#scents in order! ->

[funfettified]

goose creek easter candles 🐰🎀🐣

[regenderated]

"rank the doctors" based on what!? which one is my favourite? which one i think is objectively the best? which one is most fuckable? which one has the nicest voice? best costume? best actor? best writing?

[show-tunes]

I think a death's-head moth is way more fitting for her than a stinkbug but maybe that would've been too on the nose

[hestzhyen]

Chapter 58 Welp Posting

Hello kind void. Short (for me) yap this time... it's mostly just pain this chapter, after all. So much pain.

Very rough TL of the editor's notes:

First page: 漆羽の命滅契約は一体…? [Uruha no meimetsu keiyaku ha ittai...?!, What in the world happened to Uruha's lifelong contract...!?] Last page: 信念のもと漆羽を殺めた座村を前に… [Shinen no moto Uruha wo ayameta Samura wo maeni..., Standing in front of Samura, who killed Uruha due to his conviction...] Google Translate or DeepL can probably do better than me on this one, so go ahead and copy/paste that text into one of those instead for a better idea. Just note that 漆羽 (Uruha) usually gets auto-translated to "Urushiba" and 座村 (Samura) to "Zamura".

*----------------------------------------------------------------------------*

Pregame Mini Meta Rant: If I hear a SINGLE complaint about how many panels were reused this chapter Imma get heated. Yeah, there's been a lot of copy-crop-paste stuff going on in the past two weeks. This chapter alone re-used Hakuri's exhausted seal pose four times. But the major scenes still hit hard as fuck and the new art is holding up. Let the author do what it takes to avoid burnout and health issues just as his series is getting the major promotion treatment, okay? Dude's had to do a lot of extra work recently with the cover and colour pages in addition to the usual volume redraws and accompanying filler sketches/doodles.

These chapters were probably being written and drawn about the same time as the extra materials. It's not like the author starts drawing on Monday and sends the chapter out by Friday so it can be published Sunday- they're finished weeks in advance before they're released. I recommend checking out a short manga called The Right Way to Make JUMP! by Takeshi Sakurai if the practical details of getting manga out to thousands of readers in both print & digital simultaneously every week seem interesting!

*----------------------------------------------------------------------------*

Uruha vs. Samura

I interrupt this ramble before it even begins to do a little celebratory dance. I got most of what I yapped about last chapter right for once! Yay! ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪ I won't have to recap the Samura motivation/mindset yap with the new information! (This will probably never happen again.)

Anyway...

Let's start with this because fuck it was so cool and sad.

I love how every character in this manga holds fast to their convictions, man. But I didn't expect Samura to be so cold about killing his former apprentice y'know?! Not even a hint of remorse from this guy. Between this and the subdued greeting Uruha gave him, the lack of warmth in their dialogue together... I wonder if they had a positive relationship. Uruha certainly respected Samura's skills but the contrast between how he thinks about Kunishige and the man who presumably taught him everything he knows about fighting is striking, isn't it? He was pretty unemotional about having to duel his master to the death despite being such an emotive guy. Yet now we'll probably never know... (sigh).

Here's something I missed on my first read: Samura didn't use Tobimune to face Uruha; he was just the quicker draw with a regular katana.

His sword is closer to being sheathed, while Uruha's sword is still farther out.

In case anyone still wants to believe that Uruha is alive or can come back somehow after this... more power to you. The Sojo copers can probably give you some tips if you need them. But there is one small smidgen of comfort to be had, if one wants to interpret it as such.

Not using Tobimune can be read as respecting Uruha's determination and facing him on equal footing. I know he unnecessarily double-tapped Uruha when he was laying on the ground- he didn't need to slash the guy again with Tobimune to make the kill. I get it, the Enchanted Blades are tools of death. Just let me have this. I need it.

Uruha deserved better. He deserve to live, dammit. I didn't get nearly enough of him. But what a way to go. Standing up for what you believe, your dead (boy)friend's last words telling you to live no matter what running through your head. Fighting for your life to honor his wish even though it's a completely lost cause... fuck what a tragic character. He was such a passionate guy despite the losses he suffered. Uruha, man... I really wanted to spend more time with him, but I guess all we'll get of him are flashbacks about him from other people or during scenes recounting what happened in the war.

The worst part of saying goodbye is that it felt like we had so much more to see and learn about him. His story's incomplete but it's over all the same. That's what hurts most when authors kill these characters- the sense of real loss because of all the loose ends. Anything we learn about him will be retroactive for context. No more growth, no more silly faces... damn you Samura...! Fuck this author makes good villains in a short span of time.

Whatever incident was covered up 18 years ago has to be incredibly awful to drive Samura to become an avenger for the truth. I'm talking "establishing a whole fucking international court system to process it for over a decade" levels of bad. Which it may well be, if this flashback from Sojo's PoV in chapter 8 remains unchanged when we revisit it for context:

Hello, probable war crimes.

Yeah I'm banking on that mystery kid being Magatsumi's current wielder. Whether he was a child soldier or picked up the sword by accident somehow, this might be the clue to The Incident that turned Samura against his allies. The point about how anyone can use the Enchanted Blades is made repeatedly during and after the Sojo arc- why not a child? Covering up a massacre like that would be in a lot of people's interests.

Unfounded spitball theories aside, now that Hakuri and Chihiro are both clued in that some real bad shit went down, we can expect to learn more about it. Hopefully sooner rather than later because I'll definitely be judging the shit outta Samura based on how awful it is. I'm very interested in his moral dilemma but I've got unreasonably high standards as to what kind of event could drive someone to do something so awful (in fiction, at least). IRL people are messy, but fiction demands justification. And the way this incident is being hyped up makes me believe it's different from the other horrors of war sinking in and slowly driving someone to resent everything they did for the cause. Whatever the Bearers and the Kamunabi covered up is going to cast them all -Kunishige included- in an extremely unflattering light.

Burnout

He just looks so cute being carried like that even though he's so exhausted and roughed up…

... Yeah. Poor Hakuri.

I won't take up as much space here as I want to yapping about him because most of it's just retreads of things I've been saying for weeks already. But man. Man.

This guy awoke to his powers, killed his dad and brothers, put an end to his family's cruelty, saved a bunch of lives at great risk to himself, passed out, and woke up to try and do this crazy mission with Chihiro all in just over 24 hours. He's so fried he fell asleep while being carried piggy-back and can't even move any more! But he's still kicking himself for not summoning Kumeyuri for Uruha when he had enough adrenaline to sort of stand up on his own. Never mind the brain haemorrhage- he's got lives to save. Ms. Makizumi's words about pushing himself too hard being dangerous just go in one ear and out the other. These people want him to care about himself for the mission and because he deserves it but he just refuses to take it to heart...

Then the person he promised to protect is killed in front of him right after he made it his life's mission to prevent exactly this sort of scenario.

Fuck.

Can't even turn this into a ship moment I'm so bent out of shape. Someone strip me of my fudanshi creds.

It looks like Hakuri did summon Chihiro in a panic after all- he couldn't even call out to Uruha so reaching for Chihiro instead was his first instinct. He just wasn't fast enough because his body and mind are on the brink of totally shutting down. If he's truly unable to use sorcery again after finally gaining his own strength at long last... oh, that will hurt so bad. I'm not ready for how hard Hakuri's going to be on himself when he eventually wakes up despite doing his very best.

Hakuri's gonna be out of commission for sure after this event.

I'm close to 100% positive he'll temporarily lose his powers now. If it comes to be, then Kagurabachi will have passed my bullshit "don't say they'll die if the consequences don't match up to the risk" test. Being paralyzed and powerless for a while is good enough to convince me that death really was a possible outcome. See, it's really that easy. Totally not unfair and arbitrary.

Regardless, there's a lot of suffering ahead for Chihiro and Hakuri. Not only did all of this shit go down the day right after the Rakuzaichi, but there's still whatever the blood test will reveal hanging out there... the political and practical price of this failure with the Kamunabi... processing the guilt of not being able to save a life... coming to terms with how much they don't know... so much has happened to them in a short 24-ish hours, huh? And neither of them have anything good to look forward to in the short-term.

I gotta wonder what Hakuri will do this arc if he's literally unable to move for a while. His PoV gave us the info that there was a specific incident that was covered up, but that doesn't mean he'll be involved in that plot line. But let's save that stress for another time- gotta see how badly he fucked himself up and how things shake out between Chihiro and Samura first.

Chihiro vs. Samura

(Ch. 50) A long-awaited reunion.

What will go down next week? I'm sure as hell not gonna try to guess. Could be anything from casual conversation to an actual skirmish. At least one thing will definitely not happen though.

Neither Chihiro nor Samura are dying here. Chihiro cannot die until the last fight in the series is finished, so that's out (boo joyless nerd take no fun booooooo). Samura's simply too strong to go down to an exhausted Chihiro and we still have to learn the history behind his motives. So he's gonna stick around for a bit longer to cause trouble. Wouldn't be surprised if he's the arc boss! Hiruhiko's got his own training arc ahead of him and all (and some arms to reattach), so he'll be more of a recurring villain than someone to defeat as a character growth moment for now. It's looking like Samura vs. Chihiro for the foreseeable future IMO.

If I can reveal a selfish hope, I want Samura facepalming Chihiro and feeling the scar to be the means of getting insight on how he feels about Chihiro's situation. Samura's probably the one who tipped off the Hishaku about Kunishige's location thanks to accidentally finding out when Momma Shiba took Chihiro to the local festival. Oh boy, if Chihiro learns that Samura was the one that sold him and his dad out... that would be some incredibly potent angst. His hero, a monster? Say it ain't so. Would have told you sooner if I could, Chihiro.

Hm, Kunishige and the Bearers who were entrusted with his vision...

(Chapter 1)

(Chapter 9)

(Chapter 58)

I feel confident in thinking that Samura is basically Bad End Chihiro now. He's been tormented by guilt for nearly two decades and has decided to do everything himself. He'll kill his former comrades and the Hishaku or go down swinging- and kill himself if he actually succeeds. He's on a doomed mission to scorch the earth and take out as much evil as he can. All scum go to hell! Including the guy who's so mired in grief that he does a lot of murder to cope. Those scars of his don't look like tear tracks in some shots for nothin'. (Wait, wasn't I talking about Chihiro for a bit there?)

Chihiro's well on his way to following Samura's path already... he's not the type to kill his comrades, but he's definitely got the "guilty sinning avenger" thing going on strong. So if Samura is Chihiro's "Bad End", what will he force Chihiro to realize? Every major foe reflects a part of Chihiro back at himself and forces him to answer difficult questions, after all. Sojo- forced him to accept that there are multiple ways to interpret and use his dad's legacy

Kyora- forced him to look at his own devotion to his dad's legacy and admit he doesn't know as much as he needs to

Hiruhiko (round 1)- forced him to admit that he thinks of himself as a monster for the lengths he's willing to go to

As for Samura, I think it'll be along the lines of "is it necessary or justifiable to sin and/or commit oneself hell for the sake of a cause?". Maybe "can I be redeemed at all?" (or if redemption is even necessary in the first place). Legitimately can't wait to see what goes down between them next week to get more clues! God I love this manga so much. I haven't been so consistently engaged week to week like this in ages.

...One last thought. This is probably looking too far ahead as an angst merchant and I was rightly rebuked for mentioning it. I should know better than to share the worthless depressing bullshit that goes on in my head. But these posts are supposed to just be some yaps into an ambivalent abyss so... sorry, kind internet void, but you get some of my depresso espresso.

"The least I can do is refrain from causing harm to others and take you Hishaku bastards to hell with me." - Chihiro (ch. 53)

With all the deliberate parallels drawn between Samura->Chihiro and Uruha->Hakuri, I wouldn't be surprised if our favourite protagonist/deuteragonist pair has the same exchange later down the line. Definitely not under similar circumstances! I can imagine scenarios where Chihiro is trying to kill Hakuri but they're so far removed from canon that they make absolutely zero sense.

But there could well be a time where Chihiro decides to leave because he really does need to bear this burden alone and Hakuri tries to call him out on the ridiculousness of that mindset. I think it would be a happier result for Chihiro and Hakuri compared to Samura and Uruha if only because Chihiro isn't as far gone as the blind traitor rat is. But yeah I'm just sticking that in my back pocket to see if it manifests in the future.

Time to write some hurt/comfort and hope canon eases up on the pain soon. It's either that or setting up a bingo sheet with all the angst scenarios I've got written down in my drafts and notes... I choose the one that I can create my own happy ending for. Until next time, dear void.

[amygdalae]

I ordered a sample of a fragrance I was curious abt and it's gonna arrive tomorrow....kicking my feet and giggling

[poppy-metal]

y'all aren't ready to match my freak

[arsnovacadenza]

Bang Brave Bang Bravern perfumes on sale

COZYWAVE is releasing four scents inspired by characters from Bravern with details of each scent listed below (translated from the site using Google). From what I can tell, they're mostly dominated by citrus-y notes (is that how you say it? Idk perfume)

Bravern: CITRUS HERBAL

The top has sparkling citrus and powerful cinnamon bark spices, while the middle is filled with elegant red rose, rich jasmine, and refreshing lavender. The last scent is a powerful musk amber that gives you a sense of justice.

□ Top notes: lemon, lime, cinnamon bark □ Middle notes: jasmine, rose, lavender, lavandin □ Base notes: musk, amber, sandalwood

Isami: CITRUS WOODY

The top is a fresh leafy green like a young leaf, and the bright orange highlights the fresh Shikuwasa, while the exotic jasmine and ylang-ylang in the middle give a calm impression, and the last is a solid one and strong core. A deep woody amber scent

□ Top notes: Shikuwasa, leafy green, orange □ Middle notes: jasmine, ylang-ylang, iris, rose □ Base notes: vetiver, cedarwood, agarwood, amber

*Shikuwasa: Citrus depressa, also known as Okinawa lime.

Lewis: CITRUS FLORAL

A refreshing top scented with fresh lemon, orange, and mandarin, followed by an elegant rose and refreshing green floral middle that highlights the vibrant plumeria full of vitality. The last scent is a warm sandalwood and amber scent that creates a mood.

□ Top notes: lemon, orange, mandarin □ Middle notes: Muguet, lily, rose, plumeria □ Base notes: musk, sandalwood, amber

Lulu: FRUITY MUSK

The sweet and sour top full of fruit juices of apple, plum, mandarin, and pear gives an innocent impression, and the middle is a gorgeous floral with clear muguet, which overlaps with vanilla and white musk at the end, giving you the impression of an inorganic and innocent girl.

□ Top notes: Apple, plum, mandarin □ Middle notes: Rose, jasmine, muguet, pear □ Base notes: vanilla, white musk, peach

Also, you can apparently get one (?) Hawaiian Host Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts as a pre-order bonus? I'm totally not joking

Head over to this page for more Info or check out COZYWAVE's Twitter

[meownotgood]

I ordered the aki cologne from otaku scents... and it arrived today...

it has a very cologne-y scent, basically it smells very much like a traditional masculine cologne... I sprayed some on my pillow and it's almost sweet at first, or sweet if you take a very deep breath in, but after it's lingered it has a faint but clean smell. distinctly sharp but subtle. the smell is comforting, it's soft and mature at the same time... a very crisp and pleasant scent... definitely something I could picture aki wearing I think... like an every-day sort of cologne? haha

[doubledyke]

i wish smell-o-vision was real cuz i think i know exactly how eddy's "man stink" cologne would smell

[heart-notes]

tried alkemia’s nocturnes of the honeysuckle for the first time since i got it. i always rest my alkemia’s for at least a month but this one sure did fucking test me; i love honeysuckle.

when it arrived it had a sharp and somewhat unpleasant lemony scent (i like lemon but it was weird and bitter), but now after months of rest (yes really) it is incredible. nectary. smooth. tealike pure honeysuckle and this strangely resolute sex appeal. i am one of those people who tends to think of indole scents as being very sensual and sexy, but tbh, this is way more nectar than indole. so idk what it is here but it is sexy. it’s really sexy, honestly. and it’s a very pure silky floral scent, yeah, and maybe that’s not sexy to the general audience anymore but if you’re of my mindset and you don’t love the notion of smelling like a cupcake and burnt plastic (sorry to ariana grande, they all smell that way to me). maybe if you need a nectary wisp of white floral to feel sexy. this one would do. but mostly if you age it. sorry there’s no way around that with alkemia.

[emahriel]

pls i am so excited to get my hands on this

[thewramblingwebcomicreview]

I'm back. I talk about a number of comics this week in a very long round up. This includes a segment on Home where the author is lying about the changes he made to Marduk and blames them on his former co-writer to explain why this character is so inconsistent.

[jizzlords]

yessiiirrr (im down bad for my own muse)!

[somelazyassartist]

I HAVE DND DICE SOAP IN MY ETSY SHOP NOW!!!!!!!

I have bar soaps with full 7-piece sets of Dungeons and Dragons dice inside them in my shop!! Currently all of these are labeled as clearance and are discounted ($8 instead of $12) because these were my very first batch and have a few minor cosmetic issues like air bubbles and slight seam lines between layers since I was still figuring out how to set them in the molds with dice correctly. I've got the hang of making them without those issues now, but I want to make some bigger batches first before uploading them, so you get the discount version slightly sooner than those!!

You can buy em HERE or in the link at the very top of the post!! I'm really excited because I'm super happy with how my first batch turned out even if I had some ups and downs figuring out how to work with dice!! I hope you guys like em as much as I do!! Reblogs are super appreciated!!

[daryascurse]

DARYAAAAAA you do Shisui one time and I will ask for him AGAIN

bookshop AU (my fave!) + accidentally saving the day...

🤗 oh hee heee heeee so imagine this,

you're leaning against the shelf at the end of the crooked aisle, book curled in your fingers, eyes scanning the summary on the back. yes, this one looks good, but - you change your focus to the book turned in your other hand - this one looks good too. your bottom lip is sucked between your teeth, absentmindedly, running the figures absently in your head to decide if you can justify purchasing both. you've stuck to your budget this month - so therein lies the eternal battle!! and while you're thinking, someone bumps against your back - with an abrupt - "oh! sorry!" - and you turn to see the lopsided grin of a slightly scruffy man in a black apron wheeling a cart of crisp, neatly printed books around the corner (freshly unpackaged and inventoried!). and you smile back, "no, no, i'm in the way" - and he looks at what you're holding, and grins again. "good picks," he says, and you say - "really? i'm trying to make up my mind!" and he runs his hand through his dark shock of hair and makes a hmmm voice that rumbles in his throat. "that is a tough choice," he says, and he's telling you his thoughts and holding back spoilers. you're trying not to lean into him, especially when someone squeezes past the two of you and you have to take a step closer to him (you get a whiff of an aftershave or a cologne that smells like a sweet, damp forest after the rain, and you have to hold yourself back from inhaling breath after breath). when he's given you enough of an impression to make your choice, he says he'll ring you up. you turn to find the shelf where you'd first picked up the one that must be sadly abandoned, but he says don't worry, he'll reshelf it. and when you get to the counter, watch him duck around and open the register, he scans both books. "oh -" you start, your cheeks burning a little, and he says nothing but turns his lips up softly as he unclips a bar code from his apron and scans it too. "i get an employee discount," he says. and before he slides them into a white paper bag, before he tucks the receipt into a front cover, he turns over the little printed scroll and scrawls his name and number on the back.

it's a very low stakes interpretation but i mean, in MY eyes, he would be my HEROOOO and i also would be decisively in love

send me 2 tropes + a character and i'll tell you how i'd write an x reader