#mizuki is TRANS DEAL WITH IT

[cautiouslyliving]

ITS SO MIZUOVER!!!!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 ANYONE HEAR THOSE OMNIOUS BELLS TOLLING??????? 🤣🤣 NO????? JUST ME???????? 😭😭😭😭😭😭

never ask a mizuki fan OR ANY TYPE OF PJSK FAN FOR THAT MATTER what happened on october 12th 2024

anyway this is me over-analyzing the mizu5 cards because this event has ultimately crushed me, i literally feel every emotion that mizukis feeling like deadass

again, it is so mizuover

[c0rpsedemon]

the thing about the queer media tournament that really gets me is that last i checked there wasn't a single mxtx work on it. like not even the untamed made it in and don't get me wrong the og mo dao zu shi books are huge but cql is def more popular among tumblr circles. idk it just really rubs me the wrong way how every single piece of western media that ppl have ever gotten a lil bit aggressive abt shipping with is there and then for east asian media there's utena and madoka magica and the handmaiden and last i checked that was pretty much it. and then for the rest of the world there's next to/nothing but idk enough to really make judgements there.

[jibunbosh]

you there. project sekai twitter akiyama mizuki fan. name one transfeminine person in your friend group

[pensivespacepirate]

half came out to friends i didn't plan to come out to (blurted out im bi when they asked if i liked girls) (guy who asked took it well ("ayyy women enjoyers") and i didnt see the others' reaction) coincided with mizu5. im. uh. yeah

[proseka-headcanons]

someone reblogged this earlier and i just remembered another addition:

THIS. it's so interesting how all of this stuff is actually real. i'm almost convinced it's not a coincidence.

transmasc rui: an essay (/silly) by mod mizuki

made on june 7 2024. scheduled for (if i'm correct) exactly june 24 2024 12am JST in honor of rui's birthday

so. i talk a lot about transmasc rui. but i've never explained the headcanon. that is what i am here to do today because i've been meaning to make this post since *checks notes* ... april. oh wow and i only did this while half asleep on june 7... and then scheduled it for rui's birthday.... oh dear. well anyways. a lot of this is kinda jokey. in fact the first point is the only 100% serious one i think. but without further ado, here's why rui kamishiro is transmasc!

1. rui's connection to the cat plush in the wonderland sekai

this is a BIG one. it's pretty clear, isn't it? the cat plush is VERY obviously meant to mirror rui. the worry of being seen as weird and being ostracized for sharing his ideas? yeah. that's obviously rui. however, with this comes some trans coding. why? the cat plush is a calico. if you don't know, male calico cats are RIDICULOUSLY rare, and almost always sterile. a common statistic is that only 1/3,000 calicos are male, but it's unclear if that's the real statistic. either way, male calicos are so rare that when one is born, discovered, or adopted, there are news articles made about it. a big example being charlie unicorn (as he was nicknamed), a cat from colorado discovered in april of 2023 to be male and adopted in june of the same year.

^ that's charlie

male calico cats (as well as male tortoiseshell cats) are known as the unicorn of cats because they're just that rare. so rui (a canon male) being so closely tied to the calico plush... yeah seems like trans coding to me, accidental or not.

2. this fucking card

that's it. yeah. that card.

look his earring is trans flag colors okay. also. the costume. it's called fucking transition gentleman there's literally nothing more to say here moving on

3. his friendship with mizuki

i like getting opportunities to talk about them. so mizuki and rui are friends we all know this. and they bonded over being outcasts. but what if. they also had something else in common. transness or something idk. transfem transmasc solidarity is a thing and it's cool. if two trans people know they're both trans they're likely to get along well. they can feel safe because the other won't judge them for who they are. ... a lot of the time.

maybe he's an outcast for being autistic and a trans boy. you can't tell me otherwise. also them both being trans makes the dynamic so much better in my personal opinion :3

4. holy shit!!! a binder!!!

if you look closely, the thing he's wearing underneath the white shirt... has no sleeves. it has like. straps. it could easily be a tank top but it could also just as easily be a binder. i choose to believe it IS a binder. you can't tell me otherwise

i might be forgetting things, but i'm tired. i'm eepy. so thank you for coming to my ted talk. mod mizuki out.

[chisatowo]

Loses my mind abt Ena Mafuyu and Kanade for 10 hours before graciously granting Mizuki a single thought before going back to losing my mind abt the other three for 10 more hours

[chuunyu]

I've been thinking a lot lately about how Mizuki is kinda too perfect as a trans character. Their family is accepting and they can pass effortlessly. The only issue they have is really the only one that could be left after that point: society's view of trans people.

But while this is great and I really appreciate how Mizuki is written, handled, whatever, it just makes everything about being a regular transfem hurt even more...

I've been working on a 4 hour video essay about Mizuki for almost a month now and every time I replay parts of the story involving Mizuki's sister Yuuki, I just can't help but begin to break down. The way she has never left Mizuki alone when they were vulnerable, the way she's supported Mizuki with everything she possibly could. Her words, her gifts, her clear love for Mizuki is something I wish I ever had. I've always been alone I feel like. I never had anyone who I was able to comfortably share my femininity with. Even now, I feel like that same femininity isn't something I can share with most trans women I meet.

When I see the things Yuuki says to Mizuki, it's just too much. It's this amazing warmth that I never had and I wonder if I will ever get to have. Even outside the story... I just read an alternate timeline fic where Ena's the one who gets Mizuki out of the closet and not Yuuki. Even that like, it really hurts you know?

Beyond Yuuki, the way that Mizuki presumably doesn't have to put effort into passing is difficult as well. Truly their only obstacle is finding acceptance. And well, for them, there is still the existential obstacle of being trans - being born in the wrong body - but it doesn't stop them from presenting comfortably in a way that they're happy with. Meanwhile, I feel like most trans women don't get to pass. I think I've only known one trans woman who passes.

So now there is not only acceptance (which is more complex and difficult if you don't pass), but also this whole aspect of maintaining constant courage against the negativity of society, which is a tremendously heavy thing. And sure, Mizuki deals with this too, but in a different way. The door for them to blend into society is open, but for those who don't pass, the door might be so hard to find that it might as well not be there.

When I compare myself to Mizuki, I just feel... inadequate. I never meant to do it intentionally but the moment it happened it sent me into a spiral.

"I'll never have what they have."

And I know they're a fictional character and are probably an unattainable standard but idk it just, it's hard not to compare myself? Maybe I'm just stupid.

They're just too perfect, despite how "rough" their story is. I think it's really their downfall in terms of becoming the best possible representation and I mean, I was never expecting that from them. It's just an issue with their character I think, though one that couldn't really be avoided with how the writers wanted to execute their character.

Idk, I love Mizuki but sometimes it hurts when I think about them.

[kyu-kurariin]

its been over a month since mizu5 and ppl are STILL calling mizuki a boy, and as a trans person, im frustrated about it.

so, i put together a post detailing why she absolutely IS NOT a boy!!

in this post, im going to address some of the common "arguments" these people present to justify their blatant transphobia.

(cont. under cut)

-

"She's just a femboy!!"

femboys are relatively accepted in japan. if she were simply a femboy, she wouldnt be bullied as much as she is and she would have no reason to worry about her friends accepting her. she also would NOT react that way to simply being outed as a femboy, because like i said, being a femboy isnt a big deal over in japan.

Also, the point of being a femboy is that you are openly identifying as a man whilst dressing femininely. if she was a femboy, she would have no reason to hide the fact that she is "a man."

"She uses boku, thats a male pronoun!!"

almost all japanese pronouns can be gender neutral. this includes boku. while it is traditionally used in a more masculine context, its not uncommon for women to use it on themselves.

in japanese media, this trope is known as bokukko, and its actually pretty common in anime or games like prsk. some well known examples of this trope are Zero Two from Darling in the Franxx, and Furina de Fontaine from Genshin Impact, who are both cisgender woman that use boku.

"Her bullies said she was a boy!!"

yes, because theyre her BULLIES. OF COURSE they would call her a man. theyre TRANSPHOBIC. thats the POINT. if youre seriously considering her bullies as a valid and reliable source for info ab her, then i dont even know what to tell you.

"Sega wouldnt make a queer character bc of jp censorship!!"

sega is VERY openly pro-lgbtq. i wouldnt put it past them to put an openly queer character in prsk. in fact, they already have. of course, the main example other than mizuki would be minori, who is canonically wlw and has a crush on haruka, but there are more characters who can be read as queer-coded as well, such as rui, an, and kohane.

"She never explicitly said she was a girl!!"

she never said she was a boy either!

she doesnt have to look directly at the screen and say in perfect english "i am a trans woman" for her to be a trans woman. it lies in the subtext, the implications, everything about her backstory. everything in mizu5. everything ive listed in this post and more. if you still choose to call her a boy despite everything about her telling you she isnt, then you either severely lack reading comprehension or youre just intentionally transphobic.

-

Thank you so much if you took the time to read through all of this!! i hope this post can be used to help educate at least someone out there, although yall can be really stubborn with your beliefs. if you still believe mizuki is a boy after reading this, i genuinely dont know what to tell you. just please dont comment on this post trying to convince me that shes a man. there is no point. i will not listen. i will simply block you, and i suggest you block me as well.

thats all, thanks again for reading!! ♡

[protector-utahime-miku]

yes you are! c'mooon, girl!! you're just like him in terms of denial!

ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT ME BEING "IN DENIAL" AGAIN??

... mmaaaaybeee?

mizuki, i'm NOT in denial!!

i am surrounded by denial...

oh no! don't go bald girl!!!

[poof! long hair for you!]

there we go! have some long hair, instead of baldness!

- 🎀, @protector-utahime-miku

YAAAUY THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!

[babyniigo]

anyone else scared for mizu5

Genuinly terrified! ૮ ྀི◞ ⸝⸝ ◟ ྀིა

I wish people weren’t being so cruel about ena, it’s clear that mizuki is scared because she got outed as was foreshadowed in the last event. ໒꒰ྀིっ˕ -｡꒱ྀི১

And I can’t stress this enough-

Mizuki is scared of disappointment and confrontation, she’s not scared of Ena.

Mizuki is scared that once Ena knows, she would leave like her old friends :(

Also Ena isn’t cruel; she’s so selfless and always seeks to understand and reach her friends better like she did with Mafuyu All along.

I just hope the event is executed well, mizuki has always been a beautiful and accurate trans representation to me, I hope this event seals the deal and makes it work for mizuki :(

[project-sekai-archives]

ignore this if you want because i’mma yap but

it PISSES ME OFF when people say mizuki’s a guy or try to make it look like their gender is SUCH a “mystery” when it doesn’t even require thorough reading of n25’s stories to confirm that they aren’t a man (coming from someone who’s not even queer,and who can’t read game stories without a transcript)

riddle me this,transphobes; if mizuki’s a guy who’s a crossdresser; why would she go SO FAR to have her friends view her as a girl? why does rui (who knows her secret) still refer to her as a girl? most crossdressers switch back to wearing their assigned gender clothes when they’re home—if mizuki’s a crossdresser,why does she still dress feminine at home? why would she be horrified at ena hearing that “she’s a guy”? (From her BULLIES. mind you,they don’t think she’s a “real” girl,so ofcourse they’d refer to mizuki as a guy,they assumed ena was “a guy too” because she’s friends with mizuki,for fuck’s sake! and that’s the most terrified a pjsk character has ever looked like,that’s not the face of a crossdresser being outed!),why would colourpale/SEGA go out of their way to add this whole theme of identity and being what you want to be to mizuki? why would they put her in with all the girls in game mechanics if she was just a crossdresser? (for example,mizuki is not one of the male characters you need to use for the “boy band” title,male costumes are not applicable to mizuki,mizuki costumes are applicable to all female characters,all female costumes are applicable to mizuki,there’s definitely more)

mizuki’s secret is VERY serious to them,most people who crossdress don’t make it that big of a deal,and if it that big of a deal- they would hide the fact that they crossdress by presenting as their assigned gender! not the other way around! this whole “mizuki’s a crossdresser” sh#t doesn’t make sense to begin with!!! they would’ve handled it a LOT more differently if that was the case!

SEGA has had queer characters before from what i’ve heard,a trans character is not so farfetched! this game is about hatsune miku and friend being therapists to a bunch of teenagers,but a trans character is apparently too far?? please for the love of god gain some media literacy

sorry for the yap sesh .. i became a huge mizuki defender since mizu5 dropped and had to get this off my chest ..

My right cheek hurts while reading :(

[mayonesamitch]

MIZUKI IS NOT CIS!!! (I made this for myself)

I just need to keep track of my brain

So, Mizuki is definitely not cis. We've all heard of it. I'm just gonna bring up some reasons why.

First of all, Mizuki's chest in their 3D model is much flatter compared to the other female in the game. Don't get me wrong, you can be a flat woman. However, with all the context we have about Mizuki, I think in their case, it has to do with their biological sex.

They also often use butterflies or flowers in Mizuki's event name thingies. Butterflies and flowers often represent change. Which can add to the change in gender

Mizuki's models when they were younger appear more androgynous or masculine. This was probably due to the peer pressure of to be a boy since it's probably their biological sex.

Also in the Kamiko festival event Mizuki doesn't change due to there being no privacy. A problem most trans people deal with is restrooms or changing rooms. Most of the time they have to go to their biological sex which is bad on their part since to them if makes them feel weird. So though Mizuki definitely passes as a girl they would still have to go to their biological sex, which makes them feel uncomfortable.

Also Mizuki's sex is stated as "?" In the official website. Which give us more of the feeling about their gender and how they're not cisgender.

Another point I'd like to add is that femininity is actually very important in Japan. Looking cute is important to woman in Japan since it's their standard. So being judged for wearing cute clothes would only apply of you're of the male sex. So being judged for this if they were female would be very odd.

Also Mizuki used the Boku pronoun which is often more masculine. However, it can be a more cutesy way too to refer to yourself. Also tomboys use to but Mizuki definitely isn't a tomboy. In recent events they started to use Atashi more which is more gender neutral but still more feminine. Japanese pronouns work differently from English ones so keep that in mind.

Also, about the crossdressing Mizuki theory. Crossdressing is more normalized in Japan so why would Mizuki take is so far just to hide their secret? If they were a crossdresser then they might feel happy about passing but in the end still identify as a boy. Wouldn't they correct Niigo when they use she/her pronouns of then? There's just weak evidence to show how they can be a crossdrssser.

Anyways, so what's Mizuki? Mizu5 is coming so we'll know soon but for now I think they're transfem. Transfem is when you identify with femininity. Not the same as transgender but that's not off the table either. Maybe non-binary or a non-binary gender identity but who knows? We'll find out soon!

[lisanees]

no fr this is still fucking me up

Mizuki has been able to live her life so far as just a Girl; for safety, for comfort, to actually be seen as a girl by others. She passes as a cis girl, but if people find out she isn't, she's terrified of being treated differently, being branded not as just a Girl but as a Trans Girl (at best) or something transmisogynistic (at worst).

And yeah, she is a trans girl, this doesn't make her any less a girl than a cis girl is. But that's just not how society operates, how people operate, majority of the time. Even with people who support her, there's a good chance they will not think of her as simply a Girl, but specifically as a Trans Girl, as someone Other.

So she lives stealth, but there's still that sense of alienation, that she can't talk about this important aspect of her identity for fear of rejection, of being othered. No matter whether she continues to live her live as an undefined Girl, or outs herself as a trans girl, she's going to have to deal with some form of othering and alienation.

She obviously wanted to tell Ena, to be loved and seen for who she is, while still being treated as any other girl would. But that was ripped away from her in the most painful way it ever could have been.

Whether you're a trans girl who chooses to live stealth for safety and comfort, or a trans girl who lives openly, you can't win, not really. Seeing that represented so perfectly has just torn me to pieces.

[jan-books-of-thoughts]

A short Mizuki analysis (SPOILERS FOR MIZU5)

Alright where do I begin with this event honestly I really like how Colorful palette decided to take with this story as a whole and the way that they present the struggles of being trans especially for Mizuki who is identified as one so let’s do a deep dive on this event as a whole

Mizu1, Mizu2, and Mizu3 connections

So I’ll not be mentioning Mizu4 since that event is mostly set up for Mafu4 and felt less focus on Mizuki’s struggles being trans.

So as established by Secret Distance and Kamiyama Festival events, Mizuki is an outcast in their school. In Mizu5, we see Rui’s concern about Mizuki trying to tell Ena their secret, during Kamiyama, we know that Rui is technically the only friend that knows their secret of them being trans. Since we know that Rui already embraced that side of him it was only a matter of time that Mizuki will reveal it. During what lies ahead, Ena mentions to Mizuki to take their time when they want to reveal their secret. Personally I like how Ena knows most about Mizuki that she really wants the best for them and is ready to wait for a while for Mizuki to admit about themselves. Family wise, we got to know Yuuki, which is the person Mizuki is the most honest to. In both Mizu3 and the 2024 New years event, we see how she deals with the fact about her own sibling’s gender identity. She wants the best for Mizuki, even tho we barely got to know Mr and Mrs. Amamiya, with the small talk with Mizuki and their mom, implies that the parents are also supportive of Mizuki’s decision to transition from male to female. Yuuki really wants the best for Mizuki and that she was the reason that Mizuki decided to join nightcord. 

Mizu5 and some similarities to Mafuyu when it comes to samsa (LAST SPOILER ALERT) 

So during Mizu5 everything comes full circle. Let us focus on the ending of the event. Just a quick summary: after coming late to the rooftop due to their classmate’s injuries, two of Mizuki’s classmates told Ena that the secret Mizuki is hiding is the fact they’re trans. Mizuki, who just came in hearing what they told Ena, caused them to run away. Ena tries to ask Mizuki if anything is fine but Mizuki just says sorry and locks themselves out even being absent from any nightcord activity. Once finishing this chapter, Mizuki will only remain in the empty sekai. So yea that’s a lot but don’t worry this analysis will be simpler going forward. Mizuki is an excellent representation of people in the LGBTQ+ community whose main fear about their own gender identity, for their case is just to come out that they are trans only to get outed by others. The way Mizuki decided to cope with the situation make sense, they are ashamed for who they are but at the same time Ena still sees Mizuki as well Mizuki. As seen by the event cards, each of the members of nightcord are feeling lonely since Mizuki decided to be absent due to the incident holding a part of Mizuki’s ribbon. This parallels Mafuyu’s 4th focus event where the other members are holding a part of Mafuyu’s heart (the apple broach) trying to help her. Another parallel is also shown via the gacha showcase, using the 3dmv of Samsa. Just like the main protagonist of Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis (the main basis of Kanade’s 3rd focus) Both Mizuki and Gregor’s decision to change to show their true self can have consequences similarly to Mafuyu trying to show her true self to Mrs Asahina. 

Conclusion 

This event is a great showcase on the fear of being outed and how Mizuki deals with it. Huge props to Colorful palette on how they present the story as a whole as well as the voice actors providing a great job in showcasing the characters.

[period-of-nocturne]

I've been thinking a lot about how Niigo would react to Mizuki's secret. Ever since I knew how worried Mizuki was about it.

Kanade Yoisaki doesn't have a mean bone in her. If she grew one, it would be do heavy that her body would break to it's weight. Girl isn't made to handle strong negative feelings. Kanade exist with the will to save and protect and love people. Even confused, she'll try her best to understand.

Mafuyu "I break down when I'm called good girl" Asahina. Mafuyu "I keep my hair long but doesn't take care of them. It's highly likely I just keep them because mom said so." Asahina. Mafuyu "I want to be a nurse (fem job to society's eyes) but my Mom insists I become a doctor (masc job to society's eyes)" Asahina. Mafuyu "I don't know who I am or what I want" Asahina.

Mafuyu is the personifications of identity issues. It obviously overlap and cross paths with gender issues. That doesn't necessarily both came as a package deal, just that the themes treated by both issues are often very similar. The like between both themes is blurry, and it's why Trans Mafuyu is such a huge headcannon. The fandom. No matter if you HC them as transfem or transmac.

Mafuyu can only be extremely confused by the concept, because... It's Mafuyu, you know. Or instinctively understand it, because of how relatable the struggle of wanting to be yourself is to her.

Ena... I don't know. But I trust she'll understand, no matter her first reaction. She's in no way a bad person. She's Momoi Airi's friend. Momoi "You're a girl, in every sense of the word." Airi. Come on.

Airi is the second character with a strong link to gender identity in the game. I have no doubts Ena is aware of it. And Ena being Ena, I also have no doubts she stranded up against anyone tried to mess with Airi on the topic, if she ever witnessed it happens.

Shinonome Ena always stands up to defend her friends and I want to trust she'll do it once again. Roast that Student A, girl. Tell them to shut their little mouth. You can do it. I believe in you.

I haven't read Mizuki5. I don't know what's going on. Maybe I'm totally off the mark. Maybe y'all already know Niigo's reaction while I'm here speculating.

But I want to tell to Mizuki Akiyama that she can trust her friends. That it will be okay. No matter how scared she is right now. Things will work out.

Unfortunately I can't go through the screen so I can only scream it in the void, shaking my phone while asking Hatsune Miku to let me in---