#its just wearing the mask of a fighting shounen

[mae-i-scribble]

I'm starting a collection:

In other news I have read wind breaker almost twice over now and I am adopting Sakura

[turkeymouse]

All of my persona 5 headcanons because I need a place other than my notes to put them

Ren: Bi, FTM, AuDHD, demi Ryuji: Bi, FTM, He/they, AuDHD, asexual Morgana: Straight, genderfluid, asexual, autistic Ann: Pan, Asexual, AuDHD Yusuke: Gay, Asexual, Demi, Autistic Makoto: Gay, Autistic, asexual, demiromantic Futaba: NBLW, agender, she/they, AuDHD, ace Haru: Gay, cis, Autsitic, asexual Goro: Gay, FTM, Autistic, demi Kasumi: Pan, MTF, Autistic Maruki: Autistic Sojiro: Autistic Zenkichi: Autistic, demi Sophie: Autistic, lesbian, aroace, agender, any pronouns, mostly it/its

Ryuji can't tie his shoes. His mother does them at the start of the day and Ann fixes them

Ren was running away at the start.

Ren had a palace before the start of the game.

Futaba and Goro are siblings

The attic becomes a memorial for Goro

Sojiro accepts Ren as his son

PTSD Ren

Goro likes anime and video games

His favourite anime is sailor moon

Goro and his mother used to have Yu-Gi-Oh matches when he was a kid

Goro and his mother watched Sailor Moon together and Goro would get up and awkwardly copy the transformations

Goro has always known he was trans and his mother accepted

He had transitioned before working under Shido and so is even more surprised that he was found out. Shido tells him it's his mother's eyes that gave him away and they always would.

Kasumi has trouble getting into gynastics because she's MTF

Ren is flirty but is just a softy

Ryuji makes inappropriate jokes as a way to mask around the other boys

Ren has a turtle plush from his aquarium date with goro that he names Robin Hood. He pretends that he's laying on Robin's muscular chest

Kasumi's favourite genre's are romance and horror

Kasumi and Haru watch horror movies together

Yusuke is really sensitive to sensory stimuli

Yusuke has auditory-tactile synesthesia and audio-visual synesthesia

Futaba and Ren stim by playing with their hair

Futaba and Ren stim by playing with each others hair

Ren and Goro stim but playing with their gloves

Ren uses his scarfs as a stim toy

Futaba stims by biting her nails and rocking in her wheely chair

Futaba gets on her feet and swings in her chair as a stim when she's excited

Ren stims by spinning his phone and pen

Goro stims by playing with pens

Ren puts on Goro's glove when fighting Shido and before shooting Yaldy

Ren wears Goro's glove when he's having a bad day

Ren wears the gloves to places Goro would've liked. He also wears it to Jazz Jin

Goro and Ren argue about greek myths a lot

When Goro misquotes a philosopher, Ren never lets him live it down.

After Ren finds out Goro used to watch sailor moon with his mother, he starts watching it with him. He sings the opening really loudly.

Ren likes slice of life and romance anime

Goro likes magical girl anime

After his mother died, Goro's comfort anime was madoka

Ryuji likes shounen and the occasional shoujo anime

Ann loves shoujo. her favourite cardcaptor sakura and kamisama kiss

Futaba likes sci-fi anime and psychological thrillers

Morgana likes shonen anime. He likes DBZ Naruto and Jojo

Yusuke likes anything with nice art or an art centered plot. He likes YLIA and Violet Evergarden

Makoto likes sci-fi anime, detective/mystery anime.

Haru likes horror and historical anime, psychological horror and the occasional romance.

Sophie likes slice of life and shoujo anime. She has a huge soft spot for magical girl anime and tries to imitate it in the metaverse

Once Futaba deciphered Sophie's code, she gave her the option to change her clothes and Sophie chose to have a magical girl outfit from an anime she saw

Ren likes cross-dressing. He slays the heels

Persona's are internal voices

[2n2n]

Bro. Honestly. JSHK is amazing but it’s not perfect, so is there something you don’t like? Then what is it? Anyway I’m a huge fan of the manga and your work and your husband’s, you’re both amazing!!

please do not call me bro… </3 I do not like to be called bro </3… you can call me 'miss' if you don't want to use a name.

Something I don't like ……………………………………………………………………… I mean, I don't like Kou… as he is presented thus far, he's an effective pastiche of 'shounen protagonists' replete with 'shouts all the time' and 'reactively violent' and 'pointlessly idealistic morals that can't adapt to complex situations'. 'Says very simple and basic things' 'has the most rote response to any situation and does NOT pause for thought'. I've read so many shounen that he makes me rub my temples, I'm like getting flashbacks.

When I reread Picture Perfect I struggle with the Kou + Mitsuba intermissions, and it feels tonally SUCH a far cry from the beauty and grace of the HanaNene, and Shijima-san. The fact they both just scream back and forth and are prone to lashing out, its just tedious. I wish Nene was in the Red House alone, Kou really sucks the beauty out of scenes with his, boorishness.

While I feel Hanako fight scenes have Hanako's vampiric sexy badboy allure to keep me engaged, things like the Kou and Hakubo fight really feel exhausting to flip through, just a stupid fuckin sword boy with a meaningless catchphrase promise to make everyone happy <- transports me back into generic shounen slog territory. I FLYING LEAP into the Sumire/Hakubo chapters lacing all of this, NEED THEM LIKE AIR, they are thankfully beautiful enough to more than make up for Kou. I feel like we're like ticking a box with Kou scenes. Like doing the required amount to be billed a shounen despite all the canoodling.

HOWEVER, I'm entirely sure that's the POINT of Kou, and I do trust AidaIro will unpack his issues in a way another shounen could not and would not. So far I'm perfectly excited about where he's going, how he's being challenged… I think in the end, I'll be satisfied, but I probably also would gladly just press a button to erase him from the manga.

Oh he also looks like such a hobgoblin comparatively. Crusty. Hanako is all sleek like a sports car decked in black with gold accents and red trim. Nene is like a delicate domesticated pink-eyed animal, soft and pretty. Tsukasa is a luxurious sacred object, silked and pleated out, billowing. Kou is wearing GIGANTIC splatoon sneakers all weighing down the ends of his feet like big mallets, ugely generic CARGO SHORTS, with his nasty calves bulging under knobby knees, a t-shirt with a lion on it (basic), he is all ripped and muscular and sinewy, he's not pleasantly petite and shrimpy with big golden eyes like the illustrious esteemed Hanako (also, Hanako has very flambouyant gestures lol). Kou's pupils are both weirdly oval-shaped and also blue and somehow they remind me of Sonic the Hedgehog, combined with his ever-present skowl. He really looks like Gollum to me. Just gnarly and nasty and without even an iota of feminine grace. He is so masculine and nothing else. All STOMP STOMP GRRR YELL RAAAHH HITS PEOPLE RRRHHHGGH GRRRR I completely check out. Oh you know what else sucks? Kou won't like wear a skirt in a fun side-image playfully... Hanako can get all slutty and dress in girl's clothes like TEEHEE AM I CUTE HEEHEE lift his skirt up etc, while Kou will be embar and hate it. Sucks so bad. Tsukasa can do a flawless impression of Sakura's feminine grace and beauty, he can twirl his lil hakama alllll about. Swagless Kou giving us noooooo gender play, no whimsy, boooooooo boo booo booo booboobooboo WHAT are you doing here? Loser

For the AidaIro oeuvre he's like such a random, thing, I basically don't see other Kou or Kou-alikes in their back-catalogue? There is Not A Resident Kou in MDLD, Fox-Masked Guardian Spirit, Snow White, etc, so I'm like, whaaaat is this guuuuuuy ... I can't really predict what's gonna happen with him, other than probably being mindbroken ? I do not know him. Don't know why he's here.

And: Thank you x3 for da complerment.....

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 324: Is There a Force Field Around Him??

Previously on BnHA: Flashback!Rat Principal was all “please tell Midoriya that I spent a concerningly small amount of money upgrading U.A. into a wacky physics-defying funtime grid so as to make the final battle much more confusing for everyone.” Present Day!Mic (or Present!Mic, if you will) and Jeanist were all “if only somebody could deescalate this dangerously unhinged mob, we’ve tried nothing and we’re all out of ideas.” Ochako was all “LISTEN UP PEOPLE.” The mob was all, “god??” Ochako was all, “NO, IT’S ME, OCHAKO. I’M REALLY HIGH UP ON THIS BUILDING AND THE VISIBILITY IS LOW DUE TO THE RAIN, SO I CAN SEE HOW YOU MIGHT MAKE THAT MISTAKE. ANYWAYS, DEKU WAS OUT THERE RISKING HIS LIFE FOR YOU CLOWNS EVEN THOUGH HE’S JUST A KID, SO I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF YOU COULD ALL REMEMBER HOW TO BE DECENT HUMAN BEINGS, THANKS.” Let’s see if her Big Scolding Energy has any impact.

Today on BnHA: Horikoshi is all “so I have this speech planned out, and it’s really good, but it also only really needs about 6 to 8 pages, but I’m gonna see if I can stretch it out to 17 pages so I can kill time before we get to the next volume cliffhanger two weeks from now.” Anyway but it really is a good speech though. There are feels, and tears, and more talk about how Deku is so in need of a shower that just looking at him requires a tetanus booster, and more feels, and more tears, and bonus ship drama, and an iconic callback to the very first chapter which reframes the entire series in a new context in a totally epic and moving way, and it’s all very good. Except that Horikoshi is determined to never let anyone actually give this kid a hug. Who hurt you, dude.

omg we are opening on a callback to chapter 212, a.k.a. the chapter with by far the cutest flashback that doesn’t involve any baby Todorokis

baby Ochako is lethally cute. she could literally murder someone with her cuteness. I just want to scoop her up and play airplane with her until she accidentally activates her quirk while we’re spinning around and we both helicopter up into the air never to be seen again

“a child’s insistence” huh well that’s all well and good, but I sure hope this doesn’t mean we’re going to drag out the whole “sternly lecture the obnoxious citizens” plot for another whole chapter. no offense but I think we’re good

so page 2 is just continuing the whole happy/worried faces monologue, which of course is very important to Ochako’s character as it provides the context for why “who protects the heroes” ended up becoming her thing. and this is making me think we actually are in for a whole second chapter of this sob. when will my boy finally get to rest

OH MY GOD SUDDENLY THESE PEOPLE HAVE EYES IMAGINE THAT

HORIKOSHI: [reaches for a box of tissues while tearfully penning an homage to his beloved Spider-Man 2, specifically the train scene where the crowd sees Peter without his mask and they suddenly realize just how young he is]

HORIKOSHI’S HOMAGE SCENE: “COME TO THINK OF IT, I GUESS IT WAS KIND OF MEAN FOR US TO PICK ON THIS TEN YEAR OLD KID WHO WEIGHS 75 POUNDS AND LOOKS LIKE HE LOST A FIGHT WITH SATAN’S MOLDY OLD BASEMENT”

lol at this one guy who can feel the mood of the crowd shifting and is all “WAIT, NO, I WANTED TO KEEP BEING AN ASSHOLE DAMMIT”

as many pointed out last week, this man is wearing an All Might shirt. that’s some fantastic irony there

-- SDKFJWIGKS

“LITTLE GIRL, I HOPE YOU’RE NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE WALKING AROUND DRESSED LIKE A SOVIET-ERA BUS STOP.” heh. last week I said I was ashamed of BnHA being my favorite manga. that was a lie, actually

(ETA: in the original Japanese Ochako’s next two lines are basically “the only ones covered in mud will be us heroes!” followed by “please give us some time to get rid of the mud”, with that second line basically being the single funniest thing I’ve ever read rdslkjl. Ochako thank you so much for supporting my running gags. “YEAH WE KNOW HE’S DIRTY. WE ARE GONNA TRY AND CLEAN HIM UP, BUT IT MAY TAKE A WHILE, I’M JUST SAYING. I MEAN LOOK AT HIM. HE LOOKS LIKE AN ASBESTOS COSPLAY.”)

doesn’t the megaphone kind of look ever so slightly like an axe that she’s wielding maniacally here

easy there Lizzie Borden

also that’s a really bold claim to make there. and not one she necessarily should have to make, either. but as we all know, there’s nothing that shounen manga likes more than having its heroes bravely hoist heavy burdens of responsibility like good self-sacrificing citizens

p.s. lowkey loving how Kacchan is positioned here standing slightly behind Deku. not presuming to stand in front of him all overprotectively (because he would hate if anyone ever did that to him), and kind of being unobtrusive and letting others take center stage -- but still being close enough to Deku that he can catch him if he stumbles or passes out again

(ETA: or maybe not lmao.

DEKU: [falls to his knees]

KACCHAN: [glancing up from his phone a few minutes later] “someone just sent me the stupidest meme about milk crates -- oh. uh. you good...?”

really, son. “the burdens you can’t carry, we’ll carry them for you. ...later, I mean. right now it’s late, and we’re all cold and wet.”)

also lowkey loving this OchaTsu moment here

I was going back and binging Ochako chapters this past week for reasons, and I gotta say it really stuck out to me just how often these two are paired with each other. they do everything together. it’s a really sweet friendship that often goes unappreciated but it’s very cute

meanwhile, not to be outdone by the OchaTsu, Iida is staring at Ochako with open admiration talking about how she’s fighting too. it’s been so long since we’ve had any IidaRaka you guys. I was starving and I didn’t even know it

oh my lord IT’S FINALLY HAPPENING

THE LIGHT IS BACK. he finally looks like him again. what a cathartic fucking moment omg

ffklkdw

“I KNOW YOU ARE ALL SCARED, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS, WE DEFINITELY CANNOT GUARANTEE YOUR SAFETY AND WE ARE ALL SCARED TOO!” good pep talk there kiddo

BUT, jokes aside, truth be told this is the exact right approach to take imo, and something that’s long overdue. I’ve said this before, but this new generation of heroes is shaping up to be much more transparent than the All Might generation. they’re basically abandoning the almighty, untouchable Superman “heroes as gods” concept in favor of the more nuanced “heroes as people” concept instead. and that’s a good thing. seeing their heroes as humans, with human limitations and weaknesses and flaws, will hopefully not only lead to more scrutiny and accountability, but also more awareness of how hard some of them are working and how much they’re sacrificing. that’s something All Might never quite grasped back at the start of the series -- that the weak, vulnerable, injured him could be just as inspiring as the mighty, invincible him -- perhaps even more so. there’s a power in seeing otherwise ordinary people show extraordinary bravery and compassion. it inspires others to try and do the same

SSDLHK AIZAWA SIGHTING AAHHHHHH

so he was still back at the hospital this whole time?? smdh at this disrespect. that feeling when your sexy self-insert character’s powers of rationality are too strong, and so you have to nerf him so that he doesn’t ruin your Deku Angst arc twice over by (1) immediately talking some sense into Deku and making him come home Right This Instant Young Man, and (2) not allowing him to leave U.A. in the first fucking place. excuse me, you want to do WHAT now, Midoriya?? that’s it, go to your room

also living for Katsuki and Hawks’s soft expressions. Shouto’s too, although his is tinier and harder to see. and Jeanist’s 12-foot-long neck. imagine Jeanist’s head with Mic’s hair. maybe Jeanist had a mohawk back in the day and that’s why U.A.’s doors are so big now

speaking of soft faces, Enji’s is also excellent

what could this random close-up possibly imply?? hell if I know. but Horikoshi truly fears no discourse and that’s what I love about him

OMGGGG

“smh my child is so dumb.” poor Ochadad. your child is cute af count your blessings

SDOFFHSMH

I’m telling you guys. lethally, catastrophically cute

this speech is still ongoing lol. Horikoshi you’re doing so good but I think we get the point now my dude. you gotta learn how to transition out of these things

UNEXPECTED TOGA WHAT

“there we go” Horikoshi says, crossing off the last line on his list of Ochako ships. “that’s all of ‘em”

poor Ochako is just repeating the same “LET HIM REST, PLEASE, WITH EVERYONE’S COOPERATION, IF YOU DON’T MIND, WE APPRECIATE IT” talking points over and over again hoping someone will throw her a bone and acknowledge her already. SOMEONE PLEASE HELP HER

literally they’re all just staring up at her silently omg. work with me people!!

now she’s saying it for the 56th time but more dramatically all of a sudden

they got so dramatic that for a minute I thought she had suddenly leaped off the building or something

look, not to rush you or anything Horikoshi, but I’m starting to get the feeling that this is yet another one of those “the volume is ending soon so I need to either hurry things up or slow things down in order to make sure we end it on my perfect cliffhanger ending” chapters where you go to ridiculous lengths to drag things out much to the exasperation of your week-to-week readers

(ETA: ftr, volume 31 ended on chapter 306, and I’m predicting that vol. 32 will end with chapter 316 (a.k.a. “you’re next!” [explodes]). I’m guessing vol. 33 will follow suit and likely end on chapter 326, so keep your eyes peeled for a big cliffhanger in two weeks’ time. Deku’s dad?? All Might in peril?? U.A. traitor at long fucking last?? we shall see.)

is Deku straight up falling in love with Ochako right on the spot lol what is happening

I know I just said that I enjoy when Horikoshi gives zero fucks about discourse, but shipping discourse is a whole different beast lol. I hope he’s prepared

(ETA: and for the record, I have no interest in shipping discourse either, as always. and I think this scene can be interpreted as platonic, tbh, with the context being that Ochako was literally introduced as someone who was willing to help him so casually without a second thought, and now here she is saving him again.

I don’t think it really fully hit Deku until this moment how much he needed saving. like I said in another meta somewhere, selflessness is basically just selfishness on behalf of others. and Deku is selfless to a fault, but that’s okay, and it doesn’t mean he needs to change -- he just needs friends who are willing to be be selfish on his behalf in turn. and I think the full emotion of what it means to have friends like that just hit him at last. everything his friends have done for him, how much he needed it and didn’t even realize, and how grateful he is. anyways what a terrible day for rain.)

-- son of a --

is he apologizing?? or pleading?? please tell me that’s not the case, because what the actual fuck. Deku you beautiful precious radiant selfless child, this is the exact opposite of how this should be. all these motherfuckers should be on their knees apologizing to you

DEKU WHY

I DIDN’T ASK FOR THIS FREAKING BOMBARDMENT OF EMOTIONS GODDAMIT. OUT HERE ARMED WITH YOUR FREAKING TREBUCHET OF FEELS TO LAUNCH AT ME UNPROVOKED. WHAT’S WITH THAT

FREAKING CHRIST. THIS BOY IS CRYING HIS EYES OUT AND HORIKOSHI IS JUST ZOOMING IN WITH THE CAMERA, LIKE CAN WE JUST CUT HIM A BREAK ALREADY. ENOUGH OF THIS. HE’S SO YOUNG AND HE TRIES SO HARD AND I JUST NEED HIM TO FEEL SAFE, HORIKOSHI PLEASE CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME THAT ALREADY WHAT IS THE FREAKING HOLD UP!!

GIGANTIC FOX LADY!!!

GIGANTIC FOX LADY PLEASE BE MY HUGGER BY PROXY!! SERIOUSLY GIRL IF YOU JUST HOLD YOUR UMBRELLA OVER HIM OR SOMETHING AND DON’T GO THE EXTRA MILE I’M ABOUT TO LODGE AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT. THIS IS GETTING RIDICULOUS NOW

!!!!

A KOUTA IS GOOD TOO!!! oh my god if Kouta hugs him I will seriously 100% straight up cry. go on and test me

FOR THE LOVE OF --

is this man expressly forbidden from drawing hugs in his contract or something. DO YOU DO IT JUST TO SPITE ME?? this is tyranny, sir

AND I KNOW, THIS PAGE ACTUALLY CHALLENGED THE VERY PREMISE OF THE SERIES ITSELF, AND HERE I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT HUGS, OR THE LACK THEREOF. “this is the story of how we all became the greatest heroes.” and just like that, he waves a polite middle finger at all of the Strongest Greatest Chosen One shounen protags of old, in favor of something much less conventional, much more interesting, and much more suited to Deku’s character. because if that one sentence doesn’t just sum up Deku to a T. he gladly relinquishes his Greatest Hero status in favor of acknowledging the hero in everyone. what a class act. that’s my protagonist

I love this kid so fucking much I swear. only just PLEASE. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. GIVE HIM HIS HUG

[shiroganeryo]

Hello Ryo! For the character thing I'd like to have our Lord and savior Allen

Hello there, beautiful human being! 👋 I don’t know who you are, but thank you for giving me Allen! <3 This might get long and have some spoilers!

My otp for them: U-uhm 💦 I actually ship him with Miranda! I always get nervous, but I’m learning to better deal with liking things that are not mainstream (such as rarepairs). After Allen, Miranda is my favorite character, so I loved to see the two of them getting screentime together and interacting. At some point, it just developed into this, because I’m utterly weak for how much Miranda cares about Allen and his well-being in a very caring, non-intrusive way. He clearly means a lot to her. He’s also rather protective of her (such as standing up to anyone who’s being mean to her), and I know that’s his chivalry prompting him to do so, but they have such good dynamics potential imo. ;; My brotp for them: Lavi, for the reasons I explained on his own ask, and Johnny! He has always cared a lot about Allen, and even though he’s a regular guy with no crazy superpowers or fighting prowess, he stepped up for Allen in several occasions and is being his current emotional support. Any other ships: Link! At first, Link didn’t seem like much, but in due time he showed his true colors. Despite surveillance just being his job, it seems he really ended caring about Allen, given how he went out of his way to provide him a decent meal while he was imprisoned, and how he currently is working for Nea, but wishes to see Allen outlive the erasure. I’m betting Link’s character development will be thanks to that. I also never really got over the fact that Allen said in a Discussion Room that he wanted to open a business on which Link would bake/cook, and he would take care of finances. It was so cute. Their best friend: Allen is cherished by many people, given how he has brought positive change to their lives. But, as weird as this might sound, the person closest to him in a personal depth is... Kanda! They have a “love-hate” relationship, but I feel that, out of all the characters, Kanda is the one who can truly understand Allen. Allen has the hardest time opening up, but Kanda doesn’t need him to to know what he truly wants and thinks. And that’s why they fight so much. It’s tragic but in a wholesome way...? My favorite nickname for them: It’s gotta be “beansprout”. He dislikes it, but it sounds actually cute to me xD My favorite AU headcanon of them: That he makes it alive to the end of the story, probably after helping to end the Holy War. I’d love it if he became a wandering performer, just like Mana used to be. When I read the Reverse novel (Lost Fragment of Snow), I remember how smitten Allen felt when seeing so many people smiling in happiness when Mana did his clown trick. I think a path on which he could bring happiness to others for being there would be the one that would fulfill Allen the most, and bring him happiness as well, as he would be able to get constant reminders that his presence is appreciated and cherished. Imagine if he adopted a kid, too? It just sounds so sweet. My favorite outfit they wear: It’s hard to pick one because this guy rocks everything he wears! I love his casual attire the most, with the bow tie, gloves and vest, it’s “very Allen”. My favorite Order uniform of his is definitely the black and red one, though. Defining color: When I think of Allen, I think of white and deep red (#D3000). I also associated gold and silver hues to him, because of the form his Innocence takes (his claws and wrist bands, Crown Clown’s mask, and then the Sword of Exorcism). Would I date them: As much as I love him, no! He is handsome, and despite the bad traumas and experiences he has, he’s still a kind and caring boy (even down to the core, no Mana mask on). However, it’s been so long I cherish him, I feel like he’s like my son more than anything. So I’ll just be a doting father, who grossly cries about how his son grew into a fine, young man... 🤣 First impression: This character looks nice, he’s cute. Shounen protagonists can be 50/50 though, so let’s find out what he’s about first. Current impression: Allen is the most human character I’ve ever seen! There’s depth to his motives and emotions, and just like a normal person, he has qualities and defects. His struggles feel real, and despite still fitting so many shounen protagonist tropes, he’s one of a kind imo. He’s far from perfect, but it’s done in such a way, he just feels very palpable. He definitely helped me shape up who I am, and I relate to him a lot. Hogwarts House: I’ve always pictured him as a Gryffindor, because he’s always willing to sacrifice himself for others, without wanting anything in return, and being this selfless requires a lot of courage. Be it courage or just dumb boldness, he has lots of it. But I also see why people would picture him in Slytherin, as I’d say staying this true to your goals, even when they’re not about yourself, is one of the shapes ambition takes, which this House is known for. Which Pokemon starter they’d be: Popplio! Doesn’t this cheerful fella just remind you of circus artists? The frill on its neck reminds me of the ruffled collar clowns usually wear. And then after they get to evolve into Primarina, they become able of performing Oceanic Operetta, which visually rains down after being sung, reminding me of tears. I kinda relate these visuals to the sadness of Pierrot.

[beastenraged]

About your kh story idea of SI in Ventus's body. The one who doesn't know KH. Can you give some snippet? Or just raw ideas? Cause I just like this oblivious person being dropped sideway into KH, causing confusion everywhere.

Yeah, let me just shove some stuff I’ve written under a readmore. 

Note: It’s set in the space between DDD and KH3. I’ve also moved up some events that I’m pretty sure happen either during KH3 or right at its beginning for...reasons. Also, using my usual worldbuilding extra for lulz. 

Out of (Anime) Body Experience

My room’s cold. Frigid. 

The heater go out again? Third time this month, stupid landlord...

I smack my lips, hand reaching up to rub at my face. No blankets, probably pushed off by my active sleeping. Sleeping I would like go back to, fuck the cold. 

Feels awfully hard for my bed. 

I snort and roll over. 

Only there for to be nothing to roll onto. 

WHACK!

“Fuck!”

That hurt! The floor is super hard. Not great for smashing your face against. 

I peel myself off and sit up, rubbing at my sore nose. 

Wait...that hand. Not my hand. 

And the rest of me? I look myself over. This isn’t right at all. 

My new clothes are a mismatched black and white mix, and seem kind of small for some reason? Tiger-like stripes (scars, maybe?) stretching curling around my arms, my wrists, in a pale brown. Hair’s not in my face, should check that out...

My fingers brush the top of my head. My hair...it’s all pokey. Spiky. Naturally, no gel needed apparently. Could be a really bad case of bedhead, but bouncing the hair with my head...it stays in the same spiky shape pretty stubbornly. 

“What the hell.”

Okay...everything is anime. Why is everything anime? Am I dreaming?

I glance behind me at my “bed.” Not a bed at all, but a white throne. Chain patterns surround it, on the walls and floor. 

Also, a pressing problem: what the fuck was my new body doing sleeping on a throne? That’s never a good thing in a story. Implies some sort of special destiny whenever it happens. A special destiny that does not belong to me, stranger of this body. 

Maybe my surroundings will provide me with some clues. 

First observation: everything is very...white. A neon, eye blinding white. The white of mad scientist laboratories from fiction. Possibly real life too, don’t you need stuff to be white to see if blood and shit gets on the floor?

...actually, that’s my second observation. My first is that I’m anime now. 

Another point of interest: do I know what anime? If it is an anime, I guess. Can’t tell without a mirror, unfortunately. 

Well, can’t see my face at least. I reach up and tug a chunk of hair down into my field of vision. 

Blond. Bright blond. 

...

Well, that told me...not a lot. Blond’s the usual tropey thing, isn’t it? Probably makes me a...possible protagonist. Not good for my future health and wellbeing. 

If this is an anime, again. Still don’t know that for certain. 

This shit’s way too weird for me. 

Need a breather. 

I sit down on the throne again, for a spot of thinking. Shiver as goosebumps race along my new skin. 

My fingers drum against its arm. 

My list of facts so far: 

-Room is white. Very white. Also cold. 

-No bed. Just a probably symbolic throne. 

-Anime hair, anime clothes, anime body. Not my body. New. Also short?

Also. Probably, possibly a dream. Doesn’t feel like one, but...who knows for certain? 

“Gotta find a way out.”

Won’t that be fun...

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

I shield my eyes as I look over the building I’ve just vacated. 

A...castle. A weird Alice in Wonderland, on a bad acid trip type of a castle, pointy green roofs everywhere. Not a speck of white to be seen, unlike the entirety of its interior. 

A castle. Huh.

“That explains the throne.”

Better not be a prince, new body. I don’t have any idea how to run a country. 

My current surroundings are gray fog-mist. Everywhere. 

No landmarks, other than the castle. 

My chest heaves. Great. Time to pick a random direction and walk. 

Everything keeps looking the same even after who knows how long I’ve spent walking through the shitty fog. 

Probably magical or something like that. Meant to protect the castle most likely, from people finding it. 

Really inconvenient to me, trying to leave the castle. 

I groan and pop my back. I better not get stuck here for-

Wait.

A shiver runs across my back. A someone-is-watching-me kind of shiver. I turn and there’s...

There’s someone about my size standing in my way. 

Wearing a black coat, and a strange faceless helmet made of a pitch black glass. 

Yeah, this guy is clearly some sort of villain. 

Whoever you are, I dub thee Mr. Helmet. Nah, Dark Helmet. Better reference.

“Hey, Venty-Wenty. Fancy meeting you here,” a pretty roughed up male voice grinds out. 

Huh, that's a derogatory nickname if I’ve ever heard one. Also a clue. 

Apparently this body did belong to someone else at some point. Someone who this guy has a derogatory nickname for. 

Venty-Wenty. 

...

Oh God, please let this body’s name not be a type of coffee. Please.

Fishcake was bad enough. 

Dark Helmet seems to be expecting an answer of some sort. 

I really don’t have enough information nor the desire to pretend to be someone I’m not. Straightforward it is. 

“Who’s that?”

Dark Helmet doesn’t seem happy with that, moving more into my personal space. 

“...did you forget again?”

Again, an important clue. My body reacts before my head does, shoving the guy out of my space. My mouth follows after. “Back off.”

A choke of a laugh. This guy needs some cough medicine or something, stat. “Venty-wenty, I can’t do that.”

Okay, enough of this. 

“Look, I’m not this guy you’re looking for and frankly? I don’t give a shit.”

I turn my back on him. Have my own answers to look for, away from this dude. 

Look, I know, I know, dumb mistake on my part. Hindsight 20/20. 

Catch a swish of something smashing towards me, in the corner of my eye. 

Dark Helmet’s already displayed a temper. A dislike for whoever owned this body before me. Why wouldn’t he attack me from behind?

With a fizzle of something that jitters in my veins, I twist and my hand stretches out. 

CLANG

The strange weapon Dark Helmet’s using clashes against some kind of sword, cold metal suddenly appearing out of nowhere in my hand. 

A sword that- 

Wait. 

Wait just a damn minute-!

I know what kind of weapon this is. You wander around long enough in any anime or video game adjacent part of the internet, you learn at least about the kind of weapon I’m currently using to keep myself from getting a severe case of stabbitis. 

A Keyblade. 

“Shit, Kingdom Hearts?!” I blurt out.

Dark Helmet moves his helmet head closer to me. Enough to catch some of my puzzled blue--eyed reflection in the black glass. A head tilt of some sorts, maybe? Can’t see his expression, makes everything harder on my part.

“What?”

“Shit, fuck. Just ignore that.”

I press back with my “Keyblade.” My body somehow manages the rest, doing some kind of flick that pushes me away from the masked guy. Out of his reach. 

A state of being that doesn’t matter much with video game mechanics or any kind of anime stuff. 

...Wait, is that something I have to worry about? Food for later thought. 

More importantly, Kingdom Hearts! I don’t know anything about it, other than the Keyblades and shadow monsters called Heartless and there’s Disney characters!

The main character’s either...Riku or Sori? Can’t remember. 

Definitely not me. 

...Considering I’m currently going up against what is most likely a minor villain of some kind, that doesn’t actually make me feel better. 

My face screws up in a scowl. “Go away, got it? I don’t want to fight you!”

“I’m going to beat some sense into you, Ventus.” Dark Helmet lifts his own Keyblade into some overarching attack stance, like the one Obi Wan always uses in Star Wars. 

Finally got a name. But...got a fight too. 

Of course it’s going this way. 

It’s totally anime, shounen anime at that. Fighting solves everything, right?

Great. 

I’m no Naruto though, able to pull off a talk-no-jutsu. Just...try not to die, I guess. 

I sigh and attempt...to do something. I don’t actually know real fighting stances, so I hope the position my new body has fallen into automatically will do me some good. 

Dark Helmet makes a hissing growl noise and goes right into it. 

Time for one last word. 

Perfect for the situation, I settle on, 

“Fuck!” 

(>.<)

Don’t really want to go by my real name. 

What can I use instead? 

...

Not one of my most recent handles, even if they can’t access 

Well, there is that really old internet username I used back when I was a dumb Spyro fanboy on the edge of middle school wandering through forums I probably shouldn’t have been going through. 

sparxbestfriend11.

Or an actual name out of that...

“Sparx.”

[shybre22]

Now for part two I will be doing Ichihime.

Honestly I knew Ichihime would be endgame from early on in the manga and series.

A lot of IR claim that Ichihime doesnt make sense or that they have no development..which at this point I think this is what any anti for any pairing in every anime say.. because that's obviously not true at all.

Even from the very beginning.. not only do we know that Orihime likes Ichigo, but Ichigo seems to pay attention to Orihime, extra close at times.

In this panel, he admits that he worries about her and watching her wears him out with worry, he even wonders if she's really alright. Now its important to remember that this is fairly earlier in the story and at this time Orihime is only an acquaintance at best..but here he is worrying about her.

Not only does he notice her getting hurt...but during the Fullbringer arc he said that she was more likely to get followed or stalked than him when Orihime asked if anyone has been following him.

Hell he's even offered to walk her home.

Weird considering they're only acquaintances at this point right? While I know it's rare for the shounen protagonist to have a crush right off the bat..for arguments sake let's say you look at ichihime interactions with the idea that Ichigo has some sort of crush on Orihime. I feel like his interactions with her make more sense throughout the series and keep this I mind through this post.

Now antis always love to say that Orihime didn't understand Ichigo or couldn't encourage him like Rukia could..but..

Here! Even Tatsuki who has known him since childhood couldn't tell it wasnt Ichigo or his other friends.. but Orihime does notice..she knows that's not him right away.

And here Orihime right away knew he wasn't acting like himself...even Tatsuki was impressed, she said it took her years to figure that out.

Oh yeah she cant encourage him right?? Not only did she give Ichigo the resolve to go save Rukia..but during the Grimmjow fight.. Ichigo was so afraid of frightening Orihime with his mask that he wasn't focusing on the battle.. know think about that..he was so scared to frighten Orihime he wasn't fighting..knowing he could die or get really hurt.

I also hear antis say that Orihime is horrible for being scared of Ichigo when he was still fighting to save her but they need to understand that in the first few chapters of bleach..Orihime was attacked by her brother..her beloved brother, the only family she ever had before he died and he attacked her..as a hollow..and now she's looking at the man she loves with a hollow mask and she's afraid FOR him not necessarily OF him..she's afraid he'll turn completely hollow( which is fair, considering he does later during the ulquiorra fight).

Then all she had to say " please dont die..you dont have to fight for me and you dont have to win..just please dont get hurt". And Ichigo was ready to fight for real..then beat Grimmjow.

She was also able to feel his pain somehow and knew he was crying when he got his powers stolen despite her being far away from him at the time.

Not to mention at this time she was brainwashed by Tsukishima making her and Chad think Ichigo was the one going crazy, but even though she was brainwashed to think it was Tsukishima who she loved..her heart knew better and still felt Ichigo's pain even without seeing him.

Not to mention she was able to see he had a plan to defeat Ywach just from one look into his eyes.

So yeah.. Orihime does understand Ichigo more than most..and just because Rukia does too doesnt mean he should be with her.

And on Ichigo's side antis also say he doesn't care about Orihime only Rukia..and if he does care it's only because Ichigo is protective of his friends.

Now it's clear through the whole series that Ichigo does care about all his friends..but it's also apparent that Ichigo does hold Orihime to a different standard.

This is not far into the story..at this point they are still only classmates and only a few pages ago Ichigo refused to take over Rukia's Soul reaper duties..until he found out a hollow was after Orihime.

Or when Yammy and Ulquiorra hurt Orihime..they also hurt Tatsuki and Chad but he was shown to be obsessing over Orihime ( despite the fact she could literally reverse her injuries) and the fact Tatsuki was a human with no powers should've made him worry over her more..but he felt so guilty for not protecting Orihime he couldn't even look her in the eyes..it got so bad that Rukia made him go to her and look her in the eye and he vowed to never let anyone hurt her again, pluse he didn't apologize to anyone else..just Orihime. I also find it funny how Rukia seems to be a ichihime shipper while her fans hate Orihime and want her to be with Ichigo..I find it funny.

Then we all know how hurt he was when Orihime got taken to Hueco Mundo.. Yes I understand he did rescue Rukia as well but he even said its because he owed her..and he did he owe her his and his families lives..and she was his friend and only on death row because of him. But with Orihime she chose to go to protect her friends and Ichigo had no obligations to her other than she was his friend..

He also walked around like a zombie not even caring when Tatsuki beat the hell out of him asking where Orihime was. He even yelled and threw a fit at the captain commander(you know the strongest soul reaper alive) for suggesting she was a traitor..

He even went against the entire soul society wishes (as a substitute soul reaper no less) to go find Orihime in Hueco Mundo.

One of my favorite scenes is when Ichigo was hurrying to go help Chad and Rukia who were badly injured at the time..when Ulquiorra appears and tries to goad him into a fight.. nothing works until Ulquiorra mentions he was the one who brought Orihime to Hueco Mundo ..which in turn infuriates Ichigo and he swings his sword at him in a blind rage..(remember he was supposed to be helping Chad and Rukia who were injured) but he was so angry that he was the one who brought Orihime there...he didn't say he hurt her or tortured her...he only said he brought her. And. Ichigo. Flipped.

One of my other favorite scenes is when he almost literally rises from near death to get Grimmjow's hands off of Orihime

LET GO OF HER! Was the first thing he says never mind he was almost dead a few minutes ago and still can barely stand. And look at that face his eyes mean business.

And of course one of the most epic Ichihime moments is when Ulquiorra defeats Ichigo and kills him.. he hears Orihime calling for help as Ulquiorra advances to her.. and as he's dying he hears her and tells himself he needs to help her and protect her..even in death he needs to protect her. And yes I'm aware that his inner hollow is the one keeping him from dying..but the only reason Hichigo doesnt completely take over Ichigo and lose his humanity was his will to protect Orihime. Ichigo was chanting " help her", "help her", over and over like a mantra..that's was the last shred of his humanity and even his last shred of humanity wanted nothing more than to protect Orihime.

Not only is Ichigo extra protective of Orihime..but he get flustered around her too.

Like during The Thousand Year Blood War Arc.. when Ichigo was asked by Chad if he liked Orihime's outfit ( Which was very revealing..especially in the boob area) and Ichigo was blushing like an idiot of course.

While most antis swear it's just because Orihime is very beautiful and has a very large chest..remember Chad or Uryu didn't react despite them being males as well..just Ichigo.

Not only that but all of Ichigos enemies always use Orihime to bait him into fights. Enemies like Grimmjow, Nnotora, Ulquiorra, and even Ginjo..they all taunted him about how he was so determined to protect Orihime that they would use her presence to push Ichigo into fighting them.

Antis also claim that they didn't develop.. they went from classmate acquaintances to friends fighting side by side in battle. Orihime went from being shy and stuttering and being nervous in his room to borrowing manga from him and just marching in his room and both teasing each other. Ichigo also went from wanting to protect Orihime by leaving her on the side lines and out of harm's way.. to trusting her to be his shield in battle.

IR"s also claim that Rukia is better than Orihime because she's stronger. Now I know Rukia is strong no doubt..especially when she finally releases her bankai. But for most of the series she hardly does anything..even my husband noticed she only won like two or three fight the whole series and most of the time she was so beat up after she looks like she lost the fight. I'm not trying to talk down on Rukia I love her actually.. it's just is you go back and read the manga..Rukia didn't do much either.. plus Orihime actually has a really really OP power she just doesn't have the heart to hurt anyone so she usually uses her shield or healing, but just like Rukia they didn't do much with her powers.

In the end Ichihime had quite a bit of development..I'm not saying Rukia and Ichigo didnt have a bond..because they had a strong one..but that doesn't always mean romantic..I always felt it was more brother/ sister type than anything. But if you go back and look at all of the Ichihime moments you'll realize their bond as well..you'll realize that Orihime was always their during the really important times and fights.. like the Grimmjow fight, Ulquiorra, fight, the Nnotora fight, his Fullbringer training, his Visored training, and she stood side by side with him in the Ywach fight.

He was actually separated from Rukia more than he was with her..even when they were in the same places..they were always separated. Kubo..I feel made it very clear from early on that ichihime would be endgame..I feel some people were just in denial.

[tfw-no-tennis]

continuted hxh thotz

we watched more so i continue my ramblings 

so we finished the trick tower stuff and started on the stuff on the island where theyre all hunting each other....wow finally some hunting in hunter x hunter 

can i just say....fuck hisoka i hate that guyyyy oh my goddddd hes the worst. i just feel incandescent rage whenever hes on screen vhbjdshfjhbsd smarmy horny clown bitch. looooord. he invokes a similar emotion to part 1 dio tbh....like i lose my domestication when i see both those bitches 

oh god that part where hisoka had just spent like hours de-hornifying himself or w/e and he looks all crusty and dehydrated and then he spots that old guy who looks kinda ghibli and he just goes AFTER ghibli man....like hisoka literally had one of those wack ass super detailed faces and just started screaming and running at that guy...like man i wouldve died instantly on the spot. jesus 

gon remains best best perfect baby boy. every time he does something so cute and pure that my heart starts palpating, i get even more nervous for the shit hes gonna go thru someday 

gon and killua are literally soooo precious theyre just two lil boys!!! two lads!!! lad boys! augh i love how much theyre vibing all the time...like on the boat to the island when theyre like refusing to tell each other who their target is and then they both start laughing and then show each other....so precious

honestly im really enjoying how they dont really have a rivalry (yet?) - theyre not like ‘yes we are friends but we’re also COMPETING! so we cant be That nice to each other bc that wouldnt be fair! or w/e you know that typical shounen stuff. i only enjoy that sometimes and im glad its not a thing rn, and if it does become like that later i probs wont mind bc i feel like itd be done well 

so ruth and i caught on to the fact that that weird guy with the pins stuck all over himself was illuminati or w/e his name is (illumi? illumini? i forget already) but HOLY FUCK we both thought he was wearing a mask....god i wish that were the case, that face transformation shit was the WORST. sir why can you do that 

also when hisoka just watched this and was like ‘i always like seeing you do that’ or whatever god gross nasty i hate them

my take on the little we’ve seen of hisoka and illumitations relationship: theyre like the catty mean girls-types but Super Fucking Weird. idk if theyre gay togther (probably) but theyd be the epitome of a ‘is this allowed? [gestures at All That]’ couple. i had more thoughts on them but i forgt 

i find it funny that they havent shown killua like at all during this island hunting thing hvbhsdhfbjdk he probably has like 10 randos badges already. i feel like he would give gon a badge or 2 if gon needed them but that doesnt seem to be the case 

when hisoka spotted leorio and kurapika and went after them i was like [guy yelling NOOOOOOOOOOO meme] freal 

thank goodness kurapika could recognize that they would Fucking Die trying to fight hisoka, and bargained w/him instead. also seeing the flashback of leorio trying to fight hisoka was so funny. my man WHAT! were you thinking 

this is probably the stage that tonpa is getting out on and can i just say thank god i hate that guy. good riddance 

that sniper lady looked cool and im bummed illuminty took her out offscreen :( i also thought the black guy with the beehive stick thing was gonna do more but guess not

i find it funny that so many characters have these loud character designs but end up not having a lot of screentime...i feel like ive been conditioned by one piece to see an eye-catching character and mentally prepare to see a wholeass backstory lol

also. illunikn is clearly a huge freak which is probably why hisoka is willing to work w/him, but his design is weirdly cute sometimes (when hes not doing absolutely freaky shit, which....admittedly isnt often)

like the part where he transforms into his True Cat Man Form and then, without changing expression, digs a giant hole with his bare hands (with the body language of a feral person) and then gets into it to nap.....like.....bro. 

also ik illiminini is killuas brother (i think brother?) and wow that family has some strong Cat genes 

i find it interesting that hisoka has been working with illiimini this whole time, hisoka strikes me as a solo type of guy who would be all like ‘teamwork is beneath me’ and only have minions (a la dio, espec p1 dio) but he seems to have a fairly even relationship w/illuimian which is wild. i rlly wonder if thatll last or if hisoka is gonna like, murder/abandon ilubimi later bc he ‘gets in hisokas way’ or st 

i like that kurapika and leorio teamed up....married

i generally really like how the relationships between the main characters are handled, its sweet how theyre just like....generally nice to each other and stuff lol 

also oh my god i forgot that last time i hadnt seen the end of trick tower i need to talk abt that 

KILLUA MY BOY OH MY GOD....ive been waiting for this ngl. ily smug murderous catboy

i love so much how killua casually kills this ~*~scary guy~*~ and everyones like :0 but gon is just like yep thats killua! hes from a family of assassins! like the way he says it so casually and kinda cheery aw i love him. he doesnt even care that killua can murder people in 2 seconds flat, he thinks killua is AWESOME 

and oh my god i love how hard killua is trying like, all the time. he is trying his HARDEST to be AS COOL AS POSSIBLE for gon and thats adorable. its working too gon clearly thinks killua is SUPER cool 

the eternally hilarious part where kurapika asked what killuas secret tactic are re: ripping that guys heart out, and killua is just like ‘uh i just ripped it out. yknow...as one does..’ and kurapika is like wow im glad this murder catboy is on our side.. 

the psychology stuff in the trick tower was interesting as hell (catch me brushing off my psych minor like, oh yeah i know abt this stuff lol)...i like the stuff abt leorio getting discouraged/disgruntled when the majority ended up being against him a lot bc thats true!! thats how it works!! it leads to learned helplessness and stuff like that...also that animation of kurapika and leorio playing cards to explain the tough candle choice was sooo cute 

i really loved the solution to the final majority rule things....ingeniously following the rules while still managing to circumvent them in ways...love it

also gon is so perfect have i mentioned that already

im so curious whos gonna pass the hunter exam, i legit have no idea and i would find it so funny if gon becomes a hunter in the first goddamn arc hjhbdfhsdjbgk as ruth said, itd kinda be like luffy becoming pirate king in like chapter 70

i mean tbf if i had to guess id say gon passes, simply bc i cant see the story taking the time to have him do the hunter exam again in a year. also his motivation is to become a hunter in order to see what its all about bc of his dad - not JUST to become a hunter 

gons fishing rod is so cute. perfect item for a perfect boy 

his training was adorable. hes a smart lad! formidable baby 

the blooderflies were so cool and OH MY GOD how could i forget the part where gon had two blooderflies with little leashes on and had the leashes tied to one of his fingers....OOOUGHHHHGBSJFHSJBFUHEJKSDD bro my heart literally palpated like it does when my cat does something rlly cute, gon is seriously That cute and pure and good

every time hisoka is anywhere near gon i just wanna call the FBI on that clowns ass oh y god. pls leave ladboy alone....

anyways i love the main characters (HISOKA DONT INTERACT) and i cant wait to see what happens next. i might have more thoughts but coherency is not one of my strengths so bye

[missbunnysroom]

...soooo... I think I am hella late to the party, but at the same time I'm not...? I mean, the movie came out a while ago, but it has won another award recently (Best Animated Feature Film), so I think it's okay...?

...well, whatever. I didn't wanted to be left out of this spiderfest. Guys, this is my spidersona: Citrine!

22 years old;

Brazilian/Latina/Black;

College Girl (studying philosophy at the moment);

Autistic and very proud of it;

Self-entitled Pansexual Disaster™;

Used to be afraid of spiders, but grew fond of them after being bitten by one;

Caring, ambitious and intelligent;

Her alter-ego name, Citrine, is because she loves the gemstone and its spiritual properties;

Can do the usual spider gimmicks: Web-slinging, Spider Sense, is super flexible;

Her style and aesthetics can be resumed in one sentence: "Shounen Hero meets Magical Girl" (well, MOSTLY Magical Girl, because you can't fight crime if you ain't cute);

Is a sucker for the Multiverse Theory and other crazy conspiracies;

Wants to be in a polyamorous relationship with Peter B. Parker, Eddie Brock and Wade Wilson (okay, now THAT was extremely self-indulgent);

"With great power, comes great responsibility... and also an uncontrollable urge of getting back at those who wronged you in the past."

"Why do we have Spider Sense? I mean, it's no different than what anxiety is!"

"It's just SO easy to do whatever you want when you have powers! But it's hard to use them for good and selfless things, and you know that I always have enjoyed a challenge..."

If Miles said that I can wear the mask, then I'll wear it with pride, and Fuck Cringe Culture™!

...well, it ain't that detailed and complex of a drawing, but it's better than nothing!

I've had loads of fun with it, to be honest! And the movie's message is so liberating and comforting...!! I can be a hero, too!!

[metalandmagi]

Hogwarts House Anime Recommendations: Gryffindor

Okay, it’s that time again, time for the last round of Hogwarts house anime recommendations! And this time it’s Gryffindor!

other house recommendations:

ravenclaw

hufflepuff

slytherin

As we all know, Gryffindors are always in the spotlight and are basically the most represented house, and that sort of reflects in my recommendations. It was very difficult to try and think of lesser known shows to go with, so I mainly kept to what I thought are some of the most defining Gryffindor anime despite their popularity.

Some of the key Gryffindor traits running through these anime are bravery (bordering on recklessness), selflessness, and characters that are highly fueled by their emotions.

1. Haikyuu!!

For anyone who hasn’t heard of it, Haikyuu is an awesome sports anime. Lovingly referred to as “the volleyball anime” this story focuses on the once powerful Karasuno high school volleyball team, with Hinata Shoyo as one of the new first year members of the club who wants to work to take the team to nationals. However, also on the team is his middle school “rival” (a term I use loosely considering they only played one match against each other), and the two have to learn to work together to actually make the team successful.

I actually mentioned this anime in my Hufflepuff recommendations because I believe many sports anime do fall into that house. However, I actually think Haikyuu is a good Gryffindor anime because of its inclination towards showing the characters branch out and define what it means to be brave in their own separate ways. Each character has their own way of being bold and unique in their talents and work hard to make themselves better at the sport, even if it is scary for them. I mostly see this in Kagayama, Yamaguchi’s, and Asahi’s characters, but everyone has their own demons to fight. Hinata may be the main character but this is the only sports anime where I actually remember every member of the team’s names and care just as much about the other high school teams as well. This is going to go down as a classic sports anime because it keeps you gripped on the game as well as the growth of the characters without dragging out the play time or giving the characters super human abilities that is so rampant in the genre.

2. Hunter x Hunter (2011)

Again, for those who don’t know about it, Hunter x Hunter (at least the 2011 version) is basically a standard shounen anime setup about a spunky 12 year old kid named Gon, who starts a quest to find his “missing” father. Gon’s father is a Hunter, meaning in this world, he is part of an elite group of people who basically travel around the world just doing whatever the hell they want, from being hired as bounty hunters, to catching rare animals, or pretty much anything you can think of. So in order to find his father, Gon sets out to become a Hunter too, along with his lovable, rag-tag group of misfits. But be careful, this show starts out as a typical happy-go-lucky adventure anime and turns into an extremely dark and fucked up show involving everything from organized crime and genocide to the mass extinction of the human race to weird animal hybrids.

Okay stay with me, because this is gonna be a wild ride. I can only go off of the 2011 version, but this show is straight up amazing. I promised myself several years ago that I would get around to watching it someday, and that didn’t end up happening until the English dub started airing on Toonami in 2016. After watching the first 5 episodes dubbed on television I sprinted to my computer to watch the rest of the series as fast as possible...while also catching the dubbed episodes every week. Around episode 115 or so, I realized I was going to burn through this anime...and I didn’t want it to end. So now I’m back to watching one dubbed episode a week as it comes out just so I could prolong the experience. That’s how good this anime is. So technically I haven’t finished it yet, but it’s only because I don’t want to end it….and also I had some serious issues with the pacing of the last arc.

In terms of why it fits Gryffindor so well, all you have to do is watch Gon for about 5 minutes. All of the main characters...apart from Killua...have very noble goals and want to help others in their own ways. Hisoka is also one of the best...villains?…..anti heroes?...antagonists?…. that I’ve ever seen, and he is a great mixture of discomfort and intrigue to watch every time he’s on screen. If you love the old school shounen shows, if you want to feel nostalgic for when you were a kid watching Naruto or Bleach, if you want a show with clearly defined arcs, interesting characters, and not one, but two of the best tournament arcs I’ve ever seen, then for the love of all that is good, GO WATCH THIS SHOW if you haven’t already...I know I’m pretty late to the game with this one.

3. Akatsuki no Yona (aka Yona of the Dawn)...And Arslan Senki (aka The Heroic Legend of Arslan)

It’s official, I can’t do one of these things without doing a double recommendation. But seeing as these anime fit so well together and the protagonists seem very similar, I figured I had to do both. Both of these shows focus on the sweet cinnamon rolls royalty of a kingdom trying to regain their thrones after their respective countries have been overthrown or taken down from the inside. Akatsuki no Yona deals with a young princess who is trying to bring together a group of magical dragon people in order to regain the throne and fix the problems with her country. Arslan Senki (the 2015 anime version, not the ova), is more military oriented, focusing on a young prince trying to free his country as well as his father and mother from an invading country, led by a villain wearing a silver mask...who may have more of a claim to the throne than Arslan does.

Both of these shows are very fantasy oriented and desperately need to be continued. They also both have tried and true Gryffindors as the main protagonists who only want what’s best for their people. Arslan and Yona both look at the world through very innocent eyes but have to learn the harsh realities of their kingdoms and be brave enough to overcome all obstacles with the help of their friends.

4. Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle

This anime follows four main characters (Kurogane, Fai, Syaoran, and Sakura) as they travel through different worlds trying to find pieces of the shattered soul of Princess Sakura. This takes place in the same universe as literally every other CLAMP created work, meaning that yes, it is the same Sakura as the one in Cardcaptor Sakura….just in a different world. If you’re a fan of anything CLAMP related, you need to watch it if you haven’t already.

This show will probably mean a lot more to people who have seen/read literally every CLAMP anime/manga in existence, but I actually hadn’t seen any other CLAMP material before watching this show. I basically just knew that Cardcaptor Sakura was a thing that existed and Tsubasa involved those main characters. But this anime is what sparked my love for the universe, so you don’t really have to know anything about the CLAMP universe to enjoy the anime (the manga on the other hand is a completely different story). I have always thought that Sakura, Syaoran, and Kurogane are all good examples of Gryffindors in different ways. Kurogane is more of a protective father figure, first showing nothing but recklessness and learning to become more thought out in his plans. Sakura is a Gryffindor in the sense that she also wants to protect people and learns to be brave over time, while Syaoran’s sole purpose is protecting Sakura and can be extremely chivalrous. Anyway it’s a fun adventure show that leads into a very dark and mysterious set of OVAs that will make you go “damn I should read the manga....and also every other CLAMP manga I can get my hands on.”

5. Attack on Titan

Yes, I had to. There was no way I could leave out Attack on Titan from a Gryffindor recommendation. I’m not even going to bother with a summary, since everyone and their dog has at least heard of it. This truly is the most Gryffindor anime to ever Gryffindor. It completely embodies the idea of the house both in the actual anime and in the real world. It even has it’s own golden trio, with a bookish character, a “chosen one” character, and a character who relies mostly on instinct.

Like I said, Eren, Mikasa, and Armin are all great Gryffindors in the same way that the original golden trio are. The plot of the show constantly evokes the idea of doing what’s right, even if it means putting your life on the line. Everyone who joins the military in this universe knows they need a mixture of bravery, daring, and just the right amount of recklessness to be successful. Even in the real world the anime has been in the spotlight the same way Gryffindor house is all the time, with great characters, an interesting plot, and intriguing world building that keeps people invested even with four year waits for the next season. Every episode has you rooting for the main characters in the same way that you root for Harry Potter and the rest of the gang. Not to mention it looks and sounds fucking amazing. So if you decided to skip the second season because you’ve read the manga...don’t. The anime just makes everything a million times better.

So that’s the end of my Hogwarts house anime recommendations! Sorry I couldn’t really branch out very much with Gryffindor house, but I tried my best. I hope these are helpful!

[sparda3g]

Gintama Chapter 688 Review

The reunion has been going well, hasn’t it? We have Glasses reunited with Loincloth Mask. Now we have an obsessed nipple man, who was followed by the protector of all nipples. Certainly, this is the reunion that I have been waiting for. In all seriousness, I was glad that we got more returning characters in the mix with more hilarity ensue. This chapter is filled with mix of heartfelt and laughable moments of a reunion, but not without an intriguing cliffhanger.

Like some of Gintama’s chapter, it begins with a recap of the last chapter, though it is funny with how it points out the missing characters from two years ago. Shachi went out to search for screen tone 61for nipples and Asaemon chased him to protect the nipples. What an amazing backstory. Two years later, the fate of Shachi is here. Curse Sorachi to remind me of Asaemon’s old design. I can safely say that she has grown prettier. Time-skip is a blessing tool.

Asaemon is now referred as Yaemon and has been battling with Shachi for two years. I can’t help but feel a mockery for Shounen’s draggy fights with Gintoki’s comment. Hey, it’s the best dragged-out fight ever. She recites her claims from the past about prisoners fulfilling their job, but Shachi has yet to do anything. Basically, this is his death sentence. One thing is certain is she has gotten faster in her attack; definitely be useful for an actual enemy. She was intimidating and shows no mercy. Only one problem: wrong target.

By that, I mean she attacked Gintoki instead of Shachi, just as she thought. What’s worse is once more, his nipple was cut off. She sure gotten better but she slipped enough to revisit a familiar scene. Hilarious that her slip somehow went from Shachi’s throat to Gintoki’s nipple. Her precision is incredible. I laughed at how she tried to rebound from her mistake by saying her action is a taste of what can happen to him. Is she taking notes from Gintoki on bull crapping? Somehow his nipple has mosaic over it. Now I definitely can see why nipples aren’t in some series…

Shachi, the peace maker all the sudden, steps in to defend others and willing to get executed. For a prisoner, he’s a really nice guy. I thought he was going to ensue more hilarity when he found the screen tones to finish his masterpiece, but surprisingly, it goes differently. In fact, it’s heartwarming. He finished the manga a while back, ready for the spotlight. However, he realized that it’s not worth it because he wants a special someone to read his manga first. That’s what makes it satisfying, but Gintoki is no longer in Edo. That is so touching.

Shachi can be a kind guy who has a good heart and focus on his future. All he wanted was to meet Gintoki for his finest work, but time has gone by and here we are, not able to see his precious friend. Bakuman has nothing on this friendship. It makes it nicer with Shinpachi wants to fill in the void and willing to read his manga. He really wants to cover Gintoki’s position yet doing a nice favor. I adore these characters so much. Then, the happy mood depletes when the critic attacks.

It was a grave mistake to have Shinpachi to be the first one to read. Not only he doesn’t hold back on his critique but he is savage enough to make Shachi cry. It was supposed to be a heartwarming moment, but he is giving the work a really bad review. Gintoki is just stunned on what’s happening; realizing Shinpachi is downright serious. Apparently, he’s acting like Shachi’s editor. He even goes as far as saying that his career is practically over. With all those bad remarks, I too would be crying.

Gintoki becomes Shachi’s supporter and back up his work. The weird part about the story is the protagonist resembles Gintoki’s current design. Well, outside the fact the protagonist has his loincloth coming from his crotch spot, so I have no further comment than that. It’s like some weird time paradox because Gintoki almost believe that Shachi knows his identity, even though the work was done before this moment. Hell, even the protagonist has similar name, but replaces mask with man. What a crazy coincidence.

It’s funny how Gintoki and Shinpachi got into an argument over the manga. The only thing I can back Gintoki up is the identity reveal. Sometimes, a story could do well without revealing the secret. Other than that, yeah, the manga does sound out of place. Oh well, at least it can avoid an easy cancellation. I like the comedy skit with the mixed-up name of Loincloth character. Thankfully, I didn’t lose track, but damn, the name is too similar. For whatever reason, the argument turn into a defense for Loincloth users. Don’t ask; Gintama is being Gintama.

With the debate becomes personal because reasons, Shachi almost blow Gintoki’s cover, so what better way to react than flipping him and knocking Shinpachi out cold. Damn, guy. You made your point already. The climatic battle of Loincloth rights is over. I laughed at Yaemon is just standing there and thinking, “What the hell just happened…” It’s lead to an awkward pause before she tells him to notify Shachi to replace nipples with mosaic. That’s another battle coming to an end. I believe we will see them again; just hope it’s not over nipples…

After a mixed emotional trip, it goes to a more sincere heartfelt scene with Gintoki taking Shinpachi home and by home, I mean Yorozuya Gin-Chan. It’s like watching a guy taking care of his younger brother; it’s kind of heartwarming. I like how Gintoki feels responsible for Shinpachi’s path to end up this way; holding him back from any other future. It is how this arc began with a struggle to move on, but refuse because of memory.

I like how the scene takes its time to explore the area of his office. While it’s obvious that it’s a rundown of its former self, the atmosphere hasn’t changed a bit. Shinpachi lied to him about working on the dojo, but in reality, he deeply love Yorozuya and Gintoki owes up to him. The only problem is telling him about his goal to save a murderer. This has been my most anticipated subplot since it’s a bold challenging question and love to see how Sorachi will answer. I also like the tie-in with Loincloth Mask indicates hidden and his argument earlier actually reflects his character. That is well addressed in a humorous and sincere way.

That being said it still a loincloth that came from someone, so yeah, he has been wearing a used one over his face. I don’t want to think that he is covered with the scent of a man’s…well you get the idea. He thought he grabbed a towel, but it turns out he was rubbing a bra I think. Funny that he thought Shinpachi began bringing ladies to his home. That’s what happens when you missed the skit of his virginity. Of course, this means it’s from Kagura and she’s in the shower.

I know that she has grown up and manga logically speaking, he is now “suited” to be used as a fan service figure. So when she’s in the shower, I got a feeling that Sorachi is going to favor the fans, especially some are now drooling over the thought. Time-skip can be awkward. She comes out of the shower and judging by her bare legs, fan service is here and Gintoki is now in a typical harem scene. I should have known that Sorachi was going to troll hard.

I am willing to bet some fans got happy for fan service, but that next page is a crushing scene. It’s Kagura alright, but it is granny Kagura that came out of the shower. Instead of a guy who may go bright red or even nosebleed, he’s on the verge of passing out. This was a hilarious troll move. Love how he also connects the mosaic use from earlier and demand for many of them. Poor Gintoki. I have a feeling Kagura can’t tell he’s there, so it’s possible for him to dodge this already awkward reunion. Get your mind straight, man!

As amusing as these oddball reunions have been, the one intriguing moment happens at the end. Takasugi reached to his destination and his target is Katsura. More and more the dream of Joui Three reunion is becoming true. I’m curious on what Takasugi has in mind with his old best friend. Quite the development we have since Katsura is someone Takasugi would have love to kill. Now, it’s a different story and perhaps it’s Katsura doing the destruction within. I wonder what follows next.

This was a pretty entertaining chapter. There was a charming and comical moment with the manga review. I do believe they will return, now they got that dumb battle over. The heartfelt moment with Gintoki returning home was really nice, only to be crushed by a fan service that fans least wanted. Smooth move, Gorilla. The artwork is clean with humorous scenes and soothing atmosphere. The ending was intriguing with the possibility of the main plot development. Two reunions going on and I can’t wait to see them both.

[swipestream]

Science Fiction in Comics

Not too long ago, I wrote an article about why we don’t see many good science fiction movies or television series.  Is the medium of comics better?  At first glance, it should be vastly superior, as the two main weaknesses of motion pictures don’t apply.  Comics might not be as intellectually deep as books, but they’re potentially weightier than movies, on account of using text to provide narration and convey thoughts.  And in order to create a lush science fiction setting, one only needs a vivid imagination and a talented artist, not $100 million and a small army working on graphics, cinemaphotography, costumes, sound, etc.

And yet, comics also provide fewer quality science fiction works than one would expect, albeit for different reasons.

Before delving further, it’s important to note that this solely applies to science fiction and not to fantasy, of which there are a litany of great comics.  One can consider most Western superhero works part of fantasy, but there are numerous other outstanding titles.  Tales like Berserk, Blade of the Immortal, Claymore, and the various series of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure are all classics.

With science fiction in comics, the challenges stem from the people who write and consume the medium, as well as certain unique circumstances.  This is in contrast to problems endemic to the medium itself, as with moving pictures.  In other words, comics have the potential to offer great science fiction stories, and if the medium shifts, we might see many in the future.

In the West, while there were early science fiction strips like Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, their popularity was soon eclipsed by superhero works.  And superheros rule American comics to this day.  Thus, a talented comics author ends up spending his creativity and weaving adventure yarns around them, instead of anything science fiction.

In Japan, while the simplistic science fiction themed Astro Boy by Tezuka is widely considered the first modern manga, more popular genres soon took its place, too.  The two main ones were shoujo (“girl” in Japanese) and shounen (“boy”).  Shoujo typically featured romance, primarily in a historical or school setting, appealing to, wait for it…girls.  Shounen was based around fights and adventure, but mostly in the context of history, school, fantasy (often blending elements of history and Japanese folklore), or sports.

How did this situation come about?  The young male audience, whether it was reading superheroes or shounen, just wanted adventure and cool fights, and didn’t care what genre it was in.  Since fantasy is generally easier to write than science fiction, and rarely do comic authors have a scientific background, it makes sense they would eschew science fiction.

In other words, it’s a decision of convenience by the creators, one I certainly can’t fault them for.

With all that being said, there are still some excellent science fiction comics out there.  Here are a few I particularly like and wanted to highlight.

Domu: A Child’s Dream

Written by Katsuhiro Otomo, who also did Akira, a very long manga adopted into a much shorter anime movie in the late 80’s of the same name, which confused the hell out of me as an 8 year-old seeing it late at night.  Why am I reviewing Domu instead of Akira?  Partly because the former is lesser known and easier to finish…but also because I haven’t read Akira from beginning to end.

Published in 1980, Domu starts as an urban Japan tale.  In a sprawling housing complex in crowded Tokyo, filled with families, laughing children, and young professionals, there have been several unsolved murders.  The police investigate, but matters quickly take a turn for the strange.  The perpetrator is a wicked, demented old man with horrifying telekinetic and telepathic powers.

While he is able to cover his tracks and continue killing, matters change when a mother and her young daughter move into the apartments.  The little girl possesses powers similar to the old man’s.  She wants to stop him, and he has to eliminate such a rival.  Before long, the entire complex is turned into a battleground between two beings with God-like powers.

It’s a thrilling tale, a truly unique example of urban science fiction, all succinctly told and wrapped in 4 chapters.  Hurray for Japanese efficiency!

20th Century Boys

In 1997, with millennial ennui growing in Japan, a charismatic cult leader named “Friend” pops up, wearing a mask with a unique symbol on it, amassing a legion of followers.  Meanwhile, Kenji is an ordinary convenience store manager living a boring existence.  When a childhood friend of his named “Donkey” is murdered, he reunites with his other friends from that period, most also living a hum-drum life.  They soon discover that the symbol used by “Friend” is the same one they had created for their club as kids.

It’s a fascinating work which switches back and forth between childhood and adulthood seamlessly.  It has a heavy mystery element with investigating the murder and Friend’s cult, but employs science fiction to tremendous effect in unraveling it.  Written by Naoki Urasawa, considered possibly the greatest mangaka ever, the pacing and transitions from panel to panel are superlative.

Zetman 

I’m not a fan of superhero comics, but I like subversive takes on them, whether it’s the movie Super with Rainn Wilson or The Boys by Garth Ennis. These parodies, while wildly entertaining, often up nihlistic or with nothing of consequence to say.  By contrast, Zetman has a number of strong themes, particularly on the nature of morality itself.  It’s also the only one that takes a more science fiction approach.

The main character Jin is the result of a number of tortuous experiments by those powerful corporations with a team of assassins so beloved in fiction. He escapes, and his powers manifest themselves into a costume and mask in the form of Zetman, the antithesis of virtually every Western superhero, Batman included.  By contrast, Kouga is a rich, athletic kid with an easy life who has a strong sense of justice and builds a power suit with his money to become a superhero going by the name “Alphasz”.  He is Tony Stark without the alcoholism mixed with Superman, and very reminiscent of classic Western superheroes.  In addition to the story of the corporation and the “Players” they are combating, it’s a constant question on whose approach to heroism is superior; Zetman’s or Alphasz’s.

Unlike Otomo or Urasawa, Masakazu Katsura is not a great manga writer, and if not for Zetman, I wouldn’t even call him a good one.  The vast majority of his works have been absolute crap.  Yet, Zetman proves that he had at least one excellent story in him.

In all these comics, the science fiction melded well with either the action or adventure, or the mystery.  A pity more writers don’t attempt this.

What are other good science fiction works in comics?  I’m especially interested to hear of Western ones, as I have read very few Western comics of any kind. (If that wasn’t clear already!)

Science Fiction in Comics published first on http://ift.tt/2zdiasi