#though this does seem very in-character for Ritsu

[quirkle2]

something i've noticed in my obsession with ritsu kageyama is that he underestimates people a lot

i think the first example of this is in episode 8, and it's absolutely littered throughout the rest of season 1. it starts with koyama, and the way ritsu says, "that guy is finished—it's over," when shigeo reaches 100%. while he Does have good reason to believe this, and so does the audience, koyama still manages to "win" by pulling a trump card that completely negates anything shigeo would be able to throw at him

when he's locked up with the awakening lab kids, his first idea is to act like he and the others don't have powers at all, which Wildly underestimates claw's communication between members. ritsu was literally noted to be an above-average esper, and "special treatment" was suggested for him. the fact that he even thought that would work at all suggests he either thinks they're incompetent (which, since all he's seen from claw is koyama so far and koyama can pack a fucking punch, is a little silly) or he's panicking and clinging to desperate, sloppy plans. it also kinda reminds you he's Literally Thirteen. god . he'sso small

also, the fact that ritsu doesn't even remember the awakening lab's kids names is another example of this—he deemed them "unimportant" during his arc, and continued to think this for a good while (i'd say he even holds onto some of those views well past the show's runtime, if his little comments about the twin's telepathy in the transmission arc is anything to go by) (also also, that <- deserves a post all on its own bc the fact that he meets another pair of siblings with esper abilities and sees that it's brought them closer instead of torn them apart . wow that makes me ill)

reminder that he listens to one of the kids "get killed" in another room and then watches a claw member drag the kid back out and throw his bloody, lifeless form to the floor. This Happens To Him. he watches this go down, and then he Continues to misjudge them. his little comment about the claw lackies "underestimating them because we're kids" is a bit funny to me now, given this entire post

he does it to shou immediately. he doesn't see a scar on him, so he immediately assumes he's lower tier and about as strong as the lackies. even after shou stomps and cracks the fucking hallway in half, ritsu walks right up to him and doesn't seem threatened. i doubt he's trivializing this situation just bc shou is a kid—that just wouldn't make sense from ritsu's perspective on things

he's already seen the biggest baddest esper in town—he lives with the guy. he knows the strongest esper is his own brother, so his view on other people's powers are very skewed. ritsu is so caught up in his trauma that he thinks shigeo is unbeatable, and i think part of that is because he was so young when The Incident occurred. anything scary that happens to you at that age is going to seem insurmountable to you, if you've never tried to overcome that fear. ritsu fully believes ???% is completely invulnerable (and yes, that's largely true) but he seems to carry that idea over to shigeo as a whole

maybe dimple's comment about ritsu being able to reach shigeo's level got more into his head than i originally thought it did—he "knows" he's at least close enough to shigeo to eventually surpass him, and since he puts shigeo's powers on a pedestal built with shaking hands, he thinks, hey, i must be pretty close to that. i must be pretty invincible too

he tends to mentally call fights finished before he's seen everything his opponent can do. ritsu straight up responds "i don't believe that," to shou's little you can't defeat me, and he's seen basically nothing in shou's arsenal

to his credit, once all the scars show up, he shuts his mouth and admits he's no match. and i think after the 7th division arc, he stops brushing people's abilities aside so much

this is why the shimazaki fight is so important for his character.

he fights him even though he Knows he'll lose. the shimazaki fight is Not ritsu underestimating him—previously, he's lost battle after battle because he truly and fully thought he'd win. he does not think he'll win this, and he's doing it purely to distract shimazaki from shou's position

ritsu kageyama is 1000% ride or die, especially when it comes to his own beliefs and trauma. i think if shou's situation wasn't as similar to ritsu's as it rly was, ritsu wouldn't have tried so hard to help him. ritsu risks his life to give this kid just a few extra minutes to deal with his father, and the way he enters the fight speaks pretty highly of how much he Wasn't underestimating him

he enters the fight by blinding shimazaki, by pulling a trick from his pocket underhandedly, and even though it obviously doesn't work, it shows that ritsu believes he'll need to do more than just use his powers like he normally does. i believe this is the first time he fights this way as well, with this covert trickery that uses his environment to his advantage—he keeps doing it throughout the fight; throwing cars, dislodging rocks to collapse ceilings. he's truly trying to think outside of the box because he entered this fight with the knowledge that he'll likely lose, and he needs more than just Himself to stay alive

but enough about ritsu underestimating claw, or awakening lab kids. i think the person he underestimates most of all is his own brother.

maybe i'm stretching the definition of "underestimate"—maybe there's a better word for it that i can't think of right now—but the way ritsu seems to think that shigeo will snap at the slightest issue in his life is... well. it's a little,,, patronizing, isn't it? he doesn't seem to have faith in shigeo's ability to keep a cool head, and even though he knows for sure that shigeo is Powerful (and even, sometimes overestimates that aspect of him) i think he tends to undermine his control over that power, tends to believe he'll blow up and scarcely doubting that assumption. he grew up like that, constantly in fear of his brother unleashing that "monster" again, and that in and of itself is an example of ritsu not having enough faith in his brother

when he sees onigawara talking to shigeo loudly in the hallway, ritsu sees how nervous shigeo is and narrows his eyes, like he senses something building in him. when reigen gets slashed during the 7th division arc, the fear in ritsu's gaze is not directed to reigen's "killer," it is directed to his brother, in fear of an oncoming explosion. and i Would say he gets better at this, but even at the tail end of s3, at the beginning of confession arc, ritsu fully believes (until he sees the car that hit shigeo, i think) that ???% came around because tsubomi rejected him. he thinks his brother would react so negatively to that, that other side of him would come out to wreak havoc.

when mob Does actually ask tsubomi out, he just cries when he's rejected. he reacts like every other teenage boy reacts, by quietly crying to himself. it's a very normal thing—after the absurdity and the sheer vastness of power and destruction the audience was just put through, mob walking away and crying quietly about being rejecting by a love interest is the first taste of normalcy we've had in like three episodes. what ritsu thought would spark this is actually the thing that calls the story and the audience back to a place that is solid and grounded

i'm not saying ritsu is a bad brother—that is so so SO far from my point—i'm saying that he's young and he's full of multitudes, and that includes mistakes. and that is Refreshing

this little guy is So full of faults, and it's one of the many things i love about him. he's a character that's practically built upon flaws with "good traits" as an afterthought, instead of the other way around, and the fact that he's been written like that, but introduced to be the polite, honor student, supportive, younger brother type is So Fuckin Cool!

it compliments his arc perfectly, because the reason big cleanup arc starts is because he's tired of being all that. he's tired. i never stop thinking about his maybe i wanted to find out what it would feel like to be a fool, it's Such a good line, and even if his reasonings for big cleanup arc seem nonsensical to some, i think it makes perfect sense in this odd, fucked up way. he literally Says it, right there. he explains everything in those few lines during that rooftop scI'M GETTING OFF-TOPIC

ritsu is a good character and his numerous flaws are what make him interesting to me. if he stayed that polite, honor student, supportive, younger brother type, i probably wouldn't give a shit about him. he is interesting Because he's made some pretty bad choices, Because he's made some pretty disgusting assumptions. he's a kid, fumbling along, with trauma dragging him by the wrists. i could talk about him for hours

[danieyells]

i am politely begging for lucas lines 🤲

LUCA MY BELOVED LITTLE BRIT KNIGHT. Luca is a darling but the thing about him is that he's so focused on his goal that he really seems to have no mind for anything else. . .well it's not a problem, but it does make him feel a little distant I guess.

Hello: (the first time the game is opened after that character is set as home screen NPC. Only happens once per day, unless the character is switched out and back.)

"You're here 10 minutes early—I'm impressed. Let's check the details for today's mission."

You've Got Mail: (whenever there's something in the inbox, usually Arena rewards)

"A letter's arrived for you. It could be important—you'd better open it right away."

Default: (requires no affinity, has no time constraints)

"So this is all we have to go on for the next mission... Don't worry. No matter what anomaly awaits us, I'll keep you safe."

"I haven't trained nearly enough. I need to go on more missions... I have to do more, to find a way to subjugate them..."

bby you're already doing everything you can. . . .

"If you're ever in trouble, you can always come to me. I want to be there for my friends."

"Do I find it tough training every day? Those with strength have a duty to use it for others. I'm perfectly all right."

"I'm sorry. I haven't troubled you again with my thoughtlessness, have I?"

BABY YOU ARE THE MOST THOUGHTFUL MOST OF THE TIME DO NOT EVEN WORRY YOURSELF.

Affinity 1: (between 5am and 11am)

"{PC}, good morning! An early training session will warm you up for the day. Would you care to join me?"

Affinity 2: (between 11am and 4pm)

"I'm sorry, I'm about to head out. A dangerous anomaly is wreaking havoc on campus again, and it's a threat to the general students."

Affinity 3: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"I invited Kaito to train with me, but he turned me down. Apparently, he's got a lot on his plate, but I'm worried about his lack of strength..."

Affinity 4: (between 8pm and 5am)

"There's something I want to investigate a little further… You'll join me? Thank you. You really are very kind."

Affinity 5: (between 8pm and 5am)

"Phew... I'm finished with today's revision. Still, it's not quite bedtime. Perhaps I could fit in a casual training session."

Affinity 6: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"I've heard in Japan it's believed you're more likely to encounter evil spirits at twilight. Let's go find out if it's true."

hey let's go wander out alone at night and see if we can find demons to fight! don't worry tho i'll protect you nbd.

Affinity 7: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Kaito invited me to have ramen with him again today. He says it's Tokyo's signature dish."

Affinity 8: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"Jin has been calling you to his room a lot lately. Is everything okay? If you feel uncomfortable, I'll have a word with him."

let's say she was uncomfortable, what would that resolve? you think jin's gonna listen to you? but lmao it's kinda funny to me that like Ritsu and Luca see Jin putting you to work and go like "hm. that seems concerning." IT'S FINE THO WE'RE INTO IT EVERYTHING'S GOOD.

Affinity 9: (between 8pm and 5am)

"You think everywhere in Frostheim is cold? That's not true—the bedrooms are properly heated, like the cozy spot in front of the fireplace in winter."

everywhere outside of that though, freezing. including the bathrooms. especially the bathrooms.

Affinity 10: (between 10pm and midnight)

"If you're struggling to sleep, the Sandman will come and pay you a visit. That's what one old folktale in the UK says, at least. He must have been some sort of anomaly, too."

Affinity 11: (between 5am and 11am)

"I'm fond of the morning air. My brother, on the other hand, always said he found the nighttime more relaxing. Which do you prefer?"

Affinity 12: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Today in Anomalous Combat I was scolded by Professor Dante for defeating a mock anomaly. I believe I made the right call, so I'm quite confused..."

PAY ATTENTION IN CLASS JESUS CHRIST THEY EXPLAIN THIS IN EVERY SINGLE CLASS THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO CAPTURE THE ANOMALIES NOT DESTROY THEM. Jesus christ is that what they teach in Emrys?

Affinity 13: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"In many ways, Frostheim etiquette is quite different from etiquette in the UK. I wish I could escort you, but I still have a lot to learn myself."

okay consider frostheim etiquette is shitty anyway most of the time so don't even worry about it they're assholes.

Affinity 14: (between 5am and 11am)

"We still have some time until class starts. Why don't we go and fetch the documents for our next mission from Tohma?"

buddy isn't the main building across campus from Frostheim. . .do we have that kind of time. . . .

Affinity 15: (between 5am and 11am)

"You need to make sure you eat a proper breakfast. You lose muscle mass if you do things on an empty stomach. That's why I always have biscuits on me."

Affinity 16: (between 11am and 4pm)

"In classes I sometimes notice discrepancies between what is taught at Emrys and what is taught at Darkwick. I wonder which is correct?"

Affinity 17: (between 10pm and midnight)

"You worked hard today. No matter what ordeals await us tomorrow, I trust that you'll both be able to overcome them."

Luca believes in you! So believe in yourself too! You'll make it another day.

Affinity 18: (between 8pm and 5am)

"I've heard about the bushido ritual of seppuku. It's a rather extreme way of punishing oneself… It must require a great deal of mental fortitude."

IT'S NOT REALLY. . .A REGULAR WAY OF PUNISHING YOURSELF. . .I MEAN YEAH KILLING YOURSELF WITH RITUAL DISEMBOWLMENT REQUIRES A LOT OF MENTAL FORTITUDE BUT IT'S NOT EXACTLY. . .please keep your insides inside. . . .

Affinity 19: (between 10pm and midnight)

"You should go home and rest, {PC}. I won't allow the Devil's hour to pass tonight without finding some sort of hint..."

i feel like he doesn't find many hints and should worry about sleeping instead. . .what's with ghouls and not sleeping and eating enough. . . .

Affinity 20: (between 5am and 11am)

"Did you manage to get a good night's sleep? Rest is the best medicine. Don't push yourself to stay up too late, all right?"

Affinity 21: (between 11am and 4pm)

"Did you see they've announced what our next test is going to cover, {PC}? I hope your studies are going well. I'm happy to help you with review if you need me to."

Affinity 22: (between 4pm and 8pm)

"I'm going to have a chat with Professor Hyde about demons before I leave today. You and Kaito should go on ahead."

he's so studious! but i bet hyde wishes he'd y'know live a little.

Affinity 23: (between 8pm and 5am)

"Is a "pajama party" some sort of important event? Kaito was insisting that we invite you to one."

please teach this boy to relax a little. . .teach him a little fun social stuff. . . .

Affinity 24: (between 10pm and midnight)

"Sometimes I feel out of sorts, like I'm not myself. I still have a lot of training to do."

i think that's called exhaustion and having emotions, buddy. . .you can't train yourself out of that. . . .

Affinity 25(max): (no time constraints)

"We have experienced many joys and sorrows together since becoming friends. I'm very glad we met. I look forward to walking the road ahead with you."

Spring: (March-May) (between 5am and 11am)

"I saw a lot of flowers in bloom while I was jogging through the campus this morning. It really brightened up my run."

(between 11am and 4pm)

"Spring in Japan is quite similar to spring in the UK. The weather gets reassuringly warmer, and the air is filled with the scent of flowers."

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"Kaito has been nodding off in class a lot recently. I wake him up right away, but I'm still worried he'll fall behind..."

(between 8pm and 5am)

"I've never seen cherry blossoms lit up at night before. They looked very different than they do in the daylight. I feel it taught me something about differing viewpoints."

i feel like i learned something! not sure what tho.

Summer: (June-August) (between 5am and 11am)

"Summer days are long and productive, but in Frostheim the days are short all year round. It's easy to get caught in the dark if you're not careful."

(between 11am and 4pm)

"Kaito's going to teach me about Japanese summer again today. This is the first time I've spent the summer with friends— it's been a lot of fun."

;;;; please be a good first friend to him

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"There's a summer festival being held in Hotarubi this evening. I've got a yukata for it… Could you help me put it on?"

(between 8pm and 5am)

"The sun stays up until late at night during summer in the UK, so Japan's dark, sweltering summer nights feel quite odd to me."

Autumn: (September-November) (between 5am and 11am)

"Tohma has been going out on a lot of private errands lately. I wonder where he's been going? You don't think he's doing secret training, do you?"

no sweetie i don't think he's secretly training without you. he's doing important administrative business. don't worry about it.

(between 11am and 4pm)

"I like that autumn is considered the season for reading here. I'm reading two books at the moment—this one's in German, and this one's French. Can you read them?"

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"Tohma just gave us some chestnuts, so Kaito and I are going to try roasting them in the kitchen. Would you like to join us?"

once again the Frostheim Family interactions are strong lolol HERE KIDS HAVE SOME SNACKS. KEEP IT DOWN YOUR FATHER IS TRYING TO SLEEP.

(between 8pm and 5am)

"Anomalies are more active in summer in Japan, whereas in the UK, they're more common in the autumn. I suppose Obon and Halloween are to blame there."

obon is in august that is barely summer tbh. i mean some places celebrate it in july i guess. but that's an interesting worldbuilding observation. local spirit and 'monster' related festivities influence the amount of anomalies that spawn in a region. so halloween in america and the uk result in a lot of anomalies. maybe there are lots of love related anomalies and like doves around valentine's day? then again Luca said they don't have them in the UK that he's aware of.

Winter: (December-February) (between 5am and 11am)

"{PC}, your hands are red from the cold. Come on, let's run to the classroom. It'll warm you up."

while that is a realistic way of warming up who tf wants to go for a run in the cold. i mean it probably feels good the contrast in heat and cold but also HOW ABOUT WE GO TO THE STORE AND GET SOME MITTENS OR SOMETHING. but it is a very in character response for him lol. . . .

(between 11am and 4pm)

"When Kaito put a satsuma on his head and said, "I'm a New Year's decoration," Tohma fell silent and walked away. I'm confused— was it some sort of spell?"

satsuma are those little mandarins they put on top of kagami-mochi at New Years! if you've seen japanese winter/new years art you may have seen characters with them sat atop their heads while they relax in kotatsu. in the japanese version Kaito says "kagami-mochi" and Luca likely doesn't know what kagami-mochi is, so he thought it was magic.

(between 4pm and 8pm)

"The sun sets early this time of year. It's easy to feel down when the nights are long, but that's why it's especially important to stick to a routine like an exercise schedule."

Luca wards off his seasonal depression with exercise. good to know.

(between 8pm and 5am)

"On a clear, frosty night, you can see an aurora in the sky above Frostheim. It's very inspiring—like a beacon of hope in the darkness."

His birthday: (March 22nd)

"I suppose today is my birthday. Thank you. If you don't mind, will you join me in praying for my twin brother's safety?"

i gently rag on him for caring about nothing else but. it's clear how much his brother means to him and how worried he is about him, that even his birthday is dedicated to worrying over his wellbeing. idk who or what he prays to, or if it's just a general hoping thing or a 'since i'm in japan i'll make my pleas to japan's gods, in case those entities might have any power to help' type thing, like going to a shrine just because it's what everybody does, but. idk. i hope he can have a nice birthday outside of worrying about his brother. then again, it's hard to enjoy your birthday when you know it's your twin's birthday too and not knowing where they are, i guess.

Your birthday:

"Happy birthday, {PC}. There is a reason you were born into this world, and it's something that should be celebrated."

New Years: (January 1st)

"Happy New Year. I've heard it's customary to visit a shrine, so I'm planning to invite Kaito to go with me. Would you like to come along?"

Valentine's Day: (February 14th)

"Thank you! This is all very new to me. In the UK, it's men who express their gratitude to women on Valentine's Day."

i was gonna say something questioning because i'm american but when i think about it women in relationships with men don't really/aren't expected to give something to their boyfriends/husbands are they. it's much more of a day to give to/do something for your girlfriend. usually the idea of a gift for a man on valentine's day is ~dress sexy for him and have sex with him~ or whatever because other material stuff like stuffed animals and candy and flowers are seen as non-masculine gifts and things men wouldn't like. . .but that's kind of sad to think about. idk i guess i never really thought about it because valentine's day is a day that has no meaning to me. and 'valentine's day is a day men express their gratitude to women' is a very kind perspective on how it seems like people treat valentine's day haha. . . .

White Day: (March 14th)

"Thank you for the chocolate you gave me last month. This is a token of my appreciation. They're Thorntons chocolates— I just received them from back home."

do you think his family sent them and he decided to give you something lovingly sent to him by his family, or that he ordered them for the occasion specifically. . .i think it's sweet either way.

April Fool's Day: (April 1st)

"How odd... Kaito has been acting peculiar all morning. I wonder if he's coming down with something. Did you notice it, too?"

homie's really been living under a rock huh.

Halloween: (October 31st)

"Is that you under that mask, {PC}? I could just tell. I don't really understand what's so fun about this holiday."

on one hand, maybe if you got him to dress up and go trick-or-treating he'd enjoy it more? on the other hand i feel like he'd be on edge about it. More anomalies around in the UK around halloween, and he'd be so busy thinking about if there are demons around under his nose he wouldn't be able to have fun. . .poor guy probably grew out of halloween early huh.

Christmas: (December 25th)

"Happy Christmas! It's a shame I'm not able to celebrate Christmas Eve with my family this year, but I'm glad that I have all of you now."

you're his family now ;;;;;

Idle: (about 20 seconds without interacting with the game) (below 13 affinity)

"Penny for them? I'm happy to lend an ear if there's something troubling you."

'them' being 'your thoughts' in case you aren't familiar with the expression

(13 affinity and above)

"When deciding on your next move, I do think it's important to think carefully. That said, hesitation can cost lives. Balance is crucial."

boy it ain't that deep i am idle because i am checking emails or something would you relax--

Absent: (logging in for the first time in 2 or more days?)

"I knew you'd be back. If you're prepared to work to overcome this ordeal once again, I will gladly lend you my strength."

THOSE ARE MOST ALL OF HIS VOICELINES he's very. . .focused. it makes him a little repetitive but considering what's happening to bring him here i don't blame him. . . .

Of course finding his brother is important but the poor guy doesn't even see the world around him really, which is kind of sad. . . . On one hand, it's good that he's able to focus on his goals and desires, on the other hand it feels like those things are all he cares about because he feels like he has to and other aspects of life fly by him even if he'd otherwise enjoy them. . . . But even as his affinity goes up it feels like he focuses on so many of the same things. He sees you very much as his family and the first real friends he's ever made, which does lend to a positive relationship, but even then it feels like he keeps you at arm's length and sees you as someone to protect more than a loved one. . .maybe if he can find his brother or find out what happened to him he'll lighten up a little someday. then again given he isn't familiar with things like pajama parties and april fool's day he was probably serious even with his brother around! I assume they're going to be opposite type brothers, where his brother is a very jovial and relaxed person, but Luca is serious and strict. but only time will tell!

[aayakashii]

I'm going through the Sinostra chapter right now and I can't stop making theories omg there might be spoilers below so be careful, although I'm just enumerating my questions tbh lol

According to one of Taiga's home screen dialogs, there might be some sort of time loop happening which he's KINDA aware of? Or maybe just aware when triggered somehow.

He said "long time no see! You decide to ditch this future too? Sorry I'm not dead yet" which is INCREDIBLY ooc as to how he behaves during the story which leads me to

His extreme memory loss, which apparently lasts less than 24 hours. Why is that? Did he go through so many time loops that it started affecting his memory? There was one small moment in which he remembered Ritsu because he saw the MC face though...

The Clash. What the fuck was it

What's Taiga relationship to Haru? Haru sounds eerily nonchalant regarding Taiga even though the man keeps on threatening Peekaboo. And aftewards, Rui briefly mentions that Taiga has a "destroying what others hold dear" schtick, which leads me to believe that Taiga is seeking revenge for losing something important maybe???? Is the fanfic brainrot too big rn

WHY DOES HE HATE LIKE DOVES??????? I dont wanna go full romantic mode, but is he just resentful of seeing a bird that is the physical representation of someone else's feelings or something......

The spy. Honestly no idea. There's some theories floating around that Haku is the spy, but I would rather see him during the Hotarubi episode before jumping to conclusions, but it's understandable how people might think that I guess...? He IS very nice and helpful and randomly finding the MC fleeing by train was way too much of a coincidence... he does seem to always tie the MC to Darkwick somehow, firstly by KIDNAPPING her and then by talking her into staying. If the MC is the trigger to a bigger event, then one could see that as suspicious. But I would like a bit more evidence first lol

Back to Taiga, why is he. Like why

Okay no but seriously. If we take the timeloop thing seriously + Haku being a spy, here's the theory:

Taiga knows the MC is the trigger for an awful event and tried killing them back in the Prologue in order to cut the problem on its roots. Haku, if we consider him as the spy, WANTS the event to happen (considering he could also be aware of the loop), which is why he saved us and took us to Darkwick, therefore letting it all play out once again.

If Haku isn't the spy, then we would have to chalk it up as Taiga knowing and trying to kill us, but destiny (???) being a bitch, therefore putting Haku there as a pawn to make things play out again

Maybe the spy can control other ghouls? Who know tbh

Finally, what is going on during the first scene we see in the game? Darkwick on fire and the first character we choose jumping off of the building? I wonder what would happen if we choose Taiga as our first card....... maybe I should create a sub acc

Anyway if anyone has more questions/theories PLEASE SEND THEM MY WAY IM OBSESSED WITH THIS GAME I NEED TO THINK ABT IT

There is also a good theory on reddit made by u/imonlybr16 that states this:

"Before the prologue, when you open the game for the first time, you're greeted with the opening scene involving MC running through the halls of a ruined Darkwick. The question is asked "When the world is collapsing around you, whose hand will you take?"

There you're taken to your character choice screen. The guy you choose is later shown on the railing of a balcony, about to jump off.

Now I think I have a very far fetched and vague idea as to what is going on.

In chapter 2, we learn that the person that Alan killed was Dante or at least he thought he did. But we meet Dante and he's very much alive.

This comes theory number one.

***You can't actually die on campus.***

Note the use of actually here. You can 100% still die, you just end up coming back to life.

If Rui is your home screen he talks about accidentally killing someone else in his dorm and being annoyed with having to lift them back to Obscuary. This struck me as a particularly odd dialogue because Rui's curse causes people to die.

Unless, you can't die on campus.

This would explain Dante pretty much instantly. Yes Alan killed him but yes he's alive.

The campus itself is an anomaly, stopping people from dying doesn't sound too far fetched. I expect this to be revealed with the other two members of Obscuary, as that dorm seems to have a connection to death. One of the things that always pops up is that ghouls aren't immortal, no matter how quickly they heal.

Also explains how Calamari didn't die in chapter 3. Ren ran from the dorm > the caves > the jetty and Calamari was already pretty dehydrated in the beginning.

But OP you might say, aren't all the guys talking like they believe they're going to die.

Luckily, that brings us to vauge and far fetched theory number two.

***The campus is on fire due to a rebellion***

In the very last chapter of the prologue we get to see Kaito's wickhive. There we see three pretty interesting threads.

. There's gonna be an uprising soon

. One of you is a demon

. There's a guy who could see the future

Kaito is surprised at something he sees in this scene but we don't learn what it is. This chapter's 'preview' is one of the scenes we see in the very beginning. Blood and a Lily.

I believe that the first thread is foreshadowing and will . After you meet your chosen guy standing on the railing you get a line of dialogue (or not if you picked Towa) that changes depending on who you picked. Some imply that what they're doing is going to save you(Jiro, Zenji and Sho), some apologize stating that they could protect what they cared about until the very end (Luca,Kaito,Haru and Yuri) but three characters caught my attention

Leo: Life sucks and then you die,right? I just want to make the assholes responsible regret it.

Ren: This is exactly why I didn't to do this! I knew this was how it was going to end.

Subaru: This is all my fault. I don't expect you to forgive me, but this is the least I can do. Please take this as my final act of good faith.

Especially Subaru's and Ren's, that seemingly imply either the MC's (Ren's) or their (Subaru) involvement in the current situation. Now what does this has to do with a potential uprising?

One of the things we learn from the very beginning is the inter-politics of the houses and by extension the ghouls. Especially after the fallout of the clash. Things are pretty tense and an uprising or rebellion seems to be the most likely thing.

As to what happened and why? I have no clue. Though one thing to note is that according to the prophecy, as long as the ghouls are in Darkwick, they prevent a disaster from coming. If Darkwick is destroyed however, the prophecy can't be fulfilled, or can it?"

This is such a good theory too, I really think u/imonlybr16 has probably gotten a lot of things right.

Although it's weird that death is such a big threat to us specifically, but maybe the Academy can't prevent death by curses, much like the Mesmer Matches dont work on someone who's cursed. Hhmm...

[bizarre-blues]

Curious about your shoumob thoughts 👀👀

Apologies for the essay I am about to write you. Genuinely it's a self indulgent ship for me- I don't particularly see it ever happening in canon, but the potential for their dynamic is so severely underexplored that it drives me insane- not even romantically, just in general. I honestly get why at a glance it doesn't seem like there'd be much between them, but this is fanon and I'm allowed to pour my heart and thoughts into my favorite characters. Lemme break it up into two sections. Platonic Shoumob (something I could see as more canon based):

Even being platonic, I do think this dynamic would only show up post canon. Like there's a long period of time where they're vaguely in each other's circles but don't directly interact. On Mob's end, I think this is purely because he's got his own life and own concerns. Sure, his younger brother's friend hangs around sometimes, but it's not his business to meddle around in Ritsu's business. This is really well stated in August's post. But to add on a bit:

Mob is a good big brother + trusts Ritsu

I don't see Mob holding a grudge against Shou for the house being burnt down. Did Shou aim to stir Mob's emotions a bit? Yeah, it wasn't right. It was ALSO to protect Mob's family since Shou knew Claw was sending folks after them. With the bodies of the remaining Kageyama family burnt, Claw would not longer be after the Kageyamas. I think after fully understanding this, even if there are bitter feelings Mob would let em fade over time

What about the seventh claw division? Saying he's disappointed in Mob? Beating up Ritsu to lure Mob in so they can both be captured? First off Shou's insult pretty easily rolls off of Mob's back. Secondly, I think it would be very interesting to explore the dynamic of Mob discovering Shou's part in the seventh division. Again, I don't think this would really come up for a long time, long enough that Mob wouldn't really be a bitter mess about it.

If Mob can find in his heart of hearts that Toichiro is someone worth saving, I really struggle to think he dislikes Shou in anyway.

On the other hand you have Shou. I already talked about how I think Shou would feel a bit in the tags of August's post above. Also, I really like to keep this post in mind too when thinking of Shou's view of Mob.

Shou entirely wrote Mob off in their initial interaction. He saw he had power and was unwilling to use it- therefore was taking the side of a bystander. He saw that as genuinely a crime to waste such protentional. Shou was raised by Toichiro, and even without agreeing with how Toichiro used his power, Shou does agree that power is power and must be used in some way. For him, he needs to use it for justice. That's why, in my mind, Shou was so quick to like Ritsu. Ritsu wasn't afraid to use his powers for what was needed to be done to protect people, even if it was an uphill battle he couldn't win.

Cut to their second interaction. Shou's fighting his dad, Shou's losing the fight- it's barely even a fight with how bad he's losing. In waltzes Mob who's entirely different from the last time they interacted. He's prepared to fight, to protect everyone else since he's the only one capable of doing so. Hell, he even told everyone else to stay away since they'll only hinder what he has to do. Suddenly Mob is aligning with the moral code Shou WANTED to see in him to begin with.

That entire interaction is so short, but it's genuinely so important to me. Mob stands up for Shou, he gets angry on his behalf. Who knows the last time someone did that for Shou, and it's someone Shou had entirely written off.

Last time they interact is the confession arc. Shou sees the power Mob is capable of, how his dad is no match for him when he's like this without it being fatal. It even convinces Shou to lay off using his powers (though idk how closely he sticks to that post canon)

Basically you have this development of complete dismissal > admiration for his moral code? > a warning sign to how dangerous psychic powers can be. Which is insane given that Shou's SEEN how dangerous they can be his entire childhood

I feel like it leaves us in post canon with a LOT of potential for how they might see each other or interact. Here's some of the thoughts that have been plaguing my mind.

I really feel like Shou would have this torn admiration / uncertainty about Mob. Mob is powerful, more powerful than his dad, and I don't feel like Shou fully knows Mob's strict moral code yet. I think that subconsciously he might be a lil cautious around him to begin with even if he doesn't outwardly acknowledge that in anyway

They get to know each other and now there's potential to actually chat about some of this stuff. One thing in particular I like to think about is the power level they both have. Idk the exact power scaling of all the Mob Psycho espers, but I'm under the impression that Shou is pretty up there and will likely only get more powerful with age. Shou and Mob, having this kinda power, have taken such opposite views to it growing up. Mob believing it can never be used while Shou thinking it MUST be used. This is what's inspired the comic I'm currently working on that I'm SO excited to finish up

Also??? this might be ooc but the potential jealousy Shou might have of how easily Mob and Ritsu appear to get along once it's all said and done. Meanwhile his family dynamic is... complex. Shou obviously cares about his dad, but Toichiro will probably not see life outside of prison and I'm certain there's just some oddness between them. Between Toichiro calling Shou a failure and using his powers to straight up fight him, I just feel like it would be complex for Shou. It could really lead to some interesting conflict, especially given Shou and Ritsu being besties

IDK !!! OTHER STUFF TOO!!! Between em I just see a lot that could be said between the two of em.

I feel like when I first joined the fandom I didn't really see much between Shou and Mob. Of the four main esper boys, obvious it's easy to see how much dynamic there is between Mob and Ritsu (the entire show hinders on the trauma they share) and between Teru and Mob. There's also plenty of interactions between Teru and Ritsu. Same to say with Shou and Ritsu since the majority of Shou's interactions are Ritsu centered. But honestly post canon I really do feel like Shou and Mob's dynamic ought to be explored a lot more, even if I must do it myself.

Romantic Shoumob (way more fanon based but hey what can ya do, we have fun out here):

As a disclaimer, I honestly prefer platonic shoumob. HOWEVER I absolutely think romantic shoumob is adorable so I will happily ramble about it. Take most of what I've said above and apply it down here.

In my mind I think it would be Shou who ends up with a crush on Mob. Mostly cause of the amount of emotions Shou has towards Mob post canon, I feel like it could easily develop into a real curiosity towards Mob. Thinks about him a lot and oops, now it's a crush

Also hilarious to me cause I don't think Shou would know how to handle a crush no matter who it was. The classic "writes you a letter that says 'get out of my school' in attempt to flirt" dynamic

Except I really don't think that would work on Mob?? Mob isn't dumb but I really just. Don't think he'd get the hint that Shou likes him. Just knows for Some Reason Shou acts a certain way around him. He'd probably assume he did something to offend or upset Shou somehow tbh

Cue Mob attempting to do things to make it up / even directly trying to ask Shou about it which would only lead to Shou getting flustered or trying, yet again, to keep playing it off

Whenever Mob DOES realize Shou likes him back I imagine he'd get equally as flustered in the beginning. Mostly cause we know Mob is such a lover who is super easily flustered in most scenarios. Very much just! Cute to me

Outside of just the puppy love phase I really do think there's potential for such sweet or dramatic interactions. Again there's all the complex parts of the platonic parts of their relationship, but something significant would be the way that both Mob and Toichiro have this insane amount of power and yet opposite approaches to it.

I think Shou would find a lot of comfort in seeing how gentle Mob could be. I'm also a HUGE softy for the idea of like- we KNOW Shou isn't super soft. He wasn't raised that way, it's not his ideals, there's not many situations where I think he'd feel comfortable having his guard down, even post canon. But I like the idea that Shou lets himself be soft when it's just him and Mob.

No pressure to be anything he isn't, no need to be snarky or guarded, he KNOWS Mob ain't gonna judge him, hell Shou is probably the safest he ever could be by hanging out with Mob. It's all so SICKENINGLY sweet to me.

On Mob's end, I can see him enjoying having someone who understands him in some ways yet has such a different approach to life? Mob craves human connection throughout the entire series, and by the end he has plenty of it, but to have someone who he can have deeper convos about psychic powers in particular with I think would be a huge relief. Obviously there's other folks in his life, but Shou's just from a unique background.

Even more, Shou is blunt and upfront about everything. Communication would come so naturally to them. As someone with autism, nothing is a bigger relief to me than a person who just says what they're thinking straight up.

I can really see a fun balance between them as one person who's calm and kind vs someone who's energetic and chaotic. I feel like there'd be a constant push and pull between Mob's side of simple and sickeningly sweetness and Shou's side of outrageous acts and mayhem.

Hope this all makes sense. Sorry for any typos, I didn't proof read anything. Thank you sm for the ask!

[twilightmalachite]

Yuuta Aoi - Little Bro Talk

Author: Yuumasu

Characters: Yuuta, Ritsu, Hiiro

Translator: Mika Enstars

"Myyy bad. Unlike Aniki, I don’t have many friends."

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Season: Winter

Location: Garden Terrace

Yuuta: (…Sigh. Eating alone at the garden terrace is so dull.)

(And I was having fun spending time with Shinobu-kun, too. But then he had to leave immediately to run an errand for the student council.)

(You dare take Shinobu-kun away from me, you damn Student Council~…)

Ritsu: Hmm, it’s one of the light music club twins.

Since your hairstyle’s different and you’re all alone, you must be Yuuta-kun.

Yuuta: You’re right, but please don’t recognize me in such an unpleasant way.

Myyy bad. Unlike Aniki, I don’t have many friends.

Ritsu: I’m not saying it's bad, am I? It’s not like a person’s worth is based on their amount of friends.

In the past, I used to not have anyone I could call a friend, after all.

Some people prefer broad and shallow relationships, while others prefer more narrow and deep ones.

Everyone’s different when it comes to relationships.

Well, no need for one person to occupy all four seats here~. Can I sit here with you?

Yuuta: Go for it~.

But, allow me to correct you on one thing. I wasn’t alone here from the start.

My bestie, Shinobu-kun, was with me. But he had to leave earlier to do something for the Student Council.

Ritsu: Oh, what a coincidence. My situation’s like yours too.

I was gonna eat with Maa~kun, but he dumped me for a student council meeting.

Dreaded Student Council~. I hope a meteorite hits the Student Council room.

Yuuta: Ahaha, that’s pretty extreme~. It’d be a catastrophe if a meteorite hit.

Ritsu: It’s fine~, I’m sure if there’s an emergency, Ecchan will do something with all his authority and financial resources.

And even if the world is destroyed, Maa~kun and I will survive through the power of love…♪

Anyhow, compared to last year's Setsubun Festival, you guys seem to have moved on?

It’s like I never see you along with Hinata-kun at school anymore.

Did you finally understand what I meant back then? Did you finally get sick of being compared to your older brother?

Are you trying to make a point that you’re different from your older brother, that you’re your own person, perhaps?

Yuuta: …

…Back then, I thought that our values were different. But now, I think I can understand what you were trying to say, Ritsu-senpai.

It’s almost like you knew this was going to happen…

Ritsu: Heheh. It’s because you haven’t lived a long life unlike me. ♪

Yuuta: You’re only two years older than I am…

Ritsu: It still doesn’t change the fact that I’m older, does it?

Anyways. I might not exactly dislike your change in character, Yuuta-kun.

Like I said before, the creature called the “older brother” has no value in living if the “younger brother” does not exist.

All you have to do is step back and treat them just well enough so that they do not die. For those like us, they are a constant nuisance that won’t leave us alone for the rest of our lives.

Hiiro: —Hello, Yuuta-kun, Ritsu-senpai! Can I sit with you?

Yuuta: Oh, Hiiro-kun. Go ahead.

Hiiro: Thank you! So what were you two talking about?

Ritsu: We’re talking about how younger brothers can bother their older brother all they want~

Yuuta: I’m sure you have it rough too, Hiiro-kun, having such a horrid big brother in your family.

You’ve been inconvenienced since the very start, haven’t you?

Hiiro: The start? Back at my hometown, It was me who was being an inconvenience.

Nii-san protected me ever since I was little. He loved me a lot.

I hope to return the favor, and all the love he gave to me. If possible, I’d like Nii-san to be an inconvenience to me, too.

Ritsu: You want to be caused trouble? Aren’t you a weird one.

Yuuta: I’m sure he’d give you plenty of trouble even if you don’t want it, wouldn’t he?

Hiiro: That’s not true. I still have a lot to learn, I’m not strong enough to support Nii-san.

Though… Nii-san did praise me once. That made me very happy.

I had gotten a phone call and had brought home Nii-san drunk, but… He told me I’ve been doing well lately.

I’m sure Nii-san’s forgotten all about it, though. But it’s one of my most cherished memories from my birthday.[1]

Yuuta: Ooh, so something like that happened?

Yuuta: …Wait, wha? He had you do things for him on your birthday?

He seriously is diabolical… I hope a meteorite would hit Rinne-senpai.

Hiiro: A meteorite, huh? Yuuta-kun, you often get to have exchanges with Nii-san, don’t you? I’m envious.

Yuuta: Is it really an exchange, I wonder~? We just end up having a lot of contact since we work at the same agency.

Hiiro: Still, it seems nice from my perspective.

I’d like to ask you about something, who gets along well with my Nii-san, Yuuta-kun.

Yuuta: We don’t get along, but what is it?

Hiiro: I’d like it if you could help me pick out a birthday present for Nii-san with me.

We’ve got a long time until my Nii-san’s birthday, but we weren’t able to celebrate last year. And this is the first time we’re celebrating it in the city, so I’d like to get him something special. Think you can help me out?

Yuuta: A birthday present, huh~…

Yuuta: (That’s kinda a hassle, though? As if I’d know what’d make Rinne-senpai happy. Why not just take him somewhere to gamble?)

(Though that’s just a joke—but Hiiro-kun’s got such a pure heart he’d take anything as genuine advice.)

(…Wait, hold on a sec. This might be my chance to legally (?) play a prank on Rinne-senpai! ♪)

Yuuta: …Hehe. ♪

Ritsu: Whoa. That’s a horrible face you’re making, Yuuta-kun~.

Yuuta: Oh come on, don’t say such bad things about other people.

I’ll help you out if you’d like, Hiiro-kun.

Hiiro: Thank you! It’ll be reassuring to have you, Yuuta-kun!

Yuuta: Yeah, yeah! Let’s take pleeeenty of time to pick out a gift he’ll remember for his entire life…♪

[ ☆ ]

story directory

A reference to the events in Rinne’s idol story, A Cup's Worth By Yourself, from this card.

[floatingcomet]

hello i see you like mp100 and life series so it is my sworn duty to ask: if whatever mp100 characters you can think of were shoved into the life series, which gimmick do you think each of them would like/hate most

HEY im very new to the life series lol I havent seen them all yet (Ive only seen some povs on Secret, Wild, Double (In that order)) So I may get some things wrong but ill try lol :D

3rd Life -

Likes: This is basically the base gimmick i believe. I believe pre-character arc sho would like this one. Its literally unhindered by gimmicks, and is just a true show of strength and battle intellegence.

Dislikes: I dont really see anyone really hating simply the base gimmick. Maybe the telepathy club as a whole, since they operate more on

Last life -

likes: I believe this is the boogeyman one? From what I hear it kinda sounds like Mogami? Since people distrust eachother alot, Day one allies (like Bigb and cleo (?)) Betray eachother at a whim, and red names are kicked out of the group immediately, it seems like this gimmick is meant to brew inate distrust and hate for eachother so I think its the closest to his. Maybe pre-character arc Teru would thrive here to, i think.

Dislikes: Honestly Mob likely dislikes this one alot for the same reason mogami clearly likes it. If mob ever got the boogeyman curse i dont think he could willingly go through with it, and if anyone boogyemaned him he would break. All of the body improvement club would hate this one as well as it encourages betraying temates and not working together towards end goals.

Double life - This one I think goes to Serizawa the most Honestly. A lot of the times he relies heavily on other people to get out of his shell, so an assigned partner would help him out alot here. I feel like mob would be inn a simalar boat here,

Dislikes: Pre-character Arc dimple would hate this. The fact he would have to work with people he would generally disregard otherwise. I also think Tsubomi would dislike this, as she'd have fundamentally lose what little independence she would have, and her self inflicted responsibility to upkeep her perfectly calm and polite personality in a murder game while constantly being observed by her partner.

Limited life - This gimmick is easily the one im least famaliar with but I think Ritsu could atleast work with this gimmick decently. Not nessacarily sure if he would like it, but between his ability to study keep up with the student council and maintain heavy respect among his peers in the school, he already knows how to micromanage time. Its really not to different as to what he does now.

Dislikes: Reigen easily. I think a constant indecator of how his life is being wasted right above his head would drive him crazy. He already feels like he wasted it now, but seeing it getting closer to the end by the second while he cant do anything about it would break him.

Secret life - I feel like Mezato ichi would like this one honestly. She enjoys observing and documenting strange events and behavior from people, and since this . She'd be great at guessing people's tasks on yellow I think. Reigen probably wouldnt enjoy this one as much as mezato but he could read and get through his tasks pretty good as well.

Dislikes: IDK i think mob again dislikes this one. not being able to really read or trust people here would bother him alot. I dont really see anyone hating this one to badly though honestly.

Wild life - I feel like Tome would like this one alot. It seems to be the most lighthearted of the series, and its all about discorvering things about the unknown. Theres been no major betrayals that im aware of, even in late series superpower episode people still just want to hang out and discover whats happening around them.

Dislikes: Ritsu. I feel like he likes the familiarity he's built for himself and constantly changing day to day gimmick would mess with him alot.

Sorry its alot lol feel free to disagree on these lol :D

[aptericia]

💚,🤍, and 💔 for the unpopular opinion ask game? :3 (Oh and don't worry it's fine if you take a while to answer or don't answer at all! Don't feel like I'm waiting for a response I understand if you don't want to or can't!)

Answering this for Octopath 2 since you are an Octopath 2 mutual!!

💚: What does everyone else get wrong about your favorite character?

Temenos would not be allo!!!!

I’m actually going to answer this for Ochette, even though she’s not my fave (listen if she were in any other franchise besides the one that has Temenos and Throné she would be ok XD). I wish more people realized that she is, like, not a child. Yes she’s very goofy, and she’s inexperienced with human culture, but those things do not make her immature. Throughout her path she’s shown to comprehend difficult and dangerous situations, acknowledge her emotions in healthy ways, and guide and lead others with compassion, logic, and experience.

🤍: Which character is not as morally bad as everyone else seems to think?

I’ve only heard this second-hand because I swear I’ve never seen a single post on this website about her, but apparently people hate Reiza?? Now don’t get me wrong, I’m aware that she’s very definitely a Bad Guy™️, but the whole point is that she is being pressured by a system designed to appeal to fear and strip her of her agency. Her attempt to break free from that really is an incredibly moral action. And the fact that her worst crime is attempted murder really puts her quite low on the list of crimes that Octopath characters have committed. Anyway I love Reiza.

💔: If you had to remove one major character from the series, who would you choose?

🥺

I do not have the heart to answer this with any of the travelers so I’m gonna chicken out and pick an NPC.

Ok hear me out…. do we really need Mugen. He has so little personality, and his over-the-top EVIL VILLAIN behavior honestly clashes with the rest of the writing. I think everything he does for the story could be filled by some creativity with Jigo, Ritsu, and Ageha.

[shigayokagayama]

I think one of my only nit picks about Mob Psycho is I do wish there was a moment Mob voiced his opinion on Teru. I feel like the story does a good job at getting across how he feels about Ritsu and Reigen but not really him?

Like, i wouldn’t consider them super close or anything. And I feel like you can def gather an idea of how Mob feels about him (generally a good friend who’s also very helpful, perhaps even a similar “admiration” he has to Ritsu where Ritsu has a lot going for him academic wise and Teru is someone popular with girls and has a confident attitude) but I guess I just wanted a little more of his own thoughts? I’m not sure how to put it but I think about how in the guidebook he has a lot to say of Ritsu and Reigen but for Teru he’s like “he has a good fashion sense”

Obviously a big part of Mob’s character is he doesn’t speak his own opinion a lot and the story hides his direct thoughts a lot and it makes him interesting as the story asks you to try to understand him and what he’s thinking and who he is.

But there’s a layer to their relationship that I thought was really interesting and I guess I wish it came to light more?

Both are important to their respective development being the first psychics either have met. Their relationship is focused on the idea of strength but also a wake up call to living in reality. Teru has to accept living a life with more then his psychic powers despite hating that part of himself and Mob has to accept that he can’t just suppress his psychic powers forever and that they’ll always be a part of him no matter how much he hates it.

I think there’s something super compelling about someone seeing you at your lowest or what you see as your worst or perhaps they bring out the worst in you but your relationship with that person. And sometimes its easier to do that with people youre not super close to because showing your flaws to the people you hold really dear to you is hard and you’re so scared of disappointing them. I get reminded of that idea

I do think it’s there it’s just subtle and I love subtle! I think Teru himself is a subtle character in a lot of ways.

I wanted to know someone else’s thoughts on this though or what they think of their dynamic cause it’s on my mind sometimes sugwusbwj

oh i totally agree with you their relationship kind of fascinates me. i believe i remember reading an interview where one said that if mob wanted advice for stuff dealing with his powers he'd probably go to teru but dont quote me on that bc i dont actually remember where that comes from.

im so glad we got confirmation that they still hang out afterwards and just seem to both be physically incapable of making the first move ("you should invite me to hang out more" INVITE HIM YOURSELF TERU!!! MY GOD.) because the ending of the manga left it sorta ambiguous and the idea of teru drifting apart from the singular friend who he has an actual emotional connection with has been haunting me since i first finished the manga. like, i know he does hang out with the awakening lab kids and presumably teru and the spirits and such gang sometimes, but those are all people whove only known the teru that is working on bettering himself and considering how adverse teru seems to the idea of getting help (see him rushing into every situation on his own and getting his ass kicked) i cant imagine any of their conversations would ever turn to the problems hes had in the past and the problems hes currently dealing with. i mean, reigen only knows about terus parents because he was in the room when teru explained his situation to mob.

[taiyaki-translations]

A Gift to Spring Breeze - 3

Season: Winter Characters: Subaru, Mao, Mika, Aira Translator: taiyaki-translations

Mao: Whew… Today I managed to get a really good workout for the first time in a while. 

Well, recently, I’ve been in the student council room handling work after school. Without realizing it, I’d end up staying in the same posture for a long time when going through those  documents and signing things. I feel like my joints have gotten stiffer~

Subaru: Why is Sally~ talking like an old man~? If you keep sighing like that, you’ll get wrinkles, y’know~? Poke poke ☆

Mao: Uwah!? How did you suddenly hit my pressure point with such precision!? Could it be you learned about acupuncture locations that can wake people up from the producer!? 

Anyway, Shiratori, why are you standing there in a daze? Basketball club activities are over for the day. You can leave after you’ve changed into your uniform?

Aira: Ah, i-it’s nothing! Please don’t pay me any mind, senpai, and continue your super rabuii teammate interactions. Ehehe…♪

Mao: Super rabuii…?

Subaru: Oh, oh, I know! It must be because Sally~ and I put on a sparkling performance on the basketball court, right? Don’t be shy, don’t be shy, go ahead and praise me ☆

Aira: O…Okay! The image of Isara-senpai playing ball with Akehoshi-senpai was really dazzling and cool. I couldn’t even bear to look away. I really wanted to record it on my phone~!

Mao: Ahaha… You flatter me, Shiratori-kun. Though it does make me happy to hear my junior’s praise and being told I look cool ♪

But this is a chance to do team training in the basketball club. So that you don’t waste this opportunity, isn’t it better to focus on basketball and work hard to improve your skills~?  

Aira: Yeah! From the bottom of my heart, I feel like it was a great idea to participate in club activities! Just being able to watch my seniors’ daily lives at school up close is the ultimate happiness for me ♪

Well, I'm probably mistaken, but I feel like Akehoshi-senpai is not as “sparkling” as much today. Of course, it’s just a very, very small difference from usual!

Subaru: Eh~? Even though I’ve tried my best to hide it, you were still able to tell~? 

It’s nothing major. When I was doing “Sports Survivors” activities yesterday, I picked up a bunch of sparkly, shiny buttons near Starmony Dorms, so I posted them as lost and found items on HoldHands. 

Because of that, as soon as I arrived at school this morning, Mikki came to see me so he could claim them. It turns out that his coat pocket got a hole at some point, and all of the buttons he just bought fell out.  

Although it’s a good thing to see them returned to their rightful owner, I really liked those buttons so it was hard to part with them~...

Mao: Hey now, Subaru. Didn’t Kagehira also give you one of the buttons as a thank you? So shouldn’t you consider this a happy ending~?

Aira: …Wait, wait, Kagehira-senpai’s business can’t be considered a happy ending yet!

It looks like when I saw Kagehira-senpai at Starmony Dorms yesterday afternoon, he was probably looking for those lost buttons and that’s why he seemed to be in such a hurry…

But that still doesn’t explain why Kagehira-senpai has been returning to the dorms after midnight for a week in a row… Mm, I’m so worried!

Mao: …Hm? Is Kagehira experiencing other problems? 

<After school the next day, outside the handicrafts club room of Yumenosaki Academy>

Mao: (After hearing what Shiratori said yesterday, I couldn’t help but be concerned…) 

(Ritsu also sent me a message that Tenshouin-senpai has his eye on Kagehira for some reason, so it’s best if I also paid more attention to Kagehira’s current situation.)

(I feel like things are not so simple~ Regardless, as the current student council president, it’s my responsibility to look after every student.) 

(One of the valuable lessons I learned from participating in the Shuffle project is that instead of wasting time trying to make random guesses with nothing to go off of, the best method is to directly ask the person involved.)  

(According to the secret investigation report I commissioned from Sengoku, aside from when he’s attending classes, Kagehira has just been in the handicrafts club room. So it’s possible that he’s there too today.) 

(Huh? The door to the handicrafts club room seems to be unlocked… But let’s still knock first.) 

Mao: Hello, excuse me~ Is Kagehira here?

Mika: ……

Mao: —Wah!? W-Why are you just lying on the table all motionless with your eyes closed!? Are you still alive!? 

Ok good, he’s still breathing… Kagehira, are you okay? Please answer me!

Mika: Hmm… Hmm~? What’s that sound? It’s so noisy~......

Huh…? When did I fall asleep…? And why is Ikkun suddenly here? Am I still dreamin’…?

Mao: Oh, so you just fell asleep? That’s a relief~ You gave me a big fright just now. 

(It’s the same as that time when Shiratori and I visited Tenshouin-senpai at the hospital… Though in that case, he was pretending to be dead…)

Kagehira, you don’t look like you’re doing so well. Do you need me to take you to the infirmary? 

Mika: Nnah, no need~! I’m just a little sleep deprived. I’ll be okay after a little rest. Ikkun, is there somethin’ ya want?

Mao: I actually wanted to know the specific reason for why you’re not getting enough sleep. Shiratori and the others have noticed you’ve been returning to Starmony Dorms very late every day recently, and they are worried about your condition. 

For example, could it be that the vice president of CosPro arranged a job for you that’s difficult to refuse? Or is there some other reason? 

In short, as student council president, I can’t just stand idly by and ignore this situation. If possible, I would like you to speak candidly with me.

Mika: Nnah… Alright. As I thought, I still ain’t that good at lyin’ and I can’t hide it from everyone at Pretty 5. 

I received a letter from the kids from my hometown last week. They said they hadn’t seen their Mika-nii fer a while ‘n they missed me. 

It just so happened that I was plannin’ on goin’ back to meet them fer the New Year. As I was replyin’ to the letter, I couldn’t help but think o’ the fraud incident that happened at the orphanage this year… 

Although the process of raisin’ funds has been a lil’ difficult, thanks t’ the help of many kind people, all the loans have been paid off and the orphanage is slowly gettin’ back on track. 

An’ I thought about what else I could do fer the kids so they won’t feel lonely no more and be able t’ welcome the new year with a smile? 

After thinkin’ it over fer a bit, I realized I’m best at needlework, so I bought a ton of sewing supplies so I could make some cute toys as New Years gifts fer the kids. 

Though I’m naturally an absent minded person ‘n I accidentally lost those buttons two days ago… Akehoshi-kun was thankfully able t’ pick ‘em up and return them, otherwise I would've had t’ buy them again. 

Mao: ……..

Mika: Around the end of the year, the number of idol jobs I had t’ take on suddenly increased. So that I wouldn’t be holdin’ back both sides, I spent my spare time sewin’ as much as I could, ‘n I ended up staying up late without realizin’. 

By the time I would return t’ the dorms, Ritsu-kun would already be asleep. That way I could work on my plan without disturbin’ anyone~♪

No, wait, there were a few times when my secret was almost exposed… When Oshi-san called me from overseas, he noticed that I sounded tired, so he asked me to take on less jobs ♪

In short, this is completely my own matter and has got nothin’ t’ do with the vice president or anyone else. I hope you didn��t  misunderstand him~?

Mao: Hm… You don’t want to rely on others for this, and it’s not like I don’t understand. However, this is too much work for just one person. 

If you continue like this, it’s likely that you won’t be able to accomplish your goal because your body has given out.

Mika: No wonder I’ve been feelin’ a little out of it these past two days, and the speed I’ve been makin’ those toys has slowed down… Ahaha. I’ve always been slow ‘bout my own condition.

Mao: You’re preparing New Year’s gifts for the kids at the orphanage, right….? I just came up with a rough idea, but I would appreciate it if you could listen to it. 

Previous | Directory | Next

[dykeyaoi]

I love love thinking about auras and psychics-- to what extent do we think they're hereditary? it seems common knowledge to little Mob that Ritsu will someday get powers too. when he does, the Kageyamas' colors are almost the same, they just emphasize different ones. their textures are different but I think that's all personality-based. we can look at Teru and Toichiro for some pretty potent examples of that.

I want to believe that color can change short- or long-term depending on what happens in your life because if you look at Claw, the VAST majority of those guys have red and/or purple in theirs, which are apparently the Evil Colors. but what my brain does with Serizawa and maybe the show does too is make him a LOT more purple-- the Less Evil color-- after he starts working at S&S. Ritsu's aura typically has more blue in it than Mob's, but if he's really stressed out, more purple seeps in. because he knows his brother would be powerful enough to handle the situation? because he wants to protect Shige? Shou's aura is much more red when he's with his dad during the Confession Arc than when he's emotionally fighting him in the Seventh Division & physically fighting him in World Domination. when a character's REALLY emotional, the range of their color expands-- see: Mob 100 % (adds green and red), Shou fighting Toichiro with his charge bomb (goes much heavier on and a little farther to the yellow side than usual), Ritsu 100% (adds red and green). so if color is circumstantial as well as familial, it'd make sense that texture is solely personality-based.

but how are psychics themselves inherited? do Mom & Dad Kageyama have latent abilities? is Teru's family super strong? it wouldn't make a ton of sense for him to think he's so special if his parent(s) were as powerful as he was. why the hell is Mob SO cracked when Ritsu is the weakest of the main four kids (though this could be an issue with the fact that he hasn't had his powers available for very long)? why was Shige able to reach ???% even before suppressing his emotions? Mogami and Teru and Mob, probably Shou too, have been able to use their powers since birth. what determines whether you can do that, or have to have them awakened?

Teru is infamous for his tendency to pick up psychic techniques like pebbles from a creek. he makes the air whips and telekinetic explosion his own after only seeing each once. but he never seems to get the hang of Shimazaki's teleportation. some ESPers like the Awakening Lab kids can only use one or two techniques because they're not super powerful, but Minegishi & Matsuo don't exactly seem to have any aces up their sleeves either. is that by choice? are their powers simply of another category that no one (except Mob and spirits) can figure them out?

we've only ever seen Shige and Toichiro share their powers with non-ESPers. my guess is that you have to be insanely strong to do that, with enough psychics to spare that your own body/mind don't even care that they're missing. what I'm interested in is the fact that Mob didn't do it on purpose, and that he seemingly gave EVERYTHING to Reigen. that part has to be more trust than anything, right? I have so many questions but it's the most fun thing in the world to speculate.

[jewwyfeesh]

A Concerto That Surprises You - Knights

Writer: Happy Elements

Character(s): Tsukinaga Leo, Sena Izumi, Sakuma Ritsu, Narukami Arashi, Suou Tsukasa

Translated by: jewwyfeesh

Season: Autumn

Location: Vocal Room

Tsukasa: Onee-sama. Today, all the members of Knights have invited you here to discuss a matter of extreme importance.

Ah, onee-sama need not be so nervous; it’s not work related– no, I suppose it’s somewhat related…?

Ritsu: Suu~chan, you look really suspicious when you say something and hesitate right after~

I guess we have no choice~ I’ll spill the tea. We wanted Anzu to be the first one to listen to Knight’s newest song ♪

Leo: Hehe~ This song, “A Song To Surprise Anzu” is a work of confidence by the genius composer, Tsukinaga Leo! You must tell me what you think of it after you listen!

Izumi: Hey, hey. Hold on a second, Leo-kun, why did you let the cat out of the bag just like that?! Didn’t we all agree to keep Anzu in the dark until it’s time to perform?!

Leo: Eh? But… I didn’t leak the melody of the song. Right, Anzu?

Oh, do you like the song’s name? What do you think? Isn’t it very much my style? Wahaha ☆

Izumi: …Alright. Seems like this idiot didn’t realise it until now. Sooo~ annoying.

Arashi: Goodness~ My guess is that Leo-kun simply wanted Anzu-chan to listen to our new song as early as possible, so he ended up ignoring everything else ♪

However, it does seem like Anzu-chan is already aware. As a matter of fact, this song is one that Knights has dedicated to you. It belongs to you, and only you, so be sure not to release it publicly~

Tsukasa: I was really secretive at the start so as to give onee-sama a surprise… and for that, I would like to express my sincerest apologies.

Izumi: Hmph. Whatever the case may be, I squeezed some time out of my extremely busy schedule just to fly back and prepare this surprise for you. So you’d better give it a good listen, Anzu.

Ritsu: Haha~ Even though the lyrics were written by the five of us, Secchan was suuu~per uptight about the overall harmony and style of the song, suggesting changes left right and centre. Somehow, I managed to respond patiently.

Arashi: Ufufu. After all, that goes to show how much Izumi-chan values the song meant for Anzu-chan~ Our gratitude and thoughts for you have been woven into the lyrics, so we hope that they’ll be conveyed properly ♪

Tsukasa: Haha, it seems like everyone is ready. Let’s follow the original plan. With Leo-senpai and Ritsu-senpai providing the piano accompaniment, let’s perform this song for onee-sama…!

[himemiya-kun]

Secret Swan (Chapter 4)

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Chapter 4: The Truest Self

Summer

Characters:

• Hajime Shino

• Ritsu Sakuma

• Eichi Tenshouin

• Makoto Yuuki

• Tori Himemiya

<Meanwhile, in the garden>

Hajime: Come on, the tea is ready, let me pour it for you ♪

Ritsu: This tea smells even better than the one I drank at the Tea Party event just now. Ha-kun~ It looks like you are very happy, right?

Hajime: Although I was very happy at the Tea Party event, right now, it’s just the three of us from the black tea department so it’s a rare opportunity for me ♪

Ritsu: But isn't Ec~chan in a particularly busy period of work? Did he keep us here without meaning to catch up with us?

Eichi: Haha, why can’t I have a moment of rest in the midst of a busy schedule?

Hajime: Hey hey hey… No matter what the plan of Eichi-onii-chan is, I am already very happy if I can sit with the two of you and drink tea and enjoy snacks ♪

Ritsu: Alas, Ha-kun~ You are always like this, it is really easy to make people worry.

Let me satisfy Ec~chan’s wishes and talk about things that Ec~chan is interested in.

I’ve heard the rumours about STAR PRO and COS PRO competing for the same clothing endorsement.

Producer is also very busy because of this recent issue, so I don’t see her very much in Yumenosaki.

Hajime: Ah, I've heard of it too. But our Rhyth Lin itself is not very inclined to work in this area, and the seniors seem to be busy preparing for other things recently, so I don't know much about it.

All I know is that Tori-kun seems to be favoured by the brand and is going to participate in the audition. As his friend, I sincerely hope that he can get a chance to get an endorsement.

Eichi: Haha, I will convey your blessings to Tori, he will be very happy.

Although I am very curious about how Keito and Sakuma will deal with such a situation. Unfortunately, as Hajime had mentioned, this incident has nothing to do with Rhyth Lin.

Ritsu: So, Ec~chan, what do you mean, do you think this matter has something to do with our NEW DI? Because the designer of the clothes is Aoba Onii-chan? Or one—

Eichi: Haha, I never said that.

I was originally the kind of character who was often thought to be manipulating everything behind the scenes... This time I experienced the feeling of being manipulated by others, which was quite interesting.

Ritsu: Oh? I don't think Ec~chan really thinks he is being manipulated. You STAR PROs must have taken some unexpected actions, right?

Eichi: Not necessarily. The matter has not been carried to the end, and no one knows how it will develop.

After all, this time it's not just about me, it's also about Lovely Tori... If the situation ends up getting out of control, I will have to put an end to it.

Ritsu: Wow~ Ec~chan just now was so scary~

(I have to say, even though that magician hates people saying that he is very similar to Ec~chan, they are still very similar in some ways.)

(Hmph, I'm slightly looking forward to what will happen in the end. Come on everyone, please let me watch a good show ♪)

<Meanwhile, at Yumenosaki Academy>

Makoto: Was that okay? Acting isn’t really my strong point…

Wow, if Producer is applauding so vigorously, that means my performance should be pretty good, right?

What does Himemiya-kun think? If it still hinders you and Tenshouin-senpai, I need to practice a little more…

Tori: —Hey!? AHHHH don’t come here?!

Makoto: Hime—Himemiya-kun? Hiding behind Producer?!

Hey, Producer, do you think it’s a bit scary to see me perform with such acting skills all of a sudden because it’s different from my usual acting skills...?

Tori: I-I wasn't scared! It's just that Yuuki-senpai completely changed, and I felt very surprised!

Makoto: When you describe it like that, you sound like you were actually frightened…

Tori: Shut up, tarsier! Did you secretly go to special training? Hurry up and tell the truth!

Makoto: Eh, eh? Do you want me to shut up or explain it to you!?

Tori: You are so annoying! I order you to tell me now, now, and at once, all the reasons why you are so good at it!

Makoto: Ahaha, it seems that although some people have graduated, they have left a negative impact on the younger generations…

When I was filming Fist of the Shangri-la Idol, I had a lot of rivalry scenes with Fushimi and Hidaka. Just now I was simply imitating their acting skills at that time…

I remember when I first started filming, I was often intimidated by Fushimi. He was really good, right?

Tori: Hm, imitation… Maybe it's the way...?

Huh? Producer, why did you suddenly pat me on the shoulder? Are you comforting me? Well, then I guess I will thank you.

You said, I am not the only one who was suffering...?

Makoto: At this point, I can be sure.

When I was collecting information in the intelligence department, I met Saegusa, and he was also preparing for this job. Judging from what I got from our conversation, it’s most likely that he’s not the one who is auditioning for the leading role this time.

It seems that COS PRO also encountered some difficulties, which means that they did not underestimate their opponents, and did not underestimate you.

Himemiya-kun has studied how to play this role so seriously, maybe we have already gone ahead of them.

Tori: Yuuki-senpai…

Makoto: Ah, Producer seems to have something else to tell you.

Tori: Huh? Is the content you sent to me through the “Hand in Hand Space” (Note: I'm not sure what this is but the original text says 攜手空間) just now the plot plan of the commercial short film?

I hope I get some inspiration from this... I'll meet you in ES's clothing room tomorrow after school.

Well, I see, I will definitely come! Don't be late!

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[wishlikes]

From episode 1.6

“Oh, it’s you, Kageyama-kun.” “Ah, Vice President Tokugawa.” “Loitering, huh? I guess even people like you feel like doing that at times.” “Like me? I’m just a normal middle school student you can find anywhere. Totally simple and normal.” “You won’t find a totally simple and normal middle schooler anywhere on this planet. But, for whatever reason, you want to be one and are trying to act the part. “I’m not sure if I understand what you’re saying.” “Despite having abilities that always make you the center of attention, you try to play the minor role and let others have the spotlight. Don’t try to act like your brother.”

What the FUCK is Tokugawa on about.

I’m pretty sure he listens to gossip (and/or is super observant) because he’s a third year and thus probably only sees Ritsu during student council. He has met Mob one (1) time. Why the fuck does he feel confident enough in his information to roast Ritsu like this.

Especially because I’m pretty sure he’s wrong? about Ritsu’s motivations. Ritsu hates crowds and loud noises. He does not seem all that stoked about people in general. His parents are always comparing Mob to Ritsu. He is. very anxious about Mob’s emotional state.

It’s a little more obvious in the manga, but Ritsu is very much a ‘popular against his will’ character. He wants people to Leave Him Alone. And to stop telling him he’s better than his brother, because that’s always going to ring false. And possibly upset his brother which would be Bad.

Like, yeah Tokugawa, you’re kinda right. Ritsu does have brother issues. Not that one though.

[funkytimeoats]

Things I wish were more present in SWD?: Ninja Shadow (PART 1)

So this is just a word blurb from me just spewing out my thoughts. Some of it may not make sense, but I'll try to keep my thoughts as concise as possible.

Topic: More Sibling Interactions (especially b/w Makoto and Toru)

We kinda got this b/w Saori (MC) and her brother Kaname in that one Spin Off where either they go to the Nagasaki Vigilantes together or you pick the other story route (I can't remember the contents of that storyline, but I remember it being cute).

I thought it was really cute and nice seeing their sibling relationship.

I just wish we got spin offs like for the other siblings in this game (Seiji-Seiya, Kunihiro-Nobuyoshi, Kaede-Amon, Yugiri and Ritsu with their unnamed younger siblings, the puppeteer brothers, even Ukyo-Eduard who are more like adoptive siblings). They didn't need to be non-canon, they could've been anecdotal stories from their pasts.

I know it's meant to be an otome game, but getting more character back story would have been so cool.

I especially wanted to see more sibling interactions b/w Makoto and Toru. They are a main pair of siblings in the series, so I wish we could've seen them more, specifically without Saori being there (because yeah, it is an otome game).

Toru is shown to love his little brother very dearly. It's one of his major reasons for trying to "destroy Nagasaki and build it back up". Because it's "the city Makoto loves". His dream also spreads to completely reconstructing Japan, but his main focal point is Nagasaki because that's where his baby brother is.

Makoto does love his big brother too, but he has resentment toward him as well. Toru has always been better than him at everything, Toru has always been the golden child of the Nakagawa family. Now even then at most Makoto was just a bit envious.

The real resentment begins when Toru just up and leaves one day leaving Makoto to clean up after his mess.

Now, I say he just leaves out of the blue because while in the early original routes, Toru was said to be a founding member of the Nagasaki Vigilantes, however, in one of the later canon spin offs called Back to the Beginning, which I'll consider to be the actual storyline, Makoto says that Toru just kinda disappeared one day without any warning and without telling Makoto or Shintaro anything.

I guess Toru just had an epiphany about his ideals. I don't really know and I'm not sure/don't remember if it's explained anymore. I honestly don't know lol

Anyways, that's where Makoto actually seems to gain resentment towards his brother, because when Toru leaves Makoto has to take care of stuff Toru left behind. And of course the Nakagawa family, specifically the branch family, love to beat down and berate Makoto because he was the "lesser" brother. Literally calling him the stain to the Nakagawa name (which, holy shit, is really fucking mean and evil, holy cow).

If I remember right, Makoto didn't even want to really take up becoming the next head of the family, he just wanted to become painter, but because Toru left now he has to, which I think is really sad, poor Makoto.

As for what happens to Toru, depending on the route he's either captured and then escapes (usually with the help of his pal Tsubaki) or he's just captured, or he turns into a traveling merchant(?) (I honestly can't remember everything that happens in his route, I think he becomes a merchant though).

And if he and Makoto aren't really involved in the route, ig he just kinda dilly-dallies and runs around doing whatever.

I think it would have been interesting if we were able to get a spin off where Toru and Makoto have a deep and meaningful conversation about why they chose the choices they did, how they were feeling, how they felt about each other's choices and decisions. It would be a very emotional and vulnerable moment for the two, especially Makoto who tends to hide his true emotions. I think it would've been interesting to see Makoto open up more to Toru about how the Nakagawa elders treated him, obviously Toru generally gets the idea, but Makoto could tell him in detail and how that made him feel.

I wish we could've had an emotional spin off like that. Though I might be biased sense I find the sibling dynamic of the two to be most interesting out of everyone's.

Like I said Toru loves Makoto so much to the point that he would cause some hurt and pain to his baby brother to keep him safe. He even tries multiple times to get Makoto to join him in his rebellion and becomes quite hurt when Makoto doesn't take up his offer. I mean just look at this bit of text from the Ninja Shadow Tropedia/wikia page

When he's beaten in Makoto's route he's extremely distraught as he was so sure he win.

He was so sure he was going to win because he has such a strong deep love for his brother.

Toru wanted to protect one of things his little brother held so dear to him.

I just love the two so much, they deserve the world

Well that's the end of this word blurb (part 1) lol. I hope what I said makes sense and maybe some of you might agree.

[eshithepetty]

don't feel the need to reply to this but THANK YOU so much for your ritsu meta, i always love reading when you post and even if i don't always agree 100% you have such amazing and insightful meta about mp100, especially ritsu. like ritsu as a character resonated with me SO MUCH and i could see myself in him and i actually like that he snapped because of all the pressure and loneliness he was under, because it felt so realistic to me. and i really do think that even if it's lighthearted, the fandom DOES mischaracterize him a lot and that he's not just emo or angsty or violent, and it's really depressing to see people depict ritsu as like... depressed, jealous, making stupid decisions, mean, etc ALL the time. it honestly gets super frustrating... i guess i just want to say that i really appreciate when people do take the time to analyze his character and see his good traits, and that i am really grateful to you for like, continuing to treat every mp100 character with respect

Yesss,,, you're so right anon actually. Every character in mp100 gets flanderized by the fandom from time to time, that will just happen with fandoms, and with mp100 it's an especially easy issue to fall into because... like. As that one post by scribe said, mp100's characters work on contradictions, and people aren't usually well versed in working with that. but with Ritsu, it does seem to paint him in a rather negative light, huh? Those aspects of his character do exist, but it does get frustrating when, as I've said before, they're the only ones people focus on to a surface level. I'm not gonna be the most coherent rn cause I hadn't been able to sleep all night (not related to anything, my sleep schedule's just fucked lmao), but I really feel you anon on that. I see a lot of myself and my sibling in Ritsu (and Mob), and so I guess that's why it sometimes hurts for me too - to see people dismissing him as just 'angry' and 'irrational', to see his struggles boiled down to him just being dramatic. I'm not gonna get into it, and I'm aware this is my own personal baggage to work through, but yeah.

I will say, though, I find the comments about how silly it is for Ritsu to be angsting over people 'complimenting him' especially funny 😭 bro you dont even know how much people lauding you over your sibling while you both are actually in extreme distress and can't actually communicate enough to help each other can fuck you up lmao

Anyways!!! Thank you for that last comment as well <33 I'm not a very funny person, or a very active part of the fandom, or someone who does well in forging connections and being entertaining, but I do try my best to always understand these characters and express how I feel about them. That's my way of having fun with shows ig, I really like diving deep into these things and having discussions with people and losing my mind over little funny guys (my friends on discord will be able to attest to this, based on how many inane rambles they've been subjected to. Hi Kegan and Saj if u happen to read this hdhsjhehe) So thank you for sending this ask as well, and allowing me to talk some more :)

I should be preparing for school now, though, so I'll end it here. Hope you have a good day/night anon, as well as everyone else reading this <3

[lurkingshan]

The End of the World With You

I’ll include my watch notes under a cut since I binged it and it’s long af, but the TL;DR: I really loved the first half of this but it kind of fell apart in the second half for me. On the one hand, I found the initial conflict very compelling, thought the actors had good chemistry, the show was beautiful to look at, and as @bengiyo has highlighted, it was really nice to see a show featuring an explicit queer sexual relationship leave the characters on a happy, hopeful note, if not a straightforward HEA. Ultimately though I came down agreeing with @waitmyturtles that the emotional arc just didn’t ring true. In particular, it felt like Ritsu became a totally different character in the last few episodes and it didn’t work for me despite my appreciation for some of those scenes.

I also just could not get into the whole side story about Madoka, which might be my own discomfort with stan culture and parasocial relationships getting in the way. But it took up a lot of story time and we ended up with some shortcuts in the main narrative as a result. I think a version of this show that focused more narrowly on Ritsu and Masumi repairing their relationship and finding peace with each other in their final days might have worked better.

All that aside, I am very curious what people are making of that weird ending and Yuma’s magic powers. Do we think he stopped the meteor?

Episode 1

* I like how they set this slightly in the future to give us a sense that this could be happening to us any day now, very strong doom vibes.

* Trying to imagine what I would do if I found out the world was about to end. Masumi wastes the day away playing on his phone and then heads to the library to spend his final days in quiet solitude. I think I’d probably gather up my friends and buy a ton of food and drinks and just hunker down to ride it out together.

* I love that the moment of recognition between Masumi and Ritsu was not when they first looked at each other, but when their hands touched. That’s when they both froze, like a sense memory took them over.

* Ritsu is gorgeous and he has read and enjoyed Masumi’s writing. How could anyone resist?

* This may just be me benefiting from hindsight since I already know some stuff about how the show progresses, but Ritsu does seem to sincerely connect with Masumi. He will turn out to be a horrible boyfriend but it’s not because he doesn’t like him.

Episode 2

* I remember reading some commentary toward the end of the show airing about how intensely Ritsu is focused on Masumi during sex, and it’s here too in their earlier scenes. He’s watching him closely and seems to enjoy making him feel good. Whether that’s because of any feelings he has for Masumi or his own ego remains to be seen.

* “I feel like you’re special” and “I really love you” and kissing him publicly at school and when Masumi catches him with a girl Ritsu just says “sorry that was rude”?? Jail for this man.

* Poor Masumi. Trying to get a fuckboy to love you never works (barring an apocalyptic event, apparently). But I get it, it was the first time he felt comfortable with his sexuality and it’s hard to let go of someone you’re that compatible with.

* Masumi is being pathetic but Ritsu threatening to out him is truly so vile. Back to jail!

* Ritsu trying to act like they’re old friends after things ending like that… I want to reach through the screen and slap him.

* I like this song playing at the end of the episodes, it’s pretty. (ETA: I found it - Futatabi by HIROBA feat Ai Otsuka)

* Help him with a what now??

Episode 3

* Okay I had memory-holed the corpse thing, yikes.

* Now why exactly is Ritsu running around with euthanasia drugs?

* If I was Masumi I would simply not follow my cheating ex boyfriend when he says he is going to take me to a corpse.

* The corpse is alive!! And says Ritsu told him they would die together? He truly is a POS, phew.

* This kid wanted to die because his favorite idol died by suicide? That is too unfortunately believable.

* Masumi convincing the kid to go on living only to be immediately reminded that the world is ending is so darkly funny.

* Yuma! He has a name.

* Is Ritsu really trying to get it in in this situation?? The AUDACITY of this man.

* Masumi yelling at Ritsu about how traumatic their relationship was for him is great and also unflinchingly honest. I think most people in that situation would try to keep a little pride and pretend to be unaffected.

* Damn big of you to promise a whole week of fidelity, Ritsu.

* Masumi immediately getting horny when surrounded by Ritsu’s scent. 💀

Episode 4

* Ya know I suppose if we were all about to die and I had convenient access to the best sex of my life I might just go for it, pride be damned.

* Masumi grew up abused and neglected with a hateful mother. Yep, that tracks.

* “My personal philosophy is for people to prioritize themselves.” Yeah we know, Ritsu.

* I like the energy Yuma is bringing to the story. Masumi and Ritsu are so gloomy.

* Oh fuck this. What we’re not going to do at the end of the world is waste time tending to our abusive parents.

* I don’t believe Masumi’s mother regrets what she’s done to him. She only regrets that she’s dying alone. Hoo boy, feeling a bit trigged tbh!

* Masumi, IMO this is a great time to adopt Ritsu’s personal philosophy.

* Ritsu is an asshole but he saved Masumi from himself in this moment.

Episode 5

* Why are we still paying for hotels during the apocalypse?

* Does Yuma know this girl? Looks like yes! And she knows Ritsu? Who is Rikkun?? What is happening!

* The creepy music and weird lighting - what is is trying to tell me about Meguru? Is it just that she’s trans? That doesn’t seem worth the mystery doom treatment.

* So Ritsu actually was suicidal for some reason he is not yet disclosing.

* Kido! Here to play another POS, no doubt. That escalated quickly, what a creep.

* I, too, thought Yuma might be controlling the weather.

Episode 6

* I’m sure all of this talk about the idol sister is supposed to be touching but I’m too distracted by the implausibility of this group of people with all these convenient connections to each other’s traumas just happening to meet up while running around in an apocalypse.

* This whole emotional thread hinging on Yuma’s parasocial fixation on an idol he’s never met… mmm, I don’t know, fam.

* I don’t know that I am buying Ritsu’s tears over Masumi getting hurt and his sudden epiphany that he’s a POS. Seems kind of abrupt? And Masumi immediately responding with a kiss and forgiveness? I think the characters could be convincingly taken to this place with more time and development but this feels unearned.

* The Madoka stuff really isn’t working for me. In a show with such a short run time I’d rather they kept a tighter focus on the main pair’s relationship rather than diverting to this side story. And I really don’t buy Ritsu feeling guilty about not saving her. It just doesn’t track with anything else we know about him.

* Sidebar: Baka here is translated as “you ass” but I know this word from We Best Love when Shu Yi keeps calling Shi De an idiot (affectionate).

* This might be the episode where the show lost me. I think they skipped important beats in the emotional arcs and took some narrative shortcuts that didn’t really work (maybe due to the short run time) so I’m not going to fully buy anything that happens from here.

Episode 7

* Ritsu is a romantic now! Okay.

* Surprised to learn Ritsu was with Masumi for six months. How did they make it that long before Masumi realized he was fucking everything that moved?

* Ritsu’s reaction when Madoka called him an asshole for cheating on Masumi felt more genuine. That kind of rye amusement - yep I’m the worst - felt more like him than the guilty crying and suicidal ideation.

* This scene at the waterfall is really beautiful. I like it despite not fully buying some of the underlying emotions.

* Yuma just now realizing they’re “like that” is sending me. His sexual tension detector is clearly faulty.

* Meguru really didn’t think it through when she decided to appear in front of her parents suddenly looking like her dead sister.

Episode 8

* I really wish Yuma and Meguru’s connection was NOT based around Madoka. I think I’d be more into it if they’d scrapped the idol thing and just had them be two kids who met by chance.

* Okay but for real what is with Yuma’s magic powers? It feels so random.

* So after all that Yuma just leaves?

* The fogged up car windows were a nice touch. Kept waiting for Masumi to slap his hand against the glass like Rose.

* Wait Ritsu’s reason for wanting to die was his business was in debt? That’s it??

* I would have liked some flashbacks to Ritsu’s perspective in college. I think it would have made this “I loved you all along and always wanted you back” thing more believable.

* I like that Masumi wants to live on but I also don’t actually believe Ritsu would be faithful if the world wasn’t ending. 😶

* Was that a bare hip bone I spied in this final sex scene? Goodness.

* Dude what the hell. Is Yuma the meteor? Did Yuma magically stop the meteor? What am I supposed to do with this!