "Oh, my god," Mimi whispered.

"I have to tell him," Eimi whispered back.  "I have to, right?  Like, morally obligated?"

"What if he pairs them with the goldfish shirt?" Mimi asked.  What little color Eimi had to spare drained, leaving her looking ill.

"I'll say something," Eimi declared.

[firstagent]

How would Hikari get along with the Applier Driver

Surprised that Hikari was ranked more likely to get along with theAppmon kids than the rest of the Adventure cast? Why? Those five areher dream roster!

Haru’s a sweetie- kind and smart and selfless. You look at how muchAi likes Haru and it’s easy to imagine Hikari taking a similarshine to him. Once he builds on that and gets more assertive,determined, and reckless, that’s the kind of combo that leads toschoolgirl crushes.

She’ll definitely admire Eri. Hikari feels like she could be intoidols, and Eri’s fierce determination is a trait Hikari would cometo admire. Everything’s primed for her to be an Eri super-fan!

Hikari is into photography, so she does have some understanding ofexpression through media. Not saying she’s going to be shoutingAstra’s catchphrases while watching him on Apptube, but she wouldhave a respect for what he’s trying to do and the success he’sbrought himself. His reverence for more traditional cultural elementsis another plus.

If you can picture Hikari being mystified watching Koushiro do histhing, think about Rei. He’s capable of the sort of things Hikariimagines Koushiro doing. Then you add in the devotion to his littlebrother (complete with making him eggs!) and she’s hooked. IfTakeru ever said he was working on a story and asked Hikari to comeup with a character from him to include, his name would be ReiKatsura.

As for Yuujin? A robotic version of her big brother programmed to beher best friend and make her feel awesome? Where can she buy one?

Want to support my site and/or my work? Buy me a coffee!

[firstagent]

Here's an interesting one. Rank which of the Adventure cast would get along well with the Applidrivers.

They’re far more amenable to the Appmon cast than the Xros Wars crew that’s for sure.

Hikari (A bright and kind gogglehead, an eager and dedicated idol for her to admire, and an overprotective big brother who’s constantly cooking eggs? She can’t go wrong!)

Taichi (I hear Haru has a new opening for “athletic leader type who’s into soccer and has a heart of gold”)

Mimi (She’d adore Haru and totally feel Astra, but her and Eri teamed up would be a force capable of conquering the planet)

Sora (Would waste no time adopting Haru, Astra, and Rei- Haru because he’s lovable, Astra for the iemoto bonding, and Rei because he needs to learn to eat right)

Takeru (Would be co-starring in Astra’s videos within a week, plus with Haru around he’d finally have someone willing to look over his manuscripts!)

Koushiro (Possibly the one person whose estimation of Yuujin goes up after discovering he’s robots)

Yamato (Probably more annoyed than feeling Eri or Astra, and his similarities with Rei are so apparent they’ll probably end up having a rivalry)

Joe (One look at Astra will send him storming off in aggravation, mumbling something about millennials)

[firstagent]

Can we get Adventure kids ranking on compatibility with the Tamersm

So I originally read this this as romantic compatibility, but that’s too subject to personal whim and not as compelling as an overall conversation. Besides, anyone who read Neverworld knows the tamers are all up on the 02 kids instead.

Incidentally, in the event I write the gory initial years the Adventure kids spend in that world, I’m saving my notes here because their relations with the tamers will end up being crucial.

Taichi (Duh! Takato, Hirokazu, and Kenta all idolize him, Jian will respect his thoughtful approaches and even Ruki would find him an upgrade at gogglehead)

Mimi (While the power trio might range from indifferent to Ruki being unable to stand her, Mimi will help the others feel welcome- particularly Juri, Kenta, and Shiuchon)

Sora (While Ruki could well hate her guts, Sora and Juri will be instant BFFs, and her caring nature will win almost everybody over, even Ryo who may not be in the mood to share the spotlight with the Adventure squad)

Hikari (Jian and Ruki will be in no mood to care for another little kid, but Shiu makes a new friend and her humble personality will endear herself to Takato and Kenta)

Koushiro (Jian and Kenta will be totally on board with Kou’s contributions and he’ll even win Ruki over, but Ryo, Hirokazu, and Shiu will get bored with his technobabble and probably ignore him)

Joe (Another one Jian will fully respect, but odds are Hirokazu and Kenta aren’t at the age to appreciate what Joe brings to the table, and probably wasn’t Takato’s favorite character either)

Takeru (Another kid to babysit, but this one’s not as humble or quiet as Hikari, so other than Shiu having someone else to play with, most of the others will be pretty fed up with him)

Yamato (You mean he has another group to mesh with? Too much work, and while he’ll have some silent admirers and sympathizers, he’s not in a good position to forget any lasting friendships with the new team)

[firstagent]

Eli Shipping ranking

(shrugs) Sure, why not? Eri… Insert!

Taichi (She’ll admire his leadership and he won’t freak over her stardom, plus they’re two hot personalities that will push each other figuratively and literally. Ready the fireworks on this one!)

Hikari (We all headcanon Hikari quietly admiring idols and Eri loves her young female fans, especially the polite ones. Plus in tri. they’re the same age!)

Mimi (Mimi wants everything Eri has. Eri knows she fought for all of it, but she’ll still dig Mimi’s personality)

Sora (Eri and Ai developed such an instant, natural friendship that it’s hard not to see the same for Sora)

Yamato (Yamato is absolutely not into idols, but Eri might be into the hot, sensitive, musically inclined guy with the monster partner. And Nene demonstrated you can get around his idol thing if you work at it)

Joe (Imagine a stressed, exhausted Joe turning on the TV, catching a feature that somehow highlights her work ethic and he’s suddenly motivated! He… wouldn’t freak her out.)

Koushiro (She has enough drooling nerd fanboys, I’m sure)

Takeru (Judging by the way he tends to leave Mimi alone in favor of Hikari and Meiko, Eri’s probably not his type. Even if she was, she’d already have her hands full with Astra)

[zenlesszonezero]

As the conspiracy reaches its finale, the Void Hunter joins the fight.

Uncover the Conspiracy in Zenless Zone Zero's All-New Version "A Storm of Falling Stars", S-Rank Agent Hoshimi Miyabi is here! With S-Rank Agent Asaba Harumasa Limited-Time Giveaway! Pre-register to obtain additional rewards.