#rin literally identifies as male

[werewolf-cuddles]

Wikipedia listing Rin from Catherine: Full Body as a trans woman, and citing a fucking Kotaku article as their source

Why do I get the feeling that correcting this would get me IP banned?

[beautyxofxdestiny]

//Rant and Catherine: Full Body spoilers under the cut

Oh my god, for fucks sake. Whoever made this Wikipedia edit has obviously never actually played Rin's route.

Vincent directly asks him if he's a guy, and Rin responds in the affirmative.

Rin identifies as male. He is not a trans woman, he is a man.

Vincent has trouble addressing Rin as a woman because he fucking isn't one.

I hate that gender non-conforming characters apparently aren't allowed to exist without this constant "um, actually, they're actually trans, they were just written poorly" bullshit.

Oh, and don't fucking get me started on the article they cite as a source, because it's just blatantly incorrect. They frame the scene in question as "Vincent discovering Rin has a penis, and the game arbitrarily deciding to refer to her with he/him pronouns afterwards." as if he doesn't literally outright say that yes, he is a man.

[plague-of-insomnia]

Kuro First-Person Pronouns: Our Ciel Phantomhive

Unlike English, Japanese has many first-person pronouns ( “I”). These often will give you information about the type of person the character is. Are they very feminine or masculine? Polite or brusque? Young or old? Are they higher or lower in the social hierarchy? How close, psychologically, are they to the listener?

It’s not uncommon for one person to use different pronouns in different situations, and that is sometimes the case in the manga, depending on the character.

These ofc get lost in translation and are something I find very interesting. So this series will go through some of the Black Butler characters and show you which pronoun(s) they tend to use in Japanese and what that says about them as a character.

[Even more about Japanese pronouns.]

•私•僕•俺•儂•自分•我•私•僕•俺•儂•自分•我•

Our Ciel Phantomhive - 僕

Used By: (Young) Men | Casual or Polite: Semi-Formal

He consistently uses 僕 (boku) as his first-person pronoun of choice.

Here’s a couple examples from Volume 1 and then one of the more recent chapters:

This pronoun is an interesting one. Traditionally, 僕 is one of the typically “masculine” pronouns and is usually the first one that young boys are taught. Even though it is used by adults as well, it can sometimes have the connotation of childishness and immaturity.

However, the pronoun’s kanji 僕, also means male “servant” or “slave,” and it was considered humble in the same way one may say in English “I, your humble servant.” However, in the Meiji period it was adopted by academics (as a way of setting themselves apart from the uneducated), so it went from being a strictly humble, more casual pronoun to one that was more polite and elevated.

In the past, 僕 was actually used by older men, but now it’s associated more with young men, or men who want a pronoun that comes off as less brusquely masculine. It is also used sometimes by women nowadays, partly bc of the influence of manga and anime, and its “masculine” association has softened even more in recent years.

僕 is a kind of middle ground between the more neutral /formal/ distant 私 (watashi)—what Sebastian uses—and the rougher, more casual, harsher masculine pronoun 俺 (ore), which Bard, Wolf, and Ron use.

Additionally, 僕 can be used as a kind of second-person pronoun for young boys as a means of addressing them, sort of like we might say “kid” or “boy” to a child in English. (Note that this is not the same word Bard uses in recent chapters when talking about Ciel as a “runt,” btw.)

So what does this mean for Ciel? Well, it distinguishes him from Sebastian. Even though he also speaks more formally, you can easily identify his speech over his butler’s by pronoun alone. It also is a reminder that despite pretense, Ciel is still a young boy.

It’s also significant because 僕 is not typically a pronoun used with those above you. As an Earl, it would be rare for Ciel to have many (other than the Queen) who are above him in social station, so it fits that he uses that for himself.

Even with the Queen, Ciel uses 僕. Perhaps, it’s meant to be a sign of his younger age, but it could be precisely because he’s talking to the Queen that he doesn’t switch to a different pronoun. I know, that seems contradictory to what I said before, but 僕 still has an association with humbleness, so it can make you appear more humble or deferent, especially in formal situations. With that logic, then it makes sense that he would not change pronouns, in order to emphasize that he is, quite literally, her humble servant.

It’s impossible to say, but Ciel’s usage of 僕 could be a holdover from being the “spare.” (Though I’m not sure what pronouns Real Ciel uses yet so I could be blowing smoke with this assessment.)

In general, Ciel’s pronoun doesn’t tell us quite as much about him as Sebastian’s did, but it still gives us some insight into his character.

•私•僕•俺•儂•自分•我•私•僕•俺•儂•自分•我•

This is part of a series. More to come!

Sebastian | Our Ciel | Bard | Mey Rin | Finny | Lau | Grelle | Undertaker | Real Ciel | Blavat | Doll | Agni | Soma | Snake | Layla & Al

•私•僕•俺•儂•自分•我•私•僕•俺•儂•自分•我•

[ x x x x x ]

[fakepriest]

warning for my usual urobuchi hate only now it’s tenfold:

so.... in the fate/zero novel kirei goes on a tirade about how feminism is bad/evil and traditional submissive women are the only good ones basically.... what the fuck is urubochi smoking, both for an idea like this and for pushing it on him. literally out of nowhere.

all this bearing in mind the fact that urobuchi says he identifies with him in fz, which sure is Something

kirei in canon be like

enters an interracial marriage in another country, probably has to do everything around the house when she is bedridden, otherwise probably having to help since she’s sick, therefore doing those “””womanly chores”””, has nothing but genuinely good things to say about her

works with an irish lady who fights, wears a suit and has short hair, befriends her (although ultimately deciding to betray her when she becomes a master)

raises a spunky girl to whom he teaches martial arts from a young age bc he thinks she should know that as well, although it is seen by others as terribly untraditional

urobuchi: is this my beloved misogyny? does this mean he thinks feminism is bad and he hates non-traditional women who don’t stay in the kitchen? i should definitely write a paragraph of him thinking this!

with this, i am not saying kirei's a feminist, lol. He just Does Not Care. like with most things.

the most misogynystic belief he has expressed is being indignated at young women flirting with him or others(?) or criticizing rin’s short skirts because he finds them improper for someone her age, simply because he grew up in different times and in a different context. everything else  he did to others, including bazett and rin, is assholery in no way related to the characters being male or female. he. does. not. care.

tl;dr:

kirei vc sir you have issues

[citrus-lady]

Agni Headcanons That No One Asked For But Everyone Will Get Because This Man Needs More Love.

As usual 18+ with nsfw elements. Minors cover your pure eyes. No one asked for this but I just love this man so much I would risk it all for him.

Agni is so loyal and respectful and would rather claw his own eyes out than hurt/ upset or disrespect his s/o in any way.

Agni is the definition of devoted, caring, and passionate. All he wants to do is take care of his s/o and make them as happy as they make him.

He is a gentleman and proves that chivalry is not dead. He opens doors for you, helps you downstairs and out of carriages, carries you when your feet are tired. Part of this is because he spends so much time in butler mode it can be hard to come out of it sometimes but he also does it because he believes that is genuinely how you treat your s/o.

Agni is protective. Not in an overbearing sense or like he doesn’t believe that you can take care of yourself, but more like “ If you’re doing this dangerous thing then I will be with you the entire way”. If you work early in the morning or late at night he will walk you to and from work. If you are cooking and need something cut or something from the tall shelf he’ll help you. That sort of thing.

If you’re being attacked you can be damn sure that he is not going to stand by and let you be hurt. This man would literally die protecting you.

This protectiveness also extends to when you’re sick. As we see in Book of Circus both Agni and Soma take physical health very seriously and believe you should take care of/pamper those you care about when they fall ill. So you can expect curry and soup in bed, massages, couple baths, cuddling, and he’ll even tell you stories/ read to you in bed.

This man loves taking baths together. Not in a sexy way though. Don’t get me wrong, he finds you gorgeous, but in his mind bath time is a time to relax and be intimate. He likes to wash your hair and body and likes it when you do the same. He feels truly at peace when you are just relaxing between his legs with your back against his chest, just soaking in the warm water. That being said, if you did want to get a little frisky in the tub he wouldn’t be opposed.

This protectiveness would only double if you were to become pregnant with his child. BTW he would literally cry if he found out you were carying  his child.

Soma absolutely adores you as well. Not only do you make Agni happy but he sees you in a motherly/sisterly way as well. I feel like in order for Agni to love someone Soma would also have to like them.

Soma knows that quality time is important in a relationship. After all, he and Agni spend every day together and look at how strong their relationship is. Because of this Soma tries to give Agni more time off to be with you. Soma might even invite you to work for him as a maid or tutor or something so that you and Agni can spend more time together. This also gives you a reason to move into Ciel’s townhouse with them and takes some of the workload off of Agni. If they were to go back to India then you bet your sweet ass you are going too.

Since Agni is one of Sebastian’s few ‘friends’ Sebastian is very happy that you make Agni happy. Sebastian respects you not only for who you are but because he respects Agni and obviously there is something special about you if you were able to capture his heart.

Ciel also respects you and is happy for Agni but less so than Sebastian. Ciel is just glad that Soma has someone else to pester now.

Agni would cook and clean for you gladly and he is an amazing cook, even up there with Sebastian. He would be really happy if you asked him to make curry for you, especially if you liked it a lot. Agni would also want to learn how to make dishes from your culture.

Agni learned how to dance for you. When you, Soma, and he were invited to one of the Phantomhive’s balls he asked Sebastian to teach him so that he could dance with you. He had noticed at prior parties how much you had wanted to dance and wanted to learn for you. It was actually really cute and funny because he had to use Mey-rin as a stand-in for you. At first, he was reluctant to do so because you’re his one and only of course, but Sebastian convinced him that A) a dance doesn’t really count as cheating and B) this was the only way he could learn as everyone else in the mansion was male ( I’m sorry if your a reader who identifies as male! Just ignore that part if you are). Later that night he surprised you by asking you to dance and proceeding to waltz you around the room!

Lizzie thinks you are a really cute couple and beforehand she was helping you get ready in a guest room. She positively squealed when she saw you two dancing and then proceeded to try and convince Ciel to dance with her, which he reluctantly did.

If you wanted to dance with Soma, Sebastian, or anyone else that he knows and trusts he would be fine with that but he would not like it if you danced with anyone he didn’t know. He doesn’t trust the person’s intentions. In his mind, almost everyone is after you because he just thinks you’re so great and anyone who doesn’t also think so must be a fool.

This man is a giver, not only in bed but in life too. His main goal in life is to take care of those he cares about and make them happy. He is so loyal and supportive. Honestly would be a great dad. I think as a dad he would be protective without being super strict. Also, he does not believe in spanking his children.

Like I said before, this man is a giver in bed. In his mind, your pleasure comes first and foremost and his pleasure is derived from yours.

He’s going to worship your body and he absolutely dies inside when you return even a fraction of the favor. His natural pace is a slower, deeper, gentler pace but honestly, he’s going to do whatever his partner wants. This man is just so passionate. Not to mention how strong he is and how much stamina he has. He will go as long as you want and as many times as you want. I would sell my soul to Sebastian to see this man in the nude.

This man will give you oral. He will literally spend so long doing it too. You’re going to have at least one orgasm before he even gets to the main course. The king of soft and loving caresses. Caresses your thighs, legs, shoulders, ( breasts if you have them). He also likes kissing your lips and neck while doing the deed.

Is so romantic. Will plan things like romantic picnics and dinners and will set the mood with flower petals and scented candles/incense. He just wants you to know how much he loves you.

Will also do small, casual dates as well. Cooking dates, grocery shopping dates, strolls through the garden, or around town.

I picture him with a kind and compassionate someone. I think his s/o is more down to earth and chill. I can’t really see him with someone particularly childish or hyperactive. I think he gets enough of that from Soma and although he cares deeply for Soma, it can be a bit draining at the end of the day. Plus if his s/o was closer to Soma’s age he might feel a little weird about the age difference. ( Agni is 31 and Soma is 17). Not to say that his s/o isn’t energetic or that he wouldn’t date a younger s/o, but I feel like they are more mature behavior-wise.

Agni would also be really great at handling an s/o with mental health issues or that has a traumatic past/ has been through something traumatic. His patience and understanding mixed with his compassion, caring, loyalty and love would make him an excellent listener and healer.

This man smells like spices and Indian tea. He would also let you braid his long section of hair. This man also radiates heat like a furnace.

[fataziraphale]

hi I never post here but it’s pride month and I love fruits basket so here are my furuba lgbt headcanons! love these gay kids

Tohru - pansexual cis girl, though she won’t realize she likes girls until adulthood. somehow oblivious to the fact that Hana and Uo have been dating for years

Kyo - the one cishet boy in this whole goddamn show but tries to be a good ally because of Tohru and her friends

Yuki - trans boy. has been raised as male since birth because the curse treated him as a boy which is good by him. demisexual and gay but still figuring that out

Shigure - bisexual cis man

Hatori - bisexual cis man

Ayame - bisexual and will sleep with any gender, but has only really had romantic feelings for men. identifies with the term gnc but uses he/him (alternately, gnc trans man Ayame)

Akito - gay trans man who somehow manages to be both homophobic and transphobic

Momiji - pansexual and nonbinary (they/them)

Haru - bisexual and cis by convenience but doesn’t care about gender and uses any pronouns

Rin - bisexual cis girl

Ritsu - trans lesbian. every single Sohma knows she’s trans, it’s literally been obvious her whole life, but she keeps doubting herself and worrying she’s just faking it... while actively trying to pass as female. she’ll get there eventually and then the curse will recognize her as a girl

Kureno - bisexual cis man. is convinced his sex with Akito is straight. it’s not and he’s not

Uo - trans lesbian

Hana - nonbinary she/they lesbian

[thejustmaiden]

Heyo, fellow Inuyasha fans! Happy Friday! This particular blog will serve as a collection of random thoughts I’ve been mulling over lately. Hope you’ll consider giving it a read. By the way, it’ll specifically pertain to the Sessrin ship. If that’s not something that is of interest to you, then no need to read any further. Whatever happens, I wanted to get this out before the sequel. Alrighty, let’s go! 

I’m not sure many of us realize just how much fiction sparks public dialogue and shapes culture. There have been countless studies and research done to prove it, therefore this really isn’t up for debate. What the real question here should be is have we taken the time to fully contemplate and assess just how much fictional experiences are able to change or influence our perspective on real, everyday life? The visual arts are just one of many evolutionary adaptations that serve to give us more insight into one another’s mind. If our outlook on fiction contrasts with said insight, then perhaps some re-evaluating is in order.  

Powerful works of literature such as 1984 and the beloved Harry Potter series are just two examples. George Orwell’s book contributed strongly to how readers viewed government and politics during that time, and to this day it’s a book that resonates with many. As much as Harry Potter is cherished all across the world, there are religious and academic institutions that condemn it or have even gone so far as to ban it. I may not agree with the extreme measures taken, but it’s fascinating nonetheless to witness the extent to which fiction can move and mobilize people for a cause.

The takeaway is that indicating fiction doesn’t have the power to create change in our everyday lives is misleading to say the least. So how exactly then can fictional stories that are, after all, completely made up affect society in such profound ways? It all lies in the power of the psychology of fiction. According to cognitive psychologist and novelist, Keith Oatley, who’s been researching the psychological effects of fiction for over a decade, he states that engaging with stories about other people can improve empathy and theory of mind. When we identify with these characters’ struggles, we begin to share their frustration for societal problems that plague them. These types of stories tap into our emotions more so than- believe it or not- nonfiction, and thus their effects inspire us and even have the ability to alter our worldviews. 

I’ll be returning to that specific topic a bit later, but moving on for now!

It’s safe to say that I speak on behalf of the majority of antis. That being said, I first want to add that we are aware that sessrin shippers claim to agree that there was nothing inherently romantic that took place between Rin and Sesshomaru during their travels together. The thing is we have trouble believing you guys when you time and time again provide contradictory statements to defend your stance.

Voicing things like, “all signs point to Rin” and “it’s been foreshadowed” sends the exact opposite message of what you supposedly stand for and, if anything, confirms that you’ve had romance on your mind long before it would’ve been acceptable to come out with openly. You can’t just go along with what we say when it’s convenient to your argument and then back it up later with “who else but Rin.” How can the relationship you’re imagining be so obvious if they didn’t hint at it for the whole duration of the original series like we agreed upon? Elaborate on how we could’ve possibly come to such wildly different conclusions when we started AND left off with the same views for and throughout the series. 

On top of that, making the excuse that we don’t speak for adult!Rin and that she has the right to make her own decisions once she’s old enough is a weak defense. Firstly, because we haven’t even met her. Secondly, because it’s unfair of you to assert that you know what’s best for Rin and then say we’re not allowed to just because it doesn’t align with your beliefs. I get that you feel protective over her character, but do recall that this adult version of her none of us have actually met yet. We have no idea what kind of woman she’s become, what her dreams or aspirations may be, and whether she’s married or even wants to be. I’m not against the idea of her falling in love, I just don’t think it’ll be with Sesshomaru. I guess I’m also a fan of the idea of her following in Kaede’s footsteps, because if anyone can grow up to be an independent, trusted, and wise leader of the community like her it’s Rin.

To make matters worse, way too many of you continue to celebrate the drama cd and profess that it was sweet that Sesshomaru basically promised he’d wait for Rin all while somehow ignoring the glaring grooming implications. Why do you only see what you want to see and fail to acknowledge that actual child grooming scenarios do in fact play out like this in real life? A high percentage of people who have been victims of grooming can attest to this. If Sessrin does go canon, all the sequel succeeded in doing to avoid the direct correlation with grooming was skip over the more questionable and dodgy portions of it. Take out the time jump, however, and you no longer have a loophole to cover up the scary unmistakable truth, which is that Sessrin and grooming are essentially one in the same.

No one case is identical to another so please don’t come to me with your “but how is it grooming if Sesshomaru didn’t manipulate Rin” refutes. Nobody knows what the hell went on during those years between The Final Act and this upcoming sequel. Based on everything exhibited so far- that is if we decide to recognize the drama cd like so many of you choose to do- Sessrin’s dynamic is eerily reminiscent of real life child grooming. Why else do you think a lot of us fans have a huge problem with it? It’s triggering for a reason. 

Let’s be honest, Sesshomaru’s supposed love confession could’ve just been the first of many gestures like it. Who really knows, right? According to you shippers, a major shift in their relationship took place sometime during this critical period none of us got to watch unfold. I’m sure you all have explored the various ways this would’ve gone down in fan fiction and through other creative means of expression. Not to spoil the fun, but all I can’t help but wonder about is just how many of those supposed “cute moments” would’ve been as creepy and cringey as that proposal. Hundreds of thousands (possibly millions?!) of fans would undoubtedly agree with me, too. It seems to me this ain’t due to a mere difference of opinion. Taste is one thing, ethics a whole other. 

By the way, in case you didn’t know, groomers don’t necessarily need to plan out every single move in order for their behavior to constitute as grooming. What we should be paying attention to instead is the fact that Sesshomaru made a conscious decision to act on his own selfish desire for a young girl who couldn’t have possibly known in that moment the magnitude of what he was asking of her. Why is it that a vulnerable Rin is put in a position that forces her to be the one responsible for making such a big, life-changing decision for the both of them? Yes, Sesshomaru gave her the choice and, yes, she doesn’t have to make it till later, but why on Earth is he coming to her with this well before a child her age is ready and mature enough to handle it? Even if his intentions are good (broadly speaking of course), his what you shippers probably call “innocent acts” are incidentally coercing Rin into reciprocating his feelings. Whether he planned for that or not, he’s at fault. Period. 

That’s one way the power imbalance works. A child wants nothing more than to please the adult they look up to and adore, because they’re impressionable like that. Maybe Rin processes this like she’ll want whatever he wants, so that’s what she trains herself to believe- either right then and there or over time. Plus, if you really think about it, why wouldn’t she trust him if in her eyes he’s been nothing but good to her and that’s all she’s ever really known? (Psst! Charm is integral to the manipulative nature of grooming so it’s deceiving AKA manipulation can come off as praise or flattery.) Bottom line is that Rin is too young to have to think about this kind of deep stuff at all, and Sesshomaru shouldn’t have taken advantage of the power he had/has over her to influence a decision she was by no means prepared to hear about much less decide on. Your headcanons seem to imply that she’ll eventually have to choose though, and Idk about you but I rather not push my own fantasy agenda onto a underage girl regardless of how much I want it. Idc if she’s fictional, it wouldn’t feel right so why would I want to see that? My principals couldn’t ever allow for it.   

Even if it wasn’t an official proposal, per se, it’s still disturbing to me that so many of you find joy in the thought of a grown adult male essentially waiting for a young girl HE KNEW to become old enough before pursuing her. I know this drama cd ain’t technically canon, y'all, but since this is literally the only source we have that may foreshadow a potential Sessrin to come, and it’s referenced a lot, I figured it still should be called out for exactly what it is- Grooming: 101!!!!

Just as I demonstrated above, fiction has the ability to make even the most inappropriate and uncomfortable situations be viewed in a favorable light when you put the right spin on it. *cough* Lolicon culture, need I say more? *cough* Despite what you may believe, the strategies fiction utilizes to explain themes/concepts can genuinely lead to how we perceive them, and ultimately to how we come to make sense of a similar event presented to us in real life. Especially if we have no prior experience with any of it and have nothing to compare something to, these perceptions can be dangerous yet still persuasive to certain fans- young ones in particular. The more narrative consistency across stories and different mediums, the more likely they’ll influence social beliefs. Minors don’t possess the same capacity as adults to think critically about the content they consume, and if we aren’t more careful about what we put out there then all of us will continue to face serious repercussions.

This is precisely why it’s crucial we persist in our fight against the rabid phenomenon of glorifying young girls in every sexual context imaginable. Just look at what something as seemingly harmless as fiction has the power to do. The scope of fiction is broad and far-reaching, and it’s about time we stop denying that fact and actually do something about it if we have the means to.

The truth of the matter is that we’re in desperate need of proper education and training programs on this issue in our communities. Families need to ensure their children have access to the necessary resources, but it isn’t just on them. ALL of us gotta do our part and ALL of us should be up for the task. It takes a village, right? If we do not properly discuss and address child sexual abuse (CSA) with our children and in public forums, including the internet, then we’re ultimately accepting incidents of CSA should they arise. Consequently, that also translates to indirectly accepting that the predators among us stay untreated and/or unpunished. That’s how the generational and societal aspect of the abuse can continue, and we must do everything in our power to secure our children’s future. Yes, even when it comes to fiction.

If you still somehow don’t think the Sessrin pairing has anything to do with grooming, allow me to break this down for you one more time:

1. If some of your fellow sessrin shippers say that a relationship like this in real life is harmful, then that should be pretty telling in and of itself.

2. Piggybacking off #1: if your only defense to that is “well it’s just fiction,” then you should ask yourself why you can’t ever come up with better reasons. Same goes for history and culture, so please stop using those to justify this relationship. None of the above can or should be applied since it’s already been established that fiction pervades our lives and vice versa.

3. If fellow shippers who are victims of grooming say they are drawn to Sessrin because it allows them in a way to “take back control” from their abuser so that they can better cope with past traumas, then they’re inadvertently admitting that Sessrin does possess qualities associated with the past child sexual abuse they underwent. AKA Sessrin is relatable for its abusive dynamic.

I have to ask by the way, but why do you get so offended when we don’t support your ship anyway? Is it because we interpret it to be controversial and you don’t like your ship getting a bad rap? Is it because it would be insulting to admit that antis actually have a point in it being problematic and you rather double down instead? Or is it because you’re projecting yourself onto Rin and prefer to not go into detail about why that is? Maybe it’s too personal, or maybe it’s because deep down you’re ashamed. Of course that doesn’t mean you’re bad people, but suppressing these kind of negative emotions can’t be healthy for anyone. A little awareness and self-reflection on your part can benefit not just you but all of us in the long run. Cognitive dissonance can suck, but it’s also part of being human. 

I recently came across a comment I’d like to share with you. Unfortunately, this is not the first time nor will it be the last I see the likes of it. Anyway, in it a fan stated how embarrassing it must be being an Anti in this fandom when an episode like “Forever with Lord Sesshomaru” exists. Guys, this shipper and all those who liked their post are showing their true colors. Perpetuating and/or anticipating these sexualized images of young girls is a grave issue in both our society and media alike. I think we can all agree on that, or at least I hope so. It’s remarks like these that prove we still got a long way to go in terms of progress, and if we ever hope to effectively reverse some of our backwards way of thinking. So serious question for ya in regard to this: Why is it too much to ask that grooming be portrayed for what it is? Grooming. To clarify, grooming is bad and needs to be painted in a bad light. It’s as simple as that. If only we could all acknowledge it for what it is, we wouldn’t be in this predicament. 

Historical accuracy and cultural differences aside, it appears the crux of the matter between Sessrin shippers and Antis is our acceptance and/or denial of fiction’s influence on real life. If we can’t agree on this, then we’ll never agree on anything else. As mentioned earlier, there is more than enough evidence to support the idea that fiction impacts our lives in extraordinary ways. I, for one, believe in the transformative power of stories. I think they do more for us than many of us give them credit for and/or are inclined to admit. 

This is partially why I believe that the majority of sessrin folk are missing the point most of the time. All they do is focus on insignificant and irrelevant information that accomplishes nothing but more gaslighting and strawmanning. Whether it be an intentional or unconscious decision, whatever we argue goes right over their head. All they do is throw around deflections and antagonizing remarks that serve no real purpose other than to make Antis out to be the unreasonable and irrational ones. Making connections between our own lives and our stories is a completely natural and normal occurrence. If those particular shippers insist on denying just how interconnected real life and fiction both are, what that tells me is they’re either out of touch with reality or deliberately choose to be.

Just to be clear, I am of the opinion that most if not all antis aren’t real life predators. If they say they aren’t, I honestly take their word for it. Speaking to Sessrin shipper directly: We know it’s not Sesshomaru you want to be but Rin. No, we’re not calling you pedophiles or groomers. None of us think you are using a fictional ship to attract underage fans to be the Rin in your life or anything of the sort. We are well aware that many of you are self-inserting yourself as Rin, so please don’t feel the need to tell us yourself because that would be stating the obvious.

I learned from a few of you since this sequel was announced that the Sessrin relationship isn’t just a ship but an opportunity for you to confront the person who used and abused you. So there’s two issues with this I’d like to raise. (Sorry if I’m repeating myself, but it’s urgent I stress this again!) This is what I have to say:

If fiction does not affect real life or have the ability to normalize anything as you claim to believe, then why does “fixing” what happened to you via your preferred choice of coping associated with these two characters in the first place? Why bring your past abuse into this at all if at the end of the day it’s “just fiction” and nothing more to you but a source of entertainment?

By confessing that you use Sessrin to cope with your past trauma, you therein reveal that Sessrin does in fact resemble an adult-child relationship with a grooming dynamic. So why then would you want other fans to be exposed to a pairing that brings to mind the very abuse you endured? We’re supposed to stop this toxic cycle- NOT find more ways to manifest and relive it, much less subject other fans to it. 

You may think that Sessrin doesn’t fit the textbook definition of what child grooming is, but that’s not to say it doesn’t embody it or that it doesn’t at the very least have traces of it that stand out. 

“Antis are miserable people who don’t know how to enjoy a good story. It’s just fiction, stop ruining it for other fans!”

Well, no, it’s not just fiction or just a story. Some of you evidently went and proved that yourself, and without my help, by revealing how you relate Sessrin to your own life and apply it to cope with past abuse. Past abuse or not, as far as I can tell we’re all equally invested in these characters. That speaks volumes and just goes to show that fiction touches our lives in long-lasting ways.

I have something I want to say concerning some of who believe that it’s inconsiderate of antis who have been victims of grooming or another form of child abuse to tell other victims who ship Sessrin how they should cope with their trauma. Now as much as I respect the various means victims discover to deal with their painful pasts, there’s always an appropriate time and a place for these things to occur. We must seek out better ways to safely cope with the abuse we lived through (if any) without running the risk of hurting and endangering others. 

There are plenty of fans in other fandoms who don’t try to defend their ships going canon, because they’re able to recognize an unhealthy or toxic pairing when they see one and won’t try to justify it. A Sessrin romance simply does not belong on a show geared towards teens, and I really don’t need to go into detail about why we shouldn’t support it, at least canon-wise. Shipping Sessrin is your right, but if you don’t keep it to yourself and your corner of the fandom then you really shouldn’t be surprised by the opposition. All we ask is you respect that their specific dynamic falls under the category of child grooming (or very close) and should be treated as such in public. The world of fiction may be wider than the world we live in, but that doesn’t always mean “anything goes.” In the creative spaces our minds occupy we must still adhere to the same fundamental and moral guidelines we live by in life. There’s nothing wrong with exploring new terrains and experimenting with ideas, but we must also remember that our stories are all about communicating and connecting with people. So let’s please be more mindful of the sort of messages they’re sending. 

Besides, this isn’t only about you and what makes you feel safe, it’s about all of us. I don’t know how much more I can stress that really. How can thoughts endanger our children, you ask? Well, it’s not like we’re suggesting that our thoughts can jump out of our tvs, materialize themselves, and place kids under mind control. The forces behind fiction are a lot more complex and nuanced than a “monkey see, monkey do” approach, so don’t waste any more time trying to  describe that to us. You’re taking this argument in the wrong direction. 

Take the “violent video games breed killers” theory. I’m afraid you’re misconstruing what we’re saying and then taking it quite too literally. Please stop twisting our words, because nobody on our side is saying that just because you play violent video games that you’ll become a violent person. The Sessrin equivalent of that would be if you ship them then you must be a pedophile or turning into one. *sigh* I know you guys are feeling attacked, but I’m afraid your defensive nature is keeping you from thinking straight. Clearly, there are always exceptions (I’d recommend reading up on the Slender Man case), but Antis aren’t saying you’re one of them.

You see, it’s not so much about the content as it is the notion of the content. Kids and teens who are playing these video games have been informed that killing is wrong, because they grew up learning that early on like the rest of us. No sane person would advocate for violence and nonsensical killing in real life. Since they fully understand the severity of the consequences of killing a person in real life, they are able make a clear distinction between the two. When it comes to killing there is hardly any ambiguity. Sadly, that is far from the truth when it comes to sexualizing girls. It should immediately be perceived as wrong leaving no room for interpretation, and yet here we are still putting up with these inaccurate and demeaning female representations.

Most children who have been groomed don’t realize it till years down the road. If they aren’t ever taught the telltale signs to properly labeling grooming situations, how do you expect them to make sense of and relate to a fictional version? Let’s think of about it from a child’s perspective. Yes, this includes teens who rely pretty heavily on adult guidance and the content we put out there for them. Put yourself in their shoes for a moment and picture that you’ve never had child grooming explained to you (because that’s just the reality for so many unfortunately). Wouldn’t you say it’s possible for them to deduce that what they see on their screens is how they come to discern something in real life, especially if they have little to no experience with it? Perceived realism is plausible, y'all.

What it comes down to in the end is that the ideas and emotions we cultivate behind these stories leave an impression on others. Impressions are capable of influencing the way we see the world, which in turn affects us and beyond just our imagination. The way I look at it, stories contribute to how and why we normalize certain beliefs and trends. If fiction reflects real life like most of us tend to agree, then wouldn’t you say Sessrin is a (in)direct result of this world’s tendency to place young girls in overly sexual or romantic environments? Where do you think fiction draws its inspiration from? Sure, some of it originates from our imagination, but most of what drives us to create these stories is the real world and the people who live in it.

Fiction is meant to mirror reality, but it’s ridiculous to suggest that it’s only a one-way street. That fiction in no way, shape, or form influences our reality? Or that it only works the other way around? With all due respect, that’s simply not true. No productive discourse can be had if we choose to ignore the truth and don’t come together (at least halfway) to tackle the real issues at hand. 

Okay, I think I’ll leave it off there! Thanks so much for reading. I expect this to be my last blog on any topic regarding Inuyasha in the near future. As much as I’ve looked forward to answering all of your asks and writing all the blogs I have over these past almost 5 months, I think it’s best if I spend some time away for now. With the sequel fast approaching, I’m doing what I always do: hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. I’ve met some amazing people along the way, that’s for sure. And who knows, maybe you’ll see me active in the tags sooner than we think. Until then, it’s been an absolute pleasure! Enjoy the sequel, all of you. 💜

[deathsmallcaps]

A talk about Haru

I know a bit about cattle (I live next door to a farm), and the lovely Kayla and Ellen’s @staytogetherpodcast often talks about how the characters resemble their animals in personality and such. So I just thought of some stuff that might interest them and other Fruits Basket fans. This is a bit spoilery (and maybe a little biased) so watch out.

The animal spirit is called an ox. An ox is a male who had finished growing and puberty before being neutered. (A steer is different - it’s done slightly before or during puberty, and they are more even tempered for males. Some people do use the terms interchangeably). That means yes, they do get a little more agreeable, and easier to manage, but they also were pumped full of testosterone once upon a time. So they are actually a bit more stronger (which is why they are used for plowing, etc.), harder to handle, and darker in color.

Darker because testosterone makes their fur turn dark brown/black in most if not all types of cows. Cows can be black but males are darker in breeds that aren’t always completely black. Haru turns into a Holstein (the basic black and white type), so it isn’t as apparent.

The darker the bull is, the more virile and attractive. Which may explain Dark Haru’s more open sexuality.

So I think it’s interesting that his more basic personality, Light Haru, acts more like his animal spirit than Dark Haru does. Light’s more gentle,etc. Was Dark originally developed as his more human side, and then maybe Takaya refitted it into the story in a different way? Idk.

Cattle can be extremely dangerous. The only animal more involved in human death (in America. Mosquitoes are even bigger problems in places with malaria) is the deer. True, we as a country interact with deer and cows more than, say, an anteater, but it doesn’t change the fact that cows are dangerous animals.

The mothers are fiercely protective. I think they beat bears in that sense (though bears can kill cows irl). Depending on the type of farm you live on (factory vs homestead etc) a cow may attack you if you even touch her baby. Assuming she gets to keep the calf, of course. (Dairy farms often take the baby away as soon as it is born so they can milk the mother and make sure there is no bond. This leads to socialization issues for the calves).

Bulls are more easily provoked, due to their testosterone running their brains. But in my inexpert opinion, you’d have better luck with some bulls than a lot of mom cows.

Cattle have hard heads that weigh at the very least fifty pounds. They also have horns. You can get impales and whacked out of the way at the same time. The average small cow weighs more than 500 pounds. They can easily crush your bones. The round bellies are more from their four stomachs than obesity, though they do have a good layer of fat. Possibly worst of all, they can kick their back legs in almost any direction. Horses pretty much just go straight back, but a cow can kick you sideways. And while they only have one row of teeth in the front, their back munchers could bite your fingers off.

So Haru should probably be broader, but his height makes sense. I do think he’s taller and less skinny than the other characters. I realize it was Takaya’s Art style, and all of the male characters eventually become long bois and do fill out near the end.

He is also really good at fighting so there’s that.

Cattle give off a lot of heat - even when they aren’t all fuzzy and long haired like those highland cattle, they are often (not all breeds) comfortable in 40F (five-ish Celsius) and often stand outside in the snow. That doesn’t mean you should leave them in the elements, of course, but they’re tough animals.

Which kind of makes me laugh because Haru is always wearing a jacket and he should be over-heating.

Cattle drink a shit ton of water. One gulp is probably about 2-3 liters. Haru should be chugging all day.

Cattle are like the opposite of horses, with wide barrel bellies, narrow-ish shoulders and hips and butt that slants like a roof in New England. They are hard to ride bareback. They must’ve put a lot of effort in keeping Yuki on top of Haru lol.

Cattle are also very curious, intelligent, mischievous and playful. Even the mamas, when they are heavily pregnant, will still kick around some. Anything they can lift with their horns/head? It goes flying. The steer next door likes to drink half his water (his tub holds about a hundred gallons so it’s huge) and then flip it over to dump out the rest, just so he can knock it around his field. Then he complains very loudly about dying of thirst. he understands consequences, just doesn’t care about them.

His mother was very tricky. But that’s another story.

The steer (his name is Moo, used to be little moo when he was a calf) has horns, and likes to go around to plant life (mostly weeds, because that’s what his owners allow him to play with) and just rip that shit up. He swings his big head around when he gets excited, and when he’s very excited/surprised he bucks around in a circle, just like his mother did. he likes to sneak up to windows when its dark outside and press his nose against it, so when you look out the previously unoccupied space to see a large face smearing itself against the window (cow noses are often wet because they lick themselves and eat their own boogers) at 11:00 at night. just to see you scream and act all surprised about it.

(some friendly cows like to pretend to be scared)

When a cow encounters something new that isnt easily identified a s a threat, they circle it and snuff it and its very cute.

So Haru trying to get a rise out of people just for kicks is very true to cow behavior and I love it.

Cattle are also extremely loving and bond easily. When Moo was born, the only other cow he’d ever seen was his mother, and he was surrounded by miniature goats. So for the first year and a half of his life (he’s 2.5 now) he genuinely thought he was a goat and tried to play with them, even acting like he didn’t enjoy the rain to fit in. Unfortunately for Moo, goats are extremely family based and exclusive of other beings who aren’t related to them/bring them food, so he wasn’t accepted by the goats. (Female Goats are basically a clique - if you try to introduce a doe they don’t know, that doe is shunned most of the time [and often the loners do not band together] but they try to stay with the herd.)

This may be why Haru is so protective of others, like Yuki and Rin, etc.

Unless you anger a cow, they will probably not hurt you on purpose. Cruelty is really only a human/maybe cat thing and sometimes, your foot was just in the way and they didn’t see it. A lot of them don understand how truly large they are. 

Cattle have rough tongues like cats and use them to groom themselves and each other. Moo loves almost everyone he meets, and gives them hugs with his neck (if you stand at his shoulder he’ll curl his neck around you, which is great because then you an hug him back) and stinky, slobbery tongue baths. 

When a cow is grooming you, their already large, round eyes get really wide and they look very sweet and blissed out.

I bet Haru likes to groom people.

Anyways, thanks for reading! I think a good amount of this kind of explains Haru, Also, if for some reason you read this without ever hearing of the Stay Together Podcast, you should check it out! It’s funny and well-thought-out and you can really tell that the hosts are re-enjoying the story. 

If you have any questions about cows, goats, chickens or horses (though I am the least knowledgable about those) let me know!

[canonicallyginger]

So i finally started watching anime recently, and i will now share my headcanons and such about them.

Contains spoilers for Black Butler, Hunter X Hunter (seasons 1-3), Little Witch Academia, and Ouran Host Club.

Ok, Black Butler headcanons.

First of all, i’ve noticed that a lot of people use he/him pronouns for Grell, but Grell is literally a canon trans girl. In japan, theres a different view on trans people; its not a good place to be trans (like so many places, unfortunately), so many trans people probably don’t full realize that they are trans. Grell acknowledges her male body, but she CLEARLY identifies as female.

the Angel  (Angela Blanc and whatever the name of the male persona) is agender. Yes, I’m aware that they can switch genders at will, but they dont act that differently.

Finny is gay, Mey-rin is bi, Baldo is aro-ace. And Sebastian is also aro-ace.

Ciel is demisexual (Lizzie is his only love, ever), and a demiboy.

Next is Hunter X Hunter. Boy, I’ve got a ton of headcanons! (lots of shipping incoming.)

Killua X Gon. Killua is demisexual, Gon is a pan-ase.

Melody is bi, and the “friend” she mentioned was actually her SO.

Zushi is gay, but he’s been too focused on mastering Nen to really think about it.

Kurapika is aro-ase, Leorio is bi.

Next up is LWA.

Akko is bi, with a preference for females. Lotte is nonbinary and aro-ase. Sucy is straight ase.

Diana and Amanda are lesbians. Only Amanda is out of the closet.

Amanda is ADHD and autism spectrum, which makes it hard for her to conform to everyone else’s standards.

Constanze is a trans girl, and she’s nonverbal autistic (possibly canon, idk).

Andrew is bi, and used to have a crush on his friend Frank (who is, much to Andrew’s dismay, straight)

Croix is gay and Chariot is pan, and they dated for a very short time when they went to Luna Nova, but they quickly decided to be friends instead

Jasminka is aro-ase (she only has eyes for food)

Wangari, the announcer girl, has ADHD.

Ouran Host Club time! (i didnt expect to get so hooked lol)

Haruhi is genderfluid, aromantic, and pansexual. They are vaguely aware of their sexuality, but they really don’t care so much.

Kaoru is pan-ase, Hikaru is demisexual.

Honey-senpai is gay and Mori is demi (they like each other, but neither fully realizes it)

Kasanoda (Bossa Nova/Casanova) is gay, but he’s got so much internalized homophobia that he really doesn’t realize it. When he finds out Haruhi is biologically female, he tries to rationalize his feelings but he secretly prefers Haruhi when they’re pretending to be male.

Kyoya is gay for Tamaki. Tamaki will never realize it (as he’s painfully straight), but Kyoya doesn’t mind. He’d rather not have to confront his feelings anyway.

Renge is bi. Nekozawa is asexual.

to anyone who went thru all of this: holy shit. thanks.

[aizenat]

I remember when headcanon became a thing and it was about just creating little fantasies that you recognize aren't real but you enjoyed it anyway. Now, headcanons are canon and if you go against that, you're some evil bigot.

Like, Fruits Basket, despite my love for it, was a product of its time. So no, Haru isn't bi, Ritsu isn't trans, Hana isn't a lesbian (in Fruits Basket Another, it's revealed she married a man she met in Europe and had a whole ass son she created in her heterosexual relationship), and Akito doesn't identify as a man. Haru is joking when he pretends his feelings for Yuki are romantic: he got a real life girlfriend he's legit fucking while he making those jokes. Ritsu's crossdressing is an anxiety coping mechanism he does because he recognizes how patriarchal Japan is, and he knows he can act more like himself if ppl dont know he's a guy. His goal is to be confident enough to not hide behind crossdressing and to be confident as man! And he's not even trying to hard with the crossdressing; he wears a woman's kimono and has long hair. He ain't out here skipping around in skirts and wearing makeup. Like!

Akito being raised and forced to present like a boy is brilliant commentary on toxic mother-daughter relationships where the mother acts like she has to compete against her child for male attention. For the longest time, Akito internalizes that; when she goes after Rin, whose long dark hair reminder her of her mother's hair, she berates Rin as a (young) woman. She says something to the effect of how Rin represented everything she hated in women, trying to take what Akito felt was hers. Like, her inability to relate to her womanhood, being raised to believe being a woman meant always being at odds with other women, is why she was particularly violent with the women in the Sohma family (even the show had Akito first reach to attack Kana, with Hatori getting hurt trying to stop Akito; and Akito literally almost stabbed her mother right before turning and stabbing Kureno). Like, for a show that's annoyingly heteronormative and patriarchal, there are a lot of great arcs where gender 100% plays a role in how the characters behave. And it's compelling!

Like, I get wanting to project your fantasies, but some of it comes off as creepy. I still think Uotani not being a lesbian was the biggest letdown of the series, but I moved on like ten years ago lol.

At some point, if these headcanons are that important, you need to pick up a fucking pen like I did and write your own gay shit instead of pretending fanservice from the 90s passes as LGBT representation.

[voidfishersong]

Fallane and Eliza Fate, please

Alright, these two are from different ‘verses just fyi. so any supernatural elements are very, very different, as well as social situations.

WARNING: Fallane’s contains reference to some things that might be triggering. nothing in-detail, but please be advised.

Full Name: Fallane

Gender and Sexuality:

 male-ish but with a rising intonation and a hand-wiggly gesture. sexuality is definitely just a hand-wiggly gesture, we think he has a slight preference for men but tbh no one cares

Pronouns:

 he/him. if you used other ones he probably wouldn’t object but if you asked he’d say ‘he/him’

Ethnicity/Species:

 Egyptian. and he’s like,,, vaguely a demon but not actually. he’s

supposed

 to be one of the generals/servants/sextoys/whatever of AN ASSHOLE who reincarnates every 30 years or so, possesses a young girl, and makes everyone’s life hell but he said ‘nope that’ and (mostly) left. so he’s not actually a demon but that’s what his kind got characterized as by various mortals and usually he doesn’t correct people

Birthplace and Birthdate:

 like literal ancient egypt in like 2,700 bc or smth

Guilty Pleasures:

 I don’t think he’s guilty about any of his pleasures.

that came out way more sexual than I intended

I just meant that he likes things and he’s not ashamed of it

Phobias:

 ahhhh this ‘verse is so dark help. I’d say sexual assault is pretty high on the list. I think he’s also a bit claustrophobic. more than a bit. he’s very claustrophobic he just doesn’t get into many situations like that

What They Would Be Famous For:

 he could be a model? like actually. he wouldn’t but he

could

. he’s got a wicked fashion sense and is really good at makeup. ooh he could model makeup too

What They Would Get Arrested For:

 can u get arrested for smoking indoors? he would. or shoplifting. he likes petty crime because either a) ‘this shouldn’t be privately owned and private ownership is just a social construct’ or b) ‘haha what are u gonna do, catch me?’

OC You Ship Them With:

 Sam!! Sam Reeve x Fallane is best ship. you could also ship him with Kai but Sam is most perfectest. I made a ship name for them but it’s lame and I’m not sharing unless u dm me. I also ship Fallane with a healthy lifestyle but that’s never gonna be canon so

OC Most Likely To Murder Them:

 does Nara canonically murdering him count? there r a lot of ppl who want to murder Fallane so I feel like this is an unfair question. Kai genuinely hates him for a large part of the story. ahaha Kai canonically kills him too jesus christ Fallane you’ve been killed three times you gotta chill. but I think Nara would be more likely to succeed than Kai so. the answer I pick is Nara. in a sarcastic way tho it’d be Mista, who is so done with his shit and she’s the type to say ‘im going to murder you’ when he like, puts his feet on the table or something

Favorite Movie/Book Genre:

 mystery? anything he can sarcastically criticize the plot of, tbh. maybe horror

Least Favorite Movie/Book Cliche:

 if he’s a horror fan, then it’d be where any time someone says ‘dont do this’ the person does it and dies. I think he definitely dislikes the ‘aliens are always technological experts’ cliche like what if the explorers are anthropologists with no clue how their ship works?? did you ever think of that?? no you didn’t

Talents and/or Powers:

 his main talent is sarcasm. he’s very gifted with picking up languages and accents, and he has a high appreciation for all forms of art. in the supernatural realm, he’s got a lot. he’s a natural low-level empath, and then he got powers on top of that, which made him nigh immortal, gave him rly cool wings, and magical charisma (which is like subconscious suggestion, except,, magic) which he mostly uses to convince people he’s paid for shit he

hasn’t

 paid for. in the name of disabling capitalism, of course, and not because he just wants the pillow. then he’s also got some extradimensional abilities which are often interpreted as a kind of telekinesis but isn’t technically. and his empathic abilities get turned up to eleven until he can project so hard he can accidentally (or purposefully) kill someone

Why Someone Might Love Them:

 if you’re about grey moralities, ambiguity, and anti-heroes, you’ll probably love Fallane. he’s also very protective, and a single dad of energetic twins so there’s no shortage of relatability, either. but I think a lot of his charm comes from his interactions with other characters, because he feels very strongly and brings many things other characters are afraid to say. there’s a weighty sense of honesty with him, and a real desire to do right by the world and help the downtrodden. he also struggles with trauma and mental illness and he’s really, really messed up but he

tries

 and sometimes he fails and I think people will find a surprising amount to identify with. Fallane is my ultimate walking contradiction, but I think it works.

Why Someone Might Hate Them:

 I feel like he’s a character people would be just indifferent toward UNTIL people started being apologists and saying he does nothing wrong and then he’d be one of those characters that the fandom just splits on, as polarizing ends get increasingly more argumentative. he can be manipulative too and I think people might take issue with things like that, but I feel like most people who would actively hate him would be misinterpreting him. he’s not supposed to be a paragon of good morality

How They Change:

 in the first few waves of this ‘verse Fallane was a definite villain, if a hero-aiding anti-villain. then I decided villains were overrated and now there’s no villains, just a complicated mess of varying degrees of grey morality. in canon, this is reflected. he goes from a certain ‘I can’t do anything substantial about it so I just won’t bother’ to someone who

acts

 on his desire to combat discrimination and abuse. he also gets his family back, and gains a little sister, and he’s constantly learning how to love (in every way) and how to

live

.

Why You Love Them:

honestly?

because

 he’s learning how to live. much of Fallane’s backstory (and his role-switch from anti-villain to anti-hero) came from when I got over being suicidal, so he’s sometimes a comfort character. ngl, I also love his aesthetic. I’m also a bit biased because he has ocd and I have ocd and that’s relatable too and it makes his aesthetic

extra

 relatable. he’s also incredibly emotional and that’s always an adventure to write. I really love Fallane guys.

also this ao3 tag is like the greatest descriptor of him:

Full Name: Eliza Fate

Gender and Sexuality:

female, bisexual

Pronouns

: She/Her

Ethnicity/Species:

English. and she’s a vampire so uh yea

Birthplace and Birthdate:

England and uh….. like…. idk….. a long time ago

Guilty Pleasures:

both slow and fast jazz music. also she’s surprisingly good with children - I like to think that sometimes, she volunteers at daycare-like-places in the shadier parts of town where there’s too many kids and not enough workers and she just helps out these toddlers and teaches them to jazz dance, the way you teach little kids anything, which is hold them and pretend they’re following anything you’re saying

Phobias:

I don’t think she’s phobic of anything, but she’s afraid of losing her family. they’re very important to her and I think her deepest fear is that someday she’s going to wake up completely alone. she’s not afraid of any one person leaving (obviously she’d be upset), it’s just the idea that

everyone

 could disappear

What They Would Be Famous For:

she’s kind of famous within the criminal underworld because she’s like a mob boss, and she’s mostly famous for having a very large family, and for being independent. she went almost two centuries without a right-hand man/woman/etc which, especially as a woman, was quite unique

What They Would Get Arrested For:

I mean she already murders ppl and runs a mafia so that

could

 get her arrested, but if she ever got caught it’d probably be something like she murdered a child abuser or something really,

really

 violently and not well-planned

OC You Ship Them With:

 Itsuki, who’s her canon boyfriend, and Andrea, who’s her canon girlfriend. she’s poly and her relationships are usually open relationships, including with those two. I also ship her hardcore with Katsumi, although that’s a very different dynamic (1960s lots of drugs and alcohol and free sex and it’s about pushing each other further and further and not always healthy but they know that and it’s okay). I feel like Eliza would be really great for romance fanfic because you can go with many time periods!

OC Most Likely To Murder Them:

 Rin. boi Rin has wanted to murder her since he met her probably, he just hated her on principle and then Eliza went and decided she liked Itsuki so Rin hated that and

then

 she started dating Katsumi too and so she’s in love with both his roommates and that pisses Rin off. it’s funny.

actually it’s often really depressing because they end up blaming each other for Katsumi’s death and just about everything else and I think Rin might actually wish she had never existed but

usually it’s a sarcastic ‘I would murder you right now Eliza I swear’

Favorite Movie/Book Genre:

 slice of life. I think she likes the variety and the normalcy of it all, and she usually thinks the couples are cute. her least favorite genre is probably mystery

Least Favorite Movie/Book Cliche:

 love triangles. they’re way, way overdone. also they invalidate the possibility of poly or open relationships. on a less serious note, she hates any mystery story that ends with like ‘the detective was the culprit all along!’ there’s not really a reason why she hates that but. she does. I made her I make the rules

Talents and/or Powers:

 powers: well, she’s a vampire. talents: charisma. she is very good at getting people to understand her viewpoint, when she puts her foot down on something, which is rare. she’s also good at dancing. and very good at sex too apparently. she’s good with children too! but only really smol ones, once they get above like 5 they’re usually assholes

Why Someone Might Love Them:

 she’s strong, and independent, and I think she’s over all a good person. she doesn’t take shit from people, but she doesn’t assume that people

are

 giving her shit. she’s quite easy-going, all-in-all. she’s also really loving to her family, and in many ways she fulfills feminine roles, but the way she does them and the way she thinks about them are empowering, I think

Why Someone Might Hate Them:

 when Eliza was first conceptualized in mid high school, I was terrified that people would see her as bad representation because she’s not morally straight

and

 I worried that making her bi and poly would make people angry. but I think I’ve mostly gotten past that? idk. but I definitely think people might dislike her for her constant relationships - she doesn’t do well if she doesn’t have at least one datemate, and people might see that as too dependent or needy. she sometimes comes across as needy, so there’s that. I think there’d definitely be Eliza Fate stans and Eliza Fate haters

How They Change:

 you get to see her progression from the civil rights era to present day, and she does change a bit, but overall she’s one of the most stable characters in this ‘verse. she really learns to accept rejection, and since she adopts a literal child (Nayeli) into her family and doesn’t raise Nayeli with any expectations of her joining the Family, I think she learns to work with people during their formative adolescent years, too

Why You Love Them:

Eliza is a character from the second wave of this ‘verse, so she’s quite old to have changed so little. I also love how she can differ depending on the time, so her roles change depending on the context. her personality doesn’t really change between any of them, but she’s a very complex character (a side effect of having been in my head for at least 5 years) and you can actually

see

 all her facets. also she’s a mob boss mom??? like that’s cool idk she’s super suave and i’m gay

[godofevrerything]

Panromantic! I’m demisexual.

Well I thought I was bi when I was 13, but then I realized that I don’t give a shit about gender so I officially identified when I was 14.

I came out when I was 14. I had already told my parents that I was bi, and they were pretty homophobic about it. So I sort of just brought it up at dinner and got it over as quick as I could. I mean, they’re still kind of homophobic, but it’s better now.

My favorite thing is probably when I talk to people who aren’t cis. Like they mention their gender and then go still, and I just smile and tell them that I’m pan, don’t worry about it. And the amount of relief and calm that comes on their face is amazing to see. Because unfortunately, there are people in the LGBTQ community that are somehow non-cisphobic.

I mostly lean towards girls and pretty much anything that aren’t cis makes because right now just about every cis male I meet is either dumb, ignorant, homophobic, or too flirty and fake for my liking.

I look for someone who can listen to me and keep up with my energy. Also someone who can make me laugh and appreciate the little things.

I really love the inclusiveness. We don’t give a damn about gender, so there’s not much room to complain about liking a person based on what’s below the belt.

I’ve never been to Pride due to my homophobic family. But my friends and I are talking about going this year and I’m really excited!

I don’t know any pan celebrities, but one of my OCs is pan. She’s a trans Indian with electricity powers. Her names is Saundrine Iago, but she goes by Rin.

I don’t have any pan Headcannons l, besides stuff about Rin.

Same thing as number 7. The inclusion is amazing.

Oooo. It’s more of a stereotype than a myth, but it gets on my nerves when people say that pan is the same thing as bi. Because it’s not. Also when people make fun of being pan, saying that we like anything. Like holding up a watermelon and asking me if I want to make out with it.

I grew up in a really homophobic family, so I really tried to convince myself that I was straight, which worked until I was bout 12. Then at 13, I identified as bi, because back then I was pretty ignorant of non cis people. But I did some research and realized that I don’t care about gender, so I now identify as pan.

I don’t have any pan friends, but I do have several bi and lesbian disaster friends. I mean honestly we’re all disaster.

If I met my younger self I would smack her with a rolled up newspaper. She was so scared of her own feelings that she was blatantly homophobic to herself and everyone around her. I would probably yell at her honestly.

I’m also demisexual, so I do post that everywhere I post that I’m panromantic.

It’s not really about pan merch, but I really hate that there is only the gay flag emoji. Like, I’m glad it’s there, but I would really like to see all of the pride flag emojis.

I haven’t found any pan blogs as of now, but I’m pretty new to Tumblr, so I’m hoping to change that.

My gender is cis femal. She/her pronouns. But I’m starting to get the occasional dysphoria, which is absolutely fantastic.

*cracks knuckles* Okay assholes, listen up. I’m not going to sugarcoat it. You are all ignorant and homophobic. If your problem is that you don’t understand non-cis people, do some damn research. Open your eyes and realize that they do exist. And if your problem is that you think bi and pan is the same thing, once again, do your research. Ask people about it. And let me ask you, what’s your problem with us? We aren’t bothering you. You can keep your thoughts to yourself, or get your heads out of your asse, for Gods sake. Because people like you are making it illegal to be pan and literally anything but straight and cis. How would you feel if we made it illegal to be yourself?

Simple. Be yourself. Don’t confine yourself to one label. You got your entire life ahead of you. If you identify as pan now, great! You might wake up one day and be like “shit I’m gay”. And that’s fine! Just be yourself, and don’t confine to one label. And don’t go on a rampage buying Pride merch. It’s great to be confident in yourself, but you can’t let that fire burn out. Not to mention, you don’t want to advertise yourself as pan so much, that you end up constricting yourself. Be yourself, no matter what. If you identify as pan your entire life, that’s pantastic. If not, that also great! Just be yourself, and accept who you are.

Pan Ask Game! 💗💛💙

1) Are you pansexual, panromantic, or both?

2) When did you realize you’re pan?

3) Are you out? If so, when and how did you come out?

4) What’s your favorite thing about being pan?

5) Do you have any gender preferences?

6) What qualities do you look for in a partner?

7) What’s your favorite part of pan culture?

8) Do you have any stories from Pride?

9) Who’s a pan character or celebrity you like?

10) Do you have any pan headcanons?

11) What’s your favorite thing about the pan community?

12) What’s a myth about pan people that bothers you?

13) What labels did you use before settling on pan?

14) Do you have any pan friends?

15) Is there anything you’d tell your younger self?

16) Do you use any labels besides pan?

17) Do you have any pan pride merch? If so, what?

18) What are some of your favorite pan blogs?

19) What are your pronouns and gender?

20) Write out a message for panphobes.

21) What’s some advice you have for younger pan people?

[dramacravings]

some thoughts on twy...

narrative: a representation of a particular situation or process in such a way as to reflect or conform to an overarching set of aims or values

i like ma rin but why is this drama so intent on getting me to identify her as a victim?? everyone in her life (mostly women) mocks her, berates her, uses her, underestimates her, makes assumptions of and accusations against her, tries to manipulate her by holding favors over her head or hoops for her to jump through, or just makes her life more difficult in general.

there are at least ten other ways so joon could have prevented that car accident (stopped the truck, stalled traffic, pushed the god damn crosswalk button, said “hey, watch out for that truck”) but instead we have to watch him stalk and harass ma rin down the street and into the crosswalk jfc (they really want her to be a victim).

there are a thousand other scenarios ma rin could have needed to be rescued from (ferry accident. dock accident. overhead piano accident. bridge accident. did anyone watch early edition?) but we got the street harassment version and the scene ends with ma rin unconscious in the hospital (for no apparent reason) while so joon streams embarrassing videos of her drunken public encounters online, videos she never consented to appear in let alone get spread around the internet.

so joon later uses this knowledge of ma rin’s alcohol problem against her to coerce her to speak with him after she made it clear that she didn’t want to. (but this is supposed to be a funny bc she likes to drink/has a drinking problem. side note: are women only allowed to be funny or silly (or sad) when they’re drunk? that’s a depressing thought...)

when so joon causes ma rin to feel humiliated or ashamed or he’s impressing her we get her point of view but when ma rin is making so joon’s life ~difficult~ or if he pities her we get his point of view. why is that? why are they so invested in making her a victim!?

i feel like the drama is just tearing ma rin down so that... hell, i don’t know why. she’s great but the writers are creating a narrative in which literally everyone else is in control of hers. every scene is another opportunity to bring her down, for someone else to make or break her hopes and dreams, or simply sidetrack her from just living her life and pursuing her future career in peace. /we/ might like ma rin but this drama does not like ma rin.

let’s also not forget that at this point the story ends with ma rin’s and so joon’s deaths and it’s up to so joon and his godlike knowledge of their intertwined futures to prevent it from happening. ma rin is just a piece in this puzzle with no awareness of the overarching narrative driving the plot forward, or the factors motivating this man to follow her around, to be so hot and cold with her. he couldn’t care less about her.

i’m trying to compare this to something like qihm where the couple has to figure things out together and she constantly has to teach him about her world and they form a partnership. contrast qihm with this drama where so joon travels to the future and we only get his perspective as we all discover that he and ma rin are married. ma rin is only there to answer questions. there was nothing in their interaction that was for her or her story or even from her point of view. this was all about so joon. entitled, all-knowing so joon.

since most of the other annoying people in ma rin’s life are women there’s also this layer of ma rin being the ~exceptional woman~ who gets to be fleshed out and flawed while other women are just pathetic or petty. none of her friends, coworkers, nor her mother are written in a way that’s supposed to make you empathize with them.

those we do get to empathize with are ma rin (but only as a victim), so joon (a hard-hearted asshole; a man), and so joon’s time travel buddy (also a man). the only people who are ever nice to ma rin are her friend (who’s really only there to clap for ma rin when she gets a job--this is very low investment faux female friendship positivity imo) and the reporter ma rin went on a date with, who we’re supposed to appreciate bc he didn’t berate ma rin after her terrible mother told lies about her (and i’m just waiting for him to screw her over with his article).

i almost get the feeling that we’re supposed to respect or value ma rin more because she’s a victim and reacts to being a victim in a ~humble~ way. like, i wouldn’t blame this woman if she didn’t maintain a positive attitude and instead broke down whilst literally everyone tries to make her life harder. what does ma rin get out of telling the story this way? what does this narrative accomplish for her, specifically?

we have to stop putting the onus on female characters to respond to bad treatment in the Right Way (policing women’s behavior) and instead challenge narratives that validate a world in which women don’t have control of their lives and are expected to Deal With It ~admirably~

how is this not a form of victim blaming in which we wouldn’t be expected to like ma rin if she weren’t “lively and endlessly positive”? honestly?

this is Strong Female Character posturing (behaving in a way that is intended to impress or mislead others) where they set up scenarios in which ma rin is treated like shit specifically so the writers can put on a show demonstrating how Strong she is. this drama is more interested in putting ma rin on a pedestal for her Admirable Behavior in the face of constant attacks than it is in condemning or changing others’ awful behavior toward her.

why should i want to relate to or sympathize with this narrative structure? this isn’t my idea of an appealing high stakes time travel romance. a gross part of me wants to watch this drama play out just to confirm my suspicions. they’ve already made so many questionable narrative decisions that they’re setting things up to get worse for ma rin, for her to become more of a pawn in so joon’s ~destiny~. ma rin might end up with the material things she desires--the career, the guy--but i just don’t see this process being a nice experience for her. it hasn’t been so far and i don’t have any reason to believe that will change.

i’m going to relate this back to my earlier comments re the swdbs teaser in which we’re supposed to get excited about (literally “teased” by) a woman fighting off sexual harassment on public transportation. media co-opted feminism is jtbc and tvn raking in ad money so we can watch women get harassed for fun and for free lmao. we’re deep in the matrix.

i wanted to include what @gohyunjungfun wrote in response to my comments about the teaser bc it’s better articulated and influenced some of what i wrote here: it's a special brand of pop feminism that focuses on individual women being smart/strong/whatever enough to fight off certain types of male aggression but is uninterested in the structure of patriarchy in recognizing it as a system and uninterested in men simply *not* being predators.

i’d argue this also applies to patriarchal norms in dramas that tell us any narrative or story is fair game and it’s up to female characters to just be good enough role models or interesting enough characters to deserve our praise. we have to stop ignoring writers’ motivations and instead ask why we tell stories like this in the first place. narrative choices are choices, you can’t be neutral on a moving train, etc etc.

[maisiemanneringba1b]

Final Essay Draft

'Only available in animation'. To what extent does this Paul Wells quote apply to 'Perfect Blue', directed by Satoshi Kon? Explain how the medium and materials shape and define the narrative. If your chosen film subverts or ignores conventional expectations of a plotted narrative, identify the strategies employed in it's place.

The work of Satoshi Kon famously explores a relationship between dreams and a subjective reality, constantly provoking the audience to question whether what is happening in a scene is actually happening. Through the medium of 2D animation, Kon creates a fragmented and unconventional narrative that breaks boundaries and scrutinizes Japanese culture for both its moral values and treatment of women. His debut 'Perfect Blue' (Perfect Blue) was released in 1997; following a young and conventionally beautiful girl Mima as the former 'pop idol' protagonist, the audience watch as her mental health deteriorates. As the film progresses, it is ambiguous to both Mima and the audience as to what is real. The combination of hyper-realistic artwork and quick, dreamlike editing in 'Perfect Blue' create a juxtaposition that questions the distortion of subjectivity; subverting conventions of both a plotted narrative and expectations of Japanese anime, this film is 'only available in animation'.(Paul Wells)

Todorov(Todorov, 1969)explains narrative to be 'two moments of equilibrium, similar and different, are separated by a period of imbalance'. His observations about narrative revolve around a disruption of the equilibrium, a realisation that this has occured, and consequently a restoration of harmony and return of equilibrium. Despite 'Perfect Blue' being slightly unconventional in terms of editing and pacing, you could argue that in order to be enjoyable any film must follow some kind of narrative structure and convey a change. John Yorke( J Yorke, 2014) described this as 'three dimensional storytelling' in which 'the character goes on a journey to overcome their flaw', shown within the psychological journey of Mima trying to distinguish dream from reality and lead a normal life. This journey starts at the beginning of the film with a successful example of 'equilibrium'(Todorov, 1969) . Mima is on stage with her Pop Idol group 'Cham'; colours are bright and vivid and close ups are shown of her loyal and adoring fans. The disruption of the equilibrium is revealed not soon after as she discovers a fan page that details her every movement, Mima initally finds this amusing, but this is where her seemingly perfect life goes spiralling out of control; this is re-enforced she sees her reflection in the window of the train and its not herself, but the old 'Pop Idol Mima'. You could argue that the restoration of the equilibrium is at the end as Mima tries to kill Rumi, after this she is able to regain her old self and carry on her life the way she was meant to; however the ambiguity of the ending makes it hard to tell whether the equilibrium has actually been restored, or whether this is just another delusion of Mima. Throughout the narrative, Satoshi Kon uses jump cuts and quick transitions to blur the lines between reality and dreams, therefore the ending is subjective to the spectator.

Kon subtly challenges the structure of a traditional story by making it ambiguous as to what is reality; the conformation to Todorovs theory(Todorov, 1969) of the equilibrium could also be a comment by Kon concerning the obesession with the physical beauty of female celebrities in Japanese culture. The 'equilibrium' at the beginning of the film, revealing Mima to be an idealised and perfected woman is mocking celebrity culture in Japan and revealing the 'male gaze'(1973). First established by Laura Mulvey, the male gaze states that women are simultaneously 'looked at and displayed'. This is evident as Cham are performing, flawless skin and matching outfits make the girls seem more like dolls than real women; this is re-enforced by the slow and controlled filming similar to that of a music video, further making them seem dream like and ethereal. This is even more poignant in animation as the appearance of the girls can literally be perfect, a visual embodiment of the perfect image they are expected to be in real life. The societal pressures of Idols in Japan to conform to beauty standards can also be seen in the dichotomy between Rumi and Mima; Mima is animated smoothly along arcs, making her seem graceful and elegant in comparison to the movement of Rumi, moving in rigid and frantic. The 'restoration of equilibrium'(Todorov, 1969) at the end of the narrative also shows Rumi in a mental hospital, and traditionally beautiful Mima able to live her life in peace. The use of narrative structure here could be a way of Kon highlighting the flaw of vanity in Japanese society, and mocking this by hinting you can only have a 'happy ending' if you are young and physically attractive.

One of the most important themes explored by Satoshi Kon is the subjectivity of reality, and the blurred lines between what we experience and what is objectively 'real'. Kon himself has stated that “For an outsider, the dreams and the film within a film are easy to separate from the real world. But for the person who is experiencing them, everything is real”(Mes). The confusion and disorientation that the audience feel when watching 'Perfect Blue' is reminiscent of Mima's mental state; therefore us as the spectator are experiencing disorientation with her. Unlike other films that explore dreams in a way that separates them from real life with slow fades or dream-like filters, Kon intertwines them with reality, building up to a dizzy crescendo until Mima is back in her room again. The repetition of the visual image of Mimas room as she supposedly snaps back to reality each time could be a visual cue to the audience concerning her mental state; the mise en scene of rubbish in her room and the lighting that decreases as time goes on, reveals her bleak outlook of hope that Mima now fears for her future.  The repetition shown here is what Freud has described as 'involuntary repetition', creating a nightmare like loop in Mima's life. The narrative is essentially shaped by the perspective of Mima and therefore appears fragmented and unconventional as Mima starts to question what is real. Andrew Osmond(Osmond, 2009) has commented that Kons films present a ''fractured, multifaceted world in which everyone has their own different reality.'' The intertwining of reality and delusion through skillfully placed jump cuts, and unrealistically short scenes later on emphasising Mima's paranoia and could be likened to the ''sense of helplessness experienced in dream states’, as described by Freud in 'The Uncanny'(Freud, S 1919). The questionnable narrative as created by Kon strays away from a linear structure, but for the purpose as to illustrate the deteriorating mental health of Mima. 

Despite the apparent lack of locial narrative structure, Kon uses a strong visual and intense use of colour to highlight the emotions, show character progression and reflect key points in the narrative. Many aspects of this film echoe that of live action, the hyper realistic settings and attention to detail; however it is the symbolic and unnatural use of red that would only be possible in anime that allow Satoshi Kon to create a visual narrative. The first time the audience are introduced to the colour of red is as Mima is looking at the blog of 'Mima-rin' for the first time; the colour engulfes the screen and demands more attention than the neutral colours of Mima's face. This immediately foreshadows the danger that will come from this seemingly innocent fan website, but also establishes a theme that will run throughout of the loss of innocence that Mima experiences. This transition is displayed in the rape scene, as it takes place with a vivid red backdrop accompanied by the red accessories Mima is wearing, mirroring the pink accessories shown in the first few scenes as she performs with 'Cham'. In an interview, Kon has stated that ''The scene is her death as an idol''(Mes). This visual transition from pink to red illustrates the loss of Mima's innocence and violation from the expoitative Japanese pop idol industry, serving as a condemnation from Kon regarding the debasement of women in Japanese society. While symbolising Mima's loss of identity and innocence, the use of red also serves as a way to add further ambiguity surrounding the ending. Being used as a signifier of Mima's deteriorating mental health as the use of red increases throughout the narrative, the red colour of the car she gets in to at the ending of the film forces the audience to question whether this is another signifier that the 'happy ending' that we see for Mima, is purely delusion. Through anime, the hyperbolic and surreal use of colour illustrates a decay in the mental state of Mima; therefore strong visual cues that anticipate an 'emotional catharsis' (Michael Lengsfield) as the audience follow her journey and reach a seemingly positive ending to her trauma at the ending. 

To a certain extent, Kon follows a traditional narrative structure as described by Todorov (Todorov, 1969) as a 'disruption and restoration of the equilibrium' as we follow the protagonist Mima as she battles against her own morality. Arguably a vague conformation to a traditional narrative structure is essential, however Kon also uses less conventional techniques to illustrate key themes and emotions throughout. The fast paced editing and disconcerting jump cuts emphasize a change in Mima while also creating a tense and sometimes uncomfortable atmosphere. Kon challenges the validity of a subjective reality through a visual decomposition of Mima's surroundings and the juxtaposition of movement shown by Rumi and Mima; the intense use of colour further highlights the key themes of sexuality and violence within the narrative and conveying the notion that ''animation possesses the capacity to create new modes of storytelling, often rejecting the notion of a plot with a beginning, a middle and end, in favour of symbolic or metaphoric effects” (wells 1998:68). Perfect blue establishes a strong visual narrative that is 'only available in animation'.

[fataziraphale]

I posted 1,065 times in 2021

2 posts created (0%)

1063 posts reblogged (100%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 531.5 posts.

I added 580 tags in 2021

#fruits basket - 193 posts

#cardcaptor sakura - 68 posts

#good omens - 58 posts

#taz - 55 posts

#bnha - 51 posts

#dr - 50 posts

#tsubasa - 39 posts

#balance - 24 posts

#sdr2 - 22 posts

#howl's moving castle - 20 posts

Longest Tag: 137 characters

#the modern day dionysion ritual is when my college friends would go to an all you can eat sushi restaurant and eat dinner for three hours

My Top Posts in 2021

#1

hi I never post here but it’s pride month and I love fruits basket so here are my furuba lgbt headcanons! love these gay kids

Tohru - pansexual cis girl, though she won’t realize she likes girls until adulthood. somehow oblivious to the fact that Hana and Uo have been dating for years

Kyo - the one cishet boy in this whole goddamn show but tries to be a good ally because of Tohru and her friends

Yuki - trans boy. has been raised as male since birth because the curse treated him as a boy which is good by him. demisexual and gay but still figuring that out

Shigure - bisexual cis man

Hatori - bisexual cis man

Ayame - bisexual and will sleep with any gender, but has only really had romantic feelings for men. identifies with the term gnc but uses he/him (alternately, gnc trans man Ayame)

Akito - gay trans man who somehow manages to be both homophobic and transphobic

Momiji - pansexual and nonbinary (they/them)

Haru - bisexual and cis by convenience but doesn’t care about gender and uses any pronouns

Rin - bisexual cis girl

Ritsu - trans lesbian. every single Sohma knows she’s trans, it’s literally been obvious her whole life, but she keeps doubting herself and worrying she’s just faking it... while actively trying to pass as female. she’ll get there eventually and then the curse will recognize her as a girl

Kureno - bisexual cis man. is convinced his sex with Akito is straight. it’s not and he’s not

Uo - trans lesbian

Hana - nonbinary she/they lesbian

25 notes • Posted 2021-06-02 05:14:17 GMT

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