#sunakawa ai

[bubblegumrush]

T𝕙𝕖𝕞𝕖 P𝕒𝕣𝕜 (𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟏)⌇𝙼𝚊𝚔𝚘𝚝𝚘 𝚂𝚞𝚗𝚊𝚔𝚊𝚠𝚊 𝚡 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛⌇𝖬𝗒 𝖫𝗈𝗏𝖾 𝖲𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗒!!

Chapter Five

You sat in the living room with Ai as you peeled small clementines with the news channel running in the background. "How long are you planning on staying for?" You asked Ai, giving her half of your clementine.

"Until Sunday evening." She took her half, sitting beside you on the floor near the coffee table. "By the way, you should come tomorrow."

You cocked a brow. "Tomorrow? To M.M. Land?"

"Yeah," she said, suddenly collapsing onto the coffee and letting out a loud sigh. "Takeo and his girlfriend are going..." She groaned into her arm.

You chuckled, comforting her with a gentle pat on the back. "Oh, Ai, I'm sure you'll find somebody as great or maybe even better than Takeo. But for that to happen, you have to move on."

She slightly lifted her head up, her eyes watery. She cried out. "I know, but nobody can compare to him... Don't worry, I won't go after him. Those two are really good together. I want them to be happy." But she swiftly shifted emotions and sat up straight with a bright-eyed look in her eyes. "Anyway! You should come; Oda's coming as well."

"No thanks; it just looks like some double date kind of thing. I don't want to be a fifth wheel between Takeo and Yamato and Oda and you." You rejected her offer, getting up to go throw away your peels. "Plus, I hate theme parks. Mascots creep me out."

Ai got up and followed you to the kitchen counter with protesting words, "Me and Oda?? Y/N, you know it's not like that between me and him!"

"Really? It seems like you're just not ready to admit it. He's already professed his love, and not long, you'll realize you like him as well." You gave her a smirk, teasing her.

"Shut up; you're coming tomorrow, and that's the end of it. AND don't you dare bring this up tomorrow." She pointed at you as you let out a laugh.

"Again, I'm not going. Don't wanna fifth wheel in your guys' date." You rejected a second time.

"C'mon, you're not going to be left alone; Makoto's going too." She informed, "You and him could be on your own little date." She winked at you and nudged you on the shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." You waved her off, not liking the idea of going with Sunakawa. It's not like you didn't like him; actually, you've gotten quite close to him these past few days. But for some reason, you felt weird. It's like, overnight, you went from strangers to close friends.

"So, is that a yes?" She asked, looking over at you with a face that said, 'Even if you say no, I'm dragging you there with me.'

"Fine. I'll go." You sighed, "But you owe me."

You lazed on the couch as you watched the series your mom left on before going off to do laundry. You sat there all day, even when Ai came for a quick drop-by. You haven't moved your butt the whole day. You started to feel yourself melt into the couch and become one with the couch.

"I'm home!" Takeo shouted throughout the house, making you jump suddenly from the tranquility you were once in.

"Welcome back!" You replied with the same energy, finally having the energy to get up and greet him.

You made your way over to the doorway when you saw a stranger standing behind Takeo.

"Hi, I'm Takeo's sister." You greeted him.

"Y/N, this is Oda. He's crashing here tonight." He said it nonchalantly. "Oda, this is my sister, Y/N." He said, turning back towards Oda.

"She is?" He asked, looking back and forth between you and Takeo, a little dumfounded.

"Aren't you Ai's friend?" You inquired, ignoring his previous comment. "I've heard a lot about you but haven't actually met you."

"You did? Was it from Ai?" He queried with a smirk. "Didn't think she actually talks about me." He said fake blushing.

Both guys went into Takeo's bedroom as you returned to your spot on the couch. You stayed there the whole evening until your dad came home. When he came home, your mom started chewing you out for staying there all day, which led you to take a breather outside as you naturally didn't leave the house all day.

"Fresh air~" you inhaled the outside air for the first time today. You leaned across the railing as you stood right outside of your house. You gazed at the surroundings, looking over at the small park next to your house, when all of a sudden you heard a door open.

You turned around to see Sunakawa. "Y/N? What are you doing out so late?"

"I could ask you the same thing." You looked over at him before returning your gaze to the small park you were observing. "I'm just basking in the moonlight. What else could I be doing?"

He smiled at you, standing next to you as he leaned his back on the railing, facing you. "I came out here for a breather too. The summer air at night is quite something to behold."

"It truly is," you said softly under your breath, suddenly not looking at the park but at him.

"So, you're coming tomorrow? I thought you hated theme parks."

"I do, but I can't go against Ai; she'll drag me even if I refuse a billion times." You let out a despairing sigh. "But it's fine; at least it's something to do, good or bad. I've been a couch potato all day; it's good for me to go out tomorrow."

"That's nice to hear. I was hoping you'd come tomorrow."

He did?

"You did?" You chocked out, mumbling your words.

"Let's get some rest. I better head in now." He stated, not catching what you mumbled. "Good night, Y/N; see you tomorrow."

He walked back inside as you let out a last minute. "Good night,"

You stood there for another twenty minutes or so, gathering your thoughts together and mentally preparing for what's to come the next day.

You slowly walked behind the group, staring off at the plentiful attractions. It wasn't often that you came out of the house during the weekends, and when you did, you would find yourself drained at the end of the day.

You stared at the roller coasters to the carousels, your ears filled with the yelling of children; it was slowly starting to irritate you. You turned back to the group to realize the group you were following was not your original group. In fact, you were following a group of complete strangers.

You cursed your luck under your breath and started reaching for your phone, only to realize...

"Fuck, Takeo has it."

You tried looking for your brother, as he was an easy landmark to spot, but to no avail. You gave up minutes after looking around.

"Maybe it's a sign that going to the theme park was a bad idea." You sighed, looking around for some kind of place to stay and not stand in the middle of the crosswalk.

When suddenly, just like in horror movies, you felt a strong grip on your shoulder, pulling you to turn around.

"Hey there! Are you lost, li'l fella?" An all-too-joyful voice that made your spine shiver just from the thought of turning around greeted you.

Truth be told, you were terrified of mascots. One of the main reasons you did not want to come on this trip. They looked so weird, especially with their soulless eyes.

It always looked like they were staring deep inside of you. You couldn't even tell if they were really looking at you or not. You knew they were just ordinary people inside of these costumes, but it's weird to see children flocking around a complete stranger.

"N-no, I'm fine, sir." You stuttered, slowly backing away, already knowing you're going to have nightmares about this interaction.

You found yourself a small bench under the shade where you planned out the rest of your day with the appearance of this new circumstance: you were going to sit there and pray for them to pass by you and finally get reunited with them once again.

"Oh, what am I doing?! There's no way they're going to pass by here again. I should just go home; there's no use in waiting." You cupped your face in your hands, your brain thinking of something to solve your situation.

You began feeling overwhelmed as your body started sweating from the anxiety you were starting to have. The noise that surrounded you seemed to only get louder as you concentrated your ears on the people around you.

Your eyes streamed tears as you tried your best to wipe them off the moment they fell, scared to let strangers see you cry. You wept silently, thanking God that you chose somewhere kind of desolate.

Even though you cried silently, only the tears streamed; you couldn't help but hear loud cries.

You stopped your weeping, feeling yourself go delusional from still hearing loud cries resembling those of a child.

You finally look up from your palms, which were drenched in your tears, and notice straight ahead a little girl, no older than three, bawling her eyes out in the middle of the crosswalk.

You awkwardly stared at her as you looked around to see no one else around. When suddenly you made eye contact with the little girl, which seemingly made her cry louder as if to get your attention.

"Why me?" You cried out, slapping yourself awake as you made your way towards her. "This is just my day." You said sarcastically to yourself.

You got closer to her, hushing her to calm down and breathe. She seemed to cool off, ceased her loud cries, and went to soft weeping.

"Hi sweetie, Are you lost?" You bent down to her level, pulling out the tissue paper you were originally going to use for yourself, and wiped her tears.

She gave you a small head nod. "I lost my mommy," she said, hiccupping between each mumbled word. Suddenly bursting into a fit of cries again.

You sighed as people that walked past you started to stare. "Um, come, let's get out of people's way."

You led her by the hand and went to the bench you sat on. "Up we go," you said, placing her on the bench as you kneeled in front of her. "Can you tell me when's the last time you saw your mommy?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Mommy disappeared, and now she's gone," she said. You felt that she was going to cry again if you continued, so you moved on.

"Ok, ok. Don't cry; we'll find your mommy. Don't worry. Just please don't cry." You begged, being careful not to trigger her tears again. "Just follow me; we'll go see if an employee can help."

You stood up, ready to leave, when suddenly you felt a tug on your arm. She held her arms up, as if she wanted you to carry her in your arms. Naturally, you obliged, picking her up.

"Is this what having a sister is like...?" You mumbled underneath your breath.

You walked around, child in arms, searching for the lost child area theme parks usually have. It's been ten minutes, and you were already exhausted carrying her, especially when she dozed off mid-way through. Now her body felt heavier.

Suddenly, a voice said from behind you, "I didn't think you'd wander this far away."

You quickly turned around, instantly recognizing that voice, "Sunakawa! Oh, I've never been so happy to see someone." You looked around to see if the others were with him, but no, he was alone. "The others aren't with you...?" you mumbled.

He quickly took notice of the child you carried, ignoring your worries. "Woah, you have a kid...?"

"Umm, yeah. Do you mind holding her for me? My arms are going numb." You gently handed her off to Sunakawa. "Don't ask questions about where she came from; I don't know either." You awkwardly chuckled at the situation.

"Where have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you." He said this, holding her up and gently cupping her head.

"I don't know, probably just wandered around looking for a way out of this place- What do you mean, "Where have you been"!? Like I had a choice about being lost. I was following you guys, and I turned around for one second, and next thing you know, you guys disappeared and were nowhere to be seen." You raised your voice at him, your voice starting to crack as you felt hurt by being abandoned by your friend. "Whatever, let's just find her parents so I can go home."

Your pace got faster as you started leading the way, while Sunakawa held his silence on what he had to say. He knew that if he'd whispered one more word, you might blow up from that anger of yours. So he followed you in silence.

You arrived at the center and told the employees about the situation you were in, and they gladly welcomed the little girl and told you that they were going to take it from there.

"They said they had it from there; we can leave now; she'll be fine." You advised Sunakawa as you made your way towards him, while he leaned against the wall waiting for you.

"Good. I'm glad she's safe. Oh, and, by the way, I called Takeo to tell him you were safe and sound. He's at the parade if you want to go see them. I know you want to go home, but you could at least stay for the parade. They say it's really amazing."

You thought about it, though you didn't see much reason for going. Today was a bad enough day that if you stayed any longer, it would just be you welcoming the bad luck to you. But something about the way he stuck around and how he was most likely the only one who looked for you made you want to stay.

"Fine, I'll go. But only because Takeo still has my phone."

He gave you a soft smile, and you smiled back, but for some reason, the moment you smiled back, his smile faded as if something had changed.

[medea10]

My Review of Hokkaido Girls Are Super Adorable

Just a random pick. Roll it!

Tsubasa Shiki has just moved from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo to the northernest and chilliest part of Japan, Hokkaido…well, Kitami City if you want to get technical. His first day there, he meets a young girl waiting at a bus stop and was just amazed at her. Minami Fuyuki has blonde hair, flashy nails, makeup, and has the leg strength to withstand frigid cold temperatures without the need of knee-high socks. They seem to hit it off. As Tsubasa is new to this area, Minami seems to have her priorities all settled in terms of everyday life. So, she has no problem helping out the new guy.

And that’s essentially it for the story! There are Hokkaido girls Tsubasa hangs out with. He hangs out with the extrovert Fuyuki, the gamer Sayuri and the odd-ball senpai Rena.

BETWEEN THE SUB AND THE DUB: I guess I must have slept on the dub for the last couple of months because up until doing the finishing touches on the review, I didn’t know of its existence. Like nearly every other anime that is coming out nowadays it was licensed and dubbed by Crunchyroll. The sub has a lot of recognizable names and all do a great job. Here’s what you might recognize these folks from.

JAPANESE CAST: *Tsubasa is played by Nobunaga Shimazaki (known for Yuki on Fruits Basket 2019, Haru on Free!, Eugeo on SAO: Alicization, Sunakawa on Ore Monogatari, Shinichi on Parasyte, Yuno on Black Clover, and Izana on Tokyo Revengers)

*Minami is played by Ayane Sakura (known for Orla on Pokemon Horizons, Uraraka on My Hero Academia, Gabi on Attack on Titan, Nero on Black Clover, Fiona on Spy x Family, Gasper on High School DxD, and Saki on Girlfriend Girlfriend)

*Sayuri is played by Yumiri Hanamori (known for Nadeshiko on Laid-Back Camp, Hayasaka on Kaguya-sama, Evileye on Overlord, Ryuuji on Blue Period, Asahi on Happy Sugar Life, and Doumeki on Eizouken)

*Rena is played by Reina Ueda (known for Mallow on Pokemon SM, Kisa on Fruits Basket 2019, Kanao on Demon Slayer, Ariel on Mushoku Tensei, Miyo on My Happy Marriage, and Jiro on Tokyo Ghoul)

ENGLISH CAST: *Tsubasa is played by Matt Shipman (known for Floch on Attack on Titan, Cavendish on One Piece, Inasa on My Hero Academia, Sogiita on Railgun, and Chrome on Dr. Stone)

*Minami is played by Mikaela Krantz (known for Momiji on Fruits Basket 2019, Clementine on Overlord, Misaki on Railgun, Ai on Wonder Egg Priority, Doll on Black Butler, and Hyouka on Shimoneta)

*Sayuri is played by Brittany Lauda (known for Riko on Made in Abyss, F.F. on Jojo’s Pt. 6, Satoko on Higurashi Gou, Mai on Nichijou, and Saki on Girlfriend Girlfriend)

*Rena is played by Jill Harris (known for Noelle on Black Clover, Fern on Frieren, Aura on Overlord, Hiiragi on Natsume’s Book of Friends, and Shizuku on Love Live Nijigasaki)

SHIPPING: Hmm…three Hokkaido girls. All of them are attracted to this kid (kinda not really in a love way). Tsubasa’s a shy boy and new to the concept of…well, everything involving the opposite sex. I think I’ve seen this set up before. The only difference here is that Tsubasa has a very strict grandmother that’ll stop any of these clumsy girls falling on him. But you have to admit that Minami, Sayuri, and Rena are at play here. Rena is actually on good terms with Tsubasa’s grandmother and loves all the traditional things Tsubasa is accustomed to. Sayuri and Tsubasa had a lot of great moments together whether gaming or just opening up. And as for Minami, well, she’s first girl.

Honestly, I think that Tsubasa will get with one of these three before Kazuya gets with Chizuru on Rent-A-Girlfriend at this point.

BURRRRRRN!

And my take on the matter, I kinda became a Minami x Tsubasa shipper when Tsubasa played the piano for Minami.

RANDOM NOTE: I can’t be the only person who thinks this.

Agree or disagree? The opening theme sounds a little too similar to Uptown Funk.

In episode 11, you can see the singer of the opening theme playing the song. This experience felt like watching the Love Rollercoaster scene from Beavis and Butt-head Do America. If you know, you know.

ENDING: Kind of a weird time for this to happen, but Tsubasa is now entering his second year of high school. Yeah, we don’t see that until the end of or beginning of a season. Whatever! We are in the spring season, but you wouldn’t know that since Hokkaido is much like the town of South Park. Snow is going to be on the ground regardless of what your calender says. There’s a lot of talk and thinking about the growth of these characters over the past few months. Since Tsubasa transferred, a lot of these characters have changed. Sayuri was able to kinda come out of her shell and do things with classmates she normally wouldn’t do. Rena was able to see the impact of what she does. And Matsuo…

Wait, who’s Matsuo again?

I guess this random guy, Matsuo is part of the crew now. I noticed it subtly when he was featured with the rest of the main cast at the end of the opening theme. I didn’t even realize that he was the guy that made that comment about not getting homemade chocolates from Minami during the Valentine’s episode. Whatever!

One little comment from Tsubasa about wishing to see cherry blossoms in Hokkaido prompted Minami to set up a surprise trip for him several hours from where they live. She wanted to have Tsubasa go out with her for one day and because she has something important to say. A myriad of possibilities pop up in our brains when Minami wants to discuss with Tsubasa. When it comes to this girl, it can be anything. While she is a flirt, we are approaching the season finale and this could be something serious. For now, let’s enjoy these two enjoying the spring weather, good food, music, and all that fun stuff. So, of course Minami is going to drop a bombshell at the end of this particular episode. And give Tsubasa some credit as he thought that Minami was going to reveal personal feelings for him. I’m glad his character isn’t that freakin’ oblivious. Actually, Minami is leaving as she’s going to study abroad. Tsubasa hugs her and next thing you know, they’re both in a hotel room together.

Yeah, they both missed the bus from their current location and Tsubasa’s father (whom we haven’t seen up until these last two episodes) hooks his son up. Being alone in a hotel room with a pretty girl gave Tsubasa quite the vivid images in his mind. Fortunately, nothing came of that as he fell asleep while she was taking a shower and then she left immediately after.

In that aftermath, Tsubasa was quiet and kept himself inside, not even talking to Rena or Sayuri. Well, this is the day that Minami was going to leave. Minami reveals to Sayuri that it was because of people like her, Tsubasa, and Rena that she came to this decision about her future. Tsubasa eventually gets off his ass to go to the airport in one last romantic gesture you’ve seen in God-knows how many romcoms.

And as we all know, Tsubasa would never have the clearance to make it to the boarding area if this is any program after September 11th, 2001. But logic be damned as he came in to see Minami off and give her a hairpin that was left behind. And then she drops a big ol’ bombshell of a facepalm. Minami will only be gone for 2 weeks. The time passed by like that and we’re back to the status quo. The end!

I honestly didn’t know what to expect watching this week-by-week. What I was given was not bad. Yes, there’s going to be some fan-service when you have a character like Minami. Hell, there was an episode where she was talking to Tsubasa on the phone while naked in the bathtub. Girl’s a freak! I guess what I got from this is that we all need a close-knit group of friends that’ll be there to encourage you.

And that Hokkaido girls are super adorable!

Hence the title of the anime.

If you want a short, fluffy high school story, give this a try. Crunchyroll has every episode available.

[elen-000]

Ore Monogatari!! (俺物語!!): The original Japanese title, which translates directly to "My Story!

My Love Story!! (Japanese: 俺物語!!, Hepburn: Ore Monogatari!!, lit. "My Story!!") is a Japanese romantic comedy manga series created by Kazune Kawahara and illustrated by Aruko. Serialized in Shueisha's Bessatsu Margaret from October 2011 to July 2016, this charming series has captured hearts with its unique love story. Viz Media brought it to English-speaking audiences, further cementing its popularity. The tale revolves around the lovable but awkward giant, Takeo Gōda, whose life takes an unexpected turn when he defends Rinko Yamato from a groper on the train.

Plot

The series chronicles the life of Takeo Gōda, a towering high school student whose intimidating presence often scares off potential romantic interests. Instead, girls tend to fall for his handsome best friend, Makoto Sunakawa. However, everything changes when Takeo rescues the shy and petite Rinko Yamato. Despite Takeo's self-deprecating belief that Rinko would fall for Makoto, she genuinely falls for him, sparking a heartwarming and comedic love story.

Main Characters

Takeo Gōda (剛田 猛男, Gōda Takeo)

Voiced by: Takuya Eguchi (Japanese), Andrew Love (English)

Actor: Ryohei Suzuki

Takeo is the gentle giant of the story, known for his enormous size and kind heart. Though initially worried that Rinko might prefer his friend Makoto, Takeo's genuine nature wins her over. His story is one of selfless love and commitment, highlighted by his supportive actions and eventual proposal to Rinko.

Rinko Yamato (大和 凛子, Yamato Rinko)

Voiced by: Megumi Han (Japanese), Tia Ballard (English)

Actor: Mei Nagano

Rinko is a sweet and determined girl who falls for Takeo after he saves her. Despite her initial shyness and Takeo's daunting appearance, she admires his strength and kindness. Rinko's journey involves overcoming personal and emotional challenges, including dealing with a move to Spain and her subsequent return to continue her life with Takeo.

Makoto Sunakawa (砂川 誠, Sunakawa Makoto)

Voiced by: Nobunaga Shimazaki (Japanese), Austin Tindle (English)

Actor: Kentaro Sakaguchi

Makoto is Takeo's level-headed and handsome best friend. Despite his charm attracting many girls, he values his friendship with Takeo above all. Makoto's role is crucial as he supports Takeo and helps navigate the ups and downs of his relationship with Rinko.

Supporting Characters

Ai Sunakawa (砂川 愛, Sunakawa Ai)

Voiced by: Kikuko Inoue (Japanese), Carli Mosier (English)

Makoto’s older sister who has quietly admired Takeo since childhood.

Yuriko Gōda (剛田 ゆり子, Gōda Yuriko)

Voiced by: Kazuyo Aoki (Japanese), Marcy Bannor (English)

Takeo’s devoted mother, who raised him with strength and love.

Yutaka Gōda (剛田 豊, Gōda Yutaka)

Voiced by: Tesshô Genda (Japanese), Josh Morrison (English)

Takeo’s father, known for his good looks and protective nature towards his family.

Media Adaptations

Manga

The manga began as a special in Bessatsu Margaret Sister on October 13, 2011, and was serialized until July 13, 2016. The series was compiled into thirteen volumes, with the final volume released on September 23, 2016. Viz Media has published the series in English, starting from July 1, 2014.

Anime

An anime adaptation by Madhouse aired from April to September 2015, capturing the essence of the manga’s humor and romance.

Live-Action Film

A live-action film adaptation was released in October 2015, bringing the beloved characters to the big screen.

Special Chapters

Additional chapters were released as side stories in Bessatsu Margaret, including a special crossover with Io Sakisaka’s Blue Spring Ride in July 2013.

My Love Story!! remains a beloved series for its heartwarming story, endearing characters, and the humorous yet touching portrayal of love and friendship.

[an-archive-of-memories]

I finished watching Ore Monogatari or My Love Story yesterday. I just wanna scream and hug Takeo and Sunakawa and Yamato and Ai and their parents (⁠〒⁠﹏⁠〒⁠) they are the ADORABLEST ughhh!

I will start reading the manga today and fall in love more! It's such a healthy anime istg! I love!

[anime-archive]

[thankanomics]

[ifeelalot]

[faithbethhyden]

Takeo saying he never got Chocolate in February by a girl that liked him before Yamato was a lie… Ai-san gave him chocolate on loop every February but he was only thinking it was only for pity… MY DUMBASS GORILLA

[mina-ahavi]

[bebopping-samurai]

[livinginanime]

I have to hand it to her she literally waited for the right time but when it came down to it he fell in love with someone else!!!! 😭🥺🥺 AND she STILL had feelings for him even after she decided to support his relationship!!! She's a real one 😭

[dresspheres]

414 Icons | Ai Sunakawa | Ore Monogatari

414 Icons for Ai Sunakawa from Ore Monogatari.

Please like or reblog this post if you plan on using the icons.

Credit me if you edit them! Otherwise, credit’s very much appreciated.

Download Here

Preview

[alloarocharactershowdown]

Here is the bracket for the Alloaro Character Showdown! Please let ve know if there are any mistakes. Because of how many contestants there are, the first round will be divided into four parts, with eight polls each.

[ID: A 64-character bracket featuring the characters listed below the cut. End ID]

Art for Jess by @kindaorangey - [link], art for Sister Carpenter by @terra-toma - [link], art for Clover Martinez by @layaart - [link]

Underneath are all of the characters!

Side A

Round 1 Part 1

Suki (Avatar: The Last Airbender) vs.

Alonzo (Cats)

Lord Dominator (Wander Over Yonder) vs.

Lydia Martin (Teen Wolf)

Umetarou Nozaki (Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun) vs.

Toph Beifong (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Moonshine Cybin (Not Another D&D Podcast) vs.

Agent 3 (Splatoon)

MK (Monkie Kid) vs.

Kaworu Nagisa (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

Sasha James (The Magnus Archives) vs.

Katsuya Serizawa (Mob Psycho 100)

Hawks (My Hero Academia) vs.

L Lawliet (Death Note)

Jess (Loveless) vs.

Fenneko (Aggretsuko)

Round 1 Part 2

Ashton Greymoore (Critical Role) vs.

Kaname Date (AI: The Somnium Files)

Gumi (Vocaloid) vs.

Boromir (Lord of the Rings)

Optimus (Transformers) vs.

Sherlock Holmes (Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle)

Double Trouble (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power) vs.

Alix Kubdel (Miraculous Ladybug)

Arthur Lester (Malevolent) vs.

Grog Strongjaw (Critical Role)

Sister Carpenter (The Silt Verses) vs.

Touka Kirishima (Tokyo Ghoul)

Kento Nanami (Jujutsu Kaisen) vs.

Makoto Sunakawa (Ore Monogatari!!)

Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars) vs.

Benrey (Half Life VR But The AI is Self Aware)

Side B

Round 1 Part 3

Ansem, Seeker of Darkness (Kingdom Hearts) vs.

Thalia Grace (Percy Jackson and the Olympians)

Reagan Ridley (Inside Job) vs.

Mina Ashido (My Hero Academia)

Iñigo Montoya (The Princess Bride) vs.

Sylvain Jose Gautier (Fire Emblem)

Kurapika (Hunter x Hunter) vs.

Ikuyo Kita (Bocchi the Rock!)

Jazz Fenton (Danny Phantom) vs.

Taylor Swift (Dungeons and Daddies)

Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) vs.

Jeff Winger (Community)

Kou Yamori (Call of the Night) vs.

Willow Park (The Owl House)

Matt Murdock (Daredevil) vs.

Dean Winchester (Supernatural)

Round 1 Part 4

Miles Straume (Lost) vs.

Jake English (Homestuck)

Tahani Al-Jamil (The Good Place) vs.

Papyrus (Undertale)

Clover Martinez (The Last 8) vs.

Rita (The Penumbra Podcast)

Denji (Chainsaw Man) vs.

Arataka Reigen (Mob Psycho 100)

Yor Forger (Spy X Family) vs.

Teruhashi Kokomi (The Disastrous Life of Saiki K)

Anya Jenkins (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) vs.

Anne Boonchuy, Marcy Wu, and Sasha Waybright (Amphibia)

Yuri Plisetsky (Yuri On Ice) vs.

Miles Edgeworth (Ace Attorney)

Kenma Kozume (Haikyuu!!) vs.

Ramuda Amemura (Hypnosis Microphone)

[animebw]

Binge-Watching: Ore Monogatari, Episode 13-15

In which we get our first genuinely mishandled arc, an interesting point is let down by confused messaging, but things quickly turn around as Takeo becomes a teacher.

An Unpleasant Turn

Well, folks, we just hit an interesting speed bump: for the first time, Ore Monogatari has given me an arc that I don’t quite think works. After twelve episodes of pretty much the sweetest, most effortlessly wholesome rom-com imaginable, we spend two episodes on a side plot that hits this show’s first real sour note. It’s far from dealbreaking, and it’s honestly not that bad an arc in and of itself, but it’s the first time that Ore Monogatari’s storytelling has alienated me more than it’s sucked me in. And that’s not a pleasant feeling to sit with. It’s never a good time when a show you like does something you dislike, but especially with a show as comfortable and welcoming as this one, feeling it push me away is especially disconcerting. Hopefully this isn’t indicative of future troubles to come, because after how much I’ve loved this show over its first half, I’d hate for its second half to let me down.

So. The problems pretty much all stem from the new side character who’s introduced to be the driving agent of this arc’s plot. He’s a guy named Oda, and he’s got a crush on Sunakawa’s sister Ai, who, as we might remember, has a crush on Takeo. Ai has already turned him down and made it clear she’s not interested, but he’s followed her back home from college anyway to meet Takeo and learn about the guy his crush fell in love with. The reason why? He wants Ai to confess to Takeo so she can finally get over her feelings for him and move on, thus opening herself up to other romantic prospects- in other words, so Oda can make his move on her. Yeah, it’s exactly as scummy as it sounds. We’re constantly shown Oda pushing past Ai’s boundaries, contriving situations to make his plans work, and just overall taking advantage of Takeo and Yamato’s inherent kindness to insert himself where he clearly doesn’t belong. And it’s... weird. It’s weird and uncomfortable in a way I don’t think the show recognizes. Sure, Oda gets his fair share of ribbing, constantly freaking out at Takeo’s overwhelming size and ultimately failing to make Ai confess, but it feels like the show’s treating him as a nosy, but ultimately harmless dude who’s trying to help Ai get over her shit. Except he’s also ignoring Ai’s explicit rejection and taking Takeo’s battery out of his phone when he’s not looking to try and force a situation, and his inner monologue reminds us a lot how he’s doing this so he can get “his turn,” and it’s like... is this guy supposed to be genuinely overstepping his boundaries or just being kind of a prick? Because it doesn’t seem like the show really knows either?

The Jinx of Life

And that sucks, because it really throws a wrench into Ai’s development when the character drama behind it are so confusing. There’s a great conversation to be had in regards to crushing on people you know you don’t have a shot with, and how you go about dealing with those feelings. By far my favorite scene from these episodes comes when Takeo and Suna are riding the haunted boat tunnel and talking about how this amusement park supposedly has a jinx where couples who come there are destined to break up. But Suna points out that really, it’s less about a jinx and more about the fact that a good chunk of romantic couples just aren’t going to work out. A lot of relationships fall apart for all kinds of reasons, not because of some outside fate or forces, but because it just wasn’t meant to be, or they just weren’t right for each other. It’s a powerful, insightful conversation about the reality of romance, especially teen romance, that doesn’t always come up in rom-coms, especially not rom-coms as fluffy as this one. And in classic Ore Monogatari fashion, the philosophy goes down with a heaping teaspoon of hilarity as Takeo’s quiet thoughts are interrupted again and again by him screaming over the ride’s countless jumpscares. In that moment, you can see what this arc is trying to be: an exploration of the reality that some relationships just don’t work out, and when it’s best to move on when you know there’s nothing more to be done.

And honestly, I think Takeo and Yamato’s side of that story still works really well. It’s a simple enough metaphor, but it still tracks; there’s no jinx or fate that will determine your relationship’s path. If you want to make it work, then it’s up to both of you to do your best for each other, whether that’s as simple as finding each other in a crowd to watch the festival together or involves deeper questions. But I’m really not sure what I’m supposed to take from Ai and Oda’s side of the story. Am I supposed to be glad Ai didn’t tell Takeo her feelings? Does that mean she’ll be able to move on, or is she still holding on? Am I supposed to be thankful for Oda pressing the issue, or does the show really not realize how uncomfortable his lack of respect for Ai’s boundaries is? Neither of their feelings are any closer to being resolved, so whatever point it was trying to make with them is still in stasis. It doesn’t even serve as an effective parallel to Takeo and Yamato, because there’s no closure for us to understand how Ai and Oda’s situation is similar to or different from theirs. And it weirds me out that this show is usually so damn good at parsing out meaning from closure and letting characters come to realizations about themselves and their relationships that stick with them in subtle but noticeable ways from then on. So why did it drop the ball on this one? Were it not for how lovely Takeo and Yamato’s moments were, this would feel like something out of a different, much weaker show.

P-O-P-U-L-A-R

Thankfully, episode 15 immediately picks up from the previous arcs’ missteps and gets right back to the good stuff. The focus this time is on Takeo’s popularity with other girls, and it leads to some fascinating new dimensions for him. Takeo, in a rare moment of being perceptive of Yamato’s feelings, is quick to reassure her that he’s not really popular with girls, so she doesn’t need to worry about someone else stealing him away. But as Suna rightly points out, that’s not entirely true. Takeo is popular with a lot of people, boys and girls alike. He may be intense enough to weird people out, but like I said last time, his natural earnestness and desire to help makes people gravitate toward him just as strongly. Which is interesting, because despite Takeo’s desire to help people, he doesn’t always spend much time really thinking about them if they’re not in his immediate purview. Even something as simple as everyone being much slower than him is a realization, he’s never really paid attention to how fast other people run, or why some people might be dissatisfied with not being as fast as other people. The way he sees it, everyone just has their own pace, some faster, some slower, and there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s always been his greatest strength; he doesn’t judge people for not living up to some bullshit ideal of who they’re “supposed” to be. But it also means he’s slow to realize why these things matter to people so much, and how to go about helping those around him overcome them.

Which makes it such a beautiful twist when Takeo takes on the position of a mentor for the first time in his life. Now he’s not just helping his classmate Saijo by saving her from some bad situation, he’s actively helping her better herself by getting better at running. He’s not entirely sure going in what it means to be a mentor, but he figures out along the way how best to motivate her and commits to it. And he still doesn’t judge her for not being as good a runner as everyone else; after all, she’s no less worthy a person just because she’s not the most athletic girl in the world (Side note, I appreciate how the show draws her noticeably more chubby than most anime girls). It’s clear Saijo has a bit of a complex about her weight and thinks it’s something to be ashamed of, but Takeo never treats her as anything less than normal, because that’s just the kind of guy he is. You get the sense that he’s stepping outside himself in a new way, putting in the effort to meet other people on their level while still holding fast to his fundamental desire for good. It’s a step on the road to becoming more social, and once again, you totally understand why Saijo becomes so enamored with him as a result. But there’s another fantastic twist waiting: she’s not actually in love with him as Yamato feared, she just really admires his work ethic and wants him to keep training her so she can continue on the road to self-improvement. That’s fucking great. It’s an acknowledgement that there are more ways to be popular than simply being an object of desire. Popularity can mean people looking up to you, valuing your advice, recognizing you as someone they can rely on. And that all starts from understanding people and doing right by them, as Takeo has always tried to do and is only getting better at.

Of course, though, it doesn’t really matter to him if or how he becomes popular. He’s just doing what he believes to be right, making the world a better place in his wake. And as long as he’s popular with Yamato, that’s the only sort of female affection he’ll ever need. It’s a lovely sentiment to close out this episode, and it handily washes the bad taste of the previous arc out of my mouth. As long as Ore Monogatari keeps its heart in the right place, I think it’s gonna be just fine.

Odds and Ends

-”The ending was different from the book, but it was still entertaining.” Lol, there’s a mood.

-”We must be pretty good for a perceptive guy like you to be oblivious to all this.” snrk

-So I’m not sure how to react.” Man, I love Suna’s relationship with Takeo. He doesn’t even remember his own birthday, but his best bud is here to make sure he has a good time on it.

-ksdjfhsdkjf the fuckign pecs wiggling

-”I’d still love you even if you got buff.” What a dreamboat.

-Aaw, Takeo even respects big sis’ boundaries when she’s visiting! What a good egg.

-”That was straight to the point.” The Sunakawa family’s entire purpose in life is to clear up dumb teenage misunderstandings, and god bless them for it.

-”If we get separated, just use Takeo as your landmark.” askjdhaskdhask

-TAKEO IN CAT EARS. MY HEART IS SLAIN.

-”That was more violent than I anticipated.” Never underestimate the spinning teacups.

-”Sorry. I always seem to have the worst timing.” SUNA FOR FUCK’S SAKE

-Aaaaaw, even Takeo gets embarrassed to talk about how he finds Yamato cute! He’s human after all.

-”Did you fake it?” Pfft. Sometimes he picks up on things fast.

-”Towels are so fluffy!” Listen dude you’re adorable but you might wanna check u on your GF’s approaching mental crisis

-Okay, the comedic cuts in the “who gets to carry Saijo” scene had me cackling. Good lord, this show.

-wait a fuCKING SECOND WAS THAT A PARASYTE REFERENCE IN THE NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW GOD DAMMIT MADHOUSE

Man, what a roller coaster. See you next time!

[animatedfc]

Do you have any fc suggestions for an older Ritsuka Nakano from Hiyokoi?

Here are my suggestions x

Ai Sunakawa - Ore Monogatari

Erza Scarlet- Fairy Tail 2014

Akiza Izinski- Yu-Gi-Oh