#it happened the same with koito

[frenesi-jpg]

I've been having a Bible/Jesus/ martyr brainrot since December and then I watched golden kamuy 4th season and I can't take Ienaga out of my mind

She's an icon, love her

(spent too much time in this drawing and now I hate it, hope you can appreciate it)

[piduai]

hmm so tsurumi is the same age as kiroranke, who is given an official birth year in the fanbook - 1866. also in the fanbook timeline it's specified that wilk, kiroranke and sofia met hasegawa in 1891, when he's 25. his family dies. he goes back to japan.

it's when he visits niigata and talks to usami.

and he's properly acquainted with him two years prior, so in meiji 26 (1893), in which looks like either spring or summer. he's 27. next spring, meiji 27 (1894), usami kills his bestie and tsurumi covers for him. he goes back in meiji 28 (1895), and it's revealed that he was demoted to a position in hokkaido

next year, meiji 29 (1896), he visits tsukishima in prison. he's aged 30

he tells tsukishima about his demotion, and says that he'll be sent to russia as an intelligence officer, and that he plans to take him along. ok.

it's said in the fanbook that tsukishima was learning russian from tsurumi and on site, when they went to russia.

which was in 1897. tsurumi is aged 31.

it's also said that ogata was learning together with tsukishima... which means that at this point they are already acquainted? usami was born in 1881, in 1897 he'd be 16 years old. ogata is a bit younger than him, so a year or two... so he'd be about 15? with tsurumi? in russia? koito's kidnapping happens in 1902 when koito is 16 and usami is 21, so ogata is about 20. this is hilarious to me because if tsurumi has been around ogata since the latter was 15 it's no wonder they are the way they are. like ogata is a demon at 25, imagine what kind of satanic menace he must have been at 15... no wonder tsurumi hates his ass. and no wonder ogata wants his love and attention and tries to emulate him lol he imprinted on him like a baby duck. then again the minimum age for voluntary conscription was 17 so what the hell would a 15yo be doing there 🤨 do you think he lied about his age when enlisting? could have. or maybe he joined tsurumi and tsukishima in russia a bit later, after enlisting. this is what happens when you're left with no answers nursing your dick in your hands, 2 years after the manga ends you're still haunted by how tf did they end up stuck with each other

[here-lies-golden-kamuy]

hello, super happy to see a new gk blog! I was wondering, who are your favorite gk characters and why?

Hello @wallmouse! Thank you for your question (and for being my first ask on this blog, I was quite thrilled to see it!) <3 I have to admit, it was both easy and difficult to answer this question, I'm just bursting at the seams trying to contain my love for these characters! Maybe we have the same favorites, I'd love to know!

I just listed my top three and added some special mentions down below. I realized I couldn't do more than three....it would be too long if I did, HAHA!

I tried censoring spoilers so that other people who are new or maybe haven't catched up with the manga can read it as well! SPOILER-FREE BUT AS ALWAYS, A LOT OF THOUGHTS <3

Ogata Hyakunosuke Maybe the Lone Mountain Cat isn't as Alone as He Thinks He is

I've recently been immersing myself in GK again and it made me remember how much I love Ogata! I literally made my first post and meta about him, that's how much he means to me!

Ogata, Ogata, Ogata...where do I start? I think ever since he became more prominent in the series - starting when he woke up from the hospital and escaped - I think I was drawn to his very mysterious personality.

Throughout GK (at least, until the latter points of the story), we had no clue whatsoever what Ogata wanted out of everything that was happening to the characters. Why did he want the gold? Why did he go against Tsurumi? Everyone had their own ideas about him, but his true desires and self was kept hidden from all the characters, even us readers!

Ogata keeps people on their toes, always the enemy or stranger in the group and never a true ally, much less a friend! He's driven and cocky, but also patient and calculating. He tries to play his cards right, and usually, it pays off! When it doesn't pay off, I still can't help but root for him in the end, because at some point in GK, I began to truly care for him and his safety and well-being.

Ogata is a character of shadows and mystique. He is both so full and so empty, and I love the paradoxes within him. Quite truthfully, he triggers my "i can save him" hindbrain, HAHA (his backstory was an interesting mix of tragedy and horror in my opinion!). And though I know he'd rather shoot me down than let me take care of him, I still wanna <3

Koito Otonoshin This Koi Fish isn't Just a Pretty Face to Look at.

Koito!!!! KoiTO!!!! KOITO!!!!!!! [monkey screa-] I love him so much!!! He's actually one of the first characters that I truly fell for in GK. Originally when he was introduced, I didn't really bat an eye for him. Sometimes even, he would be annoying because of his initial introduction as another Tsurumi Fanboy TM (sigh).

But when he was further solidified as a character in the Karafuto Arc, I was thrilled to get to know him more! He's so annoying (affectionate) but he also was someone who had a refreshing vibe from the rest of the soldiers in the Sugimoto's Karafuto gang gang.

Of course, this is because he's the uh....least traumatized out of all the soldiers in GK. But I loved his enthusiastic and carefree youthfulness, I loved his appreciation for the good and nice things in life, and I loved how he stood out in his radiance amongst his group mates!

His backstory and his eventual growth...I was howling in that arc and the more he developed as a young man and as a character to truly root for!!!! I wholeheartedly enjoyed seeing him grow and become a person who acknowledges his flaws and limitations, but still wants to be more - not for his own gain, but for the people around him. He's so swoon-worthy, isn't he?

Koito is a character that exemplifies light and hope. He wears his heart over his sleeve and isn't afraid to get down and dirty with his authentic self and I truly adore that in him. He makes me want to praise him for being such a good guy, I wonder how he'll react to the compliment hehe~

Tsukishima Hajime The Moon is so Lovely Tonight, isn't it?

Hajime.... [with so many emotions] Out of the three, Tsukishima is the one that makes me feel so much, it's sometimes overwhelming! He wasn't meant to stand out in the first few chapters/episodes, but whenever I watch it now, I can't help but happily shout his name when he does show up. Kind of like calling out to him too, as a certain second lieutenant does.

Where do I begin! I think what drew me to Tsukishima was the fact that he was a solid foundation for the seventh division. If you think Tsurumi is the one that keeps people in line within the seventh division....I'd also like for you to consider Tsukishima! Sure Tsurumi is the one that leads and spurs the men's hearts toward their goal, but Tsukishima is the one who's actively keeping everyone together. You could say that he's the unofficial mother hen of the seventh division, and honestly....he is.

With Koito, you get to know him more in the Karafuto Arc and it's devastating!!!! His backstory just drew me in and never let me go. His misguided sense of loyalty, service, and self were so painful to accept and to see, and you can't help but want to reach out to the pages and shake him!!!! Hajime! You matter!!!

He's someone who makes you want to have a good and peaceful life in the future. He's someone I really grew to love and appreciate because you know he's a good man deep down in his cold exterior. He's a man that got so broken, he couldn't see anything good out of the shards and pieces of him.

Tsukishima is a man who drowned in the darkness around him. Again, like Ogata, he makes me want to care for and love him (men who make me go 'ohhh i can fix him' activates my hindbrain the most). But I think unlike Ogata, he's someone that actually wants that gentleness and would turn towards it, rather than shun it away.

SPECIAL MENTIONS

Those are my top three (again, I love them all equally, so there's no one higher or lower), but special mentions are the following: Tanigaki, Kirawus, Sugimoto, Ariko and Kikuta (I like them both equally too), and Ushiyama! In my current rewatch I'm also starting to appreciate Shiraishi and Hijikata more, and I hope I get to know them more this time hehe.

Thank you for your ask, once again, love! <3

[aeskairo]

It bothers me that it's just so taken for granted that sugimoto can have anything happen to him and recover fully like nothing ever happened. In a more likely scenario he's still alive, but maybe is a vegetable, or has lost the use of the language center and has trouble forming words now, or he needs 18 months of physical therapy to relearn how to walk. Like the lack of consequences for sugimoto is such a huge turn off for his character.

Maybe it's because I come from an anatomy technical background, but Sugimoto and his lack of consequences makes him utterly unrelatable. In the beginning it was not a big deal, but we start to see him getting shot repeatedly all the time, and the people around him who get shot would be killed, but he would walk off unscathed.

He doesn't have lasting chronic pain from the accumulation of injuries. He has no accumulation of scar tissue that starts to inhibit his movement and function. He takes a bayonet through the side of the face and it would have severed facial nerves and made it difficult for him to taste, swallow and speak for an extended amount of time, if not permanently.

He has ptsd, but only from killing other people. But not from all of these injuries, no matter how severe.

For a series that has so much accurate information about the history of hokkaido, the geography, the botany, the ecology, the culture of the Ainu, and the obsession with getting accurate details on period specific weaponry and the uniforms, the whole way that injuries are treated is difficult to tolerate.

He's just a Superman character and nobody can hurt him and there are zero consequences for him getting into dangerous situations. Noda said that he decided early on he could never die, so you know he's going to reach the ending having never been physically impacted by any of these things.

Ogata on the other hand progressively becomes a much more realistic and relatable character. You find out more and more about the lingering effects of a childhood neglect and abandonment, and how they contribute to his decisions as an adult, and his behaviors and mannerisms.

Ogata faces consequences. He kills his mother out of a childish belief and he is haunted by guilt for the rest of his life, same with his brother.

He makes some poor decisions and loses an eye for it. He has to go through a lengthy recovery period and relearn how to function after the loss of his eye. He gets a glass eye to replace his missing eye and it never looks the same. he permanently has mismatched eyes.

Like, If this happened to Sugimoto, he would have simply recovered, not lost his eye, and gone on as normal. Like when he had an open hole in his skull that was draining cerebrospinal fluid while he's walking around and nothing happened. It just made him mad for like 15 minutes. And then they talked him down and he never experienced any sign of brain damage ever again.

Sugimoto just feels unrelatable because there are no stakes for him. You don't worry if he's ever going injured or have something happen to him because nothing ever will. There are no cliffhangers. You are never wondering if things will turn out okay because, of course they will. It just gets so old after so many chapters.

This is probably why Ogata who was meant to be a side character has literally become the most popular character in this series.

If you search Fan works on Pixiv, Ogata has 13k fanworks. Sugimoto has 6k, Koito 3k. When they release character fan goods in japan, Ogata related products are consistently the ones that sell the most.

[goldenkamuyhunting]

Hello,

I was wondering what are the things Ogata should avoid doing to not die (like some mistakes that could have been avoided for example) and how would you rewrite Ogata keeping his personality intact so that he doesn't die at the end?

Thank you very much

Well...

...this is a tricky question because:

1) According to Noda Ogata’s death was the stepping stone for Asirpa and Sugimoto to get in the right mindset before facing Tsurumi so it’s not something that he would have removed,

2) Even discounting this, Ogata is an antagonist that needed to be moved out of Sugimoto and Asirpa’s way and that had no reasons to come to an agreement with them (both he and Asirpa want the land deed) and he and Sugimoto want each other dead and this would forcefully affect a meeting between the two. The best would be if he and Sugimoto and Asirpa were to never met but... then Ogata would simply have no reasons to be in the story at this point and Noda could have just killed him in Karafuto.

3) Lastly and more important, Ogata is set up as the sort of character who couldn’t save himself on his own so it’s not like he could chose a different path if something outside of him weren’t to happen.

Let’s dig more on the last point.

Ogata is suicidal, he even claims his wish is being killed by Asirpa, and he’s suicidal because he’s plagued by guilt with which he can’t cope so his way to deal with it is to pretend his guilt is not there.

In order to stop Ogata from killing himself on the train you should remove his suicidal tendences, in order to remove his suicidal tendencies you should remove his own overwhelming guilt, in order to remove his own guilt he should find either a way not to find guilty or a way to cope in a healthy way with it which is not going to happen because his guilt is so much the moment he’s forced to face it he kills himself.

When your plan is offing yourself you technically don’t make any mistake if you end up on offing yourself, even if you do it personally and not through a twisted form of ‘assisted suicide’.

Of course one might say ‘but if Ogata hadn’t done the things he now feel guilty about, he would have survived because he wouldn’t have been suicidal’... which yes, it’s true, but then he wouldn’t have been Ogata.

Ogata is set up with a background that basically pushed for him to take a certain path, it’s a snowball rolling that ultimately creates an avalanche.

He starts from a setting that’s definitely out of his control, he’s the illegittimate kid of an important army man who dumped him and his mother, causing his mother’s insanity.

This greatly influenced him and all his major choices, it gave him tunnel vision. It’s not that there weren’t better options, it’s just that he couldn’t see them, that the most logical and better choice seemed one that wasn’t good because he was working with a faulty perception of things.

The healthiest things he could have done was to give up on Hanazawa, never care about him or seek him out and do the same with Tsurumi. Of course Ogata can’t because, due to his background, he’s consumed by his obsession for Hanazawa to the point it influences most of his choices. As for Tsurumi he likely started grooming him when he was young... and even if Ogata managed to distance from him more than Koito and Tsukishima will ever do... ultimately it was Tsurumi his father figure in place of Hanazawa.

What’s more, many of the choices Ogata takes, are taken in ‘good faith’ as he’s unable to foresee the consequences and genuinely thinks they’re the best options for him.

Let’s pick up Yuusaku’s murder as Vol 31 likes to yap so much about it [of course I hope we all know murdering Yuusaku is, morally, the WRONG choice, but this is a discussion about if such a choice would be good for a practical motive or not, not for a moral motive].

Ogata is sure he won’t feel guilty by murdering him.

His grandmother, Tsurumi, Usami, they all told him that if Yuusaku had been out of the picture Hanazawa would have loved him.

Ogata is obsessed with Hanazawa.

Getting rid of Yuusaku would genuinely seems like the perfect fix.

Yuusaku is in the way of Ogata’s happiness, and getting rid of him would apparently cost him nothing.

So of course the best thing he can do for himself is to kill him.

Only no, because his reasoning is based on two faulty beliefs.

1) It’s not because Yuusaku is out of the picture that Hanazawa would love him, Hanazawa wouldn’t love him no matter what so killing Yuusaku is as pointless as hell

2) Surprise, surprise, he actually feels guilty for killing people, however previously he was able to suppress it but with Yuusaku he fails.

Killing Yuusaku was the wrong choice because he gains nothing beyond being tormented by his guilt but he couldn’t know it beforehand.

Due to his own obsession and the misinformation spread by others it made sense to believe with Yuusaku out of the picture his father would love him.

Due to his habit of suppressing guilt, as well as Usami (and possibly other people’s) words it made sense to believe he wouldn’t feel guilty afterward.

When he watched at the situation before Yuusaku’s murder it likely felt like it would have been a mistake NOT TO MURDER YUUSAKU because things would continue to stay as they were and he would continue being unhappy. He couldn’t realize things would actually get WORSE.

And this applies to Ogata’s future choices as well.

He chooses the best option according to the information and beliefs he has, but they’re either faulty or misleading or he’s lacking information.

The result is he has some sort of tunnel vision that leads him toward his own end and he’s unable to see another path.

In fact when we met Ogata in the story, he’s already set up as a man who’s on a path of self destruction, only he’s still not fully aware of it.

And generally there are two paths for these kind of characters, one is that yes, they self destruct, the other is that they get saved by someone else.

Someone else gets in the way and shows them a turn they were unable to see on their own.

Solely at this point the character is presented with a choice, he can pick the new path he previously was unable to see or he can keep on marching toward self destruction.

But this step wasn’t taken with Ogata, no one showed him a different path so he continued being unable to see it.

Back during the Karafuto arc some of the readers were hoping Asirpa would do the trick because she was presented as a compassionate character who saved even Tanigaki despite the latter threatening her and using her as a human shield, a character with strong beliefs against killing, a character who mourned Suzukawa, even though the latter killed many Ainu and didn’t want Sugimoto to kill people, so not just a character who didn’t want to kill but who didn’t want people to kill in general.

But then it turned out that the goal of the story was to turn this over, Asirpa had to be the one who would kill Ogata for Sugimoto’s sake and not feel guilty about it afterward because it was to protect her crush, so Asirpa couldn’t be an agent of change in Ogata and, in fact, between the Ogata of Vol 19 and the one of Vol 31 there’s technically not a single difference.

We know that in the REPORT: Golden Kamuy staff talk event 19 April 2019 it was said Noda said “Noda-sensei told Geno Studio that Sugimoto was already a completed character, so they didn’t need to think too much about his growth.”

This likely was meant to apply to Ogata too (and to others characters as well). There’s no planned growth. Without it Ogata of Vol 31 is fundamentally still the same person who stood in front of Asirpa and told her ‘Do it. Go on and kill me.’ in Vol 19.

Things go slightly differently this time solely due to outside circumstances, not due to Ogata’s choices... which is why there’s a part of the fandom that think if we needed to have an ‘ice field 2′ in Vol 31, then Ogata could have been just killed off in Vol 19 and be done with.

So even if what happened in Vol 31 could have been written better (especially the part regarding Tsurumi), there’s little that could be done to save Ogata from himself.

Ogata can’t avoid a mistake when he can’t see another option or realize the other option would be better.

Of course the same doesn’t apply to us readers who can see the many things he could have done differently... but expecting them from him... would equate to ask him to go OOC all of sudden, to know what he wasn’t meant to know, to believe what he didn’t believe.

To set Ogata on a different path there needed to be a trigger along his way, something that would allow him to see things he couldn’t see on his own so that he would be able to change and therefore take other choices.

But as Ogata was meant to die, of course Noda didn’t go there and let Ogata’s character growth stagnate so that he would meet this exact ending.

At this point a ‘valid’ alternative could be to change the circumstances, for example, if Tsurumi has managed to knock Ogata off and left him behind on the roof instead than leaving him there to face for Sugimoto, Ogata would have probably gone through the same route as Tsukishima and Koito, who don’t get killed by Hijikata or Nagakura because they’re knocked out cold.

So, in the same way, Sugimoto would have probably passed by his unconscious body and, at most, would have kicked him out of the train hoping he would break his spine, but wouldn’t have really stopped there to stab him once or twice, nor Asirpa would have felt the need to shoot him.

Of course failing his mission could still trigger his suicidal tendencies or not but we can’t be sure of this. Maybe not.

Still, it wouldn’t be a great ending.

As said before normally, for a character with such a setting, to survive he needs to get saved by someone else... which can happen in a moltitude of ways (from being physically rescued to just triggering its character growth) but there was no one there who cared since the only character who normally was against killing and wanted to save people was set up to kill Ogata, not to save him.

So, sorry, but I fear there’s no good way to have Ogata change his own end on his own. Thank you for your ask and sorry if I couldn’t really be helpful.

[medea10]

My Review of Wonder Egg Priority

How did I get into this anime? So at the beginning of 2021, this anime was seen as a must-see and I put it on the plan to watch list right then and never looked back. Okay, that’s a lie. Obviously I’ve heard of what happened with the sequel special that came out shortly after the series end. Time to see what the hoopla was all about! Something has to account for a series going from a nearly solid 8/10 to worse than sand in your crotch.

Ai Ooto is a bit of a recluse. She was never one to make friends at school. She did though. A girl by the name of Koito Nagase chose to be Ai’s best friend. Soon after, Koito committed suicide and Ai is left alone again. Nowadays, Ai is talking to some strange entities and one ends up giving her a free egg. The purpose of the egg, Ai must break it. Once broken, a person comes out of the egg and Ai must help protect that person. These girls are a target for certain entities that take shape of the reason why they committed suicide.

Ai has taken on the role of helping every person that comes from an egg in hopes of one day getting closer to possibly helping her best friend Koito and finding the reason behind her suicide. Until then, her purpose is to protect these wonder eggs.

But Ai isn’t alone as there are several other girls doing the same thing with someone close to them. Neiru is doing it for her sister. Rika is doing it for her fan. And Momoe is doing it for a close friend who loved her.

BETWEEN THE SUB AND THE DUB: FUNimation really made this one exclusively theirs, but thankfully it’s on other platforms thanks to the new merger. On the plus side, their dub seems pretty cool. It gives me a chance to hear certain voice actresses I’ve only heard periodically or not at all since I haven’t been keeping up with FUNimation’s work as much as I really should have. Here’s what you might have recognized these folks from.

JAPANESE CAST: *Ai is played by Kanata Aikawa

*Neiru is played by Tomori Kusunoki (known for Setsuna on Love Live Nijigasaki, LLENN on SAO: Gun Gale Online, Futaba in My Sensei is Annoying, and Misha on Misfit at Demon King Academy)

*Rika is played by Shuka Saitou (known for You on Love Live Sunshine and Sazanka on Oresuki)

*Momoe is played by Hinaki Yano (known for Yuu on Love Live Nijigasaki)

ENGLISH CAST: *Ai is played by Mikaela Krantz (known for Momiji in Fruits Basket 2019, Misaki on Railgun T, Clementine on Overlord, Doll on Black Butler, Fuwa on Shimoneta, and Mutsuki on Tokyo Ghoul :re)

*Neiru is played by Dawn M. Bennett (known for Frieda on Attack on Titan, Frederica on Re:Zero, Kefla on DB Super, Sister Lily on Black Clover, Frosch on Fairy Tail, and Yamada on Zombieland Saga)

*Rika is played by Anairis Quinones (known for Yelena on Attack on Titan, Echinda on Re:Zero, and Nessa on Pokemon Twilight)

*Momoe is played by Michelle Rojas (known for CZ on Overlord, Roxy on Mushoku Tensei, Kanan on Love Live Sunshine, and Mion on Higurashi Gou)

SHIPPING: So…I feel uneasy about Ai’s teacher, Mr. Sawaki. I don’t think he did anything to Koito, but I still felt ewwie when it came to him and Ai. I might be siding with Rika a bit, but I can’t really believe this innocent crap about casually drawing Ai and dating Ai’s mother.

Now for something a little less ewwie, let’s talk about Momoe. I know it doesn’t help that she’s the niece of Mr. Sawaki, but she doesn’t give off that creepy vibe. She’s kinda had a bit of a record with the ladies due to her tomboyish appearance. Momoe is fighting for Haruka, a girl who committed suicide after Momoe turned down her romantic offer. And a lot of the girls Momoe saves found her beautiful. What about men? Well folks, Momoe was asked out on a date by a boy. However, that boy thought Momoe was a boy…so that happened. If this series intends to continue, I would like to see Momoe meet someone. Though for the moment, I would like not to see this series for a long time. I’ll get to that why soon enough.

As for her what I think she identifies as…not my place to say, speculate, or continue further.

ENDING: How did things go so wrong?

How about for starters, don’t have a recap episode as part of the regular series!

Believe it or not, Cloverworks did the very same thing and at the very same time to The Promised Neverland. No one asked for that shit. Wonder Egg did not need a fucking recap for the first 7 episodes in a 12 episode season. Or should I say 11, because I can’t believe that a recap made its way onto the roster. I shouldn’t be so bitchy since there was a different episode planned, but it was scrapped and we were given the recap. I guess everyone at Cloverworks was on a deadline.

Neiru ended up with a big clue when it comes to saving girls that hatch from eggs. One of her eggs turned out to be her best friend named Kotobuki. The only problem is that Kotobuki is in a vegetative state. So this does dampen hopes of the girls trying to get to their ultimate goal of saving their loved one. And then Momoe got her wish granted as she was somewhat reunited with Haruka, the girl she was trying to save. She sees Haruka for a few seconds and she disappears, I guess she’s alive now. Then a grim reaper appears, kills Momoe’s familiar, and force-feeds it to her. And in the following episode, same thing happens to Rika.

And then we have those two suspicious crash-test dummies selling the eggs to the girls, Acca and Ura-Acca. I had suspicions about those two from the very second they appeared. I trust Kyubey…um, no, no I can’t go that far. But these two are almost for certain the cause of all the wonder egg girls’s trauma. And they are in cahoots of some sort with Neiru’s assistant.

What really happened was Acca and Ura-Acca (back when they were living human beings) created an A.I. named Frill. She was a very intelligent little girl that seemed to be happy living with her two daddies. But she was also programmed to have flaws too (including jealousy). That jealousy was showcased when Ura-Acca meets a woman that he ends up getting married to and eventually expecting a baby. Frill kills Ura-Acca’s wife. The baby survived. Ura-Acca entombs Frill. The baby grows up into a junior high student. And then she kills herself.

We’re pretty sure Frill had something to do with that suicide. Might as well blame her for every suicide in this story while I’m at it! Those weird deities that showed up in front of Rika and Momoe mentioned Frill by name. Too bad we don’t get any insight into this. Is she to blame for pushing these stressed females to the edge? As for the final episode, Ai saves an alternate universe version of herself!

So that happened! Yeah, Ai is saving herself. Apparently we’re dealing with alternate universe bullshit here. In another timeline, this second Ai committed suicide due to the bullying and alienation she suffered due to having Heterochromia (one eye color different from the other). I sure hope the sequel special clears up my confusion about the last couple of episodes.

Hahaha, famous last words!

THAT SPECIAL: So this is what happened…

*5 minutes into special* No way they’re doing another recap

*15 minutes into special* Seriously?! Another God damned recap?! Didn’t you guys do one during the series? Why is this necessary?

*25 minutes into special* So half of this special is dedicated to the recap. Okay, this better wrap things up nicely or I’m gonna spit.

Twenty minutes later…

I hate everyone now.

So Neiru is an AI created by Kotobuki, the AI introduced near the end and decides to try and become human in the dream world or some shit. Meanwhile all the girls Ai and the others risked to save are alive but don’t know of their real friend’s existence nor want anything to do with them. And I guess Frill is still out there getting into girls heads about suicide. Ai runs away from everything until the last minute of the special where she decides to go back to the eggs in hopes of finding and saving Neiru. And Ai indicates she’s back and I don’t know, is that a nod for another season?

Hmm…what does Ai always say when she fights the weird deities?

That’s how I feel right now.

GOD DAMN WAS THIS AGGRAVATING! Everything about this series was aggravating. For starters, the animation is beautiful. Of course it is, Cloverworks does fine work (most of the time). The start of the story gave me a lot of Madoka Magica vibes. Yeah, Ai and the other girls aren’t magical girls or anything like that. But they do have other worldly powers and go up against entities and deal with existential crisis of all forms. The way the story was going, it had me excited for more. And to make things more interesting, this was an original story. No manga, visual novel, or game to muck things up. All of us are in the same boat when watching. But then things take a dip in the road and eventually go off a cliff.

So much potential! So much hope! And the execution was shit! You hate to see that happen to a series like this. It did shine a bit of a light on a pretty sensitive subject like teenage female suicide. I know suicide is at an all-time high in Japan, but I’m unsure which gender is most affected. Regardless, being a teenager sucks and thoughts can arise from anything! Female adolescence is a stressful time and some of the stories of these girls Ai and the others saved were interesting to watch. But then when we get to the story about Frill, I’m just thrown off! She’s still out there convincing teenage girls to off themselves. She’s a menace and no one is stopping her.

You know what? After watching that, I’m rethinking wanting to read a manga or light novel adaptation. Hell, I don’t think I would even watch a second season if we’re ‘blessed’ with one. That might change in the future but for now I don’t want anything to do with this shit. And as for recommendation…I don’t know what to say except avoid the recaps and make your own decision whether or not you watch the second half to the special. I personally hated the ending, but make your own choice on the matter.

If you would like to watch Wonder Egg Priority, FUNimation and Crunchyroll have every episode available.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some old Mushishi episodes calling my name.

[kellinrk800]

my thoughts on episode 11 of wonder egg priority

tw// neglect, possible abuse, murder, human experimentation

holy SHIT is there a lot to unpack.

first of all, everyone except ai and neiru have now experienced the truth of what happens when you complete the total amount of people to save. at the end of episode ten we saw momoe’s breakdown and panic’s death and at the beginning today’s episode we saw rika find out and mannen’s death. (i previously wrote that neiru and pinky had experienced it but after someone kindly let me know after a rewatch that it was in fact momoe, not neiru. sorry for the error)

however, ai is now the only one who knows about frill and what happened to her. speaking of, there are a RIDICULOUS amount of parallels between the two. i’ll be reblogging some posts that explain it a lot better than i ever could right after i post this.

what i really want to focus on is frill. despite her fairly questionable and downright evil actions, i can’t help but feel a shred of pity for her.

born out of quite literal boredom and under strict surveillance, she was almost destined to be unloved. she was not made to be a human, but simply something for acca and ura acca to love. in the way you might buy a doll for a small child. their mistake was adding such severe jealousy and stubbornness to something they had created to be perfection.

stuck at the age of 14 permanently, it’s no surprise her mental state was damaged. imagine the jealousy, the intense emotions, everything you go through at that age.

she is at least somewhat aware that she is artificial intelligence considering how open those who are around her seem to be about it. however, she does not seem to be keen on accepting it or believing it. after all, she is not programmed to. she is programmed to sense things in the way a human would. and that opens a whole world of other doors about how anyone could be an ai and not know it but i doubt wonder egg priority would get that meta this close to the end.

time to tie up all these loose ends. around midway through the episode we are introduced to a love interest (who i have forgotten the name of, apologies) who causes a split in acca and ura acca’s relationship (marriage), and she soon becomes pregnant with a child. a human child.

frill was programmed to be able to understand her parents in the way a daughter would. she begins to taunt ura acca about his husband cheating on him with the woman he loves and once she finally finds out that the baby is a girl, she decides to kill the mother.

the motivation behind frill’s mental deterioration is slowly becoming clearer and clearer. i strongly suspect that she felt she was being replaced with a human child and realised the inherent inferiority she was going to have once the child was born, and became overcome with jealousy. not only would she now have to take on the role to be a big sister (which she was not programmed to accept or do. she was programmed to be stubborn and jealous in the way a 14 year old girl would be) but she would lose the ability she had to be perceived as a human daughter by the parents who raised her.

imagine being created for the sole purpose of being the perfect daughter for somebody to love, and then being replaced. i am by no means excusing murder, but it’s hard not to see her motivation.

as punishment and as relief of acca’s grief, frill was then locked away with nothing but her ai machinery for anywhere between 12 and 15 years*.

enter himari, the child that survived despite frill’s attempt at murder of both mother and child. she is described as having “saved” ura acca and acca from their state after the mother’s murder and the abandonment of their artificial daughter. when we see her able to talk, she is shown asking ura acca to marry her once she is older to make up for the pain of the loss of her mother. she is stated as being in junior high at the time (*my timespan reasoning for the time frill was locked away). while this scene made me greatly uncomfortable, it might be to show frill’s impact and influence on himari. if they had come into contact, frill would arguably do anything in her power to gain back control of her parents.

perhaps himari asked this purposefully to anger frill, which is supported further by the fact himari was found dead (cause of death suicide) the night later.

suicide. what’s the entire theme OF the eggs? i don’t know about you but i can hear lightbulbs beginning to flicker.

ura acca and acca began research into girls suicides at that age, and found a steady surge around the same time as himari’s death.

acca and ura acca are trying to bring back himari, possibly their wife, and maybe, maybe just maybe frill as well. i think that is the real purpose of the wonder egg project.

we also finally have our answer as to why girls and boys suicides are different with wonder eggs! acca and ura acca are indeed sexists, just not about suicide.

i’ll let you do the rest of the theorising.

now for the loose ends that i don’t think can be tied up.

why are hyphen and dot named after punctuation? is their goal to bring frill back to life?

what was neiru’s family’s involvement in the wonder eggs? in fact, where is neiru?

is frill alive or dead? is there even a way to distinguish with someone in her state?

what happened to acca and ura acca to make them.. well, to make them like that? last i checked, turning into mannequins isn’t a symptom of grief. are they even alive?

MOMOE. WHERE THE FUCK IS MOMOE. GIVE ME MOMOE OR GIVE ME DEATH.

there are a shit ton of new, unspecified entities we’re learning about. what actually are hyphen and dot? are they AIs like frill? perhaps not fully formed? and thanatos and eros?

where do the girls go once they’ve been freed? is “freed” even the right term?

what did mr sawaki say to ai about koito? why did koito die? is mr sawaki going to have a bigger role than a consistently fucking annoying red herring after all?

rika’s father? why have that as a big factor in an episode conflict if it’s never going to be addressed again?

the sketchy lesbian representation compared to the consistent positive trans ftm and gay representation? why have the only canonically wlw character be a product of a harmful stereotype after treating everything else so respectfully?

and most importantly, how the FUCK is this going to get cleared up in one episode?

i don’t even think that’s possible. if it is, i’m really disappointed. after consistent excellent pacing, writing, storytelling, and everything else, cramming everything into the last couple of episodes is just cheap and annoying. if i wanted to drone on for an entire series before an explosion of poor plot points for shock factor, i’d just go watch the second season of the promised neverland (/hj).

the only somewhat reasonable explanation would be a second season, but it is a terrible media decision and i can’t imagine much, if any, good coming from it.

in conclusion, what the fuck. how the hell is this going to salvage itself in one episode?

also i wrote this entire thing while on my sleep meds. if there’s logical, grammatical, spelling or just general errors i apologise and i’ll fix them when i’m not half conscious.

[morallygay]

Music genres: i have a very surface-level knowledge of music genres so from my available vocabulary and understanding: rock mainly, punk rock, pop punk, and what i guess could be called indie, whatever that means? most of my library is probably other genres i wouldn't know what to name but i do have a personal preference for the above ones. i think i like dubstep bc the like 2 times i've heard dubstep in a song i liked it (ex. avalon the jjba ost)

Shows: those open questions are always hard. if you give me a show i'll easily and gladly give you my opinion on it but here.. this is harder the most shows you've seen and i've seen too many animes so idek how to interpret it. my fav ones? the ones i'm currently obsessed with? the ones i think are objectively great but i don't feel any attachment to? the ones i would use as a "part of my identity" which is the point of this game? anyway let's say. haikyuu, hunter x hunter. snk? fruits basket? sonny boy..? chainsaw man (manga)? dungeon meshi?? i would rather give my fav and less fav genres tbh but that is not the asked question so. out of the shows i've watched bc of tumblr, hannibal and what we do in the shadows are easily my favs.

Colours: black with a drop of blue. around a sky blue, the same as used in this post. turquoise and magenta are cool too. purple too goes without saying but that's exactly why i can't genuinely identify with it, there's noise. in a constant ideological battle against my purely taste-based dislike of orange.

Characters: same as with shows if you give me characters i'll easily and gladly give you my opinions on them in as many details as you want but as an open question it's hard. but well not that hard actually bc thankfully i thought ahead and already had a list. a selection from that list: tendou (haikyuu), hanji (snk), vash (trigun), pariston (hxh), asa mitaka (chainsaw man), katsura (gintama), koito (golden kamuy). obligated to say cosmo (chainsaw man) as she's my pfp. and many more. imagine.

Musicians: muse, aimer, amazarashi, mitski, tally hall (, green day, the neighbourhood, marina, kalafina, renaud)

@futuredaysbycan @the-beasts-have-arrived @nyanbinaryneferpitou

I have no object permanence i just looked at my latest notifs so if you happen to see this but aren't tagged but want to be, assume you are. and if you are tagged but don't want to be assume you aren't. peace and love 💛

(original reblog chain was toooo long so here's just the relevant last reblog from @eine-seltsame-url <3. mine in reblog for better formatting)

Thanks for the Tag @/smallbeefchild

Okay.

Music:I don't really have a favourite genre, but the most stuff in my playlist is folk, pop and rock, with a bit of indie and synth mixed in there.

Shows:Oh God... uhm... well, there's Supernatural (Though for me only the first 10 seasons exist, after that, I feel like the show was losing quality) Chaplewaite (Small horror series Based on Stephen King's Salem's and Jerusalem's Lot) Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of curiositys, Reginald the Vampire (Small little Comedy about a guy that accidentally becomes a vampire) The Walking Dead (Though I never watched past season 7 and now with all the spin-offs it feels like too much to catch up) Bridgerton, Fallout, The Last of Us, Game of thrones, The Boys, Monsieur Spades (Crime thriller? Based on and set after The Maltese Falcon. Generally love those old Detective Noir Movies, but new stuff is a bit hard to find these days) Demon Slayer, The Ancient Magus Bride. (There's probably more, but I can't think of anything else at the Moment.)

Colours: Green in most of its shades, blue, purple, and black.

Characters: (I can't possibly name all of them here, so it's just gonna be those that first come to mind) Castiel (Supernatural), Death (Supernatural), Phillip Boone (Chaplewaite) Doolie (Cabinet of Curiositys... do I like this actor... Yes, very much) Nick Valentine (Fallout 4), Derkeethus (Skyrim) Scales (Lego Ninjago) Ellie (The Last of Us) Darius Ravenscar (Parliament of Rooks Comic from @/abz-j-harding ) Philip Marlowe (Raymond Chandler books) Tanjiro (Demon Slayer) Elias Ainsworth (The Ancient Magus Bride) Teacher (The Girl from the other side) Guts (Berserk) There are more but I can't think of anyone else at the Moment.

Musician: My playlist is all over the place, but the ones that are multiple times on there are. Hozier, AURORA, Heilung, Tame Impala, Daft Punk, The Ink Spots, Billie Holiday, Julie London, Lofi Girl and Vindsvept.

Tags: (No pressure to participate) @morallygay @/notalentdouchebag and everyone else that wants to join.

[wickwrites]

Wonder Egg Priority Episode 4: Boys’ and Girls’ Suicides Do Mean Different Things (But Not in the Way the Mannequins Want You to Think!)

So, let’s talk about this for a second. After I got over my initial knee-jerk reaction, I realized I wasn’t sure how to make sense of exactly what the mannequins were arguing for here. So let me rephrase their statements to make the argumentative structure more explicit: Because men are goal-oriented and women are not, because women are emotion-oriented and men are not, and because women are impulsive and easily influenced by others’ voices and men are not, boys’ and girls’ suicides mean different things – girls are more easily “tempted” by death, and therefore, more likely to require saving when they inevitably regret their suicide. While Wonder Egg Priority, so far, seems to agree with the vague version of the mannequins’ conclusion, namely that boys’ and girl’s suicides mean different things, it refutes the gender-essentialist logic through which that conclusion was derived.

The mannequins choose a decidedly gender essentialist approach in explaining the difference between girls’ and boy’s suicides; they argue that the suicides are different because of some immutable characteristic of their mental hard wiring (in this case, impulsivity, emotionality, and influenceability). Obviously, this is a load of bull, and Wonder Egg Priority knows it. The mannequins are not exactly characters we’re supposed to trust, seeing that they’re running a business that is literally based on letting these kids put themselves in mortal danger. As faceless adult men, they parrot and possibly represent the systems that force these girls to continue to be subjected to physical and emotional trauma (it’s probably more complicated than this, but four episodes in, it’s hard to say more). So, we’re probably supposed to take what they say with great skepticism. Also, the director, Shin Wakabayashi, has recently said that in response to these lines, Neiru was originally going to object, “When it comes to their brains, boys and girls are also the same,” (which unfortunately is not exactly true and is somewhat of an oversimplification, but the sentiment is there). While that line ultimately did not make it in, Neiru does reply with a confused and somewhat indignant, “What?!”, a reaction that gets the message across.  Neiru is not a fan of gender essentialism, and as a (more) sympathetic character, we’re supposed to agree with her.

That is, the differences between boys and girls is not something inherent to their biology or character, but something constructed by culture and experience. This rejection of gender-essentialism is apparent in Wonder Egg Priority’s narrative, which takes a more sociocultural perspective on the difference between boys’ and girls’ suicides. It says, well of course boys’ and and girl’s suicides don’t mean the same thing, that’s the whole reason why we’re delving into the experiences specific to being a girl (cis or trans) or AFAB in this world – to show you how girls’ suicides are influenced by systems of oppression perpetuated by those in power (ie. the adult, in this specific anime).

And all the suicides we’ve seen up until now tie into that somehow. For instance, Koito is bullied by her female classmates who think that Sawaki is giving her special treatment. This is a narrative that comes up over and over again, in real life as well: that if a young girl is being given attention from an older man, then it’s her fault – that she must want it, or at least enjoy it somehow, and that it signifies a virtue (eg. maturity or beauty) on her part. And if Koito is actually being given such treatment by Sawaki, an adult man in a position of power over her, that is incredibly predatory. 

And we all know that child sexual abuse is something that overwhelmingly affects girls, with one out of nine experiencing it before the age of 18, as opposed to one out of 53 boys (Finkelhor et al., 2014). Regardless of whether Sawaki was actually abusing Koito or if the students only thought that he was, Koito’s trauma is ultimately the result of this romanticized “love between a young girl and adult man, but not because the man is predatory, but because the girl has some enviable virtue that makes her desirable” narrative. Similarly, in episode 2, Minami’s suicide is driven by ideas related to discipline and body image in sports, which while not necessarily specific to female and AFAB athletes, is framed in an AFAB-specific way. For instance, take the pressure on Minami to “maintain her figure”. Certainly, male athletes also face a similar pressure, but we know that AFAB and (cis and trans) female bodies are subject to closer scrutiny and criticism. We know that young girls are more likely to suffer from eating disorders. And Wonder Egg Priority situates Minami’s experience as decidedly “about” AFAB experience when her coach accuses her change of figure due to her period as a character failing on her part.

 Likewise, episode 3 delves into suicides related to “stan” culture, this fervent dedication to celebrities that is overwhelmingly associated to teenage girls. And Miwa’s story, in episode 4, explicitly shows how society responds to sexual assault. When Miwa does have the courage to speak up about her assault, she’s instantly reprimanded by basically everyone around her. Her father is fired because her abuser was an executive of his company. Her mother asks her why she couldn’t just bear with it, telling her that her abuser chose her because she was cute, as if that’s supposed to make her feel better about it. Wonder Egg Priority shows that this sort of abuse is a systemic problem, a set of rules and norms deeply engrained in a society and upheld by all adults, regardless of gender, social status, or closeness (to the victim). Wonder Egg Priority says that, yes, girls’ and boys’ suicides have different meanings, but it’s not due to some inherent difference between the two, but the hostile environment in which these girls grow up. Girls are not more easily “tempted” by death, they just have more societal bullshit to deal with.

But Wonder Egg Priority goes further than just showcasing how girls’ (and AFAB) experiences are shaped by sociocultural factors. The story also disproves the supposedly dichotomous characteristics that the mannequins use to differentiate girls and boys (i.e. influenceability/independence, impulsivity/deliberation, emotion-orientation/goal-orientation). If the mannequins are indeed correct, and that girls are just influenceable, impulsive, and emotional, you’d expect the girls in the story to be to be like such too. Except, they aren’t. Rather, they’re a mix of both/all characteristics. This show says that, certainly, girls can be suggestible, but they’re also capable of thinking for themselves. For instance, when Momoe asserts her own identity as a girl at the end of episode four, she rejects the words of those around her who insisted that she isn’t a girl. If she were as suggestible as the mannequins believe her to be, that would never have happened – she would have just continued believing that she wasn’t girl “enough”. But, she doesn’t because she is equally capable of making her own judgements. Likewise, Wonder Egg Priority shows that girls can be impulsive, but they can also be deliberate and pre-mediating. When Miwa tricks her Wonder Killer into groping her to create an opening for Momoe to defeat it, she’s not doing it out of impulse – it’s a pre-mediated and deliberate choice unto a goal. And Wonder Egg Priority continues, girls can be equally emotion oriented and goal oriented. Sure, the main girls are fighting because they have the goal of bringing their loved ones back to life, but those goals are motivated by a large range of emotions, from guilt to anger, grief, compassion, and love. 

Being emotion-driven doesn’t mean you’re not goal-driven, and vice versa. In fact, in this case, being emotional drives these girls toward their goals. In other words, none of these traits that the mannequins listed are either “girl traits” or “boy traits”. Being one does not mean you can’t be the other, even if they seem dichotomous at first. Wonder Egg Priority’s diverse cast of multi-dimensional female characters allows it to undermine the mannequins’ conceptualization of gendered roles, refuting the idea that these (or any) character traits should be consider gendered at all.

As an underdeveloped side thought, I think Wonder Egg Priority’s blurring of gendered roles is also well-reflected in its style. There’s been a lot of talk about whether Wonder Egg Priority constitutes a magical girl series, and I think that’s an interesting question deserving of its own essay. Certainly, it does follow the basic formula of the magical girl story: a teenage heroine ensemble wielding magical weapons saves the day. But it also throws out a lot of the conventions you’d expect of a magical girl story – both aesthetically and narratively. Aesthetically, it’s probably missing the component that most would consider the thing that makes an anime a magical girl anime: the full body transformation sequence, complete with the sparkles and the costume and all that. Narratively, the girls are also not really magical girl protagonist material – they’ve got a fair share of flaws, have done some pretty awful things (looking at Kawai in particular; I still love you though), and aren’t exactly the endlessly self-sacrificing heroines you’d expect from a typical magical girl story. On the other hand, the anime also borrows a lot from shonen battle anime. We get these dynamic, well choreographed action sequences full of horror and gore, the focus on the importance of camaraderie between allies (or “nakama”, as shonen anime would call it) exemplified through all the bonding between the main girls during their downtime, and in the necessary co-operation to bring down the Wonder Killers. That said, this anime is not a shonen; the characters, types of conflicts, and themes are quite different from those that you’d find in a typical shonen. The bleeding together of the shonen genre and the magical girl genre, at the very least (and I say this because I think it does way more than just that), reflects Wonder Egg Priority’s interest in rebelling against conventional narratives about girlhood and gender.

[akari-hope]

lgbtq+ anime for pride month

decided to make this for anyone looking for new recommendations, or anyone who’s wanted to get into anime but doesn’t know where to start! all recs will include a summary, genres, applicable representation, and how accessible it is to people brand new to anime, as well as any major content warnings.

(a quick disclaimer for those new to anime - some series on here will NOT have explicit rep, but rather be heavily coded or have implied queer themes. however, these are included generally because the implication is strong enough to treat it as text, or because the series has been generally accepted as queer. i’ll be sure to clarify whether something is canon or coded in each entry.)

ouran high school host club (comedy, romance) summary: haruhi fujioka is an honor student on scholarship at the prestigious ouran academy, who’s only looking for a quiet place to study when he runs into the notorious host club. in his frantic attempt to leave, he accidentally breaks a vase valued at 8 million yen. club leader tamaki suou has an idea for how he can pay them back - working for the host club. rep: crossdressing/drag are staples of this series, nothing explicitly stated but there are definite themes of gender identity exploration, and the show doesn’t shy away from homosexual themes or ideas accessibility: newcomer friendly! the english dub of this series is notably good. content warnings: some 2000s-era language in regards to gay/trans people that may be seen as offensive today, one scene that implies intent of sexual assault (while there is no actual assault and it is quickly played off, it may still be upsetting to some viewers)

yuri!!! on ice (sports) summary: yuri katsuki is a professional figure skater, recovering from a crushing defeat at the grand prix final. he returns to his family home to debate what he plans to do for next season. he goes to the local ice rink to clear his mind, and shows his old friend there something he’s been practicing - his idol victor nikiforov’s latest world-winning routine. unbeknownst to yuri, he’s being filmed. the video goes viral, and before he knows it victor is standing right in front of him, offering to be his coach. rep: canon mlm romance accessibility: newcomer friendly! content warnings: a few scenes that briefly display anxiety/panic attack-like symptoms

given (drama, romance) summary: one day on his way to his favorite napping spot in school, ritsuka uenoyama finds a boy, mafuyu satou, dozing in his spot, clutching onto a guitar with rusted, broken strings. uenoyama wakes him up, berating him for not taking better care of his instrument. mafuyu, noticing his knowledge of the instrument, begs uenoyama to repair it and teach him to play. uenoyama initially refuses, but mafuyu is persistent, even following uenoyama to band practice. it’s not until uenoyama hears mafuyu sing that he changes his tune, offering lessons if he joins the band as their singer. rep: canon mlm romance accessibility: newcomer friendly! content warnings: discussions of grief and loss additional note: given also has a movie sequel, which has a scene involving sexual assault.

sweet blue flowers / aoi hana (romance, slice of life) summary: fumi manjoume and akira okudaira were best friends in elementary school, until fumi moved away. now in high school, fumi is back and attending the same school as akira once again. their relationship isn’t the same now, though. the two must navigate the new trials of high school while trying to revive their waning friendship. rep: canon wlw romance accessibility: newcomer friendly!

bloom into you / yagate kimi ni naru (drama, romance) summary: yuu koito has always dreamed of the sort of soft, heart-fluttering love in shoujo manga. when a boy finally confesses to her though she feels...empty. she begins to wonder if she only understands love conceptually, but cannot feel it. yuu is still mulling over how to respond to her suitor when she witnesses the student council president, touko nanami, turn down a love confession of her own. she decides to approach touko for advice, but then the unexepected happens - touko confesses to yuu. rep: canon wlw romance accessibility: newcomer friendly! content warnings: some mild sexual content, depictions of homophobia

stars align / hoshiai no sora (drama) summary: toma shinjou is desperate to recruit new members to the boys’ soft tennis club, which is on the verge of being disbanded due to poor performance. maki katsuragi, the new transfer student, immediately catches his interest due to his quick reflexes. toma persuades maki to join, and maki’s skill quickly becomes driving momentum for the entire team. through their shared sport, the boys of the soft tennis club explore their own capabilities and hardships as they navigate life. rep: canon nonbinary character, discussions of gender identity and sexuality accessibility: some prior knowledge of anime tropes and themes is desirable, but not necessary content warnings: discussions and depictions of abuse, bullying, and violence

mahou shoujo madoka magica (fantasy, psychological drama) summary: madoka kaname and sayaka miki are good friends, regular middle school girls with regular lives. one day, the mysterious homura akemi transfers into their class, and strange happenings begin occuring. they meet a strange cat-like creature known as kyuubey, injured and on the run from homura. as thanks for saving its life, kyuubey offers them a reward - he’ll grant any wish they desire, and in return they’ll become magical girls with the power to help others. homura, despite being a magical girl herself, discourages them, saying everything is not as it seems. rep: sapphic themes and implied romantic feelings accessibility: some prior knowledge of anime tropes and themes is desirable content warnings: blood, violence, major character death, unreality, grief additional note: madoka magica has 3 movie sequels, with a 4th on the way. while the first two are merely recaps of the series, the 3rd, rebellion, is a continuation of the story.

no. 6 (sci-fi, drama) summary: the world has been ravaged by war - the last safe haven of mankind lies in six walled-off city-states. shion is an elite resident of one such city-state, no. 6, given priority housing and treatment due to his exceptional abilities. one night, a fugitive by the name of nezumi sneaks into shion’s room, and threatens to kill him. despite knowing he’s a fugitive, shion instead tends to his wounds and shelters him for the night. when his transgression is discovered by the authorities, shion and his mother lose their elite status, and are relocated. now just a regular citizen, shion begins to discover a new side to the city he’s called home. years after their first meeting, he reunites with nezumi once more - their meeting putting in motion a series of events that will unveil the secrets of no. 6. rep: canon mlm romance, trans/nonbinary coded character accessibility: some prior knowledge of anime tropes and themes is desirable, but not necessary content warnings: blood, violence, major character death, body horror, insects (bees)

seraph of the end / owari no seraph (supernatural, action) summary: a virus ravages the human race, infecting and killing everyone above the age of 13. their food source now threatened, vampires come out of the shadows to take the remaining humans captive. the children of the hyakuya orphanage are among the survivors. yuuichirou detests the vampires, and is determined to escape. mikaela has hatched a plan to do just that. the hyakuya kids make their way to the exit of the vampire city, only to be ambushed by a vampire noble. yuuichirou is the only one to escape. he’s found by the japanese imperial demon army, who say they’ll use him against the vampires. believing the rest of the children dead, yuuichirou joins immediately, determined to seek revenge against the monsters who killed his only family. rep: implied romantic feelings between two men (in the manga the anime is based on this is canon, and the localization team views the relationship as romantic) accessibility: some prior knowledge of anime tropes and themes is desirable, but not necessary content warnings: blood, violence, death, body horror, unreality

banana fish (action, crime drama) summary: ash lynx is a runaway on the streets of nyc, taken in and raised by the godfather of the mafia, dino golzine. now the leader of his own gang, he begins investigating “banana fish” - the only two words his brother will speak after returning from the iraq war. ash meets his friend skip at a bar, where he’s shunichi ibe and eiji okumura, japanese photographers covering american gangs. however, their conversation is cut short, as dino’s men storm the bar and kidnap skip and eiji. ash sets out to rescue them and continue his investigation. rep: canon mlm romance accessibility: some prior knowledge of anime tropes and themes is desirable, but not necessary content warnings: blood, violence, major character death, drugs, homophobia, pedophilia, sexual assault, rape

wonder egg priority (fantasy, psychological drama) summary: after the suicide of koito nagase, ai ohto is left to grapple with reality without her best friend. under instructions of a mysterious entity, she purchases a wonder egg. ai breaks the egg in the world that materializes in her sleep, and is tasked with saving people. under the belief that she’ll be able to save koito, ai embarks on a journey where she must recognize the relationship between other people’s demons and her own. rep: canon trans characters, sapphic themes accessibility: some prior knowledge of anime tropes and themes is desirable content warnings: blood, violence, death, suicide, self-harm, transphobia, fatphobia, bullying, abuse, pedophilia, sexual assault, rape additional note: wonder egg priority has a special airing on june 30th, 2021, meant to wrap up the original series - as of writing this post, the series is technically incomplete.

flip flappers (fantasy, sci-fi) summary: cocona is an average middle schooler liing with her grandmother, no clear goals in mind for the future. she meets an odd girl, papika, who inites her to join the organization “flip flap”. cocona finds herself dragged along by papika into the world of pure illusion, a mysterious alternate dimension where papika searches for crystal shards. as cocona and papika explore pure illusion, they awaken to the power within the crystals, transforming into magical girls. they must learn to work together in order to unravel the mysteries of pure illusion, and their pasts. rep: sapphic themes and exploration of sexuality accessibility: some prior knowledge of anime tropes and themes is desirable content warnings: mild violence, unreality, mild sexual themes and nudity

noir (action, drama) summary: parisian assassin-for-hire mireille bouquet receives a strange email from kirika yuumara, a japanese student, who invites her to make “a pilgrimage to the past”. mireille makes to dismiss the email as nonsense, until it starts playing a song she recognizes from her youth. when the two meet in person, they’re ambushed by gun-wielding men. to mireille’s surprise, kirika is able to fend for herself - even more surprising, kirika has no memory of how she has such skills. the two of them team up to unravel the mysteries of their pasts, operating under the codename “noir”. rep: canon lesbian characters accessibility: some prior knowledge of anime tropes and themes is desirable, but not necessary content warnings: violence, death, implied rape and csa (not shown)

revolutionary girl utena / shoujo kakumei utena (fantasy, psychological drama) summary: after an encounter with a prince who comforted her after the death of her parents, utena tenjou is given a rose-crest ring, and a promise that they’ll meet again someday. however, utena has now committed to becoming a prince herself! after witnessing the abuse of fellow classmate anthy himemiya, utena is drawn into a dangerous game. duelists with rings matching her own battle for the ownership of anthy - the “rose bride”. utena decides she must free anthy from this fate. rep: canon sapphic characters, implied romance (in the movie sequel, this becomes canon) accessibility: prior knowledge of anime tropes and themes is necessary to fully enjoy this anime content warnings: unreality, violence, abuse, homophobia, pedophilia, incest, sexual assault, rape (for a comprehensive, spoiler-free breakdown of all potentially disturbing content, click here) additional note: the movie sequel, adolescence of utena, gives more explicit canon romance than the original series. however, the original series is considered an absolute classic must-watch for sapphics.

if anyone has questions about any series on here, feel free to ask! any other recommendations, feel free to tack on! (please include a summary, rep, accessibility, and any content warnings!)

[ricomola]

I really love your art of Tsukishima with Chiyo and Koito... it has my head swirling with vague ideas of like... Koito snooping around and vaguely finding out about the tragedy that was Tsukishima's relationship with her, and deciding to find her as a surprise gesture for Tsukishima. what Koito doesn't realize is that Tsukishima had firmly decided not to involve himself in her life and just let her think he was dead, because it had been too long, she probably has her own life by now, and he's done so much since he knew her... etc.

so he makes it happen... he finds Chiyo and gets her and Tsukishima in the same place at the same time, and of course she's ecstatic to know he's alive. but it is complicated, and emotional, and at first Tsukishima is borderline furious with Koito, but that's just because he had been going along so dead inside, and now he's literally feeling years and years worth of emotions at once, and every single one of them is a lot. it takes a long time to sort everything out, but he and Chiyo probably spend a significant amount of time practically attached at the hip because none of this even feels real yet.

Chiyo ends up really liking Koito because he actually cared enough to bring them back together... and she's especially grateful when she learns that Tsukishima never planned on finding her again. she doesn't blame him... clearly there were a lot of factors that led to that mindset, but that's why Koito was especially necessary. also, Chiyo's life hasn't been bad or anything, and Tsukishima kind of crash landing in the middle of it might cause some friction... but she really reeeeeally never got over him, and she's never giving him up again, if she has anything to say about it.

so basically ot3 happens over time because Tsukishima and Chiyo kind of owe their whole repaired relationship to Koito, and Koito is just charmed as hell by anything that either of them do. he's literally never seen this many emotions in Tsukishima for the entire time he's been around him, and it totally recontextualizes everything Koito thought he knew about Tsukishima. and Chiyo is more than happy to chat with Koito about how Tsukishima used to be, or hear stories about what Koito and Tsukishima have been up to... it's super cute.

anyway! your art is perfect and it makes me so happy

Thank you so much!!! I love your headcanon tbh :DDD I had some ideas about how Koitsuchi would come together. It's a little bitter at the beginning tho.

Basically, Koitsuki are together but Koito notices Tsukishima gets sad and avoidant whenever he does some gestures so after learning about Chiyo he secretly finds her but only because he NEEDS to know and let her know what's going on and because he NEEDS to make sure that respecting hers and Tsukishima's decision to leave things as they are is the right thing to do. (Side note, he introduces himself as Tsukishima's superior and close friend.)

Chiyo confesses (even tho he's a stranger) that despite not being able to give her husband a child he still loved her and she loved him as well, stating that she is very happy and wishes Tsukishima to be happy as well.

Then, the WTF part:

After almost a year passes when Koito receives a letter from Chiyo's husband asking to meet Tsukishima so he panics and tells Tsukishima who reacts borderline furious (just like you say xD) But Koito convinces him to accept as a way to get closure (and that if he tries to do something they can kill him in self-defense😂) so they're shocked when, after a long interview, Chiyo's husband surrenders her because he's very sick. Like, what?

The comical part is Chiyo's husband doesn't know that Koito is more than a friend to Tsukishima so he thinks Koito's troubled face is due to a stomachache💧. Then Tsukishima finally gets to see Chiyo, it's very emotional, Koito is happy too but sweating cold, trying to supress a mental breakdown🤡.

Note that Koito wasn't trying to get them together (not the most wholesome thing but I personally think Koito wanted to keep Tsukishima😂) so he kinda dislikes her but she's so nice he's not capable to be rude to her. Koitsuki don't know what to do. One day Chiyo has a talk with Koito confessing she knew from the beginning that Koito was more than just a friend to Tsukishima. And for some reason, BOTH, AT THE SAME TIME, think "what if we share??" And both know what the other is thinking👀.

So yeah, fanfic xD

[piduai]

Character profiles from the Golden Kamuy fanbook

sharing anywhere is fine but please credit me. stop posting screenshots of my translations on twitter with no credit

Sugimoto Saichi

Birthday: March 1st Birthplace: Kanagawa prefecture Likes: Dried persimmons, salted brains Dislikes: Locust tsukudani (shredded locusts that were simmered in soy sauce and mirin) Height: Shorter than Vasily, about the same height as Toni and Wilk, taller than Tsurumi and Koito Weight: Lighter than Nihei, about the same weight as Vasily and Tsukishima, heavier than Tsurumi

Commentary:

His emotions are expressed through his scarf. His injuries heal fast due to his abnormally high metabolism, and so do burns. You meet people with this kind of constitution once in a while. He sweats easily so his skin is always damp.

Asirpa

Birthday: January 1st Birthplace: Hokkaido, near Otaru Likes: Salted brains, Sugimoto’s osoma (miso) Dislikes: Snakes Height: Shorter than Ienaga and Nagakura, taller than Cikapasi Weight: Lighter than Inkarmat, about the same weight as Cikapasi

Commentary:

Her face and height changed the most out of all characters.

Shiraishi Yoshitake:

Birthday: March 3rd Birthplace: Southern Kanto region Likes: Sake, candy, white rice Dislikes: Deer brains Height: Shorter than Ogata, taller than Hijikata, Usami and Sofia Weight: Lighter than Koito, about the same weight as Ogata, Nikaido twins, Usami and Wilk, heavier than Kadokura

Commentary:

Sugimoto’s hidden partner, although he is more of a Fujiko rather than Jigei in relation to Lupin; there’s a sense of danger about him.

Ogata Hyakunosuke:

Birthday:  January 22nd Birthplace:  Born in Tokyo area, raised in Ibaraki prefecture Likes: Anglerfish hotpot  Dislikes: Shiitake mushrooms   Height: Shorter than Edogai, taller than Shiraishi   Weight: Lighter than Koito, about the same weight as Shiraishi, Nikaido twins, Usami and Wilk, heavier than Kadokura    

Commentary:

He was supposed to be more talkative, but ended up rather quiet in order to balance things out. Snipers are tricky to write whether they’re allies or enemies, so he’s a difficult character to handle. I think he’s rather strong at close combat too, though.

Tanigaki Genjirou:

Birthday: June 28th Birthplace: Akita prefecture, Ani village Likes: Kiritanpo (mashed rice put on skewers and toasted over fire) Dislikes: Shiitake mushrooms Chest circumference: 124 cm Height: Shorter than Ushiyama, about the same height as Ariko, taller than Kiroranke Weight: Lighter than Ushiyama, about the same weight as Sofia, heavier than Ariko

Commentary:

There was a possibility of Golden Kamuy’s main character being a combination of him and Sugimoto. The difference between them is that Sugimoto is an amateur when it comes to hunting. The matagi aspect is kind of good too. Sugimoto is the main character, so I couldn’t make him too hairy and voluptuous either. He’s not the mainstream type, but he is my type. There is a matagi ritual called kuraidori and I wanted to illustrate it as part of the time he spent with Nihei, I went as far as to draw the rough outline of the scene, but it was way too lewd, so I gave up. Do your own research regarding the ritual. The one initiated was supposed to be Nihei. By the way, you can tell the passage of time by the length of his hair. I would like to draw his leg and finger hair properly too, but it would be too much for a weekly manga. I will die. Tanigaki will kill me. I want to be killed by him.

[t/n: Kuraidori is a matagi ritual of initiation. As a summary, when the chief declares that it’s time for kuraidori, the ones to participate in the hunt for the first time get naked and into a standing position with their legs spread wide. Next someone appointed from experienced hunters warms his hands over a bonfire, grabs the penis of the newcomer and rubs it until it gets hard. The standing one shouldn’t resist or move. Wooden embers are tied to the erect penis with twine as it gets shaken; they smolder and sparks fly but the hunter is not allowed to raise his voice or put them out. He jumps around and sways his hips, which is said to please the mountain god.]

Kiroranke:

Birthday: August 2nd Birthplace: Amur river valley Likes: Prefers fish over meat, especially freshwater fish Dislikes: Refuses to consume horse meat Height: Shorter than Tanigaki and Ariko, taller than Kikuta Weight: Lighter than Ariko, heavier than Kikuta

Commentary:

He does have Sakhalin Ainu roots, but neither he nor Wilk ever pretended that they became Ainu. They just happened to choose the Ainu life when they came to Hokkaido.

Inkarmat:

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Hokkaido, Saru district Likes: Rabbit meat Dislikes: Dogs Height: Shorter than Tsukishima, about the same height as Henmi and Anehata, taller than Nagakura and Ienaga Weight: Lighter than Anehata, heavier than Asirpa and Cikapasi

Commentary:

The way she wraps her headband is rather old-fashioned. And tamasay, the necklace she’s wearing, is normally only worn on special occasions, but I’m glad I made her stand out.

Cikapasi:

Birthday:  Unknown Birthplace: Hokkaido, near Otaru Likes: Bean snacks Dislikes: Salmon eyeballs Height: Shorter than Asirpa (shortest character) Weight: Lighter than Inkarmat, about the same weight as Asirpa

Commentary:

I believe he achieved happiness, however much he’s swallowed up by the waves of history.

Ryuu: 

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Hokkaido, near Otaru Likes: Bear meat Dislikes: None

Commentary:

If he were a person, he would be similar to Shiraishi. He’s no stranger to bailing when things get serious. However, as a plot device, he helped me a lot of times, so he’s an important character.

Retar: 

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Hokkaido, near Sapporo Likes: Deer Dislikes: None

Commentary:   I want to believe that his children’s descendants exist somewhere even now. Maybe they’re mingling with some Ainu dogs.

Hijikata Toshizou: 

Birthday: May 31st Birthplace: Musashi province, modern day Tokyo region Likes: Chazuke (dish made by pouring green tea, dashi, or hot water over cooked rice) Dislikes: None Height: Shorter than Shiraishi, about the same height as Sofia and Usami, taller than Kirawus Weight: Lighter than Kantarou, about the same weight as Edogai, heavier than Nagakura

Commentary:

Hijikata’s coolness will never waver. I don’t want him to show any breaches. A Hijikata who sucks at haiku sounds like a loser.

Nagakura Shinpachi:

Birthday: May 23rd Birthplace: Musashi province, modern day Tokyo region Likes: Unagi kabayaki (grilled eel) Dislikes: None Height: Shorter than Henmi, Inkarmat and Anehata, taller than Asirpa, about the same height as Ienaga Weight: Lighter than Hijikata and Edogai, heavier than Henmi and Ienaga

Commentary:  

Personally I love him a lot. He’s a Watson-like character. I think he looks the most like his historical counterpart.

Ushiyama Tatsuma:

Birthday: March 10th Birthplace: Mikawa province, modern day Aichi Likes: Peaches, beer Dislikes: None Height: Taller than Ariko and Tanigaki (tallest character) Weight: Heavier than Tanigaki and Sofia (heaviest character)

Commentary:

Without his lump he becomes the cream of the crop in terms of being a badass. If I included someone as immaculate as Murofushi Kouji in the story he’d just put the rest of the male cast to shame.

Ienaga Kano (Chikanobu)

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Mikawa province, modern day Aichi Likes: Meat dishes Dislikes: Shrimp Height: Shorter than Henmi, Inkarmat and Anehata, about the same heigh as Nagakura, taller than Asirpa Weight: Lighter than Nagakura, about the same weight as Henmi, heavier than Anehata

Commentary:

Penis size is on the larger side.

Toni Anji

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Rikuzen province, modern day Miyagi and Iwate Likes: Deep-fried wild plants Dislikes: Crows Height: Shorter than Vasily, about the same height as Sugimoto and Wilk, taller than Tsurumi and Koito Weight: Lighter than Tsurumi, heavier than Koito

Commentary:

Based on an article that I read many years ago, about a visually impaired person who was able to live normally thanks to echolocation, which has been lying around in my drawer for ages. I heard that owl ears are asymmetrical and can catch sound three-dimensionally, so I made him wear that hearing device. The vest he’s wearing is supposed to invoke an owl imagery as well.

Kadokura Toshiyuki

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Mutsu province, modern day area of Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori Prefectures Likes: Alcohol, squid Dislikes: Shellfish Height: Shorter than Kirawus, taller than Nikaido twins and Kantarou Weight: Lighter than Ogata, Nikaido twins, Shiraishi, Wilk and Usami, heavier than Kirawus

Commentary:

A wilted, uninspired middle-aged dude, but sexy. I love this kind of characters.

Kirawus

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Hokkaido, near Kushiro Likes: Kokanee (a kind of salmon) Dislikes: Snakes Height: Shorter than Hijikata, Usami and Sofia, taller than Kadokura   Weight: Lighter than Kadokura, heavier than Kantarou

Commentary:

He’s named like that because he used to play with deer antlers as a child. Isn’t it cute? (t/n: his name means “to have horns”)

Okuyama Kantarou

Birthday: August 1st Birthplace: Hokkaido, Sapporo Likes: Corn Dislikes: None Height: Shorter than Kadokura, about the same height as Nikaido twins, taller than Tsukishima Weight: Lighter than Kirawus, heavier than Hijikata and Edogai

Commentary:

He’s quite plain, yet I can’t find a reason to kill him off. Ordinary people are important too. Like Krillin.

Tsurumi Tokushirou

Birthday: December 25th Birthplace: Niigata prefecture Likes: Wagashi (Japanese confectionery) Dislikes: Alcohol Height: Shorter than Sugimoto, Toni and Wilk, about the same height as Koito, taller than Edogai Weight: Lighter than Sugimoto, Tsukishima and Vasily, heavier than Toni

Commentary:

He is the villain, but I think I’m the one who understands him the best. I think he’s making the right choices. After all, I’m a bigger fan of him than any of the readers.

Tsukishima Hajime

Birthday: April 1st Birthplace: Niigata prefecture, Sado island Likes: White rice, egoneri (boiled seaweed) Dislikes: None Height: Shorter than Kantarou and the Nikaido twins, taller than Henmi, Inkarmat and Anehata Weight: Lighter than Nihei, about the same weight as Sugimoto and Vasily, heavier than Tsurumi

Commentary:

He is so cool. I like that he’s short. There’s more to him than simply following Tsurumi’s orders like a machine, though, he’s carrying a lot of hurt. He's just got a flat nose is all. I don’t remember what made me give him that nose, but he wouldn’t be Tsukishima without it.

Koito Otonoshin

Birthday: December 23rd Birthplace: Kagoshima prefecture Likes: Tsukisamu anpan (flat bun filled with red bean paste) Dislikes: Sakurajima radish Height: Shorter than Sugimoto, Toni and Wilk, about the same height as Tsurumi, taller than Edogai Weight: Lighter than Toni, heavier than Ogata, Nikaido twins, Usami and Wilk

Commentary:

The more stupid he got, the more solid. I love the clean-freak spoiled brat type of characters.

Nikaidou Kouhei (and Youhei)

Birthday: November 19th   Birthplace: Shizuoka prefecture Likes: Mandarins Dislikes: Tsukisamu anpan Height: Shorter than Kadokura, about the same height as Kantarou, taller than Tsukishima Weight: Lighter than Koito, about the same weight as Ogata, Shiraishi, Usami and Wilk, heavier than Kadokura

Commentary:

I wonder how the nipples on his head gear stay erect. They probably are heat-sensitive. Edogai-kun is a genius.

Usami Tokishige

Birthday: February 25th Birthplace: Niigata prefecture, Shibata Likes: Horse, Tsukisamu anpan Dislikes: Shiitake mushrooms Height: Shorter than Shiraishi, about the same height as Hijikata and Sofia, taller than Kirawus Weight: Lighter than Koito, about the same weight as Shiraishi, Ogata, Wilk and Nikaido twins, heavier than Kadokura

Commentary:

He is the most dangerous man in the cast.

Kikuta Mokutarou

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Saitama prefecture Likes: Watermelon Dislikes: Tsukisamu anpan Height: Shorter than Kiroranke, taller than Nihei Weight: Lighter than Kiroranke, heavier than Nihei

Commentary:

A man who knows suffering. He’s got the most difficult face to draw. I want to make him look cool but rarely manage to succeed.

Ariko Rikimatsu/Ipopte

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Hokkaido, near Noboribetsu Likes: Hazel grouse Dislikes: Shark Height: About the same height as Tanigaki, shorter than Ushiyama, taller than Kiroranke Weight: Heavier than Kiroranke, lighter than Sofia and Tanigaki

Commentary:

Ipopte means “to bring to a boil”. To become hot in an instant. He’s quiet, but there’s something steamy about him. He’s sexy.

Edogai Yasaku

Birthday:  Unknown Birthplace: Nara prefecture Likes: Somen noodles Dislikes: Figs Height: Shorter than Tsurumi and Koito, taller than Ogata Weight: Heavier than Nagakura, about the same weight a Hijikata, lighter than Kantarou

Commentary:

I wanted to draw more of his clothes. Something big, of the scale of Alien Queen or Kobayashi Sachiko.

Nihei Tetsuzou

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Hokkaido, Ishikari Likes: Bear meat Dislikes: None Height: Shorter than Kikuta, taller than Vasily Weight: Lighter than Kikuta, heavier than Vasily, Sugimoto and Tsukishima

Commentary:

A character like Nihei being killed in a clean, gallant way had a lot of narrative value for Golden Kamuy. I love him a lot, to the point that he could have become a main character.

Henmi Kazuo

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Shimotsuke province, modern day Tochigi prefecture Likes: Strawberries Dislikes: Spicy food upsets his stomach Height: Taller than Nagakura and Ienaga, about the same height as Inkarmat and Anehata, shorter than Tsukishima Weight: Lighter than Nagakura, heavier than Anehata

Commentary:

Important character that kicks off the story. I tried giving him as plain of an appearance as possible, but it became weirder as the story progressed.

Wakayama Kiichirou

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Unknown Likes: Raw oysters Dislikes: Tomatoes

Commentary:

A drunk friend once said the “it’s like going to take a shit!” phrase verbatim in real life to me.

Nakazawa Tatsuya

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Unknown Likes: Whatever oyabun likes Dislikes: Whatever oyabun dislikes

Commentary:

It’s oyabun’s fault his nipples are big.

Kumagishi Chouan

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Unknown Likes: Tomato soup Dislikes: Japanese leek

Commentary:

His words will come in handy in the future.

Suzukawa Kyohiro

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Unknown Likes: Alcohol Dislikes: Brown bear meat

Commentary:

His famous scene is from the movie “Kagemusha”. Did anyone notice?

Sakamoto Keiichirou

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Unknown Likes: Grapes Dislikes: Turtles

Commentary:

I think the way I got to show his tattoo was very smooth. A prime example of necessary nudity.

Ogin the Viper

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Unknown Likes: Spicy things Dislikes: Sweet things

Commentary:

There are records of Ogin and the Lightning Bandit couple actually existing, and the real Ogin was just as violent.

Anehata Shiton

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Unknown Likes: Animals – Forests – The earth – The sky Dislikes: Himself Height: Taller than Ienaga and Nagakura, shorter than Tsukishima, about the same height as Inkarmat and Henmi Weight: Heavier than Inkarmat, lighter than Ienaga and Henmi

Commentary:

I have a testimony from Masanori Hata that I failed at invoking the imagery of him being chased by his pet bear with this.

Gansoku Maiharu

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Unknown Likes: Chicken, eggs, beans Dislikes: Cucumbers, alcohol

Commentary:

He’s a gentleman, but has a people hitting problem. Splendid character with a barbarian side.

Doi Shinzou

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Tosa province, modern day Kouchi prefecture Likes: Citatap Dislikes: Mandarins

Commentary:

Read about Okada Izou if you want to understand him better.

Sekiya Ichirou

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Unknown Likes: Pomegranates Dislikes: Crab

Commentary:

I heard the story about experiencing the death of a child by lightning from a teacher in elementary school.

Gotou Takechiyo

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Northern Kanto region Likes: Dried fish, alcohol Dislikes: Offal stew

Commentary:

It’s surprising that he managed to survive for so long given that he was surrounded by so many violent prisoners.

Kasahara Kanjirou

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Unknown Likes: Soba noodles Dislikes: Sheep meat

Commentary:

He’s a weak character. I needed to set the tempo for the early stage, so I couldn’t avoid it.

Wilk

Birthday:  Unknown Birthplace: Southern Sakhalin Likes: Lingonberry Dislikes: Snakes Height: Shorter than Vasily, about the same height as Sugimoto and Toni, taller than Tsurumi and Koito Weight: Heavier than Kadokura, about the same weight as Nikaido twins, Ogata, Shiraishi and Usami, lighter than Koito

Commentary:

I don’t think young people now can easily understand his attitude towards Asirpa. I want to end the story in a way that will make them.

Sofia Golden Hand

Birthday: Unknown Birthplace: Russian Empire, Saint-Petersburg Likes: Vodka, tobacco, potatoes Dislikes: Mice/rats Height: Shorter than Shiraishi, about the same height as Hijikata and Usami, taller than Kirawus Weight: Heavier than Ariko, about the same weight as Tanigaki, lighter than Ushiyama

Commentary:

One of the few cigarette smokers. The point is that she smokes through the gap in her front teeth. To tell you the truth, I’m not a big fan of performative smoking. Especially when it’s men who are trying to look badass.

Vasily

Birthday:  Unknown Birthplace: Russian Empire, Yeleninka village Likes: Pelmeni, green tea Dislikes: Squirrel Height: Shorter than Nihei, taller than Sugimoto, Toni and Wilk

Weight: About the same weight as Sugimoto and Tsukishima, lighter than Nihei, heavier than Tsurumi

Commentary:

Given that his molars were probably pulverized, he can only chew with his front teeth. He should stick to soft foods. Like porridge.

Boutarou the Pirate (real name: Oosawa Fusatarou)

Birthday: August 13th Birthplace: Hokkaido, near Asahikawa Likes: Freshwater fish Dislikes: Mice/rats

Commentary:

He will have a huge impact on some of the characters by the end of the story.

Matsuda Heita 

Birthday: October 17th Birthplace: Eastern Hokkaido Likes: Crayfish Dislikes: Crows

Commentary: 

I wanted to write a story about gold dust digging and I think it turned out spectacular.

[woolishlygrim]

The speculation in the Wonder Egg Priority fandom over Frill’s motivations and why she might have turned out so terrible are pretty interesting, but I wonder how many of those speculating are braced for the fact that we’re probably never going to find out for sure.

Because that’s a running theme with the show, right, albeit not one it draws attention to: The idea that everyone has an interior life which they the characters and us the audience aren’t privy to, and will never be privy to.

It’s why the reason for Koito’s suicide, and what her involvement with Sawaki was (and how those two things may be linked) is such a big part of the series, while at the same time the show pulls back every time answers might be forthcoming, denying the audience that catharsis. We can speculate -- we know that there’s something very, very wrong with Sawaki, and we can infer from what Ai knows that something was going on with him and Koito that likely contributed to her suicide, but I doubt we’ll ever know exactly what that was.

Similarly, neither Neiru nor the audience gets to know why Neiru’s sister attacked her; we’re largely left in the dark about what, exactly, Ura-Acca and Acca’s relationship is; neither Rika nor the audience gets to know who Rika’s father is; and while Momoe absolutely is trans she never outright says as much and neither does anyone else.

And this happens in reverse, too. We the audience are privy to why Rika was so cruel to Chiemi, but Chiemi doesn’t get to know that; and we the audience get to know why Ai is a shut-in, but her mother doesn’t.

It’s in a way the perfect theme for a show about suicide, because suicide is almost always unexpected to the friends and family of the deceased: It’s something that builds within a person, usually unseen, sometimes deliberately concealed, until the point where it happens and the people around them are left to try and puzzle it out with whatever incomplete fragments of information they have.

And I’m pretty sure it’s going to end up the same with Frill, with the audience being put in a position where they can speculate on what went so badly wrong with her, but never actually knowing for sure. She has her own interior life which the rest of the characters and the audience don’t get to be privy to.

[emialawliet]

The mysteries of Wonder Egg Priority and some interesting things I found in it

Oh hi Acca. Wait is that a crack on your right lens?

One of the great things about WEP is that it is an original anime wherein we do not have any source material to check on its story thus we do not have a clue on what’s gonna happen next besides the things that happen in each episode. These are one of those animes which are fun to observe.

Plot Summary: Ai scores a “Wonder Egg” from a gachapon machine at a deserted arcade. But now when Ai falls asleep a girl emerges from her Wonder Egg, the worlds of dreams and reality begin to collide. And it’s all connected.

From the first episode, we have been given a huge amount of symbolism. Aside from the main subject of bullying and Ai’s guilt by pretending not to see it that cost her bestfriend’s life, there are a lot of other things that I noticed that seem to have a deeper meaning behind them or could be a hint to something. I’ll list these things one by one from the first 2 episodes..

This post is going to be quite a long one, so I’ll keep it minimal enough to just tickle your thoughts. And believe me, things got clearer to me as I am making this post.

The anime starts in a sort of a dream world.. or is it?

1) The firefly

In some cultures firefly may not have a positive reputation. But in Japan, where they are called "hotaru," they are beloved – a metaphor for passionate love in poetry since Man'you-shu (the 8th century anthology). -Namiko Abe @ thoughtco.com

Ai can be seen looking at a dead firefly. She seems caring for it and she even gave it a proper burial. Could this symbolize someone dear to her? Now let’s proceed..

2) person in the car

Is this a clue? I’ll remember that hair for some reason..

3) Ai’s conversation with the firefly and the Special Gacha Machine

firefly: What are you doing in a place like this?

Ai: Walking.

F: This late at night?

After burying the firefly, it suddenly came out the soil and spoke to Ai with a male voice. Their conversation seems to me like a suspicious man talking to an innocent girl in a place where a young one like her isn’t supposed to be..

F: The first time’s free. Next time bring your wallet.

This is one of the things commonly used to convince someone to try something they are usually not willing to for the first time. Like a free trial..

..and was then led somewhere underground where the “Special Gacha Machine” is located.

That’s a lotta eggs. What could this underground facility be? And here’s the Gacha Machine:

So that’s the thing in the poster.

Weird huh? But the next morning, Ai wakes up with the egg beside her..

4) The dream

..Or is it not entirely a dream? I mean the egg appearing beside her is one thing although it could be that the egg is just in her mind. But the thing that complicates things is the injuries she gets in real life, to the point where she and even Neiru needs to get hospitalized.

Ai asked why this (the whole dream she’s in) is happening to her and this is what Kurumi said:

“Nothing costs more than a free gift huh?” Indeed, life is priceless. But in this story, it is only free the first time. The second night, Ai paid a huge price. Could those injuries mean this?

“This is a dream to you, but to me it is reality.” -Kurumi Saijo

Ai will not die in this dream, as long as her eyes and heart are okay.

Did she really sneak at night twice? Since getting the Wonder Egg to saving Kurumi? In this scene we also see the teacher in full for the first time and I dunno about you guys but I think that hair is familiar..

The firefly even asked her this. We’ve seen Ai sneaking out at night but the things that follow are strange enough to happen in real life. Is it possible that what we're seeing is a mixture of Ai’s imagination and reality?

Something caused these injuries. Or is it Ai herself? Let us find out..

After saving Kurumi, a mysterious male voice said “Too bad, you only get saved. But you have to cheer up if you want your bestfriend back.”

She then asked this:

..but got no clear response. Of course we know the answer, Koito is not going back to life. but why does the voice demand her to do that? Not even the firefly could answer her clearly. But she continued to believe that this will get her bestfriend back. 

“If you can’t protect them, you won’t make it either.” -Firefly

“There’s no point going to save someone if she gets herself killed.” -Ura-Acca

Does they mean the guilt might kill her too? Does this imply suicide? Could this be a hint where Ai gets her injuries?

And Neiru asked her who she is fighting for.. Ai firmly said it was for Koito.

“You don’t like yourself now, so you go. You want to change the self you hate.” Well this could also be true for herself despite saying it’s for her sister whom she let die. How? We’ll soon know more about this I guess.. At the moment, we know that Neiru loves her current self. 

Ai hates herself for betraying her bestfriend. The first friend she ever had.

Koito probably asked her to film the bullying as evidence, but Ai was too scared of being left out. She wasn’t able to get a good shot, but Koito only smiled at her and knew she did her best.

5) The egg

From the title itself, the egg is a very prominent object in this anime. We still do not have a clear answer as to what it really represents, but according to the speaking firefly and Kurumi, it contains what a person wants the most, and in Ai’s case, it is a friend. She denies this to both of them but they both know it is the truth.

The eggs appear in different colors, with letters, numbers and symbols printed on them. Once cracked, it reveals a person. This is where we can relate the egg’s symbolism of life and creation. 

A mysterious male voice angrily told Ai to break the egg, and this is what he said afterwards:

Ai is “good” at it, huh. What could he probably mean I wonder..

It was later revealed that Kurumi is another sculpture, a “captured maiden” in a different world like Ai’s bestfriend Koito. This confirms that Kurumi is also dead, which leads me to think that the eggs are the souls of those who died from suicide or abuse. 

They couldn’t pass on unless the guilt of their friends stop holding them back. And this I think is also what’s happening to our MC Ai and Koito’s soul.

6) Kurumi Saijo

She wears a different uniform than Ai’s. A victim of bullying by 3 girls.

Like Ai, she also said she did not have any friends, just superficial ones.

And this could be hinting at the reason why she was bullied by those girls. She does have the looks. But these looks might be the reason why she had no real friends. And a boyfriend of this fake friend probably liked her and broke up with her fake friend which started the bullying. I smell jealousy.

In this dream, she found her resolve while saving Kurumi.

I gotta say though, the animation is impressive from start to finish. That button popping off has me goin “whoa they even thought of adding that bit.” And the explosion that followed.. oof.

After being saved by Ai, she asked Ai to not forget her and disappeared into dust. Was Kurumi able to finally pass on?

) Minami Suzuhara

Seriously, in this anime, adorable girls have no friends.

Damn her “trauma” is a ridiculous boob monster. 

She could have died due to over fatigue and stress from her coach’s verbal abuse.

Ai had another injury the following day.

) Ai’s enemies

The Seenoevils, a disorderly mob. In real life, they are the ones that pretend not to see the bullying, letting it happen and thus contribute to the damage being dealt to thee victim. And the form of the egg’s “traumas”, the Wonder Killer, which are the main cause who led the victims to their deaths. In the dream world, they do not attack Ai. But they can damage her, only for the effects to appear outside the dream.

Ai uses Kurumi’s pen as her first weapon, and Minami’s ribbon wand as the second.

Like Kurumi, after she was saved she also asked Ai to remember her before disappearing into dust.

) The teacher

Ai’s teacher seems really nice, going as far as to visit her and deliver the week’s print outs to their home. Ai must not be attending school for weeks..

We now know that Ai’s location is nearby their teacher’s home. Could he be the guy in the car then? We don’t have enough evidence of that as of yet.

In the second episode, Ai’s teacher visited again.

Now we see his face. He’s got a mole huh.

But why this question teach? 

So that’s his name. And why the special treatment?

Here we see him walk behind Koito and she follows..

) Acca & Ura-Akka

The most intriguing thing I found in the first ep..

After discovering the truth about Kurumi, Ai was led to the end of the underground tunnel and found these two strange dolls playing Go, a japanese traditional board game. One looks like a professional, and the other just casual. They introduced themselves as Acca and Ura-Acca.

Judging by that definition, these two dolls could be the same person. Let’s watch out for that.. Who could this person be? And what is his connection to Ai?

“Haste makes waste.” These two are worried about Neiru. They strongly advise on taking the process slow or else she might die. Is this person a therapist?

) Neiru Aonuma

Did I read that right.. VICE PRESIDENT?? I get the feeling her sister died caused by neglect from their parents because they were more focused on this Neiru who “loves herself”. She also seems to me like a foreigner. She speaks english quite well and we see the mom with a nice cute afro.

She was too greedy to get multiple eggs at once. She could have fought through an intense battle. Probably why she was put in the intensive care unit. 

She also does not know the fun of being in a friendship. But then she agrees on being friends with AI :) I am glad how Ai is starting to change too.

I am looking forward for these two’s friendship <3

And that’s about all the curious things I’ve gathered in the first 2 episodes.

I am definitely going to continue watching this series and witness the truth unfold. Until the next egg time!

[chibivesicle]

Golden Kamuy - Kikuta really deserved better [part 3] 280-283

I’m still behind on my GK meta.  Here is my push to catch up before new chapters drop.  Just a note of clarification from my last meta.  When I discuss Yuusaku’s eyes being similar to Asirpa’s, I don’t mean that he has blue/green eyes like hers but just that his ‘innocence’ is represented by that but there may also be a difference.  If he were not Hanazawa’s biological son, it would make a sweet plot twist and explain why he didn’t inherit the ‘natural abilities’ of the men of that family in the military.  This sounds silly, but a major theme of GK is that children do inherit abilities from their parents.

Most of chapter 280 isn’t super useful, we learn that Usami discovered Kikuta’s role as a spy for central and that’s pretty much it.  Kikuta seems to think that Sugimoto will be enough to stop Tsurumi which, I dunno, I guess makes some sense considering he’s one of the main characters, but meh.

He does get a badass scene where he tries to look cool and take Tsurumi out with him here . . .

Unfortunately, he doesn’t get to be badass as Tsukishima shoots him in the head.  Recall that, he’s wanted a front row seat for the Tsurumi theatre and has rationalized in the past that he’s going to be Tsurumi’s right hand man -

[Sighs].  Oh Tsukishima, I’m more worried about your mental health and well being with these recent chapters. Honestly, the rest of the chapter seems like filler to me.  The skins are arranged to reveal a location for the gold, at the fort in Hakodate, Goryokaku.  The only other part I found interesting is here.  Tsurumi makes his orders known and Koito is off in the corner by himself.

Koito, what are you thinking?  How are you feeling? Are you upset by Tsurumi?  By Tsukishima declaring he’s Tsurumi’s right and man and not your big brother?  Tell me Koito?  Are you no longer on board with things but caught up in the momentum of events?

And both groups are now en route to the location and - Kikuta deserved better.

Chapter 281 starts out with group eating squid in Hakodate as they check out the remains of the fort.  It is mainly historical context information and how this is where Hijikata should have died.  I’m not a Shinsengumi ‘fan’ so this plot point continues to be meh for me.

What is more important is that Boutarou told Shiraishi that the gold came from the Russian Consulate to the fort.

Kimuspu lead them there as the group of men organized by Wilk are in search of the gold at the Russian Consulate.  They are able to break through a fake wall to find a cellar below where the gold is supposed to be.

Of course, since this is a manga this perfectly overlaps with other events in the manga - mainly the kidnapping of Koito by ‘Russians’ aka Tsukishima and Ogata.  Wilk goes over to investigate and sees Koito Sr. deciding that Koito’s fate is set based on the current actions of the kidnappers.

It is interesting that the previous chapter had a very lonely looking Koito to lead into this flashback that is also related to him.  Is this important or just luck in the plot/flashback story line? The men proceed to find the gold - but as Wilk examines it, it becomes clear that it isn’t the gold.

Instead, we are only left with Wilk asking him what is going on?  And we have no idea what Wilk is looking or referring to, but it isn’t gold!

The flashback ends and the group is roaming around the fort a night only to bump into the 27th!  Poor luck for the group indeed.

Chapter 282 starts off with a fight between the 27th and everyone else.  Of course they are doomed from the start since they are up against monsters of a sort.  After a few violent deaths, Sugimoto searches one of the men to find a telegram.

Welp, shit.  There best effort to beat Tsurumi isn’t going to happen as he figured things out at the same time that they did.  Shiraishi has a complete meltdown for several pages.  Which I’m personally not a fan of - I’m just tired of him being the lazy comic relief by this point.  But if you’ve been reading my meta since 2018, you’d already know how I feel about that.

Hijikata remains calm and tries to think of logical places to search for the gold.  Digging directly into the ground would have been too obvious so it is likely in a building.

Frantic, Shiraishi runs into the door of one of the buildings. The group seem to descend into a sort of chaotic panic about finding the gold before Tsurumi gets there and then how to get the gold off the site.  It all just seems odd.  Like, dude, you guys need to just chill and stop shouting out random suggestions.  Of course Sugimoto immediately concludes they will have to fight.  Which isn’t a very clever idea from Sugimoto, it is his freakkin’ default state.

Of course Hijikata was planning to fight from the start.  That has been his goal since the beginning of the manga!  But this time, he’s enlisted the help of Sofia and her fellow Russian partisans.  Who are on their way to Hakodate and we get an epic shot of her pouring vodka on her face.

It is a logical call, he needs other people who are experience fighters - someone who can go toe to toe with the 27th.

Chapter 283 then turns to give us a brief flashback into Hijikata’s planning for events.  He knows the fort inside and out and takes charge (as he should in this situation).  Before they left he met up with Sofia and tells her to bring her men to Hakodate that afternoon.

What is interesting is the conversation that unfolds as they discuss working with Sofia and her group.  As a war vet, Sugimoto is the most uncomfortable with this, even if he isn’t quite aware of it, he thinks it is too much of a stretch.  What surprises me is that Shiraishi, doesn’t trust her either and he even mentions Kiro, unless he personally thinks Kiro was more trustworthy than Wilk or Sofia?

Hijikata is confident that they will deal with things as they happen, but Asirpa clearly states that they can trust her.  This makes sense based on how Sofia was there with Asirpa when Tsurumi interrogated her - she knows Sofia is someone whom she can rely on.

Meanwhile, Sofia is supporting the dream that Wilk and Kiro both shared in their youth and tells her men as such.  Going way back to the flashback with the three of them and their interaction with Tsurumi as Hasegawa we know that she is the most caring and compassionate of the three leaders.

She is the type of person who could truly inspire others to work towards a common goal, and we’ve seen this through her actions, including taming that tiger.  The idea is still crazy, but hey why not.

On the same train is Ogata, clearly following Sofia.  He’s asleep and we get a flashback to him laying on the futon with his mom.

At the end of the chapter, it notes that she is saying some lines from a nursery rhyme associated with a children’s game.  I’d go with the interpretation that many things are easy to enter or become involved with but are difficult to escape.  How will this impact his role in the fight for the gold?  Is he still acting as a sort of solo agent?  Is he reflecting on this entire mess?  His life choices? Lack of choices?

The rest of the chapter is again a bit meh.  Of course Tsurumi has commandeered a train, looks like it is mainly carrying freight and Vasily as well.  Vasya, what are you doing again?  Why are you still after Ogata?  And you are just humming a tune while you lounge on a horse in the freight part of the train. Okay . . . as I’m behind on this meta, others have already pointed out that Vasily is likely a Cossack, all comfortable on his horse.  Which I feel like is a somewhat lazy ‘Russian stereotype’ since many different Slavic groups existed in the Russian empire at this point in history.

The end of the chapter does finally answer a question I asked in meta a very long time ago now here: https://chibivesicle.tumblr.com/post/178997911192/does-hijikata-have-a-useful-tattoo  I remember asking if Hijikata had a useful tattoo b/c we never saw it in the manga - until this chapter.  The answer?  Yes.  He fucking does have a useful tattoo.  And he is a buff man despite his age and imprisonment!

All in all what to I think of these chapters?  They are moving all of the groups together for some sort of confrontation.  How does this all pan out? We shall see.  Koito is def wavering in his support of Tsurumi.  Ogata is in the mix, likely with the Russians.  What is Vasily doing?  How many men does Tsurumi have?  What will Hijikata do based on his past battle at Hakodate?  Will Asirpa be safe?  Will Sugimoto finally get captured by Tsurumi and Ogata will have to rescue him?  I’ve been waiting for that to happen for years now by this point!

[stainofred]

Lgbt anime I highly recommend

Part one

A list of anime for fans who are tired of fetishized “representation” meant for straight people to gawk at enjoy!

This list includes exclusively LGBT series and series with canon LGBT characters

Banana Fish (2018)

“Aslan Jade Callenreese, known as Ash Lynx, was a runaway picked off the streets of New York City and raised by the infamous godfather of the mafia, Dino Golzine. Now 17 years old and the boss of his own gang, Ash gets his hands on a mysterious drug called "Banana Fish"—the same two words his older brother, Griffin, has muttered since his return from the Iraq War. However, his investigation is hindered when Dino sends his men to retrieve the drug from Ash at an underground bar he uses as a hideout.

At the bar, Skip, Ash's friend, introduces him to Shunichi Ibe and his assistant, Eiji Okumura, who are Japanese photographers reporting on American street gangs. However, their conversation is interrupted when Shorter Wong, one of Ash's allies, calls to warn him about Dino. Soon, Dino's men storm the bar, and in the ensuing chaos kidnap Skip and Eiji. Now, Ash must find a way to rescue them and continue his investigation into Banana Fish, but will his history with the mafia prevent him from succeeding?”

Given (2019)

"It's stuck deep inside me and I can't get it out of my head. Mafuyu's voice is an insane and dangerous weapon."

That day, Ritsuka Uenoyama started to feel that playing the guitar and playing basketball, both of which he liked very much, were becoming boring. He then encounters Mafuyu Sato, who's holding onto a broken guitar, and decides to fix it. The moment Uenoyama finishes fixing the guitar, Mafuyu becomes completely attached to him. However, after hearing Mafuyu sing it leaves a deep impression on him.”

puella magi madoka magica (2011)

“Madoka Kaname and Sayaka Miki are regular middle school girls with regular lives, but all that changes when they encounter Kyuubey, a cat-like magical familiar, and Homura Akemi, the new transfer student.

Kyuubey offers them a proposition: he will grant any one of their wishes and in exchange, they will each become a magical girl, gaining enough power to fulfill their dreams. However, Homura Akemi, a magical girl herself, urges them not to accept the offer, stating that everything is not what it seems.

A story of hope, despair, and friendship, Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica deals with the difficulties of being a magical girl and the price one has to pay to make a dream come true.”

wandering son (2011)

“Effeminate fifth grader Shuuichi Nitori is considered by most to be one of the prettiest girls in school, but much to her dismay, she is actually biologically male. Fortunately, Shuuichi has a childhood friend who has similar feelings of discomfort related to gender identity: the lanky tomboy Yoshino Takatsuki, who, though biologically female, does not identify as a girl. These two friends share a similar secret and find solace in one another; however, their lives become even more complicated when they must tread the unfamiliar waters of a new school, attempt to make new friends, and struggle to maintain old ones. Faced with nearly insurmountable odds, they must learn to deal with the harsh realities of growing up, transexuality, relationships, and acceptance.

Lauded as a decidedly serious take on gender identity and LGBT struggles, Takako Shimura's Hourou Musuko is about Shuuichi and Yoshino's attempts to discover their true selves as they enter puberty, make friends, fall in love, and face some very real and difficult choices.”

Doukyuusei (movie 2016)

“Rihito Sajou is an honor student who got perfect scores in every subject on his high school entrance exam. Hikaru Kusakabe plays guitar in his band that performs at live events and is popular among the girls. These boys would have never crossed paths. But one day Hikaru offers to help Rihito prepare for their upcoming chorus festival and the two begin to talk. As the two meet after school, they feel one another's sound, listen to each other's voice, and begin to harmonize as their hearts beat together.

It starts out slow but soon their feelings for one another grow and in just one moment they both realize that it is love. Hikaru's emotions are frivolous, pure, and direct causing Rihito to hesitate at first, but he gradually opens his heart. The boys are learning about each other as they also learn about themselves and support one another during this difficult time typical to youth. As the time to start thinking about their futures approaches, what do these young men find as they try to move forward...”

sweet blue flowers (2009)

“Fumi Manjoume, an introverted, bookish teenage girl, is beginning her first year of high school at Matsuoka Girls' High School. She enters the school year with her heart broken by a previous relationship. At about the same time, she reconnects with her best friend from ten years ago, Akira Okudaira, who is now attending Fujigatani Girls' Academy as a first-year high school student. As they reconnect, they both deal with their own respective romantic problems, and help each other get through them.”

cardcaptor sakura (1998)

“Sakura Kinomoto is your garden-variety ten-year-old fourth grader, until one day, she stumbles upon a mysterious book containing a set of cards. Unfortunately, she has little time to divine what the cards mean because she accidentally stirs up a magical gust of wind and unintentionally scatters the cards all over the world. Suddenly awakened from the book, the Beast of the Seal, Keroberos (nicknamed Kero-chan), tells Sakura that she has released the mystical Clow Cards created by the sorcerer Clow Reed. The Cards are no ordinary playthings. Each of them possesses incredible powers, and because they like acting independently, Clow sealed all the Cards within a book. Now that the Cards are set free, they pose a grave danger upon the world, and it is up to Sakura to prevent the Cards from causing a catastrophe!

Appointing Sakura the title of "the Cardcaptor" and granting her the Sealed Key, Keroberos tasks her with finding and recapturing all the Cards. Alongside her best friend Tomoyo Daidouji, and with Kero-chan's guidance, Sakura must learn to balance her new secret duty with the everyday troubles of a young girl involving love, family, and school, all while she takes flight on her magical adventures as Sakura the Cardcaptor.”

Tanaka-kun is always listless (2016)

“For high school student Tanaka, the act of being listless is a way of life. Known for his inattentiveness and ability to fall asleep anywhere, Tanaka prays that each day will be as uneventful as the last, seeking to preserve his lazy lifestyle however he can by avoiding situations that require him to exert himself. Along with his dependable friend Oota who helps him with tasks he is unable to accomplish, the lethargic teenager constantly deals with events that prevent him from experiencing the quiet and peaceful days he longs for.”

bloom into you (2018)

“Yuu Koito has always been entranced with romantic shoujo manga and the lyrics of love songs. She patiently waits for the wings of love to sprout and send her heart aflutter on the day that she finally receives a confession. Yet, when her classmate from junior high declares his love for her during their graduation, she feels unexpectedly hollow. The realization hits her: she understands romance as a concept, but she is incapable of experiencing the feeling first-hand.

Now, having enrolled in high school, Yuu, disconcerted and dispirited, is still ruminating over how to respond to her suitor. There, she happens upon the seemingly flawless student council president, Touko Nanami, maturely rejecting a confession of her own. Stirred by Touko's elegant manner, Yuu approaches her for advice, only to be bewildered when the president confesses to her! Yuu quickly finds herself in the palm of Touko's hand, and unknowingly sets herself on a path to find the emotion which has long eluded her.”

No.6 (2011)

“Many years ago, after the end of a bloody world war, mankind took shelter in six city-states that were peaceful and perfect... at least on the surface. However, Shion—an elite resident of the city-state No. 6—gained a new perspective on the world he lives in, thanks to a chance encounter with a mysterious boy, Nezumi. Nezumi turned out to be just one of many who lived in the desolate wasteland beyond the walls of the supposed utopia. But despite knowing that the other boy was a fugitive, Shion decided to take him in for the night and protect him, which resulted in drastic consequences: because of his actions, Shion and his mother lost their status as elites and were relocated elsewhere, and the darker side of the city began to make itself known.

Now, a long time after their life-altering first meeting, Shion and Nezumi are finally brought together once again—the former elite and the boy on the run are about to embark on an adventure that will, in time, reveal the shattering secrets of No. 6.”