#mangaka had in mind and wanted to write

[echo-s-land]

I should rate my Special Interests one day

[prettyboykatsuki]

I can just imagine fujo neet reader practicing different sex position with rin to make sure she gets the proportions right.

✮ tags ; fem!reader, sexual tension, rin's pov, RIN IS KIND OF MEAN TO HER BUT HE WANTS HER SO BAD FDKJJS, reader is a fujoshi and bl mangaka, pre-relationship, they work together, part of a ficverse i haven't written yet Sorry, ONE JOKE ABOUT RIN WANTING TO OFF HIMSELF, SUPER SUGGESTIVE LOL 18+

✮ wc ; 3.5k (WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!!!)

✮ a/n ; i had to do this for my sanity. i promise i will write them a proper fic with them i promise.

You never text Rin.

Not really. Not first at least. It's a new... friendship. Kind of. Sort of. Most of your communication thus far has been through meetings and random in-person chance encounters. Outside of that, Rin will call you since it's faster. If you do "text", it's mostly through twitter DM's.

There's a discord server your fans run, and you pop in there often enough. He's had the invitation extended but declined unilaterally, since he'd rather not see himself fucking Isagi anymore than he already has in his short, miserable career.

It surprised him this morning, seeing your message flash across the top of his screen. Asking, specifically, for him to come over and help you with something related to the new manga you were writing. He had it in his right mind to decline, but after learning it wasn't a doujin for him, he semi-reluctantly agreed.

Rin doesn't know when exactly your relationship to him grew this...comfortable. Inviting him over to your house, begging him for favors, not wincing every time he talks to you. Rin isn't an extrovert but compared to you he's a social butterfly. And your aversion to people in general, Rin thought, would prevent you from doing anything more than squeak at him forever just like you did when he met you.

(Though nothing in his life has been normal since your arrival in it. He's not sure why you would remain unchanged when he certainly hasn't.)

He doesn't know what to feel when you ask him for a favor, and he doesn't know what force of nature compels him to go. If it's morbid curiosity or annoyance or something else even worse.

It was compelling enough to take the train all the way out to Machida - an hour long trip from his own place. His manager hounded him to take you something, so he has a bag of ginseng energy drinks and snacks with him as a gift. He took the bus with his mask on, and then walked all the way to your building.

Your apartment is tucked somewhere classically suburban - attached at the far end of a residential street and behind concrete support beams for a highway just overhead. Cherry blossom trees and other shades of white flowers grow around it in thick patches, making the entrance hard to find. Rin would've had trouble if you didn’t give him details on exactly where to go.

It's an older building, stone walls worn and grass-stained from age. At the gate are groups of old people talking amongst each other as they sort through recycling and trash. All visor hats and sunspots, they fawn over Rin for a long while before he goes in and interrogates him with questions. None of them know him, which is relieving. It quickly graduates to them asking who he's there to visit, if he has a girlfriend or not.

All of them ooh and aah when he mentions your name, say something about being relieved she's found a man so handsome and that Rin should marry you because even though you're a little strange you're a good girl. Rin does not have the time nor energy to correct them - only nods and bows his head and leaves.

On the elevator ride up to your floor, he can't help but think repeatedly that this isn't the kind of place he'd expect you to live. He thought it'd be out in the middle of nowhere, maybe in a damp and broken building.

But this is a nice place with nice people, vibrant and colorful. Totally opposite from what he considers your personality.

Suitable or not, Rin manages to make it to your floor without a hitch.

He finds you, then, as he'd expect. Down a long hall, behind an unassuming white door. When you open it, you're a mess. Your hair completely unkempt, face greasy, a wild look in your eyes and complete surprise in your expression as if you didn't invite him over. You do, however, manage to invite him in without stuttering or stumbling over your words foolishly like you did the first time you spoke to him.

Another surprise is how... clean your living room is. It's lived in but he was expecting more mess in there. Your bedroom is in a similar state, undoubtedly messy but not terrible. Your NEET tendencies finally end up showing when you drag Rin into your office where you draw your manga.

It's not dirty but it's cluttered. There's a pull out sofa on one wall, with a blanket and pillow littered about and pages upon pages of paper sheets with scrapped panels about the floor. One wall has a bunch of post-its with several notes in both English and Japanese, and another has tacked up pieces of art. Both yours and other peoples. He chooses to ignore the ones of him and Isagi, The walls themselves are cream colored and uninteresting and the wood floors are slippery. At the far end of the room is a spread of desks, a PC set-up and a professional looking tablet among various art supplies in stacked boxes.

It's this room you bring Rin into without explaining yourself at all, mumbling and muttering as you give him a place to sit and go back to your work for fifteen silent minutes.

When you're finally finished doing whatever the fuck you were doing, you turn yourself back towards Rin. Bluelight glasses fall down the bridge of your nose as you swivel around in your chair - your sweatpants half pulled up your leg with the other pulled down. You're wearing fuzzy socks with Naruto characters on them.

You stare at him, pulling your glasses off and rubbing your eyes - dark circles under them.

"Uhm," Your voice is clipped and thick with exhaustion. "You came."

Rin deadpans. "You asked me to come."

"I thought you'd say no."

He did too. He doesn't respond back. You chew your lips, already anxious and Rin resists the urge to say something about it.

"Okay. Uhm. Please don't get mad," You start with and then explain, looking away. Your hands pull your sleeves over your palms. "So. Like. For my new series, I'm finally getting to the sex scene but I've never drawn characters with an intense height difference like this. And I need... new reference photos.... and uhm," You rub your feet together on your chair where you sit "Well our height differences and size is the exact one my characters have. So."

Rin stares at you. "So?"

"SoIwaswonderingifyou'dtakereferenceimagesforsexpositionswithme,"

Rin feels his jaw lock. "Slower."

You frown and look away, tucking your chin with embarrassment. "I was uhm, like, wondering if you'd take... take the uhm, sex position reference photos with me, please."

"What?"

You clasp your hands together, immediately prostrating yourself by throwing yourself down the ground. He flinches back, wondering if you're gonna hold onto his leg next.

"Please, please help me. You're the exact height of my seme and you uhm have similar builds and he's doing the most of the legwork. The poses are a little bit hard but I want them to look good or Minami-san will eat me and I'm scared of her, please help me."

"Who is Minami-san?"

You sniffle, on the verge of tears just thinking about it. "My editor. She used to be my fan. She's scary. Please, Rin-kun, please."

"What the hell did you do before?"

You frown at him, big wet puppy-dog eyes.

"It was hard. Sometimes I'd pose with my big stuffed animals and make up the proportions. Oh and usually watched porn and stuff. Sometimes I'd get lucky with stockphotos. But I don’t get the angle exactly right unless I have good references."

Rin wonders if anything you have ever said has processed in your mind before saying it. He doubts it for some reason.

"So," Rin pinches the bridge of his nose and shakes the image of you humping your stuffed animals out of his head. "You're asking me to.. pose with you?"

You nod and chew your lip. "Please, I promise I'd never ask you for this if I wasn't s-scared of Minami-san! Please?"

"I should make you pay me for this," He sneers. You flinch back and close your eyes.

"I'm sorry." You whine wetly, but then open your eyes again anyway. "Please help me."

Rin doesn't know why he helps you. Maybe you're just too pathetic for him to ignore. Maybe he's a masochist. Maybe inhaling the same air as Bachira last week turned him stupid.

He pinches the bridge of his nose.

"Fine."

__

If Rin didn't believe you before when you told him you make your own references, he'd definitely believe you after you take him to your bedroom.

Your bed is in the center of your room, instead of being pushed against a wall. Large stuffed animals laid in one corner. On both sides of the room, are makeshift digital camera stands and remote-controlled lighting among another remote for said cameras. There's about 4-6 angles from what you explained to Rin, and a few adjustable lights. It's an elaborate set-up and takes the kind of dedication Rin can only imagine a hardcore fujoshi freak like yourself thinking up.

All of this to mostly draw porn of him and his rival. He tries not to think about it too hard because he thinks it's going to give him an aneurysm. Rin sits at the edge of your bed as you adjust each of the cameras individually.

"What do you do if it's not on a bed?"

You flinch like you aren't expecting him to talk. "Uhm. I either simulate as best I can o-or move my things and bed around. It's why I moved my desk to my office."

Rin stares at you. "You take it seriously."

You nod meekly. "Producing high-quality doujin is what made me money, so I have to work hard. Being poor is tough."

If Rin didn't find you so unbearable he might find that awe-inspiring in his own fucked up way.

"Okay. Everything is set-up. Now for the poses," You say, suddenly sparking back to life. Rin sits and watches. "They're having sex on a public beach so the bed and the way the seme sort of sinks into the sand will be good... I think the bridge one is the one we'll do first."

"The bridge?"

You nod, talking in short sentences. But Rin can tell this is where you're comfortable, doing things for this... hobby. Your usual constant embarrassment and shame seem to disappear when it comes to it. It's fascinating like a car crash. "Uhm. You have to stand on your knees and then, I'll lay on my back and arch my back up to meet your... y'know. It'll emphasize the height difference."

Rin stares at you agape. You take the remote control for your cameras in your hands and look at him expectantly.

Rin doesn't know whats wrong with him. Why the hell did he agree to this?

"Do you want me to take my jacket off?"

You nod, surprised. He shrugs the thing off of his shoulders and tosses it onto the floor.

Rin, per your instruction, gets into the position in the middle of the bed. He stands on his knees waiting for you. You join him a minute after, squinting at your phone screen beforehand. He isn't sure what he's expecting as a result of your ask, but he sure is shocked when he finds you placing your feet flat on the bed next to his knees and pushing yourself up for your crotch to meet his.

He knows that’s what you said but your shamelessness proves to be… shocking.

He tries not to let it show. His jaw ticks. His face feels warm but his expression remains neutral all the same. You shift and adjust and don't seem concerned at all - like it doesn't occur to you that this is in any way socially unacceptable. Or it's unfathomable Rin would take advantage of this. That this is weird, or could be interpreted in less than innocent ways. Rin knows you're so out of touch that it probably isn't. That this is, to you, just considered a favor which is partially why he even agrees.

But you're mid-brushing up against his bulge. The angle of your back forms a triangle, your arms laid flat at your sides as you squirm and push. And your expression shifts, deep in thought.

"Uhm, like, would you mind p-putting your hands on my hips? Kind of squeezing tight like it's," You flush this time, but Rin harbors doubt it's about him. "Like it feels good I guess? Like hard, and stuff so you can see the indent."

He's so astonished, he does it on autopilot. Neutral and even. He lets his hands grab your hips and holds tight just as you ask. Your long, loose sweatshirt falls down revealing the soft skin of your tummy. He can see the tops of your underwear, the thin cotton kind that come in 6-packs with a single bow in the middle in a grey color.

You don't seem to care about it. Rin shouldn't either, but his body does seem to care. His brain does. Something is happening in his gut. Anger maybe. Some cheap, frustrated desire to make fun of you.

Instead the words he's been wanting to ask since you proposed this tumble out of his mouth. He stares at you.

"Is this the first time someone's done this with you?"

You jump with a start, but remain in position. You take the pictures first, six clicks in a row before answering.

"H-huh? Why-why are you asking that?"

He doesn't know. Really. And he knows how it sounds. Rin doesn't say anything and you fold under the immense pressure of his gaze.

"S-stop staring," You say, and take a few more pictures, lowering your back just a little but still staying up right. "And no. No one tall enough or with the right physique."

There is another gnawing question, another burning curiosity. He makes his voice as even and unaffected and apathetic as he can. As mean as possible.

"Have you ever even had sex?"

Your eyes blow wide, but you seem to fall for the persona of apathy, curious boredom and cruelty. Worse, you seem a little used to it. You squirm this time and Rin holds you firmly in place. Your voice is small.

"Uhm, like, once I guess. I-it was with a guy, I didn't really date him but he seemed interested in me and I didn't think I'd ever have the opportunity again s-so I did it and I didn't uhm, it wasn't very good or anything." You reply, and he can feel your toes curl in your socks next to him and his brain feels like it'll melt from out of his ears. "Sorry, I don't-don't think you care about that, just uhm, felt like I should explain."

"Yeah," Rin feels dizzy. "Do you need another pose?"

You blink and then nod. "Yeah! Another one kind of like this, but with the legs like uhm, on your chest and my feet closer to your head. With you leaned back a little. Does that make sense? The butterfly position, I think."

Rin swallows something at the back of throat.

He nods, pulling you into position so easily he can heard you gasp. Your legs straighten against his clothed chest, and your sweatshirt falls far enough to let him see your bra. A fabric sports kind, a little worn - just the logo visible. He doesn't say anything about it, your feet resting near his neck. You make a little soft noise.

"This feels a little difficult to be in. Poor uke. Sorry if this one is kind of weird, but can you put your hands, I dunno, on my ass, I guess? I know that's probably too much but I think it'll be a good detail, so please? I'll pay you"

Rin stares at you, teeth gritting so hard he feels the back of his skull throb. "Fine."

Rin, per your request, puts his hands on your ass. It's easy enough, and he doesn't hold too tight. But it's too intimate, too stupidly fucking intimate, and he can feel you. You're hardly paying attention, caught up in your own head with whatever else. Rin is paying too much attention. Like how your sweatpants aren't thick enough to cover the outline of your frumpy cotton panties and how your soft all over. He's going to kill someone. Maybe himself.

Six more clicks and a little noise of satisfaction.

"Okay!!! I think these will turn out so great, and I can use them later too. Just one more. I have a lot of refs for this position, but uhm - I want to see if I can get the proportions correct, so if you'd please lay down," You tell him with such genuine excitement he can't find it in himself to say anything horribly cruel. "I'll be doing most of the work this time. I just-just need to see how uke will compare..."

You mutter something to yourself as Rin lets you down and lays himself down on your bed. You sit next to him for a long while, squinting at your phone. Rin stares at you as you. Wonders if he's gone completely insane, and tries to ignore the doom of the impending hard-on cozying itself in his pants.

Unceremoniously, you find yourself perching over Rin's lap. Not bothering to give him any pretense, it's the one thing about today that's really getting him.

"Oh, I need my hands for this," You give him the remote and stare down at him wide-eyed, over his lap. This has to be hell. "Could you take the photos this time?"

He closes his eyes and counts to ten and wonders if a concussion has made him insane. "Hm."

You brighten and Rin feels his chest go tight. "Thanks!"

Rin just nods, his mouth drying as you start to move and pose. A picture with your hands next to his head, and anothe r where you're sat up - your hands at your sides. Rin obediently takes pictures when you ask, his entire body tensing every single time you move.

"Okay, last one," You say. This time, you put your hands on his chest. Just the one. You must have something specific in your head that you're wanting to recreate. You bend down close, looking down at him as you do - your other hand clenched.

Rin looks up at you. He should not be thinking about you in any way. He's looking at the way your lips curve and plump and at your bare skin and your dark circles and your stupid licensed anime hoodie. He just gapes at you in confusion and mystique. He's around so many weirdos. It's not like there's anything special about you. You’re just another freak who makes porn of him. Plenty of people do that.

A loser and an idiot with no sense of self-preservation. There's nothing special about this, but Rin hasn’t been able to convince himself of that.

You stare down at him.

"Take a picture?"

Rin looks at you. Studies your expression. You seem like you're thinking. It's the only oppurtunity he has to pry.

"Did you want to ask something?" He says first. “You’re not hard to read.”

You startle, then nod. Your hand is on his chest. It's warm, and smaller than his.

"Oh, I-I guess I was wondering about what you asked me earlier. And uhm, like, I don't know. If you ever did anything. Your relationships aren't in the media and fans speculate but," You fall flat on your words. "I guess I was just curious."

Rin hates this question. It's why he never answers it. Why he hates being called a hearthrob, always too shallow and too personal for his taste.

"Nothing long term or serious. It was most for physical relief." Rin says, almost on autopilot. “Not that’d you know what that’s like.”

Your eyes widen. Rin feels his hands twitch, watching your expression finally grown conscious of him. Lust spreads through you like honey and Rin can see it in how you look. You squirm in his lap. He's not usually so aggressive, not usually one to care about sex in any important way. Not one to brag about something so unbelievably inane and trivial.

But it's bothering him, just how much he's fighting the urge to pin you down and fuck you. You of all people. It's not like him. Rough sex is whatever, but it's bothering him how little any of it seems to register in your head anymore like it once did. You could barely breathe the first time you met.

He doesn't know why he cares that you don’t anymore. He doesn’t give a shit about anything related to you

But the thought nothing seems to bother you anymore bothers him.

"Oh... I see. That's uhm, interesting. I b-bet you have a lot more experience than me. Maybe it'd be a good thing to keep you around for that kind of refernce too," You joke.

Rin lets his hand slip up to your hips without asking, not bothering to hide it anymore. His head feels with nothing but stupid useless thoughts. Thoughts of fucking you in your old, worn clothes and stained shirts and comfortable cotton underwear. Thoughts of your hands clutching at his shoulder all weepy with desire and need and stupidity - your big wide eyes bleary and sensitive. It's cruel how relentlessly he thinks about taking advantage of all your differences. Of how unathletic and awkward and unused to everything you are.

It's horrible just how much he's staving off his own arousal about it. Maybe you're strange habits are infecting him, making him strange too strange. All Rin can think about uselessly is how easily he could put you in your place. Fix you in some strange way. You’d be his to fix and you’d cry and weep and want to run away. Rin wouldn’t let you, keep you pinned and caged like an animal.

His throat feels tight. What is fucking wrong with him today?

Is he that pent up? He stares at you, and gets some passing feeling that there is more to it than that. He closes his eyes.

"Whatever," He says, letting go. You don't seem to notice it again, how thick his voice is getting "Are you almost done?"

You nod and smile. "Yes. Thank you."

Rin feels his heart tug and seethes. “You're welcome."

[secretsofdbz]

So I finally caught some sleep (I woke up at 4 am, 20 minutes after the announcement, and slept a bit more after my last post announcing his passing).

First of all, this is going to be my panel: "See ya later guys, when you die we'll meet again!"

The hematoma that's mentioned in the statement announced in his passing implies a head injury (so perhaps he fell, perhaps something fell on his head, and the internal wound may have not be noticed)

The last artwork he did that was published was this new Sandland one to celebrate the upcoming series. It was revealed on March 4th, so after his passing. We don't know if it's the last artwork he did (he may have drawn this earlier and it was revealed later, who knows.

I'd also like to share some other statements, in no particular order:

Toyotaro's:

Masako Nozawa (Goku's VA) statement:

「コメントできる状況にございません」 -> "I am not in a position to comment."

(aka she was too shaken)

Nozawa update:

「信じたくない。考えたくないという気持ちで頭の中が空っぽです。それでも、お会いするたびに鳥山先生がおっしゃってくださった『悟空をお願いしますね』というお言葉を思い出すと、『私の命が尽きるまで悟空のそばにいよう』と気持ちを保つことが出来ます。先生、空から私たちを見守っていてください。どうか安らかな旅立ちでありますように。」 I don't want to believe. My mind is empty because I don't want to think about it. Still, every time we met, Toriyama-sensei said to me, "I'll take care of Goku for you, won't I?" When I remember your words, 'I will stay by Goku's side until my life is over,' I can keep my mind on it. Sensei, please watch over us from the sky. May you have a peaceful departure.

(Mayumi Tanaka, the voice of Krillin who was requested by Tori super early on will probably say something at some point too).

Oda (One Piece author) statement:

It is too early. The hole is too big. Sadness washes over me when I think that I will never see him again. I have admired him so much since I was a child, so I remember the day he called me by name for the first time. On the way home from the day you used the word "friend" for me and Kishimoto, I remember being overjoyed with Kishimoto. I also remember the last conversation we had. I was one of those who took the baton from the days when reading manga made you a fool, and he also created an era when both adults and children could enjoy reading manga. He showed us the dream that manga can go worldwide. It was like watching a hero going forward. For not only mangakas but also creators in various industries, the excitement and emotion of the time of Dragon Ball serialization must have taken root in their childhood. His existence is like a big tree. For the manga artists of our generation who stood on the same stage, Toriyama's works became more and more important to me as I got closer to the same stage. I even felt being scary. But I am just happy to see the aloof man himself again. Because we love him on a blood level. With respect and gratitude for the creative world he has left behind. I pray for his soulful rest in peace. May heaven be the joyous world he envisioned.

And Kishimoto's statement (the autho of Naruto)

To be honest, I don’t know what to write or how to write it. But right now, I want to tell Mr. Toriyama the things I always wanted to ask him and my feelings. I grew up with Mr. Toriyama’s manga, Dr. Slump in elementary school and Dragon Ball in high school. It was natural for me to have Mr. Toriyama’s manga next to me as a part of my life. Even when I was feeling down, the weekly Dragon Ball always made me forget about it. It was a salvation for me, a country boy with nothing to do. That’s how much I enjoyed Dragon Ball! When I was a college student, Dragon Ball, which had been a part of my life for so long, suddenly ended. I was overwhelmed by a tremendous sense of loss and didn’t know what to look forward to. But at the same time, it was an opportunity for me to realize from the bottom of my heart the greatness of Mr. Toriyama, who created Dragon Ball. I want to create a work like Mr. Toriyama’s! I want to be like Mr. Toriyama! As I chased after Mr. Toriyama, the sense of loss gradually disappeared. Because it was fun to create manga. By chasing after Mr. Toriyama, I was able to find new joy. Mr. Toriyama was always my compass. He was my inspiration. I may be bothering Mr. Toriyama, but I am grateful to him without permission. To me, he was a savior and a god of manga. When I first met him, I was so nervous that I couldn’t say a word. But as I met him more and more at the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize jury meeting, I was able to talk to him. I will never forget the time when I talked to him about how much fun Dragon Ball was, like a child with Oda-san, as Dragon Ball children, and how he smiled a little shyly. I just received the news of Mr. Toriyama’s death. I am overwhelmed by a tremendous sense of loss, even greater than when Dragon Ball ended… I don’t know how to deal with this hole in my heart yet. I can’t read my favorite Dragon Ball right now. I don’t even feel like I’m writing this text properly to Mr. Toriyama. Everyone in the world was still looking forward to Mr. Toriyama’s work. If one Dragon Ball wish really comes true… I’m sorry… It may be selfish, but I’m sad, Mr. Toriyama. Thank you, Mr. Akira Toriyama, for 45 years of wonderful work. And thank you very much for your hard work. To the bereaved family, I pray that you will find peace and comfort in the midst of your grief. I pray for the peaceful repose of the soul of Mr. Akira Toriyama.

And finally one of Toriyama's close friends Masakazu Katsura (Video Girl AI author) also had this to say:

I feel drained and unmotivated. I don’t want to write a comment like this. But I’ll write something. Once I start writing, I’ll have so much to say that it will probably turn into a long text, but I’ll try to keep it as short as possible. I apologize for the rambling, as my thoughts are still not in order. Looking back, all I have are fond memories of the times we spent together – whether it was visiting your house, having you stay over at mine, or going out on trips. Every time we talked on the phone, we would laugh so hard that we would get tired. You were a funny person. You were perverted, cute, sharp-tongued, and humble. We collaborated on some manga projects, which were also a lot of fun. But 99% of the time, we never talked about manga. As a manga artist, the gap between the way we saw things and our level of skill was too great, and I never really felt your greatness. I know it now. But when I was with you, I never felt it at all. That’s just the kind of person you were. That’s why I still can’t think of you as anything other than a friend, even though you were a great manga artist. Last summer, before I had surgery, you heard about it somewhere and sent me an email. It was really rare for you to send an email, and it was so full of concern for my health. We’ve been friends for 40 years, but that might have been the first time I felt such kindness from you. I thought it was going to snow. You know, you usually only talk about jokes or nonsense. What the hell, you shouldn’t be worried about other people, right? I called you a little before that, and I was feeling sick all over, so I said, “I’ll probably go first, so have a farewell party for me, Toriyama! And make sure you give a speech, because it’ll make me look good!” But you didn’t keep your promise. I really regret not calling you after you emailed me. I just can’t believe that I can’t talk to you on the phone for hours anymore. There are so many things I want to talk to you about. There are so many things I want to say. Even if you don’t care about what I have to say, you can just zone out like you always do. I just want to talk to you again. The last thing you said to me was “OK” in response to my email asking you to contact me again. That’s just not good enough. I’m so sad.

And the Dragon Quest LEGEND, Yuji Horii, too...

I am still filled with disbelief at the sudden news of Mr. Toriyama’s passing. I have known Mr. Toriyama since I was a writer for Weekly Shonen Jump. At the recommendation of my editor, Torishima-san, I decided to ask him to draw the illustrations for the game Dragon Quest when we were launching it. For over 37 years since then, he has drawn countless charming characters, including character designs and monster designs. The history of Dragon Quest is one that has been intertwined with Mr. Toriyama’s character designs. Mr. Toriyama and the late Mr. Sugiyama were longtime collaborators on Dragon Quest. I can’t believe they’re gone… I can’t find the words to express my sorrow. This is truly, truly a tragedy.

Torishima, his "evil editor" (the one the Mashirito from Dr Slump is inspired by), also put out a statement:

"The last time we worked together was on the book we published last year, 'Dr. Mashirito's Strongest Manga Technique.' In that book, 'Torishima and Toriyama Back Then' was the last manga we made together. 45 years, thank you very much. Mr. Toriyama, you were the best manga artist I have ever known."

(this is what he's talking about)

Jackie Chan statement:

"Akira Toriyama-sensei, thank you for creating so many classics, they will always be with the world, farewell 🙏"

French president Emmanuel Macron:

the tweet reads "To Akira Toriyama and his millions of fans who grew up with him",

The authograph says "for Ma-ku-ro-n president" (to President Macron); the hand-drawn parts are the little Goku and the dragon balls surrounding him, alongside the autograph. It was drawn over a printed paper (as per custom when getting an autograph)

The date indicates it was given to him during the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Yabuki Kentaro (To Love Ru's author) (link to the tweet)

Takao Koyama (screen writer for 90% of the episodes and the movies) says Toriyama was sick for over a year at this point. He himself is pretty badly sick as well.

Hiroki Takahashi (Makafushigi Adventure, first DB opening)

Hironobu Kageyama (Chala Head Chala and everything else)

"Singing 'CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA!' is the biggest medal in my life! The loss of the sun is too much to bear But the power of Toriyama-sensei's works Will continue to be a strong light And may it illuminate people all over the world. May you rest in peace."

(some more of the Editorial department of Jump can be found here, with a good browser extension you should be able to get the gist of it)

Feel free to reblog with your favorite manga panels, interviews, trivias, and let's pay a homage to his life and work, alright??

[jinisnuggets]

Hello I could request a idol!Jake x mangaka!male!reader and the reader is introvert ( fluff please )

✧ ˚ · . 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬

ᴾᵃⁱʳⁱⁿᵍˢ: ᴵᵈᵒˡ! ᴶᵃᵏᵉ ˣ ᴹᵃⁿᵍᵃᵏᵃ! ᴹᵃˡᵉ! ᴿᵉᵃᵈᵉʳ

ᴳᵉⁿʳᵉ: ᶠˡᵘᶠᶠ, ᴬᵘ

ᵂᵒʳᵈ ᶜᵒᵘⁿᵗ: ².¹ᵏ

ˢʸⁿᵒᵖˢⁱˢ: ᴮᵉⁱⁿᵍ ᵃ ᵐᵃⁿᵍᵃᵏᵃ ⁱˢ ⁿᵒ ᵉᵃˢʸ ʲᵒᵇ, ᵗʰᵉ ᵗᵃˢᵏ ᵒᶠ ᵖⁱᶜᵏⁱⁿᵍ ᵘᵖ ᵃ ᵖᵉⁿᶜⁱˡ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵃˢˢᵉᵐᵇˡⁱⁿᵍ ᵃ ᵖⁱᵉᶜᵉ ᵒᶠ ᵖᵃᵖᵉʳ ᵗᵒᵍᵉᵗʰᵉʳ ʷᵃˢ ᵐᵘᶜʰ ʰᵃʳᵈᵉʳ ᵗʰᵃⁿ ⁱᵗ ˢᵉᵉᵐᵉᵈ, ᵃⁿᵈ ˢᵒᵐᵉᵗⁱᵐᵉˢ; ⁱᵗ ʷᵃˢ ᵇᵉᵗᵗᵉʳ ᵗᵒ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᵃ ᵇⁱᵗ ᵐᵒʳᵉ ᶜᵒᵐᵖᵃⁿʸ.

ᵂᵃʳⁿⁱⁿᵍˢ: ᴺᵒᵗ ᵃ ʷᵃʳⁿⁱⁿᵍ ᵇᵘᵗ: ˢᵒᵒᵇⁱⁿ ᵃⁿᵈ ᴳⁱˢᵉˡˡᵉ ᵃʳᵉ ᵐᵉⁿᵗⁱᵒⁿᵉᵈ, ᵐᵉⁿᵗⁱᵒⁿˢ ᵒᶠ ˢᵗʳᵉˢˢ, ᵒᵛᵉʳʷᵒʳᵏⁱⁿᵍ? ᴺᵒᵗ ᵗᵒᵒ ᵐᵘᶜʰ, ᵗʰⁱˢ ⁱˢ ᶠˡᵘᶠᶠʸ :)

ᴺᵉᵗʷᵒʳᵏ: @starlit-network

ᴬ/ᴺ: ʸᵒᵘ ᵃˢᵏᵉᵈ ᶠᵒʳ ᶠˡᵘᶠᶠ ᵇᵘᵗ ⁱˢᵗᵍ ᵗʰⁱˢ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉ ᵇᵉˢᵗ ᵗʳᵒᵖᵉ ᴵ'ᵛᵉ ᵉᵛᵉʳ ˢᵉᵉⁿ ˢᵒ ᴵ ʲᵘˢᵗ ⁿᵉᵉᵈᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ʷʳⁱᵗᵉ ᵃ ʷʰᵒˡᵉ ᵈᵃᵐⁿ ᶠⁱᶜ ᵃᵇᵒᵘᵗ ᵗʰⁱˢ. ᴵ ᵗʳⁱᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ᵐᵃᵏᵉ ⁱᵗ ˢʰᵒʳᵗ ᵗʰᵒᵘᵍʰ ᵇᵘᵗ ᵗʰⁱˢ ʳᵉqᵘᵉˢᵗ ⁱˢ ʲᵘˢᵗ ᵗᵒᵒ ᵖʳᵉᶜⁱᵒᵘˢ :ᴰ

Planning, drawing, writing, new page, repeat. Unfortunately, those 6 words were all you needed to say in order to describe your regular schedule. Everyday was the same. Sometimes asking if you would ever have a break, or ever be successful enough in order to have your manga have its own anime adaptation, it'd be a huge step forward and might end up bringing in enough money so you didn't have to constantly work on a new series.

Unfortunately, despite the numerous amount of animes that existed; the chance of getting contacted by a producer was rare. And even though your two series were pretty big among readers, the day you'd receive a call or even just an email would likely never come.

You wrote away, brainstorming new ideas in this competitive industry. Your newest manga, had recently come to an end, ending at the manga number of 34. You had to admit, you were pretty happy with how it was written, especially since recently you seemed pretty dry and void of motivation.

The public seemed to agree, approving of the manga and giving you the thumbs up to reassure you that it was indeed a well written series. The pressure was a bit much, after finally finishing an almost 6 year series you were already seeing posts online titled:

“Can't wait for L/n Y/n’s next manga!”

“If he releases a new manga then damn right I'm buying it.”

Seeing those posts made you feel bad, causing you to pick up a pen and notebook and start brainstorming.

“You're going to write another one? That'll be 3 series!”

Hand up to your forehead, sighing at your own ideas as you crumbled the piece of paper and threw it away. “Well that's the plan but with how terrible I am at coming up with ideas I'm unsure if there will even be a 3rd series.”

He looked at you and leaned his back up against your bed frame. You found yourself with some of your friends, both in your house to keep you company and to help you think of a manga plot.

Footsteps approached the room, entering and holding a bag of snacks enough for the 3 of you. “Yeah well, your past 2 series have had a large audience, so if you end up writing a 3rd series chances are there's going to be a good chunk of people rushing to libraries to purchase it. So you should think of something that'll attract attention to those in your fan base along with those who aren't.”

“Thank you for the help Aeri…” you muttered to which she smiled, closing the door behind her and pulling over a chair to sit near the 3 of you.

Soobin and Aeri had been your friends since middle school, they knew you wanted to write manga series later on and supported you the entire way through. The 3 of you were inseparable and had stuck together the entire way through.

Pressing your face up against your arms and covering yourself with it, you tried to restart your mind and clear it, that way it'd be easier to communicate a proper plan for the manga.

“What if you try to make it based on an event that happened in your life..?” Soobin questioned, lightly rubbing his cheek as he leaned over to grab a granola bar from inside the bag.

You turned your face to look over at him, and chuckled.

“What type of event…? My life up until now hasn't been very eventful, so I practically have nothing to write about…”

Aeri looked down at the two of you and put her arm up to her chin, “Think a little outside the box…”

You lifted your head and gently sighed, “I'll think of something. What do you guys say we watch a movie or a drama?”

_____

Getting out of your car and approaching the doorway entering the restaurant and finding yourself a comfortable seat to relax in.

Ordering your food and opening up your phone, scrolling through the latest news and lightly vibing to the music in the background which found itself playing in the restaurant speakers.

“That's the group that has been going viral lately right!?”

You glanced over at the table which the talking came from, spotting two friends with their eyes glued on the TV. You couldn't help but grow curious, looking up at the TV screen and seeing an idol group performing their most recent song on a music show.

You would be lying if you said that you didn't like Korean music, because you truthfully really enjoyed it. However it was the least of your importance at the moment because your full focus was on your phone.

Or at least… it should've been.

Suddenly, a soft, soothing voice touched your ears. Causing you an odd sense of relaxation as you found your own eyes tracing over the screen that was permanently stuck onto the wall.

His face… caught you a bit off guard. He was handsome but you got an odd sense of deja vu looking at him, maybe it was nothing and it was just your mind playing weird tricks on you. But this was not one of those cases because you truthfully did recognize him.

This was Sim Jake, a student that you knew from highschool and actually became quite fond of. Other than the fact that you both ate lunch together sometimes and talked every so often, you wouldn’t really know whether you could consider him a friend. Occasionally the atmosphere was a bit tense between the two of you, maybe that was because you grew feelings for him at one point throughout the school year but never spoke about it to anyone except Aeri, and well, you hinted at it to Soobin and by now you were almost certain that he had caught on.

Sim Jake had moved to Korea around mid school year for unknown reasons. There was rumor that he would become an idol, but nothing was ever confirmed; and well, rumor was rumor so you should never completely believe something.

Seeing him on TV felt almost… surreal. Looking at someone who you had met before and had actually spoken to, someone who you walked the same hallways as. You never thought that you’d experience something like that, you truthfully really did feel very proud of him, for achieving something that seems somewhat impossible.

But seeing your old classmate was not the only thing that came out of going to your local diner that night, because you also found yourself with a new idea.

_____

“Is that manga interesting?” Jungwon leaned over, coming to Jake’s shoulder and resting his head on it.

“Yeah, It’s from my favorite mangaka too, I heard they’re actually working on a new series.”

Jungwon looked up at his member and smiled, watching the pages and lightly reading them as the sheets flipped every 7-15 seconds.

Enhypen had recently finished performing on the stage of a music show. It had been a long night of dancing and singing along with cheering for other groups present. On the cold night, they all found themselves going back to the company on the bus, all members slightly shivering as they covered themselves with blankets.

“What’s the manga about?” Jungwon asked, attempting to keep the conversation going as he actively listened, trying to keep himself awake.

Jake loved to talk about his mangas and this being his favorite series, he of course would become excited the moment someone asked such a question. It was such an easy answer for him, and Jungwon listened to everything he had to say, smiling every so often at the quiet excitement that Jake expressed despite being unable to be loud due to some of the members already being fast asleep.

Jungwon pointed over at the cover, signaling the author’s name as he quietly muttered, “Is this their real name? Or a fake one?”

Jake chuckled ever so slightly, “It’s a pseudonym. Many mangakas use them because many like to keep their identities secret. Actually many fans have no idea what their favorite author looks like due to privacy reasons. The closest we’ll get is by these.”

He skipped to the end of the book, pointing at the little representative character that delivered a message to a reader at the end of every manga. Jungwon chuckled as he shut his eyes, making Jake remain silent as he stared at the manga. Despite being in the dark, Jake illuminated the book with a UV light, the type you would use for the visibility to the ink of an invisible pen.

“Y/n, would you like to eat lunch together?”

“Right now? I’m drawing-”

Jake frowned, looking down at you. Sighing, you gathered your supplies and followed him out of the classroom. Stopping to put away your sketchbook and other art necessities back into your locker, as well as pick up your own lunch bag in the process. You followed him out of the school, finding a bench under a tree where the breeze felt nice and cool.

“Why don’t you eat lunch with someone else?” you questioned, biting into the sandwich that you had brought as a bit of a lazy lunch.

“Because I don’t know you too well. In addition, I find myself intrigued by you. You’re always drawing and I wanted to ask, is there a reason behind it or is it just a hobby?”

You flustered a bit, a lot of people have watched you draw and have complimented you on your skill.

“Y/n you should put up your art in a museum!”

“You should write manga when you feel ready.”

“Work as an animation producer when you get older!”

Not to mention the amount of people who had asked you questions that you were almost tired of hearing. Being an artist came with its downsides but it was always good to have an extra skill which could potentially be a career, and pretty well paid as well,

“Well, I guess for now it’s just a hobby.” you muttered, looking down at the food inside the container. Picking up your chopsticks, beginning to eat once again, picking at the rice softly.

Jake’s gaze stayed on you, he sighed and looked forward, “I guess so, you’re practically an art genius so if you decide to start a career from it I bet it’ll pay off.” he added, mouth becoming a small smile that had been directed at you.

Nodding, you thought for a moment. “I don’t really find myself interested in art in terms of career. I think there’s better things out there… you know?”

Jake agreed, opening the small bag of cookies that he brought and handing you some. “Well, I get what you mean, if you turn a hobby into a career then it’ll start to feel more like an obligation rather than something fun. But I think it’s better in a way. If you’re good at something then it's something to take advantage of.”

Staying silent for a moment, you eventually muttered a small ‘I agree’ before going back to eating, he noticed and beamed ever so slightly.

“Y/n!”

Looking up from the pages that you had been working on, you held the pencil and looked at your lover who had been laying on your bed, staring at you knowingly. He was mainly there to keep you company and it had mainly been you who asked for it. It got lonely sometimes after all.

“What is it?” You asked, taking the opportunity to stretch and lay down on the floor for a quick moment, just to redeem yourself from the stress of continuously drawing.

“You've been working on that darn manga for so long, catch a small break.” He scolded, making you laugh in response as you glanced over to the shelves full of mangas that you had written.

3 series, 72 books total that came with multiple awards. Many action figures that had come from the anime production of your most recent complete series which gained an audience you never expected to receive. It gained attention from multiple celebrities and became one of the most popular anime series internationally.

Not only that but it helped your 2 previous books get much more recognition, which ended up causing your second to become adapted into a video game, which was very well made and had a wide variety of players.

“Well, this might be the last series I write. If not then I might stick to the number 5, that collection is becoming a bit big don't you think?” you asked, still looking over to the shelves that separated each of your series, holding figures, posters, fanarts, and of course, the mangas.

Jake nodded, smiling as he went down and gave you a small kiss on the forehead.

“You're doing great Y/n.” He muttered, making you glance over and kiss him on the lips. It was a feeling you enjoyed, as the feeling of his touch and arms comforted you.

“Thank you. I'll continue trying my best, I promise”

[sneezemonster15]

So I have been watching Hunter x Hunter and yeah, Killua and Gon love each other romantically. Killua knows it, Gon is oblivious. And Killua KNOWS Gon is an innocent doofus when it comes to romance and sex but knows how strongly Gon feels for Killua, a position that he doesn't give anyone else. It's pretty obvious too.

And now I am like, how, how is it possible for so many fans to assume these mangakas are ignorant of homosexuality??? To write your main characters with a sexuality different from the norm, with such a painstakingly nuanced nature, and with their dynamic so deeply layered and felt, these mangakas definitely are not coming off so straight minded themselves. Not only do they obviously know what homosexuality is but that a homosexual dynamic, one sided or both, is quite a trope in manga. I see the same with Gege, Kishimoto obviously, Miura, Araki, Nagai. And I can tell other mangakas also imbue their plots with suspicious and sexually risque subplots, possibly for fan service. But that itself implies that they expect the audience to want and appreciate it. For example, Rengoku and Akaza. Akaza had a wife and he loved her, so it's obvious he is not gay. And yet, that whole fight scene is intentionally drawn and written to provide the said fan service and fans gobbled it up without spitting out bones.

I am saying that the idea that Japanese mangakas are ignorant of sexuality or the culture of sexuality is so preposterous that one simply cannot wrap their mind around their understanding of any manga or Japanese sensibilities. You have no right to consider yourself the forebearers of Asian sensibilities. You cannot in good faith tell me that you have been sincere with your read. It defies logic or common sense. It reminds me of this post.

[mononijikayu]

phase two — boyfriend.

As she set the empty glass mug down with a pout, Suguru couldn't help but feel a pang of concern for her. Throughout the day, she had been unusually quiet, her hands often obscuring her face as she grumbled about the revelation of her secret. Even as children, she struggled to meet his gaze when flustered, preferring to keep her thoughts and feelings hidden away. It was a pattern that had persisted over the years, one that he had learned to respect, allowing her the space and time she needed to open up in her own way.

Genre: No Curses AU, University Professors AU!

Warning/s: Fluff, Romance, Pinning, Co-Workers, One Sided Romance, Mild Angst Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, Co-Workers to Lovers, Depictions of Smoking, Depiction of Alcohol Consumption, Noted Cursing;

note: it took me a while to write this down but i did it after a while. they're officially about to date!!! please enjoy the rest of the story~

masterlist

logic ≠ love masterlist

SHE AGGRESSIVELY DOWNS THE BIG MUG OF ALCOHOL DOWN SO FAST. As Geto Suguru watched in astonishment, his friend, known for her small frame and previously undiscovered alcohol tolerance, downed yet another mug of beer without a hint of hesitation. The sight left him dumbfounded, especially considering that not even Shoko, renowned as the strongest drinker in their friend group, could match her. It was a revelation that caught him off guard, a stark contrast to their teenage years when she abstained from alcohol altogether. She disliked the taste once. 

Reflecting on their shared past, Geto Suguru's gaze softened as he observed her. All he could do was note the subtle changes that time had wrought upon her. Gone was the reserved demeanor of their youth, replaced by a newfound confidence that seemed to radiate from within her.

Yet, despite the passage of years and the evolution of their friendship, some things remained unchanged. Her tendency to retreat into herself when overwhelmed by embarrassment or emotion was a familiar sight, one that he had grown accustomed to over the years.

As she set the empty glass mug down with a pout, Suguru couldn't help but feel a pang of concern for her. Throughout the day, she had been unusually quiet, her hands often obscuring her face as she grumbled about the revelation of her secret. Even as children, she struggled to meet his gaze when flustered, preferring to keep her thoughts and feelings hidden away. It was a pattern that had persisted over the years, one that he had learned to respect, allowing her the space and time she needed to open up in her own way.

Leaning back in his chair, Suguru sighed, his thoughts drifting to the unexpected turn of events that had unfolded earlier. The mention of her other job being that of a BL mangaka, a secret that had been inadvertently exposed, weighed heavily on her mind, evident in the flush of her cheeks and the frustration in her voice.

"Do you know how close I was to killing you back there?" she muttered, her tone laced with irritation.

Furrowing his brows in confusion, Suguru shook his head. "But why would you want to kill me? Satoru was the one who outed you."

"I don't know!" she exclaimed, slamming her hand on the table in frustration. "This is terrible. I might have to quit my job too. People don't know I'm a BL mangaka. To be outed by your friend like that and to you too–"

Suguru watched as his friend wrestled with her emotions, her distress palpable in the furrow of her brow and the tight line of her lips. He understood her turmoil all too well, the fear of judgment and the pressure to maintain appearances weighing heavily on her shoulders.

"Don't feel that bad," he reassured her, offering a small smile of encouragement. "I know you already read those sorts of things,"

"You're so annoying." She murmured, her voice tinged with a hint of resignation.

He snickers. "I told you, they're not gonna fire you for being a BL fan."

Her response was swift, her frustration evident as she voiced her concerns. "It's different from me being a BL mangaka!" she protested, her gaze averted as she struggled to articulate her thoughts.

As Suguru witnessed the turmoil consuming his friend, he felt a pang of empathy tug at his heartstrings. Her distress was palpable, radiating from every word she spoke and every tense line etched upon her face. In that moment, he longed to alleviate her burden, to offer her solace in the midst of uncertainty.

With a tender touch, he extended his hand, gently cupping her chin and coaxing her to meet his gaze. It was a silent gesture, an unspoken reassurance that she was not alone in her struggles. As their eyes locked, Suguru sought to convey a message of unwavering support and understanding, a beacon of light amidst the darkness that threatened to engulf her.

In the depths of her eyes, he glimpsed a whirlwind of emotions – fear, frustration, and vulnerability mingling with traces of resilience and determination. It was a poignant reminder of the complexities of the human experience, of the myriad emotions that lurked beneath the surface, waiting to be acknowledged and embraced.

As Suguru held her gaze, he silently vowed to stand by her side, to offer his unwavering support and understanding as she navigated the challenges that lay ahead. In that fleeting moment of connection, amidst the chaos of uncertainty, he was certain that she found solace in the knowledge that their bond of friendship was an unbreakable thread that wasn't easy to break. He took a swing of his beer. He was sure that he felt the same.

He couldn't ever imagine life without her again, now that she had returned in his life.

"I'm glad that my co-workers didn't hear what your friend said," she admitted, her voice tinged with relief.

Suguru nodded in agreement, his own relief mingling with a sense of admiration for her resilience in the face of adversity. "Gojo Satoru's his name," he interjected, a hint of pride coloring his tone. "And he is your fan."

As he retrieved a cigarette from the carton, Suguru's thoughts drifted to his enigmatic friend, Gojo Satoru. Despite his unconventional approach to life and penchant for stirring up trouble, there was no denying the genuine admiration and respect he held for his friend's talents.

"He's my co-worker too, huh…" she mused aloud, a hint of surprise coloring her tone. "Will I see him often, then?"

"That depends."

"What do you mean?"

"He's in the Science Department," Suguru supplied, taking a drag from his cigarette before continuing. "But he's the busiest out of all of us. We'll probably have to be good at scheduling the hang outs."

"I suppose so...."

He sighs, smiling at her. "He may be annoying, but he's a nice guy. He's good to hang around. Don't worry about it."

There was a fondness in Suguru's voice as he spoke of their mutual acquaintance, a recognition of the complexities that defined their relationship. Despite the occasional annoyance that accompanied Gojo Satoru's larger-than-life personality, Geto Suguru couldn't deny the underlying kindness and goodwill that he exhibited, even in the most unexpected of ways. He wouldn’t be able to imagine life without his most dearest friend. 

"And he's my fan too," she repeated what he said, her expression softening with a mixture of affection and gratitude. "He's so loud about it!"

"That's just who Satoru is."

"That must be exhausting."

Suguru chuckled softly, a wry smile playing at the corners of his lips. "I suppose. But that's just how he is. In a way, this is the way he's trying to show his support," he explained, a hint of amusement lacing his words.

“Yeah, yeah….I suppose.”

As Suguru exhaled a plume of smoke into the air, he couldn't help but notice the intensity with which his friend observed his every movement. The flicker of the cigarette against the ashtray seemed to draw her gaze like a magnet, her eyes tracing the arc of the ember as it danced its fleeting dance before settling into the stillness of the receptacle.

There was a curious mixture of fascination and contemplation in her gaze, as if she were trying to decipher the hidden meaning behind each subtle gesture. Suguru found himself momentarily entranced by the depth of her scrutiny, a silent exchange unfolding between them amidst the haze of smoke and the quiet hum of the room. He recognized the unspoken questions lingering in her gaze, the silent inquiries that danced upon the precipice of their conversation. She too, he supposed, was as curious as he was with how much time had passed by between them. He cleared his throat. 

“So, aren’t you going to tell me anything else about life?” He looks at her, interest washing over his eyes. “I haven’t seen you since…..”

“Before I moved towns for high school.” She supplied him, tapping her fingers against the wooden table. “I got accepted into a school in Kyoto, and my brother already lived there. So, you know. It was good.”

As Suguru absorbed the weight of her words, a pang of regret washed over him. "It's such a shame we really didn't stay in contact, huh?" he mused, his voice tinged with a hint of wistfulness.

Her response was heartfelt, a shy smile gracing her lips as she confessed, "I missed talking to you. There was so much that happened, and you were the only one that would have listened to me."

Suguru blinked in surprise at her candid admission, the depth of her vulnerability striking a chord within him. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt for the time they had spent apart, a silent acknowledgment of the missed opportunities and untold stories that had accumulated over the years.

Before he could respond, she continued, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness. "What about that boyfriend—"

"He broke up with me after graduation," she interrupted, her tone tinged with resignation. Leaning her head against the side of the table, she maintained eye contact with Suguru, her expression a mixture of frustration and disappointment. "He didn't like that I was spending time at conventions and stuff, especially when I was still a rookie. It became a recurring issue."

"I'm sorry," Suguru murmured, his heart aching at the realization of the pain she had endured.

She laughed, a bitter edge to her amusement as she waved off his concern. "Don't worry about it. It wasn't all that bad. I got a lot of stuff done with the series. Besides, I was happy that people loved my work. They didn’t mind if it was BL, they just loved it as it was.”

Suguru couldn't help but chuckle at her response, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he teased her. "As expected, a BL fan’s response," he snickered, unable to resist poking fun at her unabashed enthusiasm for the genre. “Sensei, you really are enjoying it, huh?”

Her eyes widened in mock offense, a playful scowl forming on her lips. "Hey now, don't knock it till you've tried it!" she retorted, a hint of mischief dancing in her gaze.

As Suguru's laughter echoed through the room, reverberating with the infectious energy of shared amusement, his stomach rumbled in response, adding an unexpected layer of hilarity to the moment. For a brief instant, his friend joined in his laughter, her own chuckles blending seamlessly with his own. But as the laughter subsided, Suguru noticed a shift in her demeanor – a sudden stillness that settled over her like a veil of silence.

When Suguru finally emerged from his laughter-induced haze, he found himself met with the intense gaze of his friend, her eyes locked with his in a silent exchange that seemed to stretch on for an eternity. It was as if time itself had frozen in that moment, leaving only the palpable tension that hung in the air between them.

Her orbs bore into his with an intensity that took Suguru by surprise, a rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins as he found himself unable to tear his gaze away from hers. The sheer intensity of her stare sent a shiver down his spine, a flutter of anticipation stirring in the depths of his chest.

As she reached out to brush away a stray lock of hair that had escaped his notice earlier, Suguru felt a jolt of electricity shoot through him at the touch of her fingers against his skin. Her gentle caress sent a wave of warmth cascading through him, igniting a fire within him that he struggled to contain.

“I hope your lover knows how lucky she is about how beautiful and kind the person they have on their hands definitely is,” she remarked, her voice soft and filled with genuine admiration. “You make people feel so at ease, Suguru. I feel no worries with you.”

Suguru felt his ears grow warm at her words, a flush of embarrassment coloring his cheeks. "I…I don't have a partner," he stammered, the admission leaving him feeling strangely vulnerable. 

"O-oh, I see," she murmured, her expression shifting to one of mild surprise before quickly composing herself. She got flustered about that. “I-I, I’m sorry about that. I shouldn’t ask out of the blue. It was inappropriate to ask like that.”

As Suguru attempted to brush off the awkwardness of the moment with a hurried reassurance, his words came out too quickly, betraying the underlying unease that simmered beneath the surface. He felt like his past came back to haunt him in more ways than one. The way his heart was thumping out of his chest and the way he rambled like a child when in front of her like this. 

"N-no, it's fine," he insisted, his voice tinged with a hint of forced nonchalance. "I don't think we should be… that shy about it. I mean, we're friends, right?"

His attempt to downplay the situation only served to exacerbate the awkwardness, the weight of their unspoken truths hanging heavily in the air between them. But before Suguru could fully process her response, she interjected with a rushed reassurance of her own, her words tumbling out in a jumbled stream of nervous energy. "And it's okay!" she babbled, her tone tinged with a hint of desperation as she waved off his concerns with a shaky laugh. "You aren't my type either."

The words hit Suguru like a sudden punch to the gut, the unexpected admission leaving him reeling in stunned silence. He hadn't expected her to respond in such a manner, and the realization sent a wave of confusion and uncertainty crashing over him. Despite his attempts to maintain a façade of indifference, her words cut deeper than he cared to admit.

What she said shouldn't have affected him so profoundly, he reasoned with himself. After all, she had never been his type, even back when they were teenagers. Despite the rumors and speculation that surrounded their close friendship, they had always maintained a platonic bond, much to the confusion of those around them.

Yet, as he reflected on their long history together, Geto Suguru couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia for simpler times, when their friendship had been uncomplicated by the complexities of growing up. When he didn’t feel himself wondering, ‘why not me?’; He yearned to feel normal with her, be more at ease without him wondering when she would realize it all. They had always been inseparable, navigating the ups and downs of adolescence together with a sense of camaraderie that transcended the boundaries of friendship.

But now, as he watched her ramble nervously in an attempt to diffuse the tension between them, Suguru felt a sense of disquiet settle over him. Despite their best efforts to maintain a façade of friendship, the unspoken truths that lingered between them threatened to unravel the carefully constructed boundaries of their relationship.

With a heavy sigh, Suguru retrieved his cigarette from the ashtray, his purple orbs narrowing in contemplation as he lit one up and took a long drag. In the haze of smoke that enveloped him, he couldn't help but wonder what the future held for them, and whether their friendship would weather the storm of the unspoken.

He would stay silent.

Just as he is tonight.

Just as he always has.

Let her break his heart.

Over and over again.

THE SUNGLASSES DIDN’T HELP AT ALL. As she trudged along the bustling streets, the relentless glare of the sun beating down upon her, she couldn't shake the lingering haze of dizziness that clouded her mind. Not even the steaming cup of coffee clasped tightly in her hand could dispel the fog that enveloped her thoughts. How had she even managed to drag herself out of bed this morning? The memory was a blur, a distant echo of her determination to reassure Suguru that she would be fine, that she could handle herself and excel in her new job.

And yet, as she navigated the crowded sidewalks and greeted her colleagues with a forced smile, the weight of her level-headedness from the previous night failed to translate into the reality of her first day of work. Each step felt like a Herculean effort, her legs threatening to give out from under her as she struggled to maintain her composure. The relentless pounding in her head served as a stark reminder of the consequences of her impromptu decision to indulge in a few too many drinks the night before.

As she recalled the events of the previous evening, a wry smile tugged at the corners of her lips. It wasn't the first time she had found herself in such a predicament – the aftermath of her Christmas submission to her editor after a night of drink-binging and tearful lamentations over the tragic fate of Banana Fish still lingered fresh in her memory. And yet, as she stumbled through the motions of her daily routine, she couldn't help but feel a sense of irony in the familiarity of her current situation.

But despite the lingering effects of her late-night escapades, she refused to let her exhaustion dampen her spirits. With a determined shake of her head, she soldiered on, pushing through the fog of fatigue that threatened to engulf her. For she knew that even in the midst of her bleary-eyed stupor, she was capable of rising to the challenge and proving her worth in her new role.

As she took another sip of her lukewarm coffee and forced another smile, she resolved to make the most of her first day, no matter the obstacles that lay in her path. After all, she was a survivor – a resilient soul who thrived in the face of adversity, even when faced with the aftermath of a night spent drowning her sorrows in a sea of alcohol and amine-induced tears.

She didn’t see Suguru get into the school just yet, but he offhandedly mentioned last night that he didn’t have classes until midday. He must be sleeping in. She couldn’t help but sigh and think of how lucky he is. She didn’t know which class he’s teaching, but she knew they were both in the first year division.

And that he was in the history department and she, in the literature department — which she was pretty sure belonged in the same faculty room, separated by rows of half-opened cubicles. But she probably was already late for her first class. What more lateness can she have?

Amidst her struggles, she was suddenly jolted out of her reverie by a familiar voice calling out to her. "Hey!" The sound pierced through the fog in her mind, causing her to jump in surprise and sending a sharp pang of pain through her head. Slowly, she turned to see Gojo Satoru approaching with an unmistakable air of delight.

She cursed her luck under her breath, realizing that she was now trapped in an unavoidable encounter with the charismatic sorcerer. With a resigned sigh, she turned to face Gojo, forcing a weak smile as he greeted her.

"Good morning!" Gojo exclaimed cheerfully, his smile as bright as the morning sun.

"G-good morning," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper as she struggled to compose herself in Gojo's presence. “G-gojo–san.”

As she stood there, trying to steady her nerves, she couldn't help but feel a surge of frustration at the timing of their encounter. Of all the days for Gojo to appear out of nowhere, it had to be today – the day when she felt least equipped to handle his infectious energy and relentless enthusiasm. But as she looked into his smiling face, she couldn't help but feel a glimmer of gratitude for his presence, a reminder that even on her worst days, there were still moments of brightness to be found in the world around her.

“Oh, hush, that formality is soooo dull.” He laughs at her greeting, brushing it all off. “Please, call me Satoru. Or even Toru. Since we’re now friends!”

‘Since when did we become friends?’ She looked confused.

“O-oh, okay.”

“I was just on my way to my building when I saw you. I was quite happy to see you and know you and I were going to be workmates! To think that my favorite mangaka and I are gonna be—”

She places a hand on his mouth with her free hand, scarlet red echoing on her face. “Gojo–san, please not this loud!”

“‘old you to just call me Satoru or Toru even!” He groaned under her palm, his hand removing her touch from his. “Besides, I doubt anyone would mind if they knew—”

“I would mind, Satoru–kun!”

“You should really drop the kun too.” He pouts at her, placing his hands on his white coat jacket’s pocket. 

“Fine, fine, I will.” She says, talking a step back from him. “But please, Satoru, let me keep my anonymity. I would have people coming after me after the new chapter—”

“La la la la la, I can’t hear you.” He closes his ears with his hands, glaring at her for a moment. She furrows her brows at him. He sighs a few moments later. “I buy your stuff by volume. I don’t wanna hear spoilers outta you.”

She rolls her eyes. “It really isn’t much of a spoiler.”

“La la la la, not believing you.” He closes his ears again. She sighs. “You always make a twist on this story. It makes me sob every volume.”

“It’s the plot.” She says back at him, drinking her coffee with a sigh. His lips form into a flat line again, almost displeased with her answer. But that only makes her snicker. “You’re so dramatic, Satoru.”

“Hey! I’m not dramatic!”

She groaned, her head hurting again. “Not too loud, Satoru. I have a headache.”

“O-oh, my bad.” He mumbles, rubbing the back of his white, silver hair. “I forgot you and Suguru drank together.”

“He told you?” She blinks.

“Yeah, he was supposed to come and have dinner with the rest of the group.” He grinned down at her. “But you know, he wanted to catch up in private with you. Said he didn’t wanna overwhelm you with our energy.”

“That’s…..that’s considerate of him.” Her eyes soften at the thought. Suguru was always so caring with her. He knew she would be daunted by the new faces she would have to face. Sociable as she was, she gets overwhelmed too. Especially with things that are new.

She couldn’t help but smile. “I’ll have to thank him later. Speaking of which, which class is he going to teach today?”

“Oh, he’s not coming in today.” He tells her, crossing his arms. “He got sick from drinking. I think he drank more when he got home. He usually does that when he’s bummed about something. Did something happen?”

She shakes her head at him, worrying storms echoes in her eyes. She didn’t notice something was off with him. Or was there something that she just missed? “Nothing. We just bantered and caught up as usual.”

“He must have gotten more work.” He rests his hand on his chin, thinking. “He often gets more stuff to ingest in his department. And that usually bums him out.”

“I see.” She says, nodding at the blue eyed man. “Thank you for letting me know, Satoru.”

“Anytime! I’m happy to help my favorite—” He felt a strong hand wrap at his neck, he turned around and felt sweat echo down the back of his head. Blond hair primed ever so perfectly was before him. Brown clashed against blue and he gulped. “Nanami, why are you–”

“You’re rambling nonsense again.” The other gentleman glared at him, holding his neck tighter as Gojo Satoru flinched. “You’ll be late for your classes again and miss all your targets for today again.”

“Okay, okay, I’ll go now, just, ack!”

“Sorry about him,” The blond haired man, named Nanami, bowed his head at her. He was quite a handsome man. His suit was prim and proper, sharp as a knife’s edge. He held a leather  suitcase in his other hand. She surmised he was a professor too. “He can be a bit too nosy and loud.”

“O-oh no, its okay.” She waved him off, smiling slightly. “He was being kind.”

“See, Nanami! I was being nice!”

As the interaction unfolded before her, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for Gojo Satoru, who seemed to be the subject of Nanami's stern reprimand. Despite his usual cheerful demeanor, Gojo appeared chastened by Nanami's words, his expression shifting to one of contrition as he offered a sheepish smile in response.

"Doesn't mean you aren't late," Nanami retorted, his tone firm and unwavering as he shook his head in disapproval. The weariness etched into his features spoke volumes, a silent testament to the long hours and endless responsibilities that came with his role as an educator. With a weary sigh, he turned to her once more, his demeanor shifting to one of professional courtesy as he bowed respectfully.

"I'll be taking him," Nanami announced with a sense of authority, his voice carrying a note of finality as he gestured for Gojo to follow him. "His next class is in the physics lab, and he shouldn't miss it."

"O-oh, alright," she replied, her voice tinged with resignation as she watched Nanami lead Gojo away, his protests falling on deaf ears as they disappeared down the hallway. The cries of Gojo Satoru echoed faintly in the distance, but to the other people around them, it seemed like just another ordinary day.

With a heavy sigh, she felt her energy drain away, exhaustion settling into her bones like a heavy weight. The events of the morning had taken their toll, leaving her feeling drained and depleted before the day had even truly begun.

As she trudged through the bustling halls, the indifferent chatter of her colleagues serving as a stark reminder of the relentless march of time, she couldn't help but long for the solace of her bed and the blissful embrace of sleep. But duty called, and she knew that she had no choice but to soldier on, her determination wavering but not yet extinguished.

She pulled out her phone.

She types out Suguru’s name.

She bites her lips, staring.

She quickly types him a message.

‘I hope you’re okay.’

He doesn’t reply.

SHE REALIZED HOW NEARBY THE OFFICE SUGURU LIVED. The familiar streets seemed to stretch on endlessly before her as she trudged toward Suguru's apartment, each step feeling heavier than the last. The weight of the morning's events bore down on her shoulders, a heavy burden that seemed to sap the energy from her limbs and weigh heavily on her heart. 

She couldn’t stop thinking of Suguru through the day, how he hasn’t replied to her either. She thinks she must have really missed something. Usually she could tell if he was upset about something. She could read him very easily. And yet….last night. It made her heart sink. How could she miss something? Why couldn’t she see it?”

With each step, memories of her long life friendship with Suguru flooded her mind, reminding her of the countless moments they had shared together – the laughter, the tears, the quiet conversations shared in the solitude of the night. He had always been there for her in times of need, offering unwavering support and understanding, and now it was her turn to return the favor.

Yet she realized, he too changed in their time apart. He grew older, in so many ways she knew she probably wouldn’t have known. As she threaded through the narrow streets, she thought she needed to know more. She needs to know all about her friend again.

Arriving at Suguru's doorstep, she took a deep breath to steady herself before knocking gently on the door. Moments later, the door swung open to reveal Suguru, his usually composed demeanor replaced by a disheveled appearance and a pained expression etched onto his features. Hair isn’t neatly pleated into a bun, but rather freefalling through the edges of his back. He must have had a rough night. She quickly smiled at him. 

"Suguru," she greeted softly, her voice bright and  as she took in his condition, started to be laced with worry. "I brought some zaru soba for you. Your favorite. I thought it might help with your hangover."

Suguru's eyes widened in surprise at the sight of her, a flicker of gratitude shining through the fog of his hangover. He hadn’t told her where he lived just yet, but it seems she probably asked Satoru where. He lets a small smile echo on his lips.

"Thank you," he murmured hoarsely, his voice rough from lack of sleep and too much alcohol. "That's very kind of you."

He asked her to come in, extending an invitation. She nodded and thanked him. He handed her house slippers to change in by the doorstep and she obliged. Soon enough, she stepped into the hallway, carefully balancing the container of zaru soba in her hands as she made her way to his dimly lit kitchen. 

She tries to navigate inside, with Suguru following behind her. He switches on the light, she turns and thanks him.  She made her way towards the counters and took a breath.  Setting the food down on the counter, she quickly set to work preparing a simple meal for Suguru, knowing he probably hasn’t eaten much today. 

“I hope you know I wasn’t ignoring you on purpose.” Suguru whispered at her, standing as he watched her wash her hands. “I was really….really hungover.”

Her gaze softened at him, shaking her head. “Nothing to forgive. I’m sorry I barged into your house without saying anything either.”

“No, no. It’s fine. I’m…I’m really happy you made the effort at all.”

“Well, someone has to take care of you, right?”

Suguru didn’t reply.

As she worked diligently in the kitchen, the rhythmic clinking of utensils against bowls echoed softly in the air, a soothing cadence that seemed to calm her restless mind. With each chop of vegetables and boil of noodles, she poured her heart and soul into preparing the simple meal, her thoughts consumed by a surge of empathy for Suguru.

Despite his usual stoic demeanor, she couldn't help but notice the subtle signs of vulnerability that lingered beneath the surface, a silent testament to the toll that his hangover had taken on him. His eyes, usually sharp and focused, now held a hint of weariness, his shoulders slumped ever so slightly under the weight of his exhaustion. It was a reminder that even the strongest among them had their moments of weakness, and in that moment, she felt a deep sense of compassion for her dear friend.

Once the meal was finally ready, she carefully carried the steaming bowl of zaru soba over to where Suguru was sitting, the fragrant aroma of the noodles filling the air around them. With a soft smile, she gently placed the bowl in front of him, the warmth of her gesture a silent reassurance of her unwavering support.

"Here you go," she said softly, her voice filled with warmth and compassion as she looked into Suguru's tired eyes. "I hope this helps."

Suguru looked up at her, his expression softened by her kindness, a flicker of gratitude shining through the exhaustion that clouded his features. "Thank you," he murmured hoarsely, his voice barely above a whisper. "I appreciate it more than you know."

She grinned at him, sitting down opposite him. “Well, dig in.”

Suguru nodded gratefully, taking a tentative sip of the broth before digging into the noodles with renewed vigor. As he ate, she remained by his side, humming a song and then making light conversation — which he was happy to respond to little by little as he ate the zaru soba.

Even after the blue hour, she remained a steadfast presence by Suguru's side, her commitment to his well-being evident in everything she did. She makes him warm tea, remembering the way he used to like it. He smiled at her and thanked her for it. Even fetching a glass of water when his throat grew dry and offering a cool compress to soothe his pounding headache. 

Since they both didn’t have a class tomorrow, Suguru suggested that she stayed the night and she readily agreed. It would be like the old times again, when they slept over, watching all their favorite shows, making sandwiches and cookies. Though it was to take care of Suguru, it wasn’t all that different from how she used to be around him. And she was glad for it.

As Suguru reclined on the couch, still nursing the remnants of his hangover, she busied herself around the house, tidying up the clutter that had accumulated over the days and ensuring that everything was in its rightful place. With a practiced hand, she fluffed the pillows and straightened the throw blankets, creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere that seemed to ease Suguru's discomfort.

As the hours passed, she engaged Suguru in lighthearted conversation, regaling him with amusing anecdotes and sharing fond memories of their time together. With each shared laugh and shared smile, she sought to lift his spirits and remind him that he was not alone in his struggles. He only looks at her, nodding along at each and everything she says. There was so much emotion in his eyes as he looked at her, but she didn’t want to ask. He was dealing with a lot already. 

As the evening wore on and on, the light in the hallway kept casting a soft glow across the room. She and Suguru found themselves seated on the couch, engrossed in the television program playing before them. The flickering images danced across the screen, capturing their attention as they followed the unfolding drama of the characters' lives.

As the storyline progressed, she couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration at the obliviousness of the main character, who seemed completely unaware of the deep affection that the supporting character harbored for them. With a sigh, she voiced her exasperation, lamenting the character's inability to see what was right in front of them. She loved slow burns, she really did. But this level of obliviousness rattled her. It really was just dull to watch, even more frustrating to endure.

"Why can't they see it?" she mused aloud, her voice tinged with frustration. "It's so obvious that the supporting character loves them, and yet they're completely oblivious."

Suguru glanced at her, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Maybe they just need a little push in the right direction," he suggested, his tone thoughtful as he turned his attention back to the screen.

She nodded in agreement, her mind still mulling over the complexities of the fictional world unfolding before them. She started making mental notes for her next updates for the drafts. She was sure she could do better than this.

But then, out of the blue, Suguru's question caught her off guard. His sudden vulnerability, a departure from his usual stoicism, took her by surprise, and she turned to him with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

He gathered his strength, steeling himself to voice the thoughts that had been weighing heavily on his mind. With a deep breath, he looked into her eyes, his gaze unwavering despite the uncertainty that lingered in his heart. It took all of his courage to muster the words, but he knew that he needed to say them, to lay bare the depths of his emotions and expose his vulnerabilities to the one person who mattered most.

And then, finally, he said it.

"Am I good?" he asked suddenly, his voice softly dangling into the air.

She turned to look at him, confusion furrowing her brow. "What do you mean?"

"Am I good enough for you, like the main character is for the supporting character?" he clarified, his gaze searching hers for reassurance. 

“W-what do you mean?”

“I know it’s a lot and maybe there’s no logic to what I’m saying. Maybe I’m still hung over and it's messing with my head…”

Her heart skipped a beat at his words, touched by the vulnerability in his voice. "Suguru, of course you are," she replied earnestly, reaching out to take his hand in hers. "You're more than good enough. You're amazing."

A faint blush colored her cheeks at his words, her heart fluttering with a mixture of nervousness and anticipation. She could feel the warmth of his touch as he brushed his hand through her hair, a gentle gesture that sent shivers down her spine.

"Can you take a chance on me then?" he asked, his voice soft and sincere as he searched her eyes for any sign of hesitation. "I know I'm not your type, and I'm just... Well, I'm not sure where this is gonna go. But I promise you that if it were up to me, you wouldn't have to cry or feel unloved. I would do everything in my power to make you happy, to make you feel cherished and appreciated. I won't hurt you."

Her heart swelled with emotion at his heartfelt confession, his words stirring something deep within her soul. With a shaky breath, she reached out and took his hand in hers, her fingers intertwining with his in a silent vow of trust and commitment.

"Also," he whispered at her, his eyes narrowing as his voice barely above a whisper, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He pulled a thumbs up. "I'll also make sure to help you finish your drafts in time for the next volume."

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips at his playful offer, and a burst of laughter escaped her as she looked at him. The warmth of their shared moment lingered in the air, creating an atmosphere of lighthearted joy that danced between them.

Nodding in agreement, she couldn't help but feel a surge of happiness and gratitude for the purple-eyed man before her. The prospect of collaboration, not just in their creative endeavors but in the shared journey of their lives, filled her with a sense of excitement and anticipation.

"You're hired!" she exclaimed with a playful grin, mirroring his enthusiasm as she stood up from the couch.

She laughs at her response.

He couldn’t stop smiling.

His heart was pounding hard.

There was no logic to this.

But he really didn't care.

He was too in love with her, after all.

[maoam]

"Kishimoto make sasuke and naruto gay intentionally and not on accident" Okay then so why did he go on multiple interviews insisting that naruto and sasuke's relationship is brotherly and is inspired from his twin brother and that people shouldn't interpret their bond as romantic but platonic?? Source : https://twitter* com/uchihassasusaku/status/1419104011265974275?

If a writer writes homoerotic subtext in his material and expects people to read the material as romantic, he doesnt go around calling the characters "siblings" and asking people to not interpret their dynamic as romantic because then people wont read into his queer subtext like he wanted to

Ship what you want to ship. But stop acting like everyone should buy into your delusions. Kishimoto never said or implied that he wanted naruto and sasuke to be seen as gay but he did say many times that their relationship is brotherly

Ah, another shipper who ships a ship where creator implied twice they never kissed. And whose couple never had a meaningful conversation in a 700 chapter manga. And linking me to some SS stan who gave Elon Musk money for bluecheck mark. 🤣 A good ground to stand on. Okay, I will guide you by the hand since you don't seem to understand. It's okay, illiteracy is a common problem these days. I will put this in easy sections for you, with added links.

Also you and your "queer" nonsense... we are talking about gay, homosexuality. Not slurs.

About the interviews:

The Kizuna thing isn't even written by him, it's an article by another person. These books aren't written by the mangakas ever, they do not have the time nor is the article written from Kishi's pov. Shocker, people write a lot of things in anime merchandise that the creator isn't even involved in. [link] If it were written by Kishi, then an interviewer wouldn't have had to ask Kishi years later whether brotherly relationship was what he was going for with Naruto and Sasuke's bond, and Kishi wouldn't have had given such a cryptic answer where he mulls over it. Because he would have given the answers years back already. Also the fact that he's asked to define their relationship shows how weird it is to the readers. He NEVER told people to not interpret their relationship as romantic. And personally, I have seen movies and a comic where two characters referred to each other as brothers, and their creator referred to them as "soul brothers" but later revealed them to also have romantic feelings.

But I don't expect your mind to be able to comprehend things like this, it does require a little bit of 1+1=2 math. The interview about Seishi is about the feeling of empathy, not that they are literally Naruto and Sasuke's characters. It is one aspect. Kishi has joked about how Naruto and Sasuke are him and his editor too, because he will try to impress his editor. So? And he has said Kushina is based on his wife. So Naruto is him and Kushina is his wife? Why aren't you freaking about this freudian stuff? I know why. I also remember someone saying if Kishi REALLY saw his relationship with his brother as the exact same as Naruto and Sasuke, his brother would need a restraining order against him. It was funny and accurate.

I have wrote about the inconsistencies in his interviews and what shows that he definitely didn't write their dynamic as the same as with his brother despite having one aspect of it [link] and here is another post talking about it more deeply (they also linked my post I just mentioned) [link]. This post also explains how Kishimoto wrote Naruto constantly to do what Sakura can't for Sasuke, and she also included many links to my other posts where I talk about how Kishi wrote Sakura and Sasuke's dynamic, which you can also read if you feel like it. Unless you are scared of being proved wrong, you will read those right, or at least the linked post itself?

About how the audience perceives their dynamic:

The thing is, you and SS fandom don't understand how stories are written. Authors don't do stuff randomly. They use narrative and literary devices to tell their story. Kishi himself has remarked on it many times how careful he is about writing characters, how much he does research, how careful he is about angles etc. [link] If Naruto and Sasuke's relationship was written as brotherly in the text, in the manga, it wouldn't make a bunch of people uncomfortable. There wouldn't have been meltdowns after specific chapters nor would we have people saying when the manga was going on that they are annoyed by the "gay stuff". [link] [link] [link] (there are many more, but here's some collections for an example). Here's one more talking about the Japanese fandom. [link]

When Luffy was saving Ace in Impel Town/Marineford arc, no one in the dudebro community was uncomfortable nor saying it was gay. Eventhough it was a touching and dramatic storyline that showed us how much the two cared about each other. When Alibaba and Cassim were having their past and relationship unravelled in Magi, no one was uncomfortable. Eventhough it was tragic and dramatic and touching yet again. Because despite neither of these pairs being blood-brothers, they were WRITTEN to have a brotherly dynamic/development/relationship in the text, in their behavior. Which is why this also translated to the audience successfully.

If Naruto and Sasuke were written to be brotherly, they would refer to each other as such, including in Boruto, and would tell other people such as well. Hell, they would be proud to tell other people that this person they respect and admire the most is like a brother to them. But they don't. Naruto even told Hagoromo they aren't siblings, but friends. Sasuke said he has only one brother and that is Itachi. If they were brotherly, Kishi wouldn't make Naruto kiss Sasuke, even if accidentally, and have that to be their first interaction. He wouldn't say he wants to be the first one to have rivals kiss in shounen. Not a single brotherly relationship in media is written like this. You know, tropes matter. He wouldn't have Sasuke think fondly about the kiss as one of his most precious memories when he is dying, while years later implying more than once Sasuke never kissed Sakura lol. He wouldn't say Sakura had her first kiss stolen by her rival Naruto. He wouldn't make Sakura be jealous of Naruto's importance to Sasuke, while also giving her zero importance in saving Sasuke. He would not constantly make fun of Sakura by having her be thirsty/desperate for Sasuke's attention, any little crumb from him, while Sasuke ignores her and focuses on Naruto. Kishi knows how his writing comes off. Plenty of people, both men and women who weren't shippers, made jokes about Sasuke going "where's Naruto? hey Naruto" whenever Sakura speaks. Because Kishi made it such a constant dynamic with the three of them. People who have the basic amount of media literacy will get it, and thus all those jokes and memes were born. [link] [link] [link]

If they were brotherly, the anime studio wouldn't have them make eyes at each other while lyrics "please kiss me all night" play in the background, aside from all the other gay ops/ends with romantic lyrics to them. And since Kishi watches the anime, he would have probably point out it's weird. That's what I would do if I wrote about my relationship with my brother and people did that. Magi anime didn't have Alibaba and Cassim in romantic endings...

Kishi wouldn't put this in the movie he made if he wanted them to appear as brothers. Everyone was saying this looked gay/homoerotic when the movie dropped. I saw men on forums say "lol this looks so homoerotic, why did he have to catch Sasuke like that" and even in Chinese theaters people were giggling during this scene. Because it's so in your face fanservice. And Kishi said he cares about angles a lot in his story and that he redraws them if they aren't good enough to drive the message home. So what exactly does that tell you?

People usually aren't sexual about their brother

He wouldn't sexualize and put so much homoeroticism surrounding Sasuke's character, if Sasuke was solely inspired by his brother. You know, unless he had a questionable obsession with his brother. [link]

He wouldn't make Naruto literally get sexually excited when about to fight Sasuke lol [link] [link] that's so obvious Japanese men got amused, uncomfortable and even angry about it, if Sasuke and Naruto were him and his brother.

Romantic tropes/brotherly tropes are not the same

The fact Kishimoto's het couples parallel Naruto and Sasuke's dynamic is very evident. If "brotherly" relationship resembles romantic couples by the same author instead of the other brother dynamics he has written, guess what, it's not written as a brother dynamic lol. Again, proof that he didn't write their dynamic as brotherly. Both Mario/Saori [link] [link] and Minato/Kushina [link] [link] parallel Naruto/Sasuke and have the same tropes as them.

Raikage/Killer B is written as a normal brother relationship. Itachi/Sasuke is written as a complicated brother relationship with a lot of tragedy. Shikamaru/Choji is written as a normal friendship. Kakashi/Obito is written as a complicated friendship with a lot of tragedy. Naruto/Sasuke resembles the romantic relationships Kishimoto wrote, instead of these ones I mentioned. Even in their world, Naruto's actions are seen as irrational and obsession, and the weirdness of it all is constantly pointed out, by Sai, Kabuto, Sakura, Raikage, Itachi. This is a choice Kishi made when he wrote them. [link]

He also made a homage to Devilman and Akira/Ryo relationship that even people in the Japanese fandom noticed. [link] He specifically picked the chapter where Ryo admits having romantic feelings for Akira, and the fight (which parallels Vote2) ending with Ryo realizing how deep his feelings for Akira lie. Kishimoto would not do that if Naruto and Sasuke were based on him and his brother. Why would he pick a character famous for being gay for his best friend/enemy in a chapter where we finally get to see inside Sasuke's head?

Aside from paralleling Hinata's feelings towards Naruto in the Pain arc with Naruto's feelings towards Sasuke in the very next arc, he also foreshadowed a romantic double-suicide with Naruto and Sasuke during said arc. ROMANTIC. [link]

Sasuke on the other hand, was never satisfied with Naruto calling him brother or friend. If their relationship was strictly brotherly, they wouldn't need to ponder about the nature of their relationship, because that's not how any brotherly relationship is written in media. [link]

Kishimoto dislikes SS and talks about Sakura's "love" negatively more than once. [link] Sakura's love is selfish, toxic... yet this doesn't mean anything. Sakura wanted to save Sasuke, yet the one Sasuke said saved him was Naruto.

Now think hard. Use the modest intellect you possess. So aside from Kishimoto having Naruto show sexual attraction towards Sasuke to the point it made Japanese men uncomfortable, he also used romantic tropes (one of them being double-suicide which a writer Kishimoto admires is famous for because he mostly wrote romantic plays ending in that) and romantic parallels to show Naruto's feelings towards Sasuke multiple times, which he did not use for other male friendships in the manga. To the point many Japanese men wondered why Kishimoto "has to push homosexual agenda with Naruto's character", despite the fact he's supposed to be " a normal/good guy". All of these things somehow do not mean anything, nor do the multiple other things I have pointed out on my blog.

I'm not asking you to "buy" into anything, because understanding Naruto is a love story between Naruto and Sasuke and that Kishimoto does not even like Sakura let alone SS would require a little bit of reading comprehension and common sense. Which you and the person you linked sacrificed at the pink altar of Sakura worship, because to you not having anything in common with your partner nor having anything meaningful to talk about nor knowing anything about each other is somehow love. To you having someone else help and understand the person you love because you can't somehow makes an ideal relationship. You mistake Sakura's onesided melodrama for love. She has never said anything meaningful about Sasuke's character, neither has Sasuke said anything meaningful about her. Yet you believe Kishi wrote some deep relationship between them. How am I supposed to reason with someone like that? But your gaslighting doesn't phase me, I have seen all this before many times, it's old news by now. You can call me delusional all you want, but I trust my own understanding thank you very much. It's not like that much is even required, as proven by how many people, even the ones that don't have any need to (casual viewers, straight men, etc.) see it, still see it. Because it is that obvious that only desperate need to not see it blinds someone like you from seeing it.

I'm actually working on another post about Narusasu and Kishi's writing tools regarding it, so stay tuned 🩷

[abbynx]

Marriage with Rohan Kishibe

I love him so so much I was hit by a sudden urge to write for him in the midst of my Riddler Hyperfixation that's how powerful Rohan is

Just a fun bullet point headcanons with a bunch of compiled drabbles because I do so adore the mangaka so I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

I'd like to think that this can be an expansion of my old Rohan headcanon so yeah

💚 Y/N L/N is the sane roommate of Rohan Kishibe, at least that's what the rest of the neighborhood of Morioh thought due to the fact you display unorthodox manners of how one would assume couples would act. Keep in mind though, this was only the time where Rohan has yet to put a ring on it, but everyone thought you were Rohan's chill roommate that keeps him in check for most of the time if you're not attending to your life outside of Rohan.

But once they found out, some began to at least make sense of how the two of you are together. Koichi pointed out just how you seamlessly complement one another, how you can easily stabilise Rohan's 'Rohanness' just then Josuke and Okuyash started to see it.... That doesn't mean it will stop them from feeling sorry for you.

Sometimes, I mean when you have no one else to fall back to, you may mention issues with Rohan in a passing, nonchalant manner before you move on with another topic as if the information you just dropped was something out of a mundane life. It was Rohan you were talking about and his bizarreness may vary from the ends of extremes.

💚 I'd like to think you had fallen first, but Rohan fell harder. And once he realised his feelings for you, oh he was hellbent on keeping you. He was very determined and had gotten straight to the point when it came to ask you if you would fancy a relationship with him. He was sure you would accept, he wouldn't have any interest with you at all when he knows the sentiment is not mutual anyways.

"I admire you, Y/N."

He dared not to dilly dally the moment you arrived at the arranged venue he asked you to attend. You hadn't even taken a seat yet when Rohan suddenly drops this bomb on you. The mangaka did not feel dread when he was met with your silence, perhaps his sentence was vague and can be interpreted in any way.

"Why don't you take a seat first?" He gestures at the chair across him, before returning to his stance of having his elbows proposed against the table and his chin in his palm. "I've been meaning to tell you that the moment I found out last night."

You soften up. "Oh Rohan, I admire you too—"

"Not that way," he interjects, sensing the platonic interpretation in your tone. He then leans forwards, holding the table, his voice heavy on romantic emphasis. "I like you. I have feelings for you. I have fallen for you. Is that clear enough?"

Rohan was as cool as ever when he was once again met with you silence. Receiving such a revelation at a short period may be less easy for others to process and so he patiently awaits for your response.

"I... The feeling is mutual... Yeah..." you averted your gaze, evading his intense stare.

"Well then. What happens now?"

💚 What happens next, well, firstly he would have always been there by your side but there are times where he certainly falls short-- his manga keeping him from fully pouring his attention to you alone that sometimes he puts his manga first. There was an instance he forgot about an important date you set up for the two of you and he was not proud of that. But since then, he always tries his best to balance you and his works.

"I... I do not know what to say... I am so sorry I forgot about our date, I have no excuses at all. I promise this will not happen again. Let me make it up to you. Please..."

If you want him to kneel, he would in a heartbeat. He was that determined to keep you, but it was a lapse of time that was his mistake that he intends never to repeat again.

💚 Grand gestures of his love can vary at times, but the grandest of gestures are mostly reserved in private. One moment he would be snarky towards you, but the moment someone tries to steal you away, he is going to show them just how much of a simpleton they are compared to him by treating you like royalty. And it wasn't a matter of showing the other person that he is better than them (although, he already knows he is lmao) but the fact he can treat you better, best.

"Really Rohan?" You chuckled when you he secured his arms around your midsection. He just had to pull you in the middle of a circumstance and just before that he had sighed in annoyance when you had told given him a diabetic nickname. Rohan simply buried of face against your back, grumbling incoherently.

💚 Always at a constant need of new experience he can adapt into manga material, he often strings you along these trips because he genuinely wants to experience these new things with you as well. Sometimes these trips were spontaneous decisions, those who are uncomfortable with a sudden shift of schedules are in trouble because of that but once Rohan comes to know that discomfort, he would make sure the next time he intends to take you with him in these trips, was to make it known in advance.

Just so you know, the trips will not be the same without you. But he will not let that feeling be known... Directly, at least.

💚 But if you do come along...

Rohan had said nothing about where would you be heading, but judging by his vehicle of choice, it was just nearby. He said it was a surprise. He takes you on a motorcycle ride by the scenic road by the sea, with you seated behind him, arms wrapped around his waist. You sigh in content, nuzzling your face against the back of his shoulders, unaware of the smile etching within Rohan's countenance, soft from your gesture.

"Where are we going exactly?" Your voice was muffled against him.

"You'll see."

Upon arriving at a certain spot, you were caught off guard when you saw a picnic set up under a shade of a tree by the shore. You couldn't help but to smack Rohan by the shoulder with a smile.

"So this is what your hiding from me?" You lean your head against his shoulder, taking his hand in yours.

"It wouldn't be called a surprise if I told you." He smirks, before leading you by the hand to the set up.

💚 Unbeknownst to you, Rohan had asked Koichi a favour. Something Koichi can't refuse, due to the fact that he finds it adorable but he really doesn't know how to organise a romantic picnic by the seaside so Koichi had to ask help from Yukako, Josuke and Okuyasu. Funny little tidbit, Yukako initially thought Koichi was setting up the picnic for the two of them... Josuke had to explain to the girl bevahse Koichi was stuck on words.

Just so you know, Josuke was not doing this for Rohan, because in a way, he was seeing that he is doing this for you. Koichi is just happy to do favours for Rohan and if Koichi's happy, Yukako is happy. Meanwhile, Okuyasu was merely sulking and begrudgingly helping with the set up.

Once they heard the motorcycle, they hid behind a nearby shrubbery... And now, they are now tasked to take pictures.

💚 His top one love language has to quality time. The knowledge of knowing you're there in the same space as he is grants him a piece of mind to know that there can be people who can stand to exist next to him. Joking aside, he likes your presence lingering beside him, so that there will be someone to respond to what's supposed to be questions for himself asked outloud becomes a question for you.

"Say, what do you think may be the worst pain I can inflict on my protagonist that shall impact them for the rest of the narrative?" Rohan asked, not looking up from his pencil work.

"Physical?" You briefly glanced from your book to look at your boyfriend.

"I was thinking emotional."

"Betrayal?" You suggested.

Rohan seems to take it into consideration from the way his unfocused gaze became analytic, before nodding. "I'll see what I can do with it. Thank you."

Aaaaand suddenly he was winning another award because he decided to follow your suggestion.

💚 He loves act of service. He adores it when you would go out of his way to do things for him, those things being chores, along with the thoughtfulness of you bringing him food while he's working as he does get a little into deep his drawing that he forgets to refuel.

And in his gratitude, he gives you gifts. Not just out of gratitude, really, he just loves giving you things, especially those you love.

💚 When it comes to physical affections, he is like a cat. Not the type of cat that hisses when you lay a finger on them no, he's the type who will just allow himself to be scooped up and cuddled and will fall limp and look as though he does not enjoy it. Do not be fooled, he loves the attention. But when it came to him seeking physical attention, he will shamelessly drape himself across your lap and if you don't dare to stroke his head he will threaten to push a cup off a table and will sulk.

💚 Words of affirmation comes to him naturally, second nature even and he means every single one of it. If it's not snark coming from his mouth, it is his utmost love for you.

💚 A life with Rohan? In Morioh? Oh the hijinks had doubled.

You were calm. You promised to be calm just so you can listen to Rohan explain himself. But the longer he talked, your barely concealed anger became less restrained.

"You failed to notice the house was BURNING?!" You intend to keep your cool, when your voice uncontrollably rises another octave with rage.

"Y/N I assure you, it was more than just a game--!" He flinches away out of fear, something only apparent to you as those who do not know him the way you do appears to be nonchalant.

"YOU LET THE HOUSE BURN DOWN??? FOR A GAME???" You had both hands raised midair, a great sense of control was holding you back from wrapping your fingers around his neck, fingers shaking from the restraints.

"I CANNOT LET HIGASHIKITA WIN! NOT ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE MIGHT BE FOUL PLAY AT HAND!"

"OH SO YOU SUSPECT HE'S CHEATING BUT YOU STILL TRIED TO WIN AGAINST HIM?!"

Or alternatively...

"You sold the house?!"

You supported Rohan in his noble but albeit self-serving task of buying a piece of land, saving the natural beauty of the trees to save them from the grubby hands of a corporation intending to make a resort... But the sell your whole ass residence?

"I have. Along with some properties."

You had to have a double take. YOUR PROPERTIES?!

Before you can ask, he further clarifies. "Except for my wedding band and your belongings, of course. I had them sent to your hometown."

Oh he'd be fucking dead, close casket dead, if he were to sell his own wedding ring for manga material.

"But why did need to you sell the house?"

"For the forest." He says.

"The forest?" At this point, you were manic with madness you couldn't help but to smile widely.

"And two hills." He adds, thinking it would justify him.

"Here, I have saved a couple of funds for you to use. Maybe you can stay over with your friends for awhile." He takes your hand and places a wallet on your palms. "Meanwhile, I'll be staying with Koichi."

"Rohan..."

"Y/N please... This something important to me. I promise this will be over soon."

Eventually, you just sighed. This was the life you accepted and you will be sticking with it. It was just another part of Rohan you will be living with... But he did promise this will not last for long.

"Fine."

Pressing a kiss against your forehead, he pats you by the shoulder before turning away. "Let's not keep your bus waiting, then. I've already packed for you."

"Promise me you'll watch over yourself?"

He scoffs, rolling his eyes. "Oh please, you think of me as a child?"

The way you narrowed your eyes at him, tells him that was not the answer you were looking for. He sighs and nods begrudgingly.

💚 It did not take long for him to board the nearest bus out of impulse when weeks went by and dropped himself off to your friend's house because he misses you. The first thing he does was to play it cool appear civil with your friend before he hopes for you to take him in his arms, because he dare not make the first move to appear desperate. You're aware of this. Do whatever you will with this information. Grant him this chance or watch him squirm.

[arkus-rhapsode]

So I don’t usually this blog to talk about manga much anymore, but there was something in chapter 66 of Gachiakuta that genuinely spoke to me in a way I wasn’t expecting.

So as a brief recap: Gachiakuta is a series where the power system is derived from people called “Givers” giving power to objects they’re attached to. These treasured objects then take on special abilities. Very Shintoist system based on a soul inside everything.

Recently, the big revelation from the villain leader Zodyl Typhon is that there are a set of these objects called The Watchmen Series. Most of the time people who use these are so overloaded with emotions they go mad. But Zodyl reveals why he, protagonist Rudo, and previous antagonist Amo are immune.

Zodyl says that there are people in the world who seem to lack “certain important parts” that make them a person. This isn’t a surprise as previously in the series, Amo’s flashback had her describe what it was like for her to wear her treasured item.

So… Gachiakuta is a series I’ve been enjoying and given its way of handling of its MC, Rudo, I have sort of been reading this character as being Neuro divergent. Now, I really wanna put up this disclaimer before I go any further. This is my personal interpretation and reading of the work. I am not making a case that this is actual fact, or the authors intentions, unless stated otherwise. At the time I am writing this, nothing has been either confirmed or denied.

With that said, the character of Rudo often made me feel like I was following someone with a divergent state of mind. Particularly his backstory where after the abuse his biological parents put him through, he felt both empty inside and yet still had these frustrations that he would inflict on himself.

Only would Rudo let out his emotions when he dealt with broken objects. Wanting to fix broken or thrown away things. Something that he took to after he just felt no other interest really sparking something inside him.

So to go all the way to chapter 66, learning that Rudo is able to use the treasured item left to him without going mad, is only possible because he as a person lacks something. Something that would make him emotionally/neurologically like the average person.

Like I said, my interpretation is that Rudo is neurodivergent, and I’m not trying to say someone is wrong if they don’t see it that way. But the fact that Zodyl basically says that people like Rudo, Amo, and himself can only really use this power because there is something incomplete in their state of being that allows them to be hosts for this extreme power. It’s really something fascinating for me to see a mangaka write. To both make a protagonist and antagonist clearly have some similar state of mental or emotional issues, but clearly fleshing them out beyond just being: “oh they’re the mentally deranged guy or oh the heroes rage gives him super powers.”

Zodyl goes on to almost double down on how great it is to be like this even after solemnly stating that the only reason he has this power is because he doesn’t seem to be a complete person.

I can’t speak for others, but reading this chapter of Gachiakuta made me feel a way about its characters that the series had been layering for some time now. To hear it be as candid as it was with what people who can use the Watchmen series with no drawbacks was genuinely shocking for something that is a weekly shonen manga published outside of WSJ.

I really hope more people try this series. I feel like it can speak to them as well.

[fairykery]

If not canon, then why flashy?

Eyesex and a smile?

The guy that hates physical contact is smiling as kohaku hugged him? Not only that but he also looked into her eyes tenderly? LIKE? The other girl going "it wasn't that type of hug" was just referring to the fact that they aren't gf and bf because technically THEY AREN'T and the one girl still assumed that they were. So when they got touch- feely and the girl covered her eyes thinking they were a couple(thanks to the kiss situation) the other girl calmed her down saying they weren't really a couple sharing a hug; but two people that care about each other hugging. While Senku did not return the hug because he is never/and has never been forward about that type of situation, Kohaku is the first he's smiles at, lets hug, and has had people wonder the state of their relationship when being hugged by. She is also the only girl he is close with, that has been hinted at having feelings for him.

The KISS

Sorry, No I get it. It was too soon for this to be a romantic moment. I get it. It was for the sake of comic relief. But if you pay attention. The context of the scene didn't necessarily have to be written romantically, NOT EVEN for the sake of the plot. Cause them kissing had nothing to do with the situation; BUT the mangaka STILL specifically chose to go THAT route with the scene. He, HIMSELF, chose to use a romantic excuse(even if a comical one) as a plot device to move the story forward. And on top of that made them kiss(even if they were both uncomfortable by it still at this point in the manga). With that, making Kohaku the girl he's closest to who he has had the most physical contact with and even shared a kiss with(even if it was just a chin kiss and they both were practically uncomfortable for being forced to do.). No but seriously, the mangaka using SenHaku as a plot device to move the story forward WHEN it is NOT needed should provide some insight of what he thinks of the pairing. Which is that: "it is fun to write about" and "he likes to write about it".

NO TIME?

I like how he reponds with something that implies. "Maybe i'll blush later....not rn we gotta find a way out of here". Can we also take a moment to realize the mangaka/writter interrupted this moment before Senku could respond to the: "and the way i see it that is so very-" from kohaku? Subtle behavior on his part. Is there something on Senku's mind he doesn't want fans to know for the sake of avoiding ship wars? I wouldn't be surprised if this was what was stopping him from making the ship more explicit. Cause shippers get kind of crazy with the wars and MOST mangakas KNOW this and dont want that to affect the sales.

BRIDE STYLE?

He specifically chose one of the most romantic tropes to draw them In? Sorry no. This has nothing to do with their dynamic; but he still drew them like this? In THIS pose? Mangaka definitely shipped them.

Nah; but like never have i ever seen him so touchy feeling with anyone?

idk idk they remain sus. Especially with all of his guy friends hoping him to experince romantic love.

SenHaku also kinda parallel His adoptive dad and his lover(maybe not in the sense of dynamic; but in color aesthetic and how they are portrayed in the covers)

[also look at them being bride style like the senhaku cover lol]

I don't know why people say this ship is impossible because Senku says he isn't interested in romance. Like he also hinted at the fact that he has sex drive, just not a crazy active one where he would attack a female for, especially one stronger than him.

And if you ACTUALLY pay attention every time that topic of romance comes up is not that he COMPLETELY dismisses it. It is more because he does not prioritize it or care to look for it, especially considering that he is so goal-driven. At the same time, it is already revealed that not everything he says(especially when it comes to relationships/bonds)does he mean. He only, like i said, likes to remain goal-oriented and doesn't want anything to distract him.

He also acted pretty detached towards his own father and rejected his overly affections of love. So much so, that Byakuya tried to adapt to his own love language of science. But at the end of the day,it is not that Senku is 100% against those concepts(of romanticized bonds) it is just that he finds them to be waste of time. But despite that, he is still human. He still feels despite how much he doesn't allow himself to do so:

And Riri herself pointed how Senku only acts tough and detached when it comes to relationships/bonds(when talking about his care for the village) but a part of him does care. This is because she is the only one whose seen him cry at his father grave, despite how detached he acted about his father dying at the beginning. But again, he remembered that he had a goal, and wiped his tears; because for him "there's no time for that". It's all about prioritizing his goals, especially when about science.

And there's ALOT of emphasis on THAT.

Even so, so many characters in shounen have ended up marrying/having feelings despite saying/or there being no indicator that they are interested in romance. It is a common trope of it. So even if it were because Senku is not into romance it wouldn't sink the ship. I mean look at Sasuke(another goal-oritented character) said that romance had no place in his revolution; but at the end of the day married sakura and even gave her a ring to ward off insects

[note: is important to note that sasuke was not rejecting sakura here. More like trying to convince kakashi that romance had no place in his revolution. Because he was goal oriented, like Senku(that and the fact that he was still struggling with his darkness). In fact Sakura said that she wanted things to go back to the way they used to be and he assumed that was romance, without anyone saying anything of that sort. And Sakura had already left it clear that she wanted team 7 back; but then sasuke mentioned romance lol]

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Something else worth mentioning is the fact that Senku hates clingy overly-romantic girls or the girls that fall in love too fast with him, as we've seen him cringe or act annoyed with those type of acts. But still, he was able to manage to say something about a type, despite his dismissive behavior. Even tho it was just to brush the conversation off, the fact that he answered his type of girl with "someone that could bring him materials" and then calls Kohaku a lioness, and him as a scientist knows that usually a lioness is one to provide their mates with food from hunting. I don't know. It seemed like a sweet nickname to give her. Especially when in his time period, that type of nickname is considered flirtatious. What is more, is that he initially brought Taiju back because of his usefulness in strength(and the fact he knew he could trust him) & Senku himself noticed the exact same quality in Kohaku.

So someone that could fit his description of his type would definitely be kohaku and seeing that she is the girl who he is the closest, and HAS brought him materials before so i dont see why not. I mean he was already pretty impressed with her first meeting her. Even after having worked with her, he was still impressed by her strength, and doesn't stop talking about it:

There's also people who always dismiss Kohaku's feelings. I mean i think it's already pretty clear

His physical aspect she seems pleased with

And well he already fits the EXACT description of her EXACT type. So it is 100% safe to say that she has feelings for him. It may not be explicitly stated but it was just the right amount of sublte. Similar to Mikasa Ackerman/Touka Kirishima, whose feelings were never explicitly stated; but were always quite obvious. That was the type of subtlety the mangaka was aiming at. And i think there's a reason for that.

Because Senku hates fast paced relationships/love at first sight/mushy girls. Building Kohaku's feelings in a slowburn manner makes Kohaku stand out from all the other girls that have feelings for him/have flirted with him/felt attracted to him. Because, as i said, he doesn't like that kind of stuff. And since he is still sciency I don't think he would ever fall for a romantic type of girl; but rather a useful one that can serve as his partner. The way I see them happening would be by Kohaku being accepting of his anti-romantic nature, and Senku seeing her as worthy Mate that he could reproduce with so that the sciene can live on and keep developing. While he did teach Chrome alot, Chrome also says he wants Senku to live. I think he also meant it in a metaphorical way. Chrome, next to his other male friends kept pushing for or looking for an indicator of him feeling attraction for a girl/or at least want him to understand romantic love so that he doesn't keep downplaying the feelings that they have towards their crushes. Even Gen seemed pretty excited at the thought of him kissing a girl lol. So it's safe to say that the mangaka writing this was him rooting for the same thing for Senku; but not in the way that we exepect.

Again, if he ever did develop a relationsip with kohaku to another level. I dont think he would confess/or admit his physical attraction to her, if he did feel any. I think he would find himself content that he has found a useful girl, that can bring him materials, and doesn't ask much of him(in a romantic light). This would push Senku to allow Kohaku as his partner. I don't think Kohaku would mind it either as long as she knows Senku is willing to reciprocate in terms of just the right amount of romantic gestures/or sexual entanglement(when senku finds the time for her)

Because as he has stated he does not NOT have a sex drive(just not active) nor is he COMPLETELY against chivalry (which is rooted in romance).

So i think if he did develop feelings for Kohaku he will not do much to figure out the why and would instead only try to rationalize it by saying Kohaku is the perfect partner. He would agree to a wedding for the sake of his friends and act like he was peer pressured to doing it, and would probably ONLY compliment Kohaku's looks by saying something like "You know, according to the symmetrical proportions of your face, you'd be considered to be living up to the beauty standards of my time" and Kohaku would be fine with that thanks to the reassurance of her sister about how "he is not the type of guy to be completely against the tradition of bonds/feelings. He just doesn't prioritize them". So kohaku would be fine with that. Especially because she herself has been swayed by his way of living.

As long as she knows that Senku considers her his mate, partner, and important person, I think she'd be okay with that. Especially since Senku is logical enough to understand that he needs to put effort into the relationship with his mate. So he'd do soft gestures for her that will keep her happy in order to maintain their relationship, even if she doesn't ask for it. And that will be enough because by the end of the day that's what most relationships are, Senku just doesn't feel the need to romanticize them, unless it's for the sake of following through with a logical situation. And well him maintaining his relationship with Kohaku would be logical as it would avoid conflict and prevent him from seeking a mate elsewhere. We all know Senku doesn't like to bother with those things. He just goes with the flow of whatever is convenient.

I also think that even though he doesn't like physical contact he'd probably do soft things like touch her hand in reassurance,(he's held her hand), smile at her(as he has done so before), look tenderly at her with pride(has looked and felt proud of her) and lean on her when he is tired(they have leaned on each other metaphorically). Those would be indicators.of him caring for her, but he won't ever stop to think about them, even if his heart rate actually does start to raise he will only rationalize it with talks about "dopamine/serotonin" and Kohaku being his chosen partner; but overall, he'd be most ecstatic about having a partner by his side, and the fact that he cares for such partner. Kohaku won't ask for more and will come to understand that she has what any other girl has(when it comes to romantic relationships), and she SIMPLY has a partner that tends to rationalize everything and dislikes romance; but is willing to do it for the sake of logic.

[voxofthevoid]

As a writer, do you think that any of the “badness” of the manga of late (pacing, emotionally dry, devoting more time to bit characters than like… Megumi or Yuji….) is intentional? I can’t fathom that Gege isn’t self aware.. if its unintentional and an editor isn’t screaming in his ear then Shonen Jump is a joke.

A caveat before I answer: While I write (a...lot), I have nowhere near the creative horsepower needed to pull off something like JJK, in terms of plot complexity, character work, or sheer length. Despite my many and varied complaints about several recent plot decisions and especially the underwhelming ending, the fact that JJK exists in its current form is impressive in itself.

Honestly, what's making the shit ending stand out so much is that it's coming from a person who weaved together a story that deserves a hell of a lot better than this. Like you say, anon, it's so bad that it feels like it's got to be intentional.

And it probably is—or, not intentional so much as aware. Because my personal theory is creative burnout.

We've all heard the horror stories about the punishing practices associated with the manga industry and especially weekly releases, including the ruined health of mangaka themselves. Gege has also taken a number of hiatuses for health reasons. I assume it's more of that—or a culmination of it.

The impression the story is giving me is that its creator just wants it to be over. On top of consistent worldbuilding and coherent characterization taking a backseat, what really sticks out about the recent chapters is how rushed they are. Everything's being brought together and tied up, but it's clumsy at best and nonsensical at worst. It's hard to believe this is the ending Gege had in mind.

But you know that point where you care about getting something over with more than doing it well or right? That's what this feels like to me.

If burnout is what's happening, it's a shitty state, and I'm sorry they're going through it. Not having the luxury of putting a project you love(d) on hold until you can do it justice is never fun or fair, even if that's the reality for a lot of professional artists.

Whatever it is, I just wish it didn't have to be this way.

[thwackk]

Mav I have to know your naruto character opinions pleek inquiring minds (me) want to know

uuhhmmm idk what exactly to say cause this is a bit vague. but i can talk abt my favorites a bit 😭

Naruto Sakura and Shikamaru are some of my favorites, with Naruto being my number one favorite🫶 he’s very special 2 me in ways i cannot even say because everytime i think abt him there’s not words it’s just colors and feelings and sounds so idek what to say abt that uuuh yeah! I think he’s one of the most human shounen protags ever written and it irritates me when ppl lump him into the stereotype because of his high energy and silliness, they ignore literally every prominent and important aspect of his character and growth throughout, i’ll say that. he really stands out among most of them to me

when i was a kid tho i identified with shikamaru the most, we were practically the same person (i am definitely not that smart tho 💀) so he’s been a longtime favorite too as i feel like i understand him on a much more personal level than other characters. And i’ve been a sakura lover since DAY ONE‼️‼️ AND PROUD TO SAY IT 🗣️🗣️ sakura haters could never fathom, i need them all to explode immediately she’s literally so cool, she’s just a girl how could you hate her 🤨

it’s hard to write a character that’s supposed to be smarter than you tho and kishimoto kinda fumbles the ball with this one a bit. and then ofc the women of naruto also suffer from being written by a male shounen jump mangaka which is not unexpected but always dissapointing. some of naruto’s writing is ROUGH. we all know this 😭

I love pretty much all of the konoha 11 deeply and dearly, it feels like we’ve grown up together (i was exactly 12 when i started naruto) so i dont wanna say i HATE any of them, that’s too strong of a word but if i had to rank them from favorite to least favorite it would probably look like this:

Naruto

Shikamaru

Sakura

rock lee

ten ten

choji

ino

kiba

neji

shino

hinata

other favorites are kakashi, gai, gaara, itachi, izumo & kotetsu, kushina.. uhmmm what else. Oh i think jiraiya is overrated asf i never liked his ass.

i would talk abt sasuke and some of the others a little bit more but my memories of them are too old yk? i dont really trust 12 yr old me’s judgement on some of these things so i’m just rereading/rewatching it all again rn as well as boruto which so far i am greatly endeared by and frankly i have alot to say about it. but i’ll save that for when i finish it

[nonbinary-octopus]

most of the time in dreams I am present in the narrative, but sometimes I'm just there watching it happen in third person. last night was mostly the latter. I was sometimes the POV person, but mostly I just followed him around as an invisible observer

So. The main person in my dream last night was this little boy, who loves his big sister very much, but doesn't have a birthday present for her. And it's her birthday today. And he really wants her to be happy on her birthday.

So, he sneaks off through some kind of portal he's not supposed to have access to, off to the human world to get her a gift she'll like.

I say "the human world" because it turns out that they're giants.

And the gift he has in mind is none other than the author of her favorite manga series. I think in my dream the series was called Omashu, which I realized later is from Avatar. But the kid finds the mangaka, somehow doesn't get noticed by anyone else, and yoinks him up. I don't really remember their conversation as the kid returned to the giant train that would take him home, but I do remember the mangaka responding primarily in scathing haikus.

So, the boy returns home with the kidnapped author in his hand, to give him to his sister. He debates whether to go into his own home first, or directly into the neighboring house where the party is being held (at the home of the sister's best friend and neighbor Peggy, with whom she shares the love of this manga series). He decides to go straight to the party without wrapping his gift first, because that's where his sister is.

In the entryway to the house is a tableful of jewish men having a conversation, and the boy must get past them to get to the party. He asks if his sister is there, and the dream tagged the question as being in Yiddish, but I don’t actually know any Yiddish so it was actually partly Spanish with a decent amount of gibberish. But anyway, the men tell him that yes, she is in there, and scoot their chairs in to let him squeeze past.

The mangaka has been squirming this whole time, trying to call out to the men, but the boy covers his mouth with his thumb ao he can't, and once they're past the table to a room with nobody in it, the boy sternly tells the author that he can't get the grown-ups' attention, or there will br trouble. They'd take him away, and the boy doesn't know what they'd do with him but it's probably not put him back, and also then he'd be without a present for his sister!

The author agrees to be quiet, and the boy goes to find his sister. She's in the kitchen dying eggs with Peggy. When the boy shows up, she's glad to see him, because he's been missing all morning and they were a bit worried about where he had wandered off to.

The boy reassures her that he's okay, he just went to get her a present. He shows her the mangaka, who is currently cooperating and not squirming or calling out, and proudly explains, "I know you like Omashu, so I kidnapped the author for you!"

His sister is both touched by the thoughtfulness of the gift, and that he clearly cares about her interests... and also horrified by the realization that this means her baby brother just went to the human world, which they are very not supposed to do – especially not alone and unsupervised and with the intent of kidnapping a human – and they could get in SO much trouble.

she decides that they can never tell the grownups.

also, she accepts the gift, tells him thank you, and tells the author that Omashu is her absolute favorite series ever.

so now the three of them – the boy, his sister, and Peggy – all share the secret of the kidnapped author, who is not particularly enjoying being kidnapped in the giant world but is making the best of it.

Shenanigans ensue.

(I woke up pretty soon after that)

I've been thinking about maybe trying to write a story based on this

[joltai-showa]

ah shit here we go again, let's reread Naruto again

reading it in official English translation for the first time and really have no idea if it's good or not lol (I've been translating MHA for 5 years straight and official English translation from the same company fucking sucks)

chapter 1 is huge as hell, which is normal for Shonen Jump, mangaka needs to introduce the concept and characters and all yada yada

what I find really funny about Naruto is a lot of the stuff is written backwards (meaning, we have some stuff introduced early on, but then more shit is slapped on top) to the point that pre-Shippuden things directly contradict what is going to be stated later. Kishimoto most of the time gave approximately zero shit about things outright not making sense and, y'know, you gotta respect him for that, cause I don't have balls like that

(unfortunately when writing anything canon-compliant in Naruto you have be mindful of things being rewritten and outright not making sense💀)

Anyway enough yapping, very first page is already ripe with shit that is going to be retconneced later

Firstly, description of Kurama's abilities. Naruto's orange puppy certainly can not start tsunamis and landslides with just his tails, lmao, this is something closer to Ten-Tails. If the terrain allows it, sure, I can see him starting a landslide, but orange puppy isn't starting anything in the seas, he's got siblings with lesser number of tails for that haha.

Secondly, the entire second paragraph feels like a fever dream honestly. "Suffering people gathered the shinobi clans to fight this menace" = Konoha was founded as a way to stop the endless tiny conflicts between the shinobi clans living in the Land of Fire (why have small-scale conflicts between each other when you can have literal world wars with the guys from beyond the border lol, jk, I know Hashirama wanted a peaceful future for the kids, but ultimately hidden villages system solves none of the issues of the previous system besides "7 year olds die on the battlefields" because now we have "15 year olds die on the battlefields"), Kurama literally wanted nothing to do with humans (as far as we know) during the warring states period, he was literally frolicking in some meadows and eating weird twins from to-be Kumogakure, got captured by Uchiha "read some mossy stone that my clan carried for years for some reason and went totally delulu" Madara, was used to attack Konoha, got bitch slapped by Hashirama a few times before Mito stuffed him into her stomach. And people are surprised why is the orange puppy so evil most of the manga lmao. But anyway, the entire sentence also implies that Fourth Hokage had some sort of mega-epic showdown with the evil puppy... while in reality it was something closer to Konoha's nuke being stolen by a delusional angry fourteen year old and Minato had to simply recapture the nuke again.

anyway, that was a long-ass rant lol

love the early style, it's so goofy, Kakashi is especially wonky in it

first question: why are we tying up school kids after they are caught for their terrible pranks? what is the educational idea behind this thing? like, i get doing that on the training field, imitating combat and all, but why do the same thing in the classroom? is it supposed to encourage the kids to learn how to run away after being tied down by some ropes?

(if that's the case i guess i know at least one academy student who always failed this task, yeah, looking at you, rin, i'm sorry, i can't hold myself back from bashing that thing, lmao)

anyway, back to the manga, i really love how it mentions that Naruto flunked this exam two times already (and it's not stated how often this exam is, so I guess yearly?), and only graduates at like 13, which is supposed to be a super late age and Naruto is such a lazy bum for that... but then you realize the funny fact that Naruto's classmates aka "genius" Sasuke, "book-smart" Sakura, team Asuma and team Kurenai are all the same age as him. Lmao. This isn't the first time Kishi will forget about this silly thing called "timeline".

let's... not adress this gag.

AHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH.

Naruto, allow me to introduce you to this wonderful concept called "nepotism". It's quite common in your village. Second Hokage was First's younger brother, Third Hokage was the student of the Second, Fourth Hokage is the student of a guy who studied under Third, Fifth is literally both the granddaughter of First and a student of Third, Sixth is the student of Fourth and you, Naruto, is the son of Fourth and the student of Sixth.

I absolutely love how early Naruto is trying to be this story about this poor underdog when in reality our MC is the nepobaby to ever napobaby lol. I think only Iwa beats Konoha at having the most absurdly nepotistic system for Kage, because 3 out of 4 Tsuchikage are directly related to each other through blood and the one guy that isn't happens to be the teacher to Third.

(I do remember there was so bullshit about Kazekage clan or something but I think it's pretty much only a title and only Rasa and Gaara are actually related to each other through blood)

>badge of adulthood

>given to literal 9-13 year olds who can't throw a kunai in a straight line

yeah, you know what, this actually checks out.

you immediately know that mizuki is fucking evil when he says "nah let him pass iruka, he managed to produce a single shitty clone, he's totally not gonna be killed after 30 seconds on the battlefield" like WHAT IS THIS SYSTEM OF EDUCATION

also another good question to the world building: does Konoha have other schools besides Academy? Like, what do kids do if they don't want to pursue military career? Their parents hopefully teach them how to read and count and that's it? I mean, Konoha is a military settlement at the end of the day, but they can't be teaching only guys who will be throwing knives at each other?

absolutely nothing, naruto, lmao. you were born a nepobaby, prepare to have an endless supply of chakra for any tricks of yours and the best senseis Konoha has to offer.

is the Hokage building supposed to be their residence as well? huh.

also let's not talk about this gag.

comically large kurama jpeg

[epickiya722]

[NOTE: This is long! This is an actual ask about Mineta and among other things that I thought maybe some of you may be interested in reading, but because the font is in orange (due to Tumblr glitching out on Anon and their autism) I'm posting it like this. I'm not too bothered by the color, but I'm sure there are others who may find it unreadable. Now, you do not have to read it. And if you do read it, you may comment or just send me an ask ONLY if you're polite. Don't attack anyone over this. No matter how you may feel about Mineta, BNHA, Horikoshi, a dog, a cat, ANYTHING or ANYONE... DO NOT BE DISRESPECTFUL. Please keep any of your comments that you know are rude to yourself. And now, you may proceed if you choose to.]

Horikoshi said once in some interview that mineta is essentially a self-insert. Coincidentally, early-mha horikoshi had some pretty pervy tendencies (much like mineta—probably why he thought it would be cool to have such a character never really face consequences). The most famous example of this is probably the girls hero costumes, most notably Yaoyorozu. He mentions in an aside very early on in the story (volume three or something?) that he can’t seem to help himself and her boob window always gets bigger every time he draws it. Then there’s uraraka saying she didn’t want such a tight costume, Hagakure being naked, etc. When the anime started airing there was another interview where he said he really appreciated them making uraraka curvier than in the manga, because he likes curvy women. One could also use midnight and mount lady as examples of this but I’d say it’s more of a way of discussing mature themes surrounding hero society and all of its consequences rather than actual sexualisation. Something that sets him apart, even at this early stage, from other shonen mangakas is that he doesn’t only do this to the women, but the men as well. If Yaoyorozus hero costume is revealing, what about kirishimas (this comparison is my favourite because they both need skin showing for their quirks to function well, so why is one considered bad and the other fine? Because one is a boy and one is a girl? Please keep in mind I am not trying to say that kirishima is sexualized. It’s just food for thought)? If urarakas suit is considered too tight, then look at all might. You could probably see the outline of his dick from fifteen yards away when he wears that costume. Then there’s mineta, who makes certain comments regarding the women in his class. But what about mount lady and how she treats shoto? Or one of the wild wild pussy cats asking the boys in class 1-A how old they are to see how long til she can marry them? Unlike basically every other shonen out there, the sexualisation (at least as far as I can tell) is not based in sexism. It’s across the board, and we only notice it more when it happens to women because we are used to it happening to women.

For a long time, I hated horikoshi for the same reasons I hated mineta (it was a love-hate relationship for obvious reasons). He was openly perverted and seemingly one of *those* guys. You know, the ones I’d be afraid to walk near after dark. Or before dark. But I still loved mha and really appreciated what he was doing within the story. As a side note, he writes the women very well, which is rare in shonen (again—love hate relationship with dear old horikoshi). But if you’ll notice, the farther along in the story you look, the less sexualisation there is. It’s gradual so you hardly notice, but compare volume four or five to volume thirty. The difference is stark. It’s not really that mineta has less lines (although since the war started that has been the case) he still talks, just differently.

I think what happened is, when mha started getting popular, horikoshi started seeing huge pushback to minetas character, which probably all came to a head when the anime made him say something super fucked up to eri. I don’t recall if it was in dub or sub or both, but reading back through the manga it’s a bit different and honestly could’ve been poor translation or my own misinterpretation. But in the anime it was clear what he meant. He can’t wait for eri to be older, for exactly the reason you’re thinking now. The process of horikoshi realizing his mistakes started long before this, though, and gradually you can watch him patch up the holes if you pay attention. The anime does a poor job of this, at least until season six. But around the time that season four ends (and this is present in the manga too) there is a scene of Mina tying mineta to a chair and forcing him to watch something. After that, the sexualisation in the manga is gone for good. I’d like to interpret this as horikoshi finalizing his realization and own personal character development. He is no longer pervy, just like mineta is no longer pervy.

The one exception to this rule is that infamous chapter cover. The one with Hagakure on the front? Yeah, when I saw that, it made me rethink all of this. For about two weeks I was convinced that I’d been wrong about it, and he really is just a pervert after all. But lo and behold, he said in an interview that he was running behind and didn’t have time to draw or pick a chapter cover. He handed a bunch of old concept art to one of the higher ups and told them to pick something. He said he was never expecting that drawing to see the light of day, and he figured they’d choose something a little more suited to the story. (A little fucked up that he drew that? Yes, I think so. But keep in mind, these are *old* drawings. People are allowed to change and, following this metric, I think horikoshi has changed quite a bit.)

All of this is to say, mineta is not really a bad person anymore, and also has incredible writing (whether it was purposeful from the beginning or a last minute change) which just goes to show how talented horikoshi really is.

[pikahlua]

I've noticed more than a few people lately after the last few chapters have been very, idk, I guess doomerist about the LOV when it comes to their endings and place in the story. I keep seeing takes that I feel are in bad faith talking about how Izuku no longer cares about saving Shigaraki and is willing to kill him now that he's possessed just because he hasn't talked about Shigaraki in the last few chapters. Which I don't agree with at all, there's a lot going on in the newest chapters and we already know Izuku intends on saving him, I don't see the need for him to mention it every chapter, and I doubt he's changed his mind.

If anything, I feel Shigaraki's possession will motivate Izuku to save him even more, especially now that he knows more about him and his past besides the whole crying child thing. Which will probably come up soon again now that he's actually reached AFO.

I also see takes talking about how the LOV's role in the story is over now, and that hero society won't change at all, and they'll just get stuck in prison after all of this. Which, just feels like they're all ignoring what Horikoshi is trying to do here.

He's being vague about the LOV's status on purpose, to possibly pull off a surprise where they show up again in a dramatic way. And I truly don't see Horikoshi throwing them in prison after all of this is over. He cares a lot about the LOV and has been very deliberate in how he writes them and in showing that they're sympathetic characters who didn't deserve what happened to them. Hell, Tenko as a concept has been around since his first one shot, so I really doubt he'd ever throw away his character or just kill him off that easily.

Sorry that this isn't exactly a question and is more a vent post, I just wanted to know your thoughts on the more negative opinions people have had on here lately about the LOV and what you think will end up happening, since I very much trust in and appreciate your opinions on the series as a whole.

To me it just feels like people need to have faith in Horikoshi, and trust the process. I know the time between chapters feels really long, especially on break weeks, and that these ideas stew in people's heads due to it being a weekly manga, but I think Horikoshi is going to address everything people are worried about, it just takes time.

I haven't been paying attention to the negative opinions so there's not much specifically I can respond to. It just sounds like you're describing what we've been dealing with in this fandom for years now. It's not anything new.

I will say though that if a character "dies" but it's still a question to the audience about whether or not they are actually dead, 99% of the time it's because the character is not actually dead. When major characters truly die, mangaka usually do whatever is necessary to make sure everyone understands without a doubt that this is a real death. This is why we knew Katsuki would return, despite the literal year we had to endure of haters coping and trolling and begging for him to actually be dead.

I don't know what Horikoshi has in store for the characters he has left suspended in doubt. I don't know if he plans to bring them back for this climax or during the falling action later. I just know the chances they'll be back are astronomically high. Horikoshi loves his characters, and that has always been evident.