#so when i say kaiju no. 8 is one of the only manga where i ENJOY the fights

[sanjipussyindulgence]

kaiju no. 8 is so so so good at creating high stakes without killing off a bunch of characters like other manga tend to do. theres only one main character death in the whole series so far. and, because it's the only one, that death holds a lot of weight. like i LOOOVE chainsaw man but side characters randomly dropping like flies in part 1 felt cheap and underwhelming. unless it was one of your faves, you didn't care when someone died.

whats especially impressive is that kaiju no. 8 manages this despite kafka being an EXTREMELY overpowered character. but the mangka successfully works around that by having clear repercussions for when kafka wins a fight.

even though he could theoretically handle pretty much 95% of the fights in this manga on his own, there's reasons why he can't. and every time he does have to deliver a finishing blow for someone else, it doesn't feel like a good thing.

every victory the protagonists have either comes with consequences or comes by the skin of their teeth. and the stakes never stop getting higher too.

so what makes the current kafka vs kaiju no. 9 fight so engaging is that this is the first time we've seen kafka actually struggle. and, after over a hundred chapters of him one-shoting every enemy, that makes no. 9 all the more threatening.

[biolumien]

Hiiii!!!! 😊👋 So I only just started Kaiju no. 8!!! New to the fandom and not a manga reader. Idk what’s going to happen in the next episode—all I know is that Hoshina better not d*e lol.

Anyways!!! Obviously I am a huge Hoshina fan/simp!!! I really like your blog and I have enjoyed your Hoshina fics!!!!!! 🥹 And since your requests are open, I wanted to know if I could perhaps make one??? 👉👈

If so, I was wondering if you could do something sort of related to your “say it!” fic??? Like where Hoshina (+ reader) somehow bumps into the ex from operations you mentioned in the fic??? And reader gets SUPERRRRR jealous (lord knows I would be especially if said ex was really beautiful and smart) and insecure. Maybe reader acts a bit distant/moody after the encounter but once Hoshina realizes what’s up he immediately reassures reader and let’s them know how much he loves/cares for them???

Sorry if this request is weird or doesn’t make sense to you, I’ve honestly just been thinking about a similar scenario ever since reading that fic of yours 😭😭 anyways thank you so much for your time 🫶❤️ and please never stop writing, your fics are beautiful 💖💕

notes: hihi; thank you so much for your request; i hope that this is okay; you sent this in before the most recent episode but hoshina's a fairly important character to the story of kaiju no 8 overall so he'll be alright... i combined this with a slightly different ask which also surrounded jealousy but with okonogi; it's very briefly mentioned though.

jealousy as the crux

soshiro hoshina x gn!reader no warnings should apply, i think. wc: 837

hoshina always maintained rather easy conversation with a lot of people—friendly conversation that sometimes got the better of your self esteem when he teasingly doted on okonogi or otherwise. 

you’d tried not to bring it up, to not bother him—because envy and jealousy like that was an ugly emotion, of course. it wouldn’t be right to burden hoshina with them–mostly because you weren’t even sure how he’d react. he was plenty envious on his own, you think–key point on think. but it might have been for more reasonable things, surely. like the envious desire to become stronger, or something noble like that.

nothing quite like yours. 

but stumbling on hoshina’s ex was never on your list of priorities at all. 

so the fact that she was here—was her name amaya?—only made you more uncomfortable. you barely knew anything about her other than the fact that okonogi spoke her name with strained reverence, cautious to never bring it up around hoshina. hoshina seemed to be uncaring of it all, even so–as if he couldn’t be bothered to remember. 

she was smoking indoors, her eyes tired and weary. 

hoshina didn’t seem to tense up when talking to her, which strangely irked you more. 

“hoshina,” amaya says, approaching hoshina with a raised eyebrow. she pats his shoulder, and he chuckles.

“you look well,” hoshina murmurs. 

“hm. well as i’ll ever be.” her eyes flit to you, her eyes narrowing. you felt uncomfortable under her gaze, as if you were some unique kind of insect to be pinned up in a collection. “this your new partner? they’re cute.”

“hm?” hoshina laughs. “aren’t they?”

the compliment doesn’t feel good, somehow, as it usually does.

“thought you said you wouldn’t date again,” amaya says, dusting off some ash off the tip of her cigarette, taking another breath before blowing it away from the two of you. “not that we really were.” she snorts. “you were too much of a coward last time.”

“hey,” hoshina says, sounding mock-hurt. “i figured we were better off as friends.”

“hm.” amaya exhales. “whatever you say.”

“i wish you’d sound more enthusiastic about this,” hoshina retorts, laughing again. it’s the same laugh he has when he talks to okonogi, that same doting laughter–but it also wasn’t anything special. it was the same kind of laughter he had when he talked to you, though perhaps it was tinged with more fondness when he spoke to you.

if there was anything hoshina was, it might’ve just been annoyingly consistent.

"it's hard to be enthusiastic surrounding you. your sarcastic energy exhausts me," amaya drawls.

you turn away from the conversation at this point–and yet you can feel amaya staring daggers into the back of your head. 

“i’ll let the two of you finish this up,” you say, and your voice sounds far more obviously strained than you’d like for it to be. 

hoshina was allowed to talk to other people. but why did amaya irk you so much? was it just the irreverent way she spoke, the way she seemed to be watching you so intently for no reason? what the hell was her problem? as you stormed off, your footsteps grew angrier as you continued to mull over it. no, seriously! what was her problem? 

but what was yours, being jealous in the first place? you were being irrational–worried because you wanted hoshina’s attention for yourself but of course it wasn’t right to worry this badly about it to the point that envy would turn your stomach like this, create the brittling sensation in your heart. it wasn’t right, and the fact that you knew it wasn’t right made the whirling sense of bad in you feel worse.

you rub your face roughly, trying to shock yourself into trying to just be fucking normal.

“hey.”

hoshina’s voice is quiet when you turn around, and his face is contemplative, brows furrowed in worry.

“are you done? talking to amaya?” you ask.

“for now,” he says. his eyes focus on your face, concerned now. “are you okay?”

“i’m…”

the words die in your throat.

“i don’t want to be jealous,” you say weakly. “of whatever’s going on. but, i–”

hoshina’s hands are on your face before you can even finish your sentence, squishing your cheeks together.

“mm, i see.” hoshina blinks, humming. “why didn’t you just say so earlier?”

you blink.

“you’re not… mad?” you ask.

“mad?” hoshina raises an eyebrow, cocking his head. it looks cute. “should i be?”

“no,” you say. “i–or, i don’t know. maybe? yes?”

“which is it?” hoshina asks, a teasing smile on his face before his brow furrows a bit. “if you would have just told me earlier i could have easily just told you that there’s nothing going on between me and anyone else but you. i chose you. don’t forget that, okay?”

you blink.

“and i love you,” hoshina says, completely straightforwardly, with sure honesty. “don’t forget that.”

you nod, and he squeezes your face, leaning in to kiss you on the lips.

[khunyuki]

"I've lived my life with blade and you always in my mind"

ᴍᴀɪɴ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ: 1. 𝙸 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞

Synopsis: Soshiro is extremely worried for his fiancee who called out to him in the middle of the night. He just wanted her to let her feelings out not knowing it would change the trajectory of their relationship. With feelings out in the open and confessions long due, they said those three words.

Pairing/s: Soshiro Hoshina x Fiancee!OC

Notes: This is originally meant to be angst and break up fic but Kagami said NO and I couldn't bring myself to say otherwise. This is the side stories' fault for showing how good their relationship is😭 I also changed the title to fit! Soshiro's eyes turn back to red to be the same as the manga~

Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Fluff

Masterlist: TOC, Intro, Next

Future Wife: I want to see you now

Future Wife: Please

When Hoshina Soshiro's phone chimed a special tune, he knew he received a text message from his fiancee. His hands that had a mind of their own, took his phone and opened it to see something that bugged him. When he clicked on the message, it was already unsent and he couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding.

*Future Wife unsent a message*

*Future Wife unsent a message*

Kagami had never done this before so he could feel that something terrible must've happened.

Future Husband: What's wrong? Are you okay? Where are you?

He saw her reading his message and he waited for her to reply. He could see her typing then deleting it as if she's hesitating, but eventually she did tell him.

Future Wife: Ryunei Shrine

Ryunei Shrine? What was she doing there? Especially in the middle of the night when she should be at home resting? Did something happen at the Uzui household? Soshiro had many thoughts regarding this as he knew of the strained relationship between her and her family. She may have never told him anything but he knows.

This is why he asked her yesterday if she wanted him to come but she refused knowing that he already spent the night searching for that new kaiju, Kaiju no. 8. Until now, he's incredibly worried with that kaiju still around and not caught. He knew she's capable of protecting herself but still he couldn't help but worry.

Future Husband: Wait for me

Ignoring the mountains of paperwork in front of him, Soshiro left his office to go to his fiancee. Of course he didn't forget to tell his captain about his leave. He told her it's an emergency with his family and they need him ASAP. Of course Mina knows he's going to her but let him be as she saw his anxious face.

.

When Hoshina Soshiro arrived at Ryunei Shrine, it was already deep into the night. He tried to calm his breathing to not let her notice that he ran. Then he saw her crouched down and playing with a dandelion...

She wasn't looking at him but he knew she acknowledged his presence. Even from far away, he could see just how exhausted she looked. It is only her side profile that he could see but he felt like he was seeing a moon goddess. Her long black hair that was over her shoulder was glimmering under the moonlight and despite her eyes being empty and lips not smiling, she still looked ethereal to his eyes.

He slowly moved closer to her, as silent as possible, as to not disturb her. He removed his jacket and gently placed it on her shoulders as he crouched down beside her.

"I heard that if you blow on dandelions, your wish will come true"

Soshiro told her as he himself picked one and blowed on it. He wished that he and Kagami will be happy. They watched as the seeds flew away along with the wind.

"I think my wish won't come true even if I blew on it"

Kagami let out a weak chuckle, the smile on her face looked taunting, as if she's loathing something. It made Soshiro frown for he hates to see her like this. He had many questions but he wants to respect her silence.

"You won't know until you try"

After a moment of contemplation, Kagami blew on her dandelion. She watched it disappear into the night for a long time. Then she stood up and turned to face her fiance who did the same.

When Kagami looked at the man in front of her, she was reminded of the time they first met.

=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=

Back then, her father told her that he would be visiting a friend and that he wanted her to come with him to meet his children. Young and naive, the girl only wished to spend time with her father so she instantly agreed. Shy as she may be, the prospect of having a new friend also made her excited.

When they arrived at the Hoshina residence, they were immediately greeted and led inside. At the sight of unfamiliar adults and surroundings, [Y/N] hid behind her father.

Then they entered a tatami meeting room, quite similar to the one they had at home yet still different. She still hid behind her father's back even as they were seated on the cushions provided.

"Haha, pardon her, my daughter is quite shy towards people she just met."

Uzui Juzo chuckled as he tenderly pet his daughter head.

"It's no problem at all, in fact, it's quite adorable"

Hearing the stranger complement her, the child blushed and hid further. Only the two adults inside the room chuckled at the cute response.

As the adults have their conversation, she finally calmed and started to look around. It was then that she noticed the two children sitting beside the man. Surprised, she shrinked back but peeked out once more.

They were both looking at her, with the older one smiling kindly and the younger one just... staring. She saw a glimpse of his red eyes but when she blinked, his eyes were already closed. She tilted her head in confusion.

A chuckle from the man presumed to be the boys' father made her turn to look at him.

"It seems like there isn't any need for further discussion."

"I agree. It's settled then."

Seeing the two men agree on something, she thought it was finally over when...

"Kagami, introduce yourself."

Obeying her father, she fixed her position and bowed properly like she was taught.

"It's nice to meet you. My name is Kagami, Uzui Kagami."

Before lifting her head, she heard the man encourage his son to reply.

"My name is Soshiro, Hoshina Soshiro. I am looking forward to knowing you, Kagami."

When she looked up, she once again saw the kid's eyes. But this time, he was smiling.

"From today onwards, the two of you are officially engaged."

Engaged? What does it mean again? Kagami thought as she once again stared at Soshiro in confusion. Sensing that, her father immediately explained.

"You are to become husband and wife in the future."

She tried to process it first before exploding red on the realization. She gazed at Soshiro in astonishment. The bowl-headed kid in front of her with narrow eyes striking red lenses was to be her husband? Husband and wife as in like her mother and father?? Someone who will be by her side forever???

Wow. Just wow. She couldn't be any happier.

=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=

She couldn't be any happier, she thought. Yes. It was true. That was one of the best moments in her life.

It was an arranged marriage for sure but she didn't mind. Being with someone for a long time, cherishing them, loving them... That's what she always wanted. It's what she wanted until now.

When she looked at the man in front of her, her heart ached yet it was racing so fast. Because she...

.

.

Because she loves him...

"Who did this to you?"

Soshiro opened his eyes to reveal his concern. His irises glanced at her swollen cheek that he couldn't see earlier as it was skillfully hidden from him. He hesitated first before caressing it, his heart filled with hatred at whoever had done this to her. His hand was cold which was what she needed at that moment as she desperately leaned on it.

"It's not important"

She closed her eyes to hide as it was the complete opposite of what she felt. It wasn't unimportant at all. She wanted to cry. She wanted to cry in his arms and have him comfort her.

"What do you mean it's not important? Someone hurt you and... I worry about you, Kagami"

Soshiro bit his tongue at the unspoken words he badly wanted to say towards the bastard who hurt her yet seeing the vulnerable look on her face, he just wanted her to feel safe.

He took her in his arms and cradled her. His left arm around her waist as his right hand was caressing her head.

"I'm here. I won't leave you. I love you"

He whispered words of assurance and sweet nothings while kissing her head. Just hearing him say I love you was enough to make her cry and sob in his arms as she finally wrapped her arms around him in a tight, desperate hug.

For years, she longed to hear those words come from his mouth. She never doubted him as he always showed her how important she is to him and how much he loves her. Rather it was herself that she doubted, she overthink things and deluded herself that he felt otherwise. After all, hearing it and feeling it were different, she wanted to hear it as much as she wanted to feel it.

"That's the first time I've heard you say that to me"

Kagami struggled to let those words out in between her hiccups. And Soshiro once again, widened his eyes in shock. He'd always been saying it on his mind and telling her about it when she's asleep. He blames himself for not telling her whenever she's awake, regretting it so much. This time he'll tell her properly.

"I love you, Kagami. I've loved you even before I met you"

He put both his hands on her cheeks and lifted her face tenderly, after of hurting her even further. He looked straight into her eyes and confessed.

"I love you too, Soshiro. From the moment I saw you until forever"

With the light returning to her eyes and bright smile on her face, Kagami confessed amidst her tears.

Soshiro's heart fluttered as this is also his first time hearing those words come from her mouth. He doesn't want to regret any further so he leaned down and placed her lips on top of hers.

It was gentle, as light as feather, but it ignited the fire in their hearts. It was a gentle first kiss, they regretted not doing it before. They've done it on every part of their faces but always hesitated on the lips. This time, there's no hesitation as they went for another, and another, and another. With every kiss getting deeper and deeper, not stopping as if they'd disappear if they did. They went at it for a long time, not even bothering that they were out of breath. They can never make up for the lost time but they sure can do it now, anytime they want.

.

When their high ended, they finally stopped and felt embarrassment. Despite their red faces, they did not let go of each other. There was still tension in the air and Kagami decided to break it by telling her what she thought of earlier.

"Earlier, I was thinking of the first time we met."

She looked up at him from her position, still leaning on his chest. Her ears listening to the fast beating of his heart. She smiled at him lovingly, placing her own hands atop his cold ones.

"Is that so?"

'Ah... His smile is so beautiful' She thought as she watched him chuckle at her reminiscing, placing his forehead on hers. She moved away a little to make it comfortable and placed his hands on her cheeks once more.

'This is bad. I'm falling in love all over again.'

"Yeah. I was so surprised back then, not knowing I'll be engaged."

"I knew about it though, my father told me about it first"

With a look of surprise, Kagami felt betrayed for being the only one who didn't know it back then.

"Well I also didn't think that i'll fall in love with the little girl who acted like a squirrel"

"Why a squirrel?"

With a blink, she tilted her head, earning a chuckle from him.

"Cause you kept hiding be it behind your father, or the wall. You were so fidgety and cute"

With a pout, she hit his chest and it only made him laugh harder.

"What about you, you were just acting cool the whole time. Soichiro-niisan used to tell me how you would always look for me when I wasn't there, then you'd whine cuz you kept losing in from of me because you didn't wa-ouch!"

Soshiro pinched her uninjured cheek to stop her from saying any further. The pout on his face telling her she succeeded in teasing him back.

"I never believed it back then but I do now!"

She tried to run away from him but failed as she still caged in his hold. She could only laugh at this moment, her laughter resonating with him as they look at each other with much love.

.

.

.

"Do you want to know why I asked you to come here?"

They just spend the time in each other's arms, knowing full well that they didn't want to leave yet. And that there's still something that needed to be addressed and he's just waiting for her to talk.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to"

Soshiro respects her decision as he knew thinking about it gives her pain. With much contemplation, Kagami finally spoke.

"My father..." Kagami bit her tongue.

"He wanted to break of our engagement"

Today must've been a day of surprises as his eyes widened for the nth time. He gently pushed Kagami away from him to look at her.

"I told him I didn't want to and..."

She touched her cheek, that was previously swollen but now only sported a bruise. Soshiro knew what that meant.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to"

"It's fine. I want to tell you"

She shook her head as she made up her mind to tell him the truth, the whole truth.

"It's long story. Will you listen?"

Soshiro nodded his head, giving him her full attention. But before that...

"Why don't we go somewhere else first. So you can do it comfortably?"

<- Previous Next ->

[tumblezwei]

the "why do demographics even matter" discourse started up in shoujo twitter again because someone asked for shoujo recs and kept getting Apothecary Diaries, Witch Hat Atelier, and Skip and Loafer.

And it's so frustrating sometimes to see people brush off others getting mad bc "those are great series anyways so why does it matter if they're not actually shoujo"

Because that's not what they asked for, maybe??? Like even if demographics didn't matter, if the only qualifiers for shoujo were "has female lead, written by woman, no fanservice" why can you (average twitter weeb recommending something) only think of like, 5 series? And it's always the same fucking 5 series!!! Isn't that interesting? Isn't that weird?? That out of all of the manga in the whole wide world, the only ones that you can muster up for female-led and penned are the same shounen and seinen series that everyone already knows about??

And that's not me being all snobbish bc you don't know about some random niche shoujo manga from the 80s that I think deserves more attention or whatever the fuck, it's me saying THAT'S WHY DEMOS STILL MATTER!!! Because shoujo is not fucking popular in the west. it is not widespread enough for laymen to just come across new series in the wild as often as they will other demos.

There is a gigantic and diverse pool of stories that exists in the shoujo demographic. There are so many great fucking series from years ago and today that nobody knows about because you have to know to look for them. You just aren't going to be recommended shoujosei heavy hitters that are widely beloved by it's community like you are shounen or seinen. Like, if you ask for stuff to look out for in the coming seasons, you're going to get a lot more Kaiju No. 8 and Dandadan then you are Nina and the Starry Eyed Bride or Honey Lemon Soda. Odds are, out of those four, most people reading this probably only heard of the former.

And again that's not me trying to flex some weird superiority over knowing more "niche" series or whatever. I'm just trying to stress the point that it matters when people ask for shoujo. Because so often unless they go to it, so many of these incredible series will simply never get a good foothold in western audiences.

It matters because a twitter user asking for shoujo recs will absolutely come across twenty other people begging them to read Skip and Loafer. You do not need to be the lone soldier hoisting Skip and Loafer onto your shoulders on a post where OP did not ask. If you want to recommend a series but don't know if it's shoujo, it's very easy to just google it. If you don't have any to rec, then just leave it to others who do.

And maybe also take that as a sign that you can start looking too! Along with the most gentle reminder that demos are not genres. If you don't want romance stories, ask for something else. And just like someone will like one shounen (i.e. FMA) but not another (i.e. Rent-a-Girlfriend), you will come across shoujo series that you like and those that you don't.

[dropintomanga]

Kaiju No. 8 - The Beauty of a 32-Year Old Hero

When it comes to shonen manga, almost every protagonist is either a teenager or at most, a 20-something year old. However, in one shonen series, someone in their ‘30s is the main star. That manga is Naoya Matsumoto’s Kaiju No. 8 and its hero is a 32-year old man still trying to make his dreams come true.

Kafka Hibino, the protagonist, was once someone who aspired to be a member of the Defense Force to fight against kaiju. He has a childhood friend, Mina Ashiro, who had the same dream. Mina would achieve her dream by becoming a high-ranking Defense Force officer, while Kafka ended up becoming a kaiju disposal worker. One day at his job, Kafka meets a young, aspiring Defense Force member named Leno Ichikawa. The two formed a quick bond despite their age gap. Leno then tells Kafka that the age limit to be a Defense Force soldier was increased to 33. Kafka thought about chasing the dream again, but then he and Leno were attacked by a monster. Kafka saves Leno, but the monster somehow ends up inside Kafka’s body. Kafka suddenly gains the ability to become a very powerful kaiju as a result and decides to join the Defense Force with his newfound powers and catch up to Mina despite being the “enemy.”

It’s pretty cool to see this because there’s not enough middle-aged main heroes in shonen series worth highlighting. This is true in most Japanese media. Either they’re young or old. There’s no in-between. However, I will note that almost every shonen series is about chasing your dreams. Kafka is the same.

You can arguably say the important message from Kaiju No. 8 is that you’re never too old to still chase your dreams. Better late than never, right? I think of the people who have a lot of goals and dreams, only for them to stop chasing them or just be crushed by the weight of them. And then I remember something someone once said to me, “Sometimes, they were never given the opportunity to dream again or be able to chase it.” In Kafka’s case, meeting Leno and getting kaiju powers were those opportunities.

We’re all so bombarded with often mundane responsibilities that seek to limit our dream-seeking and our potential to help one another during times of great stress. We’re not built to be cogs for a world that won’t always think the best for us.

What shined for me with regards to Kaiju No. 8 is Kafka’s enthusiasm and the vulnerability that comes as a result of it. Because he is so ambitious about protecting people, Kafka has insecurities about what to do if he can’t protect anyone. There was a moment in the story where his kaiju powers were getting the best of him. While fighting a powerful kaiju, Kafka starts to become afraid of transforming out of fear of going berserk on his Defense Force comrades and hurting innocent people. One of Kafka’s fellow comrades, Kikoru Shinomiya, snaps him out of it by telling him not to think so little of those who are strong enough to handle themselves. Learn to trust others who can protect themselves.

I think the older we get, the more we tend to dislike a lot of people. It’s different in Kafka’s case, but I really like that this is a middle-aged character with a bunch of enthusiasm about helping people in need. I think Kafka is a timely character because we have a lot of anime/manga fans aging into their ‘30s and some still have that shonen mindset of wanting to make things happen.

While not giving up is always aspiring, the environment we’re placed in can sometimes make someone want to do so. That’s why I believe it’s important that institutions provide resources and opportunities to make middle-aged adults still feel like they matter. 4 years of college in your 20s’ should not be the end of learning and growing. I say this because ageism is still a huge problem in the world. There’s definitely cool people like Kafka out there, but sometimes, they just need a chance by others to prove themselves when they can’t find it themselves.

What’s interesting to me is that Kaiju No. 8 came off the heels of another property featuring a middle-aged hero in a genre that normally has young protagonists, Yakuza: Like a Dragon. The game starred a 40-year old former yakuza, Kasuga Ichiban, who falls out of luck with his triad family in Tokyo and tries to rebuild his life in Yokohama. It’s also a turn-based Japanese RPG, where middle-aged characters tend to be in the supporting roles. A lot of people (especially older adults) found this game refreshing because it’s about a group of middle-aged adults taking the stage to fight against a huge political conspiracy. The game’s sequel, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, continues this trend of older JRPG protagonists that are relatable to middle-aged adults.

Much like what the Like a Dragon games did for me, Kaiju No. 8 and Kafka show that adults can still do some great things despite some limitations. Sure, the other characters in the manga are great, but Kafka being the chosen hero at the age of 32 who can save everyone is what some readers and I are looking for. Naoya Matsumoto gave a great message about the manga’s appeal in that it’s for people dealing with the complexes of reality who are trying to create a future worth having. It’s not just about chasing dreams; it’s more about having some kind of realistic optimism for life and the people who are doing their best.

No matter what age we’re at, we should be given a chance to decide what we want to better ourselves and the world.

[b-else-writes]

The Great CLAMP Re-Read Part 4: Duklyon: CLAMP School Defenders

Part 1 (RG Veda) | Part 2 (Man of Many Faces) | Part 3 (Tokyo Babylon)| Part 5 (Clamp Detectives)| Part 6 (Shirahime)| Part 7 (X)| Part 8 (Chunhyang) | Part 9 (Miyuki-chan)| Part 10 (Rayearth)

Let's go a bit backwards in time to their fourth work, Duklyon: CLAMP School Defenders. It ran from 1991 to 1993, concurrent with all series mentioned in my past review, and in the same world as Tokyo Babylon/ X. It feels like the real start of CLAMP's interest with shared universes, meta-textuality, and self-reference, because so much of this series is tied to your knowledge of their other work. Proto-Tsubasa? Maybe that's a bit too much credit.

Like Man of Many Faces, I had never known this existed. It had no anime adaptation (but 1 drama CD). It's out of print and was released in English by Tokyopop in the early 2000s, in two volumes comprised of 13 chapters. I read this entirely online and like with Man of Many Faces, am not likely to ever get a physical copy unless I feel like completing my collection. "Spoilers", in the loosest sense of the word.

Synopsis: Higashikunimaru Kentarou and Shukaido Takeshi are freshmen students who lead double lives as masked sentai superheroes Duklyon, protecting CLAMP School from evil! Aided by the General and the fiery Eri Chusonji, they've got to fight the fiendish Imonoyama Shopping District from world domination (and also keep being main characters in their own story!).

The Story: Listen, this is a gag manga in the purest sense of the word. It starts off mocking the repetitive nature of tokatsu and kaiju shows, which made the first volume a slog. Satirizing repetition by being repetitive is not actually funny. Volume 2 improved by introducing a wacky alien love triangle and more CLAMP self-referential humour, which did land. The manga overall feels random and aimless, and while the latter chapters do manage to pull things together, the earlier chapters really struggle. The satire isn't particularly striking or witty, it's meant to ~cRaZy and poking fun for long-term fans. I'd rate this below average. When it leans into breaking the fourth wall and mocking themselves, it lands. When it parodies Super Sentai by just...being Super Sentai, it's a poor copy.

The Themes: There are no themes here. This is light and playful and silly and a way for CLAMP to poke fun at all the genres they like. I have learnt nothing from this and I think Takeshi and Kentarou would be proud of me.

The Characters: One thing I'm realising in these CLAMP re-reads is 1) the strength of CLAMP's character writing elevates their weaker material, and 2) they copy earlier character templates into newer characters. Takeshi and Kentarou are prototype Watanuki and Doumeki "stop saying we're close but actually they're in love". And it is charming to experience the second (first?) time, especially the flash-forward at the end where they're married (almost). I prefer the put-upon, fourth wall breaking Takeshi between the two, but their dynamic really holds things together. Sukiyabashi is pretty good as a fail villain with even more fail hair. There's nothing deep about the characters, but they're entertaining and carry the paper-thin plot.

The Art: It's competently drawn, comprehensible visual storytelling, and the detailing on the Sentai suits are pretty well-done (though something about how the codpiece connects to the legs bothers me anatomically). I do love the tokatsu villain costuming, but otherwise the character designs are quite plain. It was actually a little difficult to distinguish Takeshi and Kentarou at first. Like Man of Many Faces, it's fine, it gets the job done, but its lacking compared to CLAMP at their best. The colour spreads aren't even that fun!

Questionable Elements: I do think it's funny this is the ONE CLAMP series where an adult person-teenager relationship is treated as gross, and it's (so far) the only one where the adult is a woman and the teenager is a boy. Something something ageism misogyny. But otherwise there's really nothing to talk about here. Eri is portrayed as a lovesick harpy but it's mild, as sexism in shojo goes.

Overall: I can see why Duklyon is an obscure CLAMP work. Where Man of Many Faces had sweet charm to carry it, Duklyon treads the more fickle ground of comedy, and it just doesn't always work. There's some genuinely funny moments here, and I do like Takeshi and Kentarou, but I don't think it's a necessary read for anyone but the most dedicated of CLAMP fans. CLAMP can write a really dumb funny bit when they want to, but that's about it.

[justaloreaddict]

Thank you @sableglass for the tag!

I was humming "Getting To Know You" while reading here and then as I wrote.

Short Stories, Novels, Or Poems?

All of the above. I prefer more novel length stories, but sometimes I have only a few scenes or ideas to make a short story, and poetry is so much fun to make the word sounds and tempo echo the feelings in my head.

What genre do you prefer reading?

Fantasy Fiction, Sci-Fi, Space Opera, Historical Fiction…off the top of my head.

Are you a planner or write as I go person?

Write as I go. I might make a simple bullet plot point list to keep generally on-track, but if I have ideas for the future I just put them down near where they’d fit and then work towards fitting them in.

What music do you listen to while writing?

Whatever feels in-theme for either the story as a whole, a primary character who is around, or just the vibe of the scene regardless of any other factors. So I could be listening to dark dubstep while writing a fantasy scene, just because the vibes are good overbearing cosmic horror.

Favorite book/movies?

Okay, that’s a real can of worms. I will never not recommend the Dinotopia books, especially Journey to Chandara. I love the Leviathan series by Scott Westerfeld, and his Uglies series was also good. I love Wandering Star by Teri S. Wood, the first space opera I ever read and I think first book I ever shed tears over. The Last Dragon is another wonderful graphic novel, and so beautiful with the best story. Drifting Dragons, Kaiju No.8, Fullmetal Alchemist, Delicious in Dungeon, all good manga. I should stop here… Movie is Treasure Planet, followed by Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’hoole and Epic.

Any current WIPs?

Heh, yeah…all the titles are WIPs of varying attachment too.

Lay Your Weapons Down, Changelings and Scars, and CSD are my primary WIPs, and then V:TM v5 nonsense also gets added to here and there.

If someone were to make a cartoon out of you, what would be your standard outfit?

Jeans, work books, a flannel, and a furred hunter's cap with long flaps that cover the ears.

Create a character description of yourself:

A socially awkward beanpole who first seems mute until she suddenly says something. Then very loud and struggles to quiet down once comfortable.

Do you like incorporating actual people you know into your writing?

In what way? Like taking their personality or appearance copy-paste? No, I don’t. But some of the creative people I know have done intensive research and thought on things I never think about so I absolutely use their ideas when mine fail and it makes sense.

Are you kill happy with your characters?

No. I don’t like killing off any of my characters. Even if it is plot-important, I feel a bit bad.

Coffee or Tea while writing?

Tea, but only because it’s harder to make coffee that I like at home than tea.

Slow or fast writer?

Middling? When I’m going at it it is a flurry of words. When I’m not feeling it, takes ages.

Where/who/what do you draw inspiration from?

All over the place. Authors I like, manga/books/graphic novels I enjoy, my surroundings, aesthetics, music I listen to, concepts I stumble across once, shower thoughts, just about anything really.

If you were in a fantasy world, what would you be?

I would be an unexpected magical healer. Maybe a bit of a trickster too, but true to my word and fiercely loyal. I’d claim to be a cleric, but it’d be hard to pin down my deity. There would be many rumors about me, but I’d ignore them all.

Most favorite cliche:

Shallow characters who are actually very insightful.

Least favorite cliche:

Only one bed, or anything romance related really. Even meet-cutes.

Favorite scene to write?

Scenes that I feel powerfully. Could be a character embracing their potential, someone comforting a friend, a character being deeply pained but pushing through. If I feel like I am right there with the character when I write and reread a scene then it is my favorite scene.

Reason for writing?

For fun, and to get the thoughts out of my head so I can focus on other things 😅

[popontomarnie]

no you guys HEAR ME OUT

i saw these comments on mal that kaijuu no. 8 is a very typical shonen where a loser becomes a hero and setting is quite poor why don't they just build big robots and LET ME TELL YOU KAIJUU NO. 8 IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL SHONEN, IT'S GOOD AND REALISTIC

because why would you build big ass robots in japan where streets are narrow and it's almost impossible to relocate people completely, why would you build big ass robots that would just whip out whole districts? mottainai, how japanese people say, why do this if you can use lighter and more compact and easier to maintain weapons?? (and yeah, light and easier to maneuver is what valued a lot in millitary).

also, it's not about only one person becoming a hero and saving the day, it's about cooperation, look at all the structures working together to solve the problem, from evacuating people to cleaning the streets after, when was the last time we saw it somewhere? (in pacrim, i think).

and hibino kafka? is he an instant hero? does he use his power to save the day? no. he doesn't want to use it, reno doesn't want his senpai to use it. instead, kafka does what he does the best, he uses his knowledge and experience, and this is what i like the most about this anime: the idea that there's no absolute loser, everyone is good at something, and only if you unite you can win.

and yeah, finally it's not 13 y.o. who saves everybody, thank you very much.

(idk about in which direction manga goes, i'm planning to start it in summer, but so far i'm in love with kaiju no. 8)

[roydeezed]

Weekly Shonen Jump Manga Round-Up(2023-04-17)

Another week on this indifferent earth, but at least we’ve got some new chapters of some good manga. Including a new series that I have high hopes for! Where I’ll talk about any thoughts I’ve had on manga that were released this sunday. The ones which I care about and have extensive thoughts on will get their own sections while the others will be packaged into one section at the end. I also missed talking about Chainsaw Man, Kaiju No 8, and the Steam Ninja Scrolls, so I’ll throw those in here too. 

Chainsaw Man(Chapter 126)

There wasn’t much to talk about in this week’s chapter but the main reason it’s not it’s own thing is ‘cause I got lazy. The overall gist of the chapter was that Denji fought the falling devil and lost, someone gave him blood to power him back up, and the falling devil found Asa. But below that, there’s a few things. Obviously Denji calling Asa his Ex-Potential Girlfriend and lobotomizing himself were funny moments, but they show an interesting relationship between us as the reader and Denji. Denji’s not that smart. Not enough to crack jokes while taking on bad guys like say Spider-Man. But there’s humour in these scenes. That comes from the fact that humiliates himself with these things while there’s obvious pain behind them. This sounds obvious because dark humours always been a thing, but what it shows in a certain sense is how dulled Denji’s had to live his life. He quite literally did have a life he couldn’t imagine for a while, living with friends and having fun. And that was ripped away in a way that he couldn’t fully comprehend. That’s shown as the falling devil brings up Denji’s unresolved trauma with Power and Aki’s death’s. And now, having to deal with it, in everyday life, he actively lobotomizes himself by trying to ignore that the life he’s living isn’t that great. He’s poor, doesn’t have great hygiene, is used by classmates as footstools and mocked and degraded and he’s had to give up a lot of things for Nayuta. But then, what’s left? Why do we like him so much? He’s a lovable idiot, sure. But there’s something else, right? There has to be. And there is. It’s his persistence. His desire for a normal life. It’s why Pochita loved him as well. He wanted Denji to live out his dreams. But more and more they seem like nightmares. 

Kaiju No. 8(Chapter 84)

This manga often fluctuates between falling back on shounen crutches and exploring characters through a genuinely interesting setting. This chapter hits a nice balance between both of those. While starting off in a way that suggested the chapter was going to use willpower and the power of friendship as the answer to her problems(which, yeah they kinda did), it actually ended up taking a more nuanced route. While reading this for the first time, I legitimately laughed at the page with a tiny Shinomiya holding a giant axe only to turn the page and feel a wave of genuine emotion as she rushed the Kaiju and grew older as she did. It’s elementary visual storytelling but sometimes the basics can pack a serious punch. Kafka in a way represents the OPMC archetype, especially in the way that he started from nothing. But more than most he still retains the mentality from being as low as he was and it characterizes a lot of his decisions. Especially in the way he’s able to empathize and understand others, including understanding the fact that Shinomiya needs to have faith placed in her to grow up. This faith allows her to go from someone seeking approval to someone understanding that people count on them. 

Cipher Academy(Chapter 20)

This page goes so hard

Before getting into this week’s chapter, I want to mention that when Toshusai won all her chips, Ano only bet 1 while both Iroha and Yosaimura both bet 5. That said so much about her that I didn’t factor in. She’s not a risk taker. She’ll go in for the sure thing when she’s sure it’s a sure thing. Anyways, at the start of the chapter, Iroha goes through some massive PTSD from remembering his auditing session from chapter 11 and the game goes to a three-way tie between Yosaimura, Toshusai, and Ano at 13 chips and Iroha in last place with 6 chips. Both Yosaimura and Toshusai admire Iroha but they put all their chips on the line in one final gambit for two different reasons. For Toshusai I feel like it might be friendship but for Yosaimura I think it’s her pride, mixed in with how much she hates Ano and her cheating as well as a belief that fate will decide the best candidate. Yosaimura has been built up to fail but I don’t think that’s going to happen just yet. And it looks like Toshusai still has some important development left as both of these are eliminated when Ano switches out the cards and games the system itself. And this leaves Iroha to climb a massive mountain of 39 chips versus her 6. Iroha is broken out of his funk with the power of friendship and resolves to take on Ano with raw skills alone. On a side note, calling it Lasik Reading is just perfection. Hmm this just sent me on a thought spiral of wondering what the glasses represent. I wonder if the fact that Iroha is more about breaking down a person without any weapons of war, the glasses in this case, represent the fact the he achieves his answers through diplomacy? I might be reaching there, but there’s something here I think. Anyways, the fact is that the final battle is between someone unreadable who games the system and someone incredibly transparent who reads people in a game where the desperate play of cheating the system has already been made. I can see Iroha playing Ano at her own game and bluffing gaming the system. Though the fact Ano is so close with Kogoe makes me feel like anything could happen. 

The Elusive Samurai(Chapter 106)

106 Chapters! Yes!! I’m so happy to say that I am finally into this story. So many things came together so perfectly in the last few chapters that I am sure Yusei Matsui has been building to this point for a while. The entire atmosphere of the past while, where joy and excitement was to be found on the battlefield gets quickly turned on it’s head as Ashikaga Takauji enters the fray properly. What I just realized is that Takauji is basically like an Eldritch being, a lovecraftian monster, a cosmic horror. He’s so unknowable and undecipherable that he strikes true terror into not only the readers but Tokiyuki. This is such a genius turning of the tables, I’m at a loss for words. Not only were his forces decimated, but Tokiyuki was also betrayed and is now about to lose Yorishige. There is no way out of this. This doesn’t seem to be a setup telling us that he’ll somehow worm his way out of this. No, this is telling us to mourn. And it’s in these viscerally real moments that Assasination Classroom hid it’s heart and it’s here where we see Elusive Samurai’s as well. I am along for the ride now. 

Tenmaku Cinema(Chapter 2)

This continues the trajectory from last week's chapter but tones down the comedy. Which I don’t mind, because while it was very funny, the tradeoff gives us a lot more information and interesting character dynamics. Not only do I love this for the film references, but I love the attitude it takes with them. It’s reverent but also understands how fun it all is. Like it’s silly to get excited over surface level film references, but it’s so rare to see these two worlds that I love so dearly interact. And this does it so well, even diving a little deeper as we see later. I also want to talk about how dynamic the paneling is, it keeps all of the energy that food wars had but keeps it in check so it makes sense for the subject material. You know what I’m talking about. The female lead, Karakui is as dynamic a character as Hajime and Tenmaku are. She appears to be quite stoic and unphased but once she starts talking about what she loves, she opens up. This feels like a great companion piece to another manga I love that’s going on right now in Shonen Jump and that’s Beat and Motion. Both of the heroine’s are fiercely protective of the notion of dreams and art and the relationship between both pairs seems to be headed in the same way. Though in this, Tenmaku plays a third wheel but in the way Sai from hikaru No Go interacted with the plot, acting as a mentor. I also love the chemistry between Hajime and Karakui. That’s some film nerd shit. Especially the part where Hajime talks about awarding a crazy amount of points to Shawwshank, though usually it’s more like incomprehensible gibberish when you can’t find the words. But you get it cause the emotions make sense. And the emotions make sense here. I also wondered how they were going to shoot it but I totally forgot Hajime belonged to the film club. 

Kill Blue(Chapter 1)

Reading the description of this on the pop-up notification on my phone, I was ready to hate it. Cause who needs another hitman assassin manga? But then I read it. What’re the chances the past two manga Jump has released would both be good? Turns out, really good, cause Kill Blue slaps. It got me ya’ll, it got me. Especially with the plot faintly following my favourite Bollywood film. Oof, that was a cheap shot. But it’s also by the people that made Robot X Laserbeam, a manga who’s artstyle I loved and which probably could’ve been way better with a different sport since golf kinda just sucks. But more than anything, this manga has potential. In exploring Juzo’s past and his relationship with his wife. Why Kotatsu is doing this job at such an early age and willing to look after Juzo. The backstory behind the organization who made the wasp and why people are coming after the Assassin Boss’s daughter. And Juzo’s interaction with the Assassin boss’s daughter and his own daughter as a kid himself. But most importantly, Juzo being such a depressed loner while being really cool and falling in love with learning is such a wholesome character dynamic, that I can’t wait to see more. The art style is also wonderful for this, as Juzo’s precise moves go so well with the sharp and angular artwork. I have high hopes for this too.

THE LEFTOVERS

The best shounen manga are able to marry action and character development in a way that elevates both and Konoha’s Story: The Steam Ninja Scrolls(Chapter 13) pulled that off phenomenally well this chapter. Is it convenient that Mirai’s comes across a member of the cult that killed her father while on a coming of age journey? Yes, but what story isn’t? Stories are what happen when you’re walking along with a camera and you happen to capture something that’s so monumental and rare that outsider’s can only believe that it was planned. Mirai’s growth this chapter was not only through trusting her teammates but also stepping into her fathers shoes. In Naruto we didn’t get to see much of Asuma, but what Mirai pulls off here is exactly something he’d do. Witch Watch(Chapter 105) has Moi join Kanshi on a double date after Kiego refuses. Nico accidentally casts a joke on Moi that makes him crack jokes on top of the spell that had him acting honest so he starts blasting out jokes with no self awareness. A lot of the jokes flew over my head as I lacked the cultural context but it was still a pretty funny chapter. It made a definite point in advancing the plot as it brought up Moi’s feelings, the curse and set out to bring my new favourite character Fran back into the story. This week’s My Hero Academia(Chapter 385) reminded me why I appreciate One Piece’s geographic awareness. Because though it’s outlined in the beginning of the chapter, this climactic fight is all over the place not only geographically, but also emotionally. I’m not totally sure why character’s who’s inner struggles we’ve never seen, like Mt. Lady, are taking so much of the center stage in this final conflict. A fight like this is supposed to be a culmination of character arc’s, not a muddled emotional mess. Mission: Yozakura Family(Chapter 174) takes another interesting step with enrolling Alpha and Hifumi into a school run by Kyochiro. I am kinda digging this development. This feels like it fits the vibe of the story much better and focuses it on the duo rather than having to give the entire family their due each chapter.

Me & Roboco(Chapter 133) had a fun chapter about a Kendama competition to tie into some new merch. I love how shameless it’s about it because it’s such a Roboco attitude. Jiangshi X(Chapter 12) had a pretty great chapter that mourned the deaths of the fallen. I really appreciate when manga does this because the pace of manga is so fast these days there isn’t always time to do that. The fact that they mourn them while on the run also highlights the impact their deaths had on them. Ichigoki’s Under Control!!(Chapter 19) comes to an end with a wedding chapter! Fabricant 100(Chapter 18) actually gives Ashibe a proper training arc! I am an absolute sucker for training arcs and detailed dives into how characters learn their powers so I was very happy with this chapter. I was even happier with how Ashibe acknowledged that this was his first technique. It’s a verbal confirmation of things to come and I’m excited.

Somehow, in Mashle: Magic and Muscles(Chapter 152) the throwaway comic relief character continues to be the most interesting and emotional character in a series on flat duds. Maybe I’m taking my frustration of Ginka and Gluna being axed while this continues. The Ichinose Family's Deadly Sins(Chapter 21) has been a little rocky of late, even most of this chapter feels at times rushed and unfocused, but it looks to be getting back on track with a good ol’ Taizan5 murder. I really hope this story gets to tell itself the way it wants to. Because Taizan5’s earned that with Takopi. Let the man cook. And just like with Takopi, I’m sure the future chapters will make the previous ones better on reflection. In Akane-Banashi(Chapter 58) we catch up with our characters after the competition and find out the winner’s as well as dive into Hikaru’s motivation a little bit more as well as learn that she still has tricks up her sleeve. The rest of the chapter is spent emphasizing Akane’s need to find her strengths and her style. At the end of the chapter she’s left with a difficult choice. Blue Box(Chapter 97) continues from where it left off and quickly makes things wonderfully second-guessy. I love these characters quite a bit now so it’s cute to see them fumble through all of this. But Yumeka quickly becomes my favourite character because she just straight up calls Taiki on it, and not only that, which his friends and rivals have already done, but also challenges him to act on it. Just like how Taiki meddled in her life and improved it, Yumeka is trying to return the favour. 

Uh… the battle continues in Black Clover(Chapter 357).

Fuuko’s acting like such a leader in this week’s Undead Unluck(Chapter 155). This chapter also brings Gina and Sean back into focus. Whereas Nico has been Fuuko’s right hand, Gina can be seen as her left. Gina is such a great character because she’s literally the perfect encapsulation of  “If we’d met under different circumstances maybe we could’ve been friends”. There’s a heartbreaking connection holding the two together, representing Fuuko’s first real regret. They all owe her for changing their lives for the better but Gina’s got a connection with Fuuko unlike any other. I’m also really glad these two joined them because not only is it better to have more options, but I always love seeing the negators bounce off of each other. Also Sean and Gina make such a great duo, they have one brain cell pinging in between the two of them. Apes together stupid. Sakamoto Days(Chapter 115) delivers another dope action sequence and makes clear what the stakes really are. I’m really liking this slow ratchet up in tension. Kei almost gets caught and his motivation clearly reveals him as a good person as does his refusal to hurt the chairman’s wife and kids. Spy X Family (Chapter 78.1) somehow delivers a better chapter in two pages than the entirety of this week’s Mashle. Yes I am now admitting to being a Mashle hater. Jujutsu Kaisen(Chapter 220) feels like it’s gearing up for a final climactic showdown.

[chernobog13]

MOONLIGHT MASK

Starman, aka Super Giant, was Japan’s answer to Superman, appearing in theaters in a 9 films between 1957 and 1959.  He was also Japan’s first superhero on film.

During that time, Japan’s answer to Batman or The Shadow appeared on Japanese television.  Gekko Kamen, aka Moonlight Mask in English (also Moon Mask Rider), was the very first tokusatsu, live-action superhero on Japanese television.

Moonlight Mask fought crime, carried two snub-nosed .38 revolvers, rode around on a motorcycle, and usually could be heard singing his theme song (I ain’t making this up!) before he appeared out of the darkness.  He had no super-powers except the ability to never run out of bullets, and never get his cape caught in his motorcycle’s spokes.

As for his choice of weapons, he couldn’t have picked worse.  .38 caliber revolvers were standard issue for many police forces at the time.  However, the .38s were notorious for terrible penetrating and stopping power; there have been documented instances of the bullets bouncing off someone just wearing a nylon windbreaker!  And generally, the longer a handgun barrel is the more accurate it will be.  The only reason anyone wore snub-nosed.38s was because they were easily concealable underneath jackets or other clothes.  But for 99% of users they were only effective at point-blank range.

Japanese DVD cover for episodes 47-58 of the television series, part of the Skull Mask storyline.

Moonlight Mask was always coming to the aid of Police Inspector Matsuda, usually when some bizarre, diabolical villain was involved.  No one knew who Moonlight Mask was, and his secret identity was never revealed.  In the cast credits Moonlight Mask was always played by a question mark (”?”).  However, even the dullest of audience members could figure that Moonlight Mask was very probably private detective Juro Iwai, played by actor Ose Koichi, because the two characters are never, ever seen at the same time.

Cover to the Japanese DVD for the film Moonlight Mask - The Monster Kong.  Gotta say, this Kong isn’t as impressive as the television version.

Moonlight Mask debuted on Japanese television in February 1958 and ran for a total of 131 episodes, ending in July 1959.  The episodes were run serial-style, with each episode picking up right where the previous one ended (usually with a cliff hanger of sorts).

The episodes were organized into 5 stories.  The first story, Skull Mask, ran the first 72 episodes.  The second story, The Secret of the Paradai Kingdom, ran 21 episodes.  Mammoth Kong, the third story, was 11 episodes long, and featured the first television kaiju.  Story number four, The Ghost Party Strikes Back, was 13 episodes long.  And the final story of the series, Don’t Turn Your Hand to Revenge, ran for 14 episodes.

Mammoth Kong as he appears in the television series.  He’s a fearsome looking brute!

 I was only able to find available for sale in the USA the first four chapters of Mammoth Kong.  Above is the cover of the DVD that I purchased from Amazon.  The episodes are subtitled in English, but appear to have been lifted from Youtube. 

Despite being an early television show, with a very limited budget, I was very entertained by these episodes.  Mammoth Kong is a mutant giant ape, approximately 45-50 feet tall.  The scale model building for the Mammoth Kong scenes, while not up to Eiji Tsuburaya’s standards, were convincing enough.  And instead of using an expensive optical process to put humans in the same scene as the Mammoth Kong, they used marionettes instead.  It sounds goofy, but it was actually pretty effective.

In addition to the television series, Toei Films produced six Moonlight Mask films during the same time period.  There films were released in 1958, and the second three films were released in 1959.

That’s the diabolical Skull Mask and his gang of eyeball minions threatening Moonlight Mask.

The films were Moonlight Mask, Moonlight Mask - Duel to the Death in Dangerous Waters, Moonlight Mask - The Claws of Satan, Moonlight Mask - The Monster Kong, Moonlight Mask - The Ghost Party Strikes Back, and Moonlight Mask - The Last of the Devil.

The films were adaptations of the stories from the television series. with Skull Mask - the longest story - getting divided into two films.    They were filmed in 2.35:1 aspect (”Toei Scope”) and had slightly better production value.  Also, Moonlight Mask and Detective Juro Iwai (if they really are the same person) is played by actor Fumitake Omura.

Japanese DVD cover for the film Moonlight Mask - The Claws of Satan.

Think about how neat it was to be kid in Japan back then: not only could you see Moonlight Mask on TV every week, but you could go to the movie theatre and see him at the same time!  The equivalent today would be watching Superman and Lois on TV at home, and having a new Superman film showing up at your local multiplex (anybody remember those?) every 4 months.

The television series and films were quite popular and doing well.  Unfortunately, a young Japanese boy died imitating one of Moonlight Mask’s stunts.  This led to the cancellation of the television series and the films coming to an end.

(A similar incident led to director Teruo Ishii, who directed several of the early Starman/Super Giant films, to leave the series after a young boy had been hurt imitating Starman.)

An early soft vinyl (sofubi) Moonlight Mask figure. 

A manga of Moonlight Mask made the scene a few months after the television series started.  Much of the artwork in the manga was by Jiro Kuwata, the creator of 8 Man.  He is better known in the West as the artist of the Batman manga from the 1960s, which were collected and released by DC Comics a few years ago.

The Marmit 1:6-scale Moonlight Mask action figure.  He has automatics here, which he never used in the television series, so thes may be based on the film version. (Yeah, I know he needs to be touched-up with a Tide Pen.  You try keeping your white costume clean when you’re tussling with bad guys!)

Moonlight Mask would return in 1972 for a 39-episode anime series.  He had an updated costume, with a motorcycle helmet instead of a turban.  He was also sporting two .357 Magnum revolvers, which in real life would be only slightly more accurate than his old snub-nosed .38s, but with a heck of a lot more stopping power.

The Medicom Real Action Heroes (RAH) 1:6-scale action figure of the anime version of Moonlight Mask.

The anime series was apparently very popular in Latin America, where it is known as Centella.

The anime was broken into three 13-part story arcs: The Claw of Satan, The Mammoth Kong, and The Dragon’s Fang.  I’ve never seen the anime, but based on the titles alone I’m assuming the fist two stories are based on the original series.

There was also a gag anime, We know You, Moonlight Mask-kun, which had 25 episodes broadcast between October 1999 and March 2000.  I know next-to-nothing about this series.

That brings us to 1981, and the most embarrassing point on Moonlight Mask’s career:

The Moonlight Mask movie, known in English as Moon Mask Rider.

This movie was an attempt to update Moonlight Mask for the 1980s, complete with giving him a suped-up motorcycle.  I’ve only seen clips from this film, and I was not impressed.  The kindest review of the film of several I’ve read describes it as dull; not bad, but not good.

None of the original series’ characters return, and Moonlight Mask even has a new secret identity!  The actor who played Moonlight Mask, Daisuke Kuwahara, was never seen in films again after this movie bombed big time at the box office.

The 1981 movie version of the Moonlight Mask costume, which seems to incorporate elements from both the television and anime versions.

Sadly, that was the last time Moonlight Mask was attempted in live action, and he hasn’t been seen in anime in over 20 years. Unfortunately, only Japanese versions of the Toei films, and a few chapters from the television series, are available for sale in the USA.  The DVD covers shown above are all from Amazon’s site.

Some random episodes of the television and first anime series are available on YouTube, but I couldn’t find any subtitled in English.

One of the Toei films - I think it’s Moonlight Mask - The Claws of Satan - is available in its entirety on YouTube, but it is not subtitled either.

I’m hoping one day someone will subtitle the original television series and films and distribute them to the USA.  I’m dying to see how Moonlight Mask manages to defeat Mammoth Kong and the evil gang controlling him.

[franeridart]

Anon said: Hey!! I wanna ask, how do you feel about the ship Rap//Gum (rappa and fatgum) and would you consider drawing or talking about them? They’re such a rare pair and I love their dynamic so much!

I don’t mind it, but I can’t say I’m invested enough to ever make something with it ngl T-T sorry!

Anon said: Heya! I was just looking through your art and I absolutely adore it! I was wondering, have you ever drawn Toga before?

Thank you!! And I haven’t, and probably won’t in the future either!

Anon said: I love your art! Keep going! Also, i love very much your Bokuroo art!! You're the best!

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!! You keep going too, anon!!!!!

Anon said: MY STICKERS CAME!! I really wish Redbubble gave artists more for the stuff they sell there, because I love buying your stuff, when I can, but it feels like I'm ripping you off, because you get so little for everything. But, I love the stickers I got! I finally got Octopus Team, and Tamaki, which I've been wanting for AGES.i have no clue where I'll stick them, so I'll probably pin then to my wall, until I figure something out lol Stay sweet. ✌💜

AHHHHHHHH I’m so glad you like them!!!!!!!! And thank you so so much for the feeling and concern, but considering how they make them and ship them I feel like the amount I get isn’t too bad! I could technically earn more from them, but that’d raise the price more than I’d be comfortable with..........haha

Anon said: I will say this absolutely with no hesitation, I love your art style so much.

GOSH thank you so much!!!

Anon said: I'm absolutely in love with your art, it's so pretty, especially the way you draw Kirishima!

Thank you!!!!! He’s a lot of fun to draw so I’m glad you like him!!!! <3

Anon said: Your most resent piece (the blood cape Kiri) is MMMMM SO DELICIOUS!!! That boy can WORK IT!! Also,,,,,, I’m probably the only one that saw this, but the design in the blood cape looks like two abstract Iidas screaming at each other....... sorry I’m weird and that’s the second thing I noticed..... and sorry cuz this isn’t really an ask but YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW GOOOODDD THAT PIECE IS!!!! (It’s perrrrrrrfecccttt)

I!!!!!!!!!! can’t say I see it sorry!!!!!! But I’m super happy to hear you liked it, thank you so much!!!!!! <3

Anon said: Hiya!!! I really love ur art and the way you draw characters, so I wanted to ask you a question. :00 do you break down bodies into basic shapes when you draw?? If so, what're some general shapes you use for the torso??

To be fair it’s sort of random and based on the character I have to draw/the pose/ what they’re wearing haha...........don’t be like me this is why my anatomy is often questionable - if I had to give you a model tho, do you know those wooden models for artists? the very basic ones you can get for cheap anywhere, I mostly break up my bodies following the way it’s broken down on those lil dudes!

Anon said: Hnnnhhhgggg Garo is a sexy man and me.exe has stopped working

tbh that’s!!!! a big!!!!!!!!!! Mood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love my kaiju boy

Anon said: I really dislike BNHA, I think it's boring. Your art however? It's wonderful. I love your comics because they're so funny and sweet, they always make me smile when I see them. Your lineart is also really curved and soft looking, like it's made out of friendship. Thank you for sharing your art, it makes me and others so happy!

Glad I can make you enjoy something you usually don’t like, anon! <3 thank you!!

Anon said: I sooo wish manga Bakugo was like yours ç_ç By which I do not mean that yours is out of character, just that you depict his more human side and draw BEAUTIFUL scenes of him interacting with others as his peers rather than them being just props for him... and, well, your KiriBaku slays me and I love you for all of it

To be fair I like manga Bakugou better than my own haha I find him deeper, but that’s to be expected from one of my favorite characters after all! I’m glad you like mine that much, tho! Thank you!

Anon said: In one of your comics you reference Sharkboy and Lavagirl, right? Did you see the film in the theaters? You might be the only other Italian I know who has XD

I didn’t !!!!! sadly it took me reaching my twenties before I started regularly going to the movies and I was a kid when sb&lg came out ;;;;;; *sad violin music*

Anon said: BEAUTIFUL PERSON AWARD! Once you are given this award, you're supposed to paste it in the ask of 8 people who deserve it. If you break the chain nothing will happen, but it's sweet to know someone thinks you’re beautiful inside and out! 💞

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!! <3<3

Anon said: Is there any ships that make you uncomfortable or you just don’t agree with?

Oh there’s a lot, I can be extremely peculiar with what I ship and what I don’t! I try to keep my mind and my dash/tl as empty of those ships as I can tho uwu *whispers* self-care

[ogcassiopeia]

M+M Answers Kpop Questions

1.     Which group have you thought about stanning, but never seem to get around to it? 

I’ve essentially only ever stanned TVXQ and never deviated from that but I could totally see myself stanning Shinee or Monsta X.

2.     Do you have any irl friends that like kpop?

It depends on what you mean by irl. As of right now, I only have one irl friend, who lives in Canada, that enjoys kpop as much as I do. We met back in the early 2000s when both her and I were massively into TVXQ. She moved on to stanning BTS after TVXQ broke up but she still loves TVXQ and we talk about kpop and other life happenings often. The kpop friend I had here physically in my town with me eventually moved to a different city and we lost contact a few years ago. I am not even sure if she still enjoys kpop or not.

3.     How old were you when you first got into kpop?

Oh gosh…I think I was 13 at the time.

4.     What song(s) took you a while to warm up to? 

A lot of f(x)’s earlier stuff like Nu Abo and Chu as at the time when they came out I found them to be grating and irritating. Most girl group songs take me a while to get into since I am more of a boy group kind of kpop fan.

5.     Have you ever disliked a group/idol? If so, why? (You don’t have to say who it is if you’re scared of getting hate).  

I wouldn’t say I dislike or hate a lot of kpop singers/groups but I would say I am either just not a fan of their personalities and/or their work. For girl groups, I especially am not a fan of BlackPink, Red Velvet or Girls Generation. I like one of two of their songs, but I find their voices irritating and feel like their talents are limited. I do feel this way about some boy bands too…but the one I do not care for is one that I may regret speaking ill of due to their fanbase.  

6.     What annoys you the most about kpop?   

As of right now, it would be the fans. There seems to be constant harassment of people, celebrities or other fans who have differing opinions.  Just let people like who they like and hate who they hate. What does it matter if they don’t agree with you? If you like the boy group/girl group/solo singer GREAT...leave it at that. You don’t need to harass or bully someone else into liking your faves.

7.     What do you love the most about kpop?  

The music. It brings diversity and color into my consumed media and it’s just generally enjoyable pop music fluff that I do not get from American media.

8.     Do you only listen to kpop? 

Nope. I listen to all kinds of music outside of kpop.

9.     Who are you favorite western artists (if you have any)?   

Paperwhite, The Band CAMINO, The 1975, Bad Suns, Lennon Stella, LEON, ASTR, Ralph, The Midnight

10.  How long have you been into kpop? 

Since 2003…so it’s been a while…17 years or so. (P.S. I am old and boring.)

11.  What music did you used to listen to before getting into kpop? 

Mostly American pop music, J-pop, J-rock and indie-pop.

12.  What fandom(s) were you in before getting into kpop? Are you still in them?

I was super into anime and manga back then…I was a part of the Sailor Moon fandom and I still love me some Sailor Moon. I also really loved the Backstreet Boys and still do…I am going to their concert in August (as long as it doesn’t get cancelled due to coronavirus)!

13.  Which group did you used to think was overrated but ended up loving?   

Shinee

14.  Is there a kpop song that annoys you? If so, which one?  

Uhm…there are a lot of them. Some of the songs I find annoying are: I’ve Got A Boy + Oh! + Kissing You – Girls Generation, I Don’t Know What To Do – BlackPink, Everyday – WINNER, Snapping – Chungha, Dog and Cat – TXT, Seventh Sense - NCT  (I am sorry to all of you who may love those songs)

15.  What aspects of kpop make you cringe/feel secondhand embarrassment?  

The Aegyo and overly cutesy, child-like concepts that girl groups always seem to have to participate in. Even though I know it comes from cultural differences in sexual attractiveness (I lived in Japan for years...I’ve seen it first hand), it still just creeps me out. I don’t like it in J-pop either, btw.

16.  Which concepts do you love?  

I LOVE dark, sexy, horror-like concepts that have been used by groups like VIXX and Dreamcatcher. I also love slick, retro themed songs based in the swing/jazz age (Something or Spellbound – TVXQ) or 80s nostalgia (I Feel You – The Wonder Girls).

17.  Which concepts do you hate?   

Anything overly aegyo or cutesy.

18.  If you could trade places with an idol, who would it be?  

I would totally love to be in Shim Changmin’s shoes….being part of an idol group considered gods in the kpop realm.

19.  What do you look for in a bias?  

(1) Intelligence, (2) Sassy/Funny, (3) Honest, (4) Hardworking, (5) Talented, (6) Humble

20.  Which kpop company do you hate the most?  

Cube or Pledis

21.  What are you opinions on shipping?

It’s fine as long as fans don’t push participation of it onto the idols they’re shipping.

22.  How did you get into kpop?  

I saw a Kpop Countdown show on cable TV back in 2003 where they showed BoA and TVXQ and I was hooked instantly.

23.  Has anyone ever made fun of you or looked at you weird for liking kpop?  

I mean, yes…1000x yes, I was made fun of for loving kpop all the time. Once again, I got into kpop in 2003 y’all….which was before the internet was easily accessible in my home so I felt like the only person in America who liked kpop at the time. Not even my closest friends were into it and they felt like I was just a massive weirdo for loving it as much as I did. Thankfully, I found a community online of international kpop enthusiasts like myself to talk to in around 2005 (since I finally was able to save up for a bulky ass laptop) and that helped me feel less alone and bullied.

24.  What is the cringiest thing you did when you were starting to get into kpop? 

By the time kpop came into my life, I was already a set up Weeaboo, so…really I just became a deeper version of that…I was like an embarrassing kaiju cultural appropriation combo of Weeaboo and Koreaboo. I would make my own tshirts for TVXQ and just wear them out and about. They were SO BADLY MADE because I had no idea what I was doing but I thought I was so smart and stylish at the time. I also made CDs of Jpop and Kpop for people around school to hand out at lunch...I cringe just thinking about it.

25.  How long does it take you to learn the names of each member in a group?

I’ve stopped learning members names nowadays LOL…I am too old for that shit and just don’t care enough anymore. (For past reference though, it took me about one week to remember all of TVXQ.)

26.  Are you a gg, bg, or middle/coed stan? 

Boy group stan

27.  If you could hang out with one idol, who would you hang out with? 

Shim Changmin of TVXQ….he’s my forever bias and I wanna hang out with his puppies and have a meal with him...ask him what he wants to do with the rest of his life once idol-dom is over.

28.  Who is the bias to your third favorite group? 

I guess that would be Monsta X so…uhm…it was Wonho but apparently, he isn’t in the group anymore…

29.  What name from your native language would you give your ult bias? 

What would I name Changmin in English? He already has a stage name that’s in English, which is Max. I am not sure what this question is asking LOL  (also, who the fuck still calls Changmin, Max? I thought we dropped that shit back in 2006.)

30.  Thought on fanfiction/AUs/etc?  

I think it is great and gets fans to think more creatively and figure out where their talents lay! I used to write a lot of JaeMin and HoMin fanfiction back in the day…now I write mostly Destiel (Dean and Castiel from Supernatural) fanfiction.

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

SSSS.Gridman 3 - 4 | Double Decker 5 - 6 | Golden Kamuy 15 - 16 | Zombieland Saga 4 - 5 | Merc Storia 3 - 4

Gridman 3

Samurai Calibur is literally what pulled me back into the show – after all, he’s an indicator that despite this show’s serious demeanour, it is campy at heart. So it’s great to see him have a big role, even if he has to look stupid to do so.

Uh…by the way, kaiju (Anti?). What’s so cool about Wolverine blades? I mean, Wolverine himself has healing factor to back that up, but you’re just a kaiju…

That star explosion! There’s the Trigger we know and love!

“A kaiju that eats breakfast with me.”

I always love how anime deal with isolation through framing and other visual techniques. In this case, it’s Utsumi and Rikka in two mirrors of different shapes.

“…over, right?” I thought, as Utsumi said, “…disbanded.” – Close enough.

Literally everyone in this show has blue eyes. It’s striking, but it’s a bit much…? I personally like a mix of eye colours for characters, especially those eyes which seem to have flecks of different colours in them. Not that I’ve ever had an excuse to give any character I’ve created eyes like that (since it’s easier to describe single-coloured eyes), but it would be nice to have an opportunity to. Update: Apparently it’s a homage to something. A Transformers thing, actually.

This ED…hmm, it kinda looks like the Sarazanmai ads I’ve seen around lately. Just without the stylised background people and with Akane and Rikka.

Double Decker 5

“The Derick Special!” – Welp, aside from forgetting the E in “potatoes”, they got the spelling right, LOL.

I wonder if Kirill’s sister looks anything like him?

…Hmm. I noticed the license plate on that blue car has BNY. Maybe it stands for “bunny” or “Barnaby”?

*Kirill headbutts Doug* - Well…uh, that’s one way to use your head…

“My first partner died.” – Wait, but if that’s (Doug’s first partner) not Derick…then who is it??? The one before Derick? Update: Yep, I was right.

I just realised the motorbike (? car?) Max rides has her name on the license plate. At least in the ED it does.

It seems like the next episode is a breather ep…hmm.

Golden Kamuy 15

Kibushi is number 8 on this page.

“Bat man”…? Like the superhero?

I can’t believe I actually don’t mind the Blingee fire at this moment in the season…urgh. Why did I just say that? I might regret it later…

Oh my gosh…woodcock birds are adorable!

Inkarmat likes Cikapasi’s cover story? Even the bit about…boob-grabbing…?

I like the technique where it appears Nagakura and Toshizou have deaged. It really gives the scene emotional impact and emphasises the fact this episode is called “Let’s Talk About the Past”.

Zombieland Saga 4

I always imagine Lily’s voice to be extremely high pitched. So high pitched, it’s almost silly…but maybe that’s just what happens when I turn off the volume and try to imagine their voices that way.

Chatsumi means “tea picking”. As in picking tea leaves.

Bikubiku just means Junko is trembling from fear. She probably has a fear of heights…

Hey wait, I thought slapping Saganship Z on people who aren’t zombies is called “administering medicine”…

The CGI…I don’t think it’s entirely hideous, but it’s still vaguely obvious.

Marutchi/Tamatchi -> Yes, it’s another Tamagotchi joke from Saki.

Merc Storia 3

Oh my goodness…this (the queen) is the fairy I got hyped for way back when this show first had its ED showcased! She’s basically the anime version of a Shirley Barber fairy! She’s gorgeous!

Princess, didn’t the tale of Excalibur teach you not to pull swords from stones?

There are a lot of princesses in this, to the point where it makes me feel like a kid again. Then again, all good anime makes me giggly like a kid. Not to mention this actually is aimed at kids…

Who’s a healer, Merc? Jamo? (Yeah, yeah, I’m kidding, but seriously, get Merc to do a better indication of who she’s talking about.)

Oh, how did I not think of this? Yuu’s name is Yuu because he’s you, geddit? The player character?...Okay, stop booing…

Seriously, all the fairies, regardless of their gender, are gorgeous…! Except the bartender and the butler. The bartender looks like Tank from Brave Beats and the butler’s just an old guy. The background characters are only decent looking, too, but I’m talking about (most of) the main characters here. The princess is kinda cute, but not enough to awaken a moe instinct in me, y’know?

I didn’t notice this until now, but Paristos has pointy ears…hmm.

Wait, that was a dude fairy??? The black one, i.e. “one that knows the land”??? Update: Sorry. I listened to his voice and then realised…that is a dude. Sorry. He even kind of sounds like Ume…Update 2: A-hah! That’s why The One That Knows the Land (that is literally what he’s credited as) sounded familiar. It was Junichi Suwabe! Update 3: His name is in the next ep, it’s Zephrodai.

SSSS.Gridman 4

I noticed Akane has a Surume card. It’s probably a pun on Suika (Watermelon) cards. Apparently the pun is that tapping the card on and off is like water swishing (sui sui), hence the name. Update: It would be also nice to say they were a pun on Hong Kong’s Octopus cards, but the visuals on the cards are all wrong…

See? They’re (Namiko and Hass) using their phones like normal kids. So why didn’t Rikka remember to use her phone last ep?

Rumour has it Borr is a dude, which makes the fact he’s questioning why girls like older guys make a lot more sense. Then again, you could just headcanon him as a lesbian instead. I’m not going to stop you from thinking that way if you do.

Honest to stars above, this feels like Kiznaiver Round 2. I didn’t mind Kiznaiver but though it could be better. The drama felt a little too…melodramatic, y’know?

See? This episode just proves Calibur is best boi…until further notice, when they introduce that other Neon Genesis bishonen for real.

So if Borr -> Buster Borr, Max -> Tracto Max and Samurai Calibur -> Calibur, then Sky Vitter…either Sky or Vit. I already know the answer is “Vit” because I saw it on the wiki, but it makes a bit more sense now. Anyways, I was wondering…what happened to the 3 dudes from Arcadia? Max is the strongest, eh? So many questions, not enough time, y’know???

Double Decker! 6

“Good Noodles”, LOL.

The line that appears when the subs say “Let’s take this to our car” actually says something along the lines of, “For the moment, let’s take this to our car, shall we?”

Interestingly, the word “guinea pig” (as in, the “we’re being tested on” sort) translates directly – you can read the word morumotto (guinea pig) in the text.

Maybe I’m not familiar with terms aside from keiji/keibu etc. for policemen, but I’ve never seen a policeman being referred to as “omeguri-san”…

If we’re talking about noticing things…a post for this episode already spoilt for me that “Kirill now has a brother”, although I don’t know whether that comment was made in jest/deception or not. Also, that “sister” sure didn’t have any…er, secondary reproductive characteristics on the torso, to put it lightly.

Reminder, dear cowatchers: Doug is…kind of…an asshole.

*Milla’s disappearance involves getting on one of those double decker buses you see around Lisvaletta* - Welp, that puts another meaning to the name “Double Decker”, eh?

Apple Bieber (LOL) is so tsundere when people actually call him “Doctor”, haha.

Holy sisters, Batman! Milla even sounds like a man. I may be terrible at identifying voice actors from their voices alone, but heck if I can’t tell this “Milla” is a man! (The voice of “Milla” sounds familiar…who is it, though? I’ll skip forward and check. Update: Okay, it’s a name I don’t recognise, but it is a dude! The VA’s name is Yuki Fujiwara. But now that that’s established…I like Valery (sic…?) already. He’s definitely my type~.)

Soooooooooo…yeah. Kirill really does have a brother. Sorry for the spoilers.

Golden Kamuy 16

…Wait, so he’s (Shiraishi) actually getting captured this time?

I find it interesting there is a Japanese equivalent to “Kamuy” which means “residence of the gods”, to translate it somewhat loosely.

Shiraishi had such stupid faces in everyone’s heads…LOL.

I find Tsurumi wearing a proper outfit coloured like the 7th division (albeit more Chinese-looking) kinda strange. Tsurumi suits red more, methinks.

Opium, eh? I assume this talk about poppies and England has something to do with the Opium Wars.

Arisaka’s probably as bad as Brook from One Piece…at least, when it comes to skull jokes in the OP manga. Or like a group of dads having a meeting.

Nikaidou’s so petty…LOL. But it is a good idea to weaponise a fake leg – I mean, Toshizou could have the same advantage if he put a sword in his cane…but I think Toshizou thinks too highly of his Izuminokami Kanesada to do such a thing.

I laughed pretty hard when I learnt Ogata is meant to be part of the 27th. Probably because it wasn’t much of a coincidence in the first place.

Zombieland Saga 5

Wowee, what just happened to Tatsumi’s leg??? “The second you let your guard down, it can all fall apart!” – I think he was talking more about his leg rather than competitive baseball…Update: I swore the ball went through his leg. If you didn’t interpret it the same way, then…sorry.

So I heard you like KFC. Well, we’ll just grab Saga’s equivalent to KFC so you can have chicken in your anime while you eat chicken…or something like that…?

Shouldn’t that be “principles of Drive-In Tori”?

The fish eyecatch seems to involve a Karatsu-kun-chi…according to the banner in the back.

Google Translate tells me “Bonjour, Saga jeune” means something to the effect of “Hello, Saga youngster.”

They really like their live-action segments on this show, huh?

Seriously, which of these girls does Ookoba-san remember??? Is he the driver from episode 1’s Truck-kun? Update: It’s Junko, so that makes sense. If it were Policeman A recognising Junko, Ai or Sakura…we’d be in trouble.

I forgot why they were panicking, but then I remembered…they didn’t have their makeup on. Ah.

Eh? You’re kidding…the Gatalympics is legit!

Yugiri literally poledanced on that rope! Yipe, that’s stiff competition…

What is Tae eating in these in-between scenes, anyway…?

I believe I cannnnnn…*music cuts immediately* Fall…So much for the “I Believe I Can Fly” parody…

Merc Storia 4

Gah, that necklace looks like a Sims gem…

Okay, if I figured out what the next country is it won’t be so interesting. It’s the “country of the clan of few people”.

You can see Salodeah in the ED…and Fruedling (sp???)…but there are some other characters you don’t see in these fairy episodes. Now I’d like to meet the lady riding the spider and the blonde guy (you see them in the same screenshot). You can also see the dog girl from the animal in the ED (I forgot her name though, LOL). I’d also like to see the angel country…

I just realised the next ep previews are called Merc Yokoku (Next Ep Preview) Storia…hmm.