#modern naruto aesthetics

[nomadicrusalka]

There’s Sakura week going on so I just hadddd to draw something for it! I love to draw punk-rock aesthetic so prompt for day 4 (rockstar) was just perfect lmao

Drawing this actually reminded me of one of my very first digital Sakura artworks I did that had a similar theme but this one is just so different and nearly 3 years of difference really shows itself here

Commissions open! <3

[florzzzs2]

Shikamaru 🍃

Modern au - ✨

[powerful-niya]

— (fυи яι∂є.)

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚𝚆𝚑𝚘 𝚜𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚊 𝚋𝚎𝚍?

Link to Oneshot below ↴

•Wattpad• •AO3•

Pairing˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚Naruhina

Synopsis˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡Naruto has a habit. Naruto has an itch. Naruto finds himself constantly opening up to Hinata about all the dirty fantasies that run through his head. And, like any good girlfriend, she embraces his fantasies, no matter how outlandish they may seem.

Content Tags˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚Car Sex • Dom/Sub • Dirty Talk • Explicit • Exploration • Fantasies & Fantasizing • Feet • Free Use Kink • Foreplay • Caresses • Fingering • Finger Play • Feet Fetish • Footjob • Foreplay • Freaky • Kinky • Kink Exploration • Modern AU • Multiple Orgasms • NSFW • Overstimulation • Scandalous • Semi-Public Sex Sexual Asphyxiation • Squirting • Unprotected Sex •

Overall Word Count˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚5.4k

Tumblr Post: Word Count˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚3k.

Preview ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡

"N-N-Naruto-kun, no! What if s-someone sees us?"

"Aww, don't be flustered, Hina. No one's even around."

Hinata glanced over to the right window, which was just next to her, and peered out to the site where her boyfriend had taken her as a surprise.

Naruto, ever the perv, can be counted on to have a slew of tricks up his sleeve to use in order to spice up their relationship and keep the romance alive.

Hinata never objects when he wants to try new things or asks her to participate in sexual activities she has never undertaken before.

She adores Naruto with all of her heart and strives to always please him, despite the fact that she feels totally embarrassed by all of his sexual favors and requests.

She could not for the life of her stomach the way Naruto would smirk so wickedly as he brought to life all of his dirty kinks which were kept away inside of his mind, controlled by temptation and lust.

She couldn't bear it when he clasped her chin with his warm fingers and whispered all of his filthy wishes directly into her ear, welcoming her into his world of desire.

When arousal flooded in and took hold of his entire body, his voice would grow quite seductive and husky, a side of him that could entice Hinata any day.

His words would flow from his lips like the finest silk, capable of melting her entire heart, no, soul away.

His eyes would darken, changing from an innocent light blue to a dark blue that rivals the color black. Murky and Uncontrolled.

It was definitely a sight to behold, and Hinata just couldn't say no to anything Naruto asked of her when he was in such a state.

Besides, deep down she longs to be as wild as she can, to let go of the restrictions that confine her, to overcome the embarrassment that holds her back, and really enjoy moments of romance with the love of her life.

She only needed a little push in the right direction. She just needed Naruto's help to bring out her naughty side and go the whole way.

But this...

Hinata's eyes grew to the size of flying saucers as she gazed out the window of Naruto's vehicle at Konoha Park, which was currently overrun with people.

Her stunned lavender orbs witnessed couples holding hands while enjoying the sunshine.

There were teens buying ice cream from the food truck to stay warm in the summer heat.

There were kids running back and forth and playing on the park's equipment, making a ruckus on the available playground.

Owners strolled their dogs back and forth along the walking track, and parents and elders sat on park seats, watching the children play and have fun.

Hinata couldn't believe her eyes; her face was flushed pink, her whole body was tingly, her stomach felt icky, and her entire world was totally woozy.

Naruto has taken her to the park.

Hinata gulped, her gaze shifting away from the window of her passenger seat to meet her smirking boyfriend only a few inches away.

Her blonde-haired partner sat slouched in the driver's seat, one arm resting on the armrest in the car, the other arm lying along the head of her chair.

He watched her as she just took in their new location, located far away from the park, away from people but still within the vicinity no less.

Naruto burst out laughing as he witnessed Hinata having a mini-panic episode as a result of his machinations, staring at him as if he'd gone insane.

Hinata seethed, working her fist over to punch Naruto directly into the shoulder, "Stop laughing, N-Naruto-kun. This isn't funny!" Hinata exclaimed, "When you suggested you wanted to try something new, I didn't think you meant this."

Hinata jerked her head back toward the window, her gaze returning to the park. But, staring at it this time made her feel quite dizzy.

She pulled one hand forth to cup her forehead, "We can't possibly d-d-do anything naughty here, not at the park-"

"Oh, love, who says we're doing anything at the park?"

Hinata found her heart skipping a beat as her ears picked up the husky voice of her boyfriend, slipped out of his mouth, and filled up the entire car. Just hearing his voice alone, Hinata felt her lower area ache, awakening from its slumber.

She whipped her head back towards him once more to catch him amusingly wiggling his blonde eyebrows at her, his blue eyes shifting around to look at the inside of his car.

Hinata's mouth gaped. She knew exactly what he was getting at.

She grimaces, "Y-You wish to d-d-do it h-here? I-In the car?"

While looking her dead in the eyes, Naruto nodded slowly, confirming her suspicions but doing so practically chilled her to the bone.

That officially turned her entire body red as a tomato.

But she couldn't deny that such an offer was far preferable to having sex in a highly public area like the park. She was well aware that they would be easily located, apprehended, and prosecuted for their actions.

But sex in the car, however...

Hinata bit her lip, a sight that caused Naruto to chuckle once more.

He leaned over and gave the bottom of her summer dress a pinch, his large hand soon slipping down to caress the inside of her left thigh.

"See, Hina? There's no need to worry. I've vowed I won't do anything you don't like, and of course, if I tend to overstep my boundaries, you are always free to back out. Just say the word, alright?"

Hinata felt her heart flutter in her chest as she caught Naruto's comforting grin, which was as warm as the sun. His statements revealed how deeply he cared about her, her opinions, and her desires.

He was aware of her boundaries and intended to respect them. Yet he also understood what she had secretly always wanted to do in terms of sex, and realizing Naruto was aware of that particular fact made her pussy throb.

He knew her too well.

He always knew just how to excite her.

Hinata let out a soft moan of want as she was steadily caressed by her boyfriend, her legs parting for him subconsciously.

"A-Alright."

"Atta girl."

Naruto slipped his fingers closer to her covered heat, slipping underneath her pink dress to brush against her panties with his fingertips. He instantly felt how wet she was.

Naughty girl.

Naruto smirked slyly to himself before extending his other hand to cup her chin, only to shift her face towards him.

Only then did he lean forward to kiss her lips, bringing his own to press them on hers.

Moans erupted from both Hinata and Naruto inside the safe confines of the vehicle they were seated in.

Their heads bobbed and twisted as they deepened their kiss, kissing every inch of one other's lips. They dipped their tongues into one another's mouths and savored everything they had to offer.

Hinata hesitantly flicked her tongue against Naruto's only to be dominated by his pink appendage which lapped at every part of her tongue in a frenzy.

He watched her—oh how he loved to watch her as he explored her mouth, sucking and licking her tongue, teeth, and gums, as he completely dominated the kiss.

He observed as her closed eyes squinted even further, her lips shook, and her cheeks became darker and darker in hue, until they were red and rosy, as a result of his feverish efforts.

Naruto tightened his grip on Hinata's chin, his other hand slipping away from her spread legs to snake up her curvaceous body, caressing her pale skin underneath her apparel.

Naruto grabbed the top of her dress in one motion, only to fling it downward, allowing her massive Double D breasts to break free with hefty bounces, revealing where they were positioned in a nude-colored bra.

Hinata whimpered, breaking the kiss as she sensed Naruto undressing her. Her eyes were now glossy and unreadable, her lips smeared with a mixture of her and Naruto's saliva.

Naruto chuckled before removing the seeping liquid off the corner of her lips with his thumb, only to quickly extend his hand to cup her throat firmly and force her back against her seat.

She whimpered with want, "O-Oh N-Naruto-kun."

"I want you to do something for me, Hina."

"D-Do s-something?"

Completely disoriented and out of it, Hinata tried to process the words that slipped out of her boyfriend's lips but for the life of her, she just couldn't seem to think straight.

Her entire world was swirling around her. Her arousal level continued to build, ultimately overwhelming and clouding her mind.

Her pussy was already wet, leaking its contents and contaminating her underwear and possibly the seat beneath her. Her nipples were now perky, protruding against the delicate fabric of her bra.

She was becoming quite ecstatic.

Hinata whimpered as she felt her boyfriend's hand tighten around her throat and he drew closer, bending over the car armrest to brush his nose against her cheek.

He moaned by her ear, "I want you to pleasure me-"

Hinata was quick to nod.

She was aware of exactly what he was alluding to.

"Y-Yes, I-I would l-love to s-suck your cock, Naruto-kun. Please let me-"

"No, no, no. Not with your mouth, baby." Naruto breathed hotly against her cheek, his covered crotch brushing against the armrest from where he was leaning. His entire ass was lifted off of his chair, his body leaned over to occupy Hinata's side of the car.

Hinata shuddered as she felt Naruto's free hand give her left breast a teasing smack before receding. He drew his free hand away to slide it down her body, only to slip it around her knee and elevate her leg.

"I want you to pleasure me with these, Hina." Naruto pulled her leg forth, shaking it a bit so her sandal could fall to the floor of the car. Only then, did he pull her leg further up to reveal her delicate but slim foot.

Naruto groaned, "Pleasure me with these adorable feet of yours. I want you to rub them up and down my cock."

"M-My feet?" Hinata inhaled quietly, still constrained by Naruto's hand grasping her throat.

Hinata was completely taken aback. The request Naruto made was unlike anything she had ever heard. Hell, she had no idea such a fetish existed.

His request was both kinky and insanely filthy, and it shows just how big of a perv Naruto really was. A supersized perv.

Naruto never ceased to surprise innocent Hinata.

The requested kink was not only mind-baffling but it was one that she never knew couples partake in.

But Naruto wanted it, therefore, Hinata was going to grant it to him.

Embarrassed as she was, she was determined to pleasure Naruto however he liked.

The midnight blue-haired woman turned slowly to Naruto as she was held in his clutches, her left leg still outstretched.

She nodded, "O-Okay. I will do it, N-Naruto-kun."

Her answer certainly made Naruto's day.

He let her go in an instant while showering her with praises. He removed his hands from her leg and throat to instead rush to unbuckle his belt from his jeans, tugging it open to release his erection.

"Oh thank you, baby. Thank you so much." He praised over and over as he worked himself out of his underclothes, in the process, revealing his cock that sprung out of its confines with gusto.

His thick rod, which had an incredible length, tough skin, a gorgeously tan skin complexion, a mushroom-shaped tip, oozing with precum, and covered in an abundance of blue veins beneath, was completely shown to her and the car around them.

His cock was erect and twitching profusely, ready for action, and now aroused, Hinata was eager to gratify her boyfriend's monstrous companion without any hesitation.

But she didn't make a move before taking in her surroundings and peering out the window beside her to see whether there were any prying eyes.

There were none.

So she advanced.

Hinata seized the opportunity to remove her second sandal.

She took a deep breath before slipping her foot out of her right sandal, removing both shoes from her feet. The shoe landed softly on the floor of Naruto's car, where it was forgotten, much like her other sandal.

With a twist of her body, she then moved to face her boyfriend who bore holes into the side of her head, just watching her, as she prepared herself to pleasure him just as he had requested. 

He watched as she hesitantly scooted her body closer to the armest with the help of her hands, lifting her legs to place her feet on his crotch, just over the car's arm rest. Her boobs jiggled throughout the entire duration and Naruto's hungry eyes watched the performance intently.

He moaned, bringing one hand forth to rub up her left leg, brushing his knuckles against her dress, "Mmm, that's my good girl. Don't be nervous."

Naruto nodded down to her feet which slumbered on his crotch, just over his slightly covered balls. He squinted his eyes at her, "Just go slow. There's no rush. Just cup your feet around my cock as you would your hands."

Naruto watched as Hinata nodded obediently before bringing her feet upward and around his cock, instantly sensing how hot his length was.

"L-Like this?"

Naruto groaned, pushing his pants even lower, "Yeah, just like that, baby." He hissed before nodding his head, "Now just run your feet up and down my cock."

Naruto's compliments gave Hinata a feeling of fulfillment, and she soon felt confident enough to brush the soles of her feet up and down Naruto's length.

Her toes ringed his flaming hot rod's shaft, his member rough and mushy to the touch. It sent tingles through her feet and up her body.

Hinata watched with satisfaction as her partner appeared to react to her foot-caressing almost immediately by releasing loud groans, and throwing his head back against his seat.

He opened his lips ever so slightly to release husky praises into the air, moans that always made her feel so good inside.

"Fuck yeah. That feels so fucking good, Hinata-chan. You're doing so well, holy shit." He moaned out, his blue eyes shifting down to her soft feet as they brushed up and down his length, pumping his cock as would her hands.

The thick covering that encased his rod moved in time with her steady movements, creeping up to cover the mushroom-shaped tip of his dick only to fall back down again.

Precum dripped down the sides of his cock like delectable ice cream spilling down the side of a cone.

Such a milky but sticky substance crossed paths with Hinata's feet as she brought them up and down Naruto's entire shaft, severely sullying her skin.

But Hinata didn't mind.

Hinata's blush persisted throughout as she massaged Naruto's cock with her feet, rolling her soft limbs back and forth against his cock, which seemed to quiver more and more as time passed.

Naruto gripped the arm rest beside him tightly, cursing to the roof of the car, "Fuck, fuck, fuck. Go faster, Hina. Faster."

An order was given to her and so, Hinata obliged, increasing the speed of her foot movements to grant Naruto even more pleasure. Up and down. Up and down.

Hinata was entirely into the foreplay at this point, totally into giving her boyfriend more and more pleasure. She didn't care how awkward or weird the situation was.

She was all in now.

Hinata licked her lips, keeping her lavender eyes rooted on her blonde lover's face. She took in every expression that gripped his handsome features.

She hummed in joy, "Mmm, you like this, Naruto-kun? You like the feel of my soft feet rubbing against the hard length of your cock?" Hinata moaned, "You like to be c-caressed like this?"

"Hell yeah. Keep that shit up." Naruto breathed through his teeth, "Ooh, just like that."

Hinata's brazen advances of pumping his cock with the soles of her soft feet made Naruto's eyes roll. Her feet felt like two soft cushions caressing every inch of his cock, and stimulating the sensitive nerves within it.

Hinata swayed her legs up and down, allowing her two feet to caress the bottom of his shaft all the way up to the very tip of him, where her toes tickled him.

At this point, the pleasure seemed to punch Naruto in the gut repeatedly. His entire body felt heavy as if a big cinder block were piled on top of him, weighing him down against the seat of his car.

His legs twitched, his entire body spasmed, his eyes rolled, and his teeth gritted in a fit of ecstasy.

He absolutely enjoyed every moment of experiencing the delightful foot job Hinata was giving him. He certainly wasn't expecting that outcome.

This was just an experiment he wanted to try, a way to relay all the vile fetishes that lurked deep inside his head and clawed at his brain, begging to be liberated.

His request was simply him attempting something new during intimacy, but he had no idea Hinata's feet would pique his sexual curiosity to the point where they succeeded in sexually stimulating him.

He never expected to be so affected by Hinata's footwork as he is today.

He desperately needs her to give him more foot jobs.

Something wasn't quite right with him, he knows. He totally blames his sexual predilections on Percy Sage and his goddamn Icha Icha paradise books.

That man's mind was the embodiment of filth and Naruto has become enmeshed in a web of depravity from which he seemed unable to escape, merely from having Jiraiya as a teacher, and of course, by getting his hands on his erotic books.

He also blames Hinata as well for how fucking naughty he has become.

She's just so goddamn perfect—from head to toe.

Speaking of toes...

Naruto's enjoyment of her impressive foot massages was evident due to the way his groans grew louder and his spasms grew stronger over time.

His blue eyes rolled to the back of his head, a sight that earned him a giggle from Hinata.

"Are you about to c-cum, Naruto-kun?" Hinata let out another adorable giggle, "You're such a naughty boy."

"Ah fuck, yess! Hina, I'm g-gonna cum! I'm gonna-"

Naruto couldn't even let out another word before a loud, guttural howl escaped his lips and before he knew it, a burst of his hot white jizz spurted out of his dick and covered Hinata's feet, legs, the car's steering wheel, and his clothing.

His entire body spasmed like he was in the electric chair, his thighs shaking against his seat's edges. His dick trembled and swayed in Hinata's grip, squirting its essence like a damn sprinkler, sullying his car seats and their garments.

The naughty couple, however, were unconcerned.

After his high passed and his stream of sperm concluded, Naruto took heavy breaths in and out.

His stomach now felt achy, his breath expended, and his eyes blurry. His head felt like it was the size of a balloon, as the car seemed to spin around him.

He perhaps enjoyed that a little too much.

He was completely out of it but the soft touch of his girlfriend brought him back to reality.

Gently, she removed her feet from him to slip them underneath her, doing so to reach for Naruto's whiskered cheeks.

She cupped him, pulling herself forward to plant a kiss on his right cheek, listening as he moaned in delight.

"Mmm, how was that, Naruto-kun? Was that everything you wanted?"

Naruto nodded instantly, brushing his hand over the curve of her body to cup her ass through her dress, soon giving it a rough smack.

Hinata moaned, her body jolting forward.

Naruto then cupped her chin and drew her up to face him directly. She watched him lick his lips with her adorable lavender orbs, his eyes remaining dark blue but now completely glossy.

"Yes, that was absolutely fantastic, baby. I wish only now to reward you for your incredible performance, Hina."

Hinata nodded happily, "Yes please." The midnight blue-haired woman smiled, big and wide. Her legs trembled underneath her, "Oh thank you, Naruto-kun."

"Mmm, of course, baby." He hummed, leaning forward to press his lips gently against her lips, moaning when he sensed Hinata pull her head forward to kiss his own in return.

The kiss lasted only a few seconds before Naruto pulled back, only to chuckle.

He also nodded his head to the back of his car, "Well, shall we continue our fun in the back seat then, hm?"

Continue Reading on Wattpad Or AO3.

||Previous Chap.|| ||Next Chap.||

[team7-headquarter]

Modern Konoha moodboard for the Diamond Girls

[dearestagony]

— ✿ TAG DUMP. › ANNALEIGH LANCASTER.

These are going to be under a read more, because this got very long.

— ✿ putting my defenses up ‘cause i don’t wanna fall in love. › annaleigh's default modern verse.

— ✿ i can see right through all your empty lies i won’t stay long in this world so wrong. › annaleigh's default yugioh verse.

— ✿ my demons are on the hunt but my angels taught me how to run. › annaleigh's default naruto verse.

— ✿ you’ve always been right there for me. › annaleigh's ohshc verse.

— ✿ 'cause now there’s a new life to behold and its the biggest part of my life to unfold. › annaleigh's new mom verse.

— ✿ papa don’t preach i’m in trouble deep. › annaleigh's pregnancy verse.

— ✿ look what you did suck on your lies until your eyes turn red. › annaleigh's gang days verse.

— ✿ you’re on your own kid you always have been. › annaleigh's teenager verse.

— ✿ she’s got a smile that it seems to me reminds me of childhood memories. › annaleigh's supernatural verse.

— ✿ i’ve been waiting for someone to come all alone in darkness waiting for more. › annaleigh's noragami verse.

— ✿ my scars remind me that the past is real i tear my heart open just to feel. › annaleigh's tvd verse.

— ✿ remember me i’m everything you can’t control. › annaleigh's ancient egypt verse.

— ✿ who said i can’t wear my converse with my dress. › annaleigh's charmed verse.

— ✿ annaleigh lancaster. › in character.

— ✿ is this what you’d all prefer would you like me better if i was still her. › annaleigh's appearance.

— ✿ you’re not alone here not at all let me belong here break my fall. › annaleigh's headcanons.

— ✿ your sugarcoat is just as sweet as i am. › annaleigh's aesthetics.

— ✿ i let you see the parts of me that weren’t all that pretty and with every touch you fixed them. › annaleigh & saeyoung. diverse-hearts.

— ✿ where fears and lies melt away. › annaleigh's kingdom hearts verse.

[rageagaiinst]

— ✿ tag dump. › ANNALEIGH LANCASTER.

These are going to be under a read more, because this got very long.

— ✿ putting my defenses up 'cause i don't wanna fall in love. › default modern verse.

— ✿ i can see right through all your empty lies i won't stay long in this world so wrong. › default yugioh verse.

— ✿ my demons are on the hunt but my angels taught me how to run. › default naruto verse.

— ✿ you've always been right there for me. › ohshc verse.

— ✿ 'Cause now there's a new life to behold and its the biggest part of my life to unfold. › new mom verse.

— ✿ papa don't preach i'm in trouble deep. › pregnancy verse.

— ✿ look what you did suck on your lies until your eyes turn red. › gang days verse.

— ✿ you're on your own kid you always have been. › teenager verse.

— ✿ she’s got a smile that it seems to me reminds me of childhood memories. › supernatural verse.

— ✿ i've been waiting for someone to come all alone in darkness waiting for more. › noragami verse.

— ✿ my scars remind me that the past is real i tear my heart open just to feel. › tvd verse.

— ✿ remember me i'm everything you can't control. › ancient egypt verse.

— ✿ who said i can't wear my converse with my dress. › charmed verse.

— ✿ annaleigh lancaster. › in character.

— ✿ is this what you'd all prefer would you like me better if i was still her. › appearance.

— ✿ you're not alone here not at all let me belong here break my fall. › headcanons.

— ✿ your sugarcoat is just as sweet as i am. › aesthetics.

— ✿ i let you see the parts of me that weren’t all that pretty and with every touch you fixed them. › annaleigh & saeyoung. diverse-hearts.

[sxrosee]

tags part 2: redone

SAHAR:

⊰  ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | sahar :﹙.aesthetics.﹚⊱

⊰  ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | sahar :﹙.musings.﹚⊱

⊰  ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | sahar :﹙.likeness.﹚⊱

⊰  ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | sahar :﹙.otp musings.﹚⊱

VERSES:

CANON:

⊰  ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | v ; “i’ve found it. a place where i belong” :﹙.heart pirate.﹚⊱

⊰  ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | v ; “hope is the one thing stronger than fear” :﹙.pre timeskip.﹚⊱

⊰  ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | v ; “a flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all” :﹙.post timeskip.﹚⊱

⊰  ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | v ; “while the past is unchanged; the future is in our power” :﹙.morrow.﹚⊱

⊰  ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | v ; “swaddled in the thick shroud of blissful ignorance” :﹙.adolescence.﹚⊱

CANON DIVERGENT:

⊰  ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | v ; “numb and broken.” :﹙.torment.﹚⊱

⊰  ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | v ; “circled in love. founded in faith. joined in love” :﹙.whitebeard pirate.﹚⊱

⊰  ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | v ; “nobody is born into this world to be alone” :﹙.strawhat pirate.﹚⊱

ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE:

⊰  ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | v ; “after all the sorrow; beautiful things await” :﹙.modern.﹚⊱

⊰  ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | v  ; “wit beyond measure is one’s greatest treasure” :﹙.harry potter.﹚⊱

⊰ ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | v ; “where there is hope; there is life.” :﹙.boku no hero academia.﹚⊱

⊰  ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | v  ; “our purpose is to increase one’s quality of life.” :﹙.naruto.﹚⊱

⊰  ۞ | ࿐࿔*:･ﾟ | v  ; “pull another hand into the light from the darkness.” :﹙.jujutsu kaisen.﹚⊱

[xenosagaepisodeone]

i've been binging some analog horror stuff as background noise for when I draw and while I recognize this creative subgenre is largely a means for young people to experiment with novel atmosphere and aesthetics, at least 90% of the output here is absolutely going to be something that kids revisit in like 10 years and go "oh, I liked this...?". overlaying vhs effects over images is the modern day overlaying widows movie maker effects over naruto fan art.

[fantastic0fairy]

From Cherry Blossoms to Giant Robots: How Anime and Japanese Culture Captivate the World

Imagine a world where cherry blossoms float through the air, where samurai honor codes meet futuristic technology, and where everyone, from a teenager in New York to a retiree in Paris, can find joy in animated tales of adventure, romance, and heroism. Welcome to the realm of anime and Japanese culture, a vibrant, dynamic force that has crossed borders and generations, leaving an indelible mark on global society.

The importance and growth of anime.

Anime, Japan's unique style of animation, isn't just cartoons it's a cultural phenomenon. From classics like "Astro Boy" and "Dragon Ball" to modern hits like "Attack on Titan" and "My Hero Academia," anime has a diverse range of genres that appeal to all ages. What makes anime so special? It's the blend of intricate storytelling, complex characters, and stunning visuals. These aren't just shows; they're experiences that pull you into their world.

Anime is a gateway to Japanese culture. Through anime, viewers learn about traditional customs, festivals, and even cuisine. Think of "Spirited Away," where the protagonist, Chihiro, navigates a magical bathhouse filled with spirits a nod to Japan's rich folklore and Shinto beliefs. Or "Your Name," which beautifully portrays the rural-urban divide and the traditional practice of "musubi" (tying threads as a symbol of connection).

Global influence by connecting generations

Anime's influence stretches far beyond entertainment. It's a style, a vibe, a community. Fashion brands like Uniqlo and Gucci have launched anime-themed collections, while sports stars like Naomi Osaka openly express their love for anime characters. Moreover, the principles and aesthetics of anime have seeped into global pop culture, inspiring everything from Hollywood films to video games.

One of the most magical aspects of anime is its ability to bridge generational gaps. Parents and children can bond over shared favorites like "Pokémon" or "Studio Ghibli" films. For the older generation, anime offers a nostalgic trip back to their childhood while providing fresh stories that resonate with today's themes and issues.

Anime has created a global community of fans who gather at conventions, participate in cosplay, and engage in online discussions. Events like Anime Expo in Los Angeles or Comiket in Tokyo draw fans from all over the world, celebrating their love for this unique art form.

Fun Fact: The Origins of Cosplay

Did you know that cosplay (dressing up as characters from anime, manga, and video games) originated in Japan? The term "cosplay" comes from "costume play," and it has become a worldwide phenomenon. From local conventions to international events, cosplay is a testament to the creativity and dedication of anime fans.

Anime and Japanese culture are more than just entertainment they are a window into a different way of life, filled with beauty, tradition, and endless creativity. They remind us that, no matter where we are in the world, we can find common ground in the stories we love and the values they teach us. So, whether you're a seasoned otaku or a curious newcomer, dive into the world of anime. You might just find a new favorite story or even a new perspective on life.

Ready to start your anime journey? Check out classics like "Naruto" or "Sailor Moon," or dive into newer hits like "Demon Slayer" or "Jujutsu Kaisen." And if you're already a fan, share your favorite anime moments with someone new you never know whose life you might brighten with a little bit of anime magic.

Happy watching, and may your adventures be as epic as your favorite anime!

References.

Cavallaro, D. (2010). Anime and the visual novel: Narrative structure, design and play at the crossroads of animation and computer games. McFarland.

Condry, I. (2013). The soul of anime: Collaborative creativity and Japan's media success story. Duke University Press.

Napier, S. J. (2005). Anime from Akira to Howl's Moving Castle: Experiencing contemporary Japanese animation. Palgrave Macmillan.

Noppe, N. (2013). Fanning the flames of fandom: The commercialization and transformation of fan activities in the age of media mix. In M. Ito, D. Okabe, & I. Tsuji (Eds.), Fandom unbound: Otaku culture in a connected world (pp. 104-127). Yale University Press.

Steinberg, M. (2012). Anime's media mix: Franchising toys and characters in Japan. University of Minnesota Press.

[melina-mellow]

Natlan teaser thoughts.

All this controversy about the Natlan characters skin tones and y'all will forget about it in less than a month's time when Natlan actually releases.

Not saying Hoyo are justified in making them as pale as they are for the regions that they're based on (Hawaii, Africa, South America)

But let's not act like this isn't going to be a Sumeru situation where the people who are yelling about their skin tones now, are the same people who will be drawing them pale as a sheet of paper in their yaoi art later.

Like for me, I've given up hope after the Sumeru situation since y'all just needed a little yaoi and yuri bait to make you forget about Hoyo's colourism issues.

Other than that? Yea, Natlan looks cool and I like all the character designs. Digging the whole modern aesthetic that some characters have vs the more traditional aesthetics of the other characters.

The Pyro Archon is obviously gorgeous (I have a thing for redheads) and Kinich is going to be my Natlan main, his little pixel dragon guy is really cute (also voiced by Sasuke and Naruto's JP VAs, I love that, lol)

Also Mualani's (?) The design is really cute, and the teaser does a better justice to her skin tone and markings than the ingame model does.

Iansan is my precious daughter. Anyone who says anything bad about her can choke.

The redish-purple hair lady is probably my least liked design. 4/10 reminds me too much of Miss Fortune from LoL.

[rosedragonblast]

Reincarnation!AU.

Got inspired by one of the arts of @tamelee yet again.

It's modern era. Around 2010.

Sasuke — a student, studying photography. He's quite a shy, yet witted and promising young man. At least, that's what people tell him. He's not sure about himself. About his choice of life.

He feels out of place. Like he doesn't belong in this time, universe, whatever he can call it. Sasuke doesn't have anything to worry about, since his parents are well off, his brother and sister are working abroad to bring in even more money and reputation for the Uchiha.

Sasuke feels like he's too ungrateful. A lot of people only dream about this lifestyle, being able to not only have a food on the table, but also recieve a proper education.

Sasuke takes a habit of wondering into museums, art galleries and such. He feels more at piece, more connected to the people of the ancient times.

Reaching a section of the ancient countries, he sees an exibit of something which makes his fingers twitch with something he never felt before.

Leaders of their own lands. Great people, who were able to change the track of the world. One of them catches Uchiha's eye. A tall, obviously handsome face, with good stature, wide shoulders and eyes looking straight ahead with confidence. Sasuke can't help himself. He touches the hand, in which a bandage is carved. He looks at the striped markings, something flashing before his eyes. For some reason, tears appear on his face. He feels a resemblance, a sense of longing.

He doesn't even know his name. Yet, he misses him. Like they were closer than he could remember.

* * *

Days pass on. It's time for warm summer days, sense of freedom from finished exams. Sasuke finally leaves for his home town. Feeling a bit better, he smiles, looking up at his own reflection in the glass. He remembers that statue, which he visited countless times in months before spring ends.

He reaches home, getting accustomed to this calm and slow life. Reading his favourite book on the balcony, eating tomatoes, feeling wind passing through his hair, having no care in the word. It's not going to be as carefree anymore. But it's something.

Sasuke remembers his childhood still, when he comes out, putting his weight against the railing.

He notices something in the distance, coming out for fresh air in the morning. Being only a bit curious, he comes closer. He flashes his camera a few times, noticing a gathering of artists in the distance. One of them notices Sasuke, smiling, speaking with him in a bit of a deep, soothing voice.

Sasuke gulps, not believing the resemblance.

The blonde man puts down his brush, turns away from his painting, licks his lips and comes closer. He puts his hand on the camera, making sure Sasuke puts it down before intertwining their fingers.

Naruto gets a bit lower, smiles and whispers:

— Long time no see, Sasuke~

* * *

AU facts:

* Sasuke has a sister named Izumi. She's the middle child, more independent, not a genius like her brothers, but she compensates with her passion. She's a bit spicy if you push her, but Izu is mostly gentle, like their mother. She loves Sasuke a bit more than Itachi, but they honestly prefer their little brother to each other. Sasuke only pretends to not like it.

* Naruto is an artist, who has a passion for animals and creation. His paintings are mostly about animals and nature, he spends a lot of time outside, in parks and forests. Sasuke's photos are more about the modern aspects of the world. Buildings, people, busy streets. His aesthetic is a bit unusual, but he can capture something lively in those stone jungles.

* Naruto has some recollection of his previous life, although he can't remember all of it. He remembers Sasuke, their connection, and their deaths.

* They both died a natural death, although Sasuke died a few years earlier. Naruto often visited his grave, promising that they'll meet after this life.

* Naruto is five years older than Sasuke. He's also the taller one this time. Sasuke remembers teasing him about it in their past lifes. Now, Uzumaki teases him in retaliation.

[lorillee]

naruto character social media headcanons:

naruto: sakura made him a personal instagram account 3 years ago and he legitimately has opened it exactly twice (both times because sakura was asking him to pull something up). its just really not for him. honestly though that being said i feel like you could get him to be a vine creator you KNOWWWW he's abusing his shadow clone ability for this

sasuke: lets be so honest hes not touching any of that with a 50 foot pole, ever. NEXT!

sakura: definitely has a personal instagram, could also see her having a fitness instagram as well. given shes also canonically a fujoshi lets be so honest she has an ao3 and probably a fandom twitter account for liking/rting fanart as well

sai: also does not get the appeal at first. i think sakura made a valiant attempt to convince him to make an instagram account for his art but this does not pan out. it is only when ino shows him twitter's incredible versatility for haters that he understands what the hype is all about.

yamato: my immediate instinct would be to say no probably not HOWEVER i think it would be really funny if he was incredibly active on r/architecture and literally nothing else

kakashi: for the most part a hard no. however i do believe he is casually active on an incredibly obscure forum for the icha icha series. at some point naruto or sakura accidentally see that he has it pulled up on his phone and spend a solid like week hunting down his account and reading through and making fun of all of his posts. he does not know this happened

guy: honestly i think he has a facebook account that is exclusively used to find and post boomer style workout memes and positivity posts. he sends an egregious amount of the aforementioned workout memes to kakashi and lee (enthusiasm of the receivers is about what you can probably expect)

neji: decidedly proclaims social media to be a cesspool and a waste of time, does not partake. he does, however, have a meticulously upkept letterboxd account with extensive and incredibly thorough reviews of everything he's ever watched. (i believe weekly team guy movie nights can be very frustrating for him personally because neji as a person prefers films that are very introspective/character driven/abstract but the rest of his teammates more than anything are interested in watching a bunch of guys beat the living snot out of each other)

tenten: she's got an instagram where she posts short clips of training using her vast arsenal of weapons - lee and neji are frequent guest appearances as sparring partners. i also could see her having a tumblr or some sort of blog to geek out over the latest thing she's picked up

lee: i think he has facebook and instagram but purely to very enthusiastically comment on guy and tenten's posts. otherwise its really not his thing

ino: YOU KNOWWWWWWWWW SHES GOT IT ALL. tiktok instagram twitter triple threat she's definitely an influencer she's big in the makeup scene but also has huge kpop side accounts. shes definitely always getting into drama but always comes out on top in the end - a bit of a controversial figure but overall has a frankly militant fanbase. always up to date on the latest idol drama and you KNOW she'll be posting about it. also has a defunct tumblr account that which was definitely an obscenely popular aesthetics blog back in the site's heyday, but in modern times has since moved her collage boards to pinterest

choji: you know this i know this we all know this HES A FOOD BLOGGER!!!!!!!! in this world blogspot is still alive and well and hes making a killing on there. i think he would also have a tiktok account though for short review videos usually featuring his friends where they go to taste test new restaurants/dishes. i think he also has a personal instagram account just for posting friend photos and whatnot

shikamaru: very casual reddit scroller, when hes bored he'll trawl through a few political subreddits and perhaps r/shogi. never posts and has accounts on basically nothing.

hinata: type of person to HAAAAATE online drama so bad it makes her sick with stress just thinking about it. if she uses social media at all i think she has a diligently kept aesthetic tumblr blog where she posts photos and doesnt interact with anybody ever

hidan: active 4chan user.

jiraiya: its like if you took a facebook-exclusive boomer and dropped him into twitter without warning. his account was supposed to exclusively be his platform for his writing but he gave up that pretense a long time ago and now its basically just whatever he wants to put on there. we all already know what this looks like

orochimaru: saw suigetsu scrolling on twitter once and got an extensive rundown on how it works and the kind of people that frequent it. finds it fascinating in the way that one might study bacteria in a petri dish cultivated in toxic sludge, but thats about the extent of it. boruto-era however he is an active nextdoor and facebook user and exclusively posts wine mom memes

tsunade: has an official account as the hokage but its entirely run by shizune. honestly i dont think she would find much interest or enjoyment in anything social media has to offer her

suigetsu: you already know hes posting bad tiktok thirst traps. theyre really terrible . absolutely lives for kicking up drama in people's comment sections and runs an incredibly popular twitter ragebait account with more passion than hes put into anything else in his life ever

[wanderersrest]

A Cheat Sheet to Gintama References

Have you ever said to yourself "I want to get into Gintama, but I want to understand all of the references?"

Well fear not, for I have a cheat sheet for a lot of the references. Not all of them, because I'd never finish this post. But there are a lot of references the series makes, and as non-native Japanese viewers, a lot of things are lost on us. That's not even getting to things that are lost due to the language barrier. So here it is: a (not so) comprehensive list of series that Gintama references!

Manga

Dragon Ball (Bonus points if it involves dunking on Yamcha.)

Fist of the North Star (Complete with a copyright-friendly version of You Wa Shock!)

Saint Seiya (an entire episode hinges on Gintoki being afraid of getting sued by Toei because of their constant Saint Seiya references)

City Hunter (I wouldn't be surprised if City Hunter was an inspiration for Gintama. Like Gintoki as a main character is what happens if you were to combine Kenshin Himura and Ryo Saeba into a single man. And then you gave said man Kakashi's hair.)

Rurouni Kenshin (Gintama is best described as the post Big 3 answer to Rurouni Kenshin. While One Piece and Shaman King are the true successors to RK, Gintama is the series most similar in terms of aesthetics... minus the modern tech in Meiji-era Japan.)

One Piece, Naruto, and Bleach (I'm folding all three into one line due to their nature as Jump's Big Three. Not helping things is that Gintama ran around the same time as all three.)

JoJo's Bizarre Adventures

Death Note

To Love Ru (Yes, really.)

SKET Dance (Not surprising as SKET Dance mangaka Kenta Shinohara was Sorachi's apprentice at one point)

Fullmetal Alchemist

Lupin III

Golgo 13

Kinnikuman (the thing Ultimate Muscle is based off of)

Doraemon

Sazae-san

Berserk

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K (Ask me about how Gintama helped screw Saiki K out of an English Dub for Season 2)

Anime

Mobile Suit Gundam (It helps that Sunrise/Bandai Namco Pictures produced the Gintama anime, because there are a lot of Gundam references in particular. You also don't get the Renho arc without Sunrise producing the anime.)

Mobile Suit Victory Gundam and Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (Specifically the fact that Shinpachi and Tsukuyo's voice actors are in each series respectively)

Neon Genesis Evangelion (Especially if it involves MADAO, as MADAO shares a voice actor with Gendo Ikari)

Castle in the Sky, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, and My Neighbor Totoro (I'm highlighting these three Ghibli movies in particular due to how often they are referenced throughout the series.)

The Brave Franchise (Specifically The Brave Express Might Gaine and The King of Braves GaoGaiGar)

Patlabor (Yes really, and SKET Dance is partially to thank for this one)

Video Games

Dragon Quest (Specifically DQ III & IV, this series gets referenced a lot once Tama is introduced)

Sengoku Basara (Specifically when it involves one Toshiro Hijikata)

Final Fantasy VII

Mother

Super Mario Brothers

Tales Of

Resident Evil

Yakuza/Like a Dragon (Not surprising, as both Like a Dragon and Gintama are set in and around Kabukicho)

Monster Hunter

Live Action Film & Television

Abarenbo Shogun (SHOGUN KA YO!!!!!)

NHK Taiga Drama (The Shinsengumi drama in particular is a primary influence for Gintama)

Game of Death

Star Wars

Kinpachi-sensei (The series that the Ginpachi-sensei segments are based off of)

Doctor Who

I hope this helps if and when you decide to watch through Gintama. I'll try to update this post as I remember more references or if anyone messages me with a reference that I missed. Because good lord are there a lot of references. Oh, also remember: if this is your first time watching Gintama, start on episode 3. The first two episodes are filler.

[just-jae]

Eyo- So this is why I love OG Naruto

CW: Cursing.

Random projectile vomiting what I love about the first part of Naruto. Mostly from memory (so like, a decade+ ago) I decided to play the the Chunin Exams Arc while writing this to refresh my memory bc honestly, even though I dipped after tasting Shippuden and don't even care to aknowledge Boruto (even if it's good, i don't care) the fact that Part 1 is still so enjoyable shows how it's virtues were in that it actually executed, not just in what it promised. I'll probably be editing this as I rewatch-- like, apparently Choji and Neji also have arm wraps :,V

The theme around hard work. It wasn't a "Work hard to earn a comfy life/ those at the top deserve it" theme it was a "Go after what you love, be passionate, be persistent, build upon yourself to overcome obstacles," kind of hard-work theme. It encouraged chasing your passions and applying yourself to challenges. There was value in just doing that, even if you failed. The meaning and value in your life was tied to your own efforts and decisions, not your status or position in a heirarchy or social conscience.

Positive Father Figures: Forget that Naruto punches his dad in Shippuden. In the first episode, Iruka emotionally adopts Naruto after opening up to him and allowing himself to relate to Naruto as a fellow human being who was suffering and responding to that suffering in similar ways to himself. Before, he pretended not to understand Naruto for the sake of "evil demon kid" narratives and ignoring his own grief. Iruka scraggling Naruto's hair like a big bro/dad wasn't just a bonding moment; it was a found family moment. When Naruto hugs Iruka in the Forest of death, you can tell he adores that kid and is ready to sign the adoption papers.

One of Naruto's icon characters is Ichiraku, the ramen guy who basically serves as Naruto's Grandad. He fills this kid with soup ramen near-every damn day. He's probably why Naruto loves ramen so much.

The spooky, nature-y understones and setting: Giant dark forests, thematic, nature-inspired ninja techniques, the spooky music, the semi-traditional japanese instruments in the sound track (flutes, drums, lutes, etc.) It's got electric guitar too but the traditional texture of the music made it earthy and cultrally touching in the same way that Avatar: The last Air Bender's natural and spiritual eastern inspiration colored it's visual and audial aesthetic. The "HUH"s and "HUAH"' in the background music added so much bomastic, earthy energy, I LOVED hearing them. I'm telling you there's a healthy reason why I like screaming/yelling/hollering. I haven't articulated it yet, but Naruto's soundtrack scratch that itch well.

Horror: Naruto is one of the few anime I've seen with undertones of horror, without being a horror genre show especially for an action-oriented shonen inspired by feudal-age folklore hybrid with modern aesthetics like military vests and tvs. The realistic visual tone that Naruto leans toward compared to modern anime only helps this and makes how dark it gets believable when you consider how culturally and morally grey the base populations are. Sometimes the cultural vices are the main drive in a character's backstory, like Gaara, who's village was crumbling after betrayal and unreliable leadership reinforced the trust and connection issues that left him alone on a raft in hostile waters with the boogie man as his raftmate to where he couldn't even fathom caring for someone else. Bc of this, him being fucking insane, while Naruto wasn't made sense. It felt like the worlds they were in naturally led to the horrors.

Smarts and thoughtfulness being used to win battles. Earlier in the show, things weren't so flashy, not even elite ninjas were shown doing anything nearly as wild as what happens in the second and following parts. The limits of these abilities left room for the characters to use their heads to not only work around their limits but use them to their advantage to bamboozle and have some kind of chance even against physically stronger opponents.

The significance of jutsu also felt more thematic and narrative in nature. The First Hokage's super power was growing giant trees with his chakra.

Which not only suggests he created the very forest Konoha resides in, but also pointed to his approach to leadership, which was giving himself and his clan to stegnthen and lift everyone else up, not just through mixing blood with other clans but through building stregnth and resikience through connections and mutual care.

Much better than the brightest, fastest, most destructive energy bomb or powerup.

Look at the reaper death seal justsu and tell me that wasn't more terrifying than the tentails. Imagine how scared someone is using that jutsu. A demon ghost lady is gonna use your soul as a glove to grab someone else's soul, eat it, and then take you with her... him? It/they-- qhost.

Which leads me to another thing- vulnerability coupled with power. The imagery of the reaper death seal, reainforced a sense of vulnerability that is necessary for the power the user gains.

Gaara's insomnia and dangerously narrow buffer between him and Shukaku lead to him spazzing out in pain whenever something triggers an episode of whatever-the-fuck. Leaving him in a a state of disarray and uselessness.

He was supposed to be the nuke that destroyed Konoha but was too busy chasing after anyone who had a chance of beating him up. And then freaking out over hugs. His invulnerable body came with a trade off of a vulnerable and volitile psyche.

Even Zabuza only survived Kakashi because Haku incapacitated him with needles to his neck and then took care of him afterward.

The conversation between the 1st 2nd and 4th Hokage's was like. "Yo it's my bros!" "Hey bro. Sorry bro." "Bro i don't wanna fight you. But this is so cool. I miss you bro." "me too bro."

Now more character-specific stuff:

Rock Lee is my all-time favorite character. Not only is he the embodiment of part 1's major theme, but I just loved his design and voice acting (the green bodysuit could be awkward at times, but everything else is just pure "That's my son look at him go" vibes).

It's a simplistic, agile, adorable character. Pure serotonin. The way his hair flipped around when he fought was great, the (OMO) face, the scrawly, lanky body that moved a little too sharp bc he was legit always ready to explode-- just great. Rock Lee is so pasionate and just loves living. I got the sense that he isn't training just to prove ppl wrong. He loves the ninja arts, and learns to love taijutsu for its own sake not just for the sake of other's approval or besting someone in combat.

Kakashi Hatake was like the reassuring character. His calm and focused approach to conflicts and danger were a nice balance to everyone else's bamboozlement and dramatic/passionate personalities. Kakashi also comes off as a reality check sort of character. He's the one who makes team seven realize the mortality of ninjas via a monument echoing real-life monuments dedicated to fallen soldiers and victims of war/terrorism. You can tell that he cares about ninja as people despite his laid-back demeanor, and expects his team to understand the importance of respect for fellow ninja. His experiance with the inner workings of Konoha also make him more realistic and aware of the world's greyness. He knows how politically corrupt things are and wants his students to hold on to their morality instead of tossing it away to follow orders.

Zabuza- was not just eye candy-- okay Zabuza was 99% eye candy for me (looked a bit starved but-- damn Kishimoto knew what he was doing with that one)

Zabuza's situation of being emotionally dishonest with himself ties back to the whole vulberability associated with power thing. His cold world veiw ablut using and being used made it more obvious that he and Haku genuinely cared for eachother bc they acted in ways that didn't fit that narrative. This big, sharktoothed "Demon of the mist" having a soft spot that also had a soft spot for him was like 🥺

Tenten's affinity for weapon-weilding was legitimately cool and gave me mechanic vibes. They could have been so creative with that. But for now it's just sitting on its hands. I also just love her character design. She got those BUNS.

The Sand Siblings were my favorite team. They were scary as hell. Gaara was just danger personified. He was bloodthisty with a power that enabled it. Carrying around a gourd that reeked of blood-- like-- Garra was one of the horrors of the forest of death and the way he act and the way his siblings talk about him suggested he was chaotic and couldn't nessecarily be trust to keep to the plan. And I loved that he was this tiny scrawny thing with no eyebrows and eyeliner panda/racoon eyes. Some of his expressions were like- EXPRESSIONS dude.

He used have more expressions than 😐 and 😑. He was unintentionally adorable-- you can tell he was meant to look creepy and otherly but came out a little critter. His hair wasn't even meant to be red, that was an animation error. Like, a character even calls him a runt, Kiba's like "Oh no he's too small to be picking fights, run little dude" so he's canonically a little guy. Littler than normal.

Let me tell you, when I was scrubbing through the episodes (bc they spend so much time wasting time on nothing) my eyes would hook on a thumbnail of Gaara, and it'd be 2 seconds of him not reacting to something, and it'd be worth it everytime. Instant serotonin.

Seeing the smallest, most baby-faced member of the group, who looks even tinier with a giant gourd go:

Is just wild. At least for Naruto. And the fear in the other characters is just- a lot. He's not animated in a cuetsey way either. Like, he's not a loli character. He's a little eldritch horror. And I love that he's not infantilized or cutyfied by the creator for being tiny.

Kankuro was also pretty spooky. Not only did his technique look painful as a papercut, but his main puppet (Crow?) somehow managed to give off body-horror vibes.

They really milked it's spookyness by emphasizing the mechanical side of it (the clicking and the way it jerked) and its use of poisoned everything to make even the tiniest nicks a big deal.

Temari was the power house, aesthetically. Like, it's not even a girl-power thing. She just has shoulder-snapper posture. Her eyes , are this dark blue that I've rarely seen in a character design. She's got big sis vibes (bc she IS the big sis). Like, she's gorgeous.

And her explosive hair went well with her chaotic wind specialty. She just fucks the entire landscape up with the goddamned air dude.

The GODDAMNED AIR.

AND THEN LATER WITH THE FERRET-- LIKE DUDE.

Anyways...

Orochimaru as himself is a creep, at least later on-- mostly bc so much of his character is spent obsessing over a little boy's body- obv. this was meant to be creepy, but it's like, pedo creepy, not spider on the wall/ posessed doll creepy. His introduction as the Grass lady, and this slippery immoral scientist who wanted to catalyze a war was a great time He felt like a force of nature.

I dont have Grass Lady photos yet but this is the next best thing lmao. As the mysterious grass village lady, he was HORRIFIC. I really wish she and her team had been real characters instead of just a skin for Orochimaru to hide in. The way she's introduced is exactly the reason why ninja are traditionally thought of as practicing dark, evil arts. Bc they did dark, evil, spooky shit like pulling at their eyelids and being gross with their tongues. The organs and spooky singing in the background, the predator/prey theme, knowing about Naruto's seal when (at this point) so few others did. On top of that, ya'll gotta know that I'm a sucker for those conical sedge/ coolie hats. The fact that Grass LAdy had a long face and droopy eyes made it all the better. Like, how many other feminine characters have those features? All the character designs of the Grass Village team and the relation of grass to snakes and big hats was pretty neat imo.

Kiba Inuzuka honestly seems like he was inspired by Princess Monoke, which is pretty neat on its own, but i honestly don't feel like Kiba really fits into a ninja village. He's loud and bombastic and rarely uses clever or sneaky tricks. It's just brute strength and prey drive. Which isn't to say he shouldn't be in Naruto, but that maybe he could have been from a different village? Or just not necesarily a ninja. Idk. I love that he's this wild-child who's entire theme is dog.

If a dog were a dude.

If only they were good at drawing dogs though.

Hinata was one of those characters I didn't realize I identified with. A LOT. If Rock Lee is who I aspired to be, Hinata was who I actually was. Not just in demeanor (I too skalked around in a jacket no matter the weather) but also in circumstance. Struggling with comparing yourself to others, or others resenting you for the way you're treated (I was the baby of the family) or constantly dealing with people who think they're better or scold you for poor performance, being pushed into something you didn't even really care for. It was all very relatable, and I didn't even realize it at the time.

The fact that they were willing to give her those "ugly" veins left an impression on me too. Bc, that was her kickass look. It wasn't cute, and she didn't have a delicate, pretty style of fighting. Even though she got beat up she really threw hands in a way that felt realistic. Homegirl was just tryna get by despite being surrounded by assholes, and the moment she stood up to Neji, who was in the middle of phsychologically manipulating her into an anxiety attack (not a literal attack but same energy) was like 🥳. I can respect that. Even though she lost, it really felt like Neji learned there'll at least be trouble if he tries that shit again.

Shino was another favorite (I'm gonna end up going through every character at this rate). Especially with his english dub actor. For much the same reasons as Kakashi. Shino was reliable and cool headed. He didn't strut power or look to intimidate anyone, he just paid attention and tended to his bugs-- which, the fact that he cares for and works with a bunch of bugs is oddly endearing. It's like meeting a cat person who's just really good with cats but doesn't gush over them. He comes off as sensitive, but not obsessive.

His angry-neutral design is pretty neat too. Big Soundwave vibes.

Sakura's wake-up call is honestly pretty iconic. She was a bratty character who realized her flaws on her own instead of being told "Hey, be better you goof", She reflected on how she's been up until the moment when it was all on her and she was eating dirt. Sakura getting serious and learning to be proactive, now that she didn't have anyone as a crutch or a scapegoat, was a pretty awesome moment. And even though The show could have done more with her in that regard, I still appreciate that they went there. Watching Sakura with empathy (especially now that we as a society aren't starving for strong female characters like we used to be) makes me notice how realistic her nievety and dependance is. And also how funny she is at times. Even Ino realizing having that wakeup call like "Bro I'm being stupid, I can't let this girl die over a crush". It even feels like their feud isn't just about a crush but just social insecurity. Sakura used to be shy until she met Ino. Ino enouraged her to be proud up until attention started to be drawn away from her toward Sakura. This also suggested that Ino actually did look down on Sakura and was using her to feel better about herself. Sakura outgrowing Ino put her in a position of facing her own flaws or reframing Sakura as an enemy who didn't deserve to be loved.

And when the reason they were enemies (Sasuke) no longer justified being a dickhead (letting Sakura fucking die) Ino not only had to face her own inadequacy but allow herself to care for Sakura again, from a more genuine place.

I wish they had done more with that, but the fact that they did that in the first place was iconic. There's nothing like having to learn that the world you were raised in is not reality. Breaking out of a sheltered and shallow worlveiw is its own struggle. Its a learning curve, and it leaves you emotionally and socially unprepared when you thought you finally had everything figured out. Sometimes people hold on to bratty behavior bc they think their only other option is getting bullied and hating themselves. Sakura's snootiness comes off just makeshift confidence she learned from assholes. She didn't look down on Naruto bc she interacted with Naruto, she looked down on him bc that's what she's been taught to do about people like Naruto. The whole village was like that. Which is realistic. We just aren't told nearly as much of her perspective as other characters, but her learning how her words impact people, and how dishonest she is about her own competence is worth exploring.

The themes in Naruto were pretty nuanced-- even if the character's dialogue was exposition hell (they spend so much time verbally explaining things that dont need to be explained in such a longwinded manner), they were human condition themes, not just a power fantasy or a romance, or a black and white, good and evil conflict. Ninjas are already pretty shady, with Naruto being the most overtly good character in the show. Everyone else's morality (beside's Lee) is questionable at one point or another-- in fact I think even Lee was introduced as an intimidating upperclassmen. It feels true to life that regular people are actually pretty mean and flawed, which makes Naruto's themes hit harder bc you know it's not just one special character going through a special time, making friends with other 100% good people. Its life. Its people dealing with life. Like, these assholes love and hate eachother at the same time all the time. Some of Naruto's friends did some morally questionable shit. Like Shikamaru pretending to be asleep during the attack on Konoha. We still love the guy, but, get the fuck up dude.

Looking back, this just makes me realize that I've always had an interest in thematic/psychological horror and character realism. I can't stand gore/torture, but spooky grass women that infect you with curses, cursed puppets that spazz and split their faces open, and tiny murderous gremlins who nearly give people heart attacks just bc they thought he was gonna do something, being my favorite characters of Naruto is pretty telling.

Add the inky, Hidden Rain water Clones to the list too.

Iruka needs to get a pen. Reaper needs more soul spagetti and Naruto needs to give back SOME of Garra's personality. Just a little. Let him be a little bit of a little bitch.

[siflshonen]

BNHA “Presentations” Meta Masterpost

Please review these before asking me specific questions about BNHA. This post will be updated as I feel it is relevant.

Sequencing My Hero Academia’s “Manga DNA”: A Breakdown of Katsuki Bakugo | 1.0 | 2.0 | AO3 (updated to ver. 4.0)

This “presentation” post is a primer on Katsuki Bakugo’s character, influences, character arc, and meta. This post covers topics including Kohei Horikoshi’s manga influences, basic character roles in literature, a brief history of shonen manga and the real-world conditions in which the genre as we know it came to be, Japanese social and cultural references such as honne and tatemae, and other miscellaneous anime tropes.

Sequencing My Hero Academia’s “Manga DNA” II: A Breakdown of Izuku Midoriya (formerly titled, “Izuku Midoriya is Katsuki Bakugo's Destiny And It Makes Me Nauseous”)

This “presentation” post discusses Izuku Midoriya’s character and values from a broadly “conventional” Japanese cultural perspective. It also compares and contrasts Izuku and Katsuki’s status as narrative foil leads in a shonen series to other narrative foil leads in other classic, influential shonen series.

This presentation includes an in-depth discussion on platonic and romantic BakuDeku(Baku?) as well as my candid opinion about Naruto.

Eijiro Kirishima: Positively Reclaiming National Identity and Making Masculinity More Inclusive (with surprise guest Mina Ashido!) | 1.0 | 2.0 | Ao3 (updated to ver. 3.0)

This “presentation” post discusses Eijiro Kirishima’s character and arc as well as the real-life references his character’s aesthetic and “manly” actions and credo are meant to communicate. This post includes a discussion of Japanese delinquents and bosozoku, a brief and simplified history of the relationship of Japanese hypermasculinity and military/naval power, a brief discussion of kouha and nanshoku, and a brief general analysis of how Kirishima's early-series insecurities reflect those of an “emasculated” and outdated Japan in relation to Mina’s “effeminate” Japan of today. It also compares Kirishima and Mina’s history and character growth to Katsuki and Izuku’s.

Shoto Todoroki and the Middle Way (Formerly titled, “Original Character Do Not Steal: Why Shoto Todoroki's Best Quality Is Being Lame As Hell And the Fact That It Drives Katsuki Bakugo Nuts”)

This “presentation” post gives a brief overview of Shoto Todoroki’s character and arc, particularly as it relates to Katsuki’s. It discusses eastern notions of balance in all things and how Shoto’s personal quest for balance within himself and his turbulent family reflects upon Katsuki and Izuku’s interpersonal situation.

Todoroki: The Mountain, the Hawk, and the Haunted House | Part 1 | Part 2 | Ao3 (updated to ver. 2.0)

These “presentation” posts take a detailed look at the Todoroki family members and their stories, and provides a significant chunk of meta about Keigo Takami (Hawks). It covers the basics of Japan’s postwar western envy, the modern Japanese patriarchy, and ie family system as well as how these things relate to the characters and their motivations. These posts also discuss the parallels of several sets of characters including Keigo and Toya, Keigo and Deku, Endeavor/Enji and All Might/Toshinori, and Enji and Deku.

A Practical Solution to Ochako Uraraka and Katsuki Bakugo’s Mutual Problem (with surprise guest Himiko Toga!)

This “presentation” is formulated like a joke complete with some rough ribbing towards Deku. This discusses the similarities and differences in Uraraka, Bakugo, and Toga’s plots and relationships with Izuku Midoriya.

Trauma Doesn’t Make You Wrong or Right But it Does Make You Easier to Manipulate: Tomura Shigaraki and All for One (with surprise guests Eri, Tenko Shimura’s family, and the League of Villains!) | Ao3

This “presentation” discusses the similarities and overlap between Heroes, Villains and victims. It also breaks down how All for One is a personification of fascism throughout time and how he targets individuals, as well as what social or individual qualities he considers when choosing his marks. Oh, and this one discusses the nature of trauma and PTSD, how abuse perpetuates a cycle of itself, and how Shigaraki’s destructive rampage is really a cry for help.

From Shuichi Iguchi to Tomura Shigaraki and Bakugo Katsuki to Izuku Midoriya: With Love From Your Shadow | Ao3

This “presentation” discusses Spinner and his role in the story as well as how he and his relationship with Shigaraki parallels (or doesn’t parallel) Bakugo’s relationship with Deku.

[teatitty]

I would also like to scream in your ear for your erasermic spooky month hcs, love all your erasermic stuff. Waiting until my days off to read the other 2 chaps of the one fic and then the new one,,,as a treat for suffering through Capitalism,,,,

Pulls out my files

They have a big black gothic house that's a mix of traditional and modern styles with bright pink curtains in the windows because Aizawa loves pink and every room is a different theme/vibe, it has three floors to it + a variety of secret rooms [if you've ever seen the Edith Finch game think that] just for funsies

They're somewhere in the Top 50 Richest Heroes list for Japan but neither of them mention it at all because they just don't care. This is how they manage to own about 15 cats [I also used to have 15 cats lol] and they employ a housekeeper called Rukiya

Rukiya is an ex-hitwoman who was sent to assassinate Nemuri but Nemuri liked her vibes so much they became besties. Officially Rukiya is "missing" but unofficially she's working for EraserMic as a housekeeper whenever they're away and lives with Nemuri

Rukiya dresses and acts like a maid but this is because she's committed to the Aesthetic™️

Their kitchen is filled with warm colours and tones and is the neatest looking room in the whole house

When Tensei was paralysed and would never walk again [Stain arc] they immediately set about modifying the house to be wheelchair friendly and completely accessible to him because Tensei likes staying over sometimes

Shinsou's room is a mix of naruto merchandise and real life animal skulls and fossils. All ethically found of course [re: he finds dead creatures and cleans them up before taking them home. Some of these dead creatures have leaked into the other rooms and hallways oopsies]

Eri has the brightest room because she loves bright colours and it's very hilariously jarring to go through this House Of Horrors only to open her door and get blasted by unicorn quilt covers, pawprints painted on her walls and a fluffy rug in the shape of a smiling cartoon dog

If Tokoyami's edgy emo ass ever came to this house he would never want to leave

A slight smutty HC now: the first time Hizashi and Shouta had penetrative sex it was in a coffin in an undertaker's store because they were meant to be spying on someone and locked themselves in it to avoid being seen. They were, like, 18 at the time

Their bedroom is a mix of goth and punk aesthetics with splashes of colour. They have one bedside lamp and no other lights save the sun itself and this is because of Hizashi's light sensitivity

The bed is big enough to fit four people if you squish up because Nemuri and Tensei loved doing that. Now Shinsou and Eri sometimes join them in it if they have nightmares

Shinsou fucking loves halloween but he acts super cool and calm about it guys haha ignore all those outfits and decorations he just bought on impulse it's fine

Eri doesn't really get the full point of halloween she just likes dressing up

Because of what she went through with Overhaul, Eri is surprisingly unaffected by horror movies and will gladly watch even the goriest of them with her dad's without issue. Shinsou, however, is terrified of them and will crawl over the back of the sofa to get as far away from the screen as possible

Aizawa doesn't have any private rooms for himself but does do most of his work in the kitchen because it's closest to all the snacks. He's a chronic snacker which is why he drinks jelly pouches all the time [mood]

Hizashi, however, has two private rooms for himself: a studio room for all his recordings and radio related plans and then another soundproofed room where he can just blast loud music and scream or lay on the floor to feel the bass vibrations. Shinsou also uses this room a lot to de-stress. They have screaming sessions together

I said it in another post but I'll put it here again: the first time Eri attends school she ends up getting stalked in secret by Aizawa and Shinsou, full ninja-like, and Hizashi judges them for it right up until they find him disguised as one of the school staff so he can also keep an eye on her. Eri is oblivious to this

A lot of Eri's classmates are convinced her family are in the yakuza because of how scary and intimidating they look. It's the sleep deprivation and long work hours

People think Present Mic is a purely daytime hero but this is false! Mic is called on a lot by the Underground Heroes to sneak into places in various disguises to get information because he's just one of those guys who can fit in anywhere and is a great actor

Shinsou is a terrible actor because he's not good at on-the-spot improv which has led to some very funny situations for him

This family's idea of fun is to terrorise everyone around them for kicks. You're in a deep dark tunnel with no lights? Well guess what they're gonna jumpscare you and/or make spooky noises that echo everywhere just to watch you shit yourself

Eri moves so quickly and quietly people think the UA dorms are haunted by a ghost

Eri's the only person to have ever successfully snuck up on Bakugou and scared the shit out of him in the kitchens. Shinsou was wheezing to death about it for days afterwards

Had to come back in to add one I forgot about: Aizawa is a borderline yandere for his family and that is canon To Me. I will expand on this eventually

And that's all the ones I can think of at the moment! And HELL YEAH LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR A+ COMMENTS AS ALWAYS! I'm taking a break from writing for a while so there's time to catch up also I am rooting for you to get through capitalist hell retail sucks