#something that hasn’t happened since makoto’s

[bimalewife]

kaito momota

[review-anon]

Despair Time Chapter 2 Review Part 1: The Good

Hey guys Review Anon here and what’s this? I’m reviewing something other than ASOOT arcs? Yes, yes, I am. Shocker I know but I am not treading too far as I’m still covering Danganronpa as I’m reviewing Chapter 2 of Despair Time now it’s finished. I have my thoughts on it and now I’ve taken some time to take it all in I can talk about what went well, what didn’t go well and what lessons we can take away from the whole thing. I was gonna wait until Bubbles does their review/rant but natural disasters are bitches and power hasn’t been restored yet. So, I’m doing this now to get out of the way.

And for any people coming here from non ASOOT related tags then I will apologise in advance because you are gonna be in for a LOOONNNGGGG read. If you are the type to go tl;dr then turn away now.

I presume the rest of you want to read it? Well, let’s get right to it. I’ve split this into three parts because I don’t want to do Google Docs for this, and it would be an easier read for those who came from the non ASOOT space as you guys aren’t used to my lengthy reviews. Consider this your crash course on how I review, in extreme detail and excessive word count. This right here is about 8.5k which is a bite size by my standards which should tell you everything.

Please bear in mind you will have to wait a bit for the next parts as I want to get my current project done before this. Its just I didn't anticipate this taking so long.

Anyway, let’s get right into it, shall we?

Chains of Friendship

Chapter 1s for any Fanronpa tend to be very shocking as it’s the creator’s way to try and surprise the audience and subvert any expectations they have. Some do this well, others do not. But Despair Time was one of those who did it well by how it handled the main protagonist Teruko Tawaki.

At first glance she seemed to be an atypical Danganronpa protagonist. Ultimate Lucky Student? Check. Has an ahoge? Check. Believes in friendship, trust, hope and all those bollocks? Check. Gets backstabbed by someone they believed to be a friend in the first chapter? Check quite literally. Forgives said friend and continues to be a ray of sunshine? Ch- oh wait hang on a minute she didn’t do that at all.

Yeeaahhh while Xander’s sudden attempted murder on Teruko was a massive shock, what was even more so that Teruko decided to say fuck friendship and trust and not trust anyone ever again. On one hand you can understand Teruko’s rage. She was very close to Xander and he used that trust to try and kill her. Min was also someone who supported Teruko and she was willing to throw Teruko under the bus to save her own skin. None of the others stood up for her as they all decided that Teruko killed Xander, and it was only thanks to the power of protagonist energy and using basic logic that saved them. As such Teruko was well within her right to call everyone out for being selfish bastards. Especially since as we get to know more of Teruko this chapter, we learn that what happened in Chapter 1, while extreme, is a snapshot of her entire life due to how ruinous her luck has been.

I don’t think I’ve said this before, but I will say it now, luck SUCKS in the Danganronpa universe. Look at all the Lucky Students we had, Makoto is the only one who has a decent life and he loses the most. Nagito is so ravaged by luck he’s become suicidal and depressed. Yuki goes through literal hell due to his luck and the less said about Utsuro, the better. And while it’s still very much a WIP, one of my OCs is a Lucky Student and her life is equally ruined by her luck. But don’t worry I’ve not copy pasted it from anyone else as the direction I’ve taken my OC is in a way nobody has done before. And what Teruko has here is a fine example of that. She is an orphan who was abandoned by everyone in her life, she has numerous wounds on her body, she barely has any education as she has to sneak into large schools as a student and then once the gig is up, run away and her finances are in ruins due to the hospital bills. Its little surprise why she likes the Killing Game, as she gets guaranteed food and shelter here, which is more then what can be said outside. But even that has a silver lining as we know whoever the mastermind is, they have it out for her.

However, while this is a massive departure from what the typical protagonist would go through, it’s a known fact that in a Killing Game, you NEED to work with others. Class Trials are decided by majority vote and so if you become a pariah, you are very likely to be ignored and might risk dooming yourself or others if what you are saying is true. Teruko doesn’t have to like her classmates, but she needs to learn to coexist with them. Especially since Teruko switching from “I hate and distrust everyone” to “We are all friends” is a major mood whiplash I doubt anyone would do. So naturally one of the main themes of this chapter is learning to rebuild trust after its broken and the consequences of not trusting anyone.

Two major voices object to Teruko’s self-imposed isolation and distrust of everyone. The first is Eden Tobisa. She’s always been a cheerful and optimistic person within the Killing Game and has taken Xander’s and Min’s deaths harshly. In a way Eden behaves more like what a typical Danganronpa protagonist does, wanting to be friends with everyone and being kind. When she tries to get Teruko to bake with her, Teruko reminds her the last time they baked was with Hu, Rose and Min and that was later used for Min’s murder of Xander. She calls her naïve for being optimistic and says she won’t be friends with her, because she knows that at some point, Eden will crack from the harsh reality of the Killing Game and the luckster doesn’t want a stake in it. Kindness will always be rewarded with cruelty.

But when she says this Eden surprises her as contrary to what Teruko thinks, Eden isn’t oblivious to the cruelness of the Killing Game and reality as a whole. Yet the small clockmaker chooses to be kind because it’s the right thing to do, and if you give someone kindness while people can backstab you, you can be rewarded. When it comes to trust and distrust you need a healthy balance.

When I reviewed Black and White Christmas, I didn’t like how Sunako was forcing the Quantum Crew to trust the 76 Squad for a couple of reasons. I tried explaining it at the time, but I felt I telegraphed it quite poorly and I’m sure that’s irritated Mod Poi. The first one is on me, as I didn’t really know the 76 Squad then and as such couldn’t really tell at face value if they were to be trusted or not. Since they are from NWPM and I struggled to read it, my lack of knowledge led to that judgement, but the other thing is that I compared the whole thing to Raja and the Last Dragon and how it mishandled the theme of trust. Expect I didn’t explain it very well or misunderstood the hate. The main reason Raja got betrayed the first time was because she trusted Namaari too much, which you should never do to people you literally just meet. Give them the benefit of doubt yes, but never open yourself up to someone you don’t know that well. Teruko made that mistake with Xander and that’s why she got a knife in her gut.

While it’s a heartfelt speech, it had a notable impact on Teruko as she didn’t know how to respond. When you expect nothing but betrayal and backstabbing, having someone be kind for the sake of it can shock you. It’s the same shock Kyoko experienced in Trigger Happy Havoc when she didn’t expect Makoto to keep his mouth shut about evidence that he knows is false, and he explained it’s because he trusts her, she didn’t know how to respond. While Eden isn’t the main protagonist, the same principle applies.

Eden isn’t the only person who objects to Teruko’s views that you should never have faith in others as the other is Charles Cuevas. Starting off Charles was your atypical smug intellectual who believes he’s superior to others, akin like Byakuya and Rei. But much like them, he softens up and learns to work with others though in Charles’s case it’s a bit more extreme. In Chapter 1 he was revealed to suffer from Hemophobia, so much so that if he sees blood, he literally goes into shock and can’t remember anything. Xander uses this to his advantage to try and frame Charles for his would be killing of Teruko, but when it seems like everyone is turning on Charles, Whit is the one who stands up for him, gives evidence why he couldn’t do it and so Charles is cleared. This has caused the formally smug chemist to go through a bit of character development as while in Chapter 2 he still thinks his intelligence is beyond that of most of the cast, he isn’t pushing them down as much and has soften up to certain characters, most particularly Whit and Teruko. The former because he stood up for him and is an honest friend and the latter due to demonstrating that unlike most of the cast, Teruko actually uses her brain. It’s a slow burn but assuming Charles survives all to the end, he will become a much better person.

So, when Teruko talks about her disbelief that he is trusting people after what happened in the Class Trail, he brings up some valid points on why Teruko is actually being quite illogical as cooperation with others is key to surviving this game and humans are social pack animals by design, we work better as a team.

Chapter 1 Charles is pretty much Chapter 2 Teruko but after learning he cannot look at a corpse and thus is incapable of surviving on his own, Charles has started to learn how to rely on others. In some ways he doesn’t like how everyone pities him now so Teruko is a relief as her interactions with him haven’t changed. But while Eden says why Teruko is wrong from an emotional and moral perspective, Charles approaches it from a logical and factual point of view. As many analysts have already pointed out, it’s impossible to do a solo act in a Killing Game, if you want to live, you need to learn how to work with others. Either to prevent yourself from becoming a target, or so others can help you when you are down, much like how Whit helped Charles in his lowest point. As such using his own experiences, he knows the direction Teruko is coming from and implores her to reconsider as eventually events will occur which will force her back to trusting others again.

I like this as we have two different characters, both who get tons of development this Chapter, attacking Teruko’s morals from different angles. But while they are definitely making dents, Teruko is able to justify in her worldview that she’s been beaten too many times to be like Eden, especially as Eden seems to have had a good life where her worst secret is that she’s a closet lesbian. Which okay its definitely something Eden might have been harassed over if bigotry is still a thing in this world, but with so many of the cast being LGBTQ, it’s not the worst secret in the world. And for Charles, he has a deliberating condition which prevents him from surviving on his own. Everyone knows about Teruko’s luck and she’s survived this well without needing help on it so she doesn’t need to rely on others.

Expect of course, she’s wrong, because during an interaction with Veronika, she brings up the suggestion that Teruko might have prosopagnosia.

While it’s not confirmed in this Chapter, I do believe Bubbles has a point that Teruko might have face blindness but I don’t think its prosopagnosia. Recall that Teruko has had a very harsh upbringing where she couldn’t get close to people or have a solid support network. It’s known that having a disruptive childhood can lead to arrested development in various areas. I recall a case where a woman had blurry vision for a long time as a child and wasn’t diagnosed as shortsighted until much later in her life and because this happened after the point in a child’s development where the sense of self develops, it means this woman had a lot of self-identity problems and has a hard time recognising herself or others. But she doesn’t have prosopagnosia as that’s a neurological condition you are born with. Rather I feel the face blindness is due to people fazing in and out of Teruko’s life so much that she doesn’t bother forming connections and that is what’s fucked her up.

Regardless of the technicities, it IS a problem in a Killing Game because it would be very easy for someone to trick Teruko by merely dressing up as someone else. That wouldn’t be a problem if Teruko has a support network in place, but if she doesn’t, then she’s a goner. So, like Charles, for medical reasons Teruko doesn’t have the means to stand on her own and needs others to help her.

But the one character who shattered Teruko’s worldview and made her realise what she’s doing is wrong is the victim of this chapter; Arei Nageishi.

When Arei was introduced back in the Prologue at first it seemed like she was gonna be an insufferable Hiyoko-like character. She’s vicious, mean and enjoys tormenting others. But Chapter 1 reveals some layers to her as when Eden invited Teruko, Rose, Min and Hu to bake, Arei got really upset because she wasn’t invited, implying she wants to be involved with the group but doesn’t know how to approach it in any way other than being mean. Then during her FTE with J, she reveals that she has a ranking system in place for how badly she bullies other, while some like J get mild teasing, others she will try to ruin their lives completely. And for kind people she will make sure they cry because she cannot stand anyone being kind, implying that Arei seems to have a real problem with people being kind.

As such when Eden goes to apologise to Arei for excluding her, at first Arei behaves like how Teruko would think she would, she belittles Eden, calls her dumb and says she’s gonna die if she keeps this up, which causes Eden to burst into tears and run away. But alone with David and Teruko, Arei confesses that she didn’t like doing that. She said that stuff to Eden to protect her, because she believes the world is like what Teruko says it is, that kindness cannot be rewarded with anything other than cruelty. And if Eden keeps this up, she’s gonna die. The reason for this is as you would expect due to trauma as Arei’s older sisters would torment her constantly and make her life hell, until Arei just had it and frame her sisters for a bunch of crimes which resulted in them getting send to reform school. This here is a snapshot of one of the main themes this chapter has so we will come back to it later. So, is Arei just reinforcing Teruko’s worldview? Nope. Because then Arei reveals that despite all of that, she WANTS kind people to exist, she HAS to be doubtful of Eden because she’s so kind and optimistic, the exact person Arei wants to have in her life, but her past experiences have gotten in the way. And as she breaks down sobbing due to that, something stirs within Teruko.

Without realising it, Arei has shot a massive wound in Teruko’s armour. She’s someone who is basically like Teruko, who is rude and cruel to others because every time she’s tried to be kind, it was slapped down and punished. She also believes the world is a dark and evil place, but she also wants to believe kind people exist, despite what her experiences have taught her. This is what Teruko is going through. The fact she does cactus puppet plays of Xander and Min, shows that despite what Teruko claims, she is not a sociopath and can care for others, and she wants to be friends with everyone but having been hurt so badly, she cannot get close again. Teruko, without realising it, sees a lot of herself within Arei. She denies it at the time but those words have an impact on her.

David’s speech to her, even though its hollow and not even Arei believed it because she saw his secret and knew he was a piece of shit, still didn’t mind it. The reason being is that even if someone like David, who is seen as a beacon of hope and sunshine, is a rotten bastard deep down, then its proof she isn’t too far gone. While obviously we don’t have David reveal this to the others, we see the conversation happen, and it clearly had an effect on David, due to him remembering it so vividly. Arei’s drive to become a better person wound up saving Eden’s life twice as she interrupted Arturo’s attack on Eden when she tried to reveal his secret to him, and by doing her stunt Ace, the culprit for this case, decided to switch targets and go for Arei instead of Eden. Which I’m glad that Eden didn’t die because if she did, that would convince many that Despair Time was gonna be a cynical work like the Another Series and The Mistake. And why of course Arei still died this chapter, her death was NOT caused by her reaching out to others because Ace was gonna kill regardless of what was happening. And Teruko’s rage at Ace for killing Arei was less about him having a shitty motive but because had Arei lived, she and Teruko would have become good friends, since she would have understood Teruko’s pain and her desire to want to trust others regardless of her past.

Teruko also suffered the consequences of shutting others out as by being isolationist, Teruko has missed the context for a lot of what shenanigans have unfolded among others, and due to believing her viewpoint to be the only correct one, she makes mistakes. During the Class Trial, Teruko misreads the time and assumed the murder occurred at 8pm and NOT 8am which is Arei’s true time of death. Had Charles not pointed this out, David would be ruled as the culprit and everyone would have been executed. Another major mistake Teruko made was in how to end the Killing Game. When Veronika said that Eden had an idea to end the Killing Game by being as boring as possible, Teruko said that wouldn’t work as that’s why motives exist, whereas she has an idea but she needs to wait until the next murder occurs. We are left hanging, and for Arei’s case quite literally on what she meant by that, that is until Ace was exposed as the culprit and Teruko asks Ace to do something outrageous; Kill MonoTV.

Teruko’s logic for this at first glance seems sound. The reason the Killing Game occurs is due to the fact they have to follow MonoTV’s rules, and breaking them results in death. However, with Ace due to die via execution, he has nothing to lose. If he destroys MonoTV he has a chance to save his own life, of course if he fails, so what, Ace is gonna die anything so it achieves nothing. In short, there is no downsides and only upsides.

Expect of course if you have been paying attention, this is not the case. Firstly, normally with the mascots they tend to have copies, one gets destroyed, another takes its place. Thus, the game will carry on, but then there’s another one and one that tripped a lot of people up. When MonoTV was asked who would be the blackened, he said whoever was the most “mastermind-y” Now a lot of people interpreted this as being whoever is behind the murder and not necessarily the murderer. This is why Bubbles proposed that while Hu would be the one to kill Arei/J, David would be the blackened as he was the one who manipulated Hu into doing so. But this logic doesn’t just apply to murders, when Ace obliges and tries to smash MonoTV, it doesn’t work due to the robot being more durable then initially thought, the AI said that while Ace did break a rule, he was gonna be executed anyway so it would achieve nothing. As such the one being punished would be the one who told Ace to break said rule; Teruko herself.

As the countdown for Teruko to get gatling gunned occurs, I wasn’t worried like Teruko, as I KNEW someone was gonna jump in front of her and take the shots. The question was; who? I was thinking either Eden or Charles would do so as both have strong connections to Teruko, and for both it would be a massive contribution to their characters. In Eden’s case its shows she’s not scared to fight what she believes in, and returning the favour. Teruko stood up for her when the culprits narrowed down to Ace and herself, and Teruko decided to focus on Ace, so the petite clockmaker would return the favour. For Charles, it would be him facing his fears as he is terrified of the sight of blood and gore, so him jumping in front of the way of a gatling gun, assuming he survives, would show how much he is starting to care for the others. Anyone else aside those two…I didn’t think so. Ace would have never done so as I’m sure he is the one who voted for Teruko. Nico clearly wanted to get away with their crimes and the others either aren’t close to Teruko or jumping in front of the gun would be out of character for them. So, when the timer hit zero, I expected a CGI of either Eden or Charles with a lot of bullets in them…

But instead, my expectations were blown wide open by the fact that Levi of all people jumped in front of Teruko and shielded her from the bullets. This reminded me very much of when Akane was almost blown up by a bazooka by Monokuma but Nekomaru blocked his way and got shot. Considering what we learnt about Levi in this Chapter, this really took me off guard AND bumped him up several tiers in my character rankings.

But this had a total shock on Teruko, as she believed if she didn’t care for anyone else, nobody would likewise care for her, so the fact that someone cared enough to shield her from pain, and that they are on death’s door because of her, send shockwaves through Teruko’s body as when after Ace’s execution as everyone rushed to the infirmary to treat Levi, Teruko stayed behind to do something she said she would never do; mourn.

The amount of people who contributed to Teruko’s character development doesn’t end there as while those four are examples of positive interactions for Teruko, we have had two cases of negative interactions who serve a different purpose, the first is David Chiem.

When introduced David…seemed off. He seemed like an affable and friendly person who believes everyone has the motivation and desire to change, and Xander in particular seems to be a massive fanboy of him. But like most celebrities and people in public that is just a façade is in the Prologue when Xander went off to get something for his idol to sign, we see David chuckling to himself on how much of an idiot Xander is, without realising that Teruko was there to see it all, and his shock when she reveals she heard that, says it all. Chapter 2 brought up the suss meter even further when David ‘confessed’ his secret and implored everyone to discuss their own secrets, which far from doing good, ended up causing a lot of drama and tension. Anyone with a irk of sense could tell David was fake, I knew he was fake, Bubbles knew he was fake, pretty much most Youtubers reacting knew he was fake.

Another factor working against him is his VA. Quite a few SDRA2 English Dub VAs also worked on Despair Time, and for the most part is interesting to see their contrasts. Bblackroses is known for playing Hibiki Otonokoji, but here she is J who while Hibiki is a bubbly peppy girly-girly, J is a complete tomboy who hates the starlight and fame. Artimmissis Setsuka Chiebukuro, who is a very reliable woman with a prankster side to her, but here she is MonoTV an incompetent mastermind who tells the worst jokes. David Chiem’s VA is Sword of Swords who also worked on SDRA2, and what character did he play there?

Oh, nobody important, just Mikado Sannoji the Mastermind of that game, the leader of the main antagonist group Void and more or less a piece of shit.

At first glance the contrast seems to be that Mikado is an evil bastard whereas David is a moral force of good. But as the pressure mounts for David and the fact his secret is that he’s a manipulator who likes to deceive others, as well as how he mocked Arei’s desire for friends earlier, meant when it reached the boiling point the mask came off and David revealed his true self.

It’s here the true contrasts between him and Mikado become clear. Both are men who hide their true selves behind a mask, literally for Mikado and figuratively for David and both pretended to be forces of good before their masks slip and their true vile nature is revealed. David is obvious as he tried to be a good moral speaker whereas Mikado you might have missed it tried to be a hero and claim Void was a force of good before Rei and Teruya ruined it. In addition, their true selves are so VERY different. Mikado always remained polite and affable even when he is being extremely bastardry whereas David is rude, condensing and swears all the damn time. I also cannot help that David’s true self looking a lot like Utsuro, who is the main object of Mikado’s desires cannot NOT be a coincidence.

But what does David show for Teruko? Well, he seems to at a glance reinforce Teruko’s beliefs that nobody can be trusted as Teruko smugly pointed out she saw the warning signs of him being evil way before anyone else did. And whenever he talks to her, he seems to want to keep this act of Teruko hating everyone up, saying it’s her nature to distrust others and the only thing she trusts is the truth. And then here is his final confession he wants Teruko to trust what he’s saying. David is in a way a warning of the kind of person Teruko would become if she keeps on her current path. I also think that David had Teruko’s secret and knows it’s her fault the Killing Game is going on. The fact he keeps seemly praising Xander and calling him a good person is obviously an attempt to get under Teruko’s skin due to how she feels about him. I for one second don’t believe he cares about Xander.

Mr. Politician isn’t the only person who serves as a warning as the culprit of this chapter, Ace Markey does as well. Ace always seemed to be a coward as he is easily scared of his own shadow and while he talks tough, he doesn’t have the actions to back it up. However, in Chapter 2 Ace gets sick and tired of being a wimp and thus decides to become a bully, which is still being a coward as pretty much most bullies bully because they are cowards who want someone weaker than themselves to lord over to make themselves feel better. Yet what drives Ace’s actions is his Thanatophobia, fear of death which is a very bad thing to have in a Killing Game. Due to this fear, Ace decides to commit murder as he feels if he doesn’t kill someone, someone will do the same to him and the fact Nico almost does, reinforces this belief. Teruko is someone while not paranoid, is very distrustful of everyone and if she feels that anyone and everyone is out to get her, she could fall down the same slippery slope that Ace does.

Despite this, Ace still manages to surprise her as when Levi takes the bullets for her, everyone needs to get to the infirmary to treat Levi otherwise he dies, but the lift won’t work since Ace still needs to be executed. Ace has already made it very clear he hates and despises Levi, especially after the latter confesses that he doesn’t care about the former, which seemed to really hurt him, but seeing someone he hates that much do something so selfless, means he decides to do the one decent thing in his life, while also being his last, getting MonoTV to execute him so the lift doors open and Levi could be saved.

That I think was the final straw which broke Teruko. She has had mounting pressure throughout the entire Chapter but then someone who was a coward, sacrificing himself so that someone else could live, is the final crushing proof as well as the knowledge that while she avoided making the same mistakes as before, she just wound up making new ones, that caused her to cry alone in the Trial Room.

We also get interesting character interactions with Teruko and MonoTV throughout the chapter. Since Teruko isolated herself so much from the others, MonoTV hires her to do maintenance around the Killing Game since he’s too incompetent to do it himself. As Monokumas were originally butler robots this would have never happened in the main series. We learn a far bit about MonoTV, that he is a simple robot designed for the Killing Game and he doesn’t have full knowledge on who’s running the thing as he was only programmed to do what his tasks enabled. And as Teruko pointed out, he is sadistic as Min was executed before she could say everything she wanted to and Ace’s execution was dragged out for as long as possible, in both cases it’s to make the victims feel the most despair. The other interesting thing is that Teruko can use Monocoins to get him to remove other characters who are bothering her which is the complete contrast to FTEs. What should we call them instead? Exclusion Zone Effects or EZE? Nah that doesn’t roll off the tongue.

In conclusion, I really liked how Teruko was handled in this Chapter due to how much of a cliffhanger the previous chapter left with her. This chapter did so much to knock her down for her high and mighty view and while she won’t be buddy-buddy come Chapter 3, I do believe that she will be more approachable to the cast. Teruko’s journey throughout this fanganronpa will be interesting to see and I see her opening up more about her past as she gets more comfortable with the cast.

Trust in Nature

Every Danganronpa game has two themes, no matter how you slice it. The first theme is the most obvious one and this is a theme that the protagonist and the mastermind have in common. For Trigger Happy Havoc its Hope vs. Despair, Goodbye Despair is Future vs. Past and Killing Harmony is Truth vs. Lies.

Some have said that it’s too early to call what the themes for Despair Time are, but I disagree as Chapter 2 imo is the ideal time to introduce your themes, and I think I’ve worked them out. The primary theme is one that doesn’t take much to deduce and others have caught onto it and that is Optimism vs. Cynicism. Teruko is a very cynical individual and doesn’t think she can trust others but more optimistic people disagree, saying being jaded makes you more open to being deceived. Eden and Charles, who are 100% the partners in this fanganronpa serving similar roles to Kaito and Maki in Killing Harmony where one represents the emotional connection and the other the logical one. Eden is always a bundle of sunshine and wanting everyone to be happy, but unlike someone like say Makoto, she isn’t oblivious to the fact the world is cruel but chooses to be kind regardless because its decent and it’s the most moral thing to do. Charles is more logical based and originally was quite cynical but having been shown kindness by Whit, he has opened up a bit more to some other people and while he definitely is a work in progress, he is more optimistic about surviving and escaping the Killing Game.

And this brings me to the Rival of the Fanganronpa; David. Bubbles didn’t like David surviving past Chapter 2, ignoring their own hatred for David aside because they didn’t think David contributed anything meaningful to the overall narrative of Despair Time. I disagree harshly as if I am right with the main themes of Despair Time, David is 100% a perfect Rival character as he represents those themes so well. The cynicism side is obvious as David believes that everyone is gonna die in the Killing Game and there is no point to continuing so might as well get it over and done with. This is why when David’s true nature was exposed, he tried to claim to be the killer, which is another typical rival tactic, so everyone votes for him and they all die. This very logic is why Teruko said she is not the culprit because as soon as David went on his tirade, it would have been an instant win condition for her. And as the game progresses more and more people are gonna want to live to prove David wrong and his mental sanity is probably gonna decline as a result until his Rival protection cause expires in Chapter 5 where he probably dies in a way to try and spite the cast. Going back to the Mastermind, I believe they think the Despair Time cast are all horrible people that deserve to die, whenever that be because they are Neo Remnants of Despair or something to do with Teruko, and as such use the Killing Game to kill them all. By the end of the fanganronpa, Teruko would have become more like a typical Danganronpa protagonist and be able to defy the mastermind wanting to kill her by showing the world is not a bleak place and people can change and improve.

That brings me nicely to the secondary themes. The primary themes are shared between the protagonist and the mastermind, whereas the secondary themes are shared between the group and the rival character. This take a bit more thinking to figure out but I think I’ve cracked what Despair Time’s secondary theme is. Trigger Happy Havoc’s is working together as a team as the class are trying to work together to survive the Killing Game while Byakuya is trying to play the Killing Game in order to “win” and isolates himself from the others. Goodbye Despair’s secondary theme is a deconstruction of the idea of talent as despite being Ultimates, Class 77-B doesn’t really care about their talents and support each other for their own individual characteristics and despite Hajime being revealed to be a Reserve Course Student, are extremely accepting of him. Nagito by contrast believes Hope’s Peak talented and talentless system is gospel, praises his fellow Ultimates for their talents which they do not want to be reminded by and is extremely cruel to Hajime when he finds out he is a talentless person who thinks he can mingle with his idea of the elite. Killing Harmony’s secondary theme is wanting to remain stagnant and compliant as the V3 Cast are very content to stick to the status quo and carry on with their lives, whereas Kokichi would rather shake things up and challenge said status quo. All of these secondary themes are very important to the story. And with that I believe Despair Time’s secondary theme is if humanity is inherently good or evil.

That seems very similar to Optimism vs. Cynicism but it isn’t. This theme tackles if humans are capable of changing their nature or if they are always either good or evil. From this it’s very easy to see where David lies, he believes humanity cannot change their nature, people are either saints or scum. If someone can “change themselves” it’s because they were never that bad to begin with, whereas truly evil people cannot change. And Teruko also seems to agree on this concept because whenever Eden says she is a good person, Teruko tells her to stop as by saying that, she makes her feel worse for the fact she can change but she hasn’t made the effort to do so. Teruko always believed she was scum and would die like scum if she cared about nobody around her.

Naturally this chapter has a few characters who challenge this rule big time. Let’s start with Levi, the guy has always seemed chill but we get to see more of a scary side to him when he threatens to kill Ace if he doesn’t stop being an arsehole. We also have an interesting opening discussion with him and Eden where Levi confesses that he doesn’t see himself as a good person, contrary to what Eden thinks. This all gets revealed in the Class Trial when Levi admits that he doesn’t possess empathy and therefore cannot care about anyone around him, the fact he’s killed 4 people, one of whom being his own father and yet he treats it with the same disinterest as one would swat a fly, is very telling.

Fans were quick to diagnose Levi with Antisocial Personality Disorder, and this is where DT Dev actually impressed me big time. This disorder is one of the most maligned within society, even more so in my opinion then those on the autistic spectrum. The reason being is simple, almost every single time a fictional character is revealed to have this disorder they are almost always a psychopathic villain who kills everyone around them and gives zero shits. To say how damaging this stereotype is unbelievable and Levi is frankly the most realistic portrayal of someone with this disorder. Yes, Levi doesn’t have empathy, or a very low level of it, but he still tries to be a good person not because of morals and emotions, but more so out of a sense of duty, especially as before Levi revealed it nobody suspected a thing due to Levi not behaving like the usual stereotypes. He isn’t very good at it because he's trying to figure out how to be a good person which isn’t easy when it’s not instinct. When Ace asked if he cared about him at all and Levi responded with flat no, while Ace screamed at Levi in his usual manner, it’s clear the jockey was hurt by this reveal as a small part of him wanted to consider Levi a friend.

So, for Levi to then shield Teruko with his body from the gatling gun, not only comes as a massive shock but I believe this is Levi’s attempts of trying to prove he is a good person. Chances are, he wasn’t happy with how he handled the situation with Ace and wanted to prove something to him, so that’s why he protected Teruko, not only because thinking about it, Levi was probably one of the few characters who could survive that, but to try and redeem himself from how he mishandled the situation with Ace. And the effects of this are very clear as Ace, who was trying to prolong his death as much as possible, upon realising the only way to save Levi is for him to die, demands MonoTV to execute him. If someone without a clear concept of empathy can be a good person, then isn’t that proof humans can change?

Arei is another character who also wants to believe she can change. After she decides to become a good person, the bowler saves Eden from being threatened by Arturo and then later that night confronts David about the fact she knows he’s full of shit. We heard some of this originally from Ace who overheard the conversation, but when David is thinking about what to say to Eden, we hear the other half where Arei says she’s glad David is horrible because it means there is no such thing as a pure good person. That even someone like Eden might have done something nasty and if he’s so deprived then there’s hope left for her. She even offers a hand of friendship to David because she thinks they are one and the same, and they can improve their behaviour together. The fact David remembers this means the conversation had a meaningful impact on him, even though he doesn’t show it. What Arei is showing is clear existentialism or optimistic nihilism. Nihilism which I’m sure 75% of people reading this believe in, is where you believe nothing in the world matters because it’s all meaningless. Optimistic nihilism by contrast is saying that yes nothing matters, but that’s okay because you have the power to decide what is most important. Arei clearly believes there is no such thing as a pure good person, but what she can be is a slightly less shitty person then she was before.

And finally, there’s Ace. Ace’s motive for killing Arei is the fact he is scared of death, and that if he didn’t kill someone, then he would be killed. His reason for targeting Arei was simply coincidence, his original target was Eden but upon learning of Arei’s desire to change, decided to exploit that to target her. Ace also demonstrates a level of intelligence we haven’t seen from him before given that he was able to memorise how Nico tried to kill him, replicate that method, overpower Arei with a method unique to him and since everyone thinks Ace is dumb, he was able to pull the wool over their eyes and he could have damn well gotten away with it, especially with David’s stunt making so many convinced he was the one who killed Arei. Goes to show that people are not as stupid as you think. He gets chewed out big time by Teruko who calls him a coward, his motive is dumb and that Arei didn’t deserve to die because of that. However, even when facing death there is still a chance for character development and that comes when Levi eats a rain of bullets. Not only does this change Ace’s opinion on Levi considering he hated his guts before, but he gives Arturo a well-deserved callout who claims he doesn’t know how to treat Levi’s wounds because of his mix-maxed medical skills, but Ace calls him a coward saying as a surgeon he should know the basics and apply that skill to save Levi’s life or at least keep him alive as he gets executed. And yes, despite being as scared as possible for his death, he accepts it as it’s the only way to save Levi as the lift doors won’t open until he is executed.

Onto Ace’s execution I was pleasantly surprised as I have seen somewhere on YouTube an Ultimate Jockey Execution where the horses are used to tear the victim up, and I would have complained MASSIVELY if Ace went down a similar route. But no, the execution is more tailored to Ace’s fear of death by him escaping horror scenario after horror scenario, no wonder Veronika was orgasming over it, until when facing an execution squad, they shoot confetti and Ace suffers a heart attack and dies from fear. This is actually a real way people can die as during the 1970s, there was a string of cases where Hmong refugees would die from heart attacks in their sleep despite being healthy and middle-aged. Doctors at the time concluded that they were suffering nightmares so bad it would cause heart attacks and kill them in their sleep, and if this sounds familiar to you, it should as it was one of the inspirations behind A Nightmare on Elm Street. There’s a reason you shouldn’t scare someone with heart problems and while Ace might not have any heart issues, he has been suffering a lot of stress which could have made his heart rate dodgy and then the execution delivered.

These themes are extremely heavy hitting and I’m glad Despair Time is covering them. I could be wrong about them but that’s my theory on what they are.

Murderer Among Us

And finally, my last big positive about Despair Time’s Chapter 2 is the fact we not only get an attempted murder, with the plot twist the would-be victim would later become the culprit but the fact that this attempt didn’t succeed means the would-be murderer walks among the cast still and they have to deal with the consequences.

I have wanted this since Killing Harmony when Monokuma offered the tantalising prospect that if there are two blackeneds, only the first murder counts. So, when Korekiyo confesses to killing Tenko, the cast cannot vote for him because if he didn’t kill Angie, they would have got it wrong. I REALLY wanted it to be that Tenko was Angie’s killer, my logic being that Angie invited Tenko to her Talent Lab for a chat which got into a heated debate about how Angie was brainwashing Himiko and Tenko, who is quite hot-headed and doesn’t always think straight, accidently killed Angie in the heat of the moment. She would then either cover up her crime or someone else like the Mastermind would make the locked room mystery which the cast discovered and when Kiyo announces he is gonna do a séance, Tenko grows worried as if the séance is a success, Angie would reveal the culprit so Tenko offered to become the vessel which led to her death. You could also argue that maybe she sensed Korekiyo was up to something and did it to protect Himiko. Either way that would make for an interesting Chapter 4 because tensions between Korekiyo and Himiko would be high, but of course Kodaka doesn’t do anything with that and as a result we end up with 4 deaths, and 2 ruined chapters.

No other fanganronpa tried anything like this as they were all not willing to commit so I thank Despair Time wholeheartedly for actually having the balls to do so. As Nico, being pushed to their limit by Ace’s tormenting of them, which is very similar to how they are ostracised for being non-binary, meant they tried to commit murder by hanging Ace on the fans, but they not only miscalculated the strength of the fans but Ace woke up from being knocked unconscious and struggled awake. Before Nico could try again, Teruko and Eden showed up, foiling any would be attempt. Not only did Nico try to commit murder, but they betrayed the trust of both Hu who was trying to protect them but also Rose as Nico stole Hu’s wire and Rose’s turpentine to use for their murder scheme. What’s interesting is they didn’t apologise because they not only were not sorry for trying to kill Ace but know an apology won’t cut it. J gave Nico a very harsh verdict that even though their attempt was foiled, the point is they still tried to commit murder and was willing to give up the lives of everyone here for their own, and betrayed the trust of those who reached out to them. Hu hasn’t had a very good time this chapter because two of her closest friends; David and Nico, turned out to be using her for their own schemes, and we see the consequences of her mother hen nature. I feel a major theme for Chapter 3 is gonna be forgiveness as both Nico and David have burnt a lot of bridges this chapter and the fact they still live, means they need to somehow get back into the good graces of the group. How they do this I don’t know; David probably would be fine being a pariah but I’m not sure if Nico is wanting to make amends. They might, but they might also think they went too far. I do hope that Nico tries, especially after they have seen that even people like Levi and Ace were willing to act selflessly. And who knows, maybe David might try but I think it would be a ruse, which will still work because this cast isn’t the brightest.

Does this mean Nico would be a survivor? I don’t know as I do believe between David and Nico, one will be a survivor and the other will die, probably as a victim but who I cannot tell as Chapter 3 would probably expand upon these two a bit more. Regardless I’m glad this is being touched upon and I for one am looking forward to see where it takes Nico.

And that’s all the positives I have to say about Chapter 2. Teruko had a good character arc, I like how we know the main themes, we know who presumably the partners and rival characters are, we have an attempted murderer walking among the cast, quite a few characters like Levi, Arei and Ace got moments to shine and the execution was well done. But it cannot be all sunshine and rainbows. As much as there is good, there is also bad so when we come back next time, I’m gonna talk about what didn’t go well for Chapter 2 and what DT Dev could do to improve things.

Until then, see ya! -Review Anon

[elina-sakura]

💜Why I love Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE💜

Happy anniversary to my favorite video game I’ve gotten last year, and impacted my life for the better! For the anniversary, I’ve decided to do a list of why I love the game so much (alongside doing a separate post of ranking my top ten favorite Rain Code characters). Warning for Spoilers for anybody who hasn’t played the game before.

A Cyberpunk Noir/Dark Fantasy Mystery

I have been really getting into mystery novels for the last few years, been collecting and reading a lot of them pretty quickly. Just the suspense of what could happen and what mysteries lies for the characters and overarching narratives. And especially in rewatch with the context leads to new depths for the characters and world-building.

And one of my favorite aesthetics I love to view pictures of are Cyberpunk, especially with their color palettes having my favorite colors (pink, blue, and purple). Plus, the mixing of dark fantasy into the sci-fi setting makes it into a science fantasy hybrid genre, which I absolutely love. It leads to so much creativity in world-building and storylines and characters to be made. Combining that with the mysteries, it creates such an enriching environment and atmosphere that really draws me into the game before even playing it.

The Story

The thing that always gets me attached to the game are the storylines. Whether it’s the main storyline, the side quests we could do, or just the overarching narrative, I need the story to draw me in. Especially mystery stories on what mysteries lies ahead, and if they pay off well. And of course, they did! From the mystery of our protagonist’s amnesia and his deal with the Death God herself to the isolated city of endless rain to even the grand overarching Great Global Mystery that needs to be solved. The themes also really hit hard once you get to the end of the story, one of the biggest examples being “don’t handle everything on your own.” Which is super fitting for certain characters like Yuma, Makoto, and even Yakou. And the side mysteries were fun to solve of course, even if we only had a few to solve. Chapters 4 and 5 especially hits hard for obvious reasons. But of course, there’s also the side quests with little mysteries and character expansions and world-building that really also helps to make the city feel alive.

The World-Building

We only ever stayed in one setting, which is the isolated city of endless rain, Kanai Ward. Yet there is so much depth and character to the just one setting alone. From the different districts we explored with its own unique settings to the structure of the city to the many inhabitants that resides in the city. I mean, even if they don’t have names and only called by their genders and personality traits, the interactions with them reveals a lot of how living in an isolated city of rain ruled by a corrupt police force and corporation. And the kinds of interests and backstories they have, even if it’s just by little crumbs. Honestly makes the side quests more important since they help to flesh the world-building and the city itself much more than the main story can give. (Plus Kanai Ward’s OST is the perfect song to listen to over and over again).

And even outside the city, there is many world-building that really leaves a lot of questions and rooms for exploration and expansion. Like that there are people with paranormal powers like the Master Detectives (and makes you wonder if there’s more besides Master Detectives). Or that there is a literal unified government in the world, meaning there is much original world-building to be found. Or if there is more supernatural forces besides the Death God and spirits in the world. It leaves room for more side contents to expand the world of Rain Code, or add something like vampires in fanfictions or something. Though I’m really hoping for more side contents of the game like the Japanese mangas that hopefully could get translated to English soon.

The Characters

And of course, what clings me to the game and its story the most are absolutely the characters we followed along. Yuma Kokohead, the kind-hearted yet anxious ‘trainee’ detective, the dirty-mouthed yet tough loved Shinigami, the cowardly yet loyal Chief Yakou, the unique misfits of the Nocturnal Detective Agency, the mysterious yet silly Makoto Kagutsuchi, and even the adorable high school informant, Kurumi Wendy. Following their journeys, seeing them bond together, seeing their struggles, learning more about their backstories and motivations and characters overall, it makes me grow attached to all of them and want to see more of them. Of course, some of them took a while for me to warm up too like Shinigami, or see past some certain flaws that were over-exaggerated for comedy for some reasons (*ahem* Desuhiko *ahem*). I do plan to go more in-depth on my liking of the characters in my top ten list of the Rain Code characters.

As one of the writers’ sayings I follow by, “Characters are what drives the stories.” I wouldn’t love the stories I followed if it weren’t for the characters we were following, and seeing them fall and rise from the challenges. And I especially wouldn’t want to write fanfictions about them if these characters were bland and unlikeable.

Writing Rejuvenation

I have been writing and planning to publish fanfictions for a long time for other medias, but I never ended up finishing them due to my time in real life, the fics I planned being pretty big, and my wavering motivations. It honestly started to feel like it became a stale routine of just planning fanfictions, but never write them out fully. Until I played the video game, become attached with the characters, and came up with many one-shots that can be done quicker than my other fanfictions. These one-shots were fun practice to write full short stories and finally be able to complete them, and practice my writing style.

I have many fanfictions planned out still, including one for a Rain Code anniversary prompt week in just a few days, and a bunch of AUs as well that while may take time, are ones I hope to publish in the future, whether far or near.

The Fandom

I am definitely going to get mushy over this, but this is one of the main reasons why I remain attach to the game, which is the fandom. Although small, they are full of kind and talented people that I love to interact with, or see their talented works in fanfictions, edits, and/or fan arts. I hope in the future I could interact with more of them, and hopefully stay friends for a long time. And I’m excited for many creative works and interactions that I hope to come, and possibly more that will come in the future (as long as they’re good people and not toxic shippers or homophobic or anything else).

💜Happy Anniversary to Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE💜

[twilightmalachite]

PORTRAIT - Epilogue 3

Author: Akira

Characters: Akiomi, Makoto, Izumi, Arashi

Translator: Mika Enstars

"As I’ve always said, you’re always so beautiful and true, Yuuki-kun, I envy you."

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Season: Winter

Location: Reception Room

Akiomi: By the way. Have you seen your father since his release yet?

Makoto: No, my family’s been divorced for a long time. Yuuki is my mother’s maiden name… My father hasn’t contacted me either, so I guess it’s kind of an awkward situation.

I do hope he is well and happy, though.

Akiomi: I feel perhaps your father feels the same way about you.

Makoto: …?

Makoto: Oh, I’m sorry! Are you in the middle of work, Kunugi-senpai?

It looks like you’re in the middle of an interview. Um, sorry for having bothered you.

👤: ……

Makoto: ? How come you’re… staring at me?

Umm. Have I met you somewhere before…?

👤: [—Excuse me, Kunugi-sensei. I do feel we have reached a conclusion, and it appears you have other business to attend to, so I’ll take my leave here.]

Akiomi: Alright. …You don’t wish to talk some more?

👤: [I’m not worthy of that. But, I am glad to know you are well and happy.]

Akiomi: If he hadn’t been happy, you’d go on another rampage in a costume, wouldn’t you?

Makoto: Costume…?

Akiomi: The people of the world think you are some unidentified monster, but…

The truth is, you wanted to be a hero.

You had believed the negative criticism C-kun’s parents spread around in it’s entirety and had tried to rescue your precious son from the “bad guys”—

You tried hard, and desperately. After all the misunderstandings and fruitless efforts, you were handed a guilty verdict from the judiciary, but I can’t say I think you are.

👤: […The only “bad guy”… is myself.]

[Despite having been released on parole at the time, I had gotten my sentence extended due to an incident at a department store—]

[And during that time, everything in the world had changed.]

Akiomi: That’s why you came to talk to me like this, isn’t it?

But, I don’t think you need to be so anxious.

I’m sure that no matter what happens, no matter how much time passes by, there are things that will never change. Isn’t that right, Yuuki-kun?

Makoto: Me? Umm, what are you talking about…?

Akiomi: As I’ve always said, you’re always so beautiful and true, Yuuki-kun, I envy you.

Makoto: Oh no no, not at all… I’m the one who's always thought of you as beautiful, ever since the day we first met. I felt it was a shame you quit working as a model.

Akiomi: Ahaha, I feel the rest of the world feels the very same way about you.

👤: […Now, if you’ll excuse me.]

Akiomi: Yes. You’re welcome to come again anytime.

Next time, you can just come and see me normally, okay? No need to go through the trouble of posing as a reporter and requesting an interview.

Let us talk, as a parent and as a teacher.

👤: [……]

*sound of a door clicking*

Makoto: …? Who was that guy, again?

Hmm, I definitely remember seeing him somewhere. He was certainly beautiful, so maybe he was an actor in some movie or something…?

Akiomi: I don’t think he ever went into acting, unlike you. He had been denounced or something after being exposed for plastic surgery, though—Though I’m sure you’ll be beautiful even without having to touch up here and there, won’t you?

Makoto: Huh… It doesn’t matter whether I’m beautiful or not, though. But I guess people of the world certainly are particular about that, aren’t they?

Akiomi: Fufu, you say that because you’ve never not been beautiful yourself. Once you get older start getting wrinkles and gray hairs, I’m sure you’ll understand.

Once you’re an adult, right?

Makoto: …?

Izumi: Yuu-kuuuuuun! ☆

What are you doing here by yourself with that feeder cricket bastard? Cheating? Are you cheating? Even though you have me…!

Makoto: How come you’ve lost your mind as quickly as you arrived? Did you hit your head, Izumi-san?

I swear you used to look a little cooler than that, you know…

Arashi: Sorry~! ♪ I figured Kunugi-sense~ might’ve been cheating on me after seeing him go behind closed doors with a beautiful man, so I listened in from the room over!

Akiomi: There couldn’t have been any cheating between us in the first place, though.

Makoto: Seriously…

Arashi: Ufufu, that’s when Izumi-chan came upon me, and while I was making all sorts of excuses, Makoto-chan entered the room, you see—

That’s when Izumi-chan and I’s interests coincided, so we decided to bring down the hammers upon our cheating men! Make sense~?

Makoto: I’m totally lost, though.

Akiomi: Seriously… It’s boggling, no matter how much time passes us by, you guys remain to be troublesome children.

Arashi: Oh my, how cold! We’re growing up little by little, aren’t we? Right, Izumi-chan? Makoto-chan?

Izumi: That’s a given, isn’t it? I’m always becoming more beautiful than ever before!

Akiomi: Indeed. I understand that, of course.

There are a lot of things we have gained, and fortunately, as idols, we are in a position to sell it all.

You guys, too. Don’t waste your time here, show the world what you’re made of—Best of luck with your work as usual.

…We were born for the sake of being loved.

We cannot stop time until we achieve “that” and are satisfied.

[ ☆ ]

← prev | story directory

[ecargmura]

Senpai Is An Otokonoko Episode 3 Review - Lying To Yourself

This episode stressed me out. It’s not because it was bad, but it delved into a topic that was a bit frustrating to look at and that would be a queer person trying to fit into society by conforming to what people expect of them. That’s what Makoto goes through in this episode—he tries to give up what he loves and it gets hard on both Aoi and me, the viewer.

Anime moms are usually either dead or supportive. Makoto’s mother Mika is none of those. She’s not supportive and probably does need to be out of her son’s life. How can you call your son twisted for not being a regular boy? She’s so vile. I hate that she always makes it about herself. Has she ever sat down and talked with Makoto regarding this? I bet she hasn’t since she said “Don’t put me in a tight position.” Just thinking about her makes my blood boil. I’m glad that Makoto at least has a supportive dad, but where is he? Did they divorce? Does he live away from home? Regardless, I’m glad that his dad understands Makoto in a way and tries to help him resolve his gender issues by telling him to decide when he feels the time is right.

I also hate how the people in his school started treating him ‘normally’ when he decided to stop crossdressing. The fact that they never gave a damn about him when crossdressing really does say something about how Japanese society views conformity and what not. People don’t want to associate with you when you’re not what they want you to be but when you do become what they want, that’s when they give a damn. This sort of mentality reminds me of Mitsuri’s backstory told in Demon Slayer Season 3 where she was shunned by men around her for not being the ideal girl because of her hair color, appetite and strength. Her parents were very supportive of her, fortunately. However, when she decided to conform by dying her hair black and holding back on her strength and appetite, she knew how hard it was to pretend to be someone she’s not. That was what Makoto noticed. When he became a normal boy, girls started talking to him, boys not named Ryuji started asking him to help them with basketball and that one teacher even asked Makoto to help him with errands. It sucks that the school he goes to has a principal or a headmaster that is accepting of Makoto’s gender issues, yet the a teacher, someone hired to work in the facility, was being discriminative towards Makoto before really frustrated me.

Now for Aoi and Ryuji’s reactions… Ryuji has known Makoto for a very long time, so he’s accepting of whatever he does and doesn’t try to talk him out of it. Though, I do wish that he at least would try to talk to him about his true feelings. However, Aoi hates the fact that Makoto is lying to himself. Both are good friends, however. Ryuji even wanted Aoi to make up to Makoto because her distance seemed like it was bothering him. Aoi is a real one for liking Makoto just the way he is. She likes him just the way he is and she even wants him to truly like her for who she is. It must have been hard for Aoi to get asked out by Makoto when it wasn’t really genuine on his part. It was also sweet how she managed to change out of her dress and let him wear hers as soon as she put on the red heels she saved. I do like the interactions between Ryuji and Aoi. Even though they both like Makoto, they still are good friends with each other. He even treated her to prosciutto-wrapped melons.

I dread the day that the confrontation between Makoto and his mother happens. It’s going to get messy. I just hope that Ryuji and Aoi will still be there for him when things get rough. What are your thoughts on this episode?

[bi-naesala]

A different perspective

(Written for @p3akishinjiweek day 2: Emperor/Hierophant | Stars/Moon)

Pre-relationship, Established relationship, Both make sense, Parallel Dimensions, Cooking, Oblivious Akihiko, Hopeful ending

Through Tartarus-related magic, Akihiko finds himself in an alternate reality where it's pretty much all the same, except a few things… (Aka Emperor!Akihiko meets Moon!Shinjiro)

(AO3 link)

(Fic under the cut)

This feels like something that would happen in a manga, but Akihiko has no doubts about the reality of the situation: through Tartarus’ magic – he supposes – he’s been taken to a different reality than his own, swapping places – again, this is still all one big supposition – with the Akihiko that used to inhabit it.

It’s incredible how different this reality is, despite the similarities: there’s still the Dark Hour, they still have their personas, but their leader is a completely different person, not Makoto Yuki, but Kotone Shiomi, a bubbly girl that, for the short period of time Akihiko has been here, has spoken to him more times than Yuki has done throughout the entire time they’ve known each other. She seems more prone to mischief than her counterpart – that has to be why she’s such great friends with Junpei – and seems all-around happier and more approachable.

The air at the dorm is different with her, less tense and more friendly. Not that Akihiko doesn’t like how it is in his reality, but here even something like striking up a conversation feels easier.

Another big difference that he’s noticed is the way Shinji acts. Not that he’s too dissimilar from the one he knows – he still calls him “Aki” even though he comes from a different reality – but there’s something about him… He seems more open; he doesn’t know how to explain it.

Must be Shiomi’s influence. He’s seen how hard she tries to involve him in the group affairs, and he seems unable to tell her no, at least not for long anyway. Akihiko wishes he could have such an effect on his Shinji, but maybe it’s just because he hasn’t tried hard enough.

Deep down he’s still the same grumbling idiot who likes to act like an old man, even though they have the same age, and that’s why, despite the multidimensional situation, it’s not as awkward as he thought it would be to talk to him.

There’s something, in particular, that has caught his attention, something that has never happened in his world, and even though he should probably mind his own business, he wants to know more about it…

He finds Shinji at the lounge, pretending he’s not watching the cooking program that’s airing on the TV. His Shinji does the same exact thing, and for now nobody – except him, but that’s not fair because he’s known him since forever – has caught onto it; he wonders if it’s the same for this universe too.

Concentrate, Akihiko! One matter per time.

“Hey, Shinji,” he greets him, casually taking a sit next to him.

“Hey,” the other replies, eyes darting between Akihiko and the program.

How should he approach this? Oh well, he’s always been a direct kind of guy. He should just ask, instead of beating around the bush; he’s sure Shinji would appreciate it if he doesn’t waste his time.

“I’ve noticed that everyone keeps making requests about cooking. How so? I thought you didn’t like people knowing about your hobby.”

He was expecting Shinji to deflect, or to say something like “what’s it to you?”, but he’s surprised when he actually replies:

“Oh, that’s just because they want me to cook for them again.”

Oh, that makes sense… Wait.

Again?!

“What?! You cooked for them?!” Akihiko exclaims, with more vehemence than anticipated, which startles Shinjiro slightly and makes him look away, face already of a dark shade of red. He even lowers his beanie, as if that would be enough to hide him from Akihiko’s gaze.

“They asked me, okay? And they were damn annoying about it!” he justifies himself, before he notices, with horror, the pleading look on Akihiko’s face. “No, I’m not cooking for you.”

“C’mon, why?” Akihiko pouts. “My Shinji never cooked anything for me—”

“And he must’ve had his reasons not to do it,” Shinji retorts, crossing his arms to his chest, but Akihiko keeps looking at him like that, and…

To his credit, Shinjiro does last five whole seconds before giving in.

“Fine,” he sighs. “Have it your way.”

He waits for the next evening, knowing that everyone else will be out. When Akihiko asks him why, he says that, if they saw him cooking for him, they would just force him to make a feast for everyone again, which he doesn’t feel like doing.

Besides, this is for Akihiko and Akihiko only – and boy does hearing that makes him feel something, though he can’t tell exactly what.

“We don’t have much, but I can make some ramen,” Shinjiro says, looking around in the kitchen.

“Of course, anything’s fine,” Akihiko replies. It’s already a miracle that Shinji’s agreed to cook for him, he won’t ruin it by being picky.

“Do you need any help?” he asks, then, because even though he can’t wait to taste Shinji’s cooking, he feels bad about making him do all the work.

His offer doesn’t seem to be appreciated, though, because Shinji scoffs. “If you’re anything like my Aki, you’d only do damage.”

“Hey!” Akihiko exclaims, trying to ignore the weird way Shinji saying “my Aki” makes him feel. He’s right though: there’s a reason why he only eats instant food, or goes eating outside. “Um… Maybe you can teach me?”

“Ask your me, I ain’t a teacher,” the other replies, though he adds, “But you can stay here, if you want… Just stay out of the way.”

Akihiko smiles.

“Yessir,” he jokes, but the weird way Shinji looks at him makes him wonder he should’ve kept his mouth shut instead.

He watches Shinji work in silence, trying to pick up anything that could be useful – he should start learning how to cook, instead of relying on pre-made food – though if there’s something Akihiko isn’t that good at, it’s waiting, or better, doing nothing while waiting.

At first, he taps his foot on the floor, just to let off some energy, but after Shinji tells him to quit it, he stops, not wanting to irritate him further. Something else would be better, maybe… talking? That could work too.

To tell the truth, there’s quite the list of things he would like to ask, especially about Shinji himself – just how different is he from the one from his reality? – but he’s not sure he would even answer him. If anything, he’d surely grow more and more annoyed by each question.

In the end, he picks something that he finds relatively innocuous. “How’s your Akihiko? Is he any different from me?”

“Not really,” Shinji replies. “Honestly, I don’t think you could ever be different in any universe.”

Akihiko raises an eyebrow at him. “Is that supposed to be a compliment, or an insult?”

“Take it as you will,” Shinjiro shrugs.

Okay, when he says it like that, it feels more like an insult, but since he doesn’t want to fight while Shinji’s cooking for him, Akihiko decides to go for compliment.

He wasn’t expecting Shinji to fire off a question in turn, or at least try to.

“Are you and the me from your universe… huh…”

“Are we what?” Akihiko asks, confused. Does he want to know if they’re friends? Well, he figured he would’ve gotten it already by now – it’s not like Akihiko has given off a different impression – but maybe he wants a confirmation. Why is he having a hard time with it, though?

“Well… you know…” Is Akihiko imagining things, or is Shinji blushing? Nah, he must be a trick of the light.

“You wanna know if we’re friends?”

“Yeah, sure. That.”

Akihiko can’t help but to chuckle at the silliness of that question. “Of course we are. What, you were worried or something?”

Shinjiro doesn’t reply immediately, which makes Akihiko worry, but it soon morphs into confusion when he says:

“That’s it?”

What does he mean by that? Is being friends not enough?

“Well, I guess I can say you’re my best friend, if that’s what you’re getting at…” he replies, unsure of how he should go about it.

More silence, then eventually Shinjiro sighs. “Ah, so that’s how it is…”

Akihiko swears, he’s getting more and more cryptic by the second, but he doesn’t have the time to ask him what’s going on that he shoves a bowl of steamy ramen in front of him.

“Here. Eat.”

Akihiko looks at Shinji, then at the bowl of ramen, then at Shinji again. He wants to ask more, but the smell is so inviting… he can’t resist.

“Thanks for the meal!” he says, before grabbing a pair of chopsticks and digging in, anticipation through the roof. Finally, he’ll get to sample Shinji’s cooking; it’s taken getting thrown into a different dimension to achieve this result, but he’s finally here.

It’s… absolutely delicious!

“Wow, it’s so good!” Akihiko can’t help but to exclaim. “I’ll have to ask my Shinji to cook too, it’s a waste of his talent if he doesn’t!”

“Yeah, yeah, shut up and eat now,” Shinjiro mutters, doing his best to look like he doesn’t care about Akihiko’s opinion, but he can tell that he’s happy about it. He’s just shit at taking compliments, just like his Shinji.

“Don’t mind if I do,” he says, then, unable to help a smile as he takes another bite. This is the best ramen he’s ever eaten!

He’s not sure if his Shinji’s skills are on par of this Shinji’s – he doesn’t really have a frame of reference – but he likes to think that this is another similarity that unites this dimension and his own, which means that, once he gets back, he won’t stop harassing him until he too agrees to put his talent to use and cook him something.

As he eats, Shinjiro sits beside him, watching him without saying a word. It makes Akihiko wonder what he’s thinking about – maybe he misses his Akihiko? Or maybe he shouldn’t be so self-centered and assume whatever Shinji’s thinking, it revolves around him.

He tries his best to focus on his food, though he wouldn’t say he’s been very successful at it, especially when an amused smile makes its way to Shinji’s lips. It makes Akihiko feel weird – by now he’s gotten used to his Shinji’s permanent frown – but in a good way, he thinks? Yeah, it’s probably in a good way.

“You really like it, huh?” he mutters, more to himself than to Akihiko, but he still feels the need to reply.

“Of course I do! Why, you thought I wouldn’t?”

In all his immense eloquence, Shinji simply shrugs, which prompts Akihiko to drop the subject as well. Pursuing it further doesn’t feel like it’s worth the trouble.

… This feels oddly domestic, but Akihiko finds himself liking it.

It’s not hard for him to imagine doing this with his Shinji even though, realistically, he would never agree to it, but if Akihiko tries hard enough, if he could just show him that there’s more to life than constantly relieving the past, maybe…

He freezes, feeling his hair being caressed.

Looking to his side, he can see that it’s Shinji the one who’s doing it, which doesn’t register right until Akihiko remembers that this is another version of his reality, that this Shinji might look and act like his Shinji, but ultimately he’s a different person.

He must’ve acted on instinct, because as soon as he notices Akihiko’s reaction, he retracts his hand, looking away from him.

“I’m sorry,” he mutters, then. “You seemed upset, and you look so much like my Aki that I…”

“I-It’s fine,” Akihiko replies, trying to stay calm. His heart is hammering in his chest, but he doesn’t know why. “I… I didn’t mind.”

“Huh, okay. Good,” is all Shinji says, though he doesn’t reach out for Akihiko anymore, much to his disappointment.

What? Why would he care about that? Why does he care about that? What’s happening?

Ugh, this is getting awkward…

Thankfully, Shinji goes for the save, and he does so in his own, snarky way – so on brand.

“Can’t believe you’re eating something without adding that protein shit you so like. I have to fight my Aki to get him not to ruin his food with it.”

Okay, that was uncalled for.

“Shut up! I need it for my training regimen, okay?” Akihiko exclaims, lightly shoving Shinjiro. “And it’s not like I put it everywhere. You’re just being a dick now!”

Maybe it’s the familiarity of such an argument, or maybe this is simply the signal that Akihiko’s starting to lose it, but he can’t help but to laugh, unable to stop himself.

At first, Shinjiro just stares at him, an unreadable expression on his face, but soon he joins him. Wow, Shinji’s laughter… That’s a sound he hasn’t heard in quite a long time.

How often does this universe’s Akihiko get to hear it?

How often does he find himself in the same position as Akihiko’s?

He can’t help but to wonder… and he can’t help but yearn for the same thing, with his Shinji.

Wouldn’t it be easier to just stay here, where everything is better?

It would be extremely selfish. It would be extremely unfair to the Akihiko of this universe, but that doesn’t stop him from thinking that, if he could, he wouldn’t mind staying here at least a little longer.

Could he really be able to do that, though?

… No, he couldn’t.

No matter how easy it would be, he can’t abandon his Shinji. He can’t abandon any of his friends, for the matter.

Eventually, they’ll have to find a solution to this problem. Eventually, he’ll have to go back home, his true home, where things are quite different.

He’s seen how things can be, though.

He’s seen that there is a way to make Shinji feel better.

He feels bad about not having been able to make it better in his own universe already, but now that he knows that there is a world where Shinji is happier, he’ll do his absolute best ensuring that his Shinji feels the same.

He doesn’t know if he can actually do it, all on his own, but even then, he has to try.

[mainstoryarchive]

Revolution - 52: Concern

Translator: Creampuffs

Mao: …Makoto’s late.

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Location: Soundproof Lesson Room

Mao: …Makoto’s late.

He said he’ll be back after a quick run, but it’s been a while since he left. He hasn’t passed out somewhere, has he?

I’m worried. I’m gonna go check up on him.

Makoto: ~♪

Hm? You two are still here? It’s the next day already, you know?

Mao: Oh, Makoto… That’s what I should be saying. You’re not gonna go home yet?

Anyway, where did you go off to? Don’t make me worry so much. I was just about to go look for you.

Makoto: Uhh, I just ran into someone who’s sorta a pain in the neck.

But I managed to shake him off and run away. It was awful – I had my heart in my mouth!

Besides, I was planning on staying the night at school, anyway. I went back home to grab my bedding and some food.

I’m gonna be sleeping over at the soundproof practice room every night until “S1”~♪

Mao: Staying the night…? Well, I guess it’s not exactly against school rules. We’ve got this soundproof practice room to ourselves for the entire week, anyway.

You sure are motivated, Makoto. You’re not gonna last the week at this rate. You’ve gotta make sure you rest up properly.

Well, you probably shouldn’t be hearing that from me, seeing as I’m also here at this time of night.

Makoto: Ahaha. I built up some stamina after my training with Oogami-kun, so it’s fine. I have to do this much, otherwise I’ll get left behind~

Also, don’t you find it fun sleeping over at school? It’s like we’re on a sports training camp. I’ve always wanted to go on one~ Sounds like something teenagers would do, right?

Mao: I see. Maybe I’ll stay the night too, then. It’d be pretty lonely all by yourself, right?

Makoto: I’m okay. I’m not a little kid. Things aren’t that great back at home, so…

I’d just feel like I’m suffocating there. I feel much more comfortable sleeping here.

Mao: Yeah? On second thought, I’m definitely gonna stay the night. Your brakes are kinda broken, so someone needs to keep an eye on you.

Besides, you can practise more parts of the choreography if there’s someone with you, right?

Makoto: You don’t really have to~… Isara-kun, you can be a bit of a busybody, huh. But there’s no bedding for you here. What’re you gonna do?

Mao: I’ll also head home and grab mine.

And it’s late, so… I’ll also take the Transfer Student home while I’m at it. You’re fine with that, right? Alright, then it’s decided!

Makoto: You’re so pushy, Isara-kun.

…Huh? You want to stay the night too, Transfer Student-chan? You can’t – we’re boys and you’re a girl, you know? What’re you gonna do if something happens?

Mao: Yeah, just head on home. I don’t know what Subaru and Hokuto will say when they hear we stayed the night with you.

Your parents will be worried too, right? Come on, let’s get you home~

See you, Makoto. I’ll be right back, so watch the place while I’m gone, okay?

Makoto: Yup. Be careful outside in the dark, you two. …Hmm?

Izumi: Yuu-kun.

How could you run away from me? You broke my heart.

Makoto: Geh!? I–Izumi-san!

Izumi: What’s with that reaction? You look like you’ve seen a ghost or something. Annoying much~♪

Mao: Woah, who’re you? "Trickstar’s" got this practice room booked, so outsiders aren’t allowed inside!

Izumi: Hmm~? I’m not talking to you. Why don’t you beat it?

Also, you need to treat me with more respect – I’m your senior. Cocky kids won’t last long at Yumenosaki Academy, you know?

Or would you rather be crushed under my foot, worthless vermin? ♪

[ ☆ ]

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[light-end-dragon]

Chapter 3

(Stairwell)

Nazuna: Ugh,  not here either..? What about you, Mako-chin-did you find him? 

Makoto: No, I didn’t see him either. Yuuta-kun is a first year, so he normally wouldn’t come up to this floor, but….

Makoto: Oh, Anzu-chan-why are you looking down the hall? Did you find Yuuta-kun? 

Makoto: You said he’s in the middle of the corridor looking all flustered? 

Makoto: Huh…Oh, wow, you’re right. There he is! And it looks like…like someone collapsed at his feet? 

Makoto: That might’ve been why he was trying to call for the teacher..!

Nazuna: Didn’t he say something about someone being injured? I can’t just ignore that-come on, let’s go!!

—

(Hallway)

Yuuta: I came back because I couldn’t just leave him here….H-hey, are you alive? 

Mika: Mn….nn….ah…

Yuuta: Well, he’s making noise, so I guess that means he is? But his complexion is horrible….

Yuuta: I wanted to get the teacher’s help, but I guess for now I should try to carry him to the infirmary.

Yuuta: I’m not sure I can get him there all by myself, but I don’t have much choice….

Makoto: Yuuta-kun!

Yuuta: Aaahh-w-what?! I’m just-I’m just trying to carry him to the infirmary! I’m not doing anything bad, I swear!

Yuuta: And don’t come complaining to me about my brother’s….pranks…..

Makoto: Yuuta-kun, it’s me. Me. 

Yuuta: …Huh? Yuki-senpai? And Anzu-san is with you too. And that’s…you’re the third-year, Nito-senpai, right? Why are you all here? 

Makoto: We saw you running up the stairs looking worried, so we chased after you to see what happened. 

Nazuna: We wanted to help if someone’s hurt! Is it that person who collapsed over there….

Nazuna: Mika-chi-K-Kagehira?! 

Yuuta: Huh? Nito-senpai, do you know him? 

Nazuna: I, um-yeah-I guess you can say that. Though I…dunno if I should. It’s…he was a fellow member with me, in the unit I was in before.

Nazuna: (Kagehira…what made you collapse like this? Is your health really that bad? Since when? Did you get like this because you couldn’t tell Itsuki?) 

Mika: Cand…y…..ice….c…..

Nazuna: (...Candy? Ice cream? Now that I think about it, Mika was always eating candy when I was in Valkyrie with him.) 

Nazuna: (I’m not sure about ice cream, though. I don’t see the connection. Does it have something to do with why he collapsed?)

Nazuna: (I’m gonna need a bit more from you, Kagehira. Otherwise I can’t figure it out….) 

Mika: Food….ain’t eaten…since mornin’...... I’m so hungry…..no energy…….

Mika: Candy……where’d it…..’s all gone…..and th’ ice cream…’s so good….it’s nice an’ cold……

Mika: Hehe….candy an’ ice cream……all ‘round…..best thing…..zzzzzzzzz…

Yuuta: Uh-what was that last part? Were those his dying words?!

Nazuna: It seems like he hasn’t eaten anything since this morning. It’s no wonder he collapsed in this heat, then. 

Nazuna: (He’s trying so hard to be economical to save up funds for Valkyrie’s activities, but what’s the point of doing that if he just ends up like this? What did you even intend to do if you got heatstroke, Kagehira?)

Mika: Nnnn….naaa……Oshi-san….m’sorry. I won’t forget your orders again…..nn…….nnmmm……..

Makoto: He seems like he’s having a nightmare now-is he going to be okay? We really should get him somewhere cool…

Makoto: Yuuta-kun, will you help me carry him to the infirmary? 

Yuuta: Of course! I’ve got his arms already, so if you could get his feet, Yuki-senpai…

Yuuta: Huh?? You want to help as well, Anzu-san? 

Makoto: No, it’s okay. It’d be difficult for a girl your size to lift him.

Makoto: The two of us can handle it, so how about you and Nito-senpai go buy him something easy to eat? ♪

Makoto: Well…..I know you aren’t allowed to eat or drink in the infirmary, but Sagami-sensei himself is the worst offender. 

Makoto: Maybe he will let it slide…?

Makoto: Well, we can ask him when we get there. If he says no, we can just hand over whatever you bought for Kagehira-kun.

Makoto: Okay, see you two later.~

Nazuna: ……

Nazuna: ….Welp. Guess we have to buy food for Kagehira, then.

Nazuna: Sigh….Oh, are you worried cause I look depressed? Don’t worry, I’m not about to pass out in hunger too.

Nazuna: I’m full up on that frozen ice we just had, remember?

Nazuna: But…look, even if we buy him something, I doubt Kagehira will actually eat it.

Nazuna: He was most likely given strict orders from Itsuki to “not take food from other people,” and I doubt that’s changed. 

Nazuna: He will follow Itsuki’s every word not only about idol activities, but his own life as well. 

Nazuna: He’d say it's for the best because he’s stupid, but Kagehira is not as much of an idiot as he says he is. 

Nazuna: Even though Kagehira ought to realize that…..he’s completely inseparable from Itsuki’s side. He believes with his whole heart, he found the place where he belonged.  

Nazuna: it’s easy to see why, from his perspective, it seemed like I just suddenly withdrew from Valkyrie without explanation. 

Nazuna: Of course he’d hate me joining Ra*bits like I did; I was betraying Itsuki, who we were both so much indebted to. 

Nazuna: Sorry, that got dark real fast. Don’t worry about me, Anzu. This is between me and Kagehira…..and Itsuki.

Nazuna: I need to face this head on, and have a serious conversation with them.

Nazuna: Or, I want to, but it seems like Itsuki is avoiding me.

Nazuna: Maybe it’s not the right time to make them talk…Well, that aside, Kagehira. Let’s go get him something light to eat, okay? 

Nazuna: Even if he just took something to drink, I’d feel a lot better…

[writingpaperghost]

Without You (Chapter 15)

Chapter 15: Here's T-Rex, Here's Trouble

An unfortunate visitor to the Deadmans and Makoto wants to strangle Karizaki.

AO3:https://archiveofourown.org/works/43371954/chapters/123768916

The flowers that Hikaru bought, a few days ago, sit in a cup in his room. They don’t have any form of vase or really anything else good for keeping flowers in, so Hikaru always just filled a cup with water and put them in there. They stick out oddly and lean, even after he attempted cutting the stems down. He just accepted they’d wouldn’t appear as a perfect bouquet. And he really didn’t care much for them to.

As he’d intended for them to, they livened up his empty room. A splash of color that wasn’t his clothes or the blanket Hana had made for his last birthday. Just… something to make it all less miserable. Maybe, when Hana got back, he’d get her help to pick out some plants to keep in his room. That would be nice.

He’d made a habit, since he’d gotten the flowers, to go out and walk around every day, keeping an eye for alerts to any Deadmans appearing. That way, he could hurry over and do what he could to keep people safe, even if it was as little as helping people evacuate or helping a child find their parents. Hikaru had found a new purpose in life, and he was happy to have done so.

He thinks that Hana would be proud of him – will be proud of him, or at least something similar. Happy for him, maybe, or just glad that he’d started to figure things out of himself. Of course, he was still stuck with his parents, it wasn’t like he had anywhere else to go – while he could, in theory, ask to stay with the Igarashi family, he didn’t want to impose on them, and besides, it was still within the reach of his parents and Weekend. Only the way he’d be free of it all was if he found somewhere they couldn’t get to him, and he didn’t think such a place existed. If it did, it wasn’t anywhere he could get to.

That was okay, though. He thinks, once Hana comes back, everything will be good and fine again, and he’ll be happier than before. That was all Hikaru would ever dare to ask for, especially now that he had to go through his life without Hana in it, again.

Pulling his jacket on, and with a spring in his step, he leaves his room and heads out, prepared to just wander around until something happened. If nothing else, the walk was probably good for him, and it gave him time to think.

---

“Ikki… I wanna go out and fight again.” Vice whined, distracting Ikki from his perfectly interesting sports magazine. Ikki liked to read them, if only to be reminded of that brief while he got to feel like a normal kid, even while with the Deadmans, when he’d gotten to play with other kids. It had been a long time ago but… Ikki had found he’d liked it. Not that it had lasted long, but they were memories Ikki couldn’t help but cherish.

With a sigh, Ikki placed the torn piece of paper that was his makeshift bookmark in the magazine, so he could find his place later, and set it aside. “Why? Father hasn’t gotten on our case about going out and fighting again, so there’s no reason to.”

“It would be fun, come on.” Vice sounded a little giddy, “I mean, sure we weren’t trying to beat them, but we could push the Riders a little harder. We’re trying to force them to be stronger, right?”

“We are trying to help them get stronger,” Ikki conceded, “but… I don’t want them to hurt, and I don’t want father to realize the extent of our power with that Driver.” Though they’d both been careful to hold back when fighting, they’d felt just how much power they had as Riders. And they had no way of knowing if their father knew the extent.

Even though Vice had a mask that obscured his mouth, Ikki could tell he was pouting, “You know, he’s ‘spose to be ‘round today. I overheard a couple of his lackies mention it.”

His breath caught in his throat. “What? Father?”

“Yeah,”

There was… a lot that could happen when their father visited, and Ikki would consider none of it good. Especially now that Hana was here full time, he just knows that if she catches sight of any of it, she’s going to try to pick a fight, and that wouldn’t go badly. If she was lucky, he’d go easy and let her out mostly unscathed, but that wasn’t in character for their father.

 No, it was imperative that Hana get nowhere near their father. The question was of how they were going to do that. Hana usually spent most of her time with Sakura, and when she wasn’t, she was usually in Sakura’s room. Maybe find a way to keep her in there? At worst, then, she’d probably only catch the aftermath of whatever happened.

“We… we can’t let Hana see what father does.”

It seemed Vice had caught Ikki’s train of thought, judging by the worried tone in his voice. “Oh. That’s gonna be hard.”

Ikki couldn’t help but sigh, “Tell me about it.”

“We could try to drag her out for a fight,” Vice suggested.

“You and fighting as a Rider again. That’s not going to work, anyway, we’d have to keep her out most of the day and we can’t be fighting for that long.” They’d get tired, and it wouldn’t really accomplish anything.

Vice pouts again, “I just want to see how strong we really are.”

Shaking his head, Ikki responded, “We can’t, not as long as father’s got an eye on us.”

“How boring.”

“Better than the alternative.”

---

There’s… something off, Hana realized. She can’t say what, exactly, but there’s this odd feeling in the air, something in how tense Sakura seemed, perhaps. Hana had seen Sakura dressed up in a few ways, the primary two being as Jeanne and then as Sakura Akaishi, a proper and formal woman who looked to mean business. Even when she’d arrived at Happy Spa with Ikki, that day, she’d been dressed in a pretty blouse and pants.

Today was sort of like that. Sakura fussed over her hair and her clothes and her everything, seemingly obsessed with everything being perfect with not a hair out of place. For some reason.

Hana had spent the past hour and a half watching her, and was becoming a bit concerned.

“Sakura, is something wrong?” Hana called.

Sakura sat her comb and hair pins down, turning to face Hana with a pleasant, but certainly fake, smile. “Why do you ask?”

“You’ve been at it for an hour and a half and are still going. You don’t care about your appearance that much.” Her tone was dry as she pointed out.

Smile falling, Sakura sighed, “It’s not something you should worry about, but I must ask that you stay in here today.”

“How come?”

It takes a few moments for Sakura to think, clearly cautious in doing so, before she answered, slowly, “Father is visiting today.”

From Hana’s understanding, a visit from Akaishi was never a good thing. That didn’t explain much, though, except perhaps why Sakura wanted Hana to hide away in her room all day. “…Okay…”

“And I’d like to keep him far from you.”

“Why?”

A frown graced Sakura’s lips, which had been carefully made red, but not too red, by lipstick she’d applied earlier. Hana thinks it’s too subtle, but she figures that’s probably what Sakura was going for. “I do not trust him around you.”

What did that mean? “Do you think he’s going to try to do something to me or whatever?”

The frown only deepened, “Please, Hana, just… I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Oh, Sakura was really very serious about this. Well if she doesn’t agree, then Hana’s going to feel terrible. It was obvious that she was already worried. If Hana doesn’t agree, then she’ll only worry more.

With a sigh, Hana had no choice but to concede defeat on the matter. “Fine, I’ll stay in here. Work on my knitting, I guess. I’ve got to find something else to do when you’re not here.”

A relieved smile comes to Sakura’s face, “Thank you, my queen. I’ll get you some flowers tomorrow, you can pick them out.”

Hana couldn’t help but giggle, “Oh, you know my weakness. The best way to make a bee like me happy is with flowers.”

“Then I’ll get you many flowers. As many as you want.”

“I don’t think there’s enough room for that many.”

Sakura looked less stressed, now. It really must have been a relief to have Hana agree to stay where she wasn’t going to run into her father.

Not for the first time, Hana couldn’t help but wonder just what Akaishi was like. She’d heard bits and pieces, between Sakura, Daiji, and Ikki, and she’d heard what he was like as the Director of Fenix, somewhat, through Tamaki. But that didn’t tell her much. The siblings made him out to be terrifying, almost like some kind of heartless monster, but they were always sparse on the details.

Maybe Sakura’s stress and the way she obsessed over looking perfect was warranted. Hana could vaguely recall she’d once said that their father was very particular about them being perfect. That they could show no weakness. Hana suspects that’s why Daiji and Kagerou had been so harsh to her the day that she trained with them, or why Daiji was so insistent on keeping his crush on Hiromi to himself. Akaishi probably drilled it into their head that loving someone was a weakness.

Which made Hana standing here, as Sakura’s queen, a very large and bright act of defiance. Probably the biggest “fuck you” that Sakura could do while still being under her father’s control. And it made all the more sense that Sakura wanted her nowhere near Akaishi, because if he realized what Hana was to Sakura – and surely he did – he’d probably want rid of her.

But who’s to say he won’t try to do something to punish Sakura for her weakness, even if he gets nowhere near Hana herself? With that in mind, Hana couldn’t help but worry once more.

“He… won’t hurt you, will he? For loving me?”

Once more, Sakura stopped what she was doing. This time, she didn’t turn to face Hana, just stared at her through the reflection in the vanity mirror. She’s careful when she answers, “…I… don’t know, Hana.”

“What kind of father hurts his own children?”

“No good one, I’m sure.”

---

Absentmindedly, Makoto watered Hana’s flower box, eyes darting between the box and the sky. It didn’t look like it would rain, and with Hana gone, someone had to keep her flowers alive. She wouldn’t be very happy if she’d found they’d died while she was gone, he was sure. Just one more, small, thing to add to the list of chores he’d taken on. He didn’t mind, especially if it was for one of his siblings.

He was far from perfect, but Makoto tried to be a good older brother, even if he still never quite knew how to. This whole thing with Hana was just the newest of the trials he had to figure out how to work through. He was still working on figuring it out, but he’ll get there eventually. Like so many other things, he had to.

Somehow, he thinks the biggest hurdle will be Tamaki, but he’s not prepared to talk to him about it yet, and he suspects that Tamaki wouldn’t be very open to it. At the moment, at least. So there was only waiting to be done on that front. Makoto was good at waiting, he often had little else to do.

“Makoto, good afternoon.” He’s snapped out of his thoughts by Hikaru’s voice. Compared to several days before, when Hana had been “kidnapped” in front of him, Hikaru looked far better.

“Hikaru,” Makoto greeted with a small smile, “You look… well. I’m glad.”

Hikaru laughed a little, “Yeah, it was… rough, at first but… well Hana wouldn’t want me moping around.” There’s a determined glint in his eyes.

He wasn’t wrong, either, Makoto suspected Hana would be happy to hear that Hikaru was doing well. “You’re right, she wouldn’t.”

“When she comes back, I hope she’ll be glad to hear. And I’m glad you’re keeping her flowers alive.”

“Of course, she loves them.” Makoto responded, “When Hana gets back, you’ll be one of the first to know, only after us and our parents.”

His smile fell, “Oh, yeah. How are your parents doing?”

“Better. It was pretty hard on mama especially but… we know who took Hana, she’s almost certainly alive, so the chances of her coming back sooner or later are pretty good.” Makoto grimaced, “It’s just that this all reminds her too much of what happened to her children before, I think.”

Gaze cast to the ground, Hikaru said, “It must be hard. But you guys are lucky to have parents who cared so much. If I got kidnapped… honestly, I’m not sure mine would notice.”

Right, Hikaru and his tenuous, at best, relationship with his parents. Though it would probably mean more if Hana were to say it, Hana wasn’t here, and as the eldest, it was Makoto’s duty to pick up the slack. “Well, Hikaru, if you ever feel you need to, you’re always welcomed here.”

“Er, it’s not like they hit me or anything,” Hikaru was quick to assure, “I just… well you know. We’re not close. But they don’t do anything to hurt me.”

“Sometimes, not doing anything is just as bad.”

Hikaru laughed awkwardly, “Well, anyway, I should be off. See you!” He’s quick to hurry off, obviously not wanting the conversation to continue any longer. Makoto wasn’t all that surprised.

With Hikaru off and Hana’s flowers watered, Makoto returns inside, ready to start on his next task. Which was… oh. Yukimi had taken care of the rest of the cleaning while he was out, which meant other than busywork cleaning of the entrance and foyer, he didn’t have much left to do. Joy.

This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened, but there was just too much that could be on Makoto’s mind for him to want his mind to be idle. He just wasn’t quite sure the best way keep himself busy while at the front desk. In the end he digs out a pen and paper and flips to the practice questions in a math textbook. He’d just gotten this one a month or so ago and hadn’t gotten a whole lot of time to work through it, yet, what with the Deadmans and being a Rider taking up a lot of his time.

Though he gets perhaps too absorbed in the math, as he doesn’t notice that someone’s come into Happy Spa, let alone who it is, until an annoyingly familiar voice stabs through his concentration.

“Ooh, whatcha working on there, Igarashi?” Standing in front of the desk was none other than Karizaki. The man that Makoto would rather avoid, after their uncomfortable interaction the day the Chameleon Deadman had appeared.

Looking up, Makoto set his pen down, quick to shut the book and try to flip the paper over. “That’s none of your business.” He’s not quick enough, as Karizaki snatched the paper right from Makoto’s hands. “Karizaki!”

Karizaki laughed, peering at the paper, “Wow, that’s some complicated stuff. Thought you didn’t finish high school?”

“I didn’t,” Makoto snatched the paper from him, the corner tearing and remaining in Karizaki’s hand. “And I was working on that. What are you here for, anyway? Definitely nothing urgent.”

“Why else would I come to a bathhouse? For your services, obviously.”

“Joy.” Makoto gritted his teeth, forcing the most polite smile he could muster and making himself shift into Customer Service mode. It was very hard, as Karizaki was currently filling him with a great annoyance he suspects is unique to Karizaki. “I’m still charging you, same as anyone else.”

Reaching into the pocket of his ridiculous coat, Karizaki smiled, “Of course, I’d expect no less.” There was something smug in his voice.

Makoto very desperately wanted to tell him to fuck off.

But he did not, as that would be impolite and bad customer service. Though did it really count when it was the annoying scientist who kept causing you some trouble or other (Makoto counted the fact that he’d made the Drivers and Vistamps at all as trouble)? No, it probably did still count. Unfortunately.

Despite going so far as to volunteer to work at the front desk, Makoto absolutely despised customer service. He hated forcing himself to be nice and polite, and while he’d gotten very good at it, it didn’t change that he still didn’t like it any more than he had to start with. But he made himself do it.

If nothing else, he considered it a strange form of self-imposed punishment. And it probably had done his patience some good, though there were times like these, with people like Karizaki, where that really didn’t mean much.

“I wonder if anyone’s told him he has a very punch-able looking face.” Regardless, though the thought came to his mind, Makoto was not going to voice that observation to Karizaki. That would be impolite and bad customer service. And also would probably just cause trouble. That didn’t mean Makoto didn’t think it was at least a little true, he just wasn’t dumb enough to say anything out loud. Not when he was stuck working with Karizaki for the foreseeable future.

Once more, Karizaki broke him from his thoughts, as it occurred to Makoto he may have been staring in Karizaki’s general direction. “See something you like?” And Karizaki winked.

Makoto held in a blanch, instead putting on a smile that he hoped would convey how much he wanted Karizaki out of his sight. “I was staring at the family portrait on the wall behind you.” He lied.

Karizaki glanced back. Makoto wasn’t making up the portrait, at least. It was from Tamaki’s high school graduation, Tamaki in the center, Hana on one side and Makoto on the other. Their parents had insisted on taking the picture, and like all family photos, it ended up in Happy Spa.

Then Karizaki looked back at him, less of a smile on his face, “How are you guys holding up? Your brother won’t tell me, instead he just growls. Think he’s in a foul mood.”

As if Makoto hadn’t noticed days ago. He sighed, “Karizaki, go take a bath. Now’s not the time for this.” Not to mention Makoto just really didn’t want to have this conversation with Karizaki. He didn’t believe Karizaki cared, at least not unless it affected him in some way, maybe his ability to test his inventions or something.

“Fine then,” Karizaki pouted, “I’ll ask you again afterward.” He sauntered on into the bathes.

Though Makoto would never say it out loud, he hoped very much for something, even a demon or the Deadmans in some way, to happen so he didn’t have to be here when Karizaki came back out. He didn’t want anything to do with Karizaki’s feigned concern, it was a waste of both of their time.

He’s relieved, thusly, when not too long later he gets a call that Revi’s appeared again, this time he has a demon with him. That was going to complicate things. While, unlike last time, he and Tamaki were in a lot better shape for fighting, even with Mr. Kadota’s help, it would be hard to juggle Revi, Vice, and this demon. Not that they had much choice.

Makoto rushed out, hurrying to where Revi was, Tamaki and Mr. Kadota already there, clearly ready to fight. Revi’s faked relaxed posture – he was clearly too tensed to be relaxed – changed upon Makoto’s arrival. The demon stayed at his side, seemingly docile, for now at least.

“Good, you’re all here.” Revi spoke, reaching into his jacket and pulling out the Driver and T-Rex Vistamp, like last time. “Now let’s get on with this.”

Activating the Vistamp and stamping the Driver, a text conversation appeared behind him, just like the last time. It must have something to do with how the Driver worked, Makoto almost wanted to ask Karizaki next he saw him, though he suspected it would simply put Karizaki in a huff.

This isn’t too bad for him to make us do.

It could be far worse. Doesn’t mean I like it.

Aww… lighten up a little I- Revi.

You know they can see this, right? It’s projected behind me like some… hologram or whatever.

I know. We just have to be careful with our thoughts. Not that your father’s here to punish you for them.

They can still see this, Vice.

Er, right, sorry…

With Revi and Vice standing there, accompanied by the demon, Makoto, Tamaki, and Mr. Kadota take the opportunity to transform. Makoto would love to linger on the meaning of the conversation between Revi and Vice, but now wasn’t the time for that. He could worry about it later, when they weren’t about to begin a fight.

Tamaki takes Vice again, Mr. Kadota Revi, and that leaves Makoto with the demon. It’s not the worst, he figures, but he’d prefer to be helping Mr. Kadota with Revi. Especially as he seemed a bit more tired than normal, Makoto had to wonder if something was bothering him, or maybe Daiji had dragged him into the exhausting training he was always dong. It really doesn’t matter why, though, what did matter was that he was clearly tired, even if only a little. And that made Makoto worry.

Maybe it was a bit hypocritical of Makoto, given how often he fought while tired or still somewhat injured from a previous fight, and Tamaki did the same. But Makoto wasn’t very important, and Tamaki was stubborn. There were too many people relying on Mr. Kadota for him to be so reckless with his own well being. Maybe Makoto would have to try to guilt him into taking some rest, after this.

It says something about the fights he’s been getting in most frequently that Makoto doesn’t have to pay his fight with the demon much mind, finding that he could easily defeat. Maybe there was some upside to constantly fighting opponents way out of his league – it pushed him to improve much more quickly than if he had only been fighting demons like this one.

With the demon defeated, Makoto can turn his attention to helping Tamaki and Mr. Kadota. Not that Tamaki needed much help, he was faring even better against Vice than last time. Though as Tamaki tackled Vice towards Makoto, he called out, “Koto! You handle Vice, I’m helping Captain Kadota!”

Makoto figured he should place some faith in Tamaki’s capabilities – and besides, he spies a new Vistamp in Tamaki’s hand. So he nods and decides to focus on fighting Vice, taking Tamaki’s place.

Tamaki activates the Vistamp – the Jackal Vistamp. Upon stamping it on his Driver, a gun appeared in his hands, in a manner not dissimilar to how the Marlin Vistamp gave Makoto his own weapon.

Pointing the gun at Revi, Tamaki focused, clearly looking for an opening to shoot Revi without too much of a risk of shooting Mr. Kadota instead. The moment he sees it, he pulls the trigger and shoots – it proves to be more effective than any other gun Fenix has, as Revi stumbles when it makes impact.

If there was one thing Fenix had actually taught Tamaki from the ground up, it was how to shoot a gun, and he certainly seemed good enough at it. Makoto had no real way of judging if that was an accurate assessment, and frankly, he didn’t care. As long as Vice and Revi were at least fought off, if not outright defeated. Giving Tamaki a proper weapon was a good way of aiding that.

---

The moment Hikaru heard that Revi had appeared, and with a demon to boot, he rushed towards the location. He arrived quickly, while there were only a few scattered squads of Fenix soldiers present, and many people were still trying to get far away.

The before, Hikaru set about doing his best to help people, reunite anyone who got separated from someone they’d rather not be, be it friends or children and their parents. Every person he helped, even if it was just helping someone who stumbled and fell, made him feel… better. Like he was actually doing something.

Like maybe, he could make someone’s life just a little better by helping them get to safety sooner, or lessening the amount of time they spent distressed. Maybe it wasn’t much, maybe the Riders were doing far more, but… It was still more than Weekend was doing. That was enough for him.

When Hana got back, maybe she could help him. It could perhaps help satisfy that need to fight that she always had, though he wouldn’t get his hopes up. Not to mention that it might not be a good idea to have her all that close to where a demon or the Deadmans might be, for a variety of reasons. He quickly scratched that thought; this was something he’d do on his own.

That was okay, maybe that was the purpose of Hikaru Ushijima.

---

Sakura is shaking when she enters the room, Hana is quick to set her knitting aside, shut the door behind Sakura, and wrap her arms around her. “Sakura?”

Tightly, Sakura wrapped her arms around her, leaning to place her face in Hana’s shoulder. “I… I just need a- a minute.” She sounded so strangely… small.

“Love love…” Lovekov took her place beside Hana and Sakura, prompting Hana to maneuver Sakura to the bed. Lovekov followed, slithering up onto the bed and wrapping her stubby arms around Sakura, the best she could.

“What’s wrong?” Hana asked. Was this because of Akaishi?

She pulled Hana tighter, “Father…” Sakura said slowly, “expects only the best from us.”

Hana wants to make a joke about it, if only because she can’t think of any other way to respond. She’d gotten that impression about Akaishi from only the things she’d heard, it was little surprise that he really was as bad as he sounded. But what Sakura right now was comfort, not Hana making light of the situation.

Maybe she hadn’t understood just how terrible Akaishi was.

With Hana’s silence, Sakura continued. “He said… so many things. He always says them, it isn’t a surprise but…” She lifts her head, just a little. Hana can see tears in her eyes. “it still hurts. When we’re not enough, he makes sure we know. That’s why I hide Lovekov away – she’s my weaknesses, all bundled into one demon. I’m sure father knows of her, but if he can’t see her – then I can’t show weakness.”

“Love… Sakura love. Love.” Hana still didn’t understand Lovekov – she’s not sure she ever will, at least not like Sakura can, but she can make out enough of what Lovekov meant to do. She was trying to comfort Sakura.

Holding Sakura tightly, Hana said, “Whatever he said, it’s just to hurt you. I bet it’s all wrong – and who cares about weaknesses? We all have them, hiding them doesn’t do much good.”

“It makes it harder for those who oppose you to exploit them.” Sakura responded, tone grave, “unfortunately, it’s a sound strategy, when you must lead people. In that regard, it is better for us to be feared and respected than to show an ounce of weakness or anything else that may make us seem the same as others. Besides, that would be a lie, to come off like we’re normal when we’re not and never will be. A cruel lie.”

Before, Hana had wandered about the Deadman base. It sounded plenty like the people there respected their leaders, at least to her. She didn’t understand what fear had to do with any of it. Or why being seen as normal was so bad – sure, normal was boring and she thinks the people who think themselves normal are more cruel than those who think themselves not, but being seen as normal wasn’t really a bad thing. It had kept Hana from the people who made Tamaki their target, at least to some extent.

Though Hana had questions, she considered that it might be better to leave them, at least for now. So she changed the subject, “It’ll be okay. Anyway, I knitted today, like I said. I’m making you a sweater, since you like being all warm.”

With a small laugh, once more against Hana’s shoulder, Sakura seemed to smile, “I’m sure it will be wonderful, and I’ll cherish it.”

“Love love!” Lovekov loved, stubby arms waving up and down.

Sakura laughed, more this time. “She says you’ll have to make her one, too.”

Hana laughed in kind, reaching to give Lovekov a pat on the head, “Of course, Lovey.”

---

After using the Demons Driver, Hiromi had begun to notice he was more and more tired. Like he’d been working himself hard, even though it hadn’t been any different from before. Sometimes, he felt like he might collapse as soon as he was out of sight of Tamaki and Makoto.

Maybe tired wasn’t the most accurate word for it. Maybe the better word was drained. Like someone had sucked all the energy out of him. He could manage it now, but if it kept up, who knew what could happen. Makoto had helped him with Revi last time, Tamaki this time, but who knew how long that would keep up. He had to be able to fight on his own, otherwise there’d be no point.

Not to mention, he didn’t want to worry anyone, certainly not the Igarashi brothers. But he also wanted to keep word of this sudden drained feeling from getting to Daiji, as well. If Daiji found out, he’d do nothing but fret, and that was the last thing Hiromi needed – Daiji shouldn’t be fretting about him, anyway, and should be paying his own wellbeing more mind.

This was probably nothing, anyway.

[mr-president]

i love drawing these two!!! obviously since they don't interact in canon, everything i make is pure delusion on my part, but heyyyyyhhhyy it's not my fault capcom doesn't know how to write character interactions sometimes

i like ibuki and yang's dynamic specifically because they're romantics in different ways. ibuki jumps from one attractive guy to the next, falling in love extremely quickly and developing a whole romantic narrative about and ordinary girl who's also a ninja and some normal hot guy. meanwhile, yang hopelessly pines for one girl (hoimei) and dreams of the day she'll finally notice him and that he's been there all along. of course, real life doesn't tend to match tropes, but good luck to them!

anyways, when it comes to acting out tropes and random scenarios, they use their respective pets as the main characters. it's so cute that both have a little animal buddy following them around!! unfortunately they have to pay the price of acting out romance scenes

i like to imagine they do actually try to create situations for makoto/elena to either a) realize their feelings in the first place, b) actually act on them, and/or c) realize that the OTHER also likes them. they probably fail horribly-elena is hard to predict and makoto's stubbornness and very, very set-in japanese honor code makes it difficult for much progress to happen at all. couple that with yun and sean's spontaneous tendencies often ruining "the moment," and it becomes an endless source of frustration for ibuki and yang

misc notes:

princess tangyuan is based on the cat that follows yang around in third strike when you win enough with him-she's got a pure white coat and green eyes, and she runs away as soon as the fight starts and (i believe) comes back if yang wins. i wasn't sure what her name should be-definitely "Princess" + something, and i decided tangyuan since it's a white food and her name is similar to yang's (yang and tang). still, if you've got a better idea for a name, Imk!!

like to think she's very possessive over yang, not liking when she smells that he's pet other cats. nevertheless, she's the type of cat that preens at attention herself, and she's spoiled to death by yang who absolutely adores her and buys her little cat dresses and expensive treats. she's okay with yun, since he looks and smells like yang, but she hates jamie since he takes yang's attention away from her

if it was between saving yun or princess, yang would choose princess. “i have another brother, but there’s only one of princess.”

ibuki's hair pisses me off to draw, so i want to explore more hairstyles for her. i gave her pretty simple ones here, since this is just a doodle dump, but in the future i definitely want to

i think ibuki’s bisexual, but typically prefers dudes and hasn’t really thought about girls much. or maybe she has, i could totally see her also having the same daydreams of being an ordinary teenage girl falling in love with another ordinary teenage girl and doing cute teenage girl things like in yuri novels. she definitely reads those either way

two hopeless romantics and their silly antics

[cake-apostate]

You know what would be fun? If having a Persona leaked into the rest of your life. Well, maybe not for the users, but it would be fun for us.

In Persona 2, Reiji Kido and Kenta Yokouchi are both door-to-door salesmen who work for the same company, but Kenta is successful where Reiji is not. Kenta’s Persona Mara induces greed in customers, while Reiji’s Persona Mot induces fear.

Imagine if we saw that elsewhere. Like, what if having a Persona made you fluent in the language they’d know? (And you didn’t lose it if you got an Ultimate Persona?)

Since all the starting Personas in Persona 3 are Greek, SEES uses Ancient Greek to pass messages during the day. Sometimes at the dorm, they wind up chatting and don’t realize that they switched to Greek; this happens a few times when Ryoji is over.

Ryuji realizes that English class is suddenly a lot easier with Captain Kidd. He understands everything the teacher says! Except his teacher has no idea how to grade his essays, which appear to have been written on Talk Like A Pirate Day.

Not just language things, too. There’s some inconvenient stuff as well.

One fine spring day, Sae asks Makoto why she hasn’t cooked meat in weeks, and Makoto can’t answer. It’s only after she checks the calendar that she realizes that it’s Lent, when meat is traditionally forbidden.

It turns out that Makoto’s been subconsciously following rules laid down by the Church, because of Johanna. She doesn’t get the rules that interfere with her own set of morals, such as anything involving the subjugation of women, nor ones that are unavoidable, such as not wearing mixed fabrics, but she does wind up following the rest. When she goes grocery shopping, she doesn’t think, “I will not cook meat,” she thinks, “fish would be good for dinner.”

Yusuke can’t stand hot baths anymore, because Goemon was executed by being boiled alive. Luckily, he’s not bothered by cold anymore.

Tatsuya and Katsuya wake up at dawn every morning because of Apollo and Helios, which is good for early shifts, but they also tend to start fading after sunset. Maya, on the other hand, now has a seemingly erratic sleep schedule because the moon rises and sets at different times.

Baofu is always late because like Odysseus, something always stalls him. 

Some of the Phantom Thieves, and also Jun and Junpei, keep finding their hands in other peoples’ pockets because their Personas were pickpockets. Or they don’t notice at all and find stuff in their bags that they don’t remember buying. Yusuke finds that he keeps giving money to beggars, but it’s always money that he doesn’t remember stealing, since Goemon gave back to the poor.

But there’s fun stuff, too.

Futaba now knows dark magic. She almost makes a prototype Demon Summoning Program, but gets bored halfway through and stops. It is implied that this was divine intervention; the Nahobino is seem outside her window, sighing in relief.

Junpei starts brewing potions as energy drinks and sleep aids, since Hermes Trismegistus is an alchemist.

Jun subconsciously bends time around himself, so he’s never late, never has to wait long, and he always gets his homework and paperwork done much faster. However, he knows that his bosses usually measure work done by time spent, so he’s figured out how to work around that.

One day, the modeling company asks Ann to show off her special talent, and since ‘whip techniques’ gets vetoed, she blurts out that she sings. The manager expects some cute pop music, and is startled when she starts bellowing Italian opera.

[demifiendrsa]

Eiichiro Oda x Gosho Aoyama OVER 100 Miracle Talk that was featured in Weekly Shonen Jump 2022 issue #34 and Weekly Shonen Sunday issue #35.

Eiichiro Oda x Gosho Aoyama OVER 100 Miracle Talk - Part 1

Last year, both One Piece and Detective Conan surpassed 100 volumes. A miraculous dialogue between the two mangaka who have been at the forefront of the manga industry for many years has finally come to fruition!!

‘Jump’ and ‘Sunday’ Back Then…

– In a previous interview, Aoyama-sensei said that “it’d be interesting to have a talk with Oda-kun. As comrades who will reach 100 volumes simultaneously, I would like to talk about various things”. Oda-sensei answered in a comment that he “had never met him, but feels like a comrade in arms. I know how tough getting to 100 volumes is, Aoyama-san! Congrats on 100 volumes of Conan!”. This legendary talk is now finally coming true.

Aoyama: Oda-kun doesn’t really show his face much, so it’s an honor to actually see it haha.

Oda: Aoyama-san does show his face in a lot of places, though. But I’m really happy. I didn’t think I’d ever met you.

Aoyama: Me neither haha. I always thought there wouldn’t ever be a future in which I met you.

Oda: I was pretty impressed earlier because I got a business card from Weekly Shonen Sunday’s Editor-in-Chief. “I got a Sunday business card! This kind of stuff actually happens!”, haha.

– I have been looking for something you have in common, and it seems Oda-sensei was born in 1975 while Aoyama-sensei was born in 1963. You both share the same zodiac sign having been born in the Year of the Rabbit.

Aoyama: That’s right. Do you know about that Year of the Rabbit legend? Tetsuya Chiba-sensei was born in 1939, and Mitsuru Adachi-sensei was born in 1951. Both of them were also born in the Year of the Rabbit, separated by 12 years. I was also born 12 years after Mitsuru Adachi-sensei, and you were born 12 years exactly after me. We got no one after that.

Oda: I wish we could fit Akira Toriyama-sensei somewhere, but he doesn’t belong to the Year of the Rabbit haha. …I do have to recognize I have only known much about Weekly Shonen Jump. Do you have knowledge on other magazines, Aoyama-san?

Aoyama: Not really. At first, I brought my work to Weekly Shonen Magazine, and I was told “it didn’t really fit with them, so take it to a different publication”. That’s when I brought my work to Sunday, and that’s where I have been since then.

Oda: You made your debut in 1986, right? What hits were there back before you debuted?

Aoyama: Well, I was a ‘Magazine Kid’, so it’s not like I read much of Jump, but I still enjoyed works like ‘1·2 no Sanshirou’ by Makoto Kobayashi and ‘Ore wa Teppei’ by Tetsuya Chiba. When it comes to Sunday, it was Mitsuru Adachi’s ‘Touch’.

Oda: I did read ‘Touch’, and also Mitsuru Adachi’s ‘Rough’.

Aoyama: I also remember watching Rumiko Takahashi’s ‘Urusei Yatsura’ TV Anime.

Oda: After debuting, you serialized ‘Magic Kaito’, ‘YAIBA’ and ‘3rd Base 4th’, being ‘Detective Conan’ your fourth work.

Aoyama: Right. Meanwhile, Oda-kun hasn’t drawn any series other than ONE PIECE?

Oda: Indeed. I’m a one-hit wonder.

Aoyama: A one-hit wonder! With a way-too-big one-hit haha.

Oda: What other series were serializing on Sunday when you started ‘Detective Conan’?

Aoyama: Well, it was a truly amazing time back then. Rumiko Takahashi’s ‘Ranma ½’, Kazuhiro Fujita’s ‘Ushio to Tora’, Mitsuru Adachi’s ‘H2’, Nishimori Hiroyuki’s ‘Kyou Kara Ore Wa!!’... The line-up was absolutely terrifying.

Oda: I did read ‘Ranma ½’, it was really fun! Just reading different magazines, no matter how much time you spend on it, what you end up reading or seeing is completely different too. Back when ‘Detective Conan’ started, Jump had Akira Toriyama’s ‘Dragon Ball’ and Takehiko Inoue’s ‘SLAM DUNK’.

Aoyama: I read ‘Dragon Ball’! I love Toriyama-sensei’s art.

Oda: I was a ‘jumper’ at that time, but this is something I wanted to ask you if we could ever meet: how did you view Jump back then? Jump sales were incredibly overwhelming during that time, but a bit of conflict came later when Weekly Shonen Magazine surpassed its circulation numbers.

Aoyama: I have to apologize, but I didn’t care at all about that haha.

Oda: Ah, so you didn’t even bother with it haha.

– I would like to ask about your thoughts and memories back when your series started. When you both published your very first chapter, what was it like?

Oda: I started serializing ‘ONE PIECE’ in 1997, two years after ‘Dragon Ball’ ended in 1995. It was a shock for all of us newcomers who came to the magazine to claim the series’ abandoned throne. At that time, the fight for the place ‘Dragon Ball’ left would begin, and for 2 years everyone would get their series compared and completely crushed, until I finally survived.

Aoyama: Amazing haha.

Oda: It was a time in which both ‘Dragon Ball’ and ‘SLAM DUNK’ ended right after the other, and lots of people thought Jump would be in huge trouble. I remember the cover of the Jump issue in which my series started appeared on the front page of a newspaper, showing the cover of ‘ONE PIECE’ next to the headline ‘Jump is overtaken by Magazine’. And it’s not like I had any responsibility over it at all haha, but I still remember feeling really frustrated.

Aoyama: As for me, when the first chapter of ‘Detective Conan’ was going to be published, I was supposedly going to appear at the center of the cover of the magazine. Thing is, during the World Cup Preliminaries, Masashi Nakayama scored a really great goal and my cover was replaced with him… That’s why Conan’s cover, which was supposed to appear with the first chapter of the series, had the bad luck to appear with the second chapter instead haha.

The Competitive Spirit Created by Jump

– What do you two think of each other and other mangaka who also have successful works?

Oda: After ‘Dragon Ball’ ended, the world of shonen manga was dominated by two works, ‘Detective Conan’ and ‘The Kindaichi Case Files’. Conan was always winning.

Aoyama: Ah… Seriously? Haha.

Oda: That was indeed my perspective. Jump’s supporting hit work back then was ‘Rurouni Kenshin’ by Nobuhiro Watsuki. I was one of Watsuki-sensei’s assistants. I won’t really hesitate saying this, we were proud our seniors led the shonen manga world with battle-focused manga, so we honestly thought “mystery manga shouldn’t be at the top of shonen manga” haha. Watsuki-sensei himself had the stance that “if a series wasn’t always performing like his, it couldn’t be at the top of Jump”. That’s why I always considered ‘Detective Conan’ an enemy to me and thus didn’t read it. I even had thoughts such as “I’ll drag you down, haha…”. Not joking, I used to think of you as an enemy until now haha!

Aoyama: No way, an enemy!? Oh my haha!

Oda: Looking at your reply, it seems it was only me who thought we had some sort of rivalry haha. Please, say something like “that’s how Jump should be”! Have you ever looked at someone as a rival?

Aoyama: Not really. When it comes to Kanari Yozaburo, Seimaru Amagi and Satou Fumiya’s ‘The Kindaichi Case Files’, I used to have this “I won’t lose” feeling, but they’re still series with pretty different genres.

Oda: When I looked at the whole manga industry and glanced at the top, ‘Detective Conan’ was always there. I was pretty aware of it all when I was nothing more than a newbie, but it is true that when you reach the top, you stop seeing it.

Aoyama: But I was overtaken right away, right? Or am I wrong? Haha.

Oda: I was pretty desperate back then, so I’m not entirely sure how it all went. Since I started this series I've been trying to do my best for myself, so I stopped looking at my surroundings.

Aoyama: That’s amazing, but it was really hard for me too. Doing a detective series on my own requires me to always think about my story and art, which leaves me no time to think about any other series.

Oda: Basically, the moment you start a serialization, you stop looking at what’s around you! I have a lot of respect for you, being able to still continue during all this time.

– Have you ever thought of rookie mangaka as your rivals?

Aoyama: Rivals… I wonder. I guess others are others, and I am myself haha.

Oda: You’re pretty peaceful. When did you build that kind of mentality?

Aoyama: I would say from the very beginning.

Oda: For real!? Didn’t it feel like a competition when you were younger?

Aoyama: When I was younger, other detective works started to appear on Sunday since ‘Detective Conan’ was performing well, so I did have that feeling of ‘not wanting to lose’, but that’s about it. It may sound weird, but I don’t think I ever felt like I had any enemy. As I mentioned earlier, ‘The Kindaichi Case Files’ was there, but it was a different work.

Oda: I see your enemy scope are mystery series.

Aoyama: Yep. But still, there weren’t many mangaka drawing detective series back then, so I felt it was something I was doing on my own. That’s how I concluded others are others, and I am myself.

Oda: For me, it has been during these past few years that I have been able to keep a similar state of mind. Until now, I have been aware readers often get disappointed if ‘ONE PIECE’ doesn’t publish a new chapter, and I felt responsible for that. It has all changed lately thanks to new, younger writers that have grown up in Jump and rather support me even when I’m on a break, taking a lot of weight off my shoulders. This is also why I have stopped caring about fighting with other manga series. It truly feels like I have finally the freedom to face my fans at my own pace.

Aoyama: Ooh! It seems you have been pretty busy until now.

Oda: I wonder why, though? Is Jump’s system that bad? Haha. It’s a fierce competition. If what you draw is not good enough, it will obviously get canceled. Is it the same for Sunday?

Aoyama: Yes it is. But on that Sunday from the old days, editors wouldn’t tell mangaka their series’ rankings. After ‘Detective Conan’ reached Chapter 10, I had to ask them to give the rankings to me and started to follow them secretly.

Oda: Perhaps Jump shows the rankings and questionnaires deliberately to their mangaka in order to fuel their inner fighting spirit. That’s something anyone, even I, worries about when starting a series, since you always want to know if you can survive or not.

– ‘YAIBA’, your serialization before ‘Detective Conan’, managed to reach 1st place in the rankings 2 times during its final chapters, right?

Aoyama: Yes! I was so happy to finally reach 1st place I asked the editorial department to put it in my coffin, since I was sure I’d die from overwork haha.

Oda: I see you had some attachment to numbers! Don’t you feel some frustration if you lose those placements, then?

Aoyama: Yeah, but ‘Detective Conan’ has been in 1st place since the series pretty much started… It’s a bit odious to say that, so I’ll stop haha.

Oda: Haha, I understand that feeling too.

– How much pressure have you both felt carrying the flagship of the magazine for so long?

Aoyama: Pressure? Zero haha.

Oda: That’s the same for me!

Aoyama: I mean, I thought it was Shogakukan’s fault for letting me draw this series haha.

Oda: I have always been conscious of my own selfishness, so the more my fighting spirit grew, the more I thought it was my whole fault if the series had to end or fell in popularity.

– That’s really hard to imagine.

Aoyama: Honestly, if I had felt pressure, I wouldn’t have been able to draw.

Oda: Yeah. If you stop to think about it for a second, it’s kinda scary how much stuff I sometimes have to carry. I think only people with our kind of personality can survive through all of this.

Aoyama: I think so too.

– What do you think of each other’s art?

Oda: It’s appealing. It’s super appealing! Even when my only knowledge was about art, I thought it was really unique. Honestly, distinct and unusual art styles are the ones who can survive in this manga world. And it wasn't only that, but when I read the series I felt a mysterious appeal. Kids, adult men and women can all feel that same charm and become fond of the series, which is why I always thought it would become a success.

Aoyama: I was really surprised when I saw there wasn’t a scene of Luffy eating the Gomu Gomu no Mi! If it had been me, I would have drawn a “Dokkun” SFX after he ate it haha. In ‘Detective Conan’, the main character also changes his body after consuming a drug, but even if I try to draw those same sensations, I think ‘ONE PIECE’ expressions feel way fresher. Also, those elder designs from the Gorosei who appear in the Levely Arc are amazing! I honestly don’t know how to draw those.

Oda: I think that was something good from my younger self. I made them appear a long time ago, but when I look back into it now, I don’t think their designs were bad at all. Still, those characters haven’t really shown their actual value yet.

Team ‘Detective Conan’, Team ‘ONE PIECE’

– When it comes to TV Anime adaptations, many voices end up overlapping. Yamaguchi Kappei voices Shinichi Kudo, Kaito Kid and Usopp; Ikeda Shuichi voices Akai and Shanks; Furuya Toru voices Amuro and Sabo; Ootani Ikue voices Mitsuhiko and Chopper…

Aoyama: No wonder they do overlap considering both anime have been going on for a quarter of a century.

Oda: When I watched ‘Detective Conan: The Bride of Halloween’, I was surprised at how many voices I did recognize. Yuriko Yamaguchi, who voices Nico Robin, appears (as Christine Richard). In the Dressrosa Arc, there were a lot of voice actors from ‘Detective Conan’! Megumi Hayashibara, who voices Ai Haibara, played the role of Rebecca.

Aoyama: Furuya Toru, who voices Amuro, also appears as Sabo, a pretty good role! And Ikeda Shuichi voices Shanks in your upcoming FILM RED, right Oda-kun? He also voices Akai Shuichi in ‘Detective Conan’, which is a pretty popular role.

Oda: He didn’t appear in your last movie, did he?

Aoyama: In ‘The Bride of Halloween’... Fufufu, haha.

Oda: But in ‘Detective Conan’ he does appear more frequently, right? In ‘ONE PIECE’ many times the members of the crew have to separate, so there’s a lot of examples of regular characters who take holidays quite often. “Sanji came to dub for the first time after 3 years”, haha.

Aoyama: It took 7 years since Akai left and appeared again, and I even thought of spoiling it after 2 years had passed. Vermouth also took 5 years to appear once again in the TV Anime since her last appearance.

Oda: I didn’t expect for the TV Anime to continue for so long, many of the voice actors are getting old. Some time ago, Mayumi Tanaka, who voices Luffy, asked us with worry what would happen if she died, so Masako Nozawa, who voices Kureha, told her “If you die, I’ll take your role” haha. I hope they all stay as healthy as possible. Aoyama-san, do you usually talk to the voice actors?

Aoyama: Before Coronavirus happened, we had ‘movie launch parties’, so we used to talk a lot. Some time ago, I saw a fireworks display from my living room, so I called all the voice actors and improvised a huge banquet in my house. It was really fun, even though it was still a lot of work haha. You keep doing it, right Oda-kun? That’s amazing.

Oda: We usually just do self-service, and I tell them I’m doing a takoyaki party! Then I cook it all without asking the others haha!

– Oda-sensei, you said in an old interview that you are “glad to be close with all the anime staff”, and all of this really does give the impression you get along with animation and production staff.

Oda: Yeah, it’s always been that way. The TV Anime started a really long time ago. All of them have become my relatives at this point. Even my children have known them since they were small, so it’s almost like a family relationship.

Aoyama: Mine’s not that far of a relationship, but I have stated many times with determination that “this actor should voice this character”. For example, Koichi Yamadera, who voiced Tsutomu Akai, a character that recently appeared in the anime, was chosen by me. I sometimes also change the characters in the manga after listening to the voices of their voice actors, thinking to myself “so this is their voice”.

Oda: I shifted Chopper’s role to a mascot character after hearing his voice in the TV Anime, even when I had a policy of not drawing mascot characters, but Ootani Ikue’s voice was too cute haha.

Aoyama: It’s the same for me! When I heard Ootani’s voice as Mitsuhiko, I thought it was so cute I started to draw his character cuter.

Oda: Aoyama-san, you also overlap voice actor names with their roles, right? Like Takagi-san or Furuya-san.

Aoyama: Wataru Takagi-san had an unnamed role back then, but when his character appeared in the TV Anime he became Detective Takagi because he introduced himself saying “Please call me Takagi”. I made him take responsibility and even appear in the series with his real name haha. Furuya Toru’s case is, in fact, a homage to Gundam’s Amuro Rei, a name I separated to give birth to two names: Furuya Rei and Amuro Toru. I hope ‘Gundam’ fans will be pleased with this. Did you watch ‘Gundam’, Oda-kun?

Oda: I did see ‘Gundam’, and I liked it. But I think the experiences we had with it are pretty different.

Aoyama: I see, then you didn’t watch the ‘First Gundam’ (Mobile Suit Gundam)?

Oda: No, it was indeed the ‘First Gundam’. The boom of the series happened back during your teen times, Aoyama-san, and after that, when I was a little kid, a second boom came. I was under the impression that those rebroadcasts were already a big hit.

– How are you two usually involved with your series’ movies?

Aoyama: I involve myself since the very beginning of the movie. From scenarios to the content, up to getting too involved and frowned upon haha.

Oda: Also, ‘Detective Conan’ releases a movie every year, right? I wonder if the disconnected nature of the stories in the series is what makes it work so well, since in my case every chapter is connected to each other. I have to continuously think about the story in the weekly serialization, so I can’t really think about different stories. I guess our brains work differently.

Aoyama: Usually, one case lasts about 3 to 6 chapters in ‘Detective Conan’, which makes it easier to plan for a movie. But in ‘ONE PIECE’, any case lasts too long haha. That length may be what makes it difficult to make more movies for the series. It seems pretty hard to handle some sort of side-trip to a different island when all the characters are already on their journey to find the One Piece.

Oda: Not only that, but the crewmates onboard keep increasing so with anything that happens there is not only one reaction, which just makes the story keep getting extended. Let’s put it this way, if the number of detectives in ‘Detective Conan’ increased, wouldn’t that give you trouble?

Aoyama: I really don’t want to increase the detective team… Hahaha, I’ll definitely not increase it.

– What was your experience watching each other’s movies?

Oda: ‘The Bride of Halloween’ was really cool!! I was surprised when I heard ‘Detective Conan’ was increasing its female readership since I have always thought it was just a shonen series in which a bunch of little kids resolve cases. I wondered why that was, and completely understood it when I saw the movie. “Ah, so they really like the police characters and all these handsome grown men”.

Aoyama: Out of all of Oda-kun’s movies, the one I like the most is ‘ONE PIECE FILM GOLD’. It was fun since I have always liked sparkling places like Las Vegas haha. I want to go to that Casino Ship, Gran Tesoro!

Oda: Seriously!? Thank you!

Aoyama: If I had to mention something all of our movies have in common, is that in ‘ONE PIECE’ and ‘Detective Conan’ there’s always an ‘expansion’ in the ending.

Oda: That’s the right and classic way of royal-road shonen manga, isn’t it?

Aoyama: Oh no, I’m not referring to the narrative with ‘expansion’. In ‘Detective Conan’ we expand soccer balls, and in ‘ONE PIECE’ Luffy can expand his whole body. The bigger they are, the more exciting it is!

Oda: So that’s what you meant haha. Big is always justice, I guess it’s pretty clear we’re both from Ultraman’s era.

Aoyama: I remember that in ‘FILM GOLD’, there were turtles moving cars at the Turtle Car Race. Are you the one that comes up with these ideas?

Oda: I usually leave all the ideas to the scriptwriter, and I only check the contents of the movie and fix whatever needs to be fixed. Movies belong to directors so that’s something I shouldn’t be doing, but if I don’t do that, I can’t really take responsibility. You draw key frames for your movies, right?

Aoyama: I’ve been fulfilling that role since the very first movie, ‘The Time-Bombed Skyscraper’, and it has been increasing steadily. This year I have drawn around 20 key frames.

Oda: I’m pretty sure fans can easily notice which are drawn by you!

Aoyama: You could draw movie key frames too, Oda-kun.

Oda: If I were to put too much work into the movies, then I wouldn’t be able to continue regularly with the weekly series, so it’s difficult to handle. I do know that in order to maintain the series popularity I have to attract new fans and generate more worldwide buzz with a movie at least once every three years, but it’s honestly really hard! I know if I have to do it I’ll be pretty picky, I’m aware of my own personality even if at first I didn’t really like it haha. In the end, I end up meddled even in advertisement processes, I check the booklets handled at theaters and their production deadlines, and just supervise everything. I also keep an eye on posters’ layouts and design.

Aoyama: You seriously love this hahaha.

Oda: Still, I feel bad for my junior mangaka. I created a culture at Jump in which the movie would be a success if the original author gets involved, so everyone has started to be borrowed to work on them. To my surprise though, these youngsters are really enjoying it.

Aoyama: Not at all, I think it’s really good! Everyone seems to be enjoying it!

– What do you think of your protagonists?

Aoyama: Conan is everyone’s organizer.

Oda: To me, Luffy is the easiest character to draw. I always knew that he would be the character that would stay the longest with me.

– If that’s so, what character do you think you’re the only person that can write them?

Oda: I think that’s still Luffy. Many scriptwriters try to deal with him but I have to fix his sentences all the time, otherwise people wouldn’t accept him as the Luffy they know. Does ‘Detective Conan’ have a character like that? A character that always needs to have their lines fixed?

Aoyama: In my series it would be Gin! Everyone always tries to make him say “I’ll kill everyone” and I have to tell them “No, he wouldn’t ever say that” hahaha.

Oda: I understand that, the character we always must fix in any movie is the same character only we can write. It’s a pretty weird relationship, isn’t it? From a reader’s perspective you can notice small details if the character acts differently, but as scriptwriters it feels like a completely different character.

Aoyama: I always have to 100% fix Gin. Lately, scriptwriters just hand me the script so I directly fix him hahaha. Sometimes it’s written as some sort of love-comedy scene, like “Aoyama-sensei, save me”, and I’m like “Eeeh? Seriously?” hahaha.

Oda: Then you immediately fix it, the work becomes a success and they keep relying on you.

Aoyama: Exactly haha. But it does make me happy they rely on me!

‘Detective Conan’ and ‘ONE PIECE’ Decisive Points

– If you look back at the more than 100 volumes you both have published, which would you say was your most decisive point in the series?

Aoyama: That’s hard to say, but if I had to choose some point, it would be the chapter I wrote back when I was discharged from the hospital after taking a break due to a sudden illness. That chapter started with Akai and Amuro pointing their pistols at each other (Volume 95, Chapter 1009).

Oda: That sounds so cool! When was that chapter released?

Aoyama: Four years ago. I took a long break, so for my comeback I had to draw something popular, which pushed me to make that cool scene. Although until then I hadn’t really been writing anything in the series aiming at that moment.

Oda: I feel the exact same as you, but my decisive point would be something more recent. Luffy got a new power-up called ‘Gear 5th’, which is something I have wanted to draw for a long time.

– It’s surprising you both chose such relatively recent chapters. In ‘ONE PIECE’ Chapter 1044, the real name of the Gomu Gomu no Mi is revealed, and Gear 5th appears letting Luffy fight changing his whole body.

Oda: I drew this because I really want to have fun, and I think that it’s okay if people don't like it. I just want to play around with my battles. Since I was an assistant, I have felt that silly expressions that were so characteristic in manga have been gradually lost. Putting a light bulb in a character’s head when they come up with some idea, or making the character’s legs go in circles when they’re running, for example.

Aoyama: Right, also those eyes popping out.

Oda: I have always loved those symbolic expressions, but they keep disappearing. Nobody draws them anymore even though they’re our predecessors' creations who also left many formulae we still use. Battle manga has to keep getting more and more serious to keep up with readers’ expectations and I honestly hate that. I definitely don’t want my work to become a serious manga like that. I want and have decided to have fun, and I feel like I’m finally able to do that. When I was drawing this, I actually had fun.

Aoyama: (Looks at Gear 5th pictures) Woah, amazing! I really like the design, it’s excellent. I’m also impressed that you are able to draw these kinds of faces.

Oda: Thank you. When thinking about its concept, you can think of it as if it suddenly became ‘Tom & Jerry’.

Aoyama: Yep yep. I liked ‘Tom & Jerry’. I just can’t forgive Jerry, hahaha.

Oda: Jerry? Oh no, I supported Jerry!

Aoyama: Really? Tom always tried really hard, but Jerry was too sneaky. I hate Jerry a lot. Although if I had to compare one of them to Conan, he would probably be Jerry haha.

Oda: When I tried to draw it for the first time, it was pretty difficult. The world of ‘Tom & Jerry’ works because of both characters, so I struggled a lot looking at the difference in attitude between Luffy, who was making pranks in the middle of the battle, and his serious opponent. But in the end, I feel like I actually pulled it off. The older you get, the harder and more tiring it is to draw battles, isn’t it?

Aoyama: Well, there aren’t many action or battle scenes in ‘Detective Conan’, so when I have to draw them I do it in high spirits. Still, it usually ends pretty fast considering it’s just shooting soccer balls. A long time ago though, I did get tired of it while drawing ‘YAIBA’. When the Japanese Archipelago became a dragon, it was hard for me and my assistants to pull off those drawings. Even with that, drawing action is a fun experience.

Eiichiro Oda x Gosho Aoyama OVER 100 Miracle Talk - Part 2

Changes During Serialization

– ‘Detective Conan’ has been in serialization since 1994, and ‘ONE PIECE’ since 1997. Since those days to today, what has changed?

Aoyama: Back when I was serializing ‘YAIBA’, I was addressed as “Aoyama-san”. But the moment I started serializing ‘Detective Conan’, everybody addressed me as “Aoyama-sensei” haha. My editor kept addressing me with the “-san”, but for people from TV stations or magazines I started being “Aoyama-sensei”.

Oda: I’m always addressed as “Oda-san”. When I have to deal with younger editors, they all usually use honorifics and so do I, since it’s a hierarchical relationship between us and I cannot complain in such situations. Still, I don’t like it because I’m not a “-sensei”, I’m “Oda-san”.

– What has changed the most from then until now when it comes to the serialization itself?

Oda: My weight has indeed changed. When it comes to mangaka, there are those who lose weight and those who gain it. From the moment I started the series, I started to get fat. It was common for me not to eat for 2-3 days, and I didn’t even have time to eat because I felt sleepy while at it. That’s why I usually don’t eat as much as other people, because otherwise I can eat a lot. Your body starts to feel weak and threatened, so it absorbs anything you ingest. Still, I don’t eat, I gain weight and I just lose at everything. …I really don’t enjoy talking about this hahaha.

Aoyama: Haha, I used to be quite fat. Due to it I got pretty sick and the doctor told me I had to lose weight, which I did, but I think I’m slowly gaining it again.

Oda: Now talking seriously, it’s like you unconsciously and unwillingly gain some sort of mysterious power. Anything you say can become some kind of big deal. “Is people really doing this because I said it?”, and stuff like that.

Aoyama: Yeah… I was honestly thinking the same, haha. I can’t really say many bad things.

Oda: I have started to feel the responsibility of being careful with whatever I say because my name has grown a lot. Even if I myself haven’t changed, it feels like my surroundings and people around me constantly are. Many times my editors are already fans of the series and tell me “I have been reading your work for a really long time”, which makes it hard for me to be harsher, and I become way kinder.

Aoyama:  We also have many assistants or animation staff who are long-time fans of our work.

Oda: But in the end it’s all people who do a really good job, because they really love the series.

– If you were allowed to leave your current position and draw anything you wanted, what would it be?

Aoyama: I want to draw a ‘Journey to the West’. As a battle story. I have always loved Goku. He’s the strongest character ever, isn’t he?

Oda: It’d be great if I were to answer “a mystery series” here, haha. But I could never pull off such a series, I don’t have a brain for that.

Aoyama: Hahaha.

Oda: I have already drawn everything I wanted to draw. I did want to draw robots in the future, but I decided and have already done that in the series. Everything I have ever wanted to draw is already packed into ‘ONE PIECE’, so if I was asked to draw one more time, I would draw ‘ONE PIECE’ again.

Aoyama: Aah, that’s really great. If I was asked to draw another ‘Detective Conan’... I don’t know… Hahaha, I do have lots of things I would like to draw in the series too, so I might do that.

“Love Comedy”, “Friendship” and Character’s Charm!

– What do you two think is your manga’s power?

Oda: I think the most important feature of manga is for it to be “a tool to make friends”. I know it’s a pretty common topic, but in fact I did make many friends when I was a child through it.

Aoyama: I hope ‘Detective Conan’ helps people with their love relationships haha, that way readers can fall in love like the characters from the series. But well, those mostly end up as “murder love comedies” hahaha.

Oda: It’s all a dream world, so I always strive to draw beautiful scenes.

– Speaking of love comedies, Aoyama-sensei previously said that “romcoms”, “adventure” and “friendship” are the “3 elements of shonen manga hits”, and it is clear Aoyama-sensei is good at “love comedy and adventure”, and Oda-sensei is good at “adventure and friendship”.

Aoyama: Love comedies… You haven’t drawn anything like that, right Oda-kun?

Oda: I haven’t. There’s a tradition in Jump that states love comedies are love comedies, battles are battles. They’re two separated genres and totally different works.

Aoyama: Oh well, I guess love comedy developments while battling are not for Jump.

Oda: I haven’t read many of those either, but ‘Detective Conan’ integrates those elements properly! I think you make a really good use of those settings.

Aoyama: Well, I do enjoy love comedies, but I guess you’re not really interested in them, Oda-kun.

Oda: I’m not confident I could draw those, it’s a bit embarrassing haha.

Aoyama: On the other hand, friendship is a tough theme for me. It’s not impossible for me to draw, but I don’t really come up with stuff I think “Oh, this is cool”. I think the only characters I can picture that topic on are the police academy members.

Oda: ‘Detective Conan’ actually has a lot of romantic relationships, right? It’s full of bidirectional feelings. But I also know that if I draw romance, some of my fans leave. I think it’s fine when they’re one-sided feelings, but if it goes both ways, both characters lose fans.

Aoyama: I won’t leave haha.

Oda: Ah, seriously!?

Aoyama: On the contrary, I think it’s exciting. Most of my characters have couples. It’s quite rare to find one without a partner.

Oda: People seem so supportive of couples! That’s something I didn’t really read when I was a kid. During the old days of Jump, there were mangaka that wouldn't even draw women. That’s why I’m one of those that sent submissions with female characters. I did want to draw strong women, and I think characters like Nami were quite rare back in those days.

– Nami’s popularity was reflected all over the world in the Popularity Poll commemorating ‘ONE PIECE’ reaching Chapter 1000.

Oda: Yeah, we did a worldwide popularity poll. When it comes to the two main female characters, Nami proved to be overwhelmingly popular in Japan, while adult women like Nico Robin seem to be more popular in the rest of the world. Feelings and tastes are entirely different from one country to another.

Aoyama: I know ‘Detective Conan’ is pretty popular in China, but I don’t think that makes much of a difference. Still, Ai Haibara is pretty popular, especially overseas.

– Ai Haibara got 1st Place in the “Major Female Character Popularity Vote” that ‘Detective Conan’ held to commemorate the screening of ‘The Bride of Halloween’, getting an illustration drawn by Aoyama-sensei. Still, it’s amazing to look at the number of characters that appear in both works’ popularity polls.

Aoyama: And the number keeps increasing. Even in ‘Detective Conan’ there are characters such as Chihaya Hagiwara, who have only recently appeared.

Oda: Aoyama-san, how do you execute your characters’ appearances?

Aoyama: By pure intuition. If I think I need some sort of new character, or that it’s missing in the series, I just draw it. How do you decide the name of your characters, Oda-kun?

Oda: I take them from various places.

Aoyama: There was a pretty funny one. Sanji, Niji, Ichiji. “For real?”.

Oda: I had been thinking of drawing Sanji’s childhood for some time already, and also had thought of setting up him having one brother, but my daughter was really into ‘Osomatsu-san’ back when I was serializing that part of the story. I want my daughter to like my work, so I tried to compete with the sextuplets by making quadruplets hahaha.

How are Readers’ Impressions Dealt With?

– I’m sure you both receive lots of fan letters from readers every week, but what kind of feedback are you most pleased to receive?

Oda: I appreciate any kind of feedback, but I’m especially happy with people who write what they liked about that week’s chapter specifically. “So that’s what you paid attention to”.

Aoyama: When I read those comments, I go back to the manga and read those parts. I start to grin and read it over and over while thinking “Oh yeah, that was good”.

Oda: Ah! Have you thought of sending your own fan letters, or have you ever sent one already?

Aoyama: Not at all. I think it actually takes a lot of work, but it sounds amazing.

Oda: Thank you for that.

– Every time ‘ONE PIECE’ and ‘Detective Conan’ publish a new chapter, fans are really excited to talk about them. Do you two read your readers’ discussions?

Oda: I wanted to talk about this with Aoyama-san, too. It seems that there are a lot of discussion groups recently, right?

Aoyama: Ah yes, on the Internet. Like with Youtubers.

Oda: Many people in my series’ discussion groups try to predict future developments of the series. Some of them get stuff right haha, which is why I try not to read many of them hahaha. Do they get stuff right too in a detective series like ‘Detective Conan’?

Aoyama: They do guess stuff. They’re sometimes pretty quick figuring out things. In the end, it’s just 1 person against millions of people. If they united their knowledge, cases could be solved in less than a day.

Oda: Against millions of people! That’s truly impossible hahaha!

Aoyama: Detective lovers like to guess and think a lot. Many readers guessed Renya Karasuma was the boss of the Black Organization.

Oda: What do you do in a situation like that? Is it troublesome?

Aoyama: No, rather I just say “People guessed it, so I’ll reveal it”, and I just reveal it haha. There are still more secrets beyond that, actually. Do you read your readers’ predictions and overturn them, Oda-kun?

Oda: Well… There are some things I can change and things I cannot. When reveals are too big, my readers can guess them since I have foreshadowed them all. Due to this I try to come up with the most interesting developments and always go beyond readers’ imaginations. When I started the serialization, my only way to connect with fans was through fan letters. I never thought the world would become the way it is now, with everyone talking about everything on the Internet. If I had known times like this would come, I would have never given hints in the series haha!

Aoyama: I see.

Oda: However, I’m sometimes asked if many outside-the-box theories are true or not, and I kind of feel bad for those who come up with them when I inadvertently give some answer. I probably have destroyed lots of ideas everyone was thinking about without knowing what would happen in the future with just a single word. I feel bad about it, so I recently came up with the best answer: “Yes, that’s right”. I think it’s an answer that can be taken either way haha.

Aoyama: That’s indeed one way to settle it hahaha.

– Foreshadowing moments that are recovered after many years is a common trait of both of your works.

Oda: When I read ‘Detective Conan’, I was surprised at how tight and solid all the settings were. My approach is a little bit different, since there’s some obvious foreshadowing, but at the same time I have created a lot of voids in the series. This method of leaving various blanks lets me think like, “this point could be connected to this other one this way or that way”. Aside from the exaggerated foreshadowing that happens every few decades, you can also take your time to pick up plot points that have been left pending. If you create reasonings and threads for everything like in ‘Detective Conan’, it will be harder to execute later on!

Aoyama: Back when I was working on ‘YAIBA’, I used to draw in the same way you describe. People would be really surprised when later on the series I connected parts I left open in the story.

Oda: Yeah, but you work differently now, Aoyama-san.

Aoyama: Now I work with everything firmly in place. ‘Detective Conan’ is a big mystery as a whole.

– Aoyama-san, when did you start telling your editors about the identity of the Black Organization boss?

Aoyama: Well, I’m currently with my 13th editor, but I have been telling them about that since I had my 8th editor.

What’s the Secret to Reaching 100 Volumes?

– When drawing your series, how are you able to change your mood if you get stuck? Oda-sensei answered previously like this: “I don’t change my mind. I want to keep drawing, so I put myself under a lot of pressure by calling my staff and telling them to wait for me”.

Oda: Isn’t that an interview from a long time ago? Nowadays I need to take way more breaks and I have become quite health-conscious. How do you clear up your mind, Aoyama-san?

Aoyama: I play video games and watch movies. But playing is playing, and work is work. I can’t do anything if I don’t separate those two. I have never been able to do two things at the same time.

Oda: What games do you play?

Aoyama: ‘Kantai Collection’ and ‘Animal Crossing’. Easy and simple games.

Oda: Don’t you do any physical exercise?

Aoyama: Nowadays I don’t, but I used to play baseball.

Oda: Before Coronavirus, I used to gather some friends to play soccer together, but with time I have realized it’s a little too tough of a sport for my body. I also used to be in the soccer club, but I’m so out of shape now I have completely abandoned that career hahaha.

Aoyama: I was in the kendo club, but I don’t move my body as much now. I only go out to buy lunch.

Oda: We’re a bit unhealthy, aren’t we? I also go out to walk and play ‘Pokémon GO’.

Aoyama: Maybe I should start walking too haha.

– With serializations this long, how do you figure out when to take breaks?

Aoyama: Right now, Conan runs in three-chapter bursts and then takes a break while a spin-off takes its place for a fairly comfortable pace, so I can take about a month to draw the storyboards for a single case.

Oda: That only works because of the kind of series ‘Detective Conan’ is, right? Haha, people are more accepting in regard to Conan going on break because the case ends beforehand. ‘ONE PIECE’ on the other hand is a constantly progressing story so I can't have long breaks in the same vein as Conan. Nowadays I’m starting to get more breaks from Jump, so I can relax a bit more. Though ultimately one still has to work even when the series is on break, huh?

Aoyama: Right? I don’t rest at all. If I'm not drawing the manga, then I'm doing work for the movies.

Oda: There's no rest for the weary, is there? Hahaha.

– Do the two of you have any secrets regarding continuing a serialization for more than 100 volumes without taking that many breaks?

Aoyama: Nope. People ask me about it often, but I honestly don't have any secrets to reveal. How about you, Oda-kun?

Oda: Ditto! To begin with, it's not like it was my intention to surpass 100 volumes.

Aoyama: When ‘Detective Conan’ first started I thought it wouldn’t last longer than a volume, but around the second chapter or so, I thought: “It's actually getting popular?”. I was surprised at how it was constantly number one in the rankings. At that point I knew it'd be trouble if I didn't expand on the story more.

Oda: I've always wanted to end the series. That being said, I also think about how there's so much I still want to or need to draw.

Aoyama: I totally get that! There's still so much story left to tell!

Oda: You're really having a blast, Aoyama-san. I think that's amazing. I've also been told by senior Jump mangaka: “It's incredible you're having so much fun.”

Aoyama: Really? Why's that?

Oda: Because everyone is struggling to continue drawing.

Aoyama: What? Seriously? That can't be right.

– So if there is a secret to your success, would it be enjoying what you do?

Aoyama: Yeah, I think so. The more you enjoy drawing, the faster you want to get to putting out great storyboards.

Oda: You really love mysteries! Do you ever get tired of drawing different cases?

Aoyama: I do love them. I've loved Sherlock Holmes since I was a child, y'know? Coincidentally, in elementary school I wrote in the graduation album that I wanted to be a mangaka specializing in private detectives.

Oda: What I love is the times where I freely draw the settings for different islands. Ever since the story entered the Grand Line, I've been free to do whatever I want. Fierce seas in which kingdoms can’t see or interact with each other, or islands with totally different cultures and climates… When the story reaches a new island I illustrate all of that. So if I were asked what I'd want to draw more of, I'd like to be able to draw islands like that unfettered, but I have to take my lifespan into account hahaha.

Aoyama: Ahh, yeah, there's some similarities to that in ‘Detective Conan’. Like for example, if I want to draw soccer, then I can center a murder case around a soccer player. Though that has to be in the confines of 3 chapters or so. If I had a secret as to how I've been able to continue this long, that might be it. ‘Detective Conan’ allows me to draw whatever I want. For things I like such as baseball, all it takes is finding a good opportunity to center a story around them.

– When the two of you are drawing, which do you think gives you the most trouble? The artwork or the plot?

Aoyama: Both, probably. Both can be a pain, but they can be fun too, right?

Oda: Ohh? For me it's the plot that's troublesome. I never get tired of drawing! After the planning of the storyboards is done then it's all about drawing, so I often find myself wanting to get done with storyboards sooner. I love drawing so I wish I had more time to draw what I want, but even when I don't have a lot of time I manage to make do somehow. It's the storyboards that I'm slow with.

Aoyama: I think I was the same way back when I was your age. If not, there's no way I would have been able to keep a schedule with only three hours of sleep. I was a real mess back then and barely made it all in time, compared to now where I can be calm and collected.

Oda: Though when not asleep one can keep creating and be successful, right? Meanwhile, it's when one is at rest that they become most anxious.

Aoyama: When I was sick and admitted into the hospital I couldn't help but worry. "Is it really okay for me to stop there?” and such.

Oda: Yeah, I get you. It gets you totally anxious! I was sick once for a bit, and despite being in the hospital I took my color tools with me and did a color spread from the hospital.

Aoyama: It's hard to calm down. Even in my case I asked to draw a special illustration as a gift to Sunday Super readers, and the fans got angry at the publisher. “Aoyama-sensei is in the hospital and you're still making him work?”, hahaha. Even though it was me who asked to do it.

Oda: Being in the hospital you'd think that I'd rest and relax. Instead I got excited and really wanted to draw, and insisted that just one color page wouldn't hurt me. Being in a serialization is like being chased in a race. Fundamentally there's no such thing as downtime, because deadlines are always around the corner.

– Generally speaking, what are editor meetings like for you two?

Aoyama: They're usually around 2 in the afternoon. The editor comes to my house and for a while we discuss stuff like TV and magazines for a while. Discussions about the manuscripts begin in the evening.

Oda: Your meetings seem to be long!

Aoyama: They sure do! The editor in charge usually comes up with ideas for the culprit's methods, but there are times occasionally where we can't come up with anything. We'll come back around to it the next day in those cases where we end at midnight. A long time ago we'd stay up until dawn coming up with ideas but not so much now that we're older. How do your editorial meetings go?

Oda: All of mine are via phone.

Aoyama: Wow, voice only?

Oda: A long time ago we'd meet in person, but before long it just became easier to take notes and speak on the phone. After all, one can tell someone's expressions through their voice, and when listening to the tone you can tell their reactions as to whether they like something or not. Though getting back to me, ours is a continuing project, so we get through the meetings one week at a time with the mentality that we have to clear that week to get to the next one.

How Long until the Final Chapter?

– Both of your series have reached their critical junctures together. The identity of the Black Organization's 2nd in Command ‘Rum’ has been revealed, and ‘ONE PIECE! has reached its final arc!

Oda: Truly at the start I thought ‘ONE PIECE’ would end in five years, and in about a year and a half Luffy's crew of ten would have gathered together. I thought of it like a video game but I was far too naive! It's not that I wanted things to keep getting longer, that's just what ended up happening!!

Aoyama: Same, haha.

Oda: Have you thought to yourself “Okay, it’s time for ‘Detective Conan’ to end”?

Aoyama: This is between us, but I've already drawn the storyboard of the final chapter.

Oda: What!?

Aoyama: Maybe I shouldn't have said that? I don't want someone to come and steal it, haha. So as I mentioned earlier, I was in the hospital for a bit once. I got to thinking that people can up and die without warning, so I figured why not draw it? This was about five years ago. So I figured drawing the storyboard wouldn't be a big deal, though for now it's a stand in.

Oda: I guess it was just on a whim. But if you actually drew it, at least you were able to do it at your leisure?

Aoyama: You could say that, yeah. It wasn't such a big deal because I've already decided on the major details, but there are arcs and stories I'd have to get to beforehand…

Oda: How long will it take until the final chapter?

Aoyama: That's a secret, haha. I might decide to redraw the finale in the future… Hahaha.

Oda: I've always pictured what the final chapter of ‘ONE PIECE’ would be like, though from time to time, the situation surrounding it changes. It will still be over whenever the One Piece is found in the series, haha. Anyway, this next arc is the final one.

Aoyama: Seriously? Is it really going to end?

Oda: Yup, to me this is really the final arc.

– I'm just going to act this flat out. How many years are left until the final chapter?

Oda: I'm not sure how many years it will take... I have answered this question so many times already I have lost credibility, so I don't think I should answer, hahaha.

Aoyama: Haha yeah I think that too.

Oda: I shouldn’t really say this out loud, because so far I’ve been pretty off, but I'd personally like to go for three more years.

Aoyama: But you don't know for sure. It all depends on how the characters act.

Oda: We're all merely navigators in these stories.

– Oda-san, does your editor know how the story will go up until the end?

Oda: I'm on my 11th editor now, but I make it a point to tell every successive editor the entire story from beginning to end. Though it's become a bit of a pain lately, so I've been breaking it up into parts haha. Although some of the particulars change from time to time, the goal remains the same. There have been some outrageous plot twists during the serialization, but the flow of the story has been so rock solid that past editors are surprised. They ask me: “Are you sure you can just do that?”, but then they don't remember anyway, hahaha.

Aoyama: Hahaha, have you drawn the finale yet, Oda-kun?

Oda: I've got notes of all thoughts I've made before they reach a new island, as well as a notebook of the most profound mysteries of ‘ONE PIECE’ that I've created.

Aoyama: Maybe I should steal it, haha. Though I've also got my notes on the Akai Family and their resolution, which is about three pages or so? When I get a new editor I let them have a look, but it's so complex they don't remember, so by the time the story reaches the serialization proper they're surprised by the events, despite me not deviating from the notes I showed them. Though well, the finale is already there. When I give that over it'll be in one go.

– Do you have any plans for after the final chapters are done?

Oda: I'd like to go on a trip and stay at a new place every night.

Aoyama: I'd like to move.... Or that’s what I would say, but I also don't want to either. It's probably not much better than Oda-kun’s, but I've got a lot of stuff which makes moving a pain.

Oda: You wouldn't go on a trip?

Aoyama: I did once upon a time. I went to London to have a look at the British Museum because ‘Detective Conan’ original manuscripts were exhibited there. I also went to the Vauxhall Bridge to get materials for Mary and Vermouth's showdown there. Though after that, Coronavirus happened.

Oda: I want to go overseas and travel to hot springs around the entire world until I die!

Aoyama: A long time ago, I wanted to go to Brazil to see the World Cup. Though when I was leaving Japan, the passport inspection dude stared at my passport for an uncomfortably long amount of time. I asked him if anything was the matter, and he said “I was worried because I want to keep reading the continuation of ‘Detective Conan’. Please have a safe trip and return.” Like, seriously? Hahaha.

Oda: He realized who you really are. It is a fairly unusual name… It'd probably be embarrassing to say it out loud in the hospital.

Aoyama: Like someone saying we share the same name, haha. But lately I've been secretly referred to as just “Aoyama-san”.

Oda: My name has become a big deal as of late too, so when at the hospital out of consideration for me, they've been careful in calling me out. Though I was already getting shout-outs when I was only partially famous.

– Are there any highlights fans should be on the lookout for going forward?

Aoyama: I have to draw a case where Rum once had both of his eyes, as well as how that connects to Akai Shuichi's father Tsutomu. Maybe that'll be interesting for readers, haha.

Oda: For me… This is tough to answer. There will be lots to see for sure, but I want readers to be surprised, so I don’t know if I should say it here…

Aoyama: True.

Oda: Well, for now, the “past” will be a big deal. Something once happened in the world during the Void Century, which will come to light soon and should prove both fun and interesting. What I find the most fun is when the readers are enjoying themselves. It's truly a ton of fun!

– Give us your closing thoughts, please!

Aoyama: I don't want ‘ONE PIECE’ to end before ‘Detective Conan’!!

Oda: Ah! That's what I was going to say too, hahaha.

Aoyama: Haha, good luck continuing ‘ONE PIECE’...

Oda: Well, when the time to end comes, let’s make it exciting!

Aoyama: That’d be amazing, haha.

– Thanks for coming today.

[slimeranch7]

Something short and fluffy for the impending christmas spirit (not a reader insert fic sorry to disappoint) between ei and wanderer!

Also ik that archons don't distribute visions but for the sake of the plot here just go along w it pls

Spoiler warnings for the sumeru archon quest !!!

-----

Inazuma started to celebrate Christmas eons ago, but no matter how long she lived, Ei was never one to bother with festivities. The Musou Isshin has kept her company since her sister’s untimely death. And she had kept herself busy locked up in her head for another few centuries.

Now looking down from the terrace of her estate, her nation is bustling and readying for an evening with friends and family. Despite the warmth of the lanterns and smiles of young and old, she feels so, so cold.

Ei recalls once when she heard the cries of a young boy, whose only words spoken to her heart were nothing but agonizing pleas and garbled speech. He kneels before a pile of indistinguishable corpses and cries for his lupical. She felt turmoil twist in her heart- the feeling of losing her beloved Makoto, and worst of all, being so helpless as to simply watching as she perished in the cataclysm.

There was nothing else Ei could do than to grant this poor boy a fraction of her power - something to protect himself with for the rest of his life. A companion of his own making so he should never suffer loss again.

Miko once told Ei, while she was thoroughly enjoying one of the fantastical light novels published by the Yae Publishing House, that she had an affinity towards the rather… “unbelievable” novels, in her words.

Later that night, Ei remembers her time in the Plane of Euthemia, when she heard quiet sobbing from the girl sitting across from her, clutching an old, tattered book in her arms. Ei’s heart wrenched as she watched the little mortal’s tears fall on the decoloring leather casing.

Her predicament with her family reminds Ei of her own. A deep, internalized conflict between parent and child, born out of misunderstanding. Out of pity and compassion, Ei grants her Oz, a loyal companion that would never leave her no matter the circumstance.

A week before Christmas, Ei inquires Miko about festive traditions. “Oh, just normal things. Dinners, blessings, gifts. Things like that. Oh! You’re buying a gift, right? Ei, you’re going to buy a gift?” Miko drones on. By now, Ei is making arrangements for a shipment to Snezhnaya.

The day before Christmas Eve, the Wanderer receives a small, unseemingly parcel.

Lesser Lord Kusanali returns a gentle, knowing smile to his glower as he snatched the packaging from her hands. "What is it this time?" He demands to no one in particular, crudely ripping it open.

It happens to contain a light novel titled ‘Life Made Me A Fighter When I Just Want To Be A Writer” from the Yae Publishing House, as well as a little fox charm with eyes that briefly flashed a brilliant purple when he touched it.

When he peels opens the front cover, out slips an invitation pass for Kunikuzushi to visit the Raiden Shogun herself in the Tenshukaku.

-----

Ever since the short visit from Kunikuzushi, Miko hasn’t stopped pestering Ei. “He’s such an insufferable brat, you know. When you mentioned gifting, I thought you were going to reward me for being such a great, patient familiar. Not invite that angry midget over. And what's with that new get up? And changing his name? How rude-"

Ei's hands trace over her heart, where she noticed Kunikuzushi's vision had proudly resided when he visited. Feeling warm and satisfied, she drags a rambling fox familiar back inside for a slow evening.

[dadsbongos]

come with a Cracked up request. Which is : Hajime, Nagito and makoto coming home to see They're S/o standing outside of the house on a call with 911, and when the boys ask what's wrong. They're like "There's a big spider!" And when the boys are like "I've got this." S/o is like "no, i mean there's a Spider." And they don't understand what S/o means Untill they go in the house a See Huntsmen Spider on they're Ceiling. I just wanna see the boys panicking. (Too many chars? Take away Nagito)

hey guys :) it hasn't been forever since i posted you just uhm anyway my diagnosis went from moderate depression to severe, so never let anyone tell you there's no way to go higher :)

Request for: Makoto Naegi, Hajime Hinata, and Nagito Komaeda  Warnings: spiders, mostly shitpost-y, uh i wrote it so if you don't like my writing then maybe skip this one :/  ~~~

Makoto Naegi:

🍀Being the little peacekeeper he is, he obviously just calms you down from the phone and goes inside to try and let the "little guy" out  🍀Poor dude doesn't know he's actually the little guy 🍀Poor thing wanted peace so bad, he just doesn't know how that's possible now  🍀Doesn't know what to do except stare at it in horror and hope it doesn't move  🍀Eventually ends up calling Kyoko, which goes something like this: 🍀"Hey, uh, there's a teeny problem at the house - no, nobody's dead, but I do need your help. Please, hurry. Yes, I am about to cry, this is stressful." 🍀Kyoko probably calls Mondo who calls a buddy of his who likes huntsman spiders to take it out (only because Makoto was insistent on not killing the spider) 🍀Overall, he doesn’t like the experience and it does actually traumatize him :)

Hajime Hinata:

🍊Usually is decent at dealing with creepy crawlies but he's never had to deal with a motherfucker like this  🍊He never bothered to even look into how to remove a huntsman spider because they're not native to Japan and just assumed it wouldn't be a problem  🍊Bitch was wrong, wrong as hell and it showed in how he came right back out of the house after entering 🍊Takes a moment to mentally and emotionally recollect himself before going over to you and telling you to call Komaeda  🍊"He deals with crazy shit all the time, he has to know what to do with this!" 🍊Literally the one and only time he ever lets Nagito into his house unsupervised and he's terrified  🍊Doesn't ask any questions when Nagito comes back out with a trash bag, smiling, and saying the spider is gone - Hajime doesn't need to know what happened, he just wants to live in a happy, spiderless house 🍊7/10, not the best reaction because he assumed you were being dramatic but he's definitely more orderly than anyone else on this list 

Nagito Komaeda:

🥯Motherfucker is crazy, he doesn't care  🥯"Do you have hope, my love? That I'll get rid of it? I can see the hope in your eyes! Yes, I'll get rid of such a gruesome creature in the name of your hope!" 🥯Just kinda walks in, stays for a weirdly long time, walks back out with nothing in hand and a smile on his face  🥯"It's done, my love." 🥯Doesn't get why you keep asking "what's done?" and "why're you being so cryptic about how you got rid of the spider?" or "your silence is seriously worrying, can you please tell me how you got rid of the spider?" 🥯Just kinda expected you to move on from that, he doesn't see why you're so worried about it  🥯He isn't scared of spiders anyway, he actually kinda thinks they're cool so just be glad he didn't keep that bitch  🥯All in all, very alarming and probably more harmful to you than the spider

[seisoukan]

A Praying Chant - Chapter 3

Translated by: @seisoukan

With thanks to my proofers: @kuma829

Season: Winter

Location: School Route

SUBARU: Huff, huff~ Thanks for waiting, Ukki~

MAKOTO: You really didn’t need to hurry. You can get hurt easily when you hurry around like that.

Otogari-kun still hasn’t come, so let’s wait for him a while.

Look at you, huffing and puffing. I’ll buy you a drink, so you rest here.

Yup, I’ve bought it, here you go~

SUBARU: Thanks, Ukki— Eh?

I didn’t look at you all that carefully just now, but why do you look like such a wreck? Did you get into some kind of accident?

If someone wants to harm Ukki, you’ve got to tell us! We won’t sit back and watch our peers get hurt!

MAKOTO: Akehoshi-kun, please don’t shake me around, I’m going to get dizzy~

No one is trying to hurt me. It’s just that I’ve been inexplicably unlucky recently.

There was an earlier occasion where I was walking down the street when I noticed a puddle of dirty water in front me. I had just stopped in front of it, as a stray cat suddenly sprang out from beside me. Taken by surprise, I took a few steps backwards.

I thought, “thank goodness I didn’t step in the water!” But then… Bam! I ran into some type of muscle head.

I was pushed forward by the strong inertia, and seconds later, I found myself lying face-down in the dirty puddle.

Thinking back on it, I can’t believe that actually happened. I mean at least compared to the last few days, my luck’s way better right now.

SUBARU: Well, if that’s the case~ Behold, I cast upon you a spell that will make you blessed with good fortune ☆

Eh? Natsume would totally do something like this, wouldn’t he~?

Let me think~ How does he usually go about it?

MAKOTO: Hey, wait, Akehoshi-kun… No, no, please no! What if you recite the wrong incantation, you’ll make things even worse than they were before!

But still, thanks for trying, Akehoshi-kun.

SUBARU: Alright, I won’t do it, since Ukki said so. But, what kinda presents are we going to buy for Gami-san?

MAKOTO: Um, actually, I haven’t thought of anything either. Just trying to get here, I completely exerted all my energy in trying to not end up in some crazy situation…

Since Akehoshi-kun is here, I probably won’t encounter any more bad luck…

Let me take the opportunity to do some online research.

SUBARU: Rest assured, I’ll become the best bodyguard for Ukki there is! Nothing dangerous will come near you with me here~

MAKOTO: The mall seems to have a newly imported batch of mascot animals. How about we gift these to Oogami-kun?

SUBARU: But I don’t think Gami-san would like those kinda cutesy things.

Although, giving a sick person a mascot character is a logical response.

MAKOTO: This isn’t the cutie patootie kind of mascot characters Akehoshi-kun is thinking of~ Come over and take a look.

SUBARU: Hm, it really doesn’t resemble the mascot character I was expecting. They’re so strange-looking.

But here, some of these are pretty… Badass. It feels like Gami-san would like them.

MAKOTO: Actually, rather than calling these ‘mascot characters’, they should be ‘characters symbolizing good luck’.[1]

These all seem to be mythical beasts from China. Each of them have their own meanings, but overall, they signify good fortune and happiness.

I was talking with Anzu-chan about my bout of bad luck, and she suggested I buy some mascot characters to bring around.

So I also want to buy some to try it out.

ADONIS: Sorry, I’m late.

I had to request a leave of absence from my senpais at UNDEAD, so I took a bit of time.

MAKOTO: No worries, no worries at all. We’re still discussing what kind of gift to buy Oogami-kun.

We were just looking at these mascot characters. What does Otogari-kun think?

If you have any thoughts, you can tell us.

ADONIS: I think you made a very good choice.

Moreover, no matter what it is, as long as it is a gift that represents our heartfelt thoughts, Oogami should be happy when he receives it.

SUBARU: Then, let’s first head to the mall~

Here we go~ Bad luck go scram, bad luck go scram ☆[2]

ADONIS: What is Akehoshi doing?

MAKOTO: Maybe he wants to help disperse the bad luck on the journey there.

ADONIS: Hmm?

The word for ‘lucky’ and ‘mascot’ are the same in Chinese. A literal translation would be ‘lucky characters’.

An idiom spoken when one wishes for bad luck to disappear. This is just a fun translation of its actual meaning!

The Heavenly Beast's Scroll - Masterlist

[aokuro-san]

A little review of 253: Angry, Takemichi and the train

Voucher. I've already been reviewing the chapter and I've seen some posts and comments talking about it. I want to start by clarifying that, from my point of view, ANGRY HAS ALREADY BEEN DEFEATED BY MIKEY AND THE ONLY ONE LEFT STANDING (of our known characters, of course) IS OUR HERO: TAKEMICHI. And I say this because of how the author shows it to us in the chapter. In the vignettes, we see Angry's tearful face at the defeat of his brother and Peh-yan. Afterwards, Mikey threatens him and there is a sound (probably a kick, unless it's the bloody train from hell, lol). Takemichi turns around and Kakucho asks him again what he is looking at (another interesting detail). I think it's a loss that happens off screen, but it happens.

Takemichi's face says it all to me.

The thing is more or less like this

Tokyo Manji Gang 2G

Mitsuya, Hakkai, Chifuyu, and Akkun are defeated by Hanma.

Koko and Inupi are defeated by Benkei and Wakasa.

Smiley, Angry, Peh-yan and Pah-chin are defeated by Mikey

Senju was defeated by Sanzu

Takuya and Makoto are defeated by Shion.

Kanto Manji Gang

Shion was defeated by Akkun

Mochizuki was defeated by Chifuyu

Ran and Rindou were defeated by Mitsuya and Hakkai.

So the only one left standing from the ToMan is... Wait a minute, but what about YAMAGISHI? The last time we heard from him was while he was guarding, scared, the defeated bodies of Takuya and Makoto... But since then we don't know where he is. WHAT WILL YAMAGISHI BE DOING?

However, the reason for this little post is, above all, THE THEME OF THE TRAIN. A youtuber that I follow and who talks a lot about TokRev mentioned a detail that I didn't realize at the time and that shows that the prediction was already there long before this battle began: in the background of the official image of Kanto Manji see a train... and the train is bloody. Hanma, our Shinigami and lord of death, looks directly at the train.

It never crossed my mind that the train could be something LITERAL (in fact, I thought it was a disused track, hehehe), but who the hell knows? Like I said, we haven't heard from Sanzu for a long time... Although, maybe, it's not so strange. Regardless of how insistent he was before the final battle, Sanzu has always been a character to act in the rear. He is quiet and does not draw particular attention except when he must or is confidential. So if he's taking so long to make his main appearance, maybe it's because he's up to no good and the train is REAL.

(A curious detail is that it is not actually shown that Sanzu is the one driving the vehicle. Sanzu is on the train and says that he killed them all, but it is not shown that he is the driver... Curious)

So what would all this mean? How to solve the battle? From my point of view, I think it all started with Takemichi being hit by a train... and I think the ending will go in that direction. Maybe Takemichi getting hit by the train to save his friends once and for all? I already explained in another post that I think time travel depends a lot on the death of this character. And indeed, Takemichi HAS DIED many times. It wouldn't be strange if the author killed him one more time to resolve the plot... to save them all, as our hero wants. And speaking of heroes... I see that many are not convinced by this plot, but for me it would be ideal. Let's not forget: Takemichi is our hero. And the heroes must make great sacrifices to save their loved ones. Until now, Takemichi hasn't even remotely considered sacrificing his life for them (besides, because he was evolving as a person and becoming a better person)...but I don't feel like he's that far fetched.

What do you think?