#nanase you sadist

[psychewritesbs]

The Hanged Man, bound by the red string of fate, is a call to choose to surrender to the order of things. 

[faustiantales]

𝖇𝖊𝖙𝖗𝖆𝖞𝖆𝖑

Dark Descent: Nagi Rokuya X fem/afab!Reader

Twisted Truths: incest, mentally ill reader, violence, blood, gore, murder, obsession

Synopsis: He knew that he was the only one in her life. He knew that he was her entire world. So, of course, when he suddenly decided to leave her one day, she'd come retrieving what was rightfully hers.

Shadows Lengthen: 1.4k words

You stared at the bloody knife in your hand. Its shiny yet stained blade made a reflection of your dull, lifeless blue irises. A stoic expression plastered on your face as you slowly raised the knife to your face, examining its sharp edge dripping with red liquid. You never felt so betrayed before and it made you frustrated by it. However one person, in particular, is to blame for your sudden change of persona—your older brother, Nagi. He betrayed you, lied to you, broke your heart, and left you. You were so furious that he didn't keep his promise to you; the promise that he made ever since the two of you were still young.

"Nagi-niichan, promise me that we'll always be together forever."

"Uh-huh! I promise, [Name]-chan. I promise that we'll always be together forever...just the two of us."

"'Just the two of us'?" you scoffed. "You're so pathetic, niisan. You can't even keep your promise."

Why was it a big deal to you though? Nagi knows that you have a mental illness, and it should be his responsibility as your brother to keep you in check; one extreme emotion that fills you could affect your thinking and the way you act as well. Though because of one, unfortunate turn of events, he became an idol and thus eventually have no time for you due to his job. You wouldn't mind, though, for him to pursue that kind of job. In fact, you were proud of your brother for being an idol.

However, your mental illness was very much linked to your emotions. As the time passed, you became more lonely, sadder...more depressed. You kept reminiscing about the days when it was only just the two of you; no one else standing in the way of your relationship with your brother. That is, until the bond that the two of you had broke. You knew about his new friends. You knew how much he enjoyed being with them. You noticed how he seems to completely forget about you. And that's the reason why you're filled with so much jealousy and anger building up inside of you.

You wanted your brother back. You wanted to retrieve what was stolen from you. You wanted him to be yours, and only yours. You plan on getting him back...and also eliminating the ones that threaten to take your brother away again. You felt nothing else but hatred riling up your emotions and mentality.

Smiling a wide, twisted smile, you hid the knife on your back as you made your way towards the hallway where the rest of Idolish7 resides. How did you get in the agency in the first place? Let's just say you shed some blood before forcing your way into the building during the resting hours of the night. Though you had to be careful as to not be seen by any guards around the place; you only killed two people on your way there anyway.

"Don't worry, niisan. I'm going to get back the precious person what was stolen away from me," you mumbled to yourself, making your way towards the first room.

Once you reached the door, you slowly turned the knob. The door creaked open and you quietly made your way inside the dark room, carefully closing the door behind you as you entered. There you saw sleeping in the bed was the center of the group—the redhead idol, Nanase Riku. Your sadistic grin only widened as your feet trudged over the said male, your right hand that was holding the weapon was raised in the air, ready to strike down its first victim.

Riku shifted on his bed, his front facing the ceiling. He grunted in his sleep, feeling somewhat uncomfortable because of the deadly atmosphere lingering in his room, engulfing his sleeping form. Tolerating it no longer, the male slowly opened his eyes, only for him to widen it after seeing glowing, blue orbs that contain bloodlust staring down at him in the dark. The knife glistening in the distance didn't escape his unsteady gaze. He could feel his heart stop and breath hitch due to the fear he's experiencing.

"Oh, hello there little red~ Good night and sweet dreams~" you let out a quiet, sadistic chuckle as you brought the knife down without any hesitations.

Riku let out a scream once the weapon pierced through his chest, though you made sure to cover his mouth before anyone could hear him, muffling his futile cries. You pulled out the knife from his body while staring at the dead idol. Your determination of killing the rest made you smile in delight; a twisted, sadistic smile.

"One down, five to go~" licking the blood from the knife, you made your way to the door.

You left the room silently, locking the door as you exited. No one would know the murder you caused if you made sure to kill every single idol in privacy and locking the doors of their room where their corpse was located. You giggled, feeling accomplished because of the devious plan you have. Tomorrow morning, Idolish7 would be no more. And you'll finally have your brother back.

"Just wait, niisan. I'll make sure to have you back," you mumbled once again, proceeding to the next room and finishing off your second victim.

After a few moments of finishing off the rest of Idolish7, you then made your way towards the last room where your brother presumably is. Your cold hand gripped the equally cold, metal knob and twisted it open. The door opened and you finally entered the room, locking the door behind you. Walking slowly towards the sleeping blonde, a smile made its way to your bloody face; not a sadistic smile but a gentle smile instead.

"Niisan..." you muttered, making your way to his bed.

Feeling a presence in the room, Nagi opened his eyelids and revealed blue eyes staring back at your own ones. His eyes dilated in shock, mouth agape as he stared at your figure in the dark room. The blonde was able to recognize your smaller form despite the darkness, though that made him scared. He wasn't sure whether it was just an illusion or not. Nagi sat up on his bed and opened the light of the lamp on the side table, hoping that it was just his imagination. However, you proved him wrong...oh, how naive your brother can be.

"[Name]-chan?! What are doing here?" he asked, disbelief lacing his tone.

"I came here to have you back, niisan," you simply replied, a soft expression on your face as you sent him a close-eyed smile.

Nagi gulped, sweat appearing on his face after examing his sister's bloody appearance. Blood splattered on her face, hair, and clothes, staining her whole being with a crimson hue. Seeing her like this made his heart race in fear and body to tremble, shivers kept running down his spine. He regretted not keeping watch on you, and now you've eventually become a living killing machine. Nagi noticed the knife that you're holding in your right hand, and that only frightened him even more.

"W-why are you covered in blood, [Name]-chan? A-a-and why are you holding a bloody knife as well?" he asked, voice quivering due to fear.

"Oh, this?" you glanced at yourself then at the weapon in your grasp. "I just got rid of the nuisance that's keeping me from having you back, niisan."

"W-why? W-what h-happened to you, [N-Name]-chan...?" he choked on his incoming sobs. "Why do you have to do this?"

"Why?" you tilted your head to the side, watching your poor brother cry bitterly over the loss of his friends.

Seeing him cry made your heart being pierced by a sharp pain. You felt sad seeing him cry, but it only made you even more furious realizing that he's still thinking about them and not you. It made you hiss in disgust and anger as you slowly crawled towards him in the bed, the knife still in your tight hold.

"I only did it to have you back, niisan," you cooed in his ears whilst wiping his tears away. "After all, even after you betrayed me, I still love you. Forever."

📜— Return to the Shadowed Archive

[boinin]

If you're still taking the otp questions, could I request 6, 7, 19 and 29 for tabiori? Thank you!

Hey anon! I've really softened towards these two with the new Karasu lore that EpiNagi gifted us. Childhood friends to imprisoned football rivals to lovers, let's gooooo

6. What is their favorite feature of their partner’s?

Hiori likes that Karasu has an opinion on everything. Sometimes it takes coaxing to get him to take a stance, if he doesn't feel like he's had enough input data or time to mull it over, but Karasu is no fence sitter: he's always clear about his values and what he thinks, which Hiori admires as a perpetual people pleaser. Hiori also loves his searching dark eyes.

Karasu finds Hiori physically attractive, but it's that sadistic edge to his bf's personality that has Karasu down bad. He likes someone with bite, who won't take his snark without retaliation. But Hiori's genuine kindness also allows Karasu to unwind in his presence. It's exhausting putting on a mask every day, and Hiori is the only person Karasu trusts to see the real him. Without his usual defences.

7. What’s the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for the other?

In comparison to what I've said for Karasu before, I don't think he'd get more defensive after realising he has feelings for Hiori. Their friendship started on the basis of mutual admiration, and Karasu's crush is an evolution of that. That said, he has no plans to admit to his feelings, ever.

Hiori feels lame about his own crush, thinking he's naïve for crushing on his senpai. He'd still happily chat and hang out with Karasu, but becomes more prone to awkward silence around him. After getting dating advice off his internet friends, he'll watch Karasu for signs that he's interested in being more than friends. Hiori would eventually make a move, and the rest is history.

19. Who tells their family/friends about their relationship first?

Oof, I'll start with the less sad family dynamic. Karasu cultivates an air of mystery around himself. No one knows for sure when he's bullshitting or being serious, even his mom. When he signs off a phonecall by saying, got a hot boy waitin' fer me, she writes it off as her son's sarcasm. It keeps being his excuse though, and eventually she realises he's serious. She's surprised that Karasu's dating the quiet polite boy from his football team, but supportive of he and Hiori.

Hiori's parents are in frequent contact with him, but only ever ask about his training, diet and sleep—not to mention his performance in whatever league he's playing in. They find out he's in a relationship when he lets it slip in an interview. They scold him for not focussing 100% on his career. He starts ignoring their calls.

Yukimiya and Otoya manage to suss out Karasu's feelings before he and Hiori get together, and tease him for it until the good news breaks. The four hang out together often. Hiori doesn't publicise the relationship, but talks to his closer friends and teammates about Karasu, like Isagi, Nanase and Kurona.

The two of them quickly get fed up of people insinuating that they're a cute couple just because they're both from Kansai.

29. One headcanon about this OTP that breaks your heart

Both of them look up to one another, but it's partly as a means of quantifying their own inadequacies. Karasu will never be as athletically gifted as Hiori. Hiori will never have Karasu's unfazed attitude or the same determination to pursue his dreams.

Neither of them will fully understand the level of emptiness the other used to hide behind the polite smiles or sarcastic remarks.

[bluelockednyx]

Hey!! I loved your Rinsagi metas and posts. FINALLY someone in the fandom who doesn't infantilize Isagi and sees canon him. Yes Isagi is nice but not like.. nanase level friendly and nice. He's polite but a lil withdrawn and appreciates people's talents but absolutely will not let anyone walk over him. Also,exactly what u said, sadist Dom. Yes please.

And Rin, so many people reduce him to this one-dimensional character who's issues people treat like a joke. When that's not the case? Bachira at least knows his prblms, Rin has no idea at all. Like how horrible does your repression and mental state have to be that the guy that is literally suicidal tells you that you're in a worse place than him. Rin gives off high key depressed vibes.

It's a lot like Post WC kunigami which draws...interesting parallels esp when you look at pre WC kunigami and at how Rin seems a lot happier before the fight. I saw someone make that comparison.

What do you think? How do you think Rin would've been like if Sae had actually bothered explaining instead of what we got?

Also, any opinions on the Itoshi parents? We've only seen half their faces and nothing from them abt their kids's relationship. I mean, it kinda bothers me how we've seen the views of Isagi, Bachira, Chigiri, even Hiori's parents when he's not a main character, Yet we got no input from the Itoshis. Do they just not notice? Are they a bit neglectful esp since they let a 13 yr old Sae go to another country alone? Do they let their kids do whatever they want including fighting for a year? Who knows? I'll love to know your thoughts tho.

Again, thank you for the lovely metas which made me feel a little less alone in the fandom. Have a great day :)

Isagi stans, please rise up and help characterise him properly lmao

Stupid long response under the cut, as always.

Rant about my issues with the general fandom characterisation about Isagi. Sorry anon if this isn't what you wanted, I have a lot of Thoughts and Salt where Isagi is concerned, and I am Fandom Old who is growing incredibly sad with how divisive current fandom is over a whole host of things. Skip to Itoshi if you don't wanna read about Isagi + fandom musings. Skip to parents if you wanna read about my thoughts on the family dynamics.

Isagi is, for better or worse, the stock shonen MC. He's enough of a regular guy for the target readers, which are teenage boys, to identify with. As he's the MC, the story overall serves to validate and support him, so long as he fits the themes the author is working on, which for Blue Lock, is the concept of being the best at what you're doing, while also bringing out the best in others, and then working together successfully to achieve goals (i.e. the World Cup).

But, Kaneshiro-sensei's also a strategic writer. Isagi, because he's such a bland self-insert for the most part, combined with how he has a very weird form of Power of Heart, has wound up being an especially attractive character for those who like harem, or reverse-harem series. Which then, for better or worse, brings all the fujoshi fangirls around (the curse of so many attractive characters). But most especially the fujoshi fangirls who are a fan of all x MC ships. I am emphasizing all x MC here, because east Asian/gen Asian fandom, have grown incredibly restrictive and rigid about top x bottom dynamics, which is a whole host of other things and issues to talk about.

Look up any popular shonen jump title, you'll find that these shippers generally have the same tastes, and move around the same fandom circles. You'll usually find them shipping all x MC ships, from Izuku to Tanjirou to Yuuji to Naruto etc. Overall, how they characterise them never deviates all that much. It's the nice, 'innocent', naive, guy who is a bit of a pushover, and who has all the other hot characters wanting to get in their pants. That's where Isagi falls into as well, for these shippers. The more thorny and less 'nice guy' parts of his characterisation gets sanded down, though YMMV whether this is a skill issue by fandom or simply a cultural readership interpretation difference altogether.

On the Itoshi bros:

Yep, Rin has a lot of repression issues. I wouldn't go so far as to say that Rin has no idea at all about his issues (how else would he pick out Bachira's loneliness so quickly lol, also there's some hints from official guidebook), but he definitely lacks self-awareness. I also agree that he and Nagi seem to be on different areas at the spectrum of depression (Nagi being apathetic, Rin being hostile).

If there's anything to parallel Rin and Kunigami, I'd say that it's the 'loss of a dream' and 'loss of companions'. In the manga proper, Rin does seem happier before the fight with Sae, like how Kunigami looked happier pre-WC. However, the light novel shows that Rin was already repressing both himself and his style of football to imitate Sae long before then due to external pressures by his teammates and coach, and even more severely than Isagi, who also didn't have much of a relationship with his own teammates from Ichinan.

If Sae had tried to explain more than that one line about 'the world being vast', they wouldn't have such a strained relationship right now, honestly. While I don't think that Rin would have fully understood what Sae was trying to say because he lacked the experience and perspective, I do think he would have been more supportive, which would have been better overall, for the both of them. They were both idiots that night, lmao, though I do view Sae as having been punished by the narrative when he pushed his dream onto Rin.

About the Itoshi parents:

We know that Rin and Sae presumably used to share a room and a double bed as kids (albeit a fairly spacious one, from the looks of it), which makes me think that they're more likely to be middle class than upper class. Young Rin also accompanied Sae to his soccer practice games, rather than going off for other classes like say, art, which implies that his parents might not have been able to afford it. Sae also walked home with Rin, which further implies that they're parents are busy, though its more of a norm in JP. Possibly a double income household, to fund Sae, and later, Rin's coaching fees and time with the youth football squad. Also a household that seems to have no qualms about Sae, and later, Rin's rudeness and hostility, although they may tone it down around their parents. Sae must have picked his attitude up from somewhere.

I'm reluctant to call the Itoshi parents sending Sae to Madrid at 13 as intentionally neglectful, because there are cultural nuances there. I think the best parallel I can draw is parents from less-developed nations sending their children overseas from an early age to secure eventual permanent residency and establish a life in a more developed nation. Sometimes, home just isn’t good enough. And this is one of Blue Lock’s main story themes: that Japan’s football, as it is, isn’t good enough. They have neither the organizational structure, infrastructure, nor support to get the World Cup that Sae, Anri and possibly Ego, covets.

Sae's dream, and talent, is in football. He's been scouted by perhaps the most successful team in the Blue Lock world, with a world-class program for youths, and has been given the best chance possible, for any kid in his shoes, to fulfill his dream to be the best striker in the world. He's being sponsored, and he also left with a manager who would presumably, help take care of him whilst he was there. Sae isn't going there like say, Ashito from Aoi Ashi, who needed to go through a trial to even be considered for acceptance into the youth squad. He's going there as the equivalent of a golden scholarship student scouted for a potential future work placement, with the likely backing of the JFA.

What alternatives could his parents offer him if he stayed in Japan? His own speech to Sendou pre-blue lock vs U20 match encapsulates what could have been for him (Sendou is very much a foil to Sae, especially now that we know they're both redheads lmao). Being the best in Japan, a middle-of-the-road striker in the world, retiring with an average, albeit decent life. Sae's too egoistic, too talented, too greedy to be content with a life like that. I wouldn't be surprised if Sae had also begged his parents hard to let him go, since it's pretty much all he wanted as a kid.

That's without even taking into account the other problems his parents would face if they immigrated with Sae. How to take care of Rin and his education there, for starters. Rent and housing, finding jobs in Madrid where they likely can't speak the language, and face discrimination.

I think we don't get their parents faces because Rin and Sae's story, and their relationship with their parents, are simply emotionally distant. I don't think they have much parental control over Rin or Sae either.  Sae's been more or less looking after himself/being taken care of by Real Madrid + his manager in Spain since 13, and Rin has been strongly implied to be in much the same shoes since Sae left, to a lesser extent. I doubt they know the more minute details about Rin and Sae’s school life and team experience, both within and out of Japan. I even doubt that they know that Rin and Sae had a fight, honestly, though I can also see them being the kind of parents who will let their kids sort things out between themselves.

Overall: Itoshi parents takes care of them physically (buys them material things, makes sure they have a home to stay in, have a physical caretaker in their place), but emotionally? Rin and Sae seem to be pretty much left on their own. No wonder their relationship with each other broke down, and what little relationships they have with others seem like such a convoluted mess.

Thanks for sending the ask! I love hearing from people what they think about the latest chapters, characters, relationships etc. I hope you have a great day too!

[kruinka]

tell us more abt ur romfan au 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

omg than k u for enabling me so. this is what i want to draw

-isagi kicking ass (comically) -first meeting kaiser sae rin nagi -full body designs kaiser sae rin nagi isagi -shirayukimiya and the seven dwarves -individual kaiser sae rin nagi -kurona isagi hiori nanase besties REAL -kaiser backstory comic -sae pre angst -sae intimidating -crying rin -rin pre angst

but i feel like u are here for the kaiser lore instead so

sorry if nothing makes sense😭

in my silly little brain there is kaiser angst and his father is the pope (thanks mitzi) -kaiser but hes more fake and more bastard than canon the setting is divine power does not do well with magic ESPECIALLY in this nation bc it is a blessed land (real not clickbait) -the royal familys defining trait?? is golden hair that never fades and every 20 years someone with this golden blood will be blessed with stigmata -stigmata in this case means the deity of this land has chosen u to be the next ruler -so breaking news!! kaiser does not have stigmata he only has social stigma bc his mother was a naive witch that fell in love with the king -he still has the golden hair but its also "tainted" with blue from the bloodline of a witch so the hair colours are all natural babie🤩🤩🤩 -anyways his mom thought they would be fine if they just lived quietly in a corner of the palace but nope she dies lol -cue evil queen who does not like the concubine so she plots an assassination -michael kaiser, age 6, motherless -idk how to go deeper into explaining his backstory but i do have an image in my head that i feel like would be better if i drew it out instead -but ofc kaisers world view is now flipped -living quietly and hoping for peace doesnt work so he will live as if he were dead while plotting his grand murder spree -and also two years before the family die kill murder -one of his half siblings received a stigmata -but kaiser kills him anyways bc how would u keep ur faith when all ur life u have been mistreated by those who call themselves children of god -and then the stigmata appears on him and hes just 😟😟 -after claiming the throne he kicks out a bunch of ppl and starts establishing diplomatic connections with the magic tower (cue ness) -bc it is very obvious that its a good thing. to establish connections. but holy kingdom vatican city here doesnt do that bc they are held back by traditions and bias -so after that hes just known as a blasphemous child sitting on the throne -but theres a party of intellectuals and new nobles who support him so like kaisers not dead YET -stuff is messy, his bad rep spreads and rumours get twisted so now hes not only known as Tyrant Who Scammed God (partly real) -hes also somehow a Sadistic Villain That Hypnotizes You With Magic (also partly real)

now in the main story hes all 🤪😏😏but thats how he acts when there is something he wants (scammer mode) -deep down hes 😐😔😠emo irritated and thinks hes a bad person (he is a bad person) -he probably does feel guilty for killing his father and not being able to protect his mother -and like tries to convince himself that what he did was right but sometimes he thinks of his mother and wonders if this is what she wouldve wanted :/ -and sometimes he doubts his ability as a ruler bc his half sibling was the chosen one and not him -being compared to and discriminated throughout ur whole life does something to a man huh -so the insecurities and jealousy issues still apply🫶 -but he is actually quite capable bc what else would u do in ur free time other than study -if u were stuck in the palace and ur mom is dead and ur father is pathetic -i want kaisers character arc to be him actually having a proper meltdown now that his life is no longer Constantly In Danger -and at the end of the arc he finally feels happy to be here something something i havent thought of this part yet

ok so this is very long and its still just kaiser and idek if anything makes sense but i also have stuff for rin and sae and isagi going on in my head

idk if the old romfan rant i posted can still apply to the au thats in my head bc i changed some roles around

[findyourrp]

「🎐 ; 🕊️ & possible 🍪」 23, she/him, AFAB.

About me: I mirror the length & detail of my partners!

Looking for: MxM discord rp for the following fandoms! Romance, smut, and happy ending is a must! (However toxic that may look like to our OCs) 🤭 AMAB anatomy (I'm uncomf rping PiV Sex).

Listed = characters I'd like to rp against

Bolded = who I'm hoping to play

I'm esp interested in writing a sub/bottom chara against a sadistic dom top!

— Haikyuu!! / Haikyu / HQ ; Hinata Shouyo —

Nishinoya Yuu

Tenma Udai

Akaashi Keiji

— Tokyo Revengers / TokRev ; Hanagaki Takemichi —

Matsuno Chifuyu

Tachibana Naoto

Hanma Shuuji

Sano Manjirou (Mikey)

Mitsuya Takashi

Sano Shinichirou

— Blue Lock / BLLK ; Isagi Youichi —

Bachira Meguru

Nagi Seishirou

Itoshi Rin

Chigiri Hyouma

— SK8 ; Reki Kyan —

Chinen Miya

Kikuchi Tadashi

Sakurayashiki Kaoru (Cherry Blossom)

Shindo Ainosuke (Adam)

— Idolish7 / i7 / Ainana ; Nanase Riku —

Kujo Tenn

Sunohara Momose (Momo)

Orikasa Yukito (Yuki)

Kujo Takamasa

Oogami Banri

Ousaka Sougo

Open to: AU, canon-compliant, dead dove. We can more than likely include your deepest darkest wants!

Kinks of focus: Sadomasochism, 🍪, lots of dirty talk, dubcon, and forced orgasm.

I'd prefer to play a more inexperienced chara at this time. However! I can deeply assure you that my muses will always talk and react extensively so that you have plenty to work with during smut. This goes for both enthusiastic AND unenthusiastic reactions. Heads up for obscene dialogue when they get into it! I'm expecting lots of dirty talk from both sides!

Please: be a long term 20+ high-energy partner who I can joke and be friends with, unashamedly enthusiastic about our rp ship (via spamming hcs & memes & other media), not afraid of being too much, decisively contribute ideas to plotting, comfortable & confident enough to strongly communicate your rp needs and wants, listen attentively to what I have to say/ask during plotting, available for back-n-forth rping (NOT rapid fire) some days!

⚠️ If you lose interest while plotting, tell me so I know to look elsewhere. Respect my time and I'll respect yours! Thank you!

.

[medea10]

My Review of Overlord

Okay, I’ve managed to blow through Konosuba, Re:Zero, and The Rising of the Shield Hero in the past several years. Now, I think it’s time I blast through this isekai so I can get to Isekai Quartet. I know it’s absurd to push up a wonky spin-off like that. But I watched Carnival Phantasm when I clearly didn’t know half of those characters. We learn from our oopsies and mistakes. I’m older and wiser now. Once I finish this, I’ve watched all…

But don’t you have to watch Tanya of the Evil too?

(ノ ゜Д゜)ノ ︵ ┻━┻

Momonga is a working man, who in his off-time plays an MMORPG named Yggdrasil and plays a character known as Ains. After so many hours playing this game, the servers are going to shut down and he is the only one left with his memories of the good times playing. He decides to stay on the server until midnight when the servers plan to go dead. Midnight strikes and he’s still logged in. Problem is, HE CAN’T LOG OUT! Welcome to the Isekai rabbit-hole! But unlike many other isekais, Momonga has a legion of loyal servants to do what he says. Hell, he can cop a feel on a hot girl and she’ll just moan and beg for more.

Albedo is all kinds of kinky!

So, let’s watch as Momonga (or Ains Oon Goal) navigate this world where the NPC’s do a lot more than you’d expect and a world that’s different from the game. He is the overpowered overlord that will one day rule the land. Get ready. There’s about four seasons and a million chapters of light novel to this.

BETWEEN THE SUB AND THE DUB: Say what you will about FUNimation, they do give us some quality dubs from time to time. And in the first season, I was so happy to hear Ed Blaylock’s voice in what was probably his final role (that wasn’t One Piece related) before his passing. I’m also impressed with Chris Gurrero’s voice going from Momonga to Ains like that. I almost thought it was two different voice actors, so color me impressed. If you’re wondering, I did watch some of this series subbed. A lot of the specials and movies were sub only so I had no choice in the matter. But by the time season four came around, I was already caught up so I caught the sub there.

Hey, I wasn’t going to miss out on Mamoru Miyano acting dorky. Here’s what you might recognize these folks from.

JAPANESE CAST: *Ains is played by Satoshi Hino (known for Sai on Naruto Shippuden, Kamui on Gintama, Rengoku on Demon Slayer, Yuuji on Shakugan no Shana, Hamazura on Index, and Gauche on Black Clover)

*Albedo is played by Yumi Hara (known for Takane on Idolm@ster and Kosame on Magical Girl Site)

*Narberal is played by Manami Numakura (known for Pieck on Attack on Titan, Rio on Assassination Classroom, Brandish on Fairy Tail, and Hibiki on Idolm@ster)

*Shalltear is played by Sumire Uesaka (known for Nagatoro on Miss Nagatoro, Chloe on Miss Kobayashi, Dekomori on Chunibyo, Aya on Tonikawa, Nanase on In/Spectre, and Anastasia on Idolm@ster: CG)

ENGLISH CAST: *Ains is played by Chris Gurrero (known for Moriah on One Piece, Valtos on Black Clover, Nobuta on Assassination Classroom, and Ichiya on Fairy Tail)

*Albedo is played by Elizabeth Maxwell (known for Ymir on Attack on Titan, Uo on Fruits Basket 2019, Caulifla on DB Super, Lisa on Fire Force, Jenny on Fairy Tail, and Cordelia on Gosick)

*Narberal is played by Anasatasia Munoz (known for Gracia on FMA: Brotherhood, Minerva on Fairy Tail, Mayu on Fruits Basket, and Monomi on Danganronpa)

*Shalltear is played by Felecia Angelle (known for Hagakure on My Hero Academia, Georgie on Miss Kobayashi, Asahina on Danganronpa, Tetia on Black Clover, Frill on Wonder Egg Priority, and Perona on One Piece)

DISLIKED CHARACTER: So, I hate this sick, sadistic bitch right here.

I know it feels weird to stick it out with a season one villain. Especially because season four had a treasure trove of idiots that deserve to be hated. I just hate Clementine.

SHIPPING: God damn, Albedo and Shalltear are THIRSTY for Ains.

Um…so which girl? Which girl or girls are to be Lord Ains’s wife or mistress or concubine?

Okay, obviously we will never get an answer to that unless we read the entire light novel series. And even then, is there really an answer? We know it’ll never be Evileye from season two despite her sorta falling for Lord Ains.

Let’s just chalk this section up to the only true ship in this series is Nferia and Enri. Cute moment from them in season one and savior moments in season three. And now they’re married. Oh and I suppose the lizards from season two. Last I saw, they mated and have offspring as of season four. Call it a win if you’re married and still alive by the end of season four.

MUSIC: All of the songs are lit. There’s really nothing more to say on the matter.

Voracity is my favorite.

ENDING TO SEASON ONE: Throughout the series, we’ve seen Ains in disguise when going on mini-missions throughout the land. He goes by the name of Moman and travels with one of his Pleiades maids Naberal (or Nabe). After killing off these dead-raisers and a very unlikeable villain, he returns to his base to learn that there’s been a betrayal amongst one of his loyal followers.

It would seem odd for any of these characters to turn against Lord Ains or anything like that, especially when you see it was Shalltear. But whoever caught Shalltear certainly has Ains sweating (if it’s humanly feasible for a skeleton to do so). Not many can compare to his strength. However, Shalltear is a different story. Statistically speaking, there’s a less than 50% chance that Ains can win against her in a fight. When Ains decides to deal with this situation by himself, this frightened many of his disciples. Ains is the only person left of his original group that brought life to many of these characters. If he’s gone, Albedo might lose her sanity. Not just her, but the rest of the characters too. So, when Ains went after Shalltear, it looked like his power was useless to zap her out of her trance. And she did seem somewhat conflicted going against her lord and master. Could it be that someone besides Ains was stuck in the game as well? Could it be one of his former comrades from before the game shut down?

The end of this season doesn’t give us that answer. But we were not disappointed by the Ains vs. Shalltear fight. Ains didn’t hold back in this fight and ended up using many items crafted by his former comrades who used to be a part of the game before the permanent shutdown. I know there’s a lot to be said about overpowered protagonists and how boring a show can be with one of those, but for some reason I can live with Ains taking down a rogue servant. Ains ends up killing Shalltear, but then resurrects her (for a very steep price).

Shalltear is unaware of what happened during that time she was being mind-controlled. And I suppose we will not know until the following season.

PLEIADES SPECIALS: What the hell? Is this shit animated by the same company that does Isekai Quartet? Son of a gun, it is! Every season, there will be these short episodes. These episodes have everything you would expect from your average short-run special including; fanservice, main focus on characters that we never focus on, out of place dialogue, and no one acting like they would in the main show (except for Albedo). As the name indicates, we focus on the Pleiades combat maids; Yuri, Lupusregina, Narberal, Solution, CZ, and Entoma. And there’s only one thing I want to say about the specials.

I got to watch Clementine die six more times.

Oh yeah, there’s also a Clementine special with the Pleiades. More Clementine torture! I can’t say no to that. But that’s just the first season. Later seasons feature many crazier characters like Pandora’s Actor. Mamoru Miyano is having so much fun with this role. I know he is.

SEASON TWO: Three years, two recap movies, millions of Rule 34 artworks featuring Albedo, and a multitude of Isekai Quartet-style specials later…

We’re watching the story of dragon tribes getting a stark warning in the sky, working together, and then defeating armies of the undead. Wait, did I pick up some other anime by mistake or is this really Overlord? Yeah, the first few episodes of this season we’re watching a lot of these dragons, learning about these characters, and then watch them die off (this time by Coctys). That is until Ains comes in and forces the remaining dragon clans to answer to him.

The rest of this season had a lot of screentime to Sebas. Sebas was found interfering in the human world. He took in and healed a prostitute named Tuare and assisted with helping the bodyguard of a princess. With Sebas doing a lot of questionable actions while undercover with Solution, Lord Ains might fear of another betrayal much like last season with Shalltear. But as we all know, the opening theme told us that Demiurge was going to betray Lord Ains. Maybe! Ains gave his decision and will not punish Sebas and will see to it that Tuare will be taken care of by having her serve at the Great Tomb of Nazerick.

As it turns out, a lot of factions in this part of the story want to put an end to a crime syndicate known as “Eight Fingers”. The kingdom (particularly Princess Renner) has her close allies (Blue Rose) and loyal bodyguard (Climb) take out their organization. Sebas has had his moments with these gentlemen, as the crime syndicate consisted of brothels with injured women. Along with Sebas, we also have season one veterans Brain and Gazef get involved. However, things get messy when several of these groups get a nasty meeting.

I mean it, this season is full of new characters that are either in several episodes in great detail or die off faster than their appearance in the opening sequence. And in usual Medea-fashion, I’m going to have to give these people stupid nicknames. Let’s see…

Fluffy and Fuzzy’s Guide to You-Know-What

Thing One and Thing Two

Isekai Jasper

Odvall

Fat Royal Armin

Blonde Yuno Gasai

Dead One, Dead Two, Corpse One, Corpse Two...

Feminine Obvious Ian Sinclair character

Gilgamesh Knock-Off

END OF SEASON TWO: What do you suppose is going to happen when Lord Ains’s diciples get involved in a messy situation? You’ve got Entoma eating humans and Demiurge slaughtering members of the princess’s allies in Blue Rose. And then Lord Ains shows up in his Moman disguise right in the middle of this cluster-fucking mess. We do get the fight between Demiurge and Ains, it’s just that Demiurge wasn’t under a spell like Shalltear was last season. This was more of a bigger plan as both of them are using their alias names. It’s all an act.

Things get messier when Ains gets involved in Blue Rose matters. First of all, Evileye shouldn’t be falling in love with Ains. Ains has no interest and two other thirsty ladies back home. Second of all, this story is already more twisted than Lombard Street in San Francisco. Well, we get a satisfactory conclusion for Ains as he was able to make more connections in order for his alias (Moman) to be the great adventurer. Fake fighting with his allies of the Great Tomb of Nazerick and “defeat” the bad guys. And we close with seeing knock-off Gilgamesh plotting something. Oh, I’m sure we’ll see it in season three.

SEASON THREE: One anime season later…

God damn, that’s pretty fast for a Madhouse production!

Okay so, there’s still no word on who possessed Shalltear back in season one and no word on anyone else in this world from Lord Ains’s time as Momonga. Meanwhile, the guardians of the Great Tomb of Nazerick are planning their next plan of attack. Entoma wants revenge on Evileye from their fight at the end of season two. Solution wants to eat more humans. And Demiurge is looking forward to total world domination. And Ains is trying his best to stay the strong leader in front of everyone and still put out signs in case anyone from the game is there and finds him. With all of that happening isn’t it the perfect time for everyone to take a day off? Yeah, the first episode of this season was almost a throwaway.

Thankfully, we get back to the engaged storytelling and killing soon after. For a couple of episodes, we follow those humans from season one, Nfirea and Enri. And of course, they are the special kinds of humans Lord Ains trusts the most as they actually know Lord Ains by name and are indebted to him. Plus goblins! Enri controls a horde of goblins. I gotta give this girl some credit, she is pretty bad-ass.

END OF SEASON THREE: So Ains was not too pleased about random human scum entering the Tomb of Nazerick uninvited. In fact, that downright pissed him off. He kills the trespassers, has Shalltear kill off any runaways, and sent Aura and Mare to send a message to the kingdom with a pretty clear message of, “fuck around and find out”.

Now the emperor (Gilgamesh knock-off) made a legitimate attempt at forming an alliance to avoid more deaths like what Mare and Aura did in front of him. The royal family however decided to take matters in their own hands. One of the princes (not fat royal Armin) led an army to E-Rantel to take control. In another edition of “fuck around and find out”, Enri led an army of ogres into victory. That and Lupusregina annihilated any survivors. So now we’ve got a full-blown war between the Tomb of Nazerick and the kingdom. Ains has an army of goats that he’s bred to take out…

THOSE ARE NOT GOATS! No, don’t give me that “Baaa” shit. Those are not goats! Those aren’t even crimes against nature! They’re worse than that. They don’t have a name that they’re so…they shouldn’t even exist. Lord Ains, you are truly a wonder to behold!

And one warrior actually is given an opportunity to end the bloodshed by becoming one of Ains’s men. It was survivor of season one and two, Gazef Stronoff. Gazef refuses. Let’s see what happens in this edition of “fuck around and see what happens”. Gazef dies in 0.000001 seconds. The end result of this battle, the kingdom lost soldiers somewhere in the tens of thousands including Gazef, who was an essential warrior for the kingdom. Victory goes to Ains and the Tomb of Nazerick. And that’s where we end season three!

Still no word on who brainwashed Shalltear in season one! Still no word if Ains has found any contact with any comrade from before being sucked into Isekai Heaven over here. Let’s see what happens when Season IV comes out.

Hey, I only had to wait six months for this.

SEASON FOUR: The opening is still a banger and Ains is now supreme overlord of the entire kingdom (now known as the Sorcerer Kingdom). He is now using his actual form with those he’s never shown before instead of hiding behind his other persona of Moman. Though he will pop in as Moman or have Pandora go in his stead. The important thing is that Ains will be heard and will be obeyed.

We get some stories involving other creature characters including wolfmen, dwarves, and dragons. But other than that, we see more diplomatic scenes now that Ains and Albedo are frequently present at the kingdom. Gee, wouldn’t it suck if something were to happen to this kingdom? Like if something were to go wrong, do you think Lord Ains would do something so extreme like kill all humans?

ENDING: Something went wrong and now it’s time for humans to die.

“Someone” stole from the Sorcerer Kingdom. Yeah, this is the night bitches die.

Look, the kingdom should know to walk on eggshells with Lord Ains. Aura and Mare left a clear and present message for the kingdom in season three not to fuck with the Tomb of Nazerick. But leave it to one big, dumb, idiot, fucking asshole to ruin everything. Yeah, we’re talking about Phillip! The same idiot that tried to hit on Albedo this season, glossing over any other female in the room is the mastermind in stealing from the Sorcerer Kingdom. The balls on this man! Well, I’m pretty sure by the end of this season, the balls on this man will be torn asunder.

Prince Zanac (the guy I call Fat Royal Armin) took over royal duties for his ailing father. He has hopes of quelling Lord Ains’s fury and prevent the entire kingdom to be wiped out. And it went over as one would expect from this guy. His negotiations with Lord Ains fell flat and his own men mutinied and sent Fat Royal Armin’s head in a bag for Lord Ains. This is in hopes that these men and their families would be spared from Lord Ains’s wrath.

I gotta say, seeing Fat Royal Armin’s head in a bag brought back School Days memories. But I was just surprised Crunchyroll showed this. We see more season two survivors pledging loyalty to Lord Ains. And a shining armor guy with a fake name try to stop Ains from destroying the entire kingdom. Almost had Ains on his knees. I say almost because that wasn’t really Lord Ains meeting the knight, but Pandora’s Actor dressed up like Lord Ains.

The kingdom genocide is about to proceed as Cocytus comes through parts of the kingdom by freezing everything in sight. He also wound-up freezing Brain (one of the few characters that survived since season one). Princess Renner and Climb stay behind while their comrades of Blue Rose leave. The slaughter commences. Mare leads her army through the kingdom. Meanwhile, Lord Ains and Demiurge take out the king. Albedo ends up taking care of Phillip, that big, dumb, idiot, fucking asshole I mentioned before. Whether or not Albedo tears this guy’s nutsack asunder is up for debate, but I’d like to think she did. As it stands, it looked like Climb and Princess Renner were the last two seen alive. Climb ends up trying to fight Ains. He puts up a decent fight, but we all know the overlord was going to take him out. And now for the most disturbing scene of the season.

Climb wakes up to Princess Renner who is now a demon with ties to Lord Ains. She asks him to become a demon with her as well so they can live happily ever after for all eternity. The princess was behind this mass genocide. Most of the plans was from her. I KNEW IT! I KNEW THIS BITCH WAS TROUBLE FROM THE START! I KNEW THERE WAS NO GOOD IN TRUSTING PRINCESS BLONDE YUNO GASAI! NO GOOD! And then she sings a demonic Disney princess song while many viewers are pissing themselves in utter fright.

And with the fourth season’s end let’s check out the mysteries that remain so. Still no word on who possessed Shalltear in season one. No sign of any allies from Momonga’s time before the MMORPG became for real. Unknown connection with the latest characters we saw in the fourth season. And the kill count is infinity +1.

Overlord was not what I expected. Going into this, I thought this was going to be like the other Isekai animes that came out at the same time. For starters, there were characters I thought were going to have more screen time than they really did. The first 2 seasons, it felt like that when it came to Shalltear and Albedo. Most of the time we just saw Lord Ains in disguise with one of his maids, Narberal. But that’s the funny thing, we rarely saw any of the Pleiades in season four.

And then there’s the massive cast list for every season. Adventurers in season one, lizardmen in season two, goblins in season three, and dwarves, dragons, and wolfmen in season four. Add to that a myriad of humans that are going to be dead soon enough. You know when you’re watching Overlord’s many bomb-ass opening sequences and we see many characters with bomb-ass entrances? Many of their appearances are about as long as their couple of seconds in the opening. Don’t get me wrong, there are characters that have extended episodes dedicated to them. But some of them I don’t even remember when I replay the opening themes. I play them a lot. They’re all bangers!

So, what’s next? The light novel is still in publication and last checked it’s nowhere near being finished. One can wonder what we’re to expect next. Although, the final message in season four means we’re heading to a final arc of some sort or something might change if we’re to get another continuation. Whatever the case is, I’m all in and waiting for the next installment.

If you would like to check out Overlord, Crunchyroll and Hulu have every season available.

[bueris]

ok ok so answering ur tags

for isagi i thought what if he goes through different elemnts and paths just like mc (cuz he's evolving in the story)

so it goes like this:

first arc isagi: wind and harmony (since he worked as a team in his previous team before blue lock)

u 20 arc isagi: fire and nihility (because he was assisting rin and trying to pave a path for him?? that's what i remember)

nel arc isagi: physical and destruction (he's an egoist he destroys everyone)

as for hiori I thought ice and nihility or harmony (nihility is better tbh)

and bachira imaginary and hunt

hope this is accurate :)

omg the last 2 points yes yes yes hiori and nihility go so well it so fits his somewhat spiteful return to football + ice bc blue hair and "ultra sadist"

bachira as imaginary and hunt also fits so well it's so playful!! he's got such a creative vibe so it works but the contrast of silly vs his football prowess fits hunt so well. tbh I think he could also be some kind of elation bc he's goofy but that's a weaker argument (fun to think about tho)

and yeah isagis path changing as he goes thru the story would make sense bc yeah he is constantly reshaping himself, do you think he'd end up on the trailblaze??? bc like the whole point of blue lock is to create a new path for japanese football so him aligning with that value + walking the path makes sense, I think he'd use fire by the end bc of how explosive he can be (in the sense of shit talking on the field + the way he gets so pissed at people like kaiser) while also showing how warm he can be with ppl like bachira, hiori and kurona (+ nanase but if anyone's mean to him they're automatically a cunt imo)

but yeah nel arc being physical makes sense to me bc there's something so raw and bare about phys damage that would fit the way isagi is having to cope with constantly scraping his ideas and rebuilding them

[marluxialarxene]

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Fuck off Megumi Ogata, you want me to have a baby, then that means you want my life even more lightless even more. Leave my creativity, my privates, my looks, and my body alone.

Shit, I don’t deserve your fanboy and Nanase, kidnapper rapist sadist hostile loser.

[psychewritesbs]

Simultaneously hell and a pleasure to read.

I am seriously on the verge of a full-on-Subaru-induced melt down over here 🤧.

The only thing that was not 100% clear to me was what you meant about Subaru’s personality in TB (I’ll probably go back and re-read later to confirm). 

I’ve been brain rotting a lot about who Subaru loved considering Seishiro’s two-faced nature. 

Given Subaru’s psychic nature, could he see the soul behind the mask and that is who he fell in love with? Or was he in love with the mask and illusion that Seishiro put up? Either way, Seishiro is an illusionist. 

As a fellow February Pisces, while also aware that I am projecting, I selfishly want to believe Subaru could see right through the mask and had an internal conflict about knowing the real Seishiro. I somehow find this so relatable in how I, as a person, fall in love. First I see the soul, then I want to get to know the person in all of his wholeness--ego personality, values, emotional world, etc. But again, projecting-much? Probably.

So I am wondering if you meant whether the full circle of absurdity of this tragedy is that Subaru could see and loved the real Seishiro all along. 

And all of this comes together rather neatly when you add to this the idea that, destined or not, their relationship is one of trauma bonding. 

I especially love how you’ve mentioned that to Seishiro love = danger. And I cannot help but think of how we subconsciously bring our trauma to the relationships in our lives. So basically Seishiro is really just acting out his trauma with Subaru and Subaru is, well... Subaru--so he just willingly takes on Seishiro’s “hurt” (for lack of a better word) as we see him put himself in harm’s way for others’ sake throughout the manga.

Subaru is self-destructive to a fault, and Seishiro is destructive to a fault. Destiny is not cruel, really. The order of things simply did what it does best: it brought the two sides of a coin together.

FFS.  

As you say.... what an absurd tragedy and yet I love it so damn much:

“So what’s the most tragic is that no matter what universe, what circumstances, in spite of being two sides of a same coin, the worst obstacle to their own relationship would be themselves.”

Was it possible for Subaru to win the bet?

So, about the TB bet, I was wondering if it was possible for Subaru to "win" at all, given that he knew nothing about it. We can look at it from two perspectives: narrative and psychological(Seishirou's POV).

Boy here we go again with those two, I had to reread vol7 for this :<

Since it's a long post I'll keep the analysis under cut.

Narrative perspective:

At its core, Tokyo Babylon is about isolation, loneliness and tragedy. It's a deconstruction of countless coming of age stories where character enters the world caring, motivated and wishing to help those around him, but in Subaru's case, world (Tokyo) is unbothered by his efforts (Why are you crying, things like this happen in Tokyo everyday). He falls in love with the city, and Seishirou, but both of them are unable to love him in return. He can't stop crimes from happening, discriminations, social injustices, suicides and all the suffering ghosts and people he meets have gone through. He can't change the corruption and disconnection, as roots run deep, and in the same manner he can't change Seishirou, who in some way represents the metaphor for whole "beautiful larger than life Tokyo which you came to love but ends up destroying you". I think what he says here sums up the thematic really well:

Subaru's tragedy is inseparable from all the tragedies we see prior in manga. It's the whole "Do you know how cherry blossom became pink? They drank the blood": being tainted by the harsh reality around you as none is moved by your efforts. It's the wolves and sheep, you can't invite both, you'll end up only with wolves. Tbh alot can be said here but my primary aim is next section.

Emotional / psychological perspective:

So was it possible for Seishirou to feel something for Subaru within that year, and be not only conscious of it but accept it as well? Let's break down the levels of connection/ attachment:

Seishirou sees Subaru as different from others?

This one was set in stone the moment bet was made, as we don't see Seishirou willing to form a bond with anyone else in TB/X. By choosing not to kill Subaru when, by all means he should have, he separated him from the "rest". But why?

I think that moment came out of two things: first, Seishirou's observation that he's "unable" to feel love for others and connection. If he's unable to feel it in a "normal way" or literally(pathological issues?) or subconsciously represses himself to even try in order to protect himself, it's debatable. But that doesn't mean he doesn't, in rather conflicting way, unconsciously crave connection with someone who'll accept him as he is. That brings me to the second point: if someone as pure, unjudging and kind as Subaru can't accept and love him then who would? That's why he chooses Subaru exactly. Of course, I don't think he's aware of any of said conflicts (if he is at some point, it is after Subaru's blinded in X).

If we go by this definition of bet then Seishirou lost it the moment he made the bet.

Forms the connection/bond with Subaru (and is unconsciously of it):

Okay, I think this is the level it came to in TB since they did have some sort of connection, which was perceived as "fake" from Seishirou's side. I do think he developed some sort of casual platonic connection with Hokuto as well, at least from her POV. However Seishirou didn't bat an eye when killing her but when he was about to kill Subaru he dragged it on and on and even when interrupted could still kill him but chose not to. Why so, if Subaru was like the rest to him he should have killed him as swiftly as he did his sister. I'll come back to that one.

It can be said that they formed an intellectual connection (from Subaru's perspective it is emotional as well) because whenever Seishirou is speaking in detached, nihilistic way (with intellectualization and rationalization) it is him talking, not persona. Also it is only type of intimacy he can be comfortable with (beside maybe sexual, given how he behaves sometimes) as he perceives it as "safe": not involving any emotions and attachments. About emotions (not slight ones like "ah car splashed me" irritation), they are signals that something important is happening to us, so it makes sense he doesn't feel them as he doesn't see anything as "important". It's both interesting and absurd that Seishirou said this:

Is he lonely then? It's debatable because he might be on subconscious level be, but then again how can he be sure? It won't be a lie to say "no, I'm not lonely". Following similar pattern it's also not a lie "I don't feel anything for you". Here, it's Seishirou telling something that "stands as true for others" but he does not apply to himself (it's like x!Subaru encouraging Kamui to take care of himself and then self destructing himself).

So, I don't think he perceives having emotions as something "safe" for himself. It's sort of a dilemma: wish for connection but in fear of it: where fear comes from potential strong emotions (both positive and negative ones) as he might become "enslaved by them" and lose sense of self. It's danger in both bold and italic. Now, there's a lot to unpack here, but it is an extreme form of self preservation which starts early in life (mainly due to child not feeling understood or neglected in emotional way). What's more, when one doesn't experience emotions in a long time they lose the ability to not only recognize them but also difference them. That is something seen in alexithymia, which is more common in males. But when person finally feels something, anything strong enough so defense mechanisms can't numb it out or hold back, it's terrifying because they're overwhelmed and confused as they have no idea what's happening to them (Metaphor nails on chalkboard is fitting well). If it sounds complicated, think in these terms: imagine you open the fridge and put everything you see in soup, then taste it, can you list every ingredient you've tasted? Would it taste foul? Not a pleasant experience.

So in that way he's disconnected from emotions and only way he understands them is by observation (as I said before, emotions are meant to be felt, not "thought"; introspection is one thing but intellectualization another), so he can mimic them. Empathy and remorse go out of the window as well. Also if you think about it, his emotional disconnection and lack of empathy and remorse is quite suitable for a government assassin, actually it is needed in order for him to be efficient at it. Some degree of said dissociation is seen in doctors, firefighters etc. in order to stay focused under pressure. Obviously the whole dilemma is not something that can be "fixed" so easily, if at all. It takes months even years to be aware of such things, yet alone do something about them.

In this chapter for instance, thematic of "wanting to be special" is bought up and while Subaru is special by design (powers and personality) I do think Seishirou as well sees himself different from others. There's also an idea of "would you wish to be normal, live normally if you could" and i can't help but wonder if/how much it applies to them as well.

Of course, all of that above is below and below level of consciousness. That is all beyond regular defense mechanisms (such as dissociation, rationalization and intellectualization) as it became a pathological behavior pattern. But it serves its role as a protection barrier for a very good reason, to prevent ego from being wounded and destroying itself in proces. Nevertheless, that is a possible explanation, not justification because Seishirou is solely responsible for his own actions and well, bastard moves and decisions. What I'm aiming for here is that it is possible for him to form connection with another human being, but extremely difficult to the point where it's more theory than practice. That person would have to "not raise alarm and signal danger" in any way and for that connection to not be so perceivable from Seishirou's POV. And I think Subaru managed to do that to some degree since he's reserved, not demanding and unpushy in any way, as well as many more things.

What would it take for Seishirou to become aware of the connection?

Now this is a tricky part, because I think several things would be needed for this to happen which could be summed up by: Seishirou's self protection mechanisms conclude it's "safe" for him to be aware there's attraction towards Subaru or he becomes aware by extreme situation(which I think happened in X vol12). First one won't be happening because of sole reason: Subaru never showed that he loves him, and even if he did it'd be vet persona, not him (which is totally understandable because not only is he young, but has no prior experience with love).

Not only does Subaru realise his feelings too late, but is excruciatingly repressed and anxious that even if he expressed his affection, it won't be in a way Seishirou perceives as "genuine". Plus in TB (and later X) Seishirou never concluded Subaru sees him as special, even when Hokuto told him so he dismisses it by "everyone's special to him". To the readers it's obvious, but to him not so much, for few reasons. Subaru does, in a way, treat everyone with kindness and forms some sort of "temporarily bonds" with strangers (for an instance grandpa in a park). Responds to physical contact very briefly and doesn't take confessions seriously (self conscious/ sensed it's fake). So it's not a way of loving Seishirou understands. Also he, in his mind, can't form a concept that his real self is lovable in any way, so even if Subaru confessed it'd be a confirmation for Seishirou that he's lovable only if he plays pretend.

So there'll be a question in his head "ah he saw a persona, not real me", while line does blur sometimes within bet year. It could be said he plays with fire sometimes when it comes to whole Sakurazukamori thing because he's barely hiding it at all (killing a woman in front of Subaru, explaining sakanagi and other magical things, and saying bunch of bs to be blunt; almost like subconsciously wanting to be found out). Here's also this:

But it is true, Subaru would be horrified as he would come to a serious conflict of beliefs and values: the person he came to love halfly never existed at all and is, in fact, a "monster" devoid of emotions. Subaru would not come out of that conflict without losing himself in process, if he would arrive to any resolution at all. So no, not even is it "unsafe" for Seishirou to be aware of attachment in a sense for his inner values and defences, but also in reality since there's a very good chance Subaru won't desire him back if he knew the truth. And even if he did there would still be negative emotions attached to it, something Seishirou has no business experiencing. So power won't be in his hands anymore, at least not interely. It's interesting to note that in hospital scene in vol6 he asks Subaru would he "do anything he asks for?", and while yes, it is a joke (possible sexual innuendo by how panels were presented) but it's also a way of knowing if he has total power over Subaru, even if it's due to his empathy and compassion. Kinda seems like he wanted to check on that one, I've talked about that scene before so let's move on.

So power would be out if his hands, which is unacceptable. There's also whole self-fulfilling prophecy that he'll be killed by the one he loves, said by no other than his mother who claimed to experienced the same thing he did then. It's interesting that Seishirou doesn't protest about being killed but about loving someone. Tbh I don't think it's a rule for Sakurazukamori to be killed by loved ones or something similar but more like this: you're so devoid of emotions and love that once someone passes all those emotional barriers the intensity of mixed emotions and not being the only one in power of yourself, it would kill you. In a way that person would kill you, loving them would. On a bonus note, when Hokuto told him with her dying breath that she believes he's capable of love, he seems slightly shocked. It could be attributed to "she still sees good in me" but I think it's something more personal as he never really cared for other's opinions much.

Care/love/conflicting emotions kick in:

In TB, I can see this happening only in one way: instead of Seishirou losing his eye Subaru gets stabbed. (The second option I mentioned in paragraph above)

So he becomes aware that something floats below the surface, something outside his power and will. Which is unacceptable for him as a person. Here, let's note this: Seishirou sees "love" in a way it's shown in pop culture, in amatonormative way, but doesn't experience it in that way (nor does Subaru; also it's no wonder Seishirou can't realize some things about himself): always present, overwhelming, unwavering romantic feelings and constant pursuit regardless of love not being returned. It's fitting tbh, because his only reference is the world outside of himself, since he's never experienced it before. And even if he did not in such way. I don't know what he really expected when making the bet, for "kindness and purity to work its magic" and transform him into whole new person? Probably not (since it's impossible) but more likely to have some fun and prove to himself once and for all that he's superior to others(can't be hurt in not only physical but also emotional manner since he can't form conections/experience feelings; once again love = danger).

So I think Seishirou would be disturbed at best, angered at worst. Subaru would be at receiving end once again. But Seishirou won't accept the lost most likely due to reasons stated above, and his own pride and ego, so I can see two possibilities here: Bet end repeats but "you're worthless to me but I'm a man of word and I failed to protect you so for that sole reason I won't kill you, but if I see you again I will". Or he sees the need to get rid of a problem and kills Subaru, because now he sees a real need to do so, sees him as a threat (x!Subaru wished for it but in a physical terms not emotional). You matter to me now unfortunately, so you're in power over some of my emotional responses, over myself, so I'd rather take control back and end it all, kill you.

So here, Seishirou is puzzled why Subaru won't fight back (he really doesn't understand huh) but I have a feeling if Subaru did he'd be killed on spot. I think Subaru would end up being killed if not for his grandmother's interruption but what I also think stands as true is that, beside Seishirou taking pleasure in prolonging things and destroying Subaru on psychological level, also on a deep deep subconscious level is delaying things. You get the implication.

Is it even possible for Seishirou to accept and be okay about losing bet/loving/caring about Subaru?

Tough question, within bet year I'd say no, but if it was prolonged then it's a possibility. Cognitive changes can't and don't come overnight and alot would have to change within his psyche, ego and general view on world for that to happen. For a man who saw emotions as weakness his whole life it be... well, alot. But change can't come if one doesn't wishes for it and I don't see why he'd do so, when he connects love with danger. There's also this:

This is a future Subaru sees for them. Seishirou, he can't, won't have this, as this isn't himself. He's the farthest thing from a kind person, why would he accept something that's not only is not on his terms but also causes him problems and displeasure. Nor he nor Subaru can have that reality, because it's an illusion. Seishirou can't accept and be okay with love/care/ attachment to Subaru before Subaru's receptive and okay with his true personality, which can't happen in TB because of Subaru's whole personality (as I said before), which is what attracted Seishirou in first place. Full circle of absurd and tragedy.

In conclusion:

Seishirou can't accept his attachment to Subaru on both subconscious and conscious level, not without destroying himself in process. Whether it's love or not it's debatable if even he can define it himself but something exists (at least in X). On similar note, Subaru ends up destroying himself in process, one of the reasons being his attachment to Seishirou.

So what's the most tragic is that no matter what universe, what circumstances, in spite of being two sides of a same coin, the worst obstacle to their own relationship would be themselves.

[calicocatcorner]

Digital only Shoujo Manga

❤  A Condition Called Love (Hananoi-kun to Koi no Yamai - Megumi Morino)

❤  A Girl & Her Guard Dog (Ojou to Kanken-kun - Hatsuharu)

❤  A Kiss with a Cat (Miko Senri)

❤  A Kiss, For Real (Sekirara ni Kiss - Fumie Akuta)

❤  A Springtime with Ninjas (Hana to Shinobi - Narumi Hasegake)

❤  Abe-kun’s Got me Now! (Abe-kun ni Nerawaretemasu - Aki Iwai)

❤  Amber Silhouette (Kohaku no Silhouette - Chieko Hara)

❤  And Yet, You Are So Sweet (Nanoni, Chigira-kun ga Amasugiru - Kujira Anan)

❤  Anyway, I’m Falling in Love with You (Douse, Koishite Shimaunda - Haruka Mitsui)

❤  Aoba-kun’s Confessions (Aoba-kun ni Kikitai Koto - Ema Toyama)

❤  Araki Won’t Be Tamed (Araki-kun wa Kainarasenai - Kapparappara)

❤  Asahi-senpai's Favorite (Asahi-senpai no Okiniiri - Iroha Machino )

❤  Atsumori-kun's Bride-to-Be (Taamo)

❤  Beauty❤Bunny (Mari Yoshino)

❤  Beware the Kamiki Brothers! (Kamiki Kyoudai Okotowari - Yuji Onda )

❤  Bibliophile Princess (Mushikaburi-hime - Author Y U I  Artist Yui Kikuta)

❤  Black Panther and Sweet 16 (Kurohyou to 16-sai - Pedoro Toriumi)

❤  Boss Wife (Gokukon: Chou Dekiai Yakuza to Keiyaku Kekkon!? - Mayu Sakurai)

❤  Boys over flowers (Hana Yori Dango - Yoko Kamio)

❤  Calling you (Kimi ni Shika Kikoenai - Author Otsuichi art Setsuri Tsuzuki

❤  Can I Kiss You Every Day? (Mainichi Kiss shite li desu ka? - HATSUHARU)

❤  Chihiro-kun Only Has Eyes for Me (Chihiro-kun wa, Atashi Holic - Sato Ito)

❤  Deborah is My Rival (Deborah ga Rival - Kaoru Tada)

❤  Defying Kurosaki-kun (Kurosaki-kun no iinari ni Nante Naranai - MAKINO)

❤  Doing His Best to Confess (Natsuaki-kun wa Kyou mo Kokuhaku shitai - Satoru)

❤  Drowning Love (Oborerru Knife - George Asakuara)

❤  Fake (Sanami Matoh )

❤  Falling Drowning (Ochite Oborete - Yuko Inari)

❤ Four Kisses in secret (Kiss wa Kossori to - Ruri Kamino)

❤  From Far Away (Kanata Kara - Kyouko Hikawa)

❤  Gakuen Prince (Gakuen Ouji - Jun Yuzuki)

❤  Harem Days The Seven-Starred Country (Koukyuu Days - Momo Sumomo)

❤  Heart Break Club (Seishun Shonbori Club - Nikki Asada)

❤  Heroine for Hire (Heroine Hajimemashita - Fuyu Amakura)

❤  He’s My Only Vampire (Junketsu + Kareshi - Aya Shouoto)

❤  House of the sun (Taiyou ni ie - Taamo)

❤  How Do You Do, Koharu (Gokigen You, Koharu-san - Kanae Hazuki)

❤  I Became the Secretary of a Hero! (Yusha-sama no Hisho ni Narimashita - Author Tsukasa Yamazaki Artist Kiyu Kanae)

❤  I Fell in Love After School (Houkago, Koishita - Haruka Mitsui)

❤  In the Clear Moonlit Dusk (Uruwashi no Yoi no Tsuki - Mika Yamamori)

❤  I’ll Win You Over, Senpai! (Senpai! Imakara Kokurimasu! - Shin Shinmoto )

❤  I’m in Love and It’s The End of the World (Chikyuu no Owari wa Koi no Hajimari  - Taamo)

❤  itazura na Kiss (Kaoru Tada)

❤  Jeanne D’Arc (Akio Shiba)

❤  Just The Two of Us under The Sheets (Shun Haruno)

❤  Kamikamikaeshi (Ema Toyama)

❤  Kira-kin today (Kyou no Kira-kun - Rin Mikimoto)

❤  Legend of the Rainbow (Niji no Densetsu - Chieko Hara)

❤  Liar X Liar (Renjuro Kindaichi)

❤  Lightning and Romance (Inazuma to Romance - Rin Mikimoto)

❤  Love me, my Knite (Aishite Knight - Kaoru Tada)

❤  Love’s Reach (Kinkyori Renai - Rin Mikimoto)

❤  MARS (Fuyumi Soryo)

❤  Mabusasa (Nanase)

❤  Maid in Honey (Mari Yoshino)

❤  Men’s Life (Ayu Watanabe )

❤  Mikami-sensei’s Way of Love (Mikami-sensei no Aishikata - Hiro Aikawa)

❤  Momo’s Iron Will (Inuwashi Momo Wa Yuruganai - Lalako Kojima)

❤  Moonlight Moratorium (Tsukikage Moratorium - Saki Aikawa)

❤  My Best (♀) Butler (Ore no Shitsuji (♀) ga iketeru - Souko Masaki)

❤  My Boy in Blue (P to JK - Maki Miyoshi)

❤  My Boyfriend in Orange (Moekara wa Orange-iro - Non Tamashima)

❤  My Darling Next Door (Tonari no Otona-kun - Rukana)

❤  My Pink is Overflowing (Atashi no Pink ga Afurechau - Yuki Monou)

❤  My Sadistic Boyfriend (S Kareshi Joujou - Yuna Anisaki)

❤  My Sweet Girl (kimi wa Kawaii Onnanoko - Rumi Ichinohe)

❤  Mysteria Romantica (Meikyuu Romantica - Saki Aikawa)

❤  Mysterion (Ryo Azumi)

❤  Our Fake Marriage (Usokon - Kiwi Tokina)

❤  Our Precious Conversations (Boku to Komi no Taisetsu na Hanashi - ROBICO)

❤  Peach Heaven (Momoiro Heaven! - Mari Yoshino)

❤  Peach Mermaid (Momoiro Ningyo - Haru Akebono)

❤  Peach girl & Peach Girl next (Miwa Ueda)

❤  Phantom Tales of the Night (Bakemono no Yawa-zukushi - Matsuri)

❤  Pink Kiss (Eunhye Lee)

❤  Queen Bee (Seishun Otome Banchou! - Shizuru Seino)

❤  Ran the Peerless Beauty (Takane no Ran-san -Ammitsu)

❤  Real girl (Mao Nanami)

❤  Stellar Witch LIP☆S (Majo Kaitou LIP☆S - Story by Hana Kagami Art by Kotoko Ichi)

❤  Sugar & Apple Fairy Tale (author Miri Mikawa Artist Yozoranoudan)  (ch by ch)

❤  Sweet Reincarnation (Okashi na Tensei - Author Nozomu Koryu Artist Seriko Iida)

❤  Sweet Sweet Revenge (Shushushu Sakurai)

❤  THE FOX’S KISS (Koyoi, Kimi to Kiss no Chigiri wo - Saki Aikawa)

❤  That Blue Summer (Ao Natsu - Atsuko Nanba)

❤  The 31st Consort (31-banme no Okisaki-sama - Author Momotomoe Artist Tsubasa Nanaki)

❤  The Dorm of Love and Secrets (Koi to Himitsu no Gakuseiryou - Nikki Asada)

❤  The Honey-blood Beauty & Her Vampire (Mitsugetsuhime to Vampire - Toma Fuyuori)

❤  The Legend in Annatour (Annatour Seiden - Mito Orihara)

❤  The Maid at my House (Bokunchi no Kaseifu-san - Mihoko Kojima)

❤  The Prince’s Black Poison (Ouji-sama ni wa Doku ga aru - Jun Yuzuki)

❤  The Prince’s Private Masseuse (Chika Sanada)

❤  The Prince’s Romance Gambit (Ouji ga Watashi Wo Akiramenai! -Nikki Asada)

❤  The Springtime of My Life Began with you (Kimi to Aoi Haru no Hajimari - Nikki Asada)

❤  The Story of Our Unlikely Love (Kimi ga Kirai na Koi no Hanashi - Sora Mizuki)

❤  The Walls Between Us (Watashitachi ni wa Kabe ga Aru - Haru Tsukishima)

❤  The Wizard and His Fairy (Kirikago-hime to Mahoutsukai - Chisato Nesumi

❤  Those Summer Days (Ano Natsu - Chika)

❤  To Be Next to You (Tonari no Atashi - Atsuko Namba)

❤  Ultra Maniac (Wataru Yoshizumi)

❤  We Must Never Fall in Love (Zettai ni Tokimeite wa Ikenai! - Haru Tsukishima)

❤  When we Shout for Love (Bokura ga Ai Sakebu Toki - Yuka Kitagawa)

❤  When we’re in Love (Hana-kun to Koisuru Watashi - Fuyu Kumaoka)

❤  With the Sheikh in His Harem (Sheik-sama to Harem de - Rin Miasa)

❤  Wolf Girl / Lamb Boy (Houkago Love Age - Banri Kawamura)

❤  World’s End and Apricot Jam (Sekai no Hajikko to Anzu Jam - Rila Kirishima)

❤  Yamaguchi-kun Isn't So Bad (Yamaguchi-kun wa Warukunai - Yuu Saiki)

❤  You got me, Senpai! (Mairimashita, Senpai - Azusa Mase)

❤  You’re My Cutie (Kawaii nante Kittenai!! - Nakaba Harufuji)

❤  Zombie Cherry (Shikabane★Chiba - Shoko Conam

[psychewritesbs]

Chapter 211: Ripen—Megumi, on the power of suffering + a bunch of other stuff

Happy JJK Sunday! Gege is a sadistic cat and is going to “punish” Megumi. In case it wasn’t obvious... my favorite mangaka are always sadistic to their creations--I’m looking at you CLAMP’s Okawa Nanase.

So this chapter made me feel like Tomoyo and her adorkable obsession with Sakura...

There’s just something so cathartic about seeing a blorbo be put to the wringer for the sake of character development. And now, my favorite cursed cat is going to pull some machiuvelical, Greek Tragedy, Mexican telenovela style, twist on us. yesssssssssssssss!

I have a nasty migraine so... don’t expect much intelligence underneath the cut. 

Also, did I ever publicly mention that this particular scenario is one of my favorite self-indulgent head canons? You know... Tsumiki turning out to be at the crux of Megumi’s conflict because she’s up to no “good”?

Like just imagine the shock to Megumi’s schema of the world, the pattern interrupt to his logic, but more importantly, his inability to exert his will upon another being’s free will.

THE DRAMA... 

Sea-Urchin-Head

I wasn’t going to write anything for this chapter... 

So my plan was to just be a troll and write about the evolution of Megumi’s hair and how it went from this...

to full on epic sea-urchin-headness proportions.

But like... how to bring up the evolution of Megumi’s hair without also addressing the evolution of the art style and how much Gege has improved over the last 5 years?

And it’s not just the art that has improved from an aesthetic perspective, but the way he draws brings the characters to life on a new level. The characters aren’t static 2-dimensional figures on a 2-dimensional surface any longer...

Rather, the characters reflect their character development and multi-dimensionality in that Gege has also improved at showing emotion...

And how characters express their unique and diverse emotional landscape.

Just look at the sheer terror on his face... have we ever seen Megumi drop the poker face and betray his emotional state THIS MUCH?

This is like the worst chapter reaction liveblog I have ever written...

Megumi, on the power of suffering

If you’ve been reading my rambles for a while, then you know Megumi shares the #1 spot for my favorite animanga character with Sumeragi Subaru (who, interestingly enough, shares a lot of interesting similarities with Megumi). 

I LOVE Megumi and I ADORE the way Megumi is written.

Megumi is, true to his name, a bright light in the midst of darkness. His voice, the voice of conscience trying to find its way in the dark. 

If Gege is a genius at writing poetic justice, then Megumi is poetry in action. 

I’ve written before about how he got off “easy” after Shibuya and how that could mean his moment to shine and have his ego brutally destroyed is coming.

IT’s HERE! FINALLY! 

It’s not that I’m excited to see him suffer... it’s that I know that the suffering will be like turning lead into gold. ok yes I want to see him suffer because fck yeah catharsis my beloved!

Whatever the case, however Gege executes, Megumi is about to have another “come to Jesus moment” like or much more impactful than the one he had during The Origin of Obedience arc.

Anyways. Shipping dynamics aside, whether Tsumiki has been corrupted or is a vessel to a sorcerer from the past, the fact that she is turning “against” (for lack of a better word, don’t hate me, no nuance to be found in my brain today I have a damn migraine) Megumi isn’t just Reggie’s curse activating... it’s a reversal on Remi’s situation with Reggie. 

It’s a reversal on Megumi looking down on Remi for her unwillingness to see Reggie for what he was.

What an asshole! I love him your honor!!!

Perhaps even a reversal on Megumi looking down on Remi for becoming Reggie’s puppet?

You know... just following down daddy’s steps...

Regardless of what happens...

OH, THE DRAMA!!!! 

Like... The implications for how events can unfold are so juicy!!!!!! 

Let’s see where Gege takes it from here.

Hana

Me before Gege finally introduced Kurusu Hana: she’s poison! Don’t trust her! She’s not to be trusted! She’s probably a horrible person!!!!!

Meanwhile Hana:

Also me: Dammit I love her... my symbol analysis was trash looool (or is it?!!!!! we still don’t know what’s Angel’s deal).

Ripen

Just a reminder that the kanji that Gege uses for the word “fate” includes the kanji for “fruit”. 

The timeline has been super confusing so let’s see how Gege executes and brings it all together.

Allright. Thank you migraine. I’m done. I'm over it. Not even proofreading before publishing.

Thanks for reading to all 10 people who usually read lol. Don’t hesitate to say hi or share your own reactions! 

Happy JJK Sunday.

[reinosaurs]

Home (A KoiTsudu Fanfic)

Genre: Drama, Angst, Romance

Characters: Nanase Sakura, Kairi Tendo

Disclaimer: KOITSUDU, NOT MINE! THIS FANFIC IS! :'>

Note: Requested by @lonelydandelion 🌸 particularly on Episode 8 when Nanase left based on Tendo-sensei's point of view! I hope you like it! I hope everyone will like it! 🙇‍♀️

•••🌸•••🌸•••🌸•••🌸•••

It was night time and soon, her shift will be finished. Nanase walked down the hospital hallway - nurses and other staffs passed by her as she stared at nothing. Her mind is a chaos, almost giving her a headache.

Soon she reached the storage room and locked herself inside.

Finally, she breath deeply - releasing all the tension in her shoulders. Her lips quiver and she blinked her eyes rapidly - attempting to stop the forming tears.

Breathe.

"The lawsuit... I can withdraw it. Except, you have to come with me."

It has been hours since she heard that words from Kamijo-san and her mind is restless.

Kamijo-san... why?

Her chest got tighter as she remembered Anri's sweet smile. She can see the hope in her eyes. The relief. The incoming freedom from the hospital's grasps as the child would finally go through an operation.

And Tendo-sensei...

He had been with Anri-chan from the beginning. He knows her condition more than anyone in the hospital. Him, not being included on Anri's surgery is outrageous.

Simply not fair. To make haste decisions like that.

Why would Kamijo-san do this? Tendo-sensei would never hit anyone especially his patients. He had been so gentle and caring to them, no one will ever believe that he did such harsh actions.

It wasn't Tendo-sensei's fault. He doesn't deserved all of this.

No.

It wasn't Kamijo-san's fault either.

It was her fault.

Since she met Kamijo-san, he had been so attached to her. If only she had paid more attention to him, or give him everything he wants, then none of this would happen.

She breath deeply for the nth time and grabbed a rolled tissue, Anri-chan had offered her before, here in the exact place where she was. She wiped her tears quickly and left the storage room.

When her shift is done, she changed her clothes and went straight to home. She made a few onigiri for herself and ate it in silence.

Remembering the days she studied so hard just to become a nurse. The tears, and the short breakdowns she had when school is getting harder and harder for her. She thought of quitting but Tendo-sensei always appeared on her mind. She can't cause they will soon reunite again. She had made sure of it. Risks everything for it. She just wanted to be with him. Tendo-sensei became her motivation. Her strength.

But she's a nurse. Tendo-sensei trained and mentored her. She will do what is right.

I made up my mind.

The last thing she would do in her life was to leave Tendo-sensei. But if leaving him would be the only thing that will save him, she would gladly do it.

A thousand times.

Bowling... sounds good to do tomorrow.

She forced her lips to smile like she always used to.

•

"Then you'll be able to participate in Anri-chan's surgery!"

Tendo released a long sigh after he heard those words from Wakabayashi. This news gave him a total relief.

Kamijo dismissed the case - willing to let everything go and felt better.

Just like that?

Something is off.

But he would think of it later for he should be focusing on Anri's long awaited surgery.

The child had so many dreams. He would do everything to save her, gave her life another chance to dance into sunlight and live the best of it.

•

"Sakura... why?"

Nanase bowed infront of the head nurse. "Mariko-san.. please!"

Confused, Mariko placed her hands on the girl's shoulders to straighten her up. "I don't understand. Why so suddenly? What happened, yuusha?"

Once again, Nanase tried to smile. "Please... let me quit."

"Nanase---"

"Mariko-san.." She grabbed both of Mariko's hands and looked at her, begging. "Just trust me. Let me quit. Please."

•

The surgery was sucessful. Tendo had never felt at ease until now. There was no complications and the operation had gone smoothly. Everything is going well for the child and he assured that she will be able to function again starting today.

He glanced at the unconscious child. From now on, go and live the best and be happy, Anri-chan.

"Tendo-sensei!"

He looked up and saw Mariko running towards him. "Good job on the surgery."

The next words from her sent him confused and worried.

"Did you hear anything from Sakura?"

His brows quickly furrowed as his thoughts started to jumbled.

"What do you mean?" He asked instantly.

When Mariko was about to explain everything, he dashed through the hallway.

He already knew what was happening.

Sakura is gone.

Kamijo dismissing the case. And now, Sakura suddenly leaving.

He changed his clothes and frantically dialed Sakura's number but failed.

She's not answering her damn phone.

He tried again and again. Frustratedly, he opened a door leading to the hospital's balcony. He stood there, staring at the night sky and chasing his breath. He gripped the phone tighter in his hand. He clenched his jaws and suddenly wanting to break something.

When he can't take it any longer, he forcefully dropped his fists to the metal railing.

Some people can really get whatever they want in just a flick of a finger. Without even having a second thought and doubt. Not caring for the consequences it may held in the future. No matter how it affects a person's life.

Calming himself from the sudden rage he was feeling, he shoved the phone back to his pocket and left the balcony. He fixed his white lab coat neatly and strode straigtly through the hallways.

That night, he had a talk with Kamijo. Him, apologising was enough to ease his anger and annoyance but really, despite of those, he understood.

The bastard was lonely and Sakura gave him the attention he ever wanted. Tendo was still not happy for what he just did but he knew damn well of what loneliness feel like.

Loneliness can kill your soul.

But ever since Sakura came barging to his life, he changed to a completely different person. She had been a nurse to his broken soul. He failed to notice earlier of what is special about her. But the time he finally knew, he can't her out of his mind.

"I've had a crush on you!"

"I came to steal your sadistic heart!"

"This is the best date I could ask for."

"Let's stay together forever!"

Sakura... where are you?

Days passed, even when busy at work, Tendo did everything he can to know where the girl is. He tried to asked her friends from the nurse's station to call her but she's still not answering any of them.

That's it. He had enough.

He opened his laptop and scrolled through the profiles of the hospital's staffs.

Why did he only thought of doing this now when he should much earlier?

Cardiology Department. Nurses. Nanase Sakura.

He stared at her hometown's address and wasted no time. He signed a temporary leave and in just a blink, he was preparing to leave.

"I'm heading off." He grabbed his sister's phone from the kitchen counter. Just yesterday, Ryuko reminded him that she had Sakura's number and she might answer the call if she's the one who called. But Tendo stopped her.

If that's the case, then he would bring the phone with him and call her as soon as he reached Kagoshima.

He should be the one to hear her voice.

I will bring her back. Please, let me bring her back.

And as if the heavens agreed to his prayers, when he reached that particular town from Kagoshima, he quickly found her.

She's walking with two plastic bags in her hands. He saw her looked at the bowling sign on a building and his gaze softened.

"That won't be your last moment with me. Come home, and we will make more memories, you baka." He mumbled through the air as he stared at her from a far.

"Let's go home." He dialed her number through her sister's phone and slowly strode towards her.

[saranghanuuu]

LOVE LASTS FOREVER JDRAMA REVIEW ♡

Love Lasts Forever / An Incurable Case Of Love (Koi Wa Tsuzuku yo Dokomade mo) is a 2020 romance-comedy-medical Japanese drama based on Maki Enjōji’s 2016 manga series of the same name. It stars Takeru Satoh playing the role of Dr. Tendo Kairi and Kamishiraishi Mone as Sakura Nanase.

PLOT SUMMARY

Love Lasts Forever / An Incurable Case Of Love (Koi Wa Tsuzuku yo Dokomade mo) tells the story of Sakura Nanase who accidentally (or should I say, fatefully) encounters cardiologist Tendo Kairi after an old woman collapsed on the street due to vasospasm. Sakura is greatly impressed on how Dr. Tendo handled the matter at hand and falls in love with him at first sight. After Dr. Tendo complimented Sakura for playing a key role of screaming for help for the old woman, she then realized her desire to become a nurse for a chance to meet him again.

Five years later, she was admitted as a nurse trainee at Hiura General Hospital where Dr. Tendo works. Sakura confessed to him on her first day of work, only to receive a blunt rejection. Unbeknownst to her, Dr. Tendo is dubbed as a “devil” at work for being a perfectionist and for criticizing other doctors and nurses. Sakura earned the title “hero” in the cardiology ward because of that daring confession, but Dr. Tendo sees her as nothing but a “boulder” hindering his job due to her clumsiness. However perhaps with love and patience, nothing is impossible. Sakura continued to pursue the seemingly cold-hearted Dr. Tendo, especially after she was placed under his team. She now aims to receive his validation both at work and in love. Will Sakura be able to succeed in this sweet ordeal?

MY TWO CENTS

I haven’t seen a Japanese drama in a while and it’s highly unlikely for me to watch one as my hands are full of Korean dramas these days (I am currently watching 3 ongoing and 4 finished series). But then I happen to see a fan-made video again circulating in Facebook about Love Lasts Forever. The FMV is so well-done that I was fascinated - covering all the meaty parts from start to finish. That’s when I decided I should gamble my time for this. It appears to be just an easy-going series, I thought, which will be a good catch since everything’s so complex recently. I started it with low expectations... And I unexpectedly loved it so much than I can handle!

WARNING: I suggest you not watching this if you are tired of this kind of plot, OR you prefer complicated stories, OR you expect this to focus on the medical aspect than romance. I want to save this drama from your disappointment. On the other hand, this drama suits best for hopeless romantics who fairly need a breather from the intricacies of life.

Since I never once reckon Love Lasts Forever to be a perfect drama, I am setting aside my criticisms. Instead, I am listing the things that made me fall for this series:

Kamishiraishi Mone is sooo KAWAII! Yes, this is the first reason HAHAHA😁 The way she speaks is very cute that it made me an instant fan. Of course it followed that I researched about her and found far more interesting things! She is a singer and the voice actress behind Mitsuha Miyamizu of Japanese anime film Your Name at that! She even sang an OST of Your Name entitled Nandemonaiya. Whoa~ So impressive, this girl.

Right on acting. I am well aware that Japanese series tend to be OA and loud. This one is no different, but more of on the entertaining side than cringeworthy.

Clichè theme, yes, but the kind you will never get tired of. Admit it or not, your heart still flutters on stories of a tsundere male lead falling head over heels with a clumsy but bright female lead

Similarity with Itazura Na Kiss - anyone who watched this drama will be able to tell, I suppose. Itazura Na Kiss is evidently one of my most loved stories that I made several posts about it here in my blog. But I guess Love Lasts Forever stood out in a way that it's more relaxed and less toxic (just like what a user commented on my previous post).

Love Lasts Forever showed justification behind Dr. Tendo's strict and aloof personality, which brought more excitement as Sakura slowly breaks down the walls on Dr. Tendo's heart. It is thrilling when they do this in a drama really. Dr. Tendo initially drew a line between him and Sakura, so him growing as an expressive character is one for the record! He gave so many reassurances to Sakura that he loves her, that it was never a mistake that he chose to be with her.

Kiss kiss kiss overload!

In my standard at least, Takeru Satoh is not handsome (sorry hah~), but I must admit he's oozing with sex appeal. He's a good kisser too and I love it🙈 And since we're already talking about kissing, Kamishiraishi Mone's responses to kissing scenes are really good too. It's not awkward and will indeed make you feel the tension.

Feel-good OST! This is on repeat in my playlist nowadays and everytime I listen to it, it brings back all the heart-fluttering memories in the drama.

Every episode has a distinct story to tell.

Hilarious side characters! And second and third couples that are likewise lovable - Dr. Kisugi x Sakai and Nishi x Ryuko

My happily ever after ideal ending - a marriage.

FUN FACTS/TRIVIAS ABOUT THIS DRAMA (Compiled from Blitzfansub)

Dr. Tendo is your stereotypical “Do-S” character (literally translated to “Super-S”) where normally the “S” stands for sadistic. Because they just say Do-S, the running joke is that he can be both super stoic and super sadistic at the same time.

It is part of Japanese politeness to describe *every* *single* *action* the nurse takes. And every time they touch the patient, or get too close to them, they literally say “pardon me”. It doesn’t sound natural in English, but not translating those lines will also be unnatural. The cultural difference is that in US, the nurses try to keep a conversation with you to distract you from the discomfort. In Japan, they tell you everything about it so you don’t get uncomfortable.

Team Tendo or Team Kisugi is of course, a double entendre. It means a doctor-nurse assignment as they described in the show, but they hint at it as also being “a fan of…” Tendo or Kisugi.

You may have noticed Dr. Tendo’s favorite phrase is “baka” and while it can translated to any one of stupid, idiot, retard, there is a distinction based on context. When he’s calling her “baka” at work, he’s insulting her lack of experience, and not necessarily her lack of intelligence. That’s why “retard” was used. In Episode 3 when Sakura mimicked Dr. Tendo in self-deprecating way, she said “idiot” and he defended himself saying he wasn’t that harsh. At the end of this episode, when she called him out, the baka he used was a very endearing kind, so the word “stupid” was used.

The scene where Dr. Tendo pretends to fall asleep after Sakura gets out of the shower may be seen as “cruel” in American culture but it’s a classic “gentleman move” in Japanese romance plots. He’s worried that she feels too pressured if he’s awake, so he pretends to be asleep and alleviate the pressure to have sex. I hope you can all appreciate his kindness!

A line from Episode 8 that literally says “It’s all your fault for making this weird kid be attracted to you” is such a hard line to sub. Like, who says that?! I mean, never mind that it sounds awkward. Nobody I know thinks like this (that it’s her fault he’s attracted to her). So translating isn’t just about replacing Japanese words with English words, but it’s also about placing it in the correct context. In this case, such a scenario would never happen in America because no guy says this in a lovable/jealous manner. Every guy that says this is a psychopath!! So what do you do in this case? The translator took a stab at the possible context and rephrased it to sound a bit more normal. If the context turns out to be different, the translator probably have to rephrase it significantly. Just a little “behind-the-scene” on how subtitling works!

Difference from Manga: In episode 6, Miori is supposed to be the younger sister of Minori. Most people assume they are twins because that was the setting in the manga. However, the drama never explicitly mention them being twins. But if you check TBS’ website… it mistakenly shows Miori as 33 and Minori as 26 even though Minori is suppose to be older. And furthermore if you read the description for Miori, it says “Minori’s twin sister” so… in conclusion, the TBS website is a hot mess!

The amusement park Dr. Tendo and Sakura went to was filmed at Tokyo Dome City.

Takeru Satoh gave a “behind the scene” talk where he said that removing Sakura’s hair tie in the living room scene of Episode 8 was ad-libbed. He thought of it on the spot because the drama has used hair tie as a symbolism for “focused career-mode Sakura”, and untying her hair there showed that he’s treating her as a woman.

Another behind the scene talk regarding last scene of Episode 8: The editors were going to start the I love… song at the point where Dr. Tendo shows up, but the editors said “it’s probably obvious that he’s going to show up, so might as well start the song early and match Dr. Tendo’s appearance with the crescendo.”

Bath culture is big in Japan. People don’t normally just take showers. That’s why when Sakura’s mom realized her house is not fit for a guest to take a bath, she sent the whole family to a public bath (called sento).

In a scene where Sakura’s trying to act cute in Episode 9, Dr. Tendo literally says “Did you eat something spoiled?” because there’s a reference that you act out of character when you eat something bad. This reference doesn’t work in English, so instead, “hitting yourself in the head” is used.

In the scene on Episode 10 where Nishi is introducing himself to Dr. Tendo, he actually calls Dr. Tendo “younger brother.” This is because even if he is younger than Dr. Tendo, if he marries his older sister, Nishi automatically becomes the “older brother-in-law” in turn making Dr. Tendo the “younger brother-in-law”.

In Japan, the “best man” of the wedding is usually the groom’s boss.

Apparently this series was so popular it crashed Paravi (TBS streaming site) few hours after EP10 release!

Not long ago, I was afflicted by an emotional disturbance that lasted for two months. It affected my everyday living so much that I had a hard time sleeping. After watching this drama, it faded away, to my surprise. I owe my happiness these days to this show. Maybe that's how I can sum up the fun of watching this. I hope the same goes to you!

[osakaso5]

IDOLiSH7 4th Anniversary Special Story: Best Wishes...

Chapter 2: Reality And Heartthrobs

Chapter 1 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5

Tsumugi Takanashi: Everyone, good  work! It seems they're finally opening the VR experience booth, "A Date with IDOLiSH7"!

Riku Nanase: Aah! It's finally going to open!

Banri Ogami: They're planning to debut it in the newly renovated Sky Blue Mall's VR facility, VR LAND!

Banri Ogami: As a part of its promotion, they're going to film you visiting the shopping center and trying the VR experience before the re-opening.

Tamaki Yotsuba: Awesome! I wanna try it!

Yamato Nikaido: Huh..? But wouldn't we be going on a date with ourselves?

Banri Ogami: I suppose...

Mitsuki Izumi: That could be interesting! I wanna hear what the others recorded, anyway!

Tsumugi Takanashi: We have the demo footage for A Date with IDOLiSH7 here! Would you like to watch it?

Nagi Rokuya: YES! I want to try dating myself! Surely, I will be the perfect escort.

Iori Izumi: You're awfully confident, Rokuya-san. I feel a bit embarrassed by the idea, myself...

Sogo Osaka: The characters they established for us were a bit unconventional.

Riku Nanase: I wonder how they turned out! Whose should we watch? Who does everyone want to go on a date with?

Tamaki Yotsuba: Raise your hand if you wanna date me!

Iori, Yamato, Mitsuki, Sogo, Nagi, & Riku: ...Huh..?

Tamaki Yotsuba: Raise your hands, guys!

Yamato Nikaido: S-sorry about that. I couldn't help feeling weird about the idea of dating you...

Mitsuki Izumi: Ask again, and we'll act more excited.

Tamaki Yotsuba: Geez... Raise your hand if you wanna date me!

Iori, Yamato, Mitsuki, Sogo, Nagi, & Riku: Me! Me! Me! Me!

Tamaki Yotsuba: Oh, all of you. Alright, let's watch mine.

Tsumugi Takanashi: Tamaki-san, it is! Here we go!

- - - -

Tamaki's Recording: Oh. You're an interesting girl, not falling for me as  soon as I make a pass at you.

Tamaki's Recording: I've never met someone like you. Wanna come over to my place?

- - - -

Iori, Yamato, Mitsuki, Sogo, Nagi, & Riku: Ooh la la!

Tamnaki Yotsuba: Don't make fun of me!

Yamato Nikaido: They really went all out on the desirability poll potential with this one.

Sogo Osaka: But Tamaki-kun doesn't talk like this... Or maybe he does, only to girls..? Do you, Tamaki-kun?

Tamaki Yotsuba: I dunno... I guess I wanna call fun people over to my place?

Banri Ogami: I see. Instead of something normal, they're going for phrases that girls will like more.

Banri Ogami: What's Sogo-kun's like? 

- - - -

Sogo's Recording: These flowers are so beautiful... Looking at them is so soothing. I'm so happy that I can spend this moment with you.

Sogo's Recording: Look, this one suits you.

- - - -

Iori, Yamato, Mitsuki, Tamaki, Nagi, & Riku: Ooh la la!

Sogo Osaka: Haha... Thank you.

Riku Nanase: Sogo-san, you sound so gentle! But I feel like you'd be a little more analytical.

Iori Izumi: You can be surprisingly dry, after all.

Sogo Osaka: N-no I'm not. I can enjoy soothing things, too.

Tamaki Yotsuba: When I told you that finding a four-leaf clover could bring you happiness, you said "That's probably because it's such a rare mutation".

Sogo Osaka: I'm not wrong, am I? I understand why someone would feel happy after finding a rare specimen.

Nagi Rokuya: Indeed. Pink diamonds are also more valuable than ordinary diamonds.

Tamaki Yotsuba: What about Nagicchi's? What's it like?

Nagi Rokuya: It is the ultimate rendezvouz! Tsumugi, if you please!

Tsumugi Takanashi: Yes!

- - - -

Nagi's Recording: My sweet angel... Between this million dollar skyline and myself, which is more beautiful?

Nagi's Recording: Fufu... I knew you would say that.

Nagi's Recording: My sweet angel, Cocona... 

- - - -

Mitsuki Izumi: He's calling them Cocona!

Riku Nanase: Are you on a date with Cocona-chan? Or is it with the sweet angel and Cocona?

Yamato Nikaido: Whether they're one and the same or not makes a big difference.

Nagi Rokuya: I will leave it up to your imaginations. And what about Mitsuki? I want to see a date with him!

Mitsuki Izumi: Mine's pretty normal, so it's kinda embarrassing...

Tsumugi Takanashi: I'll play Mitsuki-san's now! 

- - - -

Mitsuki's Recording: I had fun today. Um, I...

Mitsuki's Recording: There's something... I've been wanting to tell you for a while now. 

- - - -

Riku Nanase: Ah...

Iori Izumi: What do you mean, "ah"...

Riku Nanase: It felt like Mitsuki was going to confess to me...

Iori Izumi: I-it's just a VR experience...

Tamaki Yotsuba: We know, but holy crap... Mikki's gonna confess to us for the first time ever...

Nagi Rokuya: OH... My heart is racing...

Yamato Nikaido: You guys make  a great audience. 

- - - -

Mitsuki's Recording: For a  while now, I've... thought of you as someone special to me, or rather...

Mitsuki's Recording: ........

- - - -

Iori, Yamato, Tamaki, Sogo, Nagi, & Riku: ........

- - - -

Mitsuki's Recording: ...Forget it! It's nothing, after all! 

- - - -

Yamato Nikaido: Huh!? Spit it out already!!!

Nagi Rokuya: My heart was prepared..!?

Mitsuki Izumi: Don't get mad at my footage!

Sogo Osaka: I would've liked an  honest confession from Mitsuki-san...

Iori Izumi: That was more than enough for me. Haah... It was strangely unnerving.

Riku Nanase: Yeah, it really made my heart race! What was Iori's like?

Tsumugi Takanashi: Iori-san! I'll play it now!

Sogo Osaka: Maybe it'll be youthful and innocent?

Nagi Rokuya: Or perhaps, more cool? OH! It is starting! 

- - - -

Iori's Recording: Hmm... It seems you've finally become a woman worthy of standing beside me.

Iori's Recording: I'll date you, if I must. It'll allow me to kill time, at the very least.

Iori's Recording: But why don't you beg me for it, first? Or would you rather be punished? 

- - - -

Mitsuki Izumi: It turned out to be super sadistic..!!!

Yamato Nikaido: They're going a little too hard with our youngest members.

Riku Nanase: This is making me want to pinch Iori's cheek..!

Iori Izumi: Please don't.

Sogo Osaka: I would've preferred something more innocent... But you did a really good job playing a sadist, too. Well done.

Iori Izumi: Seeing as how it's a VR experience, I thought it'd be more interesting if my performance had a certain amount of entertainment value...

Yamato Nikaido: Maybe this'll unexpectely turn out popular.

Iori Izumi: And what about you, Nikaido-san? I'm sure you must've been bringing out your adult charms.

Yamato Nikaido: Mine was...

Mitsuki Izumi: Don't be shy! Manager, play Yamato-san's next!

Tsumugi Takanashi: Very well!

Riku Nanase: I wonder what it'll be like!

Nagi Rokuya: I am sure that it will be overflowing with sweet nothings! 

- - - -

Yamato's Recording: Kukuku... You can't see anything in this darkness, but I can see you just fine... 

- - - -

Iori, Mitsuki, Tamaki, Sogo, Nagi, & Riku: .......!?

- - - -

Yamato's Recording: I'm going to torment you all I want. Don't bother calling for help. Nobody's going to come...

Yamato's Recording: I look forward to hearing you scream... 

- - - -

Iori, Mitsuki, Tamaki, Sogo, Nagi, & Riku: ........

Riku Nanase: T-this is a date with Yamato-san!?

Tamaki Yotsuba: What the hell, Yama-san!!! That was scary!!!

Yamato Nikaido: Uh, I think they probably drew a lot of inspiration from my drama roles.

Mitsuki Izumi: Right... Because you've had so many revenge maniac and serial killer roles...

Sogo Osaka: I think a calm and cool date would've suited Yamato-san better...

Iori Izumi: I've been wondering for a while now, but why are you so strongly fixated on IDOLiSH7's dates, Osaka-san?

Sogo Osaka: Maybe it's because I know you all personally. I wanted You and Tamaki-kun to act more innocent, and I wanted to hear Mitsuki-san's confession...

Sogo Osaka: I wanted to have a relaxing time with Yamato-san. In this respect, Nagi-kun's footage was really satisfying. I think I'd enjoy going  on a date with him and Cocona-chan.

Nagi Rokuya: Thanks!

Mitsuki Izumi: That's a pretty in-depth review.

Iori Izumi: It's very educational.

Sogo Osaka: What was Riku-kun's like? I'd like to see it.

Riku Nanase: I-I just hope that it's satisfying enough to you, Sogo-san... Manager, play mine!

Tsumugi Takanashi: Alright! I'll be showing you Riku-san's footage now! It'l be the last one! 

- - - -

Riku's Recording: Good evening, everyone!

Audience Recording: Kyaaaaa!

- - - -

Mitsuki Izumi: Ah, it's during a live.

Tamaki Yotsuba: Pretty fitting. 

- - - -

Riku's Recording: I have an important announcement to make tonight! 

- - - -

Iori Izumi: Hold on a moment... What are you going to say during a live, Nanase-san..?

Yamato Nikaido: This is still giving me heart palpitations, just out of anxiety... 

- - - -

Riku's Recording: I've been keeping this a secret!

Riku's Recording: But there's someone I'm in love with!

Audience Recording: Kyaaaaaa! 

- - - -

Iori Izumi: ...Whoa...

Nagi Rokuya: Wow! How dramatic!

Yamato Nikaido: I feel you, Ichi... My palms are sweating from just imagining the aftermath of this...

Tamaki Yotsuba: Rikkun's so cool!

Sogo Osaka: Hmm... I suppose... This suits Riku-kun well enough..?

Mitsuki Izumi: It makes sense as a VR experience, but if you actually did this at a live that people had been looking forward to... 

- - - -

Riku's Recording:  The person I love is...

Riku's Recording: You, who's been with me this whole night!

Audience Recording: Kyaaaaaa! 

- - - -

Iori Izumi: ...Aaaahhhh...

- - - -

Riku's Recording: Let's date! I hope you'll support both my idol side and my normal side!

Riku's Recording: Because I'll always, always love you!

Audience Recording: Kyaaaaaa! 

- - - -

Iori Izumi: ....... Haaah... ...I was so scared, I forgot to breathe midway... 

Riku Nanase: But Yamato-san's was scarier than mine!

Iori Izumi: Nanase-san... Can you please promise that you'll never do this? Or at least that you'll ask us beforehand?

Riku Nanase: I wouldn't do something so embarrassing!

Riku Nanase: But... Maybe my feelings would get to that point if I fell in love with someone.

Riku Nanase: ...Hehe, just kidding!

Iori Izumi: Manager, please bring the stomach medicine...

Riku Nanase: Geez, were you even listening!? What are you getting all weak in the knees for!?

Iori Izumi: I feel tired all of a sudden...

Tamaki Yotsuba: Hey. Now that we've seen all of 'em, who do you wanna go on a date with, manager?

Tsumugi Takanashi: They were all so wonderful that I can't choose! What about you, Banri-san?

Banri Ogami: Me!? Well... Based on scariness, maybe Yamato-kun's. I'd like to try surviving his VR experience!

Yamato Nikaido: Um... It's not a survival game, so you don't have to worry about not making it out alive.

Tamaki Yotsuba: Ban-chan, pick mine.

Banri Ogami: Huh. But you'll just take me to your home.

Tamaki Yotsuba: So what? You've been to my room before, right? I'll let you hug my King Pudding.

Banri Ogami: In that case, maybe I will go?

Tamaki Yotsuba: Awesome!

Mitsuki Izumi: This guy really is a desirability poll ranker. He's so good at handling people.

Tsumugi Takanashi: I hope everyone will enjoy the A Date with IDOLiSH7 VR experience!

Riku Nanase: Right! I can't wait to see the facility, either!

Banri Ogami: Speaking of which. Sky Blue Mall's re-opening is going to focus heavily on surprises.

Banri Ogami: Many of the stores are going to be doing secret events. Because of that, you shouldn't give out any information.

Iori Izumi: Secret... Their  plan is most likely for visitors to spread information through social media.

Banri Ogami: Seems that way. Even the guests of their main event are still a secret.

Sogo Osaka: I wonder who they'll be. Maybe a foreign artists?

Banri Ogami: The guests are connected to the four year anniversary, and had a very chaotic school life.

Mitsuki Izumi: Chaotic school life... I wonder what kind of people they are...

Tsumugi Takanashi: It'll be very busy before the opening, so there will be many construction and interior design workers present...

Tsumugi Takanashi: So you should disguise yourselves outside of the shoot, in order to keep it a secret that you're there.

Nagi Rokuya: Alright! I shall construct the perfect cosplay to conceal my identity!

Sogo Osaka: Wouldn't a cosplay stand out more?

Riku Nanase: I can't wait for VR LAND and Sky Blue Mall to open!

Riku Nanase: We'll have to do our best with the pre-opening shoot, so we can make lots of people happy! 

- - - -

Kaoru Anesagi: Good work, boys! Your consecutive lives were a success!

Kaoru Anesagi: Tomorrow is your long-awaited day off! Make sure to get plenty of rest.

Tenn Kujo: Thank you very much.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: We should take this chance to go out for dinner with all of us. Or should we stay home and cook?

Gaku Yaotome: Ah, sorry, I'm busy that day.

Tenn Kujo: Oh, you are?

Gaku Yaotome: There's this Matsuda-san who used to work at Grandpa's restaurant. He's basically Grandpa's apprentice, and he left the place on good terms.

Gaku Yaotome: He's about to open his second restaurant at Sky Blue Mall.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: That's great. Sky Blue Mall is that big shopping center that's going to re-open soon, right?

Gaku Yaotome: Yep. But because the construction got delayed, he doesn't have enough helping hands.

Gaku Yaotome: Massan looked after  me when I was a kid, so I thought I'd help prep his place for the opening.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: In that case, I'll help, too.

Gaku Yaotome: You sure?

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Of course. The more the merrier, right?

Tenn Kujo: I don't mind helping, either.

Gaku Yaotome: Thanks! Massan's gonna be really happy!

Kaoru Anesagi: Will the three of you be alright? Won't you be recognized if you all go?

Gaku Yaotome: So what if we do? The place isn't open for business yet, so there's only gonna be construction guys around.

Kaoru Anesagi: It's in the same building as a train station, so you'll run into other people, too. Make sure to wear disguises.

Tenn Kujo: Right. Especially Ryu, since he's so big....

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: I-I'll do my best not to be seen.

Kaoru Anesagi: Don't call each other by name. You'll have to come up with pseudonyms.

Gaku Yaotome: That's gonna be tough for me. Massan's probably gonna call me by his usual nickname...

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: What does he call you?

Gaku Yaotome: Gaku-chan.

Tenn Kujo: Gaku-chan.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Gaku-chan.

Tenn Kujo: ...How about Gacchan?

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: That's good! Nobody's going to think that's Gaku Yaotome!

Gaku Yaotome: That's the one. What about Tenn?

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Tamaki-kun called him Tenten.

Gaku Yaotome: Tenten's too long. Let me think...

Gaku Yaotome: How about Tecchan?

Tenn Kujo: I've never been called that in my life.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: It's cute! Tecchan!

Tenn Kujo: What?

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: That's really good!

Tenn Kujo: Thanks.

Gaku Yaotome: The real problem's with Ryu. People will probably recognize him if we call him Ryu-chan. Momo-san tends to call him that, too.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: And Ricchan sounds girly. Ri... Ri... Rikkun?

Tenn Kujo: That sounds too much like Riku.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Ah, right.

Gaku Yaotome: Ri... Let's ditch "Ri". Ryu... Dragon...

Tenn Kujo: Dora-chan.

Kaoru Anesagi: Dora-chan..? Would anyone call a grown man that?

Tenn Kujo: Right...

Gaku Yaotome: We might as well call him "Dragon", since it's so manly.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: It's manly, but I feel a little embarrassed by the idea of answering to that name...

Gaku Yaotome: I'd have no problem being called Dragon.

Tenn Kujo: I've got it.

Gaku Yaotome: Oh, let's hear it.

Tenn Kujo: Tsuna-chan.

Gaku Yaotome: That's good.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Tsuna-chan, huh! It's a little embarrassing, but I like how friendly it sounds!

Gaku Yaotome: Tsuna-chan.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Yeees!

Tenn Kujo: Not bad.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Gacchan! Tecchan!

Gaku Yaotome: Yeah.

Tenn Kujo: Yeah.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: They sound so friendly!

Kaoru Anesagi: I feel so confused now... If you're all fine with it, then I suppose I don't mind...

Tenn Kujo: Alright, Gacchan. Let Massan know we're coming.

Gaku Yaotome: Yeah. I'll be counting on you guys tomorrow, Tecchan and, uh...

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Tsuna-chan!

Gaku Yaotome: Right, Tsuna-chan! We gotta get used to these names by tomorrow. Let's keep using them for the rest of tonight.

Tenn Kujo: Right. The more we practice, the better we'll do on the day of.

Ryunosuke Tsunashi: Yeah! Let's do it like we're already working!

Kaoru Anesagi: You boys are so serious about this.

Kaoru Anesagi: I'm worried that there might be trouble, but maybe it'll all work out... 

To be continued...

[woolishlygrim]

Winter Weebwatch #5

After last week’s surprisingly bad bunch of episodes, this week’s episodes are surprisingly good! There was also no Darwin’s Game this week, probably because it got pre-empted by a sporting event, but to be honest, I don’t think anybody was especially crying out for another three paragraphs of me struggling to remember what happened in it.

Also, there is a huge trigger warning for discussions of suicide, both in fiction and in real life on this post, specifically in the ID: Invaded review.

In/Spectre

★★★★☆

So, this episode was cruising along for an easy three stars for most of its runtime. Continuing on the Steel Girder Nanase storyline, the episode sees Kotoko and Saki simultaneously deciding to hate each other and deciding that they need to work together to decipher the truth behind Steel Girder Nanase, who they believe to be the ghost of an idol, Haruka Nanase, who was accused of murder and subsequently was found crushed by a steel girder, her face unrecognisable and even her teeth unidentifiable, the body only identified by virtue of carrying Nanase’s identification.

… Just so we’re all absolutely on the same page here, next episode is definitely going to reveal that Nanase murdered someone else to fake her own death, and that Steel Girder Nanase is actually some poor woman who was her victim, right? Right.

But anyway, this episode settles into a nice, consistent tone, sets up a fun and legitimately intriguing supernatural mystery, and seems all set to make its way to a satisfactory conclusion in one or two episodes, probably.

What elevates it to four stars, though? The fairly throwaway joke in which a fully animated opening sequence for a completely fictional magical girl show, complete with an original and fully vocalised song, plays, and ruthlessly satirises the far-right, taking shots at capitalism, militarism, and the police and justice system.

It’s a joke that doesn’t fit the tone of the rest of the series at all, but it’s so unapologetically vicious while also making me laugh out loud that I had to add an extra star for it. I just had to.

ID: Invaded.

★★★★★

Honestly, I wavered on whether this should be a four star or a five star. If I could do half stars, it’d be four and a half, but I think it edges out five.

This episode switches gears a little. With the Gravedigger killed, and the woman who was manipulating him into his murders arrested, Sakaido dives into the woman’s mental world, hoping to figure out exactly what caused her to turn to murder, and why murder in such a specific, gruesome, and sadistic way.

And he fails completely.

The story tempts us with just enough information that we can start forming the half-baked foundations of a hypothesis, but not enough that we can actually form any kind of cohesive theory. We see in the woman’s mental world that she is stuck as a child, endlessly riding a train that’s going in circles, each loop having it cross the train crossing where her mother committed suicide. We see that her victims are gathered at said crossing, waiting patiently to cross. And we see that her accomplice, the man she had killing for her, is present on the train as well, as a young boy very far removed from the blank, not-all-there man we’ve seen up to that point. We see Kaeru, usually representing the murder victims, in this mental world is presented as a suicide victim, having removed her shoes and asked the woman to wipe off her wounds before expiring in a seat at the end of the train.

But we never get enough to build any kind of meaning out of it. The show deliberately withholds closure from us, mirroring the woman’s lack of closure over her mother’s suicide (why did she decide to do it, and why do it by throwing herself in front of a train she knew her daughter was riding?), telling us that we will only ever have a handful of puzzle pieces and no way to piece them together.

I admit, that affected me pretty deeply. As someone who obsesses over puzzles and especially over the whys and wherefores of why people do things, whose lowered empathy response means that figuring people out is often a maddening struggle, the show presenting a puzzle that can’t be solved is infuriating. But more than that, as someone who has had a friend commit suicide, leaving no note and providing almost no indication beforehand that he was going to, I’m familiar with the bewilderment that can follow something like that, the attempts to piece together a cause-and-effect that makes sense.

This episode kind of got to me. I’m not sure I liked that it did.

‘Not having enough information’ is the running theme of this episode, anyhow, as the rest of the investigation team takes some time to discuss the recurring appearance of John Walker, a mysterious man in a red frockcoat who has appeared in five separate killers’ mental worlds (and who appears also in the woman’s, as a reflection in the train window). As they talk, they realise all they know is a baffling mess of contradictions about him: Nobody has ever seen him in real life, and yet the fact that five different people dreamed him up wearing the same bright red coat means he must be going around wearing what is basically American War of Independence cosplay; there seems to be no single link between the killers who have him in their mental worlds, and yet there are strange coincidental links; none of the killers remember who he is, but all of them have extremely strong recollections of him.

The end of the episode pulls another gutpunch on us, as Hondomachi, having killed the Gravedigger in seeming self defence earlier in the episode, finally gets her wish to be trained to dive into people’s mental worlds -- only for Hayaseura, her boss and the man who recommended her, to tell her that it’s not enough to have just killed, you have to be a serial killer, something he knows that she is. While we obviously saw her murder someone (by provoking them into attacking her and then framing it as self-defense) earlier in this episode, Hayaseura also points out something that I’d dismissed at the time and completely forgotten about: That in the very first episode, before Hondomachi was kidnapped by the Perforator, she was alone with one of his victims in the basement, and when we next saw him he was dead, even though the Perforator couldn’t have killed him.

That’s … actually some really solid writing. I hadn’t even realised on my first watch that the guy couldn’t have been killed by the Perforator.

Pet.

★★★★☆

I feel like I haven’t given this series enough credit for how surprisingly vicious it is. The first episode sets us up to think that Tsukasa and Hiroki’s friendship is pretty cute, and the second episode clues us in to the fact that they’re (quasi-?)romantically involved and sets up a clearly unhealthy but quite sweet all the same romance where you think that, hey, they’re screwed up people but they clearly love each other. It isn’t until the third episode that the rug gets pulled out from under you, with the reveal that Tsukasa is actually quite abusive, and this episode pulls the rug straight out from under us again.

It follows two plot threads. The first one is a milder one, with Satoru meeting the niece of the mysterious Company’s CEO, who exposits at him a little about how the Company was founded and some of the strifes that have led it to its current state of disarray -- namely that the qigong masters who created the psychic techniques the Company uses (just … roll with it) all simultaneously betrayed the CEO and were killed for it, leaving the Company with only one person who can pass on those teachings: Hayashi.

The second plot thread sees Tsukasa and Hayashi playing mind games with each other, with Tsukasa first trying to persuade Hayashi to return to the Company, before Hayashi tries to psychically rewrite Tsukasa’s memories, only for Tsukasa to rebuff him and for the two to end up in a psychic battle where they both try to repel the other one’s attempts to alter their memories.

It’s in this second plot thread that we learn all about Tsukasa’s many issues: Like Satoru, he is most definitely in love with Hayashi, and like Satoru, those feelings clearly aren’t reciprocated. Unlike Satoru, however, Hayashi doesn’t even seem to have filial feelings for Tsukasa, and we learn that when he started teaching Satoru, the Company told him that he couldn’t act as mentor for two people and had to choose one. He picked Satoru with what seems like startling ease, effectively abandoning Tsukasa.

There are allusions, as well, to the idea that Hayashi kept using Tsukasa even after that abandonment, entreating him to infiltrate the Company on his behalf and keep Satoru safe. Tsukasa’s … not happy about this at all, and also, as becomes swiftly apparent throughout the episode, more than a little unhinged.

As the episode ends, Tsukasa and Hayashi are ramping up their psychic battle, with Tsukasa informing Hayashi that he’s learned some tricks off Hiroki, so we’ll see where that one goes.

Infinite Dendrogram.

★★☆☆☆

More and more, it feels like this show is falling into a rut, and that’s honestly a huge shame.

There’s just no forward momentum to it. Things happen, but there’s no sense of motion, no sense of things winding towards a conclusion, either on an arc level or a series level, and yet at the same time it’s not fast and snappy enough to be a truly episodic series like, say, Kekkai Sensen.

So, this week’s episode sees Ray, now cursed with dog ears (for reasons which are not plot relevant, but I mean, it’s fine), teaming up with a new character, Hugo, a Dryfe Master whose job is essentially that he’s a giant mecha pilot, as the two attempt to tackle a base of bandits who have been kidnapping children.

The show tries very hard to set the bandits up as absolute monsters, and to sell us on Ray’s rage, but it kind of lacks the elements necessary to make an impact. The huge emotional moment where Ray sees that some of the children have been turned into undead is weakened by the fact that the cinematography is bog-standard, the animation direction for the scene is uninteresting, and the music is unremarkable. Even Ray’s reaction is strangely muted, with some anger but no real horror or anything like that, and not even a quiet fury so much as just moderate amounts of rage.

There are hints of a broader plot involving Dryfe, though (which we know from an earlier episode is prepping to invade), with Hugo making remarks that he can’t use his Embryo yet, because keeping it secret is part of some plan.

He does, eventually, use it anyway, and relatively without fanfare at that.