#the arakawas is also a part of why i like him because they all work as a big machine. if that makes sense

[todayisafridaynight]

THIS IS GONNA SOUND SO MEAN BUT WHY DO U LIKE RYO AOKI/MASATO

masato hot

[russenoire]

i just finished fullmetal alchemist 2003...

and i have words about this.

while both series have lovely scores, courtesy of michiru ooshima here and akira senju for FMAB, FMAB's OPs and EPs are almost all far too good to skip, ever. (if i have to hear pornograffiti's 'melissa' one more time, i will scream.) both series rely pretty heavily on slapstick humor to leaven the surrounding darkness, and the massive chip on edward's shoulder about his height, grating in brotherhood, also wears on my patience here.

i liked this story's approach to alchemy and how it works. but the creators' vision of homunculi here, where each homunculus arises as a result of a single alchemist's hubris and becomes their sin to answer for? i prefer it a little more than the admittedly more cohesive explanation of a single being splitting off aspects of himself.

we get to spend more time with scar and maes hughes (my favorite character; i adore his hazel eyes in this adaptation and hearing the late keiji fujiwara's silky pipes voice him twice is a joy). i still can't decide which kimblee i like best.

both fullmetals are examples of satisfyingly meaty storytelling and full of awesome animation. i suspect a dislike of canon divergence behind a lot of the hate for the first series, and a preference for deeper character study and pathos behind hate for the second.

i'm usually wary of adaptations continuing after creators run out of source material myself, but the story shō aikawa and seiji mizushima constructed out of whole cloth offers up a feast of philosophy, character study, mindfuckery and intricate military-political intrigue. and for the most part, it holds up under its own weight.

here scieszka, winry and rose are more instrumental to the story's plot. dante the cursed shapeshifting genius alchemist is a brilliant addition to the story, as is archer (more on him below). lust becomes an almost sympathetic character, what with having loved and lost multiple times as she manipulates mankind into seeking knowledge while being only a tool herself. alphonse is a formidable alchemist and a prodigy in his own right. here that's not just hinted at; both boys could have passed the state alchemist exam with ease. i loved seeing the elric brothers use alchemy to squabble with each other, not just fists and limbs. and edward... he's a double amputee, but his prosthetic limbs work well enough to rid him of any real functional impairment (bless winry's fantastic engineering!). i'm not going to get into the fucked-up implications of that in this post, but i will say that FMA '03 makes his disability much clearer. we see how painful attaching his automail limbs is, repeatedly. a character pries them off of him at one point and he's almost helpless until he can get them back. it's now obvious why he wears gloves most of the time.

the brutality and pervasive racism of the military dictatorship running amestris is given far more focus here. (edward himself gets checked on his own racist assumptions quite a few times.) we see more of the armed forces in the act of genocide, not just flashbacks in haunted soldier memories. officers openly call people savages; kimblee is sent in as an exterminator because of his amorality and solipsism; shou tucker's sick research is allowed to continue, even though the military already has a more efficient method to make chimerae. while making the situation the elric brothers left behind in liore worse, the shady lt col archer sustains what would have been fatal wounds. he gets rebuilt into some sort of robocop hybrid sentient killing machine with no qualms about gunning down his own men. rose is traumatized to mutism raped by the military for having led a rebellion and still leads her people.

whether this feels heavy-handed to you may depend on your tolerance for darkness and cognitive dissonance; i'm still processing how i feel about it. both takes on arakawa-sensei's story present their main and supporting cast as capable of cruelty and kindness, but FMA '03 foregrounds that evil a bit more alongside the good. it made the kindness less palatable for me, in a good way.

also i spoiled myself a bit by watching the conqueror of shamballa before finishing this series. when i learned that mizushima-san is a huge fan of hideaki anno's work, FMA '03's 'inconclusive' ending made even more sense.

[innerchorus]

Arslan Senki Chapter 129 (Part 1)

Okay, I had a fun time reading this one, despite the face off between Team Arslan and Team Hilmes it felt way lower stakes than the encounter with Zahhak so I was able to relax in the (correct) assumption that nobody was about to die just yet.

Early moment of appreciation for the attention to detail in Arakawa's storytelling. Yes, corvids cawing like this is frequently used as a sign of something ominous (and it certainly feels that way as another panel shows them atop this tower with Hilmes stood below) but I love that they have a reason for doing so in that they've spotted a hawk (Azrael!) circling above and are giving the alarm.

Sam's chin has gone full rectangle.

This is his reaction upon hearing how Team Arslan got in (yes, through the very waterways he'd been defending, Hilmes should've listened to Zandeh, but Hilmes hasn't been in the mood for listening to his followers as of late, has he?)

HILMES NO.

This is him trying to recover the situation, I guess.

Anyway no doubt you guys recognise Daryun's helmet on the left there, and he's about to jump in but Arslan holds him back in order to handle matters himself. He's the opposite of Hilmes throughout, calm and composed where Hilmes is shaken and erratic. The contrast is important and becomes starker as the scene goes on.

I feel bad but I laughed at Hilmes's expressions so many times this chapter, but I think it's only because I was feeling confident that no real harm will come to him? He really is having the worst day. Asking Arslan what legitimacy he has was a mistake because Arslan brandishes none other than Rukhnabad.

And thanks to Hilmes's tomb robbing adventure, the majority of the soldiers present recognise it, as does Zandeh (boy is shocked, he thought that thing was gone for good!)

I'm not sure Zandeh's had time to process any of this fully, but he saw what happened when Hilmes tried to take the blade at Mount Damavand. For Arslan to turn up with the blade and claim it's Kaykhusraw's will... No wonder he looks so shocked. It really does pose a challenge to Hilmes's claim.

Hilmes begins an attempt to defend his position by starting to reveal the truth about Arslan's parentage, when...

He falters, and misreads Arslan's composure as a sign that Arslan knows Hilmes's own secret.

Man, I fucking love this. Hilmes, who couldn't bear to share the burden of that secret with even his most loyal followers, cannot comprehend that Arslan has done just that. Arslan's calm demeanour comes from having done so; he has found his resolve with the truth out in the open, and it's part of what enables him to confront Hilmes like this.

Arslan addressing Hilmes as 'cousin' and then being all 'wait, that's not right' all but confirms to Hilmes that his suspicions are correct, but in truth Arslan is correcting himself because he already knows that he is not Andragoras's son. What Hilmes was threatening to reveal holds no power over Arslan, yet the effect that fearing his secret is out has on Hilmes is clear, and it makes him desperate.

Zandeh being all ??? when if Hilmes had just told him he could've had the reassurance that Zandeh would continue to support him no matter what 😭

Anyway, both Narsus and Arslan notice how unsettled Hilmes is, though they don't know why nobody cares about your fucking secret except you, Hilmes. And because Hilmes is so rattled, he calls for Arslan to fight him. Honestly, it's not a bad choice and even if he weren't so flustered about what Arslan may or may not know he likely would have done so, but his mental state going into it is already working against him.

Him ordering Arslan to face him with Rukhnabad is also not a bad shout. I imagine he's both hedging his bets and hoping that Arslan doesn't really have Kaykhusraw's favour, and assuming his odds against Arslan when it comes to a duel are good in any case.

The Rukhnabad twist I didn't predict! And just wait for the full reveal! But first I want to remind you of this moment from Chapter 93 where Hilmes speaks with the Master after having failed to retrieve the sword for himself:

Arslan's words can only remind him of his own failure.

He's definitely on the back foot here now; Arslan not only has Rukhnabad in his possession, but he's also bold enough to claim he will defeat Hilmes without it.

Now, if you had said to me that Arslan will face Hilmes without Rukhnabad and actually stand a chance of winning, I would have dismissed it as unbelievable. But that's where Arakawa's careful attention to Hilmes's inner fears has come into play, and combined with Arslan's (accidental) further shaking of his confidence and (deliberate) provocation by saying he's not worthy of using Rukhnabad on... How well will he fight? Combat begins before swords are even drawn, it seems.

Also ARSLAN STILL CANNOT DRAW RUKHNABAD JSHDFJSDHGG wow, honestly did not see that coming, what a bluff that was—

Presumably that means we will see him gain the ability to draw the sword when it comes to a fight against Zahhak? Or maybe there will be time for him to visit Kaykhusraw's tomb before then (since it seems less likely it's already happened)?

Narsus declaring that it's Hilmes's decree that this duel will decide who will be Shah is a smart move, too. There are those with personal grudges and those who may seek to object, but with the decision framed this way, they cannot. Alfarid knows too much is at stake. Sam can't go against Hilmes's own word.

Now here's a match where I feel we all already know what the outcome will be. ZANDEH PLEASE. I don't want you to get hurt.

I do appreciate Daryun still responding to him with tired exhasperation, though. It's like 'really, we're still doing this?'. And I'm just clinging on to the fact that it's clear he wouldn't hold a grudge if Zandeh just fucked off somewhere other than Pars like to Maryam with Hilmes.

I'm just relying on Zandeh to agree to let it drop in the end. If Hilmes does, Zandeh would too, I think.

Anyway, while I don't think he'll be able to beat Daryun, this is the first time he's facing him with a mace, a weapon he has acknowledged is better suited to his strength, so maybe he won't do as badly as I feared?

That's it for Part 1! Stay tuned for Part 2!

[kiwikyuka]

The thing I really love about FMA manga so far (because I'm still reading) is that Arakawa shows to us that Edward is working towards his goals and constantly thinks about it.

We saw how he was willing to sacrifice his arm to bring back Alphonse's soul, and how both Elrics frequently say it's their main objective... but Brotherhood rarely focuses on how serious this journey was to them.

Edward is desperate to find a way, to the point he went for automail surgery which is known to be painful for adults, and rushed the rehab. After he got the metals limbs and became a State Alchemist, what would he do?

Probably... reading all books inaccessable to civilians, staying up late (maybe not even sleep at some days) to do research, going to possibly shady places that do shady alchemy things, writing down a horrendous amount of notes that would terrify a PhD holder... you get the point. He would do anything to get a glimpse of hope to get the philosopher's stone.

There is no way he's not thinking about it while not doing research.

Like here, he's thinks of the common rule of prohibitng human transmutation while he ponders about the homonculus. In the anime, he only thinks about the relation between the homunculi and the philosopher's stone with no mention of human transmutation.

Then there was when he dug the failed transmutation at his house. As much as it was his biggest trauma that brought him panic attacks and nightmares, like any other experiment, he had to backtrack and think why the transmutation failed.

The whole hotel room discussion. I wish the anime had enough time to adapt the whole thing! I love how deep Arakawa went in to discuss about the transmutation and the loopholes in Al functioning normally without a body.

I also love how the manga lets them think more in general. I get that with runtime, there will not have enough time to fit all the dialogue... that's why I really appreciate this reveal in the anime.

It gave time for Ed to connect the dots why Izumi can transmute without a circle.

The manga too, gave them time to think who their enemies are.

Also this little detail of Ed thinking Al's armor would get thinner if there are lost parts, this was not pointed out in the anime. (tbh I didn't think about that until after reading fanfics)

[ahogedetective]

"Happy Birthday Bestiiiiiieee!!" Ayumi practically threw herself at the detective and hugged him tightly! Lifting Shuichi up in the process and spinning him around. Oh, you know how Ayumi was-- Physically affectionate with her friends. And Shuichi was no exception!!

"Hehehehe!! I hope your day has been super good-- But it's only going to get better, because you know why? Presents from me! Ayumi Arakawa, MC Beating Heart!" Rapping God of Japan!" That was surely a title, but hey-- She earned it with her rep of taking down an entire sketchy but well known record label! But enough about her. This was about Shuichi! The Birthday Guy!

She holds out a bag for him! Inside were hard-cover collector editions of a certain series he liked! Even signed by the authors themselves!

"I heard one of your fave serious even got an audio drama released so...along with the books-- Tah-dah! CDs of the Audio Drama! Hehehe! They have my fave seiiyuu in it, so I might start readin' that series myself!" Of course, one way to get her into a series... was the voice actors; especially if they voiced certain 2d Husbands. But those were also in the bag too!

"Anyways, nothing but the best for my bestie!!! Happy Birthday, Sushi-kun!!!! There's something special in the bottom of the bag too...~ Heheh! Don't tell Izzy! It's for your eyes only! Aaand maybe open it private." Ayumi sticks her tongue out playfully. Oh she knew about her bestie's special interest.

... An other limited edition run... of a certain male gravure magazine; featuring Izuru when he did... idol work. @girlishwhiimsy

(( ITS SILLY GIRL TIME!! WITH THE SILLIEST GIFTS EVER!! only she could get get hands on limited edition runs >:3c izuru had his spotlight its ayumi time!!))

{ Shuichi Birthday!! 🎉}

@girlishwhiimsy !!!

"! Ayumi!! Thank-woah-hoh-hahaah!" The moment Ayumi lifted Shuichi up in that bear hug, the smile on his face brightens all the more, laughing as he holds on tight when she starts spinning him around!! "Ahaha, hi there!!! Thank you, thank you, bestie!" And Shuichi was always more than happy to return the hugs she gives him right back: he loves her hugs!

Once he's put down, he rapidly nods his head. "Thank you!! Yes, my day has been wonderful. Ahaha, that's right: made all the more better because you're here! Hehehe, no better person to receive presents from: the MC Beating Heart, herself! I'm so lucky!" He laughs, of course hyping her up like she deserves to be!

The moment he receives the bag from her, Shuichi curiously opens it up to see what's inside. "Ohhh...!!" His eyes practically sparkle when first seeing the collectors edition of one of his favorite series: a detective anime he's been really getting into! "Is this the collector's edition!? And it's even got his signature...!!!!" Which he can't imagine how hard that must have been to get..! Or maybe for someone as famous as Ayumi, probably much easier. Either way, he was ecstatic.. all the more when she tells him she even got CD's of the audio dramas!

"You even got the audio dramas, too! I've been really wanting these, th-thank you so much!! For this and the books! Ahh, I see: ahaha, I had a feeling I heard one of your favorite seiyuu that you mentioned once... and yes, you should!! It's really good... think of detectives, but with special abilities! I could see you liking some of the guys: maybe even become one of your '2d husbands of the week.'" He jokes with a chuckle, knowing how much she loves her pretty boys.

"Ahaha, and that's why you're the best bestie, ever. Thank you so much, Ayumi! I can't wait to read the books and listen to the audio dramas later! I'll even tell you the parts your favorite seiyuus come on in case you get curious, hehehe... ....Oh?" He blinks when she suddenly teases about something special being at the bottom of the bag: and to not let Izuru know about it... and to open it in private...?! "U....U-Umm...A-Ayumi?? Wh...What exactly did you give me....? That I can't even tell Izuru abou...."

He peeks at the bottom of the bag. Trying to get a look of the cover as best he can without needing to take it out... and now he sees why she told him to open it in public, because he nearly drops the bag when he sees who is on the cover!! "...taaaAAAA-waaaawaahh?!?! I-Is....!!!! I-Is that...!??! Uwaaaaah...?!?"

It was Izuru. Shirtless Izuru on the cover of this gravure magazine. "O-Oh my god oh ym god my godddd-" Oh Shuichi has turned immediately red at the sight, and is packing everything back in the bag to completely cover the magazine at the bottom at lightening speed!! He's sorry, Ayumi, but those books and audio dramas might not be the first thing to peeks at tonight the moment he's back in his room...

"W..W-Well, um!! I-I can...c...certainly see why you said that, now!! Y-Yes, I will be s...sure t-to um!! Open it later i-in my room! F-For my eyes only!! Ahem!!" Before any more steam can rise out of his head, he's pulling Ayumi into a tight hug before she can dare tease him on how accurate she was!

"Th-That being said, th-thank you for such wonderful gifts, Ayumi!! I'm really happy I can have a bestie as wonderful as you!! Even if you love obliterating me like thisss!!!" Mostly said as a joke, and despite how red his face is, a bright smile does light up on his face! "You really did make today even better than ever...! Now come, I want to enjoy it even more with you! Let's pop into one of our favorite restaurants or cafes together...!"

[extant-exhaustion]

Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before.....Thanks...

I love this question! :D I'm going to keep my initial answer to the fandoms I blog about, 'cause if we start going into books and things, I think I'll fry my brain trying to narrow it down. But definitely ask again if you'd like me to try books or other media! (And sorry it’s taken so long for me to answer. Life has been crazy, so it took me literal months to type this out. But I appreciate you asking so much and will answer much faster in the future.)

It was a struggle to keep it to 10, but here we go! (My initial "short list" was 25, so I'm thrilled to have narrowed it down, haha. But I did have to compromise by giving you a Top 10 list that's in no particular order, because ranking them within the ranking would be basically impossible.) See "keep reading" for reasons why I love them!

Edward Elric

Kagami Taiga

Korra

Urameshi Yusuke

Greedling

Kuwabara Kazuma

Amajiki Tamaki

Winry Rockbell

Killua Zoldyck

Kageyama Tobio

Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Ed is the best written shonen protagonist of all time. His growth is incredible and Arakawa shows it beautifully. He starts the series so young, but he’s not even close to naïve. He’s been through hell already. And he loves his brother, and FMA is powered by that sibling relationship, and I’m a huge sucker for sibling dynamics. (I’m one of four myself.) He’s wicked smart, but it’s shown how hard he works for that. And he’s kind. He truly wants to help people. His emotions are also on full display throughout the series which we don’t always get from shonen protags. He’s a stunningly well-rounded character whose story is full of amazing moments that make me love him even more. “That’s the only thing I’ve ever been—just a simple human.”

Kagami Taiga, Kuroko's Basketball

I love this boy so goddamn much. He’s so good-hearted and soft and perfect. And he’s the type of person I think everyone would want to have in their corner. He’s introduced like he’s going to be this huge jerk, but we quickly learn he’s just a complete doofus who sucks at communicating and expressing himself. He’s loud and brash and cocky, but he just…he loves basketball so much, and he grows so much through playing with Seirin and facing the Generation of Miracles. And specifically, he grows because of his relationship with Kuroko. It’s really the most lovely not-quite-canon sports anime romantic relationship. “Don’t you dare give up, ya hear me? Just sit tight for now. I’ll go out there and show him.”

Korra, The Legend of Korra

Korra truly means everything to me. She was one of the first openly and explicitly bisexual characters I ever saw in media who wasn’t forced to suffer and be miserable because of that. And she’s so strong and so cool. And I love that she’s a flawed character—she feels jealousy and rage and fear and hopelessness. But she keeps fighting. She always comes back and does the right thing. Seasons 3 and 4 are incredible and devastating in equal parts, and I really can’t understand how anyone could not love Korra after seeing her break down and rebuild herself. “Even though we should learn from those who came before us, we must also forge our own path.”

Urameshi Yusuke, Yu Yu Hakusho

The shonen protagonist whose development is the clearest, Yusuke is the most fun punk jackass who grows into a slightly more mature punk jackass (never losing an ounce of his comedic genius along the way). He’s so chaotic and stupid, but his North Star never changes, and that’s his love for his girl, Keiko. I could (and definitely will someday) write a whole post about the genuine love Yusuke and Keiko have for each other, because I really do think it’s some of Togashi’s best writing. But also, Yusuke is just a really fantastic character. He’s strong as hell (of course), but he’s also weak. He faces loss and death and defeat. He watches the people closest to him face their deaths because he isn’t strong enough to protect them; and he breaks my heart because he’s trying so hard, but sometimes it’s not enough. But as he grows and puts his life on the line and protects his friends (and multiple worlds) again and again and again, it becomes obvious just how far he’s come from some punk kid who no one but Keiko believed in. “All right, Yusuke, you’ve tried everything else. Now it’s time to be stupid.”

Greedling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

So, this is kind of cheating, because Greed and Ling Yao are two different characters, but they share a body for a lot of the show, and they’re so intrinsically linked in my mind that I’m gonna count them as one. I just love these two so much! Their dynamic is so funny to me. They’re both so sassy and clever, and they’re so passionate. I especially love when they finally start working together rather than fighting against each other. They become so bad-ass and their friendship is really obvious. The way they grow to mean so much to each other is everything to me. I guess there really is nothing closer than having somebody who lives in your own head. “Greed may not be good, but it’s not so bad, either. You humans think greed is just for money and power. But everyone wants something they don’t have.”

Kuwabara Kazuma, Yu Yu Hakusho

If you told me I had 10 seconds to choose a character who’s too good for this world, I’d probably settle on Kuwabara. Because this boy is pure, unadulterated good. He truly believes in a code of honor. He does what’s right. He’d rather die than do something underhanded or something that would harm an innocent person. And he’s so loyal and so kind. He loves so much. Be it his friends, his sister, his kitten...he just loves. And he’s willing to fight to protect that. He sticks his neck out time and time again, even when he gets brutally hurt for it. Even when the odds are ridiculously stacked against him, he won’t back down from a fight, because he won’t risk that any perceived cowardice on his part would result in harm coming to his friends or to innocent people. God...he just...he literally fights cataclysmic events and can still smile afterwards. Kuwabara seems like such a dope, but it really is impossible not to love someone who’s just so good. “We all have to die when our time comes, but if we do our duty we don’t got regrets.”

Amajiki Tamaki, My Hero Academia

My anxious, darling boy. He’s got the coolest quirk of anybody (okay, don’t hold me to that; I’d have to think about it harder, but he’s got one of the coolest quirks for sure), but he still struggles with feeling unsure of his power. But he’s got so much control over it anyway! He’s worked so hard and he kicks so much ass! But even being so competent, that imposter syndrome still creeps up, and I can relate to that and to his anxiety a lot. Finally, I think and he and Mirio are truly adorable together in the anime, and Tamaki’s loyalty makes him a character I really like. *Note: I’m not a manga-reader for BNHA, so I only know up to the end of the current anime season, so please no spoilers if anything I say is out of date!* “Even if I try to imagine them as potatoes, I can see their human bodies. I know that they’re still people…I wanna go home.”

Winry Rockbell, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Winry is a beautiful character. She’s so strong and cool and smart, and she’s unfailingly loyal. Her support of Ed and Al helps them through their whole journey, and she literally gives Ed a leg to stand on and an arm to fight with. She’s a brilliant mechanic and a caring friend, and she’s so empathetic, despite the hurt in her past. She has her own story too, which too many “love interest” girls in shonen anime/manga don’t have. She makes her own choices and grows in her own ways and holds Ed accountable when he’s being an idiot. Winry’s arc is beautiful and shows yet another aspect to the FMA world that Arakawa so brilliantly crafted. I just really adore Winry and think she deserves all the happiness in the world. “You two won’t cry. Someone should do it for you; don’t you think?”

Killua Zoldyck, Hunter x Hunter

This boy is the embodiment of trauma, and he doesn't even realize it. It breaks my heart every time I rewatch HxH, because the juxtaposition between his upbringing and Gon’s is so stark. But Killua is also straight up hilarious and really fun to watch as he learns how to be a kid through his friendship with Gon. And part of that hilarity is when he says the most unsettling shit because he was raised as an assassin and death is just whatever to him. He’s just a really fun character and someone whose earnestness and loyalty is really unmatched. Plus, he’s just undeniably really, really cool. “I want to be friends with Gon!”

Kageyama Tobio, Haikyuu!!

The quintessential prodigy/genius with zero social skills, Kageyama really, really loves volleyball. Can he communicate that without shouting at someone? No, not really. And does he know what it means to be on a team? Also, no. Not until he joins Karasuno and meets Hinata and starts to learn from his upperclassmen. But that’s why I love him. I’m just soft for a boy who finally has good mentors who take him under their wings and show him how to fly and he just...ugh. He soars. He puts so much pressure on himself, but he really does have this beautiful character arc. Plus, he says cheesy shit like this: “With me around, you are the greatest.”

[just-absolutely-super]

what was that anon on? Some of the characters in 03 are a little more fleshed out, but all of them are very one-dimensional (I mean they genuinely played into the "womaniser bastard" Mustang thing). Winry and Riza are barely characters. Winry is more of an exposition character for Ed and Roy than an actual character of her own the way Arakawa intended for her to be. The relationships between the characters are either nonexistent or are a cheap imitation of their canon relationships (you can see this especially with Mustang and his team). Lust had some more screenitme, but ultimately she did nothing the whole show and then died after randomly wanting to become human I... and then some characters are given more focus that ultimately don't need it or that just feels pointless in the end like Rose, Sheska, Barry or Shou. I guess you could see it as a case of quality over quantity but overall it feels like the 03 writers couldn't juggle the cast as well as Arakawa did. Which makes sense since it's a case of actually writing these characters vs someone else doing their own take on them.

Also this may be a hot take, but the Nina plot isn't actually written better in 03. One thing the fandom HAS to understand once and for all is that : Nina is not a character we the audience get attached to and feel deeply. She is a character that Edward and Alphonse get attached to and for that we font need to actually SEE it. It can happen off screen. We can see it in the manga and in Brotherhood that it wasn't just one day. They spent several days going there. And Ed clearly remembered how he felt as a child seeing Hohenheim working in his office so HE got sentimental and saw himself in Nina.

Ninas arc works so well in Brotherhood and the manga because it lasts what it's supposed to last and isn't dragged out for drama. Dedicating more time to certain issues doesn't always make them better, sometimes issues were resolved swiftly for a reason. You understand that she was important to them and that not being able to help her moved Ed and Al, but especially Ed who in the beginning was referring to alchemists as the closest to God. And we can see how it weighted on him in his speech before the Truth. It doesn't matter if we cry or not, only that we understand her impact on the main characters. She gets these independent teenage boys to drop the maturity and remember that they're children. She's a brief glimpse of something they lost, and then she's gone, and that's why it matters. The fact that they couldn't do anything to help her becomes part of the brothers' driving force throughout the story and beyond. Nina's death may have seemed meaningless, but Ed and Al deliberately give it a meaning.

Im sorry for the long rant, but this has been bugging me since forever. This is what the fandom, especially the 03 widows need to get. Nina wasn't made for the audience, we dont need to know more about her as a character to understand she was important to the boys. And besides what did an episode about childbirth have to do with what ultimately happenes to Nina and Maes? And Ed and Al are 12 during that 03 episode and Nina is what 6? Children with no frame of reference for anatomy would do nothing but make Gracia's situation worse. In Brotherhood Winry and the boys are older teens and Winry is both a young woman and has studied her parents medical textbooks. Her presence made sense.

I'm not really sure which anon you're referring to since I'm assuming you're talking about someone who came into my inbox years ago when I was at the height of my 03 Salt Brigade. Regardless, everything you say is true lol

The problem with 03 is it's an anime that started as the manga was just really starting to get its footing plot-wise. I'm not sure how far along Arakawa was, but since FMA was a monthly manga series, she gave Bones her blessing to just do whatever the heck they wanted with the plot.

That's why everything is so different. They only had a handful of characters to work with and small pieces of the story's puzzle, so they just kinda wrote their own canon-divergent fanfic.

To further that comparison, I want to compare it to this Fairy Tail fanfic I read a looooong time ago that was written...probably around the time the Oracion Seis arc was being written maybe? I don't remember, but I do remember trying to read it during the Grand Magic Games arc and felt so disconnected from the way the characters were written and interacted.

That's how 03 was for me right after finishing the manga/brotherhood--there's a major disconnect with the characters and their relationships. They didn't have Riza's backstory, so she's just a stoic badass female character who doesn't really do much other than follow Roy around. Winry does stuff, but they aren't sure what more she can do other than do mechanical stuff, so they shove her into some Nancy Drew plotline with Sheska, who is more invested in Hughes's death here than she ever was in the original. And of course, they took the traits we already knew of Ed, Al, Roy, etc., and just kinda turned that up to 11. Overall, 03 really is just a different experience...

As for Nina, her character and the conflict surrounding her death in 03 is also a product of this disconnect. I guess the writers thought her death was SO IMPORTANT to the boys that it deserved to be brought up every chance they got, including bringing back Shou and...trying to redeem him I guess??? It's so weird, because as you said, Nina's death was important in the manga, but the audience didn't need it to be hammered into us.

Ed and Al don't forget Nina after it happens, they carry that burden with them and try to act accordingly afterwards. Ed even mentions it again when he's facing Truth and gives up his alchemy. He's not God, he's just a human who couldn't save one little girl.

That line is the whole point of FMA. You can have all this power, but in the end you're just a simple human being. But there isn't any shame in that because humans can do so many amazing things. It gets brought up in Rush Valley when Winry delivers the baby. Ed admires Winry because she's able to do something he can't do--help a woman give birth. Creating and Bringing life into this world without the use of alchemy is WONDERFUL to Edward. He can't do that with alchemy, and the first and last time he actually tried it, it led to him getting mutilated. So seeing Winry give people their lives back through automail prosthetics, and even using her medical knowledge to bring a life into this world ROCKS HIS WHOLE WORLD!

I honestly forgot Nina was present during Gracia's labor lmao. I don't really get the point of it either. I do remember feeling that aforementioned disconnect watching though, because the lesson of the beauty of life was introduced so early and not when Winry is present. Like, it's a really good message, but why now when Ed's barely started his journey? I don't know, I've long since stopped trying to understand the writing choices of 03.

[felixcloud6288]

Fullmetal Alchemist Chapter 34

On the train ride to Central, we learn Ling's retainers are Lan Fan and Foo. Ling Yao is 15 and it's mentioned twice this chapter that Ed is almost 16. Arakawa mentioned in the bonus material for volume 12 that she doesn't concern herself with certain details like character height, weight and birthdays, but she set Ed's birthday as some time in winter because of this chapter.

These are three different drawings of Ling Yao.

Falman mentions he's been with Barry for 10 days, so that means it took Winry about as long to make Ed a new arm.

Falman's table has empty bottles and cans of Stray Dog. Stray Dog makes beer as well as whatever other alcohol you would get in a bottle.

The chess game at Falman's table looks very similar to what the game Roy was playing in chapter 25. They're also likely using the game set Roy was gifted in that chapter.

Did Yoki try to run a circus while wearing a fake mustache at some point?

The list of documents Roy Mustang was researching included list of prisoners executed at Central Prison, military incidents involving State Alchemists, records about Lab 5, and details about Hughes's murder. The State Alchemist incidents has my particular interest. Roy knows the researchers in Lab 5 were making Philosopher's Stones and were all killed. Maybe he's trying to find any potential leads within the State Alchemist system to find who may have ordered their executions.

The time between Envy-as-Fokker meeting Sheska to the actual Fokker meeting Sheska was roughly 4 minutes.

Armstrong says he got injured while at the Southern front. Was he told to keep quiet about the Devil's Nest incident?

We get some shots of the Ishbal War. Of special note, we know Armstrong was recalled for disobeying orders, and Hawkeye said she prefers guns to distance herself from her killings.

There's one shot of a State Alchemist suffering shell shock. I had thought it could be Isaac McDougal, an anime-only character from the first episode of Brotherhood, but I'm not sure anymore because what little bits of the guy's hair we can see poking out from behind the spech bubble are light-colored while Issac had black hair.

The conversation between Lust and Envy confirms Roy was transferred to Central as part of their plans and while there were hints to it, this is the first time Roy is confirmed to be a sacrifice candidate.

And so they begin the process of framing Maria Ross to pacify Mustang and make him stop digging into things he shouldn't.

Not that it will work. They don't know Roy is thinking beyond simple vengeance. He already knows about what the researchers at Lab 5 were doing, and he knows Hughes was killed as a coverup. Roy isn't really looking for who so much as why Hughes was killed. Ideally, he'll find the person who killed Hughes and dealing with them is a personal vendetta. But even if he finds out, he's still going to look into why.

back

Spoiler Discussion

I don't have anything super interesting to say this time. I just want to point out two figures in this chapter.

This is the first chapter we see Barry's original body, and the lady Maria Ross was with when she got arrested is one of the women Buccaneer saves from the artificial soldiers in chapter 97.

[qs63]

Sorry for the late reply, this was a really busy week.

This is all very interesting. I'd never thought of "Yet Another Man's Battlefield" being anything other than Roy's first year of academy because of how new and nervous he looks, but that idea intrigued me and prompted me to dig deeper into the Japanese education of the Meiji era (and the rest of Imperial Japan). Specifically about the military education as I had previously only focused on the civilian part of it.

I must first clarify some things that I was told might not be too clear. 😅 I chose to focus on Meiji Japan not just because the period of time that FMA happens during corresponds to that period, but also because it is the first period of what we call Imperial Japan. The changes and systems placed during Meiji Japan more or less remained until the post-war American occupation. The Japanese education system I reference in the og post, which was adopted from 1870s France, was basically in place from the 1870s to the late 1940s. The reason I don't address the Taishō (1912-1926) and Shōwa (1926-1947) periods directly is because they're all part of the Imperial Japan era and are hard to explain without touching the Meiji era (1868-1912).

IMO it makes sense that FMA feels like a weird combination of 1910s and 1940s because that period of time in Japan is very interconnected. Arakawa obviously took a lot of inspiration from the military dictatorship of the Shōwa period, but at the same time wanted the world to feel like the more western inspired Meiji period.

In any case, let me explain what I found about the military education of Imperial Japan and how it reflects on FMA.

Aside from the "Yet Another Man's Battlefield" OVA there is another scene which gives us some hints about how the military education works in Amestris. This scene:

Some of the context might be lost in the English translation, but @scienceoftheidiot helped compare it with the French translation and we found some interesting things. The first is what Hughes calls the military academy in French. He calls it the officers school. The Second is the fact that Hughes uses neutral pronouns in French to refer to Hawkeye.

Roy doesn't know the age or even the gender of the sniper that just saved them and yet he calls them "a kid". Not a newbie or a rookie. A kid. Roy is inferring the sniper is younger than him from Hughes rather neutral description. Why would he think that if the "Officers School" didn't have an specific age range that he knows is younger than him?

So what was an officer school in imperial Japan? Basically they were military academies for — mostly — children of high ranking officers, where they were trained to command. They weren't regular enlisted soldiers. They graduated as Second Lieutenants, after some months in a lower temporary commanding rank (which seems to be Warrant Officer in the world of FMA).

The interesting thing about these schools is that there were only two ways to enter, and they had very strict requirements. 1) you could go to a military middle school and qualify for the officers school IF you were among the best candidates. 2) you were between the age of 16-17 and had completed middle school education. Both inside and outside candidates would compete for an opening and only the best would be accepted.

It was basically an elite military school.

The full program lasted 4 years and was divided into two courses of two years each. The junior officer and the senior officer course. The junior from what I understood was mostly empirical, and the senior was where the field training happened.

If we equate this to FMA, what we see on "Yet Another Man's Battlefield" would be the start of Roy's senior course which he would complete by the age of 20 (which fits canon). This would explain why Roy is so nervous and why he hadn't met Hughes before. This would be Roy's actual first year on field duty, and his group might not be the same as his junior one. That of course assuming that Amestris also offers two courses, and not just the one.

This school system fits what we see from Riza too. It explains the gap between Riza's father's death and her graduation (roughly 4 years) and her quick promotion to Second Lieutenant. It's true Riza wouldn't have to wait to simply enlist in the military, but she would have to prove her age and education to enroll into an academy that was mostly reserved for the elite.

This is also very interesting because we can tell who had a good education/went through the officers school and who didn't. Fuery and Brosch didn't go to the officers school as they're Sergeants not Second Lieutenants. Same for Falman who must have gotten his Warrant Officer rank with old hard work instead of going through school (otherwise he would have been promoted to Second Lieutenant way before Briggs). Meanwhile Roy, Hughes, Riza, Breda, Havoc, Maria, the Armstrong siblings, Miles, and Rebecca must have all gone through the officers school to have achieved a rank of Second Lieutenant or above at their young age.

I will add that I was mistaken, Roy MUST have completed middle school education to qualify for Officers School (I'm assuming Berthold wouldn't have taken an apprentice that's as enrolled in a military middle school). That boy must have been really busy in order to complete both his education and training under Berthold.

And just to clarify further, middle school in imperial Japan isn't exactly what we know as middle school now. They had ONLY three types of schools: elementary school (Primary education, 6-14 years old), middle school (secondary education, 14-18 years old) (these were basically a preparatory for university or specialized jobs and were also divided in two courses of 2 years each), and university (Tertiary education, 16+ years old, middle school education required).

It's not a coincidence that the minimum age for conscription in late Imperial Japan was 15 for boys. By that age you would have completed your primary education (which was the only education the vast majority of the population had), and were mostly considered an adult as many kids would join the work force once they finished their primary education.

I've been thinking about this panel a lot and what kind of education Riza and Roy (and the other characters) received.

We only ever see the main trio going to school, and even that timeline is confusing as the brothers leave with Izumi when they're 10 and 9, and we see Winry working with her grandma from an equally young age.

So what does "a good education" mean in the world of FMA?

To answer this, I decided to look into what must have been Arakawa's influence for the FMA educational system: Meiji Era Japan.

Unsurprisingly the structure of the Meiji era education seems to fit Fullmetal Alchemist.

Meiji era Japan had a compulsory 4 years elementary school system (later expanded to 6 compulsory years) for kids aged 6-14. Only a small portion of elementary school graduates from the upper and middle class continued on to five-year academic secondary schools for boys or five-year secondary schools for girls; the majority entered the labor force or to two-year higher elementary schools. [1]

In FMA this would mean the brothers must have only completed the 4 years of compulsory elementary school, and then left to study alchemy with Izumi. Same for Winry, who seems to have started working with her grandma around the time the boys left.

When Riza says her dad made sure she received a good education, that would mean that at the very least he had her complete all 8 years of elementary school. But considering the timeline (Berthold dies when Riza is 16) and her emphasis on good education, it is likely he also had her complete the 2 years (from age 14-16) of higher elementary school.

Mind you, free compulsory education only became a thing in Japan after 1900, and the fees for education seem to have been high enough that people complained. For a poor family like the Hawkeyes a good chunk of their money must have gone to Riza's education.

In the case of Roy we have less information about his childhood, but it's very likely he also completed all 8 years of elementary school since there is no indication he started alchemy training as early as the brothers, and his aunt seems wealthy enough to afford paying the fees.

Whether Roy attended higher elementary school is a harder question to answer, but I'm leaning towards him not going beyond the initial 8 years of elementary school.

From what I read, science was mostly left to secondary school education in Meiji era Japan, and we know Roy didn't attend the 5 years secondary school as he was studying under Berthold in his late teens. Still, Roy would need a solid base of scientific knowledge to start his alchemy studies, which elementary school wouldn't provide. It's more likely that Roy studied science by himself after he completed elementary school until he had the basis to become Berthold's alchemy apprentice.

Let me know your thoughts and speculation about their education. 😄

[mo4-stuff]

Sigkin, Taiyo and Arakawa additional story translation pt.2. This one is a long one!

Next story beat happens when you go back into the sewers in Naname Village.

Arakawa: "Here it is. Where did Mr. Third go?"

Taiyo: "... They're arguing in the back. Come on, I'll shut them up."

Arakawa: "Oh, you're so motivated."

Sigkin: "Are we going to be okay on our own?"

Wondering around, you'd find Ven yelling at Private First Class.

Ven: "That's a long story! Just give me the natural water!"

First: "It can't be helped... I'll explain it to you again. This natural water has been purified over a long period of time through mechanical water purification."

Ven: "Natural water of the highest quality, made pure to the utmost limit! I remember that!"

First: "Excellent! Then why do we have to work tirelessly to cleanse for all those years? Have you ever thought about it?"

Ven: "I'm so confused... Please give me that water…"

Sigkin: "Hey, Ven... What are you doing here?"

Arakawa: "Ven in the sewer? It's very picturesque."

Ven: "Who's Ven! Oh, say something to him, you guys."

First: "What you see over there is Sigkin, Arakawa, and Taiyo. I've heard about you, sir."

First: "I am Private Mechame. Please make your acquaintance…"

Sigkin: "Yeah, uh, thanks... So, what? Why are you asking for natural water?"

Benki: " ...work. It's to do with the new business of Maidon Lunch."

Arakawa : "I'm curious about that. Does this natural water make the food taste better?"

Ven: "There's that too. And this natural water is much purer and has a much higher storage capacity than conventional water. If you have this water, you can do 'that'."

Sigkin: "That thing...? I don't know, but your brother asked me to do something for him."

Sigkin: "Why doesn't First Class want to give you water?"

Ven: "Wait!!!! I'll explain. This water is the best natural water these guys can make in a long time. That's why they don't want to give it to me easily."

First: "It was almost cut off, but that's okay. There's that too."

First: "But that's not all, sir. Especially against the world above ... humans and you."

First: "Where are my brothers by the way? Didn't you see them on the way here?"

Sigkin: "Huh? I haven't seen them since I got here…"

Arakawa: "... Taiyo is gone too. Shouldn't we look for him?"

Taiyo: "You're a very bad hide-and-seek player. What are you doing skulking around back there?"

Second: "I just wanted to get rid of that potty bastard. Are you with them?"

Taiyo "No, I don't know them."

Second: "Then can you please get out of my way? I'm not supposed to give that water away so easily."

Sun: "I'm not interested in that!! Come on and get me!!"

Second: "Han! This is self-defense! Don't complain if you get hit!"

Third: "Well, that sucks!!!"

(Ensue battle)

Taiyo: "So this is the end... Boring... See ya."

Second: "What a guy...! Are you sure you're just here to fight?

Sun: "Yes! I'm done with this, I'm going home!"

Third: "I still have one more question."

Sun: "They'll take care of it."

First: "Oh, my god, that's fantastic! You are strong! You are a force to be reckoned with."

(Sigkin, Arakawa, Ven and First comes over)

Sigkin: "There he is... What's going on here?

Arakawa: "Ah, Taiyo-san, you're cheating! You look like you're having fun by yourself."

Ven: "Huh, you're here too…"

Second: "Oh, brother...! This guy's trouble!"

First: "...it's a rare thing to see you so weakened. It's not unreasonable with this opponent."

Sigkin: "Back to the topic at hand... Why did you give water to the crackers before?"

First: " ... I like strong people. It's not just about strength."

First: "Those men fought with all their might for their comrades. I was struck by that."

Sigkin: "That's not how it works...? Well, I guess it's okay for this time. It's not like anyone will die if we don't have natural water right now."

Arakawa: "You could say that. Shall we go home then?"

Ven: "Wait, wait, wait. What are you trying to finish! Don't you want to eat a good meal?"

Sigkin: "Well, I'd love to, but…"

Arakawa: "But it's not like I want to force myself to eat it when the comps don't want to."

Ven: "What are you guys doing here? Damn... with all this water, I could start a Maidon Lunch delivery service…"

Sigkin: "...What?"

Ven: "With something like a smartphone! You can start a service that allows you to order lunch!"

Sigkin: "It's…"

Sigkin: "It's so convenient…"

Arakawa: "Can you bring it to me when I'm diving in a dungeon?"

Ven: "Of course. It's my job."

Sigkin: "That's very nice of you... How can I get some natural water for you?"

First: "I''m impressed with your dedication to your work. All right, then, there's something I want you all to understand."

First: "The reason we have to spend so many years purifying the water is because the pollution from humans is getting worse in the first place."

First: "Humans are so selfish. They pollute themselves and then try to take away the water that we purify…"

First: "Repeated unfair negotiations have led us to refuse to provide natural water. To humans, especially, uncharacteristically, the uncharacteristically flippant hogwash…"

Sigkin: "I see... Well, I understand where you're coming from, but this is a difficult subject to discuss."

First: "It's not a problem that can be solved with words...

* "That's enough! Don't move!"

Third: "Ahhh!!! Help!!!"

* "Now, today is the day you're going to give me that natural water! If you don't, you'll lose your life!"

First: "What are you doing, Jaro... Humans, stop that foolishness right now."

Second: "Are you going to do it? You humans are making me laugh!"

* "Oh... Are you sure you want to hurt us? Don't get carried away with your monster ways!

* "Give me that! I've had enough of that long, drawn-out conversation!"

First: "That's why I told you to give it to me honestly."

Sigkin: "Hey. I understand how you feel, but isn't that a bad way to go about it?"

* "We are! We've been coming to this place for months to get natural water! This guy stubbornly refuses to give up his water!

* "Do you have any idea what it's like to be turned away after listening to a sermon that lasts at least four hours and at most 12 hours?

Arakawa: "I'm sorry to hear that."

* "If you guys want to interfere, I won't let you leave for free!"

Taiyo: "Nonsense. I'll be watching, so you guys do your best."

Sigkin: "Yeah... okay. Well, I'm going to stop you!"

(Ensue battle that I forgot to screenshot)

* "What the hell are they? They're so strong!"

Sigkin: "Ora, get out of here. I don't care if the village chief finds out."

* "Caihee, whoever dies in the depths of this sewer… You'll never find out…"

Chief: "Who's going to find out?"

* "What the hell are you doing here?"

Chief: "If you are going to use my monsters against me, I will take the appropriate action."

Chief: "... Move out as soon as possible."

* "Shit! Let's pull up!"

Third: "Chief ----!!!"

Chief: "I'm sorry I came so late... They won't be coming again."

Sigkin: "I just looked at the village chief and he left. Is he really a great person after all?"

Arakawa: "But I didn't know there was such a rule about monsters… I wonder if Bachikin and the others were safe?"

First: "Thank you for coming, Mr. Chief. I apologize for the disturbance."

Chief: "It is true that we humans pollute the water in which you live. This is an inevitable part of life."

Chief: "I'm really sorry. I don't know if I can represent the human race, but…

First: "It's no use apologizing to, chief. If only they would change their minds…"

Arakawa: "Isn't it because Mr. First's story is too long?"

Third: "..."

First: "...I'm often asked, do I talk too much?"

Sigkin: "You talk a lot!"

First: "I hadn't thought of that... What do you think, gentlemen?"

Second: "You talk a lot."

Chief: "You talk a lot."

Benki: "You talk a fucking lot."

First: "I just want you to know that in order to receive this water, you need to know about our purification process. Unchallenged, unchallenged, unchallenged, unchallenged, unchallenged, unchallenged…"

Sigkin: "Whoa, whoa, whoa. You need to change the way you do things. It's time consuming and inefficient."

First: "Mmm... That's true, too. I'll think about it…"

Arakawa: "So, please give him some water. This toilet is a good one."

Third: "I'd like to ask you to do the same. Not only did Ven and the others answer our call, but they also helped us like this."

First: "So my thinking is also poor... Now that you've said it, I can't help it."

First: "I believe you guys for a moment. Bring me some natural water, Ven-san."

Ven: "Benki, Benki, Benki, shut up!"

Arakawa: "Well, that was good, Taiyo. Are you listening to me?"

Sigkin: "He's sleeping."

Chief: "However, I was careless to allow the villain to enter. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

First: "Don't worry about it. If you really put your mind to it, someone of that caliber is no match for you."

Chief: "I will continue to rely on you, Verde."

First: "Hmmm... You too, sir."

Ven: "That's why we started the Delivery Maidon Lunch the other day! It's thanks to you guys. Eat up."

Arakawa: "Thank you for the meal, Benki-san."

Ven: "Don't say "Benki" when you're eating!"

Sigkin: "You're denying everything about yourself…"

Ven: "Delivery service allows you to order lunch anywhere, but it is a bit expensive due to the cost of shipping and handling."

Ven: "Occasionally, there are reports of junior staff making mistakes in their portions, but I'm in charge of delivery. I won't make any mistakes, so don't worry.

Arakawa: "It's okay if you make mistakes, okay?"

Third: "Thank you very much for the other day! I don't know how to thank you…"

* "Ah! Everyone~!"

(Third shows up)

Taiyo: "I don't mind."

Sigkin: "You just slept around and did whatever you wanted."

Ven: "I'm the one who should be thanking you. Thanks to you, I'm doing well."

Third: "Next time, let us overcome you with our strength. We are always waiting for you. That's the message from my brother! Hmm? We?"

Arakawa: "You're going to fight too? I'm looking forward to it!"

Ven: "So you're declaring war."

(Third glides away)

Third: "I didn't mean it like that! I'm sorry, sir!"

Ven: "I was a little too mean. Well, that's what they say. If you get a chance, you should go see him again."

Sigkin: "Can we use the delivery service now?"

Ven: "Yeah. I've just sent you the app. Please make the most of it."

Ven: "Then I'm going back to work."

Sigkin: "...Huh? Where's your money?"

* "I've already received it."

You can now use "Delivery Lunch" with the smart phone!

[harcidian]

fic writer interview

thank you so much for tagging me, @lantur and @bringingglory (I remembered you tagged me a few weeks ago and I only got to do it now hahah)

Name: hannah, meridianheroine on AO3 and Fanfiction 

Fandoms: actively writing for Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood / FMA Manga. I’ve also written for Pokemon and Vocaloid back in 2012-2014 but please don’t search for it LOL

I only got back to writing last July 2020, so I don’t have much fics to compare yet

(Most popular) oneshot: none so far, but I have a wip entitled “epiphany”, a royai scar-burning oneshot

two-shot: whiskey on ice, amber-brown eyes. Roy grieves for Hughes and Riza joins him in his drinking session, ongoing, also building it to be smut too

(Most popular) multichapter: Roy and Riza Observation Journal, ongoing, a prequel for “meridian”

Actual worst part of writing: editing! I’m so shy to ask for beta, so I usually take intervals to edit my own writing (you know what they say, you are your worst critic!). Then there’s also planning he he it takes so long, but it still changes over time. As tedious they may get sometimes, I still love these two processes of writing, it makes me more satisfied with my work.

How you choose your titles: a word or phrase that encapsulates the entire plot! 

Do you outline: Yes! Maybe I got used to studying too much 😆 Inspiration strikes at the most random of times (in class, in the shower, while taking care of my niece) and so I have to write it down asap before I forget! Sometimes I couldn’t write down everything my brain dictates. But I always leave some room for spontaneity. I usually outline the chapters, writing the main events that need to happen. Kind of like having a starting and finish line, but the route to reach “the end” is up to me while I write. I guess that’s one reason why people say my writing is fluid (because it literally just flows out of me!)

Ideas I probably won’t get around to, but wouldn’t it be nice?: I’m alright with any kind of idea that pops into my head! But if I sort them out, I think it would be portraying Roy as a real womanizer. yanumii told me that Roy was too squeaky clean in FMA:B compared to the manga, but too much of an asshole in FMA 2003. I’m tempted to add this trait to him,,,,,, or something just like it. It could be because he has always been impulsive? hmmmm this has always been at the far corners of my mind.

Callouts @ Me: Chill out dude. You don’t have to do things and finish things all at once. Your hobbies aren’t school, they don’t demand an inconsiderate deadline! Trust in the process because art takes time. As Professor Oak says, “There is a time for everything. But not now.”

Best writing traits: Characterization, descriptions, and unique plot, according to what most of my readers praise. But they all boil down to characterization haha, because I base every element of a story in the character’s personality and tendencies. I always analyze everything I read or watch (whether I like it or not LOL) and I find parallelisms between characters. Then I think, “What happens if they meet? How would they react? What would they say?”. I love exploring the characters and maximize what they can do, inspired by Hiromu Arakawa and Leigh Bardugo.

Spicy Tangential Opinion: Reviews can either make or break a story. It could enhance a story when a reader helps the writer see the big picture, because they tend to obsess with details and forget to take a step back and check if it all adds up. Although readers don’t always notice the connections writers make, they can always tell if writers rushed the plot or create inconsistent characterization. But the sad thing is, writers sometimes do it to address what the readers want. A lot of writers give in to review pressure, which drastically changes what they have planned for their story. I think it’s best to remember that the story belongs to the writer, and that we can’t please anyone, or that life doesn’t always please us. But all in all, I think it’s most important to know what you want and choose reviews that will enhance you, not break you down. 

Thanks for listening to my Ted talk 😆

I tag @jeanhaavoc​, @priscilla-dm , @megthemighty, @fullmetal-hellmouthchemist, @annespelledwithane, @thatisadamnfinecupofcoffee, @ymir-me​ , @borkthemork , @lilisky​, @by-nina​, and anyone else who would love to do this! No pressure tho it’s alright if you don’t!

[borkthemork]

2 and 17!

2. All time favorite character? Why?

I love every character in this show, I don’t know how to choose! I guess if I had to choose between all of these lovely well-written characters, I would say Roy. 

He’s a very complicated character in the grand scheme of the show: he wears a façade for the public, is careful with how he presents himself, has a lot of self-loathing from past mistakes due to his ideals yet still holds onto them nonetheless, protective and passionate of the people he cares and loves for, etc. He can also be quite a dick when he wants to. He is manipulative (he didn’t hesitate to blackmail Ed, who was at this point a tween when it happened); snide to others if they backtalk him; will find ways to stay “pure” in the political and government platform regardless because he is smart as hell and knows how to navigate on a strategic/tactical level; he will omit the truth if that is needed to the plan at hand, and if that meant he has to be rough to the people around him then so be it.

God damn though does Arakawa make him the most relatable character on a personal level. He procrastinates on work till the last minute, sleeps in random ass rooms, gets giddy when he is given a moment to be a little shit while trying to confuse the government, hoards paper clips out of the idea of “what if I need it later?”, draws on his papers, tries to see the best in humanity, and tries to cope by repressing his feelings and hone it to a single goal. He is very well-rounded, he legitimately feels like a person one would find in real life, fuck-ups and all, and I love that.

17. What’s your favorite quote and why?

“Greed may not be good, but it’s not so bad, either. You humans think greed is just for money and power. But everyone wants something they don’t have.”

Humanity is complicated. We cannot really label the preciseness of our feelings because there are many reasons to feel the way we do, but we try to understand ourselves nonetheless because of course. When it comes to the sins, I was surprised to see Greedling talk about this with Ed because the seven vices in media were usually looked on as a massive evil, when in reality it’s a side of the same coin — which, if I can recall, is part of the seven virtues. People want things, people want friends, love, higher ambitions. Sometimes pride coalesces with self-confidence. Sometimes envy can make you charge forward without even hurting anyone. It’s all about self-awareness and what we choose to do with our feelings, that the ability to realize we’re human and that these parts of ourselves are what mark us as unique and stubborn as hell.

[innerchorus]

Arslan Senki Chapter 126 (Part 1)

SPOILERS for this chapter, obviously. The cliffhanger ending on this one is quite something and obviously a big departure from the novels.

We're straight into the Andragoras vs. Hilmes duel at the start of the chapter, and at this point I was sure that this would be the most stressful part? And it was pretty stressful, especially seeing Hilmes appear on the defensive and then watching as Andragoras kneed him in the chest/stomach... but then Hilmes managing to kick Andragoras's elbow from his position on the floor lifted my spirits somewhat!

Good move, Denka!

They're... really trying to kill each other here though, and that fills me with fear.

However, as they part with a hand to their respective injuries (nothing major for either, but Andragoras's arm must be throbbing/numb and Hilmes is winded and bruised) who should appear but the (Un)Holy Master?

He's becoming a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, especially in this scene, I think this time I'm not ashamed to admit that I quite enjoyed him. And at least his appearance had the added bonus of interrupting the duel.

The way he is just like... lounging nonchalantly against the throne.

The 'vwap' sound effect makes it seem very much like he just materialised there. We also get to see him teleport to (partially) evade Andragoras's attack later in this chapter.

Anyway, even Andragoras is shocked, because he recognises him, and yet... this sorcerer should much older than he appears!

Why do I like this panel.

The clawed hand sliding on the arm of the throne 👌

Interesting that he describes himself this way (same as in the novels if I remember correctly). I do think he originally started off as a regular human, but the effects of using this kind of sorcery warp the body over time into something unnatural in more ways than just an extended lifespan. I see some of the changes as deliberate and some as just a consequence of their magic use, though that's only a headcanon.

SNAKE PUPILS 🐍

Anyway after the stress of watching Hilmes and Andragoras try to take each other out it's quite fun to see the Master enjoying himself in the knowledge that the other people in the room know far less then him.

Oh, Hilmes... They were never on your side...

'Sides don't matter', hmm? Is that because we've entered the endgame? Because Zahhak is already free from Mount Demavant? Because this close to triumph, Team Zahhak don't need to pretend to be supporting anyone or anything in particular? Because they were always, always working towards their own aims? Either way, it definitely highlights exactly how poor Hilmes's grasp of the truth is here.

And at this point we divert back to Arslan!

He tells his followers the truth her learned about his origins, and states his aim to head to Mount Demavant and retrieve Rukhnabad. Last chapter, I thought Arakawa might be avoiding this and was planning to have him acquire Rukhnabad incidentally, by bumping into Don Ricardo which is funny because... it kind of does happen like that rather than outright aiming for it, and so when I realised where this chapter was going I was hesitant, but actually I liked it more than I expected to.

The dialogue in this scene is all so good! And it makes this decision more understandable. I would share it but I'd just be posting whole pages at this point, but one thing I will mention is that I was glad to see some discussion of what happened when Hilmes went after the sword and mentions of how Zandeh's actions stopped the earthquake. It feels like Arslan is making a more informed choice with an awareness of the consequences, and an acceptance of the concept that he might be found unworthy, which Hilmes totally lacked.

(For reference, in the novels this declaration of Arslan's intent to retrive Rukhnabad is a brief scene with like three lines of dialogue. Arslan basically says he'll go to Mount Demavant to retrieve the sword, prove he is qualified to rule, and then become Shah, and Gieve immediately agrees to be his guide. Arakawa did a much better job. I know Tanaka is the original creator but honestly... elements of that part felt out of character to me, and I think Arakawa manages to acknowledge precisely what was bothering me, so I'm now more on board with Arslan's decision.)

Now back to the throne room, where I will try to prevent myself from sharing yet more screencaps of the bastard himself.

No more snake pics in this post challenge: failed. Will you believe me if I say I wanted to post this image because of Hilmes?

Anyway, the big secret is out and Andragoras is NOT happy. The first half of the chapter ends with him taking a huge swipe at the Master with his sword that not only appears to cut him in half but also slashes straight through the ACTUAL THRONE behind him.

Andragoras, exactly how strong are you? What is your blade made of that it can cut right through the throne like that?

And at this point I'm realising how long this post is, so like the Kmanga chapter releases I'm going to split it into two parts. Stay tuned for Part 2 coming soon, in the meantime I'll leave you with Hilmes's utter shock at what is actually quite an epic moment from Andragoras (and just about the only one where we can cheer for him unreservedly).

[firewoodfigs]

For the WIP asks, could I pls know a lil bit more about the next few chapters of memento amare :,,,) I CRAVE (but also understand you're a superbusy superstar so I will await as patiently as I can!!!!)

heLLO you flatter me too much the only thing I am rn is a broke college student living on maccas and caffeine HAHAHAHA xD here’s a toast to us both!!! 🤠 but YES of course for you anything <3 and since you asked for the “next few chapters”... HERE WE GO

[POSSIBLE SPOILERS!! I tried to be all vague and whatnot, but vagueness is subjective and I’m half-asleep LOL] 

For the next chapter, we’re gonna slide right back into the angst business, albeit with a few sprinkles of poorly-timed humour here and there and more snark. I suppose there’s also gonna be a wee bit of character / relationship analysis - a bit less action, but I kind of wanted to build up Roy & Riza’s relationship a little, and as [spoiler alert?] I hinted to in chapter 7, Ed’s gonna make another appearance, to Roy’s dismay and to Riza’s... uh... I’ll drop a little something here, if it helps xD 

Amongst the three of them whom Riza had gotten reacquainted with - him, Rebecca and Edward - Mustang liked to think that he was the most skilled at concealing his emotions. Years of politicking around with sycophantic sleaze bags had certainly taught him how to keep his enemies close and his cards closer. Rebecca was naturally expressive, but she was also military, so she came a close second. But Edward… where did he even begin? The kid was exactly the kind of moron who’d go around proclaiming that he didn’t give a rat’s ass about anything or anyone, and then proceed to wear his entire heart on his sleeve. (Mustang sincerely hoped that becoming a professional poker player wasn’t in his list of alternative career options. He’d go bankrupt in a day.)

And Riza, ever perceptive, clearly hadn’t missed the haunted look in his wide, golden eyes.

One of the things I really enjoyed about FMA was also how every character had a vital role to play in the story. I hope to achieve that in memento amare as well, but it’s tough because I’m severely lacking Arakawa’s native genius 😂 even though the story is predominantly about Roy and Riza, I think Roy is smart enough to know that he can’t handle everything on his own (and tbh, he has a ton to deal with - inter alia, trying to reconstruct Ishval, dealing with the citizens’ rising suspicion and dimming faith in the government, the loss of his precious Lieutenant). A good leader knows when to delegate the work, or so I’ve been told 😆 

SO [another possible spoiler] a dilemma I’ve been facing is whether to write from Ed’s POV to introduce another character in chapter 7. There are a few reasons why I was thinking of doing so, including but not limited to: (i) Ed’s natural guilt complex means that he must feel like crap over what happened to Riza too (in a sense, this sorta alludes to the summary - the ‘price’ she pays also refers to the relationships and the people around her who are suffering as a result) (ii) comparing the implications of the Promised Day on the city vs the countryside (iii) drawing similarities between two characters approx. 10 chapters or so down the road... hahaHAHA 

For chapter 9, we’re gonna see (hopefully) a shift in Roy & Riza’s relationship, and also them vibin’, or not really, at their respective jobs 😆 I’m quite excited to write this chapter because of the impending hurt/comfort, and also the juxtapositions in the nature of their work? I can’t say too much, but I think it’ll be interesting to consider how Roy, despite working for an incumbent Fuhrer who knows and favours him, still has a limited sense of agency sans what he aspires to achieve because he’s working in a military institution, for a stratocratic government after all. 

My personal head canon is also this: that Grumman was lucky enough to escape the Ishval extermination, and therefore would probably not be as invested in rebuilding Ishval or decentralising power to the people. So I reckon their ideologies would probably diverge at some points, but maybe they’ll agree to disagree?? We’ll see xD 

[another possible spoiler] 

Their ideologies converged insofar as a democracy was involved, but the divergence lay in their notion of power. Mustang knew that Grumman didn’t believe in a complete decentralisation of power. He wasn’t willing, nor was he about to relinquish all of his power and leave it in the citizens’ clammy, suspicious hands.

I don’t have a fixed outline for chapter 9 yet, though, so I might also just scrap the part about their jobs and focus more on their relationship for the time being :”) 

“You have nothing to apologise for,” he reassured. “None of this is your fault.”

I’m sorry this turned out to be such a ridiculously long response, but THANKS FOR THE ASK and for giving me a chance to ramble on about all my random thoughts that I’m too tired to put into proper writing atm 😂 ILY FRIEND!! Hope your week is off to a good start!! <3 

[splendidshinobi]

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST 2003 LIVE REACT: EPISODES 21-25

almost halfway done lads how we feelin'

episode 21: the red glow

ah yes barry

"i'm alphonse elric!!!!!" yes u r baby!!!

who just popped over the wall

scar im assuming

"i kill therefore i am".....barry spouting descartes rn

it was scar haha

um

hi greed

thought i saw you earlier

WHY DID THEY DRAW HIS ARMS THAT LONG

ope he found the chimera crew...

jerry jewell's evil laugh gets me every time lmao he's so great

ed has deep philosophical talks bro

also ed is chaotic but his personal morals are unshakeable

who are these prison guards gonna release

oh hey kimblee

oh hey squad

ed take out ur pokeball

um wth is that

OH MY GOD TUCKER WHAT

EW

I THOUGHT IT WAS A GIANT YODA OR A SWAMP MONSTER

he looks FUCKKEDDDD

bro of all the things i was not expecting him

oof ishval flashbacks

young scar why is your hair brown

why is it white now

WHY IS HE NAKED

whos her

lust 1.0 im assuming

ew omg tucker is literally so fuckin nasty lookin idk

idk why but he's worse than rod reiss titan for me

wait a damn minute

wait a damn fucking minute

goddamnit

what is GOIN ON

i need tucker to stop whispering he sounds like fucking voldemort on the back of quirrells head

jesus

episode 22: created human

hughes' pajamas look like armin's futon from aot junior high

the bad place???? was that greed's prison gluttony was lookin at?

im still shook af over tucker and tbh its been like 24 hours since i watched episode 21

STOP WHISPERING TUCKER

driving me up a wall

my poor son looks so tired :(

those moral principles at it again

bradley.......

ewww the way tucker walks STOP

hi envy!!!!!

so all of those prisoner guys gonna get flattened by some alchemy

hey kimblee!!!

so did greed escape with the homies???? cause i feel like he would have made his presence known already....

i feel like im missing a lot because im a ding dong

musty prison kimblee is kinda...hot....physically speaking..oops..personality wise obviously there's MUCH to work on

so envy knows hohenheim

ED BABY

he won't do it

oh no alphonse

oh god memory implants

al's identity crisis CONTINUES

they wanna become humans??? huh....doesnt really make sense for their characters...(maybe envy but more on that at 11)

is ed gonna kill these guys for al

some1!!!!!! hold!!!!! me!!!! im so stressed

is he pretending to do it and he's got another plan up his sleeve!!!!????

honestly he's so depressed i cant even tell

those unshakable moral principles at work again i see

the red water can turn ed into a god???? wtf ed doesnt want to be a god he wants to punch god

oh theres the greed squad! i found them!!! is kimblee joining up with them

maria girly!!!!!!!

THE HOMUNCULI IN THEIR STUPID UNIFORMS I--

who's the lady. i need 2 know.

episode 23: fullmetal heart

alphonse is destroyed again

poor kid

"edward sir" brosh pls!!!

oh excuse me--- ***Bloch

The Ross Slap™

winry <3

pinako takes no prisoners

ed didnt you JUST tell brosh and ross they might be right that you needed to trust adults with more shit and now youre blowing off hughes

ed's DRAWINGS im-

hi sig hi izumi!!!

al is so sad over there in that corner

poor baby son

sometimes i feel like hughes and mustang are ed and al's divorced dads

the little arakawa avatar cows in the back im CRYING!!!!!!!

“bean”

snappy al

ooffffffff

omg hughes plz

elicia is precious though we love her

"dad's friend the bookworm" omg sheska

awwww gracia made edward a cake!!!!!!!

god catch me cryin in the club

CONGRATULATIONS

"whatever" al im crying he's so sad

AL MADE BROSH OR WHOEVER CARRY HIS DESTROYED ARMOR TO THE ROOF IM ACTUALLY YELLING

"you goof"

yes winry you are correct boy is a goof

sir you are being so dramatic

give that baby a hug

"so called brother"

so we all know that was a knife through the heart for ed

al just jumped off a FUCKING ROOF and ED TRIED TO FOLLOW

so im crying

i liked this better when they HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT AL'S FEARS AND MADE THE FUCK UP

episode 24: bonding memories

guess we're gonna play w my emotions again

sometimes like....one bit characters talk...like villager b ya know? and im like who are you i know that voice

so the nasty military has come to ruin some lives again

and barry for some reason

aww poor al

youre real you are!!!!!!

i just feel like people would know people that wear sunglasses in the rain would be ishvalan

but what do i know

obviously they dont have the white hair thing in this version

poor ed is so sad

these boys need a hug 

let me just *pulls out adoption papers*

well if scar doesnt have queen mei to adopt in 03, he’s got this little toothless boy

dont lie al you do care

ew i dont like her

the drama of this boy

so the nasty military has come to ruin some lives again part 2

apparently they are *mercenaries??? excuse me

i have some questions regarding this kid’s mom

well you know i can see why this kid feels this way about his mom

it does look like she ran off...

al and scar dream team up

HEY ED!!! HEY WINRY!!!

bout time

yall gonna have this talk now????

barry STOPPPPPP

brotherhood barry is the true king there i said it

damn scar you baddie

barry like....you already knew him

anyway

WHAT THE HELL

NO RICKKK!!!!!!

someone save this boy!!!!

oh good his mom “saved” him

ah damn thats pretty tragic

she didnt know they were right in front of her

ow

well my questions were answered

so she attacks with grape fanta. thats one way to do it

ed looks like such an angry gremlin right now this is a heartwarming moment sir please

why are ed and scar being so civil right now this is so weird

bye scar

we’ll see him again

see you later scar

episode 25: words of farewell

maes who let you buy that awful pink suit 

gracia please it better not have been you

mustang ew please

dont open the door lookin like that

what the hell are you doing in here 

so hughes WASNT in ishval here?

i think that takes a lot away from his character but anyway

bradley hangs around like a creep at every possible instant

why would bradley care about ishvalan refugees like hughes cmon

“unspeakable crimes” BRADLEY YOU LITERALLY CANNOT TALK

juliet douglas is this lady’s name

only took me 1000 episodes to figure that out

ED AND AL??? NOT DEALING WITH DANGEROUS THINGS??????? dont make me laugh assholes theyre lying thru their teeth

izumi time lets go

wow we’re still going to rush valley? wasnt really expecting that tbh

elicia i LOVE you!!!!!

ew kimblee “hi”

how did he lightning himself like that

if i were ishvalan i would not go to the south....yet ANOTHER war torn region of amestris but ok

okay

an amestrian desert biker gang rolled up to wreak havoc

HUGHES AHAHAHA 

tbh i wouldnt want to tell roy anything either stupid bitch

anyway

um why do i feel like its hughes’ death episode

he would not be shown tucking elicia in to bed otherwise 

please im not ready to be hurt again

oh no

yeah he just learned something about our girl juliet

ive been waiting for this information 

he’s gonna die before we learn anything helpful

yupppppp

hey lust figured you’d show up sooner or later

i too wish i could look that sexy pulling a kunai out of my forehead

SLOTH????????

did girly just say SLOTH

i- nothing about her seems particularly slothy but ok

u know what!!!!!!!!!!!!

ENVY HEYYY

DUMBASS ROY JUST HAAAAAD TO LEAVE

haha famous last words

oof it hurts every time

not the FUNERAL scene no!

time for me to go 

peace out homies im dead inside

yes my brigadier general 

NOT THE RAIN

COME ONNNNNN

hughes is sneezing six feet under

was ed supposed to be looking at hughes’ ghost

um....right

[aeondeug]

So last night I got rather cranky about how people will use the anime adaptation of Bleach to judge Bleach’s quality while still sourcing all the problems with the anime back to Tite Kubo. Even though Kubo himself did not work on the anime and his control over it was fairly limited. He was consulted on the anime, but otherwise the anime and how it is was not in his hands.

And this really rankles at me when people doing this admit that the anime doesn’t have the same impact as Kubo’s actual comic in its fights. Often the blood being censored will be brought up but there’s more going into why they’re not as impactful, or why they feel different at all. And it’s the lack of Kubo’s actual panels and his usage of the gutter. We don’t have Kubo’s comic. We have an animated adaptation of his comic. The adaptation, however similar at times it is to the comic, is not actually the comic.

Really, this kind of rankles me in general. We do it a lot with anime. People will talk about the Full Metal Alchemist manga and Brotherhood as though they were one and the same because Brotherhood is a more textually faithful adaptation of the source. This ignores changes made to the show. There is an anime original character in the first episode, for example. He was not present in the manga. But I think more impactful than that is differences in the tones of certain scenes.

Someone once made a post I saw a while back about how different Riza almost following through with her promise to Roy feels in the manga compared to Brotherhood. In Brotherhood she is more sad than anything, but in the manga? Riza’s pissed. Like. She’s just furious. We get a nice panel of how pissed she is. Riza’s sad, definitely. She does love this garbage man, after all. But she’s also really fucking pissed at him. And this changes how this scene is read in the show versus the manga. And that changes how people understand Riza and her relationship with Roy.

Because these two Rizas aren’t actually the same Riza. They’re two separate Rizas. One is the manga Riza and the other is the Brotherhood anime Riza. There is also 2003 anime Riza, movie Riza, and the umpteenmillion fan Rizas. We don’t have singular Riza. We have a series of things we associate with Riza and we have a concept of the character. If enough things hit the mark we’ll declare that Riza is “in character”. But there actually isn’t an itemized list that one can objectively pull from, because even with the manga alone people are going to be reading different things into her. And there are a lot of fans who started with the Brotherhood anime and have never read the manga.

This sort of thing is all up and down criticism of Bleach. People talk about lack of emotional impact and I point at panels and go “Look at the colors and the usage of it. That’s where the impact is.” But people are looking at the anime and tacking Kubo’s name onto it. They do that to Arakawa too and while Brotherhood is a better liked adaptation of a better liked manga, I don’t really think it’s fair to point at an adaptation of her work and go “This is what Arakawa did,” while ignoring what Arakawa actually made.

And this even expands to series where it really fucking shouldn’t. The Sailor Moon anime from the 90s and the anime are extremely divergent. The basic cast of characters and plot lines concepts remain but how that actually plays out is very divergent. Some of the anime characters have very different portrayals from their manga counterparts. Haruka stands out in this regard for me. In the manga, Haruka dresses in masculine AND feminine dress. As in levels of feminine clothing that only anime Michiru reaches. In the anime, however, she only dresses in masculine clothing. Then there’s things like how season 1 ended, what the Starlights were and how their role was expanded, how there is an entire filler arc which is canonical to the anime...

There is all of this and more and when I see posts praising Takeuchi I don’t actually see panels from her comic. I don’t actually see her art and what she accomplished. I see stills from an anime adaptation that she was famously very angry and confused by at multiple points. And outside of not really being able to talk about her work at all when we do things like that, it also seems kind of fucked up to so rarely actually show Takeuchi’s work.

This problem seems lesser with the more accurate adaptations on the outset, but I don’t actually think it is. Kubo’s strengths are his page compositions and panel pacing, and those don’t exist in the anime. They can’t. Tappei Nagatsuki’s light novels are strong in part because of how much the narration is framed to be within Subaru’s head and that doesn’t exist in the anime. Not in the same fashion it does in the novel. The anime has to find other ways to do that, and I feel like light novel Subaru might actually grate on and horrify people more than anime Subaru. Because we’re so much more privy to his bullshit. In a similar fashion to how we are with Shirou in the FSN visual novel versus the various anime adaptations.

These aren’t the same works. They’re source materials and adaptations. And I kind of wish they were talked about like that more. That there was a clearer distinction. Both in terms of critique and analysis and in terms of supposedly honoring the accomplishments of a comic artist.