#probably one of the best shoujo manga i've ever read

[zoeysrandomshit]

horimiya's so amazing

my brother was the one who introduced me to this show, and that's probably one of the best things he's ever done. the anime is animated so splendidly, it's so flowy and dynamic, while still having a chill vibe throughout the entire show. the plot in itself is so simple and heartwarming, and makes me fuzzy. the episode in which miyamura's past was presented was so saddening to me personally, but when he realised that people do in fact love and care for him, I felt that deep in my bones. I think I've struggled similar circumstances, though I've never been directly bullied. I haven't watched Horimiya: The Missing Pieces yet, but I presume it's just as well executed. I've read the manga, and it's a bit disappointing they left so many side stories out, specially the sports festival one. it was one of my favourite 'arcs' if you will, and it's such a shame it wasn't animated!! (unless it has been in the new installment, and if it has, I apologise for my ignorance.) the opening theme is so wonderful too, and it introduced me to Yoh Kamiyama, an artist I listen to often now. overall, it's such a feel-good show that makes me feel happy, and is the definition of pure love in my book. if someone somehow encounters this without ever hearing of Horimiya, or have and not watched it, please do!! unless you don't enjoy romance, or coming-age-stories of course. But, if you want to delve deeper into the world of shoujo anime or just romance in general, I think it's a great starting point!!

[fairytale-poll]

ROUND 3C, MATCH 3 OUT OF 4!

Propaganda Under the Cut:

Saki:

Psychic goth girl who was cast as Cinderella in a school play. The play was so poorly cast overall that the entire script had to be rewritten, thus “Cinderella-ish” was born. Hanajima played a Cinderella dressed in all black, and when confronted by the fairy godmother, she simply wished for meat.

idk if this is what you meant by 'acting' as Cinderella but in-universe she got cast as Cinderella in the school play, and the characters ended up re-writing the entire play to work around her because she was too Goth and disinterested to play a classic Cinderella character.

She plays the best version of Cinderella. All she cared about was going to the ball for the barbecue. The episode she's in is a really good one as well.

Overall Saki is not a Cinderella character, but you did say we could submit them if they were Cinderella in an in-universe play, and that she was! In Season 2 Episode 23 "It's Cinderella-ish", her class puts on a production of Cinderella and she ends up getting cast as the titular role, which a lot of other characters think is crazy because she's this straight-faced, emotionally-repressed, exclusively-wears-black kinda girl. Also her best friend Tohru (the anime's protagonist) gets cast as an evil stepsister, and she's one of the sweetest people ever and has so much trouble being mean to Saki even fakely and vice versa. Of course, Saki has no problems being rude to the Prince Charming character in the play, played by Kyo, a guy who's sweet deep down (but only to Tohru and his adoptive father) but is other wise a hot head who's always getting into fights. So between Saki as Cinderella having a genuine love for her stepsister and a general animosity with the prince, in addition to the fact that when she goes to the ball, all she wants to do is eat, not mingle, she makes for a very interesting Cinderella.

so this shoujo series has a storyline where the class puts on a Cinderella play but instead of the heroine playing Cinderella, shenanigans happen that lead to the heroine's goth best friend, Saki Hanajima, aka Hana-chan, aka Demon Queen, playing the lead role. Hana-chan's Cinderella dresses in all black against the wishes of the play's director, does not give 2 shits about the prince, and is just a general menace to society. I know she's probably not gonna win but I just wanted to share her with all of you bc I love her and the Cinderella-ish arc is to this day some of the funniest shit I've seen in a manga

their high school class decided to randomize who played which characters in their production of Cinderella & the creepy goth girl got cast as Cinderella & her painfully kind-hearted bestie got cast as the evil stepsister (among other mismatched roles) so they rewrote the play into "Sorta Cinderella" & Cinderella became a deadpan, lazy girl who only wants the best for her darling step-sister & who only went to the ball for the food.  in the end, instead of marrying the prince she takes his money & opens a restaurant with her sister & I love that for them <3

Cendrillon:

[Mod's Note: Warning for Persona 5 spoilers]

Her Persona is Cinderella. Her story is about disguising herself as another person to gain acceptance.

Her persona is Cendrillon, the French name for Cinderella and the name of an opera based on the story, and it mirrors her arc in the game. When you boil her down to the essentials, she essentially made a wish that was granted by her....... fairy godtherapist to go from pauper (bland and talentless depressed Sumire) to princess (her dead sister Kasumi, bubbly, personable star gymnast). As far as she sees it, even, it's this transformation that helps her 'get the prince' (read: befriend the protagonist). Why should she win, though? Umm because she's my baby my angel my sweetie my cherub specialist character in fiction and most important girl in the universe. Out of love in your heart for me, tumblr user [REDACTED], vote for her.

GOD I LOVE HER SO MUCH ok ok ok everyone here's my autism. Major spoilers as you get closer to the end btw! - She has three personas, in order they go: Cendrion, Vanadis, Ella. The first and last are taken from Cinderella, with Cendrion being the german name for Cinderella, and of course Ella just being a shortened form of Cinderella. - She does gymnastics, although a lot of her phantom thief design is heavily based off of ballet as well! In particular the black swan mimicking the white swan, and while of course that's not cinderella, it does remind me of how Cinderella was treated in the beginnings of the story - Cinderella and her both have major sibling trauma! It's a huge point about her character. Major spoilers, but she pretends to be her older sister Kasumi for most of the game; the sad truth is that she's in fact the younger sister Sumire. She's pretending to be her older sister because she can't deal with the trauma of that day she ran out into traffic and her sister got hit instead of her. (It does not help that her therapist uses eldritch god powers to gaslight her into thinking she is her sister.) - They're both pretty and also I love sumi so much she's everything to me. unironically the character of all time NOT FOR PROPAGANDA but for mod: image because it can be awkward to find one: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UyOsg26GnZU/maxresdefault.jpg also!!!! if you're interested in not potentially spoiling people you should call her Kasumi Yoshizawa. If you aren't worried about that though and want to be accurate, Sumire Yoshizawa is better. Or just call her Violet because that's her codename!

Initially introduced as Kasumi, she is a dorky and sweet first-year student who looks up to the protagonist as a mentor and eventually joins the Phantom Thieves in figuring out the fake reality they're trapped in. However, it's revealed that she's actually Kasumi's sister Sumire, who was always stuck in her more talented sister's shadow and yearned to be Kasumi. Unfortunately, she got her wish when her sister died saving her and her therapist brainwashed her into believing herself to be Kasumi. With help from the protagonist, Sumire realizes she was holding herself back and breaks free from her false identity, embracing her true self and rebelling against the hollow utopia. Her initial Persona--an embodiment of her true self--is Cendrillon, and her third tier ultimate Persona is Ella.

Sumire dosen't just pretends to be her dead sister, she was brainwashed into believing to be her by the final act's main villain/her fairy godfather figure, because that was her (misguided by trauma) wish as she believed that her sister was better than her. The final acts has a lot of 'making wishes come true' theme that connects her to Cinderella even more, also she does have a bit of 'save by the prince' thing going on with the game's protagonist

Please please vote my girl!!

Sumire is such a cute and cool character and deserves to leave the life of cinders how the fandom treats her and be a shiny princess!!

[neonmetro]

HAI....SO LIKE,, OPINIONS ON MAHOU SHOJO.......... PERSONALLY IM A DIE HARD FOR IT

I've been into it since I was like 5. My parents have videos of me dancing to the music of like Precure and stuff....WHICH IS LOWKEY EMBARRASSING BUT WHATEVER

Favorite Magical Girls series 👀👀

I personally REALLY like Precure, madoka magica, and card captor sakura, and tokyo mew mew ( BUT OBVIOUSLY MORE ) I WOULD LOVEEEE TO HERE YOU RANT ABOUT YOUR LOVE FOR IT 💞💞💞💞💞💞

-Paris anon

I LOVE MAHOU SHOUJO!!!!!!!!!! i have SO MANY THOUGHTS ON IT YOU HAVE NO IDEAAA!!!!

it's so good. the tropes are so funny and endearing (the running to school toast thing is the most iconic thing ever) and its SO NICE TO HAVE A BOTH EPISODIC YET CONTINUOUS STORY LINE... I LOVE MAGICAL GIRL OUTFITS ITS PEAK I FEAR

i grew up on shit like sailor moon (good lord this changed the trajectory of my life forever), kitchen princess, pichi pichi pitch mermaid melody, and shugo chara (oh my god i am obsessed with shugo chara you have no idea) so um. so far my favorite is sailor moon + shugo chara but i really have to watch utena and cardcaptor ... those will probably make it on top

SAILOR MOON'S CHARACTER DESIGN/DRESSES ARE GENUINELY SOOOO AGUGHGHGHG i love the inbetween pages for mahou shoujo especially like. naoko takeuchi's fashion sense is genuinely peak (like i said i love her dresses especially)

i don't really remember all that much about kitchen princess? but it was cute i liked the food and how much the main character liked hokkaido and flan but i also read it out of order bc UGH OTHER people want to read it TOO (art style is so cute though augh)

PICHI PICHI PITCH LEGIT SHAPED MY ENTIRE CHILDHOOD EXCEPT IT WAS JUST THE FIRST VOLUME BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW PIRATING EXISTED AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO GET MORE VOLUMES SO I JUST REREAD THE FIRST VOLUME OVER AND OVER AND OVER i got the book at like a bookstore used and it was just peak to me at the time (i tried going back to it. genuinely cannot get past it now i fear)

shugo chara.

FUCK I AM SO OBSESSED WITH SHUGO CHARA THE CONCEPT OF EGGS AND HOW HAVING YOUR DREAM EGG BROKEN AND LEAVING YOU BROKEN IS SO DEVASTATING AMU IS A LITERAL 5TH GRADER AND SHE GOES THROUGH ALL THIS SHIT i love you utau peach pit cannot make me hate her. her arc of having her talent abused because she's just that desperate to save her brother is so devastating, AND TADASE. MY GOAT. MY KING. YOU CAN RULE THE WORLD I BELIEVE IN YOU SEKAII ITEEE his arc is also just so bad. his grandma dies. his dog dies. his adoptive siblings leave him. now he wants to rule the world so everyone in the world can be happy because he will carry their burdens FOR THEM FUCK ITS ALL JUST SO GOOD!!!!

its definitely one of the mangas i can actually go back on and read it it holds up so well and the art style is just so cute (they got a new reboot and it was AWESOME UNTIL THAT FUCKING CAT BOY SHOWED UP (unfortunately sometimes mahou shoujo is just connected with that cringe))

I STILL NEED TO WATCH PRECURE, CARDCAPTOR, AND TOKYO MEW MEW (shields my face as i'm getting tomatoes thrown at me) I KNOW I KNOW I'M SORRY

I DO HAVE A LOT OF PRECURE TOYS FROM WHEN MY MOM WENT TO JAPAN AND BOUGHT THEM FOR ME... plus a bunch of magazines i loved shifting through when i was a kid

i also did watch precure glitter force and that was. uh. well it was interesting. (um. i mean it was. partially good. i. i liked the character designs and art.)

i did watch princess tutu and that was just so fucking good. i love fairy tales and i love toxic lesbianism and some empty ass guy and his toxic yaoi with his best friend

i'll be real. madoka magica scarred me because i saw the mami scene but then i went back to it when i was like 15 and cried over homura and the last few episodes of the main series and look at me now mentally ill and gay and i have homura as my google pfp

i have Thankfully grown as a person and i now understand the hype behind madoka magica and i need every single person on this fucking earth to watch it it is the biggest influence on novaturient ever i love the concept of witches and magical girls and that FUCK ASS CAT KYUBEY HIS IS AWESOME

soul gems are so pretty. i got these perfumes in my room that look exactly like them and i put them up and i think wow... this is just like madoka magica

i have no idea how to end this post. thank you for enabling to ramble about mahou shoujo i am so glad there are people just as insane as i am about this genre

[daz4i]

Hi hi my love!! ^^ So you asked for asks right? :3 I realize a lot of the times when I send you these I tend to ask you to rank stuff lol so I guess I'll lean into it? How about top 5 (or 10 if you have enough) anime series or top 5 (or 10) animated movies? :3 It's pretty general but I figure it should give you a lot of room to go over some of your favorites ^^ Sending love and good wishes!!! ❤️

ehehe thank you my love 🥺👉👈🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

i wanted to do both but then i did the top 5 anime and i got very carried away with my explanations so i kept it as just that. anyway:

1. haikyuu!! probably my favorite show ever tbh. i think hq has a perfect story, like it uses its genre to do everything right, and its impact on the outside world is amazing as well. as for the series itself, it's just beautiful (ignoring that one episode in season 4) and has a very unique style, stellar voice acting, awesome soundtrack, delicious symbolism, and it really gets you hyped for volleyball :P it's very easy to get attached even to the most minor character bc the story is written in a way that lets almost everyone in this HUGE cast (well over a 100 or even 150 named characters, i'm pretty sure) shine, and you're guaranteed to find someone you like. the only downside is you'll probably end up rooting for every team so eventually a team you like will lose a game (likely to another team you like) and that hurts every time fr. and still!!!!! it manages to be so feel-good and optimistic and really gets you pumped and inspired!!!! i think anyone who is even just open to try sports anime should check it out, it's def one of the most accessible I've seen in that genre (in a sense that it doesn't expect you to already be familiar with the sport to understand the story)

2. honestly?? osomatsu-san. probably bc it's very dear to me like emotionally, season 2 was still releasing when i was stuck in the hospital for a few months, and it was like a light i held onto every week (i was also following a few mangas back then but those were harder to follow. due to oso-san's skit nature it was always a good time) and i mean, ichi was my first f/o before i even knew that term existed hehe. it's one of these shows i wouldn't actually recommend to anyone unless i know they're ok with gross or edgy humor but i do think it's really good, i love how meta it is, and i think it uses its premise to deliver maximum entertainment!

(oh my god that was so much gushing abt a silly skit show i am so sorry <- guy who wrote most of the hq gushing after typing this part up. he was not aware)

3. ok so this one's really niche, idk if any of you have even heard of it heh. it's called bungou stray dogs-

ajdkflhlh while i have my gripes with how they adapt the manga, i do still think it's a very good anime as is. it was good enough to get me hooked on the story and characters and want to learn more and follow the story further, yknow? it's beautiful and i love its use of colors for symbolism, it has really great voice acting, and the energy is kept up throughout it enough to remain engaging. it's honestly a show I'd recommend everyone to at least try 🤔!

4. persona 4!!!! from one mediocre adaptation to a GREAT adaptation. i think p4's anime is really really well made - it manages to translate a game this long into a coherent and interesting story, gives its characters time to shine, and maintains a perfect balance between fun and emotions. also it has probably the best dub I've ever heard. naoto's anime voice dni. also i think episode 26 is a true masterpiece i think everyone should watch it

5. ngl. it's a three way tie for me. between shows i only watched once and don't have a lot of attachment to beyond that, but i think they're really good for very different reasons. gekkan shoujo nozaki-kun / great pretender / blue period. i won't go into details on why i love them all bc this post is already long enough. but if you're reading this you should check them out 🫡

also if this post convinces you to check out any show mentioned here you legally have to tell me ok? esp if you end up liking it 🧐🔥🔥

[nono-bunny]

While looking up a character from a manga I'm currently reading (Gokusen), I accidentally found out through a few related wiki articles that Kimi ni Todoke, aka, probably the best anime (&manga, just haven't finished it yet) love story ever, is getting a live action j-drama series at the end of the month and I am!!!! Beyond psyched!!!

I've been very into jdramas lately, so it's truly miraculous to me to find out it's coming out so soon!! Also it looks fucking INCREDIBLE based on the trailer, like!! They included snippets of some of the BEST scenes, all the actors look on point, and it looks like a really fun time! It also seems like it might be pretty lengthy too, WHICH!!! HELL YEAH!! This story truly deserved more than the small amount of anime episodes it was given (even if it's actually like. A LOT considering the state of shoujo anime rn, like, it is very rare for romance shoujo to even get more than a single one cour season and I am very sad about that!!), and that also means it will feature Miura right off from the first season (if there??? Will be more than one??? A girl can hope!) which is awesome, it's so weird having to try to subtly explain to friends watching the anime for the first time how the friend group&main cast isn't actually like. Even complete during the first season because he only makes his awesome debut in the second season,,,

Anyway yooo I am so happy to find out about this, best news in a while for sure!!!! Really looking forward to its release now aaaa

[bonaesperanza]

While I generally agree with the sentiment of hating how books are promoted in ways that don't really let you glean much about the story itself nowadays, using "enemies to lovers" and "friends to lovers" as examples and thinking that fanfiction invented this is kind of a dumb take.

Romance novels have existed for decades if not centuries.

"First they hate each other and then they love each other" has been a romance novel trope since forever - from Pride and Prejudice to a whole swath of 1980s bodice rippers that I've personally read to super popular shoujo manga like Hana Yori Dango to 1990s chick flicks to at least one love interest in every otome game I've ever played.

And the thing is, the way all those narratives are marketed - and have been marketed for quite a long while - tells you immediately who the "main couple" is, and follows with like a two-sentence blurb telling you that they hate each other in the beginning.

And if you go to, say, a romance novel subreddit or forum, you will get a bunch of people asking for "books where they start off hating each other/on opposite sides of a conflict" because they are aware that that's a common premise and would like to see more of it.

The same for "best friends realize they're actually in love". Fanfiction didn't invent that ffs!

Like I see why you would be annoyed if the book is actually a complex political fantasy and the only thing people tell you about it is that it's enemies to lovers ("lesbian necromancers in space" anyone?)

But in a romance story enemies to lovers is the main plot. It's a romance. The plot is these two people becoming lovers. If someone markets a romance narrative to you as "enemies to lovers" they are accurately describing the main plot of the story. This is its main draw. Everything else is set dressing. Yes, even if it's a romantasy. Nobody is reading it for the fantasy nor is the fantasy usually that well-developed lol.

Most of the things you're complaining about aren't even fanfiction terms but general romance terms. Slow-burn is a romance term. Fanfiction is not as special as you think. And Romance readers tend to look for familiar tropes they like and to read for comfort - this is why traditional romance publishers have so many "rules" about how a romance novel is written. They want to give that feeling of comfort to their readership. An enemies to lovers story isn't unique and its intended audience doesn't want it to be - they want the familiar trope that they like. If for you it's fanfiction that fills that niche and you expect original books to have novel plots and unique situations you're probably not the right audience for that book anyway.

And btw you'd do this for other genres too - " Chosen One narrative" is a trope that's usually spoiled by the marketing, and so is something like "person discovers hidden fantasy world". And I can think of a number of older fantasy books that were predominantly marketed as "there are dragons in this book".

Sorry it’s early but you really can’t use fanfiction terms in a non fanfiction context like if someone is trying to sell me a book to read and they tell me there’s an enemy to lovers I would be annoyed because why are you spoiling the story lol

[lightsky03]

I'm soooooo excited for Kieta Hatsukoi's live action!

Seriously, is one of my favorite mangas 💕and it's so sad how underrated it is😤

I feel like people should appreciate more mangas like Kieta Hatsukoi, 'cause I'm not exaggerating when I say that it's probably the best BL manga I've ever read.

SPOILERS!

The way Aoki and Ida's relationship is portrayed as just a shoujo more, and not only the two of them but also a heterosexual couple is important and also the way Hashimoto-san is not just the typical cute and shy girl, but an interesting character, with principles and personality!💕

But what I love the most about kieta hatsukoi is that it is the bl romance manga that has come closest to (in my opinion) realistic conversations and reactions about homosexuality considering that it is Japanese (obviously not perfect, but it is quite good)

The art, the story,

The characters,

The romance,

and the comedy

EVERYTHING It's adorable af

I really recommend this manga 👌😌💕🌈

[minasummersch]

papyrus & jasmine (but I kinda wanna change the latter part of the Q to "and would recommend to anyone" if that's alright!)

papyrus ⇢ if you put your ‘on repeat’ playlist on shuffle, what’s the first song that comes up? what do you like about it / associate it with?

I've talked about this when I last answered this question here, but I don't have an 'on repeat' playlist. I'll link a song from my 'liked videos' playlist on youtube for you instead!

I am not sure I could even begin to explain this video tbh. I really like Gilmore Girls and something about the combination of Rory with Taylor Swift songs is fucking immaculate.

And here I'll also link a song I've had on repeat over the last week for you!

This is the first full song Nino sings in the Anonymous Noise anime/manga. Something about how messy it sounds really stuck with me and I am just living for these vibes. I know rock music totally plays against the aesthetic I have going but I want so badly to one day sing this song.

jasmine ⇢ do you have a movie or book you loved but will never watch/read again? and would recommend to anyone?

Oh boy! I have a long, long list of books, movies, tv shows, anime, manga, and light novels that I toss around as recommendations to friends. I usually like to tailor my reccs based on what I know people like but since I'm not entirely sure about your tastes I'll give a few of the ones I know most poeple enjoy.

Oscar (1991): a movie with Sylvester Stalone and it's a comedy so you really can't go wrong with this

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun: either the manga or anime, both are amazing imo and the comedy is unparalleled

Summertime Rendering: honestly the best mystery manga I've ever read and it got a boppin anime adaptation just this year, go in with as few spoilers as possible

Pandora Hearts: please read this manga, if not for the plot then just for the art because Mochizuki Jun improves so much over the course of this series and it's absolutely stunning

86 eighty-six: watch the anime and if you're feeling it read the light novel or just wait it out for a second season because this will definitely get one

2.43 Seiin Koukou Danshi Volleyball: okay so I know this is the less popular volleyball anime but I like this one more

IDOLiSH7: i love these idol boys and this is the best idol game turned anime adaptation out there I think

IDOLY PRIDE: the other really awesome idol anime, I love this more than words can say and it's just a good time all around

Ao no Exorcist: read the manga and just avoid the anime please, the manga is much better

Fruits Basket: I watched the 2019 series and I didn't know what I was getting into at all but damn it was worth it, this anime is perfect

Kaze ga Tsuyoku Fuiteiru: I clearly like a lot of sports anime lol, but nah this one is good and has like warm and fuzzy friendship vibes but an older cast so it's a bit more serious

Kono Oto Tomare: music anime about a traditional Japanese instrument with great friendship and romance, I loved this so much that I bought the CD and I will one day play it for my wedding

Ya Boy Kongming: it's got great music and is hilarious, you could not ask for more imo

The Raven Boys: this was a fun time to read, like it had friendship and romance and all that teenage angst but also treasure hunting and supernatural powers

Percy Jackson: someone has probably already recced this tbh

All Our Yesterdays: the only valid time travel novel imo

Here Lies Daniel Tate: there's murder, there's mystery, what more could you want lol

The Devil is A Part-timer: watch season 1 of the anime and if you want to continue past that hit me up because things get messy and your enjoyment will depend on which character was your fave

The Last Fallen Star: a korean mythology middle grade novel

Into The Spiderverse: do I need to say more lol

The Good Place: again a comedy tv show, I do love comedy

Gilmore Girls: this is honestly a fascinating study in character development and writing

Ms Marvel: as a pakistani muslim this tv show was a mood in many ways

And there you have it! A very extensive list of media for you to check out! If you want to talk more about any of these and/or want more reccs join my discord server and feel free to scream in there! I am always ready to talk about fandoms and series I love but there's not enough people around lol

Thank you for the question! Feel free to check out my other answers under the tag mina answers! on my blog!

[ruki--mukami]

8, 9 and 10!

(( Oof, these are some harder questions, but I'll try my best to answer!

8. Do you like to tell people that you like to RP on tumblr? If not, then do you think you'll tell anybody?

Definitely not. After all the shameful stuff I've written, I'm not exactly going to advertise this blog to others. I'm not ashamed of myself or my writing or anything, but I also don't think I'll ever go out of my way to tell someone about it. xD I'm also just a pretty secretive person in general, not just with this blog but with most things.

9. Has your muse taught you anything about yourself and/or the world?

Yes, Ruki has taught me a lot about how obsessed I get over fictional characters about how life is best lived when you're honest with yourself and don't hold back anymore. I think one of his biggest character flaws is his devotion to Karlheinz at times. He convinces himself he cannot have a relationship with Yui/the heroine because it would conflict with those interests. But eventually he's just like "I don't care if I can't become Adam, let's be together anyway" which is just... why do you have to melt my heart like this, Ruki?

10. After a writing slump, how do you manage to get your muse back?

If I feel like I'm in a slump I always look for inspiration somewhere else. For instance, if there is a character from a TV show who has a very regal way of speaking I might think to myself, "oh, Ruki would probably say something like that too. I'll have to remember that verbage for later." I also get a lot of inspiration from shoujo/josei manga I've read, since the storylines in those are so sweet you'd get a cavity just from reading it. I also get a lot of inspiration for steamy scenes from those. ))

[act-addict-actors-matchups]

@ne-nene-ne said,

[1/2] Hi~ May I pls have a matchup? I'm a ♏, ISFP, 5'0 fem w/ medium length dark hair & eyes. I like wearing sweaters/sweatpants a lot! I love to draw & sing especially! I'd sing softly to my s/o if we're close & alone together. I often take endless pics of the sunset bc it's so pretty! Tbh I'm a loner. I'm shy, quiet, awkward and I like my alone time. I'm friendly and good-willing towards others nonetheless! I've been told I have a positive aura. I'm more chill, silly & playful w/ family!

[2/2] I can joke around w/ them! I have a short temper but I forgive just as quickly. I can be hard on myself bc I feel it's necessary to improve. I'm an appreciative person so I'll say "thank you" like 1000 times lol! I highly value family & honesty! My ideal s/o is someone family-oriented, devoted, and genuine. Bonus points if they're funny too! I'd like someone who I can slowdance to soft, jazz music w/. My love language is Acts of Service! Tysm! Take your time, stay healthy & stay safe! ❤

✧ Thank you so much for requesting a matchup love. Tumblr is not letting me tag you so hopefully you’ll see this. 😔 I wish you well during this challenging time. Hope you keep safe as well! 😷

I’d match you with: . . .

➜ HOW YOU TWO FIRST MET ; Juza Hyodo is that typical cold guy in school that everyone is lowkey scared of. That’s how he seems from outside anyway. You were asked by your biology teacher to borrow the books for the class’s current lesson from the library on the spot so you took a beeline for the shelves as fast as you could. But for god’s sake all the books were placed at the topmost part of the science shelves. You stood there for a good minute while glaring at the books overhead. You knew you were damned for good since there were no chairs nearby that were available and the librarian was nowhere to be seen. You stomped you feet in annoyance until you felt a looming presence behind you. A tall one. When you turned around, you saw Juza grabbing the books at ease and handing it to you. You thanked him quietly which surprised him because you actually didn’t quiver with fear or panic in his presence??? and you genuinely thanked him?? It was not usual for him to hear someone express their gratitude towards him. Even the cashiers from sweet shops he’d like to visit secretly we’re scared of him for heaven’s sake. After murmuring a little “‘S nothing.” he walked away. And that was the end of it. Or so you thought. The second time you met the purple haired boy was in a cafe. You were patiently waiting in the line for this so called Peanut Butter Pound Cake S'mores. According to your friends, it was one of the best desserts the cafe ever had. To test that theory, you decided to check the dessert yourself. Everything was perfectly normal until a young teenage boy of average height with fluffy pink hair and light blue eyes bumped into you, spilling a little of his drink on you. Yes, I’m talking about Muku. Baby boy was so scared and flustered, he apologized to you multiple times like crazy. Luckily it wasn’t anything hot so you didn’t burn yourself. Giving the boy a soft smile, you said it was fine and he shouldn’t worry about it. But he is a kind-hearted and modest boy with the motto "doing one good deed each day" so of course he offered you to give some of the Chocolate-Caramel Sandwich Cookies he had ordered before to apologize properly. Normally you would’ve reject the offer but with the way he was looking at you, you couldn’t find the heart to do so. While waiting for your order together, you learned what the boy’s name was and that he came here with his cousin. When you heard that the first image that popped into your mind was a soft looking person just like him you. After you got your order, the two of you made your way towards their table. And with that, your previous thought was thrown out of the window just like that. There he was, one and only Juza Hyodo, the person who helped you in the library, was sitting in a chair, quietly munching on one of the many sweets in front of him. When Muku announced that he was back, his eyes shot up to him and then shifted towards you. Yeah, it was awkward. Nevertheless, you tried to offer the tall boy a smile, which he just nodded his head, cheeks tilted pink to get his sweet tooth exposed to someone from school. After you sat down, Muku began to explain how he accidentally bumped into you and spilled some of his drink on you. Juza got the picture and said nothing. Though, gradually he started to become more comfortable. Before you knew it, you befriend the young teenage boy with fluffy hair. You told Muku how you two first met, which he only exclaimed how cool his cousin was and how the scene was just like from a shoujo manga. So yeah, your friendship with Juza started that day and slowly but steadily developed into something more. You would see him at school and chat with him, give him snacks to eat together on the rooftop etc.

➜ PERSONALITY COMPATIBILITY ; Let me just start of by saying that you two are really similar in terms of personality. A loner who is shy, quiet, awkward, likes alone time yet still friendly and good-willing towards others? Yeah, you get to point. When you're dating someone who has almost identical personality traits as you, reading them becomes easier. Juza is honest and critical of himself but is more than willing to work hard on it to improve himself and so are you. You two motive each other become better versions of yourselves, constantly pushing forward hand in hand ad I think that’s a beautiful thing in a relationship. You two have the same values. He deeply values his comrades and family so he would love it whenever he saw you getting along with Muku or Kumon. He’s very protective of those he holds dear, so watching you interact with them and care for them as if they were your own family would make him fall for you even more. The same goes for him as well. He’ d try his utmost best to get along with your family. Physical affection is OUT the window in the first start of your guys' relationship though. And when you guys DO start attempting physical contact, he'd be so stiff. Baby boy really hasn’t had a lot of experience in regards to how to treat others with affection outside of his family. 🥺 but deep down, Juza has a soft side. He’s a bit shy with showing his affections, but he tries his utmost best to convey his love to you― one of them being if you ever needed him support with ANYTHING honestly, he’ll always make it known to you that you have his full support and that he’s always right beside you through everything.

➜ SHARED ACTIVITIES ; With an delinquent-like appearance that often gives people a "scary" impression of him, I feel like Juza would rather spend time inside rather than outside. For those with a serious sweet tooth, baking, especially with a lover has a double benefit: It engages the two of you in an activity you probably don't do often, and you get to enjoy something delicious afterward. You two make an especially decadent dessert when you're feeling ambitious, or simply break out a boxed mix if you're short on time — or baking skills. At first times, there is a lot of trial and error and you guys end up getting covered in flour and such, a cheeky smile present on your face. These are usually the times where you get to hear Juza’s rare laughs as he joined in your joy. Feeling too lazy to bake something? Have a candy tasting. Satisfying your sweet tooth is a foolproof way to survive. Stock up on different colors of Starbursts, Gummi Bears or Worms, Sour Straws, Hi-Chews, and whatever else you are craving— and then eat your way through the rainbow together. Bonus points if you’re lounging off your sugar coma with a movie on the couch afterwards, he doesn’t particularly mind what kind so it’s totally up to you which genre you want to watch. This one is technically not a date but sometimes you, Juza, Muku and Kumon play board games. Depending on how competitive you are, this idea can be a little dangerous. (looking at you monopoly.) But it’s always a blast to spend time with people you love and cherish.

➜ ZODIAC COMPATIBILITY ; Juza’s birthday is on September 27, which makes him a Libra. When Libra and Scorpio come together in a love match, they tend to make a very emotionally connected and mutually satisfying union. Though Scorpio is a brooder who can get lost in the confusing welter of their own emotions, Libra’s proclivity for balance and harmony helps keep Scorpio even. Scorpio can return the favor to Libra with their characteristic powers of focus, a trait that Libra usually lacks. These two are very compatible due to their similar needs in a love relationship: Libra is the Sign of Partnership, and Libra is happiest when in a well-balanced and intimate relationship, while Scorpio thrives on emotional and sexual intimacy with their mate. These two Signs can make a very loyal, close and satisfying partnership. What’s the best aspect of the Libra-Scorpio relationship? The power they find in unity. They can accomplish a lot, whether they come together for a cause in the business or romantic sphere. They are both winners and they won’t give up, making theirs a relationship that takes care of business.

[mary-is-writing]

Thirty questions tag game

Thank you @lady-of-himring for the tag!!

1. Name/Nickname: Mariana/Mary

2. Gender: A hot mess

3. Star sign: Taurus

4. Height: 1.57 m. Yes I'm short I KNOW.

5. Time: 2:09 pm

6. Birthday: May 14th

7. Favourite bands: Set It Off, E ve, Fall Out Boy, One Ok Rock

8. Favourite solo artists: Manuel Mijares and Kenshi Yonezu

9. Song stuck in my head: The op for Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun, cause recently I binge read the manga and went back to the anime.

10. Last movie: I think it was a rewatch of Captain America and the Winter Soldier

11. Last show: Tatoeba Last Dungeon (the name is super long and I don't even know it all xd)

12. When did I make this blog: Uhhhhh I don't remember, maybe around... 2018? I've been here for a while

13. What I post: Writing related stuff (mine and from other people), anime related stuff, things related to my interests atm and reblogs of whatever I like.

14. Last thing I googled: Slavic names for boys. I'm writing something at the moment and needed the info 😅

15. Other blogs: @incorrectpenguins where I post incorrect quotes from PoM. The blog is kinda in hiatus since I've started focusing on this and my irl keeps me busy

16. Do I get asks: Sadly no

17. Why I chose my url: Is just an abbreviation of my name plus the month I was born it. It represents me well I think

18. Following: 81

19. Followers: 88 :D

20. Average hours of sleep: 7-8

21. Lucky number: 14 and 5

22. Instruments: classic guitar

23. What am I wearing atm: a brown sweater, a white shirt with cats and red pants. No I have no sense of fashion xd

24. Dream trip: I don't like traveling, so hopefully this trip is to my own room.

25. Favourite food: Hmmm I'd say pork in green sauce. Not spicy sauce but like sour sauce.

26. Nationality: Mexican

27. Favourite song: At the moment? Probably Kimishidai Rensha by One Ok Rock

28. Last book I read: I haven't progressed with JTTW qwq)

29. Top three fictional universes: Red Rising (I don't wanna live there I just like the series), One Piece's world (the best worldbuilding ever and you can fight me over this) and Bungou Stray Dog's world

30. Favourite color: Between emerald green and navy blue

Tagging @witherednightmare @blindthewind and @sleepyowlwrites with no pressure!!

[bmpmp3]

IM A LITTLE fucked up on antihistamines right now but last night I read takashis main story in scandal in the spotlight so it's time for *plays a little jingle* impromptu voltage story reviewssssssssssssszsssss

It was nice!!!!!! I liked it a lot, scandal in the spotlight is interesting cause like, it's honestly probably one of the most solidly well written voltage games out there? At least main story wise djdbdhjsjd Kyohei's so much better than you'd expect and I really adored Iori's, it's been a while but I remember Kyohei's sequel also being pretty good~ like it's got some of the best and most solid characterization I've ever seen in a voltage game lol Kyohei's was just a fun and nice lil love story that was surprisingly grounded and emotionally mature but still had its drama and all, and Iori's was like, straight outta a mid 2000s Shoujo manga with character dynamics and plot points and Iori was such a little bitch and I adorrrred it djdbrbsjfhrjdndn I love some classic Shoujo nonsense ....the stupider and more melodramatic the better

Takashis was nice too!! It was even more grounded than the previous two I read, so I still kinda prefer the other dudes more (I just love the nonsense........the more nonsense the better, just a matter of preference tho) but Takashi himself was Very Cute I can see why he's fairly highly rated

My favourite part of the route though has nothing to do with anything at all I just thought it was so funny every time they talked about Ryo cause they talked like he was funcijnb dead like they were Genuinely Grieving him except he's not dead he just skipped town or whatever it's so funny

[gone-forever-bye]

My Top Ten Manga:

To go with my top ten anime list.

10. Otaku no Musume-san

Here we have a manga that is about a girl who's always wanted to meet her father and discovers that he is a shameless otaku. Hijinks and adorable father/daughter affection ensues. There's weird character, cute characters, and a final act that is pretty messed up but this is a manga that I think is good from start to finish. It's a good read. It pulls at the heartstrings while making you laugh and it can even serve as a do/do not guide for all you otaku parents out there. XD

Favorite character: Kannau Yukimura

9. Air Gear

This beautiful and heavily detailed stylish manga is about a world where skate-like contraptions known as Air Treks are used as a way to fly, get places, and build your own gang to own the skies. The art is gorgeous, the characters all mesh into a kind of gray area although there are some typical good guy/bad guys thrown in, and the series manages to evoke true feeling from the reader with how raw it can get. I highly reccomend. Favorite Character: Ringo Noyamano

8. InuYasha

The manga that cemented my love for all things anime Inuyasha is the compelling fantasy tale of a half-demon and a young junior high girl. I can't express into words what an impact this manga made on me. The designs of the assortment of demons that are based on Japanese folklore and mythology, the tragic backstories so many of the main characters possess, the out of this world fight scenes, all the way to the incredible chemistry between Inuyasha and Kagome. It's hard to put down once you've started reading. The manga outshines the anime because it doesn't quite feel like it loses its pacing as the anime kept getting dotted with filler. It's interesting, dark in some places but never without a ray of light, and artwork that suits the story well. Favorite Character: Rin

7. Gunsmith Cats

An oldie but goodie. We've got guns, muscle cars, and hot chicks, all in above average detail. Don't waste time with the anime, the manga is where this story of bounty hunter/police officer Rally Vincent and her partner Minnie-May really shines with explosive fun. Mature and loaded with everything from kidnapping to drugs to high speed car chases I have to say that I make it a point of rereading this series often. I've yet to find another that I enjoy as much as this one for this particular genre. Favorite Character: Rally Vincent.

6. Buso Renkin

I'm a big fan of manga that doesn't force a simple storyline to be stretched over fifty volumes. Ten volumes was the perfect size for the story of Katsuki Mutou as he is accidently thrown into the world of alchemy and humunculous. This is a complete manga by the creator of Rurouni Kenshin that I think really emphasizes Watsuki's strength as a shounen manga author who can take so many shounen tropes and make them work almost effortlessly. It didn't need to be ground breaking because it wasn't trying to be. It's an honestly good manga from start to finish with one of the most memorable anti-hero's I've ever read. Favorite Character: Papillon

5. My Little Monster

I'm not the biggest shoujo manga fan like I used to be but I will say that My Little Monster is a great way to change the formula. None of the characters acted the way I expected. They are all weird and extreme in the most interesting of ways while still capturing the uncertainty and naivete that teens suffer from. It's really difficult to dislike any of the characters. They're all so likeable although Natsume will probably make you grind your teeth because that girl is insane. A must read for any shoujo manga fan. Favorite Character: Sohei Sasahara.

4. Fushigi Yugi Genbu Kaiden

I like shoujo manga that doesn't just focus on romance. Genbu Kaiden is the prequel to Fushigi Yugi and I have to say it's better in every way. It's a lot more balanced, mixing the romance into a beautiful but sad story, unforgettable characters, action scenes that really emphasis the importance of the plot, while all being accomplished with the ridiculously gorgeous Yu Watase art style. Another must read for any shoujo fan. Favorite Character: Takiko Okuda

3. Rurouni Kenshin

There was no way this manga wasn't going to make the list. Unlike the anime this manga is outstanding from start to finish. For me this is the ultimate in sword fighting. The visuals are exactly what you want from samurai dueling and there's never a dull moment. The cast is one of the best in my opinion and I love that the narrative never bores me even when they're just explaining fighting styles or attacks. Watsuki's distinct shounen style is a favorite of mine. The evolution of Himura Kenshin is the plot and its worth every panel. Read the final arc of you can. It's amazing.. Favorite Character: Kamiya Kaoru

2. Chrono Crusade

I will make a rant about this manga later because I will fight for this series until the day I die. Do no watch the anime. Even though I bought each dvd and have watched them over twenty times at least, the anime does the manga NO justice. Eight volumes, all inspiring story telling. Chrono Crusade starts in such a way that you think it may be a lighthearted story of a gun-toting 'nun' and her demon sidekick but it quickly evolves into so much more. Rosette and Chrono are a duo the you will root for from page one as they fight demons, friends, and everything else that stands in their way to fix the damage that was done so many years ago. Another series that accomplishes a complete story in ten volumes or less which keeps the plot from being unnecessarily stretched. It evokes so much feeling, making you relate to the characters in such a way while still powering through the story because this is a tale about time. By the end you'll find yourself a little less able to take your time for granted as you cry for these characters that have an ending that you can take as either good or bad. I always put this one at the top of my must read list and it holds a very special place in my otaku heart. I'm disappointed that such an intense manga did not get a proper anime adaption though I do understand why. Favorite Character: Chrono

1. Detective Conan

Anyone who knows me should have expected this. Lol. Detective Conan for me is the ultimate manga. The award winning mystery series is an ongoing manga that never fails to impress. It's familiar while evolving with us so it has a loyal fanbase made up of twenty year veteran fans to new ones every day and the number just keeps growing. High school detective Kudo Shinichi is the pride of Tokyo Japan before he stumbles across a mysterious transaction involving a pair of men clothed in black. He's discovered and force fed a drug that instead of killing him, reverts his body to that of a seven year old. He retains his adult mind and begins hiding his identity while going by the name Edogawa Conan and solving mysteries through his childhood friend's father's detective agency. The story takes off from there. The series is vast, featuring over 1000 chapters, over 20 movies, over 50 seasons, dozens of OVA's and specials including live action, and being featured in multiple ways throughout Japan. It even has its own museum in Gosho Aoyama's hometown. While not for everyone, especially those thrown off by the sheer amount of content, Detective Conan is a series that is loved by all ages all over the world and has been here since the early 90's for a reason. It has become my reason for living and it will never leave my #1 spot. Favorite Character: Kudo Shinichi (for life!)

As I have said before I gauge a series on its ability to draw me in, keep me attached, and talent for making me come back.

[crispinablr]

San Valentin

Today is Valentine's Day, and according to what I've read, girls give chocolate on this day, and on White Day, boys give chocolate to the person who gave them chocolate on Valentine's Day. Japan surprises me every day with its little details.

Luckily, I had already prepared for this day with Emma and Hinata. It's the first time I'm making chocolates for someone, and even more so with company. Every time I'm with them, I feel like we're getting closer. When we're together, we seem like a trio of comedians, especially because of our chaos, but it's something I enjoy being with them.

I look at the box of chocolates I'm holding in my hands, wrapped in turquoise paper and tied with a pretty white bow. Inside, there are chocolates shaped like kittens and also paw prints.

Finally, I'm standing in front of her house and I ring the bell. I wait a few minutes until I hear fast footsteps approaching from the other side of the door, and in a few seconds, Chifuyu's face is just millimeters from mine.

I must have caught him off guard with my sudden arrival, as he's still in his pajamas and his hair looks even more disheveled than usual. Chifuyu almost collides with me, but manages to steady himself in time and steps back, I can see his cheeks and ears turning red as he realizes we almost collided.

He probably imagined one of those manga scenes where the guy falls on the girl and his face lands on the poor girl's chest. Once his surprise subsides, he invites me in. We enter his room, and I notice he's still a bit nervous. Before he can say anything, I extend my arms to give him the box of chocolates, and his face shows surprise mixed with embarrassment.

"I've never received a box of chocolates before. For some reason, no girl has even approached me," he says, taking the box of chocolates, and I can see him blushing as he smiles broadly. "Thank you!"

"Well, those girls either have bad taste or are blinder than a mole," I tell him sincerely with a teasing smile. Who wouldn't like someone like Chifuyu? He's adorable, awkward, and romantic. Sometimes, I feel like hugging him and never letting go.

Chifuyu starts to untie the bow, delicately tearing the wrapping until he finally sees the box and opens it slowly, as if a hand was going to come out and slap him. Once he opens the box, his smile widens as he sees the shapes of the chocolates, and he takes one at random, bringing it to his mouth, closing his eyes, savoring the taste of the truffle-filled chocolate. Each chocolate had a different filling, so I hope he enjoys them.

"This is the best chocolate I've ever eaten in my life. Did you make these?" He continues eating the chocolates with a big smile, and suddenly stops as if he remembered something important. I think I know what it might be.

"I like you," I tell him directly, looking at his face, waiting to see how he'll take it.

Chifuyu looks at me dumbfounded, almost having a mini panic attack, but he quickly recovers. Though he's still in shock, he can't believe that someone has confessed to him for the first time, and even more so on Valentine's Day.

It's like he's in a shoujo manga, and the first thing that comes to his mind is, "Now what do I do?" (Seriously, Chifuyu?) He had long been interested in the girl, but he never stopped to analyze his feelings because he was always busy doing something: fighting with Toman, helping Takemichi save Baji, and that one time they had to face Hakkai's brother.

He hadn't had a single moment of respite, and now that he saw her, he could feel a tingling sensation all over his body. Is this how a shoujo manga protagonist feels when they're confessed to? It was embarrassing, but he was determined to respond to her confession of love.

"I promise to wipe away your tears when you're sad, to kiss you when you're scared. I want to be that pillar you can lean on when you need it, and that's why I'm very happy that our feelings are mutual." He takes my hands and then hugs me tightly.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from a shoujo fan," I say, laughing as I affectionately hug him back.

And from that moment on, we started dating. We're an odd couple, but it brought us closer together.

[gaypromptos-remade-blog]

hey vinnie i've never watched an anime In My Life but most of my friends are into it so what are some of your favorite animes or recs for someone wanting to get into that sorta thing?

ooo boy i got a lot here so buckle up

i rlly like sports anime for some reason so here are my faves:

haikyuu!! - you’ve probably heard of it before, it’s a really popular sports anime about volleyball. every single one of the characters is great and it honestly changed my life i love it so much

yuri on ice - you’ve probably heard of this too lol, but again its a popular sports anime about figure skating and its very different from other sports anime but its really great and that relationship b/w yuuri and viktor is honestly top tier

kuroko no basket/kuroko’s basketball - this is honestly the most ridiculous sports anime ive ever seen in my life but it so fun to watch. like the shit that happens in this anime is literally impossible but i think its part of it’s charm. and kurokos and kagamis relationship is so good dude

daiya no ace/ace of diamond - this one is about baseball and it’s super long (s1 is 75 eps and s2 is 55 eps) but it’s great to watch. the characters are fun, the development is realistic, its a great show. though i would only recommend watching this if you can actually watch a show thats 130 eps long

if you prefer something with more action, here are my faves: 

boku no hero academia - this show literally changed my life, it is so good. this show is about a world where superpowers are normal and these kids go to a hero school. this show is wonderful, the characters are great, the character development is amazing, and the plot is beautiful. if you’re up for it i highly recommend you read the manga cause wow, its amazing 

hunter x hunter - also another really long one. i only saw the 2011 version which is 148 eps but every single one was amazing. the relationship between killua and gon is so adorable and this show is so cute. of course this show does get dark at times (like at the phantom troupe arc and the chimera ant arc). it is so good i highly recommend it. 

noragami - this show is about a minor god, yato who dreams about becoming more recognized and worshiped. again the characters are great and the animation is really beautiful. (the openings are also top tier lol)

mob psycho 100 - this is a pretty popular show and everything about it is great. its basically about this kid who was psychic powers and every time his emotions rise, it causes an explosion of his powers. this show is absolutely beautiful and mob is such a great kid (also a lot of ppl who seen this anime also saw one punch man but i never finished it so)

assassination classroom - i never talk about this anime but it is really good. its about this strange octopus like creature that ends up destroying the moon into a crescent like shape and says he’ll do the same to the earth and its up to this middle school class to kill him before their graduation but it turns out he’s a great teacher. im pretty sure i explained the plot really shittily, but its a great anime and i love the animation style. its really funny but its also really deep and sad

bungou stray dogs - without spoiling much, this show is basically about detectives with superpowers that fight the mob. this show is really great but i have to warn you that it’s really bloody so if you’re not into that then you probably shouldnt watch it

fullmetal alchemist: brotherhood - this is a really popular and with good reason. this show is about 2 brothers, edward and alphonse who try to revive their dead mother with alchemy but ed ends up losing a leg and an arm and al loses his body and his soul is inside a suit of armor. this show really hits you in the heart and every episode is a treasure. i havent seen the original fullmetal series but from i heard i say you should just watch this

no. 6 - ooo boy this anime is so good. its basically a dystopia where everyone lives in 1 of 6 cities and everything seems great until the main character shion meets nezumi and gets a different perspective on their world. this anime also has canon gay characters so…

there are a few romance anime that i do love as well, yes they are het but they are really good in my humble opinion:

yona of the dawn - i dont know if i can count this as a romance anime but its considered a shoujo so  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ . basically this story is about princess yona and how she lived in luxury until her father was murdered and now has to live on the run with her childhood friend/bodyguard hak and thats when yona learns about the poverty and corruption among her kingdom and aims to change this. the anime is wonderful and i got sucked in by like ep 3. ive only just started the manga but i would recommend you read it as well

snow white with the red hair - this is about a herbalist shirayuki who runs away from her homeland because she didn’t want to be a concubine to the prince and she befriends the prince of the kingdom she runs to. tbh i ended up liking this more that i thought i would and the characters are great. also one of the characters, obi, is canonically bi/pan. however its only shown in the manga and not the anime but i think it was pretty obvious in the anime. 

gekkan shoujo nozaki kun - again idk if i can count this as a romance anime but it doesnt fit in any of the other categories i have so  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. its about this girl, sakura who has a crush on this boy nozaki who turns out to be a manga artist and she ends up being one of his assistants. despite the fact that nozaki is literally a romance manga writer, he is painfully oblivious to sakuras feelings and it leads to some really great moments. im pretty sure this was the first anime i saw when i started getting back into anime and oh my god it is so great. this is literally the funniest thing i have ever seen in my life

toradora - this anime is so fucking funny too. its about a girl and boy who hate each other but team up with each other to help them get in a relationship with their best friends but they end up falling for each other. this show is pretty lighthearted but later on the series it gets really wild and deep but i do love the relationship and the characters

anyways im sorry i took to answer this but i hope you enjoy these shows!

[books-on-the-brain]

So I used to read a whole bunch, but then I took a small break so that I could have an actual social life. Now I'm trying to get back into it but I've tried to... I just can't get into it. Do you have any suggestions of what I could do to get back into wanting to read more?

bI relate to this SO. MUCH. It’s always hard to find a good reading/life balance, since reading can often be a very isolating activity. It’s also really difficult around this time of year for younger readers, too, since a lot of us are getting back into the swing of it with school and such and find that we have much less time to be reading what we want. So without further ado…

How I cure “reader’s block”/being in a book rut!!!

1) First of all, there’s literally no shame in reading something because it’s short and you know you can get through it, or reading something you might consider a “beach read.” If it’s less daunting for you to pick up a 70-page romance novella than Tolstoy that is perfectly!!! okay!!! What matters is that you’re still reading and it’s making you happy, not that you have gained all the answers to the universe by reading a dry and endless classic.

2) Another good option is to reread something you know you really love/want to revisit. I find it’s typically easier to read something for the second or third time and if it’s been a while, then you’ll still be surprised by little things here and there and get the warm nostalgia fuzzies. For me, one of my old favorites to revisit is Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I always read it at the beginning of the summer when I’m switching from all academic reading to personal reading (f i n a l l y) because I’m familiar enough with the story that it goes pretty quickly, but I still really love it.

3) In a similar vein, I find it really fun when I don’t want to sit down and read seriously to go back to some of my old favorites from childhood! For example, I loved the Deltora books by Emily Rodda when I was a kid and had some fun the other day going back through some of them and reminiscing. It has the potential to remind you of your love for stories and also in my case, it reminded my why I fell in love with fantasy at a young age and why I’m still so passionate about it! Reading children’s/middle grade/YA books is always acceptable and so much fun at any age.

4) This Barnes and Noble Reader article also suggests reading about books if you can’t actually read a book. As they explain it, find book blogs (like those on tumblr!) that speak to your interests and get you excited about picking up books. Other people’s enthusiasm goes a long way in encouraging you to also pick up a book to read!

5) If you can, find other avid readers and friends who you feel comfortable sitting in silence with! One of my favorite memories ever is sitting on my friend’s back porch and trading the books of the KARE First Love manga series back and forth. We played peaceful music in the background and so we were spending time as friends AND getting reading done. This lead us to discuss our favorite scenes and how we felt about certain translations (literally just because we like how to guy asked the main girl out in the online scantalation better than the printed book rip). But we ended up really getting into this series that in all honesty is kind of silly (despite the soft spot I have in my heart for it) and we joke about it all the time. Reading and socializing in one!

6) And speaking of manga…it’s always a great bridge for getting back into reading when it’s been a while, as are graphic novels! If you haven’t ever tried manga or graphic novels and don’t think it’s your rap at least give them a chance! I thought I hated them until I read Fullmetal Alchemist and fell in l o v e! You’re getting a story and doing some reading, but the pictures really help to ease you in so that you’re not necessarily devoting the same attention that you would be with a novel that’s just pages of text. As such, each volume is pretty quick depending on how long you linger on the drawings. If you already do love manga/graphic novels, then try picking up a new series you’ve been interesting in or rereading a series you already know you like!

Here are some graphic novel recommendations!

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson (a story that does a fun take on the idea of the “bad guy” - it actually gave me way more feels than expected, and I loved the art style)

The new Ms. Marvel series written by G. Willow Wilson and illustrated by Adrian Alphona (so do not confuse this with the old Ms. Marvel, this one is better in my opinion because our hero is your average teenage Muslim girl living in Jersey City and it’s refreshing, amazing, adds diversity to the typically white/male dominated world of superheroes, and I am unabashedly in love with one of the main characters, Bruno)

Umbrella Academy written by Gerard Way and illustrated by Gabriel Ba (this does another more twisted/dark take on the idea of the superhero story, if that’s something more up your alley. It’s the first book of a series I’ve really been loving lately, plus I trust Gerard Way’s taste in comics unequivocally and he wrote it so that’s a yes in my book!)

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (the intertwining stories of an American-Chinese boy trying to figure out his place in the world and the Monkey King of Chinese fable)

I did not include a special section for manga recommendations because most of what I read is probably not the sort of stuff to dive into after having reader’s block. Overall, the realm of shoujo might be a good place to look (things like Skip Beat!, Blue Spring Ride, Fruits Basket, and Kimi ni Todoke. Ouran High School Host Club and Dengeki Daisy were ones I really enjoyed too.)I also recently read Orange which is a fairly short series and easy to read - I loved it but major depression/suicide/mental illness tws there.In terms of shonen, Hunter x Hunter would be a good one because not only is it amazing, but it’s broken up into shorter yet very distinct story arcs which I feel would be easier if you’re trying to get back into reading. If someone has some more recs tho, please add!

7) Another variation of manga/graphic novels is online webtoons, which are basically digitized comics. I have recently discovered them and think they’re the best. things. ever. If you’re like me and you have a horrible habit of lying in bed scrolling absently through your phone before going to bed and after waking up, this might be good for you. I have slowly been replacing my mindless Facebook scrolling with scrolling through webtoons, which has been so amazing for my mental health! My favorite app is literally just called Webtoon or maybe Line Webtoon (the icon in the app store is a green speech bubble that says “Webtoon”).

For most webtoons, chapters are generally pretty short so it doesn’t take a lot of focus but once again, you’re still reading, and you’re still getting a good story, all while laying fetal position like you might while scrolling through Facebook or texting people before bed. Not to mention you’re supporting amazingly talented artists/individuals who are oftentimes not published and doing this for fun or with the hopes of eventually being published, so you can say you followed them from the start! Also since they update only a few times a week, it gives you something to look forward to on random days.

Here are my favorite story-oriented webtoons currently:

Assassin Roommate by Monica Gallagher. Super cute and quirky romance with a great female lead, also really great in terms of body diversity, and LITERALLY THE ONLY REASON I LOOK FORWARD TO TUESDAYS, THE DREADFUL DAY AFTER MONDAY

My Dear Cold-Blooded King by limelight. Just started this but it seems pretty cool??? The author has paired up with a musician so all the chapters have music which is lit af if I do say so myself

Silk and Briar by paragoing-paragon. I think this is on hiatus but it’s shaping up to be a brilliantly-constructed fantasy story with some crazy twists and turns

instantmiso’s stuff is also really popular (Where Tangents Meet and Siren’s Lament). It’s not as much up my alley as it is pretty fluffy romance and I’m not crazy about the writing, but she is an incredibly talented artist and has great music with her chapters. Her stuff is super good for an easy read without a ton of brain power/commitment, but I say that with immense respect for her talent and abilities! 

Cheese in the Trap by soonkki. This was also made into a K-Drama so I read the series and threw a little watch-party with some of my friends from my Korean class! Super good series and another great way to enjoy reading AND be social!

Here are the webtoons that are more “Sunday newspaper funnies”               style, where each chapter is a mini story:

Bluechair by Shen (this is WILDLY popular and I totally see why!!! These are hilarious and have cheered me up on many a rough night!!!)

Sapphie: The One-Eyed Cat by joho (feel-good, cute comic about cats that’s also pretty funny. I shamelessly read like a hundred chapters in one sitting.)

If none of this is appealing to you, there is always the audio option! If the actual act of your eyes scanning the page is difficult because you can’t focus on anything, there are a lot of options in this realm!

8) Local libraries usually have an audiobook section that is deeply neglected, but holds some secret treasures! Whenever I go on roadtrips, I always pick up two or three before I head out. They’re also perfect for when you do mindless tasks like sorting/folding laundry, walking a dog if you have one, waiting in long lines, or on your commute to and from school or work or any other similar activities. 

What’s cool is you can search for audiobooks based both on books you actually want to read, and whoever is narrating it. I know Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz had a super popular audiobook because Lin Manuel Miranda narrated it. If you want to pay, Audible is one of the most popular paid platforms for audiobooks. I haven’t personally used it, but it seems to be quite successful. One way or another, audiobooks are a good way to get back into reading without having to budget extra time to sit down with a book.

9) Podcasts can also help if you haven’t already explored those and are open to! Not all podcasts are TED talks, or political debates, or generally academic, or whatever they are stereotyped as. There are a ton that feel just like audiobooks, or at the very least like a play without any visuals. There’s a script and there’s a story and I know it’s helped me ease back into a mindset that preps me for reading because much like audiobooks you can listen to them all the time (I do so while cooking dinner and walking to classes) and it helps your mind switch from reality to the world of a story with relative ease if that makes sense. I’m pretty new to podcasts myself so don’t have a ton to recommend, but here’s what I’ve been enjoying….

Podcasts to look into:

Anything written by Mac Rogers. That includes The Message, Afterlife, and Steal the Stars. Personally, I like Steal the Stars and The Message more that Afterlife. They’re all sci-fi stories that are generally told from one perspective but you get to know amazing characters and I was not expecting the twists and turns. And Steal the Stars is still coming out so jump on the bandwagon now lol

The Adventure Zone from Justin, Travis and Griffin McElroy at My Brother, My Brother and Me (another podcast which I have not listened to). The Adventure Zone is actually them playing Dungeons and Dragons, but they’re funny as all get out (the last place I lived had a communal kitchen for dozens of people and I was always laughing like and idiot while listening to this and making dinner and I’m pretty sure everyone thought I was nuts). Eventually the Dungeon Master gets super into the story telling and they script some of it with cool music. It’s really amazing and has a nice balance between story/characters but also the element of “real people” as they’re a bunch of brothers and they’re dad all just having fun. It’s a good bridge to getting back into reading.

Welcome to Nightvale is always a classic. It’s a bit trippy for me but tons of people enjoy it. The same team also produced a podcast called Alice Isn’t Dead. I honestly know nothing about it but one of my friends always raves about it, so it has his vote!

10) And okay so here’s my last suggestion. It might feel like a bit of a cop-out because I guess it kind of is, but it often works for me. So here it is. Sometimes it just helps to sit down and remember why you like to read in the first place. The fact that you’re actively trying to get back into it isn’t meaningless. It’s a very willful decision. So what is driving you? Maybe it’s because…

reading is an escape or a way for you to cope with difficult things in your life. This can be anything from mental illness, to school/work stress, to relationship dissatisfaction, difficult family or economic situations. Maybe you just are bored of our planet earth. Sometimes you might just need to be transported into another world for whatever reason and that is totally okay.

or reading inspires you to live your best life. Maybe there’s some character in a book you love that you look up to and aspire to be. Remember that passion you had when you were first getting to know that character, and that sense of being understood or finding a role model. Maybe you want to go on an adventure as wild as that character went on and that’s your idea of living your best life. Whatever the reason is, this sort of inspiration is a powerful emotion that books make us feel and sometimes that’s also a good reason to reread a book that’s inspired you.

and I don’t know, maybe you’re a writer yourself and you draw inspiration from reading in that sense. The more you read, the more you learn about what sort of writing you like and don’t like, and you grow stronger in your craft. Good readers help make good writers (but also don’t take that to mean that if you happen to be a writer and you’ve been in a book rut for a long time that you own skills are waning. we all get in book ruts and that’s okay. maybe it’s time to seek out a new source of inspiration in a different genre or new writer)

or perhaps you simply love stories. Maybe you breathe stories like other people breathe air and you can’t imagine that side of you not existing. If you’re one of these people, that makes reader’s block twice as hard. But that doesn’t mean that if you’re not turning pages that you’re not absorbing stories. Take it slowly and ease back into it with things I already mentioned like podcasts and webtoons.

One way or another, you’ll find your way back. Maybe this post will spark something. Maybe it won’t, and it will take another few months for you to really feel gungho about reading again. That’s all okay. Take your time. Enjoy being with friends and other activities. Do what’s healthiest and what works best for you. And eventually you’ll get back to reading a ton. However it happens, I wish you the best of luck!