#literally kido is a boy in the girl way and girl in the boy way

[kozakuwas]

honest to god i cannot perceive kido as a cis woman. he is literally the most transgender motherfucker ever. like their gender is so fucking fluid it's insane.

[starocide]

Oho you can't reply that and walk away now! Gimme YOUR unib gender opinions! I wanna see the whole tier list! All the nuance! Gimme food for thought :3 pretty please

Okay hi sorry for the late response but since I have many thoughts on this subject there is no tier list. Otherwise the tiers would be too long. Under the cut... my thoughts will lie.

HYDE KIDO

Could go either way with the guy that started it all. Personal opinion is leaning towards cis for now but trans Hyde will always be in my heart due to a certain friend of mine. And while not a gender identity, he is also half Canadian.

LINNE

Going on T could save Linne but she would stay with she/her out of convenience. Otherwise? only cis because it's what she's always been.

WALDSTEIN

Cis. And old.

CARMINE PRIME

Michael Menstruation. Period Patrick. Theodore Tampon. Many nicknames this guy has. Either way is really funny but I'm leaning towards transmasc for now. But who knows! This may change...

ORIE BALLARDIAE HARADA

Need I say more? I don't think I do. Trans girl.

GORDEAU T. HARVESTER

One of the most cisgender guys to ever do it

MERKAVA

"While he was alive, he was… a man, probably. Well, just like his body has changed, so has his voice. It's still too early to discard the possibility that he could be a girl."

As close as we got to a canon trans(masc) character.

VATISTA

Prototype versions of Vatista's design were written to have no conception of gender and I'm choosing to carry it over to her incarnation we know and love. Nonbinaryyyyy

SETH

Going on E could save Seth I think. But regardless there's no need for gender if all you do is kill and whatnot.

YUZURIHA SOUGETSU

Cis+, probably? But I'm willing to change my mind on that.

HILDA THE PARADOX

Insane levels of cis woman radiating from her. It is PALPABLE.

KEI "CHAOS" ASUMA

(points) CIS. But I honestly don't mind trans Chaos.

NANASE

Constantly fluctuating, if I am being honest. I wrote a fic in which she was implied cis but I also kept that ambiguous enough that it can be interpreted in other ways. Either way I love you girlie more than the writers ever will.

BYAKUYA

Maybe he'll get rid of his gender when he feels better. Right now? Kill feast and rest ad infinitum.

PHONON

This character. Thiiiiiiis character. I am so normal about her. Her name literally sounds like "pronoun". No way in hell she's cis. Nonbinary 4ever and ever.

MIKA RETURNA

She literally wears a binder but I don't think she even knows what gender is.

MIYASHIRO ERIKA WAGNER

Erika is EXTREMELY cis girl to me. She loves her trans girlfriend though.

GAIEN "ENKIDU" ENKIDOU

Coolest guy in the game. I think trans Enkidu is cool but I think he's cis myself. Not that he cares about gender that much.

LONDREKIA LIGHT

No one comes out of the womb with a name that has part of the onomatopoeia for something that matches their special magic power. Trans guy but nobody is allowed to know about it.

TSURUGI

Cis. But a good ally nonetheless! Has "Hey girl I mean they"d Phonon on accident once.

KAGUYA JINGUU

Transfem as fuck just look at this multiple year difference. No way this woman is cis.

^ This is Londrekia and her. Trust me.

KUON THE ETERNAL

Being nonbinary could save him but he either doesn't know what that is or thinks he's too old for that.

UZUKI

She killed her gender and resurrected it as something more cool and goth. Nonbinary but in a girl-adjacent way.

OGRE

Butch nonbinary lesbian or cishet man and I can't decide which. It differs between days.

IZUMI

I mean... her EXS ability is literally called "Transition". You know what that means!

BONUS ROUND

Lex is Nonbinary but doesn't know it yet. Either Strix or Zohar are cis but not both of them. Azel is like a boy-shaped apparition. Kuu is kuunonically devoid of gender. Adelheid is the first cisgender woman ever.

Well, thanks for reading all the way through! This sure was a hell of a lot to type. But I love rambling about this game so it's okay in the end.

[mekatrio]

and part two for episode one

- started applauding when seto finally spoke i love this piece of shit frog LOOK AT HIM. most useless boy in the world i love him. wait no i take it back he's actually using his powers this time around i forgot abt that. he's so awesome

i prefer this scene without seto bc it builds seto's reputation as a character that u dont pay attention to, but honestly its also very funny to have seto in this scene bc then you have kanoseto being two brothers who are doing fuck all. except bullying shintaro. basically the anime version of this

- also i forgot what seto had sounded like man he sounds great. love this voice actor for him

- lord kano is so irritating thank god hes in a timeloop cuz he deserves it

- why is kano the only one laughing at mary tripping. can seto react a bit at least

- the pacing of this scene is godawful lmao why did we waste so much time in shintaro's bedroom..... anyways

- so weird we dont see kanoseto's reaction to shintaro being held up by the throat. like in the manga we see kano's reaction to it which LOL is literally just 😐

also the fact that shintaro just stops mentioning ene like she is just Gone for the length of this scene until she conveniently shows up in the end like ok i guess. the store items dramatically falling with kano's face in the shadows is cool tho i guess. and i like this 2 frame shot of my kids

- jesus A LOT of shit is falling those girls are really putting their work in

- barely obviously that kano removed the restraints for shintaro lol. but oh well

- ohhh ene has been talking to him this whole time. i mean sure i guess.... thats a confusing way to show things. what. dunno why they couldnt hv shown her speaking to him throughout that sequence. oh wait i know why. cuz we spent 2 minutes on a dramatic opening and 6 minutes in shintaro's room and like 3 minutes walking to the mall.... u get the picture

- hai kido my girlie

also first mekatrio of the anime.... lfg!

- the background music is very very fun

- no shotgun sound to indicate shintaro just got shot at? seriously?

- really cool dream sequence. it was a good idea to make it so we cant hear ayano at all hell yes

- AND THATS IT! CUE THE DAZE OP

- am only realizing for the first time shes finally drinking her fated red bean soda

- oh right azami storytime. let me take a look

- oh ayano was the narrator for azami storytime! i didnt remember that. thats so fitting considering that ayano inherits azami's memories in the novels and manga. and maybe the song? whether she does in the anime i dont actually remember, but i do expect her to.

- do not understand why shaft decided to portray azami in a design more akin to her concept art:

left is mca's azami storytime portrayal of her, right is sidu's concept art for her. i wonder if what happened was that sidu gave shaft the designs + concept art of the characters and they mistakenly thought that the concept art was their designs as well. bc thats what happened with young mekatrio, theyre constantly dressed up the same way they were dressed in the concept art. except for seto, whose dressed up the way he was in Imagination Forest. ill add the pics of that when i actually watch that ep

- and this likely isnt intentional but this screen using saeru's colors... hehe

- BOOOOO this bluray rip doesnt include the fanarts that every episode had... smh.... i should look for those somewhere. ok i found it:

overall thoughts: man i wasnt expecting to but towards the ending i started feeling super nostalgic... it feel like its 2014 again and that im so happy and optimistic to see where this anime will go... aw.... the ayano dream sequence was so dramatic and good, and then the daze op, and then azami storytime and the next episode preview... man.... like i was reminded of all the exuberant optimism this fandom had at the start of this anime. man. this episode finishes on such a high note that it almost makes you think the rest of the episode was just as good. well it wasnt!

firstly this is bc of poor planning and bc jin had probably initially expected to be able to fit in mr2's plot into here, but considering we dont get that, the first two minutes of the ep couldve been reworked into hibihiyo's introduction, similarly to how the novels open with a hibihiyo prologue, and the first album features Kagerou Days pretty early. i dont remember how hibiya gets stuck into the Kisaragi Attention ep so that'll be interesting to revisit...

and ofc we spent too long in shintaro's room. unnecessarily long. this ep shouldve either 1.) ended at the introduction of the hostages, or 2.) skimmed the fat and moved it at a pace where the ep ends with momo and friends peering down on shintaro, similarly to the manga:

while still having the hostage situation Actually Make Sense. bc in this anime it made zero sense. while also looking very bad. well... that was episode 1 ig

too sick to draw or do anything else which means its the perfect time to watch mca and be a little autistic nitpicky bitch about it. planning to do a post like this per episode, this one's for episode One. well episode one part one bc nothing in my life is easy and i keep forgetting theres a fucking image limit for posts 🙄

- I HATE THIS FUCKING ANIME ok i needed to get that off my chest...... groaned so loudly at the first four seconds fucking... Church Bells and POLES?!?!? POLES?!?!!! i hate shaft's enviromental choices ok moving on

- how the fuck did i not realize that ayano's VA is rena ryuugu lmfao its all i can hear nowadays

- right theyre on a fucking clock... for some reason.... also honestly i dont like ayano's voice that much. like the voice is fine but i dont think it fits ayano's character

- also this clock sucks i wish it was like more More you know more gears more machinery like ep12 insanity ok wait. are shinaya 3d models here lmfao.. maybe?

- i like this line. saur mysterious

- hahaha.... the Kaien Panzermast

now that i think abt it i have no idea why its called kaien panzermast. like i what its referring to (the song siren thing thats telling kids to go tf home) but what the hell is a Kaien Panzermast?

- this scenery is near meaningless to kagepro literally just a whole bunch of nothing when i say i hate shaft's choices for this anime..... like what is any of this shit. also orange??!? orange of all colors..... god damn man

like yes ok its the evening BUT THIS IS KAGEROU PROJECT. GIVE ME MY RED AND BLUE!

-- this part is cool tho. a bit too heavy handed in the symbolism but i appreciate the gesture

- lol at this:

BECAUSE SHE DIDNT! not until 2017 lmfao. this makes me suspect that the revelations from mr2 were initially supposed to be in the anime. but in the end for whatever reason it couldnt fit itself there, so the only revelation we got was The First Tragedy Exists. and no elaboration.... now that i think of it, iirc me and many fans were pretty thrown off from this opening back when it first aired cuz this was like, the first time we've seen ayano act like this. wait. let me check my timeline

ok nvm lol. second time. first time shes ever like this is in the manga:

but anyways back in 2013/2014 before the LTM episode, there was like no context whatsoever for Why Is Ayano Like That. so that was a doozy

- damn can u imagine working on some songs writing a novel and getting these amazing voice actors to voice ur characters... ohhh i wouldnt know how to act

-HJEKHJSKDFHASJKDFH THIS LOOKS CHEAP AS HELL HELP ME

i mean thats um. one way to show a timeline getting thrown away... I Guess. ignoring the fact that Mary Has Long Hair (which she shouldnt), its a cool visual idea but the execution is um... hfjkssjk

- hehe

headphone actor mv on the left and mca countdown thingy on the right. holy shit they are near identical damn, i just thought they were similar but no, its practically identical. thats so cool T_T if only the rest of this anime was this cool.... whatever onwards i go

- shintaro's stupid futuristic high-rise apartment... i loathe thee

- the fuck is this

- first instance of shaft's trademark of putting random shit on the screen and im already annoyed its gonna be bad for me for the rest of this rewatch if i can even last that long. i know i will at least til ep 10 (11???) cuz i need to see baby mekatrio

- no aku benci lmfao shaft hates to animate so much they threw this story into the future so they could just conveniently project things onto shintaro's cyberwall hahaha..... i fucking hate this anime

- looks like shintaro was drawn by 4 different artists in these various shots that only span like 5 seconds

- damn in the anime its not even ene's fault that shintaro spilled the soda lmfao. thats all on him this time

- also shinene's voices are srsly perfect

- XX you say...... 🤨

- storyboarding sucks shit they went from flashback to not a flashback to flashback again my fucking god dude. the only reason i can make sense of any of it is cuz im rewinding every little thing

- literally no reason to add 'roomie' to this translation but it made me laugh so I GUESS

maybe i should hunt for the official crunchyroll subs. but im too lazy

- lmfao

text from Mekakucity Talkers 24, translated by x0401x. only difference from tht and the screenshot is that shintaro still has hair lol

- hm. i wish it made a bigger deal of shintaro leaving the house. yeah he threw a fit but i wish the actual stepping outside aspect was more dramatic yknow. like how Children Record emphasized it

- WHY IS THIS CITY SO EMPTY

- also curiously this episode is missing this sentence from shintaro abt someone rebuilding the city bit by bit which is in the novels and the manga, which is meant to foreshadow saeru's influence. but then again the first 17 manga chapters are taken nearly word-by-word from the novels so maybe thats all it is 🤷

- also it took like 6 minutes for shintaro to leave the house... theres other things being done ofc, establishing shinene's dynamics, quick exposition of how ene ended up with shintaro to begin with, and spilling soda onto the computer and leaving the house. but i feel like it wouldve been better if the anime stuck to what the novels + mr1 does, where ene blares a loud fucking alarm. that quickly establishes shinene's dynamic and easily leads to a So You Must Be Wondering How I Got Here type of thing, and then knock over the soda leave the house bam easy. instead the anime really took its time with like..... idk making shinaro look ikemen. yeahhh not the best choice, especially considered how rushed the last few episodes are gonna be. ok back to watching the anime

- also aku benci x2 like its only futuristic when its convenient which is soo fucking Lazy. theres literally no reason for this story to be set in the future. like all this city scenery is based off actual modern day Kashiwa its just... ugh. barely any care put into this anime at all

- this anime is cool sometimes

- reused this pencil texture from the start of the episode... wonder how many times ill be seeing that

- the fucking comedic timing of these terrorists lmfao. and right theyre clowns... for some reason....

- also dude ill still never understand why only their thumbs are the only parts ziplocked like what. also isnt that harder to animate... THIS STUPID ANIME

- this is a completely fair reaction to having kano shuuya speak to you for the first time

- no the fuck he isnt he hasnt thought of shit my god.

that comic person on here was not lying shaft really fucked up the order of events here bigtime. kano only speaks to shintaro after shintaro's done brooding.... also seto doing fuckall lol. ik he'll say smth in like 2 seconds but i do find it funny that we've seen him for like the past minute and he hasnt said shit

- ok but its cool that kano's hand just doesnt obey the ziplock.... very clever of the artists to just make him put his hands behind his head and other gestures to indicate that theres something up with him

- why are his eyes red.

[ryusxnka]

I find it fascinating that as readers we first learn about Aizen's facade through Hitsugaya. Like we already witnessed the infamous stabbing a chapter prior but it's with Toshiro that we see Aizen talk with his real face for the first time. We can really empathise with Toshiro because as the audience we feel as shocked O_O;;

   You have no Idea how happy it makes me knowing the fact that you noticed that! Many have not; They’re too busy nitpicking at his mistakes, mistakes that anyone would have made if they were in his shoes, to see the actual vastness of his involvement and its significance. -- We do see Aizen's plans gradually enfold through Hitsugaya's eyes and it all started with these panels ( x ) ( x ) Where we see and overhear, from a crowd’s perception the lowly-aggressive conversation between Gin and Aizen - The conversation which initially conceived the suspicion Hitsugaya had on Gin. - Onto why he ensues in warning Hinamori to be wary of squad three, more importantly, it’s captain. He doesn’t know Gin as much as he knew Aizen, or at least thought he knew him better, so of course what was said between the two men would hit an unsettling alarm in the boy’s mind and Aizen knew how attentive Hitsugaya was. -  So it wouldn’t surprise me if the convo was intentionally made to be heard by him. Soifon hadn’t picked  anything up, after all, which is curious since she’s just as vigilant.

   Then you fast forward to when he stops Izuru and Hinamori’s attacks, he coarsely threatens to kill Gin if he did not stay away from his friend - Again - suspicious over the prior conversation - his over-protectiveness kicked in - thinking Hinamori might get involved and involved she had in the most heartbreaking of ways. We then learned along the line that Hinamori is actually a Kido expert after he, the one who wanted to put her away for her own safety in spite of misjudgment, was alerted of her escape. - Fast forward to gin and Toshiro’s fight - we learn the full content of the letter Aizen was writing the night his lieutenant visited him with worries. - The cruel attempt of framing Toshiro for Aizen’s death, the heartless attempt of making Hinamori kill him out of duty as a lieutenant and as a naive girl blinded by adoration. - It just makes me so angry?? If Toshiro never confiscated that letter and commanded Rangiku to give it to her, it would have been part of the investigation and he’d be outright accused and jailed - potentially executed for it all?? Like what the feck, Aizen??? What did Toshiro do to make you so spiteful??? But anyway! That’s another discussion for a later time! After that we learn of the central 46′s death through him and Rangiku - and the fact that Izuru was there was suspicious as heck hence why he interrogated him ‘fore leaving.

    Thereafter, he ran into the duo, seeing Hinamori’s unconscious body laying on the cold floor all whilst Aizen’s true character exhibited itself. Hitsugaya was, indeed, the first out of the rest to ascertain it all. He was so hurt, so angry, we literally saw a spiral of emotions discharging from his person via facial expressions and words until he went Bankai; the first time we see Daiguren Hyorinamru, he’s quickly destroyed by Aizen.

[blake-arachne]

So you might be thinking? Who’s John Magnus?!

Well he’s an OC I made for my Saint Seiya AU. (Saint Seiya Zodiac Verse)

As to be honest I never liked Kido for what he did to Seiya and company wether be the anime or worse the manga, as he literally sent his kids to a harsh environment and then only 10 of 100 make out alive and worse possibly was sexist prick! (Poor Seika she’s left behind even on the fandom)

And seeing Back to the Future I even joked that Dr. Emmet Brown would have been a better father than Mistumasa Kido. Then it clicked me! Rather than following canon, why not making risky things?! Also I remembered from TLC Owl Partita and soon I knew who could be the parents for the Bronze Boys and Silver Girl.

John appearance is like this: he has the same wild spikey hair of Seiya and Ikki, his eyes are green like Shiryu, and has Shun manga hair color and skin tone. For his height he’s 185 cm tall and weights 78 kg, with a slimmer but well toned built. And personality wise he’s the Dr. Emmet Brown on the Saint Seiya universe.

In a way I did a better father and mother for Seiya and the others. How did they became Saints in the first place? Let’s just say that a centrain Gemini Pope was involved on it. But that’s a story for another day.

Now you might be thinking: What about Hyoga’s mother?! And his motive to become a Saint?! Well rather than Natassia begin the mother of Hyoga, she’s the grandmother instead. That’s right Natassia is John’s mother, so in a way it’s not to separate of canon. ^w^

Now could you imagine having 6 kids, that are very close to age? Well either John forgot to use protection or Partita was a thirsty woman XD

[some-lists]

Ranking all the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers

Go Go Power Rangers! I felt it was time for another 90’s throwback. Today I’m ranking all the Power Rangers from Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers. Just about every 90’s kid was obsessed with this show. It was a phenomenon. It started out with the original five in its first season. As the show went on, we saw a number of replacements added to the cast.

As a child, I had my definite favorites based on my childhood memories. I later rewatched the series as an adult and my perspective on the characters really changed. This is my ranking based on what I observed as an adult looking back.

10. Kat Hillard (Pink Ranger)

Kat had the unfortunate task of filling Kimberly’s shoes as the new Pink Ranger. She was doomed from the start. The writers introduced the character as a villain -- a fellow student under an evil spell to undo the Pink Ranger. It made us not like her from the very beginning. Kat eventually grew into her role, especially in the following seasons of Zeo and Turbo. But initially, she felt like an imposter who literally did not fit the suit.

9. Aisha Campbell (Yellow Ranger)

I liked Aisha as a kid. I liked her sassy attitude and that she was girly and short. After watching the show again as an adult, I realized how completely useless she was as a ranger. She had no fighting ability whatsoever, couldn’t do any flips, and didn’t offer any brain power either. I actually felt embarrassed watching her fight scenes.

8. Rocky DeSantos (Red Ranger)

I think Rocky got a raw deal as the new Red Ranger. Many viewers were used to seeing the Red Ranger as a leader. However, when Rocky was introduced, he was just another ranger on the side. I don’t think this was his fault as Jason had already been demoted as leader after Tommy became the White Ranger. As a kid, I liked Rocky. I didn’t mind him as an adult either. His taekwondo skills were actually better than Jason’s. He was faster, more agile, could kick higher, and do more flips. Unfortunately, as one of the replacement rangers, he was always in the background.

7. Jason Lee Scott (Red Ranger)

Ranking Jason this low is gonna shock some die hard fans. As a kid, I absolutely loved Jason. He was one of my favorite rangers. I thought he was a great leader and strong fighter. He was the glue who got his team to work together. I especially preferred him as a leader over Tommy. But when I rewatched the show as an adult, I realized he really didn’t do anything! He had maybe two episodes about him. One was about him bench pressing a world record where he lifted weights the entire episode. That’s pretty much all he ever did. He lifted weights, punched bags, and occasionally taught a karate class or two. Essentially, he was there to flex his muscles and not much else. Even his sword, which I remembered being so cool, was pretty much useless. That was a big eye opener for me. I was also disappointed to see that his taekwondo skills weren’t as great as I remembered them. He was really slow, kinda clunky. Overall, Jason deserved better than what we was given.

6. Billy Cranston (Blue Ranger)

As the resident brain, Billy managed to invent the team’s communicators, which were also teleportation devices, and a flying car. He often operated the computers at the Command Center along with Alpha-5. It’s fair to say he contributed significantly to the team. He was a weak fighter in the beginning, but somehow became a super ripped expert gymnast by the end of his run. The show never explained that, but it was never a realistic show anyway.

5. Adam Park (Black Ranger)

I remember not liking Adam very much as a child. He was so quiet, shy, and often in the back as one of the replacement rangers. In my child mind that meant he was boring. However, as an adult, I realized how awesome he really was. First of all, he was way cute and I didn’t even see it before. He was smart and often operated the Command Center along with Billy (good ole Asian stereotyping). But mostly, he was an incredible fighter. His Shaolin kung fu style was a beauty to behold. His kicks, spins, and flips were so quick, effortless, and graceful. He had the best line in the movie: “I’m a frog,” which turned out to be the best zord as well. As the seasons went on (especially into Zeo and Turbo), he became much stronger, more confident, and a lot funnier too.

4. Zack Taylor (Black Ranger)

Zack is seriously underrated. He had a great personality. He was the life of the party, a great dancer, and funny. He even created his own martial arts style called Hip Hop Kido. He especially shined in the second season as he incorporated his karate with dance moves and incredible acrobatics. In my opinion, he was a way better fighter than Jason. If he had been given the proper treatment, Zack would’ve been on the same level as Tommy. After Zack left the show, the cast wasn’t nearly as fun.

3. Trini Kwan (Yellow Ranger)

Original Yellow Ranger Trini was the best. She was strong, brave, and intelligent. She had a spiritual side to her that was cool, calm, mature, and classy. She had natural leadership skills that were completely overlooked. I’d even say that when unmorphed, she was the true leader. She often stepped up and encouraged the other members no matter what situation they were in. She could understand Billy’s nerd talk and translated for the team. She also kicked serious butt. She became a big role model for many Asian American girls, as she was one of the first Asian American actresses with a visible role on television.

2. Tommy Oliver (Green & White Ranger)

I loved Tommy as the Green Ranger. His karate took the show to the next level. He was super bad ass and totally convincing as a villain. That evil laugh was perfect. Even after becoming good, the writers found a way to keep him around. His weakening powers and ultimately losing his powers gave him a tragic appeal. His relationship with Kimberly was also super cute. He was an exciting fighter and a compelling character. But, I didn’t really like him as the White Ranger. Once he became the White Ranger and the new team leader, he became a lot less interesting. He no longer had a real story. His martial arts was always top notch, but compared to the Green Ranger, White Ranger Tommy was too perfect and a lot more boring. Separately, I would’ve ranked White Ranger Tommy after Adam, but Green Ranger Tommy was awesome. Like I said, he elevated the show.

1. Kimberly Hart (Pink Ranger)

Kimberly was such a popular character. She was loved by girls who wanted to be like her, and by boys who had a crush on her. As an adult, I could easily see why and I was actually really surprised. She was hands down the star of the show. She had the most episodes dedicated to her out of all the rangers. Even when the episode wasn’t about her, she often saved the day with her bow and arrow. Seriously. She saves the team in almost every episode. Even though she wasn’t the strongest fighter unmorphed, her gymnastics skills were crazy impressive. Overall, she was the most valuable and consistent ranger on the team. Without her, they would’ve been toast.

Overall Thoughts

First of all, I couldn’t believe how poor quality the show was. They obviously reused the same footage over and over again. Even more unbelievable is how we all believed it as kids! But that cheesiness is now one of the best aspects of the show.

I was also surprised by how much the show favored certain characters over others. Kimberly had the most spotlight, followed by Billy. When Tommy showed up, it became all about him. Zack and Trini were tied for second to last place for air time. Jason was dead last. He was barely even in the show. It’s no wonder the three were unhappy and left the show when they did.

Rewatching the series also made me realize how much the movies glorified Tommy at the expense of the Pink Ranger. In the first film that meant Kimberly, who I mentioned in this list was an incredibly strong character. In the Turbo movie, they weakened Kat for Tommy to rescue her as well. That’s super disappointing as the show offered some really cool role models for young girls.

One thing I appreciated about the female rangers was how feminine they were. Kimberly was a fashion crazy mall rat, but she was never diminished for it. It just happened to be her personality. It was never a weakness. None of the girls were expected to act like boys in order to be strong. Later in Zeo and Turbo, Tanya was more tomboyish. She naturally excelled at sports and that was really cool too.

Overall, I was impressed by how much stunts these young actors did. The putty scenes were my favorite. We got to see the real actors (not costumed stunt doubles) do all their own stunts. They were all talented martial artists of various styles and masterful gymnasts. As the show progressed, so did the choreography. I can understand why the actors complained about not being paid enough.

Today, most of the newer Power Rangers shows don’t do their own stunts like the originals did. They’re a lot more flashier as well with explosions going off in every episode. Even though the budget is higher and the actors have more rights now, it doesn’t beat the nit and grit or the talent of the original Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers.

[badlydrawndrawnings]

Semi-formal critique/rant about a lack of  P1/P5 comparisons

When the first Persona 5 PV came out, there was a general agreed consensus that Persona 5 was going to be the Persona 2 duology (with Innocent Sin being the most compared Persona 2 game) of the modern games. This consensus grew more and more as more playable characters were introduced, character info was released, and certain gameplay elements were introduced, like demon negotiation and GUNS as a secondary ranged weapon.

That last one is more of a Persona 1/SMT gameplay element but whatever.

By the time of the game’s release, and with more people playing the game/watching let’s play and walkthroughs (and the anime, and the seemingly slow release of the official manga I can only occasionally find ~not Mementos Missions btw~), this consensus was and is still around. It’s not as strong as before, but it’s there. There are also some people that like to say the two games were handle the same way (with Innocent Sin once again being the most compared Persona 2 game) via characters and certain plot points. I actually made an old post about it, right here.

With the Japanese Release of Persona 5 Royal, these claims exponentially rose again to strong levels to where I literally wanted to go into Tim Barry’s Royal Stream chat and type ‘please stop talking about persona 2 and nyary please stop talking about persona 2 and nyary.’ Why? Because after watching much of Royal to the best of my ability, I come to the realize that, Persona 5 Royal at least, is trying to be the Persona 1 of the modern games. And fair warning, I will go into major spoilers for Royal in depths, based off what is known.

We have Reiji Kido and Goro Akechi, bastard children who revenge over their father is their main goal. Yet due to one factor being present (or absent), they show the different outcomes of their fates, one being able to move on after his revenge for thirst and live a normal life with his own family, while the other who fate is unknown (in Original Persona 5; Royal will be touch upon under the read more) as his revenge possibly costed his life.

We have Masao ‘Mark’ Inaba and Ryuji Sakamoto, two good teenagers who are momma’s boys and delinquents at their school. Yet the title of delinquent is either truthfully earn because of actual delinquent-like behavior that will lead to a future career, or a title gradually earned after an accident that costed a possible future career had it never happened at all.

We have Eriko ‘Elly’ Kirishima and Ann(e) Takamaki, both who are in fact one-fourth American models. Yet given how they appear so differently, it must have factor into how are treated by other student, with one looking more of the typical Japanese person she is deem odd mostly due to her ‘eccentricities’, the other appearing more foreign with blonde hair and blue eyes due to a chance of genetics she is treated unfairly due to rumors and enforcing negative stereotypes.

Once you get into the Royal Third Semester, the comparisons grow into new levels that took me by surprise.

For one, we have Kasumi Yoshizawa. Kasumi can be best describe as the love child/clone of Maki (with that red ribbon and some parts of her personality) and Naoya (P1′s Manga Protag’s background of sorts). For you see, Kasumi is not Kasumi. She is Sumire Yoshizawa, twin of Kasumi Yoshizawa. Sumire loves the real Kasumi, but the poor girl is envious of her older and much more talented sister. It grew and grew until Sumire is full with such negativity and hate with her life as how it is and how she is, Sumire couldn’t handle it anymore and decides to go into traffic to possibility kill herself.

And the real Kasumi dies trying to save her younger. Needing counselling for her depression and guilt of what happened, Sumire’s cognitive of herself change into her believing (with someone’s help, who I will discuss) she is Kasumi and lives her life as Kasumi. It’s only until the Third Semester does Sumire remembers the truth. It took awhile, but Sumire was able to overcome everything and awaken fully, with what appears to be Kasumi herself -that’s right a dead person- becoming Cendrillon. 

So one is wondering who the heck made Sumire believe she is Kasumi? It’s none other than Takuto Maruki! Everyone figured this man shouldn’t be trust, but oh boy. We weren’t expecting any of this sorts! For one, Takuto is a Persona User. Now, adult Persona Users are canon since the first game with Takahisa Kandori, but it’s Kandori we ought to focus on (and only Kandori in Persona 1).

Kandori is nothing like Takuto. Kandori is a business man through and through, being the head president of the Sebec Branch in Mikage-Cho. Both men believe it or not, have the same goal of sorts of imposing their ideal version of the world over reality with their own means, Takuto with his Persona Powers that sort became supercharge after Yabadadoo’s defeat by the PT, Kandori with the Deva System Sebec build.

Takuto honestly has good intentions, wanting a world where people can be happy without heartache and pain, which started when his former girlfriend had to go to the hospital after her parents died (in what I think was a burglary gone wrong). In fact, Takuto’s status as an antagonist is interesting. He knows the PT and has a Co-op/Confidant with Joker. While exploiting them for his research, he does so in his belief he is going to help them and everyone else because his way is the best. In fact, Takuto believes himself so much, he wants to make sure his ideal world will happen by trying stop Joker from sending a calling call by using Goro as one weird last resort.

Because according to Takuto, the real Goro is dead. The real Goro was taken hostage on Shido’s ship, but the destruction of the Palace pretty much doom Goro to a watery grave. Because of Joker’s unknowing wish to see Goro again (if you pick the right option), Takuto was able to use his powers to start the Third Semester on 12/24, the day where Joker canonically has to turn himself in. The Goro here is in effect, Dream!Goro who is eerily just like the real Goro. When Joker decides to listen to Dream!Goro of not accept the dream world and to accept reality as it is, that’s when Takuto takes out the big guns (aka, use his Persona). After losing to the PT via Personas, Takuto makes another go at it by almost became GOD by fusing with his Persona. When he goes back to his human self, Takuto fucking fights Joker in a fist fight and you pretty much ask yourself:  how many times do we have to teach you this lesson old man? But at the end, Takuto accepts it, and is given a second chance at life.

Kandori is just a selfish prick who only cares for himself. How much of a selfish prick? When the Deva System got attached to Maki’s subconscious and her Ideal World, Kandori decides to exploits Maki’s powers (via Aki, aka, Girl in Black) as a mean to his own end of becoming GOD. He also couldn’t give a shit about the P1 crew, hating them all and likes taunting them. Kandori couldn’t care less about his half bastard brother’s revenge goal, but comments Reiji does have that Kandori blood lol. 

And believe or not, Kandori is one of the few Persona villains to win. He actually achieves his dream of being God of a new world...and feels unfilled by it. By the time the Persona 1 crew confronts him, the man is particularly wishing for death because he has nothing else to live for since who knows how long his world can last. Kandori would have probably at surrender to them if Nanjo didn’t push Kandori into one last fight. Like Takuto, Kandori fuses with his Persona (though it’s not like he planned it), but he dies in this battle, pretty much as a empty man and as a possible warning of a wrong future.

Though Kandori gets the last word by revealing to the P1 crew that he isn’t the real person they should be focusing on. That goes to the real Maki, who is still sick in her bed (as it turns out, the Maki everyone is with is the Ideal Maki of real Maki’s dream, who is nothing like her).

(I forgot to mention it, but there’s also a brief moment on 12/31 when Joker dreams of an empty and dark Shujin Academy. It’s really similar to St. Hermelin during the parts the P1 crew have get lost travel through the school.)

With that being said about Royal, one can see what Persona 1 elements show up, how it works in both the original based game and Royal re-released, and the understand how Royal is trying to be the Persona 1 of modern Persona games. Yet people are still only taking about Persona 5 and how it’s like the Persona 2 duology (mainly Persona 2 Innocent Sin; I seen way too many people discuss in the Tim Barry chat how getting posses by your Persona came from IS but it was there since the first game).

And so I finally has to ask the question I thought I would never ask:  Why do Persona fans tend to not make P1/P5 comparisons? 

Is there something about Persona 1 that makes it easy to not make these comparisons? Like, I know the earlier games aren’t easy to play (especially one; I actually can’t play in First Person games in general because I get headaches from the format after half an hour or so of gameplay). That’s why the option to watch a let play walkthrough, reading the manga, listening to the audio drama, or do a combination of all the above exist. 

But is there’s something in Persona 1 in all of its materials, that makes it unworthy of talk like Persona 2 to be worthy of a comparison to Persona 5? I am in no means bashing the Persona 2 duology at all but I genuine want to know, without the need to cause discourse.We already have enough as it is. 

[purplefirekitty1]

A Game of Love and Unexpected Turns

It was an average night in the Sanders house hold Patton having a conversation with deceit and Remy with Logan overseeing the conversation, while Virgil snuggled up to Roman wanting to sleep on him before Roman smiles and announce to the outher's that he would like to play a game of truth or dare. To why do you want to play Truth or Dare all of a suddenly Virgil asked, looking up at Roman questionly. I just thought it would be fun also I don't know that much about Remy and I would like to fix that. Ok kiddo but why truth or dare and not something like 20 questions Patton asked knowing there was a deeper reason as to why truth or dare specifically. I just thought it would be more fun for everyone else to play Truth or Dare Roman said quickly as if he had prepared a response before hand.ok then I have no objection as long as we try to remain a tad bit kosher Logan said knowing that if he didn't we would have someone playing 7 minutes in heaven though they probably change that to be 30 I can speak for myself when I say I'm going to keep it as kosher as possible, teach Roman said confidently. I'm down to play Remy said a small jet loving smile plastered on his face. Deceit was the next to respond saying that he would be down to play but wanted to get sum hot cocoa mixed with coffee first. What an odd combination of drinks deceit thought if you don't mind I would love a cup of Coco as well Logan said as he turned to face the snake like side. No problem Logan, anyone else want anything deceit called from the kitchen. After about 20 minutes everyone had there drinks most had hot Coco except for Virgil,Deceit and Remy, Remy decided that he was going to get coffee while Virgil got a cup of tea with Passionflower, chamomile, lavender and catnip in it which he said helped him relax so no one minded the catnip. So who wants to start Roman asked eagerly. “I will,”Logan said to Roman's shock; he normally never goes first when they play truth or dare. ok that's new Roman said. I wanted to be a tad bit adventures so deceit truth or dare Logan said slyly. Truth I guess deceit said not knowing what to expect from the logical side. Ok then you've chosen wisely your truth is to tell us your sexuality Logan said with a smirk and turns to face Patton how was smiling his bright smile that makes Logan's heart melt. Ok that's not that bad I'm gay deceit states looking at Remy to see his reaction and to decets delight he was smiling. Ok my turn to ask humm how about Patton the cunning side smiled at his thought.I guess I'll pick dare the fatherly side said shaking a bit though not enough for anyone else to note. "Good choice my friend,I dare you to sing a Demi Lovato song to the group." The side of duality said eyes sparkling with happiness Can I sing this as a duet Patton said laced with fear. "You can, there's no problem" deceit said. Ok thanks Logan baby would you sing with me Patton said directing his attention to Logan. I will gladly sing with you me amor what song Logan said to Patton making microphones color coded for the two of them. I was thinking of the song Heart attack. Patton pulled out his phone and started the backing track. The boys Harmonized perfectly as if they had done this before. They hit the chorus when Patton got startled by two pairs of eyes staring at him from the hall and they weren't ones he recognized. Patton stood still trembling at what he sall.”Pops are you alright you trembling”. Roman says concerned , laced in his voice. Patton could bring himself to speak so he just pointed to the hall. Logan looks down the hall to see the eyes and he happens to recognize one of them. “Amy is that you,” Logan says, kinda shocked. “ Yes Logan it's me, it's been awhile since I saw you. You need to come visit more often,” Amy said coming into the room with a girl that looked like a demon. She had purple horns and splotches of purple all over her body. “Um do you two know each other?”Roman said looking at the two girls “Yes actually Logan and I met when he came to the psyche to see  the balance of  Thomas’s soul, im Amy by the way i'm Thomas’s femininity and this lovely lady is Lucia Thomas’s lust and i'm sorry if we scared you.” Amy said with an apologetic look on her face. “ It's no problem, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Patton. Would you like to join are game of truth or dare.” patton said excitedly. “I'm down, how about you Lucia? “ Amy said looking at Lucia ``I'm down to play but can I fix a cup of tea.” “ That's no problem, what kind of tea do you want? Virgil got up to go fix it.`` '' A Chamomile tea please and thank you.” Lucia smiled, she had finally found more people that accepted her and how she looked. “ Lucia her you go i'm virgil by the way” sh said handing her the cup of tea and smiling at her “ thank you virgil”  she smiled “ so it was patton's turn to ask in correct right” roman said “ Yep kido and i'm going to ask Lucia, truth or dare.” “Truth i suppose” Lucia said looking at Pattion “ ok where did you get the purple splotches that liter your body and by the way i think they're cute like decets snake scales.”patton states trying not to be rude or insensitive “ I was born with these splotches i think there meant to represent how lust can scare a person though i do areg with you they make me look bad ass” lucia looks down at her arm and smiles remembering her purpose and all that she is ment to do “wow that's deep.” virgil said “ ok let's move on deceit was it truth or dare” Lucia said look at defeat “ truth i guess” he turned to face Lucia roman got up and walked over to Lucia and whispered “ ask him who he has a crush on” “ ok decit how do you have a crush on'' Lucia ask with an innocent smile plastered on her face” i change my mind i pick dare” decit says he face a bright face “Ok i dare you to tell us how your crush is or you can kiss him if you want.” Lucia says her smile changing from innocent to a conniving smerck” ugg fin i will tell you i like remy there roman truth or dare.” deceit says very read and very defeatedly. Remmy looks at deceit with a look that says meet min in my room when this is over.“ I will pick dare.” roman says “ I dare you to play seven minutes in heaven with Virgil.” deceit says as he condjers up a closet for them to use “ ok roman grabs virgil and enters the closet. As shone as the door closed Roma grabbed Virgil and kissed him passionately causing Virgil to moan in pleasure. Roman bit Virgil's liyp asking for entrance which Virgil gladly gave him access as Roman explored Virgil's mouth they heard the door open slightly and Roman saw Lucia peeping into the closet Roman pulled away and exited with a rosie red blush dusting his face. "Did you too have fun." Lucia says  with a big smile on her face " we did and truth or dare Amy" Roman said a blush forming on his face." Dare" Amy said confidently "ok I dare you to sing something for us" Roman said snuggling up to vigil on the couch " that's nothing" she starts to sing "Call me the end of your world,Call me your genocide,Cause I’m a venomous girl,Just like a spider bite,I’m a relentless machine with no,emergency brake,To stop me,I’ll start by crawling inside,Like a parasite,You’ll feel your heart skip a beat,Just a couple times,You’ll think that you’ve found the one but,it’s your mind coming undone,Ripping slowly,Although I’m beautiful,Like a perfect dream,Inside my soul,There is a murder scene,I’m a creature who’s up to no good I’ll love you like, love you like a vampire would,I’ve been fang-using,Heart-bruising,It feels so good,To love you like, love you like a vampire would,I’ve been pray before, now I’m predator and I’m cold inside,Like a vampire,He was an animal with such a mad disease,They said to stay away, but damn he wanted me,And that was the day that my blood became infected,And I learnt it was kill or be killed again,Although I’m beautiful,Like a perfect dream,Inside my soul,There is a murder scene,I’m a creature who’s up to no good I’ll love you like, love you like a vampire would,I’ve been fang-using,Heart-bruising,It feels so good,To love you like, love you like a vampire would,I’ve been pray before, now I’m predator and I’m cold inside,Like a freezer door was left wide open Frostbite crept into my veins Crippled by a life so tragic can never love again Run away ‘cause I’m contagious You know that I can’t control this Instinct to feed,The hunter in me,I’m a creature who’s up to no good I’ll love you like, love you like a vampire would,,I’ve been ,fang-using,Heart-bruising,It feels so good To love you like, love you like a vampire would,I’ve been pray before, now I’m predator and I’m cold inside Like a vampire" she stops and everyone starts to clap "that's guys Remy truth or dare" Amy says with a small smile on her face "dare" Remy says sleepily "I dare you to kiss deceit" "ok" remy walks over a kisses Deiceit both bays are a blushing mess. "Lucia truth or dare" rem says trying to avoid deceit's gase  "dare"Lucia says"How about you sing something for us." Remy said hoping that it will help defuse the tension in the room "ok" Lucia says and starts to sing "I love you all but sometimes,You boys are way too much,Been gone too long and this place,Could use a female touch,Oh you've been waiting for me,Oh gosh you make me blush,Let the show begin,1 2 3 and 4,I got the taste for stardom and a set of horns,And then a 5 6 7 8,Give me the beat a mic and then get off the stage,And I will take it from here,So don't you have any fear,Your glowing darling angel star has,appeared,Yeah I'm the hand to your glove,Headlining act to your love,The little gift the devil sent from above,The show,Goes all night,Halo,Shines so bright,I'm your starlet,Brought to life,And summoned from the page,I crave,The limelight,Give me,The spotlight,'Cause you know,That they're all here to see,The angel of the stage,The angel of the stage,The angel of the stage." There you go, truth or dare Logan." Dare I guess" Logan says looking at Lucia then at Patton "I dare you to kiss Patton" Lucia says smiling "ok"Logan says and mumbles "for you pat" Logan walks up to Patton and french kisses him, her pulled away and says " how did you like that" "I greatly enjoyed it lo" Patton said to Logan a light blush appearing on his face. "Well as fun as this is me and Lucia need to head back to are Posts and y'all probably should get back to your jobs" Amy said grabbing Lucia and heading out. "See you two later, I will be taking Logan and heading to my room." Patton says "I think I will be doing the same" both Roman and deceit says looking at Virgil and Remy respectively.

[tsuki-kirigakure]

My Top 10 Voltage Men

I had a really hard time in doing this I can't choose. 😥 I'm probably gonna shuffle this again next time I do this because there are still tons of guys I haven’t added. 😅 I also took hours in making this because Tumblr is being a btxh and won’t let me save nor post this. 😒

Thanks for the tag @mandyinwonderland ♥

10th: Riki Yanase ♡ [Love Letter from Thief X]

Riki is one of the guys I've been very addicted to.  I would spend my days (if I'm not at school) and nights reading his stories. He kinds of come out as an arrogant guy but he's really sweet and loving and passionate about the people he loves. He would always make them happy and safe and would put them and their happiness first. 

9th: Huedhaut ♡ [Star Crossed Myth]

When I first saw the summary or the preview for Hue’s story, I knew that I had to read it and I wasn’t wrong. This guy is a snarky hot and smart guy which rules the Zodiac sign Aquarius. He makes the best wines and all but he’s broken and refused to acknowledge love again after losing you, the previous goddess of fate, the love of his life. He sacrificed one of the stars in his life to make sure that you live. His sarcastic and funny comments would make you laugh, his painful past with the goddess of fate would make you cry, but his sweet and flowery words and gestures would definitely make you swoon. I swear.

8th: Ryota Mochizuki ♡ [Our Private Homeroom]

Before I played this story I had reservations about playing this game. Since I wasn't fond of teacher-student relationships and only went for student-student and teacher-teacher types, but boy did this story proved me wrong. I was practically smitten with him for being such a cutie and A MATH TEACHER. HE LOVES MATH AND SO DO I. We instantly clicked y’know? What’s better is that he’s kind to all of his students and cheers them on and just shows how damn good of a teach he is. Then he can like see and recognize your hard work and would totally cheer you on when you’re losing faith on yourself. He would also prioritize you, your dreams and your happiness above anything and would sacrifice his job that he loves and fight for you.

7th: Kyohei Rikudoh ♡ [Scandal in the Spotlight]

BBY KYO ❤ THIS GUY MAKES THE ABSOLUTE BEST FRIED RICE APPARENTLY HEHE JUST A FUN FACT. It was love at first sight with this guy. He’s the sexiest man alive I think? Well that’s true for me at least hihi. Kyohei loves to tease you and do sweet things for you. He would sacrifice everything for you and always put you and your happiness first. He loves seeing you blush and smile and make all those “cute expressions”. He would protect, care, love and cherish those important to him. He’s strict with work but that’s because Revance is really important to him. He’s hot and he knows it. He loves spending time with you especially alone times hihi 😉 He may come off as arrogant to other people but really, he’s just a handsome and easily jealous cutie pie. ❤

6th: Toma Kiriya ♡ [Irresistible Mistakes]

HERE COMES ONE OF MY SNARKIEST MOST SARCASTIC BUT LOVING AND SWEET AND UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORTIVE CUTIE. He loves sugary drinks tbh he says it gives his brain the energy it needs. He loves to work and he’s good at what he does, usually handpicked for big projects. He’s unstoppable with MC beside him hihi. He’s so cute when he blush like he’s such a cutie pie. He’s probably the best guy to have a conversation with, like literally he cracks me up every time and makes me happy every time I see his face. I’m in love hihi. WHY CAN’T TOMA EXIST IN REAL LIFE?! HE’S JUST SO PERFECT.

5th: Tsumugu Kido ♡ [Our Two Bedroom Story]

Here comes my awkwardly cute, blushes easily when he says or does something sweet or bold or when MC does the same, king of tightwads. He’s what you would call stingy but it’s just because of how hard it was for them in the past. He’s good with his work and has a��“split-personality” hehe when he’s at work and at home. He loves the MC so much and knows how hard she works as well as how good she is at work but would never openly admit it in normal times. He’s such a cutie pie who loves strawberries and HIS SIBLINGS ARE SO CUTE AND PRETTY, sazuku being the cute and sakura and mizuki being the pretty ones. I love his puns and jokes. He loves seeing you happy and would be happy knowing that you are. HE’S SUCH A CUTIE I SWEAR BRO.  

4th: Izaac Martin ♥ [Gossip Girl Party]

YOU GUYS, DO YOU PEOPLE EVEN KNOW OR REMEMBER GOSSIP GIRL PARTY? BECAUSE I CERTAINLY DO. THIS GAME IS STILL AND WILL FOREVER BE IN MY HEART AND MIND AND NOTHING CAN EVER MAKE ME FORGET THIS ESPECIALLY MY BABY IZAAC. Y’KNOW SEEING THE FAREWELL MESSAGES THEY GAVE US WAS DEFINITELY HEARTBREAKING. I WAS FREAKING CRYING THE WHOLE ASJAKDDGDSNVKDJBVUD TIMES I READ THAT MESSAGE. WHY DID VOLTAGE HAVE TO REMOVE IT FROM GOOGLE PLAY? WHY CAN’T WE JUST KEEP THEM EVEN IF THEY WON’T UPDATE IT ANYMORE? 😭💔 But okay let me just say that Izaac is my forever babe even if I hated one of his stories that led me to uninstalling the app and reinstalling it again right away hehe. He’s like perfect. He would tease you with his words but would also say and do the sweetest things. He loves you so much and knows you so well. He’ll support you in the things you wanna do and he’d be really proud of you. I love this guy so much you know and I miss him so bad 😭💔

3rd: My Forevs Inspiration and Smexiest Cool Baby, Kiyohito Shirakami ♥ [Kings of Paradise]

OMG BABY KIYO OKAY HERE IT GOES WE’RE DOWN TO MY TOP 3. Kiyo is what would seem to be cold and indifferent. He would also be considered as strict and is like a robot who constantly works and doesn’t feel or show feelings at all. That’s what I thought at first too but his harsh words are actually very sweet in his own ways because he believes in you. He doesn’t want you to be sad and wants you to regain the confidence you lost. His story has inspired me to overcome my anxiety and do my best in the things I thought I couldn’t do. He would tell MC to decide on her own and he would grade her as well as to go beyond because she can. The story doesn’t just revolve around sweet stuffs tbh it also includes growth in both Kiyo and MC and it’s one of the best y’know. Kiyo also loves it when MC is being honest with him and is greedy with him as well. His ways have truly changed MC and you guys his story is really meaningful. And bro age doesn’t really matter here. I even forgot that Kiyo is younger than MC. hihi. 

2nd: My Precious Hot Ninja, Saizo Kirigakure ♥ [Samurai Love Ballad Party]

OKAY LAST TWO WOHOO HERE COMES MY BABE SAIZO!!!!! Okay so this guy is one of the best. He freaking write smuts HAHAHAHAHAHA kidding aside you guys saizo would seem like a cold, heartless killing machine but that’s because he was trained to be like that. He was trained in Iga to be a fearless killing machine that would carry out missions without feeling anything. But HAVE YOU GUYS EVER READ HIS POVS?!?!?!?! BRO THAT IS NOT HOW AN EMOTIONLESS KILLING MACHINE IS BRO HE’S SO SWEET AND PRECIOUS AND WOULD GIVE AWAY HIS LIFE FOR MC EVEN IF OFC WE DON’T WANT THAT! I WOULD NEVER WANT TO SEE MY BABY DIE LIKE I WOULD CRY AND MY WORLD WOULD STOP SPINNING AGAIN @voltageparty pls don’t do anything stupid. And so Saizo loves his little lady so much even if he doesn’t say it often but he would let you feel it. Your smile would brighten up his day and maybe even his life. You’re the only reason he wants to live because he wants to go home to you. He always wants you to be safe and happy. Baby ninja, always remember that the moon is beautiful. ❤

1st and would probably be always my first, the King, Eisuke Ichinomiya ♥ [Kissed by The Baddest Bidder]

AND HERE WE ARE TO MY FOREVER BABE EVER SINCE IT WAS RELEASED. Yes you read it right, I just fell in love with him before the game was released because at that time I thought that game was too mature for my age when I based it off their trailer. But I still tried it hehe Eisuke is known as the “King”. He owns the Tres Spades Hotel and the head of the Ichinomiya Group. He’s aloof, bossy and isn’t the type to be full on honest but he has a kind heart. He’s DEFINITELY HANDSOME and is a great leader and businessman. Despite his heartless facade, women would always surround him and beg for his attention even if he wouldn’t pay attention to them. He’s easy to misunderstand for being cruel and ruthless, but don’t be fooled, he’s doing things for a good reason.During his first season tho, he thought of you as a pawn, just something that he owns to be used, but the character development after passing through that phase was definitely tear-jerking and heart melting, all in a good way of course.  Another thing that I love about Eisuke is how his stories understands and helps solving one of the social problems in the world, shaming people, both physically, emotionally and also mentally. It has helped not only me, but many other people out there to love and accept who they are and that they don’t need to change and just be themselves. I’m really glad that I got to meet and fall in love with Eisuke for this long. He has and will always have a special place in my heart. The moon is beautiful, Eisuke and it will always be. ❤

I'm still wondering why people hate Eisuke like why

[koushirouizumi]

Digimon Adventure(s) Taishiro(u) songfic/parody: REPEAT?_ + Koushiro’s Theory of HAPPINESS

Title: KOUSHIRO’S T h e o r y of HAPPINESS Fandom: Digimon Adventure(s) Character(s): Koushiro Izumi, Yoshie Izumi, Izumi Family (mentioned); hints of the Chosen Children (end & in endnotes) Pairing(s): Taichi Yagami x Koushirou Izumi [Taishiro(u)] (implied throughout) [especially Taishiro(u) in the fic, throughout] Parodied from: K@gerou//Project (w/slashes removed) lyrics mostly (C) Jin Notes: It’s something of an extended parody for my Taishiro ficverse REPEAT?_ Warnings: PLEASE read ANY AND ALL WARNINGS/NOTES for the ficverse first before reading this! This songfic of sorts minimally spoils at least up to the 3rd chapter of the story. However, this song parody/songfic of sorts could also be seen as something like an alternative “introduction”... ... ... (I’M. SORRY) [ you can also click the ‘read more’ and jump first to the end of the page + then scroll up a bit to see additional warning for this particular installment! ]

“    What I THOUGHT BACK on was, AGAIN, MY FAMILY ;    ” [ " This is YOUR HOME, so make yourself comfortable, KOUSHIRO ! " ]

THIS is the vocal version of the cover that inspired me! THIS is the piano arrangement cover version I was listening when editing this. If you pagebottom to the end of the post, a different piano cover with the Kage//pro video is linked as well (this second piano cover mentioned keeps the main lyric’s melody line in tact, though it is also a bit faster too.) here is a version actually sung by THE COMPOSER OF THE SERIES ( he may not be the best singer but it’s the creator of the series pls respect him ok HE TRIES ) (PLEASE READ THE WARNINGS ABOVE IT IF YOU WATCH HOWEVER)

[ AND, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO ... ]

ORIGINAL VIDEO/SONG LINK: HERE + at bottom of post

                    KOUSHIRO’S T h e o r y of HAPPINESS

What I THOUGHT BACK on was, AGAIN, MY FAMILY ; [ " This is YOUR HOME, so make yourself comfortable, Koushiro ! " ] In [a LITTLE PLACE] with [red?] [brick?] walls, He mutters to himself, as if making SECRET PLANS In the [ PURE BLACK EYES ] BROUGHT HERE Lies a past he has HIDDEN FROM       A D U L T S With [ embarrassment ? ] F E A R in HIS EYES, he [ mutters ] SAYS CRIES " I'M SCARED " [" I'm JUST A MONSTER ! "] So I TELL HIM, " DON’T BE ! " [" THAT’S NOT TRUE AT ALL !!! "] " RED is THE COLOR OF A H E R O, so there's no need to be afraid ! " [ " YELLOW is THE COLOR OF THE SUN'S RAYS, so YOU'LL DEFINITELY BE OKAY !..... " ] ..Wondering what he would find fun, I am ACTING the " M O T H E R " a g a i n " Hey, LOOK ! " [ HE ? ] [ I ?? ? ] wrapped [himself?] [ m y s e l f ] in [RED?] [antics]; [RED?] [YELLOW??] [scarf?] [C A P E?] " We're like SECRET AGENTS ! " DYED in [ MADDER RED? ] , we'll B E G I N , even if we're merely P L A Y I N G  H E R O E S " As long as we can manage just a little smile... " We will  BE    FAMILY    STILL      TODAY I PRAY for HAPPINESS in THE FUTURE AHEAD , so HOWEVER SAD it may be... " Now keep this A SECRET ! " The sun sets with us LAUGHING . ... The SPRING breeze blows, and the now-ADULT world Is i r r a t i o n a l l y bent, as if conspired to be The thick and faded tears of [loved ones?]   [ H I M ] Go UNNOTICED BY ALL, turning B L A C K Things had GONE CRAZY, but by the time I NOTICED, I could NOT TELL A N Y O N E " No, NO, I DON’T WANT TO BE DESTROYED ! " ... There CAME A WORLD where HAPPINESS ENDS . " [ RED c o l o r ], PLEASE. N O M O R E; DON’T BRING RUIN TO ANYONE ELSE’S F U T U R E . " I thought as I CRIED again, keeping it HIDDEN WITH A SMILE " ... IF    I    HAD [   T H A T  ... RED ?   ]    M Y S E L F  , could I S A V E S O M E O N E ‘ S F U T U R E ? " AWKWARD and SHAMEFUL , this is my L O N E L Y  P L A N ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... Now that I ‘ M G O N E , I WONDER IF                                         [    M Y  F A M I L Y    ] Are S T I L L G E T T I N G A L O N G , and SMILING TOGETHER ? I ‘ M S U R E they must be UPSET WITH ME --- But I W O N D E R  I F  I  H A V E  B E C O M E                                       ///      "   THEIR SON   "      ///

                                                    [ F A M I L Y ] ... N O W .

[ T A I C H I - S A N & MIMI-SAN ] Please try to    REMEMBER       THAT WORD      I   L O V E D;

                                    [ C H O S E N C H I L D R E N ] "   H A P P I N E S S   "   is    a       C U R I O U S          T H I N G  ,

                                               [ K O U S H I R O ] SO I HOPE Y O U    CAN    L O V E T    O    M    O    R    R    O    W       ... ... ... ... ... ... 

  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...

REPEAT?_

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NOTES:

- I’M SORRY - I HATE KAGE//PROS FOR DOING THIS TOO I’M SORRY - NO IT’S STILL NOT A DIRECT PARODY BUT EXTREMELY INSPIRED W/THIS ONE - if you can’t quite tell, the first verse began as Mrs./Yoshie Izumi before eventually switching to Koushiro’s POV in the second verse! - in the original video, by the second verse, Kagepro’s plot kicks in MUCH MORE IN GEAR aaand yeah STILL NOT A DIRECT PARODY - SO PLS DON’T THINK IT IS - STILL HEAVILY INSPIRED but yeah you can discount most of the second verse visual plot-wise - unless you really want to torture yourself with imagery of tiny sad!Koushiro crying alone LITERALLY WHY - DON’T WORRY THOUGH MR. IZUMI IS V. NOT INVOLVED LIKE THAT HERE - WHY IS KAGE//PROS LIKE THAT I STG

- the reason why the lyrics alternate between: [RED?] [YELLOW??] [scarf?] [C A P E?] -- is because this is more Kage//pros specific imageries and yeahh I don’t want the exact same thing for Koushiro visually in most of main REPEAT?_ BUT - MENTAL IMAGERY wise IT CAN STILL BE A THING - IN THE VARIOUS FORMS MENTIONED - BUT I WAS THINKING “CAPE” MORE BECAUSE OF A CERTAIN

^ WOW HI WHO ARE YOU H U H WOW THAT’S SOME. CAPE. CAPE - MAYBE KOUSHIRO COULD ALSO HOWEVER WRAP IT AROUND HIMSELF LIKE A SCARF - BUT V-TAMER TAICHI’S CAPE WAS YELLOW YEAH - AND I STILL DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT V-TAMER ITSELF - EXCEPT IT GETS VERY DRAMATIC TOO - BUT MAYBE KOUSHIRO IN SOME ‘VERSES COULD ALSO WRAP “IT” AS A SCARF FOR HIMSELF YEAH - ..... MAYBE EVEN A. BLACK(ISH-GREY). SCARF. - FOR REASONS - ... MAYBE IT CHANGES COLORS (IDEK)

- I’M SORRY AGAIN - FEELINGS HATE ME - however this one is kinda really hard to parody without arts skills myself besides amv making so ;; ;; probably won’t be able to make anything amv-wise for this kind of thing for a super long while.....

- STILL THOUGH I HAD TO GET THE FEELINGS OUT WHY THIS - MRS IZUMI MY LOVE YOSHIE-MAMA I LOVE YOU - KOUSHIRO VOICE YELLING ‘ I LOVE YOU ’ - I DEFINITELY DO NOT WANT YOSHIE TO BECOME AYANO THOUGH N O

- ...... she probably already kinda involved herself though in some parts - ....... i’m sorry - WARNINGS (+ FOR REPEATVERSE): - IMPLIED/ATTEMPTED (KEY WORD: ATTEMPTED) SELF-SACRIFICE/’DEATH’ (ESPECIALLY IN KAGE//PROS) - HOWEVER. This is. Well. See REPEAT?_ infos too and YEAH. - IT DOESN’T WORK OUT EXACTLY AS THEY PLANNED..... - I PROMISE IT GETS BETTER ;; ;; ;; ;; ;; ;; ;; ;; (I ..... PROMISE)

WARNINGS FOR THE KAGE//PROS VIDEO: - IMPLICATIONS OF past child abuse (I’M SO SORRY FOR KAGE//PROS) [ this happens for a line spanning about 10 seconds ] - blonde haired boy Kano suffered from child abuse from a past family member. - black haired boy Seto suffers from being bullied as a child by various neighborhood kids - green haired/short haired girl Kido came from a very strict family / mainly her biological father. This ‘father’ was ... neglectful/emotionally abusive in ways (I’m so sorry for Kage//pros) he eventually ends up trying to kill her + her older sister + himself in a fire. She well. (Yeah. She survives. 7TH NOVEL SPOILERS) - the one visible though is actually not the father but more like a butler/maid from the same ‘house’ according to the author in old tweets. - there is nothing more said about that and hope to god it stays that way because. yeah. yeah - basically Kage//pros has MANY warnings re ‘deaths’ PLEASE TREAD VERY CAREFULLY AND ONLY IF YOU THINK YOU CAN HANDLE PLOT-RELATED DETAILS LIKE THAT - they are not actually ‘adopted’ by the way, technically it’s ‘fostered’ (confirmed via Japanese kanji in the original version). I don’t want to debate Kage//pros here though yeah, just mentioning that quickly since it’s important to not get confused with Kage//pros plot orz (many people will debate this though and I understand why but. yeah. technically it’s not official for many maaany plot reasons and yes the official English version definitely mistranslated it orz why this) (just saying: in Japan, when adopted, your surname has to legally change to your adopted family’s surname. The kids’ surnames do not change in Kage//pros canon and the implication is that thegirls’parents’bothdied beforeitcouldhappenyeah. This was pointed out by a Japanese translator so yeah...) [plus her doing what she does at the end kinda screws a lot up y e a h] - NO THIS PART DETAILED ABOVE RE: KAGE//PROS PLOT VERY MUCH DOES NOT RELATE TO THIS STORY GOD NO -  IZUMIS ARE THE GOOD ADOPTIVE PARENTS AND I’M KEEPING IT THAT WAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH - KOUSHIRO’S BIOLOGICAL PARENTS TOO - BUT YEAH THOSE WARNINGS ARE SPECIFIC TO KAGE//PROS THOUGH IF YOU WATCH THE VIDEO I’M SORRY - this is mainly in the first verse during the “brough here...” line - you can kinda cover your eyes at that part and just listen if you’d like though?? - in the second verse it’s heavily implied the girl’s own father is going mentally downhill (this is due to heavy plot spoiler reasons) - (this is a pretty initial spoiler but. his wife also dies - this is related via the second verse of the song, her photo is seen) - he basically ends up discovering plot things and - experiments ... on the girl singings’ classmates/friends ... uhhhh yeah (I’M SORRY FOR KAGE//PROS) - (IT’S NOT REALLY ‘HIM’ THOUGH.....) - this is why SHE’S TRYING TO STOP IT later on in the song - THIS ALSO VERY MUCH DOES NOT RELATE TO MY FICVERSE [BEING SERIOUS HERE]

^ an alternative piano version, albeit a bit faster!

^ this is the original video / song! (PLEASE TREAD WITH CAUTION) (BUT if you’re comfortable with such plot things) (THIS WORKS WELL FOR MAXIMUM FEELINGS) [ AND IT’S HONESTLY A GORGEOUS SONG/VIDEO ] [ AYANO’S A GORGEOUS CHARACTER TOO OK ]

[bleachlists2]

My Top Ten Bleach Ships

Requested by Anon :)

I have a lot of Bleach ships, and too many for me to list here! I might make a part 2 in the future, but for now, here is a list of my ten favourite Bleach ships, just as a way for everyone to get to know me.  Let’s start with number 10!

10) AiShin (Aizen x Shinji)

Oh, the dynamics between these two! I’m not gonna lie, there is something quite appealing about this ship, but I can’t really explain what it is. Is it the implication that Aizen actually likes Shinji? Is it simply because they just look good together? I honestly don’t know, but I will admit that I like to ship them sometimes.

9) AiIchi (Aizen x Ichigo)

This ship is a guilty pleasure for me, honestly. Again, I can’t really explain why exactly I ship these two, but it just is quite appealing for me. I’ll admit, I also saw some fanart of these two that were quite beautiful and before I knew it, I found myself shipping this in addition to the many other ships I have. But yeah, guilty pleasure.

8) ByaHime (Byakuya x Orihime)

I’ll bet this one is a surprise, isn’t it? Yes, I actually do ship Byakuya and Orihime together sometimes. There’s something so adorable about cold and aloof Byakuya being shipped together with the sweet and cute Orihime, and some fanfictions have definitely helped in my view of this ship! Sure, Orihime may be a bit too quirky, but I can totally see Byakuya slowly growing fond of her and her growing fond of him too. So yeah, I like this ship as well.

7) RenIchi (Renji x Ichigo)

These two are quite shippy in both canon and in the anime fillers, so is it any wonder that I ship them? I already have a headcanon that Ichigo has a small crush on Renji and looks up to him a little bit, and that gradually evolves from an admittedly-adorable crush to a romantic relationship. They’re both strong-willed, incredibly loyal, and they’re total sweethearts despite looking like punks who could kill you. So I definitely ship them a lot!

6) RoseKira (Rose x Kira)

This is such a rare ship but I still love it quite a bit, honestly. I mean, we have Kira, who has been reduced to a shell of his former self from his years serving under Gin, who abused him both mentally and psychologically. Then we have Rose, who is trying to rebuild his former squad after they’ve been shattered by Gin’s betrayal. I can see Rose trying to build a tentative friendship with Kira and gradually getting him to trust him and open up a little, and while Kira is a little reluctant, he slowly starts to trust him again and eventually they fall in love with one another. I do wish this ship had more shippers, I’d love to see more works about the two of them falling in love!

5) IshiNemu (Ishida x Nemu)

Remember back in the Soul Society Arc, when Nemu offered Ishida some antidote for poison after his taxing fight against Kurotsuchi Mayuri? Remember how horrified Ishida was to see Nemu getting kicked around by her own captain and father? For me, this was the beginning of something beautiful. I really adore this ship because both Ishida and Nemu have a few things in common: they both have not-so-good relationships with their fathers, they’re both quite loyal, and they’re both dedicated. And besides, Ishida would be the sweetest boyfriend to Nemu: making her lots of new clothes, taking her out on romantic dates... just imagine it. It’s really sweet.

4) IchiIshi (Ichigo x Ishida)

Yes, I totally ship these two as well. For all of Ishida’s talk about how Quincy and Shinigami are enemies and how he refuses to be associated with the Shinigami, he does not hesitate to get involved and help Ichigo out. And they both have some things in common: they’re loyal, they’ve both lost their moms, and they’d go to hell and back for their friends. Not to mention, they care about each other much more than they’d like to admit, so they just need to hurry up and get together already.

3) RukiHime (Rukia x Orihime)

I adore these two together. Who needs girl hate and rivalry over the same guy when they can just be totally adorable together? Besides, it’s already canon that Rukia and Orihime care about each other quite a bit; hell, Rukia is the one who tells Orihime that she is strong and that she is important! And besides, Rukia literally crawled through her own blood trying to save Orihime. If that’s not shippy, then I don’t know what else it can be. So forget all the Orihime-bashing and Rukia-bashing; let’s let our girls love each other!

2) IchiHime (Ichigo x Orihime)

I know I might lose followers for this, but I absolutely love Ichihime (of course, not as much as my number one ship, but definitely a lot). Ichigo definitely cares a lot about Orihime, and Orihime has always loved Ichigo even before he gained his Shinigami powers. In fact, that moment when Ichigo literally came back to life to protect Orihime when he heard her crying out for him, that just sealed it for me. But there’s also the fact that Ichigo always becomes softer whenever he sees Orihime, he never scowls or frowns around her unless she’s in danger, and there’s also how Orihime is always so reassuring of Ichigo. They complement each other in their own ways and bring out the best in each other, and I’ll never grow tired of seeing them together.

1) ByaRen/RenBya (Renji x Byakuya)

Yes, this is my all-time favourite ship in Bleach. Funny thing, because I always like imagining angsty scenarios for them (then again, I’m a masochist, lol). I’ve always been a sucker for class-difference romances, so this isn’t too big of a surprise for me. I’ve always liked the image of high-class Byakuya falling in love with poor boy Renji, but there’s also the dynamics between them. Not just the class difference, but the fact that Byakuya is a captain and Renji is his lieutenant, so there is a power imbalance, for sure. Even then, Renji is everything that Byakuya needs; he’s passionate, loyal, caring, and a total sweetheart. The fateful hospital scene is what made me start shipping it, honestly, because it really establishes Renji’s loyalty to Byakuya and that he was willing to try and build a proper relationship with him as superior and subordinate. Sure, I think there were some rough patches for the both of them, mainly with Renji still being a little upset about being pinned to the spot with Kido before being nearly sliced and diced by Byakuya’s Bankai while Byakuya feels guilt for how he’d treated Renji up until then, but things worked out in the end and it eventually blossomed into a beautiful romance. Yeah, I’m kind of a romantic at heart.

[fuckyeahkagepro]

( alternate link for the above [a Japanese users’ comparison]: here ) Kagerou Project History / Theories / Questions / Comparisons -> Souzou Forest (“Imagination Forest”) vs. Kuusou Forest (“Fantasy Forest”) & Mekakushi Trio, Shounen Brave -> Outer Science, -> Mary’s Imaginary World ....

[ + What’s the deal with Kano not being there (in EITHER version)?! or: ]

( ^ I don’t see a Kano here, do you? ) [ Seto wasn’t even redesigned until later ?! ] [ and Kido’s face wasn’t even shown (left), yet she was there?! in both?! ] [ .... wait, Kano was created IN BETWEEN these two videos?! ] [ and -- wait, Kano didn’t even exist when Imagination Forest was created ??! ] [ does that mean ... there could, possibly, eventually be a timeline ... where ... ] [ KANO (OR SETO) DOESN’T EXIST WITHIN THE MEKAKUSHI TRIO?!? ]

[ Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes -- and yes?! (....maybe?!) ]

- Souzou Forest (“Imagination Forest”) was released on January 31, 2012. - This was the very first debut of Mary and (young) Seto. - These music videos were created / illustrated by Wannyanpuu. Wannyanpuu is also the character designer for Mary Kozakura. She also designed Momo Kisaragi, created the music video for and illustrated Kisaragi Attention, and contributed to many other factors of Kagepro after (Hiyori Asahina’s potential design concept, the Kagerou Days/Daze storyline and their previous fanmade music video / pv, Konoha’s State of the World music video [with Sidu], Otsukimi Recital.....) - If you compare the two videos you’ll note a handful of differences, including but not limited to the way Seto covers Mary with her cloak/hoodie. - Imagination Forest was also the very first debut of (the preview of) Tsubomi Kido’s redesign, now in more full color. At the time, Kido’s gender was still completely vague. The official website hadn’t yet opened, the Children Record booklet with initial profiles hadn’t yet been released, and Kido’s lower half wasn’t shown in full (redesigned). Misattributions of references to Shintaro Kisaragi in Mekakushi Code’s lyrics (“18 year old hikikomori NEET”, and such)  meant more confusion about Kido’s gender / Kido being assumed to be a boy, even in the Japanese fandom. - Kano wouldn’t later debut until Kisaragi Attention’s music video / pv, now debuting together with the full view of the redesigned Kido. - Around this time is also when the official website was first opened, finally clearing confusions re: things like Kido’s gender, and initial character profiles. - At the time, anything to do with Ayano (pretty much) outside of Toumei Answers’ music video / pv had not yet been revealed / released. Toumei Answer also wouldn’t be released until the Mekakucity Days cd album.

-Seto, in these two music videos, appears very differently. In “Souzou” / Imagination, he is mostly seen while still young, or young-appearing. His full outfit / “taller” redesign hadn’t yet been made. You can barely see Seto’s eyes at all in the entire pv, as they are closed or hidden almost the entire time. - Seto in “Souzou” appeared to hold out what looked like, at the time, a music player or mp3 player, playing actual music. In “Kuusou” it looks a little more obviously like a cell phone. He appeared to still play music for Mary to hear, as opposed to the current Manga Route. - (In the Manga Route, she instead hears text message notifications from a younger Kido, Kano, and Ayano and is startled. From there, almost the entire course of Manga Route changes the dynamics of the Trio.) - (younger Kido, Kano and Ayano hadn’t even been designed yet as of Imagination Forest’s video.) - reminders: when Imagination Forest first debuted, Kano hadn’t existed yet, and neither had Ayano, much less her concept or related storylines concerning the Trio. They literally did not exist at the time. At all. (to the fanbase, anyway.) Why is this important re: timelines?! [THEORY]: Manga Route 1:

ch. 08 - Souzou Forest I ch. 09.5 - Mary’s Imaginary World [ NOT LONG AFTER, INSERT: ROUTE RESET ] [ no thanks, Snake of Clearing Eyes & Mary ] [ no thanks, the entire Mekakushi Dan & Seto dying by Clearing ] Manga Route 2: .... ..... .... [insert in between chapters, until .... ] ch. 24 - Shounen Brave ch. 25 - Shounen Brave II ch. 26 - Kuusou Forest I-1 ch. 27 - Kuusou Forest I-2 ch. 28 - Kuusou Forest II ch. 29 - Kuusou Forest III ch. 30 - Kaien Panzermast I [ ^ there is no further “Souzou Forest” chapters after the “I” in Manga Route 1. ] ..... “oh” ..... ????? Real World Timeline: [2012] - Souzou Forest / Imagination Forest (pv): January 31, 2012 - Konoha’s State of the World: March 30, 2012 [young Kano & Kido’s debut ][*note: Seto’s redesign was shown in silhouette form for the first time, but he was not pictured with the trio at the orphanage. Ayano also debuts here design-wise for the very first time. Most of Ayano’s storyline had barely seemed created yet. ] - Kuusou Forest / Fantasy Forest (pv): May 18, 2012 - Kisaragi Attention (pv): May 27, 2012 [Kano’s debut, design wise] [*apparently, the novel had been written around/by this time] [*the scene where Momo meets the Mekakushi Dan was said to be related in Novel 1, despite this song being a part of Music Route and not Novels Route. ] - after: most other music videos / pvs, debuting in chronological order until/through (and into 2013): - Mekakucity Days (cd album) [w/Toumei Answer]: May 30, 2012 - Kagerou Daze - in a daze - (Novel 1): May 30, 2012 [Japanese] [* Kano’s personality / storyline first begins being unveiled here. ] - Kagerou Daze manga begins - June 15, 2012 [2013] - Souzou Forest I manga chapter - March 27, 2013 - Mary’s Imaginary World manga chapter 9.5 - around May 27, 2013 - Mekakucity Records (cd album) - May 29, 2013 [ * Outer Science and Mary’s Imaginary World premiere audio-wise. ] [ * also included: “Summer Endroll” and “Crying Prologue” instrumentals ] - Outer Science (pv) - August 31, 2013 [ ^ ... MUSIC ROUTE RESET ] - Kagerou Daze I manga chapter - November 15, 2013 [ ^ MANGA ROUTE 1 ENDS by means of Saeru (as “Kuroha”). RESET ] [ ^ MANGA ROUTE 2, the current manga Route, begins. ] - Shounen Brave (pv) - December 25, 2013 [Japan preview] - Mekakucity Actors anime: announced for literally the very first time along with / during Shounen Brave’s pv debut. Hasn’t even aired yet (until much later).

BONUS: - Shounen Brave was ALWAYS listed as “Episode ?” by Kagepro creator Jin.

[ “Are you afraid of [‘hearts’]? “Do you lack the courage to change tomorrow ?” ] ( note: the paralleled younger Seto + older Seto’s. ) ( NOTE: THE 3:35 TIMESTAMP, in the above video ) ( note: only Kido is still seen at the end. no Kano. ) “The crouching girl said, Yesterday, today, and the day before yesterday I had a dream that this wide world was easily crumbled.” Kido & Kano in Konoha’s State of the World [ note the lack of young Seto ]:

[ also note the totally different looking “Ayaka Tateyama”: ] [ (who also hadn’t been redesigned yet, much less had storyline) ] [* Ayano was shown here to the fanbase for only the literal first time]

[ ^ Seto’s full redesign is only previewed in silhouette. ] [ but why isn’t he seen at the orphanage here with the trio ??? ]

[ ^ note young Kido looks very different here as well. ] [ she does not have a “hime-cut” type of hairstyle and wears her hood already. ] [ * (the redesigned young Kido wouldn’t appear until Yobanashi Deceive’s pv.) ] [ she’s even smiling openly! ] [ ( you can barely even tell that’s “Ayaka” ..... ) ]

[ ok, but. if Seto was supposed to exist at the orphanage BEFORE them ... ] [ WHY ISN’T HE SHOWN THERE ?!? ] [ was it just because “spoilers” or ..... “SPOILERS” ?? ]

( + bonus Kisaragi Attention Kido & Kano (+ later Seto) under the read more! ) ( + ... Shounen Brave / Music Route theories ! )

[ ^ the opening! Kano is literally first seen this way (haha). ] [ also including: Seto’s full redesign, Kido’s full redesign ] (reminder: the FOLLOWING SCENE (Momo meeting the Dan) is relating early NOVELS ROUTE [Novel 1] particularly, despite occuring within MUSIC ROUTE pv-wise.) (timelines order: Music [+extra] -> Manga -> Novels and/or MCA) (MCA: ‘closest to the latter’)

[ ^ cancelling out Kano’s power. ]

(later..... [back to Music Route?])

[FULL MUSIC ROUTE TIMELINE (HERE)] (”The events in each time period are ordered in numbers. If there are multiple events with the same number within the same time period, this indicates that the events takes place in the same time”) [ ok but WHAT IF, IN A PARALLELED ? MUSIC ROUTE TIMELINE ..... ]

[ basically: - just like how young Kano met Ayano BEFORE encountering the Daze (^ in “The Deceiving”, Novel 5) - could young Seto have met Mary *AROUND encountering the Daze, too ?! ] [ in a PARALLELED TIMELINE(S) perhaps ?? ]

[blueshipstealstars]

YOOO how about some headcanons abt ur Bleach SI?? Like their relationship w other characters, their general personality, how strong are they compared to the main cast, their bankai?? (Btw I'm LIVING for ur SI design she's very cute😳)

SOBS I’M GLAD YOU LIKE HER I’ve using her to live my dream to have pinkish hair tbh (prove to myself it would be a cute choice for to me to make one day)And OH Boi do I have a lot of stuff for her so I hope you’re ready for a wall of text!Personality

Is there anywhere term for a lil shit?

Some tropes that relate to her:

Sour outside, sad inside - Literally her goal is to be rude and distant to get people to leave her alone, especially other shinigamis who want her to fight with them

Training the gift of magic - Her focus on Kido and the spells you can learn is something she hasn’t truly dropped over the years

Sincerity mode - Shockingly sincere and kind to those she knows needs it in the moment or when she’s more willing to be honest. But often it just comes off…not sincere at all based on who she is.

No lie, she’s made of majority of sass and blunt commentary. She can be considered a negative optimist in most pleasant cases. Often coming off as an angry mother hen, she refuses to fight for the longest time, or even exit her gigai. Preferring to seal away her power and zanpakuto but not discarding it as she can still be seen using her Kido skills while in her gigai and always carrying her sword in a tiny toy looking keychain. But she will let you think what you will of her if you make assumptions of why she’s hiding even then danger arises. “It’s not my problem, think what you will of me.”

A lot of her base behavior is rooted into her past and to understand that you have to understand what happened to her 40+ years prior to the start of the series. she caused the death of someone she trusted and blamed her bankai since it was the literal cause. Cursing her powers and herself for hurting people dear to her she fled to the living world to try and clear her head. Eventually meeting Urahara and literally just losing track of time being happier there with him and his shop doing small things and painting her emotions into the canvas.

This obviously changes over the series and she becomes more “helpful” to the causes that pop up but she never truly drops her rough attitude towards most people.

Relationships

Urahara & co - Her employer of sorts

Urahara is the one who helped her when she was down and lost with herself. She’s been working for him for a long time and it shows based on their relationship. It’s both one where she threatens to beat him for acting unfavorably or slacking but also she highly respects and trusts him. One of the rare people she would stick her neck out for. She’s also learned a thing or two from him as well.

Ururu & Jinta are both troublesome and charming to her. She’s not above scolding them for acting up (Jinta especially) but tries to make sure they don’t get into troublesome/dangerous situations if she can help it. Jinta likes to act as if he’s her boss which results in a broom to the head most times.

Tsukabishi is probably the easiest for her to get along with mostly because he respects her space and she respects him. Especially considering he was the former Captain of the Kido Corps which has resulted in her pestering for input on her own Kido skills and work.

Ichigo & co - Bunch of crazy kids she sometimes associates with

Ichigo is problematic and overworks himself and his position in the universe. She’s not a fan of the hero types but really over time it just becomes concern and motherly worry for him.

Orihime is both a doll but also troublesome. She’s a sweet girl but also somewhat of a naive person and that can rub her the wrong way.

Ishida is the one she knows the least and instinctually the one she will avoid the most.

Chad is the only normal and least annoying one to her.

Majority of other shinigami - Part memories of foolish people

Rukia & Toshiro are two she finds amusing since are both small, work orientated, and ice powered, she holds some respect for them over time.

Renji is one of the more interesting people she can butt heads with in a more friendly way. She does better with people she can push a bit but knows which buttons to not press.

Yumichika & Ikkaku are sometimes paired in her mind because they are usually found together. She likes to give Ikkaku a hard time and call him names but in reality she knows he’s stronger than her and actually likes the look of his bankai. Yumichika has style that she admires but wishes he could expand that and make Ikkaku wear better things.

Hisagi & Rangiku are just more in her age bracket. While she is familiar with Hisagi thanks to the academy and didn’t mind his company they obviously lost touch. Rangiku is…a mixed bag, she prefers when the woman is more serious but it up for drinking anytime with her.

Kyoraku is her former captain and can explain why she acts how she does with Urahara when he gets a little perverted. She admires the man though, and does feel sorry for leaving as she did but wouldn’t dear admit that.

Visored - Fascinating but partly tragic group of people

Shinji is partly still a mystery and she doesn’t know much about him but he stands out to her and there is an air of curiosity. But that tends to happen when she encounters more flippant and casual people.

Hachi is the one she would aim for first due to his skill set. A hunger for more knowledge is what she desires but I’m sure she isn’t against a kinder soul in comparison to her own edge.

Arrancar - Interesting and different from what she’s used to seeing

Nel sometimes can be in the same realm of how she feels about Orihime but with more power. Her kid form isn’t something she can sometimes stand though but the adult form is also somewhat of a handful to her.

Grimmjow is a hot mess to her, or rather he makes her feel like one. He fascinates her at first but also is very aware of his immense power. She can’t tell is she’s afraid of him or not and after he “helps” get her to put up a fight she makes sure to explain she’s no where near his level and isn’t someone worth trying to first again.

Quincies - Stuck up gremlins

Fullbringers - They’re confusing to her at most and the group she never really interacted with personally too much

If you REALLY want to know about anyone specifically just ask I’m not making this a mile long kjdsfjhkdf I will most likely have an opinion in mind for them. Bleach has a lot of interesting characters but I tried to stick to ones she has interacted with.

Strength (or lack of in a lot of ways)

Strength & Health, she’s as average as you come for a shinigami (if you wanna get fandom technical her Hakuda (hand to hand) & Zanjutsu (swordsmanship) are decent but can be a bit average and nothing fancy)

But while its average, she seems far more comfortable with using staff based movements and techniques rather than a sword. This can be seen with her Shikai and other similar items such as a broom

Speed she’s pretty quick naturally so her Hoho are fairly strong (she’s more of the type to want to block and evade then straight on fight you)

Kido/Spells is where she shines though, in the academy and after she prided herself in how proficient she quickly became. And she does like testing out different combos and mixes of spells to see what she can create with that. Also her has learned to use her Kido in par with her Bankai for a higher success rate.

Zanpakuto Info (aka something that’s still being roughed out with a friendo)

Aoi Mizu (is the current name I’m leaning towards)

Normally for most of the series run, its hidden in this little toy, keychain form that she carries around. But normally its just a normal katana when its not crammed small.

The Shikai becomes a blue Halberd and released with the word “Cleanse”. She can alter the length of the staff to some degree, and there is a refreshing, watery scent to it when she swings it. To her touch the blue blades feel cool and wet.

The Bankai part is still under development but for the moment when released a certain radius around her is engulfed into an orb like space that is always raining. The purpose of the rain is to continue until the entire space is filled, effectively aiming for a timed race of air. While she’s typically fine if the water raises to a point where there’s no air you can easily escape by knocking her out as it only stays active if she is conscious or she chooses to end it. This is why she has trained to hard in Kido, she uses the different spells to try and trap to delay her opponent to get them to the point of submersion to knock them out or worse.

Basically she thinks her bankai is rather pointless thanks to her average strength and fighting skill. 

BUT YEAH I hope this covers everything you wanted to know (and wasnt too much I know its really REALLY long jkdjhdgh)

[nekumiko]

Invisible But Not Forgotten

Fandom: Kagerou Project

Genre: Hurt/Comfort

Rated: K+

Words: 2, 074

Summary:  At least, at one point in our lives, we all want to be remembered on our birthday. Even that girl who once wished for the earth to be rid of her presence.

@kuredo164 also made a wonderful 24-page comic for this!

Once, she’d desperately wanted to disappear.

But every year, there would be at least one day when she would want to be remembered.

“Happy birthday, Tsubomi,” her sister would gently whisper upon her arrival on those times.

She would want some bit of attention on her birthdays. Maybe not from everyone, especially from her parents. She knew that would be too much to ask already. But at least just from the only person glad to have her around.

For some reason, though, her birthdays would always be a busy day for their family business, and since her sister’s old enough to take part in it, the paperwork the redhead would be given only allowed the older girl to visit her an hour or so after dinner, and sometimes even just as she’d started to drift off to sleep.

“Did you think I’ve forgotten already?” her sister would ask her.

And she would nod. That was something she’d always feared would happen.

“Don’t be silly. How could a special day like this slip from my mind?”

She would then smile back, but she knew she would doubt that again the next year.

That time, she’d been sitting by the window, gazing at the now-peaceful night sky repeatedly streaked with “exploding stars” the other night, when she heard the door crack open.

As per their tradition, the two had then sat on the floor to share cookies and sweets and, for the first time, cake. For the past four years that they’ve celebrated her birthday, her sister had been prevented from baking one, either because she would finish late at work, or there’d be a risk of their parents catching on to their secret feast.

Nevertheless, she had never complained. Just her sister remembering, with or without these birthday treats, already made her so happy.

“You’re turning seven next year, Tsubomi,” her sister had said as she watched the little girl taste the chocolate frosting. “Let’s hold a birthday party for you, with all the balloons and games and music. And all the children in our neighborhood would be invited. Would you like that?”

Her eyes had shone with excitement, but just so soon did she hesitate. “Would that be okay though… with them?”

Her sister had looked away and pursed her lips. “Well, it’s worth a shot. But I promise to do my best.”

She had nodded, before adding, “A party would be nice, but it’s okay if it won’t happen, though, Oneesan. I’d understand.”

“Tsubomi…”

“What’s important is that you remember. That’d be enough.”

Her sister had given her a sad smile, and then ruffled her hair. “I told you again and again before: I’d never forget.”

There was no birthday party the following year, just as she expected, but not because her parents didn’t allow it. Her sister didn’t even get the chance to ask them in the first place.

No one knew about her birthday anymore, except of course for those in charge of the paperwork in the orphanage. But it’s not as if they would care to celebrate an invisible girl.

Since that fire, she’d been unconsciously, literally disappearing from sight for long periods of time.

And she’d always believed that absence would eventually lead to oblivion.

While she did meet Shuuya and Kousuke, she didn’t want to impose on them, to make them feel obligated to do something for her birthday.

The New Year’s celebration would do, she told herself. It’s close anyway, and festive enough.

She was so firm in her resolve that it surprised her when, on the morning of her seventh birthday as she sat by the swings, two small hands held out three-and four-flowered bouquets in front of her face.

“Happy Birthday,” they greeted her, one quite timidly and the other too cheerfully.

It took her a few moments to recover from the shock. “H-how,” she finally took the flowers, “how did you know?”

“Well, we have our ways~” Shuuya winked, then glanced to the side, to Kousuke.

Kousuke’s eyes widened as he stuttered under her stare. “I-I di-didn’t meant to! Y-you just thought so much about January second and birthday memories and—“

“It’s alright, Kousuke.” She smiled. “In fact, I’m happy you read all that. Thanks, you two.”

Kousuke visibly sighed in relief, making Shuuya chuckle. He patted the smaller boy’s shoulder. “I told you it’d be okay with her.”

As she watched them, she thought maybe birthdays without her sister wouldn’t be so bad, if only she’d get to stay with these two.

The blonde caught her bittersweet smile, and returned it with an excited grin of his own. “So, what shall we do today, Tsubomi?”

And she’s sure he’s currently wearing that exact same smile, and would most probably ask the exact same thing once he succeeded in shaking her awake.

“Kido… Kidoooo~” She started to hear him as she got slowly pulled into consciousness.

He’s been at it for a while now, and it’s getting irritating already, that she finally reached out to shove him off her. Hearing a thud, she turned to the other side of the bed, secretly laughing at her poor brother who fell off the bed.

It didn’t take long, though, before she heard footsteps and felt a weight flop down beside her. He seemed to stretch a bit right in front of her, before drawing close to her face.

“Get up, Tsubomi,” he whispered.

Her eyes had been squeezed shut all this time, and she planned to stay that way until he gives up. Which didn’t look like would happen anytime soon, so she finally opened them with a frustrated sigh.

For a moment, there was silence as their eyes met. She swore she’d seen his cheeks turn a slight pink, but it completely vanished as his eyes changed into a bright red color. As red as she felt her face started to get when he whispered with a grin, “Happy Birthday~”

Instinctively, she pushed his face away and buried her own against her pillow with a grunt.

He laughed. “Aren’t you happy my face was the first thing you saw today?”

“I’m not seeing your face; I’m seeing your mask,” she replied, peeking up at him as he sat up.

He only grinned down at her. “You slept in today of all days.” He nodded towards the sunlight peering in through the blinds.

She sat up as well, turning to look at the digital clock on her bedside table. It’s almost noon. Right then, she hurriedly ushered him out so she could fix herself before facing the rest of the Dan.

Who have all gone to attend to their different agendas for today already, apparently.

Oh. Well, at least there’s someone who remembered…

“Kido,” the blonde deceiver waiting outside her door started to whine, “don’t you want to eat lunch? I’ve been starving for a while now since you won’t wake up.”

“So, basically, you woke me up so I could cook you some lunch.”

He chuckled. “That was the original plan. But that failed an hour ago, so I decided to do it myself.” He winked. “Be proud.”

She rolled her eyes and started out the hallway into the dining room.

“But seriously, it was getting really lonely, and I was starting to worry too that you might have died in your sleep already.” He fake-shuddered as he walked beside her.

“Yeah, whatever.” She reached the dining table and sat down. And stared. “Wow, so you’re able to cook something like this, huh? But don’t you think it’s a bit too much?”

He sat down across from her. “Nah, that’s just enough for a busy day.”

So it’s still the usual, then.

Since the Tateyamas took the trio in, Shuuya and Kousuke, along with their new sister Ayano, had always insisted to celebrate her birthday. It was a nice change from the secret little celebrations she used to have with her sister. Plus, they did something new every year, which made it fun and worth looking forward to, though she never admitted that outwardly.

Absence leads to oblivion, she’d used to believe, but Ayano changed that mindset.

“You can never really forget someone special to you, even if you couldn’t see each other as often as you want to,” her hero used to say. “We always look for you whenever you disappear, don’t we? So how do you expect us to forget something as important to you as your birthday?”

For the past two years since that day, though, celebrations had tuned down to something simpler. She would bake a cake (for Marry can’t be trusted in the kitchen), Seto would buy them dinner, Marry would give her flowers as a gift, and Kano would drag her to places all day and for once, gladly do his chores.

She told herself she’s content with that, but now that more people were added to the gang, and considering the liveliness of some of the new recruits, she kind of expected something more, something different, something fun again.

But if she’s not getting any of that this year, then it’s fine. Someone important to her had remembered at least. Isn’t that what she’d always wished for ever since, anyway?

“Did you have fun today?” Kano broke the silence they settled in as they took a shortcut to the base, after a long day of walking around town.

She glanced at him, a bit glad to be snapped out of her thoughts. “Why, of course.”

“You’re not as good as me, Kido.” He tilted his head to the side and smiled.

“Then why bother asking?” She looked away and sighed. “I’m sorry. I must have been obvious.”

He nodded without hesitation. “But I kind of expected that. I’ve dragged it on for too long. Or maybe because they took much more time than planned?”

“Huh?”

He grinned. “You’ll see. Come on, let’s hurry.” He then grabbed her arm and all but dragged her through the short distance left towards their apartment.

They reached the front door almost out of breath. But before she turned the doorknob, he spoke up.

“Hey, Tsubomi?”

“Huh?” she answered, quite startled at the sudden seriousness in his tone.

“A leader’s special to her whole gang. And no one ever forgets people who are special to them, don’t they?”

She blinked. “Kano?”

He didn’t answer anymore, and instead put his own hand over hers on the doorknob, opening it with her.

“Already?” She heard someone, probably Momo, squeak in the dark apartment, as well as panicked whispers and hushed instructions to light it up.

The door was closed right then, and at the center of the base, one-by-one the little candles on a rectangular cake illuminated most of the place and revealed the remaining seven members huddled together around it.

At Ene’s signal, everyone started to sing, really sing, the birthday song.

They greeted her “Happy Birthday” in chorus as they finished, but it turned out unsynchronized, as each member apparently called their leader differently. They playfully glared at each other at the simple mistake, but for her, it’s what made it unique and sincere, what made the gang them.

Soon, hot tears started streaming uncontrollably down her face.

“Eh? Kido, you’re not supposed to cry!” Kano, who’s been beside her the whole time, wiped them away.

“I should’ve known you’re up to something.”

He laughed. “You were too busy being depressed.”

She straightened up and nodded towards the rest of the Dan. “Your idea?”

“Yup~”

“Hey, don’t take all the credit now!” Ene pouted from her master’s phone.

“Well, anyway,” she chuckled, “t-thank you.” She gave a slight bow.

“There’s no need to be formal now, Danchou-san.” Momo, who was holding the cake, stepped closer.

“Kido, blow the candles!” Marry excitedly jumped up and down, to which Seto smiled.

“Go on, Kido,” he prompted too.

“Yeah,” Hibiya piped up, “before—“

“Hey, you’re supposed to wait first, Konoha!” Shintaro shouted from the back.

She could only shake her head and smile, before finally blowing the candles and steering Konoha away from the dining table full of food once the lights went on.

Yes, this little band of misfits, brought together by something they originally considered a curse, must have grown on her enough to hurt her when she thought they forgot about her special day.

No one ever did right from the start, she finally realized.

And for that, she was grateful.

[fiercyy]

Till Death Chapter 2/?

Co-Authored by @holyfuckabear

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Ichigo Kurosaki has become a superhero overnight. This entails a lot more oversight than he was lead to believe there would be. Is this his life now? Being stalked by some tiny woman, hell-bent on bossing him around?

(For the record: yes.)

A canon rewrite fic.

Chapter 1

AO3

Chapter 2 is an entry under ‘Scene Rewrite’ for @ichirukimonth but realistically, this whole fic kind of falls under that umbrella.

Heads up, a huge shift in the group dynamic starts in this chapter, something sorely lacking in Bleach: female friendship.

Here’s a thing that Ichigo does not yet know: This will become a trend in their relationship. Maybe if he had known that, he wouldn’t have set the precedent but oh well, here we are.

Ichigo follows Rukia into the courtyard and tries not to break a tooth when she frustrates him to the point of grinding his teeth.

“So you want to tell me what the fuck is going on?”

And as the strange girl explains what the fuck is going on, Ichigo can’t help but feel an odd sense of deja vu, like he’s heard this all before.

God she’s bossy.

He closes his eyes and breathes.

“So, since you were so eager to take my powers, I need you to do my job while they return over time.”

“I’m a highschool student, this isn’t some kind of work-study thing where I can just be a grim reaper. I’m busy!”

“Well, that’s too fucking bad, Ichigo.”

Their voices are raising and colour rises up his neck as he feels eyes on them. He knows how this is gonna look. Him, the big mixed thug with the angry eyes cornering the sweet, baby-faced new girl. Rukia’s got him in a social trap with no way out.

“I’m not doing this.” He says with finality, shoving his hands into his pockets and turning his back to her.

“Oh yes you are.” She follows, arms like knives.

“You can’t make me.”

“Watch me.”

Years of karate practice with Tatsuki have not prepared him for the speed that she uses to grab his wrist and pin his arm behind his back. He yelps, tears beading at the corners of his eyes.

“Wow, this must be really embarrassing for you.”

The bell rings and students come flooding out into the courtyard. With them comes relief from Rukia’s twist hold, she keeps her hand wrapped around his wrist.

“Ichigo, where did you go?” Tatsuki is first to spot them.

Her eyes narrow and dart to their joined hands. Rukia titters.

“Oh, Ichigo was just showing me where everything is.”

He rolls his eyes. She’s laying it on thick.

Tatsuki’s suspicion doesn’t let up. He isn’t surprised. Out of everyone in Karakura, he’s known her the longest. He’d be more alarmed if he were privy to the thoughts currently running through her head.

He’s seventeen, he had to start noticing girls sometime, she shouldn’t be shocked.

Tatsuki is nothing if not a good friend so she waves them off and turns away before either can see her smirk.

As soon as she’s out of earshot Rukia yanks on his arm so hard that he swears it dislocates. She pulls him out of sight of the student exodus.

“You listen to me and you listen good. You and this town are my responsibility. I never shirk my responsibilities. Ergo, you will do as I say or I will make your life a living hell. And I’m not so sure about the living part.”

“What, you’d kill me?”

“I would if it weren’t against my orders.”

Bullshit.

But the look in her eyes makes him unsure.

Rukia withdraws something from her pocket. It’s a red fingerless glove with a flaming skull emblazoned on the back. She pulls it on and the red leather creaks as her hand flexes. There is something ominous in her face. Like a viper, she strikes. She slaps him in the face so hard that he has an out of body experience.

Literally.

He suddenly discovers that his body is on the ground, three feet to his left.

Rukia seems pleased with herself. Ichigo is less than.

He screams.

There are many lessons that Rukia will impart to him over the course of their acquaintance, but this one is the most important.

The skittering noise of six sharp legs, the screams and cries of a little spirit boy, the cool calculating gaze of an impartial observer.

Ichigo hates her in this moment. He hates her like he’s hated no one else. Like he’s hated nothing but the cruelty that took his mother from him. She stares at him impassively, waiting, while a soul screams for help. She checks him. She stops him. She will not let him save him.

This is extortion of the highest order. This is blackmail and bribery and horrendous in its impartiality.

She taunts him with his own words. “That boy is a complete stranger, isn’t he?” And you don’t want to be responsible for the souls and lives of strangers.

But he’s right there.

“Leave him be,” she commands and he grows roots. “For a shinigami, all spirits in this world are equal. You can’t get involved just because they’re nearby and need help. Who are you to decide who is and is not worth saving? You save them all, or you save none of them. You have to be willing to do whatever it takes, even sacrifice your own life. That is the duty of a shinigami. What’s it going to be?”

He hates her. He hates her so much.

He saves the boy.

He did it because he wanted to. He did.

Later, Ichigo sits on his bed, trying to read. It’s a hot september night. The festering fury in his gut has turned to stone and weighs him down. He feels as if he’ll sink through his bed, straight to hell.

Is this his life now? Being stalked by some tiny woman, hellbent on bossing him around?

(For the record: yes.)

The worst part is, on some level he knows she’s right.

Ichigo Kurosaki does not understand Rukia Kuchiki yet. He does not know how much it all matters, can have no concept of protection, starvation, life and death. Not the way she does.

This one day will shape his entire worldview. Ichigo is a protector at heart. He has done everything in his power to shield his sisters, especially Karin-

But suddenly the world is bigger. And he is responsible for the souls that inhabit it. “‘You save all of them or none of them’ huh?” He sighs and a slow smile blooms. “Guess it’s gonna be a busy year.”

Ring ring ring.

“What the-”

“Ichigo!” His closet door slides open and Rukia bursts from its depths.

“What the hell are you doing?!”

“No time, we’ve got orders.”

“Orders?!”

“Get down!”

A cold hand on his chin and a shove. A giant, scaly arm misses him by inches. There she goes, saving his life again.

Rukia was not expecting this. The anger she feels at herself is dwarfed for a few hours by her own practicality, but in the dark isolation of a stranger’s closet, she has the time to think.

She always does this. She never looks before she leaps. She’s always getting ahead of herself, doing whatever fool thing comes to mind. ‘Why are you like this?’ She grumbles to herself. She never learns. Her duty as a shinigami is to defend the living, place them above her own life… but the human boy was right, that’s not what she was thinking when she placed herself between him and the jaws of death. It was instinct.

Stabbing him was calculated though.

She’d decided to give him half her powers, temporarily. Instead, an approximate most-of-them had been sucked right into him.

Rukia flexes her fingers and feels the reiatsu coursing through them. She’s weak. She probably shouldn’t leave the gigai. She wonders if she can still do kido? Maybe she should find herself a weapon, if today is any indication.

Ring ring ring

Well, no time like the present for a test drive.

“Ichigo!”

She finds that she can’t fly. Not surprising, but still very frustrating. This probably has a lot to do with the gigai. Its lung capacity is truly horrendous and where have all her muscles gone? Pathetic.

Ichigo carries her the rest of the way to Inoue’s.

Rukia’s gratified to know that she hasn’t lost her wits and instincts at least.

They fight for and against Inoue’s brother. Poor Orihime takes it all in better stride than expected, but then again, she’s a unique young woman.

As Sora vacillates between feral and sane, Rukia holds and defends her in turn. She discovers that she can do very basic kido when she pins the hollow’s arms behind his back, long enough for him to confess to a higher power controlling him.

That night Rukia sees a different side of Ichigo, the side she’d glimpsed on the night they met: the older brother, the protector. She knew it. Now if she could just teach him to expand that sphere, she’d make a shinigami of him yet.

She needs to prepare him, if she’s right about what’s coming. Inoue’s brother was being controlled by a powerful hollow. This does not bode well for Karakura town, not with her sidelined and an inexperienced teenaged boy left as its protector.

“Kuchiki-san?” Orihime’s voice wobbles as she addresses her. Rukia snaps out of her revery. She should put the mask back on. She should smile and gleam with innocence. But she doesn’t have the energy.

“Yes Inoue? What is it?” She tries to make her voice kind, but from the look on Ichigo’s face she must miss the mark. He lays Tatsuki’s prone form on a bed of pillows and returns to their circle.

Tears brim and eyes turn downcast. She feels bad, but doesn’t know how to fix it. “Could you… um…”

Ichigo lays a hand on the girl’s trembling shoulder and tries to soothe her.

“Will you stay with us tonight?” Rukia doesn’t know who looks more surprised, her or Ichigo. “I would feel a lot safer if you stayed. Please?”

How could she say no to that face?

Rukia steps over Tatsuki’s sleeping form. Orihime’s been kind enough to loan her a T-shirt that dwarfs Rukia like a dress. Were Tatsuki awake, she’d be getting an eye-full, but the girl sleeps like a rock.

“We should move to the kitchen if we want to talk.” Orihime says quietly.

Rukia looks at the glass of water that she just brought from the kitchen and closes her eyes in defeat.

“Okay.” She shrugs.

Once they’re settled, she decides to be direct. “I’m Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper in charge of protecting Karakura.”

“I figured you weren’t really a new student. I’ve seen enough anime to know that the mysterious new student who shows up in the middle of the year is almost always a demon or something.” Orihime says matter-of-factly.

“What’s anime?” Rukia says.

“You know, cartoons?” Orihime says.

Rukia nods, still mystified.

“You know, like Chappy the Rabbit?” Orihime says.

Rukia tilts her head. Orihime pads off to another room and returns with a lunch box. On it is a set of colourfully drawn characters, particularly a rabbit giving a thumbs up. Rukia gently takes it from Orihime and presses her face against the bunny.

“Amazing.” Rukia nods with actual understanding this time.

“There’s a television show too if you’d like to watch.”

Orihime leads her to the couch and searches through her old VHS tapes. When she finds the correct one she holds it over her head in triumph. “This was my favourite show!”

After a few episodes and mutual squeals of excitement at the cuteness, Rukia comes away with a new love and they settle into a companionable silence.

“So, you’re from somewhere really different than here?” Orihime says.

“It’s different enough for a culture shock, I guess.” Rukia says.

Orihime’s digging through the cupboards with purpose. She pulls out a box of brown crackers, a bag of white cylinders, and a bar of chocolate.

“Do they have s’mores where you come from?” Orihime says.

“I beg your pardon?” Rukia says, eyes glued to the TV.

“You are gonna love these. I usually love making them with red bean paste and pocky, but I don’t have those ingredients.” She says.

“Okay.” Rukia says, because she doesn’t really know how to respond to that.

She hears the tic-tic-tic of Orihime turning the stove on and turns her head in the direction of the flame. Orihime pushes one of the white cylinders onto a chopstick and holds it over the flame. It must be some kind of sausage.

“Oh no!” Orihime says as the white thing catches fire.

Rukia jumps up from where she’s sitting to help. Orihime just blows it out with a quick breath. She shoots Rukia a reassuring smile. Rukia makes the decision to stay with Orihime so long as the girl is dealing with something dangerous like fire.

She cooks it a little longer then pokes it. It bounces to her satisfaction.

Rukia leans against the counter and watches as Orihime arranges the crackers and a piece of chocolate. She then presses the white thing between the arrangement she’s made and pulls it off the stick with the aid of the crackers.

It looks sticky and smells sweet.

Orihime offers it to Rukia, “Here. Try.”

Rukia doesn’t really trust Orihime’s cooking, but she doesn’t want to be rude to her host. With a barely concealed wince, she takes a bite.

It’s crumbly and sticky and sweet. Rukia struggles to maintain its structural integrity long enough to eat it. Instead, she gets crumbs on her shirt and white goo stuck to her fingers. She sucks them when she’s done.

Orihime is back at the stove, roasting another white thing.

“Good?” She says with a smile.

“What are these white things?” Rukia says, checking the bag.

“Marshmallows. They’re really good with curry.” Orihime says.

Rukia texts Ichigo, We need marshmallows.

He replies with, ???? okay???

Orihime makes two more each and then sits on the floor in front of the TV. Rukia lies on her belly with a pillow under her chest and the bag of marshmallows in one hand.

It’s the time of night when it doesn’t matter how interesting the thing you’re watching is, you can’t bring yourself to fully pay attention. So, this is what true exhaustion feels like. Rukia stretches her toes. Were she human, her body would be covered in bruises. Like Orihime’s. Rukia eyes the bloom of purple and green on the other girl’s calf and eats a solemn marshmallow.

“Do you have a family, Rukia-chan?” Orihime says.

“I lost my sister Hisana when I was a baby, I don’t even remember her.” Rukia says. This is uncharacteristic of her, to speak without thinking. She hasn’t been so rash in years.

She’s making eye contact with the rug that she’s picking lint from. Orihime covers Rukia’s hand with her own.

“That must have been awful,” Orihime says.

Rukia shrugs in forced nonchalance.

“She married my older brother and they adopted me,” Rukia tells her.

“So, it all turned out well then?”

“I guess you could say that.” Rukia concedes, rolling onto her side to stare at the wall.

Orihime doesn’t question further. Rukia can hear her bite into a s’more.

“It really isn’t the same without the coating of bean paste.” Orihime sighs.

Rukia can’t help but feel like that isn’t the real reason for her melancholy.

Later, they’ve returned to Orihime’s bedroom. Rukia lifts Tatsuki up and onto the bed. She’s glad to have enough strength for that at least. She takes her place on the pile of extra pillows.

“Tatsuki’s so good, always watching out for me.” Orihime says, looking over at the dozing girl, “Do you have anyone in your life who watches out for you like that?” Orihime immediately begins to chastise herself for the implication. “Not that you need someone to watch out for you Kuchiki-san! I mean, you’re so strong and everything. And I suppose for now you have Kurosaki-kun, until your powers return, that is, I-”

“I had someone like that once.” Rukia sighs. It’s been a long time since anyone asked her how she felt about anything. It’s been so long since she had a confidante. But why this silly human girl? Perhaps because she’s so strong. Who, after what she’d just been through, could stay up talking and making a stranger laugh? “I miss him sometimes, but we went our separate ways.”

Orihime looks so sad as she says this.

“Don’t worry about me. I’m alright. I’m always alright.”

It’s almost dawn when Orihime finally cries. “He was a good older brother.”

And Rukia, who knows nothing of good older brothers, hugs her and pats her head as if she understands.

That night, Ichigo dreams. Buildings tower sideways, the sky is clear and blue. A woman in white stands five blocks above him. She regards him with a cold stare but remains silent. He does not know her name but with every fiber of his being, he knows that he should.

It starts to snow.

[briangroth27]

Power Rangers 2 Wish List

I loved the new Power Rangers and even though it didn’t do great at the box office, I’m hopeful for a sequel! I think the proposed 5 sequels/prequels plan will be pared down a bit in light of the box office take, but that’s just an opportunity for Saban and Lionsgate to focus on delivering a tight, fun, and entertaining follow-up built on the excellent foundation of the first movie. I was impressed that, even with modern teen struggles and a more grounded take, the movie never felt ashamed to be Power Rangers, and that should definitely continue. Here are a few things I’d love to see in the sequel!

More Trini and Zack! I liked what we got from the team in the first movie, but Zack and especially Trini felt underutilized and underdeveloped. Hopefully that’s remedied in the sequel. Billy trying to increase/stay in his morphed state permanently to protect himself was an idea I had a while back (which also briefly appeared in the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers comic), but maybe it could apply to Trini or Zack instead. Trini had big walls set up because of her parents and Zack’s fun persona is a shield against the impending death of his mother, so either one of them could feel like they need a little extra power to get through their lives for a bit. It’d be interesting to discover how much of Zack’s bravado is real and how much is a mask. How will the inevitable loss of his mother affect him, and how will that affect his performance as a Ranger? Billy lost a parent too, but it seems like Zack is primed to delve into the “I have all these amazing abilities but still couldn’t save this important person” trope, and investigating the Rangers’ inability to save everyone (especially after reviving Billy in the first movie) through the eyes of their most jovial member would be a new angle. They could also explore what his potential could be if he weren’t spending all his time ditching school. 

Like I suggested in my review, Trini’s helicopter parents provide the perfect setup to play with her trying to sneak out of the house using her superpowers or to subvert the “keep your identity secret” superhero trope with her sarcasm. Another way to go is to establish she’s got an aptitude for science, so she and Billy can team up on that like on the show. Since Trini is the first LGBTQ superhero in a movie, exploring those romantic relationships in detail would be groundbreaking. Whatever they do with them, Trini and Zack definitely need equal focus in the next movie.

Explore How Being Rangers Affects Their Lives Will the team being forced to open up to each other for their powers to work create awkward situations where they have to talk to continue being an effective team? Will they have any privacy or secrets from each other from here on out? Since they’re teenagers, exploring that aspect of their bond is a great way to inject some comedy and drama to the Rangers as a unit.

How were the kid’s pre-Rangers dreams changed by becoming superheroes? What did they want to be? Do they even have those kinds of options now that they’re heroes? Can they hold down an afterschool job if the city is overrun with monsters? Kimberly’s aspirations were dealt with in her exit from the series, but not all the Rangers got that chance and looking at that kind of thing would be great character development here too.

Billy Adds to the Ranger Arsenal In the original show, Billy invented the team’s wristwatch communicators and tied them into the Morphing Grid, allowing for teleportation to and from the Command Center at will. Something similar would be cool here, especially if the writers don’t want to spend time sending the kids through that complicated cave/underwater sequence every time they need to speak to Zordon. I’d also love to see the other Ranger-specific weapons make an appearance (Zack’s ax, Billy’s lance, Trini’s daggers, and Kimberly’s bow) since Jason got to use his Power Sword in the first movie. Maybe Billy could figure out how to manifest those other weapons for each of the Rangers. I wouldn’t mind his tinkering smoothing out the Ranger uniforms either: I prefer the more simplistic designs from 1995’s MMPR movie (I don’t hate the new ones, I just found them over-designed and too busy).

One aspect of the Rangers mythos that was missing from the movie was a true “It’s Morphin Time!” moment, since the kids’ bond opened the Morphing Grid to do it for them. While the kids are already superpowered out of costume and don’t have morphers, perhaps Billy could build mobile devices that connect directly to the Grid in the event of an emergency without needing to depend on the unity of the team. This could create drama by accidentally disrupting their connection, since they’ll no longer always have to be fully connected, which could then turn around and save them if Tommy Oliver betrays them, totally shattering their bond for a time.

The Teens Do Martial Arts I didn’t mind the Power Coins granting the kids superpowers when not fully morphed (the villains were scaled up enough to necessitate this), but I’d like the team to learn some finesse to go along with their brute force. Each of them could develop their own style of fighting like on the show, which would add variety to fight scenes. Kimberly’s past as a cheerleader, for instance, could include a heavy emphasis on gymnastics. Zack could develop his capoeira-like hip hop kido, or something similar. The first time Zack sees Trini, it looks like she’s practicing Kung Fu or Tai Chi, so perhaps she could teach the team members who don’t know martial arts already. While Jason was a former football star, it’d be a fun switch to make the girls the most athletically proficient. 

The Teens Become Socially Conscious Pitching in on the Angel Grove rebuilding efforts would be a good start, but I’d love to see the kids arcing back toward their community-minded do-gooder selves from the show. They don’t have to be perfect boy and girl scouts, but it wouldn’t hurt to show them teaching kids sports or science—and not because of court mandated community service. Outside of Green Arrow and the X-men, the Power Rangers are among the most social justice-minded of all superheroes, and it’d be good to get to that aspect.

Tommy (or Tommi) Oliver The first movie’s post-credit scene lays out the arrival of Tommy Oliver, the Green Ranger, though I wouldn’t have minded one more film with just the original five Rangers to explore their dynamic before it’s changed completely. Still, I’m definitely excited for the prospect of a traitor Ranger, especially with the emphasis on the team’s need for unity and trust to morph. Someone who can get past their defenses and the stab them in the back would be a perfect adversary! Plus, it’d be a case of history repeating itself after Rita went bad, which works well thematically: maybe Zordon argues not to trust Oliver but the Rangers don’t listen and fight to save Tommy’s soul instead of outright killing him. If Tommy and Kimberly have a romantic relationship, his betrayer status and her scandalous selfie-sharing would give them fairly complimentary redemption arcs.

The cast wants a female Tommy (Tommi?) to change things up and give the team an even boy/girl ratio for once. I wouldn’t mind that; making Tommi a girl would subvert expectations that whatever guy stepping into Jason David Frank’s green and white boots would have to bear. Since Tommy’s arguably the most popular and iconic Ranger, that’s a huge bar to clear that could be sidestepped by going in an entirely different direction (JDF doesn’t seem opposed to it either). That’s not to say, of course, that Tommi Oliver couldn’t be every bit as badass, evil, and compelling in her redemption arc as JDF was; just that the monumental expectations might be done away with. Plus, it would be good to have gender balance. Maybe Tommi dates Trini and they play out the Tommy/Kimberly romance with her instead. Tommi and Jason dating would add an entirely different layer to their rivalry from the original show, while Tommi/Billy would probably be heartbreaking. Tommi could also be twisted literally in Rita’s image, though that may be a strike against this idea since we’ve just had an evil female Green Ranger in the first movie. Whatever they do with Tommy/Tommi, I hope they keep the character’s Native American roots; the diversity in the first film was fantastic and that should continue as the series progresses (everyone deserves to see themselves as heroes!).

If Tommy/Tommi does become the eventual leader, that’d provoke a great change in the dynamic of the team. Where does Jason fit if he’s not the leader, especially as rising to that challenge was so key to his arc in the first movie? The show couldn’t answer that question due to contract disputes leading Austin St. John to stop filming for Jason’s final episodes, so I’d like the movies to go there. How do the other Rangers feel about being led by a total newcomer when they’ve all put in the time and were never evil?

More Monsters! We got the Putty Patrol and Goldar in the first movie, but I hope the sequel goes all-out with a horde of monsters unleashed on Angel Grove all at once. It doesn’t look like we’ll get Finster and his Monster-Matic here, but the way Rita’s powers manifested monsters felt similar to Lord Zedd’s penchant for turning everyday objects into beasts. I think Zedd—definitely the show’s coolest enemy—feels more like an endgame villain than appearing in the first sequel (he probably corrupted Rita in the first place), but nothing says he can’t give Rita a new source of magic (and the show has plenty of them) to create monsters and retake the Zeo Crystal (Zedd’s goal in the original series). Elizabeth Banks was a blast in this film, and I wouldn’t mind bringing her back for revenge.

Was the very conspicuous scorpion on the boulder in the Pit a nod to Scorpina (one of Rita’s best flunkies!)? Could it be mutated into Scorpina by some damage to the ship/Morphing Grid over the course of the battle? Could she be Zedd’s new champion in addition to Tommy? Or maybe she mutates by accident and has her own agenda entirely.

Amy Jo Johnson said she’d like to come back as a villain; she was great fun as one in Power Rangers Turbo, so I say bring it on!

A Vast Universe Perhaps this is why there were four sequels and a prequel planned; the Power Rangers universe is huge, even just contained to the MMPR-In Space Zordon era. Space, other dimensions, magic, science fiction, horror elements, and different time periods are all on the table in the Power Rangers world. I’d love for these movies to go big and not feel constrained by the bounds of Earth. I don’t think this needs to happen in the next movie, but it’s something I hope they keep in mind if there are more (though things like the Dark Dimension could be fun, weird challenges to throw at the team next time).

Bulk and Skull Jason’s prank buddy Damo, possibly feeling rejected after Jason found new friends, and the “Bully of Detention” could’ve easily been these Power Rangers mainstays in their nascent stages. Maybe Damo’s full name is Eugene Damo Skullovitch and the Bully of Detention is named Farkas Bulkmeier (he seems more Bulk than Skull). Mirroring the Rangers’ superhero battles with everyday bullying would draw another smart line from their superhero lives to more relatable ones (just as understanding each other and working together grants them the power to be heroes and protects them with literal armor). Contrasting with the epic nature of the Ranger adventures, Bulk and Skull provide comic relief and represent grounded problems they can’t just morph and fight against (even though Jason did slap a bully).

Series Stars in Cameos/Supporting Roles Amy Jo Johnson and Jason David Frank are always welcome back, and it’d be great to have Austin St. John, David Yost, and Walter Jones back onscreen to complete the original (living) Ranger team. Jason Narvy and Paul Schrier absolutely deserve to be included too, since they’re the series’ longest-running characters. Something similar to the Harold Ramis bust in 2016’s Ghostbusters would be a great way to include and honor Thuy Trang as well. Later Rangers like Johnny Yong Bosch, Nakia Burrise, Karan Ashley, Catherine Sutherland, and Steve Cardenas would also be welcome. Rose McIver is very talented and was once a Ranger; having her do something in these films would be fantastic!

Two Things I Don’t Want As a kid, I thought the team getting new zords each season was cool, but as an adult I realize later seasons’ vehicles never lived up to the original Dinozords. They’re the coolest to this day and I hope the movies don’t ditch them anytime soon (if at all). Some refining of their appearance would be fine, but the films would be hard-pressed to outdo the Dinozords.

Along those same lines, I hope we don’t see the rapid cast changeover of later Rangers seasons. I’d be fine never getting a second generation of Power Rangers in the movies, but I wouldn’t want to explore more than one additional set of replacements. I believe the original Rangers are rich enough to spend several movies on without worrying about them feeling overdone.

Whatever they do, I can’t wait to see what they’ve got in store for us and the first movie has bought a lot of good will with me for this franchise. After a long hiatus from the fandom for me, “It’s Morphin’ Time!” all over again!