#potentially longer

[itspikamefan]

Save the Tiger (Grateful for what we have)

(I am HEARTWRENCHED by today's episodes. They have absolutely broken me. Not sure if I'll get this out by the end of today but regardless let's take our eyes off Harada and Hama for a minute and focus a little more on Chiba and... Ya know)

Breakfast and Lunch both came and went without much trouble for Chiba. The day was oddly quiet... Especially when Adrenaline was being pumped in through the ventilation.

Hayashi decided to permanently keep watch on Yanagi, with Watari and Tamba tagging in whenever she needed to grab food or water for him. Wada still hasn't woken up due to the motive, though Tsuno still tries her best to take care of him and Kamimura... Ojima, Harada, Hama, Okazaki, and Hasegawa are all off each doing... Something by themselves. Chiba didn't know. That only left...

Nakamigawa...

Chiba began to worry about Hiroaki's disappearance, especially with most of everyone having failed to noticed him gone. Eventually, however, as she went to the Nurse's office for some disinfetant, she noticed a strange small light behind the door.

Quietly peeking in, Airi saw Nakamigawa sitting cross-legged on the floor, candles surrounding his body as he seemed to be in quiet thought. On the bed in front of him, a small notebook laid open, on the left... Handwriting that looked vaguely familiar to Chiba. And on the right... .... ... Oh...

"Sasaki-chan..." Airi mumbles.

"GAH!" Hiroaki jumps, nearly knocking over the candles. "Jeez, Chiba. You ever learned to knock?!"

"I'm sorry... I just wanted to come get some disinfectant... And then I saw you..."

"Yeah, well, it's on the left cabinet. I can grab some down if your stupid stub legs can't reach it."

"...Are you holding a funeral?"

"I... What?" Hiroaki stops, his expression softening.

"For Sasaki-chan... When she died... No one gave her any remembrance... But that's what you're doing right now... Right?"

"I... How did you?"

"You drew her face in the Notebook... It looks nice..."

"...Well, thank Takeshi. He's been teaching me how to draw them. I was shit at faces before but… He’s got a certain way to see the world.”

"...Can I join you? I promise I'll be quiet. I just... wanted to get a chance to say Goodbye..."

"...Yeah. Sure." Hiroaki sighs.

Chiba quietly walks over to Hiroaki, sitting outside the ring of Candles as she stares up at Sasaki's memorial. She quietly lowered her head and closed her eyes, taking a moment to really take it all in...

Hitomi-chan... She was a bit strict at times... But Chiba never suspected what we she was feeling. All the stress she put on herself... All the exhaustion that continued to overwhelm her... Day after day... The tears she spelt when begging for her life. Not that of a Girl Scared of Punishment, but of a Remorseful Woman who wanted to make things right... Even though she knew she couldn't.

And yet... Behind all that, Chiba always felt something deeper. Like Sasaki had a side of her everyone never got to see, due to the Killing Game... The Motive... And the short time we were forced to endure together... She wondered... Was Sasaki-chan really all that bad?

"...You wanna say a few words?" Hiroaki asks.

"Hmm?" Chiba looks up, her thoughts still at the edge of her mind.

"Talk to her... Say anything you didn't get to say."

"...Sure."

Chiba stands up and quietly walks over to the Memoriam. She looks into the eyes of Sasaki's picture... Her sharp eyes staring back into Chiba's soul.

"Hitomi... I know we never got to talk much... For obvious reasons. I... never quite got the chance to figure out what kind of person you were. But... You seemed Smart... And well-intentioned at least. I know you didn't want to kill anyone... You were just scared. I'm not saying you were right for doing it... But I can understand why... So.... I forgive you."

Hiroaki's eyebrows raise at that final statement, intrigued by Chiba's statement.

"Obviously I don't think you killing Isono was the right thing, I don't forgive you for that. You took Isono's life from her... But, at the trial, when you tried to mislead us... Even if you didn't know whether or not we would all be killed on your escape... I... I understand. You were scared... You had committed something horrible, and your clock was ticking... So... I forgive you. For trying to mislead us. I know most people would try to do the same... And you weren't trying to kill all of us... You just didn't want to die... And... I'm sorry... I'm sorry you had to suffer through all this alone."

"...Damn. That was well put together." Hiroaki mumbles.

"...Thank you." Chiba whispers, sitting back down.

There are a few more moments of tranquil silence, the room illuminated by the quiet light of the Candles as Sasaki's picture watched over the two Ultimates. Both of whom were attacked... And both who would live to see another day... For Isono's... And for her sake.

"...Thanks for coming to do this. I usually do this shit alone, but having someone else... I dunno... Makes me feel like I'm not alone in this..."

"You're welcome." Chiba nods.

Hiroaki sighs. "Well... How you holding up?"

"Huh?"

"Your arm, you said you came to get disinfectant. I assume that means it's still injured pretty bad. You holding up alright?"

"Oh... Yeah. I'm fine. It stings a little, but not as much as last night."

"We really need to sort out that vent thing. If you cut yourself on that metal again, we're gonna have a real issue."

"I'll be more careful next time. I promise." Chiba insists.

"How did you even fail to see the metal? It wasn't THAT Dark in the vents, was it?"

Chiba suddenly tensed up. She hadn't been expecting people to ask further questions. Most times, whenever she lied, people took it at face value. She was an actor, after all. People were easily convinced.... Shit.

"I-I was distracted. I heard noises and was curious. I wasn't focused."

Hiroaki narrows his eyes, suspicious. "From where?"

"T-the Library? I think?"

"So you heard noises coming up from the Library, and though you could investigate it from the floor on the vent below?"

"U-uh... Yeah?"

"...You lying bitch." Hiroaki mutters, his eyes widening. "You made that whole story up!"

"W-what?! No I didn't!"

"You're stuttering! People aren't usually telling the truth when they stutter!"

"M-maybe I'm just nervous cause you're pressuring me!!!"

"Bullshit! What the hell happened in there?!"

"I already told you!"

"Liar!" Hiroaki growls, standing up. "You're willing to vent to me about all the little feelings towards the woman that tried to kill us, but you aren't willing to tell the people that care about you about stuff that might actually be important?!"

"It's not like that!"

"Then what the hell is it, Airi?!"

"I can't tell you!"

"Why not?!"

"Cause you'll hurt her!!!"

"And?! If they're willing to try and attack you while you're doing your damndest to escape, they deserve to be hurt!!!"

"No!"

Hiroaki's fed up. He grabs Chiba by the arm and pulls up her sleeve, unwrapping the bandages, much to Chiba's dismay.

"Three Scratch Marks... Aimed directly on the under side of the Forearm. If your arm were facing like that, you'd be protecting something... You'd be protecting..." HIroaki trails off as his eyes widen.

"H-hiroaki?!"

"...I'm gonna kill that fucking Tiger."

"NO!" Chiba struggles, and kicks Hiroaki in the jewels. Hiroaki howls and drops the Star, letting her run and block the door.

"I won't let you hurt her!" Chiba calls out.

"Out of my fucking way brat!" Hiroaki snaps.

"No! She didn't do anything wrong! It's just the Motive!"

"Who the hell cares?! It was a shit idea for fucking Let's Go Diego to bring that fucking animal into a fucking school in the first place! But now that cat's trying to fucking kill you?! No fucking way!"

"Leave her alone!" Chiba cries.

"If you don't let me end that fucking cat in te next two second, I'll make sure you'll never climb that stupid rope again!"

"If you kill me, you'll die! And you'll never get out of here!"

"I never said that. I'll just break your stupid fucking legs, so your stupid brat ass can NEVER-"

"NAKAMIGAWA!!!"

The argument is suddenly silenced by a loud shout. Hiroaki and Chiba turn to the door. Ojima is standing just outside, his face filled with rage. Chiba allows him to enter reluctantly as the Illustrator storms in.

"What the hell did you just say?!?!" Ojima snaps.

"I-I wasn't-"

"Why the hell were you threatening to hurt Chiba?!"

"I- The Tiger... Chiba she fucking... This brat doesn't know what's good for her!"

"I do! Stop treating me like a stupid kid!" Chiba snaps.

"If you're trying to protect her, then why did you threaten to break her legs?!"

"Because she's trying to get herself killed!!!"

"That's your solution?! Not to talk it out, or try and explain what's right?!"

"I tried to explain! But this stupid brat refuses to listen!!!"

Chiba huffs and turns away from Hiroaki, angry tears streaming from her face.

Takeshi sighs. "Nakamigawa... Go to your room. Don't do any rash shit. I'll talk to Chiba and get to the bottom of things. Then, we can talk about what to do next. Instead of you trying to take action on your own."

"I- ...Fuck." Hiroaki growls as he storms off, his face raging as he stomps off to his dorm.

Ojima turns around and leans down to Chiba. "Hey... I'm sorry about that. I know it sounded like it... But he didn't mean any of it. Adrenaline's a bitch, right?" Ojima jokes.

Chiba refuses to turn around, her rage still at the forefront of her mind.

Ojima sighs. "Look... You mind telling me what happened? I promise I won't do what Hiroaki did. I'll hear you out... And I won't do anything as rash. I promise."

"...She didn't mean it." Chiba mumbles.

"Hmm? 'She'?"

Chiba turns around, tears still streaming down, though those now tears of sadness. "Sawa... She just got too excited... And Harada. He tried to stop her. She didn't want to hurt me... And I didn't want to hurt her either. It was an accident."

"... Is that why your arm is cut?"

Chiba nods, wiping her eyes. "I didn't want to hide it. I just didn't want Sawa to get hurt because of me."

"That's very noble... But also dangerous. If you don't tell us the truth, and Sawa gets riled up again, we won't know what she'll be capable of. We don't have to hurt Sawa... But we need you to tell us the truth... Ok?" Chiba hesitates, before letting out a solemn. "Mmhmm..."

"Good... I'm glad you're ok Chiba." Ojima mutters, wrapping Chiba in a hug.

The actor hugs him back, taking a moment to compose herself. The room is silent, the candles from Sasaki's funeral still flickering as the two calm themselves in solemn silence.

Finally, Takeshi breaks the hug off. "Now, I'm gonna go talk to Ojima for a bit. Then, I want to meet you in the library."

"How come?" Chiba asks.

"I want to show you your story." Ojima smiles.

"You finished?!" Chiba says, her mood perking up as she smiles at Ojima.

"Yup! Though, if you want, we could try adding even more to the story, or even start a new one!"

"Yes, yes! Another story!" Chiba smiles.

"Right! Well, I'll be waiting for you there!"

"Yeah! I got so many ideas! I can't wait to share them with you!"

"I look forward to it!" Ojima gives Chiba a final wave as he exits the room, presumably to calm Hiroaki down.

As Chiba is left in the dark office once again, she turns back to the funeral set up for Sasaki... She quietly blows out the candles and gently sets the candles on the desk, making sure each flame is extinguished. Then, she grabs the Notebook and gently closes it, before setting it next to the candles. She writes a small note, asking whoever finds it to return the notebook and other items to Sasaki's room.

Finally, Chiba approaches the door, and turns around, looking at the empty hall.... She gives a small wave to the room, before closing the door behind her, allowing her to, if only temporarily, give closure to this chapter of her life...

(TO BE CONTINUED)

[ratlingrun]

I don’t care whether you like rooster teeth or not the idea of deleting 21 years of media should be incredibly concerning

[maskofnova]

⚡Sparring Partners🔥

[lotus-pear]

mourning black and the death of ideals

[ducktracy]

there are a lot of evil people in the world and a lot of darkness in the world and so it’s very important for me to stress that now more than ever is the time to spread kindness and compassion. combat the evil by not only not partaking in it, but actively refuting it. destroy the notion that being compassionate or generous or kind to someone is uncool or embarrassing or even scary. be the change you want to see. start a chain reaction. positivity only breeds more positivity. do an act of kindness for someone so that that person who is too afraid to do it themselves can see you, realize that they’re not alone, and perhaps sheepishly follow your example. and then the next person who is too afraid but sees that person can do the same. when bad news comes out about bad people or horrible atrocities in the world it’s such an easy impulse to despair, and obviously it’s important to feel what you need to feel. grieve. be angry. be sorrowful. be empathetic. but dust off your pants and get up and be a part of a chain reaction that, no matter how small the scale, and spread compassion and love and care. all the reasons why you might not—“it’s hard! it’s scary! people will make fun of me! it’s useless because there’s too much evil!” are all grade A arguments as to why you should. you have no idea how many people you could inspire to do the same. even if it doesn’t get you anyway far, you can at least say you have the nobility of trying. please choose love and please choose life. you are worth loving and you are worth inspiring others to love

[reksink]

A Gaggle of Masks

[cringefail-clown]

sum early porrim concepts for ultkri au. well see if it sticks

[ruporas]

good mornings throughout the travel

[ID: Two comics of Vash and Wolfwood from Trigun Maximum. The second is underneath the read more.

The first is in four panels and follows Vash and Wolfwood through hotel rooms. First, Vash and Wolfwood exit adjacent rooms, and Wolfwood has sparkles floating around him as he exclaims, “Rise and shine! Ready to go?” Vash frowns, displeased, and says, Urk— Good morning to you too.”

Next, they’re in a room with two beds. Wolfwood is awake and fully dressed. He’s sitting on the bed and smoking, back turned away from the viewer and he says, “Wake up already, sleepyhead.” Vash sits up with his eyes still closed and yawns before saying good morning. After that, they’re sharing a bed, and Wolfwood gets up and says, “Morning, sunshine. Time to get up.” His body shadows Vash from the sunlight. Vash is still lying down with a blanket draped over him as he mumbles good morning.

Finally, they’re embracing in bed, both shirtless. Sunlight shines on them, but their contact allows their shadows to drape over their faces. Vash smiles, kisses the top of Wolfwood’s head, and says, “Good morning, Wolfwood.” Wolfwood sleepily says, “Mph, g’morning, needle-noggin’,” snuggling into on Vash’s shoulder. End ID] ID CREDIT

TRIMAX Vol. 10 Spoilers under read more // bonus comic

[ID: The bonus comic starts with Vash asleep in bed, fully clothed with his hair half-black. Someone says “Good morning,” and Vash says, “Morning, Wolf—w...” He trails off as Livio, holding a plate of food, stares with abject shock.

Livio says, “I’m sorry.” Vash, smiling but sweating, says, “No, it’s my bad...” Livio repeats, “I’m sorry.” Vash says, “Geez, stop apologizing,” and cuts off Livio’s “I—” with a “Good morning, Livio.” Livio quietly mumbles, “... Good morning...”

Vash sits up from the couch he was sleeping on and looks down, thinking, “... That’s right. I won’t wake up to you anymore... I have to get used to that...” End ID]

[thatshadowgastwhore]

You can make an argument that any big three kid is the oldest, except for Jason.

Like, biologically, Percy has aged the most, he’s physically 17, which is more than any of the rest of them has reached

Thalia has mentally aged/matured the most, even if she stopped biologically aging at 15 years and 364 days, and should chronologically be in her 20s but spent some time as a tree where she aged slower.

Chronologically, Hazel was born the longest time from the present day, but she also died, and was in the underworld for decades before being resurrected, so that time didn’t really count for her, and she’s physically like 14.

Nico has been alive for the most time, but for 70 years he was in a place where he couldn’t physically age. He’s like…15 now and is aging normally, but has been alive since world war 2.

And then there’s Jason. Who had no wacky time shenanigans and died and didn’t come back. (Yet) honestly, an outlier who should not have been counted

[lightbulb-warning]

today i offer you prompts 11-20 for isat month!! ignore your calendar THANKYUUUU <3

[joyfulhottubfuntik]

Forever thinking about the period of time before Stan fully regained his memory. Especially from Ford's perspective. Because, like, that's the brother he has just now almost lost and he is so immensely grateful that he hasn't. But here he is, watching their grand niblings and Soos tell Stan all kinds of stories about the time they spent together. And Ford realises that, aside from their childhood, he doesn't have anything to add. Because of course he mattered to Stan SO much. He knows that now, even if he failed to recognise that before. But his role in Stan's life has been mostly defined by his absence and the pain that it caused. So here Ford is, absolutely refusing to leave his brother's side but also being... well, not unable, just not ready to help. Because helping would mean having to tell Stan that they had been apart for most of their lives for reasons that were partly Ford's fault. And of course this won't last long and Ford will eventually tell his brother what happened between them and they will get over it. But for a short but painful while Ford sees a Stan who only remembers Soos and the kids, a Stan who is for once genuinely carefree and happy and wonders, whether maybe it's better this way, maybe that's his punishment for all of his wrongdoings. That maybe he deserves to have one of the very few people who have ever mattered to him remember everyone but him. That maybe Stan deserves to have his family back, but Ford does not.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

In Regards To Your 2024 Summary:

Holy shit it’s been another year????? The hell?????

Also! Your art style is gorgeous and that being found in 2023 and then refined throughout late 2023 and the entirety of 2024 really shows, as does your growth in panel layouts, perspective, and — as you said — experimentation. If you ever post your animation or video game art I’m looking forward to it.

As cheesy as it sounds, being able to laugh at funny comics and look at all the details of your art really made my 2024 brighter, even when things were hard. Including looking at your older art— it doesn’t need to be new to be enjoyable! I’m glad your art is well loved and it’s a privilege to have been here since the (near) beginning. I hope you take care of yourself in 2025 and beyond!

You and your art bring a lot of people a lot of joy never forget that <3

Thank you so much for keeping up with my art journey throughout these last two years! Two years!!! I am baffled at how that feels both too long and too short!

Admittedly, my art summary didn't manage to capture the fact that I did a lot of comic layouts that I'm really proud of. I also drew more backgrounds and made some very detailed works (*Dungeon Meshi spoilers for these examples*).

The growth is lot more evident when comparing my 'best' comics of 2023 to 2024:

Sometimes the growth is vertical, sometimes it is horizontal - and damn, sometimes it goes out of sight into the Z-plane. But it is always happening!

[serpentface]

Wardin provincial tax magistrate on the annual Apomalo Tlinya (phrase close in meaning to 'journey of the late (autumn) sun'), which is a tax collection tour.

His station is marked by his white cloak, royal blue belt, gullfeather khattanocuy, the ability to bear a sword, and a scroll containing documents stamped with the Usoma's seal confirming his identity and authority. He does not travel alone, but is accompanied by a large retinue of scribes, soldiers, advisors, and servants.

All citizens have tax obligations regardless of class, and these are owed primarily in grain and livestock. This is based in this internal economy being predominantly a barter system (with its coin currency having direct value as precious metals and serving as a means of establishing fixed values for various trade goods) and heavily reliant on agricultural goods. It is significantly more difficult to evade or cheat on taxes when what you owe can be established by sight, measured in hard to miss livestock and fields of crops.

As such, taxes are collected via annual tours in which these magistrates (personally appointed by the Usoma and collecting in his name) tour their lands in person. The Apomalo Tlinya serves multiple purposes. It is primarily a method of collecting tax, but also doubles as a way to assess a province's agricultural wealth and well-being as a whole and to take an official census of the population.

This routine act of taxation has been integrated into official religious practice, being looped in with the bounty of the harvest season and thanksgiving to the face Inyamache for having provided the necessary long summer sunlight as the days grow shorter. The actual Apomalo Tlinya begins upon the official celebrations of the New Maize day in each capital city (usually observed on a separate day at the actual end of the harvest for each village), where the festival ends with the tax party leaving the city in procession. The magistrate always ceremonially rides a red bull khait, bearing a solar disk framed by royal dual-viper insignia on its horns. The bull's journey is compared to the ideal seasonal behavior of the sun, generating new life out of rain-fertile earth and then 'dying' after the harvest to allow for the rains to come. Villages who host the Apomalo Tlinya entourage each night experience a fringe benefit via permission to introduce any receptive mares to the bull and possibly get some (very valuable) calves out of it. The bull will be sacrificed at the end of the journey in a final act of thanksgiving, in hopes this offering will help ensure the next year is bountiful.

The attempted veneer of solar thanksgiving and harvest cheer aside, the Apomalo Tlinya visit is enjoyed by just about no one (except for perhaps the people lucky enough to get a pretty khait calf out of it), as it entails the personal loss of some of this aforementioned harvest. Nobility owe SUBSTANTIALLY higher taxes than commoners (given that they are considered to Own the majority of the crops/livestock, which is only Tended by their land's peasants), though the actual tax burden is proportionately steeper on the peasantry (whose tax obligations will come primarily out of their allotted share of the harvest, and/or any livestock they raise on the side). Taxes don't tend to be outright devastating in years with average crop yields, but an already bad year can be made ruinous by this visit. The timing also coincides with seasonal harvest festivities. A few unlucky villages every year may have their New Maize feast day interrupted by the sound of horns and a small legion of white-clad taxmen bearing down to collect.

Each province has only one tax magistrate, making this a lengthy and logistically complicated undertaking. It begins at the end of the harvest season (late summer), and the rounds may not finish until early winter. While it might be easier to divide these duties among a greater number of less-powerful officials, this allows taxation to remain Relatively centralized and performed by trusted appointees (often friends or relatives of the Usoma himself). This has had side effects of these officials becoming especially powerful individuals within each province, with very little checks in place to prevent corruption (beyond hope for sustained loyalty, often reinforced with special privileges and favors). Flagrant abuse of this system is rare, but more unpopular magistrates are commonly suspected to leverage additional off-the-books taxes for their own personal gain.

[demigods-posts]

reminder that percy's rebellious nature. often linked to the lack of restraint he inherits from his father. could also derive from the abusive and toxic environments he grew up in. and him undermining the authoritative rule of the adults in his life was likely a defense mechanism. because it was the only thing he could control when every aspects of his life felt like someone was plotting his downfall. so.

[vinelark]

I've been going through ur fic recs and after binging through "A Meditation On Railroading" and "The Long Way Home", I'm now obsessed with Jason and Tim. Something about hating each other but not really, all the bad blood and hurt and still becoming brothers bc how couldn't they

I wanted to ask if you know any other fics that are about them?

Thanks! :)

i had to make a real effort to keep this (relatively) short or it would just be hundreds of fics long. here is a very incomplete list of old favs and recent reads! i've definitely rec'd some of them already, but i think others are new to my fic rec tag.   you already mentioned a meditation on railroading and the long way home; i’m linking them again here for anyone else who wants them, because they are two of my favs and would kick off this list if you hadn’t already read them.   robin!jason era   Brother Wanted by Vamillepudding one of the most impressive things a story can do, imo, is pull off a really believable kid/teen pov—this does it twice, for both tim and jason, and it’s one of my fav rereads.

Like a Hinge, Like a Wing by @bonesbuckleup i’ll always be reccing this one; it’s one of my favorite slow-burn hurt/comfort fics, and the tim & jason relationship in this context is very sweet + compelling as they deal with some rough edges unique to this story.

1-800-ROBIN by spqr jason volunteers for a mental health hotline, and this leads to bonding with tim. this has some incredibly tender moments and a great robin!jason pov.   red hood!jason era

cake is a four letter word by @sonosvegliato jason just wants to make a loaf of bread. then tim shows up. i love when a writer nails tim in peak Annoying Mode (❤️).

geolocation by @envysparkler i love a good forced-to-work-together oneshot, and this one gets bonus points for the sheer amount of “actions speak louder than words” going on with every single thing jason does.

Tim in a Bottle by @coyote-nebula (wip) angst and humor galore; tim and jason and their giant pile of unresolved issues all get locked in a walk-in freezer together. need i go on?

the trolley problem by @silk-scarlet-ribbons this is—i say with full appreciation—an absolute pangfest. jason is taken by an enemy, and that enemy has kidnapped a "random civilian" (you guessed it: tim) for leverage to get jason to do what they want. (also check out requiem for the forsaken by the same author, which is the fic that finally got my best friend to start caring about robins with me.)

Short-Term Memory Loss (Leads to Long-Term Sibling) by Vamillepudding a bittersweet + hopeful story in which red hood!jason gets temporarily whammed back to robin!jason, and bonds with tim.

Say Uncle by @megaerakles an incredibly fun twist on tim’s fake uncle with layers upon layers of identity shenanigans.

of crime lords and literature by @adelfie a wonderfully angsty, plotty fic in which tim ends up in danger as himself, and—after a very rocky start—jason is somehow the one who rescues him.

unequipped by Valkirin there’s a lot of jason saving tim on this list, and this story is a delightful reversal of that trope. red hood’s in trouble, and tim shows up to bail him out.

For All The Just Alike Birds by @sunflowersandink tim breaks his arm, and jason makes it his problem. featuring some excellent begrudgingly worried jason pov!

alternate universe

clean it like you mean it by @wynterstars (wip) i adore this jason-joins-the-family late AU; the central robin!tim & sort-of-civilian!jason dynamic is so compelling. marked as a wip, but currently leaves off in a very satisfying place!

[saaraofthesand]

I am deeply suspicious of Dazai’s character because like, he isn’t the protagonist. At all. Atsushi is the protagonist of the main manga and Dead Apple, Akutagawa is the protagonist of BEAST, Kunikida of Dazai’s entrance exam, Oda of the Dark Era, Chuuya of Fifteen and Storm Bringer. And yet, Dazai still sits at the center of all those stories. By all logic, he should not be as important to the story as he is. But here he is, absolutely fundamental to every part of BSD. He moves the plot forward. He is the puppet master, the hidden hand, the author of the narrative. I need to examine this in detail but like, isn’t that a bit weird?