#nobody mention that i already drew this same pose like a year ago

[eggchef]

stanford era dean + later season cas...

[unmanageable-day]

[11.09AM]

"This is so weird, okay? I can't believe my friend is dating my older sister." Johnny nagged as he opened the door and found Jaehyun flashing a wide smile in front of his house.

"I love you too, Johnny," Jaehyun answered, chuckling and handing him over a bag of cheese burger. He entered Johnny's house casually without even waiting for the owner to let him in.

"Don't you think you can bribe me," Johnny said dramatically, yet his hands were already busy opening the paper bag. "Vivian! Jaehyun is here!" he called for his sister.

"I can hear you clearly, Johnny, you don't have to shout like that," his sister hissed as she went out from her room, being dramatic as well but less dramatic than her brother. "And, Seo Youngho, didn't I tell you to not call me Vivian?" She approached her giant little brother and gave him light slaps on his arm. She wanted to pinch his cheeks or ears, but Johnny was saved because he was much taller.

"Okay, okay. I get it, Ayoung noona," he whined that he gave Jaehyun eye signal to get his sister out quickly.

Jaehyun chuckled at the usual bickering scene between Ayoung and Johnny. Ayoung turned to Jaehyun who were ready to greet her with a smile that his dimples popped out. "You ready?"

Ayoung nodded, also smiling wide at her date.

"Speaking of which, it would be nice too if you call me with my real name, instead of Jaehyun," Jaehyun shyly said once they hopped into Jaehyun’s car.

Ayoung smiled at him. "Okay, Yuno."

Jaehyun, aka Yuno let his hand slowly reached Ayoung's before he turned on the car machine. His expression couldn't lie when he got to hear his name called with such a sweet, loving voice.

[11.42PM]

"I don't want to say good bye," Yuno muttered as he tightened his grip on Ayoung's hand. He stopped by at a park with playground nearby Ayoung’s house after spending a great time at an underground jazz café.

"Why don't you go with me upstairs? I'm sure Johnny is still wide awake."

"And let Johnny hyung beat me up? No, thank you," he joked.

Ayoung chuckled.

"This is perfect anyway," Yuno said as he scanned the surrounding. The playground was completely empty as the time showed past eleven at night. After making sure nobody around, Yuno slightly pulled her closer and sneaked his arms around Ayoung's waist. "And I can't do this if Johnny is around," he whispered as he, bending his lower body to match her eye level, put his forehead against Ayoung's.

Thanks to the night sky, Ayoung could hide her blushing cheeks. She only drew a shy smile as she tried to look at Yuno in the eyes, her hands holding onto his upper arms.

The lovebirds, drowning in each other's minds, spent minute after minute without words in the same position until their phones rang at the same time, startling both of them. Yuno let loose his embrace, but didn't completely let go of his girl. After taking his phone out of his pocket, he put one arm around Ayoung's shoulder and let her lean on him.

"Wow, the group chat is a mess at this hour. And Johnny is already threating me," told Yuno while scrolling up and down his phone screen.

"He is indeed. Should I tell him we're here?" she playfully asked as she found Johnny's rants via text in her phone as well.

"You gotta be kidding."

Ayoung chuckled as she hugged him from the side. "Aigoo, our Yuno~"

Again, he blushed from hearing his name called.

"It's almost 12. You should go back home, Yuno." She affectionately fixed Yuno's fringe. "Or... how about staying over?" she teased again.

Yuno chuckled this time. "If sleepover, I'll go with Doyoung and Mark so Johnny won't go after me."

"Okay, I'll invite the others for dinner tomorrow, and you can stay over."

[6.25PM]

Ayoung was busy cooking in the kitchen after managed to trick Johnny to go grocery shopping. She also succeeded surprising him that they were going to host a dinner with his buddies. So now he was made use for his labor to tidy up the living room and arrange the tables and plates.

"Remind me again why do we suddenly hold a dinner event?" he groaned as he pushed the sofa to one side.

"Just think of it as a late birthday party for you, since I wasn't around and you were busy as well," she blabbered.

"Okay, that doesn't make any sense. What's with the other guys?"

"It's just the form of my gratitude to them for taking good care of you." Ayoung basically just said anything. She knew everything came out of her mouth did not make any sense at all. "Anyway, our mom and Taeyong's mom just sent us a lot of food. You and I know very well we don't eat often at home. So it's best to share, right?"

Johnny shut his mouth, kind of agree-not-agree. "You're being ridiculously nice after going out with Jaehyun," he mocked, which got himself a loving silence treatment.

Taeyong, Doyoung, Ten and Mark came first. Both Johnny and Ayoung welcomed them cheerfully and gave them a big hug as if they hadn't met for so long, while they literally just saw each other 3 days ago. Taeil, Haechan, Yuta and Yuno came a bit later. Both house owner greeted their guests the same way, yet after Taeil, Haechan and Yuta, Johnny blocked Ayoung's way to Yuno. Instead, Johnny didn't let Yuno go from his bear hug. Ayoung just rolled her eyes and left her brother with her boyfriend.

"I know you miss me but can you please let go of me now?" Yuno spoke in the midst of searching for some oxygen.

"I'm not letting you go today," Johnny said with a scary aegyo as he slightly dragged Yuno to the living room with a bit force.

"He really gets jealous ever since you start dating with Jaehyun, Noona," Taeyong commented, giggling at the two giants fighting over nothing.

"You mean being overprotective even more than he already is," she scoffed as she took out fruits from the fridge.

Mark who was next to Taeyong went straight for the watermelon that Ayoung already prepared specially for him. Just because she was very fond of the baby brother.

"It is still funny that he never changes his profile photo, so everyone still thinks he's not single," Mark added as he stuffed his mouth with watermelon cubes. The photo Mark mention was pretty much a public secret. It was a picture of her and Johnny at a beach, taken several years ago during a family vacation, with a pose that didn't really portray siblings relationship. Johnny's arm circling around Ayoung's waist, his smiling face captured in candid, and Ayoung resting her hand on Johnny's upper belly while showing her side body profile but her face beaming directly into the camera. Anybody would absolutely misunderstand them for being a couple. Not to mention the outfit they wore in the photo had similar patterns.

Ayoung could only let out a bitter laugh. Johnny intentionally put that picture as his profile in chat messenger, so he could make an excuse if there's anyone suggested him for a blind date. These boys knew Ayoung had the same picture as her profile, and they laughed at her and it was all thanks to Johnny who always changed Ayoung's profile, to the extent Ayoung was too frustrated to change it again. So she just let Johnny do whatever he wanted. It kinda 'helped' her in a way that no men messed with her. Same with her brother, at least nobody interfered her love life and told her to go for a blind date. If someone asked about the guy in the photo, she could just make up some stories that they were in long distance relationship.

And one day came Jung Jaehyun, boldly brought himself before her and asked her out while no one dared because of her brother. The boys were pretty amused because Johnny often joked that he wouldn't introduce his sister to any of his members. He preferred someone older and he always mentioned someone like Kim Suho or Do Kyungsoo. That was pretty much the history explaining the current condition of the complicated relationship between Johnny and Jaehyun.

"Yo, Jay," Ten greeted Jaehyun who finally managed to escape.

"Thank goodness Lucas and the little brothers rang the bell," Yuno exhaled deeply as he joined the others. He immediately approached Ayoung who was deeply engaged in conversation with Taeyong,

Mark and Doyoung. "Hey," he greeted.

"Yuno," Ayoung brightly greeted him back and went into his arms. He smiled warmly at her and totally forgot for a second that it wasn't only the two of them in the room.

"Omo.. did she just say 'Yuno'?" Doyoung gasped dramatically.

"'Yuno'?" Ten repeated loudly and he couldn't help but cackling. The others started to parrot him and the name 'Yuno' was echoing.

"Vivian Seo! I did not raise you to behave like this!" Johnny exclaimed from the other corner in the room. His hands were on his waist, officially starting the drama. But everyone in the room couldn't really hold their laughter, including Jung Yuno who was safe in Ayoung's care.

Ayoung herself? She pretended not to hear him as she scooted even closer against Yuno, publicly showing affection, cuddling with him just to make Johnny even more frustrated. She even merong-ed at her younger brother several times.

[randomwoohoo]

Howdy! Here comes the fanfic series of Zootopia Tokusatsu AU!

Tokusatsu =  a genre of Japanese live action audio-visual entertainment usually, but not always, involving super heroes/heroines comabtting evil monsters. For example, super sentai (Power rangers), masked riders and metal heroes.

Hope you enjoy it~

Fanfiction.net link

Synopsis:  3 years after Nick and Judy started working together as police partners, Zootopia was encountering a threat, the monsters called Savages. ZPD (Zootopia Police Department) and DIB (Defense Intelligence Bureau) co-founded SCU (Savage Control Unit), the special task force with sole purpose to exterminate Savages. Nick and Judy were senior police officers but they tended to tackle the monsters a lot by becoming one, an armored hero mixed between fox and rabbit, Hybrid. The new cases, chaos and henshin heroes arrived!

     A fleeing sports car came to a screeching halt. Officer Judy Hopps and Officer Nick Wilde exited their patrol cruiser then approached a street racer. “Sir, you were going 115 miles per hour. I hope you have a good explanation.” Judy informed.

    However, when the driver’s window moved down, the lawbreaker was revealed to be… “Flash? Flash? Hundred yard dash!?” Nick took off his shades to get a good look at the driver. It was Flash the sloth.

“. . . N i c k” Flash called out the brand new cop’s name at a seriously slow pace.

    That was the first assignment of Nick and Judy as partners. It felt like yesterday although it had already been three year since back then. In the morning at the Zootopia Police Department headquarters, there were some minor changes here and there, new faces, transferred employees, some… had gone...

“All right. Everybody! Sit! Today, I have an important announcement.” A mammal standing at the podium was no one other than Chief Bogo, a male Cape buffalo and the chief of the Zootopia Police Department or ZPD for short.

“Sir, aren’t you tired from being a chief for many years? Consider settling down?” The fox senior police officer teased his supervisor.

“It’s too early to get rid of me, Wilde.” Chief quipped as a response to the first and still the only one fox cop in the department, Nick Wilde, which got a laugh out of others in the bullpen. This playful behaviour had become a routine at work. It lightened up the mood and helped reinforcing a positive impression towards the fox.

    Bogo put on glasses to read the report in his hoof. “Ahem. Y’all might have already known. Just to remind you, the missing mammal cases that occurred these recent years in the Canals, the Meadowlands, the Nocturnal District, Outback Island, Sherwood and Bunnyburrow-” He paused to glance at one officer after he mentioned her hometown. Senior Officer Judy Hopps, who shared a front roll seat with her partner Nick, was listening attentively. Moreover, she seemed tense. It was understandable for Bogo. He breathed in and resumed. “Just now, there is progress in those cases. Police from other precincts found clues that lead to Zootopia. A few of you are needed to work on them. Treat ’em as your priority. Assignments!” The buffalo was about to give assignments but he felt the urge to emphasize current situation. “Oh by the way, if anybody encounters Savage , escort citizens in the area, contact SCU and stay away from Savage. Understand?”

“Yes’sir” Every police in the bullpen burst out in reply, not exactly every single one.

    Bogo inspected Judy being quiet. She averted her eyes when they met with Bogo’s. He knew immediately what was on her mind. “Officer Hopps. Parking duty.”

    The bunny cop went all alert. “What!? Chief-” She wanted to argue. However, Bogo interrupted. “Now… do you understand?” He repeated intimidatingly.

.--. .- .-. - -. . .-. ...

“This is ridiculous! Can’t believe after all these years, I got assigned a parking duty again!” Judy grunted. At Downtown street, she and her partner, Nick Wilde, were standing next to a patrol car that Chief let them drive instead of meter maid cart because of current city situation… It would be dangerous, not fast enough to escape...

“Chill, Fluff. Besides, if either of us is supposed to complain. I should be the one since I tag along with you.” Wearing sunglasses, Nick swirled a cup of coffee in his paw.

“You don’t have to say that. I’ve felt bad already.” Judy sighed, feeling blameworthy that she was a reason the fox was punished as well… He would not let her go through hard time alone. That sort of made her happy, yet also built up a guilt.

“Hey, we are duo through thick ’n thin no matter what, Carrots. And where is your positivity? Couple of years ago, you still found a way to challenge ourselves doing this kind of tasks. Aren’t ya gonna write hundreds of tickets or something?” This was not the first time they were assigned a parking duty together but as Nick stated, Judy used to bring out a spirit to any assignments.

“I will if it’s possible! Look! There are scarcely few cars on street!” The bunny pointed out their surroundings. Road was clear, not many cars running or parking, which was probably what they expected when Bogo intended to keep them far from the battleground. Therefore, he gave them this disciplinary penalty for acting stubborn.

“Consider this taking things slow then.” The tod sip his coffee. “Snarlbucks blueberry coffee is delish.”

    Judy put on a half-smile. She loved her partner’s blueberry obsession but the smile turned to frown. “How can I slow down? The city is-”

“Go ahead, patrol, Judy, my dear.” Old lady voice attracted the doe’s attention, causing rabbit ears to flick. Judy turned around to greet. “Officer Mabel!” An elderly female goat meter maid, walking with a cane, waved the hand to greet back. “Don’t be worried. I can cover for you two. It has been a light work since nobody dares to roam the streets anyway.” said Mabel.

    Judy grinned and ran to open the driver door of police car. “Thank you, Officer Mabel! Call us if anything happens! Nick! Get in a car!” The bunny ordered, yet Nick tarried. “Hang on~ I wanna appreciate some peaceful moments more-” He was going to take another sip.  A door of passenger seat was opened from the inside, a bunny paw reached out and grabbed his tie. “Hurry!” Judy crawled from driver seat to passenger seat and opened the door to get her partner who struck a pose outside the cruiser. She dragged him in. The fox staggered into a car. “Mah coffee!” almost dropped his cup. They closed the doors in unison then the doe started the engine.

“Good luck” Mabel wished two officers luck as they departed.

- .... .. -.-. -.- / .- -. -.. / - .... .. -.

    After hours of patrolling around Downtown and Rainforest district, both arrived at Cliffside Asylum. There were a group of mammals yelling at a guard. Bunny cop turned off the engine to take a look.

“You folks ain’t allowed to come in here!” A wolf guard stopped teenage camera crew at the gate. The crew was consisted of bear, fox, rabbit, raccoon and skunk.

“C’mon! We’re not messing around!” A bear, holding a camera, shouted. A skunk flipped a script and assisted protesting. “We’re here to film a documentary.” Juveniles clamored. A rabbit buck brought out a phone to record a video. “This building is wicked! It was involved in former-mayor Lionheart mammal abduction and Savage-”

“No video!” The guard swatted buck’s phone away, standing ground to say no to the youngsters.

    Judy monitored the fuss, speaking nonspecifically. “Ever since then, this place has been forbidden. Suspicious-”

“Hold your horses! Forget about investigation. Even the high ranked police strenuously get a warrant.” Removing his shades, Nick interjected. The mentioned fact distressed the doe. She moaned while staring out the window. Shortly afterwards, Judy jerked, making Nick flinched. He shifted his focus to the same direction as his partner, spotting other raccoon going through the gate when wolf guard was busy dealing with camera crew.

“The thing is, you don’t need a warrant if you have probable cause-” Judy stated then Nick added promptly. “And you saw a potential criminal sneaking in.”

“Bingo~” The doe exclaimed. “Sly bunny~” Tod commented.

“Let’s go. And don’t forget your driver!” She said.

“How can you carry it with you all the time?” He questioned. “I have my own method.” Bunny responded. Nick and Judy got off the car and used this chance while the guard being distracted to sneak into the complex.

    Inside the asylum, which had dramatically changed, wrecked and abandoned, demolished walls, ceilings and floors, equipments and stuff scattering all over the place, blood stain…, the raccoon intruder held a flashlight in his mouth as he rummaged through a crumbled laboratory. “Where is it? Geez...” Raccoon expressed annoyance. He kept searching though his jaw felt sore from holding the flashlight. But he turned down the light and ducked under a table when he heard some noise, peeping who or what was coming. Two police officers, fox and rabbit, more than enough to identify who they are, scouted about. Nick pointed at one direction and moved his paw in and out, suggesting he should go that way. Judy shook her head to reject Nick’s suggestion. She pointed at Nick, drew her paw in and tapped her chest with index finger, advising him not to separate but stick together.

Shoot! Cops!! At least, it’s mammal. I can grab it quickly and get out of here before- Speaking of the devil, the most terrifying thing Raccoon wished he did not encounter emerged.

    The partner’s ears captured a scream. They rushed to the source of sound, surprisingly bumping against the intruder. Apparently, he was fleeing from something and there was no need to guess because it followed the raccoon not far behind. Its pupils were glowing in the dark. The duo instantly perceived what it was.

“RunRunRunRunRun!!” Judy commanded incessantly. They raced down the hallway, avoiding tripping concrete wreckage.

“Still some left in here? Good grief~” Nick grumbled.

“Savage ...” Judy called a monster that was after them, the mammal-like purple creatures which had threatened Zootopia since one year ago, their behavior resembled the fierce feral animals. Therefore, they were named Savage. This one looked similar to a jaguar. However, it had the exoskeleton covering its body and a strip of long fur lined down its spine. Its saliva dripped everywhere while it was chasing police and civilian on all four.

“Bunny! Aren’t you a cop? Shoot it!” Raccoon bawled.

“I have only tranq gun and it doesn’t work on them!” Judy’s lethal weapon was confiscated when she received an assignment that those types of weapons are not necessary.

“Use mine.” Nick gave Judy a pistol. “H-How?” Puzzled, the doe inquired. Subsequently, tod riposted. “I’m not the one getting punished. remember?” Both beamed at each other. Judy grasped Nick’s pistol. It is a bit too big for her paws but she could work on it. Nick offered his firearm since Judy is a better shooter than him. She started firing on Savage which was pursuing them.

“For the last time, no means no! You can’t go in-” The wolf guard addressed the final warning to the teenagers before ears perked up to catch the roar from the asylum. Wolf rotated to get a glimpse, three mammals running away from Jaguar Savage . “Okay, you kids do whatever you please. I gonna call SCU.” Guard and camera crew split.

“You! That way!” Judy told the raccoon, pointing different direction. They made it out of building, still Savage kept hunting them.

“Don’t leave me, Coppah!” He whined. Nick swiftly corrected raccoon’s thought. “We will decoy that monster. Now, go!” Fox stressed. The raccoon hesitated. He eventually escaped to hide around the corner of the asylum.

“Finally, we’re left alone.” The doe heaved a sigh of relief. “Ready, partner?” She stopped abruptly, so did the tod. They about-faced the monster and brought out the devices. “Here we go again” Nick was mentally prepared. Both put them over the front middle of waist.

    The devices are identical, arm-sized black machine with purple 1.25 inch diameter flat circle at the center, maroon motorcycle handlebar on the right half and silver syringe having a 45 degree tilt. The devices extended the belt to wrap around the wearer's waist.

    Nick pulled the syringe which has spring mechanism. It was drawn back automatically after he let it go. “ DRAW BLOOD ” Nick’s device spoke robotically. Blood filled in Nick’s syringe then it teleported into the syringe of Judy’s device. Judy pressed the syringe which sprang out on its own. “ INJECT ” Judy’s device spoke robotically as well. Fox’s blood was injected into rabbit. He fell asleep standing up, lying unconsciously on the ground.

    Savage was charging at the duo. Rabbit uttered. “Transform!” Then she twisted the device’s handle anticlockwise with her right paw. “ IGNITE ” Judy’s device spoke. The handle was twisted back by the spring mechanism. It released purple steam, followed by the hot purple mist explosion. Savage halted, viewing the mist swallowing the bunny whole. In the thick fog, device core illuminated, two amethyst headlamps shone up where Judy eyes are. The mist was fading, revealing a flamingo red full suit head-to-toe bio armoured Hybrid between a fox and a rabbit, obvious Judy’s body type, soft metal long rabbit ears, red long fluffy fox tail made of spikes instead of fur, light green torso with blue stripe on front dividing left and right, grayish-tan lower body except flamingo red feet, stylish headlights for eyes and fangs with a pair of buck teeth pattern on muzzle.

    Savage ’s instinct commanded it to assault the new threat. The monster stormed towards the armoured figure. Hybrid sprinted off, dodging to the right side, landing a right hook on Jaguar Savage ’s shoulder, knee bashing its throat. Savage angled its head upward. Hybrid palm struck monster’s chin.

“You punch like a bunny.” Judy jestingly criticized Nick who chuckled at a pun. How can he help it? He was literally in the bunny body…

    The monster bounced back, trying to attack the fox-mixed rabbit once again. Judy protracted the right paw claw, pivoting 360 degree, lacerating Savage’s face. It bellowed in agony. “And you are ferocious.” Tod remarked. “Like a fox~” Doe added. “Oy! That’s all you. Tenderness runs in my blood.” He protested.

    Savage veered off, hurtling toward a defenseless sleeping fox. Nick gasped “It’s going after my body!” He panicked. Judy pushed the syringe. “ ACTIVATE ” The belt voiced. Hybrid zoomed at an incredible pace, breaking through the wind, each step sent the dust flying everywhere, catching up with the monster in a trice. Hybrid hopped, trampling on Savage ’s back. It paused due to a severe blow, giving an opportunity for Hybrid to retrieve Nick’s body. Judy was carrying the fox to the side of building. She laid him down where it must be safe from harm. “Dang! I look good even when I’m napping.~” Nick complimented his presence. He rubbed his chin but Judy intervened. “Cut it out already! We’re far from done with that Savage.”

    When Hybrid returned, the monster had disappeared. “See! We’ve lost it!” The doe blamed the tod. “Relax, Carrots.” Nick pushed the syringe. “ ACTIVATE ” Hybrid’s ears perked up, harking the sounds of environment, tracing its location. “That way!” Duo shouted.

- .-. .- -. ... ..-. --- .-. --

    Jaguar Savage escaped from Cliffside Asylum and reached South Canyon. However, a trope of armed mammals were blocking a road. They were wearing tactical gears, bulletproof uniforms and face shield helmets, SCU logos are embroidered on back and right chest.

“Ready!” A white stallion signaled. SCU agents rifles properly. He continued. “Aim!” They target Savage . “Fire!” Horse bawled. The agents opened fire on the monster. It stood sideways to avoid the probable damages. Its shell deflected the bullets yet it began to fracture after the several hits. SCU team is specialized in exterminating Savage. They hastened to track down and eliminate the target as soon as they were contacted by a wolf. The jaguar was about to withdraw. “Quick! If it climbs up that hill, we won’t be able to follow it!” Stallion warned.

“Mine Mine Mine Mine~” The repeated yelling earned agents’ attention. It was as loud as or even louder than the gunshot noise. They stopped shooting to take a gaze. A weird rabbit knight was heading towards their way. Actually, it was the running bio armoured bunny fox hybrid. “Don’t ya steal my kill!” said Nick. Judy twisted the device’s handle anticlockwise again. “ CRITICAL BREAK ” Hybrid accelerated to the point of becoming a red blur with amethyst light lines alongside from the eyes. Hybrid leaped when getting close enough to Savage and roll front flip in mid-air. The partners double kicked the monster’s flank. The impact shattered its exoskeleton. The protracted bunny feet claws were inserted through the shell cracks, digging in Savage ’s flesh. Hybrid shoved the monster away, landing backflip on a ground. Every part of Savage was evaporating as it was dying.

    SCU gaped at an armoured mammal. “Applause~ Applause~ No need to thank me~ Just doing my job.” Nick babbled. “Freeze, Hybrid !” They did not get a round of applause. Instead, the agents were pointing the rifles at Hybrid . “I would love to stay but… Gotta dash!” Nick waved a paw. Judy, giggling at a fox’s frisky nature, took control of the body, skedaddling. Horse directed. “Fire tranq dart! Fire!” They shot nonstop at Hybrid, who pressed the syringe, “ACTIVATE” vanishing into thin air. “We lost them again!” White horse neighed after Hybrid evaded the special force once again without any traces.

“Let’s meet at the car.” Judy advised, holing up over the hill despite being on the road below merely second ago. “Roger~ See ya, Carrots~” Nick agreed. She pulled the syringe. Blood was drawn and teleported to other syringe as Judy detransformed. The suit let out purple steam then disappeared. Her body and clothes were back to the state before Nick and she fought the monster together.

.- --. .- .. -.

“Hello, this is Jim Tuck.” Just invading the prohibited area, saved by police and hiding behind the side of asylum from the monster, the raccoon made a phone call. “No, I haven’t got a thing yet-” He jerked away from his phone because his interlocutor brawled aggressively. “What was I supposed to do!? Savage almost killed me! Look! Just give me more time, okay?” He stayed silent for seconds, hearing the answer. “Good! Deal! Bye!” He hung up and sighed.

“Tough luck huh?” The voice startled Jim. He turned to find the fox officer. Jim tried to bolt but the tod could seize raccoon’s wrist first. “Chill out~ I’m not here to arrest you. In fact, I think I can lend you a paw...” Nick apprised.

- --- / -... . / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- . -..

[recentanimenews]

Visiting the Real Life Ramen Restaurants from Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles [Part 2]

Ramen Week is unfortunately officially over now, and Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles is heading towards its mouthwatering finale this week, but that doesn’t mean I can’t dish out another real life comparison article for the show. After last week’s culinary excursion to a sardine-heavy ramen shop in Shinjuku, it’s now time to head to the place where it all began – Asakusa. There are several tales about the origin of Japanese ramen, and its history is still highly debated today, but one of them states that the popular dish originated right here in Asakusa, more than 100 years ago, during the Meiji period. In 1910, a local Chinese-style restaurant called Rairaiken, which employed Chinese cooks, was allegedly the first to make soy sauce ramen with char siu and bamboo shoots, coming pretty close to modern ramen. At least, that’s the version that Koizumi believes in, and nobody is more knowledgeable than her when it comes to ramen. The ramen restaurant in today’s article, called Yoroiya, honors this history of Asakusa as the birthplace of ramen, so let’s get going!

    Before heading off to lunch, Yuu, Yun, and Misa first do a little sightseeing in the area, passing by several of Asakusa’s landmarks. Misa is posing in front of the famous Sensoji Temple’s Hozomon gate here, the inner one of the two large entrance gates that lead to the temple. While not as famous as the outer Kaminarimon, which can be considered the symbol of Asakusa, the Hozomon gate also features a large red chochin lantern, weighing 400kg.

    The 250 meter-long street leading up to the temple is the Nakamise Shopping Street, which is lined with dozens of tourist souvenir shops. And as Yuu correctly states in the anime, the street is usually immensely crowded.

    Knowing Yuu, she probably prayed for a chance encounter with Koizumi.

    They then also draw their fortunes, called omikuji, which are Japanese fortune-telling paper strips. Here’s how it works: First you have to pay 100 yen (almost one US dollar), and then you get to shake the metal container filled with the numbered sticks you see on the table here. Draw one of the sticks and check the number on it, and then take one of the fortune papers out of the corresponding drawers you see in the back (while wishing for the best). Take any good fortune home with you, but be sure to tie bad fortunes to one of the nearby poles on the temple grounds. I unfortunately only got a regular fortune, while a friend of mine drew a bad one without tying it up later on, so he’s probably doomed. Sadly, we don’t get to see the girls’ fortunes, and it’s hard to tell from Yun’s facial expression.

    Even the exact board with face cutouts exists in a nearby side street, next to the Nishi-sando Shopping Street.

    And a trip to the nearby miniature amusement park shouldn’t be missed either! The Hanayashiki Amusement Park is one of the oldest in Japan, being open since 1853, and is still running a 60-year-old rollercoaster.

    Other attractions include a Ferris wheel, haunted house, and the Space Shot, all of which the girls try out in the anime.

    Standing in front of the amusement park is this surprisingly popular panda atop a post box. Hordes of people were taking selfies with the adorable thing, so many that I walked the whole street up and down until I finally gave in, and properly lined up to get my own photo of it.

    And finally, after a long day of sightseeing and amusement parks, it’s now time for what the show is all about: ramen. The girls head to Yoroiya, located in one of the side streets of the Nakamise Shopping Street, which is relatively easy to spot due to the life-size mannequin atop of the store. There was quite a long line in front of the shop, so I had to wait around at least 15 minutes to get a seat at the place.

    Here you had to pay at a counter first, and I obviously ordered the same thing as Yuu did, the Umesio Ramen, which cost 800 Yen (around $7.50). The ramen was fairly basic, with the toppings including a piece of char siu pork and bamboo shoots. The standout items here were definitely the two umeboshi (pickled plums), which you either hate or love.

    Apparently, this was also the location of the old Rairaiken shop – the said birthplace of ramen – and as Koizumi mentions in the anime, the Asakusa-born owner still continues to honor the history of the place by maintaining the old nostalgic taste.

    I overall quite liked the dish, as you can probably guess from the picture above, but as already stated, it was fairly basic and not really something out of the ordinary. But Yoroiya is definitely worth a visit if you are in the area and in the mood for a belly-filling anime pilgrimage. 

Be sure not to miss the finale of Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles this week!

    Read part 1 here. 

  Would you want to try these ramen, and do you like pickled plums? Let us know in the comments below!

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Wilhelm is an anime tourist, who loves to search for and uncover the real-world spots he sees in anime. You can talk with him on Twitter @Surwill. 

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com