#this is the first arc that I really feel the live action didn't do justice. usopp's intro in the manga is a lot more emotional and deep.

[arataka-reigen]

Pages that live in my mind rent free. The gentle way Nami catches him when he falls, the tired post-battle conversations, the foreshadowing to Nami's storyline, Nami taking care of Luffy's hat.

She really was part of his crew even before she accepted it.

[bibibbon]

MHA chapter 426

4 more chapters until MHA ends and wow!!!

Honestly this chapter was mainly the conclusion of the todoroki family arc which I still hate how it played out and ended. The whole todoroki family NOT INCLUDING ENJI deserves so much better than what horikoshi gave them.

Hawks is the new HPSC leader?!?! I feel like the system should of just been destroyed considering how much it hurt everyone and hawks by no means has any proper character development to take this role. Hawks hasn't really broken down his flawed beliefs or truly developed from his mentality that ended up getting one of the most redeemable league of villains members aka twice killed. Also he barely reflects on his actions and all of this feels so underwhelming and unprepared for.

Todoroki family deserves better. The ABSLOUTELY vile ending the todoroki family received is horrible like I really feel like they should just runaway and live in a house without endeavour and actually take up on endeavours attornment bs. Like the only one who gets it is natsou who has every right to live with his girlfriend and keep her far away from that environment and oh my Rei deserves so much better both narratively and by the fandom.

Enji still sucks. Yeah I can't lie nothing this man can do can make me like him and it doesn't help that hori has written all of those retcons to humanise him and make him pitiful. I feel like when it came to the todoroki family arc enji took on a whole lot of screentime WHICH HE SHOULDNT OF!!! That should of gone to shoto and the rest of the family and an easy way to fix it is to simply have killed enji in the first war arc (as was initially planned but hori changed it later on) ALSO I SAY LET TOUYA REST AT THIS POINT!!! having him just mechanically alive and stuck is horrible honestly I think that death is much more of a merciful fate for him at this point.

So lady nagant chose to go to jail?!?! Her reasoning for it is actually so sad though and it really shows how much hero society traumatised her. Like the woman didn't want to be free so she can't be used by anyone and would rather spend time in prison over it. I wish that she was hawk's mentor from the begining because the vibe those two give is absolutely amazing and it would enhance the parallels and relationship they have if they were. Honestly I hope hawks actually does a good job but Iam still all for the destruction of hero society and I doubt hawks is actually going to reform it properly also the hero society is so deeply flawed that I don't think there is a proper way to reform more like just scratch everything out and start fresh.

Spinner is back. I hope I don't see him have a breakdown when he realises what happend to the league because I can't handle that. Also that begs the question I thought that spinner had become somewhat brain dead after all he's been through so how did he turn back from being a giant nomu?

I can't handle the sibling angst too bad that touya and shoto didn't have a better arc. The whole shoto trying to know touya better and him revealing that soba is also his favourite food softens my heart. In another universe where enji doesn't get a redemption touya gets one while justice is served to the todoroki family.

Gentle criminal and la brava getting justice. (The only good part of the chapter fr)

in conclusion this chapter was horrible if we look at it from a story perspective due to how badly MHAs already established plot points and themes are handled!!!

Also what happend to the random character in the last chapter!!! I hope we get closure on that soon

[formulaorange]

2023 Fall Anime

This is honestly a loaded season full of new shows based on relatively new manga. Lots to look forward to

Spy x Family - Season 2 One of the most fun SJ series that have come out in a while. Season 1 was killer, high hopes for season 2.

Goblin Slayer 2 I didn't realize they were even making a second season. This was such a killer series. I'm really hoping they don't fall into the many mid-tier fantasy tropes out there in anime right now. I thought the appeal of the show was really Goblin Slayer himself and less about the lackeys along the way. So we'll see how it goes.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End This is definitely one of my highly anticipated series. It's about an elf who was part of the Hero's party and her life after he dies. (Since elves live longer) Definitely a darker take on fantasy but has some really solid fantasy and adventure vibes.

Rising of the Shield Hero - Season 3 Season 2 was pretty disappointing and slow. While this looks like it'll be more fast paced, it does look like a tournament arc of sorts. I know some aren't a fan of that kind of arc, but honestly I think it's exactly what this series needs to pick things up again. We'll see.

The Faraway Paladin - Season 2 This was legitimately one of my favourite fantasy series. I thought it was really well written and didn't rush things like other series. I'm looking forward to this season.

Sequels/Continuations: Eminence in Shadow - Season 2 killer series with an anti-hero main character. Definitely worth checking out. After-School Hanako-Kun Hanako-kun spin off Dr. Stone Season 3 - Part 2 One of the best novel concept series with nothing else in it's genre to compare to. Definitely didn't drop the ball on the recent seasons and still worth watching. Dead Mount Death Play - Part 2 One that I didn't particularly enjoy, but has a decent sized manga following. Tokyo Revengers - Tenjiku Arc The continuation of the series. Might be just me but it feels like the series fell off after the first season. The Saint's Magic Power is Omnipotent - Season 2 A more mature take on fantasy isekai that just started to get into romance at the end of last season. A solid combo of shoujo genres. The Ancient Magus' Bride - Season 2 Part 2 One that I haven't had a change to check out yet but have only heard good things about. Hypnosismic - Season 2 a weirdly addictive musical/rap series. Unique characters and honestly solid rap battles. One I'll be enjoying. -- Related - Paradox Live - Music battle with what looks to be the same style of animation and solid character design. Definitely worth looking at if you're a fan of Hypmic. The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse A sequel of SDS. Looks like it could be a fun watch for the fans of the series. New:

Shangri La Frontier A new manga fantasy series. This may be a horrible way to describe but it is what it is - a new age SAO- full dive fantasy game. A gamer who only plays shit games, gets into a new massively popular MMORPG and is op. One that I'm excited for because it ticks all the fantasy game boxes I like.

Undead Unluck A relatively new manga series that gained a lot of traction in the last year or two. A gory action comedy that's super chaotic and a lot of fun.

Shy Brand new hero manga series about a shy girl and her anxieties and struggles going into the hero world who grows and gains confidence as she becomes a better hero.

Ron Kamonohashi's Forbidden Deductions This is a manga series that I have kept forgetting the name of so never got a chance to read but all the covers for the manga look phenomenal. Likely the anime doesn't do him justice but it is what it is. Essentially sherlock in anime form. A PI with issues and the wholesome police detective work together to solve crime. Other New Series: Green - Fantasy Pink - Romance Red - Action Purple - Drama The Kingdoms of Ruins A world where witches were hunted down by humans as science surpassed magic. A kid who was raised by a witch swears revenge on mankind. This honestly looks solid. The animations are very cool looking and the mc seems to be an anti-hero. Will be looking at this one. Under Ninja A well known manga series about modern ninjas. Definitely a unique series for this season. The Apothecary Diaries A historical medical mystery show. I've heard the name before and I've also only heard good things. Will be worth a watch. A Girl & Her Guard Dog The granddaughter of a crime syndicate goes to highschool out of town and the current young boss lies his way into the same school. Would be cute romance if it weren't for the fact she's 15 and he's 26.. Butareba - The Story of a Man Turned into a Pig What the title says. A girl finds him and the story goes from there. I'm Giving the Disgraced Noble Lady I Rescued a Crash Course in Naughtiness The usual light novel title. Honestly, doesn't seem as yikes as I initially thought, might just be harmless breaking the rules kinda thing. Could be fun, also a Capybara that strikes fear into people's hearts. My Daughter Left the Nest and Returned an S-Rank Adventurer Looks like a wholesome series where an adventurer finds a baby, raises it and she becomes so strong she's busy working all the time. Just a cute father daughter relationship in a fantasy setting about her wanting to come take time to see him but being caught up in OP fantasy battles. Ragna Crimson Dragons vs Humanity - a human and a dragon team up to destroy all the dragons. Action fantasy series. Berserk of Gluttony I honestly added this because I thought it was hilarious. Looks like a combo of knock offs - the Gluttony skill from Tensura (reincarnated as a slime) and the mc being called Fate with the main girl who looks exactly like Sabre. I'll be skipping but its' here so you know.

[shiftysheep]

Xue Yang: was he nothing but a monster or are you guys just mean?

hey fellas, it's me! back at you with another unpopular opinion. this time about Xue Yang (from the book i haven't seen that part of the show yet)

i've read the Yi City twice and, while i thought that the first time might've been a fluke, both read throughs made me feel emotions.

and i know what you're thinking "yea no shit bro, it's an emotional arc!" yes yes i know I know. but!! both times, there was only one part of it that inspired these emotions. it was near the very end of the arc where Song Lan came to town and was talking and doing some recon with A-Qing

it becomes apparent, both through A-Qing's recollection and through Xue Yang's words and actions, that Xue Yang had changed from who he was prior to knowing Xiao Xingchen.

he was in the process of becoming, if not a good person, then at least a not-evil person. he had stopped killing people and manipulating Xiao Xingchen into killing people. he even assisted Xiao Xingchen on real, actual night hunts! Genuinely helping people that he wouldn't have hesitated to kill before and even still most likely viewed as being as unimportant as insects.

and yet!! he still refrains from killing anyone. he didn't even hurt anyone! Oh he threatened and gave dirty looks, but he never actually followed through. he was changing for and because of Xiao Xingchen.

and that is the point of this post.

Xue Yang had real genuine feelings towards Xiao Xingchen. he really, honestly cared about him and his opinion. he valued Xiao Xingchen's presence and thought it was worth giving up his very identity and favorite hobbies (ie killing people and doing demonic cultivation) just to get to stay by his side.

the life Xue Yang had traded away everything he had previously cared about for wasn't special or glamorous. it was difficult and about as far from the luxuries of the cultivation world as you could get.

but he still did it.

Xue Yang. One of the most selfish people in the entire series. Volunteered to go to the market. To do nothing but buy groceries. For no reason, other than the care of and for Xiao Xingchen.

isn't that amazing? isn't that wonderful? that someone could choose to put down their rage and hate, and instead, live in peace with the world they live in? is that not the goal for all criminals? rehabilitation?

is it fair that he should get a happy life? no, definitely not. his victims would have never gotten justice, including Xiao Xingchen.

but man... it sure is compelling.

[tossawary]

So, I started thinking about a Kuina Lives + Strawhat Kuina AU specifically because of a paragraph on the wiki page. I was looking up info on Shimotsuki Village while I was taking down notes for a potential Pre-Canon ZoLu fic inspired by the live-action show.

Allegedly, the infamous 4kids dub CHANGED things so that Kuina didn't die, she was PERMANENTLY DISABLED to the point of being unable to pursue her dream. And my brain went: "?!" I see no reason why (aside from a few very extreme cases of disability) a disabled Kuina could not become a Strawhat pirate and go on adventures anyway! (Franky is a CYBORG who looks increasingly like a MECHA and Chopper's pills are BONKERS.)

Relevant quote: "Per standard policies, the 4Kids-dubbed anime censored her death, stating that she had been permanently injured by the friends of a man she'd defeated (and removing all scenes depicting her funeral or grave)." Which is driving my brain UP THE WALL with possibility when Kuina and Tashigi also supposedly both have names referencing flightless birds. The THEMES. The SYMBOLISM.

Personally, I still prefer Kuina becoming injured in an innocuous fall rather than having people directly responsible for her physical disability. The degree of her injury depends on what story that a person is individually writing. I see two potential ways forward (of many) that both interest me.

OPTION A: Kuina is physically disabled to the point of being unable to fight well generally, especially with swords. She uses a wheelchair and crutches to get around, and has some other lingering issues. So, like, she can definitely still whack people with a sword and shoot a gun, but Zoro is wielding Wado Ichimonji because Kuina feels she cannot do it justice. (But she's still supervising!!! She's Zoro's coach.)

Kuina's grandfather was a swordsmith, so in this case, she would end up in a smith, weapons expert, and quartermaster role for the Strawhats. She, Usopp, and Franky can be the Crafting Team! Ship maintenance crew! Kuina takes Merry's sinking nearly as badly as Usopp does.

OPTION B: Kuina has "mostly" recovered from her injury, which set her back for several years, but is still struggling. A dedicated female fighter on the Strawhat crew is VERY tempting as an idea. Monster quartet, yes? Yes! She's wielding Wado Ichimonji and Zoro is still searching for his own dedicated swords.

She could still be a swordsmith and quartermaster in this case! In either case, A or B, I think it might be cool to give Kuina a hook? (Kuina @ Crocodile: "Compensating for something, huh?") She could get other prosthetics or just super cool assistive devices as the story goes on with Chopper and Franky's help.

KUINA'S POTENTIAL ARCS: I do really like the idea of Kuina (if she can still fight with a sword) and Zoro moving forward together, neck and neck, for the title of World's Greatest Swordsman. I think it would be cool to come to a resolution that the title is more or less something that they can share? Like, only one of them can beat Mihawk in a "fair" duel, so that's an issue in the competition between them, but I do like the idea of the two of them going back and forth beating each other in duels, at the top of the world together.

Arguably, when Zoro sacrifices himself at the end of the Thriller Bark Arc, he has come to the resolution that he'll give up his dream for Luffy and the crew, where he gives up the last remnants of being self-centred and throws himself completely behind Luffy's philosophy of friendship and enjoying the journey. He still wants to be the World's Greatest Swordsman, but his crew comes first. I don't recall after this point any reckless moments of a similar nature to him stabbing himself in Orange Town when fighting Buggy's crew to prove a point. Zoro's recklessness culminates in sacrificing himself with purpose.

It does feel a little weak, but... Kuina could decide that she's comfortable in her own skills and doesn't need to prove anything to anyone. She KNOWS she's as good as Zoro is. She can declare herself the World's Greatest Swordswoman and let Zoro fight Mihawk. (They did probably flip a coin over it or something.) Maybe she never really wanted to be the World's Greatest, maybe she just wanted to live her life the way that she chose, and felt like becoming the World's Greatest was the only way of permanently shutting up every sexist jerk who has ever talked down to her. (They will never shut up. Sexist jerks will always find something to nitpick.)

ALTERNATIVELY: Kuina could have a heartbreaking and healing story about having to give up your dream because it's not physically possible anymore. Even if this is a story where she's still fighting as a swordswoman with Wado Ichimonji and is monstrously dangerous, maybe her physical disability prevents her from now fighting on Zoro's level, which really fucking sucks for her when she feels like she has so much to prove as a woman.

Shounen manga has always had an issue where the solution to some fights is that the protagonist just needs to "fight harder, yell louder, and believe in himself more", even when the protagonist is bleeding from everywhere. "One Piece" is fun because there are plenty of fights and problems where the protagonists succeed due to being genuinely clever, but there are other fights where it's all about a manifestation of willpower (sometimes literally). And this often works thematically.

I think Kuina would be interesting as a character for how she could contrast against Zoro, so I'm leaning towards giving her a very different story rather than making her Zoro 2.0 (Female).

For example, where Zoro is reckless, I think Kuina might be cautious, especially if she's been badly injured before and is still struggling. In flashbacks, she's open about her problems and anger to Zoro because he's her friend and also a safe target - he's an outsider / outlier in the dojo and she can beat him in a fight. In a martial school that probably demands some level of respectful behavior, Kuina might not display the same bravado and unhappiness to her father, who is also her teacher and responsible for the sexism that she's internalized.

If she's a swordswoman still, I don't know that she would challenge Mihawk at the Baratie. For one thing, it's STUPID. Zoro had to KNOW that he was nowhere near Mihawk's level and he's lucky that Mihawk had some level of honor and curiosity to spare him. If Mihawk had been a little more of an asshole, that would have been the end of Zoro's dream. He was really stupid there (affectionate, that's my boy). The smart thing to do is keep your mouth shut and live to challenge Mihawk another day, but I think Kuina would also hate herself for this kind of "cowardice".

Her personal struggle as a character might be with reserve and fear of risk, whether this culminates in her ultimately overcoming all obstacles and succeeding in her dream with the help of her friends, or in her giving up her dream due to a physical disability (or multiple physical disabilities) that is no fault of her own in favor of a new dream. You could try your best to combine all of these different elements into Kuina's arcs and abilities. There's a lot of possibility.

[theheirofthesharingan]

I just found your blog recently, I hope you don't mind that I've been crawling through and liking so many posts. I've always loved Sasuke and never minded Itachi, he was a good villain but it may be saying something that his crimes (while not insignificant) are only rated so highly (from my pov) because he did it all in one night. There are plenty of ninja who did far more heinous things for worse reasons (Orochimaru is a far worse person let alone dangerous villain), so while the big reveal of the plot around Itachi's betrayal was somewhat surprising, it was not exactly "shocking" so much as it felt like it recontectualized things.

I don't really think it makes sense for ss fans to even bring up that "S*kura would never put Sasuke through what Itachi did" considering she was never and would never be in a position to act as Itachi did... but very few ship vs ship arguments are made with "good sense" in mind. (I actually liked her genin arc, she changed from her rather damaging pushy behavior to taking ownership of her own emotions but that then backslid during shippuden... making her once again pushing her own agenda without anyone's input)

I just found your blog recently, I hope you don't mind that I've been crawling through and liking so many posts.

I don't mind that at all. Don't worry about it.

I've always loved Sasuke and never minded Itachi, he was a good villain but it may be saying something that his crimes (while not insignificant) are only rated so highly (from my pov) because he did it all in one night.

I believe it's true but it's also a dreadfully one-dimensional way to look at the situation when a myriad of information is later provided to give context to the whole thing. He's introduced as a cold-blooded killer with zero redeeming qualities, which after the reveal turns out to be more nuanced and layered than we earlier thought. While his actions are still unforgivable, there's so much more to it. So, sticking to what he's shown as initially and refusing to acknowledge anything and everything that follows afterwards isn't how you assess a character or a piece of media in general. It's just looking at his actions and motivations on the face value and refusing to take a deeper look like a petulant child.

There are plenty of ninja who did far more heinous things for worse reasons (Orochimaru is a far worse person let alone dangerous villain), so while the big reveal of the plot around Itachi's betrayal was somewhat surprising, it was not exactly "shocking" so much as it felt like it recontectualized things.

I would not be comparing Itachi with the likes of Orochimaru who was evil and never showed an ounce of remorse.

He did this. This is creepy as hell. Itachi would never, ever do this.

Now, Itachi's crimes are horrible but there's more to them than just "he followed the orders and killed his clan" and "he traumatized his little brother." People tend to downplay his trauma because he isn't a perfect victim and his reaction to the life he lived deeply affects Sasuke. He's only seen as a perpetrator, when, in truth, he's a perpetrator because he's a victim first. There are lot of things he had to learn and acknowledge, but he never rationalized his crimes.

Among his many objectives to die at Sasuke's hands one was that he wanted to be punished for his crimes by the person he'd hurt and wronged the most, because of all things, Sasuke didn't deserve to go through any of what he did.

The guilt he lived with would have been colossal because forcefully prolonging the life so he could be punished for his crimes that weren't even entirely his own fault is a big deal. This is why he's so well received among the audience as well. He doesn't feel entitled to being treated right or with respect. He doesn't think he's worthy of forgiveness or deserves justice.

During his fight against Kabuto, his interaction with Sasuke is also quite interesting. He keeps telling Sasuke and Kabuto both he's not worthy of the praises they shower on him. And he actively avoids looking into Sasuke's eyes.

There are moments he looks in Sasuke's direction, but mostly he avoids looking at him. This is just one example. It's the body language of someone who's heavily guilt-ridden, someone who feels disgusted with himself especially the way he asks both Kabuto and Sasuke to not see him as a good guy.

I don't really think it makes sense for ss fans to even bring up that...

Oh, obviously. She was never placed in the circumstances where she had to make hard choices keeping someone else in mind. Not just that, Itachi did what he did because he wanted to keep Sasuke alive, because the life he'd lived showed him death was the worst thing to happen, so he wanted to protect the person he loved the most from this. When it came to her, though, instead of learning his reasoning, she jumped to the conclusion that Sasuke needed to die. She wanted to do this to "save him from the darkness." Funny, because he was the same boy who'd sacrificed himself to save Naruto's life not too long ago. Who'd wanted to save her life at any cost from Gaara. Who had killed Orochimaru and Itachi - the most dangerous criminals. He'd also freed Orochimaru's prisoners. Considering Konoha was following his trail, the news of this would have reached Konoha too. Despite this, her first response to learning Sasuke falling into darkness was that he should be killed.

I actually liked her genin arc..

Same. I liked those bits. And she was brilliant in Pain arc as well when she saved lives of the wounded Shinobi and civilians, and also during the war arc. But she should have moved on from the person who'd done nothing but brutally humiliate her, reject her. It's not even a character flaw, it's just... Idk what it is.

[infriga]

Okay I'm sorry I'm going to be insufferable about the live action for a while but I ALSO wanted to say I loved that they let Kaya have little moments with Nami and Luffy, like talking to Nami in her room and Luffy giving his passionate speech to her about Merry and the stars in her eyes when he describes the ship as a home and how they'll take care of her.

And even though Usopp got less moments to shine overall in the fights, they did take the time to give him several moments with Kaya so that their relationship still felt solid and heartfelt and had weight to it, like when she slaps him and tries to drive him out it genuinely hurt to see. And I like the follow up to that moment when he says "no, I'm done running, I'm not leaving you until I know you'll be safe" even though he knows at that moment that his relationship with her might be ruined because she doesn't believe him, and as much as it sucks that she doesn't, it's understandable why because Usopp is an established liar and Kuro has acted as a surrogate parental figure to her since her parents died, and they put an appropriate amount of emphasis on how their deaths have affected her and how lonely she's been in that giant house all by herself, too sick to leave. And as a result it really makes it clear part of why her relationship with Usopp is so important, because he's the only person she regularly interacts with who doesn't have that servant dynamic with her, he's just her friend having fun with her and getting her to laugh, and he tells her stories of the world outside her window that she doesn't get to see herself. Also also I like how part of Usopp leaving gets tied to her wanting to learn how to take care of herself and be her own person. Up until now she was so dependent on other people and didn't get to be in control of her own life so it feels fitting for her story.

And in giving her that connection to Nami, and the theme about not letting other people control her, it really adds to her characterisation. I loved that moment where they're hiding from Kuro, and she grabs a knife from the table, and holds it with that determined look in her eye. And at First Nami shakes her head and whispers "don't", but then Kaya says "I'm done letting other people control me" (paraphrased) and Nami's expression changes and you can see the moment when she realises what this means for Kaya, and then they both charge from under the table at Kuro together even knowing that there's no way they'll win but wanting to go out fighting anyways. Man that was such a good moment for both of them. The more I think about it the more I actually really love what they did with the Syrup village arc. The way they played with the genre and used the mansion as a set piece was really creative and worked really well and was a lot of fun imo. Tbh I genuinely prefer Kuro as a villain in the live action. And making Kaya the heir to a shipyard makes so much sense not only for her character but also for Usopp's, like as far as I'm concerned that's canon to me now. They did so much justice to Kaya's character imo so I just wanted to gush about that.

I do feel bad for Merry, they actually killed him off in the live action! But I'm getting the feeling that Oda is more willing to kill characters and play with some of his usual formulas now that he's going outside of the shounen manga genre and playing in a new sandbox with a new audience so to speak. But this death does make sense. Merry doesn't have any importance in the series after that point so killing him off doesn't effect the story, and it adds more to the slasher horror vibe they introduced to the setting. It's possible they might do the same with other characters depending on how far the series gets, like Conis's dad for example (Pell I'm not sure about since he might be relevant later). Also ngl it adds a bit more sentiment to the Merry's name as a tribute to Merry. Rip live action Merry, too good for this world.

[laufire]

august reading meme!

BOOKS

Burning Your Boats by Angela Carter. I got through this collection of short stories slowly but surely, and it cemented Angela Carter as one of my favourite authors. The Bloody Chamber will always have a special place in my heart, but each collection had stories that made my imagination run wild and enthralled me with their prose. Some of my favourites were "The Loves of Lady Purple," "Impressions: The Wrightsman Magdalene," or "The Scarlet House."

Olvidado Rey Gudú by Ana María Matute. This is my ASOIAF. What a long, meaty, enchanting tale, seriously. This book is the magnus opus of one of my favourite Spanish authors, and tells the story of the Kingdom of Olar from its birth to its end, over five tumultuous generations. It mixes the grounded medieval setting and outlandish fantastical elements in a very fluid prose, and following the tragic tale of woe in its pages over the last couple of months was a delight.

COMICS

The Cheshire Contract (Action Comics #613-618). I wanted to read the story of Lian going to live with Roy, for Reasons. It's good and fun and short (it occupies a small part of a larger issue, 8 pages each), so if it interests you, go for it.

Batman & Spiderman. This is part of a bunch of crossovers I haven't read, and don't plan to for now, so I was mixing some context, but I read it because Talia was there lol. I don't think DC and Marvel mix well, most of the time, but this little one-shot makes it work.

Jason Todd: Rebirth (2016-2020ish). It... had its moments. Waaaaay too much Lobdell, just as the New 52, but now that I've started the next phase to fall face-first into Cheer, of all arcs... yeah, neither is good lol. But one thing that really appealed to me was the dynamic between Jason and Bizarro; hence the cover. The other highlight was the (tragically few) interactions between Jason and Duke, especially in New Talent Showcase 2017. Give me mooooore, DC!! Other than that... well, there were many things that annoyed the hell out of me (Black Mask's writing, Bruce's EVERYTHING), but let's not get into it lol.

Green Arrow (2001). What a run. I've loved it from beginning to end, really (though a bit through the middle the art horrified me xD). It turned Mia into one of my favourite characters (and in reread, elevated a rareship into an OTP, because it really works for her character :P), which is not rare given that this is clearly where here best arcs are :D. Connor didn't have enough to do, tragically, but he's a great character and I look forward to read more about him; about Dinah&Ollie as well.

Batman: Bane of the Demon. Hi yeah just mentioning this arc to tell you guys about how Ra's apparently keeps cameras in Talia's bedroom :))) he might've been watching as she hooked up with Bane (who he unceremoneously decides she must marry to advance his plans). Let's all kill Ra's.

Batman: Death and the Maidens. A Rucka story, so you know it's good (though not particularly good to Talia lbr... I'm not bothered by *what* happens, I just wish we'd seen more of her perspective, during and especially after -though that's not a mmater of *this* run of course). Bruce's dream journey/possible visions of his parents's ghost were a highlight. Do recommend.

Truth & Justice: Hunted by the Past (#4). Way better than similar "Jason fears becoming the Joker!!!" stories, though that interpretation of the character is never going to be one I agree with. I liked seeing him with the helmet again, and the art is fun. The story gave Jason yet another pre-Robin childhood friend (this one got killed

Green Lantern/Green Arrow: Hard Travelling Heroes. A fascinating read, especially taking it in its context and comparing it to how timid DC is about politics in current comics, IMO. This run was messy and didn't always seem to know what it was doing, and some of what it included or argued feels wrong from a modern perspective, but it dared to take risks and that's always appreciated on my part. My favourite story was the one introducing John Stewart; both for John himself, of course, but also because it was unafraid to write Hal as someone that despite good intentions and despite being a ~heroic character, had racist biases he needed to face and overcome.

Kingdom Come. This is one of those ~iconic comics that feels like a must-read; it's meaty and it raises questions and it's a run you could really sink your teeth into. And I didn't like it at all LOL. It's so... nostalgic and regressive and downright reactionary. Its fluffy epilogue does it no favours, too (other than prompting this post of mine, ig).

No Man's Land. I finally read the whole thing!!!!!! It took me SIX MONTHS!!!!!!!! And speaking of reactionary beliefs añdslfkjasf. But I did like it and enjoyed it far more than Kingdom Come, tbf (except Dixon's issues omg whyyyyy is he everywheeeeere he's so boriiiiiing). Helena Bertinelli is the uncontested star of this event AFAIC, and I won't hear otherwise. Well, Leslie, Barbara and Cass definitely shined too. And Montoya and Essen. Aaaand Harley Quinn has her introduction. And Selina has a lot of fun stealing things and screwing with everyone!!! And Talia gets Bruce to get his head out of his ass!!! Ugh, there's so much I could say about this run. The Renee & Two-Face issue. Alfred's tale of himself as Bruce's squire. Lynx and Batman's brief team-up. The Secret Files and Origins tale about a man named Jason who thinks Gotham is speaking to him, and who thanks Barbara for her service to the city. There is a lot in this arc that I'd gladly rotate in my mind forever. But Helena is my darling and THEE best Bat(man). That is all.

[sweetmonsooncos]

So I got round to watching the live action Yu Yu Hakusho and I LOVED IT?????

I was very nervous about a live action adaption (as I think most anime/manga fans are whenever they hear the words) but genuinely, this team put so much love and time into this and it really shows, they really did the manga justice and IM SO HAPPY

Gonna put some of my thoughts under the cut so feel free to skip past if you haven't watched it yet!

I loved the little nod to Smile Bomb on the radio in the first episode, it made me so happy!!

Why is Botan wearing platform boots, I don't get it but I kinda love it

Everyone was perfectly cast. Like the entire cast fucking ate and left zero crumbs

The Toguro brothers when they first showed up looked really goofy and I couldn't get over it for a while

I really liked how they took different elements from different arcs and managed to put them together so nicely into a story!!! Like whenever something happened I was like OH THATS WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT ARC

Even in live action, Kuwabara is still my boi

HIEI'S DRAGON OF THE DARKNESS FLAME WAS FUCKING INCREDIBLE I WAS SCREAMING THE WHOLE TIME

And YOUKO KURAMA????? HE LOOKED SO GOOD????

Honestly everyone looked brilliant and seeing how the live action did costumes and stuff is super helpful for me, a cosplayer with YYH cosplans 😂

I liked how Keiko was incorporated more into the rescue plot too and her friendship with Yukina was so sweet!!!

And Toguro at 100 percent looked FUCKING INCREDIBLE I'm kinda glad they didn't do the shoulder pad things cause I think it would have looked too strange but MY GOD THEY PULLED IT OFF SO WELL

May come back and add to this as I get more thoughts but PLEASE WATCH IT ITS AMAZING!!!!!!!!

[idkwhatimdoingbutslay]

OH ALSO, i didn't say this in my response to your response but i think what you said about "vi isn't super connected to zaun as a people" is super correct. i don't think vi feels like she really has a place within the system of zaun and piltover. we see her work against the system, outside of it, or even attempt to work WITH it at different points throughout the show. it doesn't seem to matter to her where she stands with respect to the powers that be so long at she's getting what she wants (very similar to vander). so it seems like the author of that other post wants vi to be something she just isn't, some kind of social justice warrior. but vi doesn't believe the system can be changed ("topside and bottom, oil and water, that's all there is") so she doesn't concern herself with it. she's focused on protecting the people she loves.

ironically, OP seems to be somewhat anti-caitlyn, but caitlyn is actually the one who wants to fix the system and believes it can be done. caitlyn is going to be the one to get vi to take part in solving the bigger problems, because she offers vi a new place to belong, not in piltover as part of the system but at caitlyn's side trying to bring the two halves of the city back together.

UGH YEAH!

It’s been said before, but it’s always the Anti-Caitlyns who seem to have closed their eyes and plugged their ears in every single scene with Vi (and of course Cait) in it. The CONSTANT projection is crazy. Again, personal biases making it hard to critically think for people.

Vi is NOT Vander and her beef with Silco is not super similar to the beef Vander had with Silco. Vi is here for the people she loves and the collateral damage and/or improvements is not what she’s concerned about.

Like you said, Vi isn’t as progressive as people think. She was stuck in prison for SEVEN YEARS, abused constantly and beaten down her entire life to keep her in her place. She’s accepted the different positions in society, she just wants Silco GONE and her sister BACK. Not for particularly political/societal reasons, but because her sister is who’s she’s dedicated to and tied her worth to. She wants to go back to before Vander and Claggor and Mylo died, maybe even to before her parents died. She’s never been one to look for a future, but for the past. That’s why her and Cait were rocky in the beginning. Progress was never an option with her. (Idk if this got my point across just yes to what you said already 😭)

Again, you’ve basically said everything, but I really want to amplify the fact that CAITLYN WANTS TO DO AND BE BETTER!!! THATS WHAT SHE WANTS!!! VI WAS THE ONE WHO SAID OIL AND WATER AND CAITLYN WAS THE ONE TO COUNTER IT!!! THEY ONLY EQUATED OIL AND WATER TO THEIR RELATIONSHIP FUTHER INTO THE CONVERSATION, IT WAS ABOUT TOPSIDE AND BOTTOM FIRST!!!!

LIKE UGHHHH!!!! I’ll never understand what people who are anti-Cait want from the story (not to accuse op of being anti-Cait but that’s the vibe from their posts, sorry if that’s isn’t your intention). I WANT Zaun and Piltover to get better, I WANT Piltover to acknowledge their actions and change, I WANT Zaun to finally be respected as a population of LIVING BEINGS!! THATS ALSO WHAT CAITLYN WANTS!!!! THAT WAS HER WHOLE ARC!!!!! Ok, let me calm down.

We want progress don’t we???? Caitlyn is how we’re really going to get it.

Anyway, you’ve literally covered it all. The only person we REALLY see dedicated to the community the way people say Vi is is Ekko. Not even Vander and Silco were truly dedicated to the Undercity as a whole the way he was. Vi hasn’t necessarily really made a statement in the Undercity, Ekko has! Ekko looks at the Undercity as a whole, Vi looks at her loved ones like we’ve stated.

Ummm… yeah that’s it I think. Got my blood pumping there, jeez.

[galvanizedfriend]

hi, love <3 so, here's a random thought I'd like to share with you.

I always mention how much I would've loved to see The Wolf instead of The original as a TVD spin off, but, even though my though I still stand this statement, I think it would've not been the same.

Let me elaborate:

as I said many times before, your writing is the key of the whole story. Since you always narrates things such as inner thoughts, feelings and point of views, we also get an explanation about why a certain thing is happening ( i.e. the ending smut of chapter 30). However, no matter how talented the actor is, this thing never happens in TV shows, and it sadly leads to misinterpretation (either of the character or their action) and "randomness".

For example: Caroline is my babygirl, but I just know that if people would've *watched* instead of *reading* The Wolf, they would've hated her. Calling her a bad s/o, mother and friend because they would just judge her by her actions without knowing what's going on with the characters, misinterpreting her struggle for bitchness or something along those lines.

In conclusion, even though I would pay MILLIONS to just erase TO and bring TW to live action, I'm also happy to know that my favs are "covered" from the hate they have already received because the shows never portrait them and their issues in the right way.

that's it, just wanted to share this piece of mind that have been floating around my head for a while! lemme know what you think!

Under the cut because I got rambly. 😂

That makes sense. Obviously books/fics/any written content will always be much more dense than TV shows or movies because you get to be inside characters' heads, while on TV content you can only count on actors finding a way to translate these emotions, and some of them don't even have that capacity tbh.

Not to say that The Wolf would've been better than the actual show (I mean, I have my biased opinions, but that's just me 😂), but I think the writing on The Originals obviously contributed a lot to how bad the show was a lot of the time. It simply lacked substance, there were many times when things just straight out didn't make sense. At first glance it might seem like TW and TO are almost interchangeable, but they're really not, and this is a point I have been making over the years. It's not just about the obvious changes (Caroline instead of Hayley, which is a BIG change btw), but it's especially about the more subtle ones. The amount of thought I put into those scenes, characters, dialogues - it might not seem like it, but it's crazy. And so if you read the final product and you think 'wow! this makes sense! it should've been like this!' it's because there were loads of changes done to not only that part, but parts that came before, that suddenly, when put together, paint things under a completely different light.

The problem with TO for me is that it starts off from a place of complete nonsense, so everything that comes after that is building on top of a fragile foundation. I mean, they start off the show by retconning every single character to a certain degree. What can we expect after that? They were more interested in erasing everything that came before on The Vampire Diaries than in doing justice to the characters, so there's no way that could've ever been 100% solid. It had its moments, I can't say that it didn't, but it was mostly scattered scenes here and there, or ideas you could see that were good in theory (like the premise of S3), rather than entire story arcs within the show.

My point is that I don't think the lack of inner monologuing is the main problem with TO. There is a way to have compelling and profound writing even when you don't have narration to compose your scenes, and the fact some screenwriters are incapable of doing that is the reason why so many book to TV adaptations are so crappy. You have to be really inventive to make it work, and the crew on TO simply wasn't. But there were moments!

However, regarding Caroline and the things she does throughout the story, like going back to Mystic Falls in TW2 for instance, or when she leaves the compound in TW1. Honestly, even if that had been written by the best screenwriter in the world (obviously not me), and if Candice King had given an Oscar-worthy performance, people would still call her a bitch. 😂 There's a real edge of misogyny in how people judge female characters a lot more harshly than their male counterparts, especially when the things they do displease the male character, which was the case here. I got so many comments from people who were mad at Caroline because 'she should've just trusted Klaus, Klaus is a hybrid, he's the strongest, he knows better', completely disregarding the fact Klaus is basically a psychopath with trust and anger issues who was by no means a pillar of warmth and sanity a lot of the time. Caroline was, from start to finish, the most reasonable, stable person in that entire story, but there were many times when people were blaming her for things that were just not her fault. She was pregnant, alone, scared, trying to stay alive, to protect her child, and Klaus was at the peak of a downward spiral where he was listening to absolutely no one, but somehow Caroline was the one in the wrong for not trusting that he wouldn't act like a maniac. 😂

I'm not saying that is what you're saying, btw, I'm just saying Caroline would've been judged no matter what. But yes, she probably would've been very harshly criticized if this had been the show. Already she is! There's a lot of people who dislike her for how hard she was on Klaus, like he didn't deserve it. 😂

Having said all that 😂 I do give myself some credit for the fact people were feeling so much for Klaus in spite of everything lol He's very intense and dramatic in how he takes offense. If he thinks he's been wronged (and he thinks he's been wronged whenever someone doesn't take his side in a dispute, whatever that might be), he just goes all out, and he's merciless in how he judges the people around him, alwaus making himself out to be the victmized party. He might regret his actions later (usually because of that darned little thing called consequence), but never initially, and he's also terrible at apologies. So I wanted his POVs to be about how the whole world was against him, and how he knew what he was doing, and he couldn't trust anyone, etc etc, and people bought it. Personally, I was always on Caroline's side, but even though I know people were likely to side with Klaus anyway because that's the way it is, and people are biased towards him, I also think I might have manipulated them a little bit.

But I just reminded myself today that there is a very basic difference between canon and TW that means one could never replace the other which is that Caroline is a witch. 😂 That justifies her getting pregnant, but then it changes her entire backstory.

I hope my response didn't come out as though I'm being harsh or anything. Your pondering just got me thinking, and that's actually something I've thought about a lot throughout the years because I have certainly gotten many comments like what you said. Thanks very much for sharing! I really love reading that kind of thing. ❤️

[itsnothingofinterest]

Didn't expect a Curious vestige/ghost/hallucination(kind of prefer to think of it as her ghost for the memes) this late in the game, but am not complaining. I like how it shows again how much Curious got to her when it came to someone prodding at her past and how it affects her now with someone else trying the same thing in this 2nd battle. Also like how it builds off the Curious mention in the first war and her fight by legit making her someone that 'haunts' Toga even beyond death.

You said it. Horikoshi sure likes his call backs, especially in a climactic arc like this one (even if I still stubbornly think this arc isn't the end of My Hero as a whole, it's certainly closing a chapter on a lot).

And boy is the art for it something too.

I don't really have much to add on Curious having an effect on Toga; but something that's interesting is that what ghost!Curious brings up here is something I noticed and talked about when we got the Volume 38 cover: while I wouldn't quite say Toga's 'suppressing herself' (her anger and grief is clearly very genuine), Toga is presently tossing aside her 'feelings' and her own wants for romantic love in the pursuit of justice/revenge.

I remember asking before if the series would consider this a character improvement or detriment. On a personal level I mean; to the heroes, she is far more dangerous like this. But you could've argued it was healthier then her previous behaviour; after all, she's not thirsting for blood in this state, nor is she trying to hurt uninvolved innocents. All her targets now are definitely involved & hardly innocent. But it seems the narrative has come down on saying this development was bad in a rather unexpected way; drawing a direct parallel between Toga forgoing her pursuit of love & blood for revenge, and her inevitably-doomed childhood habit of suppressing her impulses to appear well-behaved & 'normal'. "Toga the Avenger" is as fake as "Toga the Middle School Who Definitely Doesn't Want Your Blood." And for a girl whose whole deal is wanting to live safely & freely as her true self: that's bad.

(Though to be clear, I am not blaming Toga for this development as a whole, and I think it's unfair when anyone to call her self-destructive for it. Far more so than any hero here; this is not a course of action she choose. Toga is doing what she's doing to survive.)

...Suppose that means she still likes Deku & Uraraka then, and like, she's just covering it up by lashing out at them rejecting her? Her stabbing her crush would be emblematic of the internal crisis I'm describing after all.

[smol-stardust]

“I wish I could hate you.” for hananene ?? If you have time and want to ofc. Manga spoilers are fine :)

Thanks for the ask/wait anon. I had in mind a clear idea of what I wanted to convey, but idk if I did this justice. Hopefully I did okay and you like it :) Manga Spoilers-ish (could take place after picture perfect or to the farshore arc) also angsty

Knocking carefully on the vibrant vermillion door of the bathroom, Nene patiently waited for an answer.

"Hanako," she demands. "We need to talk."

Amane sighed as he sat atop the toilet; a faint idea of what was happening flitted through his mind. A grimace found its way to his face. Hanako, not Hanako-kun; she must be really pissed. He's unprepared for what's about to happen, especially with the looming threat that Yashiro may never talk to him again. Standing up stiffly, Hanako carefully opens the door casting his eyes downwards.

"How long?" Nene whispered. Her fists clenched at her sides as she glances down.

"Yashiro..." Hanako sighs.

"How long?" she repeats louder, a noticeable quiver ringing through her voice.

"Since... the first day you knocked on this very door..." Hanako sighs, looking away. "I had a feeling since then, and then..." he gestures vaguely, unsure how to convey the rest.

"AND YOU THINK THAT'S OKAY? NOT TELLING ME? For doing what YOU think I would want without asking me...For, for..." Nene stops and shudders; taking a breath, she frowns, and her voice suddenly becomes faint. "Why didn't you tell me I was dying?"

Hanako remained silent, his lips pursed in a frown as he floated quietly beside her.

"I thought... I was doing the right thing," he mutters. "I wanted you to live a happy and carefree life before you died." Because I care about you! 

"I DON'T WANT TO DIE EITHER!" Nene snaps. A broken sob leaves her lips as she sinks to the ground. "But... I don't want you to lie to me or for my friends to get hurt because of it." She sighs weakly.

"... I'm sorry," Hanako sighs, running his fingers through her white tresses. "I just want you to be happy, to live a long life. And you know what? Yeah, I'm maybe being selfish! I don't want you to die either!"

Nene gaped at him as the tears continued to flow from her face.

"And I hate that you're dying! Knowing and not being able to help you when I'm supposed to be a supernatural who grants wishes. I don't want my friend to die...." Hanako rambles. "I just want to give you the world... After you've come and befriended me. Our friendship has made me happy; is it so wrong for me to want to preserve it?"

Hanako sighs and looks at Nene wistfully. "I'm sorry for hurting you..." I don't expect you to understand why I did what I did, but you deserve more than to be dead, to be nothing but a memory. 

"You deserve more than to be a ghost," Hanako says, wringing his hands. "I just wanted you to smile and be happy in the little time you have left."

"I wish I could hate you," Nene grumbles.

Hanako remained silent, his lips pursed in a frown as he floated quietly beside her.

"But I can't find myself to hate you, not after everything we've been through. Not when you've saved my life so many times, not with all the good times we've shared. So," Nene hiccups, furiously wiping the tears away with her sleeve. "Just stop lying to me; it's not making anything better."

"Alright," Hanako breathes, running his fingers through her hair. "I'm really sorry for not telling you, for trying to fix your life because I was too selfish to lose my friend..."

"Promise me you won't try anything stupid again?" Nene sniffed.

"I got you. We'll figure something out," Hanako assured as he intertwined his fingers with Nene's and sat on the ground with her. He pulls her closer as he soothes her sobs. 

"Maybe I'll haunt the school with you as a supernatural," Nene hummed lightheartedly as she rested her head on Hanako's shoulder. 

Hanako hums quietly as he holds Nene gently, afraid to break her. His actions were gentle, soothing away her sorrows. However, his eyes held a steely resolve and a twinge of regret.

I'm sorry, Yashiro, but I will have to break this promise to you. After all, the thought of you dying and your smile fading away forever isn't something I can stomach. Until I figure this out, please, don't leave me and just let me see your vibrant smile that saved my soul again. Take this silent promise instead: as long as I can, I'll make sure you smile and live the carefree life you deserve. Just... don't go...

[sunrisetune]

SUP GOOSE SUP I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU (ao3 wrapped) :3 :3 :3

(3) What work are you most proud of (regardless of kudos/hits)?

(18) The character that gave you the most trouble writing this year?

(30) Biggest surprise while writing this year?

(Referencing this ask meme)

HELLO HEYYY thank you!

This is something of a reduced exercise bc I've posted five (5) short fics this entire year,, (at time of drafting this),, but nonetheless! x)

3 -- I like how "The Zee And The Lonely Sky' turned out. At first it was a collection of journal entries (guess what else was happening this year that helped inspire that p: ), but then I felt like it'd drag a bit and that,, like,, fleshing out my in-universe idea of how my two characters knew each other would be worthwhile. And it was fun \o/  Fallen London game... good.

~

18 - This is a much longer answer bc I'm going to take the liberty of rambling about a character in a fic whomst I haven't actually posted yet: Justice  x) For my WriMo this year I finally started a DA fic that I've been vividly daydreaming about for like a month but never actually writing, as you do (/jk). It's a post-DA2 into DAI redemption arc for our favourite SJ spirit W; or recovery arc, maybe. This is the summary I made for it in November:

Through an act of violence Anders and Justice were, finally, separated, though at cost to them both. Afterwards, Justice found their way back into the mortal world almost entirely by accident. But only almost. Possessing the still-living body of an elf woman whose mind is somehow missing, once again unable to leave the flesh and unrecognizable to anyone who'd known them before, the spirit makes a pilgrimage of sorts to Skyhold. Apparently there had been an attempt at peace that had gone horribly wrong, and the rising powers tipping the balance in the Mage-Templar War had congregated at the top of the mountain. Justice would join them. When Justice gets to the castle, she finds Hawke, because of course she does.

The idea of a personification of justice as an elf woman in the uhhhh wretched hive that is the rest of DA lore was interesting to me; and also specifically a retroactive / parasocial spite response to trivia I read, that before DA2 was made the writers were considering having Justice merge with Velanna but David Gaider thought that would've made her ""more annoying than she already was"". Fuck off, David I feel like there's a decent amount of fic where Friendship Route Anders and Justice are separated and Anders is for the most part written as being better off, while Justice is able to go back to the Fade, and then just??? Fucks off, I guess?? And is never really mentioned again, which I was not entirely persuaded by. So I decided to try and write something that follows Justice through being separated from Anders and surviving it and then having to, you know,, Deal With All That, especially while the war is going on, bc, like,, I’ve always read Justice’s and Anders’ actions in DA2 as both of them being scared. Justice is more afraid of becoming a demon than anything else, even non-existence,, and it happened; it very nearly cost him and Anders their life even before Anders literally asked Hawke to murder them after committing the worst act they’d ever do.

And while I am uhhh not entirely disposed towards a lot of what happened in Inquisition, I really liked Cole’s storyline of reverting from being a demon, and then having a choice on what he wanted to become; I thought that it’d be interesting to follow Justice down a similar arc.

~

30 - Does "shipping characters I didn't necessarily think about at first" count as s surprise bc if so, Awakening-Anders/Justice, which is at least partially your fault SYRUP :p I specify Awakening bc, not to get kind of maudlin in the middle of a cheerful ask answer about shipping, but unfortunately, Dragon Age (that's it that's the joke)

[kosi-annec]

BNHA season 2 stain arc next! The second half of the season~

My review of Season 2 part 2:

Oh boy, every introverts worst nightmare; social interaction. If I was in deku's situation, I would've acted like I didn't knew wit the man was talking about www

Iida stop lying to your friends please TOT

Yay aizawa isn't a mummy lol. I still can't believe deku only got 1 offer, like cmon, even zero has more than him. Also, mineta shut the fuck up, like you're any better

LMAO aizawa warning them to be careful with their choice of hero name cuz of his own experience

Hero name time!! Omfg aoyama's hero name I can't 😭😭 thank you tsu for being normal www

Aww lil deku comin up with all might themed names, tho ngl a lil embarrassing if he chose one of em

Ok the fact that denki knows who Hemingway, an American novelist, shows that he might not be academically smart, but he's not entirely stupid. Headcanon that he reads english books on his free time

Hhhhh great flashback to tensei q-q, nooo iida pls you deserve to take on the name

LMAO bakugo not being able to keep a hero name he's came up with 😂

Mineta, why tf are you still here... Ofc he'd go for mt. Lady

Pft all might being terrified of grand tornino, wonder how hard his training was under him

Oh god... Iida off to do a dumb decision...

Hhhh iida pls they're your friends, but this is what happens when you're being powered by the need for vengeance

Omg I forgot about the first introduction to grand torino LMAO and him pretending to be a feeble old man with a bad memory, he's an old gremlin that can kick ass, he's like yoda but sassy www

And now deku getting his ass handed to him, srsly how tf is his back not broken, I mean with the speed grand torino goes at, it would at least crack somethin

Ah yes, bakugo and best jeanist, good luck in trying to stitch in some manners in this boy lol

LMAO poor Momo and Kendo, thinking they'll get to do some action pact crime fighting stuff when in actuality they're just gonna model

Oh boy, endeavor... Yeah you tell him shoto!!

Deku treating his quirk like something that isn't his makes a lot of sense, since he's never really had a quirk before so he doesn't really see it as an extension of himself. Gotta love seeing a protagonist that's powerful but obviously has a long way to go and still needs training to hone their skills

BAHAHA BAKUGO'S HAIR 😭😭

Oh shit, the whole nomu situation and the multiple quirks thing. I kinda feel bad for the people that get turned to nomus, like pretty sure they didn't want to lose all sense of self

"Someone as crazy as this" that's rich coming from you shigaraki.

Oh god iida no... I get ur going through some emotional shit and want justice, but u don't wanna be a murderer, even if this is a villain

"We're not going to go after anyone that big" ya jinxed yourself grand torino

Thank you mister blue guy that iida is interning under whose name I can't remember for trying to put some sense into him

OH SHIT TIME FOR SOME ACTION! GO KICK SOME NOMU ASS GRAND TORINO!!

Iida nooo he's so tunneled vision for vengeance...

Endeavor is a terrible parent, but dammit he's good at his job as a hero, minus the being nice part

I still don't really see how tensei wasn't a good hero, I mean from what I could tell he was definitely living up to the title of "hero". No matter, DEKU ZOOMING IN TO SAVE THE DAY!! YEAH SHOTO ALSO COMING IN TO SAVE SOME ASS!!!

EW OH GOD I FORGOT ABOUT CLOSE UP ON THE LICKING EW

God this whole fight is just amazing, this is where deku and shoto become actual friends and iida gets some sense into him

Shoto and iida bonding over their shared past narrowed tunnel vision out of absolute resentment

"BECOME THE HERO HE WANTED YOU TO BE" now look whose giving the inspirational words! Shoto has learned a lot from deku lol

YEAH GET UP IIDA BACK ON YOUR FEET SOLDIER GO SAVE SHOTO FROM GETTING AMPUTATED! Oh and a cool kick flip too!

iida as the legs, deku as the arms, and shoto as the body, love these 3

Ya know, I realized that they still kinda treat nomus as if they're actually human, like they still arrest them and try to talk to ee. Which ig makes sense since there are mutant quirks and anyone can look like anything, so the whole reveal that nomus aren't human - well not anymore at least - would be a much bigger deal, even though it is kinda obvious

"My friend might be in danger" THE FIRST TIME HE SAYS THEY'RE FRIENDS YESSS

Ok damn giving some vocals onto endeavor's song aight then

Gotta appreciate that the pro heroes, adults, are being responsible and making sure the interns, teenagers, are safe. Yeah they're hero students, but they're still kids

"Our fight against the hero killer probably only took about 10 minutes" that was only 10 minutes??? Damn time feels a lot different when kicking ass huh

OH SHIT FLYING NOMU! OH SHIT DEKU!! OH GROSS THE TONGUE!!! OH FUCK STAIN TO THE RESCUE??

Oh boy stain's final speech... And also creepy ass face reveal, never noticed he doesn't actually have a nose

Oh lol it's the dog man cop www woof

I get that they're trying to avoid the abuse of quirks (which feels a lil dumb considering what happens in the future) but also, iida was going to die along with that other pro hero, like what else were they going to do?? They're kids yes, but the fact that they are means that using their quirks was literally the only thing they could do. Also mentioning shoto's dad like that really didn't feel necessary jeez

Lmao yeah shoto, the dog cop would've started with that

"Was that a boy~" LMAO GUNHEAD

Hhhh oh boy, these children need therapy I swear. But thank god for shoto breaking the ice, the hand crusher www

Oh fuckkk stain inadvertently helped shigaraki get what he wanted, which I think might've not been wat he meant to do but oh well

Now time to see everyone else's internship!

Bakugo my dude you are not cut out in making the public feel safe ya dumbass. Uraraka learning hand to hand combat! Poor Momo and kendo, barely get to do actual heroing. Tho the same could be said for kirishima and tetsutetsu, but at least it's an activity that's actually helping the community. But hey at least jirou seems to be actually doing some action pact heroing

Froppy your sense of cute is very different from everyone else's, including mine www

LMAO BAKUGO'S HAIR 😂

Denki thinking stain was cool, another lil tid bit of info in the suspecting he is the UA traitor

Eyy spiderman doing what he's good at! But deku's learned a few new tricks too- oop and he slips lol

WHY IS MINETA STILL HERE?? HE IS A HAZARD TO PRIVACY I SWEAR

Ah time to drop a info bomb. First time we actually get conformation and explanation on nomus, one for all, and all for one

Looking back on all this, I realized just exactly how much pressure there is on deku, like he's being entrusted to defeat this who-knows-how-old villain and he's just 15 like boi

Ah yes, Mt. Lady and Midnight interaction. Mineta fuck off

Huh didn't realize that the ranking thing was actually from midterms, thought that was the actual ranking of the written test. Lmao gotta love momo, we all need that smart friend in our life. Oh I did not notice this lil kiribaku interaction >.> tho that's a good way to make him tutor you www

Monoma has a really interesting way to show his concern for the safety of his people when it comes to the danger 1A attracts, like he said it in a way to insult them but he was also pointing out how if they keep this up they'll be endangering those around them. But they can't really help it tho, so he can't be mad at them for that, just his feelings of rivalry getting in the way as usual

Bakugo at it again with his anger issues and overachieving complex (is that what you call it)

Written exam monologue~

LMAO NEZU JUST CHILLING IN AIZAWA'S SCARF THAT'S ADORABLE

Teaching them that retreating is a valid option is really important, because they gotta learn that retreating can be used as a good strategy to get reinforcements when they're in a fight they can't win. A lesson bakugo really needs to learn

Kiri & Sato vs Cementos. Gotta say, they weren't very smart on how'd they deal with cementos. Like, he clearly has the advantage in this scenario

Tsu & Tokoyami vs Ectoplasm. THE HYBRID DUO!! Bird man and frog girl! "Tho apparently after a 2nd or 3rd song in karaoke, that number goes up.." LMAO WHAT I NEVER NOTICED THAT. Huh, I always thought tokoyami could do the whole fusing with dark shadow the whole time, or maybe that's my gold fish memory failing me. Oh hey! Tsu did actually ate the handcuffs, like it was shown for just a short second. Lmao gotta love dark shadow's personality

Iida & Ojiro vs Power Loader. LMAO OJIRO RIDING IIDA I CAN'T😭 and iida basically being a beyblade and yeeting him too www

Shoto & Momo vs Aizawa. Dawww momo... Her insecurities and doubt be hitting her, damn that's a mood. Oof, yeah aizawa has a point, shoto need to learn better communication with his partner and momo's gotta learn to trust herself again; not comparing herself to someone completely different. YASSS GO QUEEN!! SHOW EM WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF!!! Lmao, shoto no she's just tearing up a lil, she's not sick

Uraraka & Aoyama vs 13. PFFT I DIDN'T REALIZE AOYAMA MADE A PUN. Ah yes, the moment uraraka realized her feelings, thanks sparkle man. "I'm a mini battle hero" lol yes you are

Mina & Denki vs Nezu. God those 2 didn't stood a chance, like what were the teachers expecting. BRUH THEY REALLY JUST CASUALLY MENTION NEZU'S BACKSTORY LIKE THAT😭

Jirou & Koda vs Present Mic. OH DAMN THAT IS LOUD, RIP MY EARS. As much as koda's charades were funny, would've been nice to see him doing like JSL or something, like would be in character and some neat representation, oh well this is why we have headcanons. Hey, just cuz koda can speak with animals doesn't mean he has to like all of them

Hagakure & Shoji vs Snipe. Still find it fucking hilarious that this man's quirk is the power of glock, like it's not even an mutation, he just carries a gun. "YOU'RE A STUDENT I RESPECT WOMEN" LMAO SNIPE 😂😭 AS HE SHOULD

Sero & Mineta vs Midnight. I said it before and I'll say it again, why tf is mineta even here, he is a menace and a danger to the safety of the girls, like bruh. If he's gonna be in UA at least show him getting into detention for his behavior. Huh, lil bastard finally gets what being a hero is about, tho he still has a long way to go on the character development, like idk respecting boundaries

HOOO BOY IT'S THE BIG ONE NOW LETS GO

Deku & Bakugo vs All Might. THE MAIN COURSE HAS COME. God dammit bakugo, please I get you wanna win but you can't beat all might, for fuck sake get it in ur head and stop thinking with your ego. Hold up, why does a building have denki's name lmao??? BAHAHA LOL DEKU PUNCHING HIM, BAKUGO DESERVED IT. You said it all might, these 2 really need some counciling like boi. OOF HOW ARE THEY BOTH STILL ALIVE LIKE THAT LOOKED LIKE IT COULD'VE KILLED THEM?! Bakugo is someone that wins the way he wants to win no matter what, and deku is someone that just helps people even if they don't ask for it, this is just who they are. This is why they clash a lot, and a few other reasons. Tho they'll learn to have some equal footing, some day

LMAO deku with his ass up, and damn bakugo looks so peaceful asleep tf??

IT'S FUCKING DABI, hello missing todoroki child (started as a theory and is now confirmed, thanks spoilers) tho gotta say his voice isn't as deep as I remember it

Shopping montage✨ omg mineta PLEASE, WHO INVITED HIM??

Jeez shigiraki's theme song thing is creepy as hell. OH FUCK IT'S THAT CREEPY SMILE HHHH

Hol up it's only been 3 months since class started??? Damn, feels a bit short

[misteria247]

*Breaks down your door*

So I've got some ramblings that I wanna share with y'all and it's about a manga that has been over for a good several years now but fuck it.

I wanna talk about Death Note.

Spoilers for the story under the read more:

For context I'd decided to reread the series again given that the last time I'd read it was when I was about twelve/thirteen years old and had just started getting into manga and anime at around that time. After not having read it for so long the story is kinda in a way fuzzy to me but what with me currently rereading it those fuzzy memories that I had are becoming much more clearer. Such as Light's insane lengths of going to protect his identity to how the notebook works and all that jazz. And as I'm rereading the series I can't help but notice something rather odd, mainly about Light and how the notebook affects him.

As many of you know Light had stumbled upon the Death Note while in school one day and after finding out about its supernatural abilities had started using it to get rid of criminals and eventually innocent people as well. The one thing that I noticed is that before Light had received the Death Note he was pretty much a normal person. He didn't show any signs of being psychotic nor did he show any signs of god like thinking.

Then he got the notebook.

And suddenly a once good intentioned thing slowly becomes a sick and twisted obsession with becoming God and judging those who he believed to be guilty, becoming more and more like those he believed needed to be punished for their crimes. And this goes on for a good while until the arc where he gives up the Death Note and loses all of his memories. As soon as he did that those tendencies and psycho like behaviors seemly vanished into thin air.

Light was suddenly no longer narcissistic nor did he have his grandiose thinking that he had while he possessed the notebook. Instead he went back to how he originally was which was a normal person who was confident in his abilities. It got me thinking about things and how strange it was especially seeing Light truly trying to fight the good fight and how he was disgusted by Kira's actions having no recollection of being Kira himself.

So I came up with a theory of sorts that I think works out pretty well. The Death Note as all of us know is a supernatural book that belongs to a Shinigami, or a God of Death, specifically to Ryuk. The notebook is something that's not apart of the natural world, and it gives its users the divine power to take lives whenever the user so pleases. And as the series goes on it seems that the more you use it the more it has a hold of you in a sense. I believe that the Death Note influences its users to some extent, or rather brings out some of the users much more darker natures of their mentality they didn't even know was there. And it honestly makes a lot of sense.

Think about it.

Light Yagami before the notebook was a pretty normal person. He was smart, confident in himself, yet not to a point where it was egotistical nor narcissistic. He seemly was a pretty decent guy who had a strong sense of justice and what was right and wrong and his dream was to become a police officer like his father so he could help innocent people and help get rid of people who were a threat to them. He didn't really do anything mean nor did he ever even think about taking another person's life it was like it never really crossed his mind. He was also severely against using people and their feelings to get himself ahead in things.

Then Light gets the Death Note and suddenly everything changes.

Light Yagami after the notebook suddenly becomes more willing to kill people, after at first being hesitant in using it and then getting his idea of using it for good. And at first it seems like it's all going to plan but then the broadcasting thing happened and it was like a switch went off in him. Once he killed that one guy suddenly his personality became a lot more different and warped. The confidence he had within himself became cockiness, and he became narssaictic and egotistical. His once moral ideals became much more freelance and he suddenly had no problem taking innocent people's lives as well as criminals lives, and his once normal mindset skyrocketed to a God like mentality. Using people like Misa to get ahead despite it being wrong.

It's a huge contrast if you really think about it and he only really gets like this when he has the notebook. I think that this happens because of the notebook's supernatural influence on its users.

I theorize that the Death Note brings out the worst in its users and apps it up to like hundred in order for the users to use it. By bringing out the worst of people's mentality it makes it easier for the notebook to be influential and take hold of its user and depending on each person the outcome varies. Light's way of thinking without the notebook is pretty normal but once he's under its influence and giving that unlimited power that mentality of justice is apped up to the extremes which if he didn't have it wouldn't happen. And it's further proven by Light's family whenever they talk about him.

Especially Light's father.

When Light's father ends up in the hospital due to stress and having a heart attack the chief of police explains to Light that L is indeed L and that Light is a suspect and that he knows. And after a brief moment of discussion and a near fight between Light and L, Light's father starts to talk about going back to work which Light objects to and then tells L that he'll work on the case with them, stating that he had made a promise that if anything had happened to his father then Light would personally track Kira down. It was during that moment that Mr. Yagami thought:

"There's no way that my son could ever be Kira...."

Suggesting that before the notebook Light was a somewhat good person who would do what was right. But since he has the notebook and therefore is somewhat under its influence his sense of right and wrong are taken to such an extreme that he no longer cares that he's committing murder himself to supposedly make the world a better place. When you think about it my theory makes sense in a way.

But anyways that's all I wanted to talk about sorry for the ramblings of insanity lol.