#those characters who missed out on a childhood and softness and love - who rediscover those indulgences as an adult

[captainkirkk]

hmm there’s damian Wayne acts like a kid!!

You're so right!!

I just went to search ao3 for the '(BLANK) acts like a kid' to check who else has a tag like this but it's down for maintenance :((((

[lostinthewoods-kristoff]

Kristoff Eindride Bjorgman Character Sheet

Birthday — December 31, 1990 Zodiac Sign — Sagittarius MBTI — ISTJ Enneagram — 9 Temperament — Phlegmatic Hogwarts House — Hufflepuff Moral Alignment — Neutral Good Primary Vice — Envy Primary Virtue — Diligence Element — Earth

Overview:

Mother — Anna Bjorgman (née Olsen) Father — Ole Bjorgman Mother’s Occupation — translator, with knowledge of Sàmi, Swedish, Danish and English Father’s Occupation — Park ranger at Hardangervidda National Park Family Finances — comfortable bit not particularly wealthy Birth Order — oldest Brothers - none Sisters — Freya, 12 years younger, and Agnetha, 14 years younger Other Close Family — The Stone trolls! Best Friend — He doesn’t have one :( Other Friends — The Stone trolls! Enemies — All humans Pets — None, but growing up he had a dog called Kipper and the trolls kept bringing him little baby badgers and deer and things and he just kept calling all of them kipper Home Life During Childhood — serene honestly like he grew up in a valley between two mountains, he spent all of his time outdoors playing, he got to spend a lot of time out in nature Town or City Name(s) — he was born in Oslo, but they moved to Odda for his dather’s work when he was very little Any Sports or Clubs — He played ice hockey and his mam was teaching him to play the guitar Favorite Toy or Game — Schooling — he never went to school! He was too little when he went missing Nationality — Norwegian Culture — uhhh Stone Troll? Religion and beliefs — None

Physical Appearance:

Face Claim —  Boyd Holbrook Complexion — paler 👏🏻 than 👏🏻 pale 👏🏻 Hair Colour — himbo blonde Eye Colour — listen Boyd’s eyes are blue but kristoff’s brown eyes are so important to me so we aren’t talking about it Height — 6’2 Common Hairstyle — sort of long-ish like longer enough to get into his face and v floppy he only discovered scissors like a decade ago Clothing Style — comfy and warm in the winter, comfy and cool in the summer. Fairly basic boring clothes to be honest Mannerisms — mumbles to himself a lot! has a habit of whistling songs the tolls taught him. Yikes face constantly.

Health:

Overall (do they get sick easily)? — he’s probably had a few colds and sniffles since coming to swynlake tbf Physical Ailments — none Allergies —  None Grooming Habits — oh you wanna talk grooming habits with a man who is essentially a yeti? Honestly even tho he probably really enjoys a hot shower after years of bathing in a freezing cold river all that water probably still feels super wasteful so he’s deffo an every few days kinda guy, and yes he is also a seven-in-one conditioner-shampoo-shower gel-lotion-toner-toothpaste-hair removal cream kinda guy why have lots of bottles when you can have one (1) Sleeping Habits — a surprisingly heavy sleeper for someone who lived in the open, but then maybe that’s because he had the trolls to protect him (and also they wouldn’t shut. up.) Eating Habits — eating CONSTANTLY the best thing and one of the only good things about living in town is FOOD what the hell is a cronut and why isn’t there one in his hand right now but honestly lots of fruit and veggies surprisingly healthy Exercise Habits —  he treks in the woods like for a living I guess that’s it Body Temperature — warm always big tall radiator Sociability — he’s trying but it’s early days 3/10 Addictions — none Drug Use — what is a drug Alcohol Use — I figure he once found like a bottle of whiskey or smth in a backpack im the woods one day when he was like 11, took a sip and was like ew and that’s been it ever since

Your Character’s Character:

Bad Habits — being moody af, constantly distrustful, and also nail chewing, and whistling too that’s annoying Good Habits — thoughtful!! Fixes things without being asked, helps old ladies cross the street Worst Memory — probably getting dragged out of the woods by the rescue team when he was 16; the trolls were his family by then and had been for longer than he’d known his birth family so he would’ve been traumatised by getting pulled away from them like that Best Memory — I think probably a more bittersweet memory, one he looks on as being positive is the trolls finding him when he’d gotten lost Proud of — himself, for making it this far Embarrassed by — everything and nothing he’s a complex dude Driving Style — awfully good. Not like *posh British accent* “awfully good” like “he’s simultaneously good at this and going to get us all killed”. He was taught by a farmer one summer so whilst he can’t legally drive, he can actually drive pretty well, but he goes very fast and he doesn’t believe in checking mirrors Strong Points — independent but deeply caring about the people he loves, very resourceful Temperament — he can be quite moody at first but he’s very Soft once you get to know him Weakness — again he can be quite moody and he also pushes people away a lot he isolates himself even if he doesnt necessarily want to be isolated!! Fears — being completely on his own Phobias — enclosed spaces Secrets — i guess he doesn’t have any?? He was like Big News at one point so I guess people know his business Regrets — I honestly don’t know? Like maybe sometimes he regrets not being around for his younger sisters but honestly he does Not regret leaving his family sooo Feels Vulnerable When — he’s not in the forest/with the trolls Pet Peeves — People talking loudly in public places/generally being rude in public places Short Term Goals and Hopes — get a job, make sure he can hold a roof over his head Long Term Goals and Hopes — manage to live in town and be less of a strange in between yeti mam Sexuality — he doesn’t know yet!! He’s never really bwen part of society he doesn’t really know what sexuality is!! He’s had a few Experienxes in the past (he has had his first kiss and that is It) but he needs to learn! Day or Night Person — day Introvert or Extrovert — introvert king Optimist or Pessimist — pessimist tbh

Likes and Styles:

Music — he likes cheesy old 80s songs he remembers them from when he was little and he’s been rediscovering it now, loves it Books — he’s a pretty slow reader so he doesn’t really have any favourite books. But he has a lot of favourite stories that the trolls told him! Magazines — again he’s a real slow reader but he loves those magazines you get from the supermarket that are like,, free and have loads of recipes and shit in Foods — all the foods. All the big ones. Loves ‘em. Will put literally anything in a sandwich because society has not taught him what is and is not acceptable to slap between two slices of bread Drinks — he complains that tap water in town tastes wrong but he’s taking a real liking to coffee, love that shit Animals — all of them!!!!! They’re better than people!!! Color — green and/or blue Jewellery — he doesn’t actually have any jewellery but he does have lots of really cool pebbles that his stone troll fam gave him

Where and How Does Your Character Live Now:

Home — he lives in benbow now in one of the ground floor apartments and he’s still getting used to it Household furnishings — minimalist af the only furniture he has is what was in the place when he got it so it isn’t much but there’s lots of decoration!! Lots of trinkets!! Favorite Possession — the aforementioned rock collection Relationship with Family — he’s still very close with the trolls, even though he’s living in town now. He misses them a lot!! As for his biological family he doesn’t ever rlly think about his parents but he does think about his sisters every so often he wishes he knew what was going on with them Car — be doesn’t have one but he would like one! Career — is there a word for someone who goes and gets things from the forest for a Price Dream Career — I think he’d like to do smth in nature he honestly isn’t too sure Dream Life — honestly I don’t know, and I don’t think he knows either!! Love Life — nonexistent lmfaoooo Talents or Skills — survival skills? Puts Bear Grylls to shame. Singing voice of an angel.  Intelligence Level — honestly like he’s fairly smart just not Book Smart Finances — get this man a full time job STAT

[recentanimenews]

Life After MMO Junkie: Our Top 10 Recommendations for Recovery of an MMO Junkie fans

With Recovery of an MMO Junkie coming to an end, many of you may find yourselves asking “where do I go from here?” We’ve put together a list of my top recommendations for the MMO Junkie fan looking for new material to consume. One aspect that made the anime truly unique was its focus on characters in their late 20s and early 30s, so many of these recommendations will involve more traditional high school age romances but I’ve tried to include something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for the gaming culture aspects of the story, the focus on Japanese work culture, or subversive gender themes, there should be something for everyone here. In no particular order, here are our Top 10 picks for fans of MMO Junkie!

MY Love STORY!!

One of the most feel-good romantic comedies in anime and potentially the planet earth, MY Love STORY is a great substitute for MMO Junkie’s relentless positivity. Takeo Goda is a tall, muscular high school student with thick eyebrows. He’s a romantic but his pursuit of love is constantly foiled by his best friend Sunakawa. Takeo’s size makes him intimidating to the girls of the school while Sunakawa’s legendary good looks attract everyone to him. That is, until Rinko falls in love with Takeo after he saves her from a groper in a train. What follows is the story of Takeo and Rinko awkwardly navigating love through mutual support and with the help of their friends. The series avoids many of the romantic comedy anime tropes, focusing on real-life challenges like first kisses and Valentine’s Day instead of romantic rivals and mysterious childhood promises.

Princess Jellyfish (manga)

Perhaps the most similar premise to MMO Junkie of all these recommendations for its focus on NEET culture and gender subversion. Princess Jellyfish is a romantic comedy telling the story of Tsukimi, an artist and jellyfish otaku living in the Amamizukan apartment building, a women's only dorm populated by NEET women. She has a fateful encounter with Kuranosuke, a beautiful woman who she discovers is actually the cross-dressing illegitimate son of a Tokyo politician. He takes an interest in the residents of the dorm, despite having to keep his gender under wraps to avoid violating their “no men” rule and offers aid when they find themselves fighting to keep their complex from being demolished for redevelopment. The manga won the Kodansha Award and has an anime adaptation with a live-action TV series on the way!

ReLIFE

Navigating modern work culture and the pursuit of personal happiness are a constant presence in the background of Moriko’s online questing and awkward romance. ReLIFE puts a laser focus on that struggle. It’s protagonist Arata Kaizaki quits his corporate job after 3-months and is unable to find new work besides a part-time position at a convenience store. He’s approached by a mysterious man who wants to make Kaizaki the test subject of a new government program known as ReLIFE, using a special medication that will regress his age 10 years and place him back in high school with the intention of allowing him to more successfully navigate that formative period of his life and fix what’s ailing him. The story has its share of surprises with other ReLIFE participants and some subversive elements looking a modern corporate culture in Japan that resonate with Moriko’s own falling out with her job.

Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun

Another high school romantic comedy that plays with genre conventions, Chiyo Sakura has a crush on Umetaro Nozaki and, in the process of attempting to ask him out, ends up discovering his secret life as renowned shojo mangaka Sakiko Yumeno. Somehow she ends up working as his assistant filling in beta and reining back his outlandish story ideas while trying to sort out her feelings. This anime is a bit more slowburn, falling back on the “will they won't they” formula common in shojo manga with Chiyo’s struggles to confess her feelings to the oblivious Nozaki. For all that, it keeps things relatively stress free by putting you in the lives of a growing cast of eccentrics with some attachment to shojo manga, either as artists or real-life stereotypes.

Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid

A less obvious candidate for MMO Junkie fans is this reverse isekai LGBT romance between a woman and her dragon who is also her maid. Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid is the same kind of goofy, loosely animated romcom with an equally charming cast. Although Moriko and Kobayashi are outwardly dissimilar, with Moriko having quit work at the beginning of the story and Kobayashi intensely involved in her job to the detriment of her personal relationships, both have issues with intimacy and self-image that they struggle with in the face of unexpected romantic interest and overcome their own loneliness by discovering a place in a group of eccentrics. Dragon Maid is a heartfelt and happy story with moments of soft introspection that ground things, it's just a bit pervier.

Tsukigakirei

A sleeper hit of this year, Tsukigakirei is unusual romance for focusing on a mutual crush between two middle school students. Much like MY Love STORY, the story focuses heavily on firsts and discovering what love and being in a relationship really mean. The big MMO Junkie connection probably comes in the social anxiety experienced by the two leads, Kotaro and Akane. In addition to learning about relationships for the first time, the story observes their slow progress in learning how to communicate with one another and express affection. In the beginning, they’re only able to open up and be themselves over the chat application LINE but are overcome with awkwardness and uncertainty in person. It’s a story of discovery and reaching out to one another, motivated by love and the desire for self-improvement.

Chihayafuru

This may be my most unique recommendation and one I make precisely because it is so unique, much like MMO Junkie itself. Both josei series are difficult to codify using more popular anime storytelling tropes. Where MMO Junkie has its more middle-aged focus and quirky construct for introducing its romantic leads, Chihayafuru is part drama, part romance, part sports series. Chihaya Ayase is introduced to the traditional Japanese card game karuta. The story focuses on her quest to improve at the sport and rediscover the boy who showed her the world of karuta. This may be a bit of a stretch but both stories leave the feeling of coming from outside normal conventions of their genre.

Sword Art Online

Now let me explain. Although the conditions under which Kirito and Asuna meet in an MMO in Sword Art Online couldn’t be different than those of Hayashi and Lily, the two couples definitely have a lot in common. While the quests in SAO are life and death affairs, Kirito and Asuna have a mutually supportive relationship with both characters playing proactive roles and offering mutual support. It’s a good ship. If you’re into MMO Junkie for the gaming culture elements, there are plenty on offer in SAO. While the series movies into more action and intrigue-related subplots as it progresses, the first arc has a laser focus on Asuna and Kirito’s budding romance in a unique and deadly world. If you wanted an MMO Junkie with higher stakes, you’ve come to the right place!

Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches

If you love stories where everyone but the main characters are aware of their mutual affection, welcome to this quirky high school comedy featuring the protagonist Ryuu Yamada, a delinquent and outcast who finds himself in the middle of a magical conspiracy in his own school. Seven female students have magical powers that manifest when they kiss someone. He discovers this by accidentally kissing one of the school's top performing students, Urara Shiraishi and learning she has the power to swap bodies. He quickly discovers that, despite her achievements, his perceptions of her perfect life were way off base. The story explores themes of agency, loneliness, obligation, and the personal struggles and lives individuals people keep hidden behind their public face.

Sakura Quest

Although not a love story, Sakura Quest is an anime about working women that takes a deep dive into some of the social issues of MMO Junkie. Its cast is a group of misfits trying to hold up the failing economy of a town in rural Japan. Each harbors their own troubled past and personal struggles with the current economic environment and modern work culture. The anime offers an uncomfortable perspective of the victims of modern progress an all-too-real look at people who just aren’t sure what they can do to find meaning and prosperity in their own lives. The possible motivations for Moriko’s own rejection of modern work culture and retreat to the comfort of the virtual world play themselves out several times in this series. It doesn’t offer many solutions and may not be as upbeat as MMO Junkie, but is inspirational in its own way, showing characters trying, failing, and trying again.

I hope you’re able to fall in love with one or more of the series stories the same way we fell in love with Recovery of an MMO Junkie. If you find one of these filling that Moriko-shaped hole in your heart then please share it with others! If you’ve got your own recommendations, please share them below!

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Peter Fobian is an Associate Features Editor for Crunchyroll, author of Monthly Mangaka Spotlight, writer for Anime Academy, and contributor at Anime Feminist. You can follow him on Twitter @PeterFobian.

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com