#theme: kiku

[koushirouizumi]

{H.O.L.I.C R.E.I} + WATANUKI & HARUKA ~ N e w Y e a r s {& Sept. 9th} (of L u n a r) / Lunisolar Calenders

+ Jinjitsu; + Chōyō (Kiku no Sekku)

{Cap by Me} (Please ASK to Use)

[beaulesbian]

Kikunojo of the Fallen Snow || episode 948 // chapter 948

also from wikia about kiku being trans:

[stirringwinds]

very messy thoughts, but i personally think there's a lot of historical potential in framing yong-soo and kiku in a senior/younger apprentice or mentor/protege dynamic too. no more 15 year old yong soo. he is like 2000 years old. the wikipedia page on korean influences on japanese culture is long as hell. i don't mean it in a "whoa korea is responsible for everything way", like absolutely not: japanese culture is its own thing, has its own indigenous traits and there is much to study about how any society actively synthesises and syncretises foreign influences the way japan did. but it's a fact that korea was the conduit for many mainland asian influences on japanese culture (including those from china) and that's something i would think should be mapped onto yong-soo and kiku's relationship. long before post-isolationist japan modelled itself on the dutch and british navies— there were the korean shipbuilders and mariners they looked to.

because when there's that longer timeframe used to imagine their dynamics, this is the modern era: 'i taught you to master the sea and much else—and you think you know better now? how dare you disrespect your teacher.' and 'yes, you may have—but alas history doesn't stand still, and others have taught me better now.'

the upending of the confucian hierarchy in the meiji era onwards isn't just between japan and china—but more than that. you really can't fully capture meiji japan without thinking about korea, when korea was one of first steps on the route of how meiji japan sought to prove it could join the (western) imperial club.

[my-plastic-life]

New doll diorama is up! This one took a while because there are lots of props, plus I had to decide on the perfect design. :D

Have you ever been to a themed cafe? They're very common in Japan, ranging from anime to video games to role play. Some are permanent, others are pop up (temporary). The interiors are always completely decorated in the theme, and the food is also designed in accordance with the theme. Most of these places also have gift shops where you can purchase exclusive items ranging from stationary to clothes to figures to plushies, all revolving around the cafe's theme. So fun!

I tend to always do things in themes, so this was right up my alley. I just knew I wanted to make my own Japanese themed cafe diorama. There is no shortage of options, but I decided on a Gudetama cafe. Gudetama is a Sanrio character, and his name literally means "lazy egg." This adorable little egg can be seen in a variety of scenarios, usually being prodded to not be lazy. It's quite amusing! I looked up actual Gudetama cafes so I could make my design as authentic as possible. Almost all of them featured bright yellow walls in a variety of patterns with huge wall decals of the star character on them. Smaller wall art was also common, and the wood floors even had a yellowish hue to them to finish off the look. Statues and figures were also prominent, so I placed a white cube shelf in the scene to hold some of my mini Gudetama items I've had for a long time (didn't even have to buy new stuff for this scene!), as well as the menus and place mats that I made. I also painted all the chairs yellow (they were originally purple) and painted the table base white (they were pink). The booth is borrowed from the Licca-chan revolving sushi set.

So here we have a group of dolls enjoying the themed goodies! All the food items are from Re-Ment, and the sets included a lot more - I just couldn't fit any more dolls in there LOL. And of course, this being Japanese themed, I had to use my Azone dolls. They're a better fit for these chairs and tables anyway since they're not as tall as Barbie, so they fit her size furniture better than she does LOL. Plus - interchangeable hands! YES!

Overview of the diorama showing all the wall art and designs:

Left plate: Curry. Right plate: Ramen.

Curry:

Ramen:

Of course ani-ME is on the dessert :D

Left plate: Cake & ice cream. Right plate: Parfait.

Cake & ice cream:

Parfait:

Left plate: Hot cakes (aka pancakes). Right plate: Kanitama (crab omelet).

Hot cakes (aka pancakes):

Kanitama (crab omelet):

Left plate: Ramen, fried egg, & salad. Right plate: Butatamadon (pork rice bowl).

Butatamadon (pork rice bowl):

Ramen, fried egg, & salad:

Cube with various Gudetama figures/merchandise, plus the menus and place mats I made:

Menu (two-sided) Fun fact: Every single item on the menu is a genuine Re-Ment Gudetama product. I don't have every set, but I included them on the menu anyway:

[aukmodu]

Kiku shares her passion for voyaging the seas.

[floralcrematorium]

Kiku Honda || HWS Japan

Character Playlist | 26 songs | 1hr, 34 min

• Wonderland - Caravan Palace • CORE PRIDE - UVERworld • Everybody's Fool - Evanescence • Lost in Cyberspace - Downhill2k01 • Can You Feel My Heart - Bring Me The Horizon • ME!ME!ME! - Daoko & Teddyloid • Simple and Clean - Ray of Hope Remix - Hikaru Utada, PUNPEE • Video Games - The Young Professionals • FACTION - Wienners • Deeper Deeper - ONE OK ROCK • iNSaNiTY - CircusP • Face My Fears - Hikaru Utada, Skrillex • Counting Stars - OneRepublic • ONION! - ONE OK ROCK • RISK, RISK, RISK - Jhariah • Bad Apple!! - nomico • It Almost Worked - TV Girl • Typhoons - Royal Blood • Burn It Down - Daughter • 津波 - Esprit D'Air • He Who Flees the Light - Calabrese • Ugly Story - Phemic • Trust Fall - Pinkshift • 4:00A.M. - Taeko Onuki • Remember Summer Days - Anri • A CYBER'S WORLD? - Toby Fox

Spotify | Youtube

[hauntingblue]

ACT 2 OVER LETSGOOOO

[leviathanmirror]

Dragged my feet finishing this up with Kiku. Can't wait to get hit with an ability called Nostalgia again!

[evan-collins90]

AMC Studio 30 Theatre - Houston, TX (1997)

"What the design attempts to do in the 110,000 sq. ft. space is simulate a movie studio backlot and the soundstage where guests become part of the action, and the experience "rekindles the magic and memory of movie going."

Elements from sound stages and studio road cases make up the central lobby space along with a guest service desk. Images of Hollywood's glamorous stars of the past add enchantment to the balcony walls. The space is divided into three themed areas that "transport guests into fantastic worlds of Animation, Action/Adventure and Cyberspace." The food concession stands within each area carries through the theme; "Fizz, Sizzle, Pop"; Wildebeest Feast"; and "Quantum Bits." The 30 auditoria are located off the soundstage lobby and within the various themed areas.

The architecture seems to come alive in the Animation area. The space is designed to resemble an animation cel: "flat, two-dimensional, cartoon-like graphics are outlined with black lines, filled with color and applied on an exaggerated scale." The Fizz, Sizzle, Pop concession's identity and blimp directional signs seem to float in a blue sky with flat, cut-out clouds. The setting for Action/ Adventure recalls a rainforest with heavy hanging leaves, bamboo and rock "carved" directional signs. The custom wall covering features petroglyphs of cave people carrying popcorn, megaphones and movie cameras. The fiber optic eyes peering from behind the leaves in the Wildebeest Feast stand change color. They also appear above rock outcroppings down the corridor. Patrons are invited to explore an abstract, futuristic world in Cyberspace where the floor and ceiling are the same color and brushed aluminum columns rise partway to the ceiling. To create the illusion of "endless space." custom light fixtures project beams of light along the walls and backlit graphic images have neon edges. Various colored lights and a high-tech fluorescent green/orange acrylic sign help to define the Quantum Bits concession area in Cyberspace."

Designed by Kiku Obata & Co.

Scanned from the book, Entertainment Destinations by Martin Pegler (2000)

[hwsing]

overstimulation

notes: 18+, reader is afab and gender neutral. includes: germany (ludwig beilschmidt), japan (kiku honda). as always, reblogs are appreciated!

cw: dom/sub themes; vibrator (ludwig); bondage (ludwig); electrodes (ludwig); wax play (kiku)

☆ ludwig

in what ways would ludwig not overstimulate you? to say he has a curious mind is an understatement — he has thought about so many scenarios, all of which end up with you practically brain dead — albeit hesitant and even shy, he would never have a shortage of methods on how to overwhelm you.

he can feel his palms sweat as he spreads your thighs — his eyes trail up your body, watching intently as the pads of the electrodes send shocks against your nipples. quiet, pitchy whines catch in your throat every time, and it catches his attention; his gaze meets yours, and he swallows thickly at the sight. your brows are pinched and you look like you’re trying — and failing — to stay quiet, to stay composed. he wants nothing more than to see you lose yourself.

“relax, liebling.” he says compellingly. despite his soft tone, there is an underlying of sternness — it was a command. his hands, stronger than you could ever begin to imagine, move your knees to rest on his shoulders as he looks down at your fluttering cunt. you were tied by your wrists attached to the bedposts. and, you were already nearly soaked to the bone; he would never dare underprep you. he knew the stretch of his cock was enough to have you gasping and digging your nails down the line of his spine. he already spent what felt like a century with a vibrator against your clit, and it was for that reason he was able to push into you with such ease, gripping your hips as your needy pussy sucks him in; you moan loudly, tears threatening to fall from your eyes. you look at him, and even now as he controls the pace, his reddened face betrayed him — his expression wouldn’t say so, but he could feel how he struggled, just as you do.

as much as ludwig was a man who preached patience, it wasn’t long before his hips slammed against yours, feeling overwhelmed at how overwhelmed you were. you looked pathetic beneath him, left only with the option to submit to the feeling of his cock plumping relentlessly into you and the literal shocks zapping against your chest. his cock twitched inside you, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to last long as you fought against your binds and cried, back arching almost impossibly into him. he’d take care of you — of course he would; his attention and devotion was completely forfeited to you as you allowed him to fuck you like this.

☆ kiku

he has experience in the human body’s limits — just not as personal, or intimate, as this calls for. still, kiku can’t help but wonder how you would handle scenarios that would test you; and, as the pathetic loser he is, he has seen his fair share of porn and has likely tried this before. still, he wants to see you, and your skin — and how the both of you handle things.

he kindly let you relax, sitting between your legs; he told you to stay as still as you could, and you agreed — but now, as you watched him angle the candle above you, you weren’t so sure you could. his other hand was busy inside you, softly rubbing against your velvety walls with precision while his thumb worked circles against your clit. he had already made you cum twice — he wanted for the wax to almost startle your dazed body. you already imagined how it might feel — and when it finally came, you couldn’t help but involuntarily flinch. the wax was almost painfully hot against your bare skin, and you took a shallow breath.

“did that hurt?” he asks, almost plainly as his dark eyes flickered up to look at you; you swallow and you hesitate on what to say. his fingers never stop, even as he stares. the heat of the wax came again, seeming even hotter this time, and you shook your head no as you did you best not to squirm. all kiku did was hum quietly in acknowledgment, looking to the wax now littering your skin. your soft moans at the contact had him feeling rock solid in his pants, but that wasn’t really on his mind now — he only focused on you.

you tilt your head back, panting through quieted moans as the wax continues to drip onto your pliable skin. your brain felt foggy as a knot tangled in your lower stomach — the burn of the wax had distracted you from what was, up until now, dull pleasure building inside you. ever observant, kiku’s thumb pressed firmer against your clit, and your legs nearly kicked out. your hole clenched around his fingers, and soon enough another orgasm was rippling through you — it lasted longer than usual as he worked you through it, a satisfied smile tugged at his lips. that didn’t mean he was done, though — no, no. he only just brought the wax out, after all!

[dino--draws]

para!Place and para!Ilse Relationship Headcanons — because I am mentally ill. Also I slipped in a little short written character exchange too

Tbh I think para!Place got manhandled as hell when brought to Site-43. That man was in complete shambles, frightened and sobbing his little heart out. No one is listening to what he’s saying, he can barely hear them over the ringing in his ears. They can’t wrangle him down to get the eyedrops in and end up having to sedate him to avoid 001-A killing the man. This is a horrendous first impression 

Fun fact?? Ilse was only a Year out of the incinerator when the Paradox hits?? She’s not doing too hot.

So they see this frightened, alone man and Majorly see themselves in him. She’s projecting when they first start trying to reach out and connect with him. And he vaguely knows of her from parascientific journals and such, which is better than knowing Nothing (see: not knowing a damn soul in 43)

para!Place is touch adverse as all hell due to the previous shit and para!Ilse is a very touchy-feely person due to being touch starved and this does clash a little initially

They keep trying to physically comfort him or just in general put a hand on him and it makes him flinch a handful of times. He’s bad at communicating discomfort but they pick up eventually and start asking permission 

Place takes a while to warm up to Ilse, but they both end up mutually latching onto the other. He tends to tail her like a lost dog because Ilse knows the site better at first

Him getting injured by 001-A and Ilse helping in his recovery majorly grows his trust in them back when they were still warming up

They are both so mid socially. Ilse stands too close to people and talks a bit too loud, Place will stare at you with wide eyes in dead silence

After a while Ilse ends up as like the only person on site that Place lets touch him, because he knows they’d never hurt him. :))))

You will often find them passed out in one of the labs curled up against each other.

They could have some sort of queer platonic relationship going on. Its moderately co-dependent and theyre not sure what to define it as but they act close. Its just all platonic

Place tells Ilse about all the stuff pop culturally and more mundane that they missed while in the Incinerator. Oh and books. TV shows. Movies. Media themes and modern tropes. They are usually very baffled or confused but the two of them loooove to yap its enriching for em.

They have moderately incomprehensible parascience discussions. They do not always Agree parascientifically and sometimes butt heads, but they respect the others opinions

AND THEN EVERYTHING GOES TO SHIT WHEN NGO DIES AND PHMD STARTS ISOLATING HIMSELF AND BREAKING UNDER THE PRESSURE ✨✨✨

He shuts out everything and everyone, gets some asinine shit thats been boiling under the surface in his mind this whole time and starts to crumble mentally.

It worries the Fuck outta Ilse, because they notice when he starts to deteriorate both physically and mentally but still can barely pry anything from him. They’re the one that prompts the “better story” line from him. 

They get Really strained 

When he abandons the timeline, when she realizes what he’s done and what he’s going to do, they are god damn furious.

Stealing this from Kiku, but Ilse basically jailbreaks her TAD jumpwatch and manages to jury rig it to follow him after some time passes. Taking the Cannon fucked everyone over, and they want fucking answers to what he’s doing.

She’s not going to like those answers.

Other tangential headcanons for these two

para!Place occasionally goes nonverbal. Sometimes stress related, sometimes he just Doesn’t feel like it. He’s gesture heavy or can use a text to speech to bridge gaps from time to time.

para!Ilse loves to draw. They’re mid at it at best and the drawings come out looking more like scientific diagrams, but they love to draw things that she sees in a little book. She looks back on the doodles she did of the outside world before the paradox with solemn nostalgia.

phmd has a damaged little rubiks cube but he struggles with it because half the colors are hard to see now with the red monochromacy 

Here actually have a little drabble because I am insane fun fact:

“How can you even solve that thing, with the monochromacy?” Ilse’s voice cuts through a silence that had previously only been broken by a quiet clicking. Placeholder jolts, and looks over at her. He’s sat on the lab’s floor, back against the wall, Rubik’s cube in his lap.

“Ah— well,” he rubs the bandages on his arm, winces, “truth be told, I can’t. The only colors that are still differential are these two—“ Place taps a darker square, and a pale one, “—blue and white, I think? I don’t remember well what they looked like.” The eyedrops make his vision blurry, anyhow. He can scarcely see, between them and the Paradox’s sensory effects. 

“So what’s the point?” There’s a shifting of fabric as Ilse plops down heavily next to him, adjusting her glasses on her nose. They’d long since popped out the lenses, but kept the frames for ‘nostalgia’. 

Place shrugs, “I like the sounds. I… I need to do something with my hands, HEAR something, or I fear I’ll go batty down here.”

“I can’t stand the silence either,” Ilse nods, she traces a circle on the tile with her finger, “the Incinerator was dead silent for all seventy-eight of those years, if I have to stand another second I may snap.” They give a harsh, bitter sort of laugh. Placeholder frowns,

“I… I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t be. If this shitfest is anyones fault, it’s Dougall’s, not yours — no matter what he tried to imply.” Ilse would almost rather this hell over their previous, if not for the fact this one affected more than just one person.

“…at least the Cannon works.” Placeholder sighs, “its given the others hope.”

“You say that as if it didn’t give you any,” Ilse arches her brow, “did you ever ask future you anything about what his situation was?”

Placeholder looks away. 

“Place?”

“I don’t remember. Our conversation fades more by the day. But I think he sounded… tired.”

“If YOU’RE saying someone sounded tired, it must’ve been bad.” Ilse frowns, they tentatively reach over to him — a silent ask of permission — and he nods. Ilse gently grasps his shoulder, tugs him closer and Place leans up against her, knees curling up to his chest. 

“And speaking of, you should rest, Place.“

He exhales softly, eyes drifting downwards.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

[stirringwinds]

are there certain visual themes or imagery you yourself particularly associate with yao as an artist or writer? i'm trying to visualize the nations better...

hmmm, interesting question. i like incorporating nature imagery into the hetalias, especially old nations like yao. there's something mythical and compelling about the sense of age and vastness that evokes. these are some (non-exhaustive) thoughts i've had:

a. i always associate yao with rivers and water; the Yellow River in particular, which is often seen as the "cradle" of Chinese civilisation (but of course, there's also the Yangtze, and the Pearl River too). rivers are life-giving but also untameable, powerful and dangerous—the Yellow River's fertile silt birthed agriculture and civilisation, but its destructive floods have claimed uncounted lives over the millennia of Chinese history. and...that's kind of how yao is, as a nation and an empire, towards others of their kind. the source of cultural and artistic innovations, but also death. water can be fluid, life-giving and nurturing, but also as treacherous as a torrential flood sweeping everything away, no?

like the Yellow River's relationship with humanity, yao's impact on world history feels to me like this duality of life and death; peace and warfare; mentor, empire, conqueror... it's like, yao's been a teacher to many others but...i don't think their predominant image of him is as a warm and nurturing figure. maybe more so with his own people, but less so with other nations. being the old warlord he is, he'd say certain things very matter-of-factly (especially to yong-soo and kiku), about how power is the only language their kind universally understands, or about history being written by the victors (when we consider how the only surviving written sources about certain periods of asian history are only chinese ones...), inasmuch he'd talk about the importance of confucian virtue, integrity and humility on other occasions.

b. for obvious reasons; dragons—they and rivers both have that overlapping association of being serpentine, powerful and untameable. in contrast to how european dragons often took on villainous roles and were harbingers of disaster, it's important to note chinese dragons usually have far more positive cultural connotations. they symbolise prosperity, fortune and are guardians; often associated with power over water (so again; Yao and rivers and water.) many dragons are associated with a particular river or sea. they're also believed to have powers over the weather and were often prayed to. after all, the capriciousness of the rains ruled people's lives so much through natural disasters or made a difference between a bountiful harvest and a famine. so, i think at various points in history his people might also have understood him as a literal dragon (spirit/deity) walking around in a human guise. dragons are also a visual staple of chinese culture, from statues to jewellery. at the same time: while they're auspicious symbols—dragons can of course have aggressive and far less benign connotations if we consider how they became symbols of the emperor—and thus chinese imperial power and dominion over others. he evokes majesty, but also dread from that perspective.

c. plum blossoms: much like the sakura in japanese culture, plum blossoms are one beloved motif you'll see showing up in chinese art and literature throughout history. they're elegant and ethereal, also a symbol of both transience and renewal in a way, i'd say—their blossoms wither and die, but they come back each year. there's also that saying about how without a bitter cold, you won't have the sweet fragrance of plum blossoms, because they start blooming in winter. that's...very yao to me. china, as an idea, makes me think of a lot of elegant and refined traditional culture (like poetry or paintings) which plum blossoms recall—but i also think of humbler themes—the simpler idea of someone and something who is enduring, adaptable and resilient. who endures the harshest weather time and time again until spring arrives, the way my (peasant) ancestors probably did, carving their way through all the hardships of chinese history. yao might appear refined in an indulgent, wealthy way when he's dressed in his finest silk hanfu or a smart western suit in the modern day—but if you shake his hand, his palms are always callused and you can just see the weight (and hard-won experience) of centuries in his gaze.

[maigeiko]

Naming lines

One thing Kyoto Okiya are famous for are their naming lines. Most Okiya stick to one or two. For example, Nishimura has "-ko" (子), Nakasato uses "Nao-" (尚). This is much rarer outside of Kyoto, partially due to smaller sizes in general Geisha population, smaller Okiya/Ochaya, or it's just never been this way. But there are exceptions, and I'd like to present some here: Tanigawa たに川 Ochaya in Osaka-Nanchi has "-zuru" (鶴) Examples: Momozuru 百々鶴, Fukuzuru 福鶴, Orizuru おり鶴 Hôsengiren 鳳川伎連 Okiya in Gifu has "Kiku-" 喜久 and "-ji" 次 Examples: Kikuji 喜久次 (both naming lines originate from him), Tamaji 多満次, Kikutomi 喜久富 Hamacho 濱長 Ryotei in Kochi doesn't strictly use naming lines, but has a recurring theme with "-chiyo" 千代 Examples: Yukichiyo 由喜千代, Yumechiyo 夢千代, Mamechiyo 豆千代 both the now defunct Okiya Ito-seki 伊藤席 and Kikusuiro 菊水楼, and the only currently active Okiya in Nara, Ono-seki 大野席 use "kiku" (菊) both as suffix and prefix Examples: Kogiku 小菊, Hinagiku 雛菊, Kikuzuru 菊鶴 Kawai 河居 Okiya in Tokyo-Asakusa uses "-aki" (晶) Examples: Fujiaki ふじ晶, Komaaki こま晶, Tamaaki たま晶 Kawamura 河村 Okiya in Tokyo-Asakusa uses "Chi-" (千) Examples: Chima 千万, Chizuru 千鶴, Chiaki 千晶 (Kawai's "aki" naming line originates from her) Fujihana 藤花 Okiya in Tokyo-Mukojima uses "Na" (南) Examples: Hinano 日南乃, Natsuki 南月, Yurina 悠梨南

Momofuku 桃福 Okiya in Tokyo-Mukojima uses "Ka" (加) Examples: Momoka 桃加, Erika 絵里加 Sengoku 千石 Okiya in Tokyo-Mukojima uses "ka" (香) Examples: Soraka そら香, Utaka うた香, Umika 海香 Kikuyoshi 菊よし Okiya in Tokyo-Hachioji uses "Ko-" (小) Examples: Kotarô 小太郎, Kotone 小都音, Komaki 小舞姫 Fuminoya ふみ乃家 Okiya in Tokyo-Hachioji uses "-no" (乃) Examples: Mayuno まゆ乃, Otono 音乃

[aukmodu]

Kiku with a little Awaati friend

[floralcrematorium]

FIGHT!!!

The people want Denmark, so he's coming 8/19

If you didn't see it, China came out yesterday! Check him out here

See who else I've done here

[onepiece-polls]

One Piece Crack Ship War - Round 3 Side A

Propaganda under the cut

Reishigi:

Vinsmoke x Swordsman That one cover page.

Reiju being a sapphic icon was already canon in my heart but the way she cuddles up to Tahigi in a recent cover illustration just convinced me further. Good for them, Tashigi deserves a badass gf and Reiju someone who will treat her right.

That color spread is very lesbian

All of the manga readers have seen THAT cover page, and the tumblrinas probably did too after tumblr blew up.

Reiju is definitely looking at Tashigi with lust in her eyes.

LETS GO LESBIANS! There was literally no reason for Oda to illustrate Reiju leaning down on Reiju with her tongue out like that, the both of them in short dresses while drinking. Reiju cradling her face…

Oda's personal crack-ship, apparently. He drew them in a color spread because apparently he had a vision that no-one else shared and he needed to let it out in the world. And honestly, Oda cooked with this one.

Oda drew all the propaganda I needed.

There is SO much chemistry in the colorspread alone, but if that isn’t enough to convince you, please imagine Reiju flirting in the exact same loser way as her brother. But for her somehow it works because Tashigi is an even bigger loser.

I think Reiju should kiss all the pretty girls and according to the 1108 cover Oda agrees with me.

I don’t know if you’ve seen the recent color spread but there was nothing straight about how Reiju was holding Tashigi. She had her arm around her and is licking her lips. Tashigi looks very flustered. I’ve now decided they are gay for each other. Just trust me everyone.

Snowdrift: Both are level headed people within their respective groups, have weather theming, are really cute, have a sassy side, Kiku tends to be high strung and Nami is good at helping people relax.