#love rin dearly

[cenvast]

Rin, Kabru, & Toshiro: On Asian Identity

I have a lot of thoughts about Rin's identity as a second-generation Asian refugee and how it impacts her relationships with other characters, especially Kabru.

I see Rin as being Indonesian specifically. The name "Rinsha" is of Muslim Arabic origin. In real life, Indonesia has one of the largest Muslim populations in the world, so what might seem like a geographically incompatible name works if Rin is the Dungeon Meshi equivalent of Indonesian.

Rin also says that her parents came from an island that isn't Wa, and Indonesia is a series of islands.

In her Adventurer's Bible entry, she's described as having "no real knowledge or attachment to the East" because "she's second-generation." She also clarifies to Mickbell that she was "born here." From this character description and her dialogue, we get the sense that Rin doesn't really identify with being Asian.

As noted in this Rin masterpost, a large part of this is because she was denied her parents' cultural identity by the elves. They likely suppressed any cultural markers she had and denied her information about her heritage. Since she wasn't born in the Eastern Archipelago and her parents died when she was young, she understandably hasn't inherited a lot of cultural knowledge.

Rin seems to have internalized ethnic self-hatred. Her disconnect from the East and her unwillingness to remedy that disconnect suggests that she has shame surrounding her Asian identity.

Again, she doesn't have many opportunities to interact with people from her parents' homeland, and her trauma also impacts her behavior. Remembering her parents is probably painful, considering the horrible way they died, and since they're her main connection to her cultural heritage, it makes sense that she wouldn't broach the topic.

You could also argue that Rin identifies more with her Northern identity than her Eastern identity since she was born and raised in the North for the first eleven years of her life, and as a result, she doesn't feel the need to connect with her parents' culture. But considering her home was presumptively still steeped in her parents' culture and her main association with the North is probably her parents' murders, this seems unlikely.

It's important to note how different her experiences are from the story's other Asian characters', like Toshiro's, for example. Toshiro travels to the Island as an adult of his own volition (technically, his father's). He's completely culturally Eastern. In comparison, Rin's parents fled from the East. Her family had to assimilate into an unfamiliar Northern culture, and later, she was "raised" by western elves, who are coded as colonizers in text. She seems to have internalized the elves' suppression of her culture and the way assimilating to the North required them to discard parts of their heritage. Her lack of interest in her culture seems learned.

Her strong attachment to Kabru further complicates her relationship with her Asian identity. I see Kabru as Indian or Nepalese; his name derives from a mountain on the border between India and Nepal. On top of being the only person who treats her like a human being during her childhood, Kabru is the only other significant Asian person in her life. They share the trauma of their parents having been brutally murdered and being raised imperfectly (much more severely in her case) by elves. While in the elf's care, they're both othered as tallmen— this aspect is strongly emphasized in the text — and in the main story, they're othered as Asian people in its European-inspired setting. Their shared experiences as Asian refugees are the foundation of their close bond.

It's not a stretch to assume that Rin consequently views Kabru as her main connection to being Asian. While they're from very different parts of fantasy Asia, their experiences as Asian refugees still overlap significantly as seen above, and the way she clings to Kabru suggests she wants to connect more with her culture, but for the previously stated reasons, she doesn't prioritize it. Besides, she doesn't have good models for what embracing one's cultural identity as a refugee/immigrant looks like. Just like her, Kabru doesn't seem to have many cultural ties, similarly because of his upbringing with the elves.

Toshiro could completely topple Rin and Kabru's original dynamic. Rin doesn't seem to like Toshiro. Their personalities would probably clash at first, because just like him, she's prone to judgment, out of self-preservation, and she's quiet. One of their canonical interactions is being captured by the orcs together; they don't even speak to each other in this scene.

Kabru and Toshiro become friends by the story's conclusion. Deep down, Rin might feel threatened by this. She's been Kabru's closest Asian friend up until this point. Toshiro, as an Asian person who was born and raised in his culture, might seem like a "better Asian" and thus, Kabru's replacement for her. This would be the worst projection of her buried insecurity over her disconnect from being Asian and how it potentially separates her from other Asian people. Given her personality, I doubt she would express this beyond acting wary around Toshiro.

With time, Rin, Kabru, and Toshiro could resolve her fears and the deeper issues they point to by all becoming friends. Interacting with other Asian people would heal her. She appears unphased by Mickbell's microaggression, implying it isn't an uncommon occurrence; she seems to only hang out with Kabru and their party. Being around other people of color would lessen the amount of othering she experiences and grant her a break from defending her identity.

Beyond the potential for cultural exchange and bonding over being Asian in fantasy Europe, Rin and Toshiro are also very similar in character. They're both anxious, quiet, and caring. If they made a little effort, they'd relate to each other and get along well.

Ideally, Rin would also befriend Hien, Benichidori, and the other girls in Toshiro's party. Kabru and Toshiro have their own issues with their treatment of women, so without positive Asian female friendships, she'd have another issue on her hands. Still, Kabru could be the bridge to a friendship with Toshiro, and Toshiro could be the bridge to friendships with his retainers. And with mutual growth, they could all enjoy each other's friendships.

Rin herself points out the vast cultural differences and language barriers between different parts of the East. The Asian characters of DunMeshi might not always share culture, but because of the story's setting in fantasy Europe, many of them experience being nonwhite in a mostly white locale. A support system of other people of color could allow Rin the space to explore her identity and culture and begin healing from her childhood trauma.

[dolorum-magne]

Just realised I never posted any of my blue exorcist fanart, this must be fixed immediately

Drew this about a month ago after talking to some friends about headcanons and several of them agreed with the headcanon that Yukio has asthma (which was apparently apart of the original concept for his character which I did not previously know! Very interesting!) and one of them asked me to draw Rin comforting Yukio and handing him his inhaler during an asthma attack, so I did!

I'm incredibly proud of this piece, more blue exorcist fanart to be posted soon

[zhongrin]

this is super random and unprompted but.... one of my fondest memories is when i was in high school and became super unwell from a PE class, my friends literally had to drag me to the infirmary. it was also a class right before lunchtime, so they bought food from the cafeteria for me. and when i couldn't eat any of it, they bought me hot tea with extra sugar and stayed with me throughout recess to make sure i was ok.

i miss them.

[flimsyichigo]

my delusional ass hiorin-pilled brain praying for a crumb of rin and hiori interaction during the pxg match only to get 50 chapters of isagi vs rin and a couple lines of karasu and hiori being overtly horny and borderline romantic to each other

[heatsu]

Meirin my beloved

[purpleleafsyt]

Rin and Ruri!! For the Rin and Ruri event!!!

[choccorin]

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

[speckled-biscut]

I love superhero characters! Don't let anyone tell you I don't!

[littencloud9]

THIS EPISODE WAS SO GOOD I LOVE CHIGIRI

[honetii]

vocaloid huevember day 7, song is year 3 class c-14 chiyoko kubozono's joining of the cabinet !

[paintedbutton]

Only 55 pages into System Collapse and already hit with the incredible need to just reread the entirety of the murderbot diaries.

[hanrinz]

also mourning for twenty sundays rin fic @naosaki

[zhongrin]

cw/tw. gif(s), child neglect, depiction of starvation & frostbite, suicidal thoughts

꧁

𝐆𝐥���𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫: 𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝐈𝐈

Candour of Light and Shadows

Quest Started

I still think

Some people were born a shadow.

"ーHappy birthday, sweetheart!"

"Thanks, mama!"

"May Lady Tsaritsa bless my little snowflake so he grows up big and healthy... And may She protect you from all dangers and surround you with love and happiness!"

"..... Mama, what about-"

"Hold on, darling."

Every year, instead of burning candles, I burn the memories of you.

Every year, instead of huddling in front of a warm fireplace, I relive the memories of the icy grave you call home.

Every year....

I wonder.

Why didn't you just di̴̖̊ë̷̻͙́̒̿̆ that day?

Why did the gods pity you when your own blood couldn't care less?

Why you? Why me? Why us?

I dare not defy the fate bestowed upon me. This is the role we were bestowed with. The second option. The second best. The supporting role.

The shadow.

....

But maybe....

........

Just... maybe.

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

Maybe all this time, I've been tricking myself, thinking I was undeserving. Of the spotlight. Of the warm fireplace. Of..... a home.

“....”

“Wha....?”

“Happy birthday, Cov!!”

“My my, did we catch you off-guard so much you were about to unsheathe your sword?”

“Ah... I'm..... sorry.......”

“It's fine, it's fine. More importantly, do you like chocolate cakes? I had no idea what kind of cake you'd like but since you love hot chocolate and cookies, I thought you'd like themー”

“......”

“Cov?”

“...........”

“Thank you.”

Maybe one day, I'll be able to feel truly worthy of this.

......

I guess…. Just for today, I can be the light.

𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫: 𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝐈𝐈 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞

Candour of Light and Shadows

Quest Completed

[ To be continued(?) ]

[soldier--poet--queen]

things vash has done since i adopted him:

fell into the toilet

screamed at me while i made tea

ran into the couch

slid into the wall after chasing a toy

tried (and failed) multiple times to be friends with my resident 15 year old cat

tipped everything in my shower over

nearly fell out of the cat tree (twice)

[rindomness]

im back on my bullshit hi. ok goodbye again disappears back into the void of finals season where im going to fucking drown

[c7phers]

if you love me you don't love me in a way i understand plz!!!!!!!!!!

oh anon u should not have asked bcs i am incapable of shutting up abt the tragedy of bruce and jason's relationship. i tend to be very careful when it comes to creating characterisation for the both of them bcs their canon personalities are incredibly messy and disjointed.

its set in a very flashback esque to modern-day events that makes it very disjointed. and i did this for a variety of reasons but mostly to sorta signify how shattered and disjointed their own relationship is. when you think of them i understand that jason's characterisation as red hood is rather, bland. but this isnt to say that there doesnt exist a lot of potential for what could be.

their relationship is shattered glass tearing and ripping apart each other and their love for each other bleeds out of them in a way that its no longer truly healthy. bruce is so deep in his denial and grief to be able to learn how to love this boy who is supposed to his son and jason is too deep in his anger and trauma to be able to see anything clearly.

the whole point is to give u unreliable narrators amped to a 100 bcs neither of them are really reliable in their recollection of events. they are so consumed by their pain that neither of them are meant to see anything clearly.

bruce loves his son no doubt, and jason loves his dad. but the narrative has doomed them both. they are not meant to love each other in a way either can comprehend anymore bcs they are doomed by the readers.

it isnt going to end with them reconciling, it isnt going to be with them becoming how they were before, but at the end of the day, when u strip them of their masks and costumes and what not, all that remains is two broken men, a father and a son.