#method to madness
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fraugwinska Ā· 2 days ago
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I cannot comprehend the talent and grace my wonderful friend @kewpikayo has - Capturing my two darlings in the most beautiful way that is SO in vibe with Method (which, unlike how it may appear, isn't dead or forgotten) truly has me sobbing on the floor.
Thank you so much Kayo, I'll treasure this gift so hoddamn much!!! And for you lovely readers of this reblog: Check out @kewpikayo for more food for the HDCā„¢ļø - I promise you won't regret it!
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ā€œTickling the ivories ā€˜til they bleedā€¦ā€
This is Alastor and Gem from @fraugwinska's fic ā€œMethod to Madnessā€ which is so incredibly good! Like, I highly recommend it if you havenā€™t read it already!
I really had a lot of fun with this one, the fur and hair on both were especially fun to do. I hope you enjoy this one Frau. Thank you so very much for creating my banner for the Hooked on Hazbin event. I know Iā€™m a bit late in getting this to you, but I do hope this brightens your day and makes you smile!
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fraugwinska Ā· 9 months ago
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FrauGwinskas Wonderful World of Works
Main Fic
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on AO3 and tumblr (Alastor x Reader; #RadioGemšŸ“»šŸ’Ž)
Quick-Fics and One-Shots (#fraugwinskawrites)
The Nice (Fluff, Angst and everything in between - SFW)
Pour Decisions - Alastor & Reader Al and Reader have a pun-off, with Angel getting increasingly frustrated
Rainy Days - Charlie x Vaggie Just a little fluff between hells most wholesome couple on a rainy, boring day
Pandoras Box - Alastor x Reader Reader wants kisses - Reader gets kisses, whether our mighty overlord likes it or not (Spoiler: He does)
In Sickness and in Health - Alastor x Wife!Reader When his doe is sick, the buck will care for her. (TW: Mention of death by sickness)
Taking the edge off - Husk & Angel & Reader (+ Alastor fluff) A few drinks too much, and Husk finds himself being hug-attacked by Alastors girlfriend. Angel barely helps. Al to the rescue!
You put a spell on me - Alastor x Reader Reader gets caught singing and dancing by herself by Alastor, just to have him join in - both in dancing and in acting out the lyrics *wink wink*. The outcome surprises you both!
Fake it 'til you Make it - Alastor x Reader When Reader is stalked, Alastor - accidentally - has a most genius idea on how to help them. What could go wrong? (Tw: Stalking)
Mother'O Mine (Alastor x Reader) Mothers Day is hard for everyone in the hotel.... but one especially has a hard time. Maybe Reader will be able to help? (Angst/Comfort)
Worth a Shot (Alastor x Reader; Fluff) Reader has everyone in the hotel pictured, collected in a photo album, captured by her lense. All but one. But Alastor vehemently eludes her phone camera. Will a polaroid suffice?
Past and Present (Alastor x Reader) Alastor gives Reader the most perfect birthday present. Birthday One Shot for @alastor-simp
Gravitate (Alastor x Reader) - soon to come
The Naughty (NSFW - Minors DNI!)
Joke's On You - Alastor x Reader (NSFW) Alastor isn't the only prankster at the hotel. You join in on the fun,matching his energy and turning his solo act into a delightful double trouble. But the prank you want to pull on Angel might've gotten a little... out of hand.
We just have Forever (Alastor x Reader; MDNI) Waking up in the radio demons arms is nice. A little make out session before hell expects you back, is even nicer.
Shadow Games (Alastor x Reader x Alastor's Shadow; NSFW) Possessed by and therefore gifted to @hazelfoureyes What's better than getting it on with your favorite deer demon? Getting it on with him AND his ever-present shadow companion.
Pretty Desperate (Vox x Reader; NSFW) Bribe for @macabr3-barbi3 Vox hates Alastors new assistant who just drools over his friend. Too bad for her that he doesn't want her. And too bad for Vox that he doesn't want him either.
Transient Response (Human!Alastor x Reader, NSFW) When the new and only female sound engineer caught the eye of New Orleans favourite Radio host, she turned out to be quite elusive. But Alastor is always game for a little hunt, especially when he traps his prey in his broadcasting booth.
Antidote (Radioapple x Reader, NSFW) While almost everyone is away for a night out in town, back at the hotel Reader accidentally drinks a potent lovedrug. With Alastor and Lucifer beeing the only two remaining demons mannig the building, they have to somehow set aside their differences to help their darling girl.
Battle Scars (Alastor x Reader, Angst/Hurt/Comfort, NSFW) TW: Dark themes, mentions of self-harm and depression After a fight with Alastor, reader fights with herself. At the brink of relapsing into habits she tried to bury, he shows her that that's a battle sha doesn't have to fight alone.
Master of Puppets (Alastor x Witch!Reader, NSFW) Alastor and reader not only share interests in magic, but in each other. With what the little witch already knew and what Alastor taught her, she creates a gift that turns out to be a very naughty piece of witchcraft.
Heavenly (Radioapple, MDNI) - Gift for @minkdelovely Lucifer is tired. Tired of his domain, of his duties, of being a ruler... of just being itself, really. Ready to break by the circumstances and be put back together by the Radio Demon, who both infuriates and tempts him alike.
Mirror, Mirror (Alastor x Bodyconscious!Reader, NSFW) TW: Explicit depictions & mentions of ED and body dysmorphia An innocent remark from Angel confirms what Alastor long suspected. And he is determined to help reader see just how much more than beautiful she really is.
Sensory Overload (Vox x Reader, NSFW) Valentino's new hire is a genius when it comes to write about sex - but unfortunately, having it proves impossible to her because hell made her senses numb. Not even the moth pimp could get her off, much to the amusement of Vox. When they make a bet about whether or not Vox could suceed where Valentione had failed, Vox takes on that challenge as he does any other challenge. Head on and with full power.
Visions of You (Alastor x Blind!Reader, MDNI) TW: Depictions of attempted SA, Blood & Gore Managing hell without seeing, Reader made a modest living for herself selling books in her little store. A quiet, mostly uneventful life, until a certain overlord visits, interested in the various stock Reader keeps - as well as the little blind mouse herself.
No Hard Feelings (Alastor x Fox!Reader, NSFW) "Don't tell me you don't know?" he purred, a dark smirk pulling at his lips, a slight glimmer of the yellowish hue of his sharp teeth showing from behind them. "How quaint. I'm afraid I didn't take into consideration that you are not the type to make yourself acquainted with the hellish form you took on. Why, you're in heat, darling. A very... desperate and needy one, at that."
The Mini-Series (SFW & NSFW, mind the tags!)
Good Times Series - Alastor x Reader Al and Reader explore which era had better dance moves 1.Going with the times 2.Goody-Two-Shoes
Brat Series - Alastor x Bratty!Reader (NSFW) Reader tests the limit of Al's patience, it's just so fun! But what happens when his patience runs out? Uh-oh... 1. (Un)Holy Tease 2.(Un)Holy Terror
Hard Days Series - Sub!Alastor x Reader (NSFW) Alastor doesn't often feel the need to give up control, but when he does, we know - and we're ready! 1.Hard Day 2.The hardest Day
Actions and Words Series - Alastor x Reader Reader joins a lonely, tipsy Al at the bar for a night filled with much more than words. After the nightly drunken escapade, Charlie and the crew is hellbent on getting Reader and Alastor together. While Reader tries to stop the shenanigans, no one asks Alastor what HE wants. 1.More than Words 2.Louder than Words
The full Picture Series - Alastor x Reader Reader is an artist who draws everyone - just not Alastor. Which bugs him. Majorly. 1.Pictures of You 2.Ripped Canvas (WIP)
AfterLife Series (NSFW) Heavy Angst; TW: DARK themes, suicide, mental/physical torture, religious trauma Reader finds an old radio and with it, a friend. Her only friend in a word she feels shut off of. When that friends vanishes, she doesn't see another way to continue but to take a leap of faith. In the most horrible sense. You have to bargain with something much bigger than yourself, hoping to find your way to the one you jumped for in the first place. 1.Leap of Faith (Alastor x Human!Reader) 2.Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (Alastor x Reader)
Beauty is Power - A Smile is it's Sword Series (Alastor x Cheshire!Reader; NSFW) What's more dangerous than one smiling murderous deer overlord? Well, him with a similar murderous and ever-grinning cheshire wife, going out for a little game night. (Please mind the TW!) 1. Game Night 2. A Night to Remember 3. No Place like Home
Our Deer Family Series - (Angst/Fluff, NSFW) (TW: Sickness, Death) An unconventional offer from a gravely sick young woman turns Alastors whole afterlife upside down when she, now deceased, turns up at the hotel with the most unsuspected news. 1.One plus One makes Three (Alastor x Human!Reader) 2.What to expect... (Alastor x Reader, WIP)
Tempest Series - Alastor x Reader (Angst/Comfort, NSFW/MDNI) When Alastors nightmare threatens to destroy the hotel, Reader heads to his room, determined to wake him up before they are all buried in the rubble. But waking a sleeping beast is a dangerous thing. 1.The Eye of the Storm 2.Taming the Tempest
The Alchemist Series (Alastor x Reader, NSFW) The Alchemist, a powerful new sinner that quickly rises up the ranks of the pride ring's top demons and with no interest to join the elite group of overlords, is a thorn in Alastor's side from the moment she sets foot in hell. Chaos and Order just have to clash, so nature dictates The Alchemist and the Radio Demon have to do the same. Too bad that there is only a very thin line between hatred and love. 1.The Principle of Equal Exchange
#SlutSnacks (NSFW Shorts)
Early Morning Pick-Me-Up (Alastor x Reader) Incorrect Alastor x Reader Quotes: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 Lessons in Leather (Human!Alastor x Reader) Let Down your Hair (Alastor x Reader)
Collaborations
DoubleTrouble No.1: Sweet as Cherry Wine - Alastor x Reader (NSFW) Reader has her period, Alastor is a cannibal. Seems like a plan, right? (Alastor POV, companion piece to Reader POV The Blood is Rare by @macabr3-barbi3
Double Trouble No.2: Missionary Impossible - Vox x Reader (NSFW) (Reader POV, companion piece to Vox POV by @macabr3-barbi3)
One Word to lift the Pain of Life - Alastor x Reader (+RadioSilence) Regency AU piece done in the collaborative event 'PrideRing and Prejudice' by Bapples Orchard Discord Server, thanks to the one and only @bapple117
Never have I Ever - Vox x Kora (@macabr3-barbi3's OC) Fluffy One Shot of my favorite Vox/OC couple!
Asks to come (Not in chronological order; Working Titles)
For Reasons Wretched and Divine (Lucifer x Reader; NSFW) Business is Business (Alastor & Vox & Lucifer x Chuck the Tailor) Cheap Tricks and Tasty Treats (Alastor x Reader; NSFW) Midnight Snack (Alastor x Cannibal!Reader; SlutSnack WIP) Beyond the Horizon (Alastor x Reader; Part 3 of the Tempest-Series, NSFW) Stress Relief (Alastor x Reader; Slutsnack WIP) A Friend in Need (Alastor x Reader, Gift for the Coven)
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duraxxor Ā· 1 month ago
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In the wake of the last question themed around sense, what is it that drives you to madness? Or is 'madness' only a term that others frame to what they do not understand or experience? What do you find to be true madness in others?
The curling of his lips bore the truth that the Lord seemed to admire this shadow's boldness. A psycho's psychological intrigue, one might say. " Thank you for returning for more, I do hope I am tickling your palette, shadow. If it were as simple as picking between your choices, I would have likely leaned in favor of the term being merely a label. But that is only through the acknowledgement of madness in the opinion of others. Madness often comes in a variety of spice and herbs when applying it to a dish. " Slowly, a porcelain plate slide across the table. Nestled in the epicenter was a twelve-ounce cut of meat that took the shape of your typical ribeye. A fresh harvest, bloody and still mooing practically by the standards of the meat market and restaurant alike. " Let's take this cut of meat. It is raw, freshly stripped from the source. Blood still courses through what little it possesses. Now, is it mad to partake of such a dish without searing the outer surface first? " A cutting knife was extended along with a fork, softly intertwining into the flesh as he began to rend a slither of the meat for his fork to apprehend. " If you said no, congratulations, you know the proper way to eat a steak. " A little jest was added, but there was a truth to it, for even in life did the Lord prefer his steak of rarity. " If you said yes, then why is that? Is out of fear of disease from an unprepped meal? Or is it because you were hardwired to believe that doing so would be the correct means? " With a singular movement, he brought the piece into his maw, prying it with his teeth before he delicately chewed upon it. His actions were slow, gentle, and sophisticated. Even when a droplet of blood that paled in comparison to the puddle that was forming the plate dribbled down his chin, he cleaned it by application of napkin. " One would say what I just did is maddening. But is it really any different than when the shambling ghouls do so? The living twist and heave as they watch creatures that they have not lived as pick and pry the bone because in reality, it is an altercation of nature that are not accustomed to beginning with. RARR!
Suddenly, a ferocity erupted in the lore as he lunged forward onto the table, slamming against it. Claws digging into it as his jaws clutched the remnants of the meal. A series of chewing with multiple rows of teeth created a series of splotching and slurping that by dining mannerisms was most unpleasant. Like slithering eel, he receded back to settle in his chair, lips now covered in the remnants of crimson paint as his hair was now unkempt. His gaze looked to the darkness as he bowed his head, veiling the glints in them for the time being. " Apologies, I was hungry. I will get to my point so that you may understand. For the most part, it is true that I believe madness is but a scripture that is written by man and higher powers that would seek order, there is such a thing that I would like to call self-madness. It is when one's identity is threatened by another when transitioning or being mettled by the affairs of another. Madness is practically elementary in this nature. It exists in all cosmological forces and within the hearts of mortals alike. The biggest trait of it though is the subject chooses not to acknowledge such and allow themselves to be possessed by it. After all, even in the orderly and the just, there exists seeds of madness that threaten to teeter into territories that that they should not sink their teeth in, wouldn't you agree? "
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muchmossymess Ā· 16 days ago
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Thank you to all the lifers who got joel to win
Lizzie telling him to avoid going after scott
Gem keeping him calm and focussed
Grian watching his back and keeping him from his red craze
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hitwiththetmnt Ā· 1 year ago
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Master Leonardo has some tricks to show Casey for his first Christmas
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the-untalented-photographer Ā· 1 year ago
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r0semultiverse Ā· 1 year ago
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WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ORIGINAL MARCELINE OF THE WINTER KING'S UNIVERSE!? šŸ˜Ø
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Is the implication that Ice King took her out with all of the other oozers or did the oozers end up killing her?? Either way, it seems that this Simon was not coping well with any of what was going on in his life. Living a life of hypocrisy & ruling a false kingdom.
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zzzx009 Ā· 2 months ago
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SKKAUS WEEK
Free day: fem soukoku!!!
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poorly-drawn-mdzs Ā· 1 year ago
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"What do you mean their name isn't Beef?"
(for @moondal514)
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fraugwinska Ā· 7 months ago
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ā€œWe are venturing through unsteady and unknown territory, little gem. But we shall carry on just as before, and will solve this puzzle together. For the time being, let's just settle that I have, indeed, grown fond of you.ā€ [Method to Madness Chapter 15]
I scream-cried-threw-up-exploded-died-resurrected-repeated when the absolutely talented, gorgeous, awsome @chefskjss sent me the result of my first ever commission of Alastor together with the reader of my main fic Method to Madness.
To see Alastor and Gem together like this will forever be one of the greatest moments in my life. šŸ“»šŸ’Ž
Thank you for lending your amazing talent to do this - I cannot imagine anyone more deserving or better to have done it! Please send every ounce of love her way - she's an outstanding artist and truly a lovely person!
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kuravix-art Ā· 7 months ago
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Director Haoling answered a question about what the boys would do if the other was having a nightmare, it's so funny
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fumifooms Ā· 10 months ago
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The Nakamoto household - facts & theories masterpost
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Table of contents:
the hierarchy & general situation
The parents
The Maizuru situation
The siblings
The other retainers
Izutsumi
Toshiro
Conclusion
I also made tldr summary charts here. This post is about collecting facts about the setting and characters, but itā€™s gonna be a lot of analysis on what it means through the lens of Toshiro as well, his relationship and place in everything etc etc. They have entangled drama the scale of Daltian Clan. Things are so interwoven itā€™s hard to keep topics neatly in their own section, because of this pictures may be relevant at several point of this but I mostly wonā€™t be putting them in twice, you might have to do some scrolling up while reading if you want the visual proof to accompany statements. Unlike with Chilchuckā€™s family thereā€™s less ambiguousness and more intricate details and implications so itā€™s less theorizing & headcanoning and more stringing together all the crumbs canon gave us. I also dig into some cultural parallels, especially since characters from Wa are the most culturally coded in the series. Also disclaimer that Iā€™ll be calling Shuro Toshiro through this whole thing because thatā€™s his actual name & Shuro isnā€™t even a nickname heā€™s shown to like, for accuracyā€™s sake. The servant girls have real names but are always called by their code names so Iā€™ll call them as such, except for Izutsumi who was named Asebi which I wonā€™t be using.
The general situation
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To start off, whatā€™s the situation in canon? All three kids of the head of the house, the three sons (Toshiro and his two younger brothers), are sent out on a vague mission to find something interesting for his father to pick the heir. Each son is thus on their own journey, out with their own group of retainers for an unsure length of time, during canon itā€™s been 2 years that Toshiro left the house for this mission, and they seemingly all drifted towards dungeons. Itā€™s important to remember that this state of things is the exception and not the rule, and before this the sons lived at home and had different uses of their time, and the retainers had other jobs than care after them. See the next paragraph.
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The household offers ninja services, no exaggeration or misuse of the term, mostly spyint but also "covert maneuvers" which could include anything including assassination of people high up. Thatā€™s the job of their servants/retainers at least, the heads themselves are more like managers probably, possibly samurais themselves though especially since as we see with the heirs (besides the samurai armor) they also got trained in fighting as their skills showcase. I need to dig into the history of samurais more before I can draw the parallel confidently though. The Nakamoto household is noble/wealthy, distinguished as the Adventurerā€™s Bible puts it, but it works for and puts its service at use for "their local lord". It buys servants, but also has families who have served it for generations like with Hien. The comic shows that there arenā€™t only women servants, itā€™s just the ones we see all happen to be because Toshiroā€™s retainers are only a small team of all of Nakamotoā€™s servants.
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Above, in a page showcasing charactersā€™ relationships with their party leader: ēˆ¶č¦Ŗ恮éƒØäø‹ć‚’å€Ÿć‚Šć¦ć„ć‚‹ēŠ¶ę…‹ćŖ恮恧态 č·é›¢ćŒć‚ć‚‹ć€‚Doubtlessly there must be a translation of this already somewhere but Iā€™m lazy and impatient so I turned to machine translation instead, this translates into: "Since he is borrowing his father's subordinates, there is a distance between him and them". Calling the servants retainers is what most of the fandom does and itā€™s accurate so Iā€™ll be calling them this.
Hien and Toshiro were childhood friends which means the servants do have some degree of contact not even just together but with the heirs too, or maybe just specifically Hien, since both their parents were ninjas for the Nakamotos she ended up getting raised there and they let her play with him as an exception? They did end up drifting away as adults as their relationship got more professional, so itā€™s possible. The servants eat and sleep in shared spaces, separate from the masters, though Maizuru has her own bedroom, if the room configuration at the in is to be believed + itā€™d make sense since sheā€™s governess/head servant. Iā€™m hesitant wether to say itā€™s implied that this group of 4 retainers was always a bit of a team or it wasnā€™t and got formed for Toshiro specifically. We know that Benichidori had little contact with Toshiro before they were sent out together for example, but we do see all three girls with Izutsumi in Inutadeā€™s extra when they were younger, and them eating in the same japanese styled room etc. The inn they stay at on The Island is western styled though they do have futons rather than beds (thereā€™s only one bed in their shared room and Hien has it because of her rank).
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From Izutsumiā€™s Adventurerā€™s Bible profile: "Maizuru, who was also Shuro's governess, is the one thing Izutsumi fears. After Izutsumi was taken in by the Nakamoto family, Maizuru forced her through a harsh training regimen of speech, common sense, and fighting skills. Since Izutsumi refused to listen to her, Maizuru set a curse on her that would activate if Maizuru didn't touch her within a set time frame: "Ninja Art: Babysitter." "
Maizuru, called a governess, is the one training the girls, at least some of them, we know for a fact she was the one to train Izutsumi for example, and in general sheā€™s the one in charge of the ninja girls we see. She was a ninja herself but retired from frontline missions, but has a central role managing the servants instead. Inutade for example is strong but not stealthy, and itā€™s said that itā€™s Maizuruā€™s job to choose how to train her and what role to give her in consequence. Her training includes manners but fighting as well, notably kunais and martial arts. Hien is shown to use bombs and Benichidori is implied to be good at disguises, Inutade uses a bold weapon like a club but itā€™s implied with "ogres and clubs just go together" and Maizuru not knowing where to put her to use that itā€™s uncommon for Nakamoto servants to use those. Their board game artworks also show their specialties neatly. When brought into the household, the servants are given new names and their whole lives become devotion to the house and their duties. The names might be intended to act as code names due to them being ninjas? Itā€™s implied that they never use their non-code names anymore once they start serving the household. Maizuruā€™s training also contains language and "common sense"ā€¦ Critical thinking? As well as implied etiquette. This isnā€™t surprising, as she was the one put in charge of raising not only Toshiro but his brothers as well.
Oh yes I want to mention that all the retainersā€™ "first deaths" are in the dungeon during canon, considering our main cast weā€™re used to death being permissible because dungeons make resurrections possible, but itā€™s relevant to remember that these people never died before. Never. These girls are professionals, ninjas with a sometimes very dangerous job. Messing up means death, permanently.
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From what we see and with who we see, the hierarchy is:
Father (head of house, his word goes)
Mother (has status which puts her wishes above othersā€™ and give her some control over the house, itā€™s unsure how much though, but hierarchy wise sheā€™s very much above the rest but below the father)
Maizuru (governess, in charge of (at least some) servants and raising Toshiro. Two dots)
Hien (leader of their squad, trained servant from a family devoted to the Nakamotos. Two dots)
Benichidori (trained bought servant. Two dots)
Inutade and Izutsumi (bought servants. Power wise from their rank itā€™s unsure just how much the difference between Inutade (who has one dot), Izutsumi (who has none) and Benichidori (who has two) is, since Hien is team leader between the four servants at least thatā€™s measurable. Inutade gets some janitor duties, and Izutsumi has a curse put on her so she doesnā€™t run away I suppose. Power wise itā€™s unsure, but socially/role wise Inutade and especially Asebi are treated worse.)
I didnā€™t add the sons because Iā€™m talking more generally about the power structure and itā€™d depend on each sibling, like Toshiroā€™s wants and directives during canon trump Maizuruā€™s, but Maizuru is also his nanny and manages the girls so she has a lot of importance and sway even on the final decisions.
The parents
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I am so pissed I forgot that we know Toshiroā€™s fatherā€™s name, Toshitsugu, from these panels showing the progression of the family tree. I am so pissed Iā€™m adding this halfway into writing this whole thing, I am not gonna go back and replace every "the father" by his name atm.
The father is the part of this puzzle most important yet most shrouded in mystery, or rather a lack of details. What we do know paints a pretty full and vivid portrait: impulsive and cares mainly about his own entertainment. Maizuru calls him a fool, his sons are exasperated and go "This again?" when he summons them saying that theyā€™re boring/dull, everyone knows heā€™s having an affair and he often has undignified demeanor, but what he says goes so yes Maizuru will take Izutsumi under her wing, yes the sons will be going out right away into the world to find you the 8th world wonder, yes whatever you want lord. He seems to have little care for how his action affects others, like crashing into Maizuruā€™s room at night and asking she take care of a catgirl, or sending out his sons suddenly with kicks to the butts. He does what he wants hen he wants and others have to comply.
Like we see with Izutsumi and Inutade, he tends to take a liking to slaves here and there and buy them on the spot, usually at entertainment places, like sumo wrestling matches for Inutade and a freakshow for Izutsumi. The Adventurerā€™s Bible states him acquiring Inutade as "By coincidence, Shuro's father came to see her first match; he liked her and bought her for the Nakamoto family." and Izutsumi as "She was on display as a "cat-girl" in a sideshow when Shuro's father took an interest in her and bought her." In Maizuruā€™s extra, he calls Izutsumi a "souvenir" he got for her, and heā€™s drunk so it could well be assumed that buying Izutsumi was a drunken whim, and that he mitht be alcoholic. You canā€™t really say that he picks them out because he sees potential in them to be a ninja or would be useful, since with Izutsumi she had no fighting training and Inutade doesnā€™t fit the skills they seek like stealth and she has trouble fitting in. You could assign noble goals to him like maybe wanting to help or relating to the misfits, but I think with what we see of him itā€™s more likely that he likes to pick up "oddities", like a catgirl at a freakshow or an ogre, especially since one of the only things we know of him is he wants his sons to bring back interesting trophies from their travels. Toshiro, about his father buying Inutade, says: "People in power desire ogre as servants, and ogres are chosen as opponents in tests of strengths or military exploits. My father bought her for similar reasons."
Also from this we can infer that he goes out to events often, like circus and sumo wrestling, again mostly for entertainment from what we see. I like to think itā€™s implied that he used to travell maybe still does, due to his own liking for it as a test and because he visits various places like the sideshow, plus his forearm scars in Toshiroā€™s extraā€¦ But him being a samurai in service of a lord could definitely explain that.
This all paints an interesting picture doesnā€™t itā€¦ The Nakamotoā€™s lifestyle is super encased in rules and social propriety, duty and hierarchy. Old noble man whoā€™s been surrounded by propriety all his life and just wants some spark of interesting stuff happening amongst the humdrum of his lavish cushioned life at home, and is shitty to people around him in consequence and due to his privilege allowing him to. Heā€™s despicable, but from his 3 appearances he becomes an interesting well-fleshed character, at least proportionally to the screentime he getsā€¦
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We also know that the affair with Maizuru is well known at least inside the household, so thereā€™s no genuine secrecy around the topic. Makes sense that the wife would hate her guts.
Ahh yes the mother. Little is known about the mother, except that from Maizuruā€™s profile "Shuroā€™s mother canā€™t stand the sight of her, to the point where there are areas on the property Maizuru is forbidden to enter. Maizuru, however, is impressed by his wifeā€™s strength of character." From this I glean that she does have enough power/respect in the house that she can make rules like where Maizuru is allowed to go. Also the implication that otherwise Mazuru would have access to EVERYWHERE in the house despite being only a (high-ranking) servant is a bit interesting. Wether the motherā€™s "strength of character" is overt and hot-headed or understated and cool-headed is unsure, but I imagine the latter more. I could see Maizuruā€™s angle in many ways, from being able to tolerate "that fool" aka the father both just in general and with knowing that heā€™s cheating on her, to knowing how hard it is to be respected as a woman and admiring her putting up with it all and still being able to have sway in the household. This is I think the only mention of the mother anywhere. Doesnā€™t seem like she is an important figure to Toshiro at all: in fact we hear about her on Maizuruā€™s profile, and seeing all of this we can see the importance of her in Maizuruā€™s backstory and life, moreso than Toshiroā€™s. I imagine sheā€™s a bit of a recluse, which is part of why Maizuru not being allowed to roam the full house is important, because them running into each other at the house is high.
Itā€™s unsure how much contact the parents have with their kids. What we know is that they left the principal tasks of raising the kids, or at least Toshiro, to servants. Toshiroā€™s profile says that heā€™s more attached to Maizuru than his parents, and thatā€™s the phrasing. From the comic where their father summons the sons, it does seem like theyā€™re more or less used to interacting, with the sonsā€™ "This again?". So itā€™s not that theyā€™ve only interacted with them few times enough to count on fingers, but how meaningful were those interactions? From Toshiroā€™s profile we know he has a complex where he thinks heā€™ll never get recognition from his father or be able to measure up to himā€¦ But is that more born out of secondhand gossip and expectations, or from direct interactions with him that made him feel that way? Likely a mix of both, especially since the father does seem to be very dismissive, uncaring and insulting with his sons. Oh, but itā€™s definitely notable that in the Hag monster tidbit (below in Maizuruā€™s section) six years old Toshiro runs to his father scared shitless for help against the shikigami, and his father casually helps him without batting an eye. Toshitsugu knows how to deal with Maizuruā€™s shikigamis, and he does so efficiently and without any sense of worry or urgency. Although the event traumatized Toshiro and he was very scared, it doesnā€™t seem like his father offered any comfort, beyond just helping getting rid of it and letting him cower behind him without comment. Toshitsugu gives hungover vibes in that one imo haha. Itā€™s shown he was already training as a ninja, perhaps this event only reinforced Toshiroā€™s complex, seeing his father, the samurai the achieved man who has expectations for him, so unfazed and uncaring like that.
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The Maizuru situation
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Letā€™s establish a timeline first. Itā€™s left vague how much time sheā€™s served the Nakamoto family for, or how she came to be in their service. The central point is that "She was put in charge of raising their children at a young age". If straight from his birth, Maizuru started taking care of Toshiro when she was 15 years old. If from toddler age, then 16. Itā€™s uncertain if when she stopped getting front-line espionage missions, but we know itā€™s late rather than early despite having kid raising duties. But well, since sheā€™s also in charge of the ninjas sheā€™s definitely has a multitasking role even now.
The dad prob has around 5-10 years more than Maizuru, Iā€™d say. We only see half of his face and only a good few years in the past, around ~3 years ago probably with the shuro quest and a good 7 years with Izutsumi as a kid, but visually those are the vibes Iā€™m getting. From Toshiroā€™s birth, itā€™s possible that the father was 15 when the baby was born too? But conception would have been closer to 14 years old then, and yeah I donā€™t think they marry and have kids that young. Toshiro is 26 years old in canon and is unmarried, and the heir hasnā€™t been officially picked, so marriage and kids donā€™t seem to be in the familyā€™s priorities. Even if Maizuru do say that the father would love if Toshiro brought back a wife.
Now the elephant in the room: she has an on-and-off affair with the father and it has been si for many many years, at LEAST 7 years since thatā€™s when we see that comic of him going into her chambers about Izutsumi, and in the comic above, Hien in that panel has an ambiguous age. Regardless itā€™s definitely implied that itā€™s a long, long-standing thing. Hienā€™s phrasing above makes it sound as if itā€™s not purely physical, as if feelings are involved, "heā€™s head over heels for his confidante", and who knows if this relationship is part of why Maizuru was chosen to be the governess, or even hired at all.
Itā€™s in the feud with his father that we learn about maizuruā€™s affair and how after learning it he started shutting her out emotionally. Itā€™s left vague when Toshiro learned about it, Hien made it sound as if everybody always more or less knew but I donā€™t think Toshiro started shutting her out when he was still pretty young. Regardless, the two are implied to be linked, his dislike of his father/complex and how he stopped getting along well with Maizuru/being emotionally open with her. Is it that he now feels as though Maizuru is actually on his fatherā€™s side and not his own, that after all if she had to choose sheā€™d pick him over Toshiro too? Or is it that, because his fatherā€™s known to be a self-centered frivolous jerk, that knowing she lets it happen, "canā€™t seem to shake it", he respects her less? He has an irresponsible reputation and she does give off the vibe of needing to clean up his messes, so that wouldnā€™t be unplausible either.
On the flipside from her perspective, since he learned she was his dadā€™s mistress he emotionally shut her out, which can partly explain why sheā€™s SO fussy with him and happy at the slightest hint of happiness or compliance, like when he listens to her and eats, or maybe even being happy that he lets her help him dress and keep tidy (imo this is supported by how they interact in the page showing him interacting with all his party members). She wants to regain that closeness they once had and for her baby chick to be alright as heā€™s slipping through her fingers. Man so sad to think about him rejecting her when heā€™s the only thing in her life. Sheā€™s raised him for 26 years, no wonder sheā€™s so attached to him, the only thing in her life she feels true unconditional attachment for. Maizuru says that she thinks Toshiroā€™ll be a better head of the house than the father, too. The respect and care is somewhat onesided, given freely from her side but repressed from his end. When she cares for Toshiro is when her demeanor immediately and drastically softens. She gets easily carried away when it comes to him, rambling enthusiastically or smiling widely or tearing up. Her tendency to ramble or tell anecdotes about Toshiro is shown making Hien and Benichidori go "Here she goes againā€¦" twice through canon.
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With Izutsumiā€™s timeline we see Izutsumi was taken into the Nakamoto household at 10 yo, and since in the comic with Maizuru and the dad sheā€™s shown as stinky and all I imagine she arrived there the same day, so Maizuru was in charge of her since she was first here. In fact if we assumed that itā€™s the same day as when he bought her at the circus show, then we could assume that buying her was a drunken whim like mentioned.
Since Izutsumi was taken in at 10 and sheā€™s 17, this would mean that Maizuru is 34 years old here. She looks younger without makeup, but lower than that is mathematically impossible besides maybe 33 if Maizuru and Izutsumiā€™s birthdays line up just right.
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Time for the second elephant in the room!!
Maizuruā€™s magic
Maizuru is the only person in the Nakamoto household, anyone from Wa really, who we see using magic, I doubt sheā€™d be the only one who can use magic in the household but as the governess it wouldnā€™t be unplausible I suppose. From what we see, the magic is estimated by Marcille to be an "appropriation of gnomic magic" with an eastern script. For my analysis of written magic (though with only a brief glance over Maizuruā€™s magic), see this post.
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If you scroll up and read the little section on Maizuruā€™s profile, Ninja art: babysitter: "One of the curses put on Izutsumi is Ninja Art: Babysitter, which manifests as a terrifying hag shikigami. Unless Maizuru touches the victim within a set time frame, this terrible curse makes a hag appear and chase them around with a carving knife. Maizuru originally created it in an attempt to keep Shuro from getting lost, but it ended up traumatizing himā€¦"
From Izutsumiā€™s profile: "Maizuru, who was Shuroā€™s governess, is the one thing Izutsumi fears. [ā€¦] Since Izutsumi refused to listen to her, Maizuru set a curse on her that would activate if Maizuru didnā€™t touch her within a set time frame: "Ninja Art: Babysitter." It was put on her when she was 12. Since Toshiro had it as a kid, presumably the curse can be lifted off rather easily, Marcille was confident on reverse engineering it as well. Itā€™s unsaid what the time frame is, itā€™s kept vague everywhere and Izutsumi herself says "who knows" how long it is. Izutsumi ran away despite the very real risk of it killing her. Essentially, Maizuru can put people in a timebomb collar
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ā€¦ MAIZURU WHAT THE HELL
As we might have expected, Maizuru being given the task of rasing a child at 15 did not go perfectly. This, a babysitting technique??! This comic happens when Toshiro was 6 and so Maizuru was 21. Interesting to note that Toshiro didnā€™t even know it was Maizuruā€™s doing before this conversation during canon, and he doesnā€™t know how to bring it up or deal with it how it affected him. Maizuru seems surprisingly uncaring of Toshiroā€™s feelings on the matter here, oblivious to his conflict her and fondly recalling it all.
This curse is a shikigami. From her profile: "A shikigami user, Maizuru has a variety of shikigami that have been sealed in paper as her servants. Her favorite seems to be Gyuki, a bull ogre." Now donā€™t ask me when Gyuki appears, I do not remember it. But before we go into the cultural/historical basis for this practice, letā€™s take a second to recognize the parallel that Maizuru has servants she keeps sealed unless useful in the moment, even despite having enough "attachment" to have a favorite. Sheā€™s the governess in charge of the other servants, and she has shikigamis, which she has used on the heir and the runt at the bottom of the hierarchy alike.
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Shikigami, in traditional japanese folklore, are conjured to exercise risky orders for their masters, such as spying, stealing and enemy tracking.Ā ShikigamiĀ are said to be invisible most of the time, but they can be made visible by binding them into small, folded and artfully cut paper manikins.
Shikigamis are from onmyodo, onmyoji is a profession-legal title historically but itā€™s what you call a practitioner of onmyodo, and so I feel content in saying that Maizuru is an onmyoji, or based on it. Her outfit reminds me of a shinto priest. Itā€™s interestingly closer to a shinto priest outfit than a miko/shrine maidenā€™s (in picture below, 2 instead of 5), and I feel like red being chosen for the inner sleeve is a very charged decision since the white & red color combo is the shinto clothes color combo. Especially white clothes with red inner sleeve. Shinto priests can be women nowadays but theyā€™re rare, and onmyojis can be considered shinto priests though itā€™s a more complex than that. Image below as example, source. Now I donā€™t think Maizuru has the role or prestige of a priest at all- But the association with onmyodo and spirituality is definitely meant to be made I think. Onmyojis are usually clothed similarly to this.
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The babysitter ninja art seems to be based off of the hannya yokai. "They were once human women who were consumed by jealousy and transformed into demonesses", twisted by anger and resentment. Interesting considering her being a mistress to a man whose wife hates her. Hannyas are associated with wisdom because of its name, but there is nothing positive about them. At its highest level of "demonic corruption" if I can call it that, their body tend to become serpentine, fun link to make with her name being from the snakeberry plant.
Other cultural ties or symbolism on Maizuruā€™s character could be found in the motif of cranes due to her sleeves, in the tales of the crane wife, origami cranes (called orizuru, from deformation of 鶓 "tsuru" aka "crane". All names are written in katakanas in Dungeon Meshi, but thus if we had had the kanjis itā€™s possible her name would have been written with the kanji for crane), tennyos, and japanese crane symbolism in general. I thought cranes might have been associated with motherhood, but seemingly not in japanese culture at least, I was thinking of storks haha.
Ok speaking of her name. Maizuru is the name of an existing japanese city (čˆžé¶“), meaning "dancing crane". From @room-surpriseā€™s work in progress research paper on Dungeon Meshi charactersā€™ names: "Maizuru is her ninja code name, and comes from ā€œmaizurusouā€, which is maianthemum dilatatum, the snakeberry plant/two-leaved Solomon's seal/false lily of the valley. Lily of the Valley is a plant associated with motherhood and virtueā€¦ So Maizuru being a false Lily of the Valley implies that she is a false, replacement mother, and also hints at the way that Toshiro became cold towards her when he realized she was his fatherā€™s mistress, and not a pure, virtuous mother-like figure that he thought she was. Also, lilies are toxic to cats, which makes sense since Maizuru and Izutsumi have an extremely bad relationship." For more details Iā€™ll leave it up to Room when the paper is ready to be released. Edit: Itā€™s out!! Click here! Incredible meta that goes into a ton of details not only about Maizuru.
So some big themes of her character are: (false) motherhood, spirituality/magic, control, cranes, womanā€™s jealousy.
The siblings
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Alriight so besides Toshiro the eldest at 26 years old, there is Toshiyuki (Toshitsuge in one fantranslation) the middle son and Toshizane the youngest (Toshikage in one fantranslation). They were all said to be raised by Maizuru. "A strange level of distance" is interesting. Why strange? I feel like this implies they do interact regularly, and that theyā€™re all rather civil wirh each other, but they still have little bond to speak of. That wouldnā€™t surprise me, especially since even inside the family etiquette and propriety and rules are enforced, the summoning by his father feels very formal and they all listen to him standing in silence despite having snappy inner thoughts. Itā€™s unsure if they were largely raised together or apart, but since Maizuru was their (at least main) caretaker/governess it implies that they were imo. They were put in competition with each other for the title of heir to the house, though itā€™s unsure to what degree. Itā€™s examplified by their family all having names that start with "Toshi" that the legacy is very important and thrust upon them, cogs in a machine almost. They all think the same thing when their father summons them and has a spiel, so theyā€™re used to the same sort of treatment and they are indeed brothers for being on similar wavelengths haha.
Toshiyuki, as seen in the comic about his retainers, the poor soul sent into Darkest Dungeon, is brattish. Rude, selfish and rather lecherous, does not hesitate to be mean to his retainers and complain he wasnā€™t given women retainers. Visually he looks what, 14 years old top. I wonder if Maizuru stopped using her babysitter ninja art on the heirs after it traumatized Toshiro, and if so maybe that explains why Toshiyuki Knows No Fear In His Heartā„¢ļø and thatā€™s why he can spout off stuff like that.
The retainers for the youngest brother, Toshizane, donā€™t seem to be as clad in ninja gear as the other two, seems like the priority is to take care of the very young young master there? Rather than truly go adventuring and dungeoneering, perhaps. Not that itā€™s ever said by anyone that their quest is to go into dungeons specifically, only to find something "interesting" to bring back, but both Toshiro and Toshiyuki are shown to have ended up drifting into dungeons. Toshizane looks young, Iā€™d clock him 8 years old personally. Heā€™s drawn looking rather innocent, especially the headshot doodle above and in the Toshitsuge complaining about his retainers comic. ALTHOUGH on the latter, interestingly as we see with Toshiro having a smug smirk in that same panel (or alternatively a smug indifferent/uncomfortable "i donā€™t care about this, even though you want it so much" look which at the very least is very exaggerated from how he emotes in reality), itā€™s Toshiyukiā€™s unreliable/exaggerated vision of his brothers and it doesnā€™t necessaeily reflect reality, though itā€™s still interesting to note that thatā€™s the vision Toshiyuki has of his brothers/the impression Toshizane gives off. That can imply juicy dynamics for the brothers, for example if Toshiyuki feels as though heā€™s in competition with his brothers, feels superior to them, that instead of pushing the shitty family dynamic angst onto his father he puts the blame for it all onto Toshiro. Toshizane seems maybe too young to notice the tensions and seriousness around him, maybe more coddledā€¦ IS WHAT I WOULD SAY BUT in the comic where their father send them away heā€™s as well-behaved and serious as the others, so clearly he has a grasp on his role.
When talking about which retainers go with who, itā€™s said it was the fatherā€™s choice. Iā€™d like to assume it wasnā€™t an airheaded/random choice. Maybe he knew that Toshiyuki would be weird about having women in his team of retainers? And wants to forge their character or protect them in the way they need. Though how Toshiroā€™s party only has women isnā€™t only pointed out and commented on by the comic with Toshitsuge but also in the main Dungeon Meshi story, both Marcille and Chilchuck going "his party is fully made up of women", one more loudly than the other haha. So it does feel like a somewhat pointed/purposeful decision, if not that the 4 girls were already a team like I mentioned.
The other retainers
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Already made an analysis of Hien and Benichidoriā€™s relationship (+ moment compilation) here. Honestly my juices are exhausted so quick rundown:
Hienā€™s parents both serve the Nakamotos, so she grew up with the family and was even a childhood friend of Toshiro. She assumed he and her might end up in a Maizuru-Toshitsugu situation ā€˜just because thatā€™s how things areā€™/ā€˜itā€™d be a natural developmentā€™ if weā€™re to believe Hien, ahh what growing up at the Nakamotosā€™ with those role models will make you believe is normal hah, and was surprised when it ended up not in that way at all. They grew more distant with time, in good part because of the professional nature of their roles in relation to each other (truly a reversal of the Maizuru-Toshitsugu situation). Sheā€™s the leader of their lil squad, under Maizuru, sheā€™s very confident and she gets the perks, like getting the bedframe in the shared inn room. For all the details just read her page. She has two dots, showing her rank as a full fledged ninja. I made a more in depth more speculative reading of her in this post.
Benichidori was bought, by "the Nakamotos" so we donā€™t know who made the final decision. Sheā€™s perceptive and submissive, her specialty is implied to be disguise. She never had much contact with Toshiro before she became part of his party. She has facial dysmorphia where she fears the judgement of others if she doesnā€™t wear makeup and highly values beauty, in her extra her anxiety really shows and she ends up angrily snapping at Hien. Benichidori ends up taking a big liking to Hien and from there on theyā€™re implied to be inseparable. She has two dots, showing her rank as a full fledged ninja.
Inutade is said to worship Toshitsugu because he "saved her" from her horrible life conditions, buying her personally from the sumo matches, sheā€™s extremely grateful to the family and is happy to do any work they give her and is highly satisfied with her current living conditions. She seems to find Toshiro intimidating, though. She was separated from her parents from before she can remember and raised as a sumo wrestler in inhumane betting matches, where her front tooth broke. It seems she has very littke ambitions and dreams besides obeying orders day to day, but after Izutsumi fled away she was happy for her and mused that sheā€™d love to go out and find her one day. Theyā€™re so besties Izutsumi gave her a dream of her own Iā€™m sobbingā€¦ </3 She has one dot, showing she still has to be attributed her role and earn her stripes.
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Their approval rating of their leader. The highest total score from all the parties.
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Izutsumi
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Sighh where to even begin. Her timeline was put in Maizuruā€™s section of this post but the rundown is "taken away from parents and turned into a beastkin" at 6 yo (the human half of her soul), "sent to a sideshow on the island of Wa" at 7 yo and bought by Toshitsugu at 10 yo when he took an interest in her when he visited the sideshow. Maizuru put the curse on Izutsumi at age 12, so from then on she always had to not stray much far from Maizuru or risk death, itā€™s unsure if Inutadeā€™s extra is from before that time, before she was 12, so she could still attempt many many tries to run away. If thatā€™s the case, then Maizuruā€™s curse was very much treated as a last resort, honestly beyond everything else I can see it being a pain that Maizuru would need to touch her every so often on Maizuruā€™s schedule as well. The alternative is that, not unlike Kabru who had no regrets dying in a dungeon rather than staying with Milsiril, sheā€™d risk her life to get a taste of freedom. Besides, you know, being a slave and having a timebomb collar with Maizuruā€™s curse, her frustrations with her life with the Nakamotos is most concisely put in the comic just up above, Inutadeā€™s extra.
She has no dot tattoo, meaning sheā€™s at rock bottom of the hierarchy. It makes sense, since unlike Inutade sheā€™s rebellious and needs threats to obey orders, and even then might try shifty business.
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This last part where Izutsumi tries sleeping with Toshiro is most interesting to me. So sheā€™s sought out contact with Toshiro before, she considers him "the stuck-up guy" but she doesnā€™t exactly hate him. I wonder if this comic is set in the inn on The Island or back at the Nakamoto household, because if thatā€™s the latter it implies that she could get access to his room if sheā€™s sneaky.
Oh oh also, this is fanon but since Toshiroā€™s weapon is one used usually on horseback, and with the steadfast and upright character of horses I associate Toshiro with horses a bit, though this is wild fanon. Whatā€™s interesting is that the plant Asebi was named after is a plant infamous for being toxic to horses. Hehe hehehe he wears a ponytailā€¦ Hm now that I think of it hairdos have importance for samurais, should look into that.
Toshiro
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God. Ok. Everything was leading up to this guy. Need to split open his head like a geode and vibecheck his brain crystals. Letā€™s get some interesting details out of the way first.
His weapon is a tachi, not a katana. The wikipedia on tachis is more in depth if you want, but I consider the article I linked to be in deoth and digestible. Tachis are heavier and longer blades than katanas, and make for better horseback weapons than close combat. The way Toshiro uses one instead of a katakana shows that heā€™s extra strongā€¦ And does make sense, since most monsters wonā€™t fight in as close quarters as human fighters. If katanas arenā€™t a thing in the world yet could make a difference, since tachis were invented first, and once the katana was invented and spread tachis became something more common in higher-ranking samurais. In the monster tidbit of the Hag, itā€™s shown that even at 6 years old Toshiro was training and learning ninja skills, his first instinct to the shikigami besides running being to fight.
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Toshiro knew that Izutsumi wanted to leave, for sure. He may have been sympathetic, if his cryptic look back at her in the ā€˜Toshiro interacting with his party membersā€™ page means anything. As seen below though, him being sympathetic doesnā€™t necessarily mean that much. Also, Toshiro had to have known about the curse on Izutsumi, where if Maizuru doesnā€™t touch her once in a while sheā€™d die. "Asebi must have ran away, leave her" can be seen as subtle support for her to gain her freedom, but it could just as easily be seen as him leaving her behind to die. Because the outcome options are 1) she gets killed by Maizuru's curse, 2) she finds a way to break the spell, 3) she finds a way back to them.
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Heā€™s very conflict averse. Wether it be in relationships like with Laios or the status quo. Will not stand up for 99% things including himself. He obeys his father quietly despite his anger and dislike. This is the same guy who can't even get himself to speak up to correct the butchering of his name, the slippery slope that got him tangled in the Laios party seemingly without resistance. Itā€™s very japanese etiquette from even nowadays, never saying a direct no to not be rude. ALSO THAT PANEL, has Toshiro beaten an ogre before?? Is that a brother of his?? Does seem in character for Toshiyuki the most, unless Toshiro was desperate to earn his fatherā€™s attention with feats. On the right Iā€™d say the ones in the foreground are two of the brothers, maybe the third being the one to gesture to the ogre. Itā€™s worth noting that inheritance laws during the Edo period often made the heir the son with "the most merit".
When with a goal thatā€™s important to him heā€™s fine with even starving for it. Although what we see him be like that about in canon is Falin, aka self-admittedly in the post-canon proposal comic "the first person he has liked this much", which for him I feel is like admitting sheā€™s one of the first things he has truly wanted for himself and fought for, sooā€¦ Itā€™s more like an exceptional freaking out moment than something that would be recurring, most likely. How disheveled he got is a testament to how much he would forego propriety and rules for people of his status for the person he cares about most. Maizuru says the first personal request heā€™s (ever?) made was for them to help him rescue Falin.
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Which ahh yes, his crush on Falin. I do think idealization plays into it, he doesnā€™t know Falin that well for sure, but itā€™s more complex than that too. Falin is pretty and can have an ethereal energy to her, sheā€™s caring and gentle kinda motherly which Toshiro would find soothing I imagine, BUT MOST OF ALL. Sheā€™s weird!! Sheā€™s just weird enough to allow and be charmed by!! Shuro was fully shaped by his upbringing and environment of nobility, social etiquette and whatnot. Yeah sheā€™s weird and quirky, but still quiet and sweet-mannered enough that heā€™s like "Yes, she wouldnā€™t bring shame on my family name". And why would he be charmed by her weirdness? Because all heā€™s ever known is rules!! Conformity, fitting in!! Unlike the others he knows, she is weird without being overbearing as well. "Woah sheā€™s so differentā€¦ Sheā€™s kind and soft and doesnā€™t care about fitting inā€¦ She is out of this world, sheā€™s free, she shows me a world where tenderness and authenticity is possibleā€¦" Sheā€™s like his comfort character. MOREOVERRR I had totally forgotten about it, but Toshiro was shown watching a snail behind a bush and losing sight of everything else (like Maizuru calling him) as a kid in the Hag monster tidbit, the moment he fell in love with Falin it was when she looked enthralled at a caterpillar and he mentions how "most girls would have screamed or recoiled in disgust", and in the beach chibis page heā€™s crouching and collecting shells thinking about Falinā€¦ He likes bugs and crawly critters guys, he wishes he could be cottagecore tooā€¦ Itā€™s a genuine shared interestā€¦ . Someone pointed out that Toshiro & Falinā€™s relationship probaboy references this japanese folk tale, and I think thatā€™s very interesting to note.
And Maizuru is like his mom but itā€™s a Thistle situation where they canā€™t just be a normal family and normal affectionate either- and when he learns about his father having a thing with her he feels weirded out. And like. Who knows how much he even got out of the mansion. He got homeschooled. Heā€™s distant with his brothers. The family is in shambles
Shuroā€™s issue is that he was taught to be perfect and have the upmost respectable behavior, so if something annoys him he has to be righteous about it and that itā€™s the annoying thingā€™s fault or moral failing. Bro just let yourself be petty sometimes itā€™s healthier. With the feud with his father itā€™s explicitly stated that the pressure and expectations of the family name weigh on him a lot.
But then, that makes his beef with Laios so understandable doesnā€™t it. Not justified, but explained certainly.
Laios & Shuro and the whole mess coming to a head
Iā€™ve made an analysis of the Laios-Shuro fight from Laiosā€™ pov before, here. This is the Shuro pov analysis. Yes yes in The Fight, Shuro is dehydrated sleep-deprived and underate, heā€™s majorly off his rocker, BUT his frustration and the underlying issues are still things he felt on any day and itā€™s interesting to note.
Toshiro has been raised from his birth with the priority of propriety, nobility, etiquette, rules, conforming elegantly, appareances and reputation are everything. Heā€™s modest, humble, quiet, stays in his lane and bottles all his feelings up. Wait who is this loud guy coming up to me being inconsiderate and loud af?? Does he not see me blinking in morse code that Iā€™m not enjoying this and want him to leave?? Was he raised in a barn?? Heā€™s overbearing and rude and way too friendly- Heā€™s weird wtf! Not conforming to basic etiquette is illegal??! And people justā€¦ Let him do whateve he wants?? He lives well, no one stops him or kills him?? What the fuck, Iā€™ve followed rules and etiquette thoroughly all my life, and itā€™s thankless work I get no recognition for, meanwhile he gets to be oblivious af and do whatever he wants without getting clapped?? Resentment, frustration, dislike, anger anger anger, jealousy.
Laios might even remind Toshuro of his dad in a way, because he SEEMS impulsive and like he does whatever he wants without a care to people around him, without thinking of how it might affect them. Doing things without thinking through the Implications. And interestingly this is a bit paralleled to to how Shuro is serious, strict, and big on the duties that come with having a leader role and the family dynamic it brings, like Laiosā€™ own father, who Laios also dislikesā€¦ Dealing with his anger towards Laios, especially knowing that Laios doesnā€™t mean anything bad by it like Toshiro admits, is probably very healing to him. He stops repressing and thinks through his issues a bit, realizes what parts of his life heā€™s unhappy with and where all the negative feelings come from. I do think he bottles up his dislike for his father a bit, he has to at least for appearances. His beef with Laios is repackaged internalized anger for his father, but itā€™s ALSO repackaged frustration from his etiquette-bound lifestyle. He says it himself, when Laios is like "You never told Falin how you feelā€¦? Alright, when I can Iā€™ll tell her for you buddy!!", "thatā€™s the part of you that I envy". Laiosā€™ ability to just come out and say what he wants to, what he means. He wishes he could be free of all the rules more, that he had te courage to speak out, like with Inutade, or talking things out with Maizuru, or nit having to act like heā€™s not angry with his father. This narrative point of Toshiro envying Laiosā€™ ability to say things freely and being frustrated by not being able to himself is ESPECIALLY examplified by their first interactions, the basis of their relationship: Laios enthusiastically befriending him, giving him a bad nickname and roping him into joining his party, with Toshiro never turning it all down despite wanting to, too hesitant to act possibly rude.
And now is time for the laishuro addendumā€¦ Because of personal experiences itā€™s a bit of a sensitive spot to me so while I see timelines in which I enjoy it Iā€™m very pickyā€¦ This is all further theorizing from me btw Iā€™m not pushing my view here onto ppl as facts, but I think thereā€™s more interesting bits and scenarios to bite into here. Laishuro has very cute and sweet potential. I personally donā€™t see the "Oh wait Laios is just girl Falinā€¦Ā šŸ˜³" angle because to me if anything thatā€™d just make Shuro disillusioned with Falin lol, but like yes make Shuro learn that itā€™s ok to be weird with Laios šŸ„ŗ They DO have differences first of all, important ones, especially from Toshiroā€™s perspective. Laios is overwhelming, whereas Falin is soothing. Laios is loud and asks things of him where Falin is a calm, quiet presence. Laios pushes himself onto Toshiro, whereas Falin is content on just doing her own thing in her corner alone.
Hot take but the ultimate laishuro timeline is the one where he DOESNā€™T bring Laios back home, because he knows heā€™ll be seen as an oddity and clown by his father, and he doesnā€™t want Laios to be treated like the tapdancing monkey there to please and entertain his father the way he himself has always kind of been. Wouldnā€™t inflict that onto someone he loves. He can recognize when people are taken advantage of (mostly) like Inutade, and it doesnā€™t settle right with him. He might be especially sensitive to it in Inutadeā€™s case because itā€™s about seeing his dad in a better light than he deserves, though. His father is his weak spot, THE weak spot.
It gets me so emotional thinking about it actually because seeing Laios played like a fiddle by his father, Laios so happy to find someone whoā€™s enthusiastically listening to him ramble and engaging, would destroy Shuro emotionally I think. Like. On one hand being like "Oh of course my dad would find Laios fun, unlike me his boring son", super angry as coping mechanism for his intense sadness of not having positive parental attention, and then on the other heā€™d see Laios being treated as a clown and identify with it and that would remind him of how he gets treated similarly which heā€™s in denial about (more or less, but since he puts up with the family rules and follows along he hasnā€™t given up on getting recognition. He wants his fatherā€™s approval, and he couldnā€™t blame Laios for being happy with it despite how hurtful that attention truly is without Laiosā€™ knowledge), which would be such an overwhelming conflicted mess of emotions and his worldview would shatter a bit because he has to repress it all even now, and heā€™d have a breakdown.
And similar deal but if he brought Falin homeā€¦ Bc ok yes he idealizes her and doesnā€™t even know her all that well, but like I said imo what he sees in her is that "Woah sheā€™s so differentā€¦ Sheā€™s kind and soft and doesnā€™t care about fitting inā€¦ She is out of this world, sheā€™s free, she shows me a world where tenderness and authenticity is possibleā€¦" So meanwhile with Laios heā€™d have mixed feelings on him getting treated like a clown and identify with it, bringing Falin home and having her be demeaned would be like having his perfect comfort character dunked on and he gets reminded that the world canā€™t have anything good actually. With both Toudens itā€™d make his resentment towards his father even worse, he might snap. Iā€™m not the biggest on gendered analysis tbh but Kui evidently does like to do it to some degree, with the genderbending changing their life considerably and different fantasy cultures having different gender roles and all, but Shuro idealizing the Touden sister as something perfect he cannot attain while being jealous and frustrated at Laios for being something he cannot attain is like. So compelling actually. With Maizuruā€™s hannya of female rage weaponized there could be a theme of pushing the blame and responsibilities of things onto women too, the responsibility to raise and to manage and to dish out the work and to clean after mensā€™ reckless decisions. Anyways just a tangent.
Shuro on a bad family angst day is everything I love in a blorboā€¦ He can be a lil shitty as a treat to make his healing arc more fulfilling. Toshiro snapping after he sees how they treat Laios/Falin and he gives up the family headship to LEAVE. Maizuru arc where she has to choose between loyalty to the clan and loyalty to Toshiro, will she stay with the boy she raised or go homeā€¦ To me Maizuru is much less sympathetic than Shuro, but she is pretty tragic and her selfless love for Shuro is her one redeeming quality. Babygirl take no shit no more, but also better yourself and turn your life around please and thank youā€¦ She is so evidently taken advantage of but like. What else does she have? So she just takes care of and loves the boy she raised like her own kid and goes about her daily life in servitude and doesnā€™t think too much about it all.
Shuro is awful a nickname but also, I think Shiro would be a good nickname for Toshiro, because it gets rid of that ā€˜Toshiā€™ first part of his name that all the male members of his family share. It severes the link to his father and the tied pressure from his family.
Laishuro brotp turning slow burn romance would be so lovely. I think college au for laishuro would be peak actuallyā€¦ Shuro so is the repressed "I am so normal" guy who has a furry liberation identity crisis arcā€¦ I also quite like the potential heā€™d have with Namari, as both work-oriented misfit foreigners cast out of their homes, and sheā€™s also bolder so itā€™d be good for him, and he could bring her stabilityā€¦ Thatā€™s a topic for another day tho. Even he and falin are sweet tbh, they could have traveled around together even if just as friendsā€¦ Bc yeah she does value him as a friend at least somewhat, she says sheā€™ll visit him~! Mostly I want Izutsumi-Toshiro brotp fancontent.
Conclusion
The household is very hierarchy oriented, and honestly the system doesnā€™t seem to make anyone happy, or at least not healthily so. Sighh feudalism.
Obviously their situation are very different, but still Toshiro and Izutsumi react to the same conflict in opposite ways: when a hierarchy and lifestyle of rules and duty is thrust upon them, Toshiro obeys and believes that itā€™s how things simply are, always having it been drilled into him since being a baby and being privileged enough to live ok with things as they are, meanwhile Izutsumi rages and eventually breaks free and never wants to submit herself to rules or hierarchy ever again, even if that perceived hierarchy is a mutually beneficial professional party dynamic or having a role inside a well-meaning team, like Laiosā€™ party. WHICH IS WHY THEY SHOULD HANG OUT AND HAVE AN ARC TOGETHER. LET HER INFLUENCE HIM TO GET WILDER AND THINK OF HIMSELF MORE. FUCK INHERITING THE HEADSHIP. THE SIBLINGS NARRATIVE.
As always if I find more stuff to add iā€™ll edit it in. Rn Iā€™m thinking that Iā€™ll look into ninja & samurai feudal history and try to find specific terms that might fit their roles and situations more. I should reread try to cover Izutsumiā€™s end of the Toshiro-Izu dynamic as well.
I greatly recommend this paper for more excellent meta on all named Dunmeshi characters and their culture!
Ah yes yes, I forgot to talk about it but we donā€™t know what Toshiroā€™s retainers have been doing with their time on The Island, especially while he was dungeon diving with Laios and co. Although in the animeā€™s ed in this shot we see them "stealthily" follow him around, so presumably when heā€™s not in dungeons theyā€™re tailing his moves.
Afterword here, it has summary charts about the power structure & relationships and complementary pages and artworks, couldnā€™t put them in here because SIGH 30 pictures per post limit.
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jojo-schmo Ā· 18 days ago
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[The Forgotten Land Roleswap: Chapter 2 63-64]
The first panel on page 63 references the delicious Candyland AU by @das-a-kirby-blogšŸ¬Ā 
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savvage-arts Ā· 1 year ago
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Catboy Taylor cannon
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conradrasputin Ā· 2 years ago
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via @abusivelittlebunnyā€‹
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Boyd Holbrook as Tynan in "Beckett" 2021
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somnas-writes Ā· 6 months ago
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Azriel and Eris cannot communicate express emotions for the life of them, but they do try very hard.
Eris communicates mostly through flirting, honeyed quips that would turn the average fae to puttyā€” but azriel, spymaster who is trained to be stone cold, is absolutely unaffected. Itā€™s that PokĆ©mon meme; Eris uses flirt, It was Uneffective!
Azriel communicates through body language, he has six limbs after all so itā€™s easier. Flared wings that would signal to any Illyrian that he is excited, but Eris, a high fae who knows nothing about how illyrians use their wings, cannot understand it.
They have to meet in the uncomfortable middle ground of actually saying what they mean.
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