#loved the new chapter btw

[swallowerofdharma]

Following the discussion from here. Hoping you don’t mind if I make a new post so that the other one doesn’t become too heavy. I’m answering some lingering questions, but I am also saying that I won’t be dissuaded from treating this manga differently. As said recently*, Yoneda takes such care to give details and context to the story, that it is intriguing to look into things with analytical eyes and I can’t see the problem with it. For those who maybe feel like “the story isn’t that deep”, that is more offensive to the author tbh than to me or others in fandom who write commentaries. * @dragomfry said: “It makes our analyses of her work hold extra weight because there are things that she wants us to look for and derive meaning from (rather than us trying to derive meaning from nothing to begin with)”.

So to clear this first.

I can’t quite see why this story would be distorted into something it’s not intended to be if we approach it under a romantic lens.

I am not debating people for approaching the story romantically, but - because some troubling arguments were made about the recent poll - I will say this. Rape culture takes some arguments from romantic and patriarcal views to defend the aggressors and blame the victims instead: this isn’t romanticism’s fault, but the very fact should be at least taken into consideration. [More on this below**]. So several of the reflections I was writing about framing the manga as romance rather than literary realism were prompted by this issue. And reading your thoughts about the story, I can understand where we differ so much: and that is in how we view Doumeki especially, rather than the rest. Maybe you are not romanticizing Yashiro and his trauma, but you are especially romanticizing Doumeki. For example:

I allow myself to indulge in the romanticism of it all; both of them falling in love at first sight, depressed Yashiro finally finding someone who truly cares about him, Doumeki who doesn’t back down when Yashiro rejects him, Doumeki still having feelings for Yashiro even after he shot him in the leg and pretended not to remember him, etc. There’s so much in this story that’s blatantly romantic, almost corny.

There are many aspects of the manga that I do find realistic in it’s portrayal, such as the CSA, what I don’t find realistic, however, is the portrayal of love, the romance. I find it very idealised and romanticised for the most part (i.e the falling in love at first sight (I’ll get to that), Doumeki being Yashiro’s exact type, Doumeki happens to be impotent which allows Yashiro to develop feelings for him, the fact that Doumeki is completely accepting of everything Yashiro does regardless of how Yashiro treats him, the fact that Doumeki is still in love with Yashiro after he shot him the leg, maybe he even stayed in the Yakuza world just to be near him (although who knows why exactly he did that?) Idk maybe it’s just me but I find it very unrealistic. It’s this romantic idea of „there is this perfect person out there who accepts you just the way you are and you don’t have to do anything to keep them happy, you can even shoot them in the leg and they’ll still love you, they’ll stick around no matter what it takes to be with you“.

I can’t pick and choose what I want to romanticize or not, I have chosen to look at things differently, and I am keeping the same approach when looking at characterizarion. When I look at Doumeki, I see as many problems as those Yashiro has. He is the one depressed imo, at the beginning of the story, he is in much worse shape than Yashiro. Yashiro has a support network, Doumeki was isolated in prison and kept family away when he was released. Doumeki isn’t this strong and stoic person who is in love with Yashiro and is therefore shouldering a burden or enduring abuse in the name of love. I have been misunderstood before on this, but I want to say that I look at these characters without romanticizing either of them. I am not so much interested in looking at who is right or wrong, or to paint one character in a better light and bashing another: I want to understand their differences and how they came to be, how the relationship is affected by those differences. This is why I don’t take a shipper’s approach either, I am not solely focused in their relationship, but in the story as a whole.

There are several posts where I talked at lenght about these characters, because Yoneda gave a lot of backstory, and I encourage who may be interested in checking further. Doumeki has trouble facing or recognizing reality, until reality kicks him in the face, and that is happening to him since the nurse and Aoi. So he is only observing when it suits him. Yashiro established his emotional boundaries plenty of times, and Nanahara is there to corroborate and reinforce Yashiro’s prefereces. Here are some examples, and these are from volume one alone. It is a pretty clear situation, and Doumeki understood it.

I know that people are objecting to the very idea of framing Doumeki as the aggressor in this case, but the power dynamics had already shifted at that point when things went down in ch 24-25. It is the result of an escalation that sees Doumeki hiding his feelings and his arousal, and becoming more aggressive and unhinged towards others during the investigation into who ordered the hit on Yashiro. Yoneda was painstakingly building towards that scene, while also painting a bigger picture and external plot, and there are so many details that I haven’t even touched upon yet, but nothing is filler. And the parallels between Doumeki’s arousal and his violent behavior can’t be easily ignored.

Again, I feel quite powerless and unequipped to persuade those who already formed their opinion. But when given arguments in favor of dismissing Yashiro’s right to object or arguments that shift the focus away from the simple topic of consent, then I have to ask myself why this is happening. **Rape culture does play a role, and as I said, rape culture can and does weaponize some romantic ideas about love. Or against the autonomy of the person, against choice and so on.

I find it very important that Yoneda chose to put those words in the mouth of an ex-policeman, while dressed up as a policeman, and of another abusive detective with the police. Or the fact that Inami commented on Doumeki’s father building a career to cover up his crimes. See these statements from the Wikipedia page on rape culture:

With how difficult has become to search on the web for unbiased results, I am just giving the Wikipedia page not as a source of authority, but as a peer reviewed summary that provides a starting point for research and some bibliography on the subject. For example:

I want to add that I don’t agree with the way the article frames “men” as perpetrators and “women” as victims. That should be corrected and can be misleading. Men have been historically and consistently discouraged to speak up about being victims of rape themselves and often the law didn’t even consider them. And the gendered approach contributed to make so many victims invisibile. There is so much we have to learn.

Again, this post is solely for the purpose of answering arguments or points made directly to me about how we interpret the story in Saezuru. These are my observations and reflections, the links I see, and it is possible because these things are in the manga. And last, I love love-stories. But romance - especially romantic tropes, often reinforced by fandom shipping culture - don’t always equal love to me.

[artepti]

Fanart for @purble-turble 's DKR/TIme Travel AU! Read it here or look at their art for this AU here!

I always pictured Wukong looking downright terrifying when he found out his successor had been kidnapped, so I wanted to try my hand at illustrating it. :]

[kulai]

DAY 24: First Date

check this out on twt ! based on ch16 of "between the shadow and the soul" on ao3. ANOTHERR heavy recommendation!

[charcoaledrocks]

guh i hate gay people

[plague-of-insomnia]

Bard in Ch 212

[deer-watcher]

"For both bonobos and chimpanzees, the bodies of the dead evoke many emotions. Even if the process often begins with trauma and confusion, typically corpses shift to a liminal status; not alive, but equally not a lump of meat. They're more intensively manipulated than hunted animals, and carried for longer. In some – if not all – cases, the eaters must know what and who they're consuming. Cannibalism is very probably a powerful means by which individuals and groups process the impact not only of killings carried out on emotional impulses, but other deaths too. In other words, it's about grieving. [...] "Shift these scenarios to Neanderthals, and add into the mix their far greater cognitive sophistication, and lives that revolved around using lithics. Suddenly it's not difficult to envision how skills in carefully taking apart hunted carcasses might be transposed into a grieving process that involved butchery and cannibalism as acts of intimacy, not violation."

Rebecca Wragg Sykes, Kindred: Neanderthal Life, Love, Death and Art

[buwheal]

woah. actual thought out reference?

Completely disregard wtf the reference from a couple weeks (a month?) ago looks like. Completely inaccurate. not sure what I was thinking w/ that one. This time I thought this one through, lol. wahoo!! Ive been kind of lazy and totally leaving out features the past few times Ive drawn him and I dont want that to happen again because he loses all the fun features.

notes written out for those who need it (glances behind my shoulder at the mobile app) under the cut. be warned, its long, lol.

starting from the top left, going across to the right side in rows.

-TURN-AROUND -opt grey hairs/grey stripe. he keeps it evenly colored with car oil. -eyebrow crease opt. -head lifted for convenience (for the pose. Also spelt that wrong on the image whoops) -5" when slouched. -neutral expression. Teeth always visible. -eyebags NOT opt. (Except in certain circumstances.) -"Tail" not usually visible -HORRIBLE posture* -black bottom lip pokes out a little -hands reach knees in reg. posture -Gnarly mullet -Overbite -Constant slouch. -Warped lens/frame -Sweaty & jittery a lot - \___ misc. extremes ___/ -BJD body -Motherboard cover -Plush tummy :-) -wears heart boxers underneath. Not shown. - |dissociating-----|-------disconnected| -sensitive eyes w/o glasses. Squints. - :arrow: Sparratically ejects -overdramatic - *except when actively interacting with someone - 5"1 when standing straight - |forced--|genuine--|?----|???---|

[ywpd-translations]

Ride 760: Kiji, flying

Pag 1

The MTB Emperor is taking part in the road racing Inter High!!

Pag 2

1: As expected!!

2: The groups from Kyushu, like Fukuoka or Kumamoto are in quiet places close to the course and the main office

3: and close to the water supplies too!!

4: Well, they're from here after all

5: On the other hand, we're towards the end where there's so much noise

6: And above everything, they clearly.... forgot

Pag 3

1: only our tent and they added it in a hurry, fou!!

Pag 4

1: Hmm, that could be

Is it because it's our debut? That's discrimination!!

2: It's handwritten!!

And it's even spelled wrong!!

3: In this kind of situations, you can't do anything even if you get so worked up about it, Ichifuji-kun

Isn't it enough that we have a roof?

Pag 5

2: Should I fix that writing with magic later?

3: Sonomoto-san!!

4: The place is a problem too!!

We're close to where they're holding the bicycles exhibition, so there's a lot of people passing by and they can see us since we have no tent

5: And when we're changing clothes? We use the bath towel like this, that's what they do on elementary schools' pools!! Fou!!

6: During MTB races you either do it in a car or in the wild

It's not like the management just conveniently forgot about us, either

Pag 6

1: But the truth is that we're being treated unequally....?

What about you, Kaida!? What do you think!?

Should we go tho the management tent and say a word to them now? Fou!!

3: I've never got any results in MTB and never participated in the Inter High, so for me it's sufficient enough that I'm able to participate in the road racing Inter High

4: Stuff like the tent aren't important

Ugh.....!! You're kidding, I have zero supporters in this situation!!

Pag 7

1: And isn't it nice to have good ventilation?

2: And also... if you have to say something to the management

Don't you think it would be more persuasive

3: if we first ran in the race

4: and brought results?

Pag 8

1: If we brought results.....!!

2: Fou!! (Yessir)

Now, if you're ready

3: Should we all go for a trial run?

Fou!!

Yeah!!

Yes!!

Pag 9

2: Excuse me! This is a pedestrians crossing!

Pag 10

4: Hello

Are you maybe? A kid from here?

How.....

5: do you stand on the bike like that?

Pag 11

1: Are you interested in bikes?

Even though your feet aren't connected to the ground, you're still in one place

2: Do you want to try?

4: I guess you won't be able to do it right away, but this is the theory

5: Bikes have a center

I'm standing there

6: A center?

7: It's different depending on the model, but a little before the saddle there's the center point of the bike

8: The technique is that you feel for it, find your balance, and then you find your stability if you properly position your body

Pag 12

1: It's called “standing”

Ohhhh...!!

2: Furthermore, if you can put your center of gravity firmly there

4: you can also let go of your hands while standing still, yon

Amazing.....!!

5: Amazing, amazing..!!

6: Yes yes, that's right, Kiji-san is amazing

Why does this guy looks so self-important

7: What's the heaviest thing on a bike?

Pag 13

1: Uh... uhm... the helmet?

3: It's your body

4: When riding a bike, the most important thing is to be conscious of where we put this “body”*, yon

Ah, when you're holding a bucket, if you're holding it with one hand you stagger, right?

(*NdT.: written as “heavy object”)

5: It's the same thing

6: “Weight” is power, yon

Ehh?

Pag 14

1: When you stop thinking “that's obvious”, “I know that”

2: That's when it's over for you

3: Discovery lies in common sense

4: The essential thing when handling a bike.... remember

5: is the “load” and the “unloading” to get ahead of it!!

Pag 15

1: Maybe it's faster if I show you?

2: Ah, that's good

Look at that fence

3: The movement of the “load”, and the “unloading”... and....

Use the same method as when you jump to take a picture at the beach

5: I'll jump over that fence!!

Pag 16

1: No, isn't it better to stop!? Onii-chan!!

2: You'll run into it!!

Just look, boy

3: Hayaaaa

That guy

4: is a guy who jumps over common sense!!

Yaaaaa

Pag 17

2: Don't miss all the multiple techniques he uses in an instant!!

Fou!!

He looks so self-important

3: First, he moves his body back and so he unload the weight from the front wheel

6: “Unloading”!!

Pag 18

1: He's really going to cras-

He's not!!

2: Then, he lowers his body's center of gravity for a moment

3: Then he stretches!!

And pulls the frame!!

5: He's not high enough!!

This is the moment when you jump when taking pictures!!

6: Pull up

7: your knees

The technique of skillfully using your “load” to jump over obstacles

Pag 19

1: is called “bunny hop”!!

Pag 20

1: There are people who have mastered the technique and can do it, but it's at most 30cm.... but Kiji-san

2: can jump 80cm!!

3: Who's that guy!

Did you see that just now

4: He jumped that fence with a road racer

His bike floated!?

The fence!?

5: I've never seen something like that

The jerseys' of the guys who are with him say “Gunma”....!!

6: It was ama.... amazing....

That.... if I practice... will I be able to do it too one day?

Of course

Pag 21

1: If you fall a lot, and skin your knees a lot, and eat a lot....

2: Okay?

3: Well now, since we're participating in the Inter High, come see us!!

4: I'll cheer for you...!!

Thank you!

5: The cyclists will soon gather at the starting line!!

[goodnightmoonz]

secrets in the backbeat

by goodnightmoonz

Iori Utahime turned her back on Jujutsu society eight years ago and never looked back. Since then she has become the biggest pop star in Japan with her fame only growing as she prepares to start her first world tour. But when her name appears on her former kohai-turned-cult leader’s hit list all that is threatened. Luckily (or not) another former kohai-turned-she-is-not-sure-what offers her a solution: The most powerful sorcerer in the world as her bodyguard. A no brainer right? The catch being they have to pretend to like each other, even love each other. Luckily, Utahime is a good actress.

[operationtimeguard]

dazai during 118:

dtiys entry for @/andpeggy69 on ig!

[bachirasbodyguard]

blue lock as gordon ramsay moments (shoutout to one of the most legendary haters of all time🙏)

[sskk-manifesto]

Wow I sure love being psychologically tortured by an anime

[dafry-shenanigans]

Have another fanart of fma based on a another great fanfic by @quasar-crew!!! :D

It's a fma and bnha crossover fic and i must say the world building and quality of writing are *chef kiss* go give it a read!

[harvestmoth]

hi spoiler embargo ended. get rejuv blasted

[cloudyskiiees]

guys what if i write another alenoah time loop- *i get shot 20 times in the chest*

[dracaelus]

Not enough writers exploring the idea of bruce retiring from batman and becoming the bats new tech guy once lucius fox dies/retires. Like, bruce is actually pretty good at coming up with new gadgets and incorporating new/alien technologies into the bat stuff so really, I think it would be really cool?? Also, he could help oracle on his free time, and I feel like this would work really well with his paranoid and controlling tendencies, and he would be thriving in a job like this. Not to mention that he would still be helping the league with strategies, research and the diplomatic stuff, so no need for him to stop working with them. And he still has his charity work as bruce wayne.

So my point is, while of course we can all agree that everything bruce does as batman is important, I wouldn't say that activelly being on the field is the most important of his tasks, especially by the time he gets old and has dozens of allies doing it with him. I mean, he already trained a lot of heroes to work in gotham and there's a few of them who are just as skilled as him, some who are even better, so really, him retiring from that and focusing on his other duties as he gets older feels very natural and a much more compelling plotline to follow than just yk killing him off and then having the batfam fight about who's gonna take the mantle (i don't even think someone needs to)