#sexism in manga

[justanisabelakinnie]

@claraschaos Honestly this is why I don't watch battle shonen. Too much sexism. I get that it's for boys so it's not bad for it to be male-centric*, but they don't have to sideline and exclude women THAT much. I am tired of seeing fans constantly hype up a shonen anime as being "better than other shonen" when it is still pretty sexist and just as bad as the ones they hate such as Naruto and Death Note. They did this shit with My Hero Academia despite most of the female characters there for the most part being set dressing/fanservice/damsels at best. And they did it for other anime such as JJK and HxH. My expectations are so low and so now I have just given up on battle shonen as a genre, they ALL disappoint.

*and not all battle shonen is even male-centric, considering Claymore and Princess Tutu were also released as shonen and are pretty feminist and female-centric genres, there are also shonen written by women such as Inuyasha and Fullmetal Alchemist that cast women in desirable and major(if not main) roles. But these stories are just the exception that proves the rule. Now I pretty much avoid the genre.

I love when extremely famous and successful male shonen writers are like "I just don't know how to write women :/" and everyone thinks that's quirky and funny. Imagine if a female writer ever said "Sorry, I don't know how to write men :/" and tried to be taken seriously in any sort of industry as a writer.

[eschergirls]

And after a few days break, here's the third and final part of the "Let's Draw Manga Sexy Gals" posts (here are parts one and two if you missed it).

These pages are just kind of strange: the arbitrary distinction between "anime" and "manga", apparently anime girls are all just little children compared to manga girls, the differences between male bodies and female bodies, that women apparently just vanish after age 40 (and they become space aliens as teenagers).

But my favourite is the "coke bottle" page where a) that's not what a coke bottle is shaped like, but also 2) the actual woman drawn there is the OPPOSITE of the shape they depict (which again, isn't what a coke bottle is shaped like).

The bottle they drew is wider in the hips than in the chest/shoulders, the woman they drew is wider in the shoulders than in the hips. xD

This feels like another situation where the person writing the text (or who drew that coke bottle) wasn't on the same page as the person doing the figure.

I also love "women can be depicted as four circles", that should be a meme. And the four circles woman looks kinda like a bunny.

Anyway, I hope everybody learned a lot about drawing manga sexy gals.  I know I did.

For those interested in the uncensored versions of the first 2 images, there are links in the EscherGirls.com post.

(Cover and snippets from Let's Draw Manga Sexy Gals by Heisuke Shimohara)

I've included descriptions for text readers in the images, but the longer commentary on each page is too long to fit the description boxes, so I'm including the transcription of just the text below:

Transcription of image 1:

Depicting Softness of Form - Part 1 The bottom line for drawing an attractive woman is to effectively project the softness of her body. No one likes a rock-hard body on a girl! Here are some techniquest o use for bringing out a soft form. The curves of the female form can be represented as four circles. The "coke-bottle figure", long used to describe the ideal female form, is characterized by a small waistline and rounded buttocks.

Transcription of image 2:

Differences Between the Male and Female Form - Part 1 The male and formale form exhibit several distinguishing features. These differences are often exaggerated in drawings. Generally speaking, the male form is based on an inverted triangle, while the female form is based on an upright triangle. Shown below are the three body parts that most distinguish men from women. Shoulders Give this portion some mass. (pointing at male shoulder) Make the neck thin and long. (pointing at female neck) Chest The male chest should have a square, rigid appearance while the female chest should be curved and soft. Waist and Leg Bones Straight waist (pointing at male waist) Slim down the torso for a pinched-in waistline (pointing at female waist)

Transcription of Image 3:

A comparison of Manga and Anime Characters - Part 1 There are too many differences between the two artistic styles of manga and anime to describe all of them here, but we can examine each through erotic illustratoin. Here are some examples typical of this genre.

Transcription of Image 4:

Manga: Mature facial features with realistic eyes, nose and mouth Anime: Eyes are comparatively large in relations to other features. The ears have a simple shape. Comparing Body Proportions: Always keep movement in mind. A typical anime character is designed with simple lines, making it easier to draw in action poses.

Transcription of Image 5:

Facial Differences in Women According to Age A conservative hairstyle with somewhat subdued facial features 30 to 40 years old: Sharper facial features with a more provocative hairstyle. 20 to 30 years old: This face is borderline anime style. Notice how the unnaturally large eyes extend further down the face. 10 through teens: Like an anime character, the eyes are unusually large and positioned just below the center of the face.

[selineram3421]

*holds up fic like an offering* My gift.

White Wedding

Alastor X Fem Reader

Warnings ⚠

⚠ noble man's daughter reader(life), very old timey sexism, domestic abuse, all caps for shouting, arranged marriage, blood, reader snaps and it is delightful!, fluff, kiss 💋 ⚠

You sat in front of your vanity, brushing your hair as you were getting ready for a dance the Princess Charlie was hosting in the hotel.

Wilted roses sat in a vase by the open window, the air blowing your curtains slightly as the welcoming scent filled the room. The light glinting off something on your vanity caused you to pause.

It was the ring your ex husband gave you when alive.

You remembered it like it was yesterday.

Back when you still lived as an object, a trading tool for your father to use in political affairs. He even went as far as using you to try and get to the crown. Yes, you hated that man with every fiber of your being.

Habitually, you reached a hand over your shoulder to feel the scars on your back.

You remember everything..

.

"WHY CAN'T YOU DO AS YOU ARE TOLD!?", your father yelled as he lashed you.

"Mn!", you held back your scream, tears running down your face as you tried to get out of the maids hold that kept you in place.

You had failed to persuade a merchant to work with your father and now he was angry with you.

"YOU FUCKING USELESS WENCH!", he yelled and gave another lash with the clawed whip.

I want this to end.. You thought as he continued. Why am I still here? I should just end all of my suffering.

Another snap of the whip, another slash on your back.

"Enough.", your father decided and tossed the whip on the stone floor. "Get her cleaned but don't feed her supper or breakfast.", he walked away. "She hasn't earned her meals."

The maids loosened their hold on you and you felt dizzy from the blood loss, feeling yourself start to lean forward, falling on the cold stone.

I miss mother.. You thought before everything went dark.

You woke up in your bed the next morning, no doubt your father feigning sadness about your current state of health, him labeling you as his "fragile princess" to get sympathy from the other nobles.

Sitting up from your bed, you hissed at the burning sensation on your back.

Having been in his care alone for six years, you would have thought it would be nothing, but the pain was still unbearable.

Like clockwork, maids entered your room and prepared you for the day. Brushing your hair, applying powder and other cosmetics to your face, tightening your corset, putting on your shoes and a horridly large dress.

It screamed gentle and girly.

Someone is coming to visit.. You thought as the maids put on flower like jewelry.

The maids rushed you over to the dining room and opened the doors.

At the end of the table you saw your father talking to two unfamiliar men. He noticed you after you got closer to the table.

"There's my beautiful daughter! Come and introduce yourself.", he wore a convincing smile.

You walked closer and gave a curtsy, bowing your head as you introduced yourself to the gentlemen. "I hope both of you have had a pleasant morning so far."

When glancing at them, you could see lust glaze over there gazes.

Disgusting.

Your chair was pulled out by one of the servants and you sat down as they brought you a bowl of soup. As you waited for a glass of juice, you noticed that one of the visitors did not stop staring at you.

So did your father.

A few months later, you are notified of a wedding taking place in just a few days.

Your wedding.

"What?", you said in shock.

"You are going to marry soon, so finish up your lessons and take extra care of your skin. We don't want your value to lessen.", your father waved his hand to shoo you out of his office. "You will look best in a soft pearl white."

"No."

He looked up at you with annoyance.

"This isn't your choice, now go.", he said in an authoritative tone.

"I don't want to marry a man I don't know.", you pushed. "I want to fall in love and be happy! I want-!"

"WHAT YOU WANT DOESN'T MATTER!", he snapped. "YOU ARE MY DAUGHTER. MY PROPERTY. AND I WILL GET WHAT I AM OWED FOR YOUR HAND IN MARRIAGE!"

"NO!", you raised your voice. "I AM NOT AN OBJECT! I AM A PERSON AND I WILL BE TREATED AS SUCH!", you stomped your foot.

In a second he got up and was in front of you, giving you a slap across the face that made your head turn.

"YOU WILL LISTEN AND OBEY!", he shouted close your face.

Just like him, it only took you a second to strike back. You punched him in the nose, making him stagger back.

"NO! YOU WILL HEAR ME YOU BRUTE!", you growled. "I AM NOT A TOOL!"

That night you got the worst beating of your life that left you in bed for days.

In a flash, it was your wedding day.

You were being dressed up by bridesmaids your father picked out, bruises being covered with body paint and powder, lips being painted with a soft pink color. What you saw in the mirror was a portrait perfect bride, dressed in an elegant gown that any woman with a normal life would be happy to wear.

You hated it.

One of the girls sat you down on the chair in front of the vanity and started brushing your hair.

Then there was a knock on your door.

Turning to look you saw it was your older brother.

He traveled a lot and was oblivious to what your father had done to you over the years.

"Hey little sister.", your brother greeted.

"You're back..", was all you said before facing the vanity mirror.

"I've been away for so long and this is my greeting? You wound me.", he laughs as he enters the room.

"You cannot enter without the bride's permission!", one of your bridesmaids said.

"He is an acception. The rest of you leave us until I ask for you again.", you added and glared at the bridesmaid who spoke through the mirror.

The ladies nodded and left the room, the last one closing the door behind them. No doubt leaning against the door to eavesdrop on your conversation.

"You look wonderful.", he said and picked up the brush the bridesmaid left on the vanity table. "I bet your husband will be happy."

"I'm not happy..", you whispered.

"What?", he said and looked at your eyes in the reflection of the mirror. "What do you mean? It's your wedding day, you should be beaming with joy!"

"I'm being sold off like cattle, why should I be happy about that.", you said, tired.

"What is your wish?", he asks you, parting your hair and taking the upper half to brush.

"To start again but in a different way.", you said, placing a hand to feel the middle part of your corset, just above your stomach to make sure there was enough space.

The both of you stayed quiet and he finished doing your hair, fastening your mother's hairpin into your bun, the bottom half of your hair cascading down into wavy curls.

"It's a nice day for a white wedding..", is all he said.

He walked out of the room and in that second you took out a hidden dagger from the back of the mirror, carefully sliding it between your corset and chemise.

The bridesmaids entered the room after you called them back in, and you acted like nothing happened, wearing the same blank stare.

After the vows, writing down your names, and the carriage ride, you arrived at the hall where all the dancing and cake serving would be held at. Your husband took your hand and guided you to the dance floor, both of you taking the time to greet the guest and thanking them for attending.

Then it was your brother's turn.

"I'm thankful to get to see you in a wedding dress.", he hugged you.

You hugged him back, but not with much care and gave him a pat on the back.

"I'm going to be right back, but just know things will get better.", your brother whispered to you before letting go and leaving the hall.

You just smiled and waited.

Finally it was time for the father daughter dance.

Your father was happy, no doubt excited to count his money and other offerings.

During the dance your father spoke to you.

"I have so much more gold thanks to you.", he smiled with a proud look. "Getting married isn't so bad. You'll learn to be a good wife and mother.", he said as you both spun. "Just like your mother, you will obey every word your husband says."

The orchestra finished and both of you bowed to each other.

It was then that you took out the dagger and stabbed your father in the stomach. He gave a shout in surprise, gabbing your shoulder to hold onto.

"I'm so happy.", you whispered in his ear and shoved him back, watching as he landed on his back with a thud in the middle of the dance floor.

One of the guests screamed.

A few people started rushing over, some going to your father and the others trying to grab the dagger from your hands.

It was like dancing to your own music as you sliced and stabbed through the crowd. Screams and blood everywhere. The other guests, spectators until you turned to face them. Running out of the hall in fear of you going after them. The giant hall now empty and void of any life but you.

A laugh escaped from your lips as you stared down at your hands.

Your beautifully blood covered hands.

The blood shining off of the blade that made your heart race in excitement.

You laughed as you danced on top of the bloody corpses, wedding dress utterly drenched in your victims blood, now completely red.

White was for innocence.

But red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red, red. You thought and closed your eyes in bliss as you twirled. Oh red.

Red was your favorite.

There was a gasp.

Twirling to face the person, you saw that it was your dear older brother in the doorway of the dance hall.

"What have you done?", he said in horror.

You smiled.

"I've started my life again."

.

"Darling?"

You jumped in surprise, dropping your brush as you looked behind you to see your demonic love, the Radio Demon.

"Alastor.", you smiled. "I did not hear you enter."

"Forgive me dearest.", he walked over and picked up your hairbrush. "I used my shadows to enter your chambers, I forgot to knock."

"It is alright.", you replied and faced the mirror again.

The demon in red began to brush your hair, which made you hum in content.

"What had you in such a daze? Usually you are quite alert and aware of your surroundings.", Alastor asked as he started to put your hair up.

"I remembered one of the happiest days of my life.", you answered. "My lovely red wedding, just seconds before my death."

"Ah, yes.", he hummed. "I quite like that tale of yours. How I wish I could have seen you dance, covered in blood..", he trailed off and finished your hair, placing a red hair jeweled pin in your hair, making sure it matched your red dress perfectly. "We should have our own red wedding."

"Are you purposing?", you asked, glancing back at him.

"Would you like to get married to me?", he asked, placing his hands on your upper arms as he leaned down to place a kiss on the side of your neck.

Glancing at the old ring, you picked it up and tossed it out the open window.

"I would very much like to marry the sinister man I fell in love with."

Helping you stand, Alastor spun you into a dip before giving you a long kiss on the lips.

You felt a weight on your finger and peeked to see a beautifully crafted ring with a blood red gem. Alastor wearing a matching ring, but more his style.

Parting, both of you smiled at each other.

"Let's join the others! I heard that Charlie had invited Rosie as well, we can tell her the news together. She will be thrilled!", he began to ramble as he pulled you back up.

Linking arms, you both made your way to the dance hall.

This was my late night draft, my creation of insanity.

~Seline, the person.

Taglist@

@c4rved-pumpk1n @scary-noodlesblog @stolas-thebirb @naelys-the-aster @biromanticboba @lbcreations-blog @ducky-died-inside @kiraisastay @pooplyface1423 @line-viper @117s-girl @spiderlegsling @alastorsgoldie @repentant-repeller @kcsketches @lofasofabread @kotaleee @im-coolrat @superzombiewho @speckle-meow-meow @jammcookie @dilucragnvindr-my-beloved @trashbin-nie @koioli @fatherlesschild2 @mmik3yy @just-here-reading @nealeart @hudiexiaoying @crystal-multiplefandomlover @+?

ML I🎙 | ML II🎙

[kookoofufu]

Not to be a manga-only pretentious dweeb but every time I see one piece fans talk about terrible pacing or being annoyed by a beloved character I start vibrating in my chair frothing at the mouth shaking uncontrollably bleeding from my eyes bleating like a goat read the manga please just read the manga the issues you have with one piece are with toei animation please pick up a book PLEASEJUSTREADTHEFUCKINGMANGA

[morallygay]

Witch hat atelier being seinen is peak demonstration of how ridiculous demographics as manga categories are. Ah yes witch hat atelier,, aimed at adult men,,, and clearly not meant for children or women or god forbid young girls —famously the opposite demographic of witch hat atelier. That would be incidental and accidental bc you see it being seinen means the author wrote it for adult men specifically and exclusively!!

[voidoftheotherside]

Gege Akutami likes yuri & trans stories too!

No this isn’t click bait, this is from the official jjk character guide. You can read a fan translation of the relevant parts here.

I know the fandom talks a lot about Gege Akutami (mangaka of jjk) publicly endorsing yaoi, and I’ll probably discuss it at some point but we really should also talk about how in the same page he endorses an author who writes yuri and trans stories! Her name is Takako Shimura and her most popular works are “wandering son” and “sweet blue flowers”, which focus on trans issues and a wlw relationship respectively. I haven’t read or watched either yet but they are certainly on my list. The fact that one of these gets discussed a decent amount and the other two are rarely mentioned kinda seems like sexism and some transphobia to me. So I’m doing something about it!

It’s also worth noting that much like him engaging with and enjoying yaoi likely influences and informs character dynamics like satosugu and itafushi and should be considered when discussing how he writes them, him engaging with enjoying yuri and trans centric media likely influences and informs character dynamics and choices, particularly Kirara but also various dynamics between women in jjk, and we should remember it when discussing them! It also opens up conversations about other characters, for example junpei (I may or may not elaborate on him later, lmk if you wanna hear)

Anyway, take Gege Akutami’s advice, Read more yuri and trans stories!

[awinterrosesstuff]

I've seen people pointing that Sakura cares a lot about her looks. She actually gets hate for it and called "shallow". But I don't remember them being able to admit that's logical in her character. And the context is always forgotten. So, I decided to talk about it. Sorry it's going to be a long post.

Yes, Sakura is very concious about her appearance. Yes, she wants to look good and cute. Yes, she described Ino as "cute and fashionable" and it's one of the reasons she admired her. Yes, the first thing she notices about Tsunade is her beauty. Yes, she has a crush on Sasuke because he's cute (and later you learn she likes him because he represents the "perfect shinobi" vision she has of him). Yes, Sakura is upset when people called her ugly, like with Sai and Konohamaru. Yes and yes. But also, I want to point that Ino also wanted in first part to look pretty for the boy she likes. And Tsunade's good looks are pointed by the narrative, by both Jiraiya and Shikaku at least. She also doesn't want to look old and tries to maintain her appearance.

I'd also like to say that Sasuke is described as beautiful by almost everyone he meets (mostly girls, but Naruto also seems to think him as attractive and the creepy Orochimaru also states him as it). Do you know where I'm going with that ? Simply. Beauty has value in the shinobi world and it's even more important for girls. And going back to Sakura... oh well, the girl is just the product of her society. And that's actually quite interesting to talk about it in a writing work. I do think Kishimoto did a pretty good job at it in first part, less in the second part. He kinda abandoned that topic with Sakura. She still asks Naruto in their reunion if she looked more womanly and is upset when poor Sai (who is pretty much ignorant about feelings and social life) calls her ugly. And there's also a moment when she says she doesn't have to waste chakra to look young in the war arc (contrary to Tsunade). If Kishimoto wanted Sakura to be less interested in her looks in part 2, he kinda made a poor job at it. Anyway...

In the flashbacks of Ino and Sakura, we can see they have different classes from the boys like you can see there :

They have "flower arrangement" class there. It's pretty much connected to "female activities" and feminity. And Sakura isn't good at it. Sakura isn't confident in herself and doesn't know anything in flowers (Later, we see she learnt about flowers language when she goes to Yamanaka shop to get flowers for Sasuke and she actually brings him flowers regularly when he's at the hospital). That's why Ino explains to her how to arrange flowers :

Look how Ino is confident. It's something Sakura aspires to be, since she has an inferiority complex. Like pointed out there :

Like I said in another paragraph, she admires how "fashionable and cute" Ino is. She has confidence issues. Appearances are important to Sakura, because they are to the shinobi world and most importantly in kunoichi classes. Flower arrangement is great in essence. But it looks like (in the context of those panels), girls are supposed to look good and "normal" apparently. Sakura who is clumsy and not very good at flower arrangement doesn't fit.

There are more. Kishimoto puts a lot of focus on it actually. So Sakura, the girl who has a hard time fitting, who is quite shy and hates her forehead is getting bullied. I'd like to point children can be very mean at that age and it's a very realistic thing to write about. I don't really know if they started to bully her because of how shy and fragile she was or if she became so shy because of it. I think the two are possible. Sakura being bullied is actually the reason Ino started being friendly with Sakura. Ino remembers it in the forest of death.

Later, she also says that people make fun of Sakura because she's already insecure of her appearance. And she could be totally right. Anyway, notice how much importance is given to looks. Sakura is mocked for her looks, so is Kushina actually (for her hair but also because she is an outsider). You could also use Naruto the last... Hinata is mocked for her eyes, but anyway I disgress.

The girls who make fun of Sakura try again their mischief when she's friend with Ino and is building her confidence little by little.

I remember that Choji is also mocked for his looks, or rather other boys refuse to play with him. But when Shikamaru offers him friendship, I can't remember a panel in which it happens again. Maybe it's me speculating. But I tend to believe the shinobi culture puts more pressure on girls for their appearance, pretty much like our society anyway. Especially since the narrative also tells you how Choji is kind and that's the most important thing about him, while for Sakura growing beautiful is more important. Just look at that :

There's another point, the last one I promise. There's about Sasuke. We're told that he likes girls with long hair. It's just a rumour at this point, because Sasuke never confirms it.

Notice how it's again about looks... and Sakura started growing her hair then. Because she wants to look good to Sasuke and please him. In a way, she's changing herself and her appearance not because she likes it (maybe she does, but that not the reason mentioned here), but because she thinks someone else would notice and like her because of it. By her own words (in chapter 3) she would do almost anything to get Sasuke's attention. It kind of works like when she was trying to hide her forehead because of bullying. Her reasoning is very easy to understand, she wants to fit in and be liked. And her reactions to bullying and to the rumour come from this need...

Plus she came to the conclusion Ino was growing her own hair to get noticed by Sasuke, just because she was doing precisely that herself.

In the "real" world, having long hair for girls was (is still) associated with beauty. And I wouldn't really be surprised if it was also the case in the Naruto's world. I know people makes fun of Sakura for cutting her hair. But it's actually a very symbolic moment for her growth. Especially since she does it after Kin (the sound girl) pointed that she wasn't a real kunoichi and shouldn't take care more about her hair than her skills. Plus that's when she starts taking her job more seriously. It's a reality check for her. I think Kishimoto was initiating her character development there, the decision she takes by the end of the manga (asking Tsunade to train her so she can be stronger and be of help for her teammates).

( I always liked the idea of ​​sakura with shorter hair behind her head and longer locks framing her face like on the second panel there)

It's funny that some of her haters accuse Sakura of being shallow, but throw hate to the character without analysing the story and the context of her flaws.

Why are people acting surprised that the girl who was bullied because of her looks and was taught (like the others girls actually) she should look feminine and pretty cares about her looks ? Sakura wants to fit in.* It's a very realistic and interesting flaw to have in a character, and a great theme to write about. It would have been better if Kishimoto continued on that path, but that's another story. And probably, he didn't have the time anymore in the second part since his world was getting bigger. But that's still something, he chose to explore with (almost only) Sakura.

Another note : When Ino says Sakura will grow more beautiful, she doesn't mean (only) about looks, but also confidence and (emotional) strength. Ino was sure Sakura would shine in time. But I'm not sure Sakura interpreted it that way at that time. She convinced herself Ino thought her as an "accessory" like others flowers with the cosmos (in the panel), but at the same time Ino is her model. Ino is confident in her looks and kunoichi skills (flower arrangement/poison and "shirukenjutsu"). Plus she thinks Ino as cute and fashionable while she probably doesn't consider herself as pretty (chapter 3 when she thinks about "seducing" Sasuke).

* Many people pointed that Sakura kinda plays a role by trying to look "cute" and "sweet" despite the fact, she's more of a tomboy.

[laurierthefox]

As in the MeToo days, cis women, trans women, non-binary women, etc., in support of what feminist activists have been saying for decades, and what is happening with the Pelicot trial, are talking about what they have experienced and what they continue to experience on a daily basis.

I felt the need to write about the sexist and sexual violence I've experienced since childhood very quickly, a bit on the fly, without going back over my drawing too much.

I've only made 10 slides for instagram, but I still have a lot of anecdotes about the assaults I suffered at the hands of my partners or male friends.

For Trigger Warnings I talk about paedophilia, vi0l, sexual vi0lence, street harassment, blackmail, incitement, threats of m-rt, threats of vi-l, transphobia…

I'm sending us strength, support and pride in our ability to survive in this patriarchal, heteronormative society.

FR - - - - - - - - - -

Comme au temps de MeToo, les femmes cis, trans, non binaires..etc pour appuyer ce que les militantes féministes disent depuis des décennies, et ce qu'il se passe avec le procès Pelicot, parlent de ce qu'elles ont vécues et ce qu'elles continuent de vivre au quotidien.

J'ai ressenti le besoin de mettre un mot sur les violences sexistes et sexuelles que j'ai vécue depuis mon enfance très rapidement, un peu à l'arrache, sans trop revenir sur mon dessin.

Je n'ai fait que 10 slides pour instagram, mais j'ai encore beaucoup d'anecdotes des agressions que j'ai subies de mes partenaires ou amis hommes.

Pour les Trigger Warnings je parle de péd-philie, de vi0l, de vi0lences sexuelles, harcèlement de rue, de chantage au sui-ide, inc-ste, menaces de m-rt, menaces de vi-l, transphobie...

Je nous envoie de la force, du soutien et de la fierté à nous toustes pour survivre dans cette société patriarcale et hétéronormative.

[sketch-shepherd]

Yoshihiro was really like “I will allow these physically disabled dogs to kick absolute ass in battle but I draw the line at strong female characters”

[mingot-studios]

I have so much to say about Bonney but it seems like no one wants to address the elephant in the room when it comes to her...😔

[studyingfornclex]

Would anyone be interested in reading the essay I wrote about the romanticization of abuse and sexism in LGBTQIA manhwa and manga?

Edit: posted it

[thenightwinggraveyard]

"I devour his flesh in the name of survival, it was his time and now it is mine, my teeth will forever be stained red, and the taste shall never leave my mouth"

// [ a wip of mine i thought i'd share :)) ]

Sakura Haruno was the weakest link, a fact she came to accept in her so far short life.

The moment her naive mouth declared she wanted to be a shinobi, was the moment her fate was sealed. Sakura was a clanless kunoichi, destined for the slaughterhouse. Hell, she even had the pig-pink hair to really seal the deal. 

All she had in her arsenal upon graduating from the academy, upon becoming a ‘real’ shinobi, was the bare bones lessons from the academy– why would they need to go in-depth when all the clan kids already knew all this information and more? (they were the only ones worth anything after all)– and what little she was able to grasp from the low-access library books.

That's not even mentioning the fact that she only graduated thanks to her teammates. 

Naruto, the ‘dead-last', was so far ahead of Sakura; it wasn't even close. She had always wondered why that was the name used in the whispers. Had no one else paid attention to the fact that while not book-smart, he was able to keep up with the likes of Sasuke? Naruto had heaps of energy, stamina and chakra. He was leagues ahead of those whispering kids, ahead of Sakura.

Sakura had stared at the dozens of clones he summoned during the bell test, the sheer determination he held, and she couldn’t find it in herself to feel anything but envy. Naruto didn’t have a clan either, so how was he still so far ahead?

Then there's Sasuke. Once upon a time, when she was a small insecure child; she had latched onto him as some higher power to worship. Ino had recalled stories of how strong each of his hits was, how handsome he was, how unearthly. 

When she first saw him, well she had to agree. He was strong in a way Sakura never was. He stood high and mighty and fought as if he was born to do just that. 

Then he put her in her place.

…

Sakura watched starstruck as Sasuke won his spar in what seemed mere seconds. As he stood in front of the boy he won against unyielding, she truly understood Ino’s obsession with him. 

Then Iruka-sensei called the next match-up.

���Sasuke Uchiha against Sakura Haruno.”

Immediately, everybody turned to her. Their vicious eyes picked her apart and gazed at her mockingly. 

“This’ll be hilarious,” she heard someone whisper.

Sakura looked at Sasuke. Those dark eyes of his stared at her from head to toe, before turning away and scoffing. 

 Her ears were duly ringing, all those wolfish stares caused her eyes to water as she looked down.

“Enough, everyone. Sasuke, Sakura, get into positions”

She walked over with hesitant steps and settled into the standard academy form.

Sakura stared at the viscous look Sasuke wore as he settled into what must have been an Uchiha clan form.  A gaze once so godly when directed at others, was now the look of a predator about to devour its prey.

“Begin!”

He immediately rushed her, and all she could do was bring up her hands to block in some hopes of prolonging the inevitable. Sakura was hit with fist after fist, only able to partly dodge for seconds of relief before the barrage continued.

She was left lying in the dirt, bruised and slightly bloody, staring up at the sky with a shame far stronger than anything she had felt before. Sakura didn’t even bother listening to her classmates mocking taunts, or Sasuke’s scoffed remarks.

All Sakura amounted to was prey.

… 

Sasuke was the predator, and to see someone as strong as him be defeated so easily by their sensei, all it made her do was shake. Each hit was blocked with a sharp calculation, every counter-attack an obvious showing of restraint. 

Sakura was on the bottom of the food chain. Their sensei must have been leagues ahead of even Sakura, and even then she knew that there were those far stronger out there. 

She shivered under the moonlight for more reasons than just the chill of the night. Hours after she officially became a genin, and all she could think was how utterly hopeless it was. Why did she insist on her naive stubbornness? 

When she had determined to become a kunoichi, it had been mostly thanks to the kunoichi Ino dragged her to see. The blonde had already been gushing about her for a while, and when faced with the opportunity to show Sakura a true kunoichi in action when sparring, she took it. 

The woman’s long hair lagged behind her as she moved gracefully around her opponent. Then once she got close enough to hit, she did so with an unstoppable strength. 

Sakura quietly laughed at her past naivety mockingly. The memory of the kunoichi’s spar was hazy, yet perhaps to make herself only feel worse, she attempted to recreate the position the women had started in.

She stood on the grass with her feet spread apart, the bruises on her knee from when she tumbled during the bell test twinged, preventing her from truly spreading her weight evenly. Nevertheless, she brought her hands up in front of her chest and curled her soft hands into fists. 

The memory of the kunoichi immediately dodged the punch heading for her jaw as she twirled around her opponent, Sakura’s small feet clumsily recreated that image with her eyes closed. The kunoichi and Sakura then kicked upwards as a counter move, hitting the opponent’s brought-up blocking arms. Sakura almost lost her balance after the kick. Then, she jumped back from an attack in time with the image of the kunoichi. 

Attack, Dodge, Kick, Hit, Block; the fuzzy sequence played out as Sakura’s limbs followed uncoordinated and sluggish. She had no idea how long she played that scene out before her bruised knee gave up and she collapsed in a sweaty heap on the grass.

She started up at the full moon, the hundreds of twinkling stars, and all she could hear was the cricket’s cries as she tried to regain her breath. 

Sakura knew she was a civilian parading as a shinobi, they all whispered that, and yet her heart had screamed that they would be proven wrong. As of now, her lungs were shouting their disagreement. 

That dreaded voice finally decided to speak up;

You’re nothing but canon fodder, after all. 

Be quiet.

You couldn’t even play at being a kunoichi without failing.

Shut up.

They were right about you. They will always be right about you.

Stop.

Weak, useless little girl, who are you trying to fool? Yourself? Everyone knows it, your sensei barely looked at you. Sasuke doesn’t even remember beating you, you’re not worth it. 

YOU’RE NOT WORTH ANYTHING.

STOP. STOP. STOP IT STOP IT STOP–

Sakura let out the harsh breath she was holding. Her mind torturing her was nothing new, every word used against her was adapted into her vocabulary of self-loathing. She closed her watery eyes with a shaky exclamation. 

Why was she just agreeing? Why was she just lying down and taking it? What happened to the little girl with a fiery heart; the one who declared she’d prove everyone wrong?

Where did that little girl who grit her teeth while she stood back up on shaky legs go?

…

The ringing in her ears dulled enough for the sound of her wheezing breaths and Iruka-sensei’s concerned voice to break through. Sakura guessed he was asking if she was okay, or if she needed help standing up. 

She lifted her head to see Sasuke’s back turned. Ino was several steps away from him, looking between her and Sasuke with a conflicted expression.

‘Weak’ his body language seemed to spit at her, ‘Useless’.

Iruka-sensei lightly touched her shoulder, “Do you need me to carry you to the nurse’s office, Sakura?”

His voice was tinged with concern. Behind her, she heard the shrill sound of girls giggling.

She clenched her teeth together painfully and began to sit up with trembling limbs. Iruka-sensei kept his hand on her shoulder, but as Sakura continued to rise she tried to subtly push it off of her. He let go with a concerned frown as she reached her knees. The rocks underneath dug into her skin, leaving imprints. 

Sakura eventually raised to unsteady feet, and with all the scratches and bruises and wild hair she was sure she looked vaguely feral. She couldn’t bring herself to feel ugly for it. She stumbled away from the sparring location, and with clenched teeth she couldn’t help but glare at the Uchiwa fan on the dark haired boy's back. 

…

As the memory of her resilience resurfaced, Sakura wondered why she had forgotten about that part. When did the terrifying act of standing up after being pushed down become unimportant to her?

When had she stopped trying? 

[shinyasahalo]

BAKUMAN and Women's Place in Shonen Manga [CC]

It’s about Bakuman and the sexism in the manga industry, but the discussion about how the female characters were written made me think about other manga series.  

[hazelsmask]

Ya know if you're tired of sexism in shounen manga they invented these lovely genres called "Josei" and "Shoujo" targeted at women. Maybe you should ya know try them instead of continually reading manga designed for little boys written by men. You don't have to read exclusively series made by men ya know?

[muzetrigger]

Daybreak: On the Drakes and Their Courts

https://muzetriggerstudios.wordpress.com/2024/10/19/daybreak-on-the-drakes-and-their-courts/

Sorry for the week delay, everyone! I was initially going to post this last week as usual, but then I realized how long it actually was and how much more I still needed to write, so I've cut it up from 1 post to 7... Yeah, I have a lot to say on the setting and these characters, but if you're up for me rambling about my inspirations, moral concerns about representation, and general writing process for campaigns well, there's going to be a lot of material to sink your teeth into!

This time I talk a lot about Bleach and flowers, the most obvious and natural pairing in the world!... right? Well, in any case, I referenced both with concerning regularity when writing Daybreak so hopefully I can shed a little light on how I constructed the main setting and antagonists for my campaign.

[diinosaurz]

I'm not ready for JJK leaks...

I had like a random thought that if it somehow goes to gojo in the airport and like him coming back or geto convincing him to we'll maybe learn what he said to geto in jjk 0.

And if he did say smth like "I love you." or something similar it would kinda explain the interviewer's expression.

Ik like that's a huge fucking stretch, but I think a lot about facial expressions, and the dude's just seemed off like he was truly not just surprised I feel if a huge manga made like the most popular ship and character conically gay I'd also have a fairly similar expression.